In Darkest Africa, Vol. 2; or, The Quest, Rescue, and Retreat of Emin, Governor of EquatoriaStanley, Henry M. (Henry Morton)
History
In Darkest Africa, Vol. 2; or, The Quest, Rescue, and Retreat of Emin, Governor of Equatoria
Stanley, Henry M. (Henry Morton)
Africa, Central -- Description and travel; Emin Pasha, 1840-1892
On the 30th August I sent the entire flotilla of canoes--twenty-nine in
number, with twelve of Ugarrowwa’s--to transport Mr. Bonny, 239 men and
their personal kit, provisions and cooking pots, five miles up river to
the landing-place above the Rendi River, with orders to the land column
to continue along our track to the next village, and the canoes having
discharged their passengers returned to the island.
The next day--thirteen days having elapsed since Tippu-Tib had been
communicated with and no reply having been received--we departed from
Bungangeta Island on our final journey through the forest land, east. We
embarked 225 men, inclusive of canoe crews, feeble and sick, and 275
full loads of between sixty and sixty-five pounds each of expeditionary
property, provisions of flour, private kits of the people, &c., and
despite a burning sun, which made extempore awnings very necessary,
pressed on up river for six hours until we arrived at our old camp below
Lower Mariri. On the 1st of September we reached the foot of Mariri
Rapids to find that Bonny’s column had passed on to South Mupé. As the
unsophisticated Zanzibaris and Manyuema had quite overlooked the device
of portage opposite rapids, we had to despatch couriers to South Mupé
for men to assist in the transport of loads overland.
On the 2nd we were engaged in poling the canoes through the dangerous
river, and in the operation two were capsized. The next day we poled
through the upper Mariri Rapids, and at noon we were all assembled at
South Mupé.
[Sidenote: 1888. Sept. 4. Mupé.]
Ugarrowwa had followed us up with his flotilla to collect a little more
ivory, and was encamped at Upper Mariri Village. I had finished my
hastily written letters to the Royal and Scottish Geographical
Societies, and availed myself of his visit to me to request him to see
that they were forwarded to England, but during our halt on the 4th
September at South Mupé he re-visited me with Salim bin Mohammed, the
nephew of Tippu-Tib, so often mentioned in connection with Major
Barttelot and Mr. Jameson. This man was of medium height and of slender
build, with good and regular Arab features, much marred by the
small-pox, and a face that reflected courage and audacity.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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