456 LIFE OF DA VID LIVINGSTONE, LL.D. 



have undertaken when it is so nearly completed. It only requires six or 

 seven months more to trace the true source that I have discovered with 

 Petherick's branch of the White Nile, or with the Albert Nyanza of Sir 

 Samuel Baker. Why should I go home before my task is ended, to have to 

 come back again to do what I can very well do now ?" 



In order to avoid the districts through which Mr. Stanley had passed, and 

 in which he had been so heavily mulcted in tribute, the party went south, 

 along the east coast of the lake, partly on foot, and partly by boat, to 

 Urimba, from whence they struck across country to Unyanyembe. For several 

 days their route lay through unexplored country. For long distances the dense 

 grass and brushwood, and the want of a path, made the progress tedious and 

 difficult. On the 17th of January, 1872, they reached Imrera, where Mr. 

 Stanley and his party had previously camped, on their march to Ujiji. Both 

 Dr. Livingstone and Mr. Stanley suffered from sore feet, which were cut and 

 bleeding from the long and trying march. The Doctor's shoes were worn 

 out, and cut and slashed all over to save his blistered feet, and Mr. Stanley's 

 were in no better state. They rested for a day, and on the 19th, Mr. Stanley 

 shot a male and female zebra. As they had had no flesh-meat for a consider- 

 able time, the possession of such an amount of meat had a wonderful effect 

 in raising the spirits of their tired- out followers. On the 21st, Mr. Stanley 

 shot a giraffe. This was the noblest animal which had as yet fallen to his 

 rifle, but he could not feel in his heart that its death was a triumph. " I 

 was rather saddened than otherwise," he says, " at seeing the noble animal 

 stretched before me. If I could have given her her life back, I think I 

 should have done so. I thought it a great pity that such splendid animals, 

 so well adapted for the service of man in Africa, could not be converted 

 to some other use than that of food. Horses, mules, and donkeys, die in 

 these sickly regions ; but what a blessing for Africa would it be, if we could 

 tame the giraffes and zebras for the use of explorers and traders. Mounted 

 on a zebra, a man would be enabled to reach Ujiji in one month from 

 Bagamoyo ; whereas it took me over seven months to travel that distance. 



On the 27th the party disturbed a huge swarm of bees, which stung the 

 men and animals frightfully. This is no unusual incident in African travel. 

 A kind of bee, which makes its nest among the long grass, when disturbed 

 rushes out in vast numbers, and stings every animal within reach. There is 

 nothing for it but flight in such circumstances, and men and beasts rush from 

 the enraged insects with all the speed they may. 



At Mwaru they met a slave of Sayd bin Habib, in charge of a caravan, for 

 Ujiji. He reported that Mirambo was nearly exhausted, and that Shaw, who 

 had been left by Mr Stanley at Unyanyembe, was dead. They also learned 

 that several packets of letters, papers, and goods, had arrived for Mr. Stanley 

 from Zanzibar. The Doctor also reminded Mr. Stanley that, " according to 



