October, 1873On the arrival of the body a few days later Said ibn Salim, Shaykh ibn Nassib, Abdallah ibn Nassib and the principal Arabs without exception, showed their respect to Livingstone's memory by attending the reception of the corpse, which we arranged with such honours as we were able. The askari were drawn up in front of the house in two lines between which the men bearing the body passed; and as the body entered, the colours, which, contrary to our usual custom, had not been hoisted that morning, were shown half-mast high.

Susi, on whom the command had devolved on the death of Livingstone, brought a couple of boxes belonging to him, and his guns and instruments. He also stated thet a box containing books had been left at Ujiji, and that shortly before his death the doctor had particularly desired that they should be fetched and conveyed to the coast.

Dr. Livingstone's death, as far as I could ascertain from the description given by his men, occurred rather to the westward of the place marked in the map published in "Livingstone's Last Journals." He had been suffering from acute sysentery for some time, but his active mind did not permit him to remain stil and rest. Had he done so for a week or two after the first attack, it was the opinion of Dr. Dillon upon reading the last few pages of his journal that he would most probably have recovered.

It is not for me here to speak of Livingstone, his life and his death. The appreciation of a whole nation -nay, more, of the whole civilised world, will testify to succeeding generations that he was one of the world's heroes.

And that title was never won by greater patience, self-denial, and true courage, than that shown by David Livingstone.

It was now necessary to consider what course we had better pursue, since he, whom we were to have looked for guidance, was taken from us.

Murphy resigned his position and announced his intention of returning to the coast, on the ground that the work of the expedition was completed and that nothing further remained for us to do.

Dillon and I decided upon proceeding to Ujiji and securing that box to which Livingstone had referred with almost his last breath, and, after having safely despatched it to the coast, to push on towards Nyangwé to endeavour to follow up the doctor's explorations.

We now redoubled our exertions to get away, and equipped Susi and his companions for the march to Bagamoyo. But unhappily Dillon and I were not destined to go forwards together, for a few days prior to the date fixed for our departure he was attacked with inflammation of the bowels, and, much against his wish, felt constrained to return to the coast as that seemed the only course which gave hope of recovery.

I also was unfortunate and had a serious fall when riding a new donkey received in exchange for some of those we brought from Zanzibar. I pitched exactly on the small of my back upon a pointed block of granite, and was so shaken and hurt that I was unable to walk even the few hundred yards to the house, and was confined to my bed for some days.

When Dillon decided on returning to the coast, Murphy handsomely volunteered to continue with me. But I did not accept his offer on account of the great difficulty in obtaining pagazi, and I was also convinced that the only chance of the expedition moving forward lay in reducing it to the smallest possible limits.

Issa and Bombay quarrelled to such an extent as to render it impossible to retain both in the caravan, and the former having heard that his brother - an interpreter on board one of her Majesty's cruisers - had been killed at Kilwa, he was desirous of returning for the sake of his mother who had now no son at Zanzibar.

I much regretted losing Issa, for he was very useful and kept correct accounts of all stores expended, besides being most methodical, and possessing considerable influence amongst the men.

Bombay was certainly faithful and firm in attachment; in fact he reminded me of the old Scottish servant who, when his master said they must part, replied, "Na, na; I;m no' gangin'. If ye dinna ken whan ye've a gude servant, I ken whan I've a gude place." Sometimes he would work well, and prove really serviceable; but he was usually afraid of the men, and drink was his bane.

November, 1873The personnel of my expedition now consisted of Bombay, head man; Bilâl Wadi Asmani, second in command - Asmani who had been with Stanley and Livingstone as guide, and now filled that post with me - accompanied by his inseparable friend, Mabruki; Mohammed Malim, my servant, a good interpreter and tailor; Hamees, gunbearer, engaged at Unyanyembé; boy Jacko, freed by Said ibn Salim to accompany me; Sambo, cook - his claim to that office rating on the fact of his having been cook's mate in an English merchant ship; Kombo, cook's mate, and a body of askari and pagazi amounting in all to about one hundred men, desertions and engagements causing the total to vary daily.

On the 9th of November Livingstone's caravan, accompanied by Dillon and Murphy, started for the coast, whilst my cry was "Westward Ho !"

I was the first to start, although I was obliged to leave a quantity of stores behind under charge of Bombay, owing to the non-appearance of pagazi. Consequently I had to halt at Mkwemkwé, only a short distance from Kwiharah.

The evening we parted was a solemn time both for Dillon and myself. We talked of our homes and of meeting in England; but whether we really cherished that hope of meeting again I scarcely know. We must both have had grave misgivings. I know that many such disquieted my mind at that moment, for I felt my health had failed and before me all was uncertainty. Yet though the wrench and pain of parting was great, neither would express in words any doubts or fears as to the future.

At this time I was nearly blind from ophthalmia and almost unable to walk from the pain in my back, while fever which was still hanging about me had reduced me to a skeleton, my weight being only seven stone four on leaving Kwiharah.

I must own that the likelihood of Dillon's reaching home appeared to me greater than of my ever seeing England. Still I was determined to go on, trusting in the good mercy of God to enable me to accomplish the labour I had undertaken; and Dillon spoke cheerfully of the hoped-for benefit from change of climate, of regaining health and it might be sight. Little did I foresee that our separation for ever in this world was then so near.

From Mkwemkwé the men still deserted at every opportunity, going either to Taborah or Kwiharah; so I again asked the assistance of Said ibn Salim and the Ibn Nassibs, who promised to drive the men back whenever it was possible. I also ordered Bombay out to Mkwemkwé as personal supervision was needed to keep him up to the mark, replacing him at Kwiharah with Bilâl.

On returning from this visit to Said ibn Salim I was surprised to find Murphy in my tent. He had come to procure some medicine for poor Dillon, who, in addition to his previous illness, was now attacked by dysentery. Murphy said, however, that they intended to start without delay, arrangements having been made to carry Dillon on a litter.

I begged I might be sent for immediately should he become any worse, so that I might go to him. But the next day some of Livingstone's men came to me with the gratifying news that Dillon was better, and they intended to march the following morning.

Having by dint of perseverance managed to get my stores from Kwiharah, I broke up camp and went to Itumvi, a large village lying on the direct road to Ujiji; but having only sufficient carriers for half my stores I experienced much the same trouble and delay here as at Mkwemkwé.

On paper and by rations there were about twenty men in excess of loads, yet whenever we started on the march many were absent; and when Bilâl was sent to look after the absentees, and was fortunate enough to recover half-a-dozen, twenty more were found to be missing when he returned.

By this wearying and worrying behaviour of the men I was detained at Itumvi till the 20th of November, when I reduced the number of loads by restowage and throwing away the preserved provisions for my own use, and naturally left behind considerably less than had been the case at Mkwemkwé.

I endeavoured to obtain some assistance from the chief of Itumvi, and tried to enlist his sympathies by assuring him that England was the black man's friend and wished to see all men free, and was doing their utmost to stop the slave-trade on the coast.

"What, then, are the poor Arabs to do for slaves, if you stop the trade?" said he; and though admitting that slavery was a very bad thing and saying he never sold a slave, yet he owned that he sometimes bought one.

As we were starting from Itumvi, a messenger from Murphy brought the dreadful news of poor Dillon's death on the 18th of November, caused by the terrible effects of African fever. By some unhappy chance firearms had been left within reach, and in the delirium of fever and the misery of complication of diseases under which he was suffering he had shot himself in the head.

And agonizing though it is to dwell on this subject, I think it only right to point out that none but those who have experienced this fever can realise the extraordinary fancies that take possession of the mind. At times I have imagined, although not entirely losing my consciousness, that I had a second head and that I could not live in this state. The weight had been so great and the impression so marked that I have felt tempted to take any means to rid myself of it but without experiencing the slightest desire to put an end to my existence.

The day on which I received this news was the saddest in my life. I had lost one of the best and truest of my old messmates and friends; one whose companionship during the many weary hours of travel and suffering had helped to cheer and lessen the difficulties and vexations by which we were so frequently beset.

And the shock so stunned me in my enfeebled condition that for some few days I appear to have existed almost in a dream, remembering scarcely anything of the march to Konongo and leaving my journal a blank. Perhaps it may not readily be understood how it arose, after having parted with Dillon and Murphy for several days and while moving towards opposite coasts, that our parties should at this time have been near each other. I have therefore given the accompanying sketch of the routes followed.

The absence of pagazi continued to cause delay and I had finally to abandon the idea of marching to Ujiji by the diect road, finding that not a soul would follow me if I persisted in the attempt. I accordingly decided to go round by Ugunda and try for a route between the recognised one and that taken by Stanley.

All the remaining preserved provisions excepting a tin of soup, one of fish, and two plum-puddings - which I kept for a possible Christmas - were now thrown away to further lighten the loads; for improvident as this almost seemed and reluctant as I was to leave behind that which might hereafter prove of such vital importance to us, it was evident that our only hope of reaching port in safety lay in lightening the ship as much as possible. There were also some large villages close by, so that starvation did not stare us in the face.

On the 27th of November I mustered a hundred pagazi for a hundred and ten loads and marched to Témé, a large village four miles distant, leaving Bombay to bring on the remaining loads with men hired for the day.

We passed two large villages, showing our colours and striking up with a drum which I had procured in the hope of inspiriting the men by a little noise. The whole population had, however, turned out and were busily employed in preparing the ground for the next crop, the rains having now commenced, so that this attempt at display fell a trifle flat.

Bombay kept me waiting at Témé the next day, in consequence of which a number of men bolted back to Kwiharah, and when Bombay did make his appearance we were in a worse plight than before.

I was astonished to find a Turk serving as a soldier under Abdallah ibn Nassib who was stationed here for the purpose of buying provisions for the Balooches at Kwiharah.

He was born at Constantinople, enlisted in the Turkish army, and was present at the opening of the Suez Canal. He deserted in Egypt, and, apparently without exactly knowing how he managed it, arrived at Zanzibar. Being in a destitute condition he then enlisted among the Balooches of Syud Burghash. He seemed very contented with his position, but still had a hankering after Constantinople and told me that he intended returning there some day.

More pagazi having offered themselves, I indulged in the faint hope that there was a possibility of a fair start in the morning; but more than twenty absconded during the night, and it was not without much delay that I succeeded in making a move again.

December, 1873Three hours' march through a rolling country having villages and clearings interspersed in the jungle, brought us to Kasékerah, the scene of poor Dillon's death. From the natives I unsuccessfully endeavoured to ascertain where my old messmate was buried in order that I might visit his last resting-place and place some mark over the spot where he lay. No one could tell me anything about it.

On meeting Murphy I found he had buried him in the jungle, having a fear (though a needless one) of the natives desecrating his grave. I learnt also that just before his death the poor fellow had destroyed those letters which I had given him gor conveyance to the coast, so I immediately commenced writing another account of the history and prospects of the expedition.

Some of Murphy's men arrived with the information that he had halted two days' march in front, and, having had some cloth stolen from his tent, was sending to Said ibn Salim for a further supply to enable him to continue his journey to the coast.

Kasékerah was a large and neat village of flat-topped huts surrounded by an outer stockade, and within an inner one was an enormous circular hut, the residence of the chief, who was a daughter of Mkasiwah, chief of all Unyanyembé. There were deep verandahs in front of many huts, several of which were plastered with different coloured earths, forming patterns.

Again I had to wait for Bombay, and the day after his arrival it rained too heavily for us to proceed. But on the 2nd of December we started after the usual amount of bother, nine men having disappeared directly rations had been served out.

The askari too were inclined to give some trouble by setting forward as a grievance that carrying a flag and a drum was not soldiers' work but the duty of pagazi. Bombay caused me much vexation by abetting the askari in their ridiculous pretentions; and not after four hours' hard work could I start the caravan - minus the drum.

Others made up their sleeping mats, clothes, and personal baggage to represent bales of cloth and put them amongst the loads; and from them being much lighter than cloth or beads, the pagazi singled them out and displayed much anxiety to carry them instead of their proper burdens.

A short walk through wooded country brought us to Kigandah, the last village in Unyanyembé; and between it and Uganda - the next division of Unyamwési - lay a march of six hours through virgin forest.

To guard against further desertions I posted sentries at every entrance to the village; but this precaution proved unavailing and twenty-five men escaped, fragments of their scanty clothing on the top of the palisades being sufficient, at the dawn of day, to show the road they had taken.

To wait for the fugitives would have occasioned much delay and most probably the loss of many more. So putting the best face I could on the matter, I hired sufficient men to carry the deserters' loads to the first village in Ugunda, where it was stated pagazi were usually to be obtained. I also despatched a messenger to the Arabs at Kwiharah and Taborah reporting the numbers that had deserted, most of whom were known being men belonging to the coast.

Marching through wooded country with beautiful open glades, the trees bursting into fresh leaf an the young grass clothing with a tender green the patches which had been burnt in the dry season, and evrything looking fresh and springlike, I felt better than at any time since leaving Kwiharah. And to my atonishment I found myself able to follow the shady path without suffering fatigue.

We rested at some pools of clear fresh water, and a baggage donkey appreciating the comfort of a bath, went into one and, lying down, commenced to roll. Pleasant as this might have been for the beast, it tended much to the detriment of a load composed of miscellaneous odds and ends, botanical paper, &c.

Resuming our march we reached, in a few hours, a large village in the centre of much cultivation. This was the residence of Mrima Ngombé, chief of Ugunda, and as such was called Kwikuruh, that name being invariably given to the village at which the chief of a district in Uyamwési dwells.

The men carrying my tent and cooking gear having lagged begind I took refuge from the sun's rays in the village public-house, where I became the centre of a wondering crowd.

There are two of these public-houses - or perhaps they may be more properly termed "clubs" - in nearly every village in Unyamwési, one for each sex. That appropriated for the women is not open to strangers; but at the one frequented by the men all travellers of distinction are welcomed by the chiefs and elders. As soon as a boy attains the age of seven or eight years he throws off the authority of his mother, and passes most of his time at the club, usually eating and often sleeping there.

They are generally larger and better built huts than the other huts, and a standing bed place occupies a considerable portion of the interior.

The following day I visited Murphy, who was camped about a mile and a half to the eastward of me, and found him very comfortable and seeming much better than he had been since his arrival at Bagamoyo. He showed me much kindness on this occasion of meeting, giving me his waterproof coat and indiarubber sheet, which proved of great value to me afterwards.

Acting on Issa's advice, Livingstone's men had packed the corpse in bark and so lashed it up as to have the appearance of a bale of cloth, in order to smuggle it past the eyes of the prying Wagogo.

Had they suspected what the package really contained they would never have allowed the caravan with its burden to pass through their country.

A rumour now reached me that Asmani, whom I had despatched in search of pagazi, was in the jungle unable to come in having been stripped naked by some Ruga-Ruga. I sent a piece of cloth to this unfortunate individual by some men, but instead of Asmani, they brought back a deserter who confessed that it was he who was guilty of stealing the cloth which Murphy had lost.

He had been instigated to commit the theft by a half-caste Arab resident, who threw physic to the dogs to prevent their making a noise when the thief entered Murphy's tent.

For providing this magical medicine the Arab had received the greater part of the stolen goods, while the poor tool in trying to skulk back to Taborah, had been robbed of everything.

In enquiring into the case, and after patient investigation and hearing much cross-swearing, I considered that the weight of the evidence was against the Arab who had connived at the theft and received the goods. I therefore ordered him to make good Murphy's loss, under penalty of being sent in chains to Said ibn Salim for punishment.

After some little resistance and arguing he preferred paying to being delivered over to Said ibn Salim, who would probably either have shot him or forwarded him to the coast to be dealt with by the Sultan at Zanzibar.

He greatly feared being sent to Said ibn Salim; for the news had spread - although I was not aware of it till afterwards - that he and Abdallah ibn Nassib had on several occasions very nearly resorted to force to prevent the more disreputable people at Taborah from enciting our men away from us. They would undoubtedly have adopted strong measures had they not been afraid of creating divisions whilst Mirambo was still unconquered.

Mrima Ngombé, the chief of Uganda, developed a strong friendship for me and constantly visited me, bringing pombé and insisting on my hobnobing with him; but notwithstanding his efforts it was impossible to obtain any pagazi amongst his people as they would not leave home during the sowing season.

I therefore reduced my personal kit to a minimum, making all my clothes, boots, &c., into one load; yet even then there were not sufficient carriers, neither was there any chance of obtaining men on hire from day to day. So I left behind twelve loads of the cheapest beads and wrote to Said ibn Salim to forward them if an opportunity offered.

Having wished Murphy "Godspeed", I again made a start from Kwikuruh on December 8th, and after a long march reached Mapalatta.

When the caravan arrived the people closed the doors of the village, for they had lately been harried by some slave-traders and had learnt to view all strangers with suspicion. But after a time they professed themselves satisfied with our peaceful intentions and allowed us to enter.

According to Asmani, who had rejoined us at Mrima Ngombé's, no other villages would be met with for some days and consequently it was necessary to lay in a stock of provisions. Although according to previous experience this statement was probably incorrect, it was not advisable to risk a jungle march without food, and I ordered a day's halt to buy and clean the necessary corn.

The chief of the village was a disgustingly dirty old man suffering from delirium tremens - the only instance of this disorder which I saw in Africa, though drunkenness was by no means uncommon. The purchase of five days' food was, however, satisfactorily arranged with his wives, and we again proceeded on the 10th of December.

The country was perfectly charming, the trees delicately green and fresh, the open grassy glades enamelled with various wild flowers. Indeed it would have required no great stretch of the imagination to fancy oneself in the wooded part of a well-kept English park, except that gazelles bounding away in the distance and the skulls of a lion and an elephant kept prominently in mind the fact that one was still in african jungle.

After marching eight miles a clearing was reached, and in the cenre there stood a large new village named Hisinéné. Asmani, with his eternal grin, pointed it out with apparent delight, seeming to think that it would be a pleasant surprise. On the contrary I was disgusted, as it now appeared that the halt the day before had been altogether unnecessary and each village was certain to tempt some of my men to remain behind. When leaving the place the next morning I was gratified to find that only one man had run during the night.

After every one had started I brought up the rear on Jasmin, the white Muscat donkey I obtained at Unyanyembé, which by this time had learnt to attach itself to me almost with the fidelity of a dog.

These Muscat donkeys are much valued, being highly bred and possessing good staying powers, but they require better care and feeding than the ordinary native animal. They stand about twelve to thirteen hands high, and their paces are equal to those of a horse and they are very pleasant to ride owing to their easy amble.

Suddenly the caravan came to a halt and a most unwelcome sight presented itself, the men having grounded their loads while Asmani and others were engaged in a violent altercation with some natives.

Those proved to be an embassy from Taka, chief of Eastern Ugara, proceeding to Unyanyembé to hold a palaver respecting a misunderstanding which had arisen owing to the headman of a village having been shot by an Arab in a squabble.

Taka was now sending to Said ibn Salim and Abdallah ibn Nassib to arrange this matter, and meanwhile the road through Ugara was blocked.

Every effort to persuade this embassy to turn back and accompany me to Taka's village was unavailing, and we were compelled to return to Hisinéné.

All the bright hopes of the morning were thus dashed to the ground, and a lengthened delay appeared inevitable.