The Washington herald., 1907-09-15
In the Insanity Valley
St. Louis Traveller Visits Strange Desert

A headsman led them. He gesticulate,
and six little men started toward me. on
reaching me- they divided. three spring
! Ing 10 each side, but not touching ne
/ The headSman beckOned me 90 approach
} was too weak 10 defend myself anC
with much effort rose and tottered for
/ ward The headsman seated me under q
palm and 1 gazed in wonder at his peo.
pie,
hen saw my guide coming. guarded
/ oy SIX men, and he was placed beside me
Not word had been spoken.
suddenly, l saw a head appear above
] the ground about thirty feet away. I said
Z "a the guide: Look. Umumbazahu! look
"hat IN heavens name is thatT That
/ ne said. IS baboon woman And then
/ ne explained 10 me a singular thing
| which / learned afterward was not un-
common In Africa This woman IN the
hole had been kidnapped when a child
from white parents by balloons who
ADOPTED her, guarded her closely. treated
her kindly brought ner food. sheltered
her' and made her queen over them
selves
This bdbOOn woman he told me. was
taken captive in a war Oetween the ba-
Doons and these people u the Valley of
lnsSnity and here she Is queen again.
In this tribe are probably SEQ men. women.
and children
This queer creature had long black
hair" said Mr. Godfrey. Exposure -
the sun had tanned her skin. and her
body was covered with hair Her nails
were long, and her words, uttered as she
rose Irom the hole, were gutterals. But
'he natives seemed to understand her.
She approached US. leaping more than
walking. and touching her fingers 10 the
ground now and then. Every few steps
she jumped like a monkey. A hendisb
hatred shown in her eyes as she sur
veyed Us, and she opened and closed her
lips swapping her teeth. She stoppec
close 70 us. made sweeping motion with
her hand, and then ran oack TO her hole
ana disappeared. I asked the guide You
Know these people. What would be the
wise thing 20 do? She has ordered
your death he said. Show them your
firearms
frightened by "a Revolver.
I held my revolver before the natives.
pointed my finger at a sort Of chicken
running across a field. then aimed and
fired The thing fell over dead. The ma
tiVes were so astonished they shook with
rear ana ran 20 their holes Evidcatly
tney had never seen "a frearm before.
But after n while their heads came
b0bbing out Of the holes again. They
We're srinning, showing large. white teeth
with saber tusks, Again they gathered
around Us, and soon the whole village #
men, women. and children were watching
us curiously. Superior uumbers AZ last
gave them courage. and two Of the men
came toward us with twisted branches n
oind our hands and feet This danger
gave me quick strength. and 7 leaned MT
Them and discharged my revolver above
their heads SIX times. The natives raIf
back. Then / said 10 the guide.
Speak 10 them In your native tongue
He tried Buchuana. MakavaDpa Z,I,1
and Fengo, but they stared az him He
SAID TO me; In my early youth I knew
HottenJOt. now q dead tongue because
me Hottentots have learned 10 speak old
Dutch. He then spoke to them in Hot
tentot, and their faces frightened .Fx-
plain 10 them thatwith this revolver I
can vine out the whole tribe I said
and that every bullet in this revolver
means ten dead men
He translated my words and the M
uves scattered leaving us alone Now
l said 10 the guide, do you think vvo are
safe% He shook his head
Our water supply was gone. Through
The guide I demanded water. and one of
the creatures brought Us rough cI7v