The Portland daily press., 1899-03-08
AN ARAB SLAVE HUNT.
Description OF Raid ON an African
village.

Perhaps the simplest method Of dcscrib.
4 ing the raiding system as practiocd by
I the Arab bands In the forest region be-
/ tween the Aruimi and the Kongo would
/ be in the form Of brief narrative Of
events based upon personal observation
/ The caravan whose adventures we arc
about to follow was under the command
of Osmani, a middle aged Arab who had
/ penetrated the continent from Zanzibar
more than 90 years before. For two weary
weeks tho wretchcd party had travelled
through an unnhabitcd portion of tho
great forest, trudging each day through
dcnscly mntscd underground beneath tho
iinpenetrahlc canopy of primoyal trees,
, and sleeping each night, hungry and
weary, upon the sodden ground in tho vi
| tiatod atmosphere of dccaying vegetation.
Ono afternoon, when the party was al
most in "a condition of despair, one of tho
Manycma followers sustained n deep flesh
wound from hard wood spear which had
been artfully concealed in the bushes be-
side we'll worn elephant track as trap
! fer the natives OF the forest arc wei skill
ed in woodcraft Upon discovering this
evidence of mans existence in tho vicinity
the caravan halted, while scouts were sent
to survey the surrounding country In a
short time it was reported that within an
hours march large native village had
/ been sighted. Osmani's instructions wero
brief Two hours before the dawn wo
march upon that village. Tonight no fires,
no noise, Sikial"
The night air grew gradually colder A
fierce storm swept over the fores., and tho
rain, flltering through the thick foliage
overhead, trickled in continuous streams
upon the naked bodies of the raiders 1t
was still dark and raining when the
hoarse whisper, "Tendele-tendclc upcsi'
tMarch-march quickly passed from one
to another. The party set forth in single
file, No word was spoken, and the only
sound that hetokcned their progress was u
slight swishing of leaves and the muflled
tread of naked feet upon the spongy
ground. Upon nearing the village clear
ing each man buckled his ammunition
belt more tightly around his wrist and
wound a strip of dirty white cotton cloth
about his head to serve as distinguish
ing mark in the coming attack upon tho
naked natives.
With shrill "Hae yahr" the raiders
fired their first volley directly toward the
! huts where the natives wero sleeping
'Llab-la-ihu" roared the Manycma
as they crashed through the bushes into
the midst of a multitude of panic stricken
sayagcs, chasing the black figures hither
| and thiuher. Women and children Shrek
ed, fowls flew cackling toward the woods,
mems deep voices shouted incoherently,
but the loud rifle reports and shouts of the
relentless Manyema drowned all other
sounds Soon the village became enveloped
in II dense white fog of sulphurous smoke
AID mist, in the obscurity of which the
raiders guns flashed forth tongues of fire.
Gradually the tumult ceased The cool
morning breeze dispelled the heavy cloud
Of mis-. and smoke, revealing the victo-
rious raiders Swa ggering through the dev-
asted village, driving scores OF miserable
women and children secured together in
couples by means of lashings around tho
wrists soon the early morning sun shone
in al its radiance, its bright beams CLINT
ing through the distant trees in sad con-
trast to the desolaticn Of dead bodies and
smoldcring huts. By noon the raiders
had established themselves in the former
homes of the natives, rough zeriba of
brushwood was formed around the outside
to serve as a precaution against any sud
den attack, and the trembling eaptiyes
were placed in the center under watch
full guard
A few days after the attack upon the
village the Arab chief Osmani gave in
structions for two of the Oldest of the cap
tive women 20 be liberated Two feeble
creatures we've brought forth and stood in
abiect terror before the marauding chief,
60 to your people who are hiding in tho
forest" said the Arab. "Tcn them their
women are alive, and tell them that we
will set them free when they bring us Gle
plant tusks. For each tusk of an elephant
we viii give back one woman. If within
five days from now they do not como to
us with ivory, we will take the women
with us to another country and sell them
to people who will kill and eat them. Col
Tell our words truly" When the poor
women realized they We're free 90 depart
they darted forward with extraordinary
agility into the woods.
On the morning of the fifth day the Arab
camp was hailed by a voice from The forest.
is it true that our women are still alivcy'
cit is true. 1t is indeed true, " replied
Manyema in the native dialect - bring
tusks of elephants. But first let me heur
their voices that | may know you speak
truly" The women Were soon produced
and 'vC~c made TO shout a rcp<y to the ma
tive chief who was all this time concealed
from sight among the trees. After much
delay, during which tho Manyena in turns
coaXed and threatened the tiInld and sus-
picious native the young chief al length
mustered sufficient courage TO step forth
DepositnG has burden of ivory in the open,
ho glanced neaningly in the direction Of
the Arab scamp. Instantly several women
were liberated, and they rushed to the
woods. IN this fashion, during several
subsequent days, the Arab chief was grad
ually relieved Of his prisoners, and in their
place he became enriched by a substantial
stock OF ivory. -Cassell's Magazine.
In Morocco.