The En Avant (Forward) was a small steam launch used in the early days of European exploration of the Congo River basin. It was carried in sections past the cataracts of the lower Congo, reassembled at Stanley Pool (Pool Malebo) and launched in December 1881, the first powered vessel on the long navigable section between the cataracts and the Stanley Falls (Boyoma Falls). In the years that followed it played an important role in exploring the Congo river system and carrying Europeans up and down the river and the tributaries as they established trading stations. The steel side-wheel paddle steamer was built in Belgium by John Cockerill for the International Association of the Congo.
Construction The En Avant was a steel side-wheel paddle steamer. She was built in Belgium by John Cockerill for the International Association of the Congo (AIA). She weighed 9 tons. The loading capacity was 5 tons. She was long, wide and had a draft of . The engine had a nominal 6 horsepower. The boat was painted gray, and had a striped awning fringed with red.
The steam boiler, engine and wheels were in the center of the boat, with the rudder in front of the machine. The crew and African passengers occupied the front, with a large space for storing wood and some space for goods. The Europeans travelled in the rear section, with an open kitchen, table and couches that could be used for beds. Sails were suspended from the roof to form the cabin walls. Henry Morton Stanley wrote in 1885,
Delivery (1879–1881)
The En Avant was one of two steamers brought from Europe in 1879 in portable sections, the other being the Royal. They were assembled at Banana and steamed up the river to Boma, and from there to Vivi. Between February 1880 and February 1881 a wagon trail was made from Vivi to Isangila, past the lower cataracts of the Congo River, a very laborious process. The steamer hulls were mounted in one piece on large steel wagons drawn by 150 to 200 Zanzibari and Loango men, while other wagons carried boilers, machinery and equipment. They had to cross rivers, build bridges, level the terrain, clear forests, climb hills and blow up rocks with dynamite.
Louis Valcke met Stanley, the expedition leader, at Ngoma in November 1880 and was told to build a road that would pass the foot of the Ngoma plateau . Valcke used explosives to blast rocks from the mountain, which combined with tree trunks were used to build the "Valcke's causeway" from Ngoma to N'Konzo. By 30 December the expedition had made camp from Isangila, and the steamers were in a cove from which a road could be made to haul them up to their launching place The boats were on shore in the camp on 2 January 1881 to be repaired, scraped and painted in readiness for the journey to Manyanga.
While Valcke developed the Isangila post, Stanley took the steamers En Avant and Royal up the navigable stretch of the river to Manyanga, where he started to build a post, which he entrusted to Victor Harou. He charged Charles-Marie de Braconnier with building a road from Manianga to the mouth of the Lufu River, bypassing the Ntombo-Mataka falls. In May 1881 Stanley fell ill with a serious fever at Manyanga. He was not able to consider moving on to Stanley Pool until mid-June. Valcke joined Stanley in Manianga on 14 July 1881. They left the next day with a contingent of native auxiliaries along the route marked out by Braconnier carrying the En Avant and two whalers they intended to launch at the Stanley Pool. They reached the Gordon-Bennett River (Djoué River) without difficulty. There they were informed that Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza had signed a treaty with Chief Makoka and claimed possession for France of the whole right shore of the Congo River north of the Pool.
The Belgians established a camp on the right bank of the Djoué, and on 3 August 1881 Stanley asked Valcke to return to the coast and try to catch the boat due on 20 August 1881 from Banana to St-Paul de Loanda, He should bring back trade goods to win the chief Ngaliéma over to the AIA. Stanley went on the Stanley Pool about the end of July 1881, where he found an agent of Brazza who claimed that a chief named Makako had sold the land to the north of the river to the French. The explorers met various other chiefs in different locations near the Pool, and came close to an agreement to found a post at Ntamo in the territory of Chief Ngaliéma. Stanley returned to collect the En Avant.
On 14 September 1881 the column set off again, but Stanley fell ill again. Captain Braconnier once again had to take command of the expedition. The last part of the portage was extremely difficult. The steamer was carried to Stanley Pool in three sections on wagons. While the porters were hoisting the equipment in steep terrain, one of the wagons fell violently hitting Braconnier who was thrown into the rocks. He lost consciousness, but recovered and found he was covered with bruises, but without any fractures. However, he had to recover for a few weeks in a hut on the banks of the Congo River. Then, on 1 October 1881 he joined Stanley on the left bank of the river, in the district of Kinsinde. The En Avant arrived at the Pool in November 1881. Stanley founded the station of Léopoldville (Kinshasa) beside Stanley Pool, where he built a house and began gardens. The steamer was assembled and launched on 3 December 1881.
Explorations
Stanley (1882)
In April 1882 Stanley left for the Upper Congo in the En Avant, going up to Mwata, where he founded a station. The Belgians suffered from the heat of the boiler combined with the heat of the sun, which penetrated the canvas walls. Their boxes and bundles made most uncomfortable seats. Stanley returned to Léopoldville, then set off again past Mwata to the Kwah (Kasai), a tributary of the Congo. He went up this river to Lake Léopold II (Lake Mai-Ndombe), which he circumnavigated. He fell ill and returned downstream en route for Europe. At Vivi he met Dr. Eduard Pechuël-Loesche, to whom he handed over command.
Edmond Hanssens was given command of the Bas-Congo region and arrived in Léopoldville on 3 September 1882. On 17 December 1882 Nicolas Grang tried out the steamer En Avant, with captain G.-H. Vandevelde, but without success. The steam inlet valve had somehow been removed and the tubes carrying steam to the cylinders leaked badly. The essential component would only be found when Stanley returned.
Stanley (1883–1884)
In May 1883 Alphonse van Gèle and Camille Coquilhat were appointed to accompany Stanley in his expedition to the Upper Congo. The expedition left Léopoldville on 9 May 1883 with all their steamers: En Avant, Eclaireur, Royal and A.I.A.. The expedition had seven Europeans and 67 Africans. Stanley reached the mouth of the Ruki River on 9 June 1883 and directed Van Gèle and Coquilhat to build a station there. It was called Equator Station, or Station de l'Équateur, then Equateurville, later Coquilhatville, today Mbandaka.
While the Équateur station was being built, Stanley explored the Lulonga River and Lake Tumba. On 23 June 1883 Stanley steamed up the Lukanga River, which led into Lake Mantumba (Lake Tumba). He circumnavigated the shallow lake, a distance of . He returned to Leopoldville, then immediately left for the Falls. He returned to Équateurville, where he praised the station, the discipline of the soldiers and the good but not over-familiar relations with the local people.
Hanssens (1884)
On 15 February 1884 Hanssens met Stanley in Léopoldville and was directed to establish presence in the region between Équateur and the Falls. Hanssens organized an expedition with three small steamers with a total of about 20 tons: the En-Avant, A.I.A. and Royal, and a few small sailboats. There were seven Belgians, about fifty Africans and large amounts of goods and supplies. Hanssens reached Équateurville on 17 April 1884 with the three steamers and six Europeans, Wester, Amelot, Drees, Guérin, Courtois and Nicholls.
At the suggestion of Van Gele and Coquihat, Hanssens interrupted his journey to explore the mouth of the Ubangi River He left in the En Avant on 19 April 1884 with Van Gèle, Courtois, Guérin and Amelot, ten Zanzibaris and one local African as an interpreter. Going downstream the steamer skirted the right bank of the Congo River, but was carried by the current into a maze of islands. After three days they saw some native fishermen in a canoe. Van Gèle managed to persuade them to act as pilots, and after four hours of full steam on 21 April 1884 entered a strong stream of yellow water, the Ubangi, which they ascended to the Bisongo village. After returning to Equateurville Hanssens left Van Gèle in charge and took Coquihat with him to found the Bangala station, the future Nouvelle Anvers.
On return to Équateur, Hanssens made careful preparation for his expedition to the Bangalas, where he expected to place Coquilhat in command of a new station. The flotilla reached Luluonga on 27 April 1884, where the chiefs signed treaties. On 4 May 1884 it reached Makanza, where the local people were distrustful of the Belgians, having had a bad experience with Stanley. Hanssens landed first, armed only with his pipe and tobacco pouch, and walked through the crowd of armed men to the chief, whom he shook by the hand. This broke the ice, and the chief proposed that they become blood brothers, which was done. Hanssens left for Équateur on 11 May 1884 to obtain more supplies for his journey to the Falls, and returned to Iboko on 24 May 1884, where Coquilhat was organizing the post.
Hanssens left the next day, and briefly explored the Mongala River, signing a treaty with Chief Mobeka near its mouth. On 4 June 1884 the expedition reached the Itimbiri River, and went up it for . On 21 June 1884 it reached Basoko at the mouth of the Aruwimi River, where a post of three Hausas was established. The expedition reached the Falls on 3 July 1884, and left on 11 July 1884. Hanssens returned downstream along the left bank, and entered the Lomami River. He landed at Iboko on 19 July 1884. The people there were suspicious, and he stayed for a few days to reassure them that the Belgians wanted friendship with all the tribes, but would not side with one against another.
Hanssens left Iboko on 22 July 1884, and returned to Léopoldville on 6 August 1884. He met the Association's general administrator, Sir Francis de Winton, in Léopoldville. He requested and received the emergency dispatch of supplies and reinforcements for the Bangalas. He then returned upstream to obtain new treaties to confirm the rights of the Association over all the territory between Kwamouth and Bolobo. Hanssens left Léopoldville for Belgium on 8 November after dividing his command into two regions. Guillaume Casman was given the territory from the Pool to Equateur, while Van Gèle took the territory from there to the Falls.
Casman (1884)
On 11 November 1884 Casman left for Équateur in an expedition with three steamers: the Royal, A.I.A. and En Avant. The members included Casman, Charles Liebrechts and Camille Van den Plas. They stopped at Kimpoko to embark the Swedish lieutenant Edde Gleerup, who had been appointed second to Wester at the Falls. On 24 November 1884 they reached Msuata. Casman arrived at Equateur Station on 12 December 1884, where Van Gèle handed over command in a ceremony before the native chiefs.
Van Gèle (1884–1885)
Van Gèle left for a visit to the Falls accompanied by the intendant Van den Plas and Gleerup. Well before reaching the Aruwimi River he noticed that the local people had been terrorized by a recent attack by the Arabs against the Basokos. The expedition continued on to Stanley Falls. Soon after the expedition reached the Falls, Tippu Tip visited Van Gèle and assured him he wanted cordial relations with the Europeans and would stop hunting for slaves.