The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-12-12
STANLEYS OWN STORY.
THE MODEST RECORD OF AN MINOR
tai ENTERPRISE.
Praise for His Followers, Both Black and
White, and Thanks to God Forever" for
His Wonderful Achievements


Mr.. Henry NJ, Stanley is taken from the
New York Herald, to which paper il was
forwarded under date of Msuwah, East
Africa, November Both
ITO the Editor Of the NetU York Herald
"The Herald currerp 20 ondent, who found
us during our US halt at Msuwah, five
days from the coast, has made 1t point
that should write to you. beg you to
believe that should be most willing 10
do so did know what subject would Se
particularly gratifying to you ; but as
the Herald correspondent cannot suggest
subject you will perhaps consider thar
IL would be scarcely fair to expect me to
know matters your readers would be
most interested in.
81 find it then most convenient to i'm
agine you able to tell my friends much
that should like to say to them. First
of all l am In perfect health, and feel
like laborer of Saturday evening re-
turning home with his weeks work done,
his weeks wages in his pocket and glad
that tomorrow is the Sabbath.
Just about three years ago, while lec-
turing in New England, message came
from under the sea bidding me to hasten
and take commission to relieve Emin
Pacha at Wadelai but, as people gen.
orally do with faithful pack horses, num-
bers OF little trfies, odds and ends are
piled on over and above the proper bur
den. Twenty various little commissions
we're added TO the princ'pa one, each
requiring due care and thought. Well,
looking back over what has been accom-
plished, l see no reason for any hearts
discomfort. We can say we shIrked no
task, and that good will, aided by steady
effort, enabled us to complete every lit
tie job as well as circumstances permit
ted.
"Over and above the happy ending of
our appointed duties, we have not been
unfortunate in geographical discoveries.
The Aruwimi is now known from its
source 10 its bourne. The great Congo
forest, covering as large an area as
France and the Iberian Peninsula, we
can now certify to be an absolute fact.
The Mountains of the Moon this time,
beyond the lest doubt. have been locat-
ed. and Ruwenz ri, The Cloud King,
robed In eternal snow, bas been seen aud
its flanks explored and some of its shoul
ders ascended, Mounts Gordon Bennett
and Mackinnon cones being but giant
sentries wardnS off the approach of the
inner area of The Cloud King
| "On the southeast of the range the
connection between Albert Edward Nv
anzi and the Albert NyaDza has been
discovered, and the extent of the former
lake is now known for the first time.
Range after range of mountains has been
tTaversed, separated by such tracts OF
pasture lands as would make your cow
boys out West mad with envy.
land right under the burning equator
we have fed on blackberries and bilber-
ries and quenched our thirst with crys-
tai water fresh from snow beds. We
have also been able to add nearly six
thousand square miles of water to Vic
toria Nyanzq.
"Our naturalist will expatiate upon
the new species of animals, birds and
plants he has discovered. Our surgeon
will tell what he knows of the climate
and Its amenities. 1t will take us all we
know how TO say what new stores oil
knowledge have been gathered from this
unexpected field of discoveries.
| II always suspected that in the cen
tral regions between the equatorial lakes
something worth seeing would be found,
but was not prepared flr such a bar.
vest Of new facts.
''Th has certainly been the most ex.
traordinary expedition ! have ever LED
into Africa, A yeritable divinity seems
10 have hedged US while we journeyed.
l say it with all reverence. II has i'm
PEELED us whittier il would, effected its
own wi but nevertheless guided and
projected US.
| G.What ooo ,,o,, 81 tk;. :.
stance On August II, 1887, all the off
GERS OF the rear column are united III
Yambuya. They have my letter of in
structlons before them, but instead of
preparing for the morrow's march, TO
fol ow our track, they decide to wait al
Yamhuva, which decision initiates the
most awful season any community of
men ever endured in Africa or else
where.
The results are that three quarters of
| their force die OF slow poison. Their
commander is murdered and the second
officer dies soon after of sickness and
grief. Another officer is wasted to
skeleton and obliged to return home. A
fourth is sent to wander aimlessy up
and down the Congo, and the survivor
is found in such fearful pesthole that
we dare not describe its horrors.
"On the same date, $50 miles away,
the officer of the day leads 1888 men of
the advanced column into the bush,
loses the path and all consciousness of
his whereabouts, and every step he takes
only leads him further astray. His peo.
pie become frantic (; his white compan-
ions, vexed and irritated by the sense Of
the evil around them, cannot devise any
expedient to relieve him. They are sur
rounded by cannibals and poison-tipped
arrows thin their numbers.
Meantime |, In command of the river
column. am anxiously searching up and
tions through forests my scouts are
seeking for them, but not until the sixth
day was successful in finding them.
taking the same month and the same
date, in 1888, year later. on August II
[ listen. horror struck, to the tale of the
last surviving officer of the rear column
at Banalya, and am told of nothing but
death and disaster, disaster and death,
death and disaster. see nothing but
horrible forms of men smitten with dis
ease, bloated, disfigured and Scared,
while the scene in camp infamous for
the murder of poor Barttelot barely four
weeks before. is simply sickening.
"On the same day. 600 miles west of
this camp, Jameson, worn out with ia
tigue, sickness and sorrow, breathes his
last.
"On the next day, August ls, 900 miles
east, Emin Pacha and my officer, Jeph-
son, are suddenly surrounded by infur-
ia ed rebels, wro menace them with
loaded rifles and instant death, but for
tunately they relent and only make them
prisoners, to be delivered to the Nah
disls.
Having saved Bonny out of the jaws
of death, we arrive second time at Al
bert NyaDza, to find Emin Pacha and
Jephson prisoners in daily expectation
of their doom.
'Jephson own letters will describe
his anxiety. Not until both were in my
camp and the Egyptian fugitives under
our protection did begin to See that
was only carrying out higher plan than
mine. My own designs were constantly
frustrated by unhappy circumstances |
endeavored to steer my course as direct
as possible, but there was an unaccOunt-
able influen at he helm
Il gave as much good will to my du-
ties as the strictest honor would cUmpe .
My faith that the purity of my motive
deserved success was firm, but have
been conscious that the issues of every
effort were in other hands.
Not one officer who was with me
will forget the miseries he has endured,
yet every one that started from his home
destined to march with the advance col
umn and share its wonderful adven-
lures is here to-day safe, sound and we'll.
and the Herald correspondent may in
teryiew them TO his hearts content.
This Is not due ~ me, Lieutenant
Stairs was pierced with a pOieoned ar.