The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-07-31

to the narrow gorge and deflies amongst
the burnt-up, sterile hills.
The mirage Is a constant source Of spec
ulation and wonder. Surely that Is the
Nile yonder! Look at the palm trees re-
Elected! But no; an you approach. the sud-
den blending of this picture river and des-
art sand destroys the illusion To use
smile, you have seen a raindrop slowly
coursing down a window pane, rejecting on
its tiny surface the landscape outside; in
moment 1t joins brother raindrop, and
the extra weight brings both to the wood
In a flash. So the mirage vanlshes.
The reverse Of the medal are discomforts
Of dust, insects, and disease. not to speak
of worry with the native servants l have
found the Egyptian servants best. On the
west coast they are simply worse than use
less. In Greece they are unreliable. Talk
ing of servants, how l managed on my trip
to Benin Will perhaps be interesting and
instructive to any one visiting that part of
the world. In the early part of the year
I received Instructions to proceed to Benin
with the punitive expedition. After getting
my kit an doutfit left for Liverpool the
day / received my wire. The voyage TO
Sierre Leone was Just the same as my first
trip to Ashantee, with the exception that
at Canary ! bought donkey to help me on
my march through the swampy forests. In
the matter of carriers took six, Monero,
head man, four coolies and cook. On board
were two boys, one Walker, who, at one
time, understood, passed six weeks in an
English Jail, under the mistaken impress
sion that In the land Of the free property
of any kind was common to all. He had
very bad cold and q doctor recommended
him to take something for It. He took a
watch and chain. and an unfeeling magis-
trats gave him six weeks. But he was a
good cocktail-maker, and that covers null
| titude Of sins.
With my big family and belongings had
now to get to Warrigi, on the Benin river.
That afternoon saw me steaming through
creeks in the mangrove swamps. Some
times we brushed the boughs Of trees, start
ling thousands of gray parrots, which the
crew regarded as so many thirty shillingses
on the wing. At night we anchored. Early
the following morning we were off again.
The mango fly is so persistent and poisonous
that neither man nor beast can resist him.
The captain, and In fact everybody and
anybody make war on this individual when
he comes on board which Is pretty often,
and hunt him with q sort of fly-flapper-a
! broad flap of leather fastened to handle.
Relying on the scare the creates, he Is lazy
and falls an easy victim to this instrument
of vengeance. At shutdown we reach Serri
| in charge Of Captain Hale. My house. a
hut, is pointed out and In company with
| two traders, 1 pass fairly pleasant even
ing.
| Next morning am up early. King Dore
who came overnight, kindly provided me
with q fresh gang Of servants, my Sierra
Leone chaps breaking down. By dint of
coaxing and threatening 1 managed to get
them In the Niger company's launch under
Vice Consul Lyons the same boat that res
cued Locke and Boisragon after their fatal
journey. Once at Alogbo, in the enemy's
country, snap my fingers at my servants,
as they can only return at their own risk
and without an escort. The presence of a
decapitated carrier by the bush path, quite
recently executed by the Benz, effectualy
prevented any boiling back again. We move
along in silent CELEBRITY. The weight of the
loads Is not complained OF, and the men
travel with sort of timorous smile, quite
refreshing to see after the murmurs at the
start.
The next hating place is Cross Roads,
and here stop for the night, being hospta-
bly, entertained by the commandment. BY
sunrise I move again TO my next hating
place. From here to Benin Is twelve miles,
the most difficult and dangerous part of the
journey, on account of the sniping. That
night the natives attacked the post, and my
only hope was that the nights fight had
tired all the warriors out, and that they
would be sleeping during the day. AT any
rate, my orders were to go to Benin, and
to that point determined to go, warriors
or not. We started at noon, knowing the
habits of the Benin war boys. must say
1t was not without some misgivings on my
part. for It was easy for them to lie In am
bush at any part of the path, which Is as
dense as an ordinary laurel hedge In Eng
land. extending each way for thousands Of
miles. We had one or two false alarms;
nothing, however, happened. and was con-