WALK ACROSS AFRICA

Southland Times, Issue 18973, 21 June 1923, Page 8

WALK ACROSS AFRICA

A CAPTAIN’S ACHIEVEMENT. STARTED WITH £5 IN POCKET. ADVENTURES IN THE JUNGLE. To have walked across tropical Africa, from Beira on the East Coast to Boma in Belgian Congo on the West Coast, through dense jungle, his only companions a few native carriers, dependent for food upon wild animals he shot and upon the generosity of the natives of the hinterland—such has been the notable accomplishment of Captain E. R. Murphy, late of the Dorset Regiment. “I started my 3000-mile walk from Beira 1 to Boma on March 26, 1921,” Captain Mur- ; phy told a press representative on his ar- j rixal in London. “I had exactly £5 in Eng- j lish money when I landed at Beira, and ■ with this money I purchased my kit. I "This included a ground-sheet, a.Service rifle, a double-barrel shot gun, and a ' camera. “The journey took me until February, 1923, but I have had a wonderful time, ; and have returned to England with £5O in : my pocket, the profits which I have made ! by wotking in different parts of the coun- 1 try on my travels.” I was fortunate in securing half a dozen 1 native boys as carriers. Steering by com ! pass. I headed for the heart of tropical Af- . rica. We walked by day, and at night ' time sought a couch in the open, when the ■ weathei was fine, or in native huts if it was j wet. I found excellent shooting in Southern ' Rhodesia, and was never at a loss for a meat meal. But soon the few shillings which I had left when I had purchased my i kit vanished. I had been obliged to pay the natives for meal and flour for my carriers. and then the boys themselves needed payment for their work. 'BROKE.” ' I reached Marandella, a large tobacco , plantation, quite "broke,” and decided that j the time had come when I must part with j my native carriers and earn some money. ' >n the railway line I met an Englishman, Mr Hall, a splendid specimen of a York -h reman. and the manager of a large plan ■ ‘Til do anything to earn money and get on with the walk " I told him. "Weil,” said Mr Halt. “I admire your, pluck "I’ll give you a job baling up the In six weeks I had assisted in baling 40,000 pounds of Virginia leaf, and with £l5 in my pocket I felt like a millionaire. I ion found carriers willing to accompany i.e, and bidding Mr and Mrs Hall far once more started on my tramp. I < .mated that funds would last me till I reached Gwello. a small township on the railwaj several hundreds of miles through jungle to the west, and I bought fur ther equipment, including a light tent. It was in Rhodesia that I met the most expiring adventure in the way of big game shooting. LION A COWARD. The country is swarming with lions, buffalo and antelope. Each night I would pitch camp in a clearing after setting the native boys to gather firewood. The camp encircled, I would sleep while one of the Night after night 1 fell asleep to the sQuuu of the lions roaring. The lion is

really a terrible coward unless it is starving with hunger or has been injured. I have met lions face to face and the beasts have raced away in terror. Once I came upon a lioness. She started at the sight oi me, and then bolted for all she was worth. I fired two shots at her, but missed. We reached Gwello safely, and there I paid off my carriers, and with exactly 67in my possession, I stared to look for work. Again I was fortunate. I secured a post as foreman of a gang of natives engaged on the railway and received £1 per day. Having saved £3O in a little over a month, I again looked around for carriers, and off we started, pushing west by north, making for the Victoria Falls. I slept most nights in native villages, i where the headmen ga' e me the most wonI derful welcome. ! Eng.ish and French will carry a man through the heart of Central Africa toi <ky- • As I entered a village I would open a j conversation in English, and if this failed I would try French. Invariably there was ; a boy in the village who could understand ; one or both languages. WITCH DOCTORS’ DANCE. I My mission being explained to the head- • men, invariably a fete would be held in my honour. always took the form of a ' gathering of the tribe, the drinking of na- ' live bter, the banging of tom-toms, and the 1 dancing of young warriors and maidens, followed by the terrible dances of the witch I doctors. Then there would be a feast of fowl and mealies. ■ During the whole journey I never had a i cross word with a native. Everywhere I was received with the utmost cordiality : ' and treated as an honoured guest. In my kit I carry presents for Ihe native headmen—highly-coloured beads and | cloth, and always I received presents in the shape of fruit and fowls. On one ’ occasion I narrowly escaped bei ing killed by an infuriated rhino. I was i walking at the head of the little procession, i and saw a huge black form lying on the rocks. I had come upon a huge rhino at ' i rCBt - Unhappily the wind was blowing towards the beast, who scented me instantly. I just, had time to snatch up a rifle .when the rhino, with head down, came tearing towards me like an express train. I put j two shots into him and he rolled over dead, not 3«) yards away. I had caught him in the biain and in the left lung. OLD WOMAN AND LIONESS. A week later I entered a native village, and wa? told by the head-man that a maneating lioness had been carrying off the ‘ natives from their huts. He told me an 1 astonishing story of a woman’s bravery. It appeared that a day or two before ■ the lioness had suddenly walked into a hut. where an old woman was making native I porridge. The lioness made for the old woman, who picked up the bowl of boiling porridge and flung it into the face of the 1 beast. The animal, screaming with pain, turned and raced from the village. I went out with beaters to hunt for her. and shot her two days later. The animal was blind, her eyes having been burnt by I the poi ridge. When about 1000 miles from the coast, 1' I was laid up with malaria, and for a ? month was as helpless as a child. Having > recoveied, I set about prospecting, and dis- ? cover country rich in oil and bitumen, a i discover}' which, I am convinced, will bring e fortune to many, and revolutionise this s ' part of Africa

Friends of mine in .he Congo have already taken the necessary steps to obtain concessions, and I am returning there within a few weeks. Finally, in rags, I reached Kinshasa, the future capital of the Belgian Congo, and obtained employment with a firm of contractosr, until I was able to save money to take me on my journey down the Congo River to Boma. I believe I am the first Englishman to have accomplished this walk.