Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-01-08
Lieut.. Taunt's Trip Up the Congo.


Prom tie Reto York Sun.
Lieut.. Taunt, of the United States Ma
Wy, who has just returned from the Congo
river, is the first representative of any of
the leading GO1-Ranments to visit all the
Belgian stations fse.a Bona, near the At
lantic, to the furthest post on the upper
river. He made the round trip to Stanley
Falls and back, $500 miles, IN about i've
months. He announces briefly from BTus-
sells that he found the Congo valley above
Stanley Pool, 335 miles from the coast, to
have fire climate and immense resOur-
ces, which, however, cannot be developed
without the i'm pOrtatiOH of foreign labor,
such as Chinese coolies. He IS repFesen-
ted in another cable despatch as saying
that 1.-The climate, scenery, and fertility
Ofthe upper Congo are quite marvellous,
and the country is capable Of yielding i'm
mense wealth TO European and American
commerce. and also that the construction
of a railroad along the z3J miles OfCong0
cataracts is practicable.
The favorable report Lieut. Tuant Will
make TO our Government upon the ultI-
mate prospects of the Congo Free State is
not at all surprising in view OF the exPlor-
atoms in the same region OF johnston,
Grenfell, Bentley, Sims, Wissmau, Com
Der, COqUilhat, Van Gele, and other trust
worthy men. Most Of these explorers are
independent observers, having no cOnnee-
ton whatever with King LeOpold's enter
prise. All Of them express the same gen
eral opinion Of the upper Congo which
Lieut.. Taunt mas advanced. Lieut.. Coquil-
hat, who has spent three years on the up
per Congo, reported III October last that
all the white men on the upper river had
excellent health, and that the Belgian sta
tons there were in a fOurishinR cOndi-
ton; and Lieut.. Taunt says Of these sta
tons that they are "admirably organized"
The past years discoveries make il
probable that the densest populations
and the richest resources OF the Congo
basin are to be found, not on the Congo
itself, but along rs great tributaries north
and south OF It. Mr., GreHfell, who steamed
up the M0bangi for 900 miles from fts con-
fiuence with the Congo, finding It nowhere
less than quarter OF a mile wide, with
a mean depth OF % feet, reports that its
banks are more densely peOpled than any
part OF the COnK0-Of eqUalexteut, andthat
the country is every v here richly wo1ued
and has great fsFtil4ty, Mr.. Wissman
found the pOpu1 alton along the great Kas-
sal afluent Remarkably numerous-as
dense, he estimated, as w some parts OF
Belgium. he says The country IS rlcAjn
many valuable products, and that ivory
Is very abundant. In less than an hour be
killed seven elephants. similar Reports
OF dense populations and large material
riches come from the Rouki, LubHash,
and other ailments. At last accounts sir
Francis de Wint0n, the Administrators Of
the Congo State, was on his way 10 visit
the Kassai region, OF which Wlssman
brought such wonderful reports.
Lieut.. Taunt says tie natives above the
UpOto River attacked his party, thinking
they were slave dealers, aud Killed sever
al Of his crew. These poor people never
knew the horrors of the Arab slave trade
until tive or three years after Stanley
tlOated down the Congo. Here, IN 1888,
Stauly found that the cruel invaders from
Nyuugwe had destroyed llS large Villages
ana desOlated al immense region along
both banks Of the Congo. How 10 deal
with these powerful Zanzibar Arabs,
some Of whom have become very wealthy
on tue profits of the slave trade, Is one OF
the most delicate and difficult problems
before the Government OF the new State.
IL j. gratifying that some of the most
competent observers and specialists are
now being sent 10 this region ~ study ~
In all It's aspects. The lab0r5 OF DR.. lint
graf, VINO has just returned 10 Europe at
Ter year sndA nall on the Congo; Ol Dr..
Chayanue, tae eminent bOtanist and car.
tOgrapher, VINO - still AZ work; OF Dr..
LEM, tue geOlOgist aud explorer Of the
western SOudan, " no mas just started for
the upper river; OF Baron Won 5cbwerin,
who has been dispatched by the Royal
Swedish Society teinquire into the hydro
graphical and Chronological features and
the commercial possibilities OF tle Congo
valley, and OfOtner trained Investigators,
will add largely ~ our know odae 81 this
vast aud moot Interesting part Of the AZ
rican continent.