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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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
camping 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 9th. - 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. The
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 we came to the outskirts
of a village, the inhabitants of which were beginning to stir.
Silence was called for at once, and the Expedition halted
immediately. I walked forward to the front to advise with the guide.
He did not know 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. I stayed until the last man
had disappeared; then, after preparing my Winchester, brought up
the rear, followed by my gunbearers 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.
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