MR STANLEY'S MISSION.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2864, 20 April 1878, Page 4

MR STANLEY'S MISSION.

T£q Journey Homeward.

From Loanda to Natal.

(FBOM THE DAILY TELEGBAPH, FEB. 7.)

TO THIS EDITOE3 OF THE DAILY TELEOBAPH

AND NEW YOBK HEBAID.

{Continued from our lash)

The Industry sailed from Loanda Harbor with a hundred kind, wishes from the English naval officers, and with the cheers of the " Seagulls" ringing in our ears. Three more of my men died on board the Industry between Loanda and the Cape; and it was only faithful, assiduous nursing and attendance on the part of Dr. Win. Brown and hi 9 assistant that saved others from drifting away to eternity. Indeed, one might say that those who succumbed simply drifted painlessly to death. They felt no pain, they said ; there was " noth^ ing the matter with them," they replied to our constant questions. Two of them expired without warning in one day, and were huried in the deep sea. "What a difference between those bright, robust English sailors, and that feeble, wayworn band of negro travellers from Zanzibar. And how. the former softened their great rugged robustious strength, as they bent down to assist and succour the wan and weary forms which crept forth on deck to Breathe the fresh air of the aea! Had I returned to England from Lbandaj I should have lost one of the most beautiful and noble sights it was ever my lotto see. Those great, strong, free white men illustrated once more what a vast amount of goodness there is in the human heart. Before suffering and debility all fanatical pride of the white in his colour gave way, and the proud European ' forgot his dignity, and honoured gallant and faithful black manhood, as he gave freely most tender sympathy to the negro wayfarers. Those of the Wanguana who were destined to reach their homes thrived - wondrou3ly under the healthy abundance provided for them. Yet they did not act as though they were happy and free from anxiety and care, for sometimes I detected> I thought, a slight shade of uneasiness. It was not until we were about leaving the Capo that I discovered the cause of this. Soon after the Industry had anchored in. Simon's Bay, Cape of Good Hope, Captain Dyer proceeded ashore to report to the Commodore, F. W. Sullivan. "While I was wondering at the fall, steep ridges f urrrounding Simon's Bay, and_ at the evidence of enormous activity which spread out in a thin line along the seashore, a young officer arrived on board with a letter for me. This communication was the truest exposition of cordial friendliness, I believe, I ever received. Never was such a composition so flattering, and never was friendship so cordially- offered, aid so freely given, hospitality so kindly tendered, as .:; '■"■ in this letter written by Commodore Sullivan. I became the commodore's guest at Admiralty House, and, for the first time after my departure from England in 1874, was introduced into.that exquisite, refined life which I bad tasted in rural England in 1873. Cape Town sent its journalists to see and tall: with a brother-journalist just out of Equatorial Africa. They were genial and generous in their remarks., They roused up the interest of the residents of the metropolis in my dark followers, and the result was a perfect shower of favours on them. For the first three days after landing at Simon's Town I was unable to return to the ship. The people became anxious, and wondered whether this distant port was to be the end of my voyage > with them. Returning to the ship, I thought my people were uncommonly melancholy. I asked the reason. They said, " You will return to Ulyab (Europe), of course, now ?•" "WhyP"

" Oh, do we not see you have met your friends, and all these last three days we feel you are about to' abandon us ? " " Who told you so P " 11 Our hearts, and they are very heavy." 11 Ah, and would it please you if I accompanied you to Zanzibar P " " Why should you ask, master ? Are you. not btir father? " " Well, it takes a long time to teach you to rely upon the promise of your father. I have told you over and over that nothing will cause me to break my promise that I would take you. home. You bare been true to me, and I shall be true to you. If we can get no ship to take us I shall walk the entire distance with you until I can show you to your friends of Zan^iba^." " .Now we are grateful, master." I saw no sad faces after this day. Captain Dyer, his officers, and sailors noticed that they brightened up from this time. Cape Town required to see the Wanguana, and Commodore Sullivan was determined to do his very best to prove to them how English people loved such conduct as they had displayed. Through his influence a special "fire carriage" was detailed to convey them from Cape Town to Stillenboseh, and the wonders of my people was indescribable. Many times they told me that the "fir© carriage " was tho true Pagazi, or porter for the continent. "It requires neither food nor medicine ; it has no legs to get weary; no back to ache, nor arms to tire; disease will not make it sick ; its iron body would cause the poisoned arrows and spears to rebound; even bullets and slugs could not penetrate it, the spear grass would not injure its legs, nor would tbe mud ulcerate them. Six days' march in an hour! Waliahi! It laughs at distance. Verily, master, you must get the fire carriage the next time you want to cross the continent." The Wanguana, became eloquent, even poetical, in describing the merits ©f the " fire carriage." The only thing, in their opinion, that the English ought to do next would be to learn how to reanimate the dead, or, as they expressed it, "put a newJbeart in a dead man." And then they need leorn nothing more. , To enumerate all the courtesies shown to the Wanguana at Cape Town would be too much. Lady Frere and Commodore Sullivan devised several entertainments for them, and the " Great" Lady," presented men, women and infants with many souvenirs of their visit to her at Government House. There was one personage absent from Cape Town at this time', whom they would all have been delighted *to have seen. I mean Sir JBartle Frere —one of the best friends to Africa and the Africans now living.' I should also have wished to have seen once more one who always placed faith in me, and was a firm friend in days when friends were, extremely scarce. I should greatly have liked to have shown my people this

great and pood man, the friend of Livingstone, the friend of their master, and the friend of their despised race. The Prince of Zanzibar, by his visit to England, I am aware, has become almost a new man, and it has greatly influenced him for the better ; but I doubt whether his visit to civilisation will have as much influence on Central Africa as the visit of my followers to Cape Town. For the latter will unburthen their memories and feelings wherever they go throughout the wild and strange parts of their native continent. Their voices will be inspired by gratitude to the generous people who they know live at the extremity of the great land whence they came. The fulness of the greatness shown flashed upon them spontaneously, without device or preparation. There was no promise made that they should receive fcuch rewards, so that the quick repetition of many courtesies, with a warmth they had never dreamed of, completely bewildered them at first. Many had known Europeans before, but the maiority were from the coast countries. Somo were Arabian, where tho Englishman was believed to be a kind of a peremptory stern lord, whose feelings were not to be thawed. Those who hailed from Zanzibar knew Europeans only as uflapprdachable beings who could not possibly feel that they were worth anything, save as hannals, or human bearers of burthen, "How comes it." they asked, " that these English can smile and be pleased with us, and give us so many nice things. Verily, until now we hayebeen asleep P " Oh, gentlemen Explorers, who write that the negro has no gratitude, who exclaim against them, and declare that he is but a grade Higher than the animal, that he is but a brute as regards feeling, may it not be true that some of you are also "asleep?" Commodore Sullivan decided to take upon himself the responsibility of sending the Wanguana on to Zanzibar by the Industry, a fact that all the English naval officers at Loanda had predicted would occur. A day or two before we sailed from the Cape a telegram came from the Lords of the Admiralty with instructions to provide transmission for my followers to their homes, thus removing all fears on my part that the Commodore's kindness to us would provoke censure from the supreme chiefs of the Boyal Navy. Hbnxy M. Staniiy.