The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1910-03-26
An EFFECTIVE FETCH.
The surpsiss Stanley Prepared Fer a.
African chlsF.

enterprisiug trader in ivory and
slaves, holding the position Of chief
Of the Stanley Pool district. He
had demanded, WT)te Sir Henry NJ.
Stanley in his Autobiography"
and also received a goodly sum for
granting Stanley the privilege Of
establishing a station where up riy-
er navigation begins. Time passed,
and Ngalyema chose to forget this
transaction and made an impudent
demand for more money. Duly
warned, however, Stanley had pre-
pared a surprise for him:
had hung a great Chinese gong
conspicuously near the principal
tent. All my men were hidden,
some in the steamboat on top of the
wagon, and in its shadow was a cool
place, where the warriors would
gladly rest after a ten mile march.
Other of my men lay still as death
under tarpaulins, under bundles of
grass and in the bush round the
camp. By the time the drum taps
and horns announced N~galyema's
arrival the camp seemed practically
abandoned.
Ngalyema was strangely cold at
my hearty greeting and said: HAS
not my brother forgotten his road?
What does he mean by coming to
this country?'
NAY, it is Ngalyema who has
forgotten the blood bond that eI-
lists between us. 1t is Ngalyema
who has forgotten the mountains of
goods which | paid him. What
words are these Of my brother?"
Speech and counterspeech fol-
lowed. Ngalyema had exhausted his
arguments, but it was not easy to
break faith and be uncivil without
plausible excuse. His eyes were
reaching round to discover an ex-
cuse to fight when they rested on
the round FURNISHED face Of the
Chinese gong.
"What is that7" he said.
"Ah, that-that is a fetich"
"a fetichl A fetch for what p
at is a war fetch, Ngalyema.
The slightest sound Of that would
fill this empty camp with hundreds
Of angry warriors. They would drop
from above, they would spring up
from the ground, from the forest
about, from everywhere"
"Shol Tell that story to the old
women and not to a chief like Nga-
lyems. Ny boy tells me it is a kind
Of bell. Strike It and let me hear
it."
20 N~galyema, my brother, the
consequences would be too dreadful
Do not think Of such a thing"
"Strike it, / say"
l struck it hard and fast, and the
dangerous roll rang out like thun-
der in the stiffness.
Only for a few seconds, however,
for a tempest Of human voices was
heard bursting into frightful dis
cords, and from above, right upon
the heads Of the astonished warri-
ors, leaped yelling men, and from
tents, the huts, the forest round
about, they came by skies, dozens
and scores, yelling like madmen and
seemingly animated with uncontrol-
liable rage.
The painted warriors became
panic stricken. They forgot their
chief and all thoughts Of loyalty
and fed on the instant, fear lifting
their heels high in the air.
But Ngalyema and his son did
not Fly. They caught the tails Of
my coat, and we began to dance
from side to side, a loving triplet,
myself being foremost to ward of
the blows savagely aimed at my
'brothers" and eheerfullv CRYING
out:
Hold fast to me, my brothersI /
will defend You to the last drop of
my bloodI Come one, come anr'
Presently the order was given,
Fall inl" and quickly the men
stood in two long lines in beautiful
order. Ngalyema relaxed his hold
Of my coat tails and crept from be-
hind, breathing more freely.
"Eh, mammal he exclaimed.
where did all these people come
fromf"
"Ah, Ngalyema," l said, "did l
not tell you it was q powerful f.
tich7 Let me strike It again and
show you what else Il can do
mo, noP' he shrieked Il have
seen enough"
0.. aas4s