IN A LAND OF CANNIBALS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 193, 4 January 1913, Page 1 (Supplement)

IN A LAND OF CANNIBALS

WOMAN EXPLORER'S ADVENTURES. The latest addition to the troops who govern the Katanga county in Central Africa (>ays the Standard) is a squad of a hundred natives who ride bicycles and pedal witli their hare feet. In one ■month these black cyclists mastered the intricacies of their machines and now patrol the districts merrily. Mrs. Margaret Roby, describing her adventures on her second expedition through the wildest and most isolated parts of tlie Dark Continent, said that she met this remarkable body of soldiers on Tier journey just as tihey were setting out for a long trek through bush and over vast plains. At their head was one officer. Each soldier carried close on 801b of accoutrements, and when they came to rough places over whicih it was impossible to cycle they cheerfully shouldered their machines and marched as trained troops. "For one month after receiving their cycles," said Mrs. Roby, "they were exercised and drilled incessantly, and at the end of that time everyone was thoroughly competent. They pedalled with t'heir bare feet and went out on a four months' journey round the country. One of the men picked up a knowledge of tolie mechanism of cycles so quickly that he was able to do all sorts of things with the machines. They gave him the name of the mechanic,' and wihenever any repairs were required 'lre was the man to do them. Something went wrong with m y own cycle, and this native, who saw a cycle for the first time but a month before, took tilie. machine all to pieces, repaired the damage, and built it up again."

.Mr.--. Roby was instrumental in settling a quarrel which lrad arisen between two chiefs. One of them had stolen a woman from-the other's village, and the two had proclaimed a 'holy fight. The small war was just about to begin wilven Mrs: Roby arrived in the district and advised them to settle the quarrel by some other method tluin the force of arms. She was thereupon appointed' arbitrator, and llier judgment waa that the man who had stolen the woman should give her back with three women slaves, while the other antagonist—who had appropriated a -dozen goats—should hand over two men slaves. The judgment was accepted by both parties, who covered themselves' with ashes, according to their custom, and swore that they would be the eternal slaves of the explorer. When .Mrs. Roby was attacked by .blackwater fever she was far away from any civilised abode, and had only 'or.e or two followers left. At nights she became delirious and had it not been for her servants, she would have died in the wilderness. At one time her delirium so affected her that she tried to throw herself into the fire burning outsiide the I tent, Imt the carriers prevented her i from doing this by tying her to her I chair. ' I

ATTACKED BY BUFFALOES. One of Mrs. Roby's most exciting .moments was when she was faced by a herd of wild bullaloes. She succeeded in shooting four of the animals in less than twenty minutes, when all her attendants had tied in terror. The incident happened one morning on the Kamai Plain, when she was on the march. "I suddenly saw that the boys in front stopped, and were squatting on the luggage," said Mrs. Robv, "and when I sent forward to see what was the matter one of the boys came running back, savin «■ there was -plenty buffalo' in front.' I soon made out a herd of between sixty and seventy buffaloes two or three 'hundred yards away. I wounded four of them, but one little red animal which I had hit went in among the long grass, so that I could not see him. Afer 1 hftd finished with the others I went back to look for my little red buffalo, and to take a photograph of him. I found him lying among the grass, and was just focussing the picture when suddenly he rose to his feet and prepared to charge. [ was so surprised that I simply sat down, dropping niv camera, and my boys lied. Oh. yes, J got him all right. I put a bullet in his .rhoukler. and he twine down for good. Hut it was a near thing!" Hie adventurous explorer passed through the Bapemla country. The Bapendas are cannibals, but with Uiem, as with other tribes, who have not been touched with civilisation, the morality of the people is fairly high. Some of the tribes have fought against the Belgians all their lives, ami one of them, nrt\v an old man, whom Mrs Roby met, had surrendered after thirteen years' struggle. Tn token of lite submission, he had painted large white rings round his eyes. The slave trade, in Mrs. Roby's opinion, is fast dying out. The Belgians have established posts all round the boundaries of the Congo, so tlmt it is difficult for any natives to be taken away, or vice versa, without the sentries at the various posts becoming aware of the fact. A line collection ot photographs is one of the fruits of the lonely trip. Mrs, Robv intends to start writing a book immediately she feels well enough for the task, "which will be," she says, "when 1 have rid myself of this wretched fever."