The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1893-02-21
TINELA'S REVENGE.
A Noted Traveller Tells Of Scenes
In That Dark Land

Alone in a dark corner of his tent,
toying with the beads Of his rosary, sat
Osmani ibn Seyf. His swarthy Arab
face was lined and care worn and his
eyes were downeast in thoughtful
mood
For six weeks this famous slave
raider had led his caravan of Manyema
marauders and captives through the
dismal depths of the great African for
est in search of human prey. Day by
day they had trudged through thorny
underground. beneath the impenetra-
BILE canopy of primeval trees; and each
night they had slept, hungry, upon the
sodded ground, in the vitiated atmos-
phere of decaying vegetation
The region that they had traversed
was uninhabited.
That afternoon Manyema follower
had been wounded by wooden spear,
adroitly concealed in the bushes, by
the side of well-worn elephant track.
Here at last was an evidence of man.
The caravan had halted, formed an
effective zereba, and Osmani had dis
patched scouts to survey the vicinity.
"Hodil" cried voice from without.
Osmani started from his reverie. and
instinctively reached towards the load
ed rifle by his side.
"Karibl"
A curtain was drawn aside, reveal
ing the figure of an armed negro
"Ahl Khalifan."
"Salaam Bwanal" the negro crossed
his hands. upon his breast and bowed.
"Khabari gam? Speak, what news?"
Good news" replied the negro,
mindful of preserving good omen;
'sthe scouts have returned"
'Vemal And what have they found?''
In few words the negro explained
that the scouts had discovered traces
of a large native village, situate about
two hours march to the eastward of
their encampment.
Osmani's face instantly lightened.
ut is well,'' said he. 1.-The sun is now
setting. Two hours before the dawn
we march upon that village. Tonight,
no fires, no noise. 'Sikia?"
"Our masters words are law"
"Hayai May Allah preserve usl'
and Osmani waved his hand in token of
dismissal
With a profound salaam, the negro
withdrew Sentinels were posted.
and soon the camp was wrapped in
slumber
The night air grew cold. A storm
swept over the forest. The rain fl
tered through the thick foliage over
head and trickled in streams upon the
naked bodies of the miserable wander
ers, who grumbled, and crouched to-
gether in groups.
1t was still dark and cherries when
Osmani emerged from his tent.
"Simillal Simillal Make way, there,
for Bwana Osmanii'
Silent and sullen the Manyema ma
RAIDERS arose, stretched their stiffened
limbs and buckled their ammunition
belts around their waists. Each man
rolled a strip of dirty white cotton
cloth around his head, turban wise, to
serve as discriminating mark in the
coxing fray with the naked savages-
"Tendelel Tendele upesil" The or
der to march echoed through the camp,
and in few minutes Osmani and his
marauders started forth in single file
No word was spoken. and the only
sounds that betolxened their progress
were slight swishing of leaves and the
muffied tread of naked feet upon the
spongy ground.
The camp, containing numerous ma
tive slaves captured in former raids,
together with a valuable stock Of ele-
plant tusks, was left in charge of fifty
well-armed Manyema allies of Osmani.
The attacking party plodded on
wards through the dark forest until
they came within sight of the village
clearing
Dawn was just breaking when the
first deadly volley was fired. followed
an instant afterward by shouts of
"Allah-'llah-'lai' as the brutal assail-
ants rushed upon their prey. Women
and children, shrieking and crying, fed
In all directions, dazed by the sudden
onslaught. Fowls few cackling to-
wards the woods. Mems deep voices
shouted incoherently, but above the
thrilling uproar of gunshots, cries and
groans, the fatal "llah-la-ihu" of the
Manyema sounded loud and relentless,
as they crashed through the bushes
into the midst Of the multitude ofpanic-
stricken savages, chasing the black
figures that darted hither and thither,
hurting them TO the ground, and bind
ing them with stripes of plated grass
cord.
The sulphurous smoke from the raid
ers' guns, combining with the early
morning mist, produced dense fog,
which settled In an almost impenetra-
BILE cloud upon the scene; In the obscur-
ity of which the Manyema guns flashed
forth tongues Of fame osmani had
now lost all control over his frepzied
mob, and their iron sluna whiHz@h