N Y A S A L A N D
m a n y o th e r oc c a s ion s, I fe lt th a t, h a v in g com e so fa r, it
w a s a p it y not to g o fa r th e r. A t a n y ra te , I w a s re so lv ed
to h a v e a lo o k a t L a k e N y a s a . A s te am e r o f th e A f r ic a n
L a k e s C o rp o ra t io n w a s on th e p o in t o f le a v in g fo r the
no rth o f th e la k e , an d I d e te rm in ed to g o w ith her. I
co n su lted S i r H a r r y Jo h n s to n a s to m y fu tu re m o v e ments,
and su g g e s te d th a t from the n o rthe rn end o f L a k e
N y a s a I m ig h t m a k e m y w a y o v e r lan d to Z an z ib a r .
“ W e ll,” re p lied m y h o s t, “ I d o n ’t q u ite se e h ow it
wo u ld w o rk . Y o u w o u ld h a v e to c ro s s th e c o u n t ry o f th e
W ah eh e , an d th e y a re a t w a r w ith th e G e rm an s . Y o u
c e r t a in ly co u ld not g e t th ro u g h , an d w o u ld a lm o s t
c e r ta in ly b e k illed . B u t i f y o u w an t to g o h om e an o th e r
w a y ,” he con tin u ed , “ w h y n o t m a r ch from th e northe rn
end o f N y a s a to L a k e T a n g a n ik a , an d th en c e to U j i j i ?
F rom U j i j i y o u co u ld re a ch th e V ic to r ia N y a n z a , an d thus
e a s ily g e t a c ro s s to U g a n d a . T h e r e y o u w o u ld p ro b a b ly
find S i r G e r a ld P o r ta l, an d I am su re h e w o u ld ta k e
y o u d ow n to th e c o a s t w ith h im .”
“ I t se em s ra th e r a ta ll o rd e r ,” I sa id .
“ W e ll,” re p lied m y h os t, “ it w ill p ro b a b ly t a k e y o u
som e tim e , b u t I b e lie v e it c an b e d o n e .”
“ V e r y w e ll th en ,” I s a id , “ I w ill t r y to d o it.” S o I
w en t d ow n from Z om b a to M p im b i, on th e U p p e r S h ire ,
an d aw a ited th e a r r iv a l o f th e s te am e r.
B e fo r e le a v in g N y a s a la n d it w a s n e c e s s a r y th a t I sh o u ld
fin d an in te rp r e te r w h o co u ld s p e a k K isw a h ili, the la n g u a g e
u n iv e r s a lly sp o k e n from th e sou th o f L a k e T a n g a n ik a
r ig h t u p to U g a n d a . M a n y men co u ld be found sp e a k in g
th e la n g u a g e , b u t n o n e w h o co u ld a lso s p e a k E n g lish .
A t la s t M r. S h a rp e v e r y k in d ly offe red to le t me h a v e his
co o k , a y o u n g b o y o f s ix te e n , D a v id K a n i s a , w h o h ad
a lr e a d y be en fiv e y e a r s in his se rv ic e . V e r y fon d o f
tr a v e llin g , an a rd e n t sp o rtsm an , th e b o y w a s d e lig h te d
to c om e w ith me. I so o n a p p re c ia te d h is g r e a t q u a litie s .
In te llig e n t , m o s t a c tiv e , s c ru p u lo u s ly h o n e s t, h e soon
b e c am e m y r igh t-h an d man. W h en I w a s ill he n u rsed
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