Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1891-03-07
THE GERMAN EAST AFRICA
Embraces an Immense and Fer,u.
Territory With a Remarkably
Good Location.
Merchandise and Exchangeable Cam
modities are Carried BY the
Negroes Upon Their Heads


oriental African colony is an immsrA
stretch of land, about twice the area Of H. Il
German empire, and 1t has a peea6aTis Y
favored location. The coasts, with its is
portGnt marts, Bagainoyo, Dares. -
ETC., form its eastern boundary. IN b.
north the green slope OF the snow .covaraI
peaks of Kilimandsharo encircles its tar,;
tory and rests upon the splendid waters \
The Victoria Nyanza, which the Arab, csa
the "sea. From time imme mortal M, /
region has been traversed by the prino;1'i
highways of the midland African trl5a
over which are transported TO Zanzibartb
ivory of the territory lying around NJ
Victoria and Tanganyika Lakes Her.
are situated the chief stations or hating
places of the Arabs on the broad thorop,5.
fare to the Congo. Commercial ipier.
course extends from the coast as far a.
NyangWe, and thence far out, attaipin,
IN Uganda and UnyorO even the coIonjes
of the Empire of the Mahdit. The cara.
vans of the traders will not be diverted
easily from their accustomed channels az
diverge into new highways of intercourse
and the colonial enterprises of the German
race must henceforth animate the oH
NliOiObsS illt 1NH VI NOiUllItitG
Emin has now reached his goal He
will make sure Of the commercial avenues
through Tabora to Victoria Nyanza, and
establish a station on the shores of The
lake itself, W ich will thus becomes focm
Of civilization. Westward from the Map
wapa 10 the distance, perhaps, Of two
days march, is a wilderness called in Eng,
fish "bitter-water." from the springs ana
wells Of this region possessing a rough,
unpapabe 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 occry
renee, and the sable brigands disappear
In the obscu1ity of the night, and are
rarely, if ever captured. On the other side
of the Marenga Makih, Ugogo lies extend
ed before the traveller. 1.-THE most insight
ly. the poorest, most inhospitable Of coun
tIles that | became acquainted with In
Africa, as Wlssmann chardcterizes il. A
steppe landscape lies outstretched before
us. A few stunted trees, a greater quon.
tity eff thorny underground, with a sparse
and slender grass, springs from the sandy
soil. The few spring. OF water dotting,the
wastes, otherwise devoid Of water are 0c.
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, peculiar kind ot hut. builtusu.
ally in the shape OF a quadrangle. Inside
of these the tJcks are he-ded at night
the fowls perch overhead, while the goats
share with the owner the occupancy of the
hut. The latter gre usually disgustingly
filthy and TEEN with vermin. They are
probably the most comfortless habtatiaus
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 c0nyOlutiOn OF
East African caravan roads, a chief settle
ment of the Arabs bearing the familiar
name of 1abora. It is a post station,
where so.calied horses are changed. In
East Africa, however, man is still the only
beast of bur en-; all the merchandise, ey-
Changea6le commodities of every kind, the
AEo AELfN ~ AhAIA bll liit-lI lEdiA7i JUS
the carriers from the coast, as a rule 60
only to Tabora. Here fresh ones must be
hired, and the caravans newly constituted.
The Arabs have occupied this locality for
a considerable time. Their warehouses
are always well filed, and tie traveller can
here obtain every thing 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
leafIess, it is true, but fertile. Rice is
everywhere cultivated; sweet potatoes
yams, maize mIllet and field peas are
everywhere abundant.
Even wheat and barley are produced
around the huts of the Arabs, ana in front
of these dwellings oranges lemons and
melons flourish, while in the vegetable
gardens, garlic, cucumbers, tomatoes and
other esculents are cultivated, Around
IabOra there are extensive meadows which
are enliYenei 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 a year writes Stanley, in his charm
ing description of life in Unjamjembe,
llEI slaves DllAA bLtui lIClA iIt wv
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 car ez'
hibit "a wealth of Persian carpets, lUyu-
ious beds, services of tea and coffee, etc.
They almost all have watches and chains
at gold, others or 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 nlen
Wissmann visited it was, however, IN
d0urshIng condition and it possessed e1.
tensive gardeLs plantations and herds e
cattle Here Wlssmann reve.ed lu tle
luxury of the first wheaton bread eaten ~
Contra. Africa. The task Of the cIyiilzau9l
ot Africa was uegun.
The African societies had determined 9
establish stations in tine territory and sl
entiHc men pass through lobora On Jhel
way % InEanyika. among wnom were
I few Germans the intrepid ReichHd, "
KAISER and Or. Bohn They meet at a.
time with this experience, that tne Ara'r
while maaitas,ing o-tensibly friendly NJ.
I positions, were secretly preparing dliae3t
ties Of every kind From year to ye