Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-03-20
AN ARAB SLAVE HUNT
DESCRIPTION OF, a RAID ON AN AZ
RICAN VILLAGE.

Drayes and the Capture Of the
Women and Children-The Ransom.
and How IL was ExtOrted and Paid.
Perhaps the simplest method Of describ-
ipr the Yaitling system rs practiced by
the Arab bands in the forest region be-
tween the Aruimi and the Kbngo would
he in the form Of brief Narrative of
events based upon personal observation.
The caravan whose. adventures we are
about to follow was under the command
of Osmani. a middle aged Arab who had
penetrated the continent from Zanzibar
more than 20 wears before. For two weary
weeks the wretched party had travelled
through an uninhabited portion of tho
great forest, tr,ldging each day through
iensely matted underground beneath the
Uncomfortable canopy Of priineval trees.
and sleeping each night. hungry and
weary, upon the sodden grou nd In the VI
tiated Atmosphere of decayine: vegetation.
One afternoon, when the Lmrty was al
most in a condition Of despair, one OF the
Manyema followers sustained deep flesh
wound from hard wood spear which had
been artfrlly concealed in the bushes be-
side a we'll worn elephant track as trap,
for the natives Of the forest are well skill
cd in wootlcraft. Upon discovering this
evidence of mans existence in the vicinity
the caravan halted, while scouts were sent
to survey the surrounding country. In q
short time it was reported that within an
hour's march large native village had
been sighted. Osmani's Instructions were
brief. 1.-Two hours before the dawn we
, march upon that village Ionlgn no hres'
T., .c:sn S:liai"
Tnenight air grew ga1ually colder A
fierce storm swept over the forest, and tho
rain fi,tering through the thick foliage
overhead. trickled in continuous streams
unon the naked bodies of the raiders. 1t
was still dark and raining when the
boarse whisper. "Tendele--tendele upesi'
(March-marSh quickly passed from one
to another. The party set forth in single
file No word was spoken, and the only
so,,nd that betokened their progress was a
SLIGHT svishinr of leaves and the mufile<i
tread of naked feet upon the spongy
ground Upon nearing the village clear
inc each man buckled his ammunition
halt more tiahtly around his waist and
wound a strip of dirty white cotton cloth
obout his head TO serve as a distinguish
IN, mark in the cominp attack upon tho
raked nc..is.s
with S.iil:i nae yam the raiders
fired their first volley directly toward the
huts where the natives were sleeping
'Llai-ia-lhu! roared the Manyema
% -. 80 ,,1.a,,,S.. ~ r.,,;a ~,
aau ,'s o, 10 ~. Nal. ,;arras hi,har
s So" 49,, "a ..h;,S,a,, ..hr;nt-
anu M d n,.,.' .a..1 - 49,.
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~ '8 -. <.s -
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anu nn,''' AZ -, -. y. ~ e. ~
'",uels sun' .". .a.,. a,, ~ ~ ~,
e'io ,..''', -, :, -
hsornn.s oiseA@ uisp. a .o 90 .n , vi"
y, .'so a'.u ss' ,l IL ~ Nv.
lioas , .',,,n ',.;e.; 'ns - ,;la,,,.
"s'ei 'ihase' ui,ns $3.50 -.
Mo'..I i o.. 49,. % ,ssS;, ns,',.a ~
soap' 80 :. 49, o,,, -; s,,,, -
Wrists Eoon 'lo ,r.4 , su'. s, '..
IN an Us raoianc us: us nfisnS Desns sl,n.-
ing .nio lug, , .no " =. ~, 49,
.ras, 70 .he uesoia'ior, y. uenu p po"ios an.
shho'ue' ing nu'., ~ ~ o 80"
iihu es'"pi'e.eA ~ VIC ':,-s
'hoines VI .no H 1n . aous -,
oru9s !" ooA was ..:" ~
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uoh "v ,, 'nu viz 80 ..S
WY pia.eu 'Ai 'ne
i"i x"a'u'
A few DAYS AI7sr me 7,t-ac- upon Tne
| village the Arab chief Osmani gave in
structions for two of the oldest Of the cap
tive women to be liberated. Two feeble
creatures were brought forth and stood in
abiect terror before the marauding chief,
60 to your people who are hiding in the
forest" said the Arab "Tell them their
women are alive, and tell them that We
will set them free when they bring us ele
plant tusks. For each tusk of All elephant
we will give back one woman. Ii within
five days from now they do not come to
Toll o1r words trulvi' When tho moor