The porters were not
always easy to manage, and on some occasions were refractory. But if
they were given a young ox to feast on, they quickly calmed down and sat
round the fire while strips of fresh meat frizzled over the embers.

Now it was only one day's march to Tabora, the principal village in
Unyamwezi, and the chief settlement of the Arabs in East Africa. The
caravan set out with loud blasts of trumpets and horns, and on arrival
discharged a salvo of guns, and Arabs in white dresses and turbans came
out to welcome the explorer. Here Stanley found all his caravans, and
the Arabs showed him every attention. They regaled him with wheaten
loaves, chickens and rice, and presented him with five fat oxen, eight
sheep, and ten goats. Round about they had cultivated ground and large
herds, and it was difficult to believe that the stately well-grown men
were base slave-traders.

Just at this time the country of Unyamwezi was disturbed by a war which
was raging with Mirambo, a great chief in the north-west, and
consequently when Stanley left Tabora, now with only fifty-four men, he
had to make a detour to the south to avoid the seat of war. At every
step he took, his excitement and uncertainty increased. Where was this
wonderful Livingstone, whom all the world talked about? Was he dead long
ago, or was he still wandering about the forests as he had done for
nearly thirty years?

A bale or two of cloth had frequently to be left with a chief as toll.
In return one chief sent provisions to last the whole caravan for four
days, and came himself to Stanley's tent with a troop of black warriors.
Here they were invited to sit down, and they remained silent for a
while, closely examining the white man; then they touched his clothes,
said something to one another, and burst out into unrestrained laughter.
Then they must see the rifles and medicine chest. Stanley took out a
bottle of ammonia, and told them that it was good for headaches and
snake-bites. His black majesty at once complained of headache and wanted
to try the bottle. Stanley held it under the chiefs nose, and of course
it was so strong that he fell backwards, pulling a face. His warriors
roared with laughter, clapped their hands, snapped their fingers,
pinched one another, and behaved like clowns. When the king had
recovered, he said, as the tears ran from his eyes, that he was quite
cured and needed no more of the strong remedy.

A river ran among hills, through a