longitude 25° 54'. Naturally, therefore, there
was no person at Nyangwe whose evidence was
more valuable than Tippu-Tib’s as to the direction
that 1my predecessor at Nyangwe 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 spbt where Dr. Livingstone had felt himself
unable to prosecute his travels, and whence he
had retraced his steps to Ujiji never to return
to Nyangwe.
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 ! was anxious tb know why Cameron
had declihed the jouttfey.- Sayid Meiirui said it
was because- he could not obtain carioes, 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.
“ In the Same way I aih tdld the old man
DaoudLiviston’ — David Livihgstone— “Was prevented
from going. The old man tried hard to
persuade the Arabs to lend him canoes, but
Muini Dugufnbi fefttsed, upo’n the grbtihd that
he would be rushing to his death. Cameron
also asked for canoes, and offered high prices
for them, but Dugumbi Would hot be pefsuàded,
as he defc’iih'ed to be held responsible by the
British Cohsul at Zanzibar for any accident that
might happeh to him. Bombay, I belifeVe, wished
to go, but Bilal was resohite ih his objections
to thè river, and each night intrigued with the
Arabs to preVeht his master. When Cameron
reached Imbarri at Lasongo’s, I offered to take
him for a sum of money as far as the Sankuru
river, provided he would give me a paper stating
that I took him at his oWn request, and releasing
me from all responsibility in the eveht of a
conflict with the natives. He declined to go.
I therefore, at his own request, supplied him
with guides to take him to Juma Merikani, at
Kasongo’s, in Rua, where he would meet Portuguese
traders. I have received word from
Juma Merikafti that Cameron, after many months’
stay with him, went on his way, escorted by a
large number of Portuguese traders, towards
the western sea. That is all I know about it.”
Out of this frank explanation, I had, therefore,
elicited the information that “ want of canoes
and hostility of the savages,” reluctance of the
Arabs tò permit him to proceed by the river
from an officious regard for his safety, and the
“ cowardice of his followers,” were the main
causes that prevented the gallant officer from
following the river.