The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-02-26
Entertainingly Described by
an Austrian Army Officer.
WAS WITH THE cHANlER PARTY.
His Wound Compelled Him to Return
Home-He Tells About the Discov-
cries and the Dangers Which the
Party Faced In the Interior.

Ter Won Hohnel Of the Austrian navy has
returned to Vienna,
On arriving ssst week at Eiume he was
met by his old comrade, Explorer Count
Samuel Teleki. who accompanied him to
Buda Pesth, where tho still open wound
caused by the rhinoceros' horn was oper-
sted upon by Professor Lum bitter, aud
great relief given.
Won Hohnel is q Hungarian, and was
born at Pressburg in 1857. He was in
Teleki's expedition In 1886, which, after
two years exploring. resulted in the dis
covery of Lakes Rudolph and Stephanis
In northeast Africa.
"You wish se to tell you about the
Chanler expeditionr remarked the ex-
plorer. 'Well. we had desperate i'll luck.
II followed us everywhere. and during
the time was with Mr.. Chanler rendered
all our best efforts fruitless.
81 made Mr.. Chanler's acquaintance In
1891. Toe same year l met Chanler in
Vienna, when he told me his intention to
explore the Borani country lying east
ward of Lake Rudolph. The district is be-
Heved to be fertile and interesting.
The. Start.
eff ever success seemed to favor an ex-
pedition at the outset it was this one.
We started from Lamu, on the Zanzibar
soast, on Sept. 1S 1892, with 1856 men, all
in good health and In the best Of spirits.
We were thoroughly organized We had
cattle, donkeys and camels, and 10 canoes
laden with food were accompanying our
caravan. The route to Borani is very
bad one. Nov 26 had arrived, when we
reached Borani all well.
''Then came our i'll luck. Our beasts
of burden began to die ut Borani, as IL
stricken with plague. There was o Sc
rious plight for us. We formed \ store
camp here inside the deserted palisade,
erected some time previous by the British
East African company.
"Oul caravan had come to a dead halt
from loss of transport Chsnler and my
self determined to proceed northward to
the Guasso-Njiro river. whose source and
outlet had discovered in my Teleki ex-
pedition. George Calvin, Chanler's serv-
ant, went to the coast on n similar mis-
sion. From the date of our departure. on
Dec. 8, 1892, to the day the rhinoceros
charged at me. Aug. %. 1898, we explored
without success the entire district for
transport beasts.
A Hopeless Task.
"When we struck the Guasso-Njiro we
had days OF weary wandering along its
banks. seeking for transport animals, ex-
perienced cruel hunger, and finally, on
Jan. "a, after hopeless search, with 75
men, set out a second time for the Diam
beni range. with the intention of cross
ing it.
Before we struck the Djambeni we
had to cross the country of the Wa
Msara, tribe with the reputation Of hav-
ing destroyed a caravan 10 years previous.
They soon showed US their intentions.
We fought a battle with them, and our
Mannlichers and Werndts must have
created heavy losses in the ranks of the
Wa Msara.
"On our arrival at Borani on Feb. 10,
1898, we found all the remaining beasts of
burden in our lsager dead. 1t may have
been that the Tzetch fly was the cause.
On March Q, 1898, we determined to set
out for Daitcho, as miles northeast Of Mt
Kenia. We had obtained 10 head of cat
Gle. We had again weary struggle for q
passage along the densely jungled banks
of the Tsna river. On March "a we ar
rived at Dsitcho, having lost heavily In
loads, beasts and through runaways But
the climate was good and the people
peaceful.
LeaNlUk dJ DdltCuO anu seuu-
ing runners to Mobasa for cattle and men,
Chanler and myself again started out on
June to find the Rendili. We soon
crossed the Djambe range and after
wards the Guasso-Njiro river.
Wild Buffalos.
"The land was being explored for the
first time. 1t is studded over with iso-
lated mountains, thickly populated and
generally waterless The highest peak is
the Gargues, 10000 feet In height. IL
forms the southernmost end of the Gen
eral Matthews range. Another mountain,
$500 feet high, Lollokue by name, has
billiard level plateau. We explored this
and found l2 mem bers of the Wondrobo
tribe, and herd of wild buffalos which
Che plague had not destroyed.
AT last our efforts were rewarded, on
July 2, at Komi, to the far northeast. We
discoy cred the nomadic Rendili there.
They had camels, goats and sheep in
there possession, but they demanded such
sxorbitsnt prices that Chanler could only
afford to purchase 10 donkeys.
"Only one hope was now left There
were still the Turkanas. living south of
Lake Rudolph, and they we knew had
supplies Of transport animals. We set
out and arrived at Sayaa, place about
100 miles north of Mt. Ksnia.
The Fight with "Rhino.-
''It was here my episode with the
phinoceros occurred Aug 20, 1898 We
were out elephant shooting. Chanler,
with a black tracker and nine or 10 men,
was about 400 yards ahead Of me. We
vere working along a straight, open line,
end had the same number of men with
me as Chanler. heard behind me the
-boosh, hoosh, hoosh" OF rhinoceros
soming up like an express engine at full
speed.
"The 'rhino was a fullgrown COW. and
her 6monthsold calf followed her She
same to halt beside me and commenced
10 goad me with her horn. Lying on ny
left side raised my right leg TO escape
the blows but at length she struck the
aeshy part Of my hip, driving the horn
upward. This seemed to satisfy her, ss
she and her young one went OF snorting |
Into the forest again.
"Chanler came on the scene q moment |
later. | was not aware In the excitement |
An M \ waa 40 hadlv xyounded The wouud /