LETTER FROM MR. STANLEY. 403 



Manyerna), with letters from the Arabs staying there, and one from "the 

 Doctor," the letters being dated October 15. The messenger had told him 

 that the Doctor was well, although he had been suffering, and that he was at 

 the town of Manakosa, with Mohammed bin Tharib, waiting for the caravans, 

 being himself without means, and with few followers, only eight men, so that 

 he could not move elsewhere, or come down to Ujiji. Shirif further stated 

 that he had sent twelve men, with a quantity of goods, ammunition, quinine, 

 etc., etc., on to him, and that he awaited the explorer's further orders at Ujiji. 



The intelligence that a war had broken out between the Arab colony in 

 the district of Unyanyembe and a powerful native chief between Ujiji and 

 Kasagne, which was being carried on with the utmost fury on both sides, and 

 effectually closed up the road to the coast, added to the public anxiety. For 

 the first time since his departure on an adventurous mission in search of Dr. 

 Livingstone in February, we have the mention of a young gentleman, a Mr. 

 Stanley, a correspondent of the Neiv York Herald, who had been despatched 

 by the proprietor of that great journal from Paris, with orders to find out Dr. 

 Livingstone, or bring back tidings of his safety or death at whatever cost. In 

 a letter to Earl Granville, dated Zanzibar, 22nd September, 1871, Dr. Kirk 

 says : — 



"Letters just received by special messengers, who left Unyanyembe about 

 a month ago, inform us of a sad disaster that has befallen the Arab settlement 

 there, and that will in all likelihood stop the road to Ujiji and Kasagne for 

 some time to come. All accounts agree as to the main facts ; but, naturally, 

 letters written by Mr. Stanley, an American gentleman who was on the spot, 

 are the most circumstantial and reliable. . . A chief whose village was one 

 day's journey distant on the main road to Ujiji and Kasagne, fell under the 

 displeasure of the Unyanyembe Arab settlers ; and his place was attacked, in 

 due course, by a force of about 1500 muskets. Seeing that he could not hold 

 the blockaded village, he retired with his followers, and formed an ambush 

 for the return of the attacking party, when laden with ivory and other booty. 

 The result was disastrous to the Arabs, and a great many were killed, in- 

 cluding ten or twenty of the leaders, men of good family here. The Arab 

 retreat soon became a rout, and much property was lost. 



" Fortunately, Mr. Stanley, who was weak and ill from fever, managed 

 to return to Unyanyembe ; but he was abandoned by the Arabs, whose con- 

 duct he speaks of as cowardly in the extreme." In announcing to the mem- 

 bers of the Geographical Society that the Council had determined to address 

 the Foreign Office, asking its assistance in an effort to succour Dr. Livingstone, 

 Sir Roderick Murchison said : " It appeared to the Council and himself, now 

 that the hope which we had of communicating with Dr. Livingstone through 

 Mr. Stanley, the American traveller, must for the present be abandoned ; and 

 it had become, consequently, their duty to cast about for some other means 



