CHAPTER XX.

EXPLORATION OF VICTORIA NYANZA.

Preparing the _Lady Alice_ for Sea -- Selects his Crew -- The Start for the Circumnavigation of Lake Victoria -- Afloat on the Lake -- A Night at Uvuma -- Barmecide Fare -- Message from Mtesa -- Camp on Soweh Island -- An Extraordinary Monarch -- Mtesa, Emperor of Uganda -- Arrival at the Imperial Capital -- Glowing Description of the Country -- A Grand Mission Field -- The Treachery of Bumbireh -- Saved! -- Refuge Island -- Return to Camp at Kagehyi.

The members of the expedition enjoyed their much-needed rest; and Stanley, after taking the necessary observations to ascertain the position of Kagehyi, and its altitude above the sea; to prepare paper, pens and ink for the morrow’s report to the journals which had dispatched him to this remote and secluded part of the world; to make calculations of the time likely to be occupied in a halt at Kagehyi, in preparing and equipping the _Lady Alice_ for sea;--found that his own personal work had but begun.

Within seven days the boat was ready, and strengthened for a rough sea life. Provisions of flour and dried fish, bales of cloth, and beads of various kinds, odds and ends of small possible necessaries were boxed, and she was declared, at last, to be only waiting for her crew. From the young guides first selected by him at Bagamoyo, and who Kachéché, the detective, informed him were the sailors of the expedition, he made a list of ten sailors and a steersman, to whose fidelity he was willing to entrust himself and fortunes while coasting round the Victorian sea.

After drawing up instructions for Frank Pocock and Fred. Barker on a score of matters concerning the well-being of the expedition during his absence, and enlisting for them, by an adequate gift, the goodwill of Sungoro and Prince Kaduma, Stanley set sail on the 8th of March, 1875, eastward along the shores of the broad arm of the lake which he first sighted, and which henceforth is known, in honor of its first discoverer, as “Speke Gulf.”

Space will not permit us to follow the details of Stanley’s voyage around the lake. Sufficient to say it was accompanied with many interesting and thrilling adventures with the different tribes along its shores. The most of these tribes were of a savage and warlike character, and gave the explorer no little amount of trouble.

On the 29th of March he crossed Napoleon Channel and coasted along Uganda between numerous islands, the largest of which are densely populated. At Kiwa Island he rested for the day, and was received with the greatest cordiality by the chief, who sent messengers to the island of Keréngé, a distance of three miles, to purchase bananas and jars of maramba wine, for the guest, as he said, of the _Kabaka_ Mtesa. “As it was the first time for twenty-two days that we had lived with natives since leaving Kagehyi we celebrated, as we were in duty bound, our arrival among friends,” says Stanley.

“The next day, guided and escorted by the chief, we entered Ukafu, where we found a tall, handsome, young Mtongoleh in command of the district, before whom the Chief of Kiwa Island made obeisance as before a great lord. The young Mtongoleh, though professing an ardent interest in us, and voluble of promises, treated us only to Barmecide fare, after waiting twenty-four hours. Perceiving that his courtesies, though suavely proffered, failed to satisfy the cravings of our jaded stomachs, we left him still protesting enormous admiration for us, and still volubly assuring us that he was preparing grand hospitalities in our honor.

“I was staggered when I understood in its full extent the perfect art with which we had been duped. ‘Could this be Central Africa,’ I asked myself, ‘wherein we find such perfect adepts in the art of deception?’ But two days ago the savagery of the land was intense and real, for every man’s hand was raised in ferocity against the stranger. In the land next adjoining we find a people agreeable, and professing the warmest admiration for the stranger, but as inhospitable as any hotel-keeper in London or New York to a penniless guest!”

Stanley it seems, however, had been premature in his judgment, as he subsequently discovered on arriving at a little village in the bay of Buka. Here the Mtongoleh invited them to his village, spread out before them a feast of new as well as clotted milk, mellow and ripe bananas, a kid, sweet potatoes, and eggs, and despatched a messenger instantly to the _Kabaka_ Mtesa to announce the coming of a stranger in the land, declaring at the same time his intention not to abandon them until he had brought them face to face with the great Monarch of Equatorial Africa, in whom, he smilingly assured them, they should meet a friend, and under whose protection they might sleep secure.

Mr. Stanley’s description of this land and its people is very graphic and interesting, and we quote: “My admiration for the land and the people steadily increased, for I experienced with each hour some pleasing civility. The land was in fit accord with the people, and few more interesting prospects could Africa furnish than that which lovingly embraces the bay of Buka. From the margin of the lake, lined by waving water-cane, up to the highest hill-top, all was verdure of varying shades. The light green of the elegant matete contrasted with the deeper tints of the various species of figs; the satin-sheeny fronds of the graceful plantains were overlapped by clouds of the pale foliage of the tamarind, while between and around all the young grass of the pastured hillsides spread its emerald carpet. In free, bold, and yet graceful outline the hills shut in the scene, swelling upward in full, dome-like contour, here sweeping round to enclose within its hollow a gorgeous plantain grove, there projecting boldly into abrupt, steep head-lands, and again receding in a succession of noble terraces into regions as yet unexplored by the white man. One village had a low, pebbly beach, that ran in a sinuous, light-grey line between a darker grey face of the lake and the living perennial green of a banana plantation. I imagine myself fallen into an estate which I had inherited by right divine and human; or at least I felt something akin to that large feeling which heirs of unencumbered broad lands may be supposed to feel, and attributed such an unusual feeling to an attack of perfect digestion, and a free, unclogged, and undisturbed liver.”

On the 2d of April, Stanley proceeded along the beautiful shore separating Buka Bay from Kadzi Bay, and halted about noon at the village of Kirudo, here experiencing hospitalities similar to those of the previous day.

Just as they were about to depart next morning they perceived six beautiful canoes, crowded with men, coming round a point, and these they were informed by their hospitable entertainer of Buka were the _Kabaka’s_ people. In the middle of the bay of Kadzi they encountered, and a most ceremonious greeting took place. The commander, a fine, lusty fellow of twenty or thereabout, sprang into Stanley’s boat, and kneeling before him, declared his errand in these words:

“The _Kabaka_ sends me with many salaams to you. He is in great hopes that you will visit him, and has encamped at Usavara, that he may be near the lake when you come. He does not know from what land you come; but I have a swift messenger with a canoe who will not stop until he gives all the news to the _Kabaka_. His mother dreamed a dream a few nights ago, and in her dream she saw a white man on this lake in a boat coming this way, and the next morning she told the _Kabaka_, and, lo! you have come. Give me your answer, that I may send the messenger.”

Receiving his instructions from Stanley, through Magassa, who acted as interpreter, the messenger immediately departed. Persuaded by Magassa to rest for a day that he might be shown the hospitality of the country, Stanley rowed to the village of Kadzi. Here Magassa was in his glory, as shown by his imperious commands given on arrival of the guests and escort:

“Bring out bullocks, sheep and goats, milk, and the mellowest of your choicest bananas, and great jars of maramba, and let the white man and his boatmen eat and taste of the hospitalities of Uganda. Shall a white man enter the _Kabaka’s_ presence with an empty belly? See how sallow and pinched his cheeks are! We want to see whether we cannot show him kindness superior to what the pagans have shown him.”

“A wonderful land!” thought Stanley, “where an entire country can be subjected to such an inordinate bully and vain youth as this Magassa at the mere mention of the _Kabaka’s_ name, and very evidently with _Kabaka’s_ sanction!”

The following day Stanley sallied from Kadzi Bay, with Magassa’s escort leading the way, and at 10 A. M. entered Murchison Bay, camping behind Soweh Island, on the east side of the bay.

Stanley’s account of his arrival at Usavara, and the reception accorded him by the _Kabaka_ and his people, is highly interesting and graphic. “Compared with our lonely voyage from our camp at Usukuma round all the bays and inlets of the much-indented coasts of the great lakes,” says Stanley, “the five superb canoes forming line in front of our boat, escorting us to the presence of the great potentate of Equatorial Africa, formed a scene which promised at least novelty, and a view of some extraordinary pomp and ceremony.”

“When about two miles from Usavara, we saw what we estimated to be thousands of people arranging themselves in order on a gently rising ground. When about a mile from shore, Magassa gave the order to signal our advance upon it with firearms, and was at once obeyed by his dozen musketeers. Half a mile off I saw that the people on the shore had formed themselves into two dense lines, at the ends of which stood several finely-dressed men, arrayed in crimson and black and snowy white. As we neared the beach volleys of musketry burst out from the long lines. Magassa’s canoes steered outward to right and left, while 200 or 300 heavily-loaded guns announced to all around that the white man--whom Mtesa’s mother had dreamed about--had landed. Numerous kettle and bass drums sounded a noisy welcome, and flags, banners, and bannerets waved, and the people gave a great shout. Very much amazed at all this ceremonious and pompous greeting, I strode towards the great standard, near which stood a short young man, dressed in a crimson robe which covered an immaculately white dress of bleached cotton, before whom Magassa, who had hurried ashore, kneeled reverently, and turning to me begged me to understand that this short young man was the _Katekiro_. Not knowing very well who the ‘Katekiro’ was, I only bowed, which, strange to say, was imitated by him, only that his bow was far more profound and stately than mine. I was complexed, confused, embarrassed, and I believe I blushed inwardly at this regal reception, though I hope I did not betray my embarrassment.

“A dozen well-dressed people now came forward, and grasping my hand declared in the Swahili language that I was welcome to Uganda.”

Escorted to comfortable quarters, and after a somewhat extended interview with the head men who had received him, Stanley and his men were made the recipients of fourteen fat oxen, sixteen goats and sheep, a hundred bunches of bananas, three dozen fowls, four wooden jars of milk, four baskets of sweet potatoes, fifty ears of green Indian corn, a basket of rice, twenty fresh eggs, and ten pots of maramba wine. Kauta, Mtesa’s steward or butler, who accompanied the drovers and bearers of these provisions, fell upon his knees before Stanley, and said:

“The _Kabaka_ sends salaams unto his friend who has travelled so far to see him. The _Kabaka_ cannot see the face of his friend until he has eaten and is satisfied. The _Kabaka_ has sent his slave with these few things to his friend that he may eat, and at the ninth hour, after his friend has rested, the _Kabaka_ will send and call for him to appear at the burzah.”

At the ninth hour, as designated, two of the _Kabaka’s_ pages summoned Stanley and his men to meet him. “The _Kabaka_, a tall, clean-faced, large-eyed, nervous-looking, thin man, clad in a tarbush, black robe, with a white shirt belted with gold, shook my hands warmly and impressively,” says Stanley, “and, bowing not ungracefully, invited me to be seated on an iron stool. I waited for him to show the example, and then I and all the others seated ourselves.”

Stanley’s impression of this prince, as gathered from his correspondence, is of extreme interest to the civilized world, and more especially to the Christian Church. Mtesa impressed him as being an intelligent and distinguished man, who, if aided in time by virtuous philanthropists, would do more for Central Africa than fifty years of Gospel teaching, unaided by such authority, could do.

“I think I see in him the light that shall lighten the darkness of this benighted region--a prince well worthy the most hearty sympathies that Europe can give him. In this man I see the possible fruition of Livingstone’s hopes, for with his aid the civilization of Equatorial Africa becomes feasible. I remember the ardor and love which animated Livingstone when he spoke of Sekeletu. Had he seen Mtesa, his ardor and love for him had been tenfold, and his pen would have been employed in calling all men to assist him,” writes Stanley of this remarkable prince and ruler.

On the 15th of April, Stanley returned to Usavara, after having spent a fifteen days’ life at the Emperor’s Court at Rubaga.

The following extract of a letter, under date of April 14th, 1875, written and sent to the “Daily Telegraph” and “New York Herald” from this point, is a strong appeal for the establishment of a Christian Mission in Uganda:

“I have, indeed, undermined Islamism so much here that Mtesa has determined henceforth, until he is better informed, to observe the Christian Sabbath as well as the Moslem Sabbath, and the great captains have unanimously consented to this. He has further caused the Ten Commandments of Moses to be written on a board for his daily perusal--for Mtesa can read Arabic--as well as the Lord’s Prayer and the golden commandment of our Saviour, ‘Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.’ This is great progress for the few days that I have remained with him; and though I am no missionary, I shall begin to think that I might become one if such success is feasible. But, oh! that some pious, practical missionary would come here! What a field and harvest ripe for the sickle of Civilization! Mtesa would give him anything he desired--houses, lands, cattle, ivory, etc. He might call a province his own in one day. It is not the mere preacher, however, that is wanted here. The bishops of Great Britain collected, with all the classic youth of Oxford and Cambridge, would effect nothing by mere talk with the intelligent people of Uganda. It is the practical Christian tutor, who can teach people how to become Christians, cure their diseases, construct dwellings, understand and exemplify agriculture, and turn his hand to anything, like a sailor--this is the man who is wanted. Such an one, if he can be found, would become the saviour of Africa. He must be tied to no church or sect, but profess God and His Son and the moral law, and live a blameless Christian, inspired by liberal principles, charity to all men, and devout faith in Heaven. He must belong to no nation in particular, but to the entire white race. Such a man or men, Mtesa, Emperor of Uganda, Usoga, Unyoro, and Karagwé--an empire 360 geographical miles in length by 50 in breadth--invites to repair to him. He has begged me to tell the white men that, if they will only come to him, he will give them all they want. Now, where is there in all the pagan world a more promising field for a mission than Uganda?”... “Then why further spend, needlessly, vast sums upon black pagans of Africa who have no example of their own people becoming Christians before them? I speak to the Universities’ Mission at Zanzibar and to the Free Methodists at Mombassa, to the leading philanthropists and the pious people of England. Here, gentlemen, is your opportunity--embrace it! The people on the shores of the Nyanza call upon you. Obey your own generous instincts, and listen to them; and I assure you that in one year you will have more converts to Christianity than all other missionaries united can number. The population of Mtesa’s kingdom is very dense. I estimate the number of his subjects at 2,000,000. You need not fear to spend money upon such a mission, as Mtesa is sole ruler, and will repay its cost tenfold with ivory, coffee, otter skins of a very fine quality, or even in cattle, for the wealth of this country in all these products is immense.”

On the 17th of April he resumed his voyage along the shores of the great lake, and delightedly enjoyed the beautiful panorama of nature as it passed in review before him. Many of the scenes presented most lovely vistas to the eyes of Stanley as he scanned the ever-changing outlines of water and sky. To follow him closely in his journeyings, and to enter fully into all the minor details of his observations would require more space than these pages afford. We can, therefore, but confine ourselves to the most noted incidents that came under his observation, and such as are of the most thrilling and adventurous character. As an instance, we will give for the benefit of our readers one of Stanley’s pen pictures of what he saw at this time. It was upon the island of Musira. He had after some little difficulty scaled the summit of its highest point, whence he gazed long on the grand encircling prospect. A halcyon calm brooded on the lake, eastward, northward, and southward, until the clear sky and stainless silver water met, the clear bounds of both veiled by a gauzy vapor, suggesting infinity.

“It is a spot,” says Stanley, “from which, undisturbed, the eye may rove over one of the strangest yet fairest portions of Africa--hundreds of square miles of beautiful lake scenes--a great length of grey plateau wall, upright and steep, but indented with exquisite inlets, half surrounded by embowering plantains--hundreds of square miles of pastoral upland dotted thickly with villages and groves of banana. From my lofty eyrie I can see herds upon herds of cattle, and many minute specks, white and black, which can be nothing but flocks of sheep and goats. I can also see pale blue columns of ascending smoke from the fires, and upright thin figures moving about. Secure on my lofty throne, I can view their movements and laugh at the ferocity of the savage hearts which beat in those thin dark figures; for I am a part of nature now, and for the present as invulnerable as itself. As little do they know that human eyes survey their forms from the summit of this lake-girt isle as that the eyes of the Supreme in Heaven are upon them.

“What a land they possess! and what an inland sea! How steamers afloat on the lake might cause Ururi to shake hands with Usongora, and Uganda with Usukuma, make the wild Wavuma friends with the Wazinza, and unite the Wakerawé with the Wagana!”

His experiences at Bumbireh Island were not so pleasant, however. Here, when about ten yards from the beach, the natives, who had been invited with engaging frankness to come closer, did so; and after consulting a little while, leisurely advanced into the water until they touched the boat’s prow. They stood a few seconds talking sweetly, when suddenly with a rush they ran the boat ashore, and then all the others, seizing hawser and gunwale, dragged her about twenty yards over the rocky beach high and dry, leaving Stanley and his men almost stupefied with astonishment.

“Then ensued a scene which beggars description,” says Stanley. “Pandemonium--all its devils armed--raged around us. A forest of spears was leveled; thirty or forty bows were drawn taut; as many barbed arrows seemed already on the wing; thick, knotty clubs waved above our heads; two hundred screaming black demons jostled with each other and struggled for room to vent their fury, or for an opportunity to deliver one crushing blow or thrust at us.

“In the meantime, as soon as the first symptoms of this manifestation of violence had been observed, I had sprung to my feet, each hand armed with a loaded self-cocking revolver, to kill and be killed. But the apparent hopelessness of inflicting much injury upon such a large crowd restrained me, and Safeni turned to me, though almost cowed to dumbness by the loud fury around us, and pleaded with me to be patient. I complied, seeing that I should get no aid from my crew; but, while bitterly blaming myself for my imprudence in having yielded--against my instincts--to placing myself in the power of such savages, I vowed that, if I escaped this once, my own judgment should guide my actions in the future.

“Our demeanor had a great effect. The riot and noise seemed to be subsiding, when some fifty newcomers rekindled the smouldering fury. Again the forest of spears swayed on the launch, again the knotty clubs were whirled aloft and the bows were drawn, and again the barbed arrows seemed flying. Safeni received a push which sent him tumbling, little Kirango received a blow on the head with a spear-staff, and Saramba gave a cry as a club descended on his back.

“The elder, whatever he thought, responded with an affectation of indignation, raised his stick, and to the right and left of him drove back the demoniac crowd. Other prominent men now assisted this elder, whom we subsequently discovered to be Shekka, the King of Bumbireh.

“Shekka having thus bestirred himself, beckoned to half-a-dozen men and walked away a few yards behind the mass. It was the ‘Shauri,’ dear to a free and independent African’s heart, that was about to be held. Half the crowd followed the King and his council, while the other half remained to indulge their violent, vituperative tongues on us, and to continually menace us with either club or spear. An audacious party came round the stern of the boat, and, with superlatively hideous gestures, affronted me. One of them even gave a tug at my hair, thinking it was a wig. I revenged myself by seizing his hand, and suddenly bending it back almost dislocated it, causing him to howl with pain. His comrades swayed their lances; but I smilingly looked at them, for all idea of self-preservation had now almost fled.”

Next some of the boldest approached the boat and took away the oars, and shortly thereafter messengers came demanding ransoms of cloths and necklaces. These were delivered. After the warriors departed, some women came to look at the invaders. Kindly spoken to, these gave the consoling assurance that the invaders would be killed; but they said that if Shekka could be induced to make blood-brotherhood, or to eat honey with one of them, they would be safe. If that failed, there was only flight or death. Stanley offered the Shekka three fundo of beads, and asked him to exchange blood with him; but the King refused. Then fifty bold fellows came rushing down the hill, uttering a shrill cry. Without hesitation they came straight to the boat, seizing the Kiganda drum. Loud applause followed this act of gallantry. Then came two others who began to drive away some cows that were grazing between Stanley and the village.

“Why do you do that?” asked Safeni, one of Stanley’s men.

“Because we are going to fight presently, and if you are men, you may begin to prepare yourselves,” he scornfully replied.

“Thanks, my bold friend,” muttered Stanley to himself. “Those are the truest words we have heard to-day.”

While the two men were retiring up the hill, Stanley directed Safeni to take two fine red cloths in his hand, walk slowly up after them a little way, and the moment he should hear his voice run back. His men he commanded to arrange themselves on each side of the boat; lay their hands on it carelessly, but with a firm grip, and when he should give the word, push it with the force of a hundred men down the hill into the water. His men all properly disposed as he had directed, he told Safeni to advance with the red cloth.

Stanley says: “I waited until he had walked fifty yards away, and saw that he acted precisely as I had instructed him. Then I shouted, ‘Push, my boys; push for your lives!’

“The crew bent their heads and strained their arms; the boat began to move, and there was a hissing, grinding noise below me. I seized my double-barrelled elephant rifle and shouted, ‘Safeni! Safeni, return!’

“The natives were quick-eyed. They saw the boat moving, and with one accord they swept down the hill uttering the most fearful cries.

“My boat was at the water’s edge. ‘Shoot her into the lake, my men; never mind the water;’ and, clear of all obstructions, she darted out upon the lake.

“Safeni stood for an instant on the water’s edge, with the cloths in his hand. The foremost of a crowd of natives was about twenty yards from him. He raised his spear and balanced himself. ‘Spring into the water, man, head first,’ I cried.

“The balanced spear was about to fly, and another man was preparing his weapon for a deadly cast, when I raised my gun and the bullet ploughed through him and through the second. The bowmen halted and drew their bows. I sent two charges of duck-shot into their midst with terrible effect. The natives then retreated from that part of the beach on which the boat had lately lain.

“The crew tore the bottom boards out of the boat and used them as paddles. Meanwhile the savages, baffled and furious at seeing their prey escape, had rushed, after a short consultation, to man two canoes that were drawn up on the beach at the northwest corner of the cove. Twice I dropped men as they endeavored to launch the boats; but they persisted, and, finally launching them, pursued us vigorously. Two other canoes were seen coming down the coast from the eastern side of the island. Unable to escape, we stopped after we had got out of the cove, and waited for them. My elephant rifle was loaded with explosive balls for this occasion. Four shots killed five men and sank two of the canoes. The two others retired to assist their friends out of the water. They attempted nothing further. We were saved!”

The 30th of April Stanley and his crew reached Refuge Island, a hungry and wearied-out set of people. Here they were very fortunate in procuring some wild game and fruit, and rested several days.

The expedition, having now almost reached its journey’s end, the members were all in good spirits, and, although the weather was somewhat tempestuous during the remainder of the trip, there occurred nothing of moment to mar the pleasant expectations they had in store, and which they were permitted to realize with glad hearts on the 6th of May, having been absent just fifty-seven days in making the circuit of Victoria Nyanza.