The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1908-08-25
AFRICAN FOREST NOT so BAD
Frenchman Modifies the Gloomy Pic
lures of Earlier Travellers.

the vast equatorial forests Of a frica
liked the world attention with word
pictures that are now believed io hc
partly Fantastic. Some Of them told
how they wandered months without
seeing the sun.
lhry lived at noonday in semi
darkness. The undcrgrowth olmost
prevented progress, no fresh brcczes
could penetrate the area of gloom,
and even the animals were silent, like
every other phase Of nature existing
there.
The writer's of today arc taking q
different view OF this tropical forest.
Inc latest OF them is Maurice Della
1osse, one of the leading colonial Off
clals OF France, who in book lust
written contradicts many statements
OF earlier travellers.
lie says that nowhere has he found
the African forest darker than anv
other Woodland The vegetation in
IT IS certainly more luxuriant and
more crowded together than in Il Fill
ropcan Forest but it is an cxarrcra-
tl"n I" say they arc covered with i'm
pcnrIrablc vegetation.
Nhrrrvrr the natives live, WE'LL
worn foot paths lead in all directions.
Travelling is hard on some Of ihcm
but many Of the paths are very use
fnl highways.
DrlafoSsc had none Of the expert
enc" Of travellers who assert that
thcIr garments have practically been
stripped off them by the dense and
th"rny underground. lie lived for
mont hS IN Forests without GREAT cr
damage t" his clothing than in any
her parts Of Africa. except that
when travelling rapidly on hunting
path his sleeves have brromc undulv
worn at the elbows.
AS Tor darkness in the forests. he
OFTEN took his compass bearings with
ont artificial light when pitching
camp at ni"htfalI The forest travel
lcr has ihiS advantage. that lr is al
ways IN shadow. and on the hottcs;
days h" can pursue his journey the
Wh"l" afternoon. which would be- i'm
possible in thc open country.
AS for the rcputrd feeling of dis
comfort and oppression in The depths
Of the forest, this is partly true.
When there is no stir in the atmos-
phcrc il is more difficult to breathe in
tn" Forest than in the open. and as
there Is less chance for evaporation.
Thc discomfort of excessive prfspir.
ti"n is manifest.
1t must be remembered. however.
that If under such atmospheric con
dlli"n~ Il man brcathcS more easily
in tho open land he i~ at the same
time much hotter and So FAR more I'M
c"mI"rtablr When II breeze StirS
anywhere IT prnctratrS the woods al
:" with refreshing effect
l)rlAi"S>r records that ne has had
Few such delightful experiences in Af-
rira rs ON his morning walks in the
depths of the forest. lie has never
found Forest travel rs uncomfortable
as marching over the savannahs
where the high grass is above his
head. 1t is then that a man without
air, horizon or shade feels as though
he would melt.
There are plenty Of sounds in the
forest to attract attcntior also. and
they help 10 keep cnnui nj Il dis
tancr. Something Is "oin" on all the
time.
In addition in ihr craSclrSs mur-
mar Of the streams there are the
hummiu" Of insects. ihc song Of birds,
the chatter Of the monkeys. their
~NmnaStir fcAtS from branch Ia
branch. the occasional falling Of dead
branches and tree trunks. and at
night time the wonderful harmonics
and discords Of animate and mani
mate life that awaken when darkness
comes. and sleep again ut sunrise.