Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1889-04-12
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The story of Stanley's march from the
Congo across to the lake known as Albert
Nyanza, which makes the head waters Of
the Nile, is more wonderful than anything
in the history Of exploration. 1t is related
in his letter TO friend in Edinburgh, brief
ly mentioned last week Stanley route led
him down a bend in the Congo until he
struck the outlet Of the Aruwhimi, tribu
tary of the Congo, which takes its rise near
the Albert Nyanza lake, and thence flows
nearly due west He appears to have
marched along the left bank of this stream
from July till October lS, and then, after
extraordinary sufferings from fights with
the natives, from desertion, disease, hun
ger, from the intrgues and hostility Of the
Arab slave traders, and from 100 days Of
march in dense, gloomy, and unwhole-
some forest, he joined Emin Pasha on the
18th Of April--that is, in ten months nearly
from the date Of his start The distance
he traversed seems TO be, measured in
straight line on the latest German maps.
about 800 miles, but it must have been max
ing allowance for delays, for dGtours, and
for two or three retreats, fully 1900, and if
we make allowance for the other obstacles
the fighting, the desertion, the denseness
Of the forest and the want Of food fully
the equivalent in difficulty Of 2OO0 miles
and this, he it remembered, on foot, within
a few miles Of the equator. His losses in
men before he got out of the forest were
ll1 out Of "A total of 2Sg His total losses
in the marching force, by the time he got
back to the Aruwhimi river nt the date of
his letter in August were 1870 out Of $50
His two main obstacles, apart from the
climate, seem to have been the forest and
the Arab slave dealers The forest is dense
gloomy and unhealthy, and breaks down
the spirits as veil as the health The hos
tility of the natives appears to be easily
overcome. but the Arab traders are more
difficult to deal with. They persuaded mum
bers Of Staney's men to desert. They rob
bed him 10y sham purchase of "A large guam
tity of his arms, ammunition, and supplies
and worse than all, they laid waste large
tracts of the country which he had to trav
erse When they make their raids in quest
of slaves they burn and devastate the re
gion from which they carry Oft the people
They clearly constitute the chief difficulty
in opening Africa tn civilization.
Stanley first met Emn Pasha on April 80,
and they remained together until May -.
Emin refused all Stanley's urging to leave
the region He would not consent to leave
the natives. 5000 10 10000 in number
whom hc felt to be 50 dependent upon him.
The native Egyptians he would gladly he
rid of "because," Stanley quotes him as
saying, they undermine my authority and
nulhfy all my endeavors for retreat When
/ informed them that khartoum had fallen
aud Gordon Pasha was slain, they always
told the Nuhians il was concucted story,
and that some day we should see the steam
ers ascend the river for their relief. But
of the regulars who compose the first and
They have led such happy life here that
they would demur at leaving country
where they have enjoyed luxuries they can
not command in Europe. The soldiers are
married, and several have harems. Many
of the rregulars would also retire and fol
low me now. Suppose the regulars refuse
to leave You can imagine my situation
would be a difficult one Would be right
in leaving them to their fate Would it
not be consigning them to ruin | should
have to leave them their arms and ammuni-
ton, and ON returning all discipline would
be at an end disputes would arise, and fac
tionS would be formed, the more ambitious
would aspire TO be chiefs by force, and
from these rivalries would spring hate and
until none were left