"After that," said I, "I have nothing more to say. Do you mean
me to go straight on to Africa to search for Dr. Livingstone?"
"No! I wish you to go to the inauguration of the Suez Canal
first, and then proceed up the Nile. I hear Baker is about
starting for Upper Egypt. Find out what you can about his
expedition, and as you go up describe as well as possible
whatever is interesting for tourists; and then write up a guide -
a practical one - for Lower Egypt; tell us about whatever is worth
seeing and how to see it.
"Then you might as well go to Jerusalem; I hear Captain Warren is
making some interesting discoveries there. Then visit
Constantinople, and find out about that trouble between the Khedive
and the Sultan.
"Then - let me see - you might as well visit the Crimea and those
old battle-grounds, Then go across the Caucasus to the Caspian Sea;
I hear there is a Russian expedition bound for Khiva. From thence
you may get through Persia to India; you could write an interesting
letter from Persepolis.
"Bagdad will be close on your way to India; suppose you go
there, and write up something about the Euphrates Valley Railway.
Then, when you have come to India, you can go after Livingstone.
Probably you will hear by that time that Livingstone is on his
way to Zanzibar; but if not, go into the interior and find him.
If alive, get what news of his discoveries you can; and if you
find he is dead, bring all possible proofs of his being dead.
That is all. Good-night, and God be with you."
"Good-night, Sir," I said, "what it is in the power of human
nature to do I will do; and on such an errand as I go upon, God
will be with me."
I lodged with young Edward King, who is making such a name in New
England. He was just the man who would have delighted to tell the
journal he was engaged upon what young Mr. Bennett was doing, and
what errand I was bound upon.
I should have liked to exchange opinions with him upon the probable
results of my journey, but I dared not do so. Though oppressed
with the great task before me, I had to appear as if only going to
be present at the Suez Canal. Young King followed me to the
express train bound for Marseilles, and at the station we parted:
he to go and read the newspapers at Bowles' Reading-room - I to
Central Africa and - who knows?
There is no need to recapitulate what I did before going to Central
Africa.
I went up the Nile and saw Mr. Higginbotham, chief engineer in
Baker's Expedition, at Philae, and was the means of preventing
a duel between him and a mad young Frenchman, who wanted to fight
Mr. Higginbotham with pistols, because that gentleman resented
the idea of being taken for an Egyptian, through wearing a fez cap.
I had a talk with Capt.
