The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-06-18
THE MH FRENCH HERO.
JEAN NAnCMAND AND MS MANY
AHRlCAN ADyENTenHA


enee IN AAvsnaurs1s werk-kaia
DsyAeea anA seAesa Days-ais
cesnerynea siag HIS Praases.
-EAN NARCHAND. Frances new
hero. whose expedition TO the Con-
60 Nile brought glory to the re-
public. Is today enc Of the most
NlI notable figures In his country. and
while his ccunsrymen sing his
praises and refer TO h.s deeds az achieve
menss Of the army. he gays The expedi-
ton lid not suffer or innict any loss. nor
did il IRE shot. but IT s.ssl,.cd into the
natives . love for France and effected y
conquest BY humanity and military honor
which inspired u with discipline"
The man whom all France, regardless Of
political parties. factions or cliqueA unttes
IN hOnorsng was unknown = few years axO.
AT school he was known - .the mouse"
because Of his unobtrusive character. One
OF his Friends In describing him. said:
He left everything At school 20 chance.
but somehow always got there He rarely
touched his lessons tn the last minute and
became the terror OF the masters on that
account. because other boys initiated Am.
with bad results. In after life he was .
dreamer and = wanderer. He has nothing
Of the character OF the Marquis De Mores.
and detesss TO see his name in the papers.
Unlike Gen Gordon. he takes life easily.
He is an inveterate smoker. l. the raciest
OF ssory-ieilers when his glass Of cham
payne Is before him. and very popular with
the ladies. Physically he - anything but
a strong man. ] have often thought that
his lungs were weak. and how he ever
hraved the journey ] shall never under
stand
Henor On All Hanas.
When Marchand returned to France from
Fashoda honory were shoWered upon him
from all sideA They took the form Of tes-
timoniais Of all kinds and descriptions.
from addresses and diplomas from the gov
eminent. checks for large sums OF money
and degrees. to honorary membership In
societies and organizations Of all kinda.
The bearer Of . gold medal from . society
OK artists gave his colleagues his impress
sions Of the man whom they had honored
in these words:
He 10 nobleman Of Gods creation. He
looks a man whose heroism has been con-
stantly and victoriousiy tested He Is
man OF few words. but the little he says
Is packed with expression. One can see
that he is straight. unsophisticated and
superior TO the petty sIdes Of life. His
eountenance Is OF fnenable sweetness. but
c2reworn. and in his thouGhtful moods
severe and almost stern. His eyes are
dreamy-the eyes OF one used to reading
. wide horison and wondering what = be-
hind"
Until his arriva, at rashoia hast October
Marchand, who 10 only - years old. was
unknown. except In q small circle. For
upward OK two years he had been ENGAGED
In mission on the Upper Nile, the real
object Of which was carefully concealed
as long as possible The lost provinces OF
Egypt were to be appropsGAtad Tor France.
the Derviehes on the u1pef 1elle were to
the true object OF the mfasion. and geo.
graphical research and scientific investi-
gasion were among the masks which were
worn by the expedition.
Praised by the Colonial Omee.
His work in the 0oudan before May IL.
isS. when he embarked 1t Bordeaux on
his missson. had attracted the attention Of
the colonial ONCE. He had shown extra
ordinary resource and facility In the dis
cevery OF ways and means for carrying
cut desirable projects and one OF the most
dangerous and arducus missions ever un-
dertaken in Africa was placed ia his hands
on the strength Of the reputation he had
made In the French Soudan before he was
thirty years Old
The record Of Aarchand's work, which
ended by securing Tor France yaiuahls
commercial facilities In the Nile country
and extension OF French influence In Gem
trail Soudan. shows that on July e. iSS
he and his little hand landed on the coast
Of West Africa He had with him at that
time eighteen officers ami sub-ofYiesrs OF
the French army and navy. a physician.
an interpreter and q hundred and fifty
native soldiers.
Seven months later the expedition reached
Stanley pool Besides the necessary equip
ment. camp supplies and scientific inssru-
ments. the expedition carried two gunboats
In sections and a number OF steel and a,u-
minum small boats and barges. Obstacles
were met at every step, but the most sert-
Gus csfncu!sies were encountered when the
expedition neared the outskirts OF the nsw
country az the mouth OF the Bornu. I,
was Marcaand's intention 10 70 by this
waterway TO the Nile. but the river wa5
unknown, and Its depth and navieab.,,ts.
had 10 be ascerfained
unAasnted BY Dsseeuraweuent..
party consisting OF of1icer. ana men
started on May to explore the river ana
remained away twenty dayA The report
which came TO Marchand was extremely
discouraging and q less determined man
~euld have felt justified In giving up the
venture. Five high falls and thirty small.
err ones were found on the upper s,ra.r,
but beyond these there was good reason
20 sooA TOT navfGab3e water and Marrhand
determined 10 go around the fails. In or
der TO do this road had 10 be built ana
no time was lost In doing thiA The ROAD
vas made thirty feet wide ana covered
with trunks Of trees from which the Ia r.
Lad been stripped. 70 that the hat.
might be hauled over them The barxes
and boats were launched ana started On
the Journey up the river. and when one
Oh tne iaiis VAS reacaed they We're taken
~ AL
past The obstruction. To do fhis from, sew
enfeen hundred 10 eighteen hundred men
had TO work as the ropes. When the r,u-
Ids or falls we.e passed the vessels wer.
launched again and the journey Continues
BY water until the next obstruction wa.
encountered. when the operation was re-
peased.
After two months OF hard work the sa,ts
were passed and even then ,hp~e ms
doubt a. 10 the success Of the expedt,I6n
by thas route because un.ess tn rsy.r
was round nasiEable, there were three
hundred miles rF