The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1903-05-11
THE LIFE OF
PAUL DU CHAILLU

\ WONDERFUL CAREER OF EN-
PLORATGoN AND ADVENTURE.
THE BOOKS HE WROTE.
Few men have contributed more to
the enjoyment of boys Of an adventu-
trous turn Of nina, than Paul du
Chaillu who has recently uied.
Du Chaillu was born in Paris July
81 1885 but he went at an early age TO
the west coast of Africa, where his
father was a trader. He picked up
many native dialects and much knowl-
edge of natural history while he was
a boy, and at Il years of age he went
to New York with a cargo of ebony.
He wrote series of articles on the
Gaboon country that excited much at
tention. In 1855, when only 20 years of
age, he began his first exploring tour
! in Africa, which lasted four years. He
was so young that when he printed his
record of adventures few scientific men
4 believed them. He studied astronomy,
| learned how to make observations and
also mastered photography. Then he
made another exploration and when
! he returned he had evidence that not
! even the skeptcs could put aside Since
then he had wandered through many
lands and written score of books,
besides lecturing in all bnglish-speak
ing countries.
OF his early explorations in Africa Du
/ Chaillu gave this account nine years
ago in an interview: In 1855 when I
was only 20 years old, visited Africa
for the first time. But few white men
had passed inland from the west coast
beyond hailing distance of their boats
/ by the shore. No one had attempted to
| explore the interior. Although but a
I boy. | set out alone towards the center
of the continent. | had no army to de-
fend me against the savage tribes. |
had to depend on my own personal re-
sources and tact. My thoughtlessncss,
perhaps, aided me. At seventeen We 40
not care much for provision. l was an
enthusiastic naturalist. That drew me
to Africa l longed to know more of
the flora and fauna of equatorial Africa
II remained in Africa that time three
years. l travelled in a zigzag course
some 5000 miles. 1 penetrated about 800
miles from the sea- l explored the
country on my route from about two
, degrees south of the equator to three
degrees north of it. l discovered the
great equatorial forests, concerning the
finding of which much praise was af-
terward claimed for others. l discOv-
cred the gorilla, never before seen by
white man, and three other species of
man-apes. l found many hitherto I'M
known species of birds, quadrupedS and
plants. l discovered rare and beauti-
full orchids and indeed the most valua-
Bile orchid today is that named after
me.
when l returned to New York / was
! laughed at. l was too young, they said,
3 -, nd tA hoy NK-ha |
asserted. In spite of the skeleton of
the gorillas and the specimens of the
birds and the plants l brought with me
( 1 could not be believed. Some clever
Snowman had imposed on me, the
critics said.
so l went to Africa again. This time
I l made an extended trip into the in
terror. 1 discovered the great equatorial
plateau of which we heard 50 much in
later years. l found there the pygmies
and the cannibals. l did not merely see
those people or fight them. | made
/ friends with them, | learned their IAN
! guage and l lived among them. l was
| compelled to do this. l was alone, and
only by their goodwill could l proceed
discovered thirty-five different tribes
of men. | gained their favor and they
aided me and gave me men to carry my
>
| plorer to have the friendship of the
people among whom he Journeys.
| While there is not a perceptible path
way through the forests of Africa, one
| can travel from the west coast to the
east and from the Cape of Good Hope
to Algiers by paths comparatively easy
to traverse if he has only the favor and
| guidance of the natives. This l man
aged to gain.
| when l came back l brought with
me many specimens of the strange
| things l had seen. l had some of the
curiously fashioned weapons of the
cannibals. l had Objects from the
pygmy villages. l wrote of these and
was ridiculed. Especially were my
! statements about the pygmies derided.
The most charitable of my critics sad
1 had probably seen a small man. In
1876 1 published an account of my dis
coveries in Ashango Land. 1 told of
the pygmies and gave Illustrations of
| their villages. No one but myself can
rightly claim the credit of having dis
covered the pygmies and the other
| strange tribes in the interior of equato-
rial Africa.
From the tropic 1 went to the artic
zone. 1 visited Sweden, Norway, Lap
land, Finland, Iceland l discovered
much. l published the result of my
work. THE Land of the Midnight Sun"
and 1 was the first to give that title
to the northand. l found in Iceland
four different manuscripts giving ac-
counts in plain, simple language Of
/ the vikings Journeys to America. They
tell how they took away several barrels
of grapes, and for that reason they
called the new land 'Wineland.',"
Among Du Chaillu's best known
books are Explorations and Adven-
lures in Equatorial Africa" A Jour
ney to Ashango Land" Stories of the
Gorilla Country" "Wild Life Under the
| Equator" Lost in the Jungle" my
Apingi Kingdom" 1.-The Country of
the Dwarfs" and 1.-THE Land of the
| Midnight Sun"