I
shall leave all personal baggage behind, except one small
portmanteau.
August 28th. - No news to-day of Mirambo. Shaw is getting strong
again.
Sheikh bin Nasib called on me to-day, but, except on minor
philosophy, he had nothing to say.
I have determined, after a study of the country, to lead a flying
caravan to Ujiji, by a southern road through northern Ukonongo
and Ukawendi. Sheikh bin Nasib has been informed to-night of
this determination.
August 29th. - Shaw got up to-day for a little work. Alas! all my
fine-spun plans of proceeding by boat over the Victoria N'Yanza,
thence down the Nile, have been totally demolished, I fear,
through this war with Mirambo - this black Bonaparte. Two months
have been wasted here already. The Arabs take such a long time to
come to a conclusion. Advice is plentiful, and words are as
numerous as the blades of grass in our valley; all that is wanting
indecision. The Arabs' hope and stay is dead - Khamis bin Abdullah
is no more. Where are the other warriors of whom the Wangwana
and Wanyamwezi bards sing? Where is mighty Kisesa - great Abdullah
bin Nasib? Where is Sayd, the son of Majid? Kisesa is in
Zanzibar, and Sayd, the son of Majid, is in Ujiji, as yet
ignorant that his son has fallen in the forest of Wilyankuru.
Shaw is improving fast. I am unsuccessful as yet in procuring
soldiers. I almost despair of ever being able to move from here.
It is such a drowsy, sleepy, slow, dreaming country. Arabs,
Wangwana, Wanyamwezi, are all alike - all careless how time flies.
Their to-morrow means sometimes within a month. To me it is
simply maddening.
August 30th. - Shaw will not work. I cannot get him to stir
himself. I have petted him and coaxed him; I have even cooked
little luxuries for him myself. And, while I am straining
every nerve to get ready for Ujiji, Shaw is satisfied with
looking on listlessly. What a change from the ready-handed bold
man he was at Zanzibar!
I sat down by his side to-day with my palm and needle in order
to encourage him, and to-day, for the first time, I told him of
the real nature of my mission. I told him that I did not care
about the geography of the country half as much as I cared about
FINDING LIVINGSTONE! I told him, for the first time,
"Now, my dear Shaw, you think probably that I have been sent here
to find the depth of the Tanganika. Not a bit of it, man; I was
told to find Livingstone. It is to find Livingstone I am here.
It is to find Livingstone I am going. Don't you see, old fellow,
the importance of the mission; don't you see what reward you will
get from Mr. Bennett, if you will help me?
