River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1893-02-23

ElLe proceeding 70 zanzibar IN Eco
ruary. 1879, in the chartered steamer
Albicn. writes Henry NJ. Stanley. the
>ele GRATED African explorer. Ia Pail
Mall Budget, we stopped at Alden to
take 10 coal Presently bright Somaii
youth, who had padded his own canoe.
swung himself aboard our ship, and
after making fast his little craft with
alanyard accosted ne with: Want
BOY. sir2'
''No."
Me good boy. sir. Do anything"
NO. thank you"
II hear you 90 to Africa and want
men. been 10 America. been fore
the mast, been coachman, been butler
IN BrookIyn with Mr.. Hines IL like
70 go with you. sir"
''Why, you are quite prOdigyl Row
old are you?'
Seventeen, sir"
l now examined him more closely.
He was a tall. shaTely, comelv, inteIli-
gent young man. with curly silk hair.
and a 10 K OF quite ready for any
thing about him.
''Well, what wages do you want?"
Anything y0u like to give, SIR. Doll
lar. two dollar. three-dol.ar a month
You find out yorsef by-m'-by what l
worth. If I'm no gOOu, no money"
why. you are extraordinary. III
give you ten shillings month, and we
shall see afterward- Eh?"
''Aw-rirht, sir"
And upon those terms Dualla, the
SOmali boy, entered my service. For
several months l dill not pay much
heed To him. There had been no occa-
sion for al exhibition of superior abil-
ity or courage.
One day new rifles were served TO
company No. l. They were taught
how 90 manipulate them and how to
disconnect their parts. Finally a tar
get was set up % point blank range
and a prize was offered TO the best
shot, and IN order to show the Zanzi-
baris what good shooting was. five
European officers were requested to
step forward aud exhibit their skill.
Bat, to INV shame, nos one white man
hit the target.
Dualla was called upon. Straight rs
an arrow he stood a second and fired,
plugging the target near the center.
At Stanley Pool an officer requested
the loan of our new steel barge that he
might proceed mp river and visit his
friends ut the next station.
The steel boat pulled twelve oars.
and completely EQUIPPED and launched
on the Upper Congo had cost MS about
eight hundred pounds IL was lent
with an injunction that on his return
he should draw her up carefully on the
beach out of harms way and paddock
her chain The lieutenant faithfully
promised. went up tie 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 special service. But she was
not on the beach and no one knew
what had become of her.
The lieutenant was questioned. and
IL was discovered that he hal given or
ders for securing the boat. but had not
waited to see his orders carried out.
The crew, IL then transpirei. had sim
ply rowed her ashore. and each man
had sprung ont and gone to his own
mess IL was then obvious to all of US
that the surge from the Great cataract.
which was but two miles belo.s, had
entered the cove. lifted the boat clear
of the strand and reSediag towards the
terrible vortex had borne her away
with all her equipments aboard.
Though it appeared hopeless that We
should ever hear OF the boat again,
four several tciplets OF messengers
were dispatched in as many directions
across the country to warn the natives
down the river and offer rewards for
her recovery, and | set off with Daalla
and another towards the Gceat cataract
of Kintamo. over the hill OF Leopold
Vile.
On reaching the summit overlooking
the cataract, Stretch. one of the Young
attendants. with his sharp eyes de-
tectcd the boat about midstream
stranded on a reef the lower part of
which seemed TO hang over the edge Of
the roaring cataract With my glass
could see her like tiny specl1 com
pared 10 the milc-wide river. Above
the reef the puissant Congo was treach-
erously placid. but we. who had 50
often crossed it two miles above the
station within view of the gulf. had
often occasion 70 dread its terrible
velocity. and below the reef II was ali
q scene of remorscless fury--a count /
less series Ct tossing waves and spray
crowded crests, aud here and there {
veritable trwers which were no sooner /
formed than ther seemed 10 be swung
bodily into the air to be followed I
by others. The eve was fascinated by 1
the wild picture of tremendous strength 4
and iucessant rage which the Great 4
cataract furnished at this view OF it. +
One could gaze at il for hours for its /
suggestion of ceaselcSs passion, power,
and its awful IngulingnesS, while its +
hoarse roar is IN lit volume and accom-
paniment 10 the watery horror.
sat down and studied the river above
the reef From our side the boat was
quite seven hundred yards and about
one thousand yards from the opposite
hank The low rock on which il Law
was probably fifty yards in width and
rose about 3 foot above the water, and
by one OF those surges caused by tne
vicinity OF the cataract and shifting
currents the scat had doubtless been
swayed aside aud had rested on what
appeared 20 lie the beginning Of q
groove or channel. Various plans were
vaguely formed for saving il, but were
dismissed owing 10 the imminent dan
ger. A foot rise in the river would also
sweep the boat over the reef into GER
tain destruction.
We returned to the station. At our
beach were paddle steamer and
Canoe We set a mark by driving peg
az the wutcr line and resolved 20 wait
and see whether the river rose or fell
Twenty hours later the river had
subsidized SIX inches. went back 20
the hill Of Leopoldville. The boat was
higher ont of the water. the reef was
larger. and extended further up the
river in low gray tongue % rock.
That ,ysS one great comfort.
On the ird day the river had sub
sided seve-a. inches more; the reef was
still large. Eualla was by my side.
and looking st the river I conceived
plan which audibly revealed. saying
that, IF ] were younger and had not
so many responsibilities on me. could
save her. ] would have liked such
Job. But whom have 7 that could be
trusted for such a delicate task as this?
anu If single life were lost | should
never forgive myself Yet IL 1 had a
man who could remember instructions. /
and obey them 70 the letter. that boat
would be in our cove in short time"
"Can do il. sire" asked Dualla. as (
though ] had been addressing him
L y ~.