CHAPTER XVI. VALEDICTORY.
At 5 P.M., on the 7th of May, 1872, the dhow which conveyed my
Expedition back to Zanzibar arrived in the harbor, and the men,
delighted to find themselves once more so near their homes, fired
volley after volley, the American flag was hoisted up, and we soon
saw the house-roofs and wharves lined with spectators, many of whom
were Europeans, with glasses levelled at us.
We drew ashore slowly; but a boat putting off to take us to land,
we stepped into it, and I was soon in presence of my friend
the Consul, who heartily welcomed me back to Zanzibar; and soon
after was introduced to the Rev. Charles New, who was but a day
or two previous to my arrival an important member of the English
Search Expedition - a small, slight man in appearance, who, though
he looked weakly, had a fund of energy or nervousness in him which
was almost too great for such a body. He also heartily congratulated
me.
After a bounteous dinner, to which I did justice in a manner that
astonished my new friends, Lieut. Dawson called to see me, and
said:
"Mr. Stanley, let me congratulate you, sir."
Lieut. Dawson then went on to state how he envied me my success;
how I had "taken the wind out of his sails" (a nautical phrase
similar to that used by Lieut.
