The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-03-27
OF THE SLAVERS.
The Romantic Career Of Tippu lib,
His Rise to Fame and
Wealth.
Clever Manner In Which He Be.
came King Of the Mtotila
Tribe.
A Vast Section Of Country Ravaged to Fro.
cure Ivory tor Him Jealous Of
Abed. Din-SAlim.

Up to 1876 Tippu lib hnd been the
acknowledged leader OF the ~slayers. on no.
count of his marvellous success. His
career had been romantic. From n POOR
coast SLAYER. involved in debt 10 tho
usurers and money lenders OF Zanzibar,
he has grown wealthy and famous. BY
tho storming and capture Of Nsama's
stronghold MAY. 1867 he had become
possessed of q fortune in ivory and slaves.
He had relieved himself as coon as possible
Of his embarrassing store by sending his
brother Mohammed in charge OF his plum
der to Unyanyembe, and with 800 guns con-
tinued q triumphant and unchecked course
from the south to T%anganikn. through the
heart Of Kua, to Nyanewe. As he marched
he SavaRed to the right and left Of his
rbute, gathered ivory and made slaves by
hundreds.
Not far from a district called Mtotila he
learned from a captive that the king had
disappeared mysteriously many yonrs he
fore. and that though frequent search had
been made for hin nothing was known of
his whereabouts. Tippu lib altfully con-
ceived the plan Of representing himself as
his son, and accordingly schooled himself
in all the local knowledge necessary for
the deception he intended to practice.
BY the time he approached Mtotila Tippu
lib could rehearse the long line of the
kings ancestry. the names of his living
relatives and the elders Of the land, and
was familiar with the events, traditions
md customs of Mtotila. He dispatched
messengers into the country to announce
his arrival, and to tell the wondering peo-
SN1a Ahn ~axro rA hs. Rckho~S f>ko c~l ~ k;o
intention to assume his fathers rights.
= The people accepted the story without
difficulty, 40 it harmonic I'D so we'll with
their own conceptions and expectations.
The elders were deputed to 60 and meet
their prince. They brought rich presents
Of ivory and abundance of food and Of
fsred to escort him with honor to his faith
er's land, which Tippu lib courteously &C.
cepted. At every stage of his jou ney he
was welcomed and feasted. On reaching
the town of Mtotiln he received the chiefs
and elders In a grand barzah. at which
he told the story of his fathers dis
appearance. with a wealth of fictitious de.
tails OF love and marriage with a kings
daughter, of honors showered upon his
father. and Of the reluctance of his de-
parture which tho natives manifested; of
his own birth and life, of his recollections
of his fathers conversations with him re-
spectinR the Mtotila country, his relatives
and local ~events-until all were thoroughly
tuh1 boA5 dDkV "a i
was no other than their lost kings son..
He was once formally accepted and in
stalled rs their king: and to inQratiate him.
self still more. he distributed liberal larRess
Of SNOWY beads and copper and brass trim
people of Mtosila Understood TINT ivory
was very acceptable to their king. and rs
the article was very abundant, and OF little
value to them. the entire country Was ran
sacked for it. and heaps of it were daily
laid hafOra him until hia akOra ~ ivOrv mo-
came prodigious. Benches of the peace
between his subjects were CONF Ounded by
payment in ivory; in every imaginable way
he augmented his treasure.
Finally. whom he had depleted Mtotila of
elephants tusks he sought occasion to en-
broil Mtotila with the surrounding coun-
tries and his m yrlnidons we're dispatched
with the native forces to despoil them.
Within fifteen months he had gathered 800
tnsks. He proposed now to the Mtoti!as
convey his treasure to Kasonao
another county which, according to his
reports, he owned, whore he had great
houses and great estates. In this manner
the Arabs of the Man uema settlements.
whom thoy viewed his vast store of ivory
and innImerable r~etinue, hailed him as u
genius and recognized his superiority.
The general admiration which lad been
excited by his genius had greatly subsidized
Ny NAS sAAA4S = ~ ~ AN W. A. lcbNs t4O
was then induced TO escort my trans-African
expedition a few marches north OF Nyang-
we. and on his return he undertook the
transport of his immense coll ction OF
realized the Large. sum Of e3o,0 GOO
by it's sale. Out of these lucrative returns
he was able to pay tho usursrs of
Zanzibar tho advances of money he had
received with tho heavy interest accruing,
and with the residue he equipped his large
frpCQ With the haat waannrs rvCrrrnh1A T.,
1881 he was back again in Mayuema. and
witnessed with his own eyes the discm-
barkation of the ivory and slaves OBJ
tanned by Abed bin-Snlin's agents. Fired
by the sight. he lost no time in making his
preparations for u second great campaign.
which should excel i'll results his own pre-
vious exploits and surpass Abcd's sue
cesses.
He divided his forces in two divisions.
The land force he dispatched under his
nephew Rashid to the LQmBmi; the fotilla |
descending tho LuaIaba he led himself. as
sisted by his brother and son. The vessels
we're naviRated by the Wenyn fishermen.
whom, during bis long residence in Man
yuema. no had protected and propitiated.
These people numbered several thousands
and were scattered along the left bank of
the river from the confluence OF the Luama
to Stanley falls.
The oataracts were therefore no inter
ruption to Tippu Tbs progress or his
proJects' On q large Island just above tho
lowest OF the Stanley falls. called Wane
sironea (Sons Of Sironea). Tippu halted
and established his headquarters, whence
he was to operate on the left bank as far
~ the Lumami in connection with his
nephew Rashid: But for some months
before his arrival Abed-% bin-saIim's agents
had extended their deprcdations below
the falls along the right bank, leaving a
broad. dcsolate tack us a.witness of their
crimes. Henry M. Stanley In Harper's for
March.
Huokion's ArnIca Salve
Tho Best Salve In the world for Cuta.
Bruiaaa, SORES. Ulcers. Salt Rhnnm Eaua.