An African Adventure

From earliest boyhood when I read the works of Henry M. Stanley and books about Cecil Rhodes, Africa has called to me. It was not until I met General Smuts during the Great War, however, that I had a definite reason for going there.

After these late years of blood and battle America and Europe seemed tame. Besides, the economic war after the war developed into a struggle as bitter as the actual physical conflict. Discord and discontent became the portion of the civilized world. I wanted to get as far as possible from all this social unrest and financial dislocation.

So much interest was evinced in the magazine articles which first set forth the record of my journey that I was prompted to expand them into this book. It may enable the reader to discover a section of the one-time Dark Continent without the hardships which I experienced.

I. F. M.

NEW YORK, April, 1921

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I. SMUTS 15

II. "CAPE-TO-CAIRO" 57

III. RHODES AND RHODESIA 103

IV. THE CONGO TODAY 139

V. ON THE CONGO RIVER 177

VI. AMERICA IN THE CONGO 225

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

King Albert Frontispiece

Groote Schuur facing page 28

General J. C. Smuts 44

Mr. Marcosson's Route in Africa 56

Cecil Rhodes 76

The Premier Diamond Mine 90

Victoria Falls 102

Cultivating Citrus Land in Rhodesia 110

The Grave of Cecil Rhodes 132

A Katanga Copper Mine 138

Lord Leverhulme 144

Robert Williams 144

On the Lualaba 150

A View on the Kasai 150

A Station Scene at Kongola 156

A Native Market at Kindu 162

Native Fish Traps at Stanley Falls 168

The Massive Bangalas 176

Congo Women in State Dress 176

Central African Pygmies 182

Women Making Pottery 190

The Congo Pickaninny 190

The Heart of the Equatorial Forest 198

Natives Piling Wood 204

A Wood Post on the Congo 204

Residential Quarters at Alberta 210

The Comte de Flandre 210

A Typical Oil Palm Forest 216

Bringing in the Palm Fruit 216

A Specimen of Cicatrization 220

A Sankuru Woman Playing Native Draughts 220

The Belgian Congo 224

Thomas F. Ryan 228

Jean Jadot 236

Emile Francqui 242

A Belle of the Congo 246

Women of the Batetelas 246

Fishermen on the Sankuru 254

The Falls of the Sankuru 254

A Congo Diamond Mine 260

How the Mines Are Worked 260

Gravel Carriers at a Congo Mine 266

Congo Natives Picking out Diamonds 266

Washing out Gravel 272

Donald Doyle and Mr. Marcosson 272

The Park at Boma 278

A Street in Matadi 278

A General View of Matadi 282

AN AFRICAN ADVENTURE

AN AFRICAN ADVENTURE

CHAPTER I--SMUTS

I

Turn the searchlight on the political and economic chaos that has followed the Great War and you find a surprising lack of real leadership. Out of the mists that enshroud the world welter only three commanding personalities emerge. In England Lloyd George survives amid the storm of party clash and Irish discord. Down in Greece Venizelos, despite defeat, remains an impressive figure of high ideals and uncompromising patriotism. Off in South Africa Smuts gives fresh evidence of his vision and authority.

Although he was Britain's principal prop during the years of agony and disaster, Lloyd George is, in the last analysis, merely an eloquent and spectacular politician with the genius of opportunism. One reason why he holds his post is that there is no one to take his place,--another commentary on the paucity of greatness. There is no visible heir to Venizelos. Besides, Greece is a small country without international touch and interest. Smuts, youngest of the trio, looms up as the most brilliant statesman of his day and his career has just entered upon a new phase.