The actual time, however, occupied by the Expedition is as follows:--
Arrive at Congo 18th Mar., 1887 " " Stanley Pool 21st Apr. " " " Yambuya 15th June " Halt at Yambuya 28th " " Albert Nyanza 13th Dec. " Return to Fort Bodo 8th Jan., 1888 Halt while collecting convalescents 2nd Apr. " The Albert Nyanza, 2nd time 18th " " Halt until 25th May " Fort Bodo again 8th June " Banalya 90 miles from Yambuya 17th Aug. " Fort Bodo again 20th Dec. " Albert Nyanza, 3rd time 26th Jan., 1889 Halt near Albert Nyanza until 8th May " March to Zanzibar, 1400 miles, 6 months. 6th Dec. "
So that we actually occupied a little over 10-1/2 months from Zanzibar to the Albert Nyanza, and from the Nyanza to the Indian Ocean. 6 " Halt at the Albert 1-1/2 " ------- 18 "
I was formally informed by letter on the 31st of December, 1886, that I might commence my preparations.
The first order I gave in connection with the Expedition for the relief of Emin Bey was by cable to Zanzibar to my agent, Mr. Edmund Mackenzie, of Messrs. Smith, Mackenzie & Co., to engage 200 Wanyamwezi porters at Bagamoyo to convey as many loads of rice (= 6 tons) to the missionary station at Mpwapwa, which was about 200 miles east of Zanzibar, the cost of which was 2,700 rupees.
The second order, after receiving the consent of His Highness the Seyyid of Zanzibar, was to enlist 600 Zanzibari porters, and also the purchase of the following goods, to be used for barter for native provisions, such as grain, potatoes, rice, Indian corn, bananas, plantains, etc.
Yards. 400 pieces (30 yards each) of brown sheeting 12,000 865 " (8 " " ) of kaniki 6,920 99 " (8 " " ) handkerchiefs 792 80 " (8 " " ) tanjiri 640 214 " (8 " " ) dabwani 1,712 107 " (8 " " ) sohari 856 27 " (8 " " ) subaya 216 121 " (8 " " ) Barsati 968 58 " (24 " " ) Kunguru 1,392 48 " (8 " " ) ismaili 384 119 " (8 " " ) kikoi 952 14 " (4 " " ) daole 56 27 " (4 " " ) jawah 108 4 " (24 " " ) kanga 96 4 " (24 " " ) bindera 96 58 " (8 " " ) rehani 464 6 " (30 " " ) joho 180 24 " (4 " " ) silk kikoi 96 4 " (4 " " ) silk daole 96 24 " (4 " " ) fine dabwani 96 13 " (4 " " ) sohari 52 3 " (30 " " ) fine sheeting 90 24 long shirts, white 24 " " brown ------- Total yards 27,262
Also 3,600 lbs. of beads and 1 ton of wire, brass, copper, iron.