574 LIFE OF DA VID LIVINGSTONE, L.L.D. 



party would lose too many valuable lives, without which the Expedition would 

 become a wreck. What was to be done then ? Turn away from the Albert 

 Nyanza, and direct our course for the Tanganyika, leaving the former lake 

 to be explored by Gordon's officers? Who, then, would explore the debat- 

 able land lying between the Albert Nyanza and the Tanganyika ? If canoes 

 could be obtained anywhere else than Uganda, the lake route would at once 

 resolve the problem. But what country or king could supply me with thirty 

 or forty large craft on demand other than Uganda ? I instituted inquiries 

 respecting the maritime power of each tribe and nation bordering on Speke 

 Grulf, by which I obtained some curious statistics; but the most valuable 

 result of my inquiries was the information that Lukongeh, king of Ukerewe, 

 would be the most likely person to do me the necessary service. 



" Falling seriously ill, the result of exposure on the lake, by weakness 

 added to the present anxiety, I was obliged to send Frank Pocock and Prince 

 Kaduma to the King of Ukerewe with a suitable gift to request the loan of 

 forty canoes to convey the Expedition to Uganda along the Uzinza coast. 

 After an absence of twelve days Frank and Kaduma returned with fifty 

 canoes and some three hundred Wakerewe, but they came according to the 

 king's instructions to convey the Expedition to Ukerewe. The king's brother, 

 who had charge of the canoes, was told by me that if Lukongeh gave me all 

 his land, and slaves and cattle, the Expedition should never go to Ukerewe, 

 that Lukongeh must lend me canoes to go by my road, and no other, and 

 that I was going myself to see Lukongeh, and he (the king's brother) might 

 return to Ukerewe as soon as he pleased. Being sufficiently restored to 

 health I set sail for Ukerewe, and on the second day from Kagehyi landed 

 near Lukongeh's capital. Not ignorant of the importance of first impressions, 

 I was furnished this time with proper gifts and the choicest apparel my ward- 

 robe afforded, as well as being equipped with the best arms the Expedition 

 possessed. 



"The second day after our arrival was fixed for audience day. When 

 the hour had come, the crew of the 'Lady Alice' were mustered, dressed in 

 their smartest, and the bugle sounded the order to march. Ten minutes 

 brought us to a plain, on a knoll in which Lukongeh was seated in state, sur- 

 rounded by hundreds of bowmen and spearmen. The king, an amiable, 

 light- coloured young man, was conspicuous by his robes of red and yellow 

 silk, and damask cloth, and though lie did nothing at first but good-naturedly 

 stare at me, I perceived that he was a man well disposed to assist me. A 

 private message beforehand had informed him of the object of my visit, but 

 my interpreter requested that I should be permitted to state it in person to 

 himself and a few select chiefs. Assenting to this request, he stepped for- 

 ward to a pile of stones a short distance off, whither he invited his most select 

 courtiers and my party. Here the object was stated clearly, with everything 



