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by Emily Stehr (Author)
Interesting History of the Congo River Definition of Congo River "Also called Zaire, a river in central Africa, flowing in a great loop from southeast Democratic Republic of the Congo to the Atlantic. About 3000 miles (4800 km) long. "Congo - African nation, named for the river that runs through it, which is from a Bantu word meaning 'mountains' (ie, the river that flows from the mountains). As an adjective, Congoese is native English (1797) but has been supplanted by Congolese (1900), from French Congolais. "Congo River - One of the world's longest rivers, it is Africa's largest potential source of electric power. Explored separately but simultaneously by the missionary David Livingstone and the journalist Henry Stanley, the Congo was the site of their proverbial encounter. (See 'Dr Livingstone, I presume?')" http: //www.dictionary.com/browse/congo--river Elleanor Eldridge; Memoirs of Elleanor Eldridge; 2nd edition; BT Albro; 1843 Elleanor Eldridge writes: "Vain were any attempt to depict the horrors of this scene. The African stood on the deck, with streaming eyes, stretching his arms out towards his own beautiful Congo; which lay, even then, distinctly visible with the ruby light of sunset, stealing, like a presence of joy, thro' bower and vale, tinging the snowy cups of a thousand lilies. There too was his own beloved Zaire, stealing away from the distant forests of mangrove and bondo, and flowing on within its lovely borders of tamarind and cedar, until, at last, it rushed into the arms of the Atlantic, troubling the placid bosom of the ocean with its tumultuous water.* "*The river Congo, called by the native, Zaire, or Zahire, is three leagues wide at its mouth; and empties itself into the sea with so much impetuosity, that no depth can there be taken."
