The herald., 1895-08-02
A Letter From Africa

has always been shrouded in such great
mystery until the last few years. and
even now the darkness and mystery of
this terra incognita is so slightly penetra-
ted that any information from the interior
uf the continent-where a white man has
hardly been known to have set his fuot-.
cannot fail to be of interest to all readers.
But particularly is this the case when the
explorers and the narrator OF the advent
urcs are Pasadena boys, well known here,
while the leader and the head of the ex-
pedition is a Pasadena man also. The
following paragraphs are further extracts
from the letter OF John Blick to his friend
Ray Conger of Pasadena:
On my way up here | came near being
scared to death. | thought sure my hair
was white until Pete told me it wasn't
/ was out hunting and was walking along
the bank of a river. looking straight ahead
and as | passed within two ieet OF u tree
felt something brush my leg. turned
MY head and right there within a foot OF
my face was the shining head OF a big
black man ba. To say tnat jumped was
putting it mildly. I felt sure l was
dead man. think he was sleeping and
| frightened him as much as he did me,
because he could have struck me in the
face before could wink and 1 was an
nour from the camp and could not have
gone five minutes. He monkeyed around
little and then started to go in hole
in the tree. ran up and shot off about
five feet Of him. and | think about seven
feet had gone into the hole. That was
as close a call as ! want. | had rather
face twenty lions with penknifc.
Pete shot Il python whicn he declared
was twenty feet long. The nigs eat them
and guess they are plenty for the boys
many of them wear belts made from their
skins.
Those natives are a strange and stu pid
lot An old chief gave Pete one of his
sons for two years and he is going to
train him for his cook and body servant.
But they are awful things to train. You
cant treat a boy as If he was human.
ii you do you will spoil him sure and
then he's no good at all. Tell your father
not to preach in favor OF missionaries for
Africa. They may be all o. X. in India,
but here they are no good.
A Yachting Party
PASADENA, August To-day has
been a reminder that the summer season
is here in earnest, and many who have
been compelled to remain at home up TO
this time are considering more seriously
the prospect of getting away to the sea-
shore for season. The sumS.er so far
has really been quite comfortable, and
compared 20 the weather experienced in
the eastern states, it is rot at all bad
But toady has made II slight feeling of
envy well up in the breast of the average
business man who is compelled to stick TO
his work at the thoughG of the lark the
boys will have who start today for
weeks cruise on the yacht Violet, in the
waters about Catalina. That they Will
have great time goes without saying.
for they will not only have the pleasure
OF running their own craft. but will make
frequent stops at the various resorts.
where they can be depended upon to en-
Joy themselves to the utmost. With the
parties and balls at Catalina and Redon-
do and the other seaside resorts, the time
that is left from cruising about on the
be filled with gaiety. Very likely
there will be even bigger fish stories to be
heard on their return tn an have yet been
narrated to wondering audience of
land-lubbers.
The party Is composed of Elisha FL
Charles Coleman, Fred kimble, Robert
kimble. John Dagget, T. Mortimer Hem
aersCn and Edward Groendyke. A chi
nese cook will attend to the culinary do.
partment, and everything has been pro-
Iided for their comfort.
Brevities
PASADENA. Aug. 1.-The mem bers of
The Crown City Cycle club are stirring
themselves these days. The plans for the
new bicycle track on Lincoln avenue have
been completed by City Engineer Clapp,
md some preliminary work is being
lone on the ground by mem bers of the
.lub. Although the site OF the track
ieems to be quite level, the slope of the
and makes il necessary to move about
0,000 yards of earth. and in order to do
his the boys are soliciting subscriptions
10 help IN the work.
At O'Clock this morning a hay rack
yell covered with hay stood in front of
!. o. G. L. hall and was soon loaded with
ibout thirty children, in holiday attire,
members Of the Juvenile temple. who,
ihaperoned by Mrs. Pierce and others,
vent to Devils Gate for the day. They
eturned i'll the evening with great
blowing OF horns ana such racket gener-
NY as the average small boy knows SO
yell how to make.
Mrs. Emeline Il. Bowler and Miss Su-
an II. Stickney are back from Europe
tier some fourteen months absence, dur
ng which they have visited the conti-
ient OF Europe pretty thoroughly.
The Colum bia Hill Tennis club is ar
anging Tor an informal tournament on
aturuay next. If the day does not prove
DO warm to make the game enjoyable.
Judge shaw made an order yesterday
ppointing George G. Beck assignee for
ne lnsolvent Lake View Land Company
Pasadena. with bonds set at $16 600.
The contract for another fine residence
as Just been let, the owner being one of
asadene's pioneer citizens, Thomas f.
roft. he is going to build on South
ncIia avenue, the contract having been
w,srded .ooo to A. W. Pierce. The house
Tho Grand Amy hau whtch h.. h..r