New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-07-11
RIVER AND HARBOR BILL
LIVINGSTONE AND KIRK.
A HfTHrPTO UNPUBLISHED LETTER FROM THE GREAT
EXPLDRER-SERIOUS Gu AGAINST HE LNu-
LIsI VICE-CONSUL, KIRK.
EroBi M nd Prgss

A HrTHrPTo UNPUBLISHED LETTER FROM THE GREAT
EXPLoRER-sERoUs CHARGES AGAINST THE Enc
LIsH yICE-CONSUL, KIRK.
LAKE BASGwEoLA, Central Africa, December 1872.
My DEAR BROTHER: You may have heard
how I was Danled and nearly taken by a coterie or
ring OF save-tradug Arabs and Banlans the latter our
Indian fellow subjects, by whose money, arms ana am-
munItOn the Arab agents carry on all tc cruellos a
murders necessary their enterprises Two years
in time about thousand pounds in money hau Two
thousand miles OF useless trampng, ana was 10
the imminent risk OF violent death four several times
all through my agent. in killing simplicity, hahulnH
the affair OF supplying me with men ana eOod, 10
his friend Ludha Dam the head and chiet money ehde
OF the ring, He sent his own ana other Bahidh
slaves Instead OF men, ana at fntee tiIncs ore
highest ireemans pay l1en IN, . ne eP ~ sbereef
BOsher, and he sold all on for slaves aud ivory 10 nun
self The Banans would not XII iiea ior the w9rl1,
but by their money they the worst cannioas
thew were ordered by the English YceCons force
me back. This OF course false. He could not be
such fool 10 place himself i'll tnelr power Dut
slaves are IN some resPscss IKE re ,h d View
hnve asked a visitor who was received with great
diality by mamma, is your next door neighDor a
ioolP "No, my DEAR ne ga very i RncaUse
man way DO YOU a, nsx tna door to fooI
Public advice was sent by the Ensn ,a r wee
to the f0Tsn b oce ad 20 TeT aDg leave the
rest OF the work to others. mat means himself.
public advisers, and delivered them undlluted to their
slaves. when consulted BY Sir Roderlck Mqrchlson,
expedition, aud he afterward told me 1t was deened
unless had good salary ana position 10
upon Spoke aud Grant had in their pay ana commits
sions The salary aud position he now nOds were pro-
cured by my own intereesslon Ihen followed inc iol
lowing self invitations You cannot imagine now mHch
long to have again with you IN tie Wills iee
as il must have 1t some tune" No response followed
No sooner was Lake BangweOla discovered and an
nouuced at the coast than an official description OF IL
was to the Bombay Government, IN when IL was
gravey stated that II Is like Nyassa, Taganylk ana the
Albert Nyanza oSeTnGns by Ggo es U graa pas
which, during the rainy season. become hooded 50 tnat
march for days through water kneeieep seek
ing for higher ground on when 10 pass the Rll.
found the lake be 400 feet above the seattle hight
at which now wrte-but the equity around Is remark
the only mountain slopes were ant NILS some OI tne'1
about 20 feet high Their slopes could scarcely De caeu
high except the top Of the 1900 feet Inere was no
slope from the land generally than there Is rom
the isle of Dogs down TO the level OF the Thames ,
The news got at Ujl-to which was forced back
by the Bantam saves-was that the Nce-Consu was In
Ludha DdmiPs hands l had been pundered Oh my
GOODS wholly or partially, four tines but the consular
agent paid expressly to give Information, seems TO nave
been kept silent by the Banans, who have the Custom
house aud ali the pubic revenue eh,rey 10 tnr
There nothing immoral Ia the ViceC0nsuis friend
ship for Ludha, but Il was highly lmpoc' TOT II s dhe
all the members OF the rug the persuasion that LIn
would make all safe. was In misery. was sun ue'
termned to give in to their ylainles but was re-
solved TO make my way down to Baker for aid.
have the prospect OF going home 10 Poyery ior inS
salary was stopped by Mr. Mufray cer m when
ONCE who was put IN as thltd unuet secretaI mn -
the slave trade rife the west coast, ana now IL
nhe The snperors know little about these matters
shall not a0eggng, but as soon as get set OF ne"
III,
a nice reward for the discovery Of the sources OF the
Nile is mott IL the paid consular agents concealed
the Nice-COnsul they are CulpaDle
When my formal complaint OF all have suffered from
the people employed by Dr. Kirk came down By Stanley
il was ike a clap OF Thunder to him. ana before lie
had collected all his thoughts he rayed against me- Inc
English relief and search expedition were strongly al
ysed by him wait till the rains should cease ana they
seem to have dawded on most unhealthy Island tlll
an their good intentions OOzed out at their ngef ends
Kirk wrote tina: he felt the greatest grief aud ndgna
ton at losses-the direct result or tine nsbehaylor
and dishonesty OF those engagcd-Dut nine days AFTER
ward he declared before Ave gentlemen that he would
the men secured by Stanley OF che steamer was start
ing) nor do anything for DR.. Livingstone, be
cause lie believed nigScrs would only insult
him Ii was his belief in Ludha and his
slaves that caused all my losses, and II is his
own Inference entirely that believed the slaves when
But it is my belief that possibly the difficulties may
have had a remote connection with his eagerness To
share honor of discovery after had helped him 10
his perqulsites position, and salary. HIS wrath and
babbng-oE that he charged with the instruction
of the slaves ominous. The fascination or mixing up
his name with discoveries seems pretty strong, ana
there NAV 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 II
they had no offer for already out, to take a Few
Arabs and settle the Nile question by looking at
the north end of flanagan yka and call out OF Man
yema where his truthfu Arabs reported me as living
like an Arab. Aud | up quite sure that, II any
where the Nile west, at the LudlaDd where was
working. The idea seems TO have come from kirk but
IL has prevailed and IL the good Lord above
gives me strength and influence to complete the task IN
spite OF everything, shall not grdge my hunger and
toll Afectionately yours. DAVID LIVINGSTONE.