762 LIFE OF DA VID LIVINGSTONE, LL.D. 



event itself; but of this we refrain from speaking until Stanley's account of 

 it is before the public. Meanwhile, we may dwell with pride and unlimited 

 satisfaction upon his completed survey of the great inland sea. The ' Lady 

 Alice' sailed over nearly a thousand miles of water during fifty-seven days; 

 and it proves the skilful economy of Stanley — which is one of the secrets of 

 success in African travel — that he accomplished these voyages at the cost of 

 a single bale of cloth. Never wasteful, and never submitting to plunder or 

 dishonesty, like some of his predecessors, he has been able to make this 

 wonderful journey as well as those which will be afterwards described, and 

 to arrive in good order and with ample means back at Unyanyembe, a feat 

 which could not have been achieved except by the strong hand. Geographical 

 science, which has now received from our Commissioner the finished chart 

 of the Victoria Nyanza, will find ample interest in his overland journey to 

 the Albert Nyanza, and in the subsequent narratives ; while we shall give 

 reasons for hoping that greater fruits than even these may yet result from 

 Mr. Stanley's fearless courage and devotion and his extraordinary capacity as 

 a pioneer." 



The first of this series of letters from the fearless traveller is as 

 follows : — 



" Mahyiga Island, three miles from Bambireh Island, 

 Lake Victoria Nyanza, July 29, 1875. 



" This Expedition which you have entrusted to me seems destined to 

 meet with adventures more than enough. When a boy, I loved to read books 

 of incident and travel, especially of the Mayne Reid type, and followed their 

 several heros with breathless interest through all their varied fortunes ; but 

 since I have been compelled lately to act the hero myself oftener than is 

 consistent with peace of mind and a comfortable night's rest — however glori- 

 ous a thing it may appear on paper — you may take my word for it, I would 

 much rather read of the affair than take an actual share in it. As I compare 

 my former trip to Ujiji with this journey, I am forced to admit that the 

 former was mere child's play. The incidents we have gone through already, if 

 faithfully related, would fill a good-sized volume, while, I may say, we have 

 but begun our enterprise as yet. 



" Continuing my narrative of our journey from Uganda to Usukuma by 

 the western shore of Lake Nyanza, I resume it from the point where I left 

 off in my last letter — the Kagera River, or the Kitangule. 



"We had two canoes belonging to Mtesa, accompanying our boat as 

 escort, until the dilatory Grand Admiral Magassa should overtake us with his 

 fleet of thirty more; and the day we left the Kagera River we rested at night 

 on a smooth sandy beach by the foot of the Usongoro plateau, at the point 

 called Kagya. The natives were friendly and disposed to be hospitable, so 

 that we augured well for our reception during our travels along the coast of 



