But the perils of the African wilderness already seemed quite clear to many Europeans once they read the nonfiction stories from Stanley’s Rear Column. Critics called for an end to such expeditions, and it was the last of its kind, much to Stanley’s dismay. He joined in the condemnation of his men’s behavior, and he certainly appreciated the dangers of the wilderness, but he didn’t regard them as insuperable. For while the Rear Column was going berserk, Stanley was maintaining discipline in a much wilder setting.
