The daily morning journal and courier., 1899-10-02
THE WONDERFUL WALAMO
TALES OF 4 RACE OF AFRLoAN
 GIANTS
Whose Gaze Strikes the victims Wi'"
 Madness.


 The latest story from Africa is very odd story indeed, so odd as to pc Woitn nooment's serious discussion. It IS told by Captain Wellby who has been exploring the unknown country De- tween Lake Rudolf and the Nile Valley' and who besides being one or lile pluckiest of men, seems to De coiiipe- tent observer with some sclentilc knowledge and habit of mental eXac- !. titude. There appears to be no reason whatever for doubting his good faith, and we can ourselves help little to eX- onerate him from any charge Of undue credulity or disposition to wonder. He says he found two races of naked gi- ants living near Lake Rudolf The world now doubts about giants as tor- merly it doubted about pygmies and Captain Wellby will be cross-examined; but tribes obviously the same were mi nutely described by pr. Verne, Ger man doctor who accompanied pacha sent by Said Pacha of Egypt some fifty years ago to see if he could not exact tribute of some sort from the extreme south of the Egyptian dominion. MT. John Murray published in two small volumes a translation of his singularly lucid and interesting narrative, and in it he gives an account, apparently iden- ticaI with Captain Wellby, race of naked men who were on an average sev- en feet high.
 As individuals reach that height even in England, and are common in Pata- gonia, we can believe that story With out difficulty; but the account of the Walamo district is a more severe draft on our credulity. It is probably true, neverless, though the explanation is not easy The natives about Lake Ru- dolf believe that the people of Walamo are possessed of the devil, and Captain Wellby is obviously not quite sure that they are not Their land is singularly and exceptionally beautiful grand tropical park, in fact, well Watered and well timbered, "a fortnight's journey south of Adis Abeba," and the people are quite friendly to white men. They are accused, however, of possessing gift, nothing less than the power of creating, by suggestion only insanity in those upon whom they gaze. Cap tain Welby, of course disbelieved this story, but he was soon undece1Ved. T only state the facts. The first sign of anything wrong was when one of my Sonall escort rushed into camp shout ing 'Walamo! Walamo.' He was frightfulIy excited, he shook violently and kicked like a madman, and in the intervals between his shrieks he told me that he was possessed by a devil. The whole of that night he was neither more nor less than maniac. but the next day he was perfectly well. l had been previously told that once man had become 'Walamo or devil pos sessed, he was always liable to sec ond attack, and as a simple measure of precaution the mans rifle was taken away from him. While on the march he had another access of this curious madness, in the course of which he drew a knife, and rushing about, threat ened to kill everybody. It took several men to hold him down." It is supposed to. be specially dangerous to eat food in the presence of the Walamo people, and on one occasion Soudanese in the exnedition who did so became raving lunatic while on another headman peaceable, orderly man, declared that he had become possessed, raved and kicked, and at last injured three men, In all cases the fit seems to last for two or three days, but Is liable to recur.
 Pondering all these facts, Captain wellby. like an Englishman with steady nerves and the fine spirit of curiosity which keeps us blundering about in all unexplored regions, resolved on SUI preme experiment. He solemnly ate i,, of q hundred walamo Nothing happened at the mo- ment, but two days after, the explorer, one of those men who are never i'll, was so thoroughly ilr'-he does not say insane-that he had some difficulty in hiding the fact from his own people.
 Now. how was that done? To say it did not occur seems to us a mere rejec- ton for no reason of trustworthy evil dence. If Captain Wellby said he found gold or diamonds in Walamo thousands mon thousands of pounds would in- stantly be adventured in thersearch for them; and why should he be distrusted when he says that certain men under circumstances showed symptoms of in- sanity?
 There are, we think just three hy- notheses which are worth discussion One Is that the Walamo, in the interest of their special reputation, bribed or frightened Captain Wellby's men into acting the symptoms which he de- scribes. That is possible, and is doubt less the explanatio of many apparent wonders of the kind, but in this instance if would seem to be barred by Captain wellby's own experience. He had nothing to gain by trick, and his nerves were clearly not of the kind which are upset by rumors of magica powers possessed by black persons without clothes. Another hypothesis much more likely is that the Walamo are possessed of a poisonous drug, akin to that used by many tribes for poison ine arrows which shatters the nerves of those who have swallowed it, Thai such drugs existed was a universal be- lief among the ancients, and there Is m nri,na facie reason why they shoule not as many substances now used IT medicine, flower tone' and depress tht snirits of those who swallow them to 2 degree which initiates many ot tht symptoms of pronounced melanchoha The constitution of negroes is not iden
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