Stanley's Story; Or, Through the Wilds of Africa: A Thrilling Narrative of His Remarkable Adventures, Terrible Experiences, Wonderful Discoveries and Amazing Achievements in the Dark ContinentFeather, A. G., Col.
History
Stanley's Story; Or, Through the Wilds of Africa: A Thrilling Narrative of His Remarkable Adventures, Terrible Experiences, Wonderful Discoveries and Amazing Achievements in the Dark Continent
Feather, A. G., Col.
Africa, Central -- Description and travel; Livingstone, David, 1813-1873; Stanley, Henry M. (Henry Morton), 1841-1904
“Together we turned our faces towards his tembe. He pointed to the
veranda of his house, which was an unrailed platform, built of mud,
covered by wide overhanging eaves. He pointed to his own particular
seat, on a carpet of goatskins spread over a thick mat of palm leaf. I
protested against taking his seat, but he insisted, and I yielded. We
were seated, the Doctor and I, with our back to the wall, the Arabs to
our right and left and in front, the natives forming a dark perspective
beyond. Then began conversation; I forget what about; possibly about the
road I took from Unyanyembe, but I am not sure. I know the Doctor was
talking, and I was answering mechanically. I was conning the
indomitable, energetic, patient and persevering traveller, at whose side
I now sat in Central Africa. Every hair of his head and beard, every
line and wrinkle of his face, the wan face, the fatigued form, were all
imparting the intelligence to me which so many men so much desired. It
was deeply interesting intelligence and unvarnished truths these mute
but certain witnesses gave. They told me of the real nature of the work
in which he was engaged. Then his lips began to give me the
details--lips that cannot lie. I could not repeat what he said. He had
so much to say that he began at the end, seemingly oblivious of the fact
that nearly six years had to be accounted for. But the story came out
bit by bit, unreservedly--as unreservedly as if he was conversing with
Sir R. Murchison, his true friend and best on earth. The man’s heart was
gushing out, not in hurried sentences, in rapid utterances, in quick
relation--but in still and deep words. A happier companion, a truer
friend than the traveller, I could not wish for. He was always
polite--with a politeness of the genuine kind--and this politeness never
forsook him for an instant even in the midst of the most rugged scenes
and greatest difficulties. Upon my first introduction to him Livingstone
was to me like a huge tome, with a most unpretending binding. Within,
the book might contain much valuable lore and wisdom, but its exterior
gave no promise of what was within. Thus outside Livingstone gave no
token--except of being rudely dealt with by the wilderness--of what
element of power or talent lay within. He is a man of unpretending
appearance enough, has quiet, composed features, from which the
freshness of youth has quite departed, but which retains the mobility of
prime age just enough to show that there yet lives much endurance and
vigor within his frame. The eyes, which are hazel, are remarkably
bright, not dimmed in the least, though the whiskers and mustache are
very gray. The hair, originally brown, is streaked here and there with
gray over the temples, otherwise it might belong to a man of thirty. The
teeth above show indications of being worn out. The hard fare of Londa
and Manyema have made havoc in their ranks. His form is stoutish, a
little over the ordinary in height, with slightly bowed shoulders. When
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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