A month after, the caravan arrived at M'oura, in the midst of storms,
caused by an extreme drought. Then came the rains, the bad will of the
natives, and the loss of the beasts of burden, from falling under the
stings of the tsetse. January 24th, 1873, the little troop was at
Tchitounkone. April 27th, after having left Lake Bangoneolo to the
east, the troop was going toward the village of Tchitambo.
At that place some traders had left Livingstone. This is what Alvez
and his colleague had learned from them. They had good reason to
believe that the doctor, after exploring the south of the lake, would
venture across the Loanda, and come to seek unknown countries in the
west. Thence he was to ascend toward Angola, to visit those regions
infested by the slave-trade, to push as far as Kazounde; the tour
seemed to be all marked out, and it was very probable that Livingstone
would follow it.
Mrs. Weldon then could count on the approaching arrival of the great
traveler, because, in the beginning of June, it was already more than
two months since he had reached the south of Lake Bangoneolo.
Now, June 13th, the day before that on which Negoro would come to
claim from Mrs. Weldon the letter that would put one hundred thousand
dollars in his hands, sad news was spread, at which Alvez and the
traders only rejoiced.
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