The Stanley Expedition

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 5988, 7 February 1891, Page 3

The Stanley Expedition-

JAMIESON'S EXPLANATION OF CHARGES AGAINST HIM. On December 25, Mr Jameson's diary, so long looked for, and so often referred to in the "Darkest Africa" controversy, appeared. The followiug is an extract from the diary relating to the charges made against the late author : — Tippu Tib, who oame in before it was over, told me that they usually kill several people and have a grand feast, for the Wacusa are terrible cannibals. He then told me, among other stories, that long ago, when fighting near Malela, they killed a great many of the enemy. The natives who were with him were cannibals, and not a body could be found next morning;. (He tells me that two men will easily eat one man in a night.) He sent for water in the night to wash his hands and to drink, the water there being in a well. When it was brought he could not make out why it stuck to his hands, and was so oily and bad to drink. Next day he and several Arabs went to see what was the matter with the water, and there they saw a most horrible sight. The top of the water was all covered with a thick layer of yellow fat, which was running over the side, and he found out that the natives had taken all the human meat to the well to wash it before eating. At the next place ho camped by a stream, and made the natives camp below him. I told him that people afc home generally bolieved these were only "travellers' tales," as they are called in our country, or, in other words, lies. He then said something to an Arab called Ali, seated next him, who turned round to me and said, " Give a bit of cloth, and see." I sent my boy for six handkerchiefs, thinking it was all a joke, and that they were not in earnest, but presently a man appeared leading a young girl of. about ten years old by the hand, and I then witnessed the most horribly sickening sight I am ever likely to see in my life. " He plunged a knife quickly into her breast twice, and; she fell on her face, turning over on one side. Throe men then ran forward and began to cup up the body of the girl ; finally her head was cut off, and not a particle remained, each man taking his piece away down to the river to wash it. The most extraordinary thine; was that the girl never uttered a sound, nor struggled, until she fell. Until the last moment, I could not believe that they were in earnest." •• t have heard many stories of this kind since I have been in this country, but never could believe them, and I never would have been such a beast as to witness this, but I could not bring myself to believe that it was anything save a ruse to get money out of me, until the very last moment," •'The girl was a slave captured from a Tillage close to this town, and the cannibals were Waeusu slaves, and natives of this place called Mculusi. When I went home 1 tried to make some small sketches of the soene while still fresh in my Memory, not that it is ever likely to fade from it. No one here seemed to be in the least astonished at it."

A London correspondent sends the following remarks on the progress of General Booth's scheme by the San Francisco mail to hand to-day :— The Salvation Army controversy is still waged with increasing bitterness, the papers giving much space to the details of the warfare, and communications charging General Booth with despotic tendencies and narrating instances of his " smartness." The latest development is the publication of a letter from Editor Stead, who claims that ho wrote " In Darkest England and the Way Out," under General Booth's direction. Mr Spurgeon has written a letter in general approval of Booth's " Darkest England " scheme. He considers it right to rely upon the agency of religion as a great spiritual power working it) and through the proposed machinery of the pvoject. The churches, he says, ought not to squabble over the details, but should proceed to carry out the plans proposed with such modifications as they may think fit, without stopping to talk it over first. Within the Salvation Army, by the way, the retirement of Commissioner Smith is regarded as a matter of indifference. Smith was originally a circus clown, aud his successor was a chimney sweep. No seceders have gone out with Smith. It is the only serious split thai has ever occurred in the army since Major Moore's secession in America in 1884. Booth has obtained over LIOO,OOO with which to start his scheme, aud developments are now awaited. A Native Lands Court (Judges Mail* and Scannell) has been sitting at Wellington for several months, taking evidence of the native claims in the Ngarara-Waikanae block, which comprises more thon 70,000 acres. The lawyors have had a splendid time of it. No less than six or seven of the leading practitioners h,aye been engaged. So fair as the natives are concerned, it is likely to turn out a true case qf "beggar my neighbor." Under the first hearing before Judge McDonald the bulk of the land waß awarded to Wi .Parata, formerly M.H.R., a powerful ohief on the West Coast. Almost every native living between Wellington and New j*lyjneuth, including men and women of great age, has been brought to Wellington to give evidence. On Saturday the Court wag brought to a sudden stop in a very curious way. The judges had the previous day given judgment in respect of the claims of Tuhata's children, intending to proceed with the other claims in due courso bub MrJellicoe interposed by an application to the Supreme Court for a writ of prohibition to prevent the Court proceeding With the other cases in the block. His contention is that the hearing of the evidence.was statutory, and specially limited to the cases of Tuhata's children. The Court having given judgment in respect of the claims' of Tuhata's' children, it is contended that it has nothing more to do. The Supreme Court granted the writ of "" prohibition. The whole business illustrates the vioissitude of the legal procedure, by which native lands are affected. Francis C. South, formerly a barrister in New Zealand, has, been committed to trial ;at Maifcland, N.S.W., for stealing a watch. Drink brought him down,

Since dredging was commenced a Lyttelton 2,833,950 oubio yards of mate rial have been removed at an average cos for ten. years of 6d per yard, the tota cost being L 70,344. The fat man of the present Parliamem is Mr Macintosh, whose fat weight is 18st and who occupies the seat of Mr Kerr the biggest man of the last House. Th< champion thin man is the Speaker, Majoi Steward. A novel apology, which explains itself, appeared in a recent issue of the Pictoti paper :•— " I, a resident of Picton, having been caught in the act of pilfering apricots from Mr Swanwick's garden, at eleven o'olock on Saturday evening, do hereby express my gratitude at being let on 1 further publishment by paying costs of this advertiaement. (Signed) F. W. " Afc the last meeting of the Wanganui Education Board, the chairman of a committee, wrote, "So far as my jurisdiction extends, I would faithfully exercise the function of controlling and supervising k the regulation period of company keeping on the part of young lady teachers,' if such a regulation be adopted by the Board." He suggested that one month should be tho limit with one beau, but forgot to limit the number of beaux. The other day, whilst engaged in discharging the cargo of a timber-ship at a port in the South of Ireland, the men struck for higher wages, which the owners of the cargo conceded. Later in the day a member of the firm went down to the ship to see how matters stood. He found the work going on all right, but failed to recognise the faces of the men. On enquiry it turned out that the gang who had struck and got the advance re-let the job to other men at the old rate, and then retired to a neighboring public-house to liquidate the unearned increment. A Melbourne vngranfc met his death in a mosb extraordinary manner. About three o'clock on the morning of the 21st, a policeman on duty in King-street found the body of a vagrant named Robert Aguew, aged 30, on an iron picket fence in front of the Model Lodging House. The deceased had evidently endeavored to scale the fence in order to sleep in a quiet place inside, but he fell with his neck jambed between the iron pickets, an 'l was unable to extricate himself, though the marks showed that he had made frantic efforts to do so. An interesting relic of the Samoan disastov, in the shape of the propeller of the Nipsic, is soon to be placed on exhibition at Washington. When tho American ships were driven on the coral reef at Samoa the Nipsic's engines were going at full speed, and she was making frantic efforts to get to sea. The propeller was pounded ou the rocks, and its blades struck the hard coral at every revolution. They woro twisted and curled up out of all semblance to their former shape, but remained unbroken, showing the wonderful degree of tensile strength elongated in the material. A return has been prepared by the Town Clork, Invercargill, from which it appears tho gas prices charged to private consumers per 1000 feet are as follows ; —Auckland, 6s 8d ; Thames, 12s 6d ; Gisborne, 12s 6d and 13s 4d ; Napier, 9s 2d ; New Plymouth, 12s 6d ; Wanganui, 7s 4d ; Maeterton, 10s ; Wellington, 7s 6d j Nelson, 8s 4d ; Blenheim, 12s Id ; Westporfc, 10s ; Hokitika, 12s 6d ; Christchurch, 7s 6d ; Timaru 11s 6d, under 5000 ft, 10s lOd under 10.000 ft, and 10s over 10,000 feet ; Oamaru, 10s ; Dunedin, 7s 6d; and Invercargill, 7s 6d. In tho following towns reductions are mado for gas supplied to manufacturers (including the users of stoves), the prices charged "being as stated : Gisborne, 8s 4d ; Napier, 5s lOd ; New Plymouth, lls 6d ; Masterton, 8s 6d ; Nelson, 5s lOd ; Blenheim, 8s 4cl ; Westport, 7s 6d ; Hokitika, 10s ; Timaru, 7s 6d ; Oamaru, 9s 2d ; and Dunedin, 6s 3d. In Auckland, Thames, Wanganui, Wellington, Christchurch, and Invercargill, the same price is charged to manufacturers as to private consumers. A disgraceful scene took place in the United States Legislature when three members had a most unseemly wrangle, using bad language to one another. Two of them sprang to their feet and lushed at one another. Breckwith struck Wilson in the face with his clenched .nab, and Wilson struck back. Several blows were exchanged before the men were separated by their fellow-members, who rushed to seize the fighters.

Roman Catholic Church, Gisborne.— This evening at 7 o'clock the usual devotions and sermon by the Honorable Rev. Father Plunketfc. To-morrow morning Mass at 7, 9, and 11.— Advt. Presbyterian Church. — Divine services will be conducted to-morrow (Sunday) by the Rev. R. M. Ryburn, M A., St. Andrew's, Gisborne, 11 a.m. aud 7 p m. ; Matawhero, 2.3o.— (Advt.) Strangers visiting Gisborne and desiring to know the best establishment in which to purchase Watches, Clocks or Jewellery will please note that S. MeLernon offers special advantages. He imports direct and bu\ s for cash from the leading manufacturers, consequently he claims to be in the best possible position to serve the public well. One month's trial given with each Watch repaired by him. If not satisfactory, money returned. — Advt _ Bull-dogs command respectful consideration. Hennessy's solid value does likewise. Ladiea'High Leg Glace Kid Balmorals, 8s 6d ; Men's Nailed Bluchers, Heel Tips and Toe j Tips, 5s lid ; Ladies pretty Evening Shoes, 4s ; Ladies' Kid Oxford Walking Shoes, ; 5 lid ; Men's Nailed O.F. Balmorals, 10s 6d ; Ladies' Felt Slippers, Is M ; Gent's Goloshed Balmorals Kid Leg, nice shape, 12s 6d ; Girls' Felt Slippers, 9d. The biggest stock aud best variety in Poverty Bay. Hennessy's j for boots !