Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-07-28

~ To- Is but little known to
M~%TWfNasSzs-w white men, because it
!: :: !:
S QrlQS3AS- is remote from the
I'll M,xG& - coast, has river
M% AN large enough to trav-
tH " ell and has but a very
small trade of any
people friendly
and timid and l regard them as the best
of all the people 1 met in Africa. Between
their country and that of the NKaumi
tribe just north of them there is vast
region of unbroken forest, which is infest-
ed with many kinds of wild beasts and
huge serpents. For miles and miles across
this jungle there is no trace of human
life, and the silence is almost oppressive.
You rarely see a bird of any kind or hear
a sound except the beating of your own
heart.
1t was through this wild and desolate
land that made my way into the country
of the Esyira tribe in quest of the gorilla
and the chimpanzee. After a march of two
days L came upon camp of Aduma slaves
cutting rubber for the king. At this place
L spent three days. much of the time de-
lirious with jungle fever, with no food but
little dried soup and almost without
hope. 1 shall long recall the weary hours
that 1 waited in that dreadful place. But
lake, far away in the bush. and many
strange stories were told me about that
enchanted spot. The natives called 1t
''Mbuiri M'polo," which means in their
tongue the big enchantment." AS pur-
sued my way across the country of this
tribe / heard more and more of the great
fetish lake. but l did not seem to get any
nearer to it. and 1 began to regard it as a
kind of "will-o'-the-wisp," like many other
stories you hear from the natives How
ever, all their tales agreed in certain
points. All assigned IL to place far away
said that a white man lived in the depths
of the lake, and all agreed that the water
of the lake could talk, but one could
account for these strange things.
Visit With n White Trader.
After long and weary journey of five
days, besides the three days spent at the
slave camp. l reached a village called TYNE
Nyeni, located on the head waters OF the
river N'dogo. The village is about five days
by canoe from the coast at Settle Kama,
which is about three degrees south of the
equator. When 1 reached the village found
q white trader there, and we were mutually
glad TO see each other. for / was the first
white man that he had seen for many
months. l spent few days with him very
Pleasantly, and in the meantime L learned
great deal from him about the strange
lake, and / was assured that 1t would be
a
visit TO the mysterious place and learn what
really did give rise to so many strange and
CHASTITY stories, and caused the natives to
hold it in such dread.
After pleasant stay with the white man
and good rest l set out for the lake. which
was about three days from there, through a
very wild and dreary tract of country with
very few inhabitants. The first night
reached small town, where the old king
and his people were very kind to me- Soon
after my arrival in the village they gave me
fine young goat and some plantains, after
which they loaned me an iron pot in which
to prepare my food. They were polite in
their way, and after they found that l
meant to pay them well for all they did for
me- they were kind and attentive to me-
and when / left their town it was with a
promise to visit them again If should ever
come that way.
Curiosity of the Natives.
Early in the morning set out and by 3
o'clock I reached another town. where we
arranged to spend the night. The king and
the people gave me quite welcome to
their town, and within a few minutes a fat
young goat and good supply of plantains
were placed at my feet a present from
the alleged king. Very soon terms of pay
ment were made and the kid vas prepared
for my supper. The king of this town was
an austere and silent man, and was not
content with his lot in any way. After
the terms We had agreed upon were quite
discharged he still begged for tobacco and
| rum or anything else that he could get, and
the piece of cloth, two hands Of tobacco
and a spoon that l had given him in ex-
change were quite forgotten in his anxiety
to get more, and he was sullen and stub
born because L would not show him what
l had in my boxes
The native African never knows when Re
has the value Of anything, and no matter
how much you pay him you always eve
him "a DASH" that is, a present. All of
them suppose that all white men are rich
and that he can get anything he wants by
asking for it, They have no idea how a
white man gets his cargo; how, where or
| by whom it is made or anything else about
| 1t. There is no money of any kind in use
in that part and every thing that is used
in trade to exchange for any native pro-
duct Is called Cargo and hence almost
anything of value is SO called. The king
of this town had heard of money, but he
had never seen any of it, so he asked my
interpreter if it was true that white man
could carry more cargo in his cloth than
q native could carry in a canoe.
White Mans Money.
He said that he had heard that white
man could carry in his cloth more cargo
than ten goats and two women were worth
He did not understand how it could be re-
duced to so small a compass. AS he had
always seen cloth, guns or tobacco used as
currency he could not see into it; but it
happened that had one single sou with me.
L
explained to him what 1t was and how white
men use II, but did not tell him it's real
value in commerce. The king wanted it and
| at once offered me a fine goat and a supply
of other food for it.
After much talk about it told him II he
would treat me well while in his town /
would make him present of the coin and
if any other white man should ever come to
his town and have no cargo he must treat
him well, because he would be my white
brother. He promised to do so and said
whenever he should look at the coin he
would remember me as his big friend" and
he praised my generosity until was as
vain as he was grateful. He assured me
that he would always keep it in his town.
because it would make him good palaver."
by which is meant good luck" and this
would make him friend to all white men
The people of the town then all wanted
to see this munificent gift, and this he al
lowed them to do by coming up one at a
time. but no one was allowed to hand it to
another. Each one must return il to the
king himself and allow him to hand it to
the next one, and for more than an hour
this went on. but not for a single moment
did the old king lose sight of it,. After each
one had seen it his sable majesty took
another long and grateful look at it and
then carefully tied it up in the corner of
his cloth and said over and over to me
"AkeWe, akeUe otangani," which means ..I