IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-3)

4? M:>

'^t <i.°

&
^

1.0

I.I

1.25

2.2

1.4

IIM
1=

1.6

^^S'

Photogiaphic

Sciences
Corporation

23 WEST MAIN STREET

WEBSTER, N.Y. HSBO

(716) 872-4503

1^/

£<5

CIHM/ICMH

Microfiche

Series.

CIHIVI/ICIVIH
Collection de
microfiches.

Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques

Technical and Bibliographic Notes/Notes t«chniqu«s at bibliographiques

The
toth

The Institute hus attempted to obtain the best
original copy available for filming. Features of this
copy which may be bibliographically unique,
which may alter any of the images in the
reproduction, or which may significantly change
the usual method of filming, are checked below.

Coloured covers/
Couverture de couleur

I I Covers damaged/

Couverture endommagde

Covers restored and/or laminated/
Couverture restaurie et/ou pelliculie

I~n Cover title missing/

Le titre de couverture manque

Q Coloured maps/
Cartes g^ographiques en couleur

Coloured ink (i.e. other than blue or black)/
Encre de couleur (i.e. autre que bleue ou noire)

Coloured plates and/or illustrations/
Planches et/ou illustrations en couleur

Bound with other material/
Relid avec d'autres documents

Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion
along interior margin/

La re liure serrie peut causer de I'ombre ou de la
distorsion le long de la marge intdrieure

Blank leaves added during restoration may
appear within the text. Whenever possible, these
have been omitted from filming/
II se peut que certaines pages blanches ajoutcies
lors d'une restauration apparaissent dans le texte,
mais, lorsque cela itait possible, ces pages n'ont
pas 6tA filmdes.

L'Institut a microfilm^ le meilleur exemplaire
qu'il lui a it6 possible de se procurer. Les details
de cet exemplaire qui sont peut-dtre uniques du
point de vue bibJiographique, qui peuvent modifier
une image reprrduite, ou qui peuvent exiger une
modification dans la mdthoda normale de filmage
sont indiquis ci-dessous.

□ Coloured pages/
Pages dj couleur

□ Pages damaged/
Pages endommagies

□ Pages restored and/or laminated/
Pages restaurdes et/ou pelliculies

The
poss
of t»
filmi

Orig
begi
the I
sion
othe
first
siori
or ill

~~71 Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/
! Pages d6colordes, tacheties ou piqu^es

Pages detached/
Pages ddtachees

rri Showthrough/

Transparence

Quality of prir

Qualiti indgale de ('impression

Includes supplementary materit
Comprend du matdriel suppldmentaire

Only edition available/
Seule Edition disponible

I I Quality of print varies/

rn Includes supplementary material/

nn Only edition available/

The
shal
TINI
whi<

Map
diffc
entii
begi
righi
requ
metl

Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata
slips, tissues, etc., have been refilmed to
ensure the best possible image/
Les pages totalement ou partiellement
obscurcies par un feuillet d'errata, une pelure,
etc., ont ixh fiimies d nouveau de fapon d
obtenir la meilleure image possible.

Additional comments:/
Commentaires suppl^mentaires;

Pagination it as follows : [15] - 576 p.

This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/

Ce document est filmi au taux de reduction indiqui ci-dessous.

10X MX 18X 22X

26X

30X

12X

16X

20X

24X

28X

32X

The copy filmed here has been reproduced thanks
to the generosity of:

D.B. Waldon Library
University of Western Ontario

L'exempiaire film6 fut reproduit grAce h la
gtnirositi de:

D.B. Weldon Library
University of Western Ontario

The images appearing here are the best quality
possible considering the condition and legibility
of the original copy and in keeping with the
filming contract specifications.

Les images suivantes ont 6t6 reproduites avec le
plus grand soin. compte tenu de la condition et
de la nettet6 da l'exempiaire film6, et en
conformity avec les conditions du contrat de
filmage.

Original copies in printed paper covers are filmed
beginning with tha front cover and ending on
the last page with a printed or illustrated impres-
sion, or thd back cover when appropriate. All
other original copies are filmed beginning on the
first page with a printed or illustrated impres-
sior<, and ending on the last page with a printed
or illustrated impression.

The last recorded frame on each microfiche
shall contain the symbol ^^> (meaning "CON-
TINUED"), or the symbol V (meaning "END"),
whichever applies.

Les exemplaires originaux dont la couverture en
papier est imprim6e sont fiimis en commenpant
par le premier plat et en terminant soit par la
dernidre page qui comporte une empreinte
d'impression ou d'illustration, soit par le second
plat, selon le cas. Tcus les autres exemplaires
originaux sont film6s en commen^ant par la
premidre page qui comporte une empreinte
d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par
la dernidre page qui comporte une telle
empreinte.

Un des symboies suivants apparaitra sur la
dernidre image de cheque microfiche, selon le
cas: le symbuie -*- signifie "A SUIVRE ", le
symbols V signifie "FIN".

IVIaps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at
different reduction ratios. Those too large to be
entirely included in one exposure are filmed
beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to
right and top to bottom, as many frames as
required. The following diagrams illustrate the
method:

Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent 6tre
film6s d des taux de reduction diff6rents.
Lorsque le document est trop grand pour Atre
reproduit en un seul clich6, ii est film6 A partir
de Tangle supArieur gauche, de gauche d droite,
et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre
d'images nAcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants
iiiustrent la mAthode.

32X

♦ 1

.L:-„

-f?:'

fb. r i :r> 1

liOT-jfci iHi^^il&T-fit^'s . t.

, .. rt- .

:AM

102

jmmm'nii

». ■- t) :

;■.

a. . . ■

-^^

V.V-.

I'tfrilWtiMii I

-{!?%

J^A ■ v.

-'/''t

H3NTINENT

AND

OMPLETE HISTORY OF ALL THE GREAT EXPLORATIONS AND
DISCOVERIES IN AFRICA, FROM THE EARLIEST
AGES TO THE PRESENT TIME,

INCLUDINO A VUl,!,, AUTHKNTIC AND THRILMNC. ACCOUNT OF

STANLEY'S FAMOUS RELIEF OF EMIN PASHA.

■'^■^'•,'4 KKl'I.KTE WITH ASTOrNDINO INCIDENTS, WONDERFUL, ADVENTURES,
\iYSTKRIOrS FROVIDKNCRS, GRAND ACHIRVKMENTS, AND GLORIOUS
DEEDS AS REPRESENTED IN THE DEVOTED LIVES AND SPLENDID
CAREERS OF SUCH BRILLIANT CHARACTERS AS

HENRY M. STANLEY, EMIN PASHA, GEN. (CHINESE) GORDON,

id all the other Great Travellers, Hunters and Explorers, who, for More Than One
Thousand Years, have made Africa a Land of Wonders by their
Heroism and Unparalleled Daring.

COVERING THE WHOLE HISTORY OF AFRICAN EXPLORATION AND DISCOVERY.

\l./\'HNEn WITH STOR/KS OF M.lRlWiL/.OUS //f'.VTS .LVD WOXDERFUL
AD\hA"J'rRES A.)/ON(f WILD AMMAES, FEkOC/OUS KF/'TII.ES,
AND CURIOrs AXn SAl'AdE RACES OF PEOPLE
WHO LNHABIT THE DARK CONTINENT.

ev J W i^UKL.,

Tim KAMoi.s AirnioR ok
lie Beautiful Story," " The Living World," "The vStory of Man, ' " Sea and Laud," " The Worl.ls Wonders,"

" Exile Life in Siberia," Klc.

ustrated with 500 of the Grandest. Most Beautiful and Wonderful Engravings,

AN'n

PvlAONIFICKNT COLORBD PI^ATHS.
J. W. I. VON.

Publisher,

QUELPH, ONTARIO.

i8go.

I I

u")<b.

CurvKKWiT, i8Sy, 1!y II. vS. Smith,
(ali, ;:igut.s ;.i;si;rvkd.)

*.|.;.'- 'riie illustralioiis in this work bciiij; Iroin original drawings, and jiratucled
by copyright, their rcprodnction ia any form is inlawful, and notice is hereby
given that persons guilty of infringing the copyright thereof will be prosecuted.

i^|1T'R0E)U©^IIO^f

ELIG' N and science, mystery and fact, ambition and disappoint-
ment, grandeur and ruin — all the antitheses of human aspiration
and realization — find remarkable example in the history of that
wondrous country surnamed the Dark Continent. Mystery has,
for centuries, hung above it like a gruesome pall, the wild riot
of a boundless superstition has hovered over its strange people until the
world has whispered the very name with a feeling of dread and given
to it that regard which attaches only to ghostly and ghastly things of
distempered fancy. But dark as has been the mantle of dread which enveloped
her during the long centuries, Africa has at last been revealed, through the
search-light of bold exploration, and now meets our scrutiny with the interest
of a newly discovered world.

The restless and insatiable ambition of the adventurous, the longing of

the scientist, the greed of the avaricious, the mercy of the philanthropist, have

at length triumphed over the obstacles which nature and the evil and retarding

influence of superstition so long opposed to successful invasion, and behold,

now, the panorama of a practically new continent with all its secrets disclosed !

The absorbing popular interest in African exploration, which has been

growing apace for fifty years, and which finds emphasis in Stanley's return

from his last and most perilous expedition, stimulates L.fresh a demand for a

[history of that great natural division of our globe. This desire springs not

lalone from recent events — these serving rather as a culmination of public con-

|cem than the creation of a new interest — for during the past century a hundred

things have transpired to focus international consideration of the Dark Con-

riNENT.

(r7)

•MaMiidiiMaala

INTRODUCTION.

The wonderful labors of Livingstone quickened mi«sionary enterprise and
led to the establishment of stations all over the country ; prosperity of the
Dutch and English settlements in South Africa, followed by a development of
gold and diamond mines, gave fresh impetus to immigration into that region ;
the Sultan of Zanzibar, by assuming sovereignty over a large portion of the
east coast, and encouraging trade with tribes of the interior, has been the
prime means of opening a highway to the great lakes. But more than these
have been the civilizing effects following Stanley's first journey across the
Continent; for by this successful expedition was determined the navigableness
of the Congo River and the inconceivably rich region that it drained, as well
as the valuable products of the native woods and mines. By these discoveries
an incentive for opening trade with the interior was created, nations became
competitors for the fruits of this newly opened field, and enterprise in all its
phases at once entered the list for commercial gain. In consequence of this
friendly rivalry, lines of steamers were placed in service on the Congo, railroad
lines projected, and to intensify the ambitious spirit of those attacking the
barbarous regions of West Africa, the German Government has entered the
eastern districts with equal activity and laid the survey of a railway line from
Mombossa to the central lakes.

Another promoting cause, almost equal to the preceding, is to be found in
military events that have made the Soudan a centre of marked interest for the
past twenty years. When slavery ceased to exist as an institution in America,
when the serfs were manumitted in Russia, and a scheme for liberation of the
slaves in Brazil was approved and adopted by that government, all the civilized
world had come to an appreciation of the wrongs and evils of human bondage.
The last precedent and example was removed and there was now a universal
sympathy among civilized nations in favor of destroying slavery in every part
of the world. In Africa alone the horrors of kidnapping prevailed, and
in no countries except Egypt, Arabia and Turkey, was, and is, human
bondage encouraged or tolerated. The pressure of a foreign demand for its
suppression forced Egypt to at least assume the mask of hostility to slavery,
and this pretence has had the one most beneficial effect of concentrating inter-
national interest, looking towards the destruction of this great human curse.
It is from this pretence, assuming aggressive activity through efficient Christian
leaders, that the story of Chinese Gordon and Emin Pasha, representing as

INTRODUCTION.

they did a lukewarm government, becomes so thrillingly interesting. The tragic
fate of Gordon, and the unspeakable perils, sufferings and heroic sacrifices of
Emin, have re-enforced the world's horror at the frightful abuse of Turkish and
Arabic power in the Soudan, in which the savagery of the semi-civilized exceeds
immeasurably that of the lowest barbarians. This depravity, that is working
such inconceivable cruelty, in the torture and enslavement of millions, and the
destruction by lash, sword, and knife, and the impoverishment of millions of
others, has nerved the arm of European nations to bring a swift punishment
upon the despoilers of the poof Africans. When armies from the north shall
be sent as a retribution, to wreak vengeance upon the kidnappers and slave-
traders in Egypt and the Equatorial Provinces, columns of emigrants will bring
up the rear, and a wave of civilization will thus overspread that now miserable
country, to its everlasting glory.

These several mighty influences, operating conjunctively, or to one general
end, and the necessity for an outlet that will relieve the congested populations
of Europe and China, serve to concentrate public attention upon Africa.
Recognizing this pregnant fact, and comprehending the situation of present
effort towards the reclamation of the Dark Continent, I have given my abili-
ties herein towards furnishing such a history of Africa as will satisfy not only
those who find pleasure in reading the thrilling exploits of great explorers,
but also those who desire reliable information respecting the climatic and
[physical features of the continent, and its soil, products, advantages for agri-
culture, mining and manufacture. To enlarge the interest which now centres
chiefly around Stanley and Emin Pasha, I have undertaken also to give the
[evidences upon which rest a belief that Africa was, in a prehistoric period, a
{continent of civilization and human culture, and iiave introduced such accounts
IS are recoverable from the musty past, of the powerful and inconceivably rich
dngdoms into which the country was once divided, and of which relics are
still observable in ruins, manners, traditions, inscriptions, and excavations that
beveal abandoned mines, besides allusions made by ancient poets, philosophers
lind geographers, who at least intimate a knowledge of the interior regions of
|he country.

Following a history of ancient Africa, I have sought to present a summary

|f the principal expeditions and individual explorers that have entered the

mtinent during the past two hundred years, together with results of their

INTRODUCTION.

labors. By so doing I have been able to follow the advancing lines of conquest
and reclamation, in settlements along the coast and a gradual extension towards
the mid-interior. Not alone this, but the record of discovery in Africa is made
complete, its rivers, lakes, mountains, plains and valleys ; its tribes, their supersti-
tions, customs and savagery ; its animals, reptiles, great birds and monstrosities ;
its products of gold, ivory, fine woods, and singular samples of ingenious work-
manship of the natives; its grains, grasses and domestic herds.

All the facts which I have herein introduced are made to serve as pre-
liiiiinary to the culmination of that great and successful effort which this book
is intended no less to describe than to celebrate. The information here given
is necessary to a complete understanding of the objects of Emin Pasha's services
in Equatorial Africa and the causes which prompted the dispatch of Stanley's
expedition to his relief. It also enables the reader to comprehend the perils
that attend travel in that country, and also its pleasures, for excursions therein
are not entirely without days of rare delight and intense enjoyment, especially
to those of adventurous dispositions.

While the geography of Africa is not yet thoroughly known, and there
remain several extensive regions in which expl'^^-TS have not entered ; stilly
no future expedition, unless of a military nature, is likely to excite such
popular interest as that from which Stanley and *Emin returned in December,
1889. With the subsidence of that applause which hails a victor, more serious
matters are likely to engage the European Powers in their relations to Africa,
and an army will most likely compose coming expeditions, that will invade
the country, not for discovery, but for conquest, and, a redemption of the slave-
continent to the beneficent purposes of civilization.

c 'U .-

. V'-, . t. .:,■ .

:.-m

-'«;;-

i~^t:u:

■ u.!' ..xiy

/!-•

• i. ■ • M

-J ». '

HlNpFENTS

:r::].}

• CHAPTER I.

Africa of the Ancients— Her former magnificence — The cradle of civilizaticn— Ruins of great cities on
the Nil*— The skeleton of greatness— The ancient kingdom of Sofala — Wonderful remains— A writing
that no .iving person can decipher — Evidences of a vanquished race — The mysterious Prester John —
From whence came Solomon's riches— The country of Ophir located— The surprising land of gold,
ivory, peacocks and almug trees — A history of the Ophir mines — Enormous "rinber of elephants, . .

CHAPTER II.

PAGB

33-42

A History of AiWca— Why the country has been so long neglected— Whence is derived the name
^rwa— References by ancient poets — Strange beliefs respecting Africa — Astounding legends —A tribe
bom with a s? .gle leg, whose progress is by hopping — Feet that serve as a sun-shade — Headless men —
A paradise — Expeditionsof discovery— Excursions of the Phoenicians — Crucified for failing to circum-
navigate the continent — First expedition to the deserts — In the land of dwarfs— Portugt-.ese conquests
on the coast — Finding the route to India — Da Gama's discoveries — Was Africa well known to the
ancients? — Maps of Africa many hundred years old — A land of rivers— John Ogilby's map — All the
lakes, rivers, towns and provinces well known hundreds of years ago — The source of the Nile long
ago known — An ancient map compared with the latest — The wonderful city of Timbuctoo — Rivers of
the Sahara Desert — Murder of Colonel Flatters 43-56

CHAPTER III.

Arabian Discoreries in Central Africa— Rise of Mohammedanism— War of dynasties— Compelled to
flee to the desert — Origin of the Fellahs — A golden throne — Slaughter of defenceless natives — The
ancient kingdom of Bornu- Splendor of Timbuctoo — Efforts to penetrate Africa from the west —
Prince Agave— Mystery of his person — Discovery of a Christian empire— CovilJiam in Abysi inia —
Conques' of Timbuctoo — Murder of Captain Thompson — Seized by a crocodile — S';ebb's ascent of the
Nijjer- The French in Africa — Establishment of the fin,t coast settlements — Mungo Park's travels —
Commits suicide- -Discovery of the Niger's course— A cruel scene- Drinking poison— Lander's dis-
coveries — His death from an arrow wound — Davidson's expedition — Murdered by Artibs — Richardson's
expedition— His death— Barth's explorations — De-ith of Overweg — Relief expeditions — Executiou of
Vogel — Wreck of ihe Medusa — A tale of horribi? suffering — Cannibalism — Riot, mui.der and suicide —

Ten saved out of ijio — The story of a raft 57-77

(21)

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER IV, -
Earlj Expedition'i into East Africa— Marco Polo's travels in the east coast— Columbus' reliance in
Polo's descriptions — Branding Christians — A wonderful laud —Astounding stories about animal life in
Africa — Herodotus and his fancies — Hanno's tales — Ch&riot of the gods — Witchcrafts of the Africans
— ^A bird that carries off elephants — A wonderful boar — Hideous men — Cats with human faces — ^The
apocryphal unicorn — Giants and dwarfs — Astounding stories — Gorillas — African Amazons — ^The won-
drous kingdom, where males are not permitted,

78-90

CHAPTER V.
Travellers In South and East Africa— Travels of M. le Vaillant— Wchtenstein's discoveries— The first
missionary — Summary of explorat'ons in South Africa — Advent of the hunters — Wild sports — Harris,
Cummingsand Andersson — Andeisson's discoveries — Bain's and Chapman's expedition — Travkm oP
Livingstone — His services as a missionary— Joins Oswell and Murray — Discovery of Lake N'gami —
In the Makoloko country — DiiiCovery of the Zambesi River — Converting the natives and for jding
mission stations — The wonderful Victoria Falls — Arrival at Mauritius, 91-101

CHAPTER VL
Liringstone's Last Expedition and Deatli— Arrival at Quilimane — Discovery of Nyassa Lake- Cruelty of
the slave traders — Ascending the Zambesi — Elephants, hippopotami and alligators — Fate of the
Mabotse mission — Death of Mrs. Livingstone — Exploration of Lake Nyassa — Return to Quilimane —
Trip to India— Livingstone's Third Expedition — A search for the Nile's source — The horrors of
slavery — On the shores of Tanganyika Lake— Casembe's kingdom — Chopping off the hands of his
subjects —Discovery of Lake Bangweolo — At Ujiji — Arabs murdering the natives — A long journey —
Return to Ujiji — Meeting with Stanley — Travels with Stanley — The parting — Renews his exploraticns
— A dreadful march —Death of Livingstone, 102-117

CHAPTER VII.
Discoveries in tlie Centra! Regions— Travels of James Bruce — His discoveries of ancient kingdoms— His
search for the Nile's source— Expedition of Weme — Burton's East Africa — His fitness for African
exploration — A journey to Mecca — Off for the African lakes — In contact with a wizard — The mu-.Jer
of M. Maizan — Large game, and more dreaded superctitions — Discovery of Tanganyika Lake — Visit
to Ujiji — Skirting the lake shores — Water antelopes — A wonderful island — ^Tanganyika Laki knjwu
to earlier explorers — In contact with cannibals- The Rusizi River— Speke's discovery of the Niles
source — Burton's jealousy — The value of Burton's discoveries — His observations on the slave trade, , i;8-i3|j

CHAPTER VIII.
Captain Spelte's Explorations — Assisted by the Royal Geographical Society— Joined by Captain Grant-
Departure for Cape Town — Capture of a Spanish slaver — The journey from Zanzibar begun— A rhino-
ceros hunt — A sava,?;e scene — Tossed by a buffalo — Thrilling adventure — Between two fires — Meeting
with an old friend — / visit to King Rumanika — The fatted wives of the king— A grandly successful
hunt — The scar of a rhinoceros' thrust — Shooting three rhinoceri — The court of M'tesa — Ho -ible
scenes — The king's ha cv and how it was kept replenished — Entertained by the king — Espousal of
four virgins by the king— Sacrificing a child — On the shores of Victoria Lake — Trouble with the
natives — Hunting in Usoga — I^'xecution of four women — Beliefs respecting the whites — Exasperating
actions of King Kamrasi— Floai'ng down the Kafue River — The Wanyoro people — False report of a
relief expedition — Meeting a party of slave hunters — Arrival at Gcudokoro — Return to England —
Awarded the gold medal, 136-15J

CHAPTER IX.
Baker's Expedition to tlie Nile's Source —Preparation for his journey— Accompanied by his wife — Pushing
his way up the Nile— Death of John Schmidt — Adventure with a hippopotamus — Tribes living along
the Nile — Central station Oi" the slave traders — A mutiny — fticetiug between Baker, Speke and Grant

CONTENTS, u

— A second mutiny— Aa elephant hunt — Exciting sport— Narrow escape from a wounded bHll— More
hunting— Charged by a wild boar — A devilish (suard — Discovery of the Albert N'yanza- Return to
Bngland — Awarded the Victoria medal, 69-^67

CHAPTER X.
Baker's EfTorts to Suppress the Slave Trade— In service to the Khedive— The appointment of the expe-
dition—A fleet of boatt — The trip to Gondokoro — Man seized by a crocodile — Attacked by a hippo-
potamus — Shooting game and liberating slaves — Building a town — The Shillock tribe — Hippopotamus
kills a sheik — Capture of a slaver vessel — A fight with the Baris — ^Terrible adventure with a crocodile
— A sailor's arm bitten oflF by a crocodile — Shooting elephants aiross the river — Ofl" for the Albert
N'^anza — Provoking difficulties — A lively dance of naked Ven uses— Effects of music on the natives —
Desolating effects of war— News from Kabba Rega and M'tesa — Hunting antelopes — A visit from
Kabba Rega — Uncle Rionga — Roasting people over slow fires — Ceremonies over the body of a dead
king — Breaking the bones and burying victims alive — The value of female slaves — Blessed is the
father who has many g^rls — Baker's men poisoned — Treachery of Kabba Rega — Baker attacked —
Cutting his way through to Foweira — An awful march -Meeting w th Rionga - Ceremony of blood
brotherhood — The Makkarika cannibals — March to Fatiko— Atrocities of the cannibals — Defeat of
Abou Saood — A grand hunt for noble game — Thrilling scene — The prairie on fire — Flight of royal
game — Exciting adventure with a lioness — Bndof the expedition, and its results, 168-198

CHAPTER XI.

Heury M. Stanley — His search for Livingstone — A sketch of his life — An inmate of a poor-house —His
fortune in America — The English war with King Theodore — Murder of Consul Plowden — Storming of
Magdala — Suicide of the king — Stanley's services in the East — Outfitting an expedition at Zanzibar —
Departure for Central Africa — Haunts of hippopotami- -A hard march — Wading tu'-bid streams —
Jungles, sla /es and African bel 3 — Tidings of Livingstone— A walled and ( astellated city — The Sultana
of Simbamwenni — The Sultana's revenge — A terrible swamp — Effects of drunkenness — An imposing
entrance into Ugogo — Application of the whip — A moment of dread — "Sunshine after the storm —
Arrival at Unyanyenibe — A whiff of ammonia by an untutored chief — A land abounding with game —
Leopard attacks a donkey — A savage boar and ravenous crocodile— Arrival at Ujiji — Meeting with
Livingstone — A champagne dinner— Challenged by an elephant — Parting between Livingstone and
Stanley — Home again, and honored by the Queen of England 199-226

CHAPTER Xli.
Burial of Livingstone, and Stanley's Second Expedition— Joint enterprise of the Herald and London
Telegraph — Equipment of the expedition — Search for the Nile's source — Circumnavigating Victoria
Lake — A procession of hippopotami and crocodiles —The enchanted cave — Look out for an attack ! —
The fight ! — A messenger from King M'tesa — An imposing reception — Spectacle of the king's troops
— The savagery of M'tesa — Effects of Moslem teachings— A sham battle, in which several are killed —
A bloody fight with natives — Killing five men at four shots — Attacked by hippopotami — An hour of
triumph — A seance with King Lu'congeh — Wonderful superstitions — Another battle— Return to
M'tesa's cap-.tal — War declared — Movement of M'tesa'd great army- \ wondrous spectacle — A naval
battle — The wizards of war — Defeat of M'tesa's navy— Stanley's dread, al wa' boat — End of the war —
Stanley leaves M'tesa's kingdom — F ;turn to Ujiji— Among the caunibalt. — Dwarfs and boa-constric-
tors — Engagement of Tipo Tib — Direful predictions — The strange people of Uregga— Sounding the
Lualaba River — A village of skulls — Horrible evidences of cannibalism — Dangers line the way —
Capture of a dwarf— Parting with Tipo Tib— In the toils of a boa-constrictor- Drowning of Kalulu
and Frank Pocock — Shooting cataracts — A starving expedition — Arrival at Etnbomnia — Return to
England— Stanley's Third ExpeoiTion— Up the Congo— In cnflict with M. De Brazza— Surmount-
ing enormous difficulties— M. De Brazza's treaty with the tribes — Establishment of the Congo Free
S'.ates — Pvesults of Stanley's Congo expedition 227-273

CONTi;NTS.

• ; -n. ---;/. ^i.,i i •-- •.. CHAPTER XIII. ■ >/ ■ - r .• .:

Chinese Gordon — Life sketch of a remarkable man— From a family of warriors -His services in the
Crimea — A visit to the Far East — The war in China — A great Chinese prophet — The Taiping rebellion
The Heavenly King — Two American adventurers— Ever- victorious army — The attack on Shanghai-
Death of Ward— Defeat of Holland— Gordon in command of the Ihiperialists forces — Si>'ge of Taitsan
— Horrible tortures— Investment of Soochow — A hellish night — Desertion of Chinese generals —
Murder of the deserting generals — Gordon's anger — He is rewarded by the Emperor — Starvation of
the peasantry — Forced to eat the dead — The storming of Kintang — Blowing up the gates — Fall of
Chanchu-fi'.- Tragic end of the false prophet — Murder of his hundred wives — A man of inconceivable
cruelty— End of the war, 274-294

CHAPTER XIV.
Gordon in the Soudan — His welcome to England — Employed by the Khedive — Suppression of the slave
trade urged — Insincerity of the Khedive — Off for Central Africa — En route for Khartoum — Adventures
along the Nile — Crocodiles and hippopotami — Among the Dinkas — The man-hunters of Fashoda — ^
Arrest of a slaver — Opening a route to the lake regions — Fighting all along the line — Dethronement
of Kabba Rega — Shooting hippopotami — Guarding against assault — The killing of Linaut — Shooting
a wizard — An insult from the Khedive— Commendation — On Lake Victoria — Stampeded by elephants
—Tossed to his death 295-310

CHAPTER XV.
Gordon's Second Expedition — Affairs in Bulgaria— Two calls for Gordon's services— Re-engagement by
the Khedive — Ending a war in Abyssinia — Battles between rival rulers — Remarkable diplomacy — Off
again for Khartoum — Perils en route — Killing the camel-drivers — Gordon's epigrammatic speech —
His great generosity — Disbanding the Bashi-Bazouks— Services in Khartoum — Battle with the
Leopards — A wondrous march — Treachery of Suleiman— A terrible storm — Rapid action, but days of
torment — Gordon's rag-tags — A triangular dispute — Breaking up a thieves' den — ^The horrors of
slavery — Human misery in its extremity — Plajdng it smart on an ambitious young slave dealer —
Called to Cairo — Gordon refuses to become a corrupt tool for the Khedive — Back again to Khartoum
— Execution of Suleiman — Resignation of Gordon— Gessi rewarded 31 1 '335

CHAPTER XVI.

Gordon's Last Expedition— Gordon the hero— He longs for rest— A visit to China— His servicer in pre-
venting war between China and Russia — Return to England— Invited to the Belgian Court — Meeting
with Stanley — At the tomb of his great lieutenant — Sent to subdue the Boers of South Africa— A visit
to the Holy Land — Gordon's researches in and about Jerusalem — Governor-General of the Soudan—
The false prophet — His insurrection in the Soudan — His claims to Messianic power and purpose-
Descriptions of the Mahdi— His spiritual leaders — Fanatic zeal of his followers — Battles with the
dervishes — The fall of El Obeid — Charging the Remingtons — Annihilation of Hicks's army— The last
message — England aroused —Gordon sent to relieve Khartoum — Negotiations with the Mahdi —
Horrible scenes of oppression — Gordon hailed as a saviour — The cry fo- help— The Madhi again in
the saddle — Gordon in peril — His coolness and sagacity — Defeated at HelPyeh — Treachery of his
officers — Two of them shot— The siege of Khartoum — A desperate defence — Trying to save his people
— The spirit of insubordination — Gordon's tragic death — Abandoned by his govemmt t— An o'er
aad tale 326-350

CHAPTER XVII.

Labors of Emin Pasha — Life of an enigmatic man— His professional career— Not mentioned in Gordon's
writings— Emiu joins Gordon in the Soudan — His eminent services — On a dangerous mission to
Uganda— Success of his undertaking— Makes a treaty with Kabba Rega — Appointed Governor-
General of the Equatorial Provinces— Condition of his territory — His administration — His capital at

CONTENTS.

Lado — Emvn|s soldiers and their duties — Native tribes of the Soudan — Why they are so hostile —
Characteristics and customs of the various tribes — Agriculture and stock-raising — Farmers's pests — .\i
Hippopotami and birds — Dress of the natives — Nakedness without shame — Beautiful women of the
Mahdi tribe - Weapons— Savage beasts — Savagery of the crocodile — Thrilling experiences — Kingdoms
of Unyoro and Uganda— The Cajoor priests — Burning at the stake — Mwanga, the successor of M'tesa
— Kabba Rega— The situation of Emin Pasha — EflFects of the Mahdi rebellion — Cut oflf from civiliza-
tion — Emin's appeal for help — Escape of Dr. Junker — A dreadful fire — Discovery of the Kubik River
— Rebuilding of Wadelei— Stanley to the relief of Emin— Other relief expeditions — Wissmann's
journeys and explorations — Three times across the continent — Wissmann's several expeditions and
discoveries — In search of Stanley — Massacre of Dr. Peters — Return of Stanley and Emin— An accident
to Emin, 351 -381

CHAPTER XVHI.

Stanley's Expedition for tlie Belief of Emin Pasha -Great results— England aroused— Effect of Gordon's
fate — Sir Wm. McKinnon— The Relief Committee — A call for Stanley— Honors to Stanley— A mag-
nificent testimonial — Equipment of the expedition — Stanley's automatic gun — Departure for Africa-
Discussion between Stanley, Junker and Schweinfurth — A visit with Junker and Schweinfurth — Off
for Zanzibar — Engagement of Tipo Tib — The trip around Cape Good Hope — Arrangements for trans-
porting the expedition up the Congo — Why Stanley chose the Congo route — ^The dangers of the route
to Uganda — ^The great war in Uganda — Mwanga's efforts to recover his throne — Christians and Arabs
in conflict — Attack on Kalema's army — The Christians again victorious- Execution of native leaders
— Burning his brothers, sisters and children- -A defeat — Mwanga's new following — Burned at the
stake — Advices of Stanley's coming — Battle of Murchison Bay— A letter from King Mwanga— Other
reasons for selecting the Congo route — The procession up the Congo — Stanley's boats — Tipo Tib and
his harem — His contract with Stanley — Appearance of Tipo's wives — Amours and flirtations, .... 383-403

CHAPTER XIX.

The Yoyage ap the Congo— Wooding up— Congo Stations — Station of Lukunga — Superstitions of the
natives— Ward's description of an N'Ganga N'Kissi — Witchcraft — Finding the devil — ^The outfit of a
wizard — Drinking poison— How Ward met Stanley — Turning back to Central Africa — An interesting
letter — An imposing cavalcade — Tipo Tib and his forty-two wives — A wink and a gentle stroke, . . . 403-409

CHAPTER XX.

The Trip to Polobo — Changes since Stanley's last visit— Arab and Zanzibarian immigration — Stanley
assisted by the missionaries— Festivities of Tipo Tib's wives — How the steamers were loaded— Scenery
and grandeur of the Congo — The grandest of all rivers — Country of the Ba-yanzi tribe — Musical
instruments — Singular manner o.' dressing the hair — Adventurous incidents of the voyage — Minstrelsy
and pretty women — Tipo Tib's narrow escape from a crocodile — Bolobo Station — A cluster of fifteen
villages — The Ba-teke musicians— Strange superstitions — A bird of ill-omen — Ceremonies of the
N'Kimba tribe — A kind of FreeMasonry — Circumcision — A grand cavalcade— Stanley Falls— Tipo
Tib's raids— Why Stanley contracted with Tipo Tib— Tipo's treachery 410-435

CHAPTER XXI.
The Intrenched Camp at Yambnya— Stanley divides his command— Leads the advance on the march to
relieve Emin— Sad reflections — The parting- Barttelot and the rear column — TLc country about
Yambuya— Came of the region — A hunt — In pursuit of a rhinoceros — The rhinoceros in pursuit of
the hunters— Adventure with a buffalo— A cow shot and a bull wounded— A dash at the stricken
game — Barttelot tossed on the horns of a buffalo — His injuries very serious — Borne back to camp on a
litter— An elephant bagged— Bonny's nerve — A king of the forest falls before his aim— A mad rush
for elephant meat, 436-434

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER XXII.
Iffllirs Grow Desperate at Tambnja Camp — The wearying longing of an endless waiting— Tipo Tib'a
treachery — A slaughter of the natives— Horrible atrocities of the Arab raiders — Pickling a head-
Punishment of insubordinates — Retribution on the raiders — Bating their enemies — Ward dispatched
to the coast — Singular fatality — Cannibalism on the Congo— A visit to a cannibal camp — How parta
of bodies are prei>ared and eaten — Disgusting sights — Pitiable sights in camp — Slow starvation-
Threats against Barttelot's life — Fears for Stanley's safety — Efforts to hire carriers— Barttelot's attempt
to go in search of Stanley — A mutiny in camp — Assassination of Barttelot — Abandonment of the
Yambuya camp — Death of Jameson — Bonny left in command — Removal of the camp to Banalya, . .

435-447

CHAPTER XXIII.
News from Stanlej and Emin— A letter from Casati— He tells of the indignities put upon him by a chief
— An order for Casati's execution — Rescued by Emin — Suicide of Casati's companion — The villainy
of Kabba Rega — A letter from Stanley to Tipo Tib — The latter refuses to fulfil his contract — Stanley's
instructions to Barttelot — Two letters that were intercepted — Rehearsing the privations and fatalities
of the march— Fighting hif way — The men starving and dropping from sickness — Hewing a path
through the forest — Bad boatmen — Stanley's letters to Barttelot — Rehearsing the perils of his march
— A sad story of suffering and death— Slavery to the Manyuema — Anxieties, 448-46*

CHAPTER XXIV.

Stanley's Description of liis Joarney- A previously untrodden way — Wonderful superstitions — The
Alakere dwarfs — Men with tails and four eyes — Kabba Rega's fears — Stanley's story of his march —
First conflict with the natives— In the wilderness — More figliting — Death and desertion — The death
march — Ravages by Arabs and elephants — Punishment of offenders — Food at last— Viewing a land of
promise — Gathering for a fight — Alarum of the war-drums— Work of the sharpshooters — A sight of
the N'yanza — A night attack— Inhospitableuess of the natives — Retreat back to Ibwiri— A sorry
review — A letter from'Einm — Jephson dispatched to join Emin — Meeting with Emin — Back to Fort
Bodo — Sad news — Mr. Stanley's surprise and grief — A deplorable situation — Stanley receives the news
of Barttelot's death — Important discoveries — Ruewenzori, the snowy peak — Emin Pasha's forces — An
argument with Emin — Disappointments, 462-484

CHAPTER XXV.
Stanley's R^ply to his Critics — The venom of jealousy— Mr. Mackay, the missionary — Stanley's articles
of faith — The relief of Emin Pasha explained — True purposes of the expedition — Stanley's instruc-
tions — Stanley's cold meeting with Emin — The contract with Tipo Tib — Tipo Tib's preparations to
raid the Congo stations — The appointment of Barttelot — Barttelot's quick temper — Other lieutenants
of Stanley's — Circumstances leading to Barttelot's death — Stanley's instructions to Barttelot — Tipo
Tib's unreliability — Misrepresentations about cannibalism — Punishment of insubordinates — Blood for
blood, 485 497

CHAPTER XXVI.

Adventures on tlie Route— Stanley's studies o.' the natives— Cruel devices of the natives — Wounded in
the feet by concealed skewers — Insects that make life on the Congo unbearable — Mists of the morning
— Poisoned arrows — How the poison is made — Agriculture on the Congo — Exciting sport on the
Aruwimi — Hippopotami, monkeys and crocodiles —Mohammedans eating hippopotami flesh under a
dispensation — A hippopotamus adventure — Lieut. Stairs in danger — Attacked by a wounded hippopo-
tamus — Stanley to the rescue — Among the crocodiles — The snake-eaters — How the crocodile is hunted
—Crocodile traps— The Wambutti dwarfs — Some fearful stories — Appearance and customs of the
dwarfs — Cannibalism — Affection Exhibited by a bereaved mother — Disposition of the dwarfs' dead —
The Quimbandes — Habits and appearance — A tribe with tails — Scared by a camera — Singular tribes —
Th" M'teita tribe — Their customs and hospitality, ... 49S~3I5

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER XXVII.
The Approach to Albert Lake — A scramble for a sardine box — Weakened by hunger — " Cheer up, boys !" .',, *
A park-like country— Purpose of the Maxim gun — A big hunt — Charge of a mad buffalo — Look out
for the rhinoceros !— \ dash through the carriers — A dreadfully scared company — A bath in the lake —
Return to the Aruwimi camp— Deplorable condition of the rear column — Small-pox and other suffer-
ings — Relief after a long siege of starvation — A capture of Dwaris natives — Again on the brink of
starvation — Calling a council —Search for the missing — Letters from Jephson— Jephson and Emin
prisoners of the Mahdi — The victorious Mahdi — The situation very serious— Release of Emin, bi't
',ad forebodings — Stanley's reply 10 Jephson— Fascinated by the Soudan — Stanley's warnings — Arrival
of Jephson— A courier from Emin, S16-535

CHAPTER XXVIII.
DlscoTeries which Excite the World's Applause— Stanley's feeling towards Emin— Rehearsing the perils
of his march — The Manyuemas and the slave traders— Wonderful discoveries — ^The Ruewenzori snowy
range — Salt lakes — A geographical review — Correcting mistakes of former explorers — Extent of
Albert Lake — Views about Albert Lake and Mt. Ruewenzori — Mistakes of Baker — New sources of the
Nile — Disappointments* crowd fast on one another — Dangerous position of Jephson and Emin —
Invasion of the Mahdists — Indecision of Emin — A lion hunt— Scarcity of lions in West Africa — The
game located — A night station in a tree — Approach of three lions — A magnificent moonlight scene —
Two lions woundeu — Twenty shots required to bag the game — A savage struggle with death — Carrying
a lion's head as a trophy, 53'> 546

CHAPTER XXIX.
A Great Hunt— Shooting hippopotami on Albert Lake — An elephant hunt — A terrifying spectacle — A vast
sea of grass — Planking the herd — Stanley selects a great tus.:t/ — Retreat of the wounded elephant —
The pursuit — Another shot — Furious charge of the elephant — Narrow escape of Stanley — Death of the
monarch — Vast elephant herds in the Congo region — Tipo Tib's vast stores of ivory — Value of the
ivory annually collected — 200,000 elephants — Other rich products — Preparing to return to Zanzibar —
Vigorous measures for suppressing a conspiracy — Number and kinds of people composing the return-
ing caravan, 547-554

CHAPTER XXX.
The March to the Sea— Justice to Emin — A letter irom Emin — Another letter from Stanley — The lofty
Ruewenzori range— A fight — A delusion — A brush with the Warasura — Scaling the mountain — A vast
sea of salt— The caravan stricken with fever— A land desolated by pillage — A tradition of the Snow
King — Fields of rich promise— Descriptions of the tribes— Remarkable vicissitudes 555-564

CHAPTER XXXI.
End of the Journey— Expert tree climbers— Incidents of the march — Emin Pasha's daughter — News of •
Stanley's return — Reception at Bagamoyo— The mirth that a snake produced — A letter displaying
Stanley's modesty — Geographical discoveries — An extraordinary expedition — Disaster and death — A
poisoned shaft — To what was it due ? — Arrival at Bagamoyo — An accident to Emin P>>saa— Honors to
Stanley, 565-57&

IkllUS^RAyFIHhfS

Africa . P*G« 34

Beside Afric's Ruins 37

Market Scene in Sofala in 1505 39

Fort at Sofala 40

Gold Mining Region of Sofala 4»

Inn* Illustration, 42

Agriculture in Africa, 44

African Elephants 46

Melinde, 47

Map of Ancient Africa (Ogilby's, 1670), 49

Falls of the Nile So

Cataract of the Nile, SI

On the Borden of the Atlas Mountains 53

Assassination of Col. Flatters, 55

Foot Illustration 5^

A Fellah's Family, S8

Arab's Hunting Unarmed Negroes, 59

Crocodile Seizing the Negro Guide, . . - 61

Stibb's Ascent of the Niger, 63

French Fort in Africa 64

"Victims of Portuguese Slave Hunters, 66

Lander's Journey down the Niger 67

Dr. Dayidson Prescribing for the Sick, 68

Before the King of Timbuctoo, 70

■On the Shores of Lake Tchad 72

Wreck of the Medusa 74

Manyuema Cannibals 76

Foot Illustration, 77

Ruler of Abyssinia 79

Along the Banks of the Ceme 81

Dog-h'!afled Monkey of Senegal, 82

Legem lary Roc 84

Oorillas, 88

A Battle with African Amazons 90

Caffres of South Africa, 92

Anderson's Visit to a Bechuana Village 94

Facing a Stampede of Buffaloes, 95

Ur L.ivingstnne 96

Makolokos, paok 97

The Zambesi River, 98

A Makoloko Village 09

Reception by a Native King 100

Discovery of Lake Nyassa, 103

Livingstone at Shupanga 104

Dead Bodies of Slaves in the Shire, 106

The Sultan of Zanzibar 107

Arabs Murdering Exhausted Slaves log

Reception of the Arab's Bride 109

Th? Slave Gang m

Arabs Massacreing Manyuemas, iia

The March through Casembe's Country 1 14

Livingstone Beset by Hostiles, 115

Livingstone's Last March 117

Death of Livingstone 117

Styles of Head Dress 120

Bruce among the Abyssinians, I2l

African Prophets, 122

Burton's March into Central Africa 123

The Murder of M. Maizan 125

Leopard Killing one of Burton's Soldiers, 127

Water Antelopes, 1 28

Market Scene in Ujiji 129

Fleeing from the Flames 131

Capt. Speke and his Body guard 133

An Arab Slave Master, ' 135

Speke and Grant's Soldiers 137

Execution of a Slaver's Crew 139

A Rhinoceros Hunt, 140

A Toss into the Air 141

A Buffalo Turns Hunter, 142

Rumanika and his Fat Wife, 144

Speke before King Rumanika 146

A Wahuma Village 147

M'lesa's Cruelty to his Attendants 148

Grant on his Way to Ut;anda 149

A Levee in Uganda, 150

(28)

IJST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

Speke's Boat Crew Alarmed page 15*

Speke Circumnavigating Lake Victoria, 153

The Savage Tree-dwellers of Unyoro 154

Speke'i Last Conference with Kamrasi, 155

Women of Unyoro 156

Buffalo Hunting in the Mahdi Countrj , 157

A Buffalo Killing Baker's Arras-bearer, 160

A Shir Village, 161

Baker Quelling the Mutiny, 162

Disgusting Scene over an Elephant's dress, .... 164

Dispatching a Viciotis Boar 165

Baker's Satanic Guard at the Feast, 166

Horrors of the Slave Trade 169

Sir Samuel Baker and his Staff, ' 171

Crocodile Carrying off one of Baker's Men 17a

Shillook Women Poundmg Maize 173

A Bari Village 174

Crocodile Seizing a Sailor 176

Shooting Elephants across the River 178

Dance of the Black Venuses 180

Baker's Camp at Fatiko 181

Scene in the Game Country 183

Baker's Audience with Kabba Rega 183

Farmers of Unyoro, 184

Roasting the' Body of an Unyoro King, 185

An Unyoro Girl, . 187

The Fight in the Grass 188

Rionga, King of Unyoro 190

Baker exchanging Blood with Rionga, 192

Beating up Game by Firing the Grass, 193

Boars in the Net 194

Adventure with a Lioness, 196

Arrival of Envoys from M'lesa 197

Henry M. Slanley in 1876 200

Murder of Consul Plowden by King Theodore, . . , 201

Suicide of King Theodore 203

Engaging Porters at Bagamoyo 206

A Belle of Kisemc, 207

Affectionate Curiosity of Rosoko Women 208

City of Simbamwenni 210

Stanley Crossing the Inundated Savannah 213

Marching into Ugogo 214

Impertinent Curiosity of the Wagogo, 216

The Ct«»''f Teaching His Subjects Manners, 218

Only a Whiff of Ammonia, 219

A Glorious Hunt 220

A Boar ! A Boar I 221

Stanley's T ,t Sight of Lake Tanganyika, 223

Stanley's Meeting with Livingstone 225

Stanley and Livingstone on the Shores of Tanganyika, 226

Livingstone's Grave in Westminster Abbey 228

Stanley's Dogs in the Village of Kageh.. i 229

Village of Igusa 230

Stanley Circumnavigating Victoria Lake, 231

Magassa Inviting Stanley to M'tes-a's Court 233

Reception of Stanley by M'tesa 234

M'tesa's Capital and Palace 236

Stanley Attacked by Savage Islanders, 238

Along the Shores of Lake Victoria PAGE 339

Stanley's Camp at Kagehyi 341

M'tesa's Army on the March, 343

M'tesa's War Canoes 345

A Great Naval Battle 246

M'tesa's Warriors after the Battle, 248

Mirambo, the Great African Chief, 350

Manyuema Natives 352

Village of Mwana Mambo, ^53

Leopard Hunters of Uregga 354

Encounter with a Boa Constrictor, 356

A Village in Uregga, 355

Fighting Their Way through Cannibals, 359

Street in a Cannibal Village, 360

Reptile King of the Jungle, 361

Killing a Boa, 362

Shooting the Cataracts, 263

Stanley's Starving People • . . 265

Cutting a Passage around the Cataracts, 367

Wonderful Bridge across Gordon Bennett River, . . . 269
De Brazza Concluding a Treaty with the Natives, . . . 370

Stanley's Interview with Gaman Kono, 271

Malamine Receiving Orders from M, De Brazza, . . . 273

Chinese Gordon 275

Soldiers of the Imperial Army 377

Taiping Rebels Committing Atrocities 379

Death of Ward, 381

Preparing a Prisoner for Torture, 283

Fighting H's Way up the Yangtze, 384

After the Battle 286

Gordon's Audience with the Taiping Rebels 288

Execution of the Deserting Generals, 289

Storming of Kintang, 29I

Beheading the Prisoners, 292

Gordon Before the Emperor, 293

Tail Piece 294

Gordon's Infantry Escort, 296

Gordon Reviewing His Troops at Khartoum 297

Scene along the Nile 398

A Sportive Hippopotamus 299

The Fort at Gondokoro 30I

Col. Long's Reception by the King of Uganda, . . . 302

The Soudanese's Love 303

The Station at Duffili • . . . 304

Harassments along the Nile, 305

Indignities to the Head of Linant 306

Kabba Rega's Fetiches 308

Tossed to His Death, 309

Reception of Gordon by the Prince of Bogo 312

Murder of the Camel Driver 314

Seeking a Friendship with the Natives, 315

Sebehr Pasha, the Slavs King 316

Caught in a Terrific Storm 317

Treating with the Leopards, 319

Murdering Slaves 321

Bringing Slaves to the Shaka Market 322

Buying Slaves in the Shaka Market 323

Track of the Slaves 324

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

Return, after the Death of Suleiman, paub 325

Waterspout* in the Indian Ocean 337

Amon^ the Boers, 338

The Mahdi and His Fakis, 339

Wives of the Mahdi 331

A Oongowalis Woman, ' . 33a

Village of Gebel Gfon 334

Retreat of the MaKdists ■ ■ . . . 335

Hicks Pasha's Rag-tags 337

Hicks Pasha's Last Rally, 338

Attack on Tokar, 340

Victims of the Slave Traders, 341

Dance in Honor of Gordon, J4a

Gordon Counselling with His Generals 343

The Battle at Halfiyeh, . . • {45

A Skirmish Between Outposts, • . . . 346

Khartoum During the Sieg<r, .... • 347

Headquarters of the Mah li, 348

Murder of Gordon's Body Servant 349

Emin Pa.sha, 352

A Uganda Village, •• • • ■ 3S3

Emin and His Escort 354

Emin Hailed by Ungoro Warriors, 355

Lodo, Capital of the Equatorial Provinces, 356

Emin's Irregulars, 357

Station at Kirri, ... 358

Cattle of the Nile Region, 359

Cave-dwellers along the Nile 360

Defending the Grain Fields, 361

Bari Women Constructing a Dwelling, 363

An Unyoro Belle, 363

Stalked by a Leopard, 364

Native Blacksmiths, 365

Attacked by a Crocodile 366

Burning a Cajoor, 367

Map of Region in which Gordon Operated, 368

Conferring Title of Pasha on Emin 369

Industries Inaugurated by Emin, 370

Fighting the Great Fire 372

Map of Emin's Equatorial Provinces, 373

Bringing Food to the Fire Sufferers, 374

Slaves Rebuilding Wadelai, 375

Major Charles Wissmann, 376

Natives along the Lulua River 378

Wissmann Attacked by the Natives, 380

Stanley to the Rescue of Emin, 381

H. M. Stanley, from a Photograph taken in 1887, . . 383

Sir Wm. McKinnon, 384

Gold Casket presented to Stanley 384

Stanley's Automatic Gun 385

En route for the Congo, 387

King Mwanga » 190

Village of Busagala 391

Kalema Burns his Brothers and Sisters, and his own

Children, 393

Mwanga's Camp on Bulinguye island, 394

Domestic Scene in Ukumbi 395

Uganda Mohammedans at Prayer, 396

Agriculture in the Muta Nziga District pagb 39;

Reception of Stanley by Uganda Chief, .... 399

Dispoaiiiuu uf the Dead by Boma Villa);en 400

One of Tipo's Houris, 401

Tail Piece, 403

Lukunga Station 404

The N'Ganga Locating the Devil 406

The Assyrian and his Two Wives, 407

Tipo Tib's Female Contingent on Duty, 408

Tail Piece 409

Native of Kasonge Weaving 411

Tipo Tib's Harem tn voyage, 413

Ba-Vanzi Musicians, 41 j

An excess of Sport, 415

Tipo Tib's Adventure with a Crocodile 416

Sketches in and about Bolobo and Stanley Falls, . . . 418

Man and Woman of the N'Kimba Tribe, 420

Stanley's March from Kasonge, 423

Wenya Fisher Women 423

Tipo Tib bringing in Slaves after a Raid, 434

Fort Yambuya, 427

Major Ed. M. Barttelot 428

A Sudden Change of Base 429

African Buffalo 430

Barttelot's Adventure with a Buffalo 431

A Steady Hand at a Supreme Moment 433

Dividing the Elephant 434

Destroying Villages and Taking Slaves, 436

Advancing to Raid a Native Village 437

An Ivory Trader, 438

The Walls of Nassibu's Camp, 439

In Nassiua's Camp, '40

(sketches on the Congo and Aruwimi Rivers, 441

Members of the Rear Column, 443

Taking it Easy 443

Bungari 444

The Killing of Barttelot 445

Punishment of Petty Insubordinates 446

Son and Daughter of Kabba Rega, 449

Natives of Unyoro 450

.Stanley in the Dark Continent, 451

Cutting a Road to the River 453

Map, Stanley's Routse 454

Natives of Ugarrov'wa 456

Satisfying a Long-repressed Hunger, 457

Manyuema Soldier and Wife, 458

Warriors Challenging Stanley 459

Natives of the Town of Futa, 463

An Alakere Village 464

Sharpening the Teeth, 465

Crossing an Affluent of the Aruwimi • • . . 466

On the Road to Kilonga Longa's 467

A Meal in the Wilderness 468

Huts of Ibwiri Villagers, 469

Whipping an Insubordinate, 470

Purchasing a Sight of King Mazamboni, 471

Ascending a Hill in a Storm 473

Natives Forbidding a Passage, 473

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

Arguing with a Chief, 474

Village of Ut,'art.,*wa 475

Natives of the Port Uodo District 477

Marching into Rar.alyn, 478

Ix)ol; Out for the Crocodile ! 480

Dance of the Monbutto King 483

Interruption of the Pasha's Reverie, 4S6

Monbutto Warriors, 487

Tipo Tib's Captives being sent into Bondage, .... 489

One of Tipo Tib's Slave Gangs, 490

Natives of the fiolobo District . . . . igi

Barttelot Enforcing Orders 493

Slaves Marching into Stanley Falls 494

Dragging the Murderer to Execution, 496

Mustering of the Hostiles 498

Dwelling of Tribes below NejambI Rapids, 499

Elevated Dwellings along the Aruwimi, 500

A >chool of Hippopotami S<"

Blessing the Body of a Hippopotamus, 502

Stair's Adventuie with a Bull Hippopotamus, .... 503

Natives Preparing a Feast of Snake-flesh, 504

Novel Means of Killing Crocodiles, 505

A Crocodile Snare, 506

A Dwarf Watch-tower 507

Dwarf Shooting Weaver-birds, 508

Wailing over the Body of a Dwarf Child 509

Gathering Honey 509

Dwarfs' Manner of Disposing of their Dead, .... 510

Quimbandes Women, 511

Scared by Williams' Camera 512

Types of the Quimbandes' Neighbors 513

A Dandy, 514

An M'teiia Man and Woman, f IJ

Starvation Precipitates a Scramble $17

Stanley Enforcing Orders Jl8

A Buffalo's Mad Charge 519

A Rhinoceros Creates Consternation, 520

A Wild Rush into the Lake 52a

The Expedition Indulges in a Bath, 524

A Dwaris Village 525

Dwaris Women 526

Dispersing a Party of Rel)els 529

Native Boatwoinen of Kavalli 533

The Courier Taking Emin's Letter, 534

Along the Aruwimi 537

Punishment of a Traitor 538

Wakonju Man and Woman 539

A Wanyankori Parading his Bravery, 540

The Kavalli Chiel's Amusement 541

View on the Semliki River, 54a

Stanley Bagging an Antelope, 543

Buffalo Shooting along the Semliki, 544

The lion Hunt 545

Antelope Shouting in the Semliki Forest, 548

Stanley Charged by a Wounded Elephant, 549

Two-horned African Rhinoceros 551

Map of Stanley's Route 554

A Warasura Warrior, .... 557

A Wakonju Woman, 562

A Wahuma Band 563

Plu;king the Eagle for Magic Feathers, 566

Ceremony of Scattering Beads, 568

The Expedition Crossing a Stream, 574

AIiSO, 26 SV]VlBOIiIC IfllTIflli IiETTElf^S.

1 1

. It

MAP OF AFRICA PUBLISHED SY JOI

JICA PUBLISHED BY JOHN OGILBY IN 1670.

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

CHAPTER I.

AFRICA OF THE ANCIENTS.

F the many decided mysteries of geography, the unsolvable
riddles that vex researchers in the fields of the earth, none
appear so great as the African sphinx. This second largest
natural division of land, lying most favorably under the
fructifying influences of nature, blessed by the bounties of rich
soi'', variegated landscape, pleasing panoramas, delightful
climate and wonderful productions, still remains under the ban of stagnation,
if not primeval savagery. The many natural advantages which the country
possessed over Europe and Asia were promptly recognized Sy the mothfer of
civilization, who here set her cradle and rocked her offspring until it flourished
into a vigorous manhood. Thus it was that Egj'pt became the parent of human
advancement, and gave to the world the genius of substantial progress,
which developed the highest intellectual faculties, builded magnificent cities,
established museums of arts, set examples of human aggrandizement, produced
surprising results in engineering, created sciences, and gave fona to govern-
ment and law. The modern world, with its wealth of ingenuity and rich
attainment, pauses before every successive step to pay homage to that ancient
country and to take example from the relics of its departed glory.

Though first to cast the plummet and sound the depths of human wisdom,
Africa was likewise first to pause in her ambition, as if surfeited with the cir-
cumstance and pride of achievement, and dropping back, watched w: li indiffer-
ent regard the advance of other countries. The off'spring of her institutions,
the prodigies that gave her greatness, became like a tender vine too long ex-
posed to a scorching sun, which withers after bearing the first season's fruit.
Stopping in the advance, on the highway to a grander position among the
nations, Africa lay down to a sleep from which she has not yet awakened.
Other countrit.'' have profited from Africa's early example and pushed on,
until in our day t^e first has become last, and now none are so dark with
mystery, 'i.j wild with waste and wilderness, so wretched with savager}- as she.

3 (33)

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

The new world, so young in the contest for supremacy, has risen with the
vaulting ambition which distinguished ancient Africa, and now looks down with
amazement at her dark sister across the sea; South America, with its over-
teeming products that lie in almost insurmountable or impenetrable tangles,
opposing every advance, has yet become a seat for the habitation of high and
increasing intelligence. Australia has lifted her head above the disadvantages
of her surroundings, and established herself among the great nations of the
earth. Even the insulated portions of the globe, the islands of the high seas,
where wild passions found a natural license in the circumscribed conditions of
their environments; where savagery had no examples inspiring to a loftier posi-
tion, and intellectual force could find so little nourishment — even these hf.ve
discovered the germ of civilization and given it such careful cultivation that the
fruit is ripening to their praise and glory. In short, all the world, save Africa
alone, has joined the procession that marches, with ceaseless tread, towards a
higher and grander eminence in human affairs, and are thus drawing nearer to
that universal brotherhood which promises the flowering of a perfect civilization.

AFRICA'S FORMER GREATNESS.

It is not sufficient to say that the past glory of Africa was limited to
Egypt, or to the northern coast, where Carthage, with her almost unexampled
splendors, her enormous commerce and powerful army, ruled the world. From
the ruins of the Nilotic cities, Thebes, Karnak, Memphis, Luxor, Heliopolis,
etc., which are scattered so profusely along the river shores, and from the
Grecian lays that so graphically and amorously describe the great Punic. nation,
we gain our chief impressions of Africa's ancient possessions; but the evidences
are b}' no means wanting in proof of the claim that the country, though now
so savage, was once thoroughly civilized, even its darkest portions affording
testimony of having been occupied by peoples familiar with the arts and
sciences. The explorations of our modern travellers, while beneficent in the
liigliest degree to the present age, are but the re-discoveries of very anciently
well known towns, rivers, provinces and kingdoms.

Peoples rise and perish just as the arts flourish and expire. Nearly all our
modern inventions are only recoveries of long-lost applications, and it may with
1 truth be asserted that there is no country or land on the globe but has been
{occupied by a civilized people.

It is no disparagement to the bold spirits who have penetrated and ex-
[plored the wilds of Africa at the cost of such suffering and treasure, to claim
[that they were biit travellers over a once prominent but now obliterated high-
|way. The result of their exploits is no less pronounced or beneficial, nor is
the measure of their praise diminished because they performed a signal ser-
Ivice which had once before been accomplished. As well detract from the hero-
ism of a man who plunges into a cataract at the imminent peril of his own
life to save that of a comrade, because some one before had done a like heroic
let. The danger was none the less because having before been confronted.

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

s i

Readers of history, and students of archeology, particularly, know that
prior to the discovery of America by Columbus, there had long before existed
in Mexico, Central America, and northern South America, a civilization that
employed nearly all the sciences: mathematics, hydraulics, and a splendid sys-
tem of engineering and architecture, astronomy, etc., which serve to distinguish
the peoples of those countries as highly educated and refined. How they per-
ished history fails to acquaint us. In Greenland, that now woefully desert
and frigid country, we find ruins that tell a sad story of the desolation that
overtook and destroyed the progressive and cultured people who once made
that country their home. So we find like evidences of a vanquished civiliza-
tion in all countries, though in Africa, excepting Egypt and the northern
coast, these relics are less conspicuous, and in many places hardly distinguish-
able, nothwithstanding they unquestionably exist. '

RUINS OF ANCIENT MAGNIFICENCE.

Some few evidences do, however, exist, pointing directly toward a period
in history when at least some portions of Africa, which are now distinguished
for their barbarism, were ages ago the seats of enormous commerce and most
probably the homes of an advanced people.

Sofala, now a small town on the east coast of Africa, on the Mozambique,
is frequently mentioned by Marco Polo, who visited it in the thirteenth century.
It was even at that early date a place of little importance, save as a commer-
cial port for the Arab traflSc. But long before that period it was the centre
of a wondrous rich mining district whose wealth was fairly beyond computation.

The Portuguese Governor-General, in 1857, published a report concerning
the former greatness of this region, in which, after speaking of the rich mines
of gold, silver, copper, and iron found here, he states that the country was
invaded by a warlike people called the Lindens, who wrought such ruin that
no effort was ever afterwards made to reopen the mines or re-establish the
government. But these mines still bear the names of their supposed discoverers,
which are most probably the names of kings who have ruled the country.

In this same report it is stated that five hundred leagues from Sena, which
was formerly the capital of the Portuguese dominions in east Africa, situated
little more than two hundred miles north of Sofala, on the Zambesi, there
are remains of large edifices which indicate that they were once inhabited by
a powerful people, but by whom is not known. This report .<:eems'to con-
firm the statements of Barros, who, in describing the relics of a very ancient
city called Zimboe, declares that about these ruins are the remains of a fort
built of well dressed stones having a cut surface of twelve feet in length and
only a little less in height, in the joining of which no lime appears to have
been used. In other words, the masonry is almost exactly like that which is
found in the pyramid of Cheops. Over the door to this' fort is an inscription
which the most learned Arabs have not been able to decipher, nor has any one
ever been able to determine the character of the writing.

HEROES Or THE DARK CONTINENT.

Around the ruins of this fort are the remains of other constructions having
bastions made of like large cut stones, and about the middle of all the ruins
is found the wreck of what was evidently at one time a stone tower which
must have been at least seventy-five feet in height. These ruins are called
by the natives of the country Zimboe, which signifies a royal residence.

Barros is of the opinion that the country of Sofala, which no doubt once
included Sena, of which indeed it may have been the capital, is the same as that
spoken of by Ptolemy as Agyzimba. Zimboe, the name of the royal residcice,

KKSIDE AFRIC'S RUINS.

certainly offers some affinity to that of Agyzimba; and there is still the
remnant of a once powerful nation, called the Zimbos, to be found on the banks
of the Zambesi.

EVIDENCE OF A VANQUISHED RACE.

Cavilham, a Portuguesse navigator of the fifteenth century, born about
1415, being emploj^ed in a mission to the Barbary states, acquired a know-
ledge of the Arabic language, and was sent by his government to Abyssinia in
quest of the mysterious Prester John. After first proceeding to Abyssinia he

HEROES C'F THE DARK CONTINENT.

made a voyage to the coast of Malabar, and from there returned in 1490 to
Abyssinia, bringing letters addressed by John II., to the legendary Prester John.
So great were his services considered that the king of Abyssinia, in his
anxiety to retain his counsel, forcibly detained him at his court, where
Cavilham soon after married a wealthy Abyssinian woman and remained in
the country until his death, early in the sixteenth century. Though he thus
became an Abyssinian by forced adoption, he continued to interest himself in
geographical and ethnological matters up to his death, and left a journal of
great value, which fortunately fell into the possession of the English Geographi-
cal Society. In this journal are contained descriptions of the several India
ports which he had visited, and, what was more instructive and interesting,
that of the situation and richness of the mines of Sofala. In this journal he
4eclares that the country was once very populous, containing many very rich
and powerful cities. He also wrote a letter to the king of Portugal, exhorting
him to make a passage round Africa, which he declared to be attended by
little danger, and that the cape itself [Good Hope] was well known to the people
of India. He accompanied this letter with a chart which he had received from
a learned Moor in India, on which the cape and cities all around the coast
were exactly represented.

These statements are confirmed by Bruce, and also by the Portuguese,
who describe the state of the country when they first settled there (in 1505),
representing the native princes as being pure Moors, and that their form of
worship was the same as that of the Arabs ; and that they lived, especially in
the interior, in a more opulent and cultured manner.

FROM WHEK'CE CAME SOLOMON'S RICKES?

As the country of Ophir, abounding with gold, has long continued to be
a subject of great dispute, it may be well to observe here that there are stronger
reasons for believing it to have been Sofala, on the east coast of Africa, than for
locating it in either Arabia, India or Peru. The Bible text (i Kings ix. 26^
27,28; X. II, 12,22,) reads:

" And king Solomon made a navy of ships in E^ion-Geber, which is.
beside Eloth, on the shore of the Red Sea, in the land of Edom.

" And Hiram sent in the navy his servants, shipmen that had knowledge
of the sea, with the servants of Solomon.

" And they came to Ophir, and fetched from thence gold, four hundred
and twenty talents, and brought it to king Solomon."

" And the navy also of Hiram, that brought gold from Ophir, brought in
from Ophir great plenty of almug trees, and precious stones.

" And the king made of the almug trees pillars for the house of the
Lord, and for the king's house, harps also and psalteries for singers : there
came no such almug trees, nor were seen unto this day."

" For the king had at sea a navy of Tharshish with the navy of Hiram :
once in three years came the navy of Tharshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory,
and apes, and peacocks."

I 1490 to
jter John,
a, in his
rt, where
nained in
he thus
imself in
jurnal of
reographi-
ral India
iteresting,
ournal he
very rich
exhorting
tended by
the people
;ived from
the coast

ortugnese,

(in 1505),

form of

pecially in

lued to be

stronger

a, than for

ys ix. 26^

which is

cnowledge

hundred

)rought in

se of the
ers : there

f Hiram :
vet, ivory,

(39)

I i

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

Writers who have entered upon this discussion usually maintain that the
Ophir here spoken of is the Ofor situated on the eastern side of the Arabian
peninsula, and that the gold was obtained from a small adjoining coast men-
tioned by Pliny as the Gold Coast.

It is not to be doubted that this region bears some gold, though certainly
not in any considerable quantity, while we do know that it does not contain
elephants, hence could not have produced ivory. Some pearls are also occasion-
ally found along the coast, but never in such abundance as to have been an
article of commerce. Nor does Arabia, in any part, contain peacocks or guinea-
fowls, nor such apes as are referred to in the text, these animals having been

FORT AT SOFALA.

first introduced into the country by Dthoo'l-Adhar, "the terrible one," who
received that designation in allusion to these frightful creatures. This was in
the first year of the Christian era.

The almug tree, which I believe all authorities unite in declaring to be
the same as sandal wood, is not indigenous to Arabia; nor has that country ever
produced precious stones.

If, as many declare, the Ophir mentioned in Kings, was in Arabia, cer-
tainly a voyage to that place and back could not have consumed three years ;
besides, if situated in Arabia, it would have been approached by land, instead
of by sea, as in those days the former was a much less difficult mode of

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT. .

travelling, especially as traffic overland between Red Sea ports, Persia, and the.
Holy Land had become quite extensive.

While none of the facts seem to point to any port of the coast of Arabia
as being the Ophir of Solomon, on the other hand all the conditions are found
to establish Sofala as the place ; the almug tree, or sandal wood, of two species,
both most aromatic, grows along the Zambesi and is common on the coast from

GOLD MINING REGION OK SOFALA.

Delgoa Bay to Mozambique, much of which is gathered here and shipped even
to China. We know the disposition of Arabs to call places after their own
names, and hence this rich countr3- has an Arabic appellative, Sofala^ likewise
the river upon which it is situated ; and the river which leads to the principal
mines, the Manica gold mines, is called Sabia^ an Arabic name, the same as
Yimcn^ the name of Arabia's ruler in the time of Christ.

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

The whole kiugdoni of Sofala is marvellously rich in gold, silver, copper,
and iron, while precious stones of almost every variety have been found there,
and the finest pearls have been taken from oysters in the mouth of Sofala
river. Indeed, it has often been claimed that the pearl fishery here is equal to
that found anywhere along the coast of India, while no gold mines in the
world are richer. About all this region elephants formerly abounded in such
numbers that, from the ivory gathered there, it has been estimated that from
three to four thousand of these animals must have been killed annually.

There are also, and have been from time immemorial, great numbers of
apes, monkeys and peacocks, both in a wild and domesticated state, throughout
the Sofala region, so that in every aspect the country seems to present itself
as being unquestionably the Ophir from whence Solomon derived so much of
his wealth and which he used so lavishly in the building of the temple.
Reference will again be made to this subject when we come to consider Bruce's
travels.

CHAPTER II.

A HISTORY OF AFRICA.

O acquaint my readers with the phases through which Africa
has passed, and especially to show the basis upon which the
claim is made that it was once well known and evidently
thickly populated with peoples advanced in the arts insepar-
able from a high social condition, I beg to add here a brief
history of the country. This history is necessarily imperfect
because very little is known concerning Africa, and because so much of legend
and dim tradition is associated with its every district, so that the facts them-
selves thus become very obscure. Another reason is found in the small atten-
tion which archaeologists have given to the country outside of Egypt ; so that
our information is principally based upon assumptions which, follow most
naturally the few knojvn facts, just as we assume certain things from analogy
or example.

The name Africa seems to have been derived from Afer^ the son of Her-
cules, though therQ are many other derivatives, which show that the real deriva-
tion is unknown. The Grecians divided the country into Egypt and Lybia, the
latter name being bestowed in honor of a daughter of Epaphus, who was a son
of Jupiter. When the Arabians overran a large portion of the country they
called their African conquests Ifriqnia^ from Farnch, signifying separatioUy
because of its insulation from other countries, being connected with Asia by
the narrow isthmus of Suez, which, since the building of the canal, has left it
an island, as it is now entirely surrounded by water. Other Arabians main-
tain that the name was given in honor of Melek Ifiriqui, who was an ancient
king of Arabia Felix, but who, being driven from his own possessions, fled into
Africa and planted there a new kingdom which soon became both great and
populous.

The name Africa is also said to be derived from apliar, a Hebrew word
signifying dust^ given because of the sand-storms that sweep the Sahara Desert
and the periodical simooms that carry such great quantities of dust as some-
times to obscure the sun. In the old Phoenician, Africa is derivable from feme,
meaning an ear of corn, or when changed to fetre signifies a corn country.
This derivation is quite probable, because those portions of Africa which the
Phoenicians knew produced such crops of grain as were sufficient to feed the
then known world, a fact celebrated in the odes of Horace and Virgil and other
ancient poets. (43) - .

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

STRANGE BELIEFS RESPECTING AFRICA.

A few hundred years ago the most absurd, though amusing, notions and
conceits were entertained regarding the country, nearly all writers holding to
the belief that it was incapable of supporting any vegetation except poisonous
plants, Avhich grew in great profusion and harbored the most grotesque and
horrible animals. A few people were supposed to inhabit this dangerous land
who were proof against the ills which surrounded them. Sir. John Mandeville
gave descriptions of some very strange creatures occupying the mid country,
among other things declaring that there were cynoccpliali (dog-headed monkeys)

AGRICUI.TURK IN AFKICA

who have heads anc' daws like dogs and bark like them. He speaks also of
what he terms Sciapixt, •, a people who are wondrous swift though they progress
b}' hopping on one leg. At niid-day, when unable to find a forest shade, they
lie d<;\U'. upon the back and hold their foot uloft which is so large that it
ser\es ihe purpose of a shade umbre'la in protecting their bodies from the sun.
There are also, he affirms, a headless people called Blotiwycrs^ whose eyes and
mouths are situated on their breasts, but who have neither cars nor nose.

These ridiculous fancies were put forth in many books and most gener-
ally believed, although, thousands of years before, other historians had pictured

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

tions and
oldi ug to
poisonous
sque and
rous land
landeville
country,
monkeys)

Africa as a veritable paradise. By these it was correctly represented as being
watered by numerous rivers whose valleys were covered with perpetual green,
while the entire land was fanned by cooling gales, so that the country was
likened to a great orchard bearing all manner of delicious fruits. Of this
African Elysium Homer, in his Odyssey, thus writes:

*' Close to the gates, well hedged on either side,
A stately orchard was, four acres wide ;
There pregnant trees up to the heavens shoot,
Laden with pears, and store of blushing fruit.
Olives and figs, green, budding, ripe appear.
Cherished with western breezes all the year."

'^!Sssif'i

n> i*^Mw,^-.,.,,;J;

■. ^••-».,

-,.->"-

s also of
: progress
lade, they
ge that it
1 the sun.
eyes and
nose.

isl gener-
d pictured

EXPEDITIONS OF DISCOVERY.

The first reliable informatioD concerning the country, beyond Egypt and
the northern coast, was obtained by Hanno, who sailed from Carthage, out of
the gates of Hercules (Gibraltar) and coasted the land as far as Guinea,
bringing back with him many surprising tales with which to render more
exciting his story of facts.

Herodotus, in the fourth of his nine books (Melpomene), which he named
after the muses, says that some Phoenicians sailed out of the Red Sea and
after three } ".rs doubled the lower point of Africa and returned to their
country by way of Hercules' Pillars (Gibraltar).

It is also related that Sataspes, a Persian nobleman, having been found
guilty of ravishing a virgin, was condemned to be crucified, but through the
mediation of his mother, who was a sister of Darius, of Media, his sentence
was commuted by Xerxes to the circumnavigation of Africa, this being
deemed so dangerous an undertaking as to be a punishment next to death. He
sailed out of Gibraltar and proceeded along the coast as far south as Cape
Verd, when, being awed by the eastward trend of the sea and the strange
animals and people seen along the shore, he returned again by the same route
and made a report to Xerxes, stating that it was impossible to sail round
the country. Having thus failed to perform the undertaking, he was remitted
to his former sentence and suffered death on the cross.

In his second book (Euterpe), Herodotus gives an account of another ex-
pedition undertaken by the Nasamones, a people then inhabiting Tunis. This
expedition was composed of five young men possessing both fortune and quali-
fications, who were chosen by lot to explore the African deserts. It is not
related how large was the caravan that accompanied them, but .it must have
been a aonsiderable one, for they took a great abundance of provisions in
preparation for a long absence. After tiavclling a few days southward they
came upon so many lions, probably in the Atlas mountains, that they changed
their course to westward, though by this they were brought into the deserts and
were in danger of perishing. At length, however, they came to an oasis in

■^Jftlttrw-TK^i.

n'iiMTTTTIfr

Bttf'""""^'"**'^'' •'— -

Lgii£iaycg"! *^

i^jSi

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

' !

Avhicli there were many trees bending low with delicious fruit. While regaling
themselves in this inviting place they were visited by a number of dwarfs, or
people whom Herodotus represents as being scarcelj^ half the stature of ordinary
people. These dwarfs, though unable to understand any word of speech
uttered by those whom they had thus visited, perceived their forlorn and
dangerous condition and very kindly led the expedition across a wide desert
tract and to their city, in which all the inhabitants were black. A large river

ran by this
city in an
eastward
direction, but
■ Herodotus
neglects t o
report the
ultimate de-
stination of
the expedi-
tion or its
fate. It is
probable that
the party
reall}' cross-
ed the desert
and visited
the city of
Bornu,which
is so old a
place that no
history is ex-
tant concern-
ing its found-
ing. Though
there are now

AIRICAN KI.Kl'HANTS IN THE SOKAUA COUNTRY. UO dwarfs iu

the immediate region of that place, thei-e is a race of pigmies found not a great
distance to the south of it, and who have, no doubt, been driven from their
more northern home by the first Arabian invaders.

The greatest progress towards discovery and exploration along the coast
and the interior of Africa was made in the fifteenth centur}', when the
Portuguese attacked the Moors along the Atlantic seaboard and captured from
them several cities. Having thus obtained a foothold, they increased their
African acquisitions to such an extent that the envy of England was excited.
Henry, Duke of Viseo, youngest son of Henry I., now resolved to euter the

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

lists as an explorer, to which end he engaged learned mathematicians and
navigators, md iu 1420 set sail with a fleet of three vessels to circumnavigate
Africa. He continued to make voyages along the coast at considerable intervals,
discovering Madeira in 1420, Porto Sancho in 1428, Cape Yerd in 1440 and the
coast of Guinea in 1452 ; but it does not appear that he extended his trips
further southward, so that his real ambition was never attained. Henry died
in 1463, after which no further efforts at discovery were made until King John
II., of Portugal, sent out an expedition under command of Diego Con, who, in
i486, discovered the Angola, or Congo country, St. George's Isle, and the mouth
of the Congo. A year later, associated with Bartholomew Dias, he continued

MICLINniC.

his voyage southward until he reached Cape Good Hope, called in the Poi'tu-
guese language Cabo dr Bona Espcrauza^ and entertained the ambition of pro-
ceeding thence eastwardly to India, but on account of a mutiny among his
crew he was forced to return without doubling the cape.

FINDING THE ROUTE TO INDIA.

In the year 1497 Vasco da Gama obtained a commission from Emanuel
(known as the Fortunate), king of Portugal, the successor of John the Great,
and made a voyage with the avowed purpore of reaching India by an eastward
route. Though he set sail with four vessels, with this sole intention, he made
search for other lauds, and pursuing a tortuous course he discovered the islands

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

of St. John and St. Helena. After spending a year cruising off the African
coast, da Gania proceeded again southward, and doubling Cape of Good Hope
he sailed along the Eastern coast northward to Mozambique, and thence to-
Melinde, three degrees south of the Equator, and from there he took an
easterly course until he reached the East Indies at Calicut, on the Malabar
coast. He remained at Calicut only a short time, on account of Arabian
intrigues which threatened his life, and returned to Lisbon August 29, 1499,
with the proud news of the complete success of his undertaking. Thus did
da Gania win the honor of being the first navigator to double the southern
extremity of Africa, and of finding a sea route to India.

It is a singular fact, related by da Gama, that along the east coast of
Africa there was at this time many splendid ports and large cities well laid
out and substantially built, occupied by people who dressed in fine fabrics,
such as silks and purples. At one of these places da Gama stopped for some-
time and formed an alliance with the king of Melinde, who furnished da Gama.
with a pilot, who conducted the expedition across the Indian Ocean. What
became of these people, and how their cities were destroyed, is one of the many
mysteries which distinguish the dark continent. There is undoubted geologic
evidence of a former land connection between the continent of Africa and the
island of Madagascar, but there is no evidence of any submergence of the
African coast during the past thousand years. Melinde, indeed, still exists^
located less than two hundred miles above Zanzibar, but if we are to believe
the reports made bj'^ da Gama upon his return to Lisbon, the place has very
greatly deteriorated, and presents now no semblance of its former magnificence.

WAS AFRICA WELL KNOWN TO THE ANCIENTS ?

It is a question whether o" not all portions of Africa were once settled by
a semi-civilized people. The evidence th^t it was, while being very far from
conclusive, is sufficient at least to excite our curiosity and a desire to make
further investigations. The Sahara desert, which covers the face of a sixth
part of all Africa notwithstanding its desolation and the difficulties it offers
to travellers, and the impossibility of its occupancy by mankind, except in a few
fertile spots, is nevertheless as well known as Palestine, or Egypt itself
Caravars have for ages braved its burning sands and scorching winds uniil
every foot of its shifting surface has been pressed by the keel of a desert ship
as it went slow sailing under a cargo of Eastern fabrics, or taking back to
Egypt and Arabia the products of the oases and of Senegambian forests.

It was in Africa that the old legend was born of Atlas supporting the
world upon his back, as thus described by Virgil in his ^neid:

And now the craggy top, and lofty shade

Of Atlas, which supporteth heaven, be spyed :

A fleece of sable clouds the temples binds

Of Pine-crowned Atlas, beat with rain and winds ; *

Snow clothes his shoulders, his starched beard is froze

And from the old man's chin a river flows.

le African
rOod Hope
thence to
took an
e Malabar
f Arabian

29, 1499,

Thus did

; southern.

; coast of
5 well laid!
le fabrics.
1 for some
1 da Gama.
m. What

the many-
id geologic
ca and the
ice of the
;till exists y

to believe
has very

gnificence.

settled by
y far from
to make
of a sixth
es it offers
pt in a few

ypt itself.

nnds uniil
desert ship

g back to

ests.

orting the

:W»

^^(TT^

'•Iii-i-:i fi:^ i>\' Til:; ' \KK LOXT!:\HN'i\

of St. Jo';:' .:'h!
coast, <}a * ! I ■ .
he s.-aJ^i't •• .,
Melii df, .. •

easte '■} ••'!;-!.• :"
coas^ I !■• ■>■■•.. .'>■■'•
intri ac. .•• li" '■ ■ iu'.':.: •
witl- h'-
da ( !;
ext 111

I Mi.

If,.:, ,., ,\: .. -ir^.ilw.c .1 vrui -Mi:-:iu' -sT tiv; Affi 'li
[,■■1 a'-;.;i' —.':;..■ : i.i.i v^^r-''''^, C: ^'C ;: i',,'0(\ !'.;>>;

, -■. •:: (,:' :"i> ; j.rU'.j-, n;.! liwiu i::ev- Ju- :"••■- .lu
.■ ■• ;,,-];tiI tip- |-.,i,: iif'h-- .1' JiWcnl, (.11 ..hv Miuahar

I.- Ml; .c- s "t his u'uiiM tak uii:;. 'rhi\> iHd
:.■• ■,• ■' u.iv i'.;', ti 'V to dd-ijiic i lu.' m^'iIiu. mv

■ -^ ■ {'■. ■■ (■; IU(li;L.

,.';•!';-••'' ' "*.')-'■ '''• ' <■'''■■ • ■ "'' j.i'ti i(. •-^.

\'<''iM, •, !;, ''iT i''slii.'(l da ( iiuu.i

, ' ..-,', ; ■ ' V'l';ii'. ' )cc.!;i. \\ ';:'-t

: .K -,!■ ■ .■ '■• ( 'u- (>!" 1 ';'- 'ii.i'tv

.. ■ •■ 1 -u ,;
Af * 'I ■- • ■ ' -■'■'■■■

OU- .IT'I !,:. •..,
ti-oe ;;.' : .•'

\.-;.; ..;., ,. ,;, - ,lu ':;;■ ih-- ^vi^t ih 'U^iuM yc;

> V

k ' 1 1

,■■ .: i;
., ;^ d-

i>..-l.:r. •.U'i

i>V ''•.

>;. :;.;•. nil C\i>tS

U,:-.. ; \-j^ Vr.^n t V. hum"-- d rnu-' -;i^iV\' Z;iii:-;ij.li-, ^''IL :t v-

grc.-.''^ d^jtcri' v:;Li.d, ;ind |.V'.^rni ■; !i'i\v in- ■ ml)! .n- c oi m:; vur.. iKXJcc

wa:-i ,\i-'R!r,A \vk: r. .^:^.'(v.VN to th;; .\N".n.-:NTs :■

v^ii ill Durt: .lis ^••" ,\iVu.':v v, f \- 'Uiv- N'MVcd 'n

iris ■ f'i'H ; '!• .11 wSii-l'icr

\, h'le l'v''n.; \r]

tr,

i ; i U

i\il!.-A;d p.-^.pli.. "C])C i;\ IJCMC'- iIkU : '. v.

t.') (.xcU'/ >nr. tnv' ■iU' ami a ae;-:'' i- •''.ai-;t

■ y\- : iiK I) ,;-iiv 1 rs 1 .1" i.lCf

(•o;:> :;. .;■ i;, \"- .';iit:.,M.. li! ;:l n <i^

■ ' a.nvlia'j' b- dt."<"lat!'">ii ; n 1 ^'h uitii'/!

I.! '.'is- n.ijx •■^M'M . ■ I .'

, . . 1 ■ a

()'■ ;l-;

, u '

a.r i;

:; ; '.vc.-: 1 Ui'.'A II

IVI^ ',;.ai nr.. ■ I !

. :!■

■nt : -i .: -a; m;
a-' l-ii.l! il.i

■ :i i)!ka--
, li; a i<-y
\ ■.)! !'.^a-li.

dr-'aa - In,'
ae l.^vV- ">

.'I' .

a,. I 1 a)' >'

M :. ..r..,-! ^■. .- '

.1 ■'•a

t' A'li- -aii-it. 'iin;'' tlie

1. ■;. 1 a., a h\ X'lrail 1-) !' '

., J'laul;

tl'.. .T.

nil t'lf

i '' i('. '-li all'

n A

• i-i 1 '■: U

tv <] \<-.\

[:•:• Uii; •■. ' r,".'. ■ lllil

( I rti'f .. •■!'

• ■,^■.,.h

SM'.'.V i,\..'V|1' r 'IS ,^IM

Ai.

x'klivl : . .

■i lUC 1,

mail 1 11.

w .;;i 1 ir.i ;iii' ai

.\ , ! ''.)VV;

■ uroju-i.

Li-e Afri '"IV

;tj ;''.■'-. .in
li,: Maiai,)av
ot" A;,iM;.n
-I --'1. I i';.i.
Thn- ''u.i
he MMii'iK -n

-' c■u,l-^^ 'A

■ iH'- 1.1 ■nil -..

ed da { '.-,1111.1

■\CA .11"! !:;'■
■.:■ ! ; I : ' ; 1 1 1 ■ ■

). ', i '■. '.-

■li'vd 1>\
■.'".■ f'."<un
;.. 'uakt-

; oifcr-

!)'i !>:<d!.

.!■'-. nntr
't-ii- the

lof

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

The Atlas Mountains in the northern part of Africa, lofty, precipitous,
i snow-covered and most difficult of ascent, have been scaled by thousands, and
[were well known when Rome was in its infancy. Is it not inconceivable that
fthis bleak, barren, repciling region of the north should have been so well
explored thousands of years ago, and have been the home of so-called civil-
ized people ever since; that Egypt, on the east, should have been the seat
from whence all civilizations sprung, and yet that great country lying on her
irestern border and fringing the northern desert with inviting productiveness,
should have remained wholly unexplored, a very elysian region with gates
ade open which no one would enter?

MAPS OP AFRICA MANY HUNDRED YEAF D.

All the most famous Roman, Grecian and Arabic . iter^ of antiquity have

)rofessed an accurate knowledge of Central Africa. Ptolemy, the Helleno-

Jgyptian geographer, who lived in the second century A. D., gave particular

iescriptions of the rivers, lakes, towns, mountains and all the physical features

)f Africa. Ptolemy was the first person to use the terms latitude and longitude,

land to prove that the earth is a globe ; and tjntil the sixteenth century his

[geography continued to be a standard text-book. Is it possible that his map

of Africa is only a fancy? Surely some one would have discovered its unrelia-

jbility before the lapse of sixteen centuries.

Strabo and Pliny, Herodotus, Thebet, and other old geographers have given

{us the most minute and interesting descriptions of the physical features rl the

[country, and also of its animals ; and it is also true that while much fiction has

[been fou.id among their assertions, there has been also so large a leaven of

[truth that as a whole their histories are still reckoned as standard works. They

[frequently mention animals as being peculiar to Central Africa which, being

[scouted for hundreds of years, have been by modem explorers found to be veri-

Ities. The same may be said of the mountains of which they speak ; for though

jit is now claimed that the Mountains of the Moon, formerly described as crossing

[Africa from east to west about the Equator, have no existence, yet there is a

range of high table lands, some rising into veritable mountains, as Baker says,

7000 feet in height, crossing the country almost on the equatorial line, and which

form the water-sheds of liearly the whole continent. In this region the Nile

las its source, as does also the Congo and the Zambesi ; here also are the great

iakes, and each one seems to be the source of some river, large or small, because

pe country is ramified by innumerable watercourses, so that hundreds of years

igo it was called the '* Land of Rivers." From a book published by John Ogilby

In 1670, under the patronage of Charles IL, I extract the following concerning

the lakes and water courses of Central Africa:

'* This region abounds also with many great lakes, the chiefest is that they

j::'^'' the Zaire, or Zembre, which Linefoot takes to be the old Triton, out of

Rrhose bottom issues two famous rivers that water the kingdom of Congo, the

^oanze and Lalande. Some affirm that from the Nile, Zambere, or the Conama,

aa>n

* !

■ i
It

50 HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

have here their original. " How singularly prophetic is this claim, if it be not
made from positive knowledge. Look at a modern map of Africa which now
shows the source of the Nile to be Albert and Victoria lakes, while the source

FAI.1^ OF THU NII<K.

of the Congo, though not yet discovered, is given by all geographers as a lake,
which, no doubt, will be sooner or later discovered.

THE SOURCE OF THE NILE LONG KNOWN.

But this same book is quite explicit concerning the source of the Nile,
for it s i.ys, page 47 : " The Nile rises in the country of Sahala, being a part
of the province of Agaos, bordering on Goyani ; whose source or spring-head

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

appears in two founts, seeming perfectly round, on the top of a morass or
boggy plain, upon a hill surrounded with shady and pleasant groves; the
diameter of each though no more than eighteen inches, yet is in depth unfath-
omable, supposed bottomless. The water keeps within the narrow banks till
breaking forth at the bottom of a hill, it soon spreads into a river whose chan-
nel, replenished by the concourse of divers others, swells into a lake thirty
leagues long and fourteen broad, whence breaking forth afresh, after several wind-
ings and meanders, it returns almost to the first head, and there falling down by
great precipices, among unapproachable rocks, shoots into the midst of Ethiopia."

A more truthful description of the real source of the Nile cannot be given
at this day.
Sir Samuel
Baker claims
the honor of
having discov-
ered the river's
source in 1861,
though Captain
Speke no doubt
preceded h i m
and came upon
the lakes which
are now accept-
ed as the riv-
er's head a few
months earlier.
But Baker fol-
lowed up the
river, and by so
doing fully de-
termined its course, except for the last fifty miles, when he was forced by the deep
morasses, of which Ogilby speaks, to cut across ihe continent. Baker viewed
the Albert N'yanza from the summit of a high hill, at the bottom of which
lay this broad expanse of water, certain!}- as large as Ogilby reports, though
its extent has not yet been determined, The precipices were also found, by
which it was onlj' possible to pass by carrying the boats over great hills, and
the tortuous windings of the river issuing from the lakes, and its diminutive
size, has also been authenticated. The two small founts spoken of remain yet
to be rediscovered, if they exist, but it is possible that these will be found.

When we consider the fact that the real source of the Mississippi river is
still in dispute, we can the better appreciate the accuracy of Ogilby's descrip-
tion, and feel full assurance of the truth of the assertion that ancient geographers
must at one time have known from whence the Nile took its rise.

CATARACT OF THE NILE.

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

.; ■ '

OGILBY'S MAP.

To fortify more amply the claim that Central Africa must have, during
some early period, possibly antedating history, been well known if not popu-
lated by civilized or semi-civilized people, I beg to call the reader's attention
to the subjoined map published by Ogilby in his book already referred to.
This is a reproduction of the original, on which the names of lakes, rivers,
towns, provinces, etc., are printed in Latin or Portuguese. The names thus
given, however, would afford us little information even if translated into Eng-
lish, as many of them have been repeatedly changed by modern discoverers
and geographers. But the positions of rivers and lakes on Ogilby's map afe
remarkably like those given on the maps of to-day, the differences being won-
derfully small when we consider how imperfect was the art of map-making two
hundred years ago. It may also be asked why so many villages are located
on the Ogilby map if the central African regions were at the time terra incog-
nita. If these locations of rivers and lakes be correct, we must believe that
the villages are also properly located.

By reference to the map we discover on the west the river Niger, repre-
sented as rising in Central Africa and having its source in Niger lake. This
is an error, though it is not difficult to conceive how such a mistake was
made, as the map must evidently have been drawn from reports made by trav-
ellers through the country. Niger lake, however, has its correspondence in
Liber lake in the province of Nigrata. This region is still so little known
that many other lakes may be located in Nigrata, and those laid down in
Ogilby's map may therefore be verities. The Niger is also here represented
as having its course through a large body of water named lake Guarda. This
lake, though connected with no river flowing into the Atlantic, is evidently lake
Tchad, which was discovered by Clapperton and Dunham, in 1822.' North of the
Niger a short distance is the town of Tombotu, or Timbuctoo, though it was
not until 1826 that a reward of $15,000 was earned by the first white trav-
eller who should reach that city. This prize was won by Maj. Alexander
Gordon Laing. It is recorded in ancient history that the Tyrians, several cen-
turies before the time of Christ, maintained a large commerce with Timbuctoo,
and yet in the present century a very large sum was offered as a reward to the
first white explorer who should reach that city. What became of the people
of that city, who twenty-five hundred years ago were so refined in their tastes
and so wealthy as to clothe themselves in Tyrian purple ?

South of the equator we also find on Ogilby's map two very large lakes^
called respectively Zaire and Zafflan. The former of these, however, is divided
into two lakes, known as Zaire and Zembe. These are represented as being
the sources of the Nile. Now let the reader examine a modern map of Africa
and note the correspondence and fidelity of that of Ogilby's. Zaire lake thus
becomes the Albert N'yanza of Baker, and Zaffian that of Victoria N'yanza of
Speke, both being rediscovered in 1861. The Zembre should not be connected

'«i

|Wlt

Ibau

'^1

■disc

Isau

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

with Zaire lake, and if we separate them, the former may represent Tangan-
yika, discovered by Burton and Speke, in 1858. Sonth of these we discover,
on Ogilby's ma^>, lake Sachas, which in size and shape exactly corresponds

ON THE BORDER OF THE ATLAS MOUNTAINS.

A'ith the modern lake of Bangweoio, discovered by Livingstone, and near whose
janks he died. Lake Nyassa, a large body in the eastern part of Africa, also
liscovered by Livingstone, is not laid down on Ogilby's map, though about the
same location are two small, nameless bodies of water, which may represent,

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

l i

I
ii

as they no doubt do, lakes discovered, but whose extent was unknown at the
time when Ogilby's map was made. , ,

If we examine this old map to see what correspondence there is between
the rivers as there laid down and those given on our modern maps, the coinci-
dence is quite as startling. Between 15° and 20° we find on the Ogilby map
the river Cuama, taking its rise in the south central region and flowing west-
ward into Mozambique channel. On modem maps, this same river becomes the
Zambesi, of Livingstone, the source of which has not been determined by
modern explorers. On the west coast, Ogilby locates two large rivers, viz. :
the Coanza and the Zaire, and traces their length quite a far as modern maps
do the same rivers, the former never having changed its name, and the latter
being now known by three names, viz. : the Congo, Lualaba and the Livingstone.
All along the coast are found rivers deb uuching on this old map, but their
sources are not given, any more than they are on modern maps. It is a strange
thing, however, that the real Niger river does not appear on Ogilby's map, the
stream to which he has given that name being in fact the Senegal. But
several rivers are located as rising in the Mandinga country, or Western Sou-
dan of modern maps, notably the Rio Real da Calabri which may repesent
the Niger, as the location of its mouth is correct, though its length is not
laid down.

Many other striking resemblances might be discussed, but as an admir-
able reproduction f Ogilby's map is given, I will leave the reader to make fur-
ther comparisons with modern maps, in which he will be sure to find much to
excite his surprise and ixiterest.

RIVERS OF SAHARA DESERT.

That portion of the Sahara region represented on Ogilby's map appears to
be well watered, being shown as traversed by numerous rivers, and occasional
lakes also appear. To the casual reader, this exhibit, so inconsistent with the
facts, Vv'ould lead him to throw discredit upon the correctness . of any part of
the map. Sahara is, except about the few wells v hich give life to a vegetation
limited to the immediate surroundings, a waterless waste, where rain never, or
very rarely falls, and whrre an apparently illimitable wasie of burning sand makes
life of all kinds almost insupportable. But was it always so ? . Many geologists
and a few very ancient writers declare that Sahara was once covered b}?^ the sea,
and that, most probably, through the effects of some cataclysm the sea receded,
leaving here its exposed bed. Or, perhaps, Sahara was once a fertile region,
after the subsidence of the sea, whose soil was afterwards denuded by another
encroachment of waters ; and the land surrounding it on the north and east may
have risen, as the evidences of geology abundantly attest, leaving here a great
basin, which, ultimately drying up, left the desert as we now behold it.

It is difficult for us to conceive the Sahara as having been a splendidly
watered and richly productive region, yet there is proof that it was once so.
In 1871 Col. Flatters, of England, was engaged to make a preliminar}' study

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

aown at the

J is between
J, the coinci-
Ogilby map
lowing west-
becomes the
termined by
rivers, viz. :
aodern maps
id the latter
Livingstone,
ip, but their
; is a strange
)y's map, the
ienegal. Btit
ATestem Sou-
lay refesent
ength is not

as an admir-
to make fur-
find much to

ap appears to
nd occasional
tent with the
any part of
a vegetation
•ain never, or
tr sand makes
my geologists
d by the sea,
e sea receded,
ertile region,
d by another
and east may
here a great
ehold it.
a splendidly
was once so.
minary study

of Eastern Sahara, with the view of building a railway from northwestern
[Africa through Timbuctoo to the Soudan, in pursuit of which work he made

►

o
r

?
5
i

►
d

g
I

Itwo expeditions to the Sahara regions, and each time crossed the desert, in
'which latter journey he was murdered by the savage Tonaregs. In describing

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

the desert, he declares it to be very much less dreary and desolate than
travellers generally picture it. But among the many interesting statements
which he makes are those in which he declares that Sahara is traversed by
many mountain chains which are intersected by the beds of ancient rivers, and
everywhere in these valleys an abundance of water is found not far below the
surface. He says that the beds of what were once two great rivers rising
somewhere in the south, having numerous lateral valleys in which once flowed
their affluents, extend from near the northern portion of the Soudan to the
cluster of lakes in the southern part of Algiers, where the streams once
emptied. These beds, which are still spoken of as rivers, are called the Oued
Mya and the Oued Igharghar. When rain falls on the mountains or high-
lands water forms in their tributaries which sometimes lasts for several days.
By reference to the Ogilby map we notice that the mountains mentioned
by Col. Flatters are there represented, as well as the lakes and rivers, so that
there is thus a re-enforcement of the evidence that this map must have been
drawn from descriptions furnished by travellers who had familiarized themselves
with every part of Africa.

■■).

CHAPTER III.

ARABIAN DISCOVERIES IN CENTRAL AFRICA.

^N the seventh century Mohammedanism made itself felt most
signally throughout the world. It was in this period
that the fanatics of this faith began a conquest of the
globe, not only shaking the Roman empire and over-running
the greater part of Europe, but they directed their atten-
tion also to countries which until then were unknown to
the civilization of Europe. They not only established
kingdoms along the Mediterranean shore of Africa and
founded large and flourishing cities, but they brought camels into service for
crossing the Sahara and opened routes through that previously untrod desert.
This invasion of the desert was really the result of a dispute between two rival
dynasties of the Kingdom of Barbary, known as the Abassides, and the
Ommiades. A furious war, though of short duration, followed, in which the
latter dynasty was defeated, and its followers, to escape the fury of their
adversaries, fled across the desert in great numbers and founded settlements
in the Soudan, where their descendants still exist as Fellahs. Their original
possessions, which they occupied without dispute, extended chiefly along the
Niger and Quarrima rivers, but these were soon after greatly enlarged east
and west. In this region they established an empire, the capital of which
they located at Ghana, which is the modern Kano, in the province of Housa,
some five hundred miles west of Lake Tchad. The sovereign chosen to rule
this new empire was distinguished alike for his cruelty and the unrivalled pomp
which he exhibited. His throne is said to have been ornamented with great
balls of solid gold, and the dais upon which it rested was likewise a sheet of
I gold, indicative, as the monarch asserted, of the commerce by which his capital
was enriched. This gold was found in a country towards the south, known
jthen as Waugara, but which is now designated as the Gold Coast of Guinea,
[being transported up the Niger to its junction with the Quarrima, and from
[the nearest point on that streani carried overland to Kano.

Few travellers have visited this region, notwithstanding its reputed great

[wealth, because of the savage cruelty of the imbruted, ostracised Arabians that

loccupy them. These veritable fiends established themselves here by inflicting

ilmost inconceivable cruelties upon the practically defenceless natives, hunting

them like so many wild animals and shooting them as they would the most

(57)

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

savage and dangerous creatures that inhabit the earth. East of the Housa.
empire, and bordering it, is the kingdom of Bornu, once known as Kuka, the
capital of which still retains that name and is located on the west coast of lake
Tchad. Clapperton and Denham visited the place in 1822, and report it a city
of many thousand people, and as being sub tantially built, with many ornate
and stately edifices. The Bornu soldiery are the most effective of any in

A FELLAH'S FAMII.Y.

Africa, and render their appearance the more formidable by wearing chain
corselets, and clothing their cavalry horses in armor.

Four hundred years after the establishment of the kingdom of Ghana, for
some reason which explorers have not been able to give us, Timbuctoo had
entirely eclipsed the splendor of Kano, and had become the most powerful
city, the chief seat of commerce and splendor, and the mart for gold. Leo

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

^A^

"4;, r'-s.^^^^^^j'-

hkMn

f^ -^^/^ -

'T(il

. \,^h wig

Mring chain

1P\'

ARABS HUNTING UNARMED NEGROES.

Africanus visited the region at this time, and from the
reports of his travels we gain this information, since no'
modern traveller had succeeded in reaching the city of
Timbuctoo until Laing's visit.

EFFORTS TO PENETRATE AFRICA FROM THE WEST.

Prior to the doubling of Cape Good Hope, and par-
ticularly during the reign of John the Great, many efforts-
r'^tS^^H were made to penetrate into the interior of Africa. These
^iSjftOHii were inspired not only by reports of fabulously rich gold
lines and many valuable objects of commerce, but also by an adventurous
[esire to reach the court of a mysterious personage known as Prester Jolui.
*he first mention of this distinguished personage was made by the traveller
Lubruquis, who, claiming to have cror-^ed Africa, brought back word of a Nes-
)rian bishop in the central regions w^ose wealth and power were made to«

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

appear as illimitable. Following these reports came others directly after, of a
Christian prince in Abyssinia, and the two reports were considered as confirma-
tory of the existence of this religious ruler who was known as Prester John.
Henceforth a diligent inquiry was instituted to locate his dominions, which
were supposed to be not far from the western coast. Ambassadors were indeed
dispatched to Timbuctoo in the belief that this city might have some connec-
tion with the kingdom. Di Barros set out in search of Timbuctoo, reports of
which had long been current, and succeeded in locating it and its great rival,
Genni, though it is not believed that he succeeded in entering either.

Both the English and the French, before the sixteenth century, had found
a considerable Portuguese population along the Senegal and Gambia rivers, and
their language had been mastered by many natives trading as far eastward as
Bambouk, which was only a few hundred miles west of Timbuctoo, yet no
effort was made to correct the erroneous impression, or belief, that the Niger
flowed westward into the ocean, as set down on Ogilby's map.

The iPortuguece continued their extensions along the coast and formed
considerable settlements on the gold coast at Elmina, and at the mouth of a
river then known as the Formosa, but which some time after they found to be
the Niger. At this latter settlement, the Portuguese found a large trade being
carried on between the natives there and those in the interior. There was a
king ruling over these coast possessions, but he derived his powei.s from some
great potentate whose coui't was some two hundred and fifty miles in the
interior, and who was known as Prince Agane. This prince was said to be the
most powerful in all Africa, a belief probably inspired by the mystery with
which he invested his person. It was reported that no one, save his immediate
attendants, was permitted to see his face, but that during interviews he was
screened from view by a silk curtain, at the conclusion of which he disclosed
only his foot, to which those in the royal presence were required to pay hom-
age. It has been popularly, and no doubt properly, supposed that this prince
was the Arabian ruler of Ghana, of which the modern province of Ganid com-
poses a part.

DISCOVERY OF A CHRISTIAN EMPIRE.

At the close of the fifteenth century the Portuguese not only sent mis-
sionaries into the interior, but they extended their influence by sailing around
the cape and up the east coast as far as Melinde and Mombasa, reports of
which kingdoms, especially the latter, had been brought back by Vasco da
Gama after his discovery of a route to India. Covilham was in charge of the
expedition succeeding the one which da Gama had commanded so successfully,
and proceeding further north than his predecessor, landed on the shore of
Abyssinia. This country, though so short a distance south of Egypt, seems to
have been unknown to the ancient writers, though it was one of the earliest
Christian empires, the seat of the mysterious Prester John. Covilham remained
some time in Abyssinia and sent back to his sovereign glowing accounts of

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

;ly after, of a
as confirma-
Prester John,
nions, which
s were indeed
some connec-
oo, reports of
s great rival,
her.

ry, had found
)ia rivers, and
,r eastward as
juctoo, yet no
hat the Niger

[its riches, besides inducing many missionaries to locate there, but he made no
sffort to penetrate the interior.

We have no further information respecting affairs in Africa nntil towards the
tnd of the sixteenth century, when the emperor of Morocco sent a large expedition

''^^ mi^^''

^'^^<

Sx^--

.<!S»^3-

■:^S^'

mt^

iif

CROCODII.B SEIZING THE NEGRO GUIDE.

fainst the prince of Timbuctoo, which resulted in a conquest of the city, the
^stery of which, however, was revealed only to the conquerors, for the place
itinued to be as carefully guarded against the entrance of strangers as it was

Ifore. This conquest seemed to absorb the attention of all Europe for a time.

€2

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

popular interest being much increased by reports of vast gold fields in the
vicinity of Timbuctoo, in addition to the valuable commerce which the city was
Icnown to enjoy. Influenced by these reports, an English company was formed
in i6iS, for the purpose of penetrating to Timbuctoo by ascending the Gam-
bia, which was then supposed to be one of the mouths of the Niger.

MURDER OF CAPTAIN THOivIPSON.

This compau}' sent out Captain Thompson with a vessel who, landing at
a point where Bathurst now stands, took to a small boat and started up the
stream. He proceeded as far as Tenda, about one hundred miles from the
Gambia mouth, which was further than any other European had ever before
ventured. Here he was attacked by the natives, and after a stubborn resistance
himself and boat-crew were killed. The Portuguese also instigated another
body of natives to attack the anchored vessel, in which nearly all the crew were
likewise kill^""., thus tragically ending the first English expedition ever sent into
African wilds.

The English companj', however, was undeterred by its f-rst misfortunes and
in 1620 dispatched another party, under the command cf Richard Johnson, He
proceeded up the river a distance of more than two hundred miles, and from
information given by natives he supposed he was near Timbuctoo. DiflSculties
here arose, however, chief of which was his inability to make further progress
in his boats on account of the vegetation which fairly blockt ' up the stream.
The river was also infested with crocodiles which gave the boatmen much alarm,
especially after one of their negro guides had been torn from a raft constructed
to carry some of the company's goods to lighten the boats. Johnson was thus
forced to return, but it was with the hope of renewing efforts to reach Timbuctoo
after equipping himself more perfectly for the expedition. But his failure
discouraged the English conipau}^, which now abandoned the undertaking.

A century elapsed without further effort to reach Timbuctoo, till the Duke
of Chandos, Director of the English-African Company, ertertained the idea of
increasing its small profits b}' opening communication with the country of gold.
In pursuance of this ambition, in 1723 he sent out a company under Bartholo-
mew Stibbs, who attempted to follow up the Gambia in canoes. They proceeded
little further than did Johnson, finding the same obstructions, which made
navigation, even by canoes, impossible. The information which Stibbs was able
to gather from the natives led him to conclude, as he says, " that the original
or head of the river Niger is nothing near so far in the country as ^y the
geographers has been represented," though he still believed the Gambia to be a
tributary of the Niger. He declared that it had no communication with the
Senegal or with anj' lake, nor did he anywhere hear the river Niger named.
This was the last expedition sent into v/est Africa by the English.

THE FRENCH IN AFRICA.

In the mean time the French were making great exertions to form '•-ettle-
inents along the Senegal, but with such poor success that in 1630 some merchants

fields in the
the city was
Y was formed
ng the Gam-
ier.

o, landing at
tarted up the
liles from the
1 ever before
3ru resistance
rated another
the crew were
ever sent into

isfortunes and
Johnson. He
les, and from
0. Difficulties
rther progress
ip the stream.
1 much alarm,
aft constructed
nson was thus
Lch Timbuctoo
ut his failure
dertaking.
till the Duke
the idea of
)untry of gold,
nder Bartholo-
hey proceeded
which made
tibbs was able
xt the original

try

the

ambia to be a
ition with the
Niger named,
h.

to form nettlc-
3me merchants

^ltW0^

if'

ii|

1^;:

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

of Dieppe f ad Rouen opened cominercial interooiir?e with the region, making
the crews of their vessels as comfortable as possible in umporary huts hastily
erected to shelter them during the time of their stay. In 1664, they were
compelled to give way to the West India Company, whose privileges included
also Western Africa. In nine years, however, it was bankrupted, and on its
ruins was erected a second, succeeded by a third, fourth and fifth effort to build
up a profitable trade in that region, which last was merged into John Law's
Mississippi scheme.

All the mercantile associations which had up to this time attempted to
build up a lucrative tr?de in Western Africa had met with disastrous failure,

though each had
its period of activity
in which much was
done to extend both
trade and discovery.
The next e^^Tt
made at a reclama-
tion of the region
was in 1697, binder
the governorship of
Sieur Brue, who,
from the settlement
of Port Saint Louis,
sailed up the Sene-
gal with the purpose
of adjusting some
difficulties with the
king of the Fellahs
and to establish a
trade with the Arabs.
He succeeded in his

negotiations, and afterwards erecting a fort at Giorei, in 1698, he reached
Gallam which was the head of navigation for large barks. At Dramanet he
built another fori, and established a settlement under the name of Saint Joseph,
which afterwi^rds became the centre of French trade in the interior. Through
the efforts of one o^ his associates named Compagnon — an adventurous and
shrewd companion truly — he acquired a great deal of information about Bambouk
and its marvellously rich gold fields. So anxious was he to obtain possession
of these mines that he raised a company of twelve hundred men, intending to
overrun the country and take forcible possession, but at the last moment he was
unable to secure either the authority or means from his government for such a
purpose. He did succeed, however, in determining the fact that the Senegal
had no connection with the Niger, and a few years after D'Auville was able^

FRBNCH FORT IN AFRICA.

^-V-.

gion, making
huts hastily
)4, they were
ges included
, and on its
ftort to build
I John Law's

attempted to
itrous failure,
I each had
iod of activity
cli much was
o extend both
md discovery,
lie next efff>rt
at a reclama-
f the region
L 1697, under
vernorship of
Brue, who,
he sectlement
t Saint Louis,
up the Sene-
:h the purpose
usting some
ties with the
if the Fellahs

establish a
ith the Arabs,
cceeded in his

he reached
Dramanet he
Saint Joseph,
or. Through
enturous and
out Bambouk
in possession
intending to
DUient he was
nt for such a
: the Senegal
lie was able^

■•'^i^i^j

HfiRDLS OF TUF DAR-: CONTINENT.

of D jptx.^ ainl Rr>ijrn oiiened fomnitrciril intercourse with tlio repfion, making
the c wa ot ii»cM' 'essvis a> oiirfortjji'le as pussiblc in tomp'>rary Huts hastily
erect< . to sht;ti"- ihcm (iuriii;^ tiu time c! tlu 11 stay. In i'»64, tliey were
comp iled to ^jiv •.v;i\ ;.. the \\ c-i In.lia (.oinpaiiy, whos*- privilc>,^t:'^ ititludcd
also 'vV'e.sttnj .Vfn.a I.i !:;«■(.• ycir-, liu\ve er, i' wu.i batikrnpted, and on its
ruinj A"a.s,crt''tci a -^cml, .>-i!crtcdcd by a liii'd, fourth and fifth effort to build
up a 'irofitabb- .r.Kit- !!i ;liar .(.'j^'i'i!, whiclt last was merged into John Law'."*
Miss ippi Mcht.'.ic.

■\ the :;;«'Ti\'.u;!'c a -o. kiI\ i!!s vii,.di had up t> tliis liiuc attciuptfd to

buil(

i'>

■:-ti'. ■, ;.r..'ilr in \\

\ «'.-.■ ^. ■ }>■-;'] '^ 1 ♦^ t. V ' t

I k)/- -..IT 1 !>■< 1 IN /\: Kii.- •.

ne
G;

si:

'I ui'' -warv!-
.1. -'u^ h-rul

;■! t<..ri. .1'. ('i:<^y'

>'■ ij.i ^

1 l:.-a.strous lailurc,
!' iiivh each iiad.
-, pc i<.d of aclivily
.r '\l;uii iiiiudi w,!--'-
'''••■■-• t<; fxtciul both
p . '.s and discovery.
I'lic next effort

in,.d'. !ii 1 rci'lain.'i
ii'^ii oi 'be ivgion
'u K'9;. undcf
tht" ,M)\ ern<'r'-.h;p < ♦
Sicr.r I) r lie . -w ho,
fr'':!i ilic .NclllcnK'nt
i>f [*oi ■ Sau'.t Loui^

Slli';-d rM t'u- vScUt.

gal wit'i. '""• ^.arpos'.
><\ i'.dii:-! iiig sonii
diii'n 'iltior- with th<
k'r..; of the Fell ah
,i!id li, .-stablish .
":-!. v» ,; '■ *]]f Arab--
• [r •;. .•'L-.'icil in 111
I , •■ ■.■ ' .V icachi •
! '■ .'i:i;inv.'l 1.

■"..\ i.'>t:in;;.- l:cv! i ■•■t; !■?!■<•. I MiMi-r till- na'.!'

.■-*■■. sit ]o:-uj)

\\\. ti

i-M V. U 1

UUTloI

liio;

i . ! 1 \ 1 (.

niiKUMM ;i — '.iV.

ad\-'.;iUr' rolls ai^

iivi. ,1

ill I

\ ; 11.-11

;i-i

■1,1: ,".(.M.

il;t"' i CU

I n:aii -■ .it

X J O . ! S \' ; i ■

i\o nmm

.iiah' 1)1 aiMUi j'.unMc.!

'U. bur at ; V:'' a

'..v\-,, 11! v!.. UnJ'liUUi,; Llic

•.I \\

^!- lit '.'.:]■ -aifli

v.a:-. .U!

rjon, making'
huts hastily
.1, ihey were
^ts included
, :ind on its
ftort to build
John Law's;

attempted to
itn.u.--. failure,
1 each had

..(1 of aclivily

i'li luiu'h ua"-"-

; rxtcnd both

u;d discovery.

H- !)<:xl '.'hbrt

;i; .1 rcflama

1 '\h- region

!(,..»-. iindci

\eruorslnp <•*

I>r ue . 'W h(».

1 ■ .-.ctvleiiKMit

.i! '. Loui:-

I've vScm

• j^.itrpos'.

.. 1.;!; SOUK

tu.'. '.viih tin

! ilic I'eilah

^tnbli^ll .

^'..e Ar.'ib-^

■\:-i\ ill 111

- ic.'IcIk •

■ iiitinet 1.

■A ji'.-H-,)'.

i(! Thini'v

.■,,HwiiU'< at'

nU I'/l'lllX'T

'.i.^ ■Si.'S; 1'

^.•..|;nK ■

lit ll< \*

•■, : -,urh

• ■ '-'-llf-.

<; ^

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

largely by the information given him by Brue, to construct a map showing the

[rue course of the Niger and the location of Timbuctoo on its north bank, and

restricting Abyssinia and Congo to their true limits.

The history of exploration in Africa remained silent for another century',

id until Mungo Park, a Scotchman, traversed a considerable part of the west

igion in 1795 ; but he was not equipped to make any explorations, so that the

;cord of his journey is little more than a description of the punishments

?hich he received at the hands of the Arabs. He wandered around for

[early a year, enduring great sufferings in his efforts to escape, and when on
le Niger he was attacked by an armed body sent by king Taour to appre-

|end him ; to escape them and the tortures which must follow had he fallen
ito the hands of this cruel despot, he leaped into the river and thus destroyed

Umself.

. DISCOVERY OK THE NIGER'S COURSE.

Richard Lemon Lander, also an Englishman, was the next traveller to
jittempt a crossing of the Guinea country, whose visit to that region was made
nth the particular purpose of seeking the Niger's source. He set sail for
ifrica ill 1825, ^^^ five months later had reached Katunga, the capital of
!^ariba. He proceeded thence to Wow- Wow, where he gained the first infor-
lation of the manner of Park's death. Here he was detained for soaie time
[>y the attentions of a rich African widow who sought to compel him to marry
ler. She is represented as having been a very mountain of flesh, which is the
»rime essential of beauty in that country. He finally contrived to escape the
kily attentions of the African second-hand goddess, and proceeded on westward
Is far as Kano. Here he remained for a time laid up by sickness, but at
jngth was so far recovered as to be able to resume his journey. He next
[isited Sockatoo, or Sokoto, and there found Captain Clapperton down with a
lortal illness, remaining by his side until his death, which occurred early
1827.
After leaving Sockatoo he experienced many hardships, and indignities
kffered him by the Arabs, but reached Badagry, on the coast, where he wit-
nessed an embarkation of slaves by the Portuguese. Referring to this incident
|f human cruelty, he says : " I saw four hundred of these poor creatures
rammed into a small eighty-ton schooner, and the appearance of the unhappy
;ings was squalid and miserable in the extreme. They were fastened by the
[eck in pairs, only a quarter of a yard of chain being allowed for each, and
riven to the beach by a party of hired scoundrels, while their associates in
ruelty were in frout of the partj', pulling them along by a narrow band, their
ily apparel, which encircled their waists." He ventured to remonstrate against
lis inhumanity, whereupon the Portuguese made complaint to King Adolee,
Iho commanded Lander to uudergo the ordeal of drinking a cup of poisoned
j^ater, which he was compelled to do, and was a solitary instance of escaping
fatal effects? He returned home from Badagry in the summer of 1828, without

. .T

i i

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

finding the Niger's source, but in December of the following year, in the com-
pany of his brother John, he again set out for the Niger, After many fatigues
and discouraging accidents, he finally reached Boussa on the 17th of June,
1827, from which point he began a descent of the river, believing it now more
important to determine its course than from whence it took its rise, especially
as Boussa was the head of possible navigation. At an island a few miles
below Boussa, called Patashie, he procured two canoes in which he embarked

VICTIMS OF PORTUGUi;SH SI^AVH HUNXHHS.

on a journey to discover the river's mouth. He soon found it expanding into
a most magnificent river, fully three miles broad, and bordered by stately for-
ests resonant with the cries of birds and animals, of which many strange
species were seen.

One hundred miles below Boussa, Lander found another large island, called
by the natives Zagoshi, and which was occupied by a large population actively
engaged in many industries. The natives were of a hostile disposition and

^Ssa*.

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

maintained a large fleet of war canoes, by which they retained their indepen-
[dence of neighboring and more powerful tribes. Opposite the island, on the
[north shore, was a very large town named Rabba, while a few miles further
iown was another considerable place called Egga, which was the termination
)f the territory of Nyffe, occupied by a comparatively civilized people who were
industriously inclined.

The further southward Lander proceeded, the more apparent it became
that the river, though now separated into many branches, emptied into the
rulf of Benin, these several branches composing the Niger's delta. While the
jeople of the detached states along the shore were generally of a turbulent

7^^^^^^

- .^0*y

-*..,^:-;.-

>i\!Vi^:-

J»;>,;?«>,,

-/■ ^ "^^

I.ANDEK'S JOUNEY DOWN THE NIGKH.

laracter, after leaving the territory of Nyffe, yet it was plain to be seen that
ley were in commercial communication with European manufacturers, as they

kre generally clothed in European fabrics, and had considerable familiarity

Hth the Portuguese language. Nevertheless, our tnn-ellcrs were taken captives
/ the natives and carried down to Eboe, which was the great mart for slaves
id palm oil, with which trade the natives did not hesitate to combine piracy,
'ith great difficulty and by tlie promise of a large ransom, Lander effected

|is release and arrangements for his conveyance to the sea.

Thus after a two months' journey down the river, this explorer at length

tached the Niger's mouth jy way of tlie delta branch known as Brass river,

:&i

i 19

; ;t

f ii : ; i

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

which, though not the largest, is yet the most direct channel from the main
stream. Thus was solved, through the agency of one man, a grand problem
in African geography, in the search after which so many abortive efforts had
been made, viz., the true course and termination of the Niger. With pro-
found sorrow, however, the sad fact must be related, that Lander was not
permittee, to long enjoy the great honors which he had thus won, for within a few

DR. DAVID.SON PKESCKIUING KUK THK SICK.

weeks after he had made this most valuable discovery he died from the effects
of an arrow wound received in a contest with the natives.

FATAL. ENDING OF DAVIDSON'S EXPEDITION.

John Davidson, a very learned and energetic F)nglishman, and a physician
of great ability, was the next adventurer to penetrate the African wilds in
search of the wonderful city of Timbuctoo, the name of which was row or,

. . .T

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

roin the main
^rand problem
'6 efforts had
:r. With pro-
uder was not
)r within a few

Vom the effects

nd a physician
frican wilds ic
was row "v.

verybody's tongue, because of its reported wealth, and that a guard was set about

;he place to prevent the visit of strangers. He secured as guide the services

if a former native of Timbuctoo named Abou Bekr, who having been taken

ptive by a hostile tribe was sold into slavery and taken to the West Indies,

here he remained for thirty years. Duiing this time the slave learned at

ast three languages, and being already familiar with the Arabic he was

most desirable companion on such a journey. He was liberated and sent to

;ngland, where Davidson chanced to meet him, and after a short interview

^gaged his services.

Davidson started on this dangerous trip in 1835, but was long detained in

Morocco by the perfidy of the Sultan, who was anxious to retain him as the

^urt physician. However, he was at length suffered to depart, but after

teaching Wadnoon, on the borders of Sahara, he found the dry season to have

jfet in, it now being April (1836), so that he was again forced to suspend his

journey and employ his time ministering to the sick for seven months. When

last he proceeded it was with four attendants, and being lightly mounted on

mels the party made great progress, so that Davidson expressed the hope

taking a New Year's dinner in the famed city of Timbuctoo.

Unfortunately for this pleasurable anticipation, his little party was met by

large body of wandering Arabs who infest this region, and who robbed him

all his valuables but allowed him to proceed. Three days later, while he

d one of his attendants were waiting, at a place named Swekeya, for the

o others to come up, whom they had outstripped a few miles, another band of

xteen Arabs of the tribe of El Haiib, came upon them. Unsuspecting treachery,

avidson's attendant, El Abd, undertook to conduct the Aarib chief, at his

quest, to a watering place, the others of the party remaining behind with

^Hvidson. The two had gone or.ly a few yards when the report of a gun

# racted El Abd's attention, and looking around he saw that one of the treacherous

abs had taken up his gun and shot poor Davidson dead. Thus ended another

ble life, sacrificed in the cause of commercial extension and civilization in

e wilds of Africa.

THE RICHARDSON EXPEDITION.

In 1849 the British government decided to send an expedition into Central

rica with the purpose of establishing and increasing trade relations with

|at region, and with the hope that many valuable discoveries might be made

increase the sum of geographical knowledge respecting that so little known

ntry. The command of the expedition was given to James Richardson, who

4 distinguished himself by having crossed the Sahara Desert, as far as Ghat,

1845. It was also determined to invite at least one German traveller to join

expedition, which favor fell to the fortune of Henry Barth, who had made

extensive journey through Barbara, Syria, and nearly the whole of Asia

nor. At his request, Adolph Overweg, a distinguished geologist, was also

mitted to join the expedition, and who became a most valuable acquisition.

(70)

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

o
o

The British party, well supplied with all necessaries for the prosecution of
[such an undertaking, left London in the latter part of November and entered
lAfrica, by the way of Tunis, a month later, following the seashore down to
iTripoli, from which point they struck out across the desert. The route fol-
lowed was through the territon of Fezzan and the central desert region of
[mosagh. They went southward to Kano, thence to Kuku and lake Tchad,
md then westward about fifteen hundred miles to Timbuctoo, with the king of
which they held a pleasant interview. After leaving this celebrated city, on
the return journey, Mr. Richardson was taken violently ill, and upon reaching
the lake Tchad region again his condition became practically hopeless. He still
lingered, however, and hope began to revive, but when in a condition of con-
valescence he suddenly took a relapse and died, March 4th, 1851. The place
of his death was a small village in the kingdom of Bornu, near the banks
;of lake Tchad, called Nguratuwa, which in the Arabic language signifies place
full of hippopotami.

The expedition continued an exploration of the region about Lake Tchad,

joing southward to Yoka, and thence back ag'^in to Kuka, from which point

Jhe party made excursions to Bagir-mi, Masena, Zuider, and other important

jlaces, until the fall of 1852 when another fatality occurred which proved a sad

|troke to the expedition, compelling a change of its original plans. Mr. Over-

i?e^ was taken ill with a fever contracted by the indiscretion of wading in the

^ogs about Lake Tchad and getting very wet, neglecting to change his clothes.

[e was taken to the house of a friend living in the village of Maduwari, where

fter a week of violent delirium he expired, September 27, 1852.

RELIEF EXPEDITIONS.

The death of Richardson seems to have little affected Barth, who enter-

lined a great prejudice, if not jealous hatred, for his superior, whom he rarely

lentions in his three volumes entitled " Travels and Discoveries in North and

fentral Africa." But the loss of Overweg was a most severe blow, as the two

[ere devotedly attached to each other; besides, Overweg was. in one sense, the

rains of the expedition, upon whom devolved the several duties of geologist,

ptronomer, naturalist and hunter. Before his death, too, he had corrected

^e mistake long entertained respecting the physical features of Sahara,

id proved that instead of being a low depression it was in fact a high

lateau.

When news of the deaths of Richardson and Overweg reached Europe other

^peditions were immediately proposed to go to the rescue of Barth. One was

)n fitted out by Edward Vogel, also a German, who, leaving London with two

^lunteers and a large supply of necessaries, including scientific instruments,

:ceeded in joining Barth on the 24th of December, 1854, at Boondi, 230

lies west of Kuku, on his return trip from Timbuctoo. Before meeting with

frth, however, Vogel had visited Tchad and Kuku, at which latter point he

stopping when news of Barth's arrival at Boondi reached him.

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

After remaining together a short while the two separated, Barth starting
eastward over his first route, going home, while Vogel determined to conduct
an independent expedition to the unknown region lying beyond the Tchad.
In April, 1855, he penetrated the kingdom of Waday, which lies eastward of
Lake Tchad, but instead of being civilly received, as expected from previous
conduct of Bornu chiefs, he was arrested by orders of the Waday king, who
detained him prisoner for several months, togeth'T with all his assistants and

ON ruy SHORES OK LAKK TCHAD.

attendants. Being rendered desperate by the indignities to which he was con-
stantly subjected by his guards, Vogel at length made a desperate effort to escape
by boldly attacking the night watch, but he was quickly overpowered, and two
days later was beheaded.

The report of Vogel's tragic ending did not reach Europe for several years,
but final receipt of the news so inflamed the popular mind that no less than
six different expeditions started out to confirm the report or avenge his death.
Nearly all the members of these perished, however, either upon the burning

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

sands of Sahara, or at the hands of savage robber hordes who infest that dark
region. Von Hengliii headed the most important of the several expeditions
thus sent out, and in i860 reached the Waday country, where he learned the
particulars of Overweg's death and also succeeded in recovering the executed
traveller's papers.

Barth reached London in 1855, and forthwith began a preparation of his
journal for the publishers, which was given to the public two years afterwards,
lin three large volumes, so dryly written that few persons have had patience to
read them.

THE WRECK OF THE MEDUSA.

Of the several expeditions sent to penetrate Africa from the west, t^e most
famous, perhaps, because most unfortunate, was that undertaken by tl; 1 ich
in 18 1 6, when a fleet of four vessels was sent to resttme their possessi^vis > the
/est coast of Africa after the treaty with England in 1783. The f 'c- set sail
from Aix for Senegal June 17th, and proceeded without detentic. .:n\.\ they
[passed Cape Bayados July ist, when the vessels separated, and frcm . .. Croix
the officers of the Medusa — a frigate of forty-four guns — lost their r "kouing and
[thenceforth the ship ran wild. The following day, July 2d, the ve w stranded
lat high tide, and despite every effort made to release her, by throwing over a
[part of the cargo and running out anchors to draw her off, she stuck fast. The
[sea was very rough, which added greatly to the difficulties, and after two days
)f fruitless effort to release her it was decided to abandon the ship. There was
)n board about four hundred souls, a majority of whom were soldiers, to provide
[for whom, or the excess above what the ship's boats were able to carry, a large
raft was constructed, upon which one hundred and fifty of the unfortunates were
jlaced, including one hundred and twenty soldiers and their officers, twenty-nine
sailors and passengers, and one woman, while the others embarked in seven row
)oats of different sizes. For a time the row boats towed the raft, but the cowardly
:onduct of the ship's officers, most of whom were in the large boat or barge,
inally led to an abandonment of the raft and those upon it, who had to sus-
tain themselves for- an • indefinite period on twenty -five pounds-: of -biscuits, six
)arrels of wine, and two small cas.ks of water.

ABANDONED AT SEA.

This cruel desertion, the most inhuman and base of cowardly and perfi-
(ious acts, had a truly dreadful effect upon those left upon the raft. So crowded

/ere they that there was no room to take a single pace, or to lie down, while
Ihose on the ends of this frail support stood waist deep in water. When the
)oats moved away landward, which was hardly more than fifteen miles distant,

lany of those on the raft fell into immediate despair, crying in the greatest
[istress, and some even attempted suicide. Neither compass nor charts had been

ift by the monsters who had so savagely abandoned their companions, and this

let added so much to the alarm already felt that it was with the greatest
lifticulty several were restrained from throwing themselves into the sea. But

I' f '

' 'i<

i 1:

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

this was only prophetic of" the intense suffering they were soon to endure. At
their first meal on the raft all the biscuits were consumed, and thereafter wine
alone was to constitute their nourishnieut, doled out in allowances of less than
a pint per day.

The only means for propelling the raft, which was made of spars and boards
laid for a footing, was by a rude sail cut from the main-top-gallant sail of the
frigate and drawn up a short mast by ropes hastily converted into shrouds and
stays. The most dreadful horrors of this desperate situation fell upon the

WRECK OF THE uzvvSK.— From the painting by Theo. Gericault i^ijgi).

miserable crowd of sufferers the succeeding night. The wind having freshened,
the waves rolled high and as darkness came on the enfeebled passengers were
unable to resist the sweeping waves which dashed them about and upon each
other in the most furious manner. Amidst all this riot of misfortune, and
above the sullen roar of the maddened waves, arose the voice of prayer, and
upstretched hands called for help from Him who rides in the tempest and
carries the sea in the hollow of His hand.

Towards morning the wind fell and the ocean grew less boisterous, but when

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

s and boards
It sail of the
shrouds and
11 upon the

^.^-^

ng freshened,
ssengers were
id upon each
isfortune, and
'" prayer, and
tempest and

daylight at length dispelled that miserable night what a scene of horror was
presented. A dozen unhappy wretches, having their feet entangled in the
openings between the masts that composed the raft, had been unable to extricate
themselves and were literally thrashed to death by the sweeping sea, while
nearly as many more had been washed overboard, and their sufferings thus
happily ended. Every hour now witnessed some deeply affecting scene.
Some plunged headlong into the waves in reckless despair, while others took

I affectionate leave of their friends and then calmly committed themselves to

f the deep.

'^ ^ A BLOODY FIGHT ON THE RAFT.

If the first night on the raft was one of horror, the second may be desig-
[nated as a reign of terror, for again the sea arose and dashed with impetu-
ious fury over the sufiferers, causing hope to flee from even those who had
[been the most courageous. The soldiers, in their despair, became mutinous,
land believing that their destruction was inevitable, knocked in the head of one
Eof the wine barrels and resolved to drink themselves into insensibility.
jWhen much of the wine had been thus consumed their minds became unruly,
and they threatened to cut the raft asunder so that all might go down to
destruction at one time. An axe was lifted to sever the cords, when the iesper-
late mutineer fell dead, pierced by an officer's sword. This was the beginning
I of a dreadful battle, in which the mutineers, numbering nearly half the sur-
Ivivors, were arrayed against those who still held life and law dear. The sword
and bayonet did great execution while many were thrown into the sea, and
[the mast was cut down so that it fell upon and badly wounded many others.
iDead bodies seriously impeded the combatants until they were kicked into
[the sea, but at length the mutineers were routed and forced to beg pardon,
|but before the day dawned sixty-five had met their deaths, either by suicide
)r in the diesperate contest.

THE HORRORS OF CANNIBALISM.

Another day had passed and hunger became now so great that the car-
touche boxes and sword belts were seized upon and with much effort partially
saten, but it did not stay the gnawing oppressions. At length, upon a sug-
jestion, the dead bodies yet lying on the raft, rapidly decomposing under a
bopical sun, were stripped and pieces of flesh cut out, upon which the livin<<
lought to prolong their fearful existence. Some succeeded in sv^allowiug these
nursels, but the stomachs of others rebelled even when fortified with copious
draughts of wine. After being somewhat refreshed by the human flesh which
leveral had eaten raw, the}'' showed such increased strength that others were
Encouraged to partake also, though it set many stomachs to a violent retching.
During the fourth day some flying-fish became entangled in the crevices
^tween the masts composing the raft, and two hundred were captured, but they
Jere so very small that it was decided to mix portions of human flesh with
le fish, that the repast might be made sufficient. An ounce of gunpowder

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

was found, and this being cried in the sun, was by the aid of a gun-flint
made to ignite some dry linen and thus a fire was started, upon which this

Jh.

MANYUBMA CANNIBAT^.

mixture of flesh was cooked. The fire was put out by a wave, however, and
there were no means now left for kindling it anew.

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

a gun-flint
which this

^Sfi

^^m

The following night, a plot was formed by some of the stronger to

throw the weaker into the sea, with the belief that it would increase th^

chances of the former in reaching the shore. Another battle was the result,

in which all the party were killed save thirty, while nearly every one of the

>. survivors was badly wounded, and they were brought to a mor<.' direful extremity

;^by the salt water which greatly aj^gravated the wounds and excoriated their

^.bruised and naked bodies.

v| The desperation of their situation grew constantly greater, as at the expira-
Mtion of the seventh day of their abandonment the wine was almost exhausted,
ftfand not a dozen fish were left, while onl> one dead body had been reserved
for food, the others having been cast into the sea. Three others died the fol-
lowing day, while twelve of the survivors were so nearly dead of their wounds that
■ifet was decided, rather than continue them on short allowances, with the certainty
lof early death before them, to curtail their sufferings by throwing them into
the sea. It was a desperate alternative, but the lives of those yet able to
lexert themselves seemed to justify so horrible an act, and they were accord-
[ingly consigned to the deep. Among the unfortunates who thus perished was
[the lone woman who had shared the perils of the raft. There were now only
[fifteen left of the original one hundred and fifty, and • these continued to siib-
jsist themselves on human flesh and the little wine that still remained, until
Ithe thirteenth day, when they were picked up by the French brig Argus,
[about forty miles from the mouth of the Senegal river. Of the fifteen thus
saved, however, five died before the land was reached, so that only ten lived
tell to their country the incomparable sufferings through which they had
jassed.

'J..

however, and

CHAPTER IV.

EXPEDITIONS INTO EAST AFRICA, AND WONDERFUL SUPERSTITIONS.

-ii'^M^s

'N the foregoing pages I have given brief references to the most
important expeditions that penetrated Western Africa up
to the period of recent discovery, but while the largest
attention was, for several centuries, directed towards extend-
ing European commerce into the Timbuctoo and Bornu
regions, Eastern Africa was not entirely neglected, as we
shall see.

The reputed kingdom of Prester John, lying somewhere
in the east, led several travellers to attempt a passage of Central Africa, but
none succeeded, though all brought back stories which they had learned of the
inconceivable wealth of that wonderful potentate. Those familiar with the life
of Columbus will remember when that bold navigator set sail in an effort
to reach India one of his principal objects was to discover that rich kingdom,
the general belief in the mean time having located Prester John in the far
East, probably Cathay (China). In the thirteenth centurj'', Marco Polo made
his famous journey to the then unknown lands of the East and believed he had
discovered Prester John >i the person of Ouang Khan, king of the Keraite f
Mongols, and high priest of his people, but nevertheless the Terror of Asia, ^
It V as the son of this great ruler who succeeded to the Tartar throne under
the title of Okkoday, and afterwards assumed the dj'uastic title of Genghis,
that overran Asia and Northern Europe about 1 230-1 240. Though Columbus
was a believer in Marco Polo's discovery of the identity- of this great ruler,
and placed the kingdom which he had established somewhere in India, many
facts seem to warrant the belief that the original opinion respecting Prester
Jt)hn was correct, viz., that he was a great Christian prince of Eastern Africa,
whose kingdom is now known as Abyssinia.

Marco Polo visited Abyssinia, being the first white man who ever entered
the country, and returned to the civilized world with many interesting reports
concerning its king and peojilc. He c.ilicd it the Middle India of the Pro\iiKc
of .Abascia, and said it was ruled by a supreme nu)narch professing the Christian
faith, and who had six kings subject to him, tiiree of whom were Christians ami
the others followers of Moliammed. The Christians of this country he repre-
sented as literally baptized b\- (Ire, being hnrnl with a hot iron on the forehead,
nose and each cheek, as a si j of their acceptance of the faith. It is also

(7«)

•^1

'■«I

ITIONS.

;s to the most
;ni Africa up
le the largest
jwards extend-
3o and Bornu
glected, as we

iiig somewhere
ral Africa, but
learned of the
,r with the life
il in an effort
I rich kingdom,
3hn in the far
rco Polo made
believed he had
of the Keraite t
error of Asia. *

throne under
e of Genghis,
)Ugh Columbus
s great ruler,
n India, many
pecting Prcster
eastern Africa,

o ever entered
resting reports

f the ProviiKC
.• the Christian

Christians and
mtry he repvc-
n the forehead,

th. It IS alsd

THE Kl'I.l!R Ol- Ali-SSINIA, AS RKI'KKSKNTKI) HV MAKI.O I'OI.O)

(79)

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

' i

■f'

related that St. Thomas, the apostle, preached throughout Abyssinia, and after
converting the inhabitants returned to Maabar (some part of India), where he
died. But there are so many unfounded stories about this apostle that this one
may be dumped with the balance into ihe waves of skepticism. It is true, how-
ever, that the rulers of Abyssinia for several centuries have been professed
Christians, many of whom bore the name of John, and who combined the office
of autocrat with that of chief presbyter, by which we discover the identity of
Prester John.

A WONDERFUL LAND.

Marco Polo also seems to have discovered Madagascar, of which he writes
as follows :

*' Madagascar is an island towards the south, about a thousand miles from
Socotra. The people are Saracens, adoring Mohammed, and they have four sheiks,
or old men, who rule the entire country. This is really one of the noblest and
greatest islands in the world, being reputed 4000 miles in circuit (it is in fact
less than 3000). In no region are so many elephants bred and their teeth sold
as here and in Zanghibar (Zanzibar). No flesh is eaten but that of camels, of
which an incredible number are killed every day. . . . Man}' ships arrive
with abundance of goods, as cloth of silk and gold, which are profitably exchanged
for those of the country. Mariners, however, cannot reach the other islands
lying soiith of this and of Zanghibar, owing to the violence of the currents
running in this direction. It is such, that while vessels can come hither from
Malabar in twenty days, they spend three months in returning."

It is strange how Marco Polo mistakes the facts about Madagascar, unless
he procured the information thus given from people on the African mainland.
Madagascar has neither elephants ~>v camels, nor is there any strong current
running in the Mozambique Channel. The Moslem religion does not exist on
the island, though there is not wanting evidence to show that the Arabs were
here firmly established once, though when they abandoned the island is not
known.

Though Marco Polo made no extended travels through Africa, he was upon
much of the coast and learned many of the wild beliefs that appertained to the
country, which are very interesting, in the light of modern wisdom, to read
about.

ASTOUNDING STORIES ABOUT ANIMAL LIFE IN AFRICA.

Therefore, before proceeding with a history of the other expeditions which
have entered east Africa since the days of Marco Polo, I will call attention
to the more prominent fables which were current until little more than half a
century ago concerning the animal life of the dark continent.

But the line of demarcation between fact and fiction is never very distinct,
and when we come to discuss Africa the division becomes absolutelj'^ indis-
tinguishable. One after another the superstitions connected with that country
have been exploded, while old, quaint, fear-inspiring stories told hundreds (if

I'i

>r-

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

lia, and after
a), where he
that this one
is true, how-
en professed
ned the office
z identity of

ich he writes

id miles from
'6 four sheiks,
le noblest and

(it is in fact
leir teeth sold

of camels, of
,' ships arrive
bly exchanged

other islands
' the currents
le hither from

Lgascar, unless
can mainland,
strong current
s not exist on
le Arabs were
island is not

a, he was upon
^rtained to the
isdom, to read

ditions which

call attention

)re than half a

r very distinct,
)Solutely indis-
i that country
1 Innidreds of

^ears ago about liideous and monstrous creatures that roamed the wilds of
ifrica, and which everybody accej^^^ted as nothing more serious than interesting
fables, have been proved b}' modern travellers to be actual realities.

Herodotus, who had a fancy no doubt becoming his time, tells some stories
wherein the truth becomes inextricably tangled with fiction. He speaks of
inany dangers, in the forms of horrid monsters and satanic influences that
guard the sea beyond the Pillars of Hercules, which stories have been so
repeatedly told as to have rendered them no longer entertaining; but while

lating these fictions he declares that the Carthaginians nevertheless carried

a traffic for gold with a people beyond the Pillars, which was so uuiuaged

at neither of the parties ever saw each other. As gold is not believed to

nst anywhere in Africa nortli of the Senegal river, we are led to formulate our

n opinion as to whether the Carrhaginians sailed to the Gold Coast, or

)sscd the desert and bronght the precious metal thence overland. *

Hanuo, to whom reference has already been made, is quite as indefinite
id exaggerative as Herodotus, for in the celebrated voyage which he under-

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

took around Africa, with sixty vessels and probably thirty thousand persons,
^, he seems to have met with many phenomenal occurrences and witnessed not a

. ' few most astounding sights. In the narrative which he left of his voyage — a
most precious manuscript now — he says, that after passing the Pillars of Her-
"• cules [Straits of Gibraltar] he founded successively four colonies in convenient

situations ; then sailing three days along a desert coast, he came upon a small
island called Cerne, in the vicinity of which was a lake through which flowed a large
river, while near it was another stream abounding with crocodiles and hippo-
potami. From Cerne he sailed twelve daj'^s along the coast, upon which he

saw a timid
race of Ethio-
pians, who fled
at sight of his
sails. He had
now reached a
1 o c a 1 i t / in
which m o r t.
surprising ob-
jects ?.ttracted
his "ttention.
In one p' u
he aflir'is, irie
earth a\ as so
hot as to be
" nbearabl e,
./hile torrents
of flame were
seen to roll
along it and
rush into the
sea. During
the da}- abso-
lute quiet reigned, but at night-fall the dense forests became resonant with
the sounds of musical instruments and weird human voices. Landing upon
an island, they fovud a singular race of creatures having human shapes,
but covered with a rou';'' -.k'n, and who leaped from rock to rock with pre-
ternatural agility. Thes" animai.: were no doubt dog-headed monkeys, found
quite connnon in the rp'riov; of the Senegal river. Towards the close of
this wonderful voyage 11 .:.no reclar''^ that th.re appeared close to his left :i
mountain so lofty thf . .' rtaciied to tne very skies, for which reason he gave
to it the name, Cliaiii* of I'lc Gods, ?nd wliich it was easy for the sailors to
believe, as they did, tlial it ;u"ui hvd an ascent to heaven, tliough no man
dared attempt to scale i'.

DOG-HEAUED MONKEY OF SENBCAL.

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

CATCHING WHALES AND PRACTISING WITCHCRAFT.

Marco Polo, having seen many real things of remarkable interest, enlivens
his narratives with descriptions and superstitious that must have excited the
largest wonder even in himself. Speaking of the island of Socotra, near the
African coast, which he says is peopled by Christians, he writes :

"Ambergris is very plentiful, being voided from the entrails of whales,
which are pursued most actively, in order to obtain this most precious article.
They strike into the animal a barbed iron so firmly that it cannot be drawn
out. A long line attached enables them to discover the place where the dead
fish lies, and drag it to the shore, when they extract from its belly the amber-
gris, and from its head several casks of oil.

" I can tell you, moreover, that these Christians are the most skilful
enchanters in the world. The archbishop, indeed, forbids, ?nd even punishes
this practice, but without any avail, for their ancestors, they s?y, followed it before
them, and they will continue. For instance, if a ship is proceeding full sail with
z favorable wind, they raise a contrary one, and oblige it to return. They can
uake it blow from any quarter they choose, and cause either a dead calm or a
violent tempest. They perform many other marvellous enchantments, which
it would be wrong to relate — they would excite such amazemer.t."

A BIRD THAT CARRIES OFF AN ELEPHANT.

Carrying his descriptions to the southeast coast of Africa and Madagascar
he recites yet more wonderful things, as follows :

" Now I must mention, that in those southern isles (regions^ the birds
called gnffon are reported to exist, and to appear at certain seasons ; yet they
are not formed as we paint and describe them, half-bird, half-lion, but exactly
like the eagle, only immeasurably larger. They are represented so 1 ge and
powerful, as to take up the elephant and carry him high into the ai; hen let
h'm drop, whereby he is at once killed, and they feed upon his care;, i. It is
asserted that their wings are twelve paces long, and when spread ■ ^, extend
thirty paces across ; they are thick in proportion. I must add, tha: .ne Khan
sent messengers to obtain information about the country, and also the release
of one of his subjects who had been made prisoner. They ant :-ie captive
related to him many great wonders of this strange region and brought teeth
of a wild boar inconceivably la-.ge : I assure you he found them to weigh four-
teen pounds. You may thus judge as to the size of the boar; and indeed,
some are equal to a buffalo. There are also giraffes and wild asses, and
other beasts and birds wonderfully different from ours. To return to the
griffon ; the people of the island do not know it by that name brt call it
always rtic; but we, from their extraordinary size, certainly conclude tbum to be
tijriffons."

Ramusio declares that he saw a feather of this bird which was ninety feet
long and two palms in circumference, and which was carried to the great
Kluui of Tartary.

f-^--xwmm

aaaSfci;'

f M

•!'l

!f I'i I

':!
'111

i! ' m

■'\

f :¥

i! •

(84)

l.AMMERGKYER, CR AFRICAN CONDOR— THl- LUOENnAKV ROC.

ill I

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

Tliis story is derived from two sources, viz. : from the Arabian Nights
Entertainments, wherein the adventures of Sinbad the sailor are related, in which
this great bird figures so prominently under the name of nikli^ and iu some
editions, rue ; and from the fact that there is found in Southern Africa a
species of condor called lammcr^eycr^ so powerful of wing that it can lift a
sheep, and so strong that it crushes ordinary bones with its bill. It has been
frequently known, especially the Switzerland species, to seize upon a child for
its prey.

The boar mentioned is evidently the boschwerk {sus ethiopicus)^ which has
four tusks, the two largest of which are often as much as ten inches in length
and half that in circumference. They do not project outwardly from the jaw
but rise directly upward, and curve at the top, for the purpose, as some natu-
ralists say, of permitting the boar to rest his head when sleeping by hanging
these turned tusks over the low branch of a tree, as it never lies prostrate
like others of the swine species.

Marco Polo continues his fanciful descriptions by relating some of the things
which he saw on the coast of Zanghibar, presumably Zanzibar, which he says
is an island about 2000 miles in circumference, quite as suiprising as some
others of his statements. He relates that "the people are all idolaters, have
languages and a king of their own, and are subject to no other power. They
are not very tall, but so broad and thick that in this respect they appear like
giants, and they are likewise immensely strong, bearing as large a burden as
four other men, which is really no wonder, for they eat as much as five. They
aie perfectly black and go naked, with exception of a cloth round the waist.
Their mouth is so wide, their nose so turned up, their lips and eyes so big that
they are horrible to behold, and any one meeting them in another country
would believe them devils."

Again, speaking of the queer things which he saw in Abyssinia, he says :
"They have parrots, beautiful and various; also monkeys and cats, of two
species, with faces exactly like those of men. This Abascia [Abyssinia] con-
tains numerous cities and castles, and is much frequented by merchants ; many
cloths of cotton and buckram are wrought there." In another place, writing
of the kingdom of Zambri, he declares " there are men in this kingdom who
have tails like dogs, larger than a palm, and who are covered with hair. They
remain in the mountains, never visiting the town. There are also unicorns,
with various beast.^ and birds for hunting."

THE UNICORN.

One of the most singular superstitions connected with animal life in Africa
A. us fornierl}' entertained by all the civilized world, representing the existence
of a creature minutel)' described by Pliny as being the size of a small horse,
of tlie slender make of a gazelle, and furnished with a long, straight, slender
horn, growing from the centre of the forehead of the male, but was wanting
in the female. This animal, called the JinicorUy was believed to be peculiar to

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

the mountain region of Kordofan, in Central Africa, where Mr. Rupell affirms
the natives say it is quite common.

The old superstition, which Pliu}^ seems first to have made current, repre-
sents this apocryphal beast as inhabiting the most inaccessible districts, among
the most noxious of beasts and reptiles, whose aspects were as appalling as their
touch was deadly. The breath of these creatures was represented as being so
poisonous that all the streams wherein they drank were polluted to their very
source. However, the antidotal virtues of the horn of the unicorn were so great
that it had only to to'ioh the poisoned waters to render them pure and harm-
less again. From this oelief came the passion for searching for the unicorn
to possess its wondrous horn, which the animal was supposed to frequently
shed. The beast itself, though vigorously hunted, could tiever be captured on
account of its preternatural swiftness, but the horn was occasionally found and
brought both fame and fortune to the owner.

Shavings of the horn were sold at fabulous prices, in the belief that they
rendered all poisons harmless. The value thus set upon it was caused by the
alarming f'-'^quency, in those days, of murder through the agency of potent poi-
sons, with vvnich the Venetians, especially, were dangerously familiar, and used
to destroy their enemies.

Alany horns were indeed found, but they were the tusks of the sea-uni-
corn, or narwhal, whith creature was then so little known that the delusion
of a land unicorn continued among people of the interior for several centuries.

GIANTS AND DWARFS.

It is quite natural for the JViman mind that has not been educated in the
science of natural phenomena, or schooled, to some extent at least, in the vag-
aries in which nature sometimes indulges, to ascribe to the preternatural those
things and creatures which appear insulated or out of apparent harmony witli
their surroundings. Thus the cave-winds have, by common people, been thought
to be the suppressed voices of caged spirits ; waters percolating through rocks,
the tears of an imprisoned race ; thunder, the challenge or ominous threat of
an enraged god ; a howling dog, the portent of some calamity. And what thus
appears to the eye and senses, has its counterpart in the conception of a super-
stitious people, or gives creation to some grotesque idea of the imagination.

In Africa, as has before been said, this struggle between fact and fiction
has ever been indeterminate, since what has long been believed respecting ccr
tain animals peculiar to that country has been proved nothing but idle fable,
while reports of queer creatures common to the same region, have been looked
upon as base superstitions, which afterwards Avere discovered to be true.

All countries, and especially the uncivilized regions, have, as a part of their
common history, some claim to being the home of giants or dwarfs. Africa,
being the most benighted, has particular intc "est therefore as being the last
country to offer an asylum to these relegated myths. In the deep recesses of
this dark land, and more common about the mo iitain region of the central

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

districts, it lias long been reported that the Antomoli\ or African giants, live.
Few eyes liave ever beheld them, because no man can make so bold as to
attempt an im-asion of their kingdom ; besides, the limits are set by great
walls of stone, over which human footsteps could not clamber. And should a
stout heart wander into this region, he would surely be seized by one of the
giants and eaten for his temerity. This superstition is the counterpart of the
nursery bugaboo in the dark closet, but many of the natives believe in the
verity of these giants, and a few centuries ago many of the learned of Europe
entertained it with such confidence that not a few African travellers have been
deterred from attempting an approach to the mid-interior for fear of uncon-
sciously trenching upon the giants' kingdom.

On the other hand, stories about the pigmies of Africa have been common
in classical, as well as modern, literature, and 3'et always read as a fiction, a
pretty fable to entertain children, or embellish a poem. When, wonderful to
realize, the giants have dissolved into a myth, while the dwarfs have come out
into the light of ethnological fact. The surprising relations of Homer, Juvenal,
Ovid, Statins, Nonnius, and other old writers of verse have been proved to rest
at least upon a basis of truth. Perhaps the cranes and pigmies never waged
battle on the plains of Central Africa, biit we now know that three or four
centuries before Christ the Greeks were really aware of the existence of a
people of stunted growth, pigmies if you please, inhabiting a district in Africa
somewhere about the Nile's source. In this discovery are two especially
notable facts, viz. : that Central Africa was not then more unknown than it is
to-day. On the other hand, it is an evidence in support of the theory that
hundreds, if not thousands, of years ago, the whole of Africa was open to the
commerce of the world.

It was reserved for Schweinfurth, in 1869, to discover a race of African
pigmies in the Akkas, since which time Krapf found the Doko, or Berikeemo
dwarfs, Du Chaillu the Obongos, and Stanley captured one of the dwarfs said
to live north of the Wakuma country, so that abundant evidehce now exists in
proof of the claim so long ago made that Africa was the land of the pigmies.

THE GORILLA.

Stories of woolly wild men in Africa, of their great size and fierce courage,
was readily believed, as Hanno had reported having seen such creatures, but
when Mr. Bowdich, the African traveller, 'returned to Europe with report of
having himself seen an animal, which the natives called inghcena^ as large as
a man and more powerful than a dozen of the largest monkeys then known to
naturalists, every one was ready to discredit him as a romancer. In 1843 a
ship :aptain stopped on the Gaboon coast and there killed two of these animals,
the bodies of which he took to Europe, where they were secured by Prof Owens
for the College of Surgeons. This was the first positive evidence received in
Europe of the real existence of the gorilla. A writer (in 1844) describing
these specimens and the habits of the animals, says : " The male is in good

CORII.I.AS— MAI.K, FICMALE ANI> YOUNG.

I tlu

i husl

lip t
and

aftei

that

M-

iiion

M.:

U )rbi

(vw (

hut

■i

llir ■
adve

tliis

occai

HEROEvS OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

WiA
^^m
I

preservation, but the flesh dropped from the hones of the female. The former
is nearly five feet high, and three feet across the shoulders ; his wrist is twice
as thick as that of an ordinary man, and his canine teeth are enormous ; his
grinders show that he lives upon fruit, and probably roots, and what is singular,
lie has one more pair of ribs than man possesses. The natives on the shores
of the Gaboon river declare t;hat these creatures lurk among the trees, near
frequented paths, in order to attack passengers, and that one blow of their hand
is sufficient to destroy life. They feed much upon wild honey, and are said to
build huts, but live and sleep on the outside ; and, from having seen men carry-
ing burdens, they tear down large branches of trees, or pick up tusks of ele-
phants, which they find by chance, and shouldering them, walk about with their
load till they drop from fatigue. When their young ones die the mothers carry
them about, closely pressed to them, till they fall from putrefaction."

Here is a bad admixture of fact and fiction, not surprising, however, when
we consider the wild stories of wild men formerly current, and which must
obscure the truth for a time.

AFRICAN AMAZONS.

Another story long current, respecting the savage life found in Africa, was to
the effect that somewhere in the remote interior was a kingdom ruled by a woman,
who was represented as being the living incarnation of ferocity, and whose whole
ambition was the destruction of every male on earth. She was reported to have
an immense army of Amazons, who were quite as cruel as herself, and of
such desperate valor and adroitness, and armed with such formidable weapons
that no eneni}'^ could stand before them. Her kingdom, though never located,
was of large extent and constantly increasing, for she warred perpetually with
her neighbors, whom she invariably overcame. Most of the prisoners thus
taken were killed and eaten, but a certain number, being always those of the
greatest physical excellences, was reserved for a while to serve as temporary
husbands for the Amazons, after which the}- too were dispatched and eaten.
The female offspring thus produced were very carefull} nurtured and brought
up to replenish the ranks, but all the male children so born were either boiled
and eaten, or placed in a mortar and triturated, and the well-ground remains
afterwards dried and converted into amulets.

A hundred other frightful stories were cirrent about impossible creatures
that made their homes in' the wild recesses of African jungles, and of human
numsters, many supernaturally endowed, set to guard the boundaries of this
torbidden and forbidding continent. It is therefore less surprising that so
few efforts were made, in the early ages, to penetrate into the gruesome interior,
hut as the shadows of one superstition after another became dissipated by
tlu' light of investigation in other parts of the world, men, especially those of
adventurous dispositions, gradually lost their fear and began to venture within
this dreadful pale, until at last the Dark Continent was crossed from ocean to
ocean, and the source of that wondrous river, the Nile, was at length determined.

IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-S)

1.0

I.I

1.25

1.4

7A
22

1.6

%^^y

Photographic

Sciences
Corporation

23 WEST MAIN STREET

WEBSTER, N.Y. MS80

(716) 872-4503

(90)

CHAPTER V.

:^^^-

•*

•4

SOME OF THE LATER TRAVELLERS IN SOUTH AND EAST AFRICA.

'OR a long whil^ the west and north-west coasts of Africa
received the undivided attention of travellers who had
developed an ambition to penetrate into that country ;
nor did the successful voyage of da Gama around the
Cape and along the eastern coast serve to deflect public
attention from the rich regions about Timbuctoo and the
kingdom of Bomu. It was quite two hundred and fifty
years after the discovery of our eastern water-way to
India before the English and Dutch nicide any effort to
establish a colonial settlement in South Africa, nor was any attempt made to
penetrate the interior of that section until Cape Town had become a thriving
Dutch port.

Among the earliest, if not the first, travellers who penetrated any consider-
able distance into the southern regions of Africa, was a French voyageur named
M. Le Vaillant, who spent the years 1780 to 1785 in an exploration of the
Hottentot country, which he pretty thoroughly examined from Cape of Good
Hope to Angola Bay, and the interior as far as the southern borders of the
Kalakari Desert. The fact that he was the first white traveller in these parts
lent great fascination to his narrative, which was published soon after his
return to France, in addition to which his account of the country, its people,
rivers, mountains, etc., was of great value to geographers, as well as to
commerce.

The next distinguished traveller to visit South Africa was a German,
named Henry Lichtenstein, who entered the country from the Cape in 1803,
and remained five and one-half years in the interior. He passed through the
same region, generally, that Le Vaillant had explored; but, with the circun. -
spection of a German explorer, he noted everything more exactly, and hence
gave us very much information that his predecessor had neglected. Lichten-
stein was an accomplished ethnologist as well as a philologist, and he took great
pains to distinguish the many Hottentot tribes, such as the Bosjesmans, or
Bushmen, Kafiirs, Corans, and Namaquas, all of whom are classed imder the
general racial division . of Hottentots. Not only did he describe these, but
gave us a very excellent vocabulary of their languages, wliic;. became of the

(9O
*

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

greatest assistance to other travellers who came after him into these parts.
His scientific knowledge exterded also to natural history, and he was thus
able to add a description of the animals and insects peculiar to those regions,
and also of its flora; so that he left a printed work which has hardly been
improved upon since, and still remains a classic on the subject of which it
treats. Sir John Barrow, who wrote two volumes on " Travels in South
Africa," and who had lived at Cape Town a short while before as Colonial
Secretary, was directly instrumental in inducing Lichtenstein's visit to that
section, and afterwards did much towards circulating the history of his travels.
The Rev. C. I. Latrobe, of England, representing the United Brethren
denomination, was the next traveller to enter Southern Africa, by way of Cape
Town, in 1815. The purpose of his visit* was to seek out a location for a

CAFFRES, OF SOUTH AFRICA.

new mission somewhere in the interior, in the prosecution of which intention
he travelled inland from Cape Town to the military post at the mouth of
Great Fish River, following along the north side of the Zwarte mountain
range. He was a close and learned observer, and printed a very interesting
account of his journey, which, more than anything else, influenced the great
lyivingstone to become a missionary and explorer in Africa.

In 1026, Bain and Biddulph penetrated the interior as far as latitude 24°,
and made many valuable discoveries, giving us the first accurate description of
the Bechuana tribe, and of the animals met with in that region. They were
succeeded by Archbell in 1829, who followed the same route northward to
;!8°, when he turned north-east and continued on to Elephant River ; but he added
little to Avhat had been previously told. Andrew Steedman followed next iu

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

J835, but did not penetrate beyond the Zonderend River, along tie banks of
which he chiefly confined his investigations. Though his journey was thus
restricted to a comparatively few miles from the coast, yet as a naturalist he
found many animals, birds and insects, which had not before been brought to
the attention of the civilized world. • . ••"'

ADVENT OF THE HUNTERS. .7

In 1836, W. C. Harris, an officer in the British India service, accompanied
by William Richardson, of the Bombay civil service, entered Africa by way of
Graham's Town, first equipping themselves admirably for a long journey by
purchasing saddle horses, and twelve yoke of oxen for draft purposes. With
several Hottentots for servants, the two adventurers plunged into the interior^
not so much on a journey of discovery as to gratify their longing for a grand
hunt. They went over the chief hunting grounds beyond the borders of the
Dutch colonists, and met with many adventures of the most exciting nature.
They were the first hunters who had penetrated so far into the interior, and
their book on " Wild Sports of South Africa " abounds with stirring incidents
connected with hunting the elephant, lion, ostrich, gnu, gemsbock, and hosts
of feathered game. Gordon Cummings imitated Harris's sporting expedition,
and spent the years 1843 to 1849 hunting in South Africa, from the trophies
of which he sustained himself, and opened a large exhibition on his return to
England.

C. J. Andersson, a Swede, in emulation of Cummings and Harris, in the
company of Francis Galton, set out from a landing in Walfish Bay, in 1850,
with a caravan of wagons, a drove of mules and a pack of dogs. They pene-
trated as far north as Lake N'gami, which lake had been discovered the year
before by Livingstone, and visited by Oswell and Murray, who, like Andersson,
had entered the country to hunt large game. On this trip, Mr. Andersson
made several minor discoveries, and enjoyed four years of excellent shooting,
so that on his return to England, after publishing his first book, called " Lake
N'gami," he became very anxious to make a second journey into Africa, which
he shortly afterwards had an opportunity to do.

Upon returning to the Cape in 1856, Andersson learned that an old friend,
named Frederick Green, wiis at that time somewhere in the African interior.
but was expected to return soon ; consequentl}^ he awaited his friend's arrival,
ill the mean time taking the position of manager of certain mines. After the
lapse of two months, Mr. Green reappeared, with a record of his journey to
the Lake regions to Libebe, which 'is some two hundred miles north-west of
Lake N'gami, a totally unexplored country. After a short period of prepara-
tion, the two set out together in March, 1858, and travelled nearly one
thousand miles, when they separated ; but in the course of a twelvemonth they
met again, and returned together to Cape Town in the spring of i860. On
this journey Mr. Andersson discovered the Okavango river, and traced its
course for nearly one hundred miles. He also discovered Lake Oiiondova, but

I :

(94)

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

was unable to find the Cunene river, of which he had heard the natives
frequently speak, and which was, no doubt, confounded with the Leeanibye,
discovered later by Livingstone.

The most important expedition that had yet entered South Africa up to
this date, with one exception, was that undertaken by Thomas Baines, who

FACING A STAMPliU)C Ol' BUFFALOEii.

had been previously attached to Livingstone's expedition on the Zambesi Mr.
Baines was well equipped for an extended journey, upon which he entered
iioni Walfish bay, on the south-west coast, May 5th, 1861, his first objective
point, being Otjimbingue, one hundred and twenty miles directly east. He

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

I i .1 ,

reached this place in due season but was compelled to return immediately to
Walfish (Whalefish) bay for provisions and two copper boats which the first
wagons had been unable to haul on the first trip. He reached the coast May
30th, and on June 4th the return journey to Otjimbingue was begun. On
July 23d Mr. Baines was joined b}' Mr. John Chapman, who had been with
Andersson, and together the two traveled six hundred miles to Thounce. From
this point, after some delay the journey was resumed, sometimes the two taking

different routes, and tra-
velling alone for weeks
at a time before meeting
again. Both were most
enthusiastic sportsmen
and spent much time
hunting elephants, rhino-
ceri, lions, hartbeests,
ostriches, quaggas, and
buffaloes, from w h i c h
latter they had a mar-
vellous escape from be-
ing run down and tram-
pled by a stampeded herd.
They made a tour to the
south round Lake N'gami,
and after reaching the
lake took the course of
the Batletle river to its
rise, then moving north-
ward to Victoria Falls
they explored much of
the country in that re-
gion and located the
course of the Zambesi.
They returned to Wal-
fish bay in August, 1862.

h/^

DR. LIVINGSTONE.

LIVINGSTONE'S DISCOVERIES.

The most distinguished of all African explorers, whose name and accom-
plishments are alike imperishable, was David Livingstone, who also began his
explorations of that wondrous continent b}' entering from the south, but whose
prime purpose in visiting Africa was on behalf of the London ^ issionar}' So-
ciety, and with the ambition to actively engage in missionary labor himself.
Under an appointment by the Society, therefore, and almost immediately fol-
lowing his ordination in the Presbyterian faith, he left England in 1840 for
Cape Town. While temporarily residing there he met the daughter of the

•'t\

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

Secretary of the South African missions, Mr. Robert Moffat, and a few years
later married her, who proved his cheerful companion in later journeys until
she died and was buried by his own hands beside the lonely hills of Shu-
panga, near the Zambesi river.

Livingstone was first appointed to the mission of Kuruman, in the Bechu-
ar.a country, six hundred miles north-east of Cape Town, but, remaining here
only three months, he removed to Litubaruba, fifteen miles southward, where
he entered upon a study of the Bechuana language. Here he tried to es-
tablish a settlement, but failed on account of a war which was then being
waged between neighboring tribes. He soon after, however, established a mis-
sionary station in the valley of Mabotsa, to which he finally removed in
It was while

1843

residing here that

he had his first
hunting adventure, ^ipS£
an I which came
near terminating
his life, as he was
seriously bitten in
the arm by a
wounded lion, from
the effects of which
he never fully "re-
covered.

Livingstone re-
mained at Mabotsa
for a period of
eight years, in
which time he con-
verted thousands of the natives and saw the little village which he had
founded grow into a flourishing town, with the Christian virtues prominent
in nearly all its inhabitants. About this time he was visited by two noted
hunters, Oswell and Murra}', who requested him to accompany them across the
Kalahari desert, his company being particularly desirable because of his
knowledge of the Bechuana language. The journey was made with ox teams,
I and at the expense of the most dreadful sufferings on account of the exceed-
ing scarcity of water, but on August ist, 1849, the party was rewarded for
all their privations by the discovery of Lake N'ganii, a magnificent sheet of
Iwater about fifty mile in circumference, and the basin for many rivers, which
jflowiug into it during the wei: season inundate an immense district of country.
This lake is the resort of great numbers of wild animals of the most formid-
[able species, while its waters teem with fish.
7

MAKU1.0KUS.

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

;

DISCOVERY OF THE ZAMBESI.

After spending several days iipou the lake, Livingstone parted from his
hunter companions, and proceeded three hundred miles further north to visit the
chief of the Makolokos. Here he was kindly received, and encouraged to es-
tablish another mission, which he presided over for six mouths, but he found
che people impervious to religious training and gave over his philanthropic

TUE ZAMBESI RIVER.

undertaking, at length, that he might employ his efforts elsewhere with more
goodly results, resolving, however, to return again to the Alakoloko country,
when the conditions were more propitious. He now fortunately again met
with Mr. Oswell, and the two set out on a journey further north, which
brought them at length to a place called Sesheke, very near the south central

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

region of the continent. Here finding a pleasant conntry and abundant game
they hunted for several days with great success. In conducting their excur-
sions in quest of game they came upon a verj' large river to which Living-
stone gave the native name Zambesi. This is one of the largest streams in
Africa, rising towards the west coast, some hundred miles from the Atlantic,
and cleaving its way across the continent until its waters are discharged into
the Indian Ocean.

After discovering the Zambesi Livingstone returned to Cape Town on ac'
count of the illness of his family and to send them to England, after which
he proceeded again to the Makoloko country, a distance of fifteen hundred

A MAKOI.OKO VILLAC.

I miles. The trip was* enlivened by many exciting hunts, and in due time
he arrived in the country from which he had departed a year before with the
humiliation that attends failure. He now found cor litions more favorable to
his purpose and accordingl}' established a missionary school which flourished
greatly under his teaching and resulted in the conversion to Christianity of a

[great many people and all the Makoloko chiefs.

vSecing the .school thus happily established, Livingstone departed, accom-

jpaiiied by guides furnished by the chief, for Loanda, on the Atlantic coast,

Ihoping to make many valuable discoveries on the route ; for while missionary
labors interested him, his chief ambition had now been transferred to the realm

(100)

HEROh.- ^J THE DARK CONTINENT.

lo:

-^^i

L'V ; ■■ s

of exploration. Nor was his ambition an (irn/s fatuiis, for it led him to the
most substantial realities and to make several of the greatest discoveries that
are known to African geography. On this journey he passed up the Leeambye
river, the western part of the Zambesi, and found another considerable stream,
to which he gave the name Luba ; besides which valuable discoveries he gives
ihe most interesting descriptions of the peoples whom he met on the route.

THE WONDERFUL VICTORIA FALLS.

Livingstone safely performed the journey, and after a stay of four months
at Loanda, laid up from fever, he attempted a passage of Africa with the view
of opening a route from Loanda across the continent by way of the Zambesi
river, but after great hardships he was compelled to give over the effort and
to return to the Makoloko country by the same route he had travelled in going
to Loanda. But though his reception was cordial, he did not tarry long with
the people who had so graciously accepted him as their religious instructor,
but continued on down the Leeambye until he reached Victoria Falls, beyond
comparison the grandest sight in all Africa, and equalled only by our Niagara.
It will avoid confusion if the reader is made to understand that the Leeba,
Leeambye and Zambesi are only as many names for the same river, the
western part being called by the former, the middle part by the second, and
the eastern end by the best known name, the Zambesi. Livingstone was the
first white man to gaze on this wonderful natural formation. The river here
falls into a chasm four hundred feet deep, bounded by sei'pentine walls of
basalt, which force the waters to flow in a zigzag direction. The water breaks
into a white mass like a sheet of driven snow, and sends up columns of vapor
eight hundred feet above the brink, while at the outlet is a whirlpool above
which in clear weather are seen several concentric rainbows. The whole scene
is indescribably grand.

From the Victoria Falls, Livingstone continued on down the Zambesi, until
within three hundred miles of its mouth he came upon a Portuguese settle-
ment, where he was so hospitabl}^ received that he tarried a few days, and on
his departure eight Portuguese accompanied him down the river in canoes to
Quiliniane, from which place he sailed for Mauticius, August 12, 1856, on the
brig Frolic and arrived at his destination without experiencing any difl&culties,
thus concluding his first expedition into Africa.

«<«M|I

CHAPTER VI.

f 1 I ' 1 it

LIVINGSTONE'S LAST EXPEDITIONS AND DEATH.

HILE travelling through Africa, during the sixteen years
of his residence in that country, and especially during
his explorations along the Zambesi and the central
regions, Livingstone had familiarized himself with the
enormity and extraordinary cruelty of the slave trade, and
resolved, while trying to save the poor Africans' souls,

_£!„,,— -^^ to put forth some effort also to protect their bodies.

Therefore, after a short btr'y at Mauritius, he took pas-
sage on an England bound vessel to make preparations for carrying his plans
into execution. Upon reaching London he read several papers liefore the
English Geographical Society, wherein he set forth the infamy of the slave
trade and, incidental!}-, the nnportance of the Zambesi as a highway by which
both commerce and Christianitj' might be carried into the interior of Africa.
So favorable were the impressions created by his descriptions and suggestions
that a fund was immediately raised to equip the expedition which he proposed,
:; : i which being organized, set sail March lo, 1858, for the mouth of the
7 , jssi. Dr. Livingstone was accompanied by his courageoiiS wife, his
orotuer C'larles, and Dr. Kirk, superintendent of the Kew Gardens of London.
ilv ^'ook with him an ample supply of stores and also a steam launch, in sec-
tions, in which to make an ascent of the river.

In due season the expedition arrived at Quilimane, at the mouth of the
river, and after making the necessary preparations began their journey up the
Zambesi. After proceeding a few miles, however, the}- found their course
impeded by sand bars, but at the same time discovered a lateral stream, called
the Kongone, easy of navigation, and up this they proceeded to the river Shire,
which is another branch of the Zambesi. They followed up this latter stream
several hundred n^les until they entered an immense lake, to which Living-
stone gave the name Nvd.sn. Here he found the slave trade flourishing to

the greatest possible extent, and consequently the sufferings of the people,

(102)

HEROES OE THE DARK CONTINENT.

103

brought on by wars and inhuman cruelties, wrung the great explorer's heart
with pity. Remaining in this man-cursed region several days, Livingstone
again entered the Shire and descended to the Zambesi, up which he proceeded
to the head of navigation. From this point the expedition took to the land

sixteen years
icially during
. the central
self with the
ave trade, and
fricans' souls,

their bodies.

he took pas-

ing his plans

s 1 lefore the

of the slave
vay by which

ior of Afi-ica.
suggestions
he proposed,

nouth of the
us wife, his

ins of London.

unch, in sec-

Iniouth of the
[urney up the

their course
stream, called
|e river Shire,

latter stream
[vhich Living-
Iflourishing to
If the people,

DISCOVURY OF l.AKK NYASSA.

and continued on by such conve:'anccs as their oxen and donkevs provided,
several of which had been brouglii with them. They h.ad passed through a
woiukn-ful game country, abounding with elephants, hippopotami, alligators

I -n

(104)

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

los

and wild dogs, which Livingstone hunted as a diversion and also to obtain
fresh supplies of meat. They continued along the banks of the Zambezi to
the river Zougwe, up which they turned their course in canoes for a distance
of fifty miles and then crossed the country to the Victoria Falls.

FATE OF THE MABOTSE MISSION AND DEATH OF MRS. LIVINGSTONE.

Having now reached again the Makololo country, I/ivingstone made anx-
ious inquiries respecting the mission which he had established four years before
at Mabotse. To his surprise and sorrow he found that scarce a vestige of it
remained. Mr. Hilmore and his wife, whom he had left in charge, had both
died of fever, and the natives had abandoned all interest in the mission, so
that it speedily declined and soon disappeared. Discouraged at this result,
Livingstone made no attempt to renew the mission, but returned to Lake
Nyassa in order to make a more thorough examination of that large body of
water.

He built a large boat on the banks, in which he spent six weeks sailing
on the lake to determine its extent and the country it drained. But while
thus engaged a storm wrecked his vessel, which disaster was accompanied
by a loss of nearly all his stores, so that he was compelled to go back to the
ship Pioneer^ which had been sent out early in 1861 with new supplies, and
wliich was now anchored in the Rcvuma river, which she was in commission
Lo explore. On reachinp the vessel fever broke out among the party and, for
lack of proper medicine, it raged with great virulence and some facality for
several weeks. In the middle of April Mrs. Livingstone was prostrated, and
on Sabbath evening of the aytli she died. A landing was made at Shupanga,
and on the following daj' the body was buried beneath the wide-spreading
branches of a large baobab-tree, from which pestilential region her spirit took wings
and sped awaj' to that celestial land where the sufferings of brave hearts are
assuaged by a most gracious balm, and tired feet rest beside still but living
waters. She thus left, in the midst of her Christian labors, the exploration of
this world to continue her discoveries in that land which lies beyond the
shadows.

After the death of IVIrs. Livingstone, the bereaved husband became anxious
to put back again into the interior, and therefore resolved to return directly to
Nyassa. But before doing sc he accompanied his party up the Rovuma as far
as the thref; light-draught sail-boaLs could carry th 'u, a distance of one hun-
dred and fiftj''-six miles. Being unable to proceed further, they returned down
the Rovuma to the Shire and then halted at Shupanga again, where the hor-
rors of the slave-trade were most revolting, the river being sometimes chokod
with the dead bodies of slaves who had died of fever or were shot down in
attempting to make their escape.

After a month's stay at Shupanga, a steam corvette was made ready, in
which Livingstone determined to more fully explore Lake Nyassa. He there-
ifore set out to convey it up the Rovuma to the head of navigation, and thence

io6

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

overland thirty-five miles to the lake, but with all his pertinacity and almost
superhuman efforts, he was unable to accomplish its portage, with the men at
his command, over the hills and bluffs that intervened, so that at last he found
it necessary to return the boat to the river. Though greatly disappointed in
his ambition, he pushed on with eight others to the lake, which he coasted in
canoes to the north end, but his purpose was not fully accomplished on
account of a lack of time.

The Pioneer was to sail for Quilimane late in December, and he now
found barely time to retrace his steps before her departure. However, by

nRAD nonius of slavks in the shire.

forced marches, he succeeded in reaching the vessel in time, iipon which he
was conveyed to the Zambesi's mouth. Here they were fortunate in findini^
two British ships, the Orestes and the Ariel. The two corvettes, Pioneer and
FAjdy Nyassa, were taken in tow, and the voyage to Zanzibar was begun.
From this latter place, where he arrived April 30th, 1864, Livingstone pro-
ceeded to Bomba}' in the small launch. Lady A'^vossa, going to India with the
purpose of disposing of his small vessel. This trip of 2500 miles was made in

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

107

y and almost
I the men at
last he found
sappointed in
he coasted in
amplished on

and he now
However, by

•■1

''i^

-id^

'S^jtyiy-

>^^TH!

' "—

~~'-M tm

mhSk

Ion which he

|:e in findin.u^

Pioneer and

was begun.

[ngstone pro-

lia with the

was made in

a boat so small that her arrival was not noticed, and she was managed by a
crew of seven Africans, two boys and four Europeans, not one of the former
having ever before seen the sea. Thus ended Livingstone's second expedition.

A SEARCH FOR THE NILE'S SOURCE.

From Bombay Livingstone returned to England, where he published his
second book on the Zambesi and its tributaries, and in April, 1865, he started
on a third expedition with the purpose of discovering the source of the Nile.
This ambition seized upon him as a result of the publication of the journals
of Speke and Grant, who had jiist
returned from Africa, claiming that
the source of that wondrous river
had been found in the Victoria
N'yanza Lake. Livingstone was san-
guine in the belief that the true
source was in a chain of lakes lying
far south of the N'yanza, and this
impression, gained by a pretty
thorough knowledge of the topogra-
phy of Central Africa, he was anxious
to confirm by personal investigation.
Business again took him to Bombay,
where he was appointed by the Gov-
ernment of India to make a formal
presentation of the steamer Tliitle to
the Sultan of Zanzibar. He also
carried commendatory letters to the
Sultan, through which influence that
royal dignitary gave him much as-
sistance in preparing for his last ex-
pedition. Lake Tanganyika had been
discovered in 1861, and Livingstone
concluded to make Ujiji, a principal
town on its east bank, the base for his

supplies, and accordingly sent a large ^'^^^ bargash, sui.tan ok zanzihar.

quantity of provisions and trinkets ■ to that place, with a man to remain in
charge -of them until they were needed. The next day, March 19th, Living-
stone left Zanzibar on the steamer Pfnq;iiiii for the Rovuma river, the mouth
of which is hardly one hundred miles di.stant. Among the necessaries of this
journey were six camels, three buffaloes, two mules and four donkeys, all to be
used for riding purposes, as horses perish very quickly in the region he was
about to penetrate, from the poisonous bite of the tsetse fly. The animals were
badly bruised on this short voyage, but their worst injuries were received in
unloading them onto an India dhow, by which they were transferred to the land^

io8

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

J : H'

SO that a rest was necessary and the expedition did not start for the interior
until April 6th, moving along the Rovunia valley.

THE HORRORS OP SLAVERY.

The march was continued without serious interruption, so that in June the
expedition reached the region of Lake Nyassa, which they discovered by seeing
so many evidences of inhuman cruelties practised on the slave parties that
were met. One entry in Livingstone's journal, June 19th, reads as follows :

'* We passed a woman tied b}' the neck to a tree, and dead. The people
of the country explained that she had been unable to keep up with the other
slaves in a gang, and her master had determined that she should not become the

ARAB."^ MDRDBRINC EXHADSTRD StAVES.

propert}^ of any one else if she recovered after resting for a time. I may men-
tion here that we saw others tied up in a similar manner, and one lying in a
path shot or stabbed, for she was in a pool of blood. The explanation we got
invariably was that the Arab who owned these victims was enraged at losing
his money by the slaves becoming unable to march, and vented his spleen by
murdering them. A poor little boy with prolapsus ani was carried }-esterd;iy
by his mother many a weary mile, lying over her right shoulder— the only
position he could find ease in ; an infant at the breast occupied the left arm,
and on her head were carried two baskets. The mother's love was seen in
binding up the part when we halted, while the coarseness of low civilization
was evinced in the laugh with which some black brutes looked at the sufferer."

the interior

,t in Jnne the
red by seeing

parties that
as follows :

The people
ith the other
ot become the

I may men-

le lying in a

nation we got

ged at losing

lis spleen by

ed yesterday

or — the only

the left arm,

was seen in

V civili/ation

the snfferer."

RECEPTION OF THE ARAB'S BRIDE.

(109)

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

Livingstone reached the lake at the mouth of the Misinje river August
8th, having surmounted many difficulties, not the least of which was scarcity
of food, from which the people of all the lake country were likewise suf-
fering. In fact, there was a very great famine then prevailing, from which
thousands had died, and their skeletons were to be seen all along the high-
way. Hundreds of slaves, bound by heav}' yokes, were also found at frequent
intervals where their inhuman captors had left them to die of starvation.

Livingstone left the Nyassa in November, and after passing through many
hardships, superinduced principally by the want of food, and the desertion of two
of his men with the medicine chest, he reached Lake Tanganyika March 31st,
1866. The country at which he had now arrived was very fertile, but it was
in a disordered state on account of a war between a powerful chief and the
Arab slave dealers, which rendered travel very dangerous. This war, however,
was fortunately terminated by the chief's daughter marrying the Arab captain,
the bride being brought to the Arab camp in state, riding on the back of a
burly subject, and deposited with care before the door of the groom's tent. As
announcement of her coming was made, the soldiers fired a salute of welcome
and the remainder of the day was given over to the wildest festivities. This
ceremony was witnessed by Livingstone while he was on the southwest coast
of the lake, but immediately after he proceeded unmolested to Ujiji from which
place he sent to Zanzibar for supplies and turned his steps southward again,
discovering on his route several rivers, including Kalongi an(J Lunde. He
passed through Casembe's kingdom, a ruler chiefly distinguished for his
cruelty in chopping off the hands or cropping the ears of his subjects for
petty offences, and often for no cause whatever. In this region he also met
with cave-dwellers, the true troglodytes of Africa, who live in natural excava-
tions at the base of the Rua Mountains, and about the shores of Lake Moero,
which Livingstone discovered.

DISCOVERY OF LAKE BANGWEOLO.

On July 1 8th good fortune directed the explorer's footsteps to the shores
of another great lake, next in size to Nyassa, and before unknown, to which
he gave the name Itanirzvcolo, always selecting such names from the vocabulary
of the tribes living in the vicinity. This body of water, in addition to its
great size, is also wonderful from the fact that it lies thirty-six hundred
feet above sea level. This lake, the discovery of which added so much to
his fame, was destined also to come prominently irito notice, because near
its banks the great explorer "lay down to pleasant dreams," and rested forever
from his labors.

From this point, turning his steps northward, Livingstone was brought
again to the borders of Casembe's kingdom, having tiow resolved to proceed
to Ujiji for supplies, of which he stood greatly in need. But during his stay
in the south another fierce war had been inaugurated between the Arabs and
Mazitu tribes, in which Casembe also soon became involved. This rendered

HEROKS OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

Ill

river August
was scarcity
likewise suf-
g, from which
)ng the high-
id at frequeut
itarvation.
through many
ssertiou of two
:a March 31st,
ie, but it was
chief and the
war, however,
Arab captain,
he back of a
Dom's tent. As
lite of welcome
stivities. This
authwest coast
jiji from which
ithward again,
J Lunde. He
dshed for his
s subjects for
1 he also met
atural excava-
)f Lake Moero,

to the shores

)wn, to which

|the vocabulary

Idition to its

|y-six hundred

so much to

because near

rested forever

was brought
?d to proceed
iring his stay
lie Arabs and
This rendered

travel so perilous that Livingstone, was forced, as a measure of self-protection,
to unite with an Arab party, with whom he marched, in the company also of
hundreds of slaves yoked together, from his exposed position to Ujiji, which he
reached March 14th, 1869.

He arrived at Ujiji in a sick and exhausted condition, and only to find
that very few of the supplies that had been sent from Zanzibar had reached
their destination, the greater part having been stolen by Arabs. Nevertheless,
after a period of recuperation and medication, Livingstone again plunged into
the unexplored regions, resolved to folio., up the source of the Lualaba river,
believing that this stream had a connection with Lake Tanganyika, or that it
flowed into the chief reservoir of the Nile. But many things conspired to
prevent the immediate carrying out of this purpose, and he again turned his
steps towards
Lake Bangwe-
olo, and thence
into the country
of the Manyu-
enia cannibals
to examine the
river of which
he had heard
frequent 111 e n -
tiou made by
the natives as
running to the
west. He at
length reached
the Lualaba
river, but found
it flowing in a

northerly direction, so that he at once perceived that it could have no
connection with the lake system that he believed supplied the Nile. The
ri\er being a large one, he resolved to explore it; but when upon the point
of setting out for this purpose, the Arabs swooped down upon the people,
taking s-^nie captive and murdering hundreds of others, and otherwise terroriz-
inji: the whole country. Many of Livingstone's servants fled for their lives;
it was impossible to get canoes or provisions, so that he was compelled to
return to Ujiji, six hundred miles distant. Travelling had now become more
dangerous than ever, and his return trip v/as one of extraordinary peril, in
which he came very near, many times, losing his life.

MEETING WITH STANLEY.

Notwithstanding all these perils, Livingstone reached Ujiji in safety,
October 23d, 187 1, though so much reduced iu flesh as to scarcely appear

THli .SLAVE GANG.

(112)

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

more than a shadow of his former self. The goods which he had ordered
from Zanzibar had been sent by the sultan, but more than two-thirds were
stolen on the way, so that he received such a meagre supply as to well near
completely discourage him. At this juncture, when racked by mental anxieties,
enfeebled by disease, discouraged by the lack of supplies, and oppressed by the
cruelty, villainy, and rapacity of the Arabs, who had rendered every route
insecure by their murderous outrages, a good angel of mercy came to visit
him, in the guise of an American, sent out to find the long lost, the supposed
dead explorer, with instructions to succor him if living, and to bring back his
bones to England if dead. Two years had elapsed since any word from
Livingstone had been received la England, although he had written no less
than forty-three letters to friends and the Geographical Society during his first
visit to Ujiji, not one of which had been delivered by the Arabs to whom they
had been entrusted. Reports had been circulated of his death, and, to verify
or disprove these, Stanley set out upon the search, being so fortunate as to
find him November i6th, 1871.

The meeting between Stanley and Livingstone was a joyful one on both
sides, as may well be imagined. After hearing all the news, reading the
letters which had been brought to him, and examining the large amount of
supplies which Stanley had brought, Livingstone proposed an expedition to the
north end of Lake Tanganyika, in order to determine whether it poured its
waters through a river outlet into Lake Albert N'yanza, which Baker had
claimed was the Nile's true source. Together Stanley and Livingstone made
the trip, and found the Rusizi river ; but instead of being an outlet, it poured
its waters into the lake, so the fact was thus determined that Tanganyika had
no connection with the Victoria or Albert lakes.

DEATH OF LIVINGSTONE.

Upon their return from this trip, to Ujiji, Stanley tried hard to induce his
newly-found friend to accompany him to England, representing the hardships
which lay before him and the depleted physical condition he was in, rendering
hazardous any attempts at new enterprises ; but Livingstone refused, being
influenced thereto by his ambition to follow up the large river which he found
flowing to the northwest in the Manyuema country, and which he still
believed was the Nile. This river, it was subsequently determined, was the
Congo, and which Stanley afterwards named the Livingstone.

His mind having been fully resolved on this great undertaking, Living-
stone accompanied Stanley as far as Unyanyembe, on the latter's return
journey, and waited there the arrival of new supplies which he instructed
Stanley to send him.

It was not until August 23d, 1872, that Livingstone departed from "Unyan-
yembe on his last exploration, proceeding again in the direction of Lake
Baufrweolo. The season was now far advanced, and the rains had already
begun to fall when he reached Casembe's territorjr. Soon after the country
8

i !

("4)

THB MARCH THROUGH CASBMBB'S COUNTRY.

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINEiNT.

was flooded, and travel became possible only by uading through swamps and
vast stretches of water, often neck-deep. This dreadful exposure brought on
iVcsh attacks of hemorrhagic discharges, to which Livingstone had long been
a sufferer at times, and their great frequency now gave him so much concern
liat he seems to have foreseen that the end of his earthly travels was near.
Wnortheless, he continued to push forward, even when he had grown so weak

WVINGSTONE UESET BY IIOSTILK NATIVES.

I'luit it was necessary for his servants to carry him in a square sling made for
ihe purpose. The last entry in his journal beais the date of April 27 (1873),
but he survived until the ist of May, having been taken to a hut, where, in
[the early morning of that day, he was found upon his knees, resting his head
and arms upon his low couch — dead.

Though in the wilds of an unexplored country, where the savage fury of
[untutored miiids predominate, yet even here the body of this great man was

I' ;i :l

(Il6)

WVINGSTONE'S LAST MARCH.

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

117

^^^^^^^x~l

~--i^".-— '---f-:.^

^Igyv*^^^^

1 -^^-.

^i^^d^

^^^miy

=^ ^fc=:

^p^

:U. ■

honored by the funereal pomp of an African chief, who brought his family
and retinue to pay their homage, in the firing of guns, beating of drums, and
the wails of a party of mourners, over the remains. After tl.is the body was
imperfectly embalmed, and, being placed upon a litter, was conveyed by the

DEATH OF l,IVINGSTUNl-.,

faithful servants over a journey of six months' length to Zanzibar, from whence
it was shipped to England, and there buried, beside the greatest men of the
earth, in Westminster Abbey.

CHAPTER VII.

DISCOVERIES IN THE CENTRAL REGIONS.

''' ^ ^ E have seen that, in the earlier centuries, the attention of
travellers was directed towards the western portions of Africa,
where a ^reat many attempts were made at exploration,
chiefly m the interest of commercial companies, many of
which had established profitable trade relations with the
Arabs as far east as Bornoo, or Bornu. Shortly after the
advent of the present century, however, explorers began
entering the country ^rom the south, most probably because
of the founding of Cape Town, which became an excellent
point for outfitting expeditions, and because the Dutch
had now taken possession of a great extent of the south coast and established
large and prosperous "settlements there. But after Livingstone's journey
across the continent, the tide again changed, and the place of entrance was
fixed in the east, at Zanzibar, because here was the Arab headquarters for
Central African traffic.

But long before Da Garaa had discovered a sea route to India, via the
Cape of Good Hope, many efforts had been made to reach the Nile's source
by an ascent of that river; but though some of these were made with loud
declarations of accomplishment, all alike had failed. Among those of the
semi-modern travjllers who became seekers of the hidden source was James
Bruce, a bold Scotchman, who spent the years 1768 to 1773. inclusive, in a
persistent effort to discover from whence the great Nile takes its rise. He
published the result of his investigations in a work of five volumes, the greater
part of which he devotes, and with much learning and reason, to the history
of Abyssinia and the kingdom o Sofala, which latter he regards as the Opliir
from whence Solomon obtained his treasures. In the second volume Mr. Bruce
traces the history of the queen of Sheba, and her rich kingdom, the capital of
which must, as he argues, have been in the region of Sofala ; and he gives us
the best of reasons for his conclusions. He describes particularly the ruins
still to be found in the vicinity of Sena, and how the massive stones were
joined together by strips of brass instead of cement; at the same time using
most excellent argument to prove that b'-ass was much more valuable than
gold during that age. He also gives us history to support the old tradition

(Il8)

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

119

the attention of

ortions of Africa,

; at exploration,

panies, many of

iations with the

shortly after the

explorers began

probably because

ame an excellent

ause the Dutch

St and established

gstone's journey

of entrance was

headquarters for

that the queea of Shcba (Saba) had a son by Solomon, who founded the
dynasty which still endures in Abyssinia.

THE NILE'S SOURCE NOT DETERMINED.

Mr. Bruce is an interesting delver in forgotten lore, and his Abyssinian
discoveries are of great value to history ; but his claim to the discovery of the
Nile's source is not defensible, nor did he ever pass over any great extent of
country in making his search, seemingly having confined himself to the central
regions of Abyssinia and
to tracing the White Nile,
which is an eastern bianch
of the main stream. He
asserts, however, that both
the Blue d.nd White Nile
have a common source in
Lake Tzaua or Dembea,
which is in about 12°
north latitude and very
near the cent'"e of the
present circumscribed
kingdom of Abyssinia.
Strangely enough, he also
maintains that the White
Nile, while describing a cir-
cular sweep, passes directl}'
through the centre of this
large lake, a conclusion
which is grotesque if not
ridiculous. The result,
therefore, of his explora
tious, so far at least as it
concerns the White Nile's
source, is without practi-
cal value, though he did
discover the true source of

tlie Blue Nile. manner ok URKSSING THI' hair among Tlllv AIKICANS.

Ferdino.nd Werne, a scientific German, set out in 1S40 to seek the source
of the White Nile, being so tortunate as to attach himself to an expedition
dispatched by Mohammed AH to open a commercial road to Central Africa.
vSulinuin Kashcf, a Circassian, who had commanded a former expedition sent
out for a like purpose, was also nomiiuxted to take charge of this one. The
expedition \vu:: carefully prepared for and was composed of 20,000 men, the
larger pr.rt being cavalry, mounted on camels, and 4000 asses provided to bear
the ])urdens of the infantry force. Notwithstanding the ample provision made

120

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

1 s

and great hopes of obtaining practical results, this expedition went little fur-
ther up the stream than Khartoum, though Werne continued his journey to 9!/^ "
north latitude, returning to his country the following year without accomplish-
ing anything of practical value.

In 1845, John Petherick, an English traveller, went to Egypt and entered
the Khedive's service as a mining engineer. In this capacity he visited many
districts along the upper Nile, as he continued in the exercise of this office for
several years, and until the death of Mohamn.ed Ali, after which he became n

BRUCK AMONG THE ABYSSINIANS.

merchant at Khai:oum. While doing business in that place he received the
appointment of British Consul, which position he filled with great credit and
no small advantage to his country. He also made a special study of the
White Nile and interested himself in obtaining all possible information re-
specting the river's source from traders who crme to Khartoum from the
Central regions. He published a book on " Explorations of the White Nile
to Regions of the Equator," which for some time was accepted as a work of
great utility, but which, in the light of more recent discovery, is now rarely
referred to.

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

121

nt little fur-
urney to 9^ °
t acconiplish-

t and entered

visited many

this office for

he became p

Mill^-i^fk^^'

tJ:-C'.

received the
tat credit and

study of the
^formation rc-
liim from the
White Nile
las a work of
Is now rarely

.vV-

BURTONS EAST AFRICA.

The most important expedition — in its results — up to this time was that
undertaken by Richard F. Burton, a native of Ireland, in the year 1857, who
entered Africa from the east coast. No man was ever better fitted for such a
service, nor was ever an explorer sent out from whom so much was expected.
He entered the ^^. ?^, .,

Indian army as . -,• • ^

Lieutenant in
1842, when twen-
ty-one years of
age, and being
stationed in the
presidency of
Bombay, and hav-
ing a leave of ab-
sence, he spent
some time in ex-
ploring the Neil-
gherry hills ; after-
wards serving for
five years in Sinde,
or northern Bom-
bay district, un-
der Sir C. J. Na-
pier. It was during
these years that
he turned his at-
tention to author-
ship and the study
of languages, pro-
ducing four very
valuable works,
besides acquiring
the Arabic, Af-
ghan, Persian,
Hindostanee and
Mooltanec languages, of the last of which he published a grammar.

In 1851 Burton returned to England, and having received a year's furlough
his restless disposition to see the wild regions of the earth induced him to
visit Mecca and Medina, which no Christian had reached since Burckhardt, in
1814-15. Such a journey was beset with countless perils to a Christian, whose
discovery would be followed by almost certain death, as the Moslems would
never suffer a defilement of their sanctuaries by what they caU Christian dogs.

AFRICAN PROPHETS.

122

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

*::

To prevent detection, therefore, upon arriving at Alexandria Burton assumed
the guise of a wandering dervish, which his thorough knowledge of the Arabic
language and customs enabled him to successfully do, so that he visited the
holy cities without his true character being even suspicioned. The results of
this journey were described in a book which he published in 1855.

In June, 1857, Burton left Zanzibar for the lake regions of Central Africa,
accompanied by Capt. Speke, about whom we will learn more in subsequent
pages. On returning from Africa in 1859, he came to America and made a
study of the Mormon Hierarchy, published a book on the same a year later.
In 1861, he was made Consul at Fernando Po, on the west coast of Africa,
where he remained until 1864, writing two more books in the mean time. In
this latter year he was made consul at Santas, Brazil, where he continued to
write books until in 1868 he was appointed consul to Damascus and traveled
over all the Holy Land, writing more books, " Unexplored Palestine," and
"Anthropological Collections in the Holy Land." In 1869 he published " Vikrani
and the Vampire; or, Tales of Hindu Deviltry," and two years later he was
made Consul at Trieste, where he prepared a new and very free translation of
the Arabian Nights, which, because of the salicious suggestiveness as well as
the obscene language that characterize the stories thus told, was suppressed.

It is said, and no doubt with truth, that Burton acquired no less than
thirty-five languages and dialects, in all of which he conversed with fluency.

OFF FOR THE AFRICAN LAKES.

Burton organized his expedition under the patronage of the Royal Geo-
graphical Society, chiefly by the request of Sir Roderick Murchison, its pre-
sident, England's great geologist, who for many years had taken the largest
interest in Africa and was specially anxious to induce an exploration of all its
unknown portions. Mr. Burton's prime purpose, p.s expressed in his applica-
tion to the society, was to ascertain " the limits of the Sea of Ujiji, or Un-
yamwezi lake," and secondarily, to determine the exportable produce of the
interior and the ethnograph}^ of its tribes. A large lake was known to exist
in the interior and upon its banks the town of l^jiji was said to be located;
this much information was long before obtained from the Arabic slave hunt-
ers, but no explorer had up to this time succeeded in discovering it. To ac-
complish this the society advanced $5000 to equip the expedition, and Burton,
obtaining a two years' leave of absence from regimental duties, was appointed
to the command.

IN CONTACT WITH A WIZARD.

After a very tedious delay at Zanzibar a sufficient number of porters and
asses were at length obtained and the expedition, 200 strong, set out upon the
march westward toward the unknown region. Very slow progress was made,
because of the many obstacles that interposed, chief of which was the fear ex-
hibited by the porters, who had knowledge of the warlike tribes through wliiili
it would be necessary to pass. The main body, under Speke, had taken up

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

123

irton assumed
of the Arabic
le visited the
'he results of

55-

*entral Africa,

in subsequent

and made a

a year later.

ast of Africa,

lean time. In

continued to

i and traveled

'alestine," and

ished " Vikrani

5 later he was

; translation of

ess as well as

suppressed.

no less than

vith fluency.

the advance and moved ahead several miles to inspect the way, so that a junction
was not formed until a march of nearly fifty miles from the coast had been made.

f porters an'l

out upon the

?s was made,

s the fear c\-

lirough which

ad taken \\\>

BURTON'S MARCH TOWARDS CENTRAI, AFRICA.

As the journey increased this distance the porters and guards became less
and less courageous, until arriving at Kuingani Burton saw the necessity of
doing something at once to relieve their fears. Accordingly, he sent for a

124

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

'11

mgangciy or medicine man, whom he paid well for the utterance of an encour-
aging prophecy, the influence of which is invariably great among these people.
This wizard appeared in due season and when Burton had collected his men
to witness the ceremony the mganga at once began his mummery. The old
man — which he proved to be — had a cloth about his head and a profusion of
beads around his neck. From a bag, which contained the implements of his
profession, he drew forth two gourds, one of which, a small one, was filled
with snufF with which he choked his capacious nostrils till they blew with as-
tounding resonance. The other gourd, of considerable size, contained the po-
tential ingredients that supplied the means for provoking the future into
materialization. After this receptacle was well shaken, two goat's horns were
next taken from the bag. These were tied together by a mottled snake's skin
which was decorated with little iron bells. With these horns he performed
his incantations by directing their points towards Burton, the gaping crowd,
and then himself, all the time swaying his body and uttering an unintelligible
jargon, which he pretended was a language which ghosts alone could un-
derstand. Having thus performed for some time he at length gave the mes-
sage he had elicited from spirits of the dead, and which was, of course, a fav-
orable revelation as to the success of the expedition and a prediction that the
porters would overcome all enemies and live to return in triumph to Zanzibar.
This prophecy served an admirable purpose and sent the porters on their way
with light spirits as well as with many declarations of their bravery, which,
in the absence of danger, these cowardly people were always vaunting.

THE MURDER OF M. MAIZAN.

The pace of the party was now quickened until Kiranga Ranga was
reached, where signs of hostility became apparent in the bold front presented
by the natives. No open resistance was offered, however, but the portrrs
ceased their boastings and marched along with many misgivings; three days
after a new fear arose, when upon reaching an open country they found a well-
palisaded village, out of which rushed a big party of warriors armed with
spears and bows and poisoned arrows, and who took shelter along the hedges
that lined the way, ready to begin an attack. The head man of the village
was propitiated, however, and he furnished an escort to the next station,
which was Madogo. Though the party was thus considerably augmented, as
they came near to the village of Dage la Mhora the whole expedition was
fairly thrown into confu.?ion by a fear excited by the remembrance of a tragic
incident that occurred at this place in 1845, and which made the village as
much dreaded as a haunted house. It was here that M. Maizan, a learned
Frenchman and pupil of the Polytechnic School, who had set out from
Zanzibar to explore the lakes of Central Africa, well supplied with both pro-
visions and instruments, was treacherously set upon and most cruelly murdered.
He had been deceived into a false security by professions of friendship
from the natives and upon invitation had entered the chief's hut. This sav-

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

125

ige functionary became so anxious to secure the trinkets, watches and other
possessions of the young Frenchman that no sooner was he within the hut
tlian the chief provoked a quarrel and then ordered the explorer seized. The

unfortunate man's arms were immediately pinioned to a crosswise pole ard his
legs fastened to another set upright, so as to form a crucifix. Thus bound he
was carried to a large calabash tree and made ready for torture. The tendons

'amtrntiiMtitA-yitteHiuimi iten-siu .i,-,

1 '!

' I

IM-I

136

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

of his arms and legs were first severed, and after mocking the snfiferer for some

time the chief whetted a knife before the nnfortnnate's eyes and then cut his
throat, after which he wrenched the head from the body.

This shocking mnrder, though long before committed, was still fresh in

the memory of these superstitious people, and they could, with the greatest

difficulty, be induced to pass by the dreaded place. In fact, several deserted
rather than trust themselves within the pale of the direful influence.

LARGE GAME AND MORE DREADED SUPERSTITION.

The route, for many miles, lay along the Kingani river, which abounded
with hippopotami and crocodiles, for both of which the porters held a supersti-
tious reverence, founded upon the fear which they entertained for them, and
which prevented travelling by water even where the stream afforded an easy
means of transportation, large canoes being readily obtainable. But the dan-
gers which appeared to threaten from these water creatures were only a de-
gree less than that which the porters experienced from leopards that infested
every jungle, one of which seized a spear-bearer in the party and fatally bit
him before his companions could frighten off the ferocious animal, so that
Burton's resources were sorely tried in preventing a wholesale desertion of
his men. Had not game been so plentiful and his prowess in killing rhinoceri,
elephants, crocodiles, leopards, etc., so great, despite his care and persuasion,
his force would have abandonded him before he had proceeded a hundred miles
from the coast.

In addition to the superstitions, dread, and hostile natives that constantly
threatened the expedition, there were other obstacles no less serious, in which
the terrible condition of the route was most conspicuous. In numerous places
the thick grass and humid vegetation, dripping till mid-day with dew, rendered
the black earth greasy and slippery. In as many other places there was a
deep, thick mire interlaced with tree roots through a dense jungle and forest,
over barrens of stunted mimosa, and dreary savannahs cut into deep nullahs.
Bogs were also frequently encountered a mile in width into which a man
would sink to the knees. In occasional places, especially after heavj' rains, the
porters would sink in mud and water to their necks, and through which the
asses would be compelled to swim, with a man holding by the head and an-
other by the tail to prevent the animals from drowning.

DISCOVERY OF TANGANYIKA LAKE.

All these difficulties were overcome by persistent labor and consummate
ingennit}' in dealing with a savage, ignorant and inten.sely superstitious peo-
ple, but not by a retention of the original porters, even though they were
slaves. Many of these deserted and others were discharged, their places being
filled by the employment of men obtained from natives along the way. At
last, after a very long and perilous journey, and at the expense of almost
insupportable fatigue, the expedition halted on the high hills near the west shore
of Tanganyika, and on the 13th of February, 1858, Burton discovered in the

er for some
len cut his

LBOPAKD KII,UNG ONB OP BUKTON'S SOLOIKRS.

("7)

1 1| !i

*!!

'i i

xa8

HEROES OK THE DARK CONTINENT.

dim distance a thin, bine streak of water which proved to be the songht-for
lake. As he passed over an intervening hill npon his sight bnrst the glorions
vision of this magnificent sheet of water, thirty-five miles broad and three luin-
dred and fifty miles long, an inland sea large enongh for the stateliest crafts
and with a snrronnding conntry so fertile that it would, under proper cultivation,
yield enough to support a large nation.

On the day following this discovery Burton procured several large
canoes in which he skirted the eastern shore of the lake for many miles,
and in which he also visited the village of Ujiji, where he saw a large bazaar,
chiefly conducted by Arabs, who had found the lake in 1840 and made of
Ujiji a principal slave-mart as well as depot.

For several days, weeks in fact, Burton interested himself in the fauna as
well as ethnology of the conntry, and reports the region at that time as

THE QUICHOBOS, OR WATER ANTEU)PE.

abounding in elephants, restricted to the bamboo jungles, and hyenas and wild dogs,
but other game was exceedingly scarce. In the waters of the lake were many
hippopotami and crocodiles, and he notes the appearance also of water antelopes
though these were by no means plentiful. This animal is found only occa-
sionally in any part of Africa, its numbers seeming to be quite limited, though
its location is not verj' restricted. It is a creature of singular habits and of
such rarity as to be seldom or never seen in zoological collections, Thou.tjh
not infrequently found browsing like others of the antelope species it never
strays far from water, and the facility with which it swims, dives and remains
under the surface indicates that water is almost as much its natural habitat
as it is that of the hippopotamus.

sought-for
le glorious
three luin-
iliest crafts
cultivation,

eral large
any miles,
irge bazaar,
i made of

le fauna as
r\t time as

r^T'V-

'. <'•■■. ■■ ,

, ■ iV

—

-f^:^

' Z:^'- ■

,f<^f^>'

'■■

'Mim

(129)

I30

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

A WONDERFUL ISLAND.

While at Ujiji, Burton received information of a large river flowing out of
Tanganyika, to the north — a most improbable story — and concluding that this
must be the Nile, he at once set about making preparations for circumnavigating
the lake, and particularly making a circuit of its northern shores, to determine
the size and course of the outflowing river that had been reported. It was more
than a month, however, before he was able to obtain the necessary boats in
which to make the voyage, but a dhow and several very large canoes were at
length hired and the full strength of the expedition set out on this important
mission. After several days sailing and paddling, and many encounters with
opposing natives along the banks, Burton espied a large island in the dis-
tance which he resolved to visit, though his guides warned him against so
rash an undertaking, declaring that it was peopled by a fierce race of cannibals,
who killed and ate every human being that chance or curios'ty attracted to its
•iiores. Nevertheless, Burton ordered the boats to proceed to the island, but
:,\ nearing this mysterious land he had convincing proofs of the danger en-
v^ovntered in making a landing, both by a positive refusal of his men to ap-
proach nearer and the appearance of a horde of yelling savages that came
t ooping down the shores armed for an attack. Concerning this island Burton
wiites :

" It is the only island near the centre of the Tanganyika — a long, nar-
row lump of rock, twenty or twenty-five miles long, by four or five of extreme
breadth, with a high longitudinal spine, like a hog's back, falling towards the
wate: — here shelving, there steep, on the sea-side — where it ends in abrupt
cliffs, here and there broken by broad or narrow gorges. Green from head to
foot, in richness and profuseness of vegetation it equals, and perhaps excels,
the shores of the Tanganyika, and in parts it appears carefully cultivated.
Marines dare not dissenibark on Ubwari (the name of this island) except at
the principal places ; and upon the wooded hillsides wild men are, or are sup-
posed to be, ever lurking in wait for human pre3\"

It is interesting in this connection to mention the fact that Joas de Bar-
ros, the Portuguese historian, who was governor of Guinea in 1522, describes
a vast body of water in Central Africa and a large island therein, as follows ;
" It is a sea of .jUcIi magnitude a? to be capable of being navigated by many
Sail ; and among .he islands in it there is one capable of sending forth an
army of 30,000 men." This reference is undoubtedly to Lake Tanganyika and
il island of Ubwari, and furnishes another proof of the claim already set
forth, that in the earlier centuries Central Africa was better known to the civ-
ilized world than it is to-day.

IN CONTACT WITH THE CANNIBALS.

In skirting the sliores of the lake near the north end. Burton came in
contact with several tribes of cannibals, the most noteworthy, because most
degraded, being the Wabembe who are guilty of many horribly disgusting

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

131

>\ving out of
ig that this
imnavigating
to determine
It was more
iary boats in
noes were at
lis important
ounters with
[ in the dis-
m against so
; of cannibals,
;tracted to its
e island, but
e danger eu-
i men to ap-
res that came
island Burton

•ton came m
ccanse most
y disgusting

practices. They devour, besides men, whose flesh they preter raw, all kinds
of carrion, vermin, grubs, and insects of nearly every kind, although the lands
which they occupy are really wondrously prolific even with the smallest cultivation.

yt.HKlNO I'ROM THIC FI./VMKS,

As Burton came within a few miles of the northern end of the lake he
learned, greatly to his chagrin, that there was no outflowing stream, as re-
])()rted, but that instead the Rusizi river debouched into the lake, as he might
liiivc most reasonably expected, especiallj^ after seeing so much of the coast,
tiiul thus knowing that the lake occupied an immense volcanic depression,

li;

132

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

about which the hills rose everywhere fully 20CXD feet. His men now became
importunate for better pay, while the coast tribes demanded greater tribute, so
that circumstances made it advisable for him to returu, a little more than one
month having been spent in making a lake journey of less than two hundred
miles.

DISCOVERY OF THE NILE S SOURCE.

Burton took his departure from Ujiji on the 26tli of May and started back
over the route he had taken from Zanzibar, but after reaching Unyanyembe
he made a detour to avoid some particularly hostile tribes and also with the
hope of making other discoveries. Nothing of special importance occurred
to the expedition until it reached the ferocious Wavinza coimtr}', which is
some two hundred miles west of Unyanyembe, where, in addition to the
excitement caused by a threatened attack from the Wavinza, a fire was
started on the hill sides where a profusion of dry grasses made the whole
country almost a tinder-box. A sheet of flames seemed to dash down the
hillsides with wondrous speed, throwing tongues of flames high into the
air and seizing onto the forest trees, climbed to their topmost branches.
Many of the porters and slave-musketeers had to flee for their lives, which
they saved only by leaping into the Malagarazi river, which fortunately lay
very near the route.

Before taking his departure from Ujiji, Captain Speke had obtained
Burton's consent to make a journey northward, and this trip, the particu-
lars of Avhich are not recounted by Burton, gave to the expedition a glory
and success even exceeding that which was won by the discovery of the
Tanganyika lake. As the particulars will be given hereafter, it is only ne-
cessary here to sa}' that the result of Capt. Speke's journey northward
was the discovery of Lake Victoria N'yanza, the principal source of the Nile.
Burton was even savagely jealous of Speke, so that in his large work en-
titled " The Lake Regions of Central Africa," descriptive of his journey to
the Tanganyika, he never mentions the name of Speke except in an occasional
footnote, invariably referring to him as " my companion."

BURTON'S JEALOUSY.

When, on the 25th of August, 1858, Speke rejoined Burton and made
report of his valuable discovery, the latter received him very coolly and thus
ironically describes the event :

"At length my companion had been successful, his 'flying trip' had led
him to the northern water, and he had found its dimensions surpassing otir
most sanguine expectations. We had scarcely breakfasted, however, before hv
announced to me the startling fact (?) that he had discovered the sources of
the White Nile. In was 'an inspiration, perhaps: the moment he sighted the
N'yanza, he felt at once no doubt but that the ' lake at his feet gave birth to
that interesting river which had been the subject of so much speculation and
the object of .so many explorers.' The fortunate discoverer's conviction was

now became
;r tribute, so
ore than one
two hundred

started back
Unyanyenibe
also with the
LUce occurred
ry, which is
ition to the
a fire was
ie the whole
h down the
igh into the
)st branches.
• lives, which
)rtunately lay

had obtained
the particu-
lition a glory
/ery of the
is only ne-
northward
of the Nile.
work en-
journey to
an occasional

and made
y and thus

rip' had led

rpassinj:^ our

>r, bef'jre he

soiirccs of

sij;hted the

fave birth to

nilation and

iviction was

CAPTAIN SPRKIC AND HIS UOnV C.rAKl)

('33)

134

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT,

strong ; his reasons were weak — were of the category alluded to by the damsel

Lucetta when justifying her penchant in favor of the 'lovely gentleman,' Sir

Proteus :

" ' I have no other but a woman's reason,
" I think him so because I think him so.'

" And probably his sources of the Nile grew in his mind as his Mountains of
the Moon had grown under his hand."

A more ungenerous thing could not be done than the penning of such
an unjust aspersion; but to make the indignity greater, Burton copies an ex-
tract from the Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society in which a Mr.
Macqueen undertakes to throw discredit upon Speke's discovery. The facts
are briefly these : Burton had been sent out in charge of an expedition that
was expected to accomplish great results, as it did. He found the Tanganyika,
and in coasting its northern end he heard of another body of water to the
northeast which he had a desire to reach, but was deterred from making the
attempt by reports of hostile tribes that lay between, and also by the insubor-
dinate porters and guards that accompanied him. Finding his superior want-
ing in courage to undertake the journey, Capt. Speke asked permission to pro
ceed himself with the small force that he could induce to attend him, and
with tvue heroism he set out and succeeded in making a discovery which at
once made his name famous. By this success Burton was eclipsed and his
jealously was accordingly as insane as it was unforgiving, and prompted him
to do an act of rank injustice that has greatly dimmed the lustre of his
former reputation.

THE VAi^UE OF BURTON'S DISCOVERIES.

But the importance of Burton's expedition, even excepting the discovery
made by Speke, was very great, for besides exploring a considerable extent of
country and di'^>covering Lake Tanganyika, much valuable information was
obtained respectii g the natives of Central Africa. As before stated, no one who has
ever penetrated the dark continent was possibly so well adapted by education,
experience, hardihood and truly wonderful acquisition of languages — in short
a philologist — for making an expedition into Africa successful, as was Burton. He
accordingly furnishes us with an intensely interesting description of the several
tribes between Zanzibar and Lake Tanganyika, their dialects, customs, appear-
ance, manners, superstitions ; their industries, products, implements, weapons,
etc., which no subsequent traveller has improved upon. His history of the
slave trade is no less interesting, though it presents some reasons for its ex-
tent and continuance, somewhat at variance with other writers. Burton believes
that its total suppression is impossible, and also represen*^s the treatment of
slaves, both on the route and at Zanzibar, as being not only humane, but
even indulgent. He declares that they have a license equal to free men, but
which they very frequently requite by the most barbarous acts upon their mas-
ters. Says he : " The serviles at Zanzibar have played their Arab masters some

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

135

^lountaius of

notable tricks. Many a severe lord has perished by the hand of a slave.
Several have lost their eyes at the dagger's point during sleep."

Of the slaves born in captivity about Zanzibar he says : " They are treated
like one of the family, because the master's comfort depends upon his
slaves bein^ contented .... The Arabs spoil them by a kinder usage.
They seldom punish them, for fear of desertion. Yet the slave, if dissatis-
fied, silently leaves the house, lets himself to another master, and returns
after perhaps two
years' absence as
if nothing had oc-
curred. Thus he
combines the ad-
vantages of free-
dom and slavery."

The most hor-
rible features in-
separably con-
nected with the
slave trade are
those which con-
cern female slaves.
These command a
higher price than
males, for the rea-
sons that they are
more valuable for
domestic pur-
poses, less liable
to desert, and, in
shame be it said,
they are valued
still more highly
becaus- ihey can

be put to abominable uses; for these base purposes, however, on)y the youth-
ful, between the ages of ten and twenty years, are in request. In an equa-
torial climate females reach their maturity at about the age of thirteen, so
that after twenty they begin to age rapidly, and at twenty-five they are what
the French call passe. A centurj' of the mojt active civilizing and Christian-
izing influence will be required to stamp out this evil practice.

On the 4th of March, 1S59, Burton reached Zanzibar, and on the 22d he
sailed for England, leaving to Capt. Speke a more important result in a sub-
sequent undertaking, the accomplishment of which will form the subject matter
of the next chapter.

AN AKAB .SI,\VE MASTER.

CHAPTER Vlll.

CAPTAIN J. H. SPEKE S EXPLORATIONS.

:i ' i

:li

a I

'ill

'CARCELY had Speke reached England, with Burton, when
he began most industriously the enlistment of public sym-
pathy, as well as the active interest of members of the
Geographical Societ}', in behalf of his project for making a
third expedition, that would definitely determine and satisfy
all the world, that the Victoria N'yanza Lake, which he had
discovered on the 30th of July, 1858, was indeed the Nile's
true source. As before mentioned, his claims to this honor
had been violently disputed by Burton, who, besides thro.ving reflections ixpon
his geographical astuteness (pardon the expression), had also laid against him,
in several magazine articles, the charge of visionar}' enthusiasm. To reinstate
himself in public estimation, and particularly to win the confidence of mem-
bers composing the Geographical Society, Captain Speke delivered a series of
lectures before that body, in which he gave a report of his surveys and his
many reasons for declaring that the Nile had its source in Lake Victoria.

So well did Speke acquit himself, and so specious was the presentation
of his project for making good his discovery, by showing a connection between
the Nile and the lake, that a council of the Societ}- was held, at which, by
the motion of Sir Robert r\Iurchison, it was decided to assist him in forming
another expedition. A vote was accordingly tuken upon the amount the
Society would contribute for the purpose, and $12,000 were contributed; but
nine months elapsed before the appropriation was made available. Besides this
assistance, however, the Indian branch of the government aided him b}'^ a
contribution of fifty artillery carbines with sword bayonets, 20,000 rounds of
ammunition, all the surveying instruments that were needed, and a large
assortment of articles, among them several gold watches for the Arab chiefs
who had assisted him in the former expedition. Captain J. W. Grant, a
brother officer in the Indian Service, who had before made a considerable
exploration of Australia, asked and received permission to join the expedition,
and was placed second in command to Speke. Shortly after this appointment
was made, the Cape Parliament voted a further appropriation of $1500 in
aid of the expedition, so tiiat means were thus provided for the amplest
provision of everything needful to make it a success.

CAPTURE OF A SPANISH SLAVER.

Speke and Grant left London April 27th, i860, and arriving at Cape Town
July 4th, made a stay there of twelve days to enlist some Hottentots and

rton, when
3ublic sym-
Ders of the
r making a
and satisfy
liich he had
1 the Nile's
I this honor
ctions npon
gainst him,
To reinstate
ce of mem-
a series of
iys and his
ictoria.
presentation
ion between
which, by
in forming
mionnt the
anted ; but
besides this
him bj^ a
rounds of
d a large
Vrab chiefs
Grant, a
onsiderable
expedition,
ppointment
1500 in
le amplest

2 ape Town
ntots and

11'

,^57)

138

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

engage mules, so that it was not until August i7tli that they cast anchor at
Zanzibar. The latter part of the trip was enlivened by an exciting incident
attending the capture of a Spanish slaver that, being laden with five hundred
and forty-four newly-captured slaves, was en route for Havana. Our travellers
were on board the English steam corvette Bn'sk^ the officers of which, seeing
the suspicious stranger, immediately put out in pursuit, and, as she was a
slow sailer, soon overhauled her. Upon going on board, they found the slaves
to be mostly women and children, who had been captured during wars in their
own country and sold to Arabs, who brought them to the coast and kept them
half-starved until the slaver arrived. They were then brought off in dhows to
the Spanish vessel, where, for nearly a week, they had been kept, while the
bargaining was in progress, entirely without food. All over the slaver, but
more especially below, old women, stark naked, were dying in the most loath-
some atmosphere, while those that had any strength left were pulling up the
hatches, and tearing at the salt fish below.

The officers of the slaver were taken as prisoners back to Zanzibar, and
their miserable captives liberated. It is doubtful if they were punished, as
immunity was generally given such violators of the severe law against enslave-
ment, through Arabic and Egyptian connivance at the infamous traffic, on which
account 13'nch law was thereafter not infrequently resorted to against those
found spiriting away unfortunate Africans. Many tales are told of slavers
being caught, with heavy cargoes of negroes, who were treated as pirates and
massacred on the spot, the captain sometimes being killed and his head nailed
to the mast, or the vessel scuttled with the crew imprisoned in the hatches,
after the slaves were liberated.

On the 2ist of September, Speke's expedition left Zanzibar and crossed
over to Bagamoyo, from which point, after securing the necessary porters and
supplies, the march was begun for Victoria N'yanza.

A RHINOCEROS HUNT.

Nothing of special importance occurred until the expedition had proceeded
over two hundred miles, and had reached the western borders of Ugogo, at
which point eight of the porters deserted, taking with them as many mules
laden with stores. This untoward event caused a delay of one day, to give
opportunity for pursuit of the deserters, which time Speke and Grant further
improved by going upon a rhinoceros hunt, tlie region bein^ i fr.vorite haunt
for that large and dangerous game. Night being the most favorable time fo;
such an enterprise, the hunters started out at 10 p. m. for the lagoons, accom-
panied by a guide and two bo3^s carrying rifles. It was midnight before a
position was obtained ; but scarcely had Speke halted in a desirable place on
the border of a lagoon before a gigantic beast loomed up before the risini,^
moon, making his way leisurely towards the water. Our hunter crawled after
the huge game until he was within a distance of eighty yards and in full
view, when, with a well-dii'ected shot, he killed the rhinoceros in its tracks, —

1st anchor at
ting incident
five hundred
)ur travellers
ivhich, seein}>
LS she was a
nd the slaves
wars in their
lid kept them
f in dhows to
ipt, while the
le slaver, but
le most loath-
uUing up the

Zanzibar, and
punished, as
gainst enslave-
affic, on which
against those
)ld of slavers
is pirates and
is head nailed
the hatches,

• and crossed
y porters and

lad proceeded

I of Ugogo, at

many mules

day, to give

rrant further

tav'orite haunt

[able time fo;

jgoons, acconi-

|ght before a

ible place on

Ire the rising

I crawled after

and in full

its tracks, —

HOKKIBi,E KXKCUTION OK A SUAVKR'S CREW.

(139)

iii

1 ^

b 1

140

HEROES OK THE DARK CONTINENT.

a thing which has very rarely been done, on acconnt of the animal's great
vitality and its armor-like skin, which will deflect a bnllet if strnck obliqnely.
Two lionrs later Spcke saw two more rhinoceri approaching, at which he
obtained a shot, as they came tluindering by him, bnt with no other apparent
execntion tlian to bring one of them aronnd with a lond " whoof-whoof," a
sonnd very similar to that prodnccd 'uy a hog when alarmed. Another shot
might have been secnred had not the boys who attended Speke, carrying spare
rifles, taken fright and ran away for the nearest tree.

A RHINOCEROS HUNT.

This ended the night's hunt, and early the next morning the men in
camp were apprised of the result and sent out to bring in the meat. Before
Speke's men could reach the carcass, however, the native Wagogo had assem-
bled about it, and were tearing out and* devouring, raw, the intestines. All
fell to work with knives in a contest as to who should secure the most, and a
savagely disgusting scene was the result. The men disputed and wrestled in
the filth of the distributed remains until not a vestige was left on the ground;
their bodies being covered with blood as they bore away tripe, liver, intestines,
or more substantial parts, all eating as they ran.

i ^

HEROICS OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

141

A BUFFALO HUNT.

The mules that had been taken by the deserter were recovered, and the
expedition started on its way, again, but nearly every day thereafter others
deserted nntil the 7th of November another halt of several days became
necessary to give time to send to a sheik some miles beyond for additional
recruits. This period of waiting was employed in another hunt, in which'
the game sought for was buffaloes, great numbers of w.hich roamed the deep
forests and grassy jilains thereabouts.

Directly after starting upon this hunt Speke came most unexpectedly
upon a two-horned rhinoceros that was quietly feeding, though hardly five paces

A Toss INTO THK AIR.

distant, and before it took alarm he gave it a deadly shot. This was an
auspicious beginning, though the end came nearly terminating with a double
tragedy. A mile from the place where the rhinoceros was killed Speke dis-
covered a herd of buffalo feeding in tjie tall grass on the borders cf a dense
wood. He approached so near and kept himself so well hidden from their
view that he succeeded in killing four of them before they took alarm. The
herd now scattered somewhat in their fright, and one, a large bull, turned and
came directly towards vSpeke, catching one of the guides, who stood in the ad-
vance, and tossed him with a savage fury horrible to behold ; a shot disposed
of him, most fortunately, before he could complete his vengeance ; but another

142

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

bull as madly tore after one of the gun-bearers and came fairly upon him as
the nimble boy swung himself out of reach upon the bough of a tree. Circum-
vented by this escape, the bull bore down upon Speke, who had but a single

shot left in the
gun he carried,
and was within
;4 a yard of the
' '' hunter before
he could fire.
Good fortune
also attended
this shot, for the
bull's neck was
broken by the
y bullet. This ex-
• ceedingly nar-
row escape was
succeeded al-
most instantly
by a charge
from yet an-
other bull that
had been wound-
ed by Grant
Speke had just
picked up a gun
dropped by the
nimble carrier
who now sat se-
cure on a bough,
when down upon
him rushed the
mad charger.
Speke stepped
behind a small
knoll and fired
at his infuriated
antagonist, but
without effect.

The shot, together with the heavy cloud of smoke from the discharge, confused
the bull, so that, with a loud snort, he turned and made off into the woods,
to the inexpressible delight of the now defenceless hunter.

THIJ BUFFALO TURNS HUNTEK.

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

143

BETWEEN TWO FIRES.

On the 23d of November, llnyanyeinbe was reached, which Speke desig-
nates as the Land of the Moon. Up to this time the desertions had continued
ahnost daily, until his force had been reduced to less than one-half its original
strength ; fifteen mules and donkeys had died, and more than one-half the
property had been stolen. In addition to these losses, the travelling expenses
had been extraordinary, on account of a famine which then prevailed along
nearly the entire route. To add still further to his distresses, after leaving
Unyanyembe, a deposed native chief, named Manna Sera, famous for his
strategy and daring, and who had inaugurated a fierce war against the Arabs,
obtained an interview with Speke, in which he sought to secure the active
help of the explorer against his enemies. To have refused the request would
have been to invite the hostility of this fierce guerilla, while to have consented
would have been equally disastrous. He therefore made some specious excuses
for delaying immediate action, particularly asking for time to recruit his greatly
reduced force. While thus parleying, t^ Arabs reached the country in pursuit
of Manna Sera, and these in turn requested the aid of Speke. He again made
acceptable excuses, holding out, of course, the hope that he would join the
Arabs when additional porters, who had already been engaged, should
overtake him.

After passing Masange and Zimbili, Speke put up one night in the village
of Iviri, on the northern border of Unyanyembe, and found several officers
there, sent by Mkisiwa, to enforce a levy of soldiers to take the field with the
Arabs at Kaze against Manna Sera ; to effect which, the^' walked about ringing
bells, and bawling out that if a certain percentage of all the inhabitants did
not muster, the village chief would be seized, and their plantations confiscated.
Speke's men all mutinied here for increase of ration allowances. To purchase
food, he had given them all one necklace of beads each per diem since leaving
Kaze, in lieu of cloth, which had heretofore been served out as currency. It was
a very liberal allowance, because the Arabs never gave more than one necklace
to every three men, and that, too, of inferior quality to what Speke gave. He
brought them to at last by starvation, and then went on. Dipping down into
a valley between two clusters of granitic hills, beautifully clothed with trees
and grass, studded here and there with rich plantations, they entered the
district of Usagari, and on the second day forded the Gombe Nullah again —
in its upper course, called Kuale. Here Captain Speke met with a chief whose
wife was an old friend, formerly a waiting-maid at Ungugu, whom he had met
on a previous expedition. Her husband, the chief, was then absent, engaged
in war with a neighbor, so the queen gave Speke such assistance as enabled
him to avoid joining either the Arabs or Manna Sera, without inciting their
hostility.

144

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

A VISIT TO KING RUMANIKA.

The route was now northward, Speke having left the highway to Tangan-
yika Lake at Kaze, in the Unyanyembe country, going directly towards Victoria
N'yanza (the word nyanza means lake), which he hoped to reach before the
wet season had fairly set in.

In the latter part of November, 1861, considerably more than one year after
leaving Zanzibar, the expedition had accomplished less than one thousand
miles, being constantly harassed and delayed by opposing tribes, desertions.

RUMANIKA AND HIS FAT WII»R.

famine and the wars which were waging all along the route. At length, how-
ever, the Karague country wr.s reached, a fine region watered and drained by
the Kitangula River into the Victoria lake. In this rich district Speke met
and was entertained by King Runianika, whom he found to be a most intelli-
gent savage, anxious to gain all information obtainable about the world beyond
his own realm. It was at this court, where Speke was graciously received,

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

that ke saw tlie fatted wives of the k''ng and his brothers, and learned of the
custom, which there obtained, of forcing the royal women to drink immoderate
quantities of milk until they became too corpulent even to stand upright.

Though Runianika was an unusually sensible savage, and most kind-
hearted as well as progressive, he was no less superstitious than his subjects,
or other African barbarians, — perhaps his superstitions were assumed for a pur-
pose, — for among no other people or chiefs did Speke find so many ridiculous
beliefs prevalent, or where the rain-makers were so influential. Rumanika claimed
to have acquired the throne by miracle, and his hold upon the crown, despite
the opposition of his brother Rogero, he also pretended was through the most
potential agency and assistance of a spiritual force.

With all his superstitions and pretended supernatural powers, Rumanika
received Speke and Grant at his palace, in the most graceful manner, and
begged of them to bestow upon him knowledge -hich even the spirits who
attended him could not give. In every respect the explorers were treated most
graciously, the best of everything that the country afforded being freely offered
and all assistance requested placed at their command.

Speke and Grant had several audiences with Runianika in his hut palace,
and when at length they decided to proceed on their journey the king sent
his messengers to M'tesa, King of Uganda, to apprise that monarch of an in-
tended visit from the two explorers, begging him to receive them kindly.

A GRANDLY SUCCESSFUL HUNT.

On the 9th of December, before leaving the Karague country. Captain Speke,
learning that the immediate district in which he was encamped abounded
with rhinoceri, took two attendants and posted to the foot-hills about Little
Windermere lake. Taking up a position in a thicket of acacia shrubs, he sent
the men out to beat the brush toward him. In a few minutes a large male
rhinoceros came lumbering through the brush until he was within a few yards
of the concealed hunter, who delivered a broadside from his Blissett rifle, which
sent the hugh beast off in a trot toward the beaters ; but after going a short
distance it fell and was quickly disposed of by another shot. The natives then
came running up to Speke, surprised beyond measure at what they saw, for
they did not believe that a rhinoceros could be killed by shooting with a rifle.
Among those who assembled to view the dead beast was a native who exhib-
ited frightful scars on his abdomen and shoulder, which he declared were the
result of a wound he had received by a rhinoceros thrusting its horn through
his body.

Just at this time a cry went up from several beaters that another rhino-
ceros was near, concealed in a thicket. Speke at once set off to find it. He
traveled as rapidly as possible along a path made by the animals, with his two
gun bearers directly in the rear. Suddenly he was confronted by a full grown
female, with her young one close b hind, which came " whoof whoofing " toward
hiui. To escape and shoot at the same time, he was compelled to push to one
10

■;'

1 si

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

^47

side iu the prickly acacias, and as the huge beast approached he fired at her
head ; the bullet only served to divert her course, for she received no percep-
tible injury. She broke away from the brush into an open, with Speke follow-
ing. He fired again, but the animal kept on and took to the hills, crossed
over a spur and entered another thicket. The hunter kept up the pursuit, but
as he came to the head of a glen he was greatly astonished to find three more

A WAIIUXIA VILUAC;

rliiuoceri, all of which charged towards him. Fortunately his gun bearers
were at his heels and he was thus enabled to shoot all three of the brutes ;
one of them dropped dead, but the other two kept on down the glen, though
one had its leg broken. The wounded one was given over to the natives, bat
so savage were its charges that another shot was necessary before the negroes
could dispatch it with their spears and arrows.

148

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

y'A

THE COURT OF M'TESA— HORRIBLE SCENES.

The country of the Wahuma lies north-east, but adjoining that of Karague,
and is bordered on the south by Lake Victoria. At the time of Speke's visit
it was ruled over by a king called M'tesa, who has since died. This African
monarch was the most powerful that reigned in the central regions, and though
he became greatly attached to the English, and gave encouragement as well as
protection to missions that were afterwards established, his cruelty and barbar-
ity were absolutely horrifying. He exacted the most servile homage from his
subjects and punished with torture and death the slightest infractions of his
punctilious rules. No one was allowed to approach him except in a grovelling
attitude, and in his presence a wonderful circumspection had to be observed or
death was the punishment. Even his many wives were required to be no less
critical in their conduct, so that executions were daily events, so common in-
deed that little or no attention was attracted by them. His harem was kept

replenished by

the payment
of fines in the
form of young
virgins, while
fathers, to ob-
tain the royal
favor, gave
their young
daughters to
feed the las-
civious appe-
tite of this
royal beast. In
case such gifts
came after pre-

M'TESA'S CRUEWY TO HIS ATTENDANTS.

vious usage— the virginity being doubtful— the giver was tortured to death.
And when the King became tired of any of his wives, or the number became
too great for his convenience, he ordered their execution, or if enraged, he
inflicted the death penalty himself His murderous propensity is well illus-
trated by the incident that when Speke presented his high blackness with
a rifle, the royal ruffian had it loaded and ordered his messenger to shoot a
subject merely to see, as he explained, if the gun would do what was claimed
for it.

Although his savageness was almost inconceivably great, M'tesa received
Speke and Grant with a favor quite as flattering as did Rumanika, and in-
sisted on their assuming the most intimate relations with him. He went
out daily with the explorers to see them shoot, in which he took an intense
delight, and for a long while regarded them as magicians having the power

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

149

to perform anything that they might have a mind to do; thus he both feared
and admired, which gave them immunity from his wild passions and secured
a bestowal of his most generous favors.

To have the two travellers constantly near him, M'tesa ordered a splendid
hut erected beside the palace, and paid the most deferential attention to their

GRANT ON HIS WAY TO I'OANDA.

wants. Resides meat from his cattle, milk, fruits, etc., were ordered to be
^iveii them in the most liberal quantities; the king sent them, also, pots of
fresh pombe — banana wine — ever}' day, and personally seeing to it that such
as was furnished came from his own store, which was always of consider-
able age, and therefore esteemed as being more palatable, as are all wines.

150

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

Daring the first several weeks of Speke's stay at Uganda, Grant was sick
at the court of Rumanika. and had instructions to keep such stores by him as he
might presently require, but to come on to Uganda as soon as his health
would permit. It was a low fever from which he suifered and which confined
him to his bed much longer than had been expected. Becoming, at length,
anxious about his companion, Speke wrote to Grant imploring him to come on
as soon as he felt himself able to endure the motion of a litter ; upon receiving
which, despite his utter prostration, Grant determined to proceed at once.
Accordingly, he had his stores arranged in packs, and through Rumanika, who
never relaxed his kindness, porters were engaged and the very sick man started
for Uganda, being carried by two stalwart men. The journey was an extremely

A I.RVBK IN UCANDA.

painful one to Grant, but he heroically continued on and at length arrived at
M'tesa's capital in even a little improved condition, and his recovery was rapid
thereafter.

SACRIFICING A CHILD.

After Grant's arrival the king decided upon holding a levee in honor of
his new guest, at which the drinking of pombe and some shocking exhibitions
of female nrkedness constituted a principal feature, and at which the king was
highly entertained by an examination of Granc's sketches. On the following
day, at M'tesa's request, the two travellers were at the palace and witnessed the
ceremony of the royal espousal of four virgins who had been presented at court
by their sisters, who were already wives of the king. At an announcement

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

151

was sick
lim us lie
s health

confined
Lt length,
I come on
receiving

at once,
nika, who
an started
extremely

larrived at
was rapid

honor of

Inhibitions

king was

following

liessed the

at court

knicement

made by an old woman, the four camMdates passed before M'tesa and sat down
at the rear of the palace, whereupon the potentate crossed over to them, and
going from one to another he sat down in the lap of each and bestowed upon
them in succession several vigorous hugs, at the same time crossing his neck
both to the left and right with that of each of the girls, after which he retired
again and the four virgins assumed their positions among the three hundred
other wives. On this same day Speke says he heard the lamentations of four
women as they were being led from the palace to execution. The new had thus
replaced the old.

A few days before the departure of v^peke and Grant from M'tesa's palace,
one of his officers, K'yengo, informed them that, considering the surprising
events which had lately occurred at court, the king, being anxious to pry into
the future, had resolved upon a very strange measure for accomplishing that
end. This was the sacrifice of a child by cooking, and K'yengo was detailed
to perform the barbarous ceremony, which is described as follows: The
doctor places a large earthen vessel, half full of water, over a fire, and over its
mouth a grating of sticks, whereon he lays a small child and a fowl side by
side, and covers them over with a second large earthen vessel, just like the
first, only inverted, to keep the steam in, when he sets fire below, cooks for a
certain period of time, and then looks to see if his victims are still living or
dead. If dead, as they usually are, the omen is considered propitious, and the
king at once proceeds upon whatever enterprise he may have been contemplating.

After nearly three months spent with M'tesa, Speke and Grant prepared
to leave Uganda for the Lake Victoria an event which both the king and his
visitors alike regretted, for notwithstanding his incredible cruelties to his sub-
jects he was really obsequious in his attentions to his distinguished guests,
who hoped, through the great influence which they exerted over him, to induce
him to abandon his inhuman practices. In this hope they so signally failed
that on the very day of their departure one of the monster's wives passed Speke
and Grant with her hands clasped at the back of her head and crying in a
most pitiful manner. She was preceded by the executioner, who was not
permitted to touch her. She l(>ved to obey her king and husband, and in
conseqiience of her loving attachment she was permitted, as a mark of distinc-
tion, to walk unattended to the place of her death.

ON THE BANKS OF VICTORIA LAKE.

On the 7th of July, 1862, Speke and Grant took their leave of M'tesa and
his kingdom and started upon a journey to the eastward, with the hope and
expectation of striking an outlet o^ Lake Victoria, in which anticipation they
were not disappointed. The route, however, was beset by many obstacles, chief
of which were hostilo tribes that harassed the expedition almost constantly,
though M'tesa had sent several guards with the travellers. It was therefore
soon decided to divide the expedition, Grant being ordered to proceed at once
to Kamrasi, a king ruling L^nyoro, which was also a large and very fertile terri-

Ill r

iifl ' '}

(152)

viif

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

153

A \

y ' > .
li, .< J 'I

•i I '•

I -• ' " : 1 I

.At!

<
•J

OS
(J

o
n

M
Ui

tory, whose capital was due north of Uganda, but whose kingdom extended also
south to Lake Victoria, taking in the district of Usoga, which is a dependency.
Messengers had previously been sent to apprise Kamrasi of the white men's
intended visit, and replies were received from the king indicating his pleasure
at their coming, so that with M'tesa's commendation it was believed the Unyoro
potentate would furnish the expedition with whatever assistance might be
required. Grant accordingly turned west to join the high road to Kamrasi's,
while Speke proceeded east to Urondogani, which is on the western border of
Usoga, a magnificent country abounding with large game. On the 21st he
reached his destination, and to his joy found it to be i.ituated on a large
stream of quite seven hundred yards wide and flowing towards the north.

Sl'KKK CIRCUMNAVIGATING I,AKE VICTORIA.

After a day's delay at Urondogani, in the absence of boats Speke followed
up the stream about fifty miles, and to his ivifinite delight come upon Victoria
Lake at Ripon Falls, thus upon the assumption that the river he had thus
found was indeed the Nile, proving beyond a doubt that its source was in this
great lake. At Ripon Falls, Speke procured several canoes, ir tending to have
a sail along at least a portion of its shores, but a native canoe filled with
warriors sounded alarm drums and soon assembled a large force to oppose the
expedition, which numbered only twenty men. Speke tried to conciliate the
liostiles b}' offers of beads, rings and cloths, but these were rejected and an

^■„'.:^.t$4^'

USQk.

154

HEROKS OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

attack was made. Speke's meti acted in the most cowardly manner, so tliat all
the defence fell upon )iimself, but after killing three of the attacking party
they withdrew, and he continued around the lake for several miles, or until
indeed he considered half its circnmnaviqfation accomplished. .

HUNTING IN USOQA.

The Usoga country
cbonnded with such splen-
did game ^^hat Speke could
not resist the temptation to
bag a few fine specimens,
so deciding to retuni to
Urondogani, he made the
trip a hunting excursion.
Many elephants are usupHy
found in this district, but
the ivory hunters had
passed through it a short
while before Speke's visit,
so that nearly all the ele-
phants had been driven out.
But several species of ante-
lope were plentiful and
many were killed, while
Bombay, Speke's servant,
amused himself shooting
crocodiles as they lay sun-
ning themselves on the
river's bank.

After a pleasant march
of ten days vSpeke reached
Urondogani again, where
he was graciously received
by Chief Mlondo, who, to
give his white visitor an
interesting entertainment,
invited him to witness the
execution of four women
I'Hii SAVAGE TRiiu-jvvh,i.i.iiRs ot uNYOKo. who liad just bccu Con-

demned, assuring Speke that the event would furnish " a deal of fun."
Such amusement not being relishable by civilized tastes, Speke left two days
later, August 13th, for Kamrasi's palace, proceeding down the Nile in canoes
which Mlondo had kindly provided. But the natives were so hostile upon
reaching Kamrasi's territory, while Speke's men were so cowardly on tho

..'f^i;

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

I5S

water, that the river route was soon abandoned and the journey had to be
made thenceforth on laud.

After several days' march, it was learned that Grant had been refused ad-
mittance to Unyoro, and had therefore started back to llganda. SpeVe, upon
learning this bad news, hurried forward, dispntohing messengers in advance
until he came i p with Grant and heard from his lips the reasons Kamrasi
had for repulsing him. It was found, by reports from the natives, that this
inhospitable reception was due to a belief that the white men were cannibals,
able to eat all the subjects of Unyoro and to drink up all the waters ; that
vSpeke and Grant each carried two white dwarfs on their shoulders, sitting straddle-
legs, back to back, and who upon being given the order fly off to eat the people.
Other supersti-
tions prevailed,
for instance, that
in this country
were horned dogs,
while savage men
and all celibates
had their habita-
tions in the trees,
so that Grant's
men had reason
to feel a fear for
these strange
creatures equal
to that felt by
Kamrasi for the
white men.

It very fortu- speik's i.ast coni'krence with kamrasi.

nately happened soon after the reunion of Speke and Grant that Kidgwiga,
an old friend of Kamrasi's, who h^'d met the expedition at M'tesa's palace,
learned of their inability to enter Unyoro, so he took it upon himself to act
as ambassador to secure their reception by the king, in which kindly office
he succeeded so admirably that the expedition marched through the country
without meeting any obstacles, and they were at length permitted to approach
his suspicious and superstitious highness, Kamrasi.

EXASPERATING ACTIONS OF THE KING.

The difficulties encountered by the explorers in reaching Kamrasi were
very small as compared with the obstacles which wore interposed to pi'event
their departure. After being permitted to come within an hour's march of the
palace they were forbidden to approach nearer until the king could consult
his magic horn and through this species of divination determine if the visitors
were friendly disposed. Three days were thus idly spent, but they were more

ICO

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

agreeable than the fourteen days that succeeded the first meeting with the
king, as he proved to be a greedy, quizzical, exacting and autocratic poten-
tate, giving his visitors nothing but pombe while demanding almost every
article in the possession of Speke and Grant in return. A very large number
of presents were given to allay his importunate requests, but he still cried for
more, and in the hope of obtaining everything that pleased his omnivorous
fancy, he refused the explorers permission to depart. After exhausting every
subterfuge to gain Kamrasi's consent to proceed, Speke and Grant at length
took a bold measure to frighten the obstinate king into givnig them permis-
sion to take their leave, and ou November 9th, 1862, they obcuined canoes and

drifted down the Kafue

river.

WOMEN OF UNYORO WEAVING, AND POUNDING GRAIN,

on which Kam-
rasi's palace was tem-
porarily located. This
river is also an outlet
of Lake Victoria, flowing
northward until it emp-
ties into the White Nile,
some ten miles north of
Kamrasi's palace. It
was therefore Speke's
ambition to follow down
the river as far as navi-
gation would permit,
hoping to be thus brought
to a large lake of which
he had heard much as
lying a hundred miles
to the northwest. This

lake was called by the natives Lata Nzis[(', but which Speke thought must
be a low basin, only flooded by back-water of the rising Nile. ,

As the expedition proceeded down the river many strange sights met their
gaze ; hippopotami were frequently seen, and crocodiles lined the shores, while
buffaloes, antelopes, and occasionall}^ an elephant, enlivened the scene. Float-
ing on the surface were man}- islands composed of matted reeds so compactly
interwoven by the action of the current that cattle could walk upon them
without sinking through. The Nile here broadened out to a thousand 3'aid.s
in width, its banks being thickly populated with Kadi and Wanyoro peoplf,
who lived in small grass huts and were chiefly engaged in fishing by
means of nets.

FALSE REPORT OF A RELIEF EXPEDITION.

Before leavin;^ Kamrasi's, Speke learned, with that indefiniteness which
characterized all reports made by the natives or Arabs, that the British Consul

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

157

at Khartoum, Mr. Petlierick, had become somewhat alarmed for the fate of
the expedition, and was then moving southward with the hope of furnish-
ing aid, should he find the explorers in distress. This news prompted
vSpeke to hurry forward to a meeting with the Consul, and thus relieve the
aJixiety that was reported. At the reqxiest of the Governor in the district
of Karuma falls, the canoes were abandoned and the expedition proceeded

BUFFALO HUNTING IN THE; MADI COUNTRY.

over land, soon after coming upon the falls, which he found to be a
gorge some two hundred yards wide through lofty hills, the waters be-
ing broken by large stones, but with a current not more than twenty
miles an hour, as the fall was only ten feet.

On the 3d of December, at Faloro, Speke descried the outposts of
an approaching caravan, which he believed to be Petherick's, but, upon meeting,
found it was a party of slave and ivory hunters under command of a very

158

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

VC:

black man named Mahamed, who was gaily dressed in Egyptian regimentals.
This Turk confirmed the report of Petherick's approach and offered Speke any
assistance required, but his proffers were made for a rascally purpose, as was
afterwards proved.

Speke felt ccrtam, however, that Petherick was at Gondokoro, and, despite
Mahamed's declaration to the contrary, hoping to lead him off in another direc-
tion, to a point much nearer, where he represented the consul to be, the
expedition was ordered to push on through the Madi country, direct for Gondokoro.
Mahamed, seeing his ruse fail, next represented the danger of passing through
the Bari country with such a force as was then at Speke':; command, and beg-
ging him to wait a few days and he would join him on the march, thus mak-
ing their combined force too strong for the Bari to oppose. He thus cunningly
induced Speke to remain behind and guard his stores while he made a raid
upon the nati\cs. Upon his return he still asked for further delay, until at
length Speke, exasperated at the trick that had been played, resumed the march.

On the 13th of January, Speke again came in sight of the Nile at Paira,
where he was overtaken by an advance body of the Turks, who pillaged the
helpless villagers so remorselessly that the poor natives were left in utter des-
titution. To relieve their very pressing wants, Speke and Grant went upon
a buffalo hunt, in which they killed several of this splendid game, and gave
the flesh to the starving natives, who were most profuse with their expressions of
thankfulness.

ARRIVAL AT GONDOKORO.

After spending two days in hunting, Speke was joined by the rear detach-
ment of Turks, headed by Mahamed, and the entire body now moved on again,
meeting with no other obstacles, though great fear was felt of the Bari, who are
both numerous and courageous, and bitterly resist nearly all attempts to cross
their territory. At length, on the I5*^h of February, 1863, the expedition
marched into Gondokoro. Speke at once walked down among the shipping
that lined the Nile's shore in search of Petherick, but had proceeded only a
short distance when he beheld an Englishman approaching, and in glad trans-
ports they rushed toward each other. Speke's surprise was overwhelming at
finding that instead of Petherick, the white man proved to be his old friend
Sir Samuel Baker, who, with his wife, was then on his way also in search of
the Nile's source. The two had a joyous interchange of information, and a
sociable entertainment which lasted three days, at the end of which time
Speke and Grant departed for home, via Alexandria, while Baker and his
plucky wife continued on their journey to Central Africa.

On his return to England Speke was awarded the " founder's medal" for
the discovery of the Victoria N'yanza in 1858, a gratification peculiarly great
after the discredit thrown upon his claim by Burton. He did not live long to
enjoy his honors, however, for on the 15th of September, 1864, he was killed by
the accidental discharge of his gun while hunting on the heaths of England.

CHAPTER IX.

rear detach-

^%*-C?r

baker's expedition to the Nile's source.

LMOST coincident with the departure of Speke and Grant from
Zanizbar for the Victoria N'yanza, vSir Samuel White Baker
set out from England with the purpose of discovering the
Nile's source. Baker was almost as well qualified for such
an undertaking as Burton, whom he resembled in many
respects. Being a man of large private fortune, he had
indulged his propensity for travel and adventure, having
roamed over a great part of India and Ceylon in pursuit
of tigers, elephants and other large game, of which he had
killed great numbers. In addition to this preparatory
course of training for rougher adventure he had familiarized himself with several
tongues, and among others the Arabic language, which he acquired with great
facility after reaching Beber in 1861.

Most singular fact, he selected as a companion in this perilous enterprise
no other than his wife, a woman of great refinement and used all her life to
the comforts and luxuries such as wealth supplied in her English home ; but
she was a woman of extraordinary courage and indomitable energy, and so de-
voted to her heroic husband that no dangers could deter her when by his side.
She therefore elected to bear him company through all his perils and triumphs,
and thus proved herself a second Mrs. Livingstone.

Baker's stay in Berber was prolonged far beyond his expectations, because
of the difficulties met with in enlisting and organizing a necessary force of men,
which indeed he did not obtain until he had reached Khartoum, so that it was
December of 1862 before he finally set out upon his tropical journey in a
flotilla of boats.

A few weeks after his departure from Khartoum one of his most service-
able men, a German named John Schmidt, fell ill of a fever and died directly,
while a few days later one of the arms-bearers, a courageous Nubian, was killed
in a buffalo hunt by one of the wounded animals tossing and goring him to
death. These two fatalities, occurring so shortly after the expedition had started,
gave Baker much dread, who feared that so inauspicious a beginning would
result in a like evil ending, but his wife cheered him with many encouraging
words, and his melancholy soon ended, the last feelings of sombre anticipations
fleeing before an exciting contest that he witnessed January 15th between
his men and a monster hippopotamus which they had lassoed, much to their re-

('59)

X6d

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

gret soon after, when it come near destroying the boat, and would have done
so had not Baker came to the rescue and killed it.

THROUGH THE HAUNTS OF CROCODILES.

The boats made fair progress until within fifty miles of Gondokoro, when
the river became so shallow and the reeds so numerous that it was impossible
to proceed further by oar or sail, so men had to be sent out with long ropes
and drag the boats through, which made a most tediously slow progress, but

afforded Baker some ex-
cellent sport shooting
hippopotami and croco-
diles, the latter being
particularly plentiful. It
also gave him opportu-
nity to converse with the
natives, and to familiar-
ize himself with their
manners and customs.
In this way he came in
contact with the Kytch,
the Aliabs and the Shir
tribes, who occupy the
territory bordering the
Nile between Khartoum
and Gondokoro.

Owing to the obstacles
which intervened, it was
the first of February be-
fore Baker reached Gon-
dokoro, and when at
length he arrived at that
miserable post his recep-
tion was most unfavor-
able. This place was
the principal Central

BUFFALO KILLING HAKER'S ARMS-BEAREK. AfricaU StatloU of tllC

slave trade, and, as might be supposed, its population was composed of the
most vicious elements that characterize such an unholy traffic. There were no
habitations except miserable little grass huts and the ruins of an Austrian
mission, but these had to serve as shelter for Baker and his wife for a consider-
able while, as he awaited the return of a Turkish trader whom he hoped to
accompany on the return trip to the mid interior. While waiting here his men
mutinied and sought his life, but were repulsed by his courageous onslaught

HEROES or THE DARK CONTINENT.

i6i

upon the leader, whom he brought into subjection by a blow that laid him
helpless.

Two days after this event Baker had the inexpressible joy of meeting
with Grant and Speke, as already described, from whom he received maps of
the country and a great deal of information of the utmost value. Mahamed,
the Turkish commander who had come into Gondokoro with Speke and Grant,
was the trader that Baker had been expecting, and as it required only a short
while for the Turk to dispose of his ivory and slaves, he was soon ready to

A SHIR VltLAGB-

return, so that Baker made preparations for an immediate departure. But at
the last moment another mutiny took place which so seriously threatened
Baker's life, while the Turk showed his sympathies with the mutineers so
openly, that no other alternative remained but for Baker to discharge his men
and protract his stay at Gondokoro until a more favorable opportunity, and
thus it was that he was delayed until another season.

Six months after this second mutinous attempt by men whom he had already
paid the wages of a year*s service, Baker succeeded in engaging a small force
II

l62

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

of Latooka natives, with which he started on his laud journey for the Central
lake basiu.

AN ELEPHANT HUNT.

Baker had the good fortune to win the friendship of another Turk named
Ibrahim, who had made up a cavalcade to go into the Latooka country for
ivory, and by accompanying him made himself secure against the possible at-
tacks of the hostile natives. Together they travelled over the route, a dis-
tance of one hundred miles, which it took a month to cover. Arriving at

BAKRK Qrmi,r,ING THE MTTTINY.

length at the principal village of the Latookas, Baker had to go into camp and
remain several weeks to wait the coming of some putters whom he had sent
oack to Gondokoro for ammunition. To utilize the time he therefore decided
to go on an elephant hunt, as many signs of their presence were observab'-i
within a short distance; of the village. Accordingly, with a good guide and
a few servants to carry the guns, he set out, and coming to a plain covered
with long rich grasses, he was suddenly startled by a rhinoceros bolting out of
a copse close to his horse's head, and plunging into another before he conic"
seize his gun. He would have followed had not his attention been called away

r '

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

i6j

Central

c named
ntry for
sible at-
;, a dis-
iving at

I camp and
had sent
|-e decided
Dbservab! i
ruide and
In covered
[ing out ■>f
he couW
llled away

by a shout from his servants, who reported .. herd of large bull elephants
browsing in a forest at the edge of the plain. Stopping short to locate the
herd, he was delighted to see two large bulls bearing down toward him, less
than one hundred yards distant. He dismounted to get a steady shot, but the
elephants saw the Latookas and, taking fright, rushed off to join the main
herd, only a short distance away. Baker soon mounted and dashed towards
the elephants, but his horse stepped into a buffalo hole and fell hard on his
leg. He fortunately extricated himself without difficulty, and, mounting an-
other horse, rode at full speed toward the fu^I'-.ive game, which had gained
con^iiderable distance, and disappeared in the wood. After a quarter of an
hour of hard riding he saw an enormous bull ploughing through the brush
like ah immense engine, tearing down everything in his way. The country
was iinfavorable for the hunter, on account of buffalo holes, and though ap-
proaching within twenty yards, he was unable to get a fair shot. Away they
flew over ruts and gullies until the ponderous brute was chased to another
open plain, when a ball was planted in his shoulder ; though badly struck the
elephant did not alter his course or speed until another shot was put close to
the first one. The animal now slackened, then turned about and made straight
for his assailant, screaming like an infuriated demon. Baker put spurs to his
horse, having urgent business in another vicinity, and as he was not pursued
more than a hundred yards, made his escape. He prepared for another attack
b\' taking a larger gun and starting after the wounded beast, but had gone
less than a dozen yards when he saw a closely packed herd of eighteen ele-
phants coming directly toward him ; but as soon as they discovered him they
broke off" in another direction. In the herd he noticed an uncommonly large
bull that was armed with an immense and beautiful pair of tusks ; this one
he determined to cut out from the others, and by shouting succeeded in scat-
tering them ; he now rode for the chosen one, but the elephant seeing him-
self pursued, turned and charged so determinedly upon his assailant that his
escape appeared for a time impossible ; fortunately, again the elephant stopped,
tlinost at the moment that he might have caught the bold hunter, and en-
tered a thicket where a horse could not well follow. Baker went into the
woods to find the herd again, and soon came upon the one he had wounded.
It was standing in a painful attitude as if upon the very point of dissolution,
but the moment its fiery eyes rested upon the hunter the maddened beast
charged him again ; another shot brought the elephant to his knees, but he
rallied quickly, and lifting his great trunk and screaming with rage, he rushed
after Baker, whose horse was now badly jaded. The race this time was more
exciting than before, for, instead of stopping after a short run, the elephant
kept its swift pace and followed for more than a mile, all the while gradually
training, until the distance between pursued and pursuer was not more than
ten yards, while the horse was nearly ready to fall from exhaustion. The
cowardly servants, who were also mounted upon horses, were so mindful of

^aisfei*MM»te,:;^

(164)

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

165

their own safety that they made no effort to divert the attention of the ele-
phant, but ran as swiftly and as far away as possible. Baker was almost
upon the point of despair he knew that the climax must soon be reached,
which would be hastened should his horse fall. In a moment of desperation
lie turned his horse aside, like a nare doubling on the dogs, just in time to
feel the swish of the elephant's trunk as it grazed him, but the momentum of
tlie great brute carried him by. Seeing his eneni}' now running in a new
direction, the elephant broke off up hill, and on the following morning was
f)und dead in a jungle not far distant from where he had abandoned the pur-
suit. The huge carcass was quickl}'' attacked by the natives and their dogs,

DISPATCHINC. V VICIOIS IIOAK

and a truly savage and disgusting scene followed as the}- cut into the body,
and soon were waist deep in the flesh and filth.

DETENTION GIVES OPPORTUNITY FOR MORE HUNTING.

The rain}' season was now at its height, so that, even after the receipt of
additional supplies, the expedition was unable to move further than fort}' miles,
to the Asua river, which was now so swollen as to prevent a crossing; and,
after a pleasant visit to Chief Katchiba, Baker returned to Latooka to await the
relnrn of the dry season. The country was very rich and game abundant, so
that the delay afforded him excellent opportunities for indulging his passion
for hunting. He killed several monster elephants, and met the lordly wild
boar, which also haunted this delightful region ; but they were not nearly so

(1 66)

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

167

a
<

■<
n

numerous as the elephants, though the latter were more persistently hunted
by the natives, on account of the damage they did to their growing crops.
On one occasion, Baker fired the grass, expecting to drive out a herd of
elephants ; but finding none, was about to give up the hunt, when a large
wild boar and sow sprang out of a hole directly in the path, the former
charging him in the most vicious manner. The first rush being avoided, the
boar turned to renew the attack just as Baker, by good fortune, shot it
through the brain ; but he failed to bag the sow, as it made off into the grass.

It was not until the following January, 1865. that Baker nade another
effort to proceed southwards, at which time he secured the cora|. n} " Ibrahim
again. They met with no further detentions, and in d'l- ti reached
Karunia falls, in Kamrasi's country, where they were most h iS|..*:abiy received
by the old king, though they were not permitted to see him ..«. '>r'^.

A DEVILISH GUARD.

After Baker received permission to enter the presence " K^'mrasi, he was
still treated with an aifected suspicion, and was unable to c are the guides
and oorters that he needed on the journey to the lake he had set out to find.
Three weeks passed without anything being done, Kamrasi all the while
promising to give what was required on the " morrow," but really only holding
the expedition to give him more time for begging everything that Baker
possessed. At length, being exasperated by the king's excuses, Baker took
heroic measures for securing the aid needed, and obtained an escort of about
fifty of the most horrible-looking natives that the imagination can conceive.
They were dressed in monkey and leopard skins, with antelope horns on their
heads and cows' tails dangling behind, while from their chins there were
suspended the bushy ends of cows' tails sewed together.

The expedition now moved up the Kafiie river, but at a slow pace, on
account of the shallowness of the stream, and also because of the dangerous
illness of Mrs. Baker. But after a weary march of one month from Kamrasi's
palace, Baker was brought to the banks of the Luta N'ziga, and thus to a glad
realization of his amtltious dream. It was the lake so often spoken of in story
and legend, the true source of that wondrous river, the Nile, which so many
had earnestly tried to explore for more than twenty centuries, but alwaj'S
with disappointment. In honor of the queen's consort, Baker called the lake
Albert N'yanza, by which it is now known ; and upon his return to England
he was knighted for the discovery, while all geographers have since made the
source of the Nile the twin lakes, the Victoria and Albert N'yanza.

Baker onl}' coasted the Albert lake for a distance of one hundred miles, and
then prepared at once to return home, taking his route overland to Gondokoro
instead of following down the Nile, as he should have done. The return
journey occupied almost a year, so that it was September, 1866, before he
reached England and made his report to the Royal Geographical Societ)',
which immediately awarded him the Victoria medal, as it had Speke, both
sharing equally the honor of discovering the Nile's source.

ll^

"11

•i

if-

f I'

If!

Ill

.1- i

CHAPTER X.

baker's efforts to suppress the slave trade.

ITTLE more than one year after Baker's return to England, he
published a book c^escriptive of his travels in Africa, giving
not only the results of his private expedition, but also his
experience with the slave traders, the horrors of the traffic in
human beings, and his views as to the best means for its sup.
pression. To re-enforce his observations were man}' letters
from other African explorers, including Speke, Burton, Grant
and Livingstone, in all of which the horrifying cruelties of
the slave-traders were picture! in such heart-appealing aspects that the popular
feeling in England was intenseh' excited. All the world seemed to at once
demand a suppression of the inhuman practices that characterized the kid-
nappers who afflicted Africa with unutterable woe. The Prince of Wales thre;*v
his active S3'mpathies with the people, and made a trip to Egypt to seek a
conference with Ismail, the Khedive. An audience was obtained, at which the
prince plainly told the khedive that the infamous slave trade had to be sup-
pressed, either by the Egyptian government or some other power, intimating
that England herself would see to it that the traffic was abolished. The
khedive, though undoubtedly profiting by the nefarious trade, appeared to
be in S3-mpath3^ with the general desire, and promised to exert his power
to effect its accomplishment. Preliminary thereto, he accordingly annexed
all the Soudan, ii. ora^r to bring that immense district, in which the enslave-
ment of the natives by Turks and Arabs was most common, directly
under his rule. To make his pretence the more plausible, he sent for Sir
Samuel Baker, and, after a protracted interview, placed him in command of an
expedition which should be dispatched to the Nile basin for the single purpo.se
of arresting all the slave-traders found therein, and also to establish, fortify
and garrison posts throughout the district that would secure protection to the
natives against all further prosecution of the slave traffic.

The appointment of Baker, with almost autocratic power to enforce the
severest penalties against dealers in human beings in Central Africa, was the
first pronounced action ever taken b}' the Egyptian government in this direction,
and which, with Baker's failure to effect radical results, has since been continued
under General Gordon, who perished at Khartoum, and his successor, Emin
Pey, who still holds the governorship of the Soudan and the equatorial
regions, as will hereafter be described.

(i68)

[and, he
giving
ilso his
raffic in
its sup-
letters
I, Grant
Ities of
popular
at once
;he kid-
?s thre;*v
• seek a
liich the
be sup-
imating
The
ared to
power
lannexed
enslave-
directly
for Sir
d of an
purpose
fortify
to the

irce the
|\vas the
Srcction,
Intinued
|, Emin
luatorial

(169)

170

HEROES OF THE DARK. CONTINENT.

THE APPOINTMENT OF BAKER'S EXPEDITION.

The expedition fitted out by the Egyptian government under Baker's
instructions was certainly most imposing, involving, as it did, an enormous
expense of treasure and a large contingent of men. Among other things that
had been provided with such a liberal hand, were three steamers and two
lifeboats, specially built in England with the view of navigating the Nile.
These vessels were fitted with engines of the best construction, and were built
in sections to make them easy of transport across the Nubian desert, or by
places in the river not navigable.

In addition to the steamers were steam saw mills, with a boiler that weighed
eight hundred pounds in one piece — all of which would have to be transported
by camels for several hundred miles across the Nubian de.sert, and by boats
and camels alternately from Alexandria to Gondokoro, a distance of about three
thousand miles.

The English party accompanying the expedition consisted of Sir Samuel
Baker and his courageous wife; Lieutenant Julian A. Baker, R. N.; Edward
Higginbotham, civil engineer ; Mr. Wood, secretary ; Dr. Joseph Gedge, physi-
cian ; Mr. Marcopolo, chief store-keeper and interpreter ; Mr. McWilliam, chief
engineer of steamers ; Mr. Jarvis, chief shipwright ; together with Messrs.
Whitfield, Samson, Hitchman and Ramsdell. Forty-five thousand dollars were
expended in stores, calculated to last the expedition for four years.

Six steamers, varying from forty to eighty horse-power, were ordered to
leave Cairo in June, together with fifteen sloops and fifteen diahbeeahs — total,
thirty-six vessels — to ascend the cataracts of the Nile to Khartoum, a distance
by river of about one thousand four hundred and fifty miles. These vessels
were to convey the whole of the merchandise.

Twenty-five vessels were ordered to be in readiness at Khartoum, together
with three steamers. The Governor-General (Djiafifer Pasha) was to provide
these vessels by a certain date, together with the camels and horses necessary
for the land transport.

Thus, when the fleet should arrive at Khartoum from Cairo, the total force
of vessels would be nine steamers and fifty-five sailing vessels, the latter
averaging about fifty tons each.

The military arrangements comprised a force of one thousand six hundred
and forty-five troops, including a corps of two hundred irregular cavalry and
two batteries of artillery. The infantry were two regiments, supposed to be well
selected. The black, or Soudani, regiment included many officers and men who
had served for some years in Mexico with the French army under Marshal
Bazaine. The Egyptian regiiuent turned out to be for the most part convicted
felons who had been transported for various crimes from Egypt to the Soudan.

The artillery were rifled mountain guns of bronze, the barrel weighing two
hundred and thirty pounds, and throwing shells of eight and a quarter pounds.
The authorities at Woolwich had kindly supplied the expedition with two

SIR SAMVKI, VVHITH BAKKK.
EDWIN IIIGGINIIOTTOM.

Ullitr. COI,. AliU K1,-KA1)UR.

UEUTENANT BAKER.

(171)

172

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

ii:

hundred Hale's rockets, three pounders, and fifty Snider rifles, together with
fifty thousand rounds of Snider ammunition. The military force and Stipplies
Avere to be massed in Khartoum ready to meet Baker on his arrival.

This imposing army and flotilla left Suez on August 29th, 1869, and pro-
ceeded on to Souakim, where, after a week's delay, camels were obtained to carry

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

173

ler with
supplies

H
O

U
>4

I and pro-
to carry

the expedition across the desert, two hundred and seventy-five miles, to Berber.
Reaching this place, another fleet of thirty-three vessels of fifty and sixty tons
burden was built which carried the expedition to Gondokoro, one thousand four
hundred and fifty miles from Berber.

The trip to Gondokoro was full of incidents. The start was made in the
latter part of February, with so many sail-boats that the Nile was covered,
apparently, for miles, as boat straggled behind boat, strung out until those in
front could not be seen by those in the rear.

One of the first incidents that befell the expedition was the upsetting of a
canoe and the seizing of one of the men by a crocodile, which, despite the
shouting and splashing of his
companions, and the killing of
another crocodile that had joined
in the attack, carried him un-
der the water and. made away
with the victim. Succeeding
this tragedy a few da3's later,
was an attack made on the flag
steamer bj- a monster hippo-
potamus, which smashed her
starboard paddle-wheel and cut
through the iron plates of the
companion boat so that it came I
near sinking. The boats were
thus compelled to lay by for
repairs, which time Baker im-
proved by firing at the enemy,
which repeatedl}' returned to the
attack and was not finally dis-
patched until a dozen balls had
been fired into its head. sHit,..ooK womu.n puunuing maizk.

SHOOTING GAME AND LIBERATING SLAVES.

The start for Gondokoro had been niade at a very inopportune time, for
the Nile was already falling and progress must be necessarily slow, as some
of the' boats drew more than four feet of water. After proceeding one-half the
distance, the vegetation so obstructed the river that it was impossible to proceed
further, and a retreat had to be made back to the Shillook country, and there
wait until the November inundation.

The water was soon receding so rapidly that the boats had to be pulled by
a thousand men across the vegetable obstructions! ; in fact it became almost dry-
laud steamboating, for every few miles the cables were run out and a long
double line of men would seize them and force the boats across the barriers
high and dry into water again. Mr. and Mrs. Baker whiled away the tedium

174

HEROEvS OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

of the journey by shooting, every day killing hippopotami, crocodiles, antelopes,
geese and ducks, so that an abundance of fresh meat was always available.
Mrs. Baker was as keen a lover of hunting as her husband, and was almost as
good a shot, while her powers of endurance and courage were phenomenal.

As the expedition approached the Shillook country. Baker was astounded
to find that the Governor of Fashoda was engaged in the capture of slaves.
This discovery was made by accident. Baker saw an old man seated on the
bank, who had apparently escaped from some bad master and who told of his
captivity and efforts to escape back to his people. The Governor of Fashoda
had been pretending, for years, that he was violently opposed to slave hunting

A HARI VU.I-AGK.

and that no slave traders could cross his country. He was taken by su: prise,
and in his pens were discovered a large number of women and little children,
whose village he had a few days befoi'e destroyed and taken them into captivity,
after killing all but ten of the men. Baker set the poor people at liberty and
reported the governor to the khedive for punishment.

The boats were put into harbor and a town was begun, which, in honor
of Ismail's youngest son, was called Tewfikeeyah. Here workshops, steam saw-
mills and huts soon dotted the formerly barren ground. Boats were constructed
to take the place of several that had been badly demoralii-.ed, gardens were
planted and the hum of industry was heard on every side.

The Shillooks were scrupulously honest, and soon a thriving trade was

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

175

itelopes,
vailable.
Iniost as
enal.
stounded
f slaves,
d on the
d of liis
Fashoda
hunting

surprise,

children,

I captivity,

)erty and

in honor
team saw-
instructed
lens were

trade was

opened between the natives and members of the expedition, which continued for
several months and until the river had risen sufficiently to admit a departure
of the boats. During this interval, Baker devoted his time in directing affairs
at the station and in hunting, the country being fairly alive with large game,
including ostriches, several of which wary birds he succeeded in killing. The
crocodiles that infested the reed-covered shores were a constant source of danger
both to men and beasts that had to approach the water, while occasionally
hippopotami indulged their ferocious instincts. Baker reports that he witnessed
the killing of a blind sheik by a hippopotamus while he was crossing the river
with a companion in an ambatch boat. The animal arose under their frail
bark and without provocation seized both the boat and sheik in its enormous
jaws and crushing them so that the boat was cut into pieces, while the poor
man soon died of his wounds.

Shor^^ly before the time fixed for his departure, a sail was reported coming
down the river, which was hauled to at the station and discovered to be
laden with 184 women, boys and girls, who had been captured and packed
away under a quantity of corn to avoid discovery. These Baker liberated and
sent the captain in irons to Cairo, while he confiscated the vessel as a slaver
and took it to Khartoum.

A FIGHT WITH THE BARIS AND CROCODILES.

After an exceedingly hard voyage of five months and twenty-two daj'S, the
expedition reached Gondokoro, which had been selected as headquarters, from
which forays into the further interior might be conducted with base for supplies
easily accessible. On account of the miserable huts which composed the town,
substantial buildings had to be erected in which to store provisions and ammu-
nition, so that a considerable time intervened before the expedition could
proceed further. The Baris, who composed the native population in this region,
were very hostile and became so demonstrative in their vengeful designs that
Baker was forced to move against them and to lead a night attack against
their principal village twelve miles distant from Gondokoro, which resulted, of
course, in the Baris discomfiture and the capture of five hundred head of cattle.

Savages were not the only enemies which they had to contend with, for
the crocodiles in the neighborhood were so numerous and ferocious that they
were a source of great loss and constant danger. As the natives were so much
in the habit of swimming to and fro with their cattle, these wily creatures had
been always accustomed to claim a toll in the shape of a cow, calf, or nigger.
Two of Abou Saood's sailors we.? carried off" on two consecutive days. One
of Baker's soldiers, while engaged with many others in the water, only hip
deep, was seized by a crocodile. The man, being held by the leg below the
knee, made a good fight, and thru.st his fingers into the creature's eyes; his
comrades at the same time assisted, and rescued him from absolute destruction;
but the leg-bone was so mashed and splintered in many places that he was
obliged to submit to an amputation.

176

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

One of the sailors had a narrow escape. He and many others were en-
gaged in collecting the leaves of a species of water-convolvulus that make an

Cfc' •• :oi, ;: .'b..' iN'.. TUB akm ofk a saiix)R.

excellent spinach; this .vir>t ?' xooted on the muddy bank, but it runs upon
the surface of the water, u >.i.i which its pink blossoms are very ornamental.
The sailor was stooping from the bank to gather the floating leaves, when

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

^11

,• i

»«^"'s"

fs upon
liiiieiital.
wlien

he was suddenly seized by the arm at the elbow-joint; his friends immedia-
tely caught him round the waist, and their united efforts prevented him from
being dragged into the water. The crocodile, having tasted blood, would not
quit its hold, but tugged and wrenched the arm completely oif at the elbow,
;iud went oif" with its prize. The unfortunate man, in excruciating agony, was;
brought to che camp, where it was necessary to amputate another piece slightly
above the lacerated joint.

SHOOTING ELEPHANTS ACROSS THE RIVER.

Crocociles furnished great sport to the hunters as a partial recompense
for their savagery and destruction, but other game also demauaed and received
attention, for elephants became so bold at times as to invade the town and make
night attacks on the stores of grain, of which they devoured great quantities.

In the middle of November Lieutenant Baker started with some troops to
convey corn from a distant village, but he had proceeded only a short distance
when he saw a heard of eleven bull elepliants approaching from the west.
Riding back quickly he informed Sir Samuel Baker, who at the time was en-
joying a pipe on the poop-deck of his diahbeeah. Not being prepared ^or e) -
phant-shooting, he recommended his lieutenant to return to hi;-> troops, who
would be wasting their time. A half-hour afterward the elephant.s approached
within four hundred yards of the camp, apparently unconscious of danger.
Baker could not withstand the temptation, so ordering his favorite horse sad-
dled, he .seized two Holland rifles which carried a half-pound iron lead-coated
explosive shell, and started after them. Several men were ordered to gain the
rear of the herd, so as to turn them should they retreat, while ot rs flanked
to drive them toward the river. The brutes at first sight took i water, and
Baker dismounted to fire when they should gain the opposite nk, on an
island, which was less tb.an one hundred yards distant. \\ n tlie^- had
crossed they found an unexpected difiiculty, in the precipitous b; iR which they
were unable to scale. But they fell to with their tusks, and began tearing
down the bank to an incline ; and while thus engaged Baker -ecured several
shots, which had no other effect, however, than to tumble one of them occasion-
ally back into the water half-stunned. After a while so much of the bank was
torn away that the elephants began to mount, showing their bodies completely
out of water. Effective shooting now began, but when the second animal had
been killed the ammunition gave out, and the hunt ended. The elephants
were now butchered and the meat divided among the men, with . n allowance
for the Baris, who, .seeing so much flesh ready for distribution, car>° over and
sued for peace, offering to seal their friendship for a fair proportion of the meat.
The peace thus purcliased at so cheap a price remained inviolate all the time
that Baker continued in Gondokoro.

OFF FOR THE ALBERT NYANZA.

Baker's original intention had been to establish a line of fortified posts,
not more than three days' march apart, between Goiuiokoro and Albert Lake,

L781

SIIDOTINC, KI.KPHANTS ACROSS THK RIV1:K.

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

179

but his force of twelve hundred men was now reduced to five hundred.
Of this number three hundred were left to guard the base of supplies at Gon-
dokoro, so that he had only two hundred men with whom to make the advance
south; nevertheless, with this small force he started, January 23, 1872, for the
Albert Lake. The boats were loaded with necessary supplies, and the voyage
up the river commenced. On the fourth day out they reached the first cata-
ract, where a chief named Bedden had promised two thousand carriers to convey
the boats— which were made in sections — and luggage to Lobore. But the old
scoundrel disregarded his promise, and insolently told Baker that his people
had quit being slaves for the Turks and certainly would not enter the service
of Christians. Travelling in Africa is always attended with the most provok-
ing obstacle.> ; Baker had learned this from a bitter experience, and was there-
fore not discouraged, though greatly angered, at Bedden's deceit and treachery.
He therefore determined to establish a station here, and leave a strong guard
to protect it and the boats, and then push on southward with a picked force
of one hundred men.

Considerable difficult}- was at first experienced in procuring guides, but
when it appeared that the expedition must move without them an old rain-
maker, apparently seventy years of age, visited Baker and offered to conduct
him for the small compensation of a cow and what wine he could comfortably
drink, a proposition that was promptly accepted. With the old rain-maker,
whose name was Lokko, leading the way, the expedition moved forward without
further detention until reaching Fatiko, which was one hundred and sixty-five
miles from Gondokoro and the headquarters of Abou Saood, who was at the
head of the slave trade of Central Africa.

A LIVELY DANCE OF NAKED VENUSES.

This place was reached before any knowledge of Baker's coming had been
received by the old slaver, therefore he was wholly unprepared l"or his visitor.
Baker saw active preparations going on for secreting the slaves, but it was too
late. Abou Saood came out and greeted him in a most cordial manner, pro-
fessing great delight at the visit. Baker, of course, knew what this hypocrisy
meant, but he received the advances with a similar manifestation of friendship.
At the same time, however, he desired to show the slave hunter that he had
a fairly well disciplined force, able to enforce such orders as might be neces-
sary for the abolition of the nefarious trade which thrived at Fatiko. To do
this, he had his soldiers go through certain military evolutions, scale the hill
and give a sham battle. To add effect to the display, the band played several
lively airs, which brought thousands of delighted natives to the scene. The
band was composed of buglers, aided by cymbals, a bass drum and several
small drulus. This would not be regarded as a very deliciously symphonious
aggregation in a civilized country, but it was irresistible to the Africans. The
natives are passionately fond of music; and the safest way to travel in those
wild countries is to play the cornet, if possible, without ceasing, which insures

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

i8i

4
•J
/^

*'9

a safe passage. A London organ-grinder wonld march tlirongh Central Africa
followed by an admiring and enthnsiastic crowd, who, if his tunes were lively,
would form a dancing escort of the most untiring material.

As the troops returned to their quarters, with the band playing rather
lively airs, women were observed racing down from their villages, and gathering
from all directions toward the common centre. As they approached nearer, the
charms of music were overpowering, and, halting for an instant, they assumed
what they considered the most graceful attitudes, and then danced up to the
band. In a short time the buglers could hardly blow their instruments for
laughing at the extraordinar}' effect of the female di^ncers. A fantastic crowd
surrounded them, and every minute added to their number. The women were
entirely naked ;
tlnis the effect of
a female crowd,
bounding madly
about as musical
enthusiasts, was
very extraordi-
nary. Even the
babies were
brought out to
dance; and these
infants, strapped
to their mothers'
hacks, and cov-
ered with pump-
kin-shells, like
voung tortoises,
were jolted about uakkrs camp at fatiko.

by their infatuated mothers without the slightest consideration for the weakness
of their necks. As usual, among all tribes in Central Africa, the old women
were even more determined dancers than the young girls. Several old Venuses
made themselves extremely ridiculous, as they sometimes do in civilized coun-
tries when attempting the allurements of j-ounger days.

DESOLATING EFFECTS OF WAR.

Inquiry developed the fact that the country had been almost ruined by
\bou Saood, who had, generally by various alliances, despoiled the people of
their cattle and ivory and made slaves of nearly one-half the population. He
had heard of Baker at Gt)ndokoro, and knew the purposes of the expedition,
l)ut he had no doubl that by inciting the Baris to resist his advance and fight
him constantly, he would be forced to renounce his intentions and return to
Gondokoro. But the old rascal had miscalculated. The chiefs quickly tendered

' wOhifajia^

182

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

their allegiance to Baker, who was thus enabled to establish a strong govern-
ment under the Khedive and enforce a suspension, at least, of the slave trade.
At F'atiko he met with several messengers from Unyoro and Uganda,
from whom he heard that Kamrasi had been dead more than tuo years, and
was succeeded by his son, Kabba Rega, a man of less cupidity and of very
much more intelligence, who was anxious to establish legitimate trade between-
his people and the whites. Other reports were to the effect that M'tesa, king
of Uganda, had vastly improved through communication with the traders at
Zanzibar. He had become a Mohammedan, and had built a mosque. Even his
vizier said his daily prayers like a good Mussulman, and M'tesa no longer
murdered his wives. If he cut the throat of either man or beast, it was now
done in the name of God, and the knig had become quite civilized, according
to the report of the Arab envoys. He kept clerks who could correspond by
letters in Arabic, and he had a regiment armed with a thousand guns, in ad-
dition to the numerous irregul: : forces at his command.

p^" — w^- —

^^ .-^^ Aim

■-i,^' ■.

fafc^g

<4v /'is rtflE

HB^^^sP*^' " t L- Y.:-^'-'

:.-':''i--^^

f .- -'^m

J^^Ctwtl

VBms^''^m^''iji,,fg .MB^K

'-^^_

M^f-^^'-'rwyM^ ' TT :

SCKNK IN TIIK GAM1-; COUNTRY OK AI'KICA.

Abou vSaood's power was completely brcjken. his slaves released, and his
actions reported to the Khedi' e. All the neighboring chiefs made bitter com-
plaint against the slave traders, and begged the protection which Baker had
now offered. Feeling secure in the stc i)s taken to establish good government
at Fatiko, he placed a small garrison in the village and departed for Unyoro,
which lay one hundred and sixty miles to the soutii. F^nough porters were
engaged to in ure a rapid conveyance of the luggage, if none deserted, which
was always a probability. It was in the latter part of March when the expedition
left Fatiko, when spring was being ushered in and all the world seemed burst-
ing with gladness. The country was one of extraordinary beauty, and large
game could be seen in all directions. Antelopes were especially numerous, so
that each day was spent by Baker in glorious sport, yielding fresh meat con-
tinually for all the men. But as the cavalcade reached ihe Unyoro country they
found a remarkable change ; spring had invested the earth with beautiful ver-

■^ism^jitlm-

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

183

dure, and nature seemed glad, but here vere the landmarks of war and desola-
tion, burned and deserted villages, fallow fields and poverty. When Kamrasi
died, he left a disputed inheritance to his two sons. Kabba Mero and Kabba
Rega, who at once began a bitter struggle for the succession. Rionga, Kam-
rasi's brother and most bitter enemy, was still alive and as active as ever in
fighting the Unyoros. Abou Saood had in the mean time espoused the cause
of each in turn, as it suited his purposes best, and plundered them all. There
had been incessant fighting for more than a year, during which time nearly
everything^ in the country was destroyed, and many of the people were starving,
while murder ;uid pillage ran riot. But the famished condition of the country
was not without benefit to Baker, as it enabled him to enlist a number of the
natives as irregular soldiers and to form posts that would open communication
with Fatiko.

A VISIT FROM KABBA REGA.

He halted within a short distance of Kabba Rega's palace, and sent mes-
sengers ahead to communicate with the king ; but after waiting in vain several
days for an invitation to
enter his capital, Masin-
di. Baker broke camp
and after a journc}- of
seventeen miles through
the forest came upon the
village, which is situated
on high, undulating
land, bounded on the
west by a range of
mountains bordering the
Albert N'yanza, which
is not more than fifty
miles distant. He called
on the king directly after
his arrival, and found
him sitting on a divan
within a large and neatly
constructed hut. He was
well clad in beautifully
made bark-cloth, striped with black ; his person was also very neat, and his
age not more than twenty years. Baker explained to him that his mission
was to take possession of the country, which would thus be annexed to Egypt,
and to not only free .ill the slaves he could find, but also to break up the slave
trade and give peace and prosperity to the country. To all these reforms Kabba
Rega gave his assent a,(d promised such aid as he could command.

On the following Jay the king returned the visit, accompanied by nearly

DAKKKS AUnilCNCl'; WITH KAllllA RHCA

?!.*

IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-S)

,„„ /. ^ <i^l4^

1.0

I.I

1.25

■so ""^

1.4

IIIM

2.2

1.6

Photographic

Sciences
Corporation

23 WEST MAIN STREET

WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580

(716) 872-4503

^^.^ -x-

^9)

i84

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

all his army, and was received with all the pomp that Baker could devise for
such an occasion, but the interview was very unsatisfactory. The king could
hardly be induced to turn the subject of conversation for a moment from
complaints against his uncle Rionga, who was contending for the throne.

^ARMKRS OF UNYORO.

In vain was Baker's aid solicited in the war against Rionga, so that the
king could not be placated even by the proffer of many presents, and
after an exhibition given by Kabba Rega's buffoons the interview terminated.

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

185

devise for
king could
lent from
le throne.

y^n

that the
psents, and
Iterminated.

ROASTING PEOPLE OVER SLOW FIRES.

After the departure of the king, Baker engaged several of the chiefs in
conversation, that he might learn niore of the practices of the slave-hunters,
and the general difficulties with wh.ch the Government had to contend. Several
of these assured him that Abou Sr.ood's people had been in the habit of tortur-

ROASTING THK BODY OF AN UNYORO KINO

iiig the natives to make them reveal the places in which their corn wf^s con-
cealed. Throughout Unyoro there were no granaries exposed, as the country
liad been ravaged by civil war ; thus all corn was buried in deep holes specially
arranged for that purpose. When the slave hunters sought for corn, they were

1 86

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

in the habit of catching the villagers and holding them down on the mouth
of a large earthen water-jar, filled with glowing embers, until the}' were nearly
roasted. If this torture did not extract the secret, they generally cut the
sufferer's throat to terrify his companions, who would then divulge the position
of the hidden stores to avoid a similar fate. It is difficult to conceive the
brutality of these brigands, who, thus relieved from the fear of a government,
exhibited their unbridled passions by every horrible crime.

Among other singular things, which the chief related to Baker was a
graphic account of the royal funeral that had taken place when Ka^rasi was
interred: When a king of Unyoro dies, the body is exposed upon a frame-
work of green wood, like a gigantic gridiron, over a slow fire. It is thus
gradually dried, until it resembles an over-roasted hare. Thus mummified, it
is wrapped in new bark-cloths, and the body lies in state within a large house
built specially for its reception. The sons fight for the throne. The civil war
may last for years, but during this period of anarchy the late king's body lies
still unbtiried. At length, when victory is decided in favor of one of his
sons, the conqueror visits the hut in which his father's body lies in state. He
approaches the corpse, and standing by its side sticks the butt end of his spear
in the ground, and leaves it thus fixed near the right hand of the dead king.
This is symbolical of victory.

BREAKING THE BONES AND BURYING VICTIMS ALIVE.

The son now ascends the throne, and the funera.! of his father must be
his first duty. An immense pit or trench is dug, capable of containing several
hundred people. This pit is neatly lined with new bark-cloths. Several wives of
the late king are seated together at the bottom, to bear upon their knees the
body of their departed lord. The night previous to the funeral, the king's own
regiment, or body guard, surround many dwellings or villages, and seize the
people indiscriminately as they issue from their doors in the early morning.
These captives are brought to the pit's mouth. Their legs and arms are broken
with clubs, and they are pushed into the pit on the top of the king's body
and his wives. An immense din of drums, horns, flageolet;^- and whistles,
mingled with the yells of a frantic crowd, drown the shrieks of the sufferers,
upon whom the earth is shovelled and stamped down by thousands of cruel
fanatics, who dance and jump upon the loose mould so as to force it into a
compact mass, through which the victims of this horrid sacrifice cannot grope
their way. At length the mangled mass is buried and trodden down beneath a
tumulus of earth, and all is still.

When the funeral I'ites over the body of Kamrasi were completed Kabba
Rega ascended the throne and succeeded to all his father's wives, with the
exception of his own mother. This is the invariable custom in Unyoro. The
throne is composed partly of copper and of wood. It is an exceedingly small
and ancient piece of furniture that has been handed down for many generations,
and is considered to be a cojoor, or talisman. There is also an ancient drum..

HEROES OF THii DARK CONTINE]^.

187

which is regarded with reverence as something uncanny ; and the two articles
are always jealously guarded by special soldiers, and are seldom used. Should
the throne be lost or stolen, the authority of the king would disappear,
together with the talisman, and disorder would reign throughout the country
until the precious object should be restored.

THE VALUE QE FEMALE SLAVES.

Although Baker was not able to fully influence Rabba Rega against ttie
iniquity of the slave traffic, he gained a conditional agreement from the king
to lend his sanction to efforts for its supression, which was purchased by tb-
gift cf a large number of presents.
Baker, therefore, set about the release
of all the slaves in the immediate
region, which numbered about (me
thousand women and children. Ef-
forts were next made to restore those
stolen from Unyoro, for the return
of which Kabba Rega was particu-
larly anxious, as they were his own
subjects. It transpired that a regular
traffic was maintained between the
traders of Unyoro and Uganda, in
which young girls were made the
object of barter. In Unyoro, a plump
young girl was usually sold for a
first-class elephant tusk, while in
Uganda they could be bought for
thirteen needles or a new shirt.
Thus it was that girls were pur--
chased in Uganda and then taken
to Unyoro, to be exchanged for an
elephant tusk worth in England $100
or $150. This was termed legitimate
trade, but Abou Saood took a less
expensive way of securing female
slaves, for he made war on the people and putting them to roiit bore away
all the female prisoners as slaves, first disposing of the males by merciless
massacre.

Slavery of girls was, however, encouraged by the immemorial usage of
fathers invariably selling their daughters to the highest bidder, who might use
tlicm either as slaves or wives. A large family of girls was therefore a source
of revenue to. the father, who disposed of them in exchange for trinkets or cows,
of which latter usually twelve or fifteen are paid for a fine looking young girl.

After Baker had put into execution effective plans for destroying the slave

AN UNYORO Gial,.

I'oSj

HEROES OF ThU DARK CONTINENT.

i8q

trade in Unyoro, Kabba Rega became less friendly and began to interpose
obstacles to prevent their executio i. Contrary to his promises he withheld
supplies, and when complaint was made he would make many apologies
and renew assurances of his good intention. For several days signs of
liostility became so apparent that Baker strengthened his defences, and his
act in so doing exhibited his knowledge of the treacherous character of the
king. One morning Kabba Rega sent five gallons of cider as a present
to Baker's soldiers, with his usual professions of friendship, but after drinking
the beverage fully one-half the garrison were writhing in agony, while
many were unconscious from the effects of the poison that had been mixed
with it. Prompt administration of remedies by Baker prevented any loss
of life, but it was several days before those thus affected were fully
recovered. In the mean time Baker sent messengers to the king asking for an
explanation of this act of perfidy, but they were murdered, as was also Baker's
adjutant, Motonse, a faithful and efficient servant. At the same time, Kabba
Rega's soldiers crept through the grass at night and fired at Baker, but for-
tunately without effect. This was the signal for battle. Baker sounded the
bugle-call and quickly had his men under arms ready for action. Setting fire
to the grass and shooting rockets into the thatch-roofed houses of the natives,
he sallied out, and by "^he light of the many fires thus kindled, his trained
riflemen mowed down the natives without receiving any harm in return. The
fighting continued until after midnight, when the routed nati^ es fled in dismay,
leaving their town, Masindi, the capital of Unyoro, in ruins.

CUTTING THEIR WAY THROUGH TO FOWEIRA.

This sudden exhibition of treachery caused an entire change in Baker's
plans, for he saw that an immediate retreat was necessary to prevent starvation
of his troops, as it would now be impossible to obtain supplies in that region.
He accordingly decided to evacuate his quarters at Masindi and proceed by
forced marches to Foweera, eighty miles to the south, where Rionga had his
capital, an alliance with whom was now a necessity. The fort that he had
constructed was accordingly burned and the retreat began, though not with
such precipitate haste as prevented removal of all the stores. The expedition
had been materially reduced by desertion until it now numbered one hundred
soldiers and seventy porters, who, in addition to carrying a load of fifty pounds
to the man, had to drive before them seventy-five cows to serve as food.
Besides, the grass was very high, serving everywhere as an admirable ambush
for lurking foes which it concealed in great numbers.

On the second day after the march was begun, the attack that had even
before been expected took place, and thereafter nearly every mile was the scene
of some bloody encounter. Spears were hurled with deadly precision from the
tall grass, which hid the enemy from view, so that Baker's men were at great
disadvantage. But they acted most courageously, and by firing the grass often
drove the enemy out and then slaughtered a great number.

^^-^>.'''*^"

^#^-

190)

RIONGA, KING OF UNYOKO.

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

191

5f,

With the loss of a dozen men, Baker at length reached Foweira, which is
on the bank of the Victoria Nile, where he erected a stuckade and then set
about building canoes in which to cross over to an island on which Rionga
had his headquarters.

Fortunately, while these preparations were being made, messengers arrived
to ascertain Baker's intentions in coming to the country. By these he sent
some presents to Rionga, and explained his reasons for desiring an alliance
with him. A reply soon came back, for Rionga was delighted at the prospect
of an alliance with so powerful a force, and to show his friendship he sent
Baker a considerable quantity of provisions, and begged him to cross over to
his island, where he would receive him. . •

The canoes were now ready, and in them Baker and his party reached the
island, where they were most hospitably received and every want provided for.
Rionga met him with a frank, manly assurance of his regard, and forthwith
proposed to exchange blood in order that their friendship might be irrevo-
cably sealed. This noble chief was dressed in a beautiful cloak of gold
brocade, which Baker had sent him as a present from Foweera, together with a
new tarboosh and sky-blue turban, while upon his feet were well-made sandals.
He was a handsome man, of c^out fifty, with none of the stiffness of Kam-
rasi, nor the gawky bearing of Kabba Rega, but he was perfectly at hia ease.
With the natural politeness of a true gentleman, he thanked Bakei- for the
handsome suit in which he was dressed, assuring him that without it he could
not have appeared before him in a becoming manner, as the long-continued
war of his brother and nephew against him had reduced him almost to pov-
erty. He was well aware of Baker's repeated refusals to join in the struggle
against him, and assured him that he fully appreciated his friendship. Rionga
proved himself true and reliable, and has always remained the faithful ally and
friend of the whites.

THE MAKKARIKA CANNIBALS.

Soon after his meeting with Rionga, Baker received reports that the garri-
son which he had left at Fatiko was in grave danger of an attack from Abou
Saood, who had largely increased his force and resumed the slave trade. Baker
therefore took forty of his own men and as many of Rionga's soldiers, at
the head of which he marched with such celerity that he arrived at Fatiko"
before Abou had any intimation of his coming. The slave trader, however,
seeing what punishment awaited him in case he fell into Baker's hands,
assumed the offensive and made an impetuous attack ; but in the savage fighting
that followed, Abou was routed, and half his soldiers and nearly all his officers
were killed. Abou himself escaped to Fabbo, twenty-five miles east of Fatiko,
where he again established hiniaelf. Here he collected a quantity of ivory, and
then departed for the Makkarika country, two hundred and fifty miles distant,
where he engaged a large force of these cannibals to assist the removal of the
ivory and also to fight against Baker.

192

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

The cunning Abou was at no time idle, and so great was his influence
throughout that region that nearly 3,000 of the Makkarika cannibals enlisted
under his standard, in addition to which a large body of Arab slave dealers

HAKKR EXCHANGING BI,OOl) WITH RIONGA.

had arrived on the Nile who, it was expected, would lend him their aid. Hor-
rible reports also came to Baker every day, of the atrocities of the cannibal??,

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

193

i influence
Is enlisted
ive dealers

"W^

::■>>.

aid. Hor-
cannibak,

who were represented as devouring all the children in the Koshi (adjoining)
district. Finding his position very dangerous, Baker sent his djutant, Wat-cl-

Mek, back to Gondokoro for reinforcements, but a plague of small-pox broke out
soon after in the Makkarika camp, from which eight hundred died. This, iu
13

194

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINEN..

addition to the fear that had been excited in them by reports of Baker's magic
guns, and Abou's misrepresentations, in making them porters of his ivory
instead of soldiers, led to a desertion of his standard, and compelled him to
again retreat into the fastnesses of the hills.

A GRAND HUNT FOR NOBLE OAME.

Abou Saood's plans had failed, and there was now comparative peace,
while prospects for the fntnre were all flattering. M'tesa had sent a messenger
to Baker offering his aid to destroy Kabba Rega, while Rionga had sworn

BOARS IN THK NET.

allegiance to the Khedive and had been made the vakeel, or rnler of the
Unyoro country, so that Kabba Rega was really now only a wandering outcast,
incapable of offering an}-^ serious resistance.

Baker had won the good opinion and friendship of many natives during
his first journey through Africa, by joining with them in the chase and so
effectively killing and sharing with tliem the large game. It was now the
hunting season, and as arrangements were being made for the great annual

HERORS OF THE DARK CONTTNENT.

195

tives during

hunt, he resolved to participate with the natives, which gave them much pleasure,
for they appreciated his gun, as they knew it was certain to secure for them
considerable meat.

The natives, in their annual hunts, use a large net, or a number of nets,
which are made fast successive!}' to stakes so as to form a large quarter circle
stretching across the couu.ry which they have previously selected to beat.
They then form a circle themselves, more than a mile in diameter, facing the
nets, and fire the grass to windward. In the high grass the net would be
ii. visible until the animals, in trying to escape, would rush into it, when they
were checked and speared to death by the hunters.

Everything was ready and the men had already been stationed at regular
intervals about two miles to windward, where they waited with their fire-s'icks
ready for the appointed signal. A shrill whistle disturbed the silence. This
signal was repeated at intervals. In a few minutes after the signal a long line
of separate thin pillars of smoke ascended into the blue sky, forming a band
extending over about two miles of the horizon. The thin pillars rapidly thick-
ened and became dense volumes, until at length they united and formed a long
black cloud of smoke that drifted before the wind over the bright yellow surface
of the high grass. The fire travelled at the rate of several miles an hour, and
very soon, from an ant-hill which he had selected. Baker saw the startled ^ame
begin to move about. A rhinoceros was first to appear, but it was too far for
a successful shot, and kept along an incline toward the nets ; antelopes bounded
by, and presently a lion and lioness leaped into view, but just as Baker was
about to fire the head of a native rose in the direct line of aim. Beautiful
leucotis, hartbeests wild boars and antelopes were now running on every side,
affording excellent shots, which Baker thoroughly improved until he had killed
nearly a dozen of these animals without moving from the ant-hill. The natives
killed many boars and antelopes, but the rhinoceros ran through the net as
though it had been a cobweb, followed by a number of buffaloes and elephants,

THRILLING ADVENTURE WITH A LIONESS.

On December 30th, a week after the sport just described, another hunt was
arranged for, which was attended v/ith even greater excitement than the first,
though the preparations were all the same. Baker had taken position on an
ant-hill and directly after the grass was fired a beautiful picture was presented,
for they had surrounded an unusually large number of ani: .als, which advanced
slowly, as the pace of the fire was hardly more than two miles an hour. As
Baker was firing with deadly effect upon a herd of antelopes, he saw a yellow
tail rise suddenly from a water-hole not far distant, immediatelj' followed by
ij^limpses of an immense lion, which disappeared again in the grass, with its
head in the direction of the hunter, as though approaching. Presently a rustling
in the dry grass within forty yards of his stand, apprised him that the fero-
cious beast was coming nearer ; he had three guns with him, suited for different
kinds of game, and seizing a rifle which was specially suited for lion shooting.

196

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

in another moment he caught a fair view of the animal and fired. Instead of
being the one he had first seen, it proved to be a lioness ; she rolled over
backward and turned three ccavulsive somersaults, at the same time roaring
furiously ; she then recovered and rcse as if unharmed ; Baker fired again, but
must have missed, for she charged at him, roaring all the while ; .a load oi
buck-shot, however, sent her back again and she disappeared in the high grass.
The lioness could be heard groaning at a short distance, so, carefully pick-
ing his way. Baker approached near enough to get another shot, which broke
her ankle joint, but again she got away. Several natives now came upon the
scene, and locating tlie wounded beast, offered to throw their spears at her,
which would result in bringing her out so that a fair shot could be secured.

ADVENTURU WITH A I.IONliSS.

Baker would not allow thi.i, but fired at h°r as she lay partially concealed
in a bottom. The reply was an immediate charge, and thv enraged brute came
bounding toward him with savage roars. The natives threw their spears, but
missed, and some one would have been badly torn had not a shot from ;i
smooth-bore No. 10 gun caxised her to retr at again into the grass. Baker now
took his large rifle and followed stealthily Uiilil he saw the lioness sitting up on
her haunches like a dog. A careful aim put a bullet in the back of her neck,
from which she fell over dead. She measuicd nine feet six inches from nose to
tail extremity, and upon being cut open, they found the half of a leucotis,
which had been simply divided by her teeth into two-pound lumps, which the
natives seized as a particularly daint}- dish.

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

197

END OF THE EXPEDITION AND ITS RESULTS.

The country was now very generally at peace, but it was by no means
subdued. The presence of a strong arm representing the government had pro-
duced a temporary effect for good, but it was plainly apparent that a with-
draw?! of this menace to the slave trade would be followed by an immediate
revival of the infamous traffic. Baker, however, had done all that then lay in
his pow-ir, seeing the hopelessness of the task he had under.aken with such a
lukewarm government at his back, and he therefore decided to return to England.

ARRIVAL OK KNVOYS I'ROM M TlvSA.

On January 15, i<S73, envoys arrived from M'tesa, bringing a letter offering
an army of his men to Baker, with which to destroy Kabba Rega and place
Rionga on the throne, as the E^gyptian representative over Ihiyoro. He also
desired Baker to visit him, and expressed much anxiety to promote such com-
mercial intercourse as the Khedive desired to establish. All these matters had

tqS

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

been arranged, for Kubba Rega had been deposed and Rionga was in full pos-
session of Unyoro, which facts were communicated to M'tesa, with thanks for
his very kind offer of assistance.

Baker had felt no little solicitude for Wat-el-Mek, whom he had sent to
Gondokoro for re-en forcenients, double the time he had allowed for the return
having now elapsed. At length, on March 8, on the ninety-second day after
their departure, he was rejoiced to see the advance-guard approaching, and form-
ing his troops quickly, he went out to give them a military welcome. After
an inspection of the men. Baker was annoyed very much by the fact that not
a single head of cattle had been hi ought with them ; a quarrel had taken place
between Wat-el-Mek and Tayib Agha, the two commanding officers, a Bari vil-
lage had bf'en burned, and in a battle with the natives twenty-eight of the
soldiers had been killed, their arms taken, and all the cattle captured. The
ill-feeling between the two officeri^ was the cause of all their calamities.

There had been enough recruits brought from Gondokoro, however, to
swell the total force to six hundred and twenty men, with which Baker strongly
garrisoned Fatiko, Fabbo, and the stockade he had built opposite Rionga's island,
at Foweera. Unj'^Oi'o \^'as now completely in the power of Rionga, and a route
was opened from Fatiko to Zanzibar. Everything was in perfect order, so
leaving Alajor Abdullali commandant at Fatiko, Baker gave him full instructions
as to the government of Central Africa, and then departed with a small body-
guard for Gondokoro. which place was reached without special incident on April
ist, 1873, the date on which his commission from the Khedive expired.

After turning .:ver his effects to the government officers at Gondokoro, Baker
secured a vessel and started for Khartoum. En route he overtook three vessels
having on boaid seven hundred slaves, among whom the small-pox had broken
out and the mortality, was frightful. He hailed the slavers and was astonished
to learn that the ^^essels belonged to Abou Saood, who had been to Cairo and
so established him .elf in die confidence of the authorities that he coold con-
tinue his nefarious traffic without fear of any unpleasant results ; nor \vs.r this
the only disrouragin^r news which Baker heard, for he learned positively thai
ever since his departun: from Gondokoro for Fatiko the slave vessels had been
carrying their numan cargoes directly on to Alexandria or the Red Sea, meet-
ing with no opposition they could not easily overcome by bribery He now saw
that all his labors for a suppression of the slave trade in Central Africa had
been without fruit ; that the government, so far from renderinj^ its aid to that
end, had nullified its declarations and orders 03- refusing to punish convicted
slaver'^, and by receiving them as worthy merchants at the Khedive's capital.
Sick with disgust, he quitted Egypt and sailed for England.

CHAPTER XI.

HENRV M. STANLEY.

^AKER'S return to England with the news that diligent inquiry,
which he instituted among the kings and chiefs of Central
Africa, failed to elicit any information as to the whereabouts
of Livingstone, from whom the civilized world had heard
nothing for a period of two years, seemed to confirm reports
brought to Zanzibar that the great missionary and explorer
was dead. Public interest in his achievements had not
subsided however, and when James Gordon Bennett, pro-
prietor of the New York Herald, proposed to send out an expedition in search
of him, whether dead or alive, the enterprise was applauded by all Europe as well
as America.

Coincident with the purpose which Be?-'.nett had thus formed was his deter-
mination to appoint Henry M. Stanley, who had at the time a roving commission
as correspondent of the Herald^ commander of the expedition. This selection
was not made without a thorough knowledge of his peculiar qualifications to
take charge of so important us well as dangerous undertaking, his fitness having
been proved by his execution of other commissions of only secondary responsi-
bility, where masterly abilities were absolutely necessary. A brief biographical
sketch will better explain what special qualities and hardy experience he possessed.
Stanley has been regarded as an American explorer, but he is an Ameri-
can only by adoption, having been born in Wales, near Denbigh, in 1840.
His parentage was obscure, but his real name is known to be John Rowlands,
and it was under tliis name that at the tender age of three years he was sent
to the poor-house at St. Asaph. Whether his parents were living at this time,
too poor to care for him, or dead, he, himself, does not know ; but in either
event his patrimony was certainly that of extreme poverty. He remained at
the almshouse of St. Asaph ten years, during which time he was given such
advantages of schooling as the institution afforded, which is said to have been
considerable. So well did he improve his opportunities that upon his own re-
quest he left the poor-house and directl}' after engaged as a teacher at Mold,
in Flintshire ; but after a year's experience, not entirely profitable, he shipped
as cabin boy on a vessel bound for New Orleans. Arriving at that port he
soon found employment with a merchant named Henry M. Stanle}-, whose
name he adopted and with whom he remained until his benefactor's death, at
tlie beginning of the civil war. Immediately after this sad event Stanley en-
listed in the Confederate Ami}-, but was directly taken prisoner. Securing a

(T99>

20O

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

parole he then volunteered in the United States Navy and afterwards served
as ensign on the iron-clad Ticonderoga. Before the war was ended, however,
he secured a discharge and became a war correspondent of the St. Louis Demo-
crat^ with which paper he continued for a considerable while after the war, be-
ing appointed as correspondent to accompany the Indian Peace Commission
that settled the Sioux Indian troubles and located that tribe in the north-west,
in 1866.

AV THE SCENES OF HIS EARLY BOYHOOD.

In 1867 Stanley went east and obtained an engagement with the New
York Herald as foreign correspondent, and reported the Franco-Prussian war with

such satisfaction that he was
soon after given a roving com-
mission, and visited Syria, Per-
sia, Egypt, and travelled through
all the countries of southern Eu-
rope. After a return from Asia
Minor he paid a visit to his
birthplace and gave a dinner to
the inmates of St. Asaph poor-
house, at which he presided and
made a speech of great felicity,
during which he admitted that
whatever success he had attained
was due to the education and
training received at that institu-
tion.

In the mean time, besides
his travels in the far east, Stan-
ley represented the Herald as
correspondent with the British
expedition sent to Abyssinia to
obtain redress from King Theo-
dore for outrages committed upon
English subjects. A brief de-
scription of the war which fol-

HENRY MORTON STANLEY IN 1876. 1 J :11 U • 1. .•

' lowed will be interesting, as

well as germain to the general subject of this work, as it reflects, in a degree,
the character of the people with whom Chinese Gordon had to deal, as will be
hereafter related.

ENGLISH WAR WITH THEODORE.

Abyssinia, as before stated, has a history so thrilling and remarkable
ihat it possesses all the elements of romance, even to the extent of the
.seemingly improbable. Being an adjoining kingdom to Egypt, like the latter

Is served
however,
uis Demo-
j war, be-
)mmission
orth-west,

the New
I war with
t he was
iving com-
jyria, Per-
:d through
ithern Eu-
froiii Asia
sit to his
L dinner to
saph poor-
esided and
:at felicity,
litted that
id attained

ation and
lat institu-

le, besides
cast, Stan-
Herald as
le British
yssinia to
ing Theo-
itted upon
brief de-
ivhich fol-
isting, as
a degree,
ns will be

;markable
t of the
the latter

(201)

202

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

Abyssinia is of such antiquity that its earliest civilization has not been
recovered to history, being so ancient that it fades in the vast distance down
the avenues of the centuries. This mold of the ages, though glittering with
the glamor that legend, story and superstition impart, aroused the interest
of Stanley, as it did that of Cameron, Marco Polo, Bruce, Burton, and others
.long before; and when England declared war against the king of Abyssinia,
in 1864, it was with a heart filled with delight and expectancy that Stanley
set sail for the scene of hostilities as a representative of the Herald.

The events which led to a declaration of war, and the tragedies therewith
connected, may be briefly described as follows: Between the periods of 183 1
and 1855, Abyssinia was visited by a number of explorers, who returned to
their respective countries with considerable knowledge of the kingdom, and
which served to increase popular interest that had first been excited by the
romances about Prester John, as already explained. This public interest
prompted the appointment of Walter Plowden as consul to Abyssinia by the
British Government. About this time (1848) there was an internecine war
waging between the predatory followers of Lij Kasa (latterly King Theodore)
and the queen dowager, who, however, was acting as regent of her infant son„
Ras Ali, in the government of the Dembea district. In this war, which Kasa
waged for title and rulership, he was successful, and secured, as a concession,
not only the governorship of the district, but also a wife in the person of the
daughter of Ras Ali of Amhara, the de-facto governor of Central Abyssinia.
His ambition, however, not being full}^ gratified, a year after his marriage Kasa
began a war, upon some frail pretence, against his father-in-law, whom he easily
drove out of office, and then following his success with a subjugation of the
other chiefs, in 1855 found himself absolute master of the whole country, and
was crowned king of the kings of Ethiopia, taking the new name of Theodore.

Plowden, and another Englishman named Bell, continued to reside in Abys-
sinia until i860, when the}'^ were killed, as some assert, b}- King Theodore
himself, but others say by insurgents in an emeute that came near plunginv;
the entire country into another war. In 1862 England appointed Capt. Cameron
as Plowden's successor, who landed in due time at Massowa with presents for
the king. Though Theodore was not averse to the new appointee, he desired
a recognition, in the character of a representative at the English court, and
accordingly sent a messenger bearing a letter containing a request for sucli
representation to that countr}'. England, however, treated the request with
such discourtesy as to even refuse to make any repl}- thereto, following a
precedent set by France the year previous, to which a like letter 1 ad been
dispatched. Theodore was so incensed at this indignity that in November,
1863, ^1^ ordered the missionaries in the Dembea district thrown into prison;
and in January following Captain Cameron and his suite were similarly seized
and, being first subjected to many barbaric tortures, were confined in the prison
at Gondar, but soon after were removed to Magdala.

THK SUICIDB OF KJNG THKOUOKU.

(203)

204

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

AN EXPEDITION TO RESCUE THE PRISONERS.

When news of this outrage reached England, the government, feeling itself
culpable, sent a reply to Theodore's letter, conceding to his requests therein;
but the messenger by whom it was transmitted did not deliver the reply until
January, 1866, during which long interval Capt. Cameron continued to languish
in close confinement. On final receipt of the letter Theodore released his
prisoners, but almost immediately remanded them on account of a refusal of
the English messenger to communicate a request to his government for further
concessions. The queen being apprised of Theodore's perfidy, resolved to st^d
an expedition to rescue her subjects. A military force was accordingly organized
at Bombay, consisting of 4,000 English and 8,000 Sepoy troops, under command
of Sir Robert Napier. This army landed at Annesley bay in January, 1868,
and proceeded at once to Magdala, four hundred miles from the coast, where
the prisoners were confined. Arriving before the fortress April 9th, on the
following day the British were attacked by a large force of Abyssinians, whom,
however, they repulsed, with a loss of 700 killed and 1,200 wounded, while the
English had only twenty of their number wounded. This victory was followed
by the storming and burning of Magdala on the 13th, with a loss of only fifteen
of the British. When the outer gate of the city fell and the English came
pouring in, Theodore, fearful for his fate in the event of capture, placed the
muzzle of a pistol to his mouth and blew nearly all the top of his head off,
thus expiring instantly. This tragic event promptly terminated the war. The
prisoners were released and restored to their country, and the army was at
once sent home, leaving Abyssinia in the control of a chief of Tigre, named
Kasa, who was in time deposed and the rulership assumed by Menelek, who had
likewise risen from the plebeian ranks.

STANLEY CALLED TO FIND LIVINGSTONE.

At the close of the war with Abyssinia Stanley resumed his duty as rov-
ing correspondent and was in Spain, reporting the efforts of Don Carlos to
secure the throne, when Bennett called him to take command of an expedition
to go in search of Livingstone. Before proceeding upon this great undertak-
ing he reported for his paper the opening of the Suez Canal, and visited,
in the capacity of correspondent, Constantinople, Palestine, the Crimea, thence
the east again, going by way of the Euphrates, Persia and India, and to
Bombay, at which city he purchased supplies for the Livingstone expedition,
and then sailed for Zanzibar, October 12th, 1870, which he reached after a
voyage of thirty-seven days.

THE ENLISTMENT OF AN ESCORT AND PORTERS.

Stanley was well received by the American consul at Zanzibar, who gave
him a room in his own house and seemed to take delight in ministering to
his needs. He had engaged one man, Wm. L. Farquhar, on the barque Pol/y,
to accompany him into Africa, but, with this single exception, he had to
enlist his force at Zanzibar. John vShaw, an Englishman, was found adrift in

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

205

this Arabian port, and, upon his application, was enlisted at a salary of $300
per annum. It was desirable, however, to secure and equip an escort of twenty
free blacks for the road. There were scores of such fellows oifering, but they
were very unreliable, and it was with no little pleasure that Stanley heard
of several of Speke's " faithfuls '* who would be glad to go upon anothei
expedition. Five of these men were soon found and engaged at $40 each per
annum, and a few daj'S later Bombay, who was Speke's head man, came to
Zanzibar, and he, too, was enlisted and made captain of the black escort.
Bombay succeeded in getting eighteen more free men to volunteer as "askari"
(soldiers), men whom he knew would not desert and for whom he declared
himself responsible. Their wages were set down at $36 each per annum.
Each soldier was provided with a flint-lock musket, powder-horn, bullet-pouch,
knife and hatchet, besides enough powder and ball for two hundred rounds.
Bombay, in consideration of his rank and previous faithful services to Burton,
Speke and Grant, was engaged at $80 a year, half that sum in advance, and a
^ood muzzle-loading rifle, a pistol, a knife, and a hatchet were also presented
to him.

Two boats were purchased from the American consul for $120, one of which
would carry twelve men and the other half as many. These boats were stripped
of their boards and tarred canvas substituted, as a much lighter material and
less liable to leakage or rupture, being intended only for crossing streams
and navigating rivers and lakes. Twenty donkeys were purchased, and a cart
was constructed, eighteen inches wide and five feet long, to carry the narrow
ammunition boxes along the goat paths.

When his purchases were all completed, Stanley found materials aggre-
gating a weight of six tons, nearly all of which had to be carried to the centre
of Africa on the shoulders of men ; and for this purpose one hundred and sixty
carriers had to be engaged at Bagamoyo, situated on the mainland, across from
the island of Zanzibar.

Twenty-eight days after his arrival in Zanzibar, Stanley was ready to start
upon his search for Livingstone, but before departing the Sultan gave him an
audience, at which royal letters were prepared by his Highness commending
Stanley to the gracious favor of all Arabs whom he might meet. The Sultan
also gave him a beautiful horse, and an American merchant at Zanzibar added
another, a fine blooded animal worth $500. But when everything was ready
and the dhow that was to ferry the expedition to Bagamoyo was on the point
of leaving, it was discovered that Farquhar and Shaw were missing; a long
search finally revealed them in a beastly state of intoxication at one of the
grog-shops in a quiet corner of the town, and they had to be led down to the boat.

THE HIPPOPOTAMI'S HAUNTS.

The expedition reached Bagamoyo on February 6th, 187 1, but here most
provoking delays occurred by reason of the numerous false promises made by
native agents whom Stanley employed to engage carriers for him. He did not

(■

2o6

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

start the first caravan until February iStb, ar 1 the fifth, or last, did not get
away until March 21st. The total number, inclusive of all souls co'niected
with the expedition, was 192. These, when together, presented an imposing
appearance, headed by the .American flag, which for the first time was carried
into the wilds- of Africa. The expedition was now on the road to Ujiji, by way
of Unyanyembe.

The first trouble encountered was at the turbid Kingani river. The jungle
along its right 'bank was tlireaded some distance, when a narrow sluice of
black mud, not more than eight feet broad, crossed the path, and to get the
animals over this it was necessary to construct a bridge by felling trees and

CNC.AC.INO I'ORTERS AT BAGAMOYO.

covering them with grass. Further on the river had to be crossed, which was
effected, after much labor, in one frail canoe, hollowed out of an immense tree.

After the process of ferr3'ing was fairly begun, Stanley amused himself for
a while shooting at the many hippopotami that infested the stream, but as hv
used a No. 44 Winchester, so little execution was done that he appeared to be
less amused than the huge creatures whose thick hides readily deflected the
bullets that struck them.

After making a crossing of the Kingani, the expedition came to a village
called Rosako, where camp was made, but peace and rest was alike disturbed
by the demonstrative curiosities of the natives, especially the women, who added

Iwliich was
liiense tree,
liiniself fi)r
I but as he
tared to be
(fleeted the

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

207

impertinence to their surprise, an made most shockinjjf exhibitions of their
disgusting nakedness. The route which the expedition had now entered upcn

AFKKCriONATE CURIOSITY OI' ROSAKO WOMKN.

to reach Ugogo was a new one, over which no white man had ever before
passed, so that the rudeness of the natives was somewhat excusable; but Stanley

i!;i

ao8

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

was so annoyed at length that he tnrnecl loose a watch dog which he had
brought with him from Bombay, to disperse the crowds that surrounded hiy
tent, and a most effective expedient it proved to be.

JUNGLES, SLAVES AND AFRICAN BEAUTIES.

From Rosako the read changed suddenly to a narrow goat-path, on accoun:
of an extremely thick jungle which covered a very large district, and

at places it was almost impossi-
ble for the pack-animals to move
through. Numerous halts were neces-
sary to re-arrange the packs on the
donkeys, which so frequently shifted
by being caught by wait-a-bit thorns
that extended across the way. On
April I St, the fine horse presented to
Stanley by the Sultan was taken
severely ill from the effects of bites
of the tsetse fly and died after a few
hours of intense suffering. Fifteen
hours later the other horse met with
a like fate, added to which losses ten
of Stanley's best men were stricken
with fever, while all the porters were
so nearly exhausted that it was im-
possible to make greater progress
than five miles a day.

On the 1 8th of April they met
a chained slave-gang, bound east.
The slaves did not appear to be in
the least down-hearted; on the con-
trary, they seemed imbued with the
philosophic jollity of the happy
servant of Martin Chuzziewit. Ex-
cept for their chains, it would have
been difficult to discover master from
slave ; the physiognomic traits were
alike — the mild benignity with which
they regarded Stanley's party was
equally visible on all faces. The
chains were ponderous, they might
have held elephants captive ; but as the slaves carried nothing but them-
selves, their weight was not insupportable.

The expedition encamped one evening at a prettily situated village, named
Kisemo. The district was extremely populous, there being five villages in a

A nKI.LK Ol' KISKMO.

■I'.'".-/ ■•: -'

he had
Linded hisr

ti accoun:
rict, auci
impossi-
to move
^ere neces-
:s on the
ly shifted
bit thorns
way. On
eseiited to
^^as taken
ts of bites
ifter a fesv
r. Fifteen
; met with
. losses ten
e stricken
lorters were
was im-
progress

they met
3und east,
to be in
1 the con-
i with the
he happy
ewit. Ex-
ould have
laster from
raits were
with which
party was
aces. The
[hey might
bnt them-

ige, named
I ages in a

«i"C^''

■;-9- '

"'feS^S^ffi

208

iib:roks of thk dark continent.

was io iiuiiovi'ti ;it lt'ii_..'Lii that he '.irncd ]•" s:: .1 wau-h ilo;; wliu-li he hai!
broilj-^hi. ".vith hini ir.Mn Mojiiliay. !■. ili'.j/v'r.o iliv :r')\',vls ihat s'jrnaini.'aid hi-
tent, and .1 ino^i- '-ik ci.iu :xt>rait.n! ii j)*--)'-!m! tn I'o

jU' .■(:■!.!•■«. SI.AVKS ANU AFRICAN IM- rtU'l'IKS

FroTU Ro^a.lv" i!'.i. Vo.'A ■''', \::yi-d -'I'ldcnlv to a uarmw ;^"oal p.itli, on accou;
of aa e.virei>)ci\' 'hid. ii.n.';]'. .'-iiici'i i.^ivrred a veiy Uir<,;V'..' d;^ 'iiaiC,

, - ji »^ jf^ . 'I |)1 '-'cs '.L V', a>> ,tiim)..l iinpii-

■v i>!o K>: the pa..'k-in!ii)al', to v:

^ * ^ ^ tiironyll, \ ;i'!..'ro!iS iKiil.-i UCr' IK

''^^'^lir>J W r^^4M^ 'Wk ■'■■-•:•■ !" >-. -:o-,,,n-c llle -aa-ks OM i,:;-
.'■ ,.*^/ /'^/^f ^'."^WW '11 •l-i)'.:.vs ^v'^.h ^a. ircqueiUlv :-;li.tV

')V lai'i:;- '.•uiaiil !)\ wai: ai-oiL tJi-a
iSp ''a;' rvi'ii.lid :i'.io^a the \v;t\a ('

'#-.>*,

a ; '

-t . iJit. 'lav- iioT'^e prc^euttai

S'lhaiil \vt- tal

Si.aith \ '.

sf '■ ■ . ■'! ficaa t la^ ciiccts of

C , !,^i it

I'l:

) 1

\i\'.: i-'.'L-a ;;■. and dud alter ri a
III- ot '.uliMlsf >affe;'ii:Lr. Fid-.
! lun!-, .v>: the t-iiicr iioi-s>, mci a^
<■ hi .' iaUa a<l!cd f.n wii'th lo^-'-ts 1
'■'■ S!.>.^'e\"^ heat in,.ai ^vciv >ar'<.d
x' 'la N 'a-r, adiilc all '.ha iimacr-;
o tHMfi-, axhaiisU'l thai \[ v aa •
po . . ah' li uKika L;:aater pi'ou
! i'a'v h\f laii .- ; da\ .

()ii [ 1 '. id;h of April >^lay a
a "haaicd ■d,i\a>L;.iiii;. ' .Muid :•..
T; • s^ a-s did ia't aiii)i..i,i lo la
1 -a- h'a t do<\-r da 11 led ; a; th; -
; . :• I !a;',' ^:'j'. -H-d iia' 'le.' wuh

11- :1 :

a-'- <a ala' ■ '■:<. <..]\i\/./ f ,\ a .
eiaa li c ihei!' ^dia '.;•.:■ ' ^' add a ■

Sv'i'',aa ai.i-l a a
•■!a' > ; I h- I'i'.a :'. )., !• iiiie t yji s m
. ]•' --! :.e :,i: a' li". : uia •,■. e a a i

^(/j•ldt■ i ^1!il'- of
.a \ht'-i

d-Maallt ;

>ta;de\- ■■ IKO 1 a

1 ■

a> :0
,1, .,

have h'd'' aie; i:..a^ i a!i' • •' . ia.: 'S
Stives, Ihesr ■■\> ";liL \.a-. a il -a . ..'V .t 1
T!ii' I. \pv dilioii ', I aap' i ■ •■'( a\ ea
Kisemo. dda dt>naei a,,.. eNireaiel,

1 ■ a'-' ^'> ' '■'■■ ; ' aa!' • > im.^, ' a'-\ i-
•.'■■, V. ,a. . ii i il' itai a! '^ 1 J a ;

It ;, (a V ' ' d>/ a r.aie<l \ l' eaia
a! . ;i\a: \ d 'ai'ia-

'i.

'i?

PI
■<

-i

jjl

BTI

CI 1

*!ri

^ ^

H i

I -

■9P

lftk>

p^.

m il

2 jJ

/■iMidai a die''

i r'l

i-C\l

M. ,1
1,

■:i,l ;■

J-.

> I

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

209

circuit of as many miles, each fortified by stakes and thorny abattis. The
belles of Kisemo are famed for their extraordinary natural development, and
their vanity finds expression in brass wire, which adorns their waists and
ankles, while their less attractive brothers are content with such adornments
as dingy cloths and split ears. A more comical picture is seldom presente'i
than one of these highly-dressed females v/ith the magnificent developments
already noted, viewing herself in a looking glass, or engaged in the homely and
necessary task of grinding con' for herself and family. The grinding appar-
atus consists of two portions : one a thick pole of hard wood, about six feet
long, answering for a pestle ; the other, a capacious wooden mortar, three feet
in height; and the swaying motion of the wome-i in handling this pestle
forms a rare and ludicrous picture,

TIDINGS OF LIVINGSTONE!.

The fourth caravan, which had been making up for lo.st time by travelling
ahead for several days, was come up with at the village of Muhalleh ; several
of the men had fallen sick, so that the caravan went into camp here to await
Stanley and the medicine chest. During a two days' encampment at this vil-
lage Stanley met an Arab trader, bound eastward, w ith a large caravan carry-
ing three hundred elephant tusks. This good Ar?'j, besides welcoming the
new-' omer with* a present of rice, gave him news of Liv^ingstone. He had
met the old traveler at Ujiji, and had lived in the hut next to him for two weeks.
He described him as old appearing, with long gray mustache and beard, just
recovered from a severe illness, and looking ver)' wan; "wlien fully recovered,
Livingstone said he intended to visit a country called Manyuema, by way of
Marungu.

A WALLED AND CASTELLATED AFRICAN CITY.

The march now followed the valley of the Ungerengeri until the waPed

city of Simbamwenni was reached. This is one of the wonderful cities of Africa.

The town contains about 1,000 houses, and a population of perhaps 5000. The

buildings are eminently African, but are strongly constructed. The fortifications

are after an Arabic-Persian model — combining Arab neatness with Persian

architecture. They are stone, pierced with two rows of loop-holes for musketry.

The area of the town is about half a square mile, its plan being quadrangular.

Well-built towers of stone guard each corner ; four gates, one facing each

cardinal point, and set lialf-wa" between the several towers, permit ingress and

es^ress for its inhabitants. The gates are closed with solid square doors, made

of African teak, and carved with infinitesimally fine and complicated devices

of the Arabs, from which it is suppo.sed that the doors were made either at

Zanr^ibar or on the coast, and conveyed to Simbamwenni, plank by plank ; yet

as there is nnich communication between Bagamoyo and Simbamwenni, it is

just po.ssible that native artisans are the authors of this ornate workninnship,

as several doors chiselled and carved in the same manner, though not quite so

elaborately, are visible in the largest houses.
14

2IO

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

lii I

! :

n.'-

The Sultana, or ruler of this Africau city, was the eldest daughter of the
famous Kisabeugo, who was another Theodore on a small scale. Sprung from
humble ancestry, he acquired distinction for his personal strength, his powers
of harangue, and his amusing and versatile address, by which he gained great
ascendancy over fugitive slaves, and was chosen a leader among them. Fleeing
from justice, which awaited him at the hands of the Zanzibar Sultan, he arrived
in Ukami, and here he commenced a career of conquest, the result of which
was the acquisition of an immense tract of fertile conntr}\ On its most desir-

CITV OK SIMIIAMWKNNI.

able site, with the river flowing close under the wall, he built his capital and
called it Simbannvenni, which means " The Lion," or the strongest city. In
old age th'- successful robber and kidnapper changed his name of Kisabenjn),
which had gained such a notoriety, to Simbamwenni, after his town ; and when
'^ying, after desiring that his eldest daughter should succeed him, he bestowed
the name of the town upon her also.

Stanley, after praising the country for its great beauty and marvellons
fertility, says : " A railroad from Baganioyo to Simbannvenni niiglit be construcUd
vivith as much case and rapidity as. and at far less cost than, the Union Pacific

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

211

iter of the
Druug from
his powers
allied great
11. Fleeing
, he arrived
Lt of which
most desir-

capiuil and

;st city. In

Kisabenin',

Ui ; and when

he bestowed

t marvellous

constructnl

fnion Paciiic

Railway, whose rapid strides day by day toward completion the world heard of
and admired. A residence in this part of Africa, after a thorough system of
drainage had been carried out, would not be attended with any more discomfort
than generally follows upon the occupation of new land. The temperature at
ibis season during the day never exceeded eighty-five degrees Fahrenheit. The
nights were pleasant — too cold without a pair of blankets for covering.

A BLACK SULTANA'S REVENGE.

While passing Simbamwenni, Stanley was accosted by some soldiers sent
out by the Sultana to collect a tribute for the privilege of a passage. He
refused to pay anything, and sent back word that he recognized no right by
which such a demand should be made. He heard nothing further at that time
from the bold princess.

Five miles further on, a cooV elonging to the expedition was arrested for
stealing. This being his fourth otfense, Stanley ordered him to be flogged with
a cowhide over his jacket, a punishment which was hardly as severe as the
thief deserved ; and in order to frighten him, Stanley told him that he must
leave the camp and get back to Zanzibar the best way he could. The man,
thinking the order was given in earnest, bolted off and disappeared in the
jungle. Stanley knew that the man must perish if he really attempted to travel
to Zanzibar, and supposing he would come back, left a donkey tied to a tree,
upon which he might ride and overtake the caravan.

Directly after this incident Bombay -.:ime riding up to Stanley and reported
the loss of a gun, a pistol, an American axe, a bale of cloth, and some beads ;
he explained that he had laid the articles' down while going to a stream for
water, and upon returning found them gone, stolen, he declared, by the subjects
of the Sultana.

The caravan was now obliged to stop, while Stanley sent back three
soldiers to recover the articles, if possible, and also to find the culprit who had
run off. After a search of two days the soldiers found the donkey and missing
articles in possession of two natives, whom he took to the Sultana, where they
were charged with murdering the missing man. This they stronglj' denied, but
the Sultana believed them guiltj'^ and threw them into prison to await the next
caravan going to Zanzibar, whither she would send them for sentence. The
Sultana next ordered the three soldiers seized and placed in chains, and also
confiscated their property, and declared she would detain tliem until their
master should return and pay her the tribute she had demanded. The unfortuuate
soldiers were kept in chains in the market-place, exposed to the taunts of the
servile multitude, for sixteen hours, when tlie}^ were discovered by a sheik who
had passed Stanley five days before. This man recognized the soldiers as
members of the expedition, and sought an audience with them. After 1, ariiig
their story, the good-hearted sheik sought the presence of the Sultana, and in-
formed her that she was doing very wrong — a wrong that could only terminate
in blood. "The Musuugu is strong," he said, "very strong; he has got two

s 5

212

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT..

■! .1

guns which shoot fort}' times without stopping, carrying bullets half an hour's
distance ; he has got several guns which carry bullets that burst, and tear a
man to pieces. He could go to the top of that mountain, and could kill every
man, woman, and child in the town, before one of your soldiers could reach
the top. The road will then be stopped, Syed Burghash will march against
your coxxntry, the Wadoe and Wakami will come and take revenge on what is
left, and the place that your father made so strong will know the Waseguhha
no more. Set free the Musungu's soldiers ; give them their food, and grain for
the Musungu ; return the guns to the men and let them go ; for the white
man may even now be on his way here."

.STANI.KY CRO.SHING Tlllv INUNUATKI) SAV.\NNAH.

These exaggerated reports of Stanley's power produced a good effect, for
the soldiers were released, their arms and the donkeys restored, and sufficient
food was furnished to last them for four days, until they could overtake the
caravan. Stanley was very much exercised over the outrage which he felt had
been committed on his men, but he was now so far advanced that he could
not afford to turn back and obtain satisfaction. But the runaway cook was not
found, nor were any tidings of him, good or bad, ever obtained.

A DREADFUL SWAMP.

The expedition started again, after a delay of four days, for Ugogo, in the
midst of a pitiless rain storm, which flooded the country and rendered travel-
ling excessively difficult. They soon struck a swamp from which the malari.il

l» !

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

213

evaporations rose up so rank that Shaw t^ok sick, and the labor of driving the
caravan fell entirely on Stanley. The donkeys stuck in the mire e.ij if they
were rooted tc it. As fast as one was flogged from his stubborn position, prone
to the depths fell another, so that the labor of extricating them was madden-
ing, under pelting rain, assisted by such men as Bombay and Uledi, who were
:is much afraid of the storm as the donkeys were of the mire. Two hours of
such a task enabled Stanley to drag his caravan over a savannah one mile and
a half broad ; but barely had he finished congratulating himself over his suc-
cess before he was -lalted by a deep ditch, which, filled with rain-water from
the inundated savannahs, had become a considerable stream, breast-deep, flow-
ing swiftly into the Makata. Donkeys had to be unloaded, led through a tor-
rent, and loaded again on the other bank — an operation which consumed a full
hour.

On the following day another part of the swamp was reached, which was
five miles across and from one to four feet deep ; this was the sorest march
made by the expedition, and so serious were its effects that two of the carriers
(and the dog) died, also twelve of the donkeys, and Stanley was brought to
tlie brink of the grave from fever and acute dysentery.

On May 4th they ascended a gentle slope to a village named Reheuneko,
where a halt of four days was made, to rest and recover from the effects
of the fever with which all were suffering. It was a delightful place, most
fortuitously reached, for another day in the the swamps would have, no
doubt, destroyed the expedition.

Farquhar, who had charge of the fourth caravan, had preceded Stanley
two days, but he sent back word to Reheuneko that all but one of his
donkeys had died and his provisions were almost exhausted. Upon learning
tliis Stanley pushed on to Lake Ugonibo, where he met Farquhar and found
him in a most pitiable condition, his feet and limbs being swollen to frightful
proportions from elephantiasis, which made it almost impossible to niGve about
even in his tent. But this affliction was largely the result of his inordi-
nate dissipation, while the exhaustion of his supplies was likewise attribut-
able to his neglect of duty, due to drunkenness. Sh*w was no more reliable,
and to his worthlessness he added insolence, which Stanley was finally com-
pelled to rebuke by knocking him down. Smarting under this punishment
and humiliation, on the following night he attempted to assassinate Stanley,
the bullet from his rifle passing through the pillow on which Stanley' was
resting his head. Being unable, as well as indisposed, to move further,
Fiirquhur, at his request, was left at a village in the Ugogq country, with
plenty of supplies and in charge of a kind old man.

AN IMPOSING ENTRANCE INTO UGOGO.

Stanley now marched on to Cliungo, where he joined a trading party of
Arabs going west, and twelve new carriers were engaged, «o thftt the entire
force was increased to four hundred souls, with flags, horns, drums, guns, etc.,

I i

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

215

making a most formidable caravan for Central Africa. They were now only
thirty miles from Ugogo.

The entrance into Ugogo was the very counterpart of a circus parade ;
Stanley rode at the head, and as he came in sight of the village its swarming
inhabitants rushed out to meet him, shouting with all the strength of their
lungs. The whole village was soon before, abreast and behind his heels,
lullalooing and shouting in the most excited manner; for Stanley was the
first white man they had ever seen. From one village to another, which are
in immediate succession and called Ugogo, the crowd kept gathering, until a
furious mob of naked men, women and children, their bodies ornately tat-
tooed, pressed upon the white man. "Hitherto," says Stanley, "I had compared
myself to a merchant of Bagdad, travelling among the Kurds of Kurdistan,
selling his wares of Damascus silk, kefiyehs, etc. ; but now I was compelled to
lower my standard, and thought myself not much better than the monkey in
the zoological collection at Central Park, whose funny antics elicit such bursts
of laugh; cr from young New Yorkers. One of my soldiers requested them
to lessen their vociferous noise ; but the evil-minded race ordered him to shut
up, as a thing unworthy to speak to the Wagogo! When I imploringly
turned to the Arabs for counsel in this strait, old Sheik Thani, always
worldly wise, said, 'Heed them not; they are dogs who bite besides barking.' "

A camp was made, and negotiations with the natives soon began. The
quantity and variety of provisions produced in the country was positively as-
tonishing, proving Ugogo to be one of the very richest districts of all Africa.
The natives brought and sold milk, both sour and sweet, honey, beans, Indian
corn, a variety of peas, peanuts, bean-nuts, pumpkins, water-melons, musk-mel-
ons, cucumbers, and many other kinds of vegetables. But the great Sultan of
Mvunii, or ruler of Ugogo, was a most extortionate old relic of Arabic cupidity
and autocracy, and compelled Stanley to pay a large tribute of cloth and beads
for the privik,^^e of crossing his country.

APPLICATION OF THE WHIP.

As the expedition continued its march, each village was emptied of its in-
habitants, who ran along staring at the Musungu (white .man) and frequently
commiting insolent acts, until Stanley's patience with them became quite ex-
hausted. He writes: "Hitherto, those we had met had contented themselves
with staring and shouting ; but these outstepped all bounds, and my growing
anger at their excessive insolence vented itself in gripping the rowdiest of
them by the neck, and before he could recover from his astonishment admin-
istering a sound thrashing with my dog-whip, which he little relished. This
proceeding educed from the tribe of starers all their native power of vituper-
ation and abuse, in expressing which they were peculiar. Appv'>:.ching in
manner to angry tc u-cats, they jerked their words with something of a split-
ting hiss and a half bark, and spitting at my legs. The ejaculation, as near a:;
I can spell it phonetically, was 'hahcht,' uttered in a shrill crescendo tone.

HEROES or THE DARK CONTINENT.

217

They paced backward and forward, asking themselves, 'Are the Wagogo to be
beaten like this by Musungu! A Mgogo is a Mgwana (a free man) ; he is not
used to be beaten, — hahcht.' But whenever I made a motion, flourishing my
whip toward them, these mighty braggarts found it convenient to move to
respectful distances from the irritated Musungu."

A march of three days brought the expedition to the Wahumba district,
wliich is small, comprising only a few villages, and these not numerously in-
habited ; but the people are none the less remarkable. They live in cone huts
plastered with cow-dung, and shaped like the Tartar tents of Turkestan. The
men are remarkably well formed and handsome, having clean limbs and the
most exquisite features. Athletics from their youth, they intermarry and keep
the race pure. The women are as handsome as the men, and have a clear ebon
skin of an inky hue. Their ornaments consist of spiral rings of bi. s, pendant
from the ears, brass ring collars about their necks, and a spiral cincture of
brass around the loins, used as an ornament and algo to keep the goat-skins
folded about their persons in place ; these skins depend from the shoulder and
shade one-half the bosom.

A MOMENT OF DREAD.

The village of Mukondoku, on the borders of Ugogo, is a large place, con-
taining perhaps three thousand people. They flocked to see the wonderful man
whose face was white, who wore the most remarkable things on his person, and
possessed the most surprising weapons; guns which "bum-bummed " as fast as
you could count on your fingers. They formed such a mob of howling savages
that Stanley for an instant thought there was something besides mere curiosity
which caused such commotion and attracted such numbers to the roadside.
Halting, he asked what was the matter, an( what they wanted, and why they
made such a noise? One burly rascal, taking his words for a declaration of
hostilities, promptly drew his bow, but in an instant Stanley's faithful Win-
chester, with thirteen shots in the magazine, was ready and at the shoulder,
but he waited to see the arrow fly before pouring the leaden messengers of
death "into the crowd. They vanished as quickly as they had come, leaving the
burly Thersites, and two or three irresolute fellows of his tribe, standing within
pistol range. Such a sudden dispersion of the mob which, but a moment be-
fore, was overwhelming in numbers, caused Stanley to lower his rifle, and to
indulge in a hearty laugh at the disgraceful flight of the men-destroj^ers. The
Arabs, who were as much alarmed at their boisterous obtrusiveness, now came
up to patch a truce, in which they succeeded to everybody's satisfaction. A
few words of explanation and the mob came back in greater numbers than be-
fore, and the savage who had been the cause of the momentary disturbance,
was obliged to retire abashed before the pressure of public opinion. A chief
now came up, whom Stanley afterward learned was the second man to Swaruru,
tlie Sultan, and lectured the people upon their treatment of the " White
Stranger." "Know ye not, Wagogo," shouted he, "that this Musungu is a Sultan

ftp I

<mam

::?

1 :

2l8

HKROKS OF THK DARK CONTINHNT.

(nitcnii — a most high title). He has not come to Ugogo like the Wakonotigo
(Arabs), to trade in ivory, but to see us, and give presents. Why do you molest
him and his people ? Let tlieUi [)ass in peace. If you wish to see him, draw
near, but do not mock him. The first of you who creates a disturbance, let
him beware; our great nitemi shall know how von treat his friendt:." He thcre-

THE CHIRP TRACHINC. ItIS SUHJKCTS MANNKRS.

upon seized a long stick and laid about him so vigorously that the crowd wa>
driven into the huts and did not offer any further annoyances.

ARRIVAL AT UNYANYEMBE.

The march, after the foregoing incident, was uninterrupted, until the cara-
van reached Unyanyembe, which is situated in an iindulating plain, surrounded
by most picturesque scenery, and lies nearly five hundred miles, by the route,
or three hundred as the crow flies, from Zanzibar. As will be remembered, the

HEROES OK THE DARK CONTINENT.

219

last caravan left r^ajj^aiuoyo March 21, 1S71 ; they arrived in Unyanyenibe on
the 22(1 of Jnne, liavin^ been three months on the way. Considerinjj; the char-
acter of the eountrj' traversed and obstacles met with, this average of five miles
per day was an uncommonly good one.

The Arab governor of Tnyanyembe, Sayd bin Salim, received Stanley in a
most hospitable manner and with delightfnl courtesy, which did not relapse
dnring the three months that he was compelled, by sickness and a war which
was rit the time bcinc: prosccnted bv a native chief named Mirntnbo a.ufainst the

llNI.Y A WUU'l' Ol-' A.MMONiA.

Arabs, to remain in Unyanycmbc. This interval also gave Stanley time to
reorganize a new force, of which he stood greatly in need, becanse of the ir-
subordination of a large part of his original escort.

The public highway to Ujiji was rendered very dangerous to travellers by
Mirambo's soldiers, who were in ambush in many places along the route watch-
ing for Arab troops and caravans, so that Stanley very prudently decided to
proceed by a long circuit to the south-west, which though it presented many
difficulties, was at least secure. Accordingly, on the 2otli o{ vSeptember, the
expedition set forward again, but not without many interruptions. Shaw became

■ ^-

■ M
i III

i , -1

i t

220

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

a victim to hypochondria and so totally unfitted for travel that at his entreaties
he was sent back to Unyauyembe, where a few weeks later he died.

The route taken by Stanley led through Ugunda, a well fortified city of
three thousand people, and an elevated, healthy and highly productive country
in which he expected supplies would be easily obtained. But the general fear
of Miranibo made it difficult to open negotiations with the natives, and but
for the diplomacy of Bombay the expedition would have suffered from a
scarcity of food. This cunning and most serviceable lieutenant finally
gained the ear of the Manyara chief and by the presentation of a quantit}' of
royal cloths and brass, secured not only the chief's confidence but a liberal
supply of honey, fowls, goats and vegetables. This confidence soon assumed

the air of
r tmiliarity by
the chief and
his principal
men ei:tering
Stanley's
tent, where
their curi-
osity was
regaled by a
dose of strong
brandy and
a w h i ff of

a m m o n 1 a .
The}' CO m-
plained of
the terrible
strength of
the white
man's pombe,
A ci.oRiou.s HUNT. aud tlic cliicf

tumbled over backwards when he took a deep inhalation of the ammonia, to

the very great amusement of all present.

A LAND WITH GAME ABOUNDING.

A day's march from Manyara brought the expedition to the Gambe river,
along the banks of which were thousands of buffaloes, giraffes, hartcbeests,
zebras, elands, spring-boks, guinea fowls, floricans and other animals and birds.
The temptation to take a hunt was irresistible, and vStanlcy went out for a
day's sport, during which he killed two buffaloes, two wild boars, three hartc-
beests, one zebra, one pallah, eight guinea fowls, three floricans, and two large
fish-eagles, off which the expedition feasted for two days. Instead, however, of
the feast putting everybody in good humor, an opposite effect seemed to have

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

221

been produced, for when Stanley ordered a resumption of the march he was
met by obstinate refusal, and a mutiny, of which Bombay was the leader.
Prompt and vigorous measures, however, served to quell it with no other resort
to force than a punch of one of the leaders with a gun and threat to shoot
the others.

Confidence returned after the subsidence of the mutineers, and Bombay came"
forward to embrace Stanley and swear perpetual allegiance. The country too
was now much improved and as Lake Tanganyika was less than one hundred
miles distant, the spirits of every one appeared to suddenly rise at the pleas-
ing prospects before them. On the 2 2d of October, Stanley went into camp on
a clear stream of water called the Mtambu, at which lions, leopards and wild
boars came to quench their thirst, and about which elephants and rhinoceri
were very numerous. When driving the donkeys and goats down to water a
black leopard leaped out of th'^ adjacent jungle and fastened on the neck of a

A BOAR ! A BOAR !

donkey. The surprise was so great that the men broke in precipitate retreat,
leaving their herds to the mercies of whatever ravenous animal might wish
to satisfy its hunger. The poor donkey stood his ground, however, and set up
such a deafening braying that the leopard was more frightened than the men,
and leaving its perch on the donkey's neck retreated into the thicket, nor did
any of the wild animals, so plentiful thereabouts, show themselves to any mem-
ber of the expedition. The braying donkey had cleared the country.

MONKEYS, A SAVAGE BOAR AI^D RAVENOUS CROCODILE.

A few miles beyond the Mtambu Stanley went to hunt in the beautiful
park-like country, but found nothing for some time, until, when on the point
of returning to the caravan, his attention was arrested by a troop of monkej^s
that had been startled in the high brandies of a tall tree by the strange ap-
pearance, to them, of a white man. They chattered in the most boisterous
manner and performed the most ludicrous acts, which afforded Stanley consid-

(332)

STANI<UY'S 1-IRST sight OV LAKli TANGANYIKA.

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

223

mr:'

m^r

erable, amusement until hi i gun-bearer, Kalulu, slionted, " A boar, a boar." Im-
mediately Stanley turned from the monkeys and saw within a few yards of
him, a reddish-l)rown wild boar that stood champing and showing its murder-
ous looking tusks. Recovering his self-possession, he advanced within forty
yards of the beast, and fired at its fore-shoulder. The boar made a furious
bound, and then stood with his bristles erected and his tufted tail curved over
his back. Another shot was planted in his chest, and ploughed its way entirely
through his body; but, instead of falling, the boar charged at Stanley, and re-
ceived another bullet through the body, whereupon it dropped, but as Stanley
stooped to cut its throat, it sprang up and darted off into the jungle.

Two da3's after this incident, ovember 2d, the expedition reached the
Malagazazi river, which was considerably swollen by recent rains. There was
no other means of crossing the donkeys than by swimming them over, while
the. men walked across on a large fallen tree, holding to the lariats. In mak-
ing the passage one of the donkeys was seized by a monster crocodile, and
despite its braying and struggling and the shouts of the men as they pulled on
the rope to which it was fast, the poor creature was drawn under and carried
away, to be devoured.

The following day Stanley met a party of Waguphas, who lived in a dis-
trict south-west of Lake Tanganyika, from whom he learned the welcome news
that they had just come from Ujiji, where they saw a white man who had
marched from a far countr}-, and being deserted by his carriers had come into
Ujiji in a sick and greatly enfeebled condition.

THE FINDING OF LIVINGSTONE.

'fhis news stimulated .'^f.anley to put forth every effort to reach Ujiji at
the earliest possible moment, as he felt certain that the white man was no other
than Livingstone, and he was much concerned lest the great explorer might
leave Ujiji before his arrival. Special rewards were offered the carriers if they
would make more rapid progress, but the march was soon interrupted by a
war-like chief who appeared with eighty warriors demanding a heavy toll for
permission to pass his territory. "As his stores were already very low, and there
were several other chiefs between him and Ujiji, Stanley decided to make a circuit
in order to avoid the toll routes, even though his arrival at Ujiji would be con-
siderably delayed. Accordingly, a wide detour was made by following elephant
paths in the jungle, selecting night as the most favorable time for journe^ang,
l)ccause more likely to avoid discovery. By this means a safe passage was
made, and on the i6th of November he entered Ujiji, having made the trip from
Bagamoyo in one year and a month from the time of starting.

The entrance into the post was made amid the beting of drums, firing of
guns and waving of flags, so great a noise being thus made that, weak as he
was, Livingstone came out of his quarters to discover the cause. The servants
of Livingstone preceded him to the place of tumult, and from these Stanley
learned that the object of his search was near by ; directl}' after Livingstone

■f II

d
m

l; 11

ii<^g^ii$i^'\^-'. ■r^^ >ja@if v^-*v T?3R':'^ f

224

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

himself came up, to whom Stanley addressed the first words, " Dr. Livingstone,
I presume."

The joy of this meeting was inexpressible, and hence no attempt was made
by either to measure his thankfulness in words. It was like the reunion of
the prodigal son and his father, who feasted upon the fatted calf in order to
place the stomach in harmony with the spirit, for after the first greeting Stan-
ley and Livingstone at once indulged themselves at a rich repast with cham-
pagne accompaniment, a few bottles of which Stanley had brought v, "♦^^h him in
anticipation of just such an occasion.

CHALLENGED BY AN ELEPHANT.

In a previous chapter I have described what followed the meeting between
Stanley and Livingstone, how the two conducted a joint expedition to the
northern end of Lake Tanganyika, and on returning how they departed for
Unyanyembe together. In this journey only one incident of interest is men-
tioned which may be thus briefl}' related.

They had travelled several days, and after camping one afternoon, Stanley
thought he would endeavor to procure some meat, which the i ; ^resting region
where they then were seemed to promise. He sallied out with iiis little Win-
chester along the banks of the river eastward. After travelling for an hour or
two, the prospect getiing more picturesque and lovely, he went up a ravine
which looked very promising. Unsuccessful, he strode up the bank, and to his
astonishment found himself directly in front of an elephant, who had his large
broad ears held ont like studding sails — the colossal monster, the incarnation
of might of the African world.

Kalulu, who was with his ma.ster, shouted, "Tenibo ! tembo! bana yango!
Lo! an elephant! an elephant, my master!" for the young black rascal had
fled as soon as he saw the awful colossus in such close vicinage. Recovering
from his astonishment, Stanley thought it prudent to retire also — especially with
a pea-shooter loaded with treacherous sawdust cartridges in his hand. As he
looked behind h^ saw the elephant waving his trunk, as much as to say, "Good-
bye, young fellow, it is lucky for you that you went in time, for I was going
to pound you to a jelly."

They rested at l^nyanyembe until March i8th, when Stanlej' divided his
goods with the Doctor and set out on a hurried march for Zanzibar, where it
was arranged that he should enlist a new company and send them back to
Livingstone, with such additional supplies and goods as he needed. It was a sad
farewell. A strong mutual attachment had spru!ig up between the two men,
alone in the wilderness of Central Africa, and when the time came they found
it liard to separate.' Stanle}- was going home to the comforts and pleasures
of civilization, while his friend would again plunge into the dark forests in
search of that (Qiiis fatmis^ the sources of the Nile. They walked together
along the homeward route for some distance ; then Livingstone stopped and
held out his hand. The time to part had come. Words stuck fast in the throats

^ivingstone,

t was made
reunion of
n order to
eting Stan-
.vitli cham-
'♦^^h him in

ng between
ion to the
eparted for
St is men-

on, Stanley
ting region
little Win-
an hour or
p a ravine
^ and to his
d his large
incarnation

ma yango !
ascal had
Recovering
cially with
d. As he
ay, "Good-
was going

ivided his

", where it

1 back to

was a sad

two men,
hey fonnd

pleasnrcs

forests in

together

bpped and

Ihe throats

::;

(225)

226

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

of each during that" silent, earnest grip of the hands. Livingstone turned his
face to the west, and walked slowly back towaixl Unyanyembe, and descending
a gentle slope he disappeared forever from the civilized world, while Stanley
thoug-ilfully and sorrowfully turned his face to the east.

HOME AGAIN, AND HONORED 3Y THE QUEEN.

The return march to Zanzibar was accomplished in much less time than it
took to complete the outward journey, and without special incident, as there was
now no danger of mutiny or dissatisfaction. The expedition left Ujiji on the
26th of December, 187 1, and marched into Bagamoyo, on the 7th of May, thus
making ihe return trip in less than five months.

STAM,EY AN'U LIVINGSTONE OM THIi SHUK1-; Ul' 'IWNGAXVIKA.

The news of Stanley's return and the success of his expedition was imme-
diately sent to all parts of the world, where the telegraph reaches, and Europe
and America stood with outstretched hands waiting for his presence to load
iiim with honor. The English were at first jealous of his success, because he
was an American, but this feeling soon changed to admiration. He arrived in
England late in July and read an account of his expedition before the British
As.sociation at Brighton, August i6th. This report vv'as immediately publislicu,
and being read by the Queen, as a testimonial of her appreciation of his ser-
vices she sent him a gold snuff-box set with diamonds, and"" a month later he
was honored with a banquet furnished by the Royal Geographical Society.

CHAPTER XII.

BURIAL OF LIVINGSTONE, AND vSTANLKV'S SECOND EXPEDITION,

ONORS rested lightly on the head of Stanley, for even while
feasts and favors of a hnndred kinds were being tendered
him by his admirers, he pnt them all aside to respond
to a call from the Herald for his services again, wliicli
took him at once to West Africa to report the Ashanloe
war. On his retnrn to England again, in April, 1874,
he learned of the death of Livingstone, and that his
body was then 01 routr to London for burial in West-
minster Abbey. The news fell like a pall over all England,
but upon none was the effect more depressing, perhaps, than on Stanley, who
appreciated to the fullest extent the ambition and philanthropic motives that
had actuated Livingstone in giving twenty-six years of his life to exploration
in the interest of civilization, and who had used his best efforts for the amelio-
ration of the debased but inhumanely wronged savages of Africa.

When the distinguished dead arrived in England, funeral arrangements
were made to give to the burial a pomp equal to that bestowed on a dead
king, and Stanley was selected as one of the pall-bearers. When the body was
lowered into the grave, beside kings, queens, and the great potentates and
master minds who have lent fame and lustre to England, Stanley turned away
in a reflective mood, thinking of the energy, self-denial, aspirations and accom-
plishments of th : great Livingstone, and how his life had suddenly terminated
when the allurements of hope for ambition attained seemed most seductive.. In
this mood he conceived the idea of taking up the work which the belo\ed
explorer had thus laid down, and with like aspirations pursue it to such an
end as God would give him to accomplish.

Shortly' after Livingstone's funeral Stanley was a caller at the office of the
London Daily Tvlci^raph, where, engaging in conversation with the proprietors,
tlie subject of African exploration was introduced, in which Stanle}- expressed
some opinions regarding the lake regions of that continent that excited so
much interest in the proprietors of the paper that they asked him how he
would like to attempt a completion of the labors left unfinished by Livingstone.
The question immediately aroused him to a pitch of enthusiasm, and he exhibited
such an intense desire to enter upon the undf^rtaking that arrangements were

directly mrde b}' the Telegraph and New York Herald to jointly equip an

(227)

228

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

I V

expedition, and place Stajiley at the head with a commission to explore the
lake regions of Africa, to complete the discoveries of Burton, Speke, Grant, and
Baker ; and, incidentally, to determine the true sources of the Nile, and the
Lualaba, or Livingstone, rivers.

EQUIPMENT OF THE EXPEDITION.

The preliminaries having been agreed upon, he was not long in making
his preparations. Applications poured in upon him from the adventure-loving
spirits of Europe and America, begging permission to join the expedition ; bx;t

LIVINGSTONE'S GUAVK IN WF.STMINSTKR AniiEY.

he chose only three young Englishmen, John and Edward Pocock, and Frederick
Barker. In the matter of dogs, however, he was more liberal, for he selected
four, a mastiff", retriever, bull-terrier, and a bull-dog.

There was no lack of money at his disposal, and he was thereby cnuoled
to equip his expedition with c n-ything that he might by any possibility
require; and when he set sail on the 15th of August, 1S74, for Zanzibar, he
was better prepared for the work before him than any previous expedition. He
arrived at Zanzibar on the aist of »Septeinber, and on November 12th, more than
two hundred porters having been engaged, the expedition set sail for Bagamoyo.

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

2^9

cplore the

>rant, and

and the

n making
ure-loving
it ion ; but

Frederick
|e selected

cnui:)lcd
hossibility
[nzibar, he
It ion. He
Inore than
5agamoyo.

When ready to start tor the interior, the expedition comprised three hundred
and fifty-six persons, among whom were thirty-six women, and when they
marched out of Bagamoyo, on the 17th of November, they formed a line half
a mile in length. Among the heaviest articles was a boat, named Lady Alice^
forty feet long, six feet beam, and thirty inches deep. It was made in twelve
sections, and afterward cut into as many more, to facilitate its transportation.
Stanley's experience, obtained on his previous expedition, wa of such service
to him that he pushed forward with great rapidity, being detailed at few places,
because he knew the character of the people along the route and had learned

STANLEY'S DOGS IN THE VILLAGE OF KAGEHYI.

how to avoid oppressive tolls w-ithout exoiling their open hostility. The first
serious misfortune that befell the expedition was in the death of Edward Pocock,
on the 17th of January, 1875, who succumbed to a virulent attack of typhus
fever, after a very short illness.

CIRCUMNAVIGATING LAKE VICTORIA.

The expedition followed the route first taken by Stanley, until midway
between Bagamoyo and Ujiji, when it took a due north course and continued
in this- direction until the south shore of Lake Victoria was reached, February
28th, at a village called Kagehyi. Here Stanley found provisions in great

" '^!t^-S4jii«iU^»« ;!Jt«iitek.lM. ^,^.1

230

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

abundance but they were purchasable only at extortionate prices, which he was
compelled to submit to, as the friendship 01'" Prince Kaduma, who ruled th?i ter-
ritory, was indispensable to Stanley's purposes.

But the great cost of living in the district made it necessary to move as
quickly as possible, so that on the second day after their arrival Stanley launched
the Lady Alice and prepared for a circumnavigation of the lake. Kaduma
endeavored to dissuade Stanley from his purpose, by declaring that the lake
was so large that it would take years to cross it, while along its northern
shores lived tribes so ferocious that no stranger dared approach them ; some
of these people were gifted with tails ; others trained enormous and fierce dogs,
while others preferred human flesh to all other kinds of meat. These superstitions
fears had such an effect upon Stanley's men, that when he called for volun-

VII.I.AGK OK IGUSA.

teers to accompany him on the voyage, not a single one came forward. Persua-
sion being of no avail, he was compelled to conscript ten of the young guides
enlisted at Bagamoyo, who were boatmen, and on the 8th of March the lake
voyage was begun. Five miles from Kagehyi they came to the village of Igusa,
where, by offers of large rewards, a fisherman named Saramba, who had been
niuch on the lake, was engaged as guide.

Interesting sights engaged the attention of the navigators. Hippopotami
and crocodiles were almost plentiful enough to dispute the passage, and many
were shot, without the party being attacked in return, as is often the case. On
the 2ist of March, they landed on a beautiful little island, which besides its
verdure and inviting shades contained a remarkable natural bridge of basaltic
rock, which formed an irregular arch more than twenty feet in length, under

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

231

lich he was
:d th?t ter-

which there was j^reat
depth of water and
which permitted the
Lady Alice to pass.
Another island near
by was distingnishcd
as possessing' a grotto
which might be likened
nnto that in which
Calypso, the enchan-
tress, lived.

LOOK OUT FOR AN
ATTACK.

Nothing np to this
time had occnrred to
mar the pleasnre or
this most delightfnl
voyage, although the
shores were densely'
popnlated, with villages
in almost unbroken
continuity, and the
people anxious to re-
ceive the white man,
who had been heralded
in advance. At length,
however, upon reach-
ing a bay that was bor-
dered by a plain on
one side and a promon-
tory on another, in the
north-east corner of the
lake, Stanley met with
a less friendly people,
in pronounced contrast
with others who spoke
the Usoga language,
whom he had met fi\e
hours before, and who,
thongh naked, had
much kindness of heart,
and ifiFered him sup-
plies of sheep and vcgc-

232

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

tables in exchange for beads. After leaving these generous and peaceable
natives a heavy storm compelled the navigators to put into a cove for safety.
Scarcely had they come to anchor when canoes filled with warriors shot out
from the bank and began making menaces with lance ■> and bows. Finding that
their challenges brought no demonstrations of resistance, they came nearer until
one of the canoes, containing some fifty half-drunkeu savages, came alongside
and was lashed to the Lady Alice. They at once seized upon many articles
in the l)oat, and when their attempt to pillage was resisted they seized their
spears, sang bacchanalian songs and began to fling stones, one of which came
so dangerously near Stanley's head that he seized his revolver and discharged
it rapidly in the water, correctly surmising that this would thoroughly alarm
the natives. At the sound they beat^ a hasty retreat and offered no further
molestation. A few days later, however, Stanley was hailed by some natives on
shore, responding to which his crew was basely attacked with stones and the
steersnuiu badly wounded. Hundreds flocked about the boat and began rifling
the bales of goods, to protect which Stanley fired his pistol over tlu'r heads.
This caused the savages some alarm but after running off a few yards they
returned apparently in greater numbers and with most hostile intent. Stanley
was therefore compelled, in self-defence, to fire upon them with his large rifle,
unfortunately killing a half dozen, which put the remainder to flight.

A MESSENGER FROM KING M'TESA.

Xo further adventure was met with, and on the 2d of April the navigators
arrived at the village of Kerudo, where they were received with the greatest
hospitality. It was the intention to send messengers from this point to apprise
M'tesa, King of Uganda, of Stanley's coming, but on the following morning six
beautiful canoe.-^, filled with men dressed in white, were seen approaching, ^vhich
indicated that some news from the royal household was about to be communi-
cated. On their arrival it was found that the canoes contained the king's mes-
senger Magassa, and his escort of one hundred and eighty-two men, who had
been dispatched with an invitation to the white man to visit the monarch of
Uganda. This messenger was gorgeously arrayed for the important occasion ;
he wore a bead-worked head-dress, above which long white cock's feathers
waved, and a snowy white and long-haired goat-skin, intertwined with a crim-
son robe, depending from his shonlders, completed his costume. Approaching
Stanley, he delivered his message thus :

"The Kabaka sends me with man}' salaams to you. He is in great hopes
that you will visit him, and has encamped at Usavara, that he may be near the
lake when you come. He does not know from what land 3'Oii have come, but
I have a swift messenger with a canoe who will not stop until he gives all tlio
news to the Kabaka. His mother dreamed a dream a few nights ago, and in
her dream she saw a white man on this lake in a boat coming this way, and
the next morning she told the Kabaka, and, lo! you have come. Give me your

peaceable
for safety.
; shot out

ndiujj^ lliat
earer until
alongside
uy articles
;izcd their
hich caniL-
discharged
jhly alarm
no further
natives on
;s and the
gan rifling
lic'r heads,
yards they
t. Stanley
large rifle,
t.

navigators

e greatest

to apprise

jorning six

ing, which

conimuni-

ing's nies-

who had

onarcli of

occasion ;

Is feathers

h a crini-

proachiug

Ireat hopes

le near the

come, bill

les all the

|o, and in

way, and

me your

Ik]
f

> i

(^33)

234

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

answer, that I may send the messenger. T-.viyanzi-yan^i-yauzi ! " (Thanks,
thanks, thanks.)

By Magassa's request Stanley remained another day at Kerudo, to give time
for more ample preparation at the court to receive him, as the king had not
supposed that a realization of the queen's dream was so near at hand.

On the following day Ivlagassa, in his superb canoe, led the way, with
Stanley following. When about two miles from Usavara, they saw what they
estimated to be thousands of people arranging themselves in order on a gently
rising ground. When about a mile from the shore, Magassa gave the order to
signal the advance upon it with fire-arms, and was at once obeyed by a dozen

RKCKPTICiN OK STANI.UY HY M'TliSA.

musketeers. Half a mile off Stanley saw that the people on the shore had
formed themselves into two dense lines, at the ends of which stood several
finely dressed men, arrayed in crimson and black and snowy white. As they
neared the beach, volleys of musketry burst out from the long lines. Magas-
sa's canoes steered outward to right and left, while two hundred or three hun-
dred heavily loaded guns announced to all around that the white man — whom
M'tesa's mother had dreamed about — had landed. Numerous kettle and brass
drums sounded a noisy welcome, and flags, banners, and bannerets waved, and
the people gave a great shout. Ver}' much amazed at all this cereuionious and
pompous greeting, Stanley strode up toward the great standard, near which
stood a short young man, dressed in a crimson robe which coverea an immacu-

(Thanks,

o give time
[g had not
id.
way, with
what they
m a gently
he order to
)y a dozen

shore had
)od several
As they
Magas-
three hun-
an — whom
and brass
vaved, and
inious and
.'ar which
11 iniuiacn-

HEROE3 OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

235

lately white dress of bleached cotton, before whom Magassa, who had hurried
ashore, kneeled reverently, r.'\l turning to the visitor, begged him to under-
stand that this short young man was the Katekiro (Prime Minister).

WELCOME TO UGANDA, AND RECEPTION BY THE KING.

A dozen well-dressed officers came forward, and grasping Stanley's hand,
welcomed him to Uganda. By these he was conducted to a courtyard, surrounded
by a circle of grass-thatched huts, in the midst of which was a larger house
where he was invited to make his quarters. He was soon besieged by all
manner of questions concerning the earth, air, and the heavens, which he appar-
ently answered to the satisfaction of the natives, for they went immediately to
the king (M'tesa) and told him the white man knew everything; at this his
Majesty rubbed his hands as though he had just come into possession of a
treasure, and sent fourteen fat oxen, sixteen goats and sheep, a hundred bunches
of bananas, three dozen fowls, four wooden jars of milk, four baskets of sweet
potatoes, fifty ears of green Indian corn, a basket of rice, twenty fresh eggs, and
ten pots of maramba wine. Kauta, M'tesa's steward or butler, at the head of
the drovers and bearers of these various provisions, fell on his knees before
Stanley and said :

"The Kabaka (king) sends salaams unto his friend who has travelled so
far to see him. The Kabaka cannot see the face of his friend until he has
eaten and is satisfied. The Kabaka ha«: sent his slave with these few things
to his friend that he may eat, and at the ninth hour, after his friend has rested,
the Kabaka will send and call for him to appear at the burzah. I have spoken.
Twiyanzi-yanzi-yanzi ! "

The appointed time approached, and Stanley was prepared for the memor-
able hour when he should meet the foremost man of Equatorial Africa. Two
of the king's pages came to announce that everything was ready. Forthwith
issued from the court-yard five of the boat's crew on each side of Stanley, armed
with Snider rifles. They reached a short broad street, at the end of which was
a hut. Here the Kabaka was seated, while a multitude of chiefs, Wakungu
(generals) and Watongoleh (colonels), ranked from the throne in two opposing
kneeling or seated lines, the ends being closed in by drummers, guards, exe-
cutioners, pages, etc. As they approached the nearest group it opened, and the
drummers beat mighty sounds. The Great King of Equatorial Africa arose
and advanced, at which all the kneeling and seated lines stood up — generals,
colonels, chiefs, cooks, butlers, pages, executioners, etc.

M'tesa took a deliberate view of Stanlej^ as if studying him, while the
compliment was reciprocated, since the latter was no less interested in the king.
After the audience Stanley repaired to his hut and wrote the following : " As
I had read Speke's book for the sake of its gcograpliical information, I retained
but a dim remembrance of his description of his life in Uganda. If I remem-
ber rightljs Speke described a youthful prince, vain and heartless, a wholesale

1 1 :'

5 J:

:r i

236

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

murderer and tyrant, one who delighted in fat women. Doubtless he described
what he saw, but it is far from being the state of things now. M'tesa has
impressed me as being an intelligent and distinguished prince, who, if aided in
time by virtuous philanthropists, will do more for Central Africa than fifty
years of Gospel teaching, unaided by such authority, can do. I think I see
in him the light that shall lighten the darkness of this benighted region ; a
prince well worthj' the most hearty sympathies that Europe can give him.
In this man I see the possible fruition of Livingstone's hopes, for with his aid
the civilization of Equatorial Africa becomes feasible. I remember the ardor and

M'TKS.V'S CAPITAI. AM) I'Ar.ACK.

love which animated Livingstone when he spoke of Sekeletu ; had he seen
M'tesa, his ardor and love had been for him tenfold, and his pen and tongue
would have been employed in calling all good men to assist him."

THE SAVAGERY OF M'TESA.

Stanley's opinion of M'tesa was undoubtedly correct at the time, though
it represents that monarch as having undergone a most remarkable change,
losing his savagery by an adoption of the Moslem faith under the religious
instruction of M'ulcy bin v^alim, who, thougli a slave trader, was a devotee to
Islamism. This change must have been quite sudden, as, less than two years

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

237

before Stanley's visit, Col. Long, an attache of Gen. Gordon, had ridden on
horseback from Gondokoro to the Uganda capital, and a week's stay with
M'tesa had served to impress the colonel with the belief that he was the most
savagely cruel man on earth. Long relates that the king practised every
conceivable iniquity, and murdered both men and women, — his wives, servants,
and soldiers, — for apparently the delight which their groans gave him.

But that the effects of conversion to jMohammedanisin were most beneficial
to M'tesa cannot be disputed, though no other traveller than Stanley had the
opportunity of visiting him after his adoption of the faith. It was not long
after Stanley's visit, however, that the king died, and whatever good influence
he exerted as a convert was buried with him, for his subjects have since
exhibited all their former savageness, as subsequent expeditions have proved.

Among other entertainments which M'tesa provided for the amusement of
his guest was a sham naval battle between forty splendid canoes, each having a
crew of thirty men, in which the niost admirable manoeuvring and skilful
throwing of spears was witnessed. At the conclusion of the battle, in which
several persons were injured, M'tesa showed that he had not lost his interest in
firearms since Speke's visit, for he sent, several of his servants out in search of
hippopotami and crocodiles, anxious to see Stanley display his skill in shooting
such large creatures. A crocodile was soon discovered, and the king, taking
Stanley, ran quickly to the place where it was reported Ij'ing on a log, calling
his women to come and see the white nan shoot. The crocodile was found
lying in an exposed position, and Stanley fired his Reilly rifle, carrying a
three-ounce ball, with such precision that the reptile's head was half severed,
which drew many rounds of applause from the king and his escort.

A BLOODY FIGHT WITH NATIVES.

Stanley spent a week with M'tesa in a truly enjo3'able way, being shown,
the greatest deference, and even condescending m a discussion of the relative
merits of Islamism and Christianit}', and, out of respect for his guest, the King
professed conversion from his former faith to the latter, but with what sincerity
may not be told.

When at last, against many requests to protract his visit, Stanley deter-
mined to resume the circumnavigation of the lake, M'tesa supplied him with
thirty canoes and a large force of men under the leadership of Magassa ; but
this fellow, who had been promoted, proved to be an obstinate, lazy, and most
unreliable officer, whom Stanley had to frequently scold and threaten, and finally
to send back to Uganda. The escort of thirty canoes therefore did not accom-
pany him more than fifty miles, when he was left alone pj^ain to complete the
exploration of the lake.

Nothing occurred to arrest their progress until the 28th of April, when
hunger induced them to steer for an island in quest of food. When fift}' yards
from shore, a great number of natives rushed down the slopes, uttering fierce

a
»

•<

>
n

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

239

ejaculations and war cries. As this was a common circumstance, Stanley thought
but little of it, having no doubt that the natives would be speedily reconciled by
the payment of a few yards of cloth and strings of beads.

As the boat came near the shore, several natives rushed into the water and,
seizing it, dragged it about twenty yards over the rocky beach, high and dry. Then
ensued an indescribable scene ; a thousand black devils, armed with bows, spears
and knotty war-clubs, swarmed around the boat, with threatening gestures, and
yelling like demons. Stanley arose to confront them, with a revolver in each

AI.ONG THE SHORES OP I,AKR VICTORIA.

hand, but his guides restrained him, as any resistance would have only invited
a massacre. Av length an old man, who was a leader of the warlike host, was
somewhat placated by a liberal present of beads and cloth, and through his
i/.fluence the crowd was drawn off a little way for council. Stanley seized
this opportunity to effect his escape ; he ordered his men to push the boat again
into the water with all possible speed. This scheme succeeded so well that the
boat was out in the lake before the natives could reach the water. A fight now
took place th:it was very lively for a time. Stanley fired his Reilly rifle four
times and killed five men. A shot-gun loaded with buck-shot was brought tO

240

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

bear on them next, by which several more were slain. This served to stop their
attempts to reach the boat by wading, but others qnickly manned a half-dozen
canoes and shot ont from shore to continne the battle. Two of these canoes
Stanley sank with the shell-bullets from his Reilly gun. In the midst of the
fight two monster hippopotami were observed advancing with wide-open mouths
upon the Lady Alicc^ their anger having no doubt been excited by the booming
of firearms. Stanley shot one through the brain when it was hardly more than
a yard distant, and so badly wounded the other that it sank and retreated. The
result of these two shots seemed to produce a panic among the natives, for they
immediately relinquished the attack and the canoes were put back to shore with
great energy. It was a narrow escape.

At the end of fifty-seven days the circumnavigation of Victoria N'yanza
was completed, the distance being looo miles. As the boat came in sight of
the camp at Kagehyi, a joyful shout was sent up, and when they landed
Stanley was raised upon the shoulders of several men and carried triumphantly
around the camp, while salutes were fired from all the muskets. This joyful
return was sadly marred, however, by news of the death of Frederick Barker,
who had died twelve da3's before. Six other members of the expedition had
also fallen victims to dysentery.

A SEANCE WITH KING LUKONGEH.

Stanley had intended, after circumnavigating the lake, to return to his
camp, and there securing other canoes move his expedition back to Uganda
and thence to Lake Albert. Magassa's desertion, with the canoes furnished by
M'tesa, left Stanley in an ill condition for resuming the journey', as canoes were
not procurable at Kagehyi. The chief of the village, however, told him that
cauoes might be had of Lukongeh, king of Ukerewe, whose capital was fifty
miles distant. On May 29th, Stanley set out to visit Lukongeh, whose palace
he reached after a two days' journey, but found the king indulging in one of his
royal drunks, so that three da3's passed before an audience could be had.
When the old sot at length got on his legs and was in a semi-condition of
sensibility, Stanley showed him a quantity' of presents, consisting of rugs,
blankets, cloths, beads, wire and copper ornaments, wliicli he had brought to
his majesty. These delightful things touched the king's heart, and in his
exuberance he promised to furnish Stanley with all the canoes needed. But before
suffering his visitor to go, he asked a thousand questions and begged for such wis-
dom as would give him power over the elements ; and especially to renew the
virility of his youth, which he had wasted in husbandly duty to more than a hun-
dred wives. When Stanle3' confessed his inability to grant such requests, the
king thought the refusal was due to his fears of not getting the canoes, and felt
certain that Stanley would give him everytliing asked fi)r on his return. He
then endeavored to prove his own importance by declaring to Stanlej- his power
to produce rain or drought at will, and that he made the most dutiable servants
•of hippopotami and crocodiles, tlie latter being frequently employed to steal
women and brintr them to him from across the water.

stop their
half-dozen
?se canoes
dst of the
:n months
e booming
more than
Lted. The
s, for they
shore with

I N'yanza
1 sight of
ey landed
imphantly
his jo3'fi:l
:k Barker,
dition had

rn to his

o Uganda

nished by

moes were

him that

was fifty

Dse palace

ne of his

be had.

dition of

of rngs,

ought to

in his

ut before

such wis-

new the

n a hun-

ests, the

and felt

rn. He

is power

servants

to steal

242

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

FLAMES SENT TO DEVOUR THEM.

On the 7th of June, Stanley secured the loan of twentj'-seven canoes from
Lukongeh, and 216 i;ien as an escort, with whom he returned to his camp, and
on the 20th he dismissed the escort and embarked his regular force of 150 men,
women and children ia ih^ canoes for Uganda. He led this flotilla in the Lady
Alice^ which was well loaded with fifteen persons and the ammunition.

Upon reaching the island where he had been attacked, Stanley put in for
provisions, considering himself secure now against attack, but the people were
still defiant, and being so numerous they surrounded him, and though afraid to
attack at close quarters they harassed and prevented a resumption of the journey.
He was thus besieged for several days and until the fortunate arrival of
Alagassa, who had been sent out hy M'tesa with 300 men in search of him,
for a purpose which will soon be explained. With this augmentation of his
fo^ce Stanley started again, but being compelled to pass through a narrows,
"'here the points of land came within fifty yards of each other, the natives laid
in wait there to give him battle. As the canoes approached the passage,
arrows, stones and spears began to fly, which were answered by a fusillade
of - firearms that killed hundreds of the fierce natives and sent the rest
fl3nng with a fear that the white man had sent flames to devour them.

The expedition reached M'tesa's on the 23d of August, and the king
received Stanlc}' in his council chamber with great ceremony anc^ many evi-
dences of friendship. Stanley took this occasion to inform him of the object
of his visit, which was to procure guides and an escort to conduct him to
Lake Albert. M'tesa replied that he was now engaged in a war with the rebel-
lious people of Wavuma, who refused to pay their tribute, harassed the
coast of Chagwe and abducted his people, "selling them afterward for a few
bunches of bananas," and that it was not customary in Uganda to permit
strangers to proceed on their journeys while the Kabaka (king) was engaged
in war; but as soon as peace should be obtained he would send a chief with
an army to give him safe conduct by the shortest route to the lake. Being
assured that the war would not last long, Stanley resolved to stay and witness it
as a novelty, and take advantage of the time to acquire information about the
country and its people.

MOVEMENT OF M'TESA'S GREAT ARMY.

M'tesa had resolved to open hostilities with his enemies, and to this end
on the 27th of August, he struck camp and began his march towards Naka-
ranga, which was a point of land lying within seven hundred yards of the
island of Ingira, which was the encampment and stronghold of the Wavuma.
As the Wasoga, another powerful tribe, was in alliance with the Wavuma,
M'tesa expected to engage both, whose combined armies would probabl}' number
100,000 men. To meet these he therefore raised a force of 150,000 fighting men,
to which must be added 100,000 women and children, who invariably accompany
llicir husbands and fathers to battle. Thus M'tesa's camp must have numbered

narrows,
atives laid

M'Ti;,S\'S AKMV i).\ Tan MARCH.

(243)

F r

244

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

I I

! 1

quite 250,000 souls, being uuicli greater than the Federal army that invested
Richmond Stanley had the pleasure of reviewing this immense force as it
was put in motion towards the battle-ground. He describes the officers and
troops in the following graphic style :

" The advance-guard had departed too eo^ly for me to see them, but, curiou;-
to see the main body of this great army pass, I stationed myself at an early
hour at the extreme limit of the camp. First with his legion, came Mkwenda,
who guards the frontier between the Katonga valley and Willimiesi against
the Wanj'oro. He is a stout, burly young man, brave as a lion, having much
experience of wars, and cunning and adroit in their conduct, accomplished with
the spear, and possessing, besides, other excellent fighting qualities. I noticed
that the Wagauda chiefs, though Muslimized, clung to their war-paint and
national charms, for each warrior, as he passed by on the trot, was most
villanously bedaubed with ochre and pipe-clay. The force under the command
of Mkvvenda might be roughly numbered at 30,000 warriors and camp-followers,
and though the path was a mere goat-track, the rush of this legion on the
half-trot soon crushed out a broad avenue.

" The old general Kangau, who defends the country between Willimiesi
and the Victoria Nile, came next with his following, their banners flying,
drums beating and pipes playing, he and his warriors stripped for action, their
bodies and faces daubed with white, black and ochreous war-paint.

" Next came a rush of about 2000 chosen warriors, all tall men, expert
with spear and shield, lithe of body and nimble of foot, shouting as they
trotted past their war-cry of ' Kavya, kavya ' (the two last syllables of ^I'tesa's
title when young — ]Mukav3'a, 'king'), and rattling their spears. Behind them,
at a quick march, came the musket-armed body-guard of the Emperor, about
two hundred in front, a hundred on either side of the road, enclosing M'tesa
and his Katekiro, and two hundred bringing up the rear, with their drums
beating, pipes playing and standards flying, and forming quite an imposing
and warlike procession.

" M'tesa marched on foot, bare-headed, and clad in a dress of blue check
cloth, with a black belt of English nuike round his waist, and — like the
Roman Emperors, who, when returning in triumph, painted their faces a deep ver-
milion — his face dyed a bright red. The Katekiro preceded him, and wore a dark
gray cashmere coat. I think this arrangement was made to deceive any assassin
who might be lurking in the bushes. If this was the case, the precaution seemed
wholly unnecessary, as the march was so quick that nothing but a gun won!
have been effective, and the Wavunia and Wasoga have no such weapons.

"After M'tesa's body-guard had passed by, chief after chief, legion after
legion followed, each distinguished to the native ear by its different and peculiar
drum-beat. They came on at an extraordinarj' pace, more like warriors hurry-
ing up into action than on the march, but it is their custom, I am told, to
move always at a trot when on an enterprise of a warlike nature.''

at invested
force as it
officers and

but, curious
at an early
i Mkwcnda,
iesi against
iving much
ilislied with
. I noticed
r-paint and
;, was niopt
e command
ip-followers,
fion on the

Willimiesi
lers flying,
action, their

men, expert
\g as they

of Al'tesa's
lehind them.

leror, about

;ing M'tesa
Iheir drums

II imposing

blue check
1— like the

a deep ver-
Ivore a dark
|uy assassin
tion seemed
Igan woul
[veapous.

legion aftci'
lid peculiar
liors hurry-

ini told, to

fi '

(245)

m Ii

m s jii

246

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

A NAVAL BATTLE.

The native African is always a braggart but seldom a fighter; thus it
happens that preparation for battle involves a great deal of noise and display,
while the fight that possibly follows is so tame as to be practically uninterest-
ing. M'tesa had only 300 canoes and these were manned by landsmen, who
knew so little about boating as to make them objects of ridicule as they
tottered and spun round in a vain effort to propel themselves forward. As
they got out into the lake, the Wavuma met them and in the engagement
that ensued M'tesa's navy was badly defeated and thirty of his canoes captured,
^ t there were few casualties. This, however, so discouraged M'tesa that he
determined to trust his troops to the water no more. His next efforts were

NAVAI, BATTLR BETWEEN THE \VAr,ANI)\ AND AVAVUMA TRIBE.

din'^cted towards building a causeway of trees and stones over the 500 yards
which separated the island from the mainland. But after 130 yards were filled,
the soldiers became tired and work cea.sed. M'tesa now gave over his hostile
intentions for the time being in order to amuse himself in varioiis ways with
Stanley, and to listen to an expoiinding of Christianity by his guest.

When, finally, M'tesa grew weary of theological dispute, he resolved to
renew hostilities as a fresh divertisement, and on the 14th of September he
ordered forty canoes to cross over to the island, or within hailing ^^ist^nce, to
feel the enemy, while with the rest of his army he took up a position on a high
point from whence a view of the lake was obtainable. This time he adopted
the verj' wise precaution, so to speak, of bringing into action the services of a

HEROES OK THE DARK CONTINENT.

247

orts wer?!

large number of his medicine men oi wizards, who, armed with gourds fillev!
with pebbles, took upon themselves the duty of creating such n din as woulu
frighten away all evil ; but it strangely happened that th..-ir noise must havv.
had a contrary effect. In addition to the tumult thus raised, these pri;si:s
brought also their charms, which they laid at M'tesa's feet, followed by l.bv
witches or priestesses, who also made their oblations, and then offered th'ir
fetiches to the king. These charms consisted of dried lizards, pieces of hide,
nails of dead people, claws of animals, beaks of birds, compounds of deadly
herbs borne in ornamented vessels, and wooden fetiches.

When all had thus been made ready, the forty canoes crossed over to the
island, where they were met by the Wavuma, who chased them back to
Nakaranga Point. At this, 230 more canoes, lad 'i with M'tesa's soldiers, started
to the succor of their retreating friends, and these were in turn met by 192
canoes bearing the Wavumas. A great battle now seemed imminent, but M'tesa's
navy again retreated to a point where they were re-enforced by the entire army,
and where four small cannons had been planted.

The cowardice of his men, whose numbers greatly exceeded those of the
Wavuma, so incensed M'tesa that he was in a towering passion, in which he
threatened all who should again exhibit such pusillanimity with the punish-
ment of a slow fire. Under his dreadful threat, on the iSth the fight was
renewed by the advance of :)3o canoes, in two of which howitzer's were carried.
But the Wavuma were undeterred and moved resolutely to the centre of the
intervening space in the lake and began a fusillade with spears and arrows.
The howitzers, however, proved a surprise, for when these opened fire the
Wavuma, became panic stricken and precipitately retreated, but did not make
good their escape until ten of their canoes were destroyed and several of the
occupants were killed.

This small victory obtained, M'tesa's men did not attempt a pursuit of the
enemy but forthwith returned to the shore to receive the king's congratulatif^iiS.

STANLEYS DREADFUL WAR-BOAT.

Though the Wavuma were thus once beaten, they were unsubdued, and
the war promised to continue indefinitely unless some decisive means were
adopted to give it an effectual ending, and this Stanl'^y resolved to suggest.
On the 5th of October, the explorer therefore sought an interview with M'tesa
at which he proposed the building of a dreadful war-boat that w'ould carry con-
sternation among his enemies and bring them quickly to terms. The idea
gave M'tesa the greatest delight, who was distressed over the prosper of having
to abandon the undertaking of conquering the WavUnia. He tiierrl e v^ue
Stanley a detail of 2000 men, as requested, who were put to wo'vk fV.l ^^ t'ees
and poles, from which the bark was peeled and twisted into , mes. \.- next
took three canoes each .seventy feet in length and six and oiie-haif feet, in
breadth, which he lashed together with a space of four feet betv--. t' -v . t(t
give room to work the paddles. Around the outer edges of these canoes h

STV.

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

249

built a wicker work some five feet in height and so thick as to be impervious
to spears. When the boat was made ready, it was manned by 214 soldiers
wlio paddled it across the channel without exposing themselves to view, so
that when the Wavuma saw it approaching, their superstitious natures led them
to believe it to be some great monster, or a wonderful craft moved by supernatural
force.

To increase the delusion and prey the greater on their fears, Stanley
caused a proclamation to be made to the Wavuma that, unless they immediately
surrendered, their whole island would be blown to pieces. The effect of this
direful threat was intensified by the disastrous consequences following the firing
of the howitzers, and thus terror stricken the Wavuma surrendered uncon-
ditionally, which they announced by sending a canoe and fifty men with the
tribute demanded.

STANLEY LEAVES FOR THE MUTA NZIGA LAKE.

The war having thus fortunately terminated for M'tesa, Stanley besought
his permission to leave Uganda, and to furnish the escort that had been
promised. The king showed his gratitude by sending at once for his leading
general, Sambuzi, whom he ordered to mu.ster a thousand men to serve as an
escort to the expedition. Thus favored, Stanley resumed his march November 2d,
with a total force of 2800 souls, but a week later, at the intimation of an attack
from the Kings of Uzimba and Unyampaka, a larger part of the escort deserted,
including General Sambuzi, who was a typical African boaster and coward.
Without further accident Stanley reached Kafurro, February 28th, 1875, where
he remained a mcnth the guest of the good old King Rumanika, in whose
country he had some splendid sport shooting rhinoceri.

On the 20th of April following, upon arriving at Seromo, Stanley learned
that the great bandit king, Mirambo, was in the neighborhood and desired an
audience with the white man. At this news that portion of the escort sent by
M'tesa, which had remained loyal, were so frightened that the utmost efforts of
Stanley hardly availed to prevent their desertion, but fortunately a second and
very friendh' message followed fast on the first, which had the good effect of
disarming their fears.

In response to IMirambo's mes.sage desiring to establish friendly relations
with Stanley, a reply was sent in equally assuring terms, and on the following
day the renowned bandit and Napoleonic general appeared before Stanley's tent
and wa.s cordially bidden to enter. A very pleasant interview followed, which
ended in a return of the visit by Stanley, at which the ceremony of blood-
brotherhood was performed.

On the 27th of May the expedition reached Ujiji, having failed to discover
the Muta Nziga, but skirted the shore of Lake Tanganyika from the point
whete the Rusizi river enters it to that station witiiout meeting with au}'
.serious obstacles.

MIKAMIK), TIIIC <;ki;AT Al'KKAN CIIIICI".

(230I

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

251

AMONG THE CANNIBALS.

Stanley had expected many packets and letters from home on his arrival
at Ujiji, to which point he had ordered his mail forv.-arded upon leaving Zan-
zibar seventeen months before, but his hopes were destroyed, for not a single
message was found awaiting him. '

This disappointment made him the more anxious to prosecute the great
work he had set his heart upon and return to England as soon as possible.
He accordingly had the Lady Alice launched again in the waters of Lake
Tanganyika, determined to accomplish its circumnavigation, with the view of
discovering its outlet, if it had any. This enterprise was accomplished without
special incident in fifty-one days, and resulted in an exposition of the fact that
it had no outlet proper, all streams with which it had any connection being
inlets, though there was evidence that in former years the Lualaba, or Congo
river, furnished an outlet to the lake and drained its waters into the Atlantic.

On returning to Ujiji again, Stanley found Frank Pocock, who had been
left in charge of a part of the expedition during his absence, pale and haggard
from a long spell of fever, five of the Wagwara soldiers had died of small-pox,
and six others were down with the dreadful scourge, which was also deci-
mating the population of the town. Stanley was stricken with fever the day after
his arrival, but was again on his feet at the end of five days. He now decided
to cross the lake and push westward as quickly as possible, and so announced
to his men. This created a panic among them, for they fully believed that if
they went among the Manyuema cannibals they would be roasted and eaten.
Thirty-eight had already deserted during his absence, and many of the others
now threatened to do likewise. As a precaution against further desertions, he
had those whom he suspected of being untrustworthy arrested and put into a
large hut, where they were guarded until he was ready to depart.

Everything at last being ready, they crossed the lake on the 25th of
August, and after a necessary halt of a few days to rest and organize, the
expedition pushed westward through the wilderness toward the Manjniema
country, for the purpose of exploring the great river flowing to the northwest,
through that region, and from which Livingstone had been driven back by the
war between the Arabs and natives previous to his meeting with Stanley. The
Manyuema nation is composed of a number of tribes, varying greatly in dis-
position and general appearance. Some are handsome and intelligent, others
are filthy, ugly and degraded ; but, with a few exceptions, all are mild and
gentle in disposition, although universally addicted to cannibalism.

CANNIBALS, DWARFS AND BOA CONSTRICTORS.

Having made a pretty thorough exploration of the central lake region, and
determined positively that the Nile had no connection with Lake Tanganyika,
Stanley decided to take up the work that Livingstone had left unfinished and
follow the Lualaba, or Livingstone, river to its outlet, correctly surmising, as
will be seen, that its waters debouched into the Atlantic. The many names

'liii

(252)

.MAN\l I. .MAN .M.V.N, \\(r.\..\N .\.M> Clkl.

ri 'fly*?'. /I

'a-^^-'

^'/o

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

253

by which this river has been kuown, first as the Shire, then the Congo, next
the Lnalaba, and f nally the Livingstone, indicates how confused was the idea
as to its source and course ; a confusion which arose because of the net-work
of rivers that traverse the central region west of Lake Tanganyika, and
which liad up to this time remained unexplored. Livingstone had tried to
follow down the Lualaba, but his inability to Drocure canoes, on account of war
between the Manyuemas and Arabs, even though he had saved many of the
natives from massacre, compelled him to give over the undertaking for a time

Vll.l.Al'.li Ol'" MWANA MAMIU),

and return to Ujiji, wlicre Stanley found him. It was on the second expedition
undertaken for a like jnirpose that Livingstone died, thus leaving the question
of the source, course and outlet of the Lualaba still undetermined.

vStanlcy continued his march westward until the middle of October, when
he arrived at M'Kwauga, which is only eight miles from the confluence of the
Luama and Lualaba rivers. While here encamped he learned of the presence
of a large ])arty of .\rabs at a village called Mwana Mambo, eighteen miles
dist mt, which he decided to join at once. A nuvting occurred on the following
day, at which Stanley was received most cordially by the commander of the

i'l

1254

I.KOPAKD m'NTl':KS OK l.K^GOA.

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

255

Arab force, Tipo Tib. This ivory dealer had considerable knowledge of the
country, gained in frequent journe3'S through it, besides a large force of soldiers
and porters ; hence his services were of the greatest importance to Stanley, who
was fearful that his present small force would- be luiable to make a passage
through the wild reeion it was necessary to cross.

In the intervicvv which followed their meeting, Tipo Tib told Stanley that
the " great river " — Lualaba — flowed directl}' towards the north until it emptied
into the sea, and that its shores were covered with dense woods, which were
inhabited by the most ferocious savages, reptiles and animals. He also declared
tliat he had made one trip through this dangerous region, in one part of which
his party found ivory so plentiful that a tusk might be purchased for a single
cowrie shell. But while the trade in ivory appeared most promising of enormous
profit, his party was not permitted to leave the country with their stores. The
Wakuma, a large race, were very hostile, but to their enmity was added the
implacable vengeance of a race of dwarf?, whose territory bordered that of the
Wakuma. These little incarnate devils descended upon the Arab.' at night and
with their poisoned aiTows fought so couragi..at>ly that the Arabs were forced
to retreat with the greatest precipitation, and in the flight all save thirty of the
party were killed.

But there were other evils besides savage cannibals, which the Wakuma
and dwarfs were represented to be, for Tipo Tip declared that in the adjoining
country of Uregga the dense woods harbored thousands of boa constrictors,
which, suspended from tree-branches, watched for the passing underneath of men
and antelopes, which these reptilian monsters greedily devoured. In these same
woods were also the greatest number of leopards, which, emboldened by hunger
and the fear they inspired in the natives, committed the most appalling ravages
among the people. The sokos, a species of chimpanzee, were also numerous
and attacked men without provocation, biting off their fingers and otherwise
maiming them. Tipo Tib averred that travelling on the river was but little less
dangerous than on land because of the great number of wicked falls that it was
necessary to pass over, and which resulted in the drowning of nearly every one
that attempted their passage.

THE STRANGE PEOPLE OF UREGGA.

After a lengthy interview with Tipo Tib, a contract was drawn up between
them by which Stanley agreed to pay the Arab $5000 for an escort of 140
guns and 70 spearmen a distance of sixty marches of four hours each, which
would be equivalent to nearly 500 miles. This force added to his own would
furnish him witli such protection as was needed.

The expedition now marched to Nyangwe, where another section of the
Arab party was encamped ; Tipo Tib's party consisted of 700 persons when
united. Nyangwe is a village of 300 huts and nearly 2000 people ; it is a great
market for slaves, and is the westernmost Arab trading station on the road from
the east. As the village is situated on the Lualaba river, Stanley here launched

. >

(256)

i;\t DiN'fKK Willi A iu)\ ct)\.srKicr():{.

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

257

his boat, the Lady Alice ^ 'u make soundings. He found the river studded with
large islands, and its mean depth, taken in thirty-six soundings, was eighteen
feet nine inches, while its breadth was from 4000 to 5000 yards, making it one
of the greatest rivers of the earth.

After five days' marching through dense, almost impenetrable forests, where
they were compelled to hew their way with axes step by step, they came to
the country of Uregga, and halted to rest. The inhabitants of this country
live as secluded in their dark fores'^s as the chimpanzees ; but they provide
themselves with comforts unknown to other African tribes. Theii houses, in
the '^"ees, are all connected together in one block, from 50 to 300 yards in
lengi^i, :d are covered with a kind of pitch. They furnish their homes with
u!;: V 1 • iries known to civilization, such as cane settees, beautifully covered
I !■ Oi^ sociable benches, exquisitely carved spoons, etc. The women of Uregga
v"i?i • >nly aprons four inches square, of bark or grass cloth, fastened by cords
of palm fibre. The men wear skins of civet, or monkey, in front and rear,
■0 viiils downward. It may have been from a hasty glance of a rapidly disap-
pearing form of one of these people in the wild woods that native travellers in
the lake regions felt persuaded that they had seen " men with tails."

In one of these villages, called Kampunzee, Stanley was much astonished
to see two rows of what appeared to be human skulls, and upon counting theni
found there were 186. He asked the chief of the village the meaning of these
gruesome trophies, but a direct answer was avoided by a pretense that the
skulls were those of sokos captured in the hunt. Stanley was none the less
satisfied that they were human, but to jirove the matter more thoroughly he
brought several to England on his return and had them examined by Prof.
Huxley, who not only pronounced them to be human skulls but found on
nearly all the marks of a hatchet that had been driven into the head while
the victim was alive.

Five miles beyond Kampunzee the expedition came again to the Lualaba,
at which point Stanley renamed the river the Livingstone, by which it has
since been called. Here he made arrangements to cross the stream, and after
launching the Ladv Alice he called on the natives of the opposite shore for
their assistance with canoes. After an offer of many presents the canoes were
furnished, but the moment the expedition had made a crossing the natives
attacked it with great vigor, hut were driven off, without loss.

HORRIBLE EVIDENCES OF CANNIBALISM.

Having passed to the south shore of the Livingstone the exploring party
was now in the Ukusee country, among savages mIiosc lives were appareutl}'
devoted to .slaughter, and whose choice meat was human flesh. Each village
street was ornamented with two rows of bleached trophies of eaten humanity,
forming a ghastly imitation of shell decorations along the paths of our parks
and gardens.

The obstacles to laud travel had been so great, while the dangers from
17

, i;

(25S;

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

259

tllL

ambushing parties seemed to be increasing, that Stanley decided to take to the
river and follow it down to its outlet, regardless of Tipo Tib's warning againt
the many falls that must be passed. After much difficulty and the payment
of a large sum in presents, the required number of canoes was procured, iu
which the expedition embarked.

On November 26th they reached the village of Nakanpemba, which pre-

FIGHTINO THKIR WAY THROUGH THK CANNIBALS.

sented the usual horrible picture of streets lined with human skulls, the dread-
ful relics of many a barbarous feast. Throughout this region the evidences of
cannibalism were so numerous that human flesh must have been a conimou
dish at every table.

1 1

I i

36o

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

Tipo Tib's story about the many dangerous rapids that made navigation
:>f the Livingstone river so perilous was soon found to be true. As the expe-
dition went on down the river, the first fifty miles were hardly covered before
they came to a rock shoal over which the water dashed in a mud and impetu-
ous manner, rendering passage impossible. It was therefoi-e necessary to land
and carry the canoes and Lady Alice around the treacherous place, which
involved, besides great delay, the most exhausting labors.

A DWARF CAPTURED. -

While engaged in a portage of the boats, some of the men discovered a
savage little man concealed in some bushes near by, who being armed with bow
and poisoned arrows had evidently contemplated making an attack, single handed,

upon those
whom he con-
ceived to be
invaders of his
country. He
was captured
and brought to
Stanley, who
first examin-
ing the arrows,
the points of
which were
carefully rolled
in leaves, found
them emitting
an odor very
like that ex-
haled by can-
tharides. Sus

pecting them to be poisoned, he made a motion as if to inoculate the little
pigmy with the substance on the arrow points ; at this the little fellow cried
out in great fear, and shouted "Mabi! mabi!" (bad, ba^l) so vociferously as to
prove conclusively that Stanl* y's suspicions were correct.

This strange creature stood, when measured, four feet six-and-a-half inches
in height, and proved to be fully a head taller than the average of his people.
His head was large, his face decked with a scraggy fringe of whiskers^ and his
complexion light chocolate. He was exceedingly bow-legged and thin-shanked,
and was altogether a iiideous looking fiend and ugly little savage brute, and as
to intelligence very little above the beasts of the forest. Stanley retained him
as a prisoner and guide for several days, but finally dismissed him and sent
him home with a handful of beads and shells and some bead necklaces. He
had expected to be eaten, according to the custom of his country, and thougb

aXKBUT IN A CANNIBAL VlLI.AtiE

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

261

/igation
e expe-
. before
impetu-
to land
. which

vered a
/ith bow
handed,
those
he con-
to be
•s of his
f. He
iptured
ought ta
ey, who
examin-
' arrows,
3ints of
were
y rolled
s, found
emitting
)r very
hat ex-
by can-
3. Sus
le little
w cried
y as to

inches

people.

land his

lanked,

and as
led him
id sent
ps. He
Ithough)

his captors shook hands with him at parting, and smiled, and patted him on
the shoulder, the dwarf could not comprehend why he had not furnisher a
feast for his captors, and evidently did not feel safe until he had plunged out
of sight in his native woods.

On the 26th of December, Tipo Tib and his Arabs bade farewell to Stanley,
and started on their return. They had not fully kept their contract, but their
excessive fear of the cannibals and the dwarfs was having a bad effect on
Stanley's men, and he decided to let them go ; so, after a grand banquet in
the wilderness, they shook hands and parted. At this time Stanley was not
sure whether the stream that he was following would empty into the Niger or
the Congo, as everything in advance of him was unknown and doubtful; but
he determineu '■) proceed and let the future take care of itself. His force now
consisted of one hundred and forty-nine persons, in twenty-three boats, and on
the departure of the Arabs, they
embarked and commenced their long
and dangerous drift toward the un-
known.

Standing up in his boat, Stanley
surveyed his people. How few they
appeared to dare the region of fable
and darkness ! They were nearly
all sobbing. They were leaning for-
ward, bowed, as it seemed, with grief
and heavy hearts. He spoke to them
words of encouragement; told them
of their past brave deeds, and ex-
horted them to be men. But it was repthk king of the jungle.
with wan smiles that they responded to his words, and feebly they paddled
down the dark-brown current. Poor fellows ! Many of them were indeed going
into the land of the Unknown.

IN THE TOILS OF A BOA-CONSTRICTOR.

As the expedition proceed«»rl on the voyage after the parting with Tipo Tib,
the river gradually widened until its breadth was about one mile, and its shores
became more populous with the most savage cannibals, who time and again
attacked die \0y5tgers. The cry went up from both shores "Meat! meat! we
shall hn.ve meat," folio vved by the pushing out of canoes manned by savages
who seemed to thinl those who composed the expedition would fall an easy
prey. To protect himself against the fury of these demons, who resented all
overtures for peace, Stanley was compelled to fight them, and in an almost con-
tinuous battle of many days, hundreds of the cannibals were slain, and in a few
instances their canoes and shields appropriated.

It was not until January 19th, 1876, that Stanley passed by the last tn'be
of cannibals, and came to a greater falls than any theretofore passed, to which

262

HER0B6 OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

i
i

he gave the name of Stanley Falls. Just below these was a village called
Balobo, where he met a very kind old king named Cliiimberi, who relieved the
very pressing needs of the expedition v;ith a good supply of provisions, and also
furnished Stanley with an escort of forty-five men to accompany him the next
fifty miles down the river and pilot the expedition through some treacherous
rapids.

Soon after going into camp after the first day's march from Balobo, every-
body was thrown into a state of nervous excitement by the terrible shrieks of a
boy, and upon rushing to the spot from whence the alarm came Stanley was
horrified to see a huge python uncoil itself from the body of one of the black
boys of the expedition and glide off quickly into the jungle. In the darkness
the boy had mistaken the snake for one of his companions, as it reared its

horrid head to
the height of a
man, and he
approached so
near that it
seized him in
its dreadful
folds. His
screams and
the rush of
men to his as-
sistance so
alarmed the
reptile that it
released its
hold and fled.
In half an
hour the
python, or

another one, was discovered, in a different part of the camp, about to embrace
a woman in its folds ; but this time, after tremendous excitement, the monster
was dispatched. It measured only thirteen feet six inches in length, and fifteen
inches around the thickest part of the body.

THE DROWNING OF KALULU AND FRANK POCOCK.

Nothing further befell the expedition until the 13th of March, when the first
cataract in Livingstone Falls was encountered, and thereafter for the period of one
month there was a succession of disasters, as there was a succession of cataracts.
Instead of carrying the bouts around this dangerous place in the river, as h.ul
been done at so many other places of like character, an attempt was made to ride
the cataracts, by which it was hoped that much valuable time would be gained.
But the wisdon\ of this undertaking is doubtful in the light of the fatal results

KILIING A BOA.

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

263

ige called
ilieved the
s, and also
the next
reacherous

)bo, every-

irieks of a

mley was

the black

: darkness

reared its

d head to

leight of a

and he

)ached so

that it

1 him in

1 r e a d f u 1

s. His

a m s and

rush of

to his as-

n c e so

In e d the

that it

sed its

and fled.

li a 1 f an

th c

n, or

embrace

monster

d fifteen

the first

Ixl of one

lataracts.

as had

to ride

gained.

results

that followed. On the 28th, one of the large canoes, carrjdng Kalulu, Stanley's
body servant, and five others, was swept over one of the cataracts, and all the

SIKHITINC. Tlllv CAT AUAC IS.

occupants were drowned. A similar disaster occurred on iIk 3d of June at
Masassa whirlpool, where Frank Pocock, with eight oarsmen, attempted to drive

264

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

the rapids, but they were drawn into a whirlpool, and down deep under the
seething waters. In this disaster Pocock lost his life, though he was an
expert swimmer, but all the other occupants of the boat contrived to reach the
shore and were saved. This dreadful misfortune to one whom he esteemed so
highly, and upon whom he had placed so much responsibility, gave Stanley
the keenest anguish, and left him entirely inconsolable. His reflections were
of the gloomiest character, since of the three brave boys who had sailed with
him from England to win laurels of discovery in a strange land, not one was
now left, but all were sleeping for eternity in the wilds of the Dark Continent,
where the tears of sorrowing friends could never moisten their rude beds. What
would the mothers say, when he returned to receive the praises of his grateful
patrons and the plaudits of admirers, and they learned that their noble sons
had made the greater sacrifice, but upon whom no joyous blessings now could
fall, not even that of a mother's tear.

The repeated calamities of the expedition had by this time so discouraged
the people that it was with the greatest effort Stanley could induce them to
proceed. They seemed to think they were going to certain destruction, and
became languid, sullen, and despondent. On the 20th of June thirty-one of
them deserted in a bod)-, but returned a few days afterwards, having met with
anything but a friendly reception from the natives. Stanley's great leadership
now manifested itself in keeping his people together, quieting their complaints,
and infusing enough energy and determination into their wasted bodies to
induce them to push on to the ocean. Famine stared them in the face, and
he knew that nothing but a persevering, persistent, impetuous advance toward
the sea could save them.

A STARVING EXPEDITION.

About the middle of Jiih^ the expedition reached Ngoyo, where they found
a naked but friendly people, who supplied the famishing travellers with a great
variety of vegetables and some fish. Besides which kindness the Ngoyo chief
assisted Stanley in conveying his boats around some dangerous falls and other-
wise attesting his friendship, for which he was rewarded with a liberal supply
of presents.

On the 31st of July, 1877, having explored the river to Isangila Falls, and
proved that it was the Congo, Stanley decided to leave the water and proceed
overland by a direct route to Embomma, a Portuguese settlement on the coast,
and only a few days' mrrch distant. The delight of the people at this announce-
ment manifested itself in loud and fervid exclamations of gratitude.

But the sufferings of the expedition, even with the glad pK)mise of reaching
a Portuguese settlement soon, vvere not yet ended, nor indeed had their most
desperate straits been pas.sed. F^orty of the men were sick of dysentery,
ulcers, and scurvy, and the list became greater each day as their exhaustion
increased. When at length tliey reached tlie coast, it was at a point where the
most imbruted natives had formed a small settlement, and from whom they

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

265

were unable to obtiiin any food whatever. Weak from their long fast, the
expedition continued on until, three days later, Nsanda was reached, where a
stop was made with the hope of obtaining some provisions. The chief came
out to Stanley's camp and asked at once for rum, but as all that had been
brought from Zanzibar had long before been exhausted, Stanley was unable to
grant the chief's request. At this the old savage became angry, and refused
to supply the starving men with any kind of food whatever.

The situation was now critical in the extreme, as his men were literallj-
dying of starvation ; and as a last recourse to secure relief, Stanley wrote a

STANLEY'S .STARVING I'EOPI.K.

letter in English, French, and Spanish, addressed to the people of Embomma,
lescribing his condition and asking relief. This letter was dispatched by three
of his best men, and on the following da\', August 4th, it was placed in the
hands of Mr. John W. Harrison, representing an English firm, who immediately
sent a large amount of provisions, by a score of carriers, to the suffering expe-
dition, and thus saved them from dying of starvation within a day's march of
the journey's end.

On the 9th of August Stanley marched into Embomma, where he was

\i ii

till t
t

266

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

most graciously received by Mr. Harrison and the Portuguese population, who,
as a mark of honor, gave him a magnificent banquet on the following evening.

After enjo3'ing the generous hospitality of these people for two days,
Stanley was ready to depart, but he first strolled down to the river, on the
banks of which Embomma is situated, to take a farewell look at its broad and
placid waters. " Glancing at the mighty river on whose brown bosom we had
endured so much," said he, " I saw it approach, awed and humbleS, the thresh-
old of the watery immensity, to whose innneasurable volume and illimitable
expanse, awful as had been its power and terrible as had been its fury, its flood
was but a drop. And I Tc't my heart suffused with purest gratitude to Him
whose hand had protected us, and who had enabled us to pierce the Dark
Continent from east to west, and to trace its mightiest river to its Ocean
bourne."

Stanley proceeded '.y'^.h his company on a steamer to Kabinda, and thence
to Loanda, where his sick and suffering people were received into the Portuguese
hospital, and remnv-.ed i.,ivil September 27th, five of them dying in the mean
time. From I.oanda the expedition sailed to Cape Town, and thence back to
Zanzibar, where tiie ;,• >ple were paid off and discharged. Stanley started for
England December i;,i'i, 1877, and upon his arrival in London was received
with dist.iiguisheri hf .'.o-s, such as he well deserved. He had fairly won the
English heart ;; . well as che heartiest praise of his own country. He had proved
himself, next to Livir,gstone, the greatest explorer that ever penetrated Africa.

STANLEY'S THIRD EXPEDITION.

The return of Stanley aft^r so long an absence, and when nearlj^ all the
civ n .ed world believed him dead, was the signal for renewed applause among
his admirers, and the bestowal ot praise and honors by the Geographical vSociety
of England. But not only was he the recipient of social, and even royal, favors,
as public evidences of appreciation for his heroism and incomparable wisdom in
dealing with the savage races of Africa, but a gainful interest was excited by
his discoveries, and commercial bodies almost immediately sought to make them
profitable. Stanley's report on the fertility of the Congo region, and the
navigableness of the Congo river, thus offering facile communication with the
interior, which is inconceivably rich in valuable woods, gums, ivory, gold, etc.,
prompted the formation of a compau}' to open trade with that promising region.

Portugal, as stated in an earh' part of this book, held possession, for cen-
turies, of the lower Congo, their district extending inland about one hundred
miles ; but their trade was of no consequence fifty miles from the coast, and so
little had this profited them that they seemed to set no value on the trade of
the interior or its possibilities. Within a few months after Stanley's return,
therefore, " The International Association " took steps to profit by his
discoxeries.

This as.sociation was the result of an assembling in 1876, at Brussels, of
the principal geographical societies of Europe and America, in response to an

:ion, who,
evening,
wo days,
r, on the
>road and
1 we had
le thresh-
llimitable
, its flood
to Him
he Dark
ts Ocean

d thence
)rtngnese
:he mean
: back to
arted for
received
won the
id pro\ ed
Africa.

all the

among

vSociety

, favors,

sdom in

cited by

e them

ind the

ith the

Id, etc.,

region.

"or cen-

undred

and so

•ade of

return,

)}' his

[els, of
to an

( 1

5 I

I r 0,1

CtrriNG A I'ASSAGlv AROUMt TlIK CATAUACTS.

(ler)

iYl

268

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

invitation from Leopold II., King of Belgium. The intention v/as to extend
the civilizing influences of Christianity through Central Africa, and the open-
ing up of trade over all available routes, whether by land or river.

King Leopold sent a letter to Stanley inviting him to attend upon His
Majesty, to which the explorer at once responded, and the interview that fol-
lowed resulted in the organization of another expedition under the command of
Stanley, and in the interest of the International Congo Association.

The Association, which had assumed, with consent of the powers, a national
character, adopted as their ensign a blue flag with a golden star in the
centre, and this Stanley bore as the emblem of his authority to negotiate
with the native tribes for exclusive privileges.

UP THE CONGO. *

On returning from his second expedition in Africa, and following down the
Congo, it will be remembered that Stanley left the river some fifty miles from
its mouth, and marched overland to the coast at Embomma. He had not,
therefore, followed down the river to its mouth. On his return expedition
to the Congo in 1878, therefore, he landed his compau}^ of 250 men at Banana
Point, the river's mouth, and in launches he commenced an ascent of that
iamous stream to note particularly to what extent it was navigable, and to
learn the prospects for opening a profitable trade with the 40,000,000 people
believed to reside in the Congo basin. The results of his undertaking, which
was attended by few adventures, may be briefly summed up as follows : He
found the river navigable for crafts drawing fifteen feet to Vivi, a distance of
115 miles. At this point cataracts begin, seven of which occur in the next 200
miles, around or over which it would be impossible for any crafts to pass except
by the digging of canals. After this interval of interruption the river widens
at Stanley pool, where Stanley founded the station of Leopoldville. Along this
route and to a distance of four hundred miles from the river's mouth, he
established twenty-two stations, over which he raised the flag of the Association,
and thus opened a secure way for both trade and missionaries, and in which
region slavery is prohibited.

The great difficulties encountered by Stanley in this expedition was in
making a passage around the cataracts, to accomplish which it was necessary
for him to draw his boats sometimes for miles overland, and to cut a way
through the dense wood, involving an incredible amount of labor. In one place
the hills rose so high and abruptly above the ca aracts that the only means of
effecting a passage round them was by digging and blasting out an angle at
the base, a work that required several months to perform. When he reached the
stream above the cataiacts his astonishment was as great as it was discouraging
to find that M. De Brazza had preceded him, and by a treaty with the tribes had
secured exclusive privileges to the French government for trade on the south shore
of the river, and claimed a protectorate over an area of thirty five thousand
square miles of territory, over which he had indeed raised the French flag.

[was in
[cessary

a way
[e place
ians of
igle at
lied the

raging
l)es had
li shore

)usand

\vom)i;ki-ii, uriuc.i-; ackoi-s coki'on hknnktt kivi.k

(:6q>

i }•

f ' ii

^ I:

270

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

'Ml

Stanley was first apprised of the treaty made between De Brazza and the
Congo tribes on his arrival at Gordon Bennett river, where it joins the Congo.
While being hospitably entertained by two chiefs, Gampa and Babnjali, he was
visited by a colored sergeant named Malaniine, dressed in uniform, and
accompanied by two negro sailors from the Gaboon. Hearing of Stanley's pres-
ence in the country, they visited him, bearing the French colors, and after a
polite greeting presented him with two papers. One of these was a copy of

ne BRAZZA coNci.rniNG a trijatn with THH NATIVKS

the treaty, and the other a reqnest, signed by De Brazza, to show hospitality
to any white person found within the protectorate.

DIFFICULTIES PRECIPITATED BY THE TREATY.

Stanley, while doubting the validity of the treaty, had no disposition to come
in conflict with De Brazza, and therefore asked Malamine if there were any
objections to crossing the Gordon Bennett river, and being answered in the
negative, he passed over to the other side by means of a bridge made of vines,

tality

come

any

tlie

ines.

lllll

272

HEROES OP THE DARK CONTINENT.

and which exhibited both the engineeriug skill and wondrous ingenuity of a
remarkable trihc. He halted ;it Alfwa, and there held an interview with chiet
Ingra at a grand meeting arranged for the purpose, and at which he obtained
permission to erect hoii es for a station, which privilege was immediately ratified
by the principal chief of the district, Gamankono. But Malamine followed
Stanley and the effects of his presence was soon felt in a refusal of the natives

MAI.AMINK RECEIVING OKUERS FROM Dli HRAZZA

to sell any food to Stanley's party. This inhospitable act was through the
influenrc of Malamine, who prejudiced the natives, by circulating scandalous
reports about Stanley. Gamankono was a very old man and in a state of ill
health besides, so that however kindly his real disposition was, he could not
go among his people to personally discredit the stories which Malamine was
industriously circulating, so Stauley returned to ^ifwa. On the way, however,

herop:s of thk dark continent.

273

he was beset by hostile natives, who threatened to attack his part}' and would
have done so but for the timely interposition of the son of a chief n:\nied
Gauclen, who, with sixty musketeers, had been sent to bring Stanley to the
south bank of the river, where he was promised protection. While thus resting
at a native village on the south bank, Stanley was visited by Gauclen
himself, representing king Makoko, who came to discuss the benefits likely
to accrue from a settlemeni of terms with the International Association. Stanley,
however, told him that he could entertain no proposals because the territory had
been bartered to De Bra//a. At this Gauclen became furious with rage, and
with vehement declaration and demonstration denied thai any such treaty had
been made, and boldly asseverated that if even king Makoko himself should
nuike any compact towards selling territory, he would be sacrificed to the ven-
geance of his people.

The disputes occasioned by the treaty with De Brazza were so bitter that
the whole country was thrown into distraction, rendering it next to impossible
to make any binding settlements with the natives, who now viewed all strangers
with suspicion, if not hostility. Stanley therefore concluded to return to Eng-
land with the fruits of his accomplishments. By establishing so many- stations
r.nd exploring the Congo, 1'e had opened a route to Central Africa and made
it possible to extend a prontable commerce between Europe and the people of
the Congo region. Besides this, he discovered Lake Mantumba, a considerable
body of w-ater, and explored the river Malundu, known on the maps as Ikelembu,
for a distance of one hundred miles. He found it to be a stream about the
size of the Arkansas river, and deep enough for au}- fresh-water craft. His
further acquaintance with the country, thus acquired, led him to estimate the
population of the Congo basin at forty-nine millions. Throughout this populous
district, gems, rubber, ivory, woods of great value, fruits, etc., could be exchanged
most profitably for articles of European manufacture, and all the people were
anxious for the establishment of trade relations. Stanley's report, on his
return to Etigland in 18S2, was therefore very flattering, and has led Lo great
rivalry between the English, Dutch, French, Portuguese and Germans, all of
which nations have kept agents in the Congo region ever since. This rivalry
resulted in the establishment of the Congo Free States, and the country is open
to all nations and will be speedily settled up. Already- lines of steamers have
been established on the river, and a railroad is projected, in fart being built,
from Banana Point to Leopoldville, which will furnish transportation to millions
of immigrants into Central Africa within the next ten years.
l8

! i

I I

/My -/

IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-3)

1.0

I.I

1.8

Photographic

Sciences
Corporation

1.25 1.4 1.6

►

o'^

'^^

23 WEST MAIN STREET

WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580

(716) 872-4503

CHAPTER XIII.

CHINESE GORDON.

lENERAL CHARLES GORDON, whose fame encompasses the
world, was the successor of Sir Samuel Baker as Pasha in the
service of the Porte, sent to the Soudan in 1874 to suppress the
slave trade and bring into subjection to Egyptian sovereignty the
rebellious provinces of Ethiopia.

No man has had a more remarkable career, none so dis-
tinguished, when we consider the many different flags he fought
under and the diversified commands that he held. His life was like a
twelfth century romance, reflecting the glamor of the cri-sading and chivalric
ages ; he was a Peter the Hermit in pious devotion, a Lancelot in skill, a
Barbarossa in impetuous courage. But though he was one of the gods of war,
'f the metaphor be not too florid, he was in quiet scenes a babe of peace, and
thus within him were those warring elements that, like hot and cold currents of
air coming together to produce a cyclone, swept him into the most furious
actions and left upon his brow the marks of heroic struggle. While nature
seems to have made him a great military leader, endowing him with Napoleonic
sagacity and almost unexampled courage, yet his heart was so gentle that it
might well have served the most pious nun. And with woman's sweetest sym-
pathy there was joined the greatest charity, devotion, loyalty, and all the holy
attributes that belong to a truly generous nature. Though he was a very
thunderbolt in battle, and was as anxious on the eve of action as a war-horse
that is held under curb when he hears the rattle of musketry, yet the martial
spirit that moved him to valorous d^eds found satisfaction in execution, and
was, enigmatic as it may appear, intensely displeased with every effort made to
invest him with the mark of honor. He had no thirst for distinction, being as
insensible to fame as the most rigid ascetic of olden times, and for wealth he
had no desire whatever. Thus, when he was offered the princely salary of
$50,000 per annum by the Khedive, he refused it, but accepted $10,000, and
more than two-thirds of this sum he gave away in cliarit}' to the impoverished
people of the Soudan, whom he was sent to subdue and govern. And when he
returned to England, from China, with a few hundred pounds that he had earned
in such hard service, he expended it all in founding a school for poor boys in
London. But with all this, he was adapted to command, and to lead in battle,
as we shall see.

(274)

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

275

isses the
lia in the
press the
ignty the

e so dis-
le fought
s like a
chivalric
1 skill, a
Is of war,
leace, and
rrents of
t furious
le nature
apoleouic
that it
test sym-
the holy
a very
/ar-horse
martial
ion, and
made to
)eing as
■alth he
.lary of
00, and
erislied
hen he
earned
boys in
battle.

We are not surprised to learn that Gordon was descended from a family of
warriors, of heroes ; that his great-grandfather was a Highland soldier who distin-
guished himself at Preston-Pans, and that his kinsmen were in the forefront under
the banner of the Pretender. And his grandfather fought on the bloody field of
CuUoden, but the service he performed, alas ! is not recorded. From Scotland
the grandfather came to America, where he was soon after killed in an accident ;
but he left many
sons, some of
whom fought at
Minorca, and at
the siege of
Louisburgh,
and others per-
ished with
Wolfe on the
Plains of Abra-
ham. The fa-
ther, Henry
William, born
1786, was a
member of the
Royal Artil-
lery, and last of
his generation.
He married
Elizabeth En-
derby, of Black-
heath, by whom
he had five sons
and six daugh-
ters. Three of
the sons entered
the army, the
youngest of
whom, born in
1830, was our hero, whose career, I regret, space permits me to only briefly sketch.

IN THE CRIMEA AND BESSARABIA.

Gordon was sent to Balaklava to serve in the Crimean war, reaching his
destination January ist, 1855. His first service was as a subaltern in the
trenches, but a month later he was assigned to the engineer corps and placed in
charge of the construction of new batteries in advance of the trenches. There
is little history obtainable from which to learn all the real services he performed
before Sebastopol, but that he displayeu his characteristic heroism is evidenced

GRNERAI. CHARI.KS l.ORnON.

^— ^

276

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

by the fact that he was decorated with the Legion of Honor after the fall of that
great stronghold.

In May, following the close of the Crimean war, Gordon was appointed
assistant commissioner, and sent to join Major Stanton in Bessarabia, where he
helped to mark the new boundaries between Russia, Turkey, and Roumania,
a service in which he was engaged for eleven months. In April, 1857, ^^^
assisted in the delimitation of the boundary of Asia, and was thus for the first
time brought into contact with uncivilized tribes, and especially familiarized
himself with the Kurds. This experience with Asiatic people aroused in him a
desire to visit China, which he had the opportunity of gratifying in jUly, i860.
On his arrival at Hong-Kong he learned of the capture of the Taku forts, and
shortly after of the massacre of several distinguished Englishmen who had first
been taken prisoners by the forces under Sankolinsin. This was one of the
first inhuman acts committed by the Chinese in their resistance to the English,
who had sent a fleet to effect an opening of the ports of China. In consequence
of this massacre, the allies marched on Pekin in October and invested the city.
In this engagement Gordon took a leading part, and was present at the sacking
and burning of the Summer Palace, which followed the capture of the city,
October 12th. Thereafter he served as commander of the royal engineers, his
duties taking him far into the interior, and to places which white men had
never before visited.

A GREAT CHINESE PROPHET.

After the effectual opeaing, by treaty, of the Chinese ports, Gordon still
remained in the country, and circumstances arose directly which placed him in
command of Chinese troops sent to suppress the Taiping rebellion.

The events which led to this uprising against the government are not wholly
unlike those which led to the war in the Soudan, as will be hereafter seen. During
the Opium war of 1842, when firearms were first introduced into China, a native
schoolmaster, named Hung-tsue-schuen, of Taipang, announced himself as called
by the gods to overthrow the Manchoo race and to take possession of the Dragon
throne. He described many revelations made to him by the spirits, and succeeded
in enlisting the active assistance of 20,000 converts to his pretensions, who spread
the new dispensation with the greatest persistency and at the expense of the
largest self-denial. Growing stronger in numbers, they at length, while osten-
sibly travelling about the country on a proselyting tour, began breaking idols
and effacing Confucian texts from schools and temples. Hung now claimed that
he was the Heavenly King, the Emperor of the Great Peace ; and having
defeated the mandarins in his first collision with them, his forces so greatly
augmented that, with the legions at his couimand, he began a devastation of
the country.

Hung's success gave color to his heavenly commissioned pretensions, while
affording at the time a ripe opportunity for piracy and all manner of lawless-
ness. He marched at last upon Nanking, which speedily capitulated to his

■"itf-.

SOLDIERS OK THE IMPERIAL ARMY.

(277)

278

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

enormous army, and in this city he established himself as the Heavenly King-
and there he continued in the usurpation of the sovereign prerogative until
i860. He had avoided any connection with the war between England and the
government, pretending that he was attempting to establish the Christian
religion in the country, hoping thereby for English and French interference in
his behalf. But when this hoped-for aid was finally denied, he became insolent,
and in i860 threatened Shanghai and all the consular ports.

THE EVER-VICTORIOUS ARMY.

The English and French had been applied to for assistance by both the
Taiping rebels and the Imperialists, but they wisely abstained from taking
sides, though holding themselves ready to protect the commerce of the ports,
and foreigners who had entered the country to trade. The mandarins of
Shanghai, therefore, became so alarmed for themselves and their interests,
which were so alarmingly menaced by the rebels, that they commissioned two
Americans who happened to be in Shanghai at the time, named Ward and
Burgevine, both of whom Avere adventurers, the former having served under
Walker in Nicaragua, giving them authority to raise a contingent for the
defence of the city. In addition to this they were offered a large reward for
the capture of a strategic place called Sung-Kiang, twenty miles from Shanghai,
which was in the hands of the rebels. The two Americans raised a force of
lOO men, chiefly sailors, who being well armed, made an assault on the place
at night but were repulsed with a loss of half their number. Not discouraged
by this disaster, but gaining a knowledge of the temper and power of their
adversaries, the Americans increased their force by the addition of several
thousand imperialists, with which they again threw themselves against the
fortifications of the rebels, and this time succeeded not only in gaining an
entrance to Sung-Kiang, but in massacring a large number of the rebels and
putting the rest to flight.

The success that had attended their enterprise prompted Ward to name
his force the " Ever-Victorious Army," a title which seems to have been
fortunately bestowed, since its lists of victories so largely increased that Ward,
as generalissimo, continued to act on the aggressive and pursued the rebels
until checked and turned back bj^ a new ami}', under one of the Taiping leaders,
that had marched down from the interior to assist in the intended attack on
Shanghai. Ward's army was thus forced back into Sung-Kiang where it was
invested by a large force, while another rebel contingent marched on Shanghai,
committing every conceivable depredation on the way.

THE ATTACK ON SHANGHAI.

The army of the rebels, headed by the fanatic who had styled himself
the Faithful and the Heavenly King, rushed down with an impetuous dash
upon Shanghai, crying for vengeaiice against the government, and particularly
against " the foreign dogs," who were supposed to be operating with the
Imperialists. Mutual interests jow forced the allies to fly to the protection of

TAIPING RBBBLS COMMITTING ATKOCITIKS ON TUB WAY TO SUAKGUAl.

(279'

28o

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

the city, which if taken would certainly be looted and burned. The French
and English, accordingly, joined the Imperialists and on August i8th, i860,
they met with heroic resolution the shock of the rebel charge. A desperate
battle followed, in which the so-called Heavenly King was repulsed, but not
entirely beaten. Rallying his forces on the following day, the rebel king
returned to the charge, when the .desperate fighting which distinguished the
preceding day was repeated. But this time the results were more decisive, for
the rebels were dispersed with great slaughter and driven by the pursuing
allies until they had to retire to Soochow.

After a short period of inactivity at Soochow, the Heavenly King went to
Nanking, from which point, in October, he sent forth four immense armies to
attack the Imperialists along the Yangtze river, in a district of some four
hundred miles. The ports along this river had been opened up to foreign
trade bj' the Pekin treaty, so that the British Naval Commander, Sir James
Hope, ascended the river with his fleet, and, obtaining an interview with the
rebel king, obtained from him a promise not to interfere in any way with the
trade of that river, and also not to make any demonstration on Shanghai for
the period of one year, both of which promises were faithfully fulfilled.

But the year 1861 was full of disasters to the Heavenly King, who in trying
to capture Hankow, was driven from that metropolis back again into the neigh-
borhood of Shanghai. The rebel king now notified Sir James Hope that upon
the expiration of the year's truce he would move upon Shanghai, which, despite
the warnings given him in reply, he proceeded to do in January, 1862.

The allied forces — French and British — resolved to defend the city and also
to form a junction with Ward, who was still at Sung-Kiang, with a force
of 1000 well-drilled Chinese soldiers. The result of this alliance was the rout
of the rebels again, who were driven to Ning-po. The fighting continued,
however, but in September, Ward was killed in a skirmish, and was succeeded
in command of the Ever- Victorious Army by Burgevine, who, however, was
cashiered for looting the local Chinese treasury of Shanghai, in January following.

Up to this time the two American adventurers had been in practical com-
mand of the allies, but with their disappearance the British Government was
formally applied to for a new commander. This step was rendered the more
necessary by a refusal of the British and French to lend an}- aid towards a
suppression of the rebellion, more than to guard the frontier within thirty miles
of Shanghai, where the foreign interest was entitled to prot'^jction.

The request for a new commander of the Ever-Victorious Army was conveyed
to General Stavelej^ who referred the matter to the Horse Guards, but in turn it
was sent back to him for action. The result was the selection of Gordon, who was
soon after given the title of General, and was raised to the post of Mandarin.

THE DEFEAT OF HOLLAND.

Before taking active command of the arni}-, Gordon asked for a month's
time, to be spent b}' him in an examination of the surrounding country. During

lie French
Sth, i860,

desperate
i, but not
ebel king
lished the
;cisive, for

pursuing

g went to
armies to
ionie four
o foreign
5ir James
with the
with the
ighai for
d.

in trying
le neigh-
hat upon
1, despite
2.
and also

a force
the rout
ntinued,
icceeded

er, was

lowing,
al com-

nt was
e more
^•ards a
y miles

nveyed

turn it

^ho was

ndarin.

lonth's
During

(281)

282

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

this preparatory work, fitting him the better, by giving him a knowledge of
the topography of the region through which he was soon to inaugurate a vigor-
ously aggressive campaign, for the work he was about to undertake, Gordon
suffered a Captain Holland, of the Marine Light Infantry, to take temporary
command. Holland, hoping to gain at once a reputation for skilful generalship,
collected a force of 7500 men with which he attacked the walled city of Taitsan,
the attack resulting in bis inglorious defeat and the loss of all his cannons and
ammunition. This victory greatly elated the rebels, while correspondingly
depressing the Imperialists, and produced such a reaction that Gordon hastened
to take command of the now demoralized army, before one-half his mouth's
leave had expired.

Gordon found it necessary to reorganize his army, and after infusing it
with some of his own indomitable courage, he led it, though only 1000 strong,
in an attack on the rebel stronghold at Fushan, on the Yangtze river. This
place he bombarded until it was evacuated, and then without halting he marched
on Chanzfu, inland some ten miles, which he relieved, to the intense delight
of the citizens, who had been surrounded for several weeks by the rebels and
until starvation was threatening.

THE SIEGE OF TAITSAN, AND HORRIBLE TORTURES.

With this success, which brought to his aid the confidence of the Impe
rialists. Gordon was able to make the amplest provision for his army in the way
of providing pay and effective arms for his soldiers. He now had a well
equipped army of 3000 men, with which he determined to lay siege to Taitsan,
although it was garrisoned by a force of io,ooa rebels, among whom were many
English, French and American renegades. His first act was to cut the Hue
of communication between Taitsan and Quinsan and Soochow, and then to move
a line of breastworks towards the cit}'. His approaches were gradual but
constant until within one hundred yards of the walls, when he opened a
tremendous fire on the battlements, silencing the guns of the enemy and permitting
him to bridge the moat that surrounded the walls with gun-boats that had
moved up the river to his aid. In two hours after the attack opened a breach
was made in the walls, but at dreadful expense, for now the battlements were
remounted, from which a storm of leaden hail poured down upon the assailants.
Twice the Imperialists were repulsed, but, cheered on by their heroic com-
mander, they charged again to the breach and at length were swept through
and over the walls by the impetuous ranks that closed up from behind. The
city was taken by this irresistible assault, and several thousands of the rebels
made prisoners. Among these were seven special offenders whom the Man-
darins decreed should suffer the penalty of a slow and torturous death. Gordon
had no sympathy with the manner of punishment that the Imperialists, accord-
ing to all Chinese customs, inflicted upon their enemies, but his influence, great
as it was, could not prevent it. The seven unfortunates, who had themselves
inflicted a similar torture upon Imperialist prisoners who had fallen into their

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

283

svledge of
te a vigor-
e, Gordon
temporary
Jiieralship,
f Taitsan,
luons and
pondingly
hastened
•> month's

ifusing it
XD strong,
er. This
; marched
e delight
ebels and

lie Impe
1 the wa}
d a well
Taitsan,
re many
the line
to move
nal but
3ened a
rmitting
lat had
a breach
11 ts were
sailants.
ic com-
through
The
i rebels
Man-
Gordon
accord-
-, great
nselves
■o their

hands, were taken to a place near Waikong, and w.re there tied up by their arms
aud legs and exposed to public view five hours before decapitation. To increase

the torture, while thus hanging, arrows were forced through their bodies in various
places and a large piece of flesh was cut out of the right arm of each victim>

HEROES OK THE DARK CONTINENT.

2S5

•A

>
'it

SO that when they were finally brought before the executioner they were so
far exhausfed as to be insensible to their last but more merciful punishment.

After the brilliant victory at Taitsan, Gordon's name became a household
word in China and he appeared to them as the matchless, the unconquerable, the
Ever-Victorious Englishman. With this reputation he was able at length to
force the mandarins to treat their prisoners of war with more humane consid-
eration, so that tortures like those described were not repeated.

Gordon's next effort was the reduction of the great fortifications around
Quinsan and capture of the city, which he accomplished in a three days' attack, in
which the enemy lost 5000 men while his own fatalities numbered only two killed
and five drowned.

After garrisoning this large city and most valuable strategical point he
continued his victorious march towards Soochow, the capital of the empire, and
the most important city on the grand canal. In this place was the flower of
the Taiping army with a force estimated at 30,000. Although he now had at
his command hardly 10,000 men, and the city which he had resolved to invest
was the best fortified of all the cities of the kingdom, yet he seemed to have
the utmost reliance in his ability to effect its capture. Accordingly, he sent two
of his small gunboats up the canal, which with little opposition captured the
canal outposts of the place. He then, with his main army, swept around to
the eastward and planted his siege guns against the other outposts. Simul-
taneously with the beginning of a bombardment of the outer posts he made an
assault upon Leeku, which soon capitulated, and with its fall followed that of
Wauti, which completed the investment of Soochow.

A HELLISH NIGHT.

The most serious obstacles were yet to be met, for though the outposts
had been reduced and the siege fairly begun, the strength of the main fortifi-
cations was yet to be determined, as well as the resolution of the defenders.
Eleven days of investment had given neither side any advantage, when Gordon
determined to make a night attack, which he did by assaulting the north-east
angle at one o'clock in the morning. An advance was made on the outer
stockade, which progrc 'jsed favorably until the advance guard had clambered
upon the breastworks. All had been still up to this time, when suddenly hell
itself seemed to open and from its sulphurous bowels gushed out a sheet of
flame that gave to creation such murderous missies as grape-shot and bullets.
It was an awful moment, in which the riot of death held high carnival, against
which even Gordon himself could not make the magic wand which he was
supposed to carry effective. But though he could not stem the tide, he fell
back gracefully on its current, and with his shattered contingent rushed back
to the guns that thundered both death and applause. Though repulsed, with
serious loss, Gordon had given blow for blow, and when morning broke there
was a row of dead men on either side of the broken walls.

Even though the rebels had beaten back their enemies, the}' felt that a

H
H
<

K
H

ei
w

(286)

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

287

capitulation of the city was only a question of time, and so general was their
fears of disaster attending the result of further defence, that several of the
Taiping generals "became anxious not only to surrender, but they actually sent
a proposal to Gordon to come over to the Imperialists, with several thousands
■jf their men. In order to accomplish this proposed desertion, they requested
Gordon to make an attack on the east gate, by which the deserters would be
able to separate from the other rebels, and thus escape from the main body
without a knowledge of their intention being discovered.

In pursuance of the proposal received, Gordon brought his siege guns
again into action on the point indicated, and opened such a tremendous fire
that the stockades were soon reduced and many large breaches made in the
walls ; but an entrance to the city was not yet open, and more desperate fight-
ing would be necessary before reaching the inner walls. ,

An interview was arranged between several of the rebel generals and
Gordon, at which tiie former promised to abstain from action during the next
assault if they were guaranteed immunity from harm by the Imperialists
upon the city's capitutation. This agreement was received with favor, the
more so because Gordon's available force was now only 5500 men, and the
innei wall of the city was protected by a deep moat of appalling width. To
demonstrate their sincerity, the deserting generals eyen arranged to surrender
one of the gates of the city, but in this promise Gordon did not place the
greatest confidence, though by way of enforcing compliance he put on a bold
front and declared that if it were not done, he would not be responsible for the
conduct of his soldiers.

MURDER OF THE DESERTING GENERALS.

Oil the following day the attack was renewed, but so little resistance was
offered that Gordon made no stop until he entered the city and set the Imperial
flag on the -walls. He found the place in the wildest confusion, which was
doubly confounded by the looting soldiers and the high-leaping flames that shot
up from hundreds of burning buildings. By heroic resolution Gordon finally
restrained the rapacity of his soldiers and gradually restored order, but when
he came to make inquiries about the deserters to v^hom he had promised protection
he found that they had all been murdered, and that too by order of General
Ching, of the Imperialist force, who was present with Gordon when the promise
of, immunity was made. This act of treachery, in which his own honor was
deeply involved, so sensibly affected Gordon that he burst into tears. But grief
was almost immediately followed by a spirit of vengeance, which he vowed
agfainst the perpetrators of this most damnable act. Gordon therefore armed him-
self, and went in quest of Ching, whom he determined to kill and thus compel an
atonement for the crime. His anger was also likewi.se directed against Li, who
was governor of the province, and was present at the interview with the deserters,
adding his approval of the protection thus promised, but who assisted in the
execution. Gordon sought for these two high officers in every quarter of the

288

HES.OES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

city, and even called upon his army to aid in locating lliem, but they had
learned of the outraf^ed General's intentions and made good their escape.

Being unable t(' bring Ching and Li to a summary justice, Gordon felt
that the only course open to him now was in resigning c^ommand of the array,
feeling that further service with such barbarians would be the lending of an
active support to their inhuman, treacherous and villainous policies.

REWARDED BY THE EMPEROR.

Two months of inactivity now intervened, with Gordon's resohition to
abandon the service still unshaken. The Emperor, however, had the good

GORDON S AUDIKNCK WITH THK TAH'ING RliBKI..S.

judgment to appreciate the value of his services, and not only sent him a medal
of the highest honor, but also ten thousand taels (fifteen thousan-l dollars) as
a t;pecial compliment to his heroism and military genius displayed at the siege
of Scochow. The former Gordon received with manifestations of pleasure, but
the latter he rejected as being, in his mind, too intimately connected with the
perfidious acts of Ching and Li- Gradually, however, his anger subsided imdcr
the assurances that the country would not regard him as having any sympathy
with the murderers, and especially under the Emperor's kindly offices, who

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

289

even communicated to the Queen of England the n< ble services for which he
had become indebted to her distinguished subject. Added to all these persua-

i;Xi;ciTI()N C)K TH)': dksuktinc. c.enkrai.s.

sive, as well as mollifying influences, Gordon was brought to consider the great
work which he had undertaken, and which was more than two-thirds accom-
'9

290

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

plished when Soochow fell. To relinquish what had been gained would lose to
him the honor so gloriously won, so that a keen appreciation of the situation,
which came only after more mature consideration, at length led him to resume
command of the Ever-Victorious Army and renew hostilities against the rebels.
On the 19th of February, 1864, Gordon quitted Quinsan with a force of
nearly ten thousand, and marched against the rebel strongholds in the mid-
interior, where he must depend for supplies almost wholly on such forage as he
could obtain. He had not proceeded many miles towirds Yesing, before he
discovered that the country had been ravaged by the rebels to such an extent
that millions of people had been left in a starving state. Indeed at one village
he found the inhabitants not only without shelter, but so reduced by lack of
food that the survivors were feeding off the bodies of the dead. But the despe-
rate poverty of the people was at least one advantage to Gordon, for it made
them anxious to join the Imperialists, both for revenge against the rebels and
to relieve their indescribable distress. Thousands accordingly signed their
allegiance to the Emperor, and though generally without arms, gave Gordon
considerable assistance.

THE STORMING OF KINTANG.

On March ist, the Imperialists entered Yesing and four days later Liyang
also capitulated. After a rest of only two days, Gordon again resumed the
march and soon threw his army against the great city and stronghold of Kin-
tang. Here the rebels made a desperate resistance, beating back three terrific
assaults of the Imperialists, in the second of which Gordon was b .dly wounded
in the leg, and in the last the Ever- Victorious Army, deprived of its heroic
commander, was beaten and forced to retreat back to Liyang.

Gordon was badly hurt, but his restlessness and indomitable courage would
not suffer him to keep his couch for more than a week, and with his leg in a
swollen, feverish and still bleeding condition, he again headed his little army
and at once began driving the rebels from village to village and into their
capital strongholds. The country through which his operations had to be made
was one vast desolation, with starvation on every side, and cannibalism a neces-
sity at almost every home. To subsist lijs army was possible only by beating
the enemy from place to place and capturing their supplies. He was therefore
forced to conduct his movements with the utmost rapidity, and keep constantl}^
on the enemy's flank, or at their heels.

BLOWING UP TTTE GATES.

Gordon finally drove the rebels into W'aissoo, which he captured after a
brief assault, then marched on to Chanchu-fu, which was lield by twenty thousand
of the Taipings, who were commanded b} Hu-Wang, one of the bravest and
most desperate men in all China. This place was invested, but it held out for
several days and repulsed the assaults made against it until the Imperialists
began to believe its walls impregnable. Communication was established with
several of the rebels who, like those in Soochow, expressed a wish to desert,

292

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

and this, through Gordon's strategy, led to an exposure of the north gate, which
blown down and gave entrance to the Imperialists, who swamied upon the

rebels and killing thousands took other thousands prisoners, many of whom,
including Hu-Wang, were beheaded.

About this time an order was received from the British Crown withdraw-
ing permission, given two years before, for English officers to take service
under the Chinese Government. Had it come a month earlier the rebels might
have ultimately gained control of the government, but with the fall of Chanchu-fu
there was not enough vitality left for the dying snake of rebellion to v/ag its

BEHKADING THE PRISONERS.

tail any longer. It now fell to pieces with astonishing rapidity, those who had
thus far held out being anxious to surrender in order to escape the punishment
that would follow capture.

TRAGIC END OF THE FALSE PROPHET.

Nanking was now the only stronghold in the hands of the rebels, and this
city was invested and on the eve of surrender when Gordon dismissed his
army, as being no longer needful to the government, and retired to Shanghai.
Here he was received with demonstrations of homage by the merchants of that-
place, who made him some splendid presentations, notwithstanding it was well
known with what reluctance he accepted any substantial favors. In addition

:ate, which

upon the

of whom,

withdraw-
:e service
)els might
baiichu-fu
v/ag its

^ho had
shmeiit

tid this
led his
nghai.
>f thaf
s well
Idition

1233)

394

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

to this tLa Emperor presented him with an address embodying an acknowledg-
ment of his distinguished services, and invested him with the rank of Ti.Tu
(the Yellow Jacket), the highest within the power of that potentate to bestow.
On the fall of Nanking, which occurred a few days after the dismissal of
Gordon's army, the great Hung, once a village school-teacher and later the
Heavenly King, the so-called vicegerent of God, the head of the Taiping rebell-
ion, committed suicide by shooting himself through the head. This was his
miserable end, but he deserved a more tragic fate. No other human being has
been charged with perpetrating such cruelties as he. Prisoners who fell into
his hands — so they were not foreigners — were put to inconceivably horrible
tortures ; flaying alive was the more common method he employed, but as the
humor possessed him he broke the bones, crushed the flesh, drove spikes into
the body, and burned and harrowed his victims. His last act, preceding that of his
own taking off", was the hanging of all his wives, nearly one hundred in num-
ber. Thus lived and perished the great false prophet of China, so horrifying
in his every aspect, so inhuman in character, that the tragedy of his ending
had the one good effect of destroying the hope of any succeeding fanatic bound
by his abominable creed.

knowledg-

of Ti.Tu
to bestow,
missal of

later the
ug rebel 1-

was his
being has

fell into
f horrible
ut as the
ikes into
hat of his

in nnra-
lorrifying
5 ending
tic bound

?y>_

CHAPTER XIV.

IN THE KHEDIVK S SERVICE.

EACE having been restored in China, and foreign trade relieved
f nn the incubus of a rebellion that had so long paralyzed it,
Gordon felt that his next duty was to his own country. Accord-
ingly, in January, 1865, he sailed for home and on his arrival
there he was met by the acclamations of his countrymen, who hailed
him as one of England's greatest heroes. In the same year he
received the appointment of commanding Royal Engineer at
Gravesend, where he remained six years superintending the con-
struction of the Thames defences. In 187 1 he was made a member of the
European Commission of the Danube and spent eighteen months engineering
improvements at the mouth of that river.

In 1873 the Ashantees became very troublesome and were planning an
attack on Cape Coast Castle, and otherwise seriously interfering with Britis'i
trade on the coast of West Africa. A general request was almost immediatel v
voiced b}' the press that Gordon should be appointed to take command of the forces
it had been decided to send against the Ashantees ; but while the popular
demand was being urged there was a request for his services in a new field,
where energy, adroitness, and courage such as his were particularly necessary.
Sir Samuel Baker had returned from the Soudan, as already described,
but though partiall}' successful in establishing Egyptian sovereignty in the
Soudan, much yet remained to be done, and that too immediately, or else all of
Baker's work would be; speedily lost, leaving the Soudan in more chaotic condi-
tion than before. In 1873 Gordon left Galatz, where he had been being serving as
vice-counsel of the Danubian Commission, and at the solicitation of Nubar Pasha
in the year following entered the Egyptian service. The Khedive proposed to
give him $50,000 per annum for his services, but he refused to accept more
than $10,000, the sum which he was then receiving from his own government.

THE INSINCERITY OF THE KHEDIVE.

Baker had succeeded in bringing all the tribes of northern Africa, — south
as far as the central lake basin, and west to Lake Tchad — under Egyptian
rule, but his efforts at suppressing the infamous slave trade in that large dis-
trict had proved futile, principally because of the open countenance lent to the
trade by the Egyptian government, which issued licenses to the slave traders and
fostered their horrible traffic. But there was such a cry from all civilized
countries for its suppression that the Khedive was forced to assume a position

296

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

antagonistic to its continuance, and to carry out the idea that he sincerely
desired a removal of this blot upon his rule, he employed Baker, as governor
of- Ismalia, to suppress it. When Baker returned, discouraged by the hike-
warmness, if not direct conniving of the Khedive, Gordon was engaged to con-
tinue this shameful mask of philanthropj'

He had been in Cairo only a short while before he discovered signs of
insincerity in the Khedive's motives, for in writing home he says : " I think 1
can see the true motive of this expedition, and believe it to be a sham to catch
the attention of the English people."

But though Gordon discovered, through the thin veneering of feigned sym-
pathy for the poor blacks of Africa, a desire to secretly perpetuate the slave

GORDON'S INFANTRY USCORT.

trade, his own sympathies were so excited that even without the Khedive's
co-operation he still hoped to be able to relieve some of the untold miseries
which followed an open and unrestricted license of slave abduction and trading.

OFF FOR CENTRAL AFRICA.

Earl}' in February, 1874, Gordon left Cairo for Suakim, with a long retinue
of servants, 220 troops, and a staff consisting of Romulus Gessi, an Italian,
Mr. Kemp, a distinguished military engineer, two brothers named Linant, Mr.
Russell, Mr. Anson, Colonel Chaille Long, an American, and Abou Saoud, an
ex-slave dealer who had given Baker so much trouble.

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

297

I sincerely

i governor

the hike-

;d to con-

l signs of
I think I
1 to catch

nied syni-
the slave

w^^y

hedive's
miseries
trading.

rctinne
Italian,
nt, Mr.
Hid, an

The party reached Suakim February 25th, and a fortnight later they crossed
ihe desert to Berber, where the following assignments were made : Gessi and
Anson were first sent to open communications with the natives in the region
of the Bahr Gazelle, whose friendship was essential to the purposes in view,
and among whom it was desirable to learn the workings of the slave-trade.
Kemp and Russell were dispatched to the falls below Gondokoro, to learn if the
Nile was navigable at that season around them. The Linants undertook the
more responsible duty of visiting the several tribes that are to be met with
along the route, with the intent of establishing friendly relations with them.

CORDON REVIEWING HIS TROOPS AT KHARTOUM.

Colonel Long was at once given charge of the district of Gondokoro, which placed
him in command of a section of country extending to Lake Victoria, Abou
Saoud, though known to be very treacherous, was most serviceable to the expedi-
tion in affording information about the country and people, which he knew so
well, and in being chief interpreter between Gordon and the natives.

The expedition departed from Berber after a short stay and proceeded on
to Khartoum, only three days' sail distant, where upon his arrival he issued
the following proclamation :

" By reason of the authority of the Gov^ernor of the Provinces of the

298

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

Equatorial Lakes, with which His Hij>;-hness, the Khedive, has invested me, and
the irregularities which until now have been conunitted, it is henceforth decreed:

"i. That the traffic in ivory is the monopoly of the Government.

"2. No person may enter these Provinces without a permit from th-
Governor-General of the Soudan, such permit being available only after it sha.i
have received the indorsement of competent authority at Gondokoro or else-
where.

"3. No person may recruit or organize armed bands within these Provinces.

SCl-.VK AI.ONC. TIIK Nll.l':.

"4. The importation of firearms and gunpowder is prohibited.
"5. Whosoever shall disobey this decree will be punished with all the rigor
of the military law." "Gordon."

ADVENTURES ALONG THE NILE.

^larch 22d Gordon set sail for Gondokoro, accompanied by Abou Saoud,
while his staff set out on their respective assignments, but on this same day
one of the Linant brothers died of fever, which sad event served to cast a
deep gloom, approaching to despondency, upon all the party. However Gordon
proceeded, fortified by his resolution to perform the duties entrusted to him.
As his vessel passed slowly up the river he began to grow interested in the

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

299

ted nie, and
th decreed :

lit.

t from tho
ter it slia.i
ro or else-

Prov

inces.

tlie rigor

)X."

I vSaoiid,
line day

cast a
Gordon
to Iiini.

1 in tlie

strange sights and sonnds that greeted his ears. Along the banks were rows
of stately and statnesqnc whale-headed storks, cranes and beantiful egrets.

A SPORTIVI'; HIl'l'Dl'OTA.Ml S.

From tnese smgnlar specimens of the feathered life with which the banks
abounded his surprised eyes wandered along the shores that were animated

300

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

with grotesque reptiles, huge crocodiles basking themselves, or clumsily wading
through the mud and clambering over each other. Soon there broke upon his
vision other yet more startling specimens of Nilotic life ; gigantic amphibians
that brought a realization of the leviathan of Scriptures. Crossing the river,
o rustling the reeds along the banks and breaking down large swaths of grass
under their ponderous tread, were giant hippopotami, the lords of this wondrous
river.

His interest in these moving scenes of animated nature had heretofore been
that of a spectator, exciting in him a more reverential admiration for the works
of One who had thus diversified the world with such surprising creations; but his
revery and wonder were suddenly disturbed by the unexpected uprising of a
hippopotamus, whose great head struck the bottom of a small boat in tow of
his vessel, and in which several sheep were being transported to provide meat
for the expedition. The force of the impact was such that the boat was lifted
several feet sheer of the water, and the sheep were thrown from both sides into
the river, no doubt more astonished at the rudeness than was Gordon. Tt was
now time for a demonstration of active interest in the moving scenes of nature,
and thus while men were sent at once to recover the sheep, Gordon seized
his rifle and opened fire on the beast that had so discomfited his pious
reflections.

April 2d the district occupied by the Dinka tribe was reached, and several
of these naked, wizard worshippers were seen, but it was with the greatest
difficulty that a chief could be induced to come on board even to receive a
splendid present of beads. Two days luter, however, several others were met
that made themselves most offensively familiar, their misery no doubt serving
to make them less timid.

THE MAN-HUNTERS OF FASHODA.

Gordon reached Gond' koro April i6th, and was met by those at the mission
with songs and dances, but most of ♦"he people gave him sullen looks, which
indicated their unfriendliness to his purpose. Here the old slave-traders ruled
supreme, while their acts of rapine had rendered the country insecure even
within half a mile of the town Thus Gordon was in danger from two sources,
his intentions as yet being unknown to the people that he had been sent to
protect.

But despite the danger of his surround!. igs he set fearlessly to work to
win the confidence of the blacks, and by fiist sending them presents of beads,
rings and cloths, and following this by giving supplies of grain to those most
sorely pressed by hunger, he soon came to be known as a friend to the oppressed.
He had not been many days in Gondokoro before it became too apparent that
the Arabs in the place were operating as much in the interest of the Govern-
ment as in their own. Thev were detected in stealing cattle from the natives
and in kidnapping and making slaves of the owners ; and then sharing their
booty with officers very close to the Khedive. Directly after making his first

HEROES OF THE DARK COiN'TINENT.

3or

ly wading

upon his

niphibians

the river,

grass

wondrous

fore been
:he works
i; but his
ng of a
tow of
ide meat
^as lifted
ides into
Tt was
r nature,
ti seized
s pious

I several
greatest
:ceive a
-re met
serving

mission
which
^ ruled
2 even
on roes,
ent to

5rk to
beads,

most
essed.
t that
5vcrn-
fitives
their

first

discovery of this kind, by accident be gained possession of a letter from some
man-hunters of Fashoda, announcing to their correspondent their success in
capturing 2000 head of cattle and half that number of negroes, which were then
on the way to Gondokoro, en route for Cairo. He waited his opportunity, and
on the arrival of these spoils at Gondo^ioro a few days later, Gordon confiscated the
cattle and liberated the slaves. As the latter were now far from their homes,
several of them were taken into his own service, and the rest, such as desired
to do so, were allowed to depart. This act, which was followed by the
imprisonment of the chief slavers, had a great influence among the natives
favorable to the purpose of his appointment. Henceforth he was nov/here so
secure as when among the tribes, who manifested their affection by touching
his hands and ^^^§^^?^^^^
even kissing his

"JTB-BTW^

. Li-.,»^- 'JU.-il,

clothing. He ^L.;
established an-
other station
on the Sobat
river, where he
remained two
months, doing
many acts of
kindness to the
natives, but on
returning to
Gondokoro he
found the gar-
rison in a de-
plorable state
and his officers
engaged in an n'
intrigue against

him. Two of his men, Raouf Bey and Abou Saoud, were ready to rise in
rebellion, and so insubordinate that he was forced to make an example of the
latter by dismissing him and reporting his intrigue to the Khedive.

Getting rid of Abou Saoud, Gordon reinstated Raouf Bey, upon his promise
of future good behavior, and then went about establishing new stations, which
he founded at Sobat, Bohr, Lado, Rageef, Fatiko, Duffili and Makrake, which
latter post was on the frontier of the Niam-Niam country. Up to this tin-e he
had made his expedition more than self-sustaining through reprisals from the
slave dealers and collections of license from the ivory dealers.

OPENING A ROUTE TO THE LAKE REGIONS.

Col. Long had been sent to visit the great Uganda king, M'tesa, and his
reception by that potentate was so cordial, and so encouraging for friendly and

THE FORT AT GONDOKORO.

;o2

HKROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

profitable relations, that ir. 1875 Gordon decided to open a route to that country
and plant the Egyptian flag on the shores of Lakes Victoria and Albert. His
first act in the accomplishment of this object was in forming a junction between
Gondoroko and Foweira by establishing a chain of fortified posts between the
t'.vo, only a day's journey apart. He also wished to open a route to Mombaz
B.iy, 250 miles south of Zanzibar, from which it would be easier to reach the
central region from the coast than up the Nile via Khartoum. To enable him
to carry out his wishes he asked the Khedive to send a steamer with 150 men

eii:,. i.oNc. s Ki'.cicrTiiPX ii\- thi'; kim', oi- uc.anda

to Moniba/ Ba\- and there found a station, and then order tlie men to push on
to M'tesa's countr3'. Hoping that his request would be granted, Gordon started
up the west bank of the Nile to Duffili, Soo miles almost due south of Khartoum.
Scarcely had he departed, howexcr, when news reached him from Fowcira, uk)
miles south of Duffili, that Kaba Rcga, King of Unyoro, was planning an attack
against the ex slave dealers who were now in the Khedive's service in that
section. This report, soon after confirmed, determined Gordon to move against

K.^

*\ -i

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

303

Kaba Rega with the purpose of wresting Unyoro from him and giving it to
Rionga, who it will be /emembered gave Baker such valuable assistance, and
was appointed his Vakeel in 1872. But almost at the moment of making this
resolve, Gordon learned that the station of Rageef was in danger from a
threatened attack bya chief named Bedden. To save this post, therefore, Gordon
made a rapid march to Rageef, and as the most effectual means for breaking
the power of this hostile chief he decided to raid his cattle pens. This new
plan of warfare was successfully accomplished, and the chief's submission was
immediately afterwards secured by a
return to him of twenty cows which
Gordon had thus captured. The im-
portance of such a move against the
Saudanese will more clearly appear
when the fact is understood that all
the pastoral tribes of Africa set a
higher value upon their cattle than
upon any of their other possessions;
indeed, they regard them with an
affection greater than that which they
feel for one another. A chief could
more resignedly bear the loss of his
wife, children, and liberty itself, th;in
the capture of a single head of iiis
herds. This singulti- estimation and
attachment is therefore often taken
advantage of by travellers wl,o are
brought into hostile contact with the
natives, and particularly by Arab
slave dealers, who steal cattle and
return them again upon the suireu-
der to them of so man}' slaves.

SHOOTING HIPPOPOTAMI.

After the successful cattle sortie
near Rageef, Gordon was compelled to '"'""• «'^'"^>^'-«"-''^ i-"^-""

defer his jouruey to Dufifili for a time, to await a rise in the Nile that would
enable hiui to bring his boats up from Khartoum and over the Duffiii rapids.
During this short period of military inactivity he amuse ' himself, and at the
sauK' time su])pHed meat for his soldiers, by shooting hippopotami, with whiLh
the river abounded. Not being an enthusiastic sportsman he did not commit
wanton destruction of these animals, and therefore has left us accounts of
very few hunting adventures, all his energies and desires being inseparably
connected with an effort to suppress slave trading.

304

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

From Rageef Gordon went north to Lado from which post he proceeded
to Kervi with one hundred soldiers, and there founded another station, but
remained only a short while when a report of the river's rise reached him
and he started again for Duffili. The trip up the river was an extremely slow
and laborious one, owing to the fact that heavy boats, called nuggars, had to
be used, A'hich were specially built to withstand the charges of hippopotami.

To add to the other difficulties and harassments that afflicted him on the
journey to Duffili, Gordon had to contend with treacherous Arabs, who com-
posed his soldiery, and with hostile tribes that constantly hovered near, ready

THE STATION AT DUFFILI.

to Strike him at every opportunity. In making his camp at night he was
forced to guard against assault uy setting up posts four feet in height and
Stringing telegraph wires along the top so as to stop any rush that might be
made upon his camp at night. To have entrusted himself to Arab pickets,
would have been most imprudent, because at no time could they be depended
upon, hence he was compelled to practically protect himself by cunning expe-
dients, such as have been described.

THE KILLING OF LINANT.

The further he proceeded souihward the more hostile became the tribes,
while his situation grew constantly more dangerous. At no time was his force

adeq

wizc

gou|

the

forcl

desv|

part

forcj

aloiJ

■Mi!

lie proceeded
station, but

reached him
:trenie]y slow
\(r(^>-s, had to

hippopotami.

him on the
)s, who com-
l near, ready

v^'^^iS^y

=VJ

r^il

he was
'i^ht and
inii»-]it be
i pickets,
depended
ing expe-

ic tribes,
his force

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

305

adequate — well armed though the}- were — to contend with the swarming tribes
in open battle, hence he avoided a conflict b}- every possible means. The
wizards were howling their incantations and curses, shaking their magic
gourds, and sending their curses upon the invaders, which greatly encouraged
the naturally cowardly natives who drew so ,threateningl3Miear that Gordon was
forced to throw a bullet among them occasionally. While thus fighting in a
desultory manner, Gordon was joined by Linant, who had come down with a
party of twenty-five from the station of Makade. With this increase in his
force he sent thirty of his men across the river, hoping to find his steamer
along tlic east channel, but on their landiu.c; the natives rushed down upon

iiak.\ssmi;nt,s ai.uxo tiiic mi.i;.
them. The cowardly- Aralxs were immediately panic stricken, and Gordon had
to cross over to their assistance. He was attacked in turn, but meeting the
enemy with a galling fire, they fell back precipitately. But though repulsed
the natives continued their harassmcuts, crawling through the grass on their
bellies, and discharging their arrows and lances with fatal effect, and then
darting back into the high grass like so many rats.

Iviiumt, who was a brave fellow, seeing that a much longer continuance

of this uneqiuil fighting might result disastrously, requested permission of his

chief to recross the river and make reprisal on the enemy b\- Ijurning their

villages and stamjx'ding their cattle. Receiving permission, on the 25th of

3o6

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

August Linant took thirty-six soldiers, two officers and three regulars, with
which force he entered upon the hazardous enterprise of invading the villages.
About midday Gordon saw Linant on a hill be3''ond the river, being able to
distinguish him, through a spy glass, b}' a red shirt which he wore and which
Gordon had lent him. Late in the afternoon firing was heard and several

()i'i>:KiNr. i.\i)i('.NiTn:s to tiik iii;ai) oi- i.inant

natives were seen running towards the river, while in another place Gordon
saw one of his own pnrty gesticulating wildl}', evidently in the greatest excite-
ment, and he sent a canoe to bring him across. When the fugitive, which he
proved to be, had landed, he explained to Gordon how Linant and his whole
party had been killed, he alone escaping, a story which was soon after veri-
fied, except that four of the party, instead of only one, had escaped. Partly

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

307

out of revenge for this loss of his able and courageous Lieutenant, Gordon
fired at an old wizard who stood on the apex of a hill exciting his people to
another attack, and had the satisfaction of seeing him fall forward on liis face,
dead. This proved to be a piece of great fortune to Gordon, for, with the death of
their supposed invulnerable prophet, the aatives fled, leaving the General to
continue his journey. But he had not received full satisfaction, and
resolved on further punishing the hostiles, which he was soon after able to do
through the arrival of the Governor of Fatiko with five hundred men. With
this large force Gordon attacked the villages and, drawing the natives out,
captured 200 cows and i soo sheep, besides the chief's daughter. At this un-
locked for attack the enemy were scattered, but they reassembled and putting
the heads of the Linant partj^ which they had killed, on poles set them up
and offered them many indignities, the head of Linant receiving their prin-
cipal attention, into the face of which they spat and then cursed it.- But they
were again dispersed by a second attack, and were seen no more.

AN INSULT FROM THE KHEDIVE.

Gordon finally reached Duffili and camped between two high hills, but he
was unable to bring up either the steamer or nuggars, as the Fola Falls were
found to be impassable for two miles. However, he consoled himself with the
proof he had obtained that the river was navigable at certain seasons of the
year, and that he had now formed a line of stations, besides subduing the natives,
so that the route was open and connection might be kept up between
Khartoum and this mid-African post. Owing to the unhealthy location of
Duffili, Gordon had to change his camp to Fashelie, a high point nine miles
distant, where he found and captured a garg of Dongola slave dealers, which he
sent to Khartoum in irons. Scarcely had the prisoners departed when Gordon
received an irritating letter from the Khedive, so full of complaints that he
prepared three messages in reply, informing His Majesty that he would be in
Cairo by April, and begging that his successor might be immediately appointed.
Before sending them, however, another letter came from the Khedive couched
in the most respectful language and so commendatory in spirit that Gordon
reconsidered his determination to resign, and resolved to continue the prosecu-
tion of the work he had been commissioned to perform.

KING KABBA REGA DETHRONED.

Gordon remained in the vicinity of Duffili until 1876, when he moved on to
Fatiko and theiice to Foweira, proceeding thence with the purpose of making a
descent on Kabba Rega, who was at Mrooli. Three daj'S after his arrival at
Foweira he was joined by Rionga, a truly kingly-appearing savage, and together
they moved upon Alrooli ; but their approach was heralded in advance, and with
the discretion born of cowardice Kabba Rega took to his heels, but carried his
fetiches with him, and took refuge at Masindi. The throne and capital having
been thus abandoned, Rionga was duly enthroned as king ; but he betrayed so

.1o8

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

muck fear of Kabba Rega, wlio was still near, that Gordon sent up another
Unyoro chief to Alasindi, investing him also with the royal prerogative, which
gave great offence to Rionga, though he was soon pacified. Seeing the country

KAHllA RHC.A'S I'ln'lCIIKS.

thus effectuallv in the power of Rionga, Kabba Rega's chiefs came in and
acknowledged their submission, so that peace was restored.

Events had been favorable to his purposes thus far in the year, so that
Gordon had time to carr}' out his resolution to explore Lake Victoria, and plant
the Egyptian flag on its shores. Accompanied by Gcssi, his Italian lieuteuaut,

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

309

p another
/e, wliich
e country

n and

o tliat

plant

euaut,

he started with two boats for Magungo and the lakes. Reaching ihe
shores, he hoisted the flag, and then sent Gessi to circumnavigate the X'ictoria,

TOSShl) TO HIS DEATH.

which -he accomplished in nine days, finding it to be 140 miles long and 50
miles wide.

3IO

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

STAMPEDED BY ELEPHANTS.

From Lake X'ictoria Gordon proceeded to Lado, at which place he met
with a singular adventnre. Elephants about this district were very numerous,
and on the outskirts of Lado was a cut in the high bank which enabled the
servants to reach the river to draw water, and frequent travel made the place
a very inviting approach for elephants coming across from the other side in the
night time.

The killing of a villager in the neighborhood, a short while before, in
which a wounded elephant pursued and overtook the man and tossed him on
high to his death, had served to give the natives great uneasiness, so that the
least intimation of the approach of a herd threw them into a state of conster-
nation. A few nights after Gordon had encamped at the place, on his present
visit, the alarm was sounded that three elephants were crossing the river, and
making their way towards the cut in the bank. The camp was set immediately
in a bustle, and if the natives had been depended upon the elephants might
have pursued their most riotous intent unmolested ; but Gordon's well-armed
sentries manifested sufficient courage to stand their ground, and as Gordon
rushed out of his tent to the attack a volley was fired at the elephants just
as they reached the shore. While none of the animals were killed, they were
driven back to the other bank, to the intense relief of the village occupants,
and little less satisfaction to Gordon, who remarks : " You see, if they landed
and got frightened, they would break down my house in a moment, and do a
deal of d' nage."

Gordon continued his operations in the region of Lake Victoria, passing
irom one station that he had established to another, always encouraging the
post, until the expiration of his commission, October the 6th, when he returned
to Khartoum, thence to Cairo, where he reported to the Khedive, after which
he proceeded directly to London.

-3^

CHAPTER XV.

Gordon's second kxphdition in the soudan.

ONDON received Gordon with demonstrations of intense
delight. His services, distingnished thongh they had been in
tlie employ of foreign governments, were none the less appre-
ciated, as exhibiting the generalship and governing instinct
of one of the ablest of Englishmen. At this time affairs in
Bnlgaria were in a chaotic state, with the pnblic insecurity of
that province so great that it was proposed to make him the
governor, the general belief being that no one conld restore
peace thronghont the province so quickly as he. A proposition, looking
towards his appointment, was accordingly about to be made to the Powers, but
which was prevented by the receipt of letters of the Khedive calling him again
to Egypt.

Gordon had resolved never to re-enter the Egyptian service again to assist
in suppressing the slave-trade, unless he was given command over all the
Soudan, as his previous experience had shown the futility of all his efforts
when his power extended over only a limited district, outside of which the
slave trade was permitted to flourish without restriction. In response to the
Khedive's invitation, Gordon proceeded to Cairo in February, 1877, and was not
only cordially received, but to secure his services again the Khedive granted
his every request. B}' the desire of Gordon, therefore, Ismail Pasha Yacoub
was removed from the office of Governor-General of the Soudan, and tl's office
was conferred upon Gordon, who was thus placed in absolute command of a dis-
trict which was 1640 miles long and 700 miles wide. He was provided with
three deputies, one of whom should act as governor of the western Soudan,
another for Dafour, and the third should have charge of the Red Sea littoral ;
thus dividing the Soudan proper into three districts, in all of which Gordon
should establish a government with the special view of suppressing slavery.

ENDING A WAR IN ABYSSINIA.

In addition to the functions of his office of Governor-General, Gordon was
given a special commission to restore peace in Abyssinia, which was then dis-
tracted by a rebellion against King John, the successor of Theodore. This
rebellion was the result of the elevation of a plebeian to the throne of Abys-
sinia, made possible b}- the success of English arms, and the promotion to a
chieftainship of a native named Kasa, who had given assistance to Lord Napier
in the war against Theodore. Kasa had been rewarded by a liberal gift of
muskets and amnumition, with which he armed a large and desperate following,

(3«i)

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

313

and then proclaimed himself king, under the title of John. The rightful suc-
cessor, the heir of Theodore, raised an army to resist the pretender, but his forces
were routed in battle, and the heir was put to torture. King John now rapidly
subdued the several provinces, excepting alone Shoa and Bogos, and instituted a
rule that was more nearly anarchy than government. Encroachments were beii.g
made upon ligypt, so that it becamt- necessary, to protect her own subjects on
the Abyssinian border, to annex Shoa and Bogos, which was done in 1874. This
act aroused the enmity of Walad el Michael, hereditary prince of Bogos, who
joined with King John in a crusade against Egypt.

In the first battle that followed the E^gyptian troops were badly beaten, but
in the spoils that were taken King John refused to divide with the prince, who
deserted with his army, ostensibly to the Egyptians, though taking no active part,
but holding himself in readiness to take advantage of either. The Abyssinians
were now beaten in turn, and the triangular dispute became so ominous of evil
to his rule, that John sent an ambassador to Cairo to treat with the Khedive.
But the Egyptian ruler refused to receive him, and when he appeared in the
streets the populace pelted him with stones.

This was the chaotic condition of affairs when Gordon was sent to Magdala,
as the Khedive's representative, to treat with King John. In the middle of
March he reached Masawa by way of the sea route, and from there proceeded to
Keren, which was the capital of Bogos, by camel. The prince, learning his
mission, and hoping to secure the favor of Gordon in an adjudication — which it
virtually was — of the difficulty, sent out 200 cavalry to receive him, by which
he was conveyed in state to the cit}-. Here he was treated with such genu-
flexion as begat his contempt, for he was not a man to court fawning favors.
As he came into Keren a band of musicians met him, and ten officers were
specialh' ordered to assist him in dismounting. An escort of 200 infantry and
60 cavalry was also provided to constantly attend him, and altogether such dis-
tinguished consideration was shown him that he writes: "I can truly say no
man has ever been so forced into a high position as I have. How nuuiy I
know to whom this incense would be the breath of their nostrils ! To me it is
irksome beyond measure. Eight or ten men to help me off my camel, as if I
were an invalid! If I walk, every one dismounts and walks also; so, furious at
such obsequiousness, I get on again."

REMARKABLE DIPLOMACY.

The Prince's reception of Gordon was hospitable in the extreme, not onl}'
by the military display as described, but also by personal attentions. This
cordiality was Gordon's opportunity for bringing his diplomac}- into use with
the best possible results. He accordingly brought the prince into his tent
and there read to him his plans for a settlement of the troubles. In this
decision Gordon notified the prince that Egypt, in deference to the wishes of
the European Powers, desired to end the war, and the proposition of settle-
ment which he was instructed to make, was to give the prince a government

314

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

separate from that of King John, which would be composed of three semi-
civilized tribes. This proposal met with such small favor that the Prince
asked for time to consider it, intending to renew hostilities in another quarter.
At the same time Menelek, King of Shoa, and at present King of Abyssinia,
had raised an army to dispute with John, and had already captured Gondar.
John was compelled to leave his capital to meet this new invader, but he was
afraid his absence might be the signal for a rebellion in his own city, a thing
that his uncle, Ras Bario, was threatening. All these complications were in
Cordon's favor, for his shrewdness led him to threaten each with the un-
opposed vengeance of the other, and in the end terminated the troubles, at least
temporarily, which was all that the Khedive had expected him to do.

OFF AGAIN FOR KHARTOUM.

He could no longer remain at the seat of conflict in Abyssinia, for his
services were immediately required at Khartoum to suppress the slave trade,
which had grown again to
frightful proportions since
his departure from the
place a year before. The
journey to that capital was
made at the rate of thirty
miles per da}^, through
countless perils and with
the most insignificant, be-
cause cowardlj' and
treacherous, following. At
every station on the way
countless petitions for re-
lief poured in upon him,

and near Kassala a nuni- murder ok cordon's camki. driver.

ber of his camel-dri\ers were killed by Baris, a very hostile tribe occupy-
ing the region between Khartoum and Gondokoro.

Gordon arrived at Khartoum on the 3d of May, and two daj's later was
installed as Governor-General before a ver}^ large assembly to whom he made
no other speech than a declaration that, " with the help of God, I will hold
the balance level." This epigrammatic expression of purpose greatly delighted
the oppressed people, whose poverty so wrought upon his sympathy that he
distributed no less than $5000 out of his own purse among the natives.

The Khedive resolved that Gordon should live in state while representing
the Egyptian Government, and therefore had provided him with a very large
mansion and an attendance of two hundred servants and orderlies. Besides
this it formulated a code of etiquette that the people must conform to when in
his presence, all of which was intensely disagreeable to his democratic disposi-
tion. This courtly deference had the effect of creating burning jealousies

yii

^^'^-'^^-'^t^^

*— ^a m ypuTTT^jjt

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

315

which greatly increased the natural difficulties of his surroundings. These were
of a most discouraging nature and might well oppress him with grave fears
and doubts. All the officers of the district had been purchasable bj^ the slave
dealers, and this custom of bribery had not only to be abolished, but the
venials must be punished. He had also to disband 6000 Bashi-Bazouks who
composed the frontier guard, and wiio were encouraging the slave trade instead
of using any effijrt to suppress it. Besides these herculean tasks he must sub-
due the yast district of the Bahr Gazelle, which was at the time under the
sway of the slave traders. Could he do it?

Gordon began his great work by first bringing Khartoum itself under his
rule. By his generosity he had won the hearts of the natives, and he novr

f.ORUON SKICKINC, A I'RIKXDSHIP WITH THl': XATIVKS.

made himself popular with the people of the place by devising a means for
supplying the town with a rude kind of water-works which gave the citizens
an abundant suppl}^ of pure water, and in cleaning the place of its long-
accumulated filth that had made it a verj' court of death. Thus, under his
orders Khartoum had been quickl}'^ transformed from a city of evil and disease
to a place both orderly and healthy, the change being so grateful that the
people hailed him as a benefactor.

BATTLE WITH THE LEOPARDS.

Hearing that Dafour was threatened, he left Khartoum to succor his small
force there. His army consisted of only 350 poorly armed ragamuffins, and
against these was opposed the great slave dealer Sebehr Pasha, with a force of

3i6

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

SKBKHR I'ASHA, THJJ SI,AVE KING.

fully II, ooo men. But
notwithstanding th se
frightful odds, he
marched through the
country scattering gra-
tuities and so s}'nipa-
thizing with the people
as to win their support.
In this manner, instead
of fighting his way
through them, as a man
of less diplomatic turn
of mind might have
done, he was winniiig
the most substantial
battles, and putting his
real enemies to discom-
fiture. Upon arriv-
ing at Dafour, he
found himself able to
muster an army of lo,-
ooo natives, who had
been drawn to his as-
sistance by the wide-
spread knowledge of
his generous acts.
Even Suleiman, the son
of Sebehr, with 6000
armed blacks, sought a
junction with him, but
Gordon suspected
treachery and rejected
the offer, whereupon
Suleiman began plot-
ting his murder. But
Gordon took decisive
steps to bring all the
hostile slave traders to
terms, by dispatching a
force of 8000 natives
and 1500 troops, against
the self-crowned sultan,
Haroun, who was pre-

GORDON'S FORCES IN A TKRRIFIC STORM.

(317)

3i8

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

tender to the throne of Dafour. Shortly after making a feint against Haroun
he was joined bj- the Razagats, who could muster 7000 horsemen, and he now
projected an attack against Suleiman. But before carrying this resolve into exe-
cution he learned that the Leopard tribes were threatening Toashia, his own
stronghold, and he turned his troops towards this new enemy. On the march
his army was caught in a terrific rain and wind storm that continued through
the night, and so demoralized his troops that the divisions became separated, and
it was two days before they could be brought together again. The columns were
then reformed and the march resumed. Two days later the stronghold of the
Leopards was reached and a fight was begun, in the first charges of which the
Leopards drove Gordon's cowardly troops back to the stockades they had thrown
up before the engagement was opened. But though beaten in open battle, Gor-
don rallied his ragamuffins and contrived to bring them between the Leopards
and a creek from which all the water supply had to be procured. Eveiy assault
they now made was repulsed, and as the heat was really terrific, thirst began
to tell upon them more seriously than bullets. It was only a short while when
overtures of surrender were made by the Leopards, which Gordon refused to con-
sider except with an acknowledgment of absolute submission, a condition that
they were not long in accepting.

RAPXD ACTION BUT DAYS OF TORMENT.

The Leopards were vanquished, but it was like killing one fly in a swarm.
On every side the enemy was both numerous and vif^ilant, nearl\ every station
was sending to him for help, and yet his own army was too cowardh- to even
care for itself. Gordon had not only to command, but to execute also. His
troops, the most miserable, disorderly, thievish and disgraceful set of vagabonds,
were one day swearing their loyalty and the next day plotting his destruction.
The clave dealers, on the other hand, had a great army of well-armed and
courageous soldiery, schooled to danger by the raids they were employed to
make, and brave because they knew the temper of those whom Gordon com-
manded. It was a terrible condition. Two hundred well-armed, well-drilled and
stout-hearted soldiers might easily defeat 20,000 of such cowardly curs as com-
posed liis army.

There was no morale, no discipline, no fighting qualities, and the officers were
no better than the troops. With these Gordon could do little more than use them
as a show, and even the spectacle of a horde of such men could inspire little lerror.
Everything therefore depended upon his own personal resources, but these fortu-
nately he possessed to a phenomenal extent. He not only put spies into the
camps of his enemies, but set some of his faithful ones to scatter the seeds of
discontent among them. By these means he stirred up a hostility between
Haroun, Suleiman and vScbchr, until they came to look upon one another with
suspicion, and were ready to aid in in attack against each other. This was
his only course to prevent his own annihilation, besides, it aided immeasurably
in the accomplishment of his purpose.

inst Haroun
and lie now
ve into exe-
ia, liis own
the marcli
led throngli
3arated, and
'Innins were
hold of the
' which the
liad thrown
battle, Gor-
e Leopards
ery assanlt
lirst began
ivhile when
ised to con-
iition that

1 a swarm.

ry station
3^ to even
^Iso. His
•agabonds,

struction,
'med and
ployed to
don coni-
rilled and
' as coni-

cers were
use them
tie lerror.
:se fortu-
into the
seeds of
between
Iier with
his was
asurablv

(319)

320

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

While thus rapidly marching from place to place, giving relief to beleaguered
garrisons and exciting the active sympathy of various tribes, upon which
source he was compelled to rely for recruits, Gordon became a witness to many
acts of what may be denominated refined cruelty. The whole country was
blighted by plunderers, who not onl}' kidnapped the natives but pillaged
granaries and drove off cattle, tmtil ■""•llage after village was seen in which
the inhabitants were starving to death, every article of food having been stolen
from them.

Besides these sights of distressing poverty there were others almost daily
witnessed that excited no less compassion. Gangs of slaves, shackled in galling
yokes, were common spectacles. These were promptly set at liberty, and their
masters made prisoners, but there were dying slaves by the wayside, women
and children who, being exhausted with hunger, thirst and feebleness, were
ruthlessly brained by their inhuman drivers to prevent them from falling into
other no less rapacious and cruel hands,

BREAKING UP A THIEVES' DEN.

Shaka was the headquarters of the slave traders of the Soudan. Here
they held their markets, committed their greatest excesses, defied the government,
and held a high carnival of iniquity, in which the most inhuman savagery was
conspicuous. Men, won^en and children were crowded into stockades, packed
as closely as hogs in railroad cars, and with as little attention to the filth
that became a natural consequence, as snippers give to their stock. The babe
died in its mother's arms, children were trampled to death beneath crowded feet,
and yet the corpses were suffered to lie in the mass of mud, wallow and offal,
the whole putrescent under a fiery sun, no one caring, for human life was
cheap. Though his force was insufficient to contend with the arni}- that the
slavers had gathered about them at this place, yet Gordon determined to march
against it. He accordingly gathered his ragged troops together and made a
forced march towards Shaka, but before reaching the place his approach had
been announced to Suleiman who came out to meet him. This young son of
Sebhr was not so much afraid of Gordon as he was ambitious to secure a
governorship by appointment from the Khedive, and as he held command of the
stronghold of Shaka, Gordon thought he might turn the young man's ambition
to advantage. Accordingl}^ when Suleiman reached Gordon, coming as a visitor
Lo his camp, he was cordially received and an interview followed which resulted
in a promise made by Suleiman to abandon the slave trade and give besides
active sympathy towards its suppression. Of course Gordon placed little
dependence in this promise, except as it might temporarily relieve the iniquity
practised at Shaka, nor was he deceived. Suleiman did break down the slave
pens, and made a spasmodic effort to relieve the place of its stigma, which
afforded Gordon the opportunity of making more substantial reforms in garrisoning
the place with a contingent from his own force and the appointment of a sub-
governor for the district.

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

321

iiess, were

This much accomplished, which he hardly expected could be permauent,
Gordon returned again to Khartoum, from which place he was suddenly summoned

Ml KII|;RIM". SI.AVlvS I'.IAT HI.COMlv liXUAlSThP.

to Cairo by the Khedive to reform the Egyptian finances; which were now in
a deplorable state. Gordon reached Cairo in March and was received with

''%

i-m,

\ ^ ,ii^\j

r; imf'f'

Hi'"'

HEROES OF THE DARK COXTINEXT.

■15,

i:;

'/«

IriHl

Is*

'V'lJii

J-^ V 5Vl

323

royal cordiality, being taken immediately to the palace, and at a dinner wliicli
followed directly upon his arrival he was placed on the right hand of the
Khedive. The real object of his summons to court, which he very soon learned,
was to make him a figure-head in an inquiry into the Khedive's finances, and
which he resented as an imputation upon his honor. He declared to the
Khedive, that if he was placed at the head of a commission of inquiry he
would probe to the bottom and expo.se every misappropriation. This honest
asseveration -^o discomfited the Khedive that without further ado he sent Gordon
again to Abyssinia to complete the treaties that had been partially made between

HUVl.NC, SI.AVI-.S IN THE SHAKA MARKl-.'l"

King John, Menelek and '^Valad el Michael, the prince of Bogos, on his previous
visit. He finally arranged these complications, and :-eturned again to Khartoum,
disregarding anotln^r summons to repair to Cairo to undergo an examination
of tlic afQxirs in the Soudan before the Council of "Ministers.

DEAT'.I OF SULEIMAN AND RESIGNATION OF GORDON.

It was now February of 1H79, a year after his last departure from Khartoum,
and in his absence another revolt had been made in the Bahr Gazelle district by
the slavers, with vSuleiman at the head. He therefore proceeded to Khartoum
with all possible expedition and there confiscated all the property of the Zebehr

3^4

HEROES OF THE DARK. CONTINENT.

family, and sent his trusted lieutenant, Gessi in pursuit of Suleiman, who
had proclaimed himself Lord of the Province of Dafour. In addition to this
usurpation he had surprised and massacred an Egyptian garrison at Dem
Idris, and raised an army of 6000 men to establish himself in the position
which he had thus assumed. Gessi, was an able commander and as fearless iu
he was energetic. With a force of 300 regulars, 700 irregulars, or rag-tags,
and two small cannons, he went in pursuit of the wily Suleiman. On the march
he increased his force considerably by new enlistments and at length engaged
the enemy at Dem Idris, December 28th.

He easily beat Suleiman, and following him up several other severe battles
were fought with equallj' fortunate results to Gessi, until the country about
Dem Idris was cleared of the slavers and 10,000 slaves liberated.

Strange as it appears, nevertheless when Gessi had performed such signal

services towards sup-
pressing the slave trade
in the Egyptian Sou-
dan, and had overcome
the son of the arch
slave dealer qfthat
region, the Khedive
insisted on Gordon ap-
pointing Zebehr, the
father of Suleiman, to
the governorship o f
Dafour. This act con-
firmed Gordon in his
previous intention of
relinquishing his office,
as it proved conclu-
sively the real desire
of the Khedive to per-
petuate the curse of
slavery. But Gessi

TKACK OK TIIR SI.AVKS

was now calling on him for aid, so at the risk of offending the Khedive,
Gordon not only refused to make the appointment requested but left
Khartoum for Shaka, where the slavers had again established themselves,
with the purpose of breaking up the cursed traffic there a second time. Put
only a day before reaching Shaka he received news from Gessi, who had
attacked Suleiman at a place named in honor of the slaver, Dem Suleiman,
where he beat him .so badly that all the booty of the place fell into his hands,
and vSuleiman himself narrowly escaped capture.

Suleiman now had the effrontery to send emissaries to Gordon, but instead
of these accomplishing their object they were court-martialed and shot, though

HKROKS OF THK DARK CONTINENT.

325

one of them was Zebehr's chief secretary. Soon after this, Gordon and Gessi
met, and for the lattcr's splendid services Gordon decorated him as Pasha, and
bestowed npon him the honorarium of $10,000. But Gessi remained idle
scarcely a day, for increasing his force again to 300 regulars he set out to renew
die pursuit of Suleiman, whom he at length found in a village w:.'- 700 men.
Gessi boldly sent him a demand for immediate surrender, which was promptly

RKTURN OK GBSSI AFT".R THE DKATH OF SUIEIMAN.

complied with, and Suleiman and ten of his officers were sent as prisoners to
Gordon, who quickly disposed of them by a court-martial that ordered them to
be shot. It was less than two months after this that Haroun was attacked by
Gessi at Dafour and killed, so that with the death of these two slavers and
pretenders there was peace in the Soudan. Tewfik Pasha was now appointed to
the Khedival dignity of the Soudan, and Gordon surrendered his office of Gov-
ernor General and returned to England.

CIIAPTHR XVI.

CORDON S LAST KXPl-lDlTION'.

V)XSIDKRIXG tlic herculean labors that Gordon had performed,
and the honors so nobly won and awarded, and particularly
the ner\ous exhaustion from which he suffered, it is not sur-
prising that he desired a long rest, and that he pictured to
himself at least a few years of elegant leisure, which would
have been an experience never thus far in his life realized.
His arrival in England was followed by an ovation that
would have stir/ed the pride and pleasure of any other man, but Gordon cared
nothing for honors, and tried to hide from the public, where he could obtain the
relaxation that his tortured mind and bodj' so greatly needed. The great objection
to personal popularit}-, however, is that it involves the loss of every bodily comfort.
To be a hero is to invite the persecution of public attention, and also invidious
criticism, the two .so warring with one another that the object suffers alike from
both. This was the unfortunate position in which Gordon found himself, and
the hoped-for rest, -as a consequence, was never realized.

In Mav, iSSi, there v.as a shaking up of British officers in India. Lord
Lyttou had resigned the vice-regal rule, and was succeeded by Lord Ripon,
who desired Gordon to accept a private secretaryship, which office was somewhat
analogous to that of Prime Minister. Gordon, strange to say, accepted this
subordinate position, but in the belief that the duties were so little exacting as
to afford him the means for a longed for rest. He soon discovered his error,
however, and resigned while on the way to India, but went to China instead, at
the invitation of Mr. Hart, Chinese Commissioner of Customs at Shanghai.
While en route, in the Indian Ocean, the steamer on which he had taken ])as-
sage encountered a terrific storm and several great waterspouts, which came .so
near wrecking the vessel that Gordon always regarded the escape as a special
interposition of Pro\-idcucc. A war was threatening between China and
Russia, during tlie time of his visit, which Gordon very largely assisted in
preventing by his opportune counsel with Li, the (ioveruor-General of the
Taiping rebellion period, and now Prime 'Minister.

Gordon was several months in China, returning to Pvngland late in the
winter, and was almost at once invited to the Belgian Court to discuss a ])ro-
jected international expedition to the Congo, to which vStanley was also invited;
and here it was that the two great explorers and administrators first met.
Stanley, it will be remembered, was placed permanently at the head of this

performed,
larticul.'irly
is not sur-
picturcd to
liicli would
fe realized,
ation that
irdon cared
obtain the
it objection
ilj' comfort,
o invidions
alike from
nisclf, and

dia. Lord

trd Ripon,

; somewhat

epted this

xacting as

his error,

instead, at

Shanghai.

taken pas-

;li came so

; a special

riiina and

issisted in

ral of the

ate in the
uss a pro-
so invited ;
first met.
^ad of this

1327)

-?28

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

company, so that Gor-
don sailed for the
island of Mauritius,
to repose for a time
in that most para-
disaical resort. On
his way, and while
passing through
Suez, he visited the
tomb of his great
lieutenant, Gessi,
who had died in the
French hospital at
Suez, April 30th,
from protracted suf-
ferings brought on in
his campaigns
against vSuleiman.
Arriving at Mauri-
tius without special
incident, he remained
there, experiencing a
delightful rest for a
period of ten months,
when he was recalled
to England, made a
Major-General, and
sent to t'iie Cape to
look after affairs
there, that were in
an unsettled state be-
cause of an uprising
of the Boers. He ar-
rived at Cape Town
in due time, and was
installed as Provi-
sional Governor of
the Colonial Govern-
ment, May iHth, 1882.
Here he remained
until October 5th fol-
lowing, in the mean
time having restored

I i

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

329

the district to peace, and secured the lasting friendship of the people whom
the Home Government had expected him to fight.

ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES.

Having always been of a devout turn of mind, and a fatalist, in that he
believed in fore-ordination as it relates to the present as well as to the future,
he had long wished to spend a season in Palestine and familiarize himself with
the places there made sacred by the presence of Jesus. His opportunity had

■now come, so that directly after his return to England from South Africa he
departed for the Holy Land, and there interested himself not only in a tour of
the noted places, but employed much of his time in researches and a survej'
of the Holy Sepulchre, the Tabernacle, and the walls of Jerusalem. Most strange
to relate, with all his reverence for the beliefs of the agc.s, he wrote several
papers embodying results of his investigations, in which he set out to prove that
the places pointed out to tourists as certain holy sites, and which for a thousand
years have been accepted as such, could not have been the scenes of the actions
and miuistifitions as reputed.

330

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

After several months thus spent in Palestine he returned to England and
began to labor among the poor in London, even opening a school at Graves-
end and taking the place of teacher to hundreds of children who had never
attended school. While thus engaged he was for a second time summoned to
the Belgian Court of Leopold H., and asked to take charge of the " Inter-
national African Society," and to proceed to the Congo with the view of assist-
ing in suppressing the slave trade in that district.

In response to this appeal of Leopold, he asked a leave of absence from
his Government, without forfeiting his commission as Alajor-General, and this
being granted, he again set sail for the Dark Continent. But at this very
moment a cry went up for his presence again in tlic vSoudan, in which the
English Government joined, and instead of proceeding to the Congo, he went
again to Cairo to resume the Covcrnor-Generalship of the Soudan.

THE FALSE PROPHET.

Events leading to this sudden change in Gordon's engagement, and which
sent him to the Soudan again instead of to the Congo, need to be here described :
One year after the resignation of Gordon as Governor-General of the Soudan,
a new and most unexpected disturbance of affairs in Lower Egypt was begun by
the uprising of a fanatical sect under the banner of an enthusiast named
Mahomet Ahmed, who boldly, and with surprising success, proclaimed himself
the long-looked-for prophet that was to bring all the world to an acknowledg
ment and adoption of Islamism. He had really been for some time planning
a crusade in the Dongola di.^trict, but so quietly, after the manner of the
great Mahomet himself, that Gordon had never heard of him, or if he did,
certainly no mention is made of him in any of Gordon's letters.

Mahomet Ahmed, also written Achniet, was a native of tlie province of
Dongola, but laid no claim to being of royal blood. On tiie other hand lie
made a pretense of being a Christ, if not Jesus himself, and to carry out the
pretension more fully, he said his father was like that of Christ's, a carpenter.
He himself was apprenticed to an uncle whose trade was that of a boatman,
but he ran away from that service, and became the disciple of a faki (head
dervish) who lived near Khartoum. As the result of a close study of religion,
he was himself made a faki, and in iSjc^ took up his residence on tlie island
of Abba, near Kaiia, on the White Nile. He speedily began to acquire a
reputation for great devoutness, and so became wealthy, gathered disciples, and
married freely, selecting wives from the families of the most influential sheiks
of the vicinity. In the earlier part of iSSi, Gordon having gone, he began to
assert the claim that he was " the Mahdi " — the long exjieeted redeemer of
Islam whom Mahomet had foretold — and claiming a divine commission to
reform Islam, and to establish an universal equality, an universal law, an uni-
versal religion, and .'i community of goods. Setting himself to gather about
him a following, he addressed a'ppenls to his brother fakis, one of whom in-
formed the Government of his schemes and pretensions, adding the belief that

^land and
,t Graves-
lad never
luoned to
le " Inter-
■ of assist-

nice from

and this

this ver}-

vliich the

he went

md whicli
described :
; Soudan,
i begun by
ist named
d himself
viiowledi;
planning
cr of the
he did,

ovince of

land he

out the

carpenter..

boatman,

aki (head

f religion,

he island

acquire a

"iples, and

al slieiks

began to

leemer of

ission to

, an uni-

ber about

i\hom in-

K-lief thai

(ii^)

332

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

he was a madman. Raouf Pasha, the then Governor of the Soudan, proceeded
to take cognizance of him as the result of this information ; and it Is at this
stage of his career that the Mahdi steps out into the arena of contemporary
history. Colonel Stewart thus characterizes him : " In person the Mahdi is tall
and slim, with a bUick beard and a light brown complexion. Like most Don-

golawis he reads and

writes with difficulty.
Judging from his
conduct of affairs and
policy, I should say
he has considerable
The

iH natural ability.
"•^I manner in which he
has managed to
merge together the
usually discordant
tribes denotes great
tact. He probably
had been preparing
the movement for
sometime." Colonel
Stewart, in another
portion of his report,
gives some indica-
tion of the reason
why a religious fa-
natic finds so readily
a following in the
Soudan. " The Arabs
and Dongolawis," he
writes — " negroes,
and others settled
within the Arab (the
northern) zone of the
Soudan — are all Mo-
hammedans of the
Maliki school. This

religion, however, owing to the prevailing ignorance of the people, partakes
mostly of an emotional and superstitious nature. Hence the enormous influ-
ence of the fakis or spiritual leaders, who are credited with a supernatural
power, and are almost more venerated than the prophet." Another cause
for the strength of the Mahdi's following seems to have been that the great
slave owners — the sheiks and chiefs who had flourished on their nefarious prac-

A DONT.OWAI.IS WOMAN.

r ii

>roceeded

at this

niporary

idi is tall

)st Don-

eads and

lifficulty.

oiii his

Ofairs and

onld say

siderable

ty. The

.vhich he

ged to

ther the

scordant

es great

probably

reparing

nit for

Colonel

another

s report,

indica-

reason

lous fa-

) readily

in the

le Arabs

wis," he

groes,

ettled

rab (the

le of the

all Mo-

of the

. This

)artakes

s infln-

iiatural

r canse

e great

is prac-

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

333

tices under Zebehr, and whom all the efforts of Baker and Gordon had not
put down — threw in their lot eagerly with any enterprise that struck at the
Egyptian rule, under which a term had been definitely fixed for the emancipa-
tion of the slaves.

The Madhi easily repulsed the detachment Raouf Pasha sent out to bring
him in, and at the end of 1881, defeated in the most summary style a stronger
force under Rashid Bey that had been dispatched to drive him out of Gebel
Gadir. But these were petty successes compared with the great victory he
gained in June, 1882, over the main Egyptian army of the Soudan, which
Abdul Kadir, who had superseded Raouf Pasha, had gathered for the purpose
of crushing him, and the command of which had been entrusted to Yussuf
Pasha. Very few of the Egyptian soldiers escaped, and all their commanders
were slain. Thus early did the Arab fanaticism display itself. The attack at
Gebel Geon was led by the dervishes, headed by an enthusiast of exceptional
dash and fury, who was known as " The Dervish," and of whose conduct Colonel
Stewart reported, " I hear that the desperate and fearless way in which he rushes
on a square armed with Remingtons is something marvellous."

After his victory at Gebel Geon the Madhi pursued the offensive. He
overran the open country unchecked, but failed to achieve any success against
places that had been fortified, even though the fortifications were feeble. In
assailing El Obeid he met with a severe repulse, losing 6000 of his warrior.'^
in one assault alone. During the months of the campaign which the battle of
Tel-el-Kebir ended so summarily, there were discrepant rumors concerning affairs
in the Soudan. Now there were reports of the dispersal of the Mahdi's bands;
reports, again, of their threatening Khartoum and the towns on the White Nile.
Then, later, in the winter season of 1S82-3, came definite tidings of the sur-
render to the Mahdi of the town of El Obeid, after the garrison had endured
desperate straits. The surrender, however, once consummated, most of the
garrison, with the Commandant Iskander Bey at their head, took service under
their conqueror. With the proverbial zeal of the renegade, Iskander Bey became
the medium for endeavoring to gain over officers in the Egyptian army in
which he had himself held a commission. After the fall of El Obeid the
Mahdi remained himself inside the Kordofan Province, but his emissaries were
active in other parts of the Soudan.

DESPERATE BATTLE BETWEEN HICKS PASHA AND THE MAHDI.

The unchecked iiuircli of the Mahdi, his decisive victories, and the rapid
increase of his followers, rendered the situation in Lower Eg3'pt distressingly
j^rave. It was feared, because believed, that he would soon overwhelm all the
Soudan, and then direct his victorious and wiiclly finatic army against l^pper
Egypt, which was undoubtedly his ambidon. Something must be done at once,
and, to check the growing power of the prophet, Egypt must look bej'ond her
own territory for help. To this end the Kliedive sent for Colonel Hicks, a
retireu officer from the Indian army, and offered him the position of commander-

(334)

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

335

iii-cliief if he would take charge of an expedition against tlie Mahdi. The offer
was accepted, and in the summer of 1H83, two years after the Mihdi had pro-
claimed hin.self, Hicks Pasha began operations in the Sennaar district, between
the White and Blue Nile. While on the march for Gebel Ain, April 29th, he
was furiousl}' assailed by the Mahdi, but the onslaught was not begun until
Hicks Pasha had formed his troops into a hollow square and was well prepared
to receive the enemy. A desperate battle followed, which is thus p-raphically

UKTKICAT OV T"i.; MAIIDISTS Al-TICK THlv I>1U''1;AT AT (;i'.lllCI, (;i:()N.

described by the military correspondent of the London J^aily News^ who wr.s
an eye-witness to the struggle :

"We opened a tremendous fusillade from our front face, apparently without
effect, for still tliey came on gallantly, but at 500 yards they began to fall fa^-l
Still the cliicfs led on their men with all the reckless and romantic chivalr_v
of the Saracen knights. One by one they fell, dismounted, two or three to
rise again and dart forward on foot, waving their standards, only to drop and
rise no more. After half an hour's coutiniU)us rattle of musketry, seeing their
chiefs fallen and their banners in the dust, the advancing hordes wavered, and

'3^

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

were greeted with a tremendous yell from our troops, who hid stood firmly and
unflinchingly, and I may say as steadily as any troops could. Now the enemy
moved off to the right among the long grass, and oui front was cleared. Shells
burst among them. Soon all were out of sight, except a few who walked about
unconcernedly, and actually singly cam.e up, after the rest had retreated, to
within a few yards, brandishing their spears in defiance One after another
those fanatics were shot down. . . . Nordenfeldts and Remingtons are no
respecters of creeds or fanatical idiosyncrasies. Sheik after sheik had gone
down with his banner, although the Mahdi had assured each that he was invul-
nerable, and their faithful but misguided followers had fallen in circles around the
chiefs they blindly followed. Twelve of the most prominent leaders — nine from
Samoar and three from Kordofan — had left their bones to whiten en the field
amidst three hundred of their followers."

ANNIHILATION OF HICKS PASHA'S ARMY.

The first battles against the xMalidi were won by Hicks Pasha, but his
army was alarmingly small as coui pared with that of the enemy ; besides, his
Egyptian soldiers were the most arrant cowards imaginable, while those fighting
under the Mahdi's standard were fanatically brave, believing themselves either
invulnerable, or, if slain in battle, that they would be immediately transplanted to
Paradise. Hicks Pasha and the few English soldiers with him had the gravest
fears of success in operating agains*. the Mahdi, with a government at thei
back that gave them the meagerest support, and a soldiery that was too
effeminate to battle with the weakest enemy.

In pursuance of orders, on September 9th, Hicks left El Duem for El
Obeid, the Mahdi's strongest position, and which was fully two hundred and
thirty miles from the nearest Egyptian post, and thus in the very heart of the
enemy's country. Hicks asked for re-enforcements, but these could not be fur-
nished, so, with his feeble, undrilled, cowardly rag-tags, he had to face the dread
alternative of disobeying orders aiid being in disgrace, or probable annihilation.
Brave man as he was, he chose the latter. The last information that came
back from the doomed column was a message sent by O'Douovan, the London
Times' correspondent, who dispatched the following from a point forty-five miles
south-west of El Duem :

" We are running a terrible risk in abandoning our communications and
marching two hundred and thirty miles into an unknown country-. But wc
have burnt our ships. The enemy is still retiring, and sweeping the country
bare of cattle. The water supply is the cause of intense anxiety. The camels
are dropping." And so ended O'Donovan's work in the profession which Ik-
adorned ; so closed, too, the scanty record of this fateful advance !

Authentic details may never be forthcoming of the stupendous catastrophe
which befell Hicks's column ; and a lurid cloud of mystery may hang over the
last scenes for all time. No European present :n the fighting that wrought its
aniiihilation is known to have survived.

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

337

The news of the fate of Hicks's army reached England November 20th,
and caused a profound sensation. Thus far the British Government had refused
to take any interest in the efforts of the Egyptian Government to subjugate the
Mahdi, and now Lord Granville insisted on an abandonment of the Egyptian
Soudan. But hov/ could this be done ? The Egyptian population in that
district numbered fully 30,000, while a large numbc.- of British subjects were
engaged in trade with the people of that region, and not a few held their resi-
dences in Khartoum. Must these be abandoned to the poor mercy of the
Mahdi ? Mr. Gladstone measured the situation fully, and his influence was in
favor of the adoption of measures for relieving the garrisons. IVIore than this
his acute discernment and high sense of justice led to energetic action to this

HICKS PASHA'S RAC.TACIS.

end, for on January 19th, 18S4, General Gordon left England for the Soudan,
having, accepted the mission " to report on the military situation there, to provide
1.. the best manner for the safety of the European population of Khartoum, and
of the Egyptian garrisons throughout the country, as well as for the evacuation
of the Soudan, with the exception of the seaboard."

Mr. Gladstone afterwards, in the Hou.se of Commons, on the evening of
February 12th, defined more closely the duty which Gordou had undertaken.
" General Gordon went," said the Premier, " not for the purpose of reconquer-
ing the Soudan, or to persuade tl.-:^ chiefs of the Soudan — the sultans at the
head of their troops — to submit themselves to the Egyptian Government. He
22

f ^'^ .

(338)

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

339

1 Ml

ffl r\

1 1 r Ti'

1 fl

■«|

Y uv^ij

i ViPBIl

'■<

fl/lllin'nWP

rw^y' fc'U I

I«

\m j|<*

«:

1 m i|l

1 )A |b|| 1

11 II 1

DiIIjIII 1 mil
■Unjlll miN

■fli

1 " nk

fT^i^^i i^^vM

iii II

■1?;:

illllk'lJiiii^

went for uo such purpose as that. He went for the double purpose of evacu-
ating the country, by extricating the Egyptian garrisons and re-constituting it
— by giving back to these sultan** their ancestral powers, withdrawn or suspended
during the period of Egyptian occupation. General Gordon has in view the
withdrawal from the country of no less than 29,000 persons under military
service in Egypt, and the House will see how vast was the trust which was
placed in the hauas of this remarkable person. We cannot exaggerate the
importance we attach to his mission. We are unwilling — I may say we were
resolved to do nothing which should interfere with the pacific scheme ; a scheme,
be it remembered, absolutely the most politic and which promised a satisfactory
solution of the Soudanese difficulty, by at once extricating the garrisons and
reconstructing the country upon its old basis of local privileges."

These opinions were put in the form of a letter of instructions issued by
Lord Granville, under the sep^ of the British Government, and placed in Gor-
don's hands the day previous to his departure.

TO THE RKLIEF OF KHARTOUM.

General Gordon had intended to proceed to the Soudan by way of Suez,
thence to Souakim, and from that port across the country to Berber ; but his
original plans vv'ere disarranged by circumstances which required his presence in
Cairo. He reached the Egyptian capital on the 25th and attended an audience
with the Khedive on the following da}', at which that ruler again bestowed
upon him the high office of Governor-General of the Soudan, so that Gordon was
now not only British High Commissioner, but the Khedive's representative also,
with power to conceive and execute without restriction, which delegation of fairly
autocratic authority was a necessary condition of his service.

Leaving Cairo, Gordon was convoyed by General Graham as far as Assouan.
Thence Gordon travelled with Colonel Stewart across the Nubian desert, on
camel-back, a distance of two hundred and forty miles, to Abou Hamed, and
thence to Berber. While making this journey, news of another dreadful
massacre reached ihe Home Government. On February 4th, General Baker's
Ei^vptian force, while marching towards Tokar to relieve the garrison of that
place, was attacked by 'a detachment of Osman Dit ^'s Arab levies, Avhich
resulted in a loss of two-thirds of Baker's force, and a complete dispersion of
the balance, so that reorganization was impossible. This news caused Gordon
^Ycat uneasiness, and gave the British Government equal concern, as little
doubt was now felt that Khartoum would fall into the hands of the Alahdiin
a very short while, unless something could be done to arouse the people in the
district to make a resistance tc the false prophet. To this end, before leaving
Berber, Gordon confirmed Hussein Be}' Halifa Governor of the province, and
then sent forward orders to Khartoum removing Hussein Pasha from the
\'ice-Governor Generalship, and appointed Colonel de Coetlogen in his st,;ad.
He also sent a proclamation, and had it posted all over the cit}', pro-
claiming the Mahdi Sultan of Kordofan, remitting one-half the taxes, and per-

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

341

o
u

t«

niitting the trade in slaves to be carried on. This action, though opposed by
his nature, as perpetrating a great wrong that he had before tried so hard to
suppress, was the only course left open to Gordon ; for the power of the Mahdi
was now grown so great that it was practicall}' irresistible with the force avail-
able, while the people would join in any measure calculated to fully restore
their innneniorial slave-trading privileges. Gordon's purpose, therefore, was to
placate both the Mahdi and the j^cople, hoping thereby to save the garrisons

VICTIMS OK THK SLAVKTRADIMl PRlVII.liGES.

from massacre, and give a truce to hostilities until the evacuation of the Soudan
could be accomplished.

HORRIBLE SCENES OF OPPRESSION.

It was on the morning of Tuesday, February i8th, that General Gordon
made liis entr\' into Khartoum. In one of his letters home he dc^scribes how,
when entering Keren, arrayed in the splendid "gold coat" of a neld-marshal,
and in the pomp beseeming the Governor-General of the Soudan, the humor of
his fancy had suggested to him some resemblance in the eyes of the populace
between him and "the Divine F'igure from the North" who was just then a
good deal in the mouths of men. A veritable "Divine Figure" he must have

342

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

shone in the sight of the people of Khartoum as he came among them on this
February morning. What a change for them from the regime of Bashi Bazou-
kery ; of the pashas, of the stick, the lash, the prison; from the grinding
taxation and the denial of even a form of justice! No wonder that, as he
passed to the Palace from the Mudirieh, where he had been holding a levee to
which the poorest Arab was admitted, the people pressed about him, kissing his
hands and feet, and hailing him as " Sultan," " Father," and " Saviour!" There
was a whole-souled energy and an uncompromising thoroughness in everj-thing
that tliis man did. With the best will in the world to redress grievances.

KKSTIVAI, DANCIi IX HONOR <>1'" CORDON.

another man would have gone aboi'.t the work in a methodical, ungalvanic
fashion ; but Gordon did not know the meaning of routine. There on the
shelves were the Government ledgers, on whose pages were the long records of
the outstanding debts that weighed down the overtaxed people. On the walls
hung the kourbashes, whips and bastinado rods — implements of tyranny and
torture. Gordon wiped out the evidence of debts and destroyed the emblems
of oppression in a fine impulse of characteristic ardor. A fire was made in front
of the palace, and the books and bastinado rods thrown on this funeral pyre
of Egyptian tyrannj'.

lem on this
slii Bazou-
; grinding
hat, as he
a levee to
kissing his
r !" There
everything
grievances,

^■^ ^

C<i^^

' ' r'

"i "'-.i

: t-^ -

- --^'-^

»*•

^••^

' I.

.S'M

" v-:..^.'

nngalvanic
ere on the

records of
n the walls
granny and
ic emblems
adc in front
imeral pyre

(343)

344

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

He had so but begun the day's work. From the council-chamber he hurried
to the hospital, thence to inspect the arsenal. Then he Hrted to the heart of
tLe misery of the prison. In that loathsome den two hundred wretched
beings were rotting in their chains. Young and old, condemned and untried,
the proved innocent and the arrested on suspicion, he found all clotted togethei^
in one mass of common suffering. With wrathful disgust Gordon set about the
summary work of liberation. Before night came the chains had fallen from off
scores of the miserables, and the beneficent labor was being steadily pursued.
Ere this busy day closed Gordon's energy had left him hardly anything to do
inside of Khartoum. He had arranged that the Soudanese soldiers were to stay
in their native land, and had appointed to the command of them a veteran
negro officer who had distinguished himself in Mexico under Bazaine. He had
settled that the Egyptian soldiers were to be sent across the river to Am Dur-
man, where was Hicks's camp before he started on his ill-fated march, and that
they and their families were to be sent down the river in detachments, and so
also were to go the European civilians who cared to leave.

THE CRY FOR HELP.

Everything for a time appeared auspicious for a peaceful evacuation of the
Soudan and of the complete success of Gordon's mission. This hopeful appear-
r.nce of the situation was not only inspired by the loyal protestations of the
people in and about Khartoum, but was more reassuring when messengers sent
to El Obeid to invest the Mahdi with the Sultanship o^ Kordofan returned
with a present of a rich cloak, given by the Mahdi as an evidence of the de-
light he felt for the dignity bestowed b}' the appointment. Gordon's telegrams
to the Home Government were therefore filled with assuring promises for the
safety of Khartoum and a peaceful solution of the question raised by the Mahdi
against the Eg^'ptian Government.

But when Gordon's hopes were brightest the most distressing news came
from Cairo, which pictured the situation as being suddenly changed to one of
a serious and alarming character. The Mahdi was again in the saddle, and
with a force of 300,000 dervishes, as his soldiers were called, was said to be
marching towards Cairo, with an avowed purpose of sweeping the hateful Turk
and Infidel from off the earth. Berber was besieged, and the enemy was invest-
ing El Fasher, Dawa, Masteri, Foga, while Om Shanga and Thashi had already
surrendered.

Telegraph communication being cut off, Gordon sent Colonel Stewart up
the Nile to ascertain the feeling of the northern tribes. All were friendly as
far as Webel Aul, but beyond that point the people were very hostile. The Khedive
was filled with alarm for Gordon's safety, but refused to send Zebehr Pasha to
Ills aid, though message after message besought him to do so. Every day the
•situation became more critical. Within Khartoum however, there was peace, and
by the issuance of paper money, to relieve the stringency and poverty produced
by the collection of exorbitant taxes, trade had revived and the daily market scene

Vfe=

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

345

was a lively one. This fortunate turn iu local affairs had served to endear Gordon
to the citizens and they were both loyal and grateful. But beyond the Khartoum
district war was sounding its wildest alarms. From the west, north and south hos-
tile tribes were reported as advancing on the city, and the Mahdi had declared
his intention of not only capturing the place but also of killing Gordon. Aj,-
peals to England for help met with no response, while none of the English
forces within the Egyptian Soudan were available.

In the midst of these anxieties Gordon sallied out with as large a force as
he could muster, 3000 men, to attack the rebels at Halfiyeh, but owing to the
treachery of two of his Arab officers, who fired on their own gunners and then

THE HATTI.H AT HAI,K1YKH.

sounded the retreat, the fight was little more than a massacre of Gordon's men.
The two treacherous officers were apprehended and after a full hearing, which
clearly established their guilt, they were shot. This prompt and vigorous ac-
tion served greatly to diminish the effi?cts of the defeat, as it gave renewed
confidence to both the Egyptians and Bashi-Bazouks, who saw in Gordon a
leader who, while generally pacific, sympathetic and merciful, yet in extremity
courageous and always hopeful.

The reverse met with at the hands of the enemy at Halfiyeh, though a
stunning blow, was in a sense helpful to Gordon, as it brought to his aid the
merchant Arabs of Khartoum, who contributed in the most substantial manner

346

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

:'i

1 !

to the defence of the town, which was now about to be beleaguered. Gordon's
treasury was empty and his soldiers clamorous for pay, which distressful and
threatening condition was to a great e.:tent relieved by an Arab who loaned
him $5,000 ; and by another who raised and equipped a force of 200 blacks,
which he placed at Gordon's service.

THE SIEGE OF KHARTOUM.

Gordon full}- realized the danger of his position and foresaw that an in-
vestment of Khartoum must soon be made by the Mahdi, who was reported to
be fitting out a fleet for a descent on the place. This report was not true,
but its probability led Gordon to begin provisioning the city and throwing up

L- .^J- l lJi-.

A SKIRMISH BETWEUN OUTPOSTS

iLxCS of fortifications for its defence. So perfectl}' were his orders carried out
and so ample his measures, that he made ainiouncement of the absolute safety
of the place, and his ability to hold out till Avinter. He did not neglect, how-
ever, to fully acquaint the Home Government with his true situation, and reason-
abl}- expected that relief would come through a dispatch of troops from Eng-
land in a month or two.

Up to this time Gordon had been sending people away from Khartoum in
anticipation of a siege, and continued so doing iiutil his armed steamers had to
make an almost uninterrupted engagement witli tlie rebels who now swarnied
both banks of the river. At last all communication was cut off and the Mahdi

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

347

[Gordon's
sful and
loaned
) blacks.

t an in-
:ported to
not true,
nving up

arried out
ute safety
ect, liow-
nd reasou-
roiii Eng-

lartouni in
ers had to
swarmed
the Mahdi

encamped his great army opposite the town, where he threw up breastworks
and planted three large Krupp guns with which to bombard the city. The
siege was begun.

A complete investment of Khartoum was made early in July, and for a
period of six months following there was the excitement, fear and horror that
attends attack, charge, sortie and vigorous defence. Gordon was now like the
.aged lion, which, though powerful of limb, still finds the bars of his prison too
strong to be overcome. A thousand obstacles confronted him. Provisions were

KHAKTOl'M Dl'RlNG THH SH'.CIC.

ample for the time being, but his force was relatively small in number, monej'^
had almost ceased to circulate, because the paper ciirreiicj' which he had issued
to bridge a temporary sti'ingency, had depreciated to the point of worth lessness.
but above all were the defects found in his army. The men were practicall}'^
undisciplined, poorly armed, and worse than this, were treacherous. D">ser-
tion was punished by death, and yet every day one or more of his soldiers
passed the guards and made their wa\' to the enemy, carrying news of his
condition and serving to give rise to a spirit of insubordination.

Against the tremendous odds that confronted him, Gordon bore up so

348

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

bravelj^ that his presence gave encouragement in quarters even where hope
had faded. Almoft d:^ and night he was with his men, taking scarcely any
rest whatever, leading in every defence and being seemingly at every point
where he was most needed. The rebels, finding that the place was so well
defended, and that their assaults were invariably disastrous — more than
40,000 dervishes having fallen before the trenches, — at length resolved to give
over these tactics and settled down to a reduction of the town by starvation.
About a dozen shots were nred each day into the city from the rebel can-
nons, but they did little execution, and were probably intended only to
keep Gordon apprised of the enemy's continued presence and determination.

HKADQUARTERS OK THE MAHDI DURING THE SIKOE.

While this siege was going on, the Parliament of Great Britain was engaged
in discussing the importance of the Soudan with an indifference to Gordon's
fate that fairly dumbfounds the world.

THE TRAGIC DEATH OF GORDON.

Month after month went by, with Gordon still defending Khartoum and
looking with anxious eyes for the aid that never came. Provisions began to
run low, discontent increased, the Khedive found fault, the Arabs were di.s-
mayed, and yet Gordon did not quail, resolving to d ..-nd the city to the last
extremity, and if necessary die behind its fortifications, a victim to shameful
abandonment by his country. And so it came at last. Day by day the

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

349

store of food became smaller, until at last mouths were unfed, and gaping
poverty hugged the streets for some chance nourishment. Discontent is the
beggar's companion, and from discontent conspiracy developed that threw Gor-
don's army into mutiny. Man could do no more than he. Like a hero he suffered
yrivations with his friends ; like a martyr he bore the odium that came from
a limit to his genius, his power as commander, diplomat and man. The end
was near at hand, but little did so brave a man foresee the baseness of the
means. Early on the morning of January 26th, 1885, weak from fasting, hag-
gard from long-de-
ferred hope, but
withal patient under
a resignation to God's
will, Gordon, brave,
heroic Gordon, came
down from his quart-
ers (which were in
the Governor ('ene-
ral's mansion, that
fronted the Nile Riv-
er), to resume the
trying duties of his
position as c o ni -
inander of a forlorn
hope ; scarcely had
he stepped outside
the door, when with
savage boast and
hellish intent, two of
his own soldiers, re-
enforced by a howl-
ing rabble, attacked
him with their swords
just as the enep y,

through treachery of dkath of coruons uudv sickvant,

those within, came rushing into the city, to complete the capture. Unex-
pectant and unarmed, the brave soldier could make no defence, and hence
bared his bosom to the steel of his assassins ; and thus he fell, no more a hero
than a martyr, for on England is the shame that she should exact such a sac-
rifice of one who deserved more honor than in most generous humor she could
bestow.

The particulars of Gordon's death have never been authenticated ; a hundred
stories have been told, but the carnival of massacre that followed simultaneously
with the assassination, threw every spectator into a chaos of horror, and blinded

350

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

the mind's eye by a confusion of fear that made description impossible. It is
told that Gordon had one faithful attendant ; a poor, half-naked black, who
was armed with a matchet, or broad-bladed sword, with which he tried to
defend his master, but was bayoneted by two of Gordon's soldiers. It may be
so ; but frightful enough is it to know that Gordon died at the hands of those
who should have been his friends — his soldiers and his country.

It is no iiece^ y, nor relevant, to describe the war which followed Gor-
don's death, i ' ^^v.,? only important in this connection to state the fact, that very
late in the fa;.. 4, English sjnnpathy was excited on behalf of Gordon,

and the govern;; :ii tir^'ly sent an army under Charles Wilson ostensibly to
his relief. In fact, howevLi the army was expected rather to arrest the Mahdi's
movements towards Cairo, and to give protection to British subjects in the
Soudan, rather than to rescue Gordon. This intention is best evidenced by the
manoeuvres in which the army indulged so long before placing gunboats and
transports on the Nile to relieve Khartoum, the investment of which had been
known to Lord Granville for several months. But at last ; I say " at last,"
because too late, the English fleet reached Khartoum and engaged the rebels,
but not till January 28th, or two days after the fall of the citj', and the death
of our hero, when by a vigorous shelling the rebels were put to rout and the
city recaptured. The army was now put to some real service and did great
execution in every battle that followed, many thousand dervishes being killed
and the Mahdi's power overthrown completely in the Soudan, so that his field
of operations was transferred to the Equatorial province, where he still holds
his spiritual and militant supremacy. Thus did Gordon's services in the
Egyptian Soudan end finally, though incidentally, to the accomplishment of
the purpose for which he was sent there by England and the Khedive.

CHAPTER XVII.

LIFE OF EMIN PASHA.

^ T is a most surprising thing, for which I will not undertake
an explanation, that although Eniin Pasha ser.ed in the
most responsible positions for at least six years under

Gordon in the

n, yet not once is his name men-

tioned in any o*' Gc m's letters, nor does any reference
to him appear ' tht diaries or journals of contemporary

~w;.^ipS explorers in " Mv . This unaccountable omission has

grown into a tiiy. '■ .:t\ in the light of present revelations,
whereby it is ascertained that En *n has for twelve years occupied the post of
Governor-General of the Egyptian ) uatorial Province, to which place he was
appointed by the Khedive at the urgent request of Gordon himself. In fact,
the history of Emin is scarcely less interesting, in whatever aspect we consider
t, than that of Gordon, and in some respects it is even more enigmatic, while
certainly as important.

The real name of Emin Pasha is Eduard Schnitzer, and his birthplace is
Oppeln, which is a city of Prussian Silesia. Eduard lost his father at a
youthful age, but he was left a considerable patrimony, which enabled him to
attend the universities of Berlin, Breslau, Koenigsberg, Vienna and Paris. He
developed a zeal for the natural sciences, and was especially interested in a
study of ornithology, in which he exhibited marked proficiency. In the year
1864 he completed a course of medicine at the Koenigsberg institute and
received his degrees, removing to Berlin to enter upon the practice of his chosen
profession. His success, however, was so far from satisfactory that he concluded
to visit Constantinople with the hope of luending his fortune, but while there
he discovered an advantageoi^s opening at a Turkish port in Albania, at which
he located and practised with much success for four years.

Though Dr. Schnitzer found his profession quite profitable as a local
physician in Albania, he had a longing for the military, so tl it he seized the
opportunity of joining an expedition to Syria and Arabia, in which he held the
post of physician. From 1871-74 he was the constant companion of Ismail
Pasha in Trapezund, Erzeroum, Constantinople, and in lanina of Epirus, where
Ismail died. After this event, which considerably changed his fortunes, Dr.
Schnitzer returned to Germany, in 1875, but he again disappeared, and kept
himself so well in seclusion that his friends knew nothing of him until he
came into notoriety as Emin Bey.

(351) .

352

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

■ II

Dr. Schnitzers travels had been so extensive, and his acqnisition of
languages so great, that he becrime a master of French, English, Italian,
Turkish, Arabic, Persian, and several Slavonian idioms, besides acquiring
occidental customs and manners that entirely destroyed every appearance of
his Germanic descent.

JOINS GORDON IN THE SOUDAN.

In 1876 the doctor visited Cairo, and there by chance met General Gordon,
to whom he offefed his services. So favorable was the impression he produced,

and so important to
Gordon was his
knowledge of Arabic,
that his services
were immediately
engaged, and since
that time the doctor
has been true to
the interests of the
Khedive. The first
mention made of him
in the Europear,
prints is the follow-
ing brief allusion
by Martin Kansal,
late Austrian consul
at Khartoum, who,
writing to his home
government about
Egyptian affairs,
says : "A German,
Dr. Sch'iitzer, who
calls himself a
Moslem from Con-
stantinople, and as
such is named Emin
Effendi, has succeed-
ed in getting a posi-

EMIN PASHA. (DR. SCHNITZER.) tioU witll GordoH."

It seems, from circumstances since made public, that Gordon almost imme-
diately formed the highest opinion of Emin's abilities both as a physician
and administrator, for the latter part of 1876 Gordon sent him on a most im-
portant mission to Uganda, witli instructions to bring back three hundred
men who had gone, contrary to Gordon's orders, to the capital of Uganda
with the intention of annexing the country to Egypt. It was known that the

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

353

appearance and purpose of this force would be considered as an invasion, and
would most likely create an intensely hostile feeling, which it was particu-
larly desirable to avoid. Emin so well acquitted himself, however, on this
delicate mission, that the troops were brought back, and by a gift of many
presents and kindly assurances, M'tesa, King of Uganda, was brought into
a friendly relationship with Emin, besides giving promises of aid, in case of
necessity, to the Egyptian contingent.

Gordon was so pleased with the success of Emin's mission that, as a mark of

A UGANDA VILLAGE.

his appreciation, he made Emin surgeon-general of the equatorial province, with ad-
ditional powers of sub-governor. Soon after he sent the doctor on another enter-
prise ot still greater importance, in which a yet more diplomatic adroitness had to
be practised, for Gordon himself hardly expected the miss' 'U to be successful.

THE MISSION TO KING KABBA REGA.

In a previous chapter, describing Baker's services in Central Africa as
Governor-General, the reader will remember that an account was given of the

2.3

354

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

treachery of Kabba Rega, King of Unyoro, who viciously attacked Baker, but
was in turn routed and driven out of his capital, Malindi, and his uncle,
Rionga, installed in his stead. Though Kabba Rega was dethroned as described,
he never lost his influence with his subjects, so that, after Baker left the
country, he raised an army with which he easily defeated Rionga, and recovered
the rulership, in which he continued with greater security than before. But
the king's enmity against Egypt was intense because of Baker's action, —
as the representative of the Khedive — and as Kabba Rega was, next to M'tesa, the
most powerful ruler in Central Africa, his authority was greatly feared.
Besides, he was harassing the Egyptian frontier, and had made all effort at

extension of
the borders or
advance to-
wards Lake
Albert ex-
ceedingly dan-
gerous. To
placate this
king, or, if
possible, to
win his friend-
ship, was so
necessary,
that, reposing
the greatest
confidence in
Emin, Gor-
don decided
to send him
to Unyoro

EMIN AND HIS ESCORT KN ROUTE FOR UNYORO. with this PUr-

pose in view. Any other man than Emin might well have recoiled from such
an undertaking, but being, like Gordon, a fatalist, he did not hesitate to set
out, with a small escort, and succeeded in reaching Malindi after a journey
of nearly three months. Here he found Kabba Rega in no amiable frame of
mind, but by careful address and a bestowal of presents, Emin finally concluded
a peace with the King, which was so well observed that Gordon was soon
after materially assisted by Kabba Rega, as have other travellers in that
region since notably the Church Missionary Society representatives.

APPOINTED GOVERNOR-GENERAL.

The success of Emin's mission to the King of Unyoro was recognized by
Gordon in a most gracious manner, not only by the most complimentary con-
siderations, but by his appointment, in 1878, as Governor of the Equatorial

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

355

Provinces, with the rank of Bey, which position he retained up to the time
of his promotion to Pasha.

When Emin took charge of the administration of the Provinces, he was in
the unenviable, indeed dangerous, position of one who finds himself at the
head of a friendly body surrounded by a powerful and hostile force. The
only district in peace was a narrow strip along the Nile from Ladu to Albert
Lal'-e, and in a small country east of the Nile, occupied by the Shulis tribe.
But nowise discouraged, Emin laid aside all fear, if indeed he ever experienced
the meaning of such a word, and set about the work of extending his authority
and promoting peace. So resolutely did he apply himself that by 1880 most
of the sta-
tions founded
by Gordon,
some forty in
Mumber, had
been rebuilt,
and a weekly
post between
them estab-
lished, which
was perfectly
secure. In
short, peace
settled down
upon the
laud with the
quiet of a
brooding
dove, for even
the slave
dealers had
been effectu-
ally rooted

out. Besides this beneficent work, the Equatorial Provinces, waLli in 1878
showed a deficit of nearly $200,000 per annum, had not only become self-sus-
taining, but actually exhibited a surplus of $40/^^0. This result was due to
well matured consideration of the peopU's need, and a rigid application of
economy, combined with well directed labor. He had divi'^led the whole province
into districts, in each of which was a m.litary station vhere the tax of grain
and cattle was collected from the nati/es. His own capital was fixed at
Lado, ten miles north of Gondokoro, which he greatly improved and made
of it a well built town, all the government buildings and the mosque being of
brick and roofed with corrugated iron, though the other buildings were chiefly
grass huts, such as are common among most of the African tribes.

EMIN HAII.ED BY UNYORO WABRIOR.S.

I i

356

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

The E'reets are wide and considerable space is left between the houses
and the fortifications, while beyond these are large gardens. The fortifications
are pierced by three gates, at which sentries are kept posted day and night,
the gates being opened from 6 A. m. to 8 p. m. Here the best order pre-
vails, not only among the garrison but among the people as well ; for while
the soldiers are made to drill regularly, the inhabitants are required to observe
rules of cleanliness, not only in their own households, but to sweep the streets
also, while the curfew is rung at 8 p. m. as a protection against fire, the many
grass houses of the place rendering this olden time precaution necessary.

Eniin's soldiers are, or were, nearly all Makraka men, who are distin-
guished for their bravery no less than for their physical perfection, which is
remarkable. They are armed with Remington rifles and wear a uniform com-

bTATU)N Ol- I. ADO, CAl'ITAIv OK THK HJiUATORIAI. PROVINCKS.

posed of a white tunic and trousers, boots, fez, and a belt of leopard skin which
serves to hold cartridges, sword, bayonet and knife.

Each village is also required to support a police force, as conservators of
the public peace and who attend to collecting the government tax. These
police, who act also the part of dragomen, attend, on application, to the en-
gagement of porters when work is required about the station. The}' are so
nearly nakod as to have no uniform, but are armed with double-barrelled shot
guns, which they have learned to use with no small skill, and are as brave as
they are savage appearing.

The strongest stations in Emin's province are those at Lado, Kirri, and
DufRli, but the most interesting one is Wadelei, from the fact that it was at
th" place Emin made his last residence, and where he was so long invested,
as will be described hereafter.

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

357

NATIVES OF THE SOUDAN.

To better understand the dangers and difficulties connected with an ad-
ministration of the Khedival rule in the Egyptian Soudan and provinces, it is
necessary to know something of the people or tribes over which this nomi-
nal rule extended. For it was not only slave dealers that opposed a most ob-
stinate resistance to all attempts made to spread civilizing influences through-
out that region, for quite as much, even more, resistance was offered by the
natives themselves. This opposition, however, may be generally traced to the
Arab slave dealers, who had for so many years carried desolation in their

l.MIN S lKltia;Ll.AltS — -NATIVh I'ol.lCi.

wake, rol)biug the tribes of their cattle, forcing ransoms of ivory for captives
they made, burning villages and carrying thousands of the people into slavery,
that it is not a matter for wonder that a universal mistrust of ibreigners was
felt, and that all the tribes fell into a condition of chronic war. To this ab-
normal condition, the natural outgrowth of murder, rapine and every form of
oppression, we must add that of a normal savagery, which made of them the
very incarnation of imbruted cruelty and ferocit}'.

Africa is the home of perhaps a hundred distinct tribes, but along the
Nile, between Khartoum and the great lakes, are to be found the most diverse

asm

r^mmarr

358

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

' ff'
11

characteristics, ranging from the perfectly naked, shiftless, cannibal Niam-
Niams, to the fairly well governed, clothed and housed Wagandas who, though
occupying the most central kingdom, are undoubtedly the foremost people of
the so-called dark regions of Africa.

All the various tribes are communistic and live in villages composed most
commonly of sticks, or poles bent in the shape of a domed hut, and thatched
with grass. These habitations are variously shaped, however, even while re-
taining the general dome design, for some terminate in a sharp apex, others
are cylindrical and pointed, many are oblong, with high and wide doors, and yet
others with entrance so small as to admit a person only when crawling on his
hands and knees. Not a few are raised on posts several feet from the ground
so as to afford shade for a large group of villagers sitting underneath ; while,
to cap the

j-^P'\

■^ 1^.-^

climax of
human eccen-
tricity in the
construction
of dwellings,
a few have
their homes
in caves ex-
cavated in the
hill-sides.

Most of the
tribes along
the N; e are

pastoral, and station at kirri.

raise immense herds of cattle which they never, or very rarely kill for meat, but
make the best uses of milk, by drinking it pure, or making butter, cheese, curds,
etc. Though a great quantit}^ of butter is made, it is never eaten, being used ex-
clusively for greasing the hair and body, for an African without grease is like
an American belle without jewelry. Some of the tribes pay considerable atten-
tion to raising grain, of which doorah^ a sorghum maize, is the principal pro-
duct. Though not worried by invasions of crows, cut-worms, locusts or grain
flies, the African agriculturist is not without natural c.iemies that render liis
crops precarious. Several species of birds attack the plant when it first peeps
above the ground, and so great would be the ravages, if no protection «'as
offered, that to defend his growing crop the agriculturist is compelled to adopt
expedients more effective than scare-crows. In the centre of the field, — which
is ne\er very large, being more like a garden, — a high platform is erected, to
which strings are attached radiating to every point of the field. Boys are stationed
on th-^ platform, and when flocks of birds make a swoop to attack the plants
they pull these strings sharply and tlins fiighten the winged pests. Hippopo-

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

359

tami and elephants are the most serious curse to the grain-fields, however, for
these cannot be frightened awa3\

NATURAL DRESS OF THE NATIVES.

Around nearly every village is a zereba^ or hedge of thorns, which serves
the double purpose of a defence in case of attack, and as a corral for cattle at
night. Among the warlike tribes these hedges are grown so thick that a
passage through them is impossible, afifording all the protection of a fortifica-
tion, and having only a single entrance, which is easily defended.

CATTI.H' COMMON TO THlv NII.K RKGION

In addition to the butter that is used for greasing the body, many employ
ochre or other mineral pigmenv.s, also ashes, burnt bricks, etc., with which the
legs, arms, breast and face are colored in almost identical resemblance lo many
of the Indian tribes of our country. This use of grease and coloring matter
takes the place of clothes, for in so warm a country, clothing being a discom-
fort, a comfortable substitute is found bj^ giving color to the skin that serves
to hide a disgusting nakedness. A tliouglit of indeceut exposure no more
occurs to him than it does to an animal, and as Baroud Bey observes "any

•na

360

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

garment on him is as much out of place as a coat would be on one of his

cows.

All of the tribes south of Fashodo, as far as Unyoro, are seen in their
natural state, except that in addition to the application of oil and ochre, they
wear rings around their arms, necks and ankles made of copper, iron, ivory,
serpent's skin or hippopotamus hide. To these body ornaments the women of
a few tribes mutilate their lower lips and lobes of the ear, and insert large
round pieces of quartz, ivor}'^ or colored glass, after the manner of certain South
American people. Beads, of course, are everywhere seen, and are worn as
girdles, necklaces, and formed into passamenterie, besides being used very
largely as currency. Besides other decorations, especialb,- j 'uong the Shooli,
Madi, Lango and the Latooka Baiis the women wear helmets of plaited hair.

cavhi)\vii,i.i;ks along Tiiii mi,e

or work the hair into fantastic shapes and the most ingenious and intricate
manner. Feathers are also often used to heighten the effect.

BEAUTIFUL WOMEN OF THE MADI.

The Baris are the most warlike of all African tribes and, I may also add,
the most treacherous. The men arc tall and generally heavy, while the women
.'ire r.oted for strength.

f he Madis are smaller in size than the Baris, but more graceful, and in
ku;';, are almost th' realization of the perfect type of physical manhood. They
takt: inf li'te pain.s in adorning their bodies, and in dressing the hair, and this
loo with such ta'^te and becomingness tiiat the effect is highly pleasing. Among
the women are to be found nol. a few, but many, of the most charmingly appear-
\r^\ i.jinphs, as beautiful in form and feature as Virgil ever conceived.

Very few of the tribes along the Nile carry shields but are well armed

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

361

with spears, oows and poison-tipped arrows. The latter are also fiendishly barbed
tJ make the greatest laceration. Blacksmiths are common among nearly all
the tribes, and, though they work iron by the most primitive methods, contrive

])l';i''FM)IN<- 'rillv tiRAlN I'lKI.Uh.

..<) make very useful implements. J\foI<>/s, or hoes, hand plows, spears, iron-
pointed arrows, are the principal articles that they manufacture.

Throughout this large district, nt least south of Gondokoro, large game is
plentiful, which gives evidence that the people are not good hunters, Elep'iants
and hippopotami are very numerous and give nearly all the tribes infinite
trouble by sacking the granaries, or rioting among the growing crops, destroy-
ing field after field in the night-tiuic, and giving themselves small concern for

lil^f^inUl

iMnM

(362)

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

363

the shouts, cries and trumpet-blaring that is used with the vain hope of scaring
them away. Besides these huge animals the .'e are leopards that occasionally
become so bold as to dispute the passage of a man, and to often stalk men
and women. Whole villages are sometimes called out to give aid in destroying

some leopard that has become an
epicure on human flesh. Wild boars,
a few giraffes, great herds of ante-
lope, hartbeests, and quaggas abound.
Buffaloes, though still common, are
not nearly so numerous as formerly,
their numbers seeming to have been
>N greatly reduced during the past dozen

■; years.

\ SAVAGERY OF THE CROCODILE.

' ••, But of all the creatures most

;. ..- dreaded in Africa the crocodile is the
chief. He is the sly but horrible
gorgon that takes toll from every
living thing. Cattle stooping to drink
^W^^ ■ •' ^^^ seized by the nose or whipped by
M^^ns'^n: ! his powerful tail into the stream. If
nSc^; ■..• herds attempt to swim a creek or
>^)*;}vv- river some of them are sure to be
IvS^:- pulled under by its dreadful jaws.
l*^^iS But the crocodile is no discriminator
among living things; he lies in wait
and is content with whatever fortune
throws in his way. He loves young
pig, or a fat monkey, but his appe-
tite is omnivorous and he takes with
equal greed a luscious negro boy or
a piece of putrid offal, the last re-
mains of some cow or ox that has
lain blistering in the sun until push-
ed into the water.

As a measure for protecting water-carriers from greedy crocodiles, the place
where water is drawn from the river by village women, is nearly always guarded
by a barrier made by driving piles in a semicircle so as to make a small en-
closure, inside of which it is possible to dip up water with security. Orders
are, indeed, given forbidding anyone from taking water at any other place, but
despite these precautions and warnings, every village along the Nile has a
weekly mourner for some more adA'enturous person who has been borne away

AN UNYORO BKLI.E.

364

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

by a crocodile. Eiuin Pasha reports that six women lost their lives in this
way during the first few weeks of his stay in Lado, while more than a dozen
very narrow escapes were reported. In one instance a crocodile even mounted
the bank and crawled up to a porch of one of the houses on which two young
gentlemen were taking an afternoon nap, evidently with the intention of break-
ing his fast on human steak. Fortunately, the young men awoke in time to
disappoint the courageous reptile, but they were scared to the point of death.

STAUKKD nv A r.KOPAKl).

THE KINGDOMS OF UNYORO AND UGANDA.

The Baris, Madi and Shuli tribes are hunters and pursue with special
zest hippopotami and crocodiles, which the}' kill for food quite as much as for
extermination, but as a rule the Nile people reject crocodile flesh as unclean;
not, however, because of its natural offensiveness, but because every such reptile
is placed under a ban for having eaten human flesh. They say: "Why, the
crocodile may have devoured my grandmother ; shall I then eat the flesh that
was nourished on my grandmother?"

The Dinkas aro a pastoral people, but nevertheless they are extremely
poor, thin to a cadaver us appearance, effeminate, and altogether so repulsive
that it is little wonder Jiey are regarded only as fit to be slaves. The Shir

NATIVK BLACKSMITHS.

(365)

366

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

tribe is oiily one degree improved, tliougli in some respects they are to be
commended, especially as they are noted for their att'ectionate dispositions, and
the strength of family ties, which is equal to that found among the most
highly civilized people. The}' are also plumper and better formed than the
Dinkas, but are no more courageous.

The Shuli, Lango and Uniiro tribes are vigorous, independent and brave,
b^' which characteristics alone have they avoided absorption by their powerful

ATfACKKO IIV A CKOCODII.K.

neighbors of Uganda and Unyoro. Like all the more northern tribes, they maintain
and are largely influenced by their Cojoor priests, who are at once rain-makers,
medicine men and purveyors of magic in a hundred forms. The office of
Cojoor would be a very pleasant one, in that he is rc^^arded with the most
reverential awe, were it not for the exceedingly discouraging fact that it fre-
quently happens he forfeits his reputation by attempting things which he is
unable to perform. He is often called on to heal a sick chief, or to produce
rain when the country is suffering from a long protracted drouth ; or to briii.^
disaster upon an invading enemy. Failure of his magic .to work these bene

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

367

fices is commouly punished by the people seizing the Cojoor and burning him
at the stake.

BURNING A CAJOOR IN UGANDA.

Uganda and Unj^oro, which for many years have remained intact through
an alliance offensive and defensive, are the largest and most prosperous king-
doms of Africa. Since the visit of Long to IM'tesa in 1S75, that potentate has
been outwardly a Moslem, or was up to the time of his death in 18S6, although

'ffiij

iXsi

■M

IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-3)

:/_

f/j

(/,

1.0 !!■- n^

I.I

1.25

m Ki 12.2

S«.li

tti

2.0

1.8

U III 1.6

PhotDgraphic

Sciences

Corporation

:i>^

23 WEST MAIN STREET

WEBSTER, NY. 14580

(716) 872-4503

368

HEROES OF TIis; DARK CONTINENT.

lOT-K REGION. IN WHICH GORDON OPKRATKD.

Stanley has claimed him as a Christian.
His son, and successor, M'wanga, has
been a pronounced Moslem and built
several mosques in his kingdom, so that
nearly all his subjects now profess that
faith.

Kabba Rega, the rulev of Unyoro,
has been less pliant than M'tesa, and
has remained insensible to Mohammedan
influence. He has preferred to occupy
a neutral position in order to reap like
advantages from both Moslems and
Christians, receiving each alike and giv-
ing encouragement for both to win his
favor by liberal gifts. In fact, the king
is still a hearty believer in fetiches,
though he does not expose his idols so
openly as formerly. In his palace are
still found many grcegrees and rudely
carved wooden images of men and
animals, to which he pays his devotions,
and consults on occasions of need.

THE SITUATION OF EMIN PASHA.

Through the several tribes thus
hastily sketched, Emin Pasha (a title
subsequently .^^iven), had to make his
way, and as their friendship was essential
to the success of Gordon's undertakin.q;,
it fell to Emin to overcome their
natural hostility and secure their sym-
pathy. His easy acquisition of language
was a masterful advantage, and by speak-
ing their own tongue he obtained a
hearing from all the tribes which might
not otherwise have been accorded. Thus
Emin, at length, was hailed as a friend
and his missions facilitated by tlie
chiefs of every tribe between Khartoum
and Dufifili. This feeling he further
promoted, when he was assigned to the
Governorship of the Equatorial Pro-
vinces, by seeking the welfare of the

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

369

native population and by removing, at great expense of time, treasure and

suffering the distressing consequences of centuries of unrestricted slave hunting.

Until the uprising, or rebellion, of the so-called Mahdi, in 1882, as already

described, the Egyptian Soudan as well as Emin's provinces, was in an orderly

CKREMONY OK CONKERRING TITI^E OF J'ASHA ON EMIN.

and thoroughly peaceful condition. This most unfortunate occurrence, in a
remarkably short space of time utterly destroyed the peaceful and civilizing
effects of Gordon's rule, and plunged the whole country into greater savagery
than before, because to barbarian instincts was now added the more exciting
and cruel disposition of religious fanaticism.

Though the Mahdi's rebellion had its seat in the Soudan, its baneful

370

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

influence spread far and wide, until Emin's provinces became involved. Gordon
and his followers had to sustain the brunt of battle, but an invasion of the
Equatorial district was attempted by the rebels, but which was successfully
resisted 'by Erain through the bravery and fidelity of his negro soldiers.

INDUSTRIBS INAUGDRATRD BY EMIN.

But news from the north, reporting repeated victories by the Mahdi's troops,
unsettled affairs in Emin's provinces and resulted in cutting his communication
with the civilized world. M'Uanga, son of M'tesa, and the new King of Uganda,
at once developed hostility to all Europeans through his open sympathies
with the Mahdi, and to prevent the possibility of relief coming to Gordon's

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

371

rescue by way of Zanzibar, which must expose his own kingdom, he put a
strong force to guard the south-east route and closed every avenue leading in,
or out of the kingdom, thus , the last news that we received from Emin was
transmitted in 1883. For his successful resistance to the rebels the Khedive
conferred upon Emin the title of Pasha, which honorable promotion reached
him just before communication between him and the outer world was cut oflf.

EMIN'S APPEAL FOR HELP. . ' : /■

With Emin, who was now practically a prisoner, though still the recognized
head of his provinces, were Dr. William Junker and Captain Casati, Russian
explorers, who chanced to be in the Lake region at the time of the Mahdi's
rebellion. All three were, for a long time, supposed to be lost, until Emin
contrived to send a brief letter to Mr. Allen, Secretary of the British and
Foreign Anti-Slavery Society, in which his beleaguered position was described.
In 1886 Dr. Junker succeeded in getting through the Uganda lines and reaching
Zanzibar, following which escape the king of Uganda withdrew his lines of
guards from the route and again permitted communication between his kingdom
and Zanzibar. In this same year (1886) Emin sent several communications to
friends in Europe, and to Dr. Junker, who was then in Vienna, describing his
critical situation; which letters resulted in an earnest appeal being made by
Junker and the International Society for government aid to relieve him.

While the tribes of the lake region were still hostile to Emin and were
giving him much harassment through the intrigues of Arabic slave dealers,
his personal liberty was little restricted. He might anytime, indeed, have
quitted the country, a thing which the slavers were eager for him to do, but
he could not bring himself to even consider such a step. To leave the country
as a fugitive would be to abandon the stations he had established, and the
people who had a lawful claim upon his protection. His sense of honor and duty
compelled him to remain and share the fate of his subjects, whatever it might
be. To take his people out of the country was an impossibility. He had no
means for provisioning so many on the long route to Zanzibar, and if this
difficulty could be met, another equally great still remained, for women and
children could not endure so long and fatiguing a march without hundreds
dying on the way. Emin, accordingly, honestly and wisely awaited the result
of his appeal for aid, and in the meantime continued his geographical and
ethnological studies.

A DREADFUL FIRE.

In the fall of 1886 Emin discovered the great Kubik river, the source of
wliich he found to be somewhere in the Usongora Mountains. He desired very
much to follow up the stream to its head, believing it would lead him into an
unexplored region, but his ambition in this direction was diverted by an extensive
prairie fire that did great destruction by sweeping an enormous district, destroy-
ing villages, crops and vast stores of ivory, and which almost annihilated

372

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

Wadelei itself. Einin had therefore to turn his attention to relieving, so far as
lay in his power, the new suffering to which his people were thus suddenly
brought. He solicited aid from a neighboring Usogora chief, who responded
with such substantial means that Emin was able to rebuild Wadelei, and to

FIGHTING THE GREAT FIRE.

bring the people who had suffered most by the fire into a fairly comfortable
condition again.

When the true situation of Emin became known in Europe, it was believed
that Egypt, which he had so bravely served, would immediately dispatch a force

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

373

in" lahgituUt jji" £ait /rum 32' Ormmeh

"""Vi'v-

by way of Zanzibar for his deliverance ; but that government contented itself
with the bare offer of a promise to advance $50,000 to an expedition thrt would
attempt his relief, and with inviting proposals to that end.

The indifference exhibited by the
F^gvptian government, which seems to
have become utterly unmindful of Emin's
services in extending the sovereignty of
that nation to the great lakes, and in
•carrying the beneficent effects of civiliz-
ation over such an immense district,
aroused England, and caused to be set on
foot well directed means for rescuing the
heroic Pasha. Government action was,
however, anticipated by private persons,
who thoroughly equipped a large ex-
pedition for the purpose, and placed
Stanley in command, recognizing his in-
■comparable fitness for such an undertaking.

TO THE RELIEF OF EMIN.

Learning from latest reports that
Emin, after his losses by fire, had moved
southward from Wadelei, Stanley decided
to enter Africa by way of the Congo and
take his expedition up that river as far
as its navigation would permit, and then
strike across the country over a route
with which he was somewhat familiar.
Stanley dispatched messengers far in
advance of the expeditionary force to
apprise Emin of his coming, as it was not
known how critical was his real extremity,
and an announcement of succor near at
hand might have the effect of either
hastening a meeting, or in inducing Emin
to hold his position a while longer.

The messengers thus sent forward met
Emin at the southern extremity of Lake
Muta Nziga, as he was returning from a
trip to Usongora to visit the chief who had
helped him to rebuild Wadelei. The news

•ICTORIA \riXZA\

[•KOVINCES.

EMIN S KQl'ATOKIAI,

thus brought of Stanley's advance was a most pleasant surprise to Emin,
whose anxiety to meet his deliverer repressed all other ambitions. Not knowing the
routL' Stanley would take to reach the lake regions, Emin proceeded to Wadelei,

374

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

reasonably conjecturing that, since nearly all his letters describing his critical situa-
tion had been sent from that place, Stanley would no doubt make every effort to
push on directly for that station. But even after learning from the messengers
of Stanley's approach, Emin wrote to Dr. Falkin, of Edinburgh, under date of
April 17th, 1887, reiterating his previously expressed resolution never to aban-
don his work in Africa, and to remain in his position even after Stanley'.'i

HKINGING FOOD TO THK I'lRli SUFFKRKKS.

arrival. He declared the same in letters also written to Dr. Junker and to the
British Anti-Slavery Society. This resolution, however, was no doubt made in
the belief that Stanlej-'s purpose was to relieve him by furnishing new recruits
and supplies of ammunition to last for a protracted period, which Avould en;il)lc
him to hold his position for an indefinite time ; and not with any idea that
Stanle}' would give sucli assistance as would permit him to leave the stations
garrisoned and to remove all the people who desired to make their escape to
the coast.

HRROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

375

OTHER RELIEF EXPEDITIONS.

Emin's anxiety for Stanley's safety after a time seemed to exceed that of
liis hope for speedy relief, so many months having now elapsed since a meeting
^vith the messengers, and still without any further news whatever of Stanley.
Emin knew the dangers that lay in the way, not only from the powerful and
■warlike tribes through which Stanley must pass, but also from other perils,
such as famine, pestilence, and the almost insurmountable obstacles of raging
rivers, dense thickets, unexplored country, and, lastly, possible mutiny. Being

THK t'SOr.A CHIKF'S Sr.AVKS kkhuu.ding wadelei.

unable to bear the suspense any longer, Emin, in September, started out in
search of the intrepid explorer. The last news that came from Emin came in
a letter dated November 2d, and was written from Kibero, on the eastern shore
of the Muta Nziga. From this time, for more than a year, all traces of both
Emin and Stanley were lost, so that the public mind again became restless with
the fear that both had perished. Nor was this anxiety without "luse ; for the
long silence of itself was foreboding of ill, while other events were known to be
transpiring in the Central Lake region which gave the soniberest aspect to the
situation. From Stanley Falls, and the station at the mouth of the Aruwimi

376

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

River, where a part of the expedition, under Barttelot, was encamped awaiting
Stanley's return from his trip to Albert Lake, came letters full of sad prophecy.
Stanley had started across the country to communicate with Emin Pasha, with
a promise to return in four months, leaving the principal part of his supplies at
Stanley Falls, vvhich he made the base of his operations. But month after month
rolled by without any report of him being received, until his lieutenants at the
Aruwimi and the upper station believed him to have met with disaster. Indeed,
this belief grew so strong that Barttelot decided to proceed in quest of him, and
in attempting to move that part of the expedition under his command a mutiny
resulted, in which Barttelot was killed, as will be more fully related in a subse-
quent chapter. These facts were communicated to the promoters of the expedi-
tion in Eu'-ope, and of course caused the gloomiest feelings among the friends
of the great explorer. But to intensify the fear which already prevailed, at this

critical juncture came letters from Mi.«?sionary
McKenzie, written from the seat of disturb-
ance, describing a very reign of terror that
was then prevailing over nearly all the lake
region. Mwanga, the successor of M'tesa,
urged by Mohammedans, had attacked the
mission stations, killing many Christians,
and burning Bishop Hannington. This news
threw all friends of the expedition into de-
spondency, for it was evident that, under this
condition of affairs, Stanley would have to
fight his way not only among savages, but
must meet a more formidable foe in thou-
sands of well-armed Arabs, who would dis-
pute his march. These facts seemed to
thoroughly justify the prediction that Stanley
MAJOR CHARLES wissiiANN. had fallen a victim either to Tipo Tib's

duplicity (who was known to look with an evil eye on the eflforts of the Congo
Association to suppress the slave trade), or to the overpowering numbers of
hostile natives, re-enforced by Arabs in Uganda and Unyoro, who might easily
crush a much larger force than that which was known to accompany Stanley ;
nor was there great reliance placed in the loyalty of his soldiers. Most of these
were, or had been, in the service of Tipo Tib, and their sympathies as well as
interests would seem to be naturally with the Arabs; for though slaves them-
selves they took savage delight in making slaves of others, while their love of
rapine was encouraged by Arab masters. Thus the situation was truly one
for alarm.

At length, an expedition was proposed, to go in search of both the ex-
plorers. Out of this proposition grew the organization of two expeditions under
German auspices ; one, under command of Lieutena'Ut Wisemann, to enter Africa

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

377

by the Congo ; and the other, led by Dr. Peters, to begin the search by proceed-
ing by way of Zanzibar, the two expecting to meet somewhere in the lake regions.

CAREER OF LIEUTENANT WISSMANN.

A decisive result was expected from these expeditions, and with good reason,
for though Dr. Peters had no experience in African explorations, yet he was an
intrepid leader, with great executive abilities, and possessing many accomplish-
ments that made him an available man for the most hazardous undertakings.

But while every confidence was reposed in Peters, public expectation con-
tered chiefly in Wissmann, whose experience was equal to that of Stanley
himself, as a short sketch will show.

Lieutenant Charles Wissmann was born in Frankfort-on-the-Oder, in 1853,
whose father was a German inspector of military stores, whose duties com-
pelled him to change his residence so frequently that young Charles was not
put in school but received instruction from private tutors until the death of
his father in 1866, when Charles attended consecutively the high schools at
Erfurt, Kiel and New R ppir. Upon reaching the age of eighteen, he joined a
cadet corps in Berlin, and two years later was attached to a regiment of Meck-
lenburg infantry. He was distinguished for his knowledge of the natural
sciences, to a study of which he applied himself most industriously, setting
these much above his interest in military affairs. Nevertheless, in 1873, ^^
was promoted to a second lieutenancy, which permitted him to resign from the
army, and through the influence of Dr. Pogge he offered his services to the
African Society of Berlin. Upon an acceptance of his services by the society
he was appointed topographer to Dr. Pogge's expedition, with which he sailed
for St. Paul de Loando to make a journey into West Africa.

The expedition commanded by Dr. Pogge reached St. Paul early in 1881,
and proceeded directly through the Ulunda States and up the valley of the
Tschicapa, across by Kassai, Lubilosh, Lomani and on to Niangwe, where
they arrived on May 5th. At this point Wissmann left the main body and
continued his journey eastward until he reached Zanzibar on the 15th of Novem-
ber, 1882, thus making the trip across the continent in less than two years.

WISSMANN'S SECOND EXPEDITION.

On his return to Europe in January, 1883, Wissmann prepared at once
for another expedition into Central Africa, a proffer of his services to the
International African Association having been accepted. Considerable time was
spent in organizing the expedition, which did not leave Europe until early in
1884, for the Portuguese interior station of Cassange. He plunged into the
Dark Continent again with his accustomed enthusiasm, and following mainly
his former route, by way of Kassai, reached Lubuka, the residence of King
Mukenga, on November loth, thus making a wonderfully rapid journey of over
one thousand miles. Resting at Lubuka for a month he followed up the Lulua
river a considerable distance, on the left shore of which he founded a station
which he named Luluaberg. Continuing his journey he came upon the Saukura

■

(378)

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

379

river and lake, which he believed to be a new discovery, but afterwards found
that the lake was the same as that discovered by Stanley and by him named
Lake Leopold.

Wissman returned to the Atlantic coast at the end of 1884, and retired to
Madeira for a time to restore his shattered health, but his recuperation being
rapid, in the fall of 1885 he returned to the Congo with the purpose of explor-
iug the country lying north-east of the Lulua river. H, penetrated far into
the interior without meeting any serious obstacles until he reached. the Baluba
nation, wliere he was so fiercely assailed by the natives that he was forced to
retreat for a distance of one hundred miles down the Lulua. Here he stopped
for a time at a friendly village and then started across the continent. On the
way he explored several tributaries of the Lulango river, and ascertained the
sources of the Tschnapa and Lomani rivers. He then proceeded on to Lake
Tanganyika, the shore of which he reached in April, 1887. After a short stay
at Ujiji, Wissmann again crossed the lake and visited Nyahgwe, which is two
hundred miles west of Tanganyika, where he remained a month exploring the
vicinity, and then turned eastward again and reached Zanzibar in August follow-
ing, thus having crossed the continent twice, and once penetrated to the Central
regions, so that altogether he had the experience of quite 12,000 miles of
travel in Africa.

STANLEY TO THE RESCUE.

Wissmann's fourth expedition into Africa, which was made in 1888, with
the purpose of finding Stanley and also to search for and relieve Emin Pasha^
as already explained, was conducted with dispatch and wise management, but it
nevertheless failed in its prime mission. Wissmann proceeded to the great lakes^
but found the country in such a turbulent state, with Emin a closely guarded
prisoner in the hands of the Mahdi, and hi^ own force too small to attempt
aggressive measures for Emin's relief, that he made haste to reach the east
coast to report the news and hurry to Emin's aid a force large enough to
compel his release.

Dr. Peters, in the mean time, had pushed forward through a thousand
obstacles, as far as Lake Victoria, where he was so beset by large bodies of
hostile natives that he was compelled to abandon all efforts at further advance^
and to employ all his energies to beating back the eneni}'. His position was.
therefore as critical as was Emin's, for he had divided his force and one half
of it had ^een driven back to the main highwa}'^ leading to Zanzibar, over
which it retreated to the coast. At the present writing reports have been
received of the massacre of Dr. Peters and all the people with him, by a
force of 1:200 Somalis against which he vainly fought for several days.

Stanley's return at last with Emin and 560 persons composing the com-
mand, has relieved the doubts and dark forebodings of the millions who
believed for a long while that both were dead, and from his own reports we
are able to follow, with accurate details, his changing fortunes, the perils that

i<::W^

if I

1 ■^J

(380)

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

... <Jf^.

beset him, the fears that assailed iiim, and the desperate adventures which he
met with on his dreadful march through Africa to the rescue of Eniiu. Stanley
arrived at Bagdmo3'o on the afternoon of December 4tli, 1889, and on the
second day crossed over to Zanzibar, where a crowd of friends gave them joy-
ous welcome. In the following chapters we will be made acquainted w^'th all
the details of Stanley's expedition from the time it penetrated the Dark Con-
tinent to the triumphal return; and also a description of Emin's defeat at
the hands of the victorious Mahdi. *^ y

Emin, however, met with a dreadful accident upon the very moment of
his return to civilization, which nearly cost him his life. On the evening fol-
lowing his arrival at Bagamoyo while, it is stated, partially under the influence

STANLEY TO THE RESCUE OF EMIN.

of wine that had been drunk to the health of those who welcomed his return,
but more probabh- through hii very defective eyesight, he walked out of an
open window in the house where he intended to lodge for the night, and fell
to the ground, a distance of twenty feet. He received injuries in the head
which were so severe that for several days his life was despaired of. More
complete particulars of the accident will appear in a subsequent chapter.

:■ : ■■■r:OHn[i

CHAPTER XVTII.

Stanley's expedition for the relief of emin pasha.

^^y~\

TANLEY'S last expedition, from which he returned December 6th,
1889, after an absence of nearly three years, full of honor, and
the glory that the civilized world gratefully bestows, was more
important than any of his previous undertakings in the Dark
Continent, not only because of the import of his nrssion, but
also for the wonderful discoveries that have resulted therefrom. New rivers,
new mountains, new tribes of people, have been added to our geogiaphical and
ethnological knowledge; new routes to the interior cpened; new and richer
£elds for agriculture, trade and missionary effort described, and the world's
pulse quickened by an acquaintance with alluring possibilities, which have set
civilization in a quickstep pace towards the golden opportunities that Central
Africa seems to invite.

It is in these mighty results that we perceive tae unlimited importance of
the expedition, rather than in the triumph of the undertaking to relieve Emin
Pasha, though to this latter attaches the interest of a wondrous tale.

As explained in the previous chapter, the news of Emin's imprisonment
p.t the hands of the Mahdi set the world to plaPiiinj:; for his release. But there
was somethinp" re-enforcing this humane aspiration, and for the prompting we
liave not far to search, as it is well explained in the sad story of Gordon's
death. The English people had nothing but condemnation for the parliament
that left Gordon to his fate, for the public heart, riore sympathetic, more just,
than the official directory, cried, " Shame 1 Shame I" and paid Uie homage of their
sorrow o' er the grave of that heroic man. Therefore, when an appeal for help
again reached them, like a wail from that dark reg;on, men, not parliament,
answered the distress call and resolved to dispatch immediate aid to Gordon's
successor. A dozen or more expeditions were propose'!; not only in England
but in Germany also, and the matter had profound consideration before the
•council called b}'^ King Leopold II., sitting as ruler of the Couj^o Free States.
But '•hese active preliminaries did not prevent private parties tVom carrying
into execution a well-matured plan for relieving the imprisoned Pasha ; and as
private enterprises progress with greater rapidity than those under government
direction, we are not surprised that the organization of an expedition was
accomplished by individuals before the governments of England, Belgium or
Germany had perfectec ^heir plans.

Sir William McKinnon, of Edinburgh, President of the British East Africa

(38a)

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

383

iber 6tli,
nor, and
ras more
tie Dark
sion, but
w rivers,
lical and
id richer
e world's
have set
t Central

Irtance of
;ve Emin

Last Africa

Association, offered to contribute the sum of $50,000 11 addition to a like sum
offered by the Khedive, towards equipping an expedition to rescue Emin,
which generous proposal brought letters from clher liberal Scotchmen and
Englishmen, which finally led to the organization of what was called the
"Emin Pasha Relief Committee," to which fund there were twenty-five con-
tributors, com-
posing a company
of which Mr.
McKinnon was
made president.
Singularly enough,
the arrangements
for completing the
organization were
made chiefly by
cable, as Mr.
Stanley was in
America at the
time under engage-
ment to lecture.
Mr. McKinnon
tierefore sent him
a dispatch request-
ing him to take
command of the
enterprise. What
other than a favor-
able response could
the distinguished
explorer make,
even thougii it
conflicted with his
private interests,
since his very
heart was wedded
to ambitious which

travel i n Africa

could alone h. m. stani,ky— from a photograph takkn in janitary, 1887.

gratify? Besides, who else was so admirably qualified for the undertaking,
and in whom would the world have such confidence ? Whatever may have
been his real feelings, certain it is that Stanley immediately cancelled all his
engagements and entered at once into perfecting the details of the organization,
and preparing the expedition for movement at the earliest possible moaient.

384

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

SIR WM. MCKINNON.

HONORS TO STANLEY.

After an acceptance, by Mr. Stanley, of the command of the projected expe-
dition, as a special mark of public confidence as well as favoritism, the City
Corporation of London, in Court of Common Council, held at Guildhall, January

13th, 1887, presented him with the freedom
of the city, and on the same evening a ban-
quet was tendered him at the Mansion House,
the Lord Mayor presiding. The certificate
conveying the freedom of the city was enclosed
in a gold casket of richest design in arabesque,
standing on a base of Algerine onyx, sur-
mounted by a plinth of ebony, with an ivory
ostrich standing at each corner and an ele-
phant's tusk curving over each bird. The
panels and roof are also of ivory, bearing the
numogram H. M. S. and a miniature map of
Africa. On an oval platform surmounting
the casket is an allegorical figure of the
Congo Free State, seated by the great river
from which it derives its name.
Mr. Stanley made his preparations for almost immediate departure. He
accepted the services of eight English officers, as follows : Jephson, Stairs,
Jameson, Barttelot, Johnson, Nelson, Williams, and Dr. Parke, who 'lad obtained
a three-years' leave of absence from the government, and he was also accom-
panied by two officers of the Belgian
army, who were enlisted at the request
of His Majesty, King Leopold H.
Among the special articles with which
Mr. Stanley provided himself was a port-
able steel whale boat, which was built
under his directions in thirteen days.
This boat was 28 feel long, 6 feet beam
and 2 feet 6 inches deep. It was built
throughout of steel, and divided into
twelve sections, each weighing 75 lbs.,
to facilitate its transportation. The
sections were fitted on the edges with
india-rubber, so that, when brought to-
gether and bolted, the joints were water-
tight. The boat pulled ten oars besides carrying a lug sail. Her carryinj,^
capacity was twenty-two men and 1000 lbs. weight of baggage, and she could be
put together in thirty-five minutes, and taken to pieces for transport in little more
than half that time. Mr. Stanley's experience on his previous expedition,

COI.D CASKliT PKKSKNTI'I) TO STANI.liY.

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

i^S

when crossing the continent, and the excellent uses to which he put the Lady
Alice ^ gave him practical ideas that were of the greatest service, and which found
elaboration in his steel whale-boat which was in every sense a very model of
perfection.

STANLEY'S AUTOMATIC GUN.

Another almost equally serviceable, though really only precautionary article
of his equipment was a Maxim automatic machine gun, which was provided
with special mountings, expressly designed to meet the requirements of this
particular service. The carriage of this wonderful gun was so made that it
could be almost instantly folded up and carried on the shoulder of a single

STANLEY'S AUTOMATIC GUN.

person, and it could be again set up and the gun remounted read}' for action
in ten seconds. For rapid firing it exceeded even the Gatling gun, for when
the trigger was pulled and held drawn back it poured out a very strearii of
bullets, or eleven shots per second, or with a quick pull only one shot might
be discharged. To prevent heating during rapid firing, a small reservoir for
water was provided in the breech, so that with each shot the recoil forced a
small quantity of water out of the tank and around the barrel casing. One
quart of water was used in this way with each one thousand shots fired. The
Kun proper weighed forty pounds, and the steel carriage on which it was
mounted was fourteen pounds heavier, but the parts of the latter were easily

386

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

de -.ched so as to pfermit its easy carriage by three or four men. Another pro-
vision, next in importance to the rapidity and accuracy of its firing, was the
shield with which the gun was provided, rendering the operator almost secure
from the arrows or even bullets of an enemy. The accompanying illustration
will show more clearly than worded description the appearance of the gun and
the manner of handling it.

DEPARTURE FOR AFRICA.

Stanley left England on the 2 2d of January and proceeded directly to Cairo,
where he held an audience with the Khedive, and also with Dr. Carl. Junker,
who had recently returned from tlje interior, having been one of Eniin Pasha's
lieutenants and by escaping, as already noted, brought back the latest' news
concerning the beleaguered, or imprisoned, Governor of the Equatorial Provinces.
In this interview Dr. Junker related that he left Emin on January ist, 1886,
at Wadelai, and succeeded in securing a steamer, upon which he fled up the
Nile, passing the stations of Fatiko, Lado, Fashoda, Duffili, Tashoro and
Magungo, and thence to Chibero, on Albert Lake. He visited Kabba Rega at
this latter place and there met Sig. Casati, the Italian explorer, and agent
of the Khedive. After leaving Kabba Rega, Dr. Junker travelled across Uganda
and thence +0 the suuth shore of Victoria Lake to Ukumbo, the French mis-
sionary station, where he was kindly received and assisted. In this journey
he met several Europeans, among whom were Rev. F. Mackay, and Fathers
Louderal and Delmon, in the Uganda country ; Vicar Apostolic Goreau at
Ukumbo ; Rev. F. Gordon and a Mr. Wyce at Ut Salala ; a Mr. Grescher, who
has since been killed by Arabs, at Taboro, and several missionaries at Mpwapa.
Besides the information thus secured from Dr. Junker, Mr. Stanley was also
presented with an excellent map of the lake regions by the doctor, which he
found to be of great value because of its remarkable accuracy.

Dr. Schweinfurth was also in Cairo at the time of Stanley's visit, and in
company with Dr. Junker called several times upon the latter. At these friendly
visits the most eligible routes for reaching Emin Pasha were frequently and
exhaustively discussed. Both Schweinfurth and Junker strongly advised the
route leading from Zanzibar to Lake Victoria, and over which Stanley had
already travelled, but notwithstanding the fact that Dr. Junker had recently
escaped over this same route, Stanley looked upon it as much less secure than
the approach from the west, on account of Mwanga's hostility, who held
every avenue loading out of his kingdom eastward. He therefore explained his
intention of proceeding by way of the Congo river, believing that with tlie
steamers at his disposal he might reach the head of that stream in thirty-five
days, after which he would have only a land march of 360 miles, from Stanley
Falls.

Yet another route was discussed, viz., that which leads from the east coast
through Massai land, over which Mr. J. Thomson travelled, and by which he
makes the distance to Wadelai 925 miles ; certainly the shortest route, but not

lother pro-
g, was the
lost secure
illustration
e gun and

ly to Cairo,
irl. Junker,
lin Pasha's
[atesf news
1 Provinces.

r ISt, 1886,

fled up the
ashoro and
)a Rega at
and agent
OSS Uganda
French mis-
lis journey
md Fathers
Goreau at
escher, who
at Mpwapa.
ey was also
which he

nsit, and in
lese friendly

uently and
advised the
Stanley had
ad recently

secure than
who held

plained his
it with the
u thirty-five
rem Stanley

e east coast
>y which he
Lite, but not

(387)

388

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

nearly so available as that by the Congo river, which affords excellent means »or
transportation of large quantities of stores, such as Stanley carried with him.

While Mr. Stanley did not see proper to accept the advice of Doctors
Junker and Schweinfurth, he was none the less grateful for their kindly in-
terest, and was particularly thankful to the former for the very valuable infor-
mation given respecting the situation of Emin Pasha, the stations, the routes,
the hostility of Mwanga, and the location and numbers of Europeans in the
lake region, . ' , . ''■''' *V

OFF FOR ZANZIBAR.

On the 3rd of February Stanley left Cairo en route for Zanzibar, accom-
panied by sixty-one black soldiers of the Egyptian army. Many distinguished
persons were at the station to bid him God-speed, among the number being Sir
E. Baring, Lady Baring, Generals Baker and Stephenson, Pigrane Pasha and
several European residents of the city. Dr. Junker also accompanied him as
far as Suez, at which port Stanley, with Dr. Parke, of the Army Medical De-
partment, and his soldiers, embarked for Zanzibar, and on his arrival at that city
he engaged a considerable number of East African servants, known to him in
his former journeys.

Besides engaging a large party of Zanzibaris porters and soldiers, Stanley
also had the good fortune to secure, for a round sum, the services of Tipo Tib,
the great slave-hunter and ivory dealer, who had before acted as Stanley's, guard,
with a force of five hundred armed Arabs, when the latter made his celebrated
march through the land of dwarfs and cannibals, as already described. This
man had, since his last service with Stanley, become the most powerful slaver and
merchant in all Africa. He had traversed a greater portion of the interior in
a quest for ivory, taking slaves incidentall}', and so overawing the natives by
murderous attacks and acts of rapine that all the chiefs and nearly all the
African kings stood in the greatest dread of him. During the past several
years he had also held the post of governor of the Kasonge district, under
appointment by the Congo Association. As a Musselman he assumed
the prerogative of a Sultan, and had a harem with forty dark-eyed houris, whicli
he had no disposition to abandon; hence, when engaging with Stanley, he
made it a condition of his contract that his forty wives should bear him com-
pany on the journey.

Considerable time was spent in Zanzibar procuring supplies and men, so
that Stanley did not embark for the mouth of the Congo until February 27tli.
His company, on leaving Zanzibar, consisted of the following persons : Dr.
Parke, 61 trained Soudanese soldiers, 13 Somalis, 3 interpreters, 620 Zanzibaris,
40 Arabs, and Tipo Tib and his forty wives.

The trip around the Cape of Good Hope was a tedious one, and it was tlie
middle of March before the expedition reached Banana Point, at the mouth of
the Congo, where Stanley found seven English and two Belgian officers await-
ing him. These, however, had not been idle while awaiting his arrival, for tlicy

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

389

IiaJ spent much of the time getting the steamboats on the Congo ready to
transport the expedition to the first cataracts. Leopold II., as President of the
Congo Association, had put several boats in the river to build up a trade
with natives of the interior along that great waterway, and these were all
placed at the disposal of Stanley, and upon which he had relied to make a
quick passage to Stanley Falls.

WHY STANLEY CHOSE THE CONGO ROUTE.

There were two decided reasons why Stanley chose the Congo route in
preference to tb more frequently travelled highway from Zanzibar to the
Central Lake regions. Mwanga, the successor to M'tesa, though a Christian
and Mohammedan by turns, had, during the three short years of his reign,
become so jealous of both the Arabs and Christians that he had fought each,
being moved to hostile acts by the belief that they had conspired with his
brother, Kalema, to wrest the sceptre of the monarchy from him. He was also
influenced by the Mahdi uprising, which spread terror throughout the country
and gave immense self-assurance, and superstitious egotism — if I may use the
expression — to the native kings. Mwanga, taking up the cry of " Death to the
infidel dogs," carried his hostility to the Christian missionaries, whom he had
before befriended, so far that he not only ordered them to leave the country,
but even proceeded to more cruel means of ridding himself of their influence,
by ordering their execution. Bishop Hannington being one of his first and
conspicuous victims.

The true situation of affairs in Uganda, particularly, and which led Stan-
ley to avoid the route, which if taken, would be certain to bring him into conflict
with Mwanga, is graphically described in the following letter from the Rev.
Mr. Mackay, which follows the course of events in the lake region from the
year preceding the departure of Stanley up the Congo, until the date of the
close of the expedition :

THE WAR IN UGANDA.

"To THE London Missionary Society: "J^^y 30) 1889.

" After the overthrow of our mission and the establishment of Mohara-
medism in Buganda (generally written Uganda) last October, we heard little
of what was taking place there until Easter of this year. On that occasion
we were visited by a few of our former pupils, who had been sent by their
comrades, who had taken refuge in Busagala, to ask our advice in their trou-
bles. They wished particularly to know if we would sanction their making
an attack on the Arab usurpers in Buganda, with a view to setting some
other prince on the throne; one on whom they could depend as likely to
grant them liberty of worship. Many were ready to aid even Mwanga, should
he venture to return to their neighborhood, thinking that even his rule would
be preferable to the intolerant and fanatical government of the Mohammedan,
Kalema. >•

390

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

'* Mvvauga, who had been for some months the guest of the Romish priests
at Ukunibi, on learning that the Christian exiles were prepared to aid him,
persuaded Mr. Stokes (formerly a missionary, but now a trader,) to take him
in a boat belonging to the latter, to a point on the Nyanza, about the mouth
of the Kagera river, where he hoped to be able to join the Christians.

" On hearing of this scheme, we sent to warn Mwanga of the risk he was
about to run, while we sent a message to our friends in Busagala, advising
them not to join in an enterprise which would have all the appearance of a

-crz^ ~

■:.~5?i2i

~TZ.:~

r.._-:i..—

KING MWANGA.

religious war, and which might prove disastrous to themselves. We counselled
patience, as we felt sure the Buganda would soon tire of Arab rule, while
Kalema himself would not long submit to be dictated to by the Arabs. Our
advice was to Mwanga, if he wished to get back his throne, his best policy
would be to come to some agreement with the agents of the Imperial British
East African Association, who would probably be ready to aid him.

" The Buganda refugees, however, who were at Bugumbi, together with the
French priests themselves, rejected our counsel of patience and recommended

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

391

immediate action. Accordingly, Stokes and Mvvanga embarked at Ukunibi with
about fifty Buganda, arms and ammunition being suppliea partly by Stokes,
and partly by the priests themselves.

" Meantime, our people in Busagala had been drawn into war before the
return of the messengers whom they had dispatched to us. These messen-
gers, on their way to this place, had to pass through the country of the
Bazongora, commonly called Baziba, from whom they had received two or three
canoes to enable them to come here. Tidings soon reached Kalema that the
Baziba had sent canoes to this quarter in order (they supposed) to fetch
Mwanga. Accordingly, Kalema lost no time in dispatching an army to punish
the Baziba for their action, which was regarded as rebellion. The Christians

VILLAGB OF BUSAGAtA.

got word of Kalema's force being on the way to attack their friends, the
B.iziba, and went at once to the rescue. They attacked Kalema's army and
completely routed it, following up their victory far into the interior of Budu.
vSome then proposed returning to Busagala, but the majority advised marching
right on to Kalema's capital. The counsel of the latter prevailed, and the
Christians crossed the Katonga, which is the westernmost boundary of Buganda
proper, where they were met by another larger force sent by Kalema, under
the command of his chief minister. A fierce battle ensued, and, although the
Kalema forces were much larger, the Christians were again victorious. Their
leader, named Nyonyintous, and many others were slain. Among the leaders

(392)

KAI,BMA BURNS HIS BROTHERS AND SISTBRS, AND HIS OWN CHILDRBN.

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

395

if Kalema's army three of the bitterest etieniies of Christianity in former days,
ftcre captured and executed, viz. : Chanibalango, formerly known as Pokino,
one of those who decreed Bishop Hannington's execution ; Serukoti, murderer
of the Christian Admiral Gabunga, and Masndi, the one-eyed, who, being an
Arab, used to translate to the king all letters from the Consul-General to
he Sultan of Zanzibar, invaiiably falsifying the interpretation to the prejudice
of the F)uropeans of the country.

" Our people, disheartened by the death of their leader and many of their
brethren, returned in a body to Busagala. No sooner had they reached there
thin they received intelligence of the arrival of Mwanga and Mr. Stokes at
Diuno, a little to the north of the mouth of the Kagera river. This news was
brought them by the messengers whom they had sent here, and who arrived at
Diiiuo about the same time as Mwanga himself. They were sorely puzzled on
perusing the letters which he had sent them, advising them to take no action
in aid of the plot to restore Mwanga. Already they had fought two battles,
and many of their number were slain, while Mwanga himself had now
appeared on the scene in company with an Englishman. They responded to
Mwanga's call, and joined his standard near Dumo. Mwanga seems to have
held a sort of court there for nearly a month, many of the • heathen nations
joining him, as well as not a few of the islanders from Sesse, who brought
their canoes to his aid. ^ -

BURNING HIS BROTHERS, SISTERS AND CHILDREN.

" Kalema was so enraged at his minister's defeat that he deposed that func-
tionary from office, and fearing that the Christians would follow up their vic-
tory (doubtful though it was), and succeed in securing the person of one of
the princes, all of whom were prisoners at the capital, he had every one of
them, both princes and princesses, his own brothers and sisters, as well as his
own children, burnt to death in the huts where they were confined. Had he
known of Mwanga's arrival, probably he would not have committed such an
atrocity, but Mwanga had not arrived at Dumo when the dismissed minister
returned crestfallen to the capital.

" Soon after, however, Mwanga's approach v.'as reported, and a fresh army
was dispatched by Kalema to "meet him. Mwanga had several thousand adher-
ents, mostly armed with spear and shield, as well as about i,ioo guns, while
Kalenia's force was vastly superior, not only in numbers, but in guns also,
especially breech-loaders, several Arabs being among the leaders. A battle was
fought, in which Mwanga's troops were defeated, and his chief general,
Mwemba, killed. The Arabs set fire to Mwanga's camp ; most of the Christians
fled back to Busagala. while Mwanga himself took refuge on Stokes' boat, some
200 of his followers escaping with him in canoes, to one of the Sesse islands.

MWANGA SECURES A UKV/ FOLLOWING.

"The Basesse people, mostly fishermen, are devotees of the goddess
I^Iukassa, and had already rebelled against the Mohammedan government of

394

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

Kalema. They, therefqre, without hesitation, swore allegiance en masse to
Mwanga, who built a fresh camp on the largest island, and held a council as
to future operations. He had now at his command all the canoes (many hundred)
belonging to Buganda, besides no small following from the mainland.

" Mwanga next proceeded with his fleet along the coast of Buganda, burninji;
and pillaging ports, rounded the promontory of Ntebe, and, advancing up
Murchison bay, finally encamped on an island named Bulinguye, opposite his
former temporary capital, Munyonyo. Kalema had watched his movements, and

MWANGA'S camp on nUI.INGUYK ISLAND.

sent a small force under an Arab named Hamis, to prevent Mwanga from landiiijj:
on the mainland at Munyonyo. It will perhaps be remembered that it was at
Munyonyo where Mwanga was stationed some three years ago when he ordered a
general massacre of the Christians.

"The island of Bulinguye now became Mwauga's headquarters, and there
he was when we last heard from him, surrounded mostly by his Christian
followers, who are his chief advisers. There he is being gradually joined by
many Buganda, almost all his former chiefs — deposed from office by Kalema,

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

395

having repaired to him with only a few followers each, as they are practically
all poor men now. Among these is Kaluji^ whose name has often been men-
tioned as the king's head storekeeper and chief adviser in former years. Poor
Kaluji had to flee for his life from Kalema, as he saw no quarters shown to his
former companions in power under the old regime. Even the once all-powerful
minister had not escaped. He was first plundered by the Arabs of all his
amassed wealth, and subsequently arrested on the charge of intrigue and burnt
alive. A terrible vengeance thus overtook both him and Pokino, who were the
chief advisers of the murder of Bishop Hannington. Both shared the same fate,

Di'MKSTIC SCRNK IN UKl'MHI

luu'ing been burnt alive — only more mercifully than they had slain many
others better than themselves.

ADVICES OF STANLEY'S COMING.

"At Munyonyo skirmishes daily took place between Kalema's people and
]\I\vaiiga. Stokes strongly advised a dash upon Kalema's capital, but Mwanpt
declined until his following largely increased. Where he is, he is practically
unassailable by Kalema, as he is on an islar.d, and the latter appears not to
have a single canoe. Stokes got tired of inaction and left, arriving at this side
of the lake about a month ago. Before he left Mwanga, he heard of the arrival
in Husoga of a party of white men, probably the vanguard of the Imperial East
Africa Company on tlieii way to relieve Emin Pasha. He wrote a note to

396

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

them, explaining the position of affairs, Mwanga being eager to have their
assistance. Now is their opportnnity, if they are able to avail themselves of
it. Could they succeed in placing Mwanga in power, they would have him as
their dependent and ally, and thas exercise a most salutary control over his
actions in future, besides overthrowing the present fanatical and intolerant Arab
sway in Buganda.

" More recently, Mwanga's troops Liuded at Munyonyo, and burnt the old
capital there, as also a large vessel or dhow which Kalema had nearly com-

UdANDA MOHAMMICDANS AT TIIKIK I)1':V()TH)NS.

Dieted. A battle also took place on the mainland to the east of Murchison'j
iBay, in whi'h Kalema's forces were defeated, and many of their guns captured.
" Mwango has now sent to Busagala, inviting all the Christians there to come
to his aid. This they will undoubtedly do, but even with their aid, I do noi
think it likely that Mwanga will venti're to face Kalema's army in open encounter.
He means, I understand, to retire to Sessc, and there establish himself, mean-
time waiting for reinforcements, and expecting aid from the white men in
Busoga. Stokes means at once to go to his assistance with a cargo of ?r'ns
and amuuinition. Meanwhile, Mwanga has sent a deputation to ourselves and

to have their
themselves of
. have him as
itrol over his
itolerant Arab

burnt the old
d nearly com-

Murchison'3

uns captured.

there to come

aid, I do not

5en encounter.

limself, nicar.-

white men in

:argo of anus

ourselves a'ld

uy7j

398

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

to the FrcDcli priests at Ukumbi, inviting them and us to repair to Sesse in
order to carry on Christian instruction among our respective communities of
converts."

Mr. Mackay, the writer of the above letter, received a communication from
I^Iwanga, under date of June 25, 1S89. Translated it reads as follows:

'* I send my compliments to you and to Mr, Gordon. After compliments
I, Mwanga beg of you to help me. Do not remember by-gone matters. We
are now in a miserable plight, but if you, my fathers, are willing to come and
help to restore me to my kingdom, you will be at liberty to do whatever you
like.

"Formerly I did not know God, but now I know the religion of Jesus
Christ. Consider how Kalema ha? killed all my brothers and sisters; ht has
killed my children, too, iand now there remain only we two princes [Kalema
and himself]. Mr. Mackay, do help me; I have no strength, but if you are
with me I shall be strong. Sir, do not imagine that if you restore Mwanga
to Buganda, ht will become bad again. If you find me become bad, then you
may drive me from the throne ; but I have given up my former ways, and I
only wish now to follow your advice.

" I am, your friend,

** Mwanga."

In the above letter it is made very clear that had Stanley entered the
Victoria Lake region he would have had to fight his way if, indeed, he had
been able to beat back the native-:, which is decidedly improbable ; for, in addi-
tion to a large followirig of the black king, his troops were armed with guns,
and not a few breech loaders, while the Arabs might have been depended on
to give him great assistance.

REASONS COMMERCIAL AND GEOC-TiAPHICAL.

A second reason which influenced Stanley in the selection of the Congo
route, is found in the fact that in his expedition up the Congo, in 1880, lie
had established many stations that were known to be still flourishing ; had
completed treaties with the natives that gave him assurance of their friendship,
and besides being familiar with a large part of the Congo, knew that for so
large an expedition as he was conducting, the river afforded him the easiest
means of conveyance, with the many boats at his command.

But besides the two reasons explained, there may have been a third one,
looking towards both a commercial and geographical advantage. Central Africa,
or the lake regions, are represented as being of surprising fertilit}'. The lakes
themselves are vast inland seas, upon wliich the largest vessels might be put
in service to carry products that the country yields in prodigal profusion, but
which might be made to produce, under tillage, enough grain and cotton to
supply the world. This wondiv.usly favored district cannot be reached by the
Nile because of many impassable cataracts, and the impenetrable " sud," or vege-
tation that collects in the stream. The overland route from Zanzibar is 1000

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

399

miles, through jungles, savannahs, miasmatic regions and many warlike tribes.
On the other hand, the Congo being a large and navigable stream, was believed
to have its source somewhere in the Lake region, while other rivers, affluents
of the Congo, were known to exist, and it was most reasonably supposed that
by following these the central lakes might either be reached directly by boat,
or that only a small intervening strip of land would have to be passed over.
A determination of this question was of the utmost importance, and Stanley
no doubt hoped to solve it.

THE PROCESSION UP THE CONGO.

The Expedition debarked at Banana Point with the usual delays and vexa-
tions attendant on such an undertaking. Nearly a whole week was spent un-

KiaiUTlON OI-" STANl.KY BY UGANDA CHIEF.

loading stores from the steamer and conveying them to the small boats that
were able to approach within about one mile of the sea. Besides four small
.steamers thus provided by the Congo Association, there was also a steam-launch
belonging to the upper mission stations. Stanley's boat, called the Advance^
•\v;is not put in service here, but was placed on board one of the steamers, for con-
veyance to the upper waters, above the cataracts, where the other vessels could
not be taken, except by a tedious portage, nor were they built to withstand
such rough usage.

400

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

; J

Several of the officers had, before Stanley's arrival, busied themselves with
preparations to receive the expedition, and besides bringing down small boats
and lighters on which to unload the steamer's cargo of donkeys, provisions,
ammunition, etc., had fixed up, in the most comfortable and inviting manner,
headquarters at Boma, a considerable village on the Congo, some fifty miles

from the coast. T(»
this place Stanley
directly repaired in
advance of the iiiain
party, after the em-
barkation was com-
pleted, anxious to ob-
serve what changes
had occurred in and
about the place since
his last visit to the
village in the inter-
est of the Congo
Free-Stat^ Associa-
tion. Under the in
fluence of mission-
aries he found tliat
the town had grown
considerably in size
and that the natives
had become so far
Christianized that
the place supported
two flourishing
churches, or rather
one Catholic Chnrch
and one Mosqne.
To his very great
surprise, however, on
a walk beyond the
outskirts of the town
he saw unmistakable

DISPOSITION OF THB UUAU BY BOMA VILLAGERS. sigUS of a COUtinil-

ance of native superstitions connected with the burial of their dead : in frail
scaffolds on which rudely coffined bodies were exposed and the ghastly skeletons
of sacrificed slaves underneath.

Stanley remained at Bonia several days before he completed his prepara-
tions for moving the expedition upon it.- prime purpose.

I I

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINEljJT.

40X

When at last the expedition started up the Congo it presented the pleasing
appearance of a flotilla procession bound upon some wondrous enterprise, as it
certainly was. Stanley led, in what he euphoniously called his flag-vessel, but
wliich was in fact a rather sorry looking craft to take so honorable a position.
Tipo Tib and his forty-two wives occupied the passenger space of the next boat,
while Stanley's lieutenant, the Zanzibaris soldiers, and the commissary stores,
luggage, mules and ammunition, made up the loads of the others. The sound
of escaping steam, ringing of bells and blowing of whistles, had already
become familiar to the natives of the river shores, but so many boats in pro-
cession, the flying of so many flags, and the strange cargo that was being con-
veyed, lent remarkable interest to the river that flowed out of a mysterious

led his prepara-

ONE OK TIPO'S HOURIS.

country, through unexplored lands, bathing the most savage of people, giving
drink to the most powerful and ferocious of animals, as it went gurgling over
rapids, dashing down cataracts, and singing its way to the high rolling sea.

Tipo Tib had contracted to furnish a force of 700 Somalis Arabs and Zanzi-
baris soldiers to give safe conduct to the expedition from Stanley Falls to
Wade lei. This contract he was able to fulfil by taking men from the ivory
stations he had established on the upper Congo, and between the Aruwimi river
and the lakes. In this region he had built up an enormous trade, and he is
reputed to have had on hand a stock <>f ivory valued at $500,000, at the time of
Stanley's last journey. His engagement to conduct the expedition, at an expense
of $25,000, was therefore a very profitable one, because he was on the point of
visiting that region to look after his private interests at the time when
Stanley entered into a contract with him.
26

402

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

The members of Tipo Tib's household, or, in other words, his wives, it must
be admitted, were the most interesting attaches of the expedition. Some of them,
it must be confessed, were a little blase^ as the French say, or, to speak more
courteously, they were past that age when plumpness of form and freshness of
features are most commonly found. But the majority were lithesome, fair,
vigorous and (is it to their discredit?) not above making favorable responses to
the overtures of the natural male flirts that belonged to the expedition. Tipo,
so far from being a bearded pard or Blue Beard, seemed to extract pleasure
from the satisfaction which the officers exhibited in the innocent amours of his
wives. Having indeed a good thing, he was unselfish enough to share it with
his companions. Some of these houris were dressed most becomingly in Arabic
costume, while others exercised a freedom only compatible with an oppressively
hot climate, and herein possibly lay much of their charms. Anyhow, those
having the least dress certainly attracted the most admiration. But the reader
must not overlook the fact that in nearly all hot countries, and in Africa espe-
cially, the most flagrant exposure of person is not regarded as being the least
indecent. Custom governs, and in Africa, along the equatorial line, much body
decoration is employed, but practically no covering. The Georgia Colonel v/ho,
it is related, appeared on dress parade in a cocked hat, paper collar and big
spurs — with nothing between the collar and the spurs — would cut a fashionable
rather than a ridiculous figure among the African tribes.

:'"','■' CHAPTER XIX. n

THE VOYAGE UP THE CONGO.

OBLY breasting the swelling waters of the eccentric Congo, the
s^^eamers pushed their way, halting every little while to take on
fresh supplies of fuel. It is a fact that the cutting of wood proved
to be the most tedious and laborious duty connected with the expe-
dition. The boats consumed amazing quantities of fuel to keep up
steam, because the wood that was procurable along the river was of a light,
cotton-wood species, that burned rapidly without giving much heat. The wood
bunkers, too, were small, so that every few hours a landing had to be made
and the porters sent out to gather a fresh supply. It was not at every place,
either, that wood of any kind was procurable, there being frequent bare stretches
of either sand or small willows. The heaviest timber was, of course, sought
for, and this could only be obtained in many instances a mile from the shore.
Much time was also required to fell and split up the large trees into lengths
of two feet, this being all that the furnaces would take. The porters were
therefore worked so hard that it is not surprising they were, in two or three
instances, in a rebellious mood, and came near mutiny.

Many stations were passed, at which stops were invariably made to enable
Stanley to confer with the resident missionaries or government agents. On the
Lower Congo these places were generally uninteresting, because, besides being
inactive, the natives had lost their curiosity by frequent contact with Europeans.
The line of steamers, while they had not paid expenses, had served the
beneficent purpose of bringing the natives to an appreciation of civilization, and
in inciting them to an industry which gives promise of large profits hereafter.
Besides this, these boats afforded means of rapid and easy communication be-
tween the stations, that resulted in a compl' te destruction of the slave trade
which, before the establishment of these stations, flourished with all its attend-
ant horrors, under the sanction of the Portuguese government.

THE STATION OF LUKUNGA.

Mr. Stanley was more interested in the stations, many of which he had
himself established in 1884, because of the benefits they had brought to the
natives, and he therefore tarried a short while at each to give some kind word
of promise or encouragement to those in charge. But it was not until the
expedition reached Lukunga, above the last cataracts, and after the steamers
had been abandoned for a march along the shore, that real interest was
awakened. It was here that contact with the ruder, uncivilized, barbaric
natives was entered upon, and thenceforth surprise upon surprise awaited the
members who were travelling in mid-Africa for the first time.

Lukunga is nearly five hundred miles from the Congo's mouth, but less

(403)

404

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

than three hundred from the coast. It is a station founded by Stanley in the
interest of the Congo Association, and is presided over by Mr. and Mrs. Ingham,
who have charge of the mission. It is admirably located, and presents a charm-
ing aspect from the river. The station was created at a cost of barely $500 ;
yet so admirable has been its management that it is a much more interesting,
inviting and prosperous place than Manyanga, only a few miles further north,
which had cost the Association $50,000.

SUPERSTITIONS '^F THE NATIVES.

Though the natives at Lukunga and the region thereabout are under sub-
ordination and influence of the missionaries, they have lost very little, if any.

I,UKUNGA STATION.

of their old superstitions, by which they still continue to be largely controlled.

Mr. Herbert Ward, an attache of the expedition, and who also spent a con-
siderable time at this station, has communicated, by private letter, many facts
respecting the natives of this region, from which I quote the following:

u * * * 'pi^g most interesting item is, I think, an ordeal which took pl.ice
the other day close by in this valley. It was a ' N'Ganga N'Kissi,' or medicine:

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

405

man's palaver. I learn from Mr. Harvey, of the Livingstone Inland Mission,
that the general belief in the Congo is that nearly all sickness and death is the
resnlt of witchcraft. The consequence is that, when anyone is dangerously ill,
the question arises, ' Who has bewitched him ?' The guilty person is supposed
U) be secretly devouring the spirit of the unhappy sufferer. Should he die, a
• N'Ganga,' or medicine man, is usually sent for to determine who it is that is
possessed of ' N'Doki ' (the devil), or is guilty of the witchcraft. The ' N'Ganga'
is invariably a crafty individual of another tribe or from a distant village. He
l)rings with him an elaborate apparatus, consisting of leopard's teeth and claws,
.snakes and other skins, a fetish idol, perhaps a rattle, and above all a plentiful
supply of powdered chalk. On special occasions he also adds a huge mask made
of the inner layers of bark and painted in the most grotesquely horrid manner,
with decorations of cowtails, which latter article seems indispensable to all
African priests. Sometimes, especially when displaying his art before an audience
'"here white persons are spectators, he charges furiously up and down as if
battling with, and fleeing and chasing imaginary spirits, until his breath is quite
spent. More frequently, however, the ' N'Ganga ' seats himself on rising ground
and there displays his paraphernalia, which he cleverly manipulates. He endea-
vors to make his audience believe that each article about him flies to his hand
at the mere wish, and it is not surprising, therefore, to learn that he is a fair
conjuror, in which sleight-of-hand is well practised. Even the mat upon which
he sits seems now and then to be alive. He turns and looks at it occasionally
when its manifestations seem to him as it were excessive. His well-feigned
astonishment is not lost upon the throng. The mat, they plainly see, is beyond
his control, as is everything else, his inspiration being from a superior and
unseen power. Every now and then he pauses in his mummeries and listens
with his head bent to the earth, and then he will bound up again fr m his
listening attitude and intently examine the various persons near him, and turn
away from them with equal suddenness, practically clutching at the air as if
trying to lay hold upon some unseen being. He shrieks and wails like one
possessed. Usually, before declaring the name of the guilty or suspected person,
the payment for his services (previously agreed upon) has to be made, and in
these transactions he shows that his connection with the unseen world has not
lessened his interest in the possession of the wealth that belongs to the material
world of his existence. He is not easily imposed upon, either, as regards the
quantity or quality of the cloth offered to him as his remuneration. The guilty
one being named, the poor wretch has to undergo the ordeal of poison. He
must drink a certain amount of n'kasa, prepared from a poisonous bark by the
' N'Ganga.' Should the potion act as an emetic, the accused is pronounced
innocent ; otherwise, Satan's presence in the man is proved, the victim himself
being as well assured of the fact as his accusers. His body begins to swell from
the effects of the poison, and he is either buried alive (though in frequent cases
his throat is cut before burial) or is drowned."

-"♦S

(406)

;:^

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

HOW WARD MET STANLEY.

Herbert Ward, above quoted, had beeu with Stanley on his first march across
the continent, and was left in charge of several stations on the Congo as the
representative of the Association. He had already spent three years among the
river .'Stations, during which time he had experienced many hardships, and longed

THE ASSYRIAN AND UlS TWO WIVES.

for a vacation that would enable him to visit his father, Rowland Ward, a
naturalist, formerly of London, but now settled on a fruit farm in California.
He had obtained a leave of absence for six months, and had commenced his
homeward journey, but had proceeded only a short way down the Congo when

4o8

HEROE

o OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

he met Stanley, with whom it was his wildest ambition to make a trip into the
lake regions. It is no surprise, therefore, that he should immediately turn his
steps, his determination and change of plans being described in the following
letter:

" Emin Pasha Relief Expedition,

"Matade Station, April 3d, 1887.
" You will be astonished to hear that my plans are changed. Instead ol
returning to j^ou, I am turning round the other way and going with

Stanley and the
Emin Pasha
Expedition.

" I was on
my way down
country to em-
bark for Old
England and
thence to Amer-
ica. About
two days from
here I met two
armed Ass"--
ans. Immedi-
ately behind
them, and
mounted on a
fine mule whose
new-plated trap-
pings glistened
in the sun, was
Stanley him-
self. Behind
him came a
Soudanese
giant, about 6
feet 6 inches
high, bearinj^ ;i
large American
flag. I saluted
the Congo kin,i;-.
He smiled, and,

indicating the bare ground, said, ' Take a seat.' He dismounted, and, handing
me a cigar, we squatted and conversed for half an hour. He accepted nie
as a volunteer (I had previously, as you know, written to him), and it was at

TU'U Tins FEMAI,K CONTINGBNT AT CAMl' DUTinS.

wAmA^r-aA&jU(X.i. -.*'!.'.

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

409

once arranged that I should proceed down to this place and see to the transport
of some of his remaining loads. I have done so, ai'd now leave here to over-
take him in four days.

" Of the eight whites he has with him, two have contributed to the expense
of the expedition for the privilege of accompanying him through the heart of
Africa, and the others are English officers on full army pay as volunteers.

*' I never in my life was so struck v/ith any sight as with Stanley's caravan
on the march. Egyptians, Soudanese, Somalis, Zanzibaris, and others, nine
hundred strong. It took me two hours to pass them, and then I met the second
in command, Major Barttelot, a young fellow, burnt very dark, with a masher
collar fixed on a flannel shirt, top boots, etc. He was carrying a large bucket
that some fellow had abandoned. 'I .say, are you Ward?' he shouted. 'I am
Ward,' I answered, ' and now belong to your expedition.' ' I am very glad to
hear it' he replied; ' Stanley has spoken of you, and so you are coming along;
that's right; very good business!' He seemed to be full of tremendous spirits;
looked very fit; and I admired him immensely.

" Tippo Tib, the notorious slave trader of Stanley Falls, has come round
from Zanzibar with Stanley, and, in his silken robes, jewelled turban, and kriss,
looks a very ideal Oriental potentate. It is thought 'good business,' as Maj.
Barttelot would say, getting him for arx ally. He had forty-two of his wives
along with him. Some of them are handsome women. One little stout lady,
decked out in magnificent costume, appeared to be rather free in her behaviour,
I thought ; she winked at me decidedly, and did not resent a gentle stroke
under the chin. I gave her a little present, and we parted on good terms."

I 'I I

CHAPTER XX.

THE TRIP TO BOLOBO.

JOURNEYING through a wild countrj'^ may be pleasant
under certain circumstances. It is not therefore to be
supposed that Stanley's expedition won its way through
Africa by constant fighting, or by cleaving a passage
through dense forests, over mountains, around cataracts^
in continual peril and harassments. Enough of these he
certainly had to encounter, but the march was relieved by
many comforts which the abundant supplies he carried
with him enabled him to secure. Besides, there were not
entirely wanting the conveniences that settlement and civilization provide. The
journey up the Congo to Nyangwe took about sixty days. All along the river
great changes have occurred since Stanley's memorable trip down that stream
twelve years ago. In many places the natives have disappeared from the banks,
and large Arab and Zanzibarian settlements have taken their place, for Tipo
Tib has some rivals, though at present they live in peace with each other.
At frequent places along the banks extensive fields of rice are found, and all
round Nyangwe and Kasonge the country is covered with such fields, and with
plantations of all kinds. Nyangwe is no longer the important place it was in
the days of Livingstone, or at the time of Stanley's first visit. Three days'
distance from it is Kasonge, Tipo Tib's headquarters, a large town, with broad
streets and many fine houses. Here also are other great Arab traders, and
Arab and Zanzibar immigration is going on at an increasing rate.

On arriving at Stanley Pool, where Stanley stopped for two days, a steam
launch, named Hcury Reid^ belonging to the American Baptist Missionary
Union, was tendered to the explorer to transport a portion of his men, mer-
chandise and ammunition from that point to the intended camp on the Aru-
wimi. Mr. Stanley was glad to avail himself of this kindly offer, as the boats
at his command had such small capacity that the transportation to Stanley
Pool had been attended with considerable discomfort for lack of space. The
Reid was therefore at once put into commission, and towed a steam lighter
besides the steel whaleboat. The lighter, which had previously been a paddle-
steamer of the Etat du Congo, was formerly the quarters of Tipo Tib, his
officers and harem. The dark-eyed liouris enjoyed their trip immensely. It
was, of course, a perfect novelty to them. They frolicked and danced and sang
the whole of the day, while at night the sound of their rippling laughter could
be heard for a long distance.

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

4ir

Upon leaving Kinchassa, the village at Stanley Pool, the expedition em-
!)arked in thiee steamers, Le Stanley^ the large stern-whe'=;l river steamer of the
Etat du Congo, towing the Florida^ the sections of whiih had just been put
together. The Florida is the steamer of the Sanford exploring expedition,
which came into existence in 1880, and which has just recently been converted
into " The Belgian Commercial Society of 'ihe Upper Congo." The Stanley
and her consort had on board four English officers and about 300 men, in
addition to a cargo of ammunition, merchandise, and several donkeys on deck.
The other steamer was the Peace., kindly and promptly placed at Mr. Stanley's
disposal by the Rev. Holman Bentley, of the English Baptist Missionary
Society. A young missionary named Whitley was in charge of the vessel, and

NATIVE OF KASONGB WEAVING.

Mr. Stanley himself and Mr. Herbert Ward (to whom he "had given the com-
mand of his No. I company of Zanzibaris), Mr. Stanley's valet "William," and
an English engineer, made up the rest of the travellers.

SCENERY AND GRANDEUR OF THE CONGO.

It does appear exceedingly strange, in the light of Stanley's discoveries,
tliat so mighty a stream as the Congo, and particularly since, as the river
Zaire, it has been known for more than two centuries, that so few efforts were
made before the time of Livingstone to explore its length. It is found to be
the great artery, the very aorta, of the arterial system of Africa, flowing
from the heart of the continent and affording a commercial waterway back
aj^^ain to the central districts, whose fertility is positively amazing. Mr.
Werner and other recent travellers speak in terms of enihusiasm of the scenery
of the Congo, and compare it, indeed, with other famous waterways, to the
disadvantage of the most magnificent rivers. Stanley himself led the way in

.AMMMliBl

(4")

^-.

M.V-YANZI MUSICIANS.

(413)

ill

414

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

these glowing descriptions. Talking of comparisons, which naturally occur to
the reader, Stanley exclaims, " Why, the Rhine, even including its most pictur-
esque parts, is only a microscopic miniature of the Lower Congo ; but we must
have the Rhine steamer, and its wine and food and accommodations, to be able
to see it properly. The Mississippi? The Congo is one and a half times
larger, and from eight to ten times broader. You may take your choice of
nearly a dozen channels, and you will see more beautiful vegetation on the
Congo than on the American river." Besides, there are its crocodiles, its hip-
popotami, its elephants — " standing sentry-like in the twilight " — its buffaloes,
red and white, its parrots, its flocks of ibis, and a thousand other things that
are novel and picturesque. " And as for towns," says the great explorer, *' I
hope the all-gracious Providence will bless our labor, and they will come by-
and-by; meantime, there is room enough to stow half Europe comfortably on
its spacious borders." The Nile, the Danube, the Volga, the Amazon, Stanley
knows them all ; and the Congo is still his king of rivers.

To the natural sce.;\ery and imposing size of this great river are added
many other attractions, not the least of which are the numerous villages of the
several tribes along its shores. »

Just above Stanley Pool, and opposite the Ba-teke territory, is the land of
the Ba-yanzi tribe, who occupy the south side. Here will be found the first
fixed settlement of the tribes to be encountered on a journey up the Congo.
Their village is very picturesque as seen from the water — " a broad lane leading
up to a grove of oil-palms and bananas, with compact and tidy-looking houses
interspersed among them ; but the favorable impression is rather spoilt on
landing by the horrible black fetid mud strewn with decaying offal that one
bas to cross." The people are a finer-looking race than any Stanley had seen
on the Congo. Some of the men are '' perfect Greek statues as regards their
splendid development and pose of their figures " The Ba-yanzi have certain
cruel customs, but are in many respects much superior to some other natives
of the great river. They make excellent pottery, knives, hatchets, articles of
furniture and other things, which they sell to the Ba-teke and the Wa-buma.
They are fond of music, and have a native instrument of the dulcimer class,
upon which they produce not unpleasant harmonies. They are clever fisher-
men, and cultivate fruit and vegetables, tobacco, manioc and other products, in
which they do a fair trade. According to ethnologists, they are not of the
negro race, but belong to the " Bantu " family, which includes the people
around Lake Tanganyika and Lake Nyassa, in Eastern Africa, and on the
Zambesi.

They are remarkable for their great development of hair, which they treat
very decoratively, sometimes fantastically dressing it up from the crown, and
again twisting it so tightly as to be almost inflexible and horn-like in appear-
ance. A sir_i:lar fashion also obtains at Bolobo, which, however, is quite natural,
since this station is on the north line of the Ba-yanzi country.

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

415

ADVENTUROUS INCIDENTS OF THE VOYAGE.

The trip up the Congo was enlivened by many interesting and a few
thrilling incidents. The boats travelled continuously during the daytime,
except when having to stop to wood-up ; but at night they lay by, not having
comfortable sleeping accommodations for so large a passenger list. Camps were
therefore made in which the porters and soldiers slept, while the ofl&cers and
Tipo Tib's wives found quarters on the boats. If the days were happily spent,
with music floating over the waters from instruments tuned by deft houris'
hands, the evenings were yet more delightfully romantic. Woman's influence,
as well as her presence, is always conducive to happiness, and on this journey
through a savage land even the half-civilized wives of the barbarous slave
raider contributed very largely to the happy content of the motley mixture of
those who composed the expedition., Music exercised a charm particularly
potent on the
banks of the Con-
go, and at night,
with bonfires leap-
ing skyward
throwing dancing
shadows, and
guitars, zithers,
mandolins and
violins discours-
ing a music that
harmonized so
weirdly with Arab
songs and the
wild woods, made
a minstrelsy that
woke each heart
to the measures

of poesy and the sweet spirit of rhapsodizing *-omance. And by the light of
these fixcis that gave rapport to all the company, stories were told, the laugh
went round, and graceful figures, male and female, flitted with trained feet
in many a curious dance, but no more curious than the appearance of the dancers.

TIPO TIB'S NARROW ESCAPE FROM A CROCODILE.

The journey, however, was not an undisturbed excursion, for occasionally
incidents occurred which gave excitement to the usually pleasurable scenes
Along the banks were seen the rusty, grime-covered bodies of huge crocodiles,
watching with omnivorous appetites for prey, while in the reeds, and often
rising from the river beds, were monster hippopotami, blowing in their play
or grunting with anger over their disturbance. These furnished sport for the
hunters and lent a grateful divertisemeut to the party. But when the expedi-

AN EXCESS OP SPORT.

i 'I

(416)

Wi.-^'i«.*i.^ ■*^U ;

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

417

\ .■>i.

tion had reached the vicinity of the Anuvimi river, an adventure was met with
which came near ending the cruel career of the savage Tipo Tib. While the
boats were put in to shore to replenish their store of fuel, the great Arab chief
went out on the bank for a recreative walk, and seeing some very beautiful
wild honeysuckles depending from the vine that had climbed a large tree
standing near the water's edge, attempted to gather the flowers of delicious
fragrance. He had scarce]}' approached the base of the tree, however, when he
was struck a violent blow which knocked him several feet distant and fairly
into the river, but falling against a prostrate tree which extended into the
stream, he was thus prevented from being thrown into deep water. The blow,
too, chanced to be only delivered by reason of the dense brush, so that

Tipo Tib was hardly st,..aied-, and he was able to immediately comprehend his
dreadful adversary. In another moment he saw a huge crocodile advancing
upon him with wide-open jaws, and but for his good fortune in having
a gun with him to make his defence, he must inevitably have fallen a
victim to the monster. Tipo therefore aimed his musket quickly and sent a
ball into the eye ol the reptile, but did not succeed even with such a capital
shot in dispatching it; but he followed the shot with a thrust of his rifle into
the mouth of the crocodile, which made the reptile retreat to securer quarters
ill the water. But though the Arab won the battle, he was immediately after
the fight so prostrated with fear that his wives had to fan and coddle him for
two hours, and give him the restorative of .dmiration for his valor.

BOLOBO STATION.

One of the principal stations on the Lower Congo, established by Stanley
on his first expedition, and where he made his first camp on his last, is Bo-
lobo, which is mentioned several times in the narrative of the relief expedi-
tion, because it was made a base of supplies. The Bolobo country commences
at the picturesque village of Itimba, which is admirably situated on a small
but very thickly-wooded hill. " Then, as you sail up the river," says Mr.
Stanley, " village after village appears in a nearly continuous line for about an
houi, when the station (Bolobo) comes into view on the open higher ground
behind a narrow belt of tall timber lining the riverside. Imagine a strip of
tlie left bank of the river, about twelve miles long, a thin line of large umbra-
geous trees close to the water's edge, and a gently sloping background of
cleared country rising to about thirty feet above the tallest trees. Just
above the centre of this strip, 011 the open ground, is the station of Bolobo,
consisting of a lon^ mat-walled shed, a mud-and-water kitchen, a mud-.valled
magazine with grass roofs, and about seventy huts arranged in a square, on
the outside of the inner group of buildings. Above and below it, close to the
water side, amid banana and palm groves, are sheltered about fifteen villages.
vSeven of these — Itimba, Mimgolo, Biangulu, Ururu, Mongo, Rlangu, Yambula
and Lingenji — are below the station. Eight are aboye, among which is Mbanga
ami a few villages of the Banuiiu tribe. These form what is called Bolobo.
27

L Bilabo. on Uk Oonn NlTar

L LsMing ur »^ Ccwo rraoi Um bOM* of Hhkk lUJwaMi W»4M«, u BIUI17

PkIU. 1. TUV fr«* bitow tMBMv FkUl

4. Tte Bftbvln-WMMureto Tiito (Tlira* TrpM).
t. TUJMM ta MkhfWMd Ms-MM^ DMllsL «. Rih •! TkMh

r. owEmm ■( ikMiM Ffttk, ft Kum wmm

C ftt OMiitelaf 0WB-WM4 ■

AnwW NMlNli ToUM ; <

lOltn^ ArtMi If M ILI

■. BhMm bmI kr pi—im MmIH Rnt. M.

■ •IT«t»T^IIM««fWk

f4i8)

SKETCHES IN AND ABOUT BOLOBO, AND STANI,EY PAI.LS.

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

4J9

THE BA TEKE MUSICIANS.

Above Matade station, where the second camp was made, and just beyond
tlie influence of the missionaries, lives a small tribe called the Ba-teke, a quiet,
inoffensive people who are chiefly distinguished as what may be called natural
musicians. Stanley halted among them for two days, and gives n interest-
ing report of their proficiency on native instruments. He says : " They dis-
course melody from a form of marimba, an instrument of wide-spread range,
wliich in principle is so many slips or keys of metal arranged along a sound-
ing board. These instrumeiits are about eight inches long, and three to four
broad. They are provided each with metal bars tempered by fire and hammered
into a highly metallic elasticity, and when pressed down sharply with the
finger spring back and give a clear, distinct note. They are also tuned in
certain keys, each instrument differing in scale so as to play in harmony with
each other. When twanged by practised hands they yield delightfully sweet
sounds, comparable to the dulcimer, mandolin or zither, and when played well
I)y a pretty African girl the critical ear might fancy himself under the bower
of an accomplished Madrid Senorita."

Among these same people, and in fact among all the tribes within one
liuudred miles of Lukunga, there is a superstitious dread of the owl, which by
them is regarded not only as a bird of ill-omen but also the bearer of an evil
spirit sometimes sent by an ill-disposed person to plague an enemy. Speaking
of this superstition Stanley relates a very strange incident which seems to have
come under his own observation. He says :

THE BIRI> OF ILL-OMEN.

" One day the King of Kanganpaka visited the Livingstone Inland ^lission,
his face the very picture of misery and despair. ' What has happened ? ' he
was asked, to which question, after a studied silence, he replied in a whisper,
that the people of a neighboring town had, during the night, sent a bad bird,
n'kissi, or spirit in the shape of an owl, which had bewitched his plantain
trees and blighted them. Upon examining the trees they were indeed found
to be blighted and looked as if they had been struck by lightning, every one
being blackened and apparently dead. But as this had occurred in the long
dry season, when lightning is almost unknown, the mischief had evidently
been done by some chemical agency, probably only known to the N'Ganga, or
medicine ni.in. The old king begged for some mundih\ or white-man medicine,
to counteract the effects of the wicked spirit. To satisfy his craving for the
moment, the missionary of the station gave the king some insect powder and
sent him away. Strange to relate, the old king in the fullest faith of the
magic powder, sprinkled it upon the blasted trees, whereupon in a little while
new plantains shot out from the seared trunks and flourished finely."

CEREMONIES OP THE N'KIMBA TRIBE.

Beyond the Ba-teke are found the N'Kimba tribe, occupying a district some
fifty miles in length along the Congo. They are a naked, shiftless people, and

420

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

practise some singular ciistoins which, though curious in origin, are identical
with some practised by ancient people in civilized sections of the world.
Writing of these ceremonies, Mr. Ward says they are associated with a cc.tain
bacchanalian worship, during which the youthful initiates undergo the rite of
circumcision, which is quite common among many African tribes. Again lie
likens the ceremonies to a kind of Free Masonry, which he thus describes :

"All the lads of a town, or group of towns, from ten to twelve years of
ag^i go through an educational course lasting from six months to two years.
During this time they are not allowed tu wash themselves. They disfigure

MAN AND WOMKN OF THK N'KIMHA TRIBB.

their bodies with chalk, and wear a hideous dress of grass. The women and
children of the towns are in continual fear of the N'Kimba, who are allowed
to parade through the villages at anj' time of the day or night. An}' article of
food or clothing required by them can be appropriated without question, if only
the things belong to a ' mungwala,' or uninitiated person. At the induction
ceremony the candidate is required to drink a certain potion, which renders
him insensible. He is then declared to be dead, and is carried into the bush,
where the operation of circumcision is presumably performed. After a while lie
is restored, and by the simple towns-people he is believed to have been raised

^oAMMIM <: v^.v <.:;£AAlf«Mi>.':

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

42Z

froni the dead. Me then receives a new name, and he professes not to be able
to remember his former tribe or even his parents.

"The N'Kimba declare the rainbow is their father. They also adopt a
now langnage, which is of a mysterions natnre, and thon^h tanght to the males,
It is never disclosed to females. It is possible that it is some old or archaic
form of the Bantn langnage, conserved for religions purposes — like the Sanscrit,
the old Sclav, and the* Latin; or it may be nothing more than an arbitrary
tniiismogrification of words snch as are found in the Alpongwe, or in such
artificial dialects as the Ki-Nynme of Zanzibar.

"Au N'Kimba before initiation is called mungivala^ and afterwards hiiigwaP

A GRAND CALVACADE.

After reaching Kasonga the boats were abandoned and .the march overland
for another considerable distance began. Between several of the cataracts a
steam launch service is maintained, but occasionally there are stretches of many
miles where rapids and cataracts are so frequent that no boats of any kind can
pass them. Around these therefore Stanley had to make the passage b}' land,
which he w is well provided to do. Describing the caravan as it left the gicdt
Arab station of Kasonga, Ward says: "First of all proceeded four Somalis
carrying their kit ; then came Stanley, mounted on a fine mule ; behind him was
a great, tall .Soudane.se soldier, carrying James Gordon Bennett's yacht flag,
(American, with round 3'ellow circle and anchor), then followed seven hundred
men, presenting the most imposing sight that I ever saw. All the men were
fresh and were dressed in their characteristic costumes : Zanzibaris, in their
white Arab shirts reaching to the knee, with just a little of their gaud}' colored
loin cloth visible below it, boxes on their heads, water bottles slung over their
shoulders, their guns at their backs ; Soudanese soldiers in their dark blue
great coats and hoods, their bayonets, cartridge belts, guns and kit ; Somalis
with their fancy waistcoats and variegated loin cloths ; sections of the whale
boat carried each by four men ; donkeys with pack saddles and loads ; large,
horned goats with similar saddles and loads, and hoes, shovels, and axes ; the
caravan stretched away for three miles, a fine subject for a painter ; a most
unusual and strange sight aloig the Congo."

STANLEY FALLS.

The expedition continued on without mishap until in due time Stanley
Falls was reached, the last station on the Upper Congo, The river scc^ ery
about Stanley Falls is very similar to that in the vicinity of Bolobo, bm che
Falls themselves are very interesting, not on account of any surprising descent,
for it is not reallj' great, but because they so nearlj' bridge the river as to divide
it into two main channels. The stakes and nets, as seen in the illustration on
p. 418, just below the Falls, serve to mark the vari'jus cataracts, and also the favorite
occupation of the Wenya people, especially the women, who are devoted fishers.
At this place Tipo Tib has one of his principal headquarters, and from here he
conducts his most profitable raids upon the neighboring people from whom he

(4»a)

stanz.by's march from kasonca.

k.;j*Jiri>Ju«:*i^ uL,AwA»A:iaii£*iS.jadt:*itUi.^^

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

423

leathers both slaves and ivory. To convey his booty he keeps a steamer, named
Stanley^ plying between the Falls and Yambiiya, thongh not running regularly,
from which latter station the ivory and slaves are sent either up the Aruwimi
River and thence by way of the Lake regions to Egypt or Zanzibar, or are
conveyed down the Congo in large canoes, eighty or one hu^TLlicd feet in length.
The immense influence, and especially the power which Tipo Tib possessed
in this large region, made his friendship absolutely necessary to Stanley, for he
had the ability to destroy the expedition at a single blow, or by rendering such

WKNYA I'ISHHR WOMRN

assistance as was at his command, to insure its success. Therefore when Stanley
foiuul the cunning raider at Zanzibar, he at once obtained an interview and
sduijht to establish friendly relations. It was not long after this meeting before
Stanley learned of Tipo Tib's intention of making another raid along the Congo,
which the explorer knew the small garrisons at the several stations could not
prevent, and which in fact threatened their own destruction. To prevent this
aiul to save his expedition, Stanley entered into a contract with the great
.Arab by which Tipo was to furnish 700 carriers to convey supplies and
also act as a military escort for the expedition from Stanley Falls to Wadelai.

(424)

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

425

Stanley did not really expect Tipo Tib to carry ou*; the terms of this contract,
for he well knew the treacherous character of the villainous raider, but he rightly
expected that the contract would serve the purpose of a compact of friendship,
and that while thus avoiding his opposition to the expedition, would also prevent
the intended raid upon the Congo stations. ' - v . ■ " r/

The resiilts prove that Stanley had correctly estimated the value of this
contract. Tipo Tib did accompany the expedition as far as Stanley Falls, but
here he halted with promises to furnish an escort when the camp at Yambuya,
comprising the rear column, should be ready to move. But how he broke
this promise will be seen hereafter. ' ' - " v , • ' .j

< ol'

t, '

CHAPTER XXI.

THE INTRENCHED CAMP AT YAMBUYA.

N the 15th of June, Stanley, having returned from Stanley Falls,
disappointed in securing the seven hundred carriers promised by
Tipo Tib, made his permanent camp at Yambuya, near the mouth
of the Aruwinii, which he caused to be intrenched and made the
base for his supplies. Tipo Tib had renewed his promise to fur-
nish the required number of carriers in a month, giving specious
excuses why he was unable to immediately comply with the teims of his con-
tract. Bein^ for this reason unable to move the whole of his force at once,
and anxious to push on without delay to the rescue of Emin Pasha, who was
believed to be in a dangerous situation, Stanley divided his command into two
columns. With one half his force he decided to move as quickly as possible,
leaving the rear column in command of Major Barttelot with his lieutenants,
Ward, Jameson, Bonny and Troup. Full instructions were left with Barttelot,
who Stanley thought would be able to follow him within a month, at which time
he expected Tipo Tib would supply the necessary carriers.

Stanley accordingly left Yambuya June 28th, 18S7, by way of the Aruwimi
river, over an untrodden path through an unexplored country, with his compass
as a guide, for Lake Albert N'yanza, on whose shores he hoped to find and
rescue Emin Pasha. The parting between tho.se that started on this perilous
journey and those who were left behind was both impressive and affecting, for
in that dark region infested by savages and the yet more to be dreaded foe that
lurks in fens, morasses and miasmatic swamps, who might speak a lightsome
ail rcvoir when separation by death appeared most probable ? But if the part-
ing had in it the elements of sadness, it was only a portent of real sorrows and
death, which was to be a fulfilment of the gloomiest misgivings, and a fatal
ending of the hopes and ambitions of tho.se composing the rear guard.

Stanley marched off, though sad at heart, yet resolute in purpose, kissing
his hand to Barttelot as long as he remained in sight, and soon the advancinj^
cavalcade had passed out of view up the Aruwimi river.

The feeling of dread of consequences though considerable was somewhat
relieved by the belief that Barttelot would soon receive the aid promised by
Tipo Tib and be able to move after his chief, though it must be confessed that
at no time did either Stanley or Barttelot repose the fullest confidence in the
treacherous Arab. But after the advance column had departed, Barttelot set
about establishing his camp and kept well employed for several days apportion-
ing the labors of his men, drilling his small force of soldiers and enforcing

(426)

' ''^'^■iMft^ijjiiyigi^

HKROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT

427

sanitary regulations. The country about Yambuya was generally level, or
slightly undulating, with low hills rising about five miles from the Aruwimi
shores. There was considerable game to be found in the well-wooded hills,
cliiefly antelopes, spring-boks, buffaloes and occasionally leopards, lions, ele-
phants and rhinoceri. These grazed in the rich pasturage of the low lands,
but sought the woods for shade, where they were more easily hunted. There-
fore after the camp was completed and thorough order established, which was
not accomplished for some weeks, Barttelot and Jameson went out for a hunt,
being accompanied by a half dozen natives as guides.

A RHINOCEROS IN PURSUIT OF THE HUNTERS.

The two met with such poor success the first day that with great discour-
agement they started on their return to camp ; but on the way they met a

*ORT YAMBUYA.

native from a neighboring village who reported having that morning seen a
wliite rhinoceros in a grassy range about two miles distant. This news had
such an exciting effect that the hunters engaged the native to guide them to
the spot, and off they set at once in search of the royal game.

It was now growing late in the afternoon and it was felt that the game
must be quickly located if the hunt were concluded before nightfall. The spot
indicated was soon gained and the beaters sent, out in a semicircle to drive the
tall grass. Barttelot was on the extreme right, a little to the front of the beat-
ers, while Jameson took the left. In a little while a shout went up which was
uumistakable in its import, and in a few seconds out dashed a huge rhinoceros
that n^ade off to the left in a sharp run, followed by the beaters. As the ani-
mal came near Jameson he fired at its head, but his aim was not good, for the

428

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

bullet struck the creature's long, sharp horn, tearing away a portion of its
weapon. But the shot served to swerve the rhinoceros, which now turned and
came charging to the right, and dashed riglit through the beaters, one of whom
fell in a frantic endeavor to get out of the way. Fortunatel}' the beast did
not attack his prostrate foe but kept on in the direction of Barttelot, who now
fired at it but missed.

In the next instant the rhinoceros was charging him, and the hunter now
turned suddenly from the sport to the more serious business of seeking a
retired position where he could avoid anno3^ance. It Avas of course a selfish
prompting, but it stood him well in need, for a good pair of legs at that junc-
ture was as important as their vigor-
ous use, a fact which Barttelot, better
than the reader, perhaps, thoroughly
understood. At all events, he ran with
amazing speed, and succeeded in gain-
ing a friendly bush, by which the
rhinoceros, quite as much frightened
as the hunter, passed like an engine
with the throttle wide open. It ran
on with undiminished speed until it
gained the woods and there disap-
peared, leaving the hunters the one
satisfaction of thanks for their escape
as a solace for their having to return
to camp without any game.

ADVENTURE WITH A BUFFALO.

The nnsatisfactorj' ending of their
first hunt about Yambuya did not
wholl}' subdue the ambition of Barttelot
and Jameson, though it is more th;ui
probable that the}- had no special
longing to avenge themselves upon the
rhinoceros family. But in a few days
related another hunt was projected in wliicli
a goodly guard of Soudanese, concluded to
participate, leaving Ward, Jameson and Troup in charge of the camp.

The part}^ started out early in the morning, expecting to be gone two days.
They had provided them.selves with plenty of ammunition, but expecting to
confine their sport to antelopes, they took only 44-calibre guns. This time, loo,
the}' crossed the -iver, having heard that several miles from Yambuya, on the
south side, there was a beautiful park-like region in which springboks and
antelopes were plentiful. Nor were they disappointed ; in fact, game of nearly
every kind was found, and the party had royal sport. Several antelopes were

MAJOR EDWARD M. BARTTELOT.

after the untoward event just
Mr. Bonn}- and Barttelot, with

HEROES OF THE D\RK CONTINENT.

429

bagged, and these would prove a great blessing at the camp, where meat had
become very scarce, so that the lack of it had indeed been seriously felt.

Towards noon of the second day, when the luinters were taking a rest
beside a brook, one of the beaters reported the presence of a small herd of
buffaloes near by. Four of the beaters had been- sent back to the camp with
as many antelopes, and only four more remained with Barttelot and Bonny.
These were directed to surround ♦^he herd and to reach elevations from which
they could signal the location of the game. These instructions were faithfully

A SUnDKN CHANGE OF BASE.

carried out, and in a short time one of the men was seen standing on an ant-
hill, waving his hands as an indication that he had sighted the buffaloes.
Bt)th the hunters were provided with field glasses, through which they were
able to clearly observe the beater and to understand his gestures. They
therefo"e spread out and advanced towards a depression in the park, where the
j!;ame was found to be standing in a shallow pond, whisking their tails as a
protection against the flies. Bonny was the first to fire, and succeeded in
wounding a cow, which shambled off into the high grass evidently badly hurt.

430

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

The shot alarmed the herd, that now scattered and dr.shed in every direction,
one large bnll passing so near Barttelot tliat, in the excitement, even by firin}^
at random, he strnck the animal in the side and brought it down. In the next
instant, however, the bull was again on its feet, foaming at the mouth and pre-
senting a picture of ferocity and madness. Barttelot fired a second shot as the
enraged animal stood for the moment as if trying to locate its enemy, and at
the discharge down it dropped, as if stricken instantly dead. Barttelot now
rushed forward to cut its throat, having never before hunted buffaloes, and

;.'/ '' ■[ i therefore not un-
'(m}?\\ derstanding the
danger that at-
tends approaching
even a dying
animal of this
y kind. He carried
his gun at a
" trail-arms," least
suspecting any
peril, when, hav-
ing come within
a few feet of the
apparentlj' dead
buffalo, it arose
with the most
surprising celer-
ity, and before
Barttelot could
^ ^f^-' "se his gun the
^mNrfKm-Mir!^;'^t,^'^\ savage creature

tW€xf//C/%^' rushed -at him,
^\^ .^t M , ,J .,' <5. i ^^^^1 ^^.j^j^ ^ tremen-
dous dash caught
him fairl}'^ on its
horns and tossed

him into the air. This one extraordinarj' endeavor, made in its last throes,
seemed to blind the infuriated animal, else Barttelot would not have lived to
die afterwards by an assassin's bullet. So savage had been the toss that tlie
hunter fell behind the animal, but he was so injured as to be wholly uncon.scioiis,
and thus he lay at the mercy of the wounded bull. Instead of using its
advantage, however, the buffalo seemed dazed, and stood pawing the earth,
while blood was pouring out of its nostrils. Bonny, fearing that something
had happened, as he could get no reply to l.'s shoutings, though he had not
seen the accident, now ran in the direction from whence came the sound of

AFRICAN BUFFAI,0.

w \aA-.i^tt»^-*'ittM*^mtJAjhiJi.Ml^--l ,4»A .<MU t.

BARTTEI.OT'S ADVKNTURB WITH A BUFI'AI.O.

(431)

422

HEKOE^S OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

Bartcelot's last shot, and was just in time to send another bullet into the
buffalo as it was sinking v>n its knees. He then gave his attention to his
comrade, whose prostrate form he now discovered. Bonny was a surgeon and
physician, and was connected with the medical staff of the expedition, hence he
knew just what to do. Having a brandy flask on his person, he used its
contents to restore the wounded hunter, and then made an examination of his
hurts. It was found that Barttelot had sustained a severe shock, "besides a deep
wound in the left thigh where the bull's horn had struck him. Mort )ver,
he complained of sevete internal pains, so that it was for a while believed that
he was dangerously hurt The beaters were called in, and a litter constructed
on which the wounded man was carried to the brook beside which the party
had a short while before rested. Here the wound was carefully washed and
then bandaged by pieces torn from Mr. Bonny 's shirt. Barttelot now seemed
much better, and it was thought expedient to carry him back to Yambuya, even
though the march was a long one. He stood the journey much better than
Bonny had f..\ ected ; but it was nearly a month before his wound healed suffi-
ciently to allow him to resume his active duties about the camp.

AN ELEPHANT BAGGED.

A short while after Barttelot's disastrous hunt, an elephant was discovered
by some natives within two miles of the camp, and Bonny, who had been some-
what successful as a hunter, set out to bag it, if possible. The spot where it
had been located was a most uninviting place for a hunter, being in an almost
impassable thicket of dense brush and wait-a-bit thorns. But an enthusiastic
hunter, like the devoted lover, makes no pause before obstacles, so Mr. Bonny
did not hesitate to seek the giant game in such a covert.

The several beaters taken with him were less determined, however, and it-
appeared for a time as if he must be his own beater. Several hours were thus
spent in a fruitless search for the game, but late in the evening the elephant
was located under the shade of a large tamarind tree, around which was a very
dense thicket. To move in such a place was to give the alarm, hence Bonny
induced the beaters to make a wide circuit and come in on the opposite side,
so that in case the elephant retreated it would run in the direction of the
hunter. The plan was so successful that in half an hour after the beaters
went to execute the order. Bonny heard the footfalls of the rapidly-approaching
game. It was a truly royal brute, in its stupendous majesty, and the incarna-
tion of terrible power, before .which any but a brave heart indeed must quail.
But Bonny was nerved for the opportunity. He had a splendid double-barrelled
rifle, carrying a three-ounce ball, and had implicit confidence in his steadiness
of nerve, as well as his knowledge of the vital places in an elephant's liead.
Therefore, he quietly waited, well hidden by the brush, until the huge form
came so near as to fairly rise above him. At this moment the great beast had
recovered from its alarm, finding that there were no pursuers, and at the
moment that it made its full appearance the elephant was walking slowly and
playfully tossing its trunk, wholly innocent of the danger that confronted its path.

TTT

:sBr^

. «<. «.VlMui.^

■V'..

;ver, and it-

A STBADY HAND AT A SUPRBMB MOMRNT,

1433)

434

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

> As the ponderous creature came within a few feet of the hunter, who hud
dropped on one knee, the rifle was raised and fired just as the elephant turmd
its head fairl}' to the left. This enabled Mr. Bonny to reach the oval soft place
in the skull just sliffhtly in front and below the ear. The elephant stopped,
trembled violently and then staggered, but recovered itself and trumpeted shrilly,
though it was not able to run. Mr. Bonny now waited a favorable opportunity,
seeing that the animal was too badly wounded to nuike a charge, until he could
fire the second barrel into the right side of the head, at which shot the huge
beast fell over with great force and immediately expired.

As soon as news of Mr. Bonny's success was sent back to camp, a large
crowd came flocking out to ee the remains, and their numbers were speedily

NATtV.'JS RUSHING TO DIVIDH THE EI,EPHANT.

swelled by an immense collection of natives. Mr. Bonn)' secured the tusks,
which were a beautiful pair, and then gave the gigantic body over to tlie
savages who attacked it with everj'thing they could procure that would cut, and
soon carried it away in pieces, not even rejecting the entrails. The four feet
were secured, however, by the Zanziliaris, who took them to camp, and prepared
what is esteemed a delightful repast of grilled elephant's feet.

■[''■ I

CHAPTER XXII. , . '

AFFAIRS llROVV DKSPERATH AT YAMHUYA CAMP.

URINCt the long, long absence of Stanley, affairs at Yambnya
camp became finally both critical and tedions in the extreme.
Stanley had left the last of Jnne, promising to return in
November. But month after month had passed beyond that
date and no news of him had .cached the camp. The few
hnntiiig diversions described had not sufficed to relieve the
desperate monotony of the camp ; the same wearying rounds of duty had
palled on the members, food had become scarce, the rain and a long season of
gloomy weather had chilled the spirit of the bravest, game had become so rare
that the hunt was no longer enjoyed, while absence of news from Stanley, now
so long overdue, served to intensify the fears and privations of the camp. But
to these troubles must be added others equally great arising out of the evident
treachery of Tipo Tib ifl his refusal to supply Barttelot with the carriers he had
promised.

A SLAUGHTER OF THE NATIVES. •. ' i • ! V ! >•

The camp at Yambnya was therefore frequently monotonous, and life at
times became almost insupportable because of long enforced idleness and weary,
weary waiting for Stanley's return or the promised .lid of Tipo Tib. But this
condition was not invariable, for at times most exciting ■ ents transpi;ed to lend
the charm of intewse excitement. On February 4th, 1888, Ward writes from
the Aruwimi camp as follows: "Jameson's third anniversary of his marriage.
We were not able to do much in the celebration line. The Arabs started firing
at early dawn, and then set on fire the village they attacked (in the neighbor-
hood). It was a pretty, if sad, sight to see the place burning. The Arabs
killed eight men and brought in the head of one who must have been a fine
fellow. Jameson and I sketched it, and we shall pickle, salt and preserve it,
so that the head can be mounted. Another head the}' lost — dropped it in the
river. The unhapp}' natives in hundreds took to their canoes and made for
up-stream, but are being slaughtered by the Arabs who occupy an island in the
iiiidsl of almost impassable rapids."

But with these horrible sights, which were occasionall}' witnessed, there
were other things that relieved the tediousness, though they were the aggra-
vating results of the seemingly endless waiting and delu.sive piomises. The
scarcity of food and the demoralization of a long-delayed advance, together
with the slave-h'inting raids of the Arabs, made the maintenance of discipline
less easy as it became more important. Major Barttelot seems to have been
forced into severely punishing his insubordinate followers — an impression
gained by reading one of Ward's letters written from Yambnya. He says :

(435)

436

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

" Bangari, who stole some goat-meat, and who had 200 lashes with a chi-
cottc^ and who has to parade daily in heavy chains for punishment, has grown
tired of it, and succeeded in getting away with his guard's gun and twelve
rounds of ammunition. He is a very hardened scoundrel, and I should not be
surprised if he has concealed himself near by in the forest, so as to have a
shot at one of us as we walk up and down in the evening outside the post."

ARAB SLAVE RAIDERS.

The Arabs in their raids do not have it aUvays their own way. They
fall now and then, and after the fighting are used to furnish forth cannibalistic
feasts. Providence, however, is most frequently, it would seem, on their side.

There are no in-
stances more pa-
thetic in the history
of slave dealing
than the inhuman
huntings, burnings
and human cap-
turts of the Arabs
of Central Africa.
But occasionally
they meet a just
retribution. Under
date of Februarv Si
|M; Ward writes:
wi "This morning
some of the raiders
came down from
up river, with news
^^P of a defeat of ten
W^'^/^^\ «f their number, cut
mmmmi to pieces by the

SBUIM'S MKN DKSTROYiNG VILLAGES AND TAKING .SLAVRS. UativCS wllO SOntfllt

refuge in their canoes above the rapids. Selim and his men started off, some
by the bank and some in canoes, to continue their awful work. They
returned in the evening having only killed two natives." On the next day
Selim informed Ward that 200 or more of the natives escaped in the darkness
down the river. Two canoe.s had not got away, and he was able to kill two
of the occupants. Arriving at the spot where his ten men had fallen, he found
their fingers tied in strings to the scrub of the river bank, and some cooking
pots containing portions of their limbs and bones."

On March 24th Major Barttelot decided to send Ward to the coast with
dispatches and cable messages for the committee in London. Writing of this
commission, he says : " I am to start in five days. Barttelot returned from the

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

437

Stanley Falls, Jameson gone to Kanongo. Botli have beon very ill at the
Falls, and indeed Barttelot looks awfnlly bad. Very sorry for him." At the
time stated Ward started and made a remarkably quick trip to Boma, arriving
tliere April 28, though he met many perils on the way. Writing from Boma,

SALKM'S I'ORCKS AOVANCING TO KAIU A NATIVK VII.UAGK.

ill a reflective mood, he says : " What fatality there seems to be connected
with all Europeans who had to go to the Falls ! First, Brung shot him-
self; second, a Belgian officer died on his way up ; third, Werter, who went
home very ill ; fourth, Deanc, who underwent awful perils ; fifth, Du Bois was

438

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

drowned ; sixth, Vanderwelde, who died the other day at Leopoldville en route
for the Falls; seventh, Spelmann, his companion, got sick and had to go honu
to save his life ; eighth, Ainelot, who died on his way to Zanzibar."

Since Ward made this sorrowful recapitulation Deane has died, Barttelo:
has been assassinated, Jameson has died of fever, and Troup had to go back
to England, as did Spelmann, to seek recovery that was impossible in Africa.

To these perplexities must be added the oppressive circumstances of the
camp surroundings, in which savagery in its wor?e than imbruted phases was

AN IVORY TRADKR.

conspicuous, for to other abhorrent practices of the natives that of cannibalism
was frequent if not common.

CANNIHALISM ON THE CONGO.

In one of Mr. Stanley's letters, found elsewhere in this book, he makes his
defence against many cruel and unjust charges, and among other things lie
enters a specific denial of the open acts of cannibalism which Rev. Wihiiot
Brooke claims that certain English travellers told him came under their own
observation while travelling among the Manyuema and other Congo tribes.
The Manyuema have always been regarded as cannibals, the practice of killing

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

439

" cannibalism

and eating hnman beings being qnite as common among them as it is among
the Fans and Makkarikas. Stanley has entertained the idea that the Man-
yiiemas have been in contact with Arabs so long that they have abandoned
cannibalism, as have others of the Congo tribes. But in this opinion he is
evidently mistaken, as the following letter from Ward, written at the intrenched
camp at Yambuya, February 26th, 1888, will clearly show. He says :

" I went this morning to Nassibu's camp, which is situated about an hour's
march from

our o w n
camp on the Falls (Aru-
wimi). He received me
with much ceremony,
and at my request
drummed to the natives,
who were in two clear-
ings at the back of his
camp. A number came
and went through the
usual demonstrations at
seeing a white mrin.
Among them were about
a dozen young women,
with pleasing counte-
nances and beautifully-
moulded limbs. They
would have made worthy
models for a sculptor.
I selected a man as a
model for myself, but
it was very difficult to
induce him to stand still
while I sketched him.
I then started for their
village with Majuta, Mr.
Jameson's boy, carrying
my bag, and Fida, a
native woman, who has ''"^ \v\u^ of nassibu's camp.

been with the Arabs for some time, to interpret from Swahili into the native
language.

"Almost the first man T saw was carrying four lumps of human flesh
(with the skin on) on a stick, and through Fida I found that they had killed
a man this morning and had divided the flesh. She took me over to a house
where some half-dozen men were squatting, and showed me more meat on sticks
in front of a fire ; it was frizzling and the yellow fat was dripping from it,

440

HEROES OB^ THE DARK CONTINENT.

whilst all around was a strong odor which reminded me of the smell given out
by grilled elephant meat. It was not yet the general meal-time, they told me,
but one or two of the natives cui. off pieces of the frizzling flesh and ate it,
laughing at 'vlajuta who, being disgusted, held his nose and backed into the
brush. I spoke with the natives, through Fida, and they told me from what
parts the meat was cut. One tall, sturdy native was quietly leaning against a
tree and picking off pieces of flesh from a thigh bone with good relish. Other
dainty joints were grilling at the fire. I send you a sketch of the scene, and

IN NASsrnu's camp.

some day hope to tell you all the horrible details of the cannibal habits and
customs which prevail in this strange country."

PITIABLE SIGHTS IN CAMP.

The terrible anxieties that harassed the camp by reason of Stanley's pro-
tracted absence and the horrors of cannibalism as described are shown by
numerous letters from Ward, from which we are permitted to print the following
extracts. On February 8th (i88(S) he writu.s ;

" I went to Selim's camp to-day, and they told me that two more of llicir

la N'Mm ftUVT. AravlBl lapUft.

II. mm, «ta rhkiM«uMk it v^htttM, onf> Ihtr.
II. >um PtoMlK Anwtai lapMt, LtetaiK Ul IhI

WARDS SKETCHUS ON TUK CONGO AND ARUWIMI RIVERS.

(441)

448

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

W '^m

men (Arabs) had becu caught and eaten by the natives, whose village they had
raided and bnrti*^ some weeks ago. This will pi-obably make Selim angry, as
he went with Bartteiot much against his will, and only left a few men and his
women. This eternal waiting is awful — waiting for what never comes! Day
after day passes ; wt see no fresh faces, we hear no news. Many of our meii
are daily growing thinner and weaker, and are dying off. Poor wretches I they
lie out in the sun, on the dusty ground, most of them with only a narrow strip

of dirty loin-
cloth i and all
the live-long
day they stare
into vacancy,
and at night
gaze at a bit
of fire.

" It was a
pitiable sight,
a few days ago,
to see an emaci-
ated man crawl,
with the aid
of a stick, after
a corpse, that
was being car-
ried on a pole
for interment.
He staggered
along, poor fel-
low, and squat-
ted down along-
side the newly-
made grave and
watched the
proceedings
with large,
matter of a few days
a sepulchral voice,

MEMBERS OF THE REAR COLUMN.

round, sunken eyes, knowing that it would only be a
when he himself would be a dead man. He told me
'Amekwa rapiki angu ' (He was my friend). Another poor fellow is a mass of
bones, yet persists in doing his work, and every evening staggers into the camp.
He has been told to lay up, and that his manioc shall be provided for him, but
he refuses, and in replying to my sympathetic remark that he was very thin,
he said, ' Yes, only a short time more, master !' Death is written in his face,
and just as plainly in the faces of many others in this camp. Almost as many

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

443

lives, I fear, will be lost in this philanthropic enterprise as there are lives
of Eniin Pasha's people to save."

THREATS AGAINST BARTTELOT'S LIFE.

Ward does not say positively that Tipo Tib is chiefly to blame for this
sorry situation, but he frequently refers to the suspicious nature of his delay
in supplying the men he had undertaken to provide. On January i8 he writes:
" Selim-bin-Maliomed, who has hitherto been most pleasant and agreeable, is
now beginning to get ' touchy,' Evidently we shall nevei: get the 700 men
Tipo Tib promised us," In another of his letters dated Februarj' 8, he seems
to forecast poor Barttelot's fate. " To-day," he writes, " I am an orderly
officer. An old empty cartridge-box was picked up in the river (Ariiwimi) to-
day. It was much broken and sodden ; it must have been floating down the
river for a very long distance. Selim-bin-Mahomed told me this morning that
Bungari, the escaped prisoner, had told him, preparatory to escaping, that his
life was not worth living,
marching up and down
in the hot sun all day,
and that he knew he
would be shot when
caught, and that he in-
tended shooting Barttelot
dead before he would be
captured."

Again he writes :
" It is picturesque but
dull, and wretched with
waiting and hoping for
orders to move. Massibu,
an Arab of Tipo Tib's,
visited us, bringing some Stanley Falls rice and a goat. He told us an absurd
yarn of Abdullah having seen Stanley. Jameson continues collecting birds and
painting them. We sketched the second rapids from below the camp. We have
not sufficient medicine, and very little food. The Zanzibaris and Soudanese are
suffering seriously, and there are many deaths. This awful delay of news from
Stanley bodes misfortune, and we are all compelled to conclude that he has met
with trouble and is in difficulties — if not worse. A brave, skilful and determined
man, a hero, one hopes, and hopes he may be safe and well."

Ward's letter of January 9th, 188&, reads as follows :

" Yambinga, Intrenched Camp, Aruwimi River.

"It seems very strange we have heard nothing of Stanley, who was to
have returned (from Lake Albert, whither he went to seek Emin Pasha) last
November, and we can only account for his prolonged absence by supposing
that he had to go a longer journey from the Albert N'yanza than he had pre-

Taking it basy.

444

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

viously anticipated. If anything lia.s happened to him it will be a bad look-
out for the expedition ; and I do not know how the relief goods, merchandise
and ammunition, seven hundred loads, will ever reach him. There appears t(j
me to be some motive in Tipo Tib's delaying the seven huridred men he prom-
ised. It is hardly feasible, his excuse that his men refused to carry our loads
on account of their weight. His authority certainly ought to overcome any
scruples of tiiat sort, and, besides, $7,500, is ver}' good pay for his Manyuema
slaves. 'er ,- soriething at the bottom of it all which we shall perhaps
know all ; *. '; ^'^fore long."

These .n. -ere not alone occasioned b}' the mere absence of news,
but were int leased a knowledge of Arab treacher}-. The Arabs were con-
tinually harassing the natives b}- plundering
them of slaves and ivory, and in turn the
natives were goaded into making reprisals on
their foes. Under these conditions it was a
difficult matter for the natives to distinguish
between Stanley's people and their Arab allies.
In this particular therefore, as in others, Stan-
ley's alliance with Tipo Tib really increased
his danger, which fact was well known by
Barttelot and his lieutenants.

DEATH OF BARTTELOT.

And thus did a sad and demoralizing
condition continue to prevail in the camp at
Yambuya. The fear for Stanlej-'s safety, added
to the sufferings entailed by reason of in-
sufficient food, want of medicine, harrowing
scenes and insubordination finall}- determined
Barttelot to move at all hazards in quest of
his long overdue chief. Several counsels were first held, at which Ward, Jame-
son and Barttelot expressed their conviction that Stanley was dead. Troup,
who was in charge of the commissary, alone dissented from this opinion and
urged further delay. But Barttelot's anxiety could no longer brook delay. He
felt that if his chief were dead other lieutenants of Stanley's might still l)e
living, and that most likely his aid was urgently needed. Already he had
waited too long, and should, some months before, have acted on the discretionary
order given him by Stanley. Therefore gathering his command together, he
first proceeded down to Stanley Falls to ascertain how many carriers he could
obtain from the Arabs there, no longer, however, placing any trust in Tipo Til),
His trip was of no avail, for he could not induce the Arabs or Manyuemas to
give him any • assistance though he offered $7,500, for the service.

Returning to Yambuya he resolved to proceed over the route taken by
Stanley with the aid of the few men he had at his command, among whom

IIUNGARI.

' ii

l» i « illl < » i*- t :rt!i.

tirs'-<iiarnt.jtefe

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

445

were several Manyuemas belonging to Tipo Tib. But wV' ti he gave orders to
prepare to march there was an open rebellion upon t'lt part of nearly his
entire force. Being hot-headed, as Stanley says, he unt' ".ook coercive meas-
ures, and ordered some to be flogged and others shot. At this there was
an uprising and in the confusion that followed a shot was fired from a musket.
No one seemed to know who fired the gun, nor has it since been determined,
because the confusion was very great and several of the men, including Sou-
danese, Zanzibaris and Manyuema, had guns, and no one, if they really knew,

THK KII,l,ING Ol' UAKTTKLOT.

'Aould expose the guilty part}'. But the result was, alas, too manifest. The
bullet had struck poor Barttelot in the back of the head, killing him instantly,
so deadly being the shot tliat he never uttered either word or groan. Thus
ended, in deepest shadows, the bright prospects of this young officer, who fell
in his enthusiastic devotion to Stanley, and his loyalty to the purposes of the
expedition.

ABANDONMENT OF YAWIBUYA.

Two weeks before this inexpressibly sad event Jameson died of a fever, no
doubt superinduced by his anxieties and the hardships which he had been com-

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

447

pelled to undergo in common with other members of the expedition. Troup
also fell ill and it appeared that he too must die, but seeing that all hope of
the rear column proceeding eastward must now be abandoned, he liirned his
steps homeward and reached England more dead than alive, but ultimately
recovered.

Ward, who had, with the other officers, except Troup, and possibly Bonny,
believed Stanlej' was dead, after giving his best efforts to a reorganization of the
demoralized rear column, or the few that now remained, left for England, leav-
ing Mr. Bonny, the .sole white man now in the camp, in charge. Bonny there-
fore finding that all the responsibility was now upon his own shoulders, decided
to follow, as nearly as he could, Stanle}''s written orders to Barttelot, and in
pursuance of this resolve he removed the supplies and the few men yet with
him, to Banalya, estimating that station to be much more .secure than
Yambuya, besides at this place he was more likely to hear news from Stanley,
as traders passed more frequently from Banalj'a to the Lake regions than
from Yambuya, or even from Stanley Falls. The wisdom of this removal will
presently appear.

CHAPTER XXIII.

NEWS FROM STANLEY AND EMIN.

ONTH after month went by in dreary succession, with no news
from Stanley. His departure from Yambuya was known to
readers in both Europe and America, but after the beginning of
that important march nothing further was heard for nearly two
years. And the silence of Emin and his companion, Casati,
the Italian, who, acting as a representative of the Khedive as well

as an explorer, was known to have joined him, was equallj' oppressive and

ominous.

At length the long, long, fearful silence was broken by the receipt of the

following letter from Casati, addressed to Campino, and published in the Rcfoyma^

Rome. It was like news from the dead :

LETTER FROM CAPTAIN CASATI.

TuNGURr, Lake Albert, March 25th, 1888.

The ill-concealed hatred of King Kabba Rega has vented itself, superstitious
fear has conquered him, preparing the ruin of his kingdom. Kabba Rega,
urged by his rapacious instincts, had closed the entrances of the country to us,
and granted us a miserable concession, which he daily attempted to restrict or
elude. The transmission of the post by way of Uganda was a scarecrow which
disturbed his rest, and our continual exposure of his infamous designs had ex-
asperated his naturally cruel soul. His hatred for us, and especially for me, had
reached its height, and he, like the coward that he is, was hesitating and
awaiting an opportunity which finally presented itself. Armed troops were
approaching from the west and, having encamped at Luche, their presence cer-
tainly menaced his kingdom. Hence an end to all delays ! He breaks the
thread which he thought might lead to ruin, and completes the isolation of the
kingdom by closing the road to Uganda. On January 9, 1888, I was therefore
treacherously arrested by order of this wretched monarch, barbarously bound,
and driven along hap-hazard, from village to village, always towards the countr\-
of the chief Kokora, along the Victoria Nile, a river which, as you know,
unites the Victoria and Albert lakes. The chief, Kokora, had received orders
to prepare to put me to death.

However, after eight days of suffering and three of absolute fasting I, with
my men and two soldiers of the Government, was rescued by Emin Pasha, who
came to my relief with a steamer. A soldier sent by me to Tunguru, on tlie
shores of the Albert Lake, in a boat which we happened to find amongst the
reeds, had borne the announcement of our unhappy plight to the Pasha.

(448)

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

449

A niercliant uainccl liiri, who was a guest in my house, a refugee froui
Wadelai to Ugauda, underwent the same ill-luck as I, but was even less
fortunate ; he is reported to have killed himself on the road. All my goods,
those of Biri, and the ivory belonging to the Government, were sequestrated
by the robber-king, but we were permitted to provide ourselves with a little
grain to keep off starvation on the road. I will say nothing of my writings,
iiiv notes taken during the journey pp
— tiic grief is too strong. It is the
first time I have felt annihilated ;
my soul yields, and in the face
of this irreparable misfortune my
mind is confused. Meanwhile, Stan-
ley is near lis; Emin Pasha has
already received notice of an ex-
pedition towards the north. On
April 15 he will start with two
steamers and a sufficient number
of soldiers and make minute re-
searches. Kabba Rega has sent
soldiers to intercept Stanlej''s march.
If my health is restored I shall
accompan}' Emin Pasha. I have
made him acquainted with the tenor
of the letter which you sent to
him, and which Kabba Rega inter-
cepted. He thanks and salutes you.

Will Kabba Rega remain un-
punished as did Mwanga ? Maj'
the life of a European be attacked
with impunity, and an African king
openly violate the laws of hospitality.
betray and break his plighted faith ?
—make himself the executioner of
a person living in his country as
representative of a Civil Govern-
ment, such as the Egyptian ? It
would be too shameful. Cas.^TI. mw and n/ivi.- >t.n uh nauba k^.a.

Captain Casati was agent for the Egyptian Go\evnment, stationed near
Kabba Rega's capital in Unyoro, east of Lake Albcii, and all letters from
Emin for Europe were sent to him, whose task it was to get them through
to Zanzibar ; it was this advantage that enabled him to transmit the above
communication, though many that were written before had miscarried.
29

yi^ii

450

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

A LETTER FROM STANLEY.

\ few months after the receipt of Casati's letter came a communication
from Stanley, being the first news received from him since his departure from
Yambuya in quest of Emin. This letter, which bj- chance fell into tlie
hands of a missionary and was thus transmitted, was from his own hand and
written under date of August 17th, 1888, from Bonia of Banalya (Urima), and
addressed to Sheik Hamed Ben Mahomed, better known as Tipo Tib. In
this letter he announces his meeting with Emin and Casati, who he declares
have a great abundance of ivory, sheep, fowls, goats, food of all kinds and
10,000 head of cattle. At the time of writing this letter Stanley had with him

NATIVKS OK ITNYORO.

130 Wangwana, three soldiers and 66 natives, and 82 days had then passed
since he had left Emin on the Albert N'yanza. Stanley wrote Tipo Tib to
come ♦^o him at Bonia, where he would wait ten days his arrival, and then
move to a big island in the lake, two hours journey from Boma.

To this letter the great Arab chief replied, and refused to accompany
Stanley, just as he had refn.sed a few weeks previously to accompany Janieson,
who offered him, surprising as the statement appears, #150,000 to make the
journey with him from Stanley Falls to Wadelai.

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

45'

STANLEY'S IN-
STRUCTIONS TO
BARTTELOT.

Shortly after
receipt of this
first news from
Stanley came
transcripts of two
other letters which
he addressed to
Major Barttelot,
and which satis-
fied onr longing to
know jnst what he
expected of the
Major upon leav-
ing Y a ni b u y a .
The first letter
was sent by three
messengers, and
tlic second was
dispatched under
an escort of twenty
men from Boma,
on the 14th of
February. Neither
of these messages,
liowever, reached
their destination.
The messengers
who carried the
latter, undo- a
reward of $50 each
for its safe de-
livery, were de-
tained at an Arab
camp which Stan-
ley passed through
on his first jour-
ney eastward, and
hoth letters were
recovered in that
plaw by him on
iiis return trip to

STAMJ'Y IN TlIK DARK CONTINKNT.

45-

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

ascertain what had become of Barttelot and his companions. The letters

read as follows:

Camp o\ South Bank Aruwimi River, (Opposite Arab Settlement),

September i8th, 1887.
Mv Dear Major. — You will, I am certain, be as glad to get news, definite

and clear, of our movements as I am to feel that I have at last an opportunity

of presenting them to you. As they will be of immense comfort to you and

your assistants
and followers, I
shall confine my-
self to give you
the needful de-
tails. We have
travelled 340
English miles to
make only 192
geographical
miles of our east-
erly course. This
has been per-
formed in 83 days,
which gives us
four and onc-
tentli miles per
day. We have
yet to make 130
geograph ical
miles, or a wind-
ing course of
perhaps 230
English niik's,
which at the
same rate of
march as hith-
erto, we will
make in 55 days.
W^e have now
behind us at

CUTTING A KOAU TO THU KIVKK.

We started from Yambuya 389 .-ouls, whites and blacks.
333, of whom 56 are so sick that we are obliged to leave them
this Arab camp of Ugarrowwa. We are 56 men short of tlie number with
which we left Yambuya. Of tliese, 30 men have died, four from poisoned arrow-
wounds, six left in the busli or speared by the natives ; 26 have deserted en
route, thinking they would be able to follow a caravan of Manyuema which we
met following tlie ri\er downwards. But this caravan, instead of going on,

■V-

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

453

returned to this place, and our deserters, misled by this, will probably follow
our tracks downward, until they meet you, or be exterminated by the natives.
Be not deluded by any statements they may make. Should you meet them
von will have to secure them thoroughly.

FIGHTING THEIR WAY.

The first day we left you we made a good march, which terminated in a
fight, the foolish natives firing their own village as they fled. Since that day
we have had probably 30 fights. The first view of us the natives had inspired
them to show fight. As far as Panga Falls we did not lose a man or meet
with any serious obstacles to navigation. Panga is a big cataract, with a de-
cided fall. We cut around it on the south bank and dragged our canoes and
went on again.

We had intended to follow a native path which would take us toward our
destination with usual windings of the road. For ten days we searched for a
road, and then took an elephant track, which carried us into an interminable
forest totally uninhabited. Fearing to lose ourselves altogether, we cut a road
to the river, and have followed the river ever since. From the point whence
we struck the river to Mugwye's country, four days' journey below Panga, we
fared \ery well. Food was abundant ; we made long marches, and no halts
whatever. Be3'ond Mugwye's up to Engweddeh, was a wilderness, eleven days'
march, villages being inland and mostly foodless. From this date our strength
declined rapidly. People were lost in the bush, as they searched for food, or
were slain by the natives. Ulcers, dysentery, and grievous sickness, ending in
fatal debility, attacked the people. Hence our enormous loss since leaving
Panga, 30 dead and 26 deserters. Besides which we are obliged to leave
56 behind so used up that without a long rest they would also soon die. Of
the Somalis, one is dead (Achmet), the other five remain at this camp until our
return from the Lake (Albert). Of the Soudanese, one is dead, we leave three
behind to-day. All the whites are in perfect condition, thinnish, but with plenty
of go.

."Xmong our fights we have had over 50 wounded, but they all recovered
except four. Stairs was severely wounded with an arrow, which penetrated an
incli and a half, within a little below the heart, in the left breast. He is all
right now. We have had one man shot dead by some person unknown in the
camp ; another was shot in the foot, resulting in amputation. This latter case
is now in a fair state of health.

HEWING A PATH THROUGH THE FOREST.

The number of hours wc have marched ought to have taken us back to
you l)y this time, but we have had to daily hew our path through forest and
jungle to keep along the river, because the river banks were populated. The
forest inland contains no settlements that we know or have heard of. By means
of canoes we were able to help the caravan carry the sick and several loads.
The boat helped us immensely. Were I to do the work over again I should

f454>

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

v.:

455

collect canoes as large as possible, man them with snfficient paddlers and load
uj) with goods and sick. On the river between Yanibuj'a and Mngwye's country
the canoes are numerous and tolerably large. The misfortune is that the Zan-
zibaris are exceedingly poor boatmen. In my force there are only about 50
who can paddle or pull an oar, but even these have saved our caravan immense
labor and many lives which otherwise would have been sacrificed.

Our plan has been to paddle from one rapid to another; on reaching strong
water, or shoals, we have unloaded canoes and poled or dragged them up, with
long rattan or other creepers, through the rapids, then loaded up again and pur-
sued our way until we met another obstacle. The want of sufficient and proper
food regularly pulls people down very fast, and they have not that strength to
carry the loads which has distinguished them while with me in other parts of
Africa.

If Tipo Tib's people lipve not yet joined you I ao not exp'ct j'ou will be
very far from Yambuya. You can make two journey • by river for one that
vou can do on land. Slow as we have been coming up and cutting our way
through, I shall come down the river like lightning. T^he river will be a friend
indeed, for the current alone will take us tw^^niy miles a day. and I will pick
up as many canoes as possible to help us for our second journey up the river.
Follow the river closely and do not lose sight of our track. When the caravan
which takes this passes yju, look out for you. mei., or they vill run (desert) in
a body, taking valuable goods with theui.

I need not say that I wish 3'oa the best of her in, and luck and good
fortune, because you are a part of myself. Therefore Good Ity.

Yours very trr.ly,

Major Barttelof. , fiENRY M. StaxlEy.

The second letter was written
14th 1888.

"My Dear Major: After \\\
expendiency of the act, I have res^
letter, which I know will be welc

:n Fort Bodo, ibwiri District, Februai'y

h deliberation with my officers upon the
;\ed to send twenty couriers to you with this
ae to you and your comrades, as the briefest
note or word from you would be to us.

Fort Bodo is 126 Engli-sih 1 ks from Kavalli, on the Albert N'yanza, or 77
hours of caravan marching (west) and is almost on the same latitude. It is
527 English miles almost direct east from Yambuya, or 352 hours of caravan
inarching.

After giving explicit directions as to the route Barttclot should take, and
the villages v/hcre food might be purchased, Stanley continues :

"The object of this letter is n'^t only to encourage and cheer you ap villi
definite and exact information of yur whereabouts and the land before you,
bnt to also save you from a terrible wilderness whence we all narrowly escaped
with our lives. I wrote you from Ugarrowwa's a letter sufficientl}- detailed to

'■■■ •liiF-;

456

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

enable you to understand what our experience was between Yambuya and
Ugarrowwa's, therefore I begin from Ugarrowwa's and go east to the N'yanza.
"After leaving Ugarrowwa's on September 19th we had 286 souls with us,
and 56 sick at Ugarrowwa's, total, 341. By October 6th, we had travelled
along the south bank of the river amid a country depopulated and devastated
by Arabs ; and our condition was such, from a constant pinching want, that we
had eight deaths and fifty-two sick, that is, sixty utterly used up in sixteen days.
I was forced to leave Captain Nelson, lamed by ulcers, and 52 sick and 82' loads

NATIVES IN ran district of ugarrowwa's.

with him at a camp near the river, while we would explore ahead, find provi-
sions and send back relief.

"Until October i8th, we marched in the hope of obtaining food, and on this
day we entered a settlement of Manyuema, but in the interval we had travelled
through an uninhabited forest, where we lived on wild fruit and fungi. In
these twelve days we had lost twenty-two by desertion and death, while the
condition of the survivors was terrible.

"We were all emaciated and haggard, but the majority were mere skeletons.
On the 29th Nelson's party was relieved, but out of 52 there were only five

buj-a and
N'yaiiza.
s with us,
travelled
ievastatcd
It, that we
teen days.
d 82 loads

lid provi-

id on this
travelled
nigi. In
vliile the

skeletons,
only five

tf''

U57)

458

HRROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

left. M.iny had died, many had deserted, about 20 were out in the forest
foraging, out of which party only 10 ultimately turned up.

"On October 28 we marched from the Manyuema settlement to this place,
Ibwiri. Here we found such an abundance that we halted to recuperate until
November 24. The killing of a bullock immediateU' upon our arrival was fol-
lowed by one of the wildest scenes that I ever beheld. Naked and starved the

m e n f o u g h t
like dogs for
every morsel
they could tear
from the

slaughtered ani-
mal. On tliis
day the ad-
vance column
mustered as
follows: Sick
at Ugarrowwa's
(Arab settle-
ment), 56; sick
at Man3-uenia
settlement, 38 ;
present in
Ibwiri, 174;
3 total 268. On
September 19
we numbered
341 ; November
24, 268; dead
and missing, 73.

A SAD STORY OF

SUFFERING AND

DEATH.

"Beyond
this place,
Ibwiri, no Arab
or Manyuema
had ever pene-
trated, consequentl}' we suffered no scarcity, and on November 24 we marclied
from Ibwiri for the Albert Lake, which we reached December 13, having lost only
one by death, result of wilderness miseries, and we returned to this place from
the Lake Albert January 7th, having lost only four : two of whom died from
cause of wilderness miseries; one, Klamis Kaururn (chief) of inflammation of
the lungs, and o , Ramaguebin Kuru, of fever and ague contracted near the

MANYIIKMA SOI.DIHR AND WIFE.

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

459

174;
On

lake. Thus between November 24th, and January 7th, we had lost but five ^
three of these deaths being a result of privations undergone in the wilderness,
" We first met the Manyuema on the first day of August, and parted from
them January 6. In this interval we have lost 118 through death and deser-
tion. In their camps it was as bad as in the wilderness, for they ground us
down by extortion so extreme that we were naked in a short time. They
tempted the Zanzibaris to sell their rifles and ammunition, ramrods, officers'"
blankets, etc., and then gave food so sparingly that these crimes were of small

WARRIORS CHALLENGING .STANLEY.

avail. Finally, besides starving them, tempting them to ruin the expedition, they
speared and scourged them and tied them up, until in one case death resulted.
"Never were such abject slaves to slaves as our people had become under
the influence of the Manynema. Yet withal they preferred death by spearing,
scourging, starvation, ill-treatment, to the duty of load-bearing and marching
on to happier regions. Out of 38 men left at the jManyuema camp 1 1 have
died. T I others may turn up, bur. it is doubtful. However, we have only re-
ceived 16; 16 out of 38. Comment is unnecessary.

46o

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

" When we left the Manyuema camp, October 28, we were obliged to leave
our boat and 70 loads behind, as it was absolntely impossible to carry them.
Parke and Nelson were detailed to look after tliem. We hoped that we should
find some tree out of which we could make a sizable canoe, or buy or seize
one already made. But arriving at Albert Lake we found neither tree nor
canoe, therefore were obliged to retrace our steps lujre quickly to send men
back to the Manyuema settlement for the boat and loads. The boat and 37
loads were brought here by Stairs and nearly 100 men day before yesterday.

ANXIETIES.

"You will understand then, that Emin Pasha not being found or relieved
ty us, made it as much necessary that we should devote ourselves to this
work, as it was imperative when we set out June 28, 1887, from Yambuya.
And you will also understand how anxious we all are about you. We dread
your inexperience, and your want of influence with your people. If with nie
people preferred the society of the Manyuema blackguards to me, who are
known to them for twenty years, how much more so with you, a stranger to
them and their language. Therefore, the cords of anxiety were strained to an
exceeding tension. I am pulled east tc Emin Pasha and west to you, your
comrades, people and goods.

" Nearly eight months have elapsed, and perhaps you have not had a word
from us, though I wrote a long letter from Ugarrowwa's. We were to have
been back in December; it is now February, and no one can conjecture how
far you may have reached. Did the Stanley arrive in due time? Did she
arrive at all? Did Tipo Tib join you ? Are you alone with your party, or is
Tipo Tib with you ? If the latter, why so slow that we have not a word ? If
alone, we understand that you are very far from us. These are questions daily
agitating us.

"According to my calculations we shall be on the Lake April 10. All
about Emin Pasha will be settled by April 25 ; on the 13th of May we shall
be back here, and on the 29th we shall be at Ugarrowwa's, if we have not met
you. We shall surely, I hope, meet with the return messengers. These mes-
sengers, whom I send to you with a reward of $50.1 )0 each for the safe delivery
into your hands of this letter, I advise you to retain, two of them as guides —
Rugu and Ruga — in front, but they should be free of loads. Send the 18 and
two others back to me as soon as you can, because the sooner we hear from
you 'he sooner we will join hands; and after settling the Emin Pasha question
we shall have only one anxiety, which will be to get you safely up here.

"Assuming that Tipo Tib's people are with you, our guides (two) will
bring you quickly on here, and we shall probably meet here or at Ugarrowwa's.
You have arrived at some station on our former journeys from Yambuya, below
Mugwyes, as I take it. Hence, before you get near the Arab influence, where
your column will surely break up if you are alone, I order you to go to the
nearest place (Mugwyes, Aveysheba, or Nepoka Confluence) that is to ycu,

'^*

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

461

and there to build u strong camp and wait lis ; but whatever you decide upon,
let us know. If you come near Ugarrowwa's you will lose men, rifles, powder,
everything of value ; your own boys will betray you, because they will sell
food so dearly that your people, from stress of hunger, will steal everything.

'* At either of these places above you will get safety and food until we relieve
you. So long as you are stationary, there is no fear of desertion, but the daily
task, added to constant insufficiency of food, will sap the fidelity of your best men,

"With everybody's best wishes to you, I send my enniest prayer that you
are, despite all unwholesome and evil conjectures, where you ought to be, and
that this letter will reach you in time to save you from that forest misery and
from the fangs of the ruthless Manyuema blackguards. To every one of
your officers, also these good wishes are given, from <<

" Yours most sincerely,

" Henry M. Stanley.

"To Major Barttelot, Commanding Rear Column."

irrowwa s.

.0^/-.^

IMAGE EVALl "ATION
TEST TARGET (MT-3)

^ J^^4^.

1.0

I.I

|50 "^

25
2.2

2.0

1.8

1.25 1.4 1.6

*i ■

►

Photographic

Sciences

Corporation

"^^

23 WEST MAIN STREET

WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580

(716) 872-4503

CHAPTER XXIV.

Stanley's description of his journey.

NDER the most favorable auspices and conditions a journey through
Central Africa is attended b}' perils and hardships which only
the most persistent, courageous and st'^ong-constitutioned trav-
eller can endure. But in the march now before us, so graphically
described by Stanley's own pen, the privations and dangers were
accentuated by many obstacles rarely met with even in that
savage region. The territory which lay between Yambu3'a and
Albert Lake, a distance of three hundred and sixty miles, was
totally unexplored. No white man's foot had ever passed over
any part of it; there was no highway marked even by the feet of wild animals,
while traditions of tribes between, and of Tipo Tib, peopled that region < f
darkness with the most surprising forms of both human and animal life. The
journey must be made along the southern line of a couuiry that has been
dreaded for ages, because around it has always clustered the most fright-inspiring
stories ever told by the tongue of ignorant and superstitious man.

WONDERFUL SUPERSTITIONS.

On the northern borders of this unexplored region is the city of Bornu,
already described in an early chapter of this book. The town is said to take its
name from the ship of Noah, called Bnrnti by the Mohammedans of the place,
having landed at the spot on which the town is built. To the east of Bornu is
said to be a town called Futa, which it is alleged was founded by Phut, the
grandson of Noah, and from whom it is believed the Fellahs are descended.
This much of Bible history is preserved connecting the people of that so little
known region with civilization. But south and south-east of Futa the wildest
fancies and beliefs run riot, because it has long been maintained that no one
dare venture therein. The Moors and Arabs entertain the most astonishing
conceits and traditions respecting the inhabitants of that so-called cursed country-
They declare that somewhere on the other side of Yakoba is a tribe of people
called Alakere, none of whom are more than three feet in height. The chiefs,
they say, are somewhat taller than the common people. The Alakere are said
to be a very ingenious people, especially in working iron, and they are so
industrious that their towns are believed to be built on high hills surrounded
by iron walls.

MEN WITH TAILS AND FOUR EYES.

Another tribe living near the Alakere are the Alabiru, who it is declared
hfve inflexible tails about six inches in length. As the stiffness of their ta'ls
prevents the Alabiru from sitting flat on the ground, each person carries a sharp-

(4f'2)

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

463

pointed stick with which to drill a hole in the earth to receive the tail when
sitting. They are also said to be industrious manufacturers of iron bars out of
which the fine swords of the Soudan are believed to be made. Another adjoin-
ing tribe, called the Alabiwoe, it is alleged, are distinguishable by having a
small goat-like horn growing from the middle of the forehead. It is said that
a woman of this tribe was captured and held a long while in slaver}' by an
Arab in Offa, near Ilorrin. She seemed to be ashamed of her horn and always
wore a handkerchief around her head to conceal it.

There are said to be many other strange people in this "Doko" region,
some of whom it is declared have four ej- es, others who possess such extraordinary
ears that they
make use of
one to lie upon,
like a blanket,
and the other
as a covering
for the body.
Some live in
trees and others
in subterra-
nean galleries,
but all alike
are represented
as being won-
derfully cour-
ageous and
ferocious, while
not a few pos-
sess such a
knowledge of
the black art
that to their
ferocity they
add the power

of torturing victims without even touching them. The dwarfs, most of whom
it is believed wear long beards and sharpen their teeth like the Fan Canni-
bals, are very vindictive and cruel, guarding their kingdom with the greatest
jealousy and visiting inconceivably terrible punishments upon all who inxade
their territory. It will be remembered that Kabba Rega gave Stanle}', on his
second expedition into Central Africa, .surprising descriptions of these much
dreaded manikins, and fully indicated the great fear in which they are held.

To the superstitions here mentioned, which are current throughout a greater
part of Africa, and which made Stanley's men so reluctant to enter this proscribed

NATIVKS OK THH TOWN OF KUTA.

464

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

and horror-associated country, mother trouble quite as serious was encountered
by Stanley in Tipo Tib's refusal to supply the armed escort that he had proniiseu
under contract. Thus was Stanley forced to use his own resources, consisting
largely of persuasion and moral influence, to induce his column to continue an
advance towards the Albert Lake, and that he succeeded is another proof of Ins
wonderful power over the ignorant natives and his extraordinary abilities as a
commander in the most direful exigencies. His own story as herewith given is
as exciting in the detail of facts as it is modest in tone and description.

BUNGANGETA ISLAND, ItURI OR ArUWIMI RiVER,

August 28, 1888.
To the Chairman of the Emin Pasha Relief Committee.

Sir : — A short dispatch briefly announcing that we had placed the first
nstalment of relief in the hands of Emin Pasha on the Albert N'yanza was sent

to you by couriers from Stan-
ley Falls, along with letters to
Tipo Tib, the Arab governor
of that district, on the 17th
inst., within three hours of our
meeting with the rear colunni
of the expedition. I propose
to relate to you the story of
our movements since June 28,
1887.

I had established an en-
trenched and palisaded camp
at Yambuya, on the Lower
Aruwimi, just below the first
rapids. Major Edmund Bart-
telot, being senior of those
ofiicers with me, was appointed
commandant. Mr. J. S. Jamie-
son, a volunteer, was associat-
ed with him. On the arrival
of all men and goods from
AN ALAKERE vii,i.AGE. Bolobo aud Staulcy Pool, the

officers still believed Messrs. Troup, Ward and Bonny were to report to Major
Barttelot for duty. But no important action or movement (according to the
letter of instructions given by me to the Major before leaving) was to be made
without consulting with Messrs. Jamieson, Troup and Ward. The columns
under Major Barttelot's orders mustered 257 men.

As I requested the Major to send you a copy of the instructions issued
to each officer, you are doubtless aware that the Major was to remain at Yam-

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

465

buya until the arrival of the steamer from Stanley Pool with tbe officers, men
and goods left behind; and, if Tipo Tib's promised contingent of carriers had
in the mean time arrived, he was to march his column and follow our track,
which, so long as it traversed the forest region, would be known by the blazing
of the trees, by our camps and zaribas, etc. If Tipo Tib's carriers did not
arrive, then if he (the Major) preferred moving on to staying at Yambuya, he
was to discard such things as mentioned in letter of instructions, and commence

SHARPliNING THE TEETH.

making double and triple journeys by short stages, until I should come down
from the N'yanza and relieve him. The instructions were explicit and, as the
officers admitted, intelligible.

FIRST CONFLICT WITH THE NATIVES.

The advance column, consisting of 389 officers and men, set out from

Yambuya June 28, 1887. The first day we followed the river bank, marched

twelve miles, and arrived in the large district of Yankonde. At our approach

the natives set fire to their villages, and under cover of the smoke attacked the

Si-

466

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

pioneers who were clearing the numerous obstructions they had planted before
the first village. Tlie skirmish lasted fifteen minutes. • The second day we fol-
lowed a path leading inland but trending east. We followed this path for five
days through a dense population. Every art known to native minds for molest-
ing, impeding and wounding an eneni}- was resorted to ; but we passed through
without the loss of a man. Perceiving that the path was taking us too far from
our course, we cut a north-easterly track, and reached the river again on the 5th
of July. From this date until the iSth of October we followed the left bank
of the Aruwimi. After seventeen days' continuous marching we halted one day

CROSSING A SMALL Al'l'LUliNT OK THK AKUWIMl.

for rest. On the twenty-fourth day from Yambuya we lost two men by deser-
tion. In the month of July we made four halts oUly. On the ist day of
August the first death occurred, which was from dysentery ; so that for thirty-
four days our course had been singularly successful. But as we now entered a
wilderness, which occupied us nine days in marching through it, our sufferings
began to multiply, and several deaths occurred. The river at this time was of
great use to us ; our ijoat and several canoes relieved the wearied and sick
of their loads, so that progress, though not brilliant as during the first month,
was still steady.

On the 13th of August we arrived at Air-Sibba. The natives made a l)()ld
front ; we lost five men through poisoned arrows ; and to our great grief, Lieu-

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

407

I I

tenant Stairs was wounded just below the heart; but though he suffered greatly
for nearly a month, he finally recovered. On the i5tli Mr. Jephsou, in com-
mand of the land party, led his men inland, became confused and lost his way.
We were not reunited until the 21st.

On the 25th of August we arrived in the district of Air-jeli. Opposite our
camp was the mouth of the tributary Nepoko; and on the 31st of August we
met for the first time a party of Manyuema belonging to the caravan of Ugar-
rowwa, alias Uledi Balyuz, who turned out to be a former tent-boy of Speke's.
Our misfortunes began from this date, for I had taken the Congo route to avoid
Arabs, that they might not tamper with my men and tempt them to desert by
their presents, yet twentj'-six men
deserted within three days of this ^
unfortunate meeting.

On the i6th of September we
arrived at a camp opposite the
station at Ugarrowwa's. As food
was very scarce, owing to his having
devastated an immense region, we
halted but one day near him. Such
friendly terms as I could make with
such a man I made, and left fifty-
six men with him. All the Somalis
preferred to rest at Ugarrowwa's
to the continuous marching. Five
Soudanese were also left. It would
have been certain death for all of
them to have accompanied us. At
Ugarrowwa's they might possibly
recover. Five dollars a month per
head was to be paid to this man
for their food.

THE DEATH MARCH.

On September i8th we left
Ugarrowwa's, and on the i8th of o^ the road to kii.inga-i.onga's

October entered the settlement occupied by Kilinga-Longa, a Zanzibari slave
belonging to Abedbin Salim, an old Arab whose bloody deeds are recorded in
" The Congo and the Founding of its Free State." This proved an awful month
to us ; not one member of the expedition, white or black, will ever forget it. The
advance numbered 273 souls on leaving Ugarrowwa's, becaiise out of 389 men we
hud lost sixty-six by desertion and death between Yambuya and Ugarrowwa's, and
had left fifty-six men sick in the Arab station. On reaching Kilinga-Longa's we
discovered we had lost fifty-five men by starvation and desertion. We had lived
principally on wild fruit, fungi, and a large, flat, bean-shaped nut. The slaves

468

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

of Abedbin Salim did their utmost to ruin the expedition, short of open hos-
tilities ; they purchased rifles, ammunition, clothing, so that when we left their
station we were beggared and our men were absolutely naked. We were so weak
physically that we were unable to carry the boat and about seventy loads of
goods ; we therefore left these goods and boat at Kilinga-Longa's under Surgeon
Parke and Captain Nelson, the latter of whom was unable to march, and after
twelve days' journey wc arrived at a native settlement called Ibwiri. Between
Kilinga-Longa's and Ibwiri our condition had not improved. The Arab devas-

A MEAi, IN The wilderness.

tation had reached within a few miles of Ibwiri — a devastation so complete that
thtre was not one native hut standing between Ugarrowwa's and Ibwiri, and
what had not been destro3'ed by the slaves of Ugarrowwa and Abedbin Salini
the elephants destroyed, and turned the whole region into a ho ible wilderness.
But at Ibwiri we were beyond the utmost reach of the destroyers ; we were on
virgin soil, in a populous region abounding with food. Our suffering from
hunger, which began on the 31st of August, terminated on the i2tli of November.
Ourselves and men ^"cre skeletons. Out of 389 we now only numbered 147,

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

469

several of whom seemed to have no hope of life left. A halt was therefore
ordered for the people to recuperate. Hitherto our people were sceptical of what
we told them ; the suffering has been so awful, calamities so numerous, the
forest so endless apparently, that they refused to believe that by-and-by we should
see plains and cattle and the N'yanza and the white man, Emin Pasha. We
felt as though we were dragging them along with a chain round our necks.
" Beyond these raiders lies a country untouched, where food is abundant and
where you will forget your miseries ; so, cheer up, boys ; be men, press on a

HUTS OP IBWIRI VIW^AGSRS.

little faster." They turned a deaf ear to our prayers and entreaties, for, driven
by hunger and suffering, they sold their rifles and equipments for a few ears
of Indian corn, deserted with the ammunition, and were altogether demoralized.
Perceiving that prayers and entreaties and mild punishments were of no avail,
I then resolved to visit upon the wretches the death penalty. Two of the worst
cases were accordingly taken and hung in presence of all, and others were whipped.

FOOD AT LAST.

We halted thirteen days in Ibwiri, and revelled on fowls, goats, bananas,
com, sweet potatoes, yams, beans, etc. The supplies were inexhaustible, and

470

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

the people glutted themselves; the effect was such that I had 172 — one was
killed by an arrow — mostly sleek and robust men, when I set out for the Albert
N'yanza on the 24th of November. We were still 126 miles from the lake;
but, given food, such a distance seemed nothing.

On the ist of December vve sighted the open country from the top of a ridge
connected with Mount Pisgah, so named from our first view of the laud of
promise and plenty. On the 5th of December we emerged upon the plains, and
the deadly, gloomy forest was behind us. After 160 days' continuous gloom

WHIPPING AN INSUHORDINATE.

we saw the light of broad day shining all around us and making all thiii.c[s
beautiful. We thought we had never seen grass so green, or country so lovely.
The men literally yelled and leaped for joy, and raced over the ground with
their burdens. Ah, this was the old spirit of former expeditions successfully
completed all of a sudden revived.

Woe betide the native aggressor we may meet, however powerful he may
be ; with such a spirit the men will fling themselves like wolves on sliccp.
Numbers will not be considered. It had been the eternal forest that had made

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

471

them abject, slavish creatures, so brutally pluudered by Arab slaves at Kiliuga-
Louga's.

Ou the 9th we came to the couutry of the powerful chief Mazaniboni. The
villages were scattered over a great exteut of couutry so thickly that there was
no other road except through their villages or fields. From a loug distance
the uatives had sighted us, and were prepared. We seized a hill, as soon as we
arrived, in the centre of a mass of villages, about 4 i*. M. on the 9th of December,
and occupied it, building a zariba as fast as bill-hooks could cut brushwood.
The war cries were terrible from hill to hill ; they were sent pealing across the
interven ing
valleys; the
people gathered
by hundreds
from ever
point; war-
horns and
drums a n -
nounced that a
struggle was
about to take

•

place. Such
natives as were
too bold we ^-'^^
checked with
but little effort
and a slight
skirmish ended
in our captur-
ing a cow, the
first beef tasted
since we left
the ocean. The
night passed

peacefully, purchasing a sight ok king MAZAMllONI

both sides preparing for the morrow. Ou the morning of the loth we attempted
to open negotiations. The natives were anxious to know who we were, and
we were anxious to glean news of the land that threatened to ruin the expe-
dition. Hours were passed talking, both parties keeping a respectable distance
apart. The natives said they were subject to Uganda ; but that Kabba Rega
was their real king, Mazaniboni holding the country for Kabba Rega. They
finally accepted cloth and brass rods to show their King Mazaniboni, and his
answer wns to be given next day. In the mean time all hostilities were to be
suspended.

472

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

le morning of the nth dawned, and at S a. m. we were startled at hearing
proclaiming that it was Mazamboni's wish that we should be driven back

THE WAR SLOGANS.
Th(

a man

from the land. The proclamation was received by the valley around our neigh-
borhood with deafening cries. Their word " kanwana " signifies to make peace
"kurwana" signifies war. We were therefore in doubt, or rather we hoped we
had heard wrongly. We sent an interpreter a little nearer to ask if it was
kanwana or kurwana. Kurwana, they responded, and to emphasize the term two
arrows were shot at him, which dissipated all doubt. Our hill stood between a

lofty range of hills and a
lower range. On one side of
us was a narrow valley 250
yards wide ; on the other side
the valley was three miles
wide. East and west of us
the valley broadened into an
extensive plain. The higher
range of hills was lined with
hundreds preparing to de-
scend ; the broader valley
was already mustering its
hundreds. There was no time
to lose. A body of forty men
were sent, under Lieutenant
Stairs, to attack the broader
valley. Mr. Jephson was sent
with thirty men east ; a choice
body of sharpshooters was
sent to test the courage of
those descending the slope
of the highest range. Stairs
crossed on, passed a deep and
narrow river in the face of
hundreds of natives, and as-

ASC«NDINii A HILI. OVERLOOKING THK ALBERT N'YANZA. Saultcd thc fifSt vlllagC aud

took it. The sharpshooters did their work effectively, and drove the descending
natives rapidly up the slope until it became a general flight. Meantime, Mr.
Jephson was not idle. He marched straight up the valley east, driving the
people back, and taking their villages as he went. By 3 P. M. there was not a
native visible anywhere, except on one small hill about a mile and a half
west of us.

On the morning of the 12th we continued our march; during the day we
had four little fights. On the 13th we marched straight east; attacked by new

HERO^° OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

473

forces every hour until noon, but these we successfully overcame ; then we
halted for refreshments.

A 8IQHT OF THE N'YANZA.

At I P. M. we resumed our march in a driving rain storm up a steep hill.
Fifteen minutes later I cried out " Prepare yourselves for a sight of the N'yanza."
The men murmured and doubted, and said, " Why does the master continually
talk to us in this way. N'yanza, indeed; is not this a plain and can we not
see mountains at least four days' march ahead of us." At 1.30 p. m. the Albert
N'yanza was below them. Now it was my turn to jeer and scoff at the doubters,
but as I was about to ask them what they saw, so many came to kiss my

NATIVES FORBIDDING A PASSAGE THROUGH THBIR DISTklCT.

hands and beg my pardon that I could not say a word. This was my reward.
The mountains, they said, were the mountains of Unyoro, or rather its lofty
plateau wall. Kavalli, the objective point of the expedition, was six miles from
us as the crow flies.

We were at an altitude of 5,200 feet above the sea. The Albert N'yanza
was over 2,900 feet, below us. We stood in i deg. 20 miii. N. lat. ; the south
end of the N'yanza lay largely mapped about six miles south of this position.
Right across to the eastern shore every dent in its low flat shore was visible,

474

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

and traced like a silver snake on the dark ground was the tributary Simliki,
flowing into the Albert from the south-west.

After a short halt to enjoy the prospect we commenced the rugged and
stony descent. Before the rear-guard had descended lOO feet, the natives of the
plateau we had just left poured after them. Had they shown as much cour-
age and perseverance on the plain as they now exhibited, we might have been
seriously delayed. The rear-guard was kept very busy until within a few hun-
dred feet of the N'yanza plain. We camped at the foot of the plateau wall, the
aneroids reading 2,500 feet above sea-level. A night attack was made on us,
but our sentries sufficed to drive these natives away.

ARGUING WITH A CHIEF I'OR THE RIGHT OF WAV.

At 9 A. iM. on the i4tli we approached the village of Kakongo, situate at
the south-west corner of the Albert Lake. Three hours were spent by us at-
tempting to make friends. We signally failed. They would not allow us to go
to the lake, because we might frighten their cattle. They would not exchango
blood-brotherhood with us, because they never heard of any good people coining
fiom the wes*" side of the lake. They would not accept any presents from us,
because they did not know who we were. They would not give us water to
drink, and they would not show us our road up to Nyam Sassic. But from
these singula: people we learnt that they had heard there was a white man at
Unyoro, but they had never heard of any white men being on the west side, nor
had they seen any steamers on the lake. There were no canoes to be had,
except such as would hold the men, etc.

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

475

RETREAT BACK TO IBWIRI.

There was no excuse for quarrelling ; the people were civil enough, but
they did not want us near them. We therefore were shown the path and fol-
lowed it a fev/ miles, when we camped about half a mile from the lake. We
began to consider our position, by the light thrown upon it by the conversation
with the Kakongo natives. My couriers from Zanzibar had evidently not
arrived, or, I presume, Emin Pasha with his two steamers would have paid the
south-west side of the lake a visit to prepare the natives for our coming. My
boat was at Kilinga-Longa's 190 miles distant. There was no canoe obtainable,
and to seize a canoe without the excuse of a quarrel my conscience would not
permit. There was no tree anywhere of the size to make canoes. Wadelai was a
terrible distance off for an expedition so reduced as ours. We had used five
cases of cartridges in five days' fighting on the plain. A month of such fight-
ing must ex-
haust our stock.
There was no
plan suggested
which seemed
feasible to me,
except that of
retreating to Ib-
wiri, build a fort,
send a party back
to Kilinga-Lon-
ga's for our boat,
store up every
load in the fort
not conveyable,
leave a garrison vu^lage of uga.rrowwa.

in the fort to hold it, and raise corn for us ; march back again to Lake Albert,
and send the boat to search for Emin Pasha. This was the plan which, after
lengthy discussions with my officers, I resolved upon.

On the 15th we marched to the site of Kavalli, on the west side of the lake.
Kavalli had years ago been destroj'ed. At 4 p. m. the Kakongo natives had
followed us and shot several arrows into our bivouac, and disappeared as
quickly as they came. At 6 p. m. we began a night march, and by ic a.m. of the
16th we gained the crest of the plateau once more, Kakongo natives having
persi^'^ed in following us up the slope of the plateau. We had one man killed
and one woiiiided.

By January 7th we were in Ibwiri once again and after a few days' rest
Lieutenant Stairs and a hundred men were sent to Kilinga-Longa's to bring the
boat and goods up, also Surgeon Parke and Captain Nelson. Out of 38 sick in
charge of the officers only 1 1 were brought to the fort, the rest had died or

476

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

deserted. On the return of Stairs with t ne boat and goods he was sent to Ugar-
rowwa's to bring up the convaiesceuts there. I granted him 39 days' grace.
Soon after his departure I was attacked with gastritis and an abscess on t^^e
arm, but after a month's careful nursing by Dr. Parke I recovered, and 47 days
having expired I set out again for the Albert N'yanza, April 2d, accompanied by
Messrs. Jephson and Parke. Captain Nelson, now recovered, was appointed com-
mandant of Fort Bodo in our absence with a garrison of 43 men and boys.

A LETTER PROM EMIN.

On April 26th we arrived in Mazamboni's country once again, but this
time after solicitation Mazamboni decided to make blood-brotherhood with me.
Though I had 50 rifles less with me on this second visit, the example of
Mazamboni was followed by all the other chiefs as far as the N'yanza, and
every difficulty seemed removed. Food was supplied gratis ; cattle, sheep,
goats, and fowls were also given in such abundance that our people lived
royally. One day's march from the N'yanza the natives came from Kavalli
and said that a white man named "Malejji" had given their chief a black
packet to give to me, his son. Would I follow them ? " Yes to-morrow," I
answered, " and if your words are true I will make you rich."

They remained with us that night, telling us wonderful stories about " big
ships as large as islands filled with men," etc., which left no doubt :n our
minds that this white man was Emin Pasha. The next day's mf.ich brought
to the chief Kavalli, and after a while he handed me a note from Emin Pasha,
covered with a strip over black American oilcloth. The note was to *.he effect
" that as there had been a native rumor to the effect that a white man had
been seen at the south end of the lake, he had gone in his sttam.-r to make
inquiries, but had been unabl to obtain reliable informatioii. hs the natives
were terribly afraid of Kabba Rega, King of Unyoro, and connect'*d every
stranger with him. However, the wife of the Nyamsassie chief had told a
native ally of his named Mogo that she had seen us in Mrusuma (Mazamboni's
country). He therefore begged me to remain where I was until he coula com-
unicate wih me. The note was signed " (Dr.) Emin," and dated March 26.

The ntxt day, April 23d, Mr. Jephson was dispatched v/ith a st'"ong force
of men to ta"<e the boat to the N'yanza. On the 26th the boat's crew sighted Alsaw
station, the Sv.>uthernmost belonging to Emin Pasha, and Mr. Jephson was
there hospitably received by the Egyptian garrison. The boat's crew say that
they were embraced one by one, j^nd that they never had such attention shown
to them as by these men, who hailed them as brothers.

MEETING WITH EMIN.

On the 29th of April we once again readied the bivouac ground occupied
"by us on the i6th of December, and at 5 p. m. of that day I saw the Khedive
steamer about seven miles away steaming up towards us. Soon after 7 p. m.
Emin Pasha and Signor Casati and Air. Jephson arrived at our camp, where
they were heartily welcomed by all of us.

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

477

The next day we moved to a better camping place, about three miles above
Nyamsassie, and at this spot Emin Pasha also made his camp; we '/ere to-
gether until the 25th of May. On that day I left him, leaving Mr. Jephson,
three Soudanese, and two Zanzibaris in his care, and in return he caused to
accompany me three of his irregulars and 102 Mahdi natives as porters.

Fourteen days later I was at Fort Bodo. At the fort were Captain Nelson
and Lieutenant Stairs. The latter had returned from Ugarrowwa's 22 days
after I had set out for the lake, April 2, bringing with him, alas, only 16
meu out of 56. All
the rest were dead.
My 20 couriers whom
I had sent with let-
ters to Alajor Bart- ^^^
telot, had safely left
Ugarrowwa's for
Yambuya on March
i6th.

Fort Bodo was
in a flourishing state.
Nearly ten acres were
under cv Itivation.
One crop of Indian
corn had been har-
vested, aiid was in
the granaries ; they
had just commenced
planting again.

On the 1 6th of
June I left Fort Bodo
with III Zanzibaris
and loi of Emin
Pasha '.s people.
Lieutenant Stairs
had been appointed
commandant of the
fort, Nelson second

in command, and Surgeon Parke medical oflficer. The garrison consisted of 59
rifles. I had thus deprived myself of all my officers in order that I should
not be encumbered with provisions and medicines, whicli would have to be taken
if accompanied by Europeans, and every carrier was necessary for the vast stores
left with Major Barttelol. On the 24th of June we reached Kilinga-Longa's,
ai'd July 19th Ugarrowwa's. The latter station was deserted. Ugarrowwa, hav-
ing gathered as much ivory as he could obtain from that district, had proceeded

NATIVES OF THE FORT UODO DISTRICT

down 1
e\ery (
tliroug!
Pa
courier!
head, oi
these p]

57 cane
an awfu
had bee
their bo(
A ^
place ca
white m;
son, but
service c
"We
"He
"Go
"He
Tib."

"An
"Mr
"He
" Ml
"He
"Ye:

I foi

only 71

service,
the marc
The rear
Bonny, di
Yanibuya,
lieart to g
not the ti
izinjr the
siiinc time
only a she
iu charge

C478)

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

479

down river about three months before. On leaving Fort Bodo I had loaded
e\ery carrier with about 60 pounds of corn, so that we had been able to pass
through the wilderness unscathed.

Passing on down river as fast as we could go, daily expecting to meet the
couriers, who had been stimulated to exert themselves for a reward of $50 per
head, or the Major himself leading an army of carriers, we indulged ourselves in
these pleasing anticipations as we neared the goal.

SAD NEWS.

On the loth of August we overtook Ugarrowwa with an immense flotilla of
57 canoes, and, to our wonder, our couriers, now reduced to 17. They related
an awful story of hair-breadth escapes and tragic scenes. Three of their number
had been slain, two were still feeble from their wounds, all except five bore on
their bodies the scars of arrow wounds.

A week later, on August 17, we met the rear column of the expedition at a
place called Banalya, or, as the Arabs have corrupted it. Unarya. There was a
white man at the gate of the stockade whom I at first thought was Mr. Jamie-
son, but a nearer view revealed the features of Mr. Bonny, who left the medical
service of the army to accompany us.

"Well, my dear Bonny, where is the Major ? "

"He is dead, sir; shot by the Manyuema about a month ago."

"Good God — and Mr. Jamieson? "

" He has gone to Stanley Falls to try and get some more men from Tippoo
Tib."

"And Mr. Troup?"

" Mr. Troup has gone home, sir, invalided."

" Hem — well, where is Ward? "

" Mr. Ward^s at Bangala, sir."

" Heavens alive — then you are the only one here! "

" Yes, sir."

A DEPLORABLE SITUATION.

I found the rear column a terrible wreck. Out of 257 men there were
only 71 remaining. Out of 71 only 52, on mustering them, seemed fit for
service, and these mostly were scarecrows. The advance had performed
the march from Yambuya to Banalya in 16 daj's, despite native opposition.
Tlie rear column performed the same distance in 43 days. According to Mr.
Bonny, during the 13 months and 20 daj^s that had elapsed since I had left
Yambuya, the record is only of disaster, desertion, and death. I have not the
heart to go into the details, many of which are incredible, and, indeed, I have
not the time, for, excepting Mr. Bonny, I have no one to assist me in re-organ-
iziniT; the expedition. There are still far more loads than I can carry, at the
same time articles needful are missing. For instance, I left Yumbuya with
only a short campaigning kit, leaving my reserve of clothing and personal effects
iu charge of the officers. In December some deserters from the advance column

48o

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

reached Yambuya to spread the report that I was dead. They had no papers
with them, but the officers seemed to accept the report of these deserters as a
fact, and in January Mr. Ward, at an officers' mess meeting, proposed that my
instructions should be cancelled. The only one who appears to have dissented
was Mr. Bonny. Accordingly, my personal kit, medicines, soap, candles, and
provisions were sent down the Congo as " superfluities." Thus, after making this
immense personal sacrifice to relieve them and cheer them up, I find myself naked
and deprived of even the necessaries of life in Africa. But, strange to say, they
have kept two hats and four pairs of boots, a flannel jacket, and I propose to go
back to Emin Pasha and across Africa with this truly African kit. Livingstone,

LOOK OUT FOR THB CROCODILR.

poor fellow, was all in patches when I met him, but it will be the reliever myself
who will be in patches this time.- Fortunately, not one of my officers will envy
me, for their kits are intact — it was only myself that was dead.

I pray you to say that we were only 82 days from the Albert Lake to Banalya,
and 61 from Fort Bodo. The distance is not very great — it is the people wlio
fail one. Going to N'yanza, we felt as though we had the tedious task of drag-
ging them ; on returning each man knew the road and did not need any
stimuliis. Between the N'yanza and here we only lost three men — one of which
was by desertion. I brought 131 Zanzibaris here, I left 59 at Fort Bodo, total

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

481

190 men out of 389 ; loss, 50 per cent. At Yambuya I left 257 men, there
are only 71 left, ten of whom will never leave this camp; loss, over 170 per
cent. This proves that though the sufferings of the advance were unprece-
dented, the mortality was not so great as in camp at Yambuya. The survivors
of the march are all robust, while the survivors of the rear column are thin
and most unhealthy looking.

IMPORTANT DISCOVERIES.

I have thus rapidly sketched out our movements since June 28, 1887. I
v/ish I had the leisure to furnish more details, but I cannot find the time. I
write this amid the hurry and bustle of departure, and amid constant interrup-
tions. You will, however, have gathered from this letter an idea of the nature
of the country traversed by us. We were 160 days in the forest — one continuous
unbroken, compact forest. The grass land was traversed by us in eight days. The
limits of the forest along the edge of the grass land are well marked. We
saw it extending north-easterly, with its curves and bays and capes, just like
a sea-shore. South-westerly it preserved the same character. North and south
the forest areu extends from Nyangwe to the southern borders of the Monbutto ;
east and west it embraces all from the Congo, at the mouth of the Aruwimi,
to about east longitude 29 deg. — 40 deg. How far west beyond the Congo the
forest reaches I do not know., The superficial extent of the tract thus de-
scribed — totally covered by forest — is 246,oof ■ square miles. North of the Congo,
between Upoto and the Aruwimi, the forest embraces another 20,000 square
miles.

Between Yambuya and Nyanza we came across five distinct languages. The
last is that which is spoken by the Wanyoro, Wanyankori, Wanya Ruanda,
Wahha, and people of Karangwe and Ukerewe.

The land slopes gently from the crest of the plateau above the N'yanza
down to the Congo River from an altitude of 5,500 feet to 1,400 feet above the
sea. North and south of our track, through the grass land, the face of the
laud was much broken by groups of cones or isolated mounts or ridges. North
we saw no land higher than about 6,000 feet above the sea, but bearing 250
deg. magnetic, at the distance of about 50 miles from our camp on the N'yanza,
we saw a towering mountain, its summit covered with snow, and probably 17,000
feet or 18,000 feet above the sea. It is called Ruwenzori, and will probably
prove a rival to Kilimanjaro. I am not sure that it may not prove to be the
Gordon Bennett Mountain in Gambaragara, but there are two reasons for
doubting it to be the same — first, it is a little too far west for the position of
the latter as given by me in 1876; and secondly, we saw no snow on the Gordon
Bennett. I might mention a third, which is that the latter is a perfect cone
apparently, while the Ruwenzori is an oblong mount, nearly level on the summit,
with two ridges extending north-east and south-west.

I have met only three natives who have seen the lake towards the south.
They agree that it is large, but not so large as the Albert N'yan;.d.

.31

482

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

The Ariivvimi becomes known as the Suhali about 100 miles above Yambuva;
as it nears the Nepoko it is called the Nevoa; beyond its confluence with the
Nepoko it is known as the No-Welle ; 300 miles from the Congo it is called
the Itiri, which is soon changed into the Ituri, which name it retains to its
source. Ten minutes' march from the Ituri waters we saw the N'yanza, like a
mirror in its immense gulf.

EMIN PASHA'S FORCES.

Before closing my letter let me touch more at large on the subject which
brought me to this land, viz : Eniin Pasha.

The Pasha has two battalions of regulars under him — the first consistiuti
of about 750 rifles, occupies Duffili, Honyu, Lahore, Muggi, Kirri, Bedden, Rejaf;
the second battalion, consisting of 640 men, guard the stations of Wadelai,
Fatiko, Mahagi and Mswa, a line of communications along the N'yanza and Nile
about 180 geographical miles in length. In the interior, west of the Nile, he
retains three or four small stations — fourteen in all. Besides these two battalions
he has quite a respectable force of irregulars, sailors, artisans, clerks, servants.
"Altogether," he said, " if I consent to go away from here we shall have about
8,000 people with us." ,

I replied, " Were I in your place I would not hesitate one moment or be a
second in dou1 ' about what to do."

" What you say is quite true," he responded, " but we have such a large
number of women and children, probably 10,000 people altogether. How can
they all be brought out of here ? We shall want a great number of carriers."

" The women must walk. It will do' them more good than harm. As for
the little children, load them on the donkeys. I hear you have about 200 of
them. Your people will not travel very far for the first month, but little by
little they will get accustomed to it. Our Zanzibar women crossed Africa on my
second expedition ; why cannot your black women do the same ? Have no fear
of them; they will do better than the men."

" They would require a vast amount of provisions for the road."

" True, but you have some thousands of cattle, I believe. Those will furnish
beef. The countries through which we pass must furnish grain and vegetable
food."

" Well, well, we will defer further talk until to-morrow."

AN ARGUMENT.

May I, 1888. Halt in camp at Nsabe. The Pasha came ashore from the
steamer Khedive about i p. m., and in a short time we commenced our conversation
again. ^lany of the arguments used above were repeated, and he said:

" What you told me yesterday has led me to think that it is best we should
retire from here. The Egyptians are very willing to leave. There are of these
about 100 men, besides their women and children. Of these there is no doubt,
and even if I stayed here I should be glad to get rid of them, because tliey

iiibuya ;
:ith the
s called
3 to its
,, like II

:t which

msistiii.c:
1, Rejaf;
Wadelai,
and Nile
Nile, he
jattalious
servants,
ive about

It or be a

h a large
How can
irriers."

As for
ut 200 of
t little by
ica on my
^e no fear

ill fiirnish
vegetable

from the
inversatiou

we should
Ire of these
no d(nibt,
cause they

(483)

484

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

undermine ray authority and nullify all my endeavors for retreat. When I
informed them that Khartoum had fallen and Gordon Pasha was slain, they
always told the Nubians that it was a concocted story, that some day we should
see the steamers ascend the river for their relief. But of the regulars who
compose the ist and 2d Battalions I am extremely doubtful; they have led such
a free and happy life here that they would demur at leaving a country where
they have enjoyed luxuries they cannot command in Egypt. The soldiers are
married, and several of them have harems. Many of the irregulars would also
retire and follow me. Now, supposing the regulars refuse to leave, you can
imagine that my position would be a difficult one. Would I be right in leaving
them to their fate ? Would it not be consigning them all to ruin ? I should
have to leave them their arms and ammunition, and on returning all discipline
would be at an end. Disputes would arise and factions would be formed. The
more ambitious would aspire to be chiefs by force, and from these rivalries would
spring hate and mutual slaughter until there would be none of them left."

" Supposing you resolve to stay, what of the Egyptians ?" I asked.

" Oh, these I shall have to ask you to be good enough to take with you."

" Now, will you. Pasha, do me the favor to ask Captain Casati if we are to
have the pleasure of his company to the sea, for we have been instructed to assist
him also should we meet ?"

Captain Casati answered through Emin Pasha :

" What the Governor Emin decides upon shall be the rule of conduct for me
also. If the Governor stays, I stay. If the Governor goes, I go."

" Well, I see, Pasha, that in the event of your staying your responsibilities
will be great."

A laugh. The sentence was translated to Casati, and the gallant captain
replied :

** Oh, I beg pardon, but I absolve the Pasha from all responsibility connected
with me, because I am governed by my own choice entirely." •

Thus day after day I recorded faithfully the interviews I had with Emin
Pasha; but these extracts reveal as much as is necessary for you to understand
the position. I left Mr. Jephson, thirteen of my Soudanese, and sent a message
to be read to the troops, as the Pasha requested. Everything else is left until I
return with the united expedition to the N'yanza.

Within two months the Pasha proposed to visit Fort Bodo, taking Mr.
Jephson with him. At Fort Bodo I have left instructions to the officers to
destroy the fort and accompany the Pasha to N'yanza. I hope to meet them all
again on the N'yanza, as I intend making a short cut to the N'yanza along a new-
road. Yours respectfully,

Henry M. Stanley,

■sHlietiik

rviHYr:-

J? '"n^ t!

' CHAPTER XXV.
Stanley's reply to his critics and description of his journey.

3 VERY great man naturally becomes a target at which jealous
k^ persons aim their shafts of venomous criticism. Mr. Stanley, im-
portant, herculean, heroic and philanthropic as have been his labors
in Africa, has not escaped the flings of contemptible critics, nor
the bites of pismires in human form. His undertaking was
^ at first cousideitJ as foolhardy, and success in the face of direful

predictions intensified the jealously of the rueful prophets who seek now to
sustain their suffering reputations by attacking Mr. Stanley's purposes and his
honor. The inspiration of these onslaughts is well known to be a savagely be-
grudging disposition which actuates so many men and makes them color-blind
to the good deeds and triumphs of others. ' i

So offensive, as they are unjust, became the criticisms upon Stanley's general-
ship, his orders, intentions, aspirations, and his conduct generally in his efforts
to relieve Emin Pasha, that he was at length moved to make a full answer to
all the harpings of these miserable fault-finders and traducers of noble reputa-
tions. In making this full reply Mr. Stanley incidentally describes, briefly it
is true, nearly the whole of his journey from Yambuya to Kavalli, as will be
seen, hence his letter is one of extraordinary interest, as well as of value. It
is as follows :

C. M. S. Station at Wsalala, South end of Lake Victoria, '

Central Africa, August 31, 1889.

My Dear De Winton. — We arrived here on the 28th inst. and found
the modern Livingstone, Mr. A. M. Mackay, safely and comfortably established
at this mission station. I had always admired Mackay. He has never joined
the missionary attacks on me, and every fact I had heard about him indicated
that I should find him an able and reliable man. When I saw him and some
of his work about here, then I recognized the man I had pleaded, in the name
of M'tesa, should to sent to him in 1875 ; the very type of a man I had de-
scribed as necessary to confirm M'tesa in his growing love for the white man's
creed.

A packet of newspaper cuttings was given to me on my arrival here.
The contents of most of them have perfectly bewildered me. I am struck with two
things, viz., the lack of common-sense exhibited by the writers, and the utter
disregard of accuracy shown. Not one seems to have considered my own letters
to the Emin Pasha Relief Committee, or my speech at the Mackinnon dinner
before starting, as worthy of regard. They do not care for the creed that I
have always professed — the one great article of faith of the working portion

(485)

486

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

of my life — "Never make a promise unless you mean to keep it;" and my
second article of faith, which ought to have been as generally known, if words
and corresponding actions may be judged — "Obey orders if you break owners."
"All I prayed for," said I at the Mackinnon dinner speech, "is that the snnic
impelling power which has hitherto guided and driven me in Africa would
accompany me in my journey for relieving Gordon's faithful lieutenant."

THE RELIEF OF EMIN PASHA EXPLAINED.

Now, in this White Pasha affair, tell me why I should budge one foot
to right or left from the straight line described to you in my letters. Kavalli's,
on the Albert N'yanza, almost due east from Yambuya — that is the objective
point, natural obstacles permitting. I have never yet departed from the princi-
ple of fulfilling my promise to the letter, where there is a responsibility attached

to it. Have
people at any
time discovered
any crankiness
in me? Then
why should
they suppose
that I, wlio ex-
pressed my
views that
Gordon diso-
beyed orders —
Gordon's wil-
fulness, you re-
ni e m b e r the
phrase in the
Mansion House
speech — would
be ten times

more disobedient and a thousand times more disloj^al, deserving of such charges
as "breach of faith," " dishonest}'," " dissimulation," by going in the direction
of Bahr Gazelle or Khartoum ? I should not have gone were it to win the
Imperial crown, unless it had been an article in the verbal bond between the
Committee and myself. The object of the expedition, as I understood it, was
simply the relief of Emin Pasha, so far as the Committee was concerned in
the undertaking, but the Egyptian Government added " and the escort of
Emin Pasha and his people to the sea, should he require it."

Now, in the Emin Pasha affair, the latest Blue Book which Lord Iddes-
leigh furnished me with, contained many expressions through Emin Pasha s
letters which seem to prove that he had faithfully maintained his post until lie
could learu from his government what its intentions were, and that he had

IN'TERRUPTION OF THK PASHA'S RRVRRIB.

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

487

force enonph with him to depart in almost any direction towards the sea if

MONUUTTO WARRIORS.

such was the government's wish: by the Congo, by Monbutto or via Langgo
Land, and Mnsai — were eqnally alike to him. Bnt on November 2, 1887, forty-

488.

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

two days before I reached the Albert N'yanza he (the Pas' a) writes to his friend
Dr. Falkin: — " Do not have any doubt about my intentions ; I do not want a rescue
expedition. Have lo fears about me. I have long made np my mind to stay."

A COLD MEETING WITH EMIN PASHA.

All this is very unsatisfactory and inexplicable. He (the Pasha) also
said he had sent searching parties in the direction 1 was supposed to come.
On December (1888) 15, 16, 17, I made inquiries of the people at the south
end of Lake Albert, and they had seen no steamer since Mason Bey's visit in
1877, consequently this absence of news of him cost us a 300-niile journey to
obtain our boat and carry her to the N'yanza. With this boat we found him
within three days. Finally he steamed up to our camp, but instead of meeting
with one who had long ago made up his mind to stay or to go away with us,
he would first have to consult his people, scattered among fifteen stations over
a large extent of country. I foresaw a long stay, but to avoid that and to give
the Pasha ample time to consider his answer and learn the wishes of his peo-
ple, I resolved to go back even to Yambuya to ascertain the fate of the rear
column of our expedition under Major Barttelot. This diffidence on the part
of the Pasha cost me another rough march of 1300 miles. When I reLuriied
to the N'yanza, after eight months' absence, it was only to find that Emin Pasha
and Mr. Jephson, one of our officers who stayed with him as a witness, had been
mode prisoners four months previous to this third arrival of ours on the N'yanza,
and that the invasion of the Pasha's province by the Mahdists had utterly up-
set everything.

When Mr. Jephson, according to command, detached himself from the
Pasha and came to me, I learned then for the first time that the Pasha had
had no province, government or soldier'' for ne;:rly three years; that he was
living undisturbed and that the people sometimes yielded to his wishes appa-
rently through mere sufferance and lack of legitimate excuse to cast him off
iitterly. But when he committed himself b}' a gust of awakened optimism to
venture into the presence of his soldiers he was at once arrested, insulted,
menaced, and imprisoned.

TIPO TIB'S ENGAGEMENT.

In relation to the subject of Major Barttelot and Tipo Tib, I have seen
more nonsense than on any other. You remember the nromise I made "to do
as much good as I could, but as little mischief as possible." Let us see how
this applied to the engagement with Tipo Tib. This man had grown rich
through his raids, which had been the boldest and best rewarded with booty of
any ever made. That error of judgment which led Captain Deane to defy tlie
Arabs for the sake of a lying woman who bad fled from her master to avoid
punishment, had irritated all the Arabs at Stanley Falls, and especially Tipo
Tib and all his relatives, friends, subjects and armed slaves. Tipo Tib was
resolved to retaliate on the Congo Free State ; he was at Zanzibar collecting
material for the most important raid of all — that is, down the Upper Congo.

,■1- ■'

1: ■

riend,
escue
stay."

) also
come.

south
isit in
ney to
id him
leetiiig
ith us,
IS over
to give
lis peo-
he rear
;he part
•e turned
a Pasha
lad been
"J'yanza,

rly up-

rom the
tsha had
he was
|es appa-
ll im off
Iniism to
fiusulted,

ive seen
"to do
I see how
twn rich
Dooty of
[defy the
]to avoid
Illy Tipo
iTib was
Jollfccting
Congo.

•f r

490

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

Who could have stopped his descent before he '-cached Stanley Pool ? Who knew
the means of the State for defence better than I did ? Therefore it was either
a fearful desolating war, or a compromise and a peace while good faith was
kept. If both parties are honest peace will continue indefinitely. To secure
Tipo Tib's honesty a salary of $150 per month is given to him. For this
trifling consideration thousands of lives are saved and their properties secured
to them. No Congo State is permitted to consolidate until it is readier with
oflFensive means than at this time.

Thank God I have long left that immature age when one becomes a
victim to every crafty rogue he meets. I am not a gushing youth, and we
may assume that Tipo Tib's prime age is far from dotage. We both did as
much as possible to gain advantage. I was satisfied with what I obtained, and

Tipo Tib se-
cured what
m o n e y he
wanted. At
the time he
agreed I feel
certain that he
was sincere in
his intentions.
You remember
your Scripture,
I dare say, and
3'ou remember
the words
"There is more
joy in heaven
over one sinner
that repentetli
than \- c r

ninety-nine that need no repentance." Who had been a greater sinner than
Tipo Tib, at least in our estimation? But he could not sin down the Con^o,
for pecuniary i.i well as for more powerful reasons, which cannot be mentioned
lest other crafty rogues take advantage of the disclosures.

THE APPOINTMENT OF BARTTELOT.

After disposing of Tipo Tib, the pirate, the freebooter, buccaneer, and
famous raider, I may say a word about poor Barttelot. He was a Major in
the British army. His very manner indicated him to be of a frank, gallant, dar-
ing, and perhaps somewhat dangerous disposition if aroused. His friends
who introduced him to me in London spoke of him in .some such terms. Tliey
named the campaigns he had been ih, and what personal .service he had per-
formed. As I looked at the Major's face I read courage, frankness, combilive-

ONE OF TIPO TIB'S SLAVE GANGS.

kuew

either
:h was

secure
•r this
jecured
;r with

raies a
and we

did as
led, and
rib se-
what
f he

d. At
inie he
1 feel

that he
ncere in
tentions.

member
icriptnre,

say,

emember
words
•e is more
heaven
lie sinner
repenteth
o V e r
iiier than
le ConRO,
uentioncd

Ineer, and
Major iu
llant, dar-
s friends
ms. They
had per-
:onibative-

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

491

ness in large quantity, and I said to these friends : " Courage and boldness are
conrnon characteristics among British officers, but of the most valuable quality
for an expedition like this I have not heard anything, I hope you can add
forbearance."

The only quality perhaps in which he was deficient was that of forbear-
ance, though I promised myself that he should have little chance to exercise
combativeness.
You must not
think this was
a defect in him.
It was merely
the result of high
spirits, youth,
and good consti-
tution. He was

•

just pining for
work. I prom-
ised him he should
have so inuCi:' of
it that he would
plead for rest.
But unfortu-
natelv, want of
sufficient vessels
to float the ex-
pedition at one
time on the upper
Congo compelled
•\\2 to leave about
one half of my
stores in charge
of Mr. Troup at
vStanley Pool, and
126 men under
Messrs. Ward
and B o 11 11 3' at
Bololo, and as

the Major was senior officer and Mr. Jameson was an African traveller of
expcriciKc, after due consideration it was concluded that no other two men
could be fittei fur the post of guarding the camp at Yambuya. \\'ith me for
the advance coliunn were Lieutenant Stairs, R. E., very intelligent and able^
Captain NcL-aon, of the Colonial feces, Mounteue}' Jephson, a civilian, to whom
work v\'as as much a vital necessity as bread, and Surgeon T. H. Parke, of

ce ?i

NATIVES OF THE BOI.OLO DISTRICT.

492

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

the A. M. D., a brilliant operator and physician. All were equally ignorant
of the Kiswahili, the language of the Zanzibaris, as Major Barttelot and Mr.
Jameson. The only two who knew the language were Messrs. Ward and Troup,
and they were not due at Yambuya until the middle of August. Would it have
been wise to have placed either Stairs, Nelson or Jephson, instead of Major Bart-
telot, the senior officer, in command of Yambuya? I feel sure you will agree
with me I made the best choice possible.

CIRCUMSTANCES LEADING TO I ARTTELOT'S DEATH.

When young officers, English, German or Belgian, come to Africa for
many months, there is no abatement of that thirst for action, that promptitude
for work, that impatience to be moving, which characterizes them at home.
Anaemia has not sapped the energies and thinned the blood. They are more
combative at this period than any other. If any quarrels or squabbles arise it
is at this time. I had to interfere twice between fire-eating young Arabs and
strong, plucky young Englishmen, who were unable to discern the dark-faced
Arab from the nigger before we reached Yambuya. Well, it just happened
that the Major, forgetting my instructions as to forbearance, met these Arab
fire eaters, and the consequence was that the Major had to employ the Syrian
Assad Ferran to interpret for him. Whether the man interpreted falsely I
know not, but a coolness arose between the high-spirited young Major and the
equally high-spirited nephew of Tipo Tib, which was never satisfactorily healed
up, and which, in the long riui, led to the ever-to-bi-regretted death of poor
Barttelot.

STANLEY'S INSTRUCTIONS TO BARTTELOT.

In the written instructions to Major Bartelot, June 24, Yambuya stockaded
ca-np, paragraph III., reads as follows :

It is the non-arrival of the goods from Stanlej- Pool and the men from
Bololo which compels me to appoint 3'ou commander of this post. But as I
shall shortly expect the arrival of a strong re-enforcement of men (Tipo Tib's
people), greatly exceeding the advance force, which must at all hazards proceed
and push on to the rescue of Emin Pasha, I hope j-ou will not be detained
longer than a few days after the departure of the Stanley on her final return
to Stanley Pool in August (say August 18, 1887, as the steamer did not arrive
in time Augrst 14).

Paragrap 1 V. — The interests now entrusted to you are of vital importance
to this expedition. All the men (Zanzibaris), who will shortly be under your
command, will consist of more than a third of the expedition. The goods are
needed for currency through the regions beyond the lakes. The loss of these
men and goods would be certain ruin to us, and the advance force itself would
need to solicit relief in its turn.

Paragraph VI. — Our course from here will be due east, or by magnetic
compass east by south. The paths may not exactly lead in that directiou at
times, but it is the north-west corner of Albert Lake, near or at Kavalli, that

)ortance
er your
ods are
)f these
i" would

*■"

-i~

BARTTEtOT ENFORCING ORDERS.

(A9i)

494

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

is our destination. . . . Our after conduct must be guided by what we shall
learn of the intentions of Emiu Pasha.

Paragraph VII. — We shall endeavor, by blazing the trees and cutting
saplings, to leave sufficient traces of the route taken by us.

Paragraph VIII — It may happen, should Tipo Tib send the full comple-
ment of men promised (700), and if the 126 men have arrived by the Stanley^
that you will feel competent to march your column along th^ route pursued by
me. In that event, which would be most desirable, we should meet before many
days. You will iind our bomas or zeribas very good guides.

Paragraph IX. — It may happen also that Tipo Tib has sent some men,
but he has not sent enough. In that event you will, of course, use your dis-
cretion as to what goods you can dispense with to enable you to march.

mzr„>Ati.:

TIPO Tib's slaves marching oirr of Stanley falls.

(List of classes of goods, according to their importance, here given. Nos.
I) 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, the highest numbers to be first thrown. away.)

If you still cannot march, then it would be better to make double
marches than throw too many away, if you prefer moving on to staying for
our arrival.

TIPO TIB'S UNRELIABILITY.

These instructions were supplemented by verbal explanations, giving per-
mission to march the very next day after the contingent from Bololo had
arrived, if he could prepare his goods in time — urgently impressing him not to
place any stress on the promises of Tipo Tib, if he failed to make an appear-
ance within a reasonable time of the promised date. His carriers were not
absolutely necessary, but they would serve to keep our men fresh for other
journeys. If Tipo Tib came, why, well and good ; if he did not come, then

HEROE.:. OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

495

be indifferent, adapt your goods to your carriers, and march on after us. The
sooner you can march the sooner we will meet. If Tipo Tib' broke his written
agreement made with me before the consul, his promises to you would be more
unreliable. When you last saw him, he promised to come within nine days-
that date will be over day after to-morrow. If he comes any time before thr
arrival of the Stanley all will be well ; but if he does not come by that time it
will prove that the man never intended to keep his promise. Do not bother
your mind about him, but come along with what you can — ammuniticr, beads,
cloth, private luggage, and European provisions. If you make double marches
of four or six miles a day, you will do very we]l, etc.

The Major rose up in his frank, impetuous manner, and said: "By
George, that's my style. I will stop very few days indeed after the people
from Bololo come up. I wouldn't stop longer for anything." Unfortunately,
tantalizing delays, accompanied by constant fair promises on the part of the
Arabs, prevented the forward movement, with what unfortunate results to thr
expedition and to the rear column is too well known to be again referred to here.

MISREPRESENTATIONS ABOUT CANNIBALISM. ' uV

In regard to atrocities reported on the Congo, I do not know who made
the horrible statement that I have seen connected with the names of Majoi
Barttelot and Jameson. It is inconceivable nonsense — a sensational canard.
The Rev. Wilmot Brooke has written a letter to the Times about atrocities on the
Aruwimi. There is one part of a sentence which reads as follows : " Eye-wit-
nesses, both English and Arab, have assured me that it is a common thing, which
they themselves have seen on passing through the Manyuema camp, to see human
hands and feet sticking out of their cooking pots."

The question I should like to ask here is, "Who are those English who have
seen this curious sight — hands and feet sticking out of cooking pots ?" Mr. Wilmot
Brooke is an independent missionary seeking for a nest. It must be that there
is something of an *' untravelled " look about him for him to have been chosen
as the recipient of this interestingly sensational item. I would not mind guaran-
teeing that "those English" are as undiscoverable as Prester John's traditional
crown. I have had 150 so-called Manyuema, or rather Wasongora, and Wakusu
slaves of Manyuema headmeji with me — Tipo Tib's people — some twelve months
now, and not one Englishman has seen anything of the kind.

Is Mr. Wilmot Brooke, or is it Assad Ferran, the author of that tale, that
an execution of a woman was delayed by Jameson or Barttelot that a photo-
grapher might make ready his apparatus ? Would it surprise you to know that
there was no photograph apparatus of even the smallest kind within 500 miles of
Stanley Falls or the camp at Yambuya, north, south, east, or west, at that time
or at any time near that date.

But I might go on at this rate forever with the " infinite finite " nonsense
I find in print in these scraps. Major Barttelot did punish men twice with
severity, but, singular as it may seem, the white person who accused him was

(496)

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

497

present on both occasions during the flogging scene — he never even protested ;
the second time he gave his verdict — death — at a fair trial, and signed the docu-
ment consigning him to instant doom.

I have had to execute four men during our expedition ; twice for stealing
rifles, cartridges, and broken loads of ammunition ; one of the Pasha's people for
conspiracy, theft, and decoying about 30 women belonging to the Egyptians,
besides for seditious plots — court martialed by all ofiicers, and sentenced to be
hung ; a Soudanese soldier, the last, who deliberately proceeded to a friendly
tribe and began shooting at the natives. One man was shot dead instantly,
and another was seriously wounded. The chiefs came and demanded justice, the
people were mustered, the murderer and his companions were identified, the
identification by his companions confirmed, and the murderer was delivered ta
them, according to the law, ' blood for blood.' Yours very faithfully,

Henry M. Stani^ey.

m 1

I 1

CHAPTER XXVI.

ADVENTURES ON THE ROUTE.

iHE descripiion which Stanley gives of his jou-ney from Yanibuya
to Kavalli, on Lake Albert, is in the nature of a report to a
scientific body, and therefore, while reciting the perils of the
march, it does not descend to the particulars of adventures,
which he reserved for subsequent description, for publication
as well as to add exciting interest to the letters which he wrote
from Africa to his friends. It was my good fortune to be able
to secure facts from his correspondence, and to add here the principal adven-
tures of his most memorable journey.

As an explorer, whose chief mission, while philanthropic, was hardly less an
ambition to familiarize himself with new regions, Stanley could not afford to dis-
regard even the traditions respecting
the country lying along the Aruwimi
river, especially since, th^ ugh possi-
bly idle stories, they were evidently
grounded firmly in the beliefs of
both Arabs and natives of all Central
Africa. By this careful attention to
beliefs, as well as critical observation,
he has been able to give us much
information about tribes which have
never before been brought to the
notice of even ethnologists, much
less to the great mass of people. To
features of his march not described mustering of the hostilks.

in his letter to the Relief Committee we must therefore now address ourselves.

CRUEL DEVICES ADOPTED BY THE NATIVES.

Among other difficulties en-ountered on the journey, Stanlej^ says that very
shortly after the expedition departed from Yanibuya the members were initiated
into the subtleties of savage warfare. Among other arts practised by the natives
for annoying strangers was that of filling shallow pits with sharpened splinters,
or skewers, deftly covered over with leaves. For barefooted people the results
were terrible ; and ten men were wounded by these skewers, which would often
perforate the foot quite through, or the tops would be buried in the feet, pro-
ducing gangrenous sores.

(498)

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

499

To these distressful annoyances, or more properly murderous obstructions,
complaint is added against swarming insects, such as gnats, flies and ants, which
in some places attacked the expedition in such numbers and with such venom

DWBI>I.INGS OF TRIBES BBI<OW NEJAMBI RAPIDS.

ous bites as forced the men to throw down their burdens and fight for life.

The mornings along the river were generally lowering and very sombre,
everything being buried in thick mist, which frequently did not clear off until
nearly noon. While this lasted the air was still as death, and gave the insects

ii.:ii;:i

\ m

ill

500

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

opportunity for foraging off every living thing. When the sun came out, and
the breeze sprung up, the small winged creatures fled away to the deep forests
and settled.

The Nejambi Rapids marked the division between two different kinds of
architecture and language. Below were the cone huts ; above were villages long
and straight, of detached square huts surrounded by tall logs of wood, whicli
added materially to the strength of the village. But all the villages were hostile,

and were also
armed with
strong bows from
which poisoned
arrows were dis-
charged with
deadly effect.
Stanley and his
officers became
much exercised
as to what might
be the poison on
the heads of the
arrows by whicli
Lieutenant Stairs
and several
others were
wounded, and
from the effects
of which fourdiecl
almost directly.
During a halt at
Arisibba several
packets of dried
red-ants were
found, and the
secret was out.

EI.KVATi;U UWEI.L,INGS ALONf. TIUC ARUWIMI. TllC bodicS of

these insects were dried, ground into powder, cooked in palm oil, and smcarea
on the arrow tips, and thus the deadly irritant, b}- which so many men had
been lost after the most terrible suffering, was conveyed into the arrow wounds.
This poison is so potent that it is forbidden to prepare it near a village.

Stanley also mentions having seen immense piles of oyster shells on several j
islands in the Aruwimi, though this peculiar species of bivalves is not now found
living in the river. He also notes a curious means employed by the natives in
clearing the forests of tall white-stemmed trees characteristic of the Lower Congo,

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

501

which is by building a platform about the trees, ten, fifteen, and even twenty
feet high, and then cutting off the trunk at that height. The purpose of this
most singular practice could not be discovered, except that the natives considered
too much labor involved in the clearing out of trunks and stumps, and therefore
thought all useful means were accomplished by the lopping off of that portion
of the tree whose foliage would give too much shade to what they planted. Nor
is this theory without reason, for in Africa land has no ownership, and the
tribes are usually migratory. A single, or at most two crops are harvested by
one family on the same ground in many districts, hence a thorough clearing
cannot be afforded. Stanley also incidentally notes having seen occasional huts
built on piles, and even stumps of trees, at a considerable elevation, but does
not give us the reasons for this kind of architecture.

EXCITING SPORT ON THE ARUWIMI.

While a much larger part of the journey toward Kavalli was made on land,
along the river shore, yet in several instances large canoes, called ntiggers^ were
procurable at native villages, and in these the expedition travelled until an inter-
ruption in the navigation compelled a return to the land. Canoes were always
hard to obtain, and in nearly all cases where they could be hired the owners

would not allow them to be
taken beyond a few miles. It
is true, Stanley had a suffi-
ciently well-armed force with
him to take by violence what
he was unable to secure by
purchase, but his was a peace-
ful mission, and he avoided, even to the point of seeming cowardice, collisions
with the natives, in no instance beginning an attack, and always resorting to
every possible means for evading a fight even in his own defence. Notwith-
standing his sufferance, however, he was forced many times to make a vigorous
defence to avoid destruction at the hands of violently hostile tribes who opposed
every conceivable impediment at their command to Ins advance.

The short relays of canoes that were obtainable gave great relief to the
weary and footsore travellers, besides often affording exciting sport to the hunters
and venturously inclined members of the expedition. The river has little cur-
rent, on which account, as well as the few disturbances of the ancient quiet of
tliat region, it is made the haunt of great numbers of hi-popotami and croco
diles, while monkeys of many varieties are to be constantly seen in wanton
gambols among the trees that line the banks. Being well supplied with arms
and ammunition, Stanley and his lieutenants found much amusement shooting
the larger game from the canoes; and even their Arab auxiliaries, who generally
maintained a melancholy mien, threw off their sullenness for an occasional hunt
along the shores.

Many times during the trip the party were sorely pressed for food, and were

A SCHOOU OF HIl'l'Dl-OTAMl

'1!

S'i

■^^Sfe&^^feife^g^^

502

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

forced to many expedients to obtain it. The natives were generally very poor
themselves, and while having little to sell, were even less inclined to furnish
food to strangers. Hunting, too, was frequently a doubtful resource, because
while in certain sections game was abundant, in others there seemed to be no
animal life whatever. The Arabs — about a dozen having followed the expedi-
tion after Tipo Tib left it at Stanley Falls — fared worse than the others, because
of their religious scruples about eating hippopotamus flesh, which they regard
as unclean. But the gnawing pangs of hunger finally overcame the proscrip-
tion of creed and belief, so that they were brought to partake of the forbidden
food. It was a ludicrous sight to Christians to see a lay Mohammedan acting

ULESSINQ THK DEAD MODY OF' A HIPPOPOTAMUS.

the part of priest and blessing the dead body of a hippopotamus preparatory to
making a feast, and in the ceremony to see so strong a religious barrier destroyed.
A common affliction does indeed make us all brothers.

A HIPPOPOTAMUS ADVENTURE.

The monotony of ruthless slaughter, which had continued for several days.
was at last disturbed by an exciting incident in which Lieutenant Stairs figured
more conspicuously than even his adventure-loving disposition desired. Slow
progress was being made by some of the party on shore while others were poliui,^
and paddling at equally slow pace in a half-dozen nuggers. Stairs being in the
lead, and Stanley following in his steel whale boat, the Advavcc. In a consider-
able cove, where the ri\'er had once made a turn and then swept back again into

^^Sgj

■^ms&^f^i' ■:vvr

masmmm

504

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

its former channel, leaving a lialf-stagnant elbow, several hippopotami were seen
sporting, and decision was immediately made to attack them. Stairs pushed
forward, his approach being hidden by a jutting point, until he had gained a
position sufficiently near to permit an effective shot. The nugger was now
brought round to an unexpected meeting with a large cow hippopotamus, which
Stairs fired at and badly wounded. In its violent struggles the animal turned

canoe w

NATIVKS PREPARINC. A FHAST OK SNAKK-FI.KSH.

over and over in the shallow place until its movements excited the compassion
of its companions, three of which cauie charging to the rescue, with one
uncommouly large bull in the lead. The shallowness of the water prevented
the huge animals from diving and coming up under the canoe, as is their custom,
and forced them to make the approach in full view. Thus when the bnll,
re-enforced by its almost equally dangerous companions, came rushing towards the

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

S05

canoe with wide open mouth, Stairs opened fire upon it, but to so little effect that
the arnnal was not checked, whili its rage was greatly increased. The othe^
three, however, were frightened by the discharge of the gun and made off in
great haste, leaving their leader to fight the battle alone. The bull, whose head
now presented a horrible sight by reason of his gaping jaws, red and frothing,
with blood pouring from three wounds that seemed to be discharging their flood
directly into his mouth, came charging onto the canoe, which it actually seized
and would have torn in pieces together with the occupants had not those following
behind in the other canoes come up at this juncture and poured an' effectual
broadside of shots into the mad monster. The result, however, was a badly
broken canoe, and an impromptu bath by Stairs, who had leaped out of the
boat when he saw the enemy's mouth apparently opened to receive him.

AMONG THE CFOCODILES.

Along the Aruwimi, especially in the more desert regions, where famines
are said to be frequent, the natives are omnivorous in their diet, eating every
kind of animal
food, not except-
ing human
flesh, croco-
diles, monkeys,
snakes, lizards
and worms.
The snake-
eaters are par-
ticularly repul-
sive in their
appearance no
less than in
their habits ;
for not only is
their food most
vile but their

filth and squalor novul, MiiANb of killing crocodiles.

are equally so. A group of these miserable people gathci-ed about a fire, cooking
their evening meal of snakes and li/.ards is a sight not only appalling but one
at once so disgusting and loathsome that we sorrow because all mankind is
made of one likeness.

Having no effective arms with which to hunt the crocodiles, some of the
Aruwimi tribes exercise a cunning expedient to effect the capture of these
dangerous reptiles. It requires a cool head and steady nerves to put the plan
into practice, but these requirements are seldom wanting among savage people.
Tlie native hunter, when he seeks this kind of game, takes with him a very
simple arm, being only a thick stick some ten inches long, through which runs

5o6

HEROEvS OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

a slender piece of iron sharply pointed at both ends. Finding his quarry asleep
along some sedgy bank, he cautiously and noiselessly approaches until within a
dozen feet or more of the crocodile. The hunter now drops down into a prostrate
position and crawls carefully along towards the reptile's mouth. When within
three or four feet he makes a peculiar clucking noise, which arouses the
crocodile but does not alarm it. His motions are now such that thi creature

believes a meal to be near at hand and
turns his head to seize the prey ; at this
moment the hunter thrusts his instrument
into the mouth of the crocodile, who seizes
it with avidity only to find itself helpless
to do any harm with its teeth. Gener-
ally the pain caused by the sharp points
of the weapon makes the crocodile very
angry and in its rage pursues the hunter.
In this case the creature only hastens
its doom, for the hunter can easily keep
out of reach of the crocodile's tail, which
is now its only means of offence, and
when it is sufficiently far from the water
the hunter boldly seizes it and either
doubles the forelegs up over the back,
beats it to death with a club, or rips it
up with a sharp piece of iron which serves
the purpose of a knife.

Crocodiles are also caught by means
of spring-traps made by bending over a
strong sapling and attaching to the end
a vine with an iron hook fastened to it,
and a hoop so set that in reaching the
bait on the hook the creature must thrust
his head through the ring When the
bait is seized the vine is loosed from its
fastenings and up goes the sapling, lifting
the crocodile just high enough — while
the hook serves to hold him — to leave
him dancing on his hind legs ivud tail,
and strangulation ends his troubles in the course of an hour.

This same means of catching the crocodile is employed by a half-dozen tribes of
South American Indians, and it is also used by some of the people in South Africa.

THE WAMBUTTI DWARFS.

It will be remembered that in Stanley's first trip across the Continent, as
lie came near the upper waters of the Congo he met an Arab caravan under

A CROCODILE SNARE.

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

507

Tipo Tib, which he engaged to escort him a considerable distance ; that the great
Arabian chief told the intrepid explorer a wonderful story about a race of dwarfs
towards the north with whom he had once come in contact much to his own cost.
The reader will also recall to mind the fact that while making his way down
the Congo Stanley had the fortune to capture a member of the pigmy tribe, but
was not able to elicit any information from him beyond the simple fact that he,
like all others of his people, was a cannibal.

The story of Tipo Tib received partial confirmation in the capture thus
made, and also in the harrowing fears of Kabba Rega, wno assured Stanley that
there was a race of dwarfs living somewhere to the west of Unyoro of the most
violently vindictive dispositions, and
who, besides possessing surprising ^^
courage, were always murderously
inclined and capable of doing the
greatest mischief. For these Kabba
Rega entertained such a fear that he
spoke of them as he would of aveng
ing spirits, with powers of the super-
natural.

That these fearful stOil;s were
a superstructure of fable built upon
a small base of facts is not surpris-
ing, and it is with no wonder there-
fore that Stanley found them to be
so. But the pigmies are certainly a
verity, and even this much excites
our liveliest interest to know some- [^
thing dbout them. The tribe, called
Wambuttis, occupy a considerable
district lying on both sides of the
Aruwimi, and nearly midway between
Yambuya and Albert Lake. Their
average height is certainly not more,
perhaps less, than three feet, but occasionally specimens of the tribe may be
seen five feet in height, while there are as many of the exceptionally short
that scarcely exceed two feet ; a majority of them are slighllj' under three
feet. But though short of stature they are uncommonly muscular and are also
very ingenious, particularly in working iron. Their chief weapons are bows and
arrows, the former being occasionally made of steel and the latter invariably tipped
with metal. The few bows, indeed the only one seen that was made of steel,
seemed to be rather experimental than practical, for it was too stift' for even the
strongest man to draw effectively. But it is very interesting to know that the tribe
make and work steel, which is a most uncommon thing in Central Africa.

A DWARF WATCH TOWER.

5o8

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

CUSTOMS AND APPEARANCE OF THE DWARFS.

The Wambuttis are fishers and hunters and pursue both callings with
great success. In hunting the largest game they go in considerable bodies,
surxounding such animals as the elephant and literally worrying it to death by
persistent pursuit and the shooting of hundreds of arrow3 into it. They possess
considerable quantities of ivory as trophies of the hunt, r"d they manifest no
small ingenuity in carving it into fantastic designs for bracelets, anklets, arm-
lets, and even necklaces.

Contrary, however, to tradition, the Wambuttis do not wear beards, and in
all respects they have the negroid characteristics of woolly hair, black eyes,

thick lips, flat nose

and large mouth.
They are certainly
very courageous, but
not nearly so vin-
dictive and cun-
ningly cruel as
Kabba Rega and
Tipo Tib repre-
sented; but that
they are guilty of
cannibalism there
wap not wanting
the strongest evi-
dence. H u m a n
skulls were fre-
quently to be seen
on poles about their
villages and in a
single instance a
fairly well-cured
human arm was seen
hanging to the out-
side wall of a hut.
It bore the appear-

DWARF SHOOTINO SOCIABi^R WRAVBR BIKTIS. aUCC of liaviug beCH

smoked for a considerable time, but none of the villagers could be induced
to talk about ?iiy of their habits. In fact, there was no one in the expedition
who could unuerstand their language.

While the Wambuttis are evidently extremely barbaric, and no doubt prac-
tise cruelties which distinguish all barbarous tribes, yet Stanley had ocular
proof of the facl that they also possess the most admirable traits of character
and are moved by the instincts of love. There was no evidence of polygamy,

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

509

WAILING OVER THE BODY OF A DWARF CHILD.

while the domestic ties were evidently very strong. Each family resided
together in an elevated hnt that was thatched with grass and carried up in a

cone shape to a ^-^ S^^^ . ~^ =* '* J^

sharp point, or " '' — . ^

central support,

which projected

several feet above

the crown of the

roof. During a

short stay at one

of the villages a

child of one of

the natives died,

and Stanley saw

the evidences of

intense grief

which the event

caused. The mother appeared to be crazed by her sorrow and had to be re-
strained by her friends from committing some desperate act. Another woman,

probably the grandmother, judged by
her appearance, took the dead body
upon her lap and poured out a liba-
tion of tears and wailings that was
deeply affecting to behold.

The disposition of their dead is
similar to that practised by the Sioux-
Indians, the bodies being placed in
rude coffins, frequently made from
the hollow of trees cut of a proper
length and closed at the ends, and
then deposited on scaffolds, where
they are secure from wild beasts.

THE QUIMBANDES.

Beyond the dwarfs, or nearer Lake
Albert, lives an exceedingly fine ap-
pearing tribe called the Quimbandes,
who are chiefly noted for their physical
symmetry and the peculiar manner
in which they drees the hair. Their
GATHERING HONEY. oulv clothiug is SL uarrow leathern

girdle about the loins from which hangs, before and behind, a strip of hide,
or cloth when procurable. But while they bestow small attention to their

•--**'''«**.«fe-Aj<i<ffeis

51"

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

bodies, infinite care is evidently taken with the hair, quite as much, indeed,
as is bestowed by the Manyuenias. Some are to be seen with the hair tiglitly
rolled, with bright feathers rising out of a chignon, while the more fastidious
contrive by some artful means to arrange the hair, by plaiting and twistiiijj,
iiito the form of a Roman helmet, while yet others present the appearance of
wicker-work.

The Quimbandes are an indolent people, whose only known manufacture is
willow baskets. They live chiefly by fishing, but vary their diet of fish by
eating various insects, notably the locust, — our grasshopper — which is highly
esteemed by them. They also gather considerable quantities of honey, as

THIJ DWARFS' MANNHR OK DISPOSING OF THUIR DEAD.

large stores were invariably found in their villages. Their houses are miser-
able pretences, made by setting xip a few poles \vith a rack on top, which is
then covered with loose grass. A ludicrous scene wa. precipitated by Mr.
Williams, when he attempted to photograph a group of females who mistook
his camera for a magic gun.

A TRIBE WITH TAILS.

Adjoining the Quimbandes is another peculiar tribe almost equally sym-
metrical in form and greatly resembling the Bongos, but Stanley has neglected
to give us even their local designation, though from a photograph we have

^"T'-^r-r^frr-^r-^-^'f^-'-r- '^mmmmtrnmimmm

QUIMBAND&S WOMBN.

(5")

512

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

been able to make an excellent illustration. They wear scarcely as much
clothing as their neighbors, nor do they bestow any care on the hair, leaving
it to run riot like the indifferent pure Africans that they are. But they never-
theless hj.ve some idea of decoration, though it develops, to our tastes, in an
increasing unsightliness rather than an improvement. The women affect tiic
pelele, or lip ring, like some of the South American tribes, and by inserting
a bit of ivory in the lower lip giadually enlarge the wound until pieces of
bone, wood, or ivory, more than an inch in diameter, may be inserted and
worn. Besides this singular, so-called ornament, they wear a cincture of hide,
with a bundle of grass tied in front to serve the traditional purpose of fig-

SCARED BY MR. WltLIAMS' CAMERA.

leaves, and a cow-tail hangs from the belt behind, which led to the belief
among ti^avellers that they had natural tails. The wrists and ankles are in-
variably encumbered b}' numerous iron rings, a form of jewelry that is strik-
ingly common among savage people.

Unlike the Quimbandes, these neighbors are an agricultural people, and
are also somewhat pastoral, though their herds of cattle and sheep are always
very small. They raise grain and tobacco and give considerable attention to
poultry. Their dwellings are pretentiou? in size, but are so fragile in con-
struction and material as to serve only g, short time; either a fire burns them

.^^^%
^

&?i

mr^

belief

are in-

strik-

le, and
always
ition to
in con-
is tliem

TYPES OF A TRIB5 LIVING NEIGHBORS TO THE QUIMBANDES.

(513)

514

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

or a wind-storm soon destroys them. They are made almost entirely of grass
and bear a strikinjj; resemblance to a larjj^e wheat stack, except that the apex
instead of being pointed, is made to assume a bushy appearance.

THE MTEITA.

Still further eastward is the M'teita
tribe, who are a picturesque people
by reason of the numerous gewgaws
the women especially affect, which, while
they do not clothe or conceal the body,
certainly do highly decorate.

The women are of pleasing features
and often real pretty, even to the critical
eye of an American. They are espe-
cially fond of bead-work and the belles
ornament their bodies with strings of
various colored beads wound round and
round the waist, breast, neck and head.
In front is worn a lappet of cloth or
skin, also decorated with beads, and the
buttock is covered with a piece of fringed
cloth, while the arms and legs bear a
very burden of rings made of ivory,
iron, and occasionally of copper. The
men are not nearly so vain and are con-
tent with a plain piece of cloth about
the loins — in this respect being more
modest than the women — ^v\d sometimes
a necklace of either beads or a small
_^^^^^^ bit of leather with some equally simple
ornament strung upon it.

The M'teita do a little farming and
raise a few goats and sheep, but they
are chiefly traders and as such travel
considerably in Uganda, Unyoro, Usoga,
^ and other kingdoms about Albert Lake.
v.>^""j.~i^^ "^^ They construct very crude dwellings of
grass, and with this crudeness is also
found an utter lack of comfort or convenience, the floors having no covering
except a thin layer of grass, which is not changed often enough to prevent a
very foul odor, while the sides of thatch are so loose as to freely admit iwth
wind and rain. But for all this they appear to be a conteuted, and certainly
a hospitable people.

A DANDY.

AN M'TEITA MAN AND WOMAN.

(515)

CHAPTER XXVII.

THE APPROACH TO LAKE ALBERT.

TANLEY'S approach to Lake Albert was indicated hy not only
a marked improvement in the natives, whose proximity to the
semi-civilized lake tribes had produced a distinct influence
for their betterment, but also the change was clearly notice-
able in the ganiv , which became gradually more plentiful. As
Stanley has sa:d, a considerable part of the journey was
made through an almost desert region, which was not only
an untrodden wilderness, but one in which nature had with-
held her bounty. Very frequently the expedition was
reduced to such desperate stiaits, for v.'ant of food, that the men were almost
ready to excuse the practice of cannibr.lism among the people whose homes had
to be made in such a country. Stanley mentions an incident somewhat ludi-
crous in its aspect, to illustrate the hunger from which the whole expedition
suffered. He had bravely endured the pri^^ntions in common with his men,
and went on an allowance so small that his strength became much im-
paired. On one occasion he .«>ubsisted for an entire day on a single small
box of sardines, and in the evening, seated alone in a place where he hardly
expected to be observed, he ate the last little fish and then licked the oil out
of the can as clean as ever a starving animal picked a bone. But what was
his astonishment when at last he threw the empty box away to see three natives,
who had been secretly watching him, make a violent '^^cramble for it, and in the
struggle for its possession they fought as do hungry dogs over a piece of meat.
At length the stronger one secured the box and spent quite half an hour, both
smelling and licking it, just as Stanley himself had done. Possibly the tin
attracted their admiration, but certain it is that they would have prized, at that
time, its former contents much more, for hunger was plainly stamped on their
pinched features.

CHEER UP, BOYS !

As the country became more park-like the spirits of those composing the
expedition grew buo3Mnt. All the way Stanley had sought to sustain their
courage by many promises both of rewards and assurances that the hardships
would soon be at an end. His words were always, "Cheer up, boys, it is only
a short distance to the station where we shall find plenty." Thus so cheerful
did he always himself appear, as did also his lieutenants, that the influence on
the carriers was such as to keep them on the march. To turn back and go
rgain through the desert wilderness was not to be thought of, hence the men

(516)

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

517

could hardly consider any other alternative than that which lay before them, but
many more would no doubt have fallen exhausted by the way had not Stanley
appealed to their courage as he did. At one place, however, there was a mu-
tiny which but for Stanley's prompt action in visiting upon the leader a swift
punishment by his own hand, might have proven quite serious. But when the
leader went down under a blow from the handle of the great leader's axe, the
others, only half persuaded to make resistance, quickly resumed their burdens
and thenceforth continued obediently on.

A show of force is the best preventive of actual violence, and the native
Africans never respect a man so much as the one who shows determination.

STARVATION PRHCiriTATKS A SCRAMBI.K.

This knowledge is what induced Stanley to take with him a Maxim gun, quite
as much as the possible need for it. A mere exhibition of its dreadful de-
structiveness would serve to over-awe the natives, and therefore vStanley had not
really expected to have to put it to a deadly use, unless it should be necessary
against well-armed and hostile Arabs, who it was not unlikely would be met,
or against the Mahdi's forces who were believed to have Emin Pasha a prisoner.
But with his keen perception of every situation, and his great forbearance,

518

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

Stanley was not forced to slaughter the natives, and drove his way through the
darkest regions with a very small sacrifice of human life.

CHARGE OF A MAD BUFFALO.

As the expedition reached the hills that overlook the great lake basin.
which is about twenty-five miles wide, game began to appear, and to procure a

STANI<KY HNfORCING ORDKRS.

supply of fresh meat, a hunting party was organized to mnke a drive among:
the buifaloes, several of which had been seen. The main force, and the carriers,
continued on the route, while Stanley, Nelson and Parke, with a dozen beaters,
Started on the hunt, intending to move parallel with the marching caravan-

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

519

They had covered several miles before a herd was discovered in a position
favorable for an attack, as they did not wish to be led away any considerable

A BUFFALO'S MAD CHARGE.

distance from the column. At length a drove was descried less than a mile
off 'to the right, and the beaters were sent out .to get on the far side and drive
them in. They accomplished their purpose so well that the buffaloes headed

520

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

directly for the huuters whc had dropped down iu the grass out of sight of the
game. On they came at great speed until withiu a few yards, when the three
hunters rose up and delivered a volley that killed two cows and severely
wounded a bull. But the latter kept on at a thunderous pace and, as if blinded
by its wound, drove directly for the column of carriers. The mad animal was
discovered when it was perhaps a hundred yards off, when immediately there
was an excitement that did not wait for the order to break ranks. Every man
for the moment was an independent out of file and the hurried manner of their
wild, distracted retreat was as laughable to the disinterested spectator as it was
serious to those in flight. Burdens were dropped with extraordinary prompt-

A RHINOCEROS CREATES CONSTERNATION.

ness and each man prepared to climb who could find a tree, while others just
ran any way under an impromptu call to find another place. The bull perhaps
never thought of making an attack, though its lowered head and high-flying
tail certainly looked very dangerous, but it passed on through the broken ranks
and out of sight without making any other demonstration.

LOOK OUT FOR THE RHINOCEROS!

Most singular to relate, on the next day the experience with the wounded
buffalo was repeated almost identically with a black rhinoceros. The hunters
had, been shooting antelopes, when a rhinoceros was jumped, at which Parke
made a shot bringing the animal to its knees, the bullet having no doubt struck

■MM

HEROES OF THF DARK CONTINENT.

521

the animal in the shoulder; but on the next instant it was up again and
became a target for Stanley, who fired an ineffectual shot, which struck it too
high on the back to penetrate the armor-like hide. The rhinoceros now had
his anger up, but instead of turning to attack, which they seldom do, tore away
and went " whoof-whoofing " towards the moving column, less than half a mile
distant. The scare of the preceding day was yet fresh, and the sight of a charg-
ing rhinoceros filled the cava'cade with a terror which may not even be con-
ceived, much less described. Down went the packs with the violence of extreme
.haste, and away went the carriers with a swiftness truly astonishing, every man
for himself in tumultuous eagerness to reach safety first. The animal, seeing
Jiis supposed enemy in retreat, took courage and tossed one of the bundles on
ihis horn, but did no further damage, taking himself off into the brush with this
isingle exhibition of his temper.

' fMv^'^ ■ ^ DISAPPOINTMENT.

i At length Stanley and his party sighted Lake Albert, and the end of the
toilsome and perilous journey was at an end, at least for the time being. In
Stanley's letter, found on preceding pages, is contained a description of the
arrival at Kavalli, the station on Lake Albert, and an expression of his dis-
jappointment in his failure to meet with Emin Pasha, and his inability to
procure boats to go in search of him. To this description I may add a few
facts which Stanley has since reported by private letter. His men were so
pverjoyed at the sight of the lake, where food and rest were promised, that
regardless of their heavy burdens the carriers ran at their top speed, and as
the day was very hot, some of them actually sped down the hill and into
the lake, so eager were they for the relaxation and enjoyment which its
clear cool waters offered. A stop was made of some hours on the banks,
•during which the eutire expedition, of men women and children, indulged the
incomparable pleasure of a delightful bath, in which the interest ^vas so charm-
ing that every past misery was forgotten.

A RETURN TO THE ARUWIMI. '"

After sporting in the refreshing waters for a time the expedition entered
Kavalli and remained there for nearly two weeks, Stanley all the while using
every possible effoi't to procure boats to go on to Wadelai, and hoping all the
while that news of his arrival would reach Emin and result in a meeting.
But as Stanley has so graphically reported, all his efforts and hopes were in
vain so that there appeared to be nothing for him to do but retrace his ."teps
to Banal aya, on the Aruwinii, (also called the Ituri) river where he had left
his steel steam launch, as that was the only craft that could be obtained.
Jephson had been sent on with an escort, by land, to Wadelai, which was known
to be Eniin's headquarters, some time before, and Stanley felt that by communi-
cating a knowledge of his proximity to Albert Lake and his purpoi,e to afford
relief, that Emin would send ^ne of his steamers to Kavalli to await him. In
ithis belief, Stanley gave direction to a Kavallis chief to report his intentions

(S'2^

A WII,D RUSH INTO THE I,AKB.

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

525

and then prepared to plungt again into the wilderness which promised a repeti-
tion cf all the perils and dreadful hardships through which he had just passed.
His carriers were only induced to accompany him by his agreement to pay
them very large rewards, and by threats of punishment in case of their
refusal. . -

This return journey was accomplished in the manner already partly told, as
also the third march which took him back to Yambuya in search of the rear
column. To the descriptions previously given, however, I am permitted to add
further particulars from Stanley letters just to hand.

After Stanley's return to Kavalli with the steam launch he still was un-
able to reach Emin, because in the mean time Emin had been to that station
and went away almost immediately without informing the Kavalli chief of his
intended destination, and particularly because reliable information, in the form
of letters from Jephson, reached him giving a brief account of a Mahdi upris-
ing that had occurred in the mean time which had resulted in the capture of
both Emin and Jephson, who were then held prisoners at Wadelai. Stanley's
force at Kavalli was too small to cope with so powerful an antagonist as the
Mahdi, so he hurriedly left Kavalli again for Yambuya to bring up the rear
column, with which additional force he hoped to be able to effect a rescue
of Emin and Jephson, even should a battle be necessary.

DEPLORABLE CONDITION OF THE REAR COLUMN.

Writing from a village called Kaffurro, on the Kargagwe river, a branch
of the Aruwimi, Stanley says: "My last report was sent off by Salim Beham-
mod in the latter part of September, 1888. Over a year full of stirring events
have taken place since then. I will endeavor to inform you what has occurred.
When we reached the camp, after great privations, but nothing to what we
were afterwards to endure, we found the 102 of the yet remaining members of
the rear column in a most deplorable condition. I doubted whether 50 of them
would live to reach the lake ; but having collected a large number of canoes,
the goods and sick men were transported in these vessels in such a smooth and
expeditious manner that there were remarkably few casualties in the rear col-
umn. But wild natives, having repeatedly defeated the Ugarrowas raiders and
by this discovered the extent of their own strength, gave considerable trouble
and inflicted considerable loss among our best men, who had alwa3'S to bear
the brunt of the fighting and the fatigue of the paddling. However, we had
no reason to be dissatisfied with the time we had made. When progress by
river became too tedious and difficult, an order to cast off canoes was given.
This was four day's journey above the Ugarrowas Station, or about 300 miles
above Banalaya. We decided that as the south bank of the Itura River was
pretty well known to us it would be best to try the north bank, although we
should have to traverse for some days the despoiled lands which had been a
common centre to the Ugarrowwas and Kilongalangas bands of raiders. We
were about a hundred miles from grassland, which opened up a prospect of fu-

(524)

TUli UXl'liDlTION INDLXGHS IN A BATH.

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

525

tiire feasts of beef, veal and muttoir, and a pleasing variety of vegetables, as
well as oil and butter for cooking.

On October 30, having cast off the canoes, the land march began in earn-
est, and we two days later discovered a large plantation in charge of Dwaris.
The people flung themselves on the plantains to make as large, a provision as^
possible for the dreaded wilderness ahead. The most enterprising always,
secured a fair share, and twelve hours later would be furnished with a week's pror
vision of plantain flour. The feeble and indolent revelled for the tima being
on an abundance of roasted fruit, but always neglected providing for the future^
and thus became victims to famine after moving from this place. Ten days'
passed before we reached another plantation, during which we lost more men
than we had
lost between
Banal ay ci and
Ugarrowwa's.

SMALL-P OX

AND OTHER

SUFFERINGS.

Small-pox
broke out
among the
M a n y u e m a ,
and the mor-
tality was ter-
rible. Our
Zanzibaris es-
caped the pest,
however, ow-
ing to the
vaccination
they had un-
dergone on
board the
Midura. We

were now al)out four davs' march above the confluence of the Ihura and Ituri
rivers, and within aboui a mile from Ishuru. As there was no possibility of
crossing this violent tributary of the Ituri or Aruwimi, we had to follow its
right bank until a crossin.q; could be discovered. Four days later we stumbled
across the principal village of the district, called Andikumu. It was sur-
rounded by the finest plantation of bananas and plaintains we had yet seen,
which all the IManyuemas habit of spoliation and destruction had been unable
to destroy. There our people, after starving during fourteen days, gorged
themselves to such excess that it contributed greatly to lessen our numbers.

A DWARIS VILLAGE.

«;ao

HHROES OF THK DARK CONTINENT.

Every twentieth individual suffered from sonic complaint whieh entirely in-
capacitated him for duty.

The Ihuru River was about four miles south-southeast from this place,
flo\;ing from east-north-east. It was about sixt}- yards broad and deep owing
to heavy rains. From Andikumu six days' march brought us to another
flourishing settlement, called Indeman, situated about four hours' march from
a river supposed to be the Ihuru. Here I was considerably nonplussed by a

grievous discrep-
ancy between native
accounts and my
own observations.
The natives called
it the Ihuru River,
and my instru-
ments and chrono-
meter made !t very
evident it could not
be the Ihuru. We
knew finall3\ After
■^ capturing some
Dwaris we discov-
ered it was the right
branch of the
Ihuru, called the
Duru River, this
agreeing with my
own views. We
searched and found
a place where we
could build a bridge
across. Bonny and
- „ „ - our Zanzibari chief
^'^.j^jsfe threw themselves
into the work, and
in a few hours the
Duru River was
safely bridged. We
passed from Inde-
man into a district entirely unvisited by Manyuema." Here the writer de-
scribes daily conflicts with the Wambutti dwarfs, which he found very numer-
ous in this region, which have already been noticed. The Wambuttis clung to
the north-east route, ^vhich Stanley wanted to take ; accordingly he went south-
east and followed elephant tracks.

DWARIS WOMEN.

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

527

He says : But on December 9 we were compelled to halt for forage in the
middle of a vast forest at a spot indicated by my chart to be not more than two
or three miles from Itnri River, which many of our people had seen. While
we resided at Fort Bodo I sent 150 rifles back to a settlement that was fifteen
miles back on the route we had come, while many Manyuema followers also
undertook to follow them. I quote from my journal part of what I wrote on
December 14, the sixth day of the absence of the foragers : Six aays have trans-
pired siu'-c our foragers left us. For the first four days the time passed rapidly,
I might say pleasantly, being occupied in recalculating my observations from
Ugarrowwa's to Lake Albert down to date, owing to a few discrepancies here
and there, which my second and third visit and duplicate and triplicate observa-
tions enabled me to correct. My occupation then ended. I was left to wonder
why the large band of foragers did not return.

ON THE BRINK OF STARVATION.

On the fifth d^y, having distributed all the stock of flour in camp, and
having killed the only goat we possessed, I was compelled to open the officers'
provision box and take a pound pot of butter, with two cupfuls of my flour,
to make an imitation gruel, there being nothing else save tea, coffee, sugar and
a pot of sago in the boxes. In the afternoon a boy died and the condition of
the majority of the rest was most disheartening. Some could not stand, falling
down in the effort to do so. These constant sights acted on my nerves until I
began to feel not only moral but physical sympathy, as though the weakness
was contagious. Before night a Mahdi carrier died. The last of our ,Somalis
gave signs of a collapse and the few Soudanese with us were scarcely able to
move. When the morning of the sixth day dawned we made broth with the
usual pot of butter, an abundance of water, a pot of condensed milk and a cupful
of flour for 130 people.

CALLING A COUNCIL.

The chiefs and Bonny were called to a council. At my suggestion of a
reverse to the foragers of such a nature as to exclude our men from returning
with news of the disaster, they were altogether unable to comprehend such a
possibility. They believed it possible that these 150 men were searching
food, without which they would not return. They were asked to consider the
supposition that they were five days searching for food, without which they would
not return, and then had lost the road, perhaps, or, having no white leader,
liad scattered to loot goats and had entirely forgotten their starving friends and
brothers in the camp. What would be the state of the 130 people five da3'S
hence ? Bonny offered to stay with ten men in the cp.mp if I provided ten days'
food for each person while I would set out to search for the missing men.
Food, to make a light cupful of gruel for ten men for ten days, was not difficult
to procure, but the sick and feeble remaining must starve unless I met good
fortune, and accordingly a store of buttermilk, flour and biscuits was prepared

528

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

and handed over to the charge of Bonny. In the afternoon of the seventh day
we nuistered everybody besides the garrison of the camp, ten men.

SEARCHING FOR THE MISSING.

Sadia, Manynema chief, surrendered fourteen of his men to their doom.
Kibbubora, another chief, abandoned his brother, and Inmdi, another Mauyuenia
chief, left (juc of his wives and her little boy. We left twenty-six feeble and
sick wretches, already past all hope nnless food could be brought them within
twenty-four hours. In a cheery tone, though my heart was never heavier, I
tokl the lorty-lliree huuger-bitlen people that I was going back to hunt for the
missiug men. We travelled nine miles that afternoon, having passed several
dead jjcoijIc on the road ; and early on the eighth day ~)i' their absence from
camp we met them marching in an easy fashion. But \\}ien we were met the
pace was altered, so that in twenty-six hours from leaving starvation camp we
were back with an abundance around us of gruel and porridge, boiling bananas^
boiling plantains, roasting meat and simmering soup. This had been my nearest
approach to absolute starvation in all my African experience. Altogether,
twenty-one persons succumbed in this dreadful camp.

LETTERS FROM JEPHSON.

On December 23 the united expedition continued the march eastward, and
as we now had to work by relays, owing to the fifty extra loads, we did lu ;
reach the Ituri ferry, which was our last camp in the forest region before
emerging on grass land, until January 9. My anxiety about Mr. Jephson and
Emin would not permit me to dawdle on the road, making double trip:^ in this
manner, so, selecting a rich plantation and a good camp east of the Ituri River,
I left Stairs in command with 124 people, including Parke and Nelson, aud on
January 11 I continued my march eastward. The people of the plains, fearing
a repetition of the fighting of December, 1887, flocked to the camp as we
advanced and formally tendered their submission, agreeing to the contributions
and supplies. The blood-brotherhood was entered into, the exchange of gifts was
made and a firm friendship established. The lints of our camp were constructed
b}' natives, and food, fuel and water were brought <o the expedition as soon as
a halting place was decided on. We heard no news of white men on Lake
Albert from the people niitil on the T6tli, at a place called Gevaris, Messen-
gers from Kavalli came with a packet of letters, with one letter written on three
several dates, with several days' interval between, from Jephson, and two notes
from Emin, confirming the news in Jej^hson's letter. Yon can but imagine llir
interest and surprise I felt while reading the letters b}' giving you extracts
from them in Jephson's own words :

"Dl^I'FIIJ, NOVRMRRR, yth, 1SS8.

"Div\R vSiR : I am writing to tell yon the position of affairs in this country,
and I trust the letter will be delivered to j'ou at Kavalli in time to warn you
to be careful. On August iSth a rebellion broke out here and the Pasha and
I were made prisoners. The Pasha is a complete prisoner, but I am allowed

HHRORS OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

529

to go about the station, but my luovemeuts are watched. The rebellion has
been got up by some half-dozen Egyptians — officers and clerks — and gradually
others joined, some through inclination, but most through fear. The soldiers,
with the exception of those at Lahore, have never taken part in it, but have
quietly given in to their officers. When the Pasha and I were on our way to
Regaf, two men, one an officer, Abdul Vaal Effendi, and the other a clerk —
went about and told to the people they had seen you, and that you were only
an adventurer, and had not come from Egypt ; the letters you brought from
the Khedive and Nubar were forgeries ; that it was untrue Khartoum had fallen,
and that the Pasha and you had made a plot to take them, their wives and
children out of the country and hand them over as slaves to the English.

■\v-//it-, , .-'^ -.7* J ,^^B

ONK OK EMIN'S IRREOn.ARS DKSPERSINO A PARTY OF REBEI.S.

Such words in an ignorant, fanatical country like this acted like fire among the
people, and the result was a general rebellion, and we were made prisoners.
The rebels then collected the officers from the different stations and held a
large meeting here to determine what measures they should take, and all those
who did not join the movement were so insulted and abused that they were
obliged for their own safety to acquiesce in what was done.

THE VICTORIOUS MAHDI.

"The Pasha was deposed and those officers suspected of being friendly to
him were removed from their posts, and those friendly to the rebels were put
in their places. It was decided to take the Pasha as a prisoner to Kegaf, and
34

530

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

some of the worst rebels were even for putting him in irons, but the officers
were afraid to put their plans into execution, as the soldiers said they never
would permit any one to lay a hand on him. Plans were also made to entrap
you when you returned and strip you of all you had. Things were in this
condition when we were startled by the news that the Mahdi's people had ar-
rived at Lado with three steamers and nine sandals and nuggers and had es-
tablished themselves on the site of the old station. Omar Sail, their general,
sent up three peacock dervishes with a letter to the Pasha demanding the in-
stant surrender of the country. The rebel officers seized them and put them
in prison and decided on war. After a few days the Mahdists attacked and
captured Regaf, killing five officers and numbers of soldiers and taking many
women and children prisoners, and all the stores and ammunition in the station
were lost. The result of this was a general stampede of the people from the
station of Brodons Kirri and Muggi, who iled with their women and children
to Labo- e, abandoning almost everything. At Kirri the ammunition was aban-
doned, and was seized by natives. The Pasha reckons thp.t the Mahdists num-
ber about 1, 600. The officers and a large number of soldiers have returned to
Muggi and intend to make a stand against the Mahdists. Our position here
is extremely unpleasant, for since the rebellion all is chaos and confusion.
There is no head, and half a dozen conflicting orders are given every day and
no one obeys. The rebel officers are wholly unable to control the soldiers.
The Baris have joined the Madhists. If they come down here with a rush
nothing can save us.

"The officers are all frightened at what has taken place and are anxiously
awaiting your arrival and desire to leave the country with you, for they are
now really persuaded that Khartoum has fallen and that you have come from
the Khedive. We are like rats in a trap. They will neither let us act nor
retire, and I fear, unless you come very soon, you will be too late and our fate
will be like that of the rest of the garrisons of the Soudan. Had this rebel-
lion not happened the Pasha could have kept the Mahdists in check some
time, but now he is powerless to act. I would suggest, on your arrival at
Kavallis, that you write a letter in Arabic to Shukri Aga, Chief of the Mswa
station, telling him of your arrival and telling him you wish to see the Pasha
and myself. Write also to the Pasha or myself telling us what number of
men you have with you. It would perhaps be better to write to me, as a letter
to him might be confiscated. Neither the Pasha nor myself think there is tlie
slightest danger now of any attempt to capture j'ou, for the people are now
fully persuaded that you have come from Egypt and they look to you to get
them out of their difficulties. Still it would be well for you to make your
camp strong. If we are not able to get out of the country, please remember
me to my friends, etc. Yours faithfully,

"Jrphsox."

At the time the above letter was written a messenger could not be obtained

'A ^

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

5^1

to carry it over the route to meet Stanley, who was known to be returning to the
Lake, and Jephson therefore had opportunity to add two postscripts giving ampler
details of the troubles by which they had been surrounded, and also to convey
the pleasanter information of Emin's release. He therefore added the follow-
ing, under date of November 4th.

RELEASE OP EMIN. BUT SAD FOREBODINGS.

"Shortljr after I had written you the soldiers v/ere led by their officers to
attempt to retake Regaf, but the Mahdists defended it and killed six officers
and a large number of soldiers. Among the officers killed ^were some of the
Pasha's worst enemies. The soldiers in all the stations were so panic-stricken
and angry at what happened that they declared they would not attempt to
fight unless the Pasha was set at liberty. So the rebel officers were obliged
to free him and sent him to Wadelai where he is free to do as he pleases, but
at present he has not resumed authority in the country. He is, I believe, by
no means anxious to do so. We hope in a few days to be at Tunguru
Station on the lake, two days by steamer from Nsabe, and I trust when we
hear of your arrival that the Pasha himself will be able to come down with
me to see you. We hear that the Mahdists sent steamers to Khartoum for
re-enforcements. If so they cannot be up here for another six weeks. If they
come up here with re-enforcements it will be all up with us, for the soldiers
will never stand against them, and it will be a mere walk-over. Every one is
anxiously looking for your arrival, for the coming of the Mahdists has com-
pletely cowed them. We may just manage to get out if you do not come
later than the end of December, but it is entirely impossible to foresee what
will happen."

Jephson's second postscript dated December i8th, reads :
" Mogo, the messenger, not having started I send a second postscript. We
were not at Tanguru on November 15. The Mahdists surrounded Duffili station
and besieged it for four days. The soldiers, of whom there are about 51X),
managed to repulse them and they retired to Regaf their headquarters, as
they have sent down to Khartoum for re-enforcements and doubtless will
attack again when strengthened, In our flight from Wadelai, the officers
requested me to destroy our boats and the advances. I therefore broke it
up. Duffili is being renovated as fast as possible. The Pasha is unable to
move hand or foot as there is still a very strong party against him, as officers
are no longer in immediate fear of the Mahdists. Do not on any account come
down to us at my former camp on the lake near Kavallis Island, but make
your camp at Kavallis on the plateau above. Send a letter directly you arrive
there, and as soon as we hear of your arrival I will come to you. I will not
disguise facts from you that you will have a difficult and dangerous work be-
fore you in dealing with the Pasha's people. I trust you will arrive before the
Mahdists are re-enforced or our case will be desperate. Yours faithfully,

"Jephson."

532

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

STANLEY'S LETTER IN REPLY TO JEPHSON.

Stanley imraediately returned a reply to Jephson's letter by the messengers
in which he wrote; "Be wise, be quick, and waste -no time. Bring Buifa ad
your own Soudanese with you. I have read your letters half a dozen times
over, but fail to grasp the situation thoroughly, because in some important
details one letter contradicts the other. In one you say the Pasha is a close
prisoner, while you are allowed a certain amount of liberty. In the other you
say you will come to me as soon as you hear of our arrival here, and ' I trust,*
you say, ' that the Pasha will be able to accompany me.' Being prisoners, I
fail to see how you could leave Tanguru at all. All this is not very clear to
us, who are fresh from the bush. If the Pasha can come, send a courier on
your arrival at your camp on the lake below here to announce the fact and I
will send a strong detachment to escort him to the plateau ; even to carry him
if he needs it. I feel too exhausted after my 1300 miles of travel since I
parted from you last May to go down to the lake again. The Pasha must
have some pity for me. Don't be alarmed or uneasy on our account. Nothing
hostile can approach us within twelve miles without my knowing it. I am in
the thickest of a friendly population and if I sound a war note, within four
hours I can have 2000 warriors to assist me to repel any force disposed to
violence, and if it is to be a war, why then I am ready for the cunningest
Arab alive. I have read your letter a half-dozen times and my opinion of
you varies with each reading. Sometimes I fancy you are half Mahdist or
Arabist, then Eminist. I shall be wiser when I see you. Now, don't you be
perverse, but obey and let my order to you be as a frontlet between the eyes,
and all, with God's gracious help, will end well. I want to help the Pasha
somehow, but he must also help me and credit me."

FASCINATED BY THE SOUDAN.

"On January i6th," says Stanley, "I received with this batch of letters
two notes from the Pasha himself, confirming the above. But not a word from
either Jephson or the Pasha indicating the Pasha's purpose; did he still waver
or was he at last resolved? With any man than the Pasha or Gordon one
would imagine that being a prisoner and a fierce enemy hourly expecting to
give the coup mortal^ he would gladly embrace the first chance to escape from
the country given up by his government. But there was no hint in the letters
what course the Pasha would follow. These few hints of mine, however, will
throw some light on my postscript, which here follows, and of my state of mind
after reading these letters. I wrote a formal letter, which might be read by
any pe.son, Pasha, Jephson or any of the rebels, and addressed it to Jephson,
as requested, but on a separate sheet of paper after we reached Kavalli's, I wrote
a private postscript for Jephson's perusal, as follows ;

"Kavalu's, Jan. 18, 3 p.m.

" My Dear Sir : — I now send thirty rifles and Kavilli's men down to the
lake with ray letters, with my urgent instructions that a canoe should be set

eyes,
*asha

\ M.

to the
be set

NATIVB BOATWOMSN AT KAVAI,I.I.

(533)

534

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

off. I may be able to stay longer than six days here, perhaps ten. I will do
my best to prolong my stay until you arrive, without rupturing the peace.
Our people have a good store of beads and couriers' clothes, and I notice that
the natives trade very easily, which will assist Kavalli's resources should he get
uneasy under our prolonged visit. Should we get out of this trouble, I am his
mor-t devoted servant and friend ; but if he hesitates again, I shall be plunged
in wonder and perplexity. I could save a dozen pashas if they were willing to
be saved. I would go on ray knees and implore the Pasha to be sensible of his
own case. He is wise enough in all things else, even for his own interest. Be
kind and good to him for his many virtues, but do not you be drawn into the

fatal fascination the
Soudan territory
seems to have for all
Europeans in late
years. As they touch
its ground they seem
to be drawn into a
whirlpool, which
sucks them in and
devours them with
its waves. The only
way to avoid it is to
obey blindly, de-
votedly and unques-
tionably all orders
from the '^ntside.
The comm- d:

' Relieve Ei^. v
this animuniti '
he wishes to c
out, the ammunition
will enable him to
do so. If he elects

to stay, it will be of service to him.' The Khedive said the same thing, and
added that if the Pasha and his officers wished to stay they couid do so on their
own responsibility. Sir Evelyn Baring said the same thing ?n clear, decided
words, and here I am after 4100 miles' travel with the last installment of relief
Let him who is authorized to take it, take it and come. I am ready to lend
him all my strength and will assist him, but this time there must be no hesita-
tion, but positive yea or nay, and home we go.

'* Yours sincerely,

''Stanley."

THB COURIER TAKING RMIN'S tKTTER.

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

535

THE ARRIVAL OF JEPHSON.

In the course of his correspondence Mr. Stanley says : " On February 6
Jephson arrived in the afternoon at our camp at Kavalli's. I was startled to
hear Jephson, in plain, undoubting words, sav : ' Sentiment is the Pasha's worst
enemy. No one keeps Eniin back but Emin himself.' This is the summary
of what Jephson learned during the nine months from May 25, 1888, to February
6, 1889. I gathered sufficient from Jephson's verbal report to conclude that during
nine months neither the Pasha, Casati nor any man in the province had arrived
nearer any other conclusion than what was told us ten months before. However,
the diversion in our favor created by the Mahdist's invasion and the dreadful
slaughter they made of all they met inspired us with hope that we could get a
definite answer at last. Though Jephson co'tld only say : ' I really can't tell
you what the Pasha means to do. He says he wishes to go away, but will
not move. No one will move. It is impossible to say what any man will do.
Perhaps another advance by the Mahdists will send them all pell-mell towards
you, to be again irresolute and requiring several weeks' rest.' "

COURIER FROM-EMIN.

Stanley next describes how he had already sent orders to mass the whole of
his forces ready for contingencies. He also speaks of the suggestions he made
to Emin as to the best means of joining him, insisting upon something definite ;
otherwise it would be his (Stanley's) duty to destroy the ammunition and march
homeward. He continues: ** February 13 a native courier appeared in camp with
a letter from Emin, and with the news that he was actually at anchor just below
our plateau camp. But this is his formal letter to me, dated the 13th :

'"Sir: — In answer to your letter of the 7th inst., I have the honor to
inform you that yesterday I arrived here with my two steamers, carrying a first
lot of people desirous to leave this country under your escort. As soon as I
have arranged for a cover for my people, the steamers have to start for Mswa
Station to bring on another lot of people. Awaiting transport with me are some
twelve officers anxious to see you, and only forty soldiers. They have come
under my orders to request you to give them some time to bring their brothers
from Wadelai, and I promised them to do my best to assist them. Things
having, to some extent, now changed, you will be able to make them undergo
whatever conditions you see fit to impose upon them. To arrange these I shall
start from here with officers for your camp, after having provided for the camp,
and if you send carriers I could avail me of some of them. I hope sincerely
that the great difficulties )'ou had to undergo and the great sacrifices made by
your expedition on its waj^ to assist us, may be rewarded b}'^ full success in
bringing out my people. The wave of insanity which overran the country has
subsided, and of such people as are now coming with me, we may be sure.
Permit me to express once more my cordial thanks for whatever you have
done for us. "'Yours,

•"Emin."»

CHAPTER XXVIII.

DISCOVERIES THAT EXCITE THE WORLD'S APPLAUSE.

CONSIDERING the trials, sufferings, and almost unparalleled
hardships through which S'caniey had passed in his philan-
thropic mission to relieve Emin, whose situation was certainly
critical, with his power and influence destroyed and whose most
ambitious and optimistic hopes could hardly picture a pleasing
prospect, it is but natural that the great explorer should feel
a sense of disappointment, if not disgust, at the unreasonable
coolness and indifference with which Emin received his suggestions. It is not
surprising either that this want of appreciation on the part of Emin should
weigh heavily on the mind of Stanley and cause him time and again to review
the privations which he had endured, in his undertaking to perform the most
magnanimous and unselfish service for one who, while unappreciative, never-
theless needed the aid that had been rendered. Says he in a letter now
before me :

" You know that all the stretch of country between Yambuya and this
place is an absolute new country, except what may be measured by five ordinary
marches. First, there is that dead white of the map now changed to a dead
black. I mean that the region of earth confined between east longitude 25
degrees and south latitude 29 degrees 45 minutes is one great compact of a
remorselessly sullen forest with a growth of an untold number of ages, swarm-
ing at stated intervals with immense numbers of vicious man-eating savages,
and crafty undersized men, who were unceasing in their annoyance. Then
there is that belt of grass land lying between it and Albert N'yanza, whose
people contested every mile of our advance with spirit, and made us think that
they were guardians of some priceless treasure hidden in the N'yanza shores or
at war with Emin Pasha and his thousands. Sir Percival in search of the Holy
Grail could not have met with hotter opposition. Three separate times neces-
sity compelled us to traverse these unholy regions with varying fortunes."

REHEARSING THE PERILS OF THE MARCH.

Referring to the imprisonment of Emin, Stanley then grows reflective over
the miseries which he had so heroically endured, and says :

" Incidents then crowded fast. Emin Pasha was a prisoner, and an officer
of ours was his forced companion, and it really appeared as though we were to
be added to the list. But there is virtue, you know, even in striving unyield-
ingly, in hardening the nerves and facing those overclinging mischances without
paying too much heed to the reputed danger. One is assisted much by knowing

(536)

ance, anc

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

537

neces-

ofiicer
were to
111 yield-
without
nowing

that there are no other coups^ and the danger, somehow, nine times out of ten,
diminishes. The rebels of Eniin Pasha's Government relied on their craft and
on the wiles of the heathen Chinee, and it is rather amusing to look back and
note how punishment has fallen on them. Was it Providence or luck ? Let
those who love to analyze such matters reflect. Traitors without the camp and
traitors within were watching, and the most active conspirator was discovered,
tried and hanged. The traitors without fell afoul of one another and ruined
themselves. If not luck, then it is surely Providence in answer to good men's
prayers. Far away our own people, tempted by extreme wretchedness ard misery,
sold our rifles and ammunition to our natural enemies, the Manyuema, the slave
traders' true
friends, with-
out the least
grace in either
bodies or souls.
What happy
influence was
it that re-
strained mc
from destroy-
wvr, all those
concerned in
it ? Each time
I read the
story of Cap-
tain Nelson's
sufferings T
feel vexed at
my forbear- along thb!upper arxiwimi.

aiice, and yet again I feel thankful, for a higher power than man's severely
afflicted the cold-blooded murderers by causing th*^'iii to i^z^ upon one another
a few weeks after the rescue and relief of Nelson and Parke. The memory
of those days at times hardens and again unmans me."

WONDERFUL DISCOVERIES.

But with all these sufferings, including also an illness of twenty-eight
days, which came near terminating fatally, and the apparent ingratitude of
Emin, with the enthusiasm of a great explorer Stanley suddenly rises out of his
depression of spirits to voice the joy of his important discoveries, that seem at
once to compensate him for every hardship and every slight he ever endured.
Says he : " Terrible as was this last march, it was delightful in the wonderful
discoveries that we made, which crowded fast one after another upon our sur-
prised vision. Snowy ranges of the Ruewenzori (cloud king or rain creator),
the Semliki River, the Albert Edward N'yanza, the plains of Noongora, the salt

■■■J".^,^, ' ':liW%'^ S

r' ' . '' "H? ~^- li

'-v_ *!•'>■''?*''-.«' __MtiwiS:'Wl'''-'i.\ ..L

•■',■4- 5 /■/»i.(r .i<;,'- i : ''*-w#i'i'.

^^K^^^SSmt^BSF ■JiM-'/WMMm^BOmx

ti^V,r"-*.."'- •■:,l

■"' 'V

mm^m'mmm

^mn^MmBm.-

' ' ' '"^^^r^BBK^^^K^^iF^F^' * ' " ^jk

• ■ '- '^^-'^.-:^0^li^^'^^

:j.-' :. .f t.

'*;\'\ ,; , '

— ^--^'^*^^ ■ ' ^ --^ ^

• '■? '' '■". . .' ■

-iA^:^ : ;' ^ .-■--^- isf*^ '»>' , f

^^^ • :^

■ — jc,'- • . ■

" 'v*:i>/</v-^^y>"?^i - -i;;^, *

' - '"'. ■

^. "-

538

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

lakes of Kative, the new people's: Wakonju, great mountain dwellers of a rich
forest region ; the Awamba, the fine-featured Wazonira, the Wanyoro bandits
the Lake Albert Edward tribes and the shepherd races of the eastern uplands
then the Wanyankori, besides the Wanyaruwamba and the Wazinja, until at
last we came to a church whose cross dominated a Christian settlement, and wc
knew that we had reached the outskirts of blessed civilization."

Continuing a report of his discoveries, written Sept. 8th, 1888, from a
Batunda village on the Ituri, to 'ol. J . G/ant, a member of the Relief Com-
mittee, he says :

" My Dear Grant: — I have i. -jy Ic'- able to write scrappy letters hitherto,
hough I start them with a strong AAifihu to give our friends a complete

PUNISHMENT OP A TRAITOR.

story of our various marches and their incidents. But so far I have been com-
pelled to hurriedl}'- close lest I should miss the opportunity to send them. Tliis
one, for instance, I know not how to send at present, but an accidental arrival
of a caravan or an accidental detention of the expedition may furnish the means.
I will trust to chance and write, nevertheless.

** You, more than any of the committee, are interested in Lake Albert. Let

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

539

us deal with that first. When on December 13, 1887, we sighted the lake, the
southern part lay at our feet almost like an immense map. We glanced rapidly
over the groaser details, the lofty plateau, the wall of Uuyoro to the east and
that of Baregga to the west, rising nearly 3000 feet above the silver water, and
between the hills the stretched out plains, seemingly very flat and grassy, with
here and there a dark clump of brushwood, which, as the plain trended south-
westerly, became a thin
forest. The south-west
edge of the lake I fixed
at nine miles in a direct
south-westerly line from
this place. This will
make the terminus of
the south-west corner i
deg. and 17 min. north
latitude, by prismatic
compass, magnetic bear-
ing; of the south-east
corner just south of a
number of falls i deg.
37 min. This will make
it about I deg. 11 min.
30 sec. north latitude,
magnetic bearing of i
deg. 48 min. Taken
from jiorth latitude i
deg. 25 min. 30 sec,
this exactly describes the
line of shore running
from the southwest
corner of the lake to
the south-east corner
of Albert. Baker fixed
his position latitude i
deg. 15 min. north if
I recollect rightly. The

centre of Mbakovia ter- wakonju man and woman.

race bears i deg. 21 min. 30 sec. magnetic from my first point of observa-
tion. This will make his Vacovia about i deg. 15 min. 45 sec, allowing
10 deg. west variation.

** In trying to solve the problem of the infinity of Lake Albert, as sketched
by Baker, and finding that the lake terminus is only four miles south of where
he stood to view it ' from a little hill ' and on ' a beautiful clear day,' one would

(En (;&:«-»«.

.■■^i^'r!>^^^^m^%

540

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

feel almost justified in saying he had never seen the lake. But his position of
Vacovia proves that he actually was there, and the general correctness of his outline
of the east coast of Vacovia to Magungo also proves that he navigated the lake.

VIEWS ABOUT LAKE ALBERT AND MOUNT RUEWENZORL

" When we turn our faces north-east we say that Baker had done exceedingly

r^.well; but when we turn them south-
ward our senses in vain try to pene-

trate the mystery, because our eyes
see not what Baker saw. With
Lieut. vStairs, Mountenej' Jephsoii,
Surgeon Parke, Emin Pasha, Capt.
Casati, I look with my own eyes upon
the scene. I find Baker has made
an error. I am somewhat surprised
also at Baker's altitudes of Lake
Albert and the Blue Mountains, and
at the breadth attributed by him to
the lake. The shore opposite Vacovia
is ten and a quarter miles distant, not
forty or fifty miles. The Blue Monn-
tains are nothing else but a vast
upland, the highest cone or hill be-
ing not above 6000 feet above the
level of the sea. The altitude of
Lake Albert by the aneroid and the
boiling point will not exceed 2350
feet.

" Last of all, away to the south-
west, where he has sketched his in-
finite stretch of the lake, there rises
about forty miles from Vacovia an
immense snowy mountain, a solid,
square-browed mass with an almost
level summit between two lofty ridges.
If it was a beautifully clear day he
should have seen this, being nearer
to it by thirteen geographical miles
than I was.

" About the lake discovered by
A wANYANKORi PARADING HIS BRAVERY. uic lu 1S76 I cau Icaru vcry Httlc froni

the natives. At the chief of Kavalli's I saw two natives who came from that region.
One of them hailed from Unyampaka and the other from Usongora. The first
said that the Albert Lake is much larger than that near Unyampaka. The other

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

541

said that the southern lake is the larger, as it takes two days to cross it. He
describes it as being a month's march from Kavalli's. Their accounts differ so
much that one is almost tempted to believe that there are two lakes, the smaller
one near Unyampaka and connected by a river or channel with that of
Usongora.

" My interest is greatly excited, as you may imagine, by the discovery of
Ruewenzori, the snowy mountain, and a possible rival of Kilinia Njaro,
Remember that we are in north latitude, and that this mountain must be near
or on the Equator itself; that it is summer now, and that we saw it in the latter
part of May ; that the snow line was estimated at about 1000 feet below the
summit.

" Hence, I conclude that it is not Mount Gordon Bennett, seen in December,
1876 — though it may be so — which the natives said had only snow occasionally.
At the time I saw the latter there was I '/^*\< W. t A i\r'K\
no snow visible. It is a little further 7\\ / ^ y VjJ
east, according to the position I gave " *^"''*^ '-" ' —
it, than Ruewenzori. All questions
which this mountain naturally gives
rise to will be settled, I hope, by this
expedition before it returns to the sea.

*' If at all near my line of march,
its length, height and local history
will be ascertained. Many rivers will
be found to issue from this curious
land between the two Muta Nziges.
What rivers are they ? Do they be-
long to the Nile or the Congo ? There
is no river going east or south-east
from this section except the Katonga
and Kafur, and both must receive, if
any. but a very small supply from
Mount Gordon Bennett and the the kavacw's chief's amusement with stani,ey's
Ruewenzori. The new mountain must, presents

therefore, be drained principally south and west; if south, the streams have
connection with the lake south; if west, Semiliki, a tributary of Lake Albert,,
and some river flowing to the Congo must receive the rest of its waters. Then,
if the lake south receives any considerable supply the interest deepens. Does
the lake discharge its surplus to the Nile or the Congo ? If to the former then
it would be of great interest to you, and you will have to admit that Lake Victoria
is not the main source of the Nile. If to the Congo, then the lake will be the
source of the River Lowa or Loa, since it is the largest tributary to the Congo
from the east between the Aruwimi and Luama.

" For your comfort I will dare to venture an opinion even now that the lake

542

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

is the source of the Lowa, though I know nothing positive of the matter ; but 1
infer from the bold manner in which the Aruwinii trenches upon the domain that
any one would have imagined that it belonged to the Nile. It was only ten
minutes' march between the head of one of its streams to the crest of the plateau
whence we looked down upon Albert N'yanza. From the mouth of Aruwimi to
the head of this stream are 390 geographical miles in a straight line. Well, next
to the Aruwimi in size is the Lowa River, and from the mouth of the Lowa to
the longitude of Ugampaka Post, in a direct line, it is only 240 geographical miles.

" Yours, very sincerely,

" Henry M. Stanley."

DISAPPOINTMENTS CROWD FAST ON ONE ANOTHER.

The next letter received from Stanley reads as follows :
" I reached the Albert N'yanza from Banalaya for the third time in 140

days, and found out that
Eniin and Jephson had
both been prisoners
since the i8th of August,
1888, being the day
after I made the dis-
covery that Barttelot's
caravan had been wreck-
ed. The troops in the
Equatorial province had
revolted and shaken off
all allegiance. Shortly
after the Mahdists in-
vaded the Province in
full force. After the
first battle in May, the
stations yielded and a
panic struck the natives,
who joined the invaders
and assisted in the work
of destruction.

" The invaders sub-
sequently suffered re-
verses, and dispatched a steamer to Khartoum for re-enforcements. I found a
letter waiting for me near the Albert N'yanza exposing the dangerous position
of the survivors, and urging the immediate necessity of mj^ arrival before the
end of December, otherwise it would be too late. I arrived there on the iSth
of January for the third time."

Journeying thus back and forth with seemingly endless sufferings, and a
disappointment connected with every return to the Lake, Stanley became at

VIEW ON THK SKMLIKI RIVHK

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

543

length exasperated, and resolved upon heroic action to prevent his labors from
resulting in failure, which the civilized world might really regard a farce.
Emin was still at Wadelai, and appeared to have no inclination to remove from
that place to join Stanley, though his indefinite letters in reply to Stanley's
requests left it impossible to determine whether he wished to escape or remain.

STAM.KY HAGGING AN ANTKI.UPK.

Stanley's anxiety grew greater as the indecision of Emin showed no signs of
changing, and finally led to the transmission of a letter couched in such Ian
guage that it brought a reply from Emin asking Stanley's hidiilgence for a
time until he could communicate with his people and ascertain whether or not
they desired to leave the Equatorial Province under Stanley's escort. This was
the most pointed reph'^ Emin had yet made, although it added little hope to the

! I;

544

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

situation, for Emin's people were scattered over a large territory, and it would
require months of time to collect them together in the event that they decided
to leave the country. But Stciley's patience seems to be inexhaustible, and he
concluded to wait, devoting th^ period of provoking delay to an examination of
the country and to such sport as the great amount of game in the lake districtt
aflforded,

A LION HUNT.

Stanley engaged the services of a half-do^en natives who were familiar with
the region to act as beaters, and with Williams, who was an inveterate sports-
m-n, he enjoyed a season of splendid hunting. Several species of antelopes were

UU1-"FAI,0 SHOOTING ALONG THE SEMMKI RIVUK

particularly numerous, as were also buffaloes, and these fell to his rifle in great
number. But the hunters thirsted for something more exciting, a desire which was
at length gratified. Lions are scarce on the west side of Albert Lake, but they
are occasionally seen, and at the time of Stanley's visit some depredations had
been committed which were known to be chargeable to one or more lions, as the
skeletons of bullocks had been found, on the bones of which were unmistakable
tooth-prints of the lordly beast. Accordingly, arrangements were made to go iu
pursuit of ;he game. The corn try which they were believed to. infest was thor-
oup^Hly examined, but to no avail, and, after beating a district more than twenty
miles in diameter without seeing any evidences of a lion's presence, the hunters
were much discouraged, and would probably have returned but for the alluriug

M,/

''-5a'; LJ

^^<s

(545)

546

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

prospect of the country, which they followed towards the great Ruewenzori
mountain with continual delight at the new wonders that burst one after another
upon their enraptured vision, as will be presently described in one of Stanley's
letters. .

At length a villager was met, who gave the hunters the pleasing informa-
tion that two lions had visited the district on the night before, and had been
frightened from the carcass of a giraffe — quite as uncommon in that region as
the lion — which they had more than half devoured. This was good news, in-
deed, as the lions were now not only located, but it might be certainly depended
upon that they woiild return to the feast sometime in the night. The hu-iL^io
accordingly followed a guide to the place where the remains of the carcass lay,
and finding it on the edge of a wooded country, they had no difficulty in secur-
ing a safe position in neighboring trees.

The moon did not rise until nearly midnight, so that the hunters set up a
piece of paper on a stick near the carcass, to serve them in definitely locating
the lions in case they made their visit to the body while it was yet dark.
But this precaution was unnecessary, for the hunters spent a very uncomfort-
able four hours in their perches without hearing any sounds of game whatever.
At length the moon arose in great majesty, flooding the plain and primeval
forest, presenting at once a magnificent and romantic view. A half-hour after-
wards the hunters were greeted with a yet more interesting sight, when they
beheld the forms of no less than three lions, two of which were of immense
size. They made their approach slowly, as if expecting an interruption, but
finding everything still, they came on with more confidence, though the largest
one appeared the most timid, evidently taking upon himself the responsibility
of chief watcher. The hunters reserved their fire until two of the great beasts
crouched upon the shoulde' of the carcass and began devouring the body. At
this instant two shots rang out almost simultaneously, followed quickly by two
others, and a roaring and- growling from two wounded lions that was truly
frightful to hear. The one that acted as sentry bounded off, but was evidently
hit in the hind quarters, from the manner in which, he dragged his left leg;
another escaped unhurt, but the smallest of the three had been struck by two
bullets and was unable to rise, but it rolled over in agony, clawing at every-
thing in reach, and growling with a savageness that was appalling. From their
perches the hunters poured shot after shot into its body, but apparently to no
effect, until at least twenty shots had been fired before it ceased to struggle
violently. When at last death was certain, Stanley left his position in 'he
tree and approached the body, which he found lo be bleeding from so many
wounds that the hide was considered useless, every shot, apparently, having
taken effect, and several had p>issed entirely through the body.

The hunt having terminated so favorably, Stanley and Williams returned
to the camp, bearing as a trophy the head of the royal beast to serve as evi-
dence of the truth of their story.

V{.

:-v.''v. V

CHAPTER XXIX.

A GREAT HUNT — PREPARATIONS FOR THE HOME JOURNEY.

JHE success of Stanley's hunt in the regions west of Albert Lake
led others to attempt an imitation of his prowess as a hunter,
and the Arab contingent started in quest of the two lions that
had escaped ; but though they were gone more than a week, and
found a great deal of game, including a considerable herd of
elephants, they saw no signs of the lions, nor did any of the villagers in the
district where Stanley's successful hunt occurred. Attention was then given
for several days to shooting hippopotami in the Albert Lake, and in the rivers
flowing into it, several being killed and the carcasses given to the lake natives,
who very greatly enjoy hippopotamus flesh.

About the middle of February another hunting party was formed, not so
much for pleasure as for food, since a supply of fresh meat could only be
obtained by purchasing goats of the natives at an exorbitant price, or by shootitig
antelopes and buffaloes, which, fortunately, we^e fairly abundant. Stanley
accompanied the party, carrying a Rcilly rifle of large calibre, as it was his
ambition to bag one or more elephants after a sufficient supply of meat had
been secured, and it was his good fortune to meet with success in this desire.
In the regions of the Ruewenzori mountains, south of Albert Lake, is a splendid
range of grass lands, fairly teeming with game of the largest species, and about
the small lakes and ponds, which are not infrequent in that district, elephants
are more numerous than in any other region of Africa, unless it be along the
most fertile stretches of the Congo banks.

It was not therefore a difficult matter for Mr. Stanley and his beaters tc
And abundant adventure among the vast herds of elephants that make the plains
of this mountainous country their favorite grazing grounds.

A TERRIFYING SPECTACLE.

The first troop of elephants discovered by the hunters was in an open plateau
near the Simliki River, where the grnss was so high as to cover nearly three-
fourths of their bodies, so that the portions visible bore some resemblance to a
school of giant turtles swimming on the surface of a vast sea of grass ; and
in the distance, the undulations produced by the wind increased the illusion,
making the immense pasturrge appear like a vast body of water, rolling wave
after wave towards the shore that lay miles beyond. As both wind and cover
were favorable, Stanley and his gun-bearers were able to approach the herd
without detection, and to get on their flank, where, in case of a sudden bolt, the

(547)

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

elephants would not be likely to run over the hunters, which is really one of
the greatest dangers encountered in stalking these great animals. Whei, in
excellent range, Stanley selected a large tusker and gave it a mortal wound at
the first fire, but the stricken elephant dashed away with the others, and ran
nearly a mile before it halted from exhaustion. The herd made towards the
jungle on the left, where it was easily followed by sight until all except the
wounded elephant had disappeared iit the dense growth. Stanley pushed on in
the wake of the herd until he came near the stricken bull, and then re con
noitered for a position that would enable him to give it a final shot. But the

ANTKI.Ol'lC SHOOTING IN THK SIMI.IKI FORHST,

elephant wp" watchful, and while not able to exert itself as before, there was
still sufficient -ilo^; y left ♦o make it a dangerous foe. The beaters were called
up, and as they moved forward the elephani: again retreated, until it had gained
the forest, whcr^^. Mi ;pparent exhaus'ion, it again stopped and trumpeted
shrilly. A fair!} dose \tew rliowed Uial the great bull had been struck in the
left temple, fr.."i vUi- -i there was a opious flow of blood that left a well-marked
trail over the vnn ir^iles which it had now travelled. Stanley continued in
pursuit until he u.^uin 1 Mud his wounded quarry standing under a very large

upetcd
ill the
narked
ucd in
large

(■'I I

STANLEY'S BSCAPB FROM THE CHARGE Ol* A WOUNDED EIvEPHANT.

(549)

550

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

tree and presenting a spectacle of extraordinary rage, tossing its trunk and head,
frothing at the mouth, waving its tail and roaring in a voice that startled every-
thing in the forest. To shoot at so large an elephant at long range, or without
direction at one of its very few vital spots, would be a mere waste of ammuni-
tion, so that Stanley gradually approached nearer and nearer in order to secure a
favorable shot ; but this effort proved futile, for at a sight of the hunter the great
beast seemed to summon all its remaining strength for a furious charge. Down
h came, plunging through the brush like a nameless mighty thing pushing
everything before it, marking a route like a cyclone and filling the air with
such shrill tranipetings as pierced the ears and lent frenzy to excitement.
Stanley, being in its path, fired Lis heavy rifle at the monster's head, but with.
no effect other than to bring its anger into yet greater emphasis, and to invite
an attack which the elephant made with an impetuosity truly appalling. After
firing his gun Stanley made a quick retreat, but not so quickly as to throw
the animal from hib track, for now he was viciously and pertinaciously pur-
sued. The beaters had scattered in every direction, leaving their master to his
own wits and fortune, which mosi foitunately served him beneficently. The
elephant was gaining rapidly and must surely overtake him, when ^t the last
moment Stanley leaped to one side and dodged behind a large tree just as the
mighty leviathan went thundering by, blinded with unexampled rage. In
another moment Stanley's rifle was to his shoulder, a.: A another bullet was sent
into the elephant, which now paused and quickly received a third four-ounce
ball in the side of the head near where he was first hit. The first bullet fired
wouli certainly have proved fatal in a few hours, but it required the fourth shot
to give the great bull his instant quietvs. On receiving the last bullet the
great elephant stood still for an instant, then raised his trunk slowly as he
gradually sank down on his foreiegs until he plunged heavily forward on his
head, then rolled over on his left side quite dead. He was indeed a fallen
monarch, who had stood nearly eleven feet in height and armed with tusks
whicl:, after extraction, weighed ninety pounds each.

VAST ELEPHANT HERDS IN THE CONGO REGION.

Although the distrid, in which Stanley killed this uncommonlj^ large ele-
phant does not properly belong to the Congo basin, the region is adjoining,
and is a part of the immense grazing lands in which these animals arc so
numerous. Ccminenting on the great number of elephants in the Congo basin,
and Tipo Tib's enormous collections of ivory, Stanley says :

" Until recently we had heard a great deal about Tipo Tib's store of ivory
— an enormous possession. Ward and other officers of the Belgian company
saw it ; and some of them could have related terrible tales of its history.
There were tusks which told their own dark records, blackened with the fire
of the burning villages from which they had been dragged ; others stained
by long burial in out-of-the-way places, and only unearthed by their wretched
owners for the ransomirtg of wives and children. There may have been tusks>

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

S§i

and no doubt there were, which had been obtained in the way of legitimate
trade; but, as a rule, the ivory of the Arab hunter is plunder. Jt constitutes
a vast store, and of enormous value. There are said to be about 200,000 ele-
phants, in about 15,000 herds, in the Congo basin. Each carrying on an aver-
age about fifty pounds of ivory in his head, these represent in the European
market ^5,000,000. But of yet greater value than the ivory of Central Africa
is the rubber, palm oil, and orchilla weed which that region produces in most
remarkable abundance. If every warrior living on the immediate banks of the
Congo and its navigable affluents — which are of the aggregate length of 10,800
miles, within easy reach of the trader above Leopoldville — were to pick about a

TWOHORNKD AI'FtlCAN RIIINOCKROS.

third of a pound of rubber each day throughout the year, or to melt two-thirds of a
pound weight of palm oil, and convey it to the trader for sale, ^5,000,000
worth of vegetable produce could be obtained without exhaustion of the wild
forest productions. At the same time, although limited as compared with other
products, ivory remains a very valuable article of commerce. If 200 tusks ar-
rived per week at Stanley Pool, or say 520,000 pounds of ivory per annum,
it would still require twenty-five years to destroy the elephants in the Congo
basin. This estimate will enable the reader to realize the value of Tipo Tib's
store, numbering hundreds of tusks, averaging certainly not less than fifty
pounds each in weight."

552

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

Mr. Johnston's experiences on his ascent of the Congo bear out other re-
ports of the " happy hunting ground." The elephant seems to be in full and
haughty possession of plain and forest. Canoeing or steaming up the river,
you see, every morning, the previous night's devastations of the elephants, who
break and destroy much beautiful vegetation, and often waste more than they
eat. They are much more commonly seen during the dry season, at which
time, the smaller streams being exhausted, the elephants have to seek the
Congo for their bath and their drink. "Although they are much more fre-
quently met with above Stanley Pool, still in certain districts of the lower
river they are ■ mmon, especially in the cataract region. In the country oppo-
site Isangila elephants were often shot by members of Mr, Stanley's expedi-
tion ; and at the Livingstone mission station of Banza Manteka, fifteen miles
from the south bank of the Congo, elephants have at times trooped in long
procession past the door of the mission house, while the awe-stricken mission-
aries shut themselves up securely within."

PREPARING TO RETURN TO ZANZIBAR.

When the hunt was concluded with such magnificent success — the game
b: ^^id being twenty-one antelopes, five buffaloes, thirteen springboks, three
zebras, six pallahs, and one elephant — Stanley returned with his party to the
camp, hoping to be able to speedily move with his own and Emin's people
towards home. The enforced waiting had not been without very great bene-
fits, for on Stanley's third entry into Kavalli his men were in a pitiable con-
dition from sickness and ulcers, the result of their last hard march, already
described. This intervrfl of waiting was employed by Dr. Parke in relieving
the intense suflFerings ol the afflicted. From the time the expedition left Fort
Bodo he had attended an average of one hundred sick and afflicted daily. The
effects of this rest and treatment were seen in the fact that when the expedi-
tion reached Kavalli there were less than 200 fit for service, whereas on
the ist of April there were 280 able-bodied men both ready and willing to
start on the long march to the sea.

Stanley sent his men to assist the removal of Eniin and his people, or
rather to bring their effects that had been landed from the steamers, to the
plateau camp above Kavalli, from which point tht start was to be made.
Selim Bey was sent up to Wadelai to muster the people about Tanguru and
Duffili, and bring them by steamer to the Kavalli camp, but now the greater
vexations began, because at the rate that Selim was collecting the Pasha's peo-
ple, it would require three months to get them together; besides, the goods
brought down from Wadelai and landed at Kavalli were of a character that
could not possibly be carried so great a distance as lay before them. Without
their effects the people did not want to move, and here was at once a dilemma
that exhausted all the vast store of patience that Stanley is credited with.
Emin Pasha had no influence whatever over his people, and with Casati's
efforts to persuade him to remain, the prospects for conducting him out of

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

553

the country were for a time cheerless indeed. In a few days the Egyptians
in camp promised to leave with Emin and Stanley for the coast, but they soon
changed their minds, after reflecting on the privations of such a march as lay
before them, while the Mahdi enemies were now far away to the north, and
a life of elegant ease was theirs while on the N'yanza Lake.

VIGOROUS MEASURES FOR SUPPRESSING A CONSPIRACY.

Reporting the harassments from which he now suflfered, Stanley writes :

***** I did not think I should be drawn into this matter at all, having
formed my own plans some time before ; but it intensified my feelings greatly
when I was told that, after waiting forty-four days, building their camps for
them, and carrying nearly fourteen hundred loads for them up that high plateau
wall, only a few out of the entire number would follow us. But on the day
after I was informed that there had been an alarm in my camp the night
before ; the Zanzibari quarters had been entered by the Pasha's people, and an
attempt made to abstract the rifles. This it was which urged me to immediate
action.

" I knew there had been conspiracies in the camp, that the malcontents
were increasing, that we had many rebels at heart among us, that the people
dreaded the march more than they feared the natives ; but I scarcely believed
that they would dare put into practice their disloyal ideas in my camp.

" I proceeded to the Pasha to consult with him, but the Pasha would con-
sent to no proposition — not but what they appeared necessary and good, but he
could not, owing to the want of time, etc. Yet the Pasha the evening before
had received a post from Wadelai which brought him terrible tales of disorder,
distress and helplessness among Selim Bey and his faction, and the rebels and
their adherents.

*' I accordingly informed him that I proposed to act immediately, and would
ascertain for myself what this hidden danger in the camp was, and, as a first
step, I would be obliged if the Pasha would signal for general muster of the
principal Egyptians in the square of the camp.

" The summons being sounded, and not attended to quickly enough to
satisfy me, half a company of Zanzibaris were detailed to take sticks and rout
€very one from their huts. Dismayed by these energetic measures, they poured
into the square, which was surrounded by rifles.

*' On being questioned, they denied all knowledge of any plot to steal the
rifles from us, or to fight, or to withstand in any manner any order. It was
then proposed that those who desired to accompany us to Zanzibar should step
on one side. They all hastened to one side except two of the Pasha's servants.
The rest of the Pasha's people, having paid no attention to the summons, were
secured in their huts, and brought to the camp square, where some were flogged,
and others ironed and put under guard.

" * Now, Pasha,' I said, * will you be good enough to tell these Arabs that

554

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

these rebellious tricks of Wadelai aud Duffili people must cease here, for at the
first move made by them I shall be obliged to exterminate them utterly.'

" On the Pasha translating, the Arabs bowed, and vowed that they would
obey their father religiously.

"At the muster this curious result was returned: There were with us 134
men, 84 married women, 187 female domestics, 74 children above two years of
age, 35 infants in arms; making a total of 514. I have reason to believe that
the number was nearer 6cx), as many were not reported from a fear, probably,
tliat some would be taken prisoners."

, ■ -if'-

m^^

. J

.1*; r 'y- ■j[i ,.'■•)''.<, ^' 'i>

I-.'

CHAPTER XXX.

THE MARCH TO THE SEA. ' ' ' ' '

USTICE to the reputation of Emin Pasha, who has been assailed for
the indiflFerence, perhaps ingratitude, exhibited in his conduct
towards Stanley at their first meetings, demands that it be recorded
to his credit that after the march really began, he gave his energies
towards promoting the comfort of all who accompanied the caravan,
and a loyal submission to Stanley as commandant. That he felt a sense of
gratefulness for the relief given we may well believe and which he expressed
in the following letter :

" MSLALA, August 23, 1889.
" Sir : — Having r'eached, under the escort of Mr. Stanley's expedition,
to-day, tin's place, I cannot but hasten to write just two words to tell 3'ou how
deeply we all appreciate the generous help you have sent us. When, in the
stress of adversity, I first ventured to maka an appeal to the world asking
assistance for my people, "I was well aware of such an appeal not passing
unheard, but I never once fancied the possibility of such kindness as you and
the subscribers of the Relief Fund have shown us.

" It would be impossible to tell you what has happened here after Mr.
Stanley's first start ; his graphic pen will tell you everything much better than
I could. I hope, also, the Egyptian Government permitting it, some future
day to be allowed to present myself before you, and to express to you then the
feelings of gratitude my pen would be short in expressing in a personal
interview.

" Until such happy moments come, I beg to ask you to transmit to all sub-
scribers of the fund the sincerest thanks of a handful of forlorn people, who,
through your instrumentality, have been saved from destruction, and now hope
to embrace their relatives.

" To speak here of Mr. Stanley's and his officers' merits would be inade-
quate. If I live to return I shall make my acknowledgments.
" I am, sir, with many and many thanks,

" Yours ver\' obliged,

"Dr. Emin.
" W. Mackinnon, Esq., Chairman of Committee of the
Relief Expedition Fund."
"On the loth of April," says Stanley, "we set out from Kavalli in number
about 1500, for ;,50 native carriers had been enrolled from the district to assist

(555)

IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-3)

:/_

1.0

I.I

■ 50 ^^

2.5
2.0

1.8

1.25 ■ 1.4 i 1.6

<pm>

^i 'J'

PhotDgraoliic

Sciences

Corporation

23 WEST MAIN STREET

WEBSTER, NY. 14580

(716) 872-4503

556

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT:

in carrying the baggage of the Pasha's people, whose ideas as to what was
essential for the march were very crude. On the 12th we camped at Mazani-
boni's ; but in the night I was struck down with a severe illness which well-nigh
proved fatal.

*' During my illness— of twenty-eight days — another conspiracy, or rather
several conspiracies were afloat, but only one was attempted to be realized, and
the ringleader of that one, a slave of Awash Effendi's, whom I had made free
at Ka-t'alli, was arrested, and after court-martial, which found him guilty, was
executed.

. If . \ ^ THE LOFTY RUEWENZORI RANGE.

" The route I had adopted was one which skirted the Balegga Mountains
at a distance of forty miles or thereabouts from the N'yanza. The first day was
a fairish path, but the three following days tried our Egyptians sorely, because
of the ups and downs and the breaks of cone-grass. On arriving at the southern
end of these mountains we were made aware that our march was not to be
uninterrupted, for the King of Unyoro had made a bold push, and had annexed
a respectable extent of country on the left side of the Semliki River, which
embraced ^11 the open grass-land between the Semliki River and the forest
region. Thus, without making an immense detour through the forest, which
would have been fatal to most of the Egyptians, we had no option but to press
on, despite Kabba Rega and his Warasura. This latter name is given to the
Wanyoro by all natives who have come in contact with them.

" The first day's encounter was decidedly in our favor, and the effect of it
■cleared the territory as far as the Semliki River free of the Warasura.

*' Meantime we had become aware that we were on the threshold of a region
which promised to be very interesting, for daily, as we advanced to the south-
warn, the great snowy range which had so suddenly arrested our attention and
€xcited our intense interest (on May i, 1888) grew larger and bolder into view.
It extended a long distance to the south-west, which would inevitably take us
some distance off our course unless a pass could be discovered to shorten the
•distance to the countries south. At Buhobo, where we had a brief skirmish
with Kabba Rega's raiders, we stood on the summit of the hilly range which
bounds the Semliki Valley on its north-west and south-west sides. On the
opposite side rose Ruewenzori, the Snow Mountain, and its enormous eastern
flank, which dipped down gradually until it fell into the level, and was seem-
ingly joined with the table-land of Unyoro. The humpy western flank dipped
down suddenly, as it seemed to us, into lands that we knew not by name as
yet. Between these opposing barriers spread the Semliki Valley — so like a lake
at its eastern extremity that one of our officers exclaimed that it was the lake,
and the female followers of the Egyptians set up a shrill 'Lululus' on seeing
their own lake, the Albert N'yanza, again. With the naked eye it did appear
like the lake, but a field-glass revealed that it was a level grassy plain, white
with the ripeness of its grass. Those who have read Sir Samuel Baker's

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

557

'Albert N'yanza' will remember the passage wherein he states that to the
south-west the N'yanza stretthes ' inimitably.' He might well be in error at
such a distance, when our own people, with the plain scarcely four miles away,
mistook the plain for the N'yanza. As the plain recedes south-westerly the
bushes become thicker ; finally acacias appear in their forests, and, beyond these
again, the dead black thickness of an impenetrable tropical forest ; but the plain,
as far as the eye
could command, con-
tinued to lie ten to
twelve miles wide be-
tween these mount-
ain barriers, and
through the centre
of it — sometimes in-
clining towards the
south-east moun-
tains, sometimes to
the south-west range
— the Semliki River
pours its waters to-
wards the Albert
N'yanza,

A BRUSH WITH THE
WARASURA.

*' In two marches
from Buhobo we
stood upon its banks,
and, alas for Mason
Bey and Gessi Pa-
sha! had they but
halted their steam-
ers for half an hour
to examine this river,
they would have been
sufficient to excite
much geographical
interest ; for the
river is a powerful

stream from eighty to one hundred yards wide, averaging nine feet depth
from side to side, and having a current from three and a half to four knots
per hour, in size about equal to two-thirds of the Victoria Nile.

'• As we were crossing this river the Warasura attacked us from the rear
with a well-directed volley, but, fortunately, the distance was too great. They

A. WARASUHA WARRIOR.

558

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

were chased for some miles ; but, fleet as greyhounds, they fled, so there were
no casualties to report on either side.

" We entered the Awamba country on the eastern shore of the Semliki, and
our marches for several days afterwards were through plantain plantations,
which flourished in the clearings made in this truly African forest. Finally,
we struck the open again immediately under Ruewenzori itself. Much, how-
ever, as we had flattered ourselves that we should see sonie marvellous scenery,
the Snow Mountain was very coy, and hard to distinguish. On most days it
loomed impending over us like a tropical storm-cloud, ready to dissolve in rain
and ruin on us. Near sunset a peak or two here, a crest there, a ridge be-
yond, white with snow, shot into view — jagged clouds whirling and eddying
round them, and then the darkness of night. Often at sunrise, too, Ruewenzori
would appear fresh, clean, brightly pure; profound blue voids above and
around it; every line and dent, knoll and turret-like crag deeply marked and
clearly visible. But presently all would be buried under mass upon mass of
mist, until the immense mountain was no more visible than if we were thou-
sands of miles away. And then, also, the Snow Mountain being set deeply in
the range, the nearer we approached the base of the range the less we saw of
it, for higher ridges obtruded themselves and barred the view. Still, we have
obtained three remarkable views — one from the N'yanza Plain, another from
Kavalli, and a third from the South Point.

SCALING THE MOUNTAIN.

"In altitude above the sea I should estimate it to be between 18,000 and
19,000 feet. We cannot trust our triangulations, for the angles are too small.
When we were in positions to ascertain it correctly, the inconstant mountain
gathered his cloudy blankets around him and hid himself from view; but a
clear view, from the loftiest summit down to the lowest reach of the snow, ob-
tained from a place called Karimi, makes me confident that the height is be-
tween the figures stated above.

" It took us nineteen marches to reach the south-west angle of the range,
the Semliki Valley being below us on our right, and which, if the tedious
mist had permitted, would have been exposed in every detail. That part of
the valley traversed by us is generally known under the name of Awamba,
while the habitable portion of the range is principally denominated Ukonju.
The huts of these natives, the Bakonju, are seen as high as 8000 feet above
the sea.

" Almost all our ofiicers had at one time a keen desire to distinguish
themselves as the climbers of these African Alps, but, unfortunately, they were
in a very unfit condition for such a work. The Pasha only managed to get
1000 feet higher than our camp, but Lieutenant Stairs reached the height of
10,677 f'sst above the sea, but had the mortification to find two deep gulfs be-
tween him and the Snowy Mount proper. He brought, however, a good col-

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

559

lection of plants, among which were giant heather, blackberries, and bilberries.
The Pasna was in his element among these plants, and has classified them.

" The first day we Jiad disentangled ourselves of the forest proper, and its
outskirts of straggling bush, we looked down from the grassy shelf below the
Ruewenzori range and saw a grassy plain, level seemingly as a bowling-green, the
very duplicate of that which is seen at the extremity of the Albert N'yanza —
extending southerly from the forest of the Semliki Valley. We then knew that
we were not far from the Southern Lake discovered by me in 1877.

" Under guidance of the Wakonju I sent Lieutent Stairs to examine the
river, said to flow from the Southern N'yanza. He returned next day, report-
ing it to be the Semliki River, narrowed down to a stream forty-two yards
wide and about ten feet deep, flowing, as the canoe-men on its banks said, to
the N'yanza Utuku, or N'yanza of Unyoro — the Albert N'yanza. Besides native
reports, he had other corroborative evidence to prove it to be the Semliki.

" On the second march from the confines of Awavela we entered Usongora,
— a grassy region as opposite in appearance from the perpetual spring of
Ukonju as a droughty land could well be. This country bounds the Southern
N'yanza on its northern and north-western side. -ryfi:-;-: '::;'i(\

A VAST SEA OF SALT.

" Three days later, while driving the Warasura before us, or, rather, as
they were self-driven by their own fears, we entered, soon after its evacuation,
the important town of Kative, the headquarters of the raiders. It is situated be-
tween an arm of the Southern N'yanza and a salt-lake about two miles long
and three-quarters of a mile wide, which consists of pure brine of a pinky
color, and deposits salt in solid cakes of salt-crystals. This was the property
of the Wasongora, but the value of its possession has attracted the cupidity of
Kabba Rega, who reaps a considerable revenue from it. Toro, Ankori, Mpororo,
Ruanda, Ukonju, and many other countries demand the salt for consumption,
and the fortunate possessor of this inexhaustible treasure of salt reaps all that
is desirable of property in Africa in exchange, with no more trouble than the
defence of it.

" Our road from Kative lay east and north-east, to round the bay-like ex-
tension of the N'yanza lying between Usongora and Unyampaka, and it hap-
pened to be the same taken by the main body of the Warasura in their hasty
retreat from the salt-lake. On entering Uhaiyana, which is to the south of
Toro, and in the uplands, we had passed the northern head of the N'yanza, or
Beatrice Gulf, and the route to the south was open — not, however, without
another encounter with the Warasura.

" A few days later we entered Unyampaka, which I had visited in January,
1876. Ringi, the king, declined to enter into the cause of Unroyo, and al-
lowed us to feed on his bananas unquestioned. After following the lake shore
until it turned too far to the south-west, we struck for the loft}' uplands of
Aukori, by the natives of which we were well received, preceded, as we had been

560

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

by the reports of our good deeds in relieving the salt-lake of the presence of
the universally obnoxious Warasura.

THE CARAVAN STRICKEN WITH FEVERS.

'* If you draw a straight line from the N'yanza to the Uzinja shores of
the Victoria Lake, it would represent pretty fairly our course through Ankori,
Karagwe, and Uhaiya to Uzinja. Ankori was open to us, because we had
driven the Wayneyoro from the salt-lake. The story was an open sesame.
There also existed a wholesome fear of an expedition which had done that
which all the power of Ankoii could not have done. Karagwe was open to
us, because free-trade is the policy of the Wanyauibu, and because the Wa-
ganda were too much engrossed with their civil war to interfere with our pas-
sage. Uhaiya admitted our entrance without cavil, out of respect to our num-
bers, and because we were well introduced by the Wanyambu, and the Wak-
wiya guided us in like m.anner to be welcomed by the Wazinja. Nothing
happened during the long journey from the Albert Lake to cause us any regret
that we had taken this straight course, but we have sufifered from an unpre-
cedented number of fevers. We have had as many as 150 cases in one
day. Ankori is so beswept with cold winds that the expedition wilted under
them. Seasoned veterans like the Pasha and Captain Casati were prostrated
time after time, and both were reduced to excessive weakness like ourselves.
Our blacks, regardless of their tribes, tumbled headlong into the long grass to
sleep their fever fits oflf. Some, after a short illness, died. The daily fatigues
of the march, an ulcer, a fit of fever, a touch of bowel complaint, caused the
Egyptians to hide in any cover along the route ; and, being unperceived by
the rear guard of the expedition, were left to the doubtful treatment of natives
of whose language they were utterly ignorant. In the month of July we,
lost 141 of their number in this manner.

" Out of respect to the first British prince who has shown an interest in
African geography, we have named the southern N'yanza — to distinguish it
from the other two N'yanzas — the Albert Edward N'yanza. It is not a very
large lake. Compared to the Victoria, the Tanganyika, and the Nyassa, it is
small, but its importance and interest lie in the sole fact that it is the receiver
of all the streams at the extremity of the south-western or left Nile basins,
and discharges these waters by one river, the Semliki, into the Albert N'yanza,
in like manner as Lake Victoria receives all streams from the extremity of the
south-eastern or right Nile basin, and pours these waters by the Victoria Nile
into the Albert N'yanza. '

" These two Niles, amalgamating in Lake Albert, leave this under the
well-known name of White Nile."

A LAND DESOLATED BY PILLAGE.

"The sonthernmost stretch of the Ruewenzori range projects like a pro-
montory between two broad extents of the ancient bed of the Albert Edward —
formerly known as the Muta Nziga. To avoid the long detour, we cross this

hilly prcm
enter eastt
western b
continue >
configured
tend betw(
der there
Streams o
from Rue\
ering of j
desert ; ye
— the zeri
herds hen
tie-dung r
have depo
left only i
sura, theii

"Fro
on our rig
was to m£
east, leav
Uhaiyana,
Unyampal

" Sou
pled. Th
mountains
Nile, v/e '.

•' Sin
we traveri
we entere
at the ba!
the Wake
who inha
only peof
as 8000 f
their coui
say that'
bitterly c
have a di

"As
of hills ;
sine, oud
3<

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

561

hilly promontory in a south-easterly direction from the Samliki Valley, and
enter eastern Usongora, and are in a land as different from that at the north-
western base of the Ruewenzori as early summer is from mid-winter. As we
continue easterly, we hav" Ruewenzori on our left now, and the strangely
configured Albert Edward N'yanza on our right. The broad plains which ex-
tend between were once covered by this lake. Indeed, for miles along its bor-
der there are breadths of far-reaching tongues of swamp penetrating inland.
Streams of considerable volume pour through these plains towards the N'yanza
from Ruewenzori, without benefiting the land in the least. Except for its cov-
ering of grass — at this season withered and dried — it might well be called a
desert ; yet in former times, not very remote, the plains were thickly peopled
— the zeribas of milk-weed and dark circles of euphorbia, wherein the shep-
herds herded their cattle by night, prove that, as well as the hundreds of cat-
tle-dung mounds we came across. The raids of Waganda and the Warasura
have depopulated the land of the Wasougora, the former occupants, and have
left only a miserable remnant, who subsist by doing " chores " for the Wara-
sura, their present masters.

" From Usongora we entered Toro, the Albert Edward N'yanza being still
on our right, and our course being now north-easterly, as though our purpose
was to march to Lake Albert again. After about twenty miles' march we turn
east, leave the plains of the Albert Edward, and ascend to the uplands of
Uhaiyana, %.iich, having gained, our course is south until we have passed
Unyampaka, which I first saw in 1876.

*' South of Unyampaka stretches Ankori, a large countrj-^ and thickly peo-
pled. The plains have an altitude of over 5000 feet above the sea, but the
mountains rise to as high as 6400 feet. As Ankori extends to the Alexandra
Nile, v/e have the well-known land of Karagwe south of this river.

A TRADITION OF THE SNOW KING. " "'

*' Since leaving the Albert N'yanza, between Kavalli and the Semliki River,
we traversed the lands of the Wavira and Baregga. On crossing the Semliki
we entered the territory of the Awamba. When we gained the grassy terrace
at the base of the Ruewenzori range we travelled on the border-line between
the Wakonju, who inhabit the lower slopes of Ruewenzori, and the Awamba,
who inhabit the forest region of the Semliki Valley. The Wajonku are the
only people who dwell upon the mountains. They build their villages as high
as 8000 feet above the sea. In time of war — for the Warasura have invaded
their country also — they retreat up to the neighborhood of the snows. They
say that'onCe fifty men took refuge right in the snow region, but it was so
bitterly cold that only thirty returned to their homes. Since that time they
have a dread of the upper regions of their mountains.

" As far as the south-west angle of Ruewenzori the slopes of the front line
of hills are extensiyely cultivated ; the fields of sweet potatoes, millet, eleu-
sine. Gild plantations of bananas describe all kinds of squares, and attract
36

562

HEROES O^ THE DARK CONTINENT.

the attention; while between each separate settlement the wild banana
thrives luxuriantly, growing at as high an altitude as the summits of the
highest spurs, whereon the Wakonju have constructed their villages.

"Though we were mutually hostile at first, and had several little skir-
mishes, we became at last acquainted
with the Wakonju, and very firm,
close friends. The common enemy
were the Warasura, and the flight of
the Warasura upon hearing of our
advance revealed to the Wakonju that
they ought to be friends with all those
who were supposed to be hostile to
their oppressors. Hence we received
goats, bananas, and native honey in
abundance; our loads were carried,
guides furnished us, and every in-
telligence of the movements of the
Wanyoro brought us. In their ardor
to engage the foe a band of them
accompanied us across Usongora and
Toro to the frontier of Uhaiyana.

DESCRIPTIONS OF THE TRIBES.

" South-west of Awamba, beyond
the forest region of the Semliki
Valley, begins Usongora. This coun-
try occupies the plains bordering the
north-west and north of Lake Albert
Edward. The people are a fine race,
but in no way differing from the
finer types of men seen in Kar-
iigw€ and Ankori, and the Wahuma
shepherds of Uganda. Their food
consists of milk and meat, the
latter eaten raw or slightly warmed.
"The Toi-o natives are a mixture
of the higher class of negroes, some-
whatlike the Waganda. They have
A WAKONJU WOMAN. bcconie so amalgamated with the

lower Wanyoro that we can find nothing distinctive. The same may be said of the
Wahaiyana. What the royal families of those tribes may be we can only imag-
ine from having seen the rightful prince of Usongora in Ankori, who was as
perfect a specimen of a pure Galla as could be found in Shoa. But you need
not conclude from tlii.: that only the royal families possess fine features.

1:^^^;^

(563)

5^4

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTl.iENT.

These Ethiopic types are thickly spread among the Wahuma of these Central
African uplands. Wherever we find a land that enjoys periods of ^.<eace, we
find the Wahuma at home, with their herds, and in looking at them one
might fancy himself transported into the midst of Abyssinia.

" Ankori is a land which, because of its numbers and readiness to resist-
ance, enjoys long terms of uninterrupted peace ; and here the Wahuma are
more numerous than elsewhere. The royal family are Wahuma, the chiefs and
all the wealthier and more important people are pure Wahuma. Their only
occupation, besides warring when necessary, is breeding and tending cattle.
The agricultural class consists of sla,ves — at least such is the term by which
they are designated. The majority of the Wahuma can boast cf features quite
as regular, fine, and delicate as Europeans.

" The countries to the south of the Albert Edward are still unexplored,
and we have not heard much respect' g them ; but what we have heard differs
much from that which you find illustrated by that irregular sheet of water
called Muta Nzige in the ' Dark Continent ' map.

** Ruanda bears the name of Unyavingi to the people of Ukonju, Uson-
gora, and Ankori, and is a large, compact country, lying between the Alexan-
dra Nile and the Congo water-shed to the west, and reaching to within one
day's long march to the Albert Edward. It also overlaps a portion of the
south-west side of that lake. The people are described as being very warlike,
and that no country, not even Uganda, could equal it in numbers or strength.
The late queen 'las been succeeded by her son, Kigeri, who now governs.

•^ , REMARKABLE VICISSITUDES.

"Since the commencement of our march homeward from our camp at Ka-
valli, we have undergone remarkable vicissitudes of climate. From the tem-
perate and enjoyable climate of the region west of Lake Albert we descended
to the hot-house atmosphere of the Semliki Valley — a nearly three thousand
feet lower level. Night and day were equally oppressively warm and close, and
one or two of us suflFered greatly in consequence. The movement from the
Semliki Valley to the plains north of Lake Albert brought us to a dry but <i
hot land; the ground was baked hard, the grass was scorched, the sun, bu
for' the everlasting thick haze, would have been intolerable ; in addition tc^
which the water, except that from the Ruewenzori stream, was atrocious, and
charged with nitre and organic corruption. The ascent to the eastern plateau
was marked by an increase of cold and many an evil consequence — fevers,
colds, catarrhs, dysenteries, and paralysis. Several times we ascended to over
6000 feet above the sea, to be punished with agues, which prostrated black
and white by scores. In the early mornings, at this altitude, hoar-frost
was common. Blackberries were plentiful along the path in north-west An-
kori, 5200 feet above the sea-level.

"Yours obediently,
. " Henry M. Stani^ey."

CHAPTER XXXI.

END OF THE JOURNEY.

'ONCLUDING the story of Stanley's last and most wondeiful
expedition, we have now only to add n few facts and
descriptions to carry the narrative of the final great march
from Albert Lake to Zanzibar, As described in the pre-
ceding chapter, the route selected for the journey eastward
was south from Albert Lake along the Ruewenzori range
and Semliki River, thence south-eastward to the shores of Victoria Lake. This
route proved a most fortunate selection, not only because of the valuable
geographical and ethnological discoveries made, but also because the hostile
Wanyoro tribes were thereby avoided. M'tesa, had he been living, would no
doubt have given substantial aid to Stanley, but his successor, Kalema, was
bitterly hostile to Christians, and with the powerful force at his command could
have easily destroyed — as he certainly would had opportunity ofifered — the
expedition. -.

EXPERT TREE CLIMBERS.

The many tribes not previously met with by white explorers, which
Stanley came in contact with in the formerly unexplored region of Muta
Nziga Lake, lent a new interest to the expedition, and greatly increases its
value. Among other peoples whom Stanley describes in the letter printed in
the preceding chapter, he found a tribe which added to their other curious
customs and habits a singular propensity for climbing trees and making tem-
porary habitations thereon. This practice no doubt grew out of the persecu-
tions to which they were once subject by a more powerful neighboring tribe,
■which induced them to make their abode in the loftiest trees, where they would
be at an advantage in repelling attack. Another reason is found in the frequent
inundations of the district, which rendered an altitudinous habitation at certain
seasons a necessity. Neither of these reasons now forcibly remains, for the
people no longer suffer from their cruel neighbors as they once did, and owing
to a gradual filling in of what was formerly a very low valley, the inundations
are less frequent. But old habits, especially when transmitted, are very slowly
abandoned, so that there are still to be occasionally seen these so-called tree-
dwellers, while the tribes continue to retain their expertness as climbers. And
their means for ascending large and lofty trees is quite as curious as were their
former habitations. In scaling large trees the climber provides himself with a
strong vine, which he throws around the tree, and then seizing the two ends
in either hand he puts his feet against the body of the tree, and by working

(565)

566

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

the vine in a kind of twisting motion, fairly walks up by a series of leverages.
To see a native thus ascending a tree, one would think the feat an easy one,
but it requires much practice before it can be accomplished.
■' These people, though livinj between tribes that had more or less inter-
course with Arab traders, knew nothing of firearms, and exhibited both curiosity
and alarm when a musket was fired in their midst. While in camp on the
Semliki Plain, Nelson shot an eagle in the sight of some of the natives, and
instantly a singular scene ensued. Scarcely had the bird fallen to the ground
when six athletic men rushed to the spot, and with grimaces, as if half asking

PI,UCKINO THR BAGm FOR MAGIC I'EATHBRS.

the privilege, they set to work to strip the eagle of its quill feathers, and after
wards cut off the head and feet. The purpose of these trophies was presently
understood, when an interpreter explained that the men thought the bird had
b^en killed by magic, and that p9ssession of the quills or parts would give
influence over spirits of the air.

Further south, and to the east of the Ruewenzori range, the tribes are more
familiar with Arab customs, and many of them are Mohammedans, a fact which
is particularly true of the Wahuma, who affect the use of loin cloths and head

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

567

aresses ornamented with feathers. Their habitations, however, are those of the
savage, being cone-shaped huts flimsily jonstrpcted, and bearing a striking
resemblance to those of our North American Indians. It is stated that upon
certain occasions, which may be designated as public holidays, it is ustomary
for the daughter of their chief or king to circulate among her people, borne
upon the back of a lusty servant, and scatter small gifts, generally beads, to
the throngs that gather about her way. This ceremony is supposed to be a
symbol of the ''are and generosity which the ruler feels for his people, and the
blessings that will follow obedience to his commands. , t. •. 1 ..

The chief himself is distinguishable from his subjects only by a peculiat
head-dress, which serves him as a crown, and the more pretentious dwelling in
which he resides. He has, like all African potentates, a great number of wives,
who minister to his wants with true slavish devotion, even to the absurd extent
of feeding him, and of holding a vessel to his royal lips while he drinks. But
aside from this custom, in which we observe the badge of abject subordination,
the king exacts no further humiliating subjection from either his wives or his
subjects, his real rule, being tempered with justice and moderation. So that,
upon the whole, being blessed with a fertile district and a considerate king, the
Wahuma may in truth be called a happy people. j

\ , INCIDENTS OF THE MARCH. \

After reaching the region along the south shores of Victoria Lake, there
was more or less fighting with the natives, but at no place was the expedition
opposed by a sufficient force to make the contests much more than brief skir-
mishes, in which there were very few casualties. But while there was little
reduction of the carava||p;, from this cause, other more serious obstacles were
encountered, which depleted the ranks by several scores. There were occasional
stretches of dense growth to be penetrated, swamps to be passed, stream? to be
waded and fever districts to be covered. These entailed hardships which brought
on disease from which many never rallied, and died even while being carried
in hammocks. An accident also occurred by which one of the Soudanese boys
had his eyesight destroyed, while another was so severely burned about the
face and body as to require nursing over the remainder of the way. Three boys
had obtained some brass shells, from which they attempted to remove the bullets
by melting out the lead. They placed the shells in a fire one evening after
camp had been made, and while blowing the coals on which the shells were
laid the cartridges exploded, with the results m^^ndoned.

Occasionally; as the caravan passf.d by ^'Bko^s, the natives would
rush out with shouts, gesticulations and a ''isplay or their singular weapons;
and wizards would indulge devilish dances in their incantations to oppose the
march, but finding small attention paid to their actions they most frequently
concluded their wild exhibitions^by making overtures of friendship ; some, how-
ever, were disdainful to the l*t, and sent imprecations upon the vanishing
caravan after failing to exact a tribute for the privilege of crossing their territory.

1568)

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

569

EMIN PASHA'S DAUGHTER.

Among the members of the cavalcade was a daughter of Emin Pasha, a
girl nearly eleven years of age, named Ferida. Upon being introduced to her
by her father, Stanley's curiosity was excited to learn what strange romance
had culminated in the girl before him, and, to his casual inquiries, he learned
the following interesting facts : Dr. Schintzer (Emin Pasha) is, by birth, a
Silesian Jew, but his Hebraic origin did not impose a religious prejudice
against Islamism. In fact, the Doctor's long residence among the Moham-
medans of the Soudan and lake regions made him lend a willing ear to the
teachings of the Prophet, though possibly not so much from conviction as from
self-interest : — for no one save a Mohammedan can live in peace in that region.
But at all events Emin embraced the Moslem faith, outwardly it least, and ac-
cepted its teachings and practices. The Koran permits every man to have
more than one wife, provided he is able to support a plurality, and as it was
the universal custom of those about him to live in polygamy, Emin had no
■wish to be a conspicuous exception, which might reflect upon his sincerity as
a Mohammedan, and thereby destroy his influence. ; accordingly, he lived as did
his people, and supported more than a single consort. The result of this union
was the birth of a daughter, Ferida. This girl, though not the most beauti-
ful olf her sex, possesses a lovely disposition, and between her and the father
there is an attachment really delightful to behold. • Born amid savage sur-
roundings, she had no refining influence about her save that exercised by her
father; but through his constant care and patient instruction, she was taught
in the several branches, and now has a fairly good education, which will be
further advanced by all the advantages that can be secured for her in the best
colleges of Europe.

NEWS OF STANLEY'S RETURN.

The first reliable news received of Stanley's approach to civilization was
transmitted by Stanley himself to the British Consul at Zanzibar. The dis-
patch was written at Mpwapa, November nth, 1889, and announced his arrival
there on the fifty-fifth day after his departure from Victoria Lake, and the one
hundred and eighty-eighth day after leaving Kavalli. In addition to making the
glad announcement of his arrival at the German station of Mpwapa, he wrote
thus ruefully :

" Every previous expedition has seen the lightening of its labors upon
nearing the sea. But the long string of hammock bearers with us now tells
a different tale. Till we can place the poor things in our company on ship-
board there will be no rest for us. The worst of it is that we have not the
privilege of showing you at Zanzibar the full extent of our labors. After car-
rying some of them a thousand miles, and fighting to the right and left of
the sick, driving the Warasura from their prey over range after range of
mountains, with every energy on full strain, they slip through our hands and
die in their hammocks. One lady, 75 years old, mother of Vakiel, died in
this manner.

57°

■HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.'

*' In Noit.. Usukuma, south of the Victoria N'yanza, we had as stirring a time
for four days as anywhere on our route. There was continuous fighting during
the greater part of the daylight hours. The foolish natives took an unaccount-
able prejudice against Emin's people. They insisted that they were cannibals,
and had come for no good purpose. Talking was useless, as any attempt to
disprove their impression only drove them into a white-hot rage, and in their
mad hate, flinging themselves on us, they suffered severely.

"I am advised that the Semba and Mwene route is the best for securing
an abundance of food, and therefore I propose to adopt it; but as regards
danger from attacks by the natives, one road seems to be as bad as the
other."

RECEPTION AT BAGAMOVO.

At Mpwapa Star ley was greeted by several friends who ministered greatly
to his comfort, and vho helped him on his journey to Bagamoyo, which was
a distance of three weeks' march. After resting two days the caravan con-
tinued on, and oit December 3d Major Wissmann met Stanley, Casati and
Emin £.t the head of the long procession, as it filed into the small village of
Atoni, on the Kinghani River.

Ha\ing heard of the approach of Stanley's expedition, Wissmann had
provided horses for Stanley, Emin and the lieutenants, in order to relieve
the march of hardships at the latter end, and had these ready when the en-
trance into Atoni was made.

THE MIRTH THAT A SNAKT PRODUCED.

But the expedition was in great need of horses long before the meeting
with V/issmann, for every one was both weary iud footsore, while the hiq^h-
waj', though bearing the semblance of a road, was rough and thorn bestrewed.
Bat it was not every one in the expedition who could ride a horse, for to
mariy of those belonging to Emin's party such an animal was a novelty, while
even. vStan ley's assistants had lost much of their equestrianship in the now com-
moner practice of cavalry service on donkeys, oxen and goats, which latter
animals Ward affirms served to bear both packs, and light men occasionally.
But after leaving Kavalli there was no kind of riding animal in the expedition.
One of the horses supplied by Wissman was not exactly a Rozinante, but it
was no loss distinguished for its quiet demeanor, on which account its services
V are the wore in demand, as there was not much confidence shown by any of
the party in their ability to keep company with a spirited horse. However, it
fell to the lot of Jephson to bestride this promising "bea'^t," and off he <5et h\
good glee, at first distancing his followers, and keeping a goodly pace until he
met with a most unexpected mishap. While moving at a slow trot, sud-
denly his horse reared with a spasmodic effort that all but unseated him, and
dashed away with a spirit that might wreck windmills and opposing phantoms,
giving Mr Jephson barely time to see a large snake crawling along with some
excitement in the road, and thus to surmise the cause.

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

571

When Jephson finally returned to tlie roadr.ide from gathering up hi&
acccmtrei ei;ts he was met by Stanley and Wissmann trudging along on slower
horses near the centre of the caravan, and on relating his adventure he became
the o'/ject of a mirth that echoed along the line from one end to the other,
and which brought upon him so many: good-natured jibes that he could not
again be induced to mount a horse even after his own was recaptured.

A LETTER DISPLAYING STANLEY'S MODESTY.

The next halting place after leaving Atoni, was at a small village called
Msuwah, where the expedition was met by several correspondents, among the
number being a. representative of the New York Herald. As Stanley had
made his first great reputation as an African explorer while in the service of
that journal, at the solicitation of the correspondent he wrote the following
letter, in which he gives a summary of his three years' joumeyings and the
wonderful discoveries made:

Msuwah, Nov. 30th, 1889.

" To THE Editor of the New York Herald : The Herald corre-
spondent, who found us during our days' halt at Msuwah, five days from the
coast, has made it a poirt that I should write you. I beg you to believe
that I should be most willing to do so did I know what subject would be par-
ticularly gratifying to /ou ; but as the Herald correspondent cannot suggest
a subject, you will perhaps consider that it would be scarcely fair to expect
me to know matters your readers would be most interested in.

" I find then most convenient to imagine you able to tell my friends
much that I should like to say to them. First of all I am in perfect health
and f?el like a laborer of a Saturday evening returning home with his week's
work done, his week's wages in his pocket and glad that to-morrow is the
Sabbath.

"Just about three, years ago, while lecturing in New England, a mes-
sage came from under the sea bidding me to hasten to take a commission to
relieve Emin Pasha at Wadelai ; but, as people generally do with faithful
pack-horses, numbers of little trifles, odds and ends are piled on over and above
the proper burden. Twenty various little commissions were added to the princi-
pal one, each requiring due care and thought. Well, looking back over what
has been accomplished, I see no .^ason for any heart's discontent. We can say
we shirked no task, and that good will, aided by steady effort, enabled us to
complete every little job *s well as circumstances permitted.

geographical discoveries.
" Over and above the happy ending of our appointed duties, we have not
been unfortunate in geographical discoveries. The Aruwimi is now known
from its source to its boi^e. The great Congo forest, covering as large an
area as France and thf Iberian Peninsula, wt can now certify to be an
absolute fact. The mountains of the moon this time, beyond the least doubt,.

572

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

have been located, and Ruewenzori, ' the Cloud King,' robed in eternal snow,
has been seen and its flanks explored and some of its shoulders ascended,
Mounts Gordon Bennett and Mackinnon Cones being but giant sentries
warding off the approach to the inner area of 'the Cloud King.'

*' On the southeast of the range the connection between the Albert Edward
N'yanza and the Albert N'yanza has been discovered, and the extent of the former
lake is now known for the first time. Range after range of mountains has been tra-
versed, so covered by such tracts of pasture land as would make your
cowboys out West mad with envy. And right under the burning equator we
have fed on blackberries and pilberries and quenched our thirst with crystal
water fresh from snow beds'. We have also been able to add nearly 6,000
square miles of water to the Victoria N'yanza.

*' Our naturalist will expatiate upon the new species of animals, birds and
plants he has discovered. Our surgeon will tell what he knows of the climate
and its amenities. It will take us all we know how to say what new store of
knowledge has been gathered from this unexpected field of discoveries. I
always suspected that in the central regions between the equatorial lakes
something worth seeing would be found, but I was not prepared for such a
harvest of new facts.

AN EXTRAORDINARY EXPEDITION.

" This has certainly been the most extraordinary expedition I have ever
led into Africa. A veritable divinity seems to have hedged us while we journeyed.
I say it with all reverence. It has impelled us whither it would, effected its
own will, but nevertheless guided and protected us.

"What can you make of this, for instance? On August 17, 1887, all the
officers of the rear column are united at Yambuya. They have my letter of
instructions before them, but instead of preparing for the morrow's march and
following our track, they decide to wait at Yambuya, which decision initiates
the most awful season any community of men ever endured in Africa or else-
where. The results are that three-quarters of their force die of slow poison.
Their commander is murdered, and the second officer dies soon after of sickness
and grief. Another officer is wasted to a skeleton and obliged to return home.
A fourth is sent to wander aimlessly up and down the Congo, and the survivor
is found in such a fearful pest hole that we dare not describe its horrors.

"On the same date, 150 miles away, the officer of the day leads 333 men
of the advance column into the bush, loses the path and all consciousness of
his whereabouts, and every step he takes only leads him further astray. His
people become frantic. His white compaiaions, vexed and irritated by the sense
of evil around them, cannot devise any expedient to relieve him. They are
surrounded by cannibals, and poison-tipped arrows thin their numbers. Mean-
time, I, in command of the river column, am anxiously stirring up and down
in the river in four different directions. Through forests my scouts are seek-
ing for them, but not until the sixth day was I successful in finding them.

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

573

DISASTER AND DEATH.

" Taking the same month and the same date in 1888, a year later, on
August 17, I listen, horror-stricken, to the tale of the last surviving oflRcer
of the rear column at Banalya, and am told of nothing bu<^ death and
disaster, disaster and death, death and disaster. I see nothing but horrible forms
of men smitten with disease, bloated, disfigured and scarred, while the scene in
the camp, infamous for the murder of poor Barttelot, barely four weeks before,
is simply sickening. On the same day, 600 miles west of this camp, Jameson^
worn out with fatigue, sickness and sorrow, breathes his last.

" On the next day, August 18, 600 miles east, Emin Pasha and my officer,,
Jephson, are suddenly surrounded by infuriated rebels, who menace them with
loaded rifles and instant death, but fortunately they relent and only make them
prisoners to be delivered to the Mahdists.

" Having saved Bonny out of the jaws of death, we ai'rive a second time
at Albert N'3'anza, to find Emin Pasha and Jephson prisoners, iu daily expecta-
tion of their doom. -? . > u;. . '!^ :* ^'^ "

"Jephson's own letters will describe his anxiety. Not until both were in
my camp and the Egyptian fugitives under our protection did I begin to see
that I was only carrying out a higher plan than mine. My own designs were con-
stantly frustrated by unhappy circumstances. I endeavored to steer my course
as direct as possible, but there was an unaccountable influence at the helm.
. ; "I gave as much good will to my duties as the strongest honor would
compel. My faith that the purity of my motive deserved success was firm,
but I have been conscious that the issues of every effort were in other hands.

"Not one officer who was with me will forget the miseries he has endured,,
yet everyone that started from his home destined to march with the advance
column and share its wonderful adventures is here to-day safe, sound and
well, and the Herald correspondent may interview them to his heart's content.
This is not due to me.

A POISONED SHAFT.

•' "Lieut. Stairs was pierced v/ith a poisoned arrow like others, but others
died, and he lives. The poisoned tip came out from under his heart eighteen
months after he was pierced. Jephson was four months a prisoner with guards
with loaded rifles around him. That they did not murder him is not due
to me.

"These officers have had to wade through as many as seventeen streams,
and broad expanses of mud and swamps in a day. They have endured a sun
that scorched wherever it touched. A multitude of impediments have ruffled
their tempers and harassed their hours. They have been maddened with
agonies of fevers ; thev have lived for months in an atmosphere that medical
authority declared to be deadly ; they have faced dangers every day, and their
diet has been all through what legal serfs would have declared to be infamous
and abominable, and yet they live. This is not due to me any more than the

574

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

courage with which they have borne all that was imposed upon them by their
surroundings, of the cheery energy which they bestowed* on their work, or the
hopeful voices which rang in the ears of a deafening multitude of blacks and
urged the poor souls on to their goal.

TO WHAT WAS IT DUE ?

"The vulgar will call it luck. Unbelievers will call it chance; but deep
down in each heart remains the feeling that, of verity, there are more things in
heaven and earth than are dreamed of in common philosophy.

*' I must be brief. Numbers of scenes crowd the memory.

" Could one but sum them up into a picture, it would have grand interest.
The uncomplaining heroism of our dark followers, the brave manhood, the
attention to such uncouth disguise, the tenderness we have seen issue from
nameless entities, the great love animating the ignoble, the sacrifice made by

THE EXPKDITION CROSSING A STREAM.

the unfortunate, the reverence we have noted in barbarians, who, even as our-
selves, were inspired with nobleness and incentives to duty; of all these we could,
speak if we would, but I leave that to the Herald correspondent, who, if he has
eyes willing to see, will see much for himself, and who, with his gifts of com-
position, may present a very taking outline of what has been done and is now
near ending, thanks be to God forever and ever.

. . " Yours faithfully,

"Henry M. Stanley."

ARRIVAL AT BAGAMOYO.

Aside from the mishap to Jephson, there was no trouble experienced with
the horses, so kindly provided by Wissmann, and a triumphal entry into Baga-

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

575

r ■

moyo was made at eleven o'clock, Wednesday morning, December 4. The town
was profusely decorated in expectation of their coming, carriers having gone on
in advance ; and as the calvalcade came in sight of the coast, the German man-
of-war Sperber fired a salute of twelve guns. There were several vessels lying
in the roadstead, and all of these were handsomely decked in flags, giving a
beautiful appearance to the channel between Bagamoyo and Zanzibar island.

At three o'clock Wissmann entertained Stanley and Emin at a luncheon,
at which several Europeans were present, among others the captain of the
Sperber^ who welcomed Stanley, and then congratulated Emin on behalf of
Emperor William. In the evening there was a champagne banquet, attended
by several representatives of foreign powers, chiefly consuls. The German
consul toasted the Queen, which was followed by a toast to Stanley by Wiss-
mann, which brought forth a most eloquent reply from the great explorer. In
the course of his remarks, he gave praise to God for all that had been accom-
plished, and most feelingly referred to those soldiers who had accompanied him
and left their bones, as an evidence of their devotion, bleaching in the forest.
His speech throughout was eloquently reverential and modest, and gave a new
exhibition of his true greatness.

^ AN ACCIDENT TO EMIN PASHA.

The joyful festivities that were thus inaugurated to manifest a gladsome
welcome to the returned explorers were continued to a late hour, and until they
were suddenly interrupted by a most deplorable accident, which came very
near to ending the life of Emin Pasha, turning mirth into instant mourning.
' V '' Considerable wine was consumed during the ceremonies of jollification,
Emin Pasha indulging to an extent which rendered him nearly unconscious of
his surroundings. He had taken lodging at a typical Zanzibarian caravansary,
in which all the windows are so low that the sills are nearly on a level with
the floor. They are thus made in order to allow a fuller sweep of air, so
necessary in a tropical country, and also to serve as a doorway leading out onto
the veranda which invariably surrounds the second stories of the large build-
ings. When Emin retired to his room it was after midnight, and being very
warm, as well as confused by the potations he had indulged in, he walked out
through the long open wi idow and seated himself on the railing of the balcony
to catch the fresh air for a few moments before taking his repose. While thus
seated, receiving the cooling night breeze, he lost his balnce and fell to the
ground below, a distance of nearly twenty feet. He strtiCK with such force
upon his side that he lost consciousness, but his groans attracted the attention
of others who were sitting on a porch on the first floor, and who hastened to
his relief. The other members of the expedition were notified immediately,
and in a few moments tender hands carried the unconscious body to a bed in
the hotel, and Dr. Parke was hurriedly summoned, as were also physicians con-
nected with the English and German fleets in the harbor. A brief examination
showed that he was very seriously, perhaps fatally, hurt. In fact, all the.

576

HEROES OF THE DARK CONTINENT.

physicians except Dr. Parke gave it as their opinion that his injuries would
prove mortal. Blood was flowing from his mouth, nose and ears, while there
appeared to be equally dangerous body hurts. His physical condition, too, was
much depleted by the long march and fevers from which he had been suffering
for two months before, so that his chances for recovery appeared very small.

For nearly a week be remained unconscious, with a slightly" blood-tinged
serum running all the while from his ears, and other symptoms of brain con-
cussion manifest. In the mean time telegrams of sympathy from Germany arid
England came two and three times on each day, concluding with requests for
knowledge of Emin's condition. Anxiety was intense as it appeared that through
his death the world would be deprived of a report of his service^ and discoveries
in the Equatorial Provinces, but at length reason regained its snattered throne
and the Doctor awoke from his death-like stupor. Hope revived as did the dis-
tinguished patient, and after four weeks he was pronounced out of danger.
During all this time he could not be removed, and it was two months
after the accident before he was able to leave Bagomoyo for Zanzibar. But
though Emin received the very best attention, his injuries mended so slowly
that it has not been thought advisable to send him either to Cairo or Europe^
and on the 14th of January he suffered a relapse that leaves his condition still
critical, at this writing, January 20th.

HONORS TO STANLEY.

On the sixth of December Stanley crossed over to Zanzibar where he
was received with loud acclamations and a hundred public receptions were ten-
dered him, while telegram after telegram from Queen Victoria, Emperor Wil-
liam, the Khedive of Egypt, and great men of Europe poured in upon him
until a less democratic and less sensible head would have been turned by a
vanity such wealth of applause and honor most frequently excites. Vessels
in the roads were a flutter with flags, bands serenaded him, toasts were drunk
in his honor, decorations were bestowed upon him, governments placed their
best ships at his service to convey him whither he wished to go, and he was
feted, with untiring attentions, for a mouth before he left for Cairo
in a British vessel specially appointed to carry him. Arriving at
Cairo he was received by a distinguished delegation of British ofiicers
and residents, who, after giving him a magnificent banquet, conducted him
to the palace of the Khedive, where he received a no less hearty welcome at the
hands of the Egyptian rulei, a banquet being given him at the palace on the third
day after his arrival. Three days later he was likewise honored by Sir Evelyn
Baring, while floods of invitations continued to pour in upon him from scientific
and distinguished social bodies in London.

Owing to his long continuance in a tropical country, and his emergence in
the winter season, Stanley wisely concluded to defer his return to England
until some time in the early spring, thus having to disappoint for while the
expectations of his admirers, who had hoped to extend him a hearty welcome.

'.■f-'> i'^ -/'-■>■

'■■: • =-,!V?¥^ ';;<»

' -*''% i