The account of his arrival at Ujiji, the scene of his first great success—the finding of Livingstone—is certainly characteristic, if not truly pathetic. “At noon of the 27th of May, the bright waters of the Tanganyika broke upon the view, and compelled me,” says Stanley, “to linger admiringly for a while, as I did on the day I first beheld them. By 3 P. M. we were in Ujiji. Muini, Mohammed bin Gharib, Sultan bin Kassim, and Khamis the Baluch, greeted me kindly. Mohammed bin Sali was dead. Nothing was changed much, except the ever-changing mud tembés of the Arabs. The square or plaza where I met David Livingstone in November, 1871, is now occupied by large tembés. The house where he and I lived has long ago been burnt down, and in its place there remain only a few embers and a hideous void. The lake expands with the same grand beauty before the eyes as we stand in the market place. The opposite mountains of Goma have the same blue-black color, for they are everlasting, and the Liuché River continues its course as brown as ever just east and south of Ujiji. The surf is still as restless, and the sun as bright; the sky retains its glorious azure, and the palms all their beauty; but the grand old hero, whose presence once filled Ujiji with such absorbing interest for me was gone!”
CHAPTER XXII.
WESTWARD ALONG THE CONGO TO THE ATLANTIC.
Surveys Lake Tanganyika — Settles the Question of the River Luguka — An Outbreak of Small-pox and Fever in Ujiji — Causes Stanley to Depart — Pushes his way along the Right Bank of the Lualala to the Nyangwe — Overland Through Uregga — Brought to a Stand-still by an Impenetrable Forest — Crosses over to the Left Bank — Northeast Uskusa — Dense Jungles — Opposed and Harassed by Hostile Savages — Assailed Night and Day — The Progress of the Expedition almost Hopeless — Deserted by Forty of his Porters — Takes to the River as the only Chance to Escape — Pass the Cataracts by Cutting a Road through Thirteen Miles of Dense Forest for the Passage of the Lady Alice and the Canoes — Almost Incessantly Fighting the Savages — Threatened with Starvation — Three Days without Food — Meet with a Friendly Tribe with whom they Barter for Supplies — Many Falls and Furious Rapids — Again Attacked by a more Warlike Tribe, armed with Firearms — Almost Starved and Worn-Out with Fatigue, reaches Isangila — Leaves the River — Terrible Sufferings of his People — Relief from Embomma — Reach Embomma — Kabinda and Londa — Sail for Cape of Good Hope — Thence Return by Steamer to Zanzibar — Close of the Expedition.
Here Stanley fitted together and launched his exploring boat, the Lady Alice, in which he had already rendered such excellent service to the cause of geographical science on Lake Victoria Nyanza, and commenced his survey of Lake Tanganyika. Starting from Ujiji, he made a complete circumnavigation of the lake, and verified many observations of that portion which he had previously visited and explored in company with Dr. Livingstone.
Stanley, in the course of this survey, settled the question of the river Luguka, which Cameron had conjectured was the outlet of Lake Tanganyika towards the west, and into the system of lakes which form the head waters of the Lualala, or Lomame of Livingstone. According to Stanley, Cameron was both right and wrong with regard to the character of the Luguka River. When Stanley saw it, it was only a creek, running inland through a deep depression, which extended westward for a great distance. But the lake, by constantly increasing its area and raising in level, will eventually, in Stanley’s opinion, find an outlet through the Luguka River.
The outbreak of small-pox and fever in the Ujiji district, however, obliged Stanley to make preparations for an immediate departure. With his followers he pushed his way along the right bank of the Lualala to the Nyangwe. This was the most northerly point reached by Cameron, when the latter attempted to solve the mystery of the Congo and its identity with the main drainage line of the Lualala basin.
The party travelled overland through Uregga, and after an arduous march of many days through a country filled with many difficulties, being compelled to transport every pound of supplies of all kinds on the shoulders of his men, and even to carry along in a similar manner the exploring boat, the Lady Alice, in sections, Stanley at last found himself brought to a standstill, further progress being rendered utterly impracticable owing to the extreme density of the forest. He then crossed over to the left bank, and continued his journey, passing through Northeast Uskusa; but here the difficulties were scarcely less than those encountered on the other side. The jungles were still so dense and the fatigues of the march, owing to the obstacles to be overcome, so harassing, that it seemed impossible to break through the tremendous barrier of the forest. The horrors of his position were still further augmented by the party being opposed at every step by the hostile cannibal savages, who filled the woods and poured into the devoted little band flights of poisoned arrows, killing and wounding many of their number. Every attempt to propitiate them, or even to retaliate and drive them off, was of no avail, as the natives kept under cover. Even the famous “elephant” gun, which it will be remembered Stanley found so useful as a “propitiator” in the earlier stages of his journey from Zanzibar, was now powerless.
There was no cessation of the fighting, which was kept up day and night, any attempt at camping merely having the effect of concentrating the enemy and of rendering their fire more deadly. The march was a succession of charges in rude skirmishing order by an advance guard engaged in clearing the road for the main body, while a rear guard in like manner covered the retreat. In fact, the progress of the party soon became almost a hopeless task.