THE RAVAGES OF SMALL-POX. 929 



fifty-one days ; six more men were down with small-pox ; the fearful disease 

 was running like wildfire through the houses of Ujiji, Arab as well as native. 

 Frank Pocock had suffered severe illness three times while I had been ab- 

 sent ; an influential Arab trader died the day of my return ; the Governor of 

 Ujiji and Livingstone's old friend, Mohammed bin Grharib, had lost several 

 children, and were losing slaves each day, though their bills of mortality had 

 been already severe. Slaves and pagazis, or porters, were fast deserting their 

 masters for fear of this scourge ; finally, my messengers, five in number, had 

 not yet appeared from Unyanyembe, and as they have not yet returned to 

 this day I have given up all hope of them. You may imagine, then, the feel- 

 ing which prevails in all minds at the present time in Ujiji — it is that of dis- 

 may and terror; and, as the inhabitants look forward to two months more of 

 the fatal experience they are now undergoing, those who are able to quit the 

 horrible spot should pack up at once. 



" When I first heard these depressing particulars I was impressed with 

 the necessity of immediate departure if I valued the welfare of the Expedition, 

 but I had also my duty to do towards you. The two letters I have herewith writ- 

 ten may, jjerhaps, be considered, if you have any inclination to be very exact- 

 ing, as mere sops, but they are the best and the utmost that can be done under 

 such aggravating circumstances. The condition of my people is really deplor- 

 able ; besides being thinned in numbers, many favourite and faithful attend- 

 ants among those still living are in a bad state, and some no doubt will be 

 taken off. The only thing it appears to me that has saved the Expedition 

 from total wreck is vaccination. But I find when too late that many of the 

 people lost the benefit of this precaution from sheer laziness — when summoned 

 they would not appear. My vaccine matter is all dried away now, and not 

 a particle of it can be scraped up to be of use. 



" Frank Pocock has done his best for his Arab neighbours and friends, 

 and it was very gratifying to me to hear how excellently and nobly he had 

 behaved. He is certainly the best attendant a traveller ever had. I would 

 not part with him for a hundred Shaws and Farquhars. He has become a 

 most ardent geographer, too ; and, having no other companion with me, I 

 frequently exchange my inmost views and hopes with him. He did not look 

 very promising at first ; I thought him rather slow. He has, however, a host 

 of virtues and not the shadow of a vice. He is a brave, honest, manly, patient 

 young Englishman. 



" I had a great many more things to write about my journey round the 

 Tanganyika, it has been so very interesting. I may say it has been replete 

 with rich discoveries of magnificent waterfalls, unrivalled scenery, 'water 

 hysenas ;' exquisitely fragrant berries ; caverns, and subterranean dwellings ; 

 not to mention the copper mines of Katata and the mode of working them. I 

 have heard much about the famous underground houses of Rua, and have found 

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