Omaha daily bee., 1889-04-03
STANLEY PRESSING ONWARD.
The Great African Explorer Heard
From at Last.
LONG AND GRAPHIC ACCOUNT.
After a Terrible Experience In Dense
and Trackiess Forests the Ex.
pedi;ion Reaches the
Land of Promise.
StanIey's Letter.

African explorer, Henry M. Stanley, has at
last been heard from in long and graphic
letter, dated on the Aruwimi river, in Au-
gust last. 1t gives most dramatic account
OF the mseries through which he and his
men passed on their way to the relief of
Emin Pasha. Starvation nakedness, de-
sertion of native troops, pillage and desola-
tion spread in his path. Months of gloom in
the heart of dense African forests, and the
joyful entrance at last into sunshine and
land of plenty, form his thrilling narrative
of adventure. The letter is as follows:
BUNGANGETG ISLAND, ARUw1MI RIVER,
Aug. Is, 1SSS.-To the Chairman of the Emin
Pasha Relief Committee-Sir: A short dis
patch announcing that we had placed the
first installment of relief in the hands of
Emn Pasha on Albert Nyanza was sent you
by couriers from Stanley Falls, with let
ter to Tippoo Tip, the Arab governor Of the
district, on the 1lth inst, within three hours
of our meeting with the rear column of the
expedition. l propose to relate to you the
story Of our movements from June %, 1887
] had established au intrenched and palisaded
camp at Yanbuya, on the lower Aruwim
just below the first rapids Major Edmund
Barttelot, the senior of the officersl with
me, was appointed commandant. j. S.
Jameson, volunteer, was associated with
him. On the arrival of all men and the
goods from Bolobo and Stanley Pool, the Of
ficcrs still believed that Messrs. Troup,
Ward and Conny were to report to Major
Barttelot for duty, but no important action
or movement, according to the letter OF in
structions given to me by Major Barttelot
before leaving, was to be made without con-
sulting with Messrs. Jameson, Troup and
Ward.
The columns under Major Barttelot's or
ders mustered PSI men. AS l requested the
major to send you copy of the instructions
issued to each officer, you are doubtless
aware that the major was to remain at Yam
buya until the arrival of the steamer from
Stanley Pool with the officers, men and
goods left behind; and if Tippoo Tib's
promised contingent of carriers had in the
meantime arrived he was to march.
His column followed our track, which, SO
long as it traversed the forest region, would
be known by the blazing of the trees, by our
camps, zarabas etc. If Tlppoo Tbs car
riers did not arrive, then, if the major pre-
ferred moving on to staying at Yambuya, he
was to discard such things as mentioned IN
my letter of instructions and commence
making double and triple journeys by short
stages until l should come down from
Nyanza and relieve him. The instructions
were explicit, and the officers admitted that
they were Ineligible
The advance column of 3S9 officers and men
set out from Yambua June 2S, 1887. The
first day we followed the river bank, marched
twelve miles and arrived in the large district
of Yankadonde. At our approach the ma
tives fired their villages and, under cover of
the smoke, attacked the pioneers who cleared
the numerous Instructions they had placed
before the first village. The skirmlsh lasted
fifteen minutes.
The second day we followed path leading
inland, but tending east. We followed this
path for five days through a densely popu
lated district Every art known to the ma
tive minds for molesting, impeding and
wounding an enemy was resorted to, but we
passed without the loss of man. Perceiv
ing that the path was taking us too far from
our course, we cut northeasterlS
track and reached the river again on July 5
From this date until October IS we followed
the left bank of the Aruwimi. After seven
teen days continuous march we halted one
day for rest. On the twenty-fourth day
from YamDuya we lost two men by desertion
III July we made four halts only.
On August | the first death occurred
which was from dysentery, so that for thirty
four days our course had been singularly
successful, but as we now entered a wilder
ness which occupied us nine days in march
ing through it, our sufferings began to multi
ply and several deaths occurred. The rivel
at this time was of great use to us. Our boa
and several canoes relieved the wearied ant
sick OF their loads, so that our progress
though not as brilliant as during the frs
month, was still steady.
On August l3 we arrived at Airsibba. Th'
natives made bold front. We lost tive mel
through poisoned arrows, and to our grea
grief Lieutenant Stairs was wounded jus
below the heart, but though he suffered
greatly for nearly month he finally recov
ercd. On the 10Th Mr.. Jepson. commanding
the land party led his men inland becam
confused, and lost his way. We were not re
united until the 2lst
On August 15 we arrived in the district o
Airjacli Opposite our camp was the mout
OF the Nopoko. On August 81 met for tn
first time party of Manyema belonging to
caravan of Ugurrowwas, headed by Uledi
Balyus who turned out To be former ten
boy of Spnkes. Our misfortunes began fror
this date, for had taken the Congo route
avoid tho Arabs that they might not tampe
with the men and tempt them to desert b
presents Twenty-six OF our men dcsortc
within three days of this unfortunate NEE
ing.
On September Is we arrived at a camp OF
postc the station of Ugarrowwas. As foo'
was scarce, tho chief had devastated an in
mense region. We halted but ono day nca
him. on such friendly terms as l coul
mako with such man, made a trade an
left ffty~six men with him. All the Somal
preferred 10 rest at Ugarrowwas 10 cor
tinuous marching. Five Soudanese wcr
also left. IL would have been certain deaf
for all OF them TO have accompanied us
the Ugarrowwas.
On September is we left Ugarrowwas, an
on October IS entered a settlement occupie
by Kinga Longa, u Zanzibar slave, belongin
TO Abed-liin Salim, an old Arab who's
bloody deeds are recorded in the Congo an
the founding of its free state. This prove
an awful month 10 us. Not one member {
our expedition, white or black, viii forge
il. Our advance numbered 203 souls o
leaving Ugarrowwas Out OF the 3s?, "
lost sixty.six men by desertion and death b
tween Yambuya and ugarrcwwas, and ha
left fifty-six men sick in the Arab station
On reaching kilinga Longa we discovers
that we had lost ffty-livc men by starvaio
and deseriion. We had Lived principally Q