The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-05-02


clrcled round us as We drew in to the
beach. Voices from under the great
trees that lowered over the streets OF
houses lining the top OF the bank called
out to us to approach, and answered US
that there were tons of ivory for sale
here. Landing by freight we made
blood-brothers on the bank, amid a
crowd OF savages, with the old chief OF
this village, whose name we learned was
Popono, and received from him two fine
tusks of ivory as presents. All night
long our men were chatting with the
natives round the fires on shore.
The district of which Popono was only
one village was called Masan Kuso, and
extended about eight miles higher up te
the junction of the Malinga and Lopori
rivers, which together form the Lulungu
the great tributary of the Congo we had
been traversing for the last four days.
Next day We steamed higher up to the
topmost village of the district, situated
in face of the Lopori which. coming
from the north and flowing through
countries destitute of ivory, and only
supplying enormous numbers of slaves
to the raiding canoes of this very Masar
Kuso district, here joins the still broader
Malinga by mouth about four hundred
to five hundred yards wide.
The natives here were very friendly
and we had to undergo the ceremonial OF
exchanging blood and becoming "kin
dred of one blood" with several chiefs OF
the community, who expressed their ap
probation of their new-found relations
by offering us goats, fowls and two OF
three beautiful tusks of ivory, for ali
OF which we gave suitable presents in
return, consisting of several fathoms OF
red cloth. or American sheeting, OF
cheap Manchester cottons, few spoon.
fuls of white and blue beads, mirror OF
two, tin plate, cup and spoon, and one
or two odds and ends which cheer the
heart of the African in his rude sim
plicity.
Learning at Masan Kuso that a great
inland tribe of cannibals known as the
Lufembi had been ravaging the banks
of the Malinga and had destroyed every
village up to the great Balolo town OF
Malinga from which the river takes its
name), we determined to lay in as large
stock of fowls, goats aud other food as
possible, since we could not hope tc
reach Malinga town before three days.
On the second morning after our ar.
rival we started from Masan Kuso up the
Malinga and were soon tar from any
evidences of life. No canoes passed us
and no signs of human habitatiOn or hu.
man being greeted us. For two days
we passed along between the tall, silent
walls of the great forest on either side,
the silence scarcely broken by the cries
of any bird, and the only moving thing
upon the waters the head of a black OF
green water snake as it strove to avoid
our bows in its passage across the river.
One of these creatures jumped into ou1
lOw-lying canoe attached to the side OF
the steamer which served us instead OF
boat and scattered all the cooking ar.
engagements of poor little Mochindu, our
cook, who used to arrange his midday
dishes along the bottom of the canoe
On the evening of November 10, after
we had been two days in the Malinga
without seeing sign of hut or human
being, we were cheered to sight few
miles ahead of us up along straight
reach of river, the lighter green patch in
the dark surrounding line of forest
which denoted the presence of the
broad-leaved plantain groves that sur
round every village. However, on getting
up to it we were saddened by the scene
which met our eyes, after we had as
cended by rope ladder and steps cut in
the bank the cliff on which the plan
tains waved their long arms. Every
where was desOlation. The huts were al
most all destroyed by fire and only
charred poles and half burnt thatch
remained to show where once had ex-
tended the broad pleasant street of
comfortable African village. The
beautiful stems of the bananas and
plantains were blackened by fre-or
cut down in enormous masses they
blocked up the paths between the
houses, or lay half suspended across the
still hanging center pole of some
partially destroyed hut.
We wandered about for some time
amid the ruins. wondering at the cause
of this destruction, and seeking if we
might find some poor savage lurking in
the bushes near his but recently de-
stroyed home. Presently from across
the river voice called out to us, timid-
ly and family, and looking in the direc-
ton whence it came, we perceived
small canoe with two occupants creep
ing close in to the opposite bank and
stealing up stream in the shadows of
the trees. To our cries that we were
friends and should do them no harm If
they approached, the timid natives only
answered that they had nothing to sell
or even give US save the advice that we
should sleep anywhere else rather than
on the site of their destroyed village.
for that the Luscmbi at the back were
only short distance off and would prob
ably come down on US in the night.
However, as there was plenty of good
wood to be had from the partially burnt
framework of the houses, we determined
to remain til" night there, and put all
hands to pulling down poles and charred
timbers. SAW ~ them on the top of the
bank and thro" lg them down the cliff,
whence we h them carried en- board
the FlOrid lis york by freight
went or enough we'll into the
night, the men chatting each other and
occasionally saying III half-play, half
earnest: What will we do if the Lu-
fembi come down upon US by and by?"
Gradually, work being finished and
the wood all carried on board, the men
sank to rest round their fires up on top
of the cliff, each man with his loaded
Snider rifle beside him, and guard
having been posted we all went asleep
with feeling Of security. 1 had
not lain very long, l fancy, on my camp
bed out on the deck Of the Florida when