Section 149. MR. STANLEY’S ACKNOWLEDGMENT[1] OF THE PRECEDING LETTER AND THE SUPPLIES. I.
Reading edition
Section 149. MR. STANLEY’S ACKNOWLEDGMENT[1] OF THE PRECEDING LETTER AND THE SUPPLIES. I.
Banza M’Buko, August 6, 1877.
Messrs. A. Da Motta Veiga and J. W. Harrison, Embomma, Congo River.
Gentlemen,
I (S. 115, N. 1) have received your welcome letter, but better than all, and[2] more welcome, are your supplies. I am unable to express just at present how grateful I feel. At the sight of (von) the stores exposed[3] to our hungry eyes—at the sight of (von) the rice, the fish, and the rum, and[4] for me—wheaten bread, butter, sardines, jam, peaches, grapes, beer (ye[5] gods! just think of it—three bottles pale ale[6]!), besides tea and sugar, we (App. § 14) are all so over-joyed and confused that we cannot restrain[7] ourselves from falling to and[8] enjoying this sudden bounteous store. I beg you will charge[9] our apparent want of (an) thankfulness to our greediness. If we do not thank you sufficiently in words, rest assured we[10] feel what volumes could not describe.
For the next twenty-four hours we shall be too busy eating and drinking to think of anything else much; but I may say that the people[11] will cry out joyfully, while[12] their mouths are full of rice and fish: “Verily, our master has found the sea and his brothers, but we did not believe him until[13] he showed us the rice and the pambe (rum). We did not believe there[14] was any end to the great river; but God be praised for ever, for we shall see white people[15] to-morrow, and our wars[16] and troubles will be over!”[17]