LIVINGSTONE (DAVID) Autograph letter signed ('David Livingstone') with book, ownership John Kirk

LIVINGSTONE (DAVID) Autograph letter signed ('David Livingstone'), to Hamidi Mahamad, writing '...in acknowledgement of his good services...', stating that he met Hamidi Mahamad in the Ulungu country '...and was very kindly treated by him and his brother... although they had suffered great losses in goods and men by a chief called Msama they generously gave me cloth beads & provisions and tried to make peace with Msama that they might pass through the country in search of ivory & that I might go where I choose... they are totally different from the Kirwa traders...', 3 pages, dust-staining, discolouration and marks, creased at folds, 8vo (182 x 110mm.), 'Msama's country/ 12 Septr 1867'; the letter tipped into the front of a copy of H.H. Johnston's Livingstone and the Exploration of Central Africa, London, George Philip & Son, 1891, bearing ownership inscription of John Kirk, written in pencil on the title page Footnotes: 'IN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF HIS GOOD SERVICES': LIVINGSTONE ACCEPTS HELP FROM A TRADER DURING THE SECOND ZAMBEZI EXPEDITION. During his last expedition, when he hoped to discover the true source of the Nile, '...Livingstone received much help from Arab and Swahili traders...' (A.D. Roberts, ODNB. Hamidi bin Muhammad (or 'Tipo Tipo') was one such trader, head of the village of Ponda, who made a fortune in slaves and ivory. They met in early 1867 when he was detained by a neighbouring war in Itawa. In his journal Livingstone speaks respectfully of Hamidi and got to know him well during his stay, describing how, on his arrival, Hamidi generously presented him with gifts of a goat, a piece of white calico and four big bunches of beads, despite supplies being depleted by the neighbouring chief Msama. On 22 September, 10 days after our letter, he was able to pass through Itawa under the protection of a large Arab caravan and reached Lake Moero in November (see Horace Waller, ed., The Last Journals of David Livingstone in Central Africa from 1865 to his Death, Vol. 1, 1866-1868, online). Our letter dates from the period where Livingstone was thought to be missing, presumed dead, thus causing an expedition to be despatched to find him. It is published in Reginald Foskett, ed., The Zambesi Doctors: David Livingstone's Letters to John Kirk 1858-1872, Edinburgh, 1964, p.137, no.58, and is listed on the Livingstone online website. The book accompanying the letter bears the ownership inscription of John Kirk (1832-1922), who accompanied Livingstone from 1858 to 1864 on the second Zambezi Expedition as chief assistant and botanist, and took almost all of the surviving photographs of the expedition (Michael D. McMullen, ODNB). His portrait of the recipient of our letter, taken in 1858, is in the National Library of Scotland (Acc.9942), as are letters to him from Hamed. His experiences there inspired him to work on ending the East Africa slave trade whilst Vice-Consul and subsequently Consul of Zanzibar, during which time he persuaded the Sultan to sign an anti-slavery treaty in 1873. He assisted Livingstone in 1871 by sending supplies from Zanzibar to the expedition and was one of the pallbearers at Livingstone's funeral. Provenance: Sir John Kirk (1832-1922); thence by descent to the present owner. This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: • • Zero rated for VAT, no VAT will be added to the Hammer Price or the Buyer's Premium. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing