334 LIVINGSTONE'S LAST JOURNEY 



On the 27th of April, 1873, he last entry is made in the journal. 

 It must have cost a great effort, for all day he had lain in a stupor, 

 brought on by intense weakness. These are the last words that he 

 wrote : 



"27th April, 1873. Knocked up quite, and remain — recover — 

 sent to buy milch goats. We are on the banks of the Molilamo." 



To the last he preserved his habit of faithfully recording the 

 geographical features of his position. 



On the following day he was gently lifted off his bed, laid in a 

 canoe, and ferried across the river. He was then as gently replaced 

 on the kitarida, and borne along. He was now near the village of 

 Chitambo, at the southern extremity of Bangweolo, and the men has- 

 tened to reach this resting-place. Through dreary stretches of water 

 they steadily splashed their way. Whenever a fairly dry patch was 

 reached, he begged them to lay him down and let him stay. The brave 

 fellows did what they could to encourage him, and on the evening of 

 the 29th they reached the village. During the day he had been so 

 faint as to be unable to articulate at times. Some of the men had been 

 thoughtfully sent on in front to build a hut for him, and shortly after 

 arriving the doctor was laid down upon his bed. 



On the following morning the chief, Chitambo, came to call upon 

 him, but the doctor was too ill to talk with him. In the afternoon Susi 

 placed his watch in the palm of the doctor's hand, and held it there 

 while for the last time the key was slowly and with difficulty turned. 

 Some hours later, shortly before midnight, he asked Susi, *Ts this the 

 Luapula?'' His mind was evidently failing. 



An hour later, he asked Susi to bring the medicine chest. Select- 

 ing the calomel with great difficulty, he told Susi to pour some water 

 into a cup, and then said in a low indistinct voice : 



"All right : you can go out now." 



They were the last words that his fellow-creatures ever heard 

 him speak. 



Shortly before dawn on the ist of May, a lad who slept within the 

 hut to attend to his needs awoke Susi, Chuma, and two or three more, 

 saying he feared the master was dead. They entered the hut, and by 

 the dim light of the candle which was still burning they saw the doctor 



