New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-15
JAMESON'S STORY.
THE FATE OF STANLEy'S REAR COLUMN

TIE STORY OF THE REA2 G2LuMN OF P III Isr EnlS
Jameson. Edited by Mrs. Jameson MItn Maps
and many illustrations. PIP. 400. The Cnited
states Book Company.
Just as Stanley was leaving London for Cairo
% embark on his great expedition for the relief OF
Emin Pacha, he was approached By Mr.. James >.
Jameson, q young Irish gentleman, civilian,
wealthy. accomplished and experienced, wfo de-
sired to be attached to Stanley's staff There was
nothing in Mr.. Jameson's case to recommend him
over scores of other ardent and pucky yotng
fellows who had been assauiting Stanley for three
weeks with similar petitions beyond thiS-that he
was willing to subscribe s., 900 TO the Ema Relief
Fund il he should be preferred. The fund was
Tar from being all it needed TO be. and Jamcson's
proposition was accepted, the more readily, OF
course because he seemed TO be on his own account
entirely worthy of the prs' he sought. lie was
thirty wears old. He had travelled, as yodrs Eng
lshmen of fortune so apt 10 do over scverai
continents He had hunted among the Crow In
dams in Montana, acIuainting himself Win the
ways of savage men well as savage beasts. IL:
knew something of Africa. too, having mace sew
cral expeditions after large game into South anu
East Africa Moreover lie vas naturalist OF
much learning and practical ability. All these
things supported his application and ENCOURAGED
the good opinion his frank, manly appearance III
which Stanley held his officers in absolute suoordl-
nation, and went off on the long. and terrlhle ]oar
ney after Emin's beleasuered host lie iclt
bride at home.
The book VIC are considering has been issued by
her Her husband did not return. His grave is
on little island in the Congo, one tho sard miles
from the sea. He died the victim OF disaster
overborne by cares and troubles he vas not COLI
petent to meet He one Of the five officers To
whom Stanley confded his Rear Column at Yam
buya. when on June 2S, 1887, the explorer
pushed on through the black forests to the prov
ncc on Lake Albert. He was conspicuous in all
the trials, laborS, privations, crimes and 1oleS
through which the Rear Column was wrecked and
he died almost at the very moment that Stanley
having travelled three tines through the forest,
issued thence again in search Of the men and stores
he had left behind OF the five officers he founi
one OF the 257 men he found scventy-onc, ana
of tie stores there remained scarcely thlid part.
How this happened is what Jameson's diary Under
takes 10 reveal
Two explanations have been offered, both by
interested persons, since StanleyS return to CIVIL
zation, for the shocking misfc"tures OF the Rear
Column. Stanley says they were lie 10 the reclI-
lessncss and disobedience of the officers. MAJOR
Bhrttelot chiefly onen1lne, but all deserving
censure The surviving officers and the friends of
those VINO are ucau III Cet, VI tIc CoA'l"lS' ti"V
Stanley himself is at fault; that he required i'm
possibilities, and left his men dependent on an
ally in whom he conceded his want of faith
Captain Walter Barttelot in publishing the diaries
of his dead brother, the commander of the Rear
Column seeks to make this out from one point
of view Mr. John Rose Troup and Nh Herbert
Ward two of Major Barttelots officers seek TO
n axe it out from quite another and now MIS-
Jameson and her brother-in-law, Mr.. Andrew
Jameson, attempt the same end. but from stlii
another set of facts and conditions. These are
the witnesses against Stanley. They agree In
nothing except that Stanley asked too much OF
them, and left them hampered by his treaty with
Tippu lib. They freely accuse one another, and
tell each story conflicting with the stories OF the
rest But it is at no time absent from the obser-
want readers mind, that however much they con-
vict Stanley of want of Judgment in gausing
them and their abilities, they convict one another
Of far more than he has ever charged.
1t was fatuous of Captain Bartteot to print his
brothers diaries. They record the thoughts and
acts of man of whom it is lnerciful to think ne
was insane 1t is equally unwisc OF Mrs. jameson
and her brother to put out the story of thell
unhappy martyr, if by doing they think 10
bring his memory into public respect. Not that
he was bad or cowardly cruel. If he had
never put himself to this most terrible of tests he
doubtless would have gone to his grave with the
esteem of all who knew him. In way he was
gallant. loyal, fair-minded and warm-hcarted.
But his nature shallow, and his virtues were
intellectual rather than moral. That is, he had
an Englishman's conception OF duty, courage ana
truth, but he was not loyal, brave and frank OF
very necessity and because his heart knew
other course. His diaries give glimpses of moral
qualities that are anything but admirable-selfish-
ness pioue, resentment and something painfully
suggestive of duplicity. Worse than all, in the
emergencies he had constantly to face during those
fourteen perous months he was weak In his
case. and in the cases of Troup, Ward and Bonny
too. weakness, more than wilfunesS led the Reai
Column awIy. Barttelot was not weak. lie was
irritable suspicious, bad-tempered, and. in the
end almost certainly crazy But he was bold
and fearless. The trouble was that his staff could
not supply to him the attributes he lacked, nor
derive from him the powers they lacked. Eric
tion inevitable
II seems 10 us fair inference, from little
expressions and Incidental remarks here and there
in the earlier portion of tine diary, that Jameson
left England with the notion III his head that
he was off for holiday. Upon the tlte-psge
of the book he is described as Naturalist 10 ne
EypeditiOn," and there can be no DOUBT that VI
was n crafty his scientific tastes that he enlisted
But his contract with Stanley said nothing ABOUT
his being a naturalist. No such office eAlslei
and no duties of the kind appertaininS TO an
Investigator were assigned u him by Stanley.
The agreement they made placed jameson under
Stanleys command to accept any post or posi-
ton which he may assign" to serve him Loyalty
and devotcdly. to obey all his orders and to use
my (Jameson's) utmost endeavOrs TO bring the
expedition TO a successful close There Is
nothing about birds or butterflies in these SEN
fences, but all about the relief of Emln Pacha'
and vet Mr. Jameson makes it plain that In seek
ing to go along he thought of birds and butter
flies far more than of the Khcdives imperillcd
general. This misconccption-for it amounted 10
that-of his obligations led TO an early difficulty
between the commander and the naturalist.