The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-12-30
4 QUEER AFRICAN TRIBE.
Discovered by Exploring Scientist IN
Remote Forest.

Discovered by Exploring Scientist IN
Remote Forest.
Chicago Tribune)
Professor Otto Won Stockslager. the
venturer, whose recent gift to the mu-
scum of his native town, Herenthals,
attracted much attention in Europe,
has announced the discovery Of one Of
the strangest races of mankind race
Of amphibians. In Lake Brauser-
which Won Stockslager discovered and
named in honor of his distinguished CO.
WoFker-Frans Branser-the Belgian
! discovered a tribe of men, women and
children who live practically all the
time in the water, eating and sleeping
there. After months of study OF this
strange race, during which he twice
came near being drowned, Won Stock
slayer managed to learn enough of
their queer. putting language TO gain
slight insight into the history OF the
tribe, and, from what he discovered, be-
ieves that generation after generation
has lived in the cool, soothing waters
Of the lake.
Lake Branser is situated to the west
ward of the Albert Nyanza, about 225
IlAlCS III the great lOIGSLS u the OO44SO
Free State, and perhaps 420 miles
! northward of the northern end of Lake
Tanganyika. The people Of the forests
are branches OF the Bakumas and
few wandering tribes OF pygmies. Part
OF these, according to the explorer, still
eat human flesh, and II was 10 study
these cannibals that the last expedition,
which resulted in the discovery of the
amphibians, was undertaken.
He IaFf PyIFGEalS Anrfl 1904 wit n
Carl Horix, a young student who had
| accompanied him on a previous trip,
and went up the Congo TO Falls Sta
| ton, at Stanley Falls, and, unshipping
the outfit and employing native bearers
and guides, started into the wilderness
IN q southeasterly direction. The inves
| legations among the tribes Of the for
est were continued for several months,
and the party penetrated a district
never before reached by white men, so
| far as is known. A few Arab traders
! had touched the country, but the ma
tives were wild and unfriendly to them,
and had little TO trade, so they were
| left unmolested.
| Nov. Il. 1904, according to Professor
Won Stockslager's diary, the party ar
rived at a lake hitherto unmarked on
any maps. II stood in the center of
beautiful valley. the lower end of
which was low and marshy and the
upper end surrounded by heavily wood
| ed hills that sioped down TO the Wa
| ters edge. The water Of the lake was
clear and of a soft, soothing GOODNESS
that was noticed at once. Apparently
the outlet at the lower end of the lake
is the source Of one of the rivers that
| flow into the COngo-probably, accord
| ing TO the explorer, either the ELLA or
! the Ulinda. although the party made no
| effort to trace the little river beyond
| few miles from the lake, the country
| being marshy and heavily overgrown,
and the passage being impossible for
| canoes.
Camp was built on the southeastern
side Of the little lake, which is perhaps
/ three miles long and nearly two miles
| wide at the widest part. The native
| hewers were set. to work hewing out
canoe for the exploration of the little
| lake and the streams emptying into it.
| That evening about dusk Horix, who
! had gone down TO the edge of the lake
| to take a dip, was standing on the
bank. when suddenly he cried out:
Professor. bring q gun. quick!"
One OF the carriers hastily grabbed a
gun and ran down, thrusting it into
Horix's hands. The student threw the
gun TO his shoulder and started TO fire
| then stood blankly looking at the river
What was ftp" asked Professor Won
.Stockslager, running to the spot.
/ 'T thought II was a crocodile. but 1t
was man" was the astonishing reply.
'Tmpossible!" exclaimed the profess
fsor. IF II had been man we should
have seen him rise again."
| Nevertheless" insisted Horix, eft
had the head and face Of a man, and it
was not black, but a chalky-colored
| brown one, very much wrinkled"
The native carriers had withdrawn
| apart and were discussing something in
low tones. The white men saw that
they were frightened. After dark that
night strange noises were heard in the
lake, like a pack Of porpoises at play,
and above the splashings there came
voices-human voices, undoubtedly, yet
strange and unnatural, ike the sound
| made by big fish when they are landed
and dying; a croaking, kissing. watery
sound.
The natives with the explorers were
frightened and wanted to fee at once,
but Won Stockslager became more and
more interested. He advanced to the
edge OF the lake, calling aloud and
waving a burning piece Of wood. AS
he stood there a long, tentacle-like arm
shot out of the water just at his feet
and gripped quickly at his leg. There
was struggle, and when Horix
reached the scene Carrying a gun, the
! professor, wet and bedraggled. had sue
! ceeded in fighting off his unseen adver-
| sarv and had scrambled up the bank
There was no sleep In the camp until
daybreak. Then the scientists. more
determined than ever, proceeded TO
! make a search Work on the canoe
was hurried. and before noon Horix
and Won Stockslager, with one native
the only one who would accompany
them--launched the boat and started to
row eastward. keeping close to shore.
Within ten minutes there was q COM