38 DAVID LIVINGSTONE. [chap. hi. 



Tracts and Bibles are circulated, and some effects might be expected, 

 were a most injurious influence not exerted by European visitors. 

 These alike disgrace themselves and the religion they profess by 

 drunkenness. All other vices are common in Rio. When will the 

 rays of Divine light dispel the darkness in this beautiful empire? 

 The climate is delightful. I wonder if disabled Indian missionaries 

 could not make themselves useful there." 



During the voyage his chief friend was the captain of 

 the ship. " He was very obliging to me," says Living- 

 stone, " and gave me all the information respecting the 

 use of the quadrant in his power, frequently sitting up 

 till twelve o'clock at night for the purpose of taking lunar 

 observations with me." Thus another qualification was 

 acquired for his very peculiar life-work. Sundays were 

 not times of refreshing, at least not beyond his closet. 

 " The captain rigged out the church on Sundays, and we 

 had service ; but I being a poor preacher, and the chaplain 

 addressing them all as Christians already, no moral influ- 

 ence was exerted, and even had there been on Sabbath, it 

 would have been neutralised by the week-day conduct. 

 In fact, no good was done." Neither at Rio, nor on 

 board ship, nor anywhere, could good be done without the 

 element of personal character. This was Livingstone's 

 strong conviction to the end of his life. 



In his first letter to the Directors of the London 

 Missionary Society he tells them that he had spent most 

 of his time at sea in the study of theology, and that 

 he was deeply grieved to say that he knew of no spiritual 

 good having been done in the case of any one on board 

 the ship. His characteristic honesty thus showed itself 

 in his very first despatch. 



Arriving at the Cape, where the ship was detained a 

 month, he spent some time with Dr. Philip, then acting 

 as agent for the Society, with informal powers as super- 

 intendent. Dr. Philip was desirous of returning home 

 for a time, and very anxious to find some one to take his 

 place as minister of the congregation of Cape Town, in 



