While the Doctor conversed with them, and endeavoured to calm their fierce passions, I had the tent struck, and the canoes launched, and the baggage stowed, and when the negotiations had concluded amicably, I begged the Doctor to jump into the boat, as this apparent peace was simply a lull before a storm; besides, said I, there are two or three cowardly creatures in the boat, who, in case of another disturbance, would not scruple to leave both of us here.

From Cape Luvumba, about 4.30 P.M. we commenced pulling across; at 8 P.M. we were abreast of Cape Panza, the northern extremity of the island of Muzimu; at 6 A.M. we were southward of Bikari, and pulling for Mukungu, in Urundi, at which place we arrived at 10 A.M., having been seventeen hours and a half in crossing the lake, which, computing at two miles an hour, may be said to be thirty-five miles direct breadth, and a little more than forty-three miles from Cape Luvumba.

On the 11th of December, after seven hours’ pulling, we arrived at picturesque Zassi again; on the 12th, at the pretty cove of Niasanga; and at 11 A.M. we had rounded past Bangwe, and Ujiji was before us.

We entered the port very quietly, without the usual firing of guns, as we were short of powder and ball.  As we landed, our soldiers and the Arab magnates came to the water’s edge to greet us.

Mabruki had a rich budget to relate to us, of what had occurred during our absence.  This faithful man, left behind in charge of Livingstone’s house, had done most excellently.  Kalulu had scalded himself, and had a frightful raw sore on his chest in consequence.  Mabruki had locked up Marora in chains for wounding one of the asses.  Bilali, the stuttering coward, a bully of women, had caused a tumult in the market-place, and had been sharply belaboured with the stick by Mabruki.  And, above all most welcome, was a letter I received from the American Consul at Zanzibar, dated June 11th, containing telegrams from Paris as late as April 22nd of the same year!  Poor Livingstone exclaimed, “And I have none.  What a pleasant thing it is to have a real and good friend!”

Our voyage on the Tanganika had lasted twenty-eight days, during which time we had traversed over 300 miles of water.

CHAPTER XIV.  OUR JOURNEY FROM UJIJI TO UNYANYEMBE.

We felt quite at home when we sat down on our black bear-skin, gay Persian carpet and clean new mats, to rest with our backs to the wall, sipping our tea with the air of comfortable men, and chat over the incidents of the “picnic,” as Livingstone persisted in calling our journey to the Rusizi.  It seemed as if old times, which we loved to recall, had come back again, though our house was humble enough in its aspect, and our servants were only naked barbarians; but it was near this house that I had met him—­ Livingstone—­after that eventful march from Unyanyembe; it was on this same veranda that I listened