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Stanley Archives' Treasures
The Emin Pasha Relief Expedition
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N°62: Surveying Notebook Copyright © King Baudouin Foundation Collection / Royal Museum for Central Africa |
Beginning in December 1886, Stanley led another expedition in Africa, this time to relieve Eduard Schnitzer (Emin Pasha), thought to be trapped by the Mahdist uprising in the Egyptian Province of Equatoria, where he served as Egypt’s Governor. Behind the expedition was the 'Emin Pasha Relief Committee' with millionaire shipowner William Mackinnon at its head.
After many discussions, the Committee agreed to follow a route through the Congo. From the start, the travel was wearisome and often violent. The route took them up the Aruwimi River, through the Ituri Forest, to Lake Albert before finally meeting with Emin Pasha.
They didn’t leave at once and Stanley returned to a camp at Yambuya along the lower Aruwimi to find out what happened to a rear column designated to proceed with supplies once obtained from the infamous slaver Tippu Tip. What he found, instead, was a disaster, that would later become an international scandal. After further delays, the expedition with a reluctant Emin Pasha in tow finally left Lake Albert headed for the East Coast at Bagamoyo, which was reached 4 December 1889. While his book proved an instant success, Stanley faced harsh criticisms for the violence, disasters, and deaths encountered by the expedition. It was his last Africa adventure.
Document Surveying Notebook entitled « Solar Observations & Notes taken on the Emin Pasha Relief Journey 1887 – 88 ». It collects Stanley’s geographical observations.
The influential Royal Geographical Society (RGS) heavily criticized Stanley’s work during the Livingstone expedition. He therefore managed not to give room to similar unfavorable technical comments afterwards. Altimetry, positions, temperatures, reckonings, etc. became important part of his activities during his travels.
Stanley was no professional geographer. Yet, the prestigious RGS awarded him their highest reward, the gold medal, twice. In 1873, he got the Patron’s Medal, 'for his relief of Livingstone, and for bringing his valuable journal and papers to England'.
In 1890, another golden medal was specifically minted for him upon his return from the Emin Pasha Expedition. This, to reward, among others, the geographical achievements materialized in connecting Equatoria with the territories of the Congo State, and the discovery of the new source of the Nile.
