How I Found Livingstone - Henry M. Stanley (best ereader for comics txt) 📗
- Author: Henry M. Stanley
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they had come, leaving the burly Thersites, and two or three
irresolute fellows of his tribe, standing within pistol range
of my levelled rifle. Such a sudden dispersion of the mob which,
but a moment before, was overwhelming in numbers, caused me to
lower my rifle, and to indulge in a hearty laugh at the disgraceful
flight of the men-destroyers. The Arabs, who were as much
alarmed at their boisterous obtrusiveness, now came up to patch
a truce, in which they succeeded to everybody’s satisfaction.
A few words of explanation, and the mob came back in greater
numbers than before; and the Thersites who had been the cause
of the momentary disturbance was obliged to retire abashed
before the pressure of public opinion. A chief now came up,
whom I afterwards learned was the second man to Swaruru, and
lectured the people upon their treatment of the “White Stranger.”
“Know ye not, Wagogo,” shouted he, “that this Musungu is a
sultan (mtemi—a most high title). He has not come to Ugogo
like the Wakonongo (Arabs), to trade in ivory, but to see us,
and give presents. Why do you molest him and his people?
Let them pass in peace. If you wish to see him, draw near,
but do not mock him. The first of you who creates a disturbance,
let him beware; our great mtemi shall know how you treat his
friends.” This little bit of oratorical effort on the part of
the chief was translated to me there and then by the old Sheik
Thani; which having understood, I bade the Sheikh inform the
chief that, after I had rested, I should like him to visit me
in my tent.
Having arrived at the khambi, which always surrounds some great
baobab in Ugogo, at the distance of about half a mile from the
tembe of the Sultan, the Wagogo pressed in such great numbers to
the camp that Sheikh Thani resolved to make an effort to stop or
mitigate the nuisance. Dressing himself in his best clothes, he
went to appeal to the Sultan for protection against his people.
The Sultan was very much inebriated, and was pleased to say,
“What is it you want, you thief? You have come to steal my
ivory or my cloth. Go away, thief!” But the sensible chief,
whose voice had just been heard reproaching the people for their
treatment of the Wasungu, beckoned to Thani to come out of the
tembe, and then proceeded with him towards the khambi.
The camp was in a great uproar; the curious Wagogo monopolized
almost every foot of ground; there was no room to turn anywhere.
The Wanyamwezi were quarreling with the Wagogo, the Wasawahili
servants were clamoring loud that the Wagogo pressed down their
tents, and that the property of the masters was in danger; while
I, busy on my diary within my tent, cared not how great was the
noise and confusion outside as long as it confined itself to the
Wagogo, Wanyamwezi, and Wangwana.
The presence of the chief in the camp was followed by a deep
silence that I was prevailed upon to go outside to see what had
caused it. The chief’s words were few, and to the point. He said,
“To your tembes, Wagogo—to your tembes! Why, do you come to
trouble the Wakonongo: What have you to do with them? To
your tembes: go! Each Mgogo found in the khambi without meal,
without cattle to sell, shall pay to the mtemi cloth or cows.
Away with you!” Saying which, he snatched up a stick and drove the
hundreds out of the khambi, who were as obedient to him as so many
children. During the two days we halted at Mukondoku we saw no
more of the mob, and there was peace.
The muhongo of the Sultan Swaruru was settled with few words. The
chief who acted for the Sultan as his prime minister having been
“made glad” with a doti of Rehani Ulyah from me, accepted the usual
tribute of six doti, only one of which was of first-class cloth.
There remained but one more sultan to whom muhongo must be paid
after Mukondoku, and this was the Sultan of Kiwyeh, whose
reputation was so bad that owners of property who had control over
their pagazis seldom passed by Kiwyeh, preferring the hardships of
long marches through the wilderness to the rudeness and exorbitant
demands of the chief of Kiwyeh. But the pagazis, on whom no burden
or responsibility fell save that of carrying their loads, who
could use their legs and show clean heels in the case of a hostile
outbreak, preferred the march to Kiwyeh to enduring thirst and the
fatigue of a terekeza. Often the preference of the pagazis won the
day, when their employers were timid, irresolute men, like Sheikh
Hamed.
The 7th of June was the day fixed for our departure from Mukondoku,
so the day before, the Arabs came to my tent to counsel with me
as to the route we should adopt. On calling together the kirangozis
of the respective caravans and veteran Wanyamwezi pagazis, we
learned there were three roads leading from Mukondoku to Uyanzi.
The first was the southern road, and the one generally adopted,
for the reasons already stated, and led by Kiwyeh. To this
Hamed raised objections. “The Sultan was bad,” he said; “he
sometimes charged a caravan twenty doti; our caravan would
have to pay about sixty doti. The Kiwyeh road would not do at
all. Besides,” he added, “we have to make a terekeza to reach
Kiwyeh, and then we will not reach it before the day after
tomorrow.” The second was the central road. We should arrive
at Munieka on the morrow; the day after would be a terekeza from
Mabunguru Nullah to a camp near Unyambogi; two hours the next
day would bring us to Kiti, where there was plenty of water and
food. As neither of the kirangozis or Arabs knew this road, and
its description came from one of my ancient pagazis, Hamed said he
did not like to trust the guidance of such a large caravan in the
hands of an old Mnyamwezi, and would therefore prefer to hear about
the third road, before rendering his decision. The third road was
the northern. It led past numerous villages of the Wagogo for the
first two hours; then we should strike a jungle; and a three
hours’ march would then bring us to Simbo, where there was water,
but no village. Starting early next morning, we would travel six
hours when we would arrive at a pool of water. Here taking a short
rest, an afternoon march of five hours would bring us within three
hours of another village. As this last road was known to many,
Hamed said, “Sheikh Thani, tell the Sahib that I think this is the
best road.” Sheikh Thani was told, after he had informed me that,
as I had marched with them through Ugogo, if they decided upon
going by Simbo, my caravan would follow.
Immediately after the discussion among the principals respecting
the merits of the several routes, arose a discussion among the
pagazis which resulted in an obstinate clamor against the Simbo
road, for its long terekeza and scant prospects of water, the
dislike to the Simbo road communicated itself to all the caravans,
and soon it was magnified by reports of a wilderness reaching from
Simbo to Kusuri, where there was neither food nor water to be
obtained. Hamed’s pagazis, and those of the Arab servants, rose
in a body and declared they could not go on that march, and if
Hamed insisted upon adopting it they would put their packs down
and leave him to carry them himself.
Hamed Kimiani, as he was styled by the Arabs, rushed up to Sheikh
Thani, and declared that he must take the Kiwyeh road, otherwise
his pagazis would all desert. Thani replied that all the roads
were the same to him, that wherever Hamed chose to go, he would
follow. They then came to my tent, and informed me of the
determination at which the Wanyamwezi had arrived. Calling my
veteran Mnyamwezi, who had given me the favourable report once
more to my tent, I bade him give a correct account of the Kiti
road. It was so favourable that my reply to Hamed was, that I
was the master of my caravan, that it was to go wherever I told
the kirangozi, not where the pagazis chose; that when I told
them to halt they must halt, and when I commanded a march, a
march should be made; and that as I fed them well and did not
overwork them, I should like to see the pagazi or soldier that
disobeyed me. “You made up your mind just now that you would take
the Simbo road, and we were agreed upon it, now your pagazis say
they will take, the Kiwyeh road, or desert. Go on the Kiwyeh road
and pay twenty doti muhongo. I and my caravan tomorrow morning
will take the Kiti road, and when you find me in Unyanyembe
one day ahead of you, you will be sorry you did not take the same
road.”
This resolution of mine had the effect of again changing the
current of Hamed’s thoughts, for he instantly said, “That is the
best road after all, and as the Sahib is determined to go on it,
and we have all travelled together through the bad land of the
Wagogo, Inshallah! let us all go the same way,” and Thani=-good
old man—not objecting, and Hamed having decided, they both
joyfully went out of the tent to communicate the news.
On the 7th the caravans—apparently unanimous that the Kiti road
was to be taken—were led as usual by Hamed’s kirangozi. We had
barely gone a mile before I perceived that we had left the Simbo
road, had taken the direction of Kiti, and, by a cunning detour,
were now fast approaching the defile of the mountain ridge before
us, which admitted access to the higher plateau of Kiwyeh.
Instantly halting my caravan, I summoned the veteran who had
travelled by Kiti, and asked him whether we were not going towards
Kiwyeh. He replied that we were. Calling my pagazis together,
I bade Bombay tell them that the Musuugu never changed his mind;
that as I had said my caravan should march by Kiti; to Kiti it
must go whether the Arabs followed or not. I then ordered the
veteran to take up his load and show the kirangozi the proper road
to Kiti. The Wanyamwezi pagazis put down their bales, and then
there was every indication of a mutiny. The Wangwana soldiers
were next ordered to load their guns and to flank the caravan, and
shoot the first pagazis who made an attempt to run away.
Dismounting, I seized my whip, and, advancing towards the first
pagazi who had put down his load, I motioned to him to take up his
load and march. It was unnecessary to proceed further; without
an exception, all marched away obediently after the kirangozi.
I was about bidding farewell to Thani, and Hamed, when Thani said,
“Stop a bit, Sahib; I have had enough of this child’s play; I come
with you,” and his caravan was turned after mine. Hamed’s caravan
was by this time close to the defile, and he himself was a full
mile behind it, weeping like a child at what he was pleased to call
our desertion of him. Pitying his strait—for he was almost beside
himself as thoughts of Kiwyeh’s sultan, his extortion and rudeness,
swept across his mind—I advised him to run after his caravan,
and tell it, as all the rest had taken the other road, to think
of the Sultan of Kiwyeh. Before reaching the Kiti defile I was
aware
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