The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1902-07-08
.GLIMPSES Of
M|D-AFR RIGA
A Honolulu Mans
Experiences
There.

Many years ago the Spanlards were
( considered the greatest travellers. Later
The Englishman came into prominence
as the man who could be found In All
quarters OF the globe Now 20 where
you will and there you will find an
American. In all the small islands ahd
In out OF the way portions of the world
are Americans who seem to fit into the
existing order of things very well. And
in these out OF the way places Ameri-
cans are usually known as "schemers"
An American newspaper man now in
Honolulu. who was lucky enough to
have the friendship OF the late Cecil
Rhodes. tells of an American adven-
turer whom he met in Rhodesia, AZ
r!ca. while travelling at the expense of
the great African millionaire.
Il was being escorted by three troop
ers OF the Rhodes'an Field Force" ic
says. through Nc ,abeleiaId, when o.
day We came upon an Irish American
who was travelling with a d zen mules
IA pack animals = II number Of KAT
frs as attendants. The mules were
loaded down with aramaphones.
greeted the American In as joyial a
manner as possible, but could not help
but imagine he was crazy II he was
not off his bead, why on earth was he
carting those gramaphones through the
wllds of Central Africa. He wished
me and the English troopers to out
span our animals and have lunch with
him. l consented and over a delicious
little meal and some hot brandy aud
soda he told me the reason for his
carrying the gramaphones. 1t seems
that he was journeying as far north az
the Zambeesi river, the wide, crocodile
infested stream that divides north and
South Africa. He intended to go near
ly as far west as the Victoria Falls,
the great and little known rival of Nj
agara Falls. All along this river were
wild tribes whose chiefs had great
stores of the finest ivory and in some
cases of gold. White traders had been
Offering fabulous prices for them and
In many cases had had considerable
trouble with the native chiefs. But the
advent OF the American talking ma
chine man caused a sensation in ira lie
circles among the natives. Just as
ping pong has set the civilized world
cause sensation among the African
chiefs. The first chief tackled was GO
ing to put the white trader to death |
but his native guides explained to the
chiefs that the white man brought a
message from God. His lordship ask |
ed for the message" and the white |
man set his gramaphone to play Near |
er My God to Thee He followed this |
up with All Coons Look Alike to Me |
The latter tune seemed to capture the
chief. as he hailed that white man as
brother straight away After this
the white man had little difficulty. All
the chiefs were anxious to get the
White mans God machine as they
had named the gramaphone. He had
little trouble in trading machines which
cost him about $3.50 in New York or
London for goods worth nearly $500.
Il left the Irish American shortly af-
ter. as my way led In another drec-
ton. few months later i met the
same man in Cape Town. / asked him
how his last trip had resulted Tip
top. he replied. L have got enough
now. l am bound for New York.
Years ago l had small saloon
In Brooklyn, but l failed Now ] am
going back and get the biggest booze
house l can find in the town and show
the natives around Gotham that
know thing or two about even ma
tives Of that place. Well, Will YOU
have whisky"