The New York herald., 1877-09-17
ON THE ouTERMosr EDGE OF CIVILIZATION.

ON THE oUTERMosr EDGE OF CIVILIZATION.
These people had four muskets which
they obtained from the west coast. They
represent, in degree, the advance guard OF
civilization toward the interior of the con-
tinent They called the great river Ikuta
Ya Congo With these friendly natives
Stanley and his party made 'blood brother
hood" and purchased from them an abun-
dance of provisions, which were sorely
needed by the furnished exploring party.
DOWN THE CONGO OR LuALABA.
After brief rest Stanley endeavored to
continue his course along the left bank OF
the river But three days after his de-
parture from the village of the friendly
natives he came to the country of pow
erful tribe, whose warriors were armed with
muskets. Here for the first time since leav-
ing Nyangwe Stanley had to contend against
an enemy on almost IN equal footing as to
arms He, therefore, prepared his party for
struggle the issue Of which was decidedly
doubtful
THE sEvEREsT BATTLE OF ALL.
No sooner did these natives discover the
approach of Stanley's expedition than they
manned fifty-four large canoes and put off
from the river bank to attack it. 1t was not
until after three of his men were killed that
Stanley dcsisted in his efforts to make the
natives understand that he and his party
were friends. He cried out to them to that
effect and offered cloths as peace gifts
But tho savages refused to be conciliated,
and the fight proceeded with unabated fury.
For twelve miles down the struggle went on,
and it proved to be the greatest and most
desperate fight on this terrible river. 1t
was maintained by Stanleys followers with
great courage, and was the last save one Of
thirty-two battles fought since the expedi-
ton had left Nyangwe.
THE GREAT BASIN AND IT'S DRAINAGE.
The Lualaba, which river changes it's
name scores Of times as it approaches the
Atlantic Ocean, now becomes known as the
Kwango and the You're AS the river runs
through the great basin which lies between
twenty-six degrees and seventeen degrees
east longitude it has an uninterrupted
course of over seven hundred miles, with
magnificent afluents, especially on the
southern side. Thence cleaving the broad
belt of mountainss between the great basin
of the Atlantic Ocean the river desconds by
about thirty falls and furious rapids to the
great river between the falls of Yellala and
the Atlantic
SAD LOSSES DURING THE JOURNEY
Stanley's losses during the long and ter
rible journey across the continent from Ny
angwe have been very severe. The contin-
nous fighting in the forests and on tho river
reduced the strength of the expedition daily
until it became n question whether any Of
its members would over reach the coast.
POOH rocoCK-FAIrHFUL KALuLu.
Stanley states in his despatch, "My grief
is still new over tho loss of my last white
assistant, tho brave and pious young Eng
lishman, Francis Pocock, who was swept
over the falls of tho Massassa on the 81 of
last June" He adds, my faithful compan-
ion, Kalulu, is also among the lost"
A WONDERFUL ESCAPE.
On the same day that Pocock was lost
Stanley, with seven men, were almost
drawn into the whirlpoos of the Nova
Falls. and six weeks later himself. with tho