1S58-59.] THE ZAMBESI. 249 



occupied in the usual prayers, that day was spent in 

 labour. His constant regard for the day of rest and 

 great unwillingness to engage in labour then, is the best 

 proof that on this occasion the necessity for working 

 was to his mind absolutely irresistible. He had found 

 that active exercise every day was one of the best pre- 

 ventives of fever ; certainly it is very remarkable how 

 thoroughly the men of the Expedition escaped it at this 

 time. In his Journal he says: — "After the experience 

 gained by Dr. M'William, and communicated to the 

 world in his admirable Medical History of the Niger 

 Expedition, I should have considered myself personally 

 guilty had any of the crew of the ' Pearl' or of the 

 Expedition been cut off through delay in the man- 

 grove swamps." Afterwards, when Mrs. Livingstone died 

 during a long but unavoidable delay at Shupanga, a 

 little farther up, he was more than ever convinced that 

 he had acted rightly. But some of his friends were 

 troubled, and many reflections were thrown on him, 

 especially by those who bore him no good-will. 



The first important fact in the history of the Expedi- 

 tion was the discovery of the advantages of the Kongone 

 entrance of the Zambesi, the best of all the mouths of 

 the river for navigation. Soon after, a site was fixed on 

 as a depot, and while the luggage and stores were being 

 landed at it, there occurred an unfortunate collision with 

 the naval officer, who tendered his resignation. At first 

 Livingstone declined to accept of it, but on its being 

 tendered a second time he allowed the officer to go. It 

 vexed him to the last degree to have this difference so 

 early, nor did he part with the officer without much for- 

 bearance and anxiety to ward off the breach. In his 

 despatches to Government the whole circumstances were 

 fully detailed. Letters to Mr. Maclear and other private 

 friends give a still more detailed narrative. In a few 

 quarters blame was cast upon him, and in the Cape 



