Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1878-08-30
The Achievements OF Stanley, and
Other African Explorers.


No recent event has excited deep
err and more widespread interest in
the country, than the brilliant achieve
ment of Henry M. Stanley, in the
field OF Africa Exploration. Ever
since the announcement of his arrival,
in famished condition, at the mouth
of the Congo, the public have Gag eriy
awaited detailed account of his thrill
ing experiences, and the results of his
discovery. The announcement there
fore of this volume, from the pen of so
brilliant and popnlSc an author as Mr..
j. L. Headley, will he received with
lively interest and satisfaction, and
this interest will be greatly heightened
by an examination of the book itself.
Since the death of Livingstone, the
work of exploration in the regions
which he last visited, has been pushed
with great Nigor. Sir Samuel w.
Baker with a small army and under
royal authority, assembled the Nile,
and was the first European to pcne-
trate from the north into the great
Central Lake region. Lieut.. Cameron,
of the English Royal Navy, reached
the same region from the east, and
then pushed across the Continent
overland, to the western coast, and
last and greatest of all, the daring and
intrepid Stanley, breaking through
the barriers which bad proved insur
cradle to all former explorers, in the
face of q thousand perils by savages
cataracts, disease, wild beasts ant
starvation, forced his way down tn,
dark river, 2j00 miles, and solved thu
great mystery by proving the Lualab'
river discovered by Livingstone to b.
verify the headwaters of the might,
Congo, thus opening grand highwa,
from the west coast to the heart ant
treasures of one of the most populou
and productive continents of th
globe.
The author first gives a concise &C
count Of Baker and Cameron's expedi
tions, because knowledge of wha
they accomplished IS essential to
clear apprehension of the momentou
Importance of Stanley's work. II
has thereby added greatly to the in
terest and value Of the book, for tbes
expeditions, in romantic interest, thrill
ing adventure and scien tlfic import
ance, are second only to that of th
more daring and successful American
He then gives complete and dt
tailed history of Stan!ey's incompars
BILE feat, which has produced such a
immense sensation, both in this countr
and in Europe, and more intensel
, interesting and exciting narrative w
have never read. We can no mo,
. than hint at the details of this narrs
tive. To follow the brave Stanley
his marvellous voyage down the III
known river, fighting thlrty-twe ba
ties with man-eating savages, an
passing flfty-seven cataracts and RAP
!, ids, to read of the desertion of lare
number of his party panic-stricken a
the terrors of the forest; of threaten
ed starvation in the middle of th
great river whose banks were file
with hostile savages of daily horror
AMI .griefs at the loss of comrades i
the passage of falls and rapids; {
enormous labor in hewing miles {
road through dense forest and jungl
to mako passage around impassabl
cataracts; of the vast Wonder-lan
bordering this mighty river, rich
ivory, minerals and fruits, where
"Every prospect pleases and only ma
IS VHe;" to learn all the incidents an
r adventures of this marvellous Journey
and Of the grand ovations which hay
met the indomitable American &
every point of his homeward ieurne,
one must follow the thrilling pages {
this book.
The publishers deserve great prai,
, for the superb manner in which the
p have brought out the work. Tt
beauty of its Typography and bindin
and the number and excellence of i
engravings, are in keeping with il
: value and character. Undoubtedly
= will be more extensively read this