The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-04-10
Stanley's Letter.

Henry M. Stanley, the intrepid Afri-
can explorer, who has been reported at
regular intervals for the past nine
months as dead, dying and wounded,
lost, found and captured by natives,
has finally been heard from direct. In
a letter to the chairman of the Emin
Pacha relief committee, dated on the
Aruwimi river, August IS, 1888, he re-
lates the story of his movements from
June %, 1887, till his arrival in
Emin's land. The advance column of
three hundred eighty-nine officers and
men set out from Yambuya June 2S,
1887, and for seven days proceeded in
a northeasterly direction. Every act
known to the natives for impeding and
molesting an enemy was called into
play, but the expedition proceeded
without the loss of single man. From
July to October IS they followed the
left bank of the Aruwimi. On August
l the first death occurred, and soon
after five men were lost through poi
soned arrows and many others deserted.
During the month of October the men
suffered terribly from hunger, and on
November II only one hundred seventy
four men were left. Here his starved
and naked followers mutinied, and not
until he had made an example of two
of the leaders, by hanging them in the
presence of all, could Stanley induce
them to proceed. After a months
hard marching they reached the Albert
Nyanza, when the men kissed SANKEY'S
hands and cried with JOY. Here they
found themselves almost destitute of
provisions and without boat. Conse-
quently they were obliged to return to
Ibwiri and obtain boat and goods.
Here Stanley was sick and was unable
to set out again for the Nyanza till
April ., 1887. When within one days
march of the lake news was received
from Emin, and on April 20 the two
came together and remained at the same
camp till May %, when Stanley left
him and returned to visit his stations
on the Aruwimi. At Bunalya he found
the rear column of the expedition,
which was total wreck, only seventy
one men out of two hundred fifty-seven
remaining. A report of SANKEY'S
death had been brought back by de-
serters and the officers accordingly sent
his outfit and provisions down the
Congo as superhuities. Stanley pro-
poses to return to Emin and from
thence march across Africa to the
coast He is probably now on the way.
Hmin Pacha has about eight thou
sand people with him in his province.
They are prosperous and contented,
and although Stanley strongly urged
the advisability of leaving the country,
Emin expressed his determination to
remain, since, if he were to leave his
acquired territory, his years of labor
would have been thrown away. But
whether he shall succeed in inducing
Emin Pacha to return with him or not,
he has greatly enhanced his already
worldwide reputation by the indomit-
able pluck and perseverance shown in
his last tour through the Dark Cont
nent. He has pushed his way through
trackless forests, and in spite of innu-
merable perils from pestilence, famine,
savage warfare and the treachery of
his own followers, has finally reached
the goal of his expedition, the province
of Emin Pacha. He started to find
Emin, and he found him. He knows
no such word as failure, and it is this
logged and determined perseverance
that has won for him the foremost
place in the ranks of modern explorers,
RnpERT IT soils for ,pnnnu