The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-05-29
ON THE COAST OF AFRICA.
LANDING SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS
IHROUGH TIE SURE.
Excitement Caused by Angry CnnnibHls,
Supplemented by n Meteor-EuGltshmen
AstonIRhed at American Ingenuity.

Supplemented by a Meteor-En Glis hnie N
AstonIrhed at American Ingenuity.
| G. +. Van Guysling member OF the party
| which went to Africa on the United States
ship Pensacola to observe the eclipse OF
tho sun on Dec. %, Is at present at the Hotel
st. George in Brooklyn. Ho was sent out 10y
Prof Merritt Gally Of New York to conduct tho
operations Of the Photographic apparatus while
the total eclipse was taking place. He was not
regular subordinate Of David i. Todd tho
director OF the party. Ho was greatly dis
appointed at the food and tho arrangements
for sleeping on tho overcrowdcd shin.
ON arrival at st. Paul de Loanda,' he said
Yesterday, we all expected to land and go
seventy miles into the interior to Muxima
Tho original plan was to observe the eclipse
from this poin'. We learned however that the
steamship which goes UP the river soni- month
ly had lett on the preceding Thursday, and that
there had been several washouts on tho rail-
way from st. Paul to Muxima. Tho Governor
had had the old fort at MuXma cleaned and
fixed up for our party. He offered TO transport
our stuff over the washouts. Prof. Todd had
discovered. however that the work could DO
dono very advantaReously from Cape Ledo.
which had already been selected by the British
expedition for their observation. our appa-
ratus was still Incomplete. and Prof Todd do
cided. therefore. to take position near the
British camp. On Sunday. Dec. 8. we arrived
at Capo Ledo. We found her Mnjesty'5
ship Bramole In Mastote Bay. We MI
landed and set fire to the high grass and
weeds near the shore. We staked out the loca-
lions and tho positions Of the Instruments.
We went up on the hills about 200 yards back
to look for human habitations. We found
none. There seemed to be no wild animals or
snakes in the neighporhood. There were.
hot ina, hos -
and lizards aud all sorts OF crawling things
on every side. We began unloading our gear
Immediately. We took ashore and set up five
portable houses The first night / passed on
land slept in Prof Todd's house. 1t was dry
and hot the day before, and there were no signs
OF rain. We had no roofs on the houses. There
was only a sun screen between me and the sky.
l went to bed rather carly. At midnight 1
awoke to find the rain sweeping down In tor
rents. Everything was anoat l jumped up
and got a rubber overcoat and an umbrella.
spread the coat over me. raised the umbr ella,
and lay there In bed under 1t for tho rest Of the
night. hearing the water trickle from the bed
to tho floor and the sand tidders scratching
round outside. The shore was very steep and
we were unable to bring our boats close to it.
The crew would row UP as near as possible to
land. make fast to a kedge anchor. back up,
and hold fast while the members OF the party
made flying leaps for the shore. A man usual
ly struck up to his knees. Frequently he
would 20 under Several times jumped with
my hands full Of cameras and things OF that
kind only to plunge away out Of sight After
the baptism man would get back to the ship.
dry himself out, and start back to work again.
The officers OF tho boats used to nearly |
split their sides while watching US. We were |
treated with uniform courtesy and respect by |
them all.
Among the curious things we found along |
me " Shore we're some enormous oysters Many |
OF them were fifteen or sixteen inches long. |
with shells from an inch to two inches thick. |
Some O. the scientific men on board said they |
must be about u thousand years old. and, |
Judging from the toughness.> / should say that |
might be good estimate. One OF these oys-
teIs with hard tack made o fairly hearty meal. |
ef eeh anG old a
guns peekinE over the hills about i've or six
h IN feet away; They were almost naked.
crep!, down the hin and through the grass TO
other trim ets. As soon rs the others saw what
ne had got they. too. came down from the hill.
hSe snd H 9e' o Ters there G9P with
They carried all the food on their heads and
WRer guns and M other weapSns in their hands.
Tor four or five old fruit cans and little Portu
guese money. One OF the ships cooks acted
oil the time We were there the cannibals VS. |
ted US to trade, off venison, honey. and |
ON the l4th there was great excitement.
gang of cnnEibals marched down to the Camp |
with Gads Si OF fruit and az fowl Three Of them
and full OF macGots., They put the beef down |
1ear our eating table: then they pulled and |
When we found outnbout tho beef. we ordered
hem TO take iLaway and refused to buy any OF
GT to dSuEE e"re nFhs h Hnd
ired or more oi them had gathered there under
heir CHEF. They lighted their fires
aSSoby,, EartIett: o'c9nnor' car6att, Flint:
shore with food for us late in the afternoon. I
old the coHswain about the cannibals. and
or us, during the evening, After dark, per-
nns about half past o'clock. a meteor fell be-
aling, rocket from our camp. We had ar
anged a signal system with the ship. aud 0c-
ign OF distress. The ship Immediately sent
y rocket n response to The signal We were
thought OF course. there was trouble on
he ship After tho signalling had ceased We
he canpibals There was hurry and busting
N the ship. We could bear tho officers calling
nd second cutters and first. second, and third
Thale boats were armed and eauipped Sailors
nto the boats IAN" and Pulled to the shore Wien Wien
Ve saw the whole string OF boats coming in we
sked what tho trouble was. They answered
hat they thought we signAled Need "A boat
nd Danger Then they turned around and
owed back and unloaded themselves. They
lad hardly got aboard the ship when Prof.
Taylor Of the English party. who was on the
'ensncola that night, noticed that the lights In
zig tent on the hill had been extingulshed.
Then no was all anre. Every one decided i'm
nediately that the British party had sent up
he ilrst rocket and that they were being MUIR
cred. SO party OF marines with Oflcors
we're sent ashore and up through tho high
rass and diIches and underbrush TO the Eng
lsh camp. Every ono there WAS all right. and
rendering what the excitement WAS about.
he next day our guard WAS increased. We |
II were pretty vel shaken IN. During the |
est OF our stay at Care Iedo arms and Rmmu- |
tion were placed every night In four boats OF
he Pensacola In readiness for action.
sunday morning "ame. cloudy but pleasant. |
With II light wind from the west and southwest. |
Don iieecy clouds began collecting over all
b at part Of the sky wheIe the eclipse was TO |
AXE place. Il o soc the sun through them WAS
impossible. At the critic moment, while the
q Atty was taking plnre, the sun was so COM
letey ohscured by clouds that even observa-
ons by the naked eye We're Of little. II any
Rlue. The total eclipse seemed to pass almost |
Ike n flash. The approach WAS gradual. For
ONE time We could sec great black wave !
weeping over the water. and after the tOtality