DESCENT OF THE CONGO.
Stanley was now like Cortez when he burned his ships behind him--there
was no returning--one and all must move on together to a common fate.
All danger of desertion, for the present, was over, and he felt that the
consciousness of there being no possible escape, and that one destiny
awaited them all, not only bound them closer together, but would make
them better fighters.
At first, on their downward march, they met a peaceful tribe, and then a
hostile one which would listen to no terms, and whose reply to every
request for peace was, "We don't want you; we will eat you." They,
however, passed by unmolested, and swept down the river, astonished to
see its banks so thickly populated. That night they encamped in a dense
jungle, which was found to be the home of the hippopotamus in the dry
season. Tipo-tipo had left with Stanley two cannibals that he had
captured, to be used by him in conciliating the savages, as they knew
their language. These tried their arts this night on the natives on the
farther bank, who, no sooner espied the strangers, than they beat their
drums and advanced to attack them. The cannibals talked so eloquently
and plausibly to them, that the savages withdrew and left them in peace.
The next morning they came to the mouth of a large river named Lowwa,
one thousand yards wide, and seemingly quite deep.
On the last day of the year, they were moving quietly down stream--the
heavens bright above them and the banks green beside them--when they
suddenly heard the hated war-drum sound; and soon the canoes of the
natives shot out from both shores, and for a moment a collision seemed
inevitable; but the two cannibals shouted _Sennennch!_ "peace," so
plaintively, that they desisted and the little fleet passed on
unmolested. But the next day they met other boats which advanced, their
crews shouting "we will eat you," but they were easily driven off. It
produced a novel sensation in Stanley to be hailed every day and ordered
to give himself up for a good _roast_. At length they came to a peaceful
tribe, from whom they obtained provisions.
Gathering such information as they could from the natives, they now
continued on very quietly, when they were suddenly attacked by savages
in canoes of immense size. One, eighty-five feet long, singled out the
Lady Alice and made for it. The crew of the latter waited till it came
within fifty feet, and then, pouring in a deadly volley, made a dash to
run it down. The frightened crew, just before the collision, jumped
overboard, leaving the big boat in the hands of Stanley.
Keeping on, after this little fight, they passed small tributaries, and
at length heard the roar of a cataract below. But while they were
listening to the unwelcome sound, there suddenly rose over it the wild,
shrill war-cries of the savages from both sides of the river. There was
no escape for the expedition now--they must turn and fight. Dropping
their stone anchors near the bank, they poured in their volleys, but,
not being able to dislodge this new foe, they pulled up their anchors
and rowed up stream where Stanley divided his forces, and while one
attracted the attention of the enemy in front, the other landed, and
marching across the land, took them in the rear. As soon as Stanley
heard the first shot announcing its arrival, he landed and attacked the
enemy in front and routed them, and camped for the night undisturbed.
Next morning, however, the natives appeared again in strong numbers and
attacked the camp. The fight was kept up for two hours, when a sally was
ordered, and they charged on the enemy, who, though giving way, kept up
the fight for four or five hours more. Two of Stanley's men were killed
and ten wounded. The former were thrown into the river, for Stanley had
determined to bury no more men till out of the cannibal country. This
defeat of the natives gave the expedition a few days' rest, so that
this first of the series of "Stanley falls," as they were named, could
be thoroughly explored, not only for geographical purposes, but to
ascertain the best way of getting around them. He found that the falls
could not be run, and that a carry around them some two miles long must
be made. A path was cleared with axes, and boat and canoes were taken
from the water and carried with great labor, yet safely, overland, and
launched once more on the stream without accident, and anchored in a
creek near its entrance into the main river. Not wishing to remain here,
the order to advance was given, and soon they were again afloat on the
great river. Sweeping downward they heard the roar of another cataract,
and, although the war-horns were resounding on every side, they encamped
on an island in the middle of the river. The hostile natives on the
island, filled with terror, escaped to the mainland. In the morning
Stanley explored the island, and found it contained five villages, all
now deserted, and in them was such a variety of implements as showed
that the inhabitants were adepts in the manufacture of all kinds of iron
tools.
The river was full of islands, winding among which, day after day,
Stanley often found to be the only means of escape from the pertinacious
cannibals. These islands presented a beautiful appearance with their
luxuriant foliage, but while the eye was resting on loveliness, the ear
would be saluted with the sound of war-drums and hideous shouts.
Whenever Stanley landed and visited a village from which the inhabitants
had fled, he would see human bones scattered around, flung aside like
oyster-shells, after the meat was removed, and at times the whole
expedition felt as if they were destined to make a grand luncheon for
these ferocious man-eaters.
The next day Stanley began to make preparations to get around the falls.
The first thing was to clear himself of the savages that crowded the
left bank and were ready to pounce on him any moment. So taking
thirty-six men he led them through the bushes and drove the natives back
to their villages, a mile distant, and after a desperate struggle he
drove them out of these. He next cut a narrow path, three miles long,
around the cataract. This was slow work, and as haste was imperative the
men were kept at work all night, flaming torches lighting up the way and
making the gloomy shadows of the strange forest deeper still. Camps were
distributed at short intervals along the route, and to the first of
these the canoes were carried before daylight. The savages made a rush
on them but were driven back. At night another stretch of path was made,
to which the canoes and baggage were hurried before the cannibals were
astir in the morning. There was less hostility and the work went
steadily on, and at last, after seventy-eight hours of unceasing labor
and almost constant fighting the river was again reached and the boats
launched.
[Illustration: FIGHTING OUR WAY AROUND.]
This was accomplished on January 14th, but though the river had been
reached, new perils awaited them. There was a stretch of two miles of
rapids that must be passed. After six canoes had been passed safely, one
was upset, and one of those in it, Zaidi, instead of swimming ashore, as
the others did, clung to it and was borne helplessly down to the
cataract below. But on the very verge was a solitary rock on which the
boat drifted and split--one part jamming fast. To this the poor wretch
clung with the strength of despair, while all around leaped and whirled
and roared the boiling water. Those on shore shrieked in agony, and
Stanley was hastily sent for. He immediately set to work making a rattan
rope, in order to let down a boat to him by which he could be pulled
ashore. But the rope was not strong enough, and snapped asunder as soon
as the boat reached the heavy suck of water just above the falls, and it
was whirled into the vortex below. Other and stronger ropes were then
made and another canoe brought up and three ropes lashed to it. A couple
of men would be needed to paddle and steer the boat so that it could
reach the unfortunate wretch on his perilous perch, and volunteers were
called for. But one glance at the wild and angry waves was enough, and
no one responded. Stanley then appealed to their feelings, when the
brave Uledi stepped forward and said "I will go." Others of the crew
followed, but only one was needed. The two stepped calmly into the boat
and pushed off--watched with intense anxiety by those on shore. Reaching
a certain distance above the falls, it drifted rapidly down toward them,
guided by those holding two of the cables on shore. The third floated
from the stern of the boat for the poor wretch on the rock to seize.
Attempt after attempt was made to get this within Zaidi's reach, but the
whirling waters flung it about like a whip-lash. At length the boat was
lowered so close to the brink of the falls that he was able to reach it,
but no sooner had he seized it and flung himself loose, than he was
borne over the edge and disappeared below. But he held on to the rope
and soon his head appeared above the boiling waves, when the word was
given to haul away. The strain, however, was too great, and the cables
parted and away dashed the canoe toward certain destruction, and a cry
of horror arose from those on shore, for all three now seemed inevitably
lost. But Zaidi below, by hanging on to the rope, pulled the boat
against the rock where it lay wedged. He was then pulled up, and the
three crouched together on the rock. A stone was now tied to about three
hundred feet of whip-cord and flung to them, but they failed to catch
it. Again and again was it thrown only to be pulled in and recast, but
at last it whirled so close to them that they caught it. A heavy rope of
rattan was then tied to it and drawn across and fastened, and a bridge
thus secured.
But this had taken so much time that night came on before the work could
be finished; the three wretched men were left therefore, to crouch on
the rock, and wait for the morning. All night long they held on to their
wild perch, while the water rushed, and boiled, and roared around them,
and the deep thunder of the cataract rose in one deep monotone over all,
so that they could not hear each other speak.
The next morning, early, the Arabs were set to work making more ropes,
which were finally hauled across, and fastened round the waist of each
man, and then, one by one, they leaped into the water and were drawn
safely ashore, amid the joyous shouts of the people.
They now set to work cutting a road three miles long through the woods.
Over this the canoes were hauled with great labor before the savages on
the farther side knew what was going on. But the moment the canoes were
afloat, the foe discovered them, and rushing forward with their canoes
the battle commenced. Stanley dashed through them, and sweeping down
stream for a mile, landed on the island where the tribe lived, and
quietly detaching twenty men, sent them to the villages, while he kept
the savages at bay. In a short time, the detachment returned, bringing
with them a crowd of women and children as prisoners, and a large herd
of sheep. The savages, when they saw these marching down to the
landing-place, were taken so completely aback, that they stopped
fighting at once, and withdrew to consult what was best to do in this
extraordinary turn of affairs. They sat in their canoes, waiting to see
their friends massacred. Negotiations for peace were soon opened and
concluded, and the ceremony of blood-brotherhood was gone through with,
the captives and herds were then surrendered up and friendly terms were
established.
The fifth cataract was at the foot of this island and was safely passed,
and the expedition encamped on the bank of the river, on a green plat of
ground, and slept undisturbed. In the morning, to their unbounded
surprise, they found themselves inclosed in a net of cord, reaching from
the shore above the camp, to the shore below it, passing through the
bushes. Stanley knew what this meant--that they were to be speared, when
they approached it, like so many wild beasts. He at once ordered one of
the chiefs, Manwa Sera, to take thirty men and row up the river a short
distance and land, thence to march inland, and come up behind those
lying in wait outside of the net. At the end of an hour he ordered men
forward to cut the nets, when the firing commenced. The savages soon
turned and fled, but to their astonishment, met the enemy advancing on
them by the road leading from their villages, at which discovery they
fled in every direction. Eight prisoners were, however, captured and
brought into camp. On being questioned, they confessed that they were
after man-meat and said that their tribe, which lived about a day's
journey inland, ate old men and women and every stranger that fell into
their hands.
They now kept down the river for several miles unmolested, until they
heard the sullen roar of the sixth cataract rising over the woods, when
they camped on the right bank, near an island covered with villages.
Stanley knew what was before him here, and ordered a stockade to be
commenced immediately. But, before this was finished, the everlasting
drum and horn pealed through the woods and soon the savages were upon
them. After a short fight, they retreated, followed by Stanley's
soldiers to a large village, but there were only three or four old women
in it, who were brought into camp. In a short time a heavier force
approached and made a furious attack, but it was quickly driven back and
two wounded men were taken prisoners. A part of Stanley's force was all
this time cutting a path around the cataract. The next morning they set
to work with a will and by noon passed it safely. Stanley having wormed
out of his captives all the information he could of the surrounding
country and the various tribes that inhabited it, set them free. Passing
some rapids, they came to a village in which there was but a single old
man, solitary and alone, who had been there for several days. The next
day they halted to repair the boats. The persistent course of the river,
till within the last few days to the north, and sometimes northeast, had
troubled Stanley, and but for the immense volume of water that he knew
had no eastern outlet, would have shaken his faith in its being the
Congo. But, since he passed the last cataract he had noticed that it
gradually deflected to the northwest, and now swept by almost due west,
having evidently at last started on its journey for the sea. Long
islands still divided the river, making, most of the time, two streams
and shutting out the opposite banks. Keeping down the right channel,
they passed through enchanting scenery, undisturbed by war-drums and
savage shouts. Though the water was smooth on their side, over the
island, on the other, they could hear the roar of rapids, and a few
miles farther down the loud roar of the seventh and last cataract of the
"Stanley Falls" burst on their ears, filling the solitude with its loud
thunder. The river here was over a mile wide, and the fall of such an
immense body of water over a high ledge made the earth tremble.
It was one incessant fight, either with the savages or with nature, and
it seemed as if fate determined to wear out these indomitable men. Soon
the loud war-drums, and horns, and battle-shouts were mingled with the
roar of the cataract, showing that here, too, they must fight before
they could get below it. Dropping down as near as it was safe to the
commencement of the rapids, they pulled ashore and pitched their camp in
a dense forest. Fearful of being attacked before they could intrench,
they immediately set to work with their axes to throw together a
brushwood fence, while thirty soldiers were stationed in front toward
the river, to repel assault. They had hardly completed it before the
naked cannibals were upon them with a fury that threatened to break
through their defenses. All this time out from the woods, adown the
gorge through which the river plunged, war-drums and horns were heard
summoning the thickly-scattered villages to the scene of combat. Before
the steady fire of the musketeers the savages suffered so severely that
at sunset they abandoned the attack and withdrew. Stanley now secured
his boats and strengthened the brushwood fence, and laid his plans for
the morning.
The camp was roused at five o'clock, and they pushed on to a point
nearer the falls, so that the work of carrying around them was completed
before the Wangas opened battle. Everything being made secure, they
waited for the expected attack to begin, but, no enemy appearing,
Stanley sent out scouts to ascertain what they were about. They brought
back word that no savages were to be seen. On advancing to the villages,
Stanley found to his astonishment that they were all deserted. Why, or
whither they had fled was a profound mystery. Here was a town or cluster
of villages, each with four or five streets running through it, and
capable of containing two thousand inhabitants, deserted in a single
night. The silence of death reigned over it.
Left thus at peace, he began to turn his attention to the falls. He
found the river here in this terrific gorge was contracted to less than
one-third of its breadth a short distance above, and hence flowed with a
power and strength that can hardly be conceived. Crowded together, the
waters struggled and leaped, and tore onward with a wildness and fury
like the Niagara River below the falls. He here found baskets tied to
long poles set to catch fish. They emptied some of these and found about
thirty fish, of a different species from any known in our waters. These
fish-baskets showed that they were now among savages that did not depend
wholly on human flesh for subsistence. The villages, houses, and various
implements and articles of household furniture were far in advance of
those among the cannibals above them. At the same time the people here
seemed more alert, fearless and determined.
The carry around these falls was not interrupted, and the immense labor
of transporting so many boats and so much baggage along a rough-cut path
was cheerfully performed. The next day, however, while congratulating
themselves on the changed condition of things, they saw a large number
of canoes approaching, and soon a musket-shot rang over the water, and
one of Stanley's men fell. A new peril now threatened them--they found
the natives armed with Portuguese muskets. Though it was a sure sign
that they were approaching the coast, it showed also that hereafter it
was to be fire-arms against fire-arms, not rifles against spears and
arrows; and if the natives continued hostile, the destruction of the
expedition seemed certain with such odds against it. Heretofore, in
every combat the men picked up a number of native shields, almost as big
as doors, which they preserved. In battle, the women and children would
hold these before the soldiers, which was the chief reason why there had
been so few casualties when fighting from the boats; but if bullets
hereafter were to be fired, these would be of no use. Still there was
nothing left but to fight to the last.
This changed condition of things caused Stanley the greatest anxiety.
He, however, formed his boats in line of battle and the firing
commenced--the natives after every discharge retiring to reload.
Stanley's soldiers fired so rapidly, and with such deadly effect, that
after an hour had past the natives withdrew, and the expedition moved
off and was soon lost to sight amid the innumerable islands that studded
the river, and each of which was loaded with the most luxuriant
vegetation.
The next day they floated down the river undisturbed, the islands
growing more numerous as it expanded, until now it had become several
miles wide. On one island they saw an immense elephant standing amid the
trees, but no one proposed to stop and kill him, though his huge tusks
were a tempting sight; there was too much at stake to think of hunting
the great crocodiles and hippopotami and other amphibious monsters, who
made the channels around these islands their home.
The next day, the 13th of February, they suddenly came upon a large
number of villages. They were hidden from view, till the boats were so
close upon them that it was too late to retreat. The next minute the
forest resounded with the loud war-drums and ivory horns, while the
fierce war-cries had changed their character and sounded like nothing
human Stanley had ever heard. Bright gun-barrels gleamed above the
light, graceful boats as they came swiftly on. But as they drew near the
natives seemed to be filled with such strange wonder at the novel
spectacle of two white men, that they did not fire, but sat and stared
at them as if they had been ghosts. They followed for five miles in dead
silence, when one of them fired and killed an Arab. In an instant, the
boats wheeled and opened such a rapid fusillade that the savages
retreated. But, when Stanley again resumed his downward course they
turned and followed again, hovering like hawks around him for five
miles, but making no attack.
They were now just above the equator, and were moving south-west. The
next morning the islands were so thick that they shut out both banks,
but keeping on down stream they at length came upon a village, and
attempted to pass it unobserved, but the tap of a drum showed that they
were observed, and their hearts sank within them at the prospect of
another fight. In a few minutes drum was answering drum in every
direction, and soon the savages were seen manning their canoes. Stanley,
seeing his men were worn down by this incessant fighting, made them a
short speech, telling them if they must die it should be with their guns
in their hands. He had come to have great contempt for the natives on
the water so long as they were without fire-arms. He could soon scatter
them and keep them at a respectful distance with his rifles, but when it
should be five hundred muskets against his forty guns, the whole
character of the struggle would be changed.
As they quietly floated down, canoe after canoe filled with
gayly-decorated savages shot out into the river, till an immense fleet
of them was in pursuit. Stanley ordered his men to cease paddling and
wait their approach, determined, if possible, to make peace. But, while
he was standing up holding out cloth and wire and making peaceful
gestures, the crew of one canoe fired into his boat, wounding three men.
There was nothing left now but to fight, and soon the crash of fire-arms
awoke the echoes of the forest-covered shores. The men had raised their
shields, and to their joy found them a perfect protection, as the enemy
fired bits of iron and copper, that could not penetrate them any more
than the native arrows. As the fight went on other canoes arrived, until
Stanley counted sixty-three canoes which he estimated carried five guns
apiece, which would make three hundred and fifteen to his forty-four--a
desperate odds truly, and if the Africans' guns had been loaded with
bullets, they would have doubtless then and there ended the expedition.
It is a little curious that whenever Stanley gets into a desperate
strait that even his boldness and pluck cannot help him out of, some
unforeseen thing comes to his aid, and he escapes.
[Illustration: BOAT FIGHT WITH THE SAVAGES.]
In this case his rifles had much longer range and greater penetrating
force than the old-fashioned muskets, so most of the enemy kept at a
distance of a hundred yards. One brave fellow, however, kept dashing up
to within fifty yards and firing, till he was wounded. It was a lucky
thing for Stanley that their guns were poor, their cartridges feeble and
their aim bad. At length the fire began to slacken, and dwindling down
to now and then a random shot, before six o'clock it ceased altogether.
The fight being over, the men laid down their guns and once more took up
their paddles and were soon out of sight of their enemies, and at sunset
they camped on an island that lay amid a nest of islets.
The next day, the 15th, they continued their journey and for three days
were unmolested and allowed to enjoy the magnificent scenery amid which
they floated; but they had little inclination to admire scenery, for
they were half-starved, not having been able to purchase a particle of
food for a week. On the 19th they came to a great river, the largest
tributary they had yet seen, pouring an enormous volume of black water
into the Livingstone.
It now began to look as if, having escaped death by battle and the
cataracts, they were about to yield to famine. They met fishermen, but
these would have nothing to do with them. On the 19th, nine days since
they had been able to purchase any provisions, they came to Ikengo,
where to their great joy they found friendly natives. The next day
Stanley held a market on the island where he had encamped, to which the
neighboring chiefs came, as well as the villagers. Trade was brisk and
before night he had a bountiful supply of sheep, goats, bananas, flour,
sweet potatoes and various tropical fruits, for which he exchanged
cloth, beads and wire. The men revelled in the unexpected abundance, and
hope and joy took the place of gloom and discontent. The next day they
resumed their apparently endless journey, and floated peacefully amid
green islands, scattered like gems over the broad bosom of the now
friendly stream.
On the 23d, while floating quietly down, word was brought Stanley that
the wife of one of the Arab chiefs, who had been sick for some time, was
dying, and he pulled his boat alongside of the one in which she lay. She
knew she was going, and bade him an affectionate good-bye. Soon after
she expired. At sunset a weight was tied to her body, and she was
dropped into the waters of the river, and left to sleep in this lonely
bed, far away from the cocoa-nuts and mangoes of her native land.
Their course now led them among beautiful islets, made gay by the rich
plumage of tropical birds. Occasionally they met a few canoes, but no
hostility was exhibited. On the 27th, they came upon natives fishing,
who at once showed themselves to be friendly, and exhibited no distrust
at all. It was a new revelation to the wanderers. Hitherto, it was only
after the most patient waiting and persevering efforts that they could
gain the confidence of the savages, if, indeed, they secured it at all.
Here it was freely given, and they directed them to a good camping
place, on an island from whence they looked across to the fields and
villages of Chumbiri, where these fishermen belonged. The fishermen then
departed, to report to their king, who sent them back with presents of
food, and a promise that he would visit the camp. True to his word, he
appeared next day, escorted by five canoes filled with soldiers,
carrying muskets. He wore a curious hat, was very cool and
self-possessed in his manner, and inclined to be sociable. He took snuff
incessantly, and in enormous quantities. After a long conversation, he
invited them to make his village their home, and Stanley, wishing to
learn all he could of the river below, accepted the invitation, and the
expedition crossed the river and was received in savage pomp. A grand
market was held, and exchanges freely made. The women did not seem to be
of the pure African blood, being brown instead of black, with large
eyes, beautifully shaped shoulders, and altogether very pretty. They
were fond of ornaments, some of them wearing thirty pounds of brass wire
around their necks. Stanley estimated that the forty wives, six
daughters and the female slaves of the king carried on their necks about
one thousand four hundred pounds of brass wire.
He stayed here a week, enjoying the hospitality of the king, who, in
addition to all his other kindnesses, gave him three canoes, as an
escort, and on the 7th of March he turned the prows of his boats again
down stream. That night they encamped in a jungle, into which two
immense serpents crawled, one of which was killed just as he began to
twine his folds about a woman. It measured thirteen feet and a half in
length, and fifteen inches round the body. Having passed tributary after
tributary, they went ashore on the morning of the 9th to cook breakfast.
The women were busily engaged in preparing it, when they were startled
by loud musket shots and six of the men fell. They had been taken
completely by surprise, but springing to their guns, they dashed into
the woods and a fierce fight followed, which lasted an hour. It was one
incessant crack of musketry, each one sheltering himself as best he
could. The savages were finally driven off, but not until they had
wounded fourteen of Stanley's men. This was the sharpest fight he had
yet had, and if it were a fair prelude to what was to follow, the
expedition would soon consist of nothing but wounded men. It is
astonishing, that in all these fights, of which this was the
thirty-second and last, neither Stanley nor Pocoke should receive a
wound.
After the wounded men had been attended to, they again set out and
floated peacefully down, not suspecting any danger, until they
approached a settlement which suddenly swarmed with excited armed men.
Rowing away as fast as possible, they soon got clear of the village, and
encamped three miles below. The next day the voyage was charming, taking
them through beautiful and ever-changing scenery. Nothing occurred to
mar their pleasure the following day except a fierce south wind, which
now began to set in regularly every day, making the river exceedingly
rough for the canoes, especially at this point, where the river expanded
to nearly two miles in width. This great breadth extended as far as the
eye could reach, and, hemmed in by cliffs, it resembled a pool, which
young Pocoke christened "Stanley Pool."
Paddling slowly down this pool, they passed several villages. Makoneh,
the chief of one, proved very kind and hospitable, and offered to
conduct Stanley to the next cataract. As they swept down, they halted at
a friendly village, the chief of which inquired how they expected to get
over the mighty falls below. He was a bluff, genial, good-souled negro,
who seemed glad to assist them in any way in his power, and finally
offered to guide them to the cataract. Moving down, soon its low roar
was heard swelling over the forest, gradually increasing as they
advanced till it rose like a continuous thunder-peal from the solitude
below.
Makoneh led the way, and just skirting the first line of breakers he
landed on a pebbly beach. The village of Itsi was in sight, he being the
petty king of a neighboring tribe. Some canoes soon crossed from it,
and were received so kindly that the natives went back with such
wonderful stories to their king that next day he paid Stanley a visit.
He came in a large canoe carrying eighty-six persons. It was over
eighty-five feet long, and propelled by sixty paddlers. These, standing
up and keeping time with their strokes to the steady beat of a drum,
sent the boat like an arrow through the water and made a stirring
picture as they dashed up to Stanley's camp. There were several
gray-headed men present, one of whom was introduced to Stanley as the
king. The latter noticed that the rest laughed heartily at this, which
afterwards turned out to be a practical joke. However, Stanley sat down
with the venerable person in amicable conversation, while a young native
and Frank seemed to strike up a warm friendship for each other, or at
least the native for Pocoke, judging by the way he pressed presents on
him.
It seemed strange to Stanley that the young savage should give twice as
much to Frank as the king gave to him, but it now came out that this
young man was the king, and the aged man Stanley had been conversing
with was merely one of his counselors. Stanley at once changed his
attention, and asked him what present would please him. The royal young
savage had been looking about at the various things in camp, and seeing
a very large goat, told Stanley that he wished "big goat." Now this
happened to be the last thing the latter wished to part with. A lady in
England had requested him to bring back a goat of this very breed, and
he had purchased several, of which this alone had survived the long and
dangerous journey. He therefore endeavored to bribe the young king by
doubling the other presents he had prepared. No, he would have the "big
goat." Stanley then offered to give him an ass instead. At this the
savage seemed to hesitate. The donkey was very desirable, but at this
critical moment the animal sent up a huge bray, which so frightened the
women that he would not take him. Other tempting offers were made but
nothing would do but the "big goat," and as Stanley was short of
provisions (the men having squandered those the king of Chambiri had
given them), and as he must have these, he reluctantly turned over the
big goat and the young king departed highly delighted. The next day he
returned bringing three ordinary goats in exchange and some provisions.
Soon the kings or chiefs of other neighboring tribes came in bringing
fruit, and everything was harmonious, and treaties of amity were made
with all. The one with Itsi was quite ceremonious. Among other things,
he gave Stanley a white powder as a charm against evil, in return for
which, the latter, with all due gravity, presented him with a half-ounce
vial full of magnesia as the white man's charm. This and
blood-brotherhood closed the formal proceedings of the treaty-making
powers--quite as important, in their way, as similar councils in
civilized countries.
Stanley found by observation that though he had traveled from Nyangwe
over one thousand two hundred miles, he had descended not quite a
thousand feet.