The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-11

ucCidTEu TX an outrage. ana insisted on DFlng-
| ing suit for damages against some one.
Ny newly-made friends led the way back
| to the Beach Hotel, where the American In
troduced himself as Billy Reeders the
manager. formerly Of Butte, Mont, state
champion thrower of the hammer and mid
This is Captain Foraker" lie said, intro
| ducirg the other giant, late OF her Males
tvs heavy dragons, soldier ard sailor, mig
ger chief, lumber expert and the best tighter
IN, Beira- Gentlemen, step TO- the bar and
have a sensation. Half a dozen men in
khaki suits. who were draped over Madeira .sl
chairs on the veranda, woke up hastily at
this and answered the invitation, all drink
ing TO my release.
you must not mind being arrested" said
the superintendent Of the Beira Railway.
who was Swallowed at all tinles by a. huge
darby called Promised Land utilized for
tagging trains when by any lnischance one
happened TO keep on the track long enough
to reach Beira
Nearly every one gets arrested here
sooner or later. You see. it's this way. Por-
tugal is practically mortgaged 10 England
and were going to have this country some
time. We must get Delagoa bay and Beira.
We need them In our business. Well, the
Colonial Office wants to soft soap the Por-
tuguese and make the deal in a gentle way
so it does not come down on them when an
Englishman is outraged here, with the con-
sequence that white man cannot look
sidewise at one of these pupDet policemen
without being stuck like pig. The Brit
ish consul says his hands are tied, and ii s
shame how were treated"
ENGLAND'S LITTLE GAME.
This is the secret of the friction between
populace and soldiery at Beira. The town
itself is not worth two common balls to the
English, but it is the key to South Central
Africa, and England needs it. If you glance
at the map of South Africa you win see
that with the exception of Cape Colony,
Natal and the little shore of Zululand,
Great Britain owns absolutely no seacoast.
|, Germany and Portugal are supreme both
blocked off high and dry, and will remain
SO, for Portugal dare not sell her Delagoa
bay.
The situation of Beira makes it valuable
Ii hes 2,5O9 miles north of Cape Town. 600
miles south Of Zanzibar, and fast steamer
makes the run across Madagascar in TWEEN
ty-four hours. Excepting Delagoa bay, it
furnishes the only good harbor in a stretch
OF LOCO miles One is the natural outlet to
the Transvaal the other for Rhodesia.
They are both becoming busy ports.
South African passenger traffic, which for
merry was carried almost entirely by the
English lines from Southampton TO Cape
Town and Durham by way of Madeira and
St Helena has been switched off to some
extent now, and the favorite passage is by
way of the German East African line. This
takes one through the Mediterranean sea,
the Suez canal and down the east coast,
touching at Zanzibar, Dar-El-Salaam,
Chnde, Beira, Inhambare, Delagoa bay and
Durham. French line goes over nearly
the same route, taking in Madagascar and
Mauritius.
In addition to these ships the long, black
steamers Of the British India line put in
there every week, bringing from the Orient
every species of humanity. and there are
several coast steamers which do a good
trade with Madagascar in meas and vege-
tables.
Beira has been selected for this probatiop-
airy gathering because it is cheaper to reach
than the inland towns of Bulawayo and
Salisbury Mozambique is only ninety miles
wide at this point, so that British territory
can be reached in a few days trip by way
OF q little railroad which is in process of
construction.
.Beira itself is a combination of sand, tor
rid, enervating heat and corrugated iron
Shanues. For water front there is a large
bay into which flows the Pungwee river;
the grand plaza is huge swamp where de-
caylng vegetable matter nouriShes deadly
miasma. The country for long distance
inland is simply reclaimed seashore and is
so low and fiat that the tide goes up the
river hfty-hVe miles and II you dig one
foot in the sand anywhere water bubbles up.
In addition to the light shanties there are
light weatnerboard houses, shipped out in
Point, where life is more endurabIe the we'll
TODD citizens have erected decent little viii
las. The life of the town is centered in two
hotels, enc at either end and every one takes
a personal interest in the rivalry between
them. The beach is situated near the boat
landing on the bay, and is owned by Roland
Creech, former sheriff of Butte. Mont. The
other 9th reJoices in the name of Royal. and has
who knows the game of faro.
As stranded American with good inten-
uons, Mr. Reeder, who is a brother-in-law
of the former sheriff. insisted on my accept
ing the hospitality of the Beach Hotel until
the next German steamer arrived, although
there was no outlook for remuneration, and
| was a total stranger to him. You're a
long way from the Bowery," he said, land
| know you want to get back. But look out
for these little policemen.
THE RACE PROBLEM.
had an opportunity the first night of wit
Messing little fray that we'll illustrated the
doings of the police The Governor cid a
grand reception in the Hotel Royal, to which
all the prominent Portuguese, the French,
English and the German merchants had
been invited. In spite of the mercury drift
ing about high in the nineties every one
came in immaculate evening dress, for the
English customs have taken hold there, and
the women wore their most elaborate
toilets.
Half OF Beira, from o'clock until 10.
blocked the street watching the arrival of
guests for only at night is 1t possible to re-
main out of doors long on account of the
seeing, for it looked like a pageant in the
time of Nero, such was the contrast be-
tween the beautiful women in very decol-
lette gowns, sparkling with jewels, and the
stalwart blacks, clad only in a jack strap,
who trundled up the little palanquin cars,
decorated for the occasion in garish bunt-
ing.
As each car unloaded its burden a captain
of police would hurry 1t off to make room
Tor anOJnef, 1aClHtatng the movements OIL
the rear guard with the fiat of his sword.
In the crowd there were constant bicker-
ings and half a dozen knockdowns occurred,
but when the police arrives they could find
to arrest. SneerS and jeers at the eX-
pense of the soldiery were INDUCED in, too,
and by the time all the guests had arrived
the little fellows were bursting with rage
and laundering to cut loose on an English
man. When the opportunity came they lost
% time in making use of it. Twenty police
had been formed in two lines across the
sidewalk forming a sort of gauntlet,
through which the guests walked into the
building This was maintained in a stray
Cling fashion long after the festivities had
Commenced and the crowd dispersed; still,
pedestrians were ordered to walk out IN the
street.
Scotchman named Muirhead plumber
in Bera, with two companions, all feeling a
little Jolly happened along at this time, ana,
walking through the file, iostled some police
men. In a flash the three We're pounced on,
going down under press of numbers. The
Scotchman held his own, however, and laid
about with his fists to good effect. lie was
clearing a space about him when Portu-
guese sneaked up behind and stabbed him
under the arm. AS he turned half dozen
others sprang at him with their swords, cut
ting and stabbing until he fell. When picked
up he had twelve body wounds. one thumb
was entirely severed and his left cheek had
been slit from mouth TO ear.
Cries of 'tMurder!" and Help. English
men," brought out men from the Royal
Hotel and a party of Englishmen from a
4 Z he haa pf this