The Tomahawk. [volume] (White Earth, Becker County, Minn.) 1903-192?, 1917-03-08

THN Recruiters Bulletin, the Of
fetal publication of the United
States Marine Corps recruiting
a service, tells the story Of an ex-
petition made by small company of
marines to the capital Of the late Abys-
sinian monarch in the latter part Of
1903. 1t is story of lions and tigers
and other wild beasts, Of fetes and
state dinners, and finally of honors
shown to the expedition by the famous
black monarch. The account, written
by Leonard J. Gates, former marine,
and q member Of the expedition, Is in
part as follows:
"The Abyssinian expedition was one
of the most hazardous and difficult
ever undertaken by military body,
and only the services Of picked volun-
teers with reputation for courage
were accepted. The route lay across
lands infested with hostile tribes,
through forests and over long stretches
Of burning sands, where water holes
were miles and miles apart. Camels
and mules furnished transportation fa-
cilities.
"The American party consisted Of
five officers, including United States
Commissioner Robert p. Skinner and
Maj. G. c. Thorpe Of the Marine Corps,
seventeen marines, five bluejackets,
and Il messenger. The expedition was
lnaugurated by President Roosevelt for
the purpose Of establishing CONNER
cial relations with King Menelik, ruler
and other valuables. The efforts OF
Commissioner Skinner and the little
band were successful in every particu-
lar, and the most friendly relations be-
tween strange people and the United
States resulted.
"The marines and sailors chosen for
the party were landed at DjibOuti, Brit
lsh Somaliland, in the middle Of No
vember Of 1903. The season was mid
winter for that section of Africa. a
condition denoted by the fact that the
nights were comparatively cool, frOsts
being prevalent, but during the day the
sun burned the earth with ScOrching
Intensity.
Through a Wild Country.
"From Djibouti railway runs as far
rs Dire DaOuah, and at this sun-baked
city camels donkeys and guides were
procured for the long march through
unexplored territory. For the first few
days the trail led through fertile lands,
broken only with occasional desert
On1
rolling prairies dotted with wandering
herds of deer and antelope, made a
sight never to be forgotten.
"The forest lands were infested with
lions, tigers and various beasts of prey,
and from time to time ravaged territory
would be encountered, showing where
some herd of rowing elephants had
devastated the small trees and heritage.
AS to lions and tigers they were sell
dom seen, being nocturnal in their hab-
It's, but their presence was too realis-
tically portrayed by the disappearance
almost nightly of one or more Of the
mules. Such losses occurred in spite
Of the sentinels and numerous fires
constantly kept burning.
"Hyenas were plentiful and during
the dark hours they would make the
rolling desert wastes ring with their
weird laughter. A more gruesOme
sound than that is impossible to imag-
the. Jackals also added their melan-
chOly walls to the midnight serenades.
These wOlf1ike animals have a strange
way Of calling to one another through
The hours before the dawn.
"FrOm some distant knoll one breaks
forth in plaintiff cries, shrill and clear,
rising like long-drawn moan. For a
half hour the creature bowls, then
ceases abruptly, and another lone jack
al in an entirely different locality
means through long half hour. He
likewise ceases his cry as abruptly as
his predecessor, while another takes
his turn in the music fest.
an passing through the wooded
areas babO0na were often encountered,
"rcatures of massive size, their fea-
lures almost human in spite of their
wild grotesqucncss. AS though cnragcd
At the disturbance created by the cav
alcudc, they would beat with huge
claws on their broad, hairy chests,
ghich doomed like mufllcd drum I'M
Ter the terrific impact. Jab5ering and
,cssicula;ing horribly they would glare
non the weary ploddcrs, appearing
.scmsclvcs through the tangled
rowths, or swinging wildly through
lIe trees. Monkeys were numerous
nj, ct ono point, the cornI'any narrow
: ESCAPED destruction before wild
iampcde Of f-enziea monkeys and
blooms.
-r71P.is :ec.l3 md moHkeys.