Called on Mohamad bin Nassur--recovering from sickness. He presented a goat and a large quantity of guavas. He gave the news that came from Dugumbé's underling Nseréré, and men now at Ujiji; they went S.W. to country called Nombé, it is near Rua, and where copper is smelted. After I left them on account of the massacre at Nyañgwé, they bought much ivory, but acting in the usual Arab way, plundering and killing, they aroused the Bakuss' ire, and as they are very numerous, about 200 were killed, and none of Dugumbé's party. They brought fifty tusks to Ujiji. We dare not pronounce positively on any event in life, but this looks like prompt retribution on the perpetrators of the horrible and senseless massacre of Nyañgwé. It was not vengeance by the relations of the murdered ones we saw shot and sunk in the Lualaba, for there is no communication between the people of Nyañgwé and the Bakuss or people of Nombé of Lomamé--that massacre turned my heart completely against Dugumbé's people. To go with them to Lomamé as my slaves were willing to do, was so repugnant I preferred to return that weary 400 or 600 miles to Ujiji. I mourned over my being baffled and thwarted all the way, but tried to believe that it was all for the best--this news shows that had I gone with these people to Lomamé, I could not have escaped the Bakuss spears, for I could not have run like the routed fugitives. I was prevented from going in order to save me from death. Many escapes from danger I am aware of: some make me shudder, as I think how near to death's door I came. But how many more instances of Providential protecting there may be of which I know nothing! But I thank most sincerely the good Lord of all for His goodness to me. _18th April, 1872._--I pray the good Lord of all to favour me so as to allow me to discover the ancient fountains of Herodotus, and if there is anything in the underground excavations to confirm the precious old documents (τἁ βιβλἱα), the Scriptures of truth, may He permit me to bring it to light, and give me wisdom to make a proper use of it. Some seem to feel that their own importance in the community is enhanced by an imaginary connection with a discovery or discoverer of the Nile sources, and are only too happy to figure, if only in a minor part, as theoretical discoverers--a theoretical discovery being a contradiction in terms. The cross has been used--not as a Christian emblem certainly, but from time immemorial as the form in which the copper ingot of Katañga is moulded--this is met with quite commonly, and is called Handiplé Mahandi. Our capital letter I (called Vigera) is the large form of the bars of copper, each about 60 or 70 lbs. weight, seen all over Central Africa and from Katañga.