The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-06-19
THRoUGH AFRICA WTrH Stanley.
The Death Of Captain Stairs Recalls 4
Brilliant Career.

Brilliant Career.
News has been received of the death IN tb4
Zambesi region of Captain Stairs. the sxs
plorer. who was in command of one of tho
expeditions sent by the Congo Free State To
katanga. Captain Stairs went out in Maye
1884, in the interests of the Angl Belgian
Katanga Company. Tie had the active sup~
port OF the King Of the Belgians. who waa
anxious that active operations should b6
begun for the development of Katanga. =
region rich in auriferous copper. and includ.
ing high lands capable Of great deveopmsnt.
The main object Of Captain Stairs erpedi~
tion was TO take actual possession OF the
country on behalf of the Congo FREQ state
and tho Katanga Company. Two Belgian
expeditions preceded him Ia the sams region
under Lieutenant lie Marinei end M. DELI
commune. Captain Stairs stai included
Lieutenant Bedson. the Merquis Do Bou~
champs, DR.. Moloney and On English carpsn~
ter.
great outcry was raised In England whom
Captain Stairs was appointed 60 the command
OF the Katanga expedition. Ons paper thua
voiced the general sentiment:
Most ridiculously incongruous are the cir
cumstances attaching to the occupation. IN
the interest Of the Congo Free State. OF kas
taDga, by Captain Stairs. presumably OF tho
Belgian army. AS matter of tact. however,
this political agent of his Majesty OF Belgium
one Of our infantry battalions. In which corps
he is distinguished, somewhat on the lucus .
non lucendo principle. because Of the fsot
that his company has pot yet seen its captsips
who Is also an intangible IL might be said =
Mahatmalike parsonage To the rest OF the
regiment. For, with almost inconceivable
faulty tha wiseacres OF Pail Mall have sec-s
onded him from regimental duty 20 enable
him 10 accept service under foreign power,
the interest Of which In Africa are certainly.
- Al.
those OF tho colossal british-chartered cola-
panY. which has been brought into being by
the Premier of oae of our principal colonies."
Captain Stairs set out from Brussels 70
reach Katanga by way of Fagamoyo and
Ianganika. At Karema the French Mission
received his party with open arms and fuT-
nished them with three canoes, with which
the Marquis de Bouchamps. whoaccompanied-
him, traversed Lake Tanganika for fifty kilo
metres IN four or FIVE days With 10 men.
News was received last April that Captain
Stairs had arrived on November II, 1891.
upon the shores of Louapoula. 10 the north of
Lake Moero ON the way he suffered much
from kidney and liver disease and probably
died from that ailment.
Captain W. T.. Stairs was born Ia 1866 gt
Halifax. n. s.. was educated at Edinburgh.
and passed through the Canadian Military
College at Kingston Ont. he went 70 New
Zealand. where he was employed two years
in engineering after which he returned home
and Joined tho Royal Engineers. He eccon-
panied Stanley on his expedition TO relieve
Emin Pasha.
When Mr. Stanley, on June 2s. 1887, left
Major Barttelot In command OF the rear
column with the stores at iambuya. and set
forth with the advance column 10 march
through the forest TO Albert kysnza. Cape
tain Stairs accompanied Mr.. Stanley az
second in command Of the advance column,
and no officer of the expedition performed
greater services in that arduous march. or
deserves larger share of praise OF its suc-
cessful accomplishment. Dir. Stanley in bis
letter OF August 81. 1889, bears testimony 10
the intelligence and ability OF Stairs. who
also seems 10 have had TO do good deal VI
the fighting with the hostile native tribes.
On August 10. 1887. at Air Sibba. about
halfway between Panya Falls and the Ne
polka. the natives attacked the camp In . res~
olute and determined fashions. Their stores
of poisoned arrows, they thought, gave them
every advantage: and, indeed, when the
poison Is fresh IL Is most deadly. Captain
Stairs and i've men we're wounded Dy these
arrows but Captain Stairs wound, just be-
low the heart, was from an arrow ths poison
OF which was dry-it must have been put on
come DAYS before. After three weeks or 80
he recovered strength. though the wound
was not closed for months. One man who
received slight punoture near the wrist died
from tetanus fiye days after.
Another received puncsure near tne
shouldsr in the muscles Of the arm, and died
six hours later than the trst caso--of fetas
nus also. One was wounded In the gullet-a
slight puncture-he died on the seventh dty.
There was much curiosity 10 know whss
this poison might DO. and on returning from
the Nyapza 10 relieve the rear column some
one, rummaglng among the huts,. foune
several packets Of dried red ants. or pisnaires.
II was then discovered that tho dried bodice
Of thesc. and Of still more vepomous insec<s
catarpillars and spiders. ground into powder,
cooked in palm oil. and smeared over the
wooden points OF the arrows, made the poieon5
by which not only men but tho lsrges, anl.
mails can be killed with terrible saderings.
|. Happily. Captain Stairs life was preserved.
hnd he was able Ia about month. 70 do
active service. On December nth. IN Nszsin.
boni's country, he commanded the largest
force. while Mr.. Jephson led another dcsach'
men, 10 drive away host OF enemies A.
tempting 10 stop the expedition ~ y came
near the lake. Stairs WAS Afterwards sent
back from Ibwiri 70 Kilioga Long.'s village
70 bring up the boat and stores and was er'-
WAS left ia command on June 10. 1855, WREN
Mr. Stanley went back TO the Aruwimi -
look for the rear column ~,
la February. 1883. after bringing down the
remainder OF the forces To- hasalii. on the
Lake shore, when Emin Pasha and Mf Jephs
Niln Captain Stairs aided In preparing tor
the final departure Of the cxpeHtion. uo
presence with ID subsequently, when The iu>~
portant geographical discoveries were made
shose Of the position OF the Southern lake.
Albert Edward Nyanza sad RuwenzoRl tho
Mountains Of the Moon added muoh q
the scientific worth g sas M szplors.'eae L.s - he
feet. and wrote an sxact report O his oke>2,
vatinnz affair hin ratnYn Which 4 zann@dn3oH