How I Found Livingstone | Page 8

was difficult at first to know,
what I needed, in order to take an Expedition into Central Africa. Time
was precious, also, and much of it could not be devoted to inquiry and
investigation. In a case like this, it would have been a godsend, I
thought, had either of the three gentlemen, Captains Burton, Speke, or
Grant, given some information on these points; had they devoted a
chapter upon, "How to get ready an Expedition for Central Africa." The
purpose of this chapter, then, is to relate how I set about it, that other
travellers coming after me may have the benefit of my experience.
These are some of the questions I asked myself, as I tossed on my bed
at night:--
"How much money is required?"
"How many pagazis, or carriers?
"How many soldiers?"
"How much cloth?"
"How many beads?"
"How much wire?"
"What kinds of cloth are required for the different tribes?"
Ever so many questions to myself brought me no clearer the exact point
I wished to arrive at. I scribbled over scores of sheets of paper, made
estimates, drew out lists of material, calculated the cost of keeping one
hundred men for one year, at so many yards of different kinds of cloth,
etc. I studied Burton, Speke, and Grant in vain. A good deal of
geographical, ethnological, and other information appertaining to the
study of Inner Africa was obtainable, but information respecting the
organization of an expedition requisite before proceeding to Africa,
was not in any book. The Europeans at Zanzibar knew as little as

possible about this particular point. There was not one white man at
Zanzibar who could tell how many dotis a day a force of one hundred
men required to buy food for one day on the road. Neither, indeed, was
it their business to know. But what should I do at all, at all? This was a
grand question.
I decided it were best to hunt up an Arab merchant who had been
engaged in the ivory trade, or who was fresh from the interior.
Sheikh Hashid was a man of note and of wealth in Zanzibar. He had
himself despatched several caravans into the interior, and was
necessarily acquainted with several prominent traders who came to his
house to gossip about their adventures and gains. He was also the
proprietor of the large house Capt. Webb occupied; besides, he lived
across the narrow street which separated his house from the Consulate.
Of all men Sheikh Hashid was the man to be consulted, and he was
accordingly invited to visit me at the Consulate.
From the grey-bearded and venerable-looking Sheikh, I elicited more
information about African currency, the mode of procedure, the
quantity and quality of stuffs I required, than I had obtained from three
months' study of books upon Central Africa; and from other Arab
merchants to whom the ancient Sheikh introduced me, I received most
valuable suggestions and hints, which enabled me at last to organize an
Expedition.
The reader must bear in mind that a traveller requires only that which is
sufficient for travel and exploration that a superfluity of goods or
means will prove as fatal to him as poverty of supplies. It is on this
question of quality and quantity that the traveller has first to exercise
his judgment and discretion.
My informants gave me to understand that for one hundred men, 10
doti, or 40 yards of cloth per diem, would suffice for food. The proper
course to pursue, I found, was to purchase 2,000 doti of American
sheeting, 1,000 doti of Kaniki, and 650 doti of the coloured cloths, such
as Barsati, a great favourite in Unyamwezi; Sohari, taken in Ugogo;
Ismahili, Taujiri, Joho, Shash, Rehani, Jamdani or Kunguru-Cutch, blue
and pink. These were deemed amply sufficient for the subsistence of
one hundred men for twelve months. Two years at this rate would
require 4,000 doti = 16,000 yards of American sheeting; 2,000 doti =
8,000 yards of Kaniki; 1,300 doti = 5,200 yards of mixed coloured

cloths. This was definite and valuable information to me, and excepting
the lack of some suggestions as to the quality of the sheeting, Kaniki,
and coloured cloths, I had obtained all I desired upon this point.
Second in importance to the amount of cloth required was the quantity
and quality of the beads necessary. Beads, I was told, took the place of
cloth currency among some tribes of the interior. One tribe preferred
white to black beads, brown to yellow, red to green, green to white, and
so on. Thus, in Unyamwezi, red (sami-sami) beads would readily be
taken, where all other kinds would be refused; black (bubu) beads,
though currency in Ugogo, were positively worthless with all other
tribes; the egg (sungomazzi) beads, though valuable in