, 1890-10-30
Sta ANLEY AND BARTTE'LOT

Stanley's silence in the face OF the
charges made by the diary Of the
murdered Major Barttelot may be
due to reticence to quarrel with
dead man. The British public
seems to attach too much weight to
the revelations, probably because
anything that tends to pull down a
great man Is morceau not to be
lightly rejected.
Men at best are not angels.
Danish them beyond the restraints
of civilization and bad feelings are
apt to be engendered, Sharp words
pass more frequently upon the
Congo than upon crowded thor
oughfare, and the little amenities of
civilization are apt to be forgotten.
At the date of writing these
charges, Barttelot was in i'll health
and prey to melancholy. Mr.. J.
r. Werner author of "a Visit to
Stanley's Rear Guard" who visited
him at his camp on the Aruhwimi
just before he took up his fatal march
into the interior in the footsteps of
Stanley, found him immersed In
gloom, with his head bowed upon
his hands, the very picture of dejec-
ton. This was no man to lead sew
eral hundred lazy and rebellious ma
tives into the heart of the Dark Con.
tinent. Men of Stanley's mold
and ability as leaders are not found
in every English regiment.
That the native carriers were in
corrigible was not the fault of Stan
ley, who started upon his march to
the relief OF Emin Bey only after
overcoming many obstacles. Time
was pressing; Emin and his force
were in great peril, and Stanley nat
urally took his first pick Of the ma
tives and pushed ahead. 1t would
have been folly for him to do other
wise under the circumstances.
As a matter of fact, the death of
Barttelot and the failure of the rear
column to march as directed. were
not the fault Of Stanley, whose own
safety depended on the success of the
movement, but was caused 10y the
treachery of Tippoo Tib. Werner
declares that the major had ample
instructions rs to the route he was
to take in following on Stanley's
track, and that every possible con-
tingency was provided against.
1t was an entire year before Bart
telot followed in the wake of the
great explorer. Tippoo lib was ter
ribly slow In bringing up his native
carriers, and when they arrived, in
stead of the 800 promised there were
only 400, and these Immediately
struck against carrying more than
half loads. After much palavering
and repeated concessions the caravan
started, but the men were rebellious,
and the ill-fated Barttelot felt that
he was marching to his own death,
u premonition that proved terribly
true, for he was shot down by an
angry native Of his own men.
At the same time Stanley has
only himself to blame for these
Sc'tHuNious icNclutloHs. Ilt CtUSuTeu
Barttelot for failure due to the
treachery of Tippoo Tib, Possibly
he himself could have overcome
those difficulties, for he possesses
remarkable influence over the saw
age mind an influence that has led
to all his triumphs; but that Is a gift
held by ono in a million. Instead
of blaming poor Barttelot, lying
dead in his lonely grave In the
African jungle, he should have at
tributed the failure to the insur-
lnountable difficulties faced by the
rear guard. Then 1t would never
have become necessary for a spirited
Englishman to defend the memory
of his murdered brother.
Even the willy Tippoo Tib speaks
slightingly of Stanley. Tippoo
claims that the explorer made prom
ises of presents, when first descend
ing the Lualaba and demonstrating
its identity with the Congo, that
have never been fulfilled. He saws
Stanley gains his control over the
natives by leading them into danger
GUS places, where they become de-