The World and Its People Part 12

Later, he became convinced that it was not a part of the Zambesi, but he was firmly impressed that its ident.i.ty with the Lualaba could be established.

Many years of his life were devoted to the study of the Lualaba and the great system of inland lakes of Africa.

Just as the whole of the civilized world looked eagerly for more definite information of Livingstone's success, all news of him ceased.

Much anxiety for his safety and welfare was felt. Months of weary waiting brought at last only the most conflicting reports. Finally the news of his death was received.

This was sad news for the world to believe. Determined to know, if possible, more definitely the fate of this intrepid explorer, those who were most interested sent out relief parties in search of him.

As a final result of all this intense interest, Mr. Henry Stanley was appointed commander of the celebrated expedition which afterwards penetrated into the interior of Africa. The expedition had for its chief object the finding of Livingstone, if he were living. If his life had been sacrificed in the interests of science, the mission of the expedition was to discover his resting place, and the journals and letters that he must have left as a priceless legacy to the world.

The thrilling incidents of Stanley's labor of love, the accounts of the hardships, privations, and stirring adventures, as he relates them in his journals are intensely interesting.

Impressed by the results of Livingstone's work, Stanley followed the Lualaba River from the point where Livingstone's investigations had ceased, and named it the Livingstone, in honor of the great explorer.

Through Stanley's efforts, the ident.i.ty of the Chambesi, the Lualaba, and the Congo was fully established.

It seems unfortunate that the name Lualaba--which translated means "mother of waters"--could not have been retained throughout the entire course of the stream. It was a name which, to Livingstone, seemed most appropriate for the wonderful river whose course he had delighted to trace.

Stanley's work was a magnificent proof of what intrepid courage and grand enthusiasm can accomplish. In one expedition after another he completed the discoveries of other explorers, penetrated the mysteries of the lake region and revealed its secrets, explored the very heart of Africa, and traced the course of that wonderful river, Livingstone's Lualaba, till it reached the sparkling waters of the South Atlantic.

The Congo has several large affluents. On the south we find the Kiva, into which a most n.o.ble river, the Kasai, flows; the Lulongo, which flows through a densely populated region; and the Ruki River, on the mouth of which Equatorville has been built.

On the north bank of the river we find such tributaries as the Mobangi, the most important of all the rivers flowing into the main stream; for it drains, by means of its mult.i.tude of head streams, the whole of the region that lies between the Congo and the equatorial provinces of Egypt. The Itimbiri is another river flowing into the Congo from the north. It enters the river just where the stream attains its greatest breadth. About one hundred and fifty miles below Stanley Falls, the waters of the Aruwimi enter the Congo to swell its current.

CHAPTER XV.

THE PEOPLE OF THE CONGO RIVER BASIN.

Stanley estimated the population of the Upper Congo basin at forty-three millions. Other explorers testify to the dense population and to the extent of the villages, as they are termed.

One writer tells of the great astonishment he felt at the length of these villages. It was no uncommon thing to find five and six miles of continuous street.

An Arab guide told Stanley that he had sometimes been two hours in pa.s.sing through some of these villages. An eminent German explorer states that in one section of the country an almost unbroken line of huts and structures stretches along the established caravan route.

The people are often barbarous to strangers, yet it is possible to approach them by means of trade. They are very keen to take advantage of the trader who offers the goods of the white man in exchange for the articles they have to barter.

Stanley wrote a detailed account of his explorations in this region under the t.i.tle "Across the Dark Continent." The book was eagerly read, and had a great influence upon the civilized world at the time of its publication.

The most noticeable result was the establishment of missions, not only along the Congo, but around Lake Victoria and Lake Tanganyika, and even in West, East, and Central Africa.

Travelers from France, Portugal, and Germany, fired with enthusiasm, set out to explore these vast regions; and, as a result, most of the European nations became interested in making as many annexations as they could to their possessions in Africa.

As a direct result of all this great interest, the savage tribes that infest the region of the Upper Congo were brought into a state of semi-civilization, and to the point where they would show, if not a friendly, at least a reasonably tolerant spirit towards the white man.

The aim of the missionaries was to bring the minds of these poor savages from the darkness, of ignorance, superst.i.tion, and idolatry into the light of Christianity, to show them the benefits of peace, the advantages of trade, and the results of an intercourse with the world of civilization.

Above all other objects that the hearts of the missionaries held sacred was the abolition of the slave trade, which, with all its attendant horrors, was the destruction of the people.

The enormity of the African slave trade was not over-estimated. The Arabs made it their special occupation to deal in what was known as the "ebony trade." Under the pretext of searching for ivory, they perpetrated the most cruel and heartless deeds.

Without a thought of the poor savages, they kept up a system of slaughter that knew no mercy, and drained the very life blood of the people of Central Africa.

Even from a selfish point of view, the white man saw it was for his advantage to destroy the slave trade. How could he be expected to advance into the heart of Africa without the aid of the strong, able-bodied natives? With the depopulation of the country, too, the well-worn, beaten tracks, the shady groves of banana trees, the broad fields of waving grain would disappear, and only devastation and ruin remain, as distressing pictures in this now fertile section.

The white man saw only too plainly that the slave trade did not affect the negro alone, but that it affected the loss or the profit of the whole civilized world. What availed it that the riches of Central Africa were apparently inexhaustible, if the native tribes were not left to help gather them?

We can form some estimate of the cruel work of the Arab slave traders from the account of it given by one author. In his book, "The Arab in Central Africa," he describes the destructive work of an Arab caravan.

In the course of eleven months, not only had they pillaged an extent of country containing some thirty thousand square miles, but they had secured nearly twenty-five thousand captives. Nor was this the extent of their cruel work; for, during that time, they destroyed upwards of one hundred villages, and killed about four thousand of the inhabitants.

As this was the fifth caravan which had hunted this territory over, it was estimated that no less than thirty thousand lives had been sacrificed to secure a comparatively small number of slaves.

Another writer declares that it was no unusual thing for four hundred thousand slaves to be brought into market in the course of a single year, while as many as two million lives were sacrificed in order to bring these slaves to the coast for trading purposes.

Stanley, in his journey through Manyema, was impressed by the extreme fertility of the section and by the numerous villages, as he traversed the country from Tanganyika to Nyangwe. A few months later the whole country presented the distressing pictures of depopulation and devastation.

The region of Tanganyika Lake was considered a high road by caravans.

Professor Drummond, in his interesting book, gives a description of the crafty Arab, who would sometimes settle in a well-favored spot for a year, or even longer. Here, he would acc.u.mulate immense quant.i.ties of ivory, until his money was exhausted. Then, on some slight pretext, he would engage in a quarrel with one or two of the natives. He would soon be pined by his friends, all well armed. The quarrel would become general, and would a.s.sume the character of a general ma.s.sacre. Villages would then be burned, homes laid waste, and the strongest, ablest natives spared only to serve as beasts of burden to transport the tons of ivory to the coast. Here, when his load of ivory had been sold, the wily Arab traded off his "ebony" to the masters of slaving vessels.

In view of such facts, it is not surprising that representatives of different European nations formed "The International a.s.sociation of the Congo." Its objects were threefold: philanthropic, scientific, and commercial.

We have seen the need of a spirit of philanthropy and the object of the missionaries in dealing with the tribes of the Congo River basin.

Science was now to be advanced by means of surveys of the river basin; for this would reveal the physical features of the country, its natural facilities, and its wealth of productions. The interests of commerce were also to be considered and extended.

First, an outlet was to be provided for the great wealth of the interior of Africa, and an opening made for trade in the manufactures of all Europe. Second, roads and bridges were to be built, settlements were to be formed, and land cultivated. Third, hostile tribes were to be brought into harmony; a main road was to be established, not only for the transportation of goods, but to open a means of communication with the many Congo tribes, and gradually to bring them into a state of civilization.

Stanley was offered the important position of director of the expedition which the a.s.sociation sent out. He sailed for the Congo, after leaving Zanzibar, by way of the Red Sea and the Mediterranean, landing at Banana Point, which is at the mouth of the river.

CHAPTER XVI.

VIEWS OF THE CONGO BASIN.

The Congo, as far as Ponta de Lenha, or Wood Point, at a distance of thirty-four miles from Banana Point, is navigable by large seagoing steamers. Above this place the river grows rapidly shallow. Though shallow at any time, its waters become very much affected during the change of seasons.

The next important settlement beyond Wood Point is Boma. This, like Banana Point, is a great factory town. Numerous warehouses, belonging to English, Dutch, French, and Portuguese trading companies, comprise its main features.

These different companies own many steamers, both large and small. The small steamers are for river traffic; the large ones ply between Europe and the coast. Stanley found these steamers a frequent feature in the rather monotonous scene; for, at the time of his arrival on the west coast, the Lower Congo, between Banana Point and Boma, had all the bustling appearance of a mercantile river of some importance.

Boma is a most attractive spot in the landscape of this vast region, which stretches far and wide. To the north rise the ridges of a long, uneven ma.s.s of hills. Against the background of sultry sky they look cool and beautiful in their blue coloring, seen through the hazy distance. Southward lies a miniature repet.i.tion of these hills. In the foreground and midway in the picture, the mighty Congo sweeps towards one on the left, away from one on the right. Silently, steadily, with even pace, it moves onward to the sea.

After a rainy season the whole country rejoices in a carpet of velvety green; a few months later, and the relentless rays of a tropical sun scorch leaf and blade to a dreary waste in the landscape.