Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-23

Experiment That HAY Help to eolvs
Problem Of tho Congo.

Problem Of tho Congo.
From the New York SUM-
The Congo Free State Is the first to es-
tablish zebra farm In tropical Africa for
the purpose of tanning xebras and training
them to the harness. Several facts sug-
gested that the experiment be made in
katanga, the southeastern province of the
state.
This remote region has great mining pros
poets and rich agricultural resources, but
they cannot be developed without means of
transportation. Population is too sparse to
supply many porters; but zebras are there
by Thousands, and II they can be trained
land.
So the government about a year ago sent
Lieut. Fernand Nys to katanga to capture
lot or zebras and study how to make
theV useful in the transport service He
went to district In the valley of the Lufira
river. where he found large herds OF zebras
feeding on the rich grasses. and decided
that this was good place for his work.
In the first place he built high fence
about an area of land inclosing about fifty
acres; then he constructed an approach to
the inclosure. or kraal. as he called 1t.
In the form Of the letter ", each arm Of
which had length OF about three-fourths
or mile These arms were spread apart
and came gradually together at the en-
trance into the kraal His idea was to
drive zebras into the V, where they could
do nothing else than go into the kraal
which he had prepared for them.
Long before the hammering and noise
his men made had ceased every zebra had
left the neighborhood. They objected to
such racket and SO many men on their
quiet feeding grounds. and SO departed
Five hunts were organized to find and
Chase them back, but all in vain.
There was nothing to do but leave the
region until the animals should return.
All the men were withdrawn except few
blackS who ordered SDand
day as sentinels In the trees some four tr
five miles from the kraal.
At the end of June last word came to
Lieut.. Nys that every day about sunset
some herds OF zebras were seen near the
kraal He at once took steps to capture
them. and his success was complete.
In single day ninety-three zebras were
driven into the kraal. enough for his ex-
perimental purposes Other animals were
with them, including twenty antelopes.
which for days were continually galloping
around the edge of the kraal, as though
they were in circus.
Some of the zebras tried very hard to
get out Of their prison. and hve OF them
killed themselves by dashing against the
wallis that restricted their freedom. The
greatest difficulty was in watering the anil
mails. Two large zinc-lined boxes in the
Enclosure were kept filled with fresh river
water. but many of the animals refused
died either from thirst or from drinking
too much
Meanwhile fifty little stables. each of them
twelve feet square, were built just OUTSIDE
the fence, with openings into the Enclosure.
There was q stable for each animal, ana
here they, were fed.
At the end of the first week the zebras
were shut in the stables at feeding time,
with native for company, who tried 10
cultivate friendly relations by holding out
a. tempting morsel In his hand or gently
patting the animal II the chance onered.
The natives were told to be very gentle
and quiet, and under no circumstances to
strike the zebras. 1t Is remarkable that
not a single native was hurt In TINS carry
stage of the tanning process.
Lieut.. Nys reports that IN about n1teen
DAYS most of the animals had become AL
most as docile as the donkeys Of Europe
They would come to their keepers to be
fed from the hand, and they sought no
more to avoid them or to break out OF the
kraal.
At last accounts the work Of breaking
the zebras to harness was about to Degln,
and Lieut. Nys wrote that the experiment
was certain to be great success. he mas
sent photographs to Europe showing the
zebras in the kraaI and their little stables,
which are nothing more than walls or pail
sades surmounted by matched roofs
Nys estimates the number OF zepras IN
the district as over 10000 They nave
never been hunted by the white man, anu
hereafter will be fully protected
He expresses his surprise to md that they
may be tanned SO easily. AS he wrote one
zebra was following a. man who had petted
him like a dog
presses the opinion that zebra can be
broken to the saddle In an hour. The gov
ernoF general OF. German East AFRICA mas
team OF six Zebras which he drives around
the streets of Dar-es-Saiaam.s inc Ger
mans in East Africa are also crossing the
zebra with the donkey, and assert that the
halfAbreed IL better fitted for work In
tropical Africa than the mule.