Confidence of natives - Bishop Tozer - Withdrawal of the Mission party-
-The English leave - Hazardous voyage to Mosambique - Dr. Livingstone's
voyage to Bombay - Return to England.
We were delighted and thankful to find all those left at the ship in
good health, and that from the employments in which they had been
occupied they had suffered less from fever than usual during our
absence. My companion, Thomas Ward, the steward, after having
performed his part in the march right bravely, rejoined his comrades
stronger than he had ever been before.
An Ajawa chief, named Kapeni, had so much confidence in the English
name that he, with most of his people, visited the ship; and asserted
that nothing would give his countrymen greater pleasure than to
receive the associates of Bishop Mackenzie as their teachers. This
declaration, coupled with the subsequent conduct of the Ajawa, was
very gratifying, inasmuch as it was clear that no umbrage had been
taken at the check which the Bishop had given to their slaving; their
consciences had told them that the course he had pursued was right.
When we returned, the contrast between the vegetation about Muazi's
and that near the ship was very striking. We had come so quickly
down, that while on the plateau in latitude 12 degrees S., the young
leaves had in many cases passed from the pink or other colour they
have on first coming out to the light fresh green which succeeds it,
here, on the borders of 16 degrees S., or from 150 to 180 miles
distant, the trees were still bare, the grey colour of the bark
predominating over every other hue.
