How I found Livingstone : $b Travels, adventures, and discoveres in Central Africa, including an account of four months' residence with Dr. LivingstoneStanley, Henry M. (Henry Morton)
History
How I found Livingstone : $b Travels, adventures, and discoveres in Central Africa, including an account of four months' residence with Dr. Livingstone
Stanley, Henry M. (Henry Morton)
Africa, Central -- Description and travel; Livingstone, David, 1813-1873
This Mgwana, further, upon being questioned, gave us information far
more interesting, viz., about the Rusizi. He told us positively, with
the air of a man who knew all about it, and as if anybody who doubted
him might well be set down as an egregious ass, that the Rusizi River
flowed out of the lake, away to Suna's (Mtesa's) country. "Where else
could it flow to?" he asked. The Doctor was inclined to believe it, or,
perhaps he was more inclined to let it rest as stated until our own eyes
should confirm it. I was more inclined to doubt, as I told the
Doctor; first, it was too good to be true; second, the fellow was too
enthusiastic upon a subject that could not possibly interest him. His
"Barikallahs" and "Inshallahs" were far too fervid; his answers too
much in accordance with our wishes. The Doctor laid great stress on the
report of a Mgwana he met far south, who stated that the grandfather or
father of Rumanika, present King of Karagwah, had thought of excavating
the bed of the Kitangule River, in order that his canoes might go to
Ujiji to open a trade. From this, I imagine, coinciding as it did with
his often-expressed and present firm belief that the waters of the
Tanganika had an outlet somewhere, the Doctor was partial to the report
of the Mgwana; but as we proceed we shall see how all this will end.
On the ninth morning from Ujiji, about two hours after sunrise, we
passed the broad delta of the Mugere, a river which gives its name also
to the district on the eastern shore ruled over by Mukamba. We had come
directly opposite the most southern of its three mouths, when we found
quite a difference in the colour of the water. An almost straight line,
drawn east and west from the mouth would serve well to mark off the
difference that existed between the waters. On the south side was pure
water of a light green, on the north side it was muddy, and the current
could be distinctly seen flowing north. Soon after passing the first
mouth we came to a second, and then a third mouth, each only a few yards
broad, but each discharging sufficient water to permit our following the
line of the currents several rods north beyond the respective mouths.
Beyond the third mouth of the Mugere a bend disclosed itself, with
groups of villages beyond on its bank. These were Mukamba's, and in one
of them lived Mukamba, the chief. The natives had yet never seen a white
man, and, of course, as soon as we landed we were surrounded by a large
concourse, all armed with long spears--the only weapon visible amongst
them save a club-stick, and here and there a hatchet.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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