AN HISTORIC AFRICAN

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 115, 11 April 1930, Page 15

AN HISTORIC AFRICAN

LAST LINK WITH LIVINGSTONE. Questions about Kenya raised in the House of Commons often remind the world how recently tho dark Continent has been made safe for democracy. One such reminder was the bygone occasion when Lord Salisbury explained to the House that the construction of the Uganda railway was being held up by the “Man-eaters of Tsavo.” The most recent wias when the question of a compassionate allowance to Matthew Wellington was brought up. Old Matthew (writes Nancy Walker in the Sydney Morning Herald) is tho last living link between “darkest Africa” and the fast spreading white civilisation of to-day. He is the solo survivor of Livingstone’s faithful followers, one of the little band who helped to carry the explorer’s body to the coast. It will astonish most people to learn that there i 3 a survivor of that period, and it is a strange experience to sit under the cocoanut palms of an African village and talk to one who knew Livingstone, in the flesh, within a mile of the modern quays, electric trains, and motor transport of Mombasa. But, after all, it is only 56 years since the explorer died on the shores of Lake Bargweolo, in Nyasaland. Matthew says he was a grown man when he entered “the master’s” service, .and that he was with him at least two years before his death. That makes him somewhere about 80 years of age, very old for an African native.

Matthew Wellington’s existence was discovered by the world at large when the Kenya Government _ refused to grant him a State pension when he got past self-support. The matter was taken up in England, and the old man’s cause achieved wide publicity but little solid assistance. Needless to say, American enterprise was soon on tho track of a good story. The New York World, which sent H. M. Stanley to find Livingstone about sixty years ago, offered a large sum for a life history of Matthew. One of ibe C.M.Si missionaries to whose flock Matthew belongs, accepted the offer on his behalf and is compiling the story. If the old man lives long enough he will no doubt attain affluence. Not that he has ever known actual want. Local subscriptions have always supplied his imemdiate necessities, but it was felt that he was entitled to some more dignified means of support. The sum ho named as an adequate State pension was one shilling a: day, or £2O a year. He has lived a frugal and industrious life during his 50 years in Mombasa. He was for many years on employee of the Public Works Depart-' ment, attaining the dignity of a road construction foreman. From the scanty wages of a native (perhaps oOs a month in those days), he saved enough to buy the patch of ground on which he now lives and to build a hut. When he got too old for day labour he lived by cultivating coco-nuts and pineapples on his plot. A FREED SLAVE. Matthew Wellington, • a, name bestowed upon him in Christian baptism after he entered Livingstone’s service, was born in Nyasalana. He was captured by slavers in his early youth and taken to Bombay. Here he was secured with other Africans to aid the doctor in his exploration of their native territory. After reaching the coast with Livingstone’s remains, ho went to Mombasa, joining the settlement of .freed slaves established by tho Church Missionary Society there. That' “the master” had always impressed on liis boys that his journals and records must be guarded and taken to the coast in the event of liis death is clear from Matthew’s statement that ho warned them not to bo tempted to go to England themselves in such a case, but to remain in their - own country. The fulfilling of their trust involved on the part of those untaught savages, many of whom had been ill-treated slaves before they were engaged by Livingstone, a _ nine months’ march through 1500 miles of little-known country, where they had constantly to evade or repulse the attacks of hostile inhabitants.. They delivered safely not only the priceless records of the explorer’s hardly-won knowledge, but also his body for honourable burial, preserved by their own native skill. Livingstone lies in Westminster Abbey. All tho faithful blacks who helped him to open up their land for tho white man’s benefit are dead but one. That on© spends the evening of his days reading tho Bible outside his palm-thatched hut, while his eventful history reverberates round the world but arouses no legislative compassion in liis own country.