The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-16
SAVED FROM CANNIBALS.


Captors Bore Him Toward the Congo.
The stories that missionaries send home
often throw a vivid light upon the dark and
savage conditions that encompass them. One
OF the teachers Of the American Baptist Mis-
sionary Union. in his annual report. tells OF a
recent incident that occurred far up the Congo
RivrrN+nong the natives living around the
shores Of Lake Tumba. only a short distance
south OF the big river.
Early one Sunday morning. as the missionary
and his wife were preparing for the duties Of
the day they heard shout from the lake. An
old man was seen seated in a canoe. which a
number OF stawart fellows were padding as
fast as they could toward the little river that
carries the waters Of the lake to the Congo a
few miles north. The old man was crying in q
frantic and des pairing voice:
Mpebe ma Monkasa.'
These were the names by which the mis-
sionary and his wife are known to the natives.
The old fellow called them again and again.
till he saw the white man and his wife stand
ing on the beach. Then he shouted to them:
"Oh, come and save me! They are taking me
away to kill and eat me-"
The missionary understood the situation at
once. The place is not more than a day s
travel from the mouth Of the great Mobangi
tributary OF tho Congo. The banks of the
Mobangi are lined with cannibal tribes and it
is one OF the greatest hotbeds Of cannibalism
Explorers have often told of the canoes sent
out from these tribes TO the districts Il little
south OF the Congo for no other purpose than
to buy slaves or steal men to carry away to
their homes for their cannibal feasts. Here
was an old friend OF the missionaries who had
fallen into the power OF these savage foragers.
Not moment was TO be lost. for the canoe was
shooting past the station and rapidly approach
ing the foot Of the lake.
At word from the white man a half dozen
young blacks launched canoe III the lake and
piled their paddles with all their might, TWAS
an exciting ehpse The si ran9inoais seeing they
reach the river few miles north Of them, II
was boat race in dead earnest, and the stake
suers and only four Of the fugitive cnn"emen:
The chasing Party Party had larger sum to'a! #
slowly the missionary boat gained on the can
nibals, who saw at last that they would GER
they be IKE the
the pursuers were only few boat lengths from
then INK rn 5her @ the
made their escap" into the woods. carrying
with them considerable Quantity, Of brass
| slaves. The fourth man was made II prisoner
and was taken back TO the MISSIONARY settle
trembiing with Joyas few moments before he
had qnaked, with fear The, missionary says
{ h Sar had bea mot ESf be for hp he wo"
The expected then happened. OF course, the
| savaEeS did not relish the idea OF returning to
| their people without any victim and with on"
| OF their party missing. The white man felt
! certain they would try to ransom their com
| rade. and sure enough. the crestfhllen man
| eaters after little while appeared within hail
| ing distance. They had brass wire, they
| shouted. and how much did the white man
| want in exchange for their friend He wanted
| all they had. and after considerable par
| leying u lot OF wire was brought hall way to
! the station. The old man said he was sure
this wire was all his captors han in the canoe.
| and finally it was accepted aud the prisoner
| released. The men probably made their way
as best they could back to their tribe: The
| wire was worth only 81. but the missionary
says this was enough TO keep he old man in
food for oyer nine months, and the fair infer
| ence is that the cost OF living on tn" upper
| Congo has been reduced to a he'd rock basis.
The Congo state is vigorously surprcssing
| canni balism far ns its influence extends
| and therefore the natives who indulge in the
practice no longer dare. in accordance with
| their former custom TO send large expeditions
| out to buy slaves. Now and then. however
n smal party engage in the hazardous bust
| ness hoping by the SmallnesS Of thclr num-
| hers 10 escnDp ne attention of the whites.