How I Found Livingstone Travels, Adventures And Discoveries In Central Africa Including Four Months Residence With Dr. Livingstone By Sir Henry M. Stanley
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By Running Away, You Have Invited
Mirambo To Follow You To Unyanyembe; You May Be Sure He Will Come."
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* The Same War Is Still Raging, April, 1874.
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The Arabs protested one after another that they had not intended
to have left me, but the Wanyamwezi of Mkasiwa had shouted out
that the "Musungu" was gone, and the cry had caused a panic among
their people, which it was impossible to allay.
Later that day the Arabs continued their retreat to Tabora; which
is twenty-two miles distant from Mfuto. I determined to proceed
more leisurely, and on the second day after the flight from
Zimbizo, the Expedition, with all the stores and baggage, marched
back to Masangi, and on the third day to Kwihara.
The following extracts from my Diary will serve to show better
than anything else, my feelings and thoughts about this time,
after our disgraceful retreat:
Kwihara. Friday, 11th August, 1871. - Arrived to-day from Zimbili,
village of Bomboma's. I am quite disappointed and almost
disheartened. But I have one consolation, I have done my duty by
the Arabs, a duty I thought I owed to the kindness they received
me with, now, however, the duty is discharged, and I am free to
pursue my own course. I feel happy, for some reasons, that the
duty has been paid at such a slight sacrifice. Of course if I
had lost my life in this enterprise, I should have been justly
punished. But apart from my duty to the consideration with
which the Arabs had received me, was the necessity of trying
every method of reaching Livingstone. This road which the war
with Mirambo has closed, is only a month's march from this place,
and, if the road could be opened with my aid, sooner than without
it, why should I refuse my aid? The attempt has been made for
the second time to Ujiji - both have failed. I am going to try
another route; to attempt to go by the north would be folly.
Mirambo's mother and people, and the Wasui, are between me and
Ujiji, without including the Watuta, who are his allies, and
robbers. The southern route seems to be the most practicable one.
Very few people know anything of the country south; those whom
I have questioned concerning it speak of "want of water" and
robber Wazavira, as serious obstacles; they also say that the
settlements are few and far between.
But before I can venture to try this new route, I have to employ
a new set of men, as those whom I took to Mfuto consider their
engagements at an end, and the fact of five of their number being
killed rather damps their ardor for travelling. It is useless to
hope that Wanyamwezi can be engaged, because it is against their
custom to go with caravans, as carriers, during war time. My
position is most serious. I have a good excuse for returning to
the coast, but my conscience will not permit me to do so, after
so much money has been expended, and so much confidence has been
placed in me.
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