Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-07-06
Geographic News
Bulletins by the
National Geographic Society
RAINBOw's END IN AFRICA

- AZ
A country nearly -four times the
size of Texas which was founded by
a committee. provided pocket money
for a king, now is to be mined by Il
syndicate-suoh is Belgian Congo
whittier a group of New York busi-
ness men are reported to have gone
in search of a stream where golden
pebbles may be scouped up by the
handful.
Since Leopold III turned wistful
| eyes toward the black gold or rub
Der, of the Congo country and Henry
| NJ. Stanley proved that white men
] could survive there, this land of the
| rainbow's end has frequently held
public attention" says a bulletin
from the Washington, D. c., head
quarters of the National Geographic
Society.
When Congo Stirred America
"Once before rumors of gold, to-
gether with rumors of cruelty to
natives, sent the name Congo echo
ing around the world. The United
States senate discussed Congo Free
State, rs the country then was
known, and alleged atrocities were
deplored in churches and in meet
ings all over the United States.
"In the year America vas cele-
brating her independence Centen-
NAL Belgium's young king helped
form a society, along with other.
European governments and geogrE-
pliers, to explore Africa. Afcor
Stanley's expedition of the following
year a committee of this society,
continuing the work. developed into
the International Association of the
Congo. This body sought TO unite
various territories in Central Africa
into a single state and obtain recos-
milton as a political entity. The
United States was the first to ac-
cord this recognition, w%hereupon
the Congo Free State was born, in
1884.
Called Free State;" Was Neither
Actually the new political divi-
sion. the largest in Africa except the
French Sahara, was neither a state
nor free. It was ar association for
its g~overnance which was recog-
nized; and Leopold II, personally,
not in his capacity OF King of the
Belgtans, was it's ruler. Leopold be-
queathed the territory to his coun-
try in his will.
Before Leopold's death the con-
troversy yer harsh treatment OF
\ the natives who were pressed into
service as rubber gatherers became
a topic of discussion all over the
| civilized world. Missionaries and
foreign consuls complained of the
o~utrages. The system by which
taxes e. payable only in rubber,
and the practice of holding women
as hostages when such payment was
mot made, was liable to abuse.
Consul Easement Protests
! zone especially severe criticism
was signed by Consul Easement at
Boma-later Sir Roger Easement,
who was hanged for conspiring
/ a Or inct thn prificb ~ r-n1,-I Del
| gians averred that the agitation
about those abuses followed suspi-
~3ciously close upon reports of the
I discovery of gold. While Leopold
denied the right OF foreign powers
to interfere in his rule of the Congo
he, instituted reforms. Continued
assertion hat measures of relief
were not applied led to the cessicn
of Congo Free State to Belgium in
1910.
Belgian Congo is a bowl-like
plateau, criss-crossed by rivers,
~polka-dotted by marshes, ribbed
Il with rock, and blanketsd through
out with the equatorial forest. The
Veritable jungle of this humid wild
e mess surpasses any meaning the
temperate zone dWelFer attaches to
the word forest
Into these prhneval forests, Liv-
I iHSStpie WiObt, the sun, lnOuSl
:. vertical, cannot, penetrate, except by
sending down at midday thin pen
ellis of rays into the gloom. The
rain water stands for months IN
stagnant pools made by the feet of
elephants. The. climbing plants,
from the Size of a whipcord to that
of a ma n-of-war's hawser, are so
numerous that the ancient path IS
the only passage
"Womried with Eternal Green
More recent explorers have COM
merhed especially upon the dire de-
preston which besets the white
, ran when he ~traverses this forest.
: You are hemmed lin by thickets
Which prevent you from penetrating
the green depths on either side. and,
: on gazing upwards, the tense can
opy of foliage overhead forbids an
untrammelled view of the heavens
to the eyes so wearied with eternal
green
Il "Hemmed in thus animal life is
scarcely discernible, out monkeys
break the silence with their chatter.
: butterflies of infinite variety and
color futter about the occasional
open places. and conquering hordes
of insects hold undisputed sway.
f Here the ants abound. White ones
: build curious structures against the
tIulhS VI trees. Ot1eTS patiently
carry the earth, bit by bit. to the
treetops to fashion strange houses
, that often suggest some weird ami
mai abou to spring upon his prey.
Forming the northwestern boun-
, dairy of the territory is the great
Congo river. sometimes spreading
out to five miles wide. Unfortunate
+. Fly for its commercial value this
:. river breaks into a series of falls
when it pierces through the Crystal
Mountains from the great central
plateau of Africa to the Atlantic.
These rapids extend for nearly 200
miles. from Matadi to Leopoldville.
To circumvent this barrier a rail-
a road was constructed from Matadi
to Stanley Pool.
Few more than 5000 white peo-
pie live in the Belgian Congo. Esti-
a mates of the native population
range between ten and twenty mil
: lions. These natives, for the most
s. part. are either of the Bantu race
or pygmies."
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