New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-09-18
EXPLORERS HEARD FROM
Museum Was About to Begin
Search for Lang and Chaplin.
TWO LETTERS RECEIVED
Okapi Group Included in Collec-
ton of 1000 Specimens
from Central Africa.

Herbert Lang. noted taxidermist. and
james b. Chaplin, OF Columbia University,
who headed the Congo expedition OF the
American Museum Of Natural History,
and who We're thought TO have been lost
in Central Africa, have again put them
selves in touch with civilization. Moth
ing had been heard from the party for
seven months and plans were being made
to send a relief expedition
The fears for their safety were wiped
away by a letter received yesterday by
Mrs. G. Chaplin.
The letter was as follows
Parade. August 2, 1912.
lately been prepared. which we hope viii
be very satisfactory 10 President Osborn
and everybody at the Museum, FOR, be-
sides our large mineral collections, We
shall bring home material for three mag
nifictnt groups Of large TammGls-the
okapi, square mouthed rhinoccros ana
giant Gland
What will doubtless interest you moro
Is that we are in good health. OF course,
one doesn't always feel here like
strong man about To- run a race, but the
truth is that Mr.. Long and myself have
widespread reputation ina these parts,
and among the officials and merchants
for general ruggedness.
We walk with ease where others ride
donkeyS or are carried in chairs, or even
further, and a'e considered tireless
workers. simply because we are inter-
ested in our job. We have now been
more than three years in the Congo, but
shall do our best to shorten our term as
much as possible. Government agents
formerly came out for three years but
now need 10 stay but two.
Our whole time is practically spent in
the open air, for even the houses In the
posts have no sashes in the windows,
only rough wooden blinds, with plenty
OF room for thorough ventilation. and
the doors close much in the same way.
The sunlight We get between showers liz
sufficiently strong to suit anybody, but
we are pretty well fed. though a black
boy can hardly make dishes like mother
used to-"
Our great tent, in spite of its lons
service, Is still In use. bat the fly has
been bleached nearly white. Our whole
equipment has served well and our pro-
visions, which We're supplied by a gro
Gerry house in Brussels, all packed I'm
tins, keep wonderfully well. All I'm all.
we are pretty well off, and only lack So
ciety.
For this should certainly like to be at
home, but | expect to enjoy It al the
more for q little delay. We rejoice
that Peary IS TO have his bust in our mu-
tween him and the museum give US a
certain pride Mr.. Lang's beard is
now the admiration ~ the whole region.
and natives Of Africa you know hold
whiskers in very high esteem
Mine are very scraggy. so 7 clip them
often and my mustache Is aiw'st nil
and light cOlored at that. Yet. . am sup
posed to have grown up some in the
Congo TeE, N Hd;,d Lang claims an taller put
our best 10 get away now, and hone that
once We get on the road our momentum
VIII hasten us along toward y. y. Ever
lovingly, JAMES CHAPLIN.
The expedition left New York IN Ma
1899. Its members sailed from Brussels
on the steamship Leopoidvillc. aud
reached Bona June q. 1879. They pro-
ceeded from Matadi by rail 20 Leopold
Vile up the Congo by river boat 10
Stanleyville and from there through the
dense forest on foot TO Ayakubl.
They spent nearly six months In IN"
vicinity Of Medic where they secured
specimens and material FOR an okag.
group. This was the eiraffc-7ntclope-lia.
animal discovered by Sir Harry John
ston in November. 1890
From Medic the expedition Cross d
through the forest to Niausara, IN .ha
northern Congo, and for more than ID
year they have been collecting IN the
northeastern part of the Congo. In adj
dition to extensive geological collections
Lang and Chaplin have secured valuable
chronological material from the pygmy and
other native tribes IN the Congo.
Another letter received yesterday from
James Chaplin by W. DE ". Miller Of the
museum STAFF. states that the collection
OF birds to date numbers more than four
specimens and contains nearly
FIVE hundred species. The birds IN the
collection include weavers vultures
hawks and starlings and other insoctiyor-
Gus birds and birds OF prey.