Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-04-13
HORRORSIN AFRICA.
Mail Advic9s to the Associated
Press Telling Of Wars in the In
terror, the Burning OF Villages and
and the Killing Of Negroes.

Correspondence of Associated Press)
BraZzdyilIa, Africa, January 81
have been waiting many days for some
authentic news about Merchands eXpe-
dition. The leaders were at BTazzaylli2
when | arrived on the coast, but the
road between Manyanga and Brazza-
vile, a distance of about seventy-hYe
miles. was closed on account OF petty
wars among the natives, and Mer-
Glands men could not get their 5000
loads of supplies up to BrazlaVllie TO
proceed on their journey up the MO-
bangle river towards the equator As
last resort Merchand burned every vii
lage on the Manyanga road, killing a
few hundred natives and taking all
their live stock for food.
Upon arriving at Brazzaville we found
Merchant making preparations to go
to the relief Of the men at the QueHo
river crossing. This was the preteXt
of declaring war against the natives.
The details Of the battle were received
from one of his soldiers who returned
here. The first real skirmish was with
a chief named Mobyalla, who, or some
of his tribe killed French soldier
about a year ago. Merchand's men
marched on the village. MObyalla
showed resistance, but his flint locks
were not equal to modern rifles. MO-
byalla was wounded, and his head was
cut off and brought to Brazzaville. The
natives saw over one hundred men were
killed in this village, but Merchand's
soldiers assert that the number was not
more than twenty-five or fifty. After
the battle the village was burned. Con-
tiuuing their march. the villages along
the Manyanga road were surrounded
at night and. as daylight approached,
the natives were awakened by the blast
of a trumpet and. as they came out of
their huts. were shot down on all sides.
Village after village was destroyed in
this manner. no quarter being given.
The natives used clay balls in their
old muskets, having burned them dry
20 about the consistency of brick. In
shooting they do not put the gun to the
shoulder, or lock along the sight pint
ing at the object as one would with a
stick and then firing. Several of Aler-
chand's men were struck by these clay
balls. but were not wounded seriously.
The expedition consists of fourteen
white officers and 1853 black soldiers
from the Western Soudan called Sen
egalese. but are by right Soudanese.
They arrived ct Loargo. on the coast
July q. 1894. Merchant and some Of
the white officers came direct to Braz-
zaville. but the main body did not sue
coed in getting here until January L.
Preparatious are now making to con-
tinue the march up the Mobansii river
CAPTAIN Dhanis has charge of a force
which is marching to the equatorial
lakes and the source Of the Nile on
Henry n. Stanley's old trail, up the
Aruwimi river.
The object OF the Merchand eXpedi-
ton is 70 march to the head waters
of the Mobangi. cross over 70 the head
waters of the Nile and attack the Der
v'ses or Arabs. while Captain Dhanis
will attack them from another point.
The expeditions, while endeavorine 10
conquer the Arabs, will also look after
the French and Belgian interests in this
section and check-mate the English in
attempts to occupy the territory.
n the plan is successful il viii con-
meet the French Congo with Lake
Tahad