Los Angeles herald., 1890-09-10
LIKE SOUTH AFRICA.
A TRAVELLER SAYS WE HAVE THE
BARBARISM OF THE SAVAGE.

Caustic Satire on City Life.
Not long since had an opportunity of
conversing with gentleman named La
fayette Sykes, who has travelled a great
deal in heather lands. He was for while
with Stanley in Africa. He had also trav-
ersed the wilds of Brazil and undergone
various experiences in Australia.
He has now settled down to quiet life
in New York. During the conversation I
remarked that after man had been living
in the jungles of Africa for long time,
upon his return to civilization everything
must seem queer and strange; that for
while at least he must be in a dazed condi-
tion.
"In what way?" he asked, looking some
what surprised
Certainly the manners and customs of
the savages and the mode of life in wild
country are essentially different from what
they are in our large cities"
"Yes," he replied, "life is not precisely
the same, but the change is not so great as
you seem to think"
81 should think that the difference would
be very marked. For instance, in Africa
you were in daily danger of being assaulted
by wild savages uttering fierce cries and
brandishing their war clubs"
"Yes, but had the same thing happen
to me over in Hoboken."
"Impossiblel"
Nothing impossible about it. A wild
man in uniform, uttering fierce yells and
brandishing his war club, rushed at me in
Hoboken because l didn't see the sign,
Keep off the grass"
Eyes, of course; but he was a policeman
What 1 mean is that in Africa you are in
danger of being murdered and robbed by
tribes of wild savages."
"That's so; but don't think they are as
dangerous as the gangs of the toughs that
infest some of our large cities. In Chicago
I came very near being murdered and rob-
bed by gang of wild savages. Some of
the gangs of hoodlums in San Francisco
are not as mild as spring lamb with mint
sauce" remarked the former explorer, Gym
ically.
eyes, 1 suppose SO, and even in New
York there are such things as gangs; but
what l mean is that in large civilized city
like New York your daily life lacks the
element of danger which is always present
on the Dark Continent"
My friend seemed to be very amused at
what l said, but after he had got through
smiling he replied:
Excuse me, but when you speak of the
element of danger not existing in New
York my risi,ilities are affected I don't
quite understand how you can make that
remark seriously-that is if you ever try to
cross Broadway during the busy part of
the day, not to speak of subway explosions,
street car accidents, falling safes and other
elements of danger"
1t occurred to me that was not getting
ahead very much on that tack, so 1 turned
the conversation little.
HOW, in, A frio
a great deal from hunger. At times what
little you got was not fit to eat, and'-
That's So" interrupted Sykes, "but you
can get all that, and even less, in Boston
boarding house, where came nearer starv-
ing to death than l ever did in Africa.
Next time put up at a boarding house I'll
see that there is a restaurant in the imme-
diate vicinity"
81 suppose so," replied, peevishly, per-
ceiviag that | was not getting the best of
the argument; what meant to say was
that-that in Africa you know there is
there are-no society gentlemen"
"f you mean dudes, perhaps, strictly
speaking you are correct. However, the
difference between certain types of the
monkey and the modern dude is not so
great after all. visited swell club house
after my return from Africa, where you
the time, and I-I-could not see any great
difference"
"But you must miss the lions, tigers and
elephants. | understand that Africa is
very fertile in that class of animals" re-
joined, feeling that Sykes was getting
away with me in the discussion.
For that matter we are not altogether
devoid of the elephant and. the tiger right
here in New York, so l am told. Both of
the noble animals can be viewed. 1t is ex-
pensive, but still they can be viewed, and
they are quite as large as and even more
dangerous than in Africa. A friend Of
mine who saw the tiger very distinctly
and had simultaneous glimpse of the
elephant told me that once or twice is as
often as he cared to inspect the animal.
1t is a fact that it is very hot in Africa,
but so it is here during an election. More
over, if man feels chilly let him do some
thing he should not do and the press will
make it hot enough for him. In Africa a
man is robbed by the negroes, but none of
them is as expert at robbing and begging
as the sleeping car porter or the colored
waiter at a summer resort"
well, how about the proprieties in re-
gard to dress?"
''It is fact" replied Sykes, ''that the
people of this country wear more clothing
than is worn under the Equator. admit
that on my return from Africa I was
shocked at seeing people wearing so many
clothing, so to speak, so accustomed had
become to the light drapery of Central
Africa"
81 thought you would have to admit as
much" l said, with a triumphant air.
"But," continued Sykes, ''that feeling Of
.strangeness wore off as soon as I went to a
theatre. The short dresses on the stage
and the low necked dresses in the boxes
reminded me very much of the costumes l
saw in Africa. By the way, did you ever
visit fashionable seaside resort during
the height of the season."
II have been to Coney Island a time or
80"
''You should go to Long Branch or New
port, as I did, where l could not see any
great difference between the style of bath
ing dress worn there and that which pre-
walls in the Sandwich Islands,"
"Well, there is one advantage we have in
this country over Africa. We have no
such barbarous names for places. When
Stanley went to the rescue of Emin Pasha
the papers mentioned the most outlandish
names of places"
eyes, l know Stanley passed through
Ujijijijiji, ON the banks of the Kneighkee-
I,-x,o nd troy ba vi h