The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-04-03
The Central Plains of the Continent Are Finally
Reached and the Almost Famishing Men
Revel i'm an Abundance of Food.
After RecuperatiOn the Explorer Moves
in the Direction of Albert Nyanza,
Where He at Last Meets Emin Pasha and Spends
Twenty-Siy Days in His Company-A
Thrilling Story OfAfriCan Adventure.

LONDON. April Sir Francis De Winton,
chairman of the Emin Pasha relief commit
tee, makes public the letter which he re-
celved yesterday from Henry NJ. Stanley.
1t is dated Bungangeta island, on the
Aruwhimi, Aug. %, 1888. After confirming
his short dispatch of Aug. IL. already pub
ished, announcing that he had relieved
Emin, Stanley proceeds to relate the story
of his movements from June %, 1887. He
says he had established a palisaded camp
at Yambuya, on the lower Aruwhimi, just
below the first rapids, and appointed Bar
tellot commandant, with Jameson associ-
ated with him. On the arrival of the
men and goods from Stanley Pool
and Bolobo the officers were to
report to Bartellot for duty, but no impor-
tant action was to be taken without consult
Ing Messrs. Jameson. Troup and Ward.
The officers admitted that the instructions
were explicit and clear. Bartellot had 257
men. He was to stay at Yambuya until
the steamer arrived from Stanley Falls
with men and goods, and if TippoO Tib
furnished the carriers promised, he was to
march, following the track blazed out by
Stanley's advance column. If the carriers
did not arrive, Bartellot might disregard
these directions, and begin short journeys
until Stanley should come down to his re-
lief
Stanley's column set out une 2S 1887, from
Yambuga with $50 officers and men. On the
first day the natives they met fired their
villages and began fighting. The skirmish
lasted only fifteen minutes. The natives
continued for five days along the march to
impede the advance in every way they
knew of, but not a man of Stanley's party
was lost. The party reached the river
again on July 8, and from that time till Oc-
tober is followed the left bank. After sew.
enteen days continuous marching they
halted for one days rest. On the twenty
fourth day they lost two men by desertiOn
They made only four halts in July. On Au-
gust / the first death occurred. 1t was
from dySentery.
They now entered wilderness which it
took nine days to march through. Their
sufferings began to increase, and several
deaths occurred. The river helped them.
their burdens. On Aug. 13, on arriving at
Alrsibba, the natives attacked them, and
five men were killed by poisoned arrows.
Lieutenant Stairs was wounded near the
heart, and suffered greatly for a month be-
fore recovering. On Aug. Is, Mr.. Jepson,
commanding the land party, got too far in
land and was lost. His contingent
joined the main party on the 2lst. On the
18th they arrived in the district of Airjeli.
and camged for while opposite the mouth
On Aug 81 the party fell in with cara
van of Manyema, under Uledi-Balyus.
This was most unfortunate, as Stanley had
taken the route he did in order to avoid the
| Arabs As expected, several of his men
| were tampered with by the Arabs, and
| within three days twenty-six had deserted.
| On Sept. 10 Hanley arrived at camp, OppO-
site Ugarrowwas. He could not rely on
| ly made trade with him, leaving fifty-six
| sick men with him. aud S. month apiece
| was to be paid the chief for taking care of
them. Three days later Stanley left. Ugar-
belonging to Kilingalonga, a Zanzibarese
| slave of Abed Bin Sallm, the fierce old Arab
| who has made so much trouble in the Congo
State. Stanley says:
! ''This proved an awful month to us. Not
one member OF our expedition, white or
black, will forget it. Out of the 3S9 men
with whom we had started, we lost sixty
six by desertiOn and death between Yam
buya and Ugarrowwas, and left tifty-six
sick at the Arab station. On reaching Kill
ingalonga we found we had lost fifty
five more men by starvation and de-
sertion. We had lived principally on wild
fruit and nuts. Abed Bin Salim's slaves
| did their utmost short of open hostllities
to ruin the expedition. They induced the
men to sell rifles and clothing, so that when
| we left we were beggared and the men
| nearly naked. We were too weak to carry
the baggage, and seventh loads of goods
Parke and Captain Nelson, the latter Of
| whom was unable to march. After march
ing twelve days we reached Ibwiri. The
| Arabs had devastated the whole country,
tween U Ugarrowwas and Ibwiri. What had
not been destroyed by slaves of Abed Bin
| Salim, the elephants ruined, SO that the
| whole region was turned into q horrible
! wilderness. But at lbwiri we were beyond
the utmost reach of destroyers. We were
| on virgin soil iD populOus region abOund-
| ing with food. Our suferings from hunger,
which began Aug 81. terminated on Nov.
IL. Ourselves and men were skeletons.
Out of 3S7 men we now number only ia.
and several of these had no hope of life
left. A halt was ordered for the men to
reeuperate., Hitherto they We're skepti-
ca, cal OF snana, What we sa had %io told them.
their enemies so numerous. the for, for,
ests SO endless, that they refused to
believe that by and by we should see
plains, and cattle. and the Nyanza. and the
white man Emin Pasha. We felt as though
we were dragging them along with a chain
around. our necks. Beyond these hard
ships said i, lies country untouched,
where food is abundant, and where you
will forget your miseres, so cheer up boy s;
be men; press on little faster They were
deaf to our prayers and entreaties, for,
driven by hunger and suffering, they sold
their rifles and equipments for a few ears
of Indian corn, deserted with the ammuni-
ton, and were altogether demoralized.
Perceiving that prayers, and sentreaties,
and mild punishments were of no avail, l
then resorted to visiting upon the wretches
the death penalty. Two of the worst cases
were accordingly taken and hanged
| twelve days in Ibwiri and reyeled
on fowls, goats. bananas, corn, sweet pota-
toes, yams beans, etc. The supplies were
inexhaustible. The people glutted them
selves. The result was that had 173 sleek
and mostly robust men when we set out for
Albert Nyanza. on Nov. a. lone man had
been killed by an arrow.l We were still
126 miles from the lake. but with food such
distance seemed nothing On Dec we
sighted the open country from the top of
the ridge, which was named Mt. Pisgah,
| hecausa liz WA our first yiaX of tha land Of