And vexation suffered
from fractious tribes, after tramping for the last fifteen days
through mire and Stygian marsh, - we near Beulah's peace and rest!
Can we do otherwise than express our happiness by firing away
gunpowder until our horns are emptied - than shout our "hurrahs"
until we are hoarse - than, with the hearty, soul-inspiring
"Yambos," greet every mother's son fresh from the sea? Not so,
think the Wangwana soldiers; and I so sympathize with them that
I permit them to act their maddest without censure.
At sunset we enter the town of Bagamoyo. "More pilgrims come to
town," were the words heard in Beulah. "The white man has come to
town," were the words we heard in Bagamoyo. And we shall cross the
water tomorrow to Zanzibar, and shall enter the golden gate; we
shall see nothing, smell nothing, taste nothing that is offensive
to the stomach any more!
The kirangozi blows his horn, and gives forth blasts potential as
Astolpho's, as the natives and Arabs throng around us. And that
bright flag, whose stars have waved over the waters of the great
lake in Central Africa, which promised relief to the harassed
Livingstone when in distress at Ujiji, returns to the sea once
again - torn, it is true, but not dishonoured - tattered, but not
disgraced.
As we reached the middle of the town, I saw on the steps of a
large white house a white man, in flannels and helmet similar
to that I wore. I thought myself rather akin to white men in
general, and I walked up to him. He advanced towards me, and
we shook hands - did everything but embrace.
"Won't you walk in?" said he.
"Thanks."
"What will you have to drink - beer, stout, brandy? Eh, by George!
I congratulate you on your splendid success," said he, impetuously.
I knew him immediately. He was an Englishman. He was Lieut.
William Henn, R.N., chief of the Livingstone Search and Relief
Expedition, about to be despatched by the Royal Geographical
Society to find and relieve Livingstone. The former chief,
as the Expedition was at first organized, was Lieut. Llewellyn
S. Dawson, who, as soon as he heard from my men that I had found
Livingstone, had crossed over to Zanzibar, and, after consultation
with Dr. John Kirk, had resigned. He had now nothing further to
do with it, the command having formally devolved on Lieut. Henn.
A Mr. Charles New, also, missionary from Mombasah, had joined
the expedition, but he had resigned too. So now there were left
but Lieut. Henn and Mr. Oswell Livingstone, second son of the
Doctor.
"Is Mr. Oswell Livingstone here?" I asked, with considerable
surprise.
"Yes; he will be here directly."
"What are you going to do now?" I asked.
"I don't think it worth my while to go now. You have taken
the wind out of our sails completely. If you have relieved
him, I don't see the use of my going. Do you?"
"Well, it depends. You know your own orders best. If you have
come only to find and relieve him, I can tell you truly he is
found and relieved, and that he wants nothing more than a few
canned meats, and some other little things which I dare say you
have not got. I have his list in his own handwriting with me.
But his son must go anyhow, and I can get men easily enough for
him."
"Well, if he is relieved, it is of no use my going."
At this time in walked a slight, young, gentlemanly man, with
light complexion, light hair, dark, lustrous eyes, who was
introduced to me as Mr. Oswell Livingstone. The introduction was
hardly necessary, for in his features there was much of what were
the specialities of his father. There was an air of quiet
resolution about him, and in the greeting which he gave me he
exhibited rather a reticent character; but I attributed that to
a receptive nature, which augured well for the future.
"I was telling Lieut. Henn that, whether he goes or not, you must
go to your father, Mr. Livingstone."
"Oh, I mean to go."
"Yes, that's right. I will furnish you with men and what stores
your father needs. My men will take you to Unyanyembe without
any difficulty. They know the road well, and that is a great
advantage. They know how to deal with the negro chiefs, and you
will have no need to trouble your head about them, but march.
The great thing that is required is speed. Your father will be
waiting for the things."
"I will march them fast enough, if that is all."
"Oh, they will be going up light, and they can easily make long
marches."
It was settled, then. Henn made up his mind that, as the Doctor
had been relieved, he was not wanted; but, before formally
resigning, he intended to consult with Dr. Kirk, and for that
purpose he would cross over to Zanzibar the next day with the
`Herald' Expedition.
At 2 A.M. I retired to sleep on a comfortable bed. There was a
great smell of newness about certain articles in the bedroom, such
as haversacks, knapsacks, portmanteaus, leather gun-cases, &c.
Evidently the new Expedition had some crudities about it; but a
journey into the interior would soon have lessened the stock of
superfluities, which all new men at first load themselves with.
Ah! what a sigh of relief was that I gave, as I threw myself
on my bed, at the thought that, "Thank God! my marching was
ended."
CHAPTER XVI.
