THE GREAT DARK CONTINENT

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1597, 30 June 1887, Page 3

THE GREAT DARK CONTINENT

TBE INELLK COUNTRY.

The Mouvement Geographfqcte qon'ains a report by Dr Jnnokcr on the district of the Inelle. The Inelle is a tributary of the Congo, and rfias m (he mountains near the Albert Lake. Dr Junoker haß explored a great portion of its course, hitherto unknown. The Inellr is navigable for some dittacce, and therefore affords a new waterway towards the district of the Uppnr Nile, Ihe country through which it flows is very fertile. Tb* ravines, and valleys are filled with splendid bananas and oil palms. The whole district gives the impression of an earthly paradise. The population is very thick. Village after village, or rather groopsof houses, surrounded with plantations, form a chain along the course of the river. Some parts are so populated that 2fO inhabitants may be reckoned to the square mile. The principal tribes m the basin of the Upper Inelle are the Klam-ftiams and the Mombouttons. They are cannibals, and m figure, color, and customs, differ little from people of the Upper Congo. The Nlam-N lams are fond of adorning themselves with ohains made of tht teeth of their vletims, and the skulls of those whom they have esten belong to their trophies. In war time they •at those they have killed. Any individual, solitary and without relations, who o*l«» is eaten m tbe place where he lived. Cannibalism is most prevalent: fttaonff the tribes that live nearest the Congo. There people go almost naked. The women merely wear an apron of leather or banana leave*. They all paint their bodies with blaok designs, and earef ally dress th^ir hair. Tho women lake charge of the household, cultivating the ground, gathering m the harvest, drying the grain and grinding it into flour, preparing the meals, and manufacturing the utensils and basket-work. Tbe men, unless hunting or fighting, lie idly stretched on benches nnder the palms, •moking m the shade. At midday they go into the great halls, where they keep op a lively conversation. Polygamy Is tbe fashion, and tbe marriage tin is little regarded. Tbe chief a have 100 wives. As everywhere In places on the tributaries of the Upper Congo little visited by Buropeani, ivory is surprising abondan*. On the ihorei and large inhabited islands of the Inelle there are Immense stores of ivory. Em m Bey hat oolleoted at Wadelai stores of ivory from all tbe province*, the value of which will more than ccyer tan expense of the expedition sent out to his rescue. Dr Jancker's explorations are of great value to aoinnce. Now that it is jknonn that the great river Inelle is con* neoted with the Congo by the Obangi, a long and splendid waterway is opened up between Leopoldville, on tbe Stanley Pool, and a point very near the Nils* A railway only 280 kilometres long by the side of the falls of the Lower Congo would unite the west ooaat and the central distriots of Africa, and goods from Banana and Boma could be carried to the Jtfppar Inelle m the course of five or sir weeks, while ivory, gams, palm-oil, etc , con^ ba returned by B toamer.