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 18th of October we were at Amiri Rapids, and the second Zanzibari
showed symptoms of small-pox. So far we had been remarkably free of the
disease, despite the fact that there were from ten to twenty sufferers
daily in the camp since arriving at the settlement of the Batundu. Out
of 620 Zanzibaris who were ordered to be vaccinated, some few
constitutions might possibly have resisted the vaccine; but no more
decided proof of the benefits resulting to humanity could be obtained
from Jenner’s discovery than were furnished by our Expedition. Among the
Manyuema, Madis, and native followers, the epidemic had taken deadly
hold, and many a victim had already been tossed into the river weighted
with rocks. For this was also a strange necessity we had to resort to,
to avoid subsequent exhumation by the natives whom we discovered to be
following our tracks for the purpose of feeding on the dead.
One of the Zanzibari headmen while acting as coxswain of a canoe was so
stung by wasps at this camp that he despaired of his life, and insisted
that his will should be written, wherein he made his brother, then with
us, his sole legatee. I conformed to his wish in a clerkly fashion that
pleased him well, but I also administered a ten-grain dose of carbonate
of ammonium hypodermically, and told him he should reach Zanzibar in
spite of the vicious wasps who had so punished him. The next day he was
a new man, and boasted that the white man’s medicines could cure
everything except death.
[Sidenote: 1888. Oct. 18. Amiri Falls.]
After moving to the top of Amiri Rapids, a series of misfortunes met us.
Some few of the flighty-headed untrained men of the rear-column rushed
off to the plantain plantations without a leader or authority, and
conducted themselves like children. The natives surrounded them and
punished them, wounding three. Two others, one suffering from a
palpitation of the heart, and another feeble youth, had left the trail
to hide from the rear-guard.
Up to date, we had lost since 1st of September, nine Zanzibaris killed,
one from suicide, one from ulcers, and two were missing. Of the Manyuema
contingent, fifteen had been killed or had died from small pox, and
eighteen Madis had either been killed or had perished from the pest.
Total loss, forty-four deaths within forty-nine days.
[Sidenote: 1888. Oct. 19.
Amiri Falls.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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