In Darkest Africa, Vol. 1; or, The Quest, Rescue, and Retreat of Emin, Governor of Equatoria — Key Ideas to Explore

CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER.

The Khedive and the Soudan--Arabi Pasha--Hicks Pasha's defeat--The Mahdi --Sir Evelyn Baring and Lord Granville on the Soudan--Valentine Baker Pasha--General Gordon: his work in the Upper Soudan--Edward Schnitzler (or Emin Effendi Hakim) and his Province--General Gordon at Khartoum: and account of the Relief Expedition in 1884 under Lord Wolseley--Mr. A. M. Mackay, the missionary in Uganda--Letters from Emin Bey to Mr. Mackay, Mr. C. H. Allen, and Dr. R. W. Felkin, relating to his Province--Mr. F. Holmwood's and Mr. A. M. Mackay's views on the proposed relief of Emin--Suggested routes for the Emin Relief Expedition--Sir Wm. Mackinnon and Mr. J. F. Hutton--The Relief Fund and preparatory details of the Expedition--Colonel Sir Francis De Winton--Selection of officers for the Expedition--King Leopold and the Congo Route--Departure for Egypt 11

CHAPTER II. EGYPT AND ZANZIBAR.

Surgeon T. H. Parke--Views of Sir Evelyn Baring, Nubar Pasha, Professor Schweinfurth and Dr. Junker on the Emin Relief Expedition--Details relating to Emin Pasha and his Province--General Grenfell and the ammunition--Breakfast with Khedive Tewfik: message to Emin Pasha--Departure for Zanzibar--Description of Mombasa town--Visit to the Sultan of Zanzibar--Letter to Emin Pasha sent by messenger through Uganda--Arrangements with Tippu-Tib--Emin Pasha's Ivory--Mr. MacKenzie, Sir John Pender, and Sir James Anderson's assistance to the Relief Expedition 49

CHAPTER III. BY SEA TO THE CONGO RIVER.

The Sultan of Zanzibar--Tippu-Tib and Stanley Falls--On board s.s. _Madura_--"Shindy" between the Zanzibaris and Soudanese--Sketches of my various Officers--Tippu-Tib and Cape Town--Arrival at the mouth of the Congo River--Start up the Congo--Visit from two of the Executive Committee of the Congo State--Unpleasant thoughts 67

CHAPTER IV. TO STANLEY POOL.

Details of the journey to Stanley Pool--The Soudanese and the Somalis--Meeting with Mr. Herbert Ward--Camp at Congo la Lemba--Kindly entertained by Mr. and Mrs. Richards--Letters from up river--Letters to the Rev. Mr. Bentley and others for assistance--Arrival at Mwembi--Necessity of enforcing discipline--March to Vombo--Incident at Lukungu Station--The Zanzibaris--Incident between Jephson and Salim at the Inkissi River--A series of complaints--The Rev. Mr. Bentley and the steamer _Peace_--We reach Makoko's village--Leopoldville--Difficulties regarding the use of the Mission steamers--Monsieur Liebrichts sees Mr. Billington--Visit to Mr. Swinburne at Kinshassa--Orders to, and duties of, the officers 79

CHAPTER V. FROM STANLEY POOL TO YAMBUYA.

Upper Congo scenery--Accident to the _Peace_--Steamers reach Kimpoko--Collecting fuel--The good-for-nothing _Peace_--The _Stanley_ in trouble--Arrival at Bolobo--The Relief Expedition arranged in two columns--Major Barttelot and Mr. Jameson chosen for command of Rear Column--Arrival at Equator and Bangala Stations--The Basoko villages: Baruti deserts us--Arrival at Yambuya 99

CHAPTER VI. AT YAMBUYA.

We land at Yambuya villages--The _Stanley_ leaves for Equator Station--Fears regarding Major Barttelot and the _Henry Reed_--Safe arrival--Instructions to Major Barttelot and Mr. Jameson respecting the Rear Column--Major Barttelot's doubts as to Tippu-Tib's good faith--A long conversation with Major Barttelot--Memorandum for the officers of the Advance Column--Illness of Lieutenant Stairs--Last night at Yambuya: statements as to our forces and accoutrements 111

CHAPTER VII. TO PANGA FALLS.

An African road--Our mode of travelling through the forests--Farewell to Jameson and the Major--160 days in the forest--The Rapids of Yambuya--Attacked by natives of Yankonde--Rest at the village of Bahunga--Description of our march--The poisoned Skewers--Capture of six Babali--Dr. Parke and the bees--A tempest in the forest--Mr. Jephson puts the steel boat together--The village of Bukanda--Refuse heaps of the villages--The Aruwimi river scenery--Villages of the Bakuti and the Bakoka--The Rapids of Gwengweré--The boy Bakula-Our "chop and coffee"--The islands near Bandangi--The Baburu dwarfs--The unknown course of the river--The Somalis--Bartering at Mariri and Mupé--The Aruwimi at Mupé--The Babé manners, customs, and dress--Jephson's two adventures--Wasp Rapids--The chief of the Bwamburi--Our camp at My-yui--Canoe accident--An abandoned village--Arrival at Panga Falls--Description of the Falls 134

CHAPTER VIII. FROM TANGA FALLS TO UGARROWWA'S.

Another accident at the Rapids--The village of Utiri--Avisibba settlement--Enquiry into a murder case at Avisibba--Surprised by the natives--Lieutenant Stairs wounded--We hunt up the enemy--The poisoned arrows--Indifference of the Zanzibaris--Jephson's caravan missing--Our wounded--Perpetual rain--Deaths of Khalfan, Saadi, and others--Arrival of caravan--The Mabengu Rapids--Mustering the people--The Nepoko river--Remarks by Binza--Our food supply--Reckless use of ammunition--Half-way to the Albert Lake--We fall in with some of Ugarrowwa's men--Absconders--We camp at Hippo Broads and Avakubi Rapids--The destroyed settlement of Navabi--Elephants at Memberri--More desertions--The Arab leader, Ugarrowwa--He gives us information--Visit to the Arab settlement--First specimen of the tribe of dwarfs--Arrangements with Ugarrowwa 171

CHAPTER IX. UGARROWWA'S TO KILONGA-LONGA'S.

Ugarrowwa sends us three Zanzibari deserters--We make an example--The 'Express' rifles--Conversation with Rashid--The Lenda river--Troublesome rapids--Scarcity of food--Some of Kilonga-Longa's followers--Meeting of the rivers Ihuru and Ituri--State and numbers of the Expedition--Illness of Captain Nelson--We send couriers ahead to Kilonga-Longa's--The sick encampment--Randy and the guinea fowl--Scarcity of food--Illness caused by the forest pears--Fanciful menus--More desertions--Asmani drowned--Our condition in brief--Uledi's suggestion--Umari's climb--My donkey is shot for food--We strike the track of the Manyuema and arrive at their village 211

CHAPTER X. WITH THE MANYUEMA AT IPOTO.

The ivory hunters at Ipoto--Their mode of proceeding--The Manyuema headmen and their raids--Remedy for preventing wholesale devastations--Crusade preached by Cardinal Lavigerie--Our Zanzibar chiefs--Anxiety respecting Captain Nelson and his followers--Our men sell their weapons for food--Theft of rifles--Their return demanded--Uledi turns up with news of the missing chiefs--Contract drawn up with the Manyuema headmen for the relief of Captain Nelson--Jephson's report on his journey--Reports of Captain Nelson and Surgeon Parke--The process of blood brotherhood between myself and Ismaili--We leave Ipoto 236

CHAPTER XI. THROUGH THE FOREST TO MAZAMBONI'S PEAK.

In the country of the Balessé--Their houses and clearings--Natives of Bukiri--The first village of dwarfs--Our rate of progress increased--The road from Mambungu's--Halts at East and West Indékaru--A little storm between "Three o'clock" and Khamis--We reach Ibwiri--Khamis and the "vile Zanzibaris"--The Ibwiri clearing--Plentiful provisions--The state of my men; and what they had recently gone through--Khamis and party explore the neighbourhood--And return with a flock of goats--Khamis captures Boryo, but is released--Jephson returns from the relief of Captain Nelson--Departure of Khamis and the Manyuema--Memorandum of charges against Messrs. Kilonga-Longa & Co. of Ipoto--Suicide of Simba--Sali's reflections on the same--Lieutenant Stairs reconnoitres--Muster and reorganisation at Ibwiri--Improved condition of the men--Boryo's village--Balessé customs--East Indenduru--We reach the outskirts of the forest--Mount Pisgah--The village of Iyugu--Heaven's light at last; the beautiful grass-land--We drop across an ancient crone--Indésura and its products--Juma's capture--The Ituri river again--We emerge upon a rolling plain--And forage in some villages--The mode of hut construction--The district of the Babusessé--Our Mbiri captives--Natives attack the camp--The course of the Ituri--The natives of Abunguma--Our fare since leaving Ibwiri--Mazamboni's Peak--The east Ituri--A mass of plantations--Demonstration by the natives--Our camp on the crest of Nzera Kum--"Be strong and of a good courage"--Friendly intercourse with the natives--We are compelled to disperse them--Peace arranged--Arms of the Bandussuma 255

CHAPTER XII. ARRIVAL AT LAKE ALBERT AND OUR RETURN TO IBWIRI.

We are further annoyed by the natives--Their villages fired--Gavira's village--We keep the natives at bay--Plateau of Unyoro in view--Night attack by the natives--The village of Katonza's--Parley with the natives--No news of the Pasha--Our supply of cartridges--We consider our position--Lieutenant Stairs converses with the people of Kasenya Island--The only sensible course left us--Again attacked by natives--Scenery on the lake's shore--We climb a mountain--A rich discovery of grain--The rich valley of Undussuma--Our return journey to Ibwiri--The construction of Fort Bodo 319

CHAPTER XIII. LIFE AT FORT BODO.

Our impending duties--The stockade of Fort Bodo--Instructions to Lieutenant Stairs--His departure for Kilonga-Longa's--Pested by rats, mosquitoes, &c.--Nights disturbed by the lemur--Armies of red ants--Snakes in tropical Africa--Hoisting the Egyptian flag--Arrival of Surgeon Parke and Captain Nelson from Ipoto--Report of their stay with the Manyuema--Lieutenant Stairs arrives with the steel boat--We determine to push on to the Lake at once--Volunteers to convey letters to Major Barttelot--Illness of myself and Captain Nelson--Uledi captures a Queen of the Pigmies--Our fields of corn--Life at Fort Bodo--We again set out for the Nyanza 350

CHAPTER XIV. TO THE ALBERT NYANZA A SECOND TIME.

Difficulties with the steel boat--African forest craft--Splendid capture of pigmies, and description of the same--We cross the Ituri River--Dr. Parke's delight on leaving the forest--Camp at Bessé--Zanzibari wit--At Nzera-Kum Hill once more--Intercourse with the natives--"Malleju," or the "Bearded One," being first news of Emin--Visit from chief Mazamboni and his followers--Jephson goes through the form of friendship with Mazamboni--The medicine men, Nestor and Murabo--The tribes of the Congo--Visit from chief Gavira--A Mhuma chief--The Bavira and Wahuma races--The varying African features--Friendship with Mpinga--Gavira and the looking-glass--Exposed Uzanza--We reach Kavalli--The chief produces "Malleju's" letter--Emin's letter--Jephson and Parke convey the steel boat to the lake--Copy of letter sent by me to Emin through Jephson--Friendly visits from natives 373

CHAPTER XV. THE MEETING WITH EMIN PASHA.

Our camp at Bundi--Mbiassi, the chief of Kavalli--The Balegga granaries--Chiefs Katonza and Komubi express contrition--The kites at Badzwa--A note from Jephson--Emin, Casati and Jephson walk into our camp at old Kavalli--Descriptions of Emin Pasha and Captain Casati--The Pasha's Soudanese--Our Zanzibaris--The steamer _Khedive_--Baker and the Blue Mountains--Drs. Junker and Felkin's descriptions of Emin--Proximity of Kabba Rega--Emin and the Equatorial Provinces--Dr. Junker's report of Emin--I discuss with Emin our future proceedings--Captain Casati's plans--Our camp and provisions at Nsabé--Kabba Rega's treatment of Captain Casati and Mohammed Biri--Mabruki gored by a buffalo--Emin Pasha and his soldiers--My propositions to Emin and his answer--Emin's position--Mahomet Achmet--The Congo State--The Foreign Office despatches 393

CHAPTER XVI. WITH THE PASHA--_continued_.

Fortified stations in the Province--Storms at Nsabé--A nest of young crocodiles--Lake Ibrahim--Zanzibari raid on Balegga villages--Dr. Parke goes in search of the two missing men--The Zanzibaris again--A real tornado--The Pasha's gifts to us--Introduced to Emin's officers--Emin's cattle forays--The _Khedive_ departs for Mswa station--Mabruki and his wages--The Pasha and the use of the sextant--Departure of local chiefs--Arrival of the _Khedive_ and _Nyanza_ steamers with soldiers--Made arrangements to return in search of the rear-column--My message to the troops--Our Badzwa road--A farewell dance by the Zanzibaris--The Madi carriers' disappearance--First sight of Ruwenzori--Former circumnavigators of the Albert Lake--Lofty twin-peak mountain near the East Ituri River--Aid for Emin against Kabba Rega--Two letters from Emin Pasha--We are informed of an intended attack on us by chiefs Kadongo and Musiri--Fresh Madi carriers--We attack Kadongo's camp--With assistance from Mazamboni and Gavira we march on Musiri's camp which turns out to be deserted--A phalanx dance by Mazamboni's warriors--Music on the African Continent--Camp at Nzera-kum Hill--Presents from various chiefs--Chief Musiri wishes for peace 418

CHAPTER XVII. PERSONAL TO THE PASHA.

Age and early days of Emin Pasha--Gordon and the pay of Emin Pasha--Last interview with Gordon Pasha in 1877--Emin's last supply of ammunition and provisions--Five years' isolation--Mackay's library in Uganda--Emin's abilities and fitness for his position--His linguistic and other attainments--Emin's industry--His neat journals--Story related to me by Shukri Agha referring to Emin's escape from Kirri to Mswa--Emin confirms the story--Some natural history facts related to me by Emin--The Pasha and the Dinka tribe--A lion story--Emin and "bird studies" 422

CHAPTER XVIII. START FOR THE RELIEF OF THE REAR COLUMN.

Escorted by various tribes to Mukangi--Camp at Ukuba village--Arrival at Fort Bodo--Our invalids in Ugarrowwa's care--Lieut. Stairs' report on his visit to bring up the invalids to Fort Bodo--Night visits by the malicious dwarfs--A general muster of the garrison--I decide to conduct the Relief force in person--Captain Nelson's ill-health--My little fox-terrier "Randy"--Description of the fort--The Zanzibaris--Estimated time to perform the journey to Yambuya and back--Lieut. Stairs' suggestion about the steamer _Stanley_--Conversation with Lieut. Stairs in reference to Major Barttelot and the Rear Column--Letter of instructions to Lieut. Stairs 452

CHAPTER XIX. ARRIVAL AT BANALYA: BARTTELOT DEAD!

The Relief Force--The difficulties of marching--We reach Ipoto--Kilonga Longa apologises for the behaviour of his Manyuema--The chief returns us some of our rifles--Dr. Parke and fourteen men return to Fort Bodo--Ferrying across the Ituri River--Indications of some of our old camps--We unearth our buried stores--The Manyuema escort--Bridging the Lenda River--The famished Madi--Accidents and deaths among the Zanzibaris and Madi--My little fox-terrier "Randy"--The vast clearing of Ujangwa--Native women guides--We reach Ugarrowwa's abandoned station--Welcome food at Amiri Falls--Navabi Falls--Halt at Avamburi landing-place--Death of a Madi chief--Our buried stores near Basopo unearthed and stolen--Juma and Nassib wander away from the Column--The evils of forest marching--Conversation between my tent-boy, Sali, and a Zanzibari--Numerous bats at Mabengu village--We reach Avisibba, and find a young Zanzibari girl--Nejambi Rapids and Panga Falls--The natives of Panga--At Mugwye's we disturb an intended feast--We overtake Ugarrowwa at Wasp Rapids and find our couriers and some deserters in his camp--The head courier relates his tragic story--Amusing letter from Dr. Parke to Major Barttelot--Progress of our canoe flotilla down the river--The Batundu natives--Our progress since leaving the Nyanza--Thoughts about the Rear Column--Desolation along the banks of the river--We reach Banalya--Meeting with Bonny--The Major is dead--Banalya Camp 468

CHAPTER XX. THE SAD STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN.

Tippu-Tib--Major E. M. Barttelot--Mr. J. S. Jameson--Mr. Herbert Ward--Messrs. Troup and Bonny--Major Barttelot's Report on the doings of the Rear Column--Conversation with Mr. Bonny--Major Barttelot's letter to Mr. Bonny--Facts gleaned from the written narrative of Mr. Wm. Bonny--Mr. Ward detained at Bangala--Repeated visits of the Major to Stanley Falls--Murder of Major Barttelot--Bonny's account of the murder--The assassin Sanga is punished--Jameson dies of fever at Bangala Station--Meeting of the advance and rear columns--Dreadful state of the camp--Tippu-Tib and Major Barttelot--Mr. Jameson--Mr. Herbert Ward's report 498

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Copy of Log of Rear Column 527

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

PORTRAIT OF HENRY M. STANLEY _Frontispiece_ (From a Photograph by Elliot & Fry, 1886.)

_FULL-PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS_ Facing page

GROUP--MR. STANLEY AND HIS OFFICERS. 1

THE STEEL BOAT "ADVANCE" 80

IN THE NIGHT AND RAIN IN THE FOREST 146

THE FIGHT WITH THE AVISIBBA CANNIBALS 174

THE RIVER COLUMN ASCENDING THE ARUWIMI RIVER WITH THE "ADVANCE" AND SIXTEEN CANOES. 184

WOODEN ARROWS OF THE AVISIBBA 180

"THE PASHA IS COMING" 196

THE RELIEF OF NELSON AND SURVIVORS AT STARVATION CAMP 250

GYMNASTICS IN A FOREST CLEARING 258

IYUGU; A CALL TO ARMS 286

EMERGING FROM THE FOREST 292

FIRST EXPERIENCES WITH MAZAMBONI'S PEOPLE. VIEW FROM NZERA KUM HILL 306

THE SOUTH END OF THE ALBERT NYANZA, DEC. 13, 1887 324

SKETCH-MAP: "RETURN TO UGARROWA'S." BY LIEUTENANT STAIRS 365

EMIN AND CASATI ARRIVE AT LAKE SHORE CAMP 396

A PHALANX DANCE BY MAZAMBONI'S WARRIORS 438

MEETING WITH THE REAR COLUMN AT BANALYA 494

_OTHER ILLUSTRATIONS_

PORTRAIT OF EMIN PASHA 18

" LIEUTENANT STAIRS 40

" A. J. MOUNTENEY JEPHSON 42

" SURGEON PARKE, A. M. D. 50

" THE KHEDIVE TEWFIK 55

MAXIM AUTOMATIC GUN 83

LAUNCHING THE STEAMER "FLORIDA" 96

BARUTI FINDS HIS BROTHER 109

A TYPICAL VILLAGE ON THE LOWER ARUWIMI 112

LANDING AT YAMBUYA 113

DIAGRAM OF FOREST CAMPS 130

MARCHING THROUGH THE FOREST 135

THE KIRANGOZI, OR FOREMOST MAN 137

HEAD-DRESS--CROWN OF BRISTLES 160

FORT ISLAND, NEAR PANGA FALLS 168

VIEW OF UTIRI VILLAGE 172

LEAF-BLADED PADDLE OF AVISIBBA 174

A HEAD-DRESS OF AVISIBBA WARRIORS 178

CORONETED AVISIBBA WARRIOR--HEAD-DRESS 179

CASCADES OF THE NEPOKO 193

VIEW OF BAFAIDO CATARACT 202

ATTACKING AN ELEPHANT IN THE ITURI RIVER 203

RANDY SEIZES THE GUINEA FOWL 224

KILONGA LONGA'S STATION 234

SHIELDS OF THE BALESSÉ 256

VIEW OF MOUNT PISGAH FROM THE EASTWARD 281

VILLAGES OF THE BAKWURU ON A SPUR OF PISGAH 283

A VILLAGE AT THE BASE OF PISGAH 284

CHIEF OF THE IYUGU 285

PIPES OF FOREST TRIBES 290

SHIELDS OF BABUSESSÉ 299

SUSPENSION BRIDGE ACROSS THE EAST ITURI 304

SHIELD OF THE EDGE OF THE PLAINS 317

VIEW OF THE SOUTH END OF ALBERT NYANZA 318

CORN GRANARY OF THE BABUSESSÉ 328

A VILLAGE OF THE BAVIRI: EUROPEANS TAILORING 345

GREAT ROCK NEAR INDÉTONGA 348

EXTERIOR VIEW OF FORT BODO 349

INTERIOR VIEW OF FORT BODO 351

PLAN OF FORT BODO AND VICINITY, BY LIEUTENANT STAIRS 354

THE QUEEN OF THE DWARFS 368

ONE OF MAZAMBONI'S WARRIORS 384

KAVALLI, CHIEF OF THE BABIASSI 389

MILK VESSEL OF THE WAHUMA 392

THE STEAMERS "KHEDIVE" AND "NYANZA" ON LAKE ALBERT 426

VIEW OF BANALYA CURVE 493

PORTRAIT OF MAJOR BARTTELOT 499

A MAP OF THE GREAT FOREST REGION, SHOWING THE ROUTE OF THE EMIN PASHA RELIEF EXPEDITION FROM THE RIVER CONGO TO VICTORIA NYANZA. BY HENRY M. STANLEY. _In Pocket._

I have great pleasure in dedicating this book to you. It professes to be the Official Report to yourself and the Emin Relief Committee of what we have experienced and endured during our mission of Relief, which circumstances altered into that of Rescue. You may accept it as a truthful record of the journeyings of the Expedition which you and the Emin Relief Committee entrusted to my guidance.

I regret that I was not able to accomplish all that I burned to do when I set out from England in January, 1887, but the total collapse of the Government of Equatoria thrust upon us the duty of conveying in hammocks so many aged and sick people, and protecting so many helpless and feeble folk, that we became transformed from a small fighting column of tried men into a mere Hospital Corps to whom active adventure was denied. The Governor was half blind and possessed much luggage, Casati was weakly and had to be carried, and 90 per cent. of their followers were, soon after starting, scarcely able to travel from age, disease, weakness or infancy. Without sacrificing our sacred charge, to assist which was the object of the Expedition, we could neither deviate to the right or to the left, from the most direct road to the sea.

You who throughout your long and varied life have steadfastly believed in the Christian's God, and before men have professed your devout thankfulness for many mercies vouchsafed to you, will better understand than many others the feelings which animate me when I find myself back again in civilization, uninjured in life or health, after passing through so many stormy and distressful periods. Constrained at the darkest hour to humbly confess that without God's help I was helpless, I vowed a vow in the forest solitudes that I would confess His aid before men. A silence as of death was round about me; it was midnight; I was weakened by illness, prostrated with fatigue and worn with anxiety for my white and black companions, whose fate was a mystery. In this physical and mental distress I besought God to give me back my people. Nine hours later we were exulting with a rapturous joy. In full view of all was the crimson flag with the crescent, and beneath its waving folds was the long-lost rear column.

Again, we had emerged into the open country out of the forest, after such experiences as in the collective annals of African travels there is no parallel. We were approaching the region wherein our ideal Governor was reported to be beleaguered. All that we heard from such natives as our scouts caught prepared us for desperate encounters with multitudes, of whose numbers or qualities none could inform us intelligently, and when the population of Undusuma swarmed in myriads on the hills, and the valleys seemed alive with warriors, it really seemed to us in our dense ignorance of their character and power, that these were of those who hemmed in the Pasha to the west. If he with his 4000 soldiers appealed for help, what could we effect with 173? The night before I had been reading the exhortation of Moses to Joshua, and whether it was the effect of those brave words, or whether it was a voice, I know not, but it appeared to me as though I heard: "Be strong, and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them, for the Lord thy God He it is that doth go with thee, He will not fail thee nor forsake thee." When on the next day Mazamboni commanded his people to attack and exterminate us, there was not a coward in our camp, whereas the evening before we exclaimed in bitterness on seeing four of our men fly before one native, "And these are the wretches with whom we must reach the Pasha!"