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Mokoangai
Mokoangai or Mokuangai was a colonial station in the Congo Free State on the Ubangi River, beside the Mokoangai rapids. Above the station the Ubangi could easily be navigated up to Yakoma, where the Mbomou River and Uele River combine to form the Ubangi. Location The middle part of the Ubangi, from Yakoma down to Mokoangai, is called the Dua. It appears to be the bed of an ancient, long and narrow lake. The waters draining the lake carved out the Zongo Gut, which cuts through a chain of hills that extends from east to west. Ascending the Ubangi from Zongo the rapids in the colonial era were named Zongo, Bonga, Belly, En Avant, Elephant and Mokuangi, and covered a distance of . An 1888 map based on Alphonse van Gèle's observations shows the Songo rapids, then further east four rapids, ascending from southwest to northeast: Zawa Bonga, Belli, Mossuma and Mokuangai. Elephanten Insel was between Mossuma and Mokuangai. The banks of the river in this section when Van Gele visited in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
En Avant (steam Launch)
The ''En Avant'' 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 February 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 carrying the Europeans up and down the river and its tributaries as they established trading stations. 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 o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alphonse Van Gèle
Alphonse van Gèle, also written van Gele or Vangele (25 April 1848 – 23 February 1939), was a Belgian soldier who served as the Vice-Governor General of the Congo Free State from December 1897 until January 1899. He established the Equator Station, or Station de l’Équateur, today Mbandaka, and concluded a treaty with the powerful Zanzibar trader Tippu Tip at the Stanley Falls station, today Kisangani. He is known for having confirmed that the Uele River was the upper part of the Ubangi River. Early years Alphonse van Gèle was born in Brussels on 25 April 1848. He enlisted as a volunteer in the 8th Line Regiment in 1867, was made a sub-lieutenant in 1872 and became a lieutenant in the 3rd Line Regiment in 1878. He was appointed ''Adjoint d'État-Major'' (Deputy Chief of Staff) in 1881. Colonial career Route to Léopoldville (1882–1883) In 1881 Van Gèle offered his services to the International African Association as Deputy Lieutenant to the State Major, and rec ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
