On the 30th HMS "Gorgon" arrived, towing the brig which brought out Mrs Livingstone and some ladies about to join the University mission, as well as the sections of a new iron steamer intended for the navigation of Lake Nyassa. The name of the "Lady Nyassa" was given to the new vessel.
The "Pioneer," with as large a portion of the vessel as she could carry, accompanied by two of the "Gorgon's" paddle-box boats, steamed off for Ruo on the 10th of February. Captain Wilson, with several of his officers and men, went on board her to render assistance. The ladies also took their passage in her. Her progress was very slow, and six months were expended before Shupanga was reached. Here the sections of the "Lady Nyassa" were landed, and preparations were made to screw her together.
Captain Wilson had kindly gone on in his boat to Ruo, taking Miss Mackenzie and Mrs Burrup and others. On reaching Ruo, greatly to their dismay the chief declared that no white man had come to his village.
They thence went on to Chibisa, where the sad news was received of the death of the bishop and Mr Burrup. Leaving the ladies under care of Dr Ramsay, the "Gorgon's" surgeon, Captain Wilson and Dr Kirk hastened up the hills to render assistance to the survivors, they themselves suffering greatly, and Captain Wilson almost losing his life.
The sad tale of the bishop's death has often been told. He had set off in the hopes of rescuing some of his flock who had been kidnapped, and, undergoing fatigue and exposure to rain far greater than his constitution could stand, having been upset in a canoe and sleeping afterwards in his wet clothes, had succumbed to fever when returning with his companion, Mr Burrup, to Ruo.
The Free Church of Scotland had sent out the Reverend J. Stewart to form a mission. Before doing so he wisely determined to survey the country thoroughly. After doing this he returned to England. He found mere remnants of a once dense population on the banks of the Shire, now scattered and destroyed by famine and slave-hunting.
Captain Wilson returning to the "Pioneer," she, with the ladies on board, steamed down to Kongone, when the whole of the mission party except one left the country in the "Gorgon."
The fever now attacked the crew of the "Pioneer," and only one man remained fit for duty. She, however, continued carrying up the portions of the "Lady Nyassa" to Shupanga.
About the middle of April Mrs Livingstone was attacked by the disease.
Notwithstanding the most skilful medical aid rendered to her, her eyes were closed in a Christian's death as the sun set on a sabbath day, the 27th of April, 1862. Her grave was placed beneath the great baobab-tree in the spot before described, and the Reverend J. Stewart read the burial service. There rested the daughter of the Missionary Moffat, that Christian lady who had exercised such beneficial influence over the rude tribes of the interior, and might, it was hoped, have renewed her labours in the country to which she had come.
The "Lady Nyassa" was now screwed together and her stores got on board; but, as she could not be taken to the cataract before the rains in December, the "Pioneer" sailed for Johanna to obtain mules and oxen to convey her by land, after she had been taken to pieces, above the falls.
To fill up the time the doctor resolved, on the return of the "Pioneer,"
to explore the Rovuma in boats. She arrived at its mouth, towed by HMS "Orestes." Captain Gardner and several of his officers accompanied them two days in the the gig and cutter. The water was now low; but when filled by the rains, in many respects the Rovuma appears superior to the Zambesi. It would probably be valuable as a highway for commerce during three-fourths of each year.
Above Kichokomane was a fertile plain, studded with a number of deserted villages. Its inhabitants were living on low sandbanks, though they had left their property behind, fearing only being stolen themselves. They showed, however, an unfriendly spirit to the white men, not understanding their objects. The blacks assembled on the shore, and evidently intended to attack the party as they passed the high bank, but a stiff breeze swept the boats by. Attempts were made to persuade the natives that the travellers had only peaceable intentions, that they wished to be their friends, and that their countrymen bought cotton and ivory. Notwithstanding this, these savages were not satisfied, and their leader was seen urging them to fire. Many of them had muskets, while others, who were armed with bows, held them with arrows ready set to shoot. Still the doctor and his companions were exceedingly unwilling to come to blows, and half an hour was spent, during which, at any moment, they might have been struck by bullets or poisoned arrows.
The English assured them that they had plenty of ammunition, that they did not wish to shed the blood of the children of the same Great Father, and that if there was a fight, the guilt would be theirs. At last their leader ordered them to lay down their arms, and he came, saying that the river was theirs, and that the English must pay toll for leave to pass.
As it was better to do so than fight, the payment demanded was given, and they promised to be friends ever afterwards.
The sail was then hoisted, and the boats proceeded up, when they were followed by a large party, as it was supposed merely to watch them, but without a moment's warning the savages fired a volley of musket-balls and poisoned arrows. Providentially they were so near that six arrows passed over their heads, and four musket-balls alone went through the sail. Their assailants immediately bolted, and did not again appear till the boats had got to a considerable distance. A few shots were fired over their heads, to give them an idea of the range of the Englishmen's rifles. They had probably expected to kill some of the party, and then in the confusion to rob the boats.
They were more hospitably treated by a Makoa chief higher up, who had been to Iboe, and once to Mozambique with slaves.
His people refused to receive gaily-coloured prints, having probably been deceived by sham ones before, preferring the plain blue stuff of which they had experience.
Another old chief, on seeing them go by, laid down his gun, and when they landed approached them.
They proceeded up to the cataracts of the Rovuma, but finding that the distance overland was far greater to Lake Nyassa than that by Murchison's Cataracts on the Shire, they considered it best to take their steamer up by that route.
After having been away a month, they reached the "Pioneer" on the 9th of October. The ship's company had used distilled water, and not a single case of sickness had occurred on board, while those who had been in the boats had some slight attacks.
After this they put to sea and visited Johanna, returning to the fever-haunted village of Quillimane. Here they were kindly entertained by one of the few honourable Portuguese officials they met with in that region, Colonel Nunes. He came out as a cabin-boy, and, by persevering energy, has become the richest man on the East Coast.
On the 10th of January, 1863, the "Pioneer," with the "Lady Nyassa" in tow, steamed up the Shire.
They soon met signs of the bandit slave-hunter Mariano's expedition.
Dead bodies floated by them in great numbers, and for scores of miles the entire population had been swept away. The river banks, once so populous, were all now silent. The remains of burnt villages were everywhere seen, and oppressive silence reigned where once crowds of eager sellers had before come off with the produce of their industry.
Their friend Tingane had been defeated, and his people killed, kidnapped, or forced to fly. In every direction they encountered the sight and smell of dead bodies. The skeletons of those who had fallen in their flight lay everywhere on the roads, while the ghastly forms of boys and girls in the last stage of starvation were seen crouching beside the huts.
The grave of the good bishop was visited. How would his heart have bled had he lived to witness the scenes they did!
A hippopotamus was shot, and, at the end of three days after, it floated. As the boat was towing it, immense numbers of crocodiles followed, and it was necessary to fire at them to keep them off. It is said that the crocodile never eats fresh meat; indeed, the more putrid it becomes, the better he enjoys his repast, as he can thus tear the carcass more easily. The corpse of a boy was seen floating by. Several crocodiles dashed at it, fighting for their prey, and in a few seconds it disappeared. Sixty-seven of the repulsive reptiles were seen on one bank. The natives eat the animal, but few who had witnessed the horrible food on which they banquet would willingly feed on their flesh.
Their former companion, Mr Thornton, here rejoined them. Hearing that the remaining members of the bishop's party were in want at Chibisa, he volunteered to carry over a supply of goats and sheep to them. Overcome by the fatigues of the journey, he was attacked by fever, which terminated fatally on the 21st of April, 1863.
The whole of the once pleasant Shire valley was now a scene of wide-spread desolation. Fearful famine had followed the slave raids, and the sights which met their eye in every direction were heart-rending. The ground was literally covered with human bones.
"Many had ended their career under the shade of trees, others under projecting crags of the hills, while others lay in their huts with closed doors, which, when opened, disclosed the mouldering corpse with a few rags round the loins, the skull fallen off the pillow; the little skeleton of a child that had perished first, rolled up in a mat between two large skeletons."
Hoping that the "Lady Nyassa" might be the means of putting a check on the slavers across the lake, they hurried on with their work. She was unscrewed at a spot about five hundred yards below the first cataract, and they began to make a road over the portage of forty miles, by which she was to be carried piecemeal.
Trees had to be cut down and stones removed. The first half-mile of road was formed up a gradual slope till two hundred feet above the river was reached, where a sensible difference in the climate was felt.
Before much progress was made, Dr Kirk and Charles Livingstone were seized with fever, and it was deemed absolutely necessary that they should be sent home. Soon afterwards Dr Livingstone was himself attacked.
The "Pioneer" meantime was roofed over and left in charge of the trustworthy gunner, Mr Young.
One day, an empty canoe was seen floating down with a woman swimming near it. The boat put off and brought her on board, when she was found to have an arrow-head in the middle of her back. A native cut it out, and, notwithstanding the fearful character of the wound, being fed liberally by Mr Young, she recovered.
On the 16th of June the remaining members of the expedition started for the upper cataracts.
Cotton of superior quality was seen dropping off the bushes, with no one to gather it.
The huts in several villages were found entire, with mortars and stones for pounding and grinding corn, empty corn safes and kitchen utensils, water and beer-pots untouched, but the doors were shut, as if the inhabitants had gone to search for roots or fruits and had never returned; while in others, skeletons were seen of persons who died apparently while endeavouring to reach something to allay the gnawings of hunger.
Several journeys had been made over the portage, when, on returning to the ship on the 2nd of July, they received a despatch from Earl Russell, directing the return home of the expedition.
Considering the utter devastation caused by the slave-hunting, and the secret support given by the Portuguese officials to the slave-traders, notwithstanding the protestations of their government that they wished to put an end to the trade, it was impossible not to agree in the wisdom of this determination.
Arrangements therefore were made to screw the "Lady Nyassa" together again, as the "Pioneer" could not move till the floods in December. In the mean time it was determined to make another trip to the lake in a boat to be carried overland past the cataracts.
The same scenes were witnessed as before. Wild animals had taken possession of the ruins of a large village in which on their previous visit the inhabitants had been living in peace and plenty.
They had no idea, having before kept closer to the river, of the number of villages, always apparently selected with a view to shade, existing in that region, all of which were now deserted.
They at length reached a region which had hitherto escaped, where the people welcomed them with the greatest cordiality, and were willing to spare the small amount of food they had remaining for themselves. But even here news of war soon reached them, and they found that a tribe of Zulus, the Mazitu, were ravaging the country, and that the inhabitants were only safe within their stockades. They soon encountered men and women carrying grain towards these fortifications, and soon they came upon dead bodies, first one and then another, lying in postures assumed in mortal agony such as no painter can produce.
On their arrival at Chinsamba's stockade, they were told that the Mazitu had been repulsed thence the day before, and the sad sight of the numerous bodies of the slain showed the truth of the report. The marauders had, however, carried off large numbers of women laden with corn, and, on being repulsed, cut off the ears of a male prisoner and sent him back, saying that they meant to return for the corn they had left, in a month or two.
Chinsamba urged them not to proceed to the north-west, where the Mazitu had occupied the whole region, and they accordingly remained with him till the 5th of September.
After this they visited Chia Lakelet. On their way they met men and women eagerly reaping the corn in haste, to convey it to the stockades, while so much was found scattered along the paths by the Mazitu and the fugitives that some women were winnowing it from the sand. Dead bodies and burned villages showed that they were close upon the heels of the invaders. Among the reeds on the banks of the lake was seen a continuous village of temporary huts in which the people had taken refuge from their invaders.
On visiting the village of an Arab chief, Juma, at Kota Bay, on the 10th of September, they found him engaged with his people in building a large dhow, or Arab vessel, fifty feet long and twelve broad. They offered to purchase the craft, but he refused to sell it for any amount. It was very evident that she was to be engaged for carrying slaves across the lake.
They now regretted the attempt to carry an iron vessel overland, as a wooden one might have been built at much less cost on the banks of the lake, and in a shorter time than the transit of the "Lady Nyassa" would have occupied.
Another extensive and interesting journey was taken in the neighbourhood of the lake, and, on their return along the shores, they found the reeds still, occupied by the unhappy fugitives, who were already suffering fearfully from famine. Numbers of newly-made graves showed that many had already perished, and others had more the appearance of human skeletons than living beings.
Altogether in this expedition they travelled seven hundred and sixty miles in a straight line, averaging about fifteen miles a day, and they reached the ship on the 1st of November, where all were found in good health and spirits. They were visited on board by an Ajawa chief named Kapeni, who asserted that he and his people would gladly receive the associates of Bishop Mackenzie as their teachers. It showed that he and his people had not been offended at the check which the bishop had given to their slaving, their consciences telling them that the course he had pursued was right.
About the middle of December news reached them of the arrival of the successor of Bishop Mackenzie, but that gentleman, after spending a few months on the top of a mountain as high as Ben Nevis, at the mouth of the Shire, where there were few or no people to be taught, returned home, while six of the boys who had been reared by Bishop Mackenzie had been deserted and exposed to the risk of falling back into heathenism.
The poor boys, however, managed to reach the ship, expressing their sorrow that they no longer had one to look after them, remarking that Bishop Mackenzie had a loving heart, and had been more than a father to them.