THE CONGO AND COASTS OF AFRICA By RICHARD HARDING DAVIS, F.R.G.S. AUTHOR OF "SOLDIERS OF FORTUNE," "THE SCARLET CAR," "WITH BOTH ARMIES IN SOUTH AFRICA," "FARCES," "THE CUBAN AND PORTO RICAN CAMPAIGNS" ILLUSTRATIONS FROM PHOTOGRAPHS BY THE AUTHOR AND OTHERS CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS NEW YORK 1907 [Illustration (Frontispiece): Mr. Davis and "Wood Boys" of the Congo.] TO CECIL CLARK DAVIS MY FELLOW VOYAGER ALONG THE COASTS OF AFRICA CONTENTS I THE COASTERS 3 II MY BROTHER'S KEEPER 32 III THE CAPITAL OF THE CONGO 55 IV AMERICANS IN THE CONGO 93 V HUNTING THE HIPPO 118 VI OLD CALABAR 142 VII ALONG THE EAST COAST 176 ILLUSTRATIONS MR. DAVIS AND "WOOD BOYS" OF THE CONGO _Frontispiece_ MRS. DAVIS IN A BORROWED "HAMMOCK," THE LOCAL MEANS OF TRANSPORT ON THE WEST COAST 10 A WHITE BUILDING, THAT BLAZED LIKE THE BASE OF A WHITEWASHED STOVE AT WHITE HEAT 22 THE "MAMMY CHAIR" IS LIKE THOSE SWINGS YOU SEE IN PUBLIC PLAYGROUNDS 28 A VILLAGE ON THE KASAI RIVER 42 "TENANTS" OF LEOPOLD, WHO CLAIMS THAT THE CONGO BELONGS TO HIM, AND THAT THESE NATIVE PEOPLE ARE THERE ONLY AS HIS TENANTS 52 THE FACILITIES FOR LANDING AT BANANA, THE PORT OF ENTRY TO THE CONGO, ARE LIMITED 56 "PRISONERS" OF THE STATE IN CHAINS AT MATADI 60 BUSH BOYS IN THE PLAZA AT MATADI SEEKING SHADE 70 THE MONUMENT IN STANLEY PARK, ERECTED, NOT TO STANLEY, BUT TO LEOPOLD 82 THE _Deliverance_. THE RIVER RACED OVER THE DECK TO A DEPTH OF FOUR OR FIVE INCHES. BETWEEN HER CABIN AND THE WOOD-PILE, WERE STORED FIFTY HUMAN BEINGS 86 THE NATIVE WIFE OF A _Chef de Poste_ 90 ENGLISH MISSIONARIES, AND SOME OF THEIR CHARGES 98 THE LABORING MAN UPON WHOM THE AMERICAN CONCESSIONAIRES MUST DEPEND 106 MR. DAVIS AND NATIVE "BOY," ON THE KASAI RIVER 128 THE HIPPOPOTAMUS THAT DID NOT KNOW HE WAS DEAD 134 THE JESUIT BROTHERS AT THE WOMBALI MISSION 138 THERE, IN THE SURF, WE FOUND THESE TONS OF MAHOGANY, POUNDING AGAINST EACH OTHER 152 A LOG OF MAHOGANY JAMMED IN THE ANCHOR CHAINS 156 THE PALACE OF THE KING OF THE CAMEROONS 160 THE HOME OF THE THIRTY QUEENS OF KING MANGO BELL 164 THE MOTHER SUPERIOR AND SISTERS OF ST. JOSEPH AND THEIR CONVERTS AT OLD CALABAR 168