i S64-65.] SECOND VISIT HOME. 351 



Whatever he might or might not be able to do in that 

 capacity, he would never abandon it, and, in particular, 

 he would never come under an obligation to the Geogra- 

 phical Society that he would serve them " unshackled by 

 other avocations than those of the geographical explorer." 

 A letter to Mr. James Young throws light on the 

 feelings with which he regarded Sir Roderick's proposal : — 



" 20th January 1865. — I am not sure but I told you already that 

 Sir Eoderick and I have been writing about going out, and my fears 

 that I must sell ' Lady Nyassa,' because the monsoon will be blow- 

 ing from Africa to India before I get out, and it won't do for me to 

 keep her idle. I must go down to the Seychelles Islands (tak' yer 

 speks and keek at the map or gougrafy), then run my chance to get 

 over by a dhow or man-of-war to the Rovuma, going up that river in 

 a boat, till we get to the cataracts, and then tramp. I must take 

 Belochees from India, and may go down the lake to get Makololo, if 

 the Indians don't answer. I would not consent to go simply as a 

 geographer, but as a missionary, and do geography by the way, because 

 I feel I am in the way of duty when trying either to enlighten these 

 poor people, or open their land to lawful commerce." 



It was at this time that Mr. Hay ward, Q.C., while on 

 a visit to Newstead, brought an informal message from 

 Lord Palmerston, who wished to know what he could do 

 for Livingstone. Had Livingstone been a vain man, 

 wishing a handle to his name, or had he even been bent on 

 getting what would be reasonable in the way of salary 

 for himself, or of allowance for his children, now was 

 his chance of accomplishing his object. But so single- 

 hearted was he in his philanthropy that such thoughts 

 did not so much as enter his mind ; there was one thing, 

 and one only, which he wished Lord Palmerston to 

 secure — free access to the highlands, by the Zambesi 

 and Shire, to be made good by a treaty with Portugal. 

 It is satisfactory to record that the Foreign Office has at 

 last made arrangements to this effect. 



While the proposal on the part of the President of 

 the Geographical Society was undergoing consideration, 

 certain overtures were made to Dr. Livingstone by the 



