Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-09-14
CONGO EXPLORATIONS.
Interesting Description Of Some Of
Stanlsy's StatiOns-The Real
Difficulty in Exploring.
The Rivera Graphic Account
of Stanley POOl-A Cores
pOndent's Observations.

I~tupUluNliltt Ike MOot VI mIt Ntdu-
ley's stations, is placed on rising
ground, but it does not occupy for its
sightthe exact summit OF a hill, being
built on what may be called a semi
circular ledge around the slope facing
the expanding pool. The principal
edifce OF the station is a large two
storied house, made of wood, brick
and a sort ofmud plaster. The roof
is Of thatch, for the siKe Of GOODNESS,
and all the framework Of the house is
composed Of huge beams of wood, ap>
parently Of great Strength, but really q
source Of weakness, as the wood is
being constantly eaten through by the
white ants and other insect pests, so
that frequently a beam gives way. and
is renewed only just in time to save
the structure.
From this promenade views ofgreat
beauty may be obtained over the dis
tant pool aud the neighboring forest,
and in the cool evening time it forms
a pleasant walk to stroll on while
waiting for dinner. Here, too, in the
early morning. the Chief OF the station
passes all the Zanzibaris in review.
Leopoldyille boasts Of q convenient
little harbor 10 front Of tho station,
protected by q spit Of woodland which
projects into the Congo. OF course,
here all the falls are over, or rather,
following the course Of the stream,
have not yet begun-the first takes
place close to Leopoldyills, q little
behind the station-so that navigation
from this little port IS open and un-
checked for nearly q thousand miles
into the interior. There are, however,
minor difficulties still to be eneoun-
tered. When the wooded spit Of low
ground foIming the port is rounded
the land begins TO raise aud the forest
to disappear, and At Caiina Point q
cliff Of about fifty feet rises abruptly
from the water. A fearful current
races round this promontoTy difficult
70 stem even in a steamer, but really
dangerous for native canoes going
against the stream. Here last Decem.
Der lieutenant Gains, an Austrian
member Of the expedition, was
drowned. He would insist on ascend
ing the Congo in a small native
canoe, and being, moreover, q very
tall man, and for some reason choos
ing to seat himself on a large chest
in the stern, he rendered
the balance very unstable. The
little craft was badly steered, met the
rush Of the current broadsides as il
whirled round this point, and was in
s%tantly cspsized. Lieutenant Oalinl
was drowned, aud his name has since
been given to this PERCEPTIONS cliff.
Almost opposite to Calina Point
, which might from its commanding
, situation be the Gibraltar of the pool
+, is Mfwa, q little native village, so il
significant ID size and situation that /
would be passed over without remarl
=, were it not that il has been noisell
christened before oil Europe a
q "Brazzayille." Il is here that D.
Brazzs elsims to have secured a SEES
sion Of territory to the French Repub
lie nine miles in length "Brazzayille
] consists of a very few native huts
half buied in bananas and backed By
, thick forests. On the left hand side
facing the pool. there is q smal
creek, which might be developed
into a tipy harbor, and there il
a fine and fertile island, as ye
. uninhabited save by chance fisher.
. men, which might be successfully de.
, veloped by the French; but says thest
two advantages, not rare anywhere il
Stanley Pool, it is difficult 10 discover
any favorable point in this situation
or even to avoid the conclusion hat il
is a badly chosen site for a station
Calina Point is not likely to come int
the hands Of the French, as | believe
a previous contract now exists be
tween the native chiefs in the vicinity
and Mr.. Stanley.
Before / proceed TO a further dc.
scriptiOn Of Stanley Pool and It's in.
habitants, | might mention, for thos,
who like statistics, that this great ex,
pause Of the Congo is about twenty.
five miles long by sixteen broad, anC
that its depth varies from two to three
feet TO thirty fathoms There arc
about seyenteei islands Of note, the
largest being thirteen miles long
Many sandbanks also streW the water
OF the pool, and floating islets arr
often seen, masses OF reeds, papyrus
and aquatic vegetation, which have be
comesosolidly knit together thatamar
can stsnd on them. These are often o.
some extent, and msy be taken fol
real Islands until their motion Will
the current is observed. White egret
aud many water birds frequent them
and the hippopotami play round thei
} edges. On the large Islands are man
elephants and buiialoes, which crea
lures swim backward and forward iron
the mainland with ease. Innumerabl
water birds, storks, pelicans, cormo
{ rants, her0ns, egrets, sacred ibisos
spur winged and Egyptian geese, tern
and "scissofbills" frequent the THO
tangle Of high grass and the man.
sandbanks, where they form strang
{ groups with crocoiiies, who are won
y to lie basking n the sun with a fxe
grin playing about their closed Jaws.
Ihe people inhaOitng the shores q
It Stanley Pool belong to the Batek
race, but they would seem to be recer
arrivals and to have dispossessed Il
older inhabitants and driven them int
Z the interior. Where the Bateke has
lie settled on the south or eastern ban
IL Of the Congo they form merely rive.
inc colonies, aud never extend the.
settlements many miles from il
banks,
Bad temper often proceeds fro.
those painful ~disordersto which wome
are subject. In female complaints D
nv Pierce's "Favorite preecr;nt;on