New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-15
50 WEST 23D STREET.
THROUGH THE PYGMT FOREST.
ADVENTUROUS JOURNEY OF YOUNG
ENGLISHMAN IN AFRICA.

ENGLISHMAN IN AFRICA.
London Jan 14-Probably there has been M
! such interest crcing around African travellers
and geographers since the time of Henry NJ. stan
| ley's expedition as has been caused by the arrival
this week Of a young and hitherto unknown Eng
! ishmsn. Albert Bushn Lloyd, from central
Africa after record journey of three months
from the heart of Africa to London. travelling
over Stanieys route down the Congo to the West
Coast. The Journey was In one respect more re-
markable than SANKEY'S inasmuch as Mr.. LLOYD
travelled quite alone, so far as Europeans were
concerned, and only accompanied by two
native servants and small number Of carriers
Moreover although he marched three weeks In the
pygmy forest and then traversed the whole length
of the Aruwimi River. the banks OF which are
lined with warllke cannibas. he never once fired
a shot in self-defence on the contrary, he was
on cordial terms with both pygmies and cannbals
Mr.. Lloyd Is already becoming a celebrity. and
has received number Of lecture offers. Possibly.
later In the year. after the publication OF a book
based on his experiences. he will lecture in the
United States. His journey west along the almost
untrodden path from Uganda was most hazardous
His friends tried to dssuade him, but he per-
sisted. on his arrival at the Congo the Beigians
could scarcely believe that he had safely run the
gantlet of pysmles and cannlbais
On entering the great primeval forest Mr.. Lloyd
went west for five days without the sight of a
ence by mysterious movements among the trees.
which he first attributed to the monkeys. Finally
he came to a clearing and stopped at an Arab
village, where he met great number of pygmies.
They told me-" says Mr.. Lloyd, that. unknown
to me, they had been watching me for five days,
peering through the growth of the forest. They
appeared very much frightened and even when
speaking covered their faces. asked chief TO
allow me to photograph the dwarfs. and he brought
n dozen together. | was able 10 secure snap
shot but did not succeed I'm the time exposure, as
the pygmies would not stand still. Then ! tried
to measure them. and found not over four feet
in height All were fully developed. the women
somewhat slighter than the men. | was amazed at
their sturdiness The have long boards.
reaching halfway down the chest. They are very
timd. and Will not look "A stranger in the face.
their beadlike eyes constantly shifting They are,
IL struck me fairly Intelligent. | had long talk
with a chief who cOnversed ntelligenty about
their customs In the forest and the number Of the
tribesmen. Both men and women. except for a
tiny strip of bark we're quite nude. The men were
armed with poisoned arrows. The chief told me
the tribes were nomadc. and never slept two nights
in the same place. They just huddle together in
hastily thrown up huts. Memories Of white
traveller-Mr. Stanley, OF course-who crossed the
forest years ago, still linger among them
Mr.. Lloyd then proceeded through the cannibal
countries TO the coast He found the cannibal S
warlike and fierce. but open and straie forward
and had no difficulty with them. At one place he
put together q bicycle he had with him and rode
around their village. remarkable scene followed,
thousands Of cannbals-men. women and children
turning out. dancing and yelling AT what they de-
scribed az "a European riding snake.