Through Darkest Africa

Horowhenua Chronicle, 20 April 1910, Page 4

Through Darkest Africa

FROM CAPE TO CAIRO. A LADY'S"TREK. Pending tli-e realisation of Cecil Rhodes' dream, the Cape to Csni.ro journey is one that is not? to be attempted lightly, as it calls for courage and endurance of no moan order. It lnts, however, been accomplished by not a few men, and by one woman. That lady is Miss Mary Hall, who is visiting New Zealand, and is at present staying in Christchurch. Her visit to the dominion was primarily undertaken as >a holiday trip, but it is probable that before she leaves these shores she will einbark on a lecturing tour. fn the course of a niii'terview with a representative of the "Xows," Miss Hall gave some interesting details of her unique -journey. She said that as a preliminary she spout some time in South Africa, travelling to different parts which were of interest. A year after this preparatory jaunt sire returned to he 'Cape, and started out on the. major journey. Miss Hall refers to the immense area between the Zambesi and Cairo as being the most interesting part of her journey. The railway runs ;">OO miles nouth of the Zambesi, but it was not in the direction winch Miss Hall desired to go. Instead of crossing at Livingston she and her party of natives went up the river and crossed above the rapids. The traveller was carried in a machila, a hammock slung on two poles, borne by sixteen natives in four relays. Her course lay up the Zambesi from Hlairtyre. seventy-five miles (covered in two days) up Lake Nyassa, and across German territory to the foot of Lake Tanganyika; thence to Lake Vici toria Xyanza and across the strip of the Uganda Protectorate to Lake Albert, where is the source of the Nile. When her caravan came to the great lakes, .Miss Hall .exchanged her hammock for a boat. So also i at the source of the Nile she took boat, and was rowed upon the waters of that wonderful river for ten days, camping on its bank by .night. After resting at Xyami, she was rowed on to Gondoroko, which will be remembered by many as being for some time Sir Samuel Raker's headquarters. From Gondoroko she took steame rfor the 1100-mile journey to Khartoum, and the rest of the journey is practically civilised in these days. There are possibilities of adventure in the journey, but, as .iiss Hall put it. the Fates ordained that ! she should get through without i much trouble. The natives eneoitnI tered were friendly, and the wild beasts, though they swarmed about the swamps and forests in numbers that did not suggest the unmolested progress of a caravan, were the source of more apprehension than trouble. "I did not actually see any lions," she said, "though at night there were unmistakable evidences that they were in the viciuiav of our camps. I saw any number of hippos and rhinos in the distance. In fact, they are almost as common about the lakes and rivei.i as are rabbits in your fields here." M iss Hall gives an amusing account of the simplicity of some of the native tribes. For ainy services t'hey gave she used to pay them in cods or beads, coinage being an entirely unknown thing to them. On one occasion she distributed a number of small German coins among the women of a village. Subsequently one of her boys told her that the women, after puzzling over the problem as to what they were meant for. came to the conclusion that they were nose ornaments, and put them in their noses. They were, however, afterwards enlightened as to their real use, and at once improved the shining hour hv purchasing "nose oil," a thick, treacle-like mixture which the natives use as snuff is used by their civilised brethren. The habit of "stuffing" seems to be quite a. common one. an d M ss Hall sometimes found it difficult, especially in the cold altitudes, of £rettin<r five caravan to move on wilrile the men were enjoying their dip from the mull. Miss Hall wns for three months in Oerm.ni 'territory. which exitfj iV-' from the fot, of Tanganyika to Mifwest side of Victoria Xvnnza. The Germans were extremely kind .">nd hospitable, and gave everv possible assistance. Tbev provided her with fwo native soldiers, who aceomnnn:ed her caravan, which consisit«d of about fort.v-fivp men, erupting hearers, porters and servants.