The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1891-11-06
STARVATION CAMP
Captain Nelson Tells of His
Experiences.
TIE ILL-FATED EXPEDITION.
But Three Men Out Of Fifty-fve Sur
vived the Hardships.

vived the Hardships.
Fungi Their only Food for Twenty-three
Days-NeIson Did Not Have a Proper
Meal In Three Months-Treachery of
the Arab chiefs Terrible Suffering OF
the Men who Tried to Relieve EmIn
Pasha.
PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 9. 6.-Captain r. H.
Nelson, of the Stanley expedition into
Africa, who was left in the famous Star
walton Camp, is in this city, and when
approached by reporter yesterday
talked freely on the subject of the expe.
dition, but prefaced his remarks by say
ing that he expected all he could tell
was already known. Captain Nelson is
representative Englishman, tall, broad
shouldered and of powerful build, just
such man as one would consider fitted
| for engaging in hazardous expedition
such as that into Africa
! eyes" he said 1--WE had a hard time
! Of it there, there is no mistake about
! that. When Stanley left us we were in
a deplorable condition. I had been left
| behind because of bad feet, caused by
ulcers. Otherwise l was well. Besides
myself there were 90 others--all Zanzi-
bari. Two Of these were my own serv-
ants; the others were bearers-men who
! had originally come from the island of
| Zanzibar as slaves Every man who was
left with me was on the sick list l was the
only white man in the camp We were
too weak to hunt, and were absolutely
helpless. The only means of sustenance
that we had was the fungus which grew
upon the dead trees surrounding the
| camp. These growths we gathered and
ate.
'For twenty-three days, until the ar
rival of the relief expedition, we were
without other food than the fungi, of
which have spoken. Almost as soon
as the main body of the expedition left,
my men came to me and piled up their
rifles by my hut, saying they were too
weak to carry them longer. The Zanzi-
bari, however are possessed of wonder
full courage, and while a few OF them
deserted me, the majority stuck by the
camp and died there. OF the tifty-hve
men / had when Stanley left me but
three, besides myself, were alive when
we we're relieved. and three finer men
than these, so far as the qualities OF
pluck and perseverance go, have never
seen OF these thrI 9 men two were my
servants. "
To show, however, how much man
can do when he once makes his mind to
and has to Captain Nelson made the
Journey to Ipoto, which IN coming had
taken him IL days, in five days on the
return, and shis, too, after he was re-
- duced by starvation and sickness
''From the time | entered Starvation
Camp until three months later | can say
: / never had proper meal. Even th'
! relief party brought buta scanty amount
of provisions "
"When did your trolbles begin Y'
u "Our troubles began They begal
J. from the moment we met those Aral
'' slave dealers-ivory dealers they cal
= themselves. These Arabs are a disrep
3 utable set of fellows that will stop a
t nothing. Before Stanley left DR.. Parl
md me he made an arrangement wit
L the Arab chiefs, for a stipulated price, t
IL furnish my party with food during hi
+ absence They never kept their word
As soon as Stanley was gone they n
fused to give us the food, and the SUI
-, ply thus cut off we were in deplorabl
X straits. They stole things whenever the
~ could, and it was to them the bearers
who deserted the expedition with the
l. burdens of ammunition and rifles, wer
l. to sell these supplies. BY and by,
o. things got worse, and alterations al
s. peared on my feet, it was determined
leave me with the sick men of ii
d party and to push on more rapid
O. They could not, of course, take me wit
so them. They had no means Cor doing 5
vi In times like that no one man must
70 considered. The purpose of the eNpec
ton was to get the supplies of ammur
tion to Emin Pasha as quickly as poss
BILE, and the men who dropped by Il
wayside could not be stopped for. Eve
nd; mans interests were given up to the q
I'M tainment of that great end.
to- "This was the way it was with y
officers of the expedition, and the bea
va ers, of course, could expect no NOR
Dol; They had been engaged at the start
ner carry the loads, and were paid by 9
mopth-about So and that was &
m they had to say in the matter. Tn
rly had to be told everything, anyhow, tc
aud though strong workers and excellent
executing orders, they needed head
direct them always" When asked wit
they did the biggest part of their tray'
ing, Capt Nelson replied: "During t
az day. / am not believer" he said, "
the theory of travelling by night to ave
the heat You are too apt to lose yo
- way, and thus take a longer time on
nv, trip than otherwise.
,sIf HWhen returned TO England l had
81 bad attack of African fever and thoua
5GG$ sea voyage would do me good. | ha
~ been in America before, some lS ye
300 ago, but at that time stayei in Chica
5S5 i mis- ti,ne came to New York, and '
33 '"'' IL it ,,+it tor,orr
654 when will again sail direct for E
I, - land"
"a Suspected Counterfeiter Arrested
357A ,,r-,, Do Ma, 4 -PaInb Van N