The Anaconda standard., 1895-12-25
ADAM APPEL'S STORY
The Gentleman Relates His Experience
in South Africa.
CUSTOMS OF THE NATIVES
II Is a Country of Great Possibiii-
ties, Yet the Laborer VIII Do
Well to Stay Away From
There-His Journey.

Adam Appel, whose name appeared
on the register at the Montana hotei
yesterday, is returning to his nome
at South Bend. Ind. having. .hgura-
lively and literally, ploughed his way
around the globe. He Is representing
an enterprising firm engaged In the
manufacture of plows. and he is now
returning from a trip to Central
Africa as a missionary of that plow.
Mr.. Appel kept his eyes open and his
wits about him while on his travels,
as the American drummer always
does. and he has many interesting
stories to tell of the sights he saw and
the customs of the people there. he
confirms the report that so many nave
brought from johannesburg to the ef-
feet that for the spectator. the mon
eyed man, the mechanic and the far-
mer Africa offers an inviting field.
The accountant, clerk and laporihs
man had better stay away.
I'm travelling through that country
one passes from city TO city and finds
that business and trade are carried on
much the same as in this country, ana
the cities are like our towns OF years
ago, when the land was first occupied
by settlers.
Central Africa-that is, the south
region, and yet found that the cities
of johannesburg and Cape Town are
compelled TO import products from
America in the nature of provisions.
The Boer farmers do not raise wheat
enough to supply the local demand.
They are slow, plodding people; hire
the niggers for IS per month and are
satisfied with the shiftless, lazy way
which the black men have OF doing
things. For instance, 1 had man 70
lead the oxen through my trip In the
interior, and that Is as much as they
are good for, but the fellow insisted on
doing all his work. even when ne out
spanned,' as they call unhitching Tor
dinner he would hang on to his blank
ct with one hand and work with the
other. 1t was not modesty which made
him do IL, either. but laziness pure and
simple.
They live on almost nothing and re-
uuire no clothing but strip or cioth'
ing as big as your hand, while In the
fields, and when in town add TO tina
only a blanket thrown loosely thrown
over their shoulders. For food corr
meal is their chief and only diet.
MY man Friday carried on the tril
no baggage but a black kettle will
four long legs on II. so that II can b
set over a fire of cattle chips which
the fuel he used. The corn meal
cooked without pepper or salt, and h
usually ate his dinner with his finger
out of the kettle. When IL was hot h
would take a twig, and, bending II, us
the stick as a scoop to shovel his por
ridge down his capacious throat. Whel
there are a number of them they al
eat from the same kettle. sitting in
circle around IL. The meal dispatches
he wiped out the pot with bunch
wet grass, which Is the only cleaning
IL gets from day to day.
THE Beers, the leading white citi
zens Of the country, are Holland Dutc
by descent Stolid and firm in thei
established customs and manner o
work and II requires no little tact {
secure their attention, but when the
were once won they were firm and fas
friends of the American humbug
They are very religious. 1 did not 81
down to a table with those farmers
all that land where the farmer faile
TO say grace before the meal The
had brandy and native wines on III
table too, and regarded them as a mai
tor of course. partaking of them in tn
same temperate way. Profanity an
violence are almost unknown anon
them.
American enterprise would revolr
tionize the country and put IL in II
true light before the world. and tn
will undoubtedly be done as the year
go by and the foreign merchants. 9
the American and English are calle'
get better established in the land"