. ¥ ? . ‘ . + . ‘ AK 2 \ \ 4 4 t es 3 . ‘ \ + : 4 ‘ . . + x . > x ‘ “I ~ ‘ a Vs a r -~ o OM ae coe, toe © eR , ie Ln \ toe oi ees s Z Soy Se Ye . ESON. Mr. J. S. JAM THE STORY OF foe KEAK COLUMN OF THE EMIN PASHA PELIER EXPEDITION JAMES SY AMESON NATURALIST TO THE EXPEDITION EDITED BY Mrs. JAMES S. JAMESON ILLUSTRATED BY C. WHYMPER FROM THE AUTHOR’S ORIGINAL SKETCHES WITH NEW MAP AND FAC SIMILE LETTER FROM TIPPU TIB NATURAL HISTORY APPENDIX: BIRDS, BY R. R. BOWDLER SHARPE, F.Z. S. COLEOPTERA, BY H. W. BATES, F.R.S. LEPIDOPTERA, RHOPALOCERA AanpD HETEROCERA BY OSBERT SALVIN, F.R.S., F. DU CANE GODMAN, F.R.S, H. DRUCE, F.L.S. Authorized Edition NEW YORK UNITED STATES BOOK COMPANY SUCCESSORS TO JOHN W. LOVELL COMPANY 150 WORTH ST., COR. MISSION PLACE Cc" PRINTING AND BOO! : NEW Y CONTENTS, List oF ILLUSTRATIONS eRe icici: Gail Catvet taller to Montane ko HMTLORSE OLR ihc hon Gn alae Uo hevert Soa Siar stele PREFACE ee oe ee ee eo ee ee ee es ee INTRODUCTION ee ee ees ee ee ee ee ee ee CHAPTER I. EXTRACTS FROM LETTERS. Joming Stanley and Orficers of the Expedition.—Zanzibar.— Tippu-Tib.—War between Soudanese and Zanzibaris, — Stories about Tippu-Tib.—Cape Town.—Buying dogs.— Stanley refuses carrier for Jameson’s collecting-things and big rifle-——Banana Point CHAPTER II. DIARY.—JOURNEY UP THE CONGO. 1887.—March 19th to April 30th. Boma.—Ango-Ango.— Mpalaballa Mission Station.—March to Congo da Lemba.—Banza Manteka.—Day’s march resembling slave-driving.—Kuilu River.—March to Vombo.—Stanley doing rear-guard.—Barttelot sent on with Soudanese.—Sick chief. — Lutété. — Kindness of the missionaries.—Stanley settling a row.—Inkissi River.—Thief.—Stanley’s punish- ment of chiefs.— Off to shoot hippo. — Difficulty about — steamers.—Kinshassa.— Ward joins the Expedition iV CONTENTS. CHAPTER III. THE UPPER CONGO. May \st to June 7th. Start up the Upper Congo.—Scenery on the Pool.—Spiders’ webs. —Mswata.—Bula Matadi.—Man proposes, and God disposes. -—Bolobo.—Buffalo hunt.—Jameson is informed that he is to be left at Yambuya.—Looting.—Lukulela.—Scenes with PAGE Stanley.—Equator Station.—Dine with Mr. Glave.— Uranga. . —Bangala.—Houssas eaten by natives.—Fever.—Upoto.— Stanley’s distrust of his oilicers’ V5.2 ss isle) eee CHAPTER IV. OCCUPATION OF YAMBUYA, June 8th to July 31st. Letter to Mrs. Jameson.—Pass burning villages.—Arrival at Aru- wimi River.—Conical-shaped huts.—Occupation of Yambuya. —Arrival of the Henry Reed.—Stanley’s letter of instruc- tions.— Re-packing bales for Emin.—Barttelot made “ blood- brother” with native chief.—Rations for six months.— ‘‘ Beggars must not be choosers.”—Stanley’s departure.— Building boma.— Extraordinary flight of butterflies — Palaver with natives.—‘“‘ Collecting” captives.— Natives capture Omari. —Woman escapes.—Uselessness of chiefs—Gum-copal CHAPTER V. YAMBUYA CAMP. July 27th to December 31st. Letter to Mrs. Jameson.—No news of Tippu-Tib.—Promise to protect natives.—Reported arrival of Tippu’s men.—Return of deserter from Stanley’s party.—His statement.—Arrival 60 CONTENTS. Vv PAGE of the Stanley.—Raid on the natives by Tippu-Tib’s people. —Final departure of the Stanley.—First visit of Tippu-Tib’s Arabs to Yambuya Camp.—Bonny crosses river to native village.—Abdullah punished for stealing an axe.—Jameson and Ward start for Stanley Falls.—Natives offer to make them princes.—Yalisula.—Arrival at the Falls.—Received by Tippu-Tib.—He explains non-arrival of men.—Native wrestling-match.—Jameson makes Tippu present of big rifle. —Return to Yambuya.—Soudanese punished for theft.— Selim bin Mahommed.—Arabs shoot down natives.—Dis- appointing news from Tippu-Tib.—Rumours of Stanley’s return.—Barttelot and Troup start for Falls—A man pos- sessed by a devil.—Deserter’s story.—Bonny’s surgical skill. —The Major returns.—Omaha.—Report of a white man coming down river.—Fresh disappointment.—Jaundice.— Arabs try to prevent trade with natives.—Burgari Mahom- med steals meat from Ward’s house.—Living skeletons.— . Three dreams.—Ungungu captured by Arabs.—Christmas Day.—Fresh trouble between Arabs and natives SUG Aiea nS Ly CHAPTER VI. YAMBUYA CAMP. 1888.—January Ist to February 13th, New Year’s Day.—Natives return with captured Arab.—Barttelot and Jameson have palaver with natives.—Natives consult the oracles and inspect white men.—More reports from Stanley’s deserters.—Assad Farran sees a whale.—Visit from Arab Venuses.—Sobarus Pogge: beetle.—Dead bodies floating down river.—Wretched state of Zanzibaris in camp.—One fifth of entire force lost.—Goliath beetle.—Conversation with Selim Mahommed.—Probable dangers to Mr. Stanley’s force from death and desertion.—Arabs attack natives.—Arabs fight among themselves.—Natives steal canoes from -Arabs.— Anniversary of Jameson’s wedding.—More raids on the natives.—Burgari Mahommed at large.—Natives eat cap- tured Arabs.—Burgari captured, and shot .. .. .. «. 177 vi CONTENTS. CHAPTER VII, KASSONGO. February 14th to April 26th. Start with the Major for Stanley Falls.—Meet a number of men from Kassongo.—Singatini.—Interview with Nzige.—No news of Stanley.—Hunting for game in the jungle.—Letter from Yambuya Camp.—Shock of earthquake.—Anxious waiting.—Sketching regarded as sorcery by Mahommedans. —Fever.—Letter from Troup.—Barttelot arranges to send Jameson to Kassongo.—Letter to Mrs. Jameson.—Start for Kassongo.— Yankéwé. — Wild-looking natives.— Wamanga Rapids.—Meet men from Kassongo.—Kibongé.—Jameson writes to Stanley.—Kapruta.—Assad Farran hunts for onions. — Kasuku.— Kindness of Arab chief. — Poisoned arrows.—Riba-Riba.—Shooting hippos.—Three great chiefs. Tippu-Tib’s names.—Dangerous natives.—Head men fear a night attack. Quanga.—Nyangwé.—Kindness of Arabs.— Arrival at Kassongo.—Tippu-Tib.—Fertile country.—Salem Masudi.— Tippu agrees to provide men.— Sketching.— Jameson writes to Mr. Mackinnon.—Letter to Mrs. Jameson. —Arab customs.—Conversation with ‘Tippu-Tib.—Muni Ketomba. cjg (sks ilele arene Si one om eesuanie ten satuen. Damian PAGE CHAPTER VIII. RETURN TO YAMBUYA. April 27th to June 10th. Start back for Yambuya.—Delay at starting-point on the river.— Thirty-four of Tippu’s men run away.—Tippu and Cameron. —Chiefs arrive to bid farewell to Tippu-Tib.—Mirésa.— Tippu’s conversation in Swahili—Two canoes sunk.—A narrow escape.—Assad Farran’s uselessness.—Riba-Riba.— Wacusu dance.—Cannibals.—Conversation with Tippu.— CONTENTS. vil PAGE Muni Somai.—Kibongé.—Chimpanzees.—Tippu’s account of a journey with Stanley.—Stanley Falls.—Barttelot’s inter- view with Tippu-Tib.—Start for Yambuya.—Troup sends in application to be sent home.—Hard at work reducing loads, —Caps turn out to be bad.—Letter to Mrs. Jameson .._ .. 277 CHAPTER IX. THE LAST MARCH. June 11th to August 8th. Final start from Yambuya Camp.—Manyémas loot the Camp.— Abdullah’s village.—Muni Somai has trouble with Manyémas. Fourteen men desert.—Jameson returns to Yambuya in search of missing loads.—-Selim Mahommed guarantees to recover loads and rifles.—More desertions.—Small-pox.— Muni Somai goes in search of deserters, and is fired at.— Theft of beads.—Trouble with the Muniaparas.—A long day of disaster.— Major Barttelot returns to Stanley Falls, leaving Jameson in command.—Fresh trouble with Manyémas.— Jameson arrives at Ujéle-—Takes over command from Bonny. —Muni Somai utterly useless as a commander.—Mquan- gandy.—Letters from Barttelot ordering whole force to pro- ceed to Unaria.— War amongst head men.—A night fusillade. — Bonny loses his way.—Muni Haméla hands over to Jameson 40,000 Enfield caps.—News of Major Barttelot’s death.—Arrival at Unaria.—Interview with three head Manyémas.—Jameson offers reward for Sanga’s arrest.— Jameson proceeds to Stanley Falls.—Finds the Manyémas camped in forest.—Meets Muni Somai.—Nasoro Masudi warns Jameson that Manyémas have threatened to shoot him.—Arival at Stanley Falls.—Interview with Tippu.— Muni Somai tried and convicted of desertion.—Letter to Andrew Jameson.—Letter to Mrs. Jameson.— Rachid declines to accompany Jameson.—Tippu volunteers to do so for £20,000.—Trial and death of Sanga.—Jameson determines to go to Bangala in order to obtain reply from Committee.— Mr. Stanley’s letter toJameson .. .. «2 eo «of «+ 308 Vill CONTENTS. CHAPTER X. LAST SCENES, August 9th to August 18th. PAGE Last Journey.—Mr. Ward’s diary—Death .. .. .. .. .«. 367 Apprnpices I.—XI. Reel hides i SORES hee) eee Facsimile of Agreement written by Mr. Jameson forms Appendix IX. Facsimile of Tippu-Tib’s letter faces translation on page 391. NATURAT-HIstTORY ‘APPENDIX 05 (cc) 00 Sea 0 a a ee Expranation or Map or Upper Conco.. .. 1. .. .. 453-455 Map or River Conao, trom Stanley Falls to Kassongo (end of volume), LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. Ae ie eae PAGE Portrait of the late Jamus S. JamEson sist plete orale Frontispiece | White or Square-mouthed Rhinoceros (Hhinoceros simus) .. xi Slave Girl | 9 Peter’s Fetish 10 Boma ne Tt Ango-Ango .. .. 12 Mission Road near Moalahalle 14 Native Justice ee 22 Native Method of iisd-exteldne Bs 23 Ivory War Horn .. . 34 Diagram of Spiders’ Webs 36 Head of Native of Mswata .. a7 Kwamouth +U Fisherman’s Hut .. Bel ar aye pliers ate mace 46 ECHL: 8 ARS SSM ea aE Ss 58 Shields ee cat ea Ie aaa sega) ee. OO Memerer Or WOLO. 590 ae) eat es wee Sele fee ee ws 59 Re Se et te NS at foie h ioe) fee Co 3) os 60 Native Chief in top. tak. Coin eaven cersy shadee whore 62 Spears and Shield Le ease ate ENO RR EU ING 66 Tattooing .. SNE MORE mene 66 Entrenched ia Main ees os 69 mapas, irom the Camp .. 2.0 ss» 80 LL ieee nT Ren tral Vy ee aa Re 84 Water Pot, Sonebuya te 85 Mego lah 250. es ss 92 Wataku Box. : : 96 Yambuya. So irew ee deat river bao Hatronehod ca. 98 Plan of Entrenched Camp, Yambuya 101 Bell and Musical Instrument BOP MeN A ocd A gd 106 Matajabu i... Nee eh ota a elenyiciecel ites | 6s ot Native Bee howls, LOA (SPUR Ome a Sa ea 112 Chief’s Grave, Yaweeko 6) ie ON rae SA ees gk ra a re Lt7 Stanley Falls 12] x LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. A Champion... .. SID Catal es Ss Elephant’s Head .. Yambau Selim bin Nehotmned A Native of the Upper Gees Sucking-Fish sete fe Yambuya Palisade Pattern on inside of Dish Native Stool, Yambuya Starving Zanzibari War-Knife, Upoto ea Native Method of adeaas 36 Mr. Jameson, drawn | H. Ward My Home eS civke kee itiove Stun Tattooing Cowrie Head- fireke: a aieis War-Knife from Lumami River .. Wataku Pottery .. Tattooing ‘ A Glimpse across rerett River Small War-Knife . Slave Girl : My Friend “ Mined a Ks Lea 4 “ Curry-Eyes ’ : A Savage hae his ease My Bow Paddle’ a5 ei) Sis Wamanga Rapids aie Kibongé sive ee Native of Wamanea ‘‘ A long shove, and a strong shove, ail a she, goes” ‘¢ And down she comes with a run” Knife from Kassongo ‘Lukutula” Wagania Village, near assongs Landing-place, Kassongo .. .. Double Drum, and Striker .. Waper Moneys eas sie) ere KASEI O Ua Mic cl) haven iva eic Palen ty a Road to Ujiji SOEs tech Se Native of Unyanembi ... .. ,- PAGE 125 127 133 134 136 140 143 155 159 160 165 166 176 10% 179 186 195 201 205 Z11 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. x] PAGE Drummer and Dancer of Quemba See ry chee Mim eM tee yaoi aide gus we FO) Peeraral nes hatin Waewi este Wane ee ties veranda Wake sid) Capen: Otel huge code! EL OU Woe er the lurian tetera acl ia ns ha thr bel abe a Sa age Wagania Huts .. ices UEC Hea oaks Seed Inge al eR aK 6 “* Nothing like Independence” Rea bia ie erate ike Ni Peis! = ehh Mittine \Womatmiim Market Ga este oceroce a es ae ce ee Oneso tippu- Dib sun pedrers! 56°. Soe Pe eu BOT Longa-Longa BO ere a rae Aad aM rent ie abies Male, Ue bo OO ae Mulan Onna atbeper eon! We hee eat! Nard walewnt era) oy eels dco hy anes OO Assimene .. Deane Car aserrc em RGN Un Tae camara. Og Bunch of Pientaina Me Han GPR an) Vi erdake CCR. ois | OO A New Way of i peaae Gactans seitiewee Oo a wa ey ergiad OOF River Scene... .. Sahin ie eile pate mee rie OO Major Barttelot seed on ae old Deum wee woul Wey ep aie: canees OOO Perea Or MNO sOl MEARE Ay. ee eh ee ae bs ie) acer Oe Native of Upper Congo ean cee Warne (Nari irene state nicl) kena. Sesee A Canoe Journey... serie Aaa OE The House in Sek ue ce ameson died at ene, Sea i mars 740) The Last Journey Pee aii SRL Nea ieee aL.” BLO ME PeGOOUU Cai Mee vtce teeth iene mane og) ana eee BD Serre Pere einai d \eie cae! Bate yi lrmie Nee! Vee, Wat cage, ADO WHITE oR SQUARE-MOUTHED RHINOCEROS, £ 3 [a BT aoe | ad 2) SN ‘Sy ~ om] oe n= fon as te) oA bo a 2 Se dD she as ge a } Pas @ > a3 o's 2 3 | ~ 0 Oo mM ? . J. 5. Jameson [The above was mounted EDITOR’S NOTE. Tues letters and diaries were not originally intended for pub- lication ; but it has been thought that they may be read with interest by many, and that, having regard to the accusations recently made against the leaders of the Rear Column, it is desirable that they should be published in what is practically their original form, with only such alterations as their private nature required. _ In the preparation of this work, I have throughout had the advantage of the constant advice and sympathetic help of my brother-in-law, Mr. ANDREW JAMESON. I have received much kindness from Mr. Herpert Warp, who sealed and sent home those of Mr. Jameson’s diaries and papers which he brought with him to the coast, and gave me several interesting sketches of his own for insertion in this volume. A still deeper debt of gratitude is due to him for the tender solicitude with which he nursed my husband during those last hours at Bangala. I wish further to express my hearty thanks to several of my husband’s friends who have rendered me valuable assistance by preparing the scientific parts of this book, contained in the Appendices. To Mr. R. Bowpier Suarre, F.Z.S., I am indebted both for a sketch of Mr. Jameson’s career as a naturalist, and for his very valuable paper on the birds of the Aruwimi; and X1V EDITOR'S NOTE. to Messrs. H. W. Bares, F.R.S., Osspert Satvin, F.B.S., F. DuCanz Gopman, F.R.S., and Hersert Drvcz, F.Z.S., my thanks are most deservedly due for the care they have bestowed upon the Entomological portion of the Appendices. It is a matter of deep regret that only a remnant of the collec- tions made by Mr. Jameson on the Aruwimi ever reached my hands. The Rev. J. M. Ropwett has kindly rendered the translatiou of the Arabic letter from Tippu-Tib, and the Rev. Canon J. J. CarmicuaEL, LL.D., has merited my warmest thanks for his valuable help. | Finally, I would acknowledge the artistic skill with which Mr. CHartes Wuymper has reproduced the spirit of my husbaud’s sketches, and the attention and courtesy shown me throughout by Mr. R. H. Porter in the publication of this book. ETHEL JAMESON. December 12th, 1890. PREFACE, “LET THERE BE LIGHT.” (Mr. Stanley's motto for ‘In Darkest Africa.) “Good name, in man and woman, dear my lord, Is the immediate jewel of their souls: Who steals my purse, steals trash: ’tis something, nothing ; *T was mine, ’tis his, and has been slave to thousands ; But he, that filches from me my good name, Robs me of that which not enriches him, And makes me poor indeed.” Never was the truth of these lines more vividly illustrated than in the case of the writer of this Diary. The dream of his early life was to add his name to the long roll of those who have striven for some good and useful object. At length the occasion offered itself, as he believed, in the Expedition in which he lost his hfe; to join it he sacrificed his wealth, his home, his family joys and comfort, to live “laborious days,” and find some scope for the pent-up energies within him. He went to his work with a strong zeal and lofty sense of right, did his duty with unselfish heroism in the face of treacheries and overwhelming difficulties, and died a martyr to the cause for which he had so nobly laboured. What is his reward? He is sought to be made the scapegoat of his Commander’s ill- judgment and neglect! Charges of disobedience, disloyalty, forgetfulness of promises, desertion, cruelty, cowardice, and murder are brought against him, on the authority of discredited liars, by a man who is driven to his wits’ end to sustain his Xvi PREFACE. reputation against serious imperative accusations. The charges are brought against Jameson when he is in his grave, when the common usage of humanity suggests silence, and when a man of a noble and honourable cast of nature would altogether prefer to lie under an unjust suspicion rather than asperse and defame the voiceless dead. This, however, is not the course which Mr. Stanley has followed. Lest any tinge of discredit should rest on his own fame, he has striven to destroy that of others who are powerless to reply. Upon his remarkable Expedition into Central Africa there rests one dark blot—the disastrous fate of his Rear-Guard, and Mr. Stanley is not a man to admit that he can make mistakes: no blame of any sort can be allowed to sully his record; if the Rear-Guard was wrecked, it was, of course, because his skilful plans and careful orders were neglected and disobeyed; no statement, however desperate and imaginary, will be kept back if only it serve to sustain his egotistical demands upon the credulous admiration of his readers; and so, apparently unconscious of the possibility of contradiction, and fully con- scious of the fact that the men whom he defames are dead, he casts the whole weight of blame upon their helpless heads. The first answer to Mr. Stanley’s charges comes from Captain Walter Barttelot; and it is a crushing one. His reply to this is a flood of malevolent gossip as wicked as it is unproven, in which good care is taken to make the least serious charges against the living, the gravest and most defamatory against the dead. The amount of reliance that can be placed upon Mr. Stauley’s accuracy is an easy question to determine. He suffers even abnormally from that shortness of memory which is, according to a well-known proverb, said to be characteristic of a certain class of people. Thus, on November 8th, 1890, he denies the truth of statements respecting the Rear-Guard made by himself in a book published in the month of June of that self-same year. In Volume I. of ‘In Darkest Africa,’ page 478, after giving a history of all the information he could get from Mr. Bonny, he says, “I have never obtained further light from Mr. Bonny, though at every leisure hour it was a constant theme” (and indeed, from all accounts, it ap- pears that Stanley spared no pains to get from him all he A PREFACE. XVli knew). In the beginning of Vol. II. we find an account of the examination of witnesses from amongst the survivors of the Camp at Yambuya, and the conclusions arrived at are plainly stated—the deaths at Yambuya were due to the manner in which the men cooked their food, among the members of the garrison there were many thieves, and punish- ments were numerous, but were never inflicted except on those who deserved them. All this appears in the month of June 1890. Then Captain Walter Barttelot’s book is published, and Mr. Stanley must needs mend his hand, and so on the 8th of November, 1890, he comes forth with fresh allegations against his officers, and tells a tale quite different from that which he had already published in ‘ In Darkest Africa.’ His first statement about the November story casts the gravest doubt upon it, for he says he heard it all at Yambuya in August 1888 (Banalya, a place ninety miles from Yambuya, must be what is meant, as Mr. Stanley never returned to Yambuya, but the mistake, whether intentional or not, is very convenient for him, and, curious to say, he has not yet corrected it). A considerable part of the November story comes from the lips of Mr. Bonny, but if Mr. Stanley heard it all in August 1888, how could he, although omitting all mention of it in ‘ In Darkest Africa,’ write that he had inserted therein all he had heard from Mr. Bonny 2 Was, then, the statement published November 8th, 1890, that which was told him by Bonny in August 1888, or was it not? If it was, then the above statement by Mr. Stanley on the subject, published in ‘In Darkest Africa,’ was not true; if it was not the story told him in 1888, then Mr. Stanley’s account of the real reasons which led him to condemn his officers, given in the most public and final manner, is absolutely false. On the second horn of this dilemma Mr. Stanley is inexorably fixed, for Mr. Bonny, in his statement to the ¢ Times,’ declares that he told these things to Stanley for the first time on Sunday, October 26th, 1890, and not at Banalya, on the Congo, in August 1888. That is to say, the only justification which Mr. Stanley, when put on his defence, produces for the condemnation of his officers in 1888, is hearsay evidence procured by him in 1890. b XVill PREFACE. It is worth while to expatiate a little upon this bold attempt of Mr. Stanley’s to mislead people into believing that the evidence upon which he grounded his charge was obtained from a general inquiry into the matter made by him upon the Congo in 1888, and not upon the particular evidence of three witnesses obtained in 1890. For instance, he talks on this wise when in- troducing to public notice his charges of November 8th, 1890 :—~_ “The sentence of my report with which Mr. Barttelot finds fault, and in which I censure the commander of the Rear Column, was written in August 1888, two days after I had met Mr. Bonny and the emaciated remnant of the Rear Column. On learning then the details of what had transpired during my absence, I wrote that the irresolution of the officers, the neglect of their promises, and their indifference to the written orders I gave them, had caused this woful collapse. You ask me to justify that censure, It will probably be the best way, in order to satisfy any legitimate interest in this question, to tell the story as I heard it at Yambuya, because in that way the public will better understand the shocking effect it had on me when, hastening to their relief, I was met by the following reve- lations*. And here comes the point. You will find in the log of my book ‘In Darkest Africa,’ even in its abridged form, that the men of the Rear Column came forward to present their complaints; and much of the following information I obtained from Mr. Bonny, the Zanzibaris, the Arabs, and the Man- yéma.” Then follow the statements which Stanley says were at that time made to him, the very first of them being the poisoning story, with which Mr. Bonny’s most exciting state- ment has since made us familiar. But alas! for the accu- racy of Mr. Stanley, Bonny informs us that he told Stanley that tale on Sunday, October 26th, 1890, two years and two months after the date which Mr. Stanley fixes for its first recital. The fact is that Stanley deliberately endeavours to lead the public to believe that the evidence upon which he bases his foulest charges against the officers of the Rear-Guard was obtained by him in August 1888, when, beyond yea or nay, * The italics are my own.—A. J. PREFACE. x1x he never got it till October 1890, so far as Bonny is concerned, and Assad Farran only made his statement to him in Cairo in March of the same year. In respect of the cannibal story, a reader of Mr. Stanley’s statement of November 8th, 1890, would conclude that at Yam- buya in 1888, an eye-witness of the scene drew up a statement in his own handwriting in the presence of witnesses; that this statement was shown to Mr. Stanley there, and is the one he publishes; that the evidence taken on the subject by the Congo Free State authorities was also shown to him there, and that these facts were the principal reasons for the letter which he says he wrote to Jameson, but which has never since been seen, or even heard of, until now mentioned by © Mr. Stanley himself. On the 10th November, 1890, however, he publishes another statement, in which he tells us that Bonny told him the story, that a Zanzibari who had been at Stanley Falls corroborated it, and that he was told the Congo Free State authorities intended arresting Jameson. Where has the eye-witness gone to, and the evidence taken by the authorities which he relied on before? The eye-witness in this second statement is revealed in Assad Farran, and the evidence taken before the authorities dwindles to the story told him about their intentions. But how do the two statements look when read together? Was not the first a plain attempt to make it appear that evidence obtained at a subsequent date was tendered to him at Yambuya, and does the second statement not show that Stanley’s real ‘‘ witnesses ” were Bonny and Assad Farran ? Dees not Stanley publish the story Assad Farran tells him in 1890, and Bonny vouch for the truth of it, only placing it all in the mouth of Jameson himself? It is absolutely necessary to nail Mr. Stanley to names and dates. He wants the public now to believe, contra his own already expressed statement, contra the inexorable logic of proven facts, that he was acquainted in August 1888 with all the charges of his outrageous indictment of November 8th, 1890, and that he then obtained the proofs of them from various witnesses among the survivors of the Rear-Guard, from Bonny, Arabs, Zanzibaris, and Manyéma, and that, on the information 62 xx PREFACE, obtained in those two days of inquiry, he wrote his condemnation of his officers. “T had a grandmother, she had a donkey, And when that donkey looked her in the face, His face was sad, and you are sad, my public.” In the enthusiasm of an evanescent hero-worship the British public sinks occasionally for a time below the level of its average sagacity It gazes with a sweet confiding affection upon the masculine idol of its temporary adoration ; but woe to him who would presume upon the constancy of that love; it is too fickle and fastidious to have time or temper for lovers’ quarrels and their proverbial results. By an inevitable reaction, it is certain soon to become as suspicious and exacting as it was once full of loud and intolerant confidence; the more so, if it comes to think that there is any attempt to trifle with its amiable credulity. This is what Mr. Stanley will soon begin to feel. The idea is already abroad that he is seeking to delude the public judgment, especially in the way of insinuating that he is embarrassed by the number of his witnesses, when, in point of fact, he has produced but three—Bonny, Assad Farran, and Saleh ben Osman, his own Zanzibari servant. That it is perfectly possible for Mr. Stanley to produce many more witnesses of the type of Saleh ben Osman no one can doubt who is acquainted with the real nature of native evidence of this description ; and if the Congo Free State authorities had any wish to adopt his peculiar line of conduct, it is equally certain the application of the “ questioning” system would be attended with satisfactory results. But in what a light does all this place the author of ‘In Darkest Africa’! Is it the pure light which shines round a_ man striving to make the truth known? or is it the baneful gleam of those darksome shades in which Mr. Stanley tells us a vast crop of lying is germinated ? He deals with his evidence like the Irish planners of an alibi, He changes the date to suit the necessities of his case; with an astounding unfairness, he condemns his officers first, and tries them afterwards. Having failed in his efforts at the time and — on the spot to obtain from Bonny and the coloured witnesses PREFACE. xxi sufficient condemnatory evidence against those whom he had deserted and misled, he strove to work up a case against them by straiming the obvious sense and purport of his orders; by twisting and misrepresenting the writings of Barttelot and Jameson, so as to condemn them, if possible, out of their own mouths, then silenced for ever; and even by daring to break open the seals upon Jameson’s private diary and papers. Never, in the history of slander, were charges so inju- rious as those levelled against the officers dependent upon - more worthless testimony. It is incomprehensible how any man, with the barest respect for his reputation, could make use of such instruments as two of Mr. Stanley’s witnesses. Assad Farran, the prime concocter of these shameless inven- tions, is a man who (as he himself puts it) would, if he were only questioned enough, “give all the information his examiners wanted ;”’ a man who, when he was asked by the Secretary of the Emin Pasha Relief Committee, Mr. Mac- Dermott, why he had told stories about the officers which he admitted were exaggerated and incorrect, replied “that he thought Major Barttelot and Mr. Jameson had not treated him well, that he had been sent away without clothes or food, and his feeling was bad;” and then he added, “that when those to whom he made his statement on the Congo kept questioning, questioning, and would not let him alone, he had to say all they wanted him to say.” This is the man who, in March 1890, first told Mr. Stanley some of the stories which that gentleman stated he heard on the Congo in 1888. Nor is Saleh ben Osman, Mr. Stanley’s Zanzibari servant, a more reliable witness than the pitifully discredited Assad Farran. The statement of this worthy, who does not pretend to be an eye-witness of anything, is translated by Mr. Glave, and is a most extraordinary document, bearing its own refutation on its face. At the best it is a mere ré- chauffé of what he had heard concerning these events from Zanzibaris, Arabs, Manyémas, and Soudanese, and if the in- formation derived at first hand from such witnesses is unreli- able, what does it become when filtered through the head of a Zanzibari servant two years after he had heard the tales he tells ? XXll PREFACE. No one knows better than Mr. Stanley the utter untrust- worthiness of these Zanzibaris, and the ease with which they may be made to say anything by “ questioning, questioning.” Even his own character is not safe in their hands, for he is accused by one of the tribe of ordering a live baby to be drowned in the Congo (vide page 111 in Diary), and the Zanzibari who made this statement had no apparent motive for telling a lie, which can hardly be asserted about Mr. Stanley’s most useful witness. Mr. Stanley is certainly unfortunate in being placed in a position where he must stake his credit on the veracity of such men as these. He has only produced three witnesses at the best: two of them have been proved unworthy of the slightest belief, and the third, his piéce de résistance, Mr. Bonny, is far from being as satisfactory as the cause of justice would require. Bonny is an ex-sergeant of the Army Hospital Corps, and was a paid servant of Mr. Stanley’s, who styles himself his employer. Our trust in his accuracy of recollection and in- telligent appreciation of facts is somewhat enfeebled, when we remember that Mr. Stanley informs us how Bonny told him that Barttelot, in view of his possible death, had left to him (Bonny) the succession in command over Jameson, an absurd misapprehension, to say the least of it, complicated moreover by a most unpleasant controversy respecting the genuineness of certain orders produced by Bonny, and the alleged suppression of those he was bound to obey. ‘There seems to be a certain amount of inaccuracy about Mr. Bonny. He is unable to adhere to one story, even in the case of such an important incident as that of Major Barttelot’s murder, and varies his description of it, and the circumstances attending it, some three or four times in most vital particulars. But all the same, we are requested to believe that Mr. Bonny is a rare being, gifted with a sym- pathetic attractiveness that draws towards him the inmost confidences of all those with whom he comes in contact. According to Mr. Stanley’s account, he must have been “ father- confessor ”’ to all in the Camp, for to him, without any sigillum confessionis, men appear to have confided the darkest records and intentions of their lives. PREFACE. XX1li The terrible Barttelot reveals to him his intention to poison Selim Mahommed ; tells him that he is getting his brother so to take care of Troup that he will tell no tales at home; imparts to him plots to start expeditions independent of Stanley, and at last even begs of him a medical certificate and leave to retire from the Expedition ! No conditions of existence such as those which apply to ordinary human beings seem able to make such things credible ; and if reliance is to be placed on this part of Stanley’s case, it can only be justified by a belief in some intense magnetic or hypnotic influence exercised by Bonny on those around him. With all the elaboration, care, and publicity which Mr. Stanley has given to the evidence of these three witnesses, he has failed to produce a statement from their mouths which justifies his charge that “ the Rear Column was wrecked by the irresolution, the neglect of promises, and the indifference to written orders of the officers he left m command of it,” and he has not lightened in the slightest degree the load of blame under which he himself at present lies. One turns, as in search of a great relief, from this story of self-seeking, unfairness, and deception, to the record of - a uoble and unselfish life. It must indeed be a strongly prejudiced mind that can read this Diary without being impressed by the sense of the immediate presence of a gentle, loving, and sympathetic nature, keen and true of observation, quick-willed and suggestive, with a pleasant humour and a gallant heart. A man’s diary is a self-revela- tion. His true personality is as certain to present itself continually as the refrain in a theme of music. No man lies to himself, when night after night, as his work is done, he sits down to write out the story of his life from day to day; and the life which Jameson reveals to us in his Diary is one whose keynote is duty, kindliness, and hard work. ‘“ Little did I think,” he writes to Mrs. Jameson a fortnight before his death, “when I spoke to you of my feelings of duty, that | should ever be placed in such a position as I now am, in which all that I feel for you and for our little ones cries out against XX1V PREFACE. what I must do as an officer of this Expedition. With one word or even a show of weakness on my part, I could stop the whole Expedition, which seems fated to meet with nothing but reverses, and return to you. But God knows such a thought never entered my heart, although I could easily defend such an action on my part. The first thing that flashed across my brain on finding myself so placed was your father’s favourite text, ‘ Know, O man, that to know and love justice and do the thing that is right, that shall bring a man peace at the last ;’ and you will see what a help every word in that verse has been to me now.” On the same day he writes to his brother, “ Whatever happens to me, old man, I tried to do my duty to this blessed Expedition ; and many a time, when I have thought of Ethel and home, I would have liked to chuck the whole thing up when there were plenty of officers to take my place.” A brave resolve to go through with what he had undertaken sustained him to the last in the face of dreadful odds. The neglect and unfairness of the Commander of the Expedition—who, as he says, “it is evident takes the word of the Zanzibaris before that of the white men,’’—the cruelty, dishonesty, treachery, and . falsehood of the Arabs with whom he had to deal, the miserable conditions of existence growing worse from day to day, the hope deferred, the bitter consciousness that the slanderer was at work to defame his honour,—however these irons cut into his soul, they dimmed not that gallant sense of duty, which most touchingly displayed itself as a ruling passion, strong in death, when, as he breathed his last, with husky voice he answered to the faintly-heard roll of the drums, “ They are coming ; they are coming. Let us stand together.” Numerous and suggestive also are the indications of his kindliness of heart in his anxieties about the sick people in the Camp—African and English, and the grief he so evidently feels at being utterly unable to give them the help they so sorely need. His pity for the natives, too, and the efforts that both he and Barttelot made to save them from the Arabs; the regret he expresses at the inevitable punishments and floggings, all indicate a kind, helpful, and unselfish nature. “ Poor PREFACE. XXV old Derrier Moussa, a Somali,” he writes, “ who has been our cook for the greater part of our journey, died to-day. He has been ill for a long time. It is horrible to watch these men slowly dying before your face, and not be able to do anything for them.” “Poor Alexander, one of the Soudanese inter- preters, died to-day ; he has been ill for a long time.” “It is a sad, sad sight to see men dying round you every day, and not be able to put out a hand to save them. Without a single fight we have lost close upon seventy men out of our small force, and there are many more who, I am sorry to say, will never leave that Camp. And now good night and good-bye. Kiss the little ones for me, and may God have you all in his safe keeping.” As to the flogging, he writes—‘‘ Two sentries, who deserted their post last night, were flogged this morning. It is sickening, this continual flogging, but there is no help for it;” and again—‘‘ Went the rounds last night. No sentries asleep, so no flogging this morning, thank goodness.” The Diary abounds with indications of a vigorous, capable, and unflinching personality. His determination and skill in working with and managing the Arabs, particularly displayed in his politic negotiations with Tippu-Tib, by which at last he obtained the carriers he required—his interview with Muni Katomba at Kassongo—his ungrudging labours at Yambuya before the last start from that home of misery—his unmur- muring endurance of toil and hunger in the march through the forest to Banalya—his fearless return march to Stanley Falls in the face of great dangers—his untiring efforts to secure another Arab commander to come with him—his splendid offer to pledge his fortune for the sake of the Expedition—his unflinching refusal to depart from the route which Stanley had ordered him to follow—his declaration that Barttelot, when he was murdered, was carrying out Stanley’s orders, and that he meant to do the same—all of which acts show how he rose to the occasion of a great crisis: these are the doings of a competent and sagacious man, worthy of the part to which he had been appointed and of the praise of which his Commander has most selfishly and ungenerously sought to rob him. XXVl PREFACE. Amidst all the toils and changes of camp-life Jameson found time to gratify his love of natural history and to employ his valuable powers of observation. Unhappily, a large part of his valuable collection was lost when the camp he had just marched from was looted by the Arabs, in whose charge it was left. There is no doubt that, if he had been possessed of more opportunity and had his life been spared, he would have con- tributed largely to the scientific results of the Expedition. All noble lives are instinct with a purpose. They read the secret of their destiny, and find no rest until they work it out, wherever it may lead. Results they fear not, although it be their fate, as that of many gone before, to “perish in the wilderness.” ANDREW JAMESON. D:blin, December 1Uth, 1890. INTRODUCTION. James Sutico JameEson was born on the 17th of August, 1856, at the Walk House, Alloa, Clackmannanshire. His father, Andrew Jameson, was a son of John Jameson, of Dublin. He held agencies for some estates in Scotland, and was a man of great cultivation and refinement, possessed of both literary and scientific tastes. His wife, Margaret, daughter of James Cochrane, of Glen Lodge, Sligo, died a few days after the birth of their third son, James. At a very early age the tastes of the child foretokened those which were to form the ruling interest of his after-life, viz. those for travel and natural history in all its branches. When quite a small boy, between four and five years old, his grand- mother once found him, at a late hour of the night, poring over a map, which, strangely enough, was the map of Africa. She asked him why. he had not gone to bed, as it was some hours past his usual time. “Oh, grandmamma!” he said, “I want to learn all about these strange countries, for I mean to be a big traveller some day.” — In 1867 Jameson was sent to Dreghorn, a boarding-school near Edinburgh, under Mr. Dalgleish, of which, in after-life, he always spoke as “ an ideal school for boys.” Dreghorn lies at the foot of the Pentland hills, surrounded by woods. Through the beautiful park flows a stream which then held many a trout; and here it was that Jameson first developed those instinctive tastes for natural history, love for all animals, and keen interest in their habits, which formed such a marked trait in his character, even in childhood. Many are the treasures which even in those early days were XXV1il INTRODUCTION. accumulated, and which formed the nucleus of his later valuable collection. ; Speaking of his childhood, his aunt, Mrs. Burd, writes :— ‘He knew every bird and live thing in the neighbourhood and their habits; and his joy and pride when he found a Roseate Tern is a thing not to be forgotten. Ido not think he knew what the word fear meant.” He had long been anxious to procure some young Choughs which had built their nest high up on the cliffs at the back of Glen Lodge. At last he devised a plan by laying three ladders together, and, at the risk of his neck, succeeded in reaching the nest and bringing down four little ones. He took the greatest trouble in preparing their food, making it as like what he thought their mother would give them as possible, and even feeding them with a match which he shaped like her bill. He kept them in his own room, so that he might hear them the moment they cried for food, which was usually about five in the morning, and he refused to go on a shooting expedition to which he had long looked forward, until one of his cousins promised faithfully to take charge of and feed them at the same early hour. He kept them for about three weeks, putting them, in the day- time, in a pheasant-box on the lawn. But, alas! on the very night of his return from his shooting, a Bedlington named “ Peachem” got at the box and killed them all! The boy was dreadfully grieved, and retired to his own room for some time. When asked by his uncle whether he had “given Peachem a good licking,” he rephed, “‘No; why should I hurt the poor brute and make him miserable as well as myself? It’s only his nature, and he knew no better.” Small traits of this kind were an early indication. of the kind and gentle nature which, in later life, so fascinated all who knew him. Upon quitting Dreghorn, he went to the Internationa) College at Isleworth, until, in 1873, he began reading for the army. This, however, he abandoned in 1877, when he started on the first of his travels to Ceylon, Calcutta, Singapore, and Borneo. From Borneo he returned with a fine collection of © birds, butterflies, and beetles. ) 7 INTRODUCTION. XX1x At the close of 1878 he went out again,—this time to South Africa,—in search of big game. After a few weeks’ hunting on the borders of the Kalahari Desert, where he obtained excellent sport in the veldt belonging to the chief Montsioa, he returned to Potchefstroom, to com- mence preparations for a more extensive trip into the Zambesi District. The town was at this time in a general state of excitement, owing to the presence of some 700 disaffected Boers, who, fully armed, were camped just outside the town, blocking the road to Pretoria, and stopping all the mails. Their latest act of audacity had been to seize and detain a special despatch sent by Colonel Tucker, of the 80th Regt., then quartered in the town, to Sir Garnet Wolseley. Upon hearing of this, Jameson at once offered to ride to Pretoria with a second despatch. His offer was accepted, and he started - that night bearing the important document, with power to shoot anyone who might attempt to detain him. The next morning he encountered a party of about sixty Boers, who stopped and closely questioned him. MHaving allayed their suspicions, Jameson rode on, making no pause and taking no rest until he reached Pretoria, and safely delivered the despatch to Sir Garnet Wolseley. Having completed his outfit, he now started for the interior, leaving Zeerust as the last civilized town on his route. From here he trekked along the Great Marico River, where he had excellent fishing, up to the Crocodile or Limpopo River, meeting with large game in great abundance. At Shoshong he was jomed by Mr. H. Collison, who had been hunting in Africa for four years; and at this place he also heard from Mr. F. C. Selous, the well-known African hunter, who pro- mised to join the party at Gubuluwayo. Pushing on, therefore, through the “Great Thirst-Land,” Jameson arrived at Um- ganin, where he made acquaintance with Lo Bengula, King of the Matabeles, who received the travellers with great cordiality, granting them willing permission to hunt in his country. His friendly behaviour towards Jameson was on this, as on all subsequent occasions, unvarying. Mr. Selous having joined them, they now took leave of the Xxx INTRODUCTION. King, who sent with them an induna to guard their waggons and property ; and the party proceeded into Mashona Land, where they obtained splendid shooting. In July, Selous and Jameson started for six weeks’ hunting in the Fly Country, and were able to demonstrate the junction of the two rivers, the Umvuli and the Umnyati*. In connexion with this shooting-expedition of 1879, the following letter trom J. M. Sadleir, Esq., will not be without interest to the reader :— Kaston Neston, Towcester, 7 November 29, 1890. My pEAR JAMESON, .... I must say I can never forget your brother’s kindness to me in Africa. I send you the particulars. In the month of April, 1879, I was travelling from Durban, Natal, up country. I was taken ill with dysentery at Colenzo. When I had been bad for a fortnight, and was lying in a shed attached to the hotel, your brother, who was trekking to the Zambesi, found me. He at once went back to his camp and brought Dr. Sketchly, one of his party, who attended to me for some days, till I could be moved. Jameson then had a hammock slung for me in one of his waggons, and took me up country with him, till I was strong enough to go back to Durban. To his treatment and care alone I believe I owe my life. Very sincerely yours, J. M. Sapieir. Andrew Jameson, Esq. In the spring of 1881, Jameson returned to England, bringing with him a fine collection of large heads, as well as birds, butterflies, beetles, flowers, and grasses. In the following year he went out to the Rocky Mountains with his brother, Mr. John A. Jameson. In the Crazy Mountains, and near the upper waters of the Musselshell in Eastern Montana, they shot several hear, wapiti, buffalo, deer, and antelope. * See ‘Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society,’ June 1881 F. C. Selous. INTRODUCTION. XXX In 1883 they went through the Crow Reservation, Montana Territory, on to the North Fork of the Stinking Water, in | search of sheep, of which they obtained thirty-six, besides several buffalo, bears, wapiti, &c. In 1884 Jameson travelled through Spain and Algeria; and upon his return in 1885 he married Ethel, daughter of the late Major-General Sir Henry Marion Durand, R.E., K.C.S.I., C.B. Two years Jater,in January 1887, the attention and sym- pathy of all England were attracted to the Expedition for the relief of Emin Pasha—Gordon’s worthy lieutenant and friend— which was on the eve of departure for Africa, under the com- mand of Mr. H. M. Stanley. The scheme was one which could not fail to appeal most strongly to Jameson’s chivalrous nature; moreover, it promised almost boundless scope for the exercise of his special talent for natural history research. He at once volunteered his services to Mr. Stanley, who readily accepted them. The following words are taken from a letter written on January 22, 1887, by him to Lady Durand :— «. ... Why all'the ambitions of my lifetime should have been concentrated at this time, with a seemingly prosperous issue, I know not; but I assure you that I did not accept the position without weighing well all there was for and against it. Ever since my childhood I have dreamt of doing some good in this world, and making a name which was more than an idle one. My life has been a more or less selfish one, and now springs up the opportunity of wiping off a little of the long score standing against me. Do not blame me too much. .. . I must thank you for your generous kind-hearted misnes: 6 17” ) A sadder tale than that contained in these diaries has seldom been told; for, strive as he would to lighten its hopeless misery, even Jameson’s bright and dauntless spirit was weighed down by the wretchedness of the position in which he was placed; and, had it not been for the sincere friendship which arose between Edmund Musgrave Barttelot and himself, the tale would have b:en sadder still. XXXll INTRODUCTION. The letters and diaries graphically describe his share in the Expedition, speaking more powerfully than any panegyric could do for the single-hearted, loyal, and courageous spirit in which he met all difficulties and bore every hardship and bitter dis- appointment, as he saw his dearest hopes, one after the other, shattered by the exigencies of a position in which the revolting duties of a slave-driver were forced upon him; whilst every opportunity for scientific work was ruthlessly withdrawn. a Aa a OR A SiC Sle ON | Se i See ce i Saleen We only add a few words, written by one who knew and appreciated him :— | “ His character was one which it was impossible to know without loving—unselfish and generous, pure-hearted and brave ; a rare combination of manly strength and courage with the most tender sweetness and gentleness of spirit. Seldom, if ever, has such an instance been known to me of utter forget- fulness of self and thoughtfulness for others, at all times and under all circumstances.” CHAPTER I. EXTRACTS FROM LETTERS. Joining Stanley and Officers of the Expedition.—Zanzibar.—Tippu-Tib.— War between Soudanese and Zanzibaris.—Stories about Tippu-Tib.— Cape Town.—Buying dogs.—Stanley refuses carrier for Jameson's collecting-things and big rifle—Banana Point. Untin the start up the Congo, on March 19th, 1887, Jameson kept no regular diary. ‘The following extracts are taken from letters to his wife :— SS. Peshawur. Red Sea. February 1887.—. . . | met Stanley at Suez, with the black troops, awaiting the Navarino, which had not yet come through the Canal. He advised me to go on to Aden, where I should meet Major Barttelot, who is one of the staff. We have got Dr. Parke as doctor to the Expedition, who went through the Soudanese War and behaved splendidly... . S.S. Oriental. Aden. February 10th—... I have met Barttelot, and like him very much indeed. He is to have command of the black troops, as he speaks their language and has seen a good deal of them in Egypt. We are going to have a charming night of it. Another British- India boat has just arrived, and they will be all night transhipping their cargo on to our steamer. ‘lo-morrow B 1887. February. Red Sea. 1887. Feb. 10. Aden. 2 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. we go into the outer harbour to await the arrival of the Navarino. . ..I have just tried to spear an enormous cockroach with my pen, but he escaped me! February 12th—The Navarino has turned up at last, and we start some time to-day. Stanley and the whole party are here. February 17th—Jephson is in my cabin; he is a volunteer, having joined the Expedition on the same. terms as myself. Stairs has been teaching us mapping, and we all get on, so far, capitally together, and I think we are likely to go on well, as each man will have his own particular duties to attend to.... The trying part of this Expedition will be the want of news from home. However, 1 am sure to get letters from you on our arrival at the Congo. S.S. Madura. Zanzibar. February 23rd.—... At last we are on board the steamer which is to take us to the Congo. At Lamu I landed with Dr. Parke at daybreak, and we spent a few hours in quest of game, succeeding, after long waiking under a hot sun, in shooting three birds—a species of partridge. We saw a good many gazelle, but did not get any 1 made a sketch of the village. Next day we stopped at Mombasa, but I had no time to go on shore. Yesterday we arrived here; and I must say I was agreeably surprised with the whole place—town, har- bour, and people. The streets are only about five feet wide; but the windows and doors are all carved in dif- ferent designs, and the effect of the black carved wood against the pure white building is very picturesque. I wish I had time to etch some of them, or even to make rough sketches. ‘This morning we got up at 5 aM. and went on shore to the powder-magazine, where we remained at work until 6.50 Pm. I don’t think I ever put in a harder twelve hours’ work; but it. does one good. We packed 4,500 lbs. of powder in EXTRACTS FROM LETTERS. 3 special cases which came out from home, besides a lot of work with caps. To-morrow evening we are all dining at the British Consulate, and next morning (thank goodness!) we sail for the Congo. We have sixty-one donkeys on board, and the braying that they keep up at night is dreadful. One starts it, and the others prolong the chorus in different keys ad infinitum. To-morrow morning 600 Zanzibaris are coming on board ; then we get at least 600 more at the Congo, which, with the Soudanese troops, will make a good lot of men. Goodness knows how we are going to feed them all, for they seem a hungry set! ... february 25th—I am not going to keep a diary until I start up the Congo, that all the time that I can give to writing may be given to you. So [I shall write every day, and send it all from the Cape when we call there.... At Lamu, of which I spoke in my last letter, there are the remains of a great battle, the whole shore being covered with bones and skulls. Some of our party gathered very good specimens. I believe the fight was one between the Arabs and the natives. Mombasa—a quaint old town, full of old Portuguese ruins—possesses a pretty and almost land- locked harbour. Off the Island of Pemba we fished with land-lines over the stern of the steamer, and caught a number of fish, small, but of the most beau- tiful colours—some bright red, others barred with blue, silver, and brown—a kind of bream or sea-perch, I think....The Sultan’s Palace at Zanzibar is a won- derful structure, quite square, with an enormous cor- rugated iron roof, about four stories high—quite the ugliest building I have ever seen, looking very lke an immense doll’s house. Imagine my surprise when I heard that the famous Tippu-Tib was coming with us round to the Congo and on to Emin Bey. Six hundred of his fighting men are to meet us at Stanley Falls. After dinner, at the Consulate, we were all introduced to Tippu-Tib, who is a fine old Arab, very lively, and a thorough old gentleman. B2 1887. Feb. 23. Zanzibar. 1887. Feb, 25. Zanzibar. 4 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. We started to-day at daybreak. Tippu-Tib has about 20 wives on board, and, including wives, 90 followers altogether. ‘They have all been more or less sea-sick, with the exception of his interpreter. It was most amusing to see old Tippu led off by the interpreter and taken below, trying to walk straight, and make jokes—his man in fits of laughter. War broke out this morning between the Soudanese and the Zan- zibaris. It was not until some damage had been done to both sides that order was restored. I was standing by the main hatch with Mr. Stanley, when his servant ran up to him, and said the niggers in the fore- hold were killing one another. Mr. Stanley, Nelson, Jephson and I ran forward, and the sight that met our eyes was exactly like an “ Inferno ” by Gustave Dore. They all had great clubs, and were fighting like demons. We went down and drove the Zanzibaris into one place and the Soudanese into another; but it took some time to disarm them and get them to cool down. I took an iron bar from a man who had broken one man’s arm, and the finger of another. These, and a large number of broken heads, con- stituted the results of the fight. All has been quiet since. February 26th—Busy all day, making vocabulary of Swahili language, which the Zanzibaris and Somalis all speak. The Somalis are twelve picked men, pro- cured at Aden; they are to be armed with Winchester rifles, for Stanley’s special guard—splendid fellows, and they all speak English. In the afternoon I had to find out, and write down, the names of the 117 men who have been placed under my charge. I have one splendid boy amongst them, who is my interpreter, and whom I am going to teach to skin birds ; he is one of the most intelligent little chaps I have ever seen. To-day some of those troublesome Soudanese soldiers attempted to take liberties with some of Tippu-Tib’s Wives; in consequence there has been a row, and a special sentry placed over their apartments. EXTRACTS FROM LETTERS. 8 After dinner Mr. Stanley told us a few stories about Tippu-Tib. It seems that at one time he borrowed about £4,000 from the Rothschild of Zanzibar, and started into the interior with a good many followers to trade for ivory. After some time he came to a very large native town, enclosed within double palisades. The town was so large that, if a gun was fired off at any point in the outer circle, it could not be heard at an opposite point in the same circle. The king kept all his ivory and wives within the inner palisade, and there were 10,000 warriors guarding him in the outer circle. After keeping Tippu for a long time in his town, the king gave an order that, should any of his men catch Tippu alone outside, they should kill him. One day he left the town by himself, and on his way back he met two of the king’s men, who began to shoot at him with bows and arrows. He ran for the gate of the town, but just as he reached it an arrow struck him im the leg and brought him down; he got up again and running towards his own camp, he shouted out to his people to bring him his gun. He was again struck and knocked down, but his wife managed to give him his gun, with which he shot both of the king’s men. The shots roused the king’s warriors, and brought all Tippu’s men running into his camp. ‘They first shot down a number of the natives, and when about one hundred of them had mustered, Tippu ordered them to rush for the gate of the big town, and to fire all together as the warriors came on. ‘This they did, and burned the houses nearest to them. The fight lasted three days, by which time they had burned all the outer circle of the town. They then proceeded to fire through the inner palisade, until they had decimated the people gathered inside; then they made a rush, seized and beheaded the king, and captured all the ivory and women. ‘Tippu next went to all the smaller towns in the kingdom and collected enormous quan- tities of ivory, which he afterwards sold at the coast for £40,000. He became king of a whole country, entirely through his own cunning. He once came to 1887. Feh. 26 At sea. 6 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. a strange country, where he was told that the king had been taken away years before, with his little son, and that the natives had long expected his return. Having asked numerous questions of every native he met, without saying who he was, Tippu-Tib at length said to one man, “‘ Had your king not such and such coloured eyes?” The man said, “Yes.” Tippu then exactly | described the king, until the native said, ‘‘ Why, that is the very man!”—when Tippu told him he was the son who had gone away with the old king, and that he was to go and tell all the people. ‘This he at once did, when they came to him with presents of all kinds: and to make a long story short, he is king of that country at the present time. ‘The following is a specimen of his cruelty :—He was once attacked by a tribe, of whom he succeeded in making some prisoners. He knew he would be attacked by them again, so he killed all the captives, and having cut them up small, he put them in large pots to boil, mixing up bananas and all sorts of things, until a rich savoury aroma arose from the pots. When he was attacked by the natives, he pretended to retreat, and watched his enemies—who had found the pots on the fire—set to and ravenously eat up their own people. March 2nd.—...'This morning Mr. Stanley read to me Tennyson’s ‘ Ulysses.’.. . All the spare time I had to-day I was reading the ‘ Light of Asia.’. . . Stanley says he has got a copy with him, too. He gave us all the most lovely little medicine-chests to-day. March 3rd—Out of the tropics at last, and the weather is decidedly cooler. ... Not an item of interest, again! The only things which seem to change at all on board are the horrible smells from the crowd of natives; and they only change in so far that they are at times much worse than at others... . March Tth—...I have heard the real story from Stanley as to how he got Tippu-Tib to come with us. Before leaving England, he heard that Tippu was in EXTRACTS FROM LETTERS. | 7 Zanzibar. He at once telegraphed that he particularly wished to see him, and to keep him at any price until his arrival. When Stanley saw him at Zanzibar, Tippu first said he would stop our going in at all; so Stanley assured him that we were quite willing and prepared to fight him, but that he had better take care what he was about. He then gave him the choice of fighting us and taking the consequences, or of helping us and being made Governor of Stanley Falls, under the King | of the Belgians. Next day Tippu-Tib said he would accept the latter ; and Stanley telegraphed the same to Belgium, and received a reply confirming the appoint- ment. ‘The night we dined at the British Consulate, Tippu-Tib signed an agreement to help us in every way, and was made Governor. He is not going with us further than Stanley Falls himself, but is sending his head men with us, and 600 fighting-men. We expect to reach Emin Bey in July; so that, if we come back down the Congo, we ought to be home in no time. A more definite time than this I cannot give you: I wish to God 1 could! ... March 8th.—Arrived in Simon’s Bay. ... March 9th—Lady Hunt-Grubbe and her daughters came with the Governor and inspected the ship, and showed great interest in Tippu-Tib and especially in his wives. Reached Cape Town about 7 o'clock. March 10th.—Went on shore with Jephson and Nelson to buy a lot of things and to get dogs... Had a delicious breakfast on shore, ...and searched all the morning for dogs. We collected a very curious lot, consisting of bull-dogs, bull-terriers, fox-terriers, a Bedlington, and several unknown species. Mr. Stanley bought the two fox-terriers—one for himself, and one as a present for Tippu-Tib. Jephson and I secured the two large bull-terriers, and tossed up for them. ‘The large brindled one fell to me, and a horribly low white one to Jephson. They are about the two most ruffianly- _ looking dogs I have ever seen. 1887 Mar. 7 At sea 1887. Mar. 11. Cape Town. 8 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. March 11th.—...The deck is quite lively with all the dogs; but the increase of insects of the carnivorous species is much to be deplored. ... March 13th—A donkey died: the first death on board, with the exception of a few goats.... March 14th-—A Zanzibari died to-day, and was con-— signed to the deep. It is horrible the way the natives neglect their sick, or any one of them who is hurt. Busy most of the day in packing musket-caps into new boxes for Emin Pasha... . March 15th.—Jephson, disgusted with the low habits and appearance of his dog, flung him overboard in the dead of the night, with a furnace-bar attached to him. Alas! poor Bill, his life on board was a short and any- thing but a merry one. March 16th.—Another Zanzibari died to-day, of in- flammation of the lungs. March 17th.—You cannot tell what real joy your letter and telegram brought me at the Cape. I could hardly believe my eyes when they brought them to me! ... One thing that makes one sad is knowing that, after a time, it will be hard to send you any letters or news.... To add to my cheerfulness, Mr. Stanley informed me yesterday that he would not give me a man either to carry my collecting-things, or my big rifle and its ammunition. This is a bright look-out for me, who came to collect, and shoot meat for the Expedition. Mr. Stanley was present when I was speaking to De Winton about my big rifle, and advised me to take shells for it. I have, however, reduced my wearing-apparel and my bedding to so little that I can take most of my collecting-things ; and some of the other fellows have been good enough to offer to carry some of them for me. I have reduced myself to one spare coat besides the one on my back, one pair of boots on and one pair packed, one blanket, and all the rest on the same scale. Thus, at the expense of all my own EXTRACTS FROM LETTERS. 9 personal comfort, I can take my collecting-things—or at least some of them. All this certainly takes a good deal of the gilt off the trip to me; but though I must say I was rather mad at first, I am now making the best of a bad business. I have had to give or throw away every ounce of my tobacco; but the empty tins will come in beautifully for “bugs” and small bird- skins. ...I shall take the big rifle on shore, and hire men myself to carry it, whenever we have to go overland, until we reach Stanley Falls, where I hope to geta couple of men from ‘lippu-Tib to carry it on to Wadelai. March 18th [Banana Point].—... We start up the river to-morrow; and as we begin to put everything on board at daybreak, I shall have no time to write to you in the morning, and must make up my mind to say “Good-bye ;” for this is at last the great start of the Expedition: God knows, I can hardly pluck up courage to say it! SLAVE GIRL. 1887. Mar. 17. Cape Town. 1887. Mar. 19. Congo. Perer’s Ferisu. CHAPTER ILI. DIARY. Marcu 19ruH Tro APRIL 30TH. Boma.—Ango-Ango.-—Mpalaballa Mission Station.—March to Congo da Lemba.-—Banza Manteka.—Day’s march resembling slave-driving.— Kuilu River.—March to Vombo.—Stanley doing rear-guard.—Barttelot sent on with Soudanese.—Sick chief—Lutété.—Kindness of the mis- sionaries.—Stanley settling a row.—Inkissi River.—Thief.—Stanley’s punishment of chiefs.—Otf to shoot hippo.—Difficulty about steamers. —Kinshassa.— Ward joins the Expedition. March 19th, 1887.—Started up the Congo at last in the Dutch Co.’s steamer Meman, Nelson, myself, and 252 men. We were the first to start. Next came the British Congo Co.’s steamer Albuquerque with cargo, and Dr. Parke and his company. Mr. Stanley follows in the Portuguese steamer Serpa Pinto, with about 300 men and the donkeys, and Major Barttelot and Jephson bring up the rear in another steamer with the remainder of the men. The view as far as Kishanga is very limited, as the banks are covered with dense tropical DIARY. iy vegetation, and the high land at the back is only now and again visible. After Kishanga the river opens out, with beautiful undulating country on either side, and we pass numerous large grass-covered islands. The English Mission Station appears on the sky-lne of the uplands on the right, immediately after entering the river. A good fresh breeze blowing from the sea all day prevented one feeling the heat. At Mataba, the river opens out grandly. Here the banks are low, discovering beautiful undulating grassy country at the back. Anchored at Alligator River at one o'clock. From the top deck of the steamer we could see nearly twenty miles of country on everyside. We lay opposite Peter's Fetish, a beautiful rock, partially covered with trees. Boma. March 20th—Passed Boraa, the principal town (?) of the Congo Free State. It consists of a few factories or trading-houses, Dutch, French, Belgian, and Por- tuguese, also a French and English Mission. It is very prettily situated, and in a more flourishing condition of things may, I suppose, become a big place. ‘There 1s a large, beautiful pool above Boma, after which the river runs between high barren hills on both sides, for although they appear brilliantly verdant, the hard 1887 \ Mar. 19. Congo. 1887. Mar. 20. Ango- Ango. 12 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. red rock betrays itself on every square yard. Arrived at Ango-Ango at 2.40. Mr. Stanley passed at 5 o'clock in the Serpa Pinto for Matadi, and shouted out a message which I could not understand. Sent a mes- senger overland to him. The answer arrived at 10 P.M. to have everything ready to shiv on board the Serpa Pinto at 7 o'clock next morning, and Parke and Nelson - to walk with their men overland. March 21st.—Stayed at the Dutch House with Mr. Cramer, who gave Nelson and myself beds, and the best of everything. Parke and Nelson started for Matadi. The Serpa Pinto steamed past about 10 o’clock without stopping, leaving Mr. Walker and myself with the cargo on shore looking after her! A little later the Por- tuguese gunboat came up with Barttelot on board, and took off most of the cargo. ‘Then Jephson came down from Matadi in the //eron, and took off the remainder with my men. Arrived at Matadi about 5 o’clock, having had nothing to eat all day, and then had to tow AncGo-ANGo. up the cargo in a lighter to Stanley, who was at the Portuguese Factory. I tramped back in the dark, thoroughly disgusted with everyone and everything, to vet my first square meal that day. Visions of sketching &c. are rapidly fading. SPR eh See ee [-e, e8eg] ‘vIIVaVIVd]T UVEN AVOY NOISSIP DIARY. 13 March 22nd.—Hard at work all day breaking open cases and making up loads. Slept in the Portuguese House. They are very kind to us, and feed and “ drink ” us right royally. March 23rd.—The cry is still we ee open cases and make up loads. Had a grand parade of men and distributed Remington rifles, with which I hope they won't shoot us, and spears, which from their rottenness are comparatively harmless, half of them being already without heads. March 24th—Marched about three quarters of a mile over to the Congo State Station. They gave us breakfast, but after that left us entirely to ourselves. Had some practice with the Maxim gun, which worked wonderfully well. Mr. Walker left for the Mposo River, with the iron boat, in order to put it together. March 25th—Marched to the Mposo River, over one of the worst roads I have ever seen, up and down masses of cinder-like rock and. broken quartz: my donkey fell three times, and it was lucky I did not attempt to ride him; I very nearly shot him in simple disgust. Found the boat not put together, and when we did get it in the river, it took us hours to cross, pulling it backwards and forwards on a rope. ‘This miserable little river is scarcely more than thirty yards wide. March 26th.—Marched to Mpalaballa Mission Station. Went ahead of most of my men, and had a de- hightful walk. The road much better than yesterday, and the country very pretty indeed. Shot a Whydah finch, black, with yellow shoulders. Mr. Clarke, the head of the Mission, and the ladies treated us with the greatest hospitality. March 27th.—Remained all day at Mpalaballa, waiting for men with loads from Matadi. Met Mr. Ingham, who is one of our staff, and came out here straight from England, coming down with native carriers to carry our loads up country, which are far in excess of the number 1887. Mar. 22 Matadi. 1887. Mar. 27. Mpala- balla. 14 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. of the Zanzibaris. He gave us a very bad account of the condition of the steamers on the Upper Congo The country round here is very beautiful, but without any game, although bird and insect life seem to be on the increase. I was very busy all day sorting loads, and parading men. March 28th—Marched to Massam Mankengi. The path seems to be made to cut the soles off one’s boots, and the donkeys do nothing but tumble up the hills, or tumble down them. The order was given this morning that we were to march in the rear of the men, and assist them with their loads, so good-bye to all chances of collecting. March 29th.—Marched to the deserted native village of Congo da Lemba, which, until burnt by the Congo Free State, was a flourishing native town. ‘The Congo Free State people have burnt the huts and driven away the natives from nearly every village on the road, consequently there is not a scrap of food to be obtained for love or money. ‘They say that the natives inter- fered with their carriers on the road. The work we are doing is not fit for any white man, but ought to be given to slave-drivers. It is all very nice for Mr. Stanley, who rides ahead straight on to the next camp, where we atrive hours afterwards, having done nothing all day but kick lazy carriers, and put the loads on to the heads of those who choose to fling them down. On arriving in camp one has to go over all the loads to see that they are correct, then stack them and interview the men about the loads that have gone wrong; so that it is dark before one has even time to wash. I have given up all hopes of collecting, although I have seen many birds, and especially butterflies, that I should dearly like to have obtained. March 30th.—Rained nearly all morning, so did not start until late for the Lufu River. The Bembezi River was in flood, and having got all the men and loads over, we found Mr. Stanley had gone on miles DIARY. 15 ahead. We eventually pulled up in the dark, in the middle of a tropical forest, the men throwing down their loads, and going to sleep in every direction. Dr. Parke was in the front of the column, Stairs and myself in the centre, next came Jephson and Barttelot, Nelson bringing up the rear-guard. The column being over a mile long, when it became dark some of the most advanced had reached camp. Stairs and Parke soon gave it up as hopeless, and bolted for camp. I, finding myself deserted, lit my lantern and only piece of candle, and struck out for camp also, leaving the men hopelessly lost in the bush to make the best of the night. Shortly after arriving in camp (where Mr. Stanley regaled us with rice, biscuit, tea and brandy, and the latter was very acceptable, as I had waded the river and been soaking wet for hours), Barttelot and Jephson turned up, but Nelson slept in the wood, in the camp belonging to a man who was bringing up things for the Sanford Expedition. In consequence of this night, some of the loads were lost, and several of the men bolted. I slept on the ground in Mr. Stanley’s tent, on my waterproof—about as hard a bed as I ever had. From this you will observe what a splendid expedition it is for a naturalist. It is some- times very hard to think of all the glory of relieving Emin Bey. March 3\st.—Having got the men and the loads out of the wood, we started amidst much grumbling from the men, who had had nothing to eat, and marched to the Lufu River. Here there is a ford, and also a curious old swinging bridge of native construction, with large gaps in it every few yards, and a deep drop into the river if one fell. A couple of miles further on we camped. Mr. Stanley here behaved to me in a way which was utterly undeserved, and which I did not expect from him. On passing the Lufu River he was attacked with acute dysentery, and although he was apparently all right again in the evening, he was weak, and had to be 1887, Mar. 30, Lufu River. 1887. Mar. 31. Lufu R. 16 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. carried from the river tothecamp. When there I went to him to report that one of my men had deserted with his gun on the march, and at the same time said I was very sorry to hear that he had been so ill. He turned round very sharply and said, “‘ No wonder. I have only you to thank for it. I have had nothing but tea for two days, whilst you have had meat for your breakfast yesterday, and I consider you are entirely to blame for my illness.” I may here state that I had volunteered to take over the cooking and ration arrangements for a week, as no one else seemed inclined to look after them, and before we really could often get nothing to eat. The facts about his having had no meat for two days are the following :—The evening before leaving Congo da Lemba I sent a messenger to ask him if I should kill a goat or the four fowls which were in camp, as there was no meat. ‘The message sent back by his own servant, William, was, “Save the goat and kill the four fowls, if they will be enough for to-night.” I killed the fowls, and they were quite enough, for some of the other officers had some in the morning. Jephson, Stairs, and I breakfasted next morning in my tent on a tin of sardines, the last but one that I had, so that Mr. Stan- ley’s taunt that I had meat when he had none falls to the - ground. ‘That morning it rained for hours, and he would not say whether we were to march or remain, so that it was utterly impossible to kill any meat. He then ar- ranged his march, so that in the middle of the night the goats were left in the wood, and he marched again next morning before they were out of it. He then turns round and says that it is entirely my fault that he is ill. Altogether I think the whole business is a very thank- less job, and the moment this week is over the cooking arrangements may go to the devil for all I care. April ist.— Marched to the American Mission Station, Banza Manteka, a beautifully situated spot, standing high and surrounded by wooded valleys, brilhant with tropical verdure. ‘The water here is worse than any I have seen, too dirty to wash in. DIARY. ly I obtained a number of good butterflies out of the Mission garden. After dinner a fearful thunderstorm came on, and blew in the end of the officers’ tent. From the door of mine, which was snug and dry, I had a beautiful view of all the fun, in the middle of which a whole pile of ammunition-boxes fell down, to add to the confusion. April 2nd.—In the morning we had a general parade of all the men, and Mr. Stanley addressed each com- pany in turn, and I noticed that all the lazy blackguards, who had given us the most trouble, were foremost in shouting out all sorts of fine things about going on to the end of the world with him! After this came a drenching storm of rain, and then we marched six or seven miles across the valley and camped. April 3rd.—Had an awful day’s work. Had to 20 with Barttelot as rear-guard. Started at 6 a.m., and did not get into camp near the Kuilu River until nearly 6 p.m. I had nothing to eat the whole day but the fifth part of a tin of sardines, and did not sit down for more than a quarter of an hour. The work was truly sickening, as every twenty yards one had to stop to put a load on a man’s head who had flung it down, and very likely give him a good dose of stick before he would go on. There was no rest upon getting into camp either, for I had to go over all my loads, stack them, and send out men to find those who had not come in. ‘The work must greatly resemble slave- driving. I succeeded in shooting a swallow, which is the same as the small South-African one, and a bee-eater which is new to me. Both were skinned by the light of a small’ piece of candle, and the skins are worthless, as two days elapsed before I had a chance of drying them. , | April 4th—Marched on to the Kuilu River, a muddy rapid stream, which we had to cross, ten men at a time, in an old dug-out canoe. Such is the great road of the Congo Free State! This morning, in trying for the C 1887. April 1. Banza Manteka. (‘The town of mud.”) 18 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. Pech , first time to ride my donkey across a muddy marsh, he Kun tell and was nearly drowned, precipitating me into the River. mud (the blackest I ever have seen), which filled my saddle-bags containing my collecting-things! arly in the march we crossed a lovely clear trout-suggestive stream, running over and between ridges of pure lime- stone, which, says Mr. Stanley, is about the only lime- stone we shall see in the whole country. April dth.—Still at the Kuilu River—from 6 A.M. to early in the afternoon still getting men, loads, and donkeys across. April 6th.—Marched to Mwembi. On reaching the top of a hill, I found all the baggage and tents lying on the side of the road, the men being about a quarter of a mile off in a native garden, pulling up manioc, and seizing whatever they could. No shouts on my part or from the chiefs could bring them back, so, taking up a good stick, I ran down the hill towards them, and having waded through a swamp for about 150 yards, I met the first man trying to sneak back. J appled my stick, and he made such a row that all the others decamped, and when I regained the top of the hill, I found all the tents and baggage gone on. On arrival at Mwembi, the news was brought to us that one of our chiefs had been shot dead, and one of Tippu-Tib’s men shot in the hand by some of the natives of a village which they had been looting. Went to bed dead beat. April Tth—Marched to Vombo, quite the quickest march we have done, owing to a good level road, and Mr. Stanley doing rear-guard with some of his Somalis himself. How he did lay his stick about the lazy ones, and the Somalis whacked away too. It was a sight for sore eyes to see the lame, the sick, the halt, and the blind running with their loads, as if they were feathers ; and I was delighted to see some of my men catch it hot, after I had been told by Mr. Stanley himself not to strike them. The march was otherwise uninteresting, DIARY. 19 over a high plateau, covered with long rank grass,| which cut off any view of the land. Camped in an old native village amongst palms, and collected a small number of butterflies. April 8th.—Marched from Vombo to Lukungu Station. | The road lay through beautiful country, affording glimpses on both sides of valleys filled with tropical vegetation. Shortly after leaving camp a severe thunderstorm came on. JBarttelot and I were doing rear-guard, with Stanley a little ahead of us. We both saw one of the lightning flashes strike the side of a hill, about 150 yards off, and a small cloud of dust and smoke immediately floated away from the spot. It wasa severe march, as some of the hills were bad, and the wet made them worse. Stairs had to shoot his donkey, as his boy led it badly down a steep place, and it broke its leg. I was getting intensely annoyed with the carriers, who, since Mr. Stanley went ahead, had done nothing but sit down, and was generally down on my luck towards the end of the march, when I saw Parke seated under a tree. He gave me a drink of my own whiskey, thirteen years old, and then everything changed to a brighter hue; but it also lent strength to my arm, when, within a mile from camp, I found all the men had flung down their loads, and gone off looting in the native gardens. I seized a large stick and went for them. It was more than I could bear to be stopped within sight of camp, at the end of a long march. [ laid about me, and soon had them all in camp. | April 9th.—Barttelot was sent on in the afternoon with the Soudanese, and all the worst men in camp, all by himself, to be always one day ahead on the road to the Pool. It looks strange on Mr. Stanley’s part to send him by himself with the very worst and most rebellious lot in camp, who will not move a yard so long as they know that all the food is behind them. Barttelot has done a lot of work which he need not have done, as it was beyond his actual duties, and it seems a poor return for it all. C2 1887. April 7. Vombo. 1887, April 10 Kimbam- wanga. ° 20 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. April 10th.—After sending Jephson’s men to Many- anga to meet him and bring the boat on to Lutété, we marched to Kimbamwanga, where our advanced guard ran into Barttelot’s rear-guard, already proving that it was wrong to send him ahead. ‘This morning Mr. Stanley placed me in a very false position with my men. Just as we were starting, I told him that one of my chiefs was very ill indeed, and that I did not think he could o on. He told me not to bring him any reports of the kind, that he would not listen to them, and that his orders were for all the sick to go on, and that I was to see that they did so. I only said, “‘ Very well, sir.” I behaved very cruelly in making the man get up, amidst the murmurs of all the chiefs, and then driving him on. In a few yards he fell down, and could not get up. Mr. Stanley, on passing, recognized him, and went up to see how he was. He called to Dr. Parke to come to him, and told him that, as he was a good man, we must not lose him; gave him medicine then, and left more with him, at the same time telling one of the officers of the State to look after him, get him into a hut, and do everything he could for him. Of course all the men now look upon me as a brute, and Mr. Stanley as a sort of guardian-angel, although I was only carrying out his own orders. My dog Bull ran away back to the Station at Lukungu, and, poor beast, I am not sorry, for there he will be well looked after, and in camp 1 could not get him enough to eat. April 11th.—Marched to the Mpwka River; a short march, brought to a close by the river itself being in full flood, with only an old rickety wicker-bridge, a few feet wide, over which to cross. We felled two trees; but of course they both fell in the wrong direction, as every- thing does in this beastly country! By the time the donkeys were swum over it was nearly dark. ‘The wood was too thick to put up the big tent, which is the worst and most useless of its kind I have ever seen in my life. Stairs and Nelson slept in part of it which they put up. As it promised to be a fine night, Parke and I slept in DIARY. 2] our Ashantee hammocks. Before retiring, we killed a magnificent specimen of a centipede in Stairs’ tent. I was sleeping soundly when, towards morning, down came a fearful thunder-plump, and before I could get my waterproof sheet over me it wetted all my bedding and myself; the rest of the night was not pleasant. Saw two splendid kingfishers, and many beautiful butterflies on the river; but it made me quite sick not to have a moment to collect anything. Got a beautiful shell- packed spider with horns on the back, the same that I have seen in Borneo; but I lost it in the confusion of the next camp. April 12th.—Did a good long march over beautiful country to Lutété, where we found Jephson, who had got in before us from Manyanga. He gave me the most glowing account of the birds and insects on the river, which made my mouth water. Barttelot stayed with us, as half his men had gone on to Lutété, and the other half were so far behind that they were too late to goon. ‘The whole idea of his going ahead with these men is a perfect farce. The march lay over beautiful country gradually rising all the way, the highest hill we climbed being 500 feet, measured by Stairs from the creek at its foot. From this point there was a lovely view down to the Congo on one side, to Lutété on another, and behind us to the Mpwka River. One of the Somalis died this morning, and several others are very bad indeed. April 15th—Had a very easy day. Marched to Lutété, the English Baptist Mission Station, beautifully situated, standing very high, and I should say quite healthy. ‘The missionaries received us with kindness, but did not ask us to feast with them; I suppose we were rather a rough-looking lot. Personally, I must say I am not so “ genteel” looking as when I left town, being of a kind of brick-colour, with an untrimmed beard of no great length, of a colour to match. One of the men was to-day placed in chains for stealing pota- toes. Poor Barttelot has a terribly rough time of it 1887. April 11. Mpwka River. 1887. April 138. Lutété. 22, STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. with the Soudanese, as he cannot get them along at any price. It is a splendid sight to see Mr. Stanley settle arow. ‘To-day some of the Soudanese and Zanzibaris began fighting about a cooking-pot, and awoke Mr. Stanley, who was asleep. He seized a stick, ran in, and whacked away right and left, giving one fellow a regular facer with his fist, and, in less time than it takes to write this, there was perfect quiet! April 14th—Had a long march; but the men did it splendidly. Made an early start, and camped at Nzungi. Bonny lost two of the pack-donkeys at Lutété, but turned up about 5 oclock in the evening with them, Mr. Stanley’s orders to him being that he need not turn up at all unless he found them! Bonny suspects the missionaries of having hidden them ; for, when he was left behind, they asked him to breakfast, and inquired how long he would wait for the 7 \| donkeys. He replied, probably three or four days, that all his boys would be with him, and that the DIARY. Za missionaries would have to find them in everything, as Mr. Stanley had left them nothing. Two of the mis- sionaries then went out, and returned in about an hour with the two donkeys, saying that as they were taking a stroll they heard one of them bray in response to one belonging to the station. Bonny, however, thinks that the prospect of keeping him and his boys for three or four days produced the donkeys. April 15th.—Marched to the Inkissi River. It is now quite a pleasure to see the men walk along cheerily with their loads. Ourroad lay for a long distance close to the banks of the Congo. Some of the glimpses of the river were very beautiful. I would give anything to have time to make a sketch, no matter how rough, of some of them. The foliage is gorgeous in colouring. Some of the palms bear a bright scarlet flower, growing in great clusters down the centre of each branch. About half-an-hour from here we passed a dead native tied upright to a pole, by the side of the path. Mr. Stanley says it is the body of a thief, put up thus asa warning to others, and that he was executed by the natives themselves. The body was there when Mr. Stanley camped in the same place three or four years ago, and is mentioned in his book on the Congo Free al it WS @, J ue (Mi . v State. The natives here have a curious method of catching birds by hanging long ropes, formed of 1887. April 14. Nzungi. 1887. April 15. Inkissi River. 24 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. creepers, from the trees on the edge of the forest to poles stuck up in the ground about 15 or 20 yards off. Hanging from these ropes are numbers of snares, made from finer creepers, in which the birds are caught as they fly past. April 16th.—All day long crossing the Inkissi River. I luckily got across early with all my men, and hada glorious time amongst the butterflies, getting some magnificent ones, though I daresay the more insig- nificant, which [I did not fail to catch also, will turn out to be the rarest, as is usually the case. Last night was a horrible one. We slept in a deserted native hut which looked waterproof, and retired with fond hopes of a good night; but about four hours before daylight it began to pour, and poured on until 7 oclock. The water came in through the roof just above my head and shoulders in torrents; and although I had an umbrella up, and two coats over me, I was drenched and all my bedding, which, by the bye, con- sists of one blanket and a waterproof sheet with some grass under it. April 17th—Had along march. I had to do rear- guard, but now that the Zanzibaris go so well, it is not nearly so tedious or heart-breaking a business as it used to be. The birds all seem to be in bad plumage for skinning, as most of the feathers are still in the quill, and they make the most horribly bare-looking skins. April 18th.—Marched to Nkalama. ‘There is a most beautiful waterfall just below camp, where the Mpwka falls into the Congo. The Congo itself is remarkable for the masses of bare, black, horribly forbidding rocks which abound on either shore, and crop up here and there in reefs all over the river. Shot a warbler, the skin of which I saved. I found out that one of the ammunition-boxes carried by my company had been DIARY. 25 lost to-day, so I reported the matter to Mr. Stanley after sending back two chiefs all along the road to look for it. Mr. Stanley ordered the whole company to fall in, and then made each man take a load from the heap of loads brought in. He asked the chief who had received the loads in camp to recognize those of the men who had brought in theirs. He did not remember seeing one unfortunate man, so Mr. Stanley fixed upon him as the man who had lost the box, although he is really one of my best carriers, and swore he brought in his box, and showed Mr. Stanley the tree he cut down to keep the boxes off the ground. Mr. Stanley then called the Somalis, and gave all my chiefs, with the ex- ception of the one who had received the loads in camp, fifty cuts each with a stick, whilst they were held down on the ground. He then gave to the man, whom he accused of having lost the box, a hundred lashes, asking him several times during the beating where the box was, —the man each time still swearing that hzs box was in camp. He then chained and padlocked the chiefs all together, and accused me of losing three boxes of ammu- nition (which I flatly denied), and told me that in 77 it would have been death*, and if it happened again we must part. If this sort of thing is to go on, and he speaks to me again as he did to-day before the men, I should not be sorry if we did part, for I certainly will not keep my temper again. Afterwards I went to his tent, and asked him to explain his statement that I had lost three boxes of ammunition; and this he utterly failed to do. He said, ‘‘ You have three times reported to me boxes lost.” I then told him that the last time was only two days ago, when Dr. Parke and I had explained the matter to him, and Parke had handed over to me the box missing from my loads; and the only other time I had reported a load lost, I had also reported to him its recovery. If he goes on much more like this, I shall get sick of the whole thing. He has failed to * 1877 was the date of Mr. Stanley’s return journey ‘Through the Dark Continent.’— Ep. 1887. April 18. Congo River. 26 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. 1887. find out the man who lost the box, and has degraded a 'S. three of my chiefs, who were simply the best men I have River, ever seen. They are to carry loads to-morrow, and I don’t know how to fill their places. I heard from Stairs to-day that at present the Stanley is the only steamer ready to take us up the Congo from the Pool. The English Mission has refused the use of its steamer, and the American Mission is awaiting in- structions. This is the magnificent fleet of steamers placed at Mr. Stanley’s disposal for ninety days by the King of the Belgians! ! April 19th.—This morning Mr. Stanley succeeded in breaking up my company, I think for good. He made my chiefs, all chained together as they were, carry loads of ammunition, and made new chiefs, picking out two of the worst men amongst them. We marched on to the Luila River, and having crossed it, camped just above it. April 20th—Marched to Makoko’s village. Here, thank Heaven, Tippu-Tib interceded on behalf of my chiefs with Mr. Stanley, and he ordered them to be unchained. I at once gave them back their rifles, and made chiefs of them again. Old Makoko, the chief here, is an extraordinary-looking object, possessing what the Americans call a chin-whisker, which he has divided into two, making each division into a ringlet. His old visage is wrinkled and of a perfect chocolate hue. Parke is very seedy with dysentery. April 21st.—Arrived at Leopoldville, which is a pretty spot, looking right up the Pool, the views of which are rather too peaceful from this end to please me, and not what I had expected. April 22nd.—Very busy until midday making out returns of men, rifles, hoes, axes, spades, billhooks, loads, &c. for Mr. Stanley. Then Major Barttelot came and told me I could start off at once and try and kill some hippos, for there were no more rations in DIARY. 21 camp forthe men. I got my things together as quickly as possible, and of course, in my excitement and eager- ness, forgot the two most important things—food and a mosquito curtain! Such small details as these were quite secondary as compared to hippopotami. I trusted to getting some biscuits and tinned stuff at the Dutch trading-house, higher up the Pool, where I had to call for my big rifle; but, on arriving there, found neither rifle nor edibles, but a most acceptable drink of very excellent cognac. Jl was in a fine big canoe with ten Bangalas to paddle me, and camped some distance above Kinshassa on the river-bank. Never did I spend a more miserable night. My boy had forgotten my waterproof; the rain came down in torrents; and I was wet through before retiring to bed in my tent, and passed the whole night in this soaking condition. Sleep I could not, for the mosquitoes were in thousands; and next morning I was a perfect wreck. April 25rd.—Ii started at daybreak; and although I shot two hippos, I only succeeded in getting one of them, as the Bangala, whom [I left to watch the first one rise, went sound asleep, and let it float down the Congo, I returned in triumph, however, with the meat to camp. The Bangalas are the greatest savages I ever came across, and about the most difficult to manage. They simply do nothing except when it suits their fancy, although they are splendid men when they do work. On returning to Leopoldville, I heard of great rows going on about the steamers. It appears that, after all, the missionaries had refused to lend the Henry Feed, as one of them (the engineer) was going down to the coast to be married. (This steamer, with the Peace and the Stanley, are the only three available to take us up the river.) They had taken away some parts of the machinery to render her useless, so Mr. Stanley sent down a guard of Soudanese under Major Barttelot to the Mission House, with orders that if the pieces were not given up, the house was to be searched, and a second guard. under Jephson to take 1887. April 23 Leopold- ville. 1887. April 23. Stanley Pool. 28 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. charge of the steamer. Then the chief of the station, Mr. Liebrichts, said that Mr. Stanley was wrong in acting as he had, but that he could make it all right, as the State has the power of taking the Mission steamers whenever they are required; so he removed the Soudanese, replacing them by his own guards. The missionary who was going to be married, said he had considered the whole matter over with God, as Mr. Stanley says, “‘even to the third watch,” and that he could not lend her. April 24th—This morning I hear the matter about the steamer is satisfactorily arranged ; and Mr. Walker goes as engineer, the steamer being lent under protest, although very well paid for. Meat is so badly wanted that I am off again up the Pool to shoot more hippos. This time, however, I am not going without food or a mosquito curtain. Mr. Liebrichts is sending one of the officers of the State also, as he wants meat for the men of the station. Mr. Stanley has the mails intercepted before reaching Leopoldville, so that the missionaries cannot receive unfavourable advice about lending their steamers. April 25th—The Free State officer started this morning in the large canoe, leaving me the small one, out of which it was simply impossible to shoot. His pro- position was that, when we saw hippos, one of us should go to the other side of them, that they might be driven from one canoe to the other. I did not quite see this, as the river is narrow between the islands, and I _ thought of the bullets that would be flying about when one rose between us; so shortly after starting I took a line of my own, and soon shot one, more by good luck than good guidance, as the moment I raised the rifle to fire, over went the canoe on one side. I unfortunately © lost this hippo, as I shot it in a rapid current between two islands, and it was carried down before rising. I had a tiresome wait on a sandbank in a scorching sun for four hours; but no hippo came up. I shot another later, and it did not rise before dark; so we lost it also. DIARY. 29 April 26th.—Got up with a distinct touch of fever, and very shaky; but as I saw some hippos not far off, and succeeded in making some natives lend me a big canoe for the promise of meat, I started off after them, and with the very first shot killed a large cow stone dead—she just opened her jaws and sank. I then struck another, which came up, but I had shot it too far forward, and so it could not keep under water. This one gave me a lot of trouble, charging the canoe over and over again; and although I stopped it each time with a bullet in the head, it was not until the fifth time that I killed it. The way that the Bangalas shouted, and darted round and round him in the canoe, was great fun. Went on shore to wait for the hippos to rise; and while the natives were cutting them up I began a letter home. Extract from a letter to Mrs. Jameson, dated April 26th :—* On a sandbank in the middle of Stanley Pool, cutting up a hippopotamus just killed... . . This is the first chance of writing to you I have had since leaving Banana. It is a cloudy day and cool, so I am writing whilst waiting for a canoe from Leopoldville to take away the meat. I had rather a sharp touch of fever this morning at daybreak, the first I have had, although everyone else has been ill. Stanley has hada bad attack of dysentery, Parke is very ill with it, and Jephson, Stairs, and Nelson have all had fever, while Barttelot has had nothing but bad headaches, and your husband has been in splendid health! There was little or no food for our 700 or 800 men at Leopoldville, so they have sent me to kill meat for them. I have shot a lot of hippos, and would have shot a number more if I had had my big rifle. I got it forwarded from Ango- Ango by the Dutch House, as Stanley would not give me carriers for it. I am shooting with an express of Barttelot’s, which, although a good gun, is no weapon for hippopotami. The march from Matadi was one of the most disgusting pieces of work I have ever had to do, until the latter part, when the men marched 1887. April 26. Stanley Pool. 30 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. i887, better. A lot of slave-drivers of the old days would “ae have done it much better, for that—slave-driving—is Pool. what it often resolved itself into. (There is a big hippo in the middle of the river looking at me, but I will not try to shoot him as I have not canoes enough to carry the meat.) I have no letters from you later than the one dated February 3rd; the Portuguese mail having broken down, we are without any news, and it is awfully disheartening. The sport and natural-history part of this Expedition is a regular farce, and I can see very little hope of its being any better later on. This is very tiring work to be at so long, sleeping in a swamp at night, and, after shooting a hippo, remaining for three or four hours on a sandbank in a blazing sun, until he rises to the surface, and two hours more, while the superbly lazy, though savage, natives cut it up. I have never been in a country where I believe there is more to be collected. ‘The birds and insects are lovely, but with the work one has to do it is impossible to get anything. All my lovely dreams have been very roughly knocked on the head. I will give you a specimen of a day’s work on the march. Barttelot and I started one day as rear-guard a little after 6 a.M., and did not reach camp until after 6 P.M., with not a quarter of an hour’s rest all day. Nothing but beating niggers with a stick, and lifting their loads on to their heads, and day after day the same disgusting work. It must take a great deal of glory to make up for it all. Iam keeping a diary for you i. 0% “ Wednesday, 27th.—Still on this sandbank; the canoes have not arrived. When I finished writing yesterday, I went and lay for over an hour in the sun to try and get that big hippo that I told you was looking at me. At last he got up on a bank, and I shot him through the heart, although it was a very long shot. It brought on the fever twice as bad, and I had a very bad time of it all yesterday and last night. . . . It seems years since I left home, and the want of all news from you makes it seem much longer. I am very shaky this morning, so I will lie down fora little... . EXTRACT FROM LETTER. 31 “8 pm. The Camp, Leopoldville——I arrived here safely a few hours ago; the canoes turned up at noon. The fever has quite left me. ...A moment ago a perfect tornado of thunder, lightning, rain, and wind came on, and I had to jump up and make the tent right. Thank Heaven, I am not on that sandbank! The natives here seem very much like those of the Mashona country. They have the same kind of ‘pianos’ *, and there is a great similarity of language, but they are not nearly so far advanced in agriculture. The Bangalas who were with me in the canoe came from higher up the river, and are the people whom Stanley fought. They have never fergiven him for killing the brother of their chief. They are cannibals, and file all their teeth into points. ‘They told me that one of their chiefs, who was very rich, is now quite poor from buying nice, fat, young women to eat; this I know to be a fact. The price of one is from three to four hundred kantakas (short brass rods, which are the money of the country). They eat all those whom they kill in battle. ‘They remove the inside, stuff them with bananas, and roast them whole over a big fire. I can believe anything of them from the little I have had to do with them. The Pool is full of lovely birds, many of which I know to be very rare. We have all had one or two rather disagreeable moments with Mr. Stanley, but I think they are over for the present. I cannot help admiring him immensely for his great strength of will and power of overcoming difficulties ; but there are some points in his character which I cannot admire. I will give you an instance. One day, whilst talking to Dr. Parke, he told him that he had heard that two of the boxes of provisions had been opened by the white men—meaning the officers. Dr. Parke asked him who told him. He replied, some of his Zanzibaris. Parke then told him that the only two cases opened were opened to get out arrowroot and milk for himself (Stanley), when he had dysentery, and that he could not understand his listening to tales about the officers from * See sketch on page 106.—Ep. 1887. April 27. Leopold. ille. B2 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. Avent. the niggers. He had a row with Stairs in exactly the Leopold- Same way. Stairs’ donkey broke its leg *, and he had vill. to shoot it. I saw the broken leg myself. When he reported the matter, Mr. Stanley informed him that he had been told that the leg was not broken, and that he shot it ina rage; and when asked who had told him, said, “Some of Tippu-Tib’s people.” Stairs then gave him areal good piece of his mind on the subject. It is impossible for any one calling himself a gentleman, and an officer, to stand this sort of thing. The fact is, this is the first time Stanley has ever had gentlemen to deal with on an expedition of this sort.” DIARY (continued). April 27th.—Arrived at camp about 5 o'clock. The meat had nearly all gone bad, and the voyage down the Pool, in a hot sun, with the stinking meat, was anything but pleasant in the condition I was in. I was greatly amused with the Bangalas’ method of buying fish from the natives. I landed one day on a sandbank to wait for a hippo to rise, and I noticed all the Bangalas going off to the shore, where there were three native canoes full of fish. I asked my boy where they were going. He replied, “To buy fish.” The Bangalas suddenly made a rush at the canoes, upset the natives — from out of them, beat them with their paddles, and returned loaded with cooking-pots, young crocodile ready cut up, fish, native bread, and water-bottles made of gourds. I saw some very fine darters, larger than any I saw in South Africa. Shot a spur-winged plover, with beautiful bright orange wattles and pale lemon- ereen coloured legs. April 28th.—Marched to Kinshassa. Dined with Mr. Greshoff, who gave us the best of everything. April 29th.—I saw the natives bringing in a num- ber of fish exactly like our barbel—scales, beard, * See Diary, April Sth. DIARY. aa mouth, tail, and everything. After dinner Mr. Gres- hoff showed us a beautiful chart of the Kwanga River, which led to Mr. Stanley producing Dr. Junker’s map (his original one), which he has kindly lent him, also a skeleton map of the country between Stanley Falls and Wadelai, ready to fill in all the unknown country. We had a long conversation about natives, geography, &c., and I spent quite one of the pleasantest evenings since I started. Mr. Stanley, when he throws off his reserve, ‘is one of the most agreeable of men and full of infor- mation. April 30th.—Two hundred men went off under Nelson and Stairs to try and get the Florida into the water, as the slips, on which she was, had broken down when they tried to launch her. Mr. Greshoff very kindly filed my large silver flask with spirits of wine for beetles*. This will be invaluable to me for collecting on the march. In about three hours’ time the men returned, having successfully launched the florida. About 8 o'clock the Stanley and Henry Reed came round from Kinshassa, followed by the Peace from Leopoldville, and by our iron boat, which has been christened the Advance. Before dark we had them all loaded, and ready for the men and donkeys to be put on board in the morning. Just as we were finishing, Ward and Troup turned up in a canoe from Leopold- ville. Mr. Stanley has decided to take Ward with him; he was originally in the employ of the State, later on in the Sanford Expedition, and has now joined Mr. Stanley. Mr. Troup was formerly in the Free State service. * This flask (containing beetles), with the bulk of Jameson’s colleo- tion, never reached England,—Ep. 1887. April 29. Kinshassa 1887. May 1. Upper Congo. 34 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. eww DAMA nw AV ee, — ey) MA ZL. gp Voor g oeeen: BF Wi. Horne SS Sm ure 5 b SSS cS a - pes EVirees = = sg BO = Sa -+ ae) PLL HH ba ee ——————— = — iS i 8 ($= = — CHAPTER III. May Ist To JUNE 7TH. Start up the Upper Congo.—Scenery on the Pool.—Spiders’ webs.— Mswata. —Bula Matadi.—Man proposes, and God disposes.—Bolobo.—Buffalo hunt.—Jameson is informed that he is to be left at Yambuya.—Looting. —Lukulela—sScenes with Stanley—Equator Station.—Dine with Mr. Glave.— Uranga. — Bangala.—Houssas eaten by natives—Fever.— Upoto.—Stanley’s distrust of his officers, Sunday, May 1st.—At last we have made our final start up the Upper Congo, and on a lucky day. The Henry Reed went first with Tippu-Tib, all his people, and Bonny and Walker on board, towing two whale-boats full of men. We came next in the Stanley, towing the Florida.. Towing is not the right word, as both the Henry Reed and the Stanley are stern paddle-wheel steamers; they have to make both boats fast alongside. Stairs, Nelson, Jephson and myself, the Captain, engi- neer, and 168 men, with three donkeys, made up our number. Next came the Peace with Mr. Stanley, his servant William, and Ward on board. We steamed on. to Kimpoko, where the American Mission is (Bishop Taylor’s). We landed all the men to cut wood for the DIARY. 39 steamer, and finished by moonlight. My head has been very bad ever since that dose of fever, and, although desperately hungry, I cannot enjoy food. I saw two beautiful large black-backed terns on the Pool, the only ones I have ever seen; but I did not get a shot at them. ‘The scenery on the Pool is completely spoilt by the numbers of low sandy islands, covered with long rank grass, upon which the hippos feast, and where I found large colonies of pigeons and numbers of small herons. May 2nd.—Mr,. Walker and Bonny turned up while we were at dinner, and complained bitterly of the man- ners and customs of Tippu-Tib and his people on the Henry Reed, their ways not being European ways. The upper end of the Pool is much finer than the lower; the hills are higher, and the vegetation more luxuriant. Perhaps for the first time you realize what 1887. May 1. Stanley Pool. a splendid river the Congo is, as you see it in one grand ) unbroken stream, not inclosed by rocks as below, but | flowing between beautifully wooded hills, their sides | covered with tropical forests right down to the water's edge, and their tops with bright green grass, and small ° clumps of trees dotted here and there. At the end of the Pool are some sandstone cliffs, which, with the morning sun upon them, look exactly like the cliffs of Dover, and are named after them. May 3rd.—Passed a very large crocodile, numbers of large geese, and several white eagles with brown wings and tail. Saw a nightjar, apparently larger than the Mosambicus, but same colouring, and plenty of elephant-tracks for the first time. We stayed just below the Black River for the night. We could see large and small fish rising at insects all day; I feel sure they would take the fly. It is very disappointing for a sportsman to pass through a country that looks as if it ought to abound with game, and then see nothing but a few old elephant-tracks and crocodiles. May 4tk.—At some places to-day I should say the D2 1887. May 4. Congo River. 36 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. river was quite a mile anda half wide. The hills are much lower, and on the right-hand bank the forest grows only along the water's edge. The landscape is altogether much tamer. Saw a beautiful pure white heron (about the size of our common English one), many spur-winged plover, hornbills, and geese. ‘There D1aGRam oF SprpEeRS’ WEBS, is almost a total absence of swifts and swallows, which is curious, as the Lower Congo abounded with different kinds. Saw a few guinea-fowl, of the common species, and not the crested variety I expected to see. Ele- phant-tracks again abounded in the forest, which is full of giant creepers. In it I noticed a curious colony of spiders. There were four trees at equal distances, forming a square, and near to the top of each a spider had attached one corner of his web, so that it hung from the four corners just like a blanket. About a foot. below this one was another exactly similar, and again a third below it, and so on to within a few feet of the DIARY. 37 sround. There were at least six or eight webs. Each spider took up his station at the centre point of his web, which was a thicker part than the rest, and cup- shaped. Between these suspended webs were others upright, connecting them, so as to catch anything flying between. Enormous quantities of ants, of every size and description, swarmed in the forest, and made it anything but a pleasure to walk therein. In the night the men started off to some manioc plantations a long way from the steamer, and returned loaded with roots; and the noise with which the others in camp greeted them was enough to waken the dead. For nearly the whole of the night they did nothing but shout, cook, and eat. May 5th.—Reached Mswata at 9.30 a.M., where we found Barttelot and Parke flourishing. Their tent was pitched right in the centre of the main street of the town, if it may so be called, and amidst quantities of bananas. The old chief was most friendly and anxious to see “ Bula Matadi,” as all the natives call Mr. Stanley. The meaning of the name is ‘“ Stone-breaker,” and it was given him whilst at Vivi. One of the Zanzibaris was trying to break a large rock, and striking it in the wrong direction. Stanley noticed the lay of the cleavage and took the hammer, sending the stone flying in pieces with one blow. ‘This so astonished the natives that they at once called him Bula Matadi, and he is universally known all over the country by this name and no other. Mswata in Stanley’s time was one of the Congo State stations, but, like many others, has been abandoned. The chief has the same mark of 1887. May 4, Congo River. 1887. May 5. Mswata. 38 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. distinction as old Makoko, namely a chin-whisker, divided into two curls. ‘They divide their hair into two long tails, one on each side of the forehead, bending outwards, exactly in the shape of buffalo horns, and sometimes have one in the middle also. The number of these horns is evidently a sign of the degree of rank of the wearer, the greatest swells having the largest number. I went for a stroll through a lovely forest, full of small streams, at the back of the town, and got a glorious lot of new butterflies. This is the first place where I have noticed a decided change in the butterflies from those of the Lower Congo, some of them being very beautiful. Barttelot and Parke are to march to Kwamouth. They dined with us, and we spent a very pleasant evening. Mr. Stanley sent for Stairs after dinner, and told him we were to go on straight to Bolobo with as little delay as possible, and there to ask the chief's leave to land our men for a few days, as the last time Stanley was there he was fired upon, and they had to burn down the town. Whilst it was a Free State station and Mr. Liebrichts was in command, they had no palavers, and burnt the town both times; so no wonder the natives don't like the white man. Mr. Stanley says, if they refuse to let us land, we must occupy one of the islands opposite to the town, and await his arrival. He thinks it is about even chances that we have a row. May 6th.—Never came a saying more true than did the old one to-day, ‘‘ Man proposes, and God disposes.” We were hours ahead of both the other steamers, boasting by how far we should beat the Peace up to the Falls, if we were allowed to go ahead, all sitting in the top deck-house with the Captain, when there came a violent bump, then another, and another, and we were stuck fast on the top of a rock, with the water pouring into three compartments, through about five holes in our bottom, and we three or four hundred yards well out in the river! Luckily the Zanzibaris behaved splendidly, sitting perfectly still and doing as DIARY. | og they were told. With the aid of buckets we could just keep the water from gaining, but could not get it down. Upon sounding, we found ourselves on the top of a large flat rock, with not more than three feet of water on any partofit. Luckily the florida, which was fastened alongside with 168 men on board, numerous loads and donkeys, was drawing so little water that she did not touch. The holes were all in the afterpart of the forward compartments; and, as she is built in nine water-tight compartments, as long as we could keep the water from gaining and the steamer from bumping, we were safe. We shifted the whole of the cargo into the stern, and dropped two anchors. Just then a thunder- storm came up, with a strong breeze; she at once swung round, and we started the engine full speed astern; with one more bump we swung clear right into the deep water, breaking one anchor, and leaving the other with a lump of chain on the reck. Then we went full speed ahead up-stream, and baled away with the buckets, as our lives depended upon it. We ran both boats on to a sandy beach on the mainland, half a mile above the scene of our disaster. That puff of wind just came in time, and saved us. Had we sunk, probably the Florida would have been wrecked too. In any case most of the ammunition, and all the European provisions and stuff to buy food, would have been lost in the Stanley. I thanked God, not once but a good many times, that we got out of it as well as we did. ‘The view passing Kwamouth is very pretty. The Kwa, which is really only the mouth of the Kassai River (which runs into it), is the largest tributary of the Congo, being navigable for over 400 miles. Uay Tth—Up at daylight, but very sleepy. The Henry Reed appeared in the mirage, down river, about 8.30 A.M., so we sent our pilot off in a canoe, to warn them about the rock, as they were steering straight for it. Much later we saw the Peace going along close in to the opposite shore; we signalled, and the Henry feed whistled, and they came across to us. Mr. Stanley, 1887. May 6 Congo River. 1887. May 7. Congo River. 4() STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. of course, was rather annoyed at our disaster, and told the Captain he had no business to come over to this side of the river, but he replied that this side was the course marked on his chart, and explained to him by Captain Anderson, the late commander of the Stanley, and that the missionaries also used the same course. Mr. Stanley then took in hand the directions for patching up the steamer, and the Captain and the three engineers carried them out. We first of all removed all the cargo, and swung her round side on to the beach, then dug a trench with hoes right under her to the largest of the holes. A plate was passed through the water on to the outside and screwed on by bolts. Little hopes of starting to-morrow. Mr. Stanley said to-day that every day of delay cost the Expedition £25 in wages to the men alone. KwaMourTtH. May 8th.—Mr. Stanley, the Captain, and engineers worked away until about 8 o'clock at the leaks witha good deal of success. May 9th.—Loading up the Stanley ready for a start in the morning. Mr. Stanley and the engineers finished DIARY. 4] putting the plates on by 11 o’clock; the former left for Bolobo at 12.30. May 10th.—To-day the scenery became very beau- - tiful. The river widened to about four miles, and was dotted all over with small islands covered with tropical foliage. At the back of every sandbank or island, in the still water, the heads of the hippopotami could be seen moving up and down, or their long backs just above the water resting on the banks. Numbers of geese were wading on the shores, while large black and white eagles soared from island to island, and ever and again gorgeous bee-eaters and kingfishers darted out of the forest, the bee-eaters hawking away, then tumbling over and floating away to another tree, their colours glittering in the sun. The kingfishers would dart out, hover for a moment over the water, then ap- parently dive into it, to return to their perch, and sit pensively gazing down at the river below them. Large cranes stood solemnly on the banks, absorbed in the contemplation of some deep and momentous subject. Then a heavy thunderstorm passed over us, in the midst of which the far shore stood out in bright sunlight, with a background of exquisite mountains and valleys, and one longed for the skill of an artist to give to the people at home an idea of this magnificent river. The villages of brown huts, embedded in the gorgeous green of the plantains, with giant trees towering all around them, the canoes lying on the sandy beach, with the fishing-nets hung out to dry, here and there a native with spear in hand—all these scenes furnished splendid subjects for the artist—who is not with us! May 11th—Arrived at Bolobo, which is prettily situated, looking over one of the broadest parts of the river. Found fresh buffalo-tracks to-day, and for the, first time saw the crested guinea-fowl which I expected to meet. The natives here paint themselves in an ex- traordinary fashion, some having a black band across the forehead with white lines drawn over and under the eyes. Others have long white lines running down 1887. M ay 9. Congo River, 1887. May II. Bolobo. 42 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. the shoulders and arms, and the same down the forehead and nose. Some of the lines are blue and yellow for a variety. ‘The knives and axes are very fine, but they will not part with them. Their spears resemble the Mashona spears. Their guns are old flint-muskets. May 12th.—The Henry Reed arrived with the Peace in tow. Mr. Stanley came to the officers’ tent in the afternoon, and had a long chat with us. He is going to reorganize all the companies, and only take on the best men, leaving the bad ones here with Major Barttelot to come on when the Stanley returns down the river. Had to go off very early to cut wood for the Stanley. May 13th.—We are are all going to be put on short rations now; + ounce of tea a day for each man, and everything else in proportion. Major Barttelot is to come on to the entrenched camp after all, and Ward is to be left here. I feel very sorry for him, as up to the very last moment he thought he was going on. Mr. Bonny is also being left here. Good news! Mr. Stanley has given me leave to start at daybreak to-morrow for a buffalo hunt, and get meat for the men. May 14th.—After about three and a half hours’ walk- ing, [came upon one of the most lovely valleys for game I think I have ever seen or dreamt of, and in any other country but this it would simply swarm. A few clumps of trees grew here and there close to some pools of water, the rest of the valley being covered with luxuriant grass, amongst which shone out patches of tender green, where it had once been burnt. After walking about a mile up along the pools, I came across the tracks of a bull buffalo, two cows and a calf, which had evidently passed just before I arrived on the scene. I tracked them until after 1 o’clock into the middle of a dense forest, so thick that I had to leave my helmet and go down on my hands and knees, and crawl nearly every yard of the road. I heard them break once quite close to me, but could not see them. Finally I gave it up, DIARY. 43 and tried the rest of the valley without finding a single fresh track. JI broke one of my big-toe nails, right across the very centre, against a stump in the beastly wood, and had to walk the six or seven miles back to camp in anything but a nice frame of mind. I was ereatly surprised to find the Stanley had just arrived with Barttelot and Parke, for we did not expect them until to-morrow. Mr. Stanley has rearranged all the companies, and mine is entirely broken up; he has taken a lot of the best men from nearly every company to make up his own to its full strength. Mine was used to fill up the others, so at present I am without one. We all start to-morrow. May 15th.—Alas for all my bright dreams about the march from the Falls to Wadelai. ‘To-day Mr. Stanley - informed me that I was to be left with Major Barttelot in command of the entrenched camp on the Aruwimi. Of course he tried to soften the matter as much as he possibly could, by telling me that as most of the ammu- nition and stores were being left here, he required two of the best men to remain and guard them, for if any- thing happened to them the whole Expedition would be. atanend. He also told me that the men who went on must not think that they would have the larger share of honour; but whatever he may say about it, it makes me mad to think of it. When he told me, I merely replied “ Very well, Sir,” as I knew that somebody must be left. I am quite sure that Major Barttelot had already asked him to leave me with him as his leu- tenant, his chief reason being that he was afraid he would not pull so well with some of the other officers. It is frightfully hard luck on me. Mr. Stanley told me to get a canoe, and find out as much as I possibly could about the river. ‘The natives are a bad lot, and I believe we will have to fight for food for the men by looting villages. The bright side of the whole thing is the splendid opportunity it gives me of collecting in a country never collected in before, and altogether, as far as I can make out, we shall have rather an exciting time of it. 1887. May 14, Bolobo, 1887. May 15. Bolobo. 44 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. [Extract from letter to his wife, June 8th, 1887 :— “‘ He (Stanley) also told me that those, who went on first “to the Albert Nyanza Lake, must not think that they ‘‘had one atom more honour attached to what they did, ‘as he himself would be the only one to meet Emin ‘* Pasha in his steamers on the Lake; the others would “be left in a camp on its shores.” | The Peace started first this morning, then the Henry Reed, and lastly ourselves in the Stanley. We made fast to the shore at a village about twelve miles above Bolobo, and when Stairs and Nelson landed with the axe-men, it seems the natives did not want to let them go through the village. Some of the men ran back yelling out that the natives were coming, and to bring all the guns. Barttelot thought they were being at- tacked, so he landed all the Soudanese and a box of ammunition, but on getting up into the village not a native was to be seen; they had all run away. When the Soudanese returned to the shore, they made a rush across a small stream to the village on the opposite side, followed by the Zanzibaris, when an awful scene of loot commenced. ‘They seized goats, fowls, bananas, manioc, spears, and everything that they could lay their hands on. I saw one man with an enormous wooden stool which he could not possibly have taken with him on the steamer, and I caught a Somali red- handed with an immense bundle of manioc and a spear; I smote him rather hard and he dropped the lot. The spear I attached to my person. ‘The river to-day widened out very much, being dotted over with small and large islands. I am trying hard to look at the bright side of my being left at the entrenched camp— the collecting, sketching and fighting—but I cannot get over a thorough feeling of disappointment. May 16th.—Just as we were leaving the natives began to return, and were in a fearful rage when they missed their things, though some of them were willing to trade, and we got a few fish and bananas from them. a Oe > WW SERA NS FISHERMAN’S Hut. [Page 47. |] DIARY. 47 May \7th.—Very seedy. Last night I had to stand over half an hour in water above my ankles waiting for the wood-carriers, who could not find us in the dark, the consequence of which is a bad internal chill. May 18th.—Too seedy to do anything. This evening we made fast to the shore at a little fisherman’s hut, which had a regular palisade and gateway between it and the river. Our only hope of wuod was a large dead tree which stood inside the palisade. May 19th.—Still seedy. Reached Lukulela, after steaming for twelve hours. We saw two small elephants within 150 yards of the steamer in the long grass. Stairs and Barttelot landed and tried to get a shot, but the noise from the steamer had sent them away at a quick march. ‘They saw any quantity of fresh tracks of both elephant and buffalo. It is great fun to see the Stanley start in the morning; before they can get her head well up-stream, she waltzes round and round two or three times, sticking her stern and bows alternately into the bushes, exactly like a toy boat in a stream. The Doctor came on board to-night and saw me. Thank goodness, | am much better. May 20th.— This morning, I am sorry to say that the most disgraceful row I have ever heard of happened between Mr. Stanley and Jephson and Stairs. It appears that early this morning a number of the men and chiefs went to Mr. Stanley, and complained that the officers had flung away their rations for one day. Mr. Stanley sent for Stairs. The men swore they had bought the food from the natives last Sunday at the village they looted (for description of how they bought it, see diary of that day, May 15th). Stairs told Mr. Stanley this, assuring him that only stolen stuff was taken away from them, and sent for Jephson, who gave the same testimony. It is still quite evident that Mr. Stanley takes the word of the Zanzibaris on every occasion before that of the white men, and when he saw that he had hold of rather the wrong end of this stick, he attacked them about their 1887. May 17. Congo River. 1887. May 20. Lukulela. 48 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. tyranny to the men. He attacked them in a frantic state, stamping up and down the deck of the Feace. He called Jephson all sorts of names, a “‘G—d d—n son *‘ of a sea-cook,” ‘* You d——d ass, you're tired of me, of “the Expedition, and of my men. Go into the bush, get, “T’ve done with you. And you too, Lieutenant Stairs, “you and I will part to-day ; you're tired of me, Sir, I can “see. Get; away into the bush.” Then he turned round to the men (about 150) sitting down, and spoke Swahili to the effect that the men were to obey us no more, and that if Lieutenant Stairs or Jephson issued any orders to them, or dared to lift a hand, they were to tie them up to trees. He had already told Stairs that he had only to lift his hand for the men to throw him into the sea. He lastly offered to fight Jephson, “ If you want to fight, ““G—d d—n you, I'll give you a bellyful. If I were “only where you are, I'd go for you. It’s lucky for you ““T’m where Lam.” Mr. Stanley was on the deck of the Peace, Jephson on shore. All this was said before the missionaries, Tippu-Tib, and every one. As for Stairs or Jephson being tired of the Expedition, no men could work harder or have their hearts more init. I should think a repetition of this kind of thing would make them both pretty sick of Mr. Stanley and the Expedition He also called Jephson, “G—d d—d impudent puppy.” Barttelot next interviewed him, and he told him that he was very sorry for Stairs, but had made up his mind they should stay where they were—that there was evi- dently a compact among us against him. Barttelot assured him that there was nothing of the kind. Stairs next went to him, and after a long interview it ended in Mr. Stanley taking him back, and telling him that he had given orders to the chiefs to obey him as before. Imagine this being necessary, simply from what he had himself said to them! Jephson went last, and the interview ended by Mr. Stanley apologizing for the language he had used, and taking him back also. I had no idea until to-day what an extremely dangerous man Stanley was. Could there be anything more inciting to mutiny than what he had told the Zanzibaris? He for- DIARY. 49 gets one thing, however, that if they dared to lift a hand to one of us there would be a terrible lot of them shot, which would rather weaken his Expedition. It is a curious fact, when one thinks over it, that the very men who complained to Mr. Stanley ought, by his own orders, issued when we left the Pool, to have been severely flogged. Such is life! Thank goodness, I am beginning to feel myself again. On his way back from Mr. Stanley, Jephson brought me an enormous spider, quite the biggest I have ever seen, although rather mutilated. One of the men brought me a splendid crested lory; I skinned it, but am puzzled how to carry it because of its size, which is about that of a hornbill. The village here stands amidst beautiful timber, and the huts shine out like gold in the sunset against the dark shadows of the forest, making a beautiful picture. May 21st—We did not start for a good hour after the Peace and. Henry Reed, the engineer said because the wood was too wet, and they could not get up steam. Mr. Stanley's orders were that all the steamers were to keep within sight of each other in case of anything going wrong. We came in sight of them early in the forenoon; a little later they stopped because of a storm which came on, and we stopped to cut wood, having run short. ‘They have now both gone on out of sight ; itis 4 pmM.,and I should think there must be miles between us. The Henry Reed and the Peace took dif- ferent routes, and we are staying here for the night. This is keeping within sight of one another with a vengeance ! May 22nd. — Until about 12 o'clock to-day we were passing through the most lovely tropical forest scenery. Our passage lay through long lanes of water, _ that seemed to be cut like canals through the centre of the forest, the right bank being the mainland. Every now and again we could catch a glimpse of the great river covered with islands. ‘The rainy season has set in now, and every afternoon, as regularly as clockwork, at E 1887. May 20: Congo River. Me tole May 22. Congo. River. 50 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. three or four o’clock, up comes a storm which lasts until nightfall. May 23rd.—Started at 5.30 well ahead of the Henry feed and Peace, which we had caught up yesterday evening, but ours was a short-lived glory, for we very soon ran short of wood, and at 11 o’clock had to stop and cut some. Started again at 2 o'clock, and steamed until 5 o'clock. More woodcutting, dinner, and to bed. It is beginning to be decidedly monotonous. May 24th.—We all reached Equator Station shortly after 5 o'clock. ‘This is one of the nicest looking stations we have yet seen. We have been passing numerous native villages very prettily situated on the edge of the forest, and of which the huts are now changing in shape altogether, and a good many of them are stockaded. Some are very long, with angular-shaped roofs, and many doors to them. ‘The spears, too, have changed in shape; they are very light in shaft and blade, being used for throwing only, whereas those lower down the river are heavy-bladed and are used for stabbing. The palm-trees here are curiously ragged in appearance, owing to the attacks of the weaver-birds, who have stripped them of almost all their leaves, with which they build their nests on other trees. ‘The natives are a finer-looking people, resembling the Bangalas I saw at the Pool. Iwas delighted to hear that the Peace _ had to stop and cut wood as well as ourselves, for Mr. Stanley had been blaming us for loitering on the road. May 25th.—Went on shore early with the axemen to . cut wood. In the afternoon, Mr. Glave, who now belongs to the Sanford Expedition*, came on board, and asked us all to dine. He was formerly in the service of the Free State, but has left it like many more, as rats leave asinking ship. I notice that one of the chief occu- pations of the Belgian officers at the different stations is to civilize the country by adding to the population * The Sanford Expedition was an Ivory Trading Company, called the Sanford Exploring Company ; vide ‘ Darkest Africa,’ vol. i. p. 93.—En. DIARY. 51 specimens of half-breeds, as they are all more or less married to native women. This mode of civilization seems to be adopted by all the white men here, whether officers of the State or not. I saw some beautiful perch, almost exactly like our own. We dined with Mr. Glave, and during dinner Captain Van Geéle related a “story about some wonderful river, a tributary of the Congo, which he had been exploring, and from which he had brought some zvory mallets, used for crushing corn or manioc. He produced them, and was greatly annoyed when both Dr. Parke and I declared them to be bone, and not ivory at all! This, I am sorry to say, damped the conversation. ‘The ivory here is very large indeed. Amongst a lot bought by Glave for the San- ford Expedition were tusks of 118, 111, 97, 95, and 90 lbs. Much of it is greatly discoloured through having been buried. He only paid 2s. 2d. a lb. for the 118 lb. tusk, which is a fairly white one. May 26th.—Steamed all day through the usual num- ber of wooded islands. Close to where we made fast for the night was a small bare sandbank, inhabited by a small colony of the most beautiful terns I have ever seen. The top of the head, neck, and back are all black ; throat, breast, and belly are pure white; bill and legs red. ‘They are, I think, similar to two which I observed at Stanley Pool. As I had no small boat, I could not get a shot. We had the usual woodcutting business in the jungle, became covered as usual with the ants, and later on up came the usual thunderstorm. Mr. Stanley’s orders are that we are not to go ahead of the Peace, and the Henry Reed has to obey the same orders. Mr. Stanley has ordered Parke to come on with us in the Stanley, and Jephson to take his place in the Henry Reed, because he says there are so many sick on the Stanley and Florida. However that may be, it seems a mistake putting Jephson on the same steamer with Tippu-Tib and his men, as he has already had one rather nasty row with Salem, Tippu’s brother-in-law. May 27th.—After a very short piece of steaming and E 2 1887. May 25 Equator Station. 1887. May 27. Uranga. 52 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN going frightfully slowly to keep behind the Peace, we reached Uranga at 10.30 4.m. Mr. Stanley is a “ blood- brother ” of the chief of this place. I try every conceiv- able plan to protect my specimens from the ants, but though I may succeed for a short time they are sure to defeat me at last. I noticed many of the spears here re- semble the Mashona ones, having a long piece of iron | between the blade and the ordinary wooden shaft, which latter 1s bound round by rings of iron ; they also have the leaf-shaped blade. [unintentionally swindled an old chief out of a goat, but it served him right, as he swindled me about a spear which I bought from him with cloth, knowing that I was giving too much; but as [ wanted it badly I did not wrangle over the price. He then said he would make mea present ofa goat, which in this country means that I had to give him a presentinreturn. I told him I did not want it; but when I came back, late in the evening, it had been sent on board. After dinner he came and made a great fuss, saying he must have the goat or a present. Nelson, who was on deck, turned him off. We started just after daybreak, and he tried to board us with his canoe, instead of coming for his present before we got under way. We left him in the middle of the river, evidently using anything but nice language. He will be rather chary of giving presents again, and we will eat the goat, which seems fat. May 28th—A most monotonous day’s steaming. I am sorry to say I have read nearly all our small store of books. | May 29th.—Islands, river, scenery, natives, canoes, &c., just the same as yesterday. The only excitement was caused by a troop of large brown monkeys who appeared on some trees on the banks, and who seemed not to be the least bit frightened at the steamer, but went on scratching and hunting as though nothing out of the common was near them. Stopped for the night on an island opposite Bolombo. May 30th.—Numbers of natives in canoes came round the steamers, trying to persuade us to stop at Bolombo DIARY. 93 and trade for food; but as Iboko, or Bangala, was only a few hours ahead there was not much chance of that. Bolombo is on the south bank, and Iboko on the north bank of the river. We arrived at the latter place at 12.30. Mr. Stanley was saluted from the Station by shots from one of the Krupp guns, of which they have two. ‘The Houssas and Zanzibaris were drawn up in a line, and the excitement on shore was intense to know what on earth so many steamers and people had come for. They thought it was an Expedition to retake the Falls, as they had not heard any news for four months. The Station, which is the last, and one of the largest on the Congo, consists of three white buildings, constructed of mud, plaster, and stick walls, with a thatched roof, beneath which is built, I believe, a solid ceiling of mud to prevent it falling-in in case of fire. A French- man here, by trade a brickmaker, has utilized all the different kinds of clay to be found on the shore, with which he has constructed regular brick sheds, yards, and kilns; when I saw them there were 300,000 bricks, principally on the floors, but one very large kiln was already made and burning. ‘The women here dress in quite a different way to any I have yet seen, their cos- tume being composed of a light band of palm-fibres, made from the bark, and dyed—some orange, some lemon and orange, others black or deep lake-red; they look for all the world like a ballet-dancer’s skirts. Both men and women are a very fine-looking race. The new Station is defended by three palisades and a ditch; at the corners are raised platforms for the Krupp guns. There is the making of a good garden, which is the result of Mr. Bailey’s teaching, who seems to have taught them more than half of what they know on the Congo, especially in matters connected with sport, gardening, and planting. Mons. Baert give us dinner in the evening, after which Mr. Stanley rose, and in a speech proposed the health of the King of the Belgians. He began by telling us of the state Bangala and the other places on the river were in when he passed down ten years ago, and had the great fight with the natives here. He continued :—“‘ Now here I find an hotel 1887. May 30) Bangala 1887. May 30. Bangala. 54. STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. (doubtful compliment to the Belgians, who call it a Free State station!), where one can have a good bed, good dinner, and everything that one wants.” He then traced how this was all owing to the King of the Belgians, and went on to say that we were here at the very last point of civilization between us and Zanzibar. ‘The speech ended by his proposing the health of the King of the Belgians, which was duly drunk. | Major Barttelot, with forty of the best of the Souda- nese, goes on to Stanley Falls in the Henry Reed, where he leaves ‘Tippu-Tib, and comes up the Aruwimi to where we are to make the entrenched camp, about 120 miles up the river. ‘The reason that Stanley is sending the Soudanese instead of the Zanzibaris, is that he fears that if they saw Tippu’s place and people, the discon- tented ones would come back to the camp, and persuade the others to desert us; as, should they once get to Tippu-Tib’s camp, it would be a simple matter for them to get out to Zanzibar with one of his caravans, o1 find employment in some of his towns. ‘The tribes on the Aruwimi are very fierce and warlike, and are real cannibals, so they will be rather interesting to study. Mr. Stanley is the only white man who has been any distance up the river, and I believe he has not been so far as where we intend to make our camp. Captain Hausen, in the Free State service, left three of his Houssas at one of the towns near the mouth of the Aruwimi, and the natives tied them to trees, and crammed them with food until they considered them sufficiently fat, when they ate two of them, but the third, being a thin old fellow, was reserved. How- ever, he escaped, and was caught and tied up again; this happened twice, but the third time he got away to the river, and was picked up by one of the steamers. The same curious appearance is given to the palm-irees here as at Equator Station, by the weaver-birds stripping off all the leaves for their nests, which they have built on a large tree without any leaves in the centre of the Station. The hippopotamiare becoming very scarce ; we have hardly seen one since leaving Equator Station. DIARY. 5d May 31st.—The Henry Reed left for the Falls, with Major Barttelot and Tippu-Tib, at 6 a.m. Mr. Stanley left in the Peace at noon. Our men strolled on board evidently just as they pleased, and we did not get away for a good hour and a half after him. Since that speech of his to them at Lukulela they have lost what little sense of discipline they ever had. We all lunched with Mons. Baert, and a capital lunch he gave us. Major Barttelot left nineteen of the Soudanese and Alexander (one of the interpreters) in my charge until he arrives at the Aruwimi camp. Alexander and four others are in a very bad state, and one of the men espe- cially I do not expect to live more than a few days. They are the most helpless and desponding lot of men when they are at all sick that I ever came across. I tried to buy a very curious knife from one of the Ban- galas this morning, but he asked such an absurd price for it that I told him he ought to keep it at home for fear of losing it. The Captain told us to-day that at Manyanga, on the lower Congo, a hippo that was on shore was fired at, and, charging through the village, ran clean through the middle of the walls of a house on to the roof of which a lot of people had retreated. June 1st.—Kept steaming away all day behind the Peace until nearly sunset. Went to bed with a distinct touch of fever. June 2nd.—Had to lie up all day. June 3rd.—Bad night; had to lie up again all day, but got better towards evening, thanks to old Parke, who has given me the right medicine to begin with, and topped it up with arrowroot, milk, and brandy. There are enormous quantities of orchilla-weed all along the south bank, and for the last three days we have passed through one continuous stream of the common white butterfly of the Congo, all migrating from the south bank to the north. A day or two before I saw them crossing the river I noticed them flying 1887. May 31 Congo River. 56 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. poe through the trees on the south bank in enormous Congo) numbers, and all going eastward in the same direction River. as ourselves; then suddenly they began to cross in thousands, and have been crossing ever since. June 4th—Thank goodness, feel myself again. Steamed away all day through the same monotonous scenery, although I must say some of the gorgeous colouring can never seem anything but fresh and pleas- ing to the eye. A few monkeys looked at us, and helped to relieve the monotony of the scene. We never managed to catch up the Peace. The first hippos we have seen for a long time came up close to the steamer after we had made fast for the night, and Parke had a shot at one of them, but put the bullet just over his head. After he fired I noticed a very large flight of birds, all flying due south, and from their form and flight, seen in the dusky light, they appeared to be medium-sized owls. The flight continued for quite twenty minutes. One of the Somalis died to- ae he had only been ill about twenty-four hours. Sunday, June dth.—Started very early—almost in the dark—in hopes of catching up the Peace; this we failed to do. One of the Soudanese died to-day, the second death amongst them since leaving Bangala. When they once get sick they neither eat, drink, nor move; in fact, like the Somalis, they simply make up their minds to die. I saw many very fine orchids in the jungle to-day, but none of them in flower, and one beautiful fern growing high up in the palm-trees. The leaves of it erow outwards for only a few inches, and then hang straight down in perfect masses round the trunk of the palm. This would be a most effective plant in a European hothouse. June 6th.—Quite an exciting day. Made an early start, and after going through the most difficult passages between islands and sandbanks, we at last came within sight of Upoto, which stands at the foot of the first high eround we have seen for some time. No signs of either DIARY. OT the Peace or the Henry Reed! ‘There were three sepa- rate villages some distance apart, so we steamed up to the one highest up river, to see if the steamers could be there. Not finding them, we made for the middle village, and upon our approach to land, all the natives rushed down to the shore with their spears, shields, and guns, yelling and shouting at us to keep back. They certainly meant an attack, so we started for the lowest village, the natives following us and running along the shore, where they were joined by all the men of the third village. As wood was very short, and we must get food for the men, we ran the steamer straight for shore, and they all stood about forty yards off, making a terrific noise. ‘They at length listened to our spokes- man, and agreed to allow us to land if one of the white men would come on shore and be made blood-brother to their chief. Stairs and the Captain of the steamer landed, and the ceremony was performed with much pomp. Stairs’ arm was slightly cut until blood came, and the chief's also, then the bleeding parts were rubbed together, each man swearing to be a “ true brother” to the other. All this time a wild song was kept up by the natives, beer was drunk, and the chief sent us a present of a goat. The fierce natives of half an hour ago were in one moment transformed into the sharpest ‘and most eager traders, ready to sell everything they possessed. What little modesty one has left, after see- ing daily so many naked forms, here received rather a shock, for the women are as Eve was before she went to Madame Figuier for her costumes. There were a few exceptions among the elder women, but their attempts at dress are so much of a failure that they had far better remain as their sisters. The people here are the genuine savage, without a vestige of civilization. I bought three very curious knives, two handsome spears, and a shield, which, if they ever reach home, will be great curiosities. In the afternoon up steamed the Peace. Mr. Stanley was in a fearful rage. It appears that after missing us yesterday he steamed back down river to look for us, thereby losing a whole day. He told us that had he 1887. June 6, Upoto. 1887. June 6. Upoto. a8 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. not found the steamer here, he would have treated us all as deserters. Now this is hardly fair, as from what the Captain and Engineer of the Peace both say it is evident that he missed us owing to a fault of his own. He mistook a channel of the main river for a small river which he thought ran into the Congo at this place. He therefore steamed away outside an island when we went up the passage along the mainland. He used some very hard words whilst talking to us, and it seems as if he did not trust us when one yard away from him. As for myself, [ know I have done nothing, but then I have been so seedy until yesterday; but the other officers have worked away as hard as any white man can, stand- ing for hours in the most horrible swamps till long after dark to get enough wood. What sickens one of the whole thing is the utter distrust which Mr. Stanley plainly tells us he has of us all; and how long this state of things is going to last I cannot tell, but it is frightfully DIARY. og disheartening. The necklaces in fashion here are mostly of human or crocodile teeth, which are bored and hung in large numbers on a piece of string; the earrings worn by men, instead of the women, are of cowrie-shells. They had a lot of ivory to sell at absurdly low prices, but all very small and discoloured. ‘Their huts, which are miserable, are built in small streets at right angles to the river-bank. Had an interesting chat with Mr. Charters of the Peace, who confirmed in every particular the story of the Houssas being eaten at Basoko. June Tth.—The war-like natives of yesterday are peaceful traders now, coming up with a shield and spear in one hand, and two eggs or a fowl in the other, and begging one to buy. Mr. Stanley told them that had they attacked us yesterday, there would not have been a vestige of their village left this morning. We started at 12 o'clock, and steamed away into the usual maze of islands, quickly losing sight of the high mainland, which had been so refreshing to our eyes. We started this time with every intention of its not being our fault if we lose the Peace again. Both steamers stopped. at 5 o'clock, and the usual cutting of wood in swamps was gone through. This time I was fit and went out too. Native or Uroro, 1887. June 6 Upoto. Native VILLAGe. CHAPTER IV. JUNE 8TH TO JULY 3lIsT. Letter to Mrs. Jameson.—Pass burning villages.—Arrival at Aruwimi River. —Conical-shaped huts.—Occupation of Yambuya.—Arrival of Henry Reed.—Stanley’s letter of instructions.—Re-packing bales for Emin. —Barttelot made “ blood-brother ” with native chief—Rations for six months.—“ Beggars must not be choosers.”—Stanley’s departure.— Building boma.—Extraordinary flight of butterflies—Palaver with natives.— Collecting” captives.— Natives capture Omari.— Woman escapes.— Uselessness of chiefs.—Gum-copal. FROM A LETTER TO MRS. JAMESON. iss7. June 8th.—I will now give you a general idea of the June8. lan of campaign. At present we have left behind us a” eo aT ae * EXTRACT FROM LETTER. 61 a force of 124 men at Bolobo under Ward and Bonny, At Leopoldville is an enormous quantity of stores and ammunition which we could not bring. When the steamers leave us at the entrenched camp, they return down the Congo, and the Stanley will bring up all the stores and ammunition with the 124 men from Bolobo. In the meanwhile Stanley will have gone on with 350 men (leaving 100 men with us in camp), carrying light loads, to make a forced march through the unknown country to Lake Albert Nyanza, where he expects Emin Bey to come down from Wadelai to meet him. On the return of the Stanley to the Aruwimi camp with the stores and the 124 men, our force will consist of a little over 200 men. Tippu-Tib will then send us about 400 men from Stanley Falls. When they arrive we shall take all the stores and ammunition and march after Stanley; he will have marked the trees on his route. And now I think I have told you as much as any of us, except Stanley, know about our plans for the future. June 10th.—I must give you the menu of our mid- day meal, which we have just finished :— Soup. Weevil-eaten beans, flavoured with goat. Entrée. Stewed goat and rice. Roast. Roast leg of goat and rice. Vegetable. Rice and fried manioc-four, Sweet. Fried bananas. So you see we are not so badly off! We have no spirits of any kind, but drink boiled Congo water. I enclose a little sketch I made of a native chief who came to make a present of a goat to Mr. Stanley ata 1887. dune 8 Conge River. 62 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. 1887. place called Nzungi, on the march from Matadi to June 10. ; Congo Ptanley Pool. River. I have never been on any trip where there is so little enjoyment of any kind ; it is all so serious, and a sort of gloom hangs overitall. If one does say anything which raises a laugh, it is the most ghastly imitation of one, and dies a sudden death, not to be raised again, per- haps, that day. DIARY (continued). June 8th.—Just after starting this morning we dis- turbed an old hippo at his breakfast in the long grass, and he walked quietly into the water, giving us a splen- did view of his person. In the afternoon we passed one very large native village, which is the first I have seen really constructed on a definite plan. It was all built. in small squares, the river forming the fourth side, with a regular landing-place for canoes to each little square, and roughly-made ladders up the bank. ‘The people were very eager to trade, and followed us a long way in their canoes. The women, with few exceptions, still DIARY. 63 continue to wear nothing whatever. I must say that at one village, however, most of the women had tied round their waists large green banana-leaves, cut into fine long shreds, and just pulled off the trees, as if they knew we were coming. ‘Ihe bright green against their dusky skins was very effective. I noticed one very large black monkey to-day, with an immensely long tail. June 9th.—Cup-day at Ascot. What crowds of recollections suddenly spring up when one thinks of this, and how I wonder if, amongst the number of one’s friends there, any of them will give a thought to those who are absent like myself. We passed great numbers of native villages, the inhabitants of which are a really savage-looking people, of whom it is very easy to believe all the stories of cannibalism ; they all, how- ever, wanted us to land and trade, holding up goats and fowls, and following us for long distances in their canoes. The whole of the deck-cabin nearly came down to-day, owing to the great pressure of the top deck, which is crowded with men. We had to move half the men off it on to the lower one, where they are now packed like sardines. If the top deck comes down, it will burst all the steam-pipes, scald a lot of us, and throw most of the men into the river. June 10th.—Some of the villages we passed on the banks of the mainland are very large. The natives were collected in groups at every landing place opposite to the huts, some of them with their bodies entirely covered with bright red clay, and their black faces yet more blackened and shining, presented a very curious appearance. It is very funny to see them in some places, peering out of holes in the dense undergrowth of the forest, just like frightened animals. At one village their principal occupation seemed to be in making canoes; they use a tool very like our adze. I noticed a creat number of elephant tracks all through the forest. It was my turn to sit up and see the wood split for the steamer. Did not get to bed until 2.30 p.m. 1887. June 8, Congo River. 1887. June 11. Congo River. 64 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. June 11th.—Passed some very large villages, one o1 them extending over two miles; they seem to be very thickly populated. They are all built on the same plan as that one described above Upoto, in small squares, the river-bank forming the fourth side of the square, with a bare courtyard in the centre, where they make their pottery, &c. The native shields are nearly all made of hide of some kind, I think goat, but I saw one which looked very like bush buckskin; they have a raised basin-shaped dome in the centre in some cases, made of metal. Between the small squares of the villages are either patches of plantains and bananas or jungle, while at the rear there is generally a strip of Indian corn or manioc, and then comes the forest. ‘There are evidently great manufactures of pottery, for I saw great heaps of pottery in all stages. In all the squares is a great drum formed of a hollow log, covered at the end with skin. Many of the natives dye their bodies bright red with cam-wood, others are blackened all over with the forehead painted pure white, and a small patch under each eye. ‘This gives them the most ghastly appearance. One of the largest villages, Mbunan, had just been burned the night before we passed, and some of the huts were still burning. A few of the in- habitants were wandering about in their war-paint, and looking at the ruins, but they all fled at our approach. They are anything but friendly, as at nearly every village they yelled and shouted at us, shaking their spears and shields, and making signs of cutting our throats, heaping all sorts of insults upon us. It is a bad look-out for our chances of trading for food at the entrenched camp. June 12th.—Arrived at the Aruwimi at last. Did not pass as many villages as yesterday. One large one on the north bank is called Yalumbo. ‘The natives seem to be of a much lighter colour than those we have seen on the south bank; they are shorter and better built. Their paddles are very long in the blade, and beautifully shaped. We came in sight of the mouth of the Aruwimi about 4 P.M., and entered by the channel DIARY. 65 on the north bank; the other channel is hidden by a large island which stands in the centre of the mouth of the river. Mr. Stanley steamed across to Basoko, a large town on the opposite bank, and told the people he wished them to bring us food. He then returned to an old camping-place of his, and we put in a little lower down. At our approach immense numbers of canoes left the town for the opposite banks and islands. The view at the mouth of the river is very pretty, as there is a grand stretch of the Congo without islands, and the forest is very fine. JBaruti, Stanley’s native servant, originally came from Basoko, and I believe there was a most interesting scene when the Peace went over there, between him and his relations. Much weeping and kissing! Basoko stands in lat. 1° 15” and long. 24° 12". The river here is just 900 yards wide. The natives all have their ears stretched in several places by pieces of stick placed in the holes. June 13th.—Orders came from the Peace that we were not to start until 12 o’clock, in the hope that the people would bring us food, but no canoes came near us. The Stanley was the steamer which carried the men belonging to the Free State, who burnt the town about fourteen months ago, and they are still afraid to come near her. Not five minutes after we had started, a number of natives who must have been hidden quite close to us in the bush, ran down to our landing-place. We all went into fits of laughter at a few men on the bank (further up) who gave us a regular war dance, the principal features of which were insulting gestures. The banks of the river are far more thickly populated than the Congo. If they chose to attack us when we are scattered in small parties through the dense forest, woodcutting, where one could not use a rifle until they were close to one, they could easily finish us all. I was to-night in the dark, on one of the native paths, without a light of any kind for over an hour, not a dozen men with me, and I have not the least doubt that the natives were close to us in the bush. J F 1887. June 14 Aruwimi River. -1887. June 13. Aruwimi River. 66 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. see that the curious appearance of their ears is due to tufts of dry coloured grasses, bunches of teeth, and all sorts of things stuck into the holes bored all along their edges. I saw one man to-day, with a long piece of stick, put right through both nostrils at right angles ap hs We t AY) e770 ( tohis nose. They have small oval shields, sharp-pointed at both ends, with a raised dome in the centre, different from any others down river. DIARY, 67 June 14th.—Just before we started some of Mr. Stanley's company set fire to the huts, a most uncalled- for piece of devilment, and a thing to be regretted, as it is more likely to set the natives against us than anything. Saw the first of the conical-shaped huts mentioned in Stanley’s book; they are made of the leaves of palms cut off near the trunk, and overlapping one another layer upon layer, like a shingle roof. The door is small and low, the huts being generally very high. Some of the natives came across and wished to trade. Most of their paddles have a knob of ivory on the end, and are of the most graceful shapes. June 15th.—Last night ten rounds of ammunition per man were served out, and now we go about in fear of our lives that they will be trying the cartridges in their rifles, and letting them off by accident. ‘The river is now very much narrower, not over 500 yards wide, and the north bank is much higher than the south. A little after 5 o’clock we came within sight of the rapids, and the town of Yambuya, where the entrenched camp is to be, and which is to be our home for so long. I was greatly disappointed with the rapids, which are nothing in appearance but a few lines of broken water, although a great volume of water must pass over them. We made fast to the bank opposite the town, and Stairs went over to see Mr. Stanley, and returned with the following orders. We were to have steam up at 6am. The Peace was to start first, go over to the village, and if possible have a palaver with the natives. We were to steam out into the middle of the river, and just keep headway against the stream. No whistle would be blown except by the Peace, and that would be a signal that negotiations had failed. We'were then to cross over to her, when Jephson would land his company, Stanley having already landed his; they were to ascend the bank, and spread in skirmishing order through the village. Whilst the others were landing, Stairs, if necessary, was to work the Maxim gun from the top. deck of the Stanley. As I had no company, I was F 2 1887. June 14 Aruwimi River. 1887. dune 15. 68 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. prepared to do any general fighting. No shots were to Yambuya, De fired, and no damage done to the village unless the natives showed active resistance. Jine 16th.—At 6 a.m. the Peace steamed over to the village, and Mr. Stanley had a very long palaver with — the natives, who would not hear of our landing there. So the whistle was at last blown, and we at once cast off and joined the Peace, which had dropped down below the landing-place. ‘The orders were carried out exactly, and it was a ludicrous sight to see Jephson’s chief going up the bank first, which was fearfully steep, and about 40 ft. high, holding his rifle as far out in front of him as possible, and peering on every side for a lurking foe. Not a native was to be seen when they did get up, and the whole village was occupied in perfect peace. We put up our tents, and destroyed the huts which were not required for our men. After dinner Mr. Stanley called us all to his tent, and hada long talk with us. He explained the plan of the fort, which was to be a triangle, with its base the river-bank, stockaded, and with an outside ditch of 6 ft. wide and 4 ft. deep, 10 ft. from the boma (stockade). He told us that ‘Tippu-Tib was coming with as many men as he could get together, seven days after our landing, and going on with him to the Lake. He would also send enough men to enable us to follow after him with all the stores left here, and those brought up by the Stanley on her return journey. He also said that where there was enough food for so many natives, there must be far more than enough for us. He dwelt a long time on the great importance of Barttelot’s and my position, being left in charge of the fort to guard all the stores, as, if anything should happen to them, the Expedition would be at an end. Mr. Stanley said he would finish the stockade, and as much of the defences as possible, and that he would not in any case leave us until we were in what he considered a position of perfect safety. He also told us of his intention of returning from Lake Albert Nyanza on the route which he will take from here, in NL ee ENTRENCHED CAMP, MAIN STREET, [Page 68 ] mae sk aie 5 i ; by > & } ( DIARY. 71 case we had not enough men to come on with the ammunition and stores; in any case we would meet on the road. ‘The natives have removed every vestige of food. In the centre of this village are three poles between which are built up the most extraordinary collection of native skulls, baskets, and all sorts of implements. June 17th.—My orders for the day were to unload the Stanley and Florida, and stack all the stores and ammunition. ‘This took the whole day to finish. Nelson and his company were all day making a road up the river through the villages in that direction, so as to give Mr. Stanley and his party a fair start on their long journey. All the villages were deserted. Stairs finished the clearing round the camp, and began the stockade, Jephson and his men cut wood for the steamers, and Parke explored in search of manioc plantations. A few natives came in and told Mr. Stanley that the country further up the river becomes very hilly, the travelling stony and rough, but that there are plenty of villages. News gradually spread through camp that Baruti, Mr. Stanley’s native boy, whom he has had for years, had run away, taking with him Mr. Stanley’s belt with cartridges, revolver, and compass, and also a rifle be- longing to William Hoffman, his servant. Feruzi and Bulla, boys belonging: to the Captain of the Stanley, and one of the Engineers had bolted too. ‘This proves how the savage in a man will out, no matter how you train him. ‘The natives have crossed the river, and formed a large camp on the opposite shore. In a letter to his wife, dated the 14th June, Jameson writes :-— “IT cannot get over the feeling of disappointment at being left alone here with only Major Barttelot, when all the others are marching on to the Lakes. We shall have to do afterwards by ourselves, with Troup, Ward, and Bonny, the same march through the same unknown country as the others are doing with Stanley as their 1887. June 16. Yambuya. 1887. June 18. Yambuya. 72 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. leader, and all the picked Zanzibaris in the Expedition. I suppose we shall be here about two months before the steamer returns up river, and we can start. I ama giant of health just now, and once we are settled in the camp I shall have time to draw, paint, and write all sorts of things for you. I like to linger over my letters to you for hours, for then the Expedition and all its surroundings seem to fade far away, but I am rudely awakened, as usual, to the dry hard facts of our progress up this river. . And later on, from Yambuya, he says :—(June 18th) “This is an unfortunate place for me to be confined to, as there is not a single track of game of any kind . . June 19th. . . To-morrow morning we shall eat our last piece of the old milk-goat, and I expect it will bea good two months before Barttelot and I get any more, for the natives have brought in nothing. Stanley and his party, however, should get plenty, as they will come upon as before the people have time to carry away anything . DIARY (continued). June 18th.—Nelson, Parke, and Jephson were all out cutting wood. Stairs was finishing poles for stockade, whilst I was collecting wood, and seeing it stacked. No natives came in; not a bit of meat in Camp. June 19th.—Nothing of interest. June 20th.—Every one out woodcutting. I again superintended splitting and stacking. The Stan/ey left at last for Leopoldville, carrying all our mails. ‘There were many happy hearts when she started, we had had to cut ten days’ wood for her, which was an enormous pile. The Peace is to remain and go back with the Henry Reed. 'The Stanley is to make all haste en route, and return as soon as possible with all the stores and a i nas DIARY. 13 ammunition from Leopoldville, and the men from ,/8%, Bolobo. Mr. Stanley has promised the Captain and Yuubeges Engineer £50 each, if they return in August, or at the latest in September, and handed to me the orders on the bank to give them if they do so. June 2\st—Have been very seedy for the last week, and felt worse to-day. Inspecting stacking and splitting wood again. Mr. Stanley began to build the store, which is also to be my house, and blamed me for not having done so before, although he must have known that for the last three days I could not have got a man or an axe to help me, and he himself told me to look after the splitting and stacking of wood. The Henry fteed, with Barttelot, never turned up, although over- due. Some natives came into camp to have a palaver with Mr. Stanley; they proposed that we should send five Zanzibaris over with them to the other side of the river to show confidence, and make palaver. Stanley said no, but that they must send two goats and ten fowls to us, and then palaver. Still no meat in camp. Living on rice, manioc cakes, and beans with biscuit ; no sugar or salt—a fact! The natives get manioc by crossing the river below camp at night, and going up into the plantations. June 22nd.—Myr. Stanley was getting very anxious to-day about the Henry Reed, and ordered the Peace to start down the river with Stairs and 30 men on board to-morrow, and proceed to the Falls. He thought that perhaps Tippu-Tib might have seized the steamer —rather a curious fact, since he stated to us that he considered Tippu’s word as good as any white man’s. However, when we had given up all hope, late in the evening she appeared round the bend of the river, and Barttelot brought two magnificent, big, fat goats and some bananas and plantains. ‘There was also a splendid fat cow on board, a present from Tippu-Tib to the native chief at Leopoldville, which I wish Mr. Stanley would have allowed us to seize, as I do not see a chance 1887. June 22. Yambuya. 74. STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. of our getting any meat after he is gone. The large town we saw burning on the Congo was burnt by the people on the Henry feed after all, as Tippu-Tib’s people had been looting and were attacked, and some of them were badly wounded, after which they burnt the whole place. ‘Tippu-Tib is not coming after all, but is going to send a chief and some men instead. It appears that in Mr. Stanley’s contract with him, Mr. Stanley promised to supply all his men with ammuni- tion; Tippu-Tib found out that he could not do this, as all the powder and caps are still at Leopoldville, so he is very much annoyed, and at first was not going to send anyone; but Major Barttelot persuaded him, telling him that all the ammunition would be here on the return of the Stanley. Mr. Charters, the missionary engineer of the Peace, made me exceedingly anxious this morning by informing me that there is a great chance that my letters sent by the Stanley will never reach home, as they would almost certainly be opened, read, and destroyed at Boma; he told me that letters are constantly stopped there*. This is a most dis- graceful thing, for if there is one thing ever respected in any country by the governing body, it is the mails. June 23rd.—All day stacking stores and ammunition. In the afternoon four or five Soudanese came in, carrying one of their party, who had been speared by a native; they had been looting a village, when the natives attacked them. ‘T'wo Zanzibaris, who were with them, fired and killed a native, when the others all ran away. Dr. Parke says it is a dangerous wound (in the groin), although he ought to live. ‘There was great beating of drums after this, but no further attack. Poor Alexander, one of the Soudanese interpreters, died to-day. He has been ill for a long time, and ought never to have been taken on the Expedition. * In justice to the Congo authorities on this occasion, it must be stated that all the letters sent by Jameson arrived safe and unopened. —Ep. DIARY. 79 June 24th—The Henry Reed and Peace left early this morning. All men out cutting poles for palisade, which was partly finished by evening. June 25th.—Jephson and I had to write a report upon the state of the bales of clothes &c. for Emin. In consequenc of the way in which they were packed, nearly the whole of them were rotten; but there were a good many which, with patching, might still be made wearable, so we decided to repack these, and use the rest for medical bandages. Stairs is really very bad with fever ; in fact, so bad that Mr. Stanley warned me to be ready to go instead of him at a moment’s notice. To-day Mr. Stanley gave Major Barttelot a long letter of instructions and advice, of which I had to make two copies *. I was very glad indeed to get the letter, as it cleared up many things, of which I had only a very hazy idea. It is clear upon every point, but as regards our relations with Tippu-Tib’s people, I think more might have been told us on this subject. June 26th.—Engaged all morning in re-packing the bales for Emin Pasha, which are now reduced from five to three. I had to use the cover of my tent to pack a good many of the things in, which is a great loss to me, but it is in a good cause. ‘The chief of the natives came over to-day, with whom Major Barttelot was made “‘blood-brother,” in order to increase our friendly rela- tions with them after Mr. Stanley’s departure. “woman with a baby. We caught her too, but she DIARY. 85 screamed fearfully, and I thought she would bring a perfect hornets’ nest about us; but the noise of the rapids drowned her voice. In the meantime there were now five men and two boys standing up to their necks in the water, as we had got between them and the canoe. The Soudanese officer advanced to the edge of the water, and, pointing his gun at one of the boys, he swore he would shoot him if he did not come out. He came out, and we promptly collared him, tied the two women together, and went off at the double for Basksl- wrork ORT a thy & a eb ter Bk z camp. We passed a great number of canoes full of natives, close to the bank, who, when they saw our prisoners, started off at once for their villages across river. Major Barttelot was delighted when I returned with the captives. He sent the boy away to his village to tell the chief that he would only give up the women for goats and fowls, and that he must come and have a palaver himself, as his people had not fulfilled their promises to us, for which reason we had taken the women. We gave the little chap four matakas for himself. He had hardly gone, when we observed a canoe coming down river straight for camp, and the enraged husband of the woman with the picaninny arrived. Luckily he turned out tobe the same man who was here yesterday, and who had broken his promise of bringing us fowls and goats. He now assured us he would bring us five goats and ten fowls for his wife and baby, if he might take them away. We told him that » 1887. July 10. Yambuya. 1887. July 10. Yambuya. 86 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. had he kept his former promises the women would not have been taken, that the moment ten goats, twenty chickens, and some honey for the baby were brought over, the two women and the child would be given back at once. He promised to come to-morrow morning without fail, and left camp quite gaily, shaking hands with everyone all round. ‘This will bring things to a definite issue, either peace and trade, or war. The two surviving cheeping chickens were slaughtered for our Sunday dinner, and an excellent little stew they made—the first bit of meat we have had for a good many days, and oh such a small bit! July 11th.—After breakfast the native arrived to palaver about his wife. He brought one fowl and some fish to show that he was in earnest. We allowed him ' to see the women and the baby. He said the chief was up the river somewhere. I then went off to look after the men cutting poles, taking my small gun and butterfly-net with me; so the collecting has begun at last! The butterflies are rather disappointing, as there are not many different from those on the Congo, nor as large a variety. Returned at 11.45, and found Barttelot had been palavering nearly all morning with the native about his wife, and was very sick of it. He arrived again after lunch, but refused to come into camp. I went out with the men again, and heard tremendous shouting amongst them; and found that the natives had seized Omari, one of the donkey-boys, and taken him across the river. He had strict orders not to go out of sight of the camp; but he left the donkeys, and went to the next village where the natives sell fish, and there they seized him; so he has only himself to blame for it. If the gentleman comes about his wife to-morrow, he will find himself tied up, and told he will be shot if Omari is not given up. Iam sure they had not meant to capture any of our men, as they had a dozen fowls and a goat in the canoe, which they were bringing as part ransom for the woman. On seeing Omari, the sudden idea must have entered their heads DIARY. 87 to take him prisoner. JBarttelot is suffering from a kind of low fever. At present our situation with the natives is this :—we have two fowls and some fish, two women and a baby; the natives have got Omari. I hope things will be straightened out a little to-morrow. Visited sentries last night as usual. July 12th—Gave orders this morning that no man is to leave camp without an order from Barttelot or myself, nor without a rifle. One of the Somalis died to-day; he has been ill for a long time, and had almost entirely lost the use of his legs. Barttelot still seedy ; he eats simply nothing. Certainly plain boiled rice and musty beans do not encourage a weak appetite. July 13th.—After parade sent the men to continue clearing the river-bank, and to deepen the ditch at both ends where it joins the boma. At the end next the spring the bottom of the ditch is stone, and the men have regularly to quarry it. They have built a wall across the end, which would be quite a respectable one, even in Ireland. The natives have made no signs of coming to terms. I shot a small bird, black, with white spots on the wings, which is quite new to me. After lunch had a tremendous time amongst my collections, drying them in the sun. Killed one of the chickens, and ate it stewed in rice for dinner. A little bit of meat like this is a great godsend, but I manage to thrive wonderfully on rice and beans. I proposed to-day that one of us ought to take Matajabu and some of the Soudanese to-morrow to the place where the natives land for manioc, and, hiding the men, see if Matajabu cannot get them to have a palaver. July 14th—Had to begin the day by flogging a sentry, whom I caught so sound asleep that I had to strike him three times with a stick before he awoke. To this class of men we have to trust ourselves at night! Major Barttelot took Matajabu and some of the Soudanese to palaver with the natives. They proposed. to give back Omari and six fowls for the women; but 1887. July 11. Yambuya 1887. July 14. Yambuya. 88 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. Barttelot told them if they did not bring Omari, five goats, and twenty fowls, the women would cease to exist. They came in the afternoon, and asked to see the women, thinking we had already killed them. We allowed the women to go just outside the gate. The husband stood about 150 yards off; and the conversation was kept up by screaming and shouting, the women telling the men they were fools, and calling them bad names for not bringing the fowls and goats, and freeing them. The husband then brought six fowls and a kid as an instalment of the ransom. Omari, who was in the canoe, says the kid is the only one in the village ; he tells us they treat him very well. July 15th—Began to-day to cut wood for the Stanley. We have only five axes, three of which are almost useless ; so it. promises to be a long business, for we have to cut wood for ten days. The natives came again with a few more fowls, and a promise to get five goats from a village lower down the river. They asked first for the baby, then for the mother; but were told that when they brought the ransom they would get them. Just before returning to camp this afternoon I heard the natives making a fearful noise, and then two shots were fired. J was certain it must be Tippu-Tib’s people arriving; but on getting into camp I found a very dif- | ferent state of affairs. It appears that the two Sou- danese guarding the women had taken them down to the river to wash. When their backs were turned, the women jumped into the river. The one without the baby was caught, and Omaha, one of the Soudanese officers, and another man jumped in and swam after the other; they caught her, but were surrounded by canoes with armed natives in them, and were obliged to let her go. A number of the Soudanese had run down the bank after them, and fired two shots at the canoes, but without any effect. All our chances of goats and fowls are gone, I fear, as the natives do not seem to care a bit about the other woman,—and they have got Omari. I'he position now is:—we have got eight fowls, a kid, DIARY. 89 some fish, and one woman; the natives have got back a woman and the baby, and still have Omari: so I should say the balance is in their favour. Major Barttelot is a little better to-day, as I have persuaded him to take some Liebig and sago, for he cannot eat the rice and beans. July 16th.—Whilst out with the men this morning I shot a woodpecker and a very pretty bird, which I believe to be a redstart or some species of warbler. Matajabu has succeeded in making a very good skin of it. On return to camp, I found Omari had effected his escape from the natives, and reached camp. It appears that last night they forgot to tie him up as usual, and he got into a canoe and came down river. He was followed, and did not reach this side until far below the camp at the big native village. His pursuers shouted out to the men on _ shore to catch him; but he got into the water amongst the bushes at the side of the river, and managed to elude them, getting back to camp all safe. It was a very plucky thing for a small boy like himself to do. He says the natives treated him well, and that when the woman and the child got back, the chief told his men to seize any of our men they could. The husband of the woman whom we still have came to-day, and offered to ransom her. He says that they wish to re-occupy the villages up river. Major Barttelot says he will certainly not allow them to do so, as they are much safer on the other side. He believes the man who came over to-day had leprosy, and he got rid of him as quickly as possible. The position is now altered with regard to ourselves and the natives. They have got one woman and the baby back. We have got Omari back, still have one woman, one kid, eight or nine fowls, and ~ some fish; so I think the balance is now in our favour. A tremendous thunderstorm came on to-night, and my house is flooded and my bed wet. I had no time to-day to put the tarpaulin on the roof. The smell from the wet rotten grass on it is frightful, and I should say anything but healthy. 1887. July 15. Yambuya 1887. July 17. Yambuya. 90 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. July 17th, Sunday.—Awoke at 5 o’clock, to find it raining away steadily. It cleared up, however, before , and we sent the men off to clear the rest of the village. Shortly after 10 o’clock down came the rain again; and we knocked the men off work for the day, as it was pay-day, and a half-holiday in any case. Just as we were finishing our usual repast of rice and beans at mid-day, the leprous native arrived with two others, and brought a fair-sized goat, which we took, giving him back the woman. Great rejoicings took place amongst the natives; and I do hope they will come and trade after this. Spent most of my day in etching, and writing out a new store-book, lists of men, rations issued, &c. Our position with the natives now is:— we have got two goats, nine fowls, and some fish, with a promise that they will trade; and they have got back both their women and the baby. July 18th—Had to flog a sentry this morning. Caught him sound asleep at 4 a.m. Major Barttelot and i still take turns in going the rounds. My hours for going the rounds are—a little after 8 p.m. with Barttelot, then alone at 11,2, and 4. It is wonderful how one wakes every night within a quarter of an hour of the hours without being called. The big drum is sounded at 5 o'clock, the men fall in at 5.30, and are all started off to work before 6 o'clock. Went off woodcutting again, also cutting poles for Barttelot’s new house. ‘The dews are so heavy here at night that in going through the bush and manioc plantations one gets soaked, and has to dry gradually as the sun gets up. Shot a black and white finch, and a very handsome pair of birds, with beaks like barbets. I also got a lovely warbler that I have never seen before, olive- green in colour, with grey breast and yellow spots on the wings, and a yellow line over the eyes. I took out my birds’ skins to give them a drying in the sun, when, to my horror, I found a number of small black-beetles (grey underneath), hard at work eating them. How they got into my tin box is a mystery to me. They DIARY. 91 have damaged several skins, ‘“‘bad luck to them,” and are the same kind that used to eat our antelope skins in South Africa. I shall now only use the arsenical soap I bought at Zanzibar. One soldier managed to buy a little fish to-day. July 19th.—It is hopeless to send the men out with any of the muniaparas (chiefs), as they sit down and let the men do just as they lke; the consequence is that from 6 a.M. until after 11 in the forenoon, and from 1.30 until after 5 p.u.,I have to do nothing but stand over them and make them work. It is a wretched way to spend one’s time. It is only by sitting up at night, and on the Sunday half-holiday, that I get any time to do anything. I have now 25 birds’ skins, and this morning added some lovely specimens to my butterfly collection. Spread two tarpaulins over the roof of my house, hoping to prevent the rain from flooding it as the last did. The Majors house is now in an advanced state, as nearly all the framework is up. Fared sumptuously to-day, lunching off a stewed pigeon and dining off a stewed chicken. ‘There has been no trading with the natives. ‘The rats are getting very numerous in my house, and I must begin to shoot them, or, if I get the time, make a trap. They fight and scamper about across the floor and over the boxes without taking the slightest notice of anyone. July 20th—Spent the whole day with the men cutting and carrying wood. I took my painting things out with me in the hopes that I might be able to get a few sketches of some of the principal trees; but what with looking after the men, and my drawing being visited (whilst wet) by every known species of insect, I found it a very hopeless task. The moment that you move a few yards from the men they stop cutting, and when you shout at them to show that you are quite close, they cut a few strokes, stop, and wait until you shout again; then at last you fling down everything in a rage, rush at them, swear, threaten and “cuss” the chief as well as the men, then go back to find 1887. July 18. Yambuya. 92 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. all your things one mass of ants, and that the men have stopped cutting again, when you give it up, and go and sit down on a log beside them. Of course, if one only had a decent chief, things would be very different. Just after lunch I heard two shots fired, and found that two of the Soudanese stated that they had been surrounded by the natives, and had fired. I wish they would shoot some one when they do fire, as ever since that woman escaped and the Soudanese fired two shots and hit nothing—not even a canoe—the natives now swear that the guns are harmless. One miserable canoe, with some stale fish for sale, was the only sign of trade to-day. July 21st.—The chief of my men being ill, I could not leave them for five minutes all day, so I had a really nice time of it. The weather has been lovely ever since Mr. Stanley left, broken only by a few thunderstorms. The prevailing winds are from the westward. We finished our last plantain to-day, and have only two more fowls left, a kid and a goat; I see no chance of getting any more, for the natives do not trade, or offer to, in the least. As a last resource we must catch some more of their women. July 22nd.—Woodcutting without a chief over the men is pretty bad when you are well, but when you DIARY. 93 have a racking headache, and are full of rheumatism, it is simply—detestable. So I found it to-day. Major Barttelot is himself again, Iam happy to say. ‘Trade still stagnant. July 23rd.—Some men, I believe they were Zanzi- baris, tried to steal our two goats last night, but were surprised, and did not succeed, although they managed to get away without being identified. The men, both Soudanese and Zanzibaris, are in a very discontented, mutinous state, and I shall be very glad when either Tippu-Tib’s people or the steamer arrive. duly 24th, Sunday.—Began the day by flogging one of the sentries, whom I caught sound asleep last night, as early as 8 o'clock. So fast asleep was he that I took away his gun from him without awakening him. Half- holiday to-day, so the men only worked till 11.30. The Major went down river on an exploring trip. He brought back some delicious ripe bananas. We killed the small goat this morning, and the consequence is, we have simply feasted like kings. In a conver- sation after dinner, Barttelot and I came to the con- clusion that, in all the countries we have been to, we have never seen any place so utterly devoid of all sport as this. There is not a game-bird of any kind, and I have only once seen the tracks of a wild pig. He came back to-day quite delighted because he had found a lot of salt for his men in the village they visited; but when one of the men—haying, I suppose, tried it— brought some of it up to my house, I told the Major what it really was—gum-copal. July 25th.—Barttelot caught one of my men asleep last night, and took his rifle away, without awakening him, to his tent. This morning I asked him where his rifle was, when Barttelot was standing beside me on parade. The man coolly said some Zanzibari had stolen it, and described his dress, and was greatly astonished when the Major told him it was in his tent. As the man was only a poor half-demented sort of creature, 1887. July 22. Yambuya 1887. July 25. Yambuya. 94 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. who, as I told my chief, ought never to have been on guard, I only gave him six light strokes with a cane for orm’s sake. I think the Zanzibaris are quite the most barefaced liars I ever met in mylife. One night I took a rifle from one of the sentries who was asleep, and brought it to my house, leaving it against a palm at the door. I went back and woke up the sentry, asking him where his gun was. He at once took hold of the other man’s gun, and said that was his. I told him to come with me, and that I would show him where it was, ~ which I did, and he then calmly told me, oh yes, he had left it there, and making a sign with his finger across his throat, said I might cut it if he had been asleep. He found out, however, who had taken it when he got his 25 strokes in the morning. It is really a ereat shame the state our biscuits are in; we opened a fresh box to-day, one of the tin-lined ones, and the water had got in so that the biscuits were a mass of blue mould, weevils, and small maggots. The only way we can eat them is by roasting them in the hot embers or in the frying-pan, which kills the “ bastes.” I have no doubt that they are more nourishing with the quantity of animal matter in them, but we prefer them without. July 26¢th.—Shot a sandpiper with ruffs on the neck. The country was frightfully wet, so Major Barttelot did not go on his usual exploring expedition. After lunch, I made a sketch of him seated on the old drum opposite my door, with all its surroundings. I cannot believe this to be so large a river as is supposed, for last night's rain, though apparently local, was sufficient to raise the river at the very least two feet, and from the highest rapids down as far as we could see was a smooth un- broken sheet of water. Yesterday there were three distinct bars of broken water across the river, in some of which the rocks were showing. ‘This rapid rise takes place whenever we have any heavy rain, and the river falls with equal rapidity. A terrible calamity happened to-day. The uncooked piece of the goat which was DIARY. 95. hung up last night, being affected by the thunderstorm, I suppose, took it into its head to go bad, and so we have only one small scrap left for to-morrow, and meat is very, very precious. July 27th.—Shot one pigeon, two woodpeckers, and a swallow. ‘The men were greatly astonished at my shooting the swallow. He was flying very high and fast, and coming straight at me; he fell yards behind my back, amidst all sorts of exclamations! We are down again on rice and beans, very wholesome, but not appetizing ! July 28th.—The men still splitting wood, and I make them work in relays, so that none of them are idle all day. One of the Zanzibaris died to-day, a poor miser- able little man, whom I always thought half-witted. We bought some honey to-day, and opened a tin of butter, half a teaspoonful of which, added to the rice and beans, makes them slip down in a way they never did before. Did a little etching, wrote a lot of pages for home consumption, and had out all the birds. I have a busy time of it, but life is very much pleasanter than it was. July 29th.—Poor old Derrier Moussa, a Somali, who has been our cook for the greater part of our journey, died to-day. He has been ill for a longtime. It is horrible to watch these men slowly dying before your face, and not be able to do anything for them. The moment a man falls really ill with dysentery, or any other affection of the stomach, he slowly wastes away, becoming a living skeleton, sometimes lingering for weeks before he finally goes out. Shot a woodpecker and a weaver-bird; the latter of the bright rich golden kind, with black neck and throat. July 30th.—Had a bad night to go round the sentries, for shortly after 11 p.m. it commenced to thunder, blow, and rain in torrents, continuing until 5 a.m. Barttelot started with 20 Soudanese for a big village down river, 1887. July 26. Yambuyax but he found the natives had bolted, taking everything 1887. July 30. Yambuya. 96 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. with them, so our visions of goats and fowls are dis- pelled. I shot a swift with a curious spined tail, each feather of which ends in a short bare point like a needle. I also got a large, handsome, black-and-orange weaver- bird, and the hen of the spur-winged plover. July 31st, Sunday.—Shot a nightjar, with which I was quite elated, as it is the first I have seen here, and was a very difficult snap-shot, flying very fast through a lot of high manioc. [66 93eg] ‘ANVO CHHONTUING WOUd AHAIY NMOG PNIMOOT MAIA—VANENVA CHAPTER V. JuLy 27TH TO DECEMBER 3l1sr, Letter to Mrs. Jameson.—No news of Tippu-Tib.—Promise to protect natives. —Reported arrival of Tippu’s men.—Return of deserter from Stanley’s arty.—His statement.— Arrival of the Stanley.—Raid on the natives by ippu-Tib' people.—Final departure of the Stan/ey.—First visit of Tippu- Tib’s Arabs to Yambuya Camp.—Bonny crosses river to native village.— Abdullah punished for stealing an axe.—Jameson and Ward start for Stanley Falls.—Natives offer to make them princes.— Yalisula.—Arrival at the Falls.—Received by Tippu-Tib.—He explains non-arrival of men. —Native wrestling-match.—Jameson makes Tippu present of big rifle. —Return to Yambuya.—Soudanese punished for theft.—Selim bin Mahommed.—Arabs shoot down natives.—Disappointing news from Tippu-Tib.— Rumours of Stanley’s return.—Barttelot and Troup start for Falls—A man possessed by & devil.—Deserter’s story.—Bonny’s surgical skill—The Major returns.—Omaha.—Report of a white man coming down river.—Fresh disappointment.—Jaundice.—Arabhs try to revent trade with natives—Burgari Mahommed steals meat from ard’s house.—Living skeletons.—Three dreams.—Ungungu captured by Arabs.—Christmas Day.—Fresh trouble between Arabs and natives. EXTRACTS FROM A LETTER TO MRS. JAMESON. July 27th, 1887.— . . . It is just a month since Mr. Stanley left us here. Tippu-Tib’s men have not yet arrived, and we are both very anxious about them, for should they not turn up we shall have to wait here until Mr. Stanley comes back from Lake Albert Nyanza, and goodness knows when that may be, perhaps not until November. The men are mutinous enough already, and I do not like to think of what they will be like before then. I must make a little sketch-map of the Camp for you. August 1st.—I am so thankful that I have a taste for collecting, etching, and things of that kind, for had I not I don’t know how I could possibly exist here. Now that the whole of the fortifications are finished, H 2 1887. July 276 Yambuya, 1887. August 1. Yambuya. 100 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. there is nothing to be done but cut wood for the steamer. I manage to enliven that work by taking my collecting-gun and butterfly-net with me, and generally manage to pick up something. All my spare time in camp is taken up with skinning, attending to collec- tions, drawing and writing, so that it is very seldom I have a single idle moment. Barttelot does none of these things, so I am afraid he often finds me a poor companion, and the time falls rather heavily on his hands, although he is a most active man, and always wants to be busy at something. I don’t think Stanley could have left a better man here in command. The natives have deserted all the villages for miles round, and gone over to the other side of the river, unfortu- nately taking all their goats and chickens with them. So there is no loot of any kind, although we continually make long excursions, seeking what we may devour. We sometimes come suddenly upon a large village and find not a living thing in it, although the fires are still smoking, and it has evidently been full of life only a few minutes before. How they know we are coming often puzzles me. I have got about half a dozen nice spears, two fine shields, and four very fine battle-knives, which will make a nice addition to our collection. August 3rd.—I will now tell you something about our entrenched camp and its surroundings. As you will see in the plan, it 1s shaped in a sort of triangle, the river forming one side, a natural ravine and part of a ditch another, and the rest of the ditch the third. Our chief defence is a strong palisade surrounding the whole camp, composed of strong poles placed close together, about 3 feet deep in the ground, and 10 feet high, with long horizontal bars fastened along it. There are only two gates. The main gate, D, looks up the river over a large flat clearing where the rest of the village originally stood. The other gate, E, is at the top of the steep path down to the river, the bank of which can only be ascended at this one point ; there is another opening in the palisade down to the spring C. The ditch is 10 feet from the palisade, 7 feet wide, and 41 deep; so that the place is pretty strongly fortified Meanioe Plantations MMantoce Plantatons | Vays is $f ehl, LAL “fe \ ( | Wi, : 7 i i { lulu UAC SMW — ee tl] os al — i y Medhvelllage 2 Ye, th ~——_- re ae . . Z f Od Kika e Ola Ved - e ay Witt \\ S Ne ae oo eseried May 2 fF ¢ = = Cleared clea soy . Ss 4 ef ate inte es ma bs Beran ADRAL ASHEN Sa a Sag = a Ty LS Se Se ne eee = —— SS ee Se —— - Sete rg = SS SS a =r Sa Mew Village > Built ty Ratives TE PET NB Te Qf. ts oy every muck larger Scale Knee “our anrrval han any f Ca SUrPOUNAUGS Puan or EntrRencnrp Camp.—YAmBvrYa. A. Raised platforms for six men to fire from. HK. Gate at path to river. L. Palisade. B. Ditto, very high, commanding every place. F. My house and store. M. Oookhouse. C. Spring, with covered way, protected by G. Major B.’s new house. N. Major B.’s tent. alisade. H. Huts of Zanzibaris. O. Paths in use to plantations, D. Main gate. K. Huts of Soudanese. DIARY. 103 against natives without guns. The places you see marked ‘ Clearing” were all originally dense bush, which we cut down and carried away, so as to see anyone attacking from that side. Inside the camp are four raised platforms, to hold six men, each of which commands a long range on every side, and can sweep the ditch and ravine up and down. The camp is not over 50 yards wide at its broadest part, and about 150 to 200 yards long. ‘The river here is from 600 to 700 yards wide. In my plan you will see that the camp is drawn on a much larger scale than any of its sur- roundings; this I did to give you a better idea of what it is like. All the natives who inhabited the places you see marked “ Old village cleared” have gone over to the other side of the river, and formed one immense village, where you will see it marked just under the upper rapids. The road Stanley has taken to the Lake, and the one we hope soon to be travelling, is an old native path going from village to village up the niver, and leading nearly due east. August 5th.—Barttelot and I sat on after dinner to-night talking of home and old times. ‘These chats cheer us both up immensely. I am so glad that he and I pull so well together, for if we did not, life here would be unbearable. I wonder how he guessed we should do so well together; for he asked Stanley espe- cially to leave me with him. I cannot help still feeling . terribly disappointed at not having gone on; but I try to think of it as little as possible, and make myself as useful as I can here. After leaving for the Lake, I do not care if I never have time to collect a single thing, as every step will be one nearer home... . It will be wonderfully interesting marching through that new country. DIARY (continued). August 1st—Bank holiday in England, but not re- cognized on the Aruwimi river. Barttelot went out with the men woodcutting, so that I had a great time amongst my birds and butterflies, and also found time to etch one of the giants of the forest here. The natives 1887. August 3, Yambuya. 1887. August 1, Yambuya. 104 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. have heard that Tippu-Tib’s people are on their way here, which is joyful news for us, but as these natives are the same as those who killed a lot of his people some time ago, they believe that the men are not coming to us, but to revenge themselves upon them, so they say that they will remain on the other side of the river, and bring us no more fish or honey. If this news be true, it is a splendid thing for us, as we shall be able to start for the Lake almost immediately after the arrival of the Stanley. We are beginning to have a little too much of rice and beans, and each time we pass the goat, still in camp, our glances have a terrible look of hunger in them, and I don’t think he will survive another day or two. | August 2nd.—No more news of Tippu-Tib, but the natives will not trade. A lot of black weaver-birds have made a colony in the palms over my house, and ~ have stripped all the other palms, far and near, of their leaves, for the nests. It is very interesting to watch them building their nests. ‘They tear a long thin slip off a palm leaf, hold it tight to the side of the nest with one foot, take hold of the loose end in the beak, push it through a small hole in the side, pull it out through another, and make it fast, using the unemployed foot as well as the beak the whole time, regularly weaving the strip of leaf in and out in a wonderful manner. August 3rd.—Last night I caught two of the men asleep on sentry duty. This morning, on parade, I told one of them that, as I had never caught him before and he had had a hard day’s woodcutting, 1 would let him off with a caution; but he at once proceeded to say that he had not been asleep at all, and had been sitting up awake. When I caught him, he was lying on the ground at full length, and I gave him two kicks before he even stirred. However, he persisted in the lie, and I ordered him twenty-five, at the same time explaining it was for the lie he was flogged. Taking thirty men with me I went to the big village down river, where Barttelot had been about a week ago, and on our way we passed a strongly DIARY. 105 stockaded village, the gate of which had been newly blocked up. We had to climb over and cut it away from inside. Some of the huts here were most beautiful, quite works of art. I have not seen any like them; they are very low, their walls about 4 ft. high, perfectly circular, ending in a dome-shaped roof. I am going back to make sketches of them. ‘The large village we found to be deserted. The natives here place a number of small sharp spikes of very hard wood round their huts, and in the paths; the points stick up, and are calculated to give very nasty wounds to bare feet. We found that all the people were encamped on the opposite side of the river, and when they saw us they set up the most hideous noise, yelling, beating drums, and blowing large horns. As they did not attempt to attack us, we pro- ceeded to gather quantities of corn, bananas, plantains, and tobacco, all the men returning to camp well loaded. On my arrival in camp, in the absence of Major Barttelot, I interviewed a native, who informed me that a number of Zanzibaris were coming down the river in canoes, and had fought the natives, and burnt the village above the rapids, where their chief was, in spite of their having told them that they were “ blood-brothers ” of Bula Matadi; and he asked if he might move all the people across to the deserted village above camp, that we might protect them. I told him I would allow him to occupy the deserted village below camp, and that then we should be between them and their enemies. He fairly shouted with joy. I gave him a small piece of cloth, and sent him off to tell his people that we would not hurt them, and would try and keep others from doing so. I cannot understand Tippu-Tib’s people coming down the river, unless they struck it far above us. ‘They ought to be here to-morrow. August 4th—The natives came and had a palaver with Barttelot, telling him that Tippu-Tib’s people will be here in two days, and again asking for protection. They have begun to occupy the villages on this side, and are evidently in an awful fright, though they seem to have great confidence in us. 1887. August 3. fambuya. 106 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. eae 5. August 5th—We at last summoned up sufficient Yambuya, courage to kill the goat, in spite of the great uncer- tainty as to when we shall get another, but one really cannot live altogether on rice and beans, and see a live goat walking about, and eating the grass in camp. As there was too much meat to use whilst fresh, I cut off all from the hind legs into strips, salted it, and hung it in the sun to dry. No more news of Tippu-Tib’s people. One of the Soudanese officers told me that there were four Zanzibaris about a mile from camp, right at the end of the furthest village, buying stuff from the natives. I put on my hat and started off to catch them, and found them at the very spot where the officer said they were. They were awfully astonished when I came upon them; they had broken every one of our rules, they were far from camp without rifles, had DIARY. 107 not asked leave to go, and had deliberately left their work. The officer told me the same four were there every day; each man had five or six matakas with him, and this made me nearly certain the chiefs had sent them, although of course they denied it. Some one must have given them matakas to go with, for they only get one each aweek. I was going to have them flogged as an example, but Major Barttelot advised me to fine them each the amount of matakas they had. This will punish whoever gave them the matakas, so I told them that I would let them off the flogging, and for the next five or six weeks would pay them out of their own matakas. August 6th—The Major went out in the morning with the woodcutters, whilst I looked after camp, and the men were employed stacking wood. I dried and packed ready for home all my Aruwimi collec- tion of butterflies, consisting of just 100 specimens, did a little etching, dried the beltong, and went through my birds before packing. I have had the old flag of my company tied to the highest post in the boma, that ‘Tippu-Tib’s ee can make no mistake and pass us*, August Tth—After breakfast Barttelot went off with some Zanzibaris and Soudanese to a village some dis- tance away from the river, and returned with a splendid lot of plantains. ‘The natives are evidently still in a great fright, as they send all their women every. night down to the village below camp, and the men themselves sleep on this side of the river, above it. No news of Tippu’s people! Hoisted another flag at the river-gate, so that no one can very well miss us passing down * From letter to Mrs. Jameson, August 6th.—*I do hope Tippu-Tib’s people will come soon, and then we shall be able to start for the Lakes at once, and save some months. Had the wonderful fleet of steamers of the King of the Belgians, which Stanley spoke about before leaving England, really existed, we could all have gone on to the Lake at one time, and saved six weary months, which have been added on to this trip.” 1887. August 5. Yambuya. 1887. August 7. Yambuya. 108 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. the river. Still feasting away like kings on the old goat. Well miss him when he’s gone! August 8th.—Started the men at building a hospital. August 9th.—Major Barttelot and I are both decidedly seedy. Very bad news to-day, according to which the supposed Tippu’s men up-river are a body of wan- dering Arabs, who are looting and destroying every village they come across. This is a dreadful damper to us, as we were sure they were Tippu-Tib’s men, although from the beginning I was puzzled to understand why they were coming down the river in canoes. The native who came over and told us this returned this afternoon with a small pot of palm-oil. He seems to bear us no ill-will for having taken his wife and child, but was as merry as possible. August 10¢th.—Heard heavy firing up the river in the direction of the Arab camp. One of the men lost one of the axes to-day. He was going out with the rest of the men woodcutting, and stopped just outside the boma to sharpen the axe on a large flat stone, after which he left it on the side of the road, and ran back into camp for a moment to get something. On returning he found the axe gone. He says that Munichandi and Songoro were close behind him when he left it, but they both deny having seen it. I have told him that unless it is found he will be fined 25 dollars. Some of our own men, either Zanzibaris or Soudanese, must have stolen it to sell to the natives, as they have asked for one several times, and no one else but our own men could have stolen it. The Major says the best plan will be to stop all the men’s matakas until it is produced. Sawa couple of rollers hawking away from the top of the highest tree near camp. I shot them both, and they are different from any I have shot in 8. Africa. August 11th.—Told the men this morning on parade that not a single mataka would be issued until the axe was found and the man who stole it. If this does not get it back, nothing will, but there were no signs of it DIARY. 109 this evening. Shot four beautiful bee-eaters and two shrikes, one black, the other black and white. Found a very curious small rat or mouse in the ditch with a long proboscis like an elephant’s trunk. No sign of Tippu-lib’s men or the steamer. August 12th.—News of Stanley arrived unexpectedly to-day. Barttelot and I were standing at the gate, when we saw a Zanzibari coming along the up-river road, leaning on a stick, very lame. We recognized in him one of Stanley’s party. Barttelot and I took him to my house, and interviewed him. From what he says it appears he left Mr. Stanley after they had been march- ing for a month, when they reached a large river run- ning into the Aruwimi, on this bank, from the south. This they had to cross in the boat; and this man and another, being too done up to go on, were left behind, Mr. Stanley advising them not to remain in the camp, but to go some distance into the bush and wait there until they were stronger. ‘The natives speared one of them, but this man made his escape, and got back here frightfully done up and with very sore feet. The officers were all well, but there was great scarcity of food. The men had sometimes been four days without food, and were so weak that as many as twenty had often to be used to carry one section of the boat. It appears that one day they succeeded in capturing a large canoe, four men, a goat, and some women with babies. They had first of all shot one man in the canoe. The women ran away, and left the babies in the camp, so they were drowned in the river. Stairs had to be carried twelve days from this camp, so he must have been ill for some time. The road is level and all through dense bush. They passed many villages, but the majority of the manioc was very small, with no roots, so they had to eat the green tops. Mr. Stanley put the four natives captured in chains, also one of the Soudanese who lost his rifle, after giving him 170 strokes with arod. We are going to have a regular examination of the man to- morrow, writing down the questions and answers, as this news of Stanley is important. 1887. August 11. Yambuya 1887. August 13, Yambuya. 110 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. August 13th.— Yesterday being the first day of grouse- shooting, Barttelot and I had serious thoughts of taking a whole holiday, but, as the steamer is due, we thought it better not to do so. Our friend the native came over and offered to take me to where there are buffalo, not a day from here. He is very anxious we should lend him ten men with rifles to go and take a village lower down, where there are goats and chickens, and the men of which captured two of his wives some time ago. The result of our cross-questioning of the man from Stanley’s party is this:—It took Mr. Stanley eighteen days to reach the river, which they had to cross ina boat. The road lies close to the river for two days after leaving this camp. All bomas were still standing on the road when the man returned. Mr. Stanley made a zariba in each village he camped in. Kight men were left sick on the road ; one was killed, six were left in the bush, the last returned here. No men died on the road. Only one skirmish with natives the day they left here, at the village where they slept. One man was wounded in the forehead with an arrow. In the night four natives threw spears behind Mr. Stanley’s tent. There are six villages in the first two days’ march; none between that and the river they had to cross. They walked for five days, when the road left the river through a swamp. ‘This river was smaller than the Aruwimi. Great want of food after the first two days. After crossing, Mr. Stanley still appeared to con- tinue along the main river. Mr. Stanley still had two. bags of rice, the other officers none; but they still had biscuit. They only got one goat, and no chickens, on the march. They saw no game but elephants, and never used the Maxim gun. The men were very weak. They started each day at daybreak, marched till noon, cooked and ate food, then marched until 5 o'clock. The man who returned, belonged to Nelson’s company, and was named Moussa bin Dhama. When they reached the river running into this one they saw a canoe with eight men in it, and a woman and baby, also a goat. I suppose they would not stop, but in any case they were fired DIARY. bel upon, and three of the eight men shot. Mr. Stanley , | then took the canoe, men, woman, goat, and some pots y, of palm-oil which were in it. The men were taken away by Mr. Stanley as guides, and the woman escaped in the night, leaving the baby in the camp. The man says that Mr. Stanley ordered it to be thrown in the water next morning*. About two days up the river, whilst he was lying down, two elephants passed close to him. This is the man’s account, translated by my boy Mata- jabu. MATAJABU. August 14th—The Stanley arrived to-day. About 11.530 she was sighted coming round the bend, and | don’t think anything ever gave me such a thrill of pleasure as this news did, for I have looked forward most anxiously for her arrival, as she brought us the last letters we shall get until we reach Zanzibar. It appears that a second time the Expedition was nearly wrecked. My letters from home revived all my fading spirits, and I went to bed happier than I have been * Mr. Stanley published in ‘The Times’ of Nov. 17th, 1890, the statement of Saleh ben Osman, another Zanzibari follower, as reliable evidence of atrocities committed by Jameson and Barttelot.—Ep. 1887. gust 13, mbuya. 1887. August 14. Yambuya. 112 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. for a long time, after sitting up till three in the morning finishing my letter home. Auqust 15th.—After lunch the natives on the opposite shore made a fearful noise, and began going down stream as fast as they could. Then we heard shots, and on running out with my glasses I saw the smoke still hanging in the bushes behind the village, and a number of natives swimming in the water. Presently our native friend, with a few more, turned up, and said they had been attacked by Tippu-Tib’s people, and some of their women taken. ‘They begged for a white man to be sent out to ask the Arabs not to fight them. Lots being drawn as to who should go, it fell to Bonny and Ward; and they went over, but could see nothing of the Arabs, who had decamped. They had killed two men and taken some women. August 16th.—Ward at work all day packing curios. The Captain and Mr. Walker gave us a little help towards our stores in the way of some pepper and a few Native DRINKING-BOWLS. matches, of which we were sadly in want. Ward had very bad news to-day, as he saw in one of the papers that the steamer in which he had sent home a, large collection of curios, and all his notes for the last two or three years, had been run into and sunk in the Mersey, DIARY. 113 with all her cargo. It was awfully cold, and rained nearly all day. The Stanley starts at 6 oclock to-morrow morning. She only brought us one goat and some plantains. Hard lines, as the Major and I had been dreaming of her decks crowded with goats and chickens! I am sending my boy Matajabu back to Leopoldville, as he would only die on the road, not being strong enough to keep up with us, and then the natives would get him. He is a great loss to me, as not only was he a capital servant, but he could speak the language of the natives, and was our interpreter with them and the Zanzibaris, and he did all my bird-skinning. August 17th.—Settled down to our old work again. Started men to cut poles for a mess-house. Opened Kuropean provisions in order to give out three months’ rations to ‘Troup, Ward,and Bonny. Barttelot has sent three Zanzibaris in a canoe up to the Arab camp to find out who they are. We are now fairly cut off from the world. We have almost given up hope of Tippu- Lib’s men, and are already talking about how we shall employ our time until November. The Stanley left at 6 a.m. for Leopoldville. August 18th.—The Zanzibaris returned with ten of the Arabs, who really are Tippu-Tib’s men. Their head chief and two others came into the house, shook hands, and had a long palaver with Major Barttelot and myself. It appears that they were sent from the Falls by Tippu- Lib to collect men, but, as far as we know of their pro- ceedings, it looks ‘far more like collecting slaves and ivory. ‘They said that 700 men had started under Sheik Rachid to come to us, but that upon arriving at a camp on Mr. Stanley’s road, where he had left some mark, they had concluded that the whole Expedition had gone on, and had returned, now being encamped on some river between this and the Falls. ‘This Sheik’s name is Abdullah Coroni, and he offered either to send a letter to Tippu-Tib for us, or to escort one of us to the Falls, four days from here. After thinking it . I 1887. August 16 Yambuya. 1887. August 13. Yambuya. 114 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. well over, and speaking to all of us about it, Major Barttelot has decided to send two of us, and got the Sheik’s promise to return in two days with twenty men to escort us. ‘This, of course, will be our only chance of getting the men now, for, if we did not go for the men, the chances are that they would be scattered all over the country, and we should never see them. Iam more than glad that Barttelot has decided upon sending me, and Ward to accompany me as a witness of the inter- view with ippu-lib. The tramp will be through a piece of unknown country, and full of interest. While the Arabs were talking with us, I could not make out where I had seen one of them before, as I seemed to know his face, when it suddenly dawned upon me that he bore a wonderful resemblance to Florence St. John, the actress. I never saw a more remarkable likeness, and Ward, to whom I mentioned it, saw it at once. Before leaving, Sheik Abdullah promised not to molest any of the natives near us. August 19th.—The men worked at the mess-house, and brought in fire-wood, and cleaned up the camp, a daily duty which we look upon as the most important one of all. In the afternoon Bonny went over, with the chief, to the village on the other side. He says that on his arrival the people were tremendously excited and pleased at a white man coming over. The men in his canoe made a circle with the poles they use for poling up the rapids, to keep the crowd back, for the natives were even up in all the trees. ‘They made such a noise that he could not hear the chiefs speak, but when he rose and put up his hand, they were all silent at once. He then waved his hand, and they all sat down. He first asked them if they were not glad that the white men had prevented their being killed by the Arabs, to which they all shouted an assent. .They then brought a lot of leaves from the roof of one of the huts, closely rolled together, and made Bonny hold one end, while an old chief held the other; they next gave him a knife and DIARY. 115 told him to cut the leaves in two, after which the chief cut them, when they were dipped in water, with which the bystanders were sprinkled. All the people then shouted, “We are at peace! We are at peace!” Bonny told them that we wanted goats and fowls, not as presents, but that we would pay for them. They said that Tippu-Tib’s people had taken all their goats, but that they had a village inland where they kept all their fowls, and they would bring them. The natives made him a present of six fowls, one man actually bringing a little chicken with no feathers on, saying it was all he had. Bonny gave the chief a piece of handkerchief. I received my letter of instructions from Major Barttelot, and to-morrow I hope to start for the Falls. August 20th—The Arabs never turned up all day, much to our disgust. Just as I came out of my bath to-night, a large centipede nearly walked right over my foot; this is only one of the many insects of every abominable species that infest my house. August 21st.—My birthday *, which reminds me that I have spent two others in South Africa, and two in America, all under canvas, for although this is a wooden hut with a grass roof, a tarpaulin covers the whole. Some of the Arabs have arrived, the rest come to- morrow, under the chief Abdullah, and on the following day we begin our march, thank goodness! ‘They say it will take at least six days, and at an ordinary pace nine. They brought with them two little dots of children, the eldest, I should say, not more than five years old, and a small dog, all proceeds, I suppose, of their late raid on the natives. On the strength of its being my birthday, we opened a tin of sardines, and feasted off them with some rice. There was great grumbling among the men because their matakas are still stopped, as they have not given * This is a mistake ; his birthday was on the 17th August, the very aate upon which he died at Bangala, in the following year, 1888.— Ep, 12 1887. August 19 Yambuya. 1887. August 21. Yambuya. 116 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. up the man who stole the axe. Deputations both from the Soudanese and Zanzibaris waited on us, and at last the Major told them that as they could not find out the man who stole it, and as Abdullah was really the cause of its being stolen, if by to-morrow morning they had all come to the conclusion that he ought to be punished, we would give him fifty lashes, and give them their matakas. August 22nd.—It was decided by all the men that Abdullah should be flogged, and so he was. From the quiet way in which he received it, I begin to think that he stole the axe himself, or lost it. After lunch, Sheik Abdullah arrived with the rest of the Arabs, about thirty men in all, including those in camp, and a number of native slaves (armed with splendid spears), who are their carriers. Sheik Abdullah brought his wife with him, and a very fine fowl, which he gave to Major Barttelot. They say there is not the least doubt that we shall get the men from ‘Tippu-Tib. The natives with them are the most horrible-looking lot I have ever seen, beauti- fully tattooed with cuts from a knife, and with their upper and lower lips cut into fringes, and their teeth filed into points. August 23rd.—Started for the Falls at 7 o’clock. For the first two hours our road lay parallel to the river, then struck off through the forest. The general direction was 8.S.W., sometimes due 8. A struggle took place on the way between some of Tippu-Tib’s men and the natives from near Yalisula, which was rather exciting while it lasted. At one time we heard a tremendous noise ahead, and found all hands hunting like hounds in a swamp, and they at length returned with an old man, a woman, and a child, whom they made captives, but Sheik Abdullah made them release them. Had we not been there, little chance would they have had of escape, as the Arabs would have kept the woman and child until they were ransomed with ivory by the husband. It was pitiable to see the old man following his wife and child, although the Arabs did DIARY. 117 not want him. It is wonderful what they will pay to _ 1887. get back their women. ‘Tippu-Tib’s men’s faces of 40st disgust showed plainly that this was not their ordinary ane treatment. ‘The natives buy ivory with large pieces of Falls. iron shaped like a spear-head, and about six feet long, of which ten will buy a good tusk, and should they have no ivory they pay the Arabs for their women in these iron pieces. For the first part of our road we had to walk like tight-rope dancers along immense fallen trees, wade numerous swamps and small rivers, after which the path lay through splendid open forest, witk very fine timber in it. August 24th.—Started at 6 o'clock. The road was hilly, and led through the same forest. At one vil- lage the natives said we were the first white men they } —— ee) ———— had ever seen, and that they must make us princes, bu’ they did not do more than produce a pot of malafu. 1887. August 24, March to Stanley Falls, 118 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. The ceremony is therefore much simpler than in ow country. Fancy the big potentates at home sitting down round a pot of beer to make two new princes! Eight or nine Arabs then arrived, some of them great men, in the most spotless turbans, of whom Bartho- lomew told us that they had hidden all their slaves in the bush, being afraid we would come to their village, which I quite believe, for when I asked them where it was they said ‘ Very far, too far to go to,” yet they had just left it! August 25th—The guides turned up about 6 A.M., and we began one of the worst marches I have had for along time. At first the road lay through groves of plantains and small villages, until about one o’clock, when we entered a large cane-brake intermixed with prickly palms and creepers, and of all the roads I ever travelled this was the worst. At one moment you were caught by the throat and your helmet knocked off; then, having struggled out of that fix, you were next tripped up by a creeper, and fell on your nose. We met some of Tippu-Tib’s people coming from Singatini, who told us that Tippu-Tib was going off to see Sheik Rachid at the Lumami River in two or three days, so we pushed on, doing, I should think, very little short of twenty miles. The natives of the last village we passed said that as we were the first white men they had ever seen they must make us a present, and they started off to get us a small dog to eat, which they consider a great delicacy, but we had not time to wait for it. About a hundred yards from our camping-ground we had to wade waist- deep through a river, and as the man with my bag did not turn up until long after dark, I had rather a bad time of it. Our road lay S.E. nearly all day. We had nothing to eat since morning but some mouldy biscuits, and dined off the remnants of the cold rice and fowl of yesterday. August 26th.—Started at 6 a.M., and our road lay for some hours through a beautiful open forest, then down a steep hill, and along the bed of a river for nearly a DIARY. 119 mile. As our caravan slowly wound its way up the silvery bed of the stream, gleams of light fell here and there, piercing the shadows of the tropical forest. At last, after many steep hills, and having crossed one very broad river in a canoe, we suddenly came upon a full view of the Congo, and descended into a large village called Yalisula, where we changed our wet clothes, got into canoes, and went on to Yawamli, a village higher up the river on the left bank. Here we slept in a whitewashed mud house belonging to the Arabs. At both villages we were objects of the greatest curiosity, especially while changing our things, when there was perfect quiet amongst the two or three hundred onlookers. The Arabs treated us very kindly, making us presents of rice and fish. We marched fifteen miles, and came about two miles in the canoes, our road again lying S.E. August 27th.—Started at 6 o'clock in canoes, and after two hours reached Yadzembi, where we changed canoes; in each village the Arabs sent us on with their own natives to the next. Those who accompanied us from this place were great swells, wearing brass and iron wire right up to their elbows; and their hair was dyed bright red with cam-wood. At two o'clock we reached a large village on the right-hand bank named Yatuka, at which there was a market going on. Sheik Abdullah’s village is about an hour from here, up a small river, and he very much wished us to stay at Yatuka for the night, but I insisted on going on at once. Opposite this place lies Yarracombi, another of Tippu-Tib’s villages. After we had started, a terrific thunderstorm came on, half filling the canoe with water. We went on after dark for a couple of hours, finally reaching Tatiacusu, where we stayed for the night. The Arabs gave us a fowl, two eggs, and a lot of rice. Unfortunately I had had nothing to eat all day but some raw chiquanga, with a drink of malafu, and I was so sick that I could eat nothing when we did get food. I must here say a word for our waterproof bags. Mine had 1887. August 26 Congo River. 1887. August 27. Tatia- cusu. 120 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. been lying all the evening in a good half-foot of water, with me sitting on the top of it, and yet not a thing inside it was wet. Ward’s things, which were all in a waterproof sheet, were soaked through. We slept in the verandah of the Arabs’ house, surrounded by the usual crowd of inquisitive natives. August 28th.—Left Tatiacusu at 5.30, and, after about three hours in the canoes, reached Atiacusu, where we saw no Arabs, but an immense number of natives. Here we had to change canoes. ‘There was rather a row about poles and men for our canoe, which at one time threatened to be serious, but it ended in a slogging match with sticks and logs of wood. I was greatly amused with Abdullah, who rushed back to our canoe, and seized my big revolver, and was going to shoot a native with it, with the leather cover on. About two hours before coming to the Falls, we passed the mouth of the river Wamanga, and further on that of the Chopo River, both on the left bank. We arrived at the Falls about 5 o'clock. Tippu-Tib himself came down to meet us, and conducted us to his reception house, where his brother and all his officers were assembled. He gave us some delicious fried plantains, tea, and coffee, and made Sheik Abd- ullah tell him all about our journey, camp, &c. I then told him I had a letter for him from Major Barttelot, which I would present after we had changed our wet clothes. We went to the house he had placed at our disposal, where a man presently brought us some excellently cooked fowl and rice. We then went down, with Bartholomew as interpreter, to present the letter, and I told Tippu-Tib that anything in it that he could not understand I would explain, as I held a translation in English. I used Bartholomew as interpreter, but Tippu replied to me each time through Salem, making him ask me any questions he had to put. I then gave him the revolver from Barttelot, and a knife from myself. He thanked me for them, and explained the reason for the men promised to us not having STaNLEY Fas. [Page 120. ] Miter e nels ale te so nee i Liam ree ae DIARY. 123 reached our camp. ‘They started from the Falls with Tippu-Tib himself, 500 men for Mr. Stanley, and with the men paddling the canoes (of which there were fifty), 1,500 in all. Arriving at a small village, which must be within half a day of our camp, they sent over some men to a large village which lay on the opposite bank of the river, to get food. ‘The natives all ran away at their approach ; but they had no sooner taken fowls and plantains, and were returning to their canoes, than the natives, who had been hidden in the bush, rushed down and killed four of them, cutting them up and dividing the meat on the spot. Tippu-Tib attacked the village that evening, and burned it next morning. By this time all the paddlers in the canoes were either sick with fever, or their hands were sore, so they had to return. He says Mr. Stanley had told him the camp would be at Basoko, or near it, at least not so far up the Aruwimi. He then sent 200 men to try and find the camp overland, but they returned, saying they could not find it. He again sent 200 men under Abdullah, with orders not to return until they had found it, or Mr. Stanley’s road. This is the Abdullah who brought us to the Falls, but he must have known about our camp long before we sent up to him. ‘Tippu then promised to send out to-morrow morning to collect as many men as he could, and that after three days, it now being their Christmas, he would start himself with them for our camp, leaving his brother to send on the rest. He asked me if we should start after Mr. Stanley with the men he brought with him, leaving some of the white officers to bring on the remainder when they arrived. I told him I had no authority to say what we should do, but that I thought the Major would not start at all until he knew definitely how many men there would be, or until they were all there. He again promised to start in three days, but said he was not sure if he should be able to give 100 men, as they were now scattered all over the country. This ended the conference. 1887. August 28, Stanley Falls. 1887. Sugust 29. Stanley Falls. 124 STORY OF THE REAK COLUMN. August 29th.— Was awakened by a boy bringing in a most delicious breakfast of vermicelli and plantains fried in ghee, followed by a chicken and rice. Aftei breakfast Tippu-Tib sent to say he would like to show his brother my Winchester and revolver, so I took them down to the reception house. After everyone had examined them, I told Tippu-Tib that, upon reflection, I thought it might be better for him to stay here a few days longer than the three days he proposed, in order that he might collect more men, and gain a definite idea of how many men he would be able to give us. He seemed rather annoyed at this, and explained that his reason for wishing to start in three days is that the majority of the men are in villages below the Falls, and that by thus going down himself he will have far less difficulty in collecting them. ‘This sounded reason- able, so I let well alone, and said nothing more. I shall now start with him, and when we leave the canoes shall send Ward ahead as fast as possible with a letter to the Major. After this there was a regular reception of about twenty Arab Sheiks, who had come to breakfast, and then Tippu asked us if we would like to go round the station. We all crossed the river to the old Free State Station beiow the Falls, and examined the Krupp guns, and found they still have the breech blocks, which were not destroyed as stated by Mr. Deane. Then large canoes were summoned to take us to the island above the Falls. Here we witnessed a great wrestling match between two picked men, one from the village we had left, the other from the island village, which was a very grand affair. In the centre of the main street a space had been cleared, and at one end were all the chiefs, athletes, and girls of one village, with their champion, and opposite them stood the rival party. The two cham- pions were splendid-looking men, covered over with different coloured clays, these being their distinguishing colours. ‘The girls all wore a small piece of cloth in front, and a long tail of black palm-fibre, which waved about as they danced. Those belonging to the one — DIARY. 135 village began the ceremony by dancing, clapping their hands, and singing a wild chant, taunting the opposite party with being afraid of their champion, upon which the 3) Gham hiom others went through the same performance. Finally the champions came forward, and after many attempts at getting fair grips they closed, and after a short wrestle, in which neither got a fall, they parted amidst tremendous uproar. All the girls of both parties then danced up and down the centre. Before the men began to wrestle, old women came and spat on them and jeered at them, evi- dently for the purpose of arousing their courage. There was also great running up and down of magnificently attired chiefs, with small brooms in their hands, to clear the arena. ‘The wrestlers came out again, but this time there were so many disputes about the grips that finally the party from the mainland led off their man altogether. These disputes often end in blows, and sometimes in bloodshed. We then rejoined Tippu-Tib, and crossed to the other island above the Falls, to see a tree which was considered a great marvel. It had lain on the eround for a long time, and quantities of fire-wood had been chopped off it, notwithstanding which it had suddenly sprung upright again. This was easily ex- plained, for the roots had never been cut, and after some of the stem and many of the branches had been 1887. August 29. Stanley Falls, 1887. Augnst 29. Stanley Falls, 126 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN, removed, they were sufficiently strong to raise it up again. ‘The view of the Falls is greatly spoilt by the enormous poles which are placed across them, holding large baskets swinging in the water ta catch fish. The Arabs are wonderful civilizers; they erow quantities of rice, sweet potatoes, onions, guava trees, mangoes, paw-paws, and pomegranates. A black- smith’s shop is one of the sights here. One very good law made by them to encourage trade is, that no natives living near the water are allowed to cut fire-wood, and no natives from inland are allowed to catch fish, thus the dwellers by the river buy their fire-wood with fish. Two of the big chiefs here speak Swahili. August 30th.—After breakfast we took our sketching things and went down to see Tippu-Tib. He gave us a boy and Salem to take us all about the place. We crossed to the old Station below the Falls, where we were met by Sheik Selim Mahommed, Tippu-Tib’s nephew, one of the nicest of all the Arabs, a gentleman every inch, down to the soles of his feet. We went on to lunch with old Sheik Nasoro, a very courtly old gentleman. From his house we could see the natives coming down to the edge of the Falls, some holding on to the poles, whilst others mounted them, and dragged up the large baskets of fish. After saying good evening to Tippu-Tib, we sat on the rocks by the river, and, smoking our pipes, watched the setting sun. I can easily understand anyone getting quite fond of this place. There is a mixture of wildness and quiet about it which is really charming. Whilst resting at Sheik Mahommed bin Said’s house, an Arab brought in seven or eight small tins of Crosse and Blackwell’s Liebig, a large tin of lard, and a ripe paw-paw, an excellent fruit, which I had not eaten before. He asked what was in the tins, and, to our great amusement, told us they had been in the habit of using it for sores on the legs. He gave us all the Liebig, but took away the lard in disgust upon hearing it was hogs’ fat. History does not relate from whom he had got all this, and ; DIARY. Ley the small packet of lettuce seed which he also showed us; I feel sure they were stores taken when the old Station was captured from Deane. I am trying to get one man to buy all the fowls we want, and settle with him. August 31st.—The laziest day I have spent since joining the Expedition! It was the Mahommedan Christmas, and we did nothing but eat all day. All the Arabs were in Sunday best, and looked very hand- some in their long black embroidered cloaks over snowy white linen. One Sheik had on a buff-coloured robe, embroidered with gold and silver. Tippu-Tib’s nephew, a handsome little Arab, paid me a visit, and he was delighted by my giving him my Egyptian tobacco-box. His father is Tippu’s philanthropist brother, a tall, light-coloured Arab with a long beard, the most benevolent and pious-looking old gentleman. We were informed that he is very religious, and might be rich, but that he gives away nearly all his ivory to 1887. August 30, Stanley Falls. 1887. August 31. Stanley Falls. 128 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN, very poor Arabs. This is very different from the opinion I first had of him! Late in the evening Tippu-Tib sent word that he could not start until the day after to-morrow, as the natives have refused to lend their canoes, or to paddle others, saying they believed we were going up the Aruwimi again. This makes. me believe the story of their refusing to go higher up with Tippu-Tib before. We were honoured by a visit from four or five of Tippu-Tib’s Lights of the Harem, who are not his real wives, as those are never seen by any one. ‘The Arabs and natives here appear to live in the most perfect harmony. You will meet an Arab strolling along hand in hand with one of the native chiefs, and if a canoe is wanted, it is ready in a moment, the chiefs themselves paddling it. All day long we were visited by people who either wanted presents, as it was Christ- mas, or had something to sell, until it got so bad that we had to close our doors. With the exception of a few guns being fired off, and a great quantity of food being eaten, there did not appear to be much rejoicing, and they all wished they were at Zanzibar, where Christmas could be kept in a proper fashion. September 1st.—Had a most enjoyable day, and, I am sorry to say, the last here. After breakfast Salem came to say that the natives of the island village were going | to have another day’s wrestling, so we started at once, and whilst waiting for a canoe at Sheik Nasoro’s house, saw the old gentleman cupped on the legs for rheumatism. The Arabs put up an awning for us to see the sports; the wrestling was much better than the last, and I saw one really good fall. Both Ward and I got some sketches. Salem informed me that it is almost im- possible to get any fowls, as the people will not sell them on trust. Iam going to try to make them bring some anyhow. We had enough matakas to buy a dozen, but they were all stolen. This morning I wanted one or two to make a present to a girl who brought back one of my tortoises which had strayed. Upon asking Bartholomew for them, he at first pre- DIARY. 129 tended not to understand, and then could not answer at all. He confessed to having received seventy, and upon adding up all that had been spent, I found that it was only thirteen, so that he must have stolen fifty- seven. When I accused him, he did not even deny it. This is one of those beautiful boys brought up at a Mission, and I must say that I have always found them beat any savage at lying and thieving! This man had been most energetic in reviling Msa for stealing Munichandi’s knife and Koran. September 2nd.—Went down before lunch to thank Tippu-Tib for his kindness to us. I told him I was going to make him a present of my big rifle, which pleased him greatly. He gave us two sheep, three fowls, two large baskets of sweet potatoes, and a bag of rice. He also wrote a letter which he gave me, telling everyone that I had been his guest, and that they were to look after me. He intends to start to-morrow, and if the canoes arrive from Kassongo, he will bring goats and rice. He gave us some of the most delicious coffee I have ever tasted, which grows wild at Kassongo. After lunch we started, Tippu-Tib and all his followers coming to see us off. Five canoes in all. Selim Mahommed and Salem went with us. We found upon - examination that a piece of cloth had been stolen, so I asked Tippu-Tib to put Bartholomew and Msa in chains, as I felt sure they would attempt to escape. They had, I afterwards discovered, told Tippu-Tib they meant to run away, but he declined to connive at their escape, so the two gentlemen are now in irons. Salem told us that Taboro, the chief of the Manyéma, had refused to allow his men to carry Tippu-Tib’s goods, either to the Falls or to Zanzibar, so that he now has to send his own men all the way, which makes it doubly difficult for him to give us men. Salem also told us that he now owns thirty men with guns, but he means soon to have 150. We asked him if he had the money to pay for them, upon which he said, “Oh! that is simple enough. I have a razor and some white cloth. I go down to either Kassongo or Manyéma, take hold K 1887. Sept. 1. Stanley Falls. 130 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. i887. of a man and shave his head, put a gun into his hands, a ae and give him enough cloth to make him decent, and he Falls. becomes my follower.” He says they never start on any journey without consulting the Koran to see if the day and hour are lucky. If they did not do this, he says, they would certainly all go to Jehannum. Ac- cording to him, no one owns anything but Tippu-Tib, and they all covet whatever he has. They all wanted the knife I gave him, and would stealitif they dared. Tippu- Tib’s brother will succeed him as chief, and afterwards Sefo, his son. We suggested that his brother was too peaceful a man to be chief of the Arabs, but he replied, “Oh! Sefo and Rachid will do quite enough fighting.” He also told us that ‘Tippu-Tib had made an agreement to settle up the whole country as far as Bangala, and to establish stations; this means that he will fight every tribe in succession, and then put his Arabs in. September 3rd. — Left Tatiacusu at six, and only went as faras Yatuka. Here we stopped all day to buy food for the men, and pick up Abdullah and his men. I to-day saw the most horrible sight, a woman was nursing a child not bigger than a three or four-year old boy, but whose head might have belonged to a grown-up person, while its body was an absolute skeleton, every bone (even the very smallest) being visible,and covered only by loose skin. ‘Tippu-Tib shows what a gentleman he really is, in his thoughtfulness for others. He noticed that Ward had no umbrella, and at once insisted on giving him one of his own; and, as our two men were in chains, he sent his wife’s boy, Farani, who speaks a little English, to look after us on the road. September 4th.—Bartholomew and Msa broke their irons and escaped during the night. Selim bin Mahom- med assured me that they would be caught, and that we had better go on, as they would have to come into the villages for food, and would not do so until we were gone. I found out, on arriving at the next camp, that Bartholomew had stolen altogether 57 matakas, one piece of cloth, one axe, one knife, one plate, a pair ———— DIARY. 3 131 of scissors, and a table-napkin. Selim and Farani informed me that they knew him well. He had been servant to a German on the coast near Zanzibar; he there stole two bales of cloth, a lot of clothes, and whatever he could lay hands on, and then set fire to the place. He enlisted with Mr. Stanley because he was running away from the people who were after him at Zanzibar. The German had offered Selim and Tippu-Tib £3 for his recovery. Reached Yalisula at midday, frightfully hungry, as we had no time for breakfast before starting, and no amount of “ cussing” would make the Arabs paddle a bit quicker; they simply floated with the current, or we should have arrived a good three hours sooner. I was so hungry that on arrival I devoured mouldy, weevily, maggoty biscuits, rancid butter, and Liebig, with avidity. It was one of the most curious luncheons I have ever eaten. J made arrangements with Selim Mahommed for Ward to start back to camp to-morrow, and deter- mined to wait here myself another day to see if the two culprits would turn up. I had some difficulty in getting men for Ward, as, although we had hired Abdullah’s men at our camp to go to the Falls and back for a certain price, Selim said they were not Abdullah’s men, but Tippu-Tib’s, and Tippu-Tib had given orders that we were to be sent back to our camp without any expense. I at last succeeded in making Selim under- stand that we had entered into a contract with the men, and that, according to our views, payment was due to them. September 5th—The market in the evening was interesting. About 4 oclock a drum is beaten to collect the natives from the villages near, when each party of villagers takes up a separate position on the ground, bringing with them all they have to sell. Those from inland supply plantains and manioc, both roots and tops, the green leaves of which are tied up in plantain leaves as neatly as though they were to go to Covent Garden market. The salt which they sell they K2 1887. Sept. 4 Yatuka 1887. Sept. 5. Yalisula. 132 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. obtain by burning grass and plantain husks and stems; they also bring fire-wood and fishing-nets. The natives from the shores bring fish and pottery. Once all are assembled at the sound of the drum, a tremendous trade begins, accompanied by an uproar very much akin to that proceeding from the betting-ring at the Derby. No form of money is used; the articles are exchanged for one another. I bought two ivory pestles for pounding manioc. Neither of our escaped thieves has turned up to-day, so we are obliged to stay another day, although this is a horrible spot; I can only get rice and plantains to eat, but endeavour to discover a new flavour in each at every meal. September 6th.—No signs of Bartholomew, so we start for camp to-morrow. At the Falls, and wherever the Arabs trade on the river, the only form of money used, except the large pieces of iron for buying ivory, is small iron axe-heads. Kassongo must be a wonderfully rich place, for according to the Arabs everything, iron, copper, rice, goats, salt, coffee, chickens, &c., comes from there. 3 September Tth—Started at 8 aM. and marched steadily, with one small break, until 5 p.m. I find that Selim Mahommed’s band accompanies him on land as well as water. It consists of three Kassongo drums, played by men, and three hand-rattles, played by women; and they all sing, or rather wail and grunt. We took a different road to the Falls from that which we had followed before. I told the Arabs it was far too much to the east, but they maintained that it was shorter. It lay nearly due north of Yalisula. The small rivers were so high that we had to wade them up to our arm-pits, which made the walking very unpleasant. September 8th.—Got under way at 6 o'clock, and reached a very large village held by Tippu-Tib’s people, called Sugurru, at about 4 p.m. This village was about twenty miles out of our course. I told the Arabs that DIARY. 133 the road was all wrong, as I could see by my compass, but they persisted in believing the natives. We were at one time completely lost, but luckily caught two women, who brought us to Sugurru. Passed an immense number of monkeys, and I shot one for the natives, who use the skin for helmets, and consider the flesh a great delicacy. There were numerous fresh elephant-tracks; the whole bush was in some places trodden down by them. It was positively dangerous work walking fast in the forest, for the natives have 1887. Sept. 8. Sugurru. large poisoned spears tied to immense logs of timber, suspended between trees over the elephant-path, and across which they place a light rope attached to a trigger, so that the moment the rope is touched by an elephant, down comes the spear into his back. ‘Two or three times I very nearly walked under one. We escaped this danger to run into a worse, for the Arabs at the next village all but fired at us, thinking we were enemies. Crossed a great number of rivers and swamps. Was wet through all day. September 9th.—One of the most disagreeable days I 1887. Sept. 9. Sugurru to Yambau. 134 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. have ever spent. Started at 6 a.m., and could get no natives to carry the sheep. Our road lay through the most horrible country, for more than an hour down the bed of a small river, which was dammed up in places, and through them one had to flounder up to one’s waist and sometimes higher. ‘Then followed another river, cane-brake, and swamp. I walked ahead with the natives, and we went for a good ten hours with only one short break. We pulled up at 4.30, a long way from Yambau (which should have been our camp), in a village where not a drop of water was to be had for love or money. I had nothing to eat all day but a few plantains before starting, and a little cold rice cooked yesterday, before I turned in for the night; so that, after ten hours’ hard work, I went to bed more hungry and thirsty than I think I ever have been before. Had Selim ‘Mahommed not been so far behind, I should have walked on, as I am sure we should have reached Yambau, or at least water, before dark; but as it was the Arabs were evidently annoyed with me for having come so far. September 10th.—Owing to heavy rain we did not start till 6.30. Went nearly due north until we struck our old road to the Falls, which I recognized at once. The native guides were so troublesome, stopping fre- quently, that at last I went ahead with my boy, and soon struck the village, where Ward and I had slept before, and there I got an Arab to take us into Yambau. One of the Arabs brought me a magnificent ivory horn, which, when standing on the ground, came up to my chin; but he would take nothing but a revolver for it, so I could not buy it. I wronged the Arabs when I was last near here, by saying that I thought they lied when they declared their town to be a long way from where Ward and I slept. ‘The road is a bad one, with two nasty rivers to wade, and it takes about an hour. I succeeded in getting a very small fowl here, which I deyoured (body and bones), for I had nothing for break- fast but a cup of malafu and a few plantains. YAMBAU. [Page 134. ] * 2 i, Pa EUAN DIARY. 135 September 11th—Got away before 6 o’clock, and went steadily on until 1 o’clock, when we reached the river, on the further side of which Ward and I had slept our first night out. News came that the two men who escaped had not been captured, but a letter had _been received from Tippu-Tib telling the Arabs they must be careful, and a number of men had been sent out after them. September 12th.—Reached Yambuya at 12 o’clock. About three hours from camp came across fresh elephant and buffalo-tracks. Found poor Ward very seedy. The others all in good health, and eager to get on the march again. September 13th—During my absence the natives have been giving trouble, and brought nothing to sell, so the Major sent Bonny to catch some of their women. He caught eight women and a baby. ‘Two have been ransomed for a gun which they had stolen, 13 fowls, and a lot of fish. Selim Mahommed has formed a camp on the rising ground behind our camp. It is a very true saying that when thieves fall out some crime is sure to come to light. ‘To-day, through some row among the Soudanese, the whole story of the stolen axe came out. It appears that, between the stealing and selling of it, there were five of the Sou- danese implicated in it! ‘They were the very men who had made most fuss about their matakas being stopped for a theft which they said they had not committed. September 14th_—This morning, after breakfast, we had a second parade for the punishment of the Sou- danese who stole the axe. The Zanzibaris having always been blamed for the theft, Major Barttelot wished them to witness the punishment of the real thieves. The two companies of Zanzibaris fell in out- side the boma, and the Soudanese fell in between them. The prisoners were then led out, and the two who stole the axe received 100 lashes each, and those who had connived at the theft received 75 each. The men to Yambuya 1887. Sept. 14. Yambuya. 136 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. Setim BIN MAHoMMED. were then warned that any one of them losing an axe or a gun would receive the same punishment. Ward still very seedy, but decidedly improving, I think. The natives brought us a splendid fish to-day, exactly hke an English chub, and weighing about 12 lbs.; the best fish I have tasted on the Congo. Our evenings are very pleasant; we all dine together and yarn about old times and future prospects. September 15th.—Our men put up a railing round the graveyard, in which there are now fifteen graves, and I fear, if we are much longer here, there will be a good many more. Rather an unpleasant business with the Arabs to-day. One of our men brought a large fish into camp, when Salem came down and claimed it, a a | ——— DIARY. 137 saying he had given Munichandi two axe-heads and some matakas to buy it with. The Major was naturally much annoyed about this, and he told Salem that he did not wish them to have anything to do with our men, but to keep to their own camp; if they wanted fish they could perfectly well buy it for themselves. Down came Selim Mahommed with Salem, very much annoyed at the order to keep his men to their camp, wishing to know if it was only on account of the fuss about the fish. Barttelot explained that it was not only because of that, but because we are very crowded, and that if they used our camp, on Tippu’s arrival his men would think they could do the same, and as a good many of our men wished to run away, they could then plot with his people how to do so. Selim Mahommed then gave back the revolver Major Barttelot had sent to Tippu-Tib, and said he had sent it back owing to there being so few cartridges for it, and his inability to get any more; it would therefore be quite useless to him, but at the same time he thanked the Major for it very much. Key, ter ; ye : AAT a RO ian = ‘ fre ty nut i +8 ad f (at We * ’ ad _ eis aR SE aONN > x VTi Y* * e mae ui sae Uae WAH ° 0 029 988 269 A a ll a