The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1896-10-10
NANAFRICANSWAMP

Behind tie colonies and protectorates
of Great Britain and France, which ex-
tend in a broken lire along the west
African coast, from the mouth Of the
Gambia to the Niger, lies a wild and
little known regicn Of swamp and for
est, where but few white men have set
their feet, inhabited By many negro
races. differing widely i'll physique and
language iIoIa one another. Fer the last
three Years strange stories have been
brought down to the seaboard about the
doings of an Arab chief called Sa,Gory.
The latter, at the head Of a large fol-
lowing OF desperate men, outcasts from
many tribes, Mandingoes, Jalufs, Sofas,
Senegalls Il deserters from both Brit
1sh and French native troops has made
his name q terror throughout the chin
terlaad,' sacking villages and carrying
away tie Inhabitants into the far Su-
dan.
During 1858 he ralded the eastern
portion OF Senegal, and the French lost
a . Lec of white officers III the hard
nghtiEg necessary to drive him out.
More thai once, too, they were badly
beafe1,, for the assailants were armed
with nigh class rifles, smuggled through
1ron tie coast IL spite CT certain clauses
In tie treaty Of brussels. In the latter
part CT 1893 this Arab leader induced
the Sofas. a warlike tribe dwelling in
the tebatable land between the small
British colony CT Sierra Leone and the
French territory of Senegal, to take up
arms against the Europeans, and quite
unknown to each other a British aud a
French expedition marched from differ
ent points to attack him.
Cle afternoon at the end Of December
III that year q small British force, COM
prislng detachments of black Moham-
medaa Haussas of the frontier constabu-
larry and negroes of the west Indian regi-
ment from Sierra Leone, stumbled
through the dense forests of the Kongo
country. The day had been intensely
hot, fer this is the dry season in west
Africa. The tired troops dragged them
selves painfully along, with a company
OF krooboy bearers ahead, slashing q
pathway for them through almost i'm
penttrable thickets. At sunset they
reached q small, clear space, surround
ing 4 deserted village, and there, at the
word of command, the wornout men
were glad to pile their arms and prepare
to camp.
A rough breastwork Of brushwood
was soon arranged in q hollow square.
and throwing themselves down on the
moist earth, anid the crimson shoots of
trailing plants and flowers Of many
hues, the soldiers spread their simple
meal, h tall Haussas in their crimson
fez and dark rifle uniform separating
themselves from the men of the west
Indian regiment, for the latter profess
q debased form Of Christianity mixed
with black practices, and the true Mus |
sullnan will not, if he can help it, eat
with the infdel.
The young west Indian lieutenant on
guard leaned against the great buttress
shaped roots Of a cottonwood, and as he
mopped the perspiration from his brow |
n fought the bloodthirsty mosquitoes
with both hands, said wicked things
about the fate that led him into "this
dlsthressful country" He was an Irish
man, and when he abused things in gen
eral, as frontier officers occasionally do,
the powerful eloquence of the Celtic
relieved his feelings best. From
tine to time he looked out into the
DARKNESS, but there was little to be seek:
the shadow Of the trees closed round
the camp like a wall, and no sound
other than the usual night voices Of the
African forest broke the stiffness. From
a bidder creek came the laundering ard
splashlng OF an alligator; at times tie
branches of the cottonwoods ratified Is
3 monkey swung himself from bough /,
Dough, or the rustling Of grasses marked
The passage Of a huge snake.
The white man at last found the sreIl
OF the forest, which at times VIII cause
panic even among the natives, though,
no one knows why, creeping over him.
bis n trembled as he settled Il
hin straps Of his pith helmet. "Pah!
low this night watching gets On one's
he said; sit shows what the
climate will bring a man to. Even the
drip, drip of the water there is enough
~ u11so ine niau- detlo! nc sIranS
back, with a hand On his revolver butt,
IS a dark figure rose up cut Ct the bushes
reside him.
Sergeant Amun Sah,.' said q tail
daussa, saluting; "tEink there Re Sofa
nan in the bush; monkey frightenel
i've for go away, leopard live fer 80
way too"
The lieutenant listened, while the !,
ems frightened across his forehead,
nd something seemed to click beneath
rs right ear, and sure enough q rEstiins =,
the trees announced the passage &c