The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-07-20
nee nave required an armed rorce to
WE CAN BELIEVE STANLEY.


while we smile incredulously at the tales
of Sir john Vaudeville. When the elder
traveller tells of strange race who carry
| their heads under their arms we know
he lies or has been deceived, but when
| Stanley. I'm Darkest Africa" takes us
through the depths Of that vast and
awful forest where he and his band
wandered for nearly six months, and in
PRODUCES US to the shy and savage dwarfs
who make their homes within its depths,
we feel confident that every word is
truth, and, indeed, that not the half has
been told.
And what touching picture it is of
! devotion and personal sacrifice-that
story of one of these self same dwarfs.
| She was little ignorant, savage animal,
fighting with wild beasts and wilder
men for daily food; two legged wild
| cat whose waking hours were predatory
and who had instinct but not intelligence.
She with others of her sort were captured
by Stanley's Zanzibaris just as they had
prepared to launch shower of poisoned
arrows at the giant and dreaded intruders
on the vast domain of swamps and trees.
Contact with the invaders of her land
| dispelled her fears. and gentle woman
hood asserted itself through that sacred
and world-old sentiment that we call
love. Surgeon Parke treated her with
kindness, and at his hands she received
probably the first atom of consideration
and courtesy her poor life had ever
known. When set at liberty she refused
to leave the expedition. Let StanIey's
narrative tell the end. Writing under
date Of July 81, 1889, while the march to
the coast was in progress, he says:
A FAITHFUL LITTLE DWARF.
"The young pigmy damsel who had
been with us for over a year began to
show symptoms Of chronic i'll health,
and was left with the chief of KirurumO
The little thing had performed devoted
service to Surgeon Parke, who had quite
won her heart with those soft, gentle
tones Of his that made everybody smile
atfectiOnately on the doctor. She used to
be the guardian of his tent, and when
ever the doctor had to absent himself for
his duties she crouched at the door, faith
full as a spaniel, and would permit no in
truder to approach the doorway. She
performed her work in the most unOb-
trusive manner, and she was the only
one Of her sex who did not abuse the
privileges we generally concede to wo-
men in the camp. On the road she car
ried the doctors satchel, and on nearing
the resting place she was as industrious
as bee in collecting fuel and preparing
the surgeons cheering cup of tea, which,
after patient teaching, she learned was
necessary for his well being"
Poor little patient, accomplishing pro-
duct Of the forest! Content and proud
to be rewarded for her daily toll by the
''sOft and gentle tones of her idols voice
she trudged on for a twelvemOnth, every
step taking her away from the manners,
customs and environment that had be-
fore hedged her life. Then came that
saddest, cruelest blow that can fall to
man-abandonment The stern neces-
sites of the progress toward the coast
demanded that the invalids must be left
behind, and nameless, heart broken,
dazed, this little atom of black humanity
suffered with others as unfortunate as
herself.
WHAT WOMEN HAVE DONE.
1t is well to note in this connection
how much African explorers have owed
to women, not only to the fair friends
who have cheered and encouraged them
as they started out on their perilous en-
terprises, but also to the dusky yet ten
der hearted females of the Dark Cont
nent who have given aid when aid was
needed most. There comes to mind the
case of the great traveller, Mungo Park,
whose solitary wanderings through
Africa have never been excelled as ex-
anples of single hearted heroism. Once
when he was nearing SegO, on tie banks
Of the Niger, the news was conveyed to
the ruler, Mansong by name, that a
white man was advancing to see him.
The king, alarmed at this intelligence,
Immediately dispatched a messenger,
who was directed to inform the stranger
that he would not be admitted into the
royal presence until the purport of his
mission was made known, and that in
the meanwhile he was prohibited from /
passing the river He was likewise told !
that the king desired him to seek lodg-
ings in one OF the villages in the vicinity
of the capital. AS there was no alterna-
tive he at once set out for the village /
where, to his modification, he found .
that no person would admit him into a
house
Il was regarded with establishment |
and fear" he observes, land was obliged /
to sit all day without victuals in the
shade Of a tree; and the night threatened /
20 be very uncomfortable, for the wind /
rose and there was great appearance Of /
a heavy-rain; and the wild beasts were /
so very numerous in the neighborhood /
that l should have been under the neces-
sity of climbing up tree and resting .
among the branches. About sunset,
however, as / was preparing to pass the !
night in this manner. and had turned |
my horse loose that he might Craze at
liberty, a woman returning from the
labors of the field stopped to observe
me and. peTceiving that l was weary
and detected, inquired into my situa-
ton, which l briefly explained to her,
whereupon, with looks of great compass
sion, she took up my saddle and bride
and told me to follow her. Having con-
Quoted me into her hut, she lighted up
lamp, spread a mat upon the floor and
told me | might remain there for the
night. Finding that l was very hungry,
she said she would procure me some
thing to eat; she accordingly went out
]