Rensselaer Republican, Volume 23, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 December 1890 — AFRICAN HORRORS. [ARTICLE]

AFRICAN HORRORS.

Assad Farran’s Affidavit Laid Before the World. The London Times publishes the full text of Assad Farran's afOavit. It is written in bad English and the original is in Assad's handwriting. Assad explains that he was obliged in London to contradict his account for certain reasons, especially because the committee did not desire him to reveal anything. He proceeds to describe how Barttelot after Stanley left Yambuya, finding food scarce, employed armed Soudanese to attack neighboring villages, but found them deserted. He then had recourse to capturing native women and demanding food for their ransom. Bonny did the same thing. The women escaped often. This caused isolation in the camp, the natives each tearing kidnaping. Assad relates how Barttelot daily ordered his men to be given from twenty-five to ohe hundred lashes for various offenses.He describes the arrival of. and the negotiations with, Tippoo Tib: He speaks of numerous eases of the stealing of food, of the thieves being punished with 100 or more lashes each, until their flesh was torn. In one case the Major ordered the punishment to be stopped, but a few days later, the victim having recovered somewhat, was given 150 more. He was then compelled to walk ten hours in the sun daily, heavily chained. This was continued for two months, when the victim’s sores became putrid and maga week, and Dr. Bonny gave him medicine, after which the punishment of marching in the sun was resumed. The man finally decamped, but was Recaptured aftei' four days, through the offering of a reward, and was shot, Jameson protesting. Continuing, while describing Ward’s and Troup’s return with ample supplies from their visit to Tippoo Tib with a message to hurry the porters, he says: “Ward and Troup, having everything they wanted, seemed content with the life at Yambuy a and declined to march. The Manyemas daily brought plenty of varied food, which they exchanged for cloth and matches, and the natives brought fresh fish daily, but the men in the camp were starving and dying daily, being reduced to skeletons. Often we asked the Major to issue a little old rotten rice to make soup for invalids, but this was impossible. The camp became a miserable sight, yet none of the officers appeared to care ” After dealing with the reports of Bartellot’s death and the getting of Tippoo’s men, comes the Jameson affair at Ribakiba. Jameson expressed to Tippoo’s interpreter curiosity to witness cannibalism. Tippoo consulted with the chiefs and told Jameson he had better purchase a slave. Jameson asked the price, and paid six handkerchiefs. A man returned a few minutes afterward with a 10-year-old girl. Tippoo and the chiefs ordered the girl to be taken to the native huts. Jameson himself, Selim, Masoudio and Farhani. Jameson’s servant, presented to him by Tippoo, and many others followed. The men who had brought the girl said to the cannibals: “This is a present from a white man who desires to see her eaten.” The girl was tied to a tree, the natives sharpening their knives the while. One of them stabbed her twice in the belly. She did not scream, but knew what would happen, looking to the ' right and left for help. When stabbed she fell dead. The natives cut pieces from her body, Some took the legs, and breasts and other portions straight to the huts, while others took the entrails to the river and washed them. Jameson in the meantime making rough sketches of the horrible scenes. Then we all returned to the chief’s house. Jameson afterward went to his tent, where he finished his sketches in water colors. There were six of them, all neatly done. The first sketch was of the girl as she was led to the tree. The second showed her stabbed, with the blood gushing from the wounds. The third showed her dissected. The fourth showed a mnn carrying a leg in one hand and a knife in the other. The fifth showed a man with a native ax and the head and breast of the vic, im. The sixth showed a man with the entrails. Jameson showed these and many other sketches to all the chiefs. Assad then describes the officers going to Stanley Falls at the end of May. He tells of Jameson’s anger at the {quarrel of Barttelot and Selim Mahomed, which delayed the starting, ahd the anxiety of both to seek or discover whether Stanley was dead or Imprisoned as rumored. Barttelot said that if he could relieve Stanley from imprisonment, he would become a full Colonel when he returned to Yambuya. Assad details the trouble as experienced in regard to the carrying of loads, and then tells how Jameson showed his sketches of cannibal scenes to Capt. Vangale. The latter was surprised that Jameson showed such a sight, and examined several natives, with the view of getting a confirmation of Jameson’s story. Jameson was proud of his sketches and showed them to all the officers, including those of the steamers from the falls, but contradicted himself in describing the scene to Troup and Bonny. In concluding his statement, Assad says the camp was divided, Jameson and Barttelot being on one side and Ward. Troup and Bonny on the other, and that all were afraid of Barttelot. He says he lacks time to remember other stories, but he promises a full account of it in the future, if desired.