Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-06

quitos. o how they buzz and bite. During
the remainder Of my watch heard nothing
but the buzz of these pests and
the noise made by the men in
the tent fighting them. After being
relieved from the watch I filled the tent
with smoke in order to drive out the mos
Quitoes, retired and covered myself over
with two thicknesses of netting fully be-
lieving that l should not be annoyed. But
alas, how mistakeul 1 could not sleep, not
because of any bites, but because of the con-
tinuaI buzzing on the netting. 1t seemed
as if they were tugging at the netting, trying
toremove it. This continued all night. Not a
man of US will ever forget that night. Not
one slept for minute during the whole
time. In addition to the attacks of mos
quitoes, feas or some other equally trouble
some insect managed to bite each of us, in
spite of all the precautions We could take.
In the morning it was necessary to have
our luggage taken over the gap between
the two divisions of the railroad to the next
division, where we were informed train
would be in waiting to convey us to Cunga,
the present terminus of the road. By 2
o'clock carriers were engaged, and we said
glad farewell to mosquito camp" We
found the train, and Cunga was reached
after o'clock, when camp was set up on
two fat cars, During the night heavy
rain fell, and little rest was secured. We
were up early Monday morning. and took
survey OF our surroundings. A few feet
south was the Quanza river. On all other
sides was very heavy vegetation, includ-
ing thick woods, in which were many beau
tiful birds.
WEATHER OF THE COAST.
We were told that the summer season was
st,rF h,,4 j
already at hand. A few words can give O
correct idea OF the climate of the West Coast
of Africa. The sun is never seen to rise be-
cause of the cloudy sky. While the clouds
remain it is cool, and one can move about
with comfort, but about 10 o'clock every
morning the sun appears and the heat is
then intense until 4 in the afternoon, when
it again becomes cool. In the evening a
breeze usually springs up, so that it is COM
Portable for the night. A very heavy dew
always forms during the night, and all ma
ture is SO wet by morning that you are likely
to suppose rain fell.
Our party remained at Cunga for two
weeks, during which time the naturalist
made large collections of fish birds, insects
and few large animals. Game is plenti-
full in this vicinity, but time is necessary in
order to secure many large animals. The
Quanza river is the home Of many croco-
diles and the bathing place of numbers of
hippopotami. The crocodiles are very bold,
aud often attract persons who go near the
edge of the water. Scarcely week passes
that several natives do not lose their lives
at Cunga by being caught by these animals.
I remember upon one occasion, when pass
ing in a canoe few native houses along the
river, hearing a loud voice which sounded
like the wailing of a woman. It was yery
similar to that had heard at a native fun
eral few days previous, and suspected
death had occurred here. Upon inquiry of
the natives who were padding the canoe 1
learned, through many gestures and few
words, that a woman had been killed by a
crocodile. 1 had the canoe stopped, and
went up to the houses. Here 1 saw women
with painted faces, dancing and uttering
understandable walls.
IN THE JAWS OF A CROCODILE.
Again gestures were brought into use, and
the house containing the body was discov-
cred. Upon entering 1 was shown the body
OF woman, with several large lacerations
upon the chest, the women present at the
same time exclaiming the native word for
crocodile. l afterward learned from men
who could speak English that on the even
Ing before woman had gone to the edge of
the river to I'LL q jug with water, and as she
stopped over, a crocodile grabbed her In its
mouth and started for the opposite bank.
When 1t came near the middle of the river
1t raised Its head above the water and
actually shook the woman in the air. It
then went on the shore opposite, where four
or five others of its kind were ready to assist
in devouring the body, and would have
done so had not some men closely pursued
the crocodile with a canoe and driven them
away, thus securing the body badly mutt
lated. doubted parts of this report. but it
was fully corroborated by several men.
There is no doubt about the boldness of the
animals. I have seen Portuguese and
natives refuse to cross small stream by a
narrow bridge a few feet above the water for
fear crocodiles would attack them.