New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-14
STANLEY,S HEROIC MARCH.
THROUGH THE HORRORS OF A NnD.AFRI.
CAN FOREST. ..
HIS OWN STORY OF ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY
DAYS OF GLOON AND SUFFERING
nf hdInhnrgh.


DAYS OF GLOOM AND sUF1Eh1NU'
from His Letter to Mr. Bruce, Of Edinburgh
While in England considering The best ioIS Ssr JPN in
10 the Nyanza (Albert thought was very hDo a. 49,,
allowing myself TWO weeks march TO 9Os' r rsie
forest region lying between tho congo anu tno sa ,b
land but YOU mag imagine our eelings "beh ntVn
after month saw marching, tearing, ploIsIianne
cutting through that same continuous iol9s,c hi say
Thank God we are out Of the DARKNESS a. last. AZ
were sll-whies and DisaAs AN o,tb ~
up1 september October, and half OF mat mVn .h %
November 1887, will not be forgotten py US; UoaoDoa
viii be specially memorable to US Tor me sr gesoSt
endured Our officers heartily SICK OF inc IoIest
but the loyal blacks, band Of $50, follower me oSo
again into the wild, tracess iores., WIN US s resr
of Inconvenience 10 assist their comrades Oh uT r
column Try and Imagine some OF these lpcs,n.
veniences Take a thlek Scottish copse, dripping
grtb noprsbed under the impenetrsbe shades OF
ancient trees ranging nom lOO 10 lou peo ondaIsn1
brars and thorns abundant; lazy ereohs, HeanuoiN5
through the depths OF tho jungle, and sOmeulles
deep afiuent OF great river. Imagine tnIs 'V 49,
and jungle in all STAGES Of decay ana sn prostrate
ants and insects OF all kinds, sizes, and e0lors, muir
muring around; monkeys ana ehmps.Z n tSo p1SIs
as troops of elephants rush away aWar rs. wv, mosn
poisoned arrows securely hidden behind some orsisS
with terribly sharp spears standing poSeu, sun ss
dead sumps rain paterng down on you eygy asd
consequences fever and dysense gSo hgbSut
tho day, and darkness almost PsPaOie ch arest
extending the entire distance from Plymouth to Peter
head you win have fair idea Of some Of the nSS
s. 1857, and from June l. 1858, to the present date
to continue again from the pGesenha s a1 70 s a at
farewell 10 the Congo Forest Now that we nave g1he
through and through this forest region; ony ieeI
surprise that did not give greater latitude to my
IDEAS respecting It's extent; for had we th0ught ol IT.
it is only what might have been ded9ced nom OUT
knowledge Of the great OF moisture necessary
TO supply the forest with the requisite sap and vitality
Think Of the large extent OF the south Aanho &c ~
year in this direction. Think Of the broad congo,
varying from one 70 sixteen miles wide, which nas
stretch OF 400 miles, supplying another immeasur
able quantity Of moisture to be distilled INFO ram
and mist and dew over this nsataGie o. i f,ST sef
and then you will cease to wonder that there are
about 100 days o rain every year 10 Ihs s ana
Until set foot on the Frass land, something IKE
fifty miles west of the Albert MAMA we saw nothlnS
sensation the sborigines are Wild, utterly savage
aud naTngbly vndetye, The d%alis ; G sdig q
likewise so wnd and shy that no sport Is to be en-
oysd The gloom e Rs Gr Sai PPa OF vosas
ton, is dark and sombre. The say onehsli the tTe
every day resembles winter thy In England ,ho
sun charges through the black clouds envcloplng II
and kindly wind brushes The masses OF vspor DO
roundngs II IS only 10 tantale rs witt shor-lYed
vision OF brllllanoy and beauty Of vcrdurc.
entaptnrede Like captive unfeitercd and set free,
rejooed at sight OF the blue cope ct heaven anu
freely bathed IN tho warm sunshine, and aches and
gloomy thoughts and unwholc ,ome ideas were ban
shed You have heard how the London citizen, after
phetc in that great city. falls into rapture at sight OF
The grecn fields and hedges. meadows and trees, and
how hs emotions, crOvding on his dAzed senses, arc
lndoseribable Indeed, have seen Derby day once
and fancied then that ! only saw mndmsn' Ior
dressed enough, behaved In most idioilc fashion,
amazing me quite Wen on this 9Th Of Dccsm9 esI
same manner. Had sou seen us you would have
thought we had lost our senses. or that n Legion
With our loads over q vide, unfenced Geid tllls
English park for the softness OF rs grass and herds
with pointed ears and wide eyes, wondering at tho
sudden wave Of human beings, Yelling With Joy, as
On tho confines of this foryst. near village Which
was rich In sugar cane rps bananas, tobacco Indian
%s a ans a Ssr GtSns VI Woman g P
believe she a Isper and outeast, but ths was
was obstinate l prsctIsed ali kinds Of seductive
arts TO yet her to do something bedhos Grossly mum
about hundred Of our people. she fastened fixed
eyes ono young follow tsnooth-faced and good
and she became volnble enough-bcauty and youth
bad tanned the beast From her talk We learned
that there was powerful tribe, called the BANANA
with great hing, TO ne northeast ~ our camp. Of
whom might DO we'll afraid, as the people wore
earlier might have become anxious for the result
but 4 now only drew a copspptuous SMILE from NE
and evidences Of meat, had been transformed into a
hero, $500. 49, .,.,. 1871. -..,,,,,.,.
but after an hour or two we became an orderly cot
umn. Into ths emptied villages Of the open country
vorcd bananas and plantains and great pots full Of
wine. The fnwls. unaware Of tho presence Of 8
hungry moi, wore Knocked down. pluehcd, roasted or
boiled the goats. meditahvely browning or chewing
the cud. suddenly seized and decapitated, and
fe grateful aroma OF roast meat gfatinrd senses
An abundance a prodigsl abundance Of good things
had awaited our eruption into the grass land Eyery
hixuries long denied to us Under such fare the
men became most robust. diseases healed rs II by
magic the weak became strong. and there not a
gocc- goee or chicken heart left Only the nShrsessn
near the main Ituri, wero tempted 20 resst the
invasion.