The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-04-18
COPYRIGHT, 1890. |

~ In April, 1887, | was on my way
81 .'Ough the cataract region of the lower
n ADngo, leading caravan of Zulus from
: q atadi to Stanley Pool, with party OF
81 ltives of the Ba-Kongo tribe acting as
sAtarriers of my personal loads-tent, pri-
sszyate boxes, etc.-alcogether numbering
ssSSAbout one hundred persons.
ss9s The Zulus (sixty-four in number)
S>a ere employed carrying two heavy cylin-
ed. ais of five hundred pounds each and
ShSJrc; smaller pieces of machinery, all be-
!; ST. ring to the steamer Florida, then in
~ z, rse of construction at Kinchasa Sta
,t.neSfon, on the Pool, and only awaiting the
- very loads | was bringing up to be
us launched on the waters Of the upper
4. Congo and begin her jOurneyings through
81 the untraveled regions of the interior in
81 search of ivory for the Sanford explor
~ ing expedition, of which | was mem
IT. Der.
'xs Towards the middle of April reached
- the native village of Lutete only sixty
kz miles from my destination on Stanley
x Pool, and here the news that III. M.
S& Stanley, at the head of great expedi-
81 ton for the relief Of Emin Pasha, con-
" ely III w Ut OlllCtIS, OOO <1dllL1-
- baris, and Tippo lib, the renowned
81 Arab slave trader from Stanley Falls,
S. was on his way up country close behind
u me, caused me TO use every eXertion to
k% hasten my march, SO that | might be
- able to cross the Nkissi river, which
g. falls into the Congo some fifteen miles
as beyond Lutete, before Stanley and his
80 expedition should arrive on its banks;
~ for knew SANKEY'S journey was of far
& greater Importance than mine, and that
90 he would require all the canoes on the
w Nkissi to convey his caravan across
~ during which time | should be compelled
M to stand aside with a band of 100 semi
90 starving men.
I'D Leaving Lutete l camped next day in
F% Nzungi market place, about ten miles
s from the Nkissi.
ga Here | was Overtaken by Nj. Jeph-
~ son, one of Stanley's officers, who, pre-
"a ceding the main column, was charged
- with putting the portable boat together
IA which accompanied the expedition
~ forming about thirty loads-so that
IS every thing might be ready for the
sss passage of the Nkissi when Stanley
rs himself should arrive on it's banks.
tSN JepnSOn nufrleu OH at three a. m. next
~ morning in pitch dark, we having learned
IS in the night that the expedition had ar
~ rived at a spot only an hours march
- behind us, where Stanley had halted
>kS for the night.
~ l followed Jephson at half-past four,
- hoping against hope that | might
- reach the Nkissi before Stanley but it
rs was still a long way off-three hours
~ march, and my men could only travel at
~, snails pace. They did their best,
A. poor fellows, and at seven a. m. we
- had crossed the Lunzadi river by a
tM frail bridge of felled trees, just suffi-
xsT GENTLY strong to bear the weight of
Esb the loads and men together, and were
81 toilfully climbing up the steep hill on
~ the far side when looking back | saw
sS only half mile behind us, across the
~ valley of the Lunzadi, a long stream of
STN people pouring down the hill towards
81 the river, at their head white man
S5s@ q could see that by the clothes) on a
sss white donkey, followed by two or