Back, when almost on the threshold of
success, by the positive refusal of his men to accompany him further.
They were afraid to go on unless accompanied by a large force of
men; and, as these were not procurable in Manyuema, the Doctor
reluctantly turned his face towards Ujiji.
It was a long and weary road back. The journey had now no
interest for him. He had travelled the road before when going
westward, full of high hopes and aspirations, impatient to reach
the goal which promised him rest from his labors - now, returning
unsuccessful, baffled, and thwarted, when almost in sight of the
end, and having to travel the same path back on foot, with
disappointed expectations and defeated hopes preying on his mind,
no wonder that the old brave spirit almost succumbed, and the
strong constitution almost went to wreck.
Livingstone arrived at Ujiji, October 16th, almost at death's door.
On the way he had been trying to cheer himself up, since he had
found it impossible to contend against the obstinacy of his men,
with, "It won't take long; five or six months more; it matters
not since it cannot be helped. I have got my goods in Ujiji, and
can hire other people, and make a new start again." These are the
words and hopes by which he tried to delude himself into the idea
that all would be right yet; but imagine the shock he must have
suffered, when he found that the man to whom was entrusted his
goods for safe keeping had sold every bale for ivory.
The evening of the day Livingstone had returned to Ujiji, Susi
and Chuma, two of his most faithful men, were seen crying bitterly.
The Doctor asked of them what ailed them, and was then informed,
for the first time, of the evil tidings that awaited him.
Said they, "All our things are sold, sir; Sherif has sold
everything for ivory."
Later in the evening, Sherif came to see him, and shamelessly
offered his hand, but Livingstone repulsed him, saying he could not
shake hands with a thief. As an excuse, Sherif said he had divined
on the Koran, and that this had told him the Hakim (Arabic for
Doctor) was dead.
Livingstone was now destitute; he had just enough to keep him and
his men alive for about a month, when he would be forced to beg
from the Arabs.
The Doctor further stated, that when Speke gives the altitude of
the Tanganika at only 1,800 feet above the sea, Speke must have
fallen into that error by a frequent writing of the Anne Domini,
a mere slip of the pen; for the altitude, as he makes it out,
is 2,800 feet by boiling point, and a little over 3,000 feet by
barometer.
