salaams were very profuse, and moreover, his brother was to be my
agent in Unyamwezi, so that I did not hesitate to accept his offer
of assistance. But, alas, for my white face and too trustful
nature! this Ali bin Salim turned out to be a snake in the grass,
a very sore thorn in my side. I was invited to his comfortable
house to partake of coffee. I went there: the coffee was good
though sugarless, his promises were many, but they proved valueless.
Said he to me, "I am your friend; I wish to serve you., what can
I do for you?" Replied I, "I am obliged to you, I need a good
friend who, knowing the language and Customs of the Wanyamwezi,
can procure me the pagazis I need and send me off quickly. Your
brother is acquainted with the Wasungu (white men), and knows
that what they promise they make good. Get me a hundred and
forty pagazis and I will pay you your price." With unctuous
courtesy, the reptile I was now warmly nourishing; said,
"I do not want anything from you, my friend, for such a slight
service, rest content and quiet; you shall not stop here fifteen
days. To-morrow morning I will come and overhaul your bales to
see what is needed." I bade him good morning, elated with the
happy thought that I was soon to tread the Unyanyembe road.

The reader must be made acquainted with two good and sufficient
reasons why I was to devote all my energy to lead the Expedition
as quickly as possible from Bagamoyo.

First, I wished to reach Ujiji before the news reached Livingstone
that I was in search of him, for my impression of him was that he
was a man who would try to put as much distance as possible
between us, rather than make an effort to shorten it, and I should
have my long journey for nothing.