Wichita eagle., 1890-01-12

and fruits which thrive like weeds in this
marvellous soil and climate, we descended
to the next platform and saw the farming
operations in full swing. I think that it
was the best farm l have ever seen in
Africa. There was ample water for pur-
poses of irrigation, the grass lands below
gave pasturage for hundreds of head Of
cattle and horses, and, for natives, the
people were most industrious. More
over, the whole place was managed by
Mr. Carson on the cooperative system;
he only took a 1.-THE of the produce-in-
deed, in this land Of teeming plenty,
what was he to do with more? Conse-
quently the tribemen, who, by the way,
called themselves the Children of
Thomas" were able to accumulate con-
siderable wealth. All their disputes were
referred to their ''father," and he also
was judge of offenses and crimes. Some
were punished by imprisonment, whip
ping and loss of goods, other and graver
transgressions by expulsion from the
community, a fiat which to one of these
favored natives must have seemed as
heavy as the decree that drove Adam
from the Garden of Eden.
Old Mr.. Carson leaned upon his daugh-
ter's arm and contemplated the scene
with pride.
II have done all this, Allan Ouater-
MAN," he said. "When renouncing civ
ilization first, wandered here by chance;
seeking home in the remotest places in
the world, l found this lonely spot
wilderness. Nothing was to be seen ex-
cept the site, the domes of the marble
huts and the waterfalls. I took posses
sion of the huts. | cleared the patch of
garden land and planted the orange
grove. l had only six natives then, but
by degrees others joined me; now my
tribe IS thousand strong. Here we
live In profound peace and plenty. l
have all I need, and l ask no more.
Heaven has prospered me SO far-may
it be SO to the end, which for me draws
nigh. And now am tired and will go
back. If you wish to see the old quarry
and the mouth of the ancient mines,
Stella will show them to you. No, my
love, you need not trouble to come. /
can manage alone. Look, some of the
head men are waiting to see me-"
So he went, but still followed by Hen
drika and Indaba-zimbi we turned, and,
walking along the bank of one of the
rivers, passed up behind the marble
kraals, and came to the quarry, whence
the material had been cut in some re-
mote age. The pit opened up very
thick seam Of the whitest and most beau
tiful marble. l know another like it in
Natal. But by whom it had been worked
/ cannot say. Not by natives, that is
certain, though the builders of the kraals
had condescended to borrow the shape
of native huts for their model. The only
relic of those builders that I ever saw
was highly finished bronze pick axe
which Stella found one day in the quar-
ry. After we had examined the quarry
we climbed the slope of the hill till we
came to the mouth of the ancient mines
in kind of gorge. I believe
them to have been silver mines. The
gorge was long and narrow, and the mo-
ment we entered it there rose from every
side sound of groaning and barking
that was almost enough to deafen one.
L knew what it was at once; the whole
place was filled with balloons, which
clambered down the rocks towards us
from every direction, in a manner that
struck me as being unnaturally fearless.
Stella chung to my arm.
eft ic worry ciI1u of mo cb
II am not at all nervous, but 1 cannot
bear the sight of those animals ever
since they killed Hendrix. I always
3hink that there is something human |
about them"
Meanwhile the balloons came nearer.
-alking to each other as they came. Tota |
began to cry, and chung to Stella. Stella
;lung to me, while l and Indaba-zimbi |
put as bold front on the matter as we |
could. Only Hendrika stood looking at |
he brutes with an unconcerned smile on |
Ter monkey face. When the great apes
we're quite near, she suddenly called out
aloud. Instantly they stopped their
lideous clamor as though at word of
command. Then Hendrika addressed |
hem.
From the mouth of Hendrika came a
of grunts, groans, squeaks,
lick and every other abominabIe noise
hat can be conceived. To my mind the
whole conveyed an idea of expostula-
ion. At any rate the balloons listened.
)ne Of them grunted back some answer,
md then the whole mob drew off to the
'ocks.
l stood astonished, and without a word
We turned back to the kraal, for Hen
lrika was too close for me 10 speak.
When we reached the dining hut Stella
vent in, followed by Hendrika. But
ndaba-zimbi plucked me by the sleeve,
nd stopped outside.
"Macumazahn," he said. "Baboon
woman - devil woman. Be careful.
Iacumazahn. She loves that Star (the
latives aptly enough called Stella the
'tar), and is jealous. Be careful, Macu-
nazahn. or the Star Will seti'
60 BE CONTINUED.)