Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1877-09-28
Stanley in Africa

After months of suspense, during
which the gravest fears were entertained
for the safety of the explorer, the news
has come that Henry NJ Stanley, sthe
special commissioner of the New York
Herald and the London Daily TelegrdpH,
has arrived on the West Coast of Africa,
after terrible journey across the CONT,
nent, along the line of the Lualaba and
the Congo Rivers Stanley's letters are
dated from Emboma, Congo River, West
Coast of Africa, Aug. 10, and inform us
that he arrived at that point on Aug. s
from Zanzibar, with only 115 souls, and
in an awful condition from the long and
terrible journey through the heart Of the
African continent. After completing
the exploration of Lake Tanganyika, and
settling definitely by actual survey the
question of the outflow of the lake by
what was believed to be the River
Lakuga, but which he has proved to be
only creek draining into the lake, ex-
cept where the waters of the great inland
sea attain an extraordinary leads Stan.
ley and his followers pushed across the
country to Nyangwe, on the Lualaba.
This was the most northerly point
reached by Cameron when he attempted
to solve the mystery of the Congo and its
identity with the main drainage line of
the Lualaba Basin. Stanley left Nyapewe
on the 18th of November, 1876. and
travelled overland through Uregga with
his party. 4-. = sa
The task of penetrating the unexplored
wilds that stretched before him to the
westward was calculated to impress him
with sense of danger that nothing but
the stern call of duty and the promptings
of ambitious resolution could overcome.
he was about to plunge into region
where he would be as completely cut off
from hope of succor, if fortune did not
favor him in his journey, as if he was
wandering on the surface of another
planet. After an arduous march of sey.
eral days, through country filed with
difficulties, and being compelled, to
transport on the shoulders of his men
every pound of provisions and other
stores necessary for the trans-continentai
journey, and besides carrying in SINH,
Lar manner the sections of the Lady
Alice exploring boat, and the arms and
ammunition of his party, Stanley found
himself brought to a stand by immense
tracts of dense forests, through which
all attempts at progress were futile.
Finding that he could not advance along
the line he had first intended to follow,
Stanley crossed the Lualaba and con-
tinued his journey along the left bank of
tie river, passing through the district
known as Northeast UlSusa. On this
route he endeavored to find an outlet
westward, but the jungle was so dense
and the fatigues of the march so harass.
ing that 1t seemed impossible for him to
succeed in passing the tremendous bar
riers of the forest. ~. 'Ifs
To add to the horrors of his position
in these Central African wilds, STANLEY
found himself opposed at every step by
the hostile cannibal natives. The saw
ages filled the woods, and day and night
poured flights of poisoned arrows on his
party, which killed and fatally wounded
many of his men. From every tree and
rock along the route the deadly missiles
winged their fatal course, and the heav-
lly-laden bearers fell dead under their
loads in the dark forest. Only now and
then could Stanley and his men reply to
this silent fire with their rifles, for the |
savages kept under the densest cover,
and rarely exposed themselves. Stan |
Iey's march through these cannibal re.
yions soon became almost hopeless. |
There was no cessation to the fighting |
lay or night. An attempt at camping
merely concentrated the savages, and |
their fire far more deadly: The
advance was succession of charges in |
rude skirmishing order by an advance
guard. whose duty it was to clear the /
road for the main body A rear guard
covered in like manner the retreat; for,
although advancing against one enemy,
5he movement was retreat from an
other. AN Stanley's efforts to appesse
he savages were unavailing. They
would listen 10 no overtures, ,disregarded |
al signals Of friendship and mildness of
Intention, and refused to be paci6ed with
gifts. The patient behavior of Stanley's
men they regarded as cowardice; so thatno
course remained open to the explorer but
o fight his way onward, and with as lit,
lie loss as possible.
TO render Stanley's position still more
iepl0rable, his escort of 140 natives,
whom he had engaged for the service AT
Nyangwe, refused TO proceed furthefon
he Journey, and deserted him. They
we're so overawed by the terrors of the
crest and the continuous strnggIe that
hey believed destruction was certain to
vertake the whole party, and prudentiSi
esolved not to be destroyed. Finding
hat his ranks were thiDned by the de,
ertion of the Nyangwe, the hostile ma,
ives concentrated for grand attack ON
tanleY, with the object of completely
rushing him. 1t became necessary.
therefore, IN orooniza a dasnoro,,, ,o,iy' |