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
The first great want of Africa, therefore, is the suppression of the
slave trade. This has been to great extent accomplished on the West
Coast. It has not been accomplished on the East Coast because of the
neglect of the British government. Not long since Zanzibar was visited
by a terrible hurricane, whose destructive fury laid waste its shipping,
its houses, and scattered death and desolation over a wide expanse. The
affliction was very great, and grievous to be borne. The slave trade of
Zanzibar is almost infinitely more cruel than the remorseless elements.
Its speedy suppression is demanded by the united cries of Christianity
and humanity. It is the undoubted duty of the government of Great
Britain to heed this demand, and put an end to the woes which exist
through the cupidity of British subjects and the inefficiency of British
officials at Zanzibar.
The other great wants of Africa are the abolition of domestic slavery
and the destruction of the system of polygamy. To accomplish these great
objects will be no easy achievement, nor one, it is believed, which can
be speedily brought about. It certainly can be done the more easily and
the more speedily after the suppression of the foreign slave trade.
Until that be done, it is simply impossible. That having first been
brought about, the national characteristic of all African peoples will
be found, it is confidently believed, to form an element of vast power
in bringing the continent under the sway of civilization. That
characteristic is the love of trade. It is another of the singular
anomalies of this division of the world, that while it is, upon the
whole, the least commercial of all, the people are natural traders. They
are universally fond of barter. This may be called the African
idiosyncrasy. Taking advantage of it, with his inculcations of religious
truth, Dr. Livingstone’s labors at the time and afterwards were crowned
with magnificent success. Those of his co-laborers who have succeeded
have pursued the same plan. Thus throughout a vast expanse have slavery
and polygamy passed away, and the institutions of Christian
civilization been adopted in their stead by a people naturally
intelligent, progressive, and brave.
[Illustration: A CAMP OF ARAB TRADERS.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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