A Journal of a Tour in the Congo Free State | Page 6

but as one end was covered
with scaffolding, it was not looking its best. A light railway runs up the
hill to the barracks of the native regiment and a special train was
arranged for the passengers of the Leopoldville.
Hotel accommodation in Sierra Leone is, like the demand for it, limited.
It is, however, possible to obtain a meal at the Victoria. Altogether Free
Town leaves the impression that it could be developed into a most
attractive watering place if it were nearer Europe and had a better
climate.
It is now getting rather hot and tropical, while the sea is as smooth as a

mirror and equally reflects the glare.
I continue to read up the Congo controversy. The report of Mr.
Casement, at one time British Consul at Boma, created quite a
sensation when it appeared. He stated that the Congo Free State had
granted concessions to Trading Companies, which is a fact, and that the
agents of these companies compelled the natives by force to collect
rubber, which however, he does not attempt to prove by his own
experience, but relies entirely upon reports of natives and hearsay
evidence. He quoted one case which illustrates the extreme difficulty of
discovering the truth from natives. He examined a boy named Epondo
who stated that his left hand had been cut off by a native sentry. Not
knowing the native dialect, Mr. Casement employed an interpreter, but
he was convinced by the manner and gestures of the villagers that the
boy's story was true. When the report appeared, the boy was again
examined by some officials of the State, when he at once contradicted
the first statement and said that his arm and hand had been severely
bitten by a wild boar when he was a child and that the hand afterwards
fell off. Now one of these tales is obviously false and there is evidence
to show which, for the scar of a clean cut wound is different from that
following gangrene. However, at this time I had not seen the boy, so of
course could give no opinion. This is the only case of reputed
mutilation which could be discovered for the benefit of Mr. Casement
and was a very unfortunate example of an atrocity, for in the first place
it was the left hand that was missing and the soldiers were supposed
always to cut off the right, and in the second, there was great doubt
whether it was the result of an accident or not.
We were now coasting off Liberia and Captain Sparrow who was in
command of the Leopoldville cheered us up with the statement that the
charts of this part had not been revised for eighty years, that there were
many rocks and that ships frequently went ashore here. Wreckers then
went out and looted everything on board. It is not therefore, a pleasant
place in which to make an enforced landing.
Liberia itself however, must be interesting to visit, for it is an
independent republic of negroes with an elected President, Senate and

House of Representatives. It sells palm oil to other countries and buys
alcohol, arms and ammunition, thus exchanging a peaceful luminant
and lubricant for the elements of moral and physical strife. Fortunately
no rocks appear through the bottom of the ship and Commandant Sillye
relieves the monotony of the voyage by describing the Constitution of
the Congo State, which however, like other constitutions, is
occasionally revised. At its head is the Sovereign of the State aided by
Ministers at Brussels, next in rank comes the Governor-General and
Vice-Governor-Generals, one of whom is always at Boma. There are
also Royal Commissioners and Inspectors of the State who are very
high officials, but whose duties are not easily defined. The whole
country is divided into Districts which are governed by District
Commissioners. The Districts are divided into zones ruled by zone
chiefs under the control of the District Commissioners. Finally the
Posts and Stations are commanded by Post-Commanders. All these
may be described as civil administrative officials who, subject to the
general system and laws have practical control over more or less
limited areas. The officers of the Force Publique rank as Commandant,
Captain, Lieutenant and Under-Lieutenant, and there are also several
white non-commissioned officers. The natives rank as sergeants,
corporals and privates.
On July 8th we arrive at Sekondi, Gold Coast Colony. The town from
the sea seems to consist of white houses and huts with the usual red
roofs. On a hillock near the shore is an old Dutch fort now used as a
signalling station, and on the left, half way up a hill, an hotel has been
built. The place is not very pretty or attractive-looking for there is not
much colour and no mountains are visible.