The Last Journals of David Livingstone, in Central Africa, from 1865 to His Death Volume Ii Part 14

_6th December, 1871._--Remain at Luhinga's.

_7th December, 1871._--Start and go S.W. to Lohanga: pa.s.sed the point where Speke turned, then breakfasted at the marketplace.

_8th December, 1871._--Go on to Mukamba; near the boundary of Babembe and Bavira. We pulled six hours to a rocky islet, with two rocks covered with trees on its western side. The Babembe are said to be dangerous, on account of having been slaughtered by the Malongwana. The Lat. of these islands is 3 41' S.

_9th December, 1871._--Leave New York Herald Islet and go S. to Lub.u.mba Cape. The people now are the Basansas along the coast. Some men here were drunk and troublesome: we gave them a present and left them about 4-1/2 in afternoon and went to an islet at the north end in about three hours, good pulling, and afterwards in eight hours to the eastern sh.o.r.e; this makes the Lake, say, 28 or 30 miles broad. We coasted along to Mokungos and rested.

_10th December, 1871._--Kisessa is chief of all the islet Mozima. His son was maltreated at Ujiji and died in consequence; this stopped the dura trade, and we were not a.s.saulted because not Malongwana.

_11th December, 1871._--Leave Mokungo at 6 A.M. and coast along 6-1/2 hours to Sazzi.

_12th December, 1871._--Mr. Stanley ill with fever. Off, and after three hours, stop at Masambo village.

_13th December, 1871._--Mr. Stanley better. Go on to Ujiji. Mr. Stanley received a letter from Consul Webb (American) of 11th June last, and telegrams from Aden up to 29th April.

_14th December, 1871._--Many people off to fight Mirambo at Unyanyembe: their wives promenade and weave green leaves for victory.

_15th December, 1871._--At Ujiji. Getting ready to march east for my goods.

_16th December, 1871._--Engage paddlers to Tongwe and a guide.

_17th December, 1871._--S. _18th._--Writing. _19th-20th._--Still writing despatches. Packed up the large tin box with Manyuema swords and spear heads, for transmission home by Mr. Stanley. Two chronometers and two watches--anklets of Nzige and of Manyuema. Leave with Mohamad bin Saleh a box with books, s.h.i.+rts, paper, &c.; also large and small beads, tea, coffee and sugar.

_21st December, 1871._--Heavy rains for planting now.

_22nd December, 1871._--Stanley ill of fever.

_23rd December, 1871._--Do. very ill. Rainy and uncomfortable.

_24th December, 1871._--S. _25th.--Christmas_. I leave here one bag of beads in a skin, 2 bags of Sungo mazi 746 and 756 blue. Gardner's bag of beads, soap 2 bars in 3 boxes (wood). 1st, tea and matunda; 2nd, wooden box, paper and s.h.i.+rts; 3rd, iron box, shoes, quinine, 1 bag of coffee, s.e.xtant stand, one long wooden box empty. These are left with Mohamad bin Saleh at Ujiji, Christmas Day, 1871. Two bags of beads are already here and table cloths.

_26th December, 1871._--Had but a sorry Christmas yesterday.

_27th December, 1871.--Mem_. To send Moenyeghere some coffee and tell his wishes to Masudi.

_27th December, 1871._--Left Ujiji 9 A.M., and crossed goats, donkeys, and men over Luiche. Sleep at the Malagarasi.

_29th December, 1871._--Crossed over the broad bay of the Malagarasi to Kagonga and sleep.

_30th December, 1871._--Pa.s.s Viga Point, red sandstone, and cross the bay of the River Lugufu and Nkala village, and transport the people and goats: sleep.

_31st December, 1871._--Send for beans, as there are no provisions in front of this. Brown water of the Lugufu bent away north: the high wind is S.W. and W. Having provisions we went round Munkalu Point. The water is slightly discoloured for a mile south of it, but brown water is seen on the north side of bay bent north by a current.

_1st January, 1872._--May the Almighty help me to finish my work this year for Christ's sake! We slept in Mosehezi Bay. I was storm-stayed in Kifwe Bay, which is very beautiful--still as a millpond. We found 12 or 13 hippopotami near a high bank, but did not kill any, for our b.a.l.l.s are not hardened. It is high rocky tree-covered sh.o.r.e, with rocks bent and twisted wonderfully; large slices are worn off the land with hillsides clad with robes of living green, yet very, very steep.

_2nd January, 1872._--A very broad Belt of large tussocks of reeds lines the sh.o.r.e near Mount Kibanga or Boumba. We had to coast along to the south. Saw a village nearly afloat, the people having there taken refuge from their enemies. There are many hippopotami and crocodiles in Tanganyika. A river 30 yards wide, the Kibanga, flows in strongly. We encamped on an open s.p.a.ce on a knoll and put up flags to guide our land party to us.

_3rd January, 1872._--We send off to buy food. Mr. Stanley shot a fat zebra, its meat was very good.

_4th January, 1872._--The Ujijians left last night with their canoes. I gave them 14 fundos of beads to buy food on the way. We are now waiting for our land party. I gave headmen here at Burimba 2 dotis and a Kitamba. Men arrived yesterday or 4-1/2 days from the Lugufu.

_5th January, 1872._--Mr. Stanley is ill of fever. I am engaged in copying notes into my journal. All men and goats arrived safely.

_6th January, 1872._--Mr. Stanley better, and we prepare to go.

_7th January, 1872._--Mr. Stanley shot a buffalo at the end of our first march up. East and across the hills. The River Luajere is in front. We spend the night at the carcase of the buffalo.

_8th January, 1872._--We crossed the river, which is 30 yards wide and rapid. It is now knee and waist deep. The country is rich and beautiful, hilly and tree-covered, reddish soil, and game abundant.

_9th January, 1872._--Rainy, but we went on E. and N.N.E. through a shut-in valley to an opening full of all kinds of game. Buffalo cows have calves now: one was wounded. Rain came down abundantly.

_10th January, 1872._--Across a very lovely green country of open forest all fresh, and like an English gentleman's park. Game plentiful.

Tree-covered mountains right and left, and much brown haemat.i.te on the levels. Course E. A range of mountains appears about three miles off on our right.

_11th January, 1872._--Off through open forest for three hours east, then cook, and go on east another three hours, over very rough rocky, hilly country. River Mtambahu.

_12th January, 1872._--Off early, and pouring rain came down; as we advance the country is undulating. We cross a rivulet 15 yards wide going north, and at another of 3 yards came to a halt; all wet and uncomfortable.

The people pick up many mushrooms and manendinga roots, like turnips.

There are buffaloes near us in great numbers.

_13th January, 1872._--Fine morning. Went through an undulating hilly country clothed with upland trees for three hours, then breakfast in an open glade, with bottom of rocks of brown haemat.i.te, and a hole with rain-water in it. We are over 1000 feet higher than Tanganyika. It became cloudy, and we finished our march in a pouring rain, at a rivulet thickly clad with aquatic trees on banks. Course E.S.E.

_14th January, 1872._--Another fine morning, but miserably wet afternoon. We went almost 4' E.S.E., and crossed a strong rivulet 8 or 10 yards wide: then on and up to a ridge and along the top of it, going about south. We had breakfast on the edge of the plateau, looking down into a broad lovely valley. We now descended, and saw many reddish monkeys, which made a loud outcry: there was much game, but scattered, and we got none. Miserably wet crossing another stream, then up a valley to see a deserted Boma or fenced village.

_15th January, 1872._--Along a valley with high mountains on each hand, then up over that range on our left or south. At the top some lions roared. We then went on on high land, and saw many hartebeests and zebra, but did not get one, though a buffalo was knocked over. We crossed a rivulet, and away over beautiful and undulating hills and vales, covered with many trees and jambros fruit. Sleep at a running rill.

_16th January, 1872._--A very cold night after long-continued and heavy rain. Our camp was among brakens. Went E. and by S. along the high land, then we saw a village down in a deep valley into which we descended.

Then up another ridge in a valley and along to a village well cultivated--up again 700 feet at least, and down to Merera's village, hid in a mountainous nook, about 140 huts with doors on one side. The valleys present a lovely scene of industry, all the people being eagerly engaged in weeding and hoeing to take advantage of the abundant rains which have drenched us every afternoon.

_17th January, 1872._--We remain at Merera's to buy food for our men and ourselves.

_18th January, 1872._--March, but the Mirongosi wandered and led us round about instead of S.S.E. We came near some tree-covered hills, and a river Monya Mazi--Mtamba River in front. I have very sore feet from bad shoes.

_19th January, 1872._--Went about S.E. for four hours, and crossed the Mbamba River and pa.s.sed through open forest. There is a large rock in the river, and hills thickly tree-covered, 2' East and West, down a steep descent and camp. Came down River Mpokwa over rough country with sore feet, to ruins of a village Basivira and sleep. _21st._--Rest.

_22nd._--Rest. Mr. Stanley shot two zebras yesterday, and a she giraffe to-day, the meat of the giraffe was 1000 lbs. weight, the two zebras about 800 lbs.

_23rd January, 1872._--Rest. Mr. Stanley has fever. _24th._--Ditto.

_25th_.--Stanley ill. _26th_.--Stanley better and off.

_26th January, 1872._--Through low hills N.E. and among bamboos to open forest--on in undulating bushy tract to a river with two rounded hills east, one having three mushroom-shaped trees on it.

_27th January, 1872._--On across long land waves and the only bamboos east of Mpokwa Rill to breakfast. In going on a swarm of bees attacked a donkey Mr. Stanley bought for me, and instead of galloping off, as did the other, the fool of a beast rolled down, and over and over. I did the same, then ran, dashed into a bush like an ostrich pursued, then ran whisking a bush round my head. They gave me a sore head and face, before I got rid of the angry insects: I never saw men attacked before: the donkey was completely knocked up by the stings on head, face, and lips, and died in two days, in consequence. We slept in the stockade of Misonghi.

_28th January, 1872._--We crossed the river and then away E. to near a hill. Crossed two rivers, broad and marshy, and deep with elephants plunging. Rain almost daily, but less in amount now. Bombay says his greatest desire is to visit Speke's grave ere he dies: he has a square head with the top depressed in the centre.

_29th January, 1872._--We ascended a ridge, the edge of a flat basin with ledges of dark brown sandstone, the brim of ponds in which were deposited great ma.s.ses of brown haemat.i.te, disintegrated into gravel, flat open forest with short gra.s.s. We crossed a rill of light-coloured water three times and reached a village. After this in 1-1/2 hour we came to Merera's.