The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-08-17
In AFRICA'S
GREAT FOREST.
Paul B. du Chaillu's Travels on
the Dark Continent.
He Furnishes Graphic Description Of o
Visit to the Great Equatorial Forest.
Silence That Is Appalling.

1oOl, dCtcu 6ICab QCdi VI attCbbiohs Aoo
recently been engaged in revising what he
then wrote, and has furnished some very
interesting articles to the Fortnightly Re-
view. In one on the great equatorial forest
of the dark continent he says:
AS the mariner approaches the western
coast of Africa, above the river Campo,
situated two degrees north Of the equator,
and sails sout Inward along the land as far
the Gaboon estuary or river, the southern
shores of which run in parallel line With
the equator and only few miles north of
it, he beholds all the way, reaching down
to the waters edge, dense. unbroken
forest, and far inland several mountain
ranges covered with trees to their very top.
These mountains are known under the
name of Sierra del Crystal. They are
gradually lost to sight as one nears the
GabOup. This immense wooded country,
in which j passed several years Q856-59l
when but lad, and which again visited
in 1896, forms the outskirts OF Inc glgan-
tic equatorial forest which l was the tlrst
TO explore, and which has been entered and
in part traversed further Inland by the
heroic Stanley, The outer or western limit
of the belt of forest-clad region is the very
sea itself, for the roots Of its trees spread
to the beach.
a grand and magnificent sight greets the
traveller as he finds himself in this woody
wilderness. l was awed by the majesty of
The scene and lost in admiration of the won
derful vegetation which is exhibited.
The silence of this forest as one travels
through it, is something appalling. Mile
after mile is traversed without even hear
ing the chatter of monkey, the shrill cry
of a parrot, the fO0tStep OF gaZelle or
antelope. The falling of leaf. the muir
muir of some hidden rivulet, the humlnlng
of insects and here and there the solitary
Of r6 nDlU IN give life ana
bring relief in the gloom of the vast solitude
that surrounds you. The feeling which
seiZes you as you move along Id Inc silent
path is indescribable.
Once in while the silence Is broken by
the heavy fOOtstep of the elephant, the
grunt of some wild boar or the light foot
steps of some other wild animals. Gigantic
trees, rising to q height of 200 or 300 feet
and even more, tower over this sea OF ever
lasting foliage like giants OF the forest.
ready to give the first warning OF the coming
tornado or tempest, which is to break the
tranquility of their domain. Under these
enormous trees other trees of less size grow,
under these again others still smaller, of all
sizes and shapes, and finally thick Jungle
WHAT A JUNGLE IT IS!
Often the eye tries in vain to pierce
through it even yard or two. Lianas,
like gigantic snakes, stretch In protuslon
from tree to tree, and twin themselves
round the stems or hang from their
branches: thorny ereepers, malacca-like
canes, with their hook-like thorns, resting
ON the edge of the leaves; grass, with edges
as sharp as razors, cling to your clothes or
cut deep into the flesh if they chance to
touch any exposed parts; or at times pine
apples run wild are seen by the ten thou
sander alOes-while on the bark of trees
hang in large festoons vast masses OF or
chids.
Trees covered with flowers. often of bril-
liant color and beautiful shape, relieve at
certain seasons of the year the m0notOny
of the dark green. Other trees and plants
bear bountiful crop OF nuts, fruits and
berries of various sizes, coloTS and shapes.
The number of these frult-bearlng trees IS
very great; one of them specially presents
a most beautiful sight when bearing; from
its trunk hang large punches of olive
shaped fruits Of the most gorgeous red
color, delicious to eat, though somewhat
acid.
After abiding to some of the products OF
the forest, NJ. Du Chaillu continued:
Hunger and starvation were continually
before me, but when young and enthusiast
tic these privations count Tor little. had
to feed on nuts and berries often for long
time together-Once for eleven days-and
the starvation ended by eating part of
leopard ! had shot. Here l may observe
that we had to depend for our food on our
guns and the natural products OF the forest.
l carried no supplies of European provis-
IONS WIFI me- UuL liN6u dS Ill6 udtlfcS w
from hand to mouth, for porters TO carry
provisions were generally not obtainable.
Besides starvation there was often still
greater impeachment TO my advance. l had
more than fifty attacks of fever, taking
more than fourteen ounces of quinine. be-
sides arsenic, TO cure myself, and many
time l lay in the forest helpless under a
tree with kind Providence watching over
me. When well again all past starvation,
diseases, hardship and homesckness were
forgotten-the African forest and its hid
den treasures of natural history not yet dis
covered were once more smiling before me.
This forest, so rich in berries, nuts and
fruits. is well adaped for. the home OF the
ape There lives the most powerful of all
APOSTLE gOrilla-a giant of streDgth-Who
roams to and fro in the great SolitudeS as
the king of the forest. The male comes and
attacks man fiercely and without fear when
disturbed in its hauntS. One OF my hunters
was killed by one Of these monsters, which
in its rage bent the barrel of his gun and
then
LEFT HIM IN HIS GORE.
Besides the gorillas there are other varie-
ties of apes, or chimpanzees, among them
the Kooloo-kamba, the nshiego-mbouve, or
bald-headed ape, the nshieg0-kengo and the
nshiego, the latter being the well-known
chimpanzee. One may form an idea OF the
age and continuity OF this great forest when
one reflects that such apes as are found
species of far-past age.
The insect world is very abundant, scor-
pions and centipedes, musquitos without
number, and also species of gnat, perhaps
more troublesome than the mosquitoes,
Among the terrible flies are the ibolai.
twice as large as our common fly; the
nchouna, which inserts its proboscis so
gently that often it gets its fill OF blood
before you know you are bitten. Presently.
however, the itching begins and lasts for
Tt,kn oil h.
sudden sharp stabs. of pain which
often last the whole day. The iboca-its
bite is the most severe Of all and CLOTH
ing is no protection from it; often the
blood has run from my face or arm, so that
one would think that leech had been at
work. The most dreaded of all is the
clomay, kind of wasp. The butterflies
are at times extremely numerous. fitting
along the path: their flight is as still as the
forest itself. OF snakes there is great
abundance; few are harmless, but the
bite Gf most of the species is deadly. There
are tree, land and water snakes. l have
often seen the latter coiled up and resting
on the branches of trees under water.
These vary in size and in poisonous venom
There are cases where the man bitten dies
i'll short time.
There are a great mahy species of ants,
some of which are found in vast numbers.
The most remarkable and most dreaded OF
all is the bashkouay, and is most vora-
cious creature, which carries nothing away.
but eats its prey on the spot. 1t is the dread OF
all living animals OF the forest-the ele-
plant. the leopard, the gorilla and all the
insect world-and man himself is compelled
TO flee before the advance of these maraud-
ers or to protect himself by fire and boiling
water. 1t is the habit of the bashikouay to
march through the forest in long regular
line. about two inches broad or more and
otter miles in length. All along the line
larger ants, who act as officers, stand out
side the ranks aud keep the singular army
in order. II they come to a place where
there are no trees to shelter them from the
sun, the heat of which they cannot bear,
they Immediately burrow underground and
torn tunnels. 1t takes often more than
twelve hours for one of these armies to pass.
THE DAILY ROUTINE.
The explorer thus describes the routine
of daily lie pursued in the forest:
In the morning, at the dawn of daylight,
we all got up; food was cooked; we took a
scanty breakfast, walked or Travelled till
noon, rested or cooked our food for about