The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-02-27
JAM EsON's DIARY.

The terrible interest that conferred
round the unfortunate camp that Stan
10y left behind him at Yambuya is re-
newed by tho appearance OF Jameson's
"Story Of the Rear Column" Jameson,
1t will be remembered, was the young
English naturalist who volunteered for
the expedition. and for the acceptance
OF his offer paid the round sum of five
thousand dollars. When Tippu Tbs
promised carriers failed to appear and
Stanley pushed on with picked men Of
his little force, Jameson was left with
Bartelott and Ward in the stockaded
camp ut Yambuya. The horrors OF
those awful months are too well known
to need repetition here, but not NJ OF
them sent such q chill to the hearts Of
civilized people as Jameson's alleged
completely in the violent death OF a poor
slave girl. Assad Ferran's story, which
receives the support OF Stanley, main
tains that she was %butchered and eaten
at Jameson's instance that he might be
enabled to procure n startling picture.
That is a terrible charge to make, and
Jameson's premature death Of fever and
exposure before the close OF the expedi-
ton, lends additional interest to his
posthumous story OF it's details.
A perusal Of the book will convince
ever the most prejudiced OF Jameson's
supreme unfitness for the work he was
set to do. He was, pre-eminently, a sci
enlist. He had no skill in emergencies.
He had gone with the expedition into a
country that was teeming with all man
ner OF creeping and flying things un-
known to the naturalist. But all his
hopes Of glory and scientific acquisitions
were crushed out by the n~ever-ending
"nigger driving" he had to perform.
"Nothing," he wrote to his wife, 'but
beating niggers with q stick, and lifting
their loads on their heads, and day after
day the same disgusting work" In
fact, that is the keynote OF all the
last chapters the disgust Of the trained
naturalist whose special skill has nc
Aance Of exercise.
Stanley, it may be imagined. does not
come spotless from the ordeal. II we
are TO believe the diary OF the dead
man, he was both unjust and injudicious
on many occasions. Jameson no ac-
cused Of the responsibility Of his
sickness at a time wher the former, who
had charge Of the cooking, had failed TO
provide meat. Jameson had no diff
Guilty in placing the blame whore il
really belonged-on the shoulders OF the
leader Of the expedition. 1t is alleged
that Stanley made it Il custom to be-
lieve what the natives said in preference
to the reports OF his own officers. lie
abused these gentlemen with the vilest
and most foul -mouthed abuse, wher
their conduct did not quite agree with
his ideas. Jephson he called n blank
blank son OF a sea cook, and invited hin
and Lieutenant Stairs to leave him ant
go so the bush" Then he turned t.
the natives who had witnessed the quar-
rel and ordered them to refuse furthel
obedience to both these officers, and j
either dared to issue any orders to then
or lift a hand, to site them to a tree.
No one expects such an expedition to b.
run on a kid glove, %perfumed basis, bu
Stanley must have imagined his subor
dinates were made OF queer material t.
stand treatment like that. Certainly
he had no right to increase their onerou
task by inviting the natives to initial
his senseless conduct and ruin an
possibility there might have been Of dis
ciplins in the expeditionary force.
few explanations from Mr.. Stanley wi
now be in order.