Stanley's Adventures in the Wilds of Africa: A Graphic Account of the Several Expeditions of Henry M. Stanley into the Heart of the Dark ContinentHeadley, Joel Tyler
History
Stanley's Adventures in the Wilds of Africa: A Graphic Account of the Several Expeditions of Henry M. Stanley into the Heart of the Dark Continent
Headley, Joel Tyler
Africa, Central -- Description and travel; Stanley, Henry M. (Henry Morton), 1841-1904
Keeping north, he says: "We pass between the Island Ugingo and the
gigantic mountains of Ugegeya, at whose base the Lady Alice seems to
crawl like a mite in a huge cheese, while we on board admire the
stupendous height, and wonder at the deathly silence which prevails in
this solitude, where the boisterous winds are hushed and the turbulent
waves are as tranquil as a summer dream. The natives, as they pass,
regard this spot with superstition, as well they might, for the silent
majesty of these dumb, tall mounts awes the very storms to peace. Let
the tempests bluster as they may on the spacious main beyond the cape,
in this nook, sheltered by tall Ugingo isle and lofty Goshi in the
mainland, they inspire no fear. It is this refuge which Goshi promises
the distressed canoemen that causes them to sing praises of Goshi, and
to cheer one another when wearied and benighted, that Goshi is near to
protect them."
Sailing in and out among the clustering islands, they see two low
isolated islands in the distance, and make toward them to camp there for
the night. "There," says Stanley, "under the overspreading branches of a
mangrove tree we dream of unquiet waters, and angry surfs, and
threatening rocks, to find ourselves next morning tied to an island,
which, from its peculiarity, I called Bridge Island. While seeking a
road to ascend the island, to take bearings, I discovered a natural
bridge of basalt, about twenty feet in length and twelve in breadth,
under which one might repose comfortably, and from one side see the
waves lashed to fury and spend their strength on the stubborn rocks,
which form the foundation of the arch, while from the other we could see
the boat, secure under the lee of the island, resting on a serene and
placid surface, and shaded by mangrove branches from the hot sun of the
equator. Its neighborhood is remarkable only for a small cave, the haunt
of fishermen." After taking a survey of the neighboring mainland, he
hoisted sail and scudded along the coast before a freshening breeze. At
noon he found himself, by observation, to be under the equator. Seeing
an opening in the lake that looked like the mouth of a river, he sailed
into it to find it was only a deep bay. Coming in sight of a village, he
anchored near it and tried to make friends with some wild-looking
fishermen on the shore, but the naked savages only "stared at them from
under penthouses of hair, and hastily stole away to tell their families
of the strange apparition they had seen."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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