Chapter I: Preface

For centuries Africa has been "the dark continent" of our globe. The sea-washed edges of this immense tract have been known time immemorial. Egypt, at its northeastern corner, is the oldest of the governments of the earth; while the nations skirting the Red and the Mediterranean seas were actors in the earliest recorded history. But Africa as a whole has been an unknown land.

That it was a fertile land, was demonstrated by the treasures brought from its depths by those mighty rivers, the Nile, the Niger and the Congo. That it was populous, was proven by the fact that its native tribes had furnished to the world without, forty millions of slaves in the period of two centuries. Both the slave-hunter and the slave told wondrous tales of the inner depths of the land, but these were mere hints as to the actual facts of the case. Africa remained a mystery and a riddle, that seemingly were never to be penetrated.

For many years explorations in Africa were made simply to gratify curiosity, or from a desire to penetrate beyond lines reached by other men. All the results desired or expected were amusement or fame. But in later years African explorations have assumed an entirely different aspect. From Livingstone, who first began to open up "the dark continent," to Cameron and Stanley who pierced its very heart, all explorations have tended to one great end--the civilization and Christianization of the vast population that inhabits it. No matter what the ruling motive may have been in each case, whether, as in Livingstone, to introduce Christianity; or, in Baker, to put a stop to the slave trade; or, in Stanley, to unlock the mystery of ages, still the tendency has been the same: to bring Africa into the family of continents instead of being the earth's "pariah;" to throw light on this black spot of our planet, and make those who inhabit it practically and morally, what they are really, a portion of the human race.

Mungo Park, Denham and Clapperton made explorations of considerable value early in the present century, but Livingstone with thirty years of toil in Africa was the real pioneer of successful work. In 1840, at the age of twenty-five, he embarked as a missionary to South Africa, thus entering the land where he lived and died, and which he never left save on two brief visits to his native land.

After Livingstone's last return to Africa, circumstantial reports of his death were received. These were subsequently contradicted and other reports of death came. He wrote but few letters and some of these failed to reach their destination; his fate, therefore, remained in painful uncertainty until Bennett sent Stanley to discover him, dead or alive.

This commission led to the two expeditions of Stanley, the thrilling events of which are narrated in this volume.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

HENRY M. STANLEY.

Stanley's birth-place--Early roving--Extensive travels--Correspondent in Abyssinia--The lost Dr. Livingstone--Bennett's confidence in Stanley--Stanley's marching orders--His interview with Bennett--Off to his work--En route for Africa--Stanley meets Livingstone--Stanley's extreme measures, 17

CHAPTER II.

DESCRIPTION OF AFRICA.

Inaccessibility of Africa--Extent of Africa--Products of the land, 42

CHAPTER III.

STANLEY'S SEARCH FOR LIVINGSTONE.

Preparations for the march--The start inland--Wretched surroundings--Death of the horses--Jungle travel--The belles of Kisemo--News of Livingstone--African fever, 49

CHAPTER IV.

WILD EXPERIENCES.

Slow marching--Irreparable losses--The sultana's judgment--Deliverance from difficulties--In a pitiable plight--New burdens--Incipient mutiny--Forgiveness--Murderous attempt--A man left behind, 68

CHAPTER V.

TRIALS BY THE WAY.

Down with fever--Strange tribes--A cowardly mob--The country described--What Africa may be--Tribes of Africa--Marks and weapons--African ornamentation--A nobler tribe--Warriors armed--Filthy homes--Social customs--Agriculture, 93

CHAPTER VI.

ADVENTURES IN GREAT VARIETY.

Chiefs of Tabna--Fighting with Mirambo--A Flying caravan-- Despondency--Triumph--Shaw left--The hunter's paradise--On the hunt--Crocodiles, 128

CHAPTER VII.

THE END APPROACHES.

Mutinous conduct--News of a white man--Hastening to Ujiji--A screaming woman--A narrow escape, 150

CHAPTER VIII.

STANLEY MEETS LIVINGSTONE.

Ujiji in sight--The village entered--The doctor at hand--The lost found--Opening his mail--Talking and eating--A long talk--Ambition satisfied, 161

CHAPTER IX.

STANLEY'S HOMEWARD MARCH.

Sweet converse--Livingstone's surprise--Homeward bound--Parting with Livingstone--Tribute to Livingstone--Passing the swamps--Again at Zanzibar, 180

CHAPTER X.

STANLEY'S SECOND EXPEDITION.

Journeying inland--Lost in the jungle--Lion soup--Plenty of food--Edward Pocoke's death--Letter of condolence--Burial of Pocoke--Magic doctor, 197

CHAPTER XI.

PRESSING TOWARD THE INTERIOR.

A hostile surprise--A battle--A massacre--Summary retribution--Confident amid perils--Immense table-lands--Geological history, 216

CHAPTER XII.

EXPLORATION OF THE VICTORIA NYANZA.

Getting to work--Journal of the explorations--Navigating the lake--A narrow escape--Review of the route, 231

CHAPTER XIII.

EXPLORATION OF THE VICTORIA NYANZA.

Source of the Nile--King Mtesa--Royally entertained--The needed missionary--Wild justice, 243

CHAPTER XIV.

EXPLORATION OF THE VICTORIA NYANZA.

A night surprise--Narrow escape--In a storm--A welcome sight--A treacherous trick--A critical moment--Terrible recompense--A night tempest--Again in the storm, 256

CHAPTER XV.

AN INTERVAL OF REST.

Proposals to abandon camp--Rest after toil--Stanley's day-dreams--Seeking canoes--The king's strategy--Treachery thwarted, 277

CHAPTER XVI.

PREPARATIONS FOR FURTHER EXPLORATIONS.

Organizing an attack--Terrible punishment--Completely subdued--New schemes--The Albert Nyanza--Military escort, 291

CHAPTER XVII.

THE EXPEDITION TO ALBERT NYANZA.

Snow-capped mountains--A strange race--Toward the Albert Nyanza--A miserable failure--The inglorious return--Mtesa's friendship--Lakes of Karagwe--Sources of the Nile--Exploring the Kagera--An African village--Bead currency, 304

CHAPTER XVIII.

EXPLORATIONS OF LAKE TANGANIKA.

Cameron's outlet--A wholesale massacre--Where is the outlet?--Difficulties in the way--Curious customs, 331

CHAPTER XIX.

NYANGWE AND ITS HISTORY.

A beautiful region--The slave trade--Slave pens--Hunting the slaves--How to stop it, 345

CHAPTER XX.

ORGANIZING A NEW EXPEDITION.

Stanley's new purposes--Napoleonic spirit--An escort secured--African markets--Tipo-Tipo's army, 356

CHAPTER XXI.

THROUGH THE FORESTS.

The start--Discouraging progress--Wonders of the forest--Soko skulls, 368

CHAPTER XXII.

FLOATING DOWN THE CONGO.

Terrible suspense--Drifting downward--A stratagem--Departure of Tipo-Tipo--A mournful scene, 379

CHAPTER XXIII.

DESCENT OF THE CONGO.

Beset by cannibals--Beautiful scenery--Zaidi in peril--Stanley as a strategist--Seeking man-meat--Battling onward--Portuguese muskets--Chased again--Famine at hand--Hospitable entertainment--"Stanley pool"--Brotherly proceedings, 390

CHAPTER XXIV.

AMONG THE CATARACTS.

Wild surroundings--Terrible rapids--Soudi's marvelous escape--Narrow escape of Stanley--Cluster of cataracts--Canoes on mountain tops, 419

CHAPTER XXV.

EXPERIENCES BY THE WAY.

Canoe building--A terrific pass--Trial for theft--Touching scene--Unexpected dilemma--A merry evening, 435

CHAPTER XXVI.

DEATH OF FRANK POCOKE.

Pocoke's value to Stanley--Stanley in peril--Drowning of Pocoke--Stanley in grief--Pocoke's character, 448

CHAPTER XXVII.

THE COMPLETED WORK.

Incipient mutiny--In despair--A perilous moment--Brightening prospects--Captured for stealing--Word to the outside world--A starving company--Greeted by friends--Approaching Zanzibar--Home again--Stanley's crowning honor, 460

CHAPTER XXVIII.

THE FRUITS OF VICTORY.

Stanley called to Brussels--A conference concerning the Congo region--A company organized--At the mouth of the Congo--Up the river--Locating stations--Making treaties--Difficulties surmounted--Stanley Pool reached, 484

CHAPTER XXIX.

THE CONGO FREE STATE.

Treaty concerning the new realm--Area of the Congo basin--Peculiarities of the river--Its volume--Scenery on the Congo--Climate--Commercial advantages--Stanley's fame, 494

CHAPTER XXX.

EMIN, THE LAST OF THE SOUDAN HEROES.

History of Emin Pasha--In Egyptian service--Efficient work--Lost to the world--Betrayal of Gordon--Popular demand for Emin's rescue--The "Emin Relief Committee," 500

CHAPTER XXXI.

STANLEY TO THE RESCUE.

Stanley in America--Recalled to Europe--Back to Africa--His escort--Disposition of his forces--Into the wilderness--Distressing reports--Forged dispatches--Disaster elsewhere--Good news from Stanley, 505

CHAPTER XXXII.

STANLEY AND EMIN.

Emin's forces--His hesitation--His delays--Discussions on the subject--Hopes of success, 511

CHAPTER XXXIII.

IN THE HEART OF AFRICA.

Stanley heard from--Hidden again--Further news--A barrier of silence--Summary of incidents--Advance contested--Unholy regions--Providence or luck--Seriously ill--Promises kept--Surroundings changed--Sublime scenery--Officers in doubt--Further news--Emin and his people arrive, 518

CHAPTER XXXIV.

FORWARD MARCH.

The grand muster--Moving--In camp--Great expectations--Route of the advance--Supplies forwarded--Arrival at Mpwapwa--Early arrival of the expedition--Losses by the way--Much fighting--Dangers everywhere, 526