lS 56-57-] FIRST VISIT HOME. 203 



complete till the slave-trade was abolished, and the 

 whole country opened up to commerce and Christianity. 



Among the distinguished men who took part in the 

 conversation that followed was Professor Owen. He bore 

 testimony to the value of Livingstone's contributions to 

 zoology and palaeontology, not less cordial than Sir 

 Roderick Murchison had borne to his service to geo- 

 graphy. He had listened with very intense interest to 

 the sketches of these magnificent scenes of animal life 

 that his old and most esteemed friend had given them. 

 He cordially hoped that many more such contributions 

 would follow, and expressed his admiration of the moral 

 qualities of the man who had taken such pains to keep 

 his word. 



In the recognition by other gentlemen of Dr. Living- 

 stone's labours, much stress was laid on the scientific 

 accuracy with which he had laid down every point over 

 which he had travelled. Thanks were given to the 

 Portuguese authorities in Africa for the remarkable kind- 

 ness which they had invariably shown him. Mr. Consul 

 Brand reported tidings from Mr. Gabriel at Loanda, to 

 the effect that a company of Sekeletu's people had 

 arrived at Loanda, with a cargo of ivory, and though 

 they had not been very successful in business, they had 

 shown the practicability of the route. He added, that 

 Dr. Livingstone, at Loanda, had written some letters to 

 a newspaper, which had given such an impetus to literary 

 taste there, that a new journal had been started — the 

 Loanda Aurora. 



On one other point there was a most cordial expression 

 of feeling, especially by those who had themselves been 

 in South Africa, — gratitude for the unbounded kindness 

 and hospitality that Dr. and Mrs. Livingstone had shown 

 to South African travellers in the neighbourhood of their 

 home. Happily Mrs. Livingstone was present, and heard 

 this acknowledgment of her kindness. 



