ON THE LOWER CONGO.
The Congo--The Congo Free State--Its political and judicial
organization--Trade settlements--Instructions for aiding
Stanley--Arrival of the _Madura_ at Banana--Transport
flotilla--Boma--Camp at Matadi--Trial-march--Start to the
interior.
The Congo claims the seventh place among the largest rivers of the
world. It is nearly 3000 miles in length. In the volume of its waters
it has no rival in the Eastern hemisphere, this being estimated at
more than 50,000 cubic yards a second. In the magnitude of its current
it is surpassed only by the Amazon. It rises in the high plateaux of
Mouxinga, between 3000 and 4000 feet above the level of the sea, and
forms in two different places a series of rapids. Its course through
Central Africa is often obstructed by islands, and extending in width
from twelve to eighteen miles, describes a vast curve which is twice
crossed by the Equator. On either side it receives numerous affluents,
and thus drains a river-basin, which in its area must be hardly less
than half as large as the whole continent of Europe.
Long ago the Congo would have constituted the principal avenue to
the interior had it not been that a succession of falls and rapids
about 100 miles from its mouth completely paralysed all efforts for
navigation. These rapids, until recently, have had the effect of making
the Congo a sort of _cul-de-sac_, a den of slavers into which
European merchants hesitated to venture with any design of forming
settlements. When Stanley for the first time reached the western coast
on his way from Zanzibar to Nyangwé, a few trade-depôts were scattered
at long intervals along the shores of the lower river, and Boma, about
twenty hours’ journey from the coast, was the outpost of civilization
and commerce; for travellers who should risk any further advance
there was the prospect of dying of hunger and of perishing in unknown
districts where barbarism reigned supreme. This was ten years ago!
Such a discovery as Stanley’s could not fail to awaken the keenest
interest. Here was revealed to the eyes of Europe a vast region in the
heart of Africa, rich, fertile, and densely populated, and permeated
by a colossal river-way, the mouth of which presented the exceptional
advantage of being dominated by no European power. The opportunity for
commercial enterprise was too fine to be overlooked, and accordingly,
under the auspices of Leopold, King of the Belgians, a conference was
held in Berlin, which resulted in the formation of the “Congo Free
State” in the year 1885.
Since the date of King Leopold’s proclamation, announcing the
establishment of the new order of things, European activity has
produced large results on the Lower Congo. The conditions of existence
are improving with singular rapidity, and a political organisation has
grown into fair proportions without provoking any serious opposition
from the native chiefs. The administration of the State is carried on,
in the name of the King, by a Governour-General who has the control
of every department with its proper staff, consisting of about 150
European agents distributed over twelve stations. There is a military
force of about 1000 black soldiers recruited from the Haoussa of the
Niger and the Bangala of the Upper Congo; these are under the command
of Belgian officers and subalterns. On the lower part of the river
a sort of police-inspection is maintained by the employment of six
steam-boats, which are serviceable also, as occasion arises, for the
conveyance of the officials. In addition to these there are five other
steamers on the Upper Congo.
[Illustration: THE FORCES OF THE CONGO STATE ON DRILL AT VIVI.
(_From a Photograph by Dr. Allart._)]
To provide against such infringements of the laws of morality as seem
to demand immediate repression a penal code has been issued; but this
is only temporary in its character, and is to be replaced, as soon as
experience will allow, by a more definite classification of crimes and
award of punishments. The present is a transition state between the
social anarchy of the past and the future reign of law. A court of
justice is established at Banana, with a court of appeal at Boma.
A postal service exists, and the State moreover has entered the
convention of the Postal Union. Offices of the civil service are
open in three departments. To ensure the stability of property and
to provide security for any investment of capital, a State Register
has been established. In its general principles the Congo Land Law is
founded upon the “Torrens Act,” a system which has been a practice
in Australia since 1858, and has likewise been adopted by France, in
Tunis. For the registration of titles to land plans have already been
made, by a special survey, of all the districts on the lower river
where there are any European settlements.
All trade on the Congo, as is generally known, is quite free. The
State, by its international agreements, is prohibited from levying
either import or transport duty: its only privilege is to receive an
export-duty on certain of the productions of the State territory, but
even this is very moderate, and rarely amounts to more than four per
cent. on the value of the goods.
The French were the first to establish any merchant-settlement on the
Congo. In 1855, the house of Régis & Co. of Paris (now Daumas, Béraud
& Co.) planted a depôt on Banana Point, which still retains the name
of “French Point;” in subsequent years came the Dutch, followed by the
Portuguese and English, and finally in 1885 by the Belgians.
[Illustration: GROUP OF KABINDA SERVANTS.
(_From a Photograph by Dr. Allart._)]
In 1876, just before the date at which Stanley first arrived at Boma
on his way from the interior, there were upon the banks of the Lower
Congo thirty-three factories and branch-factories. Ten years later,
resulting mainly from the impetus given by the enterprise of the
Congo Association, this number was nearly tripled, so that in 1886
there were eighty-five establishments on the Lower Congo alone. In
addition to these fifteen other stations belonging to the State, either
mission-stations or business-marts, completed the chain of civilising
and hospitable centres along the line of the Falls from Matadi to
Leopoldville. There are now nine stations upon Stanley Pool and ten
upon the Upper Congo. Hence it will be seen that upwards of fifty new
settlements have been made upon the banks of the river which ten years
since might have been described as practically unknown.
Progress such as this bears striking testimony to the far-sightedness
of those who from the very first recognised the Congo as a promising
avenue for carrying civilisation into the heart of Africa, and opening
the rich resources of the country to European trade.
There is no room for question that the Congo is the one great
river-highway for Equatorial Africa. Either by its own proper course
or by its larger affluents it leads to the confines of Katanga,
Manyema, the Soudan and the basin of the Upper Nile. So great are
the comparative facilities that it offers for transport, and so
comparatively certain is the security that prevails along its course
that, notwithstanding its wide deflections, it could not reasonably
fail to be proposed and finally to be adopted as the route which should
be taken by the expedition now fitted out for the relief of Emin Bey:
nor was any one so likely to appreciate the advantages it offered as
Stanley, who had himself been the first to make known its eligibility
to the world.
Obviously all the European settlements along the river would be fresh
starting-points for the expedition, while the river itself would convey
their steamers and whale-boats nearly a thousand miles inland: added to
this there was the assurance of co-operation of the local government,
to which the following instructions had been sent from Brussels by
General Strauch, the Minister of the Interior:--“His Majesty the
King, having been requested to authorise the State to aid the relief
expedition, undertakes to place at its disposal the _Stanley_ and
two steel-plated barges for two, or if need be, for three months. It
was with reference to this that I sent you the telegram on the 15th of
January, desiring you to give orders that the _Stanley_ should be
at Leopoldville on the 1st of April ready to ascend the river.
[Illustration: ARRIVAL OF THE EXPEDITION AT BANANA.]
“In addition to the agreement, the conditions of which I now forward,
the King has likewise promised the English committee that Mr. Stanley
shall receive whatever assistance our agents in Africa can give him,
saving all detriment to the interests of the State.
“This is no legal contract in the full sense of the word; it is simply
a promise made upon the part of the King; but His Majesty is most
anxious that it should be fulfilled; he does not entertain a doubt
that our agents in Africa, many of whom are devoted men, will exert
themselves, within the limits specified, to give their co-operation,
even though it should entail upon them a certain amount of trouble;
and he trusts that all of them will be desirous of saying that they
have contributed to the success of an undertaking designed to relieve
valiant soldiers who are so endeavouring to retain the last corner of
the Soudan that it may not fall back into the grasp of barbarism.”
In due time the expedition arrived. At eight o’clock on the morning
of March 18th the _Madura_ steamed into the harbour of Banana
and cast anchor in front of the French factory. Two hours previously
she had been signalled in sight, and the entire population of the
place, white and black, thronged to the quay to await the arrival of
the ship and to give her welcome. In the harbour was an exceptionally
large concourse of steamers; there were the _Héron_ and the
_Prince Baudoin_ of the Congo State Navy; the _Cacongo_ of
the Portuguese Royal Navy; the _Serpa Pinto_, belonging to the
Portuguese firm of Valle and Azevedo; the _Nieman_, to the Dutch
factory; the _Albuquerque_, to the British Congo Company; the
_Angola_, to the English firm of Hatton & Cookson; a steamer
belonging to the line of Woermann & Co. of Hamburg; and lastly the
_Lys_, of the line of Walford & Co. of Antwerp, which was lying in
melancholy plight on one of the sand-banks of the creek, where she had
run aground two days before, through the carelessness of her captain.
No time was lost. Scarcely had the _Madura_ made good her
holdings, when the leader of the expedition proceeded in a pilot-boat
to shore, intent upon satisfying himself at once as to what means of
transport were available. Stanley is not only a bold and enterprising
explorer, but it would seem as if the star of his good fortune never
fails him; and now again it was shining favourably, inasmuch as it
was a most fortuitous circumstance that so unusually large a number of
steam-vessels should be assembled at one time at Banana. Not the least
difficulty arose in securing the necessary assistance; the controllers
of the factories and the commander of the Portuguese gunboat were
equally ready and courteous in helping to forward men and baggage to
Matadi.
The arrival of Tippoo Tib on board the _Madura_, and his
appointment as agent of the Congo State, was the cause of as much
surprise in Banana as in Europe. He did not land with Stanley, but
remained on the ship, where the hundreds of men that formed the
expedition were drawn up in perfect order and discipline, singularly
in contrast with the usual habits of negroes when associated in any
numbers. Good training was already beginning to tell.
Next day the change of ships was effected without commotion or
accident, and the flotilla commenced the ascent of the river past Boma
to Matadi. The _Albuquerque_ and the _Nieman_ took the lead
with the Zanzibaris and the Somalis on board; the _Serpa Pinto_
followed, carrying Stanley and Tippoo Tib; then came the _Héron_,
and lastly the _Cacongo_ with the Egyptian detachment. In this
order the steamers arrived on the 20th in the roadstead of Boma, where
they stayed awhile, without shutting off their steam, to allow Stanley
to make a short visit on shore.
For about a year Boma has been the seat of the local administration
of the Free State, removed from Vivi where it had been originally
established. It is also the residence of the Governour-General. The
roadstead is very fine, more than half a mile in width and varying
in depth from three to ten fathoms. The whole settlement is rapidly
extending. Already its buildings of wood and iron, scattered along
the river bank and running up to the high ground at the back, present
an appearance that is exceedingly picturesque. Factories of various
nations, Dutch, French, Portuguese and English, are erected on the
shore, where also are to be seen the different departmental offices
of the land-survey, the post, the customs and the shipping. Upon the
high ground of the plateau, which is before long to be connected
with the quay-level by a short railway, stand the house of the
Governour-General, the residences of the public officials engaged
in the works or connected with finance, the sanatorium, and the
barracks for the garrison. Over the intervening slopes are scattered
the quarters of the black dependents, little villages of Haoussa,
Bangala, Kabinda, Krooboys, Kaffirs and Bacongo. Close to the river
there is likewise a mission served by French priests; and a little
lower down on the island of Mateba is a Belgian agricultural settlement
founded by M. Roubaix of Antwerp.
[Illustration: VIEW OF BOMA.]
It is but a few years since the white population of Boma was under
twenty-five in number; now, including Mateba, it must amount to about
120, of whom nearly half have some share in the administration of the
State. Its black population, composed exclusively of soldiers and
labourers on the Government works or in the factories, numbers not less
than 500. The garrison is 200 strong, and is composed of one company of
Haoussa recruits from the Niger basin and another of Bangala from the
Upper Congo: they wear uniform and are armed with Schneider rifles.
Stanley’s stay on shore at Boma was very brief, and having received
some of the chief Government officials who visited him on the _Serpa
Pinto_, he resumed the voyage to Matadi, arriving there about five
o’clock the same evening.
Matadi is a group of little European settlements on the left bank of
the Congo, almost exactly opposite Vivi. There is a Government station,
and a Dutch and a Portuguese factory. It is the starting point on the
pedestrian route along the south bank to Stanley Pool, and will in all
probability be the site of the terminus of the railway which is in
project.
In due order the disembarkment was made on the following day. The
expedition took up its quarters on an open plot of ground not far
from the Portuguese factory. It was the first drill in the way of
encampment. All the different burdens were collected together,
including the sections of the whale-boat and the mitrailleuse. Besides
these there were the Zanzibar donkeys provided as mounts for the
Europeans and Arabs, and the herd of Cape sheep and goats that were
destined to supply the table of the officials along the way.
[Illustration: BOYS OF THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF VIVI.
(_From a Photograph by Dr. Allart._)]
Before starting for good along the roadway past the rapids, which
Stanley knew by personal toil to be extremely arduous, he resolved to
make an experimental march out, and to have a preliminary practice in
the method of encamping. Accordingly he gave the necessary instructions
to his coadjutors, and the whole caravan being divided, as it has
been said, into seven sections of over one hundred, each under the
command of a European, it was conducted, baggage and all, to an open
place that seemed suited to the purpose.
Mounted on a donkey that had been handsomely caparisoned for the
occasion, Stanley took the head of the column. By his side marched one
of his boys, bearing the stars and stripes of the American banner; an
overt demonstration that notwithstanding his English birth, and in
spite of his being in the service of the ruler of the Congo and in
command of an Anglo-Egyptian expedition, he does not forget, nor intend
it to be forgotten, that he is an adopted citizen of the United States.
Everything was done well and in order. The caravan unwound itself like
a huge serpent along the river-bank, and received orders to make a
second encampment near the station.
On another day, a trial was made of the Maxim mitrailleuse, which was
pointed across the river and discharged with startling effect.
Four days were passed at Matadi, partly in organisation, partly in
rest, the actual start for the interior being made on the 25th of
March.
In the early morning, at half-past four, the camp was aroused by the
sound of a shrill and piercing blast. This proceeded from a kind of
marine fog-horn provided with a huge gong and worked by a piston,
designed to be used for the daily reveillé. Instantaneously every one
was on the stir, and for a quarter of an hour the hubbub and confusion
of 800 negroes rushing about everywhere, shouting and gesticulating,
were inconceivably great. Hard work had the eight Europeans of the
staff, as they galloped backwards and forwards on their donkeys, to
bring about anything like method; but they ultimately succeeded, and
gradually calmness was restored, and the caravan was duly arranged in
marching order.
In the vanguard were the Soudanese soldiers; then followed the Somalis,
the Zanzibaris and the porters with their loads; Tippoo Tib and his
people fell into their allotted place; the twelve sections of the
whale-boat were distributed, each to be carried by two bearers, and the
flocks were sent to the rear of the column. Then the various banners
were unfurled and floated gaily along the line; the standard of the
“Emin Relief Expedition” was in front side by side with Stanley’s
American flag; then there were the standards of England and of
Egypt; and besides these the Arab oriflammes, glittering with their
inscriptions from the Koran. Thus was the caravan marshalled ready to
start.
Another blast from the horn and the caravan was on the move. The Emin
Pasha expedition had indeed set out for the interior!
It was now two months since Stanley had started from London; he had
reckoned that if no impediment should arise to hinder him, he should in
about five months arrive where he would be close to Emin’s quarters.
Immediately before him now lay a journey of hardly less than 2000
miles, well nigh the same distance as there is between Madrid and St.
Petersburg.