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
From this creek Stanley led those of the expedition who could walk to
the head of the Mowwa Falls. Frank, whose lame foot did not permit him
to walk, took the Lady Alice, followed by the canoes, out of the mouth
of the creek, to coast carefully along down the river to the same
camping-place. In the meantime, Stanley, who had arrived first, took a
long and anxious survey of the terrific scene before him. At the head of
the falls, where he stood on a grassy plot, a ledge of rock twelve feet
high ran straight across the river like a wall for a mile and a quarter
and then stopped. From the end to the opposite shore it was a clear
space of a little more than a quarter of a mile, through which the
compressed river rushed with a strength and shout and fury that were
appalling. This wall of rock, however, was not solid--here and there it
was cut through as if by some mighty blow, making separate channels that
had a fall of twelve feet. Below, as far as the eye could reach,
treeless mountains arose nearly a mile into the heavens, while halfway
up from the mad river, that tore with the sound of thunder along their
bases, perpendicular cliffs stood walling in this awful embodiment of
power.
A scene of more utter desolation cannot be imagined than was here
presented to his view in this solitary spot. The camp seemed a mere
speck amid these gigantic outlines of mountain and river. As he thus
looked and listened, awe-struck and subdued, he saw Frank in the Lady
Alice coming through the rapids at a terrific pace. This was the first
time Frank had attempted such a feat, and he got confused, and was
finally thrown into the worst part of the rapids, and in his frantic
struggles to release himself, he struck a rock and stove a hole six
inches square into the boat. However, all were landed in safety, though
Stanley mourned greatly over the severe injury to his boat, which thus
far had escaped all harm. It took him a whole day to repair it. Two days
after, the goods were transferred below and the boats dropped carefully
through the ledge near the shore, where the water was less rough, and
reached the camp below the great falls in safety.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account