Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1890-04-11
FEMALE cAMp.FotLowERs.
How African Women Take an Active
Part In Exploring Expeditions.

Quite a large number of the people
whom Stanley has Just brought from
central Africa, says the N. Y. Sun, are
women and children, the families Of
the Egyptian soldiers who abandoned
the Upper Nile with Emin. Native
women have taken an active part in
the tolls and hardships of nearly every
exploring expedition that has entered
Africa. One of the most pathetic in
cidents in the story of SANKEY'S first
Journey across the dark continent was
that of the woman who. following the
fortunes of her husband. trudged from
sea to sea and thea died of her priya-
tons at the mouth of the Congo, just
as the party were about to take the
steamer on their homeward journey.
Col. Gallieni says that one of the
most curious incidents of his labors in
Senegal was the regiment of women
that constantly followed his columns
as he pushed through the Wilderness to
the Upper Niger. There was great Ma
mentation in the camp three years ago.
when he made his rapid march against
the Marabout Lamine, because he de-
clined to let the women accompany his
black soldiers for fear they would re-
tard the rapid march of his troops. A
little later however. the women and
children joined the column as it
marched to the Niger, and Gallieni
says the women were among the most
useful members of tho expedition. His
black soldiers, unlike the French troops.
did not like to occupy themselves with
culinary details and other work of the
camp. They left all these cares to
their women, who took charge of the
rations and prepared the meals; aud
on the march they lightened the bur-
den Of their husbands by carrying
good share of the baggage. The SOL
diers, having little but their arms and
munitions to carry, were able to make
longer marches. IL have rarely had
any cause" says Col. Gallieni, Ito
complain of these women. who readily
adapted themselves TO our military dis
cipline."
The unmarried soldiers found that
their more fortunate comrades were
able to take life much easier than they,
and therefore did not fail to improve
any favorable opportunity of getting
wives. Among the spoils of war was
the harem of the Marabout Lamine,
and the ladies cheerfully consented to
make an equal number of bachelors
happy. Thereafter these women were
among the most faithful workers in the
camp and apparently had no regrets
for their former lord. who ran away
from them.
In their long journeys through Africa
Capella and Nens, the Portuguese ex-
plorers, regularly enlisted women as
well as men, and found them most use
full adiuncts to their expeditions. They
said the women carried loads nearly
as heavy as those of the men, did all
the cooking, and made fewer COM
plants. A number of explorers give
similar testimony to the value of wo-
men on long expeditions.
The notion that women are inferior
to men curiously enough has led to
very different results in two countries
widely separated. 1t is found that
many Burmans are anxious to have
their sons attend English schools, be-
lieving their chance in life are thus inn
proved; but they are not at all anxious
that their daughters should have SIM
liar advantages. In Senegal, on tho
other hand, when the French recently
besought the chiefs to trust them with
their sons, TO be educated at govern
ment expense, some of the natives re-
piled: 1--WE wish to keep our boys at
home to fit them to be chiefs them
selves. But if you want girls you can
have all you will take, and teach them
everything in the books"