The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1904-06-09

Aha - llILl most boys. Several Of them
l@1s4 naturally were connected
with Robinson Crusoe
life on a tropical island.
A few years after had left Doyhood
behind 1 was appointed Fice-Consul IN
what were then the British and Ger
man territories of the kamerun IN
western equatorial Africa. The ques'
ton of the site for my official residence
was being discussed by the Foreign
Office, and as I had already visited the
Kamerun in the capacity Of tourist
Twas invited to offer an opinion.
I asked for leave to select the little
island of Mondole. in Ambas Bay. on
the island I should be safe from any
attack by wild natives. should be on
British territory, in healthy locality,
and yet only two miles across the
water from the little civilized negro
settlement of Victoria.
My request was granted, and shortly
after I started for Mondole, in 1880,
an English builder was sent out to
erect the vice-consuiate in wood, iron
and cement.
J. MY HOUSE ON MONDOLE.
found Mondole Island of SURPRISING
beauty-a little square mile OF crum-
bling rock, which rose to a height OF
some 500 feet above the very blue
waters of Ambas Bay. TO the west
was the Atlantic Ocean and the pale
blue silhouette of Fernando 70, large
island with peak rising nearly 10000
feet.
Eastward rose above Ambas Bay the
stupendous mass of the kamerun vol
cano. more than $4,000 feet above sea
level. To the south a beautifully
wooded peninsula jutted out from the
mainland toward Mondole. from which
it was separated by barely mile OF
somewhat rough sea.
NV first residence was in a little
two-roomed timber hoase which had
been built and abandoned by Polish
explorer, who had attempted to found
a kingdom in the AamerGn, viii NoH-
dole as his impregnable capital.
A few natives-fshermen mostly
lived on the western side Of Aondoie
Island, but for the most part This little
paradise of tropical vegetation was IN
inhabited by the human race. Instead,
it was abundantly supplied with SER
pents.
Nv first attempts were directed to-
ward clearing 4 site for my official resi-
dence on the central ridge Of the island.
In doing this l had to wage an cxcit-
ing battle with the snakes, which had
taken possession OF most OF the old
and hollow tree trunks.
These snakes belonged 10 the partic-
ularly venomous genus of the tree
cobra. a snake that is the source of
endless African legends. All over negro
Africa one hears that the dendraSpis.
or tree cobra. crows like ! cock. and in
native legend it has some Of tic other
attributes of the basilish.
1t is further, and truthfuliy. ce!e-
brated for its unusual ferocity. 4
tree cobra will frequently fly out from
its hiding place and attack passers-by,
quite unprovoked.
The two sexes, moreover. exhibit
great attachment to each other when
mated.
On the way from the beach to the
site of my projected house there was
one particularly large boalDax tree.
which was the home OF g pai" Of these
rtee cobraS. They We're from about
twelve to fourteen feet long. 1.-the, and
of a dark slatiSh blue above with ye.-
low bellies.
ONE DUCK TOO MANY.
Again and again, rs I passed this
tree, I could see the male and female
snakes lovingly intertwined, or. scpar'
ately, mimicking some twisted branch
in rigid immohil;ty, waiting, 10 doubt,
for their prey. ....
None Of my negro laborers would ley
an ak to this tree. nor would they at
first let me: kill the snakes. as they
predicted that the most terrible conse'
ouences would occur-a veritable wal
of serpents. So this bombax tree was
left standing longer than the other
vegetable monsters which obstruc;cd
the buildig site, and the tree cobras
became quite accustomed to our co.I'
ing and going. They attacked no one
at first. but soon became a nuisance
from their fondness for my domestic
ducks.
In West Africa. at the time of which
I am writing. the muscovy duck. ma
tive of Brazil. was the most useful
domestic bird. Its eggs are excellent
food. and its flesh is, as most Amer
leans know, a toothsome article OF
diet.
The inroads made by the snakes OF
these ducks became too serious to be
tolerated One day 1 encountered the
male snake with muscovy duck half
way down his gullet, and then and
there shot him.
Thereafter. as the negroes had pre-
dicted, began a series Of misfortunes
e - Ia