738 LIFE OF DA VID LIVINGSTONE, LL.D. 



moss by the side of the lake, and breathing the cool air from the water. The 

 night was glorious, and my soldiers spent most of it in chatting and joking 

 by the shore, or taking dips in the calm surface in spite of the crocodiles ; 

 they had, in truth, a lively interest in a certain hind-quarter of mutton which 

 they were roasting whole over a fire upon a sharpened stake. At three in the 

 morning their banquet was about ready, and just then I rose and went back 

 to the huts, where Stanley was sleeping soundly ; shortly afterwards, fatigue 

 overpowering my headache, I too managed to close my eyes, and slumbered 

 till five o'clock. 



" At that hour the drums woke me, striking up on board the Waganda 

 fleet, which was assembling to convoy my friend. He and I very soon made 

 our toilettes ; the ' Lady Alice ' was got ready, the luggage, sheep, kids, chick- 

 ens, and everything placed on board. It only remained to hoist the Anglo- 

 American flag, and turn the vessel's head to the far South. I went down with 

 him to the side of his craft, and then we pressed hands together and mutually 

 commended each other to the protection of Heaven. Stanley stepped on 

 board and took the helm ; the ' Lady Alice' curveted and danced like a highbred 

 steed, and then darted away, with the Victorian wavelets foaming white un- 

 der her bows. The flag over my friend's head flew proudly out in the African 

 breeze, and I saluted it with all my guns. If not an imposing salvo, let me 

 say that it never was saluted with more hearty good-will. Farther and far- 

 ther flew the pretty ' Lady Alice.' We waved our hands and handkerchiefs in 

 token of last adieu, and — I confess it — my heart was full. I felt as one that 

 has parted with a brother, for I had already grown fond of Stanley as a fine- 

 hearted fellow, a frank, excellent comrade, and a first-rate traveller. In his 

 society I had forgotten my fatigues ; and then, too, till I met him, I had not 

 spoken one single word of French for four months. Our encounter had thus 

 produced for me almost the effect of a return to my native land. His conver- 

 sation — amusing, pleasant, and instructive — made the hours of our friendship 

 pass like minutes. I do hope to see him again, and to spend many a happy 

 day with him. 



"We turned aside from the waters which had just borne him far away, 

 and nobody seemed in the mood for chatter, so that we all followed in silence 

 the road to Ulagala. I arrived at Dubaga at eleven o'clock, and there heard 

 that the greater part of my soldiers were down with fever — that no provisions 

 had been sent during my absence, and that four of our cows had been lost by 

 the herdsmen. The chief offender received a hundred blows of the stick, as 

 he was suspected of having sold the animals, and I wrote to Mtesa that my 

 people were suffering of hunger. I demanded at the same time an authoriza- 

 tion to return to Foweira ; an answer to which soon came in the form of twelve 

 cows and a quantity of eggs. My headache returning, I went directly to 

 bed." 



