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HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
HOW I FOUND
LIVINGSTONE:
TMYELS, ADYENTURES AND DISCOYERIES
IN
CENTEAL AFKICA:
INCLUDING AN ACCOUNT OF
Four Months' Residence with Dr. Livingstone.
BY
HENRY M. STANLEY,
TRAVEIXING CORBESrONDENT OF TUE " KEW YORK UERALD."
With Maps ancl IlluHtra,tion.s after Drawings by tho Author.
PUBLISHED ONLY BY SUBSCRIPTION.
SCRIRNER, ARMSTRONG & CO. 1 8 7 ;s.
Boston: (Jeo. M. Smith & Co. Poutland: II. A. McKknny & Co.
Syuacl'sk: Watson Gill. . Dicthoit: Bootiiuoyd & (Jiiuis.
t'liicAGo: Hadley Huos. & Kane. New Okleans: Kain & Co.
San Francisco ; A. L. Bani koft & Co.
Entered according to act of Congress, In the year 1872, by BCRIBNER, ARMSTRONG & CO., m tne Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.
LaNUK, LiTTLK ic HtLLMAN, PBINTKBIl, ■I.KCTKOTVPBKH AND STKRSOTTPXRS,
108 to 114 WooBTiiK St., N. Y.
i i ■
I I
I
j " JAMES GOEDON BENNETT, ESQ.,
I (PBOPRIhTOK OF THE "NEW TOKK HEKALD,";
THIS RECX)RD OF
THE EXPEDITION SENT IN SEARCH OF DOCTOR TJVTNGSTONL.
AND OP
TRAVELS, ADVENTURES, AKD DISCOVERIES IN CENTRAL AFRICA,
I |s ^tsptttfullg gflrtcattb,
AS A TRIBUTE
! 'E GENEROSITV AND THE LIBERALITY WHICH ORIGINATED, SUSTAINED, I AND CROWNED THE ENTERPRISE,
BY HIS GRATEFUL SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,
HENRY M. STANLEY,
I,ATB OOMKANDEU "MEW TUHK HEKALD" EXTKDITION
CONTENTS.
CHAPTEE I. ZANZIBAR.
Arrival at Zanzibar — Eeception by Captain Webb, U.S. Consnl — Life at Zanzibar — System of Trade with the Interior — The town of Zanzibar — Population — Introduction to Dr. Kirk — Bishop Tozer Pages 1 to 20
-CHAPTER II. ORGANIZATION OF THE EXPEDITION.
Difficulty of obtaining information — Engagement of J. W. Shaw and W. L. Farquhar — Mbaralc Bombay — Visit to the Sultan's Palace — Embarkation for Bagamoyo — Courtesy and Character of the Sultan Pages 21 to 40
CHAPTER III. BAGAMOYO.
Arrival at Bagamoyo — Hospitality of the Jesuit Mission — Life at Bagamoyo — Ali bin Salim — Dishonest Prowlers — Donkey stolen — Packing the Bales — Difficulty in procuring Pagazis — Cost of Carriage and Goods — Soor Hadji Palloo— His pecca- dilloes— Visit to the Livingstone Caravan — Arrival at Bagamoyo of Dr. Kirk — Climate of Bagamoyo — Departure of the Five Caravans ....... Pages -11 to G8
viii
CONTENTS.
CHAPTEE IV.
THROUGH UKWERE, UKAMI, AXD UDOE, TO USEGUHHA.
Arrival at first Camp, " Shamba Goncra " — The Valley of the Eingani — Building Bridge across the Kingani — The crossing — Peppering Hippopotami — Arrival at Kikoka — Eoute never travelled by a White Man — Rosako, the Frontier Village of Uk^ ere— Impertinent Curios'ty of the Wagogo — My VTatch- dog "Omar"— Tie tisect Tribe — The Tsetse Fly— The Chufwa Fly : its voracity — Commencement of the Masika, or Eainy Season — Death of Arab Horse — Interview with Chief of Kingaru — Death of Bay Horse — March to Imbiki— Arrival at Msiiwa — Jungle troubles — Chained Slave-gang — Kisemo — The Belles of Kisemo — Desertion of Khamesi : his punishment — Crossing the Ungerengeri — The Capital, Useguhha Simba- mwenni — The Sultana — Stormy Dispute with Shaw — African Ague — ^Visit from the Sultana . . . Pages 69 to 120
CHAPTER V. TO UGOGO.
The Rainy Season — Innumerable Hosts of Creeping Things — Cross- ing the Ungerengeri — The Flogging of Bunder Salaam : he is Lost : his Discovery — Soldiers imprisoned by the Sultana — The Makata "Wilderness — Desertion and Capture of Soldier — Terri- ble Difficulties in crossing the Makata Swamp — Encampment at Usagara — Shaw's Letter to Farquhar — Farquhar's Reply — His extravagant Expenditure — Shaw's Dilatorincss — Novel mode of using a Cart — Lake Ugombo — Shaw and Farquhar at Breakfast — Shaw " measures his length " on the ground — Asks for his Discharge — He Repents — A Shot fired through my Tent — Farquhar left behind at Mpwapwa — Abdullah bin Nasili — Scenery of Mpwapwa . . . Pages 121 to 170
CHAPTER VL THROUGH MARENGA MKAI.I, L'GOGO, UYANZl, TO UNYAKYEMBE.
Arrival at Chunyo — Bitter Water — Marenga Mkali — No Water for Tliirty-six Hours — A Dangerous Fever attack — Arrival
CONTENTS. ix
at TJgogo — ^Fnrio'-<s Mob — Plentiful Supplies at Mvnmi— Tribute to the Great Sultan — The Sultan of Matam-buru — March to Bihawana — "Whipping the Wagogo — ^Visit from the Sultan of Mizanza — The Waliumba a fine Eace — Arrival at LIukonduku — Departure — Counsel with Arabs as to Eoute — Dispute and Separation from* them — They follow — Ugogo proves to be a Land of Gall and Bitterness — Arrival at Kiti — Sultan bin Mohammed — Halt «t Kusuri — Thief shot — Mud- f sh — Rubuga in Euins — Amir bin liultai — Crossing tb; Mtcni — -Arri val in Um anye tnbe .... Page^ 171 to 2 22
CHAPTEE VIT.
GEOGRAPHICAL AND ETHNOGRAPHICAL REJIARKS.
Pages 223 to 257
CHAPTEE VIII.
LIFE IN UXTANYEMBE.
Hospitality of the Governor, Sayd bin Salim — Comfortable Quarters — Tabora, tlie principal Arab Settlement — Mirarabo, Chief of Uyoweh — His Depredations — A Council of War — Tlie Livingstone Caravan found — Terrible attack of Fever — March for Ujiji — Arrival at Masangi — Shaw taken 111 — Join the Arab Army at Mfuto — Fitjht with Mirambo — Capture of the Village of Zimbizo — Fever again — Defeat and great Slaughter of the Arabs by Mirambo— Eetreat to ]Mfuto . . Pages 258 to 286
CHAPTEE IX.
LIFE IN UNYANYEMBE.
The Ara\)8 Eetreat to Tabora — I proceed — Arrival at Kwihara — Try another Eoute — Bfy Position most Serious — Death of Farqubar reported — Defeat of the Arabs at Tabora — Kliann's bin Al)dullah slain — Tabora in Flames — Preparations for Defence — The Philosopher Sheikh bin Nasil) — I determine to lead a Flying Caravan to Ujiij — Death of Baruti — Jlen dis- pirited— The little Boy Kalnlu — His bajitism — Mirnmho attacks l^Ifuto, and is defeated — Sclim Delirious from constant Fevers — Two Guides, Asmani and Mabruki — My Eesolution to find Livingstone Pages 287 to 300
z
CONTENTS,
CHAPTEE X. TO MEERA, UKOKONGO.
Start from Kwihara — Bombay gets a«Thrashing — Shaw wishes to stay behind — I compel him to go on — Another Fever attack — Livingstone's Letter-carrier missi^ng — Arrival at Kasegera — Shaw gives in, and is sent back to Kwihara — The splendid Forests of Unyamwezi — We reach Ugunda — The Mukunguru — Description of this Fever — A magnificent Sycamore — A Victim to Small-pox — Numerous Skeletons found on the Eoad-side — Arrival at Manyara — Dispute as to Tribute with the Sultan — Visit from him — A Dose of Concentrated Ammonia — The Sultan's Astonishment — The Hunter's Paradise — My first Game, an Antelope shot — Zebra-stalking — Adventure with a Croco- dile— Two Days' Hunting — Mutiny — Asmani and Mabruki present their Guns at me — Peace restored — Bombay Thrashed again, and put in Chains — Characters of the Principal Men- Arrival at Ziwani — The Honey-Bird — IJtende — Mwaru — Arrival at Mrera — Shoe-mending . . , Pages 310 to 3G0
CHAPTER XL THROUGH UKAWENDI, UVINZA, AND UHHA, TO UJIJI,
Departure from Mrera — Camp in the Jungle — I sink to my Neck in the Ooze of the Eungwa — The Mpokwa Eiver — The Home of the Lion first seen — A Troop of Monkeys — Adventure with a huge Wild Boar — Followed by a laon — A Day of great Troubles — A Buifalo shot — A Leopard — Bufiiilo-stalking — Famine stares us in the face — Welled Nzogcra's — Food plentiful — A Donkey sinks in the Morass — Embassy to Chief Kiala — Seven Hours of Talk — On the Banks of the Malagarazi — Our Donkey " Simba " seized and carried away by a Crocodile — News of Livingstone! — Halt at Kawanga — Disputes about Tribute — Exorbitant Demands — We cross the Pombwe and the Kancngi Rivers — A Midnight March through the Jungle — A Crazy Woman almost betrays us by yelling — Thunder from the Tanganika — On the Banks of the Eugufu — Nianitaga — The Tanganika! Hurrah! Unfurl the Flags ! — Susi, Dr. Living- stone's Sei-vant, says, "Good-morning, Sir!" — "Dr. Ltving- BTONE, I I'UESUME?" " Yesl" — Conversation with the Doctor —Good-night Pages 3G1 to 419
CONTENTS.
xi
CHAPTEE XII.
INTERCOURSE WITH LIVINGSTONE AT UJIJI.
Summary from my Note-book of Livingstone's Travels
Pages 420 to 474
CHAPTER XIII. OUR CRUISE OX THE TANGANIKA.
Ottr Ship, a cranky Canoe — Enormous Dog-nosed Monkey — The Fishermen of the Tanganika — The Zassi Elver and Village — Soundings of the Lake — Nyabigraa Island — Disturbed at Supper — Hostility of the Natives — War between Mukamba and Warumashanya — A Mgwana asserts that the Eusizi flows out of the Lake — I am struck down by Fever — Nursed by the Doctor — The Mgwana's Report contradicted by Mukamba — Swarms of Crocodiles — Ruhinga's Information — The Head of the Lake and the Jrouth of the Rusizi — The Question, Was the Eusizi an Effluent or Influent, answered for ever — The Doctor still believes in an Outlet — Burton and Speke's Extreme Point — Signs of Disturbance in Mruta's Village — " New York Herald Islets " — Cape Luvumba — Fight about to Commence — The Sultan Pacified — A serio-comic Scene — Return to Ujiji
Pages 475 to 515
CHAPTER XIV.
GEOGRAPHICAL AND ETHNOGRAPHICAL REMARKS.
Pages 516 to 557
CHAPTER XV. OUR JOURNEY TO UNYANYEMBE.
Chat with Livingstone over the Incidents of the " Pic-nic " — The Doctor declines to return Homo until his Work is done — Blames Dr. Kirk for sending him Slaves, and commanding thera to bring him back — Eecovory of his Enfield Eifles — Tho Doctor resolves to accompany mo to Unyanycmbc — Attack of Remittent Fever — How we spent Christmas-day— Departure from Ujiji — Our Voyage down tho Tanganika — Arrival at, and crossing tho Liuclic — Crossing the Malagarazi — No Current in tho Tanganika — Arrival at Uriniba — Zebra-shooting — The Valley of Loajeri — Buffalo Cow shot — Confronting an Ek'pliaut — Travellers' Tales — Eed-beardcd Monkeys— ^Magdala sighted
xii CONTEXTS.
— The Yalley of Imrera — The Doctor foot-sore — Herds of Game in Mpokwa Plain — Two Zebras shot — A Herd of Giraffe — Giraffe Tvounded — Ibrahim's Slave Ulimengo absconds — Latitude of Mpokwa — Zinc Canteens converted into Bullets — Giraffe brought down therewith — Start for Misonghi — The Doctor dreadfully Stung by Wild Bees— Mirambo famished — • Death of Shaw — Incidents in the Career and Death of Robert Livingstone — A Lion in the Grass — A Triplet of Lions — Arrival at TJgunda — Oaptire of tho De5erter, Hamdallah— • Arrival at Unyaiyem be . . • . Page! 558 to 607
CHAPTER XVL HOMEWAllD BOUND.
Livingstone's Stores opened — Found to be a Delusion — Asmani found Guilty— Wliite Ants consuming the Brandy and replac- ing the Corks !— The Goods turned over to Dr. Livingstone — He writes his Letters home— His Letter to James G. Bennett — Native Song — Last Night with Livingstone — His Journal scaled up — Our final Departure — Farewell — Halt at Tura — Letters from the Doctor — Arrival at JK^iwyeh — Wagogo War Horns sounding everywhere— Full Fighting Costume — A false Alarm— Khonze Chief resists our Advance — Preparation for a Fight — Mnyamwcjci seized by the Throat, and Peace restored — Arrival at Kanycnyi - Visit from the Sr.ltau— The Village of Mapanga— Sudden Bush of Armed Natives— Forty Spears against Forty Guns — Tribute Demanded and Paid — Leucole's Account of Farquhar's Death— The Valley of the Mukondokwa —Privation from the JIasika— Awful Floods— Fighting Swarms of Mosquitoes— The Doctor's Despatch-Box in Jeopardy- Dragged through the Eivcr by Eopcs — Arrival at Simba- mwenni —The Wall swept away— Terrific Storm— Destruction of One Hundred Villages— The Msunva Jungle— Its Horrors— "Hot-water " Ants— News from Zanzibar— Arrival at Bagamoyo — The meeting with the Livingstone Search and Belief E.xpc- ditiou Pages 608 to 657
CHAPTER XVIL VALKDICTORY Tagcs 658 to G92
APPENDIX
Pages 693 to 719
4
LIST OF ILLUSTEATIONS.
<full-pagj lllustralioits.
1. Portrait of James Gordon Bennett, Esq. to face Introduction.
2. A VIEW OF Zanzibar to face page 3
3. A VIEW OF Bagamoyo ..... , , 41
4. SiMBAMWENNi — " The Lion City " . . . , , Ho
5. Discomforts of African travel— The Makata
Swamp . . . . . . . • 135
6. Shaw's mode of marching .... , , 152
7. 'I'liE Lake and Peak of Ugumbo . . . I54,
8. Mount Kibwe, and the Valley of the Mokon-
DOKWA lilVER ...... , , 245
9. We attack Mirambo ..... , , 280
10. View of Kwihara ..... , , 31O
11. Ma-manyara takes medicine . . . 334.
12. The mutiny on the Gombe Eiver , . 345 '13. Selim, the Intkrpueter .... 352
14. The wounded boar comes to a halt . . 37I
15. " Dr. Livingstone, I presume ?" . . . , , 412
16. Our lev&e at Magala, Urundi . . , 494
17. At the mouth of the liusizi . . , 504
18 I
19 implements, and pipes . at pages 544 and 545-
20. Dr. Livingstone at work on his journal . to face page 563
21. On Lake Tanganika — homeward bound . , , 567
22. " He is shot ! He is shot !" — shooting a buf- ^
falo cow . ...... 577
23. A surprise ....... 580
24. A lion in the grass ..... , , 602
25. My house IN Kwihara, Unyanyemee . . 612
26. The Wagogo on the war path ... , , 632
27. Symptoms of a fkjht ..... , , 636
28. " Look out I You drop that box — I'll shoot
vou" . . . . , . . G12
Smaller |lluslrnfions.
PAOIt
1. View of Bagamoyo 41
2. Portrait of Uombay and Mabruki ..... 69
3. Woman grinding corn ...... 106
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
4. Portrait of Shaw and Farquhab , . . . . 121
5. Our camp at Chunyo 171
6. Mgogo man akd woman ....... 223
7. a gate of a village ....... 239
8. Weapons of war ........ 242
9. Touthfcl Wasagara ....... 248
10. Bird's-eye view of a tbmbe ...... 253
11. View in front of my tembe ...... 258
12. Group of Wanyamwezi ....... 287
13. Gigantic sycamore and camp ...... 328
14. View in Uvinza 3q1
15. Village in Uzavira — native potteuy .... 367
16. Our house in Ujiji 420
17. View on Lake Tanganika ...... 475
18. Susi, the servant of Livingstone ..... 499
19. Ujiji cow, Unyamwezi cow, pariah dog, and fat-tailed sheep 516
20. The fishes of the Tanganika ...... 532
21. An idol 552
22. Daggers and spear-heads 55G
23. Our camp at Urimba 558
24. Making the most of a halt 609
25. The Memorial 71<j
Map of Eastern Central Africa — Frontispiece. Plan of Central Unyanyembe to face page 259. " Plan of water system in jjage 229.
Sketch map of Livingstone's discoveries to fivce page 449. Survey of northern half of Tanganika to face page 475. Small sketch map of Livingstone's discoveries to face page 1.
EERATA.
13,
Page line -I'i et passim, line 25, &c. 41 plate . . G2, (13 passion . 137 et passi7n, line 142 29 . . . lOG 19 . . . 171 10 (col. 1) 237 20 . . . 245 plate . . 2.59 23 . . . 330 18 . . . 311 3;5 . . . 370 33 . . . 3S3 2(i . . . C . . . 8 . . .
391 408
for Sycd . . IJaKomoyo . O'lJeilly . Sarmian liaii^Iiy . (|iialiary INIanieka representations IMiikandokwa Is'gliema Stamped (rUeilly . its . . .
beasts . has not spoken insei-t " of " at beginning
read
Scyd.
llugamoyo.
Reilly.
Sarmean.
banpliy.
Kwaheri.
JIunieka.
representatives.
5Iukon<lokwa.
Ngenia.
tamped.
IJcilly.
Ills
reptiles, has spoken. of line.
*
INTRODUCTORYc
On" the sixteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, I am in Madrid, fresh from the carnage at Yalencia.. At 10 a.m. Jacopo, at No. — Calle de la Cruz, hands me a telegram : on opening it I find it reads, " Come to Paris on important business." The telegram is from Jas. Gordon Bennett, jun., the young manager of the " New York Herald."
Down come my pictures from the walls of my apart- ments on the second floor ; into my trunks go my books and souvenirs, my clothes are hastily collected, some half washed, some from the clothes-line haff dry, and after a couple of hours of* hasty hard work my portmanteaus are strapped up, and labelled for " Paris."
The express-train leaves Madrid for Hendaye at 3 P.M. I have yet time to say farewell to my friends. I have one- at No. 6 Calle Goya, fourth floor, who hajopens to be a contributor to several London dailies. He has several children, in whom I have taken a warm
xvi
INTBODUCTORJ.
interest. Little Charlie and Willie are fast friends of mine ; they love to hear of my adventures, and it has been a pleasure to me to talk to them. But now I must say farewell.
Then I have friends at the United States Legation whose conversation I admire — there h«s come a sudden ending of it all. " I hope you will write to us, we shall always be glad to hear of your welfare." How often have I not during my feverish life as a flying journalist heard the very same words, and how often have I not suffered the same pang at parting from friends just as warm as these.
But a journalist in my position must needs suffer. Like a gladiator in the arena, he must be prepared for the combat. Any flinching, any cowardice, and he is lost. The gladiator meets the sword that is sharpened for his bosom — the flying journalist or roving corre- spondent meets the command that may send him to his doom. To the battle or the banquet it is ever the same — " Get ready and go."
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 jMr. 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 1" I answered.
INTRODUCTORY. ' xvii
" 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 Living- stone 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'!, in common with almost all other meri, 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."
sviii *
INTRODUCTOEY.
" 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 LtYIXGSTONE.
Surprised hut 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 enougli 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 news paper in the true sense of the word. I mean that it shiill publish whatever news will be interesting to the world at no matter wliat 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
INTEODUCTOEY.
tourists ; an(J 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 tlience 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 Eu- phrates 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 jjossible 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 Buch a name in New England. He was just the man who would have delighted to tell the Journal he waa
XX INTRODUCTORY. *
engaged upon what young Mr. Bennett w^s 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 a*s 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' Eeading-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 Philte, and was the means of preventing a duel between him and a mad young Frenchman, who wanted to fight Mr. Hig- ginbotham with pistols, because that gentleman re- sented 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
INTBODUCTORT.
xxi
traveller Palgfave at Trebizond, and Barou 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 r2tli 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 ca- pacity 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 ^'arquhar, and Selim— a Christian Arab boy of Jerusalem, who was to act as interpreter — on board an American whaling vessel, bound for Zanzibar, at which port we arrived on the Gth 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
INTRODUCTORY
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- 1 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 frsed 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 hIso as ser- vants ; 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.
I have also used the personal pronoun first person singular, " I," oftener, perhaps, than real modesty would admit.
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
BfTBODUCTOBT.
xxiii
right. For it must be distinctly understood that it is the " ' Xew York Herald ' Expedition," and that I am onlj charged with its command bv Mr. James Gordon Bennett, the proprietor of the ' Xew York Herald,' as a salaried employe 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.
Having explained so much, I do not think it neces- sary to say any more in the Introduction, and shall therefore commence my narrative.
HEXRY M. STANLEY.
8, Duchess Street, Portland Place, London. October, 1872.
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
CHAPTER I.
ZANZIBAR.
One of the fruitfulest islands of the Indian Ocean is Zanzibar, Wlien I left Bombay for the purpose of leading the ' New York Herald ' expedition into the unknown heart of Africa, my abstract conception of the island was that it was but a little better than a great sandbar, or a patch of Sahara, with a limited oasis or two, surrounded by the sea, rife with cholera, fever, and nameless but dreadful diseases ; populated by ignorant blacks, with gjeat thiclc lips, whose general appearance might be compared to Du Cliaillu's gorillas, who were ruled over by a despotic and surly Arab.
How it had become thus distorted in my imagina- tion I cannot conceive. I had read books and articles on Zanzibar, which were by no means unfavourably disposed towards it, yet it floated in my brain as an island whose total submersion in the sea wOuld l)eiiefit the world. I am not certain, but I think I caught the idea from Capt. Burton's 'Lake Regions of Central Africa,' along with many other eccentric ideas. The whole book, although wonderfully clever and truthful,
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is somewhat bilious in tone, and I think its effect was manifest in me by a rush of a part of its bile into my head, for while I read it I saw a lethal stream, which drifted with me' towards the eternal feverish region of Africa, from which a sickening presentiment said there was no return. But hail ! to the blessed dawn that dispels the dreadful dream under which you groaned in agony throughout the night. Hail ! to the letter that brings good news, and hail ! to the verdant shores of Zanzibar, that said to me, " Hope ; things are seldom so bad as they are painted."
It was in the early morning that I sailed through the channel that separates 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 hj 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 excep- tion of the thin line of sand, over which the sap-green water rolled itself with a constant murmur aiid 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, tliere appeared the naked masts of several large ships, and to the east of these a dense mass of
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ZANZIBAR.
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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, Syed 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 ha\ e condescended to take board and lodging at a house known as " Charley's," called after the proprietor, who is a Frenchman with a crooked nose, and withal very eccentric, who has won con- siderable local notoriety for harboring penniless itine- rants, and manifesting a kindly spirit always, though hidden imdcr such a rugged front ; or I should have been obliged to pitch my doubled-clothed American drill tent on the sandbeach of this tropical island, an in-no-wise desirable thing.
But Capt. Webb's opportune proposal to make his commodious and comfortable hoiise my own ; to enjoy myself, with the re([uest that I would call for whatever I might require, obviated all unpleasant alternatives.
One day's life at Zanzibar, made me thoroughly
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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 in- formation, 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, witli steaming yellow and black bodies, and woolly heads, sitting at the doors of miserable huts, chatting, laughing, bargaining, scolding, witli a compound smell of hides, tar, filth, vegetable refuse, excrement, &c., in the negro quarter ; — of streets lined witli tall, solid looking houses, flat roofed, of great carved doors with large brass knockers, with baabs * sitting cross-legged watch- injr the dark .entrance to their masters' houses ; of a shallow sea-inlet, with some dhows, canoes, boats, an odd steam-tug or two, leaning over on their sides in a sea of mud which the tide has just left behind it ; of a place called " Nazi-Moya," " One Cocoa-tree," whither
• Porters.
Jan. 1871.]
ZANZIBAR.
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Europeans wend on evenings with most languid, mori- bund 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, etc.
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 or- chilla, the timber, and the black slaves from Africa. Bagdad had great silk bazaars, Zanzibar has her ivory bazaars ; Bagdad once traded in jewels, Zanzibar ti ades in gum-copal; Stamboul imported Circassian and Geor- gian slaves ; Zanzibar imports black 'beauties from Uliiyow, Ugindo, Ugogo, Unyamwezi and Galla.
The same mode of commerce obtains here as in all Moliammedan 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 watta,* 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
• Slippers.
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the atmosphere. The land is semi-African in aspect ; the city is but semi- Arabian.
To a new.-comar into Africa, the Muscat Arabs of Zanzibar are studies. There is a certain empressement about them, which we must admire. Tliey are mostly all travellers. There are but few of them, that have not been in many dangerous positions, as they pene- trated Central Africa in search of the precious ivory ; and these, with their various experiences, have given their features a certain unmistakeable air of self- relian(3e, or of self-sufficiency ; there is a calm, resolute, defiant, independent air about them, which wins un- consciously one's respect. The stories that some of these men could tell, I have often thought woidd 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 nefiro, 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 ■v^orship 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 Zanizibar — this syphilitic, blear-eyed, pallid-skinned, abortion of an Africanized Arab.
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 con- science will prevent him from cheating his fellow man.
Jas. 1871.]
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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 labour 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 aver, and declare, 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 ex- ception of a very few rich Arabs, almost all other traders are subject to the pains and penalties which nsury imposes. A trader desirous to make a journey into tlie interior, whether for slaves or ivory, gum-copal, or orchilla weed, proposes to a Banyan to advance hinl $5,000 at 50, GO, or 70 per cent, interest. The Banyan is safe enough not to lose, whether the speculation tlie trader is engaged upon pays or not. An experienced trader seldom loses, or if ho has been nnfortuiiate, through no deed of his own, he docs 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
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HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
trade with the interior is managed, that the Arab conveys by his caravan $5,000 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"00. Ordinary men-slaves may be purchased for $6"00 which would sell for $25*03 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 remain- ing $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 tliey almost always have come back with an enormous margin of profit.
The next people to the Banyans in power in Zanzi- bar are tlie Mohammedan Hindis. Really it lias been a debateable subject in my mind whether the Hindis are not as wickedly determined to cheat in trade, as the Banyans. But, if 1 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 lionestest among men, white or black, red or yellow, is a Mohammedan Hindi called Tarya Topau.
Ja.x. 1S71.]
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Among the Europeans at Zanzibar, lie 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 Syed Burohash. Tarva has manv children, two or three of whom are grown-up sons, whom he has reared up even as he is himself. But Taryais but a representative of an exceedincrlv small minoritv.
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 Tip the mixed population of this island are the negroes. They consist of the aborigines, AVasawahili, Somalis, Comorines, TVanyamwezi, and a host of tribal repre- sentatives of Inner Africa.
To a white stranger about penetrating Africa, it is a most interesting walk through the negro quarters of the "Wauyamwezi 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 per- ceives this foot, 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
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black man, possessing the attributes of true manliood, or any good qualities, to my friendship, even to a brotherhood with ruyself ; 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 witli me fi'om any rights he could fairly claim as a man. *' Have these men — these black savages from pagan Africa," I asked m3'self, " the qualities which make man loveable amons,- 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 en- slaved perform the work required on the plantations, the estates and gardens of the landed proprietors, or perform the work of hamals or carriers, whether in the country or the city. Outside the city they may be seen carrying huge loads on their heads, as happy as pos- sible, 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 there- fore have not been baffled in their hopes, nor known disappointment.
AVithin the city, negro hamals may be iieard at all hours, in couples, engaged in the transportation of
Jan. 1871.]
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clove-bags, boxes of merchandise, &c., from store to " go-down " 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 ac- quaintances, 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 alto- gether 1 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 N&w 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 i?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 oflScials, independent
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HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
mercliants,^ or agents for a few great mercantile houses in Europe and America.
The most important consulate at Zanzibar is the British. The acting Britisli Consul and political resi- dent, when I was at Zanzibar preparing my expedition for tlie African interior, was Dr. John Kirk.
I felt quite a curiosity to see this gentleman, from the fact of his name being so often coupled with the object of my search — Dr. David Liviugstone.
In almost all newspapers he was mentioned as the " former companion of Dr. Livingstone." I imagined, from the tone of the articles that I saw published, and from his own letters to the Indian Government, that if I could obtain any positive information from any person regarding the whereabouts of Dr. Livingstone I should be able to procure it from Dr. Kirk.
It was with feelings of no small impatience, therefore, that I awaited 'the honour of an introduction to him through Capt. AVebb.
On the second morning after my arrival at Zanzibar, according to the demands of Zanzibar etiquette, the American Consul and myself sallied out into the street, and in a few moments I waS in the presence of this much-befamed man. To a man of rather slim figure, dressed plainly, slightly round-shouldered, hair black, face thin, cheeks rather sunk and bearded, Capt. "Webb said, Dr. Kirk, permit me to introduce Mr. Stanley, of the ' New York Herald.' "
I fancied at the moment that he lifted his eyelids perceptibly, disclosing the full circle of the eyes. If I were to define such a look, I would call it a broad stare. During the conversation, which ranged over several subjects, though watching his face intently, I never saw it kindle or become animated but once, and that
Jas. 1871.]
ZANZIBAE.
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■was wliile relating some of liis hunting feats to us. As the subject nearest my heart was not entered upon, I promised myself I would ask him about Dr. Livingstone the next time I called upon him.
Tuesday evenings " Dr. and ]\[rs. Kirk are at home," Zanzibarites are informed. The pleasures of those evenings the civilised community of Zanzibar gene- rally ignore, but the representatives of the European colony do visit them nevertheless. This special evening, there was quite a "sprinkling" of the upper-ten-dom.
As the American party of visitors arrived early, I was enabled to note how other guests entered into con- versation, and I wondered to hear each and all after the first greeting inquire anxiously of the Consul and his lady, if they had been to " Nazi-Moya " that evening, to which they responded in the negative ; for it hap- pened that they had not extended their recreative walk so far as the classic grounds of Nazi-!Moya that par- ticular evening.
" Oh," each guest said, in a tone of triumphal and deli":hted wonderment, " I thono-ht I had not seen vou there."
""Where, and what is Nazi-Moya?" I was fain to ask of Capt. Webb.
" Xazi-Moya," said this pleasant cynic, "Xazi-Moya means in English, ' One Cocoa-tree ;' it is a rendezvous just behind Ras Shangani (Sandy Point), whither we go on afternoons to enjoy the fresh sea-breeze. It is the usual form of opening a conversation, owijig to the terriljle dearth of topics just now we have to talk about."
Capt. "Webb spoke truly when he said there was a "terrible dearth of topics," and subsequent experience
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proved to me that the good Europeans of Zanzibar, in the absence of legitimate matter, were never slow to avail themselves of the least bit of scandal, in order to make the evenings pleasant and agreeable.
The entertainment which the British Consul and his lady provided for the visitors on their reception evening consists of a kind of mild wine and cigars ; not, because they have nothing else* in the house — no decoction of bohea, or hyson, with a few cakes — but I suppose because it is the normal and accustomed habit of a free Zanzibarized European to indulge in something of this sort, mixed with a little soda or seltzer-water, as a stimulant to the bits of refined gossip, generally pro- mulgated under the vinous influence to sympathizing, interested, and eager listeners.
It was all very fine, I dare say, but I thought it was the dreariest evening I ever passed, until Dr. Kirk, pitying the wearisomeness under which I was labouring, called me aside to submit to my inspection a magnificent elephant rifle, which he said was a present from a governor of Bombay. Then I heard eulogies upon its deadly powers and its fatal accuracy ; I heard anecdotes of jungle life, adventures experienced while hunting, and incidents of his travels with Livingstone.
" Ah, yes. Dr. Kirk," I asked carelessly, " about Livingstone — where is he, do you think, now?"
" AVell, really," he replied, '^you know that is very difficult to answer ; he may be dead ; there is nothing positive whereon we can base sufficient reliance. Of one tlu'ng I am sure, nobody has heard anything definite of him for over two years. 1 should fancy, though, ho must be alive. We are continually sending something up for him. There is a small expedition even now at Bagamoyo about starting shortly. I really think the
Jan. 1871.]
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old man should come home now ; he is growing old, you know, and if he died, the world would lose the benefit of his discoveries. He keeps neither notes nor journals ; it is very seldom he takes observations. He simply makes a note or dot, or something, on a map, which nobody could understand but himself. Oh, yes, by all means if he is alive he should come home, and let a younger man take his place."
" What kind of a man is he to get along with, Doctor ?" I asked, feeling now quite interested in his conversation.
" "Well, I think he is a very diflScult man to deal with generally. Personally, I have never had a quarrel with him, but I have seen him in hot water with fellows so often, and that is principally the reason, I think, he hates to have any one with him."
" I am told he is a very modest man ; is he ? " I asked.
" Oh, he knows the value of his own discoveries ; tio man better. He is not quite an angel," said he, with a laugh.
""Well now, supposing I met him in my travels — I might possibly stumble across him if he travels any- where in the direction I am going — how would he conduct himself towards me ?"
" To tell you the truth," said he, " I do not think he would like it very well. I know if Burton, or Grant, or Baker, or any of those fellows were going after him, and he heard of their coming, Livingstone would ])ut a hundred miles of swamp in a very short time between himself and them. I do, upon my word I do."
This was the tenor of the interview I held with Dr. Kirk— former companion of Livingstone — as well as my journal and memory can recall it to me.
Need I say this information from a gentleman known
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to be Tvell acquainted with Dr. Livingstone, rather had the effect of damping my ardor for the search, than adding vigor to it. I felt very much depressed, and would willingly have resigned my commission ; hut then the order was, " GrO and find Livingstone." Besides, I did not suppose, though I had so readily consented to search for the Doctor, that the path to Central Africa was strewn with roses. "What though I were rebuked, as an impertinent interloper in the domain of Discovery, as a meddler in things that con- cerned not myself, as one whose absence would he far more acceptable to him than my presence — had I not been commanded to find him ? Well, find him I would, if he were above ground ; if not, then I would bring what concerned people to know, and keep.
Dr. Kirk very kindly promised to give all the assist- ance in his power, and whatever experience he poesessed he was willing, he said, to give me its. full benefit. But I cannot recollect, neither do I find a trace of it in my journal, that he assisted me in any way. Of course, he was not aware that my instruc- tions were to hunt up Dr. Livingstone, otherwise Dr. Kirk, I have no doubt, would have made good his word. He believed I was about to ascend the Rufiji River to its source. But what newspaper would despatch a " special " to discover the sources of an in- significant river like the Rufiji?
The climate o!" Zanzibar is not the most agreeable in the world. I have heaixl Americans and Europeans condemn it most heartily. I have also seen nearly one- half of the white colony laid up in one day from sick- ness. A noxious malaria is exhaled from the vshallow inlet of Malagash, and the undrained filth, the garl)age, offal, dead molhisks, dead pariah dogs, dead cats, all
Jax. 1871.]
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species of carrion, remains of men and beasts unburied, assist \o make Zanzibar a most unbealtby city; and, considering tbat it ougbt to be a most bealtby city, nature baving pointed out to man tbe means, and baving assisted bim so far, it is most wonderful tbat tbe ruHng prince does not obey tbe dictates of reason. Tbe bay of Zanzibar is in tbe form of a crescent, and on tbe soutb-western born of it is built tbe cit}-. On tbe east tbe city is bounded almost entirely by tbe Malagasb Lagoon, an inlet of tbe sea. It penetrates to at least two bundred and fifty yards of tbe sea bebind or soutb of Shangani Point. Were tbese two bundred and fifty yards cut tbrougb by a ten foot ditcb, and tbe inlet deepened sligbtly, Zanzibar city would become an island of itself, and wbat wonders would it not effect as to bealtb and salubrity ! I bave never beard tbis sugges- tion made, but it struck me tbat tbe foreign consuls resident at Zanzibar migbt suggest tbis work to tbe sultan, and so get tbe credit of baving made tbe city as bealtby a place to live in as any near tbe equator. But apropos of tbis, I remember wbat Capt. Webb, tbe American Consul, told me on my first arrival, wben I expressed to bim my wonder at tbe apatby and inert- ness of men born with the indomitable energy which cha- racterizes the Europeans and Americans, of men imbued with tbe 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 tbe 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 tbat a residence of four or five years on this
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island, among such people as are here, would make you feel that it was a hopeless task to resist the infliie'nce 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 Ban3'ans, and the Hindis, yoii 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, the most pleasant-mannered, unaffected, and sincere in what- ever 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, whatever else malice may suggest.
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, Germans, and French
Jan. 1871.]
ZANZIBAB.
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.
In a great tall house with a certain grandeur of vast- ness about it, topped with the queerest of all steeples, situated on Shangani Point, Bishop Tozer, his disciples, his choristers and his flock, have found excellent quar- ters. The Bishop, who styles himself " Missionary Bishop of Central Africa," is one of the politest men lever knew. I believe he is called the "fighting parson" — a plagia- ristic appellation when bestowed on him, since Dr. Livingstone first received it from the Duke of Wellington. Bishop Tozer, however, is said to have fought an insolent rowdy, on his way to church ; and after having punished him at a boxing-match, offered to punish his com- panions one aftej" another in the same way, which offer was refused. This feat of pugilism by Bishop Tozer converted these wolves into lambs, and won for him the title of Bishop, and the happy sinecure he holds.
The Bishop in his crimson robe, and with his sacer- dotal title "Missionary Bishop of Central Africa" (why he should be so named I cannot conceive), has reached the bourne of aspiring priesthood, and is consequently ineffably happy. But this High Church (very High Church indeed) prelate in his crimson robe of office, and in the queerest of all head-dresses, seen stalking through the streets of Zanzibar, or haggling over the price of a tin-pot at a tinker's stall, is the most ridiculous sight I have seen anywhere outside of a clown show. I as a white man solemnly protest against the absurdity. A similar picture to the Bishop, in his priestly robes and a paper cap, in a tinker's stall, is tlie King of Dahomey in a European hat with his body naked, promenading
0 2
20
EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
pompously about in this exquisite full dress. Whatever the Bishop in his blissful innocence may think of the effect which it produces in the minds of the heathen, I can inform him, that to the Arabs and Wanguana who have settled in Unyanyembe he is only an object of supreme ridicule ; and also, that most of his pale-faced brothers entertain something of the sSme opinion.
Poor, dear Bishop Tozer ! I would fain love and • admire thee, were it not for this exhibition of extreme High-Churchism in a place like Zanzibar !
The French missionaries have proceeded actively to work in a true practical spirit. They not only endea- vour to instil into the minds of their numerous converts the principles of religion, but also to educate them in the business of life. They teach their young disciples various useful trades ; they produce agriculturists, carpenters, blacksmiths, boat-builders, and mechanical engineers among them. Their various departments of instruction have able, efficient, and laborious teachers. Their shops at Zanzibar form one of the sights which a stratlger would wish to see. At Bagamoyo, on the mainland, their mission station is on an extensive scale. The estate adjoining the mission station, cultivated by their young pupils, is a model of industry ; and the products serve to more than support the institution with all the necessaries of life. The converts and pupils they are educating exceed more than two hundred.
Jak. 1871.]
CHAPTER II.
ORGAXIZATIOX OF THE EXPEDITIOX.
I VTAB 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 expe- rience.
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 differeut tribes ? "
22
now I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
Ever so many questions to myself brought me no nearer tlie exact point I wished to arrive at. I scribbled over scores of sheets of j^aper, making estimates, draw ing out lists of material, calculating the cost of keeping one hundred men for one year, at so many yards of dif- ferent kinds of cloth, etc. I studied Burton, Speke, and Grant in vain. A good deal of geographical, ethnological, and otlier 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. I threw the books from me in disgust. The Europeans at Zanzibar knew as little as possible about this par- ticular point. There was not one white man at Zanzi- bar, who could tell how many dotis a day a force of one hundred men required for food 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 occu- pied ; 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 cuiicncy, the mode of procedure, the quantity and
Jan. 1871.] ORGANIZATION OF TEE EXPEDITION.
23
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 suftice 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 Unyam- wezi ; 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 liundred men for twelve months. Two years at this rate would require 4000 doti = 16,000 yards of American sheeting; 2,000 doti = 8,000 yards of Kaniki ; 1,300 doti = 5,200 yards of mixed coloured clotlis. This was definite and valuable information to me, and excepting the lack jf some suggestions as to the quality of the sheeting, Kan i i, and coloured cloths, I had obtained all I desired upon this point. Second in importance to the aKUjunt 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,
24
SOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 posi- tively worthless with all other tribes ; the egg (sungo- mazzi) 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 sufEciency 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 for going 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
Jah. 1871.] ORGANIZATION OF THE EXPEDITION.
25
able to arrive some time at an intelligible definition of the terms. I revolved in my iiind the words Mukun- guru, Ghulabio, Sungomazzi, Kadunduguru, Mutunda, Sami-sami, 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.
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, ammu- nition, 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 halt- castes was most trying. For instance, I i)urchased
* It will bo 80CU that I differ from dipt. Bm'tou in tlic spelling of this word, as I deem tlio letter " y " Buperfluous.
26 EOW I FOUXn LIVINGSTONE.
twenty-two donkeys at Zanzibar. $40 and $50 were asked, which I had to reduce to $15 or $20 by an infinite qmount of argument worthy, I think, of a nobler cause. As was my experience with the ass-dealers so it was 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 in- vented 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 franti- cally, 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' — apitlied to me for work. Though his discharge from the ' Nevada ' was rather suspicions, yet he possessed all the requirements of such a man as I needed, and was an experienced hand with the palm
Jan. 1871.] ORGANIZATION OF TEFl EXPEDITION.
27
and needle, could cut canvas to fit anything, was a pretty good navigator, ready and willing, as far as his professions went. I saw no reason to refuse his service.?, and he was accordingly engaged at $300 per annum, to rank second to William L. Farquhar.
Farquhar was a capital navigator and excellent ma- thematician ; was strong, energetic, and clever ; but, I am sorry to say, a hard drinker. Every day, while we lived at Zanzibar, he was in a muddled condition, and the dissipated, vicious life he led at this place proved fatal to him, as will be seen, shortly after penetrating into the interior.
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 " J3ombay," who though his head was " woodeny," and his hands " clumsy," was considered io be the " fiithfulest " 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 unliappy valet) — five of Speke's " Faithfuls." When I asked the'm if they were willing to join another white man'8 expedition to Ujiji, they replied very readily that tlicy were willing to join any brother of '* Speke's."
28
EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 Wasungu know him, had gone to Pemba, an island ly- ing 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 " Faith- fuls" 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 un- commonly 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 tlie 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.
Jan. 1871.] ORGANIZATION OF THE EXPEDITION.
29
"Salaam aliekum," were the words be 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 Eg}^t, 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 Syed Majid, with whom ]\Iabruki, who was of a quarrelsome disposition, had a feud, which culminated in the soldier inducing two or three of his com.rades to assist him in punish- ing the malevolent Mabruki, and this was done in a manner that only the heart of an African could con- ceive. They tied the unfortunate fellow by his wri.sts to a branch of a tree, and after indulging their brutal appetite for revenge in torturing him, left him to hang iu that position for two days. At the expiration of
30
HOTV J FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
the second day, he was accidentally discovered in a most pitiable condition. His hands had sTvollen 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 Syed Majid's ears, the miscreants were severely punished. Dr. Kirk, who attended the poor fellow, succeeded in restoring one hand to some- thing of a resemblance of its former shape, but the other hand is sadly marred, and its former usefulness gone for ever.
However, I engaged Mabniki, despite his deformed hands, his ugliness and vanity, despite Burton's bad report of him, because he was one of Speke's " Faith- fuls." 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 pro- vided 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 en- gaged at $80 a year, half that sum in advance, a good
Jan. 1871.] OBGANIZATION OF THE EXPEDITION. 31
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 m3'self, 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 suit- able 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. Tliis' little job occupied me five days. I also packed them up, for the pagazis.
32
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
Each load was carefully weighed, and none exceeded 68 lbs. in weight.
J ohn Shaw excelled himself in the workmanship dis- played on the canvas-boats ; when finished, they fitted their frames admirably. The canvas — six bolts of Eng- lish hemp, No. 3 — was procured from Ludhai Damj, 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 goat- paths of Africa might prove an advantage. Accord- ingly 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 con- veying 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 lemerity. Here were at least six tons of material ! " IIow 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
Jan. 1871.] ORGANIZATION OF TEE EXPEDITION.
33
Africa ? Bah, cast all doubts away, man, and have at them ! ' Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof,' with- out borrowing from the morrow."
The traveller, with a lake in the centre of that broad African continent before him, must needs make his way there 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 Unyanyembc.
One thing amongst others my predecessors omitted to infoim men bound for Africa, which is of importance, and that is, that no traveller should ever think of c6ming to Zanzibar with his money in any other shape than
D
34
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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
Heath y M. Stanley.
NetB York Herald.
very few, I believe, ever coupled the woids "New
Jan. 1871] OBGANIZATION OF TEE EXPEDITION.
35
York Herald " -^ath a search after " Doctor Living- stone." It was not my fault, was it ?
Ah, me ! what hard work it is to start an expedition alone ! TVhat with hurrying through the baking heat of the fierce relentless sun from shop to shop, strengthening myself with far-reaching and enduring patience for 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 pur- chased articles, measuring and weighing them, to see that everything was of full measure and weight, over- seeing 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 tbe white men, and l)lack 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 Baganioyo.
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
P 2
36
HOW I FOUND LB'ING STONE.
furnislied 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 Yenetian 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 was 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. " Go on," he said, and we ascended the stairs with my feelings greatly shocked, for the Sultan coming immediately after me, was placed in a most ignominious position for a sovereign prince. The Consul, I perceived, was ascending sideways, a mode of progression which I saw was intended for a compro- mise with decency and dignity ; I imitated him as well
Jan. 1871.J ORGANIZATION OF TEE EXPEDITION.
37
as I was able, but I nevertheless thought my position rather peculiar. At the top of the stairs we waited, with our faces towards the up-coming Prince. Again we were waived 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 pf Persian fabric, that the furniture con- sisted 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, W'ho 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 drago- man 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 w'hite, encircled his head. His long robe was of dark cloth, cinctured round the waist witii 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 8lip])ed into a pair of watta (Arabic for slippers), with thick
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EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTON!!.
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 Syed Burghash, Sultan of Zanzi- bar 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 fin- jans, 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 liis Highness satisfaction, he handed me letters of introduction to his officers at Bagamoyo and Kaole, and a general intro- ductory 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.
Feb. 1871.] ORGANIZATION OF THE EXPEDITION.
39
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 manufac- tured, 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 every- body.
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.
When about to give the order to sail, the two M'hite men, Farquhar and Shaw, were absent. They were found, after a vigorous hunt, among the liquor shops, surrounded by about a dozen boon companions, hold- ing forth upon the greatness of the art of African exploration, trying to stave off with the aid of whisky the dread presentiments tliat would insidiously now and then obtrude them.selves into their minds, warnino- them that though new lands were about to be revealed to them, with all the fantastic scenes credited to tlie new country, there might be something in these strange parts that might — " well, what ?"
40
HOW 1 FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
" Get into the dhows at once, men. This is rather a bad beginning after signing contracts," I said, as I saw them reeling to the beach in company of Bombay, and four or five of the newly-enlisted escort.
" If you please, sir, may I ask if — if — if you think I have done quite -right in promising to go with you to Afriky ?" asked Shaw, in a most hesitating and dolor- ous tone.
Have you not received your advance ? Have you not signed the contract ?" I asked ; " and do you now wish to withdraw ? Gret into the boat, man, at once. We are all in for it now, sink or swim, live or die — none can desert his duty."
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 !
CAMP AT BAGAMOYO
CHAPTER III.
LIFE AT BAGAMOYO.
The Isle of Zanzibar with its groves of cocoa-nut, mango, clove, and cinnamon, and its sentinel islets of Churabi and French, witli 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 thatwhicli 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 dro[)i)ed anchor on the top of tlie coral reef plainly visible a few feet above the surface of the water, within a hundred yards of the beach.
42
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
The newly -enlisted soldiers, fond of noise and excite- ment, 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 Mnsiiogu (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 digits, 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, indi- vidual attention, came forward to exchange another " Yambo !" on his own behalf, and to shake hands. This personage with a long trailing turban, was Jema- dar Esau, commandant (French), commander (English), of the Zanzibar force of soldiers, police, or Baluch gen- darmes stationed at Bagamoyo. He had accompanied Speke and Grant a good distance into the interior, and they, like all English travellers, 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, and with his hirsute face, I here commend him for his influence over the rabble to all future East African travellers. Foremost among those who wel- comed 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
Feb. 1871.]
LIFE AT BAOAMOTO.
43
tlieir grounds. But however strong the geniality of the welcome and -sincere the heartiness of the invita- tion, 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 camj).
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 sight- seers. After driving the twenty-seven animals of the Expedition into the enclosure in the rear of the house, storing the bales of goods, and ])lacing 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, num- bering some fifteen or sixteen houses. There are some ten padres engaged in the establishment, and as many sisters, ;ind all find ])lenty of occupation in educing from native crania the fire of iiitelligence. Truth com- pels me to state that they are very successful, having over two hundred pupils, boys and girls, in the Mission,
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 Hoiace, 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 Avere not a little brightened under the vinous influence. Ah ! those fathers understand life, and appreciate its dura- tion. Their festive board drives the Mukunguru (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 hytena. 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 instrurnents, thus forming a full band of music. It rather astonished me to hear the sounds issue forth in such 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
Feb. 1871.]
LIFE AT BAG AMD TO.
•46
of their ignorant mothers, stand forth and chant Parisian songs about French valor and glory, with all the sang- froid 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 monevs, 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 Mrima there are many dishonest prowlers at night. Soldiers were despatched to search through the town and neighbourhood, and Jemadar Esau, he of the trailing lurban, the filthy face and neck, 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 Salira, a brother of the famous Sayd bin Salira, formerly Ras Kafilah to Burton and Speke, and subse- quently to Speke and Grant. His salaams were very pro- fuse, 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. T was invited to his comfortable house to partake of colfee. 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 r" — Replied I, " I am obliged to you, I need a good friend who, knowing the language and customs of the Wanyamwezi, am procure me the
4G
HOW 1 FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 hun- dred 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 morn- ing 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 tJjiji be- fore 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 dis- tance 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 Baga- moyo, 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, rheuma- tics, 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,
Feb. 1871.]
LIFE AT BAGAMOYO.
47
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 ^^ftgazis and donkeys make paste of it ? These were natural reflec- tions, 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 (makandas). 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 Baga- moyo 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 cloth.s, and fold them again. The drill-tent was condemned, and a No. 5 hemp-canvas tent at once prepared. After which I felt convinced that my cloth bales, and one year's ammunition, were
48
FOW I FOVND LIVINGSTONE.
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 judg- ment 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 san^e into bales. One or two pngazis 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 1 05 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 per- formed in the following manner : — ^We cut a doti, or four yards of Merikani, ordinarily sold at Zanzibar for $2' 7 5 the piece of thirty yards, and spread it 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 blue blouse stuff of France, and the 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
Feb. 1871.]
LIFE AT BAGAMOTO.
49
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 bad to convey eighty-two to Unyanyembe, forty of which consisted solely of the Merikani and Kaniki. The other forty-two contained the Merikani and colored cloths, which latter were to serve as honga or tribute cloths, and to engage another set of pagazis from Un- yanyembe 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 Bull-headed — one of Burton's men — 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 w ith 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 ? Sycd Burghash did not send a letter to me, but to the Jemadar. Why should I trouble myself about him ? Let Syed Burghash write me a letter to that purpose, and I will procure tliem within two days.' "
To my mind this was a time for action: Ah' bin Salim sliould 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.
50
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 be- come a pagazi himself. But here I stopped the voluble Ali, and informed him that I could not think of em- ploying him in the capacity of a pagazi, neither could I find it in my heart to trouble Syed 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 Kaole, 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 Selim, my Arab interpreter, by a dhow to Zanzibar, with a very earnest request to Capt. Webb that he would procure from Tarya Topan the intro- ductory letter so long delayed. It was the last card in my hand.
On the third day the boy Selim returned, bringing with him not only the letter to Soor Hadji Palloo, but
Feb. 1871.]
LIFE AT BAGAMOYO.
51
aij 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 "Wasawahili merchants on the look-out for every caravan tliat 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 tlieir quota. " If 3 0U," 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 8,500 doti, suffi- cient 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 " 3'oung 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" busi- ness. 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 liouse, the pagazis could leave Bagamoyo llie next day, under charge of three soldiers. "For," he re- marked, " it is much better and cheaper to send many
E 2
52
EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
small caravans than one large one. Large caravans invite attack, or are delayed by avaricious chiefs upon the most trivial pretexts, wliile small ones pass by with- out notice."
The bales and beads were duly carried to Soor Hadji Palloo's house, and the day passed with me in mentally congratulating myself upon my good for- tune, 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 hand- some present, and a great puff in my book, to Soor Hadji Palloo, and it was with a glad heart I prepared these soldiers for their march to Unyanyembe.
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. I append here, as an example, the bill of costs for the sending of a caravan of ten pagazis, and three soldiers as guards, to Unyanyembe.
Cost of Carriage. To 10 pagazis' hire, at 25 doti, each doti of cloth
being 50c g 125 -00
Matama grain for 4 days* food 1 • 00
For Food on the Road.
Merikani, 25 doti 12-50
Kauiki, 20 doti 25"" each ........ 5-00
Taujiri, 2 doti 60'='" each 1-00
6ami-Sanu, 9 lbs 3 "05
Bubu, 3 1bs -33
Merikani, 7 lbs 1-05
KU8-93
Feb. 1871.]
LIFE AT BAGAMOJO.
68
Food for Tliree Soldiere.
3 lbs. Bubu beads g -33
3 lbs. Mcrikani '45
3 lbs. Sami-Sami I'Olf
Merikani clotbs, 7^ doti 3-75
Barsati, 2 doti 1 • 00
Kaniki, 2 (loti '50
Wages for 3 months, at S 9 per month . . . . 27-00
To money to pay for ferry-boat crossing the Kingani 2*00
g36 04f
Total cost of pagazia g 148 • 93
„ soldiers 36 -041
^184 -971
Value of Goods earned by a portion of the First Caravan.
3 bales of cloth containing —
90 doti of Kaniki, at 25c g 22-50
112^ doti of Mcrikani, at 50c 56-25
3 loads of wire, or 4 frasilahs 36*87^
1 bag of Sungomazzi, or 1000 14-00
1 bag of Sami-Sami beads, or 2 frasilahs . . . 26-00
gl55-62i
Thus the cost of carriage was a httle over $29 in excess of the value of the goods carried.
Supposing I despatched one hundred pagazis, the cost of carriage for ten times the quantity of goods con- veyed as estimated above would amount to $1849-761, while the cost of the goods themselves would reach the sum of $1556-25, and together would make $3406-01f.
And while I am about this system of transporta- tion, being a methodical man, I might as well annex the hill of costs of a portion of the third caravan, led by my white man Farquhar, which consisted of ten donkeys, three soldiers, one white man, and one cook,
54
EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
SO that the reader may compare the expenses, for he must remember I include everything in the bill.
Cost of Carriage.
To 9 donkeys bearing goods, at g 18 . . . g 162-00
To 1 donkey for white man 18 '00
To 10 saddles 17-60
1 saddle, thus :
Canvas 33^
Twine 5
Cotton 25
Iron rings 10
American di-ill 15
Cotton band 12 J
Rope 20
1-21
3 months' wages to cook at g 9 27-00
8 ' „ white man at g 25 . . . . 75-00
1 tent 8-00
Sugar, 4 lbs 25
Tea 4-00
Medicine 3-00
Eice 1-00
To 3 soldiers' wages at g 9 each. . . . . . 27-00
Ferry money 2-00
Matama grain, 16 measures . , 1-00
To food on the road for donkeys, 16 doti Merikani . 8-00
To food for 5 men, 25 doti 12-50
„ „ 15 lbs. of beads 3-00
Value of Goods convened.
To 18 bales of cloth containing —
540 doti Kaniki at 25c
675 doti Merikani at 50c
The cost of carriage in this case is much less, and what is in favor of the donkey as a beast of burden, is, that it carries much more than two pagazis will, upon occasion. Two pagazis with all the necessaries cost
g 363 -83
g 135 -00 337-50
Feb. 1871.]
LIFE AT BAGAMOTO.
55
about $3 7' 01, one donkey costs upon the same terms say about $36-40. These are only according to the sums above quoted. But Farquhar could have led into Unyanyembe, twenty donkeys as easily as ten ; the cost of carriage would then be greatly in favor of the donkeys. If we take into consideration that Burton's thirty-three donkeys all died before they reached Unyanyembe, we must also remember that he states that all his pagazis deserted or tried to desert on the march. But we shall be better able to judge of the relative value of donkeys and pagazis after I have arrived at Unyanyembe ; until then we will leave the question open.
The setting-out of the first caravan enlightened me also upon 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 colored cloth of the pagazi, but a royal and exceedingly high-priced dab- wani, 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 amount finally to $330 in gold, with a premium of 25c. on each dollar. Ponder on this, 0 traveller ! I lay bare these facts for your special instruction.
But before my first caravan was destined to ])art company with me, Soor Hadji Palloo — worthy young man — and I, were to come to a definite understanding about money matters. The morning appointed tor de- jsarture Soor Hadji Palloo came to my hut and pie- sented )iis bill, with all the gravity of innoeenci", for supplying the pagazis with twenty-five doti each as theiv liirc to Unyanyembe, begging immediate payment in money.. Words fail to express the astonishment I
56
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 Bagamo-yo to Unyanyembe, should be paid out of the store there in my tent. When I asked if he remem- bered 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 liis 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 as 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 " Musimgu " 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 busi- ness, 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 Avith 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
Feb. 1871.]
LIFE AT BAGAMOTO.
57
on this theme, and as it really engrossed every moment of my time at Bagamoyo, I may as well he more ex- plicit regarding Soor 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 ej'es were never idle, they wandered over every part of my person, over the tent, the bed, the guns, the clothes, and ha\ang 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 dab- wain 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 cour- tesies and ceremonies of the true believers. He would aftably 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 color of truthfulness from his features, to have trans-
58
EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
formed him — yet a stripling of twenty — into a most ac- complished rascal, and conaummate expert in dishonesty.
During the six weeks I encamped at Bagamoyo, waiting for my quota of men, this lad of twenty gave me as much trouble as all the scoundrelism of New York gives to her Chief of Police. 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| 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 amount of pice (copper coins equal in value to j of a cent) was 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. Ex- posure before a crowd of his fellows brought no blush of
Feb. 1871.]
LIFE AT BAGAMOTO.
69
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 busli 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 Musungu's.
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 forth- coming, 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 Bagaraoyo at least six months, at the end of which time the Expedition would have become valueless, the rumour of it havinsr been blown abroad to the four winds. It was imme- diate departure that was essential to my success — depar- ture 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 sup- posed 1 had enough, yet, though I had been trying to teach the young Hindi that the Musungu was nwt a fool, nor blind to his pilfering tricks, tliough 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 Iladji Palloo's bill was $1,400 cash extra. His plea was that .he had furnished Ulyah clothes for Muhongo 240 doti,
60
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 dis- respect 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 be- tween 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 know 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 l)een 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 Govern- ment influence, I had to be patient, bide my time,
»
Feb. 1871.] LIFE AT BAQAMOYO. 61
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 igno- rance or overhaste, 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 ray 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 unsnited 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
62
EOWI FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 O'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 best 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. Yery 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 " O'Reilly " rifle with which I seldom failed to bi ing an animal or two home to the
Feb. 1871.]
LIFE AT BAGAMOYO.
63
camp, and that I found the Fraser shell answer all purposes tor 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 an O'Reilly in his hand. After a very few trials he can imitate them, if not excel their deeds, provided he has a steady hand. And it is to forward tliis end that this paragraph is written. African game require " bone-crushers ;" for any ordinary carbine possesses sufficient penetrative qualities, yet has not the disabling qualities which a gun must pos- sess, 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 liad 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 Un- yanyembe. The men chosen to escort this caravan were composed of Johannese and Waliiyow, 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 L5th, LS70). 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 Hmited number of thirty-five pagazis, a number that might be procured within two days through consular influence.
64
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE,
If the British Consul puts forward a plea that he was not aware that his supph'es to Livingstone were still halted at Bagamoyo, it will only prove to me that he was more culpably negligent than ever of his duty to a British subject and a brother official,' who was left completely dependent on him for even the means to live. For it was at Zanzibar on the first evening of my arrival that I was first informed that there was a caravan at Bagamoyo about to start for the interior with supplies for Dr. Livingstone ; I then did not know whether it was an easy or a difficult thing to despatch a caravan into the interior. My surprise may be better imagined than described, when I discovered that this caravan, requiring only thirty-five men, de- spatched by the British Consul, had left Zanzibar on about the 1st or 2nd of November, 1870, and was still encamjied at Bagamoyo on the 10th February, 1871, a period of oxe hundred days ! " Why," I asked myself, " if a small body of thirty-five men cannot be collected within one hundred days by a British Consul, how many days must elapse before a mere private individual like myself can collect one hundred and forty men ?"
On or about the 10th of February, a rumour was spread throughout the bazaars at Bagamoyo, which reached my camp, that the " Balyuz " — technically interpreted ''ambassador" — was coming to visit Baga- moyo, for the purpose of despatching Livingstone's caravan. That same evening or the next -morning Livingstone's caravan in a fright started for the in- terior with but four of the escort.
Two days afterwards H.M.S. Columbine, Capt. Tucker, appeared off Bagamoyo, witli Dr. Kirk, the •acting British Consul and political resident, on board. The evening of the Columbine's arrival off our African
FuB. 1871.]
LIFE AT BAGAMOYO.
f55
port, I rode up to the French mission, whither Dr. Kirk, Capt. Tucker, and his executive officer, accompanied by M. de Yienne, the French Consul, had gone, according to a hospitable invitation from Pere Horner, superior of the Mission. I found them at dinner and was invited to take wine with them. The conversation turned Dartly upon the anticipated pleasures of a hunt which they were organizing.
At 6 A.M. the next morning Dr. Kirk, Capt Tucker, his executive officer, Consul de Yienne, - and P^re Horner started for the Kingani River ; later in the day I also proceeded to the Kingani with Farquhar, Shaw, and Sayd bin Sayf, to shoot hippopotami.
As we were returning to camp, in the plain of the Kingani, we met Pere Horner, coming, so he said, from Kikoka, the first camp on the Unyanyembe road from Bagamoyo, whither he had gone to accompany the sportsmen.
On the following Friday evening the English Con- sul's party returned from the hunt. I dined with them that evening, and the subject of conversation was mainly upon their experiences in the woods beyond the Kingani. I was informed by Dr. Kirk that the officers of the " Columbine," with their pea-rifles, had not been able to shoot a thing. The only animals killed l^ad been f?hot by himself; and, to get any sport at all, he had been obliged to proceed alone into the forest. "They know now" (referring to the officers), said Dr. Kirk, " what reliance is to be placed on Snidurs when levelled against African game."
At 9 A.M. the next morning Dr. Kirk and a French padre paid me a visit at my camp. The former could only be prevailed upon to take a cup of tea, as he was going, he said, to see about Livingstone's caravan.
p
C6
ffOW 1 FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
About 11 A.M. I heard that Dr. Kirk had gone on board the " Columbine," and that the children of the French Mission had also gone with a full brass-band of musicians to entertain the sailors. Between 3 and 4 p.m. the " Columbine " departed for Zanzibar.
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 bvthe time the sun had risen we were engaged in multitudinous 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 hunt- ing 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.
John Shaw would get sadly out of temper when these visits were paid by the swart magnates of Baga- moyo. Upon these occasions my first duty, following the custom of the Arabs, was to offer refreshments and coffee to my visitors, and to serve them first, before passing the tray to the white men.
I observed that Shaw seemed very indignant, and upon inquiring the cause, I was informed that I had given him great offence by having the Arabs — " niggers " as he was pleased to terra them — served before he — white man — was. Poor Shaw ! ignorant as a babe of the
Feb. 1871.]
LIFE AT B40AM0T0.
67
calamities in store for him in that country to which his thoughts were now directed, what would he not have given to know that this supposed slight on his colour was the least trouble to be borne on this venturesome Expedi- tion ! He fully showed the uneducated Anglo-Saxon's inaptitude for travel and intercourse with other races.
As the days passed by I found it was necessary to separate Farquhar from Shaw. The latter proved to be a character without a grain of humor, but with a fund of vanity that was easily alarmed, and a fond ambition which soared into the empyrean with him, carrying him often beyond all bounds of human conception.
Farquhar by himself I thought would be much better off than with Shaw, who had certainly a most irri- tating manner to a man of Farquhar's temper and intelligence. I therefore chose him to lead the third caravan into the interior," and upon this announcement of my intentions peace was immediately restored between the contumacious belligerents.
Among the employe's 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 Kadcr, 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 wliile 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
P 2
68
EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 Syed 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, wliich was to carry the l^ats 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 interpi'eter, 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.
rORTRAIT OF BOMBAY AND MABRUKI.
CHAPTER ly;
THROUGH UKWERE, UKAMI, AND UDOE TO USEGUHHA.
|
From Bagamoyo to — |
h. |
m. |
|
Shamba Genera . |
. 1 |
30 |
|
Kikoka |
. 3 |
40 |
|
Kosako |
. 6 |
0 |
|
Kingaru . |
6 |
0 |
|
Imbiki .... |
4 |
30 |
|
Msuwa . . . . |
4 |
30 |
From Msuwa to — h.
Kiseme .... 4
Mussoudi .... 4
Mikeseh .... 7
Muhallch .... 6
Sinibamwcnni ... 3
m. 30 20
0 45
0
Before I proceed with this chapter a Lrief space must be given to an apolog^y wliich I tender to my readers. Euo iH first and foremost in this book. I am oblig^ed to exhibit him as he actually was, not as he sliould be ; as he behaved, not as he sliould have behaved ; as he travelled, not as he ouprht to have travelled. I must, for conscience' sake, report all things literally as thov occurred, and to the -best of my ability record the
70
EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTON^;.
incidents and accidents whicli befell the Expedition., However stay-at-home, chimney-corner, and easy-chair loving people may regard the merits of this book, the greatest praise and the greatest thanks will be bestowed on it by travellers who may succeed me in East Africa ; for they will at once perceive the useful lessons taught them by my haps and mishaps.
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 him- self 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 cele- brate our departure with repeated salvoes of musketry.
Our caravan is composed of twenty-eight pagazis, in- cluding the kirangozi, or guide ; twelve soldiers under Capt. Mbarak Bombay, in charge of seventeen donkeys and their loads ; Selim, my boy 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 topee and sea-boots ; and lastly, on a splendid bay horse (presented to me by Mr. Goodhue, an American gentleman, long resident at Zanzibar), myself, called " Bana Mkuba," the " big master," by my * people — the vanguard, the reporter, the thinker, and • leader of the Expedition.
The several members composing the caravan are well
March, 1871.] TJIHOUGE UKWEBE, ETC., TO USEGUEHA. 71
known to me already. They have been the subjects of study and selection, and no fauk has been found with them yet ; still, as it is rather premature to describe their characters, I shall confine myself at this time to simply naming the principal personages in the order and rank they hold :
1. John W. Shaw, rearguard and overseer.
2. Mbarak Bombay, captain of soldiers.
3. Uledi (Speke's valet), sergeant.
4. Mabruki (Burton's valet), tentguard.
5. Mabruki the Little . . . soldier.
6. Mabruk Saleem
7. Zaidi ...
8. Kamna ...
9. Sarmian ...
10. Ferajji (a runaway of Speke's)
11. Kingaru
12. Ambari ...
13. Selim (boy from Jerusalem), Arab ihterpreter,
14. Bunder Salaam (of Malabar), cook.
15. Abdul Kader „ tailor and help.
16. Hamadi (Wangwana), kirangozi.
17. Sarboko „ ... pagaz'i.
18. Jafooneh „
19. Farjalla „
20. Khamisi „
21. Asmani „
22. Chamba
23. Shubari „
24. Makoriga „
25. Khamis „
Probably some of these people above named will acquire habits or exhibit characters very different from
72
EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
those I imagined them to have while en route to Un- yanyembe. We shall be better judges of them and their points when we shall have arrived at Tabora, where a general muster will be made for inspection, and to hear the reports of the four caravans which have preceded us. 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-barreled pistols, one battle-axe, two swords, two daggers (Per- sian 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
Mabch, 187L] THBOUGH UKWERE, ETC., TO USEGUHHA. 73
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 Mu- sungu'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 cluug 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 mouths. 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 3i 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, he in a puddle of black water. The
74
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
clothes had to be re- washed; the ammunition-box, thanks to my prevision, was waterproof. Kamna perhaps knew the art of donkey-driving, but, over- joyful at the departure, had sung himself into oblivion of the difficulties with which an animal of the pure asi- nine breed has naturally to contend, such as not know- ing 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' points 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
Maech, 1871.] THROUGH UKWERE, ETC., TO USEGUHHA. 75
was now ominously near, and in settling accounts. The soldiers and pagazis eniplo3'ed the interval in visiting their female friends ; but I forbear the chro- nique scandaleuse.
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 sides 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 color, 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 quag- mire, 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 the 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-beaches 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 drum-
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
major, servant, general help and useful hand, the Arab boy Selim, on the morning of the fourth day, which was that 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 ahead 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 " quahary" 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 footjDath, and led over a soil, which, tliough sandy, was of surprising fertility, produc- ing 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-leaf ajDparel, must have been en grande tenue. Nor were they at all abashed by the devouring gaze of men who were strangers to clotheless living bodies, nor did they seem to comprehend why inordinate curiosity should be returned with more than interest. They left their work as the Wasungu drew nigh ; such hybiids in solar topees, white flannels, and horse-boots were they ! Had the Wasungu been desirous of studying the outlines of anatomy and physiology, what a rich field for study ! We passed them with
I
March, 1871.] THBOUGU UKWERE, ETC., TO USEGUHEA. 77
serious faces, while they langhed 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 g'rass. 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 civilisation would have been a most valuable meadow for the rearing of cattle — in- vested 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 fervor. 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 extra- ordinary affair ; rugj^ed tree limbs resting on very unsteady forked piles, and it had evidently tested the patience of many a loaded Mnyamwczi, as it did those porters of our caravan. Our weaker animals were
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EOW 1 FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
unloaded, the puddle between Bagamojo and Gronera 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 mjid. The diflSculty presented by this wari 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 civilised white is found, a diffi- culty must vanish. The bridge was composed of six stout trees thrown across, over these were laid cross- wise fifteen pack saddles, covered again with a thick layer of grass. All the animals crossed it safely, and then for a tliird 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
March, 1871.] THROUGH UKWERE, ETC., TO USEGUHHA. 79
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 halloes, 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 rope 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 accu- racy 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
80
HOW 1 FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
of the African waters was gained even during the few minutes we were delayed at the ferry. When undis- turbed 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 agaio it requires a steady wrist and a quick hand to shoot them. I have heard several comparisons made of their appear- ance 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 oi this plant. Consequently, we were not surprised, while delayed at the ferry, to hear the owners of the corn venting loud halloes, like the rosy -cheeked farmer boys
March, 1871.] THROUGH USWERE, ETC., TO USEGUHHA. 81
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 Baliach 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 depres- sions 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
a
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HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 popped 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 t)f grass, so as to be able to hoe up two or three inches of soil, into which they cast their seed, confident of return.
To induce my readers to open the map which I have prepared, and which accompanies this book, I must state that the route traversed by me was never traversed by a white man previously. If they will also take the trouble of ascertaining the route undertaken by Burton
Mabch, 1871.] THROUGH UKWEBE, ETC., TO USEGUJIEA. 83
and Speke, subsequently hj Speke and Grant, there will be found to be a wide difference between mine and that of my predecessors. On Burton's map, th& country, for five degrees of longitude directly west of Bagamoyo, is entirely barren of towns and villages and settlements ; on my map this deficiency is supplied, and thus little by little the great heart of Africa is becoming better known. Whatever may be discovered by me on this route, to white men hitherto unknown or unverified, I beg to lay claim even to that little as its discoverer. My object in tendering this request is that a certain travelled gentleman at Zanzibar, who has been residing there some years, tried to deter me from proceeding by this road, by stating that such a journey would be totally devoid of interest, as the wdiole country was well known. His motives were most generous, he would have wished that I should ascend the Rufiji Eiver, so that it might become known to geographers. From my heart I wished that I could, but circumstances forbade the effort. I was sent out on an errand, not as a discoverer, and the quickest and shortest metliod of fulfilling my duty was to be my study. If that quickest and shortest method took me along a well- known road traversed by three gentlemen, each of whom has written what he knows of it, the blame or fault is not mine ; but as it has proved that it took me along an untravelled road, through a hitherto mi- known 'country, so much the more fortunate am I. I excluded the Rufiji route from my mind as being totally impracticable with my means, and preferred to choose the road through Ukwere, Ukami, Udoe, Useguhha, Usagara, and Northern Ugogo ; the result and duration of the march proves that I could not have bettered myself, it being a direct western course.
Q 2
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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 frona 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 27th, the Wanyamwezi having started, we broke camp soon after at 7 a.m. The country was of the same nature as that l}^ng between the Kingani and Kikoka — a 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 fortifica- tion, neighbouring another village to the north of it similarly protected. Between therA sank a valley ex- tremely 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
March, 1871.] THROUGH UEWERE, ETC., TO USEGUHHA. 85
portion with our tents and animals. A kitanda, or square light be'dstead, 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, imme- diately 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 Wgogo, 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 Wgogo, proud of his prowess, and more unmannerly than a brute, would answer you with a snort of insult, saying, " Oh, you fool !" or, " You be damned for a liar !" I thought of a watch-dog, and procured a good one at Bombay not only as a faitliful 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 liim from his Turkish origin, was missing ; lie had strayed away from the soldiers during a rain-sqnall and liad got lost. I despatched Mabruki Burton back to Kikn]<a tti
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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 un- happy 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 pro- fession, 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 inter- mittent), and the third from a venereal affection. 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 M'ith Maganga 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 com- plaint. 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,
Makch, 1871.] THBOUQH VKWERE, ETC., TO USEGUHIIA. 87
enjoyed its freshness, and performed Lis 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, A'ardon, Gumming, and Kirk, said to be deadly to horses, was amongst them. I wished to preserve my two horses, if po.ssil)le; but Dr. Kirk had, with all the enthusiasm and dogmatism of a hobbyist, foretold the certain death ol' niy horses from the tsetse fly, which, he said,
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abounded in great numbers in the country west of Bagamoyo. Up to this date I had been nearly two months ip 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 con- siderably 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.
The terrible fears engendered by Dr. Kirk's asser- tion made it out to be the tsetse, so this 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 plentitude cf 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.
Mabch, 1871.] THROUGH UKWERE, ETC., TO USEGUHHA. 89
Having caught a specimen of this fly, I next pro- ceeded 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 disagree- ment are many, and such as to make it entirely im- probable 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 color as the mandibles come into brisk opera- tion ; 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 house-fly, fully a third larger than the common honey-bee, and its color 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 color, the other of a light brown. As for its buzz, there is no peculiarity in it, it miglit be mistaken for that of a honey-bee. \\'hen 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
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HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE:
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 pecu- liarities its biting parts .possessed.
In order to bring this fly as life-like as possible before my readers, I may compare its head to a most tiny miniature of an elephant's, because it has a black proboscis and a pair of horny antennae, which in color and curve resemble tusks. The black proboscis, how- ever, is 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 thick- ness, two are very thick, the third is slender, but the fourth, of an opal color 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 note, 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 antennas and an opal colored style, wliich folded away under the neck. When about to bite this style was shot out straight, and the antennsB embraced it closely. After death the fly lost its dis- tinctive white marks. Only one of this species did we- see at this camp.
The tliird fly, called " chufwa," pitched a weak alto-
March, 1871.] THBOUGU UKWERE, ETC., TO USEGUHHA. 91
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 pro- mised word of the Banyans of Kaole and Zanzibar, and had to wait 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 proxinlity 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, wo gained the glades between the jungles. Un- successful here, after ever so much piying 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 water-
92
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
course 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 stored 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 honrida — 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 conse- quence. 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 trajisuded- through every pore, making my flannel tatters feel as if I had been througli a shower. AVlieu 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.
March, 1871.] TBROUOH UKWERE, ETC., TO USEGUEEA. 93
Notwithstanding the ruthless rents in my clothes and my epidermal wounds, as I looked over the grandly undulating plain, lovely with its coat of green verdure, with its boundaries of noble woods, heavy with vernal leafage, and regarded the pretty bosky islets amid its wide expanse, I could not but award it its meed of high praise. Daily the country advanced in my estima- tion, for hitherto I felt that I was but obeying orders ; and sickly as it might be, I was in duty bound to go on ; but, for fear of the terrible fever, made more terrible by the feverish perspective created in my ima- gination by the embitterment of Capt. Burton's book, I vowed I would not step one foot out of my way. Shall I inform you, reader, what 'The Lake Regions of Central Africa,' and subsequently the reports of European merchants of Zanzibar, caused me to imagine the interior was like ? It was that of an immense swamp, curtained round about with the fever — " a species of Yellow Jack," which was sure, if it did not kill me outright, so to weaken body and brain as to render me for the future a helpless imbecile. In this swamp, which extended over two hundred miles into the interior, sported an immense niimber of hippopo- tami, crocodiles, alligators, lizards, tortoises, find toads ; and the miasma rising from this vast cataclysm of mud, corruption, and putrescence, was as thick and soi'ely depressing as the gloomy and suicidal fog of London. Ever in my mind in the foreground of this bitter picture were the figures of poor Burton and Speke, " the former a confirmed invalid, and the other perma- nently afiected" in the brain by this fever. The worm- wood and fever tone of Capt. Burton's book I regarded as the result of African disease. But ever since my arrival on the mainland, day by day the pall-like
94
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
curtain had been clearing away, and the cheerless perspective was brightening. We had been now two months on the East African soil, and not one of my men had been sick. The Europeans had gained in flesh, and their appetites were always in prime order.
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. Ques- tions 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 Kin- garu and camp there, until his arrival. Acting upon which suggestion I broke camp and started for Kin- garu, distant five miles.
On this march the land was more broken, and the caravan first encountered jungle, which gave consider- able 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 con- firmation 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
Mabch, 1871.] TEROUGH UKWERE, ETC., TO USEGUHHA. 95
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 new-born 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 resigna- tion 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 the smiling mask, bleared eyes, and wrinkled front of him 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 sii^ce thcie was no mat{iraa in the village I would pay him half a sliukka, or a yard of cloth, which would be exactly equivalent
96
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
to his present ; tbat if lie 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 Syed Burghash, Sultan of Zanzibar. The night previous I had noticed that the horse was suffering. Bearing in mind what Dr. Kirk, acting British Consul at Zanzibar, had 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 Merikarii, and finally had arrived at the conviction tliat the act of .burying a dead horse in their soil with- out "By your leave, sir," was a grievous and fineable fault. Affecting great indignation at the unpardonable omission, lie, Kingaru, concluded to send to the Musungu four of liis young men to say to him that "since you have buried your horse in my ground, it is well ; let
April, 1871.] THROUOn USWEffE, ETC., TO USEQUniTA. 97
him remain there, but yon 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 : —
WIdte Man. — " Are you the great chief of Kingara?"
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 thou- sand 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 lie has put his horse into your ground without your permission ? Come, go to him and see by what right.' Therefore have I come
u
98
EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 " quahary," 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 lantcrti, I visited him, and perceived that the pain was located in the stomach, but whetlier it was from some poisonous plant he had eaten while out grazing, or from some equine disease.
April, 1871.] THROUGH UKWERE, ETC., TO USEQUHIIA. 99
I did not know. He discharged copious quantities of loose matter, but there was nothing peculiar in its color. The pain was evidently very great, for the groans were truly piteous, and his struggles 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 dare con- tradict the assertion of Dr. Kirk, and 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 jjerfectly sound and healtliy, and to those travellers who cherish a good liorse 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 earaviui. In the meanwhile the list of casualties was being aug- mented. Besides the loss of this precious time, through
II 2
100'
ffOW I FOUND LIVnWSTONK
tliO perverseness of the chief of the other caravan, and the lo^s of my two horses, a pagazi carrying hoat-fixtnres improved the opportunity, and deserted. My interpreter, 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, UTedi (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 had diarrhoea. My meditated rush towards TJnyanyembe, and rapid transit througli the dread maritime region, seemed destined to end somewhat similarly to the rush upon Magdaia which Dr. Austin, of the London "Times," so particularly urged upon Sir Robert Napier in Abyssinia. Out of a force of twenty-five men one had deserted, and ten were on the sick-list, and the presenti- ment 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-state-
April, 1871.] TEROUOH UKWERE, ETC., TO USEGUBHA. 101
ment he was obliged to be content. But I again solved his pecuniary doubts by promising that, if he hurried his caravan on to Unyanyembe, he 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 extra- ordinary 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 demo- ralized 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 appear- ance 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 entrusted 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 hini. Accordingly Uledi and Fcrayi ^^'ero despatched in pursuit while we rested at Imbiki, iu
102 EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 vege- tation so dense, that I expected every moment to see my- self and men drop down in paroxysms of acute fever. Happil}' 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 pro- jecting branches darting across it, with knots of spikey twigs stiff as spike-nails, ready to catch and hold any- thing 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 be spoken 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
April, 1871.] THROUGH UKWEBE, ETC., TO USEOUHEA. 103
me he had expended a whole vocabulary of stormy abuse known, to sailors, and a new one which he had invented extempore. He did not arrive until two o'clock next morning, and was completely worn out. Truly I doubt if the most pious divine, in travelling through that long jungle under such circumstances, with such oft-recurring annoyances and Sisyphean labor, could have avoided cursing his folly for coming hither. How in this difKcult march I regretted my former easy circumstances — the soft repose of my too easy chair in Madrid ! The man who first said that travelling was a fool's paradise must certainly have been inspired by the experiences of a similar day to this.
Another halt was fixed at Msuwa that we and our animals might recuperate. The chief of the village, a white man in everything but color, 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 exhibi- tion of the wonderful mechanism of the Winchester rifle, and my breechloading revolvers.
He and his people were intelligent enough to com- prehend the utility of these weapons at an emergency, and illustrated in expressive pantomime the powers they possessed against numbers of peoj)le 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. AVhat 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 I"
104
HOW I FOUND LIVINOSTONE.
On the lOth, recovered from the excessive strain of the last march, my caravan marched out of Msuwa, accompanied by the hospitable villagers as far as their stake defence, receiving their unanimous " quaharys." 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 this part of the world, to wit, a chained 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 ift the wilderness, and, as is the custom of caravans, fired two shots to warn any Washensi having grain to sell, that we were williug to trade.
Our next halting-place was Kisemo, distant but eleven miles from Msuwa, a village situated in a populous dis-
Apeil, 1871.] THBOUQH UKWEBE, ETC., TO UaEaUEEA 105
trict, 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 Douglases. 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 Unger- engeri River, an impetuous Tramontana 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, of gigantic posterioral propor- tions, are noted for their vanity in brass wire, which is wound in spiral rings round their wrists and ancles, 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 hotly-pressing 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 colors down their black bodies.
But a more comical picture is seldom presented than that of one of these higlily-dressed females with the magnificent development already noted, engaged in the homely and necessary task of grinding corn for herself and liunily. The grinding ai)paratus consists of two portions : one, a thick pole of hard wood about six feet
106
EOW 1 FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
long, answering for a pestle ; the other, a capacious wooden mortar, three feet in height. Swaying with the pestle as it rises and falls the pectoral and pos- terioral exuberances alternate to her strokes in the very
WOMAN GRINDING CORN.
drollest rhythm ; so strongly marked that I feared for the walls of the hut before which I saw the corn- pounding going on.
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 wliat was the mattei*. The Sheikli solemnly answered, with a finger pointing downward, " Uganga !" Where-'
April, 1871.] THEOUGH UKWERE, ETC., TO USEGUBEA. 107
upon 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 siglit 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 talcen 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 ])unish- ment. He had asked at BaganiQyo, before enlisting in my service, an advance of $5 in money, and had received it ; and a load of Bubu beady, no heavier
108
EOW 1 FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
than a pagazi's load, had been given him to carry ; he had, therefore, no excuse for desertion. Lest I should overstep prudence, however, in punishing him, I con- vened a court of eight pagazis and four soldiers to sit in judgment, and asked them to give me their decision as to what should he 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. I then ordered him to be bound, and considering that by his act the pagazis Jiad suffered in name, the soldiers, in the master's estimation, as efficient guards, Shaw in being reprimanded by me for not looking better after the stragglers, I ordered that each of tlie pagazis and soldiers and Shaw should punish him with one blow each, which was accordingly done, to poor Khamisi's crying sorrow.
Before night arrived a small caravan of Wanguana, who brought with them a long letter from the kind- hearted American Consul at Zanzibar, as well as a file of late " Heralds," latest date of which was February 4. Among other gratifying intelligence found in them concerning the doings of Congress and the New York Legislature, and the revelations of startling crimes in America, was an account of President Grant's second levee, in which Jenkins described with laboured ver- bosity the toilets of the ladies who attended this notable rece})tion ; how a lavender ostrich plume waved among
the lovely grey curls of Mrs. ; how diamonds
finished the magnificent toilet of Mjie. , that lady
who presented such an imposnig appearance ; how
Mrs. had an overskirt with ruchings of crimson
satin ; how Mrs. radiated a blaze of light from
Afeil, 1871.] TRROUan UKWEkE, ETC., TO USEGUEEA. 109
her diamonds, as slie moved along in royal purple satin ; and how the President, with the deep manly voice and the pair of searching grey eyes, was sacri- ficing himself for the sovereign people on this occasion of his second levee ; and much else of the same adulatory tenor.
Looking up from this refreshing reading, I beheld my tent door crowded with the dark-skinned bodies of Kisemo's daughters, who had become lost in vain en- deavours to penetrate the mystery of those long sheets of paper over which I had been bending so long. So sudden and vast was the contrast between what my friend Jenkins had been describing, and this most real sight visible to my naked eyes, that it required a strong effort of mind and memory to recall what such grandly-dressed ladies were like, to decide where lay the difference between a " blonde beauty with a mass of glittering, golden hair, with eyes which vied with the lustre of her diamonds," and one of these plump black girls of twelve or thirteen, ripening into womanhood, with a cock's-comb of woolly hair on the top of her head, with the redundant luxuriance behind veiled but by two yards of old sheeting, with 3 lbs. of brass wire ornainent on each lirlib, and streams of beads round her neck ; one out of the many who were attending my levee in the natural glory and beauty of nakedness. But indeed and indeed there is a vast difference between my court and tliat of the President, which has such* an able Jenkins for its reporter !
On the 12th the caravan reached Mussoudi, on the Ungercngeri river. Happily for our patient donkeys this march was free from all the annoying trouhles of the jungle. Happily for oin-selves also, for we had no more the care of the packs and the anxiety aijout
110
BOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
arriving at camp before niglit. 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. If the road to Unyanyembe were all like this I should consider it as comfortable as crossing over to Staten Island for a Sunday holiday, or riding in the horse- cars to Central Park. Take away the gravelled paths, the lakes and ponds, the museums within, the trellised arbors, the kiosk, the uniformed policemen and well- dressed visitors, — in short, all particulars and evidences of the presence of ripe civilization, and Central Park thus denuded, with only its refreshing lawns, gentle hollows, and grove-clad ridges, would present, to those who could imagine the New York park in this state, a not unfaithful image of the country which opened before us soon after leaving Kisemo. This 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 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 slojiing lawns — there was enough of picturcsque- ness and sublimity in the blue mountains to render it one complete whole.
When drawing near the valley of Ungerengcri, 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 loaui deposit of the Ungerengcri, and in llie midst of teeming fields of sugar-cane and
April, 1871.] THROUGH UKWERE, ETC., TO USEGUHHA. Ill
matama, Indian corn, muliogo, and gardens of currj, egg, and cucumber plants. On the banks of the Un- gerengeri 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 ex- panding 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 Imlt one day at Mussoudi because the poverty of the people prevented us from procuring the needful amoinit 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 up-marches.
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 excessivly 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
112
JIOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 eleva- tion we had lost, and a similar country opened into view .until we found a newly-made boma with well- built huts of grass near 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 donke}', 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 as- cending 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, which, had Professor Malthus himself but seen, he had never penned that foolish pamphlet of his about legislating for the prevention of early marriages, and raved like " Adversity Hume " about over-crowded populations and certain ruin to England. If there are too many English-speaking people in any one place I have as much laith in them as the far-seeing editor of ' Noctes Ambrosianae ' had in " Brother Jonathan," and know that their stout elbows will make room somewhere, let the weal or woe of those who withstand them light where it may. There are plenty of Hengists and Horsas, Capt. John Smiths, and Pilgrim Fathers among the Anglo-Saxon race yet, and when America is filled up with their descendants, who shall say that Africa,
April, 1871.] THROUGH UKWERE, ETC., TO USEGUHHA. 113
and especially this glorious part of it, shall not be their next resting-place"? s
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 colored 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 out- line, 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 vapors pkiy about the mountain summits-^ to see
I
114
now 1 FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
them fold into fleecy crowns and fantastic clusters, dissolve, gatLer togetLer into a pall tliat threatened rain, and sail away again before the brightening sun.
At Muhalleli was tlie 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 pre- ferred 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 welcom- ing 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 hut to him for two weeks, described liim as looking old, with long grey mous- taches 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 Muhalleli exhibits w^onderful 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 neces- eary things saved us from considerable loss.
Thei'e was a slight difference noticed in the de- meanour and bearing of the Waseguhha compared with the Wadoe, Wakami, and Wakwere heretofore seen.
Apeil, 1871.] THROUGH UKWERE, ETC., TO USEGUHHA. 115
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 illustrsfted 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 — Sira- bamwenni. 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 Simbam- wenni. In Persia the fortifications were of mud, even
lie
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 inhabi- tants. 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 workman- ship, 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 fiimous Kisabengo, a name infamous throughout the neigh- bouring countries of Udoe, Ukami, Ukwere, Kingaru, Ukwenni, and Kiranga-Wanna, for his kidnapping pro- pensities. Kisabengo was another Theodore on a small scale. Sprung from humble ancestry, he acquired dis- tinction 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 bands of the Zanzibar Sultan, he arrived in Ukami, which extended at that time from Ukwere to Usagarn, and here he commenced a career of conquest, the result of which was the cession by the
April, 1871.] THROUGH UKWERE, ETC., TO USEGUHHA. 117
"Wakami of an immense tract of fertile country, in tlie 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 wlien dying, after desiring that his eldest daughter should succeed him, he bestowed the name of the town upon her also, v^^hich name of Simbamwenni the Sultana now retains and is known by.
While crossing a rapid strearp, 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, be- cause 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 respec- tive friends, like so many models of Nisus and Euryalus, Theseus and Pirithous, Damon and Phintias, or Achilles and Patroclus, to whom they confidentially related their divers opinions upon my dress and color. The words " Musungu kuba " had as much charm for these people as the music of the Pied Piper had for the rats of Ilamclin, since they served to draw from within the walls across their stream so large a portion of
118
ffOW I FOUND LIVING STOXE.
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 J&nally 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 davs. Provisions were very plentiful also at Simbamwenni, though com- paratively dear.
On opening the Makanda-bound luggage, we found it to be much better than we had anticipated, considering the series of thorough drenchings it had lately stood ; it being now the full height of the Masika season. But several valuable things, such as cases of ammunition and gun-boxes and tea, had suffered, all of which I ascribed to Shaw's thoughtlessness in driving the donkeys across gulleys breast deep with water, when common prudence could have told him to unload. In calling Shaw to my tent to exhibit to him tine loss, my gentleman flew into a passion, and charged me with requiring from him too much work, with 4)eing too fastidious, and impossible to please, with much else of the same tenor, ending his stormy reply with stating his intention to quit my service, and to return by the first caravan we should meet. Responding, I informed him that, as he had proved himself inefficient and careless, loving his ease better than work, I would oppose no obstacle to his departure ; that he might depart that moment if he pleased, but must go without his personal baggage, which I should retain in lieu of the money advanced to bim at Zanzibar. This perti-
April, 1871.] THROUGH UKWERE, ETC., TO USEGUEEA. 119
nent announcement of my intention restored Shaw to his proper equilibrium, which he had somewhat lost during his wrathful mood ; and before many hours had elapsed he was purposely busy on' my concerns, and peace was restored.
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 Mu- kunguru 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, com- mencing from the loins, ascended the vertebrte, and extended around the ribs, until it reached the shoulders, where it settled into a weary pain ; thirdly, came a chil- liness 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 mc, 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 immediatelv after the first efiect of the purging medicine taken at bed-time 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, witli sucli a treatment of it, of a second attack, until at least some days afterwards.
On the third day the camp was visited by the ambas-
120
EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
sadors of Her Highness the Sultana of Simhamwenni, who came as her representatives to receive the tribute which she regards herself as powerful enough to enforce. But they, as well as Madame Simhamwenni, were in- formed, that as we knew it was their custom to charge owners of caravans but one tribute, and as they remem- bered 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 Simhamwenni 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.
PORTRAIT OF SHAW AND FARQUHAR.
CHAPTER y.
TO UGOGO.
|
TJSEGUHHA. |
h. |
m. |
h. |
m. |
|
|
Ungercngeri Rivei* to — |
Rohenneko to — |
||||
|
2 |
0 |
Camp on mountain. |
3 |
30 |
|
|
Camp in plain. |
4 |
10 |
Kiora .... |
3 |
40 |
|
Makata Kivor . |
2 |
30 |
Camp on river . |
4 |
50 |
|
Madete . . . . |
2 |
30 |
|||
|
USAOARA. |
Lake Ugombo . |
3 |
0 |
||
|
Camp west of Makata |
0 |
5 |
Matamombo |
6 |
0 |
|
Camp in plain. |
4 |
30 |
Mpwapwa . |
7 |
0 |
|
Camp ,, . . |
2 |
0 |
Kisokwch . |
2 |
0 |
|
Relionncko |
3 |
15 |
Cliunyo . . . . |
1 |
30 |
TiiR distance from Bnnrnmnyo to Simbamwonni we found to he 119 miles, and was accomplislied in four- teen marches. Rut these marches, owing to difiicuhies arising from the Masika season, and more esjiccially to the lagging of the fourth caravan under Mnganga, extended to twenty-nine days, thus rendering our
i;>2
EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
progress very slow indeed — hut a little more than four miles a-day. I infer, from what I have seen of the tra- velling, 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 Simbam- wenni in first-rate order ; but it was Maganga, com- posed of greed and laziness, and his weakly-bodied, syphi- litic 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 descrip- tions 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. But, casting a retrospective glance away from Simbamwenni to distant Bagamoyo on the coast, I know of one state in our country that might be very well compared to this tract in fertility, in physical contour, in its forests and bits of level prairie inclosed by tall woods, in its cones, in its ridges and grand undulations, verdure-clad — and that is Missouri. 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 crouching fevers, I look back upon the scene with pleasure, lor the wealth and prosperity it promises to some civilized nation, which in some future
Apbil, 1871.]
TO UOOGO.
123
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 f\ir 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 any more discomfort than generally follows upon the occupation of new land. The temperature at this season during the day never exceeded 85° 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 a'tid 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 unremuiierative.
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 tlie ^la.sikn, 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 withourt means
124 , HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
to build bridges ; added to wbicli 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. AVhen 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 t© 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 under- growth 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 nigbt.
On the fifth morning, or the 23rd April, the rain gave us a few hours' respite, during wliich we managed to wade through the Stygian quagmire reeking with noisomencss 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 wiih 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 com-
Aprii., 1871.]
TO UGOGO.
125
fortable 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 horril)lc 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 hatefid valley.
I always found myself more comfortable and light- hearted while travelling tlian when chafing and fretting in camp at delays which no effort could avoid, and consequently I fear tliat some things, while on a march, may be tinted somewhat stronger than their appearance or merit may properly warrant. But I tliouglit tliat the view opening before us was much more agreeable than the valley of Simbamwenni with all its indescrib- able 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
126
EOW J FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
mountains. Kow and again, as we crested low emi- nences we caught siglit 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 com- fortable kharabi 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 " myorabo," a very slmpely tree, with a clean trunk like an ash, the " imbite," with large, fleshy leaves like the " mtamba," sycamore, plum-tree, the " ugaza," or tamarisk, 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 Khanibi, there are several clustered within the mountain folds, inhabited by Waseguhha somewhat prone to dishonest acts and murder.
On the morning of the 24th, as we were about to leave Simbo, au accident occurred which was the cause of much anxiety to me for many days. Bunder Salaam, a native of Malabar, employed as my cook, was caught for the fifth time })i]fering the rations of my mess. His confederate and bosom-friend Abdul Kader, sub- cook, tailor, and supernumerary, and Selim the Arab boy, were the informers and witnesses, and, accord- ingly, after an impartial examination and forgive- ness for the fourth time, Shaw was ordered to administer to him one dozen lashes. The flogging was
April, 1871.]
TO UGOOO.
127
given to Lim over his clothes, and consequently was not very severe, and hut reasonably adequate to the offence ; hut the severest measure was his expulsion from camp, he and his donkey and kit, with the declaration that I would hear with no such incorrigible thief. I did not mean that he should be really driven away, and put at the mercy of every greedy Mshensi he should meet, but I thought that a good scare would have a good effect in amending his evil propensities. But the cook took it in good earnest, and as soon as his hands were released he rushed out from camp towards the mountains without regarding hat, donkey, or pro- perty. Bombay and Abdul Kader used "their lungs in vain to recall tlie fugitive. Bunder Salaam would not return, but, thinking that he might possibly do so, his donkey, with his property, was tied to a tree near the camp, while we proceeded on our march.
The long broad plain visible from the eminences crossed between the Ungerengeri and Simbo was now before us, and became known to sorrowful memory sub- sequently, 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 nigungu. These undulations soon become broken by gulleys containing water, nourishing dense crops of cane reeds and broad-bladed glass, and, emerging from this district, wide savannahs covered with tall grass open into view, with an isolated tree here and there agree- ably breaking the monotony of the scene. The Makata is a wilderness containing but one village of the Waseguhha throughout its broad expanse. Venison,
128
BOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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-hy<'Bna 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 tlie 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 al\\"ays 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 wTathful words, all of which the penitent captain received as his proper due. Working myself into a fury, I enume- rated 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, permit- ting them to be tied up at night wnthout seeing that the}'' bad water, and in the mornings, when about to march, he preferred to sleep until 7 o'clock, rather
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than wake up early and saddle the donkeys, that we might stai t 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 lljiji to construct my boat ; he had lost a pistol and hatchet, and a flaskful of the best powder ; and, finally, had come to camp without the cook, when he well knew that I never meant that the poor fellow should be driven out by himself to be murdered. 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 (Grant's valet), 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 dis- missed 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 tlic Little were de- spatched as far as Simbamwenni after the missing cook, and on their return with him were 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 tlio soldiers sent after the foolish Hindi. In the meantime provisions ran very low, no game could be
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procured, the birds were so wild. Two days' shooting procured but two potfulls 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.
The summary of their report amounts to this : — On leaving our camp they had marched quickly to Simbo, which place they reached by 10 a.m. After searching the neighbourhood of our late kharabi at that place, for traces of Bunder Salaam, or of his donkey and property, and finding none, they decided to proceed straight to the Ungerengeri bridge, and make inquiries of its proprietors concerning the passengers who had crossed since the departure of the Musungu. At the bridge they heard that a white donke}^ such as had been seen with the Musungu, crossed the river towards Simbamwenni ; but no Hindi in Kisungu clothes had been seen. My three dusky detectives were spurred to quicker motion by this intelligence, believing without a doubt that the cook had been murdered by those Washcnsi, who were seen driving his donkey, with all the cook's property on its back. At Simbamwenni they arrived in short time, and to the wondering warriors at its western gate, they breathlessly imparted the intelli- gence that twp Washensi, who must have passed their town driving a white donkey, had murdered a man in Kisungu clothes, belonging to the Musungu. The
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men of Simbamwenni conducted my messengers to the Sultana, to whom they told their story. The Sultana demanded of the watchmen of the towers if they had seen the two "Washensi with the white donkey. The watchmen answered in the aflSrmative ; upon which she at once despatched twenty of her musketeers in pursuit to Muhalleh, who returned before night, bringing with them the two Washensi, and the donkey with the cook's entire kit. The Sultana, who is evidently possessed of her father's energy, with all his lust for wealth, had my messengers, the two Washensi, the cook's donkey and property, at once brought before her. The two Washensi were ques- tioned as to how they became jiossessed of the donkey, and such a store of Kisungu clothes, cloth, and beads ; to wliich they answered that they had found the donkey tied to a tree, with the property on the ground close to it ; that seeing no owner or claimant anywhere in the neighbourhood, they thought they had a right to it, and accordingly had taken it with them. My soldiers were then asked if they recognized the donkey and property, to which question they unhesitatingly made answer that they did. They further informed Her Highness that they were not only sent after the donkey and property, but also after the owner, who had deserted their master's service ; they would like to know fi om the Washensi what they had done with him. Her Highness was also anxious to know what the Washensi had done with the Hindi, and accordingly, in order to elicit the fact, she charged them with murdering liim; and informed them, she but wished to know what they had done with the body. Tlie Washensi decLared niost earnestly that they had spoken the truth, that they had never seen any such man a.s described ; and if the
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Sultana desired it thej would swear to such a state- ment. Her Highness did not wish them to swear to what she helieved in her heart to be a lie; but she would chain them, and send them in charge of a cara- van to Zanzibar to Sjed Burghash, who would know what to do with them. Then turning to my soldiers, she demanded to know why the Musungu had not paid the tribute for which she had sent her chiefs. The soldiers could not answer, knowing nothing of such concerns of their master. The heiress of Kisabengo, true to the character of her robber sire, then informed mv trembling men, that as the Musungu had not paid the tribute, she would now take it ; their guns should be taken from them, together with that of the cook — the cloth and beads found on the donkey she would also take, the Hindi's personal clothes her chiefs should retain ; while they themselves should be chained until the Musungu himself should return to take them by force. And as she threatened, so was it done. For sixteen hours my soldiers were in chains in the market- place, exposed to the taunts of the servile populace. It chanced the next day, however, that Sheikh Thani, whom I had met at Kingaru, and had since passed by five days, had arrived at SimbamwennJ, and proceeding to the town to purchase provisions for the crossing of the Makata wilderness, saw my men in chains, and at once recognized them as being in my employ. After hearing their story, the good-hearted Sheikh sought the presence of the Sultana, and informed her that she was doing very wrong — a wrong that could terminate only in blood. " The Musungu is strong," he said, " very strong ; he has got two guns which shoot forty times without stopping, carrying bullets half an hour's distance ; he has got several guns which carry bullets
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that burst, and tear a man in pieces. He could go to the top of that mountain, and could kill every man, woman, and child in the town, before one of your soldiers could reach the top. The road will then be stopped, Syed Burghash will march against your country, the Wadoe and Wakami will come and take revenge on wbat is left ; and the place that your ftither made so strong will 'know the "Waseguhha no more. Set free the Musungu's soldiers ; give them their food, and grain for the Musungu ; return the guns to the men and let them go ; for the white man may even now be on his way here."
The exaggerated report of my power and dread pic- ture sketched by the Arab Sheikh produced good effect, inasmuch as Kingaru and the Mabrukis were at once released from durance, furnished with food sufficient to last our caravan four dnys, and one gun, witli its ac- coutrements and stock of bullets and powder, was returned, as well as the cook's donkey, with a pair of spectacles, a book in Malabar print, and an old hat which belonged to one whom we all now believed to be dead. The Sheikh took charge of the soldiers as far as Simbo ; and it was in his caujp, partaking largely of rice and ghee, that Shaw found them, and the same bountiful hospitality was extended to him and his companions.
I heard this long story in much astonishment, with my bosom surging with the various and conflicting emotions it evoked, it was so utterly diflerent in its entirety from wlmt I had anticipated. First, I believed the cook would be found, and had not the least idea that any dire fiitc had befallen him ; then there were keen regrets that I had punished him, and mental vows that, whatever member of niy caravan robbed mc of
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any valuable, I would not drive him out to perish at the hands of such ruthless assassins. Secondly, there was much astonishment at the conduct of the Amazon Simbamwenni, for it was contrary to custom that she should demand two tributes from one owner ; and had it not been the custom, the four days I encamped on the Ungerengeri allowed sufficient time to rectify any error I may have committed by refusal to render tribute ; and I surely would not have imperilled the safety of my caravan liad her ambassadors returned to reiterate the demand. And this feeling was succeeded by hot indignation at the base robbery of my guns, which might have prompted me to retaliate on the suburbs of the town had I been nearer to Simbamwenni ; but the delay of four days, which the search after the cook had occasioned, cooled my ire to such an extent, that I began to feel thankful tluit my ill luck was no worse. Thirdly, there was much amusement at the well-intentioned exag- gerations of Sheikh Thaui, and the woeful tale of the three soldiers. That night I wrote a full account of what transpired, to be despatched to the American Consul by the first caravan bound eastward, so that Syed Burghash might know both sides of the story which the unaccountable disappearance of the cook had created.
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, miglit 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
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emerged into one of the savannahs, whose soil during the rains 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 AYan- yamwezi donkeys stuck in the mire as if they were rooted to it. As fast as one was flogged from his stub- born position, prone to the depths fell another, giving me a Sisyphean labour, which was maddening under 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 savan- nahs, 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 matania stalks, along the left bank of the Makata proper, uTitil farther progress was effectually prevented for that da}' by a deep bend of the river, which we should be obliged to cross the next day.
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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 ]\Iakata, 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 Whnide. 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 MukondokM^a. • Three of these streams take their rise from the crescent-like Usagara range, which bounds tlie Makata plain south and south-westerly ; while the Rudewa rises in the northern horn of the same range.
So swift Avas tlie flow of the Makata, and so much did its unsteady bridge, half buried in the water, imjjeril the safety of the property, that its transfer
April, 1871.] TO UGOGO. 187
from Lank 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 fur- nished its quota of annoyance. One of the "Wauguana soldiers engaged at Bagamoyo, named Kingaru, im- proved an opportunity to desert with another Mgwana's kit. My two detectives, Uledi (Grant's valet), and Sarraian, 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 Sarmian 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 I) were sitting in our little watch-hut watch- ing 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 Musuiigu, for we know you belong to him, since you bought from us yesterday two doti worth of meat?' ' Ye.s,' said he, ' I am running away ; I want to get to Sim- bamweuni. If you will take me there, I will give you
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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 ; buj; 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 arc 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 Sarmian 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 laslies, 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 bad delivered their vaticina- tions concerning this same Masika with solemnity. " For forty days," said they, *' rain would fall inces-
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saatly ;" 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, exhibiting himself under a new phase — a phase none of the pleasantest. Besides delivering himself of certain desires not at all complimentary to the Expedition within nervous hear- ing, he seemed to assume by degrees the character of a chronic hypochondriac, which, at all times an unlovely character, is positively -hateful to the Mtongi of an African expedition battling with swamps and rain, with a sickened caravan ; 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, while imitating a man who vomits, his total inability to breast the Makata swamp, but a plaited tliong vigorously laid across his naked shoulders ex- purged the seeming nausea from the stomach ; Abdul Kader, the Hindi tailor and adventurer — the weakliest of mortal bodies — was ever ailing for lack of " force," as he expressed it in Frencli, i.e. " strength," ever indis- posed 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
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compelled to return, but not before taking summajj vengeance upon the whole of them." The virtue of a good whip was well tested by me on this day, and Abdul Kader (and may he carry the tale to all his kith, kin and race), one may make sure, will never accom- pany a white man again to Africa. Solomon was wise perhaps from inspiration,, perhaps from obseiVatiou ; 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 — sometimes 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 realised on the five-mile march from the Rudewa branch. As myself and the Wanguana 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?" —
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"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 Wanguana to proceed with the animals. After three hours of splasliing 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 Wanguana, 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 tlio dysentery contracted during the transit of the Makata swamp, only two fell victims, and those were a pagazi
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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 flahelliformis\ 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 Eehenneko, 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 popu- lation 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 neigh- bourhood of Rehenneko, strong enough for tent and baughy poles; and in numbers sufficient to supply an army. The mountain slopes are densely wooded with trees that might su])ply 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
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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 chanQ:es 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 pcne-
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trated by tlie 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 leapt 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 exist- ence 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 Surton 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 north-east, for about an hour, we came to the ford. Beyond tlie 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° Fahrenheit; which
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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, engendered by general debauchery), unable and perhaps not a little unwilling to move, knowing the condition into which he had brought his caravan.
While sick with dysentery at Rehenneko I had re- quested Shaw to write to Farquhar to obtain exact information respecting the state of his caravan, which had been reported to me by passing caravans as being most pitiable. Shaw accordingly nerved himself to the production of the following epistle: —
" Dear Farquhar,
" At the request of Mr. Stanley I write you to asertain all your misfortunes, what quanterty of clorth you have expened and how much you have left, how many donkeys is dead, and, in fact, all the perticlurs. How many pagazis have you discharged, and how many have you with you. What have you done with all the baggage the donkeys had, and who is your parangozery. What is the mutter with you. What is the matter with Jacko, and what was the matter with the donkeys that dide. What sort of baggage have you left in your camp. Send Sarmcan back to-morrow morning in return with Williiningo and Barickca, and ■^be full reply to the abeve questions. In two days we shall be up with you."
However ungrammatical and misspelt tlie above note is, it is far more intelligible to me, and I believe will be to the reader, than the reply which was received
L
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from the leader of the third caravan, worded as follows : —
" Dear Mr. Stanley,
" Everything is all right, but I have used a good bit of cloth to pay pagazis ; one bale is entirely
finished. The Kirangozi was a rascal, I took
his cloth from him and drove him from camp. He said he would come to you, I made Kiranga Kirangozi and gave him ten doti. Food is very dear here ; only two chickens for a shukka, and one goat costs five doti, and I can't get out of here.
" I hired six pagazis yesterday and sent them on with Uredi. Jooma said he was starving, so I gave him two bales of Merikani. He says he will wait for you in Ugogo. Jacko has been sick, I don't know with what, and he can't do anything for me. Wellymingoe is my cook now. Can you sepd me some sugar ? If you want any help I shall send my pagazis to help you for it is between where you are and this place that nine of my donkeys died, and I have only one left. All the Kaniki is finished, but I have got some more Merikani left.
" Give my respects to Mr. Shaw and Selim.
" Yours truly,
" W. L. Farquhar."
This was the precious response I received to an anxious inquiry as to the condition of himself and caravan. Had the man been stark crazy he could hardly have indited anything better calculated to confuse one.
In the first line he states " Everything is all right," when, according to the words immediately following, everything appears to me to be wrong. He turns the
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Kirangozi away for a personal piqne ; and to a Mgwana soldier of mine detailed to accompany the fifth caravan, Jumah by name, he gives, upon his mere asking, two bales of Merikani, worth |150 in gold, containing 150 doti, a sufficient supply to feed a caravan of fifty men from Bagamoyo to Unyanyembe. " All his Kaniki is finished" also, which shows great carelessness. In short, the letter is incomprehensible to me unless the man Farquhar is hydl-ophobially insane, which fact I made haste to ascertain as I entered the enclosure of Kiora, and perceived his tent pitched on a heap of goat-muck.
As he heard my voice, Farquhar staggered out of his tent, as changed from my spruce mate who started from Bagamoyo as if he had been expressly fattened by the Wabembe of the Tanganika, as we do geese and turkeys for the Christmas dinner — as interesting a case of hypertrophy as Barnum's fat woman. I saw and regarded, not without wonder, the bloated cheeks and neck of my man Farquhar. His legs were also donderous, elephantine, since his leg-illness was of ele- phantiasis, or dropsy. His face was of a deathly pallor ; but that was easily accounted for afterwards, when his men informed me that he had not been out of his tent for two weeks. He had made free use of the soldiers and pagazis, as the least of his wants required their services. In return, he paid them with a goat each day, when a goat cost five doti. Sometimes he changed the gift for chickens.
A breezy hill, overlooking the village of Kiora, was chosen by me for my campingrground, 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
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to the cause of his illness, he said he did not know what had caused it. He had no pain, he thought, any- where. 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 did not suffer from constipation ; he said his only trouble was in the legs, which were swollen to an immense size. Though he had the appetite of a horse, 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, purse, and sometimes of the body, might result from either heart, liver, or kidney disease." But, as the bowels were quite the re- verse of being sluggish, 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.
Having found out that Farquhar's illness did not need any immediate and paramount attention from me, I set about resolving the contents of that recondite note he had written to me at Rehenneko, and which had exercised me so much ever since. But, incomprehensible as was his note, Farquhar's verbal information as to the state of the property entrusted to him was tenfold more perplexing, complicated, and enigmatic. Not one thread of his story could be unravelled to suit a me- thodical mind. What he did do, and what he did not do, wliat he had expended on cloth and beads, and
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what he had not expended, were so inextricably jumbled up together, that I felt myself drifting towards helpless insanity, in endeavouring to create some order out of the chaos of verbiage. The only way to cut short the difficulty was to personally overhaui every bale of cloth and load of beads, and ascertain, by reference to my account of the third caravan, what was missing.
The reader will perhaps remember that I have stated that each caravan, before departing from Bagamoyo, or from any other part of the coast for the interior, must be furnished with cloth and beads •sufficient for four months' subsistence on the road, independent of the cloth set aside for the tribute to be paid in Ugogo, and separate also from the bales for the carriage of which the owner has contracted with the pagazis.
Farquhar's caravan was not an exception to this custom and rule ; but, being a white man's caravan, it was especially favoured for the leader's sake. It was composed of 23 men and 10 donkeys, and was supplied with 120 doti Merikani and Kauiki,and 35 lbs. of mixed beads to buy food. As there are 240 shukka in 120 doti, and as one shukka bought on an average 25 kubaba of grain, and as one kubaba was the customary allow- ance for each man, it is as self-evident as an axiom that 240 shukka were sufficient to keep the caravan in grain for eight months ; but as the journey to Unyanyembe would not occupy 120 days, there would be left for the tehite man to buy little luxuries, such as chickens, eggs, and sometimes a goat, 120 shukkas of good marketable cloth, and 35 lbs. of beads.
Now followed the examination of the ])r()j)erty. I was anxious to see if it corresponded with what was written on the list before the departure of the
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caravan from Bagamoyo. The weighing, unpacking, and repacking, occupied an hour, at the end of which I knew the exact extent of the losses the Expedition had incurred from the belly-greed and wanton care- lessness of this feebly-intellectual white man. Within seventy-three days he had "consumed the 240 shukka given him for provisions, and 12 doti of colored cloths ; he had then broached the bales, out of which he had abstracted 82 doti, or 164 shukka, all of which had been expended to supply his lust for goatmeat', eggs, and poultry. Out of the bales of cloth which had been entrusted to him to convey to Unyanyembe there remained but two whole bales, all the other bales had been expended to purchase goats, or paid out as pagazi hire, for nine of his donkeys were dead, and one was moribund.
On making out the list of the expenditure of the sixth caravan, consisting of 43 souls and 17 donkeys led by myself for fifty days, I perceived it only amounted to 43 doti, or 86 shukka, from which I knew that Farquhar had no excuse for the waste of so much valuable cloth. " Set a beggar on horseback and he will ride to the devil " is a proverb the truth of which was manifest in this case. I had given him a capital Zanzibar riding-ass for himself which he had ridden to death. He had never condescended to dismount from the moment he left one camp until he arrived at another, and, not knowing how to ride, he had see-sawed from side to side until the poor animal's back was so terribly chafed that it soon died. Had he continued his journey to Unyanyembe — how or by what means I know not — and continued his extravagant expenditure, not one shukka or one pound of beads would have been left. It was therefore fortunate for me that I overtook him at Kiora ; though
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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 Mukoudokwa, 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 ^lisonghi 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 over- powering from their odour, we had exchanged for a droutliy 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 an uninhabited wilderness. The hill-tops were bared of their bosky crowns, and revealed their rocky natures blcrtched white by rain and s\m. Jsguru Peak, the loftiest of tlie Usagara cones, stood right shoulder-
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wards 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 til at 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 tjie following note to him : — " You will, upon receipt of this order, pitch the cart into the nearest ravine, gulley, or river, as well as all the extra pack saddles ; ajid 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 a mile'*from the ford I met the van of the laggards — stout, burly Chowpereh — and, 0 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,
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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 ugl^'^-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 accordingly requested him if he could not mend his gait, to dismount and permit the donkey to proceed to camp, that it might be loaded for the march. Of course there was a little scene, but the young European Mtongi of an East African e:xpedition 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 liill, 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
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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 ]\Iountains 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.
The outline of the lake resembles, in my mind, a ' map of England without Wales. Northumberland would represent very justly the western end of the lake, where the hippopotami sported in great numbers ; the coast fronting the German Sea, with its bold bends and inlets, might find a miniature parallel in the northern shore of the lake ; while the eastern side, which was very long, was almost the exact copy of the English coast as it is outlined from Kent to Cornwall.
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 tlie western ex- tremity 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 bides, for at least fifty feet from the water's edge,
f
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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 " mhogo " (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 yoimg, with the harsh cry of the toucan, the cooing of the pigeon, an'd the " tu-whit, tu-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 tlie 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 sliell as plainly marked as the small par- ticles which lie in rows on a beach after a receding tide. There is no doubt that the wave marks on the sandstone might have been traced much higher by ond skilled in geology ; it was only its elementary cliaracter that was visible to me. Nor do I entertiiin the least doubt, after a two days' exploration of the
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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 sur- face 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 shghtly 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 wilder- ness 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, Farquhar having killed another with his weight and see-sawing method of riding. 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. Farquhar liad
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become the laughing-stock of the caravan, from his utter helplessness to do anything for himself. He was continually crying out like a sick baby for half a dozen people to wait upon him, and if they did not happen to understand the English language in which he addressed them, he poured out a volley of the most profane abuse that ever offended the ears of a Christian gentleman. Jako, whom I detailed as cook for him when despatched with the third caravan, he had beaten and flogged until he was almost imbecile ; and the Wanguana soldiers were in such dread of his insane violence, that they feared to go near him, and consequently Farquhar's voice, at no time one of the most harmonious, was heard night and day at the highest pitch of discordant querulousness.
For six days I bore with this annoyance, and had my donkeys lived, I might have borne longer with it, but as they were all feeble, and such a rider as Farquhar would destroy them all one after another, to save the Expedition from ruin, I was reluctantly compelled to come to the conclusion that it were better for me, for him, and all 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 should ruin me, and make his own recovery impossible.
At breakfast time, on the 15th, as usual, Farquhar and Shaw were invited to breakfast. It was evident from their surly greeting to me, that somctliing was the matter — or that sometliing was about to haj)peu. The faces of both men wore a settled dark frown, which seemed to bode no happy things for me. They did not reply to the " Good morning" with which I greoted them. They turned their faces aside as I looked at them closely. It now struck me that their convcr-
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sation, the animated tones of which I had every now and then heard, was about myself.
I asked them to take seats.
" Selim," said I, " bring breakfast."
A breakfast consisting of a roast quarter of goat, stewed Kver, half a dozen sweet potatoes, some hot pancakes, and coffee, was served.
*' Shaw," said I, " please carve, and serve Far- quhar."
" What dog's meat is this ?" asked Shaw, in the most insolent way imaginable.
" What do you mean ?" I asked.
" I mean, sir, that' it is a downright shame the way you treat ns," said he, impudently, turning his face towards me. " I mean to say, for myself, that you are walking me too hard. I thought we were to have donkeys to ride every day, and servants to wait upon us. Instead of which I have now got to walk every day through the hot sun, until I feel as if I would
rather be in than in this Expedition ; and
I wish every soul in this may sink to this
minute, so I do — there now ! "
" Listen to me, Shaw, and you, Farquhar. Ever since you left the coast, you have had donkeys to ride. You have had servants to Avait upon you ; your tents have been set up for you ; your meals have been cooked for you ; you have eaten with me of the same food I have eaten ; you have received the same treatment I have received. But now, all Farquhar's donkeys are dead ; seven of my own have died, and I have had to throw away a few things in order to procure carriage for the most important goods. Farquhar is too sick to walk, he must have a donkey to ride ; in yet a few days all our animals will be dead ; after which I must have
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either over twenty more pagazis to take up the goods, or wait weeks and weeks for carriage. Yet, in the face of these things, you can grumble, and curse, and swear at me at my own table. Have you considered well your position ? Do you realize where you are ? Do you know that you are my servant, sir, and not my companion ? "
" Servant be ," said he.
But before Mr. Shaw could finish his sentence he had measured his length on the ground.
" Is it necessary for me to proceed further to teach you ?" I asked.
" I tell you what it is, sir," he replied, raising him- self up. " I think I had better go back. ' I have had enough, and I do not mean to go any further with you. I ask my discharge from you."
" Oh, certainly. What, who is there ? Bombay, come here."
After Bombay's appearance at the tent door, I said to him, " Strike this man's tent," (pointing to Shaw.) " He wants to go back. Bring his gun and pistol here to my tent, and take this man and his baggage two hundred yards outside of the camp, and there leave him."
In a few moments his tent was down, his gun and pistol in my tent, and Bombay returned to make his report, with four men under arms.
" Now go, sir. You are at perfect liberty to go. These men will escort you outside of the camp, and there leave you and your baggage."
He walked out, the men escorting him, and carrying his baggage for him.
After breakfast, I began to explain to Farquhar how necessary it was to me, to be able to proceed ; tliat I had plenty of trouble, without having to think of men
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who were employed to think of me and their duties ; that as he was sick, and would be probably unable to march for a time, it would be better I should leave him in some quiet place, under the care of a good chief, who would, for a consideration, look after him until he got well. To all of which Farquhar agreed.
I had barely finished speaking before Bombay came to the tent door saying, " Mr. Shaw would like to speak to you."
I went out to the gate of the camp, and there met Shaw, looking extremely penitent and ashamed. He commenced to ask my pardon, and began imploring me to take him back, and promising that I should never find fault with him again.
I held out my hand, saying, " Don't mention it, my dear fellow. Quarrels occur in the best of families. Since you apologize, there is an end to it."
That night, as I was about falling asleep, I heard a shot, and a bullet tore through my tent, a few inches above my body. I snatched my revolvers, and rushed out of my tent, and asked the men around the watch- fires, " Who shot ?" They had all jumped up, rather startled at the sudden report.
" Who fired that gun ?"
One said, the " Bana Mdogo " — little master.
I lit a candle, and walked with it to Shaw's tent. " Shaw, did you fire ? "
There was no answer. He seemed to be asleep, he was breathing so hard.
" Shaw ! Shaw ! did you fire that shot ?"
" Eh — eh ?" said he, suddenly awaking — " me ? — me iire ? I have been asleep.*'
My eye caught sight of his gun lying near him. I seized it — felt it — ]mt my little finger down the barrel
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The gun was warm ; my finger was black from the burnt gunpowder !
" What is this ?"I asked, holding my finger up ; " the gun is warm. The men tell me you fired."
" Ah — yes," he replied ; " I remember it. I dreamed I saw a thief pass my door, and I fired. Ah — yes — I forgot. I did fire. Why, what is the matter ? "
" Oh, nothing," I said. " But 1 would advise you in future, in order to avoid all suspicion, not to fire into my tent, or at least so near me. I might get hurt, you know, in which case ugly reports would get about, and this perhaps would be disagreeable, as you are probably aware. Good night."
We all had our thoughts about this matter ; but I never uttered a word about it to any one until I met Livingstone. The Doctor embodied my suspicions in the words, " He intended murder ! "
But what a clumsy way to murder ! Surely, had he done so, ray own men would have punished him as the crime deserved. A thousand better opportunities than this would be presented in a month's mafch. I can only account for it by supposing he was momentarily' insane.
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-
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now I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 color of ochre. Monkeys and rhino- ceroses, 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 ofFercd to caravans fresh from the fly-plagued lands oi 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.
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"No!" said he to me, empLatically, "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 ! wo shall go together through Ugogo without stopping anywhere." As the advice tallied accurately with my own desires 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 eat- able 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 deli- cate 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 col- lected 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 should be ac- cepted 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 liave
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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 I found a refuge and a home for Farquhar until he should be enabled by restored health to start to join us at Unyan- yembe.
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 I made arrangements for Farquhar's protection and comfort, was a little old man of mild eye and very pleasing face, and on being informed that I intended to leave the Musungu entirely under his charge, suggested that I should appoint some man in my employ to wait on him, and interpret his wishes to his people. I had thought of this further charge which Farquhar's illness might impose on me, but had hoped that Leucole would have relieved me of this for extra payment. The time, however, which had elapsed between Farquhar's arrival and our own, had been enough to prove to the chief his utter inability to minister to the wants of a man like Farquhar, who per- sisted in calling for the least thing in modern Anglo- Saxon instead of Kisagara or Kisawahili, and who, when not understood, would first roundly curse the natives in English, and then, when he found that his cursing was of no avail, would relapse into stubborn and fierce silence. No amount of money would suffice to bribe Leucole to undertake such a charge without an interpreter. It was of no use to mourn my folly in taking such a man as Farquliar on the Expedition : he was in the interior of Africa and sick ; the duty devolved on me to see that he was cared for. Accordingly I con-
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166
suited with Bombay as to what man could best be spared to stop with Farquhar. To my suprise, Bombay said, " Oh ! master, have you brought us to Africa to throw us away like this ? We signed no contract to stop behind, but to go with you to Ujiji, Ukerewe, or Cairo. If you tell one of the soldiers to stop, he will obey you until you are gone — he will then run away. No, no, master, it will not do ! " Despite Bombay's assertion — though there was no reason to doubt his word — I inquired of each man personally whether he would be willing to stay behind, and wait upon the sick Musungu.
From each man I received an answer in the negative, delivered most resolutely, and their reason they stated to be the violent conduct of the Musungu towards the three soldiers detailed to accompany his caravan from Bagamoyo. They were afraid of him, he damned them so on all occasions ; and Ulimengo mimicked him so faithfully, yet so ludicrously, that it was almost impossible to abstain from laughing. As, however, the sick man absolutely needed some one to attend him, I was compelled to use my authority, and, as Jako was the only one who could speak English, except Bombay and Selim my Arab interpreter, Jako, despite his pro- testations and prayers, 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 sot of cooking pots, and 3 lbs. of tea.
Abdullali bin Nasib, whom 1 found encamped here with five hundred pagazis, and a train of Arab and AVasawahili satellites, who revolved around his
166
EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 accord- ingly 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 ^ quahary," 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 mouu- tain range rising over 6,000 feet above the sea, bounding on the north the extensive plain which commences at
Mat, 1871.]
TO UGOGO.
167
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 dense ly-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 imagi- nation 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 hun- dreds 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, untameable 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 th ; un and green expanse. Where the jungle was dense the color was green, alter- nating with dark brown ;* where the plain appeared denuded of bush and brake it had a whity-brown ap- pearance, 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
168
EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 out- look. 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, con- taining 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 moun- tain range.
But the fairest view was' obtained by looking north- ward 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,
May, 1871.]
TO UGoao.
169
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 feast- ing 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 insig- nificance compared with this damnable 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 ? AVho 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.
170 EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 on a march to Marenga Mkali which should be unin- terrupted until we reached Mvumi in Ugogo, where 1 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.
OLR CAMI" Al C'IRNVO.
CHAPTER YI.
THROUGH MARENGA MKALT, UGOGO, AND UYANZI^ TO UNYANYEMBE.
|
h. |
m. |
|
|
From Marenga Mkali to- |
||
|
Mvumi, Little Ugogo |
12 |
30 |
|
Mvurai, Great Ugogo |
4 |
0 |
|
MaUmburu „ |
4 |
0 |
|
Bihawana „ |
4 |
0 |
|
Kididimo „ |
2 |
0 |
|
Pombcra Pereh „ |
10 |
0 |
|
Mizauza „ |
5 |
30 |
|
Mukondoku „ |
6 |
30 |
|
Manieka „ |
5 |
0 |
|
Mabuiiguru Mtoni, U- |
||
|
yaiizi .... |
8 |
0 |
|
Kiti, Uyauzi . |
6 |
30 |
|
Msalalo .... |
6 |
30 |
|
From Msalalo to — |
h. |
m. |
|
Welled Ngaraiso . |
3 |
30 |
|
3 |
15 |
|
|
Mgongo Terubo . |
3 |
30 |
|
„ Mtoui |
3 |
30 |
|
Nghwlialah Mtoni |
2 |
40 |
|
Madedita .... |
2 |
30 |
|
Central Tura, Unyam- |
||
|
wczi .... |
3 |
0 |
|
Kwala River . |
7 |
0 |
|
liubuga .... |
7 |
15 |
|
5 |
0 |
|
|
7 |
0 |
|
|
Kwihara .... |
3 |
0 |
The 22n(l of May saw Thani and Hamcd's caravans united with my own at Cliunyo, three and a lialf
4
172 SOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 sepa- rates 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 care- ful to withhold their baggage animals from the pits. Being ignorant of its nature, and not exactly under- standing 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 Mkali, five out of the nine donkeys left to me at the time — the five healthiest animals — fell victims. The water appeared to cause retention of urine ; for three of the animals died from this cause.
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 Ilamed, 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.
MiT, 1871.] THROUGH UGOGO TO UNTANTEMBE. 173
Marenga Mkali, 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 tl;e 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 tlie 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 niglit passed the fever, and, at 3 o'clock in the morning, when the march was
174 EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 Pro- mised Land was very gradual and easy. Yery 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 tiible, there tilted up
Mat, 1871.] THROUGH VQOGO TO UNYANTEMBE. 175
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 dis- pelled 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 Wa- g:)go 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 Ilawkes' patent cork solar topee on his head, a most unusual thing in Ugogo, who came walking past him, and there were *' Yambo, MuHungn, Yauibo, 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
176
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
* 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 con- sider 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, quarreling, 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 admi- ration, such as " Hi le !" which broke often and in con- fused 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 the monkey in the zoological collection at Central Park, whose funny antics elicit such bursts of laughter from young New Yorkers. 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."
At 9 A.M. we were in our boma, near Mvumi village ;
May, 1871.1 THnOUGH UGO&O ¥0 UNTANTEMBE. 177
but here also crowds of Wagogo came to catch a glimpse of the Musungu, whose presence was soon made known throughout the district of Mvtimi. 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 S, march of eight miles, from East Mvuini 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 respect- ing 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 whicli progressed in the camp from morning till night reminded me of the customs existing among the Galias and Abyssinians. Eastward, caravans were oljliged 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 lialt. We had fixed to-day for bearing the tribute to the Great Sultan of Mvumi. l*rudent and cautious. Sheikh Thani early began this important duty, the omission of which would have been a signal for war. ITnmed and Thani sent two faitliful slaves, well nji to the eccentricities of the Wagogo sultans — well spoken, having glib tongues and the real instinct for trade as carried on amongst
N
178
ITOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 tlieir powers of plead- ing, 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."
1 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 miglit 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 Wagf)go." But I hastened to allay his fears by telling Bombay, in his presence, that I had foreseen such de- mands 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.
May, 1871.] THROUGH UGOGO TO UNTAN7EMBE. 179
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.
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 un- successful. Tlie 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 fromtlie Arabs. Again they returned to us with the Sultan's words, " That, as the doti of the Musungu were short measure, and the cloth of the Arabs of miserable quality, the Musinigu 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 tliey gave way to such demands, and out of the five doti demanded sent only two, witli a pleading to the Sultan that he would consider what was paid as just and fair Muhoiigo, and not ask any more. But the Sultan of ^Ivumi 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,
N 2
1 80 HOW I FO UND L I VINGS TONE.
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.
Ahogether 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 Ayab merchants who fear to exhibit anything approach- ing to independence and self-reliance, lest they might be mulcted in cloth. In one day from one boma the sultan received forty-seven doti, consisting of Merikani, Kaniki, Barsati, and Dabwani, equal to $35'25, be- sides 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 west- ward. Five of my donkeys had died the night before, from the effects of the water of Marenga Mkali. Before leaving the boma of ]\Ivumi, I went to look at their carcases ; but found them to have been clean picked by the hygenas, 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 wliatever the wealth of a caravan consisted of; and I began -to think better of the people who, knowing well their strengtli, did not use it — of people who were intellectual enough to comprehend that their interest lay in permitting
May, 1^71.] THROUGH UGOGO TO UNTANYEMBE. 18i
the caravans to pass ou without attempting any outrage.
• Between Mvumi and the next sultan's district, that of Mataniburu, I counted no less than twenty -five villages scattered over the clayey, colored 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 bonia 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 com- plete immunity from the vexations which we had to endure.
The Sultan of Matamburu, a man of hetculean form, and massive head well set on shoulders that might vie with those of Milo, j)roved 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 kiraiigozi of Sheikh Hamed sounded the signal for the morrow's march.
At the orders of the same Sheikh, the kirango/i stood up to speak before the assembled caravans. " Words, words, from the liana," he shouted. " Give
182
EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
ear, kirangozis ! Listen, children of Unyarawezi ! 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, 0 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 water- courses, 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
May, 1871.] THROUGH UOOQO TO UNTANYEMBE. 183
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 tg 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 baited for one day at this place, which was a great relief to me, as I was suffering severely from inter- mittent fever, which lasted in tins case two Aveeks, and entirely prevented my posting my diary in full, as was my custom every evening alter 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 this I heartily agreed.
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The next sultan's tembe through whose territory we marched, this being on the 30th May, was at Kididimo, but four miles from Bihawana. 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 haye contracted a bleak hue from the general bleakness around. The water of the pits obtained in the neighbourhood had the flavor of warm Jiorse-urine, and two donkeys sickened and died in less than an hour from its effects. Man suffered belly-ache, nausea in the stomach, and a general irrita- bility 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 dis^Dute the sum : conse- quently it was paid without many words. But the Arabs continued the whole afternoon negociating, 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 3 1st, 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
May, 1871.] THROUGH UGOGO TO UXTANYEMBE. 185
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 odor 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. Jhat night the men bivouacked under the trees, surrounded by many miles of dense forest, eujoying 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 tbe same forest, admitting, on the narrow line wliich 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. AVe lieard nothing save
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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 roge again. The last of the caravan passed him before he died. Fortunately so, otherwise we must have committed the barbarism of leaving him unburied, whilst knowing he was dead.
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 quick- ening 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 ! — my God, 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 ^•ented itself in gripping the rowdiest of them by the neck, and before he could recover from his astonishment administe ring 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
Mat, 1871.] THEOUQH UGOGO TO UNYANTEMBE. 187
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 back wards and forwards, asking themselves, " Are tlie Wagogo 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, whenevet they overstepped modera- tion. 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 niy serviseoble 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 im- portant 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
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Arab merchants, wlio 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 was he arrived in camp than his trim dapper form was seen frisking about from side to side of the great boma, fidgeting, arranging, disturbing every- thing 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 superin- tended 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 ex- pended, and each fresh expenditure seemed to gnaw his very vitals : he wa§ 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 BO dear.
The day we arrived at Nyanibwa will be remembered
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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 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 Pem- 1 lera Pereh's servants had found the two donkeys eating the unripened matama, and thj^t unless the Arab who owned them would pay nine doti of first-class cloths, he, Pembera Pereh, would surely keep thenoi to remunerate him for the matama they had eaten. Hamed was in despair. Nine doti of first-class cloths, worth $25 in TJnyanyembe, for half a shukka's worth of grain, was, as he thought, an al)surd 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 shukka, which would be more than double the worth of what grain the donkeys had consumed. But the Sultan was sitting on porabe, lie was drunk, which I beHeve to be his normal state — too drunk to attend to business, consequently his deputy, a renegade Unyamwezi, gave ear to tlio business. With most of tlie Wagogo chiefs lives a Unyamwezi, as their right-liand man, prime minister, counsellor, executioner, ready man at all things save the general good ; a sort
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HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 Unyamwezi 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 sleep- less 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 Unyamwezi 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 Perch 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
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191
of salt Litter water whose low banks are covered with an effervescence partaking of the nature of nitrate. Subsequently, hvo 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. What- ever cause modified the Sheikh's resolution and hia
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
anxiety to depart, Haraed'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 ; hefore noon I had taken four more — altogether, fifty measured grains — the effect of which was manifest in the copious per- spiration 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 honored 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 sub- sequently 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 arrange- ments, 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 unhal- lowed 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 nakedness, 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
Jdke, 1871.] TEROUGE UGOGO TO UNTANTEMBE. 193
which formed the Musungu's personal baggage and furniture. A Yarangian soldier ushered into the blaze and magnificence of the Imperial Palace of Byzantium could not have been struck with more astonishment than was the Sultan of Mizanza at the fittings of my tent. 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 port- manteaus 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 io his own and to our amusement. The guns were next shown to him ; the wonderful repeating rifle of the Winchester Com-pany, 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 hiin. Then the other tirearms were brough tforth, each with its peculiar meclianism explained, until, in a burst of enthusiasm at my riches and power, he said he would .>end me a sheep or goat, and that he would be my brother. I thanked him for the honor, 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
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HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
empty hands, I cut off a shukka of Kaniki and pre- sented 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 honor, upon the ground that the gifts were all on one side ; and that, as I had paid muhoiigo, 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 Wangwanas, stole out and suceeded 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
TtjsE, 1871.1 THROUGH UGOGO TO UNTANYEMBE. 195
satisfied the Sultan, whose district contains but two vil- lages, 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 hand- some, 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 con- trary, 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 G-reeks 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 immor- talize 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 l)Osom, and fall to the knees.
The Wahehe may be styled the Romans of Africa.
Resuming our march, after a halt of an hour, in four hours more we arrived at Mukondoku Proper. This extremity of Ugogo is most populous. The
0 2
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villages whicli 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 - bum- med " 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 over- whelming 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 nj), whom I afterwards learned was the second man lo
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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 ivorj, 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 Sheikh 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 sur- rounds 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 Slieikh 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 inebri- ated, 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 1" But the sensible chief, whose voice had just been heard reproaching the people for their treatment of the Wasungu, beckoned to Slieikh Thani to come out of the tembe, and then procet^dod 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 Wanyamwczi were quar-
198 EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
relling with the Wagogo, the Wasawahili servants were clamouring 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 out- side as long as it confined itself to the "Wagogo, "Wan- yamwezi, and Wangwana.
The presence of the chief in the camp was followed by such 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 tri- bute of six doti, only one of which was of first-class cloth.
There remained but one more sultan to who;:) mu- hongo must be paid after Mukondoku, and this was the Sultan of Kiwyeh, whose reputation was so bad that owners of property wlio had control over their pagazis seldom passed by Kiwyeli, preferring the hardships of long marches througli the wilderness to the rudeness and exorbitant demands of the chief of Kiwyeh. But
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the pagazis, on whom no burden or respousibiHty fell save that of carrying their loads, who could use their legs and show clean heels in the case of a hostile out- break, preferred the march toKiwyeh 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 re- spective caravans and veteran Wanyamwezi pagazis, we learned there were three roads leading from Mukon- doku 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 Unyamwezi, 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
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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.
The routes being settled after much discussion, I took compass bearings of the respective points. It will be remembered that I said Mukondoku had been reached after a three hours' march direct west from Mizanza, that we had then travelled for about four hours and a quarter north by west, skirting the base of a ridge which ran from the neighbourhood of Kanyenyi north by west to the borders of Uhumba, and which served as a boundary line between Ugogo and the adjacent land of the Wayanzi. Mukondoku was but two miles on the easter-n side from this ridge : Kiwyeh pointed S.S.W. from Mukondoku, thence was a march of seven d^ys to Kusuri. The direction of Simbo was N.N.W., thence to Kusuri was a march of six days. It is thus obvious enough that the shortest road was the one by Kiti, and the only objection to it was that it was unknown to any of the Arabs or kirangozis.
Immediately after the discussion among the princijials respecting the merits of the several routes, arose a dis- cussion among the pagazis which resulted in an obsti- nate clamour against the Simbo road, for its long terekeza and scant prospects of water, the dislike. to the
June, 1871.] TEBOUGH UGOGO TO UNTANYEMBE. 201
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 d(;ti miihongo. I and my caravan to-morrow morning will take the Kiti road, and when you find me in Uuyanyembe one day ahead of you, you will be sorry you did not take tlie same road."
This resolution of mine had the effect of again changing
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BOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
the current of Hamad's thoughts, for he instantly said, "That is the best road after all, and as the Sahib is de- termined 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 joy- fully 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 Musungu 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. Dis- mounting, 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 bid- ding farewell to Thani and Hamed, when Thani said,
June, 1871.] THROUGH UGOOO TO UNTANTEMBE. 203
" 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 ex- tortion 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 resound- ing through the forest added to the aiarm 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 dif- ficulties, 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 Mukonduku.
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By the time we had arrived at camp everybody had recovered his good humour and content except Achmet. 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 neighbour- hood 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, ou 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 disfip- pointed ; 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 wliat was believed by many to be a real
Jdnk,1871.] MAGUNDA MKALI to UNTANYEMBE. 205
wilderness, our ardour was not abated, but was rather strengthened. The wilderness in Africa proves to be, in many instances, ijaore friendly than the populated country.
The kirangozi blew his Kudu horn much more mer- rily 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 south-westerly 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 un- palatable.
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 — makinsf the dim forest tlirouo:li which we were now passing, resonant with their voices.
The scenery was much more picturesque than any we had yet seen since leaving Bagamoyo. Tlie ground rose into grander waves — hills croi)j)ed out here and there — great castles of syenite appeared, giving a stra nge and weird appearance to the forest. From a distance it would almost seem as if we were approaching a bit of England as it unist have ap])eared during feudalism ;
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206 HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 frac- tured 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 through- out the silent camp awaking his pagazis for the march. Evidently Sheikh Hamed was gone stark mad, other- wise why should he be so frantic fol- 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. Pre- suming, 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 per- formed 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 Thaui came soon after to inform me that Hamed had gone to Kiti two hours since ; but he, when asked to accompany
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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 that 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 matama, 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 shukka ; 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 irrepres- sible 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 crirl, the loss of five dish-dashes (Arab shirts), silvered-slecve and gold-embroidered jackets, with which he had tlioiight to enter Unyanyembe in state, as became a meicliant of his standing, whicli had disappeared with three ab- Bco'.id!' g servants, besides copper trays, rice, and pilau
208 • EOW 1 FOUND. LIVINGSTONE.
dishes, and two Bales of cloth with runaway Wan- gwana pagazis. Selim, my Arab interpreter, asked him, " What are you doing here, Sheikh Hamed ? I thought you were well on the road to Unyanyemhe." 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 resj)ectable 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 Xgaraiso was .reached on the 15th, after a three and a half hours' march. It is a flourisliing little place, where provisions were almost twice a ; cheap as they were at Ilnyambogi. 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.
Unyauyembe being near, the pagazis and soldiers
June, 1871.] MAGUNDA ME ALT TO UNTANTEMBE. 209
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 13 th 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. Tliis 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 parsed the village of Kirururao, 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 kiiambi. 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
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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 provision- ing my party on the road, when outfitting my caravans on the coast, I could unblushingly reply in the negative. A few minutes later Sheikh Hamed was announced, and immediately appeared, making a profound saluta- tion before the great man, with great pretensions to kiss his hands, and his " Kaif halek " evinced great anxiety to know if Sultan bin Mohammed was " well — quite, quite well." For about five minutes the two Arabs exchanged anxious inquiries as to each other's health and prospects. Then there was a little breathing pause, and the same question which had been propounded to ine about my cloth was given to Hamed. " Very little indeed," answered the Sheikh ; and yet Sultan bin Mo- liammed and I, knew well that he had fifty-five bales with his caravan.
The stranger Arab sent his servant with a goat's skin full of the beautiful and white rice of Unyanyembe to my khambi at Kusuri, a gift I felt very much dis- posed to decline, after the negative I had been com- pelled to give him. He also offered to convey any letters or small parcels I might wish to send to Zanzibar ; and, on being informed that I had left a white man sick at Mpwapwa, he promised to conduct him to Zanzibar.
Soon after arriving at Kusuri, a party of Wasawahili elepharvt hunters settled at Jiweh la Singa, paid me a visit, under the leadership of an old man who had once been Dlwan of Bagamoyo. Tliougli they brought no- thing with them as a ])resent, they did not fail to beg for paper, curry, and soap — three things I could very
June, 1871.] MAGUNDA MKALl TO UNYANTEMBE. . 211
ill spare, as the Makata swamp had made such stock but small.
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 tlie 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 brownnessby 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. Jiut 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
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work of years. Since that time Mgongo Terabo has been but blackened wrecks of houses, and the fiekls a sprouting jungle.
A cluster of date paJm-trees, overtopping a dense grove close to the ratoni 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 e7i route for the Ngliwhalah 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. Kibuyus 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. AYe never saw him afterwards, for the jirogress of a caravan on a terekeza, is something like that ' of a ship in a hurricane. The caravan must })roceed — woe befall him who lags behind, for hunger and thirst will overtake liim — so must a ship drive before the fierce gale to escape foundering — woe befall him who falls over- Ijoard !
An abundance of water, good, sweet, and cool, was found in the bed of the mtoni in deep stony reservoiis. Here also the traces of furious torrents were clearly visible as at Mabunguru.
The Nghwhalali commences in Ubanarama to the north — a country famous for its fine breed of donkeys — and after running south, south-south-west, crosses the
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Unyanyembe road, from which point it Las 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 fur 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 next day we were on the road striding at a quicker pace than on most days, since we were about to quit Magunda Mkali 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 un- dulations 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 j)lain, and which rustled merrily before the morning breeze that came laden with the chills ot 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 inhabitauta
214 EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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, Indinn 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 ad- vanced 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 of matama stalks.
At Central Tura, where we encamped, we had evi- dence enough of the rascality of the AVakimbu of Tura. Haraed, 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 por- tentous click of a trigger that the white man's camp was well guarded.
Hamed's camp was next visited ; but here also the
Juke, 1871.]
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restlessness of tlie owner frustrated tlieir 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 Ins bales. From Hamed's they proceeded to Has- san's camp (one of the Arab servants), where they were successful enough to reach and lay hold of a couple of baled ; 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.
The following morning the neighbouring villages were made aware of the sad accident which had befallen their number ; but though they were bold thieves by night, they proved to be soulless cowards by day, and did not resent the deed by word or even a look. This day was a halt, and the inhabitants of Tura brought to the camp such abundant stores of honey and ghee, sweet potatoes and grain, that I was enabled for two doti to feast my men, for the celebration of our arrival in Unyamwezi.
On the 18th tlie 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 brougiit us to a ziwa, or pond. Tlieie were two, situated in the midst of a small open mbnga, or plain, which, even at this late season, was yet sott from the water which overflows it during: th<j raiiiv
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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 clioice, being, w4ien 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 readv- handed at all things, from mending a pair of pants, making a delicate entremets, or shooting an elephant, but w^hom 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 hrfd built on them, like those of Alnaschar the unfortu- nate owner of crockery in the Arabian tale. He came
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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 bad ordered that the two saddles which they had carried, should be Abdul Kader's load to Uuyanyembe. 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 ray feet, begging me in the name of Grod to permit him to depart.
As I had had some experience of Hindoos, Mala- barese, and coolies in Abyssinia, I knew exactly how to deal with a case like tliis. 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." "Have you no mercy ?" he implored. " None for such an incorrigibly lazy wretch as you," I replied, accompanying my words with a vigorous and most necessary application of my donkey lash, which resuscitated the moribund into active, if not useful life.
I confess I was somewhat ill-tempered on the morn- ing of the 18th, somewhat tired also, and my kirangozi
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BOW 1 FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
came in for a fair share of scolding'. I had no energetic Muinyi Kidogo such as Burton had, otherwise I should have valued such a man, rnethinks, much more highly than, my predecessor. Many a time I sighed for such a man, when, all my eloquence failing to inspire my caravan for the march, I had recourse to threats, and sometimes to flogging right and left to rouse the pagazis and soldiers up. Upon every occasion of a terekeza it was I who had to oider, no one ever had occasion to request that T should make one — it was I who had to argue its utility and necessity, I who was obliged to cut short Bombay's vain words of pleading, and rouse the pagazis out of the khambi by premonitory cracks of my whip.
Very passionate were my reproaches to the kirangozi for his mulish obtuseness in not perceiving that as we neared Unyanyembe I could not fail to remember when I bakshished those who had pleased me — that the •kirangozi, instead of going when I told him, alwa^^s abided by the advice of the pagazis. I asked him with how many doti he had been bribed by the pagazis to make small marches and long halts. He replied that not one of the pagazis was going to give him any cloth that he knew of. " Well, then," I asked, " how many doti could I give you if you pleased me, and did what I told you ?" " Oh, many, many !" he answered. " Very well, then," I said, " take up your load, and let me see from here to Unyanyembe how hard and how fast you can walk ;" upon which he promised most solemnly to abide by my word, only to march when I ordered him, to halt only when I deemed it ne- cessary.
As the march to Rubuga was eighteen and three- quarter miles, the pagazis walked fast and long without
June, 1871.]
BUBUOA TO UNYANTEMBE.
219
resting. The kirangozi had made, as he had promised, his legs and arms strong with a vengeance, for he travelled the whole distance to Rubiiga Central without a lialt, much to the dismay of his train of pagazis,'who thought he was gone mad. Hitherto, we had been compelled by the kirangozi to make an afternoon march when the distance was but fifteen or sixteen miles.
Kubuga, 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 Rul)uga, 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 "WangAvana, 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 paga/is had all arrived by 3 p.m.
At the VVangwana village we met Amer bin Sultan, the very type of an old Arab sheikh, such as we read
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of ill books, witli a snowy beard, and a clean reverend face, who was returning to Zanzibar after a ten years' residence in Unyanyembe. He presented me M'ith a goat, and a goat-skin full of rice ; a most acceptable gift in a place where a goat cost five shukkas.
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 indus- trious 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 a 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 Iiappy, 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
Joke, 1871.]
UNTAXYEMBE.
221
water in color, after drinkiiig a small glassful I passeil it to the delighted soldiers and pagazis. At mj request the Sultan brought a fine fat bullock, for which lie 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 part- ing 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 joyfullj* off with banners flying, and trumpets and horns blaring. A short two and a half hours' march broue:ht 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,
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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 entree into Unyanyembe was effected.
m
CHAPTER YII.
GEOGRAPHICAL AND ETHNOGRAPHICAL REMARKS.
The geography of the country through which we have just traversed has been described ab-eady under its various aspects — as we were informed through native reports, and as we saw it ourselves — in the preceding pages. But it would be as well to summarise, as cleaily as possible, in a chapter specially devoted to the geography and ethnography of the country, what additional knowledge we have gained of the interior of Africa.
There were three routes to Unyanyembe from Baga- moyo, either of which might have been taken by our Expedition ; but two of them were already known by the minute description which we have received from my predecessors in this part of Ai'riea — Messrs. Burton,
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now I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
Speke, and Grant. There was one, a more northern and direct route to Unyanyembe, which was said to lead through Northern Uzaramo, Ukwere, Ukami, Udoe, Usegiihha or Usegiira, Usagara, Ugogo, Uyanzi, thence to Unyamwezi. It was this which I adopted.
As the crow flies, or, in geographical parlance, rectilineally, the distance from Bagaraoyo to Unyan- yembe is nearly 6° of longitude, or three hundred and sixty miles. The sinuosity of the path taken by caravans, which in Africa is adapted to the lay of the coimtry, and follows the easier, less dangerous, more available course, extends the distance to be traversed, to over five hundred and twenty miles. I reckon of course by the time occupied by the marches, and the rate of progress, which I presume to be not more nor less than 2*5 miles per hour.
That portion of country extending from , Bagamoyo to Kikoka is called the " Mrima " — the hill ; it may also be designated Sawahili, and also Zanguebar. We recognize the latter name as figuring prominently in our ancient maps, as the designation given to a lengthy strip of sea-coast extending from the mouth of the Jub, to Cape Delgado, or from the equator to S. lat. 10° 41". Sawahili means the " sea-coast," hence the people who live on this sea-coast of Zanguebar are called Wasawahili, and their language, Kisawahili. And it may licre be mentioned that the prefix U, means country,* Wa, for persons in the plural, M, is the sin- gular for one person. Thus U-zaramo, means country of Znramo; Wa-zaramo, would mean people of Zaramo; M-zaramo, one person of Zaramo; Ki-zaramo, language of Zaramo.
Bagamoyo is a small port on the Mrima, Sawahili, or Zanguebar coast, which stands nearly opposite the port
OEOGRAPEICAL AND ETHNOGRAPHICAL REMARKS. 225
of Zanzibar, wliither caravans generally bound for Un- yanyembe land. A few miles higher up, north, are the ports of Whinde and Saadani, situated one on each side of the mouth of the Eiver Wami. Four miles south of Bagamoyo is Kaole, a small village which contains , a gurayza or fort, with about a dozen Baluches for a garrison. South of Kaole is Konduchi, and southward still is Dar Salaam, a new port established by the late Sultan. South of Dar Salaam is Mbuamaji, quite an important rendezvous for caravans bound for the interior. About sixty miles south of Mbuamaji is the most northern mouth of the Rufiji river, opposite the island of Mafia or Monfia ; and a degree further south we come to the famous port of Kilwa, that great entrepot of slave traders.
The strip of land known as the Mrima is a most important one in the eyes of the civilized world, for upon here, now that the slave question is being agitated, our attention should be seriously concentrated. Its importance to us, arises from the fact that by means of its ports, Mombasah, Bueni, Saadani, Whinde, Baga- moyo, Kaole, Konduchi, Dar Salaam, Mbuamaji, and Kilwa, three-fourths of the slaves captured, kidnapped, or bought in the interior, are shipped abroad. This fact should be remembered.
Once we cross the Kingani River on our road to Unyanyembe, we may be said to have left the country of the Wamrima, and to have touched upon the most northern extremity of Uzaramo. The Sultan of Zanzibar has established a post at Kikoka, four miles west of the Kingani, and by this has made good his claim to call the ten miles of country from Bagamoyo to Kikoka his own. As there are no inhabitants between the river and Kikoka, his claim is not disputed.
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On our right — which is to the north of the Un3'-an- yembe road — stretches Ukwere, two days' march, or twenty-five miles. West, Ukwere extends from Eosako to Kisemo, a distance of sixty miles. From Kisetno, west, half-way to Mikeseh, or east of the Kira Peak, extends Ukami. This country formerly stretched as far, as and included Simbamwenni, the capital of the Wase- guhha ; but the Wadoe, their northern neighbours, in- vaded and conquered the inhabitants, who were in their turn conquered by the powerful tribes of the "Waseguhha. From Kira Peak to Ulagalla is included under the name of Udoe, still a large country, which overlaps, on the north, Ukami, eastward beyond Ukwere to the Mrima, or the coast. This portion, between Kira Peak and Ulagalla is the south-western extremity of the territory of the Wadoe.
Useguhha begins at Ulagalla, and its western extre- mity is on the eastern bank of the Makata.
The whole of this country, embracing these several districts of Ukwere, Ukami, Udoe, and Useguhha, is drained by the Kingani, and its tributaries — or, I should fay, by its chief tributary, the Ungerengeri. By adopting this northern route I was enabled to discover the principal branch of the Kingani in the Ungerengeri, called Rufu by the natives, as it enters into the main river. Speke and Grant discovered the Mgeta, another branch, flowing from west of the Mkambaku range, and circling southerly round about, thus draining the whole of Ukutu and Uzaramo. The area of land drained by the Kingani and its tributaries may be estimated at not more than twelve thousand square miles.
It will be noticed by those who study African geograpliy, that Speke has placed on his map, near long. E. 37°, a range of mountains called the Mkam-
GEOGRAPHICAL AND ETHNOGRAPHICAL REMARKS. 227
baku range, extending north at least 1°. That part of the range called the " Mkambaku " our Expedition saw, but the most northern portion of it is known as the Uruguru mountains. At the foot of its most northern extremity, as the range deflects eastward, the capital of southern Useguhha, Simbamwenni, is situated.
Speke says, in 'Journal of the Discovery of the Sources of the Nile,' p. 32 : " Where the Kingani itself rises,' I never could find out ; though I have heard that , its source lies in a gurgling spring on the eastern face of the Mkambaku ; by which account the Mgeta is made the longer branch of the two." By whatever name we distinguish this river — whether it be the Kin- gani, or the Haradallah, as the Wamrima call it, or the Rufu, as the Wakwere, Wakami, Wadoe, and Wase- guhha call it — its source can be no longer matter of conjecture. Speke has discovered that the Mgeta, one of the two main branches, rises on the western slope of the Mkambaku, and has seen it sweeping round the south of Khutu. I have discovered that the second main branch — called Ungerengeri — rises west of the Mkambaku, or rather, the Uruguru mountains, and that it sweeps northward through Useguhha and Udoe to southern UJiwere, and Ukami, and thence into the Kin- gani. This river by the natives is known as the Rufu from the time it enters Ukwere, to its exit into the' ocean tliree miles north of Bagamoyo. To the Arabs, however, this river, from the point of confluence of the several branches, is known as the Kin-rani. Undor tliat name it will be best known to students of African tra- vellers' maps.
The* highest altitude reached by our Expedition between l^agamoyo and Simbamwenni in Useguhha, did not exceed one thousand feet, and, excepting for a
Q 2
228
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
cone here and there visible to the north of Kingaru Hera, and known as DiHma peaks, and in the neigh- bourhood of Mikeseh, the land appears to rise gradually, in a series of lengthy and parallel undulations, exten- sively wooded, jungly, or in smooth grassy ridges, the slopes falling easterly and westerly into depressions like wave-troughs, by means of which the drainage is carried southerly and south-westerly into the Unge- ^ rengeri.
Beyond Simbamwenni and westward of the Unge- rengeri we suddenly front towering and isolated cones with truncated summits, and these cones connected one with another by means of low saddles, or ridges, to an isolated group of mountains at least two thousand feet above the Ungerengeri, at the base of which, on the northern side of this stream, a lengthy, wooded ridge sweeps easterly, separating the Ungerengeri from the Wami.
This bold aspect of the country is most gratifying to the eye of the stranger, who fancies that he is about to ascend higher altitudes, and obtain immunity from the fevers, which those ignorant of the nature of the African interior attribute only to the jungles and marshes of the maritime region.
In one march, however, from Simbamwenni by a pass between tlie mountain group, we arrive at Simbo, whence we may obtain a clear view of the broad valley of the Great Makata, bounded by the high and bold group at our backs, on the cast, by the glorious mountain range of Usagara, whose bold peaks and aspiring summits are buried in tlie clouds.
I have devoted much time to tlie elucidation of the difference existing between the Kingani and the Wami river. It is only after satisfying myself that I have
OEOORAPHICAL AND ETBNOQRAPHICAL REMARKS. 229
ventured to assert that the difference between these rivers is clear and positive. Arabs, Wamrima and natives, and my own personal knowledge of the country and its superficial configuration, tend to establish be- yond further doubt that the Kingani and the Wami are two separate and entirely distinct rivers. The Kingani enters the sea three miles north of Bagamoyo ; the "Wami at nearly half-way between the ports of Whinde and Sa'adani.
Tlie following plan will best illustrate the water- system of this region :
We have found tliat the Ungerengeri flows south- westerly to the Kingani, and from this point where we stand (Simbo) the formation of the country is clearly visible. On our right, as we turn our faces west, is the valley of the Makata, or the Wami, flowing north- ward and eastward ; on our left is the valley of the Ungerengeri with the river flowing, after a bold sweep northward, to the south-east. Our line of march hither from Bagamoyo has been nearly cqui-distant from each liver, wilh the Wami on our right and the Ungerengeri, or the Kingani, on our left.
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HOW 1 FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
It will be seen, on reference to tlie above diagram, how one and the same river bears three or four dis- tinctly different names, and how very easily travellers may be baffled in the pursuit of geographical informa- tion. Like the Kingani with its series of different designations, the river issuing into the sea between the Mohammedan ports of Whinde and Sa'adani is called the Wami, the Rudewa, the Makata, and the Mukondokwa.
The first important stream which we find as we enter the broad plain, or the valley of Makata, is the Little Makata, which, though fordable at all seasons, becomes a swift and dangerous river to travellers in the height of the Masika season. After the Little Makata we come to a deep nullah which overflows with water during the rains, and a few hundred yards beyond we come to the Great Makata — the TTami, or the Mukondokwa — a stream capable of expanding into a mighty river five or six hundred yards broad. Beyond the Great Makata we come to the Mbengerenga, a branch of the Rudewa, which here flows parallel with our line of march, emptying into the Wami at or near the confluence of the Great Makata with the Little Makata. Crossing the Mbengerenga, we presently come to another small branch of the Rudewa, and see the Rudewa itself, as it approaches our road and whirls round sharply to the east. Beyond this, as we turn our faces south-west, we come to the Uronga, a river rising in Mundu, northern Usagara, and, having reached our camp at Rehenneko, we strike across an angle of the mountains and arrive at the Makata again under the name of the Mukondokwa, as it is called by the Wasagara. Pursuing our way up the Mukondokwa Pass, along the same route pursued by Capts. Burton
GEOGRAPHICAL AND ETENOGRAPBICAL REMABKS. 231
and Speke, we arrive at a point in this valley where our various routes diverge, that of Burton and Speke leading up and along the summit of the Rubeho range, ours inclining northward considerably, yet keeping on a parallel line with their route with an interval of from twenty to thirty miles between.
Burton, soon after leaving the valley of the Mukon- dokwa, came to a plateau which " ended in a descent with rapid slopes, over falls and steps of rock and boulder, into the basin of the Rumuma river. It is a southern influent, or a bifurcation of the Mukondokwa, and it drains the hills to the south-west of the Rumuma district, whereas the main stream arising in the high- lands of the "Wahumba, or "Wamusai, carries off the waters of the lands to the west."
Not eleven miles from the ford where Burton and Speke's and my own route parted, I came to a. lake, the Lake Ugombo, which, though of limited dimensions, plays a small part in the water system of East Africa. For this small lake, barely three miles in length, receives the Rumuma and discharges it through a narrow chasm into the Mukondokwa. " The main-stream does not rise in the highlands of the Wahumba, or the Womusai, nor does it carry the waters of the lands on the west ;" but rises at least one degree north of the latitude of Ugombo in the mountains of Kema Kaguru, in what is known in Kisagara as Mundu, which is also the birth- place of the stream Uronga, or Ulonga.
Among the other feeders of this Mukondokwa river besides the Rumuma are the streams Rufuta and Mdunku, which rise in Kivya, the jMyombo and Mdunwi.
The " lands on the west " of the longitude of Rubcho — at least, on our route — are drained by means of
232
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
nullahs, wliicli, on account of the general drought in this dry region, fail to carry the water into any stream. These nullahs, or dry water-courses, or deepened fiumaras — which we in America would call gulches — absorb all the water that flows into them from the sterile regions beyond, or west of the Usagara moun- tains. The Mukondokwa river runs from north to south through the mountains of Usagara, thence swerv- ^ing easterly, serves to convey the waters discharged into it by the Rufuta, Rumuma, Myombo, and Mdunwi, easterly into the Indian Ocean.
The rainfall west of Usagara is so slight that the sandy fiumaras, or gulches, seldom contribute any water to the Rufiji river. For from westward of Ugogi to Tura, in Unyamwezi, the drainage slopes southwards into the Ruhwha, or the Rufiji River.
That sterile region, which comprises the northern Marenga Mkali, the whole of Ugogo and southern Uhumba, or Umasai, Iliange, and Mbogwe, have no drainage. Whatever rain falls is received by the shallow pools or small lakes, which dot the interior of this region so thickly. During the dry season eva- poration takes place, and the water is drained from these pools by the steady north-east monsoons into the grander reservoirs of the lakes occupied by the Victoria N'Yanza, and thence into the Nile. After the evaporation has taken place, the surface of this sterile region exhibits large expanses of country covered with saline incrustations, or with nitrate of soda. Those visible west of Chaga, in the district of Angaruka, the saline lagoons of Balibali, west of Kikui, and those seen by myself north of Mizanza, must tend to establish this theory.
Beyond Ugogo the only streams worth mentioning
GEOGRAPHICAL AND ETHNOGRAPHICAL REMARKS. 23S
here are the Mdaburu and' the Mabunguru, which flow southerly into the Kisigo, which is placed one degree south of Kiwjeh. We are told that it is an important stream, and swift, by the Wagogo of Kiwyeh, and that it is haunted by numbers of hippopotami and crocodiles. The Kisigo empties into the Rufiji.
Briefly it may be said of our march to TJnyanyembe that its first stage was across the basin of the Kingani ; the second, across the basin of the Wami ; the third, across the water-shed of the Wami ; the fourth, across the most northern portion of the basin of the Ruhwha, and the waterless region ; and the fifth, into the borders of the water- shed of the Lake Tanganika.
Now, the reader might ask — and yery properly too — " What profiteth it all — these tiresome descrip- tions of rivers, &c., with such odd, incomprehensible names ?"
Patience ! reader ; that is precisely the point I was about to arrive at. If you look at the map accom- panying this book, you will perceive the suggestion conveyed to you by my description of two particular rivers.
First, it appears to me, that the Wami River is available for commerce. I know that it can be navi- gated with ease by light-draught steamers drawing two or three feet — for a distance of two degrees rectilineally, or nearly two hundred miles by water — from the port of Whinde to Mbumi, Usagara. All impediments to free navigation — such as the mangrove trees which on either bank in some places, especially near Ki- gongo's village, interlace their far-spreading branches — could be easily removed by an axe.
Mbumi is within a couple of miles from the foot of the Usagara mountains, the sanatoria of East Africa.
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HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
The distance from Whinde to Mbiimi could with ease be traversed by a steamer in four days.
Who wishes to civilize Africa ? Who wishes to open trade direct with Usagara, Useguhha, Ukutu, Uhehe ; to get the ivory, the sugar, the cotton, the orcliilla-weed, the indigo, and the grain of these countries ? Here is an opportunity !
Four days by steamer bring the missionary to the healthy uplands of Africa, where he can live amongst the gentle Wasagara without fear or alarm ; where he can enjoy the luxuries of civilized life without fear of being deprived of them, amid the most beautiful and picturesque scenes a poetic fancy could imagine ! Here is the greenest verdure, purest water ; here are valleys teeming with grain stalks, forests of tama- rind, mimosa, gum-copal tree ; here is the gigantic mvule, the stately mparamusi, the beautiful palm — a scene such as only a tropic sky covers ! Health and abundance of food are assured to the missionary ; gentle people are at his feet ready to welcome him ! Except civilized society, nothing that the soul of man can desire is lacking here !
From the village of Kadetamare a score of admirable mission sites are available, with fine health-giving breezes blowing over them, water in abundance at their feet, fertility unsurpassed around them, with docile, good-tempered people dwelling everywhere at peace with each other, and all travellers and neighbours.
As the passes of Olympus unlocked the gates of the Eastern empire to the hordes of Othman ; as the passes of Kumayle and Suru admitled the British into Abys- sinia— so the passes of the Mukondokwa may admit the Gospel and its beneficent influences into the heart of savage Africa.
QEOGRAPHICAL AND ETENOGRAPEICAL REMARKS. 235
. I can fancy old Kadetamare rubbing his hands with glee at the sight of the white man coming to teach his people the words of the " Mulungu " — the Sky Spirit ; how. to sow, and reap, and build houses ; how to cure their sick, how to make themselves comfortable ; — in short, how to be civilized. But the missionary, to -be successful, must know his duties as well as a thorough sailor must know how to reef, hand, and steer. He must be no kid-glove, eifeminate man, no journal writer, no disputatious polemic, no silken stole and chasuble-loving priest — but a thorough earnest laborer in the garden of the Lord — a man of the David Livingstone, or of the Robert Moffatt stamp.
The other river, the Rufiji or Ruhwha, is a still more important stream than the Wami. It is a much longer rivSr, and discharges twice as much water into the Indian Ocean. It rises near some mountains about one hundred miles south-west of Ubena. Kisigo River, the most northern and most important affluent of the Ruhwha, is supposed to flow into it near E. longitude 35° ; from the confluence to the sea, the Ruhwha has a length of 4° of direct longitude. This fact of itself must prove its importance and rank among the rivers of East Africa. Very little is known of it except that it is navigable by small boats for eight tides, or say sixty miles up ; that Banyans trade for this distance up the river, and collect the ivory from the tribes ^n its banks.
The traveller perceives a striking contrast between the lower and upper regions, or the maritime and sterile regions, in the growth of vegetation. In the valleys of the Ungerongeri and Wami, the power of production in the soil is remarkable. The rich black alluvial, the deposit for many ages of these riyers, knows no bounds
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now I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
to its fertility. Every species of vegetation is shot up to gigantic proportions. The grass stalks are enlarged to the size of ordinary bamboo ; and the trees, such as the mparamusi, and the mvule-trees, have stems a hundred feet high. The Indian corn grown in these valleys eclipses the finest crops in the bottom lands of Arkansas, ^lissouri, and Mississippi. The holcus sorghum, or matama, have stalks rivalling in thickness the finest sugar-cane, and some reach to the height of twelve feet. The density of the jungles is something appalling, and the variety of species of plants and trees would task the skill* of the most learned botanists to class them.
In my diurnal accounts of our marches and expe- riences I have attempted to sketch out the nature of the country as it appeared to us during the time of transit. Through the maritime region our transit occurred during the Masika season, and as it progressed we were enabled to observe its effect on the grasses.
"When the Masika season begins, these grasses hardly ever appear above the knee ; but towards the end, they have grown to their full height. A month after the Masika, wlien they present quite a bleached appearance, the natives set fire to them, and the country for days afterwards, resounds with the roar of the fierce con- flagrations, canopied by a thick curtain of black smoke, whicli even lends its sombre coloring to the sky.
When these fires have raged througli the forests, and have devoured the grass, then is the best time for tra- velling. Progress is easy, and almost double the num- ber of marches is effected, tlian while tlie grass presents constant impediments, from its density and height. The eye is then permitted to rove free over the swelling contours and low knolls, without the glance being dis-
QEOGBAPHICAL AND ETHNOQEAPHICAL BEMAEKS. 237
turbed by a young forest of thick grasses directly be- tween you and the pleasing prospect, over whose tops only a man fifteen feet high could gratify his love of natural scenery.
It were a difficult task to distinguish nice ethnical differences between the Wamrima and the more occi- dental \Yashensi. I am constantly wondering how Capt. Burton has been able to draw his fine lines — which, I must assure the reader, are imperceptible to ordinary men like myself.
After Zanzibar, our debut into Africa is made vid Bagamoyo. At this place we may see AVangindo, Wa- sawahili, Warori, Wagogo, Wanyamwezi, Waseguhha, and "Wasagara ; yet it would be a difficult task for any person, at mere sight of their features or dresses, to note the differences. Only by certain customs or distinctive marks, such as tattooing, puncturing of the lobes of the ears, ornaments, wearing the hair, &c., which would appear at first too trivial to note, could one discriminate between the various tribal representations. There are certainly differences, but not so varied or marked as they are reported.
The Wasawahili — of course through their intercourse with semi-civilization — present us with a race, or tribe, influenced by a state of semi-civilized society, and are, consequently, better dressed, and appear to better ad- vantage than their more savage brethren further west. As it is said that underneath the Russian skin lies the Tartar, so it may bo said that underneath the snowy dish-dasheh, or shirt, of the Msawahili one will find the true barbarian. In the street, or bazaar, he appears semi- Arabized; his suavity of manner, his prostrations and genuflexions, the patois he speaks, all prove his contact and affinity with the dominant race, whose subject he is.
233
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
Once out of the coast towns, in the Washensi villages, he sheds the shirt that had half civilized him, and appears in all his deep blackness of skin, prognathous jaws, thick lips — the pure negro and barbarian. Kot the keenest eve could detect a difference between him and the Mshensi, unless his attention had been drawn to the fact that the two men were of different tribes.
The next tribe to which we are introduced are the Wakwere, who occupy a limited extent of country be- tween the Wazaramo and the "Wadoe. They are the first representatives of the pure barbarian the traveller meets when but two days' journey from the sea-coast. They are a timid tribe, and a very unlikely people to commence an attack upon any body of men for mere plunder's sake. They have not a very good reputation among the Arab and Wasawahili traders. They are said to be exceedingly dishonest, of which I have not the least doubt. They furnished me with good grounds for believing these reports while encamped at Kingaru- Hera and Imbiki. The chiefs of the more eastern part of Ukwere profess nominal allegiance to the Diwans of the Mrima. They have selected the densest jungles wherein to establish their villages. Every avenue into one of their valleys is jealously guarded by strong wooden narrow gates, seldom over 4i feet high, and so narrow sometimes that one must enter sideways.
These jungle islets, which in particular dot the extent of Ukwere, present formidable obstacles to a naked enemy. The plants, bushes, and young trees which form their natural defence are generally of tlie aloetic and thorny species, growing so dense, interlaced one with another, that the liardiest and most desperate robber would not brave the formidable array of sharp thorns which bristle everywhere.
OEOGRAPEICAL AND ETHNOGRAPHICAL REMARKS. 239
Some of these jungle islets are infested witli gangs of banditti, who seldom fail to take advantage of the weak- ness of a single wayfarer, more especially if he he a Mgwana, a freeman of Zanzibar, as every negro re- sident of the island of Zanzibar is distinguished by the Washensi natives of the interior.
A OATE OF A VILLAGE
I should estimate the population of Ukwere, allowing about 100 villages to this territory (wliicli is not more than Ijiirty miles square, its bounds on the south being the Rufu river, and on the north the river Wami), at not more than 5000 souls. Were all these handed together under the command of one chief, the Wakwere might become a powerful tribe.
After the Wakwere we dome to the Wakami, a rem- nant of a once grand nation which occupied the lands from the Ungcreugeri to the Great Maiiata River. Frequent wars with the Wadoe and the Waseguhha
240
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
have reduced them to a narrow belt of country, ten rectihnear miles across, which may be said to be com- prised between Kira Peak and the stony ridge bounding the valley of the Ungerengeri on the east, within a couple of miles from the east bank of the river.
They are as numerous as bees in the Ungerengeri valley. Its unsurpassed fertility has been a great in- ducement to retain for these people the distinction of a tribe. By the means of a spy-glass one may see, as he stands on that stony ridge looking down into the fair valley, clusters of brown huts visible amid bosky clumps, fulness and plenty all over the valley, and may count easily over a hundred villages.
From Ukami we pass to Southern Udoe, and find a warlike, fine-looking people, with a far more intelligent cast of features, and a shade lighter than the Wakami and Wakwere — a people who are full of traditions of race, a people who have boldly rushed to war upon the slightest encroachment upon their territories, and who have bravely defended themselves against the Wase- guhha and Wakami, as well as against nomadic marauders from Uhumba.
Udoe, in appearance, is amongst the most picturesque countries between the sea and Unyanyembe. Great cones shoot upward above the everlasting forests, tipped by the light fleecy clouds, through which the warm glowing sun darts its rays, bathing the whole in sunlight^ which brings out of those globes of foliage which rise in tier after tier to the summits of the hills, colors which would mock the most ambitious painter's efforts at imitation, Udoe first evokes the traveller's love of natural beauty after leaving the sea : her roads lead him up along the sharp spines of hilly ridges, Avheuce he may look down upon forest-clad
GEOOEAP'mCAL AXD ETESOGBAPEICAL REMARKS. 241
slopes, declining on either side of him inlo the depths of deep valleys, to rise up bej^ond into aspiring cones which kiss the sky, or into a hig]i ridge with deep concentric folds, which almost tempt one to undergo much labor in exploring them, for the provoking air of mystery in which they seem to be enwrapped. Sup- posing a Byron saw some of these scenes in Udoe, he would be inclined to say, —
" Morn dawns ; and with it stem Udoe's hills, Dark Uiniguru's rocks, and Kira's peak, Robed half in mist, bedewed with various rills, Arrayed in many a dun and purple streak."
And how true each word would be !
What a tale this tribe could relate of the slave- traders' deeds ! Attacked by the joint forces of the Waseguhha from the west and north, and the slave- traders of Whinde and Sa'adani from the east, the TVadoe have seen their wives and little ones carried into slavery a hundred times, and district after district taken from their country and attached to Useguliha. For the people of Useguhha were hired to attack their neighbours the "Wadoe by the Whinde slave-traders, and were also armed with muskets and supplied with ammunition by them to effect large and repeated cap- tures of Wadoe slaves. The people of this tribe, espe- cially women and children, so superior in physique and intelligence to the servile races by which they were surrounded, were eagerly sought for as concubines and domestics by the lustful Mohammedans.
This tribe we first note to have distinctive tribal marks — by a line of punctures extending lengthwise on each side of the face, and a chij)ping of the two inner sides of the two middle teeth of the upper row
The arms of this tribe are similar to the arms ot the
R
242
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
Wakami and AVakwere, and consist of a bow and arrows, a shield, a conple of light spears or assegais, a long knife, a handy little - bnttleaxe, and a club with a large knob at one end of it, which latter is dexterously swung at the head of an enemy, inflicting a stunning and sometimes a fatal blow
WEAPONS OF WAE
Emerging from the forests of Mikeseh we enter the territory of the Waseguhha, or Wasegura,* as the Arabs wrongly call this country. Useguhha extends over two degrees in length, and its greatest breadth is ninety geographical miles. It has two main divisions, that of Southern Useguhha from Uruguru to the Wami
* All the interior tribes know this tribe fts the Wiisegnhha, and none other. Burton adopts the Arabic corrupted term Wasegura. Krapf, New, Wakefield and myself have adopted the native pronxm- ciation, Waseguhha.
GEOOEAPIIICAL AND ETHNOGRAPHICAL REMARKS. 243
River, and Northern Useguhha, under the chieftain Moto, from the Wami River to Umagassi and Usum- bara.
In the rise of this tribe into prominence and power, we have an example before us of the vicissitudes which the barbarian races have experienced during ages. Thirty years ago the Waseguhha were hmited to a narrow belt of country between the Wasambara and the Wadoe. The Wadoe were the supreme race east of the Usagara mountains, but the slave-traders, bringing ruin with them, betrayed them into the hands of organized banditti, consisting of renegade Wamrima, runaway slaves, offenders against the law of Zanzibar, convicts, and kidnappers, which infested the forests between Usagara and the sea. These bands made war on some of the sub-tribes of the Wadoe, and since the slaves of this tribe were in great demand, and were readily bought owing to their beauty of form, their fine physique and general superiority, these raids against the tribe increased until in a few years the Wadoe were almost driven entirely away from the fair valleys and beauteous country of the Ungerengeri. Foremost among these raiders was the notorious Kisabengo, whom I have already traced through his nefarious career, to the time of his establishing his stronghold, Simbamwenni, near the Ungerengeri.
Mostly all the Waseguhha warriors are armed with muskets, and the Arabs supply them with enough ammunition, in return for which they attack Waruguru, Wadoe, and Wakwenni, to obtain slaves for the Arab market, and it is but five years since the Waseguhha organized a successful raid into the very heart of the Wasagara mountains, during which they desolated the populated portions of the Makatji plain, capturing over
R 2
244
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
five hundred slaves. Formerly wars in this country were caused by blood-feuds between different chief's ; they are now encouraged by tlie slave-buyers of the ^frima, for the purpose of supplying these human chattels for the market of Zanzibar.
The East African squadron has the power to crush this hornet's nest, and stop the inhuman traffic in slaves, so far as concerns Useguhha's ability to main- tain it. Let a steam launch with fifty men on board be detached for this service up the "Wami river. By ascending the river as far as Kigongo's they would arrive within twenty miles of the town of Simba- mwenni, which could be marched in a night, and in the morning they could attack and burn the place, and break up this nucleus of the slave-trade in East Africa at once and for ever. The Waseguhha, aided by the slave-buyers, are the real scourge of this part of East Africa, and once their stronghold was taken and destroyed they would be powerless for evil.
The Waseguhha are about the most thorough be- lievers in witchcraft, yet the professors of this dark science fare badly at their hands. It is a very common siglit to see cinereous piles on the roadside, and the waving garments suspended to the branches of trees above them, which mark the fate of the unfortunate " waganga " or medicine men. So long as their pro- dictions prove correct, and have a happy culmination, these professors of " uchawi," magic arts, are regarded with favor by th^ people ; but if an unusual calamity overtakes a family, and they can swear that it is the result of the magician's art, a quorum of relentless inqui- sitors is soon formed, and a like fate to that which over- took the " witches " in the dark days of New England surely awaits him. Enough dead wood is soon found
GEOGRAPHICAL AND ETENOGRAPEICAL REMARKS. 245
in their African forests, and the unhappy one perishes by fire, and as a warning to all false professors of the art, his loin-cloth is hung up to a tree above the spot where he met his doom.
The Wasagara are mountaineers. The country which they inhabit is the mountain ehain and its immediate base, extending from the Makata River to the desert of Marenga Mkali, a breadth of seventy-five geographical miles, and a length of very nearly three degrees of latitude.
The mountain range lies longitudinally in a north-by- east direction. The highest peak may probably have an elevation of about 6,000 feet above the sea. Mount Kibwe must be about 2,500 feet above the Mukondokwa Valley near Kadetamare, and Kadetamare must be 2,000 feet above the sea. But there are peaks in the Nguru group near Ugombo which I should estimate to be at least 1,500 feet higher than Mount Kibwe. To the north, as we approach the range from the Makata River, the mountains loom up more stupendous and lofty than those contiguous to the Pass of the Mukondokwa. On tlie tops and slopes of these moun- tains the vapours drifted hither by the monsoon winds shed their burden of water, and become rivers as the streams trickle down the slopes and unite in the valleys at their eastern base.
However much geographers may disagree with iiie, my opinion is that .this chain of mountains is to East Africa what the Rocky Mountains are to Central North America. I regard it as the backbone of East Africa. Travellers j)lace Kiliuia-Nj;iro in east longitude 37" 27', and Mount Kenia in 37° 35' east, and 1 pla«e Mount Kibwe in longitude 36'' 50'; and Burton believes tliat this same mountain chain of Usagara has " its culmi-
246
EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
nating apex in Njesa-TJhiyou." If the Euhwha Valley, through which the Rufiji issues into the sea from the highlands beyond, is only a gap in the Usagara range, why is not the Mukondokwa Valley a gap ? Why may not the low plain of Uhumba, or Masai, be a gap ? Why should the Ngaserai Hills, the mountain group of Kilima-Njaro, the snowy peak of Kenia, its southern neighbour Doeno Camwea, and its northern neighbour Msarara Mount, all heaving upward on the same line of longitude, not belong to this same Usagara Range ?
The same effect observable in the plains to the east and the west of the Rocky Mountains is visible at either base of the Usagara Range. In Western North America it is well known that the Plain of Colorado, Wyoming, and a large portion of Nebraska, on the east, and that portion of Colorado and Utah at the western base of the Rocky Mountains, do not appear to possess that remarkable fertility observable near the Missouri River and eastward, or west of Utah. These denuded regions of America are from 500 to 800 miles in breadth on either side of the Rocky Mountains, and have a length of nearly 2,000 miles. But it must be re- membered that the Rocky Mountains have an average altitude of about 11,000 or 12,000 feet above the level of the sea. Such gigantic physical features are not to be seen in East Africa. I should estimate the average altitude of the more easterly portion of the Usagara Range to be about 3,500 feet above the sea level, while the most westerly should be estimated at 1,000 feet higher. The Makata Plain or Valley, east of Usagara, has the . same denuded appearance that our western plains have, and the region west of Usagara, embracing the whole of Marenga Mkali and Ugogo, may be com-
GEOGBAPniCAL AND ETHNOGRAPHICAL REMARKS. 247
pared, for the effect given by its denuded sterile aspect and saline incrustations, to Utah and Western Colorado.
But in Uyanzi, west of Ugogo, the country heaves upward longitudinally into an altitude of about 1,000 feet higher than the plain of Ugogo, and the conse- quence is that as they intercept the vapors borne westward by the monsoons, they appear more pro- ductive, second only in fertility to the Yulley of the Mukondokwa. This sterile region, embracing the Marenga Mkali, though it has only a breadth of about 100 to 150 geographical miles, has a length of about 600 geographical miles, perhaps more.
In Southern Usagara the people are most amiable ; but in the north, in those districts adjacent to the Wahumba, the people partake of the ferocious character of their fierce neighbours. Repeated attacks from the Waseguhha kidnappers, from the Wadirigo or Wahehe robbers on the south-west, from the Wagogo on the west, and from the Wahuml^a on the north — have caused them to regard strangers with suspicion, but after a short acquaintance they prove to be a frank, amiable, and brave people. Indeed, they have good cause to be distrustful of the Arabs and the Wangwana of Zanzibar. Mbumi, Eastern Usagara, has been twice burnt down within a few years by the Arab and Waseguhha kidnappers ; Rehenneko has met the same fate, and it is not many years ago since Abdullah bin Nasib carried fire and sword from IMisonghi to Mpwapwa. Kanyaparu, lord of the hills around Chunyo, or Kunyo, once cultivated one-fourth of the Marenga Mkali, but is now restricted to the hill-tops from fear of the Wadirigo marauders.
In Eastern Usagara the broad distinctions which
248
now I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
mark the pure Wasagara from the "Waseguhha are not to be seen. We first find them among the villages of Mpwapwa. Here the long slender ringlets, ornamented with brass and copper pendicles, balls, with bright pice from Zanzibar, with a thin line of miniature beads running here and there among the ringlets, are first seen. A youthful Msagara, with a faint tinge of ochre embrowning the dull black hue of his face, with four or five bright copper coin ranged over his forehead, with
a tiny gourd's neck in each ear, distending his ear- lobes, with a thousand ringlets well greased and orna- mented with tiny bits of brass and copper, with a head well thrown back, broad breast thrown well forward, and muscular arms, and full-proportioned limbs, repre- sents the beau-ideal of a handsome young African savage.
OEOGRAPEICAL AND ETHNOQRAPEIOAL EEMAEKS. 249
The Wasagara, male and female, tattoo the forehead, bosom, and arms. Besides inserting the neck of a gourd in each ear — which carries his little store of " tum- hac," or tobacco, and lime which he has obtained by burning land shells — he carries quite a number of most primitive ornaments around his neck, such as two or three snowy cowrie-shells, carved pieces of wood, or a small goat's horn, or some medicine consecrated by the medicine-man of the tribe, a fundo of white or red beads, or two or three pierced Sungomazzi egg-beads, or a string of copper coin, and sometimes small brass chains, like a Cheap Jack watch-chain. These things they have either made themselves or purchased from Arab traders for chickens or goats. The children all go naked ; youths wear a goat or a sheep-skin ; grown men and women, blessed with progeny, wear domestic, or a loin-cloth of Kaniki, or a barsati, which is a favourite coloured cloth in Usagara ; chiefs wear caps such as are worn by the Wamrima Diwans, or the Arab tarboosh.
Next on our line of march appear the Wagogo, a powerful race inhabiting the region west of Usagara to Uyarizi, which is about eighty miles in breadth, and about one hundred in length. The traveller lias to exercise great prudence, discretion, and judgment in his dealings with them. Here he first hears the word " honga," after passing Simbamwenni, a word which signifies now, tribute, though it formerly meant a present to a friend. Since it is exacted from him with threats that if it is not paid, tiiey will make war on him, its best interpretation would be, " force-extorted tribute " or toll.
Tlie following are three routes through Ugogo, from which the tr;i\ eller may tjike his choice, and the sum
250 HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
of the tribute to be paid by a caravan of a hundred and fifty men.
|
Northern. |
Tribute. |
Central. |
Tribute. |
Southern. |
Tribute, |
|
Cloths. |
Cloths. |
Cloths. |
|||
|
Mvumi |
35 |
Mvumi , |
35 |
Kifukuru |
25 |
|
TIT i. 1 - Matamburu . |
Munalata . |
OK 150 |
Kisewah. |
OA oO |
|
|
Bihawana |
10 |
Mafanya |
15 |
Kanyeni . |
40 |
|
Kididimo . |
26 |
Kanyenyi , |
50 |
Sanza |
15 |
|
Pembera Pereh |
30 |
Sanza . |
15 |
Usekke . |
21 |
|
Mizauza . |
22 |
Khonse . |
20 |
Khonko . |
20 |
|
Miikoudoku . |
32 |
Khonko |
20 |
Kiwyeh . |
27 |
|
Kiwyeh |
27 |
||||
|
179 |
197 |
178 |
These cloths are only paid by the up-caravans ; hoes and ivory are generally taken by the return caravans.
Naturally, if the traveller desires to be mulcted of a large sum, he will find the Wagogo ready to receive every shred of cloth he gives them. Mvumi will demand sixty cloths, and will wonder at his own mag- nanimity in asking for such a small number of cloths from a great Musuugu (white man). The traveller, however, will be wise if he permits his chief men to deal with them, after enjoining them to be careful, and not to commit themselves too hastily to any number.
They are, physically and intellectually, the best of the races between Unyamwezi and the sea. Their colour is a rich dark brown. There is something in their frontal aspect which is almost leonine. Their faces are broad and intelligent. Their eyes are large and round. Their noses are flat, and their mouths are very large ; but their lips, though thick, are not so mon- strously thick as those our exaggerated ideal of a negro has. For all this, though the Mgogo is a ferocious man, capable of proceeding to any length upon the slightest
OEOQBAPEIOAL AND ETENOGBAPHICAL REMARKS. 251
temptation, he is an attractive figure to a white traveller. He is proud of his chief, proud of his country, sterile and unloveable though it be ; lie is proud of himself, his prowess, his weapons, and his belongings; he is vain, terribly egotistic, a bully, and a tyrant, yet the Mgogo is capable of forming friend- ships, and of exerting himself for friendship s sake. One grand vice in his character, which places him in a hostile light to travellers, is his exceeding avarice, and greed for riches ; and if the traveller suffers by this, he is not likely to be amiably disposed towards him.
This sturdy native, with his rich complexion, his lion front, menacing aspect, bullying nature, haughty, proud, overbearing, and quarrelsome, is a mere child with a man who will devote himself to the study of his nature, and not offend his vanity. He is easily amused, as his curiosity is easily aroused. A traveller with an angular disposition is sure to quarrel with him ; but in presence of this rude child of nature, especially when he is so powerful, it is to his advantage and personal safety to soften these angles of his own nature. The Kigogo " Rob Roy " is on his native ground, and has a decided advantage over the white foreigner. He is not brave, but he is at least conscious of the traveller's weakness, and he is disposed to take advantage of it, but is prevented from committing an act because it is for his interest to keep the peace. Any violence to a traveller would close the road ; caravans would seek other ways, and the chiefs would be deprived of much of their revenue.
The Mgogo warrior carries as his weapons a bow, and a sheaf of murderous-looking arrows, pointed, pronged, and barbed ; a couple of light, beautifully- made assegais, a broad sword-like spear, with a blade
252
HOW 1 FOUND LI FINOS TONE,
over two feet long ; a battle-axe, and a rungu, or knob- club. He has also a shield, painted with designs in black and white, oval-shaped, sometimes of rhinoceros, or elephant, or bull-hide. From the time he was a toddling urchin he has been familiar with his weapons, and by the time he was fifteen years old he was an adept with them.
He is armed for battle in a very short time. The messenger from the chief darts from village to village and blows his ox-horn, the signal for war. The warrior hears it, throws his hoe over his shoulder, enters his house, and in a few seconds issues out again, arrayed in war paint, and full fighting costume. Feathers of the ostrich, or the eagle, or the vulture, nod above his head ; his long crimson robe streams behind him, his shield is on his left arm, his darting assegai in his left hand, and his ponderous man-<;leaver — double-edged and pointed, heading a strong staff — is in his right hand ; jingling bells are tied around his ancles and knees ; ivory wristlets are on his arms, with which 'he sounds his approach. With the plodding peasant's hoe he has dropped the peasant's garb, and is now the proud, vain, exultant warrior — bounding aloft like a gymnast, eagerly sniffing the battle-field.
The strength and power of the Wagogo are derived from their numbers. Though caravans of Wagogo sometimes are found passing up and down along the Unyamw^ezi road, they are not so generally employed as the NVanyamwezi in trade. Their villages are thus always full of warriors. Weak tribes, or remnants of tribes, are very glad to be admitted under their pro- tection. Individuals of other tribes, also, who have been obliged to exile themselves from their own tribes, for some deed of violence, are often found in the
*
GEOGBAPEICAL AND ETHXOGRAPHICAL REMARKS. 253
villages of the Wagogo. In the north, the "Wahumba are very numerous; in tlie south may be found the Wahehe and Wakinibu, and in the east may be found many a family from Usagara. Wanyamwezi are also frequently found in this country. Indeed these latter people are like Scotchmen, they may be found almost everywhere throughout Central Africa, and have a knack of ptishing themselves into prominence.
As in Western Usagara the houses of the Wagogo are square, arranged around the four sides of an area — to which all the doors open. The roofs are all fiat,
DIRD's-EYK VlliW OF A TIOMBE.
on Avliicli are spread the grain, lierbs, tobacco, and pumpkins. The back of each apartment is })ierced with small holes for observation and for defence.
The tenibe is a fragile affair as constructed inUgogo; it merely consists of a line of slender sticks daubed over with mud, with three or four strong poles planted
254
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
at intervals to support the beams and rafters on which rests the flat clay roof. A musket-ball pierces the wattled walls of a Kigogo tembe through and through. In Uyanzi the tembe is a formidable affair, because of the abundance of fine trees, which are cut down and split into rails three or four inches thick.
The tembe is divided into apartments, separated from each other by a wattled wall. Each apartment may contain a family of grown-up boys and girls, who form their beds on the floor out of dressed hides. The father of the family, only, has a kitanda, or fixed cot made of oxhide stretched over a frame, or of the bark of the myombo tree. The floor is of tamped mud, and is exceedingly filthy, smelling strongly of every abomina- . tion. In the corners, suspended to the rafters, are the fine airy dwellings of black spiders of very large size, and other monstrous insects.
Rats, a peculiarly long-headed, dun-colored species, infest every tembe. Cows, goats, sheep, and cats are the only domestic animals permitted to dwell within the tembe. The dogs (the pariah breed) lodge outside with the cattle.
The Wagogo believe in the existence of a god, or sky spirit, whom they call Mulungu. Their prayers are gene- rally directed to him, when their parents die. A Mgogo, after he has consigned his father to the grave, collects his father's chattels together, his cloth, his ivory, his knife, his jembe (lioe), his bows and arrows, his spears, and his cattle, and kneels before them repeating a wish that Mu- lungu would increase his worldly wealth, that he would bless his labours, and make him successful in trade.
The following conversation occurred between myself and a Mgogo trader :
" Who do you suppose made your parents?"
*' Why, Mulun-gu, white man !"
•
OEOGRAPHICAL AND ETENOQRAPEICAL EEMARKS. 255
" "Well, who made vou ?"
" If God made my father, God made me, didn't he?"
" That's very good. Where do you suppose your father is gone to, now that he is dead ?"
" The dead die," said he, solemnly : " they are no more. The sultan dies, he becomes nothing — he is then no better than a dead dog, he is finished, his words are finished — there are no wofds from him. It is true," he added, seeing a smile on ray face, " the sultan becomes nothing. He who says other words is a liar. There !"
" But then he is a very great man, is he not ?"
" While he lives only — after death he goes into the pit, and there is no more to be said of him than of any • other man."
" How do you bury a Mgogo ?"
" His legs are tied together, his right arm to his body, and his left is put under his head. He is then rolled on his left side in the grave. His cloth he wore during his life is spread over him. We put the earth over him, and put thorn bushes over it to prevent the fizi (hyaena) from getting at him. A woman is put on her right side in a grave apart from the man.''
" What do you do with the sultan when he is dead ? "
"We bury him too, of course, only he is buried in the middle of the villao-e, and we build a house over it. Each time they kill an ox, they kill before his grave. When the old sultan dies, the new one calls for an ox, and kills it before his grave, calling on Mulungu to witness that he is the rightful sultan. He then distributes the meat in his father's name."
" Who succeeds the sultan. Is he the eldest son ?"
" Yes, if he has a son ; if childless, the great chief next to him in rank. The msagira is the next to the sultan, whose business it is to hear the cause of
♦
266 HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
complaint and convey it to the sultan, who, through the sultan, dispenses justice ; he receives the honga, carries it to the mtemi (sultan), places it before him, and when the sultan has taken what he wishes, the rest goes to the msagira. The chiefs are called manya-para ; the msagira is the chief manya-para."
" How do the "Wagogo marry ?"
" Oh, they buy their women."
" "What is a woman worth ?"
" A very poor man can buy his wdfe from her father for a couple of goats."
" How much has the sultan got to pay?"
" He has got to pay about one hundred goats, or so many cows, so many sheep and goats, to his bride's father. Of course he is a chief. The sultan would not buy a common woman. The father's consent is to be obtained, and the cattle have to be given up. It takes many days to finish the talk about it. All the family and friends of the bride have to talk about it before she leaves her father's house."
" In cases of murder, what do you do to the man who kills another ?"
" The murderer has to pay fifty cows. If he is too poor to pay, the sultan gives his permission to the murdered man's friends or relatives to kill him. If they catch him, they tie him to a tree, and throw spears at him — one at a time first : they then spring on him, cut his bead off, then his arms, and limbs, and scatter them about the countr}-."
How do you punish a thief?"
" If he is found stealing, lie is killed at once, and nothing is said about it. Is he not a thief?"
" But suppose you do not know who the thief is?"
" If a man is brought before us accused of stealing,
OEOGRAPEICAL AND ETHNOGRAPHICAL REMARKS. 257
we kill a chicken. If the entrails are white, he is innocent — if yellow, lie is guilty."
*' Do you believe in witchcraft ?"
*' Of course we do, and punish the man with death if he bewitches cattle, or stops rain."
Next to Ugogo is Uyanzi, or the " Magunda IVIkali " — the Hot Field. In former days before the Magunda Mkali was inhabited by emigrants from Ukimbu, carriers complained of the excessive heat and thirst they suffered during its transit. Water was scarce on the route they adopted, and the all-day marches were frequent : hence it was termed by the "Wanyamwezi pagazis the "Hot Field."
Uyanzi, or Magunda Mkali, is at present veiy populous. Along the northern route — that leading vid Munieka — water is plentiful enough, villages are frequent, and travellers begin to perceive that the title is inappropriate. The people who inhabit the country are Wakimbu from the south. They are good agricul- turists, and are a most industrious race. They are some- thing like the Wasagara in appearance, but do not obtain a very high reputation for bravery. Their weapons consist of light spears, bows and arrows, and battle-axes. Their tembes are strongly' made, showing considerable skill in the art of defensive constructions. Their bomas are so well made, that one would require cannon to effect an entrance, if the villages were at all defended. They are skilful also in constructing traps for elephants and buffaloes. A stray lion or leopard is sometimes caught by them.
After marching through Magimda Mkali, we come to Unyamwezi, or the Land of the Moon ; but I shall leave a description of the people inhabiting this in- teresting district to a future chapter.
B
VIEW IN FEONT OF 51Y TUMBE.
CHAPTEE VIII.
LIFE IN UNTANYEMBB.
I RECEIVED a noiseless ovation as I walked side hj side with the governor, Sayd bin Salim, towards his tembe in Kwilvuru, or the cai)ital. The Wanyam- wezi pagazis were out by hundreds, the warriors of Mkasiwa, the sultan, hovered around their chief, the children — naked dusky cherubs — were seen between the legs of tlieir parents, even infants, a few months old, slung over their mothers' backs, all paid the tribute due to my color, 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 w^as at tlie north-western corner of the inclosure, a stockaded boma of Kwikuru.
JuxE, ]8:i.] LIFE IN UNTANTEMBE. 259
"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 hetb, 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 ?"
" Nghema — good — go on, master." Then began the questions, the gossipy, curious, serious, hght 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.
s 2
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HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
" 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 AYagogo ?"
" 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 that came here, and
Spiki r
"Hajji Abdullah! What Hajji Abdullah? Ah! Sheikh Burton we call him. Oh, he is a great man now ; a balyuz, at El Scham."
" Heh-heh ; balyuz ! Heh, at El Scham ! Is not that near Betlem el Kudis ?"
" Yes, about four days. Spiki is dead. He shot him- self by accident."
"Ah, ah. Wallah (by Grod), 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, and the other man, Grant, 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 Unyan- yembe ? 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
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LIFE IN UNYANYEMBE.
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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 and G-rant lived at Musa ]\Izuri'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 west- , ward 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 color 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 flat 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 color, or of food without
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EOW 1 FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
taste ; and if one looked up, there was a skj 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, (fee. ;" so Sheikh Sayd talked, as he showed me the several places.
On my honor, it was a most comfortable place, this, in Central Africa. One could almost wax poetic, but we will keep such ambitious ideas for a J'uture 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
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LIFE IN UNYANYEMBE.
263
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 afiything. 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 mis- fortunes 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, witli a bowlful of curried cliicken, another with a dozen huge wheaten cakes, another with a plateful of smoking hot crullers, another with papaws, another with pome- granates and lemons ; after these came men driving five fat hump-backed oxen, eight sheep, and ten goats, and another man came with a dozen chickens, and a
264
EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 "New York Herald Expedition " in tlie 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 tefnbes, and one may safely estimate the population, Arabs, Wangwana, and natives, at five thousand people. Between Tabora and the next settlement, Kwihara, rise two nigged hill ridges, separated from each other by a low saddle, over the top of which Tabora is always visible from Kwihara.
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 re- tinue with him. At Tabora they live quite luxuriously. The plain on which the settlement is situated is exceed- ingly 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 every- where, sweet potatoes, yams, muhogo, holcus sorghum, maize, or Indian corn, sesame, millet, field peas, or * There is no such rccoguiscd place as Kazoh.
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LIFE IN UNYANTEMBE.
265
vetches, called clioroko, are cheap, and always pro- curable. 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, cliilies, cucumbers, tomatoes, and binijalls, may be procured by the white visitor from the more important Arabs, who are un- doubted 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. Aloio^t 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 Inass 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. Each Arab, according to his means, maintains a troop of concubines, for the pruriency of his animal nature must be gratified here as in the " City of Victory." The eye that at first despised the unclassic face of the black woman of Africa soon loses its regard for fine lines and mellow pale color ; it finds itself ere long lingering wantonly over the inharmonious and heavy curves of a negroid form, and looking lovingly on the broad, unintellectual face, and into jet eyes that never flash with the dazzling , lovelight that makes poor humanity beautiful.
The Arabs who now stood before the front door of my temhe were the donors of the good things received the day before. As in duty bound, of course,
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HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
I greeted Sheikli Sayd first, then Sheikh bin Nasib, his Highness of Zanzibar's consul at Karagwa, then I greeted the noblest Trojan amongst the Arab popula- tion, noblest in bearing, noblest in courage and mjinly 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 ^lussoud, 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 them- selves, 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 terabe, es- corted 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 Ta- bora, the plain on which the Arab settlement is situated, lay before us, one expanse of dun pasture land, stretch- ing from the base of 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 a'h hour we were seated on
June, 1871,]
LIFE IN VNYANIEMBE.
2G7
the mud veranda of the tembe of Sultan bin Ali, who, because of his age, his wealth, and position — being a colonel in Syed Burghash's unlpvely 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 — Selira, my Arab interpreter, forming one of the number.
Khamis bin Abdullah, a bold and brave man, ever ready to stand up for the privileges of the Arabs, and their riglits to pass through any countries for legitimate trade, is the man ^vho, 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 wai's 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
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SOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
what means they step into power. TVhen the chief of Uyoweh died, Mirambo, who was head of a gang of robbers infesting the forests of Wilyanknru, suddenly entered Uyoweh, and constituted himself lord para- mount 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 TJgara to TJkonongo, through Usagozi to the borders of Uvinza, and after destroying the populations over three degrees of latitude, be 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 Unyan- yembe, 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.
June, 1871.] LIFE IN UNTANTEMBE. 269
" This is the status of affairs," said Khamis bin Ab- dullah. " 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 oiir 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 througli the country from Bagamoyo to Ujiji, and from Kilwa to Lunda, and from Usenga to Uganda armed with canes. Tliose days are gone by. TVe have stood the insolence of the Wag(%o long enough. Swaniru 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
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HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 Soud'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 cara- van 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 wQre 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 len^bnade, dishes of gum-drops and ^Nluscat 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.
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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, lie 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 Unyan- yembe, 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 Liyingstone caravan, which readers must remember I said started off in a fright upon the mefe rumour that Kirk, the English "balyuz," was coming. As all the caravans were now
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halted at Unyanyembe because of the now approaching war, I suggested to Sayd bin Sahm, 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. Of course since Dr. Kirk had never asked me or authorized me to take charge of Living- stone's goods, I could not interfere with the governor or the caravan. Fortunately 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."
Here was the best evidence in the world that the letters were sealed up in that packet on the date men- tioned on the bag. From November 1st, 1870, to February 10th, 1871, just one hundred days, at Baga- moyo ! 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 may be suffering for want of these very supplies that have been detained so long within easy reach of the British Consulate, and will be detained here in Unyanyembe, now, God knows how long ! The caravan arrived in Unyanyembe sometime about the middle of May. About the latter part of May the
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first disturbances took place. Had tins caravan arrived here in the middle of March, or even the middle of April, they might have travelled on to Ujiji without trouble.
I asked Asmani :
" When did you see Dr. Kirk last ?"
" About five or six weeks before the Ramadan."
" "When did you get this packet of letters ? "
*' The dav before I left Zanzibar for Ba^amovo.''
" Did you not see him at Bagamoyo, when he came to shoot near the Kingani ? "
" Xo, we heard he was coming, and we left. "We heard he had been there. Two days from Kikoka we stopped a week, to wait for four men of the escorting party Avho had not yet started from Bagamoyo.
On the 7th of July, about 2 p.m., I was sitting on the burzani as usual ; I felt listless and languid, and a drowsi- ness 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 tran.sition 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 !
T
2;4
BOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 Mississippi, I floated down, down, hundreds of miles, with a wild fraternity of knurly giants, the boatmen of the Missis- sippi, and how a dear old man welcomed me back, as '\i from the grave. 1 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 n^e to hear after ray 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 ! ****** Pear 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 oi 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 n\y being informed that I had been two weeks sick, and as the day I recovered my
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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. That Shaw had lost his reckoning also can easily be accounted for, for the fever was rapidly destroying his memory, and indeed his reason. Selim had attended me, according to directions plainly written, which he had been ordered to follow in case of such a crisis. I had diligently taught him, until he knew every medicine in the chest, and its uses. He told me he had fed me with tea and a little brandy in it ; Shaw had three or four times fed me with sago gruel. 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 re- covered, 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 2nth I had fifty men loaded with bales, beads, and wire, for Ujiji. Wlien they were mustered for the march outside the tembe, the only man absent was Bombay. While men were sent to search for him, others depaa'ted to get one more look, and one more embrace with their black Delilahs. Bom- bay was found sometime about 2 p.m., his foce faithfull}^ 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, Tiothing 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 })Ugnaciou8
T 2
276
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
when I oidered 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 aronnd Bombay's shoulders, as if he were to be anni- hilated. 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 monies, besides his gun, hatchet, and stock of ammunition, and his ugali-pot. We pre- sented 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 seiious gravity or dis- content one half hour longer.
Ulimengo was the first who broke it. He had cou-
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stituted himself the kiraiigozi oi* 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, tlien 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 Wliite Man.
Ough ! Ough ! Chorum. — Ough ! Ough !
Hyah ! Hyah ! Chorus.— B.y?i\i ! Hyah !"
This was the ridiculous song they kept up all day without intermission.
We camped the first day at Bomboraa'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 way
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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. 1 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 stimu- lated 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 ad- ministering 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 : —
Shoikh Sayd bin Salira 25 half castes
„ Khamis bin Abdullali 250 slaves
„ Thani bin Abdullah 80 „
„ Musfioud biu Abdullah .... 75 „
„ AlxhiUali biu Mussoud .... 80 „
„ Ali biu Sayd bin Nasib .... 260 „
August, 1871.] LIFE IN UNYANTEMBE. 279
Shcikli Nasur bin Mussoud 50 slaves
„ Hamed Kimiani 70 „
„ Sheikh Hamdarn 30 „
„ Sayd bin Habib 50 „
„ SalimbinSayf 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 Spring-fields — 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, astro- logers, 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 strong- hold of Mfuto, with each mair.s heart in his moiitli from fear ?
The date of our leaving Mfuto for battle witt
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EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
Mirambo was the 3rd of August. All my goo :1s 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 ham- .mock in the paroxysms of a fierce attack of intermittent fever, whicb did not leave me until late tliat 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 Wan- yam wezi.
At 6 A.M. on tlie 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 :
" AVords ! 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,
August, 1871.] LIFE IN UNTANYEMBE.
281
at 11 A.M. we came in view of it. We halted on the verge of the cultivated area around it and its neign- bours, within the shadow of the forest. Strict orders had heen 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 hop- ping frogs, but the battle w as none the less in earnest. The breech-loaders of my men swallowed my metallic cartridges much faster than I hked to see ; but happily there was a lull in the firing, and w^e 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, jnirsued by the fleetest runners of our force, and pelted in the back by bullets from breech-loaders and shot-guns.
The village was stiongly defended, and not more than twenty dead bodies were found in it, the strong
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thick wooden paling having afforded excellent protec- tion 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 Wilyan- kuru.
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 tlie 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 liim how necessary it was to burn the long grass in the forest of Zimhizo, lest it might hide any of the enemy ; but soon afterwards I had been struck down with another attack of inter- mittent 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
August, 1871.] LIFE IN UN7ANYEMBE.
28£
was told soon afterwards by Selim that more than one half had gone to the attack on Wilyankuru, with Soud bin Sayd.
About G P.M. the entire camp of Zimbizo was elec- trified 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 Ferahari 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 ambusli in the grass, on each side of the road, between TVilyankuru 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, Mir- ambo's men suddenly rose up on each side of them, and stabbed them 'with their spears. The brave Soud had fired his double-barreled gun and shot two men, and was in the Eict of loading again when a spear was launched, which penetrated through and through him : all the other Arabs shared tlie 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 througli 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
28i
now 1 FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
their lamentations, and sometimes might he heard the groans of the wounded who had contrived to crawl through the grass unperceived by the enemy. Fugi- tives 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 com- pletely 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 stag- gered 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. Kliamis 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.
August, 1871.]
LIFE IX UNTANTEUBE.
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Shaw was saddling his donkey with my own saddle, pre- paratory to giving me the slip, and leaving me in the lurdi to the tender mercies of Mirambo. There were only Bombay, Mabruki Speke, Chanda who was coolly eating his dinner, Mabruk Unyanyembe, ^[taraani. Juma, and Sarmian ■ — 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 hoj)e of being able to preserve it to the full and final accom- plishment of my mission. My mind was actively at work planjiing and contriving during the long lonely hours of night, which we employed to reach Mfuto, whither I found the Arabs had retreated. In the nie-ht 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 dark- ness. At midnight we reached Mfuto safely, and were at once admitted into the village, from wliich we had issued so valiantly, but to which we were now retunied 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
286
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
six hours; sturdy Chowpereli, whom I regarded as the faithfulest of my people, had arrived ouly half an hour later than Ulimengo; and frisky Khamisi, the dandy — the orator — the rampant demagogue — yes — be had come third ; and Speke's " Faithfuls " had proved as cowardly as any poor " nigger " of tliem all. Only Selim — the Arab boy from Jerusalem, had proved brave and faithful. Shaw, though an European born, proved he possessed a soul as base and mean as, if not meaner than, that of the negroes.
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."
GROUP OF WANYAMWEZI.
CHAPTER IX. LIFE i.v UNYANYEMBE — {continued).
It never occurred to the Arab magnates tliat I had cause of complaint against them ; it never occurred to tliem that I had a right to feel aggrieved at their conduct, for tlie 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
288
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
war might last a much longer time than I could afford to lose ; and that as they had deserted their wounded on tlie 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 Miramho 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 sliglit cause as you had. By running away, you have invited Mirambo to follow you to Unyanyembe ; you may be sure he will come."
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 isecond day after the flight from Zimbizo, my Expedition, with all the stores and baggage, marched back to Masangi, and on the third day to Kwihara.
The following extracts from the Diary I kept will serve to show better than anything else, my feelings and thoughts about this time, after our disgraceful retreat :
Kwihara. Friday, Wth August, 187'1. — 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
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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 sh'ght 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. Yery 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 beiu<r 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
D
290 • HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
money has been expended, and so much confidence has been placed in me. In fact, I feel I musj 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. AVith 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 lux.uriating upon the best the country affords.
If Livingstone is at. Ujiji, he is now locked up with small means of escape. I maj' consider myself also locked up at Unyanyembe, and I suppose cannot go to Ujiji until this war with Mirambo is settled. Living- stone 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 be 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 Urungu,
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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 Lieraba 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 Ubissa, thence to Uemba, thence to Urungu. Livingstone wore a cap. He had a breech-loadino- 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 sea-coast. 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 doaie 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 AVasngara, possessing some superstitious notions respecting the dead, had ordered Jako to take the body out for burial, that
202 DOW I FOUXD LIVINGSTONE.
Jako, not being able to carry it, bad dragged tbe bodj tx) tbe jungle, and tbere left it naked without the slightest covering of earth, or anything else.
There is one of us gone, Sbaw, my boy ! Who ■^ ill be the next ?" I remarked that night to my companion.
August 14:th. — "Wrote some letters to Zanzibar. Shaw was taken very ill last night, whether of fever or what, I do not know. I do not think it is the fever. I suspect it is a fierce attack of a venereal affection. I have no medicines for this disease. So I have sent three soldiers to Zanzibar for them, having bribed them to haste, with a promise of $50 each.
August 19tk. Saturday. — ^ly 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 Sahm, the commander-in- chief of the Arab settlements.
AugUrSt list. 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 2 Ind. — 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 tbe front door facing Tabora, we heard considerable volleying, and scattered firing, plainly ; and ascending to tbe top of my tembe, I saw with my glassts the smoke of the guns. Some of my men who were sent on to ascertain tbe cause came running back with the information that Mirambo had attacked Tabora with over two thousand men, and that a. force of over one
August, 1871.]
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tliousand "VVatuta, 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 wliich 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 prote'ge, Khamis, Mohammed bin Abdullah, Ibrahim bin Eashid, and Sayf, the son of AK, 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 not 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 Kliamis 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
294
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
of a dead friend, asked to be allowed to be liis gim- bearer ; Mohammed bin Abdullah, Ibrahim bin Rasliid, 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 over- taking 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
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the stomach and abdomen, the genital organs, 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 loop- holes 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 AVangwana 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 sup})Osed 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 to God he will come, and if he comes within range of an American rifle, I ^hall see what virtue lies in American lead.
Auymt 23rd. — We have passed a very anxious day in
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now 1 FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
the valley of Kwiliara. Our eyes were constantly directed towards unfortunate Tabora. It has been said that three tenibes 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, and, without boasting, I do not think that 10,000 Africans could take it, though a body of 400 or 500 Europeans might easily do it, unassisted by cannon ; with cannon 50 Europeans could easily take the place. 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 Living- stone's either, for I shall burn the whole house, and everything in it ; that's my idea. But what in the name of everything will become of Shaw ? In such a crisis nobody would carry him.
August 2^Wi. — The American flag is still waving
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above my house, and the Arabs are still in Unyan- yembe.
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 peo{)le 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 very 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 oflScer, 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 philo- soplier 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 mo, more like a man moribund, than one possessing all the means of defence and offence.
298
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 a bellyful of fighting.
Kwihara is once more restored to a peaceful aspect, and fugitives no longer throng its narrow limits in fear and despair.
August 21th. — Mirambo retreated during the night; and \vhen 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 Un- yanyembe 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." I have lost all my respect for them.
Meanwhile, with poor success, however, perceiving the impossibility of procuring Wanyamwezi pagazis,
August, 1871.] LIFE IN UNYANYEMBE. • 299
I am hiring the Wangwana renegades living in Unyanyeinbe to proceed with me to Ujiji, at treble prices. Each man is ofifered 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 port- manteau.
August 2%th. — No netvs to-day of Mirambo. Shaw is getting strong again.
Sheikh bin Nasib called on me to-day, but, except^ on minor philoi^ophy, 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 deter- mination.
August 1%th. — 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 is decision. 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 liis son has fallen in the forest of Wilyankuru.
Shaw is improving fast. I am unsuccessful as
300
now I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 cliange 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 cnred about fixdixg 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 !"
Bah ! Bah \ I was talking to a lifeless mummy. His eyes lit up a little, but the light that shone in them
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shortly faded, and died. I was quite disheartened. I made some strong pmich, to pnt 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 miserable infirmities. Don't breathe in my face, man, as if you were about to die. Leave off this pantomime. You are not sick, dear fellow ; it is only ennui you are feeling. Look at Selim there. Now, I will bet any amoimt, that he will not die ; that I will carry him home safe to his friends at Jerusalem ! I will carry you home also, if you will let me !"
Piff-puff at his nasty pipe. Hear him breathe ! You would think he was dying ; but he is not even sick. He told me, only the other day, that he knew every trick of old sea-salts, when they wished to shirk duty at sea. I am sure he is practising a trick on me. 'This intermittent fever ! I know every stage of it ; and I feel convinced he has not got it.
Of one thing I feel sure, that if I took a stick I could take the nonsense out of him.
September \st. — 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 free- men 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 3rc?. — 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 !
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now I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 4:th. — 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 ; Bilali has a strange disease, an ulcer or some- thing, rear-ward ; Sadala has the Mukunguru (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 Euga-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
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made, to prevent the eartli from falling over the bodj. 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 over 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.
Septemher Itlt — An Arab named Mohammed pre- sented me to-day with a little boy slave, called "Ndugu M'hali " (my brothers wealth). As I did not Jilte 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 " Ng.ombe " (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 w^ell. Ulimengo, however after looking at his quick eyes, and noting his celerity of movement, pronounced the name Ka-lu-lu as the best for him, "because," said he, "just look at his eyes, so bright ! look at his form, so slim ! watch his move- ments, how quick ! Yes, Kalulu is his name." " Yes, bana," said the others, " let it be Kalulu."
"Kalnlu" is a Ki.saAvahili 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.
now I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
The Expedition is increasing in numbers ; it is now composed of :
2 white men. 1 Arab boj. 1 Hindi. 29 Wangwana. 1 boy from Londa (Cazembes). 1 boy from Uganda. 1 boy from Liemba, or Uwemba.
"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 honor 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 dth. — Mirambo was defeated with severe loss yesterday, in his attack upon Mfuto. He was successful in an assault he made upon a small "Wanyam- wezi 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 fiying from the field.
The heads of his chief men slain in the attack were brought to Kwikuru, the boma of Mkasiwa.
Septembtr lUh. — Shaw is a sentimental driveller,
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with a large share of the principles of Joseph Surface within his nature. He is able at times to kindle into an eloquent rant about the vices of mankind, particularly those of rich people. His philippics on tliis topic deserved a better audience than I furnished him.
He has a habit of being self-absorbed — is an oddity quite the reverse of Jack Bunsby. Instead of looking towards the horizon, he regards the ground at his feet with a look which seems to say, there is something wrong somewhere, and I am trying to find out where it can be, and how to rectify it.
He told me to-day his father had been a captain in Her Majesty's navy, that he had been present at four levees of Queen Victoria. This can hardly be, liowever, as I cannot imagine a naval captain's son being so ignorant of penmanship as scarcely to be able to write his own name, nor can I see how it is possible that he could have been presented to the Queen, for I have always understood that the Court of St. James's is the most aristocratic in Europe.
He is very angry, though, with me, because I laugh at him, and has just opened a sentimental battery on me which makes mc almost cry out with vexation that I encumbered myself with such a fool.
September \Ath. — The Arab boy Selim is delirious from constant fevers. Shaw is sick again, or pretends to be. These two occupy most of my time. I am turned into a regular nurse, for 1 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 up- setting cooked dainties, until I get so exasperated that my peace of mind is broken completely for a full hour
X
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EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
If I ask Ferajji, my now formally constituted cook, to assist, bis thick wooden head fails to receive an idea, and I am thus obliged to play the part of chef de cuisine.
September I5th. — 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, imtil nine A.M. this morning, my soldiers danced and sang to the manes 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 IGth. — 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 con- siderably over six feet without shoes, and has shoulders broad enough for two ordinary men.
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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 slaugh- ';ered 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 hun- dred 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 par- took 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 I9ih. — I had a slight attack of fever to-day, which has postponed our departure. Selim and Shaw are both recovered. Selim tells me that Shaw has said that I would die like a donkey ; and that he said he would take charge of my journals, and trunks, and proceed to the coast immediately, if I die. This afternoon, he is stated to have said that he does not intend to go to Ujiji, but that when I am gone, he will stock the yard full of chickens, in order to be able to get fresh eggs every day, and that .he will buy a cow, from which he will be able to procure fresh milk daily.
At night Shaw came to me while the fever was at its height, to ask me to whom I would like to have him write, in ca.se I should die, because, said he, even the strongest of us may die. I told him to go and mind his own business, and not be croaking near me.
About 8 P.M. Sheik bin Nasib came to me imploring me not to go away to-morrow, because I was so sick.
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HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
Tliani 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 Syed Burghash to tell him how obstinate I am, and that I am determined to be killed. This was a parting shot.
About flO P.M. the fever had gone. All were asleep in the tembe but myself, and an unutterable lone- liness came on me as I reflected on my position, and my intentions, and felt the utter lack of sympathy with me in all around. Even my own white assistant, with whom I had striven hard, was less sympathizing than my little black boy Kalulu. It requires more nerve than I possess, to dispel all the dark pre- sentiments 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 tlieir war with Mirambo ! If they think so, they are much mistaken, for I have taken a solemn, euduri)'g
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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 hope- fulness 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 one's self — 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, un- exaggerated, in their literality and entirety, precisely as 1 conceived them at the time they happened. They speak of fevers without number to myself and 'nen, without entering into any diagnosis of or disquisition upon them; they relate our dangers, and little joys, our annoyances and our pleasures, as they occurred.
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EOW J FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
CHAPTER X.
TO MRERA, UKONONGO.
Untamwezi. From Kwiliara to — Mkwenkwe Inesuka . Kasegera Kigandu . Ugunda . Benta Kikuru Ziwani . Manyara .
h. m.
1 30
2 0
3 0
2 45 7 0
3 15
5 0
4 0
6 30
TJkonongo, From Manyara to — Gombe Eiver Ziwani Tongoni Camp Marefu Utende Mtoni Mwaru Mrera
m, 15 20 30 15
0 15
0 15 13
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 com- mence the march to TJjiji 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
Sept. 1871.]
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311
Sheikh bin Nasib that a wliite 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 oflf — 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 fol- lows : — _
1. John William Shaw, London, England.
2. Selim Heshmy, Jerusalem, Palestine.
3. Seedy MLarak Mombay, Zanzibar.
4. Mabruki Speke, ditto.
5. Ulimengo, ditto.
6. Ambari, ditto.
7. Uledi, ditto.
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HOW I FOUND LIVINQSTONE.
8. Asmani, Zanzibar.
9. Sarmian, 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, Unyanyembc!.
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, ditto, Tabora.
37. Jumah, Zanzibar.
38. Maganga, Mkwenkwe. 30. Muccadum, Tabora.
40. Dasturi, ditto.
41. Tumayona, Ujiji.
Sept. 1871.] TO MREBA, UKONONGO.
313
42. Mparamoto, Ujiji.
43. Wakiri, ditto.
44. Mufn, ditto.
45. Mpepo, ditto.
46. Kapingu, ditto.
47. Mashishanga, ditto.
48. Muheruka, ditto.
49. Missossi, ditto.
50. Tufura Byah, ditto.
51. Majwara (boy), Uganda.
52. Belali (boy), Uemba.
53. Kalulu (boy), Limda.
54. Abdul Kader (tailor), Malabar. •
These are the men and boys whom I had selected to be crowned as Immortals, whom I had chosen to be my companions on the apparently useless mission of seek- ing 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, Bf)ml)ay, 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 ?"
314
HOW I FOUND LWINQSTONE.
" Silence, sir." " Oh ! all right."
" What is the matter with you, Bombay ?" " Oh, nuffin."
As I saw he was in a humor 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 humor to be balked by anything that might turn up, the consequence was, that I was obliged to thrash Bombay with my dog-whip, 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 Expe- dition had filed round the western end of my tembe along the road to Uguuda.
Sept. 1871.]
TO MREBA, UKONONGO.
315
" 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 niglit, as you know, that the fever left me. Don't back out, man, 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, bana," 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 ou, 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 tl)e south, followed by my four young gun-bearers, Selim, Kalulu, Majwara, and Bebli.
Before we had gone five hundred yards the wild Kinyamwezi donkey, probed behind by sly Mabruki, lifted up his heels, and John Shaw, never a very good rider, measured his length on the ground near a thorn- bush. Shaw screamed,- and we all ran up to assist him.
" What is it, my dear fellow ?" I asked. " Are you hurt ?"
" Oh dear, oh dear ! Let me go back, please, Mr. Stanley."
" Why ? Because you have had a fall from a donkey ? Come, pluck up courage, man. I should be so sorry to have to say you backed out. In four or five days you
316
HOW I FOUND LIVIBG STONE.
will be laughing at this little mishap. Mostly all people feel a little downhearted when they leave a pleasant place. Get on your donkey again, old fellow. Say you will go — that's the ticket."
"We assisted him once more ; but I was all the time wondering, nevertheless, if it were not much better to send him back, rather than carry an unwilling man almost by force with me over the hundreds of miles that must lie between me and Ujiji. What if he died on the road ! Perhaps he really is sick ! No, he is not — he is only pretending ! But I confess that, had I been assured that I would not be laughed at by the Arabs, I would have sent him back there and then.
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 Speke believed we should. Selim was glad to leave Unyanyembe, where he had suifered 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 Kwi- hara, 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.
Sept. 1871.]
TO MRERA, UKOXOXGO.
317
It was a question with them whether I should continue the march. Mostly all were of the opinion that, since the master was sick, there would be no march. A super- lative 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. Livinsrstone'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 Xasib 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 re- turned with a strong chain, capable of imprisoning within the collars attaclied 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 accompanpng 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 ammu- nition, and then ran away. I would not put any one this time in chains ; but whoever deserted after this day I phould halt, and not continue the march till I found him, after which he should marcli to Ujiji with the slave-chain round his neck. " Do you hear ?" — " Yes," was the answer. " Do you understand ?" — " Yes."
318
now I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
We broke up camp at 6 p.m., and took the road for Inesiika, at whicti 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 with- out 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 humor, their services were rewarded with a fine cloth each.
On the following morning another carrier had ab- sconded, 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 redoubte'd 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 in- terior 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 with vomiting, looseness, and
Sept. 1871.]
TO MREHA, UKONONGO.
319
constant discharge of worms. 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 attack ; and Shaw tumbled twice off the animal he was riding, and required an infinite amount of coaxing to mount again. Yerily, my Expedition was pursue^ 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. Sylph-like damsels looked up to the youth- ful heroes with intensest admiration oh 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 Zan- zibar ; 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 1 are by this time well acquainted.
820
BOW J FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 runiling 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. This little by-play of Mr. Shaw's was getting too frequent. So, as the men rushed to assist him, I ordered them to leave him alone. 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 Unyanyembc, is to dip: ! Should you happen to fall sick in Kwihara who knows how to administer medicine to you? Supposing you are delirious, how can any of my soldiers know what you
Skpt. 1871.] TO MREEA, UKOXONGO.
321
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 Avere divine melodies. The last tune played before retiring was "Home, sweet Home ;" and I fancy that before it ended we had mutually softened' towards each other. •
The morning of the 27th we w^ere all up early. There was considerable vis in our movements. A % long, long march lay before us that day ; but tlieu 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
322
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
towards the north ; while we filed off to the south, with quicker and more elastic steps, as jf we felt an incubus liad 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 l eceded 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, foliaged globes, or parachutes, green, brown, or sere in color, 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 in- distinct 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 tins 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 ever-sameness of such scenes. Carlyle, somewhere in his writings, says, that though the Vatican is great, it is but the chi}j 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 gioves seen in other great cities, that, though the Windsor and the New Forests may be very fine and noble in England,
Sept. 1871.]
TO ME ERA, UKONOXGO.
323
yet they are but faggots of sticks compared to these eternal forests of Unyamwezi.
"We marched three hours and then halted for refresh- ments. 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 Unya- nyembe. 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 beea erected at intervals above the palisade^witli miniature embrasures in the timber, for tlie niusRts 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 pro- tection for the mahi 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 obstnictions are cleared, and the besieged are thus warned by sharp-eyed watchers to be i)repared 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 lieen congratulating themselves ever since, upon having driven away the boldest marauder that Unyamwezi has seen for generations.
324
HOW 1 FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
The Waguuda have about three thousand square acres under cultivation around their principal village, and this area suffices to produce sufficient grain not onlj 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 Mnygim- wezi 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 iv^ory regions south ; but I could not induce a soul to follow me, so great was their fear of Mirambo and his Ruga-Ruga. They were also full of rumors of wars^iead. 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 baud 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 clear- ings 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 after- wards 1 found, on my return, that he had given up the idea of proceeding south. Leaving Kisari, we marched
Sept. 1871.]
TO MIIERA, UKONONQO.
325
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. direc- tion, we reached Kikuru. Tlie march lasted for five hours over sun-cracked plains, growing the black jack, and ebony, and dwarf slirubs, above which numerous ant-liills of light chalky-colored earth appeared like sand dunes.
The mukunguru, a Kisawahili term for fever, is fre- quent 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 pro- strate trunks may be seen numberless insects of various 8j)ecies. Impalpably, however, the poison of the dead and decaying vegetation is inhaled into the system
326
EOW I FOUND LIViyGSTOSE.
•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, colored almost to blackness ; even the teeth become ytllow, and are coated with an offensive matter. The eyes of the patient sparkle lustrously, and become sufiused with water. These are sure symptoms of the incipient fever which shortly will rage through the system, laying the sufferer prostrate and quivering with agony.
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 unusually 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 aches, 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 sufiering man, float in a seeth- ing 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
Oct. 1871.]
TO MRERA, UKONONOO.
327
delirious dream, only, however, to glide again uncon- sciously into another dream-land where another unreal inferno is dioramically revealed, and new agonies suf- fered. 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 phantiismagoria of diabolisms induce ! The utmost pa- tience 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 ap[)ears charming ; in the dead woods and monotonous forest his mind becomes overwhelmed with delight. I speak for myself, as a careful aualysation 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 exagge- rated pictures that were presented to me — even while suffering the paroxysms induced by fever.
We arrived at a large pool, known as the Ziwatii, after a four hours' march in a S.S.W. direction, the 1st of October. We discovered an old half-burnt khaml)i, sliellered by a magnificent mkuyu (sycamore), the giant of the forests of Unyamwezi, which after an hour we transformed into a splendid camp.
328
EOW 1 FOUND LirimSTONB.
If I recollect rightly, the stem of the tree measured thirty-eight feet iu 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
GIGANl'IC SYCAMORE, AND CAMP BENEATH IT.
surroundings admiringly. A feeling of comfort and perfect contentment took possession of me, such as L 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 paint-
Oct. 1871.]
TO MEEBA, UKONONQO.
329
ing the sky with the colors of gold and silver, saffron, and opal, when its rays and gorgeous tints were re- flected 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 ahout 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 pf 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 ? — vet 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
330
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
certain satisfaction which would be difficuh 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 ray 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 ?" 0 ! soul of mine, be patient, thou hast a felicitous tranquillity,, which other men might envy thee ! SuflScient 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 Man- yara, 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 stamped and firm" red soil offered no obstructions. The only provo- cation we suflPered 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 tlie 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 bad fallen a victim to that fearful scourge of Africa, tbe 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
Oct. 1871.]
TO MRERA, UKONONOO.
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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 appa- rently 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 vil- lage, near some pools of clear water, where we disco- vered some half dozen ruined huts, which looked very uncomfortable to tired people.
After we had built our camp, the kirangozi was fur- nished 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. lie 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
«
332 EOW I FOUND LIVlisGSTONE.
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 carr}' them to him, with the compli- ments 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 ex- ceedingly 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 every- where." And, indeed, judging from the tenor of the conversations around our <;amp-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. AVhat 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 cho- roko, beans, rice, matama or dourra, and Indian corn,
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carried on tlie 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, an^ 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 obi-erva- tions from the excited man ; and the tiny deadly revolvers, whose beauty and workmanship they thought were superhuman, evoked such gratified eloquence tliat I was fain to try something else. The double-barreled guns fired with heavy charges of powder, caused them to jump up in affected alann, and then to subside
334 HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
to 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 suc- ceeded, 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 tlie 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
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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.
AVe had barely left the waving cornfields of my friend Ma-manyar"a 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 })rospect, with a far-stretching carpet of verdure, darkly flecked here and there by miniature clumps of jungle, with
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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. AYe 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 ante- lope and wild boar, what a foolish waste of energies those long walks througli 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 vfew ! Xo thorny jungles and rank smelling swamps are here to daunt the hunter, and to sicken his aspira- tions after true sport ! No hunter could .aspire after a nobler field to display his prowess.
Having settled the position of the camp, which over- looked one of the pools found in the depression of the Gombe creek, I took my double-bafreled 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 ante- lope bounded upward instinctively, and fell dead. Its
Oct. 1871.]
TO MREBA, UKONOXGO.
companions sprang high into the air, taking leaps about twelve feet in length, as if they were quadrupeds prac- tising 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 nmning 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 neces- sary, 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-bcareis. The tiny perpusiha started up like rabbits from me as I stole along through the underbrush ; the honey-bir(J hopped 'from tree to tree chirping its call, as if it thought 1 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 fiighl witli which both species disai)peared as they sighted my approach. Ali, no! nothing but hartebecst, zebra, giraffe, eland, and bulTalo this day !
z
now I FOUSB LIVIXGSTOSE.
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 Ions: 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 do- main, inhabited with such noble beasts. Here I pos- sessed, 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 1 Mine they were without money and 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 I have a superb animal at my feet. Hurrah I 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 surfiice, 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,
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when my attention was attracted hj 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 liis 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 cm towards them, and, by the aid of a thick clump of under-bush, 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 thera, and note its effect, which, if it betokened any- thing hostile to the Expedition, could without difficulty be settled at once, with the aid of my double-barreled smooth-bore.
As I arrived on one side of this bush, the two suspi- cious-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 pe- trified for a moment, but then, recovering themselve.s, they shrieked out, " Bana, bana, you don't know us. Wo are Wakonongo, who came to your camp to accom- pany you to Mrera, and we are looking for honey."
HOW I FOCSlf LmSGSTOSE.
" Oh, to be eiiie, you are the TTakonongo. Yes — Yes. Ah, it is ^ right now, I thought jon might be Rnga-RngaL"
So the two parties, instead of being on hostile termB with each other, burst oat laughing. The TVakoncmgo enjored it very mnch, and laoghed heartilj as thej proceeded (m their way to search for tilie wQd hone j. On a piece of bark they earned a little fire widi which they anoked the bees ont from their nest in the great mtnnda- trees.
The adventures of the day were over ; the azure of the had dianged to a dead grey; the nHwn was appearing jiKt over the trees ; the water of the G<Naabe was Uke a sQver belt ; hoarse frogs bellowed ibeai notes kmdly bj the margin of the creek; the fish-eagles uttered their diige-like cries as they were perched h%h on the taQest tree ; elands snorted their warning to the herds in the forest; stealthy forms of the carnivora stole throngh the dark woods outside of our camp. Within Idle high indosnre of bosh and diom, which we had raised aromid onr camp, all was jollity, laughter, and radiant, genial ocnofort. Aronnd every camp-fire dark forms of men were seen squatted : one man gnawed at a loscioiis bone ; another sacked the rich marrow in a zebra's leg-bone ; another tamed the stick, garnished with huge kabob^ to the bright blaze ; another held a large rib over a flame ; there were others busy stirring indostrioQsly great black potfols of ngali, and watdiing anxiously the meat smmering, and the soap babbling, while the fire4ight flickered and danced bravely, and cast a bright glow over the naked fisrms 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 aooke mysterioos god ; the fires cast their reflecti<His upon toe
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massive arms of tlie trees, as tliey 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 beast 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 thev 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 tine twisting horns, and a pallah-buck (.1. melamptis), 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 ritles manufoctured by Lancaster, O'Keilly, or Blissctt, wliose every sliot tells. But my weapons,
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BOJr I FOUSD LIViyOhTOXE.
save my light smooth-bore, 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 an^-thins: 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 — Xo. 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 davs 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 the 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 disap- pointed 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 sihirus fish. In the meantime the people had cut, sliced, and dried this bounteous store of meat for our transit throuDfh the longr wilderness before us.
Saturday tlie Tth 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
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one day longer. It was ever the case ; tbey 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 of meat. And Bombay was by no means in the best of humor, 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 kiran- gozi to sound the Lorn, 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 lie had en- gaged to guide me to tlie 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 tlie ground, and the men standing in groups conversing angrily and excitedly.
Taking my double-barrel gun from Selim's shoulder, I selected a dozen charges of buck-shot, and slipping two of theui 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 ad\ anced. 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 ut
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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, accom- panying 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 miglit pay the penalty of his disobedience with death. As I was
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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 Speke say in horror-struck accents :
" Man, how dare you point your gun at the master? " Mabruki then threw himself at my feet, and en- deavoured 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 to the Tanga- nika, without any more noise ; and Inshallah ! " said he, "we shall find the old Musungu at Ujiji."
" 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 yangd ! Hamuna manneno mgini ! " which literally translated meaiis, " 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, liombay was more averse to marching than the cowardliest of his fellows, not because he was cowardly, but because he loved in- dolence, and made a god of his belly. So snatching up a spear, I laid its stalT vigorously on his shoulders, and then sprang upon Ambari, wlK)se mocking i'ace soon underwent a remarkable transformation, and then
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EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
clapped tliem both in chains, with a threat that they •would be kept chained until they knew how to ask my pardon ; and Asmani and Mabruki were told to be cautious not to exhibit their ugly tempers any more, lest they might taste the death they had fortunately escaped.
Again the word was given to march, and each man, with astonishing alacrity, seized his load, and filed off quickly out of sight, Bombay and Arabari in the rear in chains, with Kingaru and Asmani, the deserters, weighted with the heaviest loads.
We had barely travelled an hour from the Gombe before Bombay and Ambari in trembling accents implored my pardon, which I permitted them to con- tinue for half-an-hour longer, when I finally relented, releasing them both from their chains, and restoring the former to his full honors as captain.
"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, ^labruki Speke, 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, Speke, and Grrant, but I am sorry to say he will never be able to have it endorsed by me. " In- carnation of honesty " Burton grandly terms him. The truth is, though, that 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 bliarc than the
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others. He required to be closely watched, and when aware that this was the case, he seld m 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 llegions, 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.
Mabruki, "llas-bukra Mabruki," Bull-headed Mabruki, as Burton calls him, Mabruki Speke, as he was called by us in distinction from other Mabrukis, is a very much abused man in my opinion. Burton and Mabruki had glorious quarrels with each other, so the latter tells me, and if he is to be believed his master did not come off always best. The great traveller used to call to liim in Arabic, and abuse him in the ciioice vocabulary of El Scham. " Ji'ib el haleeb Bil-alek," Mabruki says, used
* I find upon returning to England, that Capt. Burton lias informed tho world of this "wicked and aboniinablo deed," in his book upon Zanzibar, and that tlio interesting collection may bo seen at the lioyal College of SurgeoiLS, London.
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to be told him often ; which means, " Bring the milk,
you ." Well, I am sure I am not sufficiently
up in Syrian Arabic to be able to translate the last word. It' is something awful, I have no doubt, because it still exercises Mabruki considerably. Mabruki says he would like to have a stand-up fight with his former master," but I do not think he would hurt him very much, after all. But Mabruki, though he is 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 superexceilent. 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 a smile on his face, not a kindly kind, but an apologetic, a treacherous smile. He could draw a knife across a man's throat and still smile.
Chowpereh is a sturdy short man of thirty or there- abouts ; 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 faithfullest of all. He is the embodiment of a good follower.
Oct. 1871.]
TO MRERA, UKOXONGO.
Khamisi is a neat, cleanly boy of twenty or there- abouts, 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 looser or if a flint ■will not strike fire, yet 1 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 sufiSciently 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. Not by me, however, for I very seldom quarrel with him, because he has old-womanish ways with him, and in his old-womanish ways 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 have dispensed with Jumah's presence : he was one of the incorrigible inuiilcft, eating far more tlian he was worth ; besides being an excessively grumbling and querulous fool.
Ullmengo, a strong stalwart fellow of thirty, was the maddest and mo.st hare-brained of my i)arty. Tliough an arrant coward, he was a consummate boaster. I>ut though a devotee of pleasure autl fun, lie was nut averse
350
HOW I FOUXD LIVINGSTONE.
from work. "With one hundred men such as lie, I could travel through Africa provided there was no fighting to do. It will be remembered that he was the martial coryphfeus 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 strong- hold 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 dishwasher 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, footy, 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 greasy loin cloth, tlie 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
Oct. 1871.1
TO MRERA, UKOXONGO.
£51
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 Bomhay in Unyoro, and when Spehe 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. j)roduce 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, b}' 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 foces would scowl at us from the interior ; if friendly, they rushed outside of their gates to welcome us, or to exchange friendly r^narks.
The most important member of the Expedition, next to myself, was Selim, the young Arab boy, a Chiistian from Jerusalem. He was educated by good Bishop Gobat, and if all the Arab boys of his school turn out as well as Selim, then Bishop Gobat deserves the highest praise for his noble work. Without Selim I must have perislied at Mfuto ; without Selim I could not have so well obtained the friendshii) of the chief Arabs in the interior ; neither could I have well com-
C52 ^ now I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
municated with them, for though I understood Arabic, I could not speak it. I employed this boy in January 1870 ; since which time he had travelled with me through Southern Russia, the Caucasus, and Persia. In my service he was honest and faithful, if called to the death ; he was without fear, and without reproach ; and I feel while recording these praises of him that they are totally insufficient to convey my sense of the services he rendered to me.
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 con- stantly 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 j^eople warned them that they must proceed to excavate for water. This excavation was performed (by means of strong hard sticks sliarply 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
SKI,IM THK TNTKUrRKTER.
Oct. 1871.]
TO MREBA, UKONONQO.
353
plentiful supply for immediate use, of good and clear water.
In 1 h. 30 m. we arrived at this Tongoni, or de- serted clearing of the Wakamba. Here were three or four villages burnt, and an extensive clearing desolate, tjie work of the Wa-Ruga-Ruga 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 hfematite cropped up above the surface in these forests. Wild fru t began to be abun- dant ; 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 liops to another tree, incessantly repeating his chirruping call. The native, understanding the nature of the little bird, unhesitatingly follows him ; but per- haps his 6.:eps are too slow for the imjsatient caller,
2 A
354
* HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
upon which he flies back, urging with louder, more impatient cries, to hasten, and then darts swiftly for- ward, 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 Magimda 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-Buga- Buga, and their atrocities, and a possible encounter that we might liave with these bold rovers of the forest.
Oct. 1871.]
TO MR ERA, UKONONOO. ^
S65
I verily believe that a sudden onset of half a dozen of Mirambo's people would have set the whole caravan a-running.
We reached Marefu the next day, after a short three hours' march. We there found an embassy sent by the Arabs of TJnyanyembe, to the Southern Watuta, bear- ing 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 ru- mours of wars in his front. It was said that Mbogo, Sultan of Mbogo 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 liave laboured under no fear of meeting Mirambo ; but the report of this war in our front, only two days off, com- pelled me, in the interest of the Expedition, to strike across towards the Tanganika, on a west-by-north course through the forest, travelling, when it was advan- tageous, along elephant tracks and local paths. This new j)lan was adopted after consulting with Asmani,
3o6
SOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
the giiide. "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 esti- mated there were at least six or seven bushels. I ate numbers of the peaches on this day. So long as this fruit cai^ be procured, a traveller in these regions need notfear 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 summit of a little hill, near enough to a plentiful supply of wat«r, 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 the Watcnde. Watchmen were kept on the look-out all night; but we were fortunately not troubled until tlie morning, when a delegation of the principal men came to ask if I intended to depart without having made a present to tlie chief. I replied to them that I did not intend
Oct. 1871.J TO MREItA, UKOKONGO. • 857
passing through any country without making friends with the chiefs ; 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 liours' march, on the 12th of October, brought us to a nullah similar to the Gombe, which, during the wet season, flows to the Gombe Eiver, 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 bouse de vache, 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 deso- lated clearings once occupied by Ka-mirambo's peo])le, but who were driven away by Mkasiwa some ten years ago, during his warfare against Manwa Sera. Niongo, the brother of the latt.M-, now waging war against Mbogo, had pa.-sed through Mwaru tlie day before we arrived, after being defe ited by his enemy.
The hilly ridge that bounded the westward horizon.
358 EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 "TJrua," which 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 Wako- nongo 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 oppor- tunity to distinguish ourselves in battle with the natives. The Wazavira, we were told by the Wako- nongo 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 indi-
Oct. 1871.1 TO MBERA, UKONONGO. 359
cative of conscious might, afiford 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 com- mon 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 three 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 fourth 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.
Tlie 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, whicli 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
360
SOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE
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 unin- habited void in our front, was to be ground and sifted.
VILW IN UVINZA.
CHAPTER XI.
THROUGH UKAWENDI, UVINZA, AND UHHA, 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.
Mtainhu River. . . 4 30
Imrcra . . ... 4 20
Rusawa Mts. ... 2 30
Mtoni 4 0
Mtoni 5 0
Camp in Forest ..60
Camp in Forest . . 5 30
UVINZA.
Welled Nzogera . . 2 30
h. m.
Camp in Forest . . 4 15
Siala on the Malagarazi 2 45 Ihata Island in the
Malagarazi ... 1 30
Eatalambula . . 1 45
UiinA.
Kawanga in Uhha . 5 30 Lukomo „ .10 Kahirigi „ .40 Rusngi River ... 5 0 Lake Musunya ..40 Rugufii River ... 4 30 Sniinzzi „ . . . 3 0 Nianitaga Ukaranga . 9 30
Ujiji. PortofUjjii . 6 0
We bade farewell to Mrera on the ITtli of October, to continue our route north-westward. All the men
362
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 por- tentous 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 inunda- tion. 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 siglit of a nnu-muring trans- lucent stream, swiftly flowing towards the north-west, which we regard with the pleasure which only men who have for a lung time sickened themselves with
Oct. 1871.] UKAWENDI, UVINZA, AND UHHA, TO UJIJl. 363
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 readies as far as tlie Rikwa Plain. The immense prospect before which we are sud- denly 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 Tan- ganika 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 suiface of these great depths of mud were seen hundreds of thin threads of slimy ochre-colored water,
364
EOW J FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
which swarmed with animalculae. Bj-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, spoiigy " river " of Usense, which trends in a south-easterly direction ; after which, gathering the contents of the watercourses from the north and north-east into its own broader channel, it soon becomes a stream of some breadth and conse- quence, 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 Eungwa 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 Unya- mwezi. 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 1 would present him with a token of my friendship in the shape of cloth. Though 1 was rather taken aback
4
♦
Oct. 1871.] UKAWENDI, UVINZA, AND UHJTA, TO UJIJI. 365
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 diffi- culties. 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 ray clothes wet and black with mud and slime. Decency forbade that I should strip, and wade through the sedgy marsh naked ; 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 liave been cruel to compel the men to bear me across. Nothing remained, therefore, but to march on, all encumbered as I was with ray clothing and accoutre- raents, into these several raarshy watercourses, with all the pliilosophical stoicism that ray 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 Waza-
366 HOW J FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
vira, 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 — judg- ing 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 uncom- fortable. I shot three brace of guinea fowl in the neighborhood 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 Wanyaiuwezi 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 SpeUe 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
Oct. 1871.] UKA WENDI, UVINZA, AND UHHA, TO UJIJI. 367
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.
VlLLAGl:: IN UZAVJRA — NATlVli POTTERY.
In the neighboring river one of my men snccceded, in a few minutes, in catching sixty fish of tin; silurus species by the hand alone. A number of birds hovered about the stream, such as the white-headed fish-eagle and the black 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
368
EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
and dense brakes on either side — the home of hun- dreds of antelopes and buffaloes. South of Mpokwa, the valley broadens, and the mountains deflect eastward and westward, and beyond this point commences the ^lain 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 gi'ass 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 saj'S of the place :
" Where the thomy 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 he 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 wlio attended the goats and donkeys, soon after our arrival in camp, drove the animals to water, and in order to obtain it
Oct. 1871.] UKA WENDI, UVINZA, AND UEHA, TO UJIJl. 369
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 la.shed their heels in the air at the feline marauder, as to cause the leopard to bound 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 dan- gerously hurt.
Thinking that possibly I might meet with an adven- ture 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 car- nivorous 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 for- ward to meet us, and I took a special delight in pictur- ing, in my imagination, the splendor and majesty of the wrathful brute, as he might stand before me. 1 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 accord- ingly waxed courageous, and crept into one of these leafy, thorny caverns, and found myself shortly stand- ing under a canopy of foliage that was held above my
2 B
370
HOW 1 FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
head fully a hundred feet by the shapely aud towering stems of the royal mvide. ' 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 colored wild boar, armed with most horrid tusks. Leav- ing 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 its fore shoulder. As if nothing had hurt him whalcver, the animal made a furious bound, and theu
•
Oct. 1871.] UKAWENDI, UVINZA, AND UHHA, TO UJIJI.' 371
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 neigli- bourhood 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 h-elmet 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 w.ere 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 riflo — n;Y little Wincliester, in the .accuracy of which I had
372. ' HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 roar 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 liad crossed the River Mtambu w6 had entered Ukawendi, commonly called " Kawendi " b}' 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 qr 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, vid Pumburu, Katuma, Uyombeh, and Ugarawali. Usowa is quite an important district on the Tanganika, popu- lous 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 Saltan of Usowa, though a great friend to Arab traders, was at war with the colony of the AVassavira, who we must remember were
Oct. ItiTl.j UKAWENDI, UVINZA, AND UHHA, TO UJIJI. 373
driven from Mpokwa and vicinity in Utanda, and who were said to have settled between Pumbiiru 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 Tangauika 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 Mala- garazi, which was said to be a large river flowing from the east to the Tanganika. But none of ray men knew the road to the Malagarazi, neither could guides be hired from Sultan Imrera. We were, however, informed that the Malagarazi Avas 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 was to be purchased for love or money, and, besides grain, only a lean, scraggy specimen of a goat, a long time ago imported from Uvin/.a, was ]>rocurable.
October the 25th will be remembered by me as a day of great troubles; in fact, a series of troubles began Irom this date. We struck an easterly road in order to
♦
374 EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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.
I was given to understand by my men that they wished to halt at this camp one day, for the purpose of eliciting further information from Imrera concerning the nature of the country between us and the Malagarazi. This was, of course, nonsense, as I had already halted one day at Imrera, and the guides had urged me to adopt this road, as — so they argued — they had obtained reliable information from the natives about the country. I remembered General Andrew Jackson's advice to a young friend of his, which was, " Look well before you attempt to do a thing, but, when 'you have decided to do it, go and do it, and never look behind," and this was precisely what I intended tp do.
Towards night one of my men shot a buffalo, and this little incident was another cause of dissension and angry retort. The buffalo managed to escape into a jungle, where he would be sure to be found dead in the morning. I was asked by several belly-worshippers and lazy gluttons if I would stop but just one day more, that they might make their limbs strong with eating meat. " Not an hour after sunrise to-morrow," was my answer. Immediately ensued a general cry of " No * posho ' — food," " You have three days' food," I an- swered ; " but if you wish more, here is cloth : go and buy."
But, wlien challenged to proceed to the village to purchase, tliey each and all pleaded fatigue. They
Oct. 1871.] UKAWENDI, UVINZA, AND UHHA, TO UJlJh 375
insisted, however, that I was in duty bound to halt one day longer, for, even if they purchased grain, the grain required to he ground before they could eat it. The pampered fellows maintained this kind of argument long. But I was inexorable. And all night they were debating what steps to take to induce me to halt ; but Bombay and Mabruki were already prohibited from coming to me with any such request, upon pain of battle k la Heenan ; and Bombay always remembered the terrible punishment he received from Speke too well ^ to ever desire a repetition of it.
The next morning, at sunrise, I issued the order to march " in as stern and uncompromising a tone as I could assume,* thus precluding any allusion to a halt. They were very sulky, and in fit mood to rebel, but, as nothing more was left whereon to hang au argument, they fi.nally, though reluctantly, yielded to my wiK By the time we arrived at our caiup at the head of the Rugufu Kiver, the men had forgotten the fat buffalo, and were in excellent humor.
While ascending that lofty arc of. mountains which bounded westerly and northerly the basin of Imrera, extensive prospects southward and eastward were re- vealed. The character of the scenery of Ukawendi is always animated and picturesque, but never sublime. The folds of this 'ridge contained several ruins of bomas, which seemed to have been orected during war time.
The mbembu fruit was plentiful along this march, and every few minutes I could see from the rear one or two of the 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 leoj)iinl, but failed to bring him down as he bounded
376
EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
away. At night tlie 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 tlie Rugufu, a broad sluggish stream, well choked with the matete reeds and the papyrus. The tracks and the house de vache of buffaloes were numerous, and there were several indications of rhino- ceros 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 deHberately into view. Silence was quickly restored, but not before the animals, to their great surprise, had discovered the danger which confronted them. We commenced stalk- ing 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 tlie 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.
Oct. 1871.] UKAWENDI, UYINZA, AND UHEA, TO UJIJI. 377
On the 29tli we left our camp, and after a few minutes, we were in view of the sublimest, but rug- gedest 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, some- times in truncated cones, sometimes in circular ridges, with sharp, rugged, naked backs, with but little vege- tation 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 disinte- grated rock, brought us to a dry, stony ravine, with mountain heights looming above us some 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 f^ty 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 hungr/; they had eaten every scrap of meat, and every grain they possessed, twenty hours before, and there was no immediate prospect of food. I li;ul but a pound and a-half of flour left, and this would
378
EOW 1 FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 satibfy, 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 asj^ect 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 clamor for food. Volunteers were asked to come forward to take cloth, and scale the heights to obtain h from the village, at any price. While thiee or four salhed ofi'we rested on tla ground, quite worn out.
In about an hour the foraging party returned with
Oct. 1871.] UKAWENDl, UUNZA, AND UUIIA, TO UJIJL 879
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 Kzogera, the father, was at war with Lokanda-Mira, 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 en- camped to enjoy the good cheer, for which our troubles and privations, during the transit of the Ukawendi forests and jungles, had well prepared us.
Then begun a diplomatic course of arguments re- specting the quantity and quality of the cloths which the son of Nzogera usually demanded from travellers. From ten doti, we succeeded in reducing the demand to seven and a half doti of Merikani and Kaniki, and were successful in procuring the guides we desired.
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 pro- perly 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 Zlst. Tueaday. — Camp in jungle. Direc- tion of road, nortli-by-east. Time occupied by march, 4 hours 15 minutes.
Our road led E.N.E. for a considerable time after lea\ ing the base of the triangular mountain whereon tlic sou of Nzogera has established his strougliold, in
380
now I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
order to avoid a deep and impassable portion of marsh, that stood between us and the direct route to the Malagarazi Eiver. The valley sloped rapidly to this marsh, which received in its broad bosom the drainage of three extensive ranges. Soon we turned our faces north-west, 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, likfe 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 un- fortunate 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 laud 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.
Nov. 1871.] UEAWENDI, XJVINZA, AND UHEA, TO UJIJI. 381
We found the various village elders greedy for cloth, but the presence of the younger son of Nzogera's men restrained tlieir 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 were slaughtered, and distributed to the men. **
November \st. — 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 twentv-five doti. At 0 a.m..
382
MOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
haviftg 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. 31., Bombay and Asmani were negotiating about this extra demand, arguing, quarrelling, threaten- ing, 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 fiuido* 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 astonishm'ent, another demand was • 4 fumlo = AO ncikhiccs; i fundo bciug 10 necklaces.
It
Nov. 1871.] UKAWENDI, UVINZA, AND UIIIIA, TO UJIJI. 383
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 -svere added, but not without demur and " talk," which in these lands are necessary.
Three times the canoes went backwards and forwards, when, lo ! another demand was made, with the usual clamor 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 him- self to the old-womanish Jumah, who did nothing but babble and increase the clamor. These demands were also settled.
About sunset we endeavoured to cross the donkeys, " Siraba," 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 glitter- ing eyes, and the ridgy backs, hovering about the vicinity, but we had never thought that the beasts would advance so near such an exciting scene as the vicinity of the ferry presented during the crossing. Saddened a Httle 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.
* Necklaces.
884
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
November 3?'c?. — 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 tlie Lake Tangauika. We asked the news, and were told a white man had just arrived at Ujiji from Manynema, 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."
Nov. 1871.] UKAWENDl, UVINZA, AND UHHA, TO UJIJI. 385
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 ques- tion, " Is it Dr, David Livingstone ?" Grod grant me patience, but I do wish there was a railroad, or, at least, horses in this country. With a horse I could reach Ujiji in about twelve hours.
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. We were warned after camping that to-morrow's march would have to be made with caution, as a band of Wavinza, under Makumbi, a great chief of Nzogera's, were returning from war, and it was the custom of Makumbi to leave nothing behind him after a victory. Intoxicated with » success, he attacked even the villages of his own tribe, cai)turing the live stock — slaves and cattle. The result of a month's campaign against Lokanda-^Iira was the destruction of two villages, the killing of one of the children of that chief, and the slaughter of several men ;
2 0
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MakumLi also lost five men from thirst duriner the crossing of a saline desert south of the Malagarazi.
November 4th. — Started early with great caution, maintaining deep silence. The guides were sent for- ward, 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 alto- gether, and we had entered Uhha — a plain country. Tillages 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 divi- sion 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. TVe did not think it the best way of proceeding, knowing as we did the character of the native African ; so we at once pro- ceeded 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 Eiver without being further muUjtcd.
Nov. 1871.] UEAWENDI, UVINZA, AND UREA, TO UJIJl. 387
November 5th. — Leaving Kawaiiga early in the morn- ing, and continuing our marcli over the houndless plains, vrhich were bleached white by the hot equatorial sun, we were marching westward full of pleasant anti- cipations 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 difBculties, 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 to.wards 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 kine: in Uhha, to whom the Wangwana and Arabs pay some- thing 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."
" Arc you sure ?"
" Quite sure. If you ask him, he will tell you so."
" AVell," said one of the Wahha, a fine, handsome, intelligent-looking youth, "it is our duty to the King to l^lt you here until we find out the truth of this.
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Will you walk to our village, and rest yourselves under the shade of our trees until we can send mes- sengers 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 tlie cloth."
The messengers departed ; but, in the meantime, the handsome youth, who turned out to be the nephew of the King, w^hispered some order to a lad, who imme- diately hastened away, wjth 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 perfect 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 fore- head, a fine nose, and a well-cut mouth ; he was tall in figure, and perfectly symmetrioal.
When near to us, he hailed me with the words,
Nov. 1871.] UEAWENDI, UVINZA, AND UHEA, TO UJIJI. 389
" 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 aud men, interchanged " Yambos" with his warriors ; and there was nothing in our first intro- duction to indicate that the meeting was of a hostile character.
The cliief seated himself, his haunches resting on his heels, lad ing down his bow and arrows by his side ; his men did likewise.
1 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 tlie 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 nalted hills about ten miles to the north. "I have come to talk with the white man. It has always been the custom of the Aiabs 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 slmde — 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 Wahlia
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have but bows and arrows, and spears ; but Uhba is large, and our villages are many. Let him look about bim 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 somethmg 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 under- stand 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 peojile ; 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 every- thing, and are very strong. , When they fight, the Arabs and the Wangwana run away. We have gn^at
Kov. 1871.] UKA WENDI, U7INZA, AND UHEA, TO UJIJI. 391
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 not 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 faces of the Wahha showed how well they appreciated them. Once or twice I thought I detected something ^ke fear, but my assertions that I desired peace and friendship with them soon obliterated all such feelings.
Mionvu replied : , " The white nian tells me he is friendly. Why does he not come to our village ? Why does he stop on the road? Tbe 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 messenfrers returned, saying it was true the chief of Kawanga had taken ten cloths ; not, however for the King of Uhha, but for himself I
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SOW 1 FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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,
Nov. 1871.] UKAWENDI, UVINZA, AJSID UHHA, TO UJJJI. 3'J3
we should not be troubled much, and we could strike south to the Malagarazi, and go west to Ujiji."
" No, no, dear master, don't think of it for a moment. If we went near 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, tlien, say what we shall do. AVe 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 i^ the last time we would have to pay ?"
» He did, indeed."
"What do you say, Asmani? Shall we fight or
?>>
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. All, 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 Alionvu, and offer him twenty. If he will not take twenty,
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EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 mgre 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 them- selves 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 Qth. — 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 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 onx left sinking towards the valley of the Malagarazi, which river was about twenty m,iles away. Yillages 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 Kahiiigi, inhabited by several Watusi and Wahha. Here, we were told,
Nov. 1871.] UKAWENDI, UVINZA, AND UEEA, TO UJIJI. 395
lived the King of Uhha's brother. This announcement was anything but welcome, and I began to suspect I had fallen into another hornet's nest. "We had not rested two hours before two "Wangwana entered my tent, who were slaves of Thani bin Abdullah, our dandified friend of TJnyanyembe. These men came, on the part of the, king's brother, to claim the Hong a ! The king's brother demanded thirty doti ! Half "a bale !
If I only dared publish all the wild, furious thoughts that raged in my mind when this was announced I should be shocked myself at some future calm moment, I dare say. But I was angry. Angry ! angrj- is not the word. I was savage — rendered desperately savage ! Able, ready, and willing to fight and die, but not to be halted by a set of miserable naked robbers ! Within sight of Ujiji, one may almost say — but four days march from this white man whom I take to be Living- stone, unless there is a duplicate of him travelling abouf in these countries. Merciful Providence ! What shall I do ?
We had been told by Mionvu that the honga of TJhha 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 twu 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
396
HOW 1 FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 satis- faction— though the profoundest casuistries and diplo- matic 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 trolible. If I were willing to pay the guide twelve doti, and if I were able to imj^ose 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, sufiScient 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 7t/i. — 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
Nov. 1871.] UKAWEKDI, UVINZA, AND UHHA, TO UJIJI. 397
Expedition was outside the boma, and not the sh'ghtest alarm liad been made. After whistling 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 moonbeams were almost obscured, and at such times our position seemed awful —
" Tni the moon, Rising in clouded majesty, at length, Apparent qneen, unveiled her peerless light, And o'er the dark her silver mantle thi-ew."
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 com- forting 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 expe- rienced 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
398
BOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 iake 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. Almost as soon as we entered, a weak-brained woman raised a series of piercing yells. The men were appalled at this noisy demonstration, which would call down upon our heads the vengeance of the Wahha for evading the tribute, to which they thought themselves entitled. In half an hour we should have hundreds of howling savages about us in the jungle, and probably a general mas- sacre would ensue. The woman screamed fearfully, again and again, for no cause whatever. Some of the men, with the instinct of self-preservation, at once dropped their bales and loads, and vanished into the jungle. The guide came rushing back to me, imploring me to stop her noise. The woman's husband, livid with rage and fear, drew his sword, and asked my permission to cut her head off at once. Had I given the least signal, the woman had paid with her life for her foUy. I attempted to hush her cries by putting my hand over her mouth, but she violently wrestled with me, and continued her cries worse than ever. There remained nothing else for me to do but try the virtue of my whip over her shoulders. I asked her to desist after the first blow. " No !" She continued her insane cries with in- creased force and volume. Again my whip descended on her shoulders. " No, no, no !" Another blow, " Will you hush ?" " No, no, no !" louder and louder she cried, and faster and faster 1 showered the blows for the taming of this shrew. However, seeing I was as
Nov, 1871.] UKAWENDI, UVINZA, AND UIIHA, TO UJIJT. 399
determined to flog as she was to ciy, she desisted before the tenth blow, and became silent. A cloth was folded over her mouth, and her arms were tied behind her ; and in a few moments, the runaways having returned to their duty, the Expedition moved forward again with redoubled pace. 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 for these lakes would be immense pools. In the Masika season. Lake Mu- sunya 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 car- tridges in a bag slung over my shoulders. Each soldier's gun was also ready and loaded, and we retired to sleep our fatigues olF with a feeling of perfect security.
November Sth. — 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 his wonted African fervor, but
400
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
witli its heat slightly tempered by the welcome breezes, which came laden witli the fragrance of young grass, and perfume of strange flowers of various hues, that flecked the otherwise pale-green sheet which extended <50 far around us.
We arrived at the Rugufu River — not the Ukawendi Rugufu, but the northern stream of that name, a tri- butary 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 afibrded 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 Avest. 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 — ]\Ierikani and Kaniki — and especially white (Merikani) beads, to appease the mulungu (god) of tlie lake. Those w^lio 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
Nov. 1871.] UKAWENDI, UVINZA, AND UEHA, TO UJIJI. 401
sixty miles from Ujiji ; therefore the sound of the thun- dering 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 camp- ing 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 Wi. — 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. Tlie 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 ue came to the outskirts of a village, the inhabitants of which
2 D
402
EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
were beginning to stir. Silence was called for at oi^ce, and the Expedition halted immediately. I walked forward to the front to advise with the guide. He did not knt)\v 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. 1 staid until the last man had disappeared ; then, after preparing my "Winchester, brought up the rear, followed by my gun- bearers 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 TJkaranga ! — an event that was hailed with extravagant shouts of joy.
Presently we fpund the smooth road, and we trod gaily with elastic steps, with limbs quickened for the march
Xov. 1871.] UKAWENDI, UVINZA, AND UHHA, TO UJIJI. 403
which we all knew to be drawing near its end. What careS 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 refresh- ment. 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. Fish and beer should be given them, as much as they could eat and drink.
We were in sight of the villages of the Wak^ranga ; the people caught sight of us, and manifested consider- able 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 Waviuza 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. V/as 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
404
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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, appa- rently, 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- !^luga — the forest thieves of Mirambo, who, after con- quering 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, and my tent is set. Finally, the word is bruited about that we are Wangwana, from Unyan- yembe.
" Well, then, is Mirambo dead ?" they ask. " No," we answer.
" Well, how did you come to Ukaranga ?"
" By way of Ukonongo, Ukaweridi, and Uhha."
"Oh — hi-le!" Then they laugh heartily at their fright, and begin to make excuses. The King is intro- duced 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 Euga- Ruga. But then we know the poor King was terribly frightened, and would never have dared to return, had we been Ruga-Ruga — not he. We are not, however, in a mood to quanel with him about an idiomatic phrase peculiar to liiin, but rather take him by tlie hand and shake it well, and say we are so very glad to
Nov. 1871.J UKAWENDI, UVINZA, AND UHIIA, TO UJIJI. 406
see him. And he shares in our pleasure, and imme- diately 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 Selim 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 appear- ance as possible before the white man with the grey beard, and before the Arabs of TJjiji ; 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 Friday. — The 236th day from Baga-
moyo, and the 51st day from Unyanyembe. General direction to Ujiji, west- by-south. Time of march, sire 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 green 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 ex- perienced so much.
" Forward !"
" Ay Wallali, ay Wallah, bana yango !" and the light- hearted braves stride away at a rate wliicli must soon
406
EOW 1 FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
bring us 'wdtliin view of Ujiji. We ascend a hill over- grown 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, light-hearted 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 feelings 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 Tanga- nika ! 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 SpeKC 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 Eoderick Murchison, when he described Burton and Speke'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
Nov. 1871.] UKAWENDl, UVINZA, AND UffEA, TO UJIJI. 407
moment I could take up my bed and walk, and all blindness would cease at once. Fortunately, bow- ever, I am quite well ; I bave not suffered a day's sickness since tbe 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 obser- vation. I am almost overpowered with my own emo- tions. 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 Bunder Ujiji before wc 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, of the hundreds of hills that we have ascended and descended, of the many forests we have traversed, of the jungles and
408
EOW I FOUSD LIVINGSTONE.
thickets that annoyed us, of the fervid salt plains that blistered our feet, of the hot suns that scorched us, nor ^^the dangers and difBculties, now happily surmounted. ^ At last the sublime hour has amved ! — our dreams, om- hopes, and anticipations are now about to be realized ! Our hearts and our feehngs 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 on the Malagarazi.
" Unfurl the flags, and load your guns !"
" Ay "SVallah, ay "Wallah, bana !" respond the men, eao^erlv.
" 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.
" Xow, kirahgozi, 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, railier staggered them at first. However, many of the people who now ap- [iroached us remembered the flag. They bad seen it
Nov. 1871.] UKAWENBI, UVINZA, AND UEEA, TO UJIJI. 409
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 Kisuno-u !" — a white man's flae: ! " Bindera Merikani !" — the American flag !
Then we were surrounded by them: by Wajiji, Wanyamwezi, Wangwana, Warundi, Waguhha, Wa- manyueraa 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 TJjiji, and the crowds are dense about me. Suddenly I hear a voice on my right say,
" Good morning, sir 1"
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 he, 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."
410
EOW- 1 FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
" Well, what is your name ?" " My name is Chumali, 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 nati"\;es in order to greet us, for, according to their accaunt, 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 that 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 con- veyed 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 TJjiji — 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 •
Nov. 1871.] UKAWENDI, UVINZA, AND UHEA, TO UJIJI. 411
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, in the front of which stood the white man with the grey beard. As I advanced slowly towards him I noticed he was pale, looked wearied, had a grey beard, wore a bluish cap with a faded gold band round it, 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, only, he being an Englishman, I did not know how he would receive me ;* so I did what cowardice and false pride
* " This Euglishmon, as I afterwards found, was a military man returning to his country from India, and crossing tbo Desert at this part in order to go through Palestine. As for me, I had come pretty straight from England, and so here we met in tho wilderness at about half-way from our respective starting-points. As wo approached each other, it became with me a question whether we should speak; I thought it likely that tho stranger would accost me, and in tho event of his doing so, I was quite ready to be as sociable and chatty as I could bo, according to my nature ; but still I could nut tbiuk of anything particular that I had to say to him ; of course among civilized people, tbe not having anything to say is no excuse at all
412
EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 smile, lifting his cap slightly.
I replace my hat on my head, and he puts on his cap, and we both grasp hands, and I then say 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 turn to the Arabs, take off my hat to them in response to the saluting chorus of " Yambos " I receive, and the Doctor introduces them to me by name. Then, oblivious of the crowds, oblivious of the men who shared with me my dangers, we — Livingstone and 1 — turn our faces towards his tembe. He points to the veranda, or, rather, mud platform, under the broad overhanging eaves ; he points to his own particular seat, wliich I see his age and experience in Africa' has 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 protest against taking this seat, which so much more befits him than me, but the Doctor will not yield : I must take it.
"We are seated — the Doctor and I — with our backs to the wall. The Arabs take seats on our left. More than a thousand natives are in our front, filling the whole square densely, indulging their curiosity, and discussing
for not speaking, but I was shy, and indolent, and I felt no groat wish to stop, and talk like a morning visitor, in the midst of those broad solitudes. The traveller perhaps felt as I did, for except that we lifted our hands to our caps, and waved our arms in courtesy, we passed each other as if we had passed in Bond Street." — Kinglako's Edthen,
Nov. 1871.] UKAWENDI, UVINZA, AXD UEHA, TO UJIJL 413
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 questiops 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 what- ever the Doctor informed me, and that which I commu- nicated to him, I cannot correctly report, for I found myself gazing at him, conning the wonderful 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 un- varnished 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 ; Hps 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
414 EOW I FO UND LI VINGSTONE.
they intuitively knew that we ought to be left to our- selves. 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 Masange, and who fought with me at Zimbizo, and who soon after- wards was killed by Mirambo's Ruga-Euga 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, w^hom I had compelled to accompany me to Ujiji, that he might deliver in person to his master the letter-bag he had been entrusted with by Dr. Kirk. 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 toll 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
Nov. 1871.] UKAWENDI, UVTNZA, AND UEHA, TO VJIJI. 415
wait a few hours longer. No, tell me the general news : how is the world getting along ?"
" You probahlv 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 exag- geration— of any penny-a-line news, or of any sensa- tionalism. The world had witnessed and experienced much the last few years. The Pacific Railroad had been completed ; Grant had been elected President of the United States ; Egypt had been flooded with savans ; the Cretan rebellion had terminated ; 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 Jiberty of worship ; Prussia had humbled Denmark, and annexed Schleswig- Holstein, 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 Prus- sians, Bismarck and Yon 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 wdio had emerged from the depths of the primeval forests of Manyueraa ! The reflection of the dazzling light of civilization was cast on him while Livingstone was thus listening in wonder to one of the most exciting pages of history ever
416 ffOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
repeated. How the puny deeds of barbarism paled before these ! Who could tell under what new phases of uneasy life Europe was laboring 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 corre- spondent performed his part as well and truthfully as he could.
Not long after the Arabs had departed, a dishful of . hot haslied-meat cakes was sent to us by Sayd bin Majid, and a curried chicken was received from Mo- hammed 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 exer- cise I had taken had put it in prime order ; but Living- stone— he had been complaining that he had no appetite, that his stomach reCased 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 pan- cakes, he kept repeating, " You have brought me new life. You have brought me new life."
" Oh, by George ! " I said, " I have forgotten some- thing. 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,
Nov 1871.] UKAWEXDI, UVINZA, AND UHHA, TO UJIJI. 417
" Dr. Livingstone, to your very good health, sir." " And to yours," he responded.
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 every 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 cuHnary abilities ; • but now she was amazed at the extraordinary quantity of food eaten, and slie 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 ! Wliile we listened to the noise of her furious gossip, tlie 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 slie bad be<Mi flying about in a state of the utmost excitement, from the kitchen into his presence, and out again into the square, asking all sorts of questions ; how she wna in despair at the scantiness of the general larder and treasury of the strange household ; how she was anxious
2 £
418
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
to make up for tlieir 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 jslenty of cloth and beads ? Talk about tlie 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 disappointment, 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 halt-caste drunken tailor, who was sent by the British Consul in charge of the goods. Besides which he had been suffering from an attack of dysentery, and his condition was most deplorable. He wan 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. We, sitting with our faces looking to the east, as Livingstone had been sitting for days preceding my arrival, noted the dark shadows which crept up above the grove of palms beyond the village, and above the rampart of moun- tains 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.
1871.] UKAWENDI, UVINZA, AND UHHA, TO UJIJI. 419
" 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."
And now, dear reader, having related succinctly " How I found Livingstone," I bid you also " Good- night."
OUR HOUSE IN UJIJI.
CHAPTER XII.
INTERCOURSE WITH LIVINGSTONE AT UJIJI.
" If tliere is love between us, inconceivably delicious, and profit- able will our intercourse be; if not, your time is lost, and you will only auaoy me. I sball seem to you stupid, and the rci)utation I Lave 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 stort. The room was strange ! It was a house, and not my tent ! Ah, yes ! I recollected I had discovered Living- stone, 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 u]ion, it instead of down, and horsehair and my bearskin
«
Nov. 1871.] INTERCOVBSE WITH LIVINGSTONE. 421
spread over tliis serving me in place of linen. I began to put myself under a rigid mental cross-examination, and to an aualysation 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. SufScient 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 acknowledg- ment that he has seen me."
" Do you think he will do so ?"' Why not? I have com® 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 nut 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 ; fovr the price will pny : 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 told he was by a man who said ho knew bin). He
422 HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
exhibited considerable emotion, despite the monosyllabic greeting, when he shook my hand. Neither did he run away, as I was told he would ; though perhaps that was because he had no time. Still, if he was 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, and he would mind his. Neither does he mind my nationality ; for ' here,' said he, ' Americans and Eng- lishmen are the same people. We speak the same language and have the same ideas.' J ust so. Doctor ; I agree with you. Here, at least, Americans and Eng- lishmen shall be brothers, and whatever I can do for you, you may command me as freely as if I were flesh of your flesh, bone of your bone."
. 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 ujd already ? I hope you have slept well ?''
" Good-morning, Mr. Stanley ! I am glad to see you. 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, Oswald, is at college studying medicine, and is doing well, I am told. Agnes, my oldest daughter, has been enjoying herself in a yacht, with ' Sir Parafiine Young and his family. Sir Roderick, also, is well, and expresses a hope that he will sopn see me. You have brought me quite a budget."
Nov. 1871.] INTEBCOURSE WITH LIVINGSTONE.
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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, won- • dering 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 ratlier 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 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 tliat we can understand each otlier perfectly without an interpreter. I see that the Arabs are wondering tliat you, an Englisliman, 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 Uerald?' "
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EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
" Oh — who has not heard of that newspaper ?"
" Sh-sh ! Without his father's knowledge or consent, Mr. James Grordon Bennett, son of Mr. James Gordon Bennett, the proprietor of the * Herald,' has commis- sioned 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 TJjiji. 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
Nov. 1871.] INTERCOUBSE WITH LIVINGSTONE.
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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 I'ich 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 tea-pot 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 di.sappointments, 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 ?in overruling and kindly Providence.
These are facts worthy for reflection. I was com- missioned for the duty of discovering Livingstone sometime in October, 1800. Mr. Bennett was ready with the money, and I was ready for the journey. But, observe, reader, that I did not proceed directly. upou
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tlie searcli mission. I had many tasks to fulfil before [roceeding with it, and many thousand miles to travel over. Supposing that I had gone direct to Zanzibar from Paris, seven or eiglit months afterwards, |)erhaps, 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 Con- stantinojole, 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 Unyan- yembe, 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 Jane 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 weekfe 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 Unyan- yembe I might have lost him.
The daj's came and went peacefully and happily, under the palms of Ujiji. My companion was im- proving in health and spirits. Life had been brought
Nov. 1871.] INTERCOURSE WITH LIVINGSTONE. 427
back to him ; Lis foding 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 Tanganika, Doctor ?" I asked one dav.
" No ; I did try to go there, but the Wajiji were doing their best to fleece mc, 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 Manyueraa. 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 1 1° south, which I followed for over seven degrees northward. The Chambezi, the name given to its most southern ex- tremity, drains a large tract of country south of the southernmost source of the Tanganika ; it must, there- fore, be the most important. I have not the least doubt, myself, but that this lake is the Upper Tanga- nika, 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 uj)on reports of the Arabs, and a test I made of the flow yvith 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
428
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 liave 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 witliout thoroughly fathoming him, for in liim there is no guile, and what is apparent on the surface is the thing that is in him. I hope that in my summary of his character, and of his discoveries, I offend no one. 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 Inm. 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 unquahfied admiration. The camp is the best ]ilace to discover a man's weaknesses, where, if he is flighty or wrong- headed, he is sure to devek)p his hobbies and weak side. I think it possible, however, that Livingstone, with an unsuitable companion, might feel annoyance.
Nov. 1871.] INTERCOURSE WITH LIVINGSTONE. 429
I know 1 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's 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 color yet, but is here and there streaked with grey lines over the temples ; his beard and moustaches are very grey. 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 througliout 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 tliat he is garrulous, that he is demented ; that he has utterly changed from the David Livingstone whom pco])le knew as the reverend missionary ; that he takes no notes or
430
now I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
observations but sucli 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 humor, which he exhibits at all times whenever he is among friends. I must also beg leave to correct the gentleman who informed me that Living- stone 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 obser- vations. 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 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
Nov. 1871.] INTERCOURSE WITE LIVINGSTONE.
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gentleman even to hint at such a thing in connection with the name of Dr. Livingstone.
You may take any point in Dr. Livingstone's cha- racter, 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. But who are they who doubt him ? Easy-chair geographers, of course ; not the hard-working travellers who number hundreds on the list of the Royal Geographical Society. I have not found a Richard Burton or a Winwood Reade criticising him. And to have one's maps and observations altered to suit the caprices of irresponsible parties is no pleasant thing to a man who has been so painstaking and indUvStrious. Livingstone may be mistaken in his conclusions on certain points, but the geographer who stays at home cannot correct him unless he has data to go upon received from parties who have explored the same region. No Francis Galton or Dr. Beke, with ever so many opinions, can prove tlie Lake Tanganika a myth ; four travellers have seen and reported upon it. No Francis Galton or Dr. Beke can prove to Colonel Grant that there is no such stream as the Victoria Nile. Yet how much of tbis river — of this stream — did Colonel Grant see ? Not fifty miles. But, because he saw it flow north and north-westerly, he beUeves, sincerely and honestly, that it is tlic same river which he observed flowing past Gondokoro. Livingstone also believes that — after following the Cliambezi, Luapula, and Lualaba, over seven degrees of latitude, and seeing it still flow northward, and hearing from natives that tliere is a large lake north of where he halted in his grand march northward, following the
432 SOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
current of tlie mighty Lualaba — that this Lualaba is none other than the Nile. Has he no right, then, to feel vexed that easy-chair geographers draw a great range of mountains, extending over three degrees of latitude, simply to demonstrate by that black, sinister- looking line " that he has been knocking his head against a stone wall ?" Livingstone, with all his know- ledge of African mysteries, knows not yet how to manufacture a mountain. He is too humble-souled to dare attempt to transform the face of nature after the arbitrary method known to stay-atrhome geographers.*
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 j)laything of the miserable beings sent to him from Zanzibar — he has been baffled and worried, even almost to tlie 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 ihe 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.
There is a good-natured abandon about Livingstone
* All the criticisms which I have Been upon Livingstone's dis- coveries aro tainted with too much of the odium cieographicum to bo received with the weight duo to the cool and calm declaration of sound and logical opinion of experienced travellers and scientific men.
Nov. 1871.] INTEB COURSE WITH LIVINGSTONE. 433
which was not lost on me. Whenever he began to langh, 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 a^e and hard travel, the grey beard and bowed shoulders, belied the man. Underneath that well-worn exterioi- lay an endless fund of high spirits and inexhaustible humor ; that nigged 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 Gordon Gumming were almost always the chief actors. I was not sure, at first, but this joviality, humor, and abundant animal spirits were the result of a joyous hysteria ; but ag 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 re- member 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 unen- cumbered mind recalls all that it has read, that all pleased the eye, and delighted the ear ; and reflecting
2 F
i34
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
on every idea which either observation, or expe- rience, or discourse has produced^ gains new infor- mation 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 ; j;hen 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 cir- cumstances.
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
Nov. 1871.] INTERCOURSE WITH LIVINOSTONE.
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compaiiionable of men and indulgent of masters — a man whose society is pleasurable to a degree.
I have often heard our servants discuss our respective merits. " Your master," say my servants to Living- stone'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 wa^ 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 Grod 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 Kisawa- hili language, about the subject read to them, which is listened to with evident 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 charac- terise 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 hns ever led. A drunkard and a man of vicious habits could never have withstood the climate of Central Africa.
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The second day after my arrival in Ujiji I asked tlie 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 would 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 tliat 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 on going on — to raise a disturbance in the country, and nfter 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 discharged their waters into the central line of drainage, but wlien about start- ing to explore the last hundred miles the hearts of ray 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 an- other escort, I find myself destitute of even the means to live but for a few weeks, and sick in mind and body."
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Here I may pause to ask the reader how he would have comported himself in such a crisis, under such an accumulation of difficulties. 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 await- ing their return. En'ough surely had been accom- plished towards the solution of the problem that had exercised the minds of his scientific associates of the Royal Geographical Society. This 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, following the custom of other travellers, had hurried to the coast after he had dis- covered Lake Bangweolo, to tell the news to the geo- graphical world ; then bad returned to discover Moero, and run away again ; then came back once more only to discover Kamolondo, and to race back again. But no ; he not ordy discovers the Chambezi, Lake Bang- weolo, Luapula River, Lake Moero, Lualaba River, and Lake Kamolondo, but he still tirelessly urges 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 volume upon the discovery of each lake, and earn much money thereby. They arc no few months' explo- rations that form the contents of his books. His ' Missionary Travels ' embi-aces a period of sixteen years ; his book on the Zambezi, five years ; and if the great traveller lives to come home, his third book, tlie grandest of all, must contain the records of eight or nine years.
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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 cer- tain extent, contentment, if not happiness. And though 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 pri- meval 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 expe- riences, of which the following is a summary :
Dr. David Livinjrstone left the island of Zanzibar in March, 18(36. On the 7th of the following month he departed from Mikindiny 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 buffiiloes, two mules, and three donkeys. He had thus thirty men with him,
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twelve of whom, viz., tlie 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, whicli 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 chro- nometers, air thermometers, sextant, and artificial horizon, boxes containing clothes, medicines, and per- sonal necessaries. The expedition travelled up the left bank of the Rovuma River, a route 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 easiegt 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 first 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 oppor- tunity they evinced a decided hostility to an advance. In order to prevent the progress of the Doctor, in hopes that it would compel him to return to the coast, these men so cruelly treated the animals that before long there
»
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was not one left alive. But as this scheme failed, they set about instigating the natives against the white man, 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 their 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 jin making. An hour's march- ing 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. To- wards 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 18ih July, 1866, at a village belonging to a chief of .the Wahiyou, situate eight days' march south of the Rovuma, and over- looking the watershed of the Lake Nyassa. The terri- tory lying between the Rovuma River and this Wahiyou chieftain was an uninhabited wilderness, during the transit of which Livingstone and his expedition suffered considerably from hunger and desertion of men.
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Early in August, 1866, the Doctor came to tlie 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 — not Wakotani — 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 Weko- tani 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 Wekotani 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 Mr. Horace Waller 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 tliat his a])})lication 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 liib " big brother." Chumah, upon referring the matter to the Doctor, was advised not to go, as ho (the Doctor) strongly suspected tliat Wekotani wanted only to niako him his slave. Chumah wisely withdrew from his
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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 baud 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, how- ever, 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 j " he tell me true, true. I ask him good, and he tell 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 impro- bability of the tale being correct. Together, they pro- ceeded to the Babisa chief, who, when lie 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.
Nov. 1871.1 INTERCOmSE WITH LIVINGSTONE. 443
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 see my father, my mother, my child, in Johanna. I want no Mazitu." These are Musa's ipsissima verba.
To which the Doctor replied, " I don't want Mazitu to kill me either ; hut, 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 sorrow- ing, saying, " If we had two hundred guns with us I would go ; but our small party of men 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 con- duct, 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 — Simeon 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 de- spaired of ever being able to penetrate the wild and unexplored interior which he was now about to tread. "Fortunately," as the Doctor stiyswith unction, "I was in a country now, after leaving the shores of Nyassa, which the foot of the slave-trader has not trod ; it
144 MOW I FO UND LIVINGS TONE.
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 ex- tremity, was kindly treated by the yet unsophisticated and innocent natives.
On leaving this hospitable region in the early part of December, 186G, 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 plun- derers. Again the expedition was besieged by the pinching hunger they suffered ; they had recourse to the wild fruits which some parts of the country fur- nished. 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 jDersonal 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, Baruugu, Ba-ulungu, and Luuda.
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 intelUgent 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
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gave the result of the inquiry he had instituted. He had heard that the wliite 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 neigh- bourhood." 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 tlie King, the Queen entered the large Ijouse, surroimded by a body-guard of Amazons with spears. She was a fine, tall, handsome young woman, and evidently tliought 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 in- tended ; for the laugh of the Doctor was so contngious, that she Jierself was tlie first to imitate it, and the Amazons, courtier-like, followed suit. Much discon- certed by this, the Queen ran back, followed by her obedient damsels — a retreat most undignified and un- queenlikc, compared with lier 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
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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 cor- rectness 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 cor- recting the errors and misrepresentations of the Por- tuguese 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 pf a sincere wish to be correct, and lest he might have been mis- taken 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
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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 obHged to desist, lest they might say, " The man is mad ; he has got water on the brain !"
But his travels and tedious labours in Luuda 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 .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° 42' south, which thus gives it a length, from north to south, of 360 geographical miles. From the southern extremity of the Tanganika lie crossed Marungu, and came in sight of Lake ]\Ioero. Tracing ihis lake, which is about sixty miles in length, to its
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soutbern 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 Bang- weolo, which is nearly as large in superficial area as the Tanganika. In exploring for the waters w^hich 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 Mahomraed 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 Mahommed bin Sali obtained his release. On the road to Ujiji he had bitter cause to regret having exerted himself in the halt-caste's behalf. He turned otit to be a most ungrateful wretch, who poisoned the minds of the Doctor's few followers, and ingratiated himself v^'ith them by selling the favours of his con- cubines 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 Mahommed 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, 18G9.
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From tlie date of his arrival until the end of June, 1869, he remained at Ujiji, whence he dated those letters which, thongh the outside world still doubted his being alive, satisfied tlie minds of the Royal Geographical people, and his intimate friends, that he still existed, and that Musa's tale was the false though insrenious fabrication of a cowardlv 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 of 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 1 1°, 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 plnce called Urua, which he placed on his map, according to the general direction indicated by the Arabs ; but the most enter- prising of the Arabs, in their search after ivory, only touched the frontiers of Rua, as the natives and Living- stone call it ; for Rua is an immense country, with a length of six degrees of latitude, and as yet an un- defined breadth from east to west.
At the end of June, 18(50, Livingstone quitted Ujiji and crossed over to Uguhba, on tlie 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 tlie large river called the Lualaba, and which was a
2. o
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continuation of the chain of lakes he had previously discovered. "
From the port of Uguliha he set off, in company with a body of traders, in an almost direct westerly course, for the country of Urua. Fifteen days' march bi'ought them to Bambarre, the first important ivory depot in Manyema, or, as the natives pronounce it, Ma- nyuema. 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 G° 30'. Eetracing 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 Living- stone'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 reiifc in the bosom of the mountains. Tlie 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 gj^eat bends west and south-west, and then curving north- ward, it enters Kamolondo, I5y the natives it is called the Lualaba, but tiie Doctor, in order to distinguish it from other rivers of tlic same name, has given it the
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name of " Webb's River," after Mr, "Webb, the wealthy proprietor of Newstead Abbey, whom the Doctor distin- guishes as one of his oldest and most consistent friends. Away to the south-w^est from Kamolondo is another large lake, which discharges its waters by the important River Loeki, or Lomarai, into the great Lualaba. To this lake, known as Chebungo by the natives, Doctor 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 me- mory 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 water- shed into the Lualaba are so numerous that the Doctor's hiap 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° 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
tiiis spot thus This was the furthermost point,
whence he was compelled to return on the weary road to Ujiji, a distance of 700 miles.
Li tiiis brief sketch of Dr, Livingstone's wonderful
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HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
travels it is to be hoped the most superficial reader, as -^ell as the student of geography, comprehends this grand system of lakes connected together by Webb's Eiver. 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, dis- tinguished 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° of latitude— that is, from 1 1° S. to lat. 4° 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 tl;e 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 north- ward 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 tliat, though Baker makes out liis lake to be 2,700 feet above the sea, yet the Bahr Ghazal, through which Pctherick's branch of the White Nile issues into the Nile, is but 2,000 feet ; in which case
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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° N., is 2,000 feet above the sea, and lat. 4° S., where the halt was made, is ouly 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° of latitude, are one and the same river, may among some men be regarded as a startling state- ment. 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° ; and even beyond this point the Doctor hears of a large lake again north.
We must wait also uniil the altitudes of the two rivers, the Lualaba, where the Doctor halted, and tlie 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° of latitude, as it nu»y be tlie 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. I'y this method we can suppose the rivers one ; for if the lake extends over so many degrees of latitude, the necessity of explaining the diflerences of ahitude that must naturally exist between two points of a river 8° of latitude apart, would be obviated.
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Also, Livingstone's instruments for obseTvation and taking altitudes may have been in error ; and tbis 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 alti- tude, 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, was the Congo.
This river may be the Congo, or, perhaps, tlie 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 dogmatize 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,
Nov. 1871.1 INTERCOUBSE WITH LIVINGSTONE.
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 give 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 some- thing 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 Gary's translation of Herodotus : —
With respect to the sonrces of the Nile, no man of all tlio Egyptians, Libyans, or Grecians, with whom I have conversed, ever prottindcd to know anything, excopt tho registrar of Minerva's treasury at Sais, in Egypt. lie, indeed, seemed to be trifling witli me when ho said ho know perfectly well ; yet his account was as foUows : " That there are two mountains, rising into a sharp peak, situated between tho city of Syeno, in Thcbais, and Eiophantino. The names of these mountains are, tho ono Crophi, tho other Mophi ; tiiat the sources of tho Nile, which aro bottomless, flow from between theso mountains;
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and that haK 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 hottomless, he said, Psammitichus, King of Egypt, proved by experi- ment : 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 coimtry is steep ; here, therefore, it is necessary to attach a rope on both sides of a beat, 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 Xile here ^vinds as much as the Maander. There ai"e twelve sehoeni, 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 Egj-ptians. 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 chaimel 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 mnst go on board another boat, and sail for tv\elve 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 Asrnak, 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 Ethio- pians on the following occasion. In the reign of King Psammitichus garrisons were stationed at Elephantine against the Ethiopians, and
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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 Daphnte. Now, these Egyj^tians, 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, pm-sued them ; and when he overtook them he entreated them by many arguments, and adjured them not to fopsake the gods of their fiithers, and their children and wives. But one of them is reported to have uncovered his private parts, and to have said, " that wheresoever these were, there they should find both childi-en and wives." These men, when they arrived in Ethiopia, offered their services to the king of the Ethiopians, who made them tlie following recompence. There were certain Ethiopians disafiected 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 of 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 fi'om 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 Cyrenseans, 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 Etc^archus 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 information touching the deserts of Libya, tlicy answered, that there were some daring youtlis amongst them, sous of powerful men ; and that they, having reached man's estate, formed many other extra vugaut plans, and, moreover, chose fivo of their number by lot to explore the deserts of Libya, to see if thoy could make any further discovery than those who had penetrated the farthest. (For, as respects the parts of Libya along tho Northern Sea, beginning from Egypt to tho promontory of Solois, where is the extremity of Libya, Libyans and various nations of Libyans roach all along it, except those parts which aro occupied by Grecians and
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Phoenicians ; but as respects the parts above the sea, and those nations which reach down to the sea, in the npper 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 conjpanions 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 SiUidy ground, during a journey of many days, they at length s;\w some trees growing in a plain ; and that they approached and began to gather the fmit that grew on the trees ; and while they were gathering, some diminutive men, le*s than men of middle stature, came up, and having seized them carried theni away ; and that the Xasamonians did not at all understand their language, nor those who carried them off the language of the Xasamonians. 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 color : and by the city flowed a great river, rimning 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 Xasamonians 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 Xile ; and reason so evinces : for the Xile flows from Libya, and intersects it in the middle ; and (as 1 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 P%Tene, divides Europe in its course ; but the Celts are beyond the pillars of Hercules, i\nd border on the territories of the Cynesians, who lie in the extremity of Europe to tho westward ; and the Ister terminates by flowing through all Europe into the Euiine Sea, where a Milesian colony is settled in Istria. Now the Lster, 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 tminbabited and desolate. Respecting this stream, therefore, as far as I was able to reach by inquiry, I have already spoken. Ii 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 itseK into the sea. So I think that the Nile, traversing the whole of Libya, may be properly
Nov. 1871.] INTEECOUBSE WITH LIVINGSTONE. 459
compared with the Ister. Such, then, is the account that I am able to give respecting the Nile.
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 coimtries 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 Tangan- ika 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 woYk there, his life was sought more than once. These two extensive coun- tries, 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 countries 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
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arts of liome manufacture, these "wild people of Ma- nyuema were far superior to any lie had seen. "Where other trihes and nations contented themselves with hides and skins of animals thrown i.egHgentlj over their shoulders, the people of Manyuema manufactured a cloth fi'om fine grass, which may favourably compare with the finest grass cloth of India. They also know the art of dyeing 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 doth ; and on almost every black man from Manyuema I have seen this native cloth converted into elegantly made d amirs (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 the gulches arid j)lacers of California, Colorado, Montana, and Idaho ; after nuggets to Australia, and diamonds to Cape Colony. Manyuema is at present the El Dorado of the Arabs and the ^amrima tribes. It is onlv about four vears 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 stancjiions. Ivory pillars were common sights in Manyuema, and, heaiiug 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
Nov. 1871.] INTERCOUESE WITE LIVINGSTONE.
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the Arabs soon taught them the vahie 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 $G0, 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 Ij cent's worth of copper per pound of ivory. The Arabs, however, have the knack of spoiling markets by their rap&city 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 ii'«5pires mortal terror in them, and it is almost im- possible 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 have 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 con- trive to render their name and race abominated. But the mainspring of it all is not the Arab's nature, color, 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 against 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
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been armed with guns, and tauglit bow to use those weapons, are by no means loth to do so whenever an opportunity presents itself. AYben, 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 oppres- sive demand, or to the fearful alternative. The Wa- nyamwezi 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 ea^e, 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 inaugu- rated 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 sliirhtest affront, the Arabs have refrained from kidnapping between the Tanganika and the sea ; Imt in Manyuema, where the natives are timid, irresolute.
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and divided into small weak tribes, thej 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 tlie Waman^'uema are very fond of mar- keting, believing it to be the summum bonum of human enjoyment. They find endless pleasure in chaffer- ing 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 feci iu- tenselj' 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 tliat 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 them- selves, that about 400 people, mostly women and children, lost their lives, while many more were made
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slaves. This outrage is onlj one of many such he has unwillingly witnessed, and he is utterly unahle to describe the feelings of loathing he feels for the inhu- man perpetrators. Slaves from Manyuema command a ' higher price than those of any other country, becaust of their fine forms and general docility. The women, the Doctor said repeatedly, are remarkably pretty crea- tures, and have nothing, except the hair, in common with the negroes of the West Coast. They are of verv light color, have fine noses, well-cut and not over-full * lij)s, 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 Mauj^uema, Livingstone came to a light- complexioned race, of the color 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.
Eua, 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 do^vn in pencil-shaped pieces or in particles as large as split peas. Two Arabs have gone thither to prospect for this metal ; but, as tliey 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.
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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 evenin_g of the day Livingstone had returned to Ujiji, Susi and Chuma, two of his most faitliful men, were seen crying bitterly. The Doctor asked of tliem what ailed them, and was then 'informed, for tlie 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 liand, but Livingstone re])ulsed him, saying he could not shake hands with a, thief. As an excuse, Sherif said he had divined on the Koran,
2 H
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and tliat 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 aHve 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 Taiiganika at only 1,800 feet above the sea, Speke must have fallen into that error by a frequent writing of the Anno 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 eifort 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 mo;:e capable and trustworthy than a slave. Centuries ago Eumaeus, tho herdsman, said to Ulysses —
" Jove fixed it certain, that whatever day Makes man a slave, takes half his worth away."
Dr. Livingstone states that he has repeatedly enjoined on Dr. Kirk not to send him slaves. None knew better how trustless they were ; and one can conceive — each time he was thwarted and baffled by these incapables — how hopeless his mission would seem to him. It must
Nov. 1871.] INTERCOURSE WITH LIVINGSTONE. 467
be for ever a matter of regret to the friends of both gentlemen that Dr. Livingstone's entreaties on this subject were not better understood.
There is one point, also, on which I wish to make some observations, and that is, on the "doctoring" of Livingstone's despatches. If a traveller in Central Africa discovers anything, whether it be a lake, moun- tain, plain, or river, and arrives at some conclusions respecting his discovery, his reasons, above all others, should have greatest weight. Often the reasons are manifold — too many, at least, to be written in a despatch — and he is compelled, for lack of space, to withhold them, until such time as he can embody them in a book. In such a case, it must be obvious to all, that easy-chaiv geographers, in the absence of accurate data, cannot improve upon the despatch of the original discoverer and explorer ; and no opinions, advanced with the view of disproving the fact, should justify readers in attaching weight or importance to them.
Livingstone has refrained from communicating with the Royal Geographical Society as a body ; but he wrote to his friend, Sir Roderick Murchison, and, whatever was contained in the lengthy letters, the President of the Society would be justified in laying them — as he was expected to do — before the august scientific body of which he was chief. But, as Livingstone has related to me, and as he has written to other friends, the rejxsou that he has refrained from giving detailed disclosures is his fear that his despatches maybe subjected to captions emendations, to suit pet theories — many of the critics being oblivious of the fiict that what he .relates ho
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has been permitted to know only after persevering exploration.
It is a lamentable thing, truly, that discoverers may not utter ■ what they know to be indisputable truths, without being supposed to belong to a partisan clique to unsettle the pet theories of geographers at home, or without being accused of " distorting well- known facts." If the " learned Mr. Cooley " has drawn from the hearsay of an Arab the outlines of a large lake which occupies the whole of Central Africa, em- bracing the several lakes of Nyassa, Tanganika, and the N'Yanza, why should he not admit at once that he is in error, when Livingstone, Burton, Speke, Grant, "Wakefield, New, Roscher, Vonderdecken, and Baker, prove that there are several lakes, far and wide apart, bearing different names ? There is very little extra labor in sketching six lakes more than there is in the outlining of one large one. And the testimony of such an array of travellers, surely, ought to have greater weight than that of one Arab. Yet Mr. Cooley accuses me of deafness, or misapprehension, when I state that the Lake Tanganika is a separate body of water by itself ; and he has been angry with Captain Burton ever since his discovery of that lake. With all his erudition on geographical matters, he yet lacks the nioi al courage of confessing himself in error. But Mr. Cooley is only a type of a small body of geographers ; this Cooleyism — despite large experience, erudition, and high faculties — evidently is contagious; for Mr. F. Galton, with a wonderful suavity of manner, and an elongated smile, called my defence of the explorer " a sensational story ;"
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while Dr. Beke, with all the persistence of a man with a hobby, emphatically declared that Livingstone had NOT discovered the sources of the Nile, This emphatic declaration of a hastily-formed opinion cannot, surely, be anything but deplorable fatuity on the part of Dr. Beke. Neither of the three gentlemen whose names I have mentioned are entitled to more credence than tlie great explorer, who has written his notes on this point in lat. S. 4° and long. E. 25° in Central Africa.
"Well, Doctor Livingstone, despising this Cooleyism, which means obstinacy, intolerance, and narrow-minded- ness, declares he will keep his notes to himself ; and indeed, in my humble opinion, he has done very right. The Geographical Society was instituted to disseminate and promote the knowledge of the true geography of all countries. If the Society were leavened with this Cooleyism, and resolutely closed its ears against the revelations of explorers, how could it ever attain the object for which it was constituted and incorporated ? Would such conduct be encouraging to explorers ? If the members allowed themselves to be swayed by petty jealousies, jjet fiincies, crude and impossible theories, Mould men go and expend thousands of dollars to the enlightenment of the world respecting the mysterious interior of Africa ?
I have advanced no opinions of my own respecting anything I have not seen, :is I am not ambitious of being vilified muvQ than I have been already. I am, unfortunately, under the ban of the displeasure of some geographers, because, unconsciously, I have performed
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what they desired to have had done by one of their own number.
I beheved — and so, indeed, did all the world — that their great Associate was an object of concern to them ; — they were anxious to know — so they said — if David Livingstone was alive. This anxiety was shared by Americans ; and an American newspaper proprietor suddenly undertook to despatch a man on a mission of search and relief to Central Africa. . The man selected happened to be successful, returned back to civilisation, and proclaimed that Livingstone, the great explorer, was alive. Whereupon the news was pooh-poohed ! The President of the Royal Geographical Society declared it to be nonsense ; the Vice-President declared it to be a sensational story ; Cooleyism declared it to be deaf- ness and misapprehension ; and a Beke declared that the theory of Dr. Livingstone was impossible. Nearly all England, and a. great part of America, was plunged into perplexity ; but, gradually, proofs were brought forward of the great fact, that Livingstone was not only alive, but that he wrote every letter which pur- ported to have been written by him, without a single phrase, suggestion, or interpolation from any other hand. Then began attacks on the chaiacter of the unfortunate newspaper correspondent. One individual called him a " charlatan, and a liar ;" another insinuated that he was anything but what he professed to be ; while others thouglit that the much-abused journalist had stolen the despatches from a messenger ; and much else of everything that was vile and unjust.
Permit the humble newspaper correspondent to ask
*
Nov. 1871.] INTERCOURSE WITH LIVINGSTONE. 471
all geograpliers, editors, reviewers, critics, and scandal- mongers, if you had continued your debating, theorising and discussing, wrangling, guessing and speculating- — good God ! gentlemen, between you all, whither had David Livingstone, the illustrious explorer, gone to, if some one had not conveyed to him comfort, health, and aid ?
Little did Dr. Livingstone think that his humble friend would be rewarded by attacks such as these, and little thought I that my humble efforts, which had been carried out with singleness of purpose and uncon- sciousness of the possibility of envy or malice, would have been so received. In my innocence I thought I had only to tell my story honestly and truly, and that it would be at once received by all with- out cavil and without doubt, and it is not unnatural that I should feel aggrieved at attacks upon my honour and my veracity in quarters where I had least expected it, and where I had most hoped for a different reception.
The Doctor entertained grave doubts as to the propriety of sending any despatches to the Royal Geographical Society, without a guaranty that the infor- mation conveyed to it would not be made the subj(>ct of pecuniary profit. For the private information of the members he was very willing to relate what he knew; but he was unwilling that his discoveries should be at the beck and call of any member who had a desire to enrich himself at his expense. He also complained that a certain member had unscrupulously made use of a rough sketch-map he had sent to the Society,
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to illustrate bis route ; and, on Livingstone's return, when he declared his wish to have a correct map made, according to observations verified and corrected by the Cape of Good Hope Observatory, this member turned round, and informed him how he had been working at that map five or six months, and he could not think of making a new one unless he was paid some- thing like £200 for his trouble. Such facts as these Dr. Livingstone complains of. Of the Eoyal Greographical Society, as a body, he entertains the highest respect, and thinks with pride of his relations with them. He complains only against the few members whom he supposes to have " doctored "'his despatches, icQ-matized and theorized agclinst him, and altered his maps, to suit their own idiopatliies and Cooleyistic fancies. But though these members are few, they are too influential to be passed by without notice.
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 liom Ukaranga, luscious singwe — a plum-like fruit — from the
Nov. 1871.] IXTEBCOURSE WITH LIVINGSTONE. ' 473
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 vre sought the shores of the lake — prome- nading up and down tlie beach to breathe the cool breezes which rulBed tlie surface of the water, and rolled the unquiet surf far up on the smooth and whitened shore.
It was the dry season, aud we had most lovely weather ; the temperature never was over 80° 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 Baiigwe, and even from Urundi, with their whitebait, which they called dogara^ the silurus, the perch, and othfer fish ; there were the palm-oil merchants, principally from Ujiji and Urundi, with great five-gallon pots full of roildish oil, of the consistency of butter ; there were the salt merchants from the salt-plains of Uviiiza 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.
474 ' EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
Here were found Waguliha, Wamanyuema, "Wagoma, Wavira, Wasige, Warundi, Wajiji, Waha, Wavinza, Wasowa, Wangwana, Wakawendi, Arabs, and Wasa- wahili, engaged in noisy chaffer and barter. Bare- headed, and almost barebodied, the youths made love to the dark-skinned and woolly-headed Pbyllises, 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 the aged elders of other climes.
STANLF.VS SI |tVe\
l.AKK TAXCA.n'i'k a" '
/
VIEW ON LAKE TANGASIKA.
CHAPTER XIII.
OUR CRUISE ON THE TANGANIKA.
"I distinctly deny that 'any misleading by my instructions from the Royal Geographical Society as to the position of tho White Nile ' made me unconscious of the vast importance of ascertaining tho direction of tho 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 tho Rusizi River being an influent is tho most conclusive argument that it does run out of the lake." — Speke.
" I therefore claim for Lake Tanganika the honour of being tlie SoDTHEiiNMosT Resebvoib OF THE NiLE, uutil somo moro positivo evidence, by actual observation, shall otherwise determine it." — Findlay, R.G.S.
Had Livingstone anfl myself, after making up our minds to visit the northern head of tho Lake Tanganika, been compelled b}' the absurd demands or fears of a crew of Wajiji to return to Unyanyembe without having
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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 ridi- culous 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 ns, 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 lor 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 Tanfranika 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-IIalek, 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 re- mained to him from the store squandered by the imbe- cile 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
Nov. 1871.] OUB CBUISE ON TEE TANGANIKA. 477
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. Living- stone's vast experience as a traveller, I made bold to suggest the following courses to him, either of which he could adopt :
1st. To go home, and take the rest he so well de- served, 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,
478
BOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
enlist men, and return to Ujiji, and back to Manyuema by way of Uguhlia.
5tli. To proceed by way of tbe Rnsizi through Ruanda, and so on to Itara, Unyoro, and Baker.
For either course, whichever he thought most ex- pedient, 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 ol first-class cloth and beads, guns and ammunition, cooking utensils, clothing, boats, tents, &c., and where he could rest in a comfort- able house, while I would hurry down to the coast, organize 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 com- ment 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 the noble mvule tree in 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
Nov. 1871.] OUR CRUISE ON THE TAXGANIKA. 479
bring tlie ships of the Nile up to Ujiji, Usowa, and far Marungu. We did not know what T^e 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 Tano:anika, flowino; 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 ^lajid 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 ; hut 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, the Arab boy 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 mas- sacred several of the inhabitants. Those who took refiiffe 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
480
EOW I FOUND LIVING STONBt,
■wind was then rising, and threatened to drive ns 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 color, 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 oppor- tunity to sound the depth of the water, whose color 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 imme- diately 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 dis- appointed. 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 Eeveralbays, evoked many an exclamation of admiration.
Nov. 1871.] OUR CRUISE ON THE TANGANIEA.
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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 com- pare 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 the boisterous tempests that so often blew without.
The fishermen evidently think themselves comfortably situated. The lake affords them all the fish' they re- quire, more than enougli 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 pea-nuts, 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
2 I
482
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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, wliich measured from nose to end of tail 4 feet 9 inches; the face was 8^ 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^ feet long, which waddled into cover before we had well noticed it. The Doctor thought it the Monitor terrestris.
We encamped under a banian tree ; our surroundings were the now light-grey waters of the Tanganika, an ampliitheatral 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 arid 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 color. At our feet were the clean and well-washed pebbles, borne upward into tiny lines and heaps by the restless surf. A seaich amongst these would reveal to us the malcn'al of the mountain heaps which rose behind and on our right and left; there was scliist, conglomerate
Nov. 1871.] OUR CRUISE ON THE TANGANIKA.
483
sandstone, a hard white clay, an ochreisli 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 formed 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. Tlie 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 diarrhoea — 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 diarrhoea. "With me it was quite the reverse ; any exposure to malaria, encamping near a fetid swamp, or mind disturbed, was sure to produce excessive costiveness, and perhaps an attack of ague.
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
2 I 2
484
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
broad green plantain fronds. These nooks have all been taken possession of by fishermen, and their conically beehive-shaped hnts always peep from under the frondage. The shores are tlms 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 IJjiji, 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 canoe. We hoped 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 N3'abigma. 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.
Nov. 1871.] OUR CRUISE ON TEE TANGANIKA.
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From Nyabigma, a pretty good view of the deep curve in the great mouutain 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, ri.lgy, 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, aifd the Kasokwe, Namusinga, and Mshala Rivers, on the south side of the cape. All the deltas of rivers empty- ing 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, isuch as geese, ducks, snipes, widgeons, kingfishers and ibis, cranes and storks, and pelicans. To reach their haunts is, however, a work of great difficulty \o 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 anuaunition to each of our men, for a tussle wilii the Warundi of two stages ahead, should they invite it by a too forward exhibition of their prejudice to strangers.
486
EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
At dawn, of the fifth day we quitted the haven of Nyabigma Island, and in less than an hour had arrived off Cape Kilunda. This cape is a low platform of con- glomerate sandstone, ext^ding 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. Tillages 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 vere 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 tlie 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 some- thing when we came back." Livingstone, upon hearing this, smiled, and tlie Mateko being then and there in front of him, he said to him, " Well, if you can't get us anytliing now, and intend to give us something when we return, we had bettc-r keep the honga until then." The Mateko was rather taken aback at this, and demurred
Nov. 1871.] OUIl CBUISE ON THE TANGANIKA.
487
to any such proposition. Seeing that he was dis- satisfied, we urged him to bring one sheep — one httle 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 "kogga, 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 tilings ; 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 indis- pensa,ble 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 and Grant's loud commendation of him. It was only the natural cowardice of ignorant thieves that prevented tlje savages from taking the boat and its entire contents, together witlrBombay 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
488
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
is to be sincerely hoped they did not hurt themselves with the explosive bullets and rim cartridges through any ignorance of the nature of their deadly contents ; in which case 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, Kikumu, 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 grate- ful 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 ihey receded into deep folds, at the base of which was sure to be seen an alluvial plain fjom 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
Nov. 1871.] OUR CRUISE ON TEE TANGANIKA. ^ 489
it. Upon observing our efforts, the natives would bend themselves to their tasks, and paddling standing and stark naked, give us ample opportunities for study- ing at our leisure comparative anatomy. Or we saw-a group of fisherm'en 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 c;ime 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 tlie 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 ol^jections to halt at Bikari, as it was the second camp from Mukungu ; because with them a halt in the cool shade of plantains was infinitely preferable to sitting like carved pieces of wood in a
490 ^ BOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
cranky canoe. But before tlaey 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 to 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 chal- lenged. 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, witli calm contempt, not unmixed with a certain amount of compassion. The Poctor related some experiences he had had among
Nov. 1871.] OUB CRUISE ON THE TANGANIKA. 491
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 moon- light night, and we were fully alive to the dangerous position in which we might find ourselves, they con- sented to pull an hour or two more. About 8 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 con- tinue 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 tlie 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 — dining which time we observed that they were taking mental notes of the camp — they went away. Upon leaving, they promised
492
SOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
to return iu 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 visit- ing 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 for- ward, 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 move- ments 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 approach-
Nov. 1871.] OUR CRUISE ON TEE TANGANIKA.
403
ing from the left of our position, in the same suspicious wav; 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 jnere 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 ]\Iuzimu, 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 ; tlie breadth of the lake being at this point about eight or ten miles. We had a good view of the western highlands, which seeiyed to be of an average height, about 3,000 feet above the lake. Lulianga 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 neigh-
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BOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONS.
boring 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 pro- found 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 hfeard 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
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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 Mu- kamba 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 good will, the constitu- tion 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 "Rarikallahs" 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
496
EOW 2 FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
fatlier of Rumanika, present King of Karagwali, 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 behef that the waters of the Tanganika have 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 mouthg, 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 dis- charging sufficient water to permit our following the line of tlie currents several rods north beyond the re- spective mouths.
Beyond the third mouth of the Mugere a bend dis- closed 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 tliem save a club-stick, and here and there' a hatchet.
Nov. 1871.] OUn CRUISE ON THE TANQANIKA.
497
. 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-look !g wiihal, 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 feeliug my hot head aud limbs. I had suffered several fevers between Bagamoyo and Unyanyembe, without anything or anybody to reheve 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 Ilusizi River and the head of the lake. The ever cheerful aud enthusiastic Mgu ana 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
2 K
498
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
towai ds 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 next morn- ing I was awakened by hearing several sharp, crack- * like souTids. 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 that 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 thorouglily 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
Dec. 1871.] OUR CRUISE ON THE TANGANIKA,
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 expose of his infirmity before the "little master," as I was called.
SUSI, THE SERVANT OF LIVINQSTONE.
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 sbould leave two of our men with liim, with their guns, to help defend liira in case Warumashanya should attack him as soon as we were gone — we embarked and pulled across. In nine
600 HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
honrs we had arrived at the head of the lake in Mugihewa, the country of Riihinga, 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 north- ernmost 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 "Waru- mashanya, 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, Mugi- hewa, 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 depres- sions 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 whole- sale. Large herds of cattle are reared on it ; for where the ground is not covered with marshy plants it pro- duces rich, sweet grass. The sheep and goats, espe- cially 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 Abyssipia — which some chief has caused to be planted
Dec. 1871.] OUR CRUISE ON THE TANOANIKA. 501
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.
Ruliinga, 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 ex- cited 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 endeavour- ing to elicit as much information as possible out of him.
The summary of the information derived from Ru- hinga 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. A^ukanigi, governed by Warumush- anya, which occupied the whole of the north-eastern head of the lake, through which issued into the lake the small rivers of Karindwa and Mnofera wa Kani>>i. 3rd. On the eastern half of the district, at tlie head of the lake, was Usumbura, governed by Simveh, ally and friend of Warumashanya, extending to tiie -eastern
G02
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 RuM'enga and TJsige. Ruwenga comprises the countries of Ru- wenga and Mugihewa ; Usige, the countries of Usum- bura, 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, extend- ing over ten days' journey direct north from the head of the lake, and one month in a north-eastern 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 Mugihawa 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, Nyam- a^ana, . Nyakagunda, Ruviro, Rofubu Kavimvira,
Dec. 1871.] OUR CRUISE ON THE TANG AN IK A.
503
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 Mu- tumbi (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 w^as a mile from the southern eitremity of Mugi- hewa to Ruhiuga's village at the head of the bay, and •'t 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 tlie 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 dee[), and the same depth was kept to within a few hundred yards of the principal mouth of the Rusizi. The current
504 HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 carae 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 ; no't 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, rusliing 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
Dec. 1871.] OUR CRUISE ON THE TANGANIKA. 505
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 conforma- tion 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 ourselv^es 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 ex- amination, 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. Thougli Chamati terminates the western range, the eaf^tern range continues for miles beyond, uorth- 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.
I should not omit to sta\e here, that thougli 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 for him ; and, lest I misconstrue the
606 EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
subject, I shall leave it until be 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 tha 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° 19' 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
Dec. 1871.] OUR CRUISE ON THE TANGANIKA.
507
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 ex- treme 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, wliere we halted to cook breakfast.
The village where lived Mruta, the King of Uviri, was in sight of our encampment, and as we observed parties of men ascending and descending the mountains much more often than we thoiight augured good to our- selves, 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 in- security in 4.he 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 tlie head of the boat into a little quiet cove, almost hidden in tall reeds, and disembarked for the night.
Cognizant of the dangers whicli surrounded us, knowing that savage and implacable man was the worst enemy we liad to fear, we employed our iitmost energies in the construction of a stout fence of thorn
508
EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 un- enviable 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 tlie 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, j)romontorial 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
Dec. 1871.] OUR CRUISE ON THE TANGANIEA.
509
and enchanting scenery. The vegetation seems to be of spontaneous growth. Groups of the Elasis Guinensis palm embowering some dun-brown village ; au 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 towards 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 AljDs, 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 lar as Bemba the Wabembe occupy the mountain summits, while the "VVavira culti- vate 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 pas.sage and good fortune if we complied with the ancient custom.
Passing Ngovi, we came to a deep bend, which curved ofi' to Cape Kabogi at tlie distance of ten miles.
610 EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 posses- sion of what had been rehgiously 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 confirma- tion of the new designation given them, shook hands with me upon it. Careful dead-reckoning settled them to be in lat. 3° 41' 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 watchful- ness prevented any marauding. It seemed to me, how- ever, that the people of the opposite shore, who were our visitors, were eagerly watching an opportunity to
Dko.1871.] our cruise ON THE TANG ANTRA.
511
pounce upon our canoe, or take us bodily for a prey ; and our men were considerably affected by tbese 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 dif- ferent 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 projec- tion 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 tliat 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 dreann'ng 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.
512 HOW I FOUND LIVING STOXE.
" "Where is the Doctor ?" I asked. " He has gone over that hill, sir, with his compass," said Selira.
" Anybody with him ?" " Susi and Chumah."
" You, Bombay, send two men oflf 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 pre- sented. 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, atid 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 wo
Deo. 1871.] OUR CRUISE ON THE TANGANIKA.
513
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 ae 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 color as we had. We were white men, different people altogetlier 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 youtli, 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 ; ilhistrating, by a faithful pantomime, how the unfor- tunate 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
2 L
514 EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 he quiet, and accept the present we were willing to give.
But it was 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 en- deavoured 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 G A.M. we were southward of Bikari, and pulling for Mukuiigu,inUrundi,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.
Deo. 1871.] OUR CRUISE ON THE TANGANIKA.
515
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 tlie Tanganika had lasted twenty- eight days, during which time we had traversed over 300 miles of water.
UJIJI cow, DNYAMWEZI COW, PARIAH DOG, AND FAT-TAILED SHEEP.
CHAPTER XIV.
•GEOGRAPHICAL AND ETHNOGRAPHICAL REMARKS.
(Second Series.)
Let us now relate, in a chapter sj)ecially devoted to them, what new geographical and ethnographical facts we have discovered since we left Uyanzi, or Magunda Mkali, concerning the countries of Unyamwezi, Uko- nongo, Ukawendi, Uvinza, Uhha, Ukaranga, Ujiji, Urundi, Usowa, Ukaramba, Ugoma, Uguhha, Rua, and Manyuema.
The first country for our consideration is U-nya- mwezi, which might be pronounced, according to the natives, Oo-nya-mwezi. I beg to differ from all preceding writers as to the exact meaning of the word. Messrs. Krapf and Eebman, to whom the world is in- debted for first rousing its curiosity respecting the interior of East Africa, translate the word U-nya-niwezi
GEOGRAPHICAL AND ETHNOGRAPHICAL REMARKS. 517
into " Country of the Moon " — U being always a prefix for " country," nya meaning " of," and mwezi, " moon." The erudite Capt. Burton seems inclined to the same opinion ; while Speke unhesitatingly adopts the same interpretation. "With all due deference to the more mature knowledge of Africa which these gentlemen possess over me, I would suggest to those interested in the discussion of nice topics, such as these, that a Kisa- wahili definition has been given to a Kinyamwezi word. In the Kisawahili language, if it were a country of the moon, it would be called Umwezi. Unyamwezi is a Kinyamwezi word, and cannot be interpreted, from the accidental similarity of the last two syllables, with the well-known Kisawahili word mwezi, which means moon. If we take the Kisawahili standard for in- terpreting the word U-nya-mwezi, we might just as well accept the other meaning of the last two syllables mwezi, which mean thief, as well as moon, in the Kisawahili language.
Capt. Burton says that Mr. Desborough Coofey prefers "lord of the world" for the meaning of the word Unyamwezi, which he spells " Monomoezi." I piefer Mr. Cooley's interpretation to Capt. Burton's, yet I beg to differ with Mr. Cooley also in the precise translation. So far as I could ascertain from the Wanyarawezi, and Arabs learned in the lore of the country, there once lived a king of Ukalaganza — which is the original name of the country, and by which name alone the western tribes know it — whose name was Mwezi, who ruled over all the land from Uyanzi to Uvinza. He was the greatest king then known ; none could stand before him in the battle, none ever reigned so wisely as he. But, after this great king's death, his sous fought among themselves for the possession of the
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HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
supreme power ; and in the several wars which followed, in the course of time, the districts which the sons had gained became known only by their distinctive names, as distinguished from the central and greater portion -of the country, which still retained its old designation of Ukalaganza. But the people who occupied Ukalaganza, and who recognized the heir appointed by old Mwezi, the king, came to be known by-and-by as children of Mwezi, and the country as Unyamwezi ; and the other districts as Konongo, Sagozi, Gunda, Siinbiri, &c. To support this theory, based upon the tradition related to me by the old chief of ]\fasangi, which lies on the road to Mfuto, I will state that tlie name of the present king of Urundi is Mwezi ; and it is notorious that the name of almost every village in Africa is simply derived from some ruler, either living or dead. In- stances :■ — The village of Misonghi is known from Kwihara to Bagamoyo as Kadetamare, the name of the chief; Capt. Burton can confirm this fact himself, having placed it on his map as Kadetamare. The district of Nyambwa, in Ugogo, is fast losing its old title, and is more extensively known as Pembera Pereh, which is the name of the decrepit old Sultan of Nyambwa. Mrera, in Ukonongo, is the name of the chief, while the ancient designation of the district was Kasera. " Mbogo," or " Buffalo," has also given his name to a large and populous district in Ukonongo ; then there is Pumburu, the name of a neighbouring chief to Mapunda, of Usowa. Uganda is fast giving way to the famous name of King Mtesa ; and, in a few years, a decade perliaps, future travellers will hear from the Arabs of tlie great country called Unyamtesa, or Umtesa. No ; I decidedly object to having Unya- mwezi interpreted into the poetic " Land of the Moon,"
GEOGRAPHICAL AND ETHNOGRAPHICAL REMARKS. 519
or tlie ill-meaning " Land of the Thief." Unjamwezi simply means the Land of Mwezi.
Also do I differ most positively with Capt. Burton, if he supposes that " Ximeamaye," the country said to be • sixty days from the Atlantic Ocean by the Dutch historian Dapper, can be Unyamwezi. A man travelling on horseback could not accomplish the distance from the Atlantic Ocean to Unyamwezi, even in 1671 — two hundred years ago — when the country extended to within ten days of the Tanganika Lake, in sixty days ; but a native unencumbered with a load might possibly reach Manyuema in that time ; and " Nimeamaye " is probably a corruption, caused by misapprehending the correct sound of Manyuema, or " Manyuemaye."
At the present day Unyamwezi extends from east to west a rectilineal distance of about 145 miles ; that is, from the River Ngwhalah, between Mgongo Tembo and Madedita, in E. long. 34°, to Usenye, E. long. 31° 25', which is considered the western extremity of Ukalaganza, or Unyamwezi ; and from north to south, from the southern extremity of the Victoria N'Yanza, in S. lat. 3° 51', to Gombe River, S. lat. 5° 40', a distance of 149 geographical miles, comprising a square area of more than 24,500 miles.
This large area is divided into several districts, such as Unyanyembe, Usagari, Ugunda, Ugara, Ngnrn, Msalula, Usongo, Khokoro, Usimbiri, Nasangaro, Ugoro, &c. ; of which Unyanyembe is the most important in Unyamwezi, both from its central position and populousness. The people north of Unyanyembe are known as the Wasukuina, and those to the soutli as Watakama. The latter term is seldom used in Unyan- yembe, though often by the Wasukuma.
Taken altogether, Unyamwezi may be said to bo the
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HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
finest country in the Tvhole of East and Central Africa. It is one grand rolling table-land, with a gentle western trend towards the Tanganika, which drains the greater part of it. If one were to take a bird's-eye view of it he would see forests, a purple-colored carpet of leafage, broken here and there by naked plains and clearings, stretching to all points of the horizon, with now and then dark heaving masses of rocky hill, rising like blunted cones above the gentle undulations, which rise and subside over and beyond the horizon, like the heavy, exhausted waves of an ocean after a storm. Stand upon any coign of vantage you like, on the height of some of those great Titanic boulders of syenite which crop up above the crest of the hills around Mgongo Tembo, or the rocky humps of Ngaraiso, and you will behold a scene the like of which you never saw before. They are no grand mountains, or sublime heights ; there is no picturesqueness about it — you would call it prosaic, monotonous, perhaps, for you will have witnessed the same scene a hundred times before you will have arrived in Uyanzi ; but in this excessive monotony there is sublimity. The oceanj churned into foam and wild waves, is sublime; the ocean, slumbering under the equatorial sun, reflecting the deep blue of the firmament— extending without a ruffle vou know not how far — is sublime ; and so is there sublimity in this view of the great, the infinite, apparently endless extent of forests in Unyamwezi. The foliage is of all 'the colors of the prism; but as the woods roll away into the distance the calm, mysterious haze enwraps them in its soft shroud ; paints them first a light blue, then gradually a deeper blue, until, in the distance, there appears but a dim looming; and on gazing at its f;\ded contour we find ourselves falling into a day-dream, as
GEOGBAPHICAL AND ETHNOGRAPHICAL REMARKS. 521
indistinct in its outline as the view which appears on the horizon. I defy any one to gaze on such a scene long without wishing that his life would fade away as serenely as tlie outlines of the forests in Unyamwezi.
'V\^e found a species of pisolitic limestone in the maritime region ; schist and syenite in alternate lines in Ugogo ; but in Unyamwezi the enormous smooth sheets which have appeared with bare humps in Uyanzi loom up into solid bills — great disintegrated fragments and craggy ridges, softened, of course, by the wealth of vegetation, which liides tbe rough and uneven lines from human view.
Tbere are only two rivers worthy of the name in Unyamwezi, and those are the Northern and the Southern Gombe. The northern river, under the name of Kwala, sometimes called Wallah, rises south of Bubuga, and after sweeping with a north-westerly curve, enters the Gombe north of Tabora — even here a stream of some magnitude and importance. With good light boats in the latter part of the rainy season, a man might easily — eight miles or so from Tabora — embark his people, and float down happily enough to the Tanganika Lake ; provided, of course, that all 'the tribes were willing. A properly-equipped expedition might work wonders in this way. •
The Nghwhalah River — known to rise nortli of Kusuri, intersecting the Unyanyembe path frequently, as one may see as he proceeds towards Tura — few miles east of Madedita takes its steady course south- west, and passing through Nguru, comes into view again in Manyara, and is then known as the Southern Gombe, but which lias a current only during the very height of the rainy season. From Manyara it runs across Ugala country in a north-by-west direction ; and
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SOW I FOUND LIVINCtSTONE.
before its junction with the Malagarazi it receives the streams of Mrera and Mtambu, which, after skirting the eastern base of the Rusawa Mountains, glide north- easterly across the park lands oit Uvenda to the Gombe.
All other streams, which are few in Unyamwezi, and of no importance, discharge their waters into either the Northern or Southern Gombe. The water is gene- rally supplied by large pools, or in deep, lengthy hollows, which, in India, would be called nullahs, but, with Americans, gullies. Where nullahs and pools fail, pits are dug, by which a pale, milky kind of water is obtained. This color of the water, to a native of Unyamwezi, is considered by him to be a sure sign of its goodness ; and he is apt to evince his admiration of its qualities, if he is asked whether the water is good, by the fervent expression, " 0 miope sana " — " Oh, it is quite white ;" by which, of course, you must understand that it is very good, if very white.
The productions of the forests of Unyamwezi, as well as those of Ukonongo and Uvinza, are similar to those of Uyanzi ; and, indeed, such as are coftimon to all the tree-clad uplands under or near the equator.
The most gigantic tree fbund between Uyanzi and the Tanganika is the mtamba — sycamore, which is equal in jjze to the mighty baobabs of Ugogo. It produces a kind of pleasant fig, which, when ripe, is eaten readily by the natives. But these sycamores are few and far between. Other trees frequent in the forests are known by the Kisawahili terms — mtundu, miombo, mkora, mkurongo, mbembu, mvule, mtogwe, msundurusi, mninga, mbugu, matoiiga.
The natives have ingeniously found uses fpr all of them. The imbite forms rafters, as beautiful as cedar,
GEOQBAPniOAL AND ETHNOGBAPEICAL REMARKS. 523
capable of being carved ornamentally. It also forms doors and carved pillars, which range along the veranda. It emits quite an agreeable perfume, and its dark-reddish mahogany-like lines of red and pale yellow are very pretty and rich-looking.
The mkora is a fine large tree, growing into stately proportions in the forests of Ugunda and some parts of Ukonongo, out of which the natives carve most laboriously the kiti, or stool, in such frequent use with the elders and chiefs throughout Africa ; as well as their huge mortars, in which the dourra, or sorghum, grain, and Indian corn is pounded into 'flour.
The mkurongo is the tree out of which the pole which tlie natives use as a pestle throughout Central Africa for the pounding of the grain is made. It is harder and more durable than hickory, and, when polished, has a whitish glistening appearance.
The mbugu supplies the soft useful barls which is used by the natives to make cloth. The bark, after being well soaked, is pounded, and, after some drying and rubbing, presents the appearance of a thick loose felt. Rope is also sometimes made of it, but more fre- quently it is employed in the manufacture of kirindos, or round boxes, like primitive band-boxes, which are painted and ornamented with a composition of various clays. These kirindos are sometimes very gigantic, and are used to store grain, supported above the ground, out of the reach of white ants, by a strong structure of logs. The bark of the mbugu forms admirable sheds, and is often used to form a kitanda, or a rude bed- stead, by the fathers of families and luxuriously-inclined youtlis. It is out of the bark of this tree that the Warori dwelling on the Rufiji construct their bark canoes.
524 HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
The mvule tree is that out of which the lake tribes form their canoes. The largest canoes on the Tanga- nika are considerably over sixty feet long. The tree attains its greatest size in the ravines of Ugoma, opposite Ujiji, on the western shore. Uvira, Urundi, and Usowa also possess very many fine specimens of it. It is a great work of labor, the cutting down of these trees, and the excavating of the enormous logs into canoes. It requires over three months' labor before tlie canoe may be said to be ready for launching. During the excavation of the huge log the owner makes a series of fires, out of the chips, along the upper side of it, and his neighbors are called to assist him in the work for a ti ifle of grain or palm oil. When the canoe is ready for launching, he brews several pots of pombe, and invites all his neighbors to push it into the sea ; and, after a spurt, they regale themselves with the native beer frequently, a,nd again set about their work with renewed strength and vociferous shouting. A large canoe may be bought with one liundred and twenty doti of cloth, or, say, a 7 5 -lb. bale ; but the Arabs, or the Wajiji, when they proceed to purchase a canoe, generally take with them an assortment of goods, such as a dozen pots of palm oil, a dozen goats, a number of various cloths several hoes, and a number of bags of salt and grain, by which the purchase is made with profit.
The other trees which the Central African forests produce are the kolquall, or candelabra tree ; the msun- durusi, or copal-tree, frequent in Ukawendi ; the moumbo, or palmyra ; the raiombo ; the beautiful and fragrant mimosa ; the- mtundu ; and on the shores of Lake Tunga- nika is seen the beautiful Guinea palm tree, called mchikichi, and the plantain tree.
The palm oil is extracted from the fruit of the palm
GEOORAPEIOAL AND ETHNOORAPHICAL REMARKS. 525
tree, which hangs pendent, somewhat hke the date. This is pounded and hoiled, and, when allowed to cool, the oil is collected into great earthen pots, which will contain from two to five gallons. Four yards of cloth, or a doti, will purchase one of tlie largest pots full of palm oil, which in appearance is like soft, yellow, ochre-coloured butter. The Wajiji and others use the oil for cooking frequently.
Out of the same tree, the Guinea palm, is extracted an intoxicating liquor, called tembo, which is a far more agreeable drink than the pombe, or beer.
Plantains are abundant also in all the villages bordering the lake. The toddy called " zogga " is made by pounding the plantains in the huge wooden mortar wherein the various grains are also converted into flour.
The cactaceous and aloetic plants are visible all over the country, but in the arid plains of Ugogo and Southern Uvinza more especially.
The tamarind trees are frequent throughout the forests, but they attain their greatest growth in Usa- gara, and west of Unyanyembe. Their fruit forms a grateful acidified beverage when steeped in water.
The tamarisks and the several species of acacia deserve notice, if one had only space. The latter grow everywhere, and are a sore trouble to a caravan, on account of their wide-spreading branches. The thorn trees and gums are among the most obnoxious to travellers. The former species bristle with all kinds of hurtful thorns. One of the " wait-a-bit " kind caught Selim, my interpreter, by the neck one day when riding while sick with dysentery, and tore an ugly wound in the nock in alarming proximity to the jugular vein, the mark of which ho will carry to his dying day.
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EOW I TOUND LIVINGSTONE.
Among the fruif-bearing kind of tvecs are the mbembii, or wood peach ; the rnatonga, or nux vomica ; the tamarind ; the sing-we, or wood plum ; the mtogwe, or wood apple ; and in TJkawendi there are numerous varieties of grapes. But there are scores of species, some of which are dangerous, and others innocuous, which are indigenous to the soil, whose names or pro- perties I could not obtain.
Among the fruit-trees planted and carefully nourished by the Arabs of Unyanyembe in their gardens are the papaw, guava, lime, citron^ pomegranate, mango, ba- nana, orange.
The principal food of the several tribes dwelling in Unyamwezi and the countries west as far as Lake Tanganika consists of matama (Kisawahili), or dourra (Arabic), or jowar (Hindostanee), the Linnaean title of which is the Holcus sorglium ; b&jri (Holcus spicatus) ; millet {Panicum italicum) ; maweri, or sesame ; maize, or Indian corn. The pulse kinds are numerous, but the vetch, the field and large garden beans are most common. Eice is plentiful' in Unyanyembe and Ujiji ; wheat is grown by the Arabs only.
Sweet potatoes, yams, and manioc are abundant in Unyanyembe and Ujiji, and in some parts of Ukawendi. Sugar-cane flourishes at Ujiji.
There is only one harvest, which takes place in April on the Tanganika, in May in Unyamwezi, and in June in the maritime region.
Cotton, tobacco, and the castor-oil plant are grown everywhere throughout the central regions. Gourds and cucumbers are also numerous and plentiful. Indigo grows wild.
Among the shrubs, plants, and grasses indigenous to Central Africa may be mentioned the wild thyme and
GEOGBAPHIGAL AND ETHmGRAPEIGAL REMARKS. 527
sage, the holly and sunflower, bird-pepper, chilies, ginger, turmeric, the oleander, gloriosa superba (near the Tanganika) ; the poppy-flower (grows wild in the neighborhood of villages in Ukawendi), as also wild mustard and curry. But in the great forests bordering the lake may be seen a hundred varieties of flowering shrubs, exhaling an exquisitely sweet fragrance. Among the grasses are the hawk-weed, ox-eye, the grass known as bhota in India, and whitlow, besides scores of rank species, such as the tiger and spear grass.
The lotus, water, and leafless lilies may be seen in the still Gombe lakes, and in the pools of Uka- wendi.
Papyrus and the matete cane margin all the un- inhabited spots on the alluvial plains on the shores of the Tanganika. The cschinomenae, or the pith tree, may be seen at the mouths of all the large rivers issu- ing into this lake.
As the limits to which I am necessarily restricted in a chapter such as this prevent Tny entering into a detailed zoological account of the species of- animals and birds of Central Africa, my readers will perhaps pardon me if I am brief.
I shall commence with the quadrumanous order, as the most higldy organized of the brute species.
The largest of this kind is what is known as the Wanderoo baboon. It is distinguished for its groat size and leonine aspect. From a distance it resembles a small lion, and its hoarse hollow roar in the dense forests of Ukawendi serves not a little to heighten tlie illusion. A long greyish mane surrounds the head and covers the neck. The hair on its back is of a dark grey, mixed with light brown. The tail is long, and ends in a tuft. It dw(;lls in the hollows of large trees and in caves.
528
EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
This was the -kind we saw near the sources of the Rugufu, but on some of the feeders of the same river further west we saw large numbers of this babpon, of a true tawny color.
After this comes the immense dog-faced baboon, a description of which I have given in the preceding chapter. There are other and smaller species found in Ukawendi and Western Ukonongo, with black faces, similar to the tota of Abyssinia. They are exceedingly active, and good climbers. They lead a gregarious life, and feed on wild berries, mbembu, or wood peach, and insects.
The larger feline animals which we saw were the lion and the leopard, in the forests of Ukawendi. The hide of the lion becomes the property of the Sultan. The lion inhabits the dark thick belts of timber which border the streams, and wherever game is found in the park lands this proud beast is also sure to be found.
The cry of the spotted cyn-hysena was heard almost every night on our journey throughout Africa, especially in Utanda and TJgogo. This animal is as large as a mastiff, with a most powerful head, indicating great strength of jaw. Its color is a dirty tawny mixed with grey, and with black spots that seem faded. Its ears are large and thick, spotted with black. The dental system is similar to that of a dog, but the hyajna has three false molars in the upper row, and four in the lower. Their teeth are armed with formidable cutting points, which enable them to crush the largest bones.
The jackals we met were similar to our prairie coyotes, and their cries had the same sharp yelping tones. They are similar to foxes in their muzzles, and have thick bushy tails. Their color is of a dark grey.
Other animals which we met were elephants, rhino-
GEOGRAPHICAL AND ETHNOGRAPHICAL REMARKS. 529
ceroses, the camelopard, or the giralFe, the zebra, the hartebeest, the eland, the buffiilo, spring-bok, pallah, or water buck, the sable anteloj)e, the brindled gnu, the reddish and lead-colored hog and wild boar, the hyrax, or coney, the kudu (^Ant. strepsiceros), the tiny perpusilla, or blue-buck, and scores of the reit-bok, or red -buck {A. Eliotragus). As I hav^e already described them, it is imnecessary to repeat my observa- tions. I may mention here that I have seen numbers of prairie dogs, or ground squirrels, on the banks of the Rugufu or the Gombe. Of the hippopotami and croco- diles we saw numbers, in the Kingani, the Gombe, and the Malagarazi Rivers, and the Lake Tanganika.
The domesticated animals are such as are common to all countries. The oxen are of two kinds; that which we saw in Ugogo, Unyanyembe, and Uliha, was distingwished by a hump between the shoulders, such as has the American bison. The other kind, which we saw in Ujiji only, was distinguished by long legs, thin body, and enormously long horns.
Sheep are common with all tribes, and are distin- guished by broad, fat, heavy tails. Goats are numerous, and of various colors. But the finest goats in Africa are those of Manyuema, which are short-legged and stout-bodied.
The asses, great numbers of which are found in Ubanarama, are strong and large, but vicious and wild.
Dogs are numerous, and are seen in every village. They are of the true pariah breed, and are a cowardly and mangy set.
Tame cats are also frequent in every ^■il]age, and they must have a fine time of it, as the rats infest eveiy house, hut, and tembe.
The tc^athered race is very numerous in Central
2 M
530
EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
Africa. The most common of the birds which we saw were fish-eagles, bustards, kites, vultures, white-necked crows, turtledoves, ortolans, saddle-billed, storks, on the Gombe, the Mpokwa, and the Rugufu : the ibis nigra, the ibis religiosa, toucans, wild geese (armed with spurs on their wings), wald ducks, black Madagascar ducks, and gulls on the Tanganika : paddy birds, thrushes, hammer-headed storks, pelicans, lead-colored and tuft- headed cranes, divers, kingfishers, and Egyptian geese, eared grebes, terns, guinea-fowl, quail, jitarmigan, and florican. I also saw some ostriches in Ugogo ; swans on Lake Ugombo ; snipe and wagtails on the Tanganika, near the Rusizi River ; besides great and little owls, bats, barbets, and the balaenceps and sand-pipers. Others which I recognized were hoopoes, parrots, jays, WTens, red- wings, golden fly-catchers, and the little egrets. This, as you may see, is far too long a list to enter into any description of the several species.
Among the reptiles w^e met were a long green snake, the boa, and a little silver-backed snake. Rock lizards were innumerable ; tortoise, iguanas, the gymuopus, toads, frogs, and terrapin w^ere also met with.
The insects seen principally were the common house flies, mosquitoes, fleas, .lice, tsetse, horse and gadflies, enormous beetles, dragon-flies, tarantulas, garden and house spiders, yellow scorpions, centipedes, myriapedes, caterpillars, pismires, white, red, and black ants.
The fishes of the Tanganika are of great variety.
(1.) The first is the silurus, called by the Wajiji singa, which grows, according to native report, to four, and even six feet in length. The one I sketched was 38i inches long, and weighed 102 lbs. in weight, but was considered to be a small one. It is an extremely fat fish, of a dark-brown color on the back, and light brown, nclined
GEOaBAPinCAL AND ETIJNOGHAPHJCAL BEMARKS. 531
to whiteness, on the belly. This fish is scaleless. It is the same kind which we find in the pools and rivers. It is caught in the Gombe River by hundreds, is cut up and dried, and carried into Unyanyembe for sale to the Arabs, the Moharnraedanized negroes, and Wasawahili.
(2.) The next in importance and size is the sangara, scaled, considered good for food. The one Avhich the woodcut represents was 23 inches long, and 15i inches round the body, and weighed 6^ lbs.
(3.) Next comes tlie mvuro, a thick, fleshy fish, considered excellent eating. This, also, is scaled. The engraving on p^ge 532 represents one 18 inches long, 15| inches round the body, and weighing 5i lbs.
(4.) A scaled fish called the " chai," which I sketched, was %\ inches long, 4 inches round the body, bad a greenish tint on its back, and was light underneath. .
(5.) A scaleless fisli, j7 inches long, 4 inches broad, marked with pale inky stripes a quarter of an inch broad, belly white, a handsome fish, is very numerous in the lake, and large captures of this kind are made daily by the fishermen of Ujiji.
(().) Another scaleless fish, (J inches long, with silvered belly, had a taste like trout, and is a great favorite.
(7.) A perch, general size 8 inches long, and G inches round the lK)dy, was a very dry fish, and seldom \)\\y- chased except by tlie poor classes.
(8.) A short, thick eel, is a fine-flavored fish. The one sketched was 17 inches long, and 4 inches round the body.
The above-mentioned species are among the most important of the fishes of the Tangaiiilca ; but there is another variety, which, though the smallest fish, yet contributes more than any other to the food of the
532
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
GEOGRAPHICAL AND ETHNOGRAPHICAL REMARKS. 533
jjeople, and that is the minute " dogara," a species of white-bait, which is caught in great nets by the thou- sand. They are spread out in tlie sun to dry, or are salted, and are in this manner exported even as far as Unyanyembe. There are also several varieties of fish like the sardines of the French coast, which are caught with rod and line, or hand-nets. The markets of Ujiji also expose shrimps, and a kind of oyster, for sale.
The metals known to the tribes under consideration are copper and iron. The copper is conveyed from the coast and from Rua ; the wrought iron from Usukuma, or the northern states of Unyamwezi, and from Uvira. All brass ornaments worn in the far interior are manu- factured by the natives frojn the thick brass wire sold by caravans. Though iron ore is abundant — even cropping above the ground in scores of places between Unyamwezi and Ujiji — yet it is seldom worked ; though there are instances, in Ukonongo and Uvinza, where the natives smelt the ore, and make their own iron.
The diseases by which the natives are commonly afflicted, west of Unyanyembe, are acute dysentery, chronic dysentery, cholera morbus, remittent fever, intermittent fever, or ague, typhoid fever, low con- tinuous fever, heart disease, rheumatism, paralysis, small-pox, itch, ophthalmia, sore throat, consumption, colic, cutaneous eruptions, ulcers, syphilis, gonorrhea, convulsions, prolapsus ani, umbilical hernia, and nephritis.
But the great and terrible scourge of East and Cential Africa is the small-pox. The bleached skulls of the victims to this fell disease, which lie along every caravan road, indicate but too clearly tlic havoc it makes annually, not only among tlie ranks of the several trading expeditions, but also among the villages of llir
534 • EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
respective tribes. Some caravans are decimated by it, and villages have been more than half-depopulated. Dr. Livingstone has saved many a poor life in Africa by vaccination ; and it is affliction at witnessing the ravages daily made amongst the people that has com- pelled him to make an appeal for some vaccine matter to be sent to him.
The remedies used by the people themselves are simple herbs, or decoctions of herbs, delivered by the " waganga," or medicine-men. The medicinal use of the castor-oil plant is not known ; the oil extracted from 'the seeds is used only to smear their heads and bodies with. Emetics are obtained from the bark of a certain tree, and the Arabs state it to be most powerful. For nephritic diseases the waganga compound a medi- cine from the root of a plant, and from the leaves of a shrub which grows near TJnyamwezi, but whose name they would never tell me, though I endeavoured to purchase it with a cloth. Though I have seen a man use it daily for a month, I never observed it had any effect on him. Among the Arabs the remedy is gum-mastic, boiled in water, and a cupful of the liquid taken every evening before retiring, or a cuj)ful of new milk taken every morning and evening. For rheumatism the re- medy is lying down in the sun, or being rubbed briskl}- . Colic is supposed to be cured by inserting the finger down the throat, and causing vomiting. For dysentery, warm stones are employed over the abdomen, and to the posterior parts. Patients suffering from miasmatic fevers fold themselves in cloths, and lie down in the sun imtil perspiration ensnes ; but I have seen this treat- ment terminate with death among the men of my own Expedition. In cases of small-pox, quarantine is rigorously enforced, no one venturing near the patients
6E0GBAPEICAL AND ETHNOGRAPHICAL REMARKS. 535
except those who have already suffered from it. Members of a caravan attacked by the small-pox are excluded from the society of the healthy, and have special sheds set apart for them outside of the camp. But the suc- ceeding caravans contain several reckless young fellows, who thoughtlessly enter within, and in a few days after- wards begin to feel ill, and to complain of loss of appe- tite, pains in the back, and low fever ; and before long we know they have become victims, and are in their turn ostracised, and if unable to walk are left to. die, for no settlement will permit them to approach their gates, and a caravan cannot halt in the wilderness. When thus driven from the face of man as one accursed, he seeks the jungle, witji his store of food and water ; builds his hut, and there rests until his recovery or death.
Upon leaving the noble park lands and forests of Unyamwezi, we find ourselves in Ukonongo; famous for it^wild wood-peach trees, and its fine teak- wood, and its broad sheets of iron-ore, which crop out frequently as we journey toward the south and west. The eastern part of Ukonongo is but a continuation of the park land of Unyamwezi ; but as wo approach its western frontier, bordering on Ukawendi, enormous lumpy ridges rise prominently into view, which serve as a watershed to the River Mrera, and the numerous oozv, marshy ravines trending towards the Rikwa Plain.
It is very pretty and agreeable, and, stretching a point, we might say picturesque, the first view we get of the blue conical hills, which either rise singly or in triplets above the far-reaching plain which, so I was informed, extends across the ]\ungwa River to the pastoral lands of the Southern Watuta. Many of the feeders of the Rungwa River take their rise just where Ukonongo and Ukawendi unite. Several rise in the
now J FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
district of Kasera. I have been informed that the Rungwa River is as large as the Malagarazi, and that its principal source is in Central Urori. Dnring the rainy season this river overflows the plain aronnd it, just as the Mukondokwa River inundates the Makata Plain. Hence, Speke, on his map, has a bluish patch, which is supposed to represent the Rikwa Lagoon ; but much questioning on this point has failed to elicit any knowledge of it, save that the plain is covered with water during the wet season.
If it be true that the Rungwa River rises in Central Urori, then we must accept the statement that the Rufiji, or the Ruhwha River, has its sources south-west of Ubena, as probable, at a group of mountains which may possibly be the same whence the Chambezi takes its rise.
South of Ukonongo is the territory of the Watuta ; south-east are the districts of the Warori : south-w tst are Ufipa and Karungu ; west is Ukawendi ; north is TJtakamn, or the southern provinces of Unyamwezi.
Ukawendi we find to be an almost uninhabited country, with an irregular surface, forested, well drained by myriads of fine streams, a fertile and a favored land with an abounding fauna and flora. The only settle- ments of any importance are those of Mana Msenge, in the north ; those of Ngondo and Tongwe, in the west, on the Tanganika ; those of Rusawa, in the centre ; Pum- buru, in the south, and Utanda, in the south-east.
The more important rivers are the Rugufu, which, rising in the hilly group near Pumburu, flows parallel with the lake through a deep valley north, issuing into the lake south of the Malagarazi. The next is the Loajeri, which, rising between Kagungu and Pumburu ranges, issues into the lake near the chief village of
QEOGRAPEICAL AND ETENOGEAPEICAL BEMABKS. 537
TJrimba. There are scores of sucb rivers as the Uwe- lasia, Signnga, Mviga, and Kivoe.
Ukawendi, ranking third in size among the countries in the central region, stretches from the Malagarazi Eiver, from about S. lat. 5° 10' to about S. lat. 6° 18'. It is bounded on the north by Southern Uvinza and the Malagarazi River ; on the east by Ugara and TJkonongo ; on the south by Usowa and Ufipa ; and on the west by the Tanganika Lake.
Proceeding north from Ukawendi, we arrive in Southern Uvinza, a country much cut up by deep ravines, of a mountainous and ruo-nred character, inter- sected in all directions by dun-colored lines of naked ridges. In the alluvial valley of the Malagarazi are numerous salt-pans, out of which the natives extract considerable quantities of salt. There are but few streams flowing through it. Among the special pro- ductions are goats and grain.
Crossing the ^lalagarazi, we come to a lengthy, latitudinal strip of poor country, called Northern Uvinza, The soil is poor, nourishing but a sparse jungle of gums, thorns, tamarind, mimosa, and a few stunted specimens of teak. The salt plains are exten- sive, and the possession and exclusive right to these are fruitful subjects of contention between the two gi'cat chiefs, Lokanda Mira and Nzogera.
The Malagarazi at its head-waters is known as tlie Northern Gombe. -As it flows through extensive Salinas, its waters have a slightly saline taste, but not disajriecablv so. It falls into the Tanj^anika, south of Ujiji Bunder. I believe it is navigable by boats all the way from the lake to Wilyankuru. I know it is navigable thus far in the raiuy season.
Northern Uvin/a is bounded by the pastoral country
»
538 now 1 FOUND LIVINGSTONK
of TJlilia on the north ; on the east by TJkalaganza and Usagozi, or Western Unyamwezi ; on the south by the Malagarazi ; and on the west by Ukaranga.
Its principal settlements are Mpete, Usenye, Yambeho, Siala, Isinga, Nzogera's Island, and Lokanda Mira's district. The chief productions are goats, sheep, grain, and salt.
From Uvinza we proceed to TJhha. This latter is an immense plain comitry, similar in appearance to our prairies of Nebraska. It is known under the two divisions, Kimenyi and Antari. Uhha, in its most exten- sive sense, is bounded on the north by Ututa, on the south and east by Uvinza, on the west by Ukaranga and Ujiji.
The range of mountains which are said to form the divisional line between Uhha and Ututa give birth to two streams of note, the Rusugi and Rugufu. Other streams are called Sunuzzi, Kanengi, and Pombwe. Mostly all these streams that run through Uhha are slightly brackish, especially the Pombwe, Kanengi, and the Rusugi. *
The denuded plains of Uhha support large herds of hump-backed cattle and broad-tailed sheep. The goats are also very fine. The soil is fertile, and produces fine crops of Holcus sorghum and maize. The climate is good, and the heat is tempered by the breezes of the Tanganika and the winds of Usagnra.
The small lakes or large pools of Uhha are a conspicuous feature. They occupy extensive but shallow circular depressions, or basins. Evidences are not wanting to prove that at one time or another much of Uhha was inundated, and that the valley of the IMalagarazi River was nothing but a deep arm of the Tanganika. An accomplished geologist would find subjects of surpassing interest in this region.
OEOGRAPHICAL AND ETHNOGRAPHICAL -REMARKS. 539
Proceeding westward, and crossing the small stream Simuzzi, we arrive in Ukaranga, a country exceedingly diversified in its character. North, as it joins Northern Uhha, it is mountainous ; south, it is a lengthy smooth slope, covered with tall teak trees ; in the centre it consists of rolling hills, drained by swift, clear streams — a fertile and delightful district. From the east, a number of parallel ridges, all tree-clad*, strike out at right angles westward from the main range which separates North-eastern Uhha fj-om Ukaranga, and subside suddenly as they approach the alluvial valley of the Liuche.
The trees of Ukaranga are principally teak, the mbugu, and bamboo. The climate is exceedingly soft and moist. A constant drizzle seems to be pouring over the tops of the Ukaranga ridges, whence arise the numerous streams that discharge themselves into the Liuche.
From the heights of Ukaranga we descend into the Liuche valley, and find ourselves in Ujiji, a district of surpassing beauty and fertility, and come in vieAv of that mighty inland sea wliose shores must from lience- forth be considered sacred, for " the place that a good man has trod remains hallowed to all time." And, indeed, nature has assisted us in the love which we now feel for the classic lands borderinc: the Tanfranika. No man, however prosaic his nature, can stand on the beach of Ujiji, and look westward across the broad belt of silver waters at sunset, without being affected, in the innermost recesses of his heart, at ihe display of colors which the sun reveals on the face of the lieaven in which he is set. The ethereal colors come and £2:0 with the rapidity of magic. They are of gold and azui-e, })ink and silver, purple and saffron ; in thin lines
*
540 now I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
and broad bars, cirri and cumuli are transformed into burnished flaming gold ; they reflect their refulgence on the gigantic blue-black barrier which bounds the Tanganika westward ; they reveal the whole panorama of mountains, spread over them lovely rosy hues, and bathe them in a flood of silver light.
The most remai'kable tribe in Central Africa are the Wanyamwezi. A beau-ideal of a Mnyamwezi to me will be a tall long-limbed black man, with a good- natured face, always with a broad smile upon it ; 'displaying in the centre of the upper row of teeth a small hole, which was cut out when he was a boy, to denote his tribe ; with hundreds of long wiry ringlets hanging down his neck ; almost naked ; giving me a full view of a form which would make an excellent model for a black Apollo. I have seen many of this tribe in the garb of the freedmen of Zanzibar, sporting a turban of new American sheeting, or wearing the long dishdasheh (shirt) of the Arab, presenting as fine and intelligent an appearance as any Msawahili fiom the Zanguebar coast ; but I cannot rid myself of my ideal.
A Mnyarawezi is the Yankee of Africa ; he is a born trader and traveller. From days inunemorial his tribe has monopolized the carrying of goods from one country to another. The Mnyamwezi is the camel, the horse, the mule, and the ass — the beast of burden to which all travellers anxiously look to convey his luggage from the coast to the far African interior. The Arab can go no vIk re without his help ; the white traveller, bound on an exploiing trip, cannot travel without him. He is generally Ibund in great numbers at Bagamoyo, Konduclii, Kaole, Dar Salaam, and Kilwa, waiting to be hired for a long voyage. He is like the sailor, having his habitat in certain sailors' boarding-
GEOGRAPHICAL AND ETHNOGRAPHICAL REMARKS. 541
houses in great seaport towns ; and, like the sailor, is a restless rover. The sea-coast to a Mnyamwezi is like New York to an English sailor. At New York the English sailor can re-ship with higher pay, so can the Mnyamwezi re-hire himself on the coast, for a return trip, at a higher rate than from Unyamwezi to the sea. He is in such demand, and during war time so scarce, that his pay is great, ranging from thirty-six yards of cloth to one'liundred yards. A hundred of these human bete^de somme will readily cost the traveller 10,000 yarOs of cloth, even as far as Uuyauyembe, a three months' journey. 10,000 yards of cloth at Zanzibar represent $5,000 in gold. But with patience and rigid economy the same number may be procured for 83,000.
The Wanyamwezi, weighted with the bales of Zanzibar, containing cottons and domestics from Massachusetts, calicoes from England, prints from Muscat, cloths from (.'utch, beads from Germany, brass wire from Great Britain, may be found on the Lualaba, in the forests of Ukawendi, on the hills of Uganda, the mountains of Karagwah, on the plains of Urori, on the plateau of Ugogo, in the park lands of Ukonongo, in the swamps of Useguhha, the defiles of Usagara, in the wilderness of Ubena, among the pastoral tribes of the Watuta, trudging along the banks of the Rufiji, in slave- trading Kil\v;i — everywhere throughout Central Africa.
"While journeying with caravans, they are docile and tractable ; in their villages they are a merry-making set ; on trading expeditions of their own they are keen and clever ; as Ruga-Ruga they are unscrupulous and bold ; in Ukonongo and Ukawendi they are hunters ; in Usukuma they are drovers and iron-smelters ; in Lunda they are energetic searchers for ivory ; on the coast they are a wondering and awe-struck people.
♦
512 HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
The Wanyamwezi, I fear, are dying cut, or tliey have emigrated to distant pai ts ; but I base my first statement upon the large tracts of their country that are desolated, such as Mgongo Tenibo, Rubuga, Kigwa, Utanda, Mfuto, Masange, "Wilyankuru. Such uneasy, dissatisfied spirits as Manwa Sera, Niongo, Mirambo, and Oseto tend by the constant strife they are engaged in to materially depopulate Unyamwezi. The hardships of travel on the gristle of tlie race are not favorable to its multiplication. Eight out of ten of the bleached skulls seen along the paths of commerce in the interior are those of the unfortunate Wanyamwezi wlio have succumbed to the perils and privations attending the footsteps of every caravan. Slavery, with its abomina- tions, assists in their demoralization and extermination. It is sad to think that huch people should perish from the earth, as the warrior race of the Makololo have, even within the memory of man, since Livingstone first sighted Liuyanti. What a power in the laud might not a philanthropic government make of these people ! What a glorious testimony to the charity of civilization might they not become ! What docile converts to the Gospel truths, through a practical missionary, would they not make !
Great is the power of "uganga" — medicine — in Unyamwezi. I was reported to be able to make rain, to be able to poison all the wells in the country, to kill all Mirambo's people with a medicinal preparation, until I took the trouble to deny all such power as was attributed to me. At first they would bring their sick to me — the ulcerous, the syphilitic, sufferers from the itch and the small-pox, the consumptive, and those afHicted with dysentery — until they all finally became convinced by my earnestness that I could do nothing for them. One
GEOGRAFHICAL AND ETENOGEAPEICAL llEMARKS. 543
old. man, suffering from chronic dysentery, brought me a fine fat sheep and a dish of choroko — vetches — for medicine to cure his disease. I might have taken the sheep, and given him a worthless compound, but I told him at once that I could do nothing for his sickness. I gave Ijim, however, about one hundred grains of Dover's powders, and a couple of doti of good cloth to cover himself and wife with, but refused his sheep, I felt so much for the man's sufferings.
No himting expedition of Wanyamwezi starts with- out having consulted the niganga — medicine-man — who, for a consideration, supplies them with charms, potions, herbs, and blessings. A bit of the ear of a zebra, the blood of a lion, the claw of a leopard, the lip of a buffalo, the tail of a giraffe, the eyebrow of a harte- beest, are treasures not to be parted with save for a monetary value. To their necks are suspended a bit of quartz, polished and of a triangular shape, and pieces of carved wood, and an all-powerful talisman in the shape of a plant sewn up jealously in a small leathern pursue.
The Wanyamwezi as a race are arrant cowards. Their caravans steal through Ugogo humbly enough, but, when out of that dreaded country, they make a great blustering show amongst other tribes. During war-time in their country their custom is never to engage themselves to caravans. Their chiefs discourage all trading enterprises, and the commands of their elders are laws.
The system of government is an hereditary monarchy in Unyamwezi. The King is allied Mtemi. Except in Unyanyembe, Usagozi, and Ugala, no chief in Unya- mwezi deserves that title, though it is given by courtesy to the chiefs of districts. The j^reseut King of I'nya-
544
SOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
nyembe is Mkasiwa ; Pakalambula is King of Ugara ; and " Moto," or Fire, of Usagozi.
Mkasiwa can raise 3,000 warriors in Unyanyembe out of a population of nearly 20,000 people. The small districts of Tabora and Kwihara could alone supply 1,500 warriora.
There are some curious customs among the Wanya- mwezi. When a child is born the father cuts the caul, and travels with it to the frontier of his district, and there deposits it under the ground ; if the frontier is a stxeam, he buries it on the banks ; then taking the root of a tree, he conveys it on his return, and buries it at the threshold of his door. He then invites his friends to a feast which he has prepared. He kills an ox, or half a dozen goats, and distributes pombe. If twins are born, they never kill one, but rather think it a greater bless- ing. The mother, when approaching childbirth, hastens to the woods, and is there attended by a female friend.
The marriage ceremonies are similar to those amongst the Wagogo. The wife is purchased from her father for cows or goats, according to the means of the several parties.
Witchcraft, devoted to evil pur[)0ses, is punished with death. The same ceremony in vogue among the Wagogo, concerning the detection and conviction of miscreants, is similar to the custom in Unyamwezi. Crimes against the state and the community are also punished with death. A detected thief, with the evi- dences of his guilt on him, may be either slaughtered on the spot, or, according to the judgment of the Mtemi, or King, become the slave of the owner of the property he has attempted to defraud.
After death, the Wanyamwezi remove the body either into the jungle, or, if a person of importance,
GEOGRAPHICAL AND ETHNOGRAPHICAL REMARKS. 543
bury it in a sitting posture, or on its side, as the "Wagogo. On the march the body is merely thrown aside, and left for a prey to the hyaena, the cleanest sf-avonger of the forest. The Sultan is buried within the village.
The Northern Wanyamwezi are a very industrious people. Their iron they themselves smelt, and manu- facture almost all the hoes from the Tanganilva to Usagara. No caravan returns from Unyanyembe with- out purchasing hoes, with which they pay the l eturn tribute to the "Wagogo. The iron ware thus im^jorted serves for a multitude of instruments to the eastern and western tribes; from it they manufacture their spears, arrowheads, billhooks, and war hatchets. In Unyan- yembe may be often seen the native artizan peddling his deadly instruments for cloth. Two yards will buy a new spear, or a dozen arrows ; four yards of sheeting will purchase a first-class bow, ornamented with brass and copper wire ; and two yards will purchase a for- midable-looking hatchet. This last weapon, as may be seen from the illustrations in this book, is similar to that used by the Picts in the stone age, and by the Romans and Egyptians in their early historical periods, and is uniform with that used fiom Bagamoyo to San Salvador — from Nubia to Kaffir-land.
The Deity in Kinyamwezi is called Miringu ; in Kigogo he is called Mulungu ; in Kisawahili, Mienzi Mungu. The "Wanyamwezi regard him as the dispenser of wealth, and the Creator. He is seldom entreated, save for adding to their worldly wealth. When death has taken away a member of the family in Unyamwezi, it is said by the relatives of the deceased that the " Miringu has taken him or her ;" oi-, " lie or she is lost." " It is God's work." And the tone of awe with
2 N
546 HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
which they speak of it implies also " that it is marvellous in their eyes,"
" Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire ?" It seems not in Unyamwezi. From the hour that she begins to call for " mamma " her ornaments are her constant solicitude. She loves to look at the pretty wristlets of red, yellow, white, and green beads which appear in such contrast against the dark hue of her skin ; she loves to twine her fingers through the lengthy necklaces of variegated beads that are susj)ended from her neck, or to play with the bead belt that encompasses her waist ; she even sets them in her hair, and loves to be told that they become her. It is a pleasure with her to possess a spiral wire cincture, even though she possesses no garment to be supported by it. She awaits with impatience the day when she can be married, and have a cloth to fold around her body — until she can have authority to dispose of her fowls for the cheap tinsel vended by Arab merchants.
The ladies' tea-parties in Anglo-Saxon lands seem to have had an early, origin. They were in vogue, or at least there were gatherings similar to them, when Egypt stood highest in the list of civilized nations. Who has studied the pictures of ancient Egypt on the walls of recovered Memphis, and has not seen the ladies' social circle ? I have seen these symposia in Abyssinia — that land so tenacious of ancient customs. A ladies' party may be seen in Unyamwe?:;i, also; and seldom have I be- held anything so approaching to happiness and perfect contentment as the faces of the old and young women of a Kinyamwezi tembe, as they have gathered together near sunset from the various houses to sit and chat together of the events of the day, on the very trite subjects of interest that a Kinyamwezi social circle can
GEOGRAPHICAL AND ETHNOGRAPHICAL REMARKS 547
have to converse about. Each female has her short stool and her growing daughter by her side, who, while the mother chats and smokes with her face radiant with contentment, employs her nimble hands in converting her parent's woolly locks into a series of plaits and ringlets. The elder females, squatted in a circle, begin to recite their experiences, chattering away like swallows : one tells how her cow has stopped giving milk ; another, hoAv well she has sold her milk to the white man ; another, of her experiences in the field while she was hoeing ; another, of how her master has not yet returned from the Kinj^amwezi capital, whither he had gone with some grain to sell.
While the village matrons indulge in harmless gossip,' the paterfamilias may be found in the Young Men's Gossip Institute, or the Exchange, where the prices of things and the politics of the district they live in are discussed, with perhaps as much acumen and sense as other things are in like places in more civilized lands. This public assembly room in a Ki- nyamwezi village is called in the dialect " Wanza," or " Uwanza," and is generally situated on one side of the . square area within the village. During idle times — and it is seldom there are busy times — they smoke, sit on their heels, and have a discussion on perhaps the very same topics we have just heard the matrons talk • about : most probably the topic is the white man wno has just arrived. "We may rest assured that, if it is the white man, it is a most interesting subject; though, however interesting it is, and however great their curiosity to know all .about him, they are never so impertinent as to doubt the fact of his being a white man, or to dispute his statements, as certain peo])lo calling themselves civilized have been pleased to do.
548 , HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
A man lias a spear to sharpen, or a sword to decorate, or an axe helve to make, or a pipe to smoke, or gossip to impart, and he enters the Wanza to do it. If the place is deserted he hurries through his work, and seeks tlie group under the large tree almost always found in a village, where, under its shade, he can indulge his love for intellectual conversation. What the Agora was to Athens, and the Exchange is to the modern capitals of civilization, the "Wanza- is to a village in TJnyamwezi.
The Wanyamwezi, as may be gathered from the above remarks, are addicted to smoking. By glancing at the illustrations of the various kinds of pij)es it will be noticed that they display considerable skill in their manufacture, and it will be observed also that the style of them is very similar to that of the North American Indian pipes. While our Indians employ red steatite for their pipes the Wanyamwezi use black steatite, which is found in Western Usukuma. But as this soft stone is somewhat difiScult to obtain they manufacture them out of black mud, mixed with finely- chopped straw. The tobacco of Unyamwezi is not of a superior kind. They manufacture it into the same form as the tobacco loaves of Abyssinia. A doti, or four yards of cloth, will purchase a three-pound loaf ; and a pipe made of black steatite, and stem highly orna- mented with fine brass or copper wire, may be obtained for the same quantity of cloth.
The natives are also very fond of using bhang with their tobacco. Tlieir narghileh is a very primitive affair, made out of a gourd and a hollow stick. One or two inhalations are sufficient to send any of them into a series of horrible coughs, which seem to rack their frames. They, however, delight in this, for frequently
GEOGBAPEICAL AND ETUNOGEAPHICAL REMARKS. 649
they affect it; but it is impossible to describe tlie irritabib'ty and disgust which their noisy, harsh, grating cough provokes.
The Wanyamwezi of Unyanyembe own several herds of cattle. In whichever country cattle are seen, one may take it for granted that it is seldom invaded. Between the coast and Ujiji, cattle were found only in Usagara, Ugogo, Unyanyembe, and Uhha ; all other countries reared only goats, sheep, and chickens. Some of the wealthier Arabs of Unyanyembe possess large herds of cattle, and have as many as forty and fifty milch cows, but there are few Wanyamwezi who possess more than thirty. A milch cow is worth from twenty to thirty doti, or 80 to 120 yards of sheeting ; though in Usukuma one may be purchased for from two to four doti. Half a gallon of milk is considered good milking for a cow ; but this is not often the case : I should say the average produce was three pints. I was accustomed to have one gallon of milk supplied to me every day for ten days for four yards of cloth, given in the shape of a kitambi, or a colored cloth. With this supply of milk I was accustomed to make my own butter and clieese, and in Unyanyembe tiiey were the greatest luxuries a white man could have.
This tribe are, like all negroes, great lovers of music. It is true that it is barbarous, and becomes monotonous after a while, but the best of their musicians can always make it aumsing. Many of them are great imjjro- visers ; the latest scandal, or political news or personal gossip, is sure, if it is of sufficient public interest, to find expression in village music. Within a week after thu declaration of war by Mirambo, there was not a village throughout Unyamwezi which did not at evening have Mirambo, somehow or another, mentioned in theii
550
EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
songs; and as they were all well-known tunes in that part of the country, the name of this now famous king had been interpolated instead of the one previously used. The Musungu, or Muzungu, as it is sometimes pronounced, was also a favorite subject upon first arrival, but this soon lacked novelty.
The food of these natives, as indeed of all throughout Central Africa, consists of flour of matama — the Holms sonjhum, or tlie Arabic dourra, or dura, converted into a kind of thick porridge, which is simply a scalded mess. This is accompanied with leaves of garden plants, such as the bean and the cucumber-plant, which are boiled and mashed up. They seldom eat meat, as it would be too expensive, and tliere are many animals from which they are averse. They will eat the foetus and entrails with rare relish, and if they can obtain meat at another's expense they are very apt to gorge themselves. In my caravan, when I succeeded in my hunts, the Wanyamwezi would sit up all night to finish their portion of meat, as if it were a sacred duty with them. The mush of America, made of Indian corn, is well known throughout all Central Africa. When this humble meal is cooked the males of the family assemble around their pot, and scooping out a large handful, dip it into the mess of greens, or ghee, and cram it into their mouths. The females eat separately, it being derogatory to male dig- nity to be seen eating with female relatives.
Very old age is unusual in Central Africa. Grey hair and stooping backs are to be seen in almost every village. The oldest people I saw were in Ugogo and Unya- nyembe — ancient, secure, and well-established countries. I should estimate the age of Magomba, Sultan of Kanyenyi, at near ninety: in 1858 — fourteen years ago — Capt. Burton mentions him as old and decrepit. He
GEOGRAPniCAL AND ETENOGBAPHICAL REMARKS. 551
lives yet, but is unable to walk far without assistance. His eldest son, Kisewah, must be considerably ovei sixty, and bis youngest son, Mtundu Ngondeh, near fifty. The Saltan of Mizanza, who slew Sny bin Amer, the friend of Burton and Speke, in my opinion cannot be much under eighty ; and Penibera Pereh, chief of Nyambwa, must be of the same age.
I regard the Wakonongo and the Wa-kawendi as belonging formerly to the same race as the Wanya- mwezi ; their languages, manners, and customs are identical. But when we cross the Malagarazi, and enter Uvinza, we find ourselves among different people • and in describing the Waviuza's manners and customs I include the Wajiji, Wakaranga, Warundi, Wavira, Watuta, and Watusi.
The greeting which we hear upon our arrival in Uvinza tells us of new tribes, and new customs, to which we are about to be introduced. It is a most tedious ceremony, a first introduction between two Wavinza. As they advance tliey stretch out both hands to one another, uttering the words " Wake, wake ;" then, grasping each other by the elbows, they begin to rub each other's arms, saying rapidly, " T^'ake, wake, waky, waky,"ending with grunts of " Huh, huh," which imply mutual satisfaction. The women greet the males — even half-grown youths — by bending their backs forward until the tips of their fingers rest on the toes of their feet, or in turning their bodies sideways, clapping their hands, exclaiming, " Wake, wake, waky waky; Huh, huh;" and the males reply by clapping their hands, and responding with the same words.
The dress of all these people, if they are not rich enough to purchase cloth from travelling caravans, or skilful enough in the manufacture of their own cloths.
552 now I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
like the Wajiji and Warundi, consists of a goat-skin, suspended by a knot fastened over the shoulder, and falling over one side of their bodies.
For ornaments they affect the solid brass rings around their ankles or wrists, or the kitindi (brass wire, which is twisted into a spiral coil). The polished tusks of the boar, or a polished piece of thin and curved ivory, are favourite ornaments for the neck throughout the dis- tricts of Uvinza, Uhha, TJjiji, and Urundi.
AN IDOL.
The Wajiji are skilful manufacturers of their own cloth, from the cotton which tliey cultivate, and it is similar in texture to the Mexican Scrape. They are a superstitious race, like tlie Wakaranga. In Niamtaga, near the gate of the village, I saw their tutelar deity, which was the carved head of a man in wood, painted. The face was colored white, with black staring eyes,
OEOGBAPEICAL AND ETHNOQBAPHICAL REMARKS. 553
the figure had square upright shoulders, and a kind of head-dress painted a yellow color. Each man or woman, upon entering at the gate, bowed profoundly to the idol, as Koman Catholics do before the image of the Blessed Virgin.
The Wajiji believe that they have power over the crocodiles ; that they are so friendly with those amphi- bious reptiles that they can compel them to do whatever they wish. There is a report current in TJjiji that there is a crocodile, as learned as the seal of Barnum's Museum in New York, which obeys the commands of his friends implicitly, even to taking a man out of his house into the lake, or to travelling into a crowded market, and detecting a thief out of a large assembly of natives. The caverns of Kabogo, on the western side of the lake, are a horror to the Wajiji, who, whenever they pass that terrible place, think to mollify the angry god of the lake by throwing beads and cloth into the waters. They report that this is necessary, and that the god has a preference for white (Merikani) beads ; and the Wangwana of Zanzibar and the Arabs must comply with this traditional custom ere the Wajiji will pull oars across. In passing Bemba, also, every boat must chip a certain portion of the pipe-clay ere it can be assured of a fortunate voyage. That it has been a custom complied with for generations is evident by the enormous excavation they have made in the chalk cliff.
No more varied customs have I observed anywhere in regard to the dressing of the hair than I have seen in Urundi and TJjiji. Tt is either shaved off" entirely, or left in diagonal and horizontal lines ; or in combs, ridges, tufts, stripes, little curls on the temple and forehead ; or in front bands, and sometimes in narrow wavy or straight lines : from which we may conclude that the friseur's is
651
now I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
a high art in savage as in civilized lands. And in the ornamentation of their bodies by tattooing they are superior to other tribes. You will find a tattooed wheel encircling the navel, and around each bosom ; on the arms the tattooing marks are in wavy lines, or con- centric folds, or in lines running diagonally across the chest to the shoulder ; in bracelets around the wrist ; then from left shoulder to right hip, from right shoulder to left hip, over the stomach, in a most intricate system of lines wavy and horizontal ; and over the abdomen in great blotch pieces, with no design whatever. The operation of tattooing, though, must be a painful one. if one may judge from the immense blisters raised after the punctures.
Nothing limits the vanity of the negro for ornament except poverty. Those able to afford the expense wear as many as thirty and forty necklaces of sami-sami, Merikaui, sofi, or pipe-stem beads, kadunduguru, and the pink beads. I refer to the Wajiji and Warundi, more especially the latter. Suspended to their necks are the thin curved pieces of ivory, hippopotamus teeth, and boar tusks ; and at the back of the neck heavy pieces of carved ivory. Some wear attached to their necks long narrow miniature bells of native iron, twisted iron wire, and charms, or white polished stones or shells, as amulets. Encircling their wrists are armlets of sami- sami or blue mutunda, which latter is a favourite bead ; belts of these beads also surround their waists.
Their clothing consists of a tanned goat, calf, or sheep skin, dyed with the reddish porous clay swept down the ravines by the rivulets. These hide-garments are further ornamented with black lines, spots, and circles, after the manner in vogue amongst our American Indians.
, GEOORAPBICAL AND ETENOORAPHICAL REMARKS. 555
Like the Wagogo, and perhaps to a greater extent, the "Warundi are fond of ochre on their bodies. Besides rubbing their bodies witli this clay, which considerably lightens the color, they daub their faces, heads, eyelids, and eyebrows a deep red with it.
Their women are in the habit of tying down tlieir long purse-like breasts upon their chests with a cord twined round their bodies. They carry for defence, or from habit, long sticks, which are sometimes decorated with a small figure of a lizard, or a crocodile, on the head.
The tribes bordering the lake carry heavy spears for close action, or for quartering a man, and light assegai, which they are able to throw most accurately fifty and seventy yards. The bows are shorter than those used \y the Wanyamwezi and Wakonongo, but the arrows are the same, though more skilfully and tastefully made.
The Wabembe, or the "Wavembe — the cannibals who inhabit the rugged range of mountains west of the Tanganika, and opposite North-eastern Urundi — are a people seldom seen by travellers on the lake. They seem to infer, from their own practices, that other people eat their kind, and when boats with Arabs and Wangwana appear in their vicinity they keep close to their own mountain villages. It is said, though I do not vouch for the truth of the report, that when they have known an Arab merchant to have a sickly or a moribund slave, they have oflered to pur- chase him for grain and vegetables ; that when they have seen an unusually fat freedman of Zanzibar, they have put their hands to their mouths, and ex- claimed, with astonishment, " C/iukula, mjcina stma^ hapal CItumvi mengiT — Food, good, indeed, here! Salt plenty !
o5e EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
The Wasansi — or Basansi, as Dr. Livingstone thinks they should be called — are neighbors of the Wabembe, and I fear thej must be classed with the man-eaters of Ubembe. The Wasansi were those who at Cape Luvumba made such a disturbance with the Doctoi and myself because of the murder of the son of Sultan Kisesa by Khamis, the Baluch, and who declared to us they never wished to behold another " Murungwana " — Zanzibar freeman. Positively, I never beheld such
DAQGERS AND SPEAR-HEADS.
excitement in my life as these people exhibited when they saw one of my soldiers cutting up a goat for distribution. They seemed to be attacked with a kind of frenzy at the sight of the meat, such as one might expect from any hungry carnivorous animal. They implored with wild eyes for the smallest portion ; they fought among themselves when one of my men threw a piece into a crowd ; they eagerly gathered the clotted
GEOGRAPHICAL AND ETENGGEAPEICAL REMABKS 557
blood of the goat from the ground, and gazed with an esurient avidity at every mouthful of meat a man ate. "Whatever may be true respecting the man-eating pro-, pensities of the Wabembe, I feel assured that the Wasansi are cannibals.
The Manyuema are the cleverest manufacturers of weapons, as may be seen by the foregoing sketch of daggers and spear-heads.
558
EOW 1 FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
CHAPTER XY.
OUR JOURNEY FROM UJIJI TO UNYANYEMBH.
We fcH quite at home wlien 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 Ilusizi. It seemed as if old times, which we loved to recall, had come back again, though our
»
Dec. l^^TL] OUB JOURNEY TO VNYANYEMBE. 559
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 Unyanyerabe ; it was on this same veranda that I listened to that wonderful story of his about tliose far, enchanting regions west of the Lake Tangatiika ; it was in this same spot that I first became acquainted witli 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 tlie 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 ojjinions, has conquered me. Shall I tell you what I intended to do ? It is true as the gospel. I 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 disngreeable and brusque in his manner, which would make me quarrel with him immediately, was fiimly fixed in my mind. Besides, he was au Englishman — perhaps a man who used an eye-glass, through which he would glare at me fero- ciously or icily — both amounting to the same thing — and like the young cornet of the Scinde Horse in Abys- sinia, ask me deliberately, after retreating from me several paces, " Whom have I the honor to address?"
«
560 HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
or like tha{ ancient general at Senafe, Sir ,
who snorted out, " Well, sir, who are you ? What do you want here ?" Indeed, the results of my acquaintance with Euglish gentlemen were such, that I should not have heen surprised if he had said, " Might I ask you, sir, if you have a letter of introduction for me ?" But what a question this had been on the shores of Lake Tanganika ! I would have just ordered a retreat to the hill above Ujiji ; there rested for two days, and then returned, to tell the world how I had been snubbed. 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 ha\ e now been together for more than a month. Can you wonder 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 witli 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 cliildren's letters affect me intensely; but I must not go home; I must finish my task. It is only the want of supplies that
Dec. 1871.]
OUR JOUE'NET TO UNTANYEMBE.
561
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.' But Dr. Kirk has kept on sending me slaves over and over again ; and he ought to know, too, what slaves are. Why he should have gone to Banyans for men I can't make out."
Some of these men who had turned the Doctor back from his interesting discoveries were yet in TJjiji, 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 mutineers' stubbornness; and it was then, on the burzani of Sayd bin Majid's house, {hat I took advantage to open my mind on the subject, not only for tlie 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 Living-
2 0
562 , BOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
stone's guns returned to him every clay, hoping that I should not liave 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. Living- stone— who would have been ^^rth his weight in silver if he were not an incorrigible thief — 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 Unya- nyembe, in order to meet his stores, which had been forwarded from Zanzibar, November 1st, 1870, by the British Consul. As I had charge of the escort, it was my duty to study well the several routes to Unya- nyembe 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 enaWe 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 AVahha. And this peaceable, secure route led by water, soiiin, along the coast of Ukaranga and Uka- wendi, to Cape Tongwe. Arriving at Cape Tongwe, I should be opposite the village of Itaga, Sultan Imrera,
Dec. 1871.] OUR JOURNET TO UNTANYEMBE.
563
in the district of Eusawa of Ukawendi ; after wliicli we should strike mj old road, which I had traversed from Unyanjerabe, 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 nume- rous 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 other page 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 that letter to James Gordon Bennett, Esq., wherein he has 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 news he cared 89 much about, as the grand fact of Livingstone's being'alive or dead.
564
EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 per- mitting 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 tJie rainy season was ushered in witli heavy rain, thunder, lightning, and hail ; the thermometer falling to 66° 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; 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 throjas, the pulses bound, the heart struggles painfully, while the sufferer's thoughts are in a* strange
Dec. 1871.] OUR JOURNEY TO UNYANYEMBE.
565
world, such only as a sick man's fancy can create. This was the fourth attack of fever since the day I met Livino-stone. 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 be- came a victim. However, as' I had never been prone to intemperance, or to the indulgence of other vicious habits which destroy so many fine constitutions, my frame, happily, did not succumb to the repeated attacks of the insidious disease.
Christmas came, and. the Doctor and I had resolved upon the blessed and time-honored 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 tlie importance of this day to white men, and endeavoring 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 corn-flour, fish, onions, sweet potatoes, &c., &c., were procured in the Ujiji market, and from good old Moeni Klieri. 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 gratifica-
566
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
tion 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 devo- tion for her master. Hamoydah, her husband, also had freely given his assistance and attention to this im- portant 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, donkeyp, and canoes, sufiScient to convey us a long distance* we needed nothing more.
The 27tli 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 consecrate 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 Avitliout 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.
Dec. 1871.] OUR JOURNET TO UNYANYEMBE.
567
We are escorted to our boats by the great Arab merchants, by the admiring children of TJnyamwezi, 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 every- body, but had I done so, as he evidently desired me to do, I would not have been surprised at being re- garded by all as hopelessly imbecile.
We shoved 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 com- mand, took the lead, with the British flag, held aloft by a bamboo, streaming behind like a crimson meteor. My boat — manned by Wajiji sailors, wliom we had engaged to take the canoes back from Tongwe Cape to Ujiji Bunder — came astern, and had a much taller flag- staff, on which was hoisted tlie ever-beautiful Stars and
668
EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
Stripes. Its extreme height drew from the Doctor, — ■ whose patriotism and loyalty had heen 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 light- heartedness 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 —
0 mama, re de mi Ky,
which soon impelled them to an extravagant efibrt again. It was by this series of ferocious spurts, racing, shouting, singing, perspiring, laughing, groaning, and puflSng 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 I oh, oh 1 Mionvu can get no more cloth from us 1 hy, hy ! And Kiala will see us no more — never more 1 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 ouiver from stem to stern.
Dec. 1871.] OUR JOUBNEY TO UNYANYEMBE.
569
Our party ashore seemed to partake of our excite- ment, 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 shaie the general joy.
Nature, also — proud, wild nature — 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 par- took 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, tluit the canoes might all cross to the other side, distant a mile and a half. The mouth of the Liuclie 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
570
EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
on board, who was to superintend pitching the encamp- ment 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 gob- bling-up by hungry crocodiles, which were all about us waiting their opportunity. The tlock 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 TJjiji, we pursued our way south, the lake party keeping as closely as possible to the shore, yet, when feasible, wind and weather permitting, struck off boldly across the numerous small bays which indent the shores of the Tanganika. The shores were beautifully green, the elTect of the latQ rains ; the waters of the lake were a faithful reflex of the blue firmament above. The hippopotami were plenty. Those noticed on this day were colored 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 ^lohammed 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
Dzo. 1871.] OUR JOURNEY TO UN7ANTEMBE.
571
seldom seen, having the stamp of an unusual character- istic 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 2 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 Tangaiiika 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 over 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. AVe then got under weigh, having
572
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
informed the kirangozi that Urimba was our destinatfon, 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 de'bouchement of the Rugufu, the head-waters 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 exqui- site coves and quiet recesses, might well have evoked a poetical eflusion 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 lias 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, tliankful for the calm of the Tanganika. Near Kabogo are some very fine
Dec. 1871.] OUR JOURNEY TO UNTANYEMBE.
573
mvTile 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, evapora- tion 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 cf 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 defen- sible, might, for prudence' sake, contain the mission and its congregation ; the land-locked bay would pro- tect their fi.shery and trade vessels : the fertile ground between the hills and the bay would more than sustain a hundred times the number of the population of the island. Wood for building their canoes and houses is
574
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
close at hand ; the neighboring country would afford game in abundance ; and the docile and civil people of Ukaranga but waited 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 them- selves 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 plaj-ed in the soft breeze, sometimes drawing near caressingly together, again bending away, like two lovers coy to unite. The tight little boat *f 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 Lonjeri, though the unheal thiest of spots — equal to that of the Rusfzi — far preferable to the neighbourhood of Sultan Pumburu, of Southern Kawendi. A good chase by the victors
Jak. 1872.] OUR JOURNEY TO UNTANTEMBE.
575
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° 54' 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 im- passable of places, being perfectly flat, overgrown with the tallest of matete, eschinomenjB, and thorny bush, and flooded with water, it was useless to fatigue our men searching for the shore party in such an inhos- pitable country. No provisions were procurable, for the villages were in a state of semi-starvation, the inhabitants living from hand to mouth on what re- luctant Fortune threw into their nets.
The second day of our arrival at Urimba I struck off" into the interior with my gun-bearer, Kaluln, carrying tlie Doctor's splendid double-barreled rifle (a " Keilly,' 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, dashing into my eyes, completely disconcerted me ; and, to add to my discontent, my efibrts to disengage myself from
676-
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
the thorns alarmed the zebras, which all stood facing tne 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 prond 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 con- Iributed 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 tliird 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 an immense 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 neighborhood of the vile delta, the look of which sickened the very heart in me.
On the 7th 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, bu^ rest — a drowsy, indolent, yet pleasant rest. And only a
Jan. 1872.] OUR JOUSNET TO UNTANYEMBE.
677
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 e\?er 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.
2 P
678
EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
A second, planted in lier spine, brought her to lier 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 evi- dent, 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-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 tlie 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 tlie 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 cump, we left the tra- velled path, and made for a gap in the arc of hills before us, as Pumburu was at war with the people of Manya Msenge, a district of Northern Kawendi. The
Jak. 1872.] OUR JOURNEY TO UNTANYEMBE. 579
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.
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 m^^ work excessively dis- agreeable. 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, thougli my niaj) informed nie
• lu tho Kisawabili tonguo, " nmbyali," " nibyali," " byah," mean bad, unpleasant.
580 HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
that it was impossible. The scenery around was very similar, and to the north we had sighted 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 sand- stone 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 endeavor 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 astonish- ment 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, Yenator !" But whether it did not proceed from my imagination )r — 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 —
Jan. 1872.] OUB JOURNEY TO UNYANYEMBE.
581
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 afternodn 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 im- providence 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 un- successful, having only drawn blood, some of which they exhibited to us on a leaf.
582
EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
It requires • a very good rifle to kill . an African elephant. A No. 8 bore with a Fraser'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. I have heard young officers on the Zanzibar qoast, who were but just past their teens, relating with an astonishing glibness and volubility the tremendous adventures they had had with elephants, leopards, lions, and what not. If they shot at a hippopotamus in the river, they had killed him ; if they had met an antelope near the coast, it was almost sure to be a lion, and they had bowled him over ; if they had seen an elephant in a zoological garden, it was sure to be told tliat he had been met in Africa, and " bagged, sir, without any trouble ; and I have the tusks
Jan. 1872.] OUR JOUBNEY TO UNYANTEMBE.
588
at home now, whicli I can show, if you Hke, some day." It is a disease, a mania with some people, that they never can relate the positive, literal, exact truth. Tra- . veiling in Africa is adventurous enough as it is, with- out any fiction. Mostly all men who were with the Abyssinian Expedition will recollect that wonderful *' Major" who was accustomed to unfold the dire, the terrible, and the extraordinary, in stories by the busliel. 1 gave that gentleman one day a buffalo skin which I had received from Satanta, chief of the Kiowas, near Medicine Lodge, Kansas ; yet the next day I heard it given out that he had shot the buffalo on an American prairie with a pistol bullet. This is only an illustration of the imaginary which many t-ravellers love to relate ; it is a tendency with some men to exaggerate. South and North African hunters are famous for their variety of hunting anecdotes, which I consider to have been simply flourishes of the pen.
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 tlie 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
584
EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 recognized 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 green- ness. 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 tim- ber, 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, spon- taneous 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 pic- turesque 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 ve- getation ; the earth is so generous, nature so kind and loving, that without entertaining any aspiration for a residence, or a wish to bre;ithe the baleful atmosphere
Jak. 1872.] OUR JOUBNET TO UNYANTEMBE.
585
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, glainorous beauty of the land, the foulness mighty 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 con- stitution, 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 nhith 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 hypo- thetical suggestions of the tired and hungry souls of our Expedition, I persisted in being guided only by Ihe 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 theni, would have undoubtedly taken me to South-western Ukoiiongo, or North-eastern Ufipa. The veteran and experienced soldiers asked mournfully if 1 were determined to kill them \vith famine, as the road I should have taken was north-east ; but I preferred
586
EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 vapor. 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 siugwe trees was found close by. Mush- rooms 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 beliind me. It was a most desperate ]iositi()n 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
Jan. 1872.] OUB JOUBNEY TO UNTANYEMBE. 587
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 de- murred 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 wath 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 con- gratulate us upon having gone to Ujiji and returned. But it was long before the last member of the p]xpedi- tion arrived. The Doctor's feet weie very sore, and bleeding from the weary march, 11 is 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 ol our force would have refused them as a gift, no raatici how ambitious he might be to encase his feet a la Wasungu.
588-
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 i8th January, 1872, towards Unya- nyembe. A few miles beyond Imrera, Asmani lost the road again, and I was obliged to show it to him, by which I gained additional honor and credit as a leader and guide. My shoes were very bad, and it was diffi- cult 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 19 th 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 gun- bearer, taking with me the famous Reilly rifle of tlie
Jan. 1872.] OUR JOURNEY TO UNTANYEMBE.
589
Doctor and a supply of Fraser's shells. After plunging through a deep stream, and getting wet again, and pushing mj 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 shofilder, 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 sur- rounded 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. TThen 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 promi- nently 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 tlie re[)orts 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
590
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 t^leir large limpid eyes ! I could liave declared on oath that both shots had been a success, but they sheered oS 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 Jier 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 bad made a noise, and the game had been
Jan. 1872.] OUR JOURNET TO UNTANTEMBE.
591
frightened ; and who could stalk animals already alarmed ? Indeed, he was a most considerate com- panion, 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 sigTiifies 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 r.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 (;° 18' 40". On comparing it with its position as laid down in my
592 EOW I FOUND LIVING STONE.
map by dead reckoning, I found we diifered by tbree miles ; I having laid it down at 6° 15' 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, \nth the laudable resolution to obtain some- thing ; 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,
Jan. 1872.] OUR JOUBNEY TO USTANYEMBE.
693
then made a sliort gallop ; but tlie blood was spouting from the wound in a thick stream, and before lie 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, akhhar r 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 riot be converted to some otlier 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 uses 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 tlmt distance !
The dead giraffe measured 10 feet 9 inches from his right foi e-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 wlien the men arrived on the s[)ot, 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 : —
2 Q
594
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
|
1 hind leg . • • |
134 lbs. |
|
1 „ . . . |
. 136 „ |
|
1 ■foTfi IfiC . - . |
160 |
|
1 J. „ ... |
160 |
|
Eibs .... |
. 158 „ |
|
Neck .... |
• 74 „ |
|
Eump .... |
. 87 „ |
|
Breast .... |
. 46 „ |
|
Liver .... |
. 20 „ |
|
Lungs .... |
. 12 „ |
|
Heart .... |
. 6 „ |
993 lbs.
Total weight of eatable poi"tions 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 for clearing the bowels, and to cause proper action in the liver, such as colo- cynth, calomel, resin of jalap, Epsom salts ; and that no quinine should be taken until such medicines shall liave 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 mv experience — though it weighs nothing
Jan. 1872.] OUR JOURNEY TO UNTANYEMBE.
595
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 faith- fully 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, J 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 fright- fully. 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 tlie ^\'ay 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
59fi
EOW I FOUXD LIVINGSTONE.
in his hair ; but, ufter 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-mi- rambo, 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 hast brought from Unj'auyembe ?"
" 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 pos- session 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 Unyanyerabe. • 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
Jak. 1872.] OUR JOURNEY TO UNYANYEMBE.
897
coine by the hundred by tbe 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 wliite man, my father,* whom I saw at Ijjiji. He is going with me to Unyanyembe to get his cloth, after which he will return to the great waters."
" "Wonderful ! — thoU sayest truly."
" What hast 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." " lie is dead." " Dead !" ' Irue.
" 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 repHed,
" I told you so. When you described hiui to me as
• It is a courteous custom in Africa to address elderly people as " Baba " (Father).
59?
BOW 1 FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 death that occurred in my expedition on the Zambezi to much the same cause."
" Ah, Doctor, there, are two of us gone. I shall be tlie 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 ! He was a bad man ; but 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 nrrived 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 hira in Unyanyembe, and that he would be delighted to share his good things ; whereupon I was greatly cheered, and,
Jan. 1872.] OUR JOURNEY TO UNYANTEMBE.
599
during the repeated attacks of fever I*feiifFered about this time, ray 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 terrible state of athumia or despondency into which I was plunged by ever-recur- ring fevers, to dwell upon them. I w^ondered 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 pre- sented to me, 1 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, har- rowed 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
600
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
concerning Africa — tlie rocks, the trees, the fruits, and their virtues, are known to him. He is also full of phi- losophic reflections upon ethnological matters. 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, sap- lings, 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 coifee 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 pi'ovide 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 priva- tions of travel. Referring to it, the Doctor remarked that he could never pass through an African forest,
Feb. 1872.] OUR JOURNEY TO UXTANTEMBE.
COl
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 caudle, the Doctor related to me some incidents respecting the career and the death of his eldest son, Robei t. 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 endea- vored 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, miglit not find him. In 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 swurnis with hippopotami and crocodiles.
From this camp 1 despatched Ferajji, the cook, and
602
EOW I FOUND LiriNQSTONE.
Chowpereh to Unyanyembe, to bring the letters and medicines that were sent to me from Zanzibar, and meet us at Ugimda, 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 liunt. After a long walk we arrived near a thin jungle, where I discovered the tracks of several animals — boar, antelope, elephant, rhinoceros, hippo- potamus, 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 ajrainst 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 1 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.
Feb. 1872.] OVR JOUENET TO UNTANYEMBE.
603
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 lions 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 tre- mendous 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 or 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, hut must come to his village. We received a present of honey and food from the chief, which was most welcome to us
604
HOW 2 FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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. Living- stone found amo-ng- the Babisa and Ba-ulungu, and in Manyuema. I received the same friendly recognition from all the chiefs, from Irarera, in Ukaweudi, to Unya- nyembe, 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 Sarmian and Uledi Manwa Sera, who, it will be recollected, were the j;wo soldiers sent to Zanzibar with letters and for medicines for Shaw's disease ; and who should Sarraian 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 liad 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, as well as another that I had left in Unyanyembe.
Upon Sarmian's arrival in Unyanyembe from Zanzi- bar, 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 comiDanion, 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, Sarmiau had procured a forked pole, between the prongs of
Feb. 1872.] OVE JOURXEY TO UXTANTEMBE.
605
which the neck of the absconder was placed ; and a cross stick, firmly lashed, effectually prevented him from roJieving himself of the incumbrance attached to him so deftly.
There were no less than seveij packets of letters and newspapers from Zanzibar, which had been collecting during my absence from Unyanyembe. These had been entrusted at various times to the chiefs of cara- vans, who had faithfully delivered them at my tembe, according to their pi'omise to the Consul. There was a packet for me from Dr. Kirk, which contained two or three letters for Dr. Livingstone, to whom, of course, they were at once transfei-red, with my congratulations that he was not quite forgotten by his friend. In the same packet there was also a letter to me from Dr. Kirk, 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. It also contained some wild advice about taking an impossible route by way of the Ukerewe Lake, but the tone of the letter was good-natured and hearty.
" "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 atTemi)ted 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. Livingt;t(Mie 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, hut
€0B
EOW 1 FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 thein, 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 ; ramj^ant 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 exe- cration 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, reck- less, and brutal army ! Oh, France ! Oh, Frenchmen ! Such things are unknown even in the heart of bar- barous 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 tiiein 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.
Feb. 1872.] OUB JOURNEY TO UNTANTEMBE. 607
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, one hundred and thirty-one days had elapsed — with what vicissitudes of fortune the reader well knows — during which time I had journeyed over twelve hundred 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 at Home !"
MAKING THE MOST OF A HALT.
CHAPTER XVI.
HOMEWARD BOUND.
UxYANTEMBE was now to me a terrestrial Paradise, Livingstone was no less happy ; he was in comfortable quarters, which were a palace to his luit 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 hjmdred 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
Feb. 1872.1
HOMEWARD BOUND.
609
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 annihilation, should they dare even to wink in a manner that 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 TJnyamwezi. 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 ancliovies, 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 ex- claimed, "Richard is himself again!" "That man,"
2 R
610
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
said I, " whoever lie is, is a friend, indeed." " Yes, that is raj 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, tliere 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! — Vt^hat 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 change of Livingstone's goods — as the guilty party. Upon his treasures being examined, I found eight or ten colored 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
Feb. 1872.]
HOMEWARD BOUND.
611
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," Living- stone discharged him on the spot. Had we not have 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 Unya- mwezi as was seen in ours, nor were ever such delicacies provided.
There were 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 ^reet 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 evcrytliing.
The stores this man had detained at Unyanyembe were in a most sorry state. The expenses were prepaid
612 EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
for their carriage to TJjiji, 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 XJjiji 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 ,22nd 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.
Feb. 1872.]
SOME WARD BOUND.
613
Among the goods turned over by me to Dr. Living- stone, while assorting such cloths as I wished to retain for my homeward trip, were —
First-class American sheeting „ Kaniki (blue stuff) Medium „ (blue stuff) „ Dabwani cloth Barsati cluths Printed handkerchiefs Medium Eehani cloth . „ Ismahili „ „ Sohari „ 4 pieces fine Kimguru ( red check) 4 gorah Eehani
Total number of cloths
Dotl 285 16 60 41 28 70 127 20 20 22 8
Yards. 1140 64 240 164 112 280 508 80 80 88 32
697 = 2788 yds.
Besides : —
Cloth, 2788 yards.
Assorted beads, 16 sacks, weight = 992 lbs. Brass wire, Nos. 5 and 6, 10 fi'aslilah = 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 Starr's 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
614
EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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.
„ „ 6oda crackers.
„ „ preserved fruits-
„ „ sardines.
„ „ salmon. 10 lbs. Hyson tea. Some sewing thread and needles. 1 dozen oflScial 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
Feb. 1872.]
HOMEWARD BOUND.
615
such a splendid assortment of goods. 1 was there- fore commissioned to enlist, — as soon as T 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 totally irrealizable without carriers. All the wealth of London and New York piled before him were totally unavail- able 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 Uaj'a- nyembe ' know what stubborn Conservatives the Wanya- mwezi are. A duty lay yet before me which [ 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 l^ombay, 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 re})ub- lishing one of these letters here, as its spirit and style
6X6
SOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
indicate the man, the mere knowledge of whose hfe 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 hundi-ed 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 squander- ing 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 wi'itten 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 drimkeu 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, ho is evidently an idiot, and there being no law hero 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 hero in case of extreme need.
Tho near prospect of beggary among Ujijians made me miserable.
Feb. 1872.]
BOMEWAMD BOUND.
617
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 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, in- deed, overwhelming, and I said in my soul, " Let the richest blessings descend from the Highest on you and yours !"
The news Mi-. 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 efiect on my health. I had been without news from home for years save what I could glean from a few ' Saturday Eeviews ' 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 havo 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 1 am anxious that you and all my friends should know that, though unclieered by letter, I have stuck to the task which my friend Sir I?oderick Murchison set mo with " John Bullish " tenacity, believing that all would come riglit at last.
The watershed of South Central Africa is over seven hundred miles in length. The fountains tlioreon 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
618
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 tvas, generally, gi-oping 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 lagt work, in which I have been greatly hindered from want of suitable attendants, was following the central line of di-ainage down through the country of the cannibals, called Manyuema, or, shortly, Manyema. This line of di'ainage has foiu- large lakes in it. The fourth I was nei-a: when obliged to turn. It is from ens to three miles broad, and never can be reached at any point, or at any time of the year. Two western di-ains, the Lufira, or Bartle Frere's Eiver, flow into it at Lake Kamolondo. Then the great Eiver 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 EthioiJia, 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 un- accountably 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 Ujijiau slavery should lead to the suppi-ession of the East Coast slave trade, I shall regard that as a greater matter Dy far than the discovery of all the J^ilo 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 cui'so from above, iu order that thj
Feb. 1872.]
HOMEWARD BOUND.
619
slavery privileges of the petty Sultan of Zanzibar may not be in- fringed, 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 T 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 tlie " 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 his own labors — 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 oi them to embody such peo^iies and nations as still live in darkness, so as to attract the good and charitable of his own land to bestir themselves for their
620
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
redemption and salvation — this, Livingstone would con- sider an ample reward. " A delirious and fatuous enter- prise, a Quixotic scheme !" some will ga}\ Not it, mj friends ; for as sure as the sun shines on both Christian and Infidel, Civilized and Pagan, the day of enlighten- ment will come ; and, though the Apostle of Africa may not behold it himself, nor we younger men, nor 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 11th. — 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 to- gether 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 per- formed the " liglit fantastic," to the intense admiration of ray 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
March, 1872.] EOMEWAED BOUND. 621
of the Mrima, has my water-bucket on his head ; Chowpereh — the sturdy, the nimble, sure-footed Chow- pereh — 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 drum- mers, back to back, kicking up ambitiously at the stars ; Asmani, — the embodiment of giant strength, — a tower- ing 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 : —
Choragtts. Oh-oh-oh 1 the white man is going home !
Choir. Oh-oh-oh ! going homo !
Going homo, oh-oh-oh !
Clioragua. To tho happy island on tlio sea.
Where tho beads are plenty, oh-oh-oh f
Choir. Oh-oh ohl whore tho beads are plenty, Oh-oh-oh!
622
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
Choragus. While Singiri has kept us, oh, very long From our homes very long, oh-oh-oh I
Choir. From our homes, oh-oh-oh !
Oh-oh-oh !
*
CliorajUS. And we have had no food for very long — We are half-starved, oh, for so long Bana Singiri I
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 1 Oh, to fight Mirambo 1
Choragus. But the white man will make us glad.
He is going home ! For he is going home, Apd 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 I
Um-m — mu — mn-m-m — sh !
This is the singular farewell wliich I received from the "Wanyamwezi of Singiri, and for its remarkable epic beauty, rhythmic excellence, and impassioned force, I have immortalized it in the pages of my book, as one of the most wonderful productions of the chortis- loving children of Unyamwezi.
March IWi. — The last day of my stay with Living- stone 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. X^^^ minutes beat fast, and
March, 1872.] HOMEWARD BOUND. 623
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. And 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 for ever !
For ever ? And " for ever," echo the reverberations »
of a woful whisper.
I have noted down all he has said to-nia-ht ; but the reader shall not share it with me. It is mine !
I am 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, "Positively not to be opened;" to which he has affixed his signature. I have stenographed every word he has s^id 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 news-
624 EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
papers at TJgunda, 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 Avill 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 lith. — 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,
March, 1872.]
EOMEWAED BOUND.
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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 liouse 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 in 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 homo until you have satisfied yourself about the 'Sources of the Nile.'
2 S
626
now I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
When ybii 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 cross- ing 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 tliem, I shall return by Katanga to the under- ground houses of Eua. 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 tliink this little journey will take you ?"
" A year and a half, at the furthest, from the day I leave Uuyanyembe."
" 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 Doctcn-, 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
March, 1872.]
HOMEWARD BOUND.
627
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 !"
TVe 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 !"
" March ! Why do you stop ? Go on ! Are you not going home ?" And my people were driven before me. No more weakness. I shall show them such marching as will make them remember me. In forty days I shall do what took me three months to perform before.
My friendly reader, I wrote the above extracts in my » Diary on the evening of each day. I look at them now after six months have passed away ; yet I am not ashamed of them ; my eyes feel somewhat dimmed at the recollec- tion of the parting. I dared not erase, nor modify what I had penned, while my feelings were strong. God grant that if ever you take to travelling in Africa you will get as noble and true a man for your companion as David Livingstone ! For four months and four days I lived witli him in the same house, or in the same boat, or in the same tent, and I never found a fault in him. I am a man of a quick temper, and often without sufficient cause, I dare say, have broken ties of friendship ; but with Livingstone I never had cause for resentment, but
628
EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
each day's life with him added to my admiration for him.
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, which a native of Rubuga called Nyahuba, and another Unya- huha. Tlie 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 23 rd, 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, 1878.
" 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
Maech, 1872.]
nOMEWABD BOUND.
629
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 obser- vations made in one line of march from Kabuire, back again to Cazembe, and on to Lake Bangweolo, and am quite tired out. My large figures fill six sheets of fools- cap, 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.
" Marcb 16, 1872.
" P.S. — I have written a note this morning to Islr. 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 bo may bo found."
Several Wangwana arrived at Tura to join our re- turning Expedition, as they were afraid to pass through Ugogo by themselves ; others were reported coming; but as all were sufficiently warned at Unyanyembe that
630
EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
tlie 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 Lack to the Doctor, while we con- tinued our march to Nghwhalah River.
Two days afterwards we arrived before the village of Ngaraiso, into which the head of the caravan attempted to enter, but the angry Wakimbu forcibly ejected them.
On the 24i:h, we encamped in the jungle, in what is called the " tongoni," or clearing-. It was a most romantic place, as may be gathered from the sketch on page 609.
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, u^Jright and grand, a massive square rock, which towered above several small trees in the vicinity ; at the otber end stood up another singular rock, which was loosened at the base.
The members of the Expedition made use of tbe great sheet of rock to grind tbeir grain ; a connnon proceed- ing 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 bad 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. Tbe ears were ripe enough for parching and roasting, and thus was one anxiety dis- pelled by its appearance ; for generally, in early March,
March, 1872.]
HOME WARD BOUND.
631
caravans sufifer 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.
The population of Kiwyeh is composed of Wakinibu and Wagogo, in about equal [)roportions. Old Kiwyeh, who hved in the days of Speke and Grant, is dead, and his young son reigns over the district. Though the young man's dominion is fair to the eye, and bis loyal subjects number their cattle by hundreds, yet his position is a precarious one, for his extreme youth offers great temptations to the "Wagogo chiefs about him.
W'e had barely encamped when we heard the boom- ing, bellowing war horns sounding everywhere, and we espied messengers darting swiftly in eveiy direc- tion giving the alarm of war. AVhen first informed that the horns were calling the people to arm them- selves, and prepare for war, I half suspectLHl that an attack was about to be made on the E.xpedition*; but the words " Urugu, warugu " — (thief! thieves!) — bandied about, declared the cause. Mukondokii, the chief of the populous district two days to the north-east, wliere wo
632
EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 prin- cipal 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, consist- ing of the most enthusiastic, who exercised themselves m 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 weak- ness of even the largest caravans which travelled be- tween 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 Wahelie 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 ap- proach the herds, stoop down, covering their bodies with their shields of bull-hide. Having arrived between
Makch, 1872.]
HOMEWARD BOUND.
633
the cattle and the herdsmen, they suddenly rise up and begin to switch the cattle heartily, and, having started them ofif 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 remark- able for the mighty globes of foliage which the giant sycamores and baobabs put forth above the plain. The chief of Khonze boasts of four teflSbes, 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
634
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
we should be forced to fight. The rascal was theu 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 Kamyenyi, to tlie 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 re- membered my predecessors. Burton, Speke, and Grant, very well ; declared me to 1?e much younger than any of them ; and, recollecting that one of the white men used to drink asses' milk (Burton ?), ofi"ered 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 Kisewali, who was in the habit of enforcing lai-ge tribute from caravans.
With the aid of Unamapokera and his father, we contrived to be mulcted very lightly, for we only paid
April, 1872.]
EOMEWABD BOUND.
635
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 the jungle , and on the next day, at 10 a.m., reached the fields of Mapanga. We were j^assing the village of Mapanga to a resting-
[jnamapoki:ra.
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 oamping-])lace, he hastened on ahead, and presently wc heard hlni talking to some men in a field on our right.
In the meantime, we had found a comfortable shady
636
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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, imme- diately 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. Yerily, what a fine chance for adven- ture 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 gun-bearers 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 !
April, 1872.]
EOMEWABD BOUND.
637
But in tliis 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 sufiicient force of men with him. "With five hundred Europeans I 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 lain.* Though very much disappointed, he did not doubt my . statement, and after receiving his honga, which was very ligbt, he permitted us to go on our way, and even accompanied us some distance to show us the rbad.
638
now I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 stanch. 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 qr 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, in- cisive force, the terrible blasts seemed to penetrate through and through our bodies, as though we were but filmy gauze. Manftilly 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 Triendly 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.
April, 1872.] HOMEWARD BOUND.
639
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 mes- sengers 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 Eiiglish 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 Farquliar, 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 atteinj)tiiig to rise and walk out of his tent, he fell back ; from that minute he got worse and worse, and in tlie after- noon he died, like one going to sleep. His legs and abdomen had swollen considerably, and something, I
640
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 Mnya- mwezi, 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 com- memorate 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 resist- less 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
Apbil, 1872.]
HOMEWARD BOUXD.
641
of what we might expect dnring 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 Mukoudokwa 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 dowu 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 }^ellowish foam, pelting us until we were almost breathless. Half a day's battling against such difli- culties brought us, after crossing tlie river, once again to the dismal village of Mvumi.
We passed the night fighting swarms of black and voracious mosquitoes, and in heroic endeavors to
642
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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. Fortu- nately, he recovered himself and stood up, while I shouted to him, with a loaded revolver pointed at his head, " Look out ! Drop that box, 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 box again
Apeil, 1872.]
HOMEWARD BOUND.
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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 th§ 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 mucli 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 tlie stream ; the one on the bank which I liad just left occupying an ant-hill of considerable heiglit ; 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 bootlis 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 licard
344,
BOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
the' cDBstant, pattering rain ; beneath our feet w.is a gre?&t depth of mud, black and loathsome ; add to these th^ thought that the river might overflow, and sweep us to utter destruction.
In the morning the river was still rising, and an inevitable doom eeemed to hang over us. There was vet 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, «f far greater value than anything else. While looking at the awful river an idea struck me that I might pos- sibly 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 tliey succeeded in getting everything ashore undamaged by the water. When I saw with what ease they diagged themselves across, the barrow on their shoulders, I wondered that I had not thought of the plan before. Within an hour after 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 Rehen- neko, after experiencing several queer accidents. We were now on the verge only of the inundated plain of
Apbil, 1872.]
HOMEWARD BOUND.
645
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 useless 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 amphi])ious — was better than the horrible filth and piles of decaying vegetation which were swept against the boma of the village.
646
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 hom's 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 iuto 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 dis- astrously. If one- fourth of the reports we heard were true, at least a hundred people must have pe- rished.
The Sultana had fled, and the stronghold of Kisa- bengo was no more ! A deep canal that lie had caused to be excavated when alive, to bring a branch of the
April, 1872.]
HOMEWARD BOUND.
647
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 asto- nished us most were the masses of debris which seemed to be piied 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 if 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 Ungereaigei i ; 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 oxe 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
648
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 eti route to Unya- nyembe. 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 'o 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 thiuk 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 " hot-water " ants, which bite our legs until we dance and squirm about like madmen. Yet, somehow, we arc fortunate enough to escape annihilatioUj and many another traveller miglit also. Yet here, in verity, are the ten plagues of Egypt, tlirough which a traveller in these regions must run the gauntlet :
Mat, 1872.1
HOMEWARD BOUND.
649
1. Plague of boas.
2. Eed ants, or " hot-water."
3. Scorpions.
4. Thorns and spear cacti.
5. Numerous impediments.
6. Black mud knee-deep.
7. Suffocation from the density of the jungle.
8. Stench.
9. Thorns in the road. 10. Miasma.
May \st. 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 tliat serious loss has been sustained, from the evidences of the elfects of the storm in tliC 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 1 cannot conceive, be- cause I 'never told a soul until I reached Unyanyembe.
May 2nd. JRosako. — 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 typo-
650
EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
graphical 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 edi- tors regard the Expedition into Africa as a myth. Alas ! it has been a terrible, earnest fact with me ; nothing but hard, conscientious work, privation, sick- ness, 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 these critical articles, which emanated from the pen of a Tennessee editor, after humorous banter of the Expedition, ends as follows :
" The fate of that Expedition is fixed, and unless Livingstone makes his reappearance in civilized society we need never exjiect to hear from that 'Herald' commissioner again. He'll get into some other big Makata swamp, and go the way of his hapless dog ' Omar.' Sic semper."
So, while I was travelling in Africa, upon an errand that I supposed, in my innocence, would have com- mended itself to most Christians, there were people praying for my failure. It is wonderful what little difierence exists between civilization and barbarism — what a thin line divides some white men from negro savages. The latter I have found kind and agreeable people when well treated — the sentiment embodied in the above extract proves to me what I may expect when I reach home. At all events, I have the laugh on my side now. If I only live to reach home I may have occasion to laugh more.
One of my letters received from Zanzibar by my messengers states that there is an expedition at Baga-
Mat, 1872.] HOMEWARD BOUND. 651
moyo called the " Livingstone Search and Relief Expe- dition." What will the leaders of it do now ? Living- stone 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 4:th. — Arrived at Kingwere's Ferry, hut we were unable to attract the attention of tlie 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.
Jiay 5th. — Kingwere, the canoe proprietor, came about 1] 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 illus- trated as in Kingwere. He brought two canoes with him, short, cranky things, in which only twelve of us could embai'k at a time. It was 3 o'clock in the after- noon before we arrived at Gongoni village.
iJ/ay 6ih. — 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 tliat indicates but too well what is going on in their minds. Surely, my own are a faithful inde\ to their fi'clings ; and I do not feel a whit too proud to acknowledge the
652
EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
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 uutil our horns are emptied — then shout our " hurrahs " until we are hoarse — then, with 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 Beulali. " The white man has come to town," were the words we heard in Bagamoyo. And we shall cross the water to-morrow 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
Mat, 1872.] EOMEWARB BOUND
653
around us. And that bright flag', whose stars haye Waved over the waters of the great lake in Central Africa, which promised relief to the harassed Living- stone 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 ; he was young and Teddish-whiskered ; he had a bright, lively, humorous Tace, while his head was slightly inclined oh one side, which gave him somewhat of a pensive appearance. 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. It is their habit to do things after that fashion ; but it was different in Central Africa. (Splendid success ! Is that the view they take of it? It is better still. But how does he know anything about it ? Oh, I forgot. My messengers have been talking, I see.)
" Thanks. I will take anything you like to give me.
" Let's have soiiie beer, boy, quick, or I will knock seven d s out of you," said he, in a lively tone.
It Avould be useless to relate every detail of the conversation that took place between us. He soon informed me, in that light, vivacious way peculiarly his own, who he was, what he came for, what were his
654
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
hopes, his ideas, and his feelings upon almost every subject. 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. Oswald Livingstone, second son of the Doctor.
" Is Mr. Oswald 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. ««««««
I thought I should have some good sport. I am very
May, 1872.]
HOMEWARD BOUND.
655 •
fond of shooting. I should like to shoot an African elephant."
" Oh, Livingstone doesn't want you. He says he has plenty of stores — enough to enable him to finish up comfortably ; and I am sure he ought to know best. If he lacked anything, he would have mentioned it in the list. Any more than he has got would be an incumbrance — he could not get the men to carry them. What have you got here ?"
"Oh," said he, with a light laugh, "we have the store-room full of cloth and beads. We have over one hundred and ninety loads of stores."
" One hundred and ninety loads !"
« Yes."
"Why, where could you go with all these loads? There are not enough men on the whole coast to carry such a quantity. One hundred and ninety loads ! Why, you would require two hundred and fifty men to carry them, because you would be obliged to take at least fifty supernumeraries !"
At this time in walked a tall, slight, young, gentle- manly man, with light complexion, light hair, dark, lustrous eyes, who was introduced to me as Mr. Oswald Livingstone. The introduction was hardly necessary, for in his features there was much of wliat were the specialities of his father. There was an air of (^uiet resolution about him, and in the greeting which lie gave me he exhibited rather a reticent character ; but I attributed that to a receptive nature, which augured well for the future. A greater contrast than these two young men could hardly have been presented. One was volatile, redundant, inconsistent, effervescent, boiling over with his uncontrollable vitality, irrepres- sibly mercurial, hilarious, and jovial ; the other was
Eow 2 POUND Livingstone.
composed, even to a little sternness, nnruffled in liis demeanor, demurely staid, with a tranquil, resolute, and fixed face, but with flashing eyes, that vivified an otherwise _ immobile expression. Of the two, I should have said the latter would have been the fittest leader of an Expedition ; but Henn, if he possessed enduring qualities — not such as belong to the physical constitu- tion, but the moral courage to bear with fortitude, and persevere under constantly recurring calamities, fevers, privations, and difficulties — was an eligible com- panion, with his elan, high spirits, and bubbling hilarity. Livingstone seemed to be able by nature to support the burden of responsibility ; while Henn, from his natural vivacity and impulsive disposition, seemed yet too young for such a charge, though he had acquired the quality of manhood.
" 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 ^reat 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. Kii'lc, and for that purpose he would cross
May, 1872.]
EOMEWABD BOUND.
657
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 havresacks, 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."
2 U
658
HOW I FO UND LIVimSTONE.
CHAPTER XVII.
VALEDICTORY.
At 5 P.M., on the 7tli of May, 1872, the dhow which conveyed my Expedition buck to Zanzibar arrived in the harbor, and the men, delighted to find them- selves 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 wel- comed me back to Zanzibar ; and soon after was intro- duced 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
Mat, 1872.]
VALEDICTORY.
659
fund of energy or nervousness in him whicli 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 — a stalwart young man, splendid figure, handsome appearance, with quick and intelligent features, and said :
" Mr. Stanley, let me congratulate you, sir."
Lieut. Dawson then went on to state how he envied me my success ; how-1 had taken tiie 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 mere 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. Living- stone is found and relieved, most certainly ; and I have
660
EOW I FOUND* LIVINGSTONE.
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 reheve 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."
" In your orders, which you say you have, is there nothing said as to what you were to do in the event of your meeting me ?"
" Not a word, though they knew it well ; for one of the members of tlie Royal Geographical Society sug- gested to me privately that I might possibly be able to relieve you. I knew nothing about your expedition
May, 1872.]
VALEDICTORY.
661
except from your letter to the ' Herald ;' but we had been informed that you were sick from fever, and pro- bably dead. When I arrived here I heard much about you, and we heard a report that you had found Living- stone the very day we came here ; but we did not pay much attention to it. It was not until I talked with your own men that I came to the conclusion that I was not wanted, and therefore resigned."
" Why did they not mention my name in the instruc- tions ? They knew, according to what you say, that I was in the country ; and, no matter ho"vv poor a traveller I may have been, it was a contingency that might arise."
"The truth is, they didn't want you to find him. You cannot imagine how jealous they are at home about this Expedition of yours."
" Not find Livingstone ! What does it matter to them who finds and helps him, so long as he is found and relieved ?"
This was the first shock I received, and from this moment I regarded myself as a doomed man with the English people. That anyone should have been so inhuman as to desire my failure, because it was an American Expedition, was the remotest idea that I could have entertained. Until this moment I had never given a thought as to how people would regard my success or failure. I had been too busily employed in my work even to think of such wild and improbable things, as that any people would rather hope that Dr. Livingstone would be irrecoverably lost than that an American journalist should find him.
But I was not long at Zanzibar before I was tho- roughly aware of the animus that prevailed in England I was shown clippings from newspapers, wherein several
C62
EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
members of the Royal Geographical Society had ridi- culed the American Expedition ; and one member had even gone so far as to say that it required the "steel head of an Englishman " to penetrate Africa. Dr. Kirk had written in a kindly spirit, and had stated that his " sole reliance was in me ;" for which I felt grateful, and regretted that I was the bearer of a formal letter to him from Dr. Livingstone.
That evening I despatched a boy over to the English Consulate with letters from the great traveller for Dr. Kirk and Mr. Oswald 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. Eraser and Dr. James Christie were also loud in their praises. It seems that both of these gentlemen had attempted to despatch a private exipedition to the relief of their countryman, but througJi some means it had failed. They had contri- buted 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. He never alluded in any way to the contents of the letter received from Dr. Livingstone. Bishop Tozer also came, and thanked me for the 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." Bom- bay, though in the interior he had scorned the idea of
Mat, 1872.]
VADEDICTORT.
663
money rewards, and though he had systematieally, 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 accord- ing 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 con- firmed 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, isTl, to May 7th, 1872.
Lieut. Henn came to me also on the morning after my arrival, and requested permission to see the order which I received from Dr. Livingstone, which was granted. I append a copy of the order :
" Untantembe, 14th March, 1872. " I have been subjected to so much loss by the employment of slaves in caravans sent to me by H.M. Consul, that, if Mr. Stanley meets another party of the sort, I beg of him to turn them back, but use his discre- tion in the whole matter.
" David Livixqstone."
" This does not refer to our expedition at all," said Lieut. Henn.
«
664 now 1 FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
*' Of course not," I replied ; " it refers to slave cara- vans. With your expedition I have nothing whatever to do ; you are perfectly free to go, so far as I am concerned. But, if you recollect, you asked me last night li Dr. Livingstone was relieved. I answer you again that he was, and here are the things " (showing him the Doctor's list) " that he says he wants. If you think that you ought to go to him, I would advise you to go. Anyhow, I should advise you not to sell the goods, which I hear you intend doing, until you hear from the Eoyal Greographical Society. They may have other views for you, since you have gone to such a vast expense in preparing the expedition."
" Oh, I shall resign, and turn the whole thing over to young Livingstone."
" You please yourself. You know your own business best."
" I know what I will do. I shall go with Capt. Fraser to Kilima-Njaro, and have some good shooting there. New tells me that there's lots of game in that country."
Lieut. Henn went direct from the American Con- sulate and formally resigned, and the expedition was from this time in the hands of Mr. Oswald Livingstone, who made up his mind to sell the stores, retaining such as would be Useful to his father. But, before he sold them, I advised Dr. Kirk that it would be best to store them, because the Eoyal Geographical Society might wish something to be done in the way of explo- ration.
" No," said Dr. Kirk, " these goods belong to Dr. Livingstone, and, as he does not need them, they can be converted into money for him withou^ much loss."
From tlie Rev. Charles New, a resident missionary
May, 1872 ]
VALEDICTORY.
665
on the East Coast of Africa, a few miles west of Mom- basah, I obtained a great many particulars respecting the collapse of the English expedition. Though he ver- bally communicated his remarks, he subsequently em- bodied them in the shape of a letter to me. I extract such paragraphs as bear on the matter :
After a long residence in East Africa I was returning to England, when, at Zanzibar, I met with the English expedition party. Quite unexpectedly, and at the instance of the Council of the Royal Geographical Society, I was asked to join the expedition. After a great deal of consideration, and some hesitation, I did so, accepting the position of interpreter and third in command. My agreement, drawn up by Lieut. Dawson, ran as follows : —
" I agree to give my gratuitous services in, and to join, the Livingstone Search and Relief Expedition, as originally organized in England by the Royal Geographical Society, on the following understanding —
" 1st. Should accident incapacitate Lieut. Dawson from continuing the command, I agree to consider Lieut. William Henn the commander of the expedition, and to act under him as such.
" 2nd. Should Lieut. William Henn be also incapacitated, I agree to take command, and use my best endeavours to carry out the objects of the expedition as laid down in tho instructions of the Royal Geographical Society."
That was the agreement I signed. Having joined tho expedition, I did my utmost to push forward its preparations till all was ready and wo were to start. Lieut. Dawson, Lieut. Ilenn, and myself crossed the Channel to Bagamoyo, with the goods and guard, with the view of engaging wa-pagazi forthwith, and starting without delay. On our arrival at Eagamoyo we met three men who had arrived two or three days before us, and who were said to have come domi from tho interior from you. Wo examined them, learning from them that you had met Dr. Livingstone at Ujiji ; that you and tho Doctor had gone together to the north end of tho lake ; had seen tho river Eusizi running into tho lake ; that you had then returned to Ujiji, and had thenco pushed your way eastward as far as Unyanyombo ; that there Dr. Livingstone remained with tho view of prosecuting further researches, but that you were returning with all speed to tho coast; that you had already reached Ugogo, and might bo cxi>ected in Bagamoyo in two or three days' time.
666
EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
Dawson and Henn then expressed their intention of throwing up the expedition, and of retnrniifg to England, on the ground that you had done the work they had come to Africa to do. But that evening Lieut. Dawson asked me, if, provided it were deemed necessary to send on relief to Dr. Livingstone, I should be willing to take it on. I expressed my readiness to consider such a proposal. Next day Lieut. Dawson returned to Zanzibar to consult with Dr. Kirk. Two days after I received a letter each from Dr. Kirk and Lieut. Dawson. Both offered to place the Relief Expedition in my hands ; Mr. Oswald Livingstone cousenting to act under my own guidance, he being anxious still to go on to his father. I WTote to Dr. Kirk, expressing my readiness to take charge of the Relief Expedition. But, in the meantime, Lieut. Henn had changed his mind, and he now insisted upon assuming the command. 1 was obliged to retire in his favour. It was hoped, however, that I would act under Lieiit. Henn as second in command ; and, had it been needful, or even possible, I would have done so.
But the expedition was no longer what it had been as originally organized in England : it was become a comparatively iusiguificant trip to Unyanyembe, which any two men, with an ordinary amount of real interest in it, and a fair share of pluck and perseverance, might have accomplished. That is most certainly the view I took of the matter. I tliei-cfore retired, on the ground that my services were no longer necq,ssary, and that my presence would only complicate a very easy task. It is generally thought that I had signed an agreement to act under Lieut. Henn under auy circumstances. This is not the case. My agreement was with the expedition as origUialhj organized in England, and to serve under Lieut. Henn, provided Lieut. Dawson were incapaT^tated through acccidenf. But Lieut. Dawson was not in- capacitated through accident. Ho resigned ; and his resignation, as originally organized, upset, as Dr. Kirk said in his letter to me, all previous arrangements, and upon this ground the expedition waa offered to me. After Lieut. Dawson's withdrawal new arrangements had to be made, and each individual was at liberty to go on or retire as he pleased.
But I had other reasons for not accepting a second place in such an . expedition, under Lieut. Henn. In my opinion ho was unfit, and in- capable of conducting such an expedition. At starting he had declared that his (main object) was for sport — to try his hand at shooting buffaloes and elephants. Now such a man, in my opinion, was not the man to send to the relief of Dr. Livingstone, and I do not think I ought to have been asked to act second to him ; though, had the original expedition stood, I would have gone forward nt all risks.
Mat, 1872.]
VALEDICTORY.
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Another point : Lieut. Henn had threatened to retire from the expedition before we heard anything of your return ; tlius exhibiting an instability which augured the worst things in regard to his success as commander. Learning that Lieut. Henn had threatened to retire, I called upon Dr. Kirk expressly to talk with that gentleman about the matter. I pointed out to Dr. Kirk that this state of things seriously* involved the success of the expeflition, and suggested that the party be called together, in order to bring about a better under- standing between Lieut. Dawson and Lieut. Henn. Dr. Kirk said, " No ; do nothing of the kind. Henn will go with you two or three days into the coimtry, and then quietly retire."
"We will stop here. I have done a friendly part bj Mr. New, as I have a high idea of his capabilities for his high and noble vocation ; and I am sure he will pardon me if I point out, in a friendly, critical way, his own little faults. The reader may gather from the above letter that affairs stood on no amiable footing between Messrs. Dawson, Henn, and New. Indeed, from what was current at Zanzibar, a stranger would have imagined that the three gentlemen • were at daggers drawn towards one another ; but this was only apparent and superficial— there was no deep hostility. It was rather early in the day for a real quarrel to have taken place. "While they were all united under one absolute and firm leader, trivial antipathies slum- bered and were passive ; but, as soon as the leader — Lieut. Dawson — retired, a little jealousy appeared, which was provoked into activity by the question which Dawson ^ asked New, ""Whether, in the event of relief being neces- sary, he would be willing to hike command?" Mr. New wished to deliberate upon it ; but we must also remem- ber that Mr. Henn desired to do the same thing, as it was but a verbal and thoughtless expression he used when he said he would "throw up" the expedition: he had not arrived at any final conclusion. After two days'
668
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
deliberation, Mr. New declared his " readiness to accept the command ;" but, just at this juncture, Mr. Henn expressed his determination to proceed with the relief party ; and, as he was second in command, he had the option to dispose of that right as he pleased, and the several parties conceded it to him, as they were bound by contract to do so. Mr. New, however — according to his own statement — resigned, and pleaded as an excuse that the " expedition was no longer what it had been but Mr. New is inclined to be inconsistent when he states its constitution was altered. It is true that the former chief had retired ; but, according to his own version, he had pledged himself to obey Lieut. Henn — if Lieut. Dawson was incapacitated by accident. The " accident " — nothing less than my appearance — did occur, and Lieut. Dawson incapacitated himself by a voluntary resignation, by voluntarily depriving himself of the power to command ; therefore, Lieut. Henn had the right to command, and Mr. Charles New was bound to obey him. " Should accident incapacitate Lieut. Dawson from continuing the command, I agree to consider Lieut. "William Henn the commander of the expedition, and to act under him as such." In this agreement there is no mention of original organization.
Mr. New further adds, that it had become a " com- paratively insignificaiit trip to Unyanyembe, which any two men, with an ordinary amount of real interest in it, and a fair share of plnck and perseverance, might , have accomplished." I agree with him there ; and not only two, but one could have gone ; and accomplished the designs of the expedition far better tlian two quarrelsome men. About its comparative insignificance I differ with him. I should say it was far more difficult for an inexperienced party to take a caravan to
Mat, 1872.]
VALEDICTORT.
669
Unyanyembe, than for an experienced party to lead one from Unyanyembe beyond. By the time the party arrived at Unyanyembe, it would have been educated in the school of experience, and the after journey would be as nothing compared to the first essay in a new field. At least, I found it so. I had more trouble in going to Unyanyembe with my caravans than I had in all the other journeys together. The experience I had ac- quired in marching the first half enabled me to accom- plish the other journeys with ease and rapidity. If the experience of Mr. Charles New, as an African traveller, was worth anything, or was even going to be of value to a raw party, it was from the coast to Unyanyembe, and not from Unyanyembe beyond.
After reaching Unyanyembe, I should say that Lieut. Henn and Mr. Livingstone would have been perfectly competent to take the caravan anywhere, without Mr. New; the lessons they had acquired on the march would have enabled them to utterly ignore him. No ; I should say if Mr. New, " after a little hesitation," agreed to join the party when a man like Dawson had charge of it, in order to give it the benefit of his experience, and if, after Dawson retired, he con- sidered Henn incapable, in the opinion of all right- minded men he was more than ever bound to sustain both Henn and Livingstone with his experience, until he had taught them how to travel without him ; then Mr. New might have retired, had he wished it, with grace and credit to himself.
Though Henn's main object might be to shoot buffalo and elephant, it does not absolve Mr. New from his duty of accompanying, advising, and encouraging him in his loyalty — when all sport failed — to the real and principal object of the expedition, to which they had
670 EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
one and all pledged their support. Lieut. Henn might have been of an unstable and mercurial disposition by nature ; but he proved himself to be more consistent — even though his object were sport — in proceeding for the second time to Bagamoyo, than Mr. New, who, when he returned from Bagamoyo, never returned to his duty, but resigned his position, then proffered his aid, and again withdrew it ; and all because he was offered the command when Henn had not quite decided to go, and because, when he did decide to go, the com- mand was given to him as a right to which ho was fairly entitled, and not to the Rev. Charles New.
It was Mr. New's duty to have gone on under Henn, as he had pledged himself to do ; then, if Henn should have verified the prediction of Dr. Ku'k, he could have stepped with honor and credit to himself into the command which he seems, by his own account, to have so much coveted.
Though Mr. New does not appear in an enviable light in this act of the little comedy of " How not to do it," in the first act he shines as something heroic, and I feel myself admiring him intensely, as a true, earnest, and brave-hearted man. After a nine years' residence in Africa, he meets^ on the eve of departure for England, whither he proposes to go for the invi- goration of his enfeebled frame, with a request to accompany the English Search Expedition as inter- preter ; and after a little hesitation only, he gives his utmost aid, and pledges himself to do the best in his power for the furtherance of the charitable mission on which the little knot of Englishmen are bound. Until he hears from my men that Livingstone is found and relieved, he devotes himself to his task with all the energy of his nature ; sails from Zanzibar to Mombasah,
Mat, 1872.]
VALEDICTORY.
671
and presently returns with twenty soldiers, as guard for the expedition ; and through his loyalty and devo- tion to his w^ork wins all hearts. Mr. New has left a very good impression in Zanzibar among the European residents, and their unanimous belief is that, if I had not come so soon to the coast, he would have carried the large and costly expedition through in fine order. I have no hesitation in saying that he was perfectly qualified for his work, from his energetic nature and long experience.
£ut the great fault of the organization was the attempt to assimilate so many uncongenial characters into one harmonious unity. Not one member had the least affinity of character with the other. One was ambitious, positive, hasty, and inclined to be aggres- sive ; another was mercurial, impulsive, inconsistent by nature ; another was nervous, energetic, religious, and too candid ; the other was reticent, earnest, and deter- mined. New and Livingstone would have succeeded admirably. Dawson, by himself, would have been better than with anybody else. Henn, charged wnth tlfe sole command, would have honorably performed his duty, for pluck and honor w'ere the two principal ingredients of his character. As a body, uniform and harmonious, the elements of cohesion were wanting in three of them ; while one would have joined neither party, but remained a neutral witness to factions. Had they gone the party must have quarrelled ; and it would have been a worse disgrace than not going at all. It was therefore fortunate for the credit of Englishmen that my arrival saved their expedition from collapsing and being wrecked in the interior.
Few opportunities present themselves at Zanzibar for departure from the island. II. M.S. ' Magpie ' liad
672
SOW 1 FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
departed the very next morning after my arrival for a cruise, and we found afterwards that she had gpoken the * "Wolverine ' at sea, as was her intention, and had transmitted letters and despatches by that war-vessel to Seychelles and England. If it be true, as reported to me, that an English man-of-war would not have stayed an hour, even, for Dr. Livingstone, I have no right to feel aggrieved that she did not wait for me to send even a, small despatch by her about Livingstone ; but at the same time I thought it strange, if a captain of a man-of-war could steam his vessel to Bagamoyo for a hunting party, that another captain could not stay even a few minutes, to take a letter announcing the safety of Livingstone.
I was told on the authority of an English clergyman that even if Dr, Livingstone himself had appeared at Zanzibar, a British cruiser could not be detained an hour beyond time to convey him away ; but I can hardly suppose that the necessary discipline of a British man-of-war would not, in such an exceptional case, have been relaxed.
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. Oswald 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 was m the charge of Dr. Kirk, and which formerly belonged
s
May, 1872.] VALEDICTOBT. • 673
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 boxes of tin, 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. Oswald 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. I ventured to suggest that it was his duty to go, since he had come so far as Zanzibar ; but it was evident he acted as he thought best ; and, taking » into consideration the fact that Dr. Kirk advised him not to injure his health, and waste his studies, when there was no absolute necessity of his personal super- intendence of the caravan, I think he acted quite right in resigning. Dr. Kirk was his father's friend, his father's former companion on the Zambezi; and as young Mr. Livingstone had abundant fiiith and con- fidence in his judgment, more than he had in his own, it was but natural that he should adopt the advice of his father's friend.
Under these circumstances, ray duty was to follow out the instructions of Dr. Livingstone, in procuring a good and efficient leader — an Arab — for leading the expedition to Unyanyembe ; and with this view I wrote a letter to Dr. Kirk, requesting his influence with the Sultan. The reply I received from Dr. Kirk reads thus :
2 X
674
HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
" British Agency, Zanzibar, 20tli May, 1872.
" My dear Sir,
" Dr. Livingstone's own letter to Seyd Burghash has been long ago transmitted and explained to him, but I then mentioned that you no longer thought of troubling him for the responsible head man described. Under the altered circumstances, Mr. W. 0. Livingstone having abandoned the idea of following his father, I shall be only too glad to aid you with the Sultan, and shall, if you desire, at once send, and tell him to pick out the proper man, whom you will, of course, review, and reject or approve, as you think best.
" Very truly yours, (Signed) " John Kirk."
The application of Dr. Kirk to the Sultan for a man was imsuccessful, so he subsequently informed me ; and, upon receiving this information, I set about looking for a leader in another direction, and in a few hours suc- ceeded in obtaining one 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 trust- worthy.
On the 25th, Lieut. Dawson, after engaging passage in the American barque, ' Mary A. Way,' Capt, Russell, for New York, sailed on that day. I supplied him with a letter of introduction to a friend of mine in New York. We parted on terms of the utmost amity and goodwill, as I regarded him as a most chivalrous gentleman.
On the morning of the 26th, Dr. Kirk called at the
Mat, 1872.]
VALEDICTORY.
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American Consulate to visit his friend, Mr. Webb, and while in the house I took the opportunity of saying to him, " Doctor, I fear I will not be able to despatch the expedition to Dr. Livingstone so early as I hoped. If the steamer which Mr. Henn, Mr. Livingstone, and myself have chartered is obliged to sail before I can embark the expedition, I shall have to ask you to take charge of it."
To which Dr. Kirk replied, " If you do, I shall have to decline it. I am not going to expose myself to needless insult again.* I am not going to do any- thing more for Dr. Livingstone in a private capacity. Officially I will, as I would for any other British subject."
" Needless insult, did you say, Dr. Kirk ?" I asked. « Yes."
" May I ask what it consists of ?"
" He blames me for the failure of the caravans to. reach him, and charges me with having employed slaves. If the men did not reach him, how can I help it T
" Pardon me. Dr. Kirk, but if you were in Dr. Livingstone's place, you would have done so yourself. Your best friend would have been suspected of coldness — to say nothing else — ^had you been told, time after time, by leaders of caravans, that they had been commanded by the Consul to bring you back, and on no account to go with you anywhere."
" But he could see by the contracts that they had been engaged to follow him wherever he chose. If he prefers to believe negroes, and half-castes, and doubt
* Readers interested in this subject may bo curious to know wliat this insult was. It refers to Dr. Livingstouo's letter to Dr. Eirk. dated Ujiji, Oct. 30, 1871.— See Appendix.
676
now I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
mf word and official comraunications, he is a fool ; that is all I have got to say."
" Mj dear sir, how can Dr. Livingstone help doubting the contract ? Do not all the men swear to him that yoti have commanded them to bring him back ? All his entreaties are of no avail, and the whole ends by them forcing him back from his discoveries. What was he to do, but believe that there was something inexplicable in it ? All through the interior he has heard the same tale over and over again, that you have sent a letter to him, ordering him to come back."
" I cannot help it. I have written him a letter just as good as he sent me."
" Well," said I, " it won't do for me to leave the caravan in Zanzibar. I must send it off myself, then."
The next day I collected the men 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 Iliver. Mr. Oswald Livingstone generously paid him a douceur for the promise of doing liis work thoroughly.
A dhow having been brought to anchor before the American Consulate, I then addressed' my old com- panions, saying, " You are now about to return to Unyanyembe, to tlie 'Great Master.' You know hi in ; you know he is a good man, and has a kind heart. He
May, 1872.]
YAJjEDICTOET.
677
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 crie'd, 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 2nth, the steamer ' Africa,' belonging to the German Consulate, chartered by Messrs. Henn, Living- stone, New, Morgan, and myself, departed from Zanzibar for Seychelles, with the good wishes of almost all the European residents on the island.
678 EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
On our voyage eastward, we sighted the 'Mary A. Way,' in which poor Dawson had taken passage. It was a matter of wonder to us that Dawson should have sailed for England by such a roundabout way. But after arriving in England, I saw a letter sent by him to the Secretary of the Royal Geographical Society, wherein he says : —
"I should have proceeded by the same route; but, though I do not grudge Mr. Stanley his well-earned success, it would be distasteful to me, if not to both of us, to travel in company ; and opportunities are but few from Zanzibar to Europe."
I cannot imagine the spirit in which this letter is dictated. It differs very much from the frank, generous nature I took him to have. I can understand, however, that it would be distasteful to him to sail with me, if any one were guilty of ungenerous and invidious com- parisons ; but why it should be distasteful to me, I cannot conceive.
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 com- pelled to remain on the island of Mahe one month. Messrs. Livingstone, New, Morgan, and myself, hired a nice little wooden house, which we called the ' Livingstone Cottage," while Mr. Henn resorted to an hotel.
My life in Mahe is among the most agreeable things cuiiuected with my return from Africa. I found my companions estimable gentlemen, and true Christians. Ml'. Livingstone exhibited many amiable traits of character, and proved himself to be a studious, thoughtful, earnest man. When at last the French
May, 1372.]
VALEDICTORY.
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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. Tlie 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 realized 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 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, his agent telegraphed the two letters I received from him, by cable, at an expense of nearly £2,000.
ih * * * *
A few more words, and I shall conclude, my dear reader. It were, perhaps, more dignified in me if I halted here, and wrote finis to this record of Travels, Adventures, and Discoveries ; but there are some things which I cannot pass by in silence, and amongst them is, the treatment I have received in England.
The English Press seemed to have been laboring, before I arrived in England, under a tissue of errors.
680
EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
Hardly an African word was correct — dates were all wrong — facts were distorted m the most incompre- hensible manner; and these seemed to give rise to doubts and suspicions. Except a letter from Unya- nyembe, despatches on my return to Zanzibar, and my letters at Marseilles, I repudiate all else. What I have written only will I father. What is published in the ' New York Herald,' as my letters and despatches, I assert to be correct— except where typographical errors have crept in, which- were natural, owing to the strangeness of the names, and, perhaps, to my own handwriting ; which, when a man is suffering from fever, is not likely to be very perspicuous or neat.
But it is an astounding fact, that English editors felt jealous that it had been left to an American corre- spondent to discover Dr. Livingstone. Almost all the English journals expressed their views upon this point in unmistakable terms, though the principal and most respectable did not hesitate at the same time to give me a large meed of praise — I refer to the * Times,' the ' Daily Telegraph,' the ' Daily News,' and ' Morning Post.'*"
Gentlemen editors, though I thank you for your compliments to a journalist, yet young, and in no way distinguished, in his own humble opinion, I must say, frankly, you have no right "to feel jealous of me, or of any one else. I am only a Special Correspondent, at the beck ahd call of the journal which I have the honor to serve. I was bound by my engagements with it to proceed to any quarter of the globe whenever the order came. I sought not the distinction of searching after Livingstone. When I received the call I was compelled to obey, or to resign. I preferred to obey rather than to resign. If you have read this book, you will know
VALEDICTORY.
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what became of the mission with which- 1 was entrusted ; how it began, and how it ended.
Neither have you a right, gentlemen, to feel jealous of the gentleman who employed me. Africa was as much open to you as it was to him. Americans felt^ as great an interest in Dr. Livingstone as Englishmen did. As many Americans had read his books as English- men had done. Prompted by the desire to satisfy the craving which Americans felt in regard to the safety of Dr. Livingstone, he conceived the idea of despatching a " Special " into Central Africa to search for him. He had abundant means, and had the will. If one Special had refused the errand, another had accepted it; there were enough of them at his com- mand. Had each of the permanent employe's on his journal refused the task, a volunteer frOm the intelligent masses had easily been found, and the results, through God's good pleasure, would have been the same as they are now — probably better. Had any of you thought of accomplishing the task, and willed that it should be accomplished, a thousand Englishmen had volunteered for it at once, and the same results would have been obtained — perhaps better. You have all distinguished yourselves. The ' Times,' in the Crimea, in the Lidian Mutiny, and in politics ; its title is well known in every part of the globe. The ' Daily Telegraph ' has distin- guished itself also in a hundred instances, and so has the * Daily News.' If the ' New York Herald ' desired to carry the enterprise of the Press into the heart of Africa, into the domain of fable and mystery, who will gainsay it ? If it can afford the cost, why should other journals murmur ? It is simply a question of money, which is the sinew of all enterprises. "With a suflicient supply of it all Africa can be explored easily. Not only explored,
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HOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
but conquered and civilized. Not only civilized, but intersected by railroads from one end to the other, through and through. Why, then, be jealous ? The whole world is as open to you as to the ' New York Herald.'
Where is the greatness of the deed ? The traveller whom I sought was not lost. He vvas alive. Had he been dead, and his papers scattered among the tribes, and I had recovered every scrap of paper and every item of his discoveries, as well as his bones, and delivered them to whom they were of value — that had been great. What I had the good fortune to accom- plish was not so great as it was meritorious. I found him ailing, and destitute ; by my mere presence I cheered him — with my goods I relieved him.
Is the fact that I cheered and relieved him a source of annoyance to yftu ? Ah, gentlemen, would you not have rendered to him this needful service in like manner ? If you witnessed a child fall into the gutter, would you not stretch forth a hand to lift him up ? If you witnessed honest penury, would you not give the wherewithal to relieve it ? If you were in presence % of weakness, would you not assist it with a portion of your strength ? If you saw suffering, would you not endeavor to alleviate it ?
Well, then, how did you reward me for doing what you would have done yourselves in a like case ? Some of you first doubted the truth of my narrative; then suspected that the letters I produced as coming from him were forgeries ; then accused me of sensation- alism ; then quibbled at the facts I published, and snarled at me as if I had committed a crime. With a simple tale — unvarnished, plain, clear, literal truth — you could find fault 1 What weakness ! What puerility!
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But, believe me or not, Editors and Critics, what is related in this book has transpired even so, to the best of my knowledge and belief.
But what have you to say for yourselves, gentle- men geographers ? Think you to slay me with your unbelief, as you slew James Bruce, Kene Caillie, or Paul du Chaillu? Think you to wound me with your unkindness, as you wounded the illustrious Burton and the gallant Petherick ? You caused the world to believe that you were anxious about your great Associate. You wished men to believe, during the silence that covered him, that you craved to know what had become of him. Without aid or counsel from you, the mission to find him was begun, carried through, and ended, and you were told, " Livingstone is found, and relieved : your great Associate is alive, and is about to prosecute his discoveries with greater vigor than ever." What was your reply ? " There is one point on which a little eclaircissement is desirable, because a belief seems to prevail that Mr. Stanley has discovered and relieved Doctor Livingstone ; whereas, >* without any disparagement to Mr. Stanley's energ}'-, activity, and loyalty, if there has been any discovery, and relief, it is Dr. Livingstone who has discovered and relieved Mr. Stanley. Dr. Livingstone, indeed, was in clover, while Mr. Stanley was nearly destitute. It is only proper that the relative position of the parties should be correctly stated. We trust that the expedition sent out by the Society will relieve both Dr. Livingstone and Mr. Stanley, and enable them to continue the researches upon which they are engaged."
Gentlemen, mny I ask, why, if you believed Dr. Livingstone " was in clover," you fceut out au expedition to relieve him ?
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What did you do wlien I arrived in England, after you had had the letters from your Associate a week in your hands ? Let friendly ' Punch ' reply : " The President of the Royal Geographical Society, who discovered that Livingstone discovered Stanley, and not Stanley Livingstone, has at last discovered that Stanley is in, England. This is not a bad discovery. It seems, however, to have heen accomplished only after a severe effort. Mr. Stanley hears, on the 6tli August, after having been in England for a week, that the Geographical Society has discovered bim." Let the ' Daily Telegraph ' speak : " A serious and honest amende is due to Mi;. Stanley from the representatives of the Royal Geographical Society, for the sake of which he (Mr. Stanley) has saved the life of the great traveller, and safely brought us all these precious documents (letters)." I received a cold letter of thanks — a week after I arrived in England.
How else did you manifest your feelings after you heard the good news that your friend was alive ? Your Vice-President, instructed by your Council, in- vited me to attend a session of the Geographical Section of the British Association. I complied with the request. But, after I read my paper, and defended Livingstone from rather severe criticisms, your Vice- President rose, and, in a sweet, smooth, bland voice, said, " We don't want sensational stories, we want facts."
What was the sensational story I uttered ? Subsequent to the reading of my paper on * Diiscoveries at the Northern Head of Lake Tanganika,' Mr. C. R. Mark- ham read a paper written by Colonel Grant (the com- panion of Speke), which was to the effect that Living- etoue had conceived a most extravagant idea when he
VALEDICTOBY.
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believed that lie had found the Sources of the Nile in 11° S.; that ' since he (Grant) had not discovered traces of gorillas, or cannibals, or of natives eating pigs, he could not but think that Livingstone had got much further west than he supposed. Soon after, Dr. Charles Beke rose to give his opinions upon the subject, viz., Livingstone's discoveries. Beke was certain Livingstone had not discovered the Sources of the Nile. The most important objection to this theory of the Lualaba being the Nile arose from Dr. Schweinfurth's explorations. This eminent botanist had discovered the Uielle, a large river flowing from east to west, in lat. 3° 45', and it appeared that that river rose in the Blue ]\Iountains, to the west of Albert N'Yanza, and completely cut off the basin of the Nile. Sir Henry Rawlinson, after a complimentary reference to myself, said that he had strong misgivings as to whether Livingstone was upon the Nile basin, and that he believed the Lualaba terminated in some grand central lake, the discovery of which he sincerely hoped would crown Livingstone's labors.
Now let us analyse the motives which underlie these adverse opinions ; we shall then know what value to place on them. Colonel Grant was the companion of Speke in his famous march to Gondokoro from Zanzibar, and he believes implicitly that Speke discovered the Nile source in tlie river issuing from the Victoria N'Yanza, and ruianing north-west to a lake, a corner of which Sir Samuel Baker subsequently discovered. As a friend of Spoke's, and as his companion during the expedition, the gallant gentleman dislikes to hear any other person claiming to have discovered another Nile source. It is a piece of chivalrous friendship on his part, I will admit ; but what does Colonel Grant know
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personally about Speke's source of the Nile ? Let Speke himself testify : " I arranged that Grant should go to Kamrasi's direct, with the property, cattle, and women, taking my letters and a map for immediate despatch to Pethcrick, at Gani, whilst I should go up the river to its source or exit from the lake, and come down asrain, navigating as far back as practicable."
This is evidence to prove that, personally, Grant never saw the river issuing out of the Victoria N'Yanza. "With the utmost good faith and blissful innocence he struck off overland about sixty miles to Kamrasi's, whither he went like an ordinary messenger to convey Speke's despatches, and while he is gone Speke discovers the " Ripon Falls," and then marches after Grant to Unyoro. The defence of Speke is chivalry joar excellence ; but it js not geography. Never was such a costly expedition so barren of results as this of Speke and Grant. From merely having seen a southern and' a northern point of some lake, Speke has sketched a large body of water covering an area of over 40,000 square miles.
Because Grant saw neither gorillas, nor cannibals, nor people eating pigs, he fancies that Livingstone has been much further west than he thought he was. This is absurd, I myself saw the cannibals of Ubembe and Usansi, and. heard of the cannibals of Manyueraa from all the Arabs at Ujiji. Baker heard of cannibals two hundred miles west of Gondokoro. Burton and Speke saw the can- nibals of Ubembe. But Livingstone was 4° of longitude further west than the western shore of the Tanganika. What becomes now of Grant's objections ? As for tribes " eating pigs," almost every tribe throughout Africa eats the flesh of wild boar. I have never heard of tribes keeping tame pigs ; but Livingstone has seen them, and there is every good reason to believe that the Manyuema
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are a superior tribe to any we meet east, near the equator.
Sir Henry Eawlinson, the President of the Eoyal Greographical Society, is an ardent supporter of the theory that all fresh-water lakes must have an outlet ; yet, at the same time, he thinks the great River Lualaba terminates in a marsh, or a fresh-water lake, which has no outlet. Is not Sir Henry thus a little inconsistent ? If all fresh-water lakes must naturally have an effluence, why should the " great inland lake," which is supposed to receive the Lualaba, have no effluence ?
Yet, for the defence of Livingstone after this style, Mr. F. Galton, the President of the Geographical Section of the British Association, with remarkable suavity, charged me with being a sensationalist.
Why ? Livingstone started to discover the Ngami, held on his way dauntlessly, and his efforts were crowned with its discovery. Francis Galton undertook to discover the Lake Ngami. How he succeeded, let his companion, Andersson, relate (Andersson's ' Lake Ngami,' page 238): "I must confess that on first per- using my friend's (Galton's) narrative, I was somewhat startled on coming upon his pleasant assertion that he did not much care about reaching the Lake Ngami. It is true that, when landing at Walfisch Bay, we had but little hope of arriving there ; but at least for my own part, I had always conceived the great goal of our journey to be precisely the Ngami." Again, see page 251 : "Galton appeared delighted with the prospect of soon returning to civilized life. Though he had proved himself to be capable of enduring hardships and fatigue as well as any of us, it was evident thart he had iiad enough of it." Page 240 : " Our failure (Galton and Andersson's) in not reaching the Lake Ngami deeply
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mortified me." Page 252: "Not long subsequently to his return, the Royal Geographical Society, I was happy to learn, bestowed on him their gold medal, as a reward for his services in the cause of science."
I cannot close this book without saying one word for the yomig gentlemen connected with the English " Livingstone Search and Relief Expedition." I must confess my utter inability to perceive what just grounds the Council of the Royal G-eographical Society have to condemn them for returning. The money which supplied their outfit and stores was sul scribed by the British public only for the relief of Dr. David Livingstone, at a time when they were informed that my Expedition had failed ; the advertisement which the Council put in the public journals was with the view of obtaining volunteer commanders to take the relief up to Dr. Livingstone. Messrs. Dawson, Henn, and Living- stone were those who were charged with that duty. At a meeting of the Society, Lieut. Dawson publicly an- nounced that, since the eyes of the British public were on him, the knowledge of that fact was all the more a stimulus to him to endeavor to clear up the mj-stery attending Livingstone's fate, or to find out his where- abouts. These young gentlemen departed from Eng- land for Zanzibar with the view of executing faithfully .the instructions for the search and relief of Dr. Living- stone. When the commander arrived at Bagamoyo, the initial point on his line of route, he heard that Dr. Livingstone was found and relieved, and he hastened back to Zanzibar to consult with the British Consul, as he was commanded to do ; who advised him that, under the circumstances, it was useless for him to continue the mission : he heard also through the same medium, cor- roborated by a certain postscript in a certain Blue Book,
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that Dr. Livingstone was inimical to the geographers at home. Whereupon the commander (Lieut. Dawson) resigned, because he had been led to believe that his presence would be distasteful to Dr. Livingstone. Lieut. Henn next undertook to guide the relief party ; but just as he arrived at the initial point, I appeared upon the field in person, and informed him, in reply to questions as to whether Dr. Livingstone was in need of supplies, that the traveller had all the supplies he required, except a few luxuries, and fifty good freemen, according to a list which I produced for his examination. He also returned to Zanzibar, consulted with his friend Dr. Kirk, and resigned the command to Mr. Oswald Livingstone. Lastly, this gentleman, who 13 a son of the traveller, undertook to lead a relief party to his Either. But this young gentleman was begiiming to suffer from a severe malady, which in the opinion of his father's friend Dr. Kirk would totally incapacitate him from undertaking such a journey. He therefore, though with great reluctance, formally resigned.
In a spirit of candor and fair play, lot us see who is responsible for the withdrawal and return of the English search party. In my humble opiiiion, it is not Lieut. Dawson, nor any of his companions. They were told to go and relieve Livingstone, but to consult with Dr. Kirk. If Dr. Kirk advised the party not to go on, because he thought Dr. Livingbtone would di.sliiic their presence, "the young gentlemen, in my opinion, did perfectly right in returning ; because he, as chosen umpire of their fortunes, had a right to advise them to return, if, in his opinion, the fact of .their presence in Unyanyembe would be objectionable to Dr. Living- stone. But I disagree with Dr. Kirk, if he opines that
2 Y
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SOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
it would be objectionable. I know Dr. Livingstone would bare welcomed tliem if tbe young men came to do bim a service, and tbat, so far as be was concerned, tbey migbt pick up tbe " tbreads of bis work." I agree witli bim, tbougb, tbat tbeir presence was unnecessary, tbeir relief not required. I differ also witb Dr. Kirk, tbat Dr. Livingstone bas bad a quarrel witb tbe Royal Geograpbical Society, or is inimical to its members in any way. During tbe four montbs I lived witb bim, I never beard bim utter a word against tbe Eoyal Geograpbical Society. Almost all bis personal friends are members of tbis same Society.
But tbe real and prime cause of tbe collapse of tbe expedition was tbe omission on tbe part of tbe Council to instruct tbe commander, Lieut. Dawson, wbat to do, in tbe event of meeting witb me with Dr. Livingstone's despatcbes and letters, and receiving tbe assurance tbat be was well and amply supplied witb stores. Had tbey olJicially admitted tbat it was possible tbe American Expedition bad already succeeded on its errand of mercy and cbarity, and bad prepared tbe young men for tbis contingency, tbe Council bad now no need to cbarge Lieut. Dawson or his companions with disloyalty or impotence, nor Lieut. Dawson and bis gallant companions to feel regret tbat tbey voluntarily offered tbeir fortunes and tbeir lives in tbe service of the Society. Since the Council omitted this most important article of instructions, the members of tbe Council themselves, and tbey alone, are responsible for tbe collapse of tbe English Search and Relief Ex- pedition.
And now, my dear reader, I must close. I have bidden a farewell to tbe Wagogo, with tbeir wild
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effroutery ; to ^lionvu, chief of tribute-talcers and black- mailers ; to tlie noisj' clatter of the Waviiiza ; to the inhospitable Warundi ; to tlie Arab slave-traders and half-castes ; to all fevers, remittent and intermittent ; to Makata swamps and crocodiles ; to Ijrackish waters and howling plains ; to ray own dusky friends and faithful followers ; to the Hero-traveller and Christian gentleman, Liyixgstoxe ; and to you, Critics, and all friends and enemies — 0113 and all — I bid you farewell !
POSTSCRIPT.
I wisn to sa,y that in the course of this book I have written some rough things respecting certain geographers
^ and others. If, in so doing, I have touched tho feelings of any individual, I regret it, !My apology is, that what I have written is the outcome of rav feeliners at the time I was writing ; I am a traveller and a journalist, more accustomed to rapid writing than to
' polished diction, but I have preferred to let these thoughts and impressions stand as they are, and for what they are worth, rather than have them edited into a style which might have been infinitely better in a liter iry point of view, but which would not have been mine.
At the very last moment, and when these sheets had nearly all been printed off, I was not less gratified than I confess I was surprised to receive an invitation to dine with the members of the Royal G('Ogra])hical Society. Somehow, ever since, and indeed almost before, my lauding in England, the impression had become fixed in my mind that the humble service which I have been providentially permitted to render
692
EOW I FOUND LIVINGSTONE.
to geographical science in finding out and in rescuing the great Explorer, and in bringing to England the results of his many years of toil, was a performance not welcome to the Royal Geographical Society. That impression may have given a tone of bitterness to some of the remarks in my book ; with all candour, I am now willing to admit, that that impression was unfounded. Great bodies move slowly : I was impatient ; and, doubtless, I was wrong in my hopes and anticipations that the story I had to tell would be received at once without hesitation and without doubt or cavil. I had thought that for the sake of my story I should have been received at once by the Royal Geographical Society, but I had not weighed the difficulties which necessarily surround the movements of so august and scientific a body. The mills of the gods are said to grind slowly but surely; in like manner the Royal • Geographical Society discovered slowly but surely that I was not a charlatan, and that I had done what I said I had done, and then they extended to me the right hand of fellowship with a warmth and generosity whiclj I shall never forget. I beg now to assure the members of the Royal Geographical Society that their recognition of my poor services is not the less welcome to me because it comes somewhat late. Especially do I thank Sir Henry Rawlinson, not only for the kind and generous words he spoke of myself, but also for the noble and handsome manner in which he withdrew a remark he once hastily made before he knew me, and when he was unaware of certain facts which have since come to light. I will only add that pext to the honor which Her Majesty the Queen of England has done me I shall ever treasure the medal of the Royal Geographical Society,
APPENDIX.
The following interesting abstracts, taken from the Eoyal Geo- graphical Society's Proceedings, are published with the permission of Mr. Bates, Permanent Secretary, E.G.S. :
The Peesident read to the meeting the following official letter, which he had received from Lord Clarendon, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, la reply to his petition urging upon the Government to grant siid to Dr. Living- stone. He was sure they would all unite with him in returning the grateful thanks of the Society to Lord Clarendon and her Majebty's Government for the communication.
" Foreign Office, May 19, 1870. "Sir, — I have lost no time in submitting to my coUeasues your observa- tions upon the position in which Dr. I^ivin^^'stone is jtiaced in consequence of his want of uiomy, and her Majebty's Government have not failed to consider all you have ur^ied in favour of a further grant to the distinguished traveller, viz., that he has stru^gKd without aid or conimiiuiciuion with England for the last three years ; that, by the last accounts, he had reached a point from which he can neither advance nor retreat without supplies ; and that the money granted to him at his departure being exliausted, further funds are earnestly required to provide a fresh equipmeut and the means of conveying it into the interior.
" I have now great pleasure in informing you that her Majesty's Govern- ment are prepared to autliorise a grant of £1000 on account of i)r. Living- stone's exix-'ditioii, in the earnest hope tliat the sum may be the means of promoting his return in safety to this country.
"I am, Sir, your obedient humble servant,
" Clabesbok."
"Sir R. 1. MuEcnisoN, Cart."
On the 23rd of May, 1870, Sir R. Murchison speaks as follows of his friend Dr. Livings tone :
Hiroughout the pitst year we have been kept in a state of anxious suspense respecting the position of our great traveller Livingstone, and I grieve to close this address without being able to olVcr some encouraging sentences ou tho pros[)ect of speedily welcumiu;^ him home. At the same time, there is no
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cause for despondency as to his life and safety. We know that he has been
for some time at Ujiji oQ the Lake Tanganyika, whence he wrote home on the 30th of May last, though unable to make any movement for want of carriers and sui)plies. These were, indeed, forwarded to him by Dr. Kirk from Zan- zibar, when, alas ! an outbreak of cholera stopped and paralysed the relieving [larty. Recent intelligence, however, has reached the Foreign Office to the effect that the pestilence had subsided to so great an extent that we may presume the communication between the coast and Ujiji has before now been re-opened.
The work which still lies before Livingstone has been often adverted to, and it is hoped that he will live to advance to the north end of the Tanganyika, and there ascertain if its waters flOw into the Albert Nyanza of Baker. If the junction should be proved we may indulge the thought that, informed as Livingstone must now be of the actual carrying out of the great project of Sir Samuel Baker, h6 may endeavour to meet his great contemporary, ITie progress of the great Egyptian expedition of Baker having been delayed in its outset, we know that it only left Khartoum to ascend the White Nile in February. After reaching Gondokoro, as was expected to be the case, in the first days of March, some time must necessarily ela[)se in estabh'shing a factory above the upper rapids and beyond the tributary Asua, where the steam vessels are to be put to^cfher before they are launched on the Nile water, on which they are to pass to tliC great lake Albert Nyanza. As soon, however, as a steamer is on that lake we may be assured that Baker, with his well- known energy and jtromptitude, will lose not a moment in the endeavour to reach its southern end, in the expectation of there giving hand and help to Livingstone. Let us therefore cherish this cheering hope, which would indeed be the most happy consummation pur hearts can desire.
The British public will be much better informed than they liave been on this subject when they examine a recent small work by Mr. Keith Johnston, jun. In this pamphlet the author has given a succinct history of all tho explorations in South Africa, and has also put together from the best autho- rities (I'etermann and others) a map which shoe's clearly to what extent the rivers wliich flow from the southern highlands, on the south and S.S.W. of Lake Tanganyika, are for tlie most pnrt indcjiendent of that lake, and may prove to be tributaries of the Coni^o. On the other hand, the streams which enter the Lake Tanganyika through the Lake Lieniba of Livingstone, are ])robabIy the ultimate sources of the Nile itself, while the Kasai and other streams which feed the lalces Bangweolo and Moero may be found to issue in the Congo.
If this last hypothesis should prove to be true, the waters which Living- stone has been the first to exi'lore will be found to be the sources both of tho Kile and the Congo. As respects the Nile, however, my sagacious friend must feel that until he proves that some of these waters of the Tanganyika flow into the Albert Nyanza, the problem in regard to tho Nile remains luisolved.
In the nienntime the Nile hypnthcsis of Mr. Findlny and others (that the Lake Tanganyika will be found to unite with the Albert Nyanza) is, accord- ing to the now estimated relative altitudes of these southern waters, the most probable. God {irant that the illustrious Livingstone may demonstrate
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this to be tlie case, and that we shall soon sne him at home as the dis- coverer of the ultimate sources of both the Nile and the Congo.
On this important and exciting subject it is gratifying to state that our medallist, Dr. Petermann, has laid down, ou a general map of South Africa in the last number of his ' Mittheilungen,' that which he terms a chronological sketch of all Livingstone's wonderful and arduous travels from 1841 to 1869. In respect to the tributaries of the Cun^o, the map of Petermaun differs hypo- thetically from that of Jlr. Keith Johnston, jun., inasmuch as he indicates that the waters of the Bangweolo, Motro, and Ulenge lakes probably point to north and by east ; and if this should prove to be the case they also will fall into the great Albert Nyanza of Baker.
In concluding the consideration of this absorbing topic, I rejoice to be enabled to state, that in consequence of my representing to Lord Clarendon the isolated position of Livingstone at Ujiji, where he was without carriers or supplies, whilst he was, comparatively, near his ultimatum, the north end of the La'<e Tangamika, her INLijesty's Government have kindly afl'orded the means whereby the great traveller may be efl'ectively relieved belorc he returns to his admiring country.
In tlie address of tlio President of the Eoyal G cograpliical Society, it is stated that great credit is to be assigned to Dr. Beke, Mr. Arrow- smith, and Mr. Findlay, for their support on tLcoretical groimds of the great southerly extent of the Nile basin, should the great modern problem of the southern watershed of the Nile bo solved.
Credit for tlicory ! Then, now that Sir E. Murchison, the consistent friend of Dr. Livingstone, is dead, and Dr. Bekc has retracted his support of the above tlicory, what credit sliall be assigned to Dr. Beke by Sir H. llawlinson for the theoretical support this gentleman gives to the same watershed being, not that of the Nile, but the Congo's?
At tho 14th Meeting of the Eoyal (Jeographical Society, held 18th of June, 1870, it will be observed that the President of the Koyal Geographical Society states that no expedition for the search of Livingstone had ever been intended. My orders were given me to go after Livingstone in October, 1869. The Royal Geographical Society then should not charge mc with doing that which they intended to do, and should not feel anger at my having found him, since I clabhcd sot with their duties.
The PnESinENT, before proceeding to the consideration of the papers that were to be read, exjilained to the meeting the nature of tho succour tliat bad, to the great credit of the Earl of Clan udon and her Miijesty's Oovern- nient, been sent to Dr. Livingstone. Tiiere hud been much misnpprehen- eion on the matter, juflging from the numerous applications he had received from active young men anxious to go in search of Dr. Livingstone, it being BuiipoKcd fiiat there was an expedition about to start for that purix>se from this country. No nuch erjiedition hod, houci'fr, been iuiended. Dr. Living- Bloue had been more than three yeaas and a half iu the heart of Africii without
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a siugle European attendant. He (the President) was not sure that the sight
of an unacclimatised young gentleman sent out from England would not pro- duce a very bad effect upon the Doctor, because, in addition to his other labours, he would have to take care of the new arrival. He had therefore to announce that the £1000 which the Government had given will be sent by Mr. Churchill, the Consul of Zanzibar, who happens, accidentally, to be in this country, and who is going out immediately. He will instruct Dr. Kirk to fit out a similar expedition to that which started last year, -but which was impeded by an attack of cholera. The epidemic has greatly subsided, and the only difficulty now is to get to Ujiji, where Dr. Livingstone was when last heard of, unable to move forwards or backwards for want of carriers and supplies. It will take two months or more for these supplies to reach Ujiji from Zanzibar, therefore aJl anxiety must be put aside for months to come. In about seven or eight months good news might be expected, and soon after that he (the Tresideut) hoped we might see our friend again in his native country.
Letter from Mr. Chuhchill, Consul at Zanzibar^ concerning Dr. Livingstone.
" Zanzibar, November 18, 1870.
"My Lord, — After a vast amount of delay, that will appear unnecessary to those who are not acquainted with the coiniirj', I have succeeded in send- ing off to Dr. Livingstone a rcinlbrcemcnt of seven men, who have engaged to place themselves at the disposal of the Doctor, as porters, boatmen, &c., and a quantity of beads, clothus, and provisions for his use. He will receive, by the same opportunity, the letters and papers confided to me by Lord Clarendon and the Geographical Society, together with son)e wearing apparel sent by the Doctor's relatives. 1 am in hopes that these will reach Ujiji in the month of February, but nothing certain can be said about it. In a future despatch I will send an acco>int of the expenditure attending this expedition. News was received about a month ago of the arrival at Unyanyenibe, in June last, of men and supplies sent up in October IStil) by Dr. Kirk ; seven of the men had died of cholera, and the ren-,ait)der, having consumed the jjrovisions for- warded lor them, had, with the advice of the Governor of Unyanyenibe, drawn upon the supplies ol which tliey were tlie bearers for their subsistence. This, at first sight, appears preposterous ; but on consideration it may be explained by the fact that, without supplies from some source or other, the progress of the caravan would have been stopped, and, in the absence of an authority to that effect from the Sultan, the Governor of Unyanyembe refused to grant th ; necessary sulsistence-money.
"The latest accounts from the interior state that Dr. Livingstone, after visiting a place called Manime (Manyuema), had returned to Ujiji."
The Chairman, in continuation, said the letter from Dr. Kirk, mentioned in Sir Roderick Jlurchison's letter to the Times, was thrco weeks later in date than that of Jlr. Churchill, and as he (Dr. Kirk) did not state that Dr. Living- stone had really arrived at Ujiji, althouLih deriving his information from the same source as Mr. Churchill, it would be seen tliat the latter had announced the event, as it were, by aniieipation. Dr. Kirk merely said that a letter written in Arabic had been received from the (;hicf of Unyanyembe, dated July, 1870, and stating that Livingstone was expected to arrive in Ujiji at the same time as the men and stores which were then on their way to the samo
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place. It also stated that the traveller had been to a distant country called Manime. To understand the importance of this communication it was neces- sary to refer to the last letter written home by Dr. Livingstone himself. It was one addressed to Dr. Kirk from Ujiji, and dated the 30th of May, 1869. In it Livingstone s.aid, " As to the work to be done by me, it is only to con- nect the sources which I have discovered, from 500 to 700 miles south of Speke and Baker's, with their Nile. The volume of water which flows north from lat. 12° S. is so large, 1 suspect that I have been working at the sources of tlie Congo as well as those of the Nile. 1 have to go down the eastern line of drainage to Baker's turning-point, Tanganyika, Nyigc Chowambe (Baker's?) are one water, and the head of it is 300 miles south of this. The outflow of this, whether to Congo or Nile, 1 have to ascertain. The people west of this, called Manyerna, are cannibals, if Arabs speak truly. I may have to go there first, and down Tanganyika, if I come out uneaten, and find my new squad from Zauzibar."
The following is an important letter from Dr. Kirk, written a day or so after his return from a hunting excursion he made to Kikoka, the first camp beyond the Kingani:
" Zanzibar, 18th February, 1871. " My Loud, — I have the honour to report (hat, information having reached me, tbrougli a native, tliat the men sent olf by Mr. Churchill with stores for Dr. Livingstone, as reported in his desjiatcli of the 18th of November, 1870, were siill at Biiganioyo, a coast town on the opposite main-lanil, aiiil had not taken any steps to procure porters and proceed on their journey, I determined, if possibU-, to go myself and see them oil". 'Captain Tucker, commanding H.M.S. Columbine, on niy request, kindly offered to place his ship at my disposal for this iiurpose.
"Un reaching Bagamoyo I found that the men referred to were still living in the vill.ige, while Arab caravans set out on the same journey. It is tnie that porters this year are dillicult to obtain, few of the jieople of Unyamwezi liaving Come down in consequence of deaths last year from cholera among their friends.
" However, by using try influence with the Arabs I succeeded at once in sending off ail but four loads, and followed inland one day's journey myself. The reiiiaining four loads 1 arranged on niy return were to bo taken as far as lUisanyenibe by an Arab caravan, and thence sent to Ujiji by Said bin lialini, the governor.
" Once fairly off on the road, there is little to induce these people to delay; whereas at I'aganioyo, living in good huts among their own jieople, tmii thinking that there, unknown, they might enjoy thems^'lves and earn monthly pay, had I not gone in person they might have loit( red yet several months.
" While passing along the trade route on the short excursion I mftdo from Bagamoyo we met several caravans on their way from Unyamwezi, I'rori, &a ; and by questioning the natives as well as the h adeis, found that no new.s had been received lately at Unyanvenibe from I'jiji, and nothing known of Dr. Liviiigst(me. All wore aware that ho had gone on a journey from which he had not yet returned up to the latest -dates.
" The country I jiassed through after crossing the River Kingani was like a beautitul jjark aiul woodland, full of all sorts of big game, including the giraffe, elaud, zebra, harte-beestu, wild-bcestc, &c., some of which I shot not
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more than twelve miles from the coast town of Ba^amoyo. The Kinganl River was full of hippopotami, and on its baniss wild buffaloes were found.
" Unfortunately, wherever the giraife exists in numbers this rich and com- paratively healthy region is infested by the tsetse fly, so dangerous to cattle and horses.
" On my return to Bagamoyo I devoted a day to the study of the French mission estalilishraent and their maDagement of freed slaves. On this I shall do myself the honour to submit a separate report to your Lordship.
" Since my visit four years ago I found the town of Bagamoyo to have trebled its extent. Native huts were fast being replaced by stone buildings, and here, as elsewhere on the coast, the trade is rapidly passing into the hands of the Kutchees.
" Jomr KiEK."
"DR. KIRK AND DR. LIVINGSTONE. " To the Editm- of ' The Daily Telegraph.'
« G8, Portsdown Road, Maida Yale, July 25th, 1872.
" Sir, — I have read with great interest your correspondent's account of the interview he had yesterday at Marseilles with Mr. Stanley, the discoverer of Dr. Livingstone, and I feel called upon to .stand by my friend Dr. Kirk. Let me begin by saung that if there has been any neglect at Zanzibar in commu- nicating with Dr. Livingstone, I, as the political agt'nt and Her Majesty '.s consul there during the last five years, must share with Dr. Kirk the blame, as within that lap.se of time I am responsible for what apathj' may have been displayed while 1 was at my post — viz., upwards of two years.
" During my first stay at Zanzibar (from June, 18'i7, to April, 1S69\ it will be remembered that Dr. Livingstone was supposed to have been killed ; so that very few, if any, letters were sent to Zanzibar for him. I can vouch for the I'act that no letters passed through my hands during the whole of that time.
"In compliance with Dr. Living.stone's request, I sent to Ujiji, towards the middle of the yi ar 1868, a certain quauliiy of sujiiilies and meiiicines, but I am not aware that any private letters were sent, except those that Dr. Kirk and 1 wrote to him, for the na-ion that is nu'nii<ined above. On a previous occasion Dr. Seward had sent n\\ v>d Kihva, quinine and stores, which were to await the Docior's arrival at Ujiji. In both the.se expeditions Dr. Kiik's valuable assistance was readily obtained, anil I must here bear testimony to the great interest that Dr. Kirk always took in anything connected with his friend Dr. i.ivingstune. On no occision did 1 ever perceive the slightest indication of jealousy on the part of Dr. Kirk.
"Alter my departure from Zanzibar in April, 1869, Dr. Kirk organised a further ex|ieiiitiiin, con.'sisting of fourteen men ami a large caravan of su]iplies, to meet the great traveller at Ujiji. Cholera intervened and delayed ihi.s expedition, and out of the fourteen men oidy seven reached Unyanyembe. There the remaining partj' appear to have heipcil themselves out of tho supi)lies ; biit for this Dr. Kirk surely cannot be blamed; and, after all it was better that they .should have done this than have declared theniselves nuablo to proceed on their journey for want of uu ans of sulxsistence.
" On my return to Zanzibar in August, 1870, furnished as I was with ample means by Her Majesty's Oovernnient, I iirepared a third expedition, antl cho.<G seven men wlio knew the country in the neighboinhood (if Ujiji to replace those who were reported to have died; with instructions to proceed to Ujiji, and there to await Dr. Livingstone's arrival ; but the road was unsafe, and no caravan would venture up country for a considerable time after tho expedition was organised, so that it was detained at Bagamoyo until after my
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departure on sick leave in the following December. This is the caravan mentioned by Mr. Stanley as having left Bagamoyo two days before Dr. Kirk's visit to the coast in the Columhin«f With it went the letters and parcels that I had taken out to Zanzibar for Dr. Livicgstone. Kirk is said to have made shooting the primary object of his visit to Bagamoyo, and to have nej:lected the caravan altogether ; but Mr. Stanley's own statement shosvs that the caravan had already started when Kirk reached that spot ; and surely a village of 500 inhabitants is not so large that he could not learn in ten minutes how matters stood. If, therefore, he went out on a shooting excursion with the officers of the Columbine, he did so knowing that the object of his going to Bagamoyo was accomplished. Mr. Stanley's statement would indeed show tliat the simple rumour of Dr. Kirk's approaching arrival Lad had the good eflect of putting the caravan in motion.
"To those who are unacquainted with Zanzibar, the statement that eleven packages of letters from home, sent to Mr. Stanley in the course of nine months, had reached Ujiji, while in three years Dr. Livingstone had not been able to receive a single letter, would certainly appear strange; but let me explain that in every likelihood those eleven packages, together with the tele- gram, were received at Zanzibar by the same mail, and that they were sent up to Ujiji by tlie same messenger. One caravan may pass through the country where another may fail to reach its destination; and the very fight that occurred at Unyanyembe, in which Mr. Stanley was involved, may have cleared the way for future caravans. But 1 have only to mention Mr. Stanley's own adventures to show the difficulties that sometimes attend caravans on their way to Ujiji ; and if Dr. Livin'.;stone, on the other hand, did not get anj' letters, it is because, as I have shown, no letters were written to him, his friends believing him to be dead.
"I ho])e Mr Stanley has given Dr. Kirk the opportunity of justifying him- self; but, however this may be, I have felt it my duty to conjc forward and make known to the public, through your columns, the s3'miiathy and friendly feeling that Dr. Kirk has always entertained for his old friend and fellow- traveller, Dr. Livingstone.
" I am, Sir,
" Your obedient humble servant,
" Hy. A. ClIUKCHILL."
Hero is a letter vvliich will makq Dr. Livingstone smilo as it makes mo. It is from the " moral idiot " Shcrif, the half-caste tailor, who divined on the Koran that Dr. Livingstone was dead, and upon this divination sold the Doctor's goods for ivory :
(Communicated by the Foreign Office through Lord Enfield.)
" Zanzibar, March 10, 1H71.
"My Loed, — I have the honour to forward, in translation, copies of letters just received from Ujiji, from which it will be seen that up to five mouths i'go Dr. Livingstone was at a ]ilace named Maiiakoso, and only awaiting tlio men and supplies sent oil' by mo last year, and that they have uuw reiu;hed him, or at least been forwarded from Ujiji to the i)lace where he is.
" It being now time to clo.se letters lor transmis.sion by the present occasion, I shall not be able to make incjuiry among the Arabs ac([uainted with these parts as to the iwsition of the places named, but which I suppose are on the western side of the lake.
*• John Kirk."
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(Translation.) " To Consul KiEK from Sherif Basheikh bin Ahmed.
" I have to inform you that on the 15th of Shahan (10th November) a messenger came from the people of Menama with letters from the Arabs who are there, and one from the Doctor, and these letters were dated the 20th Eejib (loth October).
" In answer to my inquiries they told me that the Doctor was well, althoufrh he had been suffering:, and that he is for the present at the town of Manakoso with Mohamed bin Gharib, waiting for the caravans, being helpless, without means and with few followers — only eight men — so that he cannot move elsewhere or come down.
" We have sent off twelve of our men with American cloth, kaniki, beads, sugar, coffee, salt, two pair of shoes, shot, powder, and soap, and a small bottle of medicine (quinine).
"All that he was in need of we have sent to him, and I remain at Ujiji awaiting bis orders.
" Dated 20th Shaban, 1287 (15th November, 1870).
" True translation. John Kibk."
The following was read :
Sir lioDERiCK MuBonsoN communicated that he had received a letter from Dr. Kirk, dated 30th April, 1871, in which he stated that although no one at Zanzibar had been to Manemeh (the place where Dr. Livingstone was last heard of), he had ascertained that it was about a month's journey, say 200 or 300 miles, west of Tanganyika, and is a thriving ivory mart.
Dr. Kirk is of opinion that Livingstone had been led thither to examine a western lake he had heard of, and into which the waters from Cazembo flowed, and to ascertain whether they go to the west and the Congo or to the noj th and Nile basin. He further hopes that if Livingstone should have settled the outflow of the Tanganyika he will be satisfied, and leave all the rest of the work to luture travellers, seeing that he has been out upwards of five years and must sorely want rest.
It is satisfactory to know that abundant supplies are waiting for the Doctor at Ujiji on his return.
Dr. Kirk adds, that as the rains will soon be over he can send any letters or parcels to Ujiji in about a month, that is, about the 1st of June.
The President said he found some difBculty in believing that there was an interval of nearly 300 miles between Manakoso and Lake Tanganyika. The letter received from Livingstone by the Arabs in charge of his stores at Ujiji was only twenty-five days in transit. Now the average rate of travelling in those countries was only ten miles a day ; so that, judging from the time occupied by the transit of the letters, there could only be an interval of 250 miles between Ujiji and Manakoso, including the passage of the lake. It was, moreover, satisfactory to find that Livingstone was not stationed in an un- known cannibal territory, as had been supposed, but in a thriving ivory mart, between which and the sea-coast there was a constant trade communication."
Juno 26th, 1871. — Sir Ilom-y Eawlinson in his Prosidontial Address under this dato, said, among other things relating to geographical matters :
APPENDIX.
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With regard also to our other great African explorer, Dr. Livingstone, we * are still kept in a state of the most paiuful suspense. We learn by the last reports from Dr. Kirk at Zanzibar, dated in the middle of August, that the Arab merchants with whom Dr. Livingstone had travelled from the south up to Manyemeh, had passed on from that place to Ujiji, and early in the month of June were daily expected at Unj'anyembe. From Livingstone himself, however, no direct intelligence had recently reached Zanzibar, and it was only by inference that Dr. Kirk supposed him to be still at Manyemeh. The second batch of supplies intended for him had in the mean time passed on through TJnyanyembe, en route to Ujiji, and Dr. Kirk was anxiously awaiting news of the arrival of the American traveller, Mr. Stanley, at that place. This gentleman, who is said to be of the true exploring type, left Bagamoyoon the coast for Ujiji in February last, and intended to communi- ■ cate with Livingstone before proceeding further into the interior, so that we must receive before long, from this, if not from any other quarter, some definite intelligence of our great traveller's ])resent condition and his plans for the future. Those who know Mr. Stanley personally are much imj)ressed with his determined character and his aptitude for African travel. His expedition is (Veil equipped, and he enjoys the great advantage of having secured the services of ' Bombay,' the well-known factotum of Speke and Grant. He is entirely dependent, I may add, on his own resources, and is actuated apparently by a mere love of adventure and discovery ; and I need hardly say that if he succeeds in restoring Livingstone to us, or in assisting him to solve the great problem of the upper drainage into the Nile and Congo, he will be welcomed by this Society as heartily and as warmly as if he were an English explorer acting under our own immediate auspices.
It will be seen from the above that Sir Henry Eawlinson was inclined to be complimentary wbou speaking of me at that date.
The next letters received about Dr. Livingstone and myself are dated 25tb and 22nd of September, 1871, and are as follows :
" Zanzibar, September 25, 1871. " Dear Sib Roderick, — You will see, by the account sent to the Foreign Office, that difficulties have sprung up in Unyamwezi and cut off Ujiji from the coast ; and as it happens no Ujiji news has been received for some time back, we may be a long time in getting any certainty of Dr. Livingstone's movements.
"All I can say is, that I lack reports from that ]'lace : neither he nor his Arab friend Mohamed bin Gharib had arrived ; but there was a story, wliich I think worthless, to the effect that they were Iwth to go round the south end by way of Wemba.
" I can yet get no correct account of Manyema : every one knows it, but I find uo one who has been there. I have seen people who have crossed the Tanganyika from Ujiji, and seen the Manyema caravans setting out, btit it seems to be rather a nuw and special line of trade.
" I am glad that the Governor of UnyanyomlMj is to Iw removed: he is the one on whom the war there is laid, and if he had been killed we sliould all have been better satisfied.
" Mr. Stanley was at Unyanyembe and in the fiaht, but the Arabs aban- doned him ; four of his men were killed, but he escajxid. His ])rospect of getting on is at present small, but I really cannot say where he desires to go
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4 to ; he never disclosed bis plans here. I sent up letters for Dr. Livingstone uuder his care, and put also the things (of the second lot — the first has reached Ujiji,) for Livingstone into his hands.
" I fancy he will make a point of meeting Livingstone first ; but whether, having seen what is best to do, he will push on or come back, I cannot say. He was ill of fever when he wrote, but has got tolerabl}' well.
" The men who came down return to-morrow, and ought to be there in twenty-five days, for the road is fine, and grass and food plenty.
" Believe me, dear Sir Roderick, yours most sincerely,
« John Kiee."
" Zanzibar, September 22, 1871.
" My Lord, — Letters just received by special messengers, who left Unya- nyembe about a month ago, inform us of a sad disaster that has befallen the Arab settlement there, and that will in all likelihood stop the road to Ujiji and Karague for some time to come.
" All accounts agree as to the main facts ; . but naturally the letters written by Mr. Stanley, an American gentleman, who was on the Sjxjt, are the most circumstantial and reliable. 1 am indebted to Mr. Webb, the American Consul here, for some details related in those letters, which will, no doubt, be published in full elsewhere. Briefly the position is this : the Arab colony of the interior, whose centre is Unyanj'embe, has for some time been led by a set of avaricious, unprincipled men, whose acts of extortion, both on natives and the poorer Arabs, have for si me time back been comjilained of to Seyd Burghash, who is impotent to interfere at such a distance so long as things go well for the Arabs. A chief, whose village was one day's journey distance on the main road to Ujiji and Karague, fell under tlie disjileasnre of the Unya- nyembe settlers, and his place was attacked in due course by a force of about 1.^00 muskets. Seeing that he could not hold the blockaded village, he retired with his followers, and formed an ambush for the return of the attacking party, when laden with ivory and other booty. The result was disastrous to the Arabs, and a great many were killed, including ten or twenty of the leaders, men of good family here. The Arab retreat soon became a rout, and much property was lost. Fortunately Mr. Stanley, who was weak and ill from fever, managed to return to r'nyanyembe, but he was abandoned by the ^rabs, whose conduct he speaks of as cowardly in the extreme.
" Such is the constant state of things in Central Africa. The road to Ujiji will now be shut for a time, and when we may again hear of Dr. Livingstone is most uncertain. One of the men who came down now says that there was a rumour that Maliomed bin Gliarib and the white man (Dr. Livingstone) would come back from Mauyema by way of Marungu and Wemba. The report is wortli nothing, 1 consider, but I may as well mention it.
" The last lot of things sent by Mr. Churchill had reached Unyanyembc, as I have before reported ; but 1 now learn that the headman, in whose charge they were, died the day alter setting out for Ujiji, and the goods were brought back to Unyanyembe. I have little faith now in the sheikh Saeed bin Salim, and shall write to Mr. Stanley, wlio will probably not have been able as yet to quit the [jlace, and authorize him to make such arrangements as ho can to get the goods forwarded, or if not, to act for me to the best of his judgment in protecting them i'roni plunder ; but in such a state of things as this it will be most l"ortuuatc if they have escaped, and ever reach their destination.
" The messenger? will atait on their return in a day or two, and should be
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able to accomplish the journey easily in seventy or seventy-five days, for the ^
■way so far is open and food plenty.
" To the Arab ivory trade the present position of affairs is most serious ; they have now settled far up in the country, and collected about them thousands of slaves drawn from the country itself; these they cannot do without, and yet cannot trust ; they are all armed, and may tm-n against their masters.
" The chief with whom they are at war is well provided with arms, and a caravan of his is now on the way up with several hundred kegs of {wwder. To stop these people on the way, the Wasacjara have been told already to attack and plunder them; but this too may be but the beginnins; of similar attacks on Arab caravans ; for the wild tribes, when once plunder has been encouraged, will care little whom they attack.
" I have, &c.,
" John Kiek, " Acting Political Agent and Consul for Zanzibar.
" Earl GEAirvniE."
Captain R. F. BtmTON said this was not the first time that distiirbances had broken out between the Arab trading communities and the natives of Unyanycmbe and Unyamwezi. Tlie present state of things might continue for two or three years; but if Livingstone wished to avoid passing tlirough that district there would be no difficulty in his returning by the south of Lake Tanganyika. At the same time,. a white man like Livingstone, fearless, and speaking the native languages, would be able safely to pass through places in which no black man dare venture. He had not the slightest fear 'with regard to Livingstone. He was convinced that the moment anything happened to him the news would rapidlj' spread to the coast, and the Society would hear of it almost as if it came by telegraph.
November 27th. — Sir Henry IIawuxson' announced that he had a com- munication to make to the meeting on anotber subject in which the Geographical Society took an equally warm interest — namely. Dr. Livingstcue. At the last meeting he had occasion to read certain letters which had been addressed by Dr. Kirk to our late revered President and to the Government of Bombay, in wliich he described the accidental outbreak of troubles in Africa whicli hadcutotT the communication between the sea-coast and Lake Tanganyika. The despatch on the same subject addressed by Dr. Kirk to the Foreign Oflice had since then been received, and proved to be a duplicate of that before read, addressed to the Government of Bombay. He wished now to announce the measures which the Council had that day proposed to undertake in consequence of the nceipt of these letters. It appeared to the Council and himself, now, that the hope which we had of commuuicatiug with Dr. Livingstone through Mr. Stanley, the American traveller, must for the present be abandoned ; and it had Ix'cotne consequently their duty to cast about for some other means of reaching him. Their intention now was to address the Foreign Oflice, with a view of arranging, either directly from the Foreign Oflice or thrmmh co-operation iH'twcon the Foreign Oflice and our Society, some means of communicating with the interior district where Livingstone was supinjsed to be. One plan proposed was to send native messengers, off"ering a reward of one hundred guineas to whichever would bring back a letter in Dr. Livingstone's handwriting to tho sca-coast;
APPENDIX.
another, recommended by one of our African travellers, was to organise a direct expedition headed by some experienced and well-qualified European. Which of those two arraogements might be most advisable to pursue would depend upon the result of their communication with the Foreign OfBce ; but the Society might rest assured that tlie Council would leave no means untried of ascertaining whether Dr. Livingstone was detained at Manyema, where he has been so long reported to be staying, in company with the Arab trader Mohamed bin Gharib.
Mr. HoRMUZD Rassam, on being asked for his opinion, said his experience in Abyssinia taught Jiim that the best way to get information from indi- viduals at a distance was by sending native messengers. On three different occasions he adopted this plan of communicating with the Magdala captives from Massowah. He employed three different messengers — one Christian, another a Mohammedan, and a third a native of Western Abyssinia. He sent them by different routes, and was perfectly convinced that they were ignorant of each other's niovements. One of them, it was true, concocted a letter and brought it back ; but the other two returned within ten days of the promised time with authentic intelligence. Several Arabs at Muscat, who had travelled as far as Lake Tanganyika, had assured him that there was no difficulty in going up and down with beads and other articles for barter.
General Riqbt felt convinced that the plan recommended by Mr. Rassam would entirely fail. In Abyssinia single travellers might go from one distant part of the country to another, but on the east coast of Africa they could not. All travellers must there be accompanied by caravans with a body of armed men. The only caravans that performed the journey to the lakes were those of traders, to whom the time occupied was of no momi nt, and if the Society depended on any single native going in with a caravan and liaving to wait until he could return with another, they might probably have to wait five years or more. He was convinced the only means of communicating with Livingstone and of rescuing him would be by sending an enterprising English traveller from Zanzibar with a small armed party, well provided with supplies.
Mr. Rassam wished to add that he had communicated by means of mes- sengers with chiefs in the distant Galla country, to reach whom p. journey of thirty or forty days was required. He thought there might be no harm in trying both plans.
The President said the Council had decided first to try the plan of offering a reward to native messengers, and if that failed they might then undertake the more serious aflair of sending an expedition.
The following correspondence relating to supplies forwarded to Dr. Livingstone has been issued from the Foreign Office :
" Dr. Livingstone to Dr. Kirk.
" Ujiji, October 30, 1871. " Sir, — I wrote on the 25th and 28th two very hurried lett»'rs, one for you and the other for Lord Clarendon, which were t'orwanled to Unyanycmhc. 1 had just reached this place, thoroughly jaded in body and mind, and found tliat your agent, Shcreet Hasha, had sold ofi' all the goods you sent for slaves and ivory for himself. He had divined on the Koran and found that I waa
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dead, also wrote to the Governor of Unyanyembe that he had sent slaves to Mauyema, who returned and reported my decease, and he wished the per- mission of the Governor to sell the goods. He, however, knew from men who came from me in Manyema that I was near Ujiji, at Bambarre, and waiting for him and supplies; but when my friends here protested against the sale of my goods, he invariably answered, ' You know nothing about the matter ; I alone know that the Consul ordered me to remain one month at Ujiji, and then sell off and return.' When I came, he said Ludha had so ordered him. From the Baniau slaves you sent I learn that Ludlia went to Ali bin Salim bin Rashid, a person notoriously dishonest, and he recommended Shereef Basha as leader of the caravan. No sooner did he obtain command than he went to Muhamad Nassur, who furnished twenty full boxes of soap and eight cases ol brandy, to be retailed in the course of the journey inland. At Bagamoyo Shereef got a quantity of opium and gunpowder from two Banians there, whose names are unknown to me. In their house Shereef broke the soap boxes and stored the contents in my bales ; the brandy cases were kept entire, and pagazi em- ployed to carry them and the opium and gunpowder, and paid out of my bales. The Banians and Shereef had interposed their own trade speculation between two Government officers, and thenceforward all the expenses of the journey wure defrayed out of my supplies, and Shereef was able to send back to his accomplices five frasilahs of ivory from Unyanyembe, value some £60; the pagazi al^ain paid by me. He was in no hurry to aid me, but spent fourteen months in traversing a distance that could easily have been accomplished in tiiree. If we deduct two months' detention by sickness, we have still twelve mouths, of which nine were devoted to the private interests of the Banians and Shereef. He ran riot with my goods, buying the best provisions and drink the country afibrdcd; lived in my tent till it was so rotten and full of hole^ I never could use it once ; remained two months at three several places retailing brandy, opium, gunpowder, and soap, and, these being finished, on reaching Ujiji he would go no further. Here it is commonly reported he lay drunk for a month at a time, the dura, pombe, and palm-toddy all bought with my fine samsani beads. He issued twenty-four yards of calico per month for himself, eight yards ditto for each of his two slaves, eight yards ditto for his woman, and eight yards ditto to Avvathe, the other headman ; aud when he sent seven of the Banian slaves emjiloyed by Ludha to me at Bambarre he would not allow me more than two frasilahs of the very coarsest beads, evidently exchanged for my fine samsams, a few pieces of calico, and, in great mercy, half of the coffee and sugar. The slaves came without loads. Shereef fini8lie<l up, as above stated, by selling ofl'all except the other half of the coffee and sugar and one bundle of unsaleable beads, and four pieces of calico. He w( nt off from this, but hearing of disturbances at Unyanyembe, dejwsited his ivory in a village near to this, and coming back took the four pieces of calico, and I received, of all the fine calico and beads you sent, not a single yard or string of beads. Awathe, the other headman employed, was a spectator of all the plunder by Shereef, from the coast upwards, and never opemd his mouth in remonstrance or in sending back a rejiort to his employer. He carefully concealed an infir- mity from you which prevented him from p rformiiig a single duty for me. He had his shepa long Wfore he was engaged, and he stated to me that the large fleshy growth came up at once on reaching Ujiji. It is not hydrocele but sarcocelc, and his own statement proved that the pain he feigned had entirely ceased when a friend of mine, Dugumbe, offered to convey him by short easy stages to me. He refused, from believing that the Banians have so much power over us that he will be paid in full for all the time he has been devouring my goods, though quite luiable to do any duty. Dugumbe also offered to convey a packet of letters that was delivered to Shereef here as my agent, but when he told him that he was alxuit to start it was not forthcoming It was probably destroyed to prevent my seeing the list of gowls you sent by
2 z
TOG
APPENDIX.
one Hassani io Unyanyembe, "With due deference to your judgment, \ claim all the expenses incurred, as set down against me in Ludha's books, from the J5anians, who by fraud converged a caravan to help me into a gratification of their own greed. Muhamad Nassur can reveal the names of the other I'>anian accomplices of Shcreef wno connived in supplanting help for me into a trade speculation ; they ought to pay the slaves sent by Ludha, and let them, the Banians, recover from Shereef. I report this case to her Majesty's Government as well as to yon, and believe that your hands will thereby bo strengthened to see that justice is done to me and that due punishment be inflicted on the Bani- ans, on Shereef, and Awathe, and on the Bauian slaves who baffled and thwarted me instead of fulfilling the engagement entered into in your presence. In intrust- ing the matter of supplies and men for me to the Banian Ludha, you seem to iiave been tmaware that our Government forbids its servants to employ slave.^. The commissioner and consul at Ijoanda, on the West Coast, sent all the way to St. Helena for ni'her stupid servants, so as not to incur the displeasure of the Foreign Oflice by using very clever Portuguese slaves within call. In the very trying circiim>tances you mention, during the visitation of cholera, and in the absence of the iiistnietions I had enclosed to eniploj^ tree men and not slaves, as also in the non-apiu-arance of the checks for money enclosed in the lust packet, the call on [judha was, perhaps, the easiest oiirse, an<l 1 trust that you will not consider me ungrateful if I point out that it involved a great mis- take. Ludha is polite enoiigh, but the slave trade, and, indeed, most other trades, is carried on chiefly by the money of Banians — Ihiiish subjects, who receive most of the profits, and adroitly let the odium of slaving tall on the Arabs. They hate us English, and rejoice mure .over our failures than successes. Ludha sent his own and other Banian slaves, at $60 a year, while the usual ])ay of free men at Zanzibar is from $25 to $30 a year. He will charge enormous interest on the money advanced — it is reported of 20 or 25 per cent. ; and even supposing Shereef's statement that Ludha told him not to go beyond Ujiji, but alter one month sell off all and return, to be quite unirue, it is passing "tiange that every one of the Banian slaves em- jiloyed stonily asserted that they were not to follow, but to force me back. 1 liad no hold on people who knew that they would not be allowed to keep their wages. It is aLso very remarkable that the objects of your carnvan should be so completely frustrated by Banians conniving with Shereef almost within the shadow of the Consulate, and neither dragoman nor other paid officials under your orders give any information. The cha- r.icters of Ali bin Salem bin Baschid and of his chum Shereef could scarcely have been hid from them. V\ hy employ them without characters?
" Yours Very truly,
" Davh) Livingstone.''
" P.S. — November IC, IBTl. — I regret the necessity of biingiug the fore- going very unpleasant subject before yon, but I have jnst reeeivcil information and letters that make the matter doubly serious. Mr. Churchill inlonned me, by a letter of Se|)tember, 18T0, that her Majesty's tiovernmcnt luid most kindly seat lOOOZ. for su]iplies to be forwarded tome; some difticultics had occurred to prevent 500/. worth from starting, but in the beginning of November all were r. moved. But yon Imd recourse to slaves again, and one of these slaves now iiilorms mo that they remained at Ba;:amoyo four months, or till the end of February, 18T1. No one looked near them during that time, but a rumour reached them that the CVmsul was coming, and off they started two days belbie your arrival, iiui on tlieir business, but on some private trij) of your own. 'i'hese slaves came to Unyanyembe in May last, and there they say that the war broke out in July, and gave them a goixl excuse to be there still. A whole year has thus been spent in (easting slave;
APPENDIX.
701
on 500Z. sent by Government to me. Like the man who was tempted tc despair when he broke the photograph of his wife, I feel inclined to relin- quish the hope of ever getting help from Zanzibar to finish the little work 1 have still to do. I want men, not slaves, and free men are abundant in Zanzibar ; but if the matter is committed to Ludha, instead of an energetic Arab, with some little superintendence by your dragoman or others, I may wait twenty years, and your slaves feast and fail."
" Dr. Livingstone to Dr. Kirk.
" Unyanyembe, February 20, 1872. " My dear Kirk, — As I am sending by Mr. Stanley for fifty freemen from Zanzibar to enable me to finish up my work, I beg you to favour me with your influence with the Sultan, that he may give me an able headman to lead them quickly here, and continue with me till 1 have finished what I have still to do — a man of good character, willing to work for me, and on no account to attempt to inflict (sic) any private speculation vn my cxptdition. It is necessary to be explicit on this point; but if he proves himself a good energetic headman, when we come into the country where ivory is abundant 1 shall try to make it worth his while to have come by means of my own gooils. If he has gone with a caravan previ- ously, he will know what duties he owes to the chief of it. We shall see, on his arrival here, by the manner in which he has obeyed Mr. Stanley's instructions as to the donkeys and men, whether he is qualified to accompany me further. His duty, ,as you very properly told others, is to do what he is ordered, and see that those under him do the same, without reference to the customs or practices of any other caravan. I wish you to hand over to Mr. Henry M. Stanley the sum ol £500 out of the money placed in your hands for my use by her Majesty's Government, to be laid out by him, ami you will receive his receipt as a suiificient acknowledgment from me. He knows the kind of men and necessaries I need, and I am sure your consular influence will be used to hel[) him to get all I re(|uire, and a speedy de])arture of the party inhmd. If you received two letters written hastily on the 28th of October, 1H71, as soon as I reached UJiji,one for yon and the other for Lord Clarendon, you may have been led to employ Banian or other slaves again instead of free men. Do not hesitate ; please at once to discharge them, no matter what expense may have been incurred. I have given Mr. Stanley a draft on Bombay in case ol'your havin;i spent all the money (lOCO/.) sent by (iovern- ment. No slaves must be sent, for alt those already employed came full of the idea that they were not to follow but force me back, and they positively swon; (falsely, of course,) that you, the consul, had so instructed them. 1 enclose a receipt for a pocket chronometer from the captain of anv man-of-war who may be able and willing to lend me one without inter- fe\ 'ift, with the navigation of his own ship; and before leaving this an<l pecu- niary matters, 1 would just add tliat haste is of vital importance, and if any other way of i^ettin.; money quickly suggests itself, either from Mr. Yotnis; nr Irom my bankers, Coutts & Co., ])lrase ado])t it, and I hereby engage to refund the whole by cheque as soon as Mr. Stanley's men reach l'nyan\ cmhe. By pome newspajiers sent by Mr. Wehb to Mr. Staidey, I sec thnt yon are uniler the iuipression that <;oods anil packets committed by you to Banians may reach lljiji in about a month after delivery. 'I'lio box packed by you was about four years in the way ; goods, and 1 sujjposo letters, were "sent by one Hassain, and totally disappeared. Letters sent by Shercef were fourteen
703 APPENDIX.
months on the way to Ujiji ; cue packet of them was destroyed. All tlie goods were sold off for slaves and ivory. But you were misled to cause Earl Granville to say in the House of Lords that all ray wants had been supplied. I need not enlarge further than give a bird's-eye view of your last supplies through Ludha and slaves. The letters were fourteen months in the way to Ujiji, and came only through Mr. Stanley accidentally seeing and seizing them for me. The slaves you sent would not accompany him to Ujiji. Why should they all have been taught not to follow me ? They told me that they lay four months at Bagamoyo. Three bags of beads and one bale of cloth disappeared there ; then the two headmen ran riot on the goods here. One died of smallpox, and Athman, the survivor, broke the bolt and keys of Mr. Stanley's store in open day, and stole his goods. Dismissed.
" I am, &c.,
" David Livingstone, " Her Majesty's Consul, Inner Africa."
Dr. KiEK to Earl Gbanville.
" Zanzibar, May 9, 1872
" I HAVE the honour to report that yesterday Mr. Stanley, whose approach I had already announced, entered Zanzibar and placed in my hands letters from Dr. Livingstone, of which I herewith furnish copies. Dr. Livingstone having studiously refrained from affording the smallest hint either of his past laboiirs during the three years he has been silent, or regarding the new ex- plorations he is about to embark on and for wliich he orders, throui^h Mr. Stanley, a grant of fifty armed men, and authorizes an expenditure of 500^., I must allow Mr. Stanley, who has been intrusted with the secret, to disclose it in the way that liest suits the interests of his employer. To Mr. Stanley has been confided the whole of Dr. Livingstone's diary and notes, with special instructions to allow nothing to transpire here as to his route or plans ; and letters formerly written, in which some information was given, have been sup- pressed or lost. The balance of the Government grant of 1000/., placed by your Lordship in Mr. Churchill's hands, havingbeen transferred at your directions to the Livingstone Search and Relief Expedition, is already at the disfwsal of Mr. W. 0. Livingstone, who now represents that expedition, the senior members having judiciously retired on its being known that Dr. Livingstone was safe and within easy access at Unyanyembe, and in possession of ample stores for the years that he still purposes remaining in the country. Mr. Stanley has shown me the list of things now ordered through him, almost all of which are already in the outfit of the expedition and in the hands of Mr. W. 0. Living- stone. The expensive cotton goods and beads already packed for the journey will therefore, in all probability, be sold, as we know they are no longer needed by Dr. Livingstone. In the hands of the ex]icditioii there are also tifty rifled carbines, that will render unnecessary any fresh outlay on this head in arming the fifty men to be selected by Mr. Stanley ; in fact, slave-chains ordered by Dr. Livingstone to be provided for the guard, to be used in case of their refusing work, as did those whom he before had, are about the only things not already purchased, but the conduct of the whole matter as it affects the expedition is now in the hands of Dr. liivingstone's own son, and the st^lection of men is jealously jilaced in Mr. Stanley's hands. Tiie party, at Dr. l^ivingstone's exjiress request, will start off at once in light marching order. The bulky corresjiondence I enclose shows clearly that the agent, bhoreof Basha, intrusted to convey stores to Ujiji, did so ia the most dilatory
APPENDIX.
and dishonest manner ; but it seems that the trading speculations on the first part of the way were chiefly carried on with goods borrowed on the coast, which he mixed with Government stores in order to escape the cost of transit. He arrived at Ujiji, however, with an ample store of Government goods, which, if honestly given up, would have long sufiSced for all Dr. Livingstone's wants. At Ujiji, thinking that Dr. Livingstone would not return from Manyema, he made away with the most valuable, sending only a very little to the Doctor.
" The second supply forwarded, being a duplicate of the first order, has reached Uuyanyembe. This party was first organised and sent off by Mr Churchill, but the men slsulked on the coast until after Mr. Churchill's de- parture from Zanzibar. Having reason to suspect that this was the case, I first sent a consular servant and followed myself; most of the party bad started off precipitately on heari)ig of my approach, but there remained several loads wljich I had personally to expedite from Bagamoyo. It is however these goods that are now in Dr. Livingstone's hands, and it was re;:ar(lii'g them, on learning war had broken out, that I requested Mr. Staidey, who was at Unyanyembe, to act for me in forwarding them to Dr. Livingstone. At that time it was not known here that Mr. Stanley had gone in search of Dr. Livingstone, for this he had carefully concealed at starting ; but finding a white man on the spot I requested him to do what he could to push on stores intended for a fellow-traveller. Much of Dr. Livingstone's correspondence with this office relates to formal charges of slave-holding against several of the most important members of the British Indian conmninity. 1 can vouch for it ttiat each man fully understood every word written in the contract ; and further, that these men, said to be slaves of Banians, declared themselves freed men. That these men have turned out badly there can be no doubt ; but Mr. Stanley tells me that he has been compelled, with his own escort under his eye, to march them in .'^lave-chains to prevent similar disasters, and Dr. Livingstone, in a paper in his own handwriting, orders cliains for such a use for the men who now go up to join him. With the old athiir of the Johanna men and Dr. Livingstone's pecuniary claim against them, 1 .shall await your Lordship's orders ; but as Johanna is not within my jurisdiction 1 enclose the paper relating thereto in original. 1 refrain from making any observations on the very uncourfeous tone of these official letters, or tlie ungenerous personal in- sinuations affecting myself and Mr. Churchill's conduct, but 1 shall be ready, when required, to answer any point on which your Lordship may call for an explanation. I am wlioUy at a loss to explain why Dr. Livingstone, accredited as her Majesty's consul, should not at once have taken the strou'^est measures to put an end to murder, slave-stealins;, and robbery, all of which, he stiy.s, were openly carried on by Xassick boys — British jroteyes — who, if not now part of his escort, were at least introduced into the country by him, and at the time, in the same camp. If he, on the siiot, armed with the consular autho- rity, after seeing what he describes, finds himself powerless to interfere, how can ho expect justice to overtake the accused from this distance, in a region not in any way within the power of tlie Zanzibar Sultan V"
(Extract.)
" Dr. KiBK to Earl Gbakvillk. (Received July 22.)
" Zanzibar, May 18, 1872. " I have the honour to report that, on receipt of ct rtain intelligence that Dr. Livingstone was at Unyanyembe, distant only thirty days' journey from the coast, in good health, and in possession of ample supplies, but without any
710
APPENDIX.
intention of leaving Africa for the present, Lieutenant Dawson, leader of the ' Search and Relief Expedition,' determined that his services as a hydrographer and skilled surveyor were not required. Dr. Livingstone's son still insisting on proceeiliug to join his father and follow him, and Lieutenant Henn, under this circumstance, thinking it hardly well to allow him to proceed alone, took command on Lieutenant Dawson retiring. Mr. New, missionary, who had joined the expedition here as interpreter, offered also to go, and the new party were ready for a start when Mr. New resigned, on the ground that, after better reflection, he could not accei^t a second position. His services were at once disiiensed with and his resignation accepted. Lieutenant Henn, Mr. W. 0. Livingstone, and the native guard next proceeded to the African main- land, where the goods had already been collected under Lieutenant Dawson. The pa)'ty was ready to start, and perhaps no expedition ever set out under better auspices or better fitted out, when Mr. Stanley, the American news- paper correspondent, who a J ear ago had gone olT, reached Bagan.oyo. Mr. Stanley lost no time in assuring Lieutenant Henn that he had written orders irom Dr. Livingstone to turn any expedition ho might meet coming up country to him, and informed Lieutenant Henn that he and his party would be far from welcome, and their presence only an incumbrance, as he (Mr. Stanley) held the Doctor's own orders for a gang of men and the special supplies he still required. On returning to Zanzibar, where it was obvious from the tenour of Ur. Livingstone's official correspondence that he would not welcome the arrival of any assistance unless throu:;h Mr. Stanley, his con- fidential agent, Lieutenant Henn, necessarily retired, but Mr. W. 0. Living- stone still persisting in his purpose to reach his father at all hazards in conipauy with Mr. Stanley's men, the expedition stores were transferred to his caiv. Mr. Stanley lost no time in applying for the £500 that Dr. Living- stotie had, in a letter 1 have already sent in C'lpx', oidered me to deliver over. 1 inftnnied him that I then held no such funds, all having been some time before made over by youi- Loidship's orders to the Search Expedition, and that the whole responsibility of the same rested with Mr. W. 0. Livingstone. Mr. Stanley thereupon destroj-ed a check of Dr. Livingstone for the sum of £500, drawn on HomVjay. Mr. W. 0. Livingstone, since perusing bis father's letters, refused to accompany Mr. Stanley's party or go to his father. He has given Mr. Stanley all he needed in stores and money, and the American partj' left yesterday for the coast. I shall here add, as otherwise my conduct may be misrepresented, tiiat Mr. Stauley, in order to evade blame if his men did not reach Unyanyembe in time, applied to me to see them started off after his departure from Zanzibar. This was positively and at once declined, and I informed him that I could not, after what Dr. I^ivingstone ha<l done ami said, act in any but an official capacity. Mr. W. O. Livingstone has sold off here the surplus stores of the expedition and will render his accounts to the lloyal Geographical Society."
From the above we see that Dr. Livingstone writes a formal com- plaint to Dr. Kirk, and, of coiu-so, is obliged to adibcss his friend by the formal term of " Sir." He then goes on 'to relate the results of the several caravans sent to him from Zanzibar, and in a postscript confesses that ho regrets the necessity of writing upon au unpleasant subject.
In the letters of Dr. Kirk, which evidently show that he resents the complaint, we find him retaliating with the following chargea against Dr. Livingstone and myself:
APPENDIX.
711
1st. Dr. Livingstone has "studiously" refrained from affording the smallest hint either of his past labours during the three years he has been silent, or regarding his new explorations.
2nd. IVIr, Stanley has special instructions to allow nothing to trans- pire here as to his (future) route or plans.
3rd. Letters formerly written in which some information was given have been suppressed or lost.
4th. Mr. Stanley has been compelled to march his men in slave chains to prevent similar disasters from those which Dr. Livingstone has suffered.
5th. Dr. Livingstone, in a paper in his owti handwriting, orders chains for such a use (to prevent disasters) for the men who now go up to join him.
6th. The tone of the official letters of Dr. Livingstone are un- courteous, and the personal insinuations affecting myself and Mr. Churchill's conduct are ungenerous.
7th. I wonder that Dr. Livingstone, armed with the consular authority, finds himself powerless to interfere to put an end to murder, slave-stealing, and robbery, openly carried on by Nassick boys — British protegh.
8th. Mr. Stanley lost no time in assm-ing Lieutenant Hcnn that ho had written orders from Dr. Livingstone to turn any expedition ho might meet coming up country to him.
9th. It is obvious, from the tenor of Dr. Livingstone's official cor- respondence, that he would not welcome the arrival of any assistance unless through Mr. Stanley, his confidential agent.
10th. Mr. W. O. Livingst(me, since perusing his father's letters, refused to accompany Mr. Stanley's party or to go to his father.
Since Dr. Livingstone is absent, and as I can answer the above charges as well as if he were in England himself, and as I am in- volved in s(mic of the statements and charges made, it is my fluty to explain them as correctly as possible. My replies will bo made in the same order as the statements are made.
Ist. Dr. Livingstone has not studiously refrained from affording clues to his futme plans or his piist labours. Time and time again he wrote letters — copies of which 1 have seen iu Lis diary — detailing his discoveries.
2n(l. Mr. Stanley never received special instructions to allow nothing to transpire as to Dr. Jjivingstone's future roiito or plans, either from Dr. Living.st(me or IMr. lU imett, a proof of which is that, when the correspondent of the Dalhj Tclcijraph came to me at Marseilles for information, I freely gave it to him.
3rd. Letters with information from Dr. Livingstone to Dr. Kirk
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APPENDIX.
and Lord Clarendon, written soon after his arrival in Ujiji, were sent by couriers to Unyanyembe and received by Sayd bin Salim. They were subsequently " suppressed or lost " between Sayd bin Salim at Unyanyembe and the British Consulate at Zanzibar while I was travelling with Dr. Livingstone from Ujiji to Unyanyembe.
4th. I was only compelled to march the few refractory and deserters in chains — men who constantly endangered my Expedition by leaving the property on the road, or by mutiny.
5th. Dr. Livingtone, according to my suggestions, promised to try the moral effect of a chain on the refractory and deserters, as I had done. Some means of punishment are as necessary in Central Africa for the incori'igible as prisons in civilised lands.
6th. The tone of the letters of Dr. Livingstone are not uncourteous. Discourtesy was never intended ; they are mere formal complaints.
7th. Dr. Livingstone, armed even with despotic and royal authority, unless he had means to enforce it, would be as powerless as with only consular authority. He could not punish the British proteges with capital punishment or imprisonment in the wilds of Central Africa were he armed with the authority of all the civilized nations, unless he had means to enforce that sublime authority. He could only dismiss the miscreants.
8th. I advise readers to read the chapter entitled " Valedictory."
9th. It is not obvious, from the tenor of Dr. Livingtone's ofiBcial letters to Dr. Kirk, that he would not welcome any assistance unless through Mr. Stanley. Dr. Livingstone was not aware that the British public was organising assistance for him. Li the absence of this knowledge he requested me to do the best I could for him ; but the men and stores such as he said he required were sent to him from Zanzibar wholly from English support.
10th. Mr. W. 0. Livingstone, since perusing his father's letters, did not " refuse to accompany Mr. Stanley's party or to go to his father." Mr. Livingstone merely withdrew according to the friendly and medical advice given to him by Dr. Kirk, that in the then poor state of his health, it would have been extremely unwise, if not dangerous, for him to attempt reachiug Unyanyembe during the worst monsoon that ever visited East Africa.
I conclude with the hope that when Dr. Livingstone returns, tho feeling which Dr. Kirk seems to entrrtuin for him now will bo replaced by one more courteous and forbearing, which will tend to re-establish the friendly intimacy that formerly characterised tho intercourse be- tween these two old friends when they travelled and lived together in the regions of the Zambezi and Nyassa Lake. On Dr. Livingstone's side I think I may promise a cheery and hearty response to this sonti-
APPENDIX.
T13
ment. As for myself, nothing would delight me more than to see a general shake-hands all round. Dr. Livingstone is well aware of the sentiments I entertain for him, and Dr. Kirk may rest assured that I have a sincere admiration for himself.
The following is the very latest intelligence (received at the Foreign Office on the 19th of October last past) from Dr. Livingstone, and goes to prove precisely what I have stated, that he meant no discourtesy to Dr. Kirk, or to attack his conduct, and that I judged his feelings correctly in the preceding paragraph.
Dr. Livingstone to Loud Granville.
" Unyanyembe, July Ist, 1872. " My Lord, — It is necessary to recall to memory that I was sub- jected to very great inconvenience by the employment of slaves instead of freemen. It caused me the loss of quite two years of time, inflicted 1,800 or 2,000 miles of useless marching, imminent risk of violent death four several times, and how much money I cannot tell. Certain Banians, Indian British subjects, headed by one Ludha Damji, seem to have palmed oS their slaves on us at more than double freemen's pay, and all the slaves were imbued with the idea that they were not to follow, but to force me back. By the money and goods of these Banians nearly all the slave trade of this region is carried on. They employed dishonest agents to conduct the caravans, and tliis has led to my being plundered four several times. No trader is thus robbed. I sent a complaint of this to Dr. Kii-k, and in my letter of the 14th of November last I enclosed a copy, in the hope that, if necessary, his hands might be strengthened by the Foreign Office in administering justice, and I was in hopes that ho would take action in the matter promptly ; because the Banians and their dishonest agent, Shereef, placed a private trade speculation between Dr. Kirk and me, and wo were unwittingly led into employing slaves, though wo all objected to Captain Fraser doing the same on his sugar estate. I regret very much to hear incidentally that Dr. Kirk viewed my formal complaint against Banians as a covert attack upon himself. If I had foreseen this, I should certainly have borne all my losses in silence. I never had any difference with him, though wo were together for years, and I had no intention to give offence now. But the public interest taken in this expedition enforces publicity as to the oVstaclos that i)revente(l its work being accomplished long ago*. I represented the Banians and their agents as the cause of all my losses, and tliat tlio Governor hero is their chief trade agent. This receives confirniati<m by the fact that Shcrocf, and all the first gang of slaves, are now living comfortably
714
APPENDIX.
with him at Mfutu, a village about twelve miles distant from the spot at which I write.
" Having, as I mentioned in my above letter, abundant supplies to enable me in a short time to make a feasible finish-up of my work, and the first and second gangs of slaves having proved so very unsatisfac- tory, I felt extremely anxious that no more should come, and requested Mr. Stanley to hire fifty freemen at Zanzibar ; and should he meet a party of slaves coming, by all means to send them back, no matter what expense had been incurred. I would cheerfully pay it all. I had no idea that this would lead to the stoppage of an English expedition sent in the utmost kindness to my aid. I am, really and truly, profoundly grateful for the generous effort of my noble coun- trymen, and deeply regret that my precaution against another expe- dition of slaves should have damped the self-denying zeal of gentlemen who have not a particle of the slave spirit in them. As I shall now explain, but little good could have bceu done in the direction in which I propose to go ; but had we a telegraiA, or even a penny post, I should have advised work in another direction that would have jjleased the Council.
" A war has been going on here for the last twelve months. . It resembles one of our own Caffre wars in miniature, but it enriches no one. All trade is stopped, and there is a general lawlessness all over the country. I propose to avoid this confusion by going southwards to Fipa, then round the south end of Tanganyika, and crossing the Chambeze, proceed west along the shore of Lake Bangweolo. Being then in latitude 12 degrees south, I Avish to go straight west to the ancient fountains reported at that end of the watershed, then turn north to the copper mines of Katanga, which are only about ten days Bouth-west of the underground excavations. Returning thence to Katanga, twelve days south- south-west leads to the head of Lake Lincoln. Arrived there, I shall devoutly thank Providence and retii-e along Lake Kaniolondo towards Ujiji and home. By this trip I hope to make up for the loss of groimd caused by the slaves. I was forced back from near the confluence of the Lomame with Webb's Lualaba. Lomame is the prolongation of Lake Lincoln into the < lacustrine central line of di-ainage — Webb's Lualaba. The route in- dicated utilizes my return tramp by going round outside, or say south, about all the sources together, and this, going back tlirough Manyuema to take up the thread»of exploration, would not do. It also takes me outside the area of the Ujijian or mainland slaving and bloodshed, which the Manyuema are leaming to revenge. If I retired now, as I wisli witli all niy heart I could do with honour, I should bo conscious of Laving left the discovery of the somccs unfinished, and that soon
APPENDIX. 715
some one else would come and show the hollowness of my claim, and worse than that by far, the Banians and their agents, who I believe conspired to baffle me, would virtually have success in their design. I already know many of the people among whom I go as quite friendly, because I travelled extensively in that quarter in eliminating the error into which I was led by the Chambeze being called, by the Portuguese and others, the Zambesi. I should very mucli like to visit the Basafigo, who are near my route ; but I restrict myself to six or eight months to undo the losses I sustained. About five genera- tions ago, a white man came to the highlands of Basafigo, which are in a line east of the watershed. He had six attendants, who all died, and eventually their head man, called Charura, was elected chief by the Basafigo. In the third generation he had sixty able-bodied spear- men as lineal descendants. This imjDlies an equal number of tlie other sex. They are very light in 'colour, and easily known, as no one is allowed to wear coral beads such as Charura brought except the Royal family. A book he brought was lost only lately. The interest of the case lies in its connection with Mr. Darwin's celebrated theory on the 'origin of species,' for it shows that an improved variety, as we wliites modestly call ourselves, is not so liable to be swamped by nujnbers as some have thought.
"Two Mazitu chiefs live near tlie route. I would fain call and obtain immunity for Englishmen such as has been awarded to the Arabs of Seyed IVIajid, but I am at present much too rich to go among thieves. At other times I could have gone safely, because, to use a Scotch proverb, 'No one can take the breeks of a Highlander.' With ordinary success I hope to be back at Ujiji eight mouths hence. If any one doubts the wisdom of my decision, or suspects me of want of love to my family in making this liual trip, I can confidently appeal for approbation to the Council of the Royal Geographical Society as thorouglily understanding the subject.
"Had it been possible for me to know of the coming of the late Search Expedition, I should certainly have made use of it as a branch expedition to explore Lake Victoria, for which the naval- officers selected were no doubt perfectly adapted. The skeleton of a boat left here by Mr. Stanley would liave served tlieir purpose, and they woiild have had all the merit of independent exploration and success. I travelled for a considerable time in company with three intelligent Sanheli, who liad lived three, six, and nine years respectively in the country east of the Victoria Lake, there called Okara, but on tliis side Mkara. They described three or four lakes, only .one of whicli sends its waters to the north. Okara seems to be Lake Victoria i)roper ; ttbout its middle it gives off an arm eastwards called Kidette, in
716
APPENDIX.
whicli many weirs are set and many fish caught. It is three days in length by canoe, and joins Lake Kavirondo, which may not deserve to be called a lake, but only an arm of Okara. Yery dark people live on it, and have cattle. The Masai are further east. J'o the south-east of Kavirondo stands Lake Neibash, or Neybash; they travelled along its southern bank for three days, and thence saw Mount Kilimanjaro, also in the south-east ; it had no outlet. Away far to the north of Kavirondo they described Lake Bariiigo (not Bahr Ngo). A river or rivulet, called Ngare na Eogwa, flows into it from the south or south-east. Its name signifies that it is brackish. Bariiigo gives forth a river to the north-east, called Ngardabash. The land east and north of Baringo is called Burukineggo, and Gallahs with camels and horses are reported ; but my informants did not see them. I give their information only for what it may be worth ; their object was plunder, and they could scarcely be mistaken as to the number of lakes where we suppose there is only one. The Okara, or Lake Victoria proper, is the largest, and has many very large islands in it. I have not the faintest wish to go near it, either now or at any future time. In performing my one work I desire to do it well, and I think that I may lay claim to some perseverance. Yet if ordered to go anywhere else, I should certainly plead ' severe indisposition,' or ' urgent private afiairs.' I have been reported as living among the Arabs as one of themselves ; that only means that I am on good terms with them all. They often call me the ' Christian, and I never swerved from that character in any one respect.
" An original plan of getting the longitude, which I submit to Sir Thomas Maclear, of the lioyal Observatory at the Cape, gives 27 degrees cast as the longitude of the great river Lualaba, in latitude 4 degrees 9 minutes south. It runs between 26 degrees and 27 degrees east, and is therefore not so far west as my reckoning— carried on without watch, through dense forests and gigantic grasses — made it. It is thus less likely to bo the Congo, and I ought to meet Baker on it. In reference to the ancient fountains, I already know the four rivers that unquestionably do arise near or on the western end of the watershed. Mr. Oswell and 1 were told, about 1851, that the KafUB and Liambai (Upper Zambesi) arose at one spot, though wo were then some three hundred miles distant. The two rivers Lomamo and Lufira come from the same quarter; the only point that remains doubtful is the distances of their fountain heads, and this I am very anxious to ascertain. I send astronomical observations and a sketch- map to Sir 'i homas Maclear by a native. Tho map is very imperfect, from want of conveniences for traciii^^, and no position is to bo con- sidered settled or published until it is recalculated at tho Obsorvatorj.
APPENDIX.
717
" There is a good deal of risk in so doing, but not so mncli danger as if I intrusted it to my friend the Governor, A former sketch-map, a multitude of astronomical observations, and nearly all my letters, always disappeared here ; but it is better that they run the risk in the hand of a native than go with me over waters innumerable. The fear of losing my journal altogether led me to intrust it to Mr. Stanley to be kept by my daughter till I return, and I hope it has arrived safely. I am waiting here only till my fifty men arrive. The natural anxiety I feel for the safety of my son Oswell coming through the feverish districts between this cold highland and the coast would have been threefold increased had the naval gentlemen come.
" In conclusion, let me beg your lordship to offer my very warmest thanks to them, to the Council and Fellows of the Eoyal Geographical Society, and to all who kindly contributed in any way towards se- curing my safety. I really feel that no one in this world ought to fee more deeply grateful than your most obedient servant,
" David Livingstone, ** Her Majesty's Consul, Inner Africa."
CONCLUDING CHAPTER.
The following correspondence, and especially the last letter, which was accompanied hj 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.
" Foreiom Office, August 1. ' Sir, — I am directed by Earl Granville to acknowledge the receipt of a ] acket containing letters and despatches from Dr. Livingstone, which j'ou were good enough to deliver to her Majesty's ambassador at Paris for transmission to this department ; and 1 am to convey to you his Lordship's thanks for taking charge of these interesting documents.
" I am. Sir,
" Your most obedient humble servant,
" Ekfield."
" Henby M. Stanley, Esq., New York Herald Bureau, " 46, Fleet Street, London."
" London, August 2. " Hekry M. Stanley, Esq., has banded tome to-day the diary of Dr. Living- stone, my father, scaled and signed by my father, with instructions written on the outside, signed by my fatiier, 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 lather's journal, and I certify that the letters he Las brought home are my father's letters, and no others.
" Tom S. Livingstone."
" August 2, 1S72.
" 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 1 have inquired into the matter, and I find that Mr. Hammond, the under- Rccrctary of the P'orcign (.Jflice, and Mr. WyUle, the head of the Consular and Slave Trade Department, liave not the slightest doubt as to the genuineness of the papers which have been received from Lord Lyons, and which are being
APPENDIX.
719
'* 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 beea hailed with so much enthusiasm both in the United States and in this country.
" I am, Sir,
" Your obedient,
" Granville."
" Heney Stanley, Esq."
" Foreign Office, Angiist 27.
" Sir, — I have great satisfaction in conveying to you, by command of the Queen, her Majesty's high ajipreciation 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 exjjress 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 mc to request your acceptance of the memorial which accompanies this letter.
" I am, Sir,
" Your most obedient humble servant,
" GnANVILLE."
THE HF.MOBIAU
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.
Hafdo . . a species of bead.
Hamal . . carrier.
Honga , . tribute.
Ismahili . , a native name for a particular kind of cloth.
Kadunguru . . a brick-colored species of bead.
Kaif-Halek . . " How do you do ?"
Kaniki , .a blue cloth manufactured in India.
Kharabi . . camp.
Khote . . one necklace, or a tenth of a fundo.
Kichuma-chuma . " Little Irons," a disease of the liver.
Kirangozi . . guide,
Eitambi • .a cloth.
Eiti . . . stool
Lakhio . .a pink-colorcd species of bead.
Lunghio . . blue beads. Lunghio mbamba. small blue beads.
Lunghio roga . large bluo beads. ^
BI . . .a prefix to denote a person of any country; such as M-jiji, a native of JijL
3 A
722 APPENDIX.
Manyapara . . elder, or eub-cliief.
Matama . , Holcus sorghum, or the Arabic dourra.
Mbcmbu . . 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 " Grod."
Mukungui'U . Lutermitteut fever.
Mvuha • • thunder.
Ngombe . .a cow.
Pagazi . .a porter, or carrier.
Posho , , food.
Sami-Sami . , the name of red beads,
Shamba . . a field.
Shash , .a muslin cloth.
Sheikh . • a title of courtesy given to an elderly man
Shukka . . two yards of cloth .
Sobari , . a kind of colored cloth.
Sungomazzi , large glass or china beads of the size of marbles.
Toujiii . . the name for a particular kind of cloth.
U . • .a prefix to denote the country: thus U-jiji sig- nifies the couiitry of Jiji.
f Uganga . . medicine.
Wa- , • .a prefix to denote persons : thus Wa-jiji would signify people of Jiji.
Washensi • • a term of contempt applied to the natives.
Yambo . . " How are you '
Ziwa . . .a pool, or laka
Ziwani . • a pond.
INDEX.
AMul Kader, tailor of the Expedi- tion, 67, 216 ; retirement of, 318 Abdullah bin Nasib, 1C5 Acacia horrida, 203 African brid:^es, 125 Ali bin Saliiii, 45, 47, 49 Aloes, 525 Anibari, 345, 349
Anicr bin Sultan, type of an old Arab
Sheikh, 219 Amram bin Mussood, 271 Anderson, Mr., on the failure to reach
Lake Ngarai, G87 Animals, domesticated, of Central
Africa, 529 Ant-hills, remarkable, 362 Ants, white, dustructivcness of, 170 Arabs, antipathy to, as slave-traders,
in Alrica, 461 Aranselar, chief butler of the Expedi- tion, 67 ; his desperate expedient
to cscajie service, 68 Asmani, giant stature of, 306, 348;
liis murderous dei)ortn)ent, 344 Austin, Dr., of London, 100
Eaba (Father), term of courtesy in addressin;^ elderly persons, 597
Balxwns, Wanderoo, 527 ; dog-faced, 528
Bagamoyo, French Mission Station at, 20, 43 ; life at, 41 ; climate of, 66
— to Unyanyembe, distance of, 224
Bambarre, ivory d^pot, 450
Baua Mkuba, the " Big Master," 70
Bangwe Island, 479
Bangweolo Lake, 448
Banyans, 4 ; keen trading of, 6 ; their
inlluence on African trade, 7 Baobab, fruit of the, 175 Baruti, one of Speke's Faithfuls, death
of, 302
Beads as currency in the interior, 23
Bees, attack of, on the caravan, 595
Beke, Dr., dogmatism of, 468, 685
Beinba, wooded hills of, 480
Bennet, Mr. James Gordon, 424 ; Letter to, from Dr. Livin;j;stone, 617 ; generous act of, in respect to Dr. Livingstone's kttcis, 679
Benta forest, 324
Bihawana, 182
Bi^ari, cluster of villages, 489
Birds of Central Africa, 530
" Bombay," or Mombay, 28, 30, 314,
345, 487 Boniboma's village, 277 Uonissus Jlabelli/ormi.i, or Palmyra
palm, 142 Brooks, Dr., 679 BuUalo gnats, 354 herd, 376
Bunder Sala;im, cook of the Exi)cdi- tion, 67
Burial ceremonies, 302
Burton, Cajit., ' Lake Itogions of Cen- tral Africa/ 1 ; his map of rcjjion
724
INDEX.
of Bagamoyo, a blanV, 83 ; expe- rience of Banyans, 91 ; dread of fever by, 93 ; 517, 519 Bustard, 337
Cacti, 525
Cazembe, King, 444 ; Ids Queen and
her Amazons, 445 Chamati Hill, 505 Chambezi, drainage of, 427 , Livingstone's difficulty about
the, 446
" Charley's " lodging-house at Zan- zibar, kindly spirit of its land- lord, 3
Chowpereh, Mgwana soldier, 152,
348
Christie, Dr., physician to Seyd Bur-
ghash, 68, 662 Chufwa fly, 90
Chuma, Dr. Livingstone's servant,
409
Cloth as currency in the interior, 23 'Columbine,' H.M.S., 64 Comoriues, 9
Cooley, Mr., his unwillingness to give
up a pet theory, 468, 517 Corn-j;rinding women of Kisemo,106 Crocodile, narrow escape of the author
from, 339 Customs, curious, of the Wanya-
mwezi, 544
Dahomey, King of, 19 »
' Daily Telegraph,' representative of, at Aden, 679
Dar Salaam, port of, 225
Dawson, Lieut., visit from, con- versation as to his resigning com- mand of the Search Expedition, 660 ; misapprehension as to the author's feelings towards him, 678 ; justification of Lis action in regard to the !;^earch and llelief Expe- dition, 689
Deity, notions of natives as tu, 515
Dhows, 2
Diliuiu i'caks. 94, 2bS
Diseases common to the natives, 533 Dogara, or whitebait, 473, 533 Donkeys, equipment of, 26; fine
breed of, in Ubanarama, 212 '* Dowa," medicine, 86
Earwigs, plague, of at Mpwapwa, 169 Elephantiasis common in Zanzibar, 148
Elephants, herd of, 358 ; difficulty of shooting, 582
Emancipation Proclamation of Abra- ham Lincoln, 451
English press, misconceptions and inaccuracies of, 630
Esau, Jemadar, 42
Farquhar, W. L., 26, 39, 67, 145, 156, 157 ; his death, 291 ; account of, 639
Faulkner, Mr., incredible statements of, 582
Fauna of Central Africa, 527 Ferajji, 350
Fire-arms, what most suitable to the
traveller, 62 Fish of the Tanganika, 530 Fish-eagle, 337
Food of the Arab tribes, 526; of
Central Africa, 550 Forest peach, 356
Forest scenery of Unyamwezi, 322 ; sublime aspect of, 520
Foreign Office, letters from, 616
Franklyn, Mr. Hales, 679
Eraser, Capt., 18, 662, 663
Frciligrath's description of the lion's habitat, 368
French IMissionaries, practical cha- racter of, 20; Mission Station at Bagamoyo, 20, 43
Fruit-trees, 526
Galton, Mr. F., his designation of the author's defence of Dr. Living- stone as a sensational story, 468 684 ; his failure to reach Lake Kganii, 688
Girallcs, difficulty of killing, 590
INDEX.
725
Glossiva morsitans, or tsetse fly, 87-90
Great Makata River, 230 Goma Pass, 151
Gombe Rivers, North and Sonth, 521 Grant, Col., 685
Granville, Lord, letter from, convey- ing the thanks of Queen Victoria and the announcement of the Royal present, 716
Goodhue, Mr., or " Bana Mkuba," 39, 70
Guinea palm, 524 • Haematite, 353
Half-castes, contemptible character of, 6
Halimah, Dr. Livingstone's cook, 417
Hassan, the Mseguhha, 355 ^
Henn, Lieut., his meeting with the author, 653 ; resigns the leader- ship, 664
Herembe, Cape, 574
Herodotus, his account of the Nile sources, 455
Hindis, ilohammedan, cheating cha- racter of, 8
Hippopotami, 571
Honey-bird, 337 ; habits of, 353
Hon'.'a, or tribute, 55, 395
Homer, Pere, 65
Hosmer, Dr., 679
Hunter's Paradise, the, 336
Hyasnas, 191, 528
Ibrahim bin Rashid slain, 293 Imbiki, 101
Insects of Central Africa, 530 Itage village, 373
Jackals, 528
Jackson, Gen. Andrew, advice of, 374 Jako, employ^ of the Expedition, 67, 165
Jesuit Missyn at Bagamoyo, 20, 43
Jiwcb la SiTiga district, 209
Johari, dragoman, 27, 37 ; engaged to
conduct the caravan conveying stores to Dr. Livingstone as far as the Kingani, 666 Jumah, 349
Jungle of Msuwa, its horrors, 648 Kabogi, Cape, 511
Kabogo Mountain, singular pheno- menon of, 400
Kadetamare,or Misonghi, village, 144; favourable situation of, as mission field, 234
Kahirigi, boma of, 394
Kaif-Halek or " How-do-ye-do," tlie letter-carrier, 317
Kalulu, the boy-slave, 303, 352
Kamolondo Lake, 450
Kamyenyi, 635
Kanengi River, 394, 397
Kaniyaga village, 630
Kanjee, 60
Kanyamabengu River, 507 Kanyenyi, 190 Kaole village, 225 Kaseh, a myth, 260 Kasera ridge, 364 Katanga, copper mines of, 464 Katangara Islands, 506 Kavimba, 507
Kema Kaguru Mountains, 231 Kharais bin Abdullah, 267 ; his death,
293
Khamisi, desertion of, 101 ; his nar- row escape, 107 ; flogged for deser- tion, 108; precis of chaiacter, 319
Khonze, remarkable globes of foliage at, 633
Kiala, chief, 381
Kibwc, Mount, 245
Kigoma Bay, 479
Kigondo, chief, 137
Kigwa, 220
Kigwena River, 488
Kikoka village, 81, 82
Kikuma River, 488
Kihv.i, port of, 225
Kingani River, 78, 81 ; area drained by, 226 ; Valley, 77
726
INDEX.
Kingaru village, 94
Kiagwere, the canoe paddler, 79
Kiora village, 144 ; Peak, 110, 112
Kirk, Dr., Mr. Stanley's introduction to, 12 ; his nonchalance in regard to Dr. Livingstone, 14; deprecia- tory remarks, 15 ; his interview with Speke's "Faithfuls," 28; tardy visit to Bagamoyo in refer- ence to the " Livingstone caravan," 64 ; wish that the author should explore the Eufiji route, 83 ; objec- tion to horses in the interior, 99 ; congratulates the author on his success, 662 ; decides as to the sale of part of the stores for Livingstone, 664 ; advises Mr. O. Livingstone not to go on to his father, 673 ; letter to the author on securing an effi- cient leader from Seyd Burghash, 674 ; his refusal to act for Dr. Li- vintrstone except in an official ca- pacity, 675
Kirondo, chief, 569
Kirurumo village, 209
Kisabengo, chief, a minor Theodore, 116
Kiscmo village, 104 ; belles of, 105
Kisuka village, 495
Kisigo Pviver, 235
Kisunwe liiver, 488
Kitanda or bedstead, 85
Kiti defile, 203
Kitunda Cape, 486
Kiwyeh, Sultan of, 198 ; village, 630;
population of, 631 Kiwrima Valley, 113 Kolquall or candelabra tree, 161,
524 _
Kotiduchi village, 225
Krai)f and Kebiuan, Messrs., 516
Kudu, 311
Kukuinba Point, 508
Kulabi, 639
Kusuri or Konsuli, 209
Kwnla or North Gombc Pviver, 521
Kwala Mtoiii, 216
Kwikurkura, 201
Ladies' tea-parties, early origin 546.
Lares and Penates of the Wazavira,
367
Leopard of Central Africa, 528 Letter of Shaw, 145 ; of Farquhar, 146
Leukole, chief, 164; his account of Farquhar's death, 639
Liemba, Lake, 447
Limestone, pisolitic, 521
Lincoln, Abraham, lake named after, by Livingstone, 451
Lion and leopard, home of the, Freilig- rath's description of, 368 <
Lion of Central Africa, 528
Little Makata River, 230
Liuche, valley of the, 407
" Livingstone Cottage " at Mah^ (Sey- chelles), happy intercourse at, 679
Livingstone, Dr., the author's first interview with, at Ujiji, 412 ; his anxiety for news, 414 ; the low ebb of his resources, 418; his early • rising, 422 ; took the author for an emissary of the French Govern- ment, 423 ; his hard fare, 424 ; his sufferings and privatioi\s, 425 ; revival of his enthusin.sm, 427 ; his guileless character, 428 ? his phy- sical appearance, 429 ; absurd re- port of his marriage, his general character and careful observations, 430; sensitiveness of criticism, 431, amiable traits of his character, and his Spartan hei oism, 432; his high spirits, inexhaustible humour, and retentive memory, 433; sincerity of his religion, 434 ; his Sunday services, 435 ; ability to withstand the African climate duo to his tem- perate life, 435 ; his determination to complete his task, spite of all difliculties, 436 ; completeness of his discoveries, 437 ; summary of his experiences, 438 ; interview with King Cazcmbo, 444; diffi- culty as to the Chambczi, 447
INDEX.
727
discovery of Lalce Liemba, 447; investigation of the Lnapula, 448 : intervention in behalf of Mahomed bin Sali repaid by base ingrati- tude, 448 ; exploration of Uguhha, 449; sufferings at Bam\»arre, dis- covery of the Lualaba, description of the beauties of Moero scenery, 450 ; admiration of Abraham Lin- coln, 451 ; his belief that the I-ua- laba or Webb's Eiver is the true Nile, 452 ; his admission that the Nile sources have not been found, 454 ; his opinion as to the account of Herodotus, 455; thwarted by the cowardice of his men, 464 ; return to Ujiji, dishonesty of Sherif, 465; destitute condition of the Doctor, his complaint of the Zan- zibar people not sending him free- men, 466; his objection tcr the " doctoring " of his despatches at home, 467 ; his relations with the Boyal Geographical Society, 469- 471 ; improvement of his health from more generous diet, contemplated cruise on the Tanganika, 472 ; start from Ujiji, 479 ; liability to diar- rhoea, 483 ; manner of dealing with demands for honga, 486; loss of stores, &c., from Bombay's intoxi- cation, 487 ; his unwillingness to retaliate on the hostile natives, 490; his tenderness in sickness, 497 ; disturbed in bed by his ser- vant Susi in a state of intoxication, 498 ; his opinion that the Tanga- nika must have an outlet, 505; names the Kavunvweh islands the "New York Herald Islets," 510; his coolness at the hostility of the AVasansi, 512; calms them down by his gentle bearing and conver- sation, 513 ; his resolve to finish his task, 560; complaint of Dr. Kirk's sending only slaves, 561 ; resolves to accompany the author to Unyanyembo, 562; his suffer-
ings on the road, 587 ; atMpokwa's village, 588 ; his value as a travel- ling companion, 590 ; stung by wild bees, 596 ; his qualifications as a traveller, 599 ; peaceful recollections of his wife's grave, his relation of incidents of the life of his son Ro- bert, 601 ; arrival at Ugiindo, 604 ; letters from Dr. Kirk and home, 605; welcome to Unyanyembe, 607 ; i" comfortable quarters and in pos session of stores, 608 ; wreck of the stores detained by Sayd bin Salim, 612; in possession of four years' store of supplies, 613 ; his letter to Mr. Bennett, jun., 616; probable results of his perseverance in Afri- can discovery, 619 ; his last day with the author, 622; his inten- tions as to the future, 626 ; the parting farewell, 627 ; instructions to turn back any slave caravan sent to his relief, 663
, Mr. Oswald, introduction to,
655 ; equipment of his proposed ex- pedition, 672 ; determines to resign, by Dr. Kirk's advice, 673
, Robert Moffatt, incidents of his
life, 601
, Mr. T. S., testimony of, to the
genuineness of the Despatches from his father, 615
Lizard, large, 482
Loajeri River, 536
Loeki or Lomani River, 451
Lualaba or " Webb's River" of Liv- ingstone, 450 ; thought by him to be the true Nile, 452
Luapula River, 448
Lubilash River, 452
Ludha I'amji, 37
Lufira River, 451
Luliaiiga I'uak, 493
Lukomo village, 388
Luvumba Cajx), 511
Mabruki, cruel treatment of, 29 ; 347
728
INDEX.
Mabnngura Nullah, 205 ; River, 233
Madcdita, 213
Magala, Mutware of, 494
Maganga, 86, 94, 100
Magunda ilkali, 204
Mahommed bia Sali, his release by Livingstone and subsequent in- gratitude, 448
Maizun, Mens., 637
Makata Valley, 127 ; Elver, 136, 645 ; Plain, 641
Makololo race, extinction of, 542
Makumbi, chief, 385 "
Malagash Inlet, 16, 17
Malagarazi Eiver, 381, 537
Manyuema country, people of, 459 ; the El Dorado of the Arabs, 460 ; sought as slaves, 464
■ tribe, clever weapon manufac- turers, 557
JIapanga, 635
Marefu, 355
Marenga Mkali, 162, 172, 638.
Masangi, 277
JIasika, or rainy season, 46, 95, 123,
138, 640 Matamombo, 162
Mazitu, marauding propensities of, 444
Mbawala, species of antelope, 366
Mbembu, or forest peach, 356, 375
MbengereUga River, 230
Mbegu-tree, 523
Mdaburu River, 233, 630
Medical appliances used by the na- tives, 534
Medicine for daubing warriors, 280
Metals known to the tribes of Central Africa, 533
Mfuto, Eastern, 278
Mganga, medicine-man of Unya- mwezi, 543
Mgongo Tcmbo, or " Elephant's Back," 211
Mcovana, 107
Mikiseh, 113
Mionvu, Mutwaro of Kimenyi, 388
Mirambo, 280; defeated at Mfulo, 304
Misonghi, deserted villagp, 366 Mizanza, 191
Mkambaku range of Speke, 226
Mkora tree, 523
MkurongoVee, 523
Mkuti River, 404
Mkuyu, gigantic sycamore, 327
Moero Lake, 447; beauty of the
scenery, 450 Mohammed bin AbduUa slain, 293 Mohammed bin Gharib, 570 Monkeys, troop of, 370 Morris, Hon. E, J., 79 Mpokwa River, 367 Mponda, chief, 441 Mpwapwa, its fruitfulness, 163;
Mountains, 154, 166 Mrera, chief, 358 — , warriors of, 359 Mrima, portion of country so called,
224
Msagara, youthful, the heau-ideal of
African savage, 248 Msuwa, 102
Mtamba sycamore, gigantic size of,
522
Mtemi, chief, 333 Mud-fish, 216 Muc;ere River, 496 Mugeyo village, 493 Mugiliewa territory, 500 Mukamba, chief, 496 Mukondoku, chief, 632 Mukoiidokwa Range, 151 ; Pass, 230,
642; River, 151, 230, G ;1; leedcrs
of, 231 Mukun':;u, 486
Mukimguru, African intermittent
fever, 86, 119, 130, 325 Munieha, 203 Muuiyi Usagara, 151 Musa, chief of the Johanna men, 442 Muretnbwe Cape, 489 ; Point, 490 M nscat Arabs of Zanzibar, 6 Miissoudi, tlie Diwan's account of an
extraordinary flood, C47
INDEX.
729
MusTinya Lake, 399 Muzimu Island, 482,493 Mvule tree, 524 Mvumi village, 641 Mwaru, 357 Myombo tree, 126 Mussoud bin Abdullah, 266 Mussoudi, 109 ; beautiful prospect at, 110
" Nazi-Moya " at Zanzibar, 5, 13 Negroes of Zanzibar, 9 ; character of, 10
New, Rev. Charles, introduction to, 659 ; his account of the collapse of the F^nglish Relief Expedition, 615
" New York Herald " Islets, 510
Ngaraiso village, 630
Nghwhalah River, 521, 630
Ngura Peak, 151, 153
Niamtaga, 404
Niasanga village, 482
Niongo, 357
Nondo, Speke's runaway, 214 Nullahs, description of, 232 Nyabigma island, 484 Nyambwa, 186 Nzoe, antelope of Speke, 366
"Oniar," Mr, Stanley's watch dog,
85 ; death of, 162 Pallah Inick, 341 Peacii trees, wild, 535 Pembcra Pereh, Sultan, 184, 187 Perpusilla, the, 337, 529 Piag?;ia, the Italian traveller, 453 Pisolitic limestone, 94 Plantains, toddy made from, 525 Pottery, native, of the Wazavira, 367
Queen Victoria, letter conveying the thanks of Her Majesty and the announcement of the Royal pre- sent, 616.
Rawlinson, Sir ITenry, 685, 687, 692 Ras Shangani, " Sandy Point," 13 Rehenneko village, 142, 641
Reptiles of Central Africa, 530 Rocky Mountains and East African
chain compared, 246 Rosako village, 84
Royal Geographical Society, their relations with Dr. Livingstone, 467; leavened with Cooleyism, 469 ; their conduct towards the author, 683 ; their censure of the "Search and Relief Expedition" undeserved, 688 ; its collapse due to their neglect in issuing instruc- tions contingent on the author's success, 690 ,
Rua country, 449 ; people, 459
Rubeho Slopes, 151 ; Peak, 167
Rnbuga, 219
Rudewa Hiver, 140
Rufiji, or Ruhwha River, 235
Rugufu Lake, 400 ; River, 376, 536
Ruhinga, chief, 501
Ruslzi River, 495 ; problem of, 476 ; delta of, 500
Saada'mi, port of, 225 Said bin Majid, 414 Salim bin Rashid, 114 Saline lagoons, origin of, 232 Sultana of Simbamwcnni, 116, 131, 132
Sami-sami, red beads, 357 Sawahili, meaning of the term, 224 Sayf, son of All, slain, 293 Sayd bin Salim's house, 258 Selim, interpreter, 70
, the Arab boy, 351
Sitting on Pombe, 189
Sentakeyi, Cape, 493
Sliaw, j". W., 26, 32, 39, 66, 70, 118,
139, 152, 157, 278, 305, 315 ; leaves
the Expedition, 321 Shaniba Gonera, or, "Goncra's
Field," good disposition of the
Indian widow towards the whites;
ajipcaranco of the place, tratle, &c.,
75
Sheikh Sayd bin Salim, 266, 268, 612 Ilamed, 188
730
INDEX.
Sheikh Hassid, 22
Khamis bin Abdullah, 266
bin Nasib, 266, 297
Sultan bin Ali, 266
Thani, 162, 178
Sherif, Dr. Livingstone's servant, dis- honesty of, 465 Shiza, 220 Sigungwa, 575
Shrubs, &c. of Central Africa, 526 Simbamwenni, 115 ; desolation of, by
flood, 646
Sultana of, 120, 131, 132
Simba, ruler of Kaser^, 364 Simbo, 228, 645
Khambi, 126
Simeon Price, Livingstone's servant,
443
Singwe, a plum-like fniit, 472 Slave-trade, 225, 244 Slave-gang, chained, 104 Small-pox, terrible scourge of East
and Central Africa, 533 Smoking among the Wanyamwezi,
548
Sofi beads, 473 Somalis, 9
Soor Hadji Palloo, 50, 51, 52, 55, 56, 57, 100
Soud, the Arab, 269
, son of Sayd bin Majid, 266
bin Sayd, his attack on Wilyan-
kuru, 282 ; his death, 283
Spekc, Capt., 227, 517 ; his "Faith- fuls," 27 ; treatment of " Bombay " by, 28 ; error of, as to altitude of Tanganika, 406
Stanley, Mr., start from Bcmbay, 1 ; landing at Zanzibar, hospitable re- ception by Capt. Webb, 3 ; im- pressions of the city, 4 ; interview with Dr. Kirk, 12 ; organization of the expedition, 21 ; visit to the Sultan, 36 ; departure from Zanzi- bar, 40 ; landing at Baganioyo, 41 ; troublesome experiences, 47 ; visit to the " Livingstone caravan," 63 ; interview with Dr. Kirk, 65 ; pre-
parations for departure into the interior, 66t; difficulties with em- ployes, 67 ; chase after a thief, despatch of four caravans, 68; apology for egotism, 69 ; departure of the fifth caravan, led by himself, 70 ; members composing it, 71 ; outfit, 72 ; the start, first camp, Shamba Gonera, 73, 75 ; crossing the Kingani, 78 ; hippopotami shooting, 80 ; Kikoka village, 82 ; map of Bagamoya region, 83 ; halt at Eosako, 84 ; " Omar," watch- dog, missing, 85 ; formidable num- ber of insects, the tsetse-fly, 87- 90; game hunting, 91; difficulty of penetrating an African jungle, 92 ; camp at Kingani, 94 ; death of the grey Arab horse, and offence given by its interment, 96 ; inter- view with the king of Kingaru, 97 ; loss of the remaining horse from cancer, 99 ; desertion and sick- ness, 100; appearance of Ma- ganga's caravan, 100 ; march to Imbiki, 101 ; reach Msuwa, perils of the jungle, 102 ; astonishment of the chief, 103 ; chained slave- gang, 104 ; halt at Kisemo, 104 ; belles of, 105; narrow escape of Khaniisi, 107 ; flogged for deser- tion, 108; arrival of Wangwana caravan with file of ' Heralds,' &c., 108 ; visit of Kisemo's daughters, 109; Mussoudi, 109; beautiful l)rosi)cct, 110 ; cross the Ungeren- geri, 111 ; start for Mikeseh, 112 ; Ulagalla and Muhalleh, 113; over- take Maganga's caravan, meet with Sulim bin Hashid, news of Living- stone, 114 ; pass town of Simba- mwenni,115; its fortifications, 116; curiosity of the inhabitants, 117; four days' halt and overhaul of the luggage, 118; attack of ague, 119; visit of ambassadors of tlie Sultana of Simbamwenni, 120; wretched encampment on the Ungerengori,
INDEX.
731
124; difficulty of crossing the river, 125 ; Simbo Khambi, Bun- der Salaam, the cook, flogged for pilfering, 126; Makata Valley, 127 ; loss of Bombay's equipage, 128; assistance of the Sultana of Simbamwenni in its recovery, 131 ; her appropriation of tribute claimed as due, 132 ; intervention of Sheikh Thani, 132 ; difficulties of the Ma- kata Valley, 135 ; escape and cap- ture of Kingaru, 137 ; emerge from the swamp Makata, attack of dy- sentery, 141 ; halt at Behenneko, 142 ; ascent of the Usagara Moun- tains, 143 ; Mukondokwa Valley and River, 144 ; Kiora, 144 ; camp at, illness of Farquhar, 147 ; unsatis- factory state of his caravan, 148 ; ford of tlie Mukondokwa Kiver, 151 ; Madete, Lake of Ugombo, 153; revolt of Shaw and Farqu- har, 157; Shaw's penitence and subsequent attempt at assassina- tion, 160 ; departure from Ugumbo, 161 ; camp at Matamombo, death of the dog " Omar," Sheikh 'I'hani in clover at Mpwai)wa, 162 ; a good breakfast and dinner, 163 ; I'arquhar left to be nursed, 164 ; twelve pagazis engaged, 106 ; abundance of earwigs, 169 ; white ants, 170; Chunyo, badness of the water, 172; attack of fever, 173; Ugogo, 174; frantic conduct of the population, 176 ; West Mvumi, 177 ; the Sultan's exorbitant de- mand of K()n(la,.178; Mataiubtini, rcasoiiai)lcness of the Saltan of, 181; lliliiwana, 182; attack of in- termittent fever, 183; Kidiilinio, bleak aspect and bad water, 184 ; Nyanibwa, demonstrativeness of the jjeople, 186; Mizanza, 191; benefit from quinine, visit from the Sultan, 192; l.ittlo Mukon- doku, 191 ; Mukondoku Proper, 195 ; coiiinn>tioii iiiid cowardice,
196; uproar in the camp, 197; debate as to route, 199 ; threatened mutiny, 202 ; Munieka, 203 ; Ma- bunguru Nullah, 205; Unyam- bogi, 206; Kiti, 207; Msalalo, Ngaraiso, 208; Kirurumo, greet- ing from the villagers, inter- view with Sultan bin Mahommed, 209 ; Kusuri, visit from Sheikh Hamed, and party of elephant- hunters, 210; halt at Mgongo Tembo, 211; Nghwhalah Mtoni, abundance of sweet water, 212 ; Madedita, tsetse-fly troulSesome, 213 ; reach Unyamwezi territory at Eastern Tura, cultivated region, 213; Nondo, Speke's runaway, 214; Central Tura, attempted night robbery, 214; a thief shot dead, pass Western Tura, 215 ; Kwala Mtoni, mud-fish, illness of the tailor, Abdul Kader, 216; wishes to give up his post, 217 ; Rubuga, desolation of, since Bur- ton's visit, 219; meeting with Amer bin Sultan, 219; Kigwa, wasted condition of, 220; Shiza, pastoral aspect of, visit from the Sultan, 220; rejoicings in camp on reaching Unyanyembe territory, 221 ; geography and ethno;j;rapliy of the country traversed, 223-257 ; life in UnyanyemlJe, 258; break- • fast and gossip with Sayd bin Salim, 259 ; Kazeh, a myth, 260 ; leave Kwikuru, 261 ; in comfort- able quarters, 262 ; visit from the Taborii Arab magnates, 26 1 ; Ta- bora, chief Arab settlement in (,'en- tral All ien, 266 ; attend a council of war, 267 ; feast at the close of the council; return to Kwihara, 271; the I.ivingstone caravan's halt of 100 days, 272 ; attack of fever, 273 ; preparations for the march, 275 ; warlike demonstration, 277 ; l iast- ern Mfuto, illness of Shaw, y/er- soiiiitl of tbo army, 278 ; I mauda,
732
INDEX.
medicine daubing, war harangue, 280; Ziinbizo, attack on the vil- lage, 281 ; fate of Soud bin Sayd and his Arabs, 283 ; retreat and stormy councils of war, 284 ; fur- ther retreat of the Arabs to Tabora, 288 : serious position of the Expe- dition, 289 ; intelligence of Living- stone, 290 ; news of death of Far- quhar, 291 ; illness of Shaw, attack of Mirambo on Tabora, 292 ; Khaniis bin Abdullah, &c., slain, 293 ; preparations for Jlirambo's threatened attack on Kwihara, 295 ; visit to ISheikh bin Nassib, 297; retreat of Mirambo, 298; determination to lead a flying ca- ravan to Ujiji, 299 ; apathy of Shaw, 300 ; visit to 'J'hani bin Ab- dullah, arrival of letters, 301 ; death of Barusi, evil reports by the Arabs, 302 ; present of a boy- slave, 303; defeat of Mirambo at Mfuto, 304 ; nursing experiences, 305 ; farewell feast at Unyanye- mbe, 307 ; march to L'jiji com- menced by southern route, 310; list of " braves " of the Expedition, 311 ; Bombay's tender passion, 313 ; the start, 314 ; Shaw shows the white feather, 315 ; Kinya- mwezi village, attack of fever, 316 ; arrest of runaways, threat of slave- chain, 317 ; lueseuka, furtlier de- sertions, punishment, witlulrawal of Abdul Kader tlie tailor, 318 ; sickness in camp, adverse apjiear- ances, 319 ; Kasegara, rejoicings at 319; Kikandu, Shaw's by-play, 320 ; his withdrawal, 321 ; biauty of Unyamwczi forest scenery, 322 ; Uganda, 323 ; Benta, 324 ; Ki- kuru, the mukunguru or fever, 325; camp at Ziwani, 327; gi- gantic sycamore, 328 ; Mauyara, cultivated region, 331 ; dilliculty of buying provisions, 332 ; visit of Mtbmi, 333; his aiitouishniuiit at
the anther's medicine-chest, 334: Gombe River, its beautiful neigh- bourhood, 336; narrow escape from a crocodile, suspicious-looking natives, 339 ; a peaceful camp- scene, 340 ; symptoms of revolt at starting onwards, 343 ; murderous aspect of Asmani and Mabruki, 344; Bombay and Ambari in chains, the march resumed, sketch of the principal men of the Expe- dition, 348 ; Ziwani (pool), water- less condition of, 352 ; Tongoni, abundance of honey-birds, 353 ; Marefu, rumours of war in our front, 355 ; march through a forest abounding with peach-trees, 356 ; Utende village, 356 ; Mwaru, 357 ; supposed report of Livingstone, Mrera's district, wild elephants, 358; Selim falls ill, 359; start from Mrera north-westward, 361 ; confidence restored in the camp, remarkable ant-hills, 362 ; camp in the jungle, 363 ; embassy from Simba, 364 ; Uzavira, ruined neigh- bourhood of, 366 ; Misonghi, 366 ; Mpokwa River, deserted village near, 367 ; Mtambu stream, its beauty, 368 ; attack by a leopard, 369; shot at a wild boar, 370; proximity of lions, 371 ; Itaga village, beginning of troubles, 373 ; shortness of provisions, 377 ; " Welled Nzogera's " village, abun- dant supiilies, 379 ; crossing a marsh, 380; reach the Malagarazi, heavy exaction of the chief Kiala, 381 ; island of lhata, fre>h de- mands for ferriage, 382; donkey seized by crocodile, 383; Uvinza, news of Livingstone, 384 ; depar- ture from the Malai;ai'a/.i, 385; country of I'lilia, halt at Kawan- ga, 386; halt on the roiulnvo stream, 388 ; interview wiih Rlion- vu, 389; exiirliilant demand of honga, 392; cross the Kanengi
INDEX.
733
River, 394 ; more claims of honga, 395 ; departure by stealth, 396 ; Kanengi River, 397 ; cross the Busugi, taming a sable shrew, 398 ; Lake Musunya, 399; Eugiifu Kiver, Kabogo Mountain, singular phenomenon of, 400; Sunuzzi stream, 401 ; enter Ukaranga, 402 ; beauty of the landscape, 403; Mkute River, Niamtaga, alarm of the people, 404 ; first view of the Tanganika, 406; Port of Ujiji in view, 407 ; salute announcing the approach of the caravan, 408; meeting \vitL Susi, the serviint of Dr. Livingstone, 409 ; excitement of the inhabitants, 410; appear- ance of the Doctor, 411 ; the intro- duction, 412; conversation, 413; the over-due letter-bag, 365 days from Zanzibar, 414 ; budget of news, 415 ; intercourse with Li- vingstone, 420, et seq. ; suggestions as to his future course, 477 ; start with Livingstone for cruise on the Tanganika, 479 ; pass Bangwe Is- land, 479 ; wooded hills of Bemba, 480 ; camp at Niasanga, 482 ; Ny- abigma Island, 484 ; Mukungu, 486 ; loss of valuables from Bom- bay's intoxication, 487 ; hostile de- monstrations of the Bikari jKJople, 490 ; bivouac on the shore disturbed by natives, 491 ; round Cape Sen- takeyi, and sleep at Mugeyo, 493 ; Magala, hospitality of the people, visit of the Mutware of, 494 ; ru- mours of wars, 494 ; Kisiku, native report as to the Rusizi River, 495 ; Mugere, delta of the, 496 ; visit Mukamba, attacked by fever and experience Livingstone's tender- ness, 497 ; Mugiliewa territory on the delta of the Rusizi, 500 ; visit of the chief Ruhiu.;a, his goo- graphical information, 501 ; explo- ration of the Rusizi debouchure, 604; Kukumba Point, enchanting
scenery near, 508 ; halt at Bemba. superstition of the Wajiji, 509: ' New York Herald Islets,' so named by Livingstone, 510; Cape Lu- vumba, hostile aspect of the Wa- sansi, 511 ; return to Ujiji, domestic and foreign news, 515 ; geographical and ethnographical notes, 514 et seq.; preparations for march to Unyanyembe, 562 ; attack of fever, 564 ; Christmas Day at Ujiji, 565 ; the departure, 566 ; meet with Mohammed bin Gharib, 570; Si- gunga, beautiful aspect of, 574; spoit. at Uriu:ba, 575, homowarC bound, 576 et seq. ; an elephant herd, 581 ; Ukawendi, luxuriance of its vegetation, 584 ; painful march to Imrera, 586 et seq. ; a girafife shot, 503 ; severe attack of fever, the Doctor's prescription, 594 ; the caravan attacked by bees, 595 ; Mrera, meeting with caravan sent by Sayd bin Habib, exchange of news, 596 ; encounter a lion, 600; Ugundu, the deserter Ham- dallah retaken, 604 ; receipt of letters and newspapers, 605 ; wel- come to Unyanyembe, 607 ; stores found tampered with, 610 ; a second Christmas celebration, 611 ; four years' store of supplies turned over to the Doctor, 613; commission to • enlist at Zanzibar fifty freemen as his Ciirriers, 615; forevvcll dance of natives, 620 ; choragic adieu of the Wanyamwezi, 621 ; last night with Livingstone, 622; the last walk in his comimny, 625; the farewell, 627 ; a letter from the Doctor, 628 ; Ngaraiso, hostility of the \Va- kimbu, 630; Ugogo, warlike de- monstrations, 631 ; march of war- riors arrayed for the fight, 632; Khonze, determined mode of deal- ing with the chief successful, 633; Kamyenyi, cordial reception by the Msagira of, 634; Maiwnga,
734
INDEX.
hostile demonstration, 636; asked to act as rain-maker, 637 ; Kulabi, experience of a " peppo," 638 ; Marenga Mkali, 639; Mukon- Jokwa valley, experience of the Masika, 640; Makata plain, bat- tling with the floods, 641 ; Mvumi village, fighting with mosquitoes, 641 ; the Doctor's despatches in danger, 642 ; a perilous ford, 644 ; ten days' camp at Rehenneko, diffi- culties of the march to the Makata River, 645 ; arrive at Simbo, cross the Unkerengere, and reach Sim- bamwenni, its desolated aspect, 646; Ulagalla, extraordinary de- vastation by flood, 647; Msuwa, horrors of its jungle, 648 ; Kingaru Hera, news of the Zanzibar storm, 649; Eosako, welcome consign- ment from the American Consul, 649; ill-natured criticisms, infor- mation as to the " Livingstone Search and Relief Expedition," G60; Kingwcre's ferry, a watery waste, four miles broad, 651 ; wel- come to Bagamoyo, 652 ; meeting with Lieut. Henn, 653 ; introduc- tion to Mr. Oswald Livingstone, 655 ; the march ended, 657 ; wel- come at Zanzibar, the American Consul and Rev. C. New, 658; congratulation of Lieut. Dawson, discussion as to his resignation, 599; visit from Dr. Kirk and Bishop Tozer, 662 ; change in the author's appearance on his return, 663 ; conversation with Lieut. Henn, 664 ; cxi)lanation8 from the Rev. C. New, 665, et seq. ; prepa- rations for Mr. 0. Livin<_'stone's Expedition, 672 ; his resignation, 673 ; selection of an Arab leader, 674 ; parting with Lieut. Dawson, 674; discussion with Dr. Kirk on the misunderstanding with Living- stone, 675 ; farewell to old travel- ling companions, 666 ; departure
from Zanzibar in the 'Africa,' 677 ; reach Seychelles, a month's delay at Mahe, agreeable inter- course at " Livingstone Cottage," 678; arrival at Aden and Mar- seilles, 679 ; a few remarks as to the English Press, 679; and the Royal Geographical Society, 683; defence of the English Expedition against the censure of the Council, 689 ; honor rendered to the author by the Royal Geographical Society, 691 ; award of the Victoria Medal, 692.'
Sultan bin Mohammed, 209
Sultan of Zanzibar, Mr. Stanley's in- terview with, 37
Sunuzzi stream, 401
Sunset at Ujiji, magnificence of, 539
Susi, Dr. Livingstone's servant, 409, 498
Swaruru, Sultan, 196 Sycamore, gigantic, 327 Syed Burghash, Sultan of Zanzibar, 37, 38
Tabora, 264
Tagamoyo, massacre of the Wama-
nyuema by, 463 Tamarind-trees, 525 Tamarisks, 525
Tanganika Lake, first visit to, 406 ;
cruise on, with Dr. Livingstone,
479 et seq. Tarya Topan, integrity of, 9, 37, 50 Tembe, the, 253 Thani bin Abdullah, 266, 301
, Sheikh, 132
'I'hata Island, 382 Tongoni, 353
Tozer, Bp., his residence at Zanzi- bar, 5,19; his character and High Church practices, 19, 20 ; his con- gratulations at the author's success, 663
Trade, mode of conducting, in Africa, 8
Tsetse fly, 87, 213, 330, 354
INDEX.
Tura, Eastern, 213; Central, 214; Western or Tura Perro, 215
Udoe, cones of, 94
— , picturesque aspect of, and war- like character of the people, 240
" Uganga," or charm, 106
Ugombo, Lake, 153, 231 ; Peak, 156 ; Plain, 167
Ugunda village, 323
Uhha country, geological interest of 538 ; king of, 387
Ujiji, magnificence of sunset at, 539 ; port of, 407
Ukaranga territory, its beautiful as- pect, 403, 539
Ukawendi country, 536, 537, 585; scenery of, 375
Ukonongo, 535
Ukwere, territory of, 226
Ulagalla district, 113
Ulimengo, absconding slave, 349,592
Unamapokera, friendliness of, 635
Ungcrengeri River, 105, 111, 123, 647 ; rise of, 227 ; Valley, 110
Urundi Mountains, 488
Unyamwezi forest scenery, beauty of, 322; meaning of the name, 516; territory, 213
Unyambogi, 206
Uplands of Africa, health and abun- dance in, 234
Urimba, 575
Uronga River, 230
Urimba, camp at, 558
Usagara Mountains, 126, 143
Useguhha, teiritory of, 226
Ut(inde village, 356
Uvinza, Southern and Northern, 537
Uwelasia River, 575
Uyanzi, Magunda Mkali, or " Hot Field," 257
Uyoweh, Mirambo of, 267
Uzavira, village in, 367
Victoria Medal of the Royal Geo^ graphical Society awarded to the author, 692.
735
Wabembe, or Wavembe, tribe of can- . nibals, 555
Waganga or medicine men, 244 ;
filthy war-potion concocted by, 295 Wagogo tribe, 249 ; villages of, 214 Wagtails regarded as birds of good
omen, 483 Waguhha tribe, 384 Wagunda tribe, 324 Wahumba tribe, 195 "Wait-a-bit" thorn, 525 Wajiji tribe, 552 ; superstition, 509 Wakimbu of Tura, rascality of, 214
tribe, 208 ; villages of, 214
Wakwere tribe, 238 Wakonongo, 339
Wamanyuema, fondness of, for mar- keting, 463
Wami River distinct from the Kin- gani, 229 ; available for commerce, 233
Wangwana caravan, 108 village, 219
■ tribe, gormandizing of the, 342
Wanyamwezi tribe, 9, 197; their superstitious aversion to antelope meat, 366 ; the Yankees of Africa, 540
War, council of, 267 Warfare, tame mode of conducting, 495
Wa-Ruga-Ruga, 354 Warundi tribe, 555 Wasawahili tribe, 9, 237 Wasansi or Basansi tribe, 511 Waseguhha territory and tribe, 114, 442
Washenshi, 103, 104
Wavinza tribe, 385 ; groed of, 384
Webb, Capt. F. R., U.S. Consul, his
hospitality and courtesy, 3, 12, 17,
37
, Mr., of Newstiad Abbey, 451 ;
river named after him, 451 , Mrs., 40
Wago-o, cool impudence of the, 85
Whindc, port ol, 225
Wildornoiis, African more favourable
*
736
nmBX.
to the traveller than the populated
country, 205 Wild-boar, 372 Wilyaukuni, attack on, 282 Wine, high value of, in the interior,
25
Zanzibar city, view of, from the bay, harbor, " Charley's " lodging-house, 3 ; character of the streets and po- pulation, trade, "Nazi-Moya," 4; house of Bishop Tozer, mart of the interior, mode of commerce un- changed for agos, 5; population.
11 ; filth and unhealthiness of, 16 » inertness induced by, 17 ; Palace of the Sultan, 36
Island, misconceptions as to
its character, 1 ; its aspect from the sea, 2 ; malarious climate, 16
Zassi Eiver and viUage, 483
Zebra, 338
Zimbizo, attack on the village, 281 Zimmerman on the benefit of an un- encumbered mind, 433 Ziwa, or pond, 216 Ziwani (pool), 327, 352 Zogga, palm toddy, 487
OF
MEMOIR OF LIVINGSTONE.
The great African traveller, the search for, and relief of whom this book describes, was born near Glasgow, March 19th, 1813. At the very early age of ten he was employed in a factory as a " piecer," by w'hich he earned suflBcient money to contribute his mite towards the sup- port of his family. A portion of his wages he was per- mitted to devote to the purchase of books, whereby he laid the foundation of a useful and sound knowledge. At sixteen he was pretty well acquainted with the writings of classic authors. Horace and Virgil were favourites, but his readings were not limited to this branch of education, they ranged over every field of literature save fiction. Books of travels were especially delightful to him ; scientific works, books on natural history, medicine, and theology served not only to lighten tedious hours at the spinning jenny, but to fit him for the career for which he was destined, and which he has since pursued with honour to himself and credit to the family from which he sprung.
At nineteen years of age he was promoted to a cotton
h
X
MEMOIR OF LIVINGSTONE.
spinner, in which capacity he obtained a higher wage, which enabled him to support himself while attending the Greek and Medical classes, as also Divinity lectures during the winter in Glasgow. After confining himself to the study of Medicine and Divinity, with a view to offer himself, by the advice of friends, as a Missionary Physician for service, under the auspices of the London Missionary Society, in China, at twenty-five years of age he was summoned to undergo the necessary exami- nation, out of which test he emerged as a Licentiate of Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons.
He was then sent as a Probationer to the establishment of the Eev. Mr. Cecil, at Chipping Ongar, in the county of Essex.
About the time he became qualified for the vocation for which he had been preparing himself, the Chinese Opium War broke out, and it became inexpedient for him to pro- ceed to China. For such reason his services were diverted to South Africa, for which Mission-field he embarked, after a short course of theological training, in the year 1840.
The Kev. David Livingstone, M.D., landed at the Cape of Good Hope, after a voyage of three months from Eng- land, in his twenty-eighth year. He proceeded into the interior, via Algoa Bay, and arrived, after a journey of 700 miles, at the Mission Station of Kuruman, which had been established thirty years before by Messrs. Hamilton and Moffat. '
After a nearly five years' residence at Kiiruman, he be- came united in marriage to the daughter of Robert Moffat — from whom, in course of time, were born Robert
MEMOIB OF LIVINGSTONE.
Moffat Livingstone, Thomas Steele Livingstone, Agnes Livingstone, and W. Oswell Livingstone.
During his preparatory labours at the Kuruman Mission, which extended from 1840 to 1845, that spirit to explore which has since distinguished him, developed itself. In the year 1845 he proceeded to Chonuane, and thence to Kolobeng, where he established a mission house, cultivated a vegetable garden, and a farm, besides ministering to the spiritual necessities of the Bechuana population which surrounded Kolobeng.
This post was the most advanced in the missionary field, and David Livingstone was the vanguard of the soldiers of the Ci'oss, who were marching northward into the African interior to attack the stronghold of barbarism.
It was at Livingstone's house that enterprising travellers, lured to this far region by the report of multitudes of large game, while on their way to the game countries beyond, halted to refit. Here they stored their supplies, to this house they returned to rest from their sport ; and of the humble missionary's house, and the kindly hospitality they received, Gordon Gumming, Mr. Oswell, Mr. Webb of Newstead .Abbey, Major Frank Vardon— all great hunters — speak and write in terms of enthusiastic praise.
Years roll by, the Christian congregations flourish under his careful supervision and constant labour, and he begins to move onward towards the North. He has heard of a lake situated beyond the desert of Kalahari : no white man has ever seen its shores; and seeking
h 2
xu MEMOIR OF LIVINGSTONE,
a site whereon to build a new mission and sow tlie seed of the Gospel, he determines to go and search for it.
The very name of a lake of fresh waters and numerous streams had a charm for him, dwelling as he was within a thirsty and dry region. Water was precious at Kolo- beng. The Bechuana believed that if they had but plenty of water, the neighbourhood of Kolobeng could not be excelled for the salubrity of its climate and fertility of its soil, [fhe Kalahari desert was crossed by Living- stone, Oswell, and Murray, and the Lake Ngami was discovered by the three friends on the 1st of August, 1849.
From this discovery Livingstone returned to Kolobeng, where he arrived on the 10 th of October, having been absent on his first expedition of exploration four months and ten days.
Lake Ngami lies between south latitudes 20° and 21°, and near the 20° longitude. It is from fifty to seventy miles in length, and is 2,825 feet above sea level. For this discovery Livingstone was awarded half of the usual premium placed at the disposal of the Koyal Geographical Society by the Queen.
In April, 1850, the second journey of exploration was undertaken by Livingstone, this time taking with him his wife and three children, Eobert, Thomas, and Agnes. Taught by experience, derived from his first expedition, of the obstacles to be met, he selected a feasible route presenting but few difficulties as far as the Zouga Eiver. Crossing the river, the family proceeded up the northern bank, with the intention of going to Linyanti, where Sebituane, chief of the Makololo tribe, resided. But he
MEMOIR OP LIVINGSTONE.
Xlll
•was unable to proceed beyond the Zouga, and he was re- luctantly compelled to forego his intention. Livingstone's uprightness of character, however, soon won the heart of the warrior Lechulathebe, who at once tendered his friendship, and assistance for the furtherance of his labours, in proselytising the heathen under him. He was not able to avail himself of the offer for any length of time, as the lives of his wife and children were threatened by the terrible fever of the country, and he was compelled to return in consequence to Kolobeng.
Early in 1857 he began his third journey, accompanied by his wife, children, and Mr. Oswell the hunter. On the arrival of the party at Linyanti, the great chief Sebituane warmly received them, offered to replace the cattle slain by the tsetse fly, and in other ways mani- fested the interest he felt in them.
During Dr. Livingstone's residence with the Makololo, Sebituane died. His nominee to the chieftainship was a daughter, but she disclaimed the supreme authority m favour of a younger brother called Sekeletu, then aged nineteen, who was at once recognised by the Makololo, as their chief.
The chapters of ' Missionary Travels,' relating to his life and labours among the Makololo, are among the most interesting which Livingstone ever wrote.
Alarmed by the weak health of Mrs. Livingstone and of his children, he returned once more to Kolobeng, and finally concluded to escort his family to the Cape ol Good Hope, and see them embark for England.
From the Cape of Good Hope he started on his journey
xiv
MEMOIR OF LIVINGSTONE.
alone back to Linyanti, whence with the brave band of Makololo, that Sekeletu the chief supplied him, he proceeded to St. Paul de Loanda on the West Coast of Africa, where he arrived at the house of a Mr. Grabrielle, sick almost to death. But his strong constitution triumphed over the disease, and after a few months' stay at Loanda, he returned to the interior to Linyanti. From Linyanti he proceeded eastward, during which travels he discovered the great Victoria Falls of the Zambezi, and finally emerged on the East Coast of Africa near Kilimane in 1856.
From 1840 to 1856 are sixteen years of hard labour, as a missionary and traveller. In what a brief sentence can we sum up so much earnest, hearty work, so many fatigues from marches, privations consequent upon in- salubrious climates ; fevers, the result of rain and marshes ; dangers which at all times surround the explorer in Africa !
Livingstone left Kilimane on the 12th of August, 1856, and proceeded to Mauritius, where he was most hospitably received by Major-General C. M. Hay, who constrained him to remain with him until through the influence of a healthier climate, and abundant comfort, he could be freed from an enlarged spleen, which resulted from the frequent attacks of fever he had sufi'ered on his journeys.
Arriving in England after such a long sojourn in Southern Central Africa, on December 12th, 1856, he was received with open arms by every man in Great Britain who was interested in Africa, or was an admirer of physical endurance and matchless perseverance.
MEMOIR OP LIVINCtSTONE.
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He closed his admirable book ' Missionary Travels in South Africa,' wherein he records his numerous adven- tures, the instruction he derived from his patient observa- tions, with words which reveal his character more fully than anything the present author could write, as follows : —
■ I have not mentioned lialf the favours bestowed, but I may just add that no one has cause for more abumiant gratitude to his fellow-men, and to his Maker, than I have ; and may God grant that the effect on my mind be such that I may be more humbly devoted to the service of the Author of all our mercies !
The London 'Times' of the 11th of December, 1856, contained the following interesting report of Dr. Living- stone's arrival in Europe : —
The Rev. Ur. Livingstone arrived at Marseilles from Tunis on the 6th inst., and was then in good henlth. His left arm is, however, broken, and partly useless, it having been broken by a lion. When he was taken on board lier Majesty's ship Frolic, on the Mozambique coast, he had greatdifticulty in speaking a sentence of English, having disused it • so long while travelling in Africa. He had with him a native from the interior of Africa. Tliis man, when he got to the Mauritius, was so excited with the steamers and various wonders of civilisation, that he went mad, and jumped into the sea and was drowned. Dr. Livingstone lias been absent from England seventeen years. He crossed the great African continent almost in the centre, from west to east; has been where no civilised being has ever been before, and has made many notable di.scoveries of great value. He travelled in the twofold character of missionary and phj'sician, having obtained a medical dijiloma. He is rather a short man, with a pleasing and serious countenance, which betokens the most determined resolution. He continued to wear the caj) which he wore while performing his wonderful travels. On board the (Jandia, in which ho voyaged from Alexandria to Tunis, he was re- markable for his modesty and unassuming manners. He never spoke of his travel.s, except in answer to (lueetions. The injury to h's arm was sustained iti the deH(!rt while travelling with a friendly trilie of Africans. A herd of lions broke into their camp at night, and carried ofl' .some of
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MEMOIR OF LIVINGSTONE.
their cattle. The natives, in their alarm, believed that a neighbouring tribe had bewitched them. Livingstone taunted them with suffering their losses through cowardice, and they then turned out to face and hunt down the enemy. The Doctor shot a lion, which dropped wounded. It afterwards sprang on him and caught him by the arm, and, after wounding two natives who drew it otf him, it fell down dead. The wounded arm was not set properly, and Dr. Livingstone suffered ex- cruciating agony in consequence.
The following sketch of the traveller as he appeared then is so good that I transcribe it from the pages of the ' Nonconformist ' journal : —
A foreign-looking person, plainly and rather carelessly dressed, of middle height, hcmy frame, and Gaelic countenance, with short-cropped hair and mustachios, and generally plain exterior, rises to address the meeting. He appears to be about forty yeais of age. His face is deeply furrowed and pretty well tanned. It indicates a man of quick and keen discernment, strong impulses, inflexible resolution, and habitual self-command. Unanimated, its most characteristic expres- sion is that of severity ; when excited, a varied expression of earnest and benevolent feeling, and remarkable enjoyment of the ludicroiis in circumstances and character passes over it. The meeting rises to wel- come him with deafening cheers. When he speaks, you think him at first to be a Frenchman ; but as he tells you a Scotch anecdote in true Glasgowwegian dialect, you make up your mind that he must be, as his face indicates, a countryman from the north. His command of his mother-tongue being imperfect, he apologises for his broken, hesitating speech, by informing you that he has not spoken your language for nearly sixteen years; and then he tells you, as best a modest yet earnest man can, concerning his travels. In doing this he leaves out all about his personal sufferings, just remarking that he intends to save those anecdotes lor his " garrulous dotage." Much of what he says he has alieady, of course, written in his journals, and of some circum- tances he has before told at other places ; but he is one from whom you could hear the same thing moie than three times. His narrative is not very connected, and his manner is awkward, excepting once, when he justifies his enthusiasm, and once when he graphically describes the Mosiatunya — the great cataract of Central Africa. He ends a speech of natural eloquence and witty simplicity by saying that he has begun
MEMOIR OF LIVINGSTONE.
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his work, aud will carry it on. His broken thanks are drowned by the applause of the audience.
The ' Daily News ' of a later date sums up a glowing eulogy on Livingstone's character as follows : —
Dr. Livingstone is one of the few men wliose words are realities. Tliere is a quiet, curt energy about his statements which irresistibly impresses the hearer with a conviction that he has done what he says, and that lie will do it again when occasion offers. There is a trans- parency in the simplicity of his diction which lets us see the workings* of his mind, as if by some process of intuition. . . . There is true sublimity in Dr. Livingstone's allusion to the immetliate resumption of the arduous task wliich he has been prosecuting for sixteen years, aud is about to return to after an interval of only a few months. " He saw it to be his duty to go, and he was determined to do his duty, whatever others might say about the matter.". . . It was impossible to look round upon those assemblies without feeling a thrill of exultation at the thought tliat, literally, the whole earth is full of our labours — that there is no region in which our industrial enterprise, our skill in arms, our benevolent eagerness to diffuse the blessings of civilisation and pure and true religion, have not been displayed.
The ' Leader ' also in a similar enthusiastic strain con- cludes thus : —
For seventeen years, smitten by more than thirty attacks of fever, endangered by seven attempts u[)on his life, continually exposed to" fatigue, hunger, and the chance of perishing miserably in a wilderness shut out from the knowledge of civilised men, the missionary pursued his way, an ajxjstle and a pioneer, without ftar, without egotism, with- out desire of reward. Such a work, accomplished by such a man, de-' serves all the eulogy that can be bestowed upon it, for nothing is more rare than brilliant and unsiUlicd success.
On December 15th, 1856, the Koyal Geographical So- ciety, then under the able and graceful presidentship of Sir Koderick Murchison, testified their regard and admiration for the perseverance with which he had accom-
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MEMOIK OF LIVINGSTONE.
plished the extraordinary series of geographical explora- tions, with the presentation of the Patron's Gold Medal.
On the 5th of January, 1857, at an enthusiastic meet- ing at the Mansion House of London, a " Livingstone Testimonial Fund " was begun, and before the meeting had terminated, the sum of £450 was subscribed. This purse was subsequently increased, until it reached the sum of one thousand guineas. Scotsmen, proud of their countryman, formed another fund, and in Glasgow and Edinburgh another purse of one thousand guineas was raised. But to repeat all the encomiums lavished on the great traveller subsequent to his return, or to enumerate the many friendships he formed with the most loving and generous, the noblest and best of his countrymen, would be to extend this memoir beyond proper limits.
After a rest of nearly two years in England, he under- took a governmental expedition in 1858, to explore the Zambezi, to extend his previous explorations into the interior, with the view of pioneering the advent of commerce into that part of Africa whence he had returned in 1856. He was at this period in his forty- sixth year. He was accompanied on this expedition by his brother Charles Livingstone (since H.B.M. Consul at Fernando Po, who died in the latter part of October, 1873, while on his way to England, of yellow fever). Dr. John Kirk was the botanist of this expedition, Mi. Francis Skead, K.N., was the surveyor, and Mr. Kichard Thornton was the geologist.
This expedition, the account of which is given in Livingstone's book, ' The Zambezi and its Tributaries,'
MEMOIR OF LIVINGSTONE.
XIX
lasted five years. In the fourth year of his second period of exploration, Mrs. Livingstone, who had followed her husband, died, and was buried on the bank of the Zambezi, at a place called Shupanga.
Of this brave lady and faithful wife Charles Living- stone writes : —
Those who ure not aware how this brave, good, En;j;lish wife made a delightful home at Kolobeng, a thousand miles inland from the Cape, and as the daughter of Mofi'at, and a Christian lady exercised most beneficial influence over the rude tribes of the interior, may wonder that she should have braved the dangers and toils of this down-trodden laud. She knew them all, and in the disinterested and dutiful attempt to renew her labours, was called to her rest instead. Fiat, Domine, voluntas tua.
After journeying through Southern Africa in company with her illustrious husband over upwards of five thousand miles, the remains of this heroic lady lie in serene solitude by the waters of the Zambezi. Around the grave are palm forests and luxuriant tropical vegetation, with the colossal crown of Morambala towering amid clouds and blue ether, as it stands the guardian mount, over those melancholy shades.
This East African or Zambezi Expedition was not so fruitful in discoveries as the journey Livingstone made while travelling alone. But there were many most important results obtained by it. A port was discovered which miglit easily be made available for commerce, when it would direct itself to the Zambezi region. The noble River Zambezi was proved to be navigable for light draught river steamers, as far as the Kebrabassa Ilai)ids. The liiver Shire was explored and Lakes Shirwa and
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MEMOIR OF LIVINGSTONE.
Nyassa were discovered. The Shire is capable of floating paddle-wheeled steamers, drawing three feet of water at all seasons, and Nyassa Lake, whence the Shire flows, is a capacious inland sea with many hundred miles of coast.
Livingstone's experiences on this journey are recorded in his book, published by John Murray, of Albemarle Street, London. It is replete with facts, gathered after patient investigation with African history and geography and much scientific instruction, and is an invaluable guide, for that region bordering on the Mozambique.
In 1863, a despatch was received by Dr. Livingstone from the Home Government, recalling the Expedition, and accordingly the great explorer started down the Zambezi for home.
Upon arriving at the mouth of the Zambezi, Living- stone sailed in the Lady Nyassa for Zanzibar ; thence he left for Bombay on the 16th of April, 1864, navigating the vessel himself. This was no small feat, of crossing 2,500 miles of ocean in a small steamer, for an African explorer ! The vessel was so small that no one noticed his arrival in the harbour, and it was not known that he had arrived until the next day, when he went to ask the harbour-master where his little steamer should lie in port.
It remains for the author of this memoir, as the latest friend of Livingstone, to whom were told certain facts by the traveller himself, when subsequently we met in Central Africa, to disabuse the impression, which I know to exist with many men — -that Livingstone was rich.
The money which the explorer made on the sale of his
MEMOm OF LIVINGSTONE.
xxi
first book, ' Missionary Travels,' was sufiicient to sustain him for life with a modest competence, had it been wisely put out at good interest ; but the instincts and spirit of the explorer prevailed against more worldly wisdom. When he departed on his second period of exploration, under the auspices and in the pay of Government — it is true that the Government equipped a steam launch which Livingstone called the Ma Robert — a Makololo term for Mrs. Livingstone — and subsequently despatched another steamer, called the Pioneer, to him. But the Ma Robert was so defective in her construction, that after a very brief period of negative usefulness, she sank in the Shire river, and the Pioneer drew too much water for active work. The waters of the Eovuma and the Shire were too shallow for such a vessel as the Pioneer, and accord- ingly Livingstone, who had the success of the expedition nearer to his heart than his own pecuniary interests, ordered the construction of the Lady Nijassa, which cost him, personally, the sum of £6,000. Before she was able to prove of much service to him, the expedition was recalled. The Lady Nyassa, on arriving at Bombay, was sold for what she would fetch, which was only £2,000. The entire proceeds of the sale of his steamer were deposited in a banker's hands for safe keeping, but within a short time afterwards the banker became a bankrupt ! Reflective readers may see much in the above to account for the peculiar spirit with which he was accredited in England at that period.
Tlie sura Livingstone derived from the .sale of ' The Zambezi and its Tributaries '—the fruits of five years'
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MEMOIR OF LIVINGSTONE.
labour, did not approach to one-half the sum of £6,000, expended in the purchase of the Lady Nyassa.
On the 20th of July, 1864, he reached London, and again he was received with enthusiasm in his native country. Societies, deputations, and cities tendered the traveller the honours he deserved for his indomitable labours in the cause of geographical science.
Mr. and Mrs. W. F. Webb, of Newstead Abbey, prevailed upon him to accept their hospitalities. The Doctor had become acquainted with Mr. Webb in 1862, while the latter pursued with youthful ardour and a hunter's intincts the large game inhabiting South Central Africa. Both men from that period, mutually respecting each other's good qualities and virtues, became warm friends, and the friendship began in 1852 among the Bakwains of Africa, lasted until Livingstone's death in 1873.
The Doctor always remembered his friends ; he never ceased to speak of those who befriended him when he returned to England from his long explorations, and among the manifold kindnesses and attentions he received none made a greater impression on his memory than those which he received from the master and mistress of Newstead Abbey.
From the month of August, 1864, to April, 1865, Livingstone resided at Newstead. It was here he wrote the second record of his travels, since which time the room he occupied has gone under the name of " Living- stone's room." The outlook from it is that of a soft velvety lawn, where the young laughing grass ever wears its spring-time colouring, of a silvery lake, whose tiny
MEMOIR OF LIVINGSTONE.
XXlll
wavelets sing eternal music to the whispering breeze ; of expanses of pasture land, invested by most lovely- groupings of trees and groves. Often he must have thought as he gazed upon the scene, wearied with the strange toil of literary composition, what a wide contrast existed between that happy and healthy English paradise and the primeval solitudes and fatal atmosphere of Central Africa.
That room, which saw the good man's labours as he penned the sad litany of woes which the children of Africa suffer under, will have an attraction for many generations yet unborn.
In his Preface to his second work, Dr. Livingstone hints at undertaking a third Expedition. He says : —
The Government have supported the proposal of the Royal Geo- graphical Society, made by my friend Sir Eoderick Murcliison, and have united with that body to aid me in another attempt to open Africa to civilisinij influences, and a valued private friend has given a thousand pounds for the same object.
I propose to go inland north of the territory which the Portuguese in Euro|)e claim, and endeavour to commence that system on the East which has been so eminently successful on the West Coast, a .system combining the repressive efforts of H.M. cruisers with lawful trade and Christian missions, the moral and material results of which have been so gratifying.
I hope to ascend the Rovuma or some other river north of Cape Delgado, and in addition to my other work shall strive, by passing along the northern end of Lake Nyassa, and round the southern end of Lake Tanganika, to ascertain the watershed of that part of Africa. In .so doing, I have no wish to unsettle what, with so much toil and danger, was accomplished by Speke and Grant, but rather to confirm their illustrious discoveries.
The above is what Livingstone has written, but with his own lips he supplied to me, among many other things,
xxiv
MEMOIR OF LIVINGSTONE.
the details of how it came about that when nearly fifty- three years old, he shoiild undertake a third Expedition to Central Africa, which was to eclipse everything he had accomplished before.
" One morning,"' said Livingstone, " Sir Roderick Mur- chison visited me while I was stopping a day or two in London and said to me, as well as I can remember, ' My dear Livingstone, your disclosures respecting the interior of Africa have created a profound excitement in the geographical world. We (the Society) are of opinion that we ought to send another Expedition into the heart of Africa to resolve the problem of the watershed between the Nyassa and the Tanganika Lakes ; for when that is settled, all questions about Central Africa will be de- finitely resolved. Whom could you recommend to take charge of it as a proper man ?' "
Livingstone, after reflecting a short time, gave him the
name of . Sir Roderick, when he heard of the name,
was delighted ; he had also thought that should Living- stone himself refuse to go, no better man could be ob- tained. The President of the Royal Geographical Society departed to sound the gentleman whom his friend Living- stone had recommended so strongly. When questioned as to his willingness to undertake the command of this new Expedition, this gentleman at once politely refused upon the grounds that unless he could be guaranteed a sufl&cient rumuneration for his services, he could not think, at his time of life, to undertake anything of the sort unless it was remunerated.
Regarding this gentleman's answer to Sir Roderick's
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proposition from a practical point of view, all sane men will at once recognise the wisdom which guided him in his reply, as it is scarcely fair to expect a man of advanced years to undertake a mission of this nature without ample compensation for exchanging the conveniences of civilized life for the dangers and privations that constantly menace and surround an explorer in Central Africa.
Sir Eoderick then said that the society could not guarantee any pecuniary reward, but he could promise that on his return to England from his exploration he would find himself not neglected. The gentleman, how- ever, declined to proceed to Africa on the strength of a verbal promise of a reward.
In sore distress of mind at this refusal, the enthusiastic geographer returned to Livingstone, and after imparting to the sympathising explorer the negative results of his mission, said to Livingstone : • " Why cannot you go ? Come, let me persuade you ; I am sure you will not refuse an old friend."
The result of Sir Roderick's appeal was, that Living- stone consented to go as soon as possible after the pub- lication of his book on the Zambezi. He had, however, thought that he could have enjoyed a long holiday before departing on another long journey. " Indeed," said he, " I had flattered myself that I had much prospective comfort in store for me in my old days. And pecuniary matters required looking after for the sake of my family ; but since you ask me in that way, I cannot refuse you."
Sir Roderick Murchison replied, out of sincere friend- ship and admiration,
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XXvi MEMOIR OF LIVINGSTONE.
" Never mind about pecuniary matters, my dear Livingstone. It shall be my task to look after that ; you may rest assured your interests shall not be forgotten."*
These little incidents do more than anything else towards revealing the true character of the simple- hearted David Livingstone. They will show how ready he was to sacrifice — for it has been a sacrifice indeed — himself upon the altar of friendship, and before the shrine of science. They will also show what induce- ments were held forth to make him commit himself at the age of fifty-three— an age when most men begin to think they have done enough for fame, science, or friendship — to this last lengthened period of exploration, which, alas ! has ended so unhappily.
Another instance of his self-abnegation I can relate.
Mr. Hayward, the Queen's Counsel, was sent to him by the then Prime Minister, Earl Eussell, to ask what he would like the Grovernment to do for him — if he had any particular views as regarded himself. This referred, of course, as to what honour he coveted for himself ; so that the Government of England might bestow it on him, to show how his services were appreciated. But Living- stone, ever unmindful of himself, said, " If you stop the Portuguese slave trade, you will gratify me beyond measure." Mr. Hayward asked again if anything could be done for himself. "No, he could not think of any-
* In his last letter to Sir Roderick Murchison, which I had the honour to convey to England, Livingstone reminded Sir Roderick of his promise, but Sir Hoderick was dead, and all his estates and property had been bequeathed to his nephew Sir Kenneth.
MEMOIB OF LIVINGSTONE.
XXVH
thing ;" and it was not until Mr. Hayward had departed, that he began to reflect on the very pointed manner the lawyer had spoken to him, and to think he had lost the opportunity to provide for his children, and to give them a proper education.
The money necessary for this Expedition was subscribed
by Mr. J Y , who, for the sake of his friend of
college days, generously furnished him with £1,000. The Government also gave £500, while the Koyal Geographi- cal Society subscribed £500. Besides the generous sum which he placed at Doctor Livingstone's disposal, as he
was about to set out on his Expedition, Mr. J Y
promised that whenever he lacked funds, he, Mr. Y ,
would supply him to any amount, and almost commanded him not to refuse himself anything he wanted, but to
draw at once on him. Mr. Y • has amply fulfilled his
promise ; and during the great traveller's absence has supplied the father to his family. For all his kindness to himself and children, Livingstone's last words about Mr. Y - were " May God in his infinite goodness re- ward him !'' Amen !
Dr. Livingstone left England to set out on his last Ex- pedition on the 14th of August, 1865, accompanied by his daughter Agnes as far as Paris. From Paris he went to Bombay, and there commenced his preparations. Thence he proceeded to Zanzibar, accompanied by two boys he had picked up in the Shire country — Chumah and Wekotani — as well as by a number of men from the Johanna Islands (one of the Comoro Isles), a Sepoy Havildar, a few enlisted Sepoys and some Wasawahili.
c 2
xxvai
MEMOIB OF LIVINGSTONE.
On the 28th of March, 1866, the great explorer and his motley followers crossed over to the mainland, from the island of Zanzibar, and at once started for the interior by way of the Kiver Kovuma. As he journeyed on, letters came from him occasionally, informing the delighted public of his progress, and of the extremely interesting incidents which one would naturally suppose would characterise his march to the interior. But in December of the same year the leader of the Johanna men who had accompanied the Doctor arrived at Zanzibar with a tale which saddened all who heard it — that Dr. Livingstone, the great African traveller, had been murdered on the shores of Lake Nyassa, by a band of the Ma-zitus. The tale bore such an appearance of truth about it that very few people indeed had the slightest idea of doubting it.
As it may be interesting to know what Musa's tale was, the following account from the ' Times of India ' will not be out of place, if published here : —
The hopes raised by the news of the rumoured safety of Dr. Living- stone have speedily been dispelled, and there can no longer be any doubt that he was Idlled by a savage of the Mafite tribe. The nar- rative of the Sepoy belonging to the Marine Battalion (21st Native Infantry) who Ibrmed one of the Doctor's escort, and who arrived from Zanzibar in the Gazelle on the 14th of May, turns out to be altogether inaccurate; and, substantially, the tale told by Musa is proved correct.
The Kadir Shtih, a vessel of war belonging to the Sultan of Zanzibar, at present used as a trader, reached Bombay on the loth of May in cargo; and from information we obtained on board we are enabled to give a more detailed account of the circumstances in connection with the melancholy story of the Doctor's fate than has yet been published. The Nadir mhah left Zanzibar on the forenoon of the 28th of March, so that the news she brings is nearly a month later than that brought
MEMOIR OP LIVINGSTONE.
xxix
by the Gazelle, and three days later than the last despatch received from Zanzibar by the Bombay Government.
Dr. Livingstone took his departure iiom Zanzibar in March, 1866, and was conveyed by her Majesty's ship Penguin to Mikindany, near the mouth of the Rovuma River. 'I"he expedition consisted of Dr. Living- stone and thirty-five men, ten of whom were natives of Johanna, one of the Cornoio Islands, thirteen Africans, and twelve Se[x>ys of the Bombay Marine Battalion. It was thought by Dr. Livinjzstone that these Africans would be of service to him on his journey into the interior. The Africans were formerly slaves, who had been liberated and educated in the Bombay Presidency. There was no other European in the party exce]it the Doctor himself. The beasts taken were— six camels, four buffaloes from Bombay, five asses, and two mules, and among the baggage there were torage, gunpowder, &c. The Ptnguin started from Zanzibar on the 19th of March, 1866, and the men in the Doctor's train and the beasts were taken from Zanzibar in a large dhow, which was towed by the Penguin. In three days the Penguin arrived off the Eovuma River, but, owing to the strong current, the dhow could not be got into the mouth of the stream. The expedition then made for Mikindany Bay, about thirty miles northward of Cape Delgoa, where Dr. Livingstone and his party were successfully landed on the 28th of March.
The Johanna men, who had been engaged for the Doctor's service by Mr. Sundley, the English consul at Johanna, were considered preferable for the service to Zanzibar men. On the march into the interior the Hepoys seem to have suffered much, and Dr. Livingstone thought it neces.siiry to leave them on the route to enable them to return to Zanzibar. In returning they had but little to eat, and ran great risk of .starving. One by one all the Sepoys fell ill, and the sickness that attacked the havildar was fatal, as he died of dysentery. None of the twelve Sepoys who started with the Doctor reached Nyas.sa, and those who survived returned to Zanzibar in August or September. In October last the Johanna men made their appearance in Zanzibar, and presented themselves before Dr. Seward, the British Consul, when for the first time the intelligence was received of the disaster which had befallen Dr. Livingstone. From the accounts of these Johanna men it would .seem that the expedition reached Lake Nyassa in safety and crossed the Lake. They pushed on westward, and in the course of some time reached Goomani, a fishing village on a river. This would appear to have been on the second or third week of August last. The
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MEMOIR OF LIVINGSTONE.
people of Goomani warned Dr. Livingstone that the Mafites, a wander- ing predatory tribe, were out on a plundering expedition, and that it would not be safe to continue the journey. But the dangers thus presented to view were not sufficient to deter a man who had braved so many before ; and, treating the warnings as but of slight moment, he crossed the river in canoes the next morning, with liis baggage and train of followers, in safety. Previously to this time the whole of the baggage animals had perished on the journey from the want of water; and on reaching the further side of the river the baggage had to be carried by the Doctor's men. Being a fast walker. Dr. Livingstone kept some distance in advance of the baggage-encumbered men ; and Musa only, or Musa and a few others of the party, kept up with him. The march had continued some distance, when Dr. Livingstone saw three armed men ahead, and thereupon he called out to Musa, " 'J'he Mafites are out, after all," or some such words as those, and these seem to have been the last he uttered. 'J'he three Mafites were armed with bows and arrows and other weapons, and they immediately com- menced hostilities. Evidently the men must have closed on the Doctor, when, finding matters desperate, he drew his revolver and shot two of his assailants; but while thus disposing of the two, the third managed to get behind Dr. Livingstone, and with one blow from an axe clove in his head. 'I he wound was mortal, but the assassin quickly met his own doom, for a bullet from Musa's musket passed through his body, and the murderer fell dead beside his victim. Musa .«tates that the Doctor died instantly, and that, finding the Mafites were out, he ran back to the baggage jiai ty, and told them that their master had been killed. The baggage was hastily abandoned, and the Johanna men, Musa, and the rest of the party sought safety by a hasty flight, which, according to Musa's story, they continued until suuset, when they' reached a secure hiding-place in the jungle. 'J'hey held a consultation, and it is alleged that Musa prevailed on them to go back to look after the body of their late master, and that on regaining the place where the murder had been perpetrated they found Dr. Livingstone's body lying there. The Doctor's watch bad been carried away, together with his clothes, the only article that remained on the body being the trouser.s. Musa and the men who had accompanied him " scratched " a hole in the ground just deep enough to bury the body in, and there left, in a far remote and unknown spot, the remains of the self-denying and noble man who, all too -soon for his country and for the cause of civilization, but not too soon for him to have earned an enduring fame, found his
MEMOIR OF LIVINGSTONE.
ZXXl
end at the hand of an ignoble savage. The corpses of the three Mafites were lyins; on the spot where they had fallen ; but no nttention was l)aid to them by Musa, who, on searching, could find no memento ot his late master to bring with him to Zanzibar. In making their way to the coast great hardships were experienced by Musa and the other survivors of the party, who were in such a starving condition that they had to live upon the berries the}' could gather by the way, until they fell in with an Arab caravan, which entertained them kindly. They were thus enabled to reach Kilwa, in the territory of the Sultan of Zanzibar. They were here provided with clothes and necessaries, and sent on to Zanzibar, at which place they reported all the circumstances to Dr. Seward, by whom they were closely examined. Dr. Kirk, of Zanzibar, also questioned them carefully, and found that their state- ment of the country through which they alleged they had passed, correctly answered to the leading featiu-cs of the wilds through which Dr. Livingstone had intended to track liis way.
1'he Johanna men were taken to Johanna, and carefully interrogated by the Sultan, as well as by Mr. Sundley, and their answers tallied with Musa's naiTative. The Johanna men asked Mr. Sundley to pay them the nine months' wages due to them for their services with the expedition, and, as they were entitled to what they demanded, the money was paid to them. Some of the men who went away with the expedition, and who were not accounted for as having died, were still missing.
On the 26th of December Dr. Seward left Zanzibar in Her Majesty's ship Wasp, and proceeded to Kllwa, but he was unable to obtain any fresh information, or to gather adilitional details.
Her Majesty's Consul at Zanzibar, Dr. G. E. Seward, a sincere friend of the traveller, who was thus reputed to be lost, communicated to the Foreign Office the in- formation which he received as follows :—
Zanzibar, December 10th, 1866.
My Lord,
I send you the saddest news. Dr. Livingstone in his despatch from Ngomano, informed your Lord.ship that he stood " on the threshold ot the unexplored." Yet, as if that which should betide him had already thrown its shadow, he added :— " I have but little to say of the future."
XSXU MEMOIR OF LIVINGSTONE.
My Lord, if the report of some fugitives from Lis party be truu, tliis brave and good man has " crossed the threshold of the unexplored " — he has confronted the future and will never return. He was slain, so it is alleged, during a sudden and unprovoked encounter with these very Zulus of whom he says, in his despatch, that they had laid waste the country round about liim, and had "swei)t away the food from above and in the ground." Witli an escort reduced to twenty, by desertion, death, and dismissals, he had traversed, as 1 believe, that terra incognita between the conflueiice of tlie Loende and Rovuma Rivers, at Nsjomano, and the eastern or north-eastern littoral of Lake Nvassa; had crossed the lake at some point as yet unascertained; had reached a station named Kompoonda or Mapoonda, on its western (probably its north- western) shore, and was pushing west or north-west, into dangerous ground, when between Marenga and Mukliosowa a band of implacable savages stopped the way, a mixed horde of Zulus, or Mafit« and Nyassa folk. The Nyassa folk were armed with bow and arrow, the Zulus with the traditional shield, broad-bladed sjiears, and axes. With Livingstone there were nine or ten muskets ; his .Johanna ujen were resting with their loads far in the rear.
The Mafite instantly came on to fight ; there was no parley, no avoidance of the combat ; they came on with a rush, with war cries and rattling on their shields their spears. As Livingstone and his party raised their pieces, tlieir onset was for a moment checked, but only for a moment. Livingstone fired, and two Zulus were shot dead (his boys fired too, but their fire was harmless) ; he was in the act of reloading when three Mafite leaped U[ion him through the smoke. There was no resistance— there could be none— and one cruel axe-cut from behind him put him out of life. He fell, and when he fell, his terror-stricken escort fled, hunted by the Mafite. One, at least, of the fugitives escaped ; aud he, the eye-witness, it is who tells the tale— Ali Musa, chief of his escort of porters.
The party had left the western shores of Nyassa about five days. ITiey had started from Kompoonda, on the lake's borders (they left the Havildar of Sepoys there dying of dysentery ; Livingstone had dismissed the other Sepoys of the Rombay 21st, at Mataka), aud had rested at Marenga, where Livingstone was cautioned not to advance. The next station was Mahlivoora; they were traversing a flat country, broken by small hills, and abundantly wooded.
Indeed, the scene of the tragedy so soon to be consummated, would appear to have been an open forest glade. Livingstone, as usual, led
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the way, his nine or ten unpractir.ed musketeers at his heels. All Musa had nearly come up with them, having left his own Johanna men resting with their loads far in the rear. Suddenly he heard Livingstone warn the hoys that the Me-zitus were coming. The boys in turn beckoned Musa to press forward. Musa saw the crowd here and there between the trees.
He had just gained the party and sunk down behind a tree to deliver his own fire, when his leader fell. Musa fled for his life along the path he had come. Meeting his Johanna men, who threw down their loads, and in a body really passed Musa, his escape, and that of his party verges on the marvellous. However, at sunset, they, in great fear, left their forest refuge, and got back to the place where they hoped to find their bag!j;age. It was gone, and then, with increasing dread, they crept to where the slain traveller lay.
Near him, in front, lay the grim Zulus who were killed under his sure aim ; here and there lay scattered some four dead fugitives of the expedition. That one blow had killed him outright, he had no other wound but this teirible gash ; it must have gone— from their description— til rou^ih the neck and spine up to the throat in front, and it had nearly' decapitated him. Death came mercifully in its instant suddenness, for David Livingstone was ever readv.
They found him stripped of his upper clothing, the Ma-zitus had respected hiin when dead. 1'hey dug, with some stakes, a shallow grave, and hid from the stai li^ilit, the .stricken temple of a grand spirit— the body of an apostle, who.se maityrdom should make sacred the shores of tiiat sea which his labours made known to us, and which now, Ijaptized with his life's blood, men should henceforth know as ' Lake Livingstone.'
The Johanna men made the most of their way back to Kompoonda or Mapoonda, not venturing near any village or station. They lost them.scives in the jungle, and were fourteen days on their way. At Kompoonda they witnessed the end ol the Haviidar of Sei)oys, Bombay 2l8t Native Infantry. He alone of all the Indian.s was faithful ; on the threshold ol this Consulate at Zanzibar, he pledged himself at the moment of starting never to forsake his leader — nor did he ; to the last he struggled on, worn with dysentery, but broke down hopt^lessiy on the road to Marenga. A day or two later and he would have shared his leader's fate.
Insubordinate, lazy, impracticable, and useless, Livingstone had dismissed the other Sei)oys at Mataka. Hiid they been faithful like
MEMOm OF LIVINGSTONE.
their Havildar, I should not have had to inscribe a record of this sad happening. Their unfitness for African travel might have been predicated. At Kompoonda the Johanna men were deprived of their weapons by the Chief, who also kept tlie Havildar's. Here they joined an Arab slave-cavavan, re-crossed the Nyassa, and made for Kilwa, the great slave outlet on the Zanzibar coast.
But here again, and where least expected, they encountered the Mafite. They had reached Keepareygree, eiglit days south-west of Kilwa, when the ajipearance of a band of these savages scattered the caravan. Abandoning ivory, slaves — their all — the Arab leaders thought but of saving their lives. The Johanna men again made their escapv?, and reached Kilwa, whence by the kindness of the Customs people they were at once sent on to Zanzibar, They arrived here on the 6th of December.
It will be gratifying to the many and true friends of Dr. Livingstone to learn that when, ou his sad end being known, the British flag was lowered at this Consulate, the French, the American, and Hanseatic flags were at once flown half-mast high, the Consuls paying a six)ntaneous tribute to his memory — an example shortly followed by all the foreign vessels in the harbour. The Sultan's flag was also lowered.
I must reserve other details for a subsequent letter ; but I may state that no papers, effects, or relics of Livingstone are likely to be recovered.
G. Edward Seward.
At first this sad intelligence was believed throughout Europe and America, but the keen strong sense of Sir Eoderick Murchison discovered flaws in the ingenious fabrication of Musa, and by his resolute denial, and utter disbelief, which he lost no time to make public through the ' Times,' he made many converts to his view of Musa's story. Dotibt grew fast in many minds, and doubt finally became conviction. But to establish conviction in the popular mind, Sir Roderick and the Society induced the Government to despatch a boat expedition to the Zambezi, whence an ascent to the
MEMOIR OF LIVINGSTONE.
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Shire and Lake Nyassa, to near the spot where the traveller was reported to be killed, was easy.
Volunteers were called for, and hundreds of resolute men offered their services at once to command the Ex- pedition, out of whom were selected Mr. Edward Daniel Young, a warrant officer in Her Majesty's Navy, and Lieutenant Henry Faulkner of the 17th Lancers.
Mr. Young on taking command of the Search Expedi- tion, requested that a steel boat should be given him, so constructed as to be disconnected into portable sections, whereby the difficulty of passing the Murchison Falls of the Shire might be surmounted by postage overland. This lirst Expedition left England on the 11th of June, 1867, to prosecute the search for Livingstone. In the following letter, Mr. Young reports how he succeeded in his enterprise.
To Sir Rudi rlclc Murchison, Bart., K.C.Ii., &c.
Sib,
I have the honour to lay beforo you a brief outline of the pro- ceedings of the Expedition under my command, sent out to Africa by the Royal Geographical Society, for the purpose of ascertaining the truth or falsehood of the reported death of Dr. Livingstone. 1 ara happy to inform yon that our efforts have been crowned with success, and I have satisfactory evidence that Dr. Livingstone was not murdered by the Mazitu, nor by any other tribe, at the place named by the Johanna men, but had gone on in safety far beyond. I liave also satisfactory evidence that the Johanna men deserted shortly alter leaving Mareiiga, returning by the same route as they had gone.
But I must first be^in the narrative from the time of our landin" at the mouth of the Zambesi. Immediately on landing I succeeded in gettmg a negro crew to take the boats up as far as Sliupanga, where I arrived on the 2nd of August. I at once engaged a fresh crew to go on to Chibisa, and the next day started for Senna. Arrived there on the 6th; found the Portuguese authorities very obliging; made what
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MEMOIR OF LIVINGSTONE.
arrangements were thought necessary, and proceeded on the next day. I learned from the Portuguese that the Mazitu were in full force on the Shire, and were threatening Chibisa, so I arranged with the authorities at Senna to send on to me at Chibisa (should 1 require them) 100 men fearina as the Mizitu were there, I should not be able to "et the Makololo to accompany me.
We arrived at Chibisa on the 17th, and found that the reports about the Mazitu having been there were quite true, and that they had been down in force to the left bank, robbing and burning the houses, murdering some of the people they caught, and taking others prisoners. The Makololo put off in canoes from the opposite bank and shot three of them. Of course I was quite unprepared to meet the Mazitu in this part of the country.
The Makololo, as well as the people who were of the old mission party, received us gladly. 1 requested the Makololo to attend the next morning, which they did, when I acquainted them with the object of my mission. They agreed to accompany me on certain conditions, which 1 agreed to. One was that I should leave some ammunition behind with those that remained, so that should the Mazitu attempt to cross the river below the Cataracts they would be well able to encounter them. After arrangements had been completed, we started on the 19th for the Cataracts; arrived the same day, and at once began takin<: the boat to pieces. Hitherto all had gone on well, but no sooner had we got the boat to jiieces, and everything was ready for the journey over- land, than fresh reports about the Mazitu reached the Makololo, which very much daunted them, and had al.so a tendency to lower our spirits, for without their help we could do nothing, as it was not only their help that we required, but also that of their people, they being the chiefs of the country round about. After a good deal of persuasion the whole atlair was settled to our satisfaction, and on the evening of the liSrd the Makololo appeared in force with about loO men.
We started next morning with the boat, provisions, luggage, &c., making in all 180 loads. The men worked well, and we airived with everything in good order at Pomfunda, above the Cataracts, in four and a half days. The heat during the journey was excessive, even for Africa. We at once commenced rebuilding the boat, and everything appiared to be going on well when fresh reports reached us about tiie Mazitu. We were visited by some of the Ajawa chiefs who had been driven out of their own country, and were obliged to cross the river to Bave themselves from being miudered. There was an encampment,
MEMOm OF LIVrs-GSTONE.
xxxvii
close by the place where we were building the boat, of about 200 Ajawas, the sole survivors of the once powerful people under the chief Joey.
Every day fresh reports reached us, and the JIaki.lolo wanted to return home, which of course I could not consent to. At this place we first heard from a native of a white man having passed through Maponda at the south end of Lake Xyassa. He stated that he had seen him, and gave a description of his dress, &c.
Launched the boat on the 30th, and started up the river next morning. The Makololo not working well, and making every ex- cuse, not being well, &c., thinking perliaps we would turn back. They stated that the risk was too great, that there was little chance of our ever returning, but as they had gone so far they would go on and die with us; of course all was agreed to. As we proceeded on we found vast numbers of Ajawas and Macldnkas on the left bank, living in temporary huts, who had retreated before the overwhelming numbere of ^Slazitii. Reached tlie small lake Pamalombe on the evening of the 5th of !Sej)ti'mber.
During our passage up tiie river heard several rei^rts that a white man a twelvemonth before had stopped at Majwnda for some time, having cro.s.sed from the opjiosite side, and that after resting there some time he had gone on in a westerly direction. I now felt almost con- vinced that it must have been Livingstone, but I almost feared to stop there, for I felt certain had the Makololo been satisfied that it was him they would have gone no further; for my agreement with them was, that as soon as we bad sati.sfactory evidence that the Doctor had gone on in safety, ur that he liad been killed in the way described by the Johanna men, I would return with them immediatc-ly. But now, as it appeared that he had passed over the south end of Nyassa instead of the north, I wanted to find out where he had first struck the lake. The Makololo stated that they were certain that if a white man had been killed, or had died within a month's journey of where we were, we should certainly have heard of it before we got thus far.
The next morning crossed the Pamalombe, but miM not find a l^ssage in to Maponda, owing to the quantity of rushes and grass, and it blowing very hard at the time we made for the river. Here again we met great numbers of natives, who appeared very hostile. They lined the banks with their guns, and demanded that we should come into them. The Makololo appeared very much afraid, .so I laid the boat to, to await the approach of two armed canoes that had shoved off from
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MEMOm OF LIVINGSTONE.
the shore. I soon made matters right with them, and shortly after- wards entered Lake Nyassa, and slept the first night on the Rock Boasuam.
Started the next morning with a fine breeze for the east side of the lake, steering as near as possible for the Arab crossing-place, as laid down by Livingstone. We had not run more than two hours before a heavy gale began to blow, and for three hours we had to run along the coast to try and find shelter, but the rocks and breakers met us at every hand. Tliis proved the finishing stroke to the Makololos' courage who all laid down at the bottom of the boat to die, and although the boat was constantly shi[)ping heavy seas, they refused to bale out the water. The steel boat behaved well, but was far too deep for the stormy Lake Nyassa. At length after tlnee houi's' weary watcliing, we succeeded in finding a sheltered spot where we stopped to dry our clothes. Only one native appeared at this i)lace, who when he saw us first was much frightened ; but as soon as wc stated we were English he willingly came towards us. He told us an Englishman had passed through his village a year ago, and that he had come from the Arab settlement, and had gone south to Maponda. Started again for the former place, but found the distance too great to reach before dark ; ]mt into a small sandy bay, where we found some natives, fishing.
I must here remark that at any place, on first visiting it, no one was allowed by me to get out of the boat, escejit myself, Mr. Faulkner, and the interpreter. I soon got into conversation with these men, when they spoke of a white n-an who had been there, without being asked. They stated that he had first made that place coming from Makata, had stopped nine or ten days to rest, and then went north to the Arab settlement to try and get them to carry him and his party across the lake, but aft<;r waiting there some time he returned, making his way south for Makata. They described his dress, what luggage he had, imitated him taking .sights, and sleeping under a mosquito curtain, and stated that he had a dog with him named Chetane. They said the head-man of the carriers was named Musa ; two of the boys spoke tiic Ajawa and Mananja language, and were named Juma and Wako. They told us what barter goods he traded with ; on being shown an album with ntimbers of likenesses, they at once recognised the one of Livingstone. That there were nine of Musa's countrymen with him, who did not speak either the Ajawa or Mananja language. He did not buy slaves or ivory ; he had come to see tlie country. Besides
MEMOIR OF LIVINGSTONE.
XXXIX
numerous other things that left no doubt on my mind that it was Livingstone.
Next day we arrived at the Arab settlement, where we were re- ceived kindly, and found all that I heard before was quite correct. Livingstone waited at this place nine or ten days for the Arab boat which did not arrive, so he started south again, and they traced him as tar as Maponda. I visited the house Livingstone lived in during his stay, and I purchased a few articles (all English make) that he liad traded with, such as small round looking-glasses, a knife, razor, iron spoons, &c. Of course most of the calicoes, &c., were already worn out, but the chief still possessed an Indian manui'actured scarf tliat Living- stone had presented, to him on leaving. I sent two of tlie most trust- worthy Makololo with my ever faithful interpreter (whom I brought from the Cape) on the road to JIakata to see if that was tlie road he hud come, while we again went south, making short marches inland, to try and find the route the Johanna men took in going back, as they had not visited this place or the last. We obtained ether trifling articles in the shape of barter goods, and while waiting for the return of the Makololo obtained from a chief further south an English Common Prayer Book, wliich he stated had been left behind by the Englishman in the hou.se he had slept at.
On the 13th the searching party returned, having gone two days' march on the road to Makata. Livingstone had come that way. They brought back some glasses, fish-hooks, &c., that he had traded with. They would have gone lurther, but were ill-treated by some of the natives and driven back : their rea&on for so doing, they said, was that the Englishman had brought fighting into the country, for the Mizitu had been killing their people ever since he left.
Sept. 14 <A. — Started for the opposite side of the lake, made for Chinsamba's. Although we started with little or no wind, it again blew a gale before we reached tiie opposite shore. We found that Chinsamba had been killed some time since, and nothing remained of his village. Skeletons now met our eyes in great numbers, whenever we landed along this side. Saw several natives the first day, both Ajawas and Mananja; and those who had not seen the white man further south had heard of him, but not in a single instance was he spoken of as being dead. I wished to learn, by coming over this side, in what direction he had gone after leaving Maponda. We had not cross(-d long when we saw a man who had lielped to carry the Englishman's luggage for two days. He described him :is before. This
xl
MEMOIB OF LIVINGSTONE.
man had been living inland some distance, but had been driven out by the Ajavva. He pointed in a north-westerly direction, and stated it was five days' journey oflf, which, of course, would be very much more from Marenga.
Our progress south was slow, owing to the heavy gales of wind. On our way we met several who had seen the Englishman, and more than one had helped to carry his luggage from \ illage to village, and there was not in all their reports the slightest variation. They were not all from the same place, but they all maintained that he had gone on in a north-westerly direction towards the Loangwa. These natives were full of complaints about their neighbours, and would only have been too ready to inform against each other if Livingstone had come to an un- timely end at either of their hands, and they all maintained that the Mazitu had never been in that part of the country.
Sept. \%th. — Reached Marenga. Seeing the boat ajiproach the shore they lined the beach with their guns, &c. ; but, as soon as we told them we were English, they laid their arms down and welcomed us. I at once asked to see Marenga, when I was conducted up to his house by one of his wives. Marenga rushed towards me, and, seizing me by the hand, shook it heartily, saying, " Where have you come from, and where is your brother that was here last year ?" and as soon as I told him I had come to follow him, he began and told me all he knew of him. He said he had come there fiom Maponda, had stojjped there two days; he was very kind to him, making him presents, &c., and he in return gave him what food he required. Livingstone gave him medi- cine, which was done up in doses; the i)apers he used ibrnied part of a ' Nautical Almanack ' for the year 18G(). He lent Livingstone four canoes to take himself and luggage across the marsh, while the Johanna men carried the remainder round. He had seen him before ; he said he saw him when he was up here with a boat a long time ago. He traced him a month's journey oft', giving the names of the places in the same order as I had previously heard. He was quite willing to give me any guides to go to Maksuro, or where it once was ; but he stated, as I had previously heard, that Maksuro had been driven out and killed by the Ajawa, and his i)eople almost annihilated ; as also had C66mo, two days' journey beyoiid. Marenga stated that the Johanna men returned alter being absent two days. They gave as their reason for returning that they had merely agreed with Livingstone to take his goods as far only as they liked. The head man stilted that he had been in that direction before with him, and had met tho Mazitu, and that they were
MEMOIR OF LIVINGSTONE.
Xli
going no further To prove their independence they passed themselves olf as Arabs. JIarenga gave them food, and they slept there one night, and then set out tor Maponda.
ilarenga is a Babisa, and rules over a populous district ; he made us a present of a bullock and as much native lood for our crew as we re- quired, and he invited us to remain a long time. He has a great number of wives — I and ilr. Faulkner being introduced to forty, who were all sitting round him.
Having satisfied myself thus far, 1 asked him if he thought it possible that Livingstone coukl have died a month's journey off, and he not know it ? He at once said No, and had he dud three months off he should have heard of it ; but as soon as 1 told him I had heard that the Mazitu had killed him not tar distant, he laughed, and said he told me he was going the way to avoid them, and that the Mazitu had never been in that part of the country described b\' the Johanna men.
Marenga then sent tor a man who had gone live days" journey with him, and when he returned the Johanna men had gone back. I had previously heard the .same account from the same man.
The Makoloio now got very impatient to return home, and nothing was talked of day or night but the Mizitn. They stated that they had fulfilled their engagement, but 1 very nmch wished to try and get to the north end of the lake. But they would not listen to it. No induce- ment 1 could offer would persuade them to go; so there was no alter- native but to go round to Ma]>()nda, •j.vt what information I could, and return.
Marenga was full ol complaints about his neighbours, and what he wished for more than anything else was medicine lor his guns, so that if the Ajawas came to tight him his shot would kill some one every time they were fired. We, being satisfied that Livingstone had gone on in safet) , started on the 20th for Maponda, calling at the several places along the coast to gain what information I could ; but all I ob- tained only went to confirm what I had previously heaid.
Arrived at MaiKjuda on the 25fh. 'i'he chief himself was not at home, having gone on a trading e.\i)ediliou, leaving his mother to act during his absence. Immediately on arrival 1 sent a messenger to acquaint her of arrival and my w isli to see her. She 8ix)n came, with a train of followers, bringing us pre-sents of native foot! and beer. She stated that an En>;lishmiin had been there a year before, had stopped three weeks to rest his piirty, and then left for Marenga, stopped there a day or two, and then left to go to the Loaugwa, calling at Maksura,
d
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MEMOIR OF LIVINGSTONE.
Coomo, &c. One of the boys was left behind here, being unable to travel, having very bad feet and le^s, but had now quite recovered and gone with Maponda. She stated that the Englishman had left a paper with him, but that he had taken it with him on the journey. She brought some books belonging to him, one of which had his name on (" Wakitane, from Dr. Wilson, Dec, 1864," &c.), which she allowed me to take. The Johanna men returned this way, stop{ied one day, and proceeded on. She swore, in the presence of us all, that Maponda did not take away their guns, neither did any of the party die there. She stated that the Englishman was great friends with her son, and that if any one had molested him (even Marenga, as strong as he was) lie would have gone to war with him. The old lady laughed at the idea of Livingstone having been killed by the Mazitii. Mr. Faulkner (juestioned her regarding the Havildar. She gave a description of a man with straight black hair, with the top of his head shaved, &c. Mr. Faulkner states it answers the description of the Indian very well. Marenga also told us the same, and I felt convinced had he died there we should have heard it from some of the numbers I questioned on the subject.
I'he Makololo now told me that if I intended going into the lake again, they were not going with me ; and, being entirely dependent on these men, there was no alternative but to return and to get their aid in carrying the boat back. So, having got all the news 1 could at Maponda, I decided on going to Makfita ; but although I offered a large amount for a guide, no one would attempt to cross the river. They stated that Makata had taken to the mountains for fear of the Mazitu, and they were afraid of being cut off.
Started for the Cataracts on the 27th. Found the same state of things alung the river as on coming up. Arrived at the Cataracts on the 2nd of October, and commenced taking the boat to pieces. Mean- while we heard from Chibisa that the road was clear, and that the Mazitu had made Chore, not far from the lower Shire, their headquarters.
Oct. 8th. — Started for (Jhibisa with the boat, luggage, &c.; where we arrived on the 12th. We found the boats safe, and the men left with them in very fair health. Again built the steel boat, and while there n'pau ed the graves of the late missionaries who died there.
22nd. — Started from Chibisa.
26tli. — Arrived at the Rno, stopped and repaired the grave of the late Bishoj) Mackenzie. Arrived at the Kongone on the 11th of November, but on our way down we visited Senna.
MEMOIR OF LIVINGSTONE.
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H.M.S. Bdfoon arrived ou the 2nd of December.
Arrived at the Cape on the evening of the 17th.
Embarked on board the mail-steamer ou the 19th.
In conclusion, 1 must again state that this is but a brief outline of our proceedings. 1 should have liked to have done more by going to the north end of the lake, but was jirevented by circumstances un- foreseen when 1 left England ; for, had the Mazitu not threatened Chibisa, 1 should have had little difBculty in getting the Makololo to accompany me. Under the circumstances, I hope that what has been done will meet with your approval, as well as that of the Royal Geo- graphical Society.
I have the honour to be, Sir, your very obedient servant,
E. D. Young.
The report proves that though Mr. Edward Young did not see Dr. Livingstone, he procured ample and satis- factory evidence that Musa's story was a tissue of the grossest falsehoods, and for his gallant service the Society tendered him unanimously their thanks.
In 1808, letters dated February 1867 from Bemba (Lake Bangweolo), were received from Dr. Livingstone by Sir Eoderick Murchison, which, when read, elicited bursts of enthusiasm from Sir Samuel Baker, and the other geographical associates of the illustrious explorer. In these he stated he had been staying a long time with Mataka, a chief who rules over a division of the Ajawa tribe.
The reasons for his long silence were that he was unable, after leaving the shores of the Nyassa, to despatch letters to England, until his arrival at Bemba in 10' 10' S. lat. 31° 50' long., where he found a party of Zanzibar slave-traders (See ' How I found Livingstone,' Chap. IX., Life in Unyanyembe (continued), Saturday, August 12th, 1871), one of whom was with Speke.
On the 8th July, 1808, Livingstone wrote another
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MEMOIR OF LIVINGSTONE.
letter from uear Lake Bangweolo. The time between these two letters was occupied in convincing himself, by a series of journeys south-west of Lake Tanganika, that the Chambezi River, emptying into Lake Bangweolo, was the same river w-hich flowed into Lake Moero.
On leaving the valley of the Loangwa, which he crossed west of Nyassa, on his way to the Babisa, and to Lunda, he climbed up to a plateau which had an altitude of from three thousand to six thousand feet above sea level, and which extended over an area of about three hundred and fifty miles square. This plateau was generally covered with dense or open forest, was undulating, sometimes cropping up into hills, had a rich soil, and was well watered by streams. East of the plateau were the up- lands of Usango, and the west was bounded by the Kone Mountains. As he advanced north, the streams hitherto emptying themselves into the valley of the Loangwa, changed their course with a general trend towards the north-west, or towards the Chambezi, which he believed — his convictions strengthened by much travel north-west and east — to be the headwaters of the Nile. The river Chambezi henceforth became an object of great interest to him, inasmuch as it ran from a plateau to the eastward, west into Lake Bangweolo, thence to Lake Moero, under different names, and further north it was reported to run into Lake Ulenge, after a course of some five hundred or six hundred miles.
The above is the pith of his geographical discoveries and report on the watershed of the country between Lukes Tanganika and Nyassa, up to July, 1868.
MEMOIR OF LIVINGSTONE.
xlv
On the 30th May, 1869, a letter was received by the British Consul at Zanzibar, from Dr. Livingstone, who was at Ujiji.
This letter complains of the disreputable conduct of the driver of certain buffaloes which were sent to Livingstone, and also requests the Consul to be good enough to send to him at Ujiji thirty pieces of sheeting, forty pieces of blue cloth, and four hundred and twenty pounds of red coral beads, besides a few pairs of shoes. He summarises the work remaining for him to accomplish west of the Tanganika, in the following words : —
As to the work to be done by me, it is ouly to connect tlie :;oiirces which 1 have discovered from five hundred to .seven hundred miles south of Speke and Baker's with their Nile. The volume of water which flows north from lat. 12" S. is so large, I suspect that I have been working at the sources of the Congo as well as those of the Nile 1 have to go down the eastern line of drainage to Baker's turning-point. Tanganika, Nzige Chowambe (Baker's V) are one water, and the head of it is three hundred miles south of this. The western and central lines of drainage converge into an uuvisited lake west or south-west of this. The outflow of this, whether to the Cuugo or the Nile, I have to as- certain. The people west of this, called Manyeuia, are cannibals, if Arabs speak truly. I may have to go there flrst, and down Tanganika, if I come out uneaten, and find my new ssquad from Zanzibar. I earnestly hope that you will do what you can to help me with the goods and men. £400, to be sent by Mr. Young, must surely have come to you through Fleming and Co.'
Sir Roderick, remarking upon this letter after it was read to the Geographical Society, said, " If Livingstone should he supplied with carriers and provisions, he will, I doubt not, follow these waters, and thus being led on perhaps to the C(mgo, we may be once more subjected to a long and anxious period of suspense."
xlvi
MEMOIR OP LIVINGSTONE.
The letter of the 30th May, 1869, was the last received in Europe direct from Dr. Livingstone, until the autumn of 1872.
In his address of Nov. 8th, 1869, Sir Eoderick Murchi- son, the ever staunch and enduring friend of Dr. Living- stone, says : —
In his wonderful labours Livingstone has not merely been the Cliristian Missionary and Geographical Explorer. He was also ac- credited as Her Majesty's Consul to all the native states in the interior. (See the ' Gazette ' of March 24th, 1865, p. 1676.) Such being the public mission with which the great traveller was entrusted, let us now confidently believe that Her Majesty's Government will authorize, on his return, the grant of a suitable pension to the man whose labours have shed so much renown on Britain, and that our gracious Sovereign, who has, 1 know, taken the deepest interest in his career, will reward him with some appropriate tokeii of lier goodwill.
Every now and then driblets of news came from Zanzibar, but they were merely vague echoes of Arab opinions and reports, all of which, however, described him to be somewhere west of Tanganika in a state of utter destitution. Few people remained in the belief that Livingstone was alive, despite the publication of his letters of 1867-68-69; nay, the firm belief among the largest number was that the illustrious man had passed the threshold of the unexplored, thjit bourn whence no traveller returns.
To resolve all doubts and anxieties respecting the fate of Dr. Livingstone, Mr. James Gordon Bennett, junr. (son of the then James Gordon Bennett, sen., proprietor of the 'New York Herald,' a daily newspaper published in the city of New York), commissioned the author of this memoir, then pursuing his avocations of Special War
MEMOIR OF LIVINGSTONE. xlvii
Correspondent in Spain, to equip an expedition for the search and relief of Dr. Livingstone.
My instructions were not to regard expense, to draw whatever sums of money were necessary for the prosecu- tion of the search, and a sufficiency for his relief, until he could communicate with his friends.
A condensed diary of my travels from the date of my instructions will serve to make this brief memoir connected.
IGth October, 1869 . Received my instructions at Paris. 16th November , , . Arrive at Port Said to witness the opening of the Suez Canal.
16th December , , . Arrive at Philae, and interview Mr. Higgin-
bothara, of Sir Samuel White Baker's Expedition.
|
16th January, 1870 . |
Arrive at Jerusalem. |
|
|
16 th February , , . |
> > |
Constantinople. |
|
16th March , , . |
the Crimea. |
|
|
16th April , , . |
9 > |
Bakou, on the Caspian Sea. |
|
6th May , , . |
9 » |
Teheran, Persia. |
|
1st J une , , |
» 1 |
Ispahan , , |
|
16th June , , . |
> > |
Bushirc , , |
|
13th July , , . |
Muscat, Arabia. |
|
|
12th ,, ,, . |
> > |
Bombay, India. |
|
12th October , , . |
Leave |
|
|
19th November , , . |
Arrive at Mauritius, Indian Ocean. |
|
|
31st , , > > • |
Mahd Seychelles. |
|
|
6th January, 1871 . |
> > |
Zanzibar, East Coast of Africa. |
|
6th February , , |
Bagamoyo — Africa. |
|
|
18th ,, ,, . |
First caravan departs for the interior. |
|
|
21st ,, . |
Second |
9 9 9 9 |
|
25th ,, ,, . |
Third |
9 9 9 9 |
|
11th March , , . |
Fourth |
9 9 9 9 |
|
21st ,, ,, . |
Fifth and last , , , , |
|
|
23rd June , , |
Search Expedition arrives at Unyanyembe. |
|
|
4th August , , |
, , fight with Mirambo, King of Uyoweh. |
|
|
8th ,, ,, . |
, , returns to Unyanyembe. |
I
xlviii
MEMOm OF LIVINGSTONE.
Search Expedition Departs for Ujiji.
» ) Hears of a white man being
at Ujiji.
, , Discover Livingstone at
Ujiji, on Lake Tan- ganika.
I > Livingstone and self set out
to explore north end of Lake Tanganika. Livingstone and self return to Ujiji. Livingstone and self depart from Ujiji south to L^rimba.
Livingstone and self arrive at Mwaru Ukonongo.
Livingstone and self arrive at Unyanyembe,
having journeyed 750 miles together. Livingstone and self part. Search Expedition arrives at Zanzibar. Doctor Livingstone's des{)atches are delivered at the Foreign Office, for which Viscount Enfield gives a receipt in the name of Earl Granville.
The letter wherein the explorer relates best his an- noyances, his hopes, his fears, his joys, and his sorrows, is addressed to his old friend Sir Roderick Murchison, who, a few days before the author discovered Livingstone at Ujiji, died of an attack of paralysis. Extracts only may be published here. All those who desire to penetrate to the bottom the causes which lead to his long detention, which has finally culminated in his lamented death, may read these plainly written sentences to advantage.
Unyanyembe, March 13, 1872.
My Dear Sib Kodekick,
***••♦*»
I have wrritten you a long account of the worry, thwarting, and bafiBing I have endured in trying to work my way through the cannibal
20th September, 1871 4th November , , .
10th
11th December , , 27th ,, ,,
31st January, 1872
18th February , ,
14th March , , 7th May 1st August
MEMOIK OF LIVINGSTONE.
xlix
Manyuema down the central line of drainage — Webb's Lualaba ; but it is not worth sending now. I got one letter from you in February, 1870, the first I received from you since one dated 13th March, 1866, but I could not doubt that you had written oftener. The loss of your letters has left me very much in the dark. I did not know that I had a penny of income till Mr. Stanley came, and brought a mail he seized for me here, after it had been fourteen months on the way, and in it I saw the Royal Geographical Society's Report stated that 3,500Z. had been received for the East African Expedition, which I ventured to suppose means mine. [This is an error ; no such sum was ever given. — Author.'] I don't know where that money is, or if it really is for me ; I wish to give my children a little, but I have to ask the Messrs. Coutts to inquire of you about it. I have been trusting to part of the price of my little steamer at Bombay, and determined, pay or no pay, to finish my work if 1 live. The want of letters was bad ; the want of goods was worse, and the only supplies that I virtually received were part of a stock I paid ibr, and, with Dr. Seward, sent off from Zanzibar, in 1866, to be placed in depot in Ujiji. They were plundered by the governor here, but I got a share ; and it was a part of this share that 1 took the precaution to reserve at Ujiji in case of extreme need, and found on my return lately. Rut for this I should have been in beggary ;
for a lot of goods sent oft' by , through a Banian slave-trader, called
Ludha Daniji, were all sold oft' at Ujiji by the drunken half-caste tailor, Shereef, to whom they were entrusted. Jle must have reported' that he had delivered all, for the statement was made in the House of Lords that all my wants had been supplied. He divined on the Koran, and found that I was dead, and then invested all in slaves and ivory foi himself. There being no law except that of the gun or dagger, I had to wait in misery till Mr. Stanley came and proved himself truly the good Samaritan.
Another lot of goods was entrusted to Ludha again, and he to slaves
again with two free head-men who were thieves. Mr. wrote on
the 19th October, 1870, that they were all ready to leave, all impedi- ments had been removed, and he remarked rather pleasantly " that they were not perfect, but had exjire-ssed willingness to go ;" and then they lay at Bagamoio three and a half months, and no one looked near them. Near the end of February they heard that the consul was coming, and started ofl' two days before his arrival, not to look after them, but to look after the wild beasts along the Ujiji road, and show them to the captain of a man-of-war. Here they lofiised to go
1
MEMOIR OF LIVINGSTONE.
with Mr. Stanley to Ujiji, because of a war which did not prevent him from going, nor him and me from coming, though it is still going on. I seized what remained of the goods after the slaves had feasted sixteen months. On the 18th ultimo one of the head-men died of small-pox ; the other non-perfect head-man, besides running riot on my goods, broke the lock and key of Mr. Stanley's store, and plundered his goods too.
Traders get their goods safely by the same carriers we employ ; but all our slaves are deeply imbued with the idea that they are not to follow, but force me back. My expedition is looked on with disfavour by all the Banians, who are really and truly the great slave-traders of tlie country. But for the goods, guns, ammunition, advanced by the Banians, no Arab who travels could go inland to slave. It is by their money tliat the slave-trade is carried on. The wretched governor here — the same who plundered Burton and Speke pretty freely — is their trade-agent ; but simple people call him the " great Sheikh Syde ben Salem," &c. All my letters disappeared here. My sketches, maps, astronomical observations, &c., sent before cholera began, were never heard of beyond this. When Shereef sold off all my stores, except a few pounds of worthless beads, a little coffee and sugar, the governor wrote to me that he had no hand in it. I never said he had. I suppose that the Banians did not sit down and instruct their slaves to rob and baffle me ; a mere hint would be sufficient, and then, when they reached me, they swore tliat the Consul told them not to go with me — and he had paid them more than double freemen's pay. Had they been with me and mutinied, I should have blamed myself as partly the cause, from want of tact or something ; but after they had been paid and fed for sixteen months, it was mortifying to find myself virtually without men. I have lost two full years of time, being burdened by one thousand eight hundred miles of extra tramp, and how much waste of money 1 cannot say, all through the matter of supplies and men being unwittingly committed to slave-dealing Banians and slaves. Mr. Webb sent nine packets and packages in the eleven months of his (Stanley's) trip. 'I'he sixteen months that elajised from my last mail of November, 1870, included those eleven months, but Mr. Webb's messengers were not allowed to lie feasting at Bagamoio, in sight of the consulate, for three and a hall' months, as mine were. Nor were the Banian low
cunning and duplicity instilled into their minds. may probably
be able to explain it all.
MEMOIR OF LIVINGSTONE.
li
Now I am all right. I have abundant sup[)lies of all I need to finish
my work. Some I seized from 's slaves, and Mr. Stanley gave me
more ; so I am thankful to say that I am now better off than when I got a share of what I sent ofi" in 1866. I feel quite exhilarated by the prospect of starting back as soon as Mr. Stanley can send me fifty free men from the coast. Don't imagine, from my somewhat doleful tone, that I am trying to excite commiseration and pity. When Zanzibar failed me so miserably, I sat down at Ujiji ouly till I should become strong, and then work my way down to Mteza. I am now strong and well and thankful, and wish only to be let alone, to finish by the re- discovery of the ancient fountains. In 's letter he talks hazily
about Tanganyika and my going home from being tired, and the work being finished by another. You remember that I recommended him for the task, and he would not accept it from you without a good salary, and some thing lo fall back on afterwards. 1 went un- .salaried ; the sole hope I had was tiie statement in yours of Match 13, 1866 : " Do your work, and leave pecuniary matters to Young and me." I have been tired often, and began again. 1 have done it all on foot, except eight day.s' illness with pneumonia and the trip down Tanganyika. I could never bear the scorn tlie Portuguese endure in being carried when quite well. I am sorry to have to complain of any one; but the loss of time, useless tramps, and waste of money, are tmly no faults of
mine. Jf you share in 's idea that 1 must have been all this time
trying if Tanganyika communicated with Albert Nyanza, I regret the destruction of my sketch maps and astronomical observations ; but in a former case an imperfect sketch map was made the means of fleecing me, and in the lost maps 1 did my duty notwithstanding.
Tanganyika is of no importance in connection with the Nile, except in a very remote degree. Tlie interesting and great valley lies altogether west of it. In that valley there are five great lakes and three large rivers — Bangweolo, Moero, Kamolondo, Lake Lincoln and another, which the slaves forced me to leave as the Unknown Lake. The large rivers — Bartle Frere's, otherwise Lufira ; Webb's Lualaba — the central line of drainage ; then Sir FarafBn Young's Lualaba,' with its name further down Lomame— all go into the central Webb's Lualaba ; Hartic Frere's through Lake Kamolondo ; Young's (I have been nbliged to knight him t(j distinguish him from our friend the man-of-war's man) Liiahiba through Lake Lincoln, and, as Lomame into Webb's, and four or five days beyond the confluence into the Unknown Lake, which, • Sir Paraffin Young is .-» facetious term applied by Dr. LivingHtone to Mr. James Young of Kelley, the inventor of paraffine.
lii
MEMOm OF LIVINGSTONE.
from the great westing I made, some 5° W. of Ujiji, must be part of Petherick's branch. This is the interesting field. The correlation of the structure and economy of the watershed with these great lakes and lacustrine rivers is the theme of my prize. When you heard that the sources were further south than any one dreamed, in the exuberance of
your kindly heart you were going to award something to B , F ,
and A , for having dreamed about it. You had no idea that the
watershed was seven hundred miles long and the fountains innumerable. I smiled, of course good naturedly, to think that you would need to divide the seven hundred miles among the three, and thereby show a great physiological discovery by your friends — the division of labour in dreaming. I am much more savage now than you, and any one who competes after I have given my own explanation will be ordered out for instant execution without benefit of clergy. I doubt if there is an Ujiper Nile basin. I found it a gradual slope from the sources down, and I reached the altitude ascribed to Gondokoro. Mr. Stanley will tell you about what he saw of Tanganyika. I declined to examine it in 1869 because Ujijians wished to mulct me of the few goods I had, and there was no inducement to spend all in patching up Burton's failure rather than work out the great main line of drainage from the watershed.
I earnestly hope that you will be so far recovered when this reaches you as to live in comfort, though not in the untiring activity of your earlier years. The news of our dear Lady Murchison's departure filled me with sincere sorrow. Had I known that she kindly remembered me in her prayers it would have been a source of great encouragement. I often thought that Admiral Washington and Admiral Beaufort looked down from their abodes of bliss, to which she has gone, with approba- tion. Sir Francis's words to the Arctic explorers, that they " were going on discovery and not on survey," have been a guide to me, and I am in hopes that, in addition to discovery, my disclosures may lead to the snppiessiun of the Kast Coast Slave Trade by Batn'an British subjects. If the good Lord of all grants me this, I shall never irrudge the toil, time, and trouble 1 have endured. I pray that His blessing may descend on you according to your need, and am, &c.
(Signed) David Livingstone.
P.S, — Mr. Stanley will be at the Langham Place Hotel when tliis reaches you; attentions to him and James Gordon Bennett will gratify me. Agnes will keep my London box and my Journal, which I send home, sealed, by Mr Stanley. D. L.
MEMOIB OF LIVINGSTONE.
liii
The account of the Search and Relief Expedition, de- spatched by the proprietor of the ' New York Herald,' is given in the following book, ' How I found Livingstone.'
On arriving at Zanzibar from the successful search after the traveller. May 7, 1872, 1 despatched to Dr. Livingstone as per request a force of fifty-seven men, who were destined to convey his supplies from Unyanyembe westward until he should have resolved the problem to his satisfaction whether the Lualaba was the Nile River or the Congo.
The following are their names : —
1. Chowpereh.
2. Sarmean.
3. Tabimt.
4. Amanvu.
5. tsunguru.
6. Msa.
7. Hassani.
8. Bclali.
9. Khamisi.
10. Rqjah.
11. Tmijiki.
12. Twakali.
13. Kliatib.
14. Shumari.
15. Ilussani.
16. Tom.
17. Chunda.
18. Farjalla.
19. Mahruki (^Burton).
20. Ulimenyo.
21. Zauli.
22. Maganod.
23. Mukudum.
24. Bukhet.
25. Baraka.
26. Ilamadi (gtiide).
27. Makawa.
28. Sunguru (^Stanley).
29. Jumah.
30. Sheban.
31. Moeni Falumi,
32. Resasi.
33. Khamseen.
34. Mabraki (Speke).
35. Khamisi (^Stanley').
36. Undi Man wa Sera (^Leader).
37. Majvara (_Bot/).
38. Ferousi.
39. Ramadan.
40. Fernhan.
41. Mdamungu.
42. Muriko.
43. Pangawassi.
44. Hamadi Swadi.
45. Khamisi.
46. Mabruk (Stanley).
47. Salina.
48. Car V' IS Ferrar (Nassick Boy),
49. <7oAh Wainwright (Nassick
Boy).
50. Richard Rutton (Nassick
Boy).
51. Matthew Wellington (Nassick
Boy.
52. Benjamin Rutton (Nassick
Boy).
53. Jacoft Wainwright (Nassick
Boy).
54. Mvaltm.
55. Hamadi (Stanley).
56. Mubniki ( Unyanye^nbe).
57. Uojab the Little.
liv
MEMOIR OF LIVINGSTONE.
The people whose names are mentioned in the above list arrived at Unyauyembe about the middle of July, 1872, having conducted themselves remarkably well, and having performed their contract faithfully during the journey from Zanzibar to Unyanyembe. The leader of the men, Uledi Manwa Sera, who had accompanied Speke and Grant, and subsequently performed faithful service to the ' Herald ' Expedition, vsras chosen by me for his good sense, and was highly recommended to Livingstone.
But there remained at Unyanyembe with Livingstone, during my journey to Zanzibar after parting from him, his own faithful souls who had followed his fortunes from March, 1866 to 1873, and had accompanied him during journeys— with extraordinary fidelity — which measured in the aggregate over eight thousand miles. As everything now connected with poor Livingstone has a melancholy interest, the names of these faithful people should not be forgotten ; they are
1. Susi (chief, and confidential servant).
2. Chumali (second leader) from Nassick School.
3. Hamoydah, released from slavery on the Zambezi.
4. Edward Gardner, from Nassick School.
5. Haliniali, cook, and wife of Hamoydah. .
On the 2nd August, 1872, Livingstone properly equipped with an Expedition numbering about eighty souls, in- clusive of his own people and the fifty-seven despatched to him by myself, with stores sufficient to last him three years, left Unyanyembe for Lunda, in a south-south- westerly direction. A glance at the map accompanying this volume will indicate the route he would naturally
MEMOIR OF LIVINGSTONE.
Iv
follow as far as Mpokwa on the borders of Ufipa. Each camping-place is plainly marked out, and located. Beyond Mpokwa is new ground to European travellers, but Arab information has enabled us to trace his sub- sequent footsteps through Ufipa, ITemba, or Wemba, Liemba, Marungu, and thence to Lunda and Lake Bang- weolo. Which way he travelled beyond Lake Bangweolo is left to conjecture for the present.
In January, 1872, a circular was issued by the Eoyal Geographical Society, inviting subscriptions from the British public, in order that they might make a deter- mined effort to Find and Believe Livingstone. This society, of which Livingstone was an associate, subscribed the sum of £500. The interest the public entertained in respect to Livingstone was signally manifested on this occasion by the munificent sums which were in a very short time subscribed.
The sums received by the society, inclusive of its own grant of £500, amounted to £4,889 Is. 5d., to which was promised an additional sum of £296 3s. Od. The balance of a Government grant of £1,000 granted by Lord Claren- don in 1870, amounting to £557 7s. IQd., was also transferred to the Belief Fund, and a half-year's interest on £2,500 Exchequer Bills, amounting to £30 10s. lOd., swelled the total to the magnificent amount of £5,770 3s. Id.
On the strength of this fund collected by the Geogra- phical Society for the search and relief of their illustrious associate, an Expedition was equipped, and despatched at uhort notice on the 7th of February, 1872, under the com-
Ivi
MEMOIR OF LIVINGSTONE.
maud of Lieut. Llewellyu Dawson, Lieut. "William Henn, and W. Oswell Livingstone, son of the traveller.
In the concluding chapters of ' How I found Living- stone,' I have related how this Expedition, arriving at Zanzibar after the purchase at considerable outlay of the goods necessary for the Expedition, withdrew from the mission they had undertaken to accomplish.
Out of the Belief Fund was expended for outfit, passage money, instruments, maps, presents for native chiefs, advertising, stationary, stamps, &c., sundry small charges, pay of natives employed at Zanzibar, pay of natives and goods supplied for the Native Eelief Expedition, despatched by the author on his return from Livingstone ; miscel- laneous expenses at Zanzibar, loss on sale of goods, on the disbanding of the Dawson Expedition ; passages to Eng- land of the leaders, the sum of £2,671 15s. lid., of which sum £2,359 6s. Qd. was made by the return of the Dawson Expedition — a dead loss to the Society's fund for the relief of Dr. Livingstone.
The balance then remaining in the hands of the Society amounted to £3,175 16s. 6d. How to employ this for the benefit of the traveller was an anxious qiiestion to the Eoyal Geographical Society. Some proposed that the money should be placed in the bank to draw interest, for the benefit of Livingstone's family. Others, composing the majority, proposed that a second Expedition should be equipped for the finding and relief of Livingstone, which was accordingly done, though now it appears, considering the melancholy history of this Expedition, as if it might have been the wiser course to have adopted the firat
MEMOIR OF LrV'INGSTONE.
Ivii
suggestion. However, there is no blame attached to the trustees of the fund, for it may be assumed that they thought themselves acting for the best.
The second Belief Expedition, under the command of Lieut. Lovett Cameron, R.N., Lieut. Cecil Murphy, R.A., Dr. W. E. Dillon, R.N. — to whom was shortly attached as a junior member and assistant Robert Moffatt, nephew of Livingstone — arrived at Zanzibar, under the auspices of Sir Bartle Frere, on the 9th of February, 1873.
These young gentlemen were fully equipped with from two to four years' supplies ; and it was reported by the Society to be the best equipped expedition which ever left Zanzibar for the purpose of exploration.
During the early part of April the advance caravan departed from Bagamoyo for the interior. News of its advance was received regularly, and everything promised well for a time ; but in May news was received of the death of young Moffatt near a place called Simbo. (See ' How I found Livingstone,' chap, v.)
The remaining members of the Expedition arrived in Unyanyembe about the middle of September, only to hear shortly after the sad, sad account of Livingstone's death from the lips of the faithful Chumah, who, with a select party of men, had hurried forward to Unyanyembe in advance of the main portion of Livingstone's Expedition, that he might transmit the intoUigonce of the mournful event by first caravan proceeding to Zanzibar.
Close upon the footsteps of Chumah came the solemn funeral procession which had borne the body of the illus- trious traveller many hundreds of miles, through the
Iviii
MEMOm OF LIVINGSTONE.
many tribes that dwell between Bangweolo and TJnyan- yembe.
After but a short stay at Unyanyembe the Expedition continued their return march to Zanzibar under the charge of Dr. W. E. Dillon and Lieut. Cecil Murphy, while Lieut. Cameron is reported to have continued his march to Ujiji for the purpose of securing a box of papers deposited with Moeni-Kheri by Livingstone.
Soon after the return march had begun towards the coast, Dr. Dillon, rendered delirious by his sufferings from fever, and afflicted with blindness, committed suicide.
The following compose the most circumstantial details received up to the beginning of April, 1874 : —
Suez, Sunday.
The body of Dr. Livingstone, arrived per Malwa, left this morning for England, via the Canal. Dr. Livingstone died on the 4th of May, at Muilala, in the kingdom of Bisa, of dysentery, after five days' march through the marshy coimtry. The body, which was escorted by Lieutenant Murphy to the coast, left Zanzibar on the 12th inst., in charge of Arthur Laing, who proceeds via Briudisi with his papers and eflects. The body will go to Southampton, attended by Jacob, Dr. Livingstone's servant. The body was disemboweled and embalmed by a native, and was put on a bush to dry. Twelve days afterwards it was placed in two coftins.
The following is the copy of a telegram forwarded to the London oflBce of the ' New York Herald ' : —
" The Malwa arrived off Suez at eleven on Saturday night, having Mr. Arthur Laing and Jacob Wainwright aboard, with the body of Dr. Livingstone. He had been ill with chronic dysentery for several months piist. Although well supplied with stores and medicines, he seeuiS to have had a presentiment that the attack would prove fatal. He rode a donkey, but was subsequently caiTicd, and thus arrived at Muilala beyond Lake Bt-mba, in Bisa country, when he siiid, ' Build me a hut to die in.' The hut was built by his followers, who first made him a bed. He suffered greatly, groaning day and night. On
MEMOm OF LIVINGSTONE.
lix
the third day he said, ' I am very cold ; put more grass over the hut.' His followers did not speak or go near him. Kitumbo,* Chief of Bisa, sent flour and beans, and behaved well to the party. On the fourth day Livingstone became insensible, aud died about midnight. Majwara, his servant, was present. His last entry in the diary was on April 27tb. He spoke much and sadly of his home and femily. When first seized he told his followers he intended to exchange everything for ivory, to give to them, and to push on to Ujiji and Zanzibar, and try to reach England. On the day of his death his followers consulted what to do. They determined to preserve the remains. They were afraid to in- form the chief of Livingstone's death. The servants removed the body to another hut, around which they built a high fence, to insure privacy. They opened the body and removed the internals, which were fjlaced in a tin bo.\ and buried inside the fence, under a large tree. Jacob Wainwright cut an in.scription on the tree as follows : — ' Dr. Livingstone died on May 4th, 1873,' and superscribed the name of the head-man, Susi. Tlie body was preserved in salt, and dried in the sun for twelve days. Kitumbo was then informed of the death, and beat drum and fired as a token of respect, and allowed the followers to remove the body, which was placed in a coflSn formed of bark, then journeyed to Unyanyembe about six Tuonths, sending an advance party with information, addressed to I^ivingstone's son, which met Cameron. The latter sent back bales of cloth and powder. The body arrived at Unyanyembe ten days alter a<lvance party, and rested there a fortnight. Cameron, Murphy, and Dillon together there, latter very ill — blind, and mind affected, suicided at Kasagera, buried there.
" Here Livingstone's remains wei* put in anothi'r bark case, smaller, done up in a bale to deceive natives, who objected to the passage of the corpse, which was thus carried to Zanzibar, Livingstone's clothing, papers, and instruments accompanying tlie body. When ill Living- stone prayed much. At Muilala he said ' I am going home.' Chumah remains at Zanzibar.
"Mr. Webb, American Consul at Zanzibar, is on his way home, and has letters handed to him by Murphy from Livingstone, for Stanley, which he will deliver personally only.
"Geographical news follows. After Stanley's departure the doctor left Unyanyembe, rounded the south end of Lake Tangauika, and
Kitumbo is another way of gpvUiug the Chiliinbwa of Dr. I.ivingiitoiie.
0 2
Ix
MEMOIR OF LIVINGSTONE.
travelled south of Lake Bemba or Bangweolo, crossed it south to north, then along east side, returning north through Marungu to Muilala. All papers sealed and addressed to Secretary of State, are in charge of Arthur Laing, a British merchant, from Zanzibar."
Majwara, who seems according to the above report to have attended Livingstone during his last hours, is a boy about sixteen years old, and a native of Uganda. I ob- tained him from an Arab caravan while he was afflicted with a sore disease. He accompanied me to Ujiji, when Livingstone's medical knowledge, with the aid of some of my medicines, soon cured him.
When about to despatch the second Eelief Expedition to Unyanyembe, Majwara voluntarily offered to return to Livingstone, and he was accordingly sent to him in the capacity of personal attendant, gun and over-coat bearer. It appears that the boy Majwara has faithfully performed his duties to his master, and had become a favourite, for he was the only one permitted to hear the last sighs of the dying explorer.
Livingstone's description of the place near which he breathed his last on the 4th of May, 1873, cannot be better given than in his own words in his letter to the ' Herald.'
At a spot some eighty miles S.W. of the south end of Tanganika siauds tlie stockaded village of the chief Chitimbwa. A war had ci>ninienced between a party of Arabs numbering six hundred guns and the chief of the district situated west of Chitimbwa while I was at the south end of tlie lake. The Ai-abs hearing that an Englishman was in the country, naturally inquired where he was ; and the natives, fearing that mischief was intended, denied ]x)sitively that they had ever seen him. 'I'hey then strongly advised me to take refuge on an inhabited island ; but not explaining their reasons, I am sorry to think tlial 1 suspected them ol a design to make lue a prisoner, which
ilEMOlB OF LIVINGSTONE.
Ixi
they could easily have done by removing the canoes — the island being a mile from the land. They afterwards told me how nicely they had cheated the Arabs and saved me from harm. The end of the lake is in a deep cup-shaped cavity, witli .sides running sheer down at some parts 2,000 feet into the water. The rocks, of red clay schist, crop out among the sylvan vegetation, and here and there pretty cascades leap down the precipices, forming a landscape of surpassing beauty. Herds of elephants, buffaloes, and antelopes enliven the scene, and, with the stocka<led villages embowered in jialms along the shores of the peaceful water, realise the idea of Xenophon's Paradise. When about to leave the village of Mbette, or Fambette, down there, and climb up the sleep path by which we had descended, the wife of the chief came forward and .said to her husband and the crowd looking at us packing up our things, " Why do you allow this man to go away? He will certainly fall into the hands of the Mazitu (here called Batuba) and you know it and are silent." On inquiry it appeared certain that these marauders were then actually jilunderiug the villages up above the precipices at the foot of which we sat. We wailed six days, and the villagers kept watch on an ant-hill outside the stockade, all the time looking up for the enemy. When we did at last ascend we saw the well-known lines of march of the Mazitu — straight as arrows through the co\nitry, without any regard to the native paths ; and in the details of their plundering, for in this case there was no blood.sliL'd, we found that the really benevolent lady had po.sse.ssed accurate informa- tion. On going thence round the end of the lake, we came to the village of Karambo, at the confiuence of a large river, and the head man refused us a passage across. " Because," said he, " the Arabs have been fighting with the people west of us; and two of their people have since been killed, though only in search of ivory. You wisli to go round by the west ol' the lake, and the people may suppose that you are Arabs ; and 1 dare not allow you to run the risk of being killed by mistake." On seeming to disbelieve, Karambo drew his finger across his throat, and said " If at any time you iliscover that I have spoken falsely, 1 give you leave to cut my thioat." That same afternoon two Arab slaves came to the village in search of ivory, and confirmed every word Karambo had spoken. Having previously been much plagued by fever, and witliout a particle of medicine, it may have been the irrita- bility produced by that disease that made me so absurdly jjigheaded in doubting the intentions of my nally kind i)enffae;ors tiine .several times. The same cau.se may he in operation when moilern travellers
Ixii
MEMOIR OF LIVINGSTONE.
are unable to say a civil woid about the natives ; or if it must be admitted, for instance, that sava?;es will seldom deceive you if placed on their honour, why must we turn up the whites of our eyes, and say it is an instance of the anomalous character of the Africans ? Beinc; heaps of anomalies ourselves, it would be just as easy to say that it is interesting to find other people like us. The tone which we n;odern tiavellers afi'ect is that of infinite superiority, and it is utterly nauseous to see at every step our great and noble elevation cropping (H'.t in low cunning.
Unable to go north-west, we turned oft" to go due south one hundred and fifty miles or so ; then proceeded west till we were past the disturbed district, and igain resumed our northing. But on going some sixty miles we lieard that the Arab camp was twentj' miles furtlier south, and we went to hear the news. 1'he reception was extremely kind, for this party consisted of gentlemen i'rom Zanzibar, and of a very diffeivnt stamp from the murderers we afterwards saw in Manyuenia. They were afraid that the chief with whom they had been fighting might flee southwards, and that in going that way I might fall into his hands. Being now recovered, I could readily believe them, and they being eager ivory traders, as readily believed me wl)en I asserted that- a con- tinuance of hostilities meant shutting up the ivory market. No one would like to sell if he stood a chance of being shot. Peace, therefore, was to be made; but the process of " mixing blood,'' forming a matrimonial alliance with the chiefs daughter, <Src., &c., required three and a half month.s, and during long intervals of that time 1 remained at Chitimbwa's. The stockade was situated by a rivulet, and had a dense grove of high, damp-loving trees round a spring on one side, and open country, pretty well cultivated, on the other. It was cold, and over 4,700 feet above the sea, with a good deal of forest land and ranges of hills in the dis- tanee. The Arabs were oil the west side of the stockade, and one of thitimbwa's wives at once vacated her house on the east side for my convenience. Chitimbwa was an elderly man, with grey hair and beard, and of quiet, self-i>ossessed manners. He had five wives, and my hut being one of the circle whicli their houses formed, 1 often sat reading or writing outside, and had a good opportunity of seeing the domestic life in this Central African harem, without appearing to be prying. The chief wife, the mother ol Chitimbwa's son and lieir, was somewhat aged, but was the matron in authority over the establishment. The rest were young, with fine shapes, pleasant countenances, and nothing of the West Coast African about them.
MEMOIR OF LrvmCrSTONE.
Ixiii
Three of them had each a child, making, with the eldest son, a family of four children to Chitimbwa. The matron seemed to reverence her husband, for when she saw him approaching she invariably went out of the way, and knelt down till he had passed. It was the time of year for planting ami weeding the plantations, and the regular routine work of all the families in the towa was nearly as follows: Between three and four o'clock in the morning, when the howling of the hyajnas ami growling of the lions or leopards told that they had spent the night fasting, the first human so'mds he;ird were those of the good wives knocking off the red coals from the ends of the sticks in the tire, and raising up a blaze to which young and old crowded for warmtli from the cold, which at this time is the most intense of the twenty-four hours. Some Bang^ smoker lights his pipe, and makes the place ring with his nasty .screamiii.;, and stridulous couching. Then the cocks begin to crow (about four a.m.), and the women call to each other to make ready to march. They go off to their gardens in companies, and keep up a brisk, loud conversation, with a view to frighten away any lion or buffalo that may not yet have retired, and for this the human voice is believed to be efficacious. The gardens, or plantations, are usually a couple of miles from tht? village. This is often for the purpose of securing safety for the crojis from their own goats or cattle, but more frequently for the sake of the black loamy soil near the banks of rivulets. This they prefer for maize and dura (ffolcus sorfjhum), while for a small species of millet, called mileza, they select a patch in the forest, which they manure by burning the branches of tree.s. The distances which the go;id wives willingly go to get the best soil adapted for different plants make their arrival just about dawn. Fire has been brought from home, and a little pot is set on with beans or pulse— something that requires long simmering; and the whole family begins to work at what seems to give them real pl(;asure. The husband, who had marched in front of each little squad with a sjiear and little axe over his shoulder, at once begins ti> cut off all the sprouts on the stumps left in clearing the groimd. All bushes also lall to his share, ami all the branches of tall trees too hard to bo cut down are piled round th^ root to be fired when dry. lie must also cut branches to make a low fence rouml the plantation, for few \vild beasts like to cross over anythin'.; having the apfwarance of human workmanship. The wart-hog having a great weakness for ground- nuts, otherwise called pig-nuts (yliv/cA/s hijiuxjirn), muat be circumvented by a .series of [litfails, or a deep ditch, and earthern dyke all round the
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MEMOIR OF LIVINGSTONE.
nut-plot. If any otlier animal lias made free with the food of the family, papa carefully examines the trail of the intruder — makes a deep pitfall in it, covers it carefully over — and every day it is a most interesting matter to see whether the thief has been taken for the pot. The mother works away vigorously with her lioe, often adding new patches of virgin land to that already under cultivation. The children help by removing tlie weeds and grass which she has uprooted into heaps to be dried and burned. They seem to know and watch every plant in the field. It is all their own ; no one is stinted as to the land he may cultivate; the more they plant the more they have to eat and to spare. In some parts of Africa the labour falls almost exclusively on the women, and the males are represented as atrocioitsly cruel to them. It was not so here, nor is it so in Central Africa generally — indeed the women have often decidedly the upper hand. The clearances by law and custom were the work of the men ; the weeding was the work of the whole family, and so was the reaping. The little girls were nursing baby under the shade of a watch-house perched on the tops of a number of stakes about twelve or fourteen feet high, and to this the family adjourns when the dnra is in ear to scare away birds by day and antelopes by night. About eleven a.m. the sun becomes too hot for comfortable work, and all come imder the .shade of the lofty watch- tower, or a tree left for the purpose. Mamma serves out the pottage, now thoroughly cooked, by placing a portion into each pair of hands — it is bad manners here to receive any gift with but one hand They eat it with keen apjietites, and with so much relish that for ever after- wards they think that to eat with the hand is far nicer than with a spoon. Mamma takes and nurses baby while slie eats her own share. Baby seems a general favourite, and is not exhibited till he is quite a little ball of fat. Every one then takes off beads to ornament him. He is not born with a silver spoon in his mouth, and one may see poor mothers who have no milk mix a little flour and water in the palm of the hand, and the little sisters look on with intense interest to see the little stranger making a milk-bottle of the side of the mother's hand, the crease therein just allowing enough to p;iss down. They are wide- awake little creatures, and I thought thaf my own little ones imbibed a good deal of this quality from I don't know what. I never saw such unwearied energy as they displayed the livelong day, and that too in the hot season. The meal over, the wife, and perhaps daughter, goes a little way into the forest and collects a bundle of dry wood, and, with the baby slung on her back, in a way that suggests the flattening of
MEMOIK OF LIVINGSTONE.
Ixv
the noses of many Africans, the wood, on her head and the boy carrying the hoe, the party wends home. Each wife has her own };ranary, in which the iiroduce of the garden is stowed. It is of the beehive shape of the huts, only the walls are about twelve feet high, and it is built on a stage about eighteen inches from the ground. It i.-^ about five feet in diameter, and roofed with wood aud grass. The door is near the roof, and a ladder, made by notches being cut in a tree, is used to enable the owner to climb into it. The first thing the good wife does on coming home is to get the ladder, climb up, and bring down millet or dura grain sufficient for her family. She s[)reads it in the sun, and while this is drying or made crisp occurs the only idle time I have seen in the day's employment. Some rested, others dressed their husband's or neighbour's hair, others strung beads. I should hrvve liked to have seen them take life more easily, for it is as pleasant to see the negro reclining under his i)alm as it is to look at the white lolling on his ottoman. But the great matter is, they enjoy their labour, and the children enjoy life as human beings ought, and have not the sap of life squeezed out of them by their own parents as is the case with nailers, glass-blowers, stockingers, fustian- cutters, brick-makers, &c., in England. At other periods of the year, when harvest is home, they enjoy more leisure and jollification with their native beer called " pombc," but in no ca.se of free people, living in their own free land under their own free laws, are they like what sl.ives become.
When the grain is dry it is pounded in a large wooden mortar to separate the scales from the seed. A dexterous toss of the hand drives all the chatr to one corner of the vessel. This is lifted out, and then the dust is tossed out by another peculiar up-and-down, half horizontal motion of the vessel, diilicult to describe or do, which leaves the grain quite clean. It is then ground into fine meal by a horizontal motion of the upper millslone, to which the whole weight is applied, and at each stroke the flour is shoved ofl' the further end of the nether mill- stone. The Hour finished, late in the afternoon, at the time maidens go forth to draw water, the lady poi.ses a huge earthen jwt on her head, fills it full at the rivulet, anil, though containing tin or twelve gallons, balances it on her hiad, and, without lifting up hir hands, walks jauntily home. They have meat but seldom, and make relishes for the lK)rridge into which the flour is cooked of the leaves of certain wild and cultivated plants ; or they roast some ground nuts, grind them fine, and make a curry. They seem to know that oily matter such as the
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MEMOIR OF LIVINGSTONB.
nuts contain is requisite to modify their otherwise farinaceons food, and some even grind a handful of castor-oil nuts with the grain for the same purpose. The husband having employed himself in the afternoon in making mats for sleeping on, in preparing skins for clothing, or in making new handles for hoes or cutting out wooden bowls, joins the family in the eveninsj, and all partake abundantly of the chief meal of the day before going off to sleep. They have considerable skill in agriculture, and great shrewdness in selecting the soils proper lor different kinds of produce. When Bishop Mackenzie witnessed their oix;rations in the field, he said to me, " When I was in England and spoke in public meetings about our mission, I mentioned that among other things I meant to teach them agriculture, but now I see that the Africans know a great deal more about it than I do." One of his associates, earnestly desiring to benefit the people to whom he was going, took lessons in basket-making before he left England; but the sj)ecimens of native workmanship he met with everywhere led him to conclude that he had better say nothing about his acquisition ; in fact, he could " not hold a caudle to them." The foregoing is as fair an example of the every-day life of the majority of the people in Central Africa as I can give.
The Peninsular and Oriental steamship Malua arrived at Southampton on the 16th of April. As she hove to abreast of Netley Hospital she was boarded by Admiral Sir William Hall, William F. Webb, Esq , of Newstead Abbey, General Kigby, formerly Political Eesident at Zanzibar, Colonel J. A. Grant, companion of Speke, the Eev. Eobert Moffatt, father-in-law of Dr. Livingstone, William Oswell Livingstone, the great traveller's second son, the Kev. Horace Waller, formerly of the Zambezi Mission, and now Vicar of Leytonstone, and Arthur Laing, Esq., of Zanzibar, Mr. Fenton, representative of the ' Times,' Mr. Walter Wood, of the ' Standard,' Mr. Mackenzie, of the ' Telegraph,' and Mr. Senior, of the ' Daily News,' and other gentlemen connected with the reception of the remains of Livingstone at Southampton.
MEMOIR OF LIVINGSTONE.
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Mr. Thomas Steele Livingstone, who was a passenger on board, was soon recognised, and the Eev. Mr. Price, after seeking for Jacob Wainwright, brought him to the above-mentioned gentlemen, by whom he was warmly- applauded for the fidelity which had characterised his service with the great traveller.
The information supplied by Jacob Wainwright, on being examined by me on board the Molwa, confirmed what was obtained from him by the ' Herald ' corre- spondent at Suez. Beyond this he stated that Livingstone first had a relapse of dysentery at Kasera, in Ukonongo (see ' How I found Livingstone,' p. 295), while he was but twenty days from Unyanyembe, and that all the streams they journeyed across from Unyanyembe flowed westerly and northerly, which proves conclusively now that the Tanganika has no outlet in any part of the north-western, northern, eastern, or southern coasts of the lake, and that the mystery will be found to be between the north end of the island of Muzimu and the southern end of TJguhha on the western shore, which no doubt will be discovered by Lieutenant Cameron, who must have reached Ujiji in the early part of January of this year.
After the arrival of the Malwa in the dock, the coflin containing the mortal relics of the traveller was lifted from the mailroom of the ship and placed on board another steamer, to be conveyed to the Royal Pier, to be received ceremoniously by the Mayor and the Corporation of Southampton, and the Committee of the Koyal Geogra- phical Society; and while this was being done all hats
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MEMOIR OF LIVINGSTONE.
were reverently doffed. Every flag was at half-mast. Mostly all the citizens of Southampton wore the mark of sorrow.
About eleven o'clock the procession ;rom the Audit House, in the High Street, arrived at the Eoyal Pier, where the hearse, drawn by four horses, was in waiting. In a few moments the procession resumed its line of march to the South Western Station in the following order : —
The Worshipful the Mayor. The Sheriff. The Senior and Junior Bailiffs. The Aldermen. The Councillors. . The Magisirate.s of the Horough. The Pier and Harbour Commissioners. Sir F. Perkins, M.P. THE HEARSE. The Relatives of Dr. Livingstone. The President and Fellcnvs of the Ro3'al (leographical Society. The Clergy and Ministers of the Town. The President of the Medical Society of Southampton. Members of the Medical Society and of the Medical Profession generally. The Consuls of different Nations. The Guardians of the Southampton Incorporation
The Council of the Hartley Institutibn. The Members of the Southampton School Board. The Committee of each Literary and Philosophical Society in the Town.
The Representatives of other Public Bodies.
The Mayor, Aldermen, and the other members of the Corporation wore their official robes and insignia, but with crape on their arms. The maces and regalia were also encased in black.
MEMOIR OF LIVINGSTONE.
Ixix
The crowds were vast— people from all sections of the County of Hants had gathered in the streets on this day, to pay the only tribute in their power to all that was left of the greatest of African explorers. The mani- festation of their sentiments was remarkably impressive.
On the arrival of the hearse at the station, it was placed on a truck, and a special train conveyed it to London. At Waterloo Station a hearse and mourning coaches were in readiness to take the coffin and the Committee of Arrangements to the rooms of the Koyal Geographical Society, where the coffin was covered with a pall to await burial, and to be inspected by the public.
The exhibition of the respect of the good people of Southampton towards the remains of Livingstone was only wliat might have been expected from a people so appreciative of usefulness and virtue as the English. The worthy mayor— Edwin Jones, Esq., has faithfully demonstrated it by the large-minded hospitality with which he received the Committee of the Geographical Society and the friends of the traveller, and the per- fection of the arrangements for the reception of the body.
Meanwhile an appeal has been made to the Britisli public by Baroness Burdett-Coutts, Lord Kiniiaird, Sir Bartle Frere, Hon. A. Kiniiaird, W. ¥. Webb, Esq., Kcv. Horace Waller, James Young, Esq., of Kelley, and W. C. Oswell, Esq., for means to support the family of the traveller, which no doubt will be liberally re- sponded to.
In the following portion of a letter which Captain Webb
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MEMOIR OF LIVINGSTONE.
brought the aiithor from Zanzibar, which was given to him by Lieutenant Murphy, Dr. Livingstone expresses his thanks to me for the promptitude and care with which I despatched to him his supplies from Zanzibar.
* Lake Bangweolo, South Central Africa.
My Dear Stanley,
I wrote hurriedly to you when on the eve of starting from Unyanyembe, and the mind being occupied by all the little worries incidental to the starting of the caravan, I felt, and still feel, that I had not expressed half the gratitude that wells up in my heart for all the kind services you have rendered to me. I am also devoutly thank- ful to the loving Father above for lieljiing you through all your manifold Masika (rainy season) toils, and bringing you salely to Zanzibar, with your energies unimpaired, and with a desire to exert yourself to the utmost in securing all the men and goods needed for this ray con- chiding trip.
I am perpetually reminded that I owe a great deal to you for the drilling of the men you sent. With one exception, the party is ivorking like a machine. I give my orders to Manwa Sera, and never need to repeat them. 1 parted with the Arab sent without any disagreement. He lo.st one of the new donkeys at I!agamoyo. He then put the two stragglers on the chain without fastening the free end, and they wi.sely walked off with the bridle, bits and all — then suffered a lazy Moinbasian to leave the cocoa somewhere, and got five dotis at Unyanyembe. Well, no one either before or after that could get any good out of him.
Added to this, the Arab showed a disposition to get a second $500, supposing we should be one month over the year, though he could do nothing except through my native headmen. I therefore let him go, and made Manwa Sera, Chnwpereh, and Susi, heads of departments at $20 if they gave satisfaction. This they have tried faithfully to do, and hitherto have been quite a contrast to Bombay, wlio seemed to think that you ought to please him.
Maj wara has behaved perfectly — but is slow! slow ! ! and keeps your tine silver teapot, spoons, and knives as bright as if he were an English butler; gets a cup of coffee at five a.m. or sooner, if I don't
* Tliis letter must have been written some time after Christmas of 1872.
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advise him to lie down again ; walks at the head of the caravan as drummer, this instrument being the African sign of peace as well as of war. He objected at first to the ofQce, because the drum had not been bought by either you or me. Some reasons are profound — this may be one of them.
The fruits, fish, pork, biscuits, fowl have been selected far better than I could have done it. No golden syrup could be found, or you would have sent some. The tea was very nicely secured.
Your wish for joy of the plum-pudding was fulfilled, though it would have been better had we been nearer to Chambezi, where we spent Christmas, to enjoy it. I keep most of your handsome presents of champagne for a special occasion. One rifle was injured at Baga- moyo ; your revolver and .splendid rifle were all I could desire for efiiciency. The fifteen-shooter cartridges are not satisfactory, but everything else gives so much satisfaction that I could not grumble though 1 were bilious. I thank you very much and very sincerely for all your kind generosity.
My reason for publishing the above is to show the reader how susceptible of gratitude was the heart of Dr. Livingstone. It is a complete and certain proof that if proper care had been taken to send him supplies Livingstone would not only have been most grateful, but would undoubtedly have been living to-day in Eng- land to express his thanks in person for the assistance he received while in Africa.
As the author of this memoir was one of the pall- bearers at the funeral of Dr. Livingstone, it is neces- sary that some writer unconnected with the ceremony should be left to describe what took place at Westminster Abbey, on Saturday, April 18th, 1874.
Yesterday morning. Dr. Livingstone was buried in Westminster Abbey amidst such testimonies of profound respect and mournful veneration as has seldom been shown for the fate of any since the deatli of the lamented Prince Consort, 'J'here w.as something touching
Ixxii MEMOm OF LIVINGSTONE.
in the tate of poor Liviugstoue. His loug absence — the loss of his wife in the heart of the wilds of Africa — the rumours of his death, which were only contradicted to be again revived, the search of the gallant Stanley for him, which at length set all auxiel}' and misgivings at rest, and then the last news of all — the death of the great explorer. None believed in this, because none wished to do so, but kept on hoping against hope, till the terrible calamity of the late which had overtaken the great man was found at last to be but too true. The fate of Muugo Park, of Olapperton, of Lander, in no way excited any interest in their discoveries, or more than a passing regret for their loss. Africa was then an unknown land ; and, to say the truth, people cared as little about it as they knew. Lately it has been opened up to us like a region of romance, by Baker, Sjjeke, Grant, and last, and greatest of all, the marvellous man who was to rest in England's sanctuary of sanctuaries. That the greatest of the great of this land lie beneath its sandy soil we all know, but among the mighty tiead whose plain gravestones chequer its pavement, or whose monuments adorn its walls, there are none more distinguished for courage and moderation, for singleness of purpose and the simplicity of his great philanthropy, than David Livingstone. How we have all followed him in his adventures from the time tliat the lion first seized him thirty yeais ago and left such fractures in the bones of his arm as led, even after the lapse of about a year after death, to the instaut identification of the body by the great sui-geou who attended him when last in England ! There seems to be a sort of lurking suspicion among noma that the body after all may not be that of the tamous geographer, and this no doubt may be accounted for by the fact that so many rumours have obtained tjedence as to his death. But if there is anything that was incon- testably ])roved it is that the poor, emaciated remains which were yesterday laid under the centre of the nave of our great Abbey, were those of the most famous explorer of any time, ancient or modern. Not only has Sir William Fergussou identified what he had done to the bones of the left arm, but with the body the faithful servant, Jacob Wainwright, has brought all the diaries, the instruments, the journals, and even the poor clothes in which Livingstone breathed his last. If these are not proofs of identity, it would be hard to .say what is re- quired. They are but far too certain.
The Abbey had the usual quiet, solemn, and stately aspect, that makes, as Coleridge says, a religion in stone. The choir had a line of biack cloth down it, which was met by another from the door of the
MEMOIR OF LIVINGSTONE.
Ixxiii
western cloisters, where the body was to be received, and in the centre of the nave was a black aperture, amid the black cloth, of the shape of a coffin, and just rimmed round with a broad band of white. Without such a precaution one might have inadvertently slipped into it in the early gloom of the morning, but as the day wore on during service the sun came out in a flood of light, which, pouring through the stained windows, tinted the columns and ancient monuments with all the hues of the rainbow. The grave of Livingstone is in the very centre of the west part of the nave. The spot is in the central line, exactly half- way between the western doors and the choif. On the north side is the grave of the Countess of Clanricarde, and on the other side that of Thomas Campion, a noted watchmaker. Clo.se by lie Major Rennell, and Telford and Stephenson, the engineers. Like all the graves in Westminster Abbey, it is not a dccji one, for there arc no vaults under the Abbey, and the soil is .so sandy that it is scarcely safe to far down. As it was, both sides of the j;rave had to be shored to prevent the sand from slipping. These supports, however, were hidden by black cloth, which gave, as usual, a most forbidding as])ect to the large aperture and one of most unusual depth. The central position of the grave made the whole ceremony far more conspicuous than was the case with the funerals of Lord Lytton or Ijord Macaulay. That of Dickens was absolutely private. Before the procession started from the house of the Geographical Society in Saville Row, there was a funeral service conducted liy tlie Kev. H. W. Hamilton, Minister of the Established Church of Scotland. The pall was adorned with wreaths of flowers, on(! of them, composed of white azaleas and delicate ferns, having been .sent by her Majesty. The service consisted of the o9th Psalm, and three other short passages from the Bible — Mark xiii. 33-37, 1 Thessalonians, iv. 13-78, and liev. vii. 9-17 — followed by an extempore prayer. The procession was then formed, and passed slowly through the streets to the Abbey It was nearly twelve o'clock before those who were fortunate to have tickets began to take their seats. Without a single ex- ception, all were more or less in mourning — that is to .say, some in deeji mor.rning, others only in ordinary black. The choir soon filled and tlio.se beyond it made up a throng in the nave and the aisles. Hut all was as silent as the grave itself; not even the u.sual mild whisper of a waiting congregation went round. Earlier than all came a group of seven ladies, some very young, and all dressed in the deejiest mourning. They took their places in the seats allotted to
/
Ixxiv
MEMOIK OF LIVINGSTONE.
mourners in the southern side of the choir, just in front of the two black velvet trestles on which the cofSn was to be placed. Each lady had with her a large chaplet of myrtles and violets or camellias and cypresses, which were ranged in front of them, and, in spite of their beauty, were, with their associations, a mt'lancholj'-looking row. Towards twelve the Abbey began to fill, and there was a faint though audible noise of the crowd which was waiting without to watch the arrival of what was most truly a melancholy procession. Soon after twelve o'clock such of the public as had tickets were allowed mto the building, and filled the aisles, while others who were more privileged occupied the Sacrarium. By-and-bye all spaces were filled, and even in the clerestory there were some lining the old monks' walk, and looking down with a curious aspect from rather a dizzy height on to the crowd below. At a quarter to one the bells of St. Margaret's began to toll. The bell of the Abbey, like that of St. Paul's, never tolls but for Royalty. The coffin was conveyed through Dean's Yard to the entrance of the western cloisters. 'J'hence past the time-worn fret- work of carved mullions and pilasters, which were old and grey when Africa was only a name, and America an unknown sound. Through these cloisters it was reverently borne at a very slow pace.*
I'he pall-bearers were Mr. Henry M. Stanley, who was foremost on the right, the Kev. Horace Waller, Vicar of Leytonstone, Dr. John Kirk, Mr. Edward Daniel Young, who had been his companions on the Zambezi ; W. C. Oswell, Esq., Major-General Sir Thomas Steele, W. E. Webb, Esq. (of Newstead Abbey), who had been his companions in South Central Africa, in the region of Lake Ngami, and lastly Jacob Wainwright, the coloured boy Ironi Nassick School, who had been sent by Mr. Stanley from Zanzibar to form |(art of the escort of the great explore)' on his last journey from Unyanyembe to Lake Bangweolo.
Among the mourners, were Thomas Steele Livingstone, William Oswell Livingstone, Agnes Livingstone, and Mary Anna Livingstone, the dead traveller's children ; Janet and Anna Livingstone, his sisters ; Mrs. Livingstone, widow of the Rev. Charles Livingstone ; Rev. Robert Moffatt, his father-in-law, Livingstone and Bruce Moflatt, young rela- tives of the traveller ; Sir W. Fergusson, Rev. H. W. Hamilton, Dr. J. Loudon, Mr. James Hannan, the Duke of Sutherland, Hight Hon. Sir Bartle Frere, K.C.B. (President Royal (ieographical Society), Sir H. C. Rawlinson, K.C.B. (Vice-President Geograjihical Society), Mr. K. R. Murchisou, General Rigby, Colonel J. A. Grant, C.B., Mr. J. Murray * From tlie " Sunday Dispatch."
MEMOIR OF LIVINGSTONE.
Ixxv
Mr. J. Young, jun. (of Kelley), Vice- Admiral Baron de la Ronciere le Noury (President French Geoj;raphical Society), Dr. Hooker (President Royal Society), Mr. H. W. Bates (Assistant Secretary Royal Geo- graphical Society), Lord Houghton, the Provost of Hamilton, Mr. J. B. Braithwaite, Mr. C. R. Markham, Mr. R. H. Major (Secretaiies Royal Geographical Society), Rev. Dr. Stuart, Mr. T. Kichoison, Mr. Ralston, (friends of the family), the Lord Provost of Edinburgh, Mr. Duncan M'Laren, M.P., Mr. James Cowan, M.P., Mr. Josiah Livingstone, the Lord Provost of Glasgow, Dr. Watson (Pres. Faculty Pliys. Glasgow), Baillie Walls (Chief Magistrate, Glasgow), Baillie Bain, Mr. Edwin Jones (the Mayor of Southampton), Sir Frederick Perkins, Mr. A. Laing, Mr. Elliott (who brought the body from Southampt(jn) ; Mr. George Sauer, Mr. Edmund Yates, and Mr. J. H. MacGahaii, Correspondents of the ' New York Herald ;' the Duke of Manchester, the Earl of Ducie, Lord Cottesloe, Lord Kinnaird, the Bishops of Lincoln and Sierra Leone, the Lord Mayor and City Remembrancer and twenty members of the Corporation of London : the Mayor of Nottingham, the Provost of Dumbarton, the Provost and Town Clerk of Ayr, Lady Frere, Lady Rawlinson, Lady Strauuford, Hon. Mrs. Forester, Mrs. W. F. Webb, of Newstead Abbey, Mrs. and Miss Goodlake, Sir Ruthcrlbrd Alcock, Sir T. Fowcll Buxton, Sir C. Nicholson, Sir C. Russell, M.P., Sir W. Thompson, Sir Harry Verney, Major-General Sir F. Goldsmid, the Right Hon. Russell Gurney, M.P., the Hon. G. C. Brodrick, Hon. A. F. Kinnaird, Count Gosloff, Chevalier Cadorna (Italian Minister), Viscount Duprat (Portuguese Consul General), Mr. Moran (United States Charii^ d' Affairs), Capt. Francis R. Webb and lady, from Zanzibar U.S. Consulate, Count Munstur (the German Ambassador), General Scott, Admirals Codrington, CoUinson Sir W. Hall, Sherard Oslxjrn, and Oinmauney ; the Rev. Wm. Monk, who presented Dr. Livingstone in 18G7 to the Vice Chancellor in the Cambridge Senate House; Colonel Guseley, Profe-ssor Brock, and a deputation from the Anthrojiological Institute, and other deputations from the Royal Botanical Society of Ijondim, National Temperance League, Social Science Association, African Section of the Society of Arts, Reception Committee of Southampton Church Missionary Society, London Mis.sionary Society, British and Foreign Anti-Slavery, East African, and other societi(,'s.
Most notable among the throng, as they airry the coiliu to the grave, are the African travellers who constitute such a natural guard of honour for this dead man. Foremost among them in right of gallant
Ixxvi
MEMOm OF LIYINGSTONE.
si>tcial service, and nearest to Livingstone's head, stands Stanley — sun- tanned anew from Ashantee — whose famous march of relief gives America the full right to celebrate at this moment, as we know she is doing, simultaneously with England, the obsequies of the explorer. But for Stanley, Livingstone would have died long back, without aid or news from lis ; but near him are Grant, the discoverer, along witii Speke, of the Nyanza ; Young, who was with Livingstone in old days, and who sailed the Nyassa Lake and the Shire River in quest of him ; Oswell, tanned and grizzled with hunting and exploring under an African sun ; and beside them Rigby, and Moffat, and Webb, the godfather of the Lualaba, and the faithful friend who buried Mrs. Livingstone in tlie sad day of the separation of husband and wife; Colonel Shelley, of Lake Ngami ; Waller, of the Zambesi ; Galton, Keade — what a band of African! ! Such a gathering of sunburnt visages and far-travelled men was never seen before; and, indeed, the list might be lengthened with the names of a hundred other famous travellers present, who listen with wistful looks round tlieir great dead chieftain, while Tallis's hymn is being sung, after the lesson read by Oiuiou Conway. It is a well-known hymn — one which sings of ultimate rest after wandering — the only real rest for all toils and travels. These are the words : —
" 0 God of Bethel, by whose hand
Thy people still are fed. Who through this weary pilgrimage
Hast all our fathers led ;
" Our vows, our prayers, we now present
Before thy throne of grace; God of our Fathers ! be the God
Of each succeeding race.
" Through each perplexing path of life
Our wandering footstc]>s guide ; Give us each day our daily bread,
And every want provide.
" 0 spread thy covering wings around
Till all our wanderings cease, And at our Father's loved abode
Our souls arrive in peace 1 "
MEMOIK OF LIYINGSTONE.
Ixxni
After the conclusiou of this hyniu, in w liich the congregation joined with much effect, the coffin is borne down the choir into the centre of the nave, where towards its western end tlie grave has been prepared. Here also among the dead lying around are ancient far-travelled worthies — companionable ashes for those which are now to be con- signed to the same unbroken and majestic rest. Sir John Chardin lies nigh at hand, who saw Suleiman II. crowned Monarch of Persia two hundred years gone by — a much-wandering Knight, " qui sibi nonien fecit euudo ;" and Major James Reimell, who wrote on the geography of Herodotus and founded the African Society. The pall is withdrawn, and the ixdished oaken coftin is prepared for lowering into the dark cavity which o[)ens no narrowly and so abruptly iu the Abbey pave- ment, while the choir .sing " Man that is bom of a woman " to Croft's setting, and then the tender strains of I'urcell's, " Thou knowest Lord." This is the very last that will be seen of " this our dear brother," and now indeed strong men are fain to bend their heads, and sobs, not from women only, mingle with the alternate sighing and rejoicing of the solemn music. The dizzy edges of the clerestory, eighty feet overhead, are crowded with iieople looking down from that perilous eminence upon the throng round the grave, and shadow.s are .seen at many of the Abbey windows, of others peering through lor a glinijjse of the " last scene of all." As the precious burden descends th(; inscription on the plate may be seen—" David Livingstom-, born at Blantyre, Lanarkshire, Scotland, I'Jth March, IS 13, died at Ilala, Cential Africa, 4th May, 1873." And then there falls the "dust to dust;" and, looking at the solemn dusky faces of the two Africans, Wainwright and little Kalulu, Mr. Stanley's boy, who are standing among the nearest, the mind reverts to that widely-different scene a year ago, when Livingstone, after much pain, which is not spared to the best 5nd kindliest, gave up his gallant, loving, pious sjjirit to his Master and Maker, and when yonder negro lad read over him the very service which has now again been so grandly celebrated for him
" With pomp and rolling music, like a King."
The African — a simple-looking, quiet, honest lad — attracts many eyes as he stands by the grave ; he knows alone of all present the aspect of that other burial spot, and to him more than all this one must be impressive. But he tjikes his wonder, like his duty, stolidly — his th<jughi8 appear lost in his master's memory. Alas! that
Ixxviii
MEMOIR OF LIVINGSTONE.
matiter did uot dream ia the suj)reirie closing hour of loneliness and agony that his body would fixid such honour and peaceful repose at home. Of that nnd of all other reward, however, he never thought while he wrought patiently and constantly his appointed work for the sake of Africa — tramping, discovering, noting, hunting out the slave- hunters, and leaving himself and the results of his self-sacrifice to Heaven. And Heaven, which has given him this sweet rest in English earth, will assuredly bring forth fruits of his labour — of that we may remain well convinced ; meanwhile, the work of England for Africa must henceforward begin in earnest where Livingstone left it off.
The service draws to its end with the " Forasmuch " and the follow- ing prayers, read in a clear, sustained voice of the deepest solemnity and feeling by Dean Stanley ; and then once more the organ speaks the unspeakable — as music only can — sounding forth, " I heard a voice from heaven." But the very finest musical passage of all comes last in the beautiful anthem of Handel, " His bodj' rests in peace, but his name liveth evermore." Tenderly and meditatively the first sad dreamy sentence is set, as though it were uttered by some spirit of melody looking downward into the quiet, silent haven of the grave, where all the storms and toils of mortal life are over. Radiantly and triumphantly comes afterwards the jubilant antiphon, as though the same gentle spirit had conceived it, mindful of the sacred words, " Come ye blessed children of my Father, receive the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world." Last of all, there rains down upon the lid of Livingstone's coffin a bright and fragrant shower of wreaths and fare- well-flowers from a hundred living hands; and each of those present takes a long parting glance at the great traveller's resting-place, and at the oaken coffiu buried in the spring blossoms, and palms, and garlands, wherein lies " as much as could die " of the good, great-hearted, loving, fearless, and faithful David Livingstone.*
ILALA— May, 1873.t
The swarthy followers stood aloof,
Unled — unfathered ; He lay beneath that grassy roof, Fresh-gathered.
* From the ' Daily Telegraph.'
t From the ' Times."
MEMOIR OF LIVINaSTONE.
Ixxix
He bade them, as they passed the hut,
To give no warning Of tbeir still faithful presence but " Good Morning."
To him, may be, through broken sleep
And pains abated, These words were into senses deep Translated.
Dear dead salutes of wife and child,
Old kirkyard greetings ; Sunrises over hill-sides wild — Hearts-beatings.
Welcoming sounds of fresh-blown seas,
Of homeward travel. Tangles of thought's last memories Unravel.
• » • • ♦
'Neath England's fretted roof of fame—
With flowers adorning An open grave — comes up the same " Good Morning."
Morning's o'er that weird continent
Now slowly breaking — Europe her sullen self-restraint Forsaking.
Mornings of symjjathy and trust
For such as bore Their Master's spirit's sacred crust To England's shore.
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