Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-04-15

Chicago, April 11.-William Stamps
Cherry OF Chicago, who has spent three
Years in central equatorial Africa, and
VINO returned from that country last
september in company with Charles H.
McClintock of Chicago, who was on an
other exploring trip, has reached BraZ-
zavllle, on the Congo river, and sends
the Associated Press an account of his
trip TO that point. Cherry, besides
confirming the brief advices which
have been received lately by cable OF
petty wars prevailing in the Congo
free states, gives an account of the
killing OF hundreds of natives and the
destruction Of number OF villages by
tie Marchand expedition. He also
writes of Baron Dhanis, who, in a cable
dispatch from Brussels last December.
was reported TO have been killed by
the natives. According to Cherry,
Baron Dhanis is still alive and is lead
iEg an expedition which is marching
toward the equatorial lakes and the
source of the Nile. His letter, which
is dated January 81, says in part:
When we arrived on the coast we
learned that the leaders of Marchand
expedition, which was to proceed up
the Mobangi river had arrived at
BIazzaville, but the Marchand men
had great difficulty to get their three
thousand loads Of supplies up to Braz-
Zayille as the road between Manyangi
and Brazzaville was closed on account
OF petty wars among the natives.
Upon arriving at Brazzaville we found
Marchand organizing an expedition to
go to the relief of two men and their
carriers who were held as captiyes at
the QuellO river crossing. This affair
was the preteXt for declaring war
against the natives. Details of the
battles were received from one of his
soldiers who returned here. The first
real skirmish was with chief named
Mobyalla, who, or some of his tribe,
killed a French soldier about year ago.
Malchand's men marched on the vii
lage, of MObyalla, which showed resist
cree, but his flint locks were not equal
to the modern rifles. MObyalla was
wounded. His head was cut off and
brought to Brazzaville. The natives
say that over one hundred men were
killed in the village, but Marchand's
soldiers assert that the number is not
more than 25 or so. After the battle
the village was burned. Continuing
their march, the villages along the
Manyanga road were surrounded at
niobt and 6oUliOht
natives were awakened and shot down
on all sides. Village after village was
destroyed in this manner, no quarter
being given. Marchand's expedition
which goes up the Mobang consists Of
fourteen white officers and 1913 black
soldiers from western Soudan They
arrived at LOangO, on the coast on July
"a, 1896. Marchand and some white
officers came direct from Brazzavi1le,
but the main body did not succeed in
getting here until January 70. Pre-
partitions are now being made to con-
t1nue the march up the Mobangi river.
Captain Dhanis has charge of the force
which is marching to the equatorial
lakes and to the source of the Nile on
Henry M. SANKEY'S old trail, up the
AruW1mi river. Another expedition
under the leadership Of M. Gentle.
which started out from here is block
AIDED on one of the small rivers which
empties into the Mobangi, where it
turns south toward the Congo. The
latest news from him is that he is
short OF provisions and that his position
is very critical. The object of the
Marchand expedition is to march to the
feadWaters of the Mobangi, then to
cross ever to the headwaters of the
Nile and attack the dervishes or Arabs
while Captain Dhanis will attack them
from another point. The expeditions
while endeavoring to conquer the
Arabs, will also look after the French
and Belgian interests in this section
and checkmate the English in attempts
10 occupy the territory If this plan is
successful It will connect the French
congo with Lake Tchad. It is also
learned that Rashid, who is a nephew
OF I1ppo lib and governor Of Stanley
Fails, is prisoner at Kassia, thousand
miles away. He is being closely
watched and has no hopes of escape. E"