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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A Beautiful
Park-Land Was Revealed To Us; But The Grass Was Very Tall, And
The Rainy Season, Which Had Commenced In Earnest, Made My Work
Excessively Disagreeable.
Through this tall grass, which was as
high as my throat, I had to force my way, compass in hand, to
lead the Expedition, as there was not the least sign of a road,
and we were now in an untravelled country.
We made our camp on
a beautiful little stream flowing north; one of the feeders of
the Rugufu River.
The 11th still saw me plunging through the grass, which showered
drops of rain on me every time I made a step forward. In two
hours we crossed a small stream, with slippery syenitic rocks in
its bed, showing the action of furious torrents. Mushrooms were
in abundance, and very large. In crossing, an old pagazi of
Unyamwezi, weather-beaten, uttered, in a deplorable tone, "My
kibuyu is dead;" by which he meant that he had slipped, and in
falling had broken his gourd, which in Kisawahili is "kibuyu."
On the eastern bank we halted for lunch, and, after an hour and
a half's march, arrived at another stream, which I took to be the
Mtambu, at first from the similarity of the land, though my map
informed me that it was impossible. The scenery around was very
similar, and to the north we had cited a similar tabular hill to
the "Magdala" Mount I had discovered north of Imrera, while going
to the Malagarazi. Though we had only travelled three and a half
hours the Doctor was very tired as the country was exceedingly
rough.
The next day, crossing several ranges, with glorious scenes of
surpassing beauty everywhere around us, we came in view of a
mighty and swift torrent, whose bed was sunk deep between enormous
lofty walls of sandstone rock, where it roared and brawled with
the noise of a little Niagara.
Having seen our camp prepared on a picturesque knoll, I thought I
would endeavour to procure some meat, which this interesting region
seemed to promise. I sallied out with my little Winchester along
the banks of the river eastward. I travelled for an hour or two,
the prospect getting more picturesque and lovely, and then went up
a ravine which looked very promising. Unsuccessful, I strode up
the bank, and my astonishment may be conceived when I found
myself directly in front of an elephant, who had his large broad
ears held out like studding sails - the colossal monster, the
incarnation of might of the African world. Methought when I saw
his trunk stretched forward, like a warning finger, that I heard a
voice say, "Siste, Venator!" But whether it did not proceed from
my imagination or - No; I believe it proceeded from Kalulu, who
must have shouted, "Tembo, tembo! bana yango!" "Lo! an elephant!
an elephant, my master!"
For the young rascal had fled as soon as he had witnessed the awful
colossus in such close vicinage.
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