Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1890-09-05
IN AN AFRICAN DESERT.
Terrible Experience Of a Deserted
Explorer.

AoAAAUAO i1Aperl0uC0 VI ~ D0SoTD0u
Explorer
The colonial policy of Germany dates
back only q few years, but the master
hand which planned and executed the
sudden acquisition of vast tracts in
Africa and Australasia was busily pre-
pairing for years ahead. The astonish-
ment OF the colonial powers was COM
plete at this unexpected stroke of ma
ton which did not own square inch
outside of It's own frontiers, and which
had always maintained that colonies
were source Of weakness to the
mother country. The time was well
chosen. England was having a deal of
trouble with the Zulus, Beers and the
malcontents in Egypt, and France had
her hands full with wars in Tonquin
and Madagascar. These disturbances
facilitated the dealings with the African
tribes, and only when the German flag
was waving over some of the most de-
sirous tracts in Africa did the other
powers realize how they had been fore
stalled.
Out of a party of twelve army officers
which left Germany in 1880 to explore
and navigate in Southern Africa only
three reached home in 1884. Several
were killed by wild animals and snake
bites, Others were murdered by hostile
natives, Others succumbed to the climate
op persisted in the desert OF the three
N
there were times when he despaired of
seeing the sun rise again. Sometimes
at the mercy of bloodthirsty, crazy
chiefs, sometimes robbed and deserted
by treacherous servants, sometimes &C
cused as spies by English or Beers
death by violence, hunger or thirst
lurked on every side, and escape seemed
impossible.
Four Of us had explored and mapped
the west coast from Orange river to
Walfisch bay by the end Of September,
1882. Our labors completed, we were
thinking of home, when we received Or
ders to form two expeditions and start
eastward One party was to go by way
Of Lake Ngami, the other by Latakoo
We drew lots for choice of route, and,
having won, Lieut. V. rand chose
the northern course. We took five Hot
tentots as drivers of our eighteen span
Of oxen, attached to huge vaar, or
wagon, three riding horses, and twenty
head of cattle. We expected to load up
with good supply Of ivory, skins and
ostrich plumes, and we were not mis-
taken. AT cost of about $500 worth of
cloth, knives, guns, beads, mirrors, etc.,
we possessed ourselves of about ST., 900
worth of goods, We had to hurry for
ward, or else we could have augmented
this by our rifles.
After surveying the country and con-
vincing numerous tribes of the mighty
power of Germany, we left the Okawan-
60 river in December and anticipated
little trouble in reaching tho Trans
vaal. We had hired four men Of the
Balala tribe before leaving Lake Ngami
and were pushing ahead rapidly. My
companion was little too imperious
and hot-tempered in his treatment of
our servants. Bold and fearless and
possessing great personal strength, he
relied on his authority and word of COM
mand and used little diplomacy in his
dealings with them. For some days
they had been murmuring and one day
they broke out into open revolt Won
R knocked two of them down and as
they had no weapons they were soon
brought into submission. We kept an
eye on them for q few days and took
turns at watching nights, but our threats
of death to any grumbler seemed to have
crushed them.
One night we were encamped on the
western borders of tho Kalahari Desert
Won R and were both awakened
from sound sleep by bearing gun
fred. We jumped up and felt for our
rifes-they had been retnovedl Just
then one of the Balala fellows cried out
in Dutch: "Get out of the caar and rum
The others Joined in apSl cried: "Hunt
the brush, you Gogs7set esl"
We sprans out OF tYszzvagon, and in
the light on ne esl,r7pT11re we saw thai
Us fascal{ AyEcks had armed them
selves withV frities and revolvers and
were aiming right at us. One OF Inc
Hottentots could speak little English
and, unknown to the others, tried tC
induce him to give me his rife, prom
Using him unheard of riches, ant
threatening fearful revenge for this
robbery If he did not forsake his com
rades. He answered: 1--WE shoot you
who know" Lieutenant Won R
was storming at the others in Dutch, bu
to no effect Unarmed we could d.
nothing, and the rascals drove US out o
the camp We lay down in the sane
about fifty yards away, and saw the rob
bers harness the draught oxen and star
off northwards at early dawn. AS far a
they could see Us they reviled US, AM
one big Balala fellow fired at us severa
times, but without doing any damage
We went back to the smoldering camp
ares ard picked up some fragments o