Human Skull 461 Skeletons of Man and the Gorilla 462 A Young Gorilla--Du Chaillu's Captive 463 [Illustration: Henry Stanley] THE BOY TRAVELLERS ON THE CONGO. CHAPTER I. CROSSING THE ATLANTIC OCEAN WITH STANLEY.--"THROUGH THE DARK CONTINENT."--AN IMPROMPTU GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY.--PERSONAL APPEARANCE OF STANLEY.--COMMENTS UPON HIM BY FRANK AND FRED.--HOW THE GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY WAS ORGANIZED.--READING STANLEY'S BOOK.--STANLEY'S DEPARTURE FROM ENGLAND FOR ZANZIBAR.--JOINT ENTERPRISE OF TWO NEWSPAPERS.--PREPARATIONS FOR THE EXPEDITION.--THE _LADY ALICE_.--BARKER AND THE POCOCKS.--ZANZIBAR.--PRINCE BARGHASH.--INHABITANTS OF ZANZIBAR.--THE WANGWANA. At eight o'clock on the morning of December 15, 1886, the magnificent steamer _Eider_, of the North German Lloyds, left her dock in New York harbor for a voyage to Southampton and Bremen. Among the passengers that gathered on her deck to wave farewell to friends on shore was one whose name has become famous throughout the civilized world for the great work he has performed in exploring the African continent and opening it to commerce and Christianizing influences. That man, it is hardly necessary to say, was HENRY M. STANLEY. Near him stood a group of three individuals who will be recognized by many of our readers. They were Doctor Bronson and his nephews, Frank Bassett and Fred Bronson, whose adventures have been recorded in previous volumes.[1] [1] "The Boy Travellers in the Far East," in China, Japan, Siam, Java, Ceylon, India, Egypt, the Holy Land, Africa; "The Boy Travellers in South America;" "The Boy Travellers in the Russian Empire." Seven volumes, published by Harper & Brothers, New York. [Illustration: SANDY HOOK FROM NAVESINK LIGHT-HOUSE.] Slowly the great steamer made her way among the ships at anchor in the harbor. She passed the Narrows, then entered the Lower Bay, and, winding through the channel between Sandy Hook and Coney Island, was soon upon the open ocean. Near the Sandy Hook light-ship she stopped her engines sufficiently long to discharge her pilot, and then, with her prow turned to the eastward, she dashed away on her course at full speed. Day by day and night by night the tireless engines throbbed and pulsated, but never for a moment ceased their toil till the _Eider_ was off Southampton, more than three thousand miles from her starting-point. Doctor Bronson was acquainted with Mr. Stanley, and soon after the steamer left the dock the two gentlemen were in conversation. After a little while the doctor introduced his nephews, who were warmly greeted by the great explorer; he had read of their journeys in the far East and in other lands, and expressed his pleasure at meeting them personally.