The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-07-18
DUALLA WAS A HERO.
Only a Somali Boy, But He Had
Nerve and Courage
Henry NJ. Stanley Tells How He saved :
steel Barge from PerishinR In the
Great Cataract of Kintamo on
the Congo River.


While proceeding TO Zanzibar in Feb
ruary, 1879, in the chartered steamer
Albion, writes Henry NJ Stanley. the
celebrated African explorer, in Pail
Mall Budget. we stopped at Alden to
take ia coal Presently bright Somali
youth, who had padded his own canoe,
swung himself aboard our ship, and
after making fast his little craft with
alanyard accosted me with: want .
boy, STRIP
no"
me good boy, sir. Do anything"
mo. thank you"
II hear you go to Africa and want
men. been to America, been fore
the mast, been coachman, been butler
in Brooklyn with Mr. Hines. I'd like
TO 60 with you, sir. ("
'.Why, you are quite prodigy How
old are your
Seventeen, SIR
! now examined him more closely.
He was tall, shapely, comely, inte1li-
gent young man, with curly silk hair,
and q look of quite ready for any
thing about him.
well, what wages do you want7H Y
Anything you like TO give. sir. Dol
lar, two dollar three-dollar month.
You find out yorsef by-m'-by what l
worth. II I'm no good, no money. =
why. you are extraordinary. III
give you ten shillings month, and we
shall see afterward. Eh?"
.'Aw-right, sir"
And upon those terms Dualla, the
Somali boy, entered my service. For
several months did not pay much
heed to him. There had been no occa-
sion for any exhibition of superior abil-
ity encourage.
One day new rites were served to
company No. ]. They were taught
how to manipulate them and how to
disconnect their parts. Finally tar
getMas set up at point blank range
and prize was. offered to the best
shot. and in orderto show the Zanzi-
baris what good shooting was, FIVE
European officers were requested to
step forward and exhibit their skill
BIT, to my shame, not one white man
hit the target. '@
Duaila was called upon. Straight as
an arrow he stood second and fred,
plugging the target near the center.sy
At Stanley Pool an officer requested
the loan of our new steel barge that he
might proceed up river and visit his
friends at the next station,
The steel boat pulled twelve oars,
and completely equipped and launched
on the Upper Congo had cost us about
eight hundred pounds. 1t was lent
with an injunction that on his return
he should draw her up carefully on the
beach ont Of harms way and padlocl,
her chain. The lieutenant faithfully
promised, went up the river, and, on
coming back, reported himself and as
sured me Of the security Of the boat
The next morning the boat was need
ed for a special service. But she was
not on the beach and no one knew
what had become Of her.
The lieutenant was questioned ant
it was discovered that he had given or
ders for securing the boat, but had no
waited to see his orders carried out
The crew, It then transpired. had sim
ply rowed her ashore, and each mar
had sprung out and gone to his owr
mess. 1t was them obvious to all OF ii
that the surge from the Great cataract
which was but two{ miles below, hat
entered tho cove, lifted the boat clea
of the strand, and receding towards tn
terrible vortex had borne her ava,
with all her equipments aboard
Though itappeared hopeless that w
should ever hear Of the boat again
four several triplets 81 messenger
We're dispatched in as many direction
across the country to warn the native
down the river and offer rewards f6
her recovery, and set5of wits Duall
and another towarls.the Gaeat catarac
OF klntamo, oyer the hill Of Leopold
vile,
On reaching the summit overlooitil
the cataract, Stretch, one Of the votui
attendants, With his sharp esea az
tected the boat alsout midstrcat
stranded on a reef tile lower MART
which seemed 10 hang over the edrc .
the roaring cataract With my glas
conldg see her like tiny ,speeE u II
pared tot the mile-wide river Abs,v
- tcet sht phisfFStilt y ONO SNtts kfe9ltti
erously placid, but We tSho mi {
often crossed II two miies abaye ii
station within view qf-the guifs Ia
often occasion 70 dread rs terribl
velocity, and below The rest Ii was L
ascene IF remorscless fairy cont
less series Of tossing waves ana spra,
Ncrowded crests, A&d here and thei
yeritaole trwers VI nich we're no soou,
Formed than they seemed to be SWIM
bodily irtoV the air 20 b. foiiowe
BY others The eye was fascinated /
the wild picture Of tremendous strenR
and incessant rage which tile Gre
cataract furnished at this view 81
One could gaze At il for hours for
suggestion o. &C. seless passion, pow,
aud ~ aMtai inguifngnesA. while
y i