The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-11-15
aLEANINGS FROM AFRICA.
A Few Notes by Recent Travellers, Humor.
Gus and Otherwise.

A Few Notes by Recent Travellers, Humor.
GUS and Otherwise.
In q M~ohamme6an town near the west coas,
Of Africa II was recently desired to enumerate
the Inhabitants for the purpose of imposing O
head tax. The natives were very much opposed
to being counted. but the enumeration was
easily made by the ruse OF bringing a brass
band from a noiEhborinR post. All tho men,
women, and children focked to hear the music,
and while they were giving rapt attention the
counting went on.
Somebody has probably been libelIing Liberia;
at any rate n traveller who wastes no compile
ments on that republic recites what purports to
be an incident in one OF the courts of justice
there. He says the judge had just given a deci-
sion against q litigant when that worthy sud-
denly remarked as he pulled q revolver:
81 guess and calculate. MIR. Judge. that unless
you change your mind | will send one Of these
bullets through YOU" whereupon the decision
was promptly reversed.
One OF the latest achievements In school COM
positions is that OF n little English boy who,
writing about Africa, described 1t as "a great
country; fun of sand and elephants. a large part
OF which was uninhahited until that wicked
man stanley filled II with towns and Villages"
MIR. G. II. Robinson says that English shil-
linEs are current along the lower Niger. but
many OF the natives will not accept a coin that
ants-dates the present reign; 4 milling stamped
be King now"
Tho same writer says that some native STU
stud yinE the English language with ludicrrus
results. They use the dictionary without much
d!scrimination. One Of them, apo Ogizine TO q
wiile man Tor not coming Ia see him, wrote,
Had not distance preponderated shoult have
this was beaten by u native III India, who began
n ,etter with the words. " Honored Enormity.'
mentioned that eggs are scarcely ever eaten by
the natives OF West Area, and when "a travel
once tsr e ! IsTnrS t Z ns yarton Tor them me natives at
TO sell their haif-hatrhed progeny to the white
man. As soon AS the traveller acquires wisdom
ne tests al eggs before investing. In when he
holds them up TO the sun they appear light
s0ioTed H %nd nearly trsn,p"ren. ,ney are usually
water but not II thew float.
Mr.. Robinson recently met a Kru native
north Of the Bcuue River but could not under.
stand a word 81 the language he was speaking.
Arabic or Hausa and fonnd That h. had nn
knowledge of elthef, Then the young man WAS
trrned over 10 DR.. Tonkiu to see what he could
max" out OF him, and 1t was finally elected that
the language he was -peaking was English.
A recent explorer says that one of ms greatest
annoyancrs in Africa was tho task OF waking
person he aver head OF before. The boy had
some stories to tell concerning his ability in
s 4ase iiTs; % %isn a" an w \ 4aS WA IA ! No1, Th,l; 10 VIZ {.
slept one night Nth n donkey lrthered to his
leg 10 prevent IT. running away. When he woke
in the morn NJ he found that the donEey had
wandered of a mile or bo, dragging him along
with It. The explorer says he believes tho
story il true.
Sometimes messengers are despatched across
the Sahara desert for no other purpose than to
carry a letter. A while ago a rich Arab d. ed In
kan0. one OF the largest towns OF the Suudan.
Just n little south uf the desert. II was thought
to Communicate the news tn his
friends in TripOi a. Suon as possible. and so a
was selected ~ messenger. and he agreed
10 deliver the letter within forty-hve days. He
started on n running camel. which made an
average OF forty-ile mile a day. The letter
was -afrly delivered, and 70 was "A letter to Eng
land, which was given to the messenger at the
same time.
\ recent traveller MP the Niger River. West
Africa, says that 50 absolute IL the prohibition
the ROYAL Niger COMPANY has placed upon the
i'm pOrtatiOn Of firearms and spirits above tho
actual delta Of th" Nicer that he does not re-
meDceT seeing n sing!" bottle OF liquor or more
than a half do2rn rifles in n journey OF more
thRn 1000 miles through the HauAa States,
OF the Niger Rlh ,uth o: the sahara Desert.
The scheme Of VI. DE Les cps and Commander
Roudaire. ahnnt sixteen years ago, TO cut a canal
from tn" Mediterranean. AT the southeast cor
ncr of TuniS. to admit "A vast body OF water into
the desert. came to nothing save for one good
result. In the desert the underground waters
were tapped ny an artesian well. the water from
and Is used to irrigate about 800 acres of land
IN which date palms, pomegranaieS. tomatoes,
onions, and CucumlerE are now thriving where
could he induced to grow before the
water sources were tapped.