Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 216, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 September 1911 — WELCOMED IN ASHANTI [ARTICLE]

WELCOMED IN ASHANTI

MARY GAUNT’S EXPERIENCE ll* FAR WEST AFRICA. i Lone White Woman Received Wlthj Weird and Elaborate Ceremonies by Natives. ! The first white woman to reach the! far hinterland of West Africa alone* and unaided by any member 'of her! own race Is the English novelist Maryj Gaunt. Word of her adventurous Jour-j ney trough tropical wilderness anm jungle has just reached London in then form of a long personal letter from! Miss Gaunt to her solicitor, Mr. Lau4 rie. The letter was dated at a point live days journey beyond Kumassl, the last outpost of civilization, where no white woman had ever before ventured. The excitement along the route proved a source of great amusement to Miss Gaunt, as well as of some uneasiness. At every village vast crowds of nar tlves were assembled to see the strange woman with the white face and wonderful dress. As she neared the entrance to a vtt4 lage the chiefs and their bodyguard! would come out to receive her InE stgte, with umbrellas twirling, tom-i toms beating and long guns popping; a royal salute. A bevy of womeni then rushed forward bearing gifts oft fowls, bananas, yams, eggs and huge* long horned sheep. These were presented with a weird ceremonial, white the chiefs smiled and the populace* yelled and shonted a vociferous wel-! come. Then came a moment of embarrassed hesitation, while the chiefs consulted in lively fashion together. Ats last the head chief marched solemnly} up to his fair skinned visitor and salaamed three times beneath the royal umbrella, always held over him byj two stalwart bearers, after which was delivered a sonorous speech which] was quickly interpreted into a humble* request from the lord of the jungle* that his people “might look.” Of course they might. Such a courteous way of presenting the request could not be denied. Arrangement* were quickly made for a formal reception, at which all the, men and womeni of the village filed past and stared wonderingly as they salaamed low ta the strange woman with the white! face and who swathed her graceful form in so much unnecessary, (Nothing. “My carriers,” writes Miss Gauiit ini conclusion, “are awfully pleased that I am a person of such importance, though I am not quite so pleased myself in one way. Yon see if the chief happens to be particularly hospitable* It sometimes costs me at least £1 for biscuits, which the women and children consume ravenously. Still, as I am the first white woman here I ami prepared to pay for my importance.”, Miss Gaunt was in splendid health! at the time of writing And so interested in her surroundings that thedate of her return to civilization was indeflniate. —London Standard.