Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1919-07-19

in Which | Am Afforded Glimpses Into
Futurity-posslbly Useful,


Futurlty-posslbiy Useful.
Two or three evenings before we
were due to sail. at one Of our snug
gerry e0nelaves. put the question
whether anyone had ever tried the d.
yining rod for treasure In the Islands.
Old John nodded and said he knew
the man I wdnted. half-crazy old ne
gro back there IN Grants Town-the
negro quarter spreading out into the
brush behind the ridge on which the
town Of Nassau proper is built.
'He calls himself a King" he
added. "and the natives do. believe,
regard him as the head of certain
tribe. The lads call him old King
coffee'-a memory suppose Of the
Ashantee war. Anyone will tell you
where he lives. He has name as a
preacher-among the Holy Jumpers =
but he's getting too old to do much
preaching nowadays. Go and see him
for fun anyway"
SO next morning I went.
had hardly been prepared for the
plunge into Darkest Africa" which l
found myself taking, as. leaving Gov
ernment house behind, perchcd on the
crest Of Its white ridge, l walked
few yards inland and entered a region
which, for all its green palms, made a
similar sudden impression Of peryad-
ing blaclSness on the mind which one
gets on suddenly entering coal-mln-
ing district after travelling through
fields and meadows.
There were far more blacks than
whites down on Bay street. but here
there were nothing but blacks on ev.
cry side.
The roads ran In every direction,
and along them everywhere were fig
ures Of black women shunling with
burdens on their heads. or groups OF
girls. audaclously merry, most of them
bonny, here and there almost a beauty.
There were churches and dance halls
and saloons--all radIating, 80 to say, n
prosperous blackness.
AZ FIRST the effect Of the whole scene
was a little sinister, even a little
frightening. The strangeness of AZ
rlcan jungle, was here, and one was a
white man in II all alone among grin
ming savage faces. But for the figures
about one being clothed, the Illusion
had been complete; but for that and
the klnd-hearted salutatlons from
c0mely whlie-turbaned mammles
which soon sprang up about me, and
the groups Of elflsh children that
laughlngly blocked ones progress with
requests--not in any weird African
dialect but In excellent English--for
a copper, please"
This request was not above the
rnaldenly dignity Of quite big and bux-
ON lasses. One Of these, n really su.
perb young creature. asked for "a cop
per. please" hut with q saucy coquei-
~ befttlng her adolescence.
"i'li give you one II you'll tell me
where the king lives" said I.
cole King Coffee7" she asked. and
then fell into very agony OF negro
laughter. Recovering, she put her
finger 10 her lips, suggesting silence.
and said.
-C0me along, I'll show you I"
And walking by my side, 1.-THE as
young animal, she had saon brought
me to cabin much like the rest,
though perhaps little poorer looking.
aShhl There he Is r. and she shook
ell over again with suppressed giggles.
l gave her a sixpence and told her
10 be q good girl. Then I advanced up
little strip Of garden to where had !
caught a glimpse OF venerable /
whlie-halred negro seated at the win
dow, as II for exhibition. with a great
open book IN his hands. This he ap-