Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1900-07-14
DEATH OF SAMORY.
A Man Who Once Lorded IL Over
100000 People In West Africa.

100000 People In West Africa.
The Emir Samory, who has cut a lar
ger figure in the affairs of west Africa
for the past 20 years than any other
native has just died, prisoner in the
hands of the French, at Libreville, In
the Gabun region. His prestige and
power had been waning for some years.
About two years ago the French caught
their old enemy near the northern bor-
der Of Dahomey, carried him to the
coast and kept him under guard, so
that he might do no more mischief.
They were very happy over the down
fall of. Samory, who had given them
more trouble for many years than all
the other native potentates in west AT
rica together
Samory was a slave when he was a
little boy. The chief who owned him
gave him as a ransom to another chief
for q woman who had been taken cap
tive. SamOrys new owner was an i'm
portant parsonage in west Africa, the
Marabout Sorry Idrahina, and as his lit
tie slave grew up he attracted much at
tention from the marabOut and from
everybody else in the country who had
anything to do with native politics, for
Samory became young man Of great
intelligence courage and talent for in
trigue. He was so bright that the
marabout made him his chief adviser.
Samory always looked out for No. In
q very keen and able manner. One
day he thought he saw chance to bet
ter his fortunes. and so he deserted his
old master and joined forces with a
more powerful chief. 1t was sorry
bargain for the latter, for in few
years Samory turned against him, de-
feated him in battle and took the whole
country into his own keeping. He was
now a prince on his individual ac-
count, with q throne Of his own, and
he began to enlarge the borders Of his
dominion.
Samory's career of conquest was
brilliantly triumphant. He compelled
one petty chief or kinglet after another
to beg pardon for the resistance they
offered and proclaim themselves the
vassal Of the great Samory. He set
out to conquer about 160 little states
In the interior of west Africa and car
ried out the job with great thorough
ness. By the time he got through he
was the absolute master Of 100000 peo-
pie In the western Sudan and lorded 1t
over q country east of Liberia and Sier-
ra Leone that is larger than most Of
the states Of Europe.
But Samory was not satisfied with
the empire he bad carved out for him
self He wished to be master Of the
whole western Sudan, and on account
of this ambition be got into hot water
with the French. He would push into
the territory they claimed on the up
per Niger, and they would drive him
back. Then the French would push
up the Niger into Samorys realm, and
he defeated many French expedition,
for it was long before the French sent
party against the powerful native
that was adequate to cope with him.
1t was not till 1891 that they finally
dealt him a series of blows that great
ly damaged his prestige and stripped
him Of considerable territory.
The conflict waged for years after
that, Samory gradually losing all he
had gained, until in the last stage of
the struggle he was driven from pillar
tc post, mere hunted fugitive. The
French flag now floats over all the ter
ritory that Samory acquired, and the
old emir probably welcomed the end
that has come at last. He had lost ev-
erything that made life desirable
New York Sun.