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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The Appeal Was Successful, For The Old Man
Hastened, And Brought Us A Lamb And A Three-Gallon Pot Of Sweet
But Strong Zogga, Or Palm Toddy, And In Return The Doctor
Gave Him Two And A Half Doti Of Cloth.
The lamb was killed, and,
our digestions being good, its flesh agreed with us; but, alas,
for the effects of zogga, or palm toddy!
Susi, the invaluable
adjunct of Dr. Livingstone, and Bombay, the headman of my
caravan, were the two charged with watching the canoe; but, having
imbibed too freely of this intoxicating toddy, they slept heavily,
and in the morning the Doctor and I had to regret the loss of
several valuable and indispensable things; among which may be
mentioned the Doctor's 900-fathom sounding-line, 500 rounds of pin,
rim, and central-fire cartridges for my arms, and ninety musket
bullets, also belonging to me. Besides these, which were
indispensable in hostile Warundi, a large bag of flour and the
Doctor's entire stock of white sugar were stolen. This was the
third time that my reliance in Bombay's trustworthiness resulted
in a great loss to me, and for the ninety-ninth time I had to
regret bitterly having placed such entire confidence in Speke's
loud commendation of him. It was only the natural cowardice of
ignorant thieves that prevented the savages from taking the boat
and its entire contents, together with Bombay and Susi as slaves.
I can well imagine the joyful surprise which must have been
called forth at the sight and exquisite taste of the Doctor's
sugar, and the wonder with which they must have regarded the
strange ammunition of the Wasungu. It is to be sincerely hoped
that they did not hurt themselves with the explosive bullets and
rim cartridges through any ignorance of the nature of the deadly
contents; in which ease the box and its contents would prove a
very Pandora's casket.
Much grieved at our loss, we set off on the sixth day at the usual
hour on our watery journey. We coasted close to the several low
headlands formed by the rivers Kigwena, Kikuma, and Kisunwe; and
when any bay promised to be interesting, steered the canoe
according to its indentations. While travelling on the water - each
day brought forth similar scenes - on our right rose the mountains
of Urundi, now and then disclosing the ravines through which the
several rivers and streams issued into the great lake; at their
base were the alluvial plains, where flourished the oil-palm and
grateful plantain, while scores of villages were grouped under
their shade. Now and then we passed long narrow strips of pebbly
or sandy beach, whereon markets were improvised for selling fish,
and the staple products of the respective communities. Then we
passed broad swampy morasses, formed by the numerous streams
which the mountains discharged, where the matete and papyrus
flourished. Now the mountains approached to the water, their sides
descending abruptly to the water's edge; then they receded into
deep folds, at the base of which was sure to be seen an alluvial
plain from one to eight miles broad.
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