Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1877-12-04
The Cataracts Of the Congo. and Nat.
ties with the Savages Of Central


age down the Congo. with somewhat more of
detail than his former ones, is published i'm the
Eereid He engaged an Arab escort for the
start. who accompanied the expedition lbs
miles. in which distance there were several
small fights and great suffering from small
rox. especially among the Arabs. Is deaths oc-
curing during two or three days. The point
reached at the time Of their departure was he
yoDd the range of trading parties and when
the band of 10, survivors of the original Fan
Zibar force of lo74. started down the unknown
river. il was with a melancholy farewell song
This was on December y, ISIS. and we pro
coed To make few quotations from Mr..
Stanleys most interesting narrative
FALLS. FIGHTS AND HEAVY MARCHES
On January 4, 1871, We came To the first of
what proved series of cataracts, or to use a
more corlec term falls, below the confluence
of the Lumami. and the Lualaba, or the Iowa.
as the liver was now called. Our troubles
began now in earnest. We were hunted like
game; Night ana day every nerve was strained
To defend ourselves Four times on January
we broke through the lines of canoes brought
out against us, and finally we were halted by
the B =. falls IN latitude Odegrees 81 min
think We had 10 resource left but to surrender
and be eaten ut their leisure. Again and again
were We compelled To repulse the furious
charges that they made to drive us over the
ais. The people of the Falls Islands also
anne up to assist the cannibals of Mwana
Ntaba. We were at bay, and became des-
perate. Return We could not, as we could
rot pun against stream and fight. We
pulled ashore, first on the right bank, then
across river 10 the left and made a camp in
the weeds, drawing our canoes and boat up
after us After constructing fence of brush
around on the forest side the best sharpshoot-
trs were placed in position for defense. After
short time the natives retired and left us to
rest: For the ensuing 81 days we had fearful
work. constructing camps by night along the
line marked out during the day, cutting roads
from above to below each fail dragging our
heavy canoes during the day, while the most
active of the young men-the boats crew-re-
pulsed the Savages and foraged for food. On
January 2 we had passed in this desperate
way ~ geographical miles by six falls, and, to
effect ii, had dragged our canoes assistance of
ID miles by land by roads which we had cut
through the forest. Our provisions in the
meantime we had TO procure as best we could.
When we had cleared the last fall. latitude 0
degrees, II minutes, 81 seconds north. we halt
ed two days for rest, which we all very much
needed. In the passage of these falls we lost
five men only.
ONE RIFLE BETTER THAN TEN ARRoRs
The river was gradually widening from 800
to 2.0C0 yards breadth To two and three miles.
1t then began 70 receive granger atfluents, and
soon assumed a lacuStrine breadth from four
10 ten miles. Islands also were so numerous
that only once day were we able To obtai in a
glimpse of the opposite bank. We had reached
the great basin lying between the maritime
and lake regions. The first day we entered
this region we were attacked three times by
three separate tribes the second day we main
tanned a running fight almost the entire day.
which eliminated in the grand naval fight at
the confluence of the Ardwimi-the Welle
from the Aruwimi. and had taken glance at
the breadth of the magnificent affiuent. we
were quite taken aback at the grand pre-
paratiOns for our reception. Fifty-fOur canoes
rushing down on us with such fury that l saw
/ must act ut once il / wished to save the eXpe-
dliiOn. -Four OF our canoes, in desperate fight.
became panic stricken and began to pull fast
down stream. but they were soon brought back.
We dropped our stone anchors, formed a
close line and calmly waited events. Down
the natives came, fast and furious, and i'm
1fyt1fG etx-lA
was superb. Their canoes were enormous
things, one especially. a monster, 80 paddlers,
~ on side, with paddles feet long, spear
pointed, and really pointed with iron blades
for close quarters, presume. The top of each
paddle shaft was adorned with ivory balls.
The chiefs pranced up and down planking
that ran from stem to stern. On platform
near the bow were ten choice young fellows
swaying their long spears ready. At the stern
of this great war canoe stood steersmen,
guiding her towards as. There were about ~
three-fOurthS OF her SiZe-alSO fine-OOking.
but none made such an imposing show. At a
rough guess there must have been from 800
TO 2UOO sayages within these a canoes. can
not think that these belonged to one power.
imagine that it was a preconcerted arrange
ment with neighbOring tribes, got up specially
for our entertainment. The big monster, as it
shot past us, launched a Spear-the first.
Every gun in our little feet angrily gave re-
Spouse to our foes. We were in second
almost surrounded, and clouds Of spears
hurled and Missed for a short time-say 10 min
utes. They then gave way, and We lifted
anchors and charged them, following them
with fatal result. We followed them to the
shore, chased them on land into their villages,
and, after securing some OF the abundance of
food We found there, l sounded the recall.
To the victOrs belong the SpOis-at least so
thought my people-and the amount of ivory
me. There was an ivory temple" structure
of solid tusks surrounding an idol: ivory logs,
which, by the marks of hatchets visible on
them, they must have been used to chop wood
feet long: ivory mallets, ivory wedges to split
wood. ivory the pestles to grind their cassava,
burzah, the posts of which were long tusks of
ivory. There were l33 pieces of ivory, which,
according to rough calculation, would realize,
or ought to realize, about $4,000. These, l
told the men, they must consider as their prize
money. In this fight We only lost one man.
THE LAST FIGHT But ONE.
The lith OF February we lost the island chan
nels, and We were taken-tOO late to return
along a channel which took us to the right
bank 10 the powerful tribe of Mangara, or
Mangala, OF whom We heard so much, some
great traders. The fact that they pursued
trade caused us to imagine that we should be
permitted to pass by quietly. We were wOfully
deceived. Despite the war drums and horns
summOning the tribe to war, as it was near
noon and a bright sun ShOne, and there was
sufficient stretch of river to take good Obser-
walton, would not lose such a splendid OppOr-
tunity to fix the position of this important
locality. i ascertained it to be latitude de-
gree, Ii minutes, 50 seconds north: by count
longitude q degrees east. ! closed my seXtant
and put it away carefully, and then prepared
to receive the natives-if they came for war,
with war; if they came for peace, with gifts
We east loose from Obi island and started
downstream. SiXty-three canoes of light.
even elegant, make approached. Some of the
natives were gorgeous in brass decorations,
and they wore head-dresSes of the skins of
white goats: white skins of the same color
hung down their shoulders, like short mantles,
the principal men wore robes of crimson
blanket cloth. We ceased rowing. When
they were about three hundred yards
of held crimson cloth up to view i'm one
hand, and a coil of brass wire i'm another, and
by signs offered il to them. My answer was
from three muSketS, a shower of iron-stOne
slugs, and four of my boats crew and one i'm
my canoes wounded. A fierce shout of exul-
tatiOn announced to the hundreds on the banks
their first success. We formed our usual close
line, and allowed the canoes and boat to float
down, every rifle and revolver being required
here. The battle consisted of bullets against
slugs. We were touched frequently, boat and
canoes pitted. but not perforated through.
Dead shots told in the end. Breech lOaders,
double barreled elephant rifles and Snyders
prevailed against Brown Bosses, though for
two hours our fate was dubious. The battle
lasted from L o'clock TO near sunset. We had
fiOated down ten miles during that time, but