"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.
