Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-03-05
The GERMAN EAST AFRICA
Embraces an Immense and Fertile
Territory With Remarkably
Good Location.
Merchandise and Exchangeable Com
mOdities are Carried by the
Negroes Upon Their Heads.
The Arab Settlement at Tabra and the
Luxuries Enjoyed by the
Natives.

Luxuries Enjoyed by the
Natives.
The boundaries of German East Africa
are at length defnitively established Our
oriental African colony is an immense
stretch OF land, about twice the area of the
German empire, and it has a peculiarly
favored location. The coasts, with its i'm.
portant marts, Bagamoyo, Dares- Salaam,
ETC., form It's eastern boundary. In the
north the green slope of the snow covered
peaks OF klllmandsharo enclrcles its terri
tory and rests upon the splendid waters of
The Victoria Nyanza, which the Arabs call
the sea. From time immemorial this
region has been raversed by the principal
highways of the midland African trade,
over which are transported to Zanzibar the
ivory of the territory lying around the
Victoria and Tanganyika Lakes. Here
are situated the chief stations or hating
places of the Arabs on the broad thorough
fare to the Congo Commercial inter
course extends from the coast as far as
NyangWe, and thence far out, attaining
In Uganda and Unyoro, even the colonies
OF the Empire of the Mahdit. The cara
vans Of the traders will not be diverted
easily from their accustomed channels, or
diverge into new highways of intercourse;
and the colonial enterprises of the German
race must henceforth animate the old
thoroughfares of commerce
| Emln has now reached his goal. He
will make sure of the commercial avenues
through Tabora to Victoria Nyanza, and
establish station on the shores of the
lake itself, which will thus become focus
of civilization. Westward from the Map
wapa to the distance, perhaps, of two
days march, is a wilderness called in Eng,
llsh Underwater" from the springs and
wells OF this region possessing a rough,
unpalpable taste. After filling ones
canteens, ETC., with drinking water, the
| traveller hurries forward by rapid marches
the caravans proceed on their journey in
serried ranks and with loaded weapons, for
| the NASSAU threatens an attack from the
north, and Marori from the south and other
points, on the smaller caravans and lag
CARDS. Such attacks are of frequent occur
renee, and the sable brigands disappear
In the obscu1ity of the night, and are
rarely, IT ever captured. On the other side
of the Marenga Makili, Ugogo lies extend
ed before the traveller, ''the most insight
ly: the poorest, most inhospitable of coun-
tries that | became acquainted with in
Africa, as Wlssmann characterizes il. A
steppe landscape lies outstretched before
us. A few stunted trees, a greater quon-
tity Of thorny underground, with sparse
and slender grass, springs from the sandy
soil. The few springs of water dotting,the
wastes, otherwise devoid of water, are oc-
cupied by armed natives, and the thirsty
caravans are compelled to pay for every
bowl of water they consume.
The traveller meets on all sides with the
''tembe, " a peculiar kind Of hut, built usu-
ally in the shape of a quadrangle. Inside
of these the hocks are herded at night,
| the fowls perch overhead, while the goats
share with the owner the occupancy of the
hut. The latter ere usually disgustingly
filthy and TEEN with vermin. They are
probably the most comfortless habitatians
| that human ingenuity has ever devised.
| But after few days the wayfarer reaches
a country in which cultivated fields de-
| light the eye: he crosses the Land Of the
Moon, and approaches a convolution OF
| East African caravan roads, a chief settle
ment of the Arabs bearing the famil lar
name OF 1abora. It is post station,
| where so. called horses are changed. In
East Africa, however, man is still the only
| beast of bur- en-; all the merchandise, ey-
changeabe commodities of every kind, the
negroes have to carry on their heads; but
the carriers from the coast, as a rule, go
only to Tabora. Here fresh ones must be
hired, and the caravans new y constituted.
| The Arabs have occupied this locality for
considerable time. Their warehouses
are always we'll filed and the traveller can
here obtain everything he may require for
barter or exchange, such as cloth, beads,
wire, powder and balls, spices or drugs
The plain upon which the colony stands is
leafless, it is true, but fertile. Rice is
everywhere cultivated sweet potatoes,
yams, maize, milet and field peas are
everywhere abundant.
Even wheat and barley are produced
around the huts of the Arabs, and in front
of these dwellings oranges, lemons and
melons flourish, while in the vegetable
gardens, garlic, cucumbers, tomatoes and
other esculents are cultivated, Around
Tabora there are extensive meadows which
are enlivenel by herds of cattle and goats
so that milk, butter and cheese are always
easily obtainable in Tabora.
But the guest of the Arabs can here re-
vel too, on other .luxuries. cat least
once year, writes Stanley, in his charm
ing description of life in Unjamjembe,
their slaves bring them from the coast
stores of tea, coffee, sugar, spices, pre-
serves, wine, brandy, sardines, fine cloth;
indeed everything they require for their
personol use.
Almost avery Arab of standing can ex-
hibit wealth of Persian carpets, luxur-
ious beds, services of tea and coffee, etc.
They almost all have watches and chains
CT gold, others OF less precious metal. In
short the Arabs here live as In the great
cities, and have their harems with their
dusky beauties. The field in which the
missionaries worked is not particularly
favorable to the promotion of their object.
| The Catholic mission at Taboka when
Wissmann visited it was, however, In a
fourshing condition and it possessed ex-
tensive gardens, plantations and herds of
cattle. Here Wissmann reveled In the
luxury of the first wheaton bread eaten In
Central Africa. The task of the civilization
of Africa was begun.
! The African societies had determined to
establish stations in the territory and SCI
entifc men pass through Tobora on their
way to Ianganylka, among wnom were a
few Germans intrepid Relchard, DIR.
Kaiser and DR.. Bohn. They meet at the
time with this experience, that the Arabs,
while manifesting ostensibly friendly dis
positions, were secretly preparing Difficult
ties of every kind. From year to year
things grow worse, until, upon the coast,
it came to open hostilities, which did not
fail to leact upon the interior. German
arms, however, had won victory mean
while, and insured the Arabs, with a