New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-08-09
CARL PETERS IN AFRICA.
TILE GERMAN ENIIN PACHA EXPEDITION

NEW LIGHT on DARK AFRICA: Being the Narrative
Of the German Emin Pacha Expedition; us , Journey
ings and Adventures Among the Native Irioes OF
Eastern Equatorial Africa, the Calais, Mass yi
Spa Sgn"aa ETC. RS S e b E BE- esTFS @
mander Of the E n ., 3raSI wS thi P
from designs by Rudolf lielgrewc ana a.. ,arse Go,
from day to day. Imperial svo. PIP. oe7 Ward
Lock & Co.
The narrative Of the German Emin Pacha En-
udition by DR.. Carl Peters, the commander OF
the expedition, is not only deeply interesting ny
reason of the adventures and perils it describes
but it is so controversial in Tone and contradlcts
so many hitherto accepted accounts of other Afri-
can expeditions that it must lead TO serious dis
putes and to the reopening of many questions
connected with the relief Of Emin Pacha and the
action Of both English and German explorers
and traders in East Africa Dr. Fe'ers Is evil
IDENTIFY man Of combative disposition, German
Intensely proud of his nationality, leader oil
rare energy and resourcefulness, and very plainly
especially fitted in many ways for the WORK ne
undertook upon the dark cOntinenO. buU tne
very masterful temperament which carried him
so successfully through great dangers TENDS 10
infuse into his narrative element which those
who are not heartily in sympathy with bis methods
may stigmatize as truculent while the radical
difference of his methods from those of previous
African explorers must lay him open TO even
more serious charges from bumantarians. Against
these risks he can set the success of his ideas,
which is no doubt much. He can say that he
has shown how wild Africa can be traversed with
out submitting to humiiations or delays and with
out sustaining serious losses. He can MAINTAIN
that he has solved the problem which has per-
picked all his predecessors: that he has demon
strated the possibility Of establishing prestige
more valuable than an army, and much more
economical. On all these questions there is mani
testify room for almost limitless discussion, how
ever and at present the main thing Is to tell
what he did and how he did ii.
In order to understand his narrative clearly it
is necessary to premise that Dr. Carl Peters, before
starting on this expedition, had made reputation
In East Africa which put him out of favor with
England lie had travelled there German
aistinctvely, carrying the German flag with him,
offering German protection and alliance to many
native tribes, and even going so far as TO claim
territory which was subsequently declared TO lie
within the British sphere of influence. Wherever
he went his first steps had been to eXalt German
commerce and influence at the expense of those
Of all other nationalties Perhaps he had been
more aggressive and pushing than the crcum-
stances warranted. AT all events, he was marked
,ut for suspicion by the British East African
Government which supported that corporation.
AS matter of fact the German Emin Pacha En-
pedtiOn set out too late 1t was foreStalled by
Stanley, though this could not be known at the
time And it may perhaps be suspected by some
that the almost constant bitterness and deprecia-
ton with which DR.. Peters speaks Of Stanley in
this volume derive, TO some extent from the
modification with which the German leader dis
covered that the main purpose Of his expedition
could not be carried out On reaching the East
African coast DR.. Peters soon perceived that the
English authorities were resolved to put every
obstacle in his way, and that if possible they
would wreck his expedition at the outset. The
blockade of the coast was at tie time IN opera
ton, and he was warned not TO attempt to land
within its limits.
The English Admiral Fremantlc' frankly told
him that he considered mischievOus person
TO have in East Africa, and it may be read between
the lines that the expedition really regarded
as colonizing and trading enterprise, and as hav-
ing employed the name of Emin Pacha chiefly
as convenient cloak. DR.. Tcters's way was
blocked His arms ard ammunition were seized
and Confca;el. Efforts were made to prevent him
from collecting porters His barter goods were
seized, almost without pretext, and small steamer
lie had chartered was forbidden to unload on the
coast AT fhe very beginning, however, tho
energy ana OF IIe OeTuldIl ItduSI
rose 10 the occasion. lie takes pardonable pride
in relating how he hoodwinked and evaded the
bockading squadron, how he landed his material
in spite of them, and how. in defiance of all
obstacles he organized the expedition and finally
got away from the coast and pushed into the
interior. The personnel of the expedition was not
such TO encourage hope of much success. 1t
had at no time more than one hundred members,
including porters and Somali soldiers second
column which was intended TO follow the first met
with so many disasters and hindrances that it
objected nothing. and may be left entirely out of
the account. But two Europeans, namely, DR..
Peters himself and Herr Tiedemann, were
In the first and the active column. 1t is with
This small body alone that we have to do. II the
expedition was apparently feeble in numbers, it
vas further handicapped by the route that had
,een chosen, that of the river Tana, which was
practically UNEMPLOYED, and which many native
authorities declared TO be impracticable DR..
Peters, however, refused 10 be discouraged, and
pressed
As usual, after the first day two of trave
deceTtion began among the porters. Thereupon the
leader adopted severe discipline, fiogging al
captured runaways establishing military system
OF yards about the camp depressing all in
subordinatiOn stcrDly. His Somals were AIMED
with repeating rifles, and he had with him q
rapId-iiilnE gun, WHICH, however, goes not seen
70 have been of much USE unless TO Overawe The
natives by the mere look of it. lie left it will
the Calais in fact, on his upward journey, anC
il cut no figure in his serious fighting. Now DIR
Peters had made up his mind that he would not
be bullied 10y the natives. and that he would
nay no tribute. This at once diiferentiates hin
from all his predecessors in Africa. There was t.
be no submission humiliation on his part II,
would refuse to pay tribute, and would Civ
every tribe its choice between peace and war, al
ways protesting to be ready for one as for tn
other And on these principles he journeyed alon!
the Iana, facing typographical difficulties bravely
holding his own with tie warrior Ciallos and othc
tribes employing boats 10 carry provisions oS lon