Evening star., 1894-11-03
THE AFRICAN SLAVE TRADE
How It Was Driven From the Congo Free
States.
Mr.. Dorsey Mohun Tells of an Excite
ing Campaign I'm an
Arab War.

menus, Is being extcrminated In the DARK
continent.
The last territory from which the nefar-
ious traffic has been driven is the Congo
Free States. and the manner in which Its
extirpation was secured is the subject OF
an Interesting talk a Star reporter had
with Mr.. Dorsey Mohun today. Mr.. Mohun
is commercial agent Of the United States to
Congo. He has just returned to Washing
ton from Africa. While en- route from the
dark continent he stopped at Brussels.
where by order of the king. he was made
Chevalier Of the Royal Order Of the Lion
of the Congo for military services volun-
tarily rendered the state during the Arab
war, when blow was given the slave
trade from which It has never revived.
Mr.. Mohun was also decorated with q
badge of the order Of which he was made a
member, and is the first foreigner to re-
ceive this distinction.
Mr.. Mohun left this country in February,
1872, for the Congo Free State, arriving In
Bona, the capital, later in the month. He
remained several months in this town, IA
milari2ing himself with the language Of
the country and with the various duties OF
his mission, and then started for the High
Congo, arriving at Stanley Pool the mid
die of September. He pushed on from this
place to Lake Leopold, on the Lukenie
river, exploring this region thoroughly and
earning the distinction of being the fourth
man who had visited this section since
Stanley's advent some dozen years ago.
He returned to Stanley Pool and there
learned the first news of the outbreak Of
the war against the Arabs of Kosongo, as
capital of the Manyema, a territory within
the jurisdiction OF Tippo Tib, who was the
recogI lied sovereign of the whole country.
The Outbreak.
'T heard from the Delcommune expedi-
tion, which had just returned from the
said Mr.. Mohun, that the
Arab posts at Stanley Falls would be at
tackled by the troops Of the Congo Free
State authorities. whose base of supplies
was at Bosoko. I Immediately started for
Bosoko. arriving there in March Of 1898.
Finding that Stanley Falls was not 10 be
attacked. but that an expedition was being
formed to proceed to the Lomami river to
act in cooperation with Commandant
Dhanis, at Kosongo. 1 left for Stanley Falls
and found Rachid, a nephew Of Tippo Tib, in
command Of the Arab post; Rachid ut the
same time being the vail, or governor, under
the Congo Free State authorities. At that
time no fears were entertained by the state
authorities that there would be a revolt
at Stanley Falls. / returned to Bosoko ten
days later. but stopped en- route at Bena
Kamba, where 1 learned that Commandant
Chaitin lad attacked and captured the
large Arab village of CHAR. / met him at
Lhono, where his expedition was reor-
ganized and preparations made to fiaroh
village was an important Arab post, and
was under command Of Mserera, who had
the Hodster expedition q year
previous 1t was found before the march
too i'll to proceed, and in this extremity /
my services. Commandant
Chaltin gave me command OF two Krupp
cannon and some ninety men. The march
was then taken up and seven days later we
met and destroyed large Arab force which
had been sent to oppose our passage OF the
kassuku river.
Smallpox Ragged.
with the fight Of our foe we resumed
our march on Riba Riba, and found that
town deserted upon our arrival. We were
welcomed by two right hands nailed to q
fagstaff In front of the chiefs house, which
had evidently been Topped from the arms
Of white men. Smallpox having become
epidemic in our army. we having lost 100
men in ten days, and there being a hundred
or so men down on the sick list with the
disease, II was not considered advisable to
continue our march on Kasongo, and we
to Rene kamba and Bosoko. On
the march back the scenes along the road
were frlghtful, as many OF our men had
fallen on our forward march afflicted with
smallpox. and had been eaten by ants, leav-
ng the bones whitening in the sun
I'VE were told at post, called lsangi, un-
Ter the command Of Abb Bou, a nephew Of
rippo Tib, that an agreement had been
reached between the state authorities and
he Arabs, and peace had been declared.
Upon the same day, however, while steam
ng down the river, we picked up two men
)earing dispatches from Commandant Tob-
,ack of Stanley Falls, asking assistance.
md stating that he expected Rachid TO at
ack him at any moment We continued to
3osoko and secured more troops and then
eft for Stanley Falls, where we found that
he Arabs had erected palisades around the
Belgian trading house. 1t was captured. as
Eere the two Arab towns on the banks Of
he river. at the point of the bayonet. Thou
ands OF our opponents came In Immediately
lfter the capture Of their strongholds and
surrendered. and the war at Stanley Falls
vas practically ended.
The War Ended.
"T learned few days afterward that Com
nandant Dhanis was in need of assistance
nd went to his aid at Kasongo. with forty
I've men. Dhanis had taken position direcly
n front Of the Arab camp, 800 yards dis
ant. He had been fighting this force for
wo months, and had succeeded in checking
heir advance. Mr.. Dhanis told me that IL
would be impossible to defeat the Arab
orce, unless he had 400 more soldiers.
olunteered to go TO Basoko and Stanley
Falls to get them. i accomplished this mis-
ion, and upon returning found that
hance shot had struck the Arab chiefs
agazne exploding the ammunition, and
n immediate sortie by Dhanis had put to
light the enemy. Some O,OOO prisoners We're
AIKEN and 800 men were killed. This bat
lie closed the Arab war and placed the
yhole of this enormous territory, which had
cen under the control OF the slave dealers
or thirty-fve years. into the hands OF the
tate government.
Most OF the prominent Arab chiefs sur
Among them was Rachld and
Iserera, Sefu, son OF Tippo lib, having
cen killed in action.
II obtained a confession from one OF the
our men who killed Emin Pasha. Ac-
ording to this fellows story the MEN
rasped hold of Pasha's arms and legs
nd cut his throat with native knife.
hey were afterward hung with Mserera
nd his son.
Slave Trade Killed.
THE head of the slave trade In Africa
efore the war was Tippo Tib. who fitted
ut most Of the expeditions which left
anzbar for the interior to purchase Ivory
n order to buy this product, II was neces-
ary to have slaves, and villages were there
ore raided to get them. Some OF the slaves
yere sold for ivory and the others were
to carry Il back to the coast
here they were disposed of among the
.rabs In all the slave raids made the
illages were pilaged and burned and the
lfirm were killed. believe that as far
s slave trading is concerned, there Is an
nd to Il in the Congo Free States. L do
OF consider II possible that the Arabs
III ever again be able TO resume their ne
fno with a tarritOrV