ACROSS THE SUDAN.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1292, 22 November 1911, Page 7

ACROSS THE SUDAN.

FROM THE NIGER TO THE NILE. THE PERIL OF MOHAMMEDANISM. Before nn audionco of about 1500 people at,.tho Town Hall last evening, Dr. Karl Kumm, tho eminent African- mission organiser and explorer, told in interesting language the story of his great inarch across tho Sudan, from the Niger to tho Nile, by a route not previously traversed by explorers. Dr. A. K. Newman presided, nnd briefly introduced Dr. Kumm to his audience. By way of preface, tho lecturer gave an interesting resumo of what may bo described as tlio Mohammedan situation in Africa. .'.;•■, Crescent and Cross. The predominant religion in tho Sudan provinces' was Mohammedanism, which was sweeping steadily southward to tho Cape. Five nundrqd years ago, or thereabouts, tho southern advances of tho Crescent had been cheeked by the fierce opposition cf the Pagan tribes whoso territories made a line across Central Africa, and that opposition had continued until' quite recently, when the advent of the;'white man had paved the way for commercial intercourse between tho contests, and the coming of - the Mohammedan religions teachers. This wavo of Mohammedanism was a serious menace to the; future peaco of the African Continent; a most disturbing factor in tho political situation. A sinister characteristic of'the Mohammedan faith was the fierceand. remorseless fanaticism which it inspired, and tho kindling of that smouldering' fire into a blaze was a possibility to be very seriously regarded in a continent, which swarmed with tho followers of the Crescent.' . To denationalise, to Euronoanise those black races of Africa in the hopo of counteracting the influence of Mohammedanism would bo futile. There was, only ono way, he believed, and that was to Christianise Africa. (Applause.)

Info the Unknown. After a brief and interesting talk about thd;-general scheme of mission work in tup- Sudan, and a reference to the first Missionary Conference which had ever been held there—organised by him prior to.;setting out on his exploring trip, Dr. Ku.rnm took his hearers with him on a march across Africa from tho Niger to tho;Nile, selecting a new routo southward of that taken bv tho unfortunate liritish officer, Lieutenant Boyd-Alexan-der; who was killed on his second trip across the continent. Owing to the shortness, of the time, and the immense stretch of- territory to bo covered, tho lecturer was unable to dwell at any great length upon any conspicuous incidents of "the jouruoy, and had to content himself with a [ flying survey of the route, pointing his story with lantern views of the peoples and things he had encountered on the march. -The story of'hi-t adventures was liko a tale from tho Arabian Nights. Ho. talked of ancient civilisations in the heart, of the continent, of giant and pigmy races, of tho eccentric "beak" people of tho Sudan, whose women were deformed, from early childhood till maturity by an artificial disfigurement of the lips. These were induced to grow outwards and saucer-shaped—sometimes the protrusion measured six inches—by the- insertion of a piece of wood shortly after birth, tho result being to endow a woman who would otherwise have been comely to look upon, with a permanent aspect of repugnant ugliness. This barbaric custom had originally been introduced during an earlier period of tribal warfare and slavery, it being thought that the disfigurement of the women would bo their best protection from capture and slavery.

At tho Last Hope. ' The most thrilling part of the story was. the final struggle to Katka, with'a following of 250, which included a large number of liberated slaves, who had been picked.- up after leaving the last Frenoh post eh route to tho Nile. From that post to Katka, where provisions could be restocked, was estimated at 16 days, but it was the rainy season, the grass was high, progress was difficult, the rivers and creeks were swollen, and the journey to Katka lasted till the provisions were exhausted and days of. starvation ,?ud dogged marching in dumb despair KaH sufioT-'* voned. Katka reas reached only to discover that human occupation had ceased 10' years before,.and • when,thf> last hopo had fled, tho elephant hunters, who had been lent to the expedition by a Senussi chief back in the hinterland, picked up' a'welcome "spoor" which led to human habitation and a British outpost. It was a'thrilling. narrative, followed with intense interest by tho audience, and a hearty voto of thanks was accorded Dr. Kuram when he concluded.

This evening, tho explorer is to speak, at.- the Town Hall on "Tho Destiny of the Negro Race," and "Turkey in Tri-