This excellent man, who was now a Mohammedan, and kept an Arab
secretary, had already sent to Ujiji in search of Livingstone, according
to my request, and his messengers had returned with the news, "that he
had been at Ujiji, and had crossed the lake to the west; since which,
nothing had been heard of him."
M'tese's people were still in search of Livingstone. Ujiji was declared
to be on the "M'wootan N'zige," i. e. the Albert N'yanza.
I give this information exactly as I received it.
I now wrote a letter to Dr. Livingstone, of which the following is a
copy: -
"FORT FATIKO.
("N. lat. 3 degrees 1 minute; E. long. 32 degrees 36 minutes,)
"February 13th, 1875.
"MY DEAR LIVINGSTONE,
"M'tese, the king of Uganda, has been searching for you, according to my
instructions sent to him in June 1872.
"He also forwarded my letters to be given to you when met with.
"His envoys have now visited me at Fatiko, with the report that M'tese's
messengers heard of you as having formerly been at Ujiji; but that you
had left that station and crossed the Tanganyika to the west.
"Nothing more is known of you.
"I have sent a soldier with the envoys who convey this letter; he will
remain with M'tese. This soldier (Selim) was one of Speke's men, who
travelled from Zanzibar to Cairo.
"M'tese will take the greatest care of you. He has behaved very well to
the government.
"Since I wrote to you in June, Kabba Rega treacherously attacked me with
many thousand men.
"I thrashed him thoroughly, and I have set up Rionga, the old enemy of
his family, who is now sheik of the government.
"M'tese sent Congow with several thousand men to assist the troops.
"I trust, my dear Livingstone, that this letter may reach you. Do not
come down the lake. It is now well known that the Tanganyika is the
Albert N'yanza; both known as the great lake M'wootan N'zige.
"A steamer will, I trust, be on the lake this year.
"Ever yours most sincerely,
"SAM. W. BAKER."
On 13th February, after a few days' pleasant sojourn at Fatiko, M'tese's
envoys returned to Uganda, accompanied by my representative, Selim, who,
although a private, was a very intelligent Suachli; he had formerly
accompanied Speke from Zanzibar. I gave Selim instructions to impress
upon M'tese the necessity of assisting Livingstone without a moment's
delay.
It is interesting to remember, now that the great traveller is dead,
that the arrangements I had made for his assistance would have secured
his safety, and would have enabled him to pursue his geographical
investigations northward, without the slightest risk or difficulty,
beyond the bodily fatigue which is inseparable from African travel.
