The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1909-07-27

engineer on board the schooner Fran
ces Hyde He is jolly German sail
or and tells an absorbing tale Of his
experiences on the Congo River in
Africa.
II was down there for three years
and three months and I had enough
Of it," said the chief engineer shak-
ing his head.
"What were you doing down
there?" he was asked.
I II was engineer On boat that
piled between different points in the
interior,' said Mr.. Treatmayar.
"This boat carried cargo of brass
wire that was traded with the natives
for rubber and ivory.''
"Those natives were crazy for the
brass. They would first wrap bands
Of it around their legs, then they
would wrap it around their bodies.
They were often jealous Of each other
and they would fight if one had ht-
tie more brass than the other.
"They were terrible fellows. They
were tall and strapping. Their faces
were all marked and cut to represent
stars and other figures. They wore
heavy chains around their necks and
ivory earrings in their ears.
"There were about forty OF them
who were with us and showed US the
water route. At first I couldn t under
stand a word they said, but managed
to pick up a word or two afterwards.
"Afraid Of them? No, indeed, and
| T didn t have a gun either: But there
were four soldiers along. They came
from another part of Africa and were
civilized. These soldiers always car
ried loaded guns.
"The first night I got to Africa
couldn't sleep. In fact, for three
months l scarcely slept at all. [ was
camping by the side of the water and
there were dense forests all around
us. When I would lie down in the
tent at night and was about to doze
off I heard a peculiar noise like goats
make. I thought it was drove OF
goats, but when I looked out Of the
tent there was not goat in sight. The
noise came from thousands Of snakes
that would crawl up to the very tent
"It was only when I was so tired |
couldn't t move that was able to sleep
the night through. don't know why
I ever stayed down there so long.
"What did you have to eat down
there?"
"Living there was tough,' replied
the engineer. ~ often ate what the
natives did. I had to or starve. They
lived to a great extent on water
snakes, and I learned to eat them
too.'
"You don't mean they were real
common snakes?'
eyes, sir, they were 'sho nut
snakes. They were fifty feet long and
darted through the water as fast as
an automobile runs on land. - The
Jolly engineer chuckled. "And the
natives had funny way of catching
them, too. They would beat on the
head of drum while lying down IN
the heavy underground. First thing
vou' d know you'd see a head stick
inc ont Of the water and running as
fast as CREASED lightning IN the d.
rection of where the Sound came from.
As soon as the snake got there the
natives would pick him IN the head
! with stick Of ivory. It was funny
TO watch them catch those snakes. -
The engineer laughed remlnlscently.
"And they always caught many one
at a time. You couldn't see the body
of the snake at all, only small head
was seen out of water. Their bodies
we're about two feet in circumference.
".After those fellows had caught
them they would take a knife and
chop them up into slices. Through
each slice they would run a wooden
stick and then they would make a fire
by striking pieces Of flint together
They would put all the pieces Of meat
| in the fire at the same time, and when
tby wooden sticks had been burned
thew knew it was time to take the
meat out. Then they would eat II.
::And what did it taste like?' the
| engineer was quer1ed,
::Well. it tasted like Goldfish. l ate
it many time. That was the only