Friendship is most valuable
because he has seen missionary work, and he would not accord his
respect and esteem to me had he not believed that I, and my brethren
also, were to be looked on as honest men earnestly trying to do our
duty.
The Government have supported the proposal of the Royal Geographical
Society made by my friend Sir Roderick Murchison, and have united
with that body to aid me in another attempt to open Africa to
civilizing influences, and a valued private friend has given a
thousand pounds for the same object. I propose to go inland, north
of the territory which the Portuguese in Europe claim, and endeavour
to commence that system on the East which has been so eminently
successful on the West Coast; a system combining the repressive
efforts of H.M. cruisers with lawful trade and Christian Missions -
the moral and material results of which have been so gratifying. I
hope to ascend the Rovuma, or some other river North of Cape Delgado,
and, in addition to my other work, shall strive, by passing along the
Northern end of Lake Nyassa and round the Southern end of Lake
Tanganyika, to ascertain the watershed of that part of Africa. In so
doing, I have no wish to unsettle what with so much toil and danger
was accomplished by Speke and Grant, but rather to confirm their
illustrious discoveries.
I have to acknowledge the obliging readiness of Lord Russell in
lending me the drawings taken by the artist who was in the first
instance attached to the Expedition. These sketches, with
photographs by Charles Livingstone and Dr. Kirk, have materially
assisted in the illustrations. I would also very sincerely thank my
friends Professor Owen and Mr. Oswell for many valuable hints and
other aid in the preparation of this volume.
Newstead Abbey,
April 16, 1865.
THE ZAMBESI AND ITS TRIBUTARIES.
INTRODUCTION.
Objects of the Expedition - Personal Interest shown by Naval
Authorities - Members of the Zambesi Expedition.
When first I determined on publishing the narrative of my "Missionary
Travels," I had a great misgiving as to whether the criticism my
endeavours might provoke would be friendly or the reverse, more
particularly as I felt that I had then been so long a sojourner in
the wilderness, as to be quite a stranger to the British public. But
I am now in this, my second essay at authorship, cheered by the
conviction that very many readers, who are personally unknown to me,
will receive this narrative with the kindly consideration and
allowances of friends; and that many more, under the genial
influences of an innate love of liberty, and of a desire to see the
same social and religious blessings they themselves enjoy,
disseminated throughout the world, will sympathize with me in the
efforts by which I have striven, however imperfectly, to elevate the
position and character of our fellow-men in Africa.
