WHAT TOOK STANLEY TO AFRICA

Temuka Leader, Issue 1836, 3 January 1889, Page 4

WHAT TOOK STANLEY TO AFRICA

Now that the public anxiety has been keenly aroused as to the fate which has befallen, or is likely to befall, the trepid explorer Stanley, it will be of interest to review the circumstances under which h® undertook his adventurous and dangerous journey. Everybody knows how Stanley “found Livingstone.” The Present expedition, although starting from a totally different portion of the continent, is nevertheless intimately connected with, and may bo regarded as a sequel to, the recent exciting affairs in the Soudan. Emin Bey, for wlmso relief it was designed, was the trusted Lieutenant of General Gordon, and was in 187 G appointed by his chief to the governorship of the Egyptian equatorial provinces. Since then he has been menaced by most appalling dangers at the hands of the native tribes, and Arab slave dealers, but although he has had ample opportunities of escaping by himself or a few of his chosen staff, he has preferred to remain at his post rather than to abandon the remainder of his sup-porters-fincludiug many white women and children, to a miserable fate. His force is said to comprise 4,500 Soudanese soldiers,- fifteen black officers, and twenty Coptic clerks. Commenting on the chances of Emin making his escape, the Times in January, 1887, said: “He has made an oasis in the wilderness of African barbarism, and he is not the man to allovy it to revert to its original state if anything he can do can prevent it.” Emm was born in Austrian Silesia, and adopted the medical profession. Having served some years as a surgeon in the Turkish army, he was sent from Cairo to join Gordon Pasha, the Governor of the Egyptian equatorial province?. Eluding him possessed of remarkable powers of acquiring their language, Gordon employed him on several diplomatic missions, all of which he conducted to a salifactorv issue. Under his administration the horrible traffic in slaves was entirely suppressed in his province, while the finances were established upon a firm basis, the taxes on grain and cattle being fairlv assessed and collected. er since the fa il of .Khartoum and lltc s opposed death of General Gordon lie has been beset by the slave-dealing Arabs, who. recognising in him the last obstacle to their inhuman traffic, have redoubled their efforts to destroy him before any succour can be sent. But, surrounded by his merciless foes, 'he-b'as infused his own enthusiasm into the hearts of his followers, and when last heard from hold Wadclai and nine fortified stations on the Nile with the force already mentioned. A t that time he anticipated that his ammunition would fail bv the end of the year, but thought, that he could hold out for another half-year if lie w ere not attacked by the wild tribes. The alarming intelligence, received in England towards the end of ISSG, was the occasion for the present Stanley expedition. The funds, amounting to £21.000, were supplied principally by the Egyptian Government. The Eoyal Geographical Society subsidised the expedition to the extent of £IOOO, and two members of the Scottish Geographical Society subscribed £SOO each. Those, with other private contributions, made up the requisite amount. With these funds was organised the largest non-military expedition that ever entered Africa. When Stanley left England he had not made up his mind whether to take an overland route —there were two recommended —or to proceed hv the waters of the Congo, which would he, longer than, cither of the others proposed. A. thorough genera 1. he left himself to be guided by circumstances. lie decided to leave England for Zanzibar, and. if he there found a steamer to the Congo, to take the Congo route, but if not, to take the risks of the inland journey. The .King of the Belgians has most generously offered to him , the free' uso of the whole steck of steamers belonging to the Upper Congo State. Shortly before Stanley left England he waapresented with. Vne freedom of the City of London by the City Chancellor.

When Stanley arrived at Zanzibar he decided to take the Congo route. The expedition was then over 1000 strong, consisting mainly of Zanzibaris. In fact, there were but eight Englishmen, who, of course, came next in command to the gallant leader. The force was strong, well-armed, and thoroughly disciplined. It carried ample supplies of arms and ammunition for Emin, and was quite prepared, if compelled, to bring its Maxim and Norde'nfeldtgunsto the front.' When he started from England on January 21st, Stanley .meant to reach the beleagured general by the beginning of July at ail hazards. His intention was to steam to within 300 miles of his destination Emin Bey’s headquarters to establish a camp at a safe distance from the Congo, en route to Albert Nyanza, a,s a base of operations, thence to push forward overland towards Albert Nyauza to the relief of Emin. As is now pretty generally -known, he met with most extraordinary difficulties. Some of these are graphically recounted by the explorer in a letter from him dated -Stanley Pool, on April 20th, 1887: —The progress of the expedition-from the Lower Congo had been impeded by Hooded rivers, and there wan gre.it scarcity of food in the country through which they travelled. In the neighborhood of

Stanley Pool the situation was serious, not only for the expedition, but to all those who are resident there. ‘ You ' can imagine how great the stress is here,’ he said, ‘ when the State, after sending foraging parties round about the district, can only secure food enough for a third of its ton e. r ihe other two live hippopotamus meat, which their hunters provide. We have had one hippopotamus within five days for 150 souls.’ lie thou went on to mention his difficulties with the mis nonaries, whom he had formerly favored. According to his statements, missionaries endeavored in every way to avoid rendering him assistance by lending him their steamers, which wore not in use, for the purpose of transporting the expedition out of the reach of the famine at Stanley Pool. It was only after extreme measures had been taken by the Commissiaire of the Congo Tree State, on his behalf, that ho could obtain the use of one of the mission steamers, and then he was charged for its hire £IOO per month, which was at the rate of 30 per cent per annum on its estimated value.