STANLEY'S DISCOVERIES.

Kumara Times, Issue 456, 13 March 1878, Page 4

STANLEY'S DISCOVERIES.

The great point which Stanley has now firmly established is the identity of the two rivers hitherto know a as the ■Congo and the Lnalaba. Both of these were discovered by the veteran Livingstone from different dirictions, and he never dreamt of the two being one and the same river. Such has now been proved to be the case by Stanley, Having started from the source of the Lnalaba, and continuing his course on the same river, the Congo was actually (reached, from which he sailed with flying ■colours to the Cape, and thence to England and America. With true and praiseworthy chivalry, the American honours the Englishman. Henceforth the names Congo and Lnalaba are to be blotted out from the map. The noble river, which rises in the Bemba Lake, near which Livingstone died, and which traverses a distance of nearly -3000 miles, is to be known hereafter as the Livingstone. The suspicion that the bold traveller proyoked the hostility of the natives ■on this voyage, or thatheusedunneeessary violence in repelling their attacks, nowhere appeared justified. Tn one case, -after a savage and fatal attack on him, Stanely does admit he was carried away with his indignant feelings. The attacking tribe in this instance was repelled, they- were chased to the shore, then some, .distance inland, and having secured some food for spoil, the recall was sounded. But on the whole, Stanley seems to have acted with great forbearance. His position was often extremely critical. Many of the, native tribes simply regarded his party as so many head of seasoned game, to be slaughtered, and carved and grilled and <eaten. “ They attacked us with spears, assegays, poisoned arrows, and muskets, and at one time actually surrounded our camp with , hidden nets. They drove poisoned* sticks into the ground, so that in the' charge to scatter them -our people might have their feet pierced with these instruments l of torture. On all sides ns in -the, face. Cruel eyes watched .us day and night, •and a bloody hands were -stretched odt to take ad vantage of our -carelessness. We defended ourselves like men who knew that pusillanimity would be our ruin,, that mercy was unknown to these savages. Out of ■charity and regard for my own people, -and myself as well, I wished naturally that' it might have been otherwise, -and looked anxiously and keenly for any sign of forbearance and peace, as I saw my African comrades drop •one by one from my side, in the oblivipxi Of those terrible wilds.” At the very -start, Stanley, knowing, the {propensities of his own people to take -•advantage of their strength, issued unmistakeable orders that whoever molested a native, or appropriated ;anything without just .return, would ■be - delivered up to -native law, the punishment of which would be certain •death or eternal servitude. Strong though .the strange voyager was, the matives in one place, by confederation, were one too many for him. His ex<pedition was to be destroyed, -said this Native League, because the white •chief was seen writing a book. Your book, said they, <or your life, Stanley •was equal to the emergency. He had -a copy of Shakespeare’s works •with him. This being given up and ■instantly burnt, the panic subsided; -^md'thedanger was averted. ‘ Stanley was nearly a thousand miles 1 from the mouth of the river when the fact burst upon him that he was actually .on the Congo, and was rapidly making Ids way to, the West Coast and so to the ■■sea.. In pleasant contrast to the warlike natives he ! had so often to contend ;agaihst, h$ h6w caine upon a tribe who ’were as friendly aa the dthers had been hostile. A kindly old chief insisted on tfche going On shore, The solemn cetomOnytof brotherhood ensued. The blood of the white man and of the black wasmadeto flow in one current, and a covenant of eternal fraternity was concluded. “ What river is this, chief,” I asked.’ “ The river,” He replied. “ Has it ho name ?’ “ Yes, 'the great river.” ■“I undeiuWUd ;but • you have a name, and I baye your village has a name’. Have you no' particular name for your tails called,’ said the ■chief,“ Ikuta ya ( Kongo.” ' "‘‘ The river Congo f Oxcldi&gd “Stanley, W his heajffcl boxjhdecy wirfrjoy,(and -He set forhis voyage .till the coast esthblishe.l # dOubt or dis-