STANLEY AND THE CONGO. 469 
f 
‘for several days without food, and were reduced to the necessity of eating seal 
skins, walrus hides and other refuse. The conclusion was forced upon the ex- 
pedition that Captain Barry, for whatever unexplained cause, had left for home, 
carrying with him the much needed supplies. No material sickness occurred 
during the absence of the expedition in the field and no severe frost bites were 
experienced by any of the party. 
STANLEY AND THE CONGO. 
While nearly all the States of Europe are represented by their explorers in 
the Dark Continent, America may well be proud that the most important of all 
the expeditions, the great Congo mission, is under the command of her own 
representatives, Henry M. Stanley, or rather Dr. Stanley, as he should be called 
now, since the Imperial Leopold-Carolinian University at Vienna conferred this 
honorary title on the greatest of all African explorers for his invaluable services 
to science and civilization. There is but little news from Stanley’s expedition, 
which is still in the camp at Vivi, on the Congo, 130 miles from its mouth and 
near the second cataract. It is reported that of his eight European companions 
one has deserted, while three others have already succumbed to the bad climate 
and exhausting work. One of these was Alexander S. Deane, the engineer of 
the small steamer, passing up and down the river with stores and mails for 
Stanley’s station. He died suddenly of fever on May 14, at Dutch House, 
Banana Point, mouth of Congo. Of Stanley’s five boats three were temporarily 
disabled, one large iron launch had sunk, and the chief steamer Belgigne, was at 
Banana being repaired. Still Stanley’s energy is reported to be unimpaired and 
ample reinforcements are being sent out to him by his employers, the Belgian 
International Association. Adolph Gilles, who for six years was agent at Cape 
Palmas and Grand Bassam for a Dutch trading house, left Antwerp on March 25 
last, accompanied by Engineer Geoffroy. ‘They expected to join Stanley in 
fifty days, and will then superintend the erection of his trading stations on the 
Congo. The chief party of reinforcements, however, was to leave Liverpool 
before the end of last month. It consists of five Belgian officers, namely :— 
The leader, Lieutenant Braconnier, of the cavalry; Lieutenants Haron and 
Valcke, of the Engineers; Paul Neva, of the road and bridge service, and Lieu- 
tenant von Hesse, of the Royal Navy. ‘Their exertions will be chiefly devoted 
to assisting Stanley’s efforts in building a road through the wild coast range of 
mountains, on which he can transport his boats and supplies overland past the 
terrible series of the thirty-two Livingstone falls. Lieutenant Haron, however, 
will not join his companions till later on the Upper Congo, as he has been charged 
‘by the King of Belgium, who is president of the International Association, with 
_.a secret mission to Africa which may occupy him for ten months, whereupon he 
_ will join Stanley. He sailed August 23 for his new destination. 
IV—81 
