The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-07-09
An Important Revelation,
Serious Allegations against Consul Kirk.
LAKE BANGwEoLA, I
Central Africa Dec. 1872. J

my -/o" L'NIeO''
You may have heard how / was baffied and
nearly taken by coterie or ring of slave-trad-
irg Arabs and Banians, the latter our Indian
fellow subjects, by whose money, arms and
ammunition the Arab agents carry on all the
cruelties and murders necessary in their enter
prises. l lost two years in time, about thou
sand pounds in money, had Two thousand
miles of useless tramping and was subject to
3. the imminent risk of a violent death four sew
eral times,-all through my agent, in killing
simplicity, landing over the affair of supplying
me with men and goods to his friend Ludha
Damji, the head and chief money lender of the
ring He sent his own and other Bantam
slaves instead of men, aud at three times the
highest freeman's pay. Then the goods we've
placed in charge of a thief by name of Shereef
Bosher. and he sold all off for slaves and ivory
to himself. The Banians would not kill flea
for the world, but by their money means they
are the worst cannibals in all Africa. Their
slaves came, loudly declaring that they were
ordered by the English vice consul to force
me back This was OF course false. He could
not be such fool as to place himself in their
power. But slaves are in some respects like
cHlluT6I1. anu Qulle ONtiaCltu tuCiI pdie LILO
is the way in which l view their asseverations.
A little American girl is said to have asked a
visitor who was received with great cordiality
by mamma: us your next door neighbor a
fool?" "No, my dear, he is a very sensible
man. Why do you ask that?" Because
mamma said you was next door to fool. >
Public advice was sent by the English vice
consul to the Foreign Office and published by
the Royal Geography Society, that ought to
retire and leave the rest of the work to others
That means himself Astute Banians may
have learned the procivities of my public ad-
visers, and delivered them undiluted to
their slaves. When consulted by Sir Roder-
lex Murchison L recommended this same vice
consul as leader of this expedition, and he af-
forwards tod me it was declined unless he had
as good salary and position to fall back upon as
Spoke and Grant had in their pay and commits
sons. The salary and position he now holds
were procured by my own intercesson. Then
followed the following self inv tation: "You
cannot imagine how much long to have run
again with you in the wilds; feel as if l must
have it sometime" No response followed this
appeal.
No sooner was Lake Bangweola discovered
and announced at the coast, than an official de-
scription of il was sent to the Bombay Govern
ment, in which it was gravely stated, that it is
like Nyassa, Taganyika and the Albert Ny
ANA, overhung by high mountain slopes which
open out 10 bays and valleys or leave great
plains which, during the rainy season, become
flooded, so that caravans march for days through
water knee-deep, seeking for higher ground on
which to pass the night Now l found the
Lake to be 1000 feet above the seattle height
at which now write-but the country around
is remarkable only for extreme flatness. When
first reached it the only mountain slopes were
ant hills, some of them about twenty feet high
Their slopes could scarcely be called high ex-
cept on the top of the 1000 feet There was no
more slope from the land generally than there
is from the Isle of Dogs down to the level of
the Thames.
The news I got at Ujiji-to which I was
forced back by the Bantam slaves-was that
the vice consul was in Ludha Damji's hands.
L had been plundered of my goods, wholly or
partially, four times, but the consular agent,
paid expressly to give information, see MS to
have been kept silent by the Banians who
have the custom house and all the public rev.
enue entirely in their hands. There was moth
ing immoral in the vice consul's friendship for
Ludha, but it was highly impolitic for it gave
all the members of the ring the persuasion
that Ludha would make all SAFE 1 was in
misery. was still determined not to give in
to their vilainies; but was resolved to make
my way down to Baker for aid.
have the prospect of going home to pow
erty. for my salary was stopped by Mr.. Muir
ray, clerk in the Foreign Office, who was put
in as a third under-secretary when the sravc
trade was rife on the west coast, and, now it
has ceased, tries to save his own pay by cut
ting down others. The superiors know little
about these matters shall not go begging,
but, as soon as get set of new teeth, launch
out into foreign parts to seek my fortune,-a
nice reward for the discovery of the sources of
the Nile, is it not? If the paid consular agents
concealed the robberies from the vice consul
they are culpabe. When my formal complaint
of all have suffered from the people employ
ed by Dr. Kirk came down by Stanley it was
like clap of thunder to him, and before he
had collected all lis thoughts he raved against
me. The English relief and search expedition
were strongly advised by him to wait till the
rains should cease, and they seem to have
dawdled on most unhealthy island till all their
good intentions oozed out at their finger ends.
Kirk wrote that he felt the greatest grief and
Indignation at my losses-the direct result of
the misbehavior and dishonesty of those en-
gaged-but nine days afterwards he declared
before five gentlemen that he would not send
over the consular agent to Bagamoyo to see the
men secured by Stanley off (the steamer was
starting) nor do anything for DR.. Livingstone,
because he believed nggers would only insult
him. 1t was his own belief in Ludha and his
slaves that caused all my losses, and tits his
own inference entirely ,thatI believed the slaves
when they swore that he instructed them to
force me back. But it is my belief that posi-
bly, the difficulties may have had remote con-
nection with his eagerness to share the honor
of discovery after had helped him to his per-
quisites, position and salary. His wrath and
babbling-out that he was charged with the in
struction of the slaves is ominous The fascna-
ton of mixing up his name with discoveries
seems pretty strong, and there may be a little
lurking hope of enhancing his standing in
the community. / never said aught to him.
The government also had another plan than
sending out the search and relief expedition,
which was that if they had no offer for one al
ready out, to take few Arabs, run in and set
tie the Nile question by looking at the north
end of Tanganyka and call me out of Manyema
where his truthful Arabs reported me as living
like an Arab And went up quite sure that
if anywhere, the Nile was west, at the Lualaba
where was working. The idea seems TO have
come from Kirk, but it has not prevailed over
me, and if the good Lord above gives me
strength and influence to complete the task in
spite of everything, shall not grudge my hun
ger and toll
Affectionately yours,
DAVID LIVINGSTONE.
Gov. Dingley's Letter of Acceptance.