THE ENGLISH MAIL VIA SAN FRANCISCO

Auckland Star, Volume XX, Issue 100, 29 April 1889, Page 2

THE ENGLISH MAIL VIA SAN FRANCISCO

STANLEY'S MARCH

Letter From the Great

Explorer.

A STORY OF HARDSHIP AND

HEROISM.

THE SITUATION OF EMIN

PASHA.

A VAST AFRICAN FOREST

TRAVERSED.

Dear Sir, —A short despatch briefly announcing that we had placed the first instalment of relief in the hands of Emit. Pasha on Lake Albert Nyanza was sent to you by courier from Stanley Falls with letters to Tippoo Tib, the Arab Governor of the district, on the 17th, within three hours of our meeting with the rear column of the expedition, and I now propose to relate to you the story of our movements from June 28, 1887. I had established an intrenched palisade camp at Yambuya, on the lower Aruwimi just below the first rapids, and Major Edmund Barttelot, one of the senior officers with me, was appointed commandant—J. S. Jamieson, a volunteer, being .associated with Jiim. On .the arrival of all the men and goods from Boiobo mid Stanley Pool, the officers, still believed to be Troup, Ward and Conny, were to report to Barttelot for duty; but no important action or movement — according to the letter of instructions given by me to Barttelot before leaving—was to be made without consulting with Jamieson, Troup and Ward.

BARTTELOT'S COLUMNS.

Columns under Barttclot's orders mustered 257 men. As I requested, the Major sent you a copy of the instructions issued to each officer. You aro doubtless aware that the Major was to remain at* Yambuya until the arrival of the steamer from Stanley Pool with tho officers, men and goods left behind, and if Tippoo Tib's promised contingent of carriers had in the meantime arrived ho was to march. His column followed our track, which so long as it traversed the forest region would be known by the blazing of trees, by our camps and zarabas, etc. If Tippoo Tib's carriers did not arrive, thou if the Major preferred moving on to staying at Yambuya he was to discard such things as mentioned in my letter of instructions, and commence making double and triple journeys by short stages until I should come down from Lake Nyanza and relieve him. The instructions were explicit and the officers admitted they were intelligible.

THE FIRST SKIRMISH.

The advance column of 389 officers and men set out from Y'ambuya, June 2Sth, 1887. The first day we followed the river bank, marched twelve miles and arrived in the large district of Yankonde. At our approach the natives fired the villages, and under cover of the smoke attacked the pioneers who cleared the numerous obstructions before the first village. The skirmish lasted fifteen minutes. The second day we followed the path leading jnland but tending east. We followed this path five days through a dense population. Every art known to the native mind of molesting, impeding or wounding an enemy was resorted to, but we passed without the loss of a man. Perceiving that the path was taking us too far from our course, we cut north-easterly. The track reached the river again on July sth. From this date until October 18th we followed the left bank of the Aruwimi. After seventeen, days' continuous marching we halted one day for rest. On the twenty-fourth day from Yambuya we lost two men by desertion. In July we made four halts only. On August Ist the first death occurred from dysentery, so that for thirty-four days bur causo had been singularly successful ; but as we entered the wilderness, which occupied nine days' marching through it, our sufferings began to multiply, and several deaths occurred. The river at this time was of great use to us. Our boat and several canoes relieved the wearied and sick of their loads, so that our progress, though not so brilliant as during the first month, was still steady.

AN OBSTINATE ENCOUNTER,

On August 12th we arrived at Airsibba. The natives made a bold front. We lost five men through poisoned arrows,, and to our great grief Lieutenant Stairs was wounded just below the heart, but, although suffering greatly for nearly a month, finally recovered? On the 15th, Jepson, commanding the land party, led his men inland, but, becoming confused, lost his way, and we were not reunited until the 21st. On August 15th we arrived at the district 'of Airjeli. Opposite our camp --vas the mouth of the tributary Nepoko. On August 31st we met for the first time a party of Manyema belonging to a caravan of Ugarrowwas, alias Uledi Balyuz, who turned out to bo a former tent - boy of Speke's.

HIS MISFORTUNES BEGIN.

Our misfortunes began from this date, for I had taken the Congo route to avoid the Arabs, that they might not tamper with my men and tempt them to desert by presents. Twenty-six of our men deserted within three days of this unfortunate meeting. On September 15th we arrived at a camp, opposite the station of Ugarrowwas. As food was scarce, he had devastated an immense region. Wo halted but one day near him, on s»ich friendly terms as I could make with such a man. I made a trade and left fifty-six men with him. All the Somalis preferred to rest at Ugarrowwas to continuous marching. Five Soudanese also left. It would have been certain death for all of them to have accompanied us. At Ugarrowwas they might possibly recover. Five dollars a month per head was to be paid this man for their food. On September 18th we left Ugarrowwas. AN AWFUL MONTH.

On October 18th we entered a settlement occupied by Kilongalongas, a Zanzibar slave belonging to Abed-Bin-Salim, an old Arab whose bloody deeds aro recorded in the history of the Congo and the founding of its free state. This "proved an awful month to us. Not one member of our expedition, white or black, will over forget it. Our advance numbered 263 souls on leaving Ugarrov. waa. Out of 389 we lost sixty men .by desertion and death between Yambuya Ugarrowwas, and loft fifty-six men sick intJ>S\_Arab station. STARVATION AND DESERTION. On reaching Kilongalongas we discovered that he l|ost fifty-five men by starvation and desertio;-. They had lived principally on wild fnbiterungi and a large, .fiat, beanshaped/nut. The slaves of Abed-Bin-Salim did tbje.ir utmost to ruin the expedition short hi open hostilities. They purchased our rifles, ammunition and clothing, so that when we left their station we were beggared —Our men absolutely naked—and so weak physically as to be unable to carry our boats and about seventy loada of goods. We

therefore left the goods and boats at Kilongaloneas under Sergeant Parko and Captain Nelson, the latter of whom was unable to march. After twelve days' march we arrived at a native settlement called Ibwiri. Between Kilongalongas and Ibwiri our condition had not improved.

A DEVASTATED REGION,

The area of devastation had reached within a few miles of Ibwiri. The devastation was so complete that not one native hut was left standing betweon Ugarrowwas and Ibwiri, and what had not been destroyed by .the slaves of Ugarrowwas and Abed-Bin-Salim, the elephants destroyed and turned the whole region-into a horrible wilderness. But at Ibwiri wo were beyond the utmost reach of tho destroyers, and were on a virs'in'soil, in a populous region, abounding with food. Our suffering from hunger, which began August 31st, terminated November 12th. Ourselves and the men were skeletons. Out of 289 men we only numbered 174, several having no hope of life left.

DESERTIONS AND EXECUTIONS.

A halt was ordered for the people to recuperate. Hitherto they were sceptical of what we told them ; their sufferings had been so awful, their calamities so numerous, and the forests so endless that, apparently, they rofflsed to believe that by-aud-by we should see the plains and cattle of the Nyanza and white man, Emm Pasha. We felt as though we were dragging them along with a chain around their necks. " Beyond those raiders," said I, " lies a country untouched, where food is abundant, where you will forget your miseries. So cheer up, boys ; be men ; press on a little faster." They were deaf to our prayers and entreaties, for, driven by hunger and suffering, they sold their rifles and equipments for a few ears of Indian corn and deserted. With the expedition altogether demoralised, perceiving that prayers, entreaties and mild punishments were of no avail, we then resolved to visit upon tho wretches the death penalty. Two of the worst cases were accordingly taken and hanged in the presence of all.

A REGION OP PLENTY,

Wo halted thirteen days in Ibwiri, reveiled on fowls, goats, bananas, corn, sweet potatoes, yams, beans, etc. Tho supplies were inexhaustible and the people glutted themselves. Tho result was, I had 175 (one was killed by an arrow), mostly sleek, robust men, when I set out for Albert Nyanza, November 24th. There was still 126 miles to the lake, but with food such a distance seemed nothing.

A WELCOME SIGHT,

On December Ist we sighted open country from the top of a ridge connected with Mount Pisgab, so named because it was our first view of the land of promise and plenty. On December sth we emerged upon the plains and the deadly, gloomy forest was behind. After 160 days of continuous gloom I saw the light of day shining all around, making all things beautiful. We thought we never saw grass so green and a country so lovely. The men literally leaped, yelled with joy and raced with their burdens. Ah, this was the old spirit of former expeditions successfully completed, all of a sudden revived. Woo to the native aggressor whom we m.y meet, however powerful he may be. With such a spirit the men will ilincr themselves like wolves on sheep; numbers aro not considered.

TERRIBLE WAR-CRIES,

On the 9th we came to the country of the powerful chief Mazamhoni. His villages were scattered over a great extent of country, so thickly there was no other road except through their villages or fields. From a long distance the natives sighted us and were prepared. We seized a hill as soon as we arrived in the centre of a mass of villages. About four o'clock in the afternoon on the 9th of December wo occupied it, building a zaritsa as fast as our billhooks could cut the brushwood. The warcries were terrible from hill to hill, pealinjf across the intervening valleys. Tho people gathered by hundreds from every point; war-horns and drums announced that the struggle was about to take place. Such natives were too bold to be checked with little effort.

A SKIRMISH AND A PARLEY,

A slight skirmish ended in our capturing a cow, "the first beef we had tasted since wo left the ocean. The night was passedpeacefully, both sides preparing for the morrow. On the morning of the 10th I attempted to open negotiations. The natives were anxious to know who we were. We were equally anxious to glean news of the band that threatened the expedition. Hours passed in talking, both parties keeping a respectable distance apart. The natives said they were subjects to Uganda, but that Kabbarega was the real King, Mazamhoni holding the country for Kabbarega. They finally accepted some cloth and brass rods to show their King Mazamboni, and his answer was to begiven next day. Meantime hostilities were suspended.

WAR DECLARED.

The morning of the 11th dawned. At 8 o'clock we were startled by heaving a man proclaiming it was Mazamboni's wish that we should be driven back from the land. The proclamation was received in the valley around our neighbourhood with deafening cheers. Their word "kanwana" signifies make peace ; " kurwana " signifies war. We were therefore in doubt; we rather hoped that we had heard wrongly, and I sent our interpreter a little nearer to ask if iD was " kanwana "or " kurwana." " Kurwana !" they responded, and to emphasize the term threw two arrows at him, which dissipated all doubt.

STANLEY'S POSITION.

Our hill stood between a lofty range of hills and a lower range. On one side of us a narrow valley 150 yards wide ; on the other a valley three miles wide. East and west the valley broadened into an extensive plain, and the higher range zl hills was lined with hundreds preparing to descend. The broader valley wa3 already mustering its army, and there was no time to lose. A body of forty men was sent under Lieutenant Stairs to attack the forces in the broader valley. Jephson was sent with thirty men east, and a choice body of sharpshooters were sent to test the courage of those descending tho slope of the highest range

A FIERCE BATTLE,

Lieutenant Stairs pressed en, crossed a deep, narrow river in the face of the natives, assaulted the first viliage and took it. The sharpshooters did their work effectually and drove the descending natives rapidly up the slope until there became a general fight. Meanwhile Jephson was not idle. He inarched straight up the valley to the east, driving the people back and taking villages as ho went. At 3 o'clock in the afternoon not a native was visible anywhere except on one small hill a mile and a half west.

ALBERT NYANZA

On tho morning of tho 12th we continued our march. During the day we had four little fights. On the 13th we marched straighteast, attacked by n&w forces every hour, till noon, when we halted for refreshments. These we .uccessfully overcame. Atl p.m. we resumed the march, and fifteen minutes later I cried : " Prepare for a sight of Albert Nyanza." The men murmured, doubted and said : " Why does the master continually talk this way ? Albert Nyanza, indeed f Is not this a plain and can we not see the mountains ?" After fifteen minutes' march ahead, at 1.30 p.m. Lake Albert Nyanza was below them. Now it was my turn to jeer and scoff at the doubters, but as I was about to ask them what they saw, so many came to kiss my hands and beg pardon, I could not say a word. This was my reward. The mountains, they said, were the mountains of

Ungoro, or rather its lofty plateau. The wall of Kavalli, the objective point of the expedition, six miles from us as the crow flies, was an altitude of 5200 feet above the eea.

A BEAUTIFUL PItOSPECT.

The Albert Nyanza was over 2,900 feet below us. We stood in 1° 20' latitude south. The end of the Albert Nyanza lay largely mapped about six miles south of this position. Right across to the eastern shore every dent in it's low, flat shore visible, and traced like a silvery snake on the dark ground, was a tributary, Lauilike, flowing into tho Albert Nyanza from the southwest. After a short halt to enjoy the prospect we commenced the rugged, stony dascent. Before tho rear guard descended a hundred feet the natives of the plateau we had just left poured after them. Had they shown as much courage and perseverance as they now exhibited, we might have been seriously delayed. The rear guard was kept busy until within a few hundred feet of the Albert Nyanza plain. We camped at the foot of .the plateau wall, the aneroids reading 2,500 feet above the sea level.

A NIGHT ATTACK,

A night attack was made, but our sentries drove the natives away. At 9 o'clock on the morning of the 14th wo approached tho village of Kankongo at the south-eastern corner of Albert Lake. Three hours were spent by us in attempting to mak-Mends with the natives, butwesignally failed. They would not allow us to go to the lake, because it migiit?flighten their catoio, and they would nob exchange the blood of brotherhood with us, because they ne**er heard of any good people coming from the west side of the lake. They would not accept any presents from us, because they did not know who we were. They would give us water to drink, and would show us our road up to Nianzassi.

TIDINGS OF EMIN.

But from these singular people we loarne*** they had heard there was a white man at Angerro, but had never hoard of white men on the west side, nor had they seen steamers on the lake; no canoes weio to be had except such as would not hold men, etc. There was no excuse for quarrelling ; the people were civil enough, but they did not want us near them. We were, therefore, shown our path and followed it a fow miles, and then camped half a mile from the lake.

A DELIBERATION.

We then began bo consider our position with the light thrown upon it by our conversation with tho Kakongo natives. My couriers from Zanzibar had evidently not arrived, or I presume Emm Pasha, with his two steamers, would have paid the southwest side of the lake a visit to inquire of the natives for our coming. My boat was at Kilongalongas, 190 miles distant. No canoe was obtainable, and to seize a canoe without the excuse of a quarrel my conscience would not permit. No trees anywhere of sufficient size to make canoes could be seen.

DETERMINED TO RETIRE,

Wadelaiha was a terrible distance off and the expedition was reduced. We had used five cases of cartridges in five days' fighting on the plains, and a month of such fighting must exhaust the stock. No plan was suggested which seemed feasible to me except that of retreating to Ibwiri, build a fort, send our party back to Kilogalongas for our boat, store every load not conveyable, leave a garrison in the fort to hold it, and raise corn for us, march back again to Albert Lake, and send the boat in search of Emm Pasha. This was the plan which, after a lengthy discussion with my officers, I resolved upon. On the 15th we marched to the right of Kavili, on the west side of the lake.- Years ago Kavili was destroyed.

ATTACKED BY THE NATIVES,

At 4 p.m. some Kakongo natives who had followed us shot arrows into our bivouac and disappeared as quickly as they came. At 6 p.m. we began the night march, and by 10 a.m. of the 16th gained tho crest of the plateau once more, the Kakongo natives having persisted in following us to the slope of the'plateau. We had one man killed and one wounded.

AGAIN AT IBWIRI.

On January 7th we were in Ibwiri.^ After a few days' rest Lieutenant Stairs, with 100 men, was sent to Kilongalongas, to bring the boat and goods. I also sent for Surgeon Parko and Captain Nelson. Out of thirty-eight sick, in charge of tho officers, only eleven men were brought to the post. The rest died or deserted. On the return of Lieutenant Stairs with the boat the goods were sent to Ungarrowwas, who, being convalescent, I granted him thirty-nine days' grace. Soon after his departure I was attacked with gastritis, and had an abscess on my arm, but after a month of careful nursing by Dr. Parke I recovered.

AGAIN STARTS FOR ALBERT NYANZA.

Forty-seven days having expired, I se& out again for Albert Nyanza, April 2nd> accompanied by Jephson and Parke. Captain Nelson, who had now recovered, was appointed commander at Fort Bodo in our absence, with a garrison of forty-three men and boys. April 15th we arrived at Mozamboni's country again, but this time, after solicitation, Mozamboni decided to take the blood of brotherhood with me, though I had fifty rifles less on this visit.

TREATED LIKE BROTHERS

Tho example of Mo.amboni was followed by all the other chiefs as far as Albert Nyanza, and every difficulty seemed removed. Food and supplies, goats, sheep and fowls were given in such abundance that our people lived royally. Two days' march from Albert Nyanza, the natives who came from Kavali said a " white man named Malojja, their chief, gave them a black packet to give me, his son. Would I follow them ."

" Yes, to-morrow," I'answered, *' and if your words are true I will make you rich.,,

WONDERFUL -STORIES.

They remained that night telling wonderful stories. They said he had ships as large as an island filled with men, etc., which left no doubt in our minds this white man was Emm Pasha. The next day's march brought us to Chief Kavali, who, after nwhile, handed me a note from Emm Pasha covered with a strip of American oilcloth. The note was to the effect that as there had been a native rumour that a white man had been seen at the south end of the lake he had gone ii his steamer to mako inquiries, but had been unable to obtain reliable information, as the natives were terribly afraid of Kabbarega, the King of Unyoro, and connected every steamer with him. However, the wife of a Nyamassi chief had told a native ally of his, named Mego, that he had seen us in the Mozamboni country. He therefore begged me to remain where I was until he could communicate-with mo. The note was signed Dr. Emm, and dated March 26th. ■

The next day, April 23rd, Jephson was despatched with a strong force to take the boat to tho Nyanza. On tho 26th, the boat's crew sighted Mawa Station, the southernmost point belonging to Emm. Pacht and Jephson were hospitably received by the Egyptian garrison. Tho boat's crew say they ware ombracedono byoi:., and that they never had such attention shown them a3 by these men, who hailed them as brothers.

THE MEETING WITH EMIN,

On April 29fch we again reached the bivouac ground occupied by us on December 16th. At 5 o'clock in the afternoon of that day we saw the Khedive steamer seven miles away steaming toward us. Soon after 7 o'clock in the evening Emm Pasha, and Signer Casati and Jephson arrived at our camp, where they were heartily welcomed by us. The next day we moved to a better camping-place, three miles above Nyamassi, and this spot Emm Pasha also made his camp. We were together until May 25th. That day I left him, leaving Jephson, three Soudanese, and two Zanzibar!, in his care. In return he caused to accompany me three of his irregulars and 102 Madid natives as porters. Fourteen day., later. I was at Fort Bodo, where wore Cuptain Nelson

and Lieutenant Stairs. The latter had returned from Ugarrowwas twenty - two days after I had set out for tho lake, bring ing with him, alas, only sixteen men out of fifty-six. All tho rest dead. My twenty couriers, whom I had sent with letters to Barttelot, had safely left Ugarrowwas for Yambuya, March 16tb.

FORT BODO

Fort Bodo was flourishing, with nearly ten acres under cultivation. One crop of Indian corn had been harvested and was in the granaries, and they had just commenced planting again. On June 16th wo left Fort Bodo with 111 Zanzibar and 101 of Emm Pasha's people. Lieutenant Stairs had been appointed commandant of tho fort, Nelson second in command and Surgeon Parke medical officer. The garrison consisted of fifty-nine rifles. I had thus deprived myself of all my officers in order that I should not be encumbered with the baggage, provisions and medicines which would have to be taken if accompanied by Europeans, and every carrier was necessary for the vast stores which had been left with Barttelot.

June 24th we reached Kilongalongas and July 19th Ugarrowwas. The latter station was deserted. Ugarrowwas, having trathered as much ivory as ho could obtain from that district, had proceeded down the river about three months before. Leaving this station and carrying sixty pounds of corn each, wo went through and passed the wilderness unscathed, passing down the river as fast as we could go, daily expecting to meet the couriers, who had been stimulated by a reward of £10 per head, or the Major himself leading the army of couriers. We indulged ourselves in the pleasing anticipations as we neared tho goal.

TRAGIC INCIDENTS,

August 10th we overtook Ugarrowwas with an immense flotilla of fifty-seven canoes. To our wonder, our couriers were reduced to seventeen. They related an awful, story of hairbreadth escapes and tragic scenes. Three of tbeir number had been slain, two were still feeble by reason of their wounds and all except five bore on their bodies the scars of arrow wounds. A week later, August 17th, we met the rear column of the expedition at Unarya. There was a white man at the gate of the stockado, whom I at first thought to be Jamieson, but a nearer view revealed the features of Bonney, who joined the medical service of the army to accompany us.

BAD TIDINGS

••Well, my dear Bonney," I asked' " wliere is the Major ?" "Dead," he replied. --Shot by tho Manyuerna about a month ago." "Good God!" I cried. " And Jamieson ?" "Gone to Stanley Falls to get more men from Tippoo Tib." " And Troup ?" " Gono homo invalided." " Where is Ward ?" " At Baggala." " Heaven alive ! -Then you are the only one here?" " Yes, sir." A RECORD OF A DISASTER, I found the rear column a terrific, wreck. Out of 257 men only seventy-one remained, and out ot the seventy-one only fifty-three were fit for service, and these were mostly scarecrows. The advance had performed the march from Yambuya to Bunalia in sixteen days, despite the native opposition.1 The rear of the column performed the same distance in forty-three days. According to Bonney,

during the thirteen months and twenty days that had elapsed since he left Yam-1 buya, the record was only one of disaster, J desertion and death.

I have not the heart to go into details, many of which are incredible. Indeed, I have not the time, for, excepting Bonney, I have no one to assist mo in re-organisms: our ex .edition. There are still far more loads than I can carry. At the same time many articles that are needful are missing. For instance, I left for Yambuya with only a short campaigning kit, leaving my reserve clothing and personal effects-ii charge of the officers of the fort # THE DESERTERS. The deserters from the advance column reached Yambuya to spread the report that I was dead. 'They had no papers, but the officers accepted the report of the deserters as a fact. In January, Ward, at the officers' mess-meeting, proposed that my instructions should be cancelled. ' The only one who appears to have dissented wasßonnoy. Accordingly my personal kit, medicine, soap, candies and provisions were sent down the Congo as superfluities. Thus after making this immense personal sacrifice to relieve them and cheer them up, I find myself naked _ and deprived of even the necessaries of life in Africa.

A TRULY AFRICAN KIT,

' But strange to say, I have kept two hats, four pairs of boots and a flannel jacket, and propose to jjo back to Emm Pasha, across Africa, with this truly African kit. Each man knew the road and did not need any stimulus by Nyanza and here. We only lost three men, one of them by desertion. I brought 131Zanzibarihere,ani.tleft 59 atFort Boclo, a total of 190 men out of 589 ; a loss of 50percent. At Yambuyawe left 257. There are only 71 left, 10 of whom will never leave the camp ; a loss of over 270 per cent. This proves that though the bufferings of the advance were unprecedented, the mortality was not so great as in camp at Ya.mbu.ya. Tho survivors of the rear column'arc thin and most unhealthy looking. I have thus rapidly sketched our movements since June 28th, 18.7. I wish I had tho time. I write this amid the hurry and bustle of departure and amid constant interruptions,

THE COUNTRY TRAVERSED

You will, however, have gathered from this letter tho nature of the country traversed by us. Wo were 160 days in the forest. Tho grass land was traversed by us in eight days,' and the limit of the forest along the edge of the grass land is well marked. Wo saw it extending northeasterly, with its curve.., bays and capes like the seashore. 'Southwesterly it preserved tiie same character.

THE FOREST AREA,

North and south tho forest area extends from Nyangive to the southern borders of Monbuttn." East and west it covers all the territory from tho Congo, at the mouth of tho Aruwimi, to about east longitude 25deg., latitude .Odeg. How far west beyond the Congo the forest reaches I do not know ; but tlio superficial extent of ths tract thus described totally covered by the forest is 246,000 equaro miles. North of the Congo, between the Upoto and the Aruwimi, the forest embraces another 20,000 square miles.

THE NATIVE DIALECTS

Between Yambuya and Albert Nyanza, we came across live distinct languages at least, spoken by tho Wanyero, Wanyankere, Wanya, Ruander, Wahha, and the people of Karangwi and Ukerwe. The land lies gently 'from the crest of the plateau above Albert Nyanza down to the Congo River, from an altitude of 5,500 feet to 1,400 feet above the sea. LOFTY MOUNTAINS. South of our track through the grass land the face of the land is much broken by .groups of cones or isolated mountains or ridges. Toward the north we saw no land higher than six thousand feet above the | sea, but bearing 215deg. magnetic at a ' distance of about fifty miles from our camp on the Nyanza, we saw a towering mountain summit covered with snow, probably 17,000 or 18,000 feet above the sea. It is called Ruevenzori, and will probably provo a rival to Kilimanjaro. lam not sure it may not prove to be tho Gordon Bennett mountain in Gambaragara, but there are two reasons for doubting it to be the same; the first is, ie is a little too far west for the position of the lattor, as given mo in 1576 ; the second is, we saw no snow on Gordon Bennett. I might mention a third, which is that the latter is a perfect cone apparently, while Ruevenzori is an oblong mount with a nearly level summit, with two ridges extending northeast and southwest. I have only met three natives who have seen a lake toward the south. They agree that it is large, but not so large as Albert Nyanza.

THE ARUWIMI RIVER,

Tho Aruwimi becomes known as the Suahli about 100 miles above Yambuya. As it nears Nepoko it is called tho Novoa. Beyond its confluence with the Nepoko it is known as the Nowello. Three hundred miles from the Congo it is called the Niri, which is soon changed into Ituri, which name it retains to its source. Ten minutes' march from the Juri waters we saw the Nyanza, like ix mirror in its immense gulf.

EMIN PASHA

Before closing let me touch more at large on the subject which brought me to this land, namely, Emm Pasha, who has two battalions of regulars under him. The first, consisting of seventy-five rifles, occupies Duffle, Honyn, Lahore, Maggi, Kirri, Bedden and Rejaf. The second battalion, consisting of 640 men, guard the stations of Wadelai, Fatiko, Mohagi and Osna, forming a line of communication along the Nyanza and Nile, about 180 geographical miles in length. In the interior, west' of the Nile, he retains three or four .small stations, making fourteen in all. Besides these battalions, he has a respectable force of irregular soldiers, artisans, cooks and servants.

WHY EMIN DECLINED.

" Altogether," he said, " if I consent to go away from hero we shall have about 8,000 people with us. Were lin your place, I would not hesitate one moment or be a second in doubt as to what to do. What you say is true, but we have a large number of women and children, probably ten thousand people altogether, and how can all be gotten out of here, and besides wo shall want many carriers ?"

"Carriers for what?". I asked

"As for the women and children, you surely would not leave them, and they cannot travel."

STANLEY'S REASONING.

" The women must walk ; it will do them more good than harm, and as for the little children load them on donkeys. Here you have 200 of them. V"our people will not travel very far the first month. Little by little they will get accustomed to it. Our Zanzibari crossed Africa on my second expedition ; why cannot your black women do the same ?"

"I have no fear of them, they will do better than the men. They would require a, vast amount of provisions for the road."

" True, but you have thousands of cattle, which will furnish meat, and grain and vegetables for food. * Well, we will defer further talk till to-morrow."

EMIN x_GAIN VISITS STANLEY.

May 1, 1888—We halt in camp at Nobe Nobe. Emm Pasha came ashore from the steamer Khedive in a short time and commenced the conversation again. Many arguments like the above were repeated. He said : "What you told me yesterday led me to think it best we should retire from here. The Egyptians willing to leave number about 100 men, besides women and children.

Of these there is no doubt, and if I stayed I should be glad to be rid of them, because they undermine my authority, nullify all my endeavours for a retreat. When I informed"them that Khartoum had fallen and Gordon Pasha slain, they always told the Nubians it was a concocted story and that some day we should see the steamers ascend the river for their relief; but of the regulars, who compose the First and Second battalions, lam extremely doubtful. They have led such a happy life here they would demur at leaving a country where they have enjoyed the luxuries they cannot command in Egypt. . "The soldiers arc married, several having harems. Many irregulars would also declirio to follow me now. Supposing the regulars refuse to leave ? You can imagine my situation would be a difficult one. Would I be right in leaving them to their fate ? Would it not be D consigning them to ruin ? Should 1 leave them ammunition and return ? All discipline would be at an end. Disputes would arise and factions be formed. The more ambitious would aspire to be chiefs by force. From these rivalries hatred and slaughter would follow until nono were left."

TAKE THE EGYPTIANS.

•• Supposing you resolve to stay, what of the Egyptians ?'" I asked. " Oh, these 1 shall have to ask you to be good enough to take with you." " Now, wiil you, Pasha, do me a favo-* :■." I said to Captain Casati. " Are we to have tho pleasure of your company to tho sea?" tor wo had been instructed to assist him also, should we meet.

CASATI DECLINES TO LEAVE.

Captain Casati raiswercd through Emm Pasha : " What Governor Emm decides upon shall be the rule of conduct for me. If tho Governor stays I stay; if the Governor goes, I go." " Well, I see, Pasha, in tho event of your staying yov.r responsibility will be great." A laugh followed when the sentence was translated to Casati,and the gallant Captain replied : " Oh, I beg pardon, but I absolve the Pasha from all responsibility connected with me, because I am governed by my own choice entirely." Thus, day after clay, I recorded faithfully the interviews I had with Emm Pasha, but these extracts reveal as much as is necessary for you to understand the position

I left Jephson thirteen of my Soudanese and sent a message to bo read to the troops, as Emm Pasha requested. Everything else is left until I return with tha united expedition to Albert Nyanza within two months. Emm Pa.ha proposed to visit Fort Bodo, and tako Jephson with him. At Fort Bodo I have left instructions to the officers to destroy the fort and accompany Emm, tho Pasha, to Albert Nyanza. So we meet them ail again on the Nyanza, as I intend making a short cut to Albert Nyanza along the now* road. Husky M. Stanley..

Loxno. , April 2.—Stanley sont an elaborate map, drawn by himself, of the route pursued 'by him. while looking for Emm Pasha. He gives details of his itinerary and the extraordinary hardships he encountered. Many districts are marked with tho word " Famine."