The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-03-06
HELI CHATELdIN,s ToRK.
He Plants His First station In Africa for the
Education or Freed Slaves.

HELI CHhTELdIN ms WORK.
he Plants Els First station In Africa for the
Education or Freed slaves.
Mr.. He'll Chatelain. the woll-known African.
list, who sailed in August last with two men and
their wives and n physician to plant the first
colony of the Philnfrican League, has estab-
lished his first station, and very favorable re.
ports of his progress and prospects have been
received from him. His purpose, as is well
known. is to found colonies Of freed slaves,
teach them how to build houses, till the ground,
burn brick, use water power. tan leather, breed
cattle and, in short, turn them into civilized DO.
ings whho work for a living. Here is an OK
tract from a ietter written by Mr.. Chatelain on
Dec. 10 from Lincoln, his first station, which
he has established in the Portuguese colony of
Angola. south Of the Congo River:
last we have reached the spot where we
may settle and begin to build cur station. You
would In vain look for this place on any map.
A small military expedition Of Beers has alone
passed through this section. Our site is thirty
miles west of Caconda, on the watershed of the
Cubale and Catumbela rivers. Our altitude
rust BIO about $500 feet above the seq. The
climate is remarkably equable and mild. This
ia the warm and rainy season, and the. Their
mometer keeps always bet seen TO- and So.
The difference between the temperature of day
and night is very slight. AS far as we can
Judge, In a weeks residence; this is the most
health has been good SO far.
The natives we have seen two clusters OF
E peopIc sv ana not at stG all anxious no es T to see any Gl w SettIe
in their neighborhood. This is duo to the late
war of the Beers and Portuguese. who raided all
soon died at tho military post OF Hanna twhere
we spent two .weeks). As soon as we arrived
other day, to tho, eastern. finding my way
through the trackless forests by compass. 1
Yesterday ID IN I was glad to see Ell eight npn NATIVES I've from
and soon after the headman' Of the western
town brought us two chickens.
U:mbnndu, whieh:dfiffers from tho kkimbundp Of
snS hSard and d reader, as Sef m %ei'a as 1 REsfiiRaFedS does q
from Spanish or French, that Is, the languages
ever. of the gramma written by the mission
aries Of Bailundo. | have been able to pick up
snfn g to o carry on a CO.. yer sS a without the
be able to speak their language without hesita-
ton, though, Of course, far from perfectly.
we have so far seen surpasses or even equals
this site for climate or agricultural resources.
valley Of the Kukala offers us a meadow of
rich and moist soil about 800 yards wide.
are COW covered With tipif forests Between a" WHOSE Ghosef trees reas
some son ,o of the so best It posture co t grass ,h is gro Cr9T ;nn :,, And
length we can irrigate the lower part Of the left
slope in the dry season. and bring a stream of
excellent water as near to our door as We may
wish. During the rainy season from Aug. 80
to May I no irrigation is needed. even on the
WE ike nt5i:oP four 30 months Me SAB before ftae' t as " diteh Is IS
I'm this latitude and at this altitude the ag-
better than those Of the tropical zone. 1t is
hard to raise bananas. pineapples;, &C.. but
tiyes cultivate corn. beans. peas. tomatoes. and
cabbage. yet we need a lot of seeds of improved
varieties and OF timber trees from home.
las to our immediate prospects, we have be-
gun; without o any native I've he'll, as YET; 10 build
possible to build adobe houses in the rainy sea-
son, we !; have decided sddssd to put up as quickly as
Of mud and inside by native reed mats. Per
when we shall know tho land far better than
now wv bovo tbs nrom,.o ., r,ortv ., r.,,vo, u.
Dor in a few days, and as we are only now be-
ginning to tap our large supply Of cotton goods.
nseo nssG est q f9 iifs. a tE9% tas f foss 8 Gina any we St mas
run short OF some imported articles.
Coming now to the principal needs of the
cultural Implements. which if bought here
Wonld, c3st SutrageSus prices, - Ii1G tiles
e 0f srsa:ea. a,ePFiG arse eG foar: GR sns Su ok %sso to
with &C sah aSis sS t are A .iRs bsap. e% WIFI su Tag Z
wagon Uns Si and 4 R5od aI span anne Of p oxen, a n man S of the
right sort who is willing to rough 1t now and
then, can travel over all tho Interior almost to
Zambesi and south to the Transvaal and carry
some 5000 pounds Of goods with him. Our
station 10 at the crossing of two wagon roads
which are seldom used. 4. Additional workers
of the right stamp. A worker of The wrong
kind, would BIO worse than an open enemy.
THE main points gained so far are these: !.
We have safely reached our destination on the
table land between Benguella and Lake Nyassa.
2. We are putting up buildings and planting
reception and provisioning Of achievements
for this station or for such as may DO sent out
to establish new stations in the further :inte-
ror. 8. We have the promise of adopted chill
drcn and also pupils to be sent as soon as we
can receive them. 4. l am able at the start to
speak tho three languages Portuguese, Dutch,
and Umbundu) which are required in this field.
B.. We are working in an entirely, virgin field.
among the least civilized people OF the district
of Gaconda. q. We havo thus far lost nothing
of our outfit. z. We have kept SO far within
our estimated expenses. g. The Portuguese
authorities and traders and the Beers them
selves, though implicated in the slave trade or
conniving at 1t. are at least beginning to try
and find, excuses and apologies for their connec-
ton with tho slave trade and the rum traffic.
I've all feel encouraged that this much has
been accomplished before the close Of the year
1897. The way Is opened; q footing Is gained;
foundations are laid. Let 1893 erect the super.
structure and lay still broader foundations for
the ensuing years.