muster-roll of those whites who left Europe breathing
undying valour, and high courage, I find that up to the
present date no less than 263 have arrived on the banks
of the great African river as follows:—
Nationalities of the
Agents engaged. Number.
Nationalities of the
Agents engaged. Number.
Americans 6 French'
Arab 1 German 32
Anstrians 5 Italian 3
Belgians 81 Portuguese 2
Danish Swedish 37
Dutch 3 Swiss é ÉÉP
English 80 263
Year. No. of Whites
engaged.
No. of
Deaths
from
Sickness.
No", of
Deaths
from
Accidents.
Returned
from
various
causes.
Remaining in the
Service at the end
of the Year.
1879 18 2 4 . 13
1880 13 . 2 7 28
1881 13 1 7 32
1882 33 2 12; 69
1883 93 8 2 I P 151
1884 83 7 37 142
1885 10 1
Total. 263
to
5 92
The deaths were in many cases avoidable. Some
have been the result of downright madness. There
are few that I know of which might not serve to
point a moral and a lesson. Not many of these
deaths can he excused on the ground of old age, or
original physical weakness. They were all men in the ciimat*—
.. . . . . Part I. prime of life. Fatigue, want of proper nourishment,
exposure to the sun, inveterate intemperance in a few
cases, in conjuction with the ignorance of conduct of
life in the tropics, which I strive to combat in this
chapter, and which is pardonable, since we have all
been guilty, were the causes which led to this mortality.
I do not wish to offend the susceptibilities of sorrowing
relatives, therefore I will not name the rash unfortunates,
but my first duty is to the living, whom I
must warn against committing follies leading to self-
destruction.
A European, proficient in his duties, willing and
devoted after nearly two years’ successful work with the
expedition, during which he enjoys unusually good
health, returns from a voyage up river, and suddenly
falls sick of a mild form of dysentery. In a few days it
is cured, when through some strange cause he has a
relapse. Two medical men use their utmost endeavours
to cure him; the best attention during many weeks is
given to him, and he recovers -strength enough to be
able to be conveyed to the coast. He arrives in a
more hopeful condition, and after a few days’ stay at
the hospital, is declared fit to proceed to Europe. That
same evening, in the absence of the nurse, he barters a
coat for a bottle of gin, drinks it, and twelve hours
afterwards he is buried at Boma.
Another, by being kept up river, serves three years
admirably, is sent home with honours, returns .after a
while fo£ another period of service at higher pay.
x 2