You have said to me often that you could smell
the fish of the Tanganika - I can smell the fish of the Tanganika
now. There are fish, and beer, and a long rest waiting for you.
MARCH!"
Before we had gone a hundred yards our repeated volleys had the
effect desired. We had awakened Ujiji to the knowledge that a
caravan was coming, and the people were witnessed rushing up in
hundreds to meet us. The mere sight of the flags informed every
one immediately that we were a caravan, but the American flag
borne aloft by gigantic Asmani, whose face was one vast smile on
this day, rather staggered them at first. However, many of the
people who now approached us, remembered the flag. They had seen
it float above the American Consulate, and from the mast-head of
many a ship in the harbor of Zanzibar, and they were soon heard
welcoming the beautiful flag with cries of "Bindera Kisungu!" - a
white man's flag! "Bindera Merikani!" - the American flag!
Then we were surrounded by them: by Wajiji, Wanyamwezi, Wangwana,
Warundi, Waguhha, Wamanyuema, and Arabs, and were almost
deafened with the shouts of "Yambo, yambo, bana! Yambo, bana!
Yambo, bana!" To all and each of my men the welcome was given.
We were now about three hundred yards from the village of Ujiji,
and the crowds are dense about me. Suddenly I hear a voice on
my right say,
"Good morning, sir!"
Startled at hearing this greeting in the midst of such a crowd of
black people, I turn sharply around in search of the man, and see
him at my side, with the blackest of faces, but animated and
joyous - a man dressed in a long white shirt, with a turban of
American sheeting around his woolly head, and I ask:
"Who the mischief are you?"
"I am Susi, the servant of Dr. Livingstone," said be, smiling,
and showing a gleaming row of teeth.
"What! Is Dr. Livingstone here?"
"Yes, sir."
"In this village?"
"Yes, sir."
"Are you sure?"
"Sure, sure, sir. Why, I leave him just now.""
"Good morning, sir," said another voice.
"Hallo," said I, "is this another one?"
"Yes, sir."
"Well, what is your name?"
"My name is Chumah, sir."
"What! are you Chumah, the friend of Wekotani?"
"Yes, sir."
"And is the-Doctor well?"
" Not very well, sir."
"Where has he been so long?"
"In Manyuema."
"Now, you Susi, run, and tell the Doctor I am coming."
"Yes, sir," and off he darted like a madman.
But by this time we were within two hundred yards of the village,
and the multitude was getting denser, and almost preventing our
march. Flags and streamers were out; Arabs and Wangwana were
pushing their way through the natives in order to greet us, for
according to their account, we belonged to them. But the great
wonder of all was, "How did you come from Unyanyembe?"
Soon Susi came running back, and asked me my name; he had told
the Doctor I was coming, but the Doctor was too surprised to believe
him, and when the Doctor asked him my name, Susi was rather staggered.
But, during Susi's absence, the news had been conveyed to the
Doctor that it was surely a white man that was coming, whose guns
were firing, and whose flag could be seen; and the great Arab
magnates of Ujiji - Mohammed bin Sali, Sayd bin Majid, Abid bin
Suliman, Mohammed bin Gharib, and others - had gathered together
before the Doctor's house, and the Doctor had come out from his
veranda to discuss the matter and await my arrival.
In the meantime, the head of the Expedition had halted, and the
kirangozi was out of the ranks, holding his flag aloft, and Selim
said to me, "I see the Doctor, sir. Oh, what an old man! He has
got a white beard." And I - what would I not have given for a bit
of friendly wilderness, where, unseen, I might vent my joy in some
mad freak, such as idiotically biting my hand; turning a somersault,
or slashing at trees, in order to allay those exciting feelings
that were well-nigh uncontrollable. My heart beats fast, but I must
not let my face betray my emotions, lest it shall detract from the
dignity of a white man appearing under such extraordinary circumstances.
So I did that which I thought was most dignified. I pushed back
the crowds, and, passing from the rear, walked down a living avenue
of people, until I came in front of the semicircle of Arabs, before
which stood the "white man with the grey beard."
As I advanced slowly towards him I noticed he was pale, that he
looked wearied and wan, that he had grey whiskers and moustache,
that he wore a bluish cloth cap with a faded gold band on a red
ground round it, and that he had on a red-sleeved waistcoat, and a
pair of grey tweed trousers.
I would have run to him, only I was a coward in the presence of
such a mob - would have embraced him, but that I did not know how
he would receive me; so I did what moral cowardice and false pride
suggested was the best thing - walked deliberately to him, took off
my hat, and said:
"DR. LIVINGSTONE, I PRESUME?"
"Yes," said he, with a kind, cordial smile, lifting his cap slightly.
I replaced my hat on my head, and he replaced his cap, and we
both grasped hands. I then said aloud:
"I thank God, Doctor, I have been permitted to see you."
He answered, "I feel thankful that I am here to welcome you."
I turned to the Arabs, took off my hat to them in response to the
saluting chorus of "Yambos" I received, and the Doctor introduced
them to me by name.
