The Portland daily press., 1890-07-22
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

{ In Darkest Africa. By Henry NJ. Stanley.
New York: Charles Scribner's Sons; 1890
Two volumes octavo) The salient points of
Mr.. Stanley's last expedition have been
briefly told and have been eagerly read by
the public, and his. detailed narrative will be
equally welcomed. He commences with a
sketch of the condition of Egypt, remarking
that only Carlyle can do justice to the long
catalogue of disasters that followed the con-
Rection of England with Egypt. He then
states the dangerous position that Emin Bey
had been left In, and the organization of the
relief expedition, with the reasons that de-
termined the selection of the Congo route,
the principal one being the assistance which
King Leopold would grant If the expedition
went that way. TIE fitting out of the expe-
dition and the sailing from Zanzibar for the
Congo are described, and also the contract
with Tippu lib, which has been criticised.
1t shows that Tippu was made governor at
Stanley Falls to stop the raids of the Arabs
below that station. The place had been de-
serted and burned, and If the chief kept his
contract 1t would be gain, if he broke it his
salary was to cease. Evidently Mr.. Stanley
lost nothing by trusting him. Moreover it
prevented hostilities on the part of his fol-
lowers while marching through the districts
held by them.
On March 81, 1887. the expedition arrived
at Mataddi, 108 miles up the Congo and pre-
pared for their work. The end of April
found them at Stanley Pool. after an ex-
hausting march, and then they had HOO
miles of river navigation before them. But
the steamboats, were mostly disabled, and it
was difficult to improvise transportation, es-
pecially as the steamer belonging to the Bap-
fist Mission was refused them notwithstand-
ing that the society was greatly indebted to
Mr.. Stanley for grants of land and other ia
vors. They seemed to consider that his er-
rand was uDchristian. Finally they con-
sented to let her go at $500 month. On the
10th OF June the expedition reached Yam
puya, 1900 miles from the sea.
On June 18th Stanley set out through the
forest with 1888 men, leaving Major Bartte-
lot win LIB men to follow with supplies
when Ilppu Tbs GOO carriers should arrive.
OF win what he could If the carriers failed.
For l6O days they toled through endless
jungle, slashing their way through tangled
uhderDrush. This primaval forest. like
most dense forests contained no game of anv
consequence, and the only food they could
procure was what they could capture from
the natives who were hostile and generally
deserted their villages at their approach.
When there were no villages to raid, the ex-
petition starved, or subsisted on manioc
roots and wild beans. AT two points they
came to Arab encampments where they OBJ
tanned corn at heavy cost. The story of their
hardships and endurance, their struggle
with foes, with famine and with disease
must be read to be appreciated. To compre-
bend the energy and ability of Stanley WIN
pushed his column through, it is only neces-
sary to read the sad story of the rear column
which got only one hundred and folty miles
up the river and then as demoralized with
the death of Major Barttelot who was shot
by one of Tippu Tbs men.
On Nov. 3Oth they came out of the forest
which had extended from five to six hundred
miles, and came into the grass land, land
Of game and of herds and corn. Here his
men, who were almost reduced to skeletons,
began to recover their strength. But here
the inhabitants were numerous and they had
to fight their way.
On the 14th of December they reached
Albert Lake, but found no signs of Emin
although he was expecting him to arrive at
that date.