The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-08-24
Saved From
Cannibals
BY ALBERT 7. KENYON


ing alone. it did not occur to me that
would be in danger travelling with a
party. | discovered that the danger
depended upon the kind OF people
should fail In with. One day. as we
were moving farther into the interior
than white men usually care to so.
while passing through a negro village
we were told that II we went Tar
enough in the direction we were going
I've would enter district occupied by
cannibals. But my survey would be
incomplete without penetrating the
district we were approaching. and de-
rermined to push on.
Suddenly On emerging from a forest
we came upon a large African village.
As soon as the natives saw us they set
up howl of delight and began to close
around US. By their looks and ges-
lures | knew that their JOY meant that
they expected to have a fine feast upon
us Their demonstrations being hos
tile. we formed a circle, so that some
of us would face any quarter, and were
Inclosed in much larger circle. We
cooked our guns. waiting an onset.
believing that at the first fire we would
scatter these ignorant people, who had
no knowledge Of weapons except those
Of primitive kind.
But they seemed to understand our
superiority. for they were slow to adj
vance. Raising my gun, took aim at
man standing before me hundred
Feet away, but did not fire till | had
attracted the attention of many blacks.
rhe natives heard a crack and saw
he man / was pointing at drop. This
truck terror into them for awhile, but
lnally they began to shoot arrows
lmong us, and thus running fight
was kept up between us till our am
munition was exhausted. Seeing that
It was all up with us and that / should
be obliged to rely on my wits to save
myself and my party directed one of
my negroes to say to our enemies that
[ wished to be taken before their
chief.
We were marched to the hut Of the
ruler of these people and found him
worthy representative of them. In
deed. he and they were about as low a
grade as I met with in Africa. l had
lived peculiar life during my younger
days. picking up living as best |
could For time / had Travelled with
a circus as conjuror. / had no i'm
plements with me by which to do
tricks, but resolved to do the best
could to impress this superstitious old
king with my marvellous gifts. | told
him at once l was god and threat
sned that If he did not give me
safe conduct out of his territory
would kill every one of them by magic.
de pretended to disbelieve me, though
saw that he was frightened. l was
obliged to rely on sleight of hand to
Impress him with my divine power.
asked him for one of the ornaments he
wore on his person, the size of Il silver
dollar. and. placing 1t on the ground
before him. covered it with handker.
chief. Then. lifting the handkerchief
showed him that it had disappeared.
He looked very much puzzled and
somewhat frightened | asked one of
his attendants II he felt anything in
his ear. lie said he did not. | told
the chief that the man was lying:
had sent the lost article into his head
and wenld pull II out through his ear
Aprr"" ~ him. put my hand up
10 his ear and took out the ornament.
OF course either held the thing In
The ll;llm Of my hand or in my sleeve.
While ] was moving about I managed
to pick up some lsnves unnoticed. and
my next evidence of my being god
WAS picking these leaves ont of the air
would run here and there. graspne
for what the savages could not see and
avery now and then would appear to
,atch che out of nothingness and hold
/ w before the chief.
acted on the cupidity Of the old ras.
"a as we'll as his superstition. We had
brought some beads and other articles
With us with which TO buy favors from
The natives. and displayed the beads
before the chief Then contrived,
through confederate. to drop them
under the ola mans seat. After this |
listened with my hand up to my ear as
II spirit were talking to me and told
the chief that his mother. who had
died many years ago. had asked me to |
give the beads to him. He would find
them under his seat.
This made a more favorable impress I
sion than any of my other divine per. /
formances, and | continued to listen |
TO the requests of his dead ancestors |
till all our money and other articles |
that we could give away had been be-
slowed on the chief and his wives and |
children. Finally. when | found that |
we were cleaned out. said:
II have done only good magic to You
to show you that | am a god, but IL |
you allow one of your people to injure |
me or mine | will call down fire from
heaven to destroy you and all your
people"
The hungry blacks who could not get |
near enough to witness my proofs of |
power were meanwhile |
bowling for us to eat. The chief, how |
ever. feared to crafty them. He or
dered that we be conducted back from |
whence we had come. SO gave him
my blessing. bid him goodby and, sur
by guard he sent to protect |
us. we marched away. AS soon as we /
oot havopJ hiu paan1a opd hoI d;Sy,,;.~