The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-08-29
"A TRAGEDY IN AFRICA
WHAT RESULTED FROM A KISS THAT
WAS TAKEN BY FORCE.

A Roaming American Thought He Met an
Old Acquaintance In South Africa-He
Kissed Her. and the Explosion which
Followed Was Terrible.
You will find more tragedy than romance
in Africa. Sometimes, far from the haunts
Of civilized men, lines of life drawn from
other lands cross and recross, and the old
story of human passions is told anew.
Sometimes there are dramatic incidents
that In country OF mails, telegraphs and
would be eagerly picked up and
recounted in all their details, but in Africa
they are never fully told and are soon for
gotten.
This is such story. It is true, and it
did not happen so long ago that the real
name~can be used;
The coast of southeast Africa is one of
the most dangerous in the world. Cur
rents constantly varying both in direction
and intensity carry the navigator far out of
his course and often land him upon some
reef or sand bar. The fact that the Robert
Miller, from London for Bombay, should
have been wrecked near the bay Of Port
Natal was therefore not strange, but what
was unusual was the great loss Of life that
attended the wreck. Only one man out Of
all those on board managed to reach the
shore in safety.
This man, Charles Lee, an American by
birth, but citizen of the world by choice,
belonged to the constantly increasing class
who prefer to spend their lives wander
ing from cline to cline, picking up an often
precarious livelihood, but seeing life in
nearly every phase. Lee had made lucky
-, 7 ID, T.,
dia. He had taken passage in the Robert
Miller, hoping that the long sea voyage
would drive from his body some lingering
seeds of fever picked up in South America.
Flung by the waves on the coast of Natal,
with his money safe in waterproof belt,
he changed his plans with the readiness
characteristic Of his class and resolved up
on a trading trip into the interior. Pur-
chasing q wagon and span of oxen and hir.
ing two native assistants, he "trekkedp
north into Zululand. In his wagon he car
ried numerous articles for trade with the
natives. Among them, carefully concealed
under the wagon seat, he carried 10 kegs of
powder, concealed because the laws forbid
the sale Of powder to natives.
At the end of three months Lee consid-
cred that his trip had been successful
one and decided to return home, following
another route to Natal. One morning he
"outspanned" at a small village where
there was missionary station. The mis-
sionary himself was away but his wife
came down to the traders wagon, expect
ing to find many articles needed to replen-
ish her household stores. Lee sold what
she wished, all the time looking at her in a
puzzled manner. At last he exclaimed:
by George, know you nowl How TN
der heaven did you get here, Mollies"
Sir" said the woman, deadly pale, but
drawing herself up proudly. what do you
mean by this insult".
"Oh, stuff, Mollie, you can't fool me. As
soon as l saw you l knew had seen you be-
fore. But it seemed SO queer that Mollie
Flanders-Moil Of San Francisco-should
have turned up here, of all places in the
world. Pretty as ever, Moll, l see, Give us
q kiss for old times sake"
Grasping her suddenly in his arms. he
kissed her again and again. Finally she
tore herself loose and fed, white with emo
ton.
Was she Mollie Flanders or was she mott
Lee was sure of it, but mistakes of identili
cation do sometimes happen. At any rate
she acted as if innocent.
Sitting down, the woman wrote letter
to her husband, telling him how she had
been insulted and demanding reparation
This letter she sent bya native to the
neighboring village, where her husband was
| visiting
| That night the trader took advantage Of
the moonlight to pursue his journey, and
as fate would have it, he and the lettel
reached the village and the missionary a
| the same time.
| The missionary was man of sudden ant
/ violent temper. He loved his wife dearly
and the news of an insult to her brok,
down all the barriers he had built up b.
constant training. Urged by him, tn,
chief Of the village sent men to seize tn
trader. Surprised without his arms, lie
was made "a captive after desperate strug
gle and was carried before tho chief and tn
missionary. The former WAS anxious no
to go any further. The Zulu war was jus
over, and the natives hardly liked to in ur
n white man so soon after the sharp lessor
they had received. Still, urged by the mis-
sionary, the chief finally ordered that lie
receive 100 lashes on his bare back.
The trader heard his sentence calmly
He made no defense to the charges and beg
ged no mercy He merely asked that he b
! given an hour to put his affairs in order il
view of the possibility of fatal result from
|
itation the missionary agreed to this. Tn
wagon was searched, and all weapons wer
removed. Then Lee was hoisted upon tn
seat. and his hands were freed, but his leg
were still kept bound. The missionar.
warned him that any attempt to free then
would result in the immediate execution @
the sentence.
Once upon the box Lee took ont his writ
ing materials and wrote two letters, whic
he scaled and threw upon the ground
| Then he reached down below the seat ain
quietly drew the plugs from the powdc
kegs. The powder flowed out into blac
heap, with which each keg connected.
Lee then lighted his pipe and quietl
leaned back to await the expiration of til
hour. When it was nearly up, he ben
down and began to unfasten the bond
upon his legs. Instantly two natives spran
IT him, but he raised his head and locke
at them with SO deadly CLEAN in his eye
that they hesitated. Another moment an
his feet would be free.
The missionary, seeing his prey about I
escape, rushed upon him, followed by til
whole assemblage of natives. Lee waite
until they were nearly upon him and the
emptied the glowing contents of his pit
upon the powder.
A sharp cry of horror from the mission
, AIRY WINS lost in a burst of fame and n rof
/ like thunder. Then volume of heay
: white smoke rolled and spread about u
scene like thick fog. When it had cleare
, away, trader and missionary had both goi
. to carry their disputes to a higher tribuna
, Only two blackened masses, hardly huma
. in form, remained to show that they ha
ever lived. OF the natives, Is lay dead {
= dying upon the field.
!, To this day, il the traveller in that regie
!; Is annoyed by too curious and intrusive n
! tives, he has but to throw n handful of poN
/ der into the fire to secure absolute solitud
The last resource OF the desperate viii
: man has not been forgotten.-San Fra
cisco Chronicle.