The San Francisco call., 1903-12-20
In 4ficaH CdrGUGH.
by WILLIAM STAMPS CHERRY.
CACricsn Traveller. Explorer and Big Game
Hunter)

fCopgriEht 1903. by Joseph B. BoWles-)
While McCIntock and were at
Matadi I discovered one night by an
intolerable itching Of one Of my toes
that a ,jigger"-that dreaded pest Of
all African travelers-had taken lodg-
fngs with me. NcCIintock took knife
and presently gave me relief by the
painful process Of digging the little
black parasite from beneath the skin
surrounding the nail.
The presence Of the jigger is indi-
Gated by the itchy feeling which
makes some people so frantic that
they could almost tear off their toes
TO get relief. The jigger looks like
small bit OF parafin wax the size Of
a pin head. with a bleck speck in it.
They burrow beneath the skin, and
in the course OF eight or ten days lay
a sack Of eggs as large as a pea. This
sack breaks and hundreds Of young
jiggers are turned out TO burrow for
themselves. and in time infect the en-
tire foot. Many Of the natives are in
debted TO these tiny insects for the
loss Of a toe and some for that Of
foot. The jiggers We're imported by
the Portuguese from Brazil the middle
Of the last century. They now infest
all Africa and are the greatest pests
Of all the insects. Most white men
have their feet examined every morn
ing by their maleck or valet. I never
needed TO do this, for just as soon as
"a jigeer gets into nay foot 1 feel him.
Most people don't
We spent six weeks at Matadi trying
10 get our guns out Of the custom
house. We had too much Of an arse
nal. the officials thought, informing US
we must have a permit from the Gov
errment TO carry arms. This was re-
fused point blank. and matters were
looking bad when I got a letter from
the Upper Congo telling me to come
10 Stanley Pool. We put our goods in
a warehouse and tried for the last time
10 get q few guns, but without avail,
and were forced TO go without them.
Our supplies were running low and
our funds were exhausted. To go by
rail was impossible as we had no
credit with the Belgian Railroad Com
pany for the 474 francs necessary for
each fare. and we resolved to make
zT4 francs apiece by walking. Any
man who considers himself an author
ity on African travel would tell you
Il is impossible to make the trip from
Matadi 10 Stanley Pool during the
rainy season without tents, beds and
other cOnveniences, and to carry a
load simply absurd at any season. We
were perhaps, the first white men
that attempted it. We gave our men
forty cans Of provisions TO carry. Mr..
McClintock carried twenty pounds Of
sea biscuit, an eight-pOund blanket
and his absolutely necessary clothing,
which made forty pounds in all
had the medicine, writing material,
one or two necessary instruments. my
clothing, blanket and so forth
enough to make forty pounds.
We took the old caravan route over
the hills 10 Manyanga-
All along the way we met numerous
native traders. returning from the in
terror, some Of them having come
from as far back as the Upper Pool
They bring their ivory 10 Matadi. and
take back cloth, salt, gunpOwder and
mense profit. The first day on the
road il was very hot. the sun beating
down mercilessly on the barren rocks
and sand. making them hot enough
TO cook eggs, and the road over the
steep hills was rough and hard. We
were almost inclined to turn back
and began TO fear we had undertaken
an impossible task. But we thought
A 10 F,~H
ried greater loads and had endured
greater hardships;- we thought also Of
the stream OF people who would pass
over this same route with pack and
pickax. il gold We're discovered in the
interior, and we plucked up courage
and persevered until almost sundown.
We made about seven miles the first
day, and that left about 230 miles still
20 60.
We were quite curiosites to the ma
tives They would stand and stare at
US, almost disbelieving their eyes.
Then they would call their friends, to
see II they were right. Yes, there
were two white carriers. They didn't
understand it. Then the white men
must be slaves, too. And they asked
us who our masters were, and told US
had seen carrying loads. It was very
amusing the way they treated us. And
no amount OF explanation could Make
them understand that we were our
own masters. They always asked:
why do You carry loads, then ?"
The second day we were very tired.
but we marched some twenty miles.
and felt after supper as though we
night reach Stanley Pool after all We
learned from the natives how to fix our
loads so as TO carry them with greater
case. Never make a load into a square
OF spherical bundle, but make it as long
and as cylindrical as possible. We be-
gan TO learn many things from the
carriers that were to our advantage.
The country along this route is very
beautiful, and we enjoyed the scenery
even in spite Of untoward circum