It is needless to say that, when the affair
came to Seyd Majid's ears, the miscreants were severely punished.
Dr. Kirk, who attended the poor fellow, succeeded in restoring one
hand to something of a resemblance of its former shape, but the
other hand is sadly marred, and its former usefulness gone for
ever.
However, I engaged Mabruki, despite his deformed hands, his
ugliness and vanity, because he was one of Speke's "Faithfuls." For
if he but wagged his tongue in my service, kept his eyes open, and
opened his mouth at the proper time, I assured myself I could make
him useful.
Bombay, my captain of escort, succeeded in getting eighteen more
free men to volunteer as "askari" (soldiers), men whom he knew
would not desert, and for whom he declared himself responsible.
They were an exceedingly fine-looking body of men, far more
intelligent in appearance than I could ever have believed African
barbarians could be. They hailed principally from Uhiyow, others
from Unyamwezi, some came from Useguhha and Ugindo.
Their wages were set down at $36 each man per annum, or $3 each per
month. Each soldier was provided with a flintlock musket, powder
horn, bullet-pouch, knife, and hatchet, besides enough powder and
ball for 200 rounds.
Bombay, in consideration of his rank, and previous faithful
services to Burton, Speke and Grant, was engaged at $80 a year,
half that sum in advance, a good muzzle-loading rifle, besides, a
pistol, knife, and hatchet were given to him, while the other five
"Faithfuls," Ambari, Mabruki, Ulimengo, Baruti, and Uledi, were
engaged at $40 a year, with proper equipments as soldiers.
Having studied fairly well all the East African travellers' books
regarding Eastern and Central Africa, my mind had conceived the
difficulties which would present themselves during the prosecution
of my search after Dr. Livingstone.
To obviate all of these, as well as human wit could suggest, was
my constant thought and aim.
"Shall I permit myself, while looking from Ujiji over the waters of
the Tanganika Lake to the other side, to be balked on the threshold
of success by the insolence of a King Kannena or the caprice of a
Hamed bin Sulayyam?" was a question I asked myself. To guard
against such a contingency I determined to carry my own boats.
"Then," I thought, "if I hear of Livingstone being on the
Tanganika, I can launch my boat and proceed after him."
I procured one large boat, capable of carrying twenty persons,
with stores and goods sufficient for a cruise, from the American
Consul, for the sum of $80, and a smaller one from another American
gentleman for $40. The latter would hold comfortably six men,
with suitable stores.
I did not intend to carry the boats whole or bodily, but to strip
them of their boards, and carry the timbers and thwarts only.
