Subject
Negrillos Books
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Ruth B. Fisher
On the borders of pigmy land
"On the borders of pigmy land" by Ruth B. Fisher is a missionary travel memoir written in the early 20th century. It follows a Church Missionary Society worker’s journeys through British East Africa and Uganda, blending vivid travel narrative with portraits of local peoples, landscapes, and emerging Christian communities. Expect accounts of royal courts and village life, hard overland travel, and the spiritual aims and practical trials of mission work on the edge of so‑called “Pigmy” country. The opening of this memoir traces the author’s 1900 arrival at Mombasa, a brief stay at Freretown, and an arduous run up the Uganda Railway—heat, dust, and famine along the line—into the highlands and a flooded railhead where camps are raised in storms. It then follows her first caravan march by bicycle through Masai country, mishaps that leave the party divided and camping rough, a dhow crossing of Lake Victoria after a steamer wreck, and landfall near Mengo with a jubilant welcome and glimpses of thriving church life, the hospital, and the child-king’s court. Chosen to help pioneer work in Toro, she treks over swamps and ridges; illness forces companions to turn back, but she and Miss Pike press on, observe village customs (including a comic wedding), and reach Kabarole to an overwhelming reception. The opening also sketches Toro’s setting—crater lakes, the snows of Ruwenzori, violent storms, lightning fires, and abundant wildlife—and closes with the bare-bones start to home life: a mud-and-thatch house furnished from packing cases, spoiled supplies, and reliance on garden produce and stores.
Paul B. (Paul Belloni) Du Chaillu
The Country of the Dwarfs
"The Country of the Dwarfs" by Paul B. Du Chaillu is a travel narrative written in the late 19th century. The book chronicles the author's adventurous expedition through Africa as he seeks to explore the land inhabited by the mysterious "Dwarfs" or Pygmies. With his background as an explorer and naturalist, Du Chaillu's account promises rigorous observations of the cultures and environments he encounters." "At the start of the narrative, Paul Du Chaillu prepares for an ambitious journey to Africa aboard his schooner, the Mentor, with Captain Vardon. The section details his meticulous packing of supplies and equipment, including clothes for five years, scientific instruments, and presents for local tribes. Following a successful voyage, Du Chaillu arrives at the Commi country, where he reunites with old friends and navigates the changes that have occurred in his absence, setting the stage for his explorations into the interior where he aims to meet the Dwarfs."
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