, 1877-04-07
STANLEY'S LATEST ACHIEVE.
MENTS.

SldDLlCdi 6GlClICC3 Will OO ICIOlCtQ w ICdIu
that Henry NJ. Stanley has again been
heard from, and that he continues to pur-
sue his important explorations in Central
Africa. Considering the enormou diff.
cultIes that surround the task Of research
and discovery which Stanley has under.
taken, we cannot accord to him the full
need of praise and admiration which his
perseverance and pluck deserve, because
even our liberality would fall short of JUS
tice where we cannot realize the extent of
the merit. Few people who have taken
the trouble of studying the nature Of the
problem which Stanley is now on the eve
mensity Of the field of his labors. They
read that he has circumnavigated the
Victoria Niyanza in a saiIboat, penetrating
every little gulf and bay of the broken
outline Of that great inland sea, and care
fully locating by instrumental observation
the prominent landmarks as guides to
those who will follow him. But few stop
to consider that this single lake is over
two hundred and ten miles in length and
one hundred and eighty miles in breadth,
and has a coast line of over fifteen hun.
uiCu IIIlICSS anu dI dlCd vi uOL less IMAM
thirty-eight thousand square miles. 10
make an accurate coast and ~hydrographic
survey Of this vast sheet of water, subject
as it is to those terrible Equatorial tenn
pests, is a work that should of itself alone
bring Stanley a lasting fame.
Our explorer has not, however, limited
his undertaking to the survey and ex-
ploration of the Victoria Niyanza. He
has pushed his way across the divide
which separates the Victoria Niyanza
from the Albert Niyanza, another Of the
great lakes that form the Equatorial reser-
voirs of the Nile. This journey was not
only arduous on account OF its length, but
also extremely dangerous because of the
hostility Of the natives. By organizing O
large army, which was furnished him bv
King M'tesa, of Uganda, Stanley was able
to reach the Albert Niyanza; but, from
the dangers OF famine that surrounded him
he was compelled TO retreat with his forces
through q most difficult and in some parts
sterile region. Although repuISed in this
attempt the explorer resolved to reach the
Albert Niyanza by another route, and took
his course to the south, hoping to effect a
crossing of the divide through a more hos
pitab'e region. While making this march
he discovered the Kageera River, which
he has since explored and found to be one
OF the most important feeders of the Victo-
ria Nlyanza aud really an extension of the
Nile itself into unexplored regions four
degrees south of the Equator. In prose,
cutting his researches along the line of the
Kageera, Stanley was again met and re-
pulsed by the ferocity of the natives aud
the dangers of famine. He then decided
to reach Uiji by direct marches and
endeavor to approach the Albert Nivanza
from the south. All these attempts bore
their own fruits in the most valuable dis
C%overies, and added much to the knowledge
he had already acquired by description
and observation of the territory be was
traversipg.
From the Ujji, Stanley commenced o
complete survey of Lake Tanganyika, o
part OF which he had explored with Living.
stone soon after their FIRST eventful meeting.
The results of this survey must prove high
ly important in determining the value Of
the lake itself as q factor in the calculations
respecting the sources of the Nile and the
Congo. Stanley settles the question of the
outlet raised by Cameron. The latter
explorer insists that he has discovered the