AN EXILE IN THE JUNGLE.

Colonist, Volume LIV, Issue 13568, 8 November 1912, Page 8

AN EXILE IN THE JUNGLE.

The march of.civilisation has not yet completely destroyed the white man's opportunities for ruling savage tribes single-handed far away from tho control of governments. Such a- man was met recently by a party of white officials travelling in the hinterland of Liberia, and the strange story was brought to England by a Scottish surveyor who had been with the party. As they walked through the forest one evening, soaked to the skin by a thunder shower, and wondering where they were going to find shelter, they saw an elderly man coming towards them. Ho turned out to be a white man, but at first it was difficult to say whether he was not a native. The- only clothes he wore were a pair of rough, muchpatched trousers, which reached only to his knees, and a very tattered cotton jacket. He talked at first in the language of tho natives, and could speak that tongue better than English. Tho stranger took tho party to a village hard by, whero they-found he ruled ;is king, and round tho fire some of his story was told. All his life had been spent in Africa, and many years ago lie and a companion had come into tho interior in search of treasure, which they did not find. They had been rescued by the natives when nearly (lead from exhaustion, and his companion subsequently died. In return lie had taught the natives some of. the benefits of civilisation, and ho now had no desire, to leave them. The party from the coast wero tho first white men ho had seen for many years. On tho walls of his hut were pictures ol tho German Emperor's father and of Queen . Victoria. He had a gun, but |no ammunition, on old rickerty camp 1-bod..and a sun umbrella. He knew nothing about ovonts that had convulsed i tlu> world during his years of exile, and '. apparently did not want to know. An ! offer to take him back to tho roast was refused, and when the party saw him last he was standing among .his subjects waving a farewell. Probably thcro was a tragedy in his life, which he did not wish to reveal.