THE FLAG AND THE TRADE

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 86, 10 January 1928, Page 3

THE FLAG AND THE TRADE

1 — — ON THE CONGO “MAIN STREET, CENTRAL AFRICA” I have slept on the banks of the Niger; wandered and hunted elephants along- the Nile-Congo divide; paddled along the Zambesi near its source, and sailed out of it into tlie sea. I have (ravelled night and day on the Lufira, Lualaba, and Luapula Rivers, all of which constitute the triple sources of the Congo. I have also sailed into and up the Congo from the sen, paddled and noled canoes along its sinuous stretches, and I hold that if any waterway justifies the sub-title chosen for this article it is the Zaire, or Congo (writes Dugald Campbell in the Glasgow “Herald”). So much continuous 24-hours-a-day traffic of men and materials has passed along this great African artery during the past three decades of years that it well merits to be called Main Street, Central Africa. . , Belgian mid British enterprise lias made it possible now for a man or woman to enter Mombasa port—the railhead of the Uganda railway—or Matadi, at: tho mouth of the Congo, and go through from shore to shore without even the aid of a porter or pushbike. Embarking on the Atlantic seaboard one can .go by rail and steamer to Stanleyvilld; from there to Uganda by motor car; across the Victoria, lake by waiting steamer, and enter tho boat-train at Nairobi that drops you alongside a seagoing ship on the Indian Ocean.

Like a Sleeping Serpent. The Congo that lies like a. sleeping serpent along the Fzijtator, with its head on file sea, is a mighty factor in tlie opening up of Central Africa and the .civilisation of its peoples. It is more useful, practical, and enduring than the oldest Roman road. Y r ou may book a ticket: in Brussels for Bongandanga, llumba, or Bukama, the railhead of the Cnpc-to-C’airo railway. You may even plan a tourist trip io Lake Chad, Lake Victoria, or Lake Bangweulu, where Livingstone died. The Congo is the least expensive and most convenient African waterway. It never gets out of repair. It rarely needs dredging save Into in tho dry season. It connects up east and west coasts. Diogo Cam discovered it. in the sixteenth century, and gave it. tho name, bv which we know it. Stanley and De Brazza explored part of ii, and welded it:4 heterogeneous cannibal elans into members of two event Stales.. Farts cf it. wore visited I>y Dr. Livingstone in his search for the sources of the Nile; and he died on the banks of the LUvi, ono of its feeders. To-day, many thousands of while men and women are worked on both its banks, and along its tributaries, trading and teaching. . Traiis- ' .African transport companies run uotillas of steamers, and barges to carry passengers and goods, and to evacuate tho plethora of produce from its fruitful and fertile interior. Prtlm kernels, ivory, oils, copal, rubber, copper, gold, and radium, with diamonds, skins, hides, and much else represent a. few' items in the varied assortment of Congo exports that arc carried along this formidable, fluid roadway.to supply the needs and luxuries of the world.

A Metropolitan Boulevard., The maintenance of good government since tho cessation of tho Leopoldian reginio has been costly in mon and money. In 1.912 the Belgians suffered a revolt of troops that lasted nearly ten months, and cost many valuable lives. In Uganda also a similar rebellion broke out among the Soudanese troops. This contretemps resulted in a period of standstill and stagnation in both colonics. These have long since recovered, and have entered a period of peace, progress, and prosperity. Thanks to wise official policies and persevering efforts, the road along Main Strcdt. Central Africa, has become as safe, and almost as comfortable, as a journey between London and Glasgow—and infinitely more interesting. As I passed up and down, the Congo River in my recent wanderings, it resembled a metropolitan boulevard, alive with all sorts of traffic; from the luxurious three-deck steamer of the up-to-date transport and trading companies, to the primitive monoxyle of antiquity that darts out and in from fishing villages that line the banks. To right and left radiate branch streams like long rows of side streets, into many of which flow smaller streams carrying •paisengoces and produce. First in size and length is the Kasai, that rises in Portuguese Angola. It taps over two thousand miles of territory, and receives the tribute of two hundred smaller streams, each rich in ivory, rubber, palninnts, and copal. Sailing up the south side one finds the Ruki, the Lulonga, and my old friend, the Lomami' River—besides others of minor importance. On the north bank ono comes across tho Übangui, which I followed recently as far as its source on the Nile-Congo liogsback. Then come the Mongolia, the Vitimbiri, and the historic Aruwimi where Stanley fought his way through, and nearly perished at Yambuye, which he dubbed, "Starvation Camp.” These streams that branch off'the Main Street Congo possess an astonishing history of conquest and civilisation.

The Pioneers. The men who opened up this giant moving roadway, with those who kept it open to-day, have made for themselves a permanent place among Africa’s pioneers. Portugal and England had the first finger in this pioneer pie. Later, De Brazza and Stanley came, representing France and Belgium. On arrival, these found themselves preceded by a band of missionaries who had already put together, ri'vetted, and were running steamers out and in the warshut rivers. These craft were made arrow and spear proof by means of protected decks, against which showers of poisoned arrows and throwing-spears rattled in vain; though bullets sometimes penetrated. Among these peaceful pioneers George Grenfell Dr. Sims played an important part. Grenfell was a cartographer, and an explorexof the first order. The captains ot Congo steamers still use his maps. Dr. Sims—a Scotsman—was one of tho few medical men whose home and hospital were open night and day to all comers, and his recent death, which was deplored by Britishers and Belgians alike, has been the subject of much posthumous panegyric. Tho first of early explorers was the Portuguese sailor Diogo Cam in 148.. Next came Captain Maxwell in l<o3. a British naval officer who penetrated the Congo as far as Boma. him came Captain luckey, R.N.. m 1816 who, with seventeen other men, died of fever. In 1827 Captain Owen surveyed the Congo estuary, 'and in 1857 Captain Hunt also surveyed it as faiS as Matadi; while in 1863 the renowned traveller and Englishman. Richard Burton, sailed up it as tar as Yelala Falls. In 1877 Henry Stanley omer-ed at tho mouth of the Congo after his much-advertised African trip, and this brings us to the present period of serious scientific exploration, government commerce, and missionary enterP On tho river recently I found an amazin<» mixture of men and women: Belgians, British, Americans, Danes, Swedes. Italians. Portuguese, French, and other nationalities. Brazzaville is the Government headquarters ot French Equatorial Africa, while Boma is the capital of tho Belgian Congo. There tho Governor-General and a staff of officials tackle tho protean problems of administration, and there Belgian legislation and laws obtain.

Through Routes. Following <m past Coquilhatulle, Lcvervillo and Stanleyville, one turns into tho Luabala River ami reaches the Kiitanmi country, whence, from Bakama, the Cupo-to-Cniro .railhead one can reach Capo Town in eight days luxurious train travel. Going to tho east .coast tho direct route turns off at Stan-

leyville, and by means of motor transport Lakes Albert-Edward and Victoria are reached. There the eastern tram is boarded that lands the trans-Atrican traveller alongside the Indian Ocean. All of these roads and rivers lead through delightful scenery, with a wealth of flora and fauna to be found in no other part of the world. Main Street, Central Africa, offers an easy means of access to the great game lands of the world. Gorilla and chimpanzee, with millions of monkeys can be studied, photographed, or caught in thenriver forest, or mountain haunts. Elephant, rhino., hippo., buffalo, .with giraffe, giant sable, eland, and many other equally interesting animals may be seen in their natural environment. Along the equatorial line one can fash, shoot, or study many available forms of life at first hand. Botany, zoolorv, ichthology, JUid the absorbing stucly of anthrojiology present vlr ß lu fields for research. In the accessible parts of the equatorial forest one naj Love through rich and inexhaustible timber belts which await exploitation •mil capital. Labour in the nude is readv to hand, labour both strong and immuno to fever, and the cost of living is. jow.cr than.it .is elsewhere. -