The sun., 1890-11-04
The BartteIot Tragedy.

The BarttelOt Tragedy.
Tho silence imposed upon the officers of
STANLEY's rear column for some time after
the publication Of his book having expired.
they are now loudly protesting against the
alleged injustice Of their leader, who asserts
that not only the dead Major BARTTELoT,
but also his surviving comrades, alike con-
tributed to bring about the terrible calamity
at Yambuya by their dissenslons. careless
ness. and ,ncompetency Mr.. STANLEY uses
very severe language, which has, Of course.
deeply wounded the surviving officers and
the friends Of the two dead leaders.
Lieut.. BAERr and others who have been
on the ground say that II STANLEY had been
there the tragedy OF the Aruwimi camp would
never have occurred. Greater mismanage-
ment and incompetency were probably never
witnessed In Africa than Is shown in the his.
tory OF this rear column Of STANLEY's party.
There was no need Of starving. Food might
have been procured at Stanley Falls. few
days by canoe from Yambuya. There was
no need OF turning the hand Of every native
against the expedition and alternating the
loyalty OF every black carrier. These poor
blacks might have been treated with tact
and consideration instead OF with brutality
and injustice. Lieut. BARRr, an impartial
outsider. says that BARTrELoT was hated
by every one. that the Major knew it, and
that he expected to meet just such violent
death as overlook him. When BABTTELoT's
caravan set out, Capt. VANKERKHovEN. the
Commissioner OF the Bangala district,
thought it was doomed to failure. II do
not believe in it's success" he said. Its
xno nr@ kSnrn 4, Hhn
natives"
It would have been STASLEY's way to
ascertain promptly the situation at STAN
ley Falls. to learn why T1PPU Tbs men
were not sent and. having ascertained
that men were not to be had at Stanley
Falls, he would have sent as BARTTE1oT
did after fatal delay. to Kasongo or
elsewhere for carriers The controversy
now in progress has strengthened the evil
dence that TIPpU T1B was not responsible
for the failure to supply the expedition with
carriers. BAERT was with him most Of the
time.' and he says it was not TIpPU Tbs
fault. Mr. TRoUP Of the rear column says
that T1PPU TIB was not to blame for the
dismal failure Of the party.
Although the utter ruin that was brought
upon the rear column was the result largely
OF astounding mismanagement and OF
BARTTELoT's severity and lack of sympa.
thy. there is little doubt that Mr.. STAN
LEy's censure Is more severe than the
surviving officers deserve. But STAN
LEY has always succeeded In all his un-
dertakings In Africa, and hardly anything
can excuse or palliate In his eyes the Of
fence of that unfortunate subordinate who
x1n not o{n tod Sr.n
LEy's grievances are, first, that the expedi-
tion failed through mismanagement which
the subordinate officers could have pre-
vented had they properly acted under his
instructions upon their right to protest
against BARrrELoT's action and insist upon
other lines OF management; and. secondly
that BARrrRLoT was guilty OF inhumanly
treating the natives and his own blacks.
STANLEY is very stern In his relations
with his white subordnates. although he
gives them generous need OF praise when
they serve him we'll. He cannot forgive the
failure OF the rear column, for he thinks
matters might have been brought to a better
issue, and that he or some ofhis old. trusted
lieutenants would have made a different his
tory OF events on the Aruwimi. In his con-
sure OF those who do not fill all his require
ments there is reason to believe he Is at
times unjust. His language is certainly
| more Incorporate than that he accuses Mr..
TRouP OF using, when he says that TRoUP
"sulked In his tent" at a time when that
| officer was confined to his bed dangerously
| Ill and scarcely able to move hand or foot.
| The world, however. will remember STAN
1EYs popularity In this respect. and 1t is
! not likely that the officers he condemns
will suffer from his rather extravagant
statement Of their delinquencles.
In his recent comments upon the book
published by Major BARrTELoTs g family Mr..
| STANLEY used language which 1t was easy
to interpret as very serious reflection upon
that officers private character. That he did
not mean. however. to have the world believe
BARrrELoT was the desplcable scoundrel
his language seemed to imply is evide ent
from his later admission that he referred
only to the insanely cruel treatment which
BARTTELor inflicted upon the natives
1t is no wonder that STANLEY was al
most beside himself with anger when he
heard the astounding record OF BARrrELoT's
tyranny over his little world. One OF the
secrets OF his own great success Is the
fact that he has always tried to treat the ma.
tives with candor and lenity. He has killed
natives, but there is no reason to believe he
ever fired shot except in self-defence He
has always impressed upon his white assist.
ants the necessity OF patience and forbear.
ance. "Never strike native" he has sale
time and time again. "Never point gun a,
native. II you find 1t positively necessary
to strike. do SO with your open hand moi
with your clenched fist" He impressed this
lesson upon BARTrELoT when he bade him
farewell, but that officer utterly unfit to dea
with the savages of Central Africa, attempted
toimpose upon them regulations more bctit
ting q European military camp and the
poor wretohcs In his power were shot ol
l cruelty punished UPON inadequate proyoca