follow with unswerving fidelity the line of duty. My course has been an
even one, turning neither to the right hand nor to the left, though my
route has been tortuous enough. All the hardship, hunger, and toil were
met with the full conviction that I was right in persevering to make a
complete work of the exploration of the sources of the Nile. Mine has
been a calm, hopeful endeavour to do the work that has been given me to
do, whether I succeed or whether I fail. The prospect of death in
pursuing what I knew to be right did not make me veer to one side or the
other. I had a strong presentiment during the first three years that I
should never live through the enterprise, but it weakened as I came near
to the end of the journey, and an eager desire to discover any evidence
of the great Moses having visited these parts bound me, spell-bound me,
I may say, for if I could bring to light anything to confirm the Sacred
Oracles, I should not grudge one whit all the labour expended. I have to
go down the Central Lualaba or Webb's Lake River, then up the Western or
Young's Lake River to Katanga head waters and then retire. I pray that
it may be to my native home.

Syde bin Habib, Dugumbé, Juma Merikano, Abdullah Masendi are coming in
with 700 muskets, and an immense store of beads, copper, &c. They will
cross Lualaba and trade west of it: I wait for them because they may
have letters for me.

_28th October, 1870._--Moenemokata, who has travelled further than most
Arabs, said to me, "If a man goes with a good-natured, civil tongue, he
may pass through the worst people in Africa unharmed:" this is true, but
time also is required: one must not run through a country, but give the
people time to become acquainted with you, and let their first fears
subside.