The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-04-12
MERCHANTS CRUEL MARCH.
THE FRENCH KILLING THE AFRI-
CANS ny HUNDREDS.

whole Villages Fired and the Ma
lives RuthIessIy Slain as They
Rush From Their Blazing Huts.
bullets Mnde of Clay Used by the
Natives in Their Flint Lock Mus
lSets, and Their weapons Not Put
to Their shcuIders and sighted In
Firing.
Correspondence OF the Associated Press;
Brazzaville. Africa, Jan. 31.-I have been
waiting many days for some authentic
news about Merchand's expedition. The
leaders were at Brazzaville when l arriv-
ed on the coast. but the road between Man
yanga and Brazzaville. distance Of about
seventyfive miles was closed on account
Of petty wars among the natives, and Mer-
ohand's men could not get their 5000 loads
OF supplies up Co Brazzavllle to proceed on
their Journey up the Mobangi river to-
wards the equator. As a last resort Mer-
chand burned every village on the Man
yanga road, killing few hundred natives
and taking all their live stock for food.
In coming up from the coast we learned
that forty natives had stopped two white
men and their carriers at the crossing OF
the Quello river. We were in no mood to
be stopped as our food supply was nearly
exhausted, we having been delayed on
the road by severe ralnstorms which had
overfowed the rivers and creeks so. when
the native stopped us, we loaded our rifles
before them, advanced tnreateningiy and
told them that the first one who inteffered
would be shot. We passed through tho
blockade with carriers and supplies with
out any difficulty.
Upon arriving at Brazzaville we found
Merchand making preparations to go to
the relief Of the men at the Quello river
crossing This was the pretext for de-
claring war against the natives. The
details of the battles 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 a French soldier about
year ago. Merchands men marched ON
the village Mobyalla showed resistance,
but his hlntlocks were not equal to mod
ern rifles. Mobyalla was wounded, and
his head was cut off and brought to
Brazzaville. The natives say over 100
men were killed in this village. but Mer-
chands soldiers assert that the number
was not more than twenty-five or fifty.
After the battle the village was burned.
Continuing their march, the villages along
the Manyanga road were surrounded at
night As daylight approached the na-
tives were awakened by the blast of
trumpet and as they came out of their
huts, were shot down on all sides. Wiz
lage after village was destroyed In this
manner, no quarter being given.
The natives used clay baMs In their old
muskets, having burned them to about the
a shooting they
do not put the gun to the shoulder or
look along the sight, but point at the OBJ
ject as one would with a stock and then
fire. Several OF Merchand's men were
struck by these clay balls, but were not
seriously wounded.
The expedition consists of fourteen
white officers and 163 black soldiers from
the Western Soudan, called Senegalese,
but who are by right Soudanese.
They arrived at Loango, on the coast,
July a. 1896. Merchand and some of tie
white officers came direct to Brazzaville.
but the main body did not succeed in
getting here until Jan. II.
Preparations are now making to con-
tinue the march up the Mobangi
Capt. Dhanis has charge of the force
which IL marching to the equatorial lakes
and the source OF the Nile on Henry NJ.
stanley's old trail, up the Aruwimi river.
Cant Danis Is the man who had charge
OF the expedition OF the Congo State that
cleared the Arabs out In the Upper Congo,
back OF stanleys Falls station. IL was he
who killed Seffo. Tippoo Tbs son, and
captured Rashid, Tippoo Tibs nephew,
and governor of Stanley Falls. Rashid IL
now prisoner on the Kassia river
thousand miles away. He Is closely watch
ed and has no hopes OF escape.
Another expedition under the
leadership OF NJ. Gentle, which
started out from here some time
ago. Is blockaded on one of the small
rivers which empties into the Mobangi,
where It turns south toward the Congo.
The latest word from him Is that his ex-
petition Is short of provisions and his
POSITION critical.
The object OF the Merchand expedition
is to march to the headwaters Of the Mo-
banqi. cross over to the headwaters OF the
Nile and attack the Dervishes or Arabs
while Capt. Dhanls Will attack them from
another point. The expeditions, while en-
deavorlng to conquer the Arabs will also
look after the French and Belgian inter-
ests in this section and checkmate the
English in attempts to occupy the terri-
tory. .
II the plan is successful It will connect
the French Congo with Lake Tchad.