Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-02-09
STANLEY.

manning pOTG1Ou OF Inc report mace Oy
M. E. Linant de Bellefonds to, the
Egyptian Minister of War respecting
his visit to King Mtesa's capital, and
his meeting there with Mr.. Stanley.
UGANDA, Thursday, April IL, 1875
Mr.. Stanley is leaving us in order to
accomplish the western side of the lake,
thereafter intending to return to Ugu
vumv to pick up his followers and The
goods left at Kayeghi. I had arranged
to accompany him as far as Usovaria,
the point of embarkation in Murchison
Bay. We start together, therefore, this
morning, I having lent one of my mules
to my friend and ordered ten of my
soldiers to escort us. A'' -
We commence the journey by round
ing the hill upon which His Majesty
resides, and then bend orr steps south.
ward with slight easterly INCLINATION.
All the way along our route we see gar
dens luxuriant with the banana and
sweet potato. We have to cross canal,
into which all the mud of the country
appears to have gathered. It has "a
breadth of forty metres at the point
we cross, and there is a bridge of cutlogs
and branches thrown over It: but though
people on foot may find the passage
rendered easier by this construction, it
is badly adapted to our mules, which
loose their balance on the smooth and
shifting trunks, with the result OF
pitching into the mud and water. How
ever, we manage to haul them out and
to get ourselves over, and then, after
two hours march, we climb ahill with 9
steep incline. The road is bordered on
both sides by impenetrable thickets,
the hiding place of leopards and hyenas,
whore certainly no one is likely to
interfere much with the digestion of
their prey. Arrived at the top of this
eminence, the beautiful view makes us
quickly forget all the fatigues of the as
cent. Under cur feet the magnificent
lake stretches out, sparkling like q
cloth Of silver; numerous green islands,
softly rounded and indented, shut in
the bay with girdle as of emeralds;
while along the shore are masses of
darker green dotted about, these being
groves of huge timber trees, which
battle their roots and branches in the
fresh and impid wavelets of the
Victoria. Eastward q silvery rib
bon hurries to lose itself in the
lake. That is the cabal which
we have lately crossed. The scene is
enchanting, absorbing; the heart must
swell with pleasure within the breast of
any admirer of natural beauty who
gazes upon it. We feel keen desire
to descend and approach nearer to this
lovely coast whose charms ravish us,
and, after a quick advance of less than
an hour, the ripples of the Niyanza are
breaking at our feet.
We are here at Usovara, hunting
station of King Mtesa, who frequently
repairs to the spot in order to exercise
his shooting powers upon the croco,
dies. Numberless huts and gardens
appear around us, and among them
His Majesty has a "shooting box
which covers an area of several kilo-
metres.
There is a broad approach, which
Mr.. Stanley christens the "Avenue des
Champs Elysees," lined on each side by
the dwellings, of the royal guards, and
it leads to the Kings abode. This APP
proach is about mile in length, Mtesa's
lodge turning out to be a collection Of
huts, each encircled by fence, while
all around are scattered the lodgings
for his escort.
Mr.. Stanley has been promised by
the King the use of thirty canoes to
accompany him to the Usuvuma and
to bring back to Usovara his expedi-
ton and equipments. The High Adj.
miral of Uganda in person is to &C
company them, but it is already four
o'clock, and we see nothing either of
the feet or the official.
News presently arrives that the delay
is caused by sad domestic calamity
which has befallen the chief of the
Uganda navy, and it turns out that,
having arrived over night near Usovara
with all his female establishment, the
Admiral has had all his wives fetched
back by order of the King, His Majesty
declaring that it was highly irregular to
make pleasure party of that which
was intended as matter Of important
service. Tomorrow, they say all will
be in readiness.
Mr.. Stanley and I devote ourselves
accordingly to promenade along the
lake, in the course of which we behold
with admiration enormous trees, that
might afford cover with their thick
shade to 500 people at once. Parasi.ical
plants climb over the trunks and
of these Titans OF the forest,
and If you make an incision into the
bark or roots there exudes rosinous
gum, which appears very similar to the
6 mastic that the Cairo woman chew.
The soil at the edge of the lake is q
detritus, rich in oxide of iron,
snd upon it grows closely thick and
soft moss of yellowish green compost
ton carpet as agreeable te the eye as
to the foot. 81 e % .te e e 7ssss
A Man with q Silver Head.
Count Paul de Gabriac publishes, in
his travels, the following reminiscence
Of Lima: ssOne day, when dining with
the French Consul, the Man with the
Silver Head was announced. he was q
owning a small property
near the city. While taking q walk
some months ago he heard cries of
agony, and, Fastening in the direction
from which they came, surprised three
brigands, one 81 whom held travellers
head between his knees, while another
cuts his ears off, and ia third