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Stanley made two other African journeys: across the continent and down the Congo River to the Atlantic (an exploration which resulted in the formation of Congo Free State); and his most famed exploit—the relief expedition to Emin Pasha. When "Chinese'' Gordon was cut off in Khartoum by the Mahdi's fanatics, the only Egyptian force in the Sudan to escape annihilation was one commanded by Emin Pasha (real name: Eduard Schnitzer). To rescue Emin Pasha became The Thing in England: Stanley was put in charge of the expedition. Practically everything that could go wrong did. but again Stanley got his man. this time succeeded in bringing him out to Africa's edge. During the ensuing banquet at Bagamoyo, Emin Pasha wandered out on a balcony, nearsightedly fell 18 ft. into the street, fractured his skull.
By the time he was 58. Stanley had had enough: he retired to the English countryside, was knighted. Once he met "Grand Old Man" Gladstone, who characteristically held forth on the absurd nomenclature visited by explorers on their discoveries. Two that riled him were the Gordon Bennett and Mackinnon-Mountains. "Who called them by those absurd names?" he boomed. Stanley had to admit that he did.
Sardinia
SARDINIAN SIDESHOW—Amelie Posse-Brazdova—Button ($3).
Sardinia, due south of Corsica, is a large island in the Mediterranean belonging to Italy. But Sardinians remember other allegiances—once they were Moorish, once Spanish, once even Austrian. Clannish, independent, like all islanders they dislike and distrust dwellers on the mainland. Authoress Posse-Brazdova tells a grim tale of a Sardinian private during the War who. told that he could not take to the rear a prisoner he had captured, made sure of him by biting through the artery in his neck, guzzling his blood in great gulps. The Sassari Brigade (Sardinian) was the only one that did not run away at Caporetto.
When Swedish Authoress Posse went to join her Czech fiance, Oki Brazda, in Rome in the spring of 1915, Italy was still officially neutral. Miss Posse had trouble-getting through Austria, but she got there. Then Italy declared war and Czechs, being officially Austrians (though most of them hated Austria) became enemy aliens. Authoress Posse married her Oki. followed him to exile in Sardinia, where he was interned. Sardinian Sideshow is the interesting, lively, not too personal account of the year they spent there. Not being considered at first an enemy alien herself, she made a trip to Rome and besieged the authorities in behalf of her harmless husband (a painter). Sitting in anterooms, waiting for audiences, she read most of Tacitus. Unsuccessful, she returned to the sirocco, fleas, dirt and picturesque boredom of Sardinia. Like all Northerners with noses she was chiefly impressed by the smell: "A little rotten seaweed and fish, a great deal of dirt, tomatoes and paprikas frying in oil, sardines roasting over charcoal fires, garlic, overripe figs, grapemust. tar and pitch from the boats, cheap Virginia tobacco, richly overflowing gutters, and fishing nets hung out to dry. And over and above all, like a dominating undertone, the salt freshness of the sea."