The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1901-09-17
European savagsry In Africa.
(1'he Outlook.)


(The OutlOok.)
Those who have read the story of Liv-
ngston's Christian life and peaceful ex-
ploration in Africa, or the record Of the
achievements Of Mr.. J. Thompson, au-
thor Of Through Nasal Land, " in trav-
ersing unexplored African territory with
out arousing the enmity of the natives,
will not admit that wholesale bloOdshed
is inseparablefrom expeditions of discov-
cry in the Dark Continent. Yet that il
practically the grounds assumed by many
leaders the Germans and French more
especially have n dark record OF killing
and devastation attached TO their at
tempts ut conquest and occupation in
Africa. 4 striking illustration OF this
is found in an account of Mai Marchand's
famous march from the Congo to the Nile,
lately written for Golfers Weekly by Mr..
W. 5. Cherry n young American engineer
and soldier Of fortune, who had charge OF
n decrepit river steamer which followed
Marchand as a basis OF supplies. The
object of the expedition is frankly stated
| to have been to strike hard blow at
British prestige on the Upper Nile. This
effect of the FashOda expedition was neu-
tralized by the firmness of the British
| Foreign Ohice-iirmness regarded by the
French ~ brutal, and the retreat in di-
plOmacy forced upon France did much to
arouse in the French people the old, bit
ter anti-English prejudice. 1t may be
doubted whether France gained mate
rally in any way by Maj Marchand's
exploit, but personally he became n ma
| tiOnal hero. At what cost of life this
honor was obtained may bejudged from
Mr.. Cherry's narrative He says that
| Mai. Marchand's name was terror
among the natives; above Brazzaville, on
the Congo, in one preliminary campaign,
two hundred native villages were burned
and the chiefs head was cut off and
brought in triumph to Brazzaville, Cum
ba, populous native village, was sur
rounded before daybreak, bugle-blast
aroused the sleeping people, and a. they
rushed from their huts two hundred and
fifty repeating rifles were turned on
them, and the whole populatiOn-men,
women. and chidren-were extermina-
ted "the wounded, appealing for mercy
with outstretched arms, were finished
where they fell At another village, Mr.
Cherry was informed, Major Marchand's
Senegal soldiers wished to test the pene-
trative powers ola new rifle. Seven cap
tives, their arms tied behind them, were
placed in line each with his belly to the
next mans back. 4 corporal took the
rifle; the officers looked on critically.
The word was given, and the corporal
fired straight at the breast OF the first
captive. All seven fell, pierced by the
ball The new rifle was declared sue
cess 1t is not surprising to learn
that attacks upon the rear guard follow
ed. but the natives had no modern arms
or military efficiency, and so long as
night surprises were guarded against the
white men and their paid native soldiers
had little resistance TO meet in their
sport of shooting natives s''-tO quote
one of the headlines OF the narrative.
From beginning to end the story as told
bv this American is one of death-dealing,
cruelty. ravishment of native women,
and wholesale burning of villages. Usu-
ally the excuse is made Of some act OF
wrong-doing on the part of the gatiyes,
but it il impossible to decide who was
the original agressor, while it is not
strange that the ignorant natives should
take hostile attitude to armed bodies
of foreigners suddenly invading their
country. That any serious attempt was
made to establish friendly relations or
reassure the terrOr-stricken barbarians
does not appear. Such tales OF tracks
of devastation left by advancing ciyiliza-
ton may well suggest that the next In
ternational Peace Congress might prop
erly consider the subject of the conduct
of armed expeditions into uncivilized
lands