New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-09-06
PAUL CRAMPEL.
THE LATEST VICTIM OF AFRICAN AID
VENTURE

Paris, August %.
| NJ Ais the eminent geQgrapher and writer.
has Just published n book, "T'he Conquest Oh
| Tchad." which is valuable contribution to the
literature of African exploration. The discoveries
| OF Nixon, Montsl and Menard are chrOnicled, out
| the larger part of the book is devoted 10 me
expeditions Of Paul Crampel the news OF whose
| tragic death reached Paris month ago. NJ
| Ais was Crampels closest friend, and the DOCK
| furnishes many details Of Crampel's adventures
some Of which are picturesque enough. single
| episode taken from its pages will serve to Illus
| trate in a measure the wit and enterprise oil
| this young man Of twenty-seven, who passed
| through so many dangers and Overcame so many
difficulties, only to meet a miserable fate al
| last. .
In August, 1888, Crampel, with little hand
! full of men and a few unarmed natives, e1c
Iestourville, bound for the OgoOni, intending
to return TO the coast via the Bcnito ana Crampo
rivers. In October, for the first time, Crampel
observed signs of hostility among the blacks
Hitherto the little convoy had been, at the worst
an object Of friendly suspicion. Before one VII
lase they halted for parey the chief, unarmed
and surrounded by regiment of female relatives.
affected to advance Suddenly, however, they
found themselves surrounded by the entire VII
| lage armed to the teeth and fercely demanding
| the object of their visit
| What have you come here fOr?" they cried
| The explorer had been asked that question
| before, and the words of the old chief OF the
village of Membra flashed into his mind and gave
| him an idea for an answer on this present ac-
| casion.
What do you come for?" the old chief had
| asked. TO make war? Have you come to
steal our ivory? Do You want our fetiches? Are
you looking for a wife,"
Crampel in his present difficulty decided that
he was looking for wife.
My friends he said blandy to the chiefs.
my father is the chief of all the white men IN
the world. Tie is a mighty trader, and was the
first of all to give the blacks clothing and fire
arms. But now he is old and can no longer
leave his home He has sent me here TO see the
country of the blacks. Eli bien You know
what liars there are even in your village. There
are liars also among the whites. When | return
many will not believe me when | say that
have been here. How can l prove it if return
alone? You must send some one with me. l
want wifel"
| The blacks were profoundly asonished at
first. but listened attentiyely as Crampel con-
| tinued:
81 don't want an old woman, because old
women are thick-headed and could never learn
the white peoples language | want child. l
VIII bring her up like white girl. She will see
everything She will learn all our customs, and
the whites will rejoice because they will know
that the MFans are their friends"
The news was spread among the villages in
| the vicinity, and on December % the great
chief Lnvogo, of MKoal. signed a treaty with
! Crampel. after which solemn ceremony he called
| in one Of his daughters and offered her in mar
| A.
riage. But the mother of the girl-wEether her
story was true, whether she did not wish to
part with her Enlightenment to Crampel and
advised him not to accept Linvogo's proher that
| the marriage was only intended TO precede a
general massacre of the party. Crampel took
her advice and left the village. Two days
later another chief, Eycgueb, offered him
his. daughter, Nyarinzhe, little maid
Of nine years It was declared necessary that
the fance should have legal residence in the
country, so q camp was established, and for five
| days the official ceremonies Of betrothal went
| on, to the nceSsant beatings of tom-tOms. When
! Crampel finally took up his march Eyegueb babe
| his child farewell in words not at all devoid Of
pathoS and poetic feeling
Il bestow my heart on thee at this parting
| hour. Ilenceforth thou hast father, sister
nor brother. Thou hast only the white man"
Nyarinzhe never left her husband again
| Through all the perils and dangers of the journey
| to the coast, through one battle in which two of
the natives were killed and Crampel himself
| wounded in the thigh, the devoted child never
showed the least fear nor desire to turn back.
She accompanied him to Paris, where her advent
created a decided sensation. She arrived dressed
in dark-green, badly fitting frock, an astonish-
ing straw hat, and the skin on each side of her
nose stuck full Of the long hairs from an elephants
| .oH +ha hap tbp
ance OF a very ferocous cat Some months later
NyarinZhe was taken to a bull at the Opera, where
she attracted considerable attention. But the
| leaven Of Paris had been az work in the soul Of
the small savage she had discarded the elephant 5
| bristles! She sent to school shortly after
ward and soon became quite civilized She was
very bright and amiabe, much quicker of COM
| prehensiOn than many white children of her
age IL was hard to realize that the prim little
danscl picking out airs on the piano was the
| same savage little animal who eight months
before had arrived in Paris, wearing elephants
bristles in her nose and inquiring in Pahouin of
Crampel hOE many wives the great chief had.
She took to civilization wonderfully, seeming not
| to miss her own people AT all. She spoke OF
them rarely, and il is probable that she had few
pleasant memories Of them.
When Crampe returned 10 Africa on his last
| Inflated expedition NyarinZhc accompanied him,
! being entered on the register Interpreter.
What became of her in the final disaster? Did
she perish with her master? Did she 20 with
the main body of the troop which escaped death
| The most meagre details have reached Paris. and
the little Pahouines fate is as yet unknown
Crampel married in 1889 to Mile Paule
| Lamey 20 whom he had been engaged since his
first expedition 10 the Congo. Three months ago
he set out on the journey from which he was des-
tined never 10 return. Madame Crampel is a
| woman OF much culture and brilliance Of intel
lect She has taken the deepest interest in African
explorations, and il is her present intention 10
carry ont her husbands plans TO the letter.
Broken with grief as she is, She is in daily
| correspondence with the Comite lie lAfrique
| Franchise, who are preparing an expedition TO
continue the work begun by Crampel.