ed, or some o f Mtesa’s chiefs had seized her.
Only ten canoes had arrived b y the evening of
the 16th.
T h e parting between M. Linant and myself, I
shall allow him to describe:—
“ At 5 A.M. drums are beaten; the boats going with Stanley
are collecting together.
“ Mr. Stanley and myself are soon ready. The Lady Alice
is unmoored; luggage, sheep, goats, and poultry are already
stowed away in their places. There is nothing to be done
except to hoist the American flag and head the boat southwards.
I accompany Stanley to his boat; we shake hands
and commend each other to the care of God. Stanley takes
the helm; the Lady Alice immediately swerves like a spirited
horse, and bounds forward lashing the water of the Nyanza
into foam. The starry flag is hoisted, and floats proudly in
the breeze; I immediately raise a loud hurrah with such
hearty good will as perhaps never before greeted the traveller’s
ears.
“ The Lady Alice is already far away. We wave pur
handkerchiefs as a last farewell; my heart is full; I have
just lost a brother. I had grown used to seeing Stanley,
the open-hearted, sympathetic man and friend and admirable
traveller. With him I forgot my fatigue ; this meeting had
been like a return to my own country. His engaging instructive
conversation made the hours pass like minutes. I
hope I may see him again, and have the happiness of spending
several days with him.”
CH A P T E R X .
Parting with Colonel Linant— Magassa’s vanity and disloyalty
— Jumba’s Cove — Uganga — The sailors’ island — Dumo
— The Alexandra Nile — Lupassi Point — In danger at Ma-
kongo — Alone with Nature — Insect life — Dreams o f a
happier future 5-— A dark secret — Murabo and the fish —
Alice Island— A night never to be forgotten— The treachery
of Bumbireh — Saved! — Refuge Island — Wiru — “ Go and
die in the Nyanza I” — Back in camp — Sad news.
(A p r il 17— M ay 5, 1875.)
“ A d ie u ! adieu! mon ami Linant! Remember my
words, I shall return within a month; if not,
present my compliments to yo u r friends at
Ismailia (Gondokoro), and tell them they may
see me on the Alb ert Nyanza,” were the last words
I said to M. Linant de Bellefonds, as I seated mys
e lf in my boat on the morning o f the 17th Ap ril.*
* Owing to the events which are recorded in this chapter I
was unable to return to Mtesa’s capital within the time specified
to M. Linant, but it is evident that my friend waited nearly
six weeks for me. He sustained a fierce attack for fourteen
hours from several thousand Wanyoro en route to Ismailia,
but finally succeeded in making his escape, and reaching
Colonel Gordon’s headquarters in safety. On the 26th August,
however, being on another mission, he was attacked by the
Baris near a place called Labore, and he and his party of
thirty-six soldiers were massacred. This sad event occurred
four days after I returned on my second visit to the Ripon Falls.
T 2