Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1890-05-31
A Black Prince Astray.

FTOU1 tue SthIs
met tall, 1.-THE, fine-looking African
about week ago who has something of a
history He was quite as black as the
typical ace of spades is supposed to be. with
high forehead high cheek bones, and a
clear, intelligent eye. He spoke English
with some difficulty. and French rather
iuently, but when he used his native
dialect the words rolled out with a
peculiarly soft, musical sound. In English
his name is Francis n. Smith, but his
native or real name is Apirapiti Akuun-
day9. .e,o ,,u,u,,,. ,o,n..r
a district about four hundred miles square,
situated north of the Congo, and about a
months Journey inland from Lagos, on the
west coast of Africa, " he told me- at is
governed bya king named Ondesse, who
Is my uncle, and my father, Akakie, holds
q rank there corresponding to that of the
Prince Of Wales in England. His title Is
Argaraogun. We have a society there
something like the Free MasoDs, and they
have temple called Egbale NJ Babalawo
I do not belong to the society, though my
father is at the head of it, because 1 am
only twenty-five years of age, and they al
low no person under thirty years of age to
enter tho temple. Whenever any stranger
comes to our country in distress, whoever
he may be, whether a trader or missionary,
this society helps to feed him till he can
get chance to go to his friends. No, l
never saw Stanley, but l heard great
F deal about him at Sierra Leone. We have
| q good many white visitors, missionaries
and traders principally. They buy ivory
and other things from our people, in ex-
change for ornaments and cotton cloth.
Since have been in America / have seen
some ornaments in the store windows like
those the traders bring out to Africa. l
saw funny little negro boy, made of
pasteboard and hung on wire so that he
danced in a box, in q store the other day,
and shall take 1t home with me when
90. That will make everybody laugh there
You must not think that my people are all
savages because they live in Central Africa
The missionaries have been among us for
q good many years. Our people never hav o
been cannibals. Some Of the tribes fight
among themselves; but l never heard of
cannibals i'm UryOruba. ! don't think there
are so many cannibals in Africa as some
people have talked with seemed to think.
/ have been TO the school at Sierra Leone
several times, and the last time l started
from my country, about year ago, and
Travelled by caravan for a month to Lagos
then went on board steamer, the st.
Anne, for the trip to Sierra Leone. Well,
the steamer sunk, and several of us were
drifting about In boat when we were
picked up by a ship sailing to America.
/ nearly starved, because thought white
people here would help me just as In my
country they help the white people who
finally met man whom l had seen in
Sierra Leone, and he helped me. l tried
to lecture, but couldn't speak English we'll
enough. My country is healthy, but very
hot, and the first time i ever saw snow
was in Boston. didn't know any better
40 went out in 1t to see what it was and l
was sick for several weeks afterward. "
Mr. Apirapiti left for home last Wednes-
day, He was sent back by a missionary
whom he knew in Sierra Leone.