Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1896-07-13
PERILS OF THE JUNGLE.
WILLIAM AsToR CHANLER TELLS
A THRILLING STORY.
Savage War With Man and Beast In
Africa-Charged by Natives, Rhi-
noceroses and Elephants.

Africa-Charged by Natives, Rhi-
noceroses and Elephants.
~ URING the spring of 1892
Mr.. William As5or Chanler
u started from New York for
& Africa on exploration bent.
He returned to Europe on the first of
May, 1894, having been in Africa two
years, lacking just six weeks. His de-
scription of thrilling adventures and
strange people forms one of the most
interesting books of the year.
Mr.. Chanler, who is a great-great-
grandson of John Jacob Astor, was
only twenty-four years old at the time
he set out on this trip. He was nc
companied by Lieutenant Won Hob
mel, an Austrian officer, and his SER
want, George Calvin. Their caravan
was made up of the semi-civilized Af-
ricans living near the coast, and their
beasts of burden.
With most of the natives Mr.. Chan
Ter was able to enter into friendly re-
lations, but on some occasions this
was impossible, and it was only after
hard fighting that the caravan was able
to make It's way through the country
On one occasion they marched ut
night to try to get through before the
natives should discover them.
Through the forest there lay a
well-beaten path" )" says Mr.. Chanler,
"and tho rays of the setting moor en-
abled us to make our way over it with.
out difficulty. Our advance was made
as silently as possible. but we had not
entered the cultivated portion of the
WamsarG territory quarter of a mile
ere the Frightening dawn enabled us
to distinguish large bodies of natives
hurrying on to some point in front OF
us. l had scarcely drawn up my forces
ere, with loud shouts, body of war
riors, at least 200 in number, sprang
from the plantations where they had
been in hiding, and dashed toward the
knoll by road. Advancing IN col
umn, they presented a front of but five
or six men.
81 placed six men across this road
to repel the attack, and when the at
tacking force had reached point
about 100 PAGES distant they received
the first volley. The aim of the vol.
ley was bad, and had no deterring
effect upon the advance of the savages
The command, Aim lower + was given,
and when the second volley rang out
the advancing column was seen to
waver. AT the third and fourth vol,
leys the natives in the front of the
column scattered and broke but those
in the rear came pluckily on.
''Ihis was the opening of the ball.
Soon We were engaged on all sides,
and for two hours our attention was
directed to stemming the onrush of
hundreds of natives. Upon seeing
them weaken, we would charge the
| retreating column with small force,
and endoayor by excessive punishment
to prevent their return. For the first
hour of the engagement our fire
seemed to daze the natives, and they
would retreat to point beyond range.
They would there reassemble and
after being harangued by their chiefs
would again charge us, only to be
beaten back again.
"We, however, did not get off scot
free. There were many hand-to -hanC
combats between my men and the ma
tives. Three of the porters were
stretched upon the ground. By II a.
m, when the natives left us in peace
we discovered that twelve more of oui
band were wounded. Two of my mer
had been shot through the leg by
poisoned arrows, which throu9 hou
the combat had rained over our LITTLE
knoll; but in most cases the aim wa
so bad that the natives overshot theil
mark. AT one time and another durinl
this days fighting the Wam5ara has
from 2000 to 3000 men in tho fielC
sufficiently brave and active to have
annihilated force of four times n
great IS mine, though armed will
rifles; but their lack or organization
and their ignorance of the first princi
pies of warfare enabled us, as tn
event proved, to be more than mattel
for them"
There were many rhinoceroses
which charged the caravan contin
ually, inhicting much damage
"Many times during morning,
says Mr.. Chanler, "we heard th
snort OF rhinoceroses in the tall gras
on our left, and at length, towar
noon, we heard violent snort no
more than forty feet distant. In
moment we heard the dull thud of hi
feet, but the grass was so high an
thick that we could catch no glimps
OF the animal, yet all the time knew
that he was coming in our direction
Soon he reached the trail at abou
twenty feet behind where | stood.
had my rifle ready, but could nc
shoot, MS my boy, Sururu, was be
tween me and the onrushing animal
In an instant he caught Sururu, an
with horror l saw the boys body hyin
through the air, and had just sufficien
time to throw myself to one side int
the bush ere tho animal thundere
past me and disappeared in the lon
grass.
"When / reached Sururu / foun