The Last Journals of David Livingstone, in Central Africa, from 1865 to His Death | Page 9

that it was not his war but Mokamba's:
he wished to be allowed to go down through Loanda, and as the people
in front of Mokamba and Usigé own his supremacy, he said, "Send
your force with mine and let us open the way," so they went on land
and were killed. An attempt was made to induce Syde bin Habib to
clear the way, and be paid in ivory, but Syde likes to battle with those
who will soon run away and leave the spoil to him.
The Manyuema are said to be friendly where they have not been
attacked by Arabs: a great chief is reported as living on a large river
flowing northwards, I hope to make my way to him, and I feel
exhilarated at the thought of getting among people not spoiled by
contact with Arab traders. I would not hesitate to run the risk of getting
through Loanda, the continuation of Usigé beyond Mokamba's, had
blood not been shed so very recently there; but it would at present be a
great danger, and to explore some sixty miles of the Tanganyika line
only. If I return hither from Manyuema my goods and fresh men from
Zanzibar will have arrived, and I shall be better able to judge as to the

course to be pursued after that. Mokamba is about twenty, miles
beyond Uvira; the scene of Moenegheré's defeat, is ten miles beyond
Mokamba; so the unexplored part cannot be over sixty miles, say thirty
if we take Baker's estimate of the southing of his water to be near the
truth.
Salem or Palamotto told me that he was sent for by a headman near to
this to fight his brother for him: he went and demanded prepayment;
then the brother sent him three tusks to refrain: Salem took them and
came home. The Africans have had hard measures meted out to them in
the world's history!
_28th June, 1869._--The current in Tanganyika is well marked when
the lighter-coloured water of a river flows in and does not at once
mix--the Luishé at Ujiji is a good example, and it shows by large light
greenish patches on the surface a current of nearly a mile an hour north.
It begins to flow about February, and continues running north till
November or December. Evaporation on 300 miles of the south is then
at its strongest, and water begins to flow gently south till arrested by
the flood of the great rains there, which takes place in February and
March. There is, it seems, a reflux for about three months in each year,
flow and reflow being the effect of the rains and evaporation on a
lacustrine river of some three hundred miles in length lying south of the
equator. The flow northwards I have myself observed, that again
southwards rests on native testimony, and it was elicited from the
Arabs by pointing out the northern current: they attributed the southern
current to the effect of the wind, which they say then blows south.
Being cooled by the rains, it comes south into the hot valley of this
great Riverein Lake, or lacustrine river.
In going to Moenékuss, the paramount chief of the Manyuema, forty
days are required. The headmen of trading parties remain with this
chief (who is said by all to be a very good man), and send their people
out in all directions to trade. Moenemogaia says that in going due north
from Moenékuss they come to a large river, the Robumba, which flows
into and is the Luama, and that this again joins the Lualaba, which
retains its name after flowing with the Lufira and Lofu into the still

unvisited Lake S.S.W. of this: it goes thence due north, probably into
Mr. Baker's part of the eastern branch of the Nile. When I have gone as
far north along Lualaba as I can this year, I shall be able to judge as to
the course I ought to take after receiving my goods and men from
Zanzibar, and may the Highest direct me, so that I may finish creditably
the work I have undertaken. I propose to start for Manyuema on the 3rd
July.
The dagala or nsipé, a small fish caught in great numbers in every
flowing water, and very like whitebait, is said to emit its eggs by the
mouth, and these immediately burst and the young fish manages for
itself. The dagala never becomes larger than two or three inches in
length. Some, putrefied, are bitter, as if the bile were in them in a good
quantity. I have eaten them in Lunda of a pungent bitter taste, probably
arising from the food on which the fish feeds. Men say that they have
seen the eggs kept in the sides of the