African Queen

*This article is about the fictitious boat. For the film of the same name, see The African Queen.*

**The African Queen** is the titular vehicle from the 1951 non-Disney film, *The African Queen* and the 1935 novel by C.S. Forester of which the film was based*.*

## Description

The African Queen was a small steam-launch in the 1910s which was 30 feet in length. During *World War I*, the Queen was converted into a makeshift torpedo-boat. The boat exploded in the year 1914 during a wreckage.

## History

### Background

The African Queen was a ramshackle tramp steamer used in the 1910s by Canadian boatsman/mechanic Charlie Allnut. Allnut used the boat in German East-Africa, delivering cargo for British methodist missionary colonists. In the August of 1914, World War I broke out causing Charlie to flee the colony with methodist Rose Sayer while being pursued by the German *Schutztruppe*.

Motivated by the death of her brother at German hands, Rose convinced Charlie to modify the African Queen into a makeshift torpedo-boat and destroy the German boat *Königin Luise*. On their mission, Charlie and Rose fell in love and eventually got married. The plan fell through when the torpedo ports resulted in the Queen taking in water, leading Charlie to drive it into the *Königin Luise* instead, exploding it. Meanwhile, Rose and Charlie escaped to land where they got married.

## Jungle Cruise appearances

### Disney Parks

#### Jungle Cruise

The African Queen inspired much of Harper Goff's ideas for the Jungle Cruise. The designs for the boats were inspired by the titular steam-boat The African Queen from the film. The name of the boat the *Congo Queen* also might be inspired by the name of the film and steamer, the Congo being a region of Africa. In the *Amazon River Base* is an illustrated map of the surrounding regions of Ponthierville in the Belgian Congo titled, "Follow the Route of **the Jungle Queen**". Parts of the film The African Queen were filmed in Ponthierville. This might indicate, "The Jungle Queen" to be the parks' counterpart to the African Queen or a pseudonym for it.

#### Magic of Disney Animation

In Minnie Mouse's Hollywood dressing-room is a poster made to mirror that of the African Queen's with the title, "The Jungle Cruise". This poster has Mickey Mouse replacing Charlie Allnut, Minnie Mouse replacing Rose Sayer, and Trader Sam standing off to the side with credits to the Jungle Navigation Company. The boat replacing the Queen is not labelled but the credits identify it as likely either being the Congo Queen, the Amazon Belle, or the Ganges Gal (most likely the Congo Queen given the context).

### Other connections

#### Bengal Barbecue

There is a photograph of Rose and Charlie riding the Zambezi Miss past the African veldt and Lost Safari in this restaurant. The two are shown in possession of a 1911 portrait of Dr. Albert Falls and a stuffed Albert the Monkey from Mystic Manor.

#### Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar

There is a post-card sent to Trader Sam from Charlie Allnut through the Jungle Navigation Company in this bar. The post-card reads, "Sam- Just a word of advice. Avoid the 'Ucayali Una' at all costs. If you want to get up the river, call ME. - Charlie".

## Trivia

* As the 2021 *Jungle Cruise* film is inspired by the African Queen, the Queen's film counterpart is *La Quila*. Both have a similar, ramshackle appearance and both have, "Q" names.
* In *Kinect: Disneyland Adventures*, Al B. Lost's boat is called The Amazon Queen.

## References

1. ↑ https://www.easywdw.com/easy/blog/disneys-magic-kingdom-late-morning-adventureland-touring-with-jungle-cruise-pirates-and-crowds/
2. ↑ https://www.movie-locations.com/movies/a/African-Queen.php
3. ↑ https://www.micechat.com/44039-meet-minnie-minnie-at-disney-hollywoodstudios/
4. ↑ https://jungleskipper.com/sea/attractions/bengal-bbq
5. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/BZWe4Zjgo1G/