With the air of a well-bred Arab, and almost courtier-like in his manner, he welcomed me to Mwana Mamba’s village, and his slaves being ready at hand with mat and bolster, he reclined vis-à-vis, while a buzz of admiration of his style was perceptible from the on-lookers. After regarding him for a few minutes, I came to the conclusion that this Arab was a remarkable man—the most remarkable man I had met among Arabs, Wa- Swahili, and half-castes in Africa. He was neat in his person, his clothes were of a spotless white, his fez-cap brand new, his waist was encircled by a rich dowlé, his dagger was splendid with silver filigree, and his tout ensemble was that of an Arab gentleman in very comfortable circumstances. The person above described was the Arab who had escorted Cameron across the Lualaba as far as Utotera, south latitude 5°, and east longitude 25° 54′. Naturally, therefore, there was no person at Nyangwé whose evidence was more valuable than Tippu-Tib’s as to the direction that my predecessor at Nyangwé had taken. The information he gave me was sufficiently clear—and was, moreover, confirmed by Sayid Mezrui and other Arabs—that the greatest problem of African geography was left untouched at the exact spot where Dr. Livingstone had felt himself unable to prosecute his travels, and whence he had retraced his steps to Ujiji never to return to Nyangwé. This was momentous and all-important news to the Expedition. We had arrived at the critical point in our travels: our destinies now awaited my final decision. But first I was anxious to know why Cameron had declined the journey. Sayid Mezrui said it was because he could not obtain canoes, and because the natives in the Mitamba or forest were exceedingly averse to strangers. Tippu-Tib averred also that Cameron’s men decidedly opposed following the river, as no one knew whither it went.