New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-04
STAyLEys APPALLING TALE.

Stanley's letter is an astonishing revelation
Of privation, suffering and failure. He had a
special purpose in sending his first message to
Tippoo lib. He was in desperate need Of
reinforcements, and sought to obtain what he
wanted by emitting all details Of the CHASTITY
march to the Nyanza and by giving glowing
account of Emin's prosperity and reassuring
description of his journey in returning to the
Congo The truth was reserved for more
convenient season, when Tippoo lib could
have decided either to assist or to abandon this
most unfortunate Of relief expeditions. The
truth, as it is now revealed, was that he had
lost by death, disease, starvation, desertiOn
and constant warfare with the natives 80
of the $50 Zanzibaris with whom he had set
out from Yambunga fourteen months before,
and that out Of the 257 reserves whom he had
left in camp under Major Barttelot he found
only 81 men available for service. 1t was to
obtain this contemplate rear-guard that he
had returned on his own track hundreds Of
miles through those dreadful forests where his
famished men had lost heart and deserted him.
| The intrepid explorer must have been in
| most despairing mood when he summoned Tip
poo lib with grand air to easy fields Of lucTa-
| tive adventure. He had sufficient art to con-
| ceal his reverses, failures and deploEsble
| plight, and TO make most iusidious and diplo-
| matte appeal to his ally's cupidity and self
| interest. He was confronted with the utter coll
lapse of his relief expedition, and conscious
perhaps that Emin's escort of 101 men who
had accompanied him were dismayed and
angered by their bootless Grand; but with the
/ genius of audaeity he invited Tippoo lib to
! Join him on the march, assuring him that the
| way was easy and Emin rich and generous.
i The narrative OF this disastrous expedition
| is SO fraught with suffering and horror that
it is o source of genuine relief to find in 1t
| some erotesque elements. Stanley's lamenta-
| ton over the loss of the private baggage which
/ he had expected TO find at Bonalya and his
| cynical exultation over the possession of two
| hats, flannel shirt and four pairs OF boots in
! which 10 appear before Emin in the character
/ Of rescuer, Is one Of these bits Of pleasantly
! He had found Livingstone in rags and almost
/ naked, and in the same primitive and airy
costume he would himself return to the NY
ANA, convincing the natives on the way that
he was one Of them. Even moro grotesque IL
the meeting between the explorer and the man
whom he had sought to rescue Leaving Yam
b,nga June 2S, 1887, Stanley had reached the
lake in December after almost continuous fight
ing in the villages along the route, and in.
credible hardships in interminable forests wberC
two thirds Of his men either deserted hin
or perished from famine or disease. Hostile
natives blocked the way and cut him of from
Communication with Emin's camp, and ne wa
/ compelled to retreat TO the high lands and re-
main until April. gradually collecting from
stations in the rear his dlsorganized and en-
feebled force. Finally, he returns to the laIE'
with an advance guard and meets Emin, Wit
had come down from Wadelsi In steamer IL
search Of him. Stanley speaks Of remaining
In camp with him for several weeks and urginl
him In repeated arguments to retreat to thu
Congo under his Escort Emin, who had alto
gether 10000 people to be trans
ported including q large number
women and children, naturally hest
tated before awaiting himself of this offer
especially when ne was told OF those ranges o
gloomy forest where Stanley's men had grubbet
for roots and been reduced by starvation b
walking skeletons. There is a touch Of grin
humor IN bis suggestion that hundred Egypt
ians. Of whom he was anxious TO be well nd
might be willing to go back with the rescuet
but as for the ten thousand they would pFefe
to stay where they were. These fantasd
arguments are finally closed by stanley's 40
cepiance Of an escort from Emin TO enable hir
to return for bis abandoned stations and hi
rear guard at Ronalya.
This expedition has been the least fortunat
and the most disastrous Of Stanley's maryellon
career as an explorer. In 1871 he found Liy
iugstope and yaiply sought TO induce him :