The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-03-03
FIa1Na UP THE STEAMBOATS,.
Chopping Wood Every Night on the
Congo for the Next Days Run.

From the NelO York Sun.
| One of the chief riches in the Congo valley is
| the forests, which contain not only inexhausti-
BILE quantities of india rubber but also essences
and woods Of great value, among which ebony
| and rosewood are most conspicuous Traces nj
| coal have been found, but for the present at
| least steamers on the upper river are entirely
| dependent upon the forests for fuel. They have
no difficulty in renewing their supplies because
the border of the river and its tributaries are for
| the most part an unbroken forest. 1t is esti-
| mated that the forest around the Congo state
station of Lukolela numbers about 500, 900 trees.
and that the various kinds Of timber are
| adapted for every use which mankind makes of
woods, from canoes to the finest quality Of fur
niture.
There are now about thirty steamboats, ply
| ing on the upper Congo. Some parts Of the
river widen until it is almost sea-like On these
stretches, miles and miles in width, the river is
quite shallow. and it is not possible, therefore
to use vessels that surpass certain tonnage
It is necessary for the boats to renew their
supply Of fuel daily.
Every evening when the steamer ties I'D to
the bank for the night the wood choppers iImp
ashore and make for the timber. They are
employed for no other service. While the tents
are being raised on the bank and part of the
Grew are preparing supper, the choppers begin
cutting down dead trees and saving up fallen
logs. They often work all night preparing the
next days fuel, dragging it to the boat and
slowing 1t away on board. and when the
steamer is ready to start in the morning they
turn IN Tor blelF H6iL-eArDeQ sleep. Or course
green timber could not. be used, but there is
plenty of dead wood as dry as finder Some of
the larger boats consume about three cords Of
wood day.
At number of places the natives have now
begun to collect dead wood and pile it up on the
river banks ready to sell to the steamers This
is a source of considerable profit to them, and
the boats prefer to get their supplies in this
way, as delays are thus obviated. Sometimes
however, there are long controversies with the
natives before they permit the steamer hands
to cut the wood. These palavers, as a rule are
not inspired by feelings of hostility, but are
last bead or the last inch of clotn they can get
for the fuel. They, however rarely refuse per
mission to cut wood in their neighborhood for
they know that the steamer can easily 90 a few
miles further, where the people Will probably
show themselves to be moro hOspitable and
benefit by it.
the state imposes a very small tax upon the
steamers of the trading companies for the
privilege OF cutting wood. The fact that last
10 about 49, 900. shows that the trading com
panies are making something of a stir on the
upper Congo,
One evening, while ago. Mr.. Dhanis, state
agent, thought he had urgent reason for desir-
ing to reach the station of Bangala on the fol
lowing morning. IL was nearly night and IL ne
stopped for a wood supply he could not reach
his destination at the desired time. He there
fore adopted the heroic measure of stripping off
the wrappinRs of every particle of cloth and
other trade goods that he carried, and also APP
propriated ali the wooden boxes which con
tanned a large part of his cargo. This fuel sut-
feed to keep steam up for five hours after his
ordinary fuel had given out, and he arrived at
Bangala in the morning.