A GOLD COAST MYSTERY.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1260, 23 April 1896, Page 41

A GOLD COAST MYSTERY.

A WEIRD TALE OF AFRICAN MAGIC

The Royal Mail steamship Maboona was steaming slowly along the Gold Coast, bound from Accra to Liverpool, and tho passengers, lying about in dock chairs, gazed lazily.out from under the shade of doublo awnings across the glittering water at tho long coastline, which unrolled itself liko a panorama before them.

Long lines of yellow beach, where the blue Atlantic rollers broke in sheets of snowy foam, low bluffs crowned with great cottonwood trees, clusters of native lints lying l>eneath the shade of feathery palms, roaring surf-covercd bar and river mouth, all came into sight, and disappeared as the steamer rolled along, until, lying some distance behind the coast among what appeared to ho miles of mangrove swamp, a lonely flat-topped mountain rose in view.

Tho summit could lie plainly seen against tho blue tropic sky, but the upper slopes wore covered with wreaths of mist, which was strange, as the rest of the landscape lay sharp and clear in the sunlight.

4 That must bo the Ghost Mountain our black passengers tell us tho strange tales about. By-thc-way, you promised to tell us about the time you went to tho top, Commissioner,’ said the Doctor, turning to District Commissioner Oddy, who lay back in a cane

The latter was a slightly made, spare man, who was returning homo invalided, haggard and yellow in face from the climate and fever, but still showing by the flash of his eye, and the firm mouth, traces of energy and decision. (Ic turned to the Doctor, and answered ‘ Yes, I lived—and several times nearly died—in sight of it for three years, but although I once tried I did not get to the lop, and never wish to try again. The natives say no one but a Ju Ju man ever reached tho summit and lived.’

Hero the passengers drew in their chairs to listen, and the Commissioner continued—- ‘ It was some twenty years ago that Jevons, a trading agent, and myself sat out on the verandah of my house, smoking an afterdinner cigar. It had boon a trying day, r.s hot as lire, and at night it was if possible worse ; the inside of the room resembled an oven. Outside,however, a faint breeze stirred, bringing with it the usual smell of burning wood, orange (lowers, and lilies, mixed with the foul odours of mud and swamp, and although there was considerable risk of fever, it was just possible to breathe there, which you couldn’t do inside.

‘ After we had smoked a while in silence Jevons stretched out his hand, and pointed across the miles of dense forest and mangrove swamps that lay beneath tho bright moonlight, opening out here and there to show tho glistening surface of a broad river reach, or the foul black mud of a tidal lagoon, to where tho Ghost Mountain stood out clearly against the sky, with a silver cloud of mist wrapping its lower slopes. ‘ “ When shall wc climb that wonderful mountain, Oddy?” 4 “ Oh, whenever you wish ; to-morrow, if yon like,” I answered. Wo were both young, and with my head full of the varied information in tho Departmental books, I thought 1 knew everything about Africa and its natives. I have changed my mind since, and am just beginning to loarn a little now—while Jevons, a burly red-faced Englishman, was firmly convinced that there was nothing worth knowing except how to make 25 per cent, profit for his firm by cheating the natives. We both of us laughed at the superstitions concerning tho mountain, so having decided to go I called for my .Shanteo boy, blew my whistle for Sergeant Annin and Kossoo, for there were ton “ Hausens ” attached to the station.

‘A few moments later the two Haussas, who are, as you know, Mohammedan black troops, entered. Fine, tall men they aro, far from tho interior, with features much finer than those of the Coast tribes, dressed in brown Karki uniform and a red fez. While they stood at attention, i told tho boy to have two hammocks and eight bearers ready by sunrUe on the morrow. At this lie urged us to abandon the idea, saying that for four hundred years no one lmt a Ju Ju priest had

ever readied the summit without c'tlmr dying or losing his reason shortly afterwards. However, we both laughed at any “superstitious idea,” and turning to the black sergeant, I

4 "Are you, too, afraid to go, Annul ?” ‘ 44 Mountain be great. .1 u .1 u, snh : not good to meddle with the Fetish of the heather; bat whore C'omuiissionali go, Aruuu and Kossoo go too, even though the mountain lie full of devils,” was the faithful fellow’s answer. That is the nature of the Mohammedan. Treat him fairly and lead him well, and he will follow you through Hades. ‘ We started at daybreak next morning, travelling as far as we could in our hammocks, with plenty of black carriers, until the hush became so thick that wc had to go on loot. ‘ 1 remember the morning well, the bright sunshine and brilliant flowers where the forest was thinner, and the solemn dimness and wreaths of mist that lay around the trunks where the great branches met above us, every tree festooned with hanging creepers. Wo did not know then that this mist might mean quick death, and that the smell of an African forest, half aromatic and half repulsive, was generally full of fever. ‘ On we went, winding in and out among the trees, now crossing a clear space, and again cutting our way with matchcts through thorny bushes, until, when night came, wc camped beside a little creek, and I lay awake until dawn, listening to the rustling of leaves and the voices of the forest, and watching the fireflies flashing in the grass. ‘ In the morning we made an early start, and, after a hard day’s march, climbing and stumbling among mangrove roots, several times nearly losing our lives in the pools of fathomless mud that abound in these swamps, wc camped at sunset under the mountain itself. Dividing us from it ran a broad, shallow stream, rippling pleasantly over a sandy bed, only to lose itself lower down among tho rottenness and slime of a mangrove swamp. The moon shone brightly on the water, and in the bush around us not a leaf stirred, but tho mountain in front lay wrapped in a dark cloud of mist, out of which wo could hoar the rustling of treos and the moaning of a night breeze, Our boarors, in spite of tho

liberal pay promised them, showed signs of making oil, declaring that none of us would return alive, and it was only by threats that we could induce them to remain.

‘ When dawn came wo forded the stream, and just as we stepped out of tho water camo upon two tall wands of scented wood, driven into tho sand, each carrying a white cloth clipped in blood. This is one of the JuJu marks, and where it is set up with the proper ceremonial you might lay all you possessed there, and no native would dare to touch it. ‘As we passed, Jevons, out of wantonness, and with some silly remark about “ pulling up nigger superstitions,” snapped one of the stakes across his knee, and set the pieces floating down the stream. I at once turned upon him angrily—

‘‘‘What did you do that for? You fool, look at the carriers ; you’ll see they will all bolt now, worse frightened than ever.” ‘ “ Lot of silly niggers Let them bolt, and we’ll go on alone, eh, Kossoo?” he said, turning to the Han.-sa. 1 “ Whether they bo stick® and stones I know not,” said the latter in his own tongue, a little of which l knew, " but it is not good to insult tho gods ot the heathen,” and by Ibis time I knew he was right. I was a little uncomfortable, for I noticed the carrieis muttering one to another, and looking at my companion in a threatening manner, but, wo induced them to go on by drawing our revolvers, and the climb commenced. ‘ While tho sun shone over the forest below us, the mountain sides were covered with white mist, which soaked our clothes and seemed to go through to tho hone, and while wo could feel no air on our faces, wo could hoar the trees overhead swaying and rustling in the breeze. The lower slopes were oozing with water and mu 1, so that our upward march was difficult and dismal, especially as wo had to cut our way through thorny hushes and masses of trailing plants most of the time. Up wo went, struggling through swamp and brake, until tovar :s afternoon I noticed my companion got strangely quiet, and had a Unshed, swollen look about his face, which 1 did net like. When wc stopped a few minutes for breath, I said ‘“What’s the matter," Jevons ? Are you ill ?” but I only got a surly “ No ; go on " for an answer, and wo continued our way, and by G o’clock wero some half-way up the mountain.

‘ Here wc found a little clear space, strewn with a few large fiat rocks, and as tho bearers had brought some dry wood from tho forest below, we made a fire and prepared to camp. Once or twice I noticed Jevons stagger as bo moved about arranging the simple meal, and at last 1 made him sit down and leave it alone. While this was going on, what little dim light there was faded away, and an intense darkness closed around us. My friend ate nothing, but drank some of tho spirits and quinine I gave him, and then said—

‘“I don’t know what’s the matter with me; my head’s on fire, and I can’t hold myself up. Somcono must have poisoned me -or something. I'll go to sleep.” ‘ Wrapping him in ins waterproof sheet, I placed some baggage under his head, and sat dowui beside him. ‘ “Arnun and Kossoo,” I said, “I’ll watch half tho night—you sleep.” Then I threw more wood on the fire, and began my lonely vigil.

4 Overhead tho trees swayed and rustled, and a chill wind drove in my face, while fantastic wreaths of mist drifted across the firelight. The red glow fell on my companion’s face, and I saw how flushed and distorted it was, while lie moved uneasily in his sleep, and murmured from time to timo. Drifting out of the darkness camo the moaning of the wind and the myriad voices of the forest, and I listened until at last my eyes closed, and I fell asleep. 4 After dozing uneasily a little I heard a weak voice calling me, and, rising to my l'ent, saw Jevons trying to raise himself. Hastily running across to him, 1 raised his head, and lie gasped out—- ‘ 41 1 don’t know what it can be, but I fool I’m dying. Hold my hand; don’t leave me,” and then Ilia head fell back on my knee. ‘Calling Arnun, I told him to bring some more wood, and to rouse one of the bearers, and for the little while lie was away in the darkness I felt strangely desolate. Ju a few minutes lie returned. ‘ “ The Shanteo men all line for go away,” ho said; “ only Arnun and Kossoo here. Where ollienr man live, there be 1 faussa man.” Then he nude up the fire, and sat close beside me. ‘ 1 shall never forget the horror of that dismal night, sitting by the glow of the fire, watching the flickering shadows as 1 held my dying comrade’s head oil my knee. The mist drove past in wreaths, chilling me through with its clammy touch, while all around the branches swayed and rustled as the wind swept (brought tlio trees, and at intervals the snort of the leopard seeking his prey sounded throng! the forest. Jevons moved uneasily at times, and clutched my hand, but never recovered consciousness, and when at length the weary night passed, and the dim light of dawn came filtering through the branches, f saw with horror that lie was dead.

‘ Abandoning all our luggage, we three started to retrace our steps, attempting the almost impossible task of carrying the body of our comrade with us. All day wo.struggled down hill, through mud and thorny thicket, tearing our clothes to ribands, and at times getting a nasty wound ourselves, always in the same cloud of clammy mist, J alternately shaking with the fever which now attacked me, and abusing onr cowardly carriers for deserting us. Towards evening we reached the stream which separated the mountain from the mangroves, and here we flung ourselves down, and, witii pains iu every limb, and with my blood like liquid fire, 1 lay till morning in tlio burning grip of fever. ‘ When daylight came I could scarcely standalone, and, as to carry the body any further was impossible, nothing could be done but to scrape a shallow hole in the sandy strip by the river, and lay it there, at tlio foot of the two Ju-Ju wands: for when wc returned the missing one had been replaced. ‘ Ail that day, with swimming head and useless limbs, I leaned cu the shoulders of my faithful followers, and, half-carried, and half-staggering, managed to get through tho awful tract of mangroves, black mud and swamp, which wc had to cross. Struggling along half conscious late that night, wo reached the spot where the hammocks had boon left, and, although they were worn out with fatigue, the two staunch Haussas took me up, and, travelling along the clear path, wo came staggering into the Compound at dawn—two haggard, tattered hearers and an unconscious man. ‘ For ten days I lay between life and death, and then slowly recovered.’ ‘Did your friend show symptoms of malaria ?’ asked the doctor. ‘ I liaye seen many men die of fever, but

none like that,’answered tho Commissioner; ‘ but from that day I havo carefully avoided any insult to the native Fetish. I can give you no reasons, and can only say with Hamlet, “ There arc more things in Heaven and earth than are dreamt ot in your philosophy.” And if you wish to know all tlio strange things that happen in tho African forests you must spend your life among them.’ —Sheffield Weekly Telegraph.