Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1889-04-10
THE DARK CONTINENT.

THE DARK CONTINENT.
A Letter from Explorer Stanley in Which
He Describes the Hardships of Himself
and His Gallant Band In Their Search
for Emin Pasha. NH. .-...,
LONDON, April 3-The following Is a
from Henry NJ Stanley by Sir Francis De
Winton, chairman Of the Emin Pasha relief
committee. It Is dated Bungangeta island,
on the Aruwhimi, August %, 1SSS:
1t describes in detail the journey between
Yambunga and Albert Nyanza. The expedl-
ton, which consisted of $50 officers and mon,
started from Yambunga on June sc, 1887. On
the first day the expedition marched twelve
miles along the river bank to Yaknarde. On the
| approach Of the column the natives set fire
to their villages, and under cover OF the
smoke attacked the pioneers. slzirmilh fol-
| lowed lasting fifteen minutes. During the
| next six days the expedition marched inland
| In au easterly direction through . densely
populated district. The natives used every
art known tc them to modest and impede the
\ advance Of the party, but, although
| not lose man. Finally, percev-
ing that the path he had been following was
taking him out Of his proper course, Stanley
| struck out toward the northeast and again
reached the river on July s. From this day
until October Is he followed the left bank OF
the Aruwhtmi. After seventeen days OF con.
tinuous marching the expedition halted for one
| days rest.
| On August l the first death occurred, the
cause being dysentery. So far, for thirty-tour
| days, the course had been singularly success.
ful. The party now entered wild country,
in their nine days march through which their
| suherings multiplied and several deaths
1 mr. nod ~ WV -
bia, the natives presented n bold front and the
party lost five men from poisoned arrows.
| Lieutenant STAIRS was wounded below the
| heart and suffered greatly, but he recovered.
On August 81 the expedition met a
party OF Manyeaas, and their misfortunes be-
gan on this date. Stanley writes that he had
| taken the Congo route 20 avoid Arabs, who
would tempt his men. Within three days OF
this unfortunate meeting twenty-six men de.
serted.
What Stanley describes as an awful month
! begins on September Is. Leaving the station
OF the Arab chief, Ugarrava, when the expe
dition numbered 263 men, having lost sixty-sis
by desert:on and death, and having left fifty
six with Ugarrava, the march led to the Arat
settlement, Kalinga Tonga, the men lived or
| wild fruits. fungi and nuts. Before reaching
kalinga Tonga Stanley lost f1fty.tive mer
through starvation and desertion.
A slave-owner at Kalnga Tonga named
Abedsalim did his utmost to ruin the expe
dltion, short OF open hostillties. He insisted
upon purchasing rifles, ammunition ant
clothing, so that the expedition left the sta
ton beggared. The men were absolutel,
naked, and were so weak that they were IN
able to carry the boat Stanley was therefor,
obliged to leave the boat together Will
seventy loads of beads, at Kalinga Long,
under the care of Surgeon Poke and Cap
tain Nelson, the latter OF whom was unable t.
march.
After twelve DAYS journey the party, OF
November 3, reached Ibwiri. The Arab devas
tation, which had reached within a few mile
of Ibwiri, was SO thorough that not a native hu
was left standing between Ugarrava an,
lbwiri. What the Arabs did not destroy tn
elephants destroyed, turning the whole region
into horrible wilderness.
MIR. Stanley continues: 'tOur suffering
terminated at Ibwiri. We were beyond tn
reach of destroyers. We were on virgin sol
in a populous region Astounding with foo6
We ourselves were mere skeletons. From Is
persons We now numbered l74, several OF tn
, party seeming to have no hope OF life left.
halt was therefore ordered for the purpose c
reouperating.
Hitherto our people were skept:cal. OF wha
We Told them. The suffering had been S
awful, the calami ties so numerous and the TO.
ests endless that they refused to believ
that by and by we would see plains and cattle
) the Nyauza and Emin Pasha. They ha
i turned deaf ear to our prayers and Ell
treaties, and, driven by hunger and suffering
| they sold their rifles and equipments for fe,
a ears OF Indian corn, deserted with the an
: munition, and became altogether denpra
lZed. Perceving that mild punishMer
, | would be OF avail I resorted to tn
, death penalty, and two OF the worst ease
were hanged in the presence OF all We halle
for thirteen days o. 1bwiri. reveling on goat
bananas, corn, etc. The supplies were Inc,
f~-,- orSo ~T,, %@1 @1~~-
with such effect that We had 173 sleek an
robust men. One had been killed with a
| arrow.
s ':At Kalonga Tonga, on the 9th, we entere
; | the country of the powerful chief Mazambon
n The villages were scattered so thickly that Z
4 road except through them could be found. TT
q natives sighted US, but we were prepared. W
seized a hill as soon as we arrived in the cent?
Of mass of villages and built zareba as IA
i | as blli-hooks could cot the brushwood. tt
n war-cries were terrible from hill to HILL pea
e ing across the Intervening valleys. TT
d people gathered in hundreds at every poin
n war horns and drums announcer
the struggle. After q slight ,skirmis
ended in our capturing COW, the first beef v
d had tasted since We left the ocean, the nigl
: passed peacefully, both sides preparing for II
Z morrow. Mazambom declined a peace offerin
d and a detachment OF forty persons. IL
by Lieutenant Stars, and another OF thirt
|
i shooters. left the zareba and assaulted al
:, carried the villages, driving the natives into
> general rout the march was resumed on Il
18th. There were constant little fights &
along the route.
I'VE sighted the Nyanza, with Kavalli, Il
K objective point OF the expedition. Six mil
l. Oh had told the men to prepare to see Il
y Nyanza- They murmurred and doubted. "a
is ing: why does the master continually to
,e this wayy
% On the 18th the party reached the Nyan7
but had to fight its way right to the shore OF II
lake. At Kokongo the natives would have not
y ing to do with Stanley or his party, and the
ID suit of the failure to negotiate wasthat Stanl
1T was compelled to retreat to Ibwtri and send
0. party back to Kalinga Tonga for t
f. | boat. Ibwiri was reached January z. Stanl
was attacked by gustritis and q serious q
cess. and it was April before the march "
&c agan made for Albert Nyanza. ON this
Ill casion Mozambini, instead Of fighting. made
III blood brotherhood with Stanley. food was 81
as piled to him gratis, and every difficulty
as moved Stanley continues:
n "When one days march from the Nyan
natives came from Kavali and said that VIII
III man named Maleija had given their chief