Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-01

inch was cultivated we came suddenly
upon the apital Of the Black Kendall, which
was known as Sinha Town II was
large place, somewhat different from any
other African settlement with which | am
acqua ed, inasmuCh as II was not only
stockaded but completely surrounded by
broad artificial moat filled with water from
n stream that ran through the center of the
town, over which moat there were four
timber bridges placed at the cardinal points
of the compass These bridges were strong
enough TO bear horses or stock hut so
made that in the event Of attack they could
be destroyed in few minutes.
Riding through The eastern gate, stout
timber structure on the further side of the
corresponding bridge. where the King was
received with salutes by an armed guard,
we entered one of the two main streets
of the town, which ran from north to south
and from east to west. 1t was broad
and on either side OF it were the dwellings
of the inhabitants set close together be-
cause the space within the stockadc was
limited. These were not huts but square
buildings of mud with Hat roofs Of some
kind OF cement. Evidently they were built
upon the model of Oriental and North Atri-
can houses of which some debased tradi-
tion remained with these people. Thus a
stairway or ladder ran from the interior to
the roof of each house whereon its in
habtants were accustomed, as | discovered
afterward, to sleep during a good part of
the year, also to eat In the cool of tHe
day Many of them were gathered In &c
now to watch us pass men. women and
children, all except the little ones. deCeutly
clothed in long garments of various COors,
the women for the most part in white and
the men in n kind of blush linen.
saw at once that they had already heard
of the fight and of the considerable losses
which their people had sustained. for their
reception Of us prisoners was most un-
friendly M hpi nGt q
at us. the women screamed out curses while
| the children stuck out their tongues i'm
| token Of derision or defiance. Most of these
| demonstrations, however, were directed at
| Marut and his followers. who only smiled
indifferently. At me they stared in wonder
| not unmixed with fear.
A quarter OF n mile or so from the gate
| we came to an inner inclosure, that an.
| swered to the South African cattle kraal
surrounded by dry ditch and a timber
| palisade. outside of which was planted "A
green fence of some shrub with long white
| thorns. Here we passed through more gates.
| 10 ma ourselves In an oval space. perhaps
| hNe acres in extent Evidently this served
as market ground, but all round it were
| open sheds where hundreds of horses were
| stabbed. No cattle seemed to be kept there
except few that. with sheep and goats
were driven in every day for slaughter
| purposes at a shambes at the north end
| from the great stock k-kraals built beyond
| 'he ipieSl 10 tnt SOutn, Wnere thpN were
safe from possible rading by the White
| Kendall.
A tall reed fence cut off the southern
| end or this market-plaCe, outside of which
| we were ordered to dismount Passing
| through yet another gate we found within
| the fence large hut or house built on the
same model as the others in the town
| which Marut whispered to me was that of
| the king Behind it were smaller houses
IN which lived his queen and women good
| looking females who advanced to meet him
| with obsequious bows. To the right and
left were two more buildings of about equal
size one of which was occupied by the
royal guard and the other was the guest.
| house, whittier we were conducted
| IL proved to be a comfortable DWELLING
| about thirty feet square but containing only
one room, with various huts behind it that
served Tor cooking and other purposes. In
| one OF these the three camelmen were
| placed. Immediately on our arrival food
was brought to us, n lamb or kid roasted
| whoie upon a wooden platter and some
| green mealie-cobs boiled upon another plat.
ter; also water to drink and wash with in
earthenware jars of sun-dried clay.
CONTINUED TOMORROW