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diff --git a/old/2004-02-hifli10.txt b/old/2004-02-hifli10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..66dbd2e --- /dev/null +++ b/old/2004-02-hifli10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,18048 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of How I Found Livingstone, by Sir Henry M. Stanley + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: How I Found Livingstone + +Author: Sir Henry M. Stanley + +Release Date: February, 2004 [EBook #5157] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on May 18, 2002] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE *** + + + + +This eBook was produced by Geoffrey Cowling. + + + +HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE. +Travels, Adventures and Discoveries in Central Africa +including four months residence with Dr. Livingstone + +by + +Sir Henry M. Stanley, G.C.B. + +Abridged + + + +CHAPTER. I. + +INTRODUCTORY. MY INSTRUCTIONS TO FIND AND RELIEVE LIVINGSTONE. + + +On the sixteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord one +thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, I was in Madrid, fresh from +the carnage at Valencia. At 10 A.M. Jacopo, at No.-- Calle de la +Cruz, handed me a telegram: It read, "Come to Paris on important +business." The telegram was from Mr. James Gordon Bennett, jun., +the young manager of the `New York Herald.' + +Down came my pictures from the walls of my apartments on the +second floor; into my trunks went my books and souvenirs, my +clothes were hastily collected, some half washed, some from the +clothes-line half dry, and after a couple of hours of hasty hard +work my portmanteaus were strapped up and labelled "Paris." + +At 3 P.M. I was on my way, and being obliged to stop at Bayonne a +few hours, did not arrive at Paris until the following night. I +went straight to the `Grand Hotel,' and knocked at the door of +Mr. Bennett's room. + +"Come in," I heard a voice say. Entering, I found Mr. Bennett in +bed. "Who are you?" he asked. + +"My name is Stanley," I answered. + +"Ah, yes! sit down; I have important business on hand for you." + +After throwing over his shoulders his robe-de-chambre Mr. Bennett +asked, "Where do you think Livingstone is?" + +"I really do not know, sir." + +"Do you think he is alive?" + +"He may be, and he may not be," I answered. + +"Well, I think he is alive, and that he can be found, and I am +going to send you to find him." + +"What!" said I, "do you really think I can find Dr Livingstone? +Do you mean me to go to Central Africa?" + +"Yes; I mean that you shall go, and find him wherever you may +hear that he is, and to get what news you can of him, and perhaps" +--delivering himself thoughtfully and deliberately--"the old man +may be in want:--take enough with you to help him should he require +it. Of course you will act according to your own plans, and do +what you think best--BUT FIND LIVINGSTONE!" + +Said I, wondering at the cool order of sending one to Central +Africa to search for a man whom I, in common with almost all other +men, believed to be dead, "Have you considered seriously the +great expense you are likely, to incur on account of this little +journey?" + +"What will it cost?" he asked abruptly. + +"Burton and Speke's journey to Central Africa cost between £3,000 +and £5,000, and I fear it cannot be done under £2,500." + +"Well, I will tell you what you will do. Draw a thousand pounds +now; and when you have gone through that, draw another thousand, +and when that is spent, draw another thousand, and when you have +finished that, draw another thousand, and so on; but, FIND +LIVINGSTONE." + +Surprised but not confused at the order--for I knew that Mr. +Bennett when once he had made up his mind was not easily drawn +aside from his purpose--I yet thought, seeing it was such a +gigantic scheme, that he had not quite considered in his own mind +the pros and cons of the case; I said, "I have heard that should +your father die you would sell the `Herald' and retire from +business." + +"Whoever told you that is wrong, for there is not, money enough in +New York city to buy the `New York Herald.' My father has made +it a great paper, but I mean to make it greater. I mean that it +shall be a newspaper in the true sense of the word. I mean that +it shall publish whatever news will be interesting to the world at +no matter what cost." + +"After that," said I, "I have nothing more to say. Do you mean +me to go straight on to Africa to search for Dr. Livingstone?" + +"No! I wish you to go to the inauguration of the Suez Canal +first, and then proceed up the Nile. I hear Baker is about +starting for Upper Egypt. Find out what you can about his +expedition, and as you go up describe as well as possible +whatever is interesting for tourists; and then write up a guide-- +a practical one--for Lower Egypt; tell us about whatever is worth +seeing and how to see it. + +"Then you might as well go to Jerusalem; I hear Captain Warren is +making some interesting discoveries there. Then visit +Constantinople, and find out about that trouble between the Khedive +and the Sultan. + +"Then--let me see--you might as well visit the Crimea and those +old battle-grounds, Then go across the Caucasus to the Caspian Sea; +I hear there is a Russian expedition bound for Khiva. From thence +you may get through Persia to India; you could write an interesting +letter from Persepolis. + +"Bagdad will be close on your way to India; suppose you go +there, and write up something about the Euphrates Valley Railway. +Then, when you have come to India, you can go after Livingstone. +Probably you will hear by that time that Livingstone is on his +way to Zanzibar; but if not, go into the interior and find him. +If alive, get what news of his discoveries you can; and if you +find he is dead, bring all possible proofs of his being dead. +That is all. Good-night, and God be with you." + +"Good-night, Sir," I said, "what it is in the power of human +nature to do I will do; and on such an errand as I go upon, God +will be with me." + +I lodged with young Edward King, who is making such a name in New +England. He was just the man who would have delighted to tell the +journal he was engaged upon what young Mr. Bennett was doing, and +what errand I was bound upon. + +I should have liked to exchange opinions with him upon the probable +results of my journey, but I dared not do so. Though oppressed +with the great task before me, I had to appear as if only going to +be present at the Suez Canal. Young King followed me to the +express train bound for Marseilles, and at the station we parted: +he to go and read the newspapers at Bowles' Reading-room--I to +Central Africa and--who knows? + +There is no need to recapitulate what I did before going to Central +Africa. + +I went up the Nile and saw Mr. Higginbotham, chief engineer in +Baker's Expedition, at Philae, and was the means of preventing +a duel between him and a mad young Frenchman, who wanted to fight +Mr. Higginbotham with pistols, because that gentleman resented +the idea of being taken for an Egyptian, through wearing a fez cap. +I had a talk with Capt. Warren at Jerusalem, and descended one +of the pits with a sergeant of engineers to see the marks of +the Tyrian workmen on the foundation-stones of the Temple of Solomon. +I visited the mosques of Stamboul with the Minister Resident of +the United States, and the American Consul-General. I travelled +over the Crimean battle-grounds with Kinglake's glorious books +for reference in my hand. I dined with the widow of General +Liprandi at Odessa. I saw the Arabian traveller Palgrave at +Trebizond, and Baron Nicolay, the Civil Governor of the Caucasus, +at Tiflis. I lived with the Russian Ambassador while at Teheran, +and wherever I went through Persia I received the most hospitable +welcome from the gentlemen of the Indo-European Telegraph Company; +and following the examples of many illustrious men, I wrote my +name upon one of the Persepolitan monuments. In the month of +August, 1870, I arrived in India. + +On the 12th of October I sailed on the barque 'Polly' from +Bombay to Mauritius. As the 'Polly' was a slow sailer, the +passage lasted thirty-seven days. On board this barque was +a William Lawrence Farquhar--hailing from Leith, Scotland-- +in the capacity of first-mate. He was an excellent navigator, +and thinking he might be useful to me, I employed him; his pay +to begin from the date we should leave Zanzibar for Bagamoyo. +As there was no opportunity of getting, to Zanzibar direct, +I took ship to Seychelles. Three or four days after arriving +at Mahe, one of the Seychelles group, I was fortunate enough +to get a passage for myself, William Lawrence Farquhar, and +an Arab boy from Jerusalem, who was to act as interpreter-- +on board an American whaling vessel, bound for Zanzibar; +at which port we arrived on the 6th of January, 1871. + +I have skimmed over my travels thus far, because these do not +concern the reader. They led over many lands, but this book is +only a narrative of my search after Livingstone, the great +African traveller. It is an Icarian flight of journalism, I +confess; some even have called it Quixotic; but this is a word I +can now refute, as will be seen before the reader arrives at the +"Finis." + +I have used the word "soldiers" in this book. The armed escort a +traveller engages to accompany him into East Africa is composed of +free black men, natives of Zanzibar, or freed slaves from the +interior, who call themselves "askari," an Indian name which, +translated, means "soldiers." They are armed and equipped like +soldiers, though they engage themselves also as servants; but it +would be more pretentious in me to call them servants, than to use +the word "soldiers;" and as I have been more in the habit of +calling them soldiers than "my watuma"--servants--this habit has +proved too much to be overcome. I have therefore allowed the word +"soldiers " to appear, accompanied, however, with this apology. + +But it must be remembered that I am writing a narrative of my own +adventures and travels, and that until I meet Livingstone, I +presume the greatest interest is attached to myself, my marches, +my troubles, my thoughts, and my impressions. Yet though I may +sometimes write, "my expedition," or "my caravan," it by no +means follows that I arrogate to myself this right. For it must +be distinctly understood that it is the "`New York Herald' +Expedition," and that I am only charged with its command by +Mr. James Gordon Bennett, the proprietor of the `New York Herald,' +as a salaried employ of that gentleman. + +One thing more; I have adopted the narrative form of relating +the story of the search, on account of the greater interest it +appears to possess over the diary form, and I think that in this +manner I avoid the great fault of repetition for which some +travellers have been severely criticised. + + + +CHAPTER II. ZANZIBAR. + +On the morning of the 6th January, 1871, we were sailing through +the channel that separates the fruitful island of Zanzibar from +Africa. The high lands of the continent loomed like a lengthening +shadow in the grey of dawn. The island lay on our left, distant +but a mile, coming out of its shroud of foggy folds bit by bit as +the day advanced, until it finally rose clearly into view, as +fair in appearance as the fairest of the gems of creation. It +appeared low, but not flat; there were gentle elevations cropping +hither and yon above the languid but graceful tops of the +cocoa-trees that lined the margin of the island, and there were +depressions visible at agreeable intervals, to indicate where a +cool gloom might be found by those who sought relief from a hot +sun. With the exception of the thin line of sand, over which the +sap-green water rolled itself with a constant murmur and moan, the +island seemed buried under one deep stratum of verdure. + +The noble bosom of the strait bore several dhows speeding in and +out of the bay of Zanzibar with bellying sails. Towards the +south, above the sea line of the horizon, there appeared the naked +masts of several large ships, and to the east of these a dense mass +of white, flat-topped houses. This was Zanzibar, the capital of the +island;--which soon resolved itself into a pretty large and compact +city, with all the characteristics of Arab architecture. Above +some of the largest houses lining the bay front of the city +streamed the blood-red banner of the Sultan, Seyd Burghash, and the +flags of the American, English, North German Confederation, and +French Consulates. In the harbor were thirteen large ships, four +Zanzibar men-of-war, one English man-of-war--the `Nymphe,' two +American, one French, one Portuguese, two English, and two German +merchantmen, besides numerous dhows hailing from Johanna and +Mayotte of the Comoro Islands, dhows from Muscat and Cutch--traders +between India, the Persian Gulf, and Zanzibar. + +It was with the spirit of true hospitality and courtesy that +Capt. Francis R. Webb, United States Consul, (formerly of the +United States Navy), received me. Had this gentleman not rendered +me such needful service, I must have condescended to take board and +lodging at a house known as "Charley's," called after the +proprietor, a Frenchman, who has won considerable local notoriety +for harboring penniless itinerants, and manifesting a kindly +spirit always, though hidden under such a rugged front; or I +should have been obliged to pitch my double-clothed American drill +tent on the sandbeach of this tropical island, which was by no +means a desirable thing. + +But Capt. Webb's opportune proposal to make his commodious and +comfortable house my own; to enjoy myself, with the request that +I would call for whatever I might require, obviated all unpleasant +alternatives. + +One day's life at Zanzibar made me thoroughly conscious of my +ignorance respecting African people and things in general. I +imagined I had read Burton and Speke through, fairly well, and +that consequently I had penetrated the meaning, the full +importance and grandeur, of the work I was about to be engaged upon. +But my estimates, for instance, based upon book information, +were simply ridiculous, fanciful images of African attractions +were soon dissipated, anticipated pleasures vanished, and all +crude ideas began to resolve themselves into shape. + +I strolled through the city. My general impressions are of +crooked, narrow lanes, white-washed houses, mortar-plastered +streets, in the clean quarter;--of seeing alcoves on each side, +with deep recesses, with a fore-ground of red-turbaned Banyans, +and a back-ground of flimsy cottons, prints, calicoes, domestics +and what not; or of floors crowded with ivory tusks; or of dark +corners with a pile of unginned and loose cotton; or of stores of +crockery, nails, cheap Brummagem ware, tools, &c., in what I call +the Banyan quarter;--of streets smelling very strong--in fact, +exceedingly, malodorous, with steaming yellow and black bodies, and +woolly heads, sitting at the doors of miserable huts, chatting, +laughing, bargaining, scolding, with a compound smell of hides, +tar, filth, and vegetable refuse, in the negro quarter;--of streets +lined with tall, solid-looking houses, flat roofed, of great carved +doors with large brass knockers, with baabs sitting cross-legged +watching the dark entrance to their masters' houses; of a shallow +sea-inlet, with some dhows, canoes, boats, an odd steam-tub or two, +leaning over on their sides in a sea of mud which the tide has just +left behind it; of a place called "M'nazi-Moya," "One Cocoa-tree," +whither Europeans wend on evenings with most languid steps, to +inhale the sweet air that glides over the sea, while the day is +dying and the red sun is sinking westward; of a few graves of +dead sailors, who paid the forfeit of their lives upon arrival +in this land; of a tall house wherein lives Dr. Tozer, "Missionary +Bishop of Central Africa," and his school of little Africans; and +of many other things, which got together into such a tangle, that +I had to go to sleep, lest I should never be able to separate +the moving images, the Arab from the African; the African from +the Banyan; the Banyan from the Hindi; the Hindi from the European, +&c. + +Zanzibar is the Bagdad, the Ispahan, the Stamboul, if you like, of +East Africa. It is the great mart which invites the ivory traders +from the African interior. To this market come the gum-copal, the +hides, the orchilla weed, the timber, and the black slaves from +Africa. Bagdad had great silk bazaars, Zanzibar has her ivory +bazaars; Bagdad once traded in jewels, Zanzibar trades in +gum-copal; Stamboul imported Circassian and Georgian slaves; +Zanzibar imports black beauties from Uhiyow, Ugindo, Ugogo, +Unyamwezi and Galla. + +The same mode of commerce obtains here as in all Mohammedan +countries--nay, the mode was in vogue long before Moses was born. +The Arab never changes. He brought the custom of his forefathers +with him when he came to live on this island. He is as much of an +Arab here as at Muscat or Bagdad; wherever he goes to live he +carries with him his harem, his religion, his long robe, his shirt, +his slippers, and his dagger. If he penetrates Africa, not all the +ridicule of the negroes can make him change his modes of life. Yet +the land has not become Oriental; the Arab has not been able to +change the atmosphere. The land is semi-African in aspect; the +city is but semi-Arabian. + +To a new-comer into Africa, the Muscat Arabs of Zanzibar are +studies. There is a certain empressement about them which we must +admire. They are mostly all travellers. There are but few of +them who have not been in many dangerous positions, as they +penetrated Central Africa in search of the precious ivory; and +their various experiences have given their features a certain +unmistakable air of-self-reliance, or of self-sufficiency; there +is a calm, resolute, defiant, independent air about them, which +wins unconsciously one's respect. The stories that some of these +men could tell, I have often thought, would fill many a book of +thrilling adventures. + +For the half-castes I have great contempt. They are neither +black nor white, neither good nor bad, neither to be admired nor +hated. They are all things, at all times; they are always +fawning on the great Arabs, and always cruel to those unfortunates +brought under their yoke. If I saw a miserable, half-starved +negro, I was always sure to be told he belonged to a half-caste. +Cringing and hypocritical, cowardly and debased, treacherous and +mean, I have always found him. He seems to be for ever ready to +fall down and worship a rich Arab, but is relentless to a poor +black slave. When he swears most, you may be sure he lies most, +and yet this is the breed which is multiplied most at Zanzibar. + +The Banyan is a born trader, the beau-ideal of a sharp money-making +man. Money flows to his pockets as naturally as water down a +steep. No pang of conscience will prevent him from cheating his +fellow man. He excels a Jew, and his only rival in a market is a +Parsee; an Arab is a babe to him. It is worth money to see him +labor with all his energy, soul and body, to get advantage by the +smallest fraction of a coin over a native. Possibly the native +has a tusk, and it may weigh a couple of frasilahs, but, though +the scales indicate the weight, and the native declares solemnly +that it must be more than two frasilahs, yet our Banyan will +asseverate and vow that the native knows nothing whatever about it, +and that the scales are wrong; he musters up courage to lift it--it +is a mere song, not much more than a frasilah. "Come," he will say, +"close, man, take the money and go thy way. Art thou mad?" If the +native hesitates, he will scream in a fury; he pushes him about, +spurns the ivory with contemptuous indifference,--never was such +ado about nothing; but though he tells the astounded native to be +up and going, he never intends the ivory shall leave his shop. + +The Banyans exercise, of all other classes, most influence on the +trade of Central Africa. With the exception of a very few rich +Arabs, almost all other traders are subject to the pains and +penalties which usury imposes. A trader desirous to make a +journey into the interior, whether for slaves or ivory, gum-copal, +or orchilla weed, proposes to a Banyan to advance him $5,000, at +50, 60, or 70 per cent. interest. The Banyan is safe enough not +to lose, whether the speculation the trader is engaged upon pays +or not. An experienced trader seldom loses, or if he has been +unfortunate, through no deed of his own, he does not lose credit; +with the help of the Banyan, he is easily set on his feet again. + +We will suppose, for the sake of illustrating how trade with the +interior is managed, that the Arab conveys by his caravan $5,000's +worth of goods into the interior. At Unyanyembe the goods are +worth $10,000; at Ujiji, they are worth $15,000: they have +trebled in price. Five doti, or $7.50, will purchase a slave in +the markets of Ujiji that will fetch in Zanzibar $30. Ordinary +menslaves may be purchased for $6 which would sell for $25 on the +coast. We will say he purchases slaves to the full extent of his +means--after deducting $1,500 expenses of carriage to Ujiji and +back--viz. $3,500, the slaves--464 in number, at $7-50 per head-- +would realize $13,920 at Zanzibar! Again, let us illustrate +trade in ivory. A merchant takes $5,000 to Ujiji, and after +deducting $1,500 for expenses to Ujiji, and back to Zanzibar, has +still remaining $3,500 in cloth and beads, with which he purchases +ivory. At Ujiji ivory is bought at $20 the frasilah, or 35 lbs., +by which he is enabled with $3,500 to collect 175 frasilahs, which, +if good ivory, is worth about $60 per frasilah at Zanzibar. +The merchant thus finds that he has realized $10,500 net profit! +Arab traders have often done better than this, but they almost +always have come back with an enormous margin of profit. + +The next people to the Banyans_in power in Zanzibar are the +Mohammedan Hindis. Really it has been a debateable subject in my +mind whether the Hindis are not as wickedly determined to cheat in +trade as the Banyans. But, if I have conceded the palm to the +latter, it has been done very reluctantly. This tribe of Indians +can produce scores of unconscionable rascals where they can show +but one honest merchant. One of the honestest among men, white or +black, red or yellow, is a Mohammedan Hindi called Tarya Topan. +Among the Europeans at Zanzibar, he has become a proverb for +honesty, and strict business integrity. He is enormously wealthy, +owns several ships and dhows, and is a prominent man in the +councils of Seyd Burghash. Tarya has many children, two or three +of whom are grown-up sons, whom he has reared up even as he is +himself. But Tarya is but a representative of an exceedingly +small minority. + +The Arabs, the Banyans, and the Mohammedan Hindis, represent the +higher and the middle classes. These classes own the estates, +the ships, and the trade. To these classes bow the half-caste +and the negro. + +The next most important people who go to make up the mixed +population of this island are the negroes. They consist of the +aborigines, Wasawahili, Somalis, Comorines, Wanyamwezi, and a host +of tribal representatives of Inner Africa. + +To a white stranger about penetrating Africa, it is a most +interesting walk through the negro quarters of the Wanyamwezi and +the Wasawahili. For here he begins to learn the necessity of +admitting that negroes are men, like himself, though of a different +colour; that they have passions and prejudices, likes and +dislikes, sympathies and antipathies, tastes and feelings, in +common with all human nature. The sooner he perceives this fact, +and adapts himself accordingly, the easier will be his journey +among the several races of the interior. The more plastic his +nature, the more prosperous will be his travels. + +Though I had lived some time among the negroes of our Southern +States, my education was Northern, and I had met in the United +States black men whom I was proud to call friends. I was thus +prepared to admit any black man, possessing the attributes of true +manhood or any good qualities, to my friendship, even to a +brotherhood with myself; and to respect him for such, as much as +if he were of my own colour and race. Neither his colour, nor any +peculiarities of physiognomy should debar him with me from any +rights he could fairly claim as a man. "Have these men--these +black savages from pagan Africa," I asked myself, "the qualities +which make man loveable among his fellows? Can these men--these +barbarians--appreciate kindness or feel resentment like myself?" +was my mental question as I travelled through their quarters +and observed their actions. Need I say, that I was much comforted +in observing that they were as ready to be influenced by passions, +by loves and hates, as I was myself; that the keenest observation +failed to detect any great difference between their nature and my +own? + +The negroes of the island probably number two-thirds of the entire +population. They compose the working-class, whether enslaved or +free. Those enslaved perform the work required on the plantations, +the estates, and gardens of the landed proprietors, or perform the +work of carriers, whether in the country or in the city. Outside +the city they may be seen carrying huge loads on their heads, as +happy as possible, not because they are kindly treated or that +their work is light, but because it is their nature to be gay and +light-hearted, because they, have conceived neither joys nor hopes +which may not be gratified at will, nor cherished any ambition +beyond their reach, and therefore have not been baffled in their +hopes nor known disappointment. + +Within the city, negro carriers may be heard at all hours, in +couples, engaged in the transportation of clove-bags, boxes of +merchandise, &c., from store to "godown" and from "go-down" to +the beach, singing a kind of monotone chant for the encouragement +of each other, and for the guiding of their pace as they shuffle +through the streets with bare feet. You may recognise these men +readily, before long, as old acquaintances, by the consistency +with which they sing the tunes they have adopted. Several times +during a day have I heard the same couple pass beneath the windows +of the Consulate, delivering themselves of the same invariable tune +and words. Some might possibly deem the songs foolish and silly, +but they had a certain attraction for me, and I considered that +they were as useful as anything else for the purposes they were +intended. + +The town of Zanzibar, situate on the south-western shore of the +island, contains a population of nearly one hundred thousand +inhabitants; that of the island altogether I would estimate at not +more than two hundred thousand inhabitants, including all races. + +The greatest number of foreign vessels trading with this port are +American, principally from New York and Salem. After the American +come the German, then come the French and English. They arrive +loaded with American sheeting, brandy, gunpowder, muskets, beads, +English cottons, brass-wire, china-ware, and other notions, and +depart with ivory, gum-copal, cloves, hides, cowries, sesamum, +pepper, and cocoa-nut oil. + +The value of the exports from this port is estimated at $3,000,000, +and the imports from all countries at $3,500,000. + +The Europeans and Americans residing in the town of Zanzibar are +either Government officials, independent merchants, or agents for a +few great mercantile houses in Europe and America. + +The climate of Zanzibar is not the most agreeable in the world. I +have heard Americans and Europeans condemn it most heartily. I +have also seen nearly one-half of the white colony laid up in one +day from sickness. A noxious malaria is exhaled from the shallow +inlet of Malagash, and the undrained filth, the garbage, offal, +dead mollusks, dead pariah dogs, dead cats, all species of carrion, +remains of men and beasts unburied, assist to make Zanzibar a most +unhealthy city; and considering that it it ought to be most healthy, +nature having pointed out to man the means, and having assisted him +so far, it is most wonderful that the ruling prince does not obey +the dictates of reason. + +The bay of Zanzibar is in the form of a crescent, and on the +south-western horn of it is built the city. On the east Zanzibar +is bounded almost entirely by the Malagash Lagoon, an inlet of +the sea. It penetrates to at least two hundred and fifty yards of +the sea behind or south of Shangani Point. Were these two hundred +and fifty yards cut through by a ten foot ditch, and the inlet +deepened slightly, Zanzibar would become an island of itself, and +what wonders would it not effect as to health and salubrity! I +have never heard this suggestion made, but it struck me that the +foreign consuls resident at Zanzibar might suggest this work to the +Sultan, and so get the credit of having made it as healthy a place +to live in as any near the equator. But apropos of this, I +remember what Capt. Webb, the American Consul, told me on my +first arrival, when I expressed to him my wonder at the apathy +and inertness of men born with the indomitable energy which +characterises Europeans and Americans, of men imbued with the +progressive and stirring instincts of the white people, who yet +allow themselves to dwindle into pallid phantoms of their kind, +into hypochondriacal invalids, into hopeless believers in the +deadliness of the climate, with hardly a trace of that daring +and invincible spirit which rules the world. + +"Oh," said Capt. Webb, "it is all very well for you to talk +about energy and all that kind of thing, but I assure you that a +residence of four or five years on this island, among such people +as are here, would make you feel that it was a hopeless task to +resist the influence of the example by which the most energetic +spirits are subdued, and to which they must submit in time, sooner +or later. We were all terribly energetic when we first came here, +and struggled bravely to make things go on as we were accustomed +to have them at home, but we have found that we were knocking our +heads against granite walls to no purpose whatever. These fellows-- +the Arabs, the Banyans, and the Hindis--you can't make them go +faster by ever so much scolding and praying, and in a very short +time you see the folly of fighting against the unconquerable. +Be patient, and don't fret, that is my advice, or you won't live +long here." + +There were three or four intensely busy men, though, at Zanzibar, +who were out at all hours of the day. I know one, an American; I +fancy I hear the quick pit-pat of his feet on the pavement beneath +the Consulate, his cheery voice ringing the salutation, "Yambo!" +to every one he met; and he had lived at Zanzibar twelve years. + +I know another, one of the sturdiest of Scotchmen, a most +pleasant-mannered and unaffected man, sincere in whatever he did +or said, who has lived at Zanzibar several years, subject to the +infructuosities of the business he has been engaged in, as well as +to the calor and ennui of the climate, who yet presents as formidable +a front as ever to the apathetic native of Zanzibar. No man can +charge Capt. H. C. Fraser, formerly of the Indian Navy, with being +apathetic. + +I might with ease give evidence of the industry of others, but +they are all my friends, and they are all good. The American, +English, German, and French residents have ever treated me with a +courtesy and kindness I am not disposed to forget. Taken as a +body, it would be hard to find a more generous or hospitable colony +of white men in any part of the world. + + + +CHAPTER III. ORGANIZATION OF THE EXPEDITION. + + +I was totally ignorant of the interior, and it was difficult at +first to know, what I needed, in order to take an Expedition into +Central Africa. Time was precious, also, and much of it could not +be devoted to inquiry and investigation. In a case like this, it +would have been a godsend, I thought, had either of the three +gentlemen, Captains Burton, Speke, or Grant, given some information +on these points; had they devoted a chapter upon, "How to get +ready an Expedition for Central Africa." The purpose of this +chapter, then, is to relate how I set about it, that other +travellers coming after me may have the benefit of my experience. + +These are some of the questions I asked myself, as I tossed on my +bed at night:-- + +"How much money is required?" + +"How many pagazis, or carriers? + +"How many soldiers?" + +"How much cloth?" + +"How many beads?" + +"How much wire?" + +"What kinds of cloth are required for the different tribes?" + +Ever so many questions to myself brought me no clearer the exact +point I wished to arrive at. I scribbled over scores of sheets +of paper, made estimates, drew out lists of material, calculated +the cost of keeping one hundred men for one year, at so many yards +of different kinds of cloth, etc. I studied Burton, Speke, and +Grant in vain. A good deal of geographical, ethnological, and other +information appertaining to the study of Inner Africa was obtainable, +but information respecting the organization of an expedition +requisite before proceeding to Africa, was not in any book. +The Europeans at Zanzibar knew as little as possible about this +particular point. There was not one white man at Zanzibar who +could tell how many dotis a day a force of one hundred men +required to buy food for one day on the road. Neither, indeed, +was it their business to know. But what should I do at all, at +all? This was a grand question. + +I decided it were best to hunt up an Arab merchant who had been +engaged in the ivory trade, or who was fresh from the interior. + +Sheikh Hashid was a man of note and of wealth in Zanzibar. He had +himself despatched several caravans into the interior, and was +necessarily acquainted with several prominent traders who came to +his house to gossip about their adventures and gains. He was also +the proprietor of the large house Capt. Webb occupied; besides, +he lived across the narrow street which separated his house from +the Consulate. Of all men Sheikh Hashid was the man to be +consulted, and he was accordingly invited to visit me at the +Consulate. + +From the grey-bearded and venerable-looking Sheikh, I elicited +more information about African currency, the mode of procedure, +the quantity and quality of stuffs I required, than I had obtained +from three months' study of books upon Central Africa; and from +other Arab merchants to whom the ancient Sheikh introduced me, +I received most valuable suggestions and hints, which enabled me +at last to organize an Expedition. + +The reader must bear in mind that a traveller requires only that +which is sufficient for travel and exploration that a superfluity +of goods or means will prove as fatal to him as poverty of +supplies. It is on this question of quality and quantity that +the traveller has first to exercise his judgment and discretion. + +My informants gave me to understand that for one hundred men, +10 doti, or 40 yards of cloth per diem, would suffice for food. +The proper course to pursue, I found, was to purchase 2,000 doti +of American sheeting, 1,000 doti of Kaniki, and 650 doti of the +coloured cloths, such as Barsati, a great favourite in Unyamwezi; +Sohari, taken in Ugogo; Ismahili, Taujiri, Joho, Shash, Rehani, +Jamdani or Kunguru-Cutch, blue and pink. These were deemed amply +sufficient for the subsistence of one hundred men for twelve +months. Two years at this rate would require 4,000 doti = 16,000 +yards of American sheeting; 2,000 doti = 8,000 yards of Kaniki; +1,300 doti = 5,200 yards of mixed coloured cloths. This was +definite and valuable information to me, and excepting the lack +of some suggestions as to the quality of the sheeting, Kaniki, +and coloured cloths, I had obtained all I desired upon this point. + +Second in importance to the amount of cloth required was the +quantity and quality of the beads necessary. Beads, I was told, +took the place of cloth currency among some tribes of the +interior. One tribe preferred white to black beads, brown to +yellow, red to green, green to white, and so on. Thus, in +Unyamwezi, red (sami-sami) beads would readily be taken, where +all other kinds would be refused; black (bubu) beads, though +currency in Ugogo, were positively worthless with all other +tribes; the egg (sungomazzi) beads, though valuable in Ujiji +and Uguhha, would be refused in all other countries; the white +(Merikani) beads though good in Ufipa, and some parts of Usagara +and Ugogo, would certainly be despised in Useguhha and Ukonongo. +Such being the case, I was obliged to study closely, and calculate +the probable stay of an expedition in the several countries, so as +to be sure to provide a sufficiency of each kind, and guard against +any great overplus. Burton and Speke, for instance, were obliged +to throw away as worthless several hundred fundo of beads. + +For example, supposing the several nations of Europe had each its +own currency, without the means of exchange, and supposing a man +was about to travel through Europe on foot, before starting he +would be apt to calculate how many days it would take him to +travel through France; how many through Prussia, Austria, and +Russia, then to reckon the expense he would be likely to incur +per day. If the expense be set down at a napoleon per day, and +his journey through France would occupy thirty days, the sum +required forgoing and returning might be properly set down at +sixty napoleons, in which case, napoleons not being current money +in Prussia, Austria, or Russia, it would be utterly useless for +him to burden himself with the weight of a couple of thousand +napoleons in gold. + +My anxiety on this point was most excruciating. Over and over +I studied the hard names and measures, conned again and again +the polysyllables; hoping to be able to arrive some time at an +intelligible definition of the terms. I revolved in my mind +the words Mukunguru, Ghulabio, Sungomazzi, +Kadunduguru, Mutunda, Samisami, Bubu, Merikani, Hafde, Lunghio-Rega, +and Lakhio, until I was fairly beside myself. Finally, however, +I came to the conclusion that if I reckoned my requirements at +fifty khete, or five fundo per day, for two years, and if I +purchased only eleven varieties, I might consider myself safe +enough. The purchase was accordingly made, and twenty-two +sacks of the best species were packed and brought to Capt. Webb's +house, ready for transportation to Bagamoyo. + +After the beads came the wire question. I discovered, after +considerable trouble, that Nos. 5 and 6--almost of the thickness +of telegraph wire--were considered the best numbers for trading +purposes. While beads stand for copper coins in Africa, cloth +measures for silver; wire is reckoned as gold in the countries +beyond the Tan-ga-ni-ka.* Ten frasilah, or 350 lbs., of brass-wire, +my Arab adviser thought, would be ample. +_________________ +* It will be seen that I differ from Capt. Burton in the spelling +of this word, as I deem the letter " y " superfluous. +________________ + +Having purchased the cloth, the beads, and the wire, it was with +no little pride that I surveyed the comely bales and packages lying +piled up, row above row, in Capt. Webb's capacious store-room. +Yet my work was not ended, it was but beginning; there were +provisions, cooking-utensils, boats, rope, twine, tents, donkeys, +saddles, bagging, canvas, tar, needles, tools, ammunition, guns, +equipments, hatchets, medicines, bedding, presents for chiefs--in +short, a thousand things not yet purchased. The ordeal of +chaffering and -haggling with steel-hearted Banyans, Hindis, Arabs, +and half-castes was most trying. For instance, I purchased +twenty-two donkeys at Zanzibar. $40 and $50 were asked, which +I had to reduce to $15 or $20 by an infinite amount of argument +worthy, I think, of a nobler cause. As was my experience with the +ass-dealers so was it with the petty merchants; even a paper of pins +was not purchased without a five per cent. reduction from the price +demanded, involving, of course, a loss of much time and patience. + +After collecting the donkeys, I discovered there were no +pack-saddles to be obtained in Zanzibar. Donkeys without +pack-saddles were of no use whatever. I invented a saddle to +be manufactured by myself and my white man Farquhar, wholly +from canvas, rope, and cotton. + +Three or four frasilahs of cotton, and ten bolts of canvas were +required for the saddles. A specimen saddle was made by myself in +order to test its efficiency. A donkey was taken and saddled, and +a load of 140 lbs. was fastened to it, and though the animal--a +wild creature of Unyamwezi--struggled and reared frantic ally, not +a particle gave way. After this experiment, Farquhar was set to work +to manufacture twenty-one more after the same pattern. Woollen +pads were also purchased to protect the animals from being galled. +It ought to be mentioned here, perhaps, that the idea of such a +saddle as I manufactured, was first derived from the Otago saddle, +in use among the transport-trains of the English army in +Abyssinia. + +A man named John William Shaw--a native of London, England, lately +third-mate of the American ship `Nevada'--applied to me for work. +Though his discharge from the `Nevada' was rather suspicious, yet +he possessed all the requirements of such a man as I needed, and +was an experienced hand with the palm and needle, could cut canvas +to fit anything, was a pretty good navigator, ready and willing, +so far as his professions went.. I saw no reason to refuse his +services, and he was accordingly engaged at $300 per annum, to rank +second to William L. Farquhar. Farquhar was a capital navigator +and excellent mathematician; was strong, energetic, and clever. + +The next thing I was engaged upon was to enlist, arm, and equip, +a faithful escort of twenty men for the road. Johari, the chief +dragoman of the American Consulate, informed me that he knew where +certain of Speke's "Faithfuls" were yet to be found. The idea had +struck me before, that if I could obtain the services of a few men +acquainted with the ways of white men, and who could induce other +good men to join the expedition I was organizing, I might consider +myself fortunate. More especially had I thought of Seedy Mbarak +Mombay, commonly called "Bombay," who though his head was +"woodeny," and his hands" clumsy," was considered to be the +"faithfulest" of the "Faithfuls." + +With the aid of the dragoman Johari, I secured in a few hours the +services of Uledi (Capt. Grant's former valet), Ulimengo, Baruti, +Ambari, Mabruki (Muinyi Mabruki--Bull-headed Mabruki, Capt. +Burton's former unhappy valet)--five of Speke's "Faithfuls." When I +asked them if they were willing to join another white man's +expedition to Ujiji, they replied very readily that they were +willing to join any brother of "Speke's." Dr. John Kirk, Her +Majesty's Consul at Zanzibar, who was present, told them that +though I was no brother of "Speke's," I spoke his language. This +distinction mattered little to them: and I heard them, with great +delight, declare their readiness to go anywhere with me, or do +anything I wished. + +Mombay, as they called him, or Bombay, as we know him, had gone to +Pemba, an island lying north of Zanzibar. Uledi was sure Mombay +would jump with joy at the prospect of another expedition. Johari +was therefore commissioned to write to him at Pemba, to inform him +of the good fortune in store for him. + +On the fourth morning after the letter had been despatched, the +famous Bombay made his appearance, followed in decent order and +due rank by the "Faithfuls" of "Speke." I looked in vain for the +"woodeny head" and "alligator teeth" with which his former +master had endowed him. I saw a slender short man of fifty or +thereabouts, with a grizzled head, an uncommonly high, narrow +forehead, with a very large mouth, showing teeth very irregular, +and wide apart. An ugly rent in the upper front row of Bombay's +teeth was made with the clenched fist of Capt. Speke in Uganda +when his master's patience was worn out, and prompt punishment +became necessary. That Capt. Speke had spoiled him with kindness +was evident, from the fact that Bombay had the audacity to stand +up for a boxing-match with him. But these things I only found +out, when, months afterwards, I was called upon to administer +punishment to him myself. But, at his first appearance, I was +favourably impressed with Bombay, though his face was rugged, his +mouth large, his eyes small, and his nose flat. + +"Salaam aliekum," were the words he greeted me with. "Aliekum +salaam," I replied, with all the gravity I could muster. I then +informed him I required him as captain of my soldiers to Ujiji. +His reply was that he was ready to do whatever I told him, go +wherever I liked in short, be a pattern to servants, and a model +to soldiers. He hoped I would give him a uniform, and a good gun, +both of which were promised. + +Upon inquiring for the rest of the "Faithfuls" who accompanied +Speke into Egypt, I was told that at Zanzibar there were but six. +Ferrajji, Maktub, Sadik, Sunguru, Manyu, Matajari, Mkata, and +Almas, were dead; Uledi and Mtamani were in Unyanyembe; Hassan +had gone to Kilwa, and Ferahan was supposed to be in Ujiji. + +Out of the six "Faithfuls," each of whom still retained his medal +for assisting in the "Discovery of the Sources of the Nile," one, +poor Mabruki, had met with a sad misfortune, which I feared would +incapacitate him from active usefulness. + +Mabruki the "Bull-headed," owned a shamba (or a house with a garden +attached to it), of which he was very proud. Close to him lived a +neighbour in similar circumstances, who was a soldier of Seyd +Majid, with whom Mabruki, who was of a quarrelsome disposition, had +a feud, which culminated in the soldier inducing two or three of +his comrades to assist him in punishing the malevolent Mabruki, and +this was done in a manner that only the heart of an African could +conceive. They tied the unfortunate fellow by his wrists to a +branch of a tree, and after indulging their brutal appetite for +revenge in torturing him, left him to hang in that position for +two days. At the expiration of the second day, he was accidentally +discovered in a most pitiable condition. His hands had swollen to +an immense size, and the veins of one hand having been ruptured, +he had lost its use. It is needless to say that, when the affair +came to Seyd Majid's ears, the miscreants were severely punished. +Dr. Kirk, who attended the poor fellow, succeeded in restoring one +hand to something of a resemblance of its former shape, but the +other hand is sadly marred, and its former usefulness gone for +ever. + +However, I engaged Mabruki, despite his deformed hands, his +ugliness and vanity, because he was one of Speke's "Faithfuls." For +if he but wagged his tongue in my service, kept his eyes open, and +opened his mouth at the proper time, I assured myself I could make +him useful. + +Bombay, my captain of escort, succeeded in getting eighteen more +free men to volunteer as "askari" (soldiers), men whom he knew +would not desert, and for whom he declared himself responsible. +They were an exceedingly fine-looking body of men, far more +intelligent in appearance than I could ever have believed African +barbarians could be. They hailed principally from Uhiyow, others +from Unyamwezi, some came from Useguhha and Ugindo. + +Their wages were set down at $36 each man per annum, or $3 each per +month. Each soldier was provided with a flintlock musket, powder +horn, bullet-pouch, knife, and hatchet, besides enough powder and +ball for 200 rounds. + +Bombay, in consideration of his rank, and previous faithful +services to Burton, Speke and Grant, was engaged at $80 a year, +half that sum in advance, a good muzzle-loading rifle, besides, a +pistol, knife, and hatchet were given to him, while the other five +"Faithfuls," Ambari, Mabruki, Ulimengo, Baruti, and Uledi, were +engaged at $40 a year, with proper equipments as soldiers. + +Having studied fairly well all the East African travellers' books +regarding Eastern and Central Africa, my mind had conceived the +difficulties which would present themselves during the prosecution +of my search after Dr. Livingstone. + +To obviate all of these, as well as human wit could suggest, was +my constant thought and aim. + +"Shall I permit myself, while looking from Ujiji over the waters of +the Tanganika Lake to the other side, to be balked on the threshold +of success by the insolence of a King Kannena or the caprice of a +Hamed bin Sulayyam?" was a question I asked myself. To guard +against such a contingency I determined to carry my own boats. +"Then," I thought, "if I hear of Livingstone being on the +Tanganika, I can launch my boat and proceed after him." + +I procured one large boat, capable of carrying twenty persons, +with stores and goods sufficient for a cruise, from the American +Consul, for the sum of $80, and a smaller one from another American +gentleman for $40. The latter would hold comfortably six men, +with suitable stores. + +I did not intend to carry the boats whole or bodily, but to strip +them of their boards, and carry the timbers and thwarts only. As +a substitute for the boards, I proposed to cover each boat with a +double canvas skin well tarred. The work of stripping them and +taking them to pieces fell to me. This little job occupied me +five days. + +I also packed them up, for the pagazis. Each load was carefully +weighed, and none exceeded 68 lbs. in weight. John Shaw excelled +himself in the workmanship displayed on the canvas boats; when +finished, they fitted their frames admirably. The canvas--six +bolts of English hemp, No. 3--was procured from Ludha Damji, +who furnished it from the Sultan's storeroom. + +An insuperable obstacle to rapid transit in Africa is the want of +carriers, and as speed was the main object of the Expedition under +my command, my duty was to lessen this difficulty as much as +possible. My carriers could only be engaged after arriving at +Bagamoyo, on the mainland. I had over twenty good donkeys ready, +and I thought a cart adapted for the footpaths of Africa might +prove an advantage. Accordingly I had a cart constructed, +eighteen inches wide and five feet long, supplied with two +fore-wheels of a light American wagon, more for the purpose of +conveying the narrow ammunition-boxes. I estimated that if a +donkey could carry to Unyanyembe a load of four frasilahs, +or 140 lbs., he ought to be able to draw eight frasilahs on such +a cart, which would be equal to the carrying capacity of four +stout pagazis or carriers. Events will prove, how my theories +were borne out by practice. + +When my purchases were completed, and I beheld them piled up, tier +after tier, row upon row, here a mass of cooking-utensils, there +bundles of rope, tents, saddles, a pile of portmanteaus and boxes, +containing every imaginable thing, I confess I was rather abashed +at my own temerity. Here were at least six tons of material! +"How will it ever be possible," I thought, "to move all this inert +mass across the wilderness stretching between the sea, and the +great lakes of Africa? Bah, cast all doubts away, man, and have +at them! `Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof,' without +borrowing from the morrow." + +The traveller must needs make his way into the African interior +after a fashion very different from that to which he has been +accustomed in other countries. He requires to take with him just +what a ship must have when about to sail on a long voyage. He +must have his slop chest, his little store of canned dainties, +and his medicines, besides which, he must have enough guns, powder, +and ball to be able to make a series of good fights if necessary. +He must have men to convey these miscellaneous articles; and as a +man's maximum load does not exceed 70 lbs., to convey 11,000 lbs. +requires nearly 160 men. + +Europe and the Orient, even Arabia and Turkestan, have royal ways +of travelling compared to Africa. Specie is received in all those +countries, by which a traveller may carry his means about with +him on his own person. Eastern and Central Africa, however, demand +a necklace, instead of a cent; two yards of American sheeting, +instead of half a dollar, or a florin, and a kitindi of thick +brass-wire, in place of a gold piece. + +The African traveller can hire neither wagons nor camels, neither +horses nor mules, to proceed with him into the interior. His means +of conveyance are limited to black and naked men, who demand at +least $15 a head for every 70 lbs. weight carried only as far as +Unyanyembe. + +One thing amongst others my predecessors omitted to inform men +bound for Africa, which is of importance, and that is, that no +traveller should ever think of coming to Zanzibar with his money +in any other shape than gold coin. Letters of credit, circular +notes, and such civilized things I have found to be a century +ahead of Zanzibar people. + +Twenty and twenty-five cents deducted out of every dollar I drew +on paper is one of the unpleasant, if not unpleasantest things I +have committed to lasting memory. For Zanzibar is a spot far +removed from all avenues of European commerce, and coin is at a +high premium. A man may talk and entreat, but though he may have +drafts, cheques, circular notes, letters of credit, a carte blanche +to get what he wants, out of every dollar must, be deducted twenty, +twenty-five and thirty cents, so I was told, and so was my +experience. What a pity there is no branch-bank here! + +I had intended to have gone into Africa incognito. But the fact +that a white man, even an American, was about to enter Africa was +soon known all over Zanzibar. This fact was repeated a thousand +times in the streets, proclaimed in all shop alcoves, and at the +custom-house. The native bazaar laid hold of it, and agitated it +day and night until my departure. The foreigners, including the +Europeans, wished to know the pros and cons of my coming in and +going out. + +My answer to all questions, pertinent and impertinent, was, I am +going to Africa. Though my card bore the words + + ________________________________________ + | | + | HENRY M. STANLEY. | + | | + | | + | New York Herald. | + |________________________________________| + +very few, I believe, ever coupled the words `New York Herald' +with a search after "Doctor Livingstone." It was not my fault, +was it? + +Ah, me! what hard work it is to start an expedition alone! What +with hurrying through the baking heat of the fierce relentless sun +from shop to shop, strengthening myself with far-reaching and +enduring patience far the haggling contest with the livid-faced +Hindi, summoning courage and wit to brow-beat the villainous Goanese, +and match the foxy Banyan, talking volumes throughout the day, +correcting estimates, making up accounts, superintending the +delivery of purchased articles, measuring and weighing them, to see +that everything was of full measure and weight, overseeing the white +men Farquhar and Shaw, who were busy on donkey saddles, sails, tents, +and boats for the Expedition, I felt, when the day was over, as +though limbs and brain well deserved their rest. Such labours were +mine unremittingly for a month. + +Having bartered drafts on Mr. James Gordon Bennett to the amount +of several thousand dollars for cloth, beads, wire, donkeys, and +a thousand necessaries, having advanced pay to the white men, and +black escort of the Expedition, having fretted Capt. Webb and his +family more than enough with the din of preparation, and filled +his house with my goods, there was nothing further to do but to +leave my formal adieus with the Europeans, and thank the Sultan +and those gentlemen who had assisted me, before embarking for +Bagamoyo. + +The day before my departure from Zanzibar the American Consul, +having just habited himself in his black coat, and taking with him +an extra black hat, in order to be in state apparel, proceeded with +me to the Sultan's palace. The prince had been generous to me; +he had presented me with an Arab horse, had furnished me with +letters of introduction to his agents, his chief men, and +representatives in the interior, and in many other ways had +shown himself well disposed towards me. + +The palace is a large, roomy, lofty, square house close to the +fort, built of coral, and plastered thickly with lime mortar. +In appearance it is half Arabic and half Italian. The shutters +are Venetian blinds painted a vivid green, and presenting a +striking contrast to the whitewashed walls. Before the great, +lofty, wide door were ranged in two crescents several Baluch and +Persian mercenaries, armed with curved swords and targes of +rhinoceros hide. Their dress consisted of a muddy-white cotton +shirt, reaching to the ancles, girdled with a leather belt thickly +studded with silver bosses. + +As we came in sight a signal was passed to some person inside the +entrance. When within twenty yards of the door, the Sultan, who +was standing waiting, came down the steps, and, passing through the +ranks, advanced toward us, with his right hand stretched out, and a +genial smile of welcome on his face. On our side we raised our +hats, and shook hands with him, after which, doing according as he +bade us, we passed forward, and arrived on the highest step near +the entrance door. He pointed forward; we bowed and arrived at +the foot of an unpainted and narrow staircase to turn once more to +the Sultan. The Consul, I perceived, was ascending sideways, a +mode of progression which I saw was intended for a compromise with +decency and dignity. At the top of the stairs we waited, with +our faces towards the up-coming Prince. Again we were waved +magnanimously forward, for before us was the reception-hall and +throne-room. I noticed, as I marched forward to the furthest end, +that the room was high, and painted in the Arabic style, that the +carpet was thick and of Persian fabric, that the furniture consisted +of a dozen gilt chairs and a chandelier, + +We were seated; Ludha Damji, the Banyan collector of customs, a +venerable-looking old man, with a shrewd intelligent face, sat on +the right of the Sultan; next to him was the great Mohammedan +merchant Tarya Topan who had come to be present at the interview, +not only because he was one of the councillors of His Highness, +but because he also took a lively interest in this American +Expedition. Opposite to Ludha sat Capt. Webb, and next to him +I was seated, opposite Tarya Topan. The Sultan sat in a gilt chair +between the Americans and the councillors. Johari the dragoman +stood humbly before the Sultan, expectant and ready to interpret +what we had to communicate to the Prince. + +The Sultan, so far as dress goes, might be taken for a Mingrelian +gentleman, excepting, indeed, for the turban, whose ample folds in +alternate colours of red, yellow, brown, and white, encircled his +head. His long robe was of dark cloth, cinctured round the waist +with his rich sword-belt, from which was suspended a gold-hilted +scimitar, encased in a scabbard also enriched with gold: His legs +and feet were bare, and had a ponderous look about them, since he +suffered from that strange curse of Zanzibar--elephantiasis. His +feet were slipped into a pair of watta (Arabic for slippers), with +thick soles and a strong leathern band over the instep. His light +complexion and his correct features, which are intelligent and +regular, bespeak the Arab patrician. They indicate, however, +nothing except his high descent and blood; no traits of character +are visible unless there is just a trace of amiability, and perfect +contentment with himself and all around. + +Such is Prince, or Seyd Burghash, Sultan of Zanzibar and Pemba, and +the East coast of Africa, from Somali Land to the Mozambique, as he +appeared to me. + +Coffee was served in cups supported by golden finjans, also some +cocoa-nut milk, and rich sweet sherbet. + +The conversation began with the question addressed to the Consul. + +"Are you well?" + +Consul.--" Yes, thank you. How is His Highness?" + +Highness.--"Quite well!" + +Highness to me.--"Are you well?" + +Answer.--"Quite well, thanks!" + +The Consul now introduces business; and questions about my travels +follow from His Highness-- + +"How do you like Persia?" + +"Have you seen Kerbela, Bagdad, Masr, Stamboul?" + +"Have the Turks many soldiers?" + +"How many has Persia?" + +"Is Persia fertile?" + +"How do you like Zanzibar?" + +Having answered each question to his Highness' satisfaction, he +handed me letters of introduction to his officers at Bagamoyo and +Kaole, and a general introductory letter to all Arab merchants +whom I might meet on the road, and concluded his remarks to me, +with the expressed hope, that on whatever mission I was bound, +I should be perfectly successful. + +We bowed ourselves out of his presence in much the same manner that +we had bowed ourselves in, he accompanying us to the great entrance +door. + +Mr. Goodhue of Salem, an American merchant long resident in +Zanzibar, presented me, as I gave him my adieu, with a blooded bay +horse, imported from the Cape of Good Hope, and worth, at least at +Zanzibar, $500. + +Feb. 4.--By the 4th of February, twenty-eight days from the date +of my arrival at Zanzibar, the organization and equipment of the +"`New York Herald' Expedition" was complete; tents and saddles had +been manufactured, boats and sails were ready. The donkeys brayed, +and the horses neighed impatiently for the road. + +Etiquette demanded that I should once more present my card to the +European and American Consuls at Zanzibar, and the word "farewell" +was said to everybody. + +On the fifth day, four dhows were anchored before the American +Consulate. Into one were lifted the two horses, into two others +the donkeys, into the fourth, the largest, the black escort, and +bulky moneys of the Expedition. + +A little before noon we set sail. The American flag, a present to +the Expedition by that kind-hearted lady, Mrs. Webb, was raised +to the mast-head; the Consul, his lady, and exuberant little +children, Mary and Charley, were on the housetop waving the starry +banner, hats, and handkerchiefs, a token of farewell to me and +mine. Happy people, and good! may their course and ours be +prosperous, and may God's blessing rest on us all! + + + +CHAPTER IV. LIFE AT BAGAMOYO. + + +The isle of Zanzibar with its groves of cocoa-nut, mango, clove, +and cinnamon, and its sentinel islets of Chumbi and French, with +its whitewashed city and jack-fruit odor, with its harbor and ships +that tread the deep, faded slowly from view, and looking westward, +the African continent rose, a similar bank of green verdure to +that which had just receded till it was a mere sinuous line above +the horizon, looming in a northerly direction to the sublimity of +a mountain chain. The distance across from Zanzibar to Bagamoyo +may be about twenty-five miles, yet it took the dull and lazy +dhows ten hours before they dropped anchor on the top of the +coral reef plainly visible a few feet below the surface of the +water, within a hundred yards of the beach. + +The newly-enlisted soldiers, fond of noise and excitement, +discharged repeated salvos by way of a salute to the mixed +crowd of Arabs, Banyans, and Wasawahili, who stood on the beach +to receive the Musungu (white man), which they did with a general +stare and a chorus of "Yambo, bana?" (how are you, master?) + +In our own land the meeting with a large crowd is rather a tedious +operation, as our independent citizens insist on an interlacing of +fingers, and a vigorous shaking thereof before their pride is +satisfied, and the peaceful manifestation endorsed; but on this +beach, well lined with spectators, a response of "Yambo, bana!" +sufficed, except with one who of all there was acknowledged the +greatest, and who, claiming, like all great men, individual +attention, came forward to exchange another "Yambo!" on his own +behalf, and to shake hands. This personage with a long trailing +turban, was Jemadar Esau, commander of the Zanzibar force of +soldiers, police, or Baluch gendarmes stationed at Bagamoyo. +He had accompanied Speke and Grant a good distance into the +interior, and they had rewarded him liberally. He took upon +himself the responsibility of assisting in the debarkation of +the Expedition, and unworthy as was his appearance, disgraceful +as he was in his filth, I here commend him for his influence +over the rabble to all future East African travellers. + +Foremost among those who welcomed us was a Father of the Society +of St.-Esprit, who with other Jesuits, under Father Superior +Horner, have established a missionary post of considerable +influence and merit at Bagamoyo. We were invited to partake of +the hospitality of the Mission, to take our meals there, and, +should we desire it, to pitch our camp on their grounds. But +however strong the geniality of the welcome and sincere the +heartiness of the invitation, I am one of those who prefer +independence to dependence if it is possible. Besides, my +sense of the obligation between host and guest had just had +a fine edge put upon it by the delicate forbearance of my kind +host at Zanzibar, who had betrayed no sign of impatience at the +trouble I was only too conscious of having caused him. I +therefore informed the hospitable Padre, that only for one night +could I suffer myself to be enticed from my camp. + +I selected a house near the western outskirts of the town, where +there is a large open square through which the road from Unyanyembe +enters. Had I been at Bagamoyo a month, I could not have bettered +my location. My tents were pitched fronting the tembe (house) I +had chosen, enclosing a small square, where business could be +transacted, bales looked over, examined, and marked, free from the +intrusion of curious sightseers. After driving the twenty-seven +animals of the Expedition into the enclosure in the rear of the +house, storing the bales of goods, and placing a cordon of soldiers +round, I proceeded to the Jesuit Mission, to a late dinner, being +tired and ravenous, leaving the newly-formed camp in charge of the +white men and Capt. Bombay. + +The Mission is distant from the town a good half mile, to the +north of it; it is quite a village of itself, numbering some +fifteen or sixteen houses. There are more than ten padres engaged +in the establishment, and as many sisters, and all find plenty of +occupation in educing from native crania the fire of intelligence. +Truth compels me to state that they are very successful, having +over two hundred pupils, boys and girls, in the Mission, and, +from the oldest to the youngest, they show the impress of the +useful education they have received. + +The dinner furnished to the padres and their guest consisted of as +many plats as a first-class hotel in Paris usually supplies, and +cooked with nearly as much skill, though the surroundings were by +no means equal. I feel assured also that the padres, besides being +tasteful in their potages and entrees, do not stultify their ideas +for lack of that element which Horace, Hafiz, and Byron have +praised so much. The champagne--think of champagne Cliquot in East +Africa!--Lafitte, La Rose, Burgundy, and Bordeaux were of +first-rate quality, and the meek and lowly eyes of the fathers +were not a little brightened under the vinous influence. Ah! those +fathers understand life, and appreciate its duration. Their +festive board drives the African jungle fever from their doors, +while it soothes the gloom and isolation which strike one with awe, +as one emerges from the lighted room and plunges into the depths +of the darkness of an African night, enlivened only by the wearying +monotone of the frogs and crickets, and the distant ululation of +the hyena. It requires somewhat above human effort, unaided by the +ruby liquid that cheers, to be always suave and polite amid the +dismalities of native life in Africa. + +After the evening meal, which replenished my failing strength, and +for which I felt the intensest gratitude, the most advanced of the +pupils came forward, to the number of twenty, with brass instruments, +thus forming a full band of music. It rather astonished me to hear +instrumental sounds issue forth in harmony from such woolly-headed +youngsters; to hear well-known French music at this isolated port, +to hear negro boys, that a few months ago knew nothing beyond the +traditions of their ignorant mothers, stand forth and chant +Parisian songs about French valor and glory, with all the +sangfroid of gamins from the purlieus of Saint-Antoine. + +I had a most refreshing night's rest, and at dawn I sought out +my camp, with a will to enjoy the new life now commencing. On +counting the animals, two donkeys were missing; and on taking +notes of my African moneys, one coil of No. 6 wire was not to be +found. Everybody had evidently fallen on the ground to sleep, +oblivious of the fact that on the coast there are many dishonest +prowlers at night. Soldiers were despatched to search through +the town and neighbourhood, and Jemadar Esau was apprised of +our loss, and stimulated to discover the animals by the promise +of a reward. Before night one of the missing donkeys was found +outside the town nibbling at manioc-leaves, but the other animal +and the coil of wire were never found. + +Among my visitors this first day at Bagamoyo was Ali bin Salim, +a brother of the famous Sayd bin Salim, formerly Ras Kafilah to +Burton and Speke, and subsequently to Speke and Grant. His +salaams were very profuse, and moreover, his brother was to be my +agent in Unyamwezi, so that I did not hesitate to accept his offer +of assistance. But, alas, for my white face and too trustful +nature! this Ali bin Salim turned out to be a snake in the grass, +a very sore thorn in my side. I was invited to his comfortable +house to partake of coffee. I went there: the coffee was good +though sugarless, his promises were many, but they proved valueless. +Said he to me, "I am your friend; I wish to serve you., what can +I do for you?" Replied I, "I am obliged to you, I need a good +friend who, knowing the language and Customs of the Wanyamwezi, +can procure me the pagazis I need and send me off quickly. Your +brother is acquainted with the Wasungu (white men), and knows +that what they promise they make good. Get me a hundred and +forty pagazis and I will pay you your price." With unctuous +courtesy, the reptile I was now warmly nourishing; said, +"I do not want anything from you, my friend, for such a slight +service, rest content and quiet; you shall not stop here fifteen +days. To-morrow morning I will come and overhaul your bales to +see what is needed." I bade him good morning, elated with the +happy thought that I was soon to tread the Unyanyembe road. + +The reader must be made acquainted with two good and sufficient +reasons why I was to devote all my energy to lead the Expedition +as quickly as possible from Bagamoyo. + +First, I wished to reach Ujiji before the news reached Livingstone +that I was in search of him, for my impression of him was that he +was a man who would try to put as much distance as possible +between us, rather than make an effort to shorten it, and I should +have my long journey for nothing. + +Second, the Masika, or rainy season, would soon be on me, which, if +it caught me at Bagamoyo, would prevent my departure until it was +over, which meant a delay of forty days, and exaggerated as the +rains were by all men with whom I came in contact, it rained every +day for forty days without intermission. This I knew was a thing +to dread; for I had my memory stored with all kinds of rainy +unpleasantnesses. For instance, there was the rain of Virginia and +its concomitant horrors--wetness, mildew, agues, rheumatics, +and such like; then there were the English rains, a miserable drizzle +causing the blue devils; then the rainy season of Abyssinia with the +flood-gates of the firmament opened, and an universal down-pour of +rain, enough to submerge half a continent in a few hours; lastly, +there was the pelting monsoon of India, a steady shut-in-house +kind of rain. To which of these rains should I compare this +dreadful Masika of East Africa? Did not Burton write much about +black mud in Uzaramo? Well, a country whose surface soil is +called black mud in fine weather, what can it be called when forty +days' rain beat on it, and feet of pagazis and donkeys make paste +of it? These were natural reflections, induced by the circumstances +of the hour, and I found myself much exercised in mind in consequence. + +Ali bin Salim, true to his promise, visited my camp on the morrow, +with a very important air, and after looking at the pile of cloth +bales, informed me that I must have them covered with mat-bags. He +said he would send a man to have them measured, but he enjoined me +not to make any bargain for the bags, as he would make it all +right. + +While awaiting with commendable patience the 140 pagazis +promised by Ali bin Salim we were all employed upon everything +that thought could suggest needful for crossing the sickly +maritime region, so that we might make the transit before the +terrible fever could unnerve us, and make us joyless. A short +experience at Bagamoya showed us what we lacked, what was +superfluous, and what was necessary. We were visited one night +by a squall, accompanied by furious rain. I had $1,500 worth +of pagazi cloth in my tent. In the morning I looked and lo! +the drilling had let in rain like a sieve, and every yard of cloth +was wet. It occupied two days afterwards to dry the cloths, and +fold them again. The drill-tent was condemned, and a No. 5 +hemp-canvas tent at onto prepared. After which I felt convinced +that my cloth bales, and one year's ammunition, were safe, and +that I could defy the Masika. + +In the hurry of departure from Zanzibar, and in my ignorance of +how bales should be made, I had submitted to the better judgment +and ripe experience of one Jetta, a commission merchant, to prepare +my bales for carriage. Jetta did not weigh the bales as he made +them up, but piled the Merikani, Kaniki, Barsati, Jamdani, Joho, +Ismahili, in alternate layers, and roped the same into bales. +One or two pagazis came to my camp and began to chaffer; they +wished to see the bales first, before they would make a final +bargain. They tried to raise them up--ugh! ugh! it was of no use, +and withdrew. A fine Salter's spring balance was hung up, and a +bale suspended to the hook; the finger indicated 105 lbs. or +3 frasilah, which was just 35 lbs. or one frasilah overweight. +Upon putting all the bales to this test, I perceived that Jetta's +guess-work, with all his experience, had caused considerable +trouble to me. + +The soldiers were set to work to reopen and repack, which latter +task is performed in the following manner:--We cut a doti, or four +yards of Merikani, ordinarily sold at Zanzibar for $2.75 the +piece of thirty yards, and spread out. We take a piece or bolt +of good Merikani, and instead of the double fold given it by the +Nashua and Salem mills, we fold it into three parts, by which the +folds have a breadth of a foot; this piece forms the first layer, +and will weigh nine pounds; the second layer consists of six pieces +of Kaniki, a blue stuff similar to the blouse stuff of France, and +th blue jeans of America, though much lighter; the third layer is +formed of the second piece of Merikani, the fourth of six more +pieces of Kaniki, the fifth of Merikani, the sixth of Kaniki as +before, and the seventh and last of Merikani. We have thus four +pieces of Merikani, which weigh 36 lbs., and 18 pieces of Kaniki +weighing also 36 lbs., making a total of 72 lbs., or a little +more than two frasilahs; the cloth is then folded singly over these +layers, each corner tied to another. A bundle of coir-rope is +then brought, and two men, provided with a wooden mallet for +beating and pressing the bale, proceed to tie it up with as much +nicety as sailors serve down rigging. + +When complete, a bale is a solid mass three feet and a half long, +a foot deep, and a foot wide. Of these bales I had to convey +eighty-two to Unyanyembe, forty of which consisted solely of the +Merikani and Kaniki. The other forty-two contained the Merikani +and coloured cloths, which latter were to serve as honga or tribute +cloths, and to engage another set of pagazis from Unyanyembe to +Ujiji, and from Ujiji to the regions beyond. + +The fifteenth day asked of me by Ali bin Salim for the procuring +of the pagazis passed by, and there was not the ghost of a pagazi +in my camp. I sent Mabruki the Bullheaded to Ali bin Salim, to +convey my salaams and express a hope that he had kept his word. +In half an hour's time Mabruki returned with the reply of the +Arab, that in a few days he would be able to collect them all; +but, added Mabruki, slyly, "Bana, I don't believe him. He said +aloud to himself, in my hearing, `Why should I get the Musungu +pagazis? Seyd Burghash did not send a letter to me, but to the +Jemadar. Why should I trouble myself about him? Let Seyd +Burghash write me a letter to that purpose, and I will procure +them within two days."' + +To my mind this was a time for action: Ali bin Salim should see +that it was ill trifling with a white man in earnest to start. +I rode down to his house to ask him what he meant. + +His reply was, Mabruki had told a lie as black as his face. He +had never said anything approaching to such a thing. He was +willing to become my slave--to become a pagazi himself. But here I +stopped the voluble Ali, and informed him that I could not think of +employing him in the capacity of a pagazi, neither could I find it +in my heart to trouble Seyd Burghash to write a direct letter to +him, or to require of a man who had deceived me once, as Ali bin +Salim had, any service of any nature whatsoever. It would be +better, therefore, if Ali bin Salim would stay away from my +camp, and not enter it either in person or by proxy. + +I had lost fifteen days, for Jemadar Sadur, at Kaole, had never +stirred from his fortified house in that village in my service, +save to pay a visit, after the receipt of the Sultan's letter. +Naranji, custom-house agent at Kaoie, solely under the thumb of +the great Ludha Damji, had not responded to Ludha's worded request +that he would procure pagazis, except with winks, nods, and +promises, and it is but just stated how I fared at the hands of Ali +bin Salim. In this extremity I remembered the promise made to me +by the great merchant of Zanzibar--Tarya Topan--a Mohammedan +Hindi--that he would furnish me with a letter to a young man named +Soor Hadji Palloo, who was said to be the best man in Bagamoyo to +procure a supply of pagazis. + +I despatched my Arab interpreter by a dhow to Zanzibar, with a +very earnest request to Capt. Webb that he would procure from +Tarya Topan the introductory letter so long delayed. It was the +last card in my hand. + +On the third day the Arab returned, bringing with him not only +the letter to Soor Hadji Palloo, but an abundance of good things +from the ever-hospitable house of Mr. Webb. In a very short time +after the receipt of his letter, the eminent young man Soor Hadji +Palloo came to visit me, and informed me he had been requested by +Tarya Topan to hire for me one hundred and forty pagazis to +Unyanyembe in the shortest time possible. This he said would be +very expensive, for there were scores of Arabs and Wasawabili +merchants on the look out for every caravan that came in from the +interior, and they paid 20 doti, or 80 yards of cloth, to each +pagazi. Not willing or able to pay more, many of these merchants +had been waiting as long as six months before they could get their +quota. "If you," continued he, "desire to depart quickly, you +must pay from 25 to 40 doti, and I can send you off before one +month is ended. "In reply, I said, "Here are my cloths for pagazis +to the amount of $1,750, or 3,500 doti, sufficient to give one +hundred and forty men 25 doti each. The most I am willing to pay +is 25 doti: send one hundred and forty pagazis to Unyanyembe +with my cloth and wire, and I will make your heart glad with the +richest present you have ever received." With a refreshing naivete, +the "young man" said he did not want any present, he would get +me my quota of pagazis, and then I could tell the "Wasungu" what +a good "young man" he was, and consequently the benefit he would +receive would be an increase of business. He closed his reply +with the astounding remark that he had ten pagazis at his house +already, and if I would be good enough to have four bales of cloth, +two bags of beads, and twenty coils of wire carried to his house, +the pagazis could leave Bagamoyo the next day, under charge of +three soldiers. + +"For, he remarked, "it is much better and cheaper to send many +small caravans than one large one. Large caravans invite attack, +or are delayed by avaricious chiefs upon the most trivial pretexts, +while small ones pass by without notice." + +The bales and the beads were duly carried to Soor Hadji Palloo's +house, and the day passed with me in mentally congratulating myself +upon my good fortune, in complimenting the young Hindi's talents +for business, the greatness and influence of Tarya Topan, and the +goodness of Mr. Webb in thus hastening my departure from Bagamoyo. +I mentally vowed a handsome present, and a great puff in my book, +to Soor Hadji Palloo, and it was with a glad heart that I prepared +these soldiers for their march to Unyayembe. + +The task of preparing the first caravan for the Unyanyembe road +informed me upon several things that have escaped the notice of +my predecessors in East Africa, a timely knowledge of which would +have been of infinite service to me at Zanzibar, in the purchase +and selection of sufficient and proper cloth. + +The setting out of the first caravan enlightened me also on the +subject of honga, or tribute. Tribute had to be packed by itself, +all of choice cloth; for the chiefs, besides being avaricious, are +also very fastidious. They will not accept the flimsy cloth of the +pagazi, but a royal and exceedingly high-priced dabwani, Ismahili, +Rehani, or a Sohari, or dotis of crimson broad cloth. The tribute +for the first caravan cost $25. Having more than one hundred and +forty pagazis to despatch, this tribute money would finally amount +to $330 in gold, with a minimum of 25c. on each dollar. Ponder on +this, O traveller! I lay bare these facts for your special instruction. + +But before my first caravan was destined to part company with me, +Soor Hadji Palloo--worthy young man--and I were to come to a +definite understanding about money matters. The morning appointed +for departure Soor Hadji Palloo came to my hut and presented his +bill, with all the gravity of innocence, for supplying the pagazis +with twenty-five doti each as their hire to Unyanyembe, begging +immediate payment in money. Words fail to express the astonishment +I naturally felt, that this sharp-looking young man should so soon +have forgotten the verbal contract entered into between him and +myself the morning previous, which was to the effect that out of +the three thousand doti stored in my tent, and bought expressly +for pagazi hire, each and every man hired for me as carriers from +Bagamoyo to Unyanyembe, should be paid out of the store there in +my tent. when I asked if he remembered the contract, he replied +in the affirmative: his reasons for breaking it so soon were, +that he wished to sell his cloths, not mine, and for his cloths +he should want money, not an exchange. But I gave him to comprehend +that as he was procuring pagazis for me, he was to pay my pagazis +with my cloths; that all the money I expected to pay him, should be +just such a sum I thought adequate for his trouble as my agent, +and that only on those terms should he act for me in this or any +other matter, and that the "Musungu" was not accustomed to eat +his words. + +The preceding paragraph embodies many more words than are contained +in it. It embodies a dialogue of an hour, an angry altercation +of half-an-hour's duration, a vow taken on the part of Soor Hadji +Palloo, that if I did not take his cloths he should not touch my +business, many tears, entreaties, woeful penitence, and much else, +all of which were responded to with, "Do as I want you to do, or do +nothing. "Finally came relief, and a happy ending. Soor Hadji +Palloo went away with a bright face, taking with him the three +soldiers' posho (food), and honga (tribute) for the caravan. Well +for me that it ended so, and that subsequent quarrels of a similar +nature terminated so peaceably, otherwise I doubt whether my +departure from Bagamoyo would have happened so early as it did. +While I am on this theme, and as it really engrossed every moment +of my time at Bagamoyo, I may as well be more explicit regarding +Boor Hadji Palloo and his connection with my business. + +Soor Hadji Palloo was a smart young man of business, energetic, +quick at mental calculation, and seemed to be born for a successful +salesman. His eyes were never idle; they wandered over every +part of my person, over the tent, the bed, the guns, the clothes, +and having swung clear round, began the silent circle over again. +His fingers were never at rest, they had a fidgety, nervous +action at their tips, constantly in the act of feeling something; +while in the act of talking to me, he would lean over and feel the +texture of the cloth of my trousers, my coat, or my shoes or +socks: then he would feel his own light jamdani shirt or dabwain +loin-cloth, until his eyes casually resting upon a novelty, his +body would lean forward, and his arm was stretched out with the +willing fingers. His jaws also were in perpetual motion, caused by +vile habits he had acquired of chewing betel-nut and lime, and +sometimes tobacco and lime. They gave out a sound similar to that +of a young shoat, in the act of sucking. He was a pious +Mohammedan, and observed the external courtesies and ceremonies +of the true believers. He would affably greet me, take off his +shoes, enter my tent protesting he was not fit to sit in my +presence, and after being seated, would begin his ever-crooked +errand. Of honesty, literal and practical honesty, this youth knew +nothing; to the pure truth he was an utter stranger; the +falsehoods he had uttered during his short life seemed already to +have quenched the bold gaze of innocence from his eyes, to have +banished the colour of truthfulness from his features, to have +transformed him--yet a stripling of twenty--into a most accomplished +rascal, and consummate expert in dishonesty. + +During the six weeks I encamped at Bagamoyo, waiting for my quota +of men, this lad of twenty gave me very much trouble. He was +found out half a dozen times a day in dishonesty, yet was in no +way abashed by it. He would send in his account of the cloths +supplied to the pagazis, stating them to be 25 paid to each; on +sending a man to inquire I would find the greatest number to have +been 20, and the smallest 12. Soor Hadji Palloo described the +cloths to be of first-class quality, Ulyah cloths, worth in the +market four times more than the ordinary quality given to the +pagazis, yet a personal examination would prove them to be the +flimsiest goods sold, such as American sheeting 2 1/2 feet broad, +and worth $2.75 per 30 yards a piece at Zanzibar, or the most +inferior Kaniki, which is generally sold at $9 per score. He +would personally come to my camp and demand 40 lbs. of Sami-Sami, +Merikani, and Bubu beads for posho, or caravan rations; an +inspection of their store before departure from their first camp +from Bagamoyo would show a deficiency ranging from 5 to 30 lbs. +Moreover, he cheated in cash-money, such as demanding $4 for +crossing the Kingani Ferry for every ten pagazis, when the fare +was $2 for the same number; and an unconscionable number of pice +(copper coins equal in value to 3/4 of a cent) were required for +posho. It was every day for four weeks that this system of +roguery was carried out. Each day conceived a dozen new schemes; +every instant of his time he seemed to be devising how to plunder, +until I was fairly at my wits' end how to thwart him. Exposure +before a crowd of his fellows brought no blush of shame to his +sallow cheeks; he would listen with a mere shrug of the shoulders +and that was all, which I might interpret any way it pleased me. +A threat to reduce his present had no effect; a bird in the hand +was certainly worth two in the bush for him, so ten dollars' worth +of goods stolen and in his actual possession was of more intrinsic +value than the promise of $20 in a few days, though it was that of +a white man. + +Readers will of course ask themselves why I did not, after the +first discovery of these shameless proceedings, close my business +with him, to which I make reply, that I could not do without him +unless his equal were forthcoming, that I never felt so thoroughly +dependent on any one man as I did upon him; without his or his +duplicate's aid, I must have stayed at Bagamoyo at least six +months, at the end of which time the Expedition would have become +valueless, the rumour of it having been blown abroad to the four +winds. It was immediate departure that was essential to my +success--departure from Bagamoyo--after which it might be possible +for me to control my own future in a great measure. + +These troubles were the greatest that I could at this time imagine. +I have already stated that I had $1,750 worth of pagazis' +clothes, or 3,500 doti, stored in my tent, and above what my +bales contained. Calculating one hundred and forty pagazis at 25 +doti each, I supposed I had enough, yet, though I had been trying +to teach the young Hindi that the Musungu was not a fool, nor blind +to his pilfering tricks, though the 3,500 doti were all spent; +though I had only obtained one hundred and thirty pagazis at 25 +doti each, which in the aggregate amounted to 3,200 doti: Soor +Hadji Palloo's bill was $1,400 cash extra. His plea was that he +had furnished Ulyah clothes for Muhongo 240 doti, equal in value to +960 of my doti, that the money was spent in ferry pice, in +presents to chiefs of caravans of tents, guns, red broad cloth, in +presents to people on the Mrima (coast) to induce them to hunt up +pagazis. Upon this exhibition of most ruthless cheating I waxed +indignant, and declared to him that if he did not run over his bill +and correct it, he should go without a pice. + +But before the bill could be put into proper shape, my words, +threats, and promises falling heedlessly on a stony brain, a man, +Kanjee by name, from the store of Tarya Topan, of Zanzibar, had to +come over, when the bill was finally reduced to $738. Without any +disrespect to Tarya Topan, I am unable to decide which is the most +accomplished rascal, Kanjee, or young Soor Hadji Palloo; in the +words of a white man who knows them both, "there is not the +splitting of a straw between them." Kanjee is deep and sly, Soor +Hadji Palloo is bold and incorrigible. But peace be to them both, +may their shaven heads never be covered with the troublous crown +I wore at Bagamoyo! + +My dear friendly reader, do not think, if I speak out my mind in +this or in any other chapter upon matters seemingly trivial and +unimportant, that seeming such they should be left unmentioned. +Every tittle related is a fact, and to knew facts is to receive +knowledge. + +How could I ever recite my experience to you if I did not enter +upon these miserable details, which sorely distract the stranger +upon his first arrival? Had I been a Government official, I had +but wagged my finger and my quota of pagazis had been furnished +me within a week; but as an individual arriving without the graces +of official recognition, armed with no Government influence, I had +to be patient, bide my time, and chew the cud of irritation +quietly, but the bread I ate was not all sour, as this was. + +The white men, Farquhar and Shaw, were kept steadily at work upon +water-proof tents of hemp canvas, for I perceived, by the +premonitory showers of rain that marked the approach of the Masika +that an ordinary tent of light cloth would subject myself to damp +and my goods to mildew, and while there was time to rectify all +errors that had crept into my plans through ignorance or over +haste, I thought it was not wise to permit things to rectify +themselves. Now that I have returned uninjured in health, though +I have suffered the attacks of twenty-three fevers within the short +space of thirteen months; I must confess I owe my life, first, to +the mercy of God; secondly, to the enthusiasm for my work, which +animated me from the beginning to the end; thirdly, to having +never ruined my constitution by indulgence in vice and +intemperance; fourthly, to the energy of my nature; fifthly, to +a native hopefulness which never died; and, sixthly, to having +furnished myself with a capacious water and damp proof canvas +house. And here, if my experience may be of value, I would +suggest that travellers, instead of submitting their better +judgment to the caprices of a tent-maker, who will endeavour to +pass off a handsomely made fabric of his own, which is unsuited +to all climes, to use his own judgment, and get the best and +strongest that money will buy. In the end it will prove the +cheapest, and perhaps be the means of saving his life. + +On one point I failed,, and lest new and young travellers fall into +the same error which marred much of my enjoyment, this paragraph +is written. One must be extremely careful in his choice of +weapons, whether for sport or defence. A traveller should have at +least three different kinds of guns. One should be a fowling-piece, +the second should be a double-barrelled rifle, No. 10 or 12, the +third should be a magazine-rifle, for defence. For the fowling-piece +I would suggest No. 12 bore, with barrels at least four feet in length. +For the rifle for larger game, I would point out, with due deference +to old sportsmen, of course, that the best guns for African game +are the English Lancaster and Reilly rifles; and for a fighting +weapon, I maintain that the best yet invented is the American +Winchester repeating rifle, or the "sixteen, shooter" as it is +called, supplied with the London Eley's ammunition. If I suggest +as a fighting weapon the American Winchester, I do not mean that +the traveller need take it for the purpose of offence, but as +the beat means of efficient defence, to save his own life against +African banditti, when attacked, a thing likely to happen any time. + +I met a young man soon after returning from the interior, who +declared his conviction that the "Express," rifle was the most +perfect weapon ever invented to destroy African game. Very +possibly the young man may be right, and that the "Express " +rifle is all he declares it to be, but he had never practised with +it against African game, and as I had never tried it, I could not +combat his assertion: but I could relate my experiences with weapons, +having all the penetrating powers of the "Express," and could +inform him that though the bullets penetrated through the animals, +they almost always failed to bring down the game at the first fire. +On the other hand, I could inform him, that during the time I +travelled with Dr. Livingstone the Doctor lent me his heavy Reilly +rifle with which I seldom failed to bring an animal or two home +to the camp, and that I found the Fraser shell answer all purposes +for which it was intended. The feats related by Capt. Speke and +Sir Samuel Baker are no longer matter of wonderment to the young +]sportsman, when he has a Lancaster or a Reilly in his hand. +After very few trials he can imitate them, if not excel their +Leeds, provided he has a steady hand. And it is to forward this +end that this paragraph is written. African game require +"bone-crushers;" for any ordinary carbine possesses sufficient +penetrative qualities, yet has not he disabling qualities which +a gun must possess to be useful in the hands of an African explorer. + +I had not been long at Bagamoyo before I went over to Mussoudi's +camp, to visit the "Livingstone caravan" which the British Consul +had despatched on the first day of November, 1870, to the relief of +Livingstone. The number of packages was thirty-five, which required +as many men to convey them to Unyanyembe. The men chosen to escort +this caravan were composed of Johannese and Wahiyow, seven in number. +Out of the seven, four were slaves. They lived in clover here-- +thoughtless of the errand they had been sent upon, and careless of +the consequences. What these men were doing at Bagamoyo all this +time I never could conceive, except indulging their own vicious +propensities. It would be nonsense to say there were no pagazis; +because I know there were at least fifteen caravans which had +started for the interior since the Ramadan (December 15th, 1870). +Yet Livingstone's caravan had arrived at this little town of Bagamoyo +November 2nd, and here it had been lying until the 10th February, +in all, 100 days, for lack of the limited number of thirty-five +pagazis, a number that might be procured within two days through +consular influence. + +Bagamoyo has a most enjoyable climate. It is far preferable in +every sense to that of Zanzibar. We were able to sleep in the +open air, and rose refreshed and healthy each morning, to enjoy +our matutinal bath in the sea; and by the time the sun had risen +we were engaged in various preparations for our departure for the +interior. Our days were enlivened by visits from the Arabs who +were also bound for Unyanyembe; by comical scenes in the camp; +sometimes by court-martials held on the refractory; by a +boxing-match between Farquhar and Shaw, necessitating my prudent +interference when they waxed too wroth; by a hunting excursion +now and then to the Kingani plain and river; by social +conversation with the old Jemadar and his band of Baluches, who +were never tired of warning me that the Masika was at hand, and of +advising me that my best course was to hurry on before the season +for travelling expired. + +Among the employees with the Expedition were two Hindi and two +Goanese. They had conceived the idea that the African interior +was an El Dorado, the ground of which was strewn over with ivory +tusks, and they had clubbed together; while their imaginations +were thus heated, to embark in a little enterprise of their own. +Their names were Jako, Abdul Kader, Bunder Salaam, and Aranselar; +Jako engaged in my service, as carpenter and general help; Abdul +Kader as a tailor, Bunder Salaam as cook, and Aranselar as chief +butler. + +But Aranselar, with an intuitive eye, foresaw that I was likely to +prove a vigorous employer, and while there was yet time he devoted +most of it to conceive how it were possible to withdraw from the +engagement. He received permission upon asking for it to go to +Zanzibar to visit his friends. Two days afterwards I was informed +he had blown his right eye out, and received a medical confirmation +of the fact, and note of the extent of the injury, from Dr. +Christie, the physician to His Highness Seyd Burghash. His +compatriots I imagined were about planning the same thing, but a +peremptory command to abstain from such folly, issued after they +had received their advance-pay, sufficed to check any sinister +designs they may have formed. + +A groom was caught stealing from the bales, one night, and the +chase after him into the country until he vanished out of sight +into the jungle, was one of the most agreeable diversions which +occurred to wear away the interval employed in preparing for the +march. + +I had now despatched four caravans into the interior, and the +fifth, which was to carry the boats and boxes, personal luggage, +and a few cloth and bead loads, was ready to be led by myself. +The following is the order of departure of the caravans. + +1871. Feb. 6.--Expedition arrived at Bagamoyo. + +1871. Feb. 18.--First caravan departs with twenty-four pagazis and +three soldiers. + +1871. Feb. 21.--Second caravan departs with twenty-eight pagazis, +two chiefs, and two soldiers. + +1871. Feb. 25.--Third caravan departs with twenty-two pagazis, +ten donkeys, one white man, one cook, and three soldiers. + +1871. March. 11.--Fourth caravan departs with fifty-five pagazis, +two chiefs, and three soldiers. + +1871. March. 21.--Fifth caravan departs with twenty-eight pagazis, +twelve soldiers, two white men, one tailor, one cook, one interpreter, +one gun-bearer, seventeen asses, two horses, and one dog. + +Total number, inclusive of all souls, comprised in caravans +connected with the "New York Herald' Expedition," 192. + + + +CHAPTER V. THROUGH UKWERE, UKAMI, AND UDOE TO USEGUHHA. + + +Leaving Bagamoyo for the interior.--Constructing a Bridge.--Our +first troubles.--Shooting Hippopotami.--A first view of the Game +Land.--Anticipating trouble with the Wagogo.--The dreadful poison- +flies.--Unlucky adventures while hunting.--The cunning chief of +Kingaru.--Sudden death of my two horses.--A terrible experience.-- +The city of the "Lion Lord." + + +On the 21st of March, exactly seventy-three days after my arrival +at Zanzibar, the fifth caravan, led by myself, left the town of +Bagamoyo for our first journey westward, with "Forward!" for its +mot du guet. As the kirangozi unrolled the American flag, and put +himself at the head of the caravan, and the pagazis, animals, +soldiers, and idlers were lined for the march, we bade a long +farewell to the dolce far niente of civilised life, to the blue +ocean, and to its open road to home, to the hundreds of dusky +spectators who were there to celebrate our departure with +repeated salvoes of musketry. + +Our caravan is composed of twenty-eight pagazis, including the +kirangozi, or guide; twelve soldiers under Capt. Mbarak Bombay, +in charge of seventeen donkeys and their loads; Selim, my +interpreter, in charge of the donkey and cart and its load; one +cook and sub, who is also to be tailor and ready hand for all, and +leads the grey horse; Shaw, once mate of a ship, now transformed +into rearguard and overseer for the caravan, who is mounted on a +good riding-donkey, and wearing a canoe-like tepee and sea-boots; +and lastly, on, the splendid bay horse presented to me by Mr. +Goodhue, myself, called Bana Mkuba, "the "big master," by my +people--the vanguard, the reporter, the thinker, and leader of +the Expedition. + +Altogether the Expedition numbers on the day of departure three +white men, twenty-three soldiers, four supernumeraries, four +chiefs, and one hundred and fifty-three pagazis, twenty-seven +donkeys, and one cart, conveying cloth, beads, and wire, +boat-fixings, tents, cooking utensils and dishes, medicine, powder, +small shot, musket-balls, and metallic cartridges; instruments and +small necessaries, such as soap, sugar, tea, coffee, Liebig's +extract of meat, pemmican, candles, &c., which make a total of 153 +loads. The weapons of defence which the Expedition possesses +consist of one double-barrel breech-loading gun, smooth bore; one +American Winchester rifle, or "sixteen-shooter;" one Henry rifle, +or "sixteen-shooter;" two Starr's breech-loaders, one Jocelyn +breech-loader, one elephant rifle, carrying balls eight to the +pound; two breech-loading revolvers, twenty-four muskets (flint +locks), six single-barrelled pistols, one battle-axe, two swords, +two daggers (Persian kummers, purchased at Shiraz by myself), +one boar-spear, two American axes 4 lbs. each, twenty-four hatchets, +and twenty-four butcher-knives. + + +The Expedition has been fitted with care; whatever it needed was not +stinted; everything was provided. Nothing was done too hurriedly, +yet everything was purchased, manufactured, collected, and compounded +with the utmost despatch consistent with efficiency and means. +Should it fail of success in its errand of rapid transit to Ujiji +and back, it must simply happen from an accident which could not +be controlled. So much for the _personnel_ of the Expedition and +its purpose, until its _point de mire_ be reached. + +We left Bagamoyo the attraction of all the curious, with much eclat, +and defiled up a narrow lane shaded almost to twilight by the dense +umbrage of two parallel hedges of mimosas. We were all in the +highest spirits. The soldiers sang, the kirangozi lifted his voice +into a loud bellowing note, and fluttered the American flag, which +told all on-lookers, "Lo, a Musungu's caravan!" and my heart, I +thought, palpitated much too quickly for the sober face of a leader. +But I could not check it; the enthusiasm of youth still clung to +me--despite my travels; my pulses bounded with the full glow of +staple health; behind me were the troubles which had harassed me +for over two months. With that dishonest son of a Hindi, Soor +Hadji Palloo, I had said my last word; of the blatant rabble, +of Arabs, Banyans, and Baluches I had taken my last look; with +the Jesuits of the French Mission I had exchanged farewells, +and before me beamed the sun of promise as he sped towards the +Occident. Loveliness glowed around me. I saw fertile fields, +riant vegetation, strange trees--I heard the cry of cricket +and pee-wit, and sibilant sound of many insects, all of which +seemed to tell me, "At last you are started." What could I +do but lift my face toward the pure-glowing sky, and cry, +"God be thanked!" + +The first camp, Shamba Gonera, we arrived at in 1 hour 30 minutes, +equal to 3 1/4 miles. This first, or "little journey," was +performed very well, "considering," as the Irishman says. +The boy Selim upset the cart not more than three times. Zaidi, +the soldier, only once let his donkey, which carried one bag +of my clothes and a box of ammunition, lie in a puddle of +black water. The clothes have to be re-washed; the +ammunition-box, thanks to my provision, was waterproof. +Kamna perhaps knew the art of donkey-driving, but, overjoyful +at the departure, had sung himself into oblivion of the +difficulties with which an animal of the pure asinine breed has +naturally to contend against, such as not knowing the right road, +and inability to resist the temptation of straying into the depths +of a manioc field; and the donkey, ignorant of the custom in vogue +amongst ass-drivers of flourishing sticks before an animal's nose, +and misunderstanding the direction in which he was required to go, +ran off at full speed along an opposite road, until his pack got +unbalanced, and he was fain to come to the earth. But these +incidents were trivial, of no importance, and natural to the first +"little journey" in East Africa. + +The soldiers' point of character leaked out just a little. Bombay +turned out to be honest and trusty, but slightly disposed to be +dilatory. Uledi did more talking than work; while the runaway +Ferajji and the useless-handed Mabruki Burton turned out to be true +men and staunch, carrying loads the sight of which would have caused +the strong-limbed hamals of Stamboul to sigh. + +The saddles were excellent, surpassing expectation. The strong +hemp canvas bore its one hundred and fifty-pounds' burden with the +strength of bull hide, and the loading and unloading of +miscellaneous baggage was performed with systematic despatch. In +brief, there was nothing to regret--the success of the journey +proved our departure to be anything but premature. + +The next three days were employed in putting the finishing touches +to our preparations for the long land journey and our precautions +against the Masika, which was now ominously near, and in settling +accounts. + +Shamba Gonera means Gonera's Field. Gonera is a wealthy Indian +widow, well disposed towards the Wasungu (whites). She exports +much cloth, beads, and wire into the far interior, and imports +in return much ivory. Her house is after the model of the town +houses, with long sloping roof and projecting eaves, affording a +cool shade, under which the pagazis love to loiter. On its +southern and eastern side stretch the cultivated fields which +supply Bagamoyo with the staple grain, matama, of East Africa; +on the left grow Indian corn, and muhogo, a yam-like root of +whitish colour, called by some manioc; when dry, it is ground +and compounded into cakes similar to army slapjacks. On the +north, just behind the house, winds a black quagmire, a +sinuous hollow, which in its deepest parts always contains +water--the muddy home of the brake-and-rush-loving "kiboko" +or hippopotamus. Its banks, crowded with dwarf fan-palm, +tall water-reeds, acacias, and tiger-grass, afford shelter to +numerous aquatic birds, pelicans, &c. After following a +course north-easterly, it conflows with the Kingani, which, +at distance of four miles from Gonera's country-house; bends +eastward into the sea. To the west, after a mile of cultivation, +fall and recede in succession the sea-beach of old in lengthy +parallel waves, overgrown densely with forest grass and marsh +reeds. On the spines of these land-swells flourish ebony, +calabash, and mango. + +"Sofari--sofari leo! Pakia, pakia!"--" A journey--a journey to +day! Set out!--set out!" rang the cheery voice of the kirangozi, +echoed by that of my servant Selim, on the morning of the fourth +day, which was fixed for our departure in earnest. As I hurried +my men to their work, and lent a hand with energy to drop the tents, +I mentally resolved that, if my caravans a should give me clear +space, Unyanyembe should be our resting-place before three months +expired. By 6 A.M. our early breakfast was despatched, and the +donkeys and pagazis were defiling from Camp Gonera. Even at this +early hour, and in this country place, there was quite a collection +of curious natives, to whom we gave the parting "Kwaheri " with +sincerity. My bay horse was found to be invaluable for the +service of a quarter-master of a transport-train; for to such was +I compelled to compare myself. I could stay behind until the last +donkey had quitted the camp, and, by a few minutes' gallop, I could +put myself at the head, leaving Shaw to bring up the rear. + +The road was a mere footpath, and led over a soil which, though +sandy, was of surprising fertility, producing grain and vegetables +a hundredfold, the sowing and planting of which was done in the +most unskilful manner. In their fields, at heedless labor, were +men and women in the scantiest costumes, compared to which Adam +and Eve, in their fig-tree apparel, must have been _en grande +tenue_. We passed them with serious faces, while they laughed and +giggled, and pointed their index fingers at this and that, which to +them seemed so strange and bizarre. + +In about half an hour we had left the tall matama and fields of +water-melons, cucumbers, and manioc; and, crossing a reedy +slough, were in an open forest of ebony and calabash. In its +depths are deer in plentiful numbers, and at night it is visited by +the hippopotami of the Kingani for the sake of its grass. In +another hour we had emerged from the woods, and were looking down +upon the broad valley of the Kingani, and a scene presented itself +so utterly different from what my foolish imagination had drawn, +that I felt quite relieved by the pleasing disappointment. Here +was a valley stretching four miles east and west, and about +eight miles north and south, left with the richest soil to its own +wild growth of grass--which in civilization would have been a most +valuable meadow for the rearing of cattle--invested as it was by +dense forests, darkening the horizon at all points of the compass, +and folded in by tree-clad ridges. + +At the sound of our caravan the red antelope bounded away to our +right and the left, and frogs hushed their croak. The sun shone +hot, and while traversing the valley we experienced a little of +its real African fervour. About half way across we came to a +sluice of stagnant water which, directly in the road of the +caravan, had settled down into an oozy pond. The pagazis crossed +a hastily-constructed bridge, thrown up a long time ago by some +Washensi Samaritans. It was an extraordinary affair; rugged tree +limbs resting on very unsteady forked piles, and it had evidently +tested the patience of many a loaded Mnyamwezi, as it did those +porters of our caravan. Our weaker animals were unloaded, the +puddle between Bagamoyo and Genera having taught us prudence. +But this did not occasion much delay; the men worked smartly +under Shaw's supervision. + +The turbid Kingani, famous for its hippopotami, was reached in a +short time, and we began to thread the jungle along its right bank +until we were halted point-blank by a narrow sluice having an +immeasurable depth of black mud. The difficulty presented by +this was very grave, though its breadth was barely eight feet; +the donkeys, and least of all the horses, could not be made to +traverse two poles like our biped carriers, neither could they be +driven into the sluice, where they would quickly founder. The +only available way of crossing it in safety was by means of a +bridge, to endure in this conservative land for generations as the +handiwork of the Wasungu. So we set to work, there being no help +for it, with American axes--the first of their kind the strokes of +which ever rang in this part of the world--to build a bridge. Be +sure it was made quickly, for where the civilized white is found, +a difficulty must vanish. The bridge was composed of six stout +trees thrown across, over these were laid crosswise fifteen pack +saddles, covered again with a thick layer of grass. All the +animals crossed it safely, and then for a third time that morning +the process of wading was performed. The Kingani flowed northerly +here, and our course lay down its right bank. A half mile in that +direction through a jungle of giant reeds and extravagant climbers +brought us to the ferry, where the animals had to be again +unloaded--verily, I wished when I saw its deep muddy waters that I +possessed the power of Moses with his magic rod, or what would have +answered my purpose as well, Aladdin's ring, for then I could have +found myself and party on the opposite side without further trouble; +but not having either of these gifts I issued orders for an immediate +crossing, for it was ill wishing sublime things before this most +mundane prospect. + +Kingwere, the canoe paddler, espying us from his brake covert, on +the opposite side, civilly responded to our halloos, and brought +his huge hollowed tree skilfully over the whirling eddies of the +river to where we stood waiting for him. While one party loaded +the canoe with our goods, others got ready a long rape to fasten +around the animals' necks, wherewith to haul them through the +river to the other bank. After seeing the work properly +commenced, I sat down on a condemned canoe to amuse myself with the +hippopotami by peppering their thick skulls with my No. 12 +smooth-bore. The Winchester rifle (calibre 44), a present from the +Hon. Edward Joy Morris--our minister at Constantinople--did no more +than slightly tap them, causing about as much injury as a boy's +sling; it was perfect in its accuracy of fire, for ten times in +succession I struck the tops of their heads between the ears. One +old fellow, with the look of a sage, was tapped close to the right +ear by one of these bullets. Instead of submerging himself as +others had done he coolly turned round his head as if to ask, "Why +this waste of valuable cartridges on us?" The response to the mute +inquiry of his sageship was an ounce-and-a-quarter bullet from the +smooth-bore, which made him bellow with pain, and in a few moments +he rose up again, tumbling in his death agonies. As his groans +were so piteous, I refrained from a useless sacrifice of life, +and left the amphibious horde in peace. + +A little knowledge concerning these uncouth inmates of the African +waters was gained even during the few minutes we were delayed at +the ferry. When undisturbed by foreign sounds, they congregate +in shallow water on the sand bars, with the fore half of their +bodies exposed to the warm sunshine, and are in appearance, +when thus somnolently reposing, very like a herd of enormous +swine. When startled by the noise of an intruder, they plunge +hastily into the depths, lashing the waters into a yellowish +foam, and scatter themselves below the surface, when presently +the heads of a few reappear, snorting the water from their +nostrils, to take a fresh breath and a cautious scrutiny around +them; when thus, we see but their ears, forehead, eyes and +nostrils, and as they hastily submerge again it requires a steady +wrist and a quick hand to shoot them. I have heard several +comparisons made of their appearance while floating in this +manner: some Arabs told me before I had seen them that they looked +like dead trees carried down the river; others, who in some +country had seen hogs, thought they resembled them, but to my +mind they look more like horses when swimming their curved necks +and pointed ears, their wide eyes and expanded nostrils, favor +greatly this comparison. + +At night they seek the shore, and wander several miles over the +country, luxuriating among its rank grasses. To within four miles +of the town of Bagamoyo (the Kingani is eight miles distant) their +wide tracks are seen. Frequently, if not disturbed by the +startling human voice, they make a raid on the rich corn-stalks of +the native cultivators, and a dozen of them will in a few minutes +make a frightful havoc in a large field of this plant. +Consequently, we were not surprised, while delayed at the ferry, +to hear the owners of the corn venting loud halloos, like the +rosy-cheeked farmer boys in England when scaring the crows away +from the young wheat. + +The caravan in the meanwhile had crossed safely--bales, baggage, +donkeys, and men. I had thought to have camped on the bank, so as +to amuse myself with shooting antelope, and also for the sake of +procuring their meat, in order to save my goats, of which I had a +number constituting my live stock of provisions; but, thanks to +the awe and dread which my men entertained of the hippopotami, I +was hurried on to the outpost of the Baluch garrison at Bagamoyo, +a small village called Kikoka, distant four miles from the river. + +The western side of the river was a considerable improvement upon +the eastern. The plain, slowly heaving upwards, as smoothly as +the beach of a watering-place, for the distance of a mile, until it +culminated in a gentle and rounded ridge, presented none of those +difficulties which troubled us on the other side. There were none +of those cataclysms of mire and sloughs of black mud and over-tall +grasses, none of that miasmatic jungle with its noxious emissions; +it was just such a scene as one may find before an English +mansion--a noble expanse of lawn and sward, with boscage sufficient +to agreeably diversify it. After traversing the open plain, the +road led through a grove of young ebony trees, where guinea-fowls +and a hartebeest were seen; it then wound, with all the +characteristic eccentric curves of a goat-path, up and down a +succession of land-waves crested by the dark green foliage of the +mango, and the scantier and lighter-coloured leaves of the enormous +calabash. The depressions were filled with jungle of more or less +density, while here and there opened glades, shadowed even during +noon by thin groves of towering trees. At our approach fled in +terror flocks of green pigeons, jays, ibis, turtledoves, golden +pheasants, quails and moorhens, with crows and hawks, while now +and then a solitary pelican winged its way to the distance. + +Nor was this enlivening prospect without its pairs of antelope, and +monkeys which hopped away like Australian kangaroos; these latter +were of good size, with round bullet heads, white breasts, and long +tails tufted at the end. + +We arrived at Kikoka by 5 P.m., having loaded and unloaded our +pack animals four times, crossing one deep puddle, a mud sluice, +and a river, and performed a journey of eleven miles. + +The settlement of Kikoka is a collection of straw huts; not built +after any architectural style, but after a bastard form, invented +by indolent settlers from the Mrima and Zanzibar for the purpose +of excluding as much sunshine as possible from the eaves and +interior. A sluice and some wells provide them with water, which +though sweet is not particularly wholesome or appetizing, owing to +the large quantities of decayed matter which is washed into it by +the rains, and is then left to corrupt in it. A weak effort has +been made to clear the neighbourhood for providing a place for +cultivation, but to the dire task of wood-chopping and +jungle-clearing the settlers prefer occupying an open glade, which +they clear of grass, so as to be able to hoe up two or three +inches of soil, into which they cast their seed, confident of +return. + +The next day was a halt at Kikoka; the fourth caravan, +consisting solely of Wanyamwezi, proving a sore obstacle to a +rapid advance. Maganga, its chief, devised several methods of +extorting more cloth and presents from me, he having cost already +more than any three chiefs together; but his efforts were of no +avail further than obtaining promises of reward if he would hurry +on to Unyanyembe so that I might find my road clear. + +On the 2(7?)th, the Wanyamwezi having started, we broke camp soon +after at 7 am. The country was of the same nature as that lying +between the Kingani and Kikokaa park land, attractive and beautiful +in every feature. + +I rode in advance to secure meat should a chance present itself, +but not the shadow of vert or venison did I see. Ever in our +front--westerly--rolled the land-waves, now rising, now subsiding, +parallel one with the other, like a ploughed field many times +magnified. Each ridge had its knot of jungle or its thin combing +of heavily foliaged trees, until we arrived close to Rosako, our +next halting place, when the monotonous wavure of the land +underwent a change, breaking into independent hummocks clad with +dense jungle. On one of these, veiled by an impenetrable jungle +of thorny acacia, rested Rosako; girt round by its natural +fortification, neighbouring another village to the north of it +similarly protected. Between them sank a valley extremely +fertile and bountiful in its productions, bisected by a small +stream, which serves as a drain to the valley or low hills +surrounding it. + +Rosako is the frontier village of Ukwere, while Kikoka is the +north-western extremity of Uzaramo. We entered this village, and +occupied its central portion with our tents and animals. A +kitanda, or square light bedstead, without valance, fringe, or any +superfluity whatever, but nevertheless quite as comfortable as +with them, was brought to my tent for my use by the village +chief. The animals were, immediately after being unloaded, +driven out to feed, and the soldiers to a man set to work to pile +the baggage up, lest the rain, which during the Masika season +always appears imminent, might cause irreparable damage. + +Among other experiments which I was about to try in Africa was +that of a good watch-dog on any unmannerly people who would +insist upon coming into my tent at untimely hours and endangering +valuables. Especially did I wish to try the effect of its bark +on the mighty Wagogo, who, I was told by certain Arabs, would +lift the door of the tent and enter whether you wished them or not; +who would chuckle at the fear they inspired, and say to you, +"Hi, hi, white man, I never saw the like of you before; are there +many more like you? where do you come from?" Also would they +take hold of your watch and ask you with a cheerful curiosity, +"What is this for, white man?" to which you of course would reply +that it was to tell you the hour and minute. But the Mgogo, proud +of his prowess, and more unmannerly than a brute, would answer you +with a snort of insult. I thought of a watch-dog, and procured a +good one at Bombay not only as a faithful companion, but to +threaten the heels of just such gentry. + +But soon after our arrival at Rosako it was found that the dog, +whose name was "Omar," given him from his Turkish origin, was +missing; he had strayed away from the soldiers during a +rain-squall and had got lost. I despatched Mabruki Burton back to +Kikoka to search for him. On the following morning, just as we +were about to leave Rosako, the faithful fellow returned with the +lost dog, having found him at Kikoka. + +Previous to our departure on the morning after this, Maganga, chief +of the fourth caravan, brought me the unhappy report that three of +his pagazis were sick, and he would like to have some "dowa"-- +medicine. Though not a doctor, or in any way connected with the +profession, I had a well-supplied medicine chest--without which no +traveller in Africa could live--for just such a contingency as was +now present. On visiting Maganga's sick men, I found one suffering +from inflammation of the lungs, another from the mukunguru (African +intermittent). They all imagined themselves about to die, and +called loudly for "Mama!" "Mama!" though they were all grown men. +It was evident that the fourth caravan could not stir that day, so +leaving word with Magauga to hurry after me as soon as possible, I +issued orders for the march of my own. + +Excepting in the neighbourhood of the villages which we have passed +there were no traces of cultivation. The country extending +between the several stations is as much a wilderness as the desert +of Sahara, though it possesses a far more pleasing aspect. Indeed, +had the first man at the time of the Creation gazed at his world +and perceived it of the beauty which belongs to this part of +Africa, he would have had no cause of complaint. In the deep +thickets, set like islets amid a sea of grassy verdure, he would +have found shelter from the noonday heat, and a safe retirement +for himself and spouse during the awesome darkness. In the morning +he could have walked forth on the sloping sward, enjoyed its +freshness, and performed his ablutions in one of the many small +streams flowing at its foot. His garden of fruit-trees is all that +is required; the noble forests, deep and cool, are round about +him, and in their shade walk as many animals as one can desire. +For days and days let a man walk in any direction, north, south, +east, and west, and he will behold the same scene. + +Earnestly as I wished to hurry on to Unyanyembe, still a +heart-felt anxiety about the arrival of my goods carried by the +fourth caravan, served as a drag upon me and before my caravan +had marched nine miles my anxiety had risen to the highest pitch, +and caused me to order a camp there and then. The place selected +for it was near a long straggling sluice, having an abundance of +water during the rainy season, draining as it does two extensive +slopes. No sooner had we pitched our camp, built a boma of +thorny acacia, and other tree branches, by stacking them round +our camp, and driven our animals to grass; than we were made aware +of the formidable number and variety of the insect tribe, which +for a time was another source of anxiety, until a diligent +examination of the several species dispelled it. + +As it was a most interesting hunt which I instituted for the +several specimens of the insects, I here append the record of it +for what it is worth. My object in obtaining these specimens was +to determine whether the genus _Glossina morsitans_ of the +naturalist, or the tsetse (sometimes called setse) of Livingstone, +Vardon, and Gumming, said to be deadly to horses, was amongst +them. Up to this date I had been nearly two months in East +Africa, and had as yet seen no tsetse; and my horses, instead of +becoming emaciated--for such is one of the symptoms of a tsetse +bite--had considerably improved in condition. There were three +different species of flies which sought shelter in my tent, which, +unitedly, kept up a continual chorus of sounds--one performed the +basso profondo, another a tenor, and the third a weak contralto. +The first emanated from a voracious and fierce fly, an inch long, +having a ventral capacity for blood quite astonishing. + +This larger fly was the one chosen for the first inspection, +which was of the intensest. I permitted one to alight on my +flannel pyjamas, which I wore while en deshabille in camp. +No sooner had he alighted than his posterior was raised, his +head lowered, and his weapons, consisting of four hair-like +styles, unsheathed from the proboscis-like bag which concealed +them, and immediately I felt pain like that caused by a dexterous +lancet-cut or the probe of a fine needle. I permitted him to +gorge himself, though my patience and naturalistic interest were +sorely tried. I saw his abdominal parts distend with the plenitude +of the repast until it had swollen to three times its former +shrunken girth, when he flew away of his own accord laden with blood. +On rolling up my flannel pyjamas to see the fountain whence the +fly had drawn the fluid, I discovered it to be a little above the +left knee, by a crimson bead resting over the incision. After +wiping the blood the wound was similar to that caused by a deep +thrust of a fine needle, but all pain had vanished with the +departure of the fly. + +Having caught a specimen of this fly, I next proceeded to institute +a comparison between it and the tsetse, as described by Dr. +Livingstone on pp. 56-57, `Missionary Travels and Researches in +South Africa' (Murray's edition of 1868). The points of +disagreement are many, and such as to make it entirely improbable +that this fly is the true tsetse, though my men unanimously +stated that its bite was fatal to horses as well as to donkeys. +A descriptive abstract of the tsetse would read thus: "Not much +larger than a common house-fly, nearly of the same brown colour as +the honey-bee. After-part of the body has yellow bars across it. +It has a peculiar buzz, and its bite is death to the horse, ox, +and dog. On man the bite has no effect, neither has it on wild +animals. When allowed to feed on the hand, it inserts the middle +prong of three portions into which the proboscis divides, it then +draws the prong out a little way, and it assumes a crimson colour +as the mandibles come into brisk operation; a slight itching +irritation follows the bite." + +The fly which I had under inspection is called mabunga by the +natives. It is much larger than the common housefly, fully a +third larger than the common honey-bee, and its colour more +distinctly marked; its head is black, with a greenish gloss to +it; the after-part of the body is marked by a white line running +lengthwise from its junction with the trunk, and on each side of +this white line are two other lines, one of a crimson colour, the +other of a light brown. As for its buzz, there is no peculiarity +in it, it might be mistaken for that of a honey-bee. When caught +it made desperate efforts to get away, but never attempted to bite. +This fly, along with a score of others, attacked my grey horse, +and bit it so sorely in the legs that they appeared as if bathed +in blood. Hence, I might have been a little vengeful if, with more +than the zeal of an entomologist, I caused it to disclose whatever +peculiarities its biting parts possessed. + +In order to bring this fly as life-like as possible before my +readers, I may compare its head to most tiny miniature of an +elephant's, because it has a black proboscis and a pair of horny +antennae, which in colour and curve resemble tusks. The black +proboscis, however, the simply a hollow sheath, which encloses, +when not in the act of biting, four reddish and sharp lancets. +Under the microscope these four lancets differ in thickness, two +are very thick, the third is slender, but the fourth, of an opal +colour and almost transparent, is exceedingly fine. This last must +be the sucker. When the fly is about to wound, the two horny +antennae are made to embrace the part, the lancets are unsheathed, +and on the instant the incision is performed. This I consider +to be the African "horse-fly.' + +The second fly, which sang the tenor notes more nearly resembled +in size and description the tsetse. It was exceedingly nimble, +and it occupied three soldiers nearly an hour to capture a specimen; +and, when it was finally caught, it stung most ravenously the hand, +and never ceased its efforts to attack until it was pinned through. +It had three or four white marks across the after-part of its body; +but the biting parts of this fly consisted of two black antennae +and an opal coloured style, which folded away under the neck. When +about to bite, this style was shot out straight, and the antennae +embraced it closely. After death the fly lost its distinctive white +marks. Only one of this species did we see at this camp. The third +fly, called "chufwa," pitched a weak alto-crescendo note, was a +third larger than the house fly, and had long wings. If this insect +sang the feeblest note, it certainly did the most work, and +inflicted the most injury. Horses and donkeys streamed with blood, +and reared and kicked through the pain. So determined was it not +to be driven before it obtained its fill, that it was easily +despatched; but this dreadful enemy to cattle constantly +increased in numbers. The three species above named are, according +to natives, fatal to cattle; and this may perhaps be the reason +why such a vast expanse of first-class pasture is without domestic +cattle of any kind, a few goats only being kept by the villagers. +This fly I subsequently found to be the "tsetse." + +On the second morning, instead of proceeding, I deemed it more +prudent to await the fourth caravan. Burton experimented +sufficiently for me on the promised word of the Banyans of Kaole +and Zanzibar, and waited eleven months before he received the +promised articles. As I did not expect to be much over that time +on my errand altogether, it would be ruin, absolute and irremediable, +should I be detained at Unyanyembe so long a time by my caravan. +Pending its arrival, I sought the pleasures of the chase. I was +but a tyro in hunting, I confess, though I had shot a little on the +plains of America and Persia; yet I considered myself a fair shot, +and on game ground, and within a reasonable proximity to game, I +doubted not but I could bring some to camp. + +After a march of a mile through the tall grass of the open, we +gained the glades between the jungles. Unsuccessful here, after +ever so much prying into fine hiding-places and lurking corners, +I struck a trail well traversed by small antelope and hartebeest, +which we followed. It led me into a jungle, and down a watercourse +bisecting it; but, after following it for an hour, I lost it, +and, in endeavouring to retrace it, lost my way. However, my +pocket-compass stood me in good stead; and by it I steered for +the open plain, in the centre of which stood the camp. But it was +terribly hard work--this of plunging through an African jungle, +ruinous to clothes, and trying to the cuticle. In order to travel +quickly, I had donned a pair of flannel pyjamas, and my feet were +encased in canvas shoes. As might be expected, before I had gone +a few paces a branch of the acacia horrida--only one of a +hundred such annoyances--caught the right leg of my pyjamas at the +knee, and ripped it almost clean off; succeeding which a stumpy +kolquall caught me by the shoulder, and another rip was the +inevitable consequence. A few yards farther on, a prickly aloetic +plant disfigured by a wide tear the other leg of my pyjamas, and +almost immediately I tripped against a convolvulus strong as +ratline, and was made to measure my length on a bed of thorns. +It was on all fours, like a hound on a scent, that I was compelled +to travel; my solar topee getting the worse for wear every minute; +my skin getting more and more wounded; my clothes at each step +becoming more and more tattered. Besides these discomforts, there +was a pungent, acrid plant which, apart from its strong odorous +emissions, struck me smartly on the face, leaving a burning effect +similar to cayenne; and the atmosphere, pent in by the density +of the jungle, was hot and stifling, and the perspiration transuded +through every pore, making my flannel tatters feel as if I had +been through a shower. When I had finally regained the plain, and +could breathe free, I mentally vowed that the penetralia of an +African jungle should not be visited by me again, save under most +urgent necessity. + +The second and third day passed without any news of Maganga. +Accordingly, Shaw and Bombay were sent to hurry him up by all +means. On the fourth morning Shaw and Bombay returned, followed +by the procrastinating Maganga and his laggard people. Questions +only elicited an excuse that his men had been too sick, and he had +feared to tax their strength before they were quite equal to stand +the fatigue. Moreover he suggested that as they would be compelled +to stay one day more at the camp, I might push on to Kingaru and +camp there, until his arrival. Acting upon which suggestion I broke +camp and started for Kingaru, distant five miles. + +On this march the land was more broken, and the caravan first +encountered jungle, which gave considerable trouble to our cart. +Pisolitic limestone cropped out in boulders and sheets, and we +began to imagine ourselves approaching healthy highlands, and as +if to give confirmation to the thought, to the north and north-west +loomed the purple cones of Udoe, and topmost of all Dilima Peak, +about 1,500 feet in height above the sea level. But soon after +sinking into a bowl-like valley, green with tall corn, the road +slightly deviated from north-west to west, the country still +rolling before us in wavy undulations. + +In one of the depressions between these lengthy land-swells stood +the village of Kingaru, with surroundings significant in their +aspect of ague and fever. Perhaps the clouds surcharged with rain, +and the overhanging ridges and their dense forests dulled by the +gloom, made the place more than usually disagreeable, but my +first impressions of the sodden hollow, pent in by those dull +woods, with the deep gully close by containing pools of stagnant +water, were by no means agreeable. + +Before we could arrange our camp and set the tents up, down poured +the furious harbinger of the Masika season in torrents sufficient +to damp the ardor and newborn love for East Africa I had lately +manifested. However, despite rain, we worked on until our camp was +finished and the property was safely stored from weather and thieves, +and we could regard with resignation the raindrops beating the soil +into mud of a very tenacious kind, and forming lakelets and rivers +of our camp-ground. + +Towards night, the scene having reached its acme of unpleasantness, +the rain ceased, and the natives poured into camp from the villages +in the woods with their vendibles. Foremost among these, as if in +duty bound, came the village sultan--lord, chief, or head--bearing +three measures of matama and half a measure of rice, of which he +begged, with paternal smiles, my acceptance. But under his +smiling mask, bleared eyes, and wrinkled front was visible the soul +of trickery, which was of the cunningest kind. Responding under +the same mask adopted by this knavish elder, I said, "The chief of +Kingaru has called me a rich sultan. If I am a rich sultan why +comes not the chief with a rich present to me, that he might get +a rich return?" Said he, with another leer of his wrinkled visage, +"Kingaru is poor, there is no matama in the village." To which I +replied that since there was no matama in the village I would pay +him half a shukka, or a yard of cloth, which would be exactly +equivalent to his present; that if he preferred to call his small +basketful a present, I should be content to call my yard of cloth +a present. With which logic he was fain to be satisfied. + +April 1st.--To-day the Expedition suffered a loss in the death of +the grey Arab horse presented by Seyd Burghash, Sultan of Zanzibar. +The night previous I had noticed that the horse was suffering. +Bearing in mind what has been so frequently asserted, namely, that +no horses could live in the interior of Africa because of the tsetse, +I had him opened, and the stomach, which I believed to be diseased, +examined. Besides much undigested matama and grass there were found +twenty-five short, thick, white worms, sticking like leeches into +the coating of the stomach, while the intestines were almost alive +with the numbers of long white worms. I was satisfied that neither +man nor beast could long exist with such a mass of corrupting life +within him. + +In order that the dead carcase might not taint the valley, I had +it buried deep in the ground, about a score of yards from the +encampment. From such a slight cause ensued a tremendous uproar +from Kingaru--chief of the village--who, with his brother-chiefs of +neighbouring villages, numbering in the aggregate two dozen wattled +huts, had taken counsel upon the best means of mulcting the Musungu +of a full doti or two of Merikani, and finally had arrived at the +conviction that the act of burying a dead horse in their soil without +"By your leave, sir," was a grievous and fineable fault. Affecting +great indignation at the unpardonable omission, he, Kingaru, +concluded to send to the Musungu four of his young men to say to him +that "since you have buried your horse in my ground, it is well; let +him remain there; but you must pay me two doti of Merikani." For +reply the messengers were told to say to the chief that I would +prefer talking the matter over with himself face to face, if he would +condescend to visit me in my tent once again. As the village was but +a stone's throw from our encampment, before many minutes had elapsed +the wrinkled elder made his appearance at the door of my tent with +about half the village behind him. + +The following dialogue which took place will serve to illustrate +the tempers of the people with whom I was about to have a year's +trading intercourse: + +White Man.--"Are you the great chief of Kingaru?" + +Kingaru.--"Huh-uh. Yes." + +W. M.--"The great, great chief?" + +Kingaru.--"Huh-uh. Yes." + +W. M.--" How many soldiers have you?" + +Kingaru.--" Why?" + +W. M.--"How many fighting men have you?" + +Kingaru.--"None." + +W. M.--"Oh! I thought you might have a thousand men with you, by +your going to fine a strong white man, who has plenty of guns and +soldiers, two doti for burying a dead horse." + +Kingaru (rather perplexed).--" No; I have no soldiers. I have only +a few young men," + +W. M.--"Why do you come and make trouble, then?" + +Kingaru.--"It was not I; it was my brothers who said to me, `Come +here, come here, Kingaru, see what the white man has done! Has he +not taken possession of your soil, in that he has put his horse +into your ground without your permission? Come, go to him and see +by what right.' Therefore have I come to ask you, who gave you +permission to use my soil for a burying-ground?" + +W. M. "I want no man's permission to do what is right. My +horse died; had I left him to fester and stink in your valley, +sickness would visit your village, your water would become +unwholesome, and caravans would not stop here for trade; for +they would say, `This is an unlucky spot, let us go away.' But +enough said: I understand you to say that you do not want him +buried in your ground; the error I have fallen into is easily put +right. This minute my soldiers shall dig him out again, and cover +up the soil as it was before; and the horse shall be left where he +died." (Then shouting to Bombay.) "Ho! Bombay, take soldiers +with jembes to dig my horse out of the ground, drag him to where +he died, and make everything ready for a march to-morrow morning." + +Kingaru, his voice considerably higher, and his head moving to and +fro with emotion, cries out, "Akuna, akuna, bana!"--"No, no, +master! Let not the white man get angry. The horse is dead, and +now lies buried; let him remain so, since he is already there, +and let us be friends again." + +The Sheikh of Kingaru being thus brought to his senses, we bid each +other the friendly "Kwaheri," and I was left alone to ruminate +over my loss. Barely half an hour had elapsed, it was 9 P.M., +the camp was in a semi-doze, when I heard deep groans issuing from +one of the animals. Upon inquiry as to what animal was suffering, +I was surprised to hear that it was my bay horse. With a +bull's-eye lantern, I visited him, and perceived that the pain was +located in the stomach, but whether it was from some poisonous +plant he had eaten while out grazing, or from some equine disease, +I did not know. He discharged copious quantities of loose matter, +but there was nothing peculiar in its colour. The pain was +evidently very great, for his struggles were very violent. I was up +all night, hoping that it was but a temporary effect of some strange +and noxious plant; but at 6 o'clock the next morning, after a short +period of great agony, he also died; exactly fifteen hours after his +companion. When the stomach was opened, it was found that death +was caused by the internal rupture of a large cancer, which had +affected the larger half of the coating of his stomach, and had +extended an inch or two up the larynx. The contents of the stomach +and intestines were deluged with the yellow viscous efflux from the +cancer. + +I was thus deprived of both my horses, and that within the short +space of fifteen hours. With my limited knowledge of veterinary +science, however, strengthened by the actual and positive proofs +obtained by the dissection of the two stomachs, I can scarcely +state that horses can live to reach Unyanyembe, or that they can +travel with ease through this part of East Africa. But should I +have occasion at some future day, I should not hesitate to take +four horses with me, though I should certainly endeavour to +ascertain previous to purchase whether they, were perfectly sound +and healthy, and to those travellers who cherish a good horse I +would say, "Try one," and be not discouraged by my unfortunate +experiences. + +The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd of April passed, and nothing had we heard +or seen of the ever-lagging fourth caravan. In the meanwhile +the list of casualties was being augmented. Besides the loss +of this precious time, through the perverseness of the chief +of the other caravan, and the loss of my two horses, a pagazi +carrying boat-fixtures improved the opportunity, and deserted. +Selim was struck down with a severe attack of ague and fever, +and was soon after followed by the cook, then by the assistant cook +and tailor, Abdul Kader. Finally, before the third day was over, +Bombay had rheumatism, Uledi (Grant's old valet) had a swollen +throat, Zaidi had the flux, Kingaru had the mukunguru; Khamisi, +a pagazi, suffered from a weakness of the loins; Farjalla had a +bilious fever; and before night closed Makoviga was very ill. +Out of a force of twenty-five men one had deserted, and ten were +on the sick list, and the presentiment that the ill-looking +neighbourhood of Kingaru would prove calamitous to me was verified. + +On the 4th April Maganga and his people appeared, after being +heralded by musketry-shots and horn-blowing, the usual signs of an +approaching caravan in this land. His sick men were considerably +improved, but they required one more day of rest at Kingaru. In +the afternoon he came to lay siege to my generosity, by giving +details of Soor Hadji Palloo's heartless cheats upon him; but I +informed him, that since I had left Bagamoyo, I could no longer be +generous; we were now in a land where cloth was at a high premium; +that I had no more cloth than I should need to furnish food for +myself and men; that he and his caravan had cost me more money +and trouble than any three caravans I had, as indeed was the case. +With this counter-statement he was obliged to be content. But I +again solved his pecuniary doubts by promising that, if he hurried +his caravan on to Unyanyembe, be should have no cause of complaint. + +The 5th of April saw the fourth caravan vanish for once in our +front, with a fair promise that, however fast we should follow, +we should not see them the hither side of Sinbamwenni. + +The following morning, in order to rouse my people from the +sickened torpitude they had lapsed into, I beat an exhilarating +alarum on a tin pan with an iron ladle, intimating that a sofari +was about to be undertaken. This had a very good effect, judging +from the extraordinary alacrity with which it was responded to. +Before the sun rose we started. The Kingaru villagers were out +with the velocity of hawks for any rags or refuse left behind us. + +The long march to Imbiki, fifteen miles, proved that our protracted +stay at Kingaru had completely demoralized my soldiers and +pagazis. Only a few of them had strength enough to reach Imbiki +before night. The others, attending the laden donkeys, put in an +appearance next morning, in a lamentable state of mind and body. +Khamisi--the pagazi with the weak loins--had deserted, taking with +him two goats, the property tent, and the whole of Uledi's +personal wealth, consisting of his visiting dish-dasheh--a long +shirt of the Arabic pattern, 10 lbs. of beads, and a few fine +cloths, which Uledi, in a generous fit, had intrusted to him, while +he carried the pagazi's load, 70 lbs. of Bubu beads. This +defalcation was not to be overlooked, nor should Khamisi be +permitted to return without an effort to apprehend him. Accordingly +Uledi and Ferajji were despatched in pursuit while we rested at +Imbiki, in order to give the dilapidated soldiers and animals time +to recruit. + +On the 8th we continued our journey, and arrived at Msuwa. This +march will be remembered by our caravan as the most fatiguing of all, +though the distance was but ten miles. It was one continuous jungle, +except three interjacent glades of narrow limits, which gave us +three breathing pauses in the dire task of jungle travelling. The +odour emitted from its fell plants was so rank, so pungently acrid, +and the miasma from its decayed vegetation so dense, that I expected +every moment to see myself and men drop down in paroxysms of acute +fever. Happily this evil was not added to that of loading and +unloading the frequently falling packs. Seven soldiers to attend +seventeen laden donkeys were entirely too small a number while passing +through a jungle; for while the path is but a foot wide, with a +wall of thorny plants and creepers bristling on each side, and +projecting branches darting across it, with knots of spikey twigs +stiff as spike-nails, ready to catch and hold anything above four +feet in height, it is but reasonable to suppose that donkeys +standing four feet high, with loads measuring across from bale to +bale four feet, would come to grief. This grief was of frequent +recurrence here, causing us to pause every few minutes for +re-arrangements. So often had this task to be performed, that the +men got perfectly discouraged, and had to bespoken to sharply +before they set to work. By the time I reached Msuwa there was +nobody with me and the ten donkeys I drove but Mabruk the Little, +who, though generally stolid, stood to his work like a man. +Bombay and Uledi were far behind, with the most jaded donkeys. +Shaw was in charge of the cart, and his experiences were most +bitter, as he informed me he had expended a whole vocabulary of +stormy abuse known to sailors, and a new one which he had invented +ex tempore. He did not arrive until two o'clock next morning, and +was completely worn out. + +Another halt was fixed at Msuwa, that we and our animals might +recuperate. The chief of the village, a white man in everything +but colour, sent me and mine the fattest broad-tailed sheep of his +flock, with five measures of matama grain. The mutton was +excellent, unapproachable. For his timely and needful present +I gave him two doti, and amused him with an exhibition of the +wonderful mechanism of the Winchester rifle, and my breechloading +revolvers. + +He and his people were intelligent enough to comprehend the utility +of these weapons at an emergency, and illustrated in expressive +pantomime the powers they possessed against numbers of people +armed only with spears and bows, by extending their arms with an +imaginary gun and describing a clear circle. "Verily," said +they, "the Wasungu are far wiser than the Washensi. What heads +they have! What wonderful things they make! Look at their +tents, their guns, their time-pieces, their clothes, and that +little rolling thing (the cart) which carries more than five +men,---que!" + +On the 10th, recovered from the excessive strain of the last march, +the caravan marched out of Msuwa, accompanied by the hospitable +villagers as far as their stake defence, receiving their unanimous +"Kwaheris." Outside the village the march promised to be less +arduous than between Imbiki and Msuwa. After crossing a beautiful +little plain intersected by a dry gully or mtoni, the route led by +a few cultivated fields, where the tillers greeted us with one grand +unwinking stare, as if fascinated. + +Soon after we met one of those sights common in part of the world, +to wit a chain slave-gang, bound east. The slaves did not appear to +be in any way down-hearted on the contrary, they seemed imbued with +the philosophic jollity of the jolly servant of Martin Chuzzlewit. +Were it not for their chains, it would have been difficult to discover +master from slave; the physiognomic traits were alike--the mild +benignity with which we were regarded was equally visible on all faces. +The chains were ponderous--they might have held elephants captive; +but as the slaves carried nothing but themselves, their weight could +not have been insupportable. + +The jungle was scant on this march, and though in some places the +packs met with accidents, they were not such as seriously to +retard progress. By 10 A.M. we were in camp in the midst of an +imposing view of green sward and forest domed by a cloudless sky. +We had again pitched our camp in the wilderness, and, as is the +custom of caravans, fired two shots to warn any Washensi having +grain to sell, that we were willing to trade. + +Our next halting-place was Kisemo, distant but eleven miles from +Msuwa, a village situated in a populous district, having in its +vicinity no less than five other villages, each fortified by +stakes and thorny abattis, with as much fierce independence as if +their petty lords were so many Percys and Douglasses. Each +topped a ridge, or a low hummock, with an assumption of defiance of +the cock-on-its-own-dunghill type. Between these humble eminences +and low ridges of land wind narrow vales which are favored with the +cultivation of matama and Indian corn. Behind the village flows +the Ungerengeri River, an impetuous stream during the Masika +season, capable of overflowing its steep banks, but in the dry +season it subsides into its proper status, which is that of a small +stream of very clear sweet water. Its course from Kisemo is +south-west, then easterly ; it is the main feeder of the Kingani +River. + +The belles of Kisemo are noted for their vanity in brass wire, +which is wound in spiral rings round their wrists and ankles, and +the varieties of style which their hispid heads exhibit; while +their poor lords, obliged to be contented with dingy torn clouts +and split ears, show what wide sway Asmodeus holds over this +terrestrial sphere--for it must have been an unhappy time when the +hard-besieged husbands finally gave way before their spouses. +Besides these brassy ornaments on their extremities, and the +various hair-dressing styles, the women of Kisemo frequently wear +lengthy necklaces, which run in rivers of colours down their +bodies. + +A more comical picture is seldom presented than that of one of +these highly-dressed females engaged in the homely and necessary +task of grinding corn for herself and family. The grinding +apparatus consists of two portions: one, a thick pole of hard wood +about six feet long, answering for a pestle; the other, a +capacious wooden mortar, three feet in height. + +While engaged in setting his tent, Shaw was obliged to move a small +flat stone, to drive a peg into the ground. The village chief, who +saw him do it, rushed up in a breathless fashion, and replaced the +stone instantly, then stood on it in an impressive manner, +indicative of the great importance attached to that stone and +location. Bombay, seeing Shaw standing in silent wonder at the +act, volunteered to ask the chief what was the matter. The Sheikh +solemnly answered, with a finger pointing downward, "Uganga!" +Whereupon I implored him to let me see what was under the stone. +With a graciousness quite affecting he complied. My curiosity was +gratified with the sight of a small whittled stick, which pinned +fast to the ground an insect, the cause of a miscarriage to a young +female of the village. + +During the afternoon, Uledi and Ferajji, who had been despatched +after the truant Khamisi, returned with him and all the missing +articles. Khamisi, soon after leaving the road and plunging into +the jungle, where he was mentally triumphing in his booty, was met +by some of the plundering Washensi, who are always on the qui vive +for stragglers, and unceremoniously taken to their village in the +woods, and bound to a tree preparatory, to being killed. Khamisi +said that he asked them why they tied him up, to which they answered, +that they were about to kill him, because he was a Mgwana, whom they +were accustomed to kill as soon as they were caught. But Uledi and +Ferajji shortly after coming upon the scene, both well armed, put +an end to the debates upon Khamisi's fate, by claiming him as +an absconding pagazi from the Musungu's camp, as well as all the +articles he possessed at the time of capture. The robbers did not +dispute the claim for the pagazi, goats, tent, or any other +valuable found with him, but intimated that they deserved a reward +for apprehending him. The demand being considered just, a reward +to the extent of two doti and a fundo, or ten necklaces of beads, +was given. + +Khamisi, for his desertion and attempted robbery, could not be +pardoned without first suffering punishment. He had asked at +Bagamoyo, before enlisting in my service, an advance of $5 in +money, and had received it, and a load of Bubu beads, no heavier +than a pagazis load, had been given him to carry; he had, +therefore, no excuse for desertion. Lest I should overstep +prudence, however, in punishing him, I convened a court of eight +pagazis and four soldiers to sit in judgment, and asked them to +give me their decision as to what should be done. Their unanimous +verdict was that he was guilty of a crime almost unknown among the +Wanyamwezi pagazis, and as it was likely to give bad repute to the +Wanyamwezi carriers, they therefore sentenced him to be flogged +with the "Great Master's" donkey whip, which was accordingly +carried out, to poor Khamisi's crying sorrow. + +On the 12th the caravan reached Mussoudi, on the Ungerengeri river. +Happily for our patient donkeys this march was free from all the +annoying troubles of the jungle. Happily for ourselves also, for +we had no more the care of the packs and the anxiety about +arriving at camp before night. The packs once put firmly on the +backs of our good donkeys, they marched into camp--the road being +excellent--without a single displacement or cause for one impatient +word, soon after leaving Kisemo. A beautiful prospect, glorious in +its wild nature, fragrant with its numerous flowers and variety of +sweetly-smelling shrubs, among which I recognised the wild sage, +the indigo plant, &c., terminated only at the foot of Kira Peak +and sister cones, which mark the boundaries between Udoe and Ukami, +yet distant twenty miles. Those distant mountains formed a not +unfit background to this magnificent picture of open plain, forest +patches, and sloping lawns--there was enough of picturesqueness and +sublimity in the blue mountains to render it one complete whole. +Suppose a Byron saw some of these scenes, he would be inclined to +poetize in this manner: + +Morn dawns, and with it stern Udoe's hills, +Dark Urrugum's rocks, and Kira's peak, +Robed half in mist, bedewed with various rills, +Arrayed in many a dun and purple streak. + +When drawing near the valley of Ungerengeri, granite knobs and +protuberances of dazzling quartz showed their heads above the +reddish soil. Descending the ridge where these rocks were +prominent, we found ourselves in the sable loam deposit of the +Ungerengeri, and in the midst of teeming fields of sugar-cane and +matama, Indian corn, muhogo, and gardens of curry, egg, and +cucumber plants. On the banks of the Ungerengeri flourished the +banana, and overtopping it by seventy feet and more, shot up the +stately mparamusi, the rival in beauty of the Persian chenar and +Abyssinian plane. Its trunk is straight and comely enough for the +mainmast of a first, class frigate, while its expanding crown of +leafage is distinguished from all others by its density and vivid +greenness. There were a score of varieties of the larger kind of +trees, whose far-extending branches embraced across the narrow but +swift river. The depressions of the valley and the immediate +neighbourhood of the river were choked with young forests of +tiger-grass and stiff reeds. + +Mussoudi is situated on a higher elevation than the average level +of the village, and consequently looks down upon its neighbours, +which number a hundred and more. It is the western extremity of +Ukwere. On the western bank of the Ungerengeri the territory of +the Wakami commences. We had to halt one day at Mussoudi because +the poverty of the people prevented us from procuring the needful +amount of grain. The cause of this scantiness in such a fertile +and populous valley was, that the numerous caravans which had +preceded us had drawn heavily for their stores for the upmarches. + +On the 14th we crossed the Ungerengeri, which here flows southerly +to the southern extremity of the valley, where it bends easterly +as far as Kisemo. After crossing the river here, fordable at all +times and only twenty yards in breadth, we had another mile of +the valley with its excessively moist soil and rank growth of +grass. It then ascended into a higher elevation, and led through +a forest of mparamusi, tamarind, tamarisk, acacia, and the blooming +mimosa. This ascent was continued for two hours, when we stood +upon the spine of the largest ridge, where we could obtain free +views of the wooded plain below and the distant ridges of Kisemo, +which we had but lately left. A descent of a few hundred feet +terminated in a deep but dry mtoni with a sandy bed, on the other +side of which we had to regain the elevation we had lost, and a +similar country opened into view until we found a newly-made boma +with well-built huts of grass rear a pool of water, which we at +once occupied as a halting-place for the night. The cart gave us +considerable trouble; not even our strongest donkey, though it +carried with ease on its back 196 lbs., could draw the cart with +a load of only 225 lbs. weight. + +Early on the morning of the 15th we broke camp and started for +Mikeseh. By 8.30 A.M. we were ascending the southern face of the +Kira Peak. When we had gained the height of two hundred feet above +the level of the surrounding country, we were gratified with a +magnificent view of a land whose soil knows no Sabbath. + +After travelling the spine of a ridge abutting against the southern +slope of Kira we again descended into the little valley of +Kiwrima, the first settlement we meet in Udoe, where there is +always an abundant supply of water. Two miles west of Kiwrima is +Mikiseh. + +On the 16th we reached Ulagalla after a few hours' march. +Ulagalla is the name of a district, or a portion of a district, +lying between the mountains of Uruguru, which bound it southerly, +and the mountains of Udoe, lying northerly and parallel with them, +and but ten miles apart. The principal part of the basin thus +formed is called Ulagalla. + +Muhalleh is the next settlement, and here we found ourselves in +the territory of the Waseguhha. On this march we were hemmed in +by mountains--on our left by those of Uruguru, on our right by +those of Udoe and Useguhha--a most agreeable and welcome change to +us after the long miles of monotonous level we had hitherto seen. +When tired of looking into the depths of the forest that still ran +on either side of the road, we had but to look up to the mountain's +base, to note its strange trees, its plants and vari-coloured flowers, +we had but to raise our heads to vary this pleasant occupation by +observing the lengthy and sinuous spine of the mountains, and +mentally report upon their outline, their spurs, their projections +and ravines, their bulging rocks and deep clefts, and, above all, +the dark green woods clothing them from summit to base. And when +our attention was not required for the mundane task of regarding +the donkeys' packs, or the pace of the cautious-stepping pagazis, +it was gratifying to watch the vapours play about the mountain +summits--to see them fold into fleecy crowns and fantastic clusters, +dissolve, gather together into a pall that threatened rain, and sail +away again before the brightening sun. + +At Muhalleh was the fourth caravan under Maganga with three more +sick men, who turned with eager eyes to myself, "the dispenser of +medicine," as I approached. Salvos of small arms greeted me, and +a present of rice and ears of Indian corn for roasting were awaiting +my acceptance; but, as I told Maganga, I would have preferred to +hear that his party were eight or ten marches ahead. At this +camp, also, we met Salim bin Rashid, bound eastward, with a huge +caravan carrying three hundred ivory tusks. This good Arab, +besides welcoming the new comer with a present of rice, gave me +news of Livingstone. He had met the old traveller at Ujiji, had +lived in the next but to him for two weeks, described him as +looking old, with long grey moustaches and beard, just recovered +from severe illness, looking very wan; when fully recovered +Livingstone intended to visit a country called Manyema by way of +Marungu. + +The valley of the Ungerengeri with Muhalleh exhibits wonderful +fertility. Its crops of matama were of the tallest, and its +Indian corn would rival the best crops ever seen in the Arkansas +bottoms. The numerous mountain-fed streams rendered the great +depth of loam very sloppy, in consequence of which several +accidents occurred before we reached the camp, such as wetting +cloth, mildewing tea, watering sugar, and rusting tools; +but prompt attention to these necessary things saved us from +considerable loss. + +There was a slight difference noticed in the demeanour and bearing +of the Waseguhha compared with the Wadoe, Wakami, and Wakwere +heretofore seen. There was none of that civility we had been +until now pleased to note: their express desire to barter was +accompanied with insolent hints that we ought to take their produce +at their own prices. If we remonstrated they became angry; +retorting fiercely, impatient of opposition, they flew into +a passion, and were glib in threats. This strange conduct, so +opposite to that of the calm and gentle Wakwere, may be excellently +illustrated by comparing the manner of the hot-headed Greek with +that of the cool and collected German. Necessity compelled us +to purchase eatables of them, and, to the credit of the country +and its productions, be it said, their honey had the peculiar +flavour of that of famed Hymettus. + +Following the latitudinal valley of the Ungerengeri, within two +hours on the following morning we passed close under the wall of +the capital of Useguhha--Simbamwenni. The first view of the +walled town at the western foot of the Uruguru mountains, with its +fine valley abundantly beautiful, watered by two rivers, and +several pellucid streams of water distilled by the dew and +cloud-enriched heights around, was one that we did not anticipate +to meet in Eastern Africa. In Mazanderan, Persia, such a scene +would have answered our expectations, but here it was totally +unexpected. The town may contain a population of 3,000, having +about 1,000 houses; being so densely crowded, perhaps 5,000 would +more closely approximate. The houses in the town are eminently +African, but of the best type of construction. The fortifications +are on an Arabic Persic model--combining Arab neatness with Persian +plan. Through a ride of 950 miles in Persia I never met a town +outside of the great cities better fortified than Simbamwenni. +In Persia the fortifications were of mud, even those of Kasvin, +Teheran, Ispahan, and Shiraz; those of Simbamwenni are of stone, +pierced with two rows of loopholes for musketry. The area of +the town is about half a square mile, its plan being quadrangular. +Well-built towers of stone guard each corner; four gates, one facing +each cardinal point, and set half way between the several towers, +permit ingress and egress for its inhabitants. The gates are +closed with solid square doors made of African teak, and carved +with the infinitesimally fine and complicated devices of the Arabs, +from which I suspect that the doors were made either at Zanzibar +or on the coast, and conveyed to Simbamwenni plank by plank; +yet as there is much communication between Bagamoyo and Simbamwenni, +it is just possible that native artisans are the authors of this +ornate workmanship, as several doors chiselled and carved in the +same manner, though not quite so elaborately, were visible in the +largest houses. The palace of the Sultan is after the style of +those on the coast, with long sloping roof, wide eaves, and +veranda in front. + +The Sultana is the eldest daughter of the famous Kisabengo, a name +infamous throughout the neighbouring countries of Udoe, Ukami, +Ukwere, Kingaru, Ukwenni, and Kiranga-Wanna, for his kidnapping +propensities. Kisabengo was another Theodore on a small scale. +Sprung from humble ancestry, he acquired distinction for his +personal strength, his powers of harangue, and his amusing and +versatile address, by which he gained great ascendency over +fugitive slaves, and was chosen a leader among them. Fleeing +from justice, which awaited him at the hands of the Zanzibar Sultan, +he arrived in Ukami, which extended at that time from Ukwere to +Usagara, and here he commenced a career of conquest, the result +of which was the cession by the Wakami of an immense tract of +fertile country, in the valley of the Ungerengeri. On its most +desirable site, with the river flowing close under the walls, +he built his capital, and called it Simbamwenni, which means +"The Lion," or the strongest, City. In old age the successful +robber and kidnapper changed his name of Kisabengo, which had +gained such a notoriety, to Simbamwenni, after his town; and when +dying, after desiring that his eldest daughter should succeed him, +he bestowed the name of the town upon her also, which name of +Simbamwenni the Sultana now retains and is known by. + +While crossing a rapid stream, which, as I said before flowed close +to the walls, the inhabitants of Simbamwenni had a fine chance of +gratifying their curiosity of seeing the "Great Musungu," whose +several caravans had preceded him, and who unpardonably, because +unlicensed, had spread a report of his great wealth and power. +I was thus the object of a universal stare. At one time on the +banks there were considerably over a thousand natives going +through the several tenses and moods of the verb "to stare," +or exhibiting every phase of the substantive, viz.--the stare +peremptory, insolent, sly, cunning, modest, and casual. The +warriors of the Sultana, holding in one hand the spear, the bow, +and sheaf or musket, embraced with the other their respective +friends, like so many models of Nisus and Euryalus, Theseus +and Pirithous, Damon and Pythias, or Achilles and Patroclus, +to whom they confidentially related their divers opinions upon +my dress and colour. The words "Musungu kuba" had as much charm +for these people as the music of the Pied Piper had for the rats +of Hamelin, since they served to draw from within the walls across +their stream so large a portion of the population; and when I +continued the journey to the Ungerengeri, distant four miles, +I feared that the Hamelin catastrophe might have to be repeated +before I could rid myself of them. But fortunately for my peace +of mind, they finally proved vincible under the hot sun, and the +distance we had to go to camp. + +As we were obliged to overhaul the luggage, and repair saddles, as +well as to doctor a few of the animals, whose backs had by this +time become very sore, I determined to halt here two days. +Provisions were very plentiful also at Simbamwenni, though +comparatively dear. + +On the second day I was, for the first time, made aware that my +acclimatization in the ague-breeding swamps of Arkansas was +powerless against the mukunguru of East Africa. The premonitory +symptoms of the African type were felt in my system at 10 A.M. +First, general lassitude prevailed, with a disposition to +drowsiness; secondly, came the spinal ache which, commencing from +the loins, ascended the vertebrae, and extended around the ribs, +until it reached the shoulders, where it settled into a weary +pain; thirdly came a chilliness over the whole body, which was +quickly followed by a heavy head, swimming eyes, and throbbing +temples, with vague vision, which distorted and transformed all +objects of sight. This lasted until 10 P.M., and the mukunguru +left me, much prostrated in strength. + +The remedy, applied for three mornings in succession after the +attack, was such as my experience in Arkansas had taught me was +the most powerful corrective, viz., a quantum of fifteen grains +of quinine, taken in three doses of five grains each, every other +hour from dawn to meridian--the first dose to be taken immediately +after the first effect of the purging medicine taken at bedtime the +night previous. I may add that this treatment was perfectly +successful in my case, and in all others which occurred in my +camp. After the mukunguru had declared itself, there was no fear, +with such a treatment of it, of a second attack, until at least +some days afterwards. + +On the third day the camp was visited by the ambassadors of +Her Highness the Sultana of Simbamwenni, who came as her +representatives to receive the tribute which she regards herself +as powerful enough to enforce. But they, as well as Madame +Simbamwenni, were informed, that as we knew it was their custom to +charge owners of caravans but one tribute, and as they remembered +the Musungu (Farquhar) had paid already, it was not fair that I +should have to pay again. The ambassadors replied with a "Ngema" +(very well), and promised to carry my answer back to their +mistress. Though it was by no means "very well " in fact, as it +will be seen in a subsequent chapter how the female Simbamwenni +took advantage of an adverse fortune which befell me to pay +herself. With this I close the chapter of incidents experienced +during our transit across the maritime region. + + + +CHAPTER VI. TO UGOGO. + +A valley of despond, and hot-bed of malaria.--Myriads of vermin.-- +The Makata swamp.--A sorrowful experience catching a deserter.--A +far-embracing prospect.--Illness of William Farquhar.-Lake Ugombo.-- +A land of promise.--The great Kisesa.--The plague of earwigs. + + +The distance from Bagamoyo to Simbamwenni we found to be 119 miles, +and was accomplished in fourteen marches. But these marches, owing +to difficulties arising from the Masika season, and more especially +to the lagging of the fourth caravan under Maganga, extended to +twenty-nine days, thus rendering our progress very slow indeed-- +but a little more than four miles a-day. I infer, from what I have +seen of the travelling, that had I not been encumbered by the sick +Wanyamwezi porters, I could have accomplished the distance in +sixteen days. For it was not the donkeys that proved recreant to +my confidence; they, poor animals, carrying a weight of 150 lbs. +each, arrived at Simbamwenni in first-rate order; but it was +Maganga, composed of greed and laziness, and his weakly-bodied +tribe, who were ever falling sick. In dry weather the number of +marches might have been much reduced. Of the half-dozen of Arabs +or so who preceded this Expedition along this route, two +accomplished the entire distance in eight days. From the brief +descriptions given of the country, as it day by day expanded to +our view, enough may be gleaned to give readers a fair idea of it. +The elevation of Simbamwenni cannot be much over 1,000 feet above +the level, the rise of the land having been gradual. It being +the rainy season, about which so many ominous statements were +doled out to us by those ignorant of the character of the country, +we naturally saw it under its worst aspect; but, even in this +adverse phase of it, with all its depth of black mud, its +excessive dew, its dripping and chill grass, its density of rank +jungle, and its fevers, I look back upon the scene with pleasure, +for the wealth and prosperity it promises to some civilized nation, +which in some future time will come and take possession of it. +A railroad from Bagamoyo to Simbamwenni might be constructed with +as much ease and rapidity as, and at far less cost than the Union +Pacific Railway, whose rapid strides day by day towards completion +the world heard of and admired. A residence in this part of Africa, +after a thorough system of drainage had been carried out, would not +be attended with more discomfort than generally follows upon the +occupation of new land. The temperature at this season during the +day never exceeded 85 degrees Fahrenheit. The nights were pleasant-- +too cold without a pair of blankets for covering; and, as far as +Simbamwenni, they were without that pest which is so dreadful on +the Nebraska and Kansas prairies, the mosquito. The only annoyances +I know of that would tell hard on the settler is the determined +ferocity of the mabungu, or horse-fly; the chufwa, &c., already +described, which, until the dense forests and jungles were cleared, +would be certain to render the keeping of domestic cattle +unremunerative. + +Contrary to expectation the Expedition was not able to start at +the end of two days; the third and the fourth days were passed +miserably enough in the desponding valley of Ungerengeri. This +river, small as it is in the dry seasons, becomes of considerable +volume and power during the Masika, as we experienced to our +sorrow. It serves as a drain to a score of peaks and two long +ranges of mountains; winding along their base, it is the recipient +of the cascades seen flashing during the few intervals of sunlight, +of all the nullahs and ravines which render the lengthy frontage +of the mountain slopes so rugged and irregular, until it glides +into the valley of Simbamwenni a formidable body of water, +opposing a serious obstacle to caravans without means to build +bridges; added to which was an incessant downfall of rain--such a +rain as shuts people in-doors and renders them miserable and +unamiable--a real London rain--an eternal drizzle accompanied +with mist and fog. When the sun shone it appeared but a pale +image of itself, and old pagazis, wise in their traditions +as old whaling captains, shook their heads ominously at the +dull spectre, and declared it was doubtful if the rain would cease +for three weeks yet. + +The site of the caravan camp on the hither side of the Ungerengeri +was a hot-bed of malaria, unpleasant to witness--an abomination to +memory. The filth of generations of pagazis had gathered +innumerable hosts of creeping things. Armies of black, white, and +red ants infest the stricken soil; centipedes, like worms, of +every hue, clamber over shrubs and plants; hanging to the +undergrowth are the honey-combed nests of yellow-headed wasps with +stings as harmful as scorpions; enormous beetles, as large as +full-grown mice, roll dunghills over the ground; of all sorts, +shapes, sizes, and hues are the myriad-fold vermin with which the +ground teems; in short, the richest entomological collection could +not vie in variety and numbers with the species which the four +walls of my tent enclosed from morning until night. + +On the fifth morning, or the 23rd April, the rain gave us a few +hours' respite, during which we managed to wade through the +Stygian quagmire reeking with noisomeness to the inundated +river-bank. The soldiers commenced at 5 A.M. to convey the +baggage across from bank to bank over a bridge which was the most +rustic of the rustic kind. Only an ignorant African would have +been satisfied with its small utility as a means to cross a deep +and rapid body of water. Even for light-footed Wanyamwezi pagazis +it was anything but comfortable to traverse. Only a professional +tight-rope performer could have carried a load across with ease. +To travel over an African bridge requires, first, a long leap +from land to the limb of a tree (which may or may not be covered +by water), followed by a long jump ashore. With 70 lbs. weight on +his back, the carrier finds it difficult enough. Sometimes he is +assisted by ropes extemporized from the long convolvuli which hang +from almost every tree, but not always, these being deemed +superfluities by the Washensi. + +Fortunately the baggage was transferred without a single accident, +and though the torrent was strong, the donkeys were dragged through +the flood by vigorous efforts and much objurgation without a +casualty. This performance of crossing the Ungerengeri occupied +fully five hours, though energy, abuse, and fury enough were +expended for an army. + +Reloading and wringing our clothes dry, we set out from the +horrible neighbourhood of the river, with its reek and filth, +in a northerly direction, following a road which led up to easy +and level ground. Two obtruding hills were thus avoided on our +left, and after passing them we had shut out the view of the +hateful valley. + +I always found myself more comfortable and lighthearted while +travelling than when chafing and fretting in camp at delays which +no effort could avoid, and consequently I fear that some things, +while on a march, may be tinted somewhat stronger than their +appearance or merit may properly warrant. But I thought that the +view opening before us was much more agreeable than the valley of +Simbamwenni with all its indescribable fertility. It was a series +of glades opening one after another between forest clumps of young +trees, hemmed in distantly by isolated peaks and scattered +mountains. Now and again, as we crested low eminences we caught +sight of the blue Usagara mountains, bounding the horizon westerly +and northerly, and looked down upon a vast expanse of plain which +lay between. + +At the foot of the lengthy slope, well-watered by bubbling +springs and mountain rills, we found a comfortable khambi with +well-made huts, which the natives call Simbo. It lies just two +hours or five miles north-west of the Ungerengeri crossing. The +ground is rocky, composed principally of quartzose detritus swept +down by the constant streams. In the neighbourhood of these grow +bamboo, the thickest of which was about two and a half inches in +diameter; the "myombo," a very shapely tree, with a clean trunk +like an ash, the "imbite," with large, fleshy leaves like the +"mtamba," sycamore, plum-tree, the "ugaza," ortamarisk, and the +"mgungu," a tree containing several wide branches with small +leaves clustered together in a clump, and the silk-cotton tree. + +Though there are no villages or settlements in view of Simbo +Khambi, there are several clustered within the mountain folds, +inhabited by Waseguhha somewhat prone to dishonest acts and +murder. + +The long broad plain visible from the eminences crossed between +the Ungerengeri and Simbo was now before us, and became known to +sorrowful memory subsequently, as the Makata Valley. The initial +march was from Simbo, its terminus at Rehenneko, at the base of the +Usagara mountains, six marches distant. The valley commences with +broad undulations, covered with young forests of bamboo, which grow +thickly along the streams, the dwarf fan-palm, the stately Palmyra, +and the mgungu. These undulations soon become broken by gullies +containing water, nourishing dense crops of cane reeds and broad- +bladed grass, and, emerging from this district, wide savannah +covered with tall grass open into view, with an isolated tree here +and there agreeably breaking the monotony of the scene. The Makata +is a wilderness containing but one village of the Waseguhha +throughout its broad expanse. Venison, consequently, abounds +within the forest clumps, and the kudu, hartebeest, antelope, +and zebra may be seen at early dawn emerging into the open +savannahs to feed. At night, the cyn-hyaena prowls about with +its hideous clamour seeking for sleeping prey, man or beast. + +The slushy mire of the savannahs rendered marching a work of great +difficulty; its tenacious hold of the feet told terribly on men +and animals. A ten-mile march required ten hours, we were +therefore compelled to camp in the middle of this wilderness, and +construct a new khambi, a measure which was afterwards adopted by +half a dozen caravans. + +The cart did not arrive until nearly midnight, and with it, +besides three or four broken-down pagazis, came Bombay with the +dolorous tale, that having put his load--consisting of the property +tent, one large American axe, his two uniform coats, his shirts, +beads and cloth, powder, pistol, and hatchet--on the ground, to go +and assist the cart out of a quagmire, he had returned to the place +where he had left it and could not find it, that he believed that +some thieving Washensi, who always lurk in the rear of caravans to +pick up stragglers, had decamped with it. Which dismal tale told +me at black midnight was not received at all graciously, but rather +with most wrathful words, all of which the penitent captain received +as his proper due. Working myself into a fury,, I enumerated his +sins to him; he had lost a goat at Muhalleh, he had permitted +Khamisi to desert with valuable property at Imbiki; he had +frequently shown culpable negligence in not looking after the +donkeys, permitting them to be tied up at night without seeing that +they had water, and in the mornings, when about to march, he +preferred to sleep until 7 o'clock, rather than wake up early and +saddle the donkeys, that we might start at 6 o'clock; he had shown +of late great love for the fire, cowering like a bloodless man +before it, torpid and apathetic; he had now lost the property-tent +in the middle of the Masika season, by which carelessness the cloth +bales would rot and become valueless; he had lost the axe which +I should want at Ujiji to construct my boat; and finally, he had +lost a pistol and hatchet, and a flaskful of the best powder. +Considering all these things, how utterly incompetent he was to +be captain, I would degrade him from his office and appoint +Mabruki Burton instead. Uledi, also, following the example of +Bombay, instead of being second captain, should give no orders +to any soldiers in future, but should himself obey those given +by Mabruki--the said Mabruki being worth a dozen Bombays, and +two dozen Uledis; and so he was dismissed with orders to return +at daylight to find the tent, axe, pistol, powder, and hatchet. + +The next morning the caravan, thoroughly fatigued with the last +day's exertions, was obliged to halt. Bombay was despatched after +the lost goods; Kingaru, Mabruki the Great, and Mabruki the Little +were despatched to bring back three doti-worth of grain, on which +we were to subsist in the wilderness. + +Three days passed away and we were still at camp, awaiting, with +what patience we possessed, the return of the soldiers. In the +meantime provisions ran very low, no game could be procured, the +birds were so wild. Two days shooting procured but two potfuls +of birds, consisting of grouse, quail, and pigeons. Bombay returned +unsuccessfully from his search after the missing property, and +suffered deep disgrace. + +On the fourth day I despatched Shaw with two more soldiers, to see +what had become of Kingaru and the two Mabrukis. Towards night he +returned completely prostrated, with a violent attack of the +mukunguru, or ague; but bringing the missing soldiers, who were +thus left to report for themselves. + +With most thankful hearts did we quit our camp, where so much +anxiety of mind and fretfulness had been suffered, not heeding a +furious rain, which, after drenching us all night, might have +somewhat damped our ardor for the march under other circumstances. +The road for the first mile led over reddish ground, and was +drained by gentle slopes falling east and west; but, leaving the +cover of the friendly woods, on whose eastern margin we had been +delayed so long, we emerged into one of the savannahs, whose soil +during the rain is as soft as slush and tenacious as thick mortar, +where we were all threatened with the fate of the famous Arkansas +traveller, who had sunk so low in one of the many quagmires in +Arkansas county, that nothing but his tall "stove-pipe" hat was +left visible. + +Shaw was sick, and the whole duty of driving the foundering +caravan devolved upon myself. The Wanyamwezi donkeys stuck in +the mire as if they were rooted to it. As fast as one was flogged +from his stubborn position, prone to the depths fell another, +giving me a Sisyphean labour, which was maddening trader pelting +rain, assisted by such men as Bombay and Uledi, who could not for +a whole skin's sake stomach the storm and mire. Two hours of such +a task enabled me to drag my caravan over a savannah one mile and +a half broad; and barely had I finished congratulating myself over +my success before I was halted by a deep ditch, which, filled with +rain-water from the inundated savannahs, had become a considerable +stream, breast-deep, flowing swiftly into the Makata. Donkeys had +to be unloaded, led through a torrent, and loaded again on the other +bank--an operation which consumed a full hour. + +Presently, after straggling through a wood clump, barring our +progress was another stream, swollen into a river. The bridge +being swept away, we were obliged to swim and float our baggage +over, which delayed us two hours more. Leaving this second +river-bank, we splashed, waded, occasionally half-swimming, and +reeled through mire, water-dripping grass and matama stalks, +along the left bank of the Makata proper, until farther progress +was effectually prevented for that day by a deep bend of the +river, which we should be obliged to cross the next day. + +Though but six miles were traversed during that miserable day, the +march occupied ten hours. + +Half dead with fatigue, I yet could feel thankful that it was not +accompanied by fever, which it seemed a miracle to avoid; for if +ever a district was cursed with the ague, the Makata wilderness +ranks foremost of those afflicted. Surely the sight of the +dripping woods enveloped in opaque mist, of the inundated country +with lengthy swathes of tiger-grass laid low by the turbid flood, +of mounds of decaying trees and canes, of the swollen river and the +weeping sky, was enough to engender the mukunguru! The well-used +khambi, and the heaps of filth surrounding it, were enough to +create a cholera! + +The Makata, a river whose breadth during the dry season is but +forty feet, in the Masika season assumes the breadth, depth, and +force of an important river. Should it happen to be an unusually +rainy season, it inundates the great plain which stretches on +either side, and converts it into a great lake. It is the main +feeder of the Wami river, which empties into the sea between the +ports of Saadani and Whinde. About ten miles north-east of the +Makata crossing, the Great Makata, the Little Makata, a nameless +creek, and the Rudewa river unite; and the river thus formed +becomes known as the Wami. Throughout Usagara the Wami is known +as the Mukondokwa. Three of these streams take their rise from +the crescent-like Usagara range, which bounds the Makata plain south +and south-westerly; while the Rudewa rises in the northern horn of +the same range. + +So swift was the flow of the Makata, and so much did its unsteady +bridge, half buried in the water, imperil the safety of the +property, that its transfer from bank to bank occupied fully five +hours. No sooner had we landed every article on the other side, +undamaged by the water, than the rain poured down in torrents +that drenched them all, as if they had been dragged through the +river. To proceed through the swamp which an hour's rain had +formed was utterly out of the question. We were accordingly +compelled to camp in a place where every hour furnished its quota +of annoyance. One of the Wangwana soldiers engaged at Bagamoyo, +named Kingaru, improved an opportunity to desert with another +Mgwana's kit. My two detectives, Uledi (Grant's valet), and +Sarmean, were immediately despatched in pursuit, both being armed +with American breech-loaders. They went about their task with +an adroitness and celerity which augured well for their success. +In an hour they returned with the runaway, having found him hidden +in the house of a Mseguhha chief called Kigondo, who lived about +a mile from the eastern bank of the river, and who had accompanied +Uledi and Sarmean to receive his reward, and render an account of +the incident. + +Kigondo said, when he had been seated, "I saw this man carrying +a bundle, and running hard, by which I knew that he was deserting +you. We (my wife and 1) were sitting in our little watch-hut, +watching our corn; and, as the road runs close by, this man was +obliged to come close to us. We called to him when he was near, +saying, `Master, where are you going so fast? Are you deserting +the Musungu, for we know you belong to him, since you bought from +us yesterday two doti worth of meat?' 'Yes,' said he, 'I am +running away; I want to get to Simbamwenni. If you will take me +there, I will give you a doti.' We said to him then, `Come into +our house, and we will talk it over quietly. When he was in our +house in an inner room, we locked him up, and went out again to +the watch; but leaving word with the women to look out for him. +We knew that, if you wanted him, you would send askari (soldiers) +after him. We had but lit our pipes when we saw two men armed +with short guns, and having no loads, coming along the road, +looking now and then on the ground, as if they were looking at +footmarks. We knew them to be the men we were expecting; so we +hailed them, and said, `Masters, what are ye looking for?' \ +They said, 'We are looking for a man who has deserted our master. +Here are his footsteps. If you have been long in your hut you +must have seen him, Can you tell us where he is?' We said, +'yes; he is in our house. If you will come with us, we will +give him up to you; but your master must give us something for +catching him.'" + +As Kigondo had promised to deliver Kingaru up, there remained +nothing further to do for Uledi and Sarmean but to take charge of +their prisoner, and bring him and his captors to my camp on the +western bank of the Makata. Kingaru received two dozen lashes, +and was chained; his captor a doti, besides five khete of red +coral beads for his wife. + +That down-pour of rain which visited us the day we crossed the +Makata proved the last of the Masika season. As the first rainfall +which we had experienced occurred on the 23rd March, and the last +on the 30th April, its duration was thirty-nine days. The seers of +Bagamoyo had delivered their vaticinations concerning this same +Masika with solemnity. "For forty days," said they, "rain would +fall incessantly;" whereas we had but experienced eighteen days' +rain. Nevertheless, we were glad that it was over, for we were +tired of stopping day after day to dry the bales and grease the +tools and ironware, and of seeing all things of cloth and leather +rot visibly before our eyes. + +The 1st of May found us struggling through the mire and water +of the Makata with a caravan bodily sick, from the exertion and +fatigue of crossing so many rivers and wading through marshes. +Shaw was still suffering from his first mukunguru; Zaidi, a +soldier, was critically ill with the small-pox; the kichuma-chuma, +"little irons," had hold of Bombay across the chest, rendering +him the most useless of the unserviceables; Mabruk Saleem, a +youth of lusty frame, following the example of Bombay, laid +himself down on the marshy ground, professing his total inability +to breast the Makata swamp; Abdul Kader, the Hindi tailor and +adventurer--the weakliest of mortal bodies--was ever ailing for +lack of "force," as he expressed it in French, i.e. "strength," +ever indisposed to work, shiftless, mock-sick, but ever hungry. +"Oh! God," was the cry of my tired soul, "were all the men of +my Expedition like this man I should be compelled to return. +Solomon was. wise perhaps from inspiration, perhaps from +observation; I was becoming wise by experience, and I was +compelled to observe that when mud and wet sapped the physical +energy of the lazily-inclined, a dog-whip became their backs, +restoring them to a sound--some-times to an extravagant activity. + +For thirty miles from our camp was the Makata plain an extensive +swamp. The water was on an average one foot in depth; in some +places we plunged into holes three, four, and even five feet deep. +Plash, splash, plash, splash, were the only sounds we heard from +the commencement of the march until we found the bomas occupying +the only dry spots along the line of march. This kind of work +continued for two days, until we came in sight of the Rudewa river, +another powerful stream with banks brimful of rushing rain-water. +Crossing a branch of the Rudewa, and emerging from the dank reedy +grass crowding the western bank, the view consisted of an immense +sheet of water topped by clumps of grass tufts and foliage of +thinly scattered trees, bounded ten or twelve miles off by the +eastern front of the Usagara mountain range. The acme of +discomfort and vexation was realized on the five-mile march from +the Rudewa branch. As myself and the Wangwana appeared with the +loaded donkeys, the pagazis were observed huddled on a mound. When +asked if the mound was the camp, they replied "No." "Why, then, +do you stop here?"--Ugh! water plenty!!" "One drew a line across +his loins to indicate the depth of water before us, another drew a +line across his chest, another across his throat another held his +hand over his head, by which he meant that we should have to swim. +Swim five miles through a reedy marsh! It was impossible; it was +also impossible that such varied accounts could all be correct. +Without hesitation, therefore, I ordered the Wangwana to proceed +with the animals. After three hours of splashing through four +feet of water we reached dry land, and had traversed the swamp +of Makata. But not without the swamp with its horrors having +left a durable impression upon our minds; no one was disposed +to forget its fatigues, nor the nausea of travel which it almost +engendered. Subsequently, we had to remember its passage still +more vividly, and to regret that we had undertaken the journey +during the Masika season, when the animals died from this date +by twos and threes, almost every day, until but five sickly +worn-out beasts remained; when the Wangwana, soldiers, and +pagazis sickened of diseases innumerable; when I myself was +finally compelled to lie a-bed with an attack of acute dysentery +which brought me to the verge of the grave. I suffered more, +perhaps, than I might have done had I taken the proper medicine, +but my over-confidence in that compound, called "Collis Brown's +Chlorodyne," delayed the cure which ultimately resulted from +a judicious use of Dover's powder. In no one single case of +diarrhoea or acute dysentery had this "Chlorodyne," about which +so much has been said, and written, any effect of lessening the +attack whatever, though I used three bottles. To the dysentery +contracted during, the transit of the Makata swamp, only two +fell victims, and those were a pagazi and my poor little dog +"Omar," my companion from India. + +The only tree of any prominence in the Makata valley was the +Palmyra palm (Borassus flabelliformis), and this grew in some +places in numbers sufficient to be called a grove; the fruit was +not ripe while we passed, otherwise we might have enjoyed it as a +novelty. The other vegetation consisted of the several species of +thorn bush, and the graceful parachute-topped and ever-green +mimosa. + +The 4th of May we were ascending a gentle slope towards the +important village of Rehenneko, the first village near to which we +encamped in Usagara. It lay at the foot of the mountain, and its +plenitude and mountain air promised us comfort and health. It was +a square, compact village, surrounded by a thick wall of mud, +enclosing cone-topped huts, roofed with bamboo and holcus-stalks; +and contained a population of about a thousand souls. It has +several wealthy and populous neighbours, whose inhabitants are +independent enough in their manner, but not unpleasantly so. +The streams are of the purest water, fresh, and pellucid as crystal, +bubbling over round pebbles and clean gravel, with a music +delightful to hear to the traveller in search of such a sweetly +potable element. + +The bamboo grows to serviceable size in the neighbourhood of +Rehenneko, strong enough for tent and banghy poles; and in +numbers sufficient to supply an army. The mountain slopes are +densely wooded with trees that might supply very good timber for +building purposes. + +We rested four days at this pleasant spot, to recruit ourselves, +and to allow the sick and feeble time to recover a little before +testing their ability in the ascent of the Usagara mountains. + +The 8th of May saw us with our terribly jaded men and animals +winding up the steep slopes of the first line of hills; gaining +the summit of which we obtained a view remarkably grand, which +exhibited as in a master picture the broad valley of the Makata, +with its swift streams like so many cords of silver, as the +sunshine played on the unshadowed reaches of water, with its +thousands of graceful palms adding not a little to the charm of the +scene, with the great wall of the Uruguru and Uswapanga mountains +dimly blue, but sublime in their loftiness and immensity--forming a +fit background to such an extensive, far-embracing prospect. + +Turning our faces west, we found ourselves in a mountain world, +fold rising above fold, peak behind peak, cone jostling cone; away +to the north, to the west, to the south, the mountain tops rolled +like so many vitrified waves; not one adust or arid spot was +visible in all this scene. The diorama had no sudden changes or +striking contrasts, for a universal forest of green trees clothed +every peak, cone, and summit. + +To the men this first day's march through the mountain region of +Usagara was an agreeable interlude after the successive journey +over the flats and heavy undulations of the maritime region, but +to the loaded and enfeebled animals it was most trying. We were +minus two by the time we had arrived at our camp, but seven miles +from Rehenneko, our first instalment of the debt we owed to Makata. +Water, sweet and clear, was abundant in the deep hollows of the +mountains, flowing sometimes over beds of solid granite, sometimes +over a rich red sandstone, whose soft substance was soon penetrated +by the aqueous element, and whose particles were swept away +constantly to enrich the valley below; and in other ravines it +dashed,, and roared, miniature thunder, as it leaped over granite +boulders and quartz rock. + +The 9th of May, after another such an up-and-down course, ascending +hills and descending into the twilight depths of deepening +valleys, we came suddenly upon the Mukondokwa, and its narrow +pent-up valley crowded with rank reedy grass, cane, and thorny +bushes; and rugged tamarisk which grappled for existence with +monster convolvuli, winding their coils around their trunks with +such tenacity and strength that the tamarisk seemed grown +but for their support. + +The valley was barely a quarter of a mile broad in some places-- +at others it widened to about a mile. The hills on either side +shot up into precipitous slopes, clothed ,with mimosa, acacia, +and tamarisk, enclosing a river and valley whose curves and +folds were as various as a serpent's. + +Shortly after debouching into the Mukondokwa valley, we struck the +road traversed by Captains Buxton and Speke in 1857, between Mbumi +and Kadetamare (the latter place should be called Misonghi, +Kadetamare being but the name of a chief). After following the +left bank of the Mukondokwa, during which our route diverged to +every point from south-east to west, north and northeast, for +about an hour, we came to the ford. Beyond the ford, a short +half-hour's march, we came to Kiora. + +At this filthy village of Kiora, which was well-grounded with +goat-dung, and peopled with a wonderful number of children for a +hamlet that did not number twenty families, with a hot sun pouring +on the limited open space, with a fury that exceeded 128 degrees +Fahrenheit; which swarmed with flies and insects of known and +unknown species; I found, as I had been previously informed, the +third caravan, which had started out of Bagamoyo so well fitted +and supplied. The leader, who was no other than the white man +Farquhar, was sick-a-bed with swollen legs (Bright's disease), +unable to move. + +As he heard my voice, Farquhar staggered out of his tent, so +changed from my spruce mate who started from Bagamoyo, that I +hardly knew him at first. His legs were ponderous, elephantine, +since his leg-illness was of elephantiasis, or dropsy. His face +was of a deathly pallor, for he had not been out of his tent for +two weeks. + +A breezy hill, overlooking the village of Kiora, was chosen by me +for my camping-ground, and as soon as the tents were pitched, the +animals attended to, and a boma made of thorn bushes, Farquhar was +carried up by four men into my tent. Upon being questioned as to +the cause of his illness, he said he did not know what had caused +it. He had no pain, he thought, anywhere. I asked, "Do you not +sometimes feel pain on the right side?"--"Yes, I think I do; but +I don't know."--" Nor over the left nipple sometimes--a quick +throbbing, with a shortness of breath?"--" Yes, I think I have. +I know I breathe quick sometimes." He said his only trouble was +in the legs, which were swollen to an immense size. Though he +had a sound appetite, he yet felt weak in the legs. + +From the scant information of the disease and its peculiarities, +as given by Farquhar himself, I could only make out, by studying +a little medical book I had with me, that "a swelling of the legs, +and sometimes of the body, might result from either heart, liver, +or kidney disease." But I did not know to what to ascribe the +disease, unless it was to elephantiasis--a disease most common in +Zanzibar; nor did I know how to treat it in a man who, could not +tell me whether he felt pain in his head or in his back, in his +feet or in his chest. + +It was therefore fortunate for me that I overtook him at Kiora; +though he was about to prove a sore incumbrance to me, for he was +not able to walk, and the donkey-carriage, after the rough +experience of the Makata valley, was failing. I could not possibly +leave him at Kiora, death would soon overtake him there; but how +long I could convey a man in such a state, through a country +devoid of carriage, was a question to be resolved by circumstances. + +On the 11th of May, the third and fifth caravans, now united, +followed up the right bank of the Mukondokwa, through fields of +holcus, the great Mukondokwa ranges rising in higher altitude as +we proceeded west, and enfolding us in the narrow river valley round +about. We left Muniyi Usagara on our right, and soon after found +hill-spurs athwart our road, which we were obliged to ascend and +descend. + +A march of eight miles from the ford of Misonghi brought us to +another ford of the Mukondokwa, where we bid a long adieu to +Burton's road, which led up to the Goma pass and up the steep +slopes of Rubeho. Our road left the right bank and followed the +left over a country quite the reverse of the Mukondokwa Valley, +enclosed between mountain ranges. Fertile soils and spontaneous +vegetation, reeking with miasma and overpowering from their odour, +we had exchanged for a drouthy wilderness of aloetic and +cactaceous plants, where the kolquall and several thorn bushes grew +paramount. + +Instead of the tree-clad heights, slopes and valleys, instead of +cultivated fields, we saw now the confines of uninhabited wilderness. +The hill-tops were bared of their bosky crowns, and revealed their +rocky natures bleached white by rain and sun. Nguru Peak, the +loftiest of the Usagara cones, stood right shoulderwards of us +as we ascended the long slope of dun-grey soil which rose beyond +the brown Mukondokwa on the left. + +At the distance of two miles from the last ford, we found a neat +khambi, situated close to the river, where it first broke into a +furious rapid. + +The next morning the caravan was preparing for the march, when +I was informed that the "Bana Mdogo"--little master--Shaw, had not +yet arrived with the cart, and the men in charge of it. Late the +previous night I had despatched one donkey for Shaw, who had said +he was too ill to walk, and another for the load that was on the +cart; and had retired satisfied that they would soon arrive. My +conclusion, when I learned in the morning that the people had not +yet come in, was that Shaw was not aware that for five days we +should have to march through a wilderness totally uninhabited. I +therefore despatched Chowpereh, a Mgwana soldier, with the following +note to him:--"You will, upon receipt of this order pitch the +cart into the nearest ravine, gully, or river, as well as all the +extra pack saddles; and come at once, for God's sake, for we must +not starve here!" + +One, two, three, and four hours were passed by me in the utmost +impatience, waiting, but in vain, for Shaw. Having a long march +before us, I could wait no longer, but went to meet his party +myself. About a quarter of mile from the ford I met the van of +the laggards--stout burly Chowpereh--and, O cartmakers, listen! +he carried the cart on his head--wheels, shafts, body, axle, +and all complete; he having found that carrying it was much +easier than drawing it. The sight was such a damper to my regard +for it as an experiment, that the cart was wheeled into the +depths of the tall reeds, and there left. The central figure was +Shaw himself, riding at a gait which seemed to leave it doubtful on +my mind whether he or his animal felt most sleepy. Upon +expostulating with him for keeping the caravan so long waiting when +there was a march on hand, in a most peculiar voice--which he always +assumed when disposed to be ugly-tempered--he said he had done the +best he could; but as I had seen the solemn pace at which he +rode, I felt dubious about his best endeavours; and of course +there was a little scene, but the young European mtongi of an East +African expedition must needs sup with the fellows he has chosen. + +We arrived at Madete at 4 P.M., minus two donkeys, which had +stretched their weary limbs in death. We had crossed the +Mukondokwa about 3 P.M., and after taking its bearings and course, +I made sure that its rise took place near a group of mountains +about forty miles north by west of Nguru Peak. Our road led +W.N.W., and at this place finally diverged from the river. + +On the 14th, after a march of seven miles over hills whose +sandstone and granite formation cropped visibly here and there +above the surface, whose stony and dry aspect seemed reflected +in every bush and plant, and having gained an altitude of about +eight hundred feet above the flow of the Mukondokwa, we sighted the +Lake of Ugombo--a grey sheet of water lying directly at the foot +of the hill, from whose summit we gazed at the scene. The view was +neither beautiful nor pretty, but what I should call refreshing; +it afforded a pleasant relief to the eyes fatigued from dwelling on +the bleak country around. Besides, the immediate neighbourhood of +the lake was too tame to call forth any enthusiasm; there were no +grandly swelling mountains, no smiling landscapes--nothing but a +dun-brown peak, about one thousand feet high above the surface of +the lake at its western extremity, from which the lake derived its +name, Ugombo; nothing but a low dun-brown irregular range, running +parallel with its northern shore at the distance of a mile; +nothing but a low plain stretching from its western shore far away +towards the Mpwapwa Mountains and Marenga Mkali, then apparent to +us from our coign of vantage, from which extensive scene of +dun-brownness we were glad to rest our eyes on the quiet grey +water beneath. + +Descending from the summit of the range, which bounded the lake +east for about four hundred feet, we travelled along the northern +shore. The time occupied in the journey from the eastern to the +western extremity was exactly one hour and thirty minutes. + +As this side represents its greatest length I conclude that the +lake is three miles long by two miles greatest breadth. The +immediate shores of the lake on all sides, for at least fifty +feet from the water's edge, is one impassable morass nourishing +rank reeds and rushes, where the hippopotamus' ponderous form has +crushed into watery trails the soft composition of the morass +as he passes from the lake on his nocturnal excursions; the +lesser animals; such as the "mbogo" (buffalo), the "punda-terra" +(zebra); the " twiga" (giraffe), the boar, the kudu, the +hyrax or coney and the antelope; come here also to quench +their thirst by night. The surface of the lake swarms with an +astonishing variety of water-fowl; such as black swan, duck, +ibis sacra cranes, pelicans; and soaring above on the look-out +for their prey are fish-eagles and hawks, while the neighbourhood +is resonant with the loud chirps of the guinea-fowls calling for +their young, with the harsh cry of the toucan, the cooing of the +pigeon, and the "to-whit, to-whoo" of the owl. From the long +grass in its vicinity also issue the grating and loud cry of +the florican, woodcock, and grouse. + +Being obliged to halt here two days, owing to the desertion of the +Hindi cooper Jako with one of my best carbines, I improved the +opportunity of exploring the northern and southern shores of the +lake. At the rocky foot of a low, humpy hill on the northern +side, about fifteen feet above the present surface of the water I +detected in most distinct and definite lines the agency of waves. +From its base could be traced clear to the edge of the dank morass +tiny lines of comminuted shell as plainly marked as the small +particles which lie in rows on a beech after a receding tide. +There is no doubt that the wave-marks on the sandstone might have +been traced much higher by one skilled in geology; it was only +its elementary character that was visible to me. Nor do I +entertain the least doubt, after a two days' exploration of the +neighbourhood, especially of the low plain at the western end, +that this Lake of Ugombo is but the tail of what was once a large +body of water equal in extent to the Tanganika; and, after +ascending half way up Ugombo Peak, this opinion was confirmed when +I saw the long-depressed line of plain at its base stretching +towards the Mpwapwa Mountains thirty miles off, and thence round +to Marenga Mkali, and covering all that extensive surface of forty +miles in breadth, and an unknown length. A depth of twelve feet +more, I thought, as I gazed upon it, would give the lake a length +of thirty miles, and a breadth of ten. A depth of thirty +feet would increase its length over a hundred miles, and give it a +breadth of fifty, for such was the level nature of the plain that +stretched west of Ugombo, and north of Marenga Mkali. Besides the +water of the lake partook slightly of the bitter nature of the +Matamombo creek, distant fifteen miles, and in a still lesser +degree of that of Marenga Mkali, forty miles off. + +Towards the end of the first day of our halt the Hindi cooper Jako +arrived in camp, alleging as an excuse, that feeling fatigued he +had fallen asleep in some bushes a few feet from the roadside. +Having been the cause of our detention in the hungry wilderness of +Ugombo, I was not in a frame of mind to forgive him; so, to +prevent any future truant tricks on his part, I was under the +necessity of including him with the chained gangs of runaways. + +Two more of our donkeys died, and to prevent any of the valuable +baggage being left behind, I was obliged to send Farquhar off on my +own riding-ass to the village of Mpwapwa, thirty miles off, under +charge of Mabruki Burton. + +To save the Expedition from ruin, I was reluctantly compelled to +come to the conclusion that it were better for me, for him, and +concerned, that he be left with some kind chief of a village, +with a six months' supply of cloth and beads, until he got well, +than that he make his own recovery impossible. + +The 16th of May saw us journeying over the plain which lies +between Ugombo and Mpwapwa, skirting close, at intervals, a low +range of trap-rock, out of which had become displaced by some +violent agency several immense boulders. On its slopes grew the +kolquall to a size which I had not seen in Abyssinia. In the plain +grew baobab, and immense tamarind, and a variety of thorn. + +Within five hours from Ugombo the mountain range deflected towards +the north-east, while we continued on a north-westerly course, +heading for the lofty mountain-line of the Mpwapwa. To our left +towered to the blue clouds the gigantic Rubeho. The adoption of +this new road to Unyanyembe by which we were travelling was now +explained--we were enabled to avoid the passes and stiff steeps of +Rubeho, and had nothing worse to encounter than a broad smooth +plain, which sloped gently to Ugogo. + +After a march of fifteen miles we camped at a dry mtoni, called +Matamombo, celebrated for its pools of bitter. water of the colour +of ochre. Monkeys and rhinoceroses, besides kudus, steinboks, and +antelopes, were numerous in the vicinity. At this camp my little +dog "Omar" died of inflammation of the bowels, almost on the +threshold of the country--Ugogo--where his faithful watchfulness +would have been invaluable to me. + +The next day's march was also fifteen miles in length, through one +interminable jungle of thorn-bushes. Within two miles of the camp, +the road led up a small river bed, broad as an avenue, clear to the +khambi of Mpwapwa; which was situated close to a number of streams +of the purest water. + +The following morning found us much fatigued after the long marches +from Ugombo, and generally disposed to take advantage of the +precious luxuries Mpwapwa offered to caravans fresh from the +fly-plagued lands of the Waseguhha and Wadoe. Sheikh Thani--clever +but innocently-speaking old Arab--was encamped under the grateful +umbrage of a huge Mtamba sycamore, and had been regaling himself +with fresh milk, luscious mutton, and rich bullock humps, ever +since his arrival here, two days before; and, as he informed me, +it did not suit his views to quit such a happy abundance so soon +for the saline nitrous water of Marenga Mkali, with its several +terekezas, and manifold disagreeables. "No!" said he to me, +emphatically, "better stop here two or three days, give your tired +animals some rest; collect all the pagazis you can, fill your inside +with fresh milk, sweet potatoes, beef, mutton, ghee, honey, beans, +matama, maweri, and nuts;--then, Inshallah! we shall go together +through Ugogo without stopping anywhere." As the advice tallied +accurately with my own desired and keen appetite for the good +things he named, he had not long to wait for my assent to his +counsel. "Ugogo," continued he, "is rich with milk and honey-- +rich in flour, beans and almost every eatable thing; and, +Inshallah! before another week is gone we shall be in Ugogo!" + +I had heard from passing caravans so many extremely favourable +reports respecting Ugogo and its productions that it appeared +to me a very Land of Promise, and I was most anxious to refresh +my jaded stomach with some of the precious esculents raised in +Ugogo; but when I heard that Mpwapwa also furnished some of +those delicate eatables, and good things, most of the morning +hours were spent in inducing the slow-witted people to part +with them; and when, finally, eggs, milk, honey, mutton, ghee, +ground matama and beans had been collected in sufficient +quantities to produce a respectable meal, my keenest attention +and best culinary talents were occupied for a couple of hours +in converting this crude supply into a breakfast which could be +accepted by and befit a stomach at once fastidious and famished, +such as mine was. The subsequent healthy digestion of it proved +my endeavours to have been eminently successful. At the +termination of this eventful day, the following remark was jotted +down in my diary: "Thank God! After fifty-seven days of living +upon matama porridge and tough goat, I have enjoyed with unctuous +satisfaction a real breakfast and dinner." + +It was in one of the many small villages which are situated upon +the slopes of the Mpwapwa that a refuge and a home for Farquhar +was found until he should be enabled by restored health to start +to join us at Unyanyembe. + +Food was plentiful and of sufficient variety to suit the most +fastidious--cheap also, much cheaper than we had experienced for +many a day. Leucole, the chief of the village, with whom +arrangements for Farquhar's protection and comfort were made, was +a little old man of mild eye and very pleasing face, and on being +informed that it was intended to leave the Musungu entirely under +his charge, suggested that some man should be left to wait on him, +and interpret his wishes to his people. + +As Jako was the only one who could speak English, except Bombay +and Selim, Jako was appointed, and the chief Leucole was satisfied. +Six months' provisions of white beads, Merikani and Kaniki cloth, +together with two doti of handsome cloth to serve as a present to +Leucole after his recovery, were taken to Farquhar by Bombay, +together with a Starr's carbine, 300 rounds of cartridge, a set of +cooking pots, and 3 lbs. of tea. + +Abdullah bin Nasib, who was found encamped here with five hundred +pagazis, and a train of Arab and Wasawahili satellites, who +revolved around his importance, treated me in somewhat the same +manner that Hamed bin Sulayman treated Speke at Kasenge. Followed +by his satellites, he came (a tall nervous-looking man, of fifty +or thereabouts) to see me in my camp, and asked me if I wished to +purchase donkeys. As all my animals were either sick or moribund, +I replied very readily in the affirmative, upon which he +graciously said he would sell me as many as I wanted, and for +payment I could give him a draft on Zanzibar. I thought him a very +considerate and kind person, fully justifying the encomiums +lavished on him in Burton's `Lake Regions of Central Africa,' and +accordingly I treated him with the consideration due to so great +and good a man. The morrow came, and with it went Abdullah bin +Nasib, or "Kisesa," as he is called by the Wanyamwezi, with all his +pagazis, his train of followers, and each and every one of his +donkeys, towards Bagamoyo, without so much as giving a "Kwaheri," +or good-bye. + +At this place there are generally to be found from ten to thirty +pagazis awaiting up-caravans. I was fortunate enough to secure +twelve good people, who, upon my arrival at Unyanyembe, without +an exception, voluntarily engaged themselves as carriers to Ujiji. +With the formidable marches of Marenga Mkali in front, I felt +thankful for this happy windfall,, which resolved the difficulties +I had been anticipating; for I had but ten donkeys left, and four +of these were so enfeebled that they were worthless as baggage +animals. + +Mpwapwa--so called by the Arabs, who have managed to corrupt almost +every native word--is called "Mbambwa" by the Wasagara. It is a +mountain range rising over 6,000 feet above the sea, bounding on +the north the extensive plain which commences at Ugombo lake, and +on the east that part of the plain which is called Marenga Mkali, +which stretches away beyond the borders of Uhumba. Opposite +Mpwapwa, at the distance of thirty miles or so, rises the Anak +peak of Rubeho, with several other ambitious and tall brethren +cresting long lines of rectilinear scarps, which ascend from the +plain of Ugombo and Marenga Mkali as regularly as if they had +been chiselled out by the hands of generations of masons and +stonecutters. + +Upon looking at Mpwapwa's greenly-tinted slopes, dark with many +a densely-foliaged tree; its many rills flowing sweet and clear, +nourishing besides thick patches of gum and thorn bush, giant +sycamore and parachute-topped mimosa, and permitting my +imagination to picture sweet views behind the tall cones above, +I was tempted to brave the fatigue of an ascent to the summit. +Nor was my love for the picturesque disappointed. One sweep of the +eyes embraced hundreds of square miles of plain and mountain, from +Ugombo Peak away to distant Ugogo, and from Rubeho and Ugogo to +the dim and purple pasture lands of the wild, untamable Wahumba. +The plain of Ugombo and its neighbour of Marenga Mkali, apparently +level as a sea, was dotted here and there with "hillocks dropt in +Nature's careless haste," which appeared like islands amid the dun +and green expanse. Where the jungle was dense the colour was green, +alternating with dark brown; where the plain appeared denuded of +bush and brake it had a whity-brown appearance, on which the +passing clouds now and again cast their deep shadows. Altogether +this side of the picture was not inviting; it exhibited too +plainly the true wilderness in its sternest aspect; but perhaps +the knowledge that in the bosom of the vast plain before me there +was not one drop of water but was bitter as nitre, and undrinkable +as urine, prejudiced me against it, The hunter might consider it +a paradise, for in its depths were all kinds of game to attract his +keenest instincts; but to the mere traveller it had a stern outlook. +Nearer, however, to the base of the Mpwapwa the aspect of the plain +altered. At first the jungle thinned, openings in the wood +appeared, then wide and naked clearings, then extensive fields of +the hardy holcus, Indian corn, and maweri or bajri, with here and +there a square tembe or village. Still nearer ran thin lines of +fresh young grass, great trees surrounded a patch of alluvial +meadow. A broad river-bed, containing several rivulets of water, +ran through the thirsty fields, conveying the vivifying element +which in this part of Usagara was so scarce and precious. Down +to the river-bed sloped the Mpwapwa, roughened in some places by +great boulders of basalt, or by rock masses, which had parted from +a precipitous scarp, where clung the kolquall with a sure hold, +drawing nourishment where every other green thing failed; clad in +others by the hardy mimosa, which rose like a sloping bank of +green verdure almost to the summit. And, happy sight to me so +long a stranger to it, there were hundreds of cattle grazing, +imparting a pleasing animation to the solitude of the deep folds +of the mountain range. + +But the fairest view was obtained by looking northward towards the +dense group of mountains which buttressed the front range, facing +towards Rubeho. It was the home of the winds, which starting here +and sweeping down the precipitous slopes and solitary peaks on the +western side, and gathering strength as they rushed through the +prairie-like Marenga Mkali, howled through Ugogo and Unyamwezi with +the force of a storm, It was also the home of the dews, where +sprang the clear springs which cheered by their music the bosky +dells below, and enriched the populous district of Mpwapwa. +One felt better, stronger, on this breezy height, drinking in the +pure air and feasting the eyes on such a varied landscape as it +presented, on spreading plateaus green as lawns, on smooth rounded +tops, on mountain vales containing recesses which might charm a +hermit's soul, on deep and awful ravines where reigned a twilight +gloom, on fractured and riven precipices, on huge fantastically-worn +boulders which overtopped them, on picturesque tracts which +embraced all that was wild, and all that was poetical in Nature. + +Mpwapwa, though the traveller from the coast will feel grateful for +the milk it furnished after being so long deprived of it, will be +kept in mind as a most remarkable place for earwigs. In my tent +they might be counted by thousands; in my slung cot they were +by hundreds; on my clothes they were by fifties; on my neck +and head they were by scores. The several plagues of locusts, +fleas, and lice sink into utter insignificance compared with this +fearful one of earwigs. It is true they did not bite, and they +did not irritate the cuticle, but what their presence and numbers +suggested was something so horrible that it drove one nearly +insane to think of it. Who will come to East Africa without +reading the experiences of Burton and Speke? Who is he that +having read them will not remember with horror the dreadful +account given by Speke of his encounters with these pests? +My intense nervous watchfulness alone, I believe, saved me +from a like calamity. + +Second to the earwigs in importance and in numbers were the white +ants, whose powers of destructiveness were simply awful. Mats, +cloth, portmanteaus, clothes, in short, every article I possessed, +seemed on the verge of destruction, and, as I witnessed their +voracity, I felt anxious lest my tent should be devoured while +I slept. This was the first khambi since leaving the coast where +their presence became a matter of anxiety; at all other camping +places hitherto the red and black ants had usurped our attention, +but at Mpwapwa the red species were not seen, while the black +were also very scarce. + +After a three days' halt at Mpwapwa I decided of a march to +Marenga Mkali, which should be uninterrupted until we reached Mvumi +in Ugogo, where I should be inducted into the art of paying tribute +to the Wagogo chiefs. The first march to Kisokweh was purposely +made short, being barely four miles, in order to enable Sheikh +Thani, Sheikh Hamed, and five or six Wasawahili caravans to come +up with me at Chunyo on the confines of Marenga Mkali. + + + +CHAPTER VII. MARENGA MKALI, UGOGO, AND UYANZI, TO UNYANYEMBE. + +Mortality amongst the baggage animals.--The contumacious Wagogo-- +Mobs of Maenads.--Tribute paying.--Necessity of prudence.--Oration +of the guide.--The genuine "Ugogians."--Vituperative power.--A +surprised chief.--The famous Mizanza.--Killing hyaenas.--The Greeks +and Romans of Africa.--A critical moment.--The "elephant's back."-- +The wilderness of Ukimbu.--End of the first stage of the search.-- +Arrival at Unyanyembe. + + +The 22nd of May saw Thani and Hamed's caravans united with my own +at Chunyo, three and a half hours' march from Mpwapwa. The road +from the latter place ran along the skirts of the Mpwapwa range; +at three or four places it crossed outlying spurs that stood +isolated from the main body of the range. The last of these hill +spurs, joined by an elevated cross ridge to the Mpwapwa, shelters +the tembe of Chunyo, situated on the western face, from the stormy +gusts that come roaring down the steep slopes. The water of Chunyo +is eminently bad, in fact it is its saline-nitrous nature which has +given the name Marenga Mkali--bitter water--to the wilderness which +separates Usagara from Ugogo. Though extremely offensive to the +palate, Arabs and the natives drink it without fear, and without +any bad results; but they are careful to withhold their baggage +animals from the pits. Being ignorant of its nature, and not +exactly understanding what precise location was meant by Marenga +Mkali, I permitted the donkeys to be taken to water, as usual +after a march; and the consequence was calamitous in the extreme. +What the fearful swamp of Makata had spared, the waters of +Marenga Mkali destroyed. In less than five days after our +departure from Chunyo or Marenga Mali, five out of the nine donkeys +left to me at the time--the five healthiest animals--fell victims. + +We formed quite an imposing caravan as we emerged from inhospitable +Chunyo, in number amounting to about four hundred souls. We were +strong in guns, flags, horns, sounding drums and noise. To Sheikh +Hamed, by permission of Sheikh Thani, and myself was allotted the +task of guiding and leading this great caravan through dreaded +Ugogo; which was a most unhappy selection, as will be seen +hereafter. + +Marenga Mali, over thirty miles across, was at last before us. +This distance had to be traversed within thirty-six hours, so that +the fatigue of the ordinary march would be more than doubled by this. +From Chunyo to Ugogo not one drop of water was to be found. As a +large caravan, say over two hundred souls, seldom travels over one +and three-quarter miles per hour, a march of thirty miles would +require seventeen hours of endurance without water and but little +rest. East Africa generally possessing unlimited quantities of +water, caravans have not been compelled for lack of the element +to have recourse to the mushok of India and the khirbeh of Egypt. +Being able to cross the waterless districts by a couple of long +marches, they content themselves for the time with a small gourdful, +and with keeping their imaginations dwelling upon the copious +quantities they will drink upon arrival at the watering-place. + +The march through this waterless district was most monotonous, +and a dangerous fever attacked me, which seemed to eat into my very +vitals. The wonders of Africa that bodied themselves forth in the +shape of flocks of zebras, giraffes, elands, or antelopes, +galloping over the jungleless plain, had no charm for me; nor +could they serve to draw my attention from the severe fit of +sickness which possessed me. Towards the end of the first march +I was not able to sit upon the donkey's back; nor would it do, +when but a third of the way across the wilderness, to halt until +the next day; soldiers were therefore detailed to carry me in a +hammock, and, when the terekeza was performed in the afternoon, +I lay in a lethargic state, unconscious of all things. With the +night passed the fever, and, at 3 o'clock in the morning, when the +march was resumed, I was booted and spurred, and the recognized +mtongi of my caravan once more. At 8 A.M. we had performed the +thirty-two miles. The wilderness of Marenga Mkali had been passed +and we had entered Ugogo, which was at once a dreaded land to my +caravan, and a Land of Promise to myself. + +The transition from the wilderness into this Promised Land was +very gradual and easy. Very slowly the jungle thinned, the cleared +land was a long time appearing, and when it had finally appeared, +there were no signs of cultivation until we could clearly make out +the herbage and vegetation on some hill slopes to our right running +parallel with our route, then we saw timber on the hills, and broad +acreage under cultivation--and, lo! as we ascended a wave of +reddish earth covered with tall weeds and cane, but a few feet from +us, and directly across our path, were the fields of matama and +grain we had been looking for, and Ugogo had been entered an hour +before. + +The view was not such as I expected. I had imagined a plateau +several hundred feet higher than Marenga Mkali, and an expansive +view which should reveal Ugogo and its characteristics at once. +But instead, while travelling from the tall weeds which covered +the clearing which had preceded the cultivated parts, we had entered +into the depths of the taller matama stalks, and, excepting some +distant hills near Mvumi, where the Great Sultan lived--the first +of the tribe to whom we should pay tribute--the view was extremely +limited. + +However, in the neighbourhood of the first village a glimpse at +some of the peculiar features of Ugogo was obtained, and there +was a vast plain--now flat, now heaving upwards, here level as a +table, there tilted up into rugged knolls bristling with scores of +rough boulders of immense size, which lay piled one above another +as if the children of a Titanic race had been playing at +house-building. Indeed, these piles of rounded, angular, and riven +rock formed miniature hills of themselves; and appeared as if each +body had been ejected upwards by some violent agency beneath. +There was one of these in particular, near Mvumi, which was so +large, and being slightly obscured from view by the outspreading +branches of a gigantic baobab, bore such a strong resemblance to +a square tower of massive dimensions, that for a long time I +cherished the idea that I had discovered something most +interesting which had strangely escaped the notice of my +predecessors in East Africa. A nearer view dispelled the illusion, +and proved it to be a huge cube of rock, measuring about forty +feet each way. The baobabs were also particularly conspicuous on +this scene, no other kind of tree being visible in the cultivated +parts. These had probably been left for two reasons: first, want +of proper axes for felling trees of such enormous growth; +secondly, because during a famine the fruit of the baobab furnishes +a flour which, in the absence of anything better, is said to be +eatable and nourishing. + +The first words I heard in Ugogo were from a Wagogo elder, of +sturdy form, who in an indolent way tended the flocks, but showed +a marked interest in the stranger clad in white flannels, with a +Hawkes' patent cork solar topee on his head, a most unusual thing +in Ugogo, who came walking past him, and there were "Yambo, Musungu, +Yambo, bana, bana," delivered with a voice loud enough to make +itself heard a full mile away. No sooner had the greeting +been delivered than the word "Musungu" seemed to electrify his +entire village; and the people of other villages, situated at +intervals near the road, noting the excitement that reigned at +the first, also participated in the general frenzy which seemed +suddenly to have possessed them. I consider my progress from the +first village to Mvumi to have been most triumphant; for I was +accompanied by a furious mob of men, women, and children, all +almost as naked as Mother Eve when the world first dawned upon her +in the garden of Eden, fighting, quarrelling, jostling, staggering +against each other for the best view of the white man, the like of +whom was now seen for the first time in this part of Ugogo. The +cries of admiration, such as "Hi-le!" which broke often and in +confused uproar upon my ear, were not gratefully accepted, +inasmuch as I deemed many of them impertinent. A respectful +silence and more reserved behaviour would have won my esteem; +but, ye powers, who cause etiquette to be observed in Usungu,* +respectful silence, reserved behaviour, and esteem are terms +unknown in savage Ugogo. Hitherto I had compared myself to a +merchant of Bagdad travelling among the Kurds of Kurdistan, selling +his wares of Damascus silk, kefiyehs, &c.; but now I was compelled +to lower my standard, and thought myself not much better than a +monkey in a zoological collection. One of my soldiers requested +them to lessen their vociferous noise; but the evil-minded race +ordered him to shut up, as a thing unworthy to speak to the Wagogo! +When I imploringly turned to the Arabs for counsel in this strait, +old Sheikh Thani, always worldly wise, said, "Heed them not; +they are dogs who bite besides barking." +____________________ +* White man's land. +_____________________ + +At 9 A.M. we were in our boma, near Mvumi village; but here also +crowds of Wagogo came to catch a glimpse of the Musungu, whose +presence was soon made known throughout the district of Mvumi. +But two hours later I was oblivious of their endeavours to see me; +for, despite repeated doses of quinine, the mukunguru had sure hold +of me. + +The next day was a march of eight miles, from East Mvumi to West +Mvumi, where lived the Sultan of the district. The quantity and +variety of provisions which arrived at our boma did not belie the +reports respecting the productions of Ugogo. Milk, sour and sweet, +honey, beans, matama, maweri, Indian corn, ghee, pea-nuts, and a +species of bean-nut very like a large pistachio or an almond, +water-melons, pumpkins, mush-melons, and cucumbers were brought, +and readily exchanged for Merikani, Kaniki, and for the white +Merikani beads and Sami-Sami, or Sam-Sam. The trade and barter +which progressed in the camp from morning till night reminded me +of the customs existing among the Gallas and Abyssinians. +Eastward, caravans were obliged to despatch men with cloth, to +purchase from the villagers. This was unnecessary in Ugogo, where +the people voluntarily brought every vendible they possessed to +the camp. The smallest breadth of white or blue cloth became +saleable and useful in purchasing provisions--even a loin-cloth +worn threadbare. + +The day after our march was a halt. We had fixed this day for +bearing the tribute to the Great Sultan of Mvumi. Prudent and +cautious Sheikh Thani early began this important duty, the +omission of which would have been a signal for war. Hamed and +Thani sent two faithful slaves, well up to the eccentricities of +the Wagogo sultans--well spoken, having glib tongues and the real +instinct for trade as carried on amongst Orientals. They bore six +doti of cloths, viz., one doti of Dabwani Ulyah contributed by +myself, also one doti of Barsati from me, two doti Merikani Satine +from Sheikh Thani, and two doti of Kaniki from Sheikh Hamed, as a +first instalment of the tribute. The slaves were absent a full +hour, but having wasted their powers of pleading, in vain, they +returned with the demand for more, which Sheikh Thani communicated +to me in this wise: + +"Auf! this Sultan is a very bad man--a very bad man indeed; +he says, the Musungu is a great man, I call him a sultan; the +Musungu is very rich, for he has several caravans already gone +past; the Musungu must pay forty doti, and the Arabs must pay +twelve doti each, for they have rich caravans. It is of no use +for you to tell me you are all one caravan, otherwise why so many +flags and tents? Go and bring me sixty doti, with less I will +not be satisfied." + +I suggested to Sheikh Thani, upon hearing this exorbitant demand, +that had I twenty Wasungu* armed with Winchester repeating rifles, +the Sultan might be obliged to pay tribute to me; but Thani +prayed and begged me to be cautious lest angry words might +irritate the Sultan and cause him to demand a double tribute, as he +was quite capable of doing so; "and if you preferred war," said +he, "your pagazis would all desert, and leave you and your cloth +to the small mercy of the Wagogo." But I hastened to allay his +fears by telling Bombay, in his presence, that I had foreseen such +demands on the part of the Wagogo, and that having set aside one +hundred and twenty doti of honga cloths, I should not consider +myself a sufferer if the Sultan demanded and I paid forty cloths +to him; that he must therefore open the honga bale, and permit +Sheikh Thani to extract such cloths as the Sultan might like. + +Sheikh Thani, having put on the cap of consideration and joined +heads with Hamed and the faithful serviles, thought if I paid +twelve doti, out of which three should be of Ulyah+ quality, +that the Sultan might possibly condescend to accept our tribute; +supposing he was persuaded by the oratorical words of the "Faithfuls," +that the Musungu had nothing with him but the mashiwa (boat), +which would be of no use to him, come what might,--with which +prudent suggestion the Musungu concurred, seeing its wisdom. +______________________ +* White men. ++ Best, or superior. +_____________________ + +The slaves departed, bearing this time from our boma thirty doti, +with our best wishes for their success. In an hour they returned +with empty hands, but yet unsuccessful. The Sultan demanded six +doti of Merikani, and a fundo of bubu, from the Musungu; and from +the Arabs and other caravans, twelve doti more. For the third time +the slaves departed for the Sultan's tembe, carrying with them six +doti Merikani and a fundo of bubu from myself, and ten doti from +the Arabs. Again they returned to us with the Sultan's words, +"That, as the doti of the Musungu were short measure, and the cloths +of the Arabs of miserable quality, the Musungu must send three doti +full measure, and the Arabs five doti of Kaniki." My three doti +were at once measured out with the longest fore-arm--according +to Kigogo measure--and sent off by Bombay; but the Arabs, almost +in despair, declared they would be ruined if they gave way to such +demands, and out of the five doti demanded sent only two, with a +pleading to the Sultan that he would consider what was paid as +just and fair Muhongo, and not ask any more. But the Sultan of +Mvumi was by no means disposed to consider any such proposition, +but declared he must have three doti, and these to be two of Ulyah +cloth, and one Kitambi Barsati, which, as he was determined to +obtain, were sent to him heavy with the deep maledictions of +Sheikh Hamed and the despairing sighs of sheikh Thani. + +Altogether the sultanship of a district in Ugogo must be very +remunerative, besides being a delightful sinecure, so long as the +Sultan has to deal with timid Arab merchants who fear to exhibit +anything approaching to independence and self-reliance, lest they +might be mulcted in cloth. In one day from one camp the sultan +received forty-seven doti, consisting of Merikani, Kaniki, Barsati, +and Dabwani, equal to $35.25, besides seven doti of superior +cloths, consisting of Rehani, Sohari, and Daobwani Ulyah, and one +fundo of Bubu, equal to $14.00, making a total of $49.25--a most +handsome revenue for a Mgogo chief. + +On the 27th May we gladly shook the dust of Mvumi from our feet, +and continued on our route--ever westward. Five of my donkeys had +died the night before, from the effects of the water of Marenga +Mkali. Before leaving the camp of Mvumi, I went to look at their +carcases; but found them to have been clean picked by the +hyaenas, and the bones taken possession of by an army of +white-necked crows. + +As we passed the numerous villages, and perceived the entire face +of the land to be one vast field of grain, and counted the people +halted by scores on the roadside to feast their eyes with a greedy +stare on the Musungu, I no longer wondered at the extortionate +demands of the Wagogo. For it was manifest that they had but to +stretch out their hands to possess whatever the wealth of a caravan +consisted of; and I began to think better of the people who, +knowing well their strength, did not use it--of people who were +intellectual enough to comprehend that their interest lay in +permitting the caravans to pass on without attempting any outrage. + +Between Mvumi and the nest Sultan's district, that of Matamburu, +I counted no less than twenty-five villages, scattered over the +clayey, coloured plain. Despite the inhospitable nature of +the plain, it was better cultivated than any part of any other +country we had seen since leaving Bagamoyo. + +When we had at last arrived at our boma of Matamburu, the same +groups of curious people, the same eager looks, the same +exclamations of surprise, the same, peals of laughter, at something +they deemed ludicrous in the Musungu's dress or manner, awaited +us, as at Mvumi. The Arabs being "Wakonongo" travellers, whom +they saw every day, enjoyed a complete immunity from the +vexations which we had to endure. + +The Sultan of Matamburu, a man of herculean form, and massive +head well set on shoulders that might vie with those of Milo, +proved to be a very reasonable person. Not quite so powerful as +the Sultan of Mvumi, he yet owned a fair share of Ugogo and about +forty villages, and could, if he chose, have oppressed the +mercantile souls of my Arab companions, in the same way as he of +Mvumi. Four doti of cloth were taken to him as a preliminary +offering to his greatness, which he said he would accept, if the +Arabs and Musungu would send him four more. As his demands were so +reasonable, this little affair was soon terminated to everybody's +satisfaction; and soon after, the kirangozi of Sheikh Hamed +sounded the signal for the morrow's march. + +At the orders of the same Sheikh, the kirangozi stood up to speak +before the assembled caravans. "Words, words, from the Bana," he +shouted. "Give ear, kirangozis! Listen, children of Unyamwezi! +The journey is for to-morrow! The road is crooked and bad, bad! +The jungle is there, and many Wagogo lie hidden within it! +Wagogo spear the pagazis, and cut the throats of those who carry +mutumba (bales) and ushanga (beads)! The Wagogo have been to our +camp, they have seen your bales; to-night they seek the jungle: +to-morrow watch well, O Wanyamwezi! Keep close together, lag not +behind! Kirangozis walk slow, that the weak, the sick, and the +young may keep up with the strong! Take two rests on the journey! +These are the words of the Bana (master). Do you hear them, +Wanyamwezi? (A loud shout in the affirmative from all.) Do you +understand them well? (another chorus); then Bas;" having said +which, the eloquent kirangozi retired into the dark night, and +his straw hut. + +The march to Bihawana, our next camp, was rugged and long, through +a continuous jungle of gums and thorns, up steep hills and finally +over a fervid plain, while the sun waxed hotter and hotter as it +drew near the meridian, until it seemed to scorch all vitality +from inanimate nature, while the view was one white blaze, +unbearable to the pained sight, which sought relief from the glare +in vain. Several sandy watercourses, on which were impressed many +a trail of elephants, were also passed on this march. The slope of +these stream-beds trended south-east and south. + +In the middle of this scorching plain stood the villages of +Bihawana, almost undistinguishable, from the extreme lowness of +the huts, which did not reach the height of the tall bleached grass +which stood smoking in the untempered heat. + +Our camp was in a large boma, about a quarter of a mile from the +Sultan's tembe. Soon after arriving at the camp, I was visited by +three Wagogo, who asked me if I had seen a Mgogo on the road with a +woman and child. I was about to answer, very innocently, "Yes," +when Mabruki--cautious and watchful always for the interests of the +master--requested me not to answer, as the Wagogo, as customary, +would charge me with having done away with them, and would require +their price from me. Indignant at the imposition they were about +to practise upon me, I was about to raise my whip to flog them out +of the camp, when again Mabruki, with a roaring voice, bade me +beware, for every blow would cost me three or four doti of cloth. +As I did not care to gratify my anger at such an expense, I was +compelled to swallow my wrath, and consequently the Wagogo +escaped chastisement. + +We halted for one day at this place, which was a great relief to +me, as I was suffering severely from intermittent fever, which +lasted in this case two weeks, and entirely prevented my posting +my diary in full, as was my custom every evening after a march. + +The Sultan of Bihawana, though his subjects were evil-disposed, and +ready-handed at theft and murder, contented himself with three doti +as honga. From this chief I received news of my fourth caravan, +which had distinguished itself in a fight with some outlawed +subjects of his; my soldiers had killed two who had attempted, +after waylaying a couple of my pagazis, to carry away a bale of +cloth and a bag of beads; coming up in time, the soldiers +decisively frustrated the attempt. The Sultan thought that if all +caravans were as well guarded as mine were, there would be less +depredations committed on them while on the road; with which I +heartily agreed. + +The next sultan's tembe through whose territory we marched, this +being on the 30th May, was at Kididimo, but four miles from Bihawna. +The road led through a flat elongated plain, lying between two +lengthy hilly ridges, thickly dotted with the giant forms of the +baobab. Kididimo is exceedingly bleak in aspect. Even the faces +of the Wagogo seemed to have contracted a bleak hue from the general +bleakness around. The water of the pits obtained in the +neighbourhood had an execrable flavor, and two donkeys sickened and +died in less than an hour from its effects. Man suffered nausea +and a general irritability of the system, and accordingly revenged +himself by cursing the country and its imbecile ruler most heartily. +The climax came, however, when Bombay reported, after an attempt to +settle the Muhongo, that the chief's head had grown big since he +heard that the Musungu had come, and that its "bigness" could not +be reduced unless he could extract ten doti as tribute. Though +the demand was large, I was not in a humour--being feeble, and +almost nerveless, from repeated attacks of the Mukunguru--to +dispute the sum: consequently it was paid without many words. +But the Arabs continued the whole afternoon negotiating, and at +the end had to pay eight doti each. + +Between Kididimo and Nyambwa, the district of the Sultan Pembera +Pereh, was a broad and lengthy forest and jungle inhabited by the +elephant, rhinoceros, zebra, deer, antelope, and giraffe. Starting +at dawn of the 31st; we entered the jungle, whose dark lines and +bosky banks were clearly visible from our bower at Kididimo; +and, travelling for two hours, halted for rest and breakfast, at +pools of sweet water surrounded by tracts of vivid green verdure, +which were a great resort for the wild animals of the jungle, whose +tracks were numerous and recent. A narrow nullah, shaded deeply +with foliage, afforded excellent retreats from the glaring +sunshine. At meridian, our thirst quenched, our hunger satisfied, +our gourds refilled, we set out from the shade into the heated blaze +of hot noon. The path serpentined in and out of jungle, and thin +forest, into open tracts of grass bleached white as stubble, into +thickets of gums and thorns, which emitted an odour as rank as a +stable; through clumps of wide-spreading mimosa and colonies of +baobab, through a country teeming with noble game, which, though we +saw them frequently, were yet as safe from our rifles as if we had +been on the Indian Ocean. A terekeza, such as we were now making, +admits of no delay. Water we had left behind at noon: until noon +of the next day not a drop was to be obtained; and unless we +marched fast and long on this day, raging thirst would demoralize +everybody. So for six long weary hours we toiled bravely; and at +sunset we camped, and still a march of two hours, to be done before +the sun was an hour high, intervened between us and our camp at +Nyambwa. That night the men bivouacked under the trees, surrounded +by many miles of dense forest, enjoying the cool night unprotected +by hat or tent, while I groaned and tossed throughout the night in +a paroxysm of fever. + +The morn came; and, while it was yet young, the long caravan, or +string of caravans, was under way. It was the same forest, +admitting, on the narrow line which we threaded, but one man at a +time. Its view was as limited. To our right and left the forest +was dark and deep. Above was a riband of glassy sky flecked by +the floating nimbus. We heard nothing save a few stray notes from +a flying bird, or the din of the caravans as the men sang, or +hummed, or conversed, or shouted, as the thought struck them that +we were nearing water. One of my pagazis, wearied and sick, fell, +and never rose again. The last of the caravan passed him before +he died. + +At 7 A.M. we were encamped at Nyambwa, drinking the excellent +water found here with the avidity of thirsty camels. Extensive +fields of grain had heralded the neighbourhood of the villages, +at the sight of which we were conscious that the caravan was +quickening its pace, as approaching its halting-place. As the +Wasungu drew within the populated area, crowds of Wagogo used their +utmost haste to see them before they passed by. Young and old of +both genders pressed about us in a multitude--a very howling mob. +This excessive demonstrativeness elicited from my sailor overseer +the characteristic remark, " Well, I declare, these must be the +genuine Ugogians, for they stare! stare--there is no end to their +staring. I'm almost tempted to slap 'em in the face!" In fact, +the conduct of the Wagogo of Nyambwa was an exaggeration of the +general conduct of Wagogo. Hitherto, those we had met had +contented themselves with staring and shouting; but these outstepped +all bounds, and my growing anger at their excessive insolence +vented itself in gripping the rowdiest of them by the neck, and +before he could recover from his astonishment administering a sound +thrashing with my dog-whip, which he little relished. This +proceeding educed from the tribe of starers all their native power +of vituperation and abuse, in expressing which they were peculiar. +Approaching in manner to angry tom-cats, they jerked their words +with something of a splitting hiss and a half bark. The ejaculation, +as near as I can spell it phonetically, was "hahcht" uttered in a +shrill crescendo tone. They paced backwards and forwards, asking +themselves, "Are the Wagoga to be beaten like slaves by this Musungu? +A Mgogo is a Mgwana (a free man); he is not used to be beaten,-- +hahcht." But whenever I made motion, flourishing my whip, +towards them, these mighty braggarts found it convenient to move +to respectable distances from the irritated Musungu. + +Perceiving that a little manliness and show of power was something +which the Wagogo long needed, and that in this instance it relieved +me from annoyance, I had recourse to my whip, whose long lash +cracked like a pistol shot, whenever they overstepped moderation. +So long as they continued to confine their obtrusiveness to +staring, and communicating to each other their opinions respecting +my complexion, and dress, and accoutrements, I philosophically +resigned myself in silence for their amusement; but when they +pressed on me, barely allowing me to proceed, a few vigorous and +rapid slashes right and left with my serviceable thong, soon +cleared the track. + +Pembera Pereh is a queer old man, very small, and would be very +insignificant were he not the greatest sultan in Ugogo; and +enjoying a sort of dimediate power over many other tribes. +Though such an important chief, he is the meanest dressed of +his subjects,--is always filthy,--ever greasy--eternally foul +about the mouth; but these are mere eccentricities: as a wise +judge, he is without parallel, always has a dodge ever ready for +the abstraction of cloth from the spiritless Arab merchants, who +trade with Unyanyembe every year; and disposes with ease of a +judicial case which would overtask ordinary men. + +Sheikh Hamed, who was elected guider of the united caravans now +travelling through Ugogo, was of such a fragile and small make, +that he might be taken for an imitation of his famous prototype +"Dapper." Being of such dimensions, what he lacked for weight +and size he made up by activity. No sooner had he arrived in +camp than his trim dapper form was seen frisking about from side +to side of the great boma, fidgeting, arranging, disturbing +everything and everybody. He permitted no bales or packs to be +intermingled, or to come into too close proximity to his own; +he had a favourite mode of stacking his goods, which he would +see carried out; he had a special eye for the best place for +his tent, and no one else must trespass on that ground. One +would imagine that walking ten or fifteen miles a day, he would +leave such trivialities to his servants, but no, nothing could +be right unless he had personally superintended it; in which +work he was tireless and knew no fatigue. + +Another not uncommon peculiarity pertained to Sheikh Hamed; as +he was not a rich man, he laboured hard to make the most of every +shukka and doti expended, and each fresh expenditure seemed to +gnaw his very vitals: he was ready to weep, as he himself +expressed it, at the high prices of Ugogo, and the extortionate +demands of its sultans. For this reason, being the leader of +the caravans, so far as he was able we were very sure not to +be delayed in Ugogo, where food was so dear. + +The day we arrived at Nyambwa will be remembered by Hamed as long +as he lives, for the trouble and vexation which he suffered. His +misfortunes arose from the fact that, being too busily engaged in +fidgeting about the camp, he permitted his donkeys to stray into +the matama fields of Pembera Pereh, the Sultan. For hours he and +his servants sought for the stray donkeys, returning towards +evening utterly unsuccessful, Hamed bewailing, as only an +Oriental can do, when hard fate visits him with its inflictions, +the loss of a hundred do dollars worth of Muscat donkeys. +Sheikh Thani, older, more experienced, and wiser, suggested to +him that he should notify the Sultan of his loss. Acting upon +the sagacious advice, Hamed sent an embassy of two slaves, and +the information they brought back was, that Pembera Pereh's +servants had found the two donkeys eating the unripened matama, +and that unless the Arab who owned them would pay nine doti of +first-class cloths, he, Pembera Pereh, would surely keep them +to remunerate him for the matama they had eaten. Hamed was +in despair. Nine doti of first-class cloths, worth $25 in +Unyanyembe, for half a chukka's worth of grain, was, as he thought, +an absurd demand; but then if he did not pay it, what would +become of the hundred dollars' worth of donkeys? He proceeded to +the Sultan to show him the absurdity of the damage claim, and to +endeavour to make him accept one chukka, which would be more than +double the worth of what grain the donkeys had consumed. But the +Sultan was sitting on pombe; he was drunk, which I believe to be +his normal state--too drunk to attend to business, consequently his +deputy, a renegade Mnyamwezi, gave ear to the business. With most +of the Wagogo chiefs lives a Mnyamwezi, as their right-hand man, +prime minister, counsellor, executioner, ready man at all things +save the general good; a sort of harlequin Unyamwezi, who is such +an intriguing, restless, unsatisfied person, that as soon as one +hears that this kind of man forms one of and the chief of a Mgogo +sultan's council, one feels very much tempted to do damage to his +person. Most of the extortions practised upon the Arabs are +suggested by these crafty renegades. Sheikh Hamed found that +the Mnyamwezi was far more obdurate than the Sultan--nothing under +nine doti first-class cloths would redeem the donkeys. The +business that day remained unsettled, and the night following +was, as one may imagine, a very sleepless one to Hamed. As it +turned out, however, the loss of the donkeys, the after heavy fine, +and the sleepless night, proved to be blessings in disguise; for, +towards midnight, a robber Mgogo visited his camp, and while +attempting to steal a bale of cloth, was detected in the act +by the wide-awake and irritated Arab, and was made to vanish +instantly with a bullet whistling in close proximity to his ear. + +From each of the principals of the caravans, the Mnyamwezi had +received as tribute for his drunken master fifteen doti, and from +the other six caravans six doti each, altogether fifty-one doti, +yet on the next morning when we took the road he was not a whit +disposed to deduct a single cloth from the fine imposed on Hamed, +and the unfortunate Sheikh was therefore obliged to liquidate the +claim, or leave his donkeys behind. + +After travelling through the corn-fields of Pembera Pereh we +emerged upon a broad flat plain, as level as the still surface of +a pond, whence the salt of the Wagogo is obtained. From Kanyenyi +on the southern road, to beyond the confines of Uhumba and Ubanarama, +this saline field extends, containing many large ponds of salt +bitter water whose low banks are covered with an effervescence +partaking of the nature of nitrate. Subsequently, two days +afterwards, having ascended the elevated ridge which separates +Ugogo from Uyanzi, I obtained a view of this immense saline plain, +embracing over a hundred square miles. I may have been deceived, +but I imagined I saw large expanses of greyish-blue water, +which causes me to believe that this salina is but a corner of a +great salt lake. The Wahumba, who are numerous, from Nyambwa to +the Uyanzi border, informed my soldiers that there was a "Maji +Kuba" away to the north. + +Mizanza, our next camp after Nyambwa, is situated in a grove of +palms, about thirteen miles from the latter place. Soon after +arriving I had to bury myself under blankets, plagued with the +same intermittent fever which first attacked me during the transit +of Marenga Mkali. Feeling certain that one day's halt, which would +enable me to take regular doses of the invaluable sulphate of +quinine, would cure me, I requested Sheikh Thani to tell Hamed to +halt on the morrow, as I should be utterly unable to continue thus +long, under repeated attacks of a virulent disease which was fast +reducing me into a mere frame of skin and bone. Hamed, in a hurry +to arrive at Unyanyembe in order to dispose of his cloth before +other caravans appeared in the market, replied at first that he +would not, that he could not, stop for the Musungu. Upon Thani's +reporting his answer to me, I requested him to inform Hamed that, +as the Musungu did not wish to detain him, or any other caravan, +it was his express wish that Hamed would march and leave him, +as he was quite strong enough in guns to march through Ugogo +alone. Whatever cause modified the Sheikh's resolution and his +anxiety to depart, Hamed's horn signal for the march was not +heard that night, and on the morrow he had not gone. + +Early in the morning I commenced on my quinine doses; at 6 A.M. +I took a second dose; before noon I had taken four more-- +altogether, fifty measured grains-the effect of which was +manifest in the copious perspiration which drenched flannels, +linen, and blankets. After noon I arose, devoutly thankful +that the disease which had clung to me for the last fourteen +days had at last succumbed to quinine. + +On this day the lofty tent, and the American flag which ever flew +from the centre pole, attracted the Sultan of Mizanza towards it, +and was the cause of a visit with which he honoured me. As he was +notorious among the Arabs for having assisted Manwa Sera in his war +against Sheikh Sny bin Amer, high eulogies upon whom have been +written by Burton, and subsequently by Speke, and as he was the +second most powerful chief in Ugogo, of course he was quite a +curiosity to me. As the tent-door was uplifted that he might +enter, the ancient gentleman was so struck with astonishment at +the lofty apex, and internal arrangements, that the greasy Barsati +cloth which formed his sole and only protection against the chills +of night and the heat of noon, in a fit of abstraction was +permitted to fall down to his feet, exposing to the Musungu's +unhallowed gaze the sad and aged wreck of what must once have been +a towering form. His son, a youth of about fifteen, attentive to +the infirmities of his father, hastened with filial duty to remind +him of his condition, upon which, with an idiotic titter at the +incident, he resumed his scanty apparel and sat down to wonder and +gibber out his admiration at the tent and the strange things which +formed the Musungu's personal baggage and furniture. After gazing +in stupid wonder at the table, on which was placed some crockery +and the few books I carried with me; at the slung hammock, which +he believed was suspended by some magical contrivance; at the +portmanteaus which contained my stock of clothes, he ejaculated, +"Hi-le! the Musungu is a great sultan, who has come from his +country to see Ugogo." He then noticed me, and was again wonder- +struck at my pale complexion and straight hair, and the question +now propounded was, "How on earth was I white when the sun had +burned his people's skins into blackness?" Whereupon he was +shown my cork topee, which he tried on his woolly head, much +to his own and to our amusement. The guns were next shown to +him; the wonderful repeating rifle of the Winchester Company, +which was fired thirteen times in rapid succession to demonstrate +its remarkable murderous powers. If he was astonished before +he was a thousand times more so now, and expressed his belief +that the Wagogo could not stand before the Musungu in battle, +for wherever a Mgogo was seen such a gun would surely kill him. +Then the other firearms were brought forth, each with its +peculiar mechanism explained, until, in, a burst of enthusiasm +at my riches and power, he said he would send me a sheep or goat, +and that he would be my brother. I thanked him for the honour, +and promised to accept whatever he was pleased to send me. At +the instigation of Sheikh Thani, who acted as interpreter, who +said that Wagogo chiefs must not depart with empty hands, I cut +off a shukka of Kaniki and presented it to him, which, after +being examined and measured, was refused upon the ground that, +the Musungu being a great sultan should not demean himself so much +as to give him only a shukka. This, after the twelve doti +received as muhongo from the caravans, I thought, was rather +sore; but as he was about to present me with a sheep or goat +another shukka would not matter much. + +Shortly after he departed, and true to his promise, I received +a large, fine sheep, with a broad tail, heavy with fat; but with +the words, :"That being now his brother, I must send him three +doti of good cloth." As the price of a sheep is but a doti and +a half, I refused the sheep and the fraternal honour, upon the +ground that the gifts were all on one side; and that, as I had +paid muhongo, and given him a doti of Kaniki as a present, I +could not, afford to part with any more cloth without an +adequate return. + +During the afternoon one more of my donkeys died, and at night the +hyaenas came in great numbers to feast upon the carcase. Ulimengo, +the chasseur, and best shot of my Wangwana, stole out and succeeded +in shooting two, which turned out to be some of the largest of +their kind.. One of them measured six feet from the tip of the +nose to the extremity of the tail, and three feet around the +girth. + +On the 4th. June we struck camp, and after travelling westward for +about three miles, passing several ponds of salt water, we headed +north by west, skirting the range of low hills which separates +Ugogo from Uyanzi. + +After a three hours' march, we halted for a short time at Little +Mukondoku, to settle tribute with the brother of him who rules at +Mukondoku Proper. Three doti satisfied the Sultan, whose +district contains but two villages, mostly occupied by pastoral +Wahumba and renegade Wahehe. The Wahumba live in plastered +(cow-dung) cone huts, shaped like the tartar tents of Turkestan. + +The Wahumba, so far as I have seen them, are a fine and well-formed +race. The men are positively handsome, tall, with small heads, +the posterior parts of which project considerably. One will look +in vain for a thick lip or a flat nose amongst them; on the +contrary, the mouth is exceedingly well cut, delicately small; +the nose is that of the Greeks, and so universal was the peculiar +feature, that I at once named them the Greeks of Africa. Their +lower limbs have not the heaviness of the Wagogo and other tribes, +but are long and shapely, clean as those of an antelope. Their +necks are long and slender, on which their small heads are poised +most gracefully. Athletes from their youth, shepherd bred, and +intermarrying among themselves, thus keeping the race pure, any +of them would form a fit subject for the sculptor who would wish +to immortalize in marble an Antinous, a Hylas, a Daphnis, or an +Apollo. The women are as beautiful as the men are handsome. +They have clear ebon skins, not coal-black, but of an inky hue. +Their ornaments consist of spiral rings of brass pendent from the +ears, brass ring collars about the necks, and a spiral cincture +of brass wire about their loins for the purpose of retaining +their calf and goat skins, which are folded about their bodies, +and, depending from the shoulder, shade one half of the bosom, +and fall to the knees. + +The Wahehe may be styled the Romans of Africa. Resuming our +march, after a halt of an hour, in foul hours more we arrived at +Mukondoku Proper. This extremity of Ugogo is most populous, The +villages which surround the central tembe, where the Sultan Swaruru +lives, amount to thirty-six. The people who flocked from these to +see the wonderful men whose faces were white, who wore the most +wonderful things on their persons, and possessed the most wonderful +weapons; guns which "bum-bummed" as fast as you could count on +your fingers, formed such a mob of howling savages, that I for an +instant thought there was something besides mere curiosity which +caused such commotion, and attracted such numbers to the roadside. +Halting, I asked what was the matter, and what they wanted, and +why they made such noise? One burly rascal, taking my words for +a declaration of hostilities, promptly drew his bow, but as +prompt as he had fixed his arrow my faithful Winchester with +thirteen shots in the magazine was ready and at the shoulder, +and but waited to see the arrow fly to pour the leaden messengers +of death into the crowd. But the crowd vanished as quickly as +they had come, leaving the burly Thersites, and two or three +irresolute fellows of his tribe, standing within pistol range +of my levelled rifle. Such a sudden dispersion of the mob which, +but a moment before, was overwhelming in numbers, caused me to +lower my rifle, and to indulge in a hearty laugh at the disgraceful +flight of the men-destroyers. The Arabs, who were as much +alarmed at their boisterous obtrusiveness, now came up to patch +a truce, in which they succeeded to everybody's satisfaction. +A few words of explanation, and the mob came back in greater +numbers than before; and the Thersites who had been the cause +of the momentary disturbance was obliged to retire abashed +before the pressure of public opinion. A chief now came up, +whom I afterwards learned was the second man to Swaruru, and +lectured the people upon their treatment of the "White Stranger." + +"Know ye not, Wagogo," shouted he, "that this Musungu is a +sultan (mtemi--a most high title). He has not come to Ugogo +like the Wakonongo (Arabs), to trade in ivory, but to see us, +and give presents. Why do you molest him and his people? +Let them pass in peace. If you wish to see him, draw near, +but do not mock him. The first of you who creates a disturbance, +let him beware; our great mtemi shall know how you treat his +friends." This little bit of oratorical effort on the part of +the chief was translated to me there and then by the old Sheik +Thani; which having understood, I bade the Sheikh inform the +chief that, after I had rested, I should like him to visit me +in my tent. + +Having arrived at the khambi, which always surrounds some great +baobab in Ugogo, at the distance of about half a mile from the +tembe of the Sultan, the Wagogo pressed in such great numbers to +the camp that Sheikh Thani resolved to make an effort to stop or +mitigate the nuisance. Dressing himself in his best clothes, he +went to appeal to the Sultan for protection against his people. +The Sultan was very much inebriated, and was pleased to say, +"What is it you want, you thief? You have come to steal my +ivory or my cloth. Go away, thief!" But the sensible chief, +whose voice had just been heard reproaching the people for their +treatment of the Wasungu, beckoned to Thani to come out of the +tembe, and then proceeded with him towards the khambi. + +The camp was in a great uproar; the curious Wagogo monopolized +almost every foot of ground; there was no room to turn anywhere. +The Wanyamwezi were quarreling with the Wagogo, the Wasawahili +servants were clamoring loud that the Wagogo pressed down their +tents, and that the property of the masters was in danger; while +I, busy on my diary within my tent, cared not how great was the +noise and confusion outside as long as it confined itself to the +Wagogo, Wanyamwezi, and Wangwana. + +The presence of the chief in the camp was followed by a deep +silence that I was prevailed upon to go outside to see what had +caused it. The chief's words were few, and to the point. He said, +"To your tembes, Wagogo--to your tembes! Why, do you come to +trouble the Wakonongo: What have you to do with them? To +your tembes: go! Each Mgogo found in the khambi without meal, +without cattle to sell, shall pay to the mtemi cloth or cows. +Away with you!" Saying which, he snatched up a stick and drove the +hundreds out of the khambi, who were as obedient to him as so many +children. During the two days we halted at Mukondoku we saw no +more of the mob, and there was peace. + +The muhongo of the Sultan Swaruru was settled with few words. The +chief who acted for the Sultan as his prime minister having been +"made glad" with a doti of Rehani Ulyah from me, accepted the usual +tribute of six doti, only one of which was of first-class cloth. + +There remained but one more sultan to whom muhongo must be paid +after Mukondoku, and this was the Sultan of Kiwyeh, whose +reputation was so bad that owners of property who had control over +their pagazis seldom passed by Kiwyeh, preferring the hardships of +long marches through the wilderness to the rudeness and exorbitant +demands of the chief of Kiwyeh. But the pagazis, on whom no burden +or responsibility fell save that of carrying their loads, who +could use their legs and show clean heels in the case of a hostile +outbreak, preferred the march to Kiwyeh to enduring thirst and the +fatigue of a terekeza. Often the preference of the pagazis won the +day, when their employers were timid, irresolute men, like Sheikh +Hamed. + +The 7th of June was the day fixed for our departure from Mukondoku, +so the day before, the Arabs came to my tent to counsel with me +as to the route we should adopt. On calling together the kirangozis +of the respective caravans and veteran Wanyamwezi pagazis, we +learned there were three roads leading from Mukondoku to Uyanzi. +The first was the southern road, and the one generally adopted, +for the reasons already stated, and led by Kiwyeh. To this +Hamed raised objections. "The Sultan was bad," he said; "he +sometimes charged a caravan twenty doti; our caravan would +have to pay about sixty doti. The Kiwyeh road would not do at +all. Besides," he added, "we have to make a terekeza to reach +Kiwyeh, and then we will not reach it before the day after +to-morrow." The second was the central road. We should arrive +at Munieka on the morrow; the day after would be a terekeza from +Mabunguru Nullah to a camp near Unyambogi; two hours the next +day would bring us to Kiti, where there was plenty of water and +food. As neither of the kirangozis or Arabs knew this road, and +its description came from one of my ancient pagazis, Hamed said he +did not like to trust the guidance of such a large caravan in the +hands of an old Mnyamwezi, and would therefore prefer to hear about +the third road, before rendering his decision. The third road was +the northern. It led past numerous villages of the Wagogo for the +first two hours; then we should strike a jungle; and a three +hours' march would then bring us to Simbo, where there was water, +but no village. Starting early next morning, we would travel six +hours when we would arrive at a pool of water. Here taking a short +rest, an afternoon march of five hours would bring us within three +hours of another village. As this last road was known to many, +Hamed said, "Sheikh Thani, tell the Sahib that I think this is the +best road." Sheikh Thani was told, after he had informed me that, +as I had marched with them through Ugogo, if they decided upon +going by Simbo, my caravan would follow. + +Immediately after the discussion among the principals respecting +the merits of the several routes, arose a discussion among the +pagazis which resulted in an obstinate clamor against the Simbo +road, for its long terekeza and scant prospects of water, the +dislike to the Simbo road communicated itself to all the caravans, +and soon it was magnified by reports of a wilderness reaching from +Simbo to Kusuri, where there was neither food nor water to be +obtained. Hamed's pagazis, and those of the Arab servants, rose +in a body and declared they could not go on that march, and if +Hamed insisted upon adopting it they would put their packs down +and leave him to carry them himself. + +Hamed Kimiani, as he was styled by the Arabs, rushed up to Sheikh +Thani, and declared that he must take the Kiwyeh road, otherwise +his pagazis would all desert. Thani replied that all the roads +were the same to him, that wherever Hamed chose to go, he would +follow. They then came to my tent, and informed me of the +determination at which the Wanyamwezi had arrived. Calling my +veteran Mnyamwezi, who had given me the favourable report once +more to my tent, I bade him give a correct account of the Kiti +road. It was so favourable that my reply to Hamed was, that I +was the master of my caravan, that it was to go wherever I told +the kirangozi, not where the pagazis chose; that when I told +them to halt they must halt, and when I commanded a march, a +march should be made; and that as I fed them well and did not +overwork them, I should like to see the pagazi or soldier that +disobeyed me. "You made up your mind just now that you would take +the Simbo road, and we were agreed upon it, now your pagazis say +they will take, the Kiwyeh road, or desert. Go on the Kiwyeh road +and pay twenty doti muhongo. I and my caravan to-morrow morning +will take the Kiti road, and when you find me in Unyanyembe +one day ahead of you, you will be sorry you did not take the same +road." + +This resolution of mine had the effect of again changing the +current of Hamed's thoughts, for he instantly said, "That is the +best road after all, and as the Sahib is determined to go on it, +and we have all travelled together through the bad land of the +Wagogo, Inshallah! let us all go the same way," and Thani=-good +old man--not objecting, and Hamed having decided, they both +joyfully went out of the tent to communicate the news. + +On the 7th the caravans--apparently unanimous that the Kiti road +was to be taken--were led as usual by Hamed's kirangozi. We had +barely gone a mile before I perceived that we had left the Simbo +road, had taken the direction of Kiti, and, by a cunning detour, +were now fast approaching the defile of the mountain ridge before +us, which admitted access to the higher plateau of Kiwyeh. +Instantly halting my caravan, I summoned the veteran who had +travelled by Kiti, and asked him whether we were not going towards +Kiwyeh. He replied that we were. Calling my pagazis together, +I bade Bombay tell them that the Musuugu never changed his mind; +that as I had said my caravan should march by Kiti; to Kiti it +must go whether the Arabs followed or not. I then ordered the +veteran to take up his load and show the kirangozi the proper road +to Kiti. The Wanyamwezi pagazis put down their bales, and then +there was every indication of a mutiny. The Wangwana soldiers +were next ordered to load their guns and to flank the caravan, and +shoot the first pagazis who made an attempt to run away. +Dismounting, I seized my whip, and, advancing towards the first +pagazi who had put down his load, I motioned to him to take up his +load and march. It was unnecessary to proceed further; without +an exception, all marched away obediently after the kirangozi. +I was about bidding farewell to Thani, and Hamed, when Thani said, +"Stop a bit, Sahib; I have had enough of this child's play; I come +with you," and his caravan was turned after mine. Hamed's caravan +was by this time close to the defile, and he himself was a full +mile behind it, weeping like a child at what he was pleased to call +our desertion of him. Pitying his strait--for he was almost beside +himself as thoughts of Kiwyeh's sultan, his extortion and rudeness, +swept across his mind--I advised him to run after his caravan, +and tell it, as all the rest had taken the other road, to think +of the Sultan of Kiwyeh. Before reaching the Kiti defile I was +aware that Hamed's caravan was following us. + +The ascent of the ridge was rugged and steep, thorns of the +prickliest nature punished us severely, the _acacia horrida_ was +here more horrid than usual, the gums stretched out their branches, +and entangled the loads, the mimosa with its umbrella-like top +served to shade us from the sun, but impeded a rapid advance. +Steep outcrops of syenite and granite, worn smooth by many feet, +had to be climbed over, rugged terraces of earth and rock had to +be ascended, and distant shots resounding through the forest added +to the alarm and general discontent, and had I not been immediately +behind my caravan, watchful of every manoeuvre, my Wanyamwezi +had deserted to a man. Though the height we ascended was barely +800 feet above the salina we had just left, the ascent occupied +two hours. + +Having surmounted the plateau and the worst difficulties, we had +a fair road comparatively, which ran through jungle, forest, and +small open tracts, which in three hours more brought us to Munieka, +a small village, surrounded by a clearing richly cultivated by a +colony of subjects of Swaruru of Mukondoku. + +By the time we had arrived at camp everybody had recovered his +good humour and content except Hamed. Thani's men happened to set +his tent too close to Hamed's tree, around which his bales were +stacked. Whether the little Sheikh imagined honest old Thani +capable of stealing one is not known, but it is certain that he +stormed and raved about the near neighbourhood of his best friend's +tent, until Thani ordered its removal a hundred yards off. This +proceeding even, it seems, did not satisfy Hamed, for it was quite +midnight--as Thani said--when Hamed came, and kissing his hands +and feet, on his knees implored forgiveness, which of course Thani, +being the soul of good-nature, and as large-hearted as any man, +willingly gave. Hamed was not satisfied, however, until, with the +aid of his slaves, he had transported his friend's tent to where it +had at first been pitched. + +The water at Munieka was obtained from a deep depression in a hump +of syenite, and was as clear as crystal, and' cold as ice-water--a +luxury we had not experienced since leaving Simbamwenni. + +We were now on the borders of Uyanzi, or, as it is better known, +"Magunda Mkali "--the Hot-ground, or Hot-field. We had passed the +village populated by Wagogo, and were about to shake the dust of +Ugogo from our feet. We had entered Ugogo full of hopes, believing +it a most pleasant land--a land flowing with milk and honey. We +had been grievously disappointed; it proved to be a land of gall +and bitterness, full of trouble and vexation of spirit, where +danger was imminent at every step--where we were exposed to the +caprice of inebriated sultans. Is it a wonder, then, that all +felt happy at such a moment? With the prospect before us of +what was believed by many to be a real wilderness, our ardor +was not abated, but was rather strengthened. The wilderness +in Africa proves to be, in many instances, more friendly than +the populated country. The kirangozi blew his kudu horn much +more merrily on this morning than he was accustomed to do while +in Ugogo. We were about to enter Magunda Mkali. At 9 A.M., +three hours after leaving Munieka, and two hours since we had +left the extreme limits of Ugogo, we were halted at Mabunguru +Nullah. The Nullah runs southwesterly after leaving its source in +the chain of hills dividing Ugogo from Magunda Mkali. During the +rainy season it must be nearly impassable, owing to the excessive +slope of its bed. Traces of the force of the torrent are seen in +the syenite and basalt boulders which encumber the course. Their +rugged angles are worn smooth, and deep basins are excavated where +the bed is of the rock, which in the dry season serve as reservoirs. +Though the water contained in them has a slimy and greenish +appearance, and is well populated with frogs, it is by no means +unpalatable. + +At noon we resumed our march, the Wanyamwezi cheering, shouting, +and singing, the Wangwana soldiers, servants, and pagazis vieing +with them in volume of voice and noise-making the dim forest +through which we were now passing resonant with their voices. + +The scenery was much more picturesque than any we had yet seen +since leaving Bagamoyo. The ground rose into grander waves--hills +cropped out here and there--great castles of syenite appeared, +giving a strange and weird appearance to the forest. From a +distance it would almost seem as if we were approaching a bit of +England as it must have appeared during feudalism; the rocks +assumed such strange fantastic shapes. Now they were round +boulders raised one above another, apparently susceptible to every +breath of wind; anon, they towered like blunt-pointed obelisks, +taller than the tallest trees; again they assumed the shape of +mighty waves, vitrified; here, they were a small heap of fractured +and riven rock; there, they rose to the grandeur of hills. + +By 5 P.M. we had travelled twenty miles, and the signal was +sounded for a halt. At 1 A.M., the moon being up, Hamed's horn and +voice were heard throughout the silent camp awaking his pagazis for +the march. Evidently Sheikh Hamed was gone stark mad, otherwise +why should he be so frantic for the march at such an early hour? +The dew was falling heavily, and chilled one like frost; and an +ominous murmur of deep discontent responded to the early call on +all sides. Presuming, however, that he had obtained better +information than we had, Sheikh Thani and I resolved to be governed +as the events proved him to be right or wrong. + +As all were discontented, this night, march was performed in deep +silence. The thermometer was at 53°, we being about 4,500 feet +above the level of the sea. The pagazis, almost naked, walked +quickly in order to keep warm, and by so doing many a sore foot +was made by stumbling against obtrusive roots and rocks, and +treading on thorns. At 3 A.M. we arrived at the village of +Unyambogi, where we threw ourselves down to rest and sleep until +dawn should reveal what else was in store for the hard-dealt-with +caravans. + +It was broad daylight when I awoke; the sun was flaring his hot +beams in my face. Sheikh Thani came soon after to inform me that +Hamed had gone to Kiti two hours since; but he, when asked to +accompany him, positively refused, exclaiming against it as +folly, and utterly unnecessary. When my advice was asked by +Thani, I voted the whole thing as sheer nonsense; and, in turn, +asked him what a terekeza was for? Was it not an afternoon march +to enable caravans to reach water and food? Thani replied than it +was. I then asked him if there was no water or food to be obtained +in Unyambogi. Thani replied that he had not taken pains to +inquire, but was told by the villagers that there was an abundance +of matamia, hindi, maweri, sheep; goats, and chickens in their +village at cheap prices, such as were not known in Ugogo. + +"Well, then," said I, "if Hamed wants to be a fool, and kill his +pagazis, why should we? I have as much cause for haste as Sheikh +Hamed; but Unyanyembe is far yet, and I am not going to endanger +my property by playing the madman." + +As Thani had reported, we found an abundance of provisions at the +village, and good sweet water from some pits close by. A sheep +cost one chukka; six chickens were also purchased at that price; +six measures of matama, maweri, or hindi, were procurable for the +same sum; in short, we were coming, at last, into the land of +plenty. + +On the 10th June we arrived at Kiti after a journey of four hours +and a half, where we found the irrepressible Hamed halted in sore +trouble. He who would be a Caesar, proved to be an irresolute +Antony. He had to sorrow over the death of a favourite slave girl, +the loss of five dish-dashes (Arab shirts), silvered-sleeve and +gold-embroidered jackets, with which he had thought to enter +Unyanyembe in state, as became a merchant of his standing, which +had disappeared with three absconding servants, besides copper +trays, rice, and pilau dishes, and two bales of cloth with runaway +Wangwana pagazis. Selim, my Arab servant, asked him, "What are +you doing here, Sheikh Hamed? I thought you were well on the road +to Unyanyembe." Said he, "Could I leave Thani, my friend, behind?" + +Kiti abounded in cattle and grain, and we were able to obtain food +at easy rates. The Wakimbu, emigrants from Ukimbu, near Urori, +are a quiet race, preferring the peaceful arts of agriculture to +war; of tending their flocks to conquest. At the least rumor of +war they remove their property and family, and emigrate to the +distant wilderness, where they begin to clear the land, and to +hunt the elephant for his ivory. Yet we found them to be a fine +race, and well armed, and seemingly capable, by their numbers and +arms, to compete with any tribe. But here, as elsewhere, disunion +makes them weak. They are mere small colonies, each colony ruled +by its own chief; whereas, were they united, they might make a +very respectable front before an enemy. + +Our next destination was Msalalo, distant fifteen miles from Kiti. +Hamed, after vainly searching for his runaways and the valuable +property he had lost, followed us, and tried once more, when he +saw us encamped at Msalalo, to pass us; but his pagazis failed him, +the march having been so long. + +Welled Ngaraiso was reached on the 15th, after a three and a half +hours' march. It is a flourishing little place, where provisions +were almost twice as cheap as they were at Unyambogi. Two hours' +march south is Jiweh la Mkoa, on the old road, towards which the +road which we have been travelling since leaving Bagamoyo was now +rapidly leading. + +Unyanyembe being near, the pagazis and soldiers having behaved +excellently during the lengthy marches we had lately made, I +purchased a bullock for three doti, and had it slaughtered for +their special benefit. I also gave each a khete of red beads to +indulge his appetite for whatever little luxury the country +afforded. Milk and honey were plentiful, and three frasilah of +sweet potatoes were bought for a shukka, equal to about 40 cents of +our money. + +The 13th June brought us to the last village of Magunda Mkali, in +the district of Jiweh la Singa, after a short march of eight miles +and three-quarters. Kusuri--so called by the Arabs--is called +Konsuli by the Wakimbu who inhabit it. This is, however, but one +instance out of many where the Arabs have misnamed or corrupted +the native names of villages and districts. + +Between Ngaraiso and Kusuri we passed the village of Kirurumo, now +a thriving place, with many a thriving village near it. As we +passed it, the people came out to greet the Musungu, whose advent +had been so long heralded by his loud-mouthed caravans, and whose +soldiers had helped them win the day in a battle against their +fractious brothers of Jiweh la Mkoa. + +A little further on we came across a large khambi, occupied by +Sultan bin Mohammed, an Omani Arab of high descent, who, as soon as +he was notified of my approach, came out to welcome me, and invite +me to his khambi. As his harem lodged in his tent, of course I was +not invited thither; but a carpet outside was ready for his visitor. +After the usual questions had been asked about my health, the news +of the road, the latest from Zanzibar and Oman, he asked me if I +had much cloth with me. This was a question often asked by owners +of down caravans, and the reason of it is that the Arabs, in their +anxiety to make as much as possible of their cloth at the ivory +ports on the Tanganika and elsewhere, are liable to forget that +they should retain a portion for the down marches. As, indeed, +I had but a bale left of the quantity of cloth retained for +provisioning my party on the road, when outfitting my caravans +on the coast, I could unblushingly reply in the negative. + +I halted a day at Kusuri to give my caravan a rest, after its +long series of marches, before venturing on the two days' march +through the uninhabited wilderness that separates the district of +Jiweh la Singa Uyanzi from the district of Tura in Unyanyembe. +Hamed preceded, promising to give Sayd bin Salim notice of my +coming, and to request him to provide a tembe for me. + +On the 15th, having ascertained that Sheikh Thani would be detained +several days at Kusuri, owing to the excessive number of his people +who were laid up with that dreadful plague of East Africa, the +small-pox, I bade him farewell, and my caravan struck out of +Kusuri once more for the wilderness and the jungle. A little +before noon we halted at the Khambi of Mgongo Tembo, or the +Elephant's Back--so called from a wave of rock whose back, stained +into dark brownness by atmospheric influences, is supposed by the +natives to resemble the blue-brown back of this monster of the +forest. My caravan had quite an argument with me here, as to +whether we should make the terekeza on this day or on the next. +The majority was of the opinion that the next day would be the +best for a terekeza; but I, being the "bana," consulting my +own interests, insisted, not without a flourish or two of my +whip, that the terekeza should be made on this day. + +Mgongo Tembo, when Burton and Speke passed by, was a promising +settlement, cultivating many a fair acre of ground. But two years +ago war broke out, for some bold act of its people upon caravans, +and the Arabs came from Unyanyembe with their Wangwana servants, +attacked them, burnt the villages, and laid waste the work of +years. Since that time Mgongo Tembo has been but blackened wrecks +of houses, and the fields a sprouting jungle. + +A cluster of date palm-trees, overtopping a dense grove close to +the mtoni of Mgongo Tembo, revived my recollections of Egypt. +The banks of the stream, with their verdant foliage, presented +a strange contrast to the brown and dry appearance of the jungle +which lay on either side. + +At 1 P.M. we resumed our loads and walking staffs, and in a short +time were en route for the Ngwhalah Mtoni, distant eight and +three-quarter miles from the khambi. The sun was hot; like a +globe of living, seething flame, it flared its heat full on our +heads; then as it descended towards the west, scorched the air +before it was inhaled by the lungs which craved it. Gourds of +water were emptied speedily to quench the fierce heat that +burned the throat and lungs. One pagazi, stricken heavily with the +small-pox, succumbed, and threw himself down on the roadside to die. +We never saw him afterwards, for the progress of a caravan on a +terekeza, is something like that of a ship in a hurricane. The +caravan must proceed--woe befall him who lags behind, for hunger +and thirst will overtake him--so must a ship drive before the +fierce gale to escape foundering--woe befall him who falls +overboard! + +An abundance of water, good, sweet, and cool, was found in the bed +of the mtoni in deep stony reservoirs. Here also the traces of +furious torrents were clearly visible as at Mabunguru. + +The Nghwhalah commences in Ubanarama to the north--a country +famous for its fine breed of donkeys--and after running south, +south-south-west, crosses the Unyanyembe road, from which point +it has more of a westerly turn. + +On the 16th we arrived at Madedita, so called from a village which +was, but is now no more. Madedita is twelve and a half miles from +the Nghwhalah Mtoni. A pool of good water a few hundred yards from +the roadside is the only supply caravans can obtain, nearer than +Tura in Unyamwezi. The tsetse or chufwa-fly, as called by the +Wasawahili, stung us dreadfully, which is a sign that large game +visit the pool sometimes, but must not be mistaken for an indication +that there is any in the immediate neighbourhood of the water. +A single pool so often frequented by passing caravans, which must +of necessity halt here, could not be often visited by the animals +of the forest, who are shy in this part of Africa of the haunts +of man. + +At dawn the neat day we were on the road striding at a quicker +pace than on most days, since we were about to quit Magunda Mali +for the more populated and better land of Unyamwezi. The forest +held its own for a wearisomely long time, but at the end of two +hours it thinned, then dwarfed into low jungle, and finally +vanished altogether, and we had arrived on the soil of Unyamwezi, +with a broad plain, swelling, subsiding, and receding in lengthy +and grand undulations in our front to one indefinite horizontal +line which purpled in the far distance. The view consisted of +fields of grain ripening, which followed the contour of the plain, +and which rustled merrily before the morning breeze that came +laden with the chills of Usagara. + +At 8 A.M. we had arrived at the frontier village of Unyamwezi, +Eastern Tura, which we invaded without any regard to the +disposition of the few inhabitants who lived there. Here we +found Nondo, a runaway of Speke's, one of those who had sided +with Baraka against Bombay, who, desiring to engage himself with +me, was engaging enough to furnish honey and sherbet to his +former companions, and lastly to the pagazis. It was only a short +breathing pause we made here, having another hour's march to reach +Central Tura. + +The road from Eastern Tura led through vast fields of millet, +Indian corn, holcus sorghum, maweri, or panicum, or bajri, as +called by the Arabs; gardens of sweet potatoes, large tracts of +cucumbers, water-melons, mush-melons, and pea-nuts which grew in +the deep furrows between the ridges of the holcus. + +Some broad-leafed plantain plants were also seen in the +neighbourhood of the villages, which as we advanced became very +numerous. The villages of the Wakimbu are like those of the +Wagogo, square, flat-roofed, enclosing an open area, which is +sometimes divided into three or four parts by fences or matama +stalks. + +At central Tura, where we encamped, we had evidence enough of +the rascality of the Wakimbu of Tura. Hamed, who, despite his +efforts to reach Unyanyembe in time to sell his cloths before other +Arabs came with cloth supplies, was unable to compel his pagazis +to the double march every day, was also encamped at Central Tura, +together with the Arab servants who preferred Hamed's imbecile +haste to Thani's cautious advance. Our first night in Unyamwezi +was very exciting indeed. The Musungu's camp was visited by two +crawling thieves, but they were soon made aware by the portentous +click of a trigger that the white man's camp was well guarded. + +Hamed's camp was next visited; but here also the restlessness of +the owner frustrated their attempts, for he was pacing backwards +and forwards through his camp, with a loaded gun in his hand; and +the thieves were obliged to relinquish the chance of stealing any +of his bales. From Hamed's they proceeded to Hassan's camp (one +of the Arab servants), where they were successful enough to reach +and lay hold of a couple of bales; but, unfortunately, they made +a noise, which awoke the vigilant and quick-eared slave, who +snatched his loaded musket, and in a moment had shot one of them +through the heart. Such were our experiences of the Wakimbu of +Tura. + +On the 18th the three caravans, Hamed's, Hassan's, and my own, +left Tura by a road which zig-zagged towards all points through +the tall matama fields. In an hour's time we had passed Tura +Perro, or Western Tura, and had entered the forest again, whence +the Wakimbu of Tura obtain their honey, and where they excavate +deep traps for the elephants with which the forest is said to +abound. An hour's march from Western Tura brought us to a ziwa, +or pond. There were two, situated in the midst of a small open +mbuga, or plain, which, even at this late season, was yet soft +from the water which overflows it during the rainy season. +After resting three hours, we started on the terekeza, +or afternoon march. + +It was one and the same forest that we had entered soon after +leaving Western Tura, that we travelled through until we reached +the Kwala Mtoni, or, as Burton has misnamed it on his map, "Kwale." +The water of this mtoni is contained in large ponds, or deep +depressions in the wide and crooked gully of Kwala. In these +ponds a species of mud-fish, was found, off one of which I made +a meal, by no means to be despised by one who had not tasted fish +since leaving Bagamoyo. Probably, if I had my choice, being, when +occasion demands it, rather fastidious in my tastes, I would not +select the mud-fish. + +From Tura to the Kwala Mtoni is seventeen and a half miles, +a distance which, however easy it may be traversed once a +fortnight, assumes a prodigious length when one has to travel +it almost every other day, at least, so my pagazis, soldiers, +and followers found it, and their murmurs were very loud when +I ordered the signal to be sounded on the march. Abdul Kader, +the tailor who had attached himself to me, as a man ready-handed +at all things, from mending a pair of pants, making a delicate +entremets, or shooting an elephant, but whom the interior proved +to be the weakliest of the weakly, unfit for anything except +eating and drinking---almost succumbed on this march. + +Long ago the little stock of goods which Abdul had brought from +Zanzibar folded in a pocket-handkerchief, and with which he was +about to buy ivory and slaves, and make his fortune in the famed +land of Unyamwezi, had disappeared with the great eminent hopes he +had built on them, like those of Alnaschar the unfortunate owner +of crockery in the Arabian tale. He came to me as we prepared for +the march, with a most dolorous tale about his approaching death, +which he felt in his bones, and weary back: his legs would barely +hold him up; in short, he had utterly collapsed--would I take +mercy on him, and let him depart? The cause of this extraordinary +request, so unlike the spirit with which he had left Zanzibar, +eager to possess the ivory and slaves of Unyamwezi, was that on +the last long march, two of my donkeys being dead, I had ordered +that the two saddles which they had carried should be Abdul Kader's +load to Unyanyembe. The weight of the saddles was 16 lbs., as +the spring balance-scale indicated, yet Abdul Kader became +weary of life, as, he counted the long marches that intervened +between the mtoni and Unyanyembe. On the ground he fell prone, +to kiss my feet, begging me in the name of God to permit him to +depart. + +As I had had some experience of Hindoos, Malabarese, and coolies +in Abyssinia, I knew exactly how to deal with a case like this. +Unhesitatingly I granted the request as soon as asked, for as much +tired as Abdul Kader said he was of life, I was with Abdul Kader's +worthlessness. But the Hindi did not want to be left in the +jungle, he said, but, after arriving in Unyanyembe. "Oh," said I, +"then you must reach Unyanyembe first; in the meanwhile you will +carry those saddles there for the food which you must eat." + +As the march to Rubuga was eighteen and three-quarter miles, the +pagazis walked fast and long without resting. + +Rubuga, in the days of Burton, according to his book, was a +prosperous district. Even when we passed, the evidences of wealth +and prosperity which it possessed formerly, were plain enough in +the wide extent of its grain fields, which stretched to the right +and left of the Unyanyembe road for many a mile. But they were +only evidences of what once were numerous villages, a well- +cultivated and populous district, rich in herds of cattle and +stores of grain. All the villages are burnt down, the people have +been driven north three or four days from Rubuga, the cattle were +taken by force, the grain fields were left standing, to be +overgrown with jungle and rank weeds. We passed village after +village that had been burnt, and were mere blackened heaps of +charred timber and smoked clay; field after field of grain ripe +years ago was yet standing in the midst of a crop of gums and +thorns, mimosa and kolquall. + +We arrived at the village, occupied by about sixty Wangwana, +who have settled here to make a living by buying and selling +ivory. Food is provided for them in the deserted fields of the +people of Rubuga. We were very tired and heated from the long +march, but the pagazis had all arrived by 3 p.m. + +At the Wangwana village we met Amer bin Sultan, the very type of +an old Arab sheikh, such as we read of in books, with a snowy +beard, and a clean reverend face, who was returning to Zanzibar +after a ten years' residence in Unyanyembe. He presented me with +a goat; and a goatskin full of rice; a most acceptable gift in a +place where a goat costs five cloths. + +After a day's halt at Rubuga, during which I despatched soldiers +to notify Sheikh Sayd bin Salim and Sheikh bin Nasib, the two chief +dignitaries of Unyanyembe, of my coming, on the 21st of June we +resumed the march for Kigwa, distant five hours. The road ran +through another forest similar to that which separated Tura from +Rubuga, the country rapidly sloping as we proceeded westward. +Kigwa we found to have been visited by the same vengeance which +rendered Rubuga such a waste. + +The next day, after a three and a half hours' rapid march, we +crossed the mtoni--which was no mtoni--separating Kigwa from +Unyanyembe district, and after a short halt to quench our thirst, +in three and a half hours more arrived at Shiza. It was a most +delightful march, though a long one, for its picturesqueness of +scenery which every few minutes was revealed, and the proofs we +everywhere saw of the peaceable and industrious disposition of the +people. A short half hour from Shiza we beheld the undulating +plain wherein the Arabs have chosen to situate the central depot +which commands such wide and extensive field of trade. The +lowing of cattle and the bleating of the goats and sheep were +everywhere heard, giving the country a happy, pastoral aspect. + +The Sultan of Shiza desired me to celebrate my arrival in +Unyanyembe, with a five-gallon jar of pombe, which he brought +for that purpose. + +As the pombe was but stale ale in taste, and milk and water in +colour, after drinking a small glassful I passed it to the delighted +soldiers and pagazis. At my request the Sultan brought a fine fat +bullock, for which he accepted four and a half doti of Merikani. +The bullock was immediately slaughtered and served out to the +caravan as a farewell feast. + +No one slept much that night, and long before the dawn the fires +were lit, and great steaks were broiling, that their stomachs might +rejoice before parting with the Musungu, whose bounty they had so +often tasted. Six rounds of powder were served to each soldier and +pagazi who owned a gun, to fire away when we should be near the +Arab houses. The meanest pagazi had his best cloth about his +loins, and some were exceedingly brave in gorgeous Ulyah "Coombeesa +Poonga" and crimson "Jawah," the glossy "Rehani," and the neat +"Dabwani." The soldiers were mustered in new tarbooshes, and the +long white shirts of the Mrima and the Island. For this was the +great and happy day which had been on our tongues ever since quitting +the coast, for which we had made those noted marches latterly--one +hundred and seventy-eight and a half miles in sixteen days, +including pauses--something over eleven miles a day + +The signal sounded and the caravan was joyfully off with banners +flying, and trumpets and horns blaring. A short two and a half +hours' march brought us within sight of Kwikuru, which is about +two miles south of Tabora, the main Arab town; on the outside of +which we saw a long line of men in clean shirts, whereat we opened +our charged batteries, and fired a volley of small arms such + +as Kwikuru seldom heard before. The pagazis closed up and adopted +the swagger of veterans: the soldiers blazed away uninterruptedly, +while I, seeing that the Arabs were advancing towards me, left the +ranks, and held out my hand, which was immediately grasped by Sheikh +Sayd bin Salim, and then by about two dozen people, and thus our +entrée into Unyanyembe was effected. + + + +CHAPTER VIII. MY LIFE AND TROUBLES DURING MY RESIDENCE IN UNYAS + NYEMBE. I BECOME ENGAGED IN A WAR. + + +I received a noiseless ovation as I walked side by side with the +governor, Sayd bin Salim, towards his tembe in Kwikuru, or the +capital. The Wanyamwezi pagazis were out by hundreds, the +warriors of Mkasiwa, the sultan, hovered around their chief, the +children were seen between the legs of their parents, even infants, +a few months old, slung over their mothers' backs, all paid the +tribute due to my colour, with one grand concentrated stare. The +only persons who talked with me were the Arabs, and aged Mkasiwa, +ruler of Unyanyembe. + +Sayd bin Salim's house was at the north-western corner of the +inclosure, a stockaded boma of Kwikuru. We had tea made in a +silver tea-pot, and a bountiful supply of "dampers" were smoking +under a silver cover; and to this repast I was invited. When a +man has walked eight miles or so without any breakfast, and a hot +tropical sun has been shining on him for three or four hours, he is +apt to do justice to a meal, especially if his appetite is +healthy. I think I astonished the governor by the dexterous way +in which I managed to consume eleven cups of his aromatic +concoction of an Assam herb, and the easy effortless style with +which I demolished his high tower of "slap jacks," that but a +minute or so smoked hotly under their silver cover. + +For the meal, I thanked the Sheikh, as only an earnest and +sincerely hungry man, now satisfied, could thank him. Even if +I had not spoken, my gratified looks had well informed him, under +what obligations I had been laid to him. + +Out came my pipe and tobacco-pouch. + +"My friendly Sheikh, wilt thou smoke?" + +"No, thanks! Arabs never smoke." + +"Oh, if you don't, perhaps you would not object to me smoking, +in order to assist digestion?" + +"Ngema--good--go on, master." + +Then began the questions, the gossipy, curious, serious, light +questions: + +"How came the master? + +"By the Mpwapwa road." + +"It is good. Was the Makata bad?" + +"Very bad." + +"What news from Zanzibar?" + +"Good; Syed Toorkee has possession of Muscat, and Azim bin Ghis +was slain in the streets." + +"Is this true, Wallahi?" (by God.) + +"It is true." + +"Heh-heh-h! This is news!"--stroking his beard. + +"Have you heard, master, of Suleiman bin Ali?" + +"Yes, the Bombay governor sent him to Zanzibar, in a +man-of-war, and Suleiman bin Ali now lies in the gurayza (fort)." + +"Heh, that is very good." + +"Did you have to pay much tribute to the Wagogo?" + +"Eight times; Hamed Kimiani wished me to go by Kiwyeh, but I +declined, and struck through the forest to Munieka. Hamed and +Thani thought it better to follow me, than brave Kiwyeh by +themselves." + +"Where is that Hajji Abdullah (Captain Burton) that came here, +and Spiki?" (Speke.) + +"Hajji Abdullah! What Hajji Abdullah? Ah! Sheikh Burton we call +him. Oh, he is a great man now; a balyuz (a consul) at El Scham" +(Damascus.) + +"Heh-heh; balyuz! Heh, at El Scham! Is not that near Betlem +el Kuds?" (Jerusalem.) + +"Yes, about four days. Spiki is dead. He shot himself by +accident." + +"Ah, ah, Wallah (by God), but this is bad news. Spiki dead? +Mash-Allah! Ough, he was a good man--a good man! Dead!" + +"But where is this Kazeh, Sheikh Sayd?" + +Kazeh? Kazeh? I never heard the name before." + +"But you were with Burton, and Speke, at Kazeh; you lived +there several months, when you were all stopping in Unyanyembe; +it must be close here; somewhere. Where did Hajji Abdullah and +Spiki live when they were in Unyanyembe? Was it not in Musa +Mzuri's house?" + +"That was in Tabora." + +"Well, then, where is Kazeh? I have never seen the man yet who +could tell me where that place is, and yet the three white men +have that word down, as the name of the place they lived at when +you were with them. You must know where it is." + +"Wallahi, bana, I never heard the name; but stop, Kazeh, in +Kinyamwezi, means 'kingdom.' Perhaps they gave that name to the +place they stopped at. But then, I used to call the first house +Sny bin Amer's house, and Speke lived at Musa Mzuri's house, but +both houses, as well as all the rest, are in Tabora." + +"Thank you, sheikh. I should like to go and look after my +people; they must all be wanting food." + +"I shall go with you to show you your house. The tembe is in +Kwihara, only an hour's walk from Tabora." + +On leaving Kwikuru we crossed a low ridge, and soon saw Kwihara +lying between two low ranges of hills, the northernmost of which +was terminated westward by the round fortress-like hill of Zimbili. +There was a cold glare of intense sunshine over the valley, +probably the effect of an universal bleakness or an autumnal +ripeness of the grass, unrelieved by any depth of colour to vary +the universal sameness. The hills were bleached, or seemed to be, +under that dazzling sunshine, and clearest atmosphere. The corn +had long been cut, and there lay the stubble, and fields,--a browny- +white expanse; the houses were of mud, and their fiat roofs were of +mud, and the mud was of a browny-whiteness; the huts were thatched, +and the stockades around them of barked timber, and these were of +a browny whiteness. The cold, fierce, sickly wind from the mountains +of Usagara sent a deadly chill to our very marrows, yet the intense +sunshiny glare never changed, a black cow or two, or a tall tree +here and there, caught the eye for a moment, but they never made +one forget that the first impression of Kwihara was as of a picture +without colour, or of food without taste; and if one looked up, +there was a sky of a pale blue, spotless, and of an awful serenity. + +As I approached the tembe of Sayd bin Salim, Sheikh bin Nasib and +other great Arabs joined us. Before the great door of the tembe +the men had stacked the bales, and piled the boxes, and were using +their tongues at a furious rate, relating to the chiefs and +soldiers of the first, second, and fourth caravans the many events +which had befallen them, and which seemed to them the only things +worth relating. Outside of their own limited circles they +evidently cared for nothing. Then the several chiefs of the other +caravans had in turn to relate their experiences of the road; and +the noise of tongues was loud and furious. But as we approached, +all this loud-sounding gabble ceased, and my caravan chiefs and +guides rushed to me to hail me as "master," and to salute me as +their friend. One fellow, faithful Baruti, threw himself at my +feet, the others fired their guns and acted like madmen suddenly +become frenzied, and a general cry of "welcome" was heard on all +sides. + +"Walk in, master, this is your house, now; here are your men's +quarters; here you will receive the great Arabs, here is the +cook-house; here is the store-house; here is the prison for the +refractory; here are your white man's apartments; and these are +your own: see, here is the bedroom, here is the gun-room, +bath-room, &c.;" so Sheikh Sayd talked, as he showed me the +several places. + +On my honour, it was a most comfortable place, this, in Central +Africa. One could almost wax poetic, but we will keep such +ambitious ideas for a future day. Just now, however, we must +have the goods stored, and the little army of carriers paid +off and disbanded. + +Bombay was ordered to unlock the strong store-room, to pile the +bales in regular tiers, the beads in rows one above another, and +the wire in a separate place. The boats, canvas, &c., were to be +placed high above reach of white ants, and the boxes of ammunition +and powder kegs were to be stored in the gun-room, out of reach of +danger. Then a bale of cloth was opened, and each carrier was +rewarded according to his merits, that each of them might proceed +home to his friends and neighbours, and tell them how much better +the white man behaved than the Arabs. + +The reports of the leaders of the first, second, and fourth +caravans were then received, their separate stores inspected, and +the details and events of their marches heard. The first caravan +had been engaged in a war at Kirurumo, and had come out of the +fight successful, and had reached Unyanyembe without loss of +anything. The second had shot a thief in the forest between +Pembera Pereh and Kididimo; the fourth had lost a bale in the +jungle of Marenga Mkali, and the porter who carried it had received +a "very sore head" from a knob stick wielded by one of the +thieves, who prowl about the jungle near the frontier of Ugogo. +I was delighted to find that their misfortunes were no more, and +each leader was then and there rewarded with one handsome cloth, +and five doti of Merikani. + +Just as I began to feel hungry again, came several slaves in +succession, bearing trays full of good things from the Arabs; +first an enormous dish of rice, with a bowlful of curried chicken, +another with a dozen huge wheaten cakes, another with a plateful of +smoking hot crullers, another with papaws, another with pomegranates +and lemons; after these came men driving five fat hump backed oxen, +eight sheep, and ten goats, and another man with a dozen chickens, +and a dozen fresh eggs. This was real, practical, noble courtesy, +munificent hospitality, which quite took my gratitude by storm. + +My people, now reduced to twenty-five, were as delighted at the +prodigal plenitude visible on my tables and in my yard, as I was +myself. And as I saw their eyes light up at the unctuous +anticipations presented to them by their riotous fancies, +I ordered a bullock to be slaughtered and distributed. + +The second day of the arrival of the Expedition in the country +which I now looked upon as classic ground, since Capts. Burton, +Speke, and Grant years ago had visited it, and described it, came +the Arab magnates from Tabora to congratulate me. + +Tabora* is the principal Arab settlement in Central Africa. It +contains over a thousand huts and tembes, and one may safely +estimate the population, Arabs, Wangwana, and natives, at five +thousand people. Between Tabora and the next settlement, Kwihara, +rise two rugged hill ridges, separated from each other by a low +saddle, over the top of which Tabora is always visible from +Kwihara. +________________ +* There is no such recognised place as Kazeh. +________________ + +They were a fine, handsome body of men, these Arabs. They mostly +hailed from Oman: others were Wasawahili; and each of my visitors +had quite a retinue with him. At Tabora they live quite luxuriously. +The plain on which the settlement is situated is exceedingly fertile, +though naked of trees; the rich pasturage it furnishes permits them +to keep large herds of cattle and goats, from which they have an +ample supply of milk, cream, butter, and ghee. Rice is grown +everywhere; sweet potatoes, yams, muhogo, holcus sorghum, maize, +or Indian corn, sesame, millet, field-peas, or vetches, called +choroko, are cheap, and always procurable. Around their tembes +the Arabs cultivate a little wheat for their own purposes, and +have planted orange, lemon, papaw, and mangoes, which thrive +here fairly well. Onions and garlic, chilies, cucumbers, tomatoes, +and brinjalls, may be procured by the white visitor from the more +important Arabs, who are undoubted epicureans in their way. Their +slaves convey to them from the coast, once a year at least, their +stores of tea, coffee sugar, spices, jellies, curries, wine, +brandy, biscuits, sardines, salmon, and such fine cloths and +articles as they require for their own personal use. Almost every +Arab of any eminence is able to show a wealth of Persian carpets, +and most luxurious bedding, complete tea and coffee-services, and +magnificently carved dishes of tinned copper and brass lavers. +Several of them sport gold watches and chains, mostly all a watch +and chain of some kind. And, as in Persia, Afghanistan, and +Turkey, the harems form an essential feature of every Arab's +household; the sensualism of the Mohammedans is as prominent here +as in the Orient. + +The Arabs who now stood before the front door of my tembe were the +donors of the good things received the day before. As in duty +bound, of course, I greeted Sheikh Sayd first, then Sheikh bin +Nasib, his Highness of Zanzibar's consul at Karagwa, then I greeted +the noblest Trojan amongst the Arab population, noblest in bearing, +noblest in courage and manly worth--Sheikh Khamis bin Abdullah; +then young Amram bin Mussoud, who is now making war on the king of +Urori and his fractious people; then handsome, courageous Soud, +the son of Sayd bin Majid; then dandified Thani bin Abdullah; then +Mussoud bin Abdullah and his cousin Abdullah bin Mussoud, who own +the houses where formerly lived Burton and Speke; then old +Suliman Dowa, Sayd bin Sayf, and the old Hetman of Tabora--Sheikh +Sultan bin Ali. + +As the visit of these magnates, under whose loving protection white +travellers must needs submit themselves, was only a formal one, +such as Arab etiquette, ever of the stateliest and truest, impelled +them to, it is unnecessary to relate the discourse on my health, +and their wealth, my thanks, and their professions of loyalty, and +attachment to me. After having expended our mutual stock of +congratulations and nonsense, they departed, having stated their +wish that I should visit them at Tabora and partake of a feast +which they were about to prepare for me. + +Three days afterwards I sallied out of my tembe, escorted by +eighteen bravely dressed men of my escort, to pay Tabora a +visit. On surmounting the saddle over which the road from the +valley of Kwihara leads to Tabora, the plain on which the Arab +settlement is situated lay before us, one expanse of dun pasture +land, stretching from the base bf the hill on our left as far as +the banks of the northern Gombe, which a few miles beyond Tabora +heave into purple-coloured hills and blue cones. + +Within three-quarters of an hour we were seated on the mud veranda +of the tembe of Sultan bin Ali, who, because of his age, his +wealth, and position--being a colonel in Seyd Burghash's unlovely +army--is looked upon by his countrymen, high and low, as referee +and counsellor. His boma or enclosure contains quite a village of +hive-shaped huts and square tembes. From here, after being +presented with a cup of Mocha coffee, and some sherbet, we +directed our steps towards Khamis bin Abdullah's house, who had, +in anticipation of my coming, prepared a feast to which he had +invited his friends and neighbours. The group of stately Arabs +in their long white dresses, and jaunty caps, also of a snowy +white, who stood ready to welcome me to Tabora, produced +quite an effect on my mind. I was in time for a council of war +they were holding--and I was,requested to attend. + +Khamis bin Abdullah, a bold and brave man, ever ready to stand up +for the privileges of the Arabs, and their rights to pass through +any countries for legitimate trade, is the man who, in Speke's +`Journal of the Discovery of the Source of the Nile,' is reported +to have shot Maula, an old chief who sided with Manwa Sera during +the wars of 1860; and who subsequently, after chasing his +relentless enemy for five years through Ugogo and Unyamwezi as far +as Ukonongo, had the satisfaction of beheading him, was now urging +the Arabs to assert their rights against a chief called Mirambo of +Uyoweh, in a crisis which was advancing. + +This Mirambo of Uyoweh, it seems, had for the last few years been +in a state of chronic discontent with the policies of the +neighbouring chiefs. Formerly a pagazi for an Arab, he had now +assumed regal power, with the usual knack of unconscionable rascals +who care not by what means they step into power. When the +chief of Uyoweh died, Mirambo, who was head of a gang of robbers +infesting the forests of Wilyankuru, suddenly entered Uyoweh, and +constituted himself lord paramount by force. Some feats of +enterprise, which he performed to the enrichment of all those who +recognised his authority, established him firmly in his position. +This was but a beginning; he carried war through Ugara to Ukonongo, +through Usagozi to the borders of Uvinza, and after destroying +the populations over three degrees of latitude, he conceived a +grievance against Mkasiwa, and against the Arabs, because they +would not sustain him in his ambitious projects against their +ally and friend, with whom they were living in peace. + +The first outrage which this audacious man committed against the +Arabs was the halting of an Ujiji-bound caravan, and the demand for +five kegs of gunpowder, five guns, and five bales of cloth. This +extraordinary demand, after expending more than a day in fierce +controversy, was paid; but the Arabs, if they were surprised at +the exorbitant black-mail demanded of them, were more than ever +surprised when they were told to return the way they came; and +that no Arab caravan should pass through his country to Ujiji +except over his dead body. + +On the return of the unfortunate Arabs to Unyanyembe, they +reported the facts to Sheikh Sayd bin Salim, the governor of the +Arab colony. This old man, being averse to war, of course tried +every means to induce Mirambo as of old to be satisfied with +presents; but Mirambo this time was obdurate, and sternly +determined on war unless the Arabs aided him in the warfare he +was about to wage against old Mkasiwa, sultan of the Wanyamwezi +of Unyanyembe. + +"This is the status of affairs," said Khamis bin Abdullah. +"Mirambo says that for years he has been engaged in war against +the neighbouring Washensi and has come out of it victorious; he +says this is a great year with him; that he is going to fight +the Arabs, and the Wanyamwezi of Unyanyembe, and that he shall +not stop until every Arab is driven from Unyanyembe, and he rules +over this country in place of Mkasiwa. Children of Oman, shall +it be so? Speak, Salim, son of Sayf, shall we go to meet this +Mshensi (pagan) or shall we return to our island?" + +A murmur of approbation followed the speech of Khamis bin Abdullah, +the majority of those present being young men eager to punish the +audacious Mirambo. Salim, the son of Sayf, an old patriarch, slow +of speech, tried to appease the passions of the young men, scions +of the aristocracy of Muscat and Muttrah, and Bedaweens of the +Desert, but Khamis's bold words had made too deep an impression on +their minds. + +Soud, the handsome Arab whom I have noticed already as the son of +Sayd the son of Majid, spoke: "My father used to tell me that he +remembered the days when the Arabs could go through the country +from Bagamoyo to Ujiji, and from Kilwa to Lunda, and from Usenga +to Uganda armed with canes. Those days are gone by. We have stood +the insolence of the Wagogo long enough. Swaruru of Usui just +takes from us whatever he wants; and now, here is Mirambo, who +says, after taking more than five bales of cloth as tribute from +one man, that no Arab caravan shall go to Ujiji, but over his body. +Are we prepared to give up the ivory of Ujiji, of Urundi, of +Karagwah, of Uganda, because of this one man? I say war--war +until we have got his beard under our feet--war until the whole of +Uyoweh and Wilyankuru is destroyed--war until we can again travel +through any part of the country with only our walking canes in +our hands!" + +The universal assent that followed Send's speech proved beyond +a doubt that we were about to have a war. I thought of +Livingstone. What if he were marching to Unyanyembe directly +into the war country? + +Having found from the Arabs that they intended to finish the war +quickly--at most within fifteen days, as Uyoweh was only four +marches distant--I volunteered to accompany them, take my loaded +caravan with me as far as Mfuto, and there leave it in charge of +a few guards, and with the rest march on with the Arab army. And +my hope was, that it might be possible, after the defeat of Mirambo, +and his forest banditti--the Ruga-Ruga--to take my Expedition direct +to Ujiji by the road now closed. The Arabs were sanguine of +victory, and I partook of their enthusiasm. + +The council of war broke up. A great dishful of rice and curry, +in which almonds, citron, raisins, and currants were plentifully +mixed, was brought in, and it was wonderful how soon we forgot our +warlike fervor after our attention had been drawn to this royal +dish. I, of course, not being a Mohammedan, had a dish of my own, +of a similar composition, strengthened by platters containing +roast chicken, and kabobs, crullers, cakes, sweetbread, fruit, +glasses of sherbet and lemonade, dishes of gum-drops and Muscat +sweetmeats, dry raisins, prunes, and nuts. Certainly Khamis bin +Abdullah proved to me that if he had a warlike soul in him, he +could also attend to the cultivated tastes acquired under the shade +of the mangoes on his father's estates in Zanzibar--the island. + +After gorging ourselves on these uncommon dainties some of the +chief Arabs escorted me to other tembes of Tabora. When we went +to visit Mussoud bin Abdullah, he showed me the very ground where +Burton and Speke's house stood--now pulled down and replaced +by his office--Sny bin Amer's house was also torn down, and the +fashionable tembe of Unyanyembe, now in vogue, built over +it,--finely-carved rafters--huge carved doors, brass knockers, +and lofty airy rooms--a house built for defence and comfort. + +The finest house in Unyanyembe belongs to Amram bin Mussoud, +who paid sixty frasilah of ivory--over $3,000--for it. Very fair +houses can be purchased for from twenty to thirty frasilah of +ivory. Amram's house is called the "Two Seas"--"Baherein." It is +one hundred feet in length, and twenty feet high, with walls four +feet thick, neatly plastered over with mud mortar. The great door +is a marvel of carving-work for Unyanyembe artisans. Each rafter +within is also carved with fine designs. Before the front of the +house is a young plantation of pomegranate trees, which flourish +here as if they were indigenous to the soil. A shadoof, such as +may be seen on the Nile, serves to draw water to irrigate the +gardens. + +Towards evening we walked back to our own finely situated tembe in +Kwihara, well satisfied with what we had seen at Tabora. My men +drove a couple of oxen, and carried three sacks of native rice--a +most superior kind--the day's presents of hospitality from Khamis +bin Abdullah. + +In Unyanyembe I found the Livingstone caravan, which started off in +a fright from Bagamoyo upon the rumour that the English Consul was +coming. As all the caravans were now halted at Unyanyembe because +of the now approaching war, I suggested to Sayd bin Salim, that it +were better that the men of the Livingstone caravan should live +with mine in my tembe, that I might watch over the white man's +goods. Sayd bin Salim agreed with me, and the men and goods were +at once brought to my tembe. + +One day Asmani, who was now chief of Livingstone's caravan, the +other having died of small-pox, two or three days before, brought +out a tent to the veranda where, I was sitting writing, and shewed +me a packet of letters, which to my surprise was marked: + +"To Dr. Livingstone, +" Ujiji, +"November 1st, 1870. + +" Registered letters." + +From November 1st, 1870, to February 10, 1871, just one hundred +days, at Bagamoyo! A miserable small caravan of thirty-three men +halting one hundred days at Bagamoyo, only twenty-five miles by +water from Zanzibar! Poor Livingstone! Who knows but he maybe +suffering for want of these very supplies that were detained so +long near the sea. The caravan arrived in Unyanyembe some time +about the middle of May. About the latter part of May the first +disturbances took place. Had this caravan arrived here in the +middle of March, or even the middle of April, they might have +travelled on to Ujiji without trouble. + +On the 7th of July, about 2 P.M., I was sitting on the burzani as +usual; I felt listless and languid, and a drowsiness came over me; +I did not fall asleep, but the power of my limbs seemed to fail +me. Yet the brain was busy; all my life seemed passing in review +before me; when these retrospective scenes became serious, I +looked serious; when they were sorrowful, I wept hysterically; +when they were joyous, I laughed loudly. Reminiscences of +yet a young life's battles and hard struggles came surging into +the mind in quick succession: events of boyhood, of youth, and +manhood; perils, travels, scenes, joys, and sorrows; loves and +hates; friendships and indifferences. My mind followed the +various and rapid transition of my life's passages; it drew the +lengthy, erratic, sinuous lines of travel my footsteps had passed +over. If I had drawn them on the sandy floor, what enigmatical +problems they had been to those around me, and what plain, +readable, intelligent histories they had been to me! + +The loveliest feature of all to me was the form of a noble, and +true man, who called me son. Of my life in the great pine forests +of Arkansas, and in Missouri, I retained the most vivid impressions. +The dreaming days I passed under the sighing pines on the Ouachita's +shores; the new clearing, the block-house, our faithful black +servant, the forest deer, and the exuberant life I led, were +all well remembered. And I remembered how one day, after we had +come to live near the Mississipi, I floated down, down, hundreds of +miles, with a wild fraternity of knurly giants, the boatmen of +the Mississipi, and how a dear old man welcomed me back, as if +from the grave. I remembered also my travels on foot through +sunny Spain, and France, with numberless adventures in Asia Minor, +among Kurdish nomads. I remembered the battle-fields of America +and the stormy scenes of rampant war. I remembered gold mines, +and broad prairies, Indian councils, and much experience in the +new western lands. I remembered the shock it gave me to hear +after my return from a barbarous country of the calamity that +had overtaken the fond man whom I called father, and the hot +fitful life that followed it. Stop! ************ + +Dear me; is it the 21st of July? Yes, Shaw informed me that it +was the 21st of July after I recovered from my terrible attack +of fever; the true date was the 14th of July, but I was not +aware that I had jumped a week, until I met Dr. Livingstone. +We two together examined the Nautical Almanack, which I brought +with me. We found that the Doctor was three weeks out of his +reckoning, and to my great surprise I was also one week out, +or one week ahead of the actual date. The mistake was made by +my being informed that I had been two weeks sick, and as the day +I recovered my senses was Friday, and Shaw and the people were +morally sure that I was in bed two weeks, I dated it on my Diary +the 21st of July. However, on the tenth day after the first of my +illness, I was in excellent trim again, only, however, to see and +attend to Shaw, who was in turn taken sick. By the 22nd July +Shaw was recovered, then Selim was prostrated, and groaned in his +delirium for four days, but by the 28th we were all recovered, and +were beginning to brighten up at the prospect of a diversion in the +shape of a march upon Mirambo's stronghold. + +The morning of the 29th I had fifty men loaded with bales, beads, +and wire, for Ujiji. When they were mustered for the march +outside the tembe, the only man absent was Bombay. While men were +sent to search for him, others departed to get one more look, and +one more embrace with their black Delilahs. Bombay was found some +time about 2 P.M., his face faithfully depicting the contending +passions under which he was labouring--sorrow at parting from the +fleshpots of Unyanyembe--regret at parting from his Dulcinea of +Tabora--to be, bereft of all enjoyment now, nothing but +marches--hard, long marches--to go to the war--to be killed, +perhaps, Oh! Inspired by such feelings, no wonder Bombay was +inclined to be pugnacious when I ordered him to his place, and I +was in a shocking bad temper for having been kept waiting from +8 A.M. to 2 P.M. for him. There was simply a word and a savage +look, and my cane was flying around Bombay's shoulders, as if he +were to be annihilated. I fancy that the eager fury of my +onslaught broke his stubbornness more than anything else; for +before I had struck him a dozen times he was crying for "pardon." +At that word I ceased belaboring him, for this was the first time +he had ever uttered that word. Bombay was conquered at last. + +"March!" and the guide led off, followed in solemn order by +forty-nine of his fellows, every man carrying a heavy load of +African moneys, besides his gun, hatchet, and stock of ammunition, +and his ugali-pot. We presented quite an imposing sight while thus +marching on in silence and order, with our flags flying, and the +red blanket robes of the men streaming behind them as the furious +north-easter blew right on our flank. + +The men seemed to feel they were worth seeing, for I noticed that +several assumed a more martial tread as they felt their royal Joho +cloth tugging at their necks, as it was swept streaming behind by +the wind. Maganga, a tall Mnyamwezi, stalked along like a very +Goliah about to give battle alone, to Mirambo and his thousand +warriors. Frisky Khamisi paced on under his load, imitating a +lion and there was the rude jester--the incorrigible Ulimengo-- +with a stealthy pace like a cat. But their silence could not +last long. Their, vanity was so much gratified, the red cloaks +danced so incessantly before their eyes, that it would have +been a wonder if they could have maintained such serious gravity +or discontent one half hour longer. + +Ulimengo was the first who broke it. He had constituted himself +the kirangozi or guide, and was the standard-bearer, bearing the +American flag, which the men thought would certainly strike terror +into the hearts of the enemy. Growing confident first, then +valorous, then exultant, he suddenly faced the army he was +leading, and shouted + + "Hoy! Hoy ! +Chorus.--Hoy! Hoy! + + Hoy! Hoy! +Chorus.--Hoy! Hoy! + + Hoy! Hoy! +Chorus.--Hoy! Hoy! + + Where are ye going? +Chorus.--Going to war. + + Against whom? +Chorus.--Against Mirambo. + + Who is your master? +Chorus.--The White Man. + + Ough! Ough! +Chorus.--Ough! Ough! + + Hyah! Hyah! +Chorus.--Hyah. Hyah!" + +This was the ridiculous song they kept up all day without +intermission. + +We camped the first day at Bomboma's village, situated a mile to +the south-west of the natural hill fortress of Zimbili. Bombay +was quite recovered from his thrashing, and had banished the sullen +thoughts that had aroused my ire, and the men having behaved +themselves so well, a five-gallon pot of pombe was brought to +further nourish the valour, which they one and all thought they +possessed. + +The second day we arrived at Masangi. I was visited soon +afterwards by Soud, the son of Sayd bin Majid, who told me the +Arabs were waiting for me; that they would not march from Mfuto +until I had arrived. + +Eastern Mfuto, after a six hours' march, was reached on the third +day from Unyanyembe. Shaw gave in, laid down in the road, and +declared he was dying. This news was brought to me about 4 P.M. +by one of the last stragglers. I was bound to despatch men to +carry him to me, into my camp, though every man was well tired +after the long march. A reward stimulated half-a-dozen to +venture into the forest just at dusk to find Shaw, who was +supposed to be at least three hours away from camp. + +About two o'clock in the morning my men returned, having carried +Shaw on their backs the entire distance. I was roused up, and had +him conveyed to my tent. I examined him, and I assured myself he +was not suffering from fever of any kind; and in reply to my +inquiries as to how he felt, he said he could neither walk nor +ride, that he felt such extreme weakness and lassitude that he was +incapable of moving further. After administering a glass of port +wine to him in a bowlful of sago gruel, we both fell asleep. + +We arrived early the following morning at Mfuto, the rendezvous +of the Arab army. A halt was ordered the next day, in order to +make ourselves strong by eating the beeves, which we freely +slaughtered. + +The personnel of our army was as follows: + +Sheikh Sayd bin Salim . . . . . . 25 half caste + + " Khamis bin Abdullah . . . . 250 slaves + + " Thani bin Abdullah . . . . 80 " + + " Mussoud bin Abdullah . . . . 75 " + + " Abdullah bin Mussoud . . . . 80 " + + " Ali bin Sayd bin Nasib . . . 250 " + + " Nasir bin Mussoud . . . . . 50 " + + " Hamed Kimiami . . . . . . 70 " + + " Hamdam . . . . . . . . 30 " + + + " Sayd bin Habib . . . . . . 50 " + + " Salim bin Sayf . . . . . 100 " + + " Sunguru . . . . . . . . 25 " + + " Sarboko . . . . . . . . 25 " + + " Soud bin Sayd bin Majid . . . 50 " + + " Mohammed bin Mussoud . . . . 30 " + + " Sayd bin Hamed . . . . . . 90 " + + " The 'Herald' Expedition . . . 50 soldiers + + " Mkasiwa's Wanyamwezi . . . 800 " + + " Half-castes and Wangwana . . 125 " + + " Independent chiefs and their + followers . . . . . . . 300 " + +These made a total of 2,255, according to numbers given me by +Thani bin Abdullah, and corroborated by a Baluch in the pay of +Sheikh bin Nasib. Of these men 1,500 were armed with guns-- +flint-lock muskets, German and French double-barrels, some +English Enfields, and American Springfields--besides these muskets, +they were mostly armed with spears and long knives for the +purpose of decapitating, and inflicting vengeful gashes in +the dead bodies. Powder and ball were plentiful: some men were +served a hundred rounds each, my people received each man sixty +rounds. + +As we filed out of the stronghold of Mfuto, with waving banners +denoting the various commanders, with booming horns, and the roar +of fifty bass drums, called gomas--with blessings showered on us +by the mollahs, and happiest predications from the soothsayers, +astrologers, and the diviners of the Koran--who could have foretold +that this grand force, before a week passed over its head, would be +hurrying into that same stronghold of Mfuto, with each man's heart +in his mouth from fear? + +The date of our leaving Mfuto for battle with Mirambo was the +3rd of August. All my goods were stored in Mfuto, ready for the +march to Ujiji, should we be victorious over the African chief, +but at least for safety, whatever befel us. + +Long before we reached Umanda, I was in my hammock in the +paroxysms of a fierce attack of intermittent fever, which did +not leave me until late that night. + +At Umanda, six hours from Mfuto, our warriors bedaubed themselves +with the medicine which the wise men had manufactured for them--a +compound of matama flour mixed with the juices of a herb whose +virtues were only known to the Waganga of the Wanyamwezi. + +At 6 A.M. on the 4th of August we were once more prepared for the +road, but before we were marched out of the village, the "manneno," +or speech, was delivered by the orator of the Wanyamwezi: + +"Words! words! words! Listen, sons of Mkasiwa, children of +Unyamwezi! the journey is before you, the thieves of the forest +are waiting; yes, they are thieves, they cut up your caravans, +they steal your ivory, they murder your women. Behold, the Arabs +are with you, El Wali of the Arab sultan, and the white man are +with you. Go, the son of Mkasiwa is with you; fight; kill, take +slaves, take cloth, take cattle, kill, eat, and fill yourselves! +Go!" + +"A loud, wild shout followed this bold harangue, the gates of the +village were thrown open, and blue, red, and white-robed soldiers +were bounding upward like so many gymnasts; firing their guns +incessantly, in order to encourage themselves with noise, or to +strike terror into the hearts of those who awaited us within the +strong enclosure of Zimbizo, Sultan Kolongo's place. + +As Zimbizo was distant only five hours from Umanda, at 11 A.M. +we came in view of it. We halted on the verge of the cultivated +area around it and its neighbours within the shadow of the forest. +Strict orders had been given by the several chiefs to their +respective commands not to fire, until they were within shooting +distance of the boma. + +Khamis bin Abdullah crept through the forest to the west of the +village. The Wanyamwezi took their position before the main +gateway, aided by the forces of Soud the son of Sayd on the right, +and the son of Habib on the left, Abdullah, Mussoud, myself, and +others made ready to attack the eastern gates, which arrangement +effectually shut them in, with the exception of the northern side. + +Suddenly, a volley opened on us as we emerged from the forest +along the Unyanyembe road, in the direction they had been +anticipating the sight of an enemy, and immediately the attacking +forces began their firing in most splendid style. There were some +ludicrous scenes of men pretending to fire, then jumping off to one +side, then forward, then backward, with the agility of hopping +frogs, but the battle was none the less in earnest. The +breech-loaders of my men swallowed my metallic cartridges much +faster than I liked to see; but happily there was a lull in the +firing, and we were rushing into the village from the west, the +south, the north, through the gates and over the tall palings +that surrounded the village, like so many Merry Andrews; and +the poor villagers were flying from the enclosure towards the +mountains, through the northern gate, pursued by the fleetest +runners of our force, and pelted in the back by bullets from +breech-loaders and shot-guns. + +The village was strongly defended, and not more than twenty dead +bodies were found in it, the strong thick wooden paling having +afforded excellent protection against our bullets. + +From Zimbizo, after having left a sufficient force within, we +sallied out, and in an hour had cleared the neighbourhood of the +enemy, having captured two other villages, which we committed to +the flames, after gutting them of all valuables. A few tusks of +ivory, and about fifty slaves, besides an abundance of grain, +composed the "loot," which fell to the lot of the Arabs. + +On the 5th, a detachment of Arabs and slaves, seven hundred strong, +scoured the surrounding country, and carried fire and devastation +up to the boma of Wilyankuru. + +On the 6th, Soud bin Sayd and about twenty other young Arabs led +a force of five hundred men against Wilyankuru itself, where it +was supposed Mirambo was living. Another party went out towards +the low wooded hills, a short distance north of Zimbizo, near +which place they surprised a youthful forest thief asleep, whose +head they stretched backwards, and cut it off as though he were a +goat or a sheep. Another party sallied out southward, and defeated +a party of Mirambo's "bush-whackers," news of which came to our +ears at noon. + +In the morning I had gone to Sayd bin Salim's tembe, to represent +to him how necessary it was to burn the long grass in the forest +of Zimbizo, lest it might hide any of the enemy; but soon +afterwards I had been struck down with another attack of +intermittent fever, and was obliged to turn in and cover myself +with blankets to produce perspiration; but not, however, till I +had ordered Shaw and Bombay not to permit any of my men to leave +the camp. But I was told soon afterwards by Selim that more than +one half had gone to the attack on Wilyankuru with Soud bin Sayd. + +About 6 P.M. the entire camp of Zimbizo was electrified with the +news that all the Arabs who had accompanied Soud bin Sayd had +been killed; and that more than one-half of his party had been +slain. Some of my own men returned, and from them I learned +that Uledi, Grant's former valet, Mabruki Khatalabu +(Killer of his father), Mabruki (the Little), Baruti of Useguhha, +and Ferahan had been killed. I learned also that they had +succeeded in capturing Wilyankuru in a very short time, that +Mirambo and his son were there, that as they succeeded in +effecting an entrance, Mirambo had collected his men, and after +leaving the village, had formed an ambush in the grass, on each +side of the road, between Wilyankuru and Zimbizo, and that as the +attacking party were returning home laden with over a hundred +tusks of ivory, and sixty bales of cloth, and two or three hundred +slaves, Mirambo's men suddenly rose up on each side of them, and +stabbed them with their spears. The brave Soud had fired his +double-barrelled gun and shot two men, and was in the act of +loading again when a spear was launched, which penetrated through +and through him: all the other Arabs shared the same fate. +This sudden attack from an enemy they believed to be conquered +so demoralized the party that, dropping their spoil, each man +took to his heels, and after making a wide detour through the +woods, returned to Zimbizo to repeat the dolorous tale. + +The effect of this defeat is indescribable. It was impossible to +sleep, from the shrieks of the women whose husbands had fallen. +All night they howled their lamentations, and sometimes might be +heard the groans of the wounded who had contrived to crawl through +the grass unperceived by the enemy. Fugitives were continually +coming in throughout the night, but none of my men who were +reported to be dead, were ever heard of again. + +The 7th was a day of distrust, sorrow, and retreat; the Arabs +accused one another for urging war without expending all peaceful +means first. There were stormy councils of war held, wherein +were some who proposed to return at once to Unyanyembe, and keep +within their own houses; and Khamis bin Abdullah raved, like an +insulted monarch, against the abject cowardice of his compatriots. +These stormy meetings and propositions to retreat were soon known +throughout the camp, and assisted more than anything else to +demoralize completely the combined forces of Wanyamwezi and +slaves. I sent Bombay to Sayd bin Salim to advise him not to +think of retreat, as it would only be inviting Mirambo to carry +the war to Unyanyembe. + +After, despatching Bombay with this message, I fell asleep, but +about 1.30 P.M. I was awakened by Selim saying, "Master, get up, +they are all running away, and Khamis bin Abdullah is himself +going." + +With the aid of Selim I dressed myself, and staggered towards the +door. My first view was of Thani bin Abdullah being dragged away, +who, when he caught sight of me, shouted out "Bana--quick--Mirambo +is coming." He was then turning to run, and putting on his jacket, +with his eyes almost starting out of their sockets with terror. +Khamis bin Abdullah was also about departing, he being the last +Arab to leave. Two of my men were following him; these Selim +was ordered to force back with a revolver. Shaw was saddling +his donkey with my own saddle, preparatory to giving me the slip, +and leaving me in the lurch to the tender mercies of Mirambo. +There were only Bombay, Mabruki Speke, Chanda who was coolly +eating his dinner, Mabruk Unyauyembe, Mtamani, Juma, and +Sarmean---only seven out of fifty. All the others had deserted, +and were by this time far away, except Uledi (Manwa Sera) and +Zaidi, whom Selim brought back at the point of a loaded revolver. +Selim was then told to saddle my donkey, and Bombay to assist +Shaw to saddle his own. In a few moments we were on the road, +the men ever looking back for the coming enemy; they belabored +the donkeys to some purpose, for they went at a hard trot, +which caused me intense pain. I would gladly have lain down +to die, but life was sweet, and I had not yet given up all +hope of being able to preserve it to the full and final +accomplishment of my mission. My mind was actively at work +planning and contriving during the long lonely hours of night, +which we employed to reach Mfuto, whither I found the Arabs had +retreated. In the night Shaw tumbled off his donkey, and would +not rise, though implored to do so. As I did not despair myself, +so I did not intend that Shaw should despair. He was lifted on +his animal, and a man was placed on each side of him to assist him; +thus we rode through the darkness. At midnight we reached Mfuto +safely, and were at once admitted into the village, from which we +had issued so valiantly, but to which we were now returned so +ignominiously. + +I found all my men had arrived here before dark. Ulimengo, the +bold guide who had exulted in his weapons and in our numbers, and +was so sanguine of victory, had performed the eleven hours' march +in six hours; sturdy Chowpereh, whom I regarded as the +faithfullest of my people, had arrived only half an hour later +than Ulimengo; and frisky Khamisi, the dandy--the orator--the +rampant demagogue--yes--he had come third; and Speke's "Faithfuls" +had proved as cowardly as any poor "nigger" of them all. Only +Selim was faithful. + +I asked Selim, "Why did you not also run away, and leave your +master to die?" + +"Oh, sir," said the Arab boy, naively, "I was afraid you would +whip me." + + + +CHAPTER IX. MY LIFE AND TROUBLES IN UNYANYEMBE-(continued). + + +It never occurred to the Arab magnates that I had cause of complaint +against them, or that I had a right to feel aggrieved at their +conduct, for the base desertion of an ally, who had, as a duty to +friendship, taken up arms for their sake. Their "salaams" the next +morning after the retreat, were given as if nothing had transpired +to mar the good feeling that had existed between us. + +They were hardly seated, however, before I began to inform them +that as the war was only between them and Mirambo, and that as +I was afraid, if they were accustomed to run away after every +little check, that the war might last a much longer time than I +could afford to lose; and that as they had deserted their wounded +on the field, and left their sick friends to take care of +themselves, they must not consider me in the light of an ally +any more. "I am satisfied," said I, "having seen your mode of +fighting, that the war will not be ended in so short a time as +you think it will. It took you five years, I hear, to conquer +and kill Manwa Sera, you will certainly not conquer Mirambo in +less than a year.* I am a white man, accustomed to wars after +a different style, I know something about fighting, but I never +saw people run away from an encampment like ours at Zimbizo for +such slight cause as you had. By running away, you have invited +Mirambo to follow you to Unyanyembe; you may be sure he will come." +__________________ +* The same war is still raging, April, 1874. +__________________ + +The Arabs protested one after another that they had not intended +to have left me, but the Wanyamwezi of Mkasiwa had shouted out +that the "Musungu" was gone, and the cry had caused a panic among +their people, which it was impossible to allay. + +Later that day the Arabs continued their retreat to Tabora; which +is twenty-two miles distant from Mfuto. I determined to proceed +more leisurely, and on the second day after the flight from +Zimbizo, the Expedition, with all the stores and baggage, marched +back to Masangi, and on the third day to Kwihara. + +The following extracts from my Diary will serve to show better +than anything else, my feelings and thoughts about this time, +after our disgraceful retreat: + +Kwihara. Friday, 11th August, 1871.--Arrived to-day from Zimbili, +village of Bomboma's. I am quite disappointed and almost +disheartened. But I have one consolation, I have done my duty by +the Arabs, a duty I thought I owed to the kindness they received +me with, now, however, the duty is discharged, and I am free to +pursue my own course. I feel happy, for some reasons, that the +duty has been paid at such a slight sacrifice. Of course if I +had lost my life in this enterprise, I should have been justly +punished. But apart from my duty to the consideration with +which the Arabs had received me, was the necessity of trying +every method of reaching Livingstone. This road which the war +with Mirambo has closed, is only a month's march from this place, +and, if the road could be opened with my aid, sooner than without +it, why should I refuse my aid? The attempt has been made for +the second time to Ujiji--both have failed. I am going to try +another route; to attempt to go by the north would be folly. +Mirambo's mother and people, and the Wasui, are between me and +Ujiji, without including the Watuta, who are his allies, and +robbers. The southern route seems to be the most practicable one. +Very few people know anything of the country south; those whom +I have questioned concerning it speak of "want of water" and +robber Wazavira, as serious obstacles; they also say that the +settlements are few and far between. + +But before I can venture to try this new route, I have to employ +a new set of men, as those whom I took to Mfuto consider their +engagements at an end, and the fact of five of their number being +killed rather damps their ardor for travelling. It is useless to +hope that Wanyamwezi can be engaged, because it is against their +custom to go with caravans, as carriers, during war time. My +position is most serious. I have a good excuse for returning to +the coast, but my conscience will not permit me to do so, after +so much money has been expended, and so much confidence has been +placed in me. In fact, I feel I must die sooner than return. + +Saturday, August 12th.--My men, as I supposed they would, have +gone; they said that I engaged them to go, to Ujiji by Mirambo's +road. I have only thirteen left. + +With this small body of men, whither can I go? I have over one +hundred loads in the storeroom. Livingstone's caravan is also +here; his goods consist of seventeen bales of cloth, twelve boxes, +and six bags of beads. His men are luxuriating upon the best the +country affords. + +If Livingstone is at Ujiji, he is now locked up with small means of +escape. I may consider myself also locked up at Unyamyembe, and +I suppose cannot go to Ujiji until this war with Mirambo is +settled. Livingstone cannot get his goods, for they are here with +mine. He cannot return to Zanzibar, and the road to the Nile is +blocked up. He might, if he has men and stores, possibly reach +Baker by travelling northwards, through Urundi, thence through +Ruanda, Karagwah, Uganda, Unyoro, and Ubari to Gondokoro. Pagazis +he cannot obtain, for the sources whence a supply might be +obtained are closed. It is an erroneous supposition to think that +Livingstone, any more than any other energetic man of his calibre, +can travel through Africa without some sort of an escort, +and a durable supply of marketable cloth and beads. + +I was told to-day by a man that when Livingstone was coming from +Nyassa Lake towards the Tanganika (the very time that people +thought him murdered) he was met by Sayd bin Omar's caravan, which +was bound for Ulamba. He was travelling with Mohammed bin Gharib. +This Arab, who was coming from Urunga, met Livingstone at Chi-cumbi's, +or Kwa-chi-kumbi's, country, and travelled with him afterwards, I +hear, to Manyuema or Manyema. Manyuema is forty marches from +the north of Nyassa. Livingstone was walking; he was dressed in +American sheeting. He had lost all his cloth in Lake Liemba while +crossing it in a boat. He had three canoes with him; in one he +put his cloth, another he loaded with his boxes and some of his +men, into the third he went himself with two servants and two +fishermen. The boat with his cloth was upset. On leaving Nyassa, +Livingstone went to Ubisa, thence to Uemba, thence to Urungu. +Livingstone wore a cap. He had a breech-loading double-barreled +rifle with him, which fired fulminating balls. He was also armed +with two revolvers. The Wahiyow with Livingstone told this man +that their master had many men with him at first, but that +several had deserted him. + +August 13th.--A caravan came in to-day from the seacoast. They +reported that William L. Farquhar, whom I left sick at Mpwapwa, +Usagara, and his cook, were dead. Farquhar, I was told, died a few +days after I had entered Ugogo, his cook died a few weeks later. +My first impulse was for revenge. I believed that Leukole had +played me false, and had poisoned him, or that he had been murdered +in some other manner; but a personal interview with the Msawahili +who brought the news informing me that Farquhar had succumbed to +his dreadful illness has done away with that suspicion. So far +as I could understand him, Farquhar had in the morning declared +himself well enough to proceed, but in attempting to rise, had +fallen backward and died. I was also told that the Wasagara, +possessing some superstitious notions respecting the dead, had +ordered Jako to take the body out for burial, that Jako, not +being able to carry it, had dragged the body to the jungle, +and there left it naked without the slightest covering of +earth, or anything else. + +"There is one of us gone, Shaw, my boy! Who will be the next?" +I remarked that night to my companion. + +August 14th.--Wrote some letters to Zanzibar. Shaw was taken very +ill last night. + +August 19th. Saturday.--My soldiers are employed stringing beads. +Shaw is still a-bed. We hear that Mirambo is coming to Unyanyembe. +A detachment of Arabs and their slaves have started this morning to +possess themselves of the powder left there by the redoubtable +Sheikh Sayd bin Salim, the commander-in-chief of the Arab +settlements. + +August 21st. Monday.--Shaw still sick. One hundred fundo of beads +have been strung. The Arabs are preparing for another sally +against Mirambo. The advance of Mirambo upon Unyanyembe was denied +by Sayd bin Salim, this morning. + +August 22nd.--We were stringing beads this morning, when, about 10 +A.M., we heard a continued firing from the direction of Tabora. +Rushing out from our work to the front door facing Tabora, we heard +considerable volleying, and scattered firing, plainly; and +ascending to the top of my tembe, I saw with my glasses the +smoke of the guns. Some of my men who were sent on to ascertain +the cause came running back with the information that Mirambo had +attacked Tabora with over two thousand men, and that a force of +over one thousand Watuta, who had allied themselves with him for +the sake of plunder, had come suddenly upon Tabora, attacking from +opposite directions. + +Later in the day, or about noon, watching the low saddle over +which we could see Tabora, we saw it crowded with fugitives +from that settlement, who were rushing to our settlement at +Kwihara for protection. From these people we heard the sad +information that the noble Khamis bin Abdullah, his little protege, +Khamis, Mohammed bin Abdullah, Ibrahim bin Rashid, and Sayf, the +son of Ali, the son of Sheikh, the son of Nasib, had been slain. + +When I inquired into the details of the attack, and the manner of +the death of these Arabs, I was told that after the first firing +which warned the inhabitants of Tabora that the enemy was upon +them, Khamis bin Abdullah and some of the principal Arabs who +happened to be with him had ascended to the roof of his tembe, +and with his spyglass he had looked towards the direction of the +firing. To his great astonishment he saw the plain around Tabora +filled with approaching savages, and about two miles off, near +Kazima, a tent pitched, which he knew to belong to Mirambo, from +its having been presented to that chief by the Arabs of Tabora +when they were on good terms with him. + +Khamis bin Abdullah descended to his house saying, "Let us go to +meet him. Arm yourselves, my friends, and come with me." His +friends advised him strongly sat to go out of his tembe; for so +long as each Arab kept to his tembe they were more than a match +for the Ruga Ruga and the Watuta together. But Khamis broke out +impatiently with, "Would you advise us to stop in our tembes, +for fear of this Mshensi (pagan)? Who goes with me?" His little +protege, Khamis,, son of a dead friend, asked to be allowed to be +his gun-bearer;. Mohammed bin Abdulluh, Ibrahim bin Rashid, and +Sayf, the son of Ali, young Arabs of good families, who were +proud to live with the noble Khamis, also offered to go with him. +After hastily arming eighty of his slaves, contrary to the advice +of his prudent friends, he sallied out, and was soon face to face +with his cunning and determined enemy Mirambo. This chief, upon +seeing the Arabs advance towards him, gave orders to retreat slowly. +Khamis, deceived by this, rushed on with his friends after them. +Suddenly Mirambo ordered his men to advance upon them in a body, +and at the sight of the precipitate rush upon their party, Khamis's +slaves incontinently took to their heels, never even deigning to cast +a glance behind them, leaving their master to the fate which was now +overtaking him. The savages surrounded the five Arabs, and though +several of them fell before the Arabs' fire, continued to shoot at +the little party, until Khamis bin Abdullah received a bullet in +the leg, which brought him to his knees, and, for the first time, +to the knowledge that his slaves had deserted him. Though wounded, +the brave man continued shooting, but he soon afterwards received +a bullet through the heart. Little Khamis, upon seeing his adopted +father's fall, exclaimed: "My father Khamis is dead, I will die +with him," and continued fighting until he received, shortly +after, his death wound. In a few minutes there was not one Arab +left alive. + +Late at night some more particulars arrived of this tragic scene. +I was told by people who saw the bodies, that the body of Khamis +bin Abdullah, who was a fine noble, brave, portly man, was found +with the skin of his forehead, the beard and skin of the lower part +of his face, the fore part of the nose, the fat over the stomach +and abdomen, and, lastly, a bit from each heel, cut off, by the +savage allies of Mirambo. And in the same condition were found +the bodies of his adopted son and fallen friends. The flesh and +skin thus taken from the bodies was taken, of course, by the +waganga or medicine men, to make what they deem to be the most +powerful potion of all to enable men to be strong against +their enemies. This potion is mixed up with their ugali and rice, +and is taken in this manner with the most perfect confidence in its +efficacy, as an invulnerable protection against bullets and +missiles of all descriptions. + +It was a most sorry scene to witness from our excited settlement +at Kwihara, almost the whole of Tabora in flames, and to see the +hundreds of people crowding into Kwihara. + +Perceiving that my people were willing to stand by me, I made +preparations for defence by boring loopholes for muskets into the +stout clay walls of my tembe. They were made so quickly, and +seemed so admirably adapted for the efficient defence of the +tembe, that my men got quite brave, and Wangwana refugees with +guns in their hands, driven out of Tabora, asked to be admitted +into our tembe to assist in its defence. Livingstone's men were +also collected, and invited to help defend their master's goods +against Mirambo's supposed attack. By night I had one hundred +and fifty armed men in my courtyard, stationed at every possible +point where an attack might be expected. To-morrow Mirambo has +threatened that he will come to Kwihara. I hope he will come, and +if he comes within range of an American rifle, I shall see what +virtue lies in American lead. + +August 23rd.--We have passed a very anxious day in the valley of +Kwihara. Our eyes were constantly directed towards unfortunate +Tabora. It has been said that three tembes only have stood the +brunt of the attack. Abid bin Suliman's house has been destroyed, +and over two hundred tusks of ivory that belonged to him have become +the property of the African Bonaparte. My tembe is in as efficient +a state of defence as its style and means of defence will allow. +Rifle-pits surround the house outside, and all native huts that +obstructed the view have been torn down, and all trees and shrubs +which might serve as a shelter for any one of the enemy have been +cut. Provisions and water enough for six days have been brought. +I have ammunition enough to last two weeks. The walls are three +feet thick, and there are apartments within apartments, so that +a desperate body of men could fight until the last room had been +taken. + +The Arabs, my neighbours, endeavour to seem brave, but it is +evident they are about despairing; I have heard it rumoured that +the Arabs of Kwihara, if Tabora is taken, will start en masse for +the coast, and give the country up to Mirambo. If such are their +intentions, and they are really carried into effect, I shall be +in a pretty mess. However, if they do leave me, Mirambo will not +reap any benefit from my stores, nor from Livingstone's either, +for I shall burn the whole house, and everything in it. + +August 24th.--The American flag is still waving above my house, +and the Arabs are still in Unyanyembe. + +About 10 A.M., a messenger came from Tabora, asking us if we were +not going to assist them against Mirambo. I felt very much like +going out to help them; but after debating long upon the pros and +cons of it,--asking myself, Was it prudent? Ought I to go? What +will become of the people if I were killed? Will they not desert +me again? What was the fate of Khamis bin Abdullah?--I sent word +that I would not go; that they ought to feel perfectly at home in +their tembes against such a force as Mirambo had, that I should +be glad if they could induce him to come to Kwihara, in which +case I would try and pick him off. + +They say that Mirambo, and his principal officer, carry umbrellas +over their heads, that he himself has long hair like a Mnyamwezi +pagazi, and a beard. If he comes, all the men carrying umbrellas +will have bullets rained on them in the hope that one lucky bullet +may hit him. According to popular ideas, I should make a silver +bullet, but I have no silver with me. I might make a gold one. + +About, noon I went over to see Sheikh bin Nasib, leaving about +100 men inside the house to guard it while I was absent. This old +fellow is quite a philosopher in his way. I should call him a +professor of minor philosophy. He is generally so sententious-- +fond of aphorisms, and a very deliberate character. I was +astonished to find him so despairing. His aphorisms have +deserted him, his philosophy has not been able to stand against +disaster. He listened to me, more like a moribund, than one +possessing all the means of defence and offence. + +I loaded his two-pounder with ball, and grape, and small slugs of +iron, and advised him not to fire it until Mirambo's people were at +his gates. + +About 4 p.m. I heard that Mirambo had deported himself to Kazima, +a place north-west of Tabora a couple of miles. + +August 26th.--The Arabs sallied out this morning to attack Kazima, +but refrained, because Mirambo asked for a day's grace, to eat the +beef he had stolen from them. He has asked them impudently to +come to-morrow morning, at which time he says he will give them +plenty of fighting, + +Kwihara is once more restored to a peaceful aspect, and fugitives +no longer throng its narrow limits in fear and despair. + +August 27th.--Mirambo retreated during the night; and when the +Arabs went in force to attack his village of Kazima, they found it +vacant. + +The Arabs hold councils of war now-a-days--battle meetings, of +which they seem to be very fond, but extremely slow to act upon. +They were about to make friends with the northern Watuta, but +Mirambo was ahead of them. They had talked of invading Mirambo's +territory the second time, but Mirambo invaded Unyanyembe with +fire and sword, bringing death to many a household, and he has +slain the noblest of them all. + +The Arabs spend their hours in talking and arguing, while the Ujiji +and Karagwah roads are more firmly closed than ever. Indeed many +of the influential Arabs are talking of returning to Zanzibar; +saying, "Unyanyembe is ruined." + +Meanwhile, with poor success, however, perceiving the impossibility +of procuring Wanyamwezi pagazis, I am hiring the Wangwana renegades +living in Unyanyembe to proceed with me to Ujiji, at treble prices. +Each man is offered 30 doti, ordinary hire of a carrier being only +from 5 to 10 doti to Ujiji. I want fifty men. I intend to leave +about sixty or seventy loads here under charge of a guard. I +shall leave all personal baggage behind, except one small +portmanteau. + +August 28th.--No news to-day of Mirambo. Shaw is getting strong +again. + +Sheikh bin Nasib called on me to-day, but, except on minor +philosophy, he had nothing to say. + +I have determined, after a study of the country, to lead a flying +caravan to Ujiji, by a southern road through northern Ukonongo +and Ukawendi. Sheikh bin Nasib has been informed to-night of +this determination. + +August 29th.--Shaw got up to-day for a little work. Alas! all my +fine-spun plans of proceeding by boat over the Victoria N'Yanza, +thence down the Nile, have been totally demolished, I fear, +through this war with Mirambo--this black Bonaparte. Two months +have been wasted here already. The Arabs take such a long time to +come to a conclusion. Advice is plentiful, and words are as +numerous as the blades of grass in our valley; all that is wanting +indecision. The Arabs' hope and stay is dead--Khamis bin Abdullah +is no more. Where are the other warriors of whom the Wangwana +and Wanyamwezi bards sing? Where is mighty Kisesa--great Abdullah +bin Nasib? Where is Sayd, the son of Majid? Kisesa is in +Zanzibar, and Sayd, the son of Majid, is in Ujiji, as yet +ignorant that his son has fallen in the forest of Wilyankuru. + +Shaw is improving fast. I am unsuccessful as yet in procuring +soldiers. I almost despair of ever being able to move from here. +It is such a drowsy, sleepy, slow, dreaming country. Arabs, +Wangwana, Wanyamwezi, are all alike--all careless how time flies. +Their to-morrow means sometimes within a month. To me it is +simply maddening. + +August 30th.--Shaw will not work. I cannot get him to stir +himself. I have petted him and coaxed him; I have even cooked +little luxuries for him myself. And, while I am straining +every nerve to get ready for Ujiji, Shaw is satisfied with +looking on listlessly. What a change from the ready-handed bold +man he was at Zanzibar! + +I sat down by his side to-day with my palm and needle in order +to encourage him, and to-day, for the first time, I told him of +the real nature of my mission. I told him that I did not care +about the geography of the country half as much as I cared about +FINDING LIVINGSTONE! I told him, for the first time, +"Now, my dear Shaw, you think probably that I have been sent here +to find the depth of the Tanganika. Not a bit of it, man; I was +told to find Livingstone. It is to find Livingstone I am here. +It is to find Livingstone I am going. Don't you see, old fellow, +the importance of the mission; don't you see what reward you will +get from Mr. Bennett, if you will help me? I am sure, if ever you +come to New York, you will never be in want of a fifty-dollar bill. +So shake yourself; jump about; look lively. Say you will not die; +that is half the battle. Snap your fingers at the fever. I will +guarantee the fever won't kill you. I have medicine enough for a +regiment here!" + +His eyes lit up a little, but the light that shone in them shortly +faded, and died. I was quite disheartened. I made some strong +punch, to put fire in his veins, that I might see life in him. +I put sugar, and eggs, and seasoned it with lemon and spice. +"Drink, Shaw," said I, "and forget your infirmities. You are not +sick, dear fellow; it is only ennui you are feeling. Look at +Selim there. Now, I will bet any amount, that he will not die; +that I will carry him home safe to his friends! I will carry you +home also, if you will, let me!" + +September 1st:--According to Thani bin Abdullah whom I visited +to-day, at his tembe in Maroro, Mirambo lost two hundred men in +the attack upon Tabora, while the Arabs' losses were, five Arabs, +thirteen freemen and eight slaves, besides three tembes, and over +one hundred small huts burned, two hundred and eighty ivory +tusks, and sixty cows and bullocks captured. + +September 3rd.--Received a packet of letters and newspapers from +Capt. Webb, at Zanzibar. What a good thing it is that one's +friends, even in far America, think of the absent one in Africa! +They tell me, that no one dreams of my being in Africa yet! + +I applied to Sheikh bin Nasib to-day to permit Livingstone's +caravan to go under my charge to Ujiji, but he would not listen +to it. He says he feels certain I am going to my death. + +September 4th.--Shaw is quite well to-day, he says. Selim is down +with the fever. My force is gradually increasing, though some of +my old soldiers are falling off. Umgareza is blind; Baruti has +the small-pox very badly; Sadala has the intermittent. + +September 5th.--Baruti died this morning. He was one of my best +soldiers; and was one of those men who accompanied Speke to Egypt. +Baruti is number seven of those who have died since leaving +Zanzibar. + +To-day my ears have been poisoned with the reports of the Arabs, +about the state of the country I am about to travel through. +"The roads are bad; they are all stopped; the Ruga-Ruga are out +in the forests; the Wakonongo are coming from the south to help +Mirambo; the Washensi are at war, one tribe against another." +My men are getting dispirited, they have imbibed the fears of the +Arabs and the Wanyamwezi. Bombay begins to feel that I had better +go back to the coast, and try again some other time. + +We buried Baruti under the shade of the banyan-tree, a few yards +west of my tembe. The grave was made four and a half feet deep +and three feet wide. At the bottom on one side a narrow trench was +excavated, into which the body was rolled on his side, with his +face turned towards Mecca. The body was dressed in a doti and +a half of new American sheeting. After it was placed properly +in its narrow bed, a sloping roof of sticks, covered over with +matting and old canvas, was made, to prevent the earth from +falling over the body. The grave was then filled, the soldiers +laughing merrily. On the top of the grave was planted a small +shrub, and into a small hole made with the hand, was poured +water lest he might feel thirsty--they said--on his way to +Paradise; water was then sprinkled all ever the grave, and +the gourd broken. This ceremony being ended, the men recited +the Arabic Fat-hah, after which they left the grave of their +dead comrade to think no more of him, + +September 7th.--An Arab named Mohammed presented me to-day with a +little boy-slave, called "Ndugu M'hali" (my brother's wealth). +As I did not like the name, I called the chiefs of my caravan +together, and asked them to give him a better name. One suggested +"Simba" (a lion), another said he thought "Ngombe" (a cow) +would suit the boy-child, another thought he ought to be called +"Mirambo," which raised a loud laugh. Bombay thought "Bombay +Mdogo" would suit my black-skinned infant very well. Ulimengo, +however, after looking at his quick eyes, and noting his celerity +of movement, pronounced the name Ka-lu-la as the best for him, +"because," said he, "just look at his eyes, so bright look at his +form, so slim! watch his movements, how quick! Yes, Kalulu is his +name.""Yes, bana," said the others, "let it be Kalulu." + +"Kalulu" is a Kisawahili term for the young of the blue-buck +(perpusilla) antelope. + +"Well, then," said I, water being brought in a huge tin pan, +Selim, who was willing to stand godfather, holding him over the +water, "let his name henceforth be Kalulu, and let no man take it +from him," and thus it was that the little black boy of Mohammed's +came to be called Kalulu. + +The Expedition is increasing in numbers. + +We had quite an alarm before dark. Much firing was heard at +Tabora, which led us to anticipate an attack on Kwihara. It +turned out, however, to be a salute fired in honour of the arrival +of Sultan Kitambi to pay a visit to Mkasiwa, Sultan of Unyanyembe. + +September 8th.--Towards night Sheikh bin Nasib received a letter +from an Arab at Mfuto, reporting that an attack was made on that +place by Mirambo and his Watuta allies. It also warned him to bid +the people of Kwihara hold themselves in readiness, because if +Mirambo succeeded in storming Mfuto, he would march direct on +Kwihara. + +September 9th.--Mirambo was defeated with severe loss yesterday, +in his attack upon Mfuto. He was successful in an assault he made +upon a small Wanyamwezi village, but when he attempted to storm +Mfuto, he was repulsed with severe loss, losing three of his +principal men. Upon withdrawing his forces from the attack, the +inhabitants sallied out, and followed him to the forest of Umanda, +where he was again utterly routed, himself ingloriously flying +from the field. + +The heads of his chief men slain in the attack were brought to +Kwikuru, the boma of Mkasiwa. + +September 14th.--The Arab boy Selim is delirious from constant +fever. Shaw is sick again. These two occupy most of my time. +I am turned into a regular nurse, for I have no one to assist +me in attending upon them. If I try to instruct Abdul Kader +in the art of being useful, his head is so befogged with the +villainous fumes of Unyamwezi tobacco, that he wanders bewildered +about, breaking dishes, and upsetting cooked dainties, until +I get so exasperated that my peace of mind is broken completely +for a full hour. If I ask Ferajji, my now formally constituted +cook, to assist, his thick wooden head fails to receive an idea, +and I am thus obliged to play the part of chef de cuisine. + +September 15th.--The third month of my residence in Unyanyembe is +almost finished, and I am still here, but I hope to be gone before +the 23rd inst. + +All last night, until nine A.M. this morning, my soldiers danced +and sang to the names of their dead comrades, whose bones now +bleach in the forests of Wilyankuru. Two or three huge pots of +pombe failed to satisfy the raging thirst which the vigorous +exercise they were engaged in, created. So, early this +morning, I was called upon to contribute a shukka for another +potful of the potent liquor. + +To-day I was busy selecting the loads for each soldier and +pagazi. In order to lighten their labor as much as possible, I +reduced each load from 70 lbs. to 50 lbs., by which I hope to be +enabled to make some long marches. I have been able to engage ten +pagazis during the last two or three days. + +I have two or three men still very sick, and it is almost useless +to expect that they will be able to carry anything, but I +am in hopes that other men may be engaged to take their places +before the actual day of departure, which now seems to be drawing +near rapidly. + +September 16th.--We have almost finished our work--on the fifth day +from this--God willing--we shall march. I engaged two more pagazis +besides two guides, named Asmani and Mabruki. If vastness of the +human form could terrify any one, certainly Asmani's appearance +is well calculated to produce that effect. He stands considerably +over six feet without shoes, and has shoulders broad enough for two +ordinary men. + +To-morrow I mean to give the people a farewell feast, to celebrate +our departure from this forbidding and unhappy country. + +September 17th.--The banquet is ended. I slaughtered two bullocks, +and had a barbacue; three sheep, two goats, and fifteen chickens, +120 lbs. of rice, twenty large loaves of bread made of Indian +corn-flour, one hundred eggs, 10 lbs. of butter, and five gallons +of sweet-milk, were the contents of which the banquet was formed. +The men invited their friends and neighbours, and about one hundred +women and children partook of it. + +After the banquet was ended, the pombe, or native beer, was brought +in in five gallon pots, and the people commenced their dance, +which continues even now as I write. + +September 19th.--I had a slight attack of fever to-day, which has +postponed our departure. Selim and Shaw are both recovered. + +About 8 P.M. Sheik bin Nasib came to me imploring me not to go +away to-morrow, because I was so sick. Thani Sakhburi suggested +to me that I might stay another month. In answer, I told them +that white men are not accustomed to break their words. I had +said I would go, and I intended to go. + +Sheikh bin Nasib gave up all hope of inducing me to remain another +day, and he has gone away, with a promise to write to Seyd Burghash +to tell him how obstinate I am; and that I am determined to be +killed. This was a parting shot. + +About 10 P.M. the fever had gone. All were asleep in the tembe +but myself, and an unutterable loneliness came on me as I reflected +on my position, and my intentions, and felt the utter lack of +sympathy with me in all around. It requires more nerve than I +possess, to dispel all the dark presentiments that come upon the +mind. But probably what I call presentiments are simply the +impress on the mind of the warnings which these false-hearted Arabs +have repeated so often. This melancholy and loneliness I feel, +may probably have their origin from the same cause. The single +candle, which barely lights up the dark shade that fills the +corners of my room, is but a poor incentive to cheerfulness. +I feel as though I were imprisoned between stone walls. But why +should I feel as if baited by these stupid, slow-witted Arabs and +their warnings and croakings? I fancy a suspicion haunts my +mind, as I write, that there lies some motive behind all this. +I wonder if these Arabs tell me all these things to keep me here, +in the hope that I might be induced another time to assist them +in their war with Mirambo! If they think so, they are much +mistaken, for I have taken a solemn, enduring oath, an oath to be +kept while the least hope of life remains in me, not to be tempted +to break the resolution I have formed, never to give up the search, +until I find Livingstone alive, or find his dead body; and never +to return home without the strongest possible proofs that he is +alive, or that he is dead. No living man, or living men, shall +stop me, only death can prevent me. But death--not even this; +I shall not die, I will not die, I cannot die! And something +tells me, I do not know what it is--perhaps it is the ever- +living hopefulness of my own nature, perhaps it is the natural +presumption born out of an abundant and glowing vitality, or +the outcome of an overweening confidence in oneself--anyhow and +everyhow, something tells me to-night I shall find him, and--write +it larger--FIND HIM! FIND HIM! Even the words are inspiring. +I feel more happy. Have I uttered a prayer? I shall sleep +calmly to-night. + +I have felt myself compelled to copy out of my Diary the above +notes, as they explain, written as they are on the spot, the +vicissitudes of my "Life at Unyanyembe." To me they appear +to explain far better than any amount of descriptive writing, +even of the most graphic, the nature of the life I led. There +they are, unexaggerated, in their literality, precisely as I +conceived them at the time they happened. They speak of fevers +without number to myself and men, they relate our dangers, and +little joys, our annoyances and our pleasures, as they occurred. + + + +CHAPTER X. TO MRERA, UKONONGO. + +Departure from Unyanyembe.--The expedition reorganized.-Bombay.-- +Mr. Shaw returns sick to Unyanyembe.--A noble forest.-The fever +described.--Happiness of the camp.--A park-land.--Herds of game +and noble sport.--A mutiny.--Punishment of the ringleaders. +Elephants.--Arrival at Mrera + +The 20th of September had arrived. This was the day I had decided +to cut loose from those who tormented me with their doubts, their +fears, and beliefs, and commence the march to Ujiji by a southern +route. I was very weak from the fever that had attacked me the +day before, and it was a most injudicious act to commence a march +under such circumstances. But I had boasted to Sheikh bin Nasib +that a white man never breaks his word, and my reputation as a +white man would have been ruined had I stayed behind, or postponed +the march, in consequence of feebleness. + +I mustered the entire caravan outside the tembe, our flags and +streamers were unfurled, the men had their loads resting on the +walls, there was considerable shouting, and laughing, and negroidal +fanfaronnade. The Arabs had collected from curiosity's sake to see +us off--all except Sheikh bin Nasib, whom I had offended by my +asinine opposition to his wishes. The old Sheikh took to his bed, +but sent his son to bear me a last morsel of Philosophic +sentimentality, which I was to treasure up as the last words of +the patriarchal Sheikh, the son of Nasib, the son of Ali, the son +of Sayf. Poor Sheikh! if thou hadst only known what was at the +bottom of this stubbornness--this ass-like determination to proceed +the wrong way--what wouldst thou then have said, 0 Sheikh? But the +Sheikh comforted himself with the thought that I might know what I +was about better than he did, which is most likely, only neither +he nor any other Arab will ever know exactly the motive that +induced me to march at all westward--when the road to the east was +ever so much easier. + +My braves whom I had enlisted for a rapid march somewhere, out of +Unyanyembe, were named as follows:-- + +1. John William Shaw, London, England. + +2. Selim Heshmy, Arab. + +3. Seedy Mbarak Mombay, Zanzibar. + +4. Mabruki Spoke, ditto. + +5. Ulimengo, ditto + +6. Ambari, ditto. + +7. Uledi, ditto. + +8. Asmani, ditto. + +9. Sarmean, ditto. + +10. Kamna, ditto. + +11. Zaidi, ditto. + +12. Khamisi, ditto. + +13. Chowpereh, Bagamoyo. + +14. Kingaru, ditto. + +15. Belali, ditto. + +16. Ferous, Unyanyembe. + +17. Rojab, Bagamoyo. + +18. Mabruk Unyanyembe, Unyanyembe. + +19. Mtamani, ditto. + +20. Chanda, Maroro. + +21. Sadala, Zanzibar. + +22. Kombo, ditto. + +23. Saburi the Great, Maroro. + +24. Saburi the Little, ditto. + +25. Marora, ditto. + +26. Ferajji (the cook), Zanzibar. + +27. Mabruk Saleem, Zanzibar. + +28. Baraka, ditto. + +29. Ibrahim, Maroro. + +30. Mabruk Ferous, ditto. + +31. Baruti, Bagamoyo. + +32. Umgareza, Zanzibar. + +33. Hamadi (the guide), ditto. + +34. Asmani, ditto, ditto. + +35. Mabruk, ditto ditto. + +36. Hamdallah (the guide), Tabora. + +37. Jumah, Zanzibar. + +38. Maganga, Mkwenkwe. + +39. Muccadum, Tabora. + +40. Dasturi, ditto. + +41. Tumayona, Ujiji. + +42. Mparamoto, Ujiji. + +43. Wakiri, ditto. + +44. Mufu, ditto. + +45. Mpepo, ditto. + +46. Kapingu, Ujiji. + +47. Mashishanga, ditto. + +48. Muheruka, ditto. + +49. Missossi, ditto. + +50. Tufum Byah, ditto. + +51. Majwara (boy), Uganda. + +52. Belali (boy), Uemba. + +53. Kalulu (boy), Lunda. + +54. Abdul Kader (tailor), Malabar. + + +These are the men and boys whom I had chosen to be my companions +on the apparently useless mission of seeking for the lost traveller, +David Livingstone. The goods with which I had burdened them, +consisted of 1,000 doti, or 4,000 yds. of cloth, six bags of beads, +four loads of ammunition, one tent, one bed and clothes, one box of +medicine, sextant and books, two loads of tea, coffee, and sugar, +one load of flour and candles, one load of canned meats, sardines, +and miscellaneous necessaries, and one load of cooking utensils. + +The men were all in their places except Bombay. Bombay had gone; +he could not be found. I despatched a man to hunt him up. He +was found weeping in the arms of his Delilah. + +"Why did you go away, Bombay, when you knew I intended to go, and +was waiting?" + +"Oh, master, I was saying good-bye to my missis." + +" Oh, indeed?" + +"Yes, master; you no do it, when you go away? + +"Silence, sir." + +"Oh! all right." + +"What is the matter with you, Bombay?" + +"Oh, nuffin." + +As I saw he was in a humour to pick a quarrel with me before those +Arabs who had congregated outside of my tembe to witness my departure; +and as I was not in a humour to be balked by anything that might turn +up, the consequence was, that I was obliged to thrash Bombay, an +operation which soon cooled his hot choler, but brought down on my +head a loud chorus of remonstrances from my pretended Arab friends-- +"Now, master, don't, don't--stop it, master: the poor man knows +better than you what he and you may expect on the road you are now +taking." + +If anything was better calculated to put me in a rage than Bombay's +insolence before a crowd it was this gratuitous interference with +what I considered my own especial business; but I restrained +myself, though I told them, in a loud voice, that I did not choose +to be interfered with, unless they wished to quarrel with me. + +"No, no, bana," they all exclaimed; "we do not wish to quarrel +with you. In the name of God! go on your way in peace." + +"Fare you well, then," said I, shaking hands with them. + +"Farewell, master, farewell. We wish you, we are sure, all +success, and God be with you, and guide you!" + +"March!" + +A parting salute was fired; the flags were raised up by the +guides, each pagazi rushed for his load, and in a short time, +with songs and shouts, the head of the Expedition had filed +round the western end of my tembe along the road to Ugunda. + +"Now, Mr. Shaw, I am waiting, sir. Mount your donkey, if you +cannot walk." + +"Please, Mr. Stanley, I am afraid I cannot go." + +Why?" + +"I don't know, I am sure. I feel very weak." + +"So am I weak. It was but late last night, as you know, that the +fever left me. Don't back out before these Arabs; remember you +are a white man. Here, Selim, Mabruki, Bombay, help Mr. Shaw on +his donkey, and walk by him." + +"Oh, bana, bans," said the Arabs, "don't take him. Do you not see +he is sick? " + +" You keep away; nothing will prevent me from taking him. He +shall go." + +"Go on, Bombay." + +The last of my party had gone. The tembe, so lately a busy +scene, had already assumed a naked, desolate appearance. +I turned towards the Arabs, lifted my hat, and said again, +"Farewell," then faced about for the south, followed by my +four young gun-bearers, Selim, Kalulu, Majwara, and Belali. + +After half an hour's march the scenery became more animated. +Shaw began to be amused. Bombay had forgotten our quarrel, +and assured me, if I could pass Mirambo's country, I should +"catch the Tanganika;" Mabruki Burton also believed we should. +Selim was glad to leave Unyanyembe, where he had suffered so much +from fever; and there was a something in the bold aspect of the +hills which cropped upward--above fair valleys, that enlivened +and encouraged me to proceed. + +In an hour and a half, we arrived at our camp in the Kinyamwezi +village of Mkwenkwe, the birthplace--of our famous chanter Maganga. + +My tent was pitched, the goods were stored in one of the tembes; +but one-half the men had returned to Kwihara, to take one more +embrace of their wives and concubines. + +Towards night I was attacked once again with the intermittent +fever. Before morning it had departed, leaving me terribly +prostrated with weakness. I had heard the men conversing with each +other over their camp-fires upon the probable prospects of the next +day. It was a question with them whether I should continue the +march. Mostly all were of opinion that, since the master was +sick, there would be no march. A superlative obstinacy, however, +impelled me on, merely to spite their supine souls; but when I +sallied out of my tent to call them to get ready, I found that +at least twenty were missing; and Livingstone's letter-carrier, +"Kaif-Halek"--or, How-do-ye-do?--had not arrived with Dr. +Livingstone's letter-bag. + +Selecting twenty of the strongest and faithfulest men I despatched +them back to Unyanyembe in search of the missing men; and Selim +was sent to Sheikh bin Nasib to borrow, or buy, a long slave-chain. + +Towards night my twenty detectives returned with nine of the +missing men. The Wajiji had deserted in a body, and they could +not be found. Selim also returned with a strong chain, capable of +imprisoning within the collars attached to it at least ten men. +Kaif-Halek also appeared with the letter-bag which he was to convey +to Livingstone under my escort. The men were then addressed, and +the slave-chain exhibited to them. I told them that I was the +first white man who had taken a slave-chain with him on his travels; +but, as they were all so frightened of accompanying me, I was obliged +to make use of it, as it was the only means of keeping them together. +The good need never fear being chained by me--only the deserters, +the thieves, who received their hire and presents, guns and +ammunition, and then ran away. + +I would not put any one this time in chains; but whoever +deserted after this day, I should halt, and not continue the march +till I found him, after which he should march to Ujiji with the +slave-chain round his neck. "Do you hear?"--"Yes," was the +answer. "Do you understand?"--" Yes." + +We broke up camp at 6 P.M., and took the road for Inesuka, at which +place we arrived at 8 P.M. + +When we were about commencing the march the next morning, it was +discovered that two more had deserted. Baraka and Bombay were at +once despatched to Unyanyembe to bring back the two missing +men--Asmani and Kingaru--with orders not to return without them. +This was the third time that the latter had deserted, as the reader +may remember. While the pursuit was being effected we halted at +the village of Inesuka, more for the sake of Shaw than any one +else. + +In the evening the incorrigible deserters were brought back, and, +as I had threatened, were well flogged and chained, to secure them +against further temptation. Bombay and Baraka had a picturesque +story to relate of the capture; and, as I was in an exceedingly +good humour, their services were rewarded with a fine cloth each. + +On the following morning another carrier had absconded, taking with +him his hire of fifteen new cloths and a gun but to halt anywhere +near Unyanyembe any longer was a danger that could be avoided only +by travelling without stoppages towards the southern jungle-lands. +It will be remembered I had in my train the redoubtable Abdul +Kader, the tailor, he who had started from Bagamoyo with such +bright anticipations of the wealth of ivory to be obtained in the +great interior of Africa. On this morning, daunted by the reports +of the dangers ahead, Abdul Kader craved to be discharged. He +vowed he was sick, and unable to proceed any further. As I was +pretty well tired of him, I paid him off in cloth, and permitted +him to go. + +About half way to Kasegera Mabruk Saleem was suddenly taken sick. +I treated him with a grain of calomel, and a couple of ounces of +brandy. As he was unable to walk, I furnished him with a donkey. +Another man named Zaidi was ill with a rheumatic fever; and Shaw +tumbled twice off the animal he was riding, and required an +infinite amount of coaxing to mount again. Verily, my expedition +was pursued by adverse fortunes, and it seemed as if the Fates had +determined upon our return. It really appeared as if everything +was going to wreck and ruin. If I were only fifteen days from +Unyanyembe, thought I, I should be saved! + +Kasegera was a scene of rejoicing the afternoon and evening of our +arrival. Absentees had just returned from the coast, and the +youths were brave in their gaudy bedizenment, their new barsatis, +their soharis, and long cloths of bright new kaniki, with which +they had adorned themselves behind some bush before they had +suddenly appeared dressed in all this finery. The women "Hi-hi'ed" +like maenads, and the "Lu-lu-lu'ing" was loud, frequent, and +fervent the whole of that afternoon. Sylphlike damsels looked up +to the youthful heroes with intensest admiration on their +features; old women coddled and fondled them; staff-using, +stooping-backed patriarchs blessed them. This is fame in Unyamwezi! +All the fortunate youths had to use their tongues until the wee +hours of next morning had arrived, relating all the wonders they +had seen near the Great Sea, and in the "Unguja," the island of +Zanzibar; of how they saw great white men's ships, and numbers of +white men, of their perils and trials during their journey through +the land of the fierce Wagogo, and divers other facts, with which +the reader and I are by this time well acquainted. + +On the 24th we struck camp, and marched through a forest of imbiti +wood in a S.S.W. direction, and in about three hours came to Kigandu. + +On arriving before this village, which is governed by a daughter +of Mkasiwa, we were informed we could not enter unless we paid +toll. As we would not pay toll, we were compelled to camp in a +ruined, rat-infested boma, situated a mile to the left of Kigandu, +being well scolded by the cowardly natives for deserting Mkasiwa +in his hour of extremity. We were accused of running away from +the war. + +Almost on the threshold of our camp Shaw, in endeavouring to +dismount, lost his stirrups, and fell prone on his face. The +foolish fellow actually, laid on the ground in the hot sun a +full hour; and when I coldly asked him if he did not feel +rather uncomfortable, he sat up, and wept like a child. + +"Do you wish to go back, Mr. Shaw?" + +"If you please. I do not believe I can go any farther; and +if you would only be kind enough, I should like to return very +much." + +"Well, Mr. Shaw, I have come to the conclusion that it is best, +you should return. My patience is worn out. I have endeavoured +faithfully to lift you above these petty miseries which you +nourish so devotedly. You are simply suffering from hypochondria. +You imagine yourself sick, and nothing, evidently, will persuade +you that you are not. Mark my words--to return to Unyanyembe, +is to DIE! Should you happen to fall sick in Kwihara who knows +how to administer medicine to you? Supposing you are delirious, +how can any of the soldiers know what you want, or what is +beneficial and necessary for you? Once again, I repeat, if you +return, you DIE!" + +"Ah, dear me; I wish I had never ventured to come! I thought +life in Africa was so different from this. I would rather go +back if you will permit me." + +The next day was a halt, and arrangements were made for the +transportation of Shaw back to Kwihara. A strong litter was made, +and four stout pagazis were hired at Kigandu to carry him. Bread +was baked, a canteen was filled with cold tea, and a leg of a kid +was roasted for his sustenance while on the road. + +The night before we parted we spent together. Shaw played some +tunes on an accordion which I had purchased for him at Zanzibar; +but, though it was only a miserable ten-dollar affair, I thought +the homely tunes evoked from the instrument that night were divine +melodies. The last tune played before retiring was "Home, sweet +Home." + +The morning of the 27th we were all up early: There was considerable +vis in our movements. A long, long march lay before us that day; +but then I was to leave behind all the sick and ailing. Only +those who were healthy, and could march fast and long, were to +accompany me. Mabruk Saleem I left in charge of a native doctor, +who was to medicate him for a gift of cloth which I gave him in +advance. + +The horn sounded to get ready. Shaw was lifted in his litter on +the shoulders of his carriers. My men formed two ranks; the +flags were lifted; and between these two living rows, and under +those bright streamers, which were to float over the waters of +the Tanganika before he should see them again, Shaw was borne +away towards the north; while we filed off to the south, with +quicker and more elastic steps, as if we felt an incubus had +been taken from us. + +We ascended a ridge bristling with syenite boulders of massive +size, appearing above a forest of dwarf trees. The view which we +saw was similar to that we had often seen elsewhere. An +illimitable forest stretching in grand waves far beyond the ken of +vision--ridges, forest-clad, rising gently one above another until +they receded in the dim purple-blue distance --with a warm haze +floating above them, which, though clear enough in our +neighbourhood, became impenetrably blue in the far distance. +Woods, woods, woods, leafy branches, foliage globes, or +parachutes, green, brown, or sere in colour, forests one above +another, rising, falling, and receding--a very leafy ocean. The +horizon, at all points, presents the same view, there may be an +indistinct outline of a hill far away, or here and there a tall +tree higher than the rest conspicuous in its outlines against the +translucent sky--with this exception it is the same--the same clear +sky dropping into the depths of the forest, the same outlines, the +same forest, the same horizon, day after day, week after week; we +hurry to the summit of a ridge, expectant of a change, but the +wearied eyes, after wandering over the vast expanse, return to the +immediate surroundings, satiated with the eversameness of such +scenes. Carlyle, somewhere in his writings, says, that though the +Vatican is great, it is but the chip of an eggshell compared to the +star-fretted dome where Arcturus and Orion glance for ever; and I +say that, though the grove of Central Park, New York, is grand +compared to the thin groves seen in other great cities, that though +the Windsor and the New Forests may be very fine and noble in +England, yet they are but fagots of sticks compared to these +eternal forests of Unyamwezi. + +We marched three hours, and then halted for refreshments. I +perceived that the people were very tired, not yet inured to a +series of long marches, or rather, not in proper trim for earnest, +hard work after our long rest in Kwihara. When we resumed our +march again there were several manifestations of bad temper and +weariness. But a few good-natured remarks about their laziness +put them on their mettle, and we reached Ugunda at 2 P.M. after +another four hours' spurt. + +Ugunda is a very large village in the district of Ugunda, which +adjoins the southern frontier of Unyanyembe. The village probably +numbers four hundred families, or two thousand souls. It is well +protected by a tall and strong palisade of three-inch timber. +Stages have been erected at intervals above the palisades with +miniature embrasures in the timber, for the muskets of the +sharpshooters, who take refuge within these box-like stages to +pick out the chiefs of an attacking force. An inner ditch, with +the sand or soil thrown up three or four feet high against the +palings, serves as protection for the main body of the defenders, +who kneel in the ditch, and are thus enabled to withstand a very +large force. For a mile or two outside the village all obstructions +are cleared, and the besieged are thus warned by sharp-eyed watchers +to be prepared for the defence before the enemy approaches within +musket range. Mirambo withdrew his force of robbers from before +this strongly-defended village after two or three ineffectual attempts +to storm it, and the Wagunda have been congratulating themselves +ever since, upon having driven away the boldest marauder that +Unyamwezi has seen for generations. + +The Wagunda have about three thousand acres under cultivation +around their principal village, and this area suffices to produce +sufficient grain not only for their own consumption, but also for +the many caravans which pass by this way for Ufipa and Marungu. + +However brave the Wagunda may be within the strong enclosure with +which they have surrounded their principal village, they are not +exempt from the feeling of insecurity which fills the soul of a +Mnyamwezi during war-time. At this place the caravans are +accustomed to recruit their numbers from the swarms of pagazis who +volunteer to accompany them to the distant ivory regions south; +but I could not induce a soul to follow me, so great was their +fear of Mirambo and his Ruga-Raga. They were also full of rumors +of wars ahead. It was asserted that Mbogo was advancing towards +Ugunda with a thousand Wakonongo, that the Wazavira had attacked a +caravan four months previously, that Simba was scouring the country +with a band of ferocious mercenaries, and much more of the same +nature and to the same intent. + +On the 28th we arrived at a small snug village embosomed within the +forest called Benta, three hours and a quarter from Ugunda. The +road led through the cornfields of the Wagunda, and then entered +the clearings around the villages of Kisari, within one of which we +found the proprietor of a caravan who was drumming up carriers for +Ufipa. He had been halted here two months, and he made strenuous +exertions to induce my men to join his caravan, a proceeding that +did not tend to promote harmony between us. A few days afterwards +I found, on my return, that he had given up the idea of proceeding +south. Leaving Kisari, we marched through a thin jungle of black +jack, over sun-cracked ground with here and there a dried-up pool, +the bottom of which was well tramped by elephant and rhinoceros. +Buffalo and zebra tracks were now frequent, and we were buoyed up +with the hope that before long we should meet game. + +Benta was well supplied with Indian corn and a grain which the +natives called choroko, which I take to be vetches. I purchased +a large supply of choroko for my own personal use, as I found it +to be a most healthy food. The corn was stored on the flat roofs +of the tembes in huge boxes made out of the bark of the mtundu-tree. +The largest box I have ever seen in Africa was seen here. It might +be taken for a Titan's hat-box; it was seven feet in diameter, and +ten feet in height. + +On the 29th, after travelling in a S.W. by S. direction, we +reached Kikuru. The march lasted for five hours over sun-cracked +plains, growing the black jack, and ebony, and dwarf shrubs, above +which numerous ant-hills of light chalky-coloured earth appeared +like sand dunes. + +The mukunguru, a Kisawahili term for fever, is frequent in this +region of extensive forests and flat plains, owing to the imperfect +drainage provided by nature for them. In the dry season there +is nothing very offensive in the view of the country. The burnt +grass gives rather a sombre aspect to the country, covered with +the hard-baked tracks of animals which haunt these plains during +the latter part of the rainy season. In the forest numbers of +trees lie about in the last stages of decay, and working +away with might and main on the prostrate trunks may be seen +numberless insects of various species. Impalpably, however, the +poison of the dead and decaying vegetation is inhaled into the +system with a result sometimes as fatal as that which is said to +arise from the vicinity of the Upas-tree. + +The first evil results experienced from the presence of malaria are +confined bowels and an oppressive languor, excessive drowsiness, +and a constant disposition to yawn. The tongue assumes a +yellowish, sickly hue, coloured almost to blackness; even the +teeth become yellow, and are coated with an offensive matter. +The eyes of the patient sparkle lustrously, and become suffused +with water. These are sure symptoms of the incipient fever which +shortly will rage through the system. + +Sometimes this fever is preceded by a violent shaking fit, during +which period blankets may be heaped on the patient's form, with +but little amelioration of the deadly chill he feels. It is then +succeeded by an unusuall/y/ severe headache, with excessive pains +about the loins and spinal column, which presently will spread +over the shoulder-blades, and, running up the neck, find a final +lodgment in the back and front of the head. Usually, however, the +fever is not preceded by a chill, but after languor and torpitude +have seized him, with excessive heat and throbbing temples, the +loin and spinal column ache, and raging thirst soon possesses him. +The brain becomes crowded with strange fancies, which sometimes +assume most hideous shapes. Before the darkened vision of the +suffering man, float in a seething atmosphere, figures of created +and uncreated reptiles, which are metamorphosed every instant into +stranger shapes and designs, growing every moment more confused, +more complicated, more hideous and terrible. Unable to bear longer +the distracting scene, he makes an effort and opens, his eyes, +and dissolves the delirious dream, only, however, to glide again +unconsciously into another dream-land where another unreal inferno +is dioramically revealed, and new agonies suffered. Oh! the many +many hours, that I have groaned under the terrible incubi which +the fits of real delirium evoke. Oh! the racking anguish of body +that a traveller in Africa must undergo! Oh! the spite, the +fretfulness, the vexation which the horrible phantasmagoria of +diabolisms induce! The utmost patience fails to appease, the most +industrious attendance fails to gratify, the deepest humility +displeases. During these terrible transitions, which induce +fierce distraction, Job himself would become irritable, insanely +furious, and choleric. A man in such a state regards himself as +the focus of all miseries. When recovered, he feels chastened, +becomes urbane and ludicrously amiable, he conjures up fictitious +delights from all things which, but yesterday, possessed for him +such awful portentous aspects. His men he regards with love and +friendship; whatever is trite he views with ecstasy. Nature appears +charming; in the dead woods and monotonous forest his mind becomes +overwhelmed with delight. I speak for myself, as a careful +analysation of the attack, in all its severe, plaintive, and silly +phases, appeared to me. I used to amuse myself with taking notes +of the humorous and the terrible, the fantastic and exaggerated +pictures that were presented to me--even while suffering the +paroxysms induced by fever. + +We arrived at a large pool, known as the Ziwani, after a four +hours' march in a S.S.W. direction, the 1st of October. We +discovered an old half-burnt khambi, sheltered by a magnificent +mkuyu (sycamore), the giant of the forests of Unyamwezi, which +after an hour we transformed into a splendid camp. + +If I recollect rightly, the stem of the tree measured thirty-eight +feet in circumference. It is the finest tree of its kind I have +seen in Africa. A regiment might with perfect ease have reposed +under this enormous dome of foliage during a noon halt. The +diameter of the shadow it cast on the ground was one hundred and +twenty feet. The healthful vigor that I was enjoying about this +time enabled me to regard my surroundings admiringly. A feeling +of comfort and perfect contentment took possession of me, such as +I knew not while fretting at Unyanyembe, wearing my life away in +inactivity. I talked with my people as to my friends and equals. +We argued with each other about our prospects in quite a +companionable, sociable vein. + +When daylight was dying, and the sun was sinking down rapidly over +the western horizon, vividly painting the sky with the colours of +gold and silver, saffron, and opal, when its rays and gorgeous +tints were reflected upon the tops of the everlasting forest, with +the quiet and holy calm of heaven resting upon all around, and +infusing even into the untutored minds of those about me the +exquisite enjoyments of such a life as we were now leading in the +depths of a great expanse of forest, the only and sole human +occupants of it--this was the time, after our day's work was ended, +and the camp was in a state of perfect security, when we all would +produce our pipes, and could best enjoy the labors which we had +performed, and the contentment which follows a work well done. + +Outside nothing is heard beyond the cry of a stray florican, +or guinea-fowl, which has lost her mate, or the hoarse croaking +of the frogs in the pool hard by, or the song of the crickets +which seems to lull the day to rest; inside our camp are heard +the gurgles of the gourd pipes as the men inhale the blue ether, +which I also love. I am contented and happy, stretched on my +carpet under the dome of living foliage, smoking my short +meerschaum, indulging in thoughts--despite the beauty of the still +grey light of the sky; and of the air of serenity which prevails +around--of home and friends in distant America, and these thoughts +soon change to my work--yet incomplete--to the man who to me is +yet a myth, who, for all I know, may be dead, or may be near or +far from me tramping through just such a forest, whose tops I +see bound the view outside my camp. We are both on the same soil, +perhaps in the same forest--who knows?--yet is he to me so far +removed that he might as well be in his own little cottage of Ulva. +Though I am even now ignorant of his very existence, yet I feel +a certain complacency, a certain satisfaction which would be +difficult to describe. Why is man so feeble, and weak, that he +must tramp, tramp hundreds of miles to satisfy the doubts his +impatient and uncurbed mind feels? Why cannot my form accompany +the bold flights of my mind and satisfy the craving I feel to +resolve the vexed question that ever rises to my lips--"Is he +alive?" O soul of mine, be patient, thou hast a felicitous +tranquillity, which other men might envy thee! Sufficient for +the hour is the consciousness thou hast that thy mission is a +holy one! Onward, and be hopeful! + +Monday, the 2nd of October, found us traversing the forest and +plain that extends from the Ziwani to Manyara, which occupied us +six and a half hours. The sun was intensely hot; but the mtundu +and miombo trees grew at intervals, just enough to admit free +growth to each tree, while the blended foliage formed a grateful +shade. The path was clear and easy, the tamped and firm red soil +offered no obstructions. The only provocation we suffered was +from the attacks of the tsetse, or panga (sword) fly, which swarmed +here. We knew we were approaching an extensive habitat of game, +and we were constantly on the alert for any specimens that might +be inhabiting these forests. + +While we were striding onward, at the rate of nearly three miles +an hour, the caravan I perceived sheered off from the road, +resuming it about fifty yards ahead of something on the road, +to which the attention of the men was directed. On coming up, +I found the object to be the dead body of a man, who had fallen +a victim to that fearful scourge of Africa, the small-pox. +He was one of Oseto's gang of marauders, or guerillas, in the +service of Mkasiwa of Unyanyembe, who were hunting these forests +for the guerillas of Mirambo. They had been returning from +Ukonongo from a raid they had instituted against the Sultan +of Mbogo, and they had left their comrade to perish in the road. +He had apparently been only one day dead. + +Apropos of this, it was a frequent thing with us to discover a +skeleton or a skull on the roadside. Almost every day we saw +one, sometimes two, of these relics of dead, and forgotten +humanity. + +Shortly after this we emerged from the forest, and entered a +mbuga, or plain, in which we saw a couple of giraffes, whose long +necks were seen towering above a bush they had been nibbling at. +This sight was greeted with a shout; for we now knew we had +entered the game country, and that near the Gombe creek, or river, +where we intended to halt, we should see plenty of these animals. + +A walk of three hours over this hot plain brought us to the +cultivated fields of Manyara. Arriving before the village-gate, +we were forbidden to enter, as the country was throughout in a +state of war, and it behoved them to be very careful of admitting +any party, lest the villagers might be compromised. We were, however, +directed to a khambi to the right of the village, near some pools +of clear water, where we discovered some half dozen ruined huts, +which looked very uncomfortable to tired people. + +After we had built our camp, the kirangozi was furnished with some +cloths to purchase food from the village for the transit of a +wilderness in front of us, which was said to extend nine marches, +or 135 miles. He was informed that the Mtemi had strictly +prohibited his people from selling any grain whatever. + +This evidently was a case wherein the exercise of a little +diplomacy could only be effective; because it would detain us +several days here, if we were compelled to send men back to Kikuru +for provisions. Opening a bale of choice goods, I selected two +royal cloths, and told Bombay to carry them to him, with the +compliments and friendship of the white man. The Sultan sulkily +refused them, and bade him return to the white man and tell him +not to bother him. Entreaties were of no avail, he would not +relent; and the men, in exceedingly bad temper, and hungry, were +obliged to go to bed supperless. The words of Njara, a slave- +trader, and parasite of the great Sheikh bin Nasib, recurred to me. +"Ah, master, master, you will find the people will be too much +for you, and that you will have to return. The Wa-manyara are +bad, the Wakonongo are very bad, the Wazavira are the worst +of all. You have come to this country at a bad time. It +is war everywhere." And, indeed, judging from the tenor of the +conversations around our camp-fires, it seemed but too evident. +There was every prospect of a general decamp of all my people. +However, I told them not to be discouraged; that I would get +food for them in the morning. + +The bale of choice cloths was opened again next morning, and +four royal cloths were this time selected, and two dotis of Merikani, +and Bombay was again despatched, burdened with compliments, and +polite words. + +It was necessary to be very politic with a man who was so surly, +and too powerful to make an enemy of. What if he made up his mind +to imitate the redoubtable Mirambo, King of Uyoweh! The effect of +my munificent liberality was soon seen in the abundance of provender +which came to my camp. Before an hour went by, there came boxes +full of choroko, beans, rice, matama or dourra, and Indian corn, +carried on the heads of a dozen villagers, and shortly after the +Mtemi himself came, followed by about thirty musketeers and +twenty spearmen, to visit the first white man ever seen on this +road. Behind these warriors came a liberal gift, fully equal in +value to that sent to him, of several large gourds of honey, fowls, +goats, and enough vetches and beans to supply my men with four +days' food. + +I met the chief at the gate of my camp, and bowing profoundly, +invited him to my tent, which I had arranged as well as my +circumstances would permit, for this reception. My Persian carpet +and bear skin were spread out, and a broad piece of bran-new +crimson cloth covered my kitanda, or bedstead. + +The chief, a tall robust man, and his chieftains, were invited to +seat themselves. They cast a look of such gratified surprise at +myself, at my face, my clothes, and guns, as is almost impossible +to describe. They looked at me intently for a few seconds, and +then at each other, which ended in an uncontrollable burst of +laughter, and repeated snappings of the fingers. They spoke the +Kinyamwezi language, and my interpreter Maganga was requested to +inform the chief of the great delight I felt in seeing them. +After a short period expended in interchanging compliments, +and a competitive excellence at laughing at one another, their +chief desired me to show him my guns. The "sixteen-shooter," +the Winchester rifle, elicited a thousand flattering observations +from the excited man; and the tiny deadly revolvers, whose beauty +and workmanship they thought were superhuman, evoked such +gratified eloquence that I was fain to try something else. +The double-barrelled guns fired with heavy charges of power, +caused them to jump up in affected alarm, and then to subside into +their seats convulsed with laughter. As the enthusiasm of my +guests increased, they seized each other's index fingers, screwed +them, and pulled at them until I feared they would end in their +dislocation. After having explained to them the difference +between white men and Arabs, I pulled out my medicine chest, +which evoked another burst of rapturous sighs at the cunning +neatness of the array of vials. He asked what they meant. + +"Dowa," I replied sententiously, a word which may be +interpreted--medicine. + +"Oh-h, oh-h," they murmured admiringly. I succeeded, before long, +in winning unqualified admiration, and my superiority, compared to +the best of the Arabs they had seen, was but too evident. "Dowa, +dowa," they added. + +"Here," said I, uncorking a vial of medicinal brandy, "is the +Kisungu pombe " (white man's beer); "take a spoonful and try +it," at the same time handing it. + +"Hacht, hacht, oh, hacht,! what! eh! what strong beer the +white men have! Oh, how my throat burns!" + +"Ah, but it is good," said I, "a little of it makes men feel +strong, and good; but too much of it makes men bad, and they die." + +"Let me have some," said one of the chiefs; "and me," " and me," +"and me," as soon as each had tasted. + +"I next produced a bottle of concentrated ammonia, which as I +explained was for snake bites, and head-aches; the Sultan +immediately complained he had a head-ache, and must have a little. +Telling him to close his eyes, I suddenly uncorked the bottle, and +presented it to His Majesty's nose. The effect was magical, for he +fell back as if shot, and such contortions as his features +underwent are indescribable. His chiefs roared with laughter, +and clapped their hands, pinched each other, snapped their fingers, +and committed many other ludicrous things. I verily believe if such +a scene were presented on any stage in the world the effect of it +would be visible instantaneously on the audience; that had they +seen it as I saw it, they would have laughed themselves to +hysteria and madness. Finally the Sultan recovered himself, great +tears rolling down his cheeks, and his features quivering with +laughter, then he slowly uttered the word "kali,"--hot, strong, +quick, or ardent medicine. He required no more, but the other +chiefs pushed forward to get one wee sniff, which they no sooner +had, than all went into paroxysms of uncontrollable laughter. +The entire morning was passed in this state visit, to the mutual +satisfaction of all concerned. "Oh," said the Sultan at parting, +"these white men know everything, the Arabs are dirt compared to them!" + +That night Hamdallah, one of the guides, deserted, carrying with +him his hire (27 doti), and a gun. It was useless to follow him +in the morning, as it would have detained me many more days than +I could afford; but I mentally vowed that Mr. Hamdallah should +work out those 27 doti of cloths before I reached the coast. + +Wednesday, October 4th, saw us travelling to the Gombe River, +which is 4 h. 15 m. march from Manyara. + +We had barely left the waving cornfields of my friend Ma-manyara +before we came in sight of a herd of noble zebra; two hours +afterwards we had entered a grand and noble expanse of park +land, whose glorious magnificence and vastness of prospect, +with a far-stretching carpet of verdure darkly flecked here +and there by miniature clumps of jungle, with spreading trees +growing here and there, was certainly one of the finest scenes +to be seen in Africa. Added to which, as I surmounted one of +the numerous small knolls, I saw herds after herds of buffalo +and zebra, giraffe and antelope, which sent the blood coursing +through my veins in the excitement of the moment, as when I first +landed on African soil. We crept along the plain noiselessly to +our camp on the banks of the sluggish waters of the Gombe. ' + +Here at last was the hunter's Paradise! How petty and +insignificant appeared my hunts after small antelope and wild boar +what a foolish waste of energies those long walks through damp +grasses and through thorny jungles! Did I not well remember ' +my first bitter experience in African jungles when in the maritime +region! But this--where is the nobleman's park that can match +this scene? Here is a soft, velvety expanse of young grass, +grateful shade under those spreading clumps; herds of large and +varied game browsing within easy rifle range. Surely I must +feel amply compensated now for the long southern detour I have +made, when such a prospect as this opens to the view! No +thorny jungles and rank smelling swamps are here to daunt the +hunter, and to sicken his aspirations after true sport! No +hunter could aspire after a nobler field to display his prowess. + +Having settled the position of the camp, which overlooked one of +the pools found in the depression of the Gombe creek, I took my +double-barrelled smooth-bore, and sauntered off to the park-land. +Emerging from behind a clump, three fine plump spring-bok were +seen browsing on the young grass just within one hundred yards. +I knelt down and fired; one unfortunate antelope bounded upward +instinctively, and fell dead. Its companions sprang high into +the air, taking leaps about twelve feet in length, as if they +were quadrupeds practising gymnastics, and away they vanished, +rising up like India-rubber balls; until a knoll hid them from +view. My success was hailed with loud shouts by the soldiers; +who came running out from the camp as soon as they heard the +reverberation of the gun, and my gun-bearer had his knife at +the beast's throat, uttering a fervent "Bismillah!" as he +almost severed the head from the body. + +Hunters were now directed to proceed east and north to procure +meat, because in each caravan it generally happens that there are +fundi, whose special trade it is to hunt for meat for the camp. +Some of these are experts in stalking, but often find themselves +in dangerous positions, owing to the near approach necessary, +before they can fire their most inaccurate weapons with any certainty. + +After luncheon, consisting of spring-bok steak, hot corn-cake, and +a cup of delicious Mocha coffee, I strolled towards the south-west, +accompanied by Kalulu and Majwara, two boy gun-bearers. The tiny +perpusilla started up like rabbits from me as I stole along through +the underbrush; the honey-bird hopped from tree to tree chirping +its call, as if it thought I was seeking the little sweet treasure, +the hiding-place of which it only knew; but no! I neither desired +perpusilla nor the honey. I was on the search for something great +this day. Keen-eyed fish-eagles and bustards poised on trees above +the sinuous Gombe thought, and probably with good reason that I was +after them; judging by the ready flight with which both species +disappeared as they sighted my approach. Ah, no! nothing but +hartebeest, zebra, giraffe, eland, and buffalo this day! After +following the Gombe's course for about a mile, delighting my eyes +with long looks at the broad and lengthy reaches of water to which +I was so long a stranger, I came upon a scene which delighted the +innermost recesses of my soul; five, six, seven, eight, ten +zebras switching their beautiful striped bodies, and biting one +another, within about one hundred and fifty yards. The scene was +so pretty, so romantic, never did I so thoroughly realize that I +was in Central Africa. I felt momentarily proud that I owned such +a vast domain, inhabited with such noble beasts. Here I possessed, +within reach of a leaden ball, any one I chose of the beautiful +animals, the pride of the African forests! It was at my option to +shoot any of them! Mine they were without money or without +price; yet, knowing this, twice I dropped my rifle, loth to wound +the royal beasts, but--crack! and a royal one was on his back +battling the air with his legs. Ah, it was such a pity! but, +hasten, draw the keen sharp-edged knife across the beautiful +stripes which fold around the throat; and--what an ugly gash! +it is done, and 1 have a superb animal at my feet. Hurrah! +I shall taste of Ukonongo zebra to-night. + +I thought a spring-bok and zebra enough for one day's sport, +especially after a long march. The Gombe, a long stretch of +deep water, winding in and out of green groves, calm, placid, +with lotus leaves lightly resting on its: surface, all pretty, +picturesque, peaceful as a summer's dream, looked very inviting +for a bath. I sought out the most shady spot under a wide- +spreading mimosa, from which the ground sloped smooth as a lawn, +to the still, clear water. I ventured to undress, and had already +stepped in to my ancles in the water, and had brought my hands +together for a glorious dive, when my attention was attracted by +an enormously long body which shot into view, occupying the spot +beneath the surface that I was about to explore by a "header." +Great heavens, it was a crocodile! I sprang backward instinctively, +and this proved my salvation, for the monster turned away with the +most disappointed look, and I was left to congratulate myself upon +my narrow escape from his jaws, and to register a vow never to be +tempted again by the treacherous calm of an African river. + +As soon as I had dressed I turned away from the now repulsive +aspect of the stream. In strolling through the jungle, towards +my camp, I detected the forms of two natives looking sharply about +them, and, after bidding my young attendants to preserve perfect +quiet, I crept on towards them, and, by the aid of a thick clump +of underbush, managed to arrive within a few feet of the natives +undetected. Their mere presence in the immense forest, unexplained, +was a cause of uneasiness in the then disturbed state of the country, +and my intention was to show myself suddenly to them, and note its +effect, which, if it betokened anything hostile to the Expedition, +could without difficulty be settled at once, with the aid of my +double-barrelled smooth-bore. + +As I arrived on one side of this bush, the two suspicious-looking +natives arrived on the other side, and we were separated by only +a few feet. I made a bound, and we were face to face. The natives +cast a glance at the sudden figure of a white man, and seemed +petrified for a moment, but then, recovering themselves, they +shrieked out, "Bana, bana, you don't know us. We are Wakonongo, +who came to your camp to accompany you to Mrera, and we are +looking for honey." + +"Oh, to be sure, you are the Wakonongo. Yes--Yes. Ah, it is all +right now, I thought you might be Ruga-Ruga." + +So the two parties, instead of being on hostile terms with each +other, burst out laughing. The Wakonongo enjoyed it very much, +and laughed heartily as they proceeded on their way to search +for the wild honey. On a piece of bark they carried a little +fire with which they smoked the bees out from their nest in the +great mtundu-trees. + +The adventures of the day were over; the azure of the sky had +changed to a dead grey; the moon was appearing just over the +trees; the water of the Gombe was like a silver belt; hoarse +frogs bellowed their notes loudly by the margin of the creek; +the fish-eagles uttered their dirge-like cries as they were +perched high on the tallest tree; elands snorted their warning +to the herds in the forest; stealthy forms of the carnivora stole +through the dark woods outside of our camp. Within the high +inclosure of bush and thorn, which we had raised around our camp, +all was jollity, laughter, and radiant, genial comfort. Around +every camp-fire dark forms of men were seen squatted: one man +gnawed at a luscious bone; another sucked the rich marrow in a +zebra's leg-bone; another turned the stick, garnished with huge +kabobs, to the bright blaze; another held a large rib over a +flame; there were others busy stirring industriously great black +potfuls of ugali, and watching anxiously the meat simmering, and +the soup bubbling, while the fire-light flickered and danced +bravely, and cast a bright glow over the naked forms of the men, +and gave a crimson tinge to the tall tent that rose in the centre +of the camp, like a temple sacred to some mysterious god; the +fires cast their reflections upon the massive arms of the trees, +as they branched over our camp, and, in the dark gloom of their +foliage, the most fantastic shadows were visible. Altogether +it was a wild, romantic, and impressive scene. But little recked +my men for shadows and moonlight, for crimson tints, and temple- +like tents--they were all busy relating their various experiences, +and gorging themselves with the rich meats our guns had obtained +for us. One was telling how he had stalked a wild boar, and the +furious onset the wounded animal made on him, causing him to drop +his gun, and climb a tree, and the terrible grunt of the beast he +well remembered, and the whole welkin rang with the peals of +laughter which his mimic powers evoked. Another had shot a +buffalo-calf, and another had bagged a hartebeest; the Wakonongo +related their laughable rencontre with me in the woods, and were +lavish in their description of the stores of honey to be found +in the woods; and all this time Selim and his youthful subs were +trying their sharp teeth on the meat of a young pig which one +of the hunters had shot, but which nobody else would eat, because +of the Mohammedan aversion to pig, which they had acquired during +their transformation from negro savagery to the useful docility +of the Zanzibar freed-man. + +We halted the two following days, and made frequent raids on the +herds of this fine country. The first day I was fairly successful +again in the sport. I bagged a couple of antelopes, a kudu +(A. strepsiceros) with fine twisting horns, and a pallah-buck +(A. melampus), a reddish-brown animal, standing about three and +a half feet, with broad posteriors. I might have succeeded in +getting dozens of animals had I any of those accurate, heavy +rifles manufactured by Lancaster, Reilly, or Blissett, whose every +shot tells. But my weapons, save my light smoothbore, were unfit +for African game. My weapons were more for men. With the Winchester +rifle, and the Starr's carbine, I was able to hit anything within +two hundred yards, but the animals, though wounded, invariably +managed to escape the knife, until I was disgusted with the pea- +bullets. What is wanted for this country is a heavy bore--No. 10 +or 12 is the real bone-crusher--that will drop every animal shot +in its tracks, by which all fatigue and disappointment are avoided. +Several times during these two days was I disappointed after most +laborious stalking and creeping along the ground. Once I came +suddenly upon an eland while I had a Winchester rifle in my hand-- +the eland and myself mutually astonished--at not more than +twenty-five yards apart. I fired at its chest, and bullet, true +to its aim, sped far into the internal parts, and the blood spouted +from the wound: in a few minutes he was far away, and I was too +much disappointed to follow him. All love of the chase seemed to be +dying away before these several mishaps. What were two antelopes +for one day's sport to the thousands that browsed over the plain? + +The animals taken to camp during our three days' sport were two +buffaloes, two wild boar, three hartebeest, one zebra, and one +pallah; besides which, were shot eight guinea-fowls, three +florican, two fish-eagles, one pelican, and one of the men caught +a couple of large silurus fish. In the meantime the people had +cut, sliced, and dried this bounteous store of meat for our transit +through the long wilderness before us. + +Saturday the 7th day of October, we broke up camp, to the great +regret of the meat-loving, gormandizing Wangwana. They delegated +Bombay early in the morning to speak to me, and entreat of me to +stop one day longer. It was ever the case; they had always an +unconquerable aversion to work, when in presence of meat. Bombay +was well scolded for bearing any such request to me after two +days' rest, during which time they had been filled to repletion +with meat. And Bombay was by no means in the best of humour; +flesh-pots full of meat were more to his taste than a constant +tramping, and its consequent fatigues. I saw his face settle into +sulky ugliness, and his great nether lip hanging down limp, which +meant as if expressed in so many words, "Well, get them to move +yourself, you wicked hard man! I shall not help you." + +An ominous silence followed my order to the kirangozi to sound the +horn, and the usual singing and chanting were not heard. The men +turned sullenly to their bales, and Asmani, the gigantic guide, +our fundi, was heard grumblingly to say he was sorry he had +engaged to guide me to the Tanganika. However, they started, +though reluctantly. I stayed behind with my gunbearers, to drive +the stragglers on. In about half an hour I sighted the caravan at +a dead stop, with the bales thrown on the ground, and the men +standing in groups conversing angrily and excitedly. + +Taking my double-barrelled gun from Selim's shoulder, I selected a +dozen charges of buck-shot, and slipping two of them into the +barrels, and adjusting my revolvers in order for handy work, I +walked on towards them. I noticed that the men seized their guns, +as I advanced. When within thirty yards of the groups, I +discovered the heads of two men appear above an anthill on my left, +with the barrels of their guns carelessly pointed toward the road. + +I halted, threw the barrel of my gun into the hollow of the left +hand, and then, taking a deliberate aim at them, threatened to blow +their heads off if they did not come forward to talk to me. These +two men were, gigantic Asmani and his sworn companion Mabruki, the +guides of Sheikh bin Nasib. As it was dangerous not to comply +with such an order, they presently came, but, keeping my eye on +Asmani, I saw him move his fingers to the trigger of his gun, and +bring his gun to a "ready." Again I lifted my gun, and threatened +him with instant death, if he did not drop his gun. + +Asmani came on in a sidelong way with a smirking smile on his +face, but in his eyes shone the lurid light of murder, as plainly +as ever it shone in a villain's eyes. Mabruki sneaked to my rear, +deliberately putting powder in the pan of his musket, but sweeping +the gun sharply round, I planted the muzzle of it at about two +feet from his wicked-looking face, and ordered him to drop his gun +instantly. He let it fall from his hand quickly, and giving him a +vigorous poke in the breast with my gun, which sent him reeling +away a few feet from me, I faced round to Asmani, and ordered him +to put his gun down, accompanying it with a nervous movement of my +gun, pressing gently on the trigger at the same time. Never was a +man nearer his death than was Asmani during those few moments. I +was reluctant to shed his blood, and I was willing to try all +possible means to avoid doing so; but if I did not succeed in +cowing this ruffian, authority was at an end. The truth was, they +feared to proceed further on the road, and the only possible way +of inducing them to move was by an overpowering force, and exercise +of my power and will in this instance, even though he might pay the +penalty of his disobedience with death. As I was beginning to feel +that Asmani had passed his last moment on earth, as he was lifting +his gun to his shoulder, a form came up from behind him, and swept +his gun aside with an impatient, nervous movement, and I heard +Mabruki Burton say in horror-struck accents: + +"Man, how dare you point your gun, at the master?" Mabruki then +threw himself at my feet, and endeavoured to kiss them and +entreated me not to punish him. "It was all over now," he said; +"there would be no more quarreling, they would all go as far as +the Tanganika, without any more noise; and Inshallah!" said he, +"we shall find the old Musungu * at Ujiji." + +*Livingstone + +"Speak, men, freedmen, shall we not?--shall we not go to the +Tanganika without any more trouble? tell the master with one +voice." + +"Ay Wallah! Ay Wallah! Bana yango! Hamuna manneno mgini!" +which literally translated means, "Yes by God! Yes by God! +my master! There are no other words," said each man loudly. + +"Ask the master's pardon, man, or go thy way," said Mabruki +peremptorily, to Asmani: which Asmani did, to the gratification +of us all. + +It remained for me only to extend a general pardon to all except +to Bombay and Ambari, the instigators of the mutiny, which was now +happily quelled. For Bombay could have by a word, as my captain, +nipped all manifestation of bad temper at the outset, had he been +so disposed. But no, Bombay was more averse to marching +than the cowardliest of his fellows, not because he was cowardly, +but because he loved indolence. + +Again the word was given to march, and each man, with astonishing +alacrity, seized his load, and filed off quickly out of sight. + +While on this subject, I may as well give here a sketch of each of +the principal men whose names must often appear in the following +chapters. According to rank, they consist of Bombay, Mabruki +Burton, Asmani the guide, Chowpereh, Ulimengo, Khamisi, Ambari, +Jumah, Ferajji the cook, Maganga the Mnyamwezi, Selim the Arab boy, +and youthful Kalulu a gunbearer. + +Bombay has received an excellent character from Burton and Speke. +"Incarnation of honesty" Burton grandly terms him. The truth is, +Bombay was neither very honest nor very dishonest, i.e., he did +not venture to steal much. He sometimes contrived cunningly, as +he distributed the meat, to hide a very large share for his own use. +This peccadillo of his did not disturb me much; he deserved as +captain a larger share than the others. He required to be closely +watched, and when aware that this was the case, he seldom ventured +to appropriate more cloth than I would have freely given him, +had he asked for it. As a personal servant, or valet, he would +have been unexceptionable, but as a captain or jemadar over his +fellows, he was out of his proper sphere. It was too much +brain-work, and was too productive of anxiety to keep him in +order. At times he was helplessly imbecile in his movements, +forgot every order the moment it was given him, consistently +broke or lost some valuable article, was fond of argument, and +addicted to bluster. He thinks Hajji Abdullah one of the wickedest +white men born, because he saw him pick up men's skulls and put +them in sacks, as if he was about to prepare a horrible medicine +with them. He wanted to know whether his former master had written +down all he himself did, and when told that Burton had not said +anything, in his books upon the Lake Regions, upon collecting +skulls at Kilwa, thought I would be doing a good work if I +published this important fact.* Bombay intends to make a +pilgrimage to visit Speke's grave some day. +________________________ +*I find upon returning to England, that Capt. Burton has informed +the world of this "wicked and abominable deed," in his book upon +Zanzibar, and that the interesting collection may be seen at the +Royal College of Surgeons, London. +_________________________ + +Mabruki, "Ras-bukra Mabruki," Bull-headed Mabruki, as Burton calls +him, is a sadly abused man in my opinion. Mabruki, though stupid, +is faithful. He is entirely out of his element as valet, he might +as well be clerk. As a watchman he is invaluable, as a second +captain or fundi, whose duty it is to bring up stragglers, +he is superexcellent. He is ugly and vain, but he is no coward. + +Asmani the guide is a large fellow, standing over six feet, with +the neck and shoulders of a Hercules. Besides being guide, he is +a fundi, sometimes called Fundi Asmani, or hunter. A very +superstitious man, who takes great care of his gun, and talismanic +plaited cord, which he has dipped in the blood of all the animals +he has ever shot. He is afraid of lions, and will never venture +out where lions are known to be. All other animals he regards as +game, and is indefatigable in their pursuit. He is seldom seen +without an apologetic or a treacherous smile on his face. He could +draw a knife across a man's throat and still smile. + +Chowpereh is a sturdy short man of thirty or thereabouts; very +good-natured, and humorous. When Chowpereh speaks in his dry Mark +Twain style, the whole camp laughs. I never quarrel with Chowpereh, +never did quarrel with him. A kind word given to Chowpereh is sure +to be reciprocated with a good deed. He is the strongest, the +healthiest, the amiablest, the faithfulest of all. He is the +embodiment of a good follower. + +Khamisi is a neat, cleanly boy of twenty, or thereabouts, active, +loud-voiced, a boaster, and the cowardliest of the cowardly. He +will steal at every opportunity. He clings to his gun most +affectionately; is always excessively anxious if a screw gets +loose, or if a flint will not strike fire, yet I doubt that he +would be able to fire his gun at an enemy from excessive +trembling. Khamisi would rather trust his safety to his feet, +which are small, and well shaped. + +Ambari is a man of about forty. He is one of the "Faithfuls" +of Speke, and one of my Faithfuls. He would not run away from +me except when in the presence of an enemy, and imminent personal +danger. He is clever in his way, but is not sufficiently clever +to enact the part of captain--could take charge of a small party, +and give a very good account of them. Is lazy, and an admirer of +good living--abhors marching, unless he has nothing to carry but +his gun. + +Jumah is the best abused man of the party, because he has +old-womanish ways with him, yet in his old-womanish ways he is +disposed to do the best he can for me, though he will not carry a +pound in weight without groaning terribly at his hard fate. To me +he is sentimental and pathetic; to the unimportant members of the +caravan he is stern and uncompromising. But the truth is, that I +could well dispense with Jumah's presence: he was one of the +incorrigible inutiles, eating far more than he was worth; besides +being an excessively grumbling and querulous fool. + +Ulimengo, a strong stalwart fellow of thirty, was the maddest and +most hare-brained of my party. Though an arrant coward, he was a +consummate boaster. But though a devotee of pleasure and fun, he +was not averse from work. With one hundred men such as he, I could +travel through Africa provided there was no fighting to do. It +will be remembered that he was the martial coryphaeus who led my +little army to war against Mirambo, chanting the battle-song of +the Wangwana; and that I stated, that when the retreat was determined +upon, he was the first of my party to reach the stronghold of Mfuto. +He is a swift runner, and a fair hunter. I have been indebted to +him on several occasions for a welcome addition to my larder. + +Ferajji, a former dish-washer to Speke, was my cook. He was +promoted to this office upon the defection of Bunder Salaam, and +the extreme non-fitness of Abdul Kader. For cleaning dishes, the +first corn-cob, green twig, a bunch of leaves or grass, answered +Ferajji's purposes in the absence of a cloth. If I ordered a +plate, and I pointed out a black, greasy, sooty thumbmark to him, +a rub of a finger Ferajji thought sufficient to remove all +objections. If I hinted that a spoon was rather dirty, Ferajji +fancied that with a little saliva, and a rub of his loin cloth, the +most fastidious ought to be satisfied. Every pound of meat, and +every three spoonfuls of musk or porridge I ate in Africa, +contained at least ten grains of sand. Ferajji was considerably +exercised at a threat I made to him that on arrival at Zanzibar, +I would get the great English doctor there to open my stomach, +and count every grain of sand found in it, for each grain of which +Ferajji should be charged one dollar. The consciousness that my +stomach must contain a large number, for which the forfeits would +be heavy, made him feel very sad at times. Otherwise, Ferajji was +a good cook, most industrious, if not accomplished. He could +produce a cup of tea, and three or four hot pancakes, within ten +minutes after a halt was ordered, for which I was most grateful, +as I was almost always hungry after a long march. Ferajji sided +with Baraka against Bombay in Unyoro, and when Speke took Bombay's +side of the question, Ferajji, out of love for Baraka, left Speke's +service, and so forfeited his pay. + +Maganga was a Mnyamwezi, a native of Mkwenkwe, a strong, faithful +servant, an excellent pagazi, with an irreproachable temper. He +it was who at all times, on the march, started the wildly exuberant +song of the Wanyamwezi porters, which, no matter how hot the sun, +or how long the march, was sure to produce gaiety and animation +among the people. At such times all hands sang, sang with voices +that could be heard miles away, which made the great forests ring +with the sounds, which startled every animal big or little, for +miles around. On approaching a village the temper of whose people +might be hostile to us, Maganga would commence his song, with the +entire party joining in the chorus, by which mode we knew whether +the natives were disposed to be friendly or hostile. If hostile, +or timid, the gates would at once be closed, and dark faces would +scowl at us from the interior; if friendly, they rushed outside of +their gates to welcome us, or to exchange friendly remarks. + +An important member of the Expedition was Selim, the young Arab. +Without some one who spoke good Arabic, I could not have obtained +the friendship of the chief Arabs in Unyanyembe; neither could I +have well communicated with them, for though I understood Arabic, +I could not speak it. + +I have already related how Kalulu came to be in my service, and +how he came to bear his present name. I soon found how apt and +quick he was to learn, in consequence of which, he was promoted +to the rank of personal attendant. Even Selim could not vie with +Kalulu in promptness and celerity, or in guessing my wants at the +table. His little black eyes were constantly roving over the +dishes, studying out the problem of what was further necessary, +or had become unnecessary. + +We arrived at the Ziwani, in about 4 h. 30 m. from the time of +our quitting the scene which had well-nigh witnessed a sanguinary +conflict. The Ziwani, or pool, contained no water, not a drop, +until the parched tongues of my people warned them that they must +proceed and excavate for water. This excavation was performed (by +means of strong hard sticks sharply pointed) in the dry hard-caked +bottom. After digging to a depth of six feet their labours were +rewarded with the sight of a few drops of muddy liquid percolating +through the sides, which were eagerly swallowed to relieve their +raging thirst. Some voluntarily started with buckets, gourds, +and canteens south to a deserted clearing called the "Tongoni" +in Ukamba, and in about three hours returned with a plentiful +supply for immediate use, of good and clear water. + +In 1 h. 30 m. we arrived at this Tongoni, or deserted clearing of +the Wakamba. Here were three or four villages burnt, and an +extensive clearing desolate, the work of the Wa-Ruga-Raga of Mirambo. +Those of the inhabitants who were left, after the spoliation and +complete destruction of the flourishing settlement, emigrated +westerly to Ugara. A large herd of buffalo now slake their thirst +at the pool which supplied the villages of Ukamba with water. + +Great masses of iron haematite cropped up above the surfaces in +these forests. Wild fruit began to be abundant; the wood-apple +and tamarind and a small plum-like fruit, furnished us with many +an agreeable repast. + +The honey-bird is very frequent in these forests of Ukonongo. +Its cry is a loud, quick chirrup. The Wakonongo understand how +to avail themselves of its guidance to the sweet treasure of honey +which the wild bees have stored in the cleft of some great tree. +Daily, the Wakonongo who had joined our caravan brought me immense +cakes of honey-comb, containing delicious white and red honey. +The red honey-comb generally contains large numbers of dead bees, +but our exceedingly gluttonous people thought little of these. +They not only ate the honey-bees, but they also ate a good deal of +the wax. + +As soon as the honey-bird descries the traveller, he immediately +utters a series of wild, excited cries, hops about from twig to +twig, and from branch to branch, then hops to another tree, +incessantly repeating his chirruping call. The native, understanding +the nature of the little bird, unhesitatingly follows him; but +perhaps his steps are too slow for the impatient caller, upon which +he flies back, urging him louder, more impatient cries, to hasten, +and then darts swiftly forward, as if he would show how quickly he +could go to the honey-store, until at last the treasure is reached, +the native has applied fire to the bees' nest, and secured the honey, +while the little bird preens himself, and chirrups in triumphant +notes, as if he were informing the biped that without his aid he +never could have found the honey. + +Buffalo gnats and tsetse were very troublesome on this march, +owing to the numerous herds of game in the vicinity. + +On the 9th of October we made a long march in a southerly direction, +and formed our camp in the centre of a splendid grove of trees. +The water was very scarce on the road. The Wamrima and Wanyamwezi +are not long able to withstand thirst. When water is plentiful +they slake their thirst at every stream and pool; when it is scarce, +as it is here and in the deserts of Marenga and Magunda Mkali, +long afternoon-marches are made; the men previously, however, filling +their gourds, so as to enable them to reach the water early next +morning. Selim was never able to endure thirst. It mattered not +how much of the precious liquid he carried, he generally drank it +all before reaching camp, and he consequently suffered during the +night. Besides this, he endangered his life by quaffing from every +muddy pool; and on this day he began to complain that he discharged +blood, which I took to be an incipient stage of dysentery. + +During these marches, ever since quitting Ugunda, a favourite topic +at the camp-fires were the Wa-Ruga-Ruga, and their atrocities, and +a possible encounter that we might have with these bold rovers of +the forest. I verily believe that a sudden onset of half a dozen +of Mirambo's people would have set the whole caravan arunning. + +We reached Marefu the next day, after a short three hours' march. +We there found an embassy sent by the Arabs of Unyanyembe, to the +Southern Watuta, bearing presents of several bales, in charge of +Hassan the Mseguhha. This valiant leader and diplomatist had halted +here some ten days because of wars and rumours of wars in his front. +It was said that Mbogo, Sultan of Mboga in Ukonongo, was at war +with the brother of Manwa Sera, and as Mbogo was a large district +of Ukonongo only two days' march from Marefu; fear of being involved +in it was deterring old Hassan from proceeding. He advised me also +not to proceed, as it was impossible to be able to do so without +being embroiled in the conflict. I informed him that I intended +to proceed on my way, and take my chances, and graciously offered +him my escort as far as the frontier of Ufipa, from which he could +easily and safely continue on his way to the Watuta, but he +declined it. + +We had now been travelling fourteen days in a south-westerly +direction, having made a little more than one degree of latitude. +I had intended to have gone a little further south, because it was +such a good road, also since by going further south we should have +labored under no fear of meeting Mirambo; but the report of this +war in our front, only two days off, compelled me, in the interest +of the Expedition, to strike across towards the Tanganika, an a +west-by-north course through the forest, travelling, when it was +advantageous, along elephant tracks and local paths. This new plan +was adopted after consulting with Asmani, the guide. We were now +in Ukonongo, having entered this district when we crossed the Gombe +creek. The next day after arriving at Marefu we plunged westward, +in view of the villagers, and the Arab ambassador, who kept +repeating until the last moment that we should "certainly catch +it." + +We marched eight hours through a forest, where the forest peach, +or the "mbembu," is abundant. The tree that bears this fruit is +very like a pear-tree, and is very productive. I saw one tree, +upon which I estimated there were at least six or seven bushels. +I ate numbers of the peaches on this day. So long as this fruit +can be produced, a traveller in these regions need not fear starvation. + +At the base of a graceful hilly cone we found a village called +Utende, the inhabitants of which were in a state of great alarm, +as we suddenly appeared on the ridge above them. Diplomacy urged +me to send forward a present of one doti to the Sultan, who, however, +would not accept it, because he happened to be drunk with pombe, +and was therefore disposed to be insolent. Upon being informed +that he would refuse any present, unless he received four more +cloths, I immediately ordered a strong boma to be constructed on +the summits of a little hill, near enough to a plentiful supply of +water, and quietly again packed up the present in the bale. I +occupied a strategically chosen position, as I could have swept +the face of the hill, and the entire space between its base and the +village of Watende. Watchmen were kept on the look-out all night; +but we were fortunately not troubled until the morning; when a +delegation of the principal men came to ask if I intended to depart +without having made a present to the chief. I replied to them that +I did not intend passing through any country without making +friends with the chief; and if their chief would accept a good +cloth from me, I would freely give it to him. Though they +demurred at the amount of the present at first, the difference +between us was finally ended by my adding a fundo of red beads-- +sami-sami--for the chief's wife. + +From the hill and ridge of Utende sloped a forest for miles and +miles westerly, which was terminated by a grand and smooth-topped +ridge rising 500 or 600 feet above the plain. + +A four hours' march, on the 12th of October, brought us to a +nullah similar to the Gombe, which, during the wet season, flows +to the Gombe River, and thence into the Malagarazi River. + +A little before camping we saw a herd of nimba, or pallah; I had +the good fortune to shoot one, which was a welcome addition to our +fast diminishing store of dried meats, prepared in our camp on the +Gombe. By the quantity of bois de vaches, we judged buffaloes +were plentiful here, as well as elephant and rhinoceros. The +feathered species were well represented by ibis, fish-eagles, +pelicans, storks, cranes, several snowy spoon-bills, and +flamingoes. + +From the nullah, or mtoni, we proceeded to Mwaru, the principal +village of the district of Mwaru, the chief of which is Ka-mirambo. +Our march lay over desolated clearings once occupied by Ka-mirambo's +people, but who were driven away by Mkasiwa some ten years ago, +during his warfare against Manwa Sera. Niongo, the brother of the +latter, now waging war against Mbogo, had passed through Mwaru the +day before we arrived, after being defeated by his enemy. + +The hilly ridge that bounded the westward horizon, visible from +Utende, was surmounted on this day. The western slope trends +south-west, and is drained by the River Mrera, which empties into +the Malagarazi River. We perceived the influence of the Tanganika, +even here, though we were yet twelve or fifteen marches from the +lake. The jungles increased in density, and the grasses became +enormously tall; these points reminded us of the maritime districts +of Ukwere and Ukami. + +We heard from a caravan at this place, just come from Ufipa, that a +white man was reported to be in "Urua," whom I supposed to mean +Livingstone. + +Upon leaving Mwaru we entered the district of Mrera, a chief who +once possessed great power and influence over this region. Wars, +however, have limited his possessions to three or four villages +snugly embosomed within a jungle, whose outer rim is so dense that +it serves like a stone wall to repel invaders. There were nine +bleached skulls, stuck on the top of as many poles, before the +principal gate of entrance, which told us of existing feuds between +the Wakonongo and the Wazavira. This latter tribe dwelt in a +country a few marches west of us; whose territory we should have +to avoid, unless we sought another opportunity to distinguish +ourselves in battle with the natives. The Wazavira, we were told +by the Wakonongo of Mrera, were enemies to all Wangwana. + +In a narrow strip of marsh between Mwaru and Mrera, we saw a small +herd of wild elephants. It was the first time I had ever seen +these animals in their native wildness, and my first impressions +of them I shall not readily forget. I am induced to think that +the elephant deserves the title of "king of beasts." His huge form, +the lordly way in which he stares at an intruder on his domain, +and his whole appearance indicative of conscious might, afford +good grounds for his claim to that title. This herd, as we passed +it at the distance of a mile, stopped to survey the caravan as it +passed: and, after having satisfied their curiosity, the elephants +trooped into the forest which bounded the marshy plain southward, +as if caravans were every-day things to them, whilst they--the free +and unconquerable lords of the forest and the marsh--had nothing +in common with the cowardly bipeds, who never found courage to face +them in fair combat. The destruction which a herd makes in a forest +is simply tremendous. When the trees are young whole swathes may +be found uprooted and prostrate, which mark the track of the +elephants as they "trampled their path through wood and brake." + +The boy Selim was so ill at this place that I was compelled to +halt the caravan for him for two days. He seemed to be affected +with a disease in the limbs, which caused him to sprawl, and +tremble most painfully, besides suffering from an attack of acute +dysentery. But constant attendance and care soon brought him round +again; and on the third day he was able to endure the fatigue of +riding. + +I was able to shoot several animals during our stay at Mrera. The +forest outside of the cultivation teems with noble animals. Zebra, +giraffe, elephant, and rhinoceros are most common; ptarmigan and +guinea-fowl were also plentiful. + +The warriors of Mrera are almost all armed with muskets, of which +they take great care. They were very importunate in their demands +for flints, bullets, and powder, which I always made it a point to +refuse, lest at any moment a fracas occurring they might use the +ammunition thus supplied to my own disadvantage. The men of this +village were an idle set, doing little but hunting, gaping, +gossiping, and playing like great boys. During the interval of +my stay at Mrera I employed a large portion of my time in mending +my shoes, and patching up the great rents in my clothes, which +the thorn species, during the late marches, had almost destroyed. +Westward, beyond Mrera, was a wilderness, the transit of which we +were warned would occupy nine days hence arose the necessity to +purchase a large supply of grain, which, ere attempting the great +uninhabited void in our front, was to be ground and sifted. + + + +CHAPTER XI. THROUGH UKAWENDI, UVINZA, AND UHHA, TO UJIJI. + +Happy auspices,--Ant-hills.--The water-shed of the Tanganika Lion. +--The king of Kasera.--The home of the lion and the leopard.-- +A donkey frightens a leopard--Sublime scenes in Kawendi,--Starvation +imminent.--Amenities of travel in Africa.--Black-mailers.--The +stormy children of Uhha.--News of a white man.--Energetic +marches--Mionvu, chief of tribute-takers.--An escape at +midnight.--Toiling through the jungles.--The Lake Mountains.-- +First view of the Tanganika.--Arrival at Ujiji,--The happy meeting +with Livingstone. + + +We bade farewell to Mrera on the 17th of October, to continue our +route north-westward. All the men and I were firm friends now; +all squabbling had long ceased. Bombay and I had forgotten our +quarrel; the kirangozi and myself were ready to embrace, so loving +and affectionate were the terms upon which we stood towards one +another. Confidence returned to all hearts--for now, as Mabruk +Unyanyembe said, "we could smell the fish of the Tanganika." +Unyanyembe, with all its disquietude, was far behind. We could +snap our fingers at that terrible Mirambo and his unscrupulous +followers, and by-and-by, perhaps, we may be able to laugh at +the timid seer who always prophesied portentous events--Sheikh, +the son of Nasib. We laughed joyously, as we glided in Indian +file through the young forest jungle beyond the clearing of Mrera, +and boasted of our prowess. Oh! we were truly brave that morning! + +Emerging from the jungle, we entered a thin forest, where numerous +ant-hills were seen like so many sand-dunes. I imagine that these +ant-hills were formed during a remarkably wet season, when, +possibly, the forest-clad plain was inundated. I have seen the +ants at work by thousands, engaged in the work of erecting their +hills in other districts suffering from inundation. What a +wonderful system of cells these tiny insects construct! A perfect +labyrinth--cell within cell, room within room, hall within hall--an +exhibition of engineering talents and high architectural capacity--a +model city, cunningly contrived for safety and comfort! + +Emerging after a short hour's march out of the forest, we welcome +the sight of a murmuring translucent stream, swiftly flowing +towards the north-west, which we regard with the pleasure which +only men who have for a long time sickened themselves with that +potable liquid of the foulest kind, found in salinas, mbugas, +pools, and puddle holes, can realize. Beyond this stream rises a +rugged and steep ridge, from the summit of which our eyes are +gladdened with scenes that are romantic, animated and picturesque. +They form an unusual feast to eyes sated with looking into the +depths of forests, at towering stems of trees, and at tufted crowns +of foliage. We have now before us scores of cones, dotting the +surface of a plain which extends across Southern Ukonongo to the +territory of the Wafipa, and which reaches as far as the Rikwa Plain. +The immense prospect before which we are suddenly ushered is most +varied; exclusive of conical hills and ambitious flat-topped and +isolated mountains, we are in view of the watersheds of the Rungwa +River, which empties into the Tanganika south of where we stand, +and of the Malagarazi River, which the Tanganika receives, a +degree or so north of this position. A single but lengthy +latitudinal ridge serves as a dividing line to the watershed of the +Rungwa and Malagarazi; and a score of miles or so further west of +this ridge rises another, which runs north and south. + +We camped on this day in the jungle, close to a narrow ravine with +a marshy bottom, through the oozy, miry contents of which the +waters from the watershed of the Rungwa slowly trickled southward +towards the Rikwa Plain. This was only one of many ravines, +however, some of which were several hundred yards broad, others +were but a few yards in width, the bottoms of which were most +dangerous quagmires, overgrown with dense tall reeds and papyrus. +Over the surface of these great depths of mud were seen hundreds +of thin threads of slimy ochre-coloured water, which swarmed with +animalculae. By-and-by, a few miles south of the base of this +ridge (which I call Kasera, from the country which it cuts in +halves), these several ravines converge and debouch into the broad, +[marshy?], oozy, spongy "river" of Usense, which trends in a +south-easterly direction; after which, gathering the contents of +the watercourses from the north and northeast into its own broader +channel, it soon becomes a stream of some breadth and consequence, +and meets a river flowing from the east, from the direction of +Urori, with which it conflows in the Rikwa Plain, and empties about +sixty rectilineal miles further west into the Tanganika Lake. The +Rungwa River, I am informed, is considered as a boundary line +between the country of Usowa on the north, and Ufipa on the south. + +We had barely completed the construction of our camp defences when +some of the men were heard challenging a small party of natives +which advanced towards our camp, headed by a man who, from his +garb and head-dress, we knew was from Zanzibar. After interchanging +the customary salutations, I was informed that this party was an +embassy from Simba ("Lion"), who ruled over Kasera, in Southern +Unyamwezi. Simba, I was told, was the son of Mkasiwa, King of +Unyanyembe, and was carrying on war with the Wazavira, of whom I was +warned to beware. He had heard such reports of my greatness that he +was sorry I did not take his road to Ukawendi, that he might have +had the opportunity of seeing me, and making friends with me; but +in the absence of a personal visit Simba had sent this embassy to +overtake me, in the hope that I would present him with a token of +my friendship in the shape of cloth. Though I was rather taken +aback by the demand, still it was politic in me to make this powerful +chief my friend, lest on my return from the search after Livingstone +he and I might fall out. And since it was incumbent on me to make +a present, for the sake of peace, it was necessary to exhibit my +desire for peace by giving--if I gave at all--a royal present. +The ambassador conveyed from me to Simba, or the "Lion" of Kasera, +two gorgeous cloths, and two other doti consisting of Merikani +and Kaniki; and, if I might believe the ambassador, I had made +Simba a friend for ever. + +On the 18th of October, breaking camp at the usual hour, we +continued our march north-westward by a road which zig-zagged +along the base of the Kasera mountains, and which took us into +all kinds of difficulties. We traversed at least a dozen marshy +ravines, the depth of mire and water in which caused the utmost +anxiety. I sunk up to my neck in deep holes in the Stygian ooze +caused by elephants, and had to tramp through the oozy beds of +the Rungwa sources with any clothes wet and black with mud and slime. +Decency forbade that I should strip; and the hot sun would also +blister my body. Moreover, these morasses were too frequent to lose +time in undressing and dressing, and, as each man was weighted with +his own proper load, it would have been cruel to compel the men to +bear me across. Nothing remained, therefore, but to march on, all +encumbered as I was with my clothing and accoutrements, into these +several marshy watercourses, with all the philosophical stoicism +that my nature could muster for such emergencies. But it was very +uncomfortable, to say the least of it. + +We soon entered the territory of the dreaded Wazavira, but no +enemy was in sight. Simba, in his wars, had made clean work of +the northern part of Uzavira, and we encountered nothing worse than +a view of the desolated country, which must have been once--judging +from the number of burnt huts and debris of ruined villages--extremely +populous. A young jungle was sprouting up vigorously in their +fields, and was rapidly becoming the home of wild denizens of the +forest. In one of the deserted and ruined villages, I found +quarters for the Expedition, which were by no means uncomfortable. +I shot three brace of guinea-fowl in the neighbourhood of Misonghi, +the deserted village we occupied, and Ulimengo, one of my hunters, +bagged an antelope, called the "mbawala," for whose meat some of +the Wanyamwezi have a superstitious aversion. I take this species +of antelope, which stands about three and a half feet high, of a +reddish hide, head long, horns short, to be the "Nzoe" antelope +discovered by Speke in Uganda, and whose Latin designation is, +according to Dr. Sclater, Tragelaphus Spekii." It has a short +bushy tail, and long hair along the spine. + +A long march in a west-by-north direction, lasting six hours, +through a forest where the sable antelope was seen, and which was +otherwise prolific with game, brought us to a stream which ran by +the base of a lofty conical hill, on whose slopes flourished quite +a forest of feathery bamboo. + +On the 20th, leaving our camp, which lay between the stream and +the conical hill above mentioned, and surmounting a low ridge which +sloped from the base of the hill-cone, we were greeted with another +picturesque view, of cones and scarped mountains, which heaved +upward in all directions. A march of nearly five hours through +this picturesque country brought us to the Mpokwa River, one of +the tributaries of the Rungwa, and to a village lately deserted +by the Wazavira. The huts were almost all intact, precisely as +they were left by their former inhabitants. In the gardens were +yet found vegetables, which, after living so long on meat, were +most grateful to us. On the branches of trees still rested the +Lares and Penates of the Wazavira, in the shape of large and +exceedingly well-made earthen pots. + +In the neighbouring river one of my men succeeded, in few minutes, +in catching sixty fish of the silurus species the hand alone. A +number of birds hovered about stream , such as the white-headed +fish-eagle and the kingfisher, enormous, snowy spoonbills, ibis, +martins, &c. This river issued from a mountain clump eight miles +or so north of the village of Mpokwa, and comes flowing down a narrow +thread of water, sinuously winding amongst tall reeds and dense +brakes on either side-the home of hundreds of antelopes and buffaloes. +South of Mpokwa, the valley broadens, and the mountains deflect +eastward and westward, and beyond this point commences the plain +known as the Rikwa, which, during the Masika is inundated, but which, +in the dry season, presents the same bleached aspect that plains in +Africa generally do when the grass has ripened. + +Travelling up along the right bank of the Mpokwa, on the 21st we +came to the head of the stream, and the sources of the Mpokwa, +issuing out of deep defiles enclosed by lofty ranges. The +mbawala and the buffalo were plentiful. + +On the 22nd, after a march of four hours and a half, we came to the +beautiful stream of Mtambu--the water of which was sweet, and clear +as crystal, and flowed northward. We saw for the first time the +home of the lion and the leopard. Hear what Freiligrath says of +the place: + +Where the thorny brake and thicket + Densely fill the interspace +Of the trees, through whose thick branches + Never sunshine lights the place, +There the lion dwells, a monarch, + Mightiest among the brutes; +There his right to reign supremest + Never one his claim disputes. +There he layeth down to slumber, + Having slain and ta'en his fill; +There he roameth, there be croucheth, + As it suits his lordly will. + +We camped but a few yards from just such a place as the poet +describes. The herd-keeper who attended the goats and donkeys, +soon after our arrival in camp, drove the animals to water, and +in order to obtain it they travelled through a tunnel in the brake, +caused by elephants and rhinoceros. They had barely entered the +dark cavernous passage, when a black-spotted leopard sprang, and +fastened its fangs in the neck of one of the donkeys, causing it, +from the pain, to bray hideously. Its companions set up such a +frightful chorus, and so lashed their heels in the air at the +feline marauder, that the leopard bounded away through the brake, +as if in sheer dismay at the noisy cries which the attack had +provoked. The donkey's neck exhibited some frightful wounds, but +the animal was not dangerously hurt. + +Thinking that possibly I might meet with an adventure with a +lion or a leopard in that dark belt of tall trees, under whose +impenetrable shade grew the dense thicket that formed such +admirable coverts for the carnivorous species, I took a stroll +along the awesome place with the gunbearer, Kalulu, carrying an +extra gun, and a further supply of ammunition. We crept +cautiously along, looking keenly into the deep dark dens, the +entrances of which were revealed to us, as we journeyed, expectant +every moment to behold the reputed monarch of the brake and +thicket, bound forward to meet us, and I took a special delight +in picturing, in my imagination, the splendor and majesty of the +wrathful brute, as he might stand before me. I peered closely +into every dark opening, hoping to see the deadly glitter of the +great angry eyes, and the glowering menacing front of the lion as +he would regard me. But, alas! after an hour's search for adventure, +I had encountered nothing, and I accordingly waxed courageous, and +crept into one of these leafy, thorny caverns, and found myself +shortly standing under a canopy of foliage that was held above my +head fully a hundred feet by the shapely and towering stems of the +royal mvule. Who can imagine the position? A smooth lawn-like glade; +a dense and awful growth of impenetrable jungle around us; those +stately natural pillars--a glorious phalanx of royal trees, bearing +at such sublime heights vivid green masses of foliage, through which +no single sun-ray penetrated, while at our feet babbled the primeval +brook, over smooth pebbles, in soft tones befitting the sacred quiet +of the scene! Who could have desecrated this solemn, holy harmony of +nature? But just as I was thinking it impossible that any man could +be tempted to disturb the serene solitude of the place, I saw a +monkey perched high on a branch over my head, contemplating, with +something of an awe-struck look, the strange intruders beneath. +Well, I could not help it, I laughed--laughed loud and long, until +I was hushed by the chaos of cries and strange noises which seemed +to respond to my laughing. A troop of monkeys, hidden in the +leafy depths above, had been rudely awakened, and, startled by +the noise I made, were hurrying away from the scene with a dreadful +clamor of cries and shrieks. + +Emerging again into the broad sunlight, I strolled further in +search of something to shoot. Presently, I saw, feeding quietly +in the forest which bounded the valley of the Mtambu on the left, +a huge, reddish-coloured wild boar, armed with most horrid tusks. +Leaving Kalulu crouched down behind a tree, and my solar helmet +behind another close by--that I might more safely stalk the +animal--I advanced towards him some forty yards, and after taking +a deliberate aim, fired at his fore shoulder. As if nothing had hurt +him whatever, the animal made a furious bound, and then stood with +his bristles erected, and tufted tail, curved over the back--a most +formidable brute in appearance. While he was thus listening, and +searching the neighbourhood with his keen, small eyes, I planted +another shot in his chest, which ploughed its way through his body. +Instead of falling, however, as I expected he would, he charged +furiously in the direction the bullet had come, and as he rushed +past me, another ball was fired, which went right through him; but +still he kept on, until, within six or seven yards from the trees +behind which Kalulu was crouching down on one side, and the helmet +was resting behind another, he suddenly halted, and then dropped. +But as I was about to advance on him with my knife to cut his throat, +he suddenly started up; his eyes had caught sight of the little boy +Kalulu, and were then, almost immediately afterwards, attracted by +the sight of the snowy helmet. These strange objects on either side +of him proved too much for the boar, for, with a terrific grunt, +he darted on one side into a thick brake, from which it was +impossible to oust him, and as it was now getting late, and the camp +was about three miles away, I was reluctantly obliged to return +without the meat. + +On our way to camp we were accompanied by a large animal which +persistently followed us on our left. It was too dark to see +plainly, but a large form was visible, if not very clearly +defined. It must have been a lion, unless it was the ghost of +the dead boar. + +That night, about 11 P.M., we were startled by the roar of a lion, +in close proximity to the camp. Soon it was joined by another, +and another still, and the novelty of the thing kept me awake. +I peered through the gate of the camp, and endeavoured to sight +a rifle--my little Winchester, in the accuracy of which I had +perfect confidence; but, alas! for the cartridges, they might have +been as well filled with sawdust for all the benefit I derived from +them. Disgusted with the miserable ammunition, I left the lions +alone, and turned in, with their roaring as a lullaby. + +That terrestrial paradise for the hunter, the valley of the pellucid +Mtambu, was deserted by us the next morning for the settlement +commonly known to the Wakawendi as Imrera's, with as much unconcern +as though it were a howling desert. The village near which we +encamped was called Itaga, in the district of Rusawa. As soon as +we had crossed the River Mtambu we had entered Ukawendi, commonly +called "Kawendi" by the natives of the country. + +The district of Rusawa is thickly populated. The people are quiet +and well-disposed to strangers, though few ever come to this region +from afar. One or two Wasawahili traders visit it every year or so +from Pumburu and Usowa; but very little ivory being obtained +from the people, the long distance between the settlements serves +to deter the regular trader from venturing hither. + +If caravans arrive here, the objective point to them is the +district of Pumburu, situated south-westerly one day's good +marching, or, say, thirty statute miles from Imrera; or they +make for Usowa, on the Tanganika, via Pumburu, Katuma, Uyombeh, +and Ugarawah. Usowa is quite an important district on the Tanganika, +populous and flourishing. This was the road we had intended to +adopt after leaving Imrera, but the reports received at the latter +place forbade such a venture. For Mapunda, the Sultan of Usowa, +though a great friend to Arab traders, was at war with the colony +of the Wazavira, who we must remember were driven from Mpokwa +and vicinity in Utanda, and who were said to have settled between +Pumburu and Usowa. + +It remained for us, like wise, prudent men, having charge of a +large and valuable Expedition on our hands, to decide what to do, +and what route to adopt, now that we had approached much nearer to +Ujiji than we were to Unyanyembe. I suggested that we should make +direct for the Tanganika by compass, trusting to no road or guide, +but to march direct west until we came to the Tanganika, and then +follow the lake shore on foot until we came to Ujiji. For it ever +haunted my mind, that, if Dr. Livingstone should hear of my coming, +which he might possibly do if I travelled along any known road, he +would leave, and that my search for him would consequently be a +"stern chase." But my principal men thought it better that we should +now boldly turn our faces north, and march for the Malagarazi, which +was said to be a large river flowing from the east to the Tanganika. +But none of my men knew the road to the Malagarazi, neither could +guides be hired from Sultan Imrera. We were, however, informed that +the Malagarazi was but two days' march from Imrera. I thought it +safe, in such a case, to provision my men with three days' rations. +The village of Itaga is situated in a deep mountain hollow, finely +overlooking a large extent of cultivation. The people grow sweet +potatoes, manioc--out of which tapioca is made--beans, and the +holcus. Not one chicken could be purchased for love or money, +and, besides grain, only a lean, scraggy specimen of a goat, a +long time ago imported form Uvinza, was procurable. + +October the 25th will be remembered by me as a day of great troubles; +in fact, a series of troubles began from this date. We struck an +easterly road in order to obtain a passage to the lofty plateau which +bounded the valley of Imrera on the west and on the north. We camped, +after a two and a half hours' march, at its foot. The defile promised +a feasible means of ascent to the summit of the plateau, which rose +upward in a series of scarps a thousand feet above the valley of +Imrera. + +While ascending that lofty arc of mountains which bounded westerly +and northerly the basin of Imrera, extensive prospects southward and +eastward were revealed. The character of the scenery at Ukawendi is +always animated and picturesque, but never sublime. The folds of this +ridge contained several ruins of bomas, which seemed to have been +erected during war time. + +The mbemba fruit was plentiful along this march, and every few minutes +I could see from the rear one or two men hastening to secure a treasure +of it which they discovered on the ground. + +A little before reaching the camp I had a shot at a leopard, but +failed to bring him down as he bounded away. At night the lions +roared as at the Mtambu River. + +A lengthy march under the deep twilight shadows of a great forest, +which protected us from the hot sunbeams, brought us, on the next +day, to a camp newly constructed by a party of Arabs from Ujiji, who +had advanced thus far on their road to Unyanyembe, but, alarmed at +the reports of the war between Mirambo and the Arabs, had +returned. Our route was along the right bank of the Rugufu, a +broad sluggish stream, well choked with the matete reeds and the +papyrus. The tracks and the bois de vaches of buffaloes were +numerous, and there were several indications of rhinoceros being +near. In a deep clump of timber near this river we discovered a +colony of bearded and leonine-looking monkeys. + +As we were about leaving our camp on the morning of the 28th a herd +of buffalo walked deliberately into view. Silence was quickly +restored, but not before the animals, to their great surprise, had +discovered the danger which confronted them. We commenced stalking +them, but we soon heard the thundering sound of their gallop, +after which it becomes a useless task to follow them, with a long +march in a wilderness before one. + +The road led on this day over immense sheets of sandstone and iron +ore. The water was abominable, and scarce, and famine began to +stare us in the face. We travelled for six hours, and had yet seen +no sign of cultivation anywhere. According to my map we were yet +two long marches from the Malagarazi--if Captain Burton had correctly +laid down the position of the river; according to the natives' +account, we should have arrived at the Malagarazi on this day. + +On the 29th we left our camp, and after a few minutes, we were in +view of the sublimest, but ruggedest, scenes we had yet beheld in +Africa. The country was cut up in all directions by deep, wild, +and narrow ravines trending in all directions, but generally +toward the north-west, while on either side rose enormous square +masses of naked rock (sandstone), sometimes towering, and rounded, +sometimes pyramidal, sometimes in truncated cones, sometimes in +circular ridges, with sharp, rugged, naked backs, with but little +vegetation anywhere visible, except it obtained a precarious tenure +in the fissured crown of some gigantic hill-top, whither some soil +had fallen, or at the base of the reddish ochre scarps which +everywhere lifted their fronts to our view. + +A long series of descents down rocky gullies, wherein we were +environed by threatening masses of disintegrated rock, brought us +to a dry, stony ravine, with mountain heights looming above us a +thousand feet high. This ravine we followed, winding around in all +directions, but which gradually widened, however, into a broad +plain, with a western trend. The road, leaving this, struck across +a low ridge to the north; and we were in view of deserted +settlements where the villages were built on frowning castellated +masses of rock. Near an upright mass of rock over seventy feet +high, and about fifty yards in diameter, which dwarfed the gigantic +sycamore close to it, we made our camp, after five hours and thirty +minutes' continuous and rapid marching. + +The people were very hungry; they had eaten every scrap of meat, +and every grain they possessed, twenty hours before, and there was +no immediate prospect of food. I had but a pound and a half of flour +left, and this would not have sufficed to begin to feed a force of +over forty-five people; but I had something like thirty pounds of +tea, and twenty pounds of sugar left, and I at once, as soon as we +arrived at camp, ordered every kettle to be filled and placed on +the fire, and then made tea for all; giving each man a quart of a +hot, grateful beverage; well sweetened. Parties stole out also +into the depths: of the jungle to search for wild fruit, and soon +returned laden with baskets of the wood-peach and tamarind fruit, +which though it did not satisfy, relieved them. That night, before +going to sleep, the Wangwana set up a loud prayer to "Allah" to +give them food. + +We rose betimes in the morning, determined to travel on until food +could be procured, or we dropped down from sheer fatigue and +weakness. Rhinoceros' tracks abounded, and buffalo seemed to be +plentiful, but we never beheld a living thing. We crossed scores +of short steeps, and descended as often into the depths of dry, +stony gullies, and then finally entered a valley, bounded on one +side by a triangular mountain with perpendicular sides, and on the +other by a bold group, a triplet of hills. While marching down +this valley--which soon changed its dry, bleached aspect to a vivid +green--we saw a forest in the distance, and shortly found ourselves +in corn-fields. Looking keenly around for a village, we descried +it on the summit of the lofty triangular hill on our right. A loud +exultant shout was raised at the discovery. The men threw down their +packs, and began to clamour for food. Volunteers were asked to +come forward to take cloth, and scale the heights to obtain it from +the village, at any price. While three or four sallied off we rested +on the ground, quite worn out. In about an hour the foraging party +returned with the glorious tidings that food was plentiful; that the +village we saw was called, "Welled Nzogera's"--the son of Nzogera--by +which, of course, we knew that we were in Uvinza, Nzogera being the +principal chief in Uvinza. We were further informed that Nzogera, +the father, was at war with Lokanda-Mire, about some salt-pans in +the valley of the Malagarazi, and that it would be difficult to go +to Ujiji by the usual road, owing to this war; but, for a +consideration, the son of Nzogera was willing to supply us with +guides, who would take us safely, by a northern road, to Ujiji. + +Everything auguring well for our prospects, we encamped to enjoy +the good cheer, for which our troubles and privations, during the +transit of the Ukawendi forests and jungles, had well prepared us. + +I am now going to extract from my Diary of the march, as, without +its aid, I deem it impossible to relate fully our various +experiences, so as to show them properly as they occurred to us; +and as these extracts were written and recorded at the close of +each day, they possess more interest, in my opinion, than a cold +relation of facts, now toned down in memory. + +October 31st. Tuesday.--Our road led E.N.E. for a considerable +time after leaving the base of the triangular mountain whereon the +son of Nzogera has established his stronghold, in order to avoid a +deep and impassable portion of marsh, that stood between us and the +direct route to the Malagarazi River. The valley sloped rapidly +to this marsh, which received in its broad bosom the drainage of +three extensive ranges. Soon we turned our faces northwest, and +prepared to cross the marsh; and the guides informed us, as we +halted on its eastern bank, of a terrible catastrophe which +occurred a few yards above where we were preparing to cross. +They told of an Arab and his caravan, consisting of thirty-five +slaves, who had suddenly sunk out of sight, and who were never +more heard of. This marsh, as it appeared to us, presented a +breadth of some hundreds of yards, on which grew a close network +of grass, with much decayed matter mixed up with it. In the +centre of this, and underneath it, ran a broad, deep, and rapid +stream. As the guides proceeded across, the men stole after +them with cautious footsteps. As they arrived near the centre +we began to see this unstable grassy bridge, so curiously provided +by nature for us, move up and down in heavy languid undulations, +like the swell of the sea after a storm. Where the two asses of +the Expedition moved, the grassy waves rose a foot high; but suddenly +one unfortunate animal plunged his feet through, and as he was +unable to rise, he soon made a deep hollow, which was rapidly filling +with water. With the aid of ten men, however, we were enabled to +lift him bodily up and land him on a firmer part, and guiding them +both across rapidly, the entire caravan crossed without accident. + +On arriving at the other side, we struck off to the north, and +found ourselves in a delightful country, in every way suitable +for agriculturists. Great rocks rose here and there, but in their +fissures rose stately trees, under whose umbrage nestled the +villages of the people. We found the various village elders greedy +for cloth, but the presence of the younger son of Nzogera's men +restrained their propensity for extortion. Goats and sheep were +remarkably cheap, and in good condition; and, consequently, to +celebrate our arrival near the Malagarazi, a flock of eight goats +was slaughtered, and distributed to the men. + +November 1st.--Striking north-west, after leaving our camp, and +descending the slope of a mountain, we soon beheld the anxiously +looked-for Malagarazi, a narrow but deep stream, flowing through +a valley pent in by lofty mountains. Fish-eating birds lined the +trees on its banks; villages were thickly scattered about. Food +was abundant and cheap. + +After travelling along the left bank of the river a few miles, we +arrived at the settlements recognizing Kiala as their ruler. I had +anticipated we should be able at once to cross the river, but +difficulties arose. We were told to camp, before any negotiations +could be entered into. When we demurred, we were informed we might +cross the river if we wished, but we should not be assisted by any +Mvinza. + +Being compelled to halt for this day, the tent was pitched in the +middle of one of the villages, and the bales were stored in one of +the huts, with four soldiers to guard them. After despatching an +embassy to Kiala, eldest son of the great chief Nzogera, to +request permission to cross the river as a peaceable caravan, Kiala +sent word that the white man should cross his river after the +payment of fifty-six cloths! Fifty-six cloths signified a bale +nearly! + +Here was another opportunity for diplomacy. Bombay and Asmani +were empowered to treat with Kiala about the honga, but it was not +to exceed twenty-five doti. At 6 A.M., having spoken for seven +hours, the two men returned, with the demand for thirteen doti for +Nzogera, and ten doti for Kiala. Poor Bombay was hoarse, but +Asmani still smiled; and I relented, congratulating myself that +the preposterous demand, which was simply robbery, was no worse. + +Three hours later another demand was made. Kiala had been visited +by a couple of chiefs from his father; and the chiefs being told +that a white man was at the ferry, put in a claim for a couple of +guns and a keg of gunpowder. But here my patience was exhausted, +and I declared that they should have to take them by force, for I +would never consent to be robbed and despoiled after any such +fashion. + +Until 11 P.M., Bombay and Asmani were negotiating about this extra +demand, arguing, quarreling, threatening, until Bombay declared +they would talk him mad if it lasted much longer. I told Bombay +to take two cloths, one for each chief, and, if they did not +consider it enough, then I should fight. The present was taken, +and the negotiations were terminated at midnight. + +November 2nd.--Ihata Island, one and a half hour west of Kiala's. +We arrived before the Island of Ihata, on the left bank of the +Malagarazi, at 5 p.m.; the morning having been wasted in puerile +talk with the owner of the canoes at the ferry. The final demand +for ferriage across was eight yards of cloth and four fundo* of +sami-sami, or red beads; which was at once paid. Four men, with +their loads, were permitted to cross in the small, unshapely, and +cranky canoes. When the boatmen had discharged their canoes of +their passengers and cargoes, they were ordered to halt on the +other side, and, to my astonishment, another demand was made. The +ferrymen had found that two fundo of these were of short measure, +and two fundo more must be paid, otherwise the contract for +ferrying us across would be considered null and void. So two fundo +more were added, but not without demur and much "talk," which in +these lands is necessary. + +** 4 fundo == 40 necklaces; 1 fundo being 10 necklaces. + +Three times the canoes went backwards and forwards, when, lo! +another demand was made, with the usual clamour and fierce wordy +dispute; this time for five khete # for the man who guided us to +the ferry, a shukka of cloth for a babbler, who had attached +himself to the old-womanish Jumah, who did nothing but babble and +increase the clamor. These demands were also settled. + +# Necklaces. + +About sunset we endeavoured to cross the donkeys. "Simba," a fine +wild Kinyamwezi donkey, went in first, with a rope attached to his +neck. He had arrived at the middle of the stream when we saw +him begin to struggle--a crocodile had seized him by the throat. +The poor animal's struggles were terrific. Chowpereh was dragging +on the rope with all his might, but to no use, for the donkey sank, +and we saw no more of him. The depth of the river at this place was +about fifteen feet. We had seen the light-brown heads, the glittering +eyes, and the ridgy backs, hovering about the vicinity, but we had +never thought that the reptiles would advance so near such an exciting +scene as the vicinity of the ferry presented during the crossing. +Saddened a little by this loss, we resumed our work, and by 7 P.M. +we were all across, excepting Bombay and the only donkey now left, +which was to be brought across in the morning, when the crocodiles +should have deserted the river. + +November 3rd.--What contention have we not been a witness to these +last three days! What anxiety have we not suffered ever since our +arrival in Uvinza! The Wavinza are worse than the Wagogo, and their +greed is more insatiable. We got the donkey across with the aid of +a mganga, or medicine man, who spat some chewed leaves of a tree +which grows close to the stream over him. He informed me he could +cross the river at any time, day or night, after rubbing his body +with these chewed leaves, which he believed to be a most potent medicine. + +About 10 A.M. appeared from the direction of Ujiji a caravan of +eighty Waguhha, a tribe which occupies a tract of country on the +south-western side of the Lake Tanganika. We asked the news, and +were told a white man had just arrived at Ujiji from Manyuema. +This news startled us all. + +"A white man?" we asked. + +"Yes, a white man," they replied. + +"How is he dressed?" + +"Like the master," they answered, referring to me. + +"Is he young, or old?" + +"He is old. He has white hair on his face, and is sick." + +"Where has he come from?" + +"From a very far country away beyond Uguhha, called Manyuema." + +"Indeed! and is he stopping at Ujiji now?" + +"Yes, we saw him about eight days ago." + +"Do you think he will stop there until we see him?" + +"Sigue" (don't know). + +"Was he ever at Ujiji before?" + +"Yes, he went away a long time ago." + +Hurrah! This is Livingstone! He must be Livingstone! He can be +no other; but still;--he may be some one else--some one from the +West Coast--or perhaps he is Baker! No; Baker has no white hair +on his face. But we must now march quick, lest he hears we are +coming, and runs away. + +I addressed my men, and asked them if they were willing to march +to Ujiji without a single halt, and then promised them, if they +acceded to my wishes, two doti each man. All answered in the +affirmative, almost as much rejoiced as I was myself. But I was +madly rejoiced; intensely eager to resolve the burning question, +"Is it Dr. David Livingstone?" God grant me patience, but I do +wish there was a railroad, or, at least, horses in this country. + +We set out at once from the banks of the Malagarazi, accompanied +by two guides furnished us by Usenge, the old man of the ferry, +who, now that we had crossed, showed himself more amiably disposed +to us. We arrived at the village of Isinga, Sultan Katalambula, +after a little over an hour's march across a saline plain, but +which as we advanced into the interior became fertile and productive. + +November 4th.--Started early with great caution, maintaining deep +silence. The guides were sent forward, one two hundred yards ahead +of the other, that we might be warned in time. The first part of +the march was through a thin jungle of dwarf trees, which got thinner +and thinner until finally it vanished altogether, and we had +entered Uhha--a plain country. Villages were visible by the score +among the tall bleached stalks of dourra and maize. Sometimes three, +sometimes five, ten, or twenty beehive-shaped huts formed a village. +The Wahha were evidently living in perfect security, for not one +village amongst them all was surrounded with the customary +defence of an African village. A narrow dry ditch formed the only +boundary between Uhha and Uvinza. On entering Uhha, all danger +from Makumbi vanished. + +We halted at Kawanga, the chief of which lost no time in making us +understand that he was the great Mutware of Kimenyi under the king, +and that he was the tribute gatherer for his Kiha majesty. He +declared that he was the only one in Kimenyi--an eastern division +of Uhha--who could demand tribute; and that it would be very +satisfactory to him, and a saving of trouble to ourselves, if we +settled his claim of twelve doti of good cloths at once. We did +not think it the best way of proceeding, knowing as we did the +character of the native African; so we at once proceeded to +diminish this demand; but, after six hours' hot argument, the +Mutware only reduced it by two. This claim was then settled, +upon the understanding that we should be allowed to travel through +Uhha as far as the Rusugi River without being further mulcted. + +November 5th.--Leaving Kawanga early in the morning and +continuing our march over the boundless plains, which were bleached +white by the hot equatorial sun, we were marching westward full of +pleasant anticipations that we were nearing the end of our +troubles, joyfully congratulating ourselves that within five days +we should see that which I had come so far from civilisation, and +through so many difficulties, to see, and were about passing a +cluster of villages, with all the confidence which men possess +against whom no one had further claim or a word to say, when I +noticed two men darting from a group of natives who were watching +us, and running towards the head of the Expedition, with the object, +evidently, of preventing further progress. + +The caravan stopped, and I walked forward to ascertain the cause +from the two natives. I was greeted politely by the two Wahha +with the usual "Yambos," and was then asked, "Why does the white +man pass by the village of the King of Uhha without salutation +and a gift? Does not the white man know there lives a king in Uhha, +to whom the Wangwana and Arabs pay something for right of passage?" + +"Why, we paid last night to the chief of Kawanga, who informed us +that he was the man deputed by the King of Uhha to collect the +toll." + +"How much did you pay?" + +"Ten doti of good cloth." + +"Are you sure?" + +"Quite sure. If you ask him, he will tell you so." + +"Well," said one of the Wahha, a fine, handsome, intelligent-looking +youth, "it is our duty to the king to halt you here until we find out +the truth of this. Will you walk to our village, and rest yourselves +under the shade of our trees until we can send messengers to Kawanga?" + +"No; the sun is but an hour high, and we have far to travel; +but, in order to show you we do not seek to pass through your +country without doing that which is right, we will rest where we +now stand, and we will send with your messengers two of our +soldiers, who will show you the man to whom we paid the cloth." + +The messengers departed; but, in the meantime, the handsome youth, +who turned out to be the nephew of the King, whispered some order +to a lad, who immediately hastened away, with the speed of an +antelope, to the cluster of villages which we had just passed. The +result of this errand, as we saw in a short time, was the approach +of a body of warriors, about fifty in number, headed by a tall, +fine-looking man, who was dressed in a crimson robe called Joho, +two ends of which were tied in a knot over the left shoulder; a +new piece of American sheeting was folded like a turban around his +head, and a large curved piece of polished ivory was suspended to +his neck. He and his people were all armed with spears, and bows +and arrows, and their advance was marked with a deliberation that +showed they felt confidence in any issue that might transpire. + +We were halted on the eastern side of the Pombwe stream, near the +village of Lukomo, in Kimenyi, Uhha. The gorgeously-dressed chief +was a remarkable man in appearance. His face was oval in form, +high cheek-bones, eyes deeply sunk, a prominent and bold forehead, +a fine nose, and a well-cut mouth; he was tall in figure, and +perfectly symmetrical. + +When near to us, he hailed me with the words, + +"Yambo, bana?--How do you do, master?" in quite a cordial +tone. + +I replied cordially also, "Yambo, mutware?--How do you do, chief?" + +We, myself and men, interchanged "Yambos" with his warriors; and +there was nothing in our first introduction to indicate that the +meeting was of a hostile character. + +The chief seated himself, his haunches resting on his heels, laying +down his bow and arrows by his side; his men did likewise. + +I seated myself on a bale, and each of my men sat down on their +loads, forming quite a semicircle. The Wahha slightly outnumbered +my party; but, while they were only armed with bows and arrows, +spears, and knob-sticks, we were armed with rifles, muskets, +revolvers, pistols, and hatchets. + +All were seated, and deep silence was maintained by the assembly. +The great plains around us were as still in this bright noon as if +they were deserted of all living creatures. Then the chief +spoke: + +"I am Mionvu, the great Mutware of Kimenyi, and am next to the +King, who lives yonder," pointing to a large village near some +naked hills about ten miles to the north. "I have come to talk +with the white man. It has always been the custom of the Arabs +and the Wangwana to make a present to the King when they pass +through his country. Does not the white man mean to pay the King's +dues? Why does the white man halt in the road? Why will he not +enter the village of Lukomo, where there is food and shade--where +we can discuss this thing quietly? Does the white man mean to fight? +I know well he is stronger than we are. His men have guns, and the +Wahha have but bows and arrows, and spears; but Uhha is large, and +our villages are many. Let him look about him everywhere--all is Uhha, +and our country extends much further than he can see or walk in a +day. The King of Uhha is strong; yet he wishes friendship only +with the white man. Will the white man have war or peace?" + +A deep murmur of assent followed this speech of Mionvu from his +people, and disapprobation, blended with a certain uneasiness; +from my men. When about replying, the words of General Sherman, +which I heard him utter to the chiefs of the Arapahoes and +Cheyennes at North Platte, in 1867, came to my mind; and +something of their spirit I embodied in my reply to Mionvu, +Mutware of Kimenyi. + +"Mionvu, the great Mutware, asks me if I have come for war. +When did Mionvu ever hear of white men warring against black men? +Mionvu must understand that the white men are different from the +black. White men do not leave their country to fight the black +people, neither do they come here to buy ivory or slaves. They +come to make friends with black people; they come to search for +rivers; and lakes, and mountains; they come to discover what countries, +what peoples, what rivers, what lakes, what forests, what plains, +what mountains and hills are in your country; to know the +different animals that are in the land of the black people, that, +when they go back, they may tell the white kings, and men, and +children, what they have seen and heard in the land so far from +them. The white people are different from the Arabs and Wangwana; +the white people know everything, and are very strong. When they +fight, the Arabs and the Wangwana run away. We have great guns +which thunder,, and when they shoot the earth trembles; we have +guns which carry bullets further than you can see: even with these +little things" (pointing to my revolvers) "I could kill ten men +quicker than you could count. We are stronger than the Wahha. +Mionvu has spoken the truth, yet we do not wish to fight. I could +kill Mionvu now, yet I talk to him as to a friend. I wish to be a +friend to Mionvu, and to all black people. Will Mionvu say what +I can do for him?" + +As these words were translated to him--imperfectly, I suppose, +but still, intelligibly--the face of the Wahha showed how well +they appreciated them. Once or twice I thought I detected something +like fear, but my assertions that I desired peace and friendship +with them soon obliterated all such feelings. + +Mionvu replied: + +"The white man tells me he is friendly. Why does he not come to +our village? Why does he stop on the road? The sun is hot. +Mionvu will not speak here any more. If the white man is a friend +he will come to the village." + +"We must stop now. It is noon. You have broken our march. We +will go and camp in your village," I said, at the same time rising +and pointing to the men to take up their loads. + +We were compelled to camp; there was no help for it; the messengers +had not returned from Kawanga. Having arrived in his village, +Mionvu had cast himself at full length under the scanty shade +afforded by a few trees within the boma. About 2 P.M. the +messengers returned, saying it was true the chief of Kawanga had +taken ten cloths; not, however for the King of Uhha, but for +himself! + +Mionvu, who evidently was keen-witted, and knew perfectly what he +was about, now roused himself, and began to make miniature faggots +of thin canes, ten in each faggot, and shortly he presented ten +of these small bundles, which together contained one hundred, to me, +saying each stick represented a cloth, and the amount of the "honga" +required by the King of Uhha was ONE HUNDRED CLOTHS!--nearly two bales! + +Recovering from our astonishment, which was almost indescribable, +we offered TEN. + +"Ten! to the King of Uhha! Impossible. You do not stir from +Lukomo until you pay us one hundred!" exclaimed Mionvu, in a +significant manner. + +I returned no answer, but went to my hut, which Mionvu had cleared +for my use, and Bombay, Asmani, Mabruki, and Chowpereh were invited-- +to come to me for consultation. Upon my asking them if we could not +fight our way through Uhha, they became terror-stricken, and Bombay, +in imploring accents, asked me to think well what I was about to do, +because it was useless to enter on a war with the Wahha. "Uhha is +all a plain country; we cannot hide anywhere. Every village will +rise all about us, and how can forty-five men fight thousands of +people? They would kill us all in a few minutes, and how would you +ever reach Ujiji if you died? Think of it, my dear master, and do +not throw your life away for a few rags of cloth." + +"Well, but, Bombay, this is robbery. Shall we submit to be robbed? +Shall we give this fellow everything he asks? He might as well ask +me for all the cloth, and all my guns, without letting him see that +we can fight. I can kill Mionvu and his principal men myself, and +you can slay all those howlers out there without much trouble. +If Mionvu and his principal were dead we should not be troubled much, +and we could strike south to the Mala-garazi, and go west to Ujiji." + + "No, no, dear master, don't think of it for a moment. If we went + neat the Malagarazi we should come across Lokanda-Mira." + + "Well, then, we will go north." + + "Up that way Uhha extends far; and beyond Uhha are the Watuta." + + "Well, then, say what we shall do. We must do something; but we + must not be robbed." + + "Pay Mionvu what he asks, and let us go away from here. This is + the last place we shall have to pay. And in four days we shall be + in Ujiji." + + "Did Mionvu tell you that this is the last time we would have to + pay?" + + "He did, indeed." + + "What do you say, Asmani ? Shall we fight or pay?" Asmani's + face wore the usual smile, but he replied, + + "I am afraid we must pay. This is positively the last time." + + "And you, Chowpereh?" + + "Pay, bana; it is better to get along quietly in this country. + If we were strong enough they would pay us. Ah, if we had only + two hundred guns, how these Wahha would run!" + + "What do you say, Mabruki?" + + "Ah, master, dear master; it is very hard, and these people are + great robbers. I would like to chop their heads off, all; so I + would. But you had better pay. This is the last time; and what + are one hundred cloths to you?" + + "Well, then, Bombay and Asmani, go to Mionvu, and offer him twenty. + If he will not take twenty, give him thirty. If he refuses thirty, + give him forty; then go up to eighty, slowly. Make plenty of talk; + not one doti more. I swear to you I will shoot Mionvu if he demands + more than eighty. Go, and remember to be wise." + + I will cut the matter short. At 9 P.M. sixty-four doti were + handed over to Mionvu, for the King of Uhha; six doti for + himself, and five doti for his sub; altogether seventy-five doti-- + a bale and a quarter! No sooner had we paid than they began to + fight amongst themselves over the booty, and I was in hopes that + the factions would proceed to battle, that I might have good excuse + for leaving them, and plunging south to the jungle that I believed + existed there, by which means, under its friendly cover, we might + strike west. But no, it was only a verbose war, which portended + nothing more than a noisy clamor. + + November 6th.--At dawn we were on the road, very silent and sad. + Our stock of cloth was much diminished; we had nine bales left, + sufficient to have taken us to the Atlantic Ocean--aided by the + beads, which were yet untouched--if we practised economy. If I + met many more like Mionvu I had not enough to take me to Ujiji, + and, though we were said to be so near, Livingstone seemed to me + to be just as far as ever. + + We crossed the Pombwe, and then struck across a slowly-undulating + plain rising gradually to mountains on our right, and on our left + sinking towards the valley of the Malagarazi, which river was + about twenty miles away. Villages rose to our view everywhere. + Food was cheap, milk was plentiful, and the butter good. + + After a four hours' march, we crossed the Kanengi River, and + entered the boma of Kahirigi, inhabited by several Watusi and Wahha. + Here, we were told, lived the King of Uhha's brother. This + announcement was anything but welcome, and I began to suspect I had + fallen into another hornets' nest. We had not rested two hours + before two Wangwana entered my tent, who were slaves of Thani bin + Abdullah, our dandified friend of Unyanyembe. These men came, on + the part of the king's brother, to claim the HONGA ! The king's + brother, demanded thirty doti! Half a bale! Merciful Providence! + What shall I do? + + We had been told by Mionvu that the honga of Uhha was settled--and + now here is another demand from the King's brother! It is the + second time the lie has been told, and we have twice been deceived. + We shall be deceived no more. + + These two men informed us there were five more chiefs, living but + two hours from each other, who would exact tribute, or black-mail, + like those we had seen. Knowing this much, I felt a certain calm. + It was far better to know the worst at once. Five more chiefs with + their demands would assuredly ruin us. In view of which, what is + to be done? How am I to reach Livingstone, without being beggared? + + Dismissing the men, I called Bombay, and told him to assist Asmani + in settling the honga--" as cheaply as possible." I then lit my + pipe, put on the cap of consideration, and began to think. Within + half an hour, I had made a plan, which was to be attempted to be + put in execution that very night. + + I summoned the two slaves of Thani bin Abdullah, after the honga + had been settled to everybody's satisfaction--though the profoundest + casuistries and diplomatic arguments failed to reduce it lower than + twenty-six doti--and began asking them about the possibility of + evading the tribute-taking Wahha ahead. + + This rather astonished them at first, and they declared it to be + impossible; but, finally, after being pressed, they replied, that + one of their number should guide us at midnight, or a little after, + into the jungle which grew on the frontiers of Uhha and Uvinza. By + keeping a direct west course through this jungle until we came to + Ukaranga we might be enabled--we were told--to travel through Uhha + without further trouble. If I were willing to pay the guide + twelve doti, and if I were able to impose silence on my people + while passing through the sleeping village, the guide was positive + I could reach Ujiji without paying another doti. It is needless to + add, that I accepted the proffered assistance at such a price with + joy. + + But there was much to be done. Provisions were to be purchased, + sufficient to last four days, for the tramp through the jungle, + and men were at once sent with cloth to purchase grain at any price. + Fortune favoured us, for before 8 P.M. we had enough for six days. + + November 7th.--I did not go to sleep at all last night, but a + little after midnight, as the moon was beginning to show itself, + by gangs of four, the men stole quietly out of the village; and + by 3 A.M. the entire Expedition was outside the boma, and not the + slightest alarm had been made. After a signal to the new guide, + the Expedition began to move in a southern direction along the + right bank of the Kanengi River. After an hour's march in this + direction, we struck west, across the grassy plain, and maintained + it, despite the obstacles we encountered, which were sore enough to + naked men. The bright moon lighted our path: dark clouds now and + then cast immense long shadows over the deserted and silent plains, + and the moonbeans were almost obscured, and at such times our + position seemed awful-- + + Till the moon. + Rising in clouded majesty, at length, + Apparent queen, unveiled her peerless light, + And o'er the dark her silver mantle threw. + + Bravely toiled the men, without murmur, though their legs were + bleeding from the cruel grass. "Ambrosial morn" at last appeared, + with all its beautiful and lovely features. Heaven was born anew + to us, with comforting omens and cheery promise. The men, though + fatigued at the unusual travel, sped forward with quicker, pace as + daylight broke, until, at 8 A.M., we sighted the swift Rusugi River, + when a halt was ordered in a clump of jungle near it, for breakfast + and rest. Both banks of the river were alive with buffalo, eland, + and antelope, but, though the sight was very tempting, we did not + fire, because we dared not. The report of a gun would have alarmed + the whole country. I preferred my coffee, and the contentment which + my mind experienced at our success. + + An hour after we had rested, some natives, carrying salt from the + Malagarazi, were seen coming up the right bank of the river. When + abreast of our hiding-place, they detected us, and dropping their + salt-bags, they took to their heels at once, shouting out as they + ran, to alarm some villages that appeared about four miles north of + us. The men were immediately ordered to take up their loads, and + in a few minutes we had crossed the Rusugi, and were making direct + for a bamboo jungle that appeared in our front. On, on, we kept + steadily until, at 1 P.M., we sighted the little lake of Musunya, + as wearied as possible with our nine hours march. + + Lake Musunya is one of the many circular basins found in this part + of Uhha. There was quite a group of them. The more correct term + of these lakes would be immense pools. In the Masika season, Lake + Musunya must extend to three or four miles in length by two in breadth. + It swarms with hippopotami, and its shores abound with noble game. + + We were very quiet, as may be imagined, in our bivouac; neither + tent nor hut was raised, nor was fire kindled, so that, in case of + pursuit, we could move off without delay. I kept my Winchester + rifle (the gift of my friend Mr. Morris, and a rare gift it was + for such a crisis) with its magazine full, and two hundred + cartridges in a bag slung over my shoulders. Each soldier's gun + was also ready and loaded, and we retired to sleep our fatigues + off with a feeling of perfect security. + + November 8th.--Long before dawn appeared, we were on the march, and, + as daylight broke, we emerged from the bamboo jungle, and struck + across the naked plain of Uhha, once more passing several large + pools by the way--far-embracing prospects of undulating country, + with here and there a characteristic clump of trees relieving the + general nudity of the whole. Hour after hour we toiled on, + across the rolling land waves, the sun shining with all its wonted + African fervor, but with its heat slightly tempered by the + welcome breezes, which came laden with the fragrance of young + grass, and perfume of strange flowers of various hues, that flecked + the otherwise pale-green sheet which extended so far around us. + + We arrived at the Rugufu River--not the Ukawendi Rugufu, but the + northern stream of that name, a tributary of the Malagarazi. It + was a broad shallow stream, and sluggish, with an almost imperceptible + flow south-west. While we halted in the deep shade afforded by a + dense clump of jungle, close to the right bank, resting awhile before + continuing our journey. I distinctly heard a sound as of distant + thunder in the west. Upon asking if it were thunder, I was told it + was Kabogo. + + "Kabogo? what is that?" + + "It is a great mountain on the other side of the Tanganika, full + of deep holes, into which the water rolls; and when there is wind + on the Tanganika, there is a sound like mvuha (thunder). Many + boats have been lost there, and it is a custom with Arabs and + natives to throw cloth--Merikani and Kaniki--and especially white + (Merikani) beads, to appease the mulungu (god) of the lake. + Those who throw beads generally get past without trouble, + but those who do not throw beads into the lake get lost, and are + drowned. Oh, it is a dreadful place!" This story was told me by + the ever-smiling guide Asmani, and was corroborated by other + former mariners of the lake whom I had with me. + + At the least, this place where we halted for dinner, on the banks + of the Rugufu River, is eighteen and a half hours, or forty-six + miles, from Ujiji; and, as Kabogo is said to be near Uguhha, it + must be over sixty miles from Ujiji; therefore the sound of the + thundering surf, which is said to roll into the caves of Kabogo, + was heard by us at a distance of over one hundred miles away from + them. + + Continuing our journey for three hours longer, through thin + forests, over extensive beds of primitive rock, among fields of + large boulders thickly strewn about, passing by numerous herds + of buffalo, giraffe, and zebra, over a quaking quagmire which + resembled peat, we arrived at the small stream of Sunuzzi, to a + camping place only a mile removed from a large settlement of Wahha. + But we were buried in the depths of a great forest--no road was in + the vicinity, no noise was made, deep silence was preserved; nor + were fires lit. We might therefore rest tranquilly secure, certain + that we should not be disturbed. To-morrow morning the kirangozi + has promised we shall be out of Uhha, and if we travel on to + Niamtaga, in Ukaranga, the same day, the next day would see us + in Ujiji. + + Patience, my soul! A few hours more, then the end of all this + will be known! I shall be face to face with that "white man with + the white hairs on his face, whoever he is!" + + November 9th.--Two hours before dawn we left our camp on the Sunuzzi + River, and struck through the forest in a north-by-west direction, + having muzzled our goats previously, lest, by their bleating, they + might betray us. This was a mistake which might have ended + tragically, for just as the eastern sky began to assume a pale + greyish tint, we emerged from the jungle on the high road. The + guide thought we had passed Uhha, and set up a shout which was + echoed by every member of the caravan, and marched onward with + new vigor and increased energy, when plump we came to the outskirts + of a village, the inhabitants of which were beginning to stir. + Silence was called for at once, and the Expedition halted + immediately. I walked forward to the front to advise with the guide. + He did not know what to do. There was no time to consider, so I + ordered the goats to be slaughtered and left on the road, and the + guide to push on boldly through the village. The chickens also had + their throats cut; after which the Expedition resumed the march + quickly and silently, led by the guide, who had orders to plunge + into the jungle south of the road. I stayed until the last man + had disappeared; then, after preparing my Winchester, brought up + the rear, followed by my gunbearers with their stock of ammunition. + As we were about disappearing beyond the last hut, a man darted out + of his hut, and uttered an exclamation of alarm, and loud voices + were heard as if in dispute. But in a short time we were in the + depths of the jungle, hurrying away from the road in a southern + direction, and edging slightly westward. Once I thought we were + pursued, and I halted behind a tree to check our foes if they + persisted in following us; but a few minutes proved to me that we + were not pursued, After half-an-hour's march we again turned our + faces westward. It was broad daylight now, and our eyes were + delighted with most picturesque and sequestered little valleys, + where wild fruit-trees grew, and rare flowers blossomed, and + tiny brooks tumbled over polished pebbles--where all was bright + and beautiful--until, finally, wading through one pretty pure + streamlet, whose soft murmurs we took for a gentle welcome, we + passed the boundary of wicked Uhha, and had entered Ukaranga!-- + an event that was hailed with extravagant shouts of joy. + + Presently we found the smooth road, and we trod gaily with + elastic steps, with limbs quickened for the march which we all + knew to be drawing near its end. What cared we now for the + difficulties we had encountered--for the rough and cruel forests, + for the thorny thickets and hurtful grass, for the jangle of all + savagedom, of which we had been the joyless audience! To-morrow! + Ay, the great day draws nigh, and we may well laugh and sing while + in this triumphant mood. We have been sorely tried; we have been + angry with each other when vexed by troubles, but we forget all + these now, and there is no face but is radiant with the happiness + we have all deserved. + + We made a short halt at noon, for rest and refreshment. I was + shown the hills from which the Tanganika could be seen, which + bounded the valley of the Liuche on the east. I could not contain + myself at the sight of them. Even with this short halt I was + restless and unsatisfied. We resumed the march again. I spurred + my men forward with the promise that to-morrow should see their reward. + + We were in sight of the villages of the Wakaranga; the people + caught sight of us, and manifested considerable excitement. I sent + men ahead to reassure them, and they came forward to greet us. This + was so new and welcome to us, so different from the turbulent Wavinza + and the black-mailers of Uhha, that we were melted. But we had + no time to loiter by the way to indulge our joy. I was impelled onward + by my almost uncontrollable feelings. I wished to resolve my doubts + and fears. Was HE still there? Had HE heard of my coming? Would HE + fly? + + How beautiful Ukaranga appears! The green hills are crowned by + clusters of straw-thatched cones. The hills rise and fall; here + denuded and cultivated, there in pasturage, here timbered, yonder + swarming with huts. The country has somewhat the aspect of Maryland. + + We cross the Mkuti, a glorious little river! We ascend the opposite + bank, and stride through the forest like men who have done a deed + of which they may be proud. We have already travelled nine hours, + and the sun is sinking rapidly towards the west; yet, apparently, + we are not fatigued. + + We reach the outskirts of Niamtaga, and we hear drums beat. The + people are flying into the woods; they desert their villages, for + they take us to be Ruga-Ruga--the forest thieves of Mirambo, who, + after conquering the Arabs of Unyanyembe, are coming to fight the + Arabs of Ujiji. Even the King flies from his village, and every + man, woman, and child, terror-stricken, follows him. We enter + into it and quietly take possession. Finally, the word is bruited + about that we are Wangwana, from Unyanyembe. + + "Well, then, is Mirambo dead?" they ask. + + "No," we answer. + + "Well, how did you come to Ukaranga?" + + "By way of Ukonongo, Ukawendi, and Uhha." + + " Oh--hi-le!" Then they laugh heartily at their fright, and begin + to make excuses. The King is introduced to me, and he says he had + only gone to the woods in order to attack us again--he meant to have + come back and killed us all, if we had been Ruga-Ruga. But then we + know the poor King was terribly frightened, and would never have + dared to return, had we been RugaRuga--not he. We are not, however, + in a mood to quarrel with him about an idiomatic phrase peculiar + to him, but rather take him by the hand and shake it well, and say + we are so very glad to see him. And he shares in our pleasure, + and immediately three of the fattest sheep, pots of beer, flour, + and honey are brought to us as a gift, and I make him happier still + with two of the finest cloths I have in my bales; and thus a + friendly pact is entered into between us. + + While I write my Diary of this day's proceedings, I tell my + servant to lay out my new flannel suit, to oil my boots, to + chalk my helmet, and fold a new puggaree around it, that I may + make as presentable an appearance as possible before the white + man with the grey beard, and before the Arabs of Ujiji; for the + clothes I have worn through jungle and forest are in tatters. + Good-night; only let one day come again, and we shall see what + we shall see. + + November 10th. Friday.--The 236th day from Bagamoyo on the Sea, + and the 51st day from Unyanyembe. General direction to Ujiji, + west-by-south. Time of march, six hours. + + It is a happy, glorious morning. The air is fresh and cool. + The sky lovingly smiles on the earth and her children. The deep + woods are crowned in bright vernal leafage; the water of the Mkuti, + rushing under the emerald shade afforded by the bearded banks, + seems to challenge us for the race to Ujiji, with its continuous + brawl. + + We are all outside the village cane fence, every man of us looking + as spruce, as neat, and happy as when we embarked on the dhows at + Zanzibar, which seems to us to have been ages ago--we have witnessed + and experienced so much. + + "Forward!" + + "Ay Wallah, ay Wallah, bana yango!" and the lighthearted braves + stride away at a rate which must soon bring us within view of + Ujiji. We ascend a hill overgrown with bamboo, descend into a + ravine through which dashes an impetuous little torrent, ascend + another short hill, then, along a smooth footpath running across + the slope of a long ridge, we push on as only eager, lighthearted + men can do. + + In two hours I am warned to prepare for a view of the Tanganika, + for, from the top of a steep mountain the kirangozi says I can see + it. I almost vent the feeling of my heart in cries. But wait, we + must behold it first. And we press forward and up the hill + breathlessly, lest the grand scene hasten away. We are at last on + the summit. Ah! not yet can it be seen. A little further on--just + yonder, oh! there it is--a silvery gleam. I merely catch sight of + it between the trees, and--but here it is at last! True--THE TANGANIKA! + and there are the blue-black mountains of Ugoma and Ukaramba. An + immense broad sheet, a burnished bed of silver--lucid canopy of + blue above--lofty mountains are its valances, palm forests form its + fringes! The Tanganika!--Hurrah! and the men respond to the + exultant cry of the Anglo-Saxon with the lungs of Stentors, and the + great forests and the hills seem to share in our triumph. + + "Was this the place where Burton and Speke stood, Bombay, when they + saw the lake first?" + + "I don't remember, master; it was somewhere about here, I think." + + "Poor fellows! The one was half-paralyzed, the other half-blind," + said Sir Roderick Murchison, when he described Burton and Spoke's + arrival in view of the Tanganika. + + And I? Well, I am so happy that, were I quite paralyzed and + blinded, I think that at this supreme moment I could take up my + bed and walk, and all blindness would cease at once. Fortunately, + however, I am quite well; I have not suffered a day's sickness + since the day I left Unyanyembe. How much would Shaw be willing + to give to be in my place now? Who is happiest--he revelling in + the luxuries of Unyanyembe, or I, standing on the summit of this + mountain, looking down with glad eyes and proud heart on the + Tanganika? + + We are descending the western slope of the mountain, with the + valley of the Liuche before us. Something like an hour before + noon we have gained the thick matete brake, which grows on both + banks of the river; we wade through the clear stream, arrive on + the other side, emerge out of the brake, and the gardens of the + Wajiji are around us--a perfect marvel of vegetable wealth. + Details escape my hasty and partial observation. I am almost + overpowered with my own emotions. I notice the graceful palms, + neat plots, green with vegetable plants, and small villages + surrounded with frail fences of the matete-cane. + + We push on rapidly, lest the news of our coming might reach the + people of Ujiji before we come in sight, and are ready for them. + We halt at a little brook, then ascend the long slope of a naked + ridge, the very last of the myriads we have crossed. This alone + prevents us from seeing the lake in all its vastness. We arrive + at the summit, travel across and arrive at its western rim, and-- + pause, reader--the port of Ujiji is below us, embowered in the + palms, only five hundred yards from us! + + At this grand moment we do not think of the hundreds of miles we + have marched, or of the hundreds of hills that we have ascended + and descended, or of the many forests we have traversed, or of the + jungles and thickets that annoyed us, or of the fervid salt plains + that blistered our feet, or of the hot suns that scorched us, nor + of the dangers and difficulties, now happily surmounted! + + At last the sublime hour has arrived;--our dreams, our hopes, and + anticipations are now about to be realised! Our hearts and our + feelings are with our eyes, as we peer into the palms and try to + make out in which hut or house lives the "white man with the grey + beard" we heard about when we were at the Malagarazi. + + "Unfurl the flags, and load your guns!" + + "We will, master, we will, master!" respond the men eagerly. + + "One, two, three,--fire!" + + A volley from nearly fifty guns roars like a salute from a + battery of artillery : we shall note its effect presently on + the peaceful-looking village below. + + "Now, kirangozi, hold the white man's flag up high, and let the + Zanzibar flag bring up the rear. And you men keep close together, + and keep firing until we halt in the market-place, or before the + white man's house. You have said to me often that you could smell + the fish of the Tanganika--I can smell the fish of the Tanganika + now. There are fish, and beer, and a long rest waiting for you. + MARCH!" + + Before we had gone a hundred yards our repeated volleys had the + effect desired. We had awakened Ujiji to the knowledge that a + caravan was coming, and the people were witnessed rushing up in + hundreds to meet us. The mere sight of the flags informed every + one immediately that we were a caravan, but the American flag + borne aloft by gigantic Asmani, whose face was one vast smile on + this day, rather staggered them at first. However, many of the + people who now approached us, remembered the flag. They had seen + it float above the American Consulate, and from the mast-head of + many a ship in the harbor of Zanzibar, and they were soon heard + welcoming the beautiful flag with cries of "Bindera Kisungu!"--a + white man's flag! "Bindera Merikani!"--the American flag! + + Then we were surrounded by them: by Wajiji, Wanyamwezi, Wangwana, + Warundi, Waguhha, Wamanyuema, and Arabs, and were almost + deafened with the shouts of "Yambo, yambo, bana! Yambo, bana! + Yambo, bana!" To all and each of my men the welcome was given. + + We were now about three hundred yards from the village of Ujiji, + and the crowds are dense about me. Suddenly I hear a voice on + my right say, + + "Good morning, sir!" + + Startled at hearing this greeting in the midst of such a crowd of + black people, I turn sharply around in search of the man, and see + him at my side, with the blackest of faces, but animated and + joyous--a man dressed in a long white shirt, with a turban of + American sheeting around his woolly head, and I ask: + + "Who the mischief are you?" + + "I am Susi, the servant of Dr. Livingstone," said be, smiling, + and showing a gleaming row of teeth. + + "What! Is Dr. Livingstone here?" + + "Yes, sir." + + "In this village?" + + "Yes, sir." + + "Are you sure?" + + "Sure, sure, sir. Why, I leave him just now."" + + "Good morning, sir," said another voice. + + "Hallo," said I, "is this another one?" + + "Yes, sir." + + "Well, what is your name?" + + "My name is Chumah, sir." + + "What! are you Chumah, the friend of Wekotani?" + + "Yes, sir." + + "And is the-Doctor well?" + + " Not very well, sir." + + "Where has he been so long?" + + "In Manyuema." + + "Now, you Susi, run, and tell the Doctor I am coming." + + "Yes, sir," and off he darted like a madman. + + But by this time we were within two hundred yards of the village, + and the multitude was getting denser, and almost preventing our + march. Flags and streamers were out; Arabs and Wangwana were + pushing their way through the natives in order to greet us, for + according to their account, we belonged to them. But the great + wonder of all was, "How did you come from Unyanyembe?" + + Soon Susi came running back, and asked me my name; he had told + the Doctor I was coming, but the Doctor was too surprised to believe + him, and when the Doctor asked him my name, Susi was rather staggered. + + But, during Susi's absence, the news had been conveyed to the + Doctor that it was surely a white man that was coming, whose guns + were firing, and whose flag could be seen; and the great Arab + magnates of Ujiji--Mohammed bin Sali, Sayd bin Majid, Abid bin + Suliman, Mohammed bin Gharib, and others--had gathered together + before the Doctor's house, and the Doctor had come out from his + veranda to discuss the matter and await my arrival. + + In the meantime, the head of the Expedition had halted, and the + kirangozi was out of the ranks, holding his flag aloft, and Selim + said to me, "I see the Doctor, sir. Oh, what an old man! He has + got a white beard." And I--what would I not have given for a bit + of friendly wilderness, where, unseen, I might vent my joy in some + mad freak, such as idiotically biting my hand; turning a somersault, + or slashing at trees, in order to allay those exciting feelings + that were well-nigh uncontrollable. My heart beats fast, but I must + not let my face betray my emotions, lest it shall detract from the + dignity of a white man appearing under such extraordinary circumstances. + + So I did that which I thought was most dignified. I pushed back + the crowds, and, passing from the rear, walked down a living avenue + of people, until I came in front of the semicircle of Arabs, before + which stood the "white man with the grey beard." + + As I advanced slowly towards him I noticed he was pale, that he + looked wearied and wan, that he had grey whiskers and moustache, + that he wore a bluish cloth cap with a faded gold band on a red + ground round it, and that he had on a red-sleeved waistcoat, and a + pair of grey tweed trousers. + + I would have run to him, only I was a coward in the presence of + such a mob--would have embraced him, but that I did not know how + he would receive me; so I did what moral cowardice and false pride + suggested was the best thing--walked deliberately to him, took off + my hat, and said: + + "DR. LIVINGSTONE, I PRESUME?" + + "Yes," said he, with a kind, cordial smile, lifting his cap slightly. + + I replaced my hat on my head, and he replaced his cap, and we + both grasped hands. I then said aloud: + + "I thank God, Doctor, I have been permitted to see you." + + He answered, "I feel thankful that I am here to welcome you." + + I turned to the Arabs, took off my hat to them in response to the + saluting chorus of "Yambos" I received, and the Doctor introduced + them to me by name. Then, oblivious of the crowds, oblivious of + the men who shared with me my dangers, we--Livingstone and I-- + turned our faces towards his house. He pointed to the veranda, + or rather, mud platform, under the broad overhanging eaves; he + pointed to his own particular seat, which I saw his age and + experience in Africa had suggested, namely, a straw mat, with a + goatskin over it, and another skin nailed against the wall to + protect his back from contact with the cold mud. I protested + against taking this seat, which so much more befitted him than I, + but the Doctor would not yield: I must take it. + + We were seated--the Doctor and I--with our backs to the wall. + The Arabs took seats on our left. More than a thousand natives + were in our front, filling the whole square densely, indulging + their curiosity, and discussing the fact of two white men meeting + at Ujiji--one just come from Manyuema, in the west, the other from + Unyanyembe, in the east. + + Conversation began. What about? I declare I have forgotten. + Oh! we mutually asked questions of one another, such as + "How did you come here?" and "Where have you been all this long + time?--the world has believed you to be dead. "Yes, that was the + way it began: but whatever the Doctor informed me, and that which + I communicated to him, I cannot correctly report, for I found myself + gazing at him, conning the wonderful figure and face of the man at + whose side I now sat in Central Africa. Every hair of his head + and beard, every wrinkle of his face, the wanness of his features, + and the slightly wearied look he wore, were all imparting + intelligence to me--the knowledge I craved for so much ever since + I heard the words, "Take what you want, but find Livingstone." + What I saw was deeply interesting intelligence to me, and unvarnished + truth. I was listening and reading at the same time. What did these + dumb witnesses relate to me? + + Oh, reader, had you been at my side on this day in Ujiji, how + eloquently could be told the nature of this man's work! Had you + been there but to see and hear! His lips gave me the details; lips + that never lie. I cannot repeat what he said; I was too much + engrossed to take my note-book out, and begin to stenograph his story. + He had so much to say that he began at the end, seemingly oblivious + of the fact that five or six years had to be accounted for. But his + account was oozing out; it was growing fast into grand proportions-- + into a most marvellous history of deeds. + + The Arabs rose up, with a delicacy I approved, as if they intuitively + knew that we ought to be left to ourselves. I sent Bombay with them + to give them the news they also wanted so much to know about the + affairs at Unyanyembe. Sayd bin Majid was the father of the gallant + young man whom I saw at Masangi, and who fought with me at Zimbizo, + and who soon afterwards was killed by Mirambo's Ruga-Ruga in the + forest of Wilyankuru; and, knowing that I had been there, he + earnestly desired to hear the tale of the fight; but they had all + friends at Unyanyembe, and it was but natural that they should be + anxious to hear of what concerned them. + + After giving orders to Bombay and Asmani for the provisioning of + the men of the Expedition, I called "Kaif-Halek," or "How-do-ye-do," + and introduced him to Dr. Livingstone as one of the soldiers in + charge of certain goods left at Unyanyembe, whom I had compelled + to accompany me to Ujiji, that he might deliver in person to his + master the letter-bag with which he had been entrusted. This was + that famous letter-bag marked "Nov. 1st, 1870," which was now + delivered into the Doctor's hands 365 days after it left Zanzibar! + How long, I wonder, had it remained at Unyanyembe had I not been + despatched into Central Africa in search of the great traveller? + + The Doctor kept the letter-bag on his knee, then, presently, opened + it, looked at the letters contained there, and read one or two of + his children's letters, his face in the meanwhile lighting up. + + He asked me to tell him the news. "No, Doctor," said I, "read your + letters first, which I am sure you must be impatient to read." + + "Ah," said he, "I have waited years for letters, and I have been + taught patience. I can surely afford to wait a few hours longer. + No, tell me the general news: how is the world getting along? + + "You probably know much already. Do you know that the Suez Canal + is a fact--is opened, and a regular trade carried on between Europe + and India through it?" + + "I did not hear about the opening of it. Well, that is grand news! + What else?" + + Shortly I found myself enacting the part of an annual periodical + to him. There was no need of exaggeration of any penny-a-line + news, or of any sensationalism. The world had witnessed and + experienced much the last few years. The Pacific Railroad had been + completed <1869>; Grant had been elected President of the United States; + Egypt had been flooded with savans: the Cretan rebellion had + terminated <1866-1868>; a Spanish revolution had driven Isabella + from the throne of Spain, and a Regent had been appointed: General + Prim was assassinated; a Castelar had electrified Europe with his + advanced ideas upon the liberty of worship; Prussia had humbled Denmark, + and annexed Schleswig-Holstein <1864>, and her armies were now around + Paris; the "Man of Destiny" was a prisoner at Wilhelmshohe; + the Queen of Fashion and the Empress of the French was a fugitive; + and the child born in the purple had lost for ever the Imperial + crown intended for his head; the Napoleon dynasty was extinguished + by the Prussians, Bismarck and Von Moltke; and France, the proud + empire, was humbled to the dust. + + What could a man have exaggerated of these facts? What a budget + of news it was to one who had emerged from the depths of the + primeval forests of Manyuema! The reflection of the dazzling + light of civilisation was cast on him while Livingstone was thus + listening in wonder to one of the most exciting pages of history + ever repeated. How the puny deeds of barbarism paled before + these! Who could tell under what new phases of uneasy life Europe + was labouring even then, while we, two of her lonely children, + rehearsed the tale of her late woes and glories? More worthily, + perhaps, had the tongue of a lyric Demodocus recounted them; but, + in the absence of the poet, the newspaper correspondent performed + his part as well and truthfully as he could. + + Not long after the Arabs had departed, a dishful of hot hashed-meat + cakes was sent to us by Sayd bin Majid, and a curried chicken was + received from Mohammed bin Sali, and Moeni Kheri sent a dishful of + stewed goat-meat and rice; and thus presents of food came in + succession, and as fast as they were brought we set to. I had a + healthy, stubborn digestion--the exercise I had taken had put it in + prime order; but Livingstone--he had been complaining that he had + no appetite, that his stomach refused everything but a cup of tea + now and then--he ate also--ate like a vigorous, hungry man; and, + as he vied with me in demolishing the pancakes, he kept repeating, + "You have brought me new life. You have brought me new life." + + "Oh, by George!" I said, "I have forgotten something. Hasten, + Selim, and bring that bottle; you know which and bring me the silver + goblets. I brought this bottle on purpose for this event, which + I hoped would come to pass, though often it seemed useless to expect + it." + + Selim knew where the bottle was, and he soon returned with it--a + bottle of Sillery champagne; and, handing the Doctor a silver + goblet brimful of the exhilarating wine, and pouring a small + quantity into my own, I said, + + "Dr. Livingstone, to your very good health, sir." + + "And to yours!" he responded, smilingly. + + And the champagne I had treasured for this happy meeting was drunk + with hearty good wishes to each other. + + But we kept on talking and talking, and prepared food was being + brought to us all that afternoon; and we kept on eating each time + it was brought, until I had eaten even to repletion, and the Doctor + was obliged to confess that he had eaten enough. Still, Halimah, + the female cook of the Doctor's establishment, was in a state of + the greatest excitement. She had been protruding her head out of + the cookhouse to make sure that there were really two white men + sitting down in the veranda, when there used to be only one, who + would not, because he could not, eat anything; and she had been + considerably exercised in her mind about this fact. She was + afraid the Doctor did not properly appreciate her culinary + abilities; but now she was amazed at the extraordinary quantity + of food eaten, and she was in a state of delightful excitement. + We could hear her tongue rolling off a tremendous volume of + clatter to the wondering crowds who halted before the kitchen + to hear the current of news with which she edified them. Poor, + faithful soul! While we listened to the noise of her furious + gossip, the Doctor related her faithful services, and the + terrible anxiety she evinced when the guns first announced + the arrival of another white man in Ujiji; how she had been + flying about in a state cf the utmost excitement, from the kitchen + into his presence, and out again into the square, asking all sorts + of questions; how she was in despair at the scantiness of the + general larder and treasury of the strange household; how she + was anxious to make up for their poverty by a grand appearance-- + to make up a sort of Barmecide feast to welcome the white man. + "Why," said she, "is he not one of us? Does he not bring plenty + of cloth and beads? Talk about the Arabs! Who are they that + they should be compared to white men? Arabs, indeed!" + + The Doctor and I conversed upon many things, especially upon his + own immediate troubles, and his disappointments, upon his arrival + in Ujiji, when told that all his goods had been sold, and he was + reduced to poverty. He had but twenty cloths or so left of the + stock he had deposited with the man called Sherif, the half-caste + drunken tailor, who was sent by the Consul in charge of the goods. + Besides which he had been suffering from an attack of dysentery, + and his condition was most deplorable. He was but little improved + on this day, though he had eaten well, and already began to feel + stronger and better. + + This day, like all others, though big with happiness to me, at last + was fading away. While sitting with our faces looking to the east, + as Livingstone had been sitting for days preceding my arrival, we + noted the dark shadows which crept up above the grove of palms + beyond the village, and above the rampart of mountains which we had + crossed that day, now looming through the fast approaching + darkness; and we listened, with our hearts full of gratitude to + the Great Giver of Good and Dispenser of all Happiness, to the + sonorous thunder of the surf of the Tanganika, and to the chorus + which the night insects sang. Hours passed, and we were still + sitting there with our minds busy upon the day's remarkable events, + when I remembered that the traveller had not yet read his letters. + + "Doctor," I said, "you had better read your letters. I will not + keep you up any longer." + + "Yes," he answered, "it is getting late; and I will go and read + my friends' letters. Good-night, and God bless you." + + "Good-night, my dear Doctor; and let me hope that your news will + be such as you desire." + + I have now related, by means of my Diary, "How I found Livingstone," + as recorded on the evening of that great day. I have been averse + to reduce it by process of excision and suppression, into a mere + cold narrative, because, by so doing, I would be unable to record + what feelings swayed each member of the Expedition as well as myself + during the days preceding the discovery of the lost traveller, and + more especially the day it was the good fortune of both Livingstone + and myself to clasp each other's hands in the strong friendship + which was born in that hour we thus strangely met. The aged + traveller, though cruelly belied, contrary to all previous expectation, + received me as a friend; and the cordial warmth with which he accepted + my greeting; the courtesy with which he tendered to me a shelter + in his own house; the simple candour of his conversation; graced + by unusual modesty of manner, and meekness of spirit, wrought in me + such a violent reaction in his favor, that when the parting + "good-night" was uttered, I felt a momentary vague fear lest the + fulness of joy which I experienced that evening would be diminished + by some envious fate, before the morrow's sun should rise above Ujiji. + + + + CHAPTER XII. INTERCOURSE WITH LIVINGSTONE AT UJIJI-- +LIVINGSTONE'S OWN STORY OF HIS JOURNEYS, +HIS TROUBLES, AND DISAPPOINTMENTS. + + "If there is love between us, inconceivably delicious, and + profitable will our intercourse be; if not, your time is lost, + and you will only annoy me. I shall seem to you stupid, and the + reputation I have false. All my good is magnetic, and I educate + not by lessons, but by going about my business."--Emerson's + 'Representative Men'. + + + I woke up early next morning with a sudden start. The room was + strange! It was a house, and not my tent! Ah, yes! I recollected + I had discovered Livingstone, and I was in his house. I listened, + that the knowledge dawning on me might be confirmed by the sound + of his voice. I heard nothing but the sullen roar of the surf. + + I lay quietly in bed. Bed! Yes, it was a primitive four-poster, + with the leaves of the palm-tree spread upon it instead of down, + and horsehair and my bearskin spread over this serving me in place + of linen. I began to put myself under rigid mental cross-examination, +and to an analyzation of my position. + +"What was I sent for?" + +"To find Livingstone." + +"Have you found him?" + +"Yes, of course; am I not in his house? Whose compass is that +hanging on a peg there? Whose clothes, whose boots, are those? +Who reads those newspapers, those 'Saturday Reviews' and numbers +of 'Punch' lying on the floor?" + +"Well, what are you going to do now?" + +"I shall tell him this morning who sent me, and what brought me +here. I will then ask him to write a letter to Mr. Bennett, and +to give what news he can spare. I did not come here to rob him of +his news. Sufficient for me is it that I have found him. It is a +complete success so far. But it will be a greater one if he gives +me letters for Mr. Bennett, and an acknowledgment that he has seen +me." + +"Do you think he will do so?" + +"Why not? I have come here to do him a service. He has no goods. +I have. He has no men with him. I have. If I do a friendly part +by him, will he not do a friendly part by me? What says the poet?-- + + Nor hope to find +A friend, but who has found a friend in thee. +All like the purchase; few the price will pay +And this makes friends such wonders here below. + +I have paid the purchase, by coming so far to do him a service. +But I think, from what I have seen of him last night, that he is +not such a niggard and misanthrope as I was led to believe. He +exhibited considerable emotion, despite the monosyllabic greeting, +when he shook my hand. If he were a man to feel annoyance at any +person coming after him, he would not have received me as he did, +nor would he ask me to live with him, but he would have surlily +refused to see me, and told me to mind my own business. Neither +does he mind my nationality; +for 'here,' said he, 'Americans and Englishmen are the same +people. We speak the same language and have the same ideas.' +Just so, Doctor; I agree with you. Here at least, Americans +and Englishmen shall be brothers, and, whatever I can do +for you, you may command me freely." + +I dressed myself quietly, intending to take a stroll along the +Tanganika before the Doctor should rise; opened the door, which +creaked horribly on its hinges, and walked out to the veranda. + +"Halloa, Doctor!--you up already? I hope you have slept well? " + +"Good-morning, Mr. Stanley! I am glad to see you. I hope you +rested well. I sat up late reading my letters. You have brought +me good and bad news. But sit down. "He made a place for me by +his side. "Yes, many of my friends are dead. My eldest son has +met with a sad accident--that is, my boy Tom; my second son, Oswell, +is at college studying medicine, and is doing well I am told. Agnes, +my eldest daughter, has been enjoying herself in a yacht, with `Sir +Paraffine' Young and his family. Sir Roderick, also, is well, and +expresses a hope that he will soon see me. You have brought me +quite a budget." + +The man was not an apparition, then, and yesterday's scenes were +not the result of a dream! and I gazed on him intently, for thus +I was assured he had not run away, which was the great fear that +constantly haunted me as I was journeying to Ujiji. + +"Now, Doctor," said I, "you are, probably, wondering why I came +here?" + +"It is true," said he; "I have been wondering. I thought you, +at first, an emissary of the French Government, in the place of +Lieutenant Le Saint, who died a few miles above Gondokoro. I heard +you had boats, plenty of men, and stores, and I really believed +you were some French officer, until I saw the American flag; and, +to tell you the truth, I was rather glad it was so, because I could +not have talked to him in French; and if he did not know English, +we had been a pretty pair of white men in Ujiji! I did not like +to ask you yesterday, because I thought it was none of my business." + +Well," said I, laughing, "for your sake I am glad that I am an +American, and not a Frenchman, and that we can understand each +other perfectly without an interpreter. I see that the Arabs are +wondering that you, an Englishman, and I, an American, understand +each other. We must take care not to tell them that the English +and Americans have fought, and that there are `Alabama' claims left +unsettled, and that we have such people as Fenians in America, who +hate you. But, seriously, Doctor--now don't be frightened when I +tell you that I have come after--YOU!" + +"After me?" + +"Yes." + +"How?" + +"Well. You have heard of the `New York Herald?'" + +"Oh--who has not heard of that newspaper?" + +"Without his father's knowledge or consent, Mr. James Gordon Bennett, +son of Mr. James Gordon Bennett, the proprietor of the `Herald,' has +commissioned me to find you--to get whatever news of your discoveries +you like to give--and to assist you, if I can, with means." + +"Young Mr. Bennett told you to come after me, to find me out, +and help me! It is no wonder, then, you praised Mr. Bennett so +much last night." + +"I know him--I am proud to say--to be just what I say he is. +He is an ardent, generous, and true man." + +"Well, indeed! I am very much obliged to him; and it makes me +feel proud to think that you Americans think so much of me. You +have just come in the proper time; for I was beginning to think +that I should have to beg from the Arabs. Even they are in want +of cloth, and there are but few beads in Ujiji. That fellow Sherif +has robbed me of all. I wish I could embody my thanks to Mr. Bennett +in suitable words; but if I fail to do so, do not, I beg of you, +believe me the less grateful." + +"And now, Doctor, having disposed of this little affair, Ferajji +shall bring breakfast; if you have no objection." + +"You have given me an appetite," he said. + +"Halimah is my cook, but she never can tell the difference between +tea and coffee." + +Ferajji, the cook, was ready as usual with excellent tea, and a +dish of smoking cakes; "dampers," as the Doctor called them. I +never did care much for this kind of a cake fried in a pan, but +they were necessary to the Doctor, who had nearly lost all his +teeth from the hard fare of Lunda. He had been compelled to +subsist on green ears of Indian corn; there was no meat in that +district; and the effort to gnaw at the corn ears had loosened all +his teeth. I preferred the corn scones of Virginia, which, to my +mind, were the nearest approach to palatable bread obtainable in +Central Africa. + +The Doctor said he had thought me a most luxurious and rich man, +when he saw my great bath-tub carried on the shoulders of one of +my men; but he thought me still more luxurious this morning, when +my knives and forks, and plates, and cups, saucers, silver spoons, +and silver teapot were brought forth shining and bright, spread on +a rich Persian carpet, and observed that I was well attended to by +my yellow and ebon Mercuries. + +This was the beginning of our life at Ujiji. I knew him not as +a friend before my arrival. He was only an object to me--a great +item for a daily newspaper, as much as other subjects in which the +voracious news-loving public delight in. I had gone over +battlefields, witnessed revolutions, civil wars, rebellions, +emeutes and massacres; stood close to the condemned murderer to +record his last struggles and last sighs; but never had I been +called to record anything that moved me so much as this man's woes +and sufferings, his privations and disappointments, which now were +poured into my ear. Verily did I begin to perceive that "the +Gods above do with just eyes survey the affairs of men." I began +to recognize the hand of an overruling and kindly Providence. + +The following are singular facts worthy for reflection. I was, +commissioned for the duty of discovering Livingstone sometime in +October, 1869. Mr. Bennett was ready with the money, and I was +ready for the journey. But, observe, reader, that I did not +proceed directly upon the search mission. I had many tasks to +fulfil before proceeding with it, and many thousand miles to +travel over. Supposing that I had gone direct to Zanzibar from +Paris, seven or eight months afterwards, perhaps, I should have +found myself at Ujiji, but Livingstone would not have been found +there then; he was on the Lualaba; and I should have had to +follow him on his devious tracks through the primeval forests of +Manyuema, and up along the crooked course of the Lualaba for +hundreds of miles. The time taken by me in travelling up the +Nile, back to Jerusalem, then to Constantinople, Southern Russia, +the Caucasus, and Persia, was employed by Livingstone in fruitful +discoveries west of the Tanganika. Again, consider that I arrived +at Unyanyembe in the latter part of June, and that owing to a war I +was delayed three months at Unyanyembe, leading a fretful, peevish +and impatient life. But while I was thus fretting myself, and +being delayed by a series of accidents, Livingstone was being forced +back to Ujiji in the same month. It took him from June to October +to march to Ujiji. Now, in September, I broke loose from the +thraldom which accident had imposed on me, and hurried southward +to Ukonongo, then westward to Kawendi, then northward to Uvinza, +then westward to Ujiji, only about three weeks after the Doctor's +arrival, to find him resting under the veranda of his house with +his face turned eastward, the direction from which I was coming. +Had I gone direct from Paris on the search I might have lost him; +had I been enabled to have gone direct to Ujiji from Unyanyembe +I might have lost him. + +The days came and went peacefully and happily, under the palms of +Ujiji. My companion was improving in health and spirits. Life +had been brought back to him; his fading vitality was restored, +his enthusiasm for his work was growing up again into a height +that was compelling him to desire to be up and doing. But what +could he do, with five men and fifteen or twenty cloths? + +"Have you seen the northern head of the Tangannka, Doctor?" I +asked one day. + +"No; I did try to go there, but the Wajiji were doing their best +to fleece me, as they did both Burton and Speke, and I had not a +great deal of cloth. If I had gone to the head of the Tanganika, +I could not have gone, to Manyuema. The central line of drainage +was the most important, and that is the Lualaba. Before this line +the question whether there is a connection between the Tanganika +and the Albert N'Yanza sinks into insignificance. The great line +of drainage is the river flowing from latitude 11 degrees south, +which I followed for over seven degrees northward. The Chambezi, +the name given to its most southern extremity, drains a large tract +of country south of the southernmost source of the Tanganika; +it must, therefore, be the most important. I have not the least +doubt, myself, but that this lake is the Upper Tanganika, and +the Albert N'Yanza of Baker is the Lower Tanganika, which are +connected by a river flowing from the upper to the lower. This +is my belief, based upon reports of the Arabs, and a test I +made of the flow with water-plants. But I really never gave +it much thought." + +"Well, if I were you, Doctor, before leaving Ujiji, I should +explore it, and resolve the doubts upon the subject; lest, +after you leave here, you should not return by this way. +The Royal Geographical Society attach much importance to +this supposed connection, and declare you are the only man +who can settle it. If I can be of any service to you, you +may command me. Though I did not come to Africa as an +explorer, I have a good deal of curiosity upon the subject, +and should be willing to accompany you. I have with me about +twenty men who understand rowing we have plenty of guns, cloth, +and beads; and if we can get a canoe from the Arabs we can +manage the thing easily." + +"Oh, we can get a canoe from Sayd bin Majid. This man has been +very kind to me, and if ever there was an Arab gentleman, he is +one." + +"Then it is settled, is it, that we go?" + +"I am ready, whenever you are." + +"I am at your command. Don't you hear my men call you the +`Great Master,' and me the `Little Master?' It would never +do for the `Little Master' to command." + +By this time Livingstone was becoming known to me. I defy any +one to be in his society long without thoroughly fathoming him, +for in him there is no guile, and what is apparent on the surface +is the thing that is in him. I simply write down my own opinion +of the man as I have seen him, not as he represents himself; as +I know him to be, not as I have heard of him. I lived with him +from the 10th November, 1871, to the 14th March, 1872; witnessed +his conduct in the camp, and on the march, and my feelings for +him are those of unqualified admiration. The camp is the best +place to discover a man's weaknesses, where, if he is flighty +or wrong-headed, he is sure to develop his hobbies and weak side. +I think it possible, however, that Livingstone, with an +unsuitable companion, might feel annoyance. I know I should do +so very readily, if a man's character was of that oblique +nature that it was an impossibility to travel in his company. +I have seen men, in whose company I felt nothing but a thraldom, +which it was a duty to my own self-respect to cast off as soon +as possible; a feeling of utter incompatibility, with whose +nature mine could never assimilate. But Livingstone was a +character that I venerated, that called forth all my enthusiasm, +that evoked nothing but sincerest admiration. + +Dr. Livingstone is about sixty years old, though after he was +restored to health he appeared more like a man who had not passed +his fiftieth year. His hair has a brownish colour yet, but is here +and there streaked with grey lines over the temples; his whiskers +and moustache are very grey. He shaves his chin daily. His eyes, +which are hazel, are remarkably bright; he has a sight keen as a +hawk's. His teeth alone indicate the weakness of age; the hard +fare of Lunda has made havoc in their lines. His form, which +soon assumed a stoutish appearance, is a little over the ordinary +height with the slightest possible bow in the shoulders. When +walking he has a firm but heavy tread, like that of an overworked +or fatigued man. He is accustomed to wear a naval cap with a +semicircular peak, by which he has been identified throughout +Africa. His dress, when first I saw him, exhibited traces of +patching and repairing, but was scrupulously clean. + +I was led to believe that Livingstone possessed a splenetic, +misanthropic temper; some have said that he is garrulous, that +he is demented; that he has utterly changed from the David +Livingstone whom people knew as the reverend missionary ; that +he takes no notes or observations but such as those which no other +person could read but himself; and it was reported, before I +proceeded to Central Africa, that he was married to an African +princess. + +I respectfully beg to differ with all and each of the above +statements. I grant he is not an angel, but he approaches to that +being as near as the nature of a living man will allow. I never +saw any spleen or misanthropy in him--as for being garrulous, Dr. +Livingstone is quite the reverse: he is reserved, if anything; +and to the man who says Dr. Livingstone is changed, all I can say +is, that he never could have known him, for it is notorious that +the Doctor has a fund of quiet humour, which he exhibits at all +times whenever he is among friends. I must also beg leave to +correct the gentleman who informed me that Livingstone takes +no notes or observations. The huge Letts's Diary which I +carried home to his daughter is full of notes, and there are +no less than a score of sheets within it filled with observations +which he took during the last trip he made to Manyuema alone; +and in the middle of the book there is sheet after sheet, +column after column, carefully written, of figures alone. +A large letter which I received from him has been sent to +Sir Thomas MacLear, and this contains nothing but observations. +During the four months I was with him, I noticed him every evening +making most careful notes; and a large tin box that he has with +him contains numbers of field note-books, the contents of which I +dare say will see the light some time. His maps also evince great +care and industry. As to the report of his African marriage, it is +unnecessary to say more than that it is untrue, and it is utterly +beneath a gentleman to hint at such a thing in connection with the +name of David Livingstone. + +There is a good-natured abandon about Livingstone which was not +lost on me. Whenever he began to laugh, there was a contagion +about it, that compelled me to imitate him. It was such a laugh +as Herr Teufelsdrockh's--a laugh of the whole man from head to heel. +If he told a story, he related it in such a way as to convince one +of its truthfulness; his face was so lit up by the sly fun it +contained, that I was sure the story was worth relating, and +worth listening to. + +The wan features which had shocked me at first meeting, the heavy +step which told of age and hard travel, the grey beard and bowed +shoulders, belied the man. Underneath that well-worn exterior +lay an endless fund of high spirits and inexhaustible humour; +that rugged frame of his enclosed a young and most exuberant soul. +Every day I heard innumerable jokes and pleasant anecdotes; +interesting hunting stories, in which his friends Oswell, Webb, +Vardon, and Gorden Cumming were almost always the chief actors. +I was not sure, at first, but this joviality, humour, and +abundant animal spirits were the result of a joyous hysteria; +but as I found they continued while I was with him, I am obliged +to think them natural. + +Another thing which specially attracted my attention was his +wonderfully retentive memory. If we remember the many years he +has spent in Africa, deprived of books, we may well think it an +uncommon memory that can recite whole poems from Byron, Burns, +Tennyson, Longfellow, Whittier, and Lowell. The reason of this +may be found, perhaps, in the fact, that he has lived all his +life almost, we may say, within himself. Zimmerman, a great +student of human nature, says on this subject "The unencumbered +mind recalls all that it has read, all that pleased the eye, +and delighted the ear; and reflecting on every idea which +either observation, or experience, or discourse has produced, +gains new information by every reflection. The intellect +contemplates all the former scenes of life; views by +anticipation those that are yet to come; and blends all ideas +of past and future in the actual enjoyment of the present +moment." He has lived in a world which revolved inwardly, +out of which he seldom awoke except to attend to the immediate +practical necessities of himself and people; then relapsed again +into the same happy inner world, which he must have peopled with +his own friends, relations, acquaintances, familiar readings, +ideas, and associations; so that wherever he might be, or by +whatsoever he was surrounded, his own world always possessed +more attractions to his cultured mind than were yielded by +external circumstances. + +The study of Dr. Livingstone would not be complete if we did not +take the religious side of his character into consideration. His +religion is not of the theoretical kind, but it is a constant, +earnest, sincere practice. It is neither demonstrative nor loud, +but manifests itself in a quiet, practical way, and is always at +work. It is not aggressive, which sometimes is troublesome, if +not impertinent. In him, religion exhibits its loveliest features; +it governs his conduct not only towards his servants, but towards +the natives, the bigoted Mohammedans, and all who come in contact +with him. Without it, Livingstone, with his ardent temperament, +his enthusiasm, his high spirit and courage, must have become +uncompanionable, and a hard master. Religion has tamed him, and +made him a Christian gentleman: the crude and wilful have been +refined and subdued; religion has made him the most companionable +of men and indulgent of masters--a man whose society is pleasurable. + +In Livingstone I have seen many amiable traits. His gentleness +never forsakes him; his hopefulness never deserts him. No +harassing anxieties, distraction of mind, long separation from home +and kindred, can make him complain. He thinks "all will come out +right at last;" he has such faith in the goodness of Providence. +The sport of adverse circumstances, the plaything of the miserable +beings sent to him from Zanzibar--he has been baffled and +worried, even almost to the grave, yet he will not desert the +charge imposed upon him by his friend, Sir Roderick Murchison. +To the stern dictates of duty, alone, has he sacrificed his home +and ease, the pleasures, refinements, and luxuries of civilized +life. His is the Spartan heroism, the inflexibility of the Roman, +the enduring resolution of the Anglo-Saxon--never to relinquish his +work, though his heart yearns for home; never to surrender his +obligations until he can write Finis to his work. + +But you may take any point in Dr. Livingstone's character, and +analyse it carefully, and I would challenge any man to find a +fault in it. He is sensitive, I know; but so is any man of a high +mind and generous nature. He is sensitive on the point of being +doubted or being criticised. An extreme love of truth is one of +his strongest characteristics, which proves him to be a man of +strictest principles, and conscientious scruples; being such, he +is naturally sensitive, and shrinks from any attacks on the +integrity of his observations, and the accuracy of his reports. +He is conscious of having laboured in the course of geography and +science with zeal and industry, to have been painstaking, and as +exact as circumstances would allow. Ordinary critics seldom take +into consideration circumstances, but, utterly regardless of the +labor expended in obtaining the least amount of geographical +information in a new land, environed by inconceivable dangers and +difficulties, such as Central Africa presents, they seem to take +delight in rending to tatters, and reducing to nil, the fruits of +long years of labor, by sharply-pointed shafts of ridicule and +sneers. + +Livingstone no doubt may be mistaken in some of his conclusions +about certain points in the geography of Central Africa, but he +is not so dogmatic and positive a man as to refuse conviction. +He certainly demands, when arguments in contra are used in +opposition to him, higher authority than abstract theory. His +whole life is a testimony against its unreliability, and his +entire labor of years were in vain if theory can be taken in +evidence against personal observation and patient investigation. + +The reluctance he manifests to entertain suppositions, +possibilities regarding the nature, form, configuration of concrete +immutable matter like the earth, arises from the fact, that a man +who commits himself to theories about such an untheoretical subject +as Central Africa is deterred from bestirring himself to prove them +by the test of exploration. His opinion of such a man is, that he +unfits himself for his duty, that he is very likely to become a +slave to theory--a voluptuous fancy, which would master him. + +It is his firm belief, that a man who rests his sole knowledge of +the geography of Africa on theory, deserves to be discredited. It +has been the fear of being discredited and criticised and so made +to appear before the world as a man who spent so many valuable +years in Africa for the sake of burdening the geographical mind +with theory that has detained him so long in Africa, doing his +utmost to test the value of the main theory which clung to him, +and would cling to him until he proved or disproved it. + +This main theory is his belief that in the broad and mighty +Lualaba he has discovered the head waters of the Nile. His grounds +for believing this are of such nature and weight as to compel him +to despise the warning that years are advancing on him, and his +former iron constitution is failing. He believes his speculations +on this point will be verified; he believes he is strong enough +to pursue his explorations until he can return to his country, +with the announcement that the Lualaba is none other than the Nile. + +On discovering that the insignificant stream called the Chambezi, +which rises between 10 degrees S. and 12 degrees S., flowed +westerly, and then northerly through several lakes, now under +the names of the Chambezi, then as the Luapula, and then as the +Lualaba, and that it still continued its flow towards the north +for over 7 degrees, Livingstone became firmly of the opinion that +the river whose current he followed was the Egyptian Nile. Failing +at lat. 4 degrees S. to pursue his explorations further without +additional supplies, he determined to return to Ujiji to obtain them. + +And now, having obtained them, he intends to return to the point +where he left off work. He means to follow that great river until +it is firmly established what name shall eventually be given the +noble water-way whose course he has followed through so many sick +toilings and difficulties. To all entreaties to come home, to all +the glowing temptations which home and innumerable friends offer, +he returns the determined answer:-- + +"No; not until my work is ended." + +I have often heard our servants discuss our respective merits. +"Your master," say my servants to Livingstone's, "is a good man-- +a very good man; he does not beat you, for he has a kind heart; +but ours--oh! he is sharp--hot as fire"--"mkali sana, kana moto." +From being hated and thwarted in every possible way by the Arabs +and half-castes upon first arrival in Ujiji, he has, through +his uniform kindness and mild, pleasant temper, won all hearts. +I observed that universal respect was paid to him. Even +the Mohammedans never passed his house without calling to pay +their compliments, and to say, "The blessing of God rest on +you." Each Sunday morning he gathers his little flock around him, +and reads prayers and a chapter from the Bible, in a natural, +unaffected, and sincere tone; and afterwards delivers a short +address in the Kisawahili language, about the subject read to them, +which is listened to with interest and attention. + +There is another point in Livingstone's character about which +readers of his books, and students of his travels, would like to +know, and that is his ability to withstand the dreadful climate of +Central Africa, and the consistent energy with which he follows up +his explorations. His consistent energy is native to him and to +his race. He is a very fine example of the perseverance, +doggedness, and tenacity which characterise the Anglo-Saxon +spirit; but his ability to withstand the climate is due not only +to the happy constitution with which he was born, but to the +strictly temperate life he has ever led. A drunkard and a man of +vicious habits could never have withstood the climate of Central +Africa. + +The second day after my arrival in Ujiji I asked the Doctor if he +did not feel a desire, sometimes, to visit his country, and take +a little rest after his six years' explorations; and the answer +he gave me fully reveals the man. Said he: + +"I should like very much to go home and see my children once +again, but I cannot bring my heart to abandon the task I have +undertaken, when it is so nearly completed. It only requires +six or seven months more to trace the true source that I have +discovered with Petherick's branch of the White Nile, or with +the Albert N'Yanza of Sir Samuel Baker, which is the lake +called by the natives `Chowambe.' Why should I go home before +my task is ended, to have to come back again to do what I can +very well do now?" + +"And why?" I asked, "did you come so far back without finishing +the task which you say you have got to do?" + +"Simply because I was forced. My men would not budge a step +forward. They mutinied, and formed a secret resolution--if I still +insisted upon going on--to raise a disturbance in the country, and +after they had effected it to abandon me; in which case I should +have been killed. It was dangerous to go any further. I had +explored six hundred miles of the watershed, had traced all the +principal streams which discharge their waters into the central +line of drainage, but when about starting to explore the last +hundred miles the hearts of my people failed them, and they set +about frustrating me in every possible way. Now, having returned +seven hundred miles to get a new supply of stores, and another +escort, I find myself destitute of even the means to live but for +a few weeks, and sick in mind and body." + +Here I may pause to ask any brave man how he would have comported +himself in such a crisis. Many would have been in exceeding hurry +to get home to tell the news of the continued explorations and +discoveries, and to relieve the anxiety of the sorrowing family +and friends awaiting their return. Enough surely had been +accomplished towards the solution of the problem that had exercised +the minds of his scientific associates of the Royal Geograpical +Society. It was no negative exploration, it was hard, earnest +labor of years, self-abnegation, enduring patience, and exalted +fortitude, such as ordinary men fail to exhibit. + +Suppose Livingstone had hurried to the coast after he had +discovered Lake Bangweolo, to tell the news to the geographical +world; then had returned to discover Moero, and run away again; +then went back once more only to discover Kamolondo, and to race +back again. This would not be in accordance with Livingstone's +character. He must not only discover the Chambezi, Lake +Bangweolo, Luapula River, Lake Moero, Lualaba River, and Lake +Kamolondo, but he must still tirelessly urge his steps forward to +put the final completion to the grand lacustrine river system. Had +he followed the example of ordinary explorers, he would have been +running backwards and forwards to tell the news, instead of +exploring; and he might have been able to write a volume upon the +discovery of each lake, and earn much money thereby. They are +no few months' explorations that form the contents of his books. +His `Missionary Travels' embraces a period of sixteen years; his +book on the Zambezi, five years; and if the great traveller lives +to come home, his third book, the grandest of all, must contain the +records of eight or nine years. + +It is a principle with Livingstone to do well what he undertakes to +do; and in the consciousness that he is doing it, despite the +yearning for his home which is sometimes overpowering, he finds, +to a certain extent, contentment, if not happiness. To men +differently constituted, a long residence amongst the savages +of Africa would be contemplated with horror, yet Livingstone's mind +can find pleasure and food for philosophic studies. The wonders of +primeval nature, the great forests and sublime mountains, the +perennial streams and sources of the great lakes, the marvels of +the earth, the splendors of the tropic sky by day and by night-- +all terrestrial and celestial phenomena are manna to a man of +such self-abnegation and devoted philanthropic spirit. He can +be charmed with the primitive simplicity of Ethiop's dusky +children, with whom he has spent so many years of his life; +he has a sturdy faith in their capabilities; sees virtue +in them where others see nothing but savagery; and wherever +he has gone among them, he has sought to elevate a people +that were apparently forgotten of God and Christian man. + +One night I took out my note-book, and prepared to take down +from his own lips what he had to say about his travels; and +unhesitatingly he related his experiences, of which the following +is a summary: + +Dr. David Livingstone left the Island of Zanzibar in March, 1866. +On the 7th of the following month he departed from Mikindany Bay +for the interior, with an expedition consisting of twelve Sepoys +from Bombay, nine men from Johanna, of the Comoro Islands, seven +liberated slaves, and two Zambezi men, taking them as an +experiment; six camels, three buffaloes, two mules, and three +donkeys. He had thus thirty men with him, twelve of whom, viz., +the Sepoys, were to act as guards for the Expedition. They were +mostly armed with the Enfield rifles presented to the Doctor by +the Bombay Government. The baggage of the expedition consisted +of ten bales of cloth and two bags of beads, which were to serve +as the currency by which they would be enabled to purchase the +necessaries of life in the countries the Doctor intended to visit. +Besides the cumbrous moneys, they carried several boxes of +instruments, such as chronometers, air thermometers, sextant, +and artificial horizon, boxes containing clothes, medicines, +and personal necessaries. The expedition travelled up the left +bank of the Rovuma River, a rout/e/ as full of difficulties as +any that could be chosen. For miles Livingstone and his party +had to cut their way with their axes through the dense and +almost impenetrable jungles which lined the river's banks. +The road was a mere footpath, leading in the most erratic fashion +into and through the dense vegetation, seeking the easiest outlet +from it without any regard to the course it ran. The pagazis +were able to proceed easily enough; but the camels, on account +of their enormous height, could not advance a step without the +axes of the party clearing the way. These tools of foresters +were almost always required; but the advance of the expedition +was often retarded by the unwillingness of the Sepoys and +Johanna men to work. + +Soon after the departure of the expedition from the coast, +the murmurings and complaints of these men began, and upon every +occasion and at every opportunity they evinced a decided +hostility to an advance. In order to prevent the progress of the +Doctor, and in hopes that it would compel him to return to the +coast, these men so cruelly treated the animals that before long +there was not one left alive. But as this scheme failed, they set +about instigating the natives against the white men, whom they +accused most wantonly of strange practices. As this plan was most +likely to succeed, and as it was dangerous to have such men with +him, the Doctor arrived at the conclusion that it was best to +discharge them, and accordingly sent the Sepoys back to the coast; +but not without having first furnished them with the means of +subsistence on their journey to the coast. These men were such a +disreputable set that the natives spoke of them as the Doctor's +slaves. One of their worst sins was the custom of giving their +guns and ammunition to carry to the first woman or boy they met, +whom they impressed for that purpose by such threats or promises +as they were totally unable to perform, and unwarranted in making. +An hour's marching was sufficient to fatigue them, after which +they lay down on the road to bewail their hard fate, and concoct +new schemes to frustrate their leader's purposes. Towards night +they generally made their appearance at the camping-ground with +the looks of half-dead men. Such men naturally made but a poor +escort; for, had the party been attacked by a wandering tribe +of natives of any strength, the Doctor could have made no defence, +and no other alternative would have been left to him but to +surrender and be ruined. + +The Doctor and his little party arrived on the 18th July, 1866, +at a village belonging to a chief of the Wahiyou, situate eight +days' march south of the Rovuma, and overlooking the watershed +of the Lake Nyassa. The territory lying between the Rovuma River +and this Wahiyou village was an uninhabited wilderness, during +the transit of which Livingstone and his expedition suffered +considerably from hunger and desertion of men. + +Early in August, 1866, the Doctor came to the country of Mponda, +a chief who dwelt near the Lake Nyassa. On the road thither, two +of the liberated slaves deserted him. Here also, Wekotani, a +protege of the Doctor, insisted upon his discharge, alleging as +an excuse--an excuse which the Doctor subsequently found to be +untrue--that he had found his brother. He also stated that his +family lived on the east side of the Nyassa Lake. He further +stated that Mponda's favourite wife was his sister. Perceiving +that Wekotani was unwilling to go with him further, the Doctor +took him to Mponda, who now saw and heard of him for the first +time, and, having furnished the ungrateful boy with enough cloth +and beads to keep him until his "big brother" should call for him, +left him with the chief, after first assuring himself that he +would receive honourable treatment from him. The Doctor also +gave Wekotanti writing-paper--as he could read and write, being +accomplishments acquired at Bombay, where he had been put to +school--so that, should he at any time feel disposed, he might +write to his English friends, or to himself. The Doctor further +enjoined him not to join in any of the slave raids usually made +by his countrymen, the men of Nyassa, on their neighbours. Upon +finding that his application for a discharge was successful, +Wekotani endeavoured to induce Chumah, another protege of the +Doctor's, and a companion, or chum, of Wekotani, to leave the +Doctor's service and proceed with him, promising, as a bribe, +a wife and plenty of pombe from his "big brother." Chumah, upon +referring the matter to the Doctor, was advised not to go, as he +(the Doctor) strongly suspected that Wekotani wanted only to make +him his slave. Chumah wisely withdrew from his tempter. From +Mponda's, the Doctor proceeded to the heel of the Nyassa, to the +village of a Babisa chief, who required medicine for a skin +disease. With his usual kindness, he stayed at this chief's +village to treat his malady. + +While here, a half-caste Arab arrived from the western shore of the +lake, and reported that he had been plundered by a band of Mazitu, +at a place which the Doctor and Musa, chief of the Johanna men, +were very well aware was at least 150 miles north-north-west of +where they were then stopping. Musa, however, for his own reasons +--which will appear presently--eagerly listened to the Arab's tale, +and gave full credence to it. Having well digested its horrible +details, he came to the Doctor to give him the full benefit of what +he had heard with such willing ears. The traveller patiently +listened to the narrative, which lost nothing of its portentous +significance through Musa's relation, and then asked Musa if he +believed it. "Yes," answered Musa, readily; "he tell me true, +true. I ask him good, and he tell me true, true." The Doctor, +however, said he did not believe it, for the Mazitu would not have +been satisfied with merely plundering a man, they would have +murdered him; but suggested, in order to allay the fears of his +Moslem subordinate, that they should both proceed to the chief +with whom they were staying, who, being a sensible man, would be +able to advise them as to the probability or improbability of the +tale being correct. Together, they proceeded to the Babisa chief, +who, when he had heard the Arab's story, unhesitatingly denounced +the Arab as a liar, and his story without the least foundation in +fact; giving as a reason that, if the Mazitu had been lately in +that vicinity, he should have heard of it soon enough. + +But Musa broke out with "No, no, Doctor; no, no, no; I no want to +go to Mazitu. I no want Mazitu to kill me. I want to see my +father, my mother, my child, in Johanna. I want no Mazitu." +These are Musa's words _ipsissima verba_. + +To which the Doctor replied, "I don't want the Mazitu to kill me +either; but, as you are afraid of them, I promise to go straight +west until we get far past the beat of the Mazitu." + +Musa was not satisfied, but kept moaning and sorrowing, saying, +"If we had two hundred guns with us I would go; but our small +party of men they will attack by night, and kill all." + +The Doctor repeated his promise, "But I will not go near them; +I will go west." + +As soon as he turned his face westward, Musa and the Johanna men +ran away in a body. + +The Doctor says, in commenting upon Musa's conduct, that he felt +strongly tempted to shoot Musa and another ringleader, but was, +nevertheless, glad that he did not soil his hands with their vile +blood. A day or two afterwards, another of his men--Simon Price by +name--came to the Doctor with the same tale about the Mazitu, but, +compelled by the scant number of his people to repress all such +tendencies to desertion and faint-heartedness, the Doctor silenced +him at once, and sternly forbade him to utter the name of the +Mazitu any more. + +Had the natives not assisted him, he must have despaired of ever +being able to penetrate the wild and unexplored interior which he +was now about to tread. "Fortunately," as the Doctor says with +unction, "I was in a country now, after leaving the shores of +Nyassa, which the foot of the slave-trader has not trod; it was a +new and virgin land, and of course, as I have always found in such +cases, the natives were really good and hospitable, and for very +small portions of cloth my baggage was conveyed from village to +village by them." In many other ways the traveller, in his +extremity, was kindly treated by the yet unsophisticated and +innocent natives. + +On leaving this hospitable region in the early part of December, +1866, the Doctor entered a country where the Mazitu had exercised +their customary marauding propensities. The land was swept clean +of provisions and cattle, and the people had emigrated to other +countries, beyond the bounds of those ferocious plunderers. +Again the Expedition was besieged by pinching hunger from which +they suffered; they had recourse to the wild fruits which some +parts of the country furnished. At intervals the condition of +the hard-pressed band was made worse by the heartless desertion +of some of its members, who more than once departed with the +Doctor's personal kit, changes of clothes, linen, &c. With more +or less misfortunes constantly dogging his footsteps, he traversed +in safety the countries of the Babisa, Bobemba, Barungu, Ba-ulungu, +and Lunda. + +In the country of Lunda lives the famous Cazembe, who was first +made known to Europeans by Dr. Lacerda, the Portuguese traveller. +Cazembe is a most intelligent prince; he is a tall, stalwart man, +who wears a peculiar kind of dress, made of crimson print, in the +form of a prodigious kilt. In this state dress, King Cazembe +received Dr. Livingstone, surrounded by his chiefs and body-guards. +A chief, who had been deputed by the King and elders to discover +all about the white man, then stood up before the assembly, and +in a loud voice gave the result of the inquiry he had instituted. +He had heard that the white man had come to look for waters, +for rivers, and seas; though he could not understand what the +white man could want with such things, he had no doubt that the +object was good. Then Cazembe asked what the Doctor proposed +doing, and where he thought of going. The Doctor replied that +he had thought of proceeding south, as he had heard of lakes +and rivers being in that direction. Cazembe asked, "What can you +want to go there for? The water is close here. There is plenty +of large water in this neighbourhood." Before breaking up the +assembly, Cazembe gave orders to let the white man go where he +would through his country undisturbed and unmolested. He was the +first Englishman he had seen, he said, and he liked him. + +Shortly after his introduction to the King, the Queen entered the +large house, surrounded by a body-guard of Amazons with spears. +She was a fine, tall, handsome young woman, and evidently thought +she was about to make an impression upon the rustic white man, for +she had clothed herself after a most royal fashion, and was armed +with a ponderous spear. But her appearance--so different from what +the Doctor had imagined--caused him to laugh, which entirely +spoiled the effect intended; for the laugh of the Doctor was so +contagious, that she herself was the first to imitate it, and the +Amazons, courtier-like, followed suit. Much disconcerted by this, +the Queen ran back, followed by her obedient damsels--a retreat +most undignified and unqueenlike, compared with her majestic advent +into the Doctor's presence. But Livingstone will have much to say +about his reception at this court, and about this interesting King +and Queen; and who can so well relate the scenes he witnessed, and +which belong exclusively to him, as he himself? + +Soon after his arrival in the country of Lunda, or Londa, and +before he had entered the district ruled over by Cazembe, he had +crossed a river called the Chambezi, which was quite an important +stream. The similarity of the name with that large and noble +river south, which will be for ever connected with his name, misled +Livingstone at that time, and he, accordingly, did not pay to it +the attention it deserved, believing that the Chambezi was but the +head-waters of the Zambezi, and consequently had no bearing or +connection with the sources of the river of Egypt, of which he was +in search. His fault was in relying too implicitly upon the +correctness of Portuguese information. This error it cost him +many months of tedious labour and travel to rectify. + +From the beginning of 1867--the time of his arrival at Cazembe's-- +till the middle of March, 1869--the time of his arrival at Ujiji-- +he was mostly engaged in correcting the errors and misrepresentations +of the Portuguese travellers. The Portuguese, in speaking of the +River Chambezi, invariably spoke of it as "our own Zambezi,"-- +that is, the Zambezi which flows through the Portuguese +possessions of the Mozambique. "In going to Cazembe from +Nyassa," said they, "you will cross our own Zambezi." Such +positive and reiterated information--given not only orally, but +in their books and maps--was naturally confusing. When the Doctor +perceived that what he saw and what they described were at +variance, out of a sincere wish to be correct, and lest he might +have been mistaken himself, he started to retravel the ground he +had travelled before. Over and over again he traversed the several +countries watered by the several rivers of the complicated water +system, like an uneasy spirit. Over and over again he asked the +same questions from the different peoples he met, until he was +obliged to desist, lest they might say, "The man is mad; he has +got water on the brain!" + +But his travels and tedious labours in Lunda and the adjacent +countries have established beyond doubt--first, that the Chambezi +is a totally distinct river from the Zambezi of the Portuguese; +and, secondly, that the Chambezi, starting from about latitude +11 degrees south, is no other than the most southerly feeder of +the great Nile; thus giving that famous river a length of over +2,000 miles of direct latitude; making it, second to the +Mississippi, the longest river in the world. The real and true +name of the Zambezi is Dombazi. When Lacerda and his Portuguese +successors, coming to Cazembe, crossed the Chambezi, and heard +its name, they very naturally set it down as "our own Zambezi," +and, without further inquiry, sketched it as running in that +direction. + +During his researches in that region, so pregnant in discoveries, +Livingstone came to a lake lying north-east of Cazembe, which the +natives call Liemba, from the country of that name which bordered +it on the east and south. In tracing the lake north, he found it +to be none other than the Tanganika, or the south-eastern extremity +of it, which looks, on the Doctor's map, very much like an outline +of Italy. The latitude of the southern end of this great.body of +water is about 8 degrees 42 minutes south, which thus gives it a +length, from north to south, of 360 geographical miles. From the +southern extremity of the Tanganika he crossed Marungu, and came +in sight of Lake Moero. Tracing this lake, which is about sixty +miles in length, to its southern head, he found a river, called +the Luapula, entering it from that direction. Following the Luapula +south, he found it issue from the large lake of Bangweolo, which +is nearly as large in superficial area as the Tanganika. In +exploring for the waters which discharged themselves into the +lake, he found that by far the most important of these feeders +was the Chambezi; so that he had thus traced the Chambezi +from its source to Lake Bangweolo, and the issue from its northern +head, under the name of Luapula, and found it enter Lake Moero. +Again he returned to Cazembe's, well satisfied that the river +running north through three degrees of latitude could +not be the river running south under the name of Zambezi, though +there might be a remarkable resemblance in their names. + +At Cazembe's he found an old white-bearded half-caste named +Mohammed bin Sali, who was kept as a kind of prisoner at large by +the King because of certain suspicious circumstances attending his +advent and stay in the country. Through Livingstone's influence +Mohammed bin Sali obtained his release. On the road to Ujiji he +had bitter cause to regret having exerted himself in the +half-caste's behalf. He turned out to be a most ungrateful wretch, +who poisoned the minds of the Doctor's few followers, and +ingratiated himself with them by selling the favours of his +concubines to them, by which he reduced them to a kind of bondage +under him. The Doctor was deserted by all but two, even faithful +Susi and Chumah deserted him for the service of Mohammed bin Sali. +But they soon repented, and returned to their allegiance. From +the day he had the vile old man in his company manifold and +bitter misfortunes followed the Doctor up to his arrival at +Ujiji in March, 1869. + +From the date of his arrival until the end of June, 1869, he +remained at Ujiji, whence he dated those letters which, though the +outside world still doubted his being alive, satisfied the minds of +the Royal Geographical people, and his intimate friends, that he +still existed, and that Musa'a tale was the false though ingenious +fabrication of a cowardly deserter. It was during this time that +the thought occurred to him of sailing around the Lake Tanganika, +but the Arabs and natives were so bent upon fleecing him that, had +he undertaken it, the remainder or his goods would not have enabled +him to explore the central line of drainage, the initial point of +which he found far south of Cazembe's in about latitude 11 degrees, +in the river called Chambezi. + +In the days when tired Captain Burton was resting in Ujiji, +after his march from the coast near Zanzibar, the land to which +Livingstone, on his departure from Ujiji, bent his steps was +unknown to the Arabs save by vague report. Messrs. Burton and +Speke never heard of it, it seems. Speke, who was the geographer +of Burton's Expedition, heard of a place called Urua, which he +placed on his map, according to the general direction indicated by +the Arabs; but the most enterprising of the Arabs, in their search +after ivory, only touched the frontiers of Rua, as, the natives +and Livingstone call it; for Rua is an immense country, with a +length of six degrees of latitude, and as yet an undefined breadth +from east to west. + +At the end of June, 1869, Livingstone quitted Ujiji and crossed +over to Uguhha, on the western shore, for his last and greatest +series of explorations; the result of which was the further +discovery of a lake of considerable magnitude connected with Moero +by the large river called the Lualaba, and which was a +continuation of the chain of lakes he had previously discovered. + +From the port of Uguhha he set off, in company with a body of +traders, in an almost direct westerly course, for the country of +Urua. Fifteen days' march brought them to Bambarre, the first +important ivory depot in Manyema, or, as the natives pronounce it, +Manyuema. For nearly six months he was detained at Bambarre from +ulcers in the feet, which discharged bloody ichor as soon as he +set them on the ground. When recovered, he set off in a northerly +direction, and after several days came to a broad lacustrine river, +called the Lualaba, flowing northward and westward, and in some +places southward, in a most confusing way. The river was from one +to three miles broad. By exceeding pertinacity he contrived to +follow its erratic course, until he saw the Lualaba enter the narrow, +long lake of Kamolondo, in about latitude 6 degrees 30 minutes. +Retracing this to the south, he came to the point where he had +seen the Luapula enter Lake Moero. + +One feels quite enthusiastic when listening to Livingstone's +description of the beauties of Moero scenery. Pent in on all sides +by high mountains, clothed to the edges with the rich vegetation +of the tropics, the Moero discharges its superfluous waters through +a deep rent in the bosom of the mountains. The impetuous and grand +river roars through the chasm with the thunder of a cataract, but +soon after leaving its confined and deep bed it expands into the +calm and broad Lualaba, stretching over miles of ground. After +making great bends west and south-west, and then curving northward, +it enters Kamolondo. By the natives it is called the Lualaba, but +the Doctor, in order to distinguish it from other rivers of the same +name, has given it the name of "Webb's River," after Mr. Webb, +the wealthy proprietor of Newstead Abbey, whom the Doctor +distinguishes as one of his oldest and most consistent friends. +Away to the south-west from Kamolondo is another large lake, which +discharges its waters by the important River Loeki, or Lomami, +into the great Lualaba. To this lake, known as Chebungo by the +natives, Dr. Livingstone has given the name of "Lincoln," to be +hereafter distinguished on maps and in books as Lake Lincoln, +in memory of Abraham Lincoln, our murdered President. This was +done from the vivid impression produced on his mind by hearing +a portion of his inauguration speech read from an English pulpit, +which related to the causes that induced him to issue his +Emancipation Proclamation, by which memorable deed 4,000,000 of +slaves were for ever freed. To the memory of the man whose +labours on behalf of the negro race deserves the commendation of +all good men, Livingstone has contributed a monument more durable +than brass or stone. + +Entering Webb's River from the south-south-west, a little north +of Kamolondo, is a large river called Lufira, but the streams, +that discharge themselves from the watershed into the Lualaba are +so numerous that the Doctor's map would not contain them, so he has +left all out except the most important. Continuing his way north, +tracing the Lualaba through its manifold and crooked curves as far +as latitude 4 degrees south, he came to where he heard of another +lake, to the north, into which it ran. But here you may come to +a dead halt, and read what lies beyond this spot thus . . . . +This was the furthermost point, whence he was compelled to return +on the weary road to Ujiji, a distance of 700 miles. + +In this brief sketch of Dr. Livingstone's wonderful travels it is +to be hoped the most superficial reader, as well as the student of +geography, comprehends this grand system of lakes connected +together by Webb's River. To assist him, let him glance at the +map accompanying this book. He will then have a fair idea of what +Dr. Livingstone has been doing during these long years, and what +additions he has made to the study of African geography. That +this river, distinguished under several titles, flowing from one +lake into another in a northerly direction, with all its great +crooked bends and sinuosities, is the Nile--the true Nile--the +Doctor has not the least doubt. For a long time he entertained +great scepticism, because of its deep bends and curves west, +and south-west even; but having traced it from its head waters, +the Chambezi, through 7 degrees of latitude--that is, from +11 degrees S. to lat. 4 degrees N.--he has been compelled to come +to the conclusion that it can be no other river than the Nile. +He had thought it was the Congo; but has discovered the sources +of the Congo to be the Kassai and the Kwango, two rivers which +rise on the western side of the Nile watershed, in about the +latitude of Bangweolo; and he was told of another river called +the Lubilash, which rose from the north, and ran west. But the +Lualaba, the Doctor thinks, cannot be the Congo, from its great +size and body, and from its steady and continued flow northward +through a broad and extensive valley, bounded by enormous +mountains westerly and easterly. The altitude of the most +northerly point to which the Doctor traced the wonderful river +was a little in excess of 2,000 feet; so that, though Baker +makes out his lake to be 2,700 feet above the sea, yet the +Bahr Ghazal, through which Petherick's branch of the White Nile +issues into the Nile, is but 2,000 feet; in which case there is +a possibility that the Lualaba may be none other than Petherick's +branch. + +It is well known that trading stations for ivory have been +established for about 500 miles up Petherick's branch. We must +remember this fact when told that Gondokoro, in lat. 4 degrees N., +is 2,000 feet above the sea, and lat. 4 degrees S., where the +halt was made, is only a little over 2,000 feet above the sea. +That the two rivers said to be 2,000 feet above the sea, separated +from each other by 8 degrees of latitude, are one and the same +river, may among some men be regarded as a startling statement. +But we must restrain mere expressions of surprise, and take +into consideration that this mighty and broad Lualaba is a +lacustrine river broader than the Mississippi; that at intervals +the body of water forms extensive lakes; then, contracting into +a broad river, it again forms a lake, and so on, to lat. 4 degrees; +and even beyond this point the Doctor hears of a large lake again +north. + +We must wait also until the altitudes of the two rivers, the +Lualaba, where the Doctor halted, and the southern point on the +Bahr Ghazal, where Petherick has been, are known with perfect +accuracy. + +Now, for the sake of argument, suppose we give this nameless lake +a length of 6 degrees of latitude, as it may be the one discovered +by Piaggia, the Italian traveller, from which Petherick's branch +of the White Nile issues out through reedy marshes, into the Bahr +Ghazal, thence into the White Nile, south of Gondokoro. By this +method we can suppose the rivers one; for if the lake extends +over so many degrees of latitude, the necessity of explaining the +differences of altitude that must naturally exist between two +points of a river 8 degrees of latitude apart, would be obviated. + +Also, Livingstone's instruments for observation and taking +altitudes may have been in error; and this is very likely to +have been the case, subjected as they have been to rough handling +during nearly six years of travel. Despite the apparent +difficulty of the altitude, there is another strong reason for +believing Webb's River, or the Lualaba, to be the Nile. The +watershed of this river, 600 miles of which Livingstone has +travelled, is drained from a valley which lies north and south +between lofty eastern and western ranges. + +This valley, or line of drainage, while it does not receive the +Kassai and the Kwango, receives rivers flowing from a great +distance west, for instance, the important tributaries Lufira +and Lomami, and large rivers from the east, such as the Lindi +and Luamo; and, while the most intelligent Portuguese travellers +and traders state that the Kassai, the Kwango, and Lubilash are +the head waters of the Congo River, no one has yet started the +supposition that the grand river flowing north, and known by +the natives as the Lualaba, is the Congo. + +This river may be the Congo, or, perhaps, the Niger. If the +Lualaba is only 2,000 feet above the sea, and the Albert N'Yanza +2,700 feet, the Lualaba cannot enter that lake. If the Bahr Ghazal +does not extend by an arm for eight degrees above Gondokoro, then +the Lualaba cannot be the Nile. But it would be premature to +dogmatise on the subject. Livingstone will clear up the point +himself; and if he finds it to be the Congo, will be the first to +admit his error. + +Livingstone admits the Nile sources have not been found, though he +has traced the Lualaba through seven degrees of latitude flowing +north; and, though he has not a particle of doubt of its being the +Nile, not yet can the Nile question be said to be resolved and +ended. For two reasons: + +1. He has heard of the existence of four fountains, two of which +gave birth to a river flowing north, Webb's River, or the Lualaba, +and to a river flowing south, which is the Zambezi. He has +repeatedly heard of these fountains from the natives. Several +times he has been within 100 and 200 miles from them, but something +always interposed to prevent his going to see them. According to +those who have seen them, they rise on either side of a mound or +level, which contains no stones. Some have called it an ant-hill. +One of these fountains is said to be so large that a man, standing +on one side, cannot be seen from the other. These fountains must +be discovered, and their position taken. The Doctor does not suppose +them to be south of the feeders of Lake Bangweolo. In his letter to +the 'Herald' he says "These four full-grown gushing fountains, +rising so near each other, and giving origin to four large rivers, +answer in a certain degree to the description given of the +unfathomable fountains of the Nile, by the secretary of Minerva, +in the city of Sais, in Egypt, to the father of all travellers-- +Herodotus." + +For the information of such readers as may not have the original +at hand, I append the following from Cary's translation of +Herodotus: <II.28> + +<Jul 2001 The History of Herodotus V1 by Herodotus/ Macaulay +[1hofhxxx.xxx]2707> + +*** + With respect to the sources of the Nile, no man of all the + Egyptians, Libyans, or Grecians, with whom I have conversed, + ever pretended to know anything, except the registrar* of Minerva's + +<*the secretary of the treasury of the goddess Neith, or Athena +as Herodotus calls her: +ho grammatiste:s to:n hiro:n xre:mato:n te:s Athe:naie:s> + + treasury at Sais, in Egypt. He, indeed, seemed to be trifling + with me when he said he knew perfectly well; yet his account was + as follows: "That there are two mountains, rising into a sharp + peak, situated between the city of Syene, in Thebais, and + Elephantine. The names of these mountains are the one Crophi, + the other Mophi; that the sources of the Nile, which are bottomless, + flow from between these mountains and that half of the water flows + over Egypt and to the north, the other half over Ethiopia and the + south. That the fountains of the Nile are bottomless, he said, + Psammitichus, king of Egypt, proved by experiment: for, having + caused a line to be twisted many thousand fathoms in length, he + let it down, but could not find a bottom." Such, then, was the + opinion the registrar gave, if, indeed, he spoke the real truth; + proving, in my opinion, that there are strong whirlpools and an + eddy here, so that the water beating against the rocks, a + sounding-line, when let down, cannot reach the bottom. I was + unable to learn anything more from any one else. But thus much + I learnt by carrying my researches as far as possible, having gone + and made my own observations as far as Elephantine, and beyond + that obtaining information from hearsay. As one ascends the river, + above the city of Elephantine, the country is steep; here, + therefore; it is necessary to attach a rope on both sides of a boat, + as one does with an ox in a plough, and so proceed; but if + the rope should happen to break, the boat is carried away by the + force of the stream. This kind of country lasts for a four-days' + passage, and the Nile here winds as much as the Maeander. There + are twelve schoeni, which it is necessary to sail through in + this manner; and after that you will come to a level plain, where + the Nile flows round an island; its name is Tachompso. Ethiopians + inhabit the country immediately above Elephantine, and one half + of the island; the other half is inhabited by Egyptians. Near to + this island lies a vast lake, on the borders of which Ethiopian + nomades dwell. After sailing through this lake you will come to + the channel of the Nile, which flows into it: then you will have + to land and travel forty days by the side of the river, for sharp + rocks rise in the Nile, and there are many sunken ones, through + which it is not possible to navigate a boat. Having passed this + country in the forty days, you must go on board another boat, and + sail for twelve days; and then you will arrive at a large city, + called Meroe; this city is said to be the capital of all + Ethiopia. The inhabitants worship no other gods than Jupiter and + Bacchus; but these they honour with great magnificence. They + have also an oracle of Jupiter; and they make war whenever that + god bids them by an oracular warning, and against whatever + country he bids them. Sailing from this city, you will arrive at + the country of the Automoli, in a space of time equal to that + which you took in coming from Elephantine to the capital of the + Ethiopians. These Automoli are called by the name of Asmak, + which, in the language of Greece, signifies "those that stand at + the left hand of the king." These, to the number of two hundred and + forty thousand of the Egyptian war-tribe, revolted to the + Ethiopians on the following occasion. In the reign of King + Psammitichus garrisons were stationed at Elephantine against the + Ethiopians, and another at the Pelusian Daphnae against the + Arabians and Syrians, and another at Marea against Libya; and even + in my time garrisons of the Persians are stationed in the same + places as they were in the time of Psammitichus, for they + maintain guards at Elephantine and Daphnae. Now, these Egyptians, + after they had been on duty three years, were not relieved; + therefore, having consulted together and come to an unanimous + resolution, they all revolted from Psammitichus, and went to + Ethiopia. Psammitichus, hearing of this, pursued them; and when + he overtook them he entreated them by many arguments, and adjured + them not to forsake the gods of their fathers, and their + children and wives But one of them is reported to have uncovered + [ ] and to have said, that wheresoever these were there they + +<<"which it is said that one of them pointed to his privy member and +said that wherever this was, there would they have both children and +wives"-- Macaulay tr.; published edition censors>> + + should find both children and wives." These men, when they arrived + in Ethiopia, offered their services to the king of the Ethiopians, + who made them the following recompense. There were certain + Ethiopians disaffected towards him; these he bade them expel, + and take possession of their land. By the settlement of these men + among the Ethiopians, the Ethiopians became more civilized, and + learned the manners of the Egyptians. + + Now, for a voyage and land journey of four months, the Nile is + known, in addition to the part f the stream that is in Egypt; for, + upon computation, so many months are known to be spent by a + person who travels from Elephantine to the Automoli. This river + flows from the west and the setting of the sun; but beyond this no + one is able to speak with certainty, for the rest of the country + is desert by reason of the excessive heat. But I have heard the + following account from certain Cyrenaeans, who say that they went + to the oracle of Ammon, and had a conversation with Etearchus, King + of the Ammonians, and that, among other subjects, they happened to + discourse about the Nile--that nobody knew its sources; whereupon + Etearchus said that certain Nasamonians once came to him--this + nation is Lybian, and inhabits the Syrtis, and the country for no + great distance eastward of the Syrtis--and that when these + Nasamonians arrived, and were asked if they could give any + further formation touching the deserts of Libya, they answered, + that there were some daring youths amongst them, sons of powerful + men; and that they, having reached man's estate, formed many + other extravagant plans, and, moreover, chose five of their number + by lot to explore the deserts of Libya, to see if they could make + any further discovery than those who had penetrated the farthest. + (For, as respects the parts of Libya along the Northern Sea, + beginning from Egypt to the promontory of Solois, where is the + extremity of Libya, Libyans and various nations of Libyans reach + all along it, except those parts which are occupied by Grecians + and Phoenicians; but as respects the parts above the sea, and + those nations which reach down to the sea, in the upper parts + Libya is infested by wild beasts; and all beyond that is sand, + dreadfully short of water, and utterly desolate.) They further + related, "that when the young men deputed by their companions + set out, well furnished with water and provisions, they passed + first through the inhabited country; and having traversed this, + they came to the region infested by wild beasts; and after this + they crossed the desert, making their way towards the west; and + when they had traversed much sandy ground, during a journey of + many days, they at length saw some trees growing in a plain; and + that they approached and began to gather the fruit that grew on + the trees; and while they were gathering, some diminutive men, + less than men of middle stature, came up, and having seized them + carried them away; and that the Nasamonians did not at all understand + their language, nor those who carried them off the language of + the Nasamonians. However, they conducted them through vast + morasses, and when they had passed these, they came to a city in + which all the inhabitants were of the same size as their conductors, + and black in colour: and by the city flowed a great river, running + from the west to the east, and that crocodiles were seen in it." + Thus far I have set forth the account of Etearchus the Ammonian; + to which may be added, as the Cyrenaeans assured me, "that he said + the Nasamonians all returned safe to their own country, and that + the men whom they came to were all necromancers." Etearchus also + conjectured that this river, which flows by their city, is the Nile; + and reason so evinces: for the Nile flows from Libya, and intersects + it in the middle; and (as I conjecture, inferring things unknown + from things known) it sets out from a point corresponding with the + Ister. For the Ister, beginning from the Celts, and the city of + Pyrene, divides Europe in its course; but the Celts are beyond + the pillars of Hercules, and border on the territories of the + Cynesians, who lie in the extremity of Europe to the westward; + and the Ister terminates by flowing through all Europe into the + Euxine Sea, where a Milesian colony is settled in Istria. Now + the Ister, as it flows through a well-peopled country, is generally + known; but no one is able to speak about the sources of the Nile, + because Libya, through which it flows, is uninhabited and desolate. + Respecting this stream, therefore, as far as I was able to reach by + inquiry, I have already spoken. It however discharges itself into + Egypt; and Egypt lies, as near as may be, opposite to the + mountains of Cilicia; from whence to Sinope, on the Euxine Sea, + is a five days' journey in a straight line to an active man; and + Sinope is opposite to the Ister, where it discharges itself into + the sea. So I think that the Nile, traversing the whole of Libya, + may be properly compared with the Ister. Such, then, is the + account that I am able to give respecting the Nile. +*** +<end of Herodotus's account) +*** + +2. Webb's River must be traced to its connection with some portion +of the old Nile. + +When these two things have been accomplished, then, and not till +then, can the mystery of the Nile be explained. The two countries +through which the marvellous lacustrine river, the Lualaba, flows, +with its manifold lakes and broad expanse of water, are Rua (the +Uruwwa of Speke) and Manyuema. For the first time Europe is made +aware that between the Tanganika and the known sources of the Congo +there exist teeming millions of the negro race, who never saw, or +heard of the white people who make such a noisy and busy stir +outside of Africa. Upon the minds of those who had the good +fortune to see the first specimen of these remarkable white races +in Dr. Livingstone, he seems to have made a favourable impression, +though, through misunderstanding his object, and coupling him with +the Arabs, who make horrible work there, his life was sought after +more than once. These two extensive countries, Rua and Manyuema, +are populated by true heathens, governed, not as the sovereignties +of Karagwah, Urundi, and Uganda, by despotic kings, but each +village by its own sultan or lord. Thirty miles outside of their +own immediate settlements, the most intelligent of these small +chiefs seem to know nothing. Thirty miles from the Lualaba, there +were but few people who had ever heard of the great river. Such +ignorance among the natives of their own country naturally +increased the labours of Livingstone. Compared with these, all +tribes and nations in Africa with whom Livingstone came in contact +may be deemed civilized, yet, in the arts of home manufacture, +these wild people of Manyuema were far superior to any he had +seen. Where other tribes and nations contented themselves with +hides and skins of animals thrown negligently over their shoulders, +the people of Manyuema manufactured a cloth from fine grass, which +may favorably compare with the finest grass cloth of India. They +also know the art of dy/e/ing them in various colours--black, yellow, +and purple. The Wangwana, or freed-men of Zanzibar, struck with +the beauty of the fabric, eagerly exchange their cotton cloths +for fine grass cloth; and on almost every black man from Manyuema +I have seen this native cloth converted into elegantly made damirs +(Arabic)--short jackets. These countries are also very rich in ivory. +The fever for going to Manyuema to exchange tawdry beads for its +precious tusks is of the same kind as that which impelled men to go +to the gulches and placers of California, Colorado, Montana, and +Idaho; after nuggets to Australia, and diamonds to Cape Colony. +Manyuema is at present the El Dorado of the Arab and the Wamrima +tribes. It is only about four years since that the first Arab +returned from Manyuema, with such wealth of ivory, and reports +about the fabulous quantities found there, that ever since the +old beaten tracks of Karagwah, Uganda, Ufipa, and Marungu have +been comparatively deserted. The people of Manyuema, ignorant +of the value of the precious article, reared their huts upon +ivory stanchions. Ivory pillars were common sights in Manyuema, +and, hearing of these, one can no longer, wonder at the ivory +palace of Solomon. For generations they have used ivory tusks +as door-posts and supports to the eaves, until they had become +perfectly rotten and worthless. But the advent of the Arabs +soon taught them the value of the article. It has now risen +considerably in price, though still fabulously cheap. At +Zanzibar the value of ivory per frasilah of 35 lbs. weight +is from $50 to $60, according to its quality. In Unyanyembe +it is about $1-10 per pound, but in Manyuema, it may be +purchased for from half a cent to 14 cent's worth of copper +per pound of ivory. The Arabs, however, have the knack of +spoiling markets by their rapacity and cruelty. With muskets, +a small party of Arabs is invincible against such people as +those of Manyuema, who, until lately, never heard the sound of +a gun. The discharge of a musket inspires mortal terror in them, +and it is almost impossible to induce them to face the muzzle +of a gun. They believe that the Arabs have stolen the lightning, +and that against such people the bow and arrow can have little +effect. They are by no means devoid of courage, and they have +often declared that, were it not for the guns, not one Arab would +leave the country alive; this tends to prove that they would +willingly engage in fight with the strangers who had made +themselves so detestable, were it not that the startling explosion +of gunpowder inspires them with terror. + +Into what country soever the Arabs enter, they contrive to render +their name and race abominated. But the mainspring of it all is +not the Arab's nature, colour, or name, but simply the slave-trade. +So long as the slave-trade is permitted to be kept up at Zanzibar, +so long will these otherwise enterprising people, the Arabs, +kindle gainst them the hatred of the natives throughout Africa. + +On the main line of travel from Zanzibar into the interior of +Africa these acts of cruelty are unknown, for the very good +reason that the natives having been armed with guns, and taught +how to use those weapons, are by no means loth to do so whenever +an opportunity presents itself. When, too late, they have perceived +their folly in selling guns to the natives, the Arabs now begin +to vow vengeance on the person who will in future sell a gun to +a native. But they are all guilty of the same mistake, and it is +strange they did not perceive that it was folly when they were +doing so. + +In former days the Arab, when protected by his slave escort, armed +with guns, could travel through Useguhha, Urori, Ukonongo, Ufipa, +Karagwah, Unyoro, and Uganda, with only a stick in his hand; now, +however, it is impossible for him or any one else to do so. Every +step he takes, armed or unarmed, is fraught with danger. The +Waseguhha, near the coast, detain him, and demand the tribute, +or give him the option of war; entering Ugogo, he is subjected +every day to the same oppressive demand, or to the fearful alternative. +The Wanyamwezi also show their readiness to take the same advantage; +the road to Karagwah is besieged with difficulties; the terrible +Mirambo stands in the way, defeats their combined forces with ease, +and makes raids even to the doors of their houses in Unyanyembe; +and should they succeed in passing Mirambo, a chief--Swaruru-- +stands before them who demands tribute by the bale, and against +whom it is useless to contend. + +These remarks have reference to the slave-trade inaugurated in +Manyuema by the Arabs. Harassed on the road between Zanzibar and +Unyanyembe by minatory natives, who with bloody hands are ready +to avenge the slightest affront, the Arabs have refrained from +kidnapping between the Tanganika and the sea; but in Manyuema, +where the natives are timid, irresolute, and divided into small +weak tribes, they recover their audacity, and exercise their +kidnapping propensities unchecked. + +The accounts which the Doctor brings from that new region are most +deplorable. He was an unwilling spectator of a horrible deed--a +massacre committed on the inhabitants of a populous district who +had assembled in the market-place on the banks of the Lualaba, as +they had been accustomed to do for ages. It seems that the +Wamanyuema are very fond of marketing, believing it to be the +summum bonum of human enjoyment. They find endless pleasure in +chaffering with might and main for the least mite of their currency-- +the last bead; and when they gain the point to which their peculiar +talents are devoted, they feel intensely happy. The women are +excessively fond of this marketing, and, as they are very beautiful, +the market place must possess considerable attractions for the male +sex. It was on such a day amidst such a scene, that Tagamoyo, a +half-caste Arab, with his armed slave escort, commenced an +indiscriminate massacre by firing volley after volley into the dense +mass of human beings. It is supposed that there were about 2,000 +present, and at the first sound of the firing these poor people all +made a rush for their canoes. In the fearful hurry to avoid being +shot, the canoes were paddled away by the first fortunate few who +got possession of them; those that were not so fortunate sprang +into the deep waters of the Lualaba, and though many of them became +an easy prey to the voracious crocodiles which swarmed to the scene, +the majority received their deaths from the bullets of the +merciless Tagamoyo and his villanous band. The Doctor believes, +as do the Arabs themselves, that about 400 people, mostly women +and children, lost their lives, while many more were made slaves. +This outrage is only one of many such he has unwillingly +witnessed, and he is utterly unable to describe the feelings +of loathing he feels for the inhuman perpetrators. + +Slaves from Manyuema command a higher price than those of any +other country, because of their fine forms and general docility. +The women, the Doctor said repeatedly, are remarkably pretty +creatures, and have nothing, except the hair, in common with +the negroes of the West Coast. They are of very light colour, +have fine noses, well-cut and not over-full lips, while the +prognathous jaw is uncommon. These women are eagerly sought +after as wives by the half-castes of the East Coast, and even +the pure Omani Arabs do not disdain to take them in marriage. + +To the north of Manyuema, Livingstone came to the light- +complexioned race, of the colour of Portuguese, or our own +Louisiana quadroons, who are very fine people, and singularly +remarkable for commercial "'cuteness" and sagacity. The women +are expert divers for oysters, which are found in great abundance +in the Lualaba. + +Rua, at a place called Katanga, is rich in copper. The copper-mines +of this place have been worked for ages. In the bed of a stream, +gold has been found, washed down in pencil-shaped pieces or in +particles as large as split peas. Two Arabs have gone thither +to prospect for this metal; but, as they are ignorant of the art +of gulch-mining, it is scarcely possible that they will succeed. +From these highly important and interesting discoveries, Dr. +Livingstone was turned back, when almost on the threshold of +success, by the positive refusal of his men to accompany him further. +They were afraid to go on unless accompanied by a large force of +men; and, as these were not procurable in Manyuema, the Doctor +reluctantly turned his face towards Ujiji. + +It was a long and weary road back. The journey had now no +interest for him. He had travelled the road before when going +westward, full of high hopes and aspirations, impatient to reach +the goal which promised him rest from his labors--now, returning +unsuccessful, baffled, and thwarted, when almost in sight of the +end, and having to travel the same path back on foot, with +disappointed expectations and defeated hopes preying on his mind, +no wonder that the old brave spirit almost succumbed, and the +strong constitution almost went to wreck. + +Livingstone arrived at Ujiji, October 16th, almost at death's door. +On the way he had been trying to cheer himself up, since he had +found it impossible to contend against the obstinacy of his men, +with, "It won't take long; five or six months more; it matters +not since it cannot be helped. I have got my goods in Ujiji, and +can hire other people, and make a new start again." These are the +words and hopes by which he tried to delude himself into the idea +that all would be right yet; but imagine the shock he must have +suffered, when he found that the man to whom was entrusted his +goods for safe keeping had sold every bale for ivory. + +The evening of the day Livingstone had returned to Ujiji, Susi +and Chuma, two of his most faithful men, were seen crying bitterly. +The Doctor asked of them what ailed them, and was then informed, +for the first time, of the evil tidings that awaited him. + +Said they, "All our things are sold, sir; Sherif has sold +everything for ivory." + +Later in the evening, Sherif came to see him, and shamelessly +offered his hand, but Livingstone repulsed him, saying he could not +shake hands with a thief. As an excuse, Sherif said he had divined +on the Koran, and that this had told him the Hakim (Arabic for +Doctor) was dead. + +Livingstone was now destitute; he had just enough to keep him and +his men alive for about a month, when he would be forced to beg +from the Arabs. + +The Doctor further stated, that when Speke gives the altitude of +the Tanganika at only 1,800 feet above the sea, Speke must have +fallen into that error by a frequent writing of the Anne Domini, +a mere slip of the pen; for the altitude, as he makes it out, +is 2,800 feet by boiling point, and a little over 3,000 feet by +barometer. + +The Doctor's complaints were many because slaves were sent to him, +in charge of goods, after he had so often implored the people at +Zanzibar to send him freemen. A very little effort on the part of +those entrusted with the despatch of supplies to him might have +enabled them to procure good and faithful freemen; but if they +contented themselves, upon the receipt of a letter from Dr. +Livingstone, with sending to Ludha Damji for men, it is no longer +a matter of wonder that dishonest and incapable slaves were sent +forward. It is no new fact that the Doctor has discovered when +he states that a negro freeman is a hundred times more capable +and trustworthy than a slave. Centuries ago Eumaeus, the herdsman, +said to Ulysses: + +Jove fixed it certain, that whatever day +Makes man a slave, takes half his worth away. + +We passed several happy days at Ujiji, and it was time we were now +preparing for our cruise on the Tanganika. Livingstone was +improving every day under the different diet which my cook furnished +him. I could give him no such suppers as that which Jupiter and +Mercury received at the cottage of Baucis and Philemon. We had no +berries of chaste Minerva, pickled cherries, endive, radishes, +dried figs, dates, fragrant apples, and grapes; but we had cheese, +and butter which I made myself, new-laid eggs, chickens, roast +mutton, fish from the lake, rich curds and cream, wine from the +Guinea-palm, egg-plants, cucumbers, sweet potatoes, pea-nuts, +and beans, white honey from Ukaranga, luscious singwe--a plum-like +fruit--from the forests of Ujiji, and corn scones and dampers, +in place of wheaten bread. + +During the noontide heats we sat under our veranda discussing our +various projects, and in the early morning and evening we sought +the shores of the lake--promenading up and down the beach to breathe +the cool breezes which ruffled the surface of the water, and rolled +the unquiet surf far up on the smooth and whitened shore. + +It was the dry season, and we had most lovely weather; the +temperature never was over 80 degrees in the shade. + +The market-place overlooking the broad silver water afforded us +amusement and instruction. Representatives of most of the tribes +dwelling near the lake were daily found there. There were the +agricultural and pastoral Wajiji, with their flocks and herds; +there were the fishermen from Ukaranga and Kaole, from beyond +Bangwe, and even from Urundi, with their whitebait, which they +called dogara, the silurus, the perch, and other fish; there were +the palm-oil merchants, principally from Ujiji and Urundi, with +great five-gallon pots full of reddish oil, of the consistency of +butter; there were the salt merchants from the salt-plains of +Uvinza and Uhha; there were the ivory merchants from Uvira and +Usowa; there were the canoe-makers from Ugoma and Urundi; there +were the cheap-Jack pedlers from Zanzibar, selling flimsy prints, +and brokers exchanging blue mutunda beads for sami-sami, and +sungomazzi, and sofi. The sofi beads are like pieces of thick +clay-pipe stem about half an inch long, and are in great demand +here. Here were found Waguhha, Wamanyuema, Wagoma, Wavira, +Wasige, Warundi, Wajiji, Waha, Wavinza, Wasowa, Wangwana, Wakawendi, +Arabs, and Wasawahili, engaged in noisy chaffer and barter. +Bareheaded, and almost barebodied, the youths made love to the +dark-skinned and woolly-headed Phyllises, who knew not how to +blush at the ardent gaze of love, as their white sisters; old +matrons gossiped, as the old women do everywhere; the children +played, and laughed, and struggled, as children of our own lands; +and the old men, leaning on their spears or bows, were just as +garrulous in the Place de Ujiji as aged elders in other climes. + + + +CHAPTER XIII. OUR CRUISE ON THE LAKE TANGANIKA-- + EXPLORATION OF THE NORTH-END OF THE LAKE-- + THE RUSIZI IS DISCOVERED TO ENTER INTO THE LAKE-- + RETURN TO UJIJI. + +"I distinctly deny that `any misleading by my instructions +from the Royal Geographical Society as to the position of the +White Nile' made me unconscious of the vast importance of +ascertaining the direction of the Rusizi River. The fact is, +we did our best to reach it, and we failed."--Burton's Zanzibar. + +"The universal testimony of the natives to the Rusizi River +being an influent is the most conclusive argument that it does +run out of the lake."--Speke. + +"I therefore claim for Lake Tanganika the honour of being the +SOUTHERNMOST RESERVOIR OF THE NILE, until some more positive +evidence, by actual observation, shall otherwise determine it."-- +Findlay, R.G.S. + + +Had Livingstone and myself, after making up our minds to visit +the northern head of the Lake Tanganika, been compelled by the +absurd demands or fears of a crew of Wajiji to return to +Unyanyembe without having resolved the problem of the Rusizi River, +we had surely deserved to be greeted by everybody at home with a +universal giggling and cackling. But Capt. Burton's failure to +settle it, by engaging Wajiji, and that ridiculous savage chief +Kannena, had warned us of the negative assistance we could expect +from such people for the solution of a geographical problem. We +had enough good sailors with us, who were entirely under our +commands. Could we but procure the loan of a canoe, we thought +all might be well. + +Upon application to Sayd bin Majid, he at once generously +permitted us to use his canoe for any service for which we might +require it. After engaging two Wajiji guides at two doti each, +we prepared to sail from the port of Ujiji, in about a week or +so after my entrance into Ujiji. + +I have already stated how it was that the Doctor and I undertook +the exploration of the northern half of the Tanganika and the River +Rusizi, about which so much had been said and written. + +Before embarking on this enterprise, Dr. Livingstone had not +definitely made up his mind which course he should take, as his +position was truly deplorable. His servants consisted of Susi, +Chumah, Hamoydah, Gardner, and Halimah, the female cook and wife of +Hamoydah; to these was added Kaif-Halek, the man whom I compelled +to follow me from Unyanyembe to deliver the Livingstone letters to +his master. + +Whither could Dr. Livingstone march with these few men, and the +few table-cloths and beads that remained to him from the store +squandered by the imbecile Sherif? This was a puzzling question. +Had Dr. Livingstone been in good health, his usual hardihood and +indomitable spirit had answered it in a summary way. He might +have borrowed some cloth from Sayd bin Majid at an exorbitant +price, sufficient to bring him to Unyanyembe and the sea-coast. +But how long would he have been compelled to sit down at Ujiji, +waiting and waiting for the goods that were said to be at +Unyanyembe, a prey to high expectations, hoping day after day +that the war would end--hoping week after week to hear that +his goods were coming? Who knows how long his weak health had +borne up against the several disappointments to which he would be +subjected? + +Though it was with all due deference to Dr. Livingstone's vast +experience as a traveller, I made bold to suggest the following +courses to him, either of which he could adopt: + +Ist. To go home, and take the rest he so well deserved and, as he +appeared then, to be so much in need of. + +2nd. To proceed to Unyanyembe, receive his goods, and enlist +pagazis sufficient to enable him to travel anywhere, either to +Manyuema or Rua, and settle the Nile problem, which he said he +was in a fair way of doing. + +3rd. To proceed to Unyanyembe, receive his caravan, enlist men, +and try to join Sir Samuel Baker, either by going to Muanza, and +sailing through Ukerewe or Victoria N'Yanza in my boats--which I +should put up--to Mtesa's palace at Uganda, thus passing by +Mirambo and Swaruru of Usui, who would rob him if he took the +usual caravan road to Uganda; thence from Mtesa to Kamrasi, +King of Unyoro, where he would of course hear of the great white +man who was said to be with a large force of men at Gondokoro. + +4th. To proceed to Unyanyembe, receive his caravan, enlist men, +and return to Ujiji, and back to Manyuema by way of Uguhha. + +5th. To proceed by way of the Rusizi through Ruanda, and so on +to Itara, Unyoro, and Baker. + +For either course, whichever he thought most expedient, I and my +men would assist him as escort and carriers, to the best of our +ability. If he should elect to go home, I informed him I should +be proud to escort him, and consider myself subject to his +commands--travelling only when he desired, and camping only when +he gave the word. + +6th. The last course which I suggested to him, was to permit me to +escort him to Unyanyembe, where he could receive his own goods, +and where I could deliver up to him a large supply of first-class +cloth and beads, guns and ammunition, cooking utensils, clothing, +boats, tents, &c., and where he could rest in a comfortable house, +while I would hurry down to the coast, organise a new expedition +composed of fifty or sixty faithful men, well armed, by whom I +could send an additional supply of needful luxuries in the shape +of creature comforts. + +After long consideration, he resolved to adopt the last course, +as it appeared to him to be the most feasible one, and the best, +though he did not hesitate to comment upon the unaccountable apathy +of his agent at Zanzibar, which had caused him so much trouble and +vexation, and weary marching of hundreds of miles. + +Our ship--though nothing more than a cranky canoe hollowed out of +a noble mvule tree of Ugoma--was an African Argo bound on a nobler +enterprise than its famous Grecian prototype. We were bound upon +no mercenary errand, after no Golden Fleece, but perhaps to +discover a highway for commerce which should bring the ships of +the Nile up to Ujiji, Usowa, and far Marungu. We did not know +what we might discover on our voyage to the northern head of +the Tanganika; we supposed that we should find the Rusizi to be +an effluent of the Tanganika, flowing down to the Albert or the +Victoria N'Yanza. We were told by natives and Arabs that the +Rusizi ran out of the lake. + +Sayd bin Majid had stated that his canoe would carry twenty-five +men, and 3,500 lbs. of ivory. Acting upon this information, we +embarked twenty-five men, several of whom had stored away bags of +salt for the purposes of trade with the natives; but upon pushing +off from the shore near Ujiji, we discovered the boat was too +heavily laden, and was down to the gunwale. Returning in-shore, +we disembarked six men, and unloaded the bags of salt, which left +us with sixteen rowers, Selim, Ferajji the cook, and the two +Wajiji guides. + +Having thus properly trimmed our boat we again pushed off, and +steered her head for Bangwe Island, which was distant four or +five miles from the Bunder of Ujiji. While passing this island +the guides informed us that the Arabs and Wajiji took shelter on +it during an incursion of the Watuta--which took place some years +ago--when they came and invaded Ujiji, and massacred several of +the inhabitants. Those who took refuge on the island were the +only persons who escaped the fire and sword with which the Watuta +had visited Ujiji. + +After passing the island and following the various bends and +indentations of the shore, we came in sight of the magnificent bay +of Kigoma, which strikes one at once as being an excellent harbor +from the variable winds which blow over the Tanganika. About +10 A.M. we drew in towards the village of Kigoma, as the east wind +was then rising, and threatened to drive us to sea. With those +travelling parties who are not in much hurry Kigoma is always +the first port for canoes bound north from Ujiji. The next +morning at dawn we struck tent, stowed baggage, cooked, and +drank coffee, and set off northward again. + +The lake was quite calm; its waters, of a dark-green colour, +reflected the serene blue sky above. The hippopotami came up +to breathe in alarmingly close proximity to our canoe, and then +plunged their heads again, as if they were playing hide-and-seek +with us. Arriving opposite the high wooded hills of Bemba, and +being a mile from shore, we thought it a good opportunity to sound +the depth of the water, whose colour seemed to indicate great depth. +We found thirty-five fathoms at this place. + +Our canoeing of this day was made close in-shore, with a range of +hills, beautifully wooded and clothed with green grass, sloping +abruptly, almost precipitously, into the depths of the fresh-water +sea, towering immediately above us, and as we rounded the several +capes or points, roused high expectations of some new wonder, or +some exquisite picture being revealed as the deep folds disclosed +themselves to us. Nor were we disappointed. The wooded hills with +a wealth of boscage of beautiful trees, many of which were in +bloom, and crowned with floral glory, exhaling an indescribably +sweet fragrance, lifting their heads in varied contour--one +pyramidal, another a truncated cone; one table-topped, another +ridgy, like the steep roof of a church; one a glorious heave with +an even outline, another jagged and savage-interested us +considerably; and the pretty pictures, exquisitely pretty, at +the head of the several bays, evoked many an exclamation of + admiration. It was the most natural thing in the world that +I should feel deepest admiration for these successive pictures +of quiet scenic beauty, but the Doctor had quite as much to say +about them as I had myself, though, as one might imagine, satiated +with pictures of this kind far more beautiful--far more wonderful-- +he should long ago have expended all his powers of admiring scenes +in nature. + +From Bagamoyo to Ujiji I had seen nothing to compare to them--none +of these fishing settlements under the shade of a grove of palms +and plantains, banians and mimosa, with cassava gardens to the +right and left of palmy forests, and patches of luxuriant grain +looking down upon a quiet bay, whose calm waters at the early morn +reflected the beauties of the hills which sheltered them from the +rough and boisterous tempests that so often blew without. + +The fishermen evidently think themselves comfortably situated. +The lake affords them all the fish they require, more than enough +to eat, and the industrious a great deal to sell. The steep slopes +of the hills, cultivated by the housewives, contribute plenty of +grain, such as dourra and Indian corn, besides cassava, ground-nuts +or peanuts, and sweet potatoes. The palm trees afford oil, and the +plantains an abundance of delicious fruit. The ravines and deep +gullies supply them with the tall shapely trees from which they +cut out their canoes. Nature has supplied them bountifully with +all that a man's heart or stomach can desire. It is while looking +at what seems both externally and internally complete and perfect +happiness that the thought occurs--how must these people sigh, +when driven across the dreary wilderness that intervenes between +the lake country and the sea-coast, for such homes as these!-- +those unfortunates who, bought by the Arabs for a couple of doti, +are taken away to Zanzibar to pick cloves, or do hamal work! + +As we drew near Niasanga, our second camp, the comparison between +the noble array of picturesque hills and receding coves, with +their pastoral and agricultural scenes, and the shores of old +Pontus, was very great. A few minutes before we hauled our canoe +ashore, two little incidents occurred. I shot an enormous +dog-faced monkey, which measured from nose to end of tail 4 feet +9 inches; the face was 8 1/2 inches long, its body weighed +about 100 lbs. It had no mane or tuft at end of tail, but +the body was covered with long wiry hair. Numbers of these +specimens were seen, as well as of the active cat-headed and +long-tailed smaller ones. The other was the sight of a large +lizard, about 2 ft. 6 in. long, which waddled into cover before +we had well noticed it. The Doctor thought it to be the Monitor +terrestris. + +We encamped under a banian tree; our surroundings were the now +light-grey waters of the Tanganika, an amphitheatral range of +hills, and the village of Niasanga, situated at the mouth of the +rivulet Niasanga, with its grove of palms, thicket of plantains, +and plots of grain and cassava fields. Near our tent were about +half-a-dozen canoes, large and small, belonging to the villagers. +Our tent door fronted the glorious expanse of fresh water, +inviting the breeze, and the views of distant Ugoma and Ukaramba, +and the Island of Muzimu, whose ridges appeared of a deep-blue +colour. At our feet were the clean and well-washed pebbles, borne +upward into tiny lines and heaps by the restless surf. A search +amongst these would reveal to us the material of the mountain +heaps which rose behind and on our right and left; there was schist, +conglomerate sandstone, a hard white clay, an ochreish clay +containing much iron, polished quartz, &c. Looking out of our tent, +we could see a line on each side of us of thick tall reeds, which +form something like a hedge between the beach and the cultivated +area around Niasanga. Among birds seen here, the most noted were +the merry wagtails, which are regarded as good omens and +messengers of peace by the natives, and any harm done unto them +is quickly resented, and is fineable. Except to the mischievously +inclined, they offer no inducement to commit violence. On landing, +they flew to meet us, balancing themselves in the air in front, +within easy reach of our hands. The other birds were crows, +turtle-doves, fish-hawks, kingfishers, ibis nigra and ibis +religiosa, flocks of whydah birds, geese, darters, paddy birds, +kites, and eagles. + +At this place the Doctor suffered from dysentery--it is his only +weak point, he says; and, as I afterwards found, it is a frequent +complaint with him. Whatever disturbed his mind, or any +irregularity in eating, was sure to end in an attack of dysentery, +which had lately become of a chronic character. + +The third day of our journey on the Tanganika brought us to Zassi +River and village, after a four hours' pull. Along the line of +road the mountains rose 2,000 and 2,500 feet above the waters of +the lake. I imagined the scenery getting more picturesque and +animated at every step, and thought it by far lovelier than +anything seen near Lake George or on the Hudson. The cosy nooks +at the head of the many small bays constitute most admirable +pictures, filled in as they are with the ever-beautiful feathery +palms and broad green plantain fronds. These nooks have all been +taken possession of by fishermen, and their conically beehive- +shaped huts always peep from under the frondage. The shores are +thus extremely populous; every terrace, small plateau, and bit of +level ground is occupied. + +Zassi is easily known by a group of conical hills which rise near +by, and are called Kirassa. Opposite to these, at the distance of +about a mile from shore, we sounded, and obtained 35 fathoms, as on +the previous day. Getting out a mile further, I let go the whole +length of my line, 115 fathoms, and obtained no bottom. In drawing +it up again the line parted, and I lost the lead, with three-fourths +of the line. The Doctor stated, apropos of this, that he had +sounded opposite the lofty Kabogo, south of Ujiji, and obtained the +great depth of 300 fathoms. He also lost his lead and 100 fathoms +of his line, but he had nearly 900 fathoms left, and this was in +the canoes. We hope to use this long sounding line in going across +from the eastern to the western shore. + +On the fourth day we arrived at Nyabigma, a sandy island in +Urundi. We had passed the boundary line between Ujiji and Urundi +half-an-hour before arriving at Nyabigma. The Mshala River is +considered by both nations to be the proper divisional line; +though there are parties of Warundi who have emigrated beyond the +frontier into Ujiji; for instance, the Mutware and villagers of +populous Kagunga, distant an hour north from Zassi. There are also +several small parties of Wajiji, who have taken advantage of the +fine lands in the deltas of the Kasokwe, Namusinga, and Luaba +Rivers, the two first of which enter the Tanganika in this bay, +near the head of which Nyabigma is situated. + +From Nyabigma, a pretty good view of the deep curve in the great +mountain range which stretches from Cape Kazinga and terminates at +Cape Kasofu, may be obtained--a distance of twenty or twenty-five +miles. It is a most imposing scene, this great humpy, ridgy, and +irregular line of mountains. Deep ravines and chasms afford outlets +to the numerous streams and rivers which take their rise in the +background; the pale fleecy ether almost always shrouds its summit. +From its base extends a broad alluvial plain, rich beyond description, +teeming with palms and plantains, and umbrageous trees. Villages +are seen in clusters everywhere. Into this alluvial plain run the +Luaba, or Ruaba River, on the north side of Cape Kitunda, and the +Kasokwe, Namusinga, and Mshala Rivers, on the south side of the cape. +All the deltas of rivers emptying into the Tanganika are hedged +in on all sides with a thick growth of matete, a gigantic species +of grass, and papyrus. In some deltas, as that of Luaba and +Kasokwe, morasses have been formed, in which the matete and papyrus +jungle is impenetrable. In the depths of them are quiet and deep +pools, frequented by various aquatic birds, such as geese, ducks, +snipes, widgeons, kingfishers and ibis, cranes and storks, and +pelicans. To reach their haunts is, however, a work of great +difficulty to the sportsman in quest of game; a work often +attended with great danger, from the treacherous nature of these +morasses, as well as from the dreadful attacks of fever which, +in these regions, invariably follow wet feet and wet clothes. + +At Nyabigma we prepared, by distributing ten rounds of ammunition +to each of our men, for a tussle with the Warundi of two stages +ahead, should they invite it by a too forward exhibition of their +prejudice to strangers. + +At dawn of the fifth day we quitted the haven of Nyabigma Island, +and in less than an hour had arrived off Cape Kitunda. This cape +is a low platform of conglomerate sandstone, extending for about +eight miles from the base of the great mountain curve which gives +birth to the Luaba and its sister streams. Crossing the deep bay, +at the head of which is the delta of the Luaba, we came to Cape +Kasofu. Villages are numerous in this vicinity. From hence we +obtained a view of a series of points or capes, Kigongo, Katunga, +and Buguluka, all of which we passed before coming to a halt at +the pretty position of Mukungu. + +At Mukungu, where we stopped on the fifth day, we were asked for +honga, or tribute. The cloth and beads upon which we subsisted +during our lake voyage were mine, but the Doctor, being the elder +of the two, more experienced, and the "big man" of the party, had +the charge of satisfying all such demands. Many and many a time +had I gone through the tedious and soul-wearying task of settling +the honga, and I was quite curious to see how the great traveller +would perform the work. + +The Mateko (a man inferior to a Mutware) of Mukungu asked for two +and a half doti. This was the extent of the demand, which he made +known to us a little after dark. The Doctor asked if nothing had +been brought to us. He was answered, "No, it was too late to get +anything now; but, if we paid the honga, the Mateko would be ready +to give us something when we came back." Livingstone, upon hearing +this, smiled, and the Mateko being then and there in front of him, +he said to him. "Well, if you can't get us anything now, and +intend to give something when we return, we had better keep the +honga until then." The Mateko was rather taken aback at this, +and demurred to any such proposition. Seeing that he was +dissatisfied, we urged him to bring one sheep--one little sheep-- +for our stomachs were nearly empty, having been waiting more than +half a day for it. The appeal was successful, for the old man +hastened, and brought us a lamb and a three-gallon pot of sweet +but strong zogga, or palm toddy, and in return the Doctor +gave him two and a half doti of cloth. The lamb was killed, and, +our digestions being good, its flesh agreed with us; but, alas, +for the effects of zogga, or palm toddy! Susi, the invaluable +adjunct of Dr. Livingstone, and Bombay, the headman of my +caravan, were the two charged with watching the canoe; but, having +imbibed too freely of this intoxicating toddy, they slept heavily, +and in the morning the Doctor and I had to regret the loss of +several valuable and indispensable things; among which may be +mentioned the Doctor's 900-fathom sounding-line, 500 rounds of pin, +rim, and central-fire cartridges for my arms, and ninety musket +bullets, also belonging to me. Besides these, which were +indispensable in hostile Warundi, a large bag of flour and the +Doctor's entire stock of white sugar were stolen. This was the +third time that my reliance in Bombay's trustworthiness resulted +in a great loss to me, and for the ninety-ninth time I had to +regret bitterly having placed such entire confidence in Speke's +loud commendation of him. It was only the natural cowardice of +ignorant thieves that prevented the savages from taking the boat +and its entire contents, together with Bombay and Susi as slaves. +I can well imagine the joyful surprise which must have been +called forth at the sight and exquisite taste of the Doctor's +sugar, and the wonder with which they must have regarded the +strange ammunition of the Wasungu. It is to be sincerely hoped +that they did not hurt themselves with the explosive bullets and +rim cartridges through any ignorance of the nature of the deadly +contents; in which ease the box and its contents would prove a +very Pandora's casket. + +Much grieved at our loss, we set off on the sixth day at the usual +hour on our watery journey. We coasted close to the several low +headlands formed by the rivers Kigwena, Kikuma, and Kisunwe; and +when any bay promised to be interesting, steered the canoe +according to its indentations. While travelling on the water--each +day brought forth similar scenes--on our right rose the mountains +of Urundi, now and then disclosing the ravines through which the +several rivers and streams issued into the great lake; at their +base were the alluvial plains, where flourished the oil-palm and +grateful plantain, while scores of villages were grouped under +their shade. Now and then we passed long narrow strips of pebbly +or sandy beach, whereon markets were improvised for selling fish, +and the staple products of the respective communities. Then we +passed broad swampy morasses, formed by the numerous streams +which the mountains discharged, where the matete and papyrus +flourished. Now the mountains approached to the water, their sides +descending abruptly to the water's edge; then they receded into +deep folds, at the base of which was sure to be seen an alluvial +plain from one to eight miles broad. Almost constantly we +observed canoes being punted vigorously close to the surf, +in fearless defiance of a catastrophe, such as a capsize and +gobbling-up by voracious crocodiles. Sometimes we sighted a canoe +a short distance ahead of us; whereupon our men, with song and +chorus, would exert themselves to the utmost to overtake it. +Upon observing our efforts, the natives would bend themselves to +their tasks, and paddling standing and stark naked, give us ample +opportunities for studying at our leisure comparative anatomy. +Or we saw a group of fishermen lazily reclining in _puris naturalibus_ +on the beach, regarding with curious eye the canoes as they passed +their neighbourhood; then we passed a flotilla of canoes, their +owners sitting quietly in their huts, busily plying the rod and +hook, or casting their nets, or a couple of men arranging their +long drag nets close in shore for a haul; or children sporting +fearlessly in the water, with their mothers looking on approvingly +from under the shade of a tree, from which I infer that there are +not many crocodiles in the lake, except in the neighbourhood of +the large rivers. + +After passing the low headland of Kisunwe, formed by the Kisunwe +River, we came in view of Murembwe Cape, distant about four or five +miles: the intervening ground being low land, a sandy and pebbly +beach. Close to the beach are scores of villages, while the +crowded shore indicates the populousness of the place beyond. +About half way between Cape Kisunwe and Murembwe, is a cluster of +villages called Bikari, which has a mutware who is in the habit of +taking honga. As we were rendered unable to cope for any length +of time with any mischievously inclined community, all villages +having a bad reputation with the Wajiji were avoided by us. +But even the Wajiji guides were sometimes mistaken, and led us +more than once into dangerous places. The guides evidently had +no objections to halt at Bikari, as it was the second camp from +Mukungu; because with them a halt in the cool shade of plaintains +was infinitely preferable to sitting like carved pieces of wood +in a cranky canoe. But before they stated their objections and +preferences, the Bikari people called to us in a loud voice to +come ashore, threatening us with the vengeance of the great Wami +if we did not halt. As the voices were anything but siren-like, +we obstinately refused to accede to the request. Finding threats +of no avail, they had recourse to stones, and, accordingly, flung +them at us in a most hearty manner. As one came within a foot of +my arm, I suggested that a bullet be sent in return in close +proximity to their feet; but Livingstone, though he said nothing, +yet showed plainly enough that he did not quite approve of this. +As these demonstrations of hostility were anything but welcome, +and as we saw signs of it almost every time we came opposite a +village, we kept on our way until we came to Murembwe Point, +which, being a delta of a river of the same name, was well +protected by a breadth of thorny jungle, spiky cane, and a thick +growth of reed and papyrus, from which the boldest Mrundi might +well shrink, especially if he called to mind that beyond this +inhospitable swamp were the guns of the strangers his like had +so rudely challenged. We drew our canoe ashore here, and, on +a limited area of clean sand, Ferajji, our rough-and-ready cook, +lit his fire, and manufactured for us a supply of most delicious +Mocha coffee. Despite the dangers which still beset us, we were +quite happy, and seasoned our meal with a little moral philosophy, +which lifted us unconsciously into infinitely superior beings to +the pagans by whom we were surrounded--upon whom we now looked down, +under the influence of Mocha coffee and moral philosophy, with +calm contempt, not unmixed with a certain amount of compassion. +The Doctor related some experiences he had had among people of +similar disposition, but did not fail to ascribe them, with the +wisdom of a man of ripe experiences, to the unwise conduct of +the Arabs and half-castes; in this opinion I unreservedly concur. + +From Murembwe Point, having finished our coffee and ended our +discourse on ethics, we proceeded on our voyage, steering for Cape +Sentakeyi, which, though it was eight or ten miles away, we hoped +to make before dark. The Wangwana pulled with right good will, but +ten hours went by, and night was drawing near, and we were still +far from Sentakeyi. As it was a fine moonlight night, and we were +fully alive to the dangerous position in which we might find +ourselves, they consented to pull an hour or two more. About 1 P.M., +we pulled in shore for a deserted spot--a clean shelf of sand, +about thirty feet long by ten deep, from which a clay bank rose +about ten or twelve feet above, while on each side there were +masses of disintegrated rock. Here we thought, that by preserving +some degree of silence, we might escape observation, and consequent +annoyance, for a few hours, when, being rested, we might continue +our journey. Our kettle was boiling for tea, and the men had built +a little fire for themselves, and had filled their black earthen pot +with water for porridge, when our look-outs perceived dark forms +creeping towards our bivouac. Being hailed, they at once came +forward, and saluted us with the native "Wake." Our guides +explained that we were Wangwana, and intended to camp until morning, +when, if they had anything to sell, we should be glad to trade with +them. They said they were rejoiced to hear this, and after they had +exchanged a few words more--during which time we observed that they +were taking mental notes of the camp--they went away. Upon leaving, +they promised to return in the morning with food, and make friends +with us. While drinking our tea, the look-outs warned us of the +approach of a second party, which went through the same process of +saluting and observing as the first had done. These also went away, +over-exuberant, as I thought, and were shortly succeeded by a +third party, who came and went as the others had. From all this we +inferred that the news was spreading rapidly through the villages +about, and we had noticed two canoes passing backwards and forwards +with rather more haste than we deemed usual or necessary. We had +good cause to be suspicious; it is not customary for people (at +least, between Ujiji and Zanzibar) to be about visiting and +saluting after dark, under any pretence; it is not permitted to +persons to prowl about camp after dark without being shot at; and +this going backward and forward, this ostentatious exuberance of +joy at the arrival of a small party of Wangwana, which in many +parts of Urundi would be regarded as a very common event, was +altogether very suspicious. While the Doctor and I were arriving +at the conclusion that these movements were preliminary to or +significant of hostility, a fourth body, very boisterous and loud, +came and visited us. Our supper had been by this time despatched, +and we thought it high time to act. The fourth party having gone +with extravagant manifestations of delight, the men were hurried +into the canoe, and, when all were seated, and the look-outs embarked, +we quietly pushed off, but not a moment too soon. As the canoe +was gliding from the darkened light that surrounded us, I called +the Doctor's attention to several dark forms; some of whom were +crouching behind the rocks on our right, and others scrambling +over them to obtain good or better positions; at the same time +people were approaching from the left of our position, in the +same suspicious way; and directly a voice hailed us from the +top of the clay bank overhanging the sandy shelf where we had +lately been resting. "Neatly done," cried the Doctor, as we +were shooting through the water, leaving the discomfited +would-be robbers behind us. Here, again, my hand was stayed from +planting a couple of good shots, as a warning to them in future +from molesting strangers, by the more presence of the Doctor, +who, as I thought, if it were actually necessary, would not +hesitate to give the word. + +After pulling six hours more, during which we had rounded Cape +Sentakeyi, we stopped at the small fishing village of Mugeyo, where +we were permitted to sleep unmolested. At dawn we continued our +journey, and about 8 A.M. arrived at the village of the friendly +Mutware of Magala. We had pulled for eighteen hours at a stretch, +which, at the rate of two miles and a half per hour, would make +forty-five miles. Taking bearings from our camp at Cape Magala, +one of the most prominent points in travelling north from Ujiji, we +found that the large island of Muzimu, which had been in sight ever +since rounding Cape Bangwe, near Ujiji Bunder, bore about +south-south-west, and that the western shore had considerably +approached to the eastern; the breadth of the lake being at this +point about eight or ten miles. We had a good view of the western +highlands, which seemed to be of an average height, about 3,000 +feet above the lake. Luhanga Peak, rising a little to the north of +west from Magala, might be about 500 feet higher; and Sumburizi, a +little north of Luhanga, where lived Mruta, Sultan of Uvira, the +country opposite to this part of Urundi, about 300 feet higher +than the neighbouring heights. Northward from Magala Cape the lake +streamed away between two chains of mountains; both meeting in a +point about thirty miles north of us. + +The Warundi of Magala were very civil, and profound starers. They +flocked around the tent door, and most pertinaciously gazed on us, +as if we were subjects of most intense interest, but liable to +sudden and eternal departure. The Mutware came to see us late in +the afternoon, dressed with great pomp. He turned out to be a boy +whom I had noticed in the crowd of gazers for his good looks and +fine teeth, which he showed, being addicted to laughing +continually. There was no mistaking him, though he was now +decorated with many ivory ornaments, with necklaces, and with +heavy brass bracelets and iron wire anklets. Our admiration of +him was reciprocated; and, in return for our two doti of cloth and +a fundo of samsam, he gave a fine fat and broad-tailed sheep, +and a pot of milk. In our condition both were extremely acceptable. + +At Magala we heard of a war raging between Mukamba, for whose +country we were bound, and Warumashanya, a Sultan of an adjoining +district; and we were advised that, unless we intended to assist +one of these chiefs against the other, it would be better for us to +return. But, as we had started to solve the problem of the Rusizi +River, such considerations had no weight with us. + +On the eighth morning from leaving Ujiji we bade farewell to the +hospitable people of Magala, and set off for Mukamba's country, +which was in view. Soon after passing the boundary between Urundi +proper, and what is known as Usige, a storm from the south-west +arose; and the fearful yawing of our canoe into the wave trough +warned us from proceeding further; so we turned her head for Kisuka +village, about four miles north, where Mugere, in Usige, begins. + +At Kisuka a Mgwana living with Mukamba came to see us, and gave us +details of the war between Mukamba and Warumashanya, from which it +seemed that these two chiefs were continually at loggerheads. It +is a tame way of fighting, after all. One chief makes a raid into +the other's country, and succeeds in making off with a herd of +cattle, killing one or two men who have been surprised. Weeks, or +perhaps months elapse before the other retaliates, and effects a +capture in a similar way, and then a balance is struck in which +neither is the gainer. Seldom do they attack each other with +courage and hearty goodwill, the constitution of the African +being decidedly against any such energetic warfare. + +This Mgwana, further, upon being questioned, gave us information +far more interesting, viz., about the Rusizi. He told us +positively, with the air of a man who knew all about it, and as +if anybody who doubted him might well be set down as an egregious +ass, that the Rusizi River flowed out of the lake, away to Suna's +(Mtesa's) country. "Where else could it flow to?" he asked. The +Doctor was inclined to believe it, or, perhaps he was more inclined +to let it rest as stated until our own eyes should confirm it. I +was more inclined to doubt, as I told the Doctor; first, it was +too good to be true; second, the fellow was too enthusiastic upon +a subject that could not possibly interest him. His "Barikallahs" +and "Inshallahs" were far too fervid; his answers too much in +accordance with our wishes. The Doctor laid great stress on the +report of a Mgwana he met far south, who stated that the grandfather +or father of Rumanika, present King of Karagwah, had thought of +excavating the bed of the Kitangule River, in order that his canoes +might go to Ujiji to open a trade. From this, I imagine, coinciding +as it did with his often-expressed and present firm belief that the +waters of the Tanganika had an outlet somewhere, the Doctor was +partial to the report of the Mgwana; but as we proceed we shall see +how all this will end. + +On the ninth morning from Ujiji, about two hours after sunrise, we +passed the broad delta of the Mugere, a river which gives its name +also to the district on the eastern shore ruled over by Mukamba. +We had come directly opposite the most southern of its three +mouths, when we found quite a difference in the colour of the water. +An almost straight line, drawn east and west from the mouth would +serve well to mark off the difference that existed between the waters. +On the south side was pure water of a light green, on the north side +it was muddy, and the current could be distinctly seen flowing north. +Soon after passing the first mouth we came to a second, and then a +third mouth, each only a few yards broad, but each discharging +sufficient water to permit our following the line of the currents +several rods north beyond the respective mouths. + +Beyond the third mouth of the Mugere a bend disclosed itself, with +groups of villages beyond on its bank. These were Mukamba's, and +in one of them lived Mukamba, the chief. The natives had yet never +seen a white man, and, of course, as soon as we landed we were +surrounded by a large concourse, all armed with long spears--the +only weapon visible amongst them save a club-stick, and here and +there a hatchet. + +We were shown into a hut, which the Doctor and I shared between +us. What followed on that day I have but a dim recollection, +having been struck down by fever--the first since leaving +Unyanyembe. I dimly recollect trying to make out what age Mukamba +might be, and noting that he was good-looking withal, and +kindly-disposed towards us. And during the intervals of agony and +unconsciousness, I saw, or fancied I saw, Livingstone's form moving +towards me, and felt, or fancied I felt, Livingstone's hand +tenderly feeling my hot head and limbs. I had suffered several +fevers between Bagamoyo and Unyanyembe, without anything or anybody +to relieve me of the tedious racking headache and pain, or to +illumine the dark and gloomy prospect which must necessarily +surround the bedside of the sick and solitary traveller. But +though this fever, having enjoyed immunity from it for three +months, was more severe than usual, I did not much regret its +occurrence, since I became the recipient of the very tender and +fatherly kindness of the good man whose companion I now found +myself. + +The next morning, having recovered slightly from the fever, when +Mukamba came with a present of an ox, a sheep, and a goat, I was +able to attend to the answers which he gave to the questions about +the Rusizi River and the head of the lake. The ever cheerful and +enthusiastic Mgwana was there also, and he was not a whit abashed, +when, through him, the chief told us that the Rusizi, joined by +the Ruanda, or Luanda, at a distance of two days' journey by +water, or one day by land from the head of the lake, flowed INTO +the lake. + +Thus our hopes, excited somewhat by the positive and repeated +assurances that the river flowed out away towards Karagwah, +collapsed as speedily as they were raised. + +We paid Mukamba the honga, consisting of nine doti and nine fundo +of samsam, lunghio, muzurio n'zige. The printed handkerchiefs, +which I had in abundance at Unyanyembe, would have gone well here. +After receiving his present, the chief introduced his son, a tall +youth of eighteen or thereabouts, to the Doctor, as a would-be son +of the Doctor; but, with a good-natured laugh, the Doctor scouted +all such relationship with him, as it was instituted only for the +purpose of drawing more cloth out of him. Mukamba took it in good +part, and did not insist on getting more. + +Our second evening at Mukamba's, Susi, the Doctor's servant, got +gloriously drunk, through the chief's liberal and profuse gifts +of pombe. Just at dawn neat morning I was awakened by hearing +several sharp, crack-like sounds. I listened, and I found the +noise was in our hut. It was caused by the Doctor, who, towards +midnight, had felt some one come and lie down by his side on the +same bed, and, thinking it was me, he had kindly made room, and +laid down on the edge of the bed. But in the morning, feeling +rather cold, he had been thoroughly awakened, and, on rising on +his elbow to see who his bed-fellow was, he discovered, to his +great astonishment, that it was no other than his black servant, +Susi, who taking possession of his blankets, and folding them about +himself most selfishly, was occupying almost the whole bed. The +Doctor, with that gentleness characteristic of him, instead of +taking a rod, had contented himself with slapping Susi on the back, +saying, "Get up, Susi, will you? You are in my bed. How dare you, +sir, get drunk in this way, after I have told you so often not to. +Get up. You won't? Take that, and that, and that." Still Susi +slept and grunted; so the slapping continued, until even Susi's +thick hide began to feel it, and he was thoroughly awakened to the +sense of his want of devotion and sympathy for his master in the +usurping of even his master's bed. Susi looked very much +crestfallen after this exposé of his infirmity before the "little +master," as I was called. + +The next day at dusk--Mukamba having come to bid us good-bye, and +requested that as soon as we reached his brother Ruhinga, whose +country was at the head of the lake, we would send our canoe back +for him, and that in the meanwhile we should leave two of our men +with him, with their guns, to help defend him in case Warumashanya +should attack him as soon as we were gone--we embarked and pulled +across. In nine hours we had arrived at the head of the lake in +Mugihewa, the country of Ruhinga; Mukamba's elder brother. In +looking back to where we had come from we perceived that we had +made a diagonal cut across from south-east to north-west, instead +of having made a direct east and west course; or, in other words, +from Mugere--which was at least ten miles from the northernmost +point of the eastern shore--we had come to Mugihewa, situated at +the northernmost point of the western shore. Had we continued +along the eastern shore, and so round the northern side of the lake, +we should have passed by Mukanigi, the country of Warumashanya, +and Usumbura of Simveh, his ally and friend. But by making a +diagonal course, as just described, we had arrived at the extreme +head of the lake without any difficulty. + +The country in which we now found ourselves, Mugihewa, is situated +in the delta of the Rusizi River. It is an extremely flat +country, the highest part of which is not ten feet above the lake, +with numerous depressions in it overgrown with the rankest of +matete-grass and the tallest of papyrus, and pond-like hollows, +filled with stagnant water, which emit malaria wholesale. Large +herds of cattle are reared on it; for where the ground is not +covered with marshy plants it produces rich, sweet grass. The sheep +and goats, especially the former, are always in good condition; and +though they are not to be compared with English or American sheep, +they are the finest I have seen in Africa. Numerous villages are +seen on this land because the intervening spaces are not occupied +with the rank and luxuriant jungle common in other parts of Africa. +Were it not for the Euphorbia kolquall of Abyssinia--which some +chief has caused to be planted as a defence round the villages-- +one might see from one end of Mugihewa to the other. The waters +along the head of the lake, from the western to the eastern shores, +swarm with crocodiles. From the banks, I counted ten heads of +crocodiles, and the Rusizi, we were told, was full of them. + +Ruhinga, who came to see us soon after we had taken up our quarters +in his village, was a most amiable man, who always contrived to see +something that excited his risibility; though older by five or +six years perhaps--he said he was a hundred years old--than Mukamba, +he was not half so dignified, nor regarded with so much admiration +by his people as his younger brother. Ruhinga had a better +knowledge, however, of the country than Mukamba, and an admirable +memory, and was able to impart his knowledge of the country +intelligently. After he had done the honours as chief to us-- +presented us with an ox and a sheep, milk and honey--we were not +backward in endeavouring to elicit as much information as possible +out of him. + +The summary of the information derived from Ruhinga may be stated +as follows: + +The country bordering the head of the lake from Urundi proper, +on the eastern shore, to Uvira on the western, is divided into the +following districts: +1st. Mugere, governed by Mukamba, through which issued into the lake +the small rivers of Mugere and Mpanda. +2nd. Mukanigi, governed by Warumashanya, which occupied the whole +of the north-eastern head of the lake, through which issued into +the lake the small rivers of Karindwa and Mugera wa Kanigi. +3rd. On the eastern half of the district, at the head of the lake, +was Usumbura, governed by Simveh, ally and friend of Warumashanya, +extending to the eastern bank of the Rusizi. +4th. Commencing from the western bank of the Rusizi, to the extreme +north-western head of the lake, was Mugihewa--Ruhinga's country. +5th. From Uvira on the west, running north past Mugihewa, and +overlapping it on the north side as far as the hills of Chamati, +was Ruwenga, also a country governed by Mukamba. Beyond Ruwenga, +from the hills of Chamati to the Ruanda River, was the country of +Chamati. West of Ruwenga, comprising all the mountains for two +days' journey in that direction, was Uashi. These are the +smaller sub-divisions of what is commonly known as Ruwenga and +Usige. Ruwenga comprises the countries of Ruwenga and Mugihewa; +Usige, the countries of Usumbura, Mukanigi, and Mugere. But all +these countries are only part and parcel of Urundi, which +comprises all that country bordering the lake from Mshala River, +on the eastern shore, to Uvira, on the western, extending over +ten days' journey direct north from the head of the lake, and +one month in a northeastern direction to Murukuko, the capital +of Mwezi, Sultan of all Urundi. Direct north of Urundi is Ruanda; +also a very large country. + +The Rusizi River--according to Ruhinga--rose near a lake called +Kivo, which he said is as long as from Mugihawa to Mugere, and +as broad as from Mugihewa to Warumashanya's country, or, say +eighteen miles in length by about eight in breadth. The lake is +surrounded by mountains on the western and northern sides: on the +south-western side of one of these mountains issues the Rusizi--at +first a small rapid stream; but as it proceeds towards the lake it +receives the rivers Kagunissi, Kaburan, Mohira, Nyamagana, +Nyakagunda, Ruviro, Rofubu, Kavimvira, Myove, Ruhuha, Mukindu, +Sange, Rubirizi, Kiriba, and, lastly, the Ruanda River, which seems +to be the largest of them all. Kivo Lake is so called from the +country in which it is situated. On one side is Mutumbi (probably +the Utumbi of Speke and Baker), on the west is Ruanda; on the east +is Urundi. The name of the chief of Kivo is Kwansibura. + +After so many minute details about the River Rusizi, it only +remained for us to see it. On the second morning of our arrival +at Mugihewa we mustered ten strong paddlers, and set out to explore +the head of the lake and the mouth of the Rusizi. We found that +the northern head of the lake was indented with seven broad bays, +each from one and a half to three miles broad; that long broad +spits of sand, overgrown with matete, separated each bay from the +other. The first, starting from west to east, at the broadest part, +to the extreme southern point of Mugihewa, was about three miles +broad, and served as a line of demarcation between Mukamba's district +of Ruwenga and Mugihewa of Ruhinga; it was also two miles deep. +The second bay was a mile from the southern extremity of Mugihewa +to Ruhinga's village at the head of the bay, and it was a mile +across to another spit of sand which was terminated by a small +island. The third bay stretched for nearly a mile to a long spit, +at the end of which was another island, one and a quarter mile +in length, and was the western side of the fourth bay, at the +head of which was the delta of the Rusizi. This fourth bay, at +its base, was about three miles in depth, and penetrated half +a mile further inland than any other. Soundings indicated six +feet deep, and the same depth was kept to within a few hundred +yards of the principal mouth of the Rusizi. The current was +very sluggish; not more than a mile an hour. Though we +constantly kept our binocular searching for the river, we +could not see the main channel until within 200 yards of it, +and then only by watching by what outlet the fishing; canoes came +out. The bay at this point had narrowed from two miles to about +200 yards in breadth. Inviting a canoe to show us the way, a +small flotilla of canoes preceded us, from the sheer curiosity +of their owners. We followed, and in a few minutes were ascending +the stream, which was very rapid, though but about ten yards wide, +and very shallow; not more than two feet deep. We ascended about +half a mile, the current being very strong, from six to eight miles +an hour, and quite far enough to observe the nature of the stream +at its embouchure. We could see that it widened and spread out in +a myriad of channels, rushing by isolated clumps of sedge and +matete grass; and that it had the appearance of a swamp. We had +ascended the central, or main channel. The western channel was +about eight yards broad. We observed, after we had returned to +the bay, that the easternmost channel was about six yards broad, +and about ten feet deep, but very sluggish. We had thus examined +each of its three mouths, and settled all doubts as to the Rusizi +being an effluent or influent. It was not necessary to ascend +higher, there being nothing about the river itself to repay +exploration of it. + +The question, "Was the Rusizi an effluent or an influent?" was +answered for ever. There was now no doubt any more on that point. +In size it was not to be compared with the Malagarazi River, +neither is it, or can it be, navigable for anything but the smallest +canoes. The only thing remarkable about it is that it abounds in +crocodiles, but not one hippopotamus was seen; which may be taken +as another evidence of its shallowness. The bays to the east of +the Rusizi are of the same conformation as those on the west. +Carefully judging from the width of the several bays from point +to point, and of the several spits which separate them, the breadth +of the lake may be said to be about twelve or fourteen miles. Had +we contented ourselves with simply looking at the conformation, +and the meeting of the eastern and western ranges, we should have +said that the lake ended in a point, as Captain Speke has sketched +it on his map. But its exploration dissolved that idea. Chamati +Hill is the extreme northern termination of the western range, +and seems, upon a superficial examination, to abut against the Ramata +mountains of the eastern range, which are opposite Chamati; but a +valley about a mile in breadth separates the two ranges, and +through this valley the Rusizi flows towards the lake.* Though +Chamati terminates the western range, the eastern range continues +for miles beyond, north-westerly. After its issue from this broad +gorge, the Rusizi runs seemingly in a broad and mighty stream, +through a wide alluvial plain, its own formation, in a hundred +channels, until, approaching the lake, it flows into it by three +channels only, as above described. +______________ +* After the patient investigation of the North end of the Lake, +and satisfying ourselves by personal observation that the Rusizi +ran into the Lake, the native rumor which Sir Samuel Baker brought +home that the Tanganika and the Albert N'Yanza have a water +connection still finds many believers! +______________ + +I should not omit to state here, that though the Doctor and I have +had to contend against the strong current of the Rusizi River, as +it flowed swift and strong INTO the Tanganika, the Doctor still +adheres to the conviction that, whatever part the Rusizi plays, +there must be an outlet to the Tanganika somewhere, from the fact +that all fresh-water lakes have outlets, The Doctor is able to state +his opinions and reasons far better than I can find for him; and, +lest I misconstrue the subject, I shall leave it until he has an +opportunity to explain them himself; which his great knowledge of +Africa will enable him to do with advantage. + +One thing is evident to me, and I believe to the Doctor, that Sir +Samuel Baker will have to curtail the Albert N'Yanza by one, if +not two degrees of latitude. That well-known traveller has drawn +his lake far into the territory of the Warundi, while Ruanda has +been placed on the eastern side; whereas a large portion of it, +if not all, should be placed north of what he has designated on +his map as Usige. The information of such an intelligent man as +Ruhinga is not to be despised; for, if Lake Albert came within a +hundred miles of the Tanganika, he would surely have heard of its +existence, even if he had not seen it himself. Originally he came +from Mutumbi, and he has travelled from that country into Mugihewa, +the district he now governs. He has seen Mwezi, the great King of +Urundi, and describes him as a man about forty years old, and as a +very good man. + +Our work was now done; there was nothing more to detain us at +Mugihewa. Ruhinga had been exceedingly kind, and given us one +ox after another to butcher and eat. Mukamba had done the same. +Their women had supplied us with an abundance of milk and butter, +and we had now bounteous supplies of both. + +The Doctor had taken a series of observations for latitude and +longitude; and Mugihewa was made out to be in 3 degrees 19 minutes +S. latitude. + +On the 7th December, early in the morning, we left Mugihewa, and +rowing past the southern extremity of the Katangara Islands, we +approached the highlands of Uashi near the boundary line between +Mukamba's country and Uvira. The boundary line is supposed to be +a wide ravine, in the depths of which is a grove of tall, beautiful, +and straight-stemmed trees, out of which the natives make their canoes. + +Passing Kanyamabengu River, which issues into the lake close to the +market-ground of Kirabula, the extreme point of Burton and Speke's +explorations of the Tanganika, we steered south along the western +shore of the lake for half an hour longer to Kavimba, where we +halted to cook breakfast. + +The village where lived Mruta, the King of Uvira, was in sight of +our encampment, and as we observed parties of men ascending and +descending the mountains much more often than we thought augured +good to ourselves, we determined to continue on our course south. +Besides, there was a party of disconsolate-looking Wajiji here, +who had been plundered only a few days before our arrival, for +attempting, as the Wavira believed, to evade the honga payment. +Such facts as these, and our knowledge of the general state of +insecurity in the country, resulting from the many wars in which +the districts of the Tanganika were engaged, determined us not to +halt at Kavimba. + +We embarked quickly in our boat before the Wavira had collected +themselves, and headed south against a strong gale, which came +driving down on us from the south-west. After a hard pull of about +two hours in the teeth of the storm, which was rapidly rising, we +pointed the head of the boat into a little quiet cove, almost +hidden in tall reeds, and disembarked for the night. + +Cognizant of the dangers which surrounded us, knowing, that savage +and implacable man was the worst enemy we had to fear, we employed +our utmost energies in the construction of a stout fence of thorn +bushes, and then sat down to supper after our work was done, and +turned in to sleep; but not before we had posted watchmen to guard +our canoe, lest the daring thieves of Uvira might abstract it, in +which case we should have been in a pretty plight, and in most +unenviable distress. + +At daybreak, leaving Kukumba Point after our humble breakfast of +coffee, cheese, and dourra cakes was despatched, we steered south +once more. Our fires had attracted the notice of the sharp-eyed +and suspicious fishermen of Kukumba; but our precautions and the +vigilant watch we had set before retiring, had proved an effectual +safeguard against the Kivira thieves. + +The western shores of the lake as we proceeded were loftier, and +more bold than the wooded heights of Urundi and bearded knolls of +Ujiji. A back ridge--the vanguard of the mountains which rise +beyond--disclosed itself between the serrated tops of the front +line of mountains, which rose to a height of from 2,500 to 3,000 +feet above the lake. Within the folds of the front line of +mountains rise isolated hills of considerable magnitude, precipitous +and abrupt, but scenically very picturesque. The greater part of +these hills have the rounded and smooth top, or are tabularly +summited. The ridge enfolding these hills shoots out, at intervals, +promontorial projections of gradual sloping outlines, which on the +map I have designated capes, or points. When rounding these points, +up went our compasses for the taking of bearings, and observing +the directions of all prominent objects of interest. Often these +capes are formed by the alluvial plains, through which we may be +sure a river will be found flowing. These pretty alluvial plains, +enfolded on the south, the west, and the north by a grand mountain +arc, present most luxurious and enchanting scenery. The vegetation +seems to be of spontaneous growth. Groups of the Elaeis Guineansis +palm embowering some dun-brown village; an array of majestic, +superb growth of mvule trees; a broad extent covered with vivid +green sorghum stalks; parachute-like tops of mimosa; a line of white +sand, on which native canoes are drawn far above the reach of the +plangent, uneasy surf; fishermen idly reclining in the shade of a +tree;--these are the scenes which reveal themselves to us as we +voyage in our canoe on the Tanganika. When wearied with the romance +of wild tropic scenes such as these, we have but to lift our eyes +to the great mountain tops looming darkly and grandly on our right; +to watch the light pencilling of the cirrus, brushing their summits, +as it is drifted toward the north by the rising wind: to watch the +changing forms which the clouds assume, from the fleecy horizontal +bars of the cirrus, to the denser, gloomier cumulus, prognosticator +of storm and rain, which soon settles into a portentous group--Alps +above Alps, one above another--and we know the storm which was +brewing is at hand, and that it is time to seek shelter. + +Passing Muikamba, we saw several groves of the tall mvule tree. +As far as Bemba the Wabembe occupy the mountain summits, while +the Wavira cultivate the alluvial plains along the base and lower +slopes of the mountain. At Bemba we halted to take in pieces of +pipe-clay, in accordance with the superstition of the Wajiji, who +thought us certain of safe passage and good fortune if we complied +with the ancient custom. + +Passing Ngovi, we came to a deep bend, which curved off to Cape +Kabogi at the distance of ten miles. About two-thirds of the way +we arrived at a group of islets, three in number, all very steep +and rocky; the largest about 300 feet in length at the base, and +about 200 feet in breadth. Here we made preparations to halt for +the night. The inhabitants of the island were a gorgeously-feathered +old cock, which was kept as a propitiatory offering to the spirit +of the island, a sickly yellow-looking thrush, a hammer-headed +stork, and two fish-hawks, who, finding we had taken possession of +what had been religiously reserved for them, took flight to the +most western island, where from their perches they continued +to eye us most solemnly. As these islands were with difficulty +pronounced by us as Kavunvweh, the Doctor, seeing that they were +the only objects we were likely to discover, named them the +"'New York Herald' Islets;" and, in confirmation of the new +designation given them, shook hands with me upon it. Careful +dead-reckoning settled them to be in lat. 3 degrees 41 minutes S. + +The summit of the largest island was well adapted to take bearings, +and we improved the opportunity, as most extensive views of the +broad and lengthy lake and surrounding lines of imposing mountains +were attainable. The Ramata Hills were clearly visible, and bore +N.N.E. from it; Katanga Cape, S.E. by S.; Sentakeyi, E.S.E.; +Magala, E. by N.; south-western point of Muzimu bore S., northern +point of Muzimu island, S.S.E. + +At dawn on the 9th December we prepared to resume our voyage. +Once or twice in the night we had been visited by fishermen, but +our anxious watchfulness prevented any marauding. It seemed to me, +however, that the people of the opposite shore, who were our +visitors, were eagerly watching an opportunity to pounce upon +our canoe, or take us bodily for a prey; and our men were +considerably affected by these thoughts, if we may judge from +the hearty good-will with which they rowed away from our late +encampment. + +Arriving at Cape Kabogi, we came to the territory of the Wasansi. +We knew we were abreast of a different tribe by the greeting +"Moholo," which a group of fishermen gave us; as that of the +Wavira was "Wake," like that of Urundi, Usige, and Uhha. + +We soon sighted Cape Luvumba--a sloping projection of a mountain +ridge which shot far into the lake. As a storm was brewing, we +steered for a snug little cove that appeared before a village; +and, drawing our canoe from the water, began to set the tent, and +make other preparations for passing the night. + +As the natives appeared quiet and civil enough, we saw no reason +to suspect that they entertained any hostility to Arabs and +Wangwana. Accordingly we had our breakfast cooked, and as usual +laid down for an afternoon nap. I soon fell asleep, and was +dreaming away in my tent, in happy oblivion of the strife and +contention that had risen since I had gone to sleep, when I heard +a voice hailing me with, "Master, master! get up, quick. Here +is a fight going to begin!" I sprang up, and snatching my revolver +belt from the gun-stand, walked outside. Surely, there appeared to +be considerable animus between the several factions; between a +noisy, vindictive-looking set of natives of the one part, and our +people of the other part. Seven or eight of our people had taken +refuge behind the canoe, and had their loaded guns half pointing at +the passionate mob, which was momentarily increasing in numbers, +but I could not see the Doctor anywhere. + +"Where is the Doctor?" I asked. + +"He has gone over that hill, sir, with his compass," said Selim. + +"Anybody with him?" + +"Susi and Chumah." + +"You, Bombay, send two men off to warn the Doctor, and tell him +to hurry up here." + +But just at this period the Doctor and his two men appeared on the +brow of the hill, looking down in a most complacent manner upon the +serio-comic scene that the little basin wherein we were encamped +presented. For, indeed, despite the serious aspect of it, there +was much that was comical blended with it--in a naked young man +who--perfectly drunk, barely able to stand on his feet--was beating +the ground with his only loin-cloth, screaming and storming away +like a madman; declaring by this, and by that, in his own choice +language, that no Mgwana or Arab should halt one moment on the +sacred soil of Usansi. His father, the Sultan, was as inebriated +as himself, though not quite so violent in his behaviour. In the +meantime the Doctor arrived upon the scene, and Selim had slipped +my Winchester rifle, with the magazine full of cartridges, into my +hand. The Doctor calmly asked what was the matter, and was +answered by the Wajiji guides that the people wished us to leave, +as they were on hostile terms with the Arabs, because the eldest +son of the Sultan of Muzimu, the large island nearly opposite, had +been beaten to death by a Baluch, named Khamis, at Ujiji, because +the young fellow had dared look into his harem, and ever since +peace had been broken between the Wasansi and Arabs. + +After consulting with the guides, the Doctor and I came to the +conclusion that it were better that we should endeavour to pacify +the Sultan by a present, rather than take offence at a drunken boy's +extravagant freak. In his insane fury he had attempted to slash at +one of my men with a billhook he carried. This had been taken as +a declaration of hostilities, and the soldiers were ready enough +to engage in war; but there was no necessity to commence fighting +with a drunken mob, who could have been cleared off the ground +with our revolvers alone had we desired it. + +The Doctor, baring his arm, said to them that he was not a Mgwana, +or an Arab; but a white man; that Arabs and Wangwana had no such +colour as we had. We were white men, different people altogether +from those whom they were accustomed to see: that no black men +had ever suffered injury from white men. This seemed to produce +great effect, for after a little gentle persuasion the drunken +youth, and his no less inebriate sire, were induced to sit down +to talk quietly. In their conversation with us, they frequently +referred to Mombo, the son of Kisesa, Sultan of Muzimu, who was +brutally murdered. "Yes, brutally murdered!" they exclaimed +several times, in their own tongue; illustrating, by a faithful +pantomime, how the unfortunate youth had died. + +Livingstone continued talking with them in a mild, paternal way, +and their loud protestations against Arab cruelty were about to +subside, when the old Sultan suddenly rose up and began to pace +about in an excited manner, and in one of his perambulations +deliberately slashed his leg with the sharp blade of his spear, +and then exclaimed that the Wangwana had wounded him! + +At this cry one half of the mob hastily took to flight, but one +old woman, who carried a strong staff with a carved lizard's body +on its top, commenced to abuse the chief with all the power of her +voluble tongue, charging him with a desire to have them all killed, +and other women joined in with her in advising him to be quiet, +and accept the present we were willing to give. + +But it is evident that there was little needed to cause all men +present in that little hollow to begin a most sanguinary strife. +The gentle, patient bearing of the Doctor had more effect than +anything else in making all forbear bloodshed, while there was +left the least chance of an amicable settlement, and in the end +it prevailed. The Sultan and his son were both sent on their way +rejoicing. + +While the Doctor conversed with them, and endeavoured to calm their +fierce passions, I had the tent struck, and the canoes launched, +and the baggage stowed, and when the negotiations had concluded +amicably, I begged the Doctor to jump into the boat, as this +apparent peace was simply a lull before a storm; besides, said I, +there are two or three cowardly creatures in the boat, who, in +case of another disturbance, would not scruple to leave both of us +here. + +From Cape Luvumba, about 4.30 P.M. we commenced pulling across; +at 8 P.M. we were abreast of Cape Panza, the northern extremity +of the island of Muzimu; at 6 A.M. we were southward of Bikari, +and pulling for Mukungu, in Urundi, at which place we arrived at +10 A.M., having been seventeen hours and a half in crossing the +lake, which, computing at two miles an hour, may be said to be +thirty-five miles direct breadth, and a little more than +forty-three miles from Cape Luvumba. + +On the 11th of December, after seven hours' pulling, we arrived at +picturesque Zassi again; on the 12th, at the pretty cove of Niasanga; +and at 11 A.M. we had rounded past Bangwe, and Ujiji was before us. + +We entered the port very quietly, without the usual firing of +guns, as we were short of powder and ball. As we landed, our +soldiers and the Arab magnates came to the water's edge to greet +us. + +Mabruki had a rich budget to relate to us, of what had occurred +during our absence. This faithful man, left behind in charge of +Livingstone's house, had done most excellently. Kalulu had scalded +himself, and had a frightful raw sore on his chest in consequence. +Mabruki had locked up Marora in chains for wounding one of the +asses. Bilali, the stuttering coward, a bully of women, had +caused a tumult in the market-place, and had been sharply +belaboured with the stick by Mabruki. And, above all most +welcome, was a letter I received from the American Consul at +Zanzibar, dated June 11th, containing telegrams from Paris as late +as April 22nd of the same year! Poor Livingstone exclaimed, "And +I have none. What a pleasant thing it is to have a real and good +friend!" + +Our voyage on the Tanganika had lasted twenty-eight days, during +which time we had traversed over 300 miles of water. + + + +CHAPTER XIV. OUR JOURNEY FROM UJIJI TO UNYANYEMBE. + + +We felt quite at home when we sat down on our black bear-skin, gay +Persian carpet and clean new mats, to rest with our backs to the +wall, sipping our tea with the air of comfortable men, and chat +over the incidents of the "picnic," as Livingstone persisted in +calling our journey to the Rusizi. It seemed as if old times, +which we loved to recall, had come back again, though our house +was humble enough in its aspect, and our servants were only naked +barbarians; but it was near this house that I had met him-- +Livingstone--after that eventful march from Unyanyembe; it was on +this same veranda that I listened to that wonderful story of his +about those far, enchanting regions west of the Lake Tanganika; +it was in this same spot that I first became acquainted with him; +and ever since my admiration has been growing for him, and I feel +elated when he informs me that he must go to Unyanyembe under my +escort, and at my expense. The old mud walls and the bare rafters, +and the ancient thatched roof, and this queer-looking old veranda, +will have an historical interest for me while I live, and so, while +I can, I have taken pains and immortalized the humble old building +by a sketch. + +I have just said that my admiration for Livingstone has been +growing. This is true. The man that I was about to interview +so calmly and complacently, as I would interview any prominent +man with the view of specially delineating his nature, or detailing +his opinions, has conquered me. I had intended to interview him, +report in detail what he said, picture his life and his figure, +then bow him my "au revoir," and march back. That he was specially +disagreeable and brusque in his manner, which would make me quarrel +with him immediately, was firmly fixed in my mind. + +But Livingstone--true, noble Christian, generous-hearted, frank +man--acted like a hero, invited me to his house, said he was glad +to see me, and got well on purpose to prove the truth of his +statement, "You have brought new life unto me;" and when I fell +sick with the remittent fever, hovering between life and death, +he attended me like a father, and we have now been together for +more than a month. + +Can you wonder, then, that I like this man, whose face is the +reflex of his nature, whose heart is essentially all goodness, +whose aims are so high, that I break out impetuously sometimes: +"But your family, Doctor, they would like to see you, oh! so much. +Let me tempt you to come home with me. I promise to carry you +every foot of the way to the coast. You shall have the finest +donkey to ride that is in Unyanyembe. Your wants--you have but +to hint them, and they shall be satisfied. Let the sources of +the Nile go--do you come home and rest; then, after a year's rest, +and restored health, you can return and finish what you have to do." + +But ever the answer was, "No, I should like to see my family +very much indeed. My children's letters affect me intensely; +but I must not go home; I must finish my task. It is only the +want of supplies that has detained me. I should have finished +the discovery of the Nile by this, by tracing it to its connection +with either Baker's Lake, or Petherick's branch of the Nile. If +I had only gone one month further, I could have said, 'the work +is done."' + +Some of these men who had turned the Doctor back from his +interesting discoveries were yet in Ujiji, and had the Government +Enfield rifles in their hands, which they intended to retain until +their wages had been paid to them; but as they had received $60 +advance each at Zanzibar from the English Consul, with the +understanding entered into by contract that they should follow +their master wherever he required them to go; and as they had +not only not gone where they were required to proceed with him, +but had baffled and thwarted him, it was preposterous that a few +men should triumph over the Doctor, by keeping the arms given to +him by the Bombay Government. I had listened to the Arab +sheikhs, friends of the Doctor, advising them in mild tones to give +them up; I had witnessed the mutineer's stubbornness; and it was +then, on the burzani of Sayd bin Majid's house, that I took +advantage to open my mind on the subject, not only for the +benefit of the stubborn slaves, but also for the benefit of the +Arabs; and to tell them that it was well that I had found +Livingstone alive, for if they had but injured a hair of his head, +I should have gone back to the coast, to return with a party which +would enable me to avenge him. I had been waiting to see +Livingstone's guns returned to him every day, hoping that I should +not have to use force; but when a month or more had elapsed, and +still the arms had not been returned, I applied for permission to +take them, which was granted. Susi, the gallant servant of Dr. +Livingstone, was immediately despatched with about a dozen armed +men to recover them, and in a few minutes we had possession of them +without further trouble. + +The Doctor had resolved to accompany me to Unyanyembe, in order to +meet his stores, which had been forwarded from Zanzibar, November +1st, 1870. As I had charge of the escort, it was my duty to +study well the several routes to Unyanyembe from Ujiji. I was +sufficiently aware of the difficulties and the responsibilities +attached to me while escorting such a man. Besides, my own +personal feelings were involved in the case. If Livingstone +came to any harm through any indiscretion of mine while he was +with me, it would immediately be said, "Ah! had he not +accompanied Stanley, he would have been alive now." + +I took out my chart--the one I had made myself--in which I had +perfect faith, and I sketched out a route which would enable us +to reach Unyanyembe without paying a single cloth as tribute, +and without encountering any worse thing than a jungle, by which +we could avoid all the Wavinza and the plundering Wahha. This +peaceable, secure route led by water, south, along the coast of +Ukaranga and Ukawendi, to Cape Tongwe. Arriving at Cape Tongwe, +I should be opposite the village of Itaga, Sultan Imrera, in the +district of Rusawa of Ukawendi; after which we should strike my +old road, which I had traversed from Unyanyembe, when bound for +Ujiji. I explained it to the Doctor, and he instantly recognised +its feasibility and security; and if I struck Imrera, as I +proposed to do, it would demonstrate whether my chart was correct +or not. + +We arrived at Ujiji from our tour of discovery, north of the +Tanganika, December 13th; and from this date the Doctor commenced +writing his letters to his numerous friends, and to copy into his +mammoth Letts's Diary, from his field books, the valuable +information he had acquired during his years of travel south and +west of the Tanganika. I sketched him while sitting in his +shirt-sleeves in the veranda, with his Letts's Diary on his knee; +and the likeness on the frontispiece is an admirable portrait of +him, because the artist who has assisted me, has with an intuitive +eye, seen the defects in my own sketch; and by this I am enabled +to restore him to the reader's view exactly as I saw him--as he +pondered on what he had witnessed during his long marches. + +Soon after my arrival at Ujiji, he had rushed to his paper, and +indited a letter to James Gordon Bennett, Esq., wherein he +recorded his thanks; and after he had finished it, I asked him +to add the word "Junior" to it, as it was young Mr. Bennett to +whom he was indebted. I thought the letter admirable, and +requested the Doctor not to add another word to it. The feelings +of his heart had found expression in the grateful words he had +written; and if I judged Mr. Bennett rightly, I knew he would +be satisfied with it. For it was not the geographical news he +cared so much about, as the grand fact of Livingstone's being +alive or dead. + +In this latter part of December he was writing letters to his +children, to Sir Roderick Murchison, and to Lord Granville. +He had intended to have written to the Earl of Clarendon, but +it was my sad task to inform him of the death of that +distinguished nobleman. + +In the meantime I was preparing the Expedition for its return +march to Unyanyembe, apportioning the bales and luggage, the +Doctor's large tin boxes, and my own among my own men; for I +had resolved upon permitting the Doctor's men to march as +passengers, because they had so nobly performed their duty +to their master. + +Sayd bin Majid had left, December 12, for Mirambo's country, +to give the black Bonaparte battle for the murder of his son +Soud in the forests of Wilyankuru; and he had taken with him 300 +stout fellows, armed with guns, from Ujiji. The stout-hearted +old chief was burning with rage and resentment, and a fine warlike +figure he made with his 7-foot gun. Before we had departed for +the Rusizi, I had wished him bon voyage, and expressed a hope +that he would rid the Central African world of the tyrant Mirambo. + +On the 20th of December the rainy season was ushered in with heavy +rain, thunder, lightning, and hail; the thermometer falling to +66 degrees Fahrenheit. The evening of this day I was attacked with +urticaria, or "nettle rash," for the third time since arriving in +Africa, and I suffered a woeful sickness; and it was the forerunner +of an attack of remittent fever, which lasted four days. This is +the malignant type, which has proved fatal to so many African +travellers on the Zambezi, the White Nile, the Congo, and the Niger. +The head throbs, the pulses bound, the heart struggles painfully, +while the sufferer's thoughts are in a strange world, such only as +a sick man's fancy can create. This was the fourth attack of +fever since the day I met Livingstone. The excitement of the +march, and the high hope which my mind constantly nourished, +had kept my body almost invincible against an attack of fever +while advancing towards Ujiji; but two weeks after the great event +had transpired my energies were relaxed, my mind was perfectly +tranquil, and I became a victim. + +Christmas came, and the Doctor and I had resolved upon the blessed +and time-honoured day being kept as we keep it in Anglo-Saxon +lands, with a feast such as Ujiji could furnish us. The fever had +quite gone from me the night before, and on Christmas morning, +though exceedingly weak, I was up and dressed, and lecturing +Ferajji, the cook, upon the importance of this day to white men, +and endeavouring to instil into the mind of the sleek and pampered +animal some cunning secrets of the culinary art. Fat broad-tailed +sheep, goats, zogga and pombe, eggs, fresh milk, plantains, singwe, +fine cornflour, fish, onions, sweet potatoes, &c., &c., were +procured in the Ujiji market, and from good old Moeni Kheri. +But, alas! for my weakness. Ferajji spoiled the roast, and our +custard was burned--the dinner was a failure. That the fat-brained +rascal escaped a thrashing was due only to my inability to lift +my hands for punishment; but my looks were dreadful and alarming, +and capable of annihilating any one except Ferajji. The stupid, +hard-headed cook only chuckled, and I believe he had the subsequent +gratification of eating the pies, custards, and roast that his +carelessness had spoiled for European palates. + +Sayd bin Majid, previous to his departure, had left orders that +we should be permitted to use his canoe for our homeward trip, +and Moeni Kheri kindly lent his huge vessel for the same purpose. +The Expedition, now augmented by the Doctor and his five servants, +and their luggage, necessitated the employment of another canoe. +We had our flocks of milch-goats and provision of fat sheep for +the jungle of Ukawendi, the transit of which I was about to attempt. +Good Halimah, Livingstone's cook, had made ready a sackful of fine +flour, such as she only could prepare in her fond devotion for her +master. Hamoydah, her husband, also had freely given his +assistance and attention to this important article of food. +I purchased a donkey for the Doctor, the only one available in +Ujiji, lest the Doctor might happen to suffer on the long march +from his ancient enemy. In short, we were luxuriously furnished +with food, sheep, goats, cheese, cloth, donkeys, and canoes, +sufficient to convey us a long distance; we needed nothing more. + +The 27th of December has arrived; it is the day of our departure +from Ujiji. I was probably about to give an eternal farewell to +the port whose name will for ever be sacred in my memory. The +canoes--great lumbering hollow trees--are laden with good things; +the rowers are in their places; the flag of England is hoisted at +the stern of the Doctor's canoe; the flag of America waves and +rustles joyously above mine; and I cannot look at them without +feeling a certain pride that the two Anglo-Saxon nations are +represented this day on this great inland sea, in the face of +wild nature and barbarism. + +We are escorted to our boats by the great Arab merchants, by the +admiring children of Unyamwezi, by the freemen of Zanzibar, by +wondering Waguhha and Wajiji, by fierce Warundi, who are on this +day quiet, even sorrowful, that the white men are going-"Whither?" +they all ask. + +At 8 A.M. we start, freely distributing our farewells as the +Arabs and quidnuncs wave their hands. On the part of one or two +of them there was an attempt to say something sentimental and +affecting, especially by the convicted sinner Mohammed bin Sali; +but though outwardly I manifested no disapprobation of his words, +or of the emphatic way in which he shook my hand, I was not sorry +to see the last of him, after his treachery to Livingstone in +1869. I was earnestly requested to convey to Unyanyembe "Mengi +salaams" to everybody, but had I done so, as he evidently desired +me to do, I would not have been surprised at being regarded by all +as hopelessly imbecile. + +We pushed off from the clayey bank at the foot of the market-place, +while the land party, unencumbered with luggage, under the +leadership of gigantic Asmani and Bombay, commenced their journey +southward along the shores of the lake. We had arranged to meet them +at the mouth of every river to transport them across from bank to bank. + +The Doctor being in Sayd bin Majid's boat, which was a third or so +shorter than the one under my command, took the lead, with the +British flag, held aloft by a bamboo, streaming behind like a +crimson meteor. My boat-manned by Wajiji sailors, whom we had +engaged to take the canoes back from Tongwe Cape to Ujiji Bunder-- +came astern, and had a much taller flagstaff, on which was hoisted +the ever-beautiful Stars and Stripes. Its extreme height drew from +the Doctor--whose patriotism and loyalty had been excited--the remark +that he would cut down the tallest palmyra for his flagstaff, as it +was not fitting that the British flag should be so much lower than +that of the United States. + +Our soldiers were not a whit behind us in lightheartedness at the +thought of going to Unyanyembe. They struck up the exhilarating +song of the Zanzibar boatmen, with the ecstatic chorus-- + +Kinan de re re Kitunga, + +rowing away like madmen, until they were compelled to rest from +sheer exhaustion, while the perspiration exuded from the pores of +their bodies in streams. When refreshed, they bent back to their +oars, raising the song of the Mrima-- + +O mama, re de mi Ky, + +which soon impelled them to an extravagant effort again, It was +by this series of ferocious spurts, racing, shouting, singing, +perspiring, laughing, groaning, and puffing, that our people vented +their joyous feelings, as the thought filled their minds that we +were homeward bound, and that by the route I had adopted between +us and Unyanyembe there was not the least danger. + + We have given the Waha, the slip! ha, ha! + The Wavinza will trouble us no more! ho! ho! +Mionvu can get no more cloth from us! hy,by! +And Kiala will see us no more---never more! he, he! + +they shouted with wild bursts of laughter, seconded by tremendous +and rapid strokes with their oars, which caused the stiff old +canoes to quiver from stem to stern. + +Our party ashore seemed to partake of our excitement, and joined +in the wild refrain of the mad African song. We watched them +urging their steps forward to keep pace with us, as we rounded +the capes and points, and rowed across the bays whose margins were +sedge, and rush, and reed; the tiny and agile Kalulu, little +Bilali, and Majwara were seen racing the herds of goats, sheep, +and donkeys which belonged to the caravan, and the animals even +seemed to share the general joy. + +Nature, also--proud, wild nature-0-with the lofty azure dome +upheaved into infinity--with her breadth and depth of vivid +greenness and enormous vastness on our left--with her immense +sheet of bright, glancing water--with her awful and intense +serenity--she partook of and added to our joy. + +About 10 A.M. we arrived at Kirindo's, an old chief, noted for his +singular kindness to Dr. Livingstone, while he bore animosity to +the Arabs. To the Arabs this was unaccountable--to the Doctor it +was plain: he had but spoken kind and sincere words, while all the +Arabs spoke to him as if he were not even a man, least of all a +chief. + +Kirindo's place is at the mouth of the Liuche, which is very wide; +the river oozes out through a forest of eschinomenae (pith tree). +This was a rendezvous agreed upon between shore and lake parties, +that the canoes might all cross to the other side, distant a mile +and a half. The mouth of the Liuche forms the Bay of Ukaranga, +so named because on the other side, whither we were about to cross +our party, was situated the village of Ukaranga, a few hundred yards +from the lake. All the baggage was taken out of the largest canoe, +and stowed snugly in the smaller one, and a few select oarsmen +having taken seats, pushed off with the Doctor on board, who was +to superintend pitching the encampment at Ukaranga; while I remained +behind to bind the fractious and ill-natured donkeys, and stow +them away in the bottom of the large canoe, that no danger of +upsetting might be incurred, and a consequent gobbling-up by +hungry crocodiles, which were all about us waiting their opportunity. +The flock of goats were then embarked, and as many of our people +as could be got in. About thirty still remained behind with myself, +for whom my canoe was to return. + +We all arrived safe at Ukaranga, though we got dangerously near +a herd of hippopotami. The crossing of the wide mouth (the Liuche +being then in flood) was effected in about four hours. + +The next day, in the same order as on our departure from Ujiji, +we pursued our way south, the lake party keeping as closely as +possible to the shore, yet, when feasible, wind and weather +permitting, we struck off boldly across the numerous small bays +which indent the shores of the Tanganika. The shores were +beautifully green, the effect of the late rains; the waters of +the lake were a faithful reflex of the blue firmament above. +The hippopotami were plentiful. Those noticed on this day were +coloured with reddish rings round the base of their ears and on the +neck. One monster, coming up rather late, was surprised by the +canoe making full for him, and in great fright took a tremendous +dive which showed the whole length of his body. Half way between +the mouth of the Malagarazi and that of the Liuche we saw a camp +on shore--that of Mohammed bin Gharib, a Msawahili, who figured +often in Livingstone's verbal narrative to me of his adventures +and travels as one of the kindest and best of the Moslems in +Central Africa. He appeared to me a kindly disposed man, with +a face seldom seen, having the stamp of an unusual characteristic +on it--that of sincerity. + +The vegetation of the shores as we proceeded was truly tropical, +each curve revealed new beauties. With the soft chalky stone, of +which most of the cliffs and bluffs are made, seen as we neared +the mouth of the Malagarazi, the surf has played strange freaks. + +We arrived at the mouth of the Malagarazi about P.M., having rowed +eighteen miles from Ukaranga. The shore party arrived, very much +fatigued, about 5 P.M. + +The next day was employed in crossing the caravan across the broad +mouth of the Malagarazi to our camp, a couple of miles north of the +river. This is a river which a civilised community would find of +immense advantage for shortening the distance between the Tanganika +and the coast. Nearly one hundred miles might be performed by +this river, which is deep enough at all seasons to allow navigation +as far as Kiala, in Uvinza, whence a straight road might be easily +made to Unyanyembe. Missionaries also might reap the same benefit +from it for conversion-tours to Uvinza, Uhha, and Ugala. Pursuing +our way on the 30th, and rounding the picturesque capes of +Kagongo, Mviga and Kivoe, we came, after about three hours' +rowing, in sight of villages at the mouth of the swift and turbid +Rugufu. Here we had again to transport the caravan ever the +crocodile-infested mouth of the river. + +On the morning of the 31st we sent a canoe with men to search for +food in the two or three villages that were visible on the other +side. Four doti purchased just sufficient for four days for our +caravan of forty-eight persons. We then got under weigh, having +informed the kirangozi that Urimba was our destination, and bidding +him keep as closely as possible to the lake shore, where it was +practicable, but if not, to make the best he could of it. From the +debouchement of the Rugufu, the headwaters of which we had crossed +on our random route to Ujiji, to Urimba, a distance of six days by +water, there are no villages, and consequently no food. The shore +party, however, before leaving Ujiji, had eight days' rations, +and on this morning four days', distributed to each person, +and therefore was in no danger of starvation should the mountain +headlands, now unfolding, abrupt and steep, one after another, +prevent them from communicating with us. It must be understood +that such a journey as this had never been attempted before by +any Arab or Msawahili, and every step taken was in sheer +ignorance of where the road would lead the men ashore. Rounding +Kivoe's steep promontory, whose bearded ridge and rugged slope, +wooded down to the water's edge, whose exquisite coves and quiet +recesses, might well have evoked a poetical effusion to one so +inclined, we dared the chopping waves of Kivoe's bay, and stood +direct for the next cape, Mizohazy, behind which, owing to wind +and wave, we were compelled to halt for the night. + +After Mizohazy is the bold cape of Kabogo--not the terrible Kabogo +around whose name mystery has been woven by the superstitious +natives--not the Kabogo whose sullen thunder and awful roar were +heard when crossing the Rugufu on our flight from the Wahha---but +a point in Ukaranga, on whose hard and uninviting rocks many a +canoe has been wrecked. We passed close to its forbidding walls, +thankful for the calm of the Tanganika. Near Kabogo are some very +fine mvule trees, well adapted for canoe building, and there are no +loud-mouthed natives about to haggle for the privilege of cutting +them. + +Along the water's edge, and about three feet above it, was observed +very clearly on the smooth face of the rocky slopes of Kabogo +the high-water mark of the lake. This went to show that the +Tanganika, during the rainy season, rises about three feet above +its dry season level, and that, during the latter season, +evaporation reduces it to its normal level. The number of rivers +which we passed on this journey enabled me to observe whether, as +I was told, there was any current setting north. It was apparent +to me that, while the south-west, south, or south-east winds blew, +the brown flood of the rivers swept north; but it happened that, +while passing, once or twice, the mouths of rivers, after a puff +from the north-west and north, that the muddied waters were seen +southward of the mouths; from which I conclude that there is no +current in the Tanganika except such as is caused by the fickle +wind. + +Finding a snug nook of a bay at a place called Sigunga, we put in +for lunch. An island at the mouth of the bay suggested to our +minds that this was a beautiful spot for a mission station; the +grandly sloping hills in the background, with an undulating shelf +of land well-wooded between them and the bay, added to the +attractions of such a spot. The island, capable of containing +quite a large village, and perfectly defensible, might, for +prudence' sake, contain the mission and its congregation; the +landlocked bay would protect their fishery and trade vessels; +more than sustain a hundred times the number of the population +of the island. Wood for building their canoes and houses is +close at hand; the neighbouring country would afford game in +abundance; and the docile and civil people of Ukaranga but +wait religious shepherds. + +From beautiful Sigunga, after a brief halt, we set off, and, +after three hours, arrived at the mouth of the River Uwelasia. +Hippopotami and crocodiles being numerous; we amused ourselves by +shooting at them, having also a hope of attracting the attention +of our shore party, the sound of whose guns we had not heard +since leaving the Rugufu. + +On the 3rd of January we left Uwelasia, and, passing by Cape +Herembe, were in the bay of Tongwe. This bay is about twenty- +five miles broad, and stretches from Cape Herembe to Cape Tongwe. +Finding themselves so near their destination, Urimba being +but six miles from Herembe Point, the men of both boats bent +themselves to their oars, and, with shouts, songs, and laughter, +encouraged each other to do their utmost. The flags of the two +great Anglo-Saxon nations rippled and played in the soft breeze, +sometimes drawing near caressingly together, again bending away, +like two lovers coy to unite. The tight little boat of the Doctor +would keep ahead, and the crimson and crossed flag of England would +wave before me, and it seemed to say to the beautiful laggard +astern, "Come on, come on; England leads the way." But was it not +England's place to be in the front here? She won the right to it +by discovering the Tanganika; America came but second. + +Urimba, though a large district of Kawendi, has a village of +the same name peopled by refugees from Yombeh, who found the +delta of the Loajeri, though the unhealthiest of spots--equal +to that of the Rusizi--far preferable to the neighbourhood of +Sultan Pumburu, of Southern Kawendi. A good chase by the victors +seems to have given a shock to their systems, for they are very +timid and distrustful of strangers, and would by no means permit +us to enter their village, of which, to say the truth, I was very +glad, after a glance at the reeking corruption on which they were +encamped. In the immediate neighbourhood--nay, for a couple of +miles on either side--I should suppose that to a white man it were +death to sleep a single night. Leading the way south of the +village, I found a fit camping-place at the extreme south-east +corner of Tongwe Bay, about a mile and a half due west of the +lofty peak of Kivanga, or Kakungu. By an observation taken by +the Doctor, we found ourselves to be in latitude 5 degrees 54 +minutes south. + +None of the natives had heard of our shore party, and, as the +delta of the Loajeri and Mogambazi extended for about fifteen miles, +and withal was the most impassable of places, being perfectly flat, +overgrown with the tallest of matete, eschinomenae, and thorny +bush, and flooded with water, it was useless to fatigue our men +searching for the shore party in such an inhospitable country. +No provisions were procurable, for the villages were in a state of +semi-starvation, the inhabitants living from hand to mouth on what +reluctant Fortune threw into their nets. + +The second day of our arrival at Urimba I struck off into the +interior with my gun-bearer, Kalulu, carrying the Doctor's +splendid double-barreled rifle (a Reilly, No. 12), on the search +for venison. After walking about a mile I came to a herd of +zebras. By creeping on all-fours I managed to come within one +hundred yards of them; but I was in a bad spot--low prickly shrubs; +and tsetse flies alighting on the rifle-sight, biting my nose, +and dashing into my eyes, completely disconcerted me; and, to add +to my discontent, my efforts to disengage myself from the thorns, +alarmed the zebras, which all stood facing the suspicious object in +the bush. I fired at the breast of one, but, as might be expected, +missed. The zebras galloped away to about three hundred yards +off, and I dashed into the open, and, hastily cocking the left-hand +trigger, aimed at a proud fellow trotting royally before his +fellows, and by good chance sent a bullet through his heart. +A fortunate shot also brought down a huge goose, which had a sharp +horny spur on the fore part of each wing. This supply of meat +materially contributed towards the provisioning of the party for +the transit of the unknown land that lay between us and Mrera, +in Rusawa, Kawendi. + +It was not until the third day of our arrival at our camp at +Urimba that our shore party arrived. They had perceived our +immense flag hoisted on a twenty-feet long bamboo above the +tallest tree near our camp as they surmounted the sharp lofty ridge +behind Nerembe, fifteen miles off, and had at first taken it for a +huge bird; but there were sharp eyes in the crowd, and, guided by +it, they came to camp, greeted as only lost and found men are +greeted. + +I suffered from another attack of fever at this camp, brought on by +the neighbourhood of the vile delta, the look of which sickened the +very heart in me. + +On the 7th of January we struck camp, and turned our faces eastward, +and for me, home! Yet regretfully! There had been enough +happiness and pleasure, and pleasantest of social companionship +found on the shores of the lake for me. I had seen enough lovely +scenes which, siren-like, invited one to quiet rest; gentle scenes, +where there was neither jar nor tumult, neither strife nor defeat, +neither hope nor disappointment, but rest-a drowsy, indolent, +yet pleasant rest. And only a few drawbacks to these. There was +fever; there were no books, no newspapers, no wife of my own race +and blood, no theatres, no hotels, no restaurants, no East River +oysters, no mince-pies, neither buckwheat cakes, nor anything much +that was good for a cultivated palate to love. So, in turning to say +farewell to the then placid lake and the great blue mountains, that +grew bluer as they receded on either hand, I had the courage to +utter that awful word tearlessly, and without one sigh. + +Our road led up through the valley of the Loajeri, after leaving +its delta, a valley growing ever narrower, until it narrowed into +a ravine choked by the now roaring, bellowing river, whose +resistless rush seemed to affect the very air we breathed. It was +getting oppressive, this narrowing ravine, and opportunely the +road breasted a knoll, then a terrace, then a hill, and lastly a +mountain, where we halted to encamp. As we prepared to select a +camping-place, the Doctor silently pointed forward, and suddenly +a dead silence reigned everywhere. The quinine which I had taken +in the morning seemed to affect me in every crevice of my brain; +but a bitter evil remained, and, though I trembled under the heavy +weight of the Reilly rifle, I crept forward to where the Doctor +was pointing. I found myself looking down a steep ravine, on the +other bank of which a fine buffalo cow was scrambling upward. She +had just reached the summit, and was turning round to survey her +enemy, when I succeeded in planting a shot just behind the shoulder +blade, and close to the spine, evoking from her a deep bellow of pain. +"She is shot! she is shot!" exclaimed the Doctor; "that is a sure sign +you have hit her." And the men even raised a shout at the prospect +of meat. A second, planted in her spine, brought her to her knees, +and a third ended her. We thus had another supply of provisions, +which, cut up and dried over a fire, as the Wangwana are accustomed +to do, would carry them far over the unpeopled wilderness before +us. For the Doctor and myself, we had the tongue, the hump, and +a few choice pieces salted down, and in a few days had prime +corned beef. It is not inapt to state that the rifle had more +commendations bestowed on it than the hunter by the Wangwana. + +The next day we continued the march eastward, under the guidance +of our kirangozi; but it was evident, by the road he led us, +that he knew nothing of the country, though, through his +volubility, he had led us to believe that he knew all about Ngondo, +Yombeh, and Pumburu's districts. When recalled from the head of +the caravan, we were about to descend into the rapid Loajeri, and +beyond it were three ranges of impassable mountains, which we were +to cross in a north-easterly direction; quite out of our road. +After consulting with the Doctor, I put myself at the head of the +caravan, and following the spine of the ridge, struck off due east, +regardless of how the road ran. At intervals a travelled road +crossed our path, and, after following it a while, we came to the +ford of the Loajeri. The Loajeri rises south and south-east of +Kakungu Peak. We made the best we could of the road after crossing +the river, until we reached the main path that runs from Karah to +Ngondo and Pumburu, in Southern Kawendi. + +On the 9th, soon after leaving camp, we left the travelled path, +and made for a gap in the are of hills before us, as Pumburu was +at war with the people of Manya Msenge, a district of northern +Kawendi. The country teemed with game, the buffaloes and zebras +were plentiful. Among the conspicuous trees were the hyphene and +borassus palm trees, and a tree bearing a fruit about the size of +a 600-pounder cannon-ball, called by some natives "mabyah,"* +according to the Doctor, the seeds of which are roasted and eaten. +They are not to be recommended as food to Europeans. +_________________ +* In the Kisawahili tongue, "mabyah," "mbyah, "byah," mean bad, +unpleasant. +_________________ + +On the 10th, putting myself at the head of my men, with my +compass in hand, I led the way east for three hours. A beautiful +park-land was revealed to us; but the grass was very tall, and +the rainy season, which had commenced in earnest, made my work +excessively disagreeable. Through this tall grass, which was as +high as my throat, I had to force my way, compass in hand, to +lead the Expedition, as there was not the least sign of a road, +and we were now in an untravelled country. We made our camp on +a beautiful little stream flowing north; one of the feeders of +the Rugufu River. + +The 11th still saw me plunging through the grass, which showered +drops of rain on me every time I made a step forward. In two +hours we crossed a small stream, with slippery syenitic rocks in +its bed, showing the action of furious torrents. Mushrooms were +in abundance, and very large. In crossing, an old pagazi of +Unyamwezi, weather-beaten, uttered, in a deplorable tone, "My +kibuyu is dead;" by which he meant that he had slipped, and in +falling had broken his gourd, which in Kisawahili is "kibuyu." + +On the eastern bank we halted for lunch, and, after an hour and +a half's march, arrived at another stream, which I took to be the +Mtambu, at first from the similarity of the land, though my map +informed me that it was impossible. The scenery around was very +similar, and to the north we had cited a similar tabular hill to +the "Magdala" Mount I had discovered north of Imrera, while going +to the Malagarazi. Though we had only travelled three and a half +hours the Doctor was very tired as the country was exceedingly +rough. + +The next day, crossing several ranges, with glorious scenes of +surpassing beauty everywhere around us, we came in view of a +mighty and swift torrent, whose bed was sunk deep between enormous +lofty walls of sandstone rock, where it roared and brawled with +the noise of a little Niagara. + +Having seen our camp prepared on a picturesque knoll, I thought I +would endeavour to procure some meat, which this interesting region +seemed to promise. I sallied out with my little Winchester along +the banks of the river eastward. I travelled for an hour or two, +the prospect getting more picturesque and lovely, and then went up +a ravine which looked very promising. Unsuccessful, I strode up +the bank, and my astonishment may be conceived when I found +myself directly in front of an elephant, who had his large broad +ears held out like studding sails--the colossal monster, the +incarnation of might of the African world. Methought when I saw +his trunk stretched forward, like a warning finger, that I heard a +voice say, "Siste, Venator!" But whether it did not proceed from +my imagination or--No; I believe it proceeded from Kalulu, who +must have shouted, "Tembo, tembo! bana yango!" "Lo! an elephant! +an elephant, my master!" + +For the young rascal had fled as soon as he had witnessed the awful +colossus in such close vicinage. Recovering from my astonishment, +I thought it prudent to retire also--especially, with a pea-shooter +loaded with treacherous sawdust cartridges in my hand. As I +looked behind, I saw him waving his trunk, which I understood to +mean, "Good-bye, young fellow; it is lucky for you you went in +time, for I was going to pound you to a jelly." + +As I was congratulating myself, a wasp darted fiercely at me and +planted its sting in my neck, and for that afternoon my +anticipated pleasures were dispelled. Arriving at camp I found +the men grumbling; their provisions were ended, and there was no +prospect for three days, at least, of procuring any. With the +improvidence usual with the gluttons, they had eaten their rations +of grain, all their store of zebra and dried buffalo meat, and were +now crying out that they were famished. + +The tracks of animals were numerous, but it being the rainy season +the game was scattered everywhere; whereas, had we travelled +during the dry season through these forests our larders might have +been supplied fresh each day. + +Some time about 6 P.M., as the Doctor and I were taking our tea +outside the tent, a herd of elephants, twelve in number, passed +about 800 yards off. Our fundi, Asmani and Mabruki Kisesa, were +immediately despatched in pursuit. I would have gone myself with +the heavy Reilly rifle, only I was too much fatigued. We soon +heard their guns firing, and hoped they were successful, as a +plentiful supply of meat might then have been procured, while we +ourselves would have secured one of the elephant's feet for a nice +delicate roast; but within an hour they returned unsuccessful, +having only drawn blood, some of which they exhibited to us on a +leaf. + +It requires a very good rifle to kill an African elephant. A No. +8 bore with a Frazer's shell, planted in the temple, I believe, +would drop an elephant each shot. Faulkner makes some +extraordinary statements, about walking up in front of an elephant +and planting a bullet in his forehead, killing him instantly. The +tale, however, is so incredible that I would prefer not to believe +it; especially when he states that the imprint of the muzzle of +his rifle was on the elephant's trunk. African travellers-- +especially those with a taste for the chase--are too fond of +relating that which borders on the incredible for ordinary men to +believe them. Such stories must be taken with a large grain +of salt, for the sake of the amusement they afford to readers at +home. In future, whenever I hear a man state how he broke the back +of an antelope at 600 yards, I shall incline to believe a cipher +had been added by a slip of the pen, or attribute it to a +typographical error, for this is almost an impossible feat in an +African forest. It may be done once, but it could never be done +twice running. An antelope makes a very small target at 600 yards +distance; but, then, all these stories belong by right divine to +the chasseur who travels to Africa for the sake only of sport. + +On the 13th we continued our march across several ridges; and the +series of ascents and descents revealed to us valleys and mountains +never before explored streams; rushing northward, swollen by the +rains, and grand primeval forests, in whose twilight shade no white +man ever walked before. + +On the 14th the same scenes were witnessed--an unbroken series +of longitudinal ridges, parallel one with another and with Lake +Tanganika. Eastward the faces of these ridges present abrupt +scarps and terraces, rising from deep valleys, while the western +declivities have gradual slopes. These are the peculiar features +of Ukawendi, the eastern watershed of the Tanganika. + +In one of these valleys on this day we came across a colony of +reddish-bearded monkeys, whose howls, or bellowing, rang amongst +the cliffs as they discovered the caravan. I was not able to +approach them, for they scrambled up trees and barked their +defiance at me, then bounded to the ground as I still persisted +in advancing; and they would have soon drawn me in pursuit if I +had not suddenly remembered that my absence was halting the +Expedition. + +About noon we sighted our Magdala--the grand towering mount whose +upright frowning mass had attracted our eyes, as it lifted itself +from above the plain in all its grandeur, when we were hurrying +along the great ridge of Rusawa towards the "Crocodile" River. +We recognised the old, mystic beauty of the tree-clad plain around +it. Then it was bleached, and a filmy haze covered it lovingly; +now it was vivid greenness. Every vegetable, plant, herb and +tree, had sprung into quick life--the effect of the rains. Rivers +that ran not in those hot summer days now fumed and rushed +impetuously between thick belts of mighty timber, brawling +hoarsely in the glades. We crossed many of these streams, +all of which are feeders of the Rugufu. + +Beautiful, bewitching Ukawendi! By what shall I gauge the +loveliness of the wild, free, luxuriant, spontaneous nature +within its boundaries? By anything in Europe? No. By anything +in Asia? Where? India, perhaps. Yes; or say Mingrelia and +Imeritia. For there we have foaming rivers; we have picturesque +hillocks; we have bold hills, ambitious mountains, and +broad forests, with lofty solemn rows of trees, with clean +straight stems, through which you can see far, lengthy vistas, +as you see here. Only in Ukawendi you can almost behold the growth +of vegetation; the earth is so generous, nature so kind and +loving, that without entertaining any aspiration for a residence, +or a wish to breathe the baleful atmosphere longer than is +absolutely necessary, one feels insensibly drawn towards it, as +the thought creeps into his mind, that though all is foul beneath +the captivating, glamorous beauty of the land, the foulness might +be removed by civilized people, and the whole region made as +healthy as it is productive. Even while staggering under the +pressure of the awful sickness, with mind getting more and more +embittered, brain sometimes reeling with the shock of the +constantly recurring fevers--though I knew how the malaria, rising +out of that very fairness, was slowly undermining my constitution, +and insidiously sapping the powers of mind and body--I regarded +the alluring face of the land with a fatuous love, and felt a +certain sadness steal over me as each day I was withdrawing myself +from it, and felt disposed to quarrel with the fate that seemed +to eject me out of Ukawendi. + +On the ninth day of our march from the shores of the Tanganika we +again perceived our "Magdala Mount," rising like a dark cloud to +the north-east, by which I knew that we were approaching Imrera, +and that our Icarian attempt to cross the uninhabited jungle of +Ukawendi would soon be crowned with success. Against the +collective counsel of the guides, and hypothetical suggestions of +the tired and hungry souls of our Expedition, I persisted in being +guided only by the compass and my chart. The guides strenuously +strove to induce me to alter my course and strike in a south-west +direction, which, had I listened to them, would have undoubtedly +taken me to South-western Ukonongo, or North-eastern Ufipa. +The veteran and experienced soldiers asked mournfully if I were +determined to kill them with famine, as the road I should have +taken was north-east; but I preferred putting my trust in the +compass. No sun shone upon us as we threaded our way through +the primeval forest, by clumps of jungle, across streams, up +steep ridges, and down into deep valleys. A thick haze covered +the forests; rain often pelted us; the firmament was an +unfathomable depth of grey vapour. The Doctor had perfect +confidence in me, and I held on my way. + +As soon as we arrived at our camp the men scattered themselves +through the forest to search for food. A grove of singwe trees was +found close by. Mushrooms grew in abundance, and these sufficed to +appease the gnawing hunger from which the people suffered. Had it +not been such rainy weather I should have been enabled to procure +game for the camp; but the fatigue which I suffered, and the fever +which enervated me, utterly prevented me from moving out of the camp +after we once came to a halt. The fear of lions, which were +numerous in our vicinity, whose terrible roaring was heard by day +and by night, daunted the hunters so much, that though I offered +five doti of cloth for every animal brought to camp, none dared +penetrate the gloomy glades, or awesome belts of timber, outside +the friendly defence of the camp. + +The morning of the tenth day I assured the people that we were +close to food; cheered the most amiable of them with promise of +abundant provender, and hushed the most truculent knaves with a +warning not to tempt my patience too much, lest we came to angry +blows; and then struck away east by north through the forest, +with the almost exhausted Expedition dragging itself weakly and +painfully behind me. It was a most desperate position certainly, +and I pitied the poor people far more than they pitied themselves; +and though I fumed and stormed in their presence when they +were disposed to lie down and give up, never was a man further +from doing them injury. I was too proud of them; but under the +circumstances it was dangerous--nay, suicidal--to appear doubtful +or dubious of the road. The mere fact that I still held on my way +according to the Doctor's little pearly monitor (the compass) had +a grand moral effect on them, and though they demurred in +plaintive terms and with pinched faces, they followed my +footsteps with a trustfulness which quite affected me. + +For long miles we trudged over smooth sloping sward, with a vision +of forest and park-land beauty on our right and left, and in front +of us such as is rarely seen. At a pace that soon left the main +body of the Expedition far behind, I strode on with a few gallant +fellows, who, despite their heavy loads, kept pace with me. After +a couple of hours we were ascending the easy slope of a ridge, +which promised to decide in a few minutes the truth or the +inaccuracy of my chart. Presently we arrived at the eastern +edge of the ridge, and about five miles away, and 1,000 feet below +the high plateau on which we stood, we distinguished the valley of +Imrera! + +By noon we were in our old camp. The natives gathered round, +bringing supplies of food, and to congratulate us upon having gone +to Ujiji and returned. But it was long before the last member of +the Expedition arrived. The Doctor's feet were very sore, +bleeding from the weary march. His shoes were in a very worn-out +state, and he had so cut and slashed them with a knife to ease his +blistered feet, that any man of our force would have refused them +as a gift, no matter how ambitious he might be to encase his feet +a la Wasungu. + +Asmani, the guide, was very much taken aback when he discovered +that the tiny compass knew the way better than he did, and he +declared it as his solemn opinion that it could not lie. He +suffered much in reputation from having contested the palm with +the "little thing," and ever afterwards his boasted knowledge +of the country was considerably doubted. + +After halting a day to recruit ourselves, we continued our journey +on the 18th January, 1872, towards Unyanyembe. A few miles beyond +Imrera, Asmani lost the road again, and I was obliged to show it to +him, by which I gained additional honour and credit as a leader and +guide. My shoes were very bad, and it was difficult to decide +whose were the worst in condition, the Doctor's or mine. A great +change had come upon the face of the land since I had passed +northward en route to Ujiji. The wild grapes now hung in clusters +along the road; the corn ears were advanced enough to pluck and +roast for food; the various plants shed their flowers; and the +deep woods and grasses of the country were greener than ever. + +On the 19th we arrived at Mpokwa's deserted village. The Doctor's +feet were very much chafed and sore by the marching. He had +walked on foot all the way from Urimba, though he owned a donkey; +while I, considerably to my shame be it said, had ridden +occasionally to husband my strength,: that I might be enabled +to hunt after arrival at camp. + +Two huts were cleared for our use, but, just as we had made +ourselves comfortable, our sharp-eyed fellows had discovered +several herds of game in the plain west of Mpokwa. Hastily +devouring a morsel of corn-bread with coffee, I hastened away, +with Bilali for a gunbearer, taking with me the famous Reilly +rifle of the Doctor and a supply of Fraser's shells. After +plunging through a deep stream, and getting wet again, and pushing +my way through a dense brake, I arrived at a thin belt of forest, +through which I was obliged to crawl, and, in half an hour, I had +arrived within one hundred and forty yards of a group of zebras, +which were playfully biting each other under the shade of a large +tree. Suddenly rising up, I attracted their attention; but the +true old rifle was at my shoulder, and "crack--crack" went both +barrels, and two fine zebras, a male and female, fell dead under +the tree where they had stood. In a few seconds their throats +were cut, and after giving the signal of my success, I was soon +surrounded by a dozen of my men, who gave utterance to their +delight by fulsome compliments to the merits of the rifle, though +very few to me. When I returned to camp with the meat I received +the congratulations of the Doctor, which I valued far higher, as +he knew from long experience what shooting was. + +When the eatable portions of the two zebras were hung to the scale, +we found, according to the Doctor's own figures, that we had 719 +lbs. of good meat, which, divided among forty-four men, gave a +little over 16 lbs. to each person. Bombay, especially, was very +happy, as he had dreamed a dream wherein I figured prominently as +shooting animals down right and left; and, when he had seen me +depart with that wonderful Reilly rifle he had not entertained +a doubt of my success, and, accordingly, had commanded the men +to be ready to go after me, as soon as they should hear the +reports of the gun. + +The following is quoted from my Diary: + +January 20th, 1872.--To-day was a halt. On going out for a hunt +I saw a herd of eleven giraffes. After crossing Mpokwa stream I +succeeded in getting within one hundred and fifty yards of one of +them, and fired at it; but, though it was wounded, I did not +succeed in dropping it, though I desired the skin of one of them +very much. + +In the afternoon I went out to the east of the village, and came +to a herd of six giraffes. I wounded one of them, but it got off, +despite my efforts. + +What remarkable creatures they are! How beautiful their large +limpid eyes! I could have declared on oath that both shots had +been a success, but they sheered off with the stately movements +of a clipper about to tack. When they ran they had an ungainly, +dislocated motion, somewhat like the contortions of an Indian +nautch or a Theban danseuse--a dreamy, undulating movement, which +even the tail, with its long fringe of black hair, seemed to +partake of. + +The Doctor, who knew how to console an ardent but disappointed +young hunter, attributed my non-success to shooting with leaden +balls, which were too soft to penetrate the thick hide of the +giraffes, and advised me to melt my zinc canteens with which to +harden the lead. It was not the first time that I had cause to +think the Doctor an admirable travelling companion; none knew so +well how to console one for bad luck none knew so well how to +elevate one in his own mind. If I killed a zebra, did not his +friend Oswell--the South African hunter--and himself long ago +come to the conclusion that zebra meat was the finest in Africa? +If I shot a buffalo cow, she was sure to be the best of her kind, +and her horns were worth while carrying home as specimens; and was +she not fat? If I returned without anything, the game was very +wild, or the people had made a noise, and the game had been +frightened; and who could stalk animals already alarmed? Indeed, +he was a most considerate companion, and, knowing him to be +literally truthful, I was proud of his praise when successful, +and when I failed I was easily consoled. + +Ibrahim, the old pagazi whose feelings had been so lacerated in +Ukawendi, when his ancient kibuyu broke, before leaving Ujiji +invested his cloth in a slave from Manyuema, who bore the name +of "Ulimengo," which signifies the "World." As we approached Mpokwa, +Ulimengo absconded with all his master's property, consisting of a +few cloths and a bag of salt, which he had thought of taking to +Unyanyembe for trade. Ibrahim was inconsolable, and he kept +lamenting his loss daily in such lugubrious tones that the people, +instead of sympathizing, laughed at him. I asked him why he +purchased such a slave, and, while he was with him, why he did not +feed him? Replied he, tartly, "Was he not my slave? Was not the +cloth with which I bought him mine? If the cloth was my own, +could I not purchase what I liked? Why do you talk so?" + +Ibrahim's heart was made glad this evening by the return of +Ulimengo with the salt and the cloth, and the one-eyed old man +danced with his great joy, and came in all haste to impart to me +the glad news. "Lo, the `World' has come back. Sure. My salt +and my cloth are with him also. Sure." To which I replied, +that he had better feed him in future, as slaves required food +as well as their masters. + +From 10 P.M. to midnight the Doctor was employed in taking +observations from the star Canopus, the result of which was that +he ascertained Mpokwa, district of Utanda, Ukonongo, to be in S. +latitude 6 degrees 18 minutes 40 seconds. On comparing it with +its position as laid down in my map by dead reckoning, I found +we differed by three miles; I having !aid it down at 6 degrees +15 minutes south latitude. + +The day following was a halt. The Doctor's feet were so inflamed +and sore that he could not bear his shoes on. My heels were also +raw, and I viciously cut large circles out of my shoes to enable +me to move about. + +Having converted my zinc canteens into bullets, and provided +myself with a butcher and gun-bearer, I set out for the lovely +park-land and plain west of Mpokwa stream, with the laudable +resolution to obtain something; and seeing nothing in the plain, +I crossed over a ridge, and came to a broad basin covered with +tall grass, with clumps here and there of hyphene palm, with a +stray mimosa or so scattered about. Nibbling off the branches +of the latter, I saw a group of giraffes, and then began stalking +them through the grass, taking advantage of the tall grass-grown +ant-hills that I might approach the wary beasts before their great +eyes could discover me. I contrived to come within 175 yards, by +means of one of these curious hummocks; but beyond it no man could +crawl without being observed--the grass was so thin and short. I +took a long breath, wiped my perspiring brow, and sat down for a +while; my black assistants also, like myself, were almost breathless +with the exertion, and the high expectations roused by the near +presence of the royal beasts. I toyed lovingly with the heavy +Reilly, saw to my cartridges, and then stood up and turned, with +my rifle ready; took one good, long, steady aim; then lowered it +again to arrange the sights, lifted it up once more--dropped it. +A giraffe half turned his body; for the last time I lifted it, +took one quick sight at the region of the heart, and fired. +He staggered, reeled, then made a short gallop; but the blood +was spouting from the wound in a thick stream, and before he had +gone 200 yards he came to a dead halt, with his ears drawn back, +and allowed me to come within twenty yards of him, when, receiving +a zinc bullet through the head, he fell dead. + +"Allah ho, akhbar!" cried Khamisi, my butcher, fervently. +"This is meat, master!" + +I was rather saddened than otherwise at seeing the noble animal +stretched before me. If I could have given him his life back I +think I should have done so. I thought it a great pity that such +splendid animals, so well adapted for the service of man in Africa, +could not be converted to some other use than that of food. +Horses, mules, and donkeys died in these sickly regions; but what +a blessing for Africa would it be if we could tame the giraffes and +zebras for the use of explorers and traders! Mounted on a zebra, +a man would be enabled to reach Ujiji in one month from Bagamoyo; +whereas it took me over seven months to travel that distance! + +The dead giraffe measured 16 feet 9 inches from his right fore-hoof +to the top of his head, and was one of the largest size, though +some have been found to measure over 17 feet. He was spotted all +over with large black, nearly round, patches. + +I left Khamisi in charge of the dead beast, while I returned to +camp to send off men to cut it up, and convey the meat to our +village. But Khamisi climbed a tree for fear of the lions, and the +vultures settled on it, so that when the men arrived on the spot, +the eyes, the tongue, and a great part of the posteriors were eaten +up. What remained weighed as follows, when brought in and hung to +the scales: + +1 hind leg . . . . 134 lbs. + +1 " . . . . 136 " + +1 fore leg . . . . 160 " + +I " . . . . 160 " + +Ribs . . . . . . 158 " + +Neck . . . . . . 74 " + +Rump . . . . . . 87 " + +Breast . . . . . 46 " + +Liver . . . . . 20 " + +Lungs . . . . . 12 " + +Heart . . . . . 6 " + +Total weight of eatable portions . . 993 lbs. + +Skin and head, 181 lbs. + +The three days following I suffered from a severe attack of fever, +and was unable to stir from bed. I applied my usual remedies for +it, which consisted of colocynth and quinine; but experience has +shown me that an excessive use of the same cathartic weakens its +effect, and that it would be well for travellers to take with them +different medicines to cause proper action in the liver, such as +colocynth, calomel, resin of jalap, Epsom salts; and that no +quinine should be taken until such medicines shall have prepared +the system for its reception. + +The Doctor's prescription for fever consists of 3 grains +of resin of jalap, and 2 grains of calomel, with tincture of +cardamoms put in just enough to prevent irritation of the +stomach--made into the form of a pill--which is to be taken as +soon as one begins to feel the excessive languor and weariness +which is the sure forerunner of the African type of fever. An +hour or two later a cup of coffee, unsugared and without milk, +ought to be taken, to cause a quicker action. The Doctor also +thinks that quinine should be taken with the pill; but my +experience--though it weighs nothing against what he has endured-- +has proved to me that quinine is useless until after the medicine +has taken effect. My stomach could never bear quinine unless +subsequent to the cathartic. A well-known missionary at +Constantinople recommends travellers to take 3 grains of +tartar-emetic for the ejection of the bilious matter in the +stomach; but the reverend doctor possibly forgets that much more +of the system is disorganized than the stomach; and though in +one or two cases of a slight attack, this remedy may have proved +successful, it is altogether too violent for an enfeebled man +in Africa. I have treated myself faithfully after this method +three or four times; but I could not conscientiously recommend it. +For cases of urticaria, I could recommend taking 3 grains of +tartar-emetic; but then a stomach-pump would answer the purpose +as well. + +On the 27th we set out for Misonghi. About half-way I saw the +head of the Expedition on the run, and the motive seemed to be +communicated quickly, man after man, to those behind, until my +donkey commenced to kick, and lash behind with his heels. In a +second, I was made aware of the cause of this excitement, by a +cloud of wild bees buzzing about my head, three or four of which +settled on my face, and stung me frightfully. We raced madly for +about half a mile, behaving in as wild a manner as the poor +bestung animals. + +As this was an unusually long march, I doubted if the Doctor could +march it, because his feet were so sore, so I determined to send +four men back with the kitanda; but the stout old hero refused to +be carried, and walked all the way to camp after a march of +eighteen miles. He had been stung dreadfully in the head and +in the face; the bees had settled in handfuls in his hair; but, +after partaking of a cup of warm tea and some food, he was as +cheerful as if he had never travelled a mile. + +At Mrera, Central Ukonongo, we halted a day to grind grain, and +to prepare the provision we should need during the transit of +the wilderness between Mrera and Manyara. + +On the 31st of January, at Mwaru, Sultan Ka-mirambo, we met a +caravan under the leadership of a slave of Sayd bin Habib, who +came to visit us in our camp, which was hidden in a thick clump +of jungle. After he was seated, and had taken his coffee, +I asked, + +"What is thy news, my friend, that thou bast brought from +Unyanyembe?" + +"My news is good, master." + +"How goes the war?" + +"Ah, Mirambo is where? He eats the hides even. He +is famished. Sayd bin Habib, my master, hath possession of +Kirira. The Arabs are thundering at the gates of Wilyankuru. +Sayd bin Majid, who came from Ujiji to Usagozi in twenty days, +hath taken and slain `Moto' (Fire), the King. Simba of Kasera +hath taken up arms for the defence of his father, Mkasiwa of +Unyanyembe. The chief of Ugunda hath sent five hundred men +to the field. Ough--Mirambo is where? In a month he will +be dead of hunger." + +"Great and good news truly, my friend." + +"Yes-in the name of God." + +"And whither art thou bound with thy caravan?" + +"Sayd, the son of Majid, who came from Ujiji, hath told us of +the road that the white man took, that he had arrived at Ujiji +safely, and that he was on his way back to Unyanyembe. So we +have thought that if the white man could go there, we could also. +Lo, the Arabs come by the hundred by the white man's road, to +get the ivory from Ujiji. + +"I am that white man." + +"You?" + +« Yes." + +" Why it was reported that you were dead--that you fought with +the Wazavira." + +"Ah, my friend, these are the words of Njara, the son of Khamis. +See" (pointing to Livingstone), "this is the white man, my +father *, whom I saw at Ujiji. He is going with me to Unyanyembe +to get his cloth, after which he will return to the great waters." +__________________ +** It is a courteous custom in Africa to address elderly people as +" Baba," (Father.) +__________________ + +"Wonderful!--thou sayest truly." + +"What has thou to tell me of the white man at Unyanyembe?" + +"Which white man?" + +"The white man I left in the house of Sayd, the son of Salim--my +house--at Kwihara." + +" He is dead." + +" Dead!" + +"True." + +"You do not mean to say the white man is dead?" + +"True--he is dead." + +"How long ago?" + +"Many months now." + +"What did he die of?" + +"Homa (fever)." + +"Any more of my people dead?" + +"I know not." + +" Enough." I looked sympathetically at the Doctor, and he replied, + +"I told you so. When you described him to me as a drunken man, +I knew he could not live. Men who have been habitual drunkards +cannot live in this country, any more than men who have become +slaves to other vices. I attribute the deaths that occurred in +my expedition on the Zambezi to much the same cause." + +"Ah, Doctor, there are two of us gone. I shall be the third, +if this fever lasts much longer." + +"Oh no, not at all. If you would have died from fever, you would +have died at Ujiji when you had that severe attack of remittent. +Don't think of it. Your fever now is only the result of exposure +to wet. I never travel during the wet season. This time I have +travelled because I was anxious, and I did not wish to detain you +at Ujiji." + +"Well, there is nothing like a good friend at one's back in this +country to encourage him, and keep his spirits up. Poor Shaw! +I am sorry--very sorry for him. How many times have I not +endeavoured to cheer him up! But there was no life in him. +And among the last words I said to him, before parting, were, +`Remember, if you return to Unyanyembe, you die!'" + +We also obtained news from the chief of Sayd bin Habib's caravan +that several packets of letters and newspapers, and boxes, had +arrived for me from Zanzibar by my messengers and Arabs; that +Selim, the son of Sheikh Hashid of Zanzibar, was amongst the +latest arrivals in Unyanyembe. The Doctor also reminded me with +the utmost good-nature that, according to his accounts, he had +a stock of jellies and crackers, soups, fish, and potted ham, +besides cheese, awaiting him in Unyanyembe, and that he would +be delighted to share his good things; whereupon I was greatly +cheered, and, during the repeated attacks of fever I suffered +about this time, my imagination loved to dwell upon the luxuries +at Unyanyembe. I pictured myself devouring the hams and crackers +and jellies like a madman. I lived on my raving fancies. My poor +vexed brain rioted on such homely things as wheaten bread and +butter, hams, bacon, caviare, and I would have thought no price +too high to pay for them. Though so far away and out of the pale +of Europe and America, it was a pleasure to me, during the _athumia_ +or despondency into which I was plunged by ever recurring fevers, +to dwell upon them. I wondered that people who had access to such +luxuries should ever get sick, and become tired of life. I thought +that if a wheaten loaf with a nice pat of fresh butter were +presented to me, I would be able, though dying, to spring up and +dance a wild fandango. + +Though we lacked the good things of this life above named, we +possessed salted giraffe and pickled zebra tongues; we had ugali +made by Halimah herself; we had sweet potatoes, tea, coffee, +dampers, or slap jacks; but I was tired of them. My enfeebled +stomach, harrowed and irritated with medicinal compounds, with +ipecac, colocynth, tartar-emetic, quinine, and such things, +protested against the coarse food. "Oh, for a wheaten loaf!" +my soul cried in agony. "Five hundred dollars for one loaf +of bread!" + +The Doctor, somehow or another, despite the incessant rain, the +dew, fog, and drizzle, the marching, and sore feet, ate like a +hero, and I manfully, sternly, resolved to imitate the persevering +attention he paid to the welfare of his gastric powers; but I +miserably failed. + +Dr. Livingstone possesses all the attainments of a traveller. +His knowledge is great about everything concerning Africa--the +rocks, the trees, the fruits, and their virtues, are known to him. +He is also full of philosophic reflections upon ethnological +matter. With camp-craft, with its cunning devices, he is au fait. +His bed is luxurious as a spring mattress. Each night he has +it made under his own supervision. First, he has two straight +poles cut, three or four inches in diameter; which are laid +parallel one with another, at the distance of two feet; across +these poles are laid short sticks, saplings, three feet long, and +over them is laid a thick pile of grass; then comes a piece of +waterproof canvas and blankets--and thus a bed has been +improvised fit for a king. + +It was at Livingstone's instigation I purchased milch goats, by +which, since leaving Ujiji, we have had a supply of fresh milk +for our tea and coffee three times a day. Apropos of this, we +are great drinkers of these welcome stimulants; we seldom halt +drinking until we have each had six or seven cups. We have also +been able to provide ourselves with music, which, though harsh, +is better than none. I mean the musical screech of parrots from +Manyuema. + +Half-way between Mwaru--Kamirambo's village--and the deserted +Tongoni of Ukamba, I carved the Doctor's initials and my own on +a large tree, with the date February 2nd. I have been twice +guilty of this in Africa once when we were famishing in Southern +Uvinza I inscribed the date, my initials, and the word "Starving," +in large letters on the trunk of a sycamore. + +In passing through the forest of Ukamba, we saw the bleached skull +of an unfortunate victim to the privations of travel. Referring to +it, the Doctor remarked that he could never pass through an African +forest, with its solemn stillness and serenity, without wishing to +be buried quietly under the dead leaves, where he would be sure to +rest undisturbed. In England there was no elbow-room, the graves +were often desecrated; and ever since he had buried his wife in +the woods of Shupanga he had sighed for just such a spot, where his +weary bones would receive the eternal rest they coveted. + +The same evening, when the tent door was down, and the interior +was made cheerful by the light of a paraffin candle, the Doctor +related to me some incidents respecting the career and the death +of his eldest son, Robert. Readers of Livingstone's first book, +`South Africa,' without which no boy should be, will probably +recollect the dying Sebituane's regard for the little boy +"Robert." Mrs. Livingstone and family were taken to the Cape of +Good Hope, and thence sent to England, where Robert was put in the +charge of a tutor; but wearied of inactivity, when he was about +eighteen, he left Scotland and came to Natal, whence he endeavoured +to reach his father. Unsuccessful in his attempt, he took ship and +sailed for New York, and enlisted in the Northern Army, in a New +Hampshire regiment of Volunteers, discarding his own name of Robert +Moffatt Livingstone, and taking that of Rupert Vincent that his +tutor, who seems to have been ignorant of his duties to the youth, +might not find him. From one of the battles before Richmond, he +was conveyed to a North Carolina hospital, where he died from his +wounds. + +On the 7th of February we arrived at the Gombe, and camped near +one of its largest lakes. This lake is probably several miles in +length, and swarms with hippopotami and crocodiles. + +From this camp I despatched Ferajji, the cook, and Chowpereh to +Unyanyembe, to bring the letters and medicines that were sent to +me from Zanzibar, and meet us at Ugunda, while the next day we moved +to our old quarters on the Gombe, where we were first introduced to +the real hunter's paradise in Central Africa. The rain had +scattered the greater number of the herds, but there was plenty of +game in the vicinity. Soon after breakfast I took Khamisi and +Kalulu with me for a hunt. After a long walk we arrived near a +thin jungle, where I discovered the tracks of several animals--boar, +antelope, elephant, rhinoceros, hippopotamus, and an unusual +number of imprints of the lion's paw. Suddenly I heard Khamisi +say, "Master, master! here is a `simba!' (lion);" and he came +up to me trembling with excitement and fear--for the young fellow +was an arrant coward--to point out the head of a beast, which could +be seen just above the tall grass, looking steadily towards us. +It immediately afterwards bounded from side to side, but the grass +was so high that it was impossible to tell exactly what it was. +Taking advantage of a tree in my front, I crept quietly onwards, +intending to rest the heavy rifle against it, as I was so weak +from the effects of several fevers that I felt myself utterly +incapable of supporting my rifle for a steady aim. But my +surprise was great when I cautiously laid it against the tree, +and then directed its muzzle to the spot where I had seen him +stand. Looking further away--to where the grass was thin and +scant--I saw the animal bound along at a great rate, and that +it was a lion: the noble monarch of the forest was in full +flight! From that moment I ceased to regard him as the +"mightiest among the brutes;" or his roar as anything more +fearful in broad daylight than a sucking dove's. + +The next day was also a halt, and unable to contain my longing +for the chase, where there used to be such a concourse of game +of all kinds, soon after morning coffee, and after despatching +a couple of men with presents to my friend Ma-manyara, of +ammonia-bottle memory, I sauntered out once more for the park. +Not five hundred yards from the camp, myself and men were suddenly +halted by hearing in our immediate vicinity, probably within +fifty yards or so, a chorus of roars, issuing from a triplet +of lions. Instinctively my fingers raised the two hammers, as +I expected a general onset on me; for though one lion might fly, +it was hardly credible that three should. While looking keenly +about I detected, within easy rifle-shot, a fine hartebeest, +trembling and cowering behind a tree, as if it expected the fangs +of the lion in its neck. Though it had its back turned to me, I +thought a bullet might plough its way to a vital part, and without +a moment's hesitation I aimed and fired. The animal gave a +tremendous jump, as if it intended to take a flying leap through +the tree; but recovering itself it dashed through the underbrush +in a different direction from that in which I supposed the lions +to be, and I never saw it again, though I knew I had struck it +from the bloody trail it left; neither did I see nor hear anything +more of the lions. I searched far and wide over the park-land for +prey of some kind, but was compelled to return unsuccessful to camp. + +Disgusted with my failure, we started a little after noon for +Manyara, at which place we were hospitably greeted by my friend, +who had sent men to tell me that his white brother must not halt +in the woods but must come to his village. "We received a present +of honey and food from the chief, which was most welcome to us in +our condition. Here was an instance of that friendly disposition +among Central African chiefs when they have not been spoiled by +the Arabs, which Dr. Livingstone found among the Babisa and +Ba-ulungu, and in Manyuema. I received the same friendly +recognition from all the chiefs, from Imrera, in Ukawendi, +to Unyanyembe, as I did from Ma-manyara. + +On the 14th we arrived at Ugunda, and soon after we had established +ourselves comfortably in a hut which the chief lent us for our use, +in came Ferajji and Chowpereh, bringing with them Sarmean and Uledi +Manwa Sera, who, it will be recollected, were the two soldiers sent +to Zanzibar with letters and who should Sarmean have in charge but +the deserter Hamdallah, who decamped at Manyara, as we were going +to Ujiji. This fellow, it seems, had halted at Kigandu, and had +informed the chief and the doctor of the village that he had been +sent by the white man to take back the cloth left there for the +cure of Mabruk Saleem; and the simple chief had commanded it to +be given up to him upon his mere word, in consequence of which +the sick man had died. + +Upon Sarmean's arrival in Unyanyembe from Zanzibar, about fifty +days after the Expedition had departed for Ujiji the news he +received was that the white man (Shaw) was dead; and that a man +called Hamdallah, who had engaged himself as one of my guides, +but who had shortly after returned, was at Unyanyembe. He had +left him unmolested until the appearance of Ferajji and his +companion, when they at once, in a body, made a descent on his +hut and secured him. With the zeal which always distinguished +him in my service, Sarmean had procured a forked pole, between +the prongs of which the neck of the absconder was placed; and +a cross stick, firmly lashed, effectually prevented him from +relieving himself of the incumbrance attached to him so +deftly. + +There were no less than seven packets of letters and newspapers +from Zanzibar, which had been collecting during my absence from +Unyanyembe. These had been intrusted at various times to the +chiefs of caravans, who had faithfully delivered them at my +tembe, according to their promise to the Consul. There was one +packet for me, which contained two or three letters for +Dr. Livingstone, to whom, of course, they were at once transferred, +with my congratulations. In the same packet there was also a +letter to me from the British Consul at Zanzibar requesting me +to take charge of Livingstone's goods and do the best I could +to forward them on to him, dated 25th September, 1871, five days +after I left Unyanyembe on my apparently hopeless task. + +"Well, Doctor," said I to Livingstone, "the English Consul +requests me to do all I can to push forward your goods to you. +I am sorry that I did not get the authority sooner, for I should +have attempted it; but in the absence of these instructions I +have done the best I could by pushing you towards the goods. +The mountain has not been able to advance towards Mohammed, +but Mohammed has been compelled to advance towards the mountain." + +But Dr. Livingstone was too deeply engrossed in his own letters +from home, which were just a year old. + +I received good and bad news from New York, but the good news was +subsequent, and wiped out all feelings that might have been evoked +had I received the bad only. But the newspapers, nearly a hundred +of them, New York, Boston, and London journals, were full of most +wonderful news. The Paris Commune was in arms against the National +Assembly; the Tuileries, the Louvre, and the ancient city Lutetia +Parisiorum had been set in flames by the blackguards of +Saint-Antoine! French troops massacring and murdering men, +women, and children; rampant diabolism, and incarnate revenge were +at work in the most beautiful city in the world! Fair women +converted into demons, and dragged by ruffianly soldiery through +the streets to universal execration and pitiless death; children +of tender age pinned to the earth and bayoneted; men innocent or +not, shot, cut, stabbed, slashed, destroyed--a whole city given +up to the summa injuria of an infuriate, reckless, and brutal army! +Oh France! Oh Frenchmen! Such things are unknown even in the +heart of barbarous Central Africa. We spurned the newspapers with +our feet; and for relief to sickened hearts gazed on the comic side +of our world, as illustrated in the innocent pages of `Punch.' +Poor 'Punch!' good-hearted, kindly-natured `Punch!' a traveller's +benison on thee! Thy jokes were as physic; thy innocent satire +was provocative of hysteric mirth. + +Our doors were crowded with curious natives, who looked with +indescribable wonder at the enormous sheets. I heard them repeat +the words, "Khabari Kisungu"--white man's news--often, and heard +them discussing the nature of such a quantity of news, and +expressing their belief that the "Wasungu" were "mbyah sana," +and very "mkali;" by which they meant to say that the white men +were very wicked, and very smart and clever though the term +wicked is often employed to express high admiration. + +On the fourth day from Ugunda, or the 18th of February, and the +fifty-third day from Ujiji, we made our appearance with flags +flying and guns firing in the valley of Kwihara, and when the +Doctor and myself passed through the portals of my old quarters +I formally welcomed him to Unyanyembe and to my house. + +Since the day I had left the Arabs, sick and, weary almost with +my life, but, nevertheless, imbued with the high hope that my +mission would succeed, 131 days had elapsed--with what vicissitudes +of fortune the reader well knows--during which time I had journeyed +over 1,200 miles. + +The myth after which I travelled through the wilderness proved to +be a fact; and never was the fact more apparent than when the +Living Man walked with me arm in arm to my old room, and I said +to him, "Doctor, we are at last HOME!" + + +CHAPTER XV. HOMEWARD BOUND.--LIVINGSTONE'S LAST WORDS + THE FINAL FAREWELL + + + +Unyanyembe was now to me a terrestrial Paradise. Livingstone was +no less happy; he was in comfortable quarters, which were a palace +compared to his hut in Ujiji. Our store-rooms were full of the +good things of this life, besides cloth, beads, wire, and the +thousand and one impedimenta and paraphernalia of travel with which +I had loaded over one hundred and fifty men at Bagamoyo. I had +seventy-four loads of miscellaneous things, the most valuable of +which were now to be turned over to Livingstone, for his march back +to the sources of the Nile. + +It was a great day with, us when, with hammer and chisel, I broke +open the Doctor's boxes, that we might feast our famished stomachs +on the luxuries which were to redeem us from the effect of the +cacotrophic dourra and maize food we had been subjected to in the +wilderness. I conscientiously believed that a diet on potted ham, +crackers, and jellies would make me as invincible as Talus, and +that I only required a stout flail to be able to drive the mighty +Wagogo into the regions of annihiliation, should they dare even to +wink in a manner I disapproved. + +The first box opened contained three tins of biscuits, six tins +of potted hams--tiny things, not much larger than thimbles, which, +when opened, proved to be nothing more than a table-spoonful of +minced meat plentifully seasoned with pepper: the Doctor's stores +fell five hundred degrees below zero in my estimation. Next were +brought out five pots of jam, one of which was opened--this was also +a delusion. The stone jars weighed a pound, and in each was found +a little over a tea-spoonful of jam. Verily, we began to think our +hopes and expectations had been raised to too high a pitch. Three +bottles of curry were next produced--but who cares for curry? +Another box was opened, and out tumbled a fat dumpy Dutch cheese, +hard as a brick, but sound and good; though it is bad for the +liver in Unyamwezi. Then another cheese was seen, but this was +all eaten up--it was hollow and a fraud. The third box contained +nothing but two sugar loaves; the fourth, candles; the fifth, +bottles of salt, Harvey, Worcester, and Reading sauces, essence +of anchovies, pepper, and mustard. Bless me! what food were these +for the revivifying of a moribund such as I was! The sixth box +contained four shirts, two pairs of stout shoes, some stockings and +shoe-strings, which delighted the Doctor so much when he tried them +on that he exclaimed, "Richard is himself again!" "That man," said +I, "whoever he is, is a friend, indeed." "Yes, that is my friend +Waller." + +The five other boxes contained potted meat and soups; but the +twelfth, containing one dozen bottles of medicinal brandy, was +gone;and a strict cross-examination of Asmani, the head man of +Livingstone's caravan, elicited the fact, that not only was one +case of brandy missing, but also two bales of cloth and four bags +of the most valuable beads in Africa--sami-sami--which are as gold +with the natives. + +I was grievously disappointed after the stores had been examined; +everything proved to be deceptions in my jaundiced eyes. Out of +the tins of biscuits when opened, there was only one sound box; +the whole of which would not make one full meal. The soups--who +cared for meat soups in Africa? Are there no bullocks, and sheep, +and goats in the land, from which far better soup can be made than +any that was ever potted? Peas, or any other kind of vegetable +soup, would have been a luxury; but chicken and game soups!--what +nonsense! + +I then overhauled my own stores. I found some fine old brandy +and one bottle of champagne still left; though it was evident, +in looking at the cloth bales, that dishonesty had been at work; +and some person happened to suggest Asmani--the head man sent by +Dr. Kirk in charge of Livingstone's goods--as the guilty party. +Upon his treasures being examined, I found eight or ten coloured +cloths, with the mark of my own agent at Zanzibar on them. As he +was unable to give a clear account of how they came in his box, +they were at once confiscated, and distributed among the most +deserving of the Doctor's people. Some of the watchmen also +accused him of having entered into my store-room, and of having +abstracted two or three gorah of domestics from my bales, +and of having, some days afterwards, snatched the keys from the +hands of one of my men, and broken them, lest other people might +enter, and find evidences of his guilt. As Asmani was proved to +be another of the "moral idiots," Livingstone discharged him on +the spot. Had we not arrived so soon at Unyanyembe, it is probable +that the entire stock sent from Zanzibar had in time disappeared. + +Unyanyembe being rich in fruits, grain, and cattle, we determined +to have our Christmas dinner over again in style, and, being +fortunately in pretty good health, I was enabled to superintend +its preparation. Never was such prodigality seen in a tembe of +Unyamwezi as was seen in ours, nor were ever such delicacies +provided. + +There were but few Arabs in Unyanyembe when we arrived, as they +were investing the stronghold of Mirambo. About a week after our +return, "the little mannikin," Sheikh Sayd bin Salim--El Wali--who +was the commander-in-chief of their forces, came to Kwihara from +the front. But the little Sheikh was in no great hurry to greet +the man he had wronged so much. As soon as we heard of his arrival +we took the opportunity to send men immediately after the goods +which were forwarded to the Wali's care soon after Livingstone's +departure for Mikindany Bay. The first time we sent men for them +the governor declared himself too sick to attend to such matters, +but the second day they were surrendered, with a request that the +Doctor would not be very angry at their condition, as the white +ants had destroyed everything. + +The stores this man had detained at Unyanyembe were in a most sorry +state. The expenses were prepaid for their carriage to Ujiji, but +the goods had been purposely detained at this place by Sayd bin +Salim since 1867 that he might satisfy his appetite for liquor, +and probably fall heir to two valuable guns that were known to be +with them. The white ants had not only eaten up bodily the box +in which the guns were packed, but they had also eaten the gunstocks. +The barrels were corroded, and the locks were quite destroyed. +The brandy bottles, most singular to relate, had also fallen a prey +to the voracious and irresistible destroyers the white ants--and, +by some unaccountable means, they had imbibed the potent Hennessy, +and replaced the corks with corn-cobs. The medicines had also +vanished, and the zinc pots in which they had been snugly packed +up were destroyed by corrosion. Two bottles of brandy and one small +zinc case of medicines only were saved out of the otherwise utter +wreck. + +I also begged the Doctor to send to Sheikh Sayd, and ask him if he +had received the two letters despatched by him upon his first +arrival at Ujiji for Dr. Kirk and Lord Clarendon; and if he had +forwarded them to the coast, as he was desired to do. The reply +to the messengers was in the affirmative; and, subsequently, I +obtained the same answer in the presence of the Doctor, + +On the 222nd of February, the pouring rain, which had dogged us +the entire distance from Ujiji, ceased, and we had now beautiful +weather; and while I prepared for the homeward march, the Doctor +was busy writing his letters, and entering his notes into his +journal, which I was to take to his family. When not thus +employed, we paid visits to the Arabs at Tabora, by whom we were +both received with that bounteous hospitality for which they are +celebrated. + +Among the goods turned over by me to Dr. Livingstone, while +assorting such cloths as I wished to retain for my homeward trip, +were-- + + Doti. Yards. + +First-class American sheeting . . . 285 = 1140 + + " Kaniki (blue stuff) . . . 16 = 64 + +Medium " (blue stuff) . . . 60 = 240 + + " Dabwani cloth . . . . 41 = 64 + + Barsati cloths . . . . 28 = 112 + + Printed handkerchiefs . . 70 = 280 + +Medium Rehani cloth . . . . . 127 = 508 + + " Ismahili " . . . . 20 = 80 + + " Sohari " . . . . . 20 = 80 + +4 pieces fine Kungura (red check) 22 = 88 + +4 gorah Rehani . . . . . . . 8 = 32 + +Total number of cloths . 697 = 2788 + +Besides: + +Cloth, 2788 yards. + +Assorted beads, 16 sacks, weight = 992 lbs. + +Brass wire, Nos. 5 and 6; 10 fraslilah = 350 lbs. + +1 canvas tent, waterproof. + +1 air-bed. + +1 boat (canvas} + +1 bag of tools, carpenter's. + +1 rip saw. + +2 barrels of tar. + +12 sheets of ship's copper = 60 lbs. + +Clothes. + +1 Jocelyn breech-loader (metallic cartridge). + +1 Starr's " " " + +1 Henry (16-shooter) " " + +1 revolver. + +200 rounds revolver ammunition. + +2000 " Jocelyn and Starrs ammunition. + +1500 " Henry rifle ammunition. + +Cooking utensils, medicine chest, books, sextant, canvas bags, &c., +&c., &c. + +The above made a total of about forty loads. Many things in the +list would have brought fancy prices in Unyanyembe, especially +the carbines and ammunition, the saw, carpenter's tools the beads, +and wire. Out of the thirty-three loads which were stored for him +in my tembe--the stock sent to Livingstone, Nov. 1,1870--but few +of them would be available for his return trip to Rua and Manyuema. +The 696 doti of cloth which were left to him formed the only +marketable articles of value he possessed; and in Manyuema, where +the natives manufactured their own cloth, such an article would be +considered a drug; while my beads and wire, with economy, would +suffice to keep him and his men over two years in those regions. +His own cloth, and what I gave him, made in the aggregate 1,393 +doti, which, at 2 doti per day for food, were sufficient to keep +him and sixty men 696 days. He had thus four years' supplies. +The only articles he lacked to make a new and completely fitted-up +expedition were the following, a list of which he and I drew up;-- + +A few tins of American wheat-flour. + " " soda crackers. + " " preserved fruits +A few tins of salmon, +10 lbs. Hyson tea. +Some sewing thread and needles. +1 dozen official envelopes. +`Nautical Almanac' for 1872 and 1873. +1 blank journal. +1 chronometer, stopped. +1 chain for refractory people. + +With the articles just named he would have a total of seventy +loads, but without carriers they were an incumbrance to him; for, +with only the nine men which he now had, he could go nowhere with +such a splendid assortment of goods. I was therefore commissioned +to enlist,--as soon as I reached Zanzibar,--fifty freemen, arm them +with a gun and hatchet each man, besides accoutrements, and to +purchase two thousand bullets, one thousand flints, and ten kegs of +gunpowder. The men were to act as carriers, to follow wherever +Livingstone might desire to go. For, without men, he was simply +tantalized with the aspirations roused in him by the knowledge +that he had abundance of means, which were irrealizable without +carriers. All the wealth of London and New York piled before him +were totally unavailable to him without the means of locomotion. +No Mnyamwezi engages himself as carrier during war-time. You who +have read the diary of my 'Life in Unyanyembe' know what stubborn +Conservatives the Wanyamwezi are. A duty lay yet before me which +I owed to my illustrious companion, and that was to hurry to the +coast as if on a matter of life and death--act for him in the matter +of enlisting men as if he were there himself--to work for him with +the same zeal as I would for myself--not to halt or rest until his +desires should be gratified, And this I vowed to do; but it was +a death-blow to my project of going down the Nile, and getting +news of Sir S. Baker. + +The Doctor's task of writing his letters was ended. He delivered +into my hand twenty letters for Great Britain, six for Bombay, +two for New York, and one for Zanzibar. The two letters for New +York were for James Gordon Bennett, junior, as he alone, not his +father, was responsible for the Expedition sent under my command. +I beg the reader's pardon for republishing one of these letters +here, as its spirit and style indicate the man, the mere knowledge +of whose life or death was worth a costly Expedition. + +Ujiji, on Tanganika, East Africa, November, 1871. + +James Gordon Bennett, Jr., Esq. + +My Dear Sir,--It is in general somewhat difficult to write to one +we have never seen--it feels so much like addressing an abstract +idea--but the presence of your representative, Mr. H. M. Stanley, +in this distant region takes away the strangeness I should otherwise +have felt, and in writing to thank you for the extreme kindness +that prompted you to send him, I feel quite at home. + +If I explain the forlorn condition in which he found me you will +easily perceive that I have good reason to use very strong +expressions of gratitude. I came to Ujiji off a tramp of between +four hundred and five hundred miles, beneath a blazing vertical +sun, having been baffled, worried, defeated and forced to return, +when almost in sight of the end of the geographical part of my +mission, by a number of half-caste Moslem slaves sent to me from +Zanzibar, instead of men. The sore heart made still sorer by the +woeful sights I had seen of man's inhumanity to man racked and +told on the bodily frame, and depressed it beyond measure. I +thought that I was dying on my feet. It is not too much to say +that almost every step of the weary sultry way was in pain, and +I reached Ujiji a mere ruckle of bones. + +There I found that some five hundred pounds' sterling worth of +goods which I had ordered from Zanzibar had unaccountably been +entrusted to a drunken half-caste Moslem tailor, who, after +squandering them for sixteen months on the way to Ujiji; finished +up by selling off all that remained for slaves and ivory for himself. +He had "divined" on the Koran and found that I was dead. He had +also written to the Governor of Unyanyembe that he had sent slaves +after me to Manyuema, who returned and reported my decease, and +begged permission to sell off the few goods that his drunken +appetite had spared. + +He, however, knew perfectly well, from men who had seen me, that +I was alive, and waiting for the goods and men; but as for morality, +he is evidently an idiot, and there being no law here except that +of the dagger or musket, I had to sit down in great weakness, +destitute of everything save a few barter cloths and beads, which +I had taken the precaution to leave here in case of extreme need. + +The near prospect of beggary among Ujijians made me miserable. + +I could not despair, because I laughed so much at a friend who, +on reaching the mouth of the Zambezi, said that he was tempted +to despair on breaking the photograph of his wife. We could have +no success after that. Afterward the idea of despair had to me +such a strong smack of the ludicrous that it was out of the +question. + +Well, when I had got to about the lowest verge, vague rumors of +an English visitor reached me. I thought of myself as the man +who went down from Jerusalem to Jericho; but neither priest, Levite, +nor Samaritan could possibly pass my way. Yet the good Samaritan +was close at hand, and one of my people rushed up at the top of +his speed, and, in great excitement, gasped out, "An Englishman +coming! I see him!" and off he darted to meet him. + +An American flag, the first ever seen in these parts, at the head +of a caravan, told me the nationality of the stranger. + +I am as cold and non-demonstrative as we islanders are usually +reputed to be; but your kindness made my frame thrill. It was, +indeed, overwhelming, and I said in my soul, "Let the richest +blessings descend from the Highest on you and yours!" + +The news Mr. Stanley had to tell was thrilling. The mighty +political changes on the Continent; the success of the Atlantic +cables; the election of General Grant, and many other topics' +riveted my attention for days together, and had an immediate and +beneficial effect on my health. I had been without news from +home for years save what I could glean from a few 'Saturday +Reviews' and 'Punch' of 1868. The appetite revived, and in a +week I began to feel strong again. + +Mr. Stanley brought a most kind and encouraging despatch from +Lord Clarendon (whose loss I sincerely deplore), the first I have +received from the Foreign Office since 1866, and information that +the British Government had kindly sent a thousand pounds sterling +to my aid. Up to his arrival I was not aware of any pecuniary +aid. I came unsalaried, but this want is now happily repaired, +and I am anxious that you and all my friends should know that, +though uncheered by letter, I have stuck to the task which my +friend Sir Roderick Murchison set me with "John Bullish" tenacity, +believing that all would come right at last. + +The watershed of South Central Africa is over seven hundred wiles +in length. The fountains thereon are almost innumerable--that is, +it would take a man's lifetime to count them. From the watershed +they converge into four large rivers, and these again into two +mighty streams in the great Nile valley, which begins in ten degrees +to twelve degrees south latitude. It was long ere light dawned on +the ancient problem and gave me a clear idea of the drainage. I had +to feel my way, and every step of the way, and was, generally, +groping in the dark--for who cared where the rivers ran? "We drank +our fill and let the rest run by." + +The Portuguese who visited Cazembe asked for slaves and ivory, and +heard of nothing else. I asked about the waters, questioned and +cross-questioned, until I was almost afraid of being set down as +afflicted with hydrocephalus. + +My last work, in which I have been greatly hindered from want of +suitable attendants, was following the central line of drainage +down through the country of the cannibals, called Manyuema, or, +shortly Manyema. This line of drainage has four large lakes in +it. The fourth I was near when obliged to turn. It is from one +to three miles broad, and never can be reached at any point, or +at any time of the year. Two western drains, the Lufira, or Bartle +Frere's River, flow into it at Lake Kamolondo. Then the great +River Lomame flows through Lake Lincoln into it too, and seems +to form the western arm of the Nile, on which Petherick traded. + +Now, I knew about six hundred miles of the watershed, and +unfortunately the seventh hundred is the most interesting of the +whole; for in it, if I am not mistaken, four fountains arise from +an earthen mound, and the last of the four becomes, at no great +distance off, a large river. + +Two of these run north to Egypt, Lufira and Lomame, and two run +south into inner Ethiopia, as the Leambaye, or Upper Zambezi, and +the Kaful. + +Are not these the sources of the Nile mentioned by the Secretary +of Minerva, in the city of Sais, to Herodotus? + +I have heard of them so often, and at great distances off, that I +cannot doubt their existence, and in spite of the sore longing for +home that seizes me every time I think of my family, I wish to +finish up by their rediscovery. + +Five hundred pounds sterling worth of goods have again +unaccountably been entrusted to slaves, and have been over a year +on the way, instead of four months. I must go where they lie at +your expense, ere I can put the natural completion to my work. + +And if my disclosures regarding the terrible Ujijian slavery +should lead to the suppression of the East Coast slave trade, I +shall regard that as a greater matter by far than the discovery +of all the Nile sources together. Now that you have done with +domestic slavery for ever, lend us your powerful aid toward this +great object. This fine country is blighted, as with a curse from +above, in order that the slavery privileges of the petty Sultan +of Zanzibar may not be infringed, and the rights of the Crown of +Portugal, which are mythical, should be kept in abeyance till some +future time when Africa will become another India to Portuguese +slave-traders. + +I conclude by again thanking you most cordially for your great +generosity, and am, + +Gratefully yours, + +David Livingstone. + + +To the above letter I have nothing to add--it speaks for itself; +but I then thought it was the best evidence of my success. For +my own part, I cared not one jot or tittle about his discoveries, +except so far as it concerned the newspaper which commissioned me +for the "search." It is true I felt curious as to the result of his +travels; but, since he confessed that he had not completed what he +had begun, I felt considerable delicacy to ask for more than he +could afford to give. His discoveries were the fruits of of +his own labours--to him they belonged--by their publication he +hoped to obtain his reward, which he desired to settle on his +children. Yet Livingstone had a higher and nobler ambition than +the mere pecuniary sum he would receive: he followed the +dictates of duty. Never was such a willing slave to that abstract +virtue. His inclinations impelled him home, the fascinations of +which it required the sternest resolves to resist. With every +foot of new ground he travelled over he forged a chain of sympathy +which should hereafter bind the Christian nations in bonds of love +and charity to the Heathen of the African tropics. If he were +able to complete this chain of love--by actual discovery and +description of them to embody such peoples and nations as still +live in darkness, so as to attract the good and charitable of his +own land to bestir themselves for their redemption and salvation-- +this, Livingstone would consider an ample reward. + +"A delirious and fatuous enterprise, a Quixotic scheme!" some will +say. Not it, my friends; for as sure as the sun shines on both +Christian and Infidel, civilised and Pagan, the day of enlightenment +will come; and, though Livingstone, the Apostle of Africa, may not +behold it himself, nor we younger men, not yet our children, the +Hereafter will see it, and posterity will recognise the daring +pioneer of its civilization. + +The following items are extracted in their entirety from my Diary: + +March 12th.--The Arabs have sent me as many as forty-five letters +to carry to the coast. I am turned courier in my latter days; +but the reason is that no regularly organized caravans are permitted +to leave Unyanyembe now, because of the war with Mirambo. What if +I had stayed all this time at Unyanyembe waiting for the war to end! +It is my opinion that, the Arabs will not be able to conquer Mirambo +under nine months yet. + +To-night the natives have gathered themselves together to give me +a farewell dance in front of my house. I find them to be the +pagazis of Singiri, chief of Mtesa's caravan. My men joined in, +and, captivated by the music despite myself, I also struck in, and +performed the "light fantastic," to the intense admiration of my +braves, who were delighted to see their master unbend a little from +his usual stiffness. + +It is a wild dance altogether. The music is lively, and evoked +from the sonorous sound of four drums, which are arranged before +the bodies of four men, who stand in the centre of the weird +circle. Bombay, as ever comical, never so much at home as when in +the dance of the Mrima, has my water-bucket on his head; Chowpereh-- +the sturdy, the nimble, sure-footed Chowpereh--has an axe in his +hand, and wears a goatskin on his head; Baraka has my bearskin, +and handles a spear; Mabruki, the "Bull-headed," has entered into +the spirit of the thing, and steps up and down like a solemn +elephant; Ulimengo has a gun, and is a fierce Drawcansir, and you +would imagine he was about to do battle to a hundred thousand, +so ferocious is he in appearance; Khamisi and Kamna are before +the drummers, back to back, kicking up ambitiously at the stars; +Asmani,--the embodiment of giant strength,--a towering Titan,-- +has also a gun, with which he is dealing blows in the air, as if +he were Thor, slaying myriads with his hammer. The scruples and +passions of us all are in abeyance; we are contending demons under +the heavenly light of the stars, enacting only the part of a weird +drama, quickened into action and movement by the appalling energy +and thunder of the drums. + +The warlike music is ended, and another is started. The choragus +has fallen on his knees, and dips his head two or three times in an +excavation in the ground, and a choir, also on their knees, repeat +in dolorous tones the last words of a slow and solemn refrain. The +words are literally translated:-- + +Choragus. Oh-oh-oh! the white man is going home! + +Choir. Oh-oh-oh! going home! + Going home, oh-oh-oh! + +Choragus. To the happy island on the sea, + Where the beads are plenty, oh-oh-oh! + +Choir. Oh-oh-oh! where the beads are plenty, + Oh-oh-oh! + +Choragus. While Singiri has kept us, oh, very long + From our homes very long, oh-oh-oh.! + +Choir From our homes, oh-oh-oh! + Oh-oh-oh! + +Choragus. And we have had no food for very long-- + We are half-starved, oh, for so long! + Bana Singiri! + +Choir. For so very long, oh-oh-oh! + Bana Singiri-Singiri! + Singiri! oh, Singiri + +Choragus. Mirambo has gone to war + To fight against the Arabs; + The Arabs and Wangwana + Have gone to fight Mirambo! + +Choir Oh-oh-oh! to fight Mirambo! + + Oh, Mirambo! Mirambo + Oh, to fight Mirambo! + +Choragus. But the white man will make us glad, + He is going home! For he is going home, + And he will make us glad! Sh-sh-sh! + +Choir. The white man will make us glad! Sh-sh-sh + Sh-----sh-h-h-----sh-h-h-h-h-h! + Um-m--mu---um-m-m----sh! + +This is the singular farewell which I received from the Wanyamwezi +of Singiri, and for its remarkable epic beauty(?), rhythmic +excellence(?), and impassioned force(?), I have immortalised it in +the pages of this book, as one of the most wonderful productions of +the chorus-loving children of Unyamwezi. + +March 13th.--The last day of my stay with Livingstone has come +and gone, and the last night we shall be together is present, and +I cannot evade the morrow! I feel as though I would rebel against +the fate which drives me away from him. The minutes beat fast, +and grow into hours. + +Our door is closed, and we are both of us busy with our own +thoughts. What his thoughts are I know not. Mine are sad. My +days seem to have been spent in an Elysian field; otherwise, why +should I so keenly regret the near approach of the parting hour? +Have I not been battered by successive fevers, prostrate with +agony day after day lately? Have I not raved and stormed in +madness? Have I not clenched my fists in fury, and fought with +the wild strength of despair when in delirium? Yet, I regret to +surrender the pleasure I have felt in this man's society, though +so dearly purchased. + +I cannot resist the sure advance of time, which flies this night +as if it mocked me, and gloated on the misery it created! +Be it so! + +How many times have I not suffered the pang of parting with +friends! I wished to linger longer, but the inevitable would +come--Fate sundered us. This is the same regretful feeling, only +it is more poignant, and the farewell may be forever! FOREVER? +And "FOR EVER," echo the reverberations of a woful whisper. + +I have noted down all he has said to-night; but the reader shall +not share it with me. It is mine! + +I am as jealous as he is himself of his Journal; and I have +written in German text, and in round hand, on either side of it, +on the waterproof canvas cover, "POSITTVELY NOT TO BE OPENED;" +to which he has affixed his signature. I have stenographed every +word he has said to me respecting the equable distribution of +certain curiosities among his friends and children, and his last +wish about "his" dear old friend, Sir Roderick Murchison, because +he has been getting anxious about him ever since we received the +newspapers at Ugunda, when we read that the old man was suffering +from a paralytic stroke. I must be sure to send him the news, as +soon as I get to Aden; and I have promised that he will receive +the message from me quicker than anything was ever received in +Central Africa. + +"To-morrow night, Doctor, you will be alone!" + +"Yes; the house will look as though a death had taken place. +You had better stop until the rains, which are now near, +are over." + +"I would to God I could, my dear Doctor; but every day I stop +here, now that there is no necessity for me to stay longer, keeps +you from your work and home." + +"I know; but consider your health--you are not fit to travel. +What is it? Only a few weeks longer. You will travel to the +coast just as quickly when the rains are over as you will by +going now. The plains will be inundated between here and the +coast." + +"You think so; but I will reach the coast in forty days; if +not in forty, I will in fifty--certain. The thought that I +am doing you an important service will spur me on." + +March 14th.--At dawn we were up, the bales and baggage were taken +outside of the building, and the men prepared themselves for the +first march towards home. + +We had a sad breakfast together. I could not eat, my heart was +too full; neither did my companion seem to have an appetite. We +found something to do which kept us longer together. At 8 o'clock +I was not gone, and I had thought to have been off at 5 A.M. + +"Doctor," said I, "I will leave two men with you, who will stop +to-day and to-morrow with you, for it may be that you have +forgotten something in the hurry of my departure. I will halt a +day at Tura, on the frontier of Unyamwezi, for your last word, +and your last wish; and now we must part--there is no help for it. +Good-bye." + +"Oh, I am coming with you a little way. I must see you off on +the road." + +"Thank you. Now, my men, Home! Kirangozi, lift the flag, and +MARCH!" + +The house looked desolate--it faded from our view. Old times, +and the memories of my aspirations and kindling hopes, came strong +on me. The old hills round about, that I once thought tame and +uninteresting, had become invested with histories and reminiscences +for me. On that burzani I have sat hour after hour, dreaming, and +hoping, and sighing. On that col I stood, watching the battle and +the destruction of Tabora. Under that roof I have sickened and +been delirious, and cried out like a child at the fate that +threatened my mission. Under that banian tree lay my dead comrade-- +poor Shaw; I would have given a fortune to have had him by my side +at this time. From that house I started on my journey to Ujiji; +to it I returned as to a friend, with a newer and dearer companion; +and now I leave all. Already it all appears like a strange dream. + +We walked side by side; the men lifted their voices into a song. +I took long looks at Livingstone, to impress his features +thoroughly on my memory. + +"The thing is, Doctor, so far as I can understand it, you do not +intend to return home until you have satisfied yourself about the +`Sources of the Nile.' When you have satisfied yourself, you will +come home and satisfy others. Is it not so?" + +"That is it, exactly. When your men come back, I shall immediately +start for Ufipa; then, crossing the Rungwa River, I shall strike +south, and round the extremity of the Tanganika. Then, a south-east +course will take me to Chicumbi's, on the Luapula. On crossing +the Luapula, I shall go direct west to the copper-mines of Katanga. +Eight days south of Katanga, the natives declare the fountains to be. +When I have found them, I shall return by Katanga to the underground +houses of Rua. From the caverns, ten days north-east will take +me to Lake Kamolondo. I shall be able to travel from the lake, in +your boat, up the River Lufira, to Lake Lincoln. Then, coming down +again, I can proceed north, by the Lualaba, to the fourth lake-- +which, I think, will explain the whole problem; and I will probably +find that it is either Chowambe (Baker's lake), or Piaggia's lake. + +"And how long do you think this little journey will take you?" + +"A year and a half, at the furthest, from the day I leave +Unyanyembe." + +"Suppose you say two years; contingencies might arise, you know. +It will be well for me to hire these new men for two years; the +day of their engagement to begin from their arrival at Unyanyembe." + +"Yes, that will do excellently well." + +"Now, my dear Doctor, the best friends must part. You have come +far enough; let me beg of you to turn back." + +"Well, I will say this to you: you have done what few men could +do--far better than some great travellers I know. And I am grateful +to you for what you have done for me. God guide you safe home, and +bless you, my friend." + +"And may God bring you safe back to us all, my dear friend. +Farewell!" + +"Farewell!" + +We wrung each other's hands, and I had to tear myself away before +I unmanned myself; but Susi, and Chumah, and Hamoydah--the Doctor's +faithful fellows--they must all shake and kiss my hands before I +could quite turn away. I betrayed myself! + +"Good-bye, Doctor--dear friend!" + +"Good-bye!" + +The FAREWELL between Livingstone and myself had been spoken. We +were parted, he to whatever fate Destiny had yet in store for him, +to battling against difficulties, to many, many days of marching +through wildernesses, with little or nothing much to sustain him +save his own high spirit, and enduring faith in God--"who would +bring all things right at last;" and I to that which Destiny +may have in store for me. + +But though I may live half a century longer, I shall never forget +that parting scene in Central Africa. I shall never cease to think +of the sad tones of that sorrowful word Farewell, how they +permeated through every core of my heart, how they clouded my +eyes, and made me wish unutterable things which could never be. + +An audacious desire to steal one embrace from the dear old man came +over me, and almost unmanned me. I felt tempted to stop with him +and assist him, on his long return march to the fountain region, +but these things were not to be, any more than many other +impulsive wishes, and despite the intensified emotions which filled +both of us, save by silent tears, and a tremulous parting word, +we did not betray our stoicism of manhood and race. + +I assumed a gruff voice, and ordered the Expedition to march, +and I resolutely turned my face toward the eastern sky. But ever +and anon my eyes would seek that deserted figure of an old man in +grey clothes, who with bended head and slow steps was returning to +his solitude, the very picture of melancholy, and each time I saw +him--as the plain was wide and clear of obstructions--I felt my +eyes stream, and my heart swell with a vague, indefinable feeling +of foreboding and sorrow. + +I thought of his lonely figure sitting day after day on the +burzani of his house, by which all caravans from the coast would +have to pass, and of the many, many times he would ask the +new-comers whether they had passed any men coming along the road +for him, and I thought as each day passed, and his stores and +letters had not arrived how be would grieve at the lengthening +delay. I then felt strong again, as I felt that so long as I +should be doing service for Livingstone, I was not quite parted +from him, and by doing the work effectively and speedily the +bond of friendship between us would be strengthened. Such +thoughts spurred me to the resolution to march so quickly for +the coast, that Arabs in after time should marvel at the speed +with which the white man's caravan travelled from Unyanyembe +to Zanzibar. + +I took one more look at him; he was standing near the gate of +Kwikuru with his servants near him. I waved a handkerchief to him, +as a final token of farewell, and he responded to it by lifting +his cap. It was the last opportunity, for we soon surmounted the +crest of a land-wave, and began the descent into the depression on +the other side, and I NEVER saw him more. + +God grant, dear reader, that if ever you take to travelling in +Central Africa, you find as good and true a man, for your +companion, as I found in noble David Livingstone. For four months +and four days he and I occupied the same house, or, the same tent, +and I never had one feeling of resentment against him, nor did he +show any against me, and the longer I lived with him the more did +my admiration and reverence for him increase. + +What were Livingstone's thoughts during the time which elapsed +between my departure for the coast, and the arrival of his +supplies, may be gathered from a letter which he wrote on the 2nd +of July to Mr. John F. Webb, American Consul at Zanzibar. + + I have been waiting up here like Simeon Stylites on his pillar, + and counting every day, and conjecturing each step taken by our + friend towards the coast, wishing and praying that no sickness + might lay him up, no accident befall him, and no unlooked-for + combinations of circumstances render his kind intentions vain + or fruitless. Mr. Stanley had got over the tendency to the + continued form of fever which is the most dangerous, and was + troubled only with the intermittent form, which is comparatively + safe, or I would not have allowed him, but would have accompanied + him to Zanzibar. I did not tell himself so; nor did I say what I + thought, that he really did a very plucky thing in going through + the Mirambo war in spite of the remonstrances of all the Arabs, + and from Ujiji guiding me back to Unyanyembe. The war, as it + is called, is still going on. The danger lay not so much in + the actual fighting as in the universal lawlessness the war + engendered. + +I am not going to inflict on the reader a repetition of our march +back, except to record certain incidents which occurred to us as we +journeyed to the coast. + +March 17th.--We came to the Kwalah River. The first rain of the +Masika season fell on this day; I shall be mildewed before I reach +the coast. Last year's Masika began at Bagamoyo, March 23rd, and +ended 30th April. + +The next day I halted the Expedition at Western Tura, on the +Unyamwezi frontier, and on the 20th arrived at Eastern Tura; when, +soon after, we heard a loud report of a gun, and Susi and Hamoydah, +the Doctor's servants, with Uredi, and another of my men, appeared +with a letter for "Sir Thomas MacLear, Observatory, Cape of Good +Hope," and one for myself, which read as follows: + +Kwihara, March 15, 1872. + +Dear Stanley, + +If you can telegraph on your arrival in London, be particular, +please, to say how Sir Roderick is. You put the matter exactly +yesterday, when you said that I was "not yet satisfied about the +Sources; but as soon as I shall be satisfied, I shall return and +give satisfactory reasons fit for other people." This is just as +it stands. + +I wish I could give you a better word than the Scotch one to "put +a stout heart to a stey brae"--(a steep ascent)--for you will do +that; and I am thankful that, before going away, the fever had +changed into the intermittent, or safe form. I would not have +let you go, but with great concern, had you still been troubled +with the continued type. I feel comfortable in commending you +to the guardianship of the good Lord and Father of all. + +I am gratefully yours, + +David Livingstone. + +I have worked as hard as I could copying observations made in one +line of march from Kabuire, back again to Cazembe, and on to Lake +Baugweolo, and am quite tired out. My large figures fill six +sheets of foolscap, and many a day will elapse ere I take to +copying again. I did my duty when ill at Ujiji in 1869, and am +not to blame, though they grope a little in the dark at home. +Some Arab letters have come, and I forward them to you. + +D. L. + +March 16, 1872. + +P.S.--I have written a note this morning to Mr. Murray, +50, Albemarle Street, the publisher, to help you, if necessary, +in sending the Journal by book post, or otherwise, to Agnes. +If you call on him you will find him a frank gentleman. A pleasant +journey to you. + + +David Livingstone. + +To Henry M. Stanley, Esq., +Wherever he may be found. + + +Several Wangwana arrived at Tura to join our returning Expedition, +as they were afraid to pass through Ugogo by themselves; others +were reported coming; but as all were sufficiently warned at +Unyanyembe that the departure of the caravan would take place +positively on the 14th, I was not disposed to wait longer. + +As we were leaving Tura, on the 21st, Susi and Hamoydah were sent +back to the Doctor, with last words from me, while we continued our +march to Nghwhalah River. + +Two days afterwards we arrived before the village of Ngaraisa, +into which the head of the caravan attempted to enter but the +angry Wakimbu forcibly ejected them. + +On the 24th, we encamped in the jungle, in what is called the +"tongoni," or clearing. + +This region was at one period in a most flourishing state; the +soil is exceedingly fertile; the timber is large, and would be +valuable near the coast; and, what is highly appreciated in +Africa, there is an abundance of water. We camped near a smooth, +broad hump of syenite, at one end of which rose, upright and grand, +a massive square rock, which towered above several small trees in +the vicinity; at the other end stood up another singular rock, +which was loosened at the base. + +The members of the Expedition made use of the great sheet of rock +to grind their grain; a common proceeding in these lands where +villages are not near, or when the people are hostile. + +On the 27th of March we entered Kiwyeh. At dawn, when leaving +Mdaburu River, the solemn warning had been given that we were +about entering Ugogo; and as we left Kaniyaga village, with +trumpet-like blasts of the guide's horn, we filed into the depths +of an expanse of rustling Indian corn. The ears were ripe enough +for parching and roasting, and thus was one anxiety dispelled +by its appearance; for generally, in early March, caravans +suffer from famine, which overtakes both natives and strangers. + +We soon entered the gum-tree districts, and we knew we were in +Ugogo. The forests of this country are chiefly composed of the +gum and thorn species--mimosa and tamarisk, with often a variety +of wild fruit trees. The grapes were plentiful, though they were +not quite ripe; and there was also a round, reddish fruit with the +sweetness of the Sultana grape, with leaves like a gooseberry-bush. +There was another about the size of an apricot, which was +excessively bitter. + +Emerging from the entangled thorn jungle, the extensive settlements +of Kiwyeh came into view; and to the east of the chief's village +we found a camping place under the shade of a group of colossal +baobab. + +We had barely encamped when we heard the booming, bellowing war +horns sounding everywhere, and we espied messengers darting swiftly +in every direction giving the alarm of war. When first informed +that the horns were calling the people to arm themselves, and +prepare for war, I half suspected that an attack was about to be +made on the Expedition; but the words "Urugu, warugu" (thief! +thieves!)--bandied about, declared the cause. Mukondoku, the chief +of the populous district two days to the north-east, where we +experienced some excitement when westward-bound, was marching to +attack the young Mtemi, Kiwyeh, and Kiwyeh's soldiers were called +to the fight. The men rushed to their villages, and in a short +time we saw them arrayed in full fighting costume. Feathers of the +ostrich and the eagle waved over their fronts, or the mane of the +zebra surrounded their heads; their knees and ankles were hung +with little bells; joho robes floated behind, from their necks; +spears, assegais, knob-sticks, and bows were flourished over their +heads, or held in their right hands, as if ready for hurling. On +each flank of a large body which issued from the principal village, +and which came at a uniform swinging double-quick, the ankle and +knee bells all chiming in admirable unison, were a cloud of +skirmishers, consisting of the most enthusiastic, who exercised +themselves in mimic war as they sped along. Column after column, +companies, and groups from every village hurried on past our camp +until, probably, there were nearly a thousand soldiers gone to the +war. This scene gave me a better idea than anything else of the +weakness of even the largest caravans which travelled between +Zanzibar and Unyanyembe. + +At night the warriors returned from the forest; the alarm proved +to be without foundation. At first it was generally reported that +the invaders were Wahehe, or the Wadirigo, as that tribe are +scornfully called from their thieving propensities. The Wahehe +frequently make a foray upon the fat cattle of Ugogo. They travel +from their own country in the south-east, and advance through the +jungle, and when about to approach the herds, stoop down, covering +their bodies with their shields of bull-hide. Having arrived +between the cattle and the herdsmen, they suddenly rise up and +begin to switch the cattle heartily, and, having started them off +into the jungle in the care of men already detailed for the work, +they turn about, and plant their shields before them, to fight +the aroused shepherds. + +On the 30th we arrived at Khonze, which is remarkable for the +mighty globes of foliage which the giant sycamores and baobabs put +forth above the plain. The chief of Khonze boasts of four tembes, +out of which he could muster in the aggregate fifty armed men; +yet this fellow, instigated by the Wanyamwezi residents, prepared +to resist our advance, because I only sent him three doti--twelve +yards of cloth--as honga. + +We were halted, waiting the return of a few friendly Wagogo +travellers who had joined us, and who were asked to assist Bombay +in the negotiation of the tribute, when the Wagogo returned to us +at breathless speed, and shouted out to me, "Why do you halt here? +Do you wish to die? These pagans will not take the tribute, but +they boast that they will eat up all your cloth." + +The renegade Wanyamwezi who had married into Wagogo families were +always our bane in this country. As the chief of Khonze came up +I ordered the men to load their guns, and I loaded my own +ostentatiously in his presence, and then strode up to him, and +asked if he had come to take the cloth by force, or if he were +going to accept quietly what I would give him. As the Mnyamwezi +who caused this show of hostilities was beginning to speak, I +caught him by the throat, and threatened to make his nose flatter +if he attempted to speak again in my presence, and to shoot him +first, if we should be forced to fight. The rascal was then pushed +away into the rear. The chief, who was highly amused with this +proceeding, laughed loudly at the discomfiture of the parasite, +and in a short time he and I had settled the tribute to our mutual +satisfaction, and we parted great friends. The Expedition arrived +at Sanza that night. + +On the 31st we came to Kanyenyi, to the great Mtemi--Magomba's-- +whose son and heir is Mtundu M'gondeh. As we passed by the tembe +of the great Sultan, the msagira, or chief counsellor, a pleasant +grey-haired man, was at work making a thorn fence around a patch +of young corn. He greeted the caravan with a sonorous "Yambo," +and, putting himself at its head, he led the way to our camp. +When introduced to me he was very cordial in his manner. +He was offered a kiti-stool and began to talk very affably. +He remembered my predecessors, Burton, Speke, and Grant, very well; +declared me to be much younger than any of them; and, recollecting +that one of the white men used to drink asses' milk (Burton?), +offered to procure me some. The way I drank it seemed to give +him very great satisfaction. + +His son, Unamapokera, was a tall man of thirty or thereabouts, +and he conceived a great friendship for me, and promised that the +tribute should be very light, and that he would send a man to show +me the way to Myumi, which was a village on the frontier of Kanyenyi, +by which I would be enabled to avoid the rapacious Kisewah, who was +in the habit of enforcing large tribute from caravans. + +With the aid of Unamapokera and his father, we contrived to be +mulcted very lightly, for we only paid ten doti, while Burton was +compelled to pay sixty doti or two hundred and forty yards of cloth. + +On the 1st of April, rising early, we reached Myumi after a four +hours' march; then plunged into the jungle, and, about 2 P.M. +arrived at a large ziwa, or pond, situate in the middle of a +jungle; and on the next day, at 10 A.M., reached the fields of +Mapanga. We were passing the village of Mapanga to a resting-place +beyond the village, where we might breakfast and settle the honga, +when a lad rushed forward to meet us, and asked us where we were +going. Having received a reply that we were going to a +camping-place, he hastened on ahead, and presently we heard him +talking to some men in a field on our right. + +In the meantime, we had found a comfortable shady place, and had +come to a halt; the men were reclining on the ground, or standing +up near their respective loads; Bombay was about opening a bale, +when we heard a great rush of men, and loud shouts, and, +immediately after, out rushed from the jungle near by a body of +forty or fifty armed men, who held their spears above their +heads, or were about to draw their bows, with a chief at their +head, all uttering such howls of rage as only savages can, which +sounded like a long-drawn "Hhaat-uh--Hhaat-uhh-uhh," which meant, +unmistakably, "You will, will you? No, you will not!"--at once +determined, defiant, and menacing. + +I had suspected that the voices I heard boded no good to us, +and I had accordingly prepared my weapons and cartridges. Verily, +what a fine chance for adventure this was! One spear flung at us, +or one shot fired into this minatory mob of savages, and the +opposing' bands had been plunged into a fatal conflict! There +would have been no order of battle, no pomp of war, but a murderous +strife, a quick firing of breech-loaders, and volleys from +flint-lock muskets, mixed with the flying of spears and twanging +of bows, the cowardly running away at once, pursued by yelping +savages; and who knows how it all would have terminated? Forty +spears against forty guns--but how many guns would not have +decamped? Perhaps all, and I should have been left with my +boy gunbearers to have my jugular deliberately severed, or +to be decapitated, leaving my head to adorn a tall pole in +the centre of a Kigogo village, like poor Monsieur Maizan's +at Dege la Mhora, in Uzaramo. Happy end of an Expedition! +And the Doctor's Journal lost for ever--the fruits of six +years' labor! + +But in this land it will not do to fight unless driven to the very +last extremity. No belligerent Mungo Park can be successful in +Ugogo unless he has a sufficient force of men with him. With five +hundred Europeans one could traverse Africa from north to south, +by tact, and the moral effect that such a force would inspire. +Very little fighting would be required. + +Without rising from the bale on which I was seated, I requested the +kirangozi to demand an explanation of their furious hubbub and +threatening aspect; if they were come to rob us. + +"No," said the chief; "we do not want to stop the road, or to +rob you; but we want the tribute." + +"But don't you see us halted, and the bale opened to send it to +you? We have come so far from your village that after the tribute +is settled we can proceed on our way, as the day is yet young." + +The chief burst into a loud laugh, and was joined by ourselves. +He evidently felt ashamed of his conduct for he voluntarily offered +the explanation, that as he and his men were cutting wood to make +a new fence for his village, a lad came up to him, and said that +a caravan of Wangwana were about passing through the country +without stopping to explain who they were. We were soon very +good friends. He begged of me to make rain for him, as his crops +were suffering, and no rain had fallen for months. I told him that +though white people were very great and clever people, much +superior to the Arabs, yet we could not make rain. Though very +much disappointed, he did not doubt my statement, and after +receiving his honga, which was very light, he permitted us to go +on our way, and even accompanied us some distance to show us the +road. + +At 3 P.M. we entered a thorny jungle; and by 5 P.M. we had +arrived at Muhalata, a district lorded over by the chief Nyamzaga. +A Mgogo, of whom I made a friend, proved very staunch. He belonged +to Mulowa, a country to the S.S.E., and south of Kulabi; and was +active in promoting my interests by settling the tribute, with +the assistance of Bombay, for me. When, on the next day, we passed +through Kulabi on our way to Mvumi, and the Wagogo were about to +stop us for the honga, he took upon himself the task of relieving +us from further toll, by stating we were from Ugogo or Kanyenyi. +The chief simply nodded his head, and we passed on. It seems that +the Wagogo do not exact blackmail of those caravans who intend only +to trade in their own country, or have no intention of passing +beyond their own frontier. + +Leaving Kulabi, we traversed a naked, red, loamy plain, over which +the wind from the heights of Usagara, now rising a bluish-black +jumble of mountains in our front, howled most fearfully. With +clear, keen, incisive force, the terrible blasts seemed to +penetrate through an through our bodies, as though we were but +filmy gauze. Manfully battling against this mighty "peppo "-- +storm--we passed through Mukamwa's, and crossing a broad sandy +bed of a stream, we entered the territory of Mvumi, the last +tribute-levying chief of Ugogo. + +The 4th of April, after sending Bombay and my friendly Mgogo +with eight doti, or thirty-two yards of cloth, as a farewell +tribute to the Sultan, we struck off through the jungle, and in +five hours we were on the borders of the wilderness of "Marenga +Mkali"--the "hard," bitter or brackish, water. + +From our camp I despatched three men to Zanzibar with letters to +the American Consul, and telegraphic despatches for the `Herald,' +with a request to the Consul that he would send the men back with +a small case or two containing such luxuries as hungry, worn-out, +and mildewed men would appreciate. The three messengers were +charged not to halt for anything--rain or no rain, river or +inundation--as if they did not hurry up we should catch them +before they reached the coast. With a fervent "Inshallah, bana," +they departed. + +On the 5th, with a loud, vigorous, cheery "Hurrah!" we plunged +into the depths of the wilderness, which, with its eternal silence +and solitude, was far preferable to the jarring, inharmonious +discord of the villages of the Wagogo. For nine hours we held on +our way, starting with noisy shouts the fierce rhinoceros, the +timid quagga, and the herds of antelopes which crowd the jungles +of this broad salina. On the 7th, amid a pelting rain, we entered +Mpwapwa, where my Scotch assistant, Farquhar, died. We had +performed the extraordinary march of 338 English statute miles +from the 14th of March to the 7th of April, or within twenty-four +days, inclusive of halts, which was a little over fourteen miles +a day. + +Leukole, the chief of Mpwapwa, with whom I left Farquhar, gave the +following account of the death of the latter:-- + +"The white man seemed to be improving after you left him, until +the, fifth day, when, while attempting to rise and walk out of his +tent, he fell back; from that minute he got worse and worse, and +in the afternoon he died, like one going to sleep. His legs and +abdomen had swollen considerably, and something, I think, broke +within him when he fell, for he cried out like a man who was very +much hurt, and his servant said, `The master says he is dying.' + +"We had him carried out under a large tree, and after covering him +with leaves, there left him. His servant took possession of his +things, his rifle, clothes, and blanket, and moved off to the tembe +of a Mnyamwezi, near Kisokweh, where he lived for three months, +when he also died. Before he died he sold his master's rifle to an +Arab going to Unyanyembe for ten doti (forty yards of cloth). +That is all I know about it." + +He subsequently showed me the hollow into which the dead body +of Farquhar was thrown, but I could not find a vestige of his +bones, though we looked sharply about that we might make a decent +grave for them. Before we left Unyanyembe fifty men were +employed two days carrying rocks, with which I built up a solid +enduring pile around Shaw's grave eight feet long and five feet +broad, which Dr. Livingstone said would last hundreds of years, +as the grave of the first white man who died in Unyamwezi. +But though we could not discover any remains of the unfortunate +Farquhar, we collected a large quantity of stones, and managed +to raise a mound near the banks of the stream to commemorate +the spot where his body was laid. + +It was not until we had entered the valley of the Mukondokwa River +that we experienced anything like privation or hardship from the +Masika. Here the torrents thundered and roared; the river was a +mighty brown flood, sweeping downward with, an almost resistless +flow. The banks were brimful, and broad nullahs were full of +water, and the fields were inundated, and still the rain came +surging down in a shower, that warned us of what we might expect +during our transit of the sea-coast region. Still we urged our +steps onward like men to whom every moment was precious--as if a +deluge was overtaking us. Three times we crossed this awful flood +at the fords by means of ropes tied to trees from bank to bank, +and arrived at Kadetamare on the 11th, a most miserable, most +woe-begone set of human beings; and camped on a hill opposite +Mount Kibwe, which rose on the right of the river--one of the +tallest peaks of the range. + +On the 12th of April, after six hours of the weariest march I had +ever undergone, we arrived at the mouth of the Mukondokwa Pass, +out of which the river debouches into the Plain of Makata. We knew +that it was an unusual season, for the condition of the country, +though bad enough the year before, was as nothing compared to this +year. Close to the edge of the foaming, angry flood lay our route, +dipping down frequently into deep ditches, wherein we found +ourselves sometimes up to the waist in water, and sometimes up +to the throat. Urgent necessity impelled us onward, lest we might +have to camp at one of these villages until the end of the monsoon +rains; so we kept on, over marshy bottoms, up to the knees in mire, +under jungly tunnels dripping with wet, then into sloughs arm-pit +deep. Every channel seemed filled to overflowing, yet down the +rain poured, beating the surface of the river into yellowish foam, +pelting us until we were almost breathless. Half a day's battling +against such difficulties brought us, after crossing the river, +once again to the dismal village of Mvumi. + +We passed the night fighting swarms of black and voracious +mosquitoes, and in heroic endeavours to win repose in sleep, +in which we were partly successful, owing to the utter weariness +of our bodies. + +On the 13th we struck out of the village of Mvumi. It had rained +the whole night, and the morning brought no cessation. Mile after +mile we traversed, over fields covered by the inundation, until we +came to a branch river-side once again, where the river was narrow, +and too deep to ford in the middle. We proceeded to cut a tree +down, and so contrived that it should fall right across the stream. +Over this fallen tree the men, bestriding it, cautiously moved +before them their bales and boxes; but one young fellow, +Rojab--through over-zeal, or in sheer madness--took up the Doctor's +box which contained his letters and Journal of his discoveries on +his head, and started into the river. I had been the first to +arrive on the opposite bank, in order to superintend the crossing; +when I caught sight of this man walking in the river with the most +precious box of all on his head. Suddenly he fell into a deep +hole, and the man and box went almost out of sight, while I was in +an agony at the fate which threatened the despatches. Fortunately, +he recovered himself and stood up, while I shouted to him, with +a loaded revolver pointed at his head, "Look out! Drop that bog, +and I'll shoot you." + +All the men halted in their work while they gazed at their +comrade who was thus imperilled by bullet and flood. The man +himself seemed to regard the pistol with the greatest awe, and +after a few desperate efforts succeeded in getting the box safely +ashore. As the articles within were not damaged, Rojab escaped +punishment, with a caution not to touch the bog again on any +account, and it was transferred to the keeping of the sure-footed +and perfect pagazi, Maganga. + +From this stream, in about an hour, we came to the main river, +but one look at its wild waters was enough. We worked hard to +construct a raft, but after cutting down four trees and lashing +the green logs together, and pushing them into the whirling +current, we saw them sink like lead. We then tied together all +the strong rope in our possession, and made a line 180 feet long, +with one end of which tied round his body, Chowpereh was sent across +to lash it to a tree. He was carried far down the stream; but +being an excellent swimmer, he succeeded in his attempt. The bales +were lashed around the middle, and, heaved into the stream, were +dragged through the river to the opposite bank, as well as the +tent, and such things as could not be injured much by the water. +Several of the men, as well as myself, were also dragged through +the water; each of the boys being attended by the best swimmers; +but when we came to the letter-boxes and valuables, we could suggest +no means to take them over. Two camps were accordingly made, one +on each side of the stream; the one on the bank which I had just +left occupying an ant-hill of considerable height; while my party +had to content itself with a flat, miry marsh. An embankment of +soil, nearly a foot high, was thrown up in a circle thirty feet +in diameter, in the centre of which my tent was pitched, and +around it booths were erected. + +It was an extraordinary and novel position that we found ourselves +in. Within twenty feet of our camp was a rising river, with flat, +low banks; above us was a gloomy, weeping sky; surrounding us on +three sides was an immense forest, on whose branches we heard the +constant, pattering rain; beneath our feet was a great depth of mud, +black and loathsome; add to these the thought that the river might +overflow, and sweep us to utter destruction. + +In the morning the river was still rising, and an inevitable doom +seemed to hang over us. There was yet time to act--to bring over +the people, with the most valuable effects of the Expedition--as +I considered Dr. Livingstone's Journal and letters, and my own +papers, of far greater value than anything else. While looking at +the awful river an idea struck me that I might possibly carry the +boxes across, one at a time, by cutting two slender poles, and +tying cross sticks to them, making a kind of hand-barrow, on which +a box might rest when lashed to it. Two men swimming across, at +the same time holding on to the rope, with the ends of the poles +resting on the men's shoulders, I thought, would be enabled to +convey over a 70 lb. box with ease. In a short time one of these +was made, and six couples of the strongest swimmers were prepared, +and stimulated with a rousing glass of stiff grog each man, with +a promise of cloth to each also if they succeeded in getting +everything ashore undamaged by the water. When I saw with what +ease they dragged themselves across, the barrow on their +shoulders, I wondered that I had not thought of the plan before. +Within an hour of the first couple had gone over, the entire +Expedition was safe on the eastern bank; and at once breaking +camp, we marched north through the swampy forest, which in some +places was covered with four feet of water. Seven hours' +constant splashing brought us to Rehenneko, after experiencing +several queer accidents. We were now on the verge only of the +inundated plain of the Makata, which, even with the last year's +rain, was too horrible to think of undertaking again in cold blood. + +We were encamped ten days on a hill near Rehenneko, or until the +25th, when, the rain having entirely ceased, we resolved to +attempt the crossing of the Makata. The bales of cloth had all +been distributed as presents to the men for their work, except a +small quantity which I retained for the food of my own mess. + +But we should have waited a month longer, for the inundation had +not abated four inches. However, after we once struggled up to our +necks in water it was use less to turn back. For two marches of +eight hours each we plunged through slush, mire, deep sloughs, +water up to our necks, and muddy cataclysms, swam across nullahs, +waded across gullies, and near sunset of the second day arrived on +the banks of the Makata River. My people are not likely to +forget that night; not one of them was able to sleep until it was +long past midnight, because of the clouds of mosquitoes, which +threatened to eat us all up; and when the horn sounded for the +march of another day, there was not one dissentient amongst them. + +It was 5 A.M. when we began the crossing of the Makata River, but +beyond it for six miles stretched one long lake, the waters of +which flowed gently towards the Wami. This was the confluence of +the streams: four rivers were here gathered into one. The natives +of Kigongo warned us not to attempt it, as the water was over our +heads; but I had only to give a hint to the men, and we set on our +way. Even the water--we were getting quite amphibious--was better +than the horrible filth and piles of decaying vegetation which +were swept against the boma of the village. + +We were soon up to our armpits, then the water shallowed to the +knee, then we stepped up to the neck, and waded on tiptoe, +supporting the children above the water; and the same experiences +occurred as those which we suffered the day before, until we were +halted on the edge of the Little Makata, which raced along at the +rate of eight knots an hour; but it was only fifty yards wide, +and beyond it rose a high bank, and dry park-lands which extended +as far as Simbo. We had no other option than to swim it; but it +was a slow operation, the current was so swift and strong. +Activity and zeal, high rewards, presents of money, backed by the +lively feeling that we were nearing home, worked wonders, and in +a couple of hours we were beyond the Makata. + +Cheery and hopeful, we sped along the dry, smooth path that now +lay before us, with the ardor and vivacity of heroes, and the +ease and power of veterans, We rolled three ordinary marches +into one that day, and long before night arrived at Simbo. + +On the 29th we crossed the Ungerengeri, and as we came to +Simbamwenni-the "Lion City" of Useguhha--lo! what a change! +The flooded river had swept the entire front wall of the +strongly-walled city away, and about fifty houses had been +destroyed by the torrent. Villages of Waruguru, on the slopes +of the Uruguru Mountains--Mkambaku range--had also suffered +disastrously. If one-fourth of the reports we heard were true, +at least a hundred people must have perished. + +The Sultana had fled, and the stronghold of Kimbengo was no more! +A deep canal that he had caused to be excavated when alive, to +bring a branch of the Ungerengeri near his city--which was his glory +and boast--proved the ruin of Simbamwenni. After the destruction +of the place the river had formed a new bed, about 300 yards from +the city. But what astonished us most were the masses of debris +which seemed to be piled everywhere, and the great numbers of trees +that were prostrate; and they all seemed to lie in the same direction, +as if a strong wind had come from the south-west. The aspect of +the Ungerengeri valley was completely changed--from a Paradise +it was converted into a howling waste. + +We continued our march until we reached Ulagalla, and it was +evident, as we advanced, that an unusual storm had passed over +the land, for the trees in some places seemed to lie in swathes. + +A most fatiguing and long march brought us to Mussoudi, on the +eastern bank of the Ungerengeri; but long before we reached it we +realized that a terrific destruction of human life and property +had occurred. The extent and nature of the calamity may be +imagined, when I state that nearly ONE HUNDRED VILLAGES, according +to Mussoudi's report, were swept away. + +Mussoudi, the Diwan, says that the inhabitants had gone to rest +as usual--as they had done ever since he had settled in the valley, +twenty-five years ago--when, in the middle of the night, they heard +a roar like many thunders, which woke them up to the fact that +death was at work in the shape of an enormous volume of water, +that, like a wall, came down, tearing the tallest trees +with it, carrying away scores of villages at one fell, sure swoop +into utter destruction. The scene six days after the event--when +the river has subsided into its normal breadth and depth during +the monsoons--is simply awful. Wherever we look, we find something +very suggestive of the devastation that has visited the country; +fields of corn are covered with many feet of sand and debris; the +sandy bed the river has deserted is about a mile wide; and there +are but three villages standing of all that I noticed when en route +to Unyanyembe. When I asked Mussoudi where the people had gone to, +he replied, "God has taken most of them, but some have gone to +Udoe." The surest blow ever struck at the tribe of the Wakami +was indeed given by the hand of God; and, to use the words of +the Diwan, "God's power is wonderful, and who can resist Him!" + +I again resort to my Diary, and extract the following: + +April 30th.--Passing Msuwa, we travelled hurriedly through the +jungle which saw such hard work with us when going to Unyanyembe. +What dreadful odors and indescribable loathing this jungle +produces! It is so dense that a tiger could not crawl through +it; it is so impenetrable that an elephant could not force his +way! Were a bottleful of concentrated miasma, such as we inhale +herein, collected, what a deadly poison, instantaneous in its +action, undiscoverable in its properties, would it be! I think +it would act quicker than chloroform, be as fatal as prussic +acid. + +Horrors upon horrors are in it. Boas above our heads, +snakes and scorpions under our feet. Land-crabs, terrapins, +and iguanas move about in our vicinity. Malaria is in the air +we breathe; the road is infested with "hotwater" ants, which +bite our legs until we dance and squirm about like madmen. +Yet, somehow, we are fortunate enough to escape annihilation, +and many another traveller might also. Yet here, in verity, +are the ten plagues of Egypt, through which a traveller in +these regions must run the gauntlet: + +1. Plague of boas. | 7. Suffocation from the +2. Red ants, or "hot-water." | density of the jungle. +3 Scorpions. | 8. Stench. +4. Thorns and spear cacti. | 9. Thorns in the road. +5. Numerous impediments. | 10. Miasma. +6 Black mud knee-deep. | + +May 1st. Kingaru Hera.--We heard news of a great storm having +raged at Zanzibar, which has destroyed every house and every +ship,--so the story runs;--and the same destruction has visited +Bagamoyo and Whinde, they say. But I am by this time pretty +well acquainted with the exaggerative tendency of the African. +It is possible that serious loss has been sustained, from the +evidences of the effects of the storm in the interior. I hear, +also, that there are white men at Bagamoyo, who are about starting +into the country to look after me (?). Who would look after me, +I cannot imagine. I think they must have some confused idea of +my Expedition; though, how they came to know that I was looking +for any man I cannot conceive, because I never told a soul until +I reached Unyanyembe. + +May 2nd. Rosako.--I had barely arrived at the village before the +three men I despatched from Mvumi, Ugogo, entered, bringing with +them from the generous American Consul a few bottles of champagne, +a few pots of jam, and two boxes of Boston crackers. These were +most welcome after my terrible experiences in the Makata Valley. +Inside one of these boxes, carefully put up by the Consul, +were four numbers of the 'Herald'; one of which contained my +correspondence from Unyanyembe, wherein were some curious +typographical errors, especially in figures and African names. +I suppose my writing was wretched, owing to my weakness. In +another are several extracts from various newspapers, in which +I learn that many editors regard the Expedition into Africa as +a myth. Alas! it has been a terrible, earnest fact with me; +nothing but hard, conscientious work, privation, sickness, +and almost death. Eighteen men have paid the forfeit of their +lives in the undertaking. It certainly is not a myth--the death +of my two white assistants; they, poor fellows, found their fate +in the inhospitable regions of the interior. + +One of my letters received from Zanzibar by my messengers states +that there is an expedition at Bagamoyo called the "Livingstone +Search and Relief Expedition." What will the leaders of it do now? +Livingstone is found and relieved already. Livingstone says he +requires nothing more. It is a misfortune that they did not start +earlier; then they might with propriety proceed, and be welcomed. + +May 4th.---Arrived at Kingwere's Ferry, but we were unable to +attract the attention of the canoe paddler. Between our camp and +Bagamoyo we have an inundated plain that is at least four miles +broad. The ferrying of our Expedition across this broad watery +waste will occupy considerable time. + +May 5th.--Kingwere, the canoe proprietor, came about 11 A.M. +from his village at Gongoni, beyond the watery plain. By his +movements I am fain to believe him to be a descendant of some +dusky King Log, for I have never seen in all this land the +attributes and peculiarities of that royal personage so +faithfully illustrated as in Kingwere. He brought two canoes +with him, short, cranky things, in which only twelve of us +could embark at a time. It was 3 o'clock in the afternoon +before we arrived at Gongoni village. + +May 6th.--After impressing Kingwere with the urgent necessity of +quick action on his part, with a promise of an extra five-dollar +gold piece, I had the satisfaction to behold the last man reach +my camp at 3.30 p.m. + +An hour later, and we are en route, at a pace that I never saw +equalled at any time by my caravan. Every man's feelings are +intensified, for there is an animated, nay, headlong, impetuosity +about their movements that indicates but too well what is going on +in their minds. Surely, my own are a faithful index to their +feelings; and I do not feel a whit too proud to acknowledge the +great joy that possesses me. I feel proud to think that I have +been successful; but, honestly, I do not feel so elated at that +as at the hope that to-morrow I shall sit before a table bounteous +with the good things of this life. How I will glory in the hams, +and potatoes, and good bread! What a deplorable state of mind, +is it not? Ah, my friend, wait till you are reduced to a +skeleton by gaunt famine and coarse, loathsome food--until you +have waded a Makata swamp, and marched 525 miles in thirty-five +days through such weather as we have had--then you will think +such pabula, food fit for gods! + +Happy are we that,--after completing our mission, after the hurry +and worry of the march, after the anxiety and vexation suffered +from fractious tribes, after tramping for the last fifteen days +through mire and Stygian marsh,--we near Beulah's peace and rest! +Can we do otherwise than express our happiness by firing away +gunpowder until our horns are emptied--than shout our "hurrahs" +until we are hoarse--than, with the hearty, soul-inspiring +"Yambos," greet every mother's son fresh from the sea? Not so, +think the Wangwana soldiers; and I so sympathize with them that +I permit them to act their maddest without censure. + +At sunset we enter the town of Bagamoyo. "More pilgrims come to +town," were the words heard in Beulah. "The white man has come to +town," were the words we heard in Bagamoyo. And we shall cross the +water tomorrow to Zanzibar, and shall enter the golden gate; we +shall see nothing, smell nothing, taste nothing that is offensive +to the stomach any more! + +The kirangozi blows his horn, and gives forth blasts potential as +Astolpho's, as the natives and Arabs throng around us. And that +bright flag, whose stars have waved over the waters of the great +lake in Central Africa, which promised relief to the harassed +Livingstone when in distress at Ujiji, returns to the sea once +again--torn, it is true, but not dishonoured--tattered, but not +disgraced. + +As we reached the middle of the town, I saw on the steps of a +large white house a white man, in flannels and helmet similar +to that I wore. I thought myself rather akin to white men in +general, and I walked up to him. He advanced towards me, and +we shook hands--did everything but embrace. + +"Won't you walk in?" said he. + +"Thanks." + +"What will you have to drink--beer, stout, brandy? Eh, by George! +I congratulate you on your splendid success," said he, impetuously. + +I knew him immediately. He was an Englishman. He was Lieut. +William Henn, R.N., chief of the Livingstone Search and Relief +Expedition, about to be despatched by the Royal Geographical +Society to find and relieve Livingstone. The former chief, +as the Expedition was at first organized, was Lieut. Llewellyn +S. Dawson, who, as soon as he heard from my men that I had found +Livingstone, had crossed over to Zanzibar, and, after consultation +with Dr. John Kirk, had resigned. He had now nothing further to +do with it, the command having formally devolved on Lieut. Henn. +A Mr. Charles New, also, missionary from Mombasah, had joined +the expedition, but he had resigned too. So now there were left +but Lieut. Henn and Mr. Oswell Livingstone, second son of the +Doctor. + +"Is Mr. Oswell Livingstone here?" I asked, with considerable +surprise. + +"Yes; he will be here directly." + +"What are you going to do now?" I asked. + +"I don't think it worth my while to go now. You have taken +the wind out of our sails completely. If you have relieved +him, I don't see the use of my going. Do you?" + +"Well, it depends. You know your own orders best. If you have +come only to find and relieve him, I can tell you truly he is +found and relieved, and that he wants nothing more than a few +canned meats, and some other little things which I dare say you +have not got. I have his list in his own handwriting with me. +But his son must go anyhow, and I can get men easily enough for +him." + +"Well, if he is relieved, it is of no use my going." + + +At this time in walked a slight, young, gentlemanly man, with +light complexion, light hair, dark, lustrous eyes, who was +introduced to me as Mr. Oswell Livingstone. The introduction was +hardly necessary, for in his features there was much of what were +the specialities of his father. There was an air of quiet +resolution about him, and in the greeting which he gave me he +exhibited rather a reticent character; but I attributed that to +a receptive nature, which augured well for the future. + +"I was telling Lieut. Henn that, whether he goes or not, you must +go to your father, Mr. Livingstone." + +"Oh, I mean to go." + +"Yes, that's right. I will furnish you with men and what stores +your father needs. My men will take you to Unyanyembe without +any difficulty. They know the road well, and that is a great +advantage. They know how to deal with the negro chiefs, and you +will have no need to trouble your head about them, but march. +The great thing that is required is speed. Your father will be +waiting for the things." + +"I will march them fast enough, if that is all." + +"Oh, they will be going up light, and they can easily make long +marches." + +It was settled, then. Henn made up his mind that, as the Doctor +had been relieved, he was not wanted; but, before formally +resigning, he intended to consult with Dr. Kirk, and for that +purpose he would cross over to Zanzibar the next day with the +`Herald' Expedition. + +At 2 A.M. I retired to sleep on a comfortable bed. There was a +great smell of newness about certain articles in the bedroom, such +as haversacks, knapsacks, portmanteaus, leather gun-cases, &c. +Evidently the new Expedition had some crudities about it; but a +journey into the interior would soon have lessened the stock of +superfluities, which all new men at first load themselves with. + +Ah! what a sigh of relief was that I gave, as I threw myself +on my bed, at the thought that, "Thank God! my marching was +ended." + + + +CHAPTER XVI. VALEDICTORY. + +At 5 P.M., on the 7th of May, 1872, the dhow which conveyed my +Expedition back to Zanzibar arrived in the harbor, and the men, +delighted to find themselves once more so near their homes, fired +volley after volley, the American flag was hoisted up, and we soon +saw the house-roofs and wharves lined with spectators, many of whom +were Europeans, with glasses levelled at us. + +We drew ashore slowly; but a boat putting off to take us to land, +we stepped into it, and I was soon in presence of my friend +the Consul, who heartily welcomed me back to Zanzibar; and soon +after was introduced to the Rev. Charles New, who was but a day +or two previous to my arrival an important member of the English +Search Expedition--a small, slight man in appearance, who, though +he looked weakly, had a fund of energy or nervousness in him which +was almost too great for such a body. He also heartily congratulated +me. + +After a bounteous dinner, to which I did justice in a manner that +astonished my new friends, Lieut. Dawson called to see me, and +said: + +"Mr. Stanley, let me congratulate you, sir." + +Lieut. Dawson then went on to state how he envied me my success; +how I had "taken the wind out of his sails" (a nautical phrase +similar to that used by Lieut. Henn); how, when he heard from my +men that Dr. Livingstone had been found, he at once crossed over +from Bagamoyo to Zanzibar, and, after a short talk with Dr. Kirk, +at once resigned. + +"But do you not think, Mr. Dawson, you have been rather too hasty +in tendering your resignation, from the more verbal report of my +men?" + +"Perhaps," said he; "but I heard that Mr. Webb had received a +letter from you, and that you and Livingstone had discovered that +the Rusizi ran into the lake--that you had the Doctor's letters +and despatches with you." + +"Yes; but you acquired all this information from my men; you +have seen nothing yourself. You have therefore resigned before +you had personal evidence of the fact." + +"Well, Dr. Livingstone is relieved and found, as Mr. Henn tells +me, is he not?" + +"Yes, that is true enough. He is well supplied; he only requires +a few little luxuries, which I am going to send him by an +expedition of fifty freemen. Dr. Livingstone is found and +relieved, most certainly; and I have all the letters and +despatches which he could possibly send to his friends." + +"But don't you think I did perfectly right?" + +"Hardly--though, perhaps, it would come to the same thing in +the end. Any more cloth and beads than he has already would +be an incumbrance. Still, you have your orders from the Royal +Geographical Society. I have not seen those yet, and I am not +prepared to judge what your best course would have been. But +I think you did wrong in resigning before you saw me; for then +you would have had, probably, a legitimate excuse for resigning. +I should have held on to the Expedition until I had consulted +with those who sent me; though, in such an event as this, the +order would be, perhaps, to `Come home.'" + +"As it has turned out, though, don't you think I did right?" + +"Most certainly it would be useless for you to go to search for +and relieve Livingstone now, because he has already been sought, +found, and relieved; but perhaps you had other orders." + +"Only, if I went into the country, I was then to direct my +attention to exploration; but the primary object having been +forestalled by you, I am compelled to return home. The Admiralty +granted me leave of absence only for the search, and never said +anything about exploration." + +That evening I despatched a boy over to the English Consulate +with letters from the great traveller for Dr. Kirk and Mr. Oswell +Livingstone. + +I was greeted warmly by the American and German residents, +who could not have shown warmer feeling than if Dr. Livingstone had +been a near and dear relation of their own. Capt. H. A. Fraser +and Dr. James Christie were also loud in their praises. It seems +that both of these gentlemen had attempted to despatch a private +expedition to the relief of their countryman, but through some +means it had failed. They had contributed the sum of $500 to +effect this laudable object; but the man to whom they had +entrusted its command had been engaged by another for a different +purpose, at a higher sum. But, instead of feeling annoyed that +I had performed what they had intended to do, they were among my +most enthusiastic admirers. + +The next day I received a call from Dr. Kirk, who warmly +congratulated me upon my success. Bishop Tozer also came, +and thanked me for tie service I had rendered to Dr. Livingstone. + +On this day I also discharged my men, and re-engaged twenty of +them to return to the "Great Master." Bombay, though in the +interior he had scorned the idea of money rewards, and though he +had systematically, in my greatest need, endeavoured to baffle me +in every way, received, besides his pay, a present of $50, and +each man, according to his merits, from $20 to $50. For this was +a day to bury all animosities, and condone all offences. They, +poor people, had only acted according to their nature, and I +remembered that from Ujiji to the coast they had all behaved +admirably. + +I saw I was terribly emaciated and changed when I presented myself +before a full-length mirror. All confirmed my opinion that I was +much older in my appearance, and that my hair had become grey. +Capt. Fraser had said, when I hailed him, "You have the advantage +of me, sir!" and until I mentioned my name he did not know me. +Even then he jocosely remarked that he believed that it was +another Tichborne affair. I was so different that identity was +almost lost, even during the short period of thirteen +months; that is, from March 23rd, 1871, to May 7th, 1872. + +Lieut. Henn the morning after my arrival formally resigned, and +the Expedition was from this time in the hands of Mr. Oswell +Livingstone, who made up his mind to sell the stores, retaining +such as would be useful to his father. + +After disbanding my Expedition, I set about preparing another, +according to Dr. Livingstone's request. What the English +Expedition lacked I purchased out of the money advanced by Mr. +Oswell Livingstone. The guns, fifty in number, were also +furnished out of the stores of the English Expedition by him; +and so were the ammunition, the honga cloth, for the tribute +to the Wagogo, and the cloth for provisioning the force. +Mr. Livingstone worked hard in the interests of his father +and assisted me to the utmost of his ability. He delivered +over to me, to be packed up, `Nautical Almanacs' for 1872, 1873, +1874; also a chronometer, which formerly belonged to Dr. +Livingstone. All these things, besides a journal, envelopes, +note-books, writing-paper, medicines, canned fruits and fish, +a little wine, some tea, cutlery and table ware, newspapers, +and private letters and despatches, were packed up in air-tight +tin boxes, as well as 100 lbs. of fine American flour, and some +boxes of soda biscuits. + +Until the 19th of May it was understood that Mr. Oswell +Livingstone would take charge of the caravan to his father; +but about this date he changed his mind, and surprised me with +a note stating he had decided not to go to Unyanyembe, for +reasons he thought just and sufficient. + +Under these circumstances, my duty was to follow out the +instructions of Dr. Livingstone, in procuring a good and +efficient leader to take charge of the caravan as far as +Unyanyembe. + +In a few hours I succeeded in obtaining an Arab highly recommended +from Sheikh Hashid, whom I engaged at an advance of $100. The +young Arab, though not remarkably bright, seemed honest and able, +but I left his further employment after reaching Unyanyembe to Dr. +Livingstone, who would be able to decide then whether he was quite +trustworthy. + +The next day I collected the men of the new Livingstone Expedition +together, and as it was dangerous to allow them to wander about the +city, I locked them up in a courtyard, and fed them there, until +every soul, fifty seven in number, answered to their names. + +In the meantime, through the American Consul's assistance, I +obtained the services of Johari, the chief dragoman of the +American Consulate, who was charged with the conduct of the party +across the inundated plain of the Kingani, and who was enjoined on +no account to return until the Expedition had started on its march +from the western bank of the Kingani River. Mr. Oswell Livingstone +generously paid him a douceur for the promise of doing +his work thoroughly. + +A dhow having been brought to anchor before the American Consulate, +I then addressed my old companions, saying, "You are now about to +return to Unyanyembe, to the `Great Master'. You know him; you +know he is a good man, and has a kind heart. He is different from +me; he will not beat you, as I have done. But you know I have +rewarded you all--how I have made you all rich in cloth and money. +You know how, when you behaved yourselves well, I was your friend. +I gave you plenty to eat and plenty to wear. When you were sick +I looked after you. If I was so good to you, the `Great Master' +will be much more so. He has a pleasant voice, and speaks kind. +When did you ever see him lift his hand against an offender? +When you were wicked, he did not speak to you in anger--he spoke +to you in tones of sorrow. Now, will you promise me that you +will follow him--do what he tells you, obey him in all things, +and not desert him?" + +"We will, we will, my master!" they all cried, fervently. + +"Then there is one thing more. I want to shake hands with you +all before you go--and we part for ever;" and they all rushed +up at once, and a vigorous shake was interchanged with each man. + +"Now, let every man take up his load!" + +In a short time I marched them out into the street, and to the +beach; saw them all on board, and the canvas hoisted, and the +dhow speeding westward on her way to Bagamoyo. + +I felt strange and lonely, somehow. My dark friends, who had +travelled over so many hundreds of miles, and shared so many +dangers with me, were gone, and I--was left behind. How many +of their friendly faces shall I see again? + +On the 29th, the steamer `Africa,' belonging to the German +Consulate, was chartered by a party of five of us, and we +departed from Zanzibar to Seychelles, with the good wishes +of almost all the European residents on the island. + +We arrived at Seychelles on the 9th of June, about twelve hours +after the French mail had departed for Aden. As there is only +monthly communication between Mahe (Seychelles) and Aden, we +were compelled to remain on the island of Mahe one month. + +My life in Mahe is among the most agreeable things connected with +my return from Africa. I found my companions estimable gentlemen, +and true Christians. Mr. Livingstone exhibited many amiable traits +of character, and proved himself to be a studious, thoughtful, +earnest man. When at last the French steamer came from Mauritius, +there was not one of our party who did not regret leaving the +beautiful island, and the hospitable British officers who were +stationed there. The Civil Commissioner, Mr. Hales Franklyn, +and Dr. Brooks, did their utmost to welcome the wanderer, and +I take this opportunity to acknowledge the many civilities +I personally received from them. + +At Aden, the passengers from the south were transferred on board +the French mail steamer, the `Mei-kong,' en route from China to +Marseilles. At the latter port I was received with open arms by +Dr. Hosmer and the representative of the `Daily Telegraph,' and +was then told how men regarded the results of the Expedition; +but it was not until I arrived in England that I realised it. + +Mr. Bennett, who originated and sustained the enterprise, now +crowned it by one of the most generous acts that could be +conceived. I had promised Dr. Livingstone, that twenty-four hours +after I saw his letters to Mr. Bennett published in the London +journals, I would post his letters to his family and friends in +England. In order to permit me to keep my plighted word, and in +order that there might be no delay in the delivery of his family +letters, Mr. Bennett's agent telegraphed to New York the 'Herald' +letters I had received from Dr. Livingstone at an expense of +nearly £2,000. + +And now, dear reader, the time has come for you and I to part. +Let us hope that it is not final. A traveller finds himself +compelled to repeat the regretful parting word often. During +the career recorded in the foregoing book, I have bidden many +farewells; to the Wagogo, with their fierce effrontery; to Mionvu, +whose blackmailing once so affected me; to the Wavinza, whose noisy +clatter promised to provoke dire hostilities; to the inhospitable +Warundi; to the Arab slave-traders and half-castes; to all +fevers, remittent, and intermittent; to the sloughs and swamps +of Makata; to the brackish waters and howling wastes; to my own +dusky friends and followers, and to the hero-traveller and +Christian gentleman, David Livingstone. It is with kindliest +wishes to all who have followed my footsteps on these pages that +I repeat once more--Farewell. + + + +CONCLUDING CHAPTER. + + +The following correspondence, and especially the last letter, +which was accompanied by a beautiful and valuable gold snuff-box +set with brilliants, will be treasured by me as among the +pleasantest results of my undertaking. + +H. M. S. + +Foreign Office, August 1. + +Sir, +I am directed by Earl Granville to acknowledge the receipt of a +packet containing letters and despatches from Dr. Livingstone, +which you were good enough to deliver to her Majesty's ambassador +at Paris for transmission to this department; and I am to convey +to you his Lordship's thanks for taking charge of these interesting +documents. + +I am, Sir, + +Your most obedient humble servant, +ENFIELD. + +Henry M. Stanley, Esq., +`New York Herald Bureau,' +46, Fleet Street, London, + +------ooo---- + + + +London, August 2. + +Henry M. Stanley, Esq., has handed to me to-day the diary of Dr. +Livingstone, my father, sealed and signed by my father, with +instructions written on the outside, signed by my father, for the +care of which, and for all his actions concerning and to my +father, our very best thanks are due. We have not the slightest +reason to doubt that this is my father's journal, and I certify +that the letters he has brought home are my father's letters, +and no others. + +Tom S. Livingstone + +------------oooo------- + +August 2, 1872. + +Sir, +I was not aware until you mentioned it that there was any doubt as +to the authenticity of Dr. Livingstone's despatches, which you +delivered to Lord Lyons on the 31st of July. But, in consequence +of what you said I have inquired into the matter, and I find that +Mr. Hammond, the Under-Secretary of the Foreign Office, and Mr. +Wylde, the head of the Consular and Slave Trade Department, have +not the slightest doubt as to the genuineness of the papers which +have been received from Lord Lyons, and which are being printed. + +I cannot omit this opportunity, of expressing to you my admiration +of the qualities which have enabled you to achieve the object of +your mission, and to attain a result which has been hailed with so +much enthusiasm both in the United States and in this country. + +I am, Sir, + +Your obedient, + +GRANVILLE. + +Henry Stanley, Esq. + + +-------------oooo------- + +Foreign Office, August 27. + +SIR, + +I have great satisfaction in conveying to you, by command of the +Queen, her Majesty's high appreciation of the prudence and zeal +which you have displayed in opening a communication with Dr. +Livingstone, and relieving her Majesty from the anxiety which, +in common with her subjects, she had felt in regard to the fate +of that distinguished traveller. + +The Queen desires me to express her thanks for the service you have +thus rendered, together with her Majesty's congratulations on your +having so successfully carried on the mission which you fearlessly +undertook. Her Majesty also desires me to request your acceptance +of the memorial which accompanies this letter. + +I am, Sir, + +Your most obedient humble servant, + +GRANVILLE + + + + + + + +GLOSSARY. + +Boma . . . . . . . enclosure. + +Bubu . . . . . . . black beads. + +Diwan . . . . . . elder, chief, or magistrate. + +Doti . . . . . . four yards of cloth. + +Dowa . . . . . . medicine. + +Fundo . . . . . . ten necklaces, or ten khetes. + +Ghulabio . . . . . a species of bead. + +Hafde . . . . . a species of bead. + +Hamal . . . . . carrier. + +Honga . . . . . tribute. + +Ismahili . . . . . a native name for a particular kind of cloth. + +Kadunguru . . . . . a brick-coloured species of bead. + +Kaif-Halek . . . . "How do you do?" + +Kaniki . . . . a blue cloth manufactured in India. + +Knambi . . . . camp. + +Khete . . . . one necklace, or a tenth of a fundo. + +Kichuma-chuma . . . "Little Irons," a disease of the liver. + +Kirangozi . . . . guide. + +Kitambi . . . . a cloth. + +Kiti . . . . . stool. + +Lakhio . . . . . a pink-coloured species of bead. + +Lunghio . . . . . blue beads. + +Lunghio mbamba . . . small blue beads. + +Lunghio rega . . . large blue beads. + +M . . . . . a prefix to denote a person of any + country as M-jiji, a native of Jiji. + +Manyapara . . . . elder, or sub-chief. + +Matama . . . . . Holcus sorghum, or the Arabic dourra. + +Mbembu . . . . . forest peach + +Merikani . . . . . unbleached domestics manufactured in + America. + +Mganga . . . . . a medicine man, or magic doctor, + +Miezi-Mungu . . . . a Kisawahili term for "God." + +Mtemi . . . . a term synonymous with king + +Mtoni . . . . . nullah. + +Muhongo . . . . . tribute. + +Mulungu . . . . . a native term for "God." + +Mukunguru . . . . intermittent fever. + +Mvuha . . . . . thunder. + +Ngombe . . . . . a cow. + +Pagazi . . . . . a porter, or carrier. + +Posho . . . . . food. + +Sami-Sami . . . . the name of red beads + +Shamba . . . . . a field. + +Shasr . . . . . a muslin cloth. + +Sheikh . . . . . a title of courtesy given to an elderly + man. + +Shukka . . . . . two yards of cloth. + +Sohari . . . . . a kind of coloured cloth. + +Sungomazzi . . . . large glass or china beads of the size + of marbles. + +Toujiri . . . . . the name for a particular kind of cloth. + +U . . . . . a prefix to denote the country: thus + U-jiji signifies the country of Jiji. + +Uganga . . . . . medicine. + +Wa- . . . . . a prefix to denote persons: thus Wa-jiji + would signify people of Jiji. + +Washeni . . . . . a term of contempt applied to the natives. + +Yambo . . . . . "How are you?" + +Ziwa . . . . . a pool, or lake, + +Ziwari . . . . . a pond. + + + + +APPENDIX. + +List of Camps from Bagamoyo to Ujiji and back to the Sea. + + +THROUGH UKWERE, UKAMI, AND UDOE TO USEGUHHA. + +From Bagamoyo to-- h. m. +Shamba Gonera . . . 1 30 +Kikoka . . . . . 3 40 +Rosako . . . . . 5 0 +Kingaru . . . . 6 0 +Imbiki . . . . . 4 30 +Msuwa . . . . . 4 30 + +From Msuwa to-- h. m. +Kisemo . . . . . 4 30 +Mussoudi . . . . 4 20 +Mikeseh . . . . 7 0 +Muhalleh . . . . 6 45 +Simbamwenni . . . 3 0 + +TO UGOGO. + +USEGUHA, +Ungerengeri River to-- h. m +Simbo . . . . . 2 0 +Camp in plain . . . 4 10 +Makata River . . . 2 30 + +USAGARA. +Camp west of Makata. 0 5 +Camp in plain . . . 4 30 +Camp " " . . . 2 0 +Rehenneko . . . . 3 15 +Rehenneko to-- h. m. +Camp on mountain . . 3 30 +Kiora . . . . . 3 40 +Camp on river . . . 4 50 +Madete . . . . . 2 30 +Lake Ugombo. . . . 3 0 +Matamombo . . . . 6 0 +Mpwapwa . . . . . 7 0 +Kisokweh . . . . 2 0 +Chunyo . . . . . 1 30 + + +FROM UGOGO TO UNYANYEMBE, + +From Marenga Mkali to--h. m. +Mvumi, Little Ugogo 12 30 +Mvumi, Great Ugogo 4 0 +Matamburu " " . 4 0 +Bihawana " " . 4 0 +Kididimo " " . 2 0 +Pembera Pereh " . 10 0 +Mizanza " " . 5 30 +Mukondoku " " . 6 30 +Munieka " " . 5 0 +Mabunguru Mtoni . + Uyanzi 8 0 +Kiti, Uyanzi . . . 6 30 +Msalalo . . . . 6 30 + +From Msalalo to-- h. m. +Welled Ngaraiso . . 3 30 +Kusuri . . . . . 3 15 +Mgongo Tembo . . . 3 30 + " " Mtoni . 3 30 +Nghwhalah Mtoni . . 2 40 +Madedita . . . 2 30 +Central Tura, Unyam- + wezi . . . . 3 0 +Kwala River . . . 7 0 +Rubuga . . . . 7 15 +Kigwa . . . . 5 0 +Shiza . . . . 7 0 +Kwihara . . . . 3 0 + + +UNYANYEMBE TO MRERA, UKONONG0. + + +UNYAMWEZI. +From Kwihara to-- h. m. +Mkwenkwe . . . 1 30 +Inesuka . . . 2 0 +Kasegera . . . 3 0 +Kigandu . . . 2 45 +Ugunda . . . 7 0 +Benta . . . 3 15 +Kikuru . . . 5 0 +Ziwani . . . 4 0 +Manyara . . . 6 30 + +UKONONG0. +From Manyara to-- h. m +Gombe River . . . 4 15 +Ziwani . . . . 5 20 +Tongoni . . . . 1 30 +Camp . . . . 5 15 +Marefu . . . . 3 0 +Utende . . . . 7 15 +Mtoni . . . . 4 0 +Mwaru . . . . 5 15 +Mrera . . . . . 5 13 + + +FROM MRERA, UKONONGO TO UJIJI. + + + +UKONONGO, h. m. + +From Mrera to Mtoni . 4 30 +Misonghi . . . . 4 30 +Mtoni . . . . . 6 0 +Mpokwa in Utanda . . 4 45 +Mtoni . . . . 3 0 + +UKAWENDI. h. m + +Mtambu River . . . 4 30 +Imrera . . . . 4 20 +Rusawa Mts. . . . 2 30 +Mtoni . . . . 4 0 +Mtoni . . . . 5 0 +Camp in Forest . . . 6 0 +Camp in Forest . . . 5 30 + +UVINZA +Welled Nzogera . . . 2 30 +Camp in Forest . . . 4 15 +Siala [Kiala?] on the + Malagarazi . . . 2 45 +Ihata Island in the + Malagarazi . . . 1 30 +Katalambula . . . 1 45 + +UHHA +Kawanga in Uhha . . 5 30 +Lukomo . . . . 1 0 +Kahirigi . . . . 4 0 +Rusugi River . . . 5 0 +Lake Musunya . . . 4 0 +Rugufu River . . . 4 30 +Sunuzzi " . . . 3 0 +Niamtaga Ukaranga . 9 30 + +UJIJI. +Port of Ujiji . . 6 0 + + + + + +INDEX + +Abdul Kader, tailor of the Expedition; retirement of, +Abdullah bin Nasib, +Acacia Horrida, +African bridges, +Ali bin Salim, +Ambari, +Amer bin Sultan, type of an old Arab Sheikh, +Amram bin Mussood, +Ant-hills, remarkable, +Ants, white, destructiveness of, +Arabs, antipathy to, as slave-traders, in Africa, +Aranselar, chief butler of the Expedition, +Asmani, giant statue of; + his murderous deportment, + +Baba (Father), term of courtesy in addressing elderly persons, +Bagamoyo, French Mission Station at; life at; climate of, +Bambarre, ivory depot, +Bana Mikuba, the "Big Master,' +Bangwe Island, +Bangweolo Lake, +Banyans, keen trading of; + their influence on African trade, +Baobab, fruit of the, +Baruti, one of Speke's Faithfuls, + death of, +Beads as currency in the Interior, +Bees, attack of, on the caravan, +Bemba, wooded hills of, +Bennet, Mr. James Gordon; + generous act of, in respect + to Dr. Livingstone's letters, +Benta forest, +Bihawana, +Bikari, cluster of villages, +"Bombay," or Mombay, +Bomboma's village, +Borassus flabelliformis, or Palmyra palm, +Brooks, Dr., +Buffalo gnats, +----herd, +Bunder Salaam, cook of the Expedition, +Burial ceremonies, +Burton, Capt., experience of Bunyans, +Bustard, + +Cazembe, King; his Queen and her Amazons, +Chamati Hill, +Chambezi, drainage of, +Chambezi, Livingstone's difficulty about the, +"Charley's" lodging-house at Zanzibar, kindly spirit of its +landlord, +Chowpereh, Mgwana soldier, , +Christie, Dr., physician to Seyd Burghash +Chufwa fly, +Chuma, Dr. Livingstone's servant, +Cloth as currency in the interior, +Comorines, +Corn-grinding women of Kisemo, +Crocodile, narrow escape of author from, + +`Daily Telegraph,' representative of, at Aden, +Dawson, Lieut., visit from, conversation as to his resigning +command of the Search Expedition +Dhows, +Dilima Peaks, +Dogara, or whitebait, +Donkeys, equipment of; fine breed of, in Ubanarama, +"Dowa," medicine, + +Earwigs, plague of, at Mpwapwa, +Elephantiasis common in Zanzibar, +Elephants, herd of; difficulty of shooting, +Emancipation Proclamation of Ahraham Lincoln, +Esau, Jemadar, + +Farquhar, W. L.; + his death; account of, +Faulkner, Mr., incredible statements of, +Ferajji, +Fire-arms, what most suitable to the traveller +Fish-eagle, +Forest peach, +Forest scenery of Unyarnwezi, +Foreign Office, letters from, +Franklyn, Mr. Hales, +Fraser, Capt., +Freiligrath's description of the lion's habitat, +French Mlissionaries, practical character of; Mission Station + at Bagamoyo, + +Giraffes, difficulty of killing, +Glossina mortisans, or tsetse fly +Goma Pass; +Granville, Lord, letter from, conveying the thanks of Queen + Victoria and the announcement of the Royal present, +Goodhue, Mr., or "Bana Mkuba," + +Haematite, +Half-castes, contemptible character +Halimah, Dr. Livingstone's cook, +Hassan, the Mseguhha, +Henn Lieut, his meeting with the author; resigns the leadership +Herembe, Cape, +Herodotus, his account of the Nile sources, +Hindis, Mohammedan, cheating character of, +Hippopotami +Honey-bird; habits of, +Honga, or tribute , +Hosmer, Dr., +Hunters Paradise, the, +Hyaenas, + +Ibrahim bin Rashid slain, +Ihata Island, +Imbiki, +Itage village, + +Jako, employe of the Expedition, +Jesuit Mission at Pagamoyo, +Jiweh la Singa district, +Johari, dragoman, +Jumah, +Jungle of Msuwa, its horrors, + +Kabogi, Cape, +Kabogo Mountain, singular phenomenon of, +Kadetamare, or Misonghi, village, . +Kahirigi, boma of, +Kaif-Halek or "How-do-ye-do," the letter carrier, +Kalulu, the boy-slave, +Kamolondo Lake, +Kanengi River, +Kaniyaga village +Kanjee, +Kanyamabengu River, +Kanyenyi, +Kayeh, a myth, +Kasera ridge, +Katanga, copper mines of, +Katangara Islands, +Kavimba, +Khamis bin Abdullah; his death, +Khamisi, desertion of; his narrow escape; flogged for + desertion; precis of character, +Khonze, remarkable globes of foliage at +Kiala, chief, +Kigoma Bay, +Kigonda, chief, +Kigwena River, +Kikoka village, +Kikuma River, +Kingari River, +---- Valley, +Kingaru village +Kingwere, the canoe paddler +Kiora village,; Peak +Kirindo, chief, +Kirurumo village, +Kisabengo, chief, a minor Theodore, +Kisemo village; belles of, +Kisuka village, +Kisunwe River, +Kitanda or bedstead, +Kitii defile, +Kitunda Cape, +Kiwyeh, Sultan of; village, +Kiwrima Valley, +Kolquall or candelabra tree, +Kudu, +Kukumba Point, +Kulabi, +Kusuri or Konsuli, +Kwala Mtoni, +Kwikuru, + +Lares and Penates of the Wazavira, +Leukole's account of Farquhar's death, +Liemba, Lake, +Lincoln, Abraham, lake named after, by Livingstone, +Lion and leopard, home of the; Freiligrath's description of, +Liuche, valley of the, +Livingstone, Dr., the author's first interview with, at Ujiji; + his anxiety for news; the low ebb of his resources; + his early rising; took the author for an emissary of the + French Government; his hard fare; his suffering and privations; + revival of his enthusiasm; his guileless character; + his physical appearance, ; absurd report of his marriage, + his general character and careful observations; sensitiveness + of criticism; amiable traits of his character, and his Spartan + heroism; his high spirits, inexhaustible humour, and retentive + memory; sincerity of his religion; ability to withstand the + African climate, due to his temperate life; his determination + to complete his task, spite of all difficulties, completeness + of his discoveries; summary of his experiences; interview with + King Cazembe; difficulty as to the Chambezi; discovery of Lake + Liemba; investigation of the Luapula; intervention in behalf of + Mahomed bin Sali repaid by base ingratitude; exploration of Uguhha; + sufferings at Bambarre, discovery of the Lualaba, description of + the beauties of Moero scenery; admiration of Abraham Lincoln; + his belief that the Lualaba or Webb's River is the true Nile; + his admission that the Nile sources have not been found; + his opinion as to the account of Herodotus; thwarted by the + cowardice of his men; return to Ujiji; dishonesty of Sherif; + destitute condition of the Doctor, his complaint of the Zanzibar + people not sending him freemen; improvement of his health from + more generous diet, contemplated cruise on the Tanganika; start + from Ujiji; liability to dysentery; manner of dealing with demands + for honga; loss of stores, &c., from Bombay's intoxication + his unwillingness to retaliate on the hostile natives, his + tenderness in sickness, disturbed in bed by his servant Susi in + a state of intoxication; his opinion that the Tanganika must have + an outlet; names the Kavunvweh islands the "New York Herald + Islets,"; his coolness at the hostility of the Wasansi, calms + them down by his gentle bearing and conversation; his resolve + to finish his task, ; complaint of Dr. Kirk's sending only slaves; + resolves to accompany the author to Unyanyembe; his sufferings on + the road; at Mpokwa's village, ; his value as a travelling companion; + stung by wild bees; his qualifications as a traveller, + peaceful recollections of his wife's grave, his relation of + incidents of the life of his son Robert; arrival at Ugundo, + letters from Dr. Kirk and home; welcome to Unyanyembe; in + comfortable quarters and in possession of stores; wreck of the + stores detained by Sayd bin Salim; in possession of four years' + store of supplies; his letter to Mr. Bennett, jun.; probable + results of his perseverance in African discovery; his last day + with the author; his intentions as to the future; the parting + farewell, +Livingstone, Mr. Oswell, introduction to; equipment of his proposed + expedition; determines to resign, +Livingstone, Robert Moffatt, incidents of his life, +Lizard, large, +Loeki or Lomani River, +Lualaba or "Webb's River" of Livingstone; thought by him to be the + true Nile, +Luapula River, +Lubilash River, +Ludha Damji, +Lufira River, +Luhanga Peak, +Lukomo village, +Luvumba Cape, + +Mabruki, cruel treatment of; +Mabunguru Nullah, +Madedita, +Magala, Mutware of, +Maganga, +Magunda Mkali, +Mahommed bin Sali, his release by Livingstone and subsequent + ingratitude, +Maizun, Mons., +Makata Valley; River; Plain, +Makumbi, chief, +Malagash, Inlet, +Malagarazi River, +Manyuema country, people of; the El Dorado of the Arabs; sought + as slaves, +Maganga, +Marefu, +Marenga Mkali, +Masangi, +Masika, or rainy season, +Matamombo, +Mazitu, marauding propensities of, +Mbawala, species of antelope, +Mbembu, or forest peach, +Mdaburu River, +Medicine for daubing warriors, +Mfuto, Eastern, +Mgongo Tembo, or "Elephant's Back," +Mgwana, +Mikiseh, +Mionvu, Mutware of Kimenyi, +Mirambo; defeated at Mfuto, +Misonghi, deserted village, +Mizanza, +Mkuti River, +Mkuyu, gigantic sycamore, +Moero Lake; beauty of the scenery, +Mohammed bin Abdulla slain, +Mohammed bin Gharib, +Monkeys, troop of, +Morris, Hon. E. J., +Mpokwa River, +Mponda, chief, +Mpwapwh, its fruitfulness; + Mountains, +Mrera, chief, +---, warriors of, +Msuwa, +Mtemi, chief, +Mud-fish, +Mugere River, +Mugeyo village, +Mugihewa territory, +Mukamba, chief, +Mukondoku, chief, +Mukondokwa Range; Pass; River, +Mukungu, +Mukunguru, African intermittent fever, +Munieka, +Muniyi Usagara, +Murembwe Cape; Point, +Musa, chief of the Johanna men, +Muscat Arabs of Zanzibar, +Mussoudi, the Diwan's account of an extraordinary flood, +Musunya Lake, +Muzimu Island, +Mvumi village, +Mwaru, +Myombo tree, +Mussoud bin Abdhullah, +Mussoudi; beautiful prospect at, + +"Nazi-Moya" at Zanzibar, +Negroes of Zanzibar; character of, +New, Rev. Charles, introduction to, +"New York Herald" Islets, +Ngaraiso village, +Nghwhalah River, +Nguru Peak, +Niamtaga, +Niasanga village, +Niongo, +Nondo, Spoke's runaway, +Nyabigma Island, +Nyambwa, +Nzoe, antelope of Speke, + +"Omar," Mr. Stanley's watchdog; death of, + +Pallah buck, +Pembera Pereh, Sultan, +Perpusilla, the, +Piaggia, the Italian traveller, +Pisolitic limestone, +Pottery, native, of the Wazavira, +Price, Simon, Dr. Livingstone's servant, + +Queen Victoria, letter conveying the thanks of Her Majesty and +the announcement of the Royal present, + +Rehenneko village, +Rosako village, +Rua country; people, +Rubeho Slopes; Peak, +Rubuga, +Rudewa River, +Rugufu Lake, +Ruhinga, chief, +Rusizi River; problem of; delta of, + +Said bin Majid, +Salim bin Rashid, +Sultana of Simbamwenni, +Sami-sami, red beads, +Sayf, son of Ali, slain, +Sayd bin Salim's house, +Selim, interpreter, +----, the Arab boy, +Seyd Burghash, Sultan of Zanzibar, +Sitting on pombe, +Sentakeyi, Cape, +Shaw, J. W.; leaves the expedition, +Shamba Gonera, or, "Gonera's Field," good disposition of the + Indian widow towards the whites; appearance of the place, + trade, &c., +Sheikh Sayd bin Selim, +----- Hamed, +----- Hassid, +----- Khamis bin Abdullah, +----- bin Nasib, +----- Sulton bin Ali, +----- Thani, +Sherif, Dr. Livingstone's servant; dishonesty of, +Shiza, +Sigunga, +Simbamwenni; desolation of by flood, +----------, Sultana of, +Simba, ruler of Kasera, +Simbo, +Simbo, Khambi, +Singwe, a plum-like fruit, +Slave-gang, chained, +Sofi beads, +Somalis; +Soor Hadji Palloo, +Soud, the Arab, +----, son of Sayd bin Majid, +----, bin Sayd, his attack on Wilyankura; his death, +Speke, Capt., his "Faithfuls"; treatment of "Bombay" by; + error of, as to altitude of Tanganika, +Stanley, Mr., start from Bombay; landing at Zanzibar; hospitable + reception by Capt. Webb; impressions of the city; + organization of the Expedition; visit to the Sultan; departure + from Zanzibar; landing at Bagamoyo; troublesome experiences; + visit to the "Livingstone caravan"; preparations for departure + into the interior, difficulties with employes; chase after a + thief, despatch of four caravans; departure of the fifth caravan, + led by himself; members composing it and outfit; the start, + first camp; Shamba Gonera; crossing the Kingani; hippopotami + shooting; Kikoka village; halt at Rosako; "Omar" watchdog, + missing; formidable number of insects, the tsetse-fly; game + hunting; difficulty of penetrating an African jungle; camp at + Kingaru; the grey Arab horse, and offence given by its interment; + interview with the king of Kingaru; loss of the re maiming horse + from cancer; desertion and sickness; appearance of Maganga's + caravan march to Imbiki; reach Msuwa, perils of the jungle, + astonishment of the chief; chained slave-gang; halt at + Kisemo; belle of; narrow escape of Khamisi; flogged for + desertion; reach Mussoudi; beautiful prospect; cross the + Ungerengeri start for Mikeseh; Ulagalla and Muhalleh; + overtake Maganga's caravan; meet with Selim bin Rashid, + news of Livingstone; pass town of Simbamwenni; its + fortifications; curiosity of the inhabitants; two + days' halt and overhaul of the luggage, attack of ague; + visit of ambassadors of the Sultana of Simbamwenni; + wretched encampment on the Ungerengeri; difficulty of + crossing the river; Makata Valley; loss of Bombay's + equipage,; difficulties of the Makata Valley; escape + and capture of Kingaru; emerge from the swamp Makata, + attack of dysentery, halt at Reheneko; ascent of the + Usagara Mountains; Mukondokwa Valley and River; Kiora; + camp at, illness of Farquhar; ford of the Mukondokwa + River; Madete, Lake of Ugombe; departure from Ugombo; + camp at Matamombo, death of of the dog "Omar"; Sheikh + Thani in clover at Mpwapwa, a good breakfast and + dinner, Farquhar left to be nursed; twelve pagazis + engaged, abundance of earwigs and white ants; Chunyo, + badness of the water; Marenga Mkali waterless district; + attack of fever; Ugogo; frantic conduct of the population; + West Mvumi; the Sultan's exorbitant demand of honda; + Matamburu, reasonableness of the Sultan of; Bihiwana; + attack of intermittent fever; Kididimo, bleak aspect + and bad water; Nyambwa, demonstrativeness of the people; + Mizanza; benefit from quinine; visit from the Sultan; + Little Mukondoku; Mukondoku Proper; commotion and + cowardice; uproar in the camp; debate as to route; + threatened mutiny; Munieka; Mabunguru Nullah; + Unyambogi; Kiti, Msalalo; Ngaraiso, Kirurumo, + greeting from the villagers; interview with Sultan + bin Mahommed; halt at Kusuri, and Mgongo Tembo; + Nghwhalah Mtoni, abundance of sweet, water; + Madedita, tsete-fly troublesome; reach Unyamwezi + territory at Eastern Tura, cultivated region; + Nondo, Speke's runaway; Central Tura, attempted night + robbery, a thief shot dead; pass Western Tura; Kwala + Mtoni, mud-fish; illness of the tailor, Abdul Kader, + he wishes to give up his post; Rubuga, desolation of, + since Burton's visit; meeting with Amer bin Sultan, + Kigwa, wasted condition of; Shiza, pastoral aspect of, + visit from the Sultan; rejoicings in camp on reaching + Unyanyembe territory; life in Unyanyembe; breakfast and + gossip with Sayd bin Salim; Kazeh, a myth; leave Kwikuru; + in comfortable quarters; visit from the Tabora Arab magnates; + Tabora, chief Arab settlement in central Africa; attend a + council of war, feast at the close of the council; return + to Kwihara; the Livingstone caravan's halt of 100 days; + attack of fever; preparations for the march; warlike + demonstration; Eastern Mfuto, illness of Shaw, + personnel of the army; Umanda, medicine daubing; + war harangue; Zimbizo, attack on the village; fate + of Soud bin Sayd and his Arabs; retreat and stormy + councils of war; further retreat of the Arabs to Tabora, + serious position of the Expedition; intelligence + of Livingstone; news of death of Farquhar; illness + of Shaw, attack of Mirambo on Tabora; Khamis bin + Abdullah, &c., slain; preparations for Mirambo's threatened + attack on Kwihara; visit to Sheikh bin Nassib; retreat + of Mirambo, determination to lead a flying caravan + to Ujiji; apathy of Shaw, visit to Thani bin Abdullah, + arrival of letters; death of Baruti, evil reports by + the Arabs; present of a boy-slave; defeat of Mirambo at + Mfuto; nursing experiences: farewell feast at Unyanyembe; + march to Ujiji commenced by southern route; list of "braves" + of the Expedition; Bombay's tender passion; the start; + Shaw shows the white feather; Kinyamwezi village, attack + of fever; arrest of runaways, threat of slave-chain; + Inesuka, further desertions, punishment, withdrawal of + Abdul Kader, the tailor; sickness in camp, adverse + appearances; Kasegara, rejoicings at; Kigandu, Shaw's + by-play; his withdrawal; beauty of Unyamwezi forest + scenery; Ugunda; Benta; Kikuru, the mukunguru or fever; + camp at Ziwani; gigantic sycamore; Manyara, cultivated + region; difficulty of buying provisions; visit of Mtemi; + his astonishment at the author's medicine-chest; Gombe + River, its beautiful neighbourhood; narrow escape from a + crocodile, suspicious-looking natives; a peaceful camp-scene; + symptoms of revolt at starting onwards; murderous aspect of + Asmani and Mabruki; the march- resumed; sketch of the principal + men of the Expedition; Ziwani (pool), waterless condition of; + Tongoni, abundance of honey-birds; Marefu, rumours of war in + our front; march through a forest abounding with peach-trees; + Utende village; Mwaru, supposed report of Livingstone, Mrera's + district, wild elephants; Selim falls ill, start from Mrera + north-westward; confidence restored in the camp, remarkable + ant-hills; camp in the jungle; embassy from Simba; Uzavira, + ruined neighbourhood of; Misonghi; Mpokwa River, deserted + village near; Mtambu stream, its beauty; attack by a leopard; + shot at a wild boar; proximity of lions; Itaga village, + beginning of troubles, shortness of provisions, "Welled + Nzogera's" village, abundant supplies; crossing a marsh; + reach the Malagarazi; heavy exaction of the chief Kiala; + island of Ihata, fresh demands for ferriage; donkey seized + by crocodile; Uvinza, news of Livingstone, departure from + the Malagarazi; country of Uhha; halt at Kawanga; halt on + the Pombwe stream, interview with Mionvu; exorbitant demand + of honga; cross the Kanengi River; more claims of honga; + departure by stealth; Kanengi River; cross the Rusugi; + Lake Musunya, Rugufu River, Kabogo Mountain, singular + phenomenon of; Sunuzzi River; enter Ukaranga; beauty + of the landscape; Mkute River, Niamtaga, alarm of the + people; first view of the Tanganika, Port of Ujiji in + view; salute announcing the approach of the caravan; meeting + with Susi, the servant of Dr. Livingstone; excitement of + the inhabitants; appearance of the Doctor; the introduction; + conversation; the over-due letter-bag, 365 days from Zanzibar; + budget of news; intercourse with Livingstone; suggestions + as to his future course; start with Livingstone for cruise + on the Tanganika; pass Bangwe Island; wooded hills of Bemba; + camp at Niasanga; Nyabigma Island; Mukungu; loss of valuables + from Bombay's intoxication; hostile demonstrations of the Bikari + people; bivouac on the shore disturbed by natives; round + Cape Sentakeyi, and sleep at Mugeyo; Magala, hospitality of + the people, visit of the Mutware of; rumours of wars; + Kisiku, native report as to the Rusizi River; Mugere, delta + of the; visit Mukamba, attacked by fever and experience + Livingstone's tenderness; Susi's drunken fit; Mugihewa + territory on the delta of the Rusizi; visit of the chief + Ruhinga, his geographical information; exploration + of the Rusizi debouchure: Kukubma Point, enchanting scenery + near; halt at Bemba, superstition of the Wajiji; `New York + Herald Islets,' so named by Livingstone; Cape Luvumba + hostile aspect of the Wasansi, return to Ujiji, domestic + and foreign news; at home with Livingstone; preparations + for march to Unyanyembe; attack of fever; Christmas-day + at Ujiji; the departure; meet with Mohammed bin Gharib; + Sirgunga, beautiful aspect of; sport at Urimba; homeward bound; + an elephant herd; Ukawendi, luxuriance of its vegetation; + painful march to Imrera; a giraffe shot; severe attack of + fever, the Doctor's prescription; the caravan attacked by + bees; Mrera, meeting with caravan sent by Sayd bin Habid, + exchange of news, encounter a lion; Ugunda, the deserter + Hamdallah retaken; receipt of letters and newspapers; + welcome to Unyanyembe; stores found tampered with; + a second Christmas celebration, four years' stores of + supplies turned over to the Doctor, commission to enlist + at Zanzibar fifty freemen as his carriers; farewell dance + of natives; choragic adieu of the Wanyamwezi; last night + with Livingstone; the last walk in his company, the farewell; + a letter from the Doctor; Ngaraiso, hostility of the Wakimbu, + enter Ugogo; warlike demonstrations, march of warriors + arrayed for the fight; Khonze, its gigantic tree-foliage; + determined mode of dealing with the chief successfull; + Kanyenyi, cordial reception by the Msagira of; Mapanga, + hostile demonstration; asked to act as rain-maker; Kulabi, + suffer from a "peppo"; Marenga Mkali; Mpwapwa, death of + Farquhar; Mukondokwa valley, experience of the Masika; + Makata plain, battling with the floods; Mvumi village, + fighting with mosquitoes; the Doctor's despatches in danger; + a perilous ford; ten days' camp at Rehenneko, difficulties + of the march to the Makata River; arrive at Simbo, cross the + Unkerengere, and reach Simbamwenni, its desolated aspect; + Ulagalla, extraordinary devastation by flood; Msuwa, horrors + of its jungle; Kingaru Hera, news of the Zanzibar storm; + Rosako, welcome consignment from the American Consul; + ill-natured criticisms, information as to the "Livingstone + Search and Relief Expedition"; Ringweare's ferry, a watery waste, + four miles broad; welcome to Bagamoyo; meeting with Lieut. Henn; + introduction to Mr. Oswell Livingstone; the march ended; + welcome at Zanzibar, the American Consul and Rev. C. New; + congratulation of Lieut. Dawson; discussion as to his resignation; + visit from Dr. Kirk and Bishop Tozer, change in the author's + appearance on his return; preparations for Mr. O. Livingstone's + Expedition, his resignation, selection of an Arab leader, + farewell to old travelling companions; departure from + Zanzibar in the `Africa'; reach Seychelles, a month's delay + at Mahe, agreeable intercourse; reach England via Aden and + Marseilles. +Sultan bin Mohammed, +Sultan of Zanzibar, Mr. Stanley's interview with, +Sunuzzi stream, +Susi, Dr. Livingstone's servant, +Swaruru, Sultan, +Sycamore, gigantic, + +Tabora, +Tagamoyo, massacre of the Wamanyuema by, +Tanganika Lake, first visit to; cruise on, with Dr. Livingstone, +Tarya Topan, integrity of +Thani bin Abdullah, , +Tongoni, deserted clearing, +Tozer, Bp., his residence at Zanzibar; his congratulations at + the author's success, +Trade, mode of conducting, in Africa, +Tsetse fly, +Tura, Eastern; Central, ; + Western or Tura Perro; + +Udoe, cones of, +"Uganga," or charm, +Ugombo, Lake; Peak, Plain, +Ugunda village, +Uhha, king of, +Ujiji, port of, +Ukaranga territory, its beautiful aspect, +Ukawendi country, scenery of, +Ulagalla district, +Ulimengo, absconding slave, +Unamapokera, friendliness of, +Ungerengeri River; Valley, +Urundi Mountains, +Unyamwezi forest scenery, beauty of; territory, +Unyambogi, +Urimba, camp at, +Usagara Mountains, +Utende village, +Uwelasia River, +Uyanzi, Magunda Mkali; or "Hot Field," +Uyoweh, Mirambo of, +Uzavira, village in, + +Waganga, or medicine men; filthy war-potion, concocted by, +Wagogo tribe, villages of, +Wagtails regarded as birds of good omen, +Waguhha tribe, +Wagunda tribe, +Wahumba tribe, +Wajiji tribe, +Wakimbu of Tura, rascality of, +------- tribe; villages of, +Wakonongo, +Wamanyuema, fondness of, for marketing, +Wangwana village, +------- tribe, gormandizing of the, +Wanyamwezi tribe, their superstitious aversion to antelope meat, +War, council of, at Tabora, +Warfare, tame mode of conducting, +Wa-Ruga-Ruga, +Wasawahili tribe, +Wasansi tribe, +Waseguhha tribe, +Washenshi tribe, +Wasungu tribe, +Wavinza tribe, greed of +Wavira tribe, +Webb, Capt. F. R., U.S. Consul, his hospitality and courtesy, +----, Mr. of Newstead Abbey, river named after him, +----, Mrs., +Wagogo, cool impudence of the, +Wilderness, African, more favourable to the traveller than + the populated country, +Wild-boar shooting, +Wilyankuru, attack on, +Wire, high valve of, in the interior, + +Zanzibar city view of, from the bay, harbor + "Charley's" lodging house, ; character of the street + and population, trade, "M'nazi Moya"; house of Bishop + Tozer, mart of the interior, mode of commerce unchanged + for ages; population; filth and unhealthiness of; + inertness induced by climate of; Palace of the Sultan, +----- Island; its aspect from the sea, +Zassi River and village, +Zebra, +Zimbizo, attack on the village, +Zimmerman on the benefit of an unencumbered mind, +Ziwo, or pond, +Ziwani (pool), +Zogga, palm toddy, + + + + +The end of the Project Gutenberg eBook How I Found Livingstone + + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE *** + +This file should be named hifli10.txt or hifli10.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, hifli11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, hifli10a.txt + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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