Again in the Dark Forest
After a short rest, the third march through the gloomy forest began.
There were dangers in plenty and the whole caravan came near starving.
Notwithstanding all Stanley's efforts, it was not possible to save his
men from their folly. Everyone was instructed, as soon as a banana grove
was reached, to provide himself with food enough for several days, but
these great thoughtless boys would throw away their food when it became
burdensome, and thus many began to suffer for lack of sustenance, which
might have been avoided by a little care.
On the eighth of December, while pitching camp, Stanley noticed a boy
staggering with weakness. When asked what was the trouble he said that
he was hungry. He had thrown away five days' rations hoping to find more
food that day. Upon further inquiry he found that at least one hundred
and fifty had followed his example and had had nothing to eat that day.
The next morning Stanley sent all his effective men, two hundred in
number, back to the last banana grove, expecting that they would return
in two days loaded with supplies of the fruit. The small supply of meal
was soon consumed and Stanley opened his European provision chest. Each
one of the one hundred and thirty men was given a morsel of butter and
condensed milk which was mixed with water in a kind of thin soup. At
last they searched in the forest for berries and mushrooms.
From day to day their anxiety increased and they moved about more slowly
and feebly. Nothing was heard or seen of the expedition which had been
sent out. Five days had passed already. Perhaps they were lost in the
forest or had succumbed to hunger before they reached the banana trees.
If so, all in the camp were doomed. In this unknown corner of the forest
every trace of them would disappear. The graves would remain hidden
forever, while the Pasha himself would spend month after month wondering
what had become of the relief expedition.
At last, on the sixth day, Stanley decided to set out with a small
number of his people in search of food, leaving Bonney to care for the
sick and exhausted. He left a scant stock of provisions for them, but
there was no other way to save them. Sixty-five men and women and twelve
boys went with him. They marched until evening and then threw themselves
upon the ground to rest. No fire was kindled as they had nothing to
cook. Few of them slept. Frau Sorge ("mistress anxiety") occupied the
camp and filled their minds with visions of suffering, despair, and
death.
When the darkness began to disappear and light fell upon the
outstretched groups, Stanley, mustering up courage, shouted: "Up, lads,
up! To the bananas! Up! If God so wills, we will have bananas to-day."
In a few minutes the camping place was deserted and the weary ones were
once more on their way, some limping because of their hurts, some
hobbling because of sores, and others stumbling because of weakness. At
last Stanley heard a murmuring sound and suddenly saw a great abundance
of green fruit. In a trice all weakness and every trace of despair
disappeared. English and Africans, Christians and heathen, each in his
own language, shouted "God be praised." Fire was quickly kindled, the
green fruit was cooked, and an enjoyable meal gave them strength for
their return. In an hour they were on their way back to the camp of
hunger, which they reached at half past two in the afternoon. They were
given a welcome such as only the dying can give when their rescue is
sure. Then all, young and old, forgot the troubles of the past in the
joy of the present and agreed to be more careful in future--until the
next time.