The sun., 1892-05-22
THEKINGOF BRASS
A Story of an Attack by Natives
at the Niger Delta.
NJ ROGER EASEMENT.
date in the service Of the Congo Free state.)

date in the service OF tue Congo free Stateo
cpy-gh NJ Roger or.tmenl 1899.
"J'm nirad the old sconndrel. Loke. is going
to siip through my fingers after all. wish I'd
had nothing to do with him as you advised.
Williams. suppose there'l be a fearful
shirdy ~ ho dies under my treatment"
The speaker pulled at his pipe as he lay out
stretched on one OF tho sofas on tho comfort rta-
bio poop Of tho Rosy Morn. trading hulk In the
Brass River OF the Niger delta The hulk l,nd
been rooted over and thatched with palm
leaves. and the original poop boarded OF into
sle ping chambers. while the stern with it's
Ion. /. row Of old-fashioned. overhangng win
dow ports. was fitted up as a dining and sit
ting room.
" lInvo a drink. Doctor" Williams replied
land don't worry. II the worst comes to tho
worst. suppose it'll only be matter of big
nnc. altho' have heah that the fetlch men
are kicking up an awful row about Loke's III
ness. and say you and Tom have chopped
medicine imsde n secret compacU together
to do for tho old King"
Tho first speaker. m Irish doctor nancd
O'Conor. had been summoned q fortnight
previously from the larger trading settlement
o! Donny. some fifty miles of. to attend Will
linms's assistant. young EnElishmsn named
Crowthers. Between Bonny and Brass tho
nearest route lay through a network OF crooks
and lazy tidal backwat which connect tho
many mouths Of the Niger. flowing through It's
swampy. forest-lnden delta. The canoc sent to
Ionny for the doctor had becn riloted through
these creeks by young Amakree. q native OF
Brass. and nephew or tho reiyninR King Lose.
and therefore heir presumptive. Amakr"c
when lad. had boon intrusted to Williams
predecessor on tho Rosy Morn. Can't. Jones' to
acquire what is termed "whiteman fashion,
a As .fA l,., ,s,,t.
"linSster." or interpreter. between the white
trader and his native customers on shore.
With Jim Doe. Kruboy scrvant-one OF n
gang of fifty sturdy laborers from the Liberinn
coast On boari the hulk-Amnkree. or Tom.
ns he had boon nicknamed by Williams. re-
gardcl himself as one OF the mainstays OF the
Eosv Morn.
Returning with OConor tho canoe had
halted for some !ittlo time at tho town Of
Brass to enable Tom to visit his friends. and
during tho halt he learned OF Loke's illness.
Despite the openly shown hostility OF Ejabu
and the other fetich doctors who surrounded
tho sick King. Tom had induced O'Conor to
prescribe for the invalid.
OConor had returned after his third visit to
tho King. when he expressed his fears to Will
OF death.
Amakree. or Tom soon entered his masters
presence with grave face.
"Well, hows Loke nowp" asked O'Conor
"Loke. he live for die wiz just about to die).
and all men say it be you and me wo done
kill him. sir. Dem fetch man for Ju-ju town
and Creek town mako plenty palaver; and
think sir. we 60 look plenty trouble"
"Why. Tom. suppose palaver lve." said Will
liams. he no ut pass ton puncheon: and doc
tor he do plenty fine thing for Loke and make
good medicine: but them time mon be old so.
nll same them Loke. he flt for die suppose he
catch lilly bit sick No be palaver for doctor: be
palavor for them God: like take old man for
him country"
Il ssvez. sir. but dem people for town no
savez all same white man: and Ejabu he bad.
TOO much." said Tom in burst Of wrath.
"better you sent doctor back for Bonny one
time lat once). 80 dem time Loke finish die.
doctor no live for Brass"
Nonsense. Tom" OConor said. I'm not
going to run away from all tho fetch mon in
Brass. They're not such fools as TO make any
trouble with me. They must know Loke's old
and weak. and that he was likely to die with
ont my having anything to do with It."
While thus discussing. distant cry from
the shore-long and wailtng-made Tom start.
and. turning to the open windows. he pointed
to the town and cried excitedly:
''you hear. you hear! Loke he live for die
plenty trouble go cone-look! Canoe come.
now you 80 see"'
Sure enough several canoes were seen leav-
ing tho beach. As they approached the hulk
the Same long. nourniul diri:e rose up from a
Group seated In the leadins canoe an and the
across the water at tho end OF each verse
Of the chant.
and Tom he done XIII iiim-listen" N''0'
Az Tom . uplifted finger commanded atten-
umv to q perfect shout rs the three Canoes
spray. shot alongside the ganewhy ladder:
and i ali pc powerful Charm J.. of feathers. shells.
and red camwood attached to carved stick OF
sd hs sns ns en% S a ana
4s the fat and greasy form Of the chief
boat small drums and rang hells., while others
syil spirits OF nir and water. while they struck
st beth elements ,a WITH o long TustlinG switches
81 81 abS d so
deck Of the Rosy Morn. and after greeting
%a%s n and ssa his sPEs s tcwaTa
.You; Williams We know; and YOU have been
chested us. but now q strange white man
comes from Bonny. whose people are our enc
rna disa Gse WIZ SY 81 Ss
White man. This stranger white man has
Killed our King-he and Amakree. who has for
s.ken the hyts OF he psople.thsna .hs now 81 the
Gvsn Up to be tried b by the ordeal Of the Kask"
you know tRat our laws are without appeal
sarssaasr tssss sso suipsits. ana mo no harm harm
shall fall upon you"
Ejabu pointed across the room to where the
doctor. nat listening to this speech, Of which he
scarcely understood word; although the
lsft him In little doubt as to ths subject OF bis
discourse. Tom translated Ejsbu's remarks.
70 the astonishment and dismay Of Williams
"Oh. nonsense" said the former. why give
bore Why. I'll see all the fetichmen between
{6is and hope hSnsed nTSt "a hy, never
due TO- die any day-and to come on here and
hin. Look here. TSm Tsll Eisbu ana The
cons Of OIL. and, give q roll OF red cloth
e wrap Loks,ts body y. and ten kegs Of pow POW:
away from the grave: hut that ts all rubbish
for EjAbu or any one else to say the doctor or
you Killed hoEs: ara p thst That as for giving either
Of IrAeB River first. Or-StAy! VOu know heat.