Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-08-15

Gaboon to range itself automatically
on the side of the stronger, and to drive
the unhappy small child hopelessly into
very bad corner.
When at last got up with the OBJ
and blown with her headlong career
that felt thoroughly ashamed of my
self. Even the pursuit Of science, 1
will frankly admit, hardly justified me
in SO chasing that frightened little
mortal through the street of Tulamba.
However, a bright English sixpence, a
red silk handkerchief and the promise
Of box of European sweets from the
old half caste Portuguese trader shop
in the village, soon restored her con-
fidence Unhappily it did not restore
that broken and draggled but priceless
orchid. In her headlong flight the child
had crumpled it hopelessly up in her
hand and distorted it almost beyond
the possibility of scientific recognition.
| All could make out with certainty
now was that the orchid belonged to a
new and hitherto undescribed species
that it was large and luminous and ex-
tremely beautiful, and that if only
could succeed in securing plant Of it
my name was made as scientific ex-
| plorer.
The natives crowded round with dis.
interested advice and eyed the torn and
draggled blossom curiously. tits a
moon flower, they said in their own
dialect. Every rare. Hard to get.
Comes from the deep shades in the
great forest. I"
elbow did you come by it. my
childr" I asked coaxingly Of my sob
bling little 10-year-old.
"My father brought 1t in, !" the child
answered. "He gave it me week ago.
He was out in the country of the
dwarfs doing trade. He went for ivory,
and he brought this back to me.
"Boys," cried to the negroes who
crowded round looking on. 'sdo you
know where it lives2 want to get
one. A good English rifle to any man
in Tulamba who guides me to the spot
where l can pick live moon hower!''
The men shook their heads and
shrugged their shoulders dubiously.
"Oh, mol" they all answered, like
supers at the theater. with one accord.
"Too farl Too dangerousl"
"Why dangerous?' cried, laughing
"The moon flower won't bite you
Who says danger in picking flower?
My head guide and hunter stood out
from the crowd and looked across al
me awe struck. "Ch, excellencyr' hi
said in a hushed and frightened voice
"The moon flower is rare. 1t is very
scarce. 1t grows only in the dark fores
of the inner land, where the ngin;
dwells. No man dare pick it for fear O
tbs ngtnA.
"ohol" said l. .'Is that SO, my
friend2 Then I'm not astonished. ;
For ngina, as no doubt you're alread.
aware, is the native West African
name for the gorilla.
Well, / took home the poor dragged
blossom to my hut. dissected 1t care
fully and made what scientific study
was possible Of its unhappy remains i,
their much tattered condition. But fol
the next ten days, as you can readily
believe. could think and talk ant
dream of nothing but moon flowers
You can't think what fascination il
exerts on naturalist explorers minG
Ia new orchid like that, as big round
as dessert plate and marked by SO ex
traordinary and hitherto unknown 8
popularity In plants as phosphorescence,
for the moon flower was pEosphores
cent. OF that l had not the shadow Of
a doubt. Its petals gave out by night {
faint and dreamy luninousness. which
must have made 1t shine like mosr
Indeed in the dense, dark shade Of q
tropical African forest.
\ The more I inquired of the natives
about the new plant the more was my
curiosity piqued to possess one. longed
to bring root of the marvellous bloom
to Europe. for the natives all spoke Of
1t with certain hushed awe or super.
stitious respect. SIT is the ngina's
flower, they said. at grows in the
dark places-the gardens of the ngina.
II any man breaks one off, that is very
bad luck. The ngina will surely over
take and destroy him."
| This superstitious awe only inflamei
my desire to possess root. The ne
groes' stories showed the moon flower
to be most unique species. gathered
from what they told me that the bios
SONS had very long spur, or sac. con
tanning honey at its base in great guam
titles. that 1t was fortified and riflet
by Il huge evening moth. whose pro
boscis was exactly adapted in length Il
the spur and its nectar; that it wa
creamy white in order to attract til,
insects eyes in the gray shades of dusk
and that, for the selfsame reason, it
petals were endowed with the strang,
quality Of phosphorescence, till nov
unknown In the vegetable kingdom
while it exhaled by night deliciou
perfume, strong enough to be perceived
at some go yards distance So great
prize to man Of my tastes was simpl,
irresistible made up my mind that
come what might,TI must, could ant
would possess tuber Of the moo
flower.
One fortnight sufficed for me to max
my final plans Heavy brides overcam
the scruples of the negroes The prom
Use of good rifle induced the finder o
the first specimen to take service witt
me as a guide. Fully equipped for
weeks march and well attended witt
followers, all armed to the teeth, mad
my start at last for the home Of TIL
moon flower.
To cut long story shsrt, we wen
for three days into the prinleval shad
of the great equatorial African forest
Dense roofs of foliage shut out tn
light Of day. Underfoot the ground wa
encountered with thick. tropical brush
wood. We crept along cautiously, hack
ing our way at times among the brak
with our cutlasses and crawling a
others through the deep tangle Of tn
uuderbrush on all tours, like monkeys