164 



SCIENCE, 



[Vol. VI., No. 134. 



In the valleys are streams, lowlands, and 

 swamps ; and the lowland is so rich, and the 

 growth so loxuriant, that the grass and cane 

 attain a height of from eight to ten feet in a 

 short time, and completel}' hide and obstruct 

 the road, so that it is almost impossible to 

 maintain it in a passable condition. As there 

 are no beasts of burden in the country, all 

 goods are carried around the falls on the heads 

 of porters, or pulled up the steep hills. 



A small steamer, the Stanle^^ of thirt}^ tons 

 burden, constructed in sections, arrived at 

 Vivi nearly two years ago. A force was at 

 once organized to move these sections to Stan- 

 ley Pool ; but all efforts haA^e been fruitless, 

 and the different sections now lie rusting in 

 the valleys or on the hills. 



Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars are 

 annually paid for porters between Stanley 

 Pool and the coast, by the International asso- 

 ciation, native traders, and three missions. 



The expense of transporting merchandise 

 and stores from the ocean to Stanley Pool, ex- 

 changing them for the products of equatorial 

 Africa, and carrying these to the ocean, exceeds 

 the value of the articles when delivered at the 

 stations on the coast. Mr. Stanley admits 

 this fact, and says that "the Kongo Basin is 

 not worth a two-shilling piece in its present 

 state." 



The only wa^' in which the products of equa- 

 torial Africa can be conveyed from the Kongo 

 to the ocean, is b}' means of a railroad con- 

 structed either down the Kwilu, the Ogowe, 

 or the Kongo. The Kongo railroad will prob- 

 abl}' cost much more per mile than one by 

 either of the other routes ; but, as it is the 

 shortest, the total expense of construction will 

 be less, while the operating expenses will be 

 much less. 



Whenever the merchants and bankers of 

 Europe and America are convinced that this 

 road will pay, it will be built, and the settle- 

 ment and civilization of Africa commenced. 



Little difficulty has been found in procu ring- 

 laborers for the construction of the Panama 

 railroad and canal, and no greater difficult}' 

 will be found in the construction of this road. 



It therefore becomes necessary to ascertain 

 if the soil is fertile, and yields bountifully the 

 products that are required in temperate regions, 

 and if the climate permits cultivation and trade 

 to be carried on under the supervision of white 

 men. 



The steamers of the association have visited 

 man}' tribes on the banks of the Kongo, estab- 

 lishing stations, and examining the bottom 

 lands of the Kongo and its branches. But 



they know little of the great vallej' of the 

 Kongo and its tributaries. It is believed that 

 the soil is generally fertile, though there are 

 probably, both north and south of the river, 

 large lakes and tracts of low and swampy land. 

 But a long time must elapse before equatorial 

 Africa is thoroughly' known. 



The soil in the valleys is exceedingly rich, 

 and yields all the products of equatorial coun- 

 tries. Cattle are not found; but, as they are 

 raised in large quantities on the eastern part 

 of the water-shed, they can probably be raised 

 in the valle3^ Ivory, palm-oil, rubber, dye- 

 stuffs, and gums are abundant ; and tea, coffee, 

 cotton, pepper, spices, and sugar can be 

 grown to an almost illimitable extent. 



A rich and fertile soil is of little value with- 

 out laborers to till it. These cannot be 

 brought from abroad, but must be found in the 

 country itself. The natives of Africa are nat- 

 uralty improvident, and work only when com- 

 pelled by the whip of the master, or necessity-. 

 The}^ have few wants, require little clothing, 

 the ground yields spontaneously enough for 

 their support, the rivers abound in fish, and 

 the women do all the work. 



The early laborers employed by Mr. Stanley 

 were Kurmen from the west coast and Zanzi- 

 baris from the east coast ; but Mr. Stanley 

 has gradually substituted native labor, and now 

 fifteen hundred natives are on the pay-roll of 

 the association. As the negro is taught the 

 wants of civilized life, he will, by slow degrees, 

 be induced to work ; but a long time must 

 elapse before the lands of equatorial Africa are 

 settled and cultivated to any great extent. 



It will be impossible to carry on trade with 

 Africa, or civiUze the countr}^, without the pres- 

 ence of white men. 



The western coast of Africa is the most un- 

 healthy countr}^ in the world ; and the loss of 

 life at the stations at the mouth of the Kongo, 

 and in the expedition of Capt. Tuckey, seemed 

 to prove that the valley of the Kongo was 

 equally unhealth}'. Reports from returned 

 emplo3'ees of the association, and others, 

 confirm this opinion. They say that a large 

 number of the foreign employees have died, 

 while many others, enfeebled by disease, have 

 returned home. 



It is evident, from the account of Mr. Stan- 

 ley, that there has been a large proportion of 

 deaths and disabilities among the emplo^'ees 

 of the association ; that exposure or intem- 

 perance, which in Europe causes only tempo- 

 rary inconvenience, is followed on the Kongo 

 by fever, and often by death, in a very short 

 time. The statistics are insufficient to enable 



