66 BEDINGFELD ON THE CONGO. [Feb. 27, 1860. 



months I have been almost wholly confined to my bed, and God 

 only knows when the disease will take a favourable turn. It is 

 a fever of the most malignant kind that I am suffering from. The 

 whole of my party have been invalids from the same cause, and 

 some have even died of the effects. 



It was my intention to have traced the course of this river north- 

 ward for some distance, and then to strike out for Benguela. Every 

 preparation was made for the attempt, when, alas ! all my plans 

 were frustrated by the whole of my men being laid prostrate by the 

 terrible fever from which I am still suffering. My regret was 

 naturally extreme at being thus unexpectedly compelled to abandon 

 an undertaking which just then seemed to promise every success. 



My retreat to Damaraland is at present completely cut off from 

 want of water. There are no natural springs in this country. I 

 must wait at least four months before the rains fall." 



A report from Cape Town stated that in consequence of Ander- 

 sson's forlorn condition, Mr. F. Green intended to start from Da- 

 maraland immediately to his assistance, and hoped to reach him 

 by the end of October. Mr. Green expected to be on his way back 

 about the end of December, if not earlier. 



Sib George Grey, f.r.g.s., Governor of the Cape, said he was totally 

 ignorant of that part of the country where Mr. Andersson was, and he did not 

 feel qualified to say much regarding it. The only point in the paper which 

 struck him was the character given of the people of the interior. Now he did 

 not feel certain in his own mind that the Makololo tribes were as bad as Mr. 

 Andersson conceived. That gentleman had heard only the story of one tribe ; 

 could he have sat as an impartial judge, and have heard the reasons which 

 induced the Makololo to attack the people in question, he would probably have 

 heard some defence in justification of their conduct. He was himself the 

 more inclined to believe this from the conclusion of Mr. Andersson's letter ; 

 for the impression left upon his mind was, that he was very doubtful of the 

 character of the tribe amongst whom Mr. Andersson found himself. From his 

 CAvn knowledge of the connexions of the Makololo, he really believed that they 

 were as good as any African tribe with which we were acquainted. Mr. Ander- 

 sson was a man of energetic character, devoted to his duty, and receiving no ade- 

 quate reward for his labours ; and it struck him that it would be a graceful act 

 on the part of this Society to convey to Mr. Andersson some expression of 

 sympathy and regret for the state in which he was unfortunately left. To 

 persons at a distance the recognition of their services, and sympathy for their 

 sufferings, produced a much greater effect than those who lived at home could 

 imagine. 



The second Paper read was — 



2. On the Congo. By Captain N. B. Beoingfeld, r.n., f.r.g.s. 



11, Portsea Place, Connaught Square, Jan. 19, 1860. 

 At a time when such efforts are being made to open out the interior 

 of Africa to the benefits of legal commerce and civilization, it has 



