Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-11-06
STARVATION CAMP
Captain Nelson Tells of His
 Experiences.
THE 1LL-FATED EXPEDITION
But Three Men Out of Pifty-fve Sur.
 vived the Hardships'

Days-Nelson Did Not Have a Proper
 Meal in Three 1IOnths-Treachery of the Arab Chiefs-Tsrrib1e Suffering of
 the Men Who Tried to Relieve EmIn
 Pasha.
 PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 6.-Captain R. H. Nelson, of the Stanley expedition into Africa, who was left in the famous Star vation Camp, is in this city, and when approached by a 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 a representative Englishman, tall, broad shouldered and of powerful build, just such a man as one would consider fitted for engaging in a hazardous expedition such as that into Africa.
 "Yes," he said, i've had a hard time of it there, there is no mistake about that. When Stanley left us we were in deplorable condition. had been left behind because of bad feet, caused by ulcers. Otherwise I was we'll. Besides myself there were 52 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 l loIC W1Cl me was on the SICK llSC. was the | only white man in the camp. We were too weak to hunt, and were absolutely 1 helpless. The only means of sustenance | that we had was the fungus which grew upon the dead trees surrounding the l 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 I 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 fifty five men I had when Stanley left me but three, besides myself, were alive when 4 we were relieved. and three finer men | than these, so far as the qualities of pluck and perseverance go, have never seen. Of these three men two were my | servants"
 To show, however, how much 8 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 12 days, in five days on the return, and Chis, too, after he was re- duced by starvation and sickness.
 ''From the time entered Starvation Camp until three months later can say I never had a proper meal. Even the relief party brought but a scanty amount of provisions.
 'When did your roIbles begin ?''
 "Our troubles began? They began from the moment we met those Arab slave dealers-ivory dealers they call themselves. These Arabs are a disrep- utable set of fellows that will stop at l 1of and me he made an arrangement with the Arab chiefs, for a stipulated price, to furnish my party with food during his absence They never kept their word. As soon as Stanley was gone they re- fused to give us the food, and the sup ply thus cut off, we were in deplorable straits They stole things whenever they could and it was to them the bearers, who deserted the expedition with their burdens of ammunition and rifles, went to sell these supplies. By and by, as things got worse, and alterations ap- peared on my feet, it was determined to leave me with the sick men of the party and to push on more rapidly. They could not, of course, take me with them. They had no means for doing so. In times like that no one man must be considered. The purpose of the expedi- tion was to get the supplies of ammuni- tion to Emin Pasha as quickly as possi- | Dle ana the men Wno dropped Dy the a wayside could not be stopped for. Every mans interests were given up to the at tainment of that great end.
 "This was the way it was with the officers of the expedition, and the bear ers of course, could expect no more. They had been engaged at the start to . carry the loads, and were paid by the month-about -$5 and that was all they had to say in the matter. They had to be told everything, anyhow, for, though strong workers and excellent in executing orders, they needed head to z direct them always" When asked whe | they did the biggest part of their travel a ing Capt. Nelson replied: During the day. am not believer' he said, lin the theory of travelling by night to avoid n the heat. You are too apt to lose your
 way, and thus take longer time on the @ trip than otherwise.
 a "When returned to England I had a
 bad attack of African fever and thought k a sea voyage would do me good have
 been in America before, some IS years
 ago, but at that time stayed in Chicago
 This time I came to New York, and will
 remain in this city until tomorrow,
 when will again sail direct for Eng