The free citizen. (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1875-12-04
African Exploration.

Tic explorations Of Stanley in the
heart of Africa arc Of the utmost geo
graphical interest and importance. lie
is Il plucky, clcar-hcadcd man, who push
rs his way through difficulties like Il
steam engine through. Il SHOW drift; and
considering the delays and slowncss Of
former expeditions, tic rapidity Of his
movements and the promptncss OF his
communications are quite remarkable.
He has too much business on hand to be
sick, and is too active and energetic and
vigiant to be cntrappcd by the trcachcr-
ous natives or captured by the malaria.
Ii is quite evident that the natives stand
i'm awe of this man, who seems to he :.
sort of locomotive III boots, though they
shoot his men when out of his sight with
out hesitation or rcmorsc, and his two
letters came stained with the litr-blond Of
one Of the khcdivcs officers. Stanley
has now demonstrated Ivy actual obscrv-
alton and surveys that Livingstone,
whose health and mind failed in The last
years of his long African sojourn, was
mistaken III supposiny the Victoria Ny
ailz;l w:lS :, cliain of five lakes connected
with each other. He finds that Spoke,
whose explorations were made in 1862.
was right in his opinion that the Victoria
Ny:,nza is one body OF water; but what
Spoke took for two islands Stanley finds
:,rc pcuinsul;,s in this great inland Sca
This is undoubtedly the upper reservoir
of the Mic and should future cxplur-
ations confirm the Importance Of the
River Sllimccyou we shall have the KEY
to the whole Nile system, and the mvs-
terry OF Airica will he hrncclorth an open
secret. II is Il matter of nat iunal pride
that these final explorations arc made hv
IN American, who, though, he follows
the trail of distinguished explorers,
seems to have Il capacity OF gathering up
the results Of their discursivc discoveries
and observations, and combining and
correcting them, and supplcmcnting them
with original explorations of his OWN
which arc quite rs important us any that
have been made.
These African explorations are of vast
~ more consequence and practical utility
tllnn anything that has been or is likcl,
to be discovered i'll the Arctic regions
where SO much treasure has been spcn
and so many lives have been thrown
away. Africa is not only II puzzle [,
gcographcrs: it is now Il problem fo
civilization to solve, and throws down it
challenge to tbs statcsmanship and hu
manity of the globe. 1t lies in The high
way of commerce, inviting the inter
course Of all nations. Its fertile soils IN,
s;llllhrous climates and valuable produc
tlons give it Il vast importance, which i
increased by its accessibility on all sides
The cradle OF civilization and the seat o
commerce Tor centuries, it is now sparse
ly pcoplcd. and to all practical intcnts i
Il virgin continent inviting immigratio,
and furnishing almost unlimited scopc I,
the enterprise Of civilized man. villa
shall bc done with it and for it arc oucs
tions which will ass. themselves will
increasing frequency and force in comm,
years. Mr.. Dalton has suggested that al
attempt be made to col0nizc it will
Chinese. The plan has plausibility. |
has been found that the Chinese wh
ave settled in the Oceanic Islands bay
developed quite remarkable faculties q
thrift AID enterprise and government
:;::iaa nave improved consitlcr,LJn on TIN
lton" i tS%% ry. D"tt Dtt VIII ;i;,at E"ra,o over
crowded with population and all he
great cities suffering from an excess O
poor and pcrislling classes, it certainl,
seems that tic key Of African civilization
need not be sought in eastern Asia anon.
the Nlongolian races. 1t only wants TIN
ability to organize colonization on
grand scale and carry it out with th
appliances of modern science and art i'm,
The modern spirit Of humanity to max,
Africa Il power in the civilized world an,
:; l,i! means OF rcnovating Europe. NaH!