Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-05-19
Du chaiIlu the Traveller.

| ne deaan OF Paul u. Du ChaiIlu al
st. Petersburg, from paralytic shock
a few days ago, removes one of the few
/ original and discovering travellers and
| explorers of Africa, who was the frs
| to bring to the knowledge OF modern
| times the mighty simian called the gor-
lila, and under the name of the Obongo
| dwarfs and pygmies that Strabo wrote
about. For a reason easily explained
namely the fanciful, light and jaunty
way in which he wrote. the most re-
| markable of his discoveries We're treat
| ed with mockery, says the Springfield
Republican, and it was many years be-
| fore Du Chaillu received the proper
need of his labors. 1t is one of the
most unpleasant matters in this con-
nection that Henry NJ. Stanley, when
he wrote of the same dwarf race in his
book of the Congo. made no reference
to Du Chaillu's discovery, fifteen years
or so before. This failure whether
carelessness or jealousy were the mot
i've, is something which Stanley must
now be called upon to explain. The
first volume of Du Chaillu, "Explora-
ton and Adventure in Equatorial
Africa" was SO extraordinary in it's
statements, and so wholly novel to Eu-
rope, that a little incredulity at the
start was not unnatural; but as con-
firmation gradually came in, he should
have been publicly relieved by the
doubling scientists of the suspicion
they had cast upon his honesty in his
description of his discoveries. But not
one of the learned professors of the
British museum who had abused Du
Chaillu ever came out so far as we are
aware, in straightforward fashion,
and confessed his error.
Du Chaillu was an adyenturer in a
brave way, and a cosmopolitan, being
at home in all countries. 1t was gen
orally supposed that his birth was as
French as his name, and he has been
described over and over again as ma
tive of Paris and a naturalzed citizen
of America. But there seems no
ground for question that Paul Belloni
du Chaillu was born an American citi-
was thus Well advanced in his 65th
year. His father was American consul
at port in the Gaboon country, and
was educated in a Jesuit institution
there. Aa mere boy in 1852, he
brought to this country cargo of eb-
ony, and wrote a series of newspaper
letters about the Gaboon country: three
years later he entered on those remark
able travels, without any white COM
panion, In which he killed and stuffed
in the interest of science 1000 birds,
including many species which Were not
known before. and encountered and
killed the gorilla, until then unde-
scribed by any traveller. His descrip-
ton of these gigantic simians. phrased
in that highly ornate language which
pleased Du Chaillu in his youth, set
the naturalists against him, and I'M
warranted attacks We're made upon him
by men who ought to have weighed
their words, but who, like John Bur
roughs today. did not like to acknowl-
edge that another had seen what they
had not seen. His absolute TRUTHFUL I
ness has been demonstrated since, and
no less an African explorer than Cap
tain Burton corroborated the cannibal- |
ism of the Fans, which was one of the
things doubted. His second large ex-
ploration, from 1863 to 1865, was nat
many before unknown animals and
birds.
Mr. Du Chaillu was man of small
and why frame, under the average
stature, with countenance expressing
strong will and eyes that smoldered
rather than shone. He Wore out his
unusual strength in his explorations,
in which he underwent at times great
and was often compelled in
Africa to fight the natives. as Stanley
was. There have been African eX-
plorers who have had no such exper-
fence of hostility, but this does not
discredit either of the two notable men
mentioned. Du Chaillu has an honor
able place among the revealers of the
dark continent.