I felt strange and lonely, somehow. My dark friends, who had
travelled over so many hundreds of miles, and shared so many
dangers with me, were gone, and I - was left behind. How many
of their friendly faces shall I see again?
On the 29th, the steamer `Africa,' belonging to the German
Consulate, was chartered by a party of five of us, and we
departed from Zanzibar to Seychelles, with the good wishes
of almost all the European residents on the island.
We arrived at Seychelles on the 9th of June, about twelve hours
after the French mail had departed for Aden. As there is only
monthly communication between Mahe (Seychelles) and Aden, we
were compelled to remain on the island of Mahe one month.
My life in Mahe is among the most agreeable things connected with
my return from Africa. I found my companions estimable gentlemen,
and true Christians. Mr. Livingstone exhibited many amiable traits
of character, and proved himself to be a studious, thoughtful,
earnest man. When at last the French steamer came from Mauritius,
there was not one of our party who did not regret leaving the
beautiful island, and the hospitable British officers who were
stationed there. The Civil Commissioner, Mr. Hales Franklyn,
and Dr. Brooks, did their utmost to welcome the wanderer, and
I take this opportunity to acknowledge the many civilities
I personally received from them.
At Aden, the passengers from the south were transferred on board
the French mail steamer, the `Mei-kong,' en route from China to
Marseilles. At the latter port I was received with open arms by
Dr. Hosmer and the representative of the `Daily Telegraph,' and
was then told how men regarded the results of the Expedition;
but it was not until I arrived in England that I realised it.
Mr. Bennett, who originated and sustained the enterprise, now
crowned it by one of the most generous acts that could be
conceived. I had promised Dr. Livingstone, that twenty-four hours
after I saw his letters to Mr. Bennett published in the London
journals, I would post his letters to his family and friends in
England. In order to permit me to keep my plighted word, and in
order that there might be no delay in the delivery of his family
letters, Mr. Bennett's agent telegraphed to New York the 'Herald'
letters I had received from Dr. Livingstone at an expense of
nearly £2,000.
And now, dear reader, the time has come for you and I to part.
Let us hope that it is not final. A traveller finds himself
compelled to repeat the regretful parting word often. During
the career recorded in the foregoing book, I have bidden many
farewells; to the Wagogo, with their fierce effrontery; to Mionvu,
whose blackmailing once so affected me; to the Wavinza, whose noisy
clatter promised to provoke dire hostilities; to the inhospitable
Warundi; to the Arab slave-traders and half-castes; to all
fevers, remittent, and intermittent; to the sloughs and swamps
of Makata; to the brackish waters and howling wastes; to my own
dusky friends and followers, and to the hero-traveller and
Christian gentleman, David Livingstone.
