The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-04-10
HENRY STANLEY'S LETTER.
THE GREAT EXPLORER HEARD FROM.
He Writes From the Center of Africa Civ
ing n Thrilling Account of His Ex-
perfences, Long Marches and
Troubles with His Men.

LONDON, April 2-Henry NJ. Stauley's let
ter describes the journey between Yambunga
and Albert Nyanza. 1t goes much into detail
and is very interesting. Mr.. Stanley, after
stating the orders given by him to Maj. Bart
telot, goes on to describe the advance of the
columns. The expedition which consisted of
$50 officers and men, started from Yambunga
June %, 1887. On the first day the expedition
marched twelve miles along the river Hankarde.
On the approach of the column. the natives set
fire to their villages, and, under cover of the
smoke, attacked the pioneers. A skirmish
followed, lasting fifteen minutes. During the
next six days the expedition marched inland,
in an easterly direction, through a densely
populated district. The natives used every art
known to them to modest and impede the adj
vance of the party, but although several con-
ficts took place, Stanley did not lose a man.
Finally, percelving that the path he had been
following was taking him out OF his proper
course, Stanley struck out toward the north
east and again reached the river July 5. From
this date until Oct. is he followed the left bank
of the Aruwhimi. After seventeen days of
continuous marching, the expedition halted for
one days rest. On Aug. l the first death
occurred, the cause being dysentery.
The party now entered wild country in their
nine days march, through which their suffer
ings multiplied and several deaths occurred.
On Aug. 13, on arriving at Airsibba, the natives
presented O bold front and the party lost FIVE
men from poisoned arrows. Lieut.. Stairs was
wounded below the heart and suffered greatly,
but he recovered. On Aug 81 the expedition
met party of Manyemas, and their misfortunes
began on this date. Stanley writes that he had
taken the Congo route to avoid Arabs who
would tempt his men. Within three days of
this unfortunate meeting twenty-six men
deserted.
What Stanley describes as an awful month
begins on Sept. IS Leaving the station of the
Arab chief, Ugarrava, when the expedition
numbered 263 men, having lost sixty-six by
desertion and death, and having left ffty-six
sick with Ugarrava, the march led to the Arab
settlement, Kalinga Tonga. The men lived on
wild fruit and nuts.
Before reaching Kilinga Tonga Stanley lost
ffty-hve men through starvation and desertiOn
A slave-owner at kIlinga Tonga, named Abed-
salim, did his utmost 10 ruin the expedition,
short of open hostilities. He insisted upon
purchasing rifles, ammunition and clothing so
that the expedition left the station beggared.
The men were absolutely naked, and we're so
weak that they were unable to carry the boat
Stanley was therefore obliged to leave the boat
together with seventy loads of goods, at Kilinga
Tonga, under the care of Surgeon Parke and
Capt. Nelson, the latter of whom was unable to
march. After twelve days journey the party,
on Nov. u, reached Ibidwiri. The Arab devas-
tation, which had reached within few miles of
Ibidwiri was so thorough that not a native hut
was left standing between Ugarrava and Ibid
wiri. What the Arabs did not destroy the ele-
plants destroyed, turning the whole region
into horrible wilderness. Mr. Stanley con-
tinues:
Our suferings terminated at Ibidwiri. We were
beyond the reach of destroyers. We we're on virgin
soil in pOpulous region Astounding with food. We
ourselves were mere skeletons. From 2S9 persons we
now numbered ia. Several of the party seemed 10
have no hope of life left; halt therefore or
dered for the purpose Of recuperating Hitherto our
people were skeptical of what we told them. The
suffering had been so awful, the calamties so nu-
merOus and the forest endless that they refused
to believe that by and by would see plains and
cattle, the Nyanza and Emin Pasha They had
turned deaf ear to our prayers and entreaties for
driven by hunger and suffering, they sold their rifles
and equipments for a few of Indian corn,
deserted with the ammunition and became alto
gether demOralized. Perceiving that mild punish
ment would be of avail, / resOrted to the death
penalty, and two of the worst were hanged in
the presence of all. We halted for thirteen days
Ibidwiri revelling on fowls goats, bananas, corn,
yams, etc The supplies we're nexhaustible and our
people glutted themselves with such effect that we
had 173 sleek and robust men. One had been killed
with an arrow When we started for Albert Nvanza
on Nov. "a we were still 126 miles from the lake
Given food the distance seemed nothing. On Dec. 1
sighted an open country from the top of range
connected with Mount Pisgah, which was so named
from our first view OF the land Of promise and
plenty.
on Dec. Is we emerged upon the plains leaving the
deadly and gloomy forest behind After 100 days of
continuous gloom, we saw the light of broad day
shining all around, making all things beautiful We
thought we had never seen grass green or cOun-
try so lovely. The men literally leaped and yelled
with JOY and raced the ground with their bur-
dens. Al this the old spirit of former expedi-
tions, successfully completed and all suddenly re-
viyed. Woe betide the native aggressOr whom we
may meet. However powerful with such spirit,
the men will fling themselves upon him like wolves
on sheep. Numbers will not be considered. Ii was
eternal forest that had made them the abject savish
creatures so brutality plundered by Arab slaves at
Kilinga Tonga.
On the 9th we entered the country of the powerful
Chief Mazambom. The villages were scattered so
thickly that road except through them, could be
found, The natives sighted US, but we were pre-
pared. We seized a hill, soon as we arrived, in
the center Of mass of villages and built a zareba
as fast as bll-hOOks could cut the brushwOOd. The
war cries were terrible from hill 10 HILL pealing
the intervening valleys The people gathered
in hundreds at every point, war-horns and drums
announcing the struggle After slight skirmish,
ending in capturing 1.-THE first beef we have
tasted since we left the ocean, the night passed
peacefully, both sides preparing for the morrow.
Here Mr.. Stanley narrates how negotiations
with the natives failed Mazambom declining a
peace-Ofering, and how detachment of forty
persons, led by Lieut.. Stairs, and another
thirty, under command of Mr.. JepsOn, with
sharp-shOOters, left the zareba and assaulted
and carried the villages, driving the natives
into general route. The march was resumed
on the 18th. There were constant little fights
all along the route. Mr.. Stanley says:
On the afternoon of the 18th we sighted the Ny
ana, with kavalh the objective point of the ex-
peditiOD. Six miles OIL had told the expedition 70
prepare to see the Nyanza. They murmured and
doubted, saying: "Why does the master continually
talk in this way? Nyanza, indeed" When they
saw the NyanZa below them many came to kiss
my hands. We we're now at an altitude of g. 200
feet above the sea, with the Albert Nyanza
1900 feet below, in one degree, twenty minutes.
The south end of the Nyanza lay largely mapped for
about six miles south OF this position and right
across to the eastern shore Every dent in its low,
fiat shore visible and traced like silver snake
on the dark ground, was the tributary, Lanilki, How
ing into the Albert Nyanza from the southwest.
After short halt, 10 enjOy the prospect, COM
meneed the ragged and stony descent Before the
guard had descended 100 feet the natives from
the plateau poured after them, keeping the rear
guard busy until within few hundred feet OF the
NyaDza plain We camDed at the foot OF the plateau
wall, the anerOids reading 800 feet above the
level. night attack was made by the natives but
the sentries sutfieed TO drive our assaiants of.
We afterward apprOac he'd the village OF Kakaongo,
situated at the southwest of Albert lake.
Three hours were spent by in attempting TO make
friends with the villagers, but signally failed.
They would not allow us TO go to the lake because
might brighten their cattle. They would not ex-
change the blood of brotherhood because they never
heard of any good people coming from the west
from US because they did not know who we were.
But they would give water TO drink and would
show the road to Nyam-Sassic From these
singular people learned that they had heard that
there q white man at Unyoro but they had
never heard of any white men being on the west
side had they ever seen any
steamers on the lake. There was no eK-
for guarding. The people were civil
enough but they did not want near them. We
therefore were shown the path and followed il for
miles. We camped about half mile from the lake
and then began to consider our position with the
light thrown upon il by the conversation with the
KaEo IL fro. ,, a