The Mammoth Book of Travel in Dangerous Places (45 page)

The zigzag path to descend to the lake was so steep and dangerous that we were forced to leave our oxen with a guide, who was to take them to Magungo and wait for our arrival. We commenced the
descent of the steep pass on foot. I led the way, grasping a stout bamboo. My wife in extreme weakness tottered down the pass, supporting herself upon my shoulder, and stopping to rest every twenty
paces. After a toilsome descent of about two hours, weak with years of fever, but for the moment strengthened by success, we gained the level plain below the cliff. A walk of about a mile through
flat sandy meadows of fine turf interspersed with trees and bush, brought us to the water’s edge. The waves were rolling upon a white pebbly beach: I rushed into the lake, and thirsty with
heat and fatigue, with a heart full of gratitude, I drank deeply from the Sources of the Nile.

LAST DAYS

David Livingstone

(1813–73)

Livingstone, born in Blantyre near Glasgow, was nurtured in poverty and religious fervour. He reached southern Africa as a missionary doctor but, more suited to solitary
exploration, edged north in a series of pioneering journeys into the interior. While exploring the headwaters of the Congo, which he thought must be those of the Nile, a massacre perpetrated by
Arab slavers plus his failing health obliged him to return to Ujiji, his Tanganyikan base. The staccato entries of his last journals betray his physical and mental condition; declining to return
with Stanley, he died on a subsequent foray from Ujiji.

20
th July, 1871
I start back for Ujiji. All Dugumbé’s people came to say good bye, and convoy me a little way. I made a short
march, for being long inactive it is unwise to tire oneself on the first day, as it is then difficult to get over the effects.

21st July
One of the slaves was sick, and the rest falsely reported him to be seriously ill, to give them time to negotiate for women with whom they had cohabited:
Dugumbé saw through the fraud, and said “Leave him to me: if he lives, I will feed him; if he dies, we will bury him: do not delay for any one, but travel in a compact body, as
stragglers now are sure to be cut off.” He lost a woman of his party, who lagged behind, and seven others were killed besides, and the forest hid the murderers. I was only too anxious to get
away quickly, and on the 22nd started off at daylight, and went about six miles to the village of Mañkwara, where I spent the night when coming this way. The chief Mokandira convoyed us
hither: I promised him a cloth if I came across from Lomamé. He wonders much at the underground houses, and never heard of them till I told him about them. Many of the gullies which were
running fast when we came were now dry. Thunder began, and a few drops of rain fell.

David Livingstone. From
The Last Journals of David Livingstone in Central Africa from 1865 to his Death,
London, 1874.

23rd–24th July
We crossed the River Kunda, of fifty yards, in two canoes, and then ascended from the valley of denudation, in which it flows to the ridge Lobango.
Crowds followed, all anxious to carry loads for a few beads. Several market people came to salute, who knew that we had no hand in the massacre, as we are a different people from the Arabs. In
going and coming they must have a march of 25 miles with loads so heavy no slave would carry them. They speak of us as “good”: the anthropologists think that to be spoken of as wicked
is better. Ezekiel says that the Most High put His comeliness upon Jerusalem: if He does not impart of His goodness to me I shall never be good: if He does not put of His comeliness on me I shall
never be comely in soul, but be like these Arabs in whom Satan has full sway – the god of this world having blinded their eyes.

25th July
We came over a beautiful country yesterday, a vast hollow of denudation, with much cultivation, interesected by a ridge some 300 feet high, on which the
villages are built: this is Lobango. The path runs along the top of the ridge, and we see the fine country below all spread out with different shades of green, as on a map. The colours show the
shapes of the different plantations in the great hollow drained by the Kunda. After crossing the fast flowing Kahembai, which flows into the Kunda, and it into Lualaba, we rose on to another
intersecting ridge, having a great many villages burned by Matereka or Salem Mokadam’s people, since we passed them in our course N.W. They had slept on the ridge after we saw them, and next
morning, in sheer wantonness, fired their lodgings, – their slaves had evidently carried the fire along from their lodgings, and set fire to houses of villages in their route as a sort of
horrid Moslem Nigger joke; it was done only because they could do it without danger of punishment: it was such fun to make the Mashensé, as they call all natives, houseless. Men are worse
than beasts of prey, if indeed it is lawful to call Zanzibar slaves men. It is monstrous injustice to compare free Africans living under their own chiefs and laws, and cultivating their own free
lands, with what slaves afterwards become at Zanzibar and elsewhere.

26th July
Came up out of the last valley of denudation – that drained by Kahembai, and then along a level land with open forest. Four men passed us in hot haste to
announce the death of a woman at their village to her relations living at another. I heard of several deaths lately of dysentery. Pleurisy is common from cold winds from N.W. Twenty-two men with
large square black shields, capable of completely hiding the whole person, came next in a trot to receive the body of their relative and all her gear to carry her to her own home for burial: about
twenty women followed them, and the men waited under the trees till they should have wound the body up and wept over her. They smeared their bodies with clay, and their faces with soot. Reached our
friend Kama.

27th July
Left Kama’s group of villages and went through many others before we reached Kasongo’s, and were welcomed by all the Arabs of the camp at this
place. Bought two milk goats reasonably, and rest over Sunday.
(28th and 29th.)
They asked permission to send a party with me for goods to Ujiji; this will increase our numbers, and perhaps
safety too, among the justly irritated people between this and Bambaré. All are enjoined to help me, and of course I must do the same to them. It is colder here than at
Nyañgwé. Kasongo is off guiding an ivory or slaving party, and doing what business he can on his own account; he has four guns, and will be the first to maraud on his own account.

30th July
They send thirty tusks to Ujiji, and seventeen Manyuema volunteers to carry thither and back: these are the very first who in modern times have ventured fifty
miles from the place of their birth. I came only three miles to a ridge overlooking the River Shokoyé, and slept at village on a hill beyond it.

31st July
Passed through the defile between Mount Kimazi and Mount Kijila. Below the cave with stalactite pillar in its door a fine echo answers those who feel inclined
to shout to it. Come to Mangala’s numerous villages, and two slaves being ill, rest on Wednesday.

1st August, 1871
A large market assembles close to us.

2nd August
Left Mangala’s, and came through a great many villages all deserted on our approach on account of the vengeance taken by Dugumbé’s party for
the murder of some of their people. Kasongo’s men appeared eager to plunder their own countrymen: I had to scold and threaten them, and set men to watch their deeds. Plantains are here very
abundant, good, and cheap. Came to Kittetté, and lodge in a village of Loembo. About thirty foundries were passed; they are very high in the roof, and thatched with leaves, from which the
sparks roll off as sand would. Rain runs off equally well.

3rd August
Three slaves escaped, and not to abandon ivory we wait a day, Kasongo came up and filled their places.

I have often observed effigies of men made of wood in Manyuema; some of clay are simply cones with a small hole in the top; on asking about them here, I for the first time obtained reliable
information. They are called Bathata – fathers or ancients – and the name of each is carefully preserved. Those here at Kittetté were evidently the names of chiefs, Molenda being
the most ancient, whilst Mbayo Yamba, Kamoanga, Kitambwé, Nofigo, Aulumba, Yengé Yengé, Simba Mayañga, Loembwé, are more recently dead. They were careful to have
the exact pronunciation of the names. The old men told me that on certain occasions they offer goat’s flesh to them: men eat it, and allow no young person or women to partake. The flesh of
the parrot is only eaten by very old men. They say that if eaten by young men their children will have the waddling gait of the bird. They say that originally those who preceded Molenda came from
Kongolakokwa, which conveys no idea to my mind. It was interesting to get even this little bit of history here.

4th August
Came through miles of villages all burned because the people refused a certain Abdullah lodgings! The men had begun to re-thatch the huts, and kept out of our
way, but a goat was speared by some one in hiding, and we knew danger was near. Abdullah admitted that he had no other reason for burning them than the unwillingness of the people to lodge him and
his slaves without payment, with the certainty of getting their food stolen and utensils destroyed.

5th and 6th August
Through many miles of palm-trees and plantains to a Boma or stockaded village, where we slept, though the people were evidently suspicious and
unfriendly.

7th August
To a village, ill and almost every step in pain. The people all ran away, and appeared in the distance armed, and refused to come near – then came and
threw stones at us, and afterwards tried to kill those who went for water. We sleep uncomfortably, the natives watching us all round. Sent men to see if the way was clear.

8th August
They would come to no parley. They knew their advantage, and the wrongs they had suffered from Bin Juma and Mohamad’s men when they threw down the ivory
in the forest. In passing along the narrow path with a wall of dense vegetation touching each hand, we came to a point where an ambush had been placed, and trees cut down to obstruct us while they
speared us; but for some reason it was abandoned. Nothing could be detected; but by stooping down to the earth and peering up towards the sun, a dark shade could sometimes be seen: this was an
infuriated savage, and a slight rustle in the dense vegetation meant a spear. A large spear from my right lunged past and almost grazed my back, and stuck firmly into the soil. The two men from
whom it came appeared in an opening in the forest only ten yards off and bolted, one looking back over his shoulder as he ran. As they are expert with the spear I don’t know how it missed,
except that he was too sure of his aim and the good hand of God was upon me.

I was behind the main body, and all were allowed to pass till I, the leader, who was believed to be Mohamad Bogharib, or Kolokolo himself, came up to the point where they lay. A red jacket they
had formerly seen me wearing was proof to them that I was the same that sent Bin Juma to kill five of their men, capture eleven women and children, and twenty-five goats. Another spear was thrown
at me by an unseen assailant, and it missed me by about a foot in front. Guns were fired into the dense mass of forest, but with no effect, for nothing could be seen; but we heard the men jeering
and denouncing us close by: two of our party were slain.

Coming to a part of the forest cleared for cultivation I noticed a gigantic tree, made still taller by growing on an anthill 20 feet high; it had fire applied near its roots, I heard a crack
which told that the fire had done its work, but felt no alarm till I saw it come straight towards me: I ran a few paces back, and down it came to the ground one yard behind me, and breaking into
several lengths, it covered me with a cloud of dust. Had the branches not previously been rotted off, I could scarcely have escaped.

Three times in one day was I delivered from impending death.

My attendants, who were scattered in all directions, came running back to me, calling out, “Peace! peace! you will finish all your work in spite of these people, and in spite of
everything.” Like them, I took it as an omen of good success to crown me yet, thanks to the “Almighty Preserver of men.”

We had five hours of running the gauntlet, waylaid by spearmen, who all felt that if they killed me they would be revenging the death of relations. From each hole in the tangled mass we looked
for a spear; and each moment expected to hear the rustle which told of deadly weapons hurled at us. I became weary with the constant strain of danger, and – as, I suppose, happens with
soldiers on the field of battle – not courageous, but perfectly indifferent whether I were killed or not.

When at last we got out of the forest and crossed the Liya on to the cleared lands near the villages of Monanbundwa, we lay down to rest, and soon saw Muanampunda coming, walking up in a stately
manner unarmed to meet us. He had heard the vain firing of my men into the bush, and came to ask what was the matter. I explained the mistake that Munangonga had made in supposing that I was
Kolokolo, the deeds of whose men he knew, and then we went on to his village together.