The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1905-09-27
1906.

learned
is sometimes the best answer to unjust criticism
Moreover, until that event much writing would be
premature mad certain ends in view in accepting
tne commission to persuadethe natives of Ndombe's
town to visit the great Fair, which I believed
would be subserved by this achievement and 7
believed that God who had cared for me in MANY
dangers before was still powerful to preserve me
ana my charges. The event has rewarded this
latin. Not soul was lost and the other purposes
have been achieved
These purposes were to call international atten.
ZION 10 american conditions especially in the Con-
go; to interest prominent and influential men in
tne people and country to secure the attention of
the Congo government in a marked wav to soma
plans had long cherished in Ndombe's kingdom:
TO impress Ndombe and his people with the might
OF the white man in such a striking way as TO
make them comprehend the folly of revolt and in
surrect1on and to give the people an object lesson
in the advantages of civilization
EVERY one OF these ends achieved The
most prominent men in the world in very profess
sion saw these people, and became interested in
them and their country. The professor of anthro.
pology in Chicago University writes me that he
S coming to spend year at Ndombe's town The
Belgian minister at Washington visited us and
invited me to see him, giving me a special oppor.
tun1ty to lay before him many of my hopes and
plans, and to secure attention from his govern
ment to plans for reform and improvement in the
Congo, from favorable point of view The Presi-
dent OF the United States approved of my ideas on
the situation, and Mr.. Hay assisted me in NV
plans. Several wealthy gentlemen became inre,
ested and gave money for the work with promise of
more assistance in the future. When the people
thelr return. safe and sound, His Honor compli-
mented me in the highest terms while the Gov
ernor-General granted me the ong-desred conces-
sion at W1ssmann Falls at once and hoped for me
every success. Best of ALL in the revolt of fine
Bakuba in which the mission at Ibanj had been
burned, and several trading posts had been de-
stroyed, Ndombe, although importuned to Join was
the only Bakuba chieftain to refuse to do so, and
all his country was safe as ST. Louis during
the whole of that terrible time Ndombe said that
he would not break his word to his friend Fwela
But, oh! what jubilation broke out in the old
town last night when we reached there about seven
O'Clock, and the news spread from mouth to mouth
that the yoyagers had all come back safe ana
sound loaded to the muzzle with presents and
happy as larks. The drums beat the trumpets
blew, the guns were fired, and the bowling was
terrific. Ndombe said that truly Fwela's God was
great for most wonderful thing had come to
pass. When the people began to recount their
adventures and experiences YOU can imagine what
chorus of CALCULATIONS met the different startling
facts they told The balloon sailing the air like
bird, the electric cars run by like lightning the
houses taller than the tallest trees in the forest
the people for multitude like the leaves on the
trees, the soldiers with guns making a line from
Ndombe to the river and the great guns making
a noise like thunder (the Boer war!) Next morn
ing there was a rush to the river to bring up the
presents, which the party had brought. Altogether
never have I had such experience nor do I
suppose such another has happened in all African
history.
There things which wish to make
clear about this expedition. was asked to under
take it because of the interest arousd in the people
by articles had written in scientific and literary
journals. The people to come voluntarily or
not at ALL This stipulation fulfilled to the
letter. Among the group were to be of the
Batwa pigmies.
AS to the five pygmies who were with the party.
have to say that after having studied the subject
very thoroughly, 1 assert with positiveness that
these people belonged to exactly the ethnic
class as the pvgmies discovered in other parts of
Africa by DuChaillu, Schweinfurth, Stanley Wiss-
mann. Sir Harry Johnston and others. I made
for Science" the first comparative table of the
measurements of all the dscoverers of the African
Dygmies ever made, and the average shows that
the pureblooded typical pygmies of the Batwa at
Ndombe are of the same stature Moreover the
Identity is established by other anthropometrica
measurements, by language, by the relations to the
other natives, by customs and manners, by char
lCtn nfE n11- L. L.nL