Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1890-12-12
MR. STANLEY'S REAR GUARD.
A Letter From ASSad Farran. the
Syrian Interpreter. Who Accom-
panied the Explorer.
He COrrOborates all that Stanley Has
Said Relating to the Barttel0t-
Jameson Affair.
Many Men Under Barttelot's Charge
Cruelty Beaten, and a Number Of
Them Killed.


Stanley's rear guard, egrote a letter IN
July, 1888, to Mr.. Camp, engineer of the
Upper Congo steamer, Henry Reed,
the property of the American Baptist
foreign missionary society, describing
events that happened in the Stanley ex-
pedition, with special reference to the
rear guard under Maj. Barttelot. This
letter Mr.. Camp sent to Mr. Lewis,
Baptist missionary at Lukungu. Mr.
Lewis in turn sent copy OF 1t to Rev
Edward F. Merriam, assistant foreign
secretary of the society in Boston and it is
now published for the first time. The let
ter is as folows:-
Having been engaged in Mr.. Staniey's
expedition as interpreter through Africa,
! shall be glad to give some information
about it. Mr. Stainless idea was that it
would take him SIX months to reach Emin
Pasha. six months to relieve him and set
tie his affairs and six months to go back.
When Mr.. Stanley arrived at Zanzibar he
took 600 men to carry loads and 20 servant
boys. With these and 60 Soudanes which
he engaged in Egypt and l3 men from
Alden, two interpreters and 10 white men
he started the expedition. Before he left
Zanzibar an engagement was made with
Tippu Tip that ne should give him 800
men when he arrived at Standley Falls.
The expedition went as far as the Yaro-
wimi river. There they made Il strong
camp and Mr.. Stanley, after staying there
a week, took 400 men and five officers and
left the rest at the camp In charge of Maj
f. NJ. Barttelot. Mr. Stanley left Yam
boya camp an on the 9th of June, 1887,
promising to return about the first of No
vember. The men who were left in camp
had great difficulties, especially about
their food, for in that place there was moth
ing to be found but roots, and on this they
bad to feed for twelve months. Almost
all the men became sick and a good many
died Of starvation. The MAJOR who was
III command, bad many means of preServ-
ing the men if he wished to do so. He hal
a great quantity of cloth, brass ro Is, beads,
etc, which Is the native money there.
which he threw away at last. He cruelty
treated the men, beating them 200 and
800 stripes at time for small otfenses,
and even shoot them. Tippu Tips men
heard of this and therefore would not go
with the expedition, and Tippu Tip him
self was sorry that he made an agree
ment to give Mr.. Stanley six hundred
men.
Twelve months elapsed and they could
get no men from Tippu Tip to carry the
loads and follow Mr. Stanley During
this time some deserters from Mr.. Stanley
arrived at the camp. We expected some
good news from Mr. Stanley, but there
was nothing interesting except that many
Vt %ay the At one time NJ a Stanley ley left 40
men who could not march Men went
with him FIVE months and did not reach
the pace he was going to, and therefore
they deserted. There were nine men.
Seven were eaten by cannibals and two
reached the camp. After this the major
begged Tippu Tip to give him some men,
and if necessary to make new contract
and Increase the mems pay, intending, if
they refused, to throw their stuff into the
river and go back to Zanzibar. He
ordered J. S. Jameson, one of the white
men. to 90 with an interpreter to Koson o.
a village belonging to Tippu Tip, so
miles from Stanley Falls, by native cOnOes
to try to get some men. Tippu Tip got
letters from Zanzibar urging him to send
some men to look for Stanley, as news
reached them that he was dead. There
fore Tippu Tip was obliged to give Jane
son men.
On this trip Jameson, being anxious to
see how the native eat each other, bought
a girl about 10 , ears old and gave to. the
natives that lie might see them eat her.
They tied her to tree stabbed her twice,
when eight men rushed up with knives
and cut her up and put her in their cook
ing pot. Jameson was pleased with the
sight and made pictures of the same. As
soon as they arrived in camp, Major Bart
men and go to WadalaitO and look for
NJ Maa,,r -
arrived and took about half of the load
back to Bangalia. Many things were
thrown away and given to the natives
which would have saved all the men who
died from hunger. We heard at that
time that 80 Xanzibars and one white
man from Stanley were at Ugigi and 60
ing to Zanzibar, and that they we're sup
posed to be the remainder of Staney's ex-
pedition, but we could not believe this, as
there was no foundation. The steamers
returned a few men who were sick and had
leave to go home, but they were not supplied
with food for the way. Three days after
the expedition started after Stanley, on the
18th of June, 1888.
Signed, A. E. Farran, July, IA. 1888
Mr.. Stanley was seen at Boston on the
afternoon of Nov, Dist When shown
the letter he said, Yes, its genuine, and
I'm glad to hear it But it does not make
the matter any stronger in my mind than
it was before. Jameson's own letter is
the most damning evidence against him
He was blinded by his scientific desire
would gladly prove Farran a liar, but
after Jameson letter how could I? When
Bonny told ME and my officers about the
trouble, I did not believe it. Mr.. Jane
son was as nice a fellow as you ever saw.
But he simply did not see the thing from a
humane standpoint. His science led him
astray You see Mr.. Jane son was a rich
man, and the thought came that may be
this man was Matchmaking him for not
paying him salary But Jameson's letter
settled.it, and this letter from Farran cor
4 roborates it all.
SOME HOLIDAY DIS HES.