The herald., 1898-11-25

present his fondest dreams are realized, for
France is gnawing at the other end and
Fashoda is the bone OF contention. Ihere is
fascination in the name, as though it might
be that of some fair African queen But
Fashoda is first of all district near the
confluence of the two Niles, the white and
the blue, and next it is town, govern
ment station for the lodgment OF British
troops or Egyptian troops under British rule,
and it lies in the Shillock country, 6lS miles
from Khartum, and is fortified town with
walls and thanking towers.
The islands of Papyrus lift their fronded
palms to air within the radius OF Fashoda,
and the lotus lilies grow in profusion IN the
shadows, the masses of snowy blossoms that
open at sunrise giving to the wild, luXurlant
landscape scene of vegetable pomp and
splendor that can be witnessed In such bar
barrie purity in no other part OF the world
Forests of sont trees cover the islands, and
the doun- palm and tamarind tree grow to
magnificent size The atmosphere is warm
and soft, and not particularly healthy, for
the dreaded jungle fever exists there and
epidemics rage in the wet seasons. The Eu-
ropean drinks good liquors and takes his
medicine chest with him and soon learns the
secret of conquering the climate.
Native Fashodians are of various degrees
of black, brown or copper-colored, accord
ing to the grease with which they anoint
their bodies. Some traveller remarked of
them that their color clothed them. They
break off their lower front teeth early in
life, and this gives them most unprepos-
sessing look. The women dress in calf
skin petticoat, but the Europeans have in
sisted on the people in the town wearing
clothes, and they are beginning to look
more civilized in the cast of garments that
arc given to them.
The population of Fashoda capital is 5000,
if statistics are reliable, while that of the
district is 100000. Egyptians, British,
French and natives pass each other on the
grass grown walks. The Congo and the
Turk are in evidence. The garrison is the
excitement of the place. 1t gives touch of
sovereignty to the capital.
An immense trade in slaves was formerly
carried on in the Fashoda district, and after
the government station was established by
the British, when Governor Etfendi was il
power, vessels passing Fashoda with hun
dreds of slaves on board were not disturbed,
the Egyptian ruler winking at the traffic
The British powers forbade the exercise Of
the slave law and removed the officials who
in any way countenanced it. This was
brought about by the individual efforts OF
a few explorers, such as Sir Samuel Baker
and his noble wife, Lady Baker. That was
when the city of Fashoda was in the hands
of the Egyptians, who sent their criminals
who were condemned to life exile-there to
a hostile and wretched town, an insalubrious
climate and Shillook king, who lived like
his people. in a thatched mud cottage Small
wonder that Fashoda was then called the
city of the dead.
How long the English have been making
eyes at Fashoda does not appear, but safe
guess would be half century. The spirit of
enterprise which seizes an unclaimed rock
in midocean, plants the British flag on its
apex and adds it to British territory has
asserted itself, but Fashoda is no wave
washed rock but fertile country, en-
bracing millions of territory and many more
millions of people to become British sub
jects. France has not chance except in
rostponing her defeat, while according to
the etiquette of the war code the matter is
discussed between dignitaries. But when
the first bugle blows-that will be another
story.
The people of that country are not to be
They are barbarians redeemed
from slavery. Their lives have been those
OF passivity and ignorance. Now that they
are wearing clothes in a halfhearted way
they declare that it is from necessity and
not from choice they went naked. They are
rot fighters like the Turks, but prefer to eat
the lotus and dream away life like sleepy
But they know good from evil.
have certain rude laws of their own which
they keep, and will give little trouble to in
vaders.
One of the incidents of the present war
agitation between England and France was
the coincidence that General Kitchener, the
of the British government,
and Major Marchand's emissary, Captain
Baratier, should take the same steamer
to travel from Alexandria and that it should
belong to French line. AS they will both
land at Marseilles, it is suggested that
trouble may come of the association, espe-
cially in the event of public reception to
Captain Baratier when hostility may be
shown to the sirdar. AS small an incident
may lead to a declaration of war, which in
any case is imminent.
Elephant hunting wih be ond Il thd enter
tainments of the new African territory. Wild
boars also abound, and monkeys are as
plentiful as specimens for the naturalist as
are desirable, but every year their num-
bers grow less, as they are wantonly shot by
European sportsmen. The gray African par
rot has long been an object of commerce, fine
specimens rating at high at Sl00.
Valuable woods for commercial purposes
are found in the forests, but the wealth of
much of that vast territory is still sealed
book to explorers. Fields of wheat, of rice
and acres of sugar cane, all irrigated by the
waters of the Nile, coffee of new and i'm
proved variety, can be cultivated on land
Lhat is now wastage. And more than the
rich benefits of production will be the
for England in the heart of the
great district of Fashoda and within the
yarrisoned walls of the capital city.-M. L.
Rayne in Chicago Times-Herald.
A Way Station to China
Without China +bo Db;I;,p;,a, L,,,.