The Great Round World and What Is Going On In It, Vol. 2, No. 24, June 16, 1898 | Page 9

bill for the removal of all political disabilities arising from the Civil War, recently presented in Congress, has passed and is now a law, as President McKinley has formally approved it. This bill refers to Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution.
This amendment made it impossible for any person to hold a political position in the United States who had taken up arms against the Government, if he had previously held a political position and had declared his allegiance to the United States. The law that has just been passed declares that "disabilities imposed by Section 3, Amendment 14, of the Constitution, heretofore incurred, are hereby removed."
* * * * *
Some of the survivors of the terrible massacre at Sierra Leone reached New York during the past week. The story of their escape is a very thrilling one. It seems that among the natives in that part of Africa there is a secret society. When the natives feel that they have any grievance against a particular tribe or people, they send word to all members of the society that "pura" is declared against the offenders; this means that they are condemned to death.
As a result of the hut tax, which we told you about in a recent number, "pura" was declared against all English people in Africa. News soon reached the different missionary stations that this had been done; but the attack on the Rotufunk mission came almost without warning. Mr. Ward, who is the only one of these missionaries left alive, went in the latter part of April to Freetown for supplies, and at that time there was not any sign of danger. Through natives the story of the massacre has been obtained. It seems that early on the morning of May 3d native women came running to the mission house and cried that an armed force was coming to capture the place. The missionaries had no means of defence; their only hope of safety was in flight; but, unfortunately, they were too late. When the tribesmen arrived and found that the whites had left, they started through the bush, and soon captured all of the unfortunate missionaries. The tortures to which they put these poor men and women are too terrible to repeat. Death put a welcome end to their sufferings.
[Illustration: GOVERNMENT HOUSE AT BONTHE ON SHERBO ISLAND, SIERRA LEONE]
In the mean time, the colony of Americans at Shengeh received news that the natives had rebelled. A friendly native visited the mission and told Dr. Burtner that the tribes had declared "pura" against this mission, and that he had better fly. Immediately the work of getting boats in readiness was begun, and the missionaries, together with the friendly natives, finally succeeded in reaching Freetown.
Miss Mullins, whose station was at Momliga, where she was the only white person, had a very narrow escape. April 29th, a band of natives came there shouting and singing. Miss Mullins ran to the river in the hope of finding a boat in which she could escape. The boats had all been taken by the natives, who had either fled or gone to join the war tribes. Knowing that there was no chance of her hiding in the bush, the brave girl decided that if she was to die she would die at her post.
She turned back from the river into the clearing, where the superstitious natives stood aside to let her pass. One of them seized her as she was passing, and asked her what she was going to do. She said: "I am going inside; I cannot escape you, you are too many for me. Leave me to myself for a short time." The man brandished a spear in her face, and said: "See, that is the blood of your friends; yours will soon cover it." But she did not falter, and the savages probably left her untouched for this reason. They are very superstitious, and must have thought that there was something supernatural about her. Shortly after this she heard the tramp of feet outside, and an English voice calling to ask if there was anybody inside; running out, she found that the British commissioner and a large force had arrived. And with them she made her escape.
When the Americans arrived at Freetown, a large force of volunteers had been concentrated, and it is hoped that the uprising will soon be at an end.
* * * * *
In our previous number we mentioned the name of one of the missionaries killed at the massacre as "Kane"; it should have been "Cain."
* * * * *
One of our subscribers has asked why the flag of Hawaii has eight stripes and three crosses. There is a very interesting story told in reference to this peculiar flag. It seems that about twenty-five