The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-04-27
SHE EXPLORED THE JUNGLE
Mrs. May French Sheldon, of African
Exploration Fame, Visits the City.
Interesting Personality and Career of This
Distinguished Woman-Her Talk Before
the Contempt rary Club.


tellers had only previously gone in imag-
inatlon. Not q few times women have &C
~companied their husbands on these trips,
and have been the wonder and admiration
of thousands for their courage and bra.ery
to face the perils, even with their hus-
bands. But one of the most dangerous ex-
petitions was undertaken by a woman. and
the field for her explorations was darkest
Africa. Mrs. May French-Sheldon.
who addressed the Contemporary
Club. last evening. on "A Woman's
Expedition into Savage Africa" was the
one woman whose ambition led her 80 the
task. and has returned to recount her rare
experiences. Mrs. Sheldon was seen by q
Journal reporter. who found her q very in
teresting and clever woman. Naturally one
wonders how Mrs. Sheldon happened to go
as she did. In reply to q question about 1t
she said: just the Same way as you would
decide to gives party. l studied to be q
was o child l have delighted in organ
iZIng. and In reading. and IN writing
stories. / often wanted to help these people
in Africa, OF others, but especially these.
Men 60 to Africa. but chiefly to get trade
and for commercial reasons. / wanted to
see these people Tor myself" When asked
about the means for the trip. she said: II
earned il myself with my pen. The frst
money spent was $4,000 TO lit the expedi-
to Zanzibar. where the Sultan assisted In
gettin g q company of 1873 to company me-.
and t~hlsnumber was subsequently, enlarged
TO two hundred, and of that number at no
time were there q dozen women.
Miss Sheldon went five hundred miles
into the interior of Africa. She was invaria-
bly, saluted as Queen" At no time did she
dare relax from her dignity and command.
as she was most carefully and closely scrn-
tinized by those who were with her. In
relating instances about tho people she
found, she said some had no hight except
that cast by fires. and she taught them
how to make candles. aud also taught
two sewing machines among them. An
other observation of the speaker was In re-
gard to the mission boxes, which are sent
to Africa. These" she said, often
come with such an incongruous lot of stuff
that use cannot be made of anything they
contain. The articles are no more adapted
to the people than a gaudy calico dress
would be suitable for q handsome party In
this city.
Mrs. Sheldon Is making her home in Chr
cago for the present. where she will make
an exhibit of African curiosities and sell
her books about Africa at the worlds fair.
She has been waiting since FebEu-
her display. and has but recently re-
ceived 1t. Now she is very busy getting IL
in order. She is q petite woman. with fair
complexion and light brown hair, and q
beautiful figure. She 10 charming In her
manner and speech. talks fiuently and very
distinctly. She Is conversant with several
languages and among them the African, so
she was able to give her W orders to the
natives. AS an instance of her short stature
she said It would never do for one so short
to give commands to great burly men, who
lowered several feet above her, 80 when
ready to order the slaves would make q
platform of their bodies and allow her to
stand on them. This was only when there
was no other height where she could stand.
One of the discouragements friends Of
fered Mrs. Sheldon was the continual re-
minders she had of the treechery OF the
native Africans. When securing the party
to accompany her the men were loath TO
60. as many had been badly treated by
those who had organized expeditions be-
fore. She told them she was o woman and
would keep her word. This she did. and
the faith they had in her was her power
was the great reason of her success.
Mrs. sheldon has been q friend OF Mr..
Henry M. Stanley, of African fame. for
twenty-one years.
of women to raise the funds to start an ex-
petition for Africa TO help the people there,
and she, for one, would be willing to be Of
the number to 60. She believes the Africans
to be susceptible to good influences and
enlightenment and In their speech she
found they often made use of expressions
that were practical and beautiful. Mrs.
Sheldon will return to Chicago this morn
ing: !,
has by her energy built mp an extensive
establishment and acquired q considerable
fortune. She is the sole owner Of the pub
fishing house of Saxon IL Co.. Lon ION.
England. and is the author of 3 book called
Prom Sultan to Sultan" She has the dis
function of being q Fellow of the Royal
Geographical Society of London.
Before the Contemporary.
In her address before the Contemporary
Club Mrs. Sheldon said that when she con.
ceived the idea of an exploring trip
through that mysterious continent which
has made several men famous she began
preparation by a study of the languages
and customs of the different peoples whom
she would encounter. After spending
eight years In preparatory study and Sc
curing the necessary equipment she started
e%cutson, not. however. until she had over
come the opposition of the British govern
ment, which even went so far rs to intro
duce In Parliament an act trying TO prevent
her OK petition. Being an American woman,
however. she said she owed the British
crown no allegiance and gave it none.
Landing at Zanzibar. she collected her
caravan, which was q mile in length when
on the march. proceeded on to MOmbassa,
and came from there down through the
German country to Pangania. arriving at
the last named place just six months after
she had landed on the continent. She
sailed from Psngania to Naples and thence
home. During the SIX months she was on
the continent she Travelled nine hundred
miles. walking all the distance at the head
of her caravan which she commanded in
person without an assistant. While on the
march she retained the feminine costume,
wearing light silk or flannel jackets and
blouses with skirts that came to her ankles,
which were protected from the thorns and
brambles by leggings and on her hands she
we're heavy leather gauntlets for the same
purpose. She wore q cork hat to protect
her head from the hot rays of the sun and
was armed with q revolver and rifle. which
she carried constantly and which she is
able to use with remarkable accuracy.
Marching at the head of the caravan she
underwent all the hardships that any OF
the others were called upon 20 endure,
swan rivers with them, cut her way
through the tangled forests and never
flInched even in the encounters with
the hostile tribes that tried to pre-.
vent their passage through the coun-
try. She gave q graphic description OF
encounters with the natives and also
with the wild beasts. and an especially
thrilling account of the devouriug of q
porter By o lion. She described the cere.
monies of the natives. observed In matri,
mony and the burial rites. their habit.
and customs generally and their pursuits
In life. The agricultural development: OF
the country was entered into. aid she de
soribed their cattle raising. ansi ~illustrs'
49,