Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1893-08-19
A WOMAN IN AFRICA.
MRS. FRENCH sHELpoN's STORY or
HER ARDuous JOURNEY.

she Penetrated Countries where the
Face Of - white Woman Had Never
Bsea sean-shs Encountered Many Pc
cuiAr Difficulties. bat Was Successful
One OF the most interesting addresses
made before the British association was
Mrs French Sheldons on her Journey in
Africa where she visited Mount kilma
Marc aud Lake Tehala Mrs Sheldon is
beSl known a. literary worker and her
trip To the African wilderness was much Of
a surprise Ia All who knew her Various
motives were a~cribed To her which she had
never Tor u moment entertained She made
no profession % possessing scientific attri
bute~. and had uu ,hought Of geographical
exploration Her pl-h was TO study the
native habits aud customs free from the
influence OF civilization and in their primi
tive condition She started on her journey
without eompautonship or the assistance
Of n lieutenant, and not even with adoctor
The expedition OF i3O men was personal
Iy directed. disciplined and led by herself
Her English stewar,le~s was taken serious
ly H. aud the expedition had TO carry her
Tor three. .fourths oi the disis.nce Ia a most
dangerous condition The majority OF her
caravan party were unframed aud unre
Liable. and until she gained complete mas
terry over them there was disposition to
he rebellious The hazard, however, was
taken with eyes open. aud the responsible
~ was incurred In order that portion OF
the country should be visited which was
solely inhAhted hy natives who had never
seen the fuces OF white men or women
She received before starting many hints
from men like Mr. Stanley aud other trav
eler- She had besides read most OF the
books on the subject and taking warning
from their mishaps she tried TO effect the
formation ~ rH-avan free from liability
To such da:.. ni the time was short
and great haste had TO be made
QuELLlNG MUTINous MIN
The start was made from Zanzibar But
there she had great difficulty Ia securing
suitable men The sultan personally as
sisted her. however and at length the
quota was mRde up The men were after
ward muiinous, aud gave her indescriba
bic trouble
She had expected har,lships. but she did
not expect to have. day after day. IN the
solitude OF the desert TO cOutend with new
difficulties which arose and TO overcome
which almost needed more than human
aid There was nothing left To her but to
gain absolute control over her men This
could only he done by an application OF the
rawhlde whip She often lay awake at
best thing To do Had she consulted her
own first impulses she would have shot
more than once every man IN the caravan
She tonnd. however, that a certain de
gree OF patience had To he cultivated, and
when punishment had 10 be meted out II
was necessary to wait patiently for the exc
cutlou Of orders THIS delay was one OF
the most difficult things she had to contend
against, because OF her impatieuce to have
her orders executed The hardshtps en-
tailed by the climate were also very great
The rains hHd brgun TO fall aud when
marching she and her party were frequent
~ up 10 the armplts IN water or half sunk
In marshes
II WAS interesting To observe that the
natives. instead OF taking TO flight on the
approach OF her party and deserting ths
caravan paths. came down TO meet her
BY some system OF communication all the
tribes seemed to know at her approach
and Il afforded her no little amusement 70
hear the native men and women describe
her In their own language as woman
master They seemed not TO tie able TO
comprehend the position OF woman IN
charge OF a caravan, but, instead Of show
ing her r,Ideuess the natives from one
coast to the other on routes which passed
through savage and wild districts. showed
treated her In fact as II she were poten
tate
An UNFORTUNATE ACCIDENT
She frequently received as many as ten
oxen as mark OF homage, and the chiefs
would send messengers and couriers ahead
IN order To find out whether she intended
TO pass through their territory, either 10
ing OF returning But she went straight
ahead to kilaa. iaro Sometimes the
natives reconnoitered her approach and
held aloof On these occasions she went
frankly toward them with extended hands
containing some bright, attractive offering
As "A present She went into Africa with
all deiicacy and womanliness but quite
prepared to accept things they were
there
On one occasion a band OF warriors ap
peared at her camp IN an entire state OF
nudity Next day however they reap
peared clothed a. her own followers were
thereby showing that they had OWNED
that their original stats was distastefu 10
her She had been invited by both the
men and women OF tribes To attend theii
marriage tea-ts dances aud funeral sery
ices. which was very rare experience fol
any one outside the tribe To enjoy
On her return journey she met with al
unfortunate accident While beifg car
ried in palanquin across a swollen tor
rent the porters stumbled. and she wa,
thrown from height Of thirty or fort!
feet She was dropped by her carriers 1
second Time, and injury TO her spine wa
the ult--Cor New York Tribune