Smyrna times., 1878-09-11

The ACHIEVEMENTS OF STANLEY, AND
OTHER AFRICAN EXPLoRERs.-Beinga a COM
plete History of Stanleys Explorations in
Africa; together with concise account of
the late explorations by Baker, Cameron
and others. By Hon. j. 7. Headley.
Hubbard Bros, Philadelphia, Chicago, Gin
cinnati and Springfield.
No recent event has excited a deeper
and more widespread interest in the
country, than the brilliant achievement of
Henry NJ. Stanley, in the field Of African
Exploration. Ever since the announce
ment of his arrival, in a famished condi.
ton, at the mouth of the Congo, the public
have eagerly awaited a detailed account of
his thrilling experiences, and the results of
his dicovery. The announcement there
fore of this volume, from the pen of SO
brilliant and popular an author as Mr.. j,
7. Headley, will be received with lively in
terest and satisfaction, and this interest
will be greatly heightened by an examina-
ton of the book itself
Since the death of Livingtone, the work
of exploration in the. regions which he
last visited, has been pushed with great
vigor. Sir Samuel w. Baker with a small
army and under royal authority, assembled
the Nile, and was the first European to
penetrate from the north in the great Cen
trail 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 had proved in
superable to all former explorers, in the
face of thousand perils by savages, cata-
racts, disease, wild beasts and starvation,
forced his way down the dark river, $500
miles, and solved the great mystery by
proving the Lualaba river discovered by
Livingstone to be verify the headquarters
| of the mighty Congo, thus opening grand
| highway from the west coast to the heart
and treasures of one of the most populous
and productive continents of the globe.
We can no more than hint at the details
of this narrative. TO follow the brave
| Stanley in his marvellous voyage down the
unknown river, fighting thirty-two battles
with man-eating savages, and passing fifty
seven cataracts and rapids, to read of the
desertion of a large number of his party
panic.strioken at the terrors of the forest
of threatened starvation in the middle O.
the great river whose banks were filled
with hostile savages of daily horrors anC
griefs at the loss of comrades in the pas
sage OF 1alls ana rapldsj OF enormous laoo
in hewing miles of road through denst
forest and jungle to make passage arounC
impossible cataracts; of the vast Wonder
land bordering this mighty river, rich il
ivory, minerals and fruits, where " EVer
prospect pLeases and only man IS vile )" to lear
all the incidents and adventures of thi
marvellous journey, and of the grand ovs
tions which have met the indomitabl
American at every point of his homewar
journey, one must follow the thrillin
pages of this book.
The publishers deserve great praise 70
the superb manner in which they hav
brought out the work. The beauty of il
typography and binding and the numbe
and excellence of engravings, are in keel
ing with its value and character. III
doubtedly it will be more extensively rea
than any other book of the year.