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Through the Dark Continent, Vol. 2 (of 2) : $b or, The sources of the Nile around the Great Lakes of Equatorial Africa and down the Livingstone River to the Atlantic OceanStanley, Henry M. (Henry Morton)

History

Through the Dark Continent, Vol. 2 (of 2) : $b or, The sources of the Nile around the Great Lakes of Equatorial Africa and down the Livingstone River to the Atlantic Ocean

Name: Through the Dark Continent, Vol. 2 (of 2) : $b or, The sources of the Nile around the Great Lakes of Equatorial Africa and down the Livingstone River to the Atlantic Ocean
Author: Stanley, Henry M. (Henry Morton)

Stanley, Henry M. (Henry Morton)

Africa, Central -- Description and travel; Stanley, Henry M. (Henry Morton), 1841-1904 -- Travel -- Africa, Central

Blood-brotherhood was a beastly cannibalistic ceremony with these
people, yet much sought after, whether for the satisfaction of their
thirst for blood, or that it involved an interchange of gifts, of which
they must needs reap the most benefit. After an incision was made in
each arm, both brothers bent their heads, and the aborigine was observed
to suck with the greatest fervour, whether for love of blood or excess
of friendship it would be difficult to say. Having discovered our
liberality, they became arrant beggars, and difficult to satisfy. Copper
was despised, but brass wire was gold—anything became purchasable with
it except canoes.

The most curious objects we discovered at Rubunga were four ancient
Portuguese muskets, at the sight of which the people of the Expedition
raised a glad shout. These appeared to them certain signs that we had
not lost the road, that the great river did really reach the sea, and
that their master was not deluding them when he told them that some day
they would see the sea.

In reply to our questions as to where they had obtained them, they said
from men in canoes from Bankaro, Bangaro, Mangara, or, as the word
finally settled down, from Mangala, who came once a year to buy ivory.
These traders were black men, and they had never heard of white men or
of Arabs. One or two of their people had visited Mangala, and from these
great travellers I obtained the following list of places—which
geographers will do well to study—which they had heard of as being down
river:

Iringi.
Mpakiwana.
Ukataraka.
Marunja.
Ikonogo.
Bubeka.
Imemé.
Ikandawanda.

Mpungu (river entering from left bank).
Mangala.
Ibeko.
Iregweh.
Bateké.
Ikumu.
Irebu.

The nations reported to be below Rubunga were Bakongo, Mberri, Wakomera,
Wyyaka, Baurengeri, Mangala.

_Feb. 10._—On the morning of the 10th of February natives from down
river appeared to escort us, and our friends of Rubunga also despatched
a canoe and five men to introduce us to Urangi. In about two hours we
arrived at the very populous settlement of Urangi, consisting of several
villages almost joining one another.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

History

Through the Dark Continent, Vol. 2 (of 2) : $b or, The sources of the Nile around the Great Lakes of Equatorial Africa and down the Livingstone River to the Atlantic Ocean

Stanley, Henry M. (Henry Morton)

Africa, Central -- Description and travel; Stanley, Henry M. (Henry Morton), 1841-1904 -- Travel -- Africa, Central

Blood-brotherhood was a beastly cannibalistic ceremony with these
people, yet much sought after, whether for the satisfaction of their
thirst for blood, or that it involved an interchange of gifts, of which
they must needs reap the most benefit. After an incision was made in
each arm, both brothers bent their heads, and the aborigine was observed
to suck with the greatest fervour, whether for love of blood or excess
of friendship it would be difficult to say. Having discovered our
liberality, they became arrant beggars, and difficult to satisfy. Copper
was despised, but brass wire was gold—anything became purchasable with
it except canoes.

The most curious objects we discovered at Rubunga were four ancient
Portuguese muskets, at the sight of which the people of the Expedition
raised a glad shout. These appeared to them certain signs that we had
not lost the road, that the great river did really reach the sea, and
that their master was not deluding them when he told them that some day
they would see the sea.

In reply to our questions as to where they had obtained them, they said
from men in canoes from Bankaro, Bangaro, Mangara, or, as the word
finally settled down, from Mangala, who came once a year to buy ivory.
These traders were black men, and they had never heard of white men or
of Arabs. One or two of their people had visited Mangala, and from these
great travellers I obtained the following list of places—which
geographers will do well to study—which they had heard of as being down
river:

Iringi.
Mpakiwana.
Ukataraka.
Marunja.
Ikonogo.
Bubeka.
Imemé.
Ikandawanda.

Mpungu (river entering from left bank).
Mangala.
Ibeko.
Iregweh.
Bateké.
Ikumu.
Irebu.

The nations reported to be below Rubunga were Bakongo, Mberri, Wakomera,
Wyyaka, Baurengeri, Mangala.

_Feb. 10._—On the morning of the 10th of February natives from down
river appeared to escort us, and our friends of Rubunga also despatched
a canoe and five men to introduce us to Urangi. In about two hours we
arrived at the very populous settlement of Urangi, consisting of several
villages almost joining one another.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Through the Dark Continent, Vol. 2 (of 2) : $b or, The sources of the Nile around the Great Lakes of Equatorial Africa and down the Livingstone River to the Atlantic Ocean

Through the Dark Continent, Vol. 2 (of 2) : $b or, The sources of the Nile around the Great Lakes of Equatorial Africa and down the Livingstone River to the Atlantic Ocean

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