350 DAVID LIVINGSTONE. [chap. xvn. 



and away west or north-west as might be found practic- 

 able." He would have been at this ere now, but his 

 book chahied him, and he feared that he could not take 

 back the "Lady Nyassa" to Africa, with the monsoon 

 against him, so that he must get a boat to explore the 

 Rovuma. 



" What my inclination leads me to prefer is to have intercourse 

 with the people, and do what I can by talking, to enlighten them on the 

 slave-trade, and give them some idea of our religion. It may not be 

 much that I can do, but I feel when doing that I am not living in 

 vain. You remember that when, to prevent our coming to a stand- 

 still, I had to turn shipper myself, the task was endurable only because 

 I was determined that no fellow should prove himself indispensable to 

 our further progress. To be debarred from spending most of my time 

 in travelling, in exploration, and continual intercourse with the natives, 

 I always felt to be a severe privation, and if I can get a few hearty 

 native companions, I shall enjoy myself, and feel that I am doing my 

 duty. As soon as my book is out, I shall start." 



In Livingstone's Journal, 7th January 1865, we find 

 this entry : " Answered Sir Roderick about going out. 

 Said I could only feel in the way of duty by working as 

 a missionary." The answer is very noteworthy in the 

 view of what has so often been said against Livingstone 

 — that he dropt the missionary to become an explorer. To 

 understand the precise bearing of the proposal, and of 

 Livingstone's reply, it is necessary to say that Sir Roderick 

 had a conviction, which he never concealed, that the 

 missionary enterprise encumbered and impeded the geo- 

 graphical. He had a sjDecial objection to an Episcopal 

 mission, holding that the planting of a Bishop and staff on 

 territory dominated by the Portuguese, was an additional 

 irritant, rousing ecclesiastical jealousy, and bringing it to 

 the aid of commercial and political apprehensions as to 

 the tendency of the English enterprise. Neither mission 

 nor colony could succeed in the present state of the 

 country ; they could only be a trouble to the geographical 

 explorer. On this point Livingstone held his own views. 

 He could only feel in the line of duty as a missionary. 



