IN AFRICAN WILDS.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 438, 18 January 1890, Page 6

IN AFRICAN WILDS.

STANLEY’S GRAPHIC TALE OF PERIL AND PRIVATION, A letter from Stanley, dated South End of Victoria Nyanza, .September 3rd, says, in part: “It is amusing to look back and note how punishment has fallen on the rebels of the -'Emin' Government. ■ The traitors without the camp and the traitors within were watched and the most active conspirator discovered, tried and-hanged. The traitors without fell foul of one another and ruined themselves. Far away our own people, tempted by their extreme wretchedness and misery, sold our rifles and ammunition to our natural enemies, the Manyema, the slave traders’ true friends, without the least grace either of bodies or souls.

“Since that time of anxiety and unhappy outlook I haye been at the point of death from a dreadful illness. Little by little.l gathered strength, and finally gave orders for the march for home. Discoveiy after discovery in this wonderful region was made, until at last we came to a church, whose cross denoted a Christian settlement, and we knew we had reached the outskirts of blessed civilisation.” Mackinnon, Chairman of the Emin Relief Committee, also . received a letter from Stanley, dated August sth, in which Stanley, after describing how he hunted up the missing rear column, continues: “The. rear column >vas in a deplorable .state. Out of 102 members remaining, I doubted whether 50 would live to reach the lake, but having a large number of canoes, the goods and the sick men were transported in such a smooth and expeditious manner that there were remarkably few casualties in the remnant of the rear column. But the wild natives, having repeatedly defeated the Ugarrowwa’s raiders, and by thisdiscovered the extent of their own strength, gave considerable trouble and inflicted considerable loss among our best men, who had always borne the brunt of the fighting and the fatigue of the paddling. “ When progress by the river became too difficult, the order to cast off the canoes was given. This was four.days’ jonrney above Ugarrowwa’s station, or about 300 miles above Banalaya, and we decided to try the north bank of the Itura.River, although we should hav6 to traverse for some days the despoiled lands which had been the common centre for the Ugarrowwas and Kilongalangas bands of raiders. We were about 100 miles , from the grass land, which opened up the prospect of future feasts., of beef, veal, and mutton, and a pleasing variety of vegetables, as well as oil and butter for cooking.” , Stanley tells, about a terrible time with small-pcx. among the Manyema, the mortality being great. .On reaching a village, called Andikumu a large plantation of bananas was found, and after a famine of fourteen days the party gorged themselves to such an extent that many died, and many others were incapacitated for duty for some time. He tells of the severe struggles he had for several days with the Wambutti dwarfs, and many other dangers encountered by the expedition, and his tale of alternating privations, plenty, and fighting is an extremely interesting one. Further particulars from Henry M. Stanley’s letter to Mackinnon, dated at Kafiurro, August sth last, are herewith given : “On December 16th, 1888, messengers from Kavalli came with letters from Emin Pasha and his lieutenantJephson, Jephson’s letter was dated Dufile, November 7th, 1888. It says: “ ‘ On August 18th a rebellion broke out here, and Emin Pasha and I were made prisoners. * Pasha was made a complete prisoner, bub I was allowed to go about the station without my movements being watched. The officers went about telling the people that you were only an adventurer, and that you had nob- come from Egypt; also, that the letters you brought from the Khedive were forgeries ; that it was untrue that Khartoum had been taken, and that Emin Pasha and you had made a plot to take their wives and children out of the country and hand them over as slaves to the English. The result was a general rebellion, and we were made prisoners. Plans were also made to entrap you when you returned, and strip you of all that you had.’ “While this condition of affairs existed, the Mahdi’s forces arrived in the neighbourhood and demanded an immediate surrender. The revolting officers-refused, and Emin’s enemies, the Mahdists, and the rebels fell upon each other. The Mahdists captured Regaf, taking many., prisoners, including some women and children, and stores of ammunition. Emin was set at liberty at* the request of' the soldiers .and was sent to Wadelai.”- ■

A postscript dated December 12th says that the Mahdists attacked the Duffle station for four days, but were driven back to Regaf. They had sent to Khartoum for reinforcements. , Stanley replied, urging the necessity for haste on the part of Emin and Jephson to come and meet him (Stanley), as he was exhausted by long travel and privation. The letters received from Emin showed that he was halting between the opinion as to whether to stay where he was or to accept Stanley’s offer of relief. Finally, on February 13th, Emin sent word that he was at anchor with two steamers just below Stanley’s Plateau camp of Kavalii. Macldnnon has also received another letter from Stanley, dated August 17th. Stanley says Emin, with Selim Bey, seven officers and sixty-five people, arrived at his camp on February 17th. Lieutenant Stairs arrived on the 18th r with his column from Ituri. ’’ At a meeting on the 18th, Selim, who had retaken Dufilefrom the Mahdists, killingtwo hundred and fifty of them, stated on behalf of the deputation that they had home to request time • to allow the equatorial troops and thdir families to assemble at Kavalii. ' Stanley continues: ’“I explained through Emin Pasha the object of my expedition and offered them a promise, written in Arabic, to wait a reasonable time for them to join me. The deputation replied that my offer was satisfactory.' They said they would proceed directly to Wadelai and' proclaim it and commence the work of-transporta-tion, The deputation started for Wadelai on,the 26th. ' Emin returned on the 27th with his little daughter and a' caravan of 144 men?' Ho and I agreed that twenty days twas 5a "reasonable time. A month after Selim s - 5 a ! letter ' arrived ffom : him announcing that the rebels were unanimously agreed to depart for Egypt under my escort. It was decided* to march on : April 10th. On April sth Emin that but few of hiS servants would go. It was clear that the PaSha no : lbnger‘ had' authority. At this time Stanley discovered conspiracies in the camp. The Egyptians tried to steal the rifles of the Zanzibari, and the number of malcontents kept increasing: . Emin had also received news of a bad state of things at Wadelai? -Therefore, I decided onimmediate Stanley formed a square of rifles and assembled all the Pasha’sipeople-within it. TKdse who refuse'd to -come were arrested arid placed in irons, and some wefe flogged; They promised religious obedience. This muster consisted of about 500 persons. On the 10th we started, numbering about 1,500

persons.. An: intercepted letter to. Selim revealed another plot to attack the expedition. Stanley replied to a letter from Selim, offering to go slowly, so as to enable them to overtake him, but lie never heard any more from Selim. , , A letter which Dr. Schweinfurbli has received from Emin Pasha.is dated “Mission Station, Ussambno,. Victoria Nyanza, August 28th.” Emin expresses the hope that he may soon be able to give an account of 1 the military revolution, the imprisonment of himself, Jcphson and Dufile, the arrival of the Mahdists at Ladi, the capture and destruction of Regjaf, the massacre of soldiers and officers sent against the Mahdists, the departure from Wadelai, and the flight to Tungueru, the attack of the Mahdisbs on Dufile and their complete defeat, the final union with Stanley and the highly interesting march, geographically and otherwise, from Albert Nyanza.