Zambesi Expedition | Page 4

and reached London July 20th, 1864. Mr. and
Mrs. Webb, my much-loved friends, wrote to Bombay inviting me, in
the event of my coming to England, to make Newstead Abbey my
headquarters, and on my arrival renewed their invitation: and though,
when I accepted it, I had no intention of remaining so long with my
kind-hearted generous friends, I stayed with them until April, 1865, and
under their roof transcribed from my own and my brother's journal the
whole of this present book. It is with heartfelt gratitude I would record
their unwearied kindness. My acquaintance with Mr. Webb began in
Africa, where he was a daring and successful hunter, and his continued
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. This knowledge makes me doubly anxious to render my
narrative acceptable to all my readers; but, in the absence of any
excellence in literary composition, the natural consequence of my
pursuits, I have to offer only a simple account of a mission which, with
respect to the objects proposed to be thereby accomplished, formed a
noble contrast to some of the earlier expeditions to Eastern Africa. I
believe that the information it will give, respecting the people visited
and the countries traversed, will not be materially gainsaid by any
future commonplace traveller like myself, who may be blest with fair
health and a gleam of sunshine in his breast. This account is written in
the earnest hope that it may contribute to that information which will
yet cause the great and fertile continent of Africa to be no longer kept
wantonly sealed, but made available as the scene of European
enterprise, and will enable its people to take a place among the nations
of the earth, thus securing the happiness and prosperity of tribes now
sunk in barbarism or debased by slavery; and, above all, I cherish the
hope that it may lead to the introduction of the blessings of the Gospel.
In order that