402 THE WORLD'S WONDERS. 



Responding to the order, Stanley reached Paris on the night of 

 October 18th, and going at once to Mr. Bennett's room in the 

 Grand Hotel, he found him already retired. An interview took 

 place, however, at which Mr. Bennett explained to Stanley his 

 purpose of sending an expedition into Africa in search of Living- 

 stone, and that he (Stanley) had been selected to command it. 

 Stanley was dumbfounded, and did not attempt to disguise his 

 feelings ; he confessed his belief in the popular opinion that Liv- 

 ingstone was dead, and besides, he urged, the expense of such an 

 expedition would be enormous. 



" What will it cost?" Bennett abruptly asked. 



" Burton and Speke's journey to Central Africa cost between 

 $15,000 and $25,000, and I fear it cannot be done under $12,000," 

 leplied Stanley. 



Bennett's order, after hearing this estimate of the cost, shows 

 the character of the man. Said he : 



"Well, I will tell you what you will do. Draw a thousand 

 pounds now ; and when you have gone through that, draw 

 another thousand, and when that is spent, draw another thousand, 

 and when you have finished that, draw another thousand, and 

 so on ; but, FIND LIVINGSTONE." 



Mr. Bennett then gave Stanley several commissions in the East, 

 such as reporting the ceremonies attending the opening of the 

 Suez Canal, a visit to Jerusalem, Constantinople, the Crimea 

 battle-grounds, Persia, India, Bagdad, etc. 



After giving these instructions, apparently laying out work 

 enough to last a man a lifetime, Bennett went to bed and left 

 Stanley to work out his own salvation, which he proved himself 

 abundantly able to do. 



He completed the first part of his commission in a little less 

 than a year, arriving in Bombay, ready to start on his search for 

 Livingstone, in August, 1870. Two months later, having pur- 

 chased his supplies, he set sail for Zanzibar, on the barque 

 "Polly," and reached his destination after a voyage of thirty- 

 seven days. 



