THE RIVERS OF AFRICA.
For many years Africa was believed to be a land destitute of rivers in
its interior sections. The explorations made by Dr. Livingstone proved
to the world that what had been formerly termed the unexplored
territory is not the barren, riverless region that imagination had
pictured.
Still, the nature of the rivers was for a long time but imperfectly
determined.
It is generally acknowledged that, of all the great rivers, there is
scarcely one that has been successfully traced from source to mouth
throughout its entire length. Even the tributaries of these rivers are
but imperfectly known, owing to the many difficulties attending their
exploration.
We have a right, then, to expect much from later investigation, as more
and more of the country is opened to observation.
The journals of such men as Livingstone and Stanley open a vast
storehouse of knowledge to those who read them. Fascinated, as by a
romance, we lose ourselves in these pages, and in imagination follow
their footsteps through "Darkest Africa."
The rivers of South Africa have their rise mostly in the neighboring
highlands. Many of these rivers are, in fact, not much greater than
mountain torrents, whose courses are as short as their currents are
rapid.
Most of the rivers of Africa have obstructions, in the form of sand
bars, at their mouths. The Orange River is a striking example, the water
at its mouth being choked by a vast deposit of sand.
The chief great rivers of Africa are the Nile, the Niger, the Zambesi,
the Orange, the Congo, the Senegal, and the Gambia.
Although all the great rivers have served as links to connect the
journeys of the various explorers, yet the Nile, the Niger, the
Zambesi, and the Congo have been chosen as the chief guides for the more
recent explorations.
Each of these great rivers has distinct characteristics and striking
peculiarities. The Nile, though a river of the greatest antiquity, was
for many, many years a problem in the minds of those busied with the
geography of Africa.
Many of the records kept by the early explorers were, unfortunately,
lost. Among those that were preserved were many that were not reliable
in their information. Many of the accounts were most conflicting in fact
and detail. This led to much confusion and much discussion. Men
naturally were slow to accept information which they could not prove to
be authentic.
Wars among the natives of the interior were most disastrous to the
explorer. At best, his life, interesting and exciting as we might
suppose it to have been, could certainly not have been an enviable one.
Only dauntless courage and boundless enthusiasm could have led him into
regions where he must suffer not only fatigue, but privation; not only
danger from wild beasts hungry for their prey, but from cruel,
treacherous savages lurking on every side.
The countries watered by the Niger offered an immense field for
exploration. Inviting as this region was to the explorer, it afforded
many difficulties. Savage beasts and treacherous natives were foes that
might be overcome, but who could withstand the attacks of fever and
malaria, unsuspected foes to health and life, in this region of
pestilence and disease?
Mungo Park, a Scotch explorer, relates that, out of a party of
forty-four, but four survived the exploration, owing to the unhealthy
character of the climate. He relates that he received various kinds of
treatment at the hands of the natives. The women, however, were for the
most part kindly disposed and benevolent.
At one time the king of the region of Bambarra, through which he was
passing, forbade him to cross the Niger. He was obliged to remain over
night in one of the villages. None of the natives would receive him into
their huts. Finally, he took shelter in the branches of a tree. He was
worn out from hunger and fatigue. A storm came up, from which he was
wholly unprotected, but he was befriended by a woman, who was passing on
her way from her daily work in the field. She took him home to her hut,
kindly cared for him, and did all she could to make him comfortable.
It is the custom of the women to lighten their labor by singing songs as
they work. On this occasion Park was made the subject of this song which
was sung by one of the young women of the village. The melody was sweet
and rather plaintive; the words simple.
"_The winds roared and the rain fell.
The poor white man, faint and weary, came and sat under our tree.
He has no mother to bring him milk; no wife to grind his corn._"
To this a refrain was added, in which all the women joined.
"_Let us pity the white man;
No mother has he to bring him milk;
No wife has he to grind his corn._"
It was to Richard Lander that the geographical students were indebted
for much information about the Niger. He encountered many dangers, and,
with his followers, was finally taken prisoner by the natives.
Only on the promise of a heavy ransom were they allowed their freedom.
By the offer of heavy bribes, he made arrangements with the natives to
convey him, with his party, to the sea. The journey was by way of the
Niger, and proved to Lander that water communication could be opened
into the interior of Africa. Thus he solved one of the greatest problems
in the geography of the continent.
In the southern portion of Africa, the more recent explorations have
been mostly in connection with the Zambesi River, its extensive basin,
and its many affluents. Most of the results were due to the energy of
Livingstone, whose footsteps we shall like to trace later. We must
regard Livingstone not only as an explorer, but as a zealous missionary
in the great field open to him. Only through his indomitable courage,
boundless faith, and untiring devotion could he have accomplished his
arduous labor.
Most of the difficulties that attended the exploration of the great
rivers were due largely to the character of the countries through which
they passed. Much of it was, of course, wholly unbroken territory.
Tangled forests, treacherous morasses, and wild jungles were
difficulties that constantly tried the courage and fortitude of the men
who formed the exploring parties.
But these were not all they had to encounter in the way of obstacles.
Wild animals, fierce for food, or angered at having their haunts
invaded, lay ready to attack them. Hostile savages lurked in the depths
of the forests, or pursued them to the water's edge, eager to shed their
blood. Even on the rivers there was no safety; for the enraged natives
pursued them in their canoes, and attacked them boldly, trusting to the
poisoned arrows which they hurled fiercely at them.
As if these were not difficulties enough to be met and overcome, the
hearts of the explorers often sank in dismay as they encountered fresh
obstacles in the bed of the streams. Here were dangerous rapids, over
which their canoes were liable to be hurled, only to be dashed to pieces
on the rocks below. Barred by such obstacles, the canoes often had to be
carried overland on the backs of the men, till the course of the river
became navigable.
Much of the information received from such friendly natives as they
found, living in villages along the course of the river, was unreliable.
They were often misled, too, by the various names given to the same
river in the different sections of the country.
Many of the rivers make such intricate wanderings as to lose themselves
in one section to reappear again in other sections, but under different
names. On this account, much time was lost in doubt and speculation.
As we read of the exploits of these explorers, we shall be able to
comprehend more fully the extreme difficulty of the work they undertook,
and, in many cases, carried out so successfully.
Through the light they shed we shall be able to read the story of
Africa. We shall find it both fascinating and instructive.