Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1890-05-20

a very fierce, warlike appearance
''You can not go on" was the reply OF
their head-man to our messengers
'"The Lufembi, with many canoes, have
passed up the river. No one ever sleeps
here on this bank. If you try it you
will all have your threats cut"
This was not particularly cheering;
but we decided TO sleep there, neverthe-
less, and sleep we did. A strong guard
was detailed to prevent surprise. In
the morning we would go up to the viii
lage, which was named Bolando, and
whose people, like all the Balolo, were
kindred to the fierce Lufembi, and at
the same time frequent sufferers at their
hands.
While we were DOING around the
camp fires, in fancied security, great
shout suddenly went up and there was
an instant panic, resembling the scare
we had experienced at point one hun
bred miles further down the river.
Rifles and revolvers were discharged
and when we heard drums beating in
several directions we felt certain that
the dreaded Lufembi weri upon us in
force. Owing to tho impenet.able dark
ness we were in ignorance of the cause
of all this confusion. After awhile the
firing ceased and the frightened crew of
the Florida were once more convinced
that they had been the victims Of false
alarm, as no enemy appeared. The distant
drums however, continued to beat at
intervals, and it was not until daylight
that our camp felt quite secure from
attack of the invisible enemy.
In the morning, deeming 1T hopeless
to risk visit to the village, after the ex-
citing scare of tho night and as we
were unable to get either food or fuel
at that point (which is between two
hundred and fifty and three hundred
miles up the Lulungu river, from the
point of It's confluence with the Congo,
we returned To tho steamer and went
to BOHEMIA a fishing village whore we
were told supplies were to be had in
abundance. We carried with us, how
ever, vivid recollection of the Bolando
natives, whom our messengers de-
scribed as being of very martial APP
pearance. They wore, when our dele
cation met them, q variety of weapons,
the principal one being q wooden
knife, in shape somewhat like prun-
ing hook, this made of an exceeding
ly hard and durable wood, sharpened to
point, and they used it very skillfully.
In conversation, they employed it to
emphasize their talk, and it was not
encouraging to our messengers to see
these savages brandishing their ugly
looking machetes at every sentence or
two.
Although we were exceedingly anx-
ious to push forward to the elephant
country, where, in it's native habitat,
the forest giant, we were assured, could
be found in vast numbers, we could not
possibly do it. We had exhausted our
food supply and the problem of revic-
tualing was becoming harder daily. Be-
sides, we were due back at Kinchasa by
a certain date; so we regretfully turned
the Florida's bows down-river and be-
gan our homeward journey. The cur
rent was strong and at the sharp bends
of the river we were obliged to proceed
with great caution. to avoid getting
aground Or fouling on hidden snags.
Still, with all our precautions, we struck
on the banks repeatedly, and the Flor
ida sustained considerable damage, but
not enough to prevent us from continu-
ing our journey. Finally, we got
through the dangerous swells and cur
rents and into safe water, after which
our progress down stream was very
rapid.
On getting back to Baulu, we bought
q great quantity of ivory about 1000
pounds of it, and of very superior
quality. Our journey to Malinga was
continued without incident. There we
were greeted by the natives in the same
cordial way as on our first arrival; but
a serious event had happened during our
absence. Their village had been at
tackled by the cannibal Lufembi in
force; sharp fight had taken place and
the assailants had finally been repulsed.
Prisoners had been taken by both sides,
and when we came upon the scene there
were five Lufembi warriors in the hands
Of the Malingas All this the head-man
told us when he came on board the
Florida on the evening of our arrival.
Going ashore | saw one or two of the
captive cannibals tied up to huge logs,
which we're chained about their necks
{ These savages talk practically the same
language as the Malingas, who are, as /
have already explained, branch of the
great Lufembe race, and have the same
peculiar tribal marks on their bodies,
even to the ridges on their faces.
Physically the Lufembi are magnificent
men; tall, clean-limbed and dignifed-
looking. A popularity about them is
that they are, as | was informed by the
head-man, vegetarians in all else except
their horrible love of human flesh.
They differ from other savage races in
the fact that, according to all we could
learn, they make war solely through a
desire to get their enemies to eat, and
not because they hate them or from mo-
tiyes of vengeance. They are the true
man-hunters, who follow the human
game to crafty their frightful appetite
for flesh While other savages attack
their enemies to punish aggression or
secure revenge, the Lufembi alone
make their ghoulish appetite the
primary object in their raids upon their
weaker noighbors.
The prisoners in the hands of the
Malingas were stoics. and bore them
selves bravery. A savage. although he
knows he is to be killed the next morn
ing, will make no cutlery, nor will he
try to escape. Their eyes had a passive
expression, and they faced their fate
uncomplaininFly
The inland tribes are all related, the
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