Evening star., 1924-09-14
ny Prince William OF sweden.


IA the thin, raw air. ce-cold
1 \ downpours and animals that
vanished at the first sign
of approaching danger. Rheumatic
joints, both my own and,those of the
film operator. distinctly told US that
they needed more warmth.
The film operator had to give up
the idea OF filming the Gorillas when
it appeared how difficult they were to
approach. / was more than satisfied
with my own specimen. 1t was zone.
but a lion"-and now l wanted a real
lion. even if only one. and there are
said to be plenty of them round Ru-
indi.
We turned our steps toward Rut-
shuru. About half way there is a
small farm inhabited by a South AZ
rican IS years of age. His
wife had only two weeks previously
given birth to twins. Here we made
short stay. 1t was simply impossible
to progress, because the road swarm
ed with blacks with drums and
spears. The chiefs of the neighbor-
hood had called up their warriors and
women to escort us to the district
post, so that the white chief from the
land of snow should receive worthy
reception.
Hitherto l had obstinately refused
to sit in one of the litters which we
had brought with us in case of sick
ness. This means of conveyance,
which consists of seat of plated
rattan suspended between two bam-
boo. poles, is used by all white men
in the kongo. A Belgian never walks
step if he can avoid il. But as my
own legs are of a length not to be
despised, and, therefore, are an excel
lent means of moving my body in
different directions. l had naturally
preferred that mode of propulsion to
the more indolent existence in
''kitanda-"
This morning it was, however, to
be different.
1T is simply not possible" said
Arrhenius. Such a great chief can
not possibly use his own legs on such
a solemn occasion. The natives in
sisted on his being indolent Any
thing else would be most improper"
And in spite of my protests / was
the next moment lifted up into the
kitanda and sat enthroned there high
over the heads of the crowd. carried
by four broad d-shouldered Ba- -hutus.
who balanced the ends Of the bamboo
poles on their woolIy heads. The
drums were beaten. the men shouted
or sang war songs, the women
laughed aloud.
X X X
IN the villages whole crowds came
toward us and threw rice. danced
the shimmy, and heartened their
friends among the bearers by loud
cries. And their muIti-colored shawls
and shimmering glass beads made an
Impression of big, dark butterflies
huttering in the sunshine. There was
. noise and din that you never
heard the like of.
| felt somewhat like an old Pharaoh
carried home after a successful bat
tie with the ancient foes of the coun-
try and receiving barbaric but doubt
fully earned homage.
Soon the four bearers became so
excited by all the noise that they
started off at full speed and ran for
dear life. The kitanda jerked and
shook like a railway carriage that
mas run off the lines. and my Pharaoic
feelings disappeared suddenly going
down a hill on which the whole
magnificent apparatus was on the
point of tippling over.
The warriors danced with delight.
The more l shouted to them to calm
down. and in vigorous and express
Slve Swedish commanded a more rea-
ran, probably believing that /
thought they were going too slowly.
The long road to Rutshuru was
also made in record time, and it was
only on the hill leading up to the
post itself that the whole crowd at
last slowed down and took breath.
collected my poor shaken body
and jumped on to a firmer foundation,
glad to feel solid ground under my
~.
making solemn resolution never
again to travel in d chair of that
sort unless an imperative necessity
compelled me.
How little did ! expect what the
future held in store for me, and how
just the kitanda and T were to be
inseparable companions through the
whole of Ituri and the Sudan.
Inc whole of Rutshuru was up and
about. All the white officials, with
the kind commissaire de district,
M. Ledoct. at their head, bade
us welcome. A little blue-eyed boy
offered flowers tied with ribbons in
the Swedish colors and along the
whole road the garrison stood on
parade. The officers commanded. the
troops presented arms, the trumpets
blared shrill fanfare-it was all in
hnitely well meant but I began al
silence of the vast mountains that I
had left behind.
To tumble down into a relatively
civilized community so suddenly and
TO md yourself to be the center or
everybody's interest has two sides.
and l was glad that it was only tenn
porary because the next day but one
we were to continue our journey.
Under scorching sun OLSON. Arr |
henius and I drew toward the plains
of the Ruindi River. 1t is said that
these steppes south of Lake Edward |
arc the richest in game in the world.
1t was thus with great hopes that
we looked forward to the future |
After crossing the Rutshuru River |
We struck our tents the first night !
at kayumba, where the nightly lion
music which was to echo increasingly !
In our sleep for a month to come |
started in full force.
But 1t was only the next afternoon, |
when we had passed the hot springs |
Of Maj-na-moto. In which you can |
almost boil eggs in a crevice in the |
and had reached the plains /
on either side of the Ruindi River. !
that the game began to appear in |
greater numbers. At Kanyamaranga,
another days march toward the west |
md just at the foot OF the noun
tains, the wealth eliminated.
The steppes lay scorched brown |
Ind silent in the intense sunlight. (
Not q man nor a hut. The acacias |
stretched out their thirsty arms |
,oward glowing sky. The green.
,ranched candles OF the euphorbiae /
ihone juicy and poisonous. completely /
by the drought. Tho
plant seems full of life. but the grass
Ill around was often sooty. black
rom some prairie. fire. which stopped
It the roots OF the euphorbiae and |
lad never dared to lick it's resisting |
trunks.