The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1877-09-27

its aim, conducted purely with view to
accomplishing its appointed work, and
managed with q commendable union of
liberallty in appropriations and care in
expenditures. -Nantucket (Aass.) Cor. N.
7. Erenin0 Post.
STANLEY'S EXPLORATIONS.
Wonderful stories from the Celebrate
ed African Explorer-His Advance
Through q Forest Filled with Cannl-
bals-Thirty.two Battles Fought
Descent and Exploration Of the Con.
60 River.
NEW YORK, Sept. II.
A Herald cable says that, after months
of suspense, during which the grayest
fears were entertained for his safety, news
has come that Henry M. Stanley has ar
rived on the west coast of Africa, after
troublesome journey across the continent
Rivers. SANKEY'S letters are dated from
Embowa, Congo River, Aug. 10, and say
he arrived at that point from Zanzibar
Aug. with only 115 souls, and in an
awful condition, after the long, terrible
journey through the heart of the African
Continent, after completing the explora-
ton of Lake Tanganyika, and settling
definitely by actual survey the question Of
the outflow of the lake by what was be-
lieved to he the River Lakuga, but which
he has proved to be only creek draining
into the lake, except where the waters Of
the great inland sea attain an extraordi-
nary level.
Stanley and his followers pushed across
the country to the Nyangwe, on the Lu-
alaba. 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 Nyangwe
Nov. Is, 1876, and Travelled overland
through Uregga. After an arduous march
of many days through country filled
with difficulties, and being compelled to
transport on the shoulders of his men
every pound of provisions and other stores
necessary for the transcOhtinental journey,
and beside carrying, in a similar manner,
the sections of the Lady Alice, the explor-
ing boat, and the arms and ammunition of
his party, Stanley found himself brought
to stand by an immense tract of dense
forests, through which all attemps at
progress were futile.
Finding he could not advance along the
line he had first intended to follow, STAN
lev crossed the Lualaba and continued
along the left bank of the river, passing
through Northeast Uskusa. On this route
he endeavored to find an outlet westward,
but the jungle was so dense and the
fatigues of the march so harassing that it
seemed impossible to pass the tremendous
barrier of the forest. To add to the hor-
rors of his position, Stanley was opposed
at every step by the hostile cannibal ma
tives, who filled the woods and poured
flights of poison arrows on his party, kill
ing and fatally wounding many of his
men. From every tree and rock the dead
ly missiles winged their course, and the
heavily laden bearers fell dead under
their loads. Only now and then could
Stanley and his men reply with their
rifles, as the savages kept under dense
! cover. Stanley's march through these
cannibal regions soon became almost hope
less. There was NO cessation of the fight
ing, day or night. An attempt at camp
ing merely concentrated the savages, and
rendered their fire more deadly The adj
vance was succession of charges in rude
skirmishing order, by guard engaged to
clear the road for the main body, while a
rear guard Unlike manner covered the re-
treat. All efforts to appease the savages
were unavailing. They would listen to no
overtures, disregarded signals Of friend
ship, and refused gifts. They regarded
as cowardice the patient behavior of STAN
ley's men, SO that no course remained but
to fight the way out with as little loss as
possible.
To render SANKEY'S position more de-
plorable, his escort of 14O natives, engaged
for the service at Nyangwe, refused to go
further and deserted. They were 80 over
awed by the terrors of the forest and the
fighting that they believed destruction was
certain to Overtake the whole party.
Learning that his ranks were thinned by
this desertion, the hostile natives gathered
for grand attack On Stanley, to COM
pletely crush him. 1t became necessary,
therefore, to organize desperate resist
ance, which was SO successful that it re-
pulsed the savages for the time, and gave
Stanley chance to arrange plans adapted
to his trying situation. There was only
one way to escape, unless Stanley accept
ed the alternative of returning to NyaDg-
we and abandoning the work he had un-
dertakeu. This was to use canoes. With
the Lady Alice as q last reliance, and
good canoes for the party, Stanley con-
cluded he would advance with a better
prospect of success.
Although he had a decided advantage
over the savages on the water, Stanley
found each days advance repetition of
the previous days struggle. 1t was des-
perate fighting throughout while pushing
down the river. In the midst of these
struggles SANKEY'S journey was interrupt
ed by a series of great cataracts not far
apart, and just north and south of the
oOnofor v,occ thoco ho hod to hio
way through thirteen miles of dense for
est, and to drag his eighteen canoes and
the Lady Alice overland. This enormous
labor entailed the most cxhausting efforts,
and the men had frequently to abandon
the ak and drag ropes for their rifles, to
defend themselves against the continuous
| assaults of the hostile natives. After
passing the cataracts there was a long
breathing pause and comparative security
from attack, while the party recruited
strength for the further journey westward.
Though fighting his way continuously,
Stanley made opportunity to note the in.
teresting changes and physical character
istics of the route. At 2 degrees OF
north latitude he found the course of the
great Lualaba swerved from its almost
direct nOrtherly direction to the northwest
ward, to the westward, and then to the
southwestern, developing into broad
stream varying in width from two to ten
miles, and choked with islands. To avoid
struggles with the tribes of cannibals, in.
habiting the mainland each side the river,
Stanley's feet padded between the isl.
ands, taking advantage of the cover. In
this way many miles were made with little
molestation, but this safety.was purchased
by much suffering. Cut off fiom supplies
in the middle of the great river, starva.
ton threatened. Extreme hunger was
endured, three days being passed by the
party without food. This state of things
could not be longer endured, so Stanley
resolved to meet his fate on the mainland
rather than by hunger on the river. He
turned to the left bank of the Lualaba
and, with the singular good fortune tina
has generally attended him, reached thu
village Of tribe acquainted with trade
These people had four muskets, which
they had Obtained from the West Coast
They repr scented the advance guard o.
civilization toward the interior of tn,
Continent. They called the great rive