Free Into Africa: The Epic Adventures of Stanley & Livingstone by Martin Dugard Page B

murder grew more intense, and as his certainty that Musa was lying became set in stone, he knew such a societal leap was the only way to prove Livingstone was alive.
    On 13 March 1867, a week after The Times announced the murder, Young boldly composed a letter to Murchison on a small sheet of stationery.
    ‘Sir,’ the note began. Young’s script was taut, nervous. ‘Having seen this sad intelligence of the murder of Dr Livingstone, I beg you will pardon the liberty I take in writing to you on this subject. First, I must inform you that I served upwards of two years in the Zambezi Expedition under Dr Livingstone, being in charge of the Pioneer steamer under his orders, during which time I had a very good experience of Johanna men, having had twelve of them in the crew of the Pioneer . And Sir, I can confidently assert that, at all times, and under all circumstances, there was not the slightest dependence to be placed on them, more especially as far as the truth was concerned, added to which they were great thieves.
    ‘I have, therefore, great reason to hope that their story respecting the murder of the Doctor will prove a mere fabrication, more especially if they brought nothing belonging to him, for they well know the value of books or papers, etc., which the Mazitu do not.
    ‘I have the honour to be, Sir, your very obedient servant.’
    Young signed his name and mailed the letter. The ‘E’ in his signature looked like a ‘G’ and his name would appear in The Times incorrectly. Regardless, the angry note launched the humble, eager gunner on the improbable odyssey that would define his life.
    In writing to Murchison, Young found an unlikely ally. Not only had Murchison led efforts to find Franklin, he had sent relief money to Speke and Grant when they were overdue during their Nile journey. And like Young, Murchison doubted Livingstone’s death, even as the old Africa hands Kirk and Sir Samuel White Baker were pronouncing the explorer dead and buried.
    Murchison passed Young’s letter along to The Times , then summoned the sailor to London. When Young boldly put forth his offer to lead a search party, Murchison was delighted. ‘Doubt’, Murchison agreed with Young, ‘was not to be endured.’
    Preparations began in earnest. Even as the papers continued to run proof that Livingstone was dead — including a 6 April piece telling of a follow-up investigation by Consul Seward — Murchison’s connections and verve shot the search expedition quickly from concept to reality. By May, Young was named Commander of the Livingstone Search Expedition and received permission from the Admiralty to take leave from Osborne . Thanks to Murchison’s intercession and Livingstone’s fame, the government offered Young ten times the necessary funding for his far-fetched quest, and encouraged him to ‘use every available means to secure success’.
    Young wasn’t lavish with the money, but he didn’t hesitate to spend it on the one vital aspect of his plan: a steel river boat. Search wasn’t much to look at, just an open boat thirty feet long and eight feet wide. But she was modelled after a craft named Lady Nyassa , designed by Livingstone, and was ideal for the Zambezi and Shire. There was a mast to hoist a sail and oar locks for paddling when the wind was dead. She drew just eighteen inches of water. And while the thirty-eight pieces of elastic steel Search was constructed from would be blazing hot to the touch under the African sun, she could also be completely disassembled. Porters could carry her up and around the journey’s pivotal portage past a thirty-five-mile-long series of waterfalls and rapids on the Shire. Those cataracts, which Livingstone had named Murchison Falls, were the major obstacle between the Zambezi and Lake Nyassa.
    As commander, Young also had carte blanche for personnel selection. He invited three trusted friends to join his grand quest. It was a brilliant idea, ensuring that camaraderie wouldn’t