THE AUTHOR'S OBJECTS. 719 



effort made for the amelioration of our race, the promotion of all 

 those means by which God in His providence is working, and 

 bringing all His dealings with man to a glorious consummation. 

 Each man in his sphere, either knowingly or unwittingly, is per- 

 forming the will of our Father in heaven. Men of science, search- 

 ing after hidden truths, which, when discovered, will, like the elec- 

 tric telegraph, bind men more closely together — soldiers battling 

 for the right against tyranny — sailors rescuing the victims of 

 oppression from the grasp of heartless men-stealers — merchants 

 teaching the nations lessons of mutual dependence — and many 

 others, as well as missionaries, all work in the same direction, 

 and all efforts are overruled for one glorious end. 



If the reader has accompanied me thus far, he may, perhaps, 

 be disposed to take an interest in the objects I propose to myself, 

 should God mercifully grant me the honor of doing something 

 more for Africa. As the highlands on the borders of the central 

 basin are comparatively healthy, the first object seems to be to 

 secure a permanent path thither, in order that Europeans may 

 pass as quickly as possible through the unhealthy region near 

 the coast. The river has not been surveyed, but at the time 

 I came down there was abundance of water for a large vessel, 

 and this continues to be the case during four or five months of 

 each year. The months of low water still admit of navigation by 

 launches, and would permit small vessels equal to the Thames 

 steamers to ply with ease in the deep channel. If a steamer 

 were sent to examine the Zambesi, I would recommend one of 

 the lightest draught, and the months of May, June, and July 

 for passing through the delta ; and this not so much for fear of 

 want of water as the danger of being grounded on a sand or 

 mud bank, and the health of the crew being endangered by the 

 delay. 



In the months referred to no obstruction would be incurred 

 in the channel below Tete. Twenty or thirty miles above that 

 point we have a small rapid, of which I regret my inability to 

 speak, as (mentioned already) I did not visit it. But, taking the 

 distance below this point, we have, in round numbers, 300 miles 

 of navigable river. Above this rapid we have another reach of 

 300 miles, with sand, but no mud banks in it, which brings us to 

 the foot of the eastern ridge. Let it not, however, be thought 



