Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-07-02
LIFE IN THE CONGO
Interesting Letter Received From Wash
ingtonian.
He Has Had Enough of Service indy
the Belgian Flag and Yenrns
for Home.


was one of the young men OF this city who
enlisted with the King of Belgium, two
years ago, for service in the Congo in COM
mand of the natives. His letter is as fol-
lows:
Your letter OF November 10, 1897, was
received at Lokandu yesterday as / was de-
scendfng the river in a canoe to Stanley
Fails, where had been ordered. / received
orders at Kabambarre to start at once for
the falls and left there February S. and
after walk Of 200 miles arrived at Kas-
ongo' on the Congo river. There I took a
canoe, intending to go TO the falls as order
Gu, gu, ana was congrat ulating myself on be-
ing that much nearer home. When / reach
eu Lokandu, on the 27th of February.
FOUND Baron Dhanis there with his army,
P,epafihs Tor IN expedition against the
batatelas- There 1 received Dispatch
from the govsr general ordering me to
turn BACK and proceed to Mtoa on Lake
Sanganika, and which is the most far adj
Vaaced station from Bona in the Congo. L
VIII now have to go all the way back to-
kabambarre and then walk 300 miles cast
from there to Lake Sanganika L nave
been cursing this luck and this country
ever since l left Lokandu this morning T
arrived at this village at about pm and
Will stay here for the night and will start
out early tomorrow morning for the next
one about twenty miles up the river, and
so on till reach Kasongo, which will take
about ten days. This village is like all
other African villages-smaIl mud houses
with grass roofs.
HfppOpOtamus Steak.
THE first thing did when / got out OF
my canoe was 10 go up town and look for
a saloon where / could get a glass of beer
the day being rather warm. but the only
thing L could find was malufu or palm
wine. 1t will do on a pinch. Ny two
slaves are at present getting my dinner
ready and have nothing to eat but fried
chicken. rice, sweet potatoes canned
sweet peas and coffee, with condensed
milk Coming down the river | had some
htppopotamus steak. 1t is very good and
one can hardly tell it from beefsteak, or
perhaps IL has been long since ! had
piece of beefsteak that / am unable to
judge. AT Lokandu l wrote to the govern
or general informing him that my con-
tract would expire in one year Uhank
Cod and to send up my successor, as
wanted to leave Bona next March. One
must do that here or they will think he
wants to stay an extra year. for which
one receives extra 500 besides his paw
But that cuts no ice in this country with
me, for intend to leave Bona on March
u, 1899 or on the first steamer leaving
after that date. / suppose the reason that
/ am being sent to Lake Sanganika is be-
cause there are two fellows there whose
time is finished and another reason is
that one must be able to speak English
there. as ii is on the boundary of the Eng
lish possessions.
Shooting the Rapids.
MY canoe is about ten feet long and in
the middle of 1t there is a small roof about :
seven feet long and four feet wide for a
protection against the sun. Between !
kasongo and Lokandu there are three :
rapids and IT is usual for a white man to I
get out of his canoe and walk around them !
1t being very dangerous. 1 stayed in the :
canoe at the first ones but walked around
the others. The way that canoe whizzed !
past the rocks made the hair on the back !
OF my head stand out straight. / had ten
paddles in the canoe at the time and may
be those coons don't know how to handle
a canoe. 1t was like going down a tobog-
gan slide L felt so grateful when ] ar
rived at the end that l gave them four
yards of calico to divide among them
selves. which may seem rather small but I
TO them II was regarded as fine gift. For
two yards of calico, which cost about IL
cents. one can buy six chickens Every
native here has plenty of chickens which
accounts for the American negro's fond
ness for them, and they steal them from
each other just the same as an American
observation-disclosures
Deaths of Five of HIS Party.
.'Out Of ten Americans who signed the
contract in Washington five are dead. Ar
mour died of dysentery, also Ball; Burke
and Mellen were killed and Savage died Of
fever. Mellen was killed by his own men
when the soldiers of the Nile expedition
mutinied. His company was two days in
advance of the others when his soldiers
came up to him one morning and told him
that he was good man, but that they
were going to kill him-and they did il.
Then the mutiny spread and the whole
business mutined. Burke was killed while
on reconnaissance. and his body was
eaten.
Celebrated WashinEton's Birthday.
II saw Page, another American, at Ny
angive, and, as / happened to be there
February 22, We celebrated Washington's
birthday, as he had just received his allow
ance of wine-f1ve gallons every three
months is the allowance here, and 1 must
say it is not sufficient for the thirst that
one has in a tropical climate. 1 will be
but seven months at Lake Sanganika when
L will start for home. The place where L.
am going is across the lake from Wjyf
near where Livingston died. 1t becomes
very monotonous, this travelling in Africa
especially when one walks about twenty
five miles a day under hot sun. l weigh
40 pounds now, but hope that after a long
sea voyage, which will be necessary for
me to get home, to get back to my old
weight. Please excuse pencil, as have no
ink with me, and will have to wait till /
get to Nyangive in order TO address this
letter. Give my regards to the boys Hope
to see you about May, 80. / received
fatz Lost I,,1,-