1S54-56.] FROM LOANDA TO QUILIMANE. 197 



broke with a sort of oblique fracture, evidently from the terrific strains 

 which the tremendous seas inflicted as they thumped and tossed 

 this gigantic vessel like a plaything. We were near the island called 

 Zembra, which is in sight of the Bay of Tunis. The wind, which had 

 been a full gale ahead when we did not require it, now fell to a dead 

 calm, and a current was drifting our gallant ship, with her sails flapping 

 all helplessly, against the rocks ; the boats were provisioned, watered, 

 and armed, the number each was to carry arranged (the women and 

 children to go in first, of course), when most providentially a wind 

 sprung up and carried us out of danger into the Bay of Tunis, where I 

 now write. The whole affair was managed by Captain Powell most 

 admirably. He was assisted by two gentlemen whom we all admire — 

 Captain Tregear of the same Company, and Lieutenant Chimnis of the 

 Boyal Navy, and though they and the sailors knew that the vessel was 

 so near destruction as to render it certain that we should scarcely clear 

 her in the boats before the swell would have overwhelmed her, all was 

 managed so quietly that none of us passengers knew much about it. 

 Though we saw the preparation no alarm spread among us. The 

 Company will do everything in their power to forward us quickly and 

 safely. I 'm only sorry for your sake, but patience is a great virtue, 

 you know. Captain Tregear has been six years away from his family, 

 I only four and a half." 



The passengers were sent on via Marseilles, and 

 Livingstone proceeded homewards by Paris and Dover. 



At last he reached. " dear old England" on the 9th 

 of December 1856. Tidings of a great sorrow had reached 

 him on the way. At Cairo he heard of the death of his 

 father. He had been ill a fortnight, and died full of faith 

 and peace. " You wished so much to see David," said 

 his daughter to him as his life was ebbing away. " Ay, 

 very much, very much ; but the will of the Lord be 

 done." Then after a pause he said, ' But I think I'll 

 know whatever is worth knowing about him. When you 

 see him, tell him I think so." David had not less eagerly 

 desired to sit once more at the fireside and tell his father 

 of all that had befallen him on the way. On both sides 

 the desire had to be classed among hopes unfulfilled. 

 But on both sides there was a vivid impression that the 

 joy so narrowly missed on earth would be found in a 

 purer form in the next stage of being. 



