Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-05-31

started down the west coast from Sierra
Leone, gathering geological specimens for
the National museum. After reaching Cape
town, in 1880. he continued ms sclentInc
nection with the role Of naturalist he as
sumed that of pioneer.
In the first two and a half years he was
in the country he succeeded in making COM
plete collections of the mammalian life for
the National museum, and made a uupn-
cate collection for the museum OF his alma
mater, Kansas university. The government
collection was forwarded to the Smithson-
ian institute, and the work or Classifying
and preparing Il is still in progress there.
The specimens obtained for Kansas uni
versity were kept by Mr.. Brown to bring
tion being able to pay for the transporta-
ton, as the government had doEe In the
recent war in South Africa, Mr.. Brown was
an active participant with the settlers in
the struggle for their property and their
rights, and, in common with most of them,
lost much Of his properly: Part Part Of @ the lost lost
made for the Kansas university museums.
Mr.. Brown informed Chancellor Snow Of
the loss at the time, and indicated his in
tention of at once securing as many more
specimens as he could to replace the lost
ones. He was not able TO do much before
he left Africa for trip to his home. but
expects to continue the work as soon as he
returns, which he viii do after his stay in
this country is completed. Besides the
specimens of mammals that Mr.. Brown Sc
cured, he got many other types of the ami
NAL life of the country which are new to
the museums of America, and has turned
them over to the Smithsonian authorities
for preservation in the government muse
ums.
MT. Brown found the South African coun-
try one of the finest fields in the world for
the big game hunter. The particular part
of the country that yielded the best re-
suits was the plateau of the Zam6eze river.
in Southeast Africa, commonly known as
Mashonaland and Matebeleland. but Off
cially named Rhodesia- In the last few
years the cattle plague or European rtnder-
pest has made its way into South Africa
and not only destroyed numbers of the do
mestlcated cattle, but has played havoc
with large game, especially the African buff
falo, Gland and other like species. Among
the varieties of game in those parts are the
species of rhinoceros, the hippopotamus.
elephant, buffalo. brindled gnu, Buschells
zebra, giraffe and about twenty specimens
of antelopes. large and small-that Is from
the Gland. whlch attains the height OF six
feet. to the little klipspringer, not more
than eighteen inches in height. There are
many species of carnivorous animals. in
cluding lion, leopard, spotted hyena, dog.
wart hog. and has enormous tusks, and
many species OF game birds.
The dry seasons Of the first four yeart
of Mr.. Browns stay in South Africa wert
the ones in which he did most of his hunt
ing. the game being more easily takeA
ing less. Mr.. Brown went on many OF
his expeditions alone, but rarely had any
very narrow escapes. A charging black
had just stepped aside from a mound be-
hind which he was hiding, and the animal
caught sight of him. Three shots from
Browns rifle fixed the brute, however, and
Brown was uninjured. The largest haul
Brown ever made at one time was ten
He chased the herd about six miles. oyer
took It five times, and each time killed
Speaking Of his part in the suppression
of the uprising in South Africa, a year
ago last March, Mr.. Brown says that he
Arthur i ie Eyre, ~ enc pioneer Of Mashonaiand
and a noted hunter. was captain, and X.
T. Corydon. at present secretary to Hon.
e. @. Rhodes. was lieutenant. There were
twelve members of the party of scouts. and
they soon became known as The Pirates
the narrow escapes they had. The native
uprising in Matabeleland was 200 miles
from Salisbury. but the Salisbury column
of Rhodesia horse. to which The Pirates
were attached. went over to Buluwayo to
help quell the disorders. This column from
Salisbury was composed principally of orig
try, who went without thought OF COM
pensatiOn for their services. The biggest
in which there were go of the party OF
" hiCh Brown was member and 2, 900 ma
tives. The natives lost 800 killed, and the
Brown party was victorious.
Soon after this battle the Mashonas rose
and began numbering and Mr.. Brown
thinks the final end Of their uprising will
be secured only by externination OF such a.
treaCherous and bu5hwhacking method Is
their fighting. They are divided into many
other and the whites under the direction Of
witch doctors.
All the land in Mashonaland and Mata-
bcIeland is rich in gold and the mines nave
been worked from time immemorial. There
is not a virgin placer mine in the whole
all having been worked imper-
fectly and partially by primitive methods.
In many of the mines are found the re-
mains of ancient tools. The quarry mines
have remained virtually undisturbed and
are waiting for n higher civilization to de-
ve,op and work them. Archaeologists are
agreed that Sofola, on this
coast, is the same as the Biblical Ophir.
and from that land went the gold that the
Semitic peoples took to their northern
homes. All through the land are to be
found architectural remains that point to
an ancient Phoenician civilization. Among
them and in the deserted mines are to bs
found very often gold ornaments of high
and images that point 10
their type Of worship.
Mr.. Brown arrived in this country abouk
two months ago and the last month has
spent with his parents. who live near Des
Moines, Ia. He will visit with his friends
In Lawrence for some time and then nre
pare to return to South Africa, where ha
has acquired property interests and which
ccuEtry he now calls his home.