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
From Zanzibar Stanley sailed across the Indian Ocean to Bombay, whence
he transmitted despatches announcing the success which had crowned his
long labors and journeyings. It was this intelligence, transmitted so
fully through the London office of the New York “Herald,” which so
gratifyingly startled the world about the time of the anniversary of
American independence in 1872. From Bombay, Mr. Stanley proceeded to
Europe by way of the Suez canal, reaching Aden, southwestern Arabia,
July 11; Port Said, the head of the Suez canal, on the 18th; and
arrived at Marseilles, in France, on the 24th. Here he was received with
kindest welcome, and to some extent besieged by gentlemen of his own
profession, who transmitted to their journals accounts of his doings.
At Paris a few days afterwards he was received with exhilarating
hospitality by the American residents of the city, and was greatly
lionized generally. Breakfasting with Hon. Elihu B. Washburne, American
Minister, he there met among other distinguished guests, General William
T. Sherman, the commanding officer of the Army of the United States,
about completing a tour of Europe and the Levant. The General occupied
much of the time in examining Mr. Stanley’s maps, and discharging some
of his fund of caustic humor on the prevalence of the East African slave
trade. On July 30th, Minister Washburne and many other Americans in
Paris extended a formal invitation to Mr. Stanley to meet them at a
banquet, where they might in a body testify their “high appreciation of
the indomitable courage, energy, and perseverance which crowned with
such brilliant success your efforts to find Dr. Livingstone, as well as
to express their sense of the enterprise and liberality of the New York
‘Herald’ in sending you forth on such an extraordinary mission.”
Mr. Stanley’s reply to this cordial invitation was so modest, so happily
expressed, that it is worthy of a place here:
HOTEL DU HELDER, PARIS, July 30, 1872.
GENTLEMEN--I have received your letter of this date asking me to
accept the compliment of a dinner from my compatriots and friends now
resident in Paris, to be given in acknowledgment of the “enterprise
and liberality of the New York Herald” in sending out an expedition in
search of Dr. Livingstone, as well as of the extraordinary good
fortune and perfect success which, under Providence, attended the
footsteps of the expedition I had the honor to command. Gentlemen,
believe me, I am deeply conscious of the great honor you would do me,
and through me not only to the journal I have the pleasure of serving,
but to the patient, resolute, brave and Christian gentleman whom I
left in Central Africa. I therefore gladly accept your invitation, and
shall be pleased to meet you July 31 at any house or place that may be
deemed most convenient. I have the honor to be, gentlemen, your
obedient and humble servant,
HENRY M. STANLEY.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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