Stanley's Story; Or, Through the Wilds of Africa: A Thrilling Narrative of His Remarkable Adventures, Terrible Experiences, Wonderful Discoveries and Amazing Achievements in the Dark ContinentFeather, A. G., Col.
History
Stanley's Story; Or, Through the Wilds of Africa: A Thrilling Narrative of His Remarkable Adventures, Terrible Experiences, Wonderful Discoveries and Amazing Achievements in the Dark Continent
Feather, A. G., Col.
Africa, Central -- Description and travel; Livingstone, David, 1813-1873; Stanley, Henry M. (Henry Morton), 1841-1904
is only one of many such which he has unwillingly witnessed, and he is
utterly unable to describe the loathing he feels for the inhuman
perpetrators.
[Illustration: THE MASSACRE OF THE MANYUEMA WOMEN.]
“Slaves from Manyema command a higher price than those of any other
country, because of their fine forms and general docility. The women,
the Doctor says repeatedly, are remarkably pretty creatures, and have
nothing except their hair in common with the negroes of the West Coast.
They are of very light color, have fine noses, well-cut and not over
full lips, and a prognathous jaw is uncommon. These women are eagerly
sought after for wives by the half-castes of the East Coast, and even
the pure Amani Arabs do not disdain connection with them. To the north
of Manyema Livingstone came to a light-complexioned race of the color of
Portuguese, or our own Louisiana quadroons, who are very fine people,
and singularly remarkable for commercial ‘cuteness’ and sagacity. The
women are expert divers for oysters, which are found in great abundance
in the Lualaba.
“Rua, at a place called Katanga, is rich in copper. The copper mines of
this place have been worked for ages. In the bed of a stream gold has
been found washed down in pencil-shaped lumps or particles as large as
split peas. Two Arabs have gone thither to prospect for this metal, but
as they are ignorant of the art of gulch mining it is scarcely possible
that they will succeed.
“From these highly important and interesting discoveries Dr. Livingstone
was turned back when almost on the threshold of success by the positive
refusal of his men to accompany him further. They were afraid to go
unless accompanied by a large force of men, and as these were not
procurable in Manyema the Doctor reluctantly turned his face toward
Ujiji.
“It was a long and weary road back. The journey had now no interest for
him. He had travelled it before when going westward, full of high hopes
and aspirations, impatient to reach the goal which promised him rest
from his labors; now returning unsuccessful, baffled and thwarted when
almost in sight of the end, and having to travel the same road back on
foot, with disappointed expectations and defeated hopes preying on his
mind, no wonder that the brave old spirit almost succumbed and the
strong constitution almost wrecked. He arrived at Ujiji October 26,
almost at death’s door. On the way he had been trying to cheer himself
up, since he had found it impossible to contend against the obstinacy of
his men, with ‘it won’t take long, five or six months more; it
matters not, since it can’t be helped. I have got my goods in Ujiji and
can hire other people and make a new start.’ These are the words and
hopes with which he tried to delude himself into the idea that all would
be right yet; but imagine, if you can, the shock he must have suffered
when he found that the man to whom was entrusted his goods for safe
keeping had sold every bale for ivory.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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