Stanley Falls to London.
The prison gang arrives at 8 a.m. on the morning of December 18th and at
once my baggage is carried down to the river and placed on board the
Barge. It is a novel sight. A long line of prisoners chained together,
slowly marching down the road with bales, boxes, chairs, tables and
portmanteaus on their heads. No method could be simpler or more secure
for transporting baggage. The Barge--as the name implies--has no means
of propulsion and depends for her locomotive power upon a powerful steam
tug which is attached alongside. The whole space in the ship is thus
devoted to cargo and only passengers who are sick are carried, the
accommodation being limited, but there is a fine deck on which to sit or
walk about. The Barge is of about 400 tons burden and is therefore as
large as the mail passenger boats, and the great advantage of travelling
in it is, that since there is absolutely no vibration or motion to be
felt, it is very comfortable for writing.
As the navigation of the river is difficult near Stanleyville, a pilot
takes all the boats down the first day's journey and returns in the next
vessel ascending. On the way we called at the Catholic Mission for one
of the priests who wished to travel to La Romee and I was astonished to
find he was quite ignorant of the agitation against the Congo, which was
taking place in Europe, and wondered, as many of us do, what was the
cause of it, for he knew nothing of atrocities or cruelties to natives.
Afterwards we stopped at Yakussu for wood and then at La Romee where
there is an extensive farm. Here we take on board some fresh vegetables
and cow's milk which however, is not fit to drink an hour afterwards.
The climate in the Congo is very bad for all kinds of food. Antelope,
killed in the early morning, is often rotten by the evening, and thus
the difficulty of obtaining fresh food is greatly increased. The
rapidity with which flesh decomposes is, perhaps, the reason why the
natives prefer it in that condition, for as it is so difficult to obtain
meat fresh, they may have acquired the taste for it rotten, just as some
civilised people train their palates to prefer game high. It is however,
very disgusting to see them eating. One day a carcase of a wild pig in a
highly decomposed condition was picked up by one of the paddlers on the
Ubangi. This was cut up and shared among the canoes and part of it fell
to my crew. Next day a most unpleasant smell accompanied us all the
forenoon and no one could detect the cause, in fact, none of the natives
noticed it. At lunch time however, the polemen produced a basket full of
rotten flesh which they had stored in the front part of the canoe and
thus given me the full benefit of it. As they commenced eating it raw,
it was rather too much and I promptly ordered them to the other end of
the boat where I could neither see nor smell them.
[Illustration: THE FORCE PUBLIQUE AT STANLEYVILLE.]
After travelling rapidly all day down stream, we tie up at sunset at
Yonanghe and ship some rubber. We start again at daybreak, but as the
wood in this part is both plentiful and good, the captain stops
frequently at the posts and takes a large amount on board. This is a
wise precaution, for lower down the wood is not so good and there is
less of it, while there are more steamers to be supplied. At most of the
villages the natives come to the beach with goods for sale, but the
price of curios is too great here to tempt me.
On the 20th we reach Basoko after running through a terrific tornado
with so much rain that for a time it was impossible to see the banks. It
is supposed to be the dry season here, so this storm is presumably an
exception. Every morning there is a fog on the river more or less dense,
which lasts for an hour or two after sunrise. During this period, it is
often necessary to steam dead slow, for it is impossible to see a boat's
length ahead.
A pathetic incident happened one day. We were transporting eight
prisoners to Boma and when we stopped these carried wood on to the
steamer. One of them was the son of the Chief of a large village at
which we stopped, who thus had the mortification of seeing his heir
working "on the chain." He begged the captain to liberate him, who of
course had not the power to do so even if he had wished, for the man had
been sentenced for a serious theft and was now on his way to a convict
settlement. The Chief therefore, told his son he was to give no trouble
to the authorities and tried to comfort him by saying he would see the
railway and Boma and the great ships which went to Europe. These
prisoners gave no trouble at all. They were fed on the same food as the
crew and did a certain amount of work, the only sign that they were
criminals, being the chain which bound them together.
On the 21st we reached Bumba and shipped a good deal of coffee. Here it
was necessary to give the _chicotte_ to one of the crew for continually
shirking work. He was given twenty five lashes, but it did not seem to
affect him physically or morally, for immediately afterwards he smiled,
rubbed himself and then slowly walked ashore to carry bags of coffee and
while his fellows were hastening to finish their task, he was
deliberately loitering about. Next time he will be dismissed and then he
will find it difficult to find employment.
On the following day we stopped at Dobo, one of the Posts of the Mongala
Company, which has been taken over by the State. The Company found it
was very difficult to make the people work and some serious charges of
cruelty were proved against the officials. The Bangala tribe are
however, very savage and only a short time ago a trader was killed and
his body cut up ready for eating when some troops arrived and rescued
it. The Government therefore, sent a punitive expedition into the
country.
There are very few villages on the river, and no signs that there have
ever been any, for the forest grows to the water's edge in an
uninterrupted line. At sunset we arrived at Lisala, which is a large
military training camp, well constructed and managed. In it about a
thousand savages are being converted into clean, smart-looking
soldiers.
Next day we passed the _Kintamo_., which was forcing its way up against
the stream with a cargo of rails directed to Stanleyville. On the 24th
we stopped at Mobeka, which is situated at the point where the Mongala
river runs into the Congo and was the chief post of the Mongala Company.
It is surrounded by a brick wall, except towards the river, and access
to the Post from the native village is through stout wooden gates. At
one place is a kind of watch tower built on the wall and the whole gives
the appearance that the occupants knew they were living in the midst of
cannibals, who would not hesitate to attack them if they were not well
prepared to resist. It is to be hoped that the present expedition will
be successful in converting a few from their barbarous condition, but
great difficulties have to be overcome, for the fighting must be in the
forest, as the natives never meet troops in the open if they can help
it. In the evening we reached Nouvelle Anvers, a large and populous
town. The houses are arranged along the river bank, surrounded by
gardens, and the quarters of the troops leave nothing to be desired.
Christinas Day has nothing resembling Christmas about it. A tropical sun
burns overhead, warm sandy water glares below. In the morning we pass
Mosembe, a Mission Station, and in the afternoon, Lulongo. There used to
be a large village and coffee plantation here, but it was not a success
and has been abandoned. The Mission however, still remains as also a
Wood Post where we stop for the night and try to believe that duck is
turkey and mutton, roastbeef. We have now traversed the whole of the
river which runs past the Bangala District. It is undoubtedly very
sparsely populated, but on the other hand, there are no remains of
villages or clearings in the forest which would indicate it has ever
been otherwise.
Next day we reach Coquilhatville early and after taking some rubber and
gum copal on board leave in the afternoon. From this point the river is
familiar and at each place are old friends. At Irebu, Commandant Jeniaux
comes on board and we have a chat about the condition of the agitation
in Europe. Since we last met I have travelled some thousands of miles
and have formed an opinion both of the system of Government and of those
who administer it. There is no doubt whatever in my mind, that the
native is not habitually ill-treated and that he is very well paid for
his work. It is impossible to do more than guess at the object of the
outcry, but it is certain that no agitation based on such a little
foundation has ever been attended by such a near approach to success.
Next day we stop at Lukoteia and take on board logs of wood and timber
already worked into beams and posts for building. A little lower down is
the old coffee plantation and close to it, tobacco is being grown. The
river here is very wide and full of islands. To one of these we tie up
and are at once attacked by millions of mosquitoes, who will not allow
us to eat our dinner in peace. Fortunately I find an old pair of kid
gloves and with my head covered with a silk handkerchief and my legs in
high hunting boots, prepare for the onslaught. The mosquito here bites
through duck trousers and socks with great ease, but his trunk cannot
reach through the thickness of a sleeve of a coat and a flannel shirt,
so with suitable clothes, one can gain a little peace, except for the
constant humming round one's ears. A cigar or pipe is no protection at
all, but the insects will not face the smoke of a wood fire. Since
people cannot either, however, that is not much use. As it was, the few
bites swelled up badly and completely upset the theory held by many,
that after a few months in the Congo, the mosquito bite has no effect.
It is some gratification--but not much--to think they only gained an
extract of goat and chicken, instead of a solution of good juicy fresh
meat.
On the 29th we passed Yumbi and Bolobo. At the latter place great
numbers of natives came to the beach to trade with our crew and black
passengers who bought dried fish and kwanga. In the evening we reach
Sandy Beach, opposite which, is _Lonely_. island so called because it is
the last island on the river before it narrows to pass through what is
known as the canal. Here the banks are flanked with hills which are a
welcome sight after the dead level of the forest higher up.
Next day we arrive at Kwamouth and after taking some cargo from the
Kasai on board move on to a large Wood Post. It is not a very
interesting or lively occupation watching people cut wood in the forest
and stack it on the beach, and these Posts are sometimes used as places
of punishment for refractory Europeans, whom it is thought desirable to
isolate for a time. The strict paternal system is carried out throughout
the State and methods of punishment are adopted which are rarely if ever
found elsewhere. For minor offences the Europeans are fined by stopping
their pay for a certain number of days and sometimes a man is revocated,
which means he is sent home without being paid for the six months or
year previously. In this way men who drink hard when they have the
opportunity, who are habitually insubordinate, or who are undesirable,
are weeded out rapidly. Penal offences are of course tried in the Courts
and punished with imprisonment. It is indeed curious after travelling in
America and our colonies, to find, sturdy, rough, independent characters
behaving with extraordinary meekness and docility. Drunken brawls and
promiscuous revolver shooting are unknown in the Congo, for the simple
reason, that it is impossible up country to procure drink. There are no
drink shanties or gambling dens and indeed no amusements of any kind.
Men work from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., have their dinner and go to bed. Very
little news penetrates from the outside world and conversation is
therefore, limited to the immediate affairs of the individuals
concerned. Small matters thus appear to be far more important than they
really are and the story of any little adventure soon becomes magnified
out of all recognition. This, perhaps, accounts also for some of the
absurd stories of atrocities.
On the last day of the year we reach Leopoldville and are comfortably
installed in the Inspector's house. A kind of fete is held in the
evening and a procession passes with lanterns on poles, but there is
very little singing or noise of any kind and the whole affair is rather
ghostly.
On January 2nd we leave Leopoldville by train and remembering the amount
of the fare coming up, I was careful to reduce my baggage to the
minimum. Of course the food cases were all empty, the wine drunk, the
salt paid away to natives and the petroleum burnt; still for myself,
three boys and excess baggage, the fare for the two hundred miles was
over £25. Just before we left Leopoldville, who should enter the
carriage but Mr. Joseph Clarke, of Ikoko, and another Mr. Clark, who is
also a Missionary. I was very pleased to see them and hear the news from
their side of the question. They were travelling to Maladi to attend a
meeting of missionaries, but to-day only proceeded as far as Kinshassa.
Mr. Clarke told me he had sent to the Commission of Enquiry some new
photographs of the boy without a hand whom he had shown to me at Ikoko
and was convinced that the world would be startled when the report
appeared. All the meetings of the Commission are held in public and
therefore the evidence submitted at them is already known. The
interpretation of this apparently depends upon the already formed
opinion of the individual, for while the State officials say that very
little, if anything, has been proved against the Government, the
Missionaries are quite satisfied that the A.B.I.R. Company will be
severely condemned. Of course no report can possibly satisfy any of the
controversialists for their feelings are too strong to permit them to be
content with cold facts judicially stated.
After an uneventful and uncomfortable journey through the beautiful part
described before, we arrive at Sono Congo about 5 p.m. and take a room
in the Magazins-Generaux, a wooden building raised above the level of
the ground and fairly clean. It is beautifully fresh and cool up here,
and for the first time for half a year, it is possible to take a bath in
clear white water.
On again at 6.30 a.m. at which hour it was quite cold, but as the sun
rose and we descended, it became very hot indeed, for we were then well
south of the Equator and it was summer in the Lower Congo. The scenery
through the Palabala mountains improved, if possible, on a second
acquaintance and the railway as a feat of engineering, appeared still
more marvellous. After a dusty, hot journey, we arrived at Matadi at 5
p.m. and found Mr. de Rache, the Commissaire of the District, on the
platform. He had kindly taken a room at one of the hotels, but as it
necessitated climbing up the hill and I could only walk with difficulty,
I decided to sleep on board the _Anversville_ which was discharging
cargo at the pier head. Here indeed were all the luxuries of Europe. A
barber, a big bath, white spotless table-cloths, clean shining plate,
red juicy beef and last, but by no means least, cold drinks. It is worth
roughing it to experience the keen delight at returning to comforts
which are never appreciated at their full worth when enjoyed every day.
Next morning we leave Matadi for Boma in the _Heron_. The current is
running down through the narrow channel at about ten knots an hour and
the water roars and bubbles as though passing over rocks in a rapid. We
therefore roll a good deal and travel very fast indeed until we reach
Boma just before midday.
Stories in the Congo grow with extraordinary rapidity and my attack of
synovitis had been converted into a serious illness before it reached
the capital. A room had therefore, been prepared at the _Croix Rouge_ in
which I was soon comfortably installed. The hospital consists of eight
sets of rooms arranged in four buildings, separated from each other, but
with the verandahs connected by balconies. In the centre is a building
in which the eight sisters live the whole thus forming a "t" with a
building at each end of the lines and one where they intersect. The
whole is situated on a hill from which a magnificent view can be
obtained of the river and country around. Here I remained for nearly a
week and was attended with much skill and care by the medical men and
sisters. It was necessary to make some calls in the town and a carriage
at Boma was placed at my disposal similar to the one at Stanleyville,
but travelling in it was more comfortable for the roads are better in
the capital. It was very hot and the mosquitoes were terribly hostile,
but otherwise my visit was very pleasant and agreeable.
On January 6th the German cruiser the _Vineta_ and the gunboat the
_Habicht_ entered the Congo and the Governor General gave a dinner to
the officers to which I received the honour of an invitation. I am
tempted to give the menu to show that although living in the Upper Congo
is not good, as a rule, in Boma it is possible to give a banquet worthy
of anyone.
MENU
--
_Potage aux tomates_
--
_Coquilles de crevettes_
--
_Barbue. Sauce câpres_
_Pommes nature_
--
_Filet de boeuf_
_Flageolets. Pommes rissolées_
--
_Asperges de Malines_
_Sauce au beurre_
--
_Pigeonneaux rôtis. Petits pois_
--
_Poulets farcis. Compote de mangues_
--
_Canetons rôtis. Salade russe_
--
_Gâteaux_
_Ananas au kirsch_
_Fruits.--Desserts_
The wines were Oporlo, Hodiheimer, Niersteiner, Pichon Longueville 1893,
Château Grand Larose 1893, Corton and Louis Roederer Champagne. The
dinner was served admirably by native boys while the band of the Force
Publique performed in the garden.
The strong, grasping instinct of the native was well shown after I had
paid off the "boys," written them good characters and made them handsome
presents. At the last moment they all came and demanded a further tip
which I rather indignantly refused to give. However, they showed by
their manner then that they were well satisfied and knew very well that
it would be very difficult to obtain such high wages again. I had many
long talks with Mr. Vandamme, who was as usual, very hard at work, and
Mr. Underwood who kindly helped me to settle many matters. Indeed,
everyone with whom I came into contact, whether State Officials,
Missionaries or Traders, were always extremely kind and courteous and
converted what might have been a very unpleasant and dangerous journey
into a most interesting tour and I sincerely hope that all will remain,
as I hope they are now, good friends, whether they agree with me or not
about the merits of the system of Government in the Congo.
After bidding farewell to the residents at Boma, I left in the _Wall_ on
January 10th and after a rapid journey to Banana, joined the
_Anversville_ which immediately put to sea and by sunset the mouth of
the Congo was out of sight.
The voyage home was uneventful, except for a few days of strong head
winds. Among the passengers were Mr. Gohr, the Director of Justice, who
well deserved a holiday after his extremely responsible and arduous
duties, Captain Stevens, the Commissaire of the Equator District, as
cheerful and jolly as ever, Mr. Longlain, the Director of the A.B.I.R.
Company who has come in for a quite unmerited share of abuse, and many
other State Officials, many of whom were in an indifferent state of
health. Two or three Catholic and some Baptist Missionaries were also
travelling home and it was interesting and satisfactory to find that
everyone, whether State Official, Missionary or Trader, was convinced
that the Commission of Enquiry would issue a report which would
correspond with his own opinion.
There was plenty of time to arrange the impressions of the tour in order
and to formulate some general ideas on the system of Government in the
Congo and the manner in which it is administered. The whole system has
been created and is controlled absolutely by one mind. It is a very
simple and extremely practical machine, but it is very vast. The
officials who work it therefore, have each their own special task
allotted to them and very few appear to understand the principles on
which the whole moves. The problem which has been faced and successfully
overcome, is how an unknown land populated by savages can be developed
and civilised by its own resources without heavily taxing the native and
without poisoning him with alcohol.
It is done in this manner. Each native is compelled to do a certain
amount of work for the State. This results in the collection of great
quantities of rubber and ivory for which the native is paid. The rubber
and ivory are then sold at a profit in Europe and the sum so realised is
used to pay the heavy expenses of transport, to keep up the Government
and to open out new lines of communication throughout the country. The
native is thus made to work instead of paying a tax in money and it is
possible to raise enough revenue without selling him alcohol.
As has been shown in these pages, the native is very grasping and very
idle and has little idea at present of the value either of produce or
work. He thus charges an extortionate amount for his goats and chickens,
and demands heavy fees for services rendered. The State however, fixes
the price of labour and food at its fair value and demands a certain
amount of one or other from each village. This sometimes leads to
discontent and rebellion just as do the taxes levied by other
Governments, and it is necessary to occupy territory with troops. No
soldier however, is allowed to have in his possession a rifle unless he
is accompanied by a white officer, and if he tries to ill-treat the
natives, is severely punished.
The officials themselves, are subjected to the most severe discipline,
and as they exist, so to speak, on the rungs of a ladder, each one can
be punished by the one next above him, who is, in turn, responsible,
until at length the summit is reached. Every Post is worked on identical
principles and the responsibility for its success or failure, rests with
the official in charge. He is not permitted to try experiments or to
alter the system in the least degree, and can only use his moral power
to influence the natives. The question has been asked whether this
system is not contrary to the letter or spirit of the Treaty of 1885.
Clause V. of that treaty runs as follows. "No Power which exercises or
may exercise sovereign rights in the above mentioned regions shall be
allowed to grant therein either monopoly or privilege of any kind in
commercial matters; foreigners without distinction shall enjoy
protection of their persons and goods as well as the right of acquiring
and transferring moveable and immoveable property and the same treatment
and rights as subjects of the nation in the exercise of their
professions."
In the first place it must be remembered that the Berlin Act applies to
all the Powers possessing territory in the Congo basin and not to the
Free State particularly, and secondly, that it was agreed upon by the
Powers to prohibit monopolies and privileges in commercial matters and
to suppress slavery, but not to interfere with the Government of the
States or Colonies which were then or might be established and which
might or might not sign the treaty. All the Powers indeed which signed
the Act of Berlin of 1885 did so voluntarily and among them the Congo
Free State which had already been recognised by the whole of Europe as
an independent State. The signatory Powers to that Act did not create,
define the boundaries, or in any way particularly specify the Congo Free
State which is bound by it, therefore, to the same extent only as is
England, France, Germany, or other signatory Powers. All these Powers at
various times have declared that vacant land is Crown property. A German
Imperial Order of November 26th 1895 says that the proprietorship of all
vacant land in German East Africa belongs to the Empire. An Order issued
by the Commissioner of the French Congo of September 26th 1891 runs
"Uncultivated soil and vacant land which nobody legally claims shall be
considered as belonging to the State and shall form part of the colonial
domain[4]." In the British Empire, the right of the Government to
declare vacant lands in the colonies Crown property has been frequently
exercised[5]. In annexing all the vacant lands, the Congo Free State
therefore, has only followed the usual custom practised by all
countries, so that it is obvious these lands are absolutely the property
of the State, which, therefore, has a perfect right either to sell or
lease them to Companies, Missionaries or Traders, or to collect the
produce from them itself.
Indeed it was never intended that the whole Congo Basin should be pegged
out into claims by a host of adventurers without any system, law or
order, for such a proceeding would have speedily led to complete
anarchy. Since then the vacant lands belong to the State, it is obvious
that traders can only acquire landed property either from the State,
from other traders or persons possessing land. Again it is obvious that
a trader only has the right of purchasing the produce of the land from
the owner and although he may buy for example, rubber, which a native
Chief has grown on his own plantation, no Chief may go into the forest
which is State territory, collect the rubber from it and sell it, for
such would be simple robbery.
Now the State imposes regulations upon the concessionary Companies and
traders, which it also observes carefully itself on its own land in
order that the rubber plants shall not be killed and furthermore it
stipulates that all who take rubber juice, shall plant young rubber
trees and vines to replace those which die in process of time. The
supply of rubber is thus assured in the future. In spite however of the
most stringent rules the officials of the private companies undoubtedly
ill-treat the natives sometimes.
What then would have been the result if the country had been parcelled
out among a number of private traders, who had simply pegged out claims?
Their object would have been to make a large fortune and return home as
soon as possible. After a few years, therefore, all the existing rubber
trees and vines would have been bled to death, no new ones would have
been planted, and the native would certainly have been over-worked and
ill-treated. The country would then have been deserted and left to
return to savagery. The State itself on the other hand is working for
the future. Everything which can grow is planted, the natives are daily
becoming more civilised, Posts are being built, roads and waterways
opened up and the whole place rendered beautiful and attractive.
In the meantime, properly in the country is guarded, trade is perfectly
free, and everyone, native and foreigner, is free to pursue his business
in his own manner, subject only to such laws as are imposed in all
civilised countries for the good of the community at large.
The Congo Free State has indeed, without breaking any Treaty, solved the
problem which has baffled the combined wisdom of all the ancient great
colonial Powers. It exists on its own resources without poisoning the
natives with alcohol; it extracts much wealth from the soil without fear
of ever exhausting it; it opens up great tracts of land without running
heavily into debt, and--noblest of all--it daily converts naked cannibal
savages into self-respecting responsible people.
FOOTNOTES:
[4] See _New Africa_ by Senator E. Descamps, p. 73 _et seq_.
[5] In Canada, Australia and the North West.