EXPERIENCES IN AFRICA.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 458, 29 March 1890, Page 5

EXPERIENCES IN AFRICA.

AN INTERVIEW WITH STANLEY. The following account of an interview with Mr H. M. Stanley appears in the “Figaro ” of 16th January, from the special correspondent of that paper at Cairo, dated “15th Jan. (6.20 p.m.)”:—“At last I have been able to see Stanley. It has not been without trouble. The King of Reporters, who has known how to raise his work to the level of history, seems to entertain a profound horror of his comrades. At Suez, he promised me a chat in the train which was to take him to Cairo. In this train he was not left to himself one single minute by the dignitaries who had come to meet him. Yesterday he would not speak to anyone before having seen the Khedive, and then he said he was too tired to speak at all. At last, this morning, 1 presented myself at Shepheard’s Hotel where the traveller is literally kept from sight by his five travelling companions —but my perseverance had touched this coy inlcrvieive, and he has received me. “ He was walking up and down his room in a suit of brown and white cheek—materials and cut both purely American ; on his head he had a white fez. He seemed to me much calmer than at Suez. He is much tanned ; his hair is very white, and cut close ; but nothing in him shows the terrible trials through which he has passed. rs “ The room is like a garden—fiowe f everywhere, sent him by the wives oEnglishmen of distinction—and this for midable man appeared to me in no way to have broken away from our civilisation, for upon a table was placed a superb travelling bag, on which was perched a cap with plenty at gold lace on it, and, as if this was not enough, thore was besides a row of stars above the lace. This was the cap Stanley wore when he entered the native villages—it was his cap of commander. “ Scarcely had I entered the room when Stanley said to me : I “ ‘ I can tell you nothing ; it is not possible.’

“As I pressed him, however, and as I endeavoured to make him understand the interest that was felt in Europe in all that had any reference to him, he finished by understanding the motives of my zeal. “‘I don’t mind telling you what I said to the Khedive last night; but when Ido not answer a question do not press me—it will be useless. I assure you it is not in my power to reply.’ “‘First of all, do you believe that the Soudan and the equatorial provinces are lost to Egypt and to civilisation ?’ “ ‘No. I think that people have exaggerated matters, and have been deceived as to the real feelings of the inhabitants of those countries. They are by no means opposed to the rule of the Khedive—only j’ou must know how to get at them. You must, above all, facilitate means of communication and construct railways wherever you have the means of doing so.’ “ ‘Do you think that Emin . . . V

“ ‘ Emin is a first-class man. lam glad to be able to say so, and to give the lie to all contrary assertions that have been put into my mouth. He has remarkable administrative qualities, which he has fully shown during the thirteen years which he has passed in the South. He has known how to win the confidence of the natives. Only he has one fault : he does not know how bo be energetic when necessary, and with the people of the equatorial regions you must know how to be energetic when it is needed.’ “ ‘ Do you think that his part is played out ?’ “‘I told the Khedive yesterday that whenever there is "any conciliation to be done, wherever you have bo negotiate with the natives at Suakim, Wady Haifa, or elsewhere, Emin can yet be of great service, on one condition however, and that is that the executive power be pub in other hands. Yqu must not leave him by himself. As to Emin, he has but one object, and that is to go on serving the Government.’ “ ‘ How is Emin now ?’

“ ‘ He is better ; he has almost recovered from his unlucky fall, and if nothing unexpected happens, you will see him shortly in Cairo. He will, perhaps, try to eet hold of his store qf ivory again—about 60 tons — which he was obliged to leave behind him.’ “ * What do you think of the situation on the Zanzibar coast ?’ “‘ I can say nothing about it. I was too well received by the Germans and the British bo talk of their rivalries. I oannob even say what I think of the Peters expedition.’ “ ‘Can you give me any details of your travels ?’ “‘Do you think that when anyone buys a narrative for £40.000 you have a right to spoil it ? lam sure you will say No. I don’t mind giving you a few aneodotes, or telling you I have done my 5,400 miles, and 1,000 of them on foot, and that my journey has cqsb £50,000 —bub that is all,’

51 ‘ Can you say nothing about tho Soudan, question ?' “‘Why, I’ve told you already that the abandonment of the Soudan would be a crime ; the OQCvjpation of the Soudan is a matbey. of money. You must fix the amount which the line from Suakim to Berber will cost. I assure you that British influence is still very marked in the Soudan, and that the natives often talk even now of Sir Samuel Baker and his wife. ‘ How was it that we waited so long without having any news of you ?” “ ‘ Bo you fancy that it might have been my fault ? First of all I sent off more than 40 messengers ; but some were killed by hostile tribes whose territories they had to cross, and others turned traitors. In February, 1888, I despatched 40 fresh messengers, promising each of them who arrived at Zanzibar £lO. They were killed at the same place as the first batch,—l found their bones—and yet they >yeve well armed. I see you have no idea with what enemies I had to deal,.' “ Here Stanley ceased speaking, with the. air of a man who wished to say no ipore. People were constantly coining into, the

room and going out of it, and letters, flowers, and despatches kept pouring in. I saw that there was nothing more to be extracted from the traveller. I rose from my seat. “ * How much longer will you remain here ?’ “‘I do nob know—a fortnight, perhaps longer.’ “ ‘ Will you go direct to Brussels ?’ “ ‘ I have decided upon nothing yet, but before anything else I want to go to London to give an account of my mission to the Emin Committee, for it was that body after all which sent me to Africa.’ “ As I took leave of him he added—- “ ‘ I am sorry I have not been able to tell you more.’ “ As I went out I found 25 persons waiting their turn of admission. “I believe no sovereign was ever received like this American journalist. He has had the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Medjidieh from the hands of the Khedive himself. All Stanley’s travelling companions will also receive decorations.”