671 THE AUTHOR'S OBJECTS. Chap. XXXII, 



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 

 performing the will of our Father in heaven. Men of science, 

 searching after hidden truths, which when discovered will, like 

 the electric telegraph, bind men more closely together — soldiers 

 battling for the right against tyranny — sailors rescuing the vic- 

 tims 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 tho 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 honour 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 tliis 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 tins rapid we have another reach of 

 300 miles, with sand, but no mudbanks in it, Avhich brings us to 

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



