The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1904-07-31

| finite toll. The margins Of the river
| are infested with reptiles and poison
GUS insects. and at night the great and
small carnivora of the jungles. arous-
/ ed and enraged, endangered the safe
| ty of the explorers and destroyed sleep.
The torment of winged insects and OF
crawling things was the worst of Mrs.
MacMillan's experiences. but she stuck
| manfully to the expedition and made
the most OF her odd opportunity to test
| her courage to the utmost. At one
reach of thirty miles, not far from the
lake, the Blue Nile, in successive falls
and rapids. descends 1000 feet and II
was shortly after leaving this part Of
the river that the Macmillan expedi-
tion finally came to grief. On account
of the continuous delays It had been
decided to risk the whole fotilia In a
two days drift, the explorers and most
OF their attendants marching along
shore, while a detachment manned tho
the procession of boats.
A scout was put forward to warn
the column of approaching rocks and
rapids in time to prevent disaster, but
on the first night In which the drift
ing was continued this pilot boat, COM
ing suddenly upon noiseless rapid.
was swept suddenly down the river
beyond call. The boatman fired his
weapons and called aloud, but it was
too late. The whole fiotilla was caughe
in the swift water and dashed madly
down the rapids. Some Of the boats
were wrecked against the protruding
rocks. some slipped safely over the
danger and were found next day
beached in an eddy q few miles below.
Mr.. Macmillan decided that It would
be futile to proceed. What had been
saved from the wrecked fleet was made
into packs and loaded upon the natives
and the party. abandoning its launches.
trudged wearlily back over the precip-
itous trail ii had descended with SO
much difficulty.
Beset by Hostile Natives.
Couriers sent forward reassemb1ed
the land caravan, and the expedition
set out for it's long march across Abys-
sinia. with the port of Obok, In the gulf
of Tajyra, as Its destination. The
abandonment of the Blue Nile did not,
however. end the adventures of the ex-
plorers. At intervals throughout the
journey overland towards the sea they
were beset by hostile natives, who
menaced them with fierce cries and
brandished weapons. The diplomacy
of Macmillan probably prevented.
bloodshed. and by means of his inter-
prefers and the solemn display of his
commission from King Menelik and
the medal with the Kings seal, he con-
trived not only to pacify his assailants
but to make friends of them and to
gain their help and hospitality.
The party re-embarked at TaJura,
going to Alden, whence 1t sailed for
France, via the Red Sea. the Suez
Canal. and the Mediterranean, stopping
at Port Said, Alexandria, and Tripoli,
which lay in the course of the trading
steamer upon which they travelled.
The MacMillans are well known in
the capitals of Europe, particularly
London. where they have passed many
seasons. w. N. MacMillans home Is
at rs Portland Place. st. Louis, but
neither he nor his wife spends much
time there. Since boyhood he has been
an inveterate traveller and since his
marriage Mrs. Macmillan mas entered
fully into his. adventurous undertake
ings. William Macmillan, father of
the explorer, accumulated several mil
lion dollars in the American Car and
Foundry Company. of which. he was
President, and from the childhood of
his son encouraged his dreams of fame
as a geographer and traveller. Charles
M. Prynne of st. Louis, Col. John L.
Harrington. the British official resident
at the court of King Menelik; and Hen
ry Brown, secretary to Mr.. Macmillan.
also accompanied the expedition.