River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1876-10-26
girer falls gunrnal.
A. MORSE & SON PRoPRIEToRs.
Published Every Thursday.
English Missionary Expedition TO Lake Vie
tOrla NiyanZa.

The Times of India publishes the
following interesting letter, dated
Alden, June IA respecting the English
church Missionary expedition to the
Lake Victoria NiyanZa:
1.-The passengers on board the p. and
o. Co. 5 steamship Siam have just bid
a hearty GOd-speed to two earnest and
enthusiastic English gentlemen who
land here and leave on the 10Th inst.
for Zanzibar. From thence they are
to proceed for nearly 1000 miles in
land across an unknown wilderness of
fetid feYer-lurking, swampS of dismal
forests, of bleak and barren mountain
chains, and over the grandest inland
seas of all the continents, till they
find an abiding resting place in the
very heart of central Africa. Through
their kindness am at liberty to lay
before your readers the whole genises,
scope and intent of their expedition,
and may add that am the first jour-
nalist who has had the good fortune TO
come in contact with them.
early in November last the Daily
Telegraph published letter from
Stanley containing a glowing account
of his sOiOuTn with M'tesa, king of
Uganda fertile country clasp
ing for $50 miles, by so inland,
the y. W. shores of Victoria NyanZa.
According to the enterprising CORES.
pondent, M'tesa had strangely altered
since l3 years before Spoke and Grant
found him IL murderous and despotic
youth. civil, certainly through vanity,
. -. s.e Int csr
every new day by the slaughter of
slaves and enemies, of wives and
friends. Now he had the polish of a
true gentleman, and was at once "a
generous king and an intelligent ruler.
Now the fetishes had been hurled from
their high places, and he not only pro.
fesse9 Islamism. but even dressed and
drilled his troops in Arab fashion.
Now he had constructed broad high
roads throughout his kingdom and,
impressed, through Stanley's teaching,
of the superiority,Of the English mind
willingly accepted the Ten Command.
ments, the Lords prayer, and that no.
blest precept in allreligions, Love thy
neighhor as myself but above all, he
| longed for the ciyiliZing influence OF
the English missionary. IF they will
come, cried VI tesa, Il will give them
all they want. But as Stanley points
out the missionary needed here is the
practical Christian tutor, who car
teach people how TO become Christians
cure their diseases, construct dwell
ings, understands and eXemplifies agri-
culture, and turns his hands to any
| thing like a sailor.
This appeal to English Christians
was at once answered by An unprofit
able Servant who anonymously of
fered the Church Missionary society
$4,000 as a nucleus for the expense OF
| the undertaking, if the society were
prepared Immediately and with energy
| to organize Il mission TO Victoria Ny
ANA. private subscription list wa:
/ opened, the necessary amount, fl5, 00C
speedily gathered in, and. after mucl
advice from Grant and Cameron, the
details of the expedition was formu
/ lated.
s'At first it was suggested that thu
| White Nile formed the best and eaSieS
/ route this view was backed for awhile
by the anonymous donor, but was ulti
mately given up. But it was unani
mouSly. agreed that the expedition
/ should be framed in the full spirit O.
| modern missionary enterprise, and b.
at once evangelistic. educational, aEC
/ Industrial.
s.There was no lack of enthusiast,
volunteers for work that, however
| perilaus, will probably do more thai
any before to open central Africa t.
| English religion, English civilization
Il 4 81, 10 aVrN Of Il
numerous candidates, those only were
carefully selected who had the fittes
physique for the dangers of the serv
ice, the highest technical knowledge
OF the departments they were to com
mand, and who, along with these es
sential qualifications, appeared from
their antecedents, to be inspired by
thorough missionary spirit.
EARLY in March of this year, the la!
leader of the whole expedition, Lieut.
| Shergord Smith, r. N, of Ashantee re
pute, accompanied by Mr.. Clarke, ;
| civil engineer. started from England il
Z small steam yacht, the Highland Las
sic. This little vessel is primarily in
tended for coast service in connection
with the MOmbas mission settlemen
for freed slaves, which, at all event
at first, is to be the parent station o
these central African missions. Bu
the two Englishmen Will have pro
ceeded after an interval to Zanzibar
| At the end of april Mr.. A. NJ. Mackay
mining engineer, and Mr.. L. 0'Neill
architect. started for Zanzibar, taking
with them little steam launch-th'
/ DaiSy-in pieces, so as to be readil.
| fitted together for river navigation
Accompanied by the other two gentle
men they intend in this to explore
| either the Wami or the Kangani river
the first by preference and hope L
| be able to steam ut last 200 miles in
land across the low lying and unhealthy
! Swamps. Neither have been previous
| " nayigated, but Sir Bartle Frere anC
high local authorities consider it alto
getheT likely that by one river or thu
! other, each tending inland to a com
mon point, the district of Usugara MAJ
be reached. Formerly known as thu
| .Sanitarium of Africa, this country il
/ still cOnfessedly healthy, and here it il
proposed to form a permanent settle
ment under Mr.. Clarke command, The
/ first link of a chain of mission station!
| extending as far as Lake Victoria Ny
ANA. The Daisy will then ply at in
/ teTvalS between USugaTa and Zanzibar
in connection with the Highland Las
sic. running from the latter place t
Mombas.