728 LIFE OF DAVID LIVINGSTONE, LL.D. 



however, will be decided definitely by Gordon's officers. Colonel de Belle- 

 fonds informs me that the Assua, or Asha, is a mere torrent. 



" When you see my chart, which will trace the course of the Luamberri 

 and the Shimeeyu, the rivers which drain the whole of the south and south- 

 east countries of the Nyanza, you will be better able to judge of jheir import- 

 ance and magnitude as sources of the Nile. I expect to come upon a con- 

 siderable river south-west ; but all of this will be best told in my next 

 letter. . Henry M. Stanley." 



" P.S. — I had almost forgotten to state, that the greatest depth of the 

 Nyanza as yet ascertained by me is two hundred and seventy -five feet. I have 

 not yet sounded the centre of the lake ; this I intend to do on my return to 

 Usukuma south." 



" Mtesa's Capital, Uganda, April 14th, 1875. 



" I must not forget to inform you and your readers of one very interest- 

 ing subject connected with Mtesa, which will gratify many a philanthropic 

 European and American. 



" I have already told you that Mtesa and the whole of his court profess 

 Islamism. A long time ago — some four or five years — Khamis Bin Abdul- 

 lah (the only Arab who remained with me three years ago, as a rearguard, 

 when the Arabs disgracefully fled from Mirambo) came to Uganda. He was 

 wealthy, of noble descent, and a fine, magnificent personal appearance, and 

 brought with him many a rich present for Mtesa, such as few Arabs could 

 afford. The king became immediately fascinated with him, and really few 

 white men could be long with the son of Abdullah without being charmed by 

 his presence, his handsome proud features, his rich olive complexion, and his 

 liberality. I confess I never saw an Arab or Mussulman who attracted me so 

 much as Khamis Bin Abdullah, and it is no wonder that Mtesa, meeting a 

 kindred spirit in the noble youth of Muscat, amazed at his handsome bearing, 

 the splendour of his apparel, the disjtlay of his wealth, and the number of his 

 slaves, fell in love with him. Khamis stayed with Mtesa a full year, during 

 which time the king became a convert to the creed of his visitor — namely, 

 Mohammedanism. The Arab clothed Mtesa in the best that his wardrobe 

 offered ; he gave him gold embroidered jackets, fine white shirts, crimson 

 slippers, swords, silk sashes, daggers, and a revolving rifle, so that Speke and 

 Grant's presents seemed of necessity insignificant. 



Now, until I arrived at Mtesa's Court, the king delighted in the idea 

 that he was a follower of Islam ; but by one conversation I flatter myself that 

 I have tumbled the newly -raised religious fabric to the ground, and, if it 

 were only followed by the arrival of a Christian mission here, the conversion of 



