Samba: A Story of the Rubber Slaves of the Congo

Samba: A Story of the Rubber Slaves of the Congo by Herbert Strang, author of “One of Clive’s Heroes,” “Kobo,” “Brown of Moukden,” “Tom Burnaby,” etc., etc.

CONTENTS
Preface
CH 1. The Coming of the White Man
CH 2. “Rubber is Death”
CH 3. Monsieur Elbel
Illustration: The finding of Samba
CH 4. Night Alarms
Illustration: A midnight encounter
CH 5. The Order of Merit
CH 6. Samba is Missing
CH 7. Blood Brothers
CH 8. Jack in Command
CH 9. Samba Meets the Little Men
CH 10. Trip with a Crocodile
CH 11. Bula Matadi comes to Ilola
CH 12. Samba Comes Back
Illustration: Jack turns the tables
CH 13. “Honour thy Father and thy Mother”
CH 14. Lokolobolo’s First Fight
CH 15. A Revolt at Ilola
CH 16. The House by the Water
CH 17. A Buffalo Hunt
CH 18. Elbel’s Barrels
Illustration: Ilombekabasi and Surrounding Country, showing Elbel’s First Camp in Foreground
CH 19. Breaking the Blockade
CH 20. David and Goliath
CH 21. A Dash and All Together
Illustration: Jack rushes Elbel’s camp
CH 22. A Message and a Meeting
CH 23. Elbel Squares Accounts
CH 24. A Solemn Charge
CH 25. A Break for Liberty
CH 26. Turning the Tables
CH 27. The Return of Lokolobolo
Illustration: Ilombekabasi and Surrounding Country, showing the Diverted Stream and Elbel’s Third Camp
CH 28. The Chicotte
CH 29. Reaping the Whirlwind
Illustration: Samba rescued from the burning hut
CH 30. Sinews of War
CH 31. Summons and Surrender
CH 32. The Dawn of Freedom
CH 33. Conclusion

Nearly a generation has passed since King Leopold was entrusted by the great Powers with the sovereignty of the Congo Free State. The conscience of Christendom had been shocked by the stories, brought back by Stanley and other travellers, of Arab slave raids on the Upper Congo; King Leopold, coming forward with the strongest assurances of philanthropic motive, was welcomed as the champion of the negro, who should bring peace and the highest blessings of civilization to the vast territory thus placed under his sway. For many succeeding years it was supposed that this work of deliverance, of regeneration, was being prosecuted with all diligence; the power of the slave traders was broken, towns were built, roads made, railways opened--none of the outward signs of material progress were wanting.

But of late the civilized world has been horrified to find that this imposing structure has been cemented with the life blood of the Congo races; that the material improvements to which the administrators of Congoland can point, have been purchased by an appalling amount of suffering inflicted upon the hapless negroes. The collection of rubber, on which the whole fabric of Congo finance rests, involves a disregard of liberty, an indifference to suffering, a destruction of human life, almost inconceivable. Those who best know the country estimate that the population is annually reduced, under King Leopold’s rule, by at least a hundred thousand. No great war, no famine, no pestilence in the world’s history has been so merciless a scourge as civilization in Congoland.
Yet owing to mutual jealousies, the Powers are slow to take action, and while they hesitate to intervene, the population of this great region, nearly as large as Europe, is fast disappearing.

It has been my aim in this book to show, within necessary limitations, what the effect of the white man’s rule has been.

If any reader should be tempted to imagine that the picture here drawn is overcoloured, I would commend him to the publications issued by Mr. E. D. Morel and his co-workers of the Congo Reform Association, with every confidence that the cause of the Congo native will thereby gain a new adherent.
I must express my very great thanks to the Rev. J. H. Harris and Mrs. Harris, who have spent several years on the Upper Congo, for their kindness in reading the manuscript and revising the proofs of this book, and for many most helpful suggestions and criticisms.