CONGO AND COASTS OF AFRICA
By RICHARD HARDING DAVIS




THE CONGO AND COASTS OF AFRICA

By

RICHARD HARDING DAVIS, F.R.G.S.


AUTHOR OF "SOLDIERS OF FORTUNE," "THE SCARLET CAR,"
"WITH BOTH ARMIES IN SOUTH AFRICA," "FARCES,"
"THE CUBAN AND PORTO RICAN CAMPAIGNS"


ILLUSTRATIONS
FROM PHOTOGRAPHS BY THE AUTHOR
AND OTHERS


CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS
NEW YORK
1907


[Illustration (Frontispiece): Mr. Davis and "Wood Boys" of the
Congo.]



TO

CECIL CLARK DAVIS

MY FELLOW VOYAGER ALONG
THE COASTS OF AFRICA




CONTENTS


I
THE COASTERS 3

II
MY BROTHER'S KEEPER 32

III
THE CAPITAL OF THE CONGO 55

IV
AMERICANS IN THE CONGO 93

V
HUNTING THE HIPPO 118

VI
OLD CALABAR 142

VII
ALONG THE EAST COAST 176



ILLUSTRATIONS


MR. DAVIS AND "WOOD BOYS" OF THE CONGO _Frontispiece_

MRS. DAVIS IN A BORROWED "HAMMOCK," THE LOCAL MEANS
OF TRANSPORT ON THE WEST COAST 10

A WHITE BUILDING, THAT BLAZED LIKE THE BASE OF A
WHITEWASHED STOVE AT WHITE HEAT 22

THE "MAMMY CHAIR" IS LIKE THOSE SWINGS YOU SEE
IN PUBLIC PLAYGROUNDS 28

A VILLAGE ON THE KASAI RIVER 42

"TENANTS" OF LEOPOLD, WHO CLAIMS THAT THE CONGO
BELONGS TO HIM, AND THAT THESE NATIVE PEOPLE
ARE THERE ONLY AS HIS TENANTS 52

THE FACILITIES FOR LANDING AT BANANA, THE PORT OF
ENTRY TO THE CONGO, ARE LIMITED 56

"PRISONERS" OF THE STATE IN CHAINS AT MATADI 60

BUSH BOYS IN THE PLAZA AT MATADI SEEKING SHADE 70

THE MONUMENT IN STANLEY PARK, ERECTED, NOT TO
STANLEY, BUT TO LEOPOLD 82

THE _Deliverance_. THE RIVER RACED OVER THE DECK
TO A DEPTH OF FOUR OR FIVE INCHES. BETWEEN
HER CABIN AND THE WOOD-PILE, WERE STORED FIFTY
HUMAN BEINGS 86

THE NATIVE WIFE OF A _Chef de Poste_ 90

ENGLISH MISSIONARIES, AND SOME OF THEIR CHARGES 98

THE LABORING MAN UPON WHOM THE AMERICAN CONCESSIONAIRES
MUST DEPEND 106

MR. DAVIS AND NATIVE "BOY," ON THE KASAI RIVER 128

THE HIPPOPOTAMUS THAT DID NOT KNOW HE WAS DEAD 134

THE JESUIT BROTHERS AT THE WOMBALI MISSION 138

THERE, IN THE SURF, WE FOUND THESE TONS OF MAHOGANY,
POUNDING AGAINST EACH OTHER 152

A LOG OF MAHOGANY JAMMED IN THE ANCHOR CHAINS 156

THE PALACE OF THE KING OF THE CAMEROONS 160

THE HOME OF THE THIRTY QUEENS OF KING MANGO BELL 164

THE MOTHER SUPERIOR AND SISTERS OF ST. JOSEPH AND
THEIR CONVERTS AT OLD CALABAR 168

THE KROO BOYS SIT, NOT ON THE THWARTS, BUT ON THE
GUNWALES, AS A WOMAN RIDES A SIDE SADDLE 172

GOING VISITING IN HER PRIVATE TRAM-CAR AT BEIRA 182

ONE-HALF OF THE STREET CLEANING DEPARTMENT OF
MOZAMBIQUE 190

CUSTOM HOUSE, ZANZIBAR 194

CHAIN-GANGS OF PETTY OFFENDERS