BATTLE WITH CANNIBALS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 64, 5 March 1908, Page 4

BATTLE WITH CANNIBALS

AMERICAN EXI'J.UIiEKS DRi.EN BACK. Paris, .January 3. A hundred and twenty-live Congo natives have been killed in a battle with an exploring party, says the Washington correspondent of the Herald. The conflict, which lasted a whole day, was caused by the hostility of the Congolese to a party of explorers employed by the International Corporation, in which ih: Thomas F. Ryan and the • •iiggenheinis arc interested. The company has a concession from King Leopold to develop Congo Free State rubber anil mineral resources.

Letters received from Washington scientists, wlio entered tin- services if the i-ompiiiiy lo assist in the survey, state that the light occurred six mil's inside tile corporation's concession, near the kasal river. The exploration parly had live [loiters killed and several wounded. The remainder of the casualties were among the enemy. No whitus were hurt.

Tin- expedition was proteeled by -•") soldiers under the command of a Belgian lieutenant. Many of the enemy were armed with llintlocks obtained from I'ortnguoso traders. _U the end of a day's lighting the explorers retreated for two days, harassed all the lime liv natives, before the reached -afely.

A regimenl of native troops is now being employed lo conduct the scientMs through the' Inutile country. The natives are -latod to be cannibals.