Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1897-02-19
THE GUINEA COAST.
SCENE OF ENCLAND'S LATEST WAR.
A Blood Thirsty People and Deadly
Climate.

OiiHldtc.
Much has been said of late in regard
to the warfare which is being carried
on against the emIr of Nupe, but few
people have been able to locate Nupe
with any certainty, and the character
of the emir, or of his follC wers, is com
paritively unknown. The western
coast of Africa thrusts itself far out in.
to the Atlantic ocean, but toward the
south it rapidly recedes eastward. The
coast along this great curve has been
known for IA hundred years as the
Guinea coast. 1t embraces the most
poisonous climate on the face of the
earth. and the inhabitants as "A rule are
the most savage of their species. In
the heart of this country is the bloody
land of Dahomey, and it is adjourned
by Ashantee, Liberia and Sierra Leone
on the west, and by French and Ger
man possessions and lower Guinea on
the southeast. The Guinea coast has
been the receiving point of the slave
trade, and it has produced much ivory,
gold and palm oil. Nupe lies on the
west bank of the Niger, together
with the territory about the Blight OF
Benin form the chief center of the palm
oil trade. For a considerable distance
back from the coast, the Niger delta is
British protectorate. This terminates
at the Benue river, on the north, and
its seaport is Lagos. North of the
British protectorate the country is in
the hands of trading company known
as the Royal Niger Co., and the terri
tory is called Nigeria. The protector
ate has an area of 5000 square miles,
while Nigeria embraces an area OF
SOC. 900 miles Like the island of Cret,
this territory is constant scene OF
always agree, and then the savages
butcher few traders. The govern
ment comes 10 the defense of the trad
ers, and the offending chiefs are de
posi- d and peace Is temporarily restored
Traders and explorers who venture in
land do SO at perIlous risk, and they
are often butchered with all the shock
ing barbarity of which an African chieI
is capable. In Nigeria the natives are
| Mohammedans, while in the British
protectorate they are pagans under the
influence of christianity. Consequent
| " the Mohammedans make forays
into this territory, Selling the cattle
and other property, and carrying of
the natives who are not killed, TO bt
their slaves. The most powerful OF
these Mohammedan chiefs is the emil
of Nupe. This emir is now on the wal
path. He has established a camp OF
10000 men outside his own territory
and he defies the British company. A
river expedition has been fitted out
with base of supplies established al
Lokoja, the military capital OF the
ROYAL Niger Co., and the flotilla has
penetrated as far as Egga, prepare.
tory for an inland raid. The chiefs OF
Sokoto have so far remained neutral
but the emir of Nupe has only been in
power two years, and as he has 20,00C
warriors and great influence, he expects
to secure allies from the neighboring
territory. He schemes to drive the
christians from the country. The
press dispatches of late have told of the
atrocities committed, and the British
government is making a determined
effort to check his career. A strong
force of men provided with machine
guns has been sent to the scene, and
unless all the other Mohammedan chiefs
rally to the support of Nupe the dis
turbance will soon be quelled.