IN THE WILDS OF AFRICA. An Interesting Adventure Related by Explorer Tisdel. KILLING A MALE ELEPHANT. Meeting With a Baltimore Negro Among a Barbarous Tribe of Natives-A Chiefs Hospitality.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 180, 27 November 1886, Page 1

IN THE WILDS OF AFRICA. An Interesting Adventure Related by Explorer Tisdel. KILLING A MALE ELEPHANT. Meeting With a Baltimore Negro Among a Barbarous Tribe of Natives -A Chiefs Hospitality.

Mr W. P. Tisdel, the woll-known African explorer, has had adventure enough in the Dark Continent to fill half a dozen books like "The Arabian Night," says the New i York " Mail and Express " The fact that he has lived through so much danger, survived fevers that carried poor Livingstone off and hundreds of other men, and wandered for days through jungles so high that the sun nevor penetrated them, are proofa that he is a man of great courage and wonderful vitality. He speaks rive languages, besides a number ot negro dialects. With the elephant lifle, pistol and sword, he is an expert, and also an adept with that powerful weapon, tho pen. He left on the steatner Trave, Wedneeday, for Dresden, where his family is located. He related just before he da parted an incident in his varied career. " Some time ago," he taid, " 1 was making a voyage on a French steamer on the western coast of Africa. I expected to go to a certain point, make up a caravan and penetrate into the intenor of Africa. All of my accoutrements, .~uch as beads, money and brass trinkets for the trading and making presents, were on board, the steamer was bowling along one hot day off the coast of Senegal. No one dreamed of danger. Suddenly the "\e-;*el gave a great lurch, and considerable excitement followed. It was soon ascertained that the shaft was broken and that we woie at the mercy of the winds and waves. We drifted towards Goree Inland, which is four miles from the mainland In a few hours the vessel stranded and left us no alternative but to take tho two boats. By careful managing we landed safely and I saved my outtit. Goree Island is south of Cape-dc-Verde, in north latitude 14.39, -west longitude 17 26, and three milee iv ciicumference. The town of that name occupiea two thirds of the inland and has a population of 5,000. It is an entrepot for Senegal sum, ivory, gold dust andother productions of the coast. On the north-east aide, wheiu wa landed, there was a sandy bay, the ouly one to the little island. The native Goieans are black, but not so fierce and Treacherous as those on the mainland The town is a tough place, and I made imtu.diaie arrangements to depart 1 rnuercred a email curavau and resolved to go into the interior, i engaged a lot of canoes to cany us across tho four-mile channel to Dakar, a tonn on tho CDa3t. I did not. know before I started what was the status oi Dakar — w he her the inhabitants, who number some 3,500 souls, were peaceabe or wailike. We prepared ourselves for any emergency. When we eet foot upon land a body of warrior?, nearly naked, came running towards U 3. They uttered loud cries, and the rings through the noses of some and tha elephants' tusks rattling aioand th ir necks made a hideous and revolting spectacle. They were armed with spear- and assegais I ordered my men not to fiie until I advanced and endeavoured to hold a parley. I suppose I had tikcn a halt dozen steps when a big negro ran torn aid and cried out :

" ' Boss, does you speak English ?' " I was Rurprised and quids:!} exclaimed : " • VYr.ere in did you cotr.e from ';' " • I eaine from Baltimo't', bossj." "I demanded an explanation, and he informed me he had been &ent from Baltimoio to Liberia by the American Colonisa tion Society. He found on arrival in Liberia that it was not a land ftov ing with milk and honey and that he had to woik. It was not what he bargained for. He went to the interior and joined a tribe inhabiting the Kong Mountains. He was as much of a native as though born and reared among them ; had no aspiration? above tho lowest, and could speak their dialect fluently. I gave him presents and he became my guide. He pacified the fierce-looking tribe and satisfied them that wewerelviondd. That night we spent in Dakar. The inhabi tants turned out en maase, naked, to ga/e upon us. If Emile Zola desires to depict revolting realism, I advise him to vi?it Dakar and study the native citizen in his primitive state. It was a moonlight night and the natives held one of their infernal fetich dances. It was a weird and unearthly scene-— the incarnation of tlie idea of pandemonium let 100-e. The belle of the occa?i9n was a tall Kong negre^a, who was attired in a costume that peculiarly displayed her charms. An empty metallic cartridge shell hung suspended from the centre cartilage of her no a e, and highly polished charms made frcm ivoiy of tho hippopotmaus were strung around her gladiatorial neck. Around her massive loins a double row of glass beads jingled as she sprang about like a wild dervish, and huge brass rings flapped from the lobes of her ears. When I left the scene tne Kong belle was executing a fantastic pironotto and howling a rasping dirge, aot nearly as melodiou3 as a whistling boty.

Killing an Elephant. " Bright and early, with the Baltimore negro as one of my guides, I started for the interior, He called me ' bess,' and convinced me that I could trmt him aa far as personal safety was concerned. I loaned him a rifle and put him in front of the van. He started off whistling 'Yankee Doodle,' the only evidence he gave of kindly remembrance of the land he was reared in. For two or three days we made good progress, and then our journey became somewhat dangerous from meeting roving bands of nomads, vho wished us to pay tribute for the privilege of passing. Sometimes a few trinkets would satisfy them, and if that failed a few drops of gin, which they prize more than all money. After weeks of constant travelling andencounteringall kinds of difficulties we discovered elephant tracks. It raised a commotion among the guides and the native carriers In the van. They wanted to see an elephant killed. I hoped that the

elephants would keep out of pight, a8 I did not want to shoot and perhaps only wound one. At the close of a long day's journey the guides in front set up a cry and came running back. I heard a heavy Bracking as if some ponderous animal was rushing through the forest, breaking the bushes and twigs. They shouted ' Elephant'! My idea was that the elephant was trying to escape, and I concluded not to interfere. The trail suddenly turned, and coming down upon us was a huge male elephant. Tho animal was trying to get away, but got mixed up as to the proper direction to take. His speed was ao great 1 knew he could scarcely turn before he voached us. The natives yelled and flad. Tho Baltimore nogro threw down his rifle, but when he p.w me bringing my gun into position he came back. I fired quickly, and tho elephant roared with pain and turned. I took a deUboralo aim then and sent a ball into his side. This must havo penetratod a vital part, for the animal camenear falling. Four more shots in rapid succession were fatal in their Te&ult Tho elephant ran a hundi'ed yards and fell upon a knoll, where he soon died. The natives in the caravan came up and danced around the fallen king of the forest in great joy. A vil lage not far off heard that an elephant had been slain and turned out to eat him up. They looked like vultures descending upon a carcase. The sight was revolting. The women had ravenous appetites as well as the men, and gorged to their hoart's content. This was evidently astray elephant, ior they are not numerous on the western elope 01 equatorial Africa. " The chief of the villago, in recognition of my services in rilling the stomachs of his people, and in consideration ot a bottle of gin, treated me royally. He invited me to hie palace and extended hi 5}5 } rude hospicali ties. He admired my ritie and especially my empty cirtridgo-ehells. I gavo him the shells, but not tho rifle, He vacated hi 3 palaco, a hut some ten fcot tquare, three feet high at the sidfc3 and nine feet high in the centre from ground to ridge-pole, for me to sleep in. It was built of reeds and grass, tightly woven and tied to a framework, 'ihe rafters were bamboo sticks The door was four feet square and consisted of a heavy gra^s mat, woven to a bambo > frame and made to slide either to the right or left Goat skins were spread upon a raised bamboo frame, which served as a bed. I retired very much fatigued, but my rest was broken in an hour, so 1 had to get out and ?lecp on the ground "nith the caravan. The chief's palace was reeking with vermin, and I could not btand it. How he managed to stay all night would be a mystery, it ho were not to tho manor born. His twenty-five black wives looked healthy and free from hysterics. They wore heavy brass bands around their wrist? and ankles, and bias-s rings tluou«h their noses. A brass foundry might; thrive in that section. Tho chief the next morning accepted gratefully a half-dozen cartridge shells and a small measure of strong gin. He never asked me how I rested in his palace. A weeks of travel we got bacK to the coast I tock a southbound steamer. The paiting between the Baltimoxo negro and my=elt was comical but not affectionate, tie had been a faithful guide and I rewarded Mm. Ho came on board the steamer to bid me farewell. I gave him a pea-jacket, a pair of trousers, and a very leng cigar. He put on the jacket, rolled up the trousers and held tl em under his arm, lit his cigar and walked down the gang-plank apparently supremely kappy."