1865-66.] FROM ENGLAND TO ZANZIBAR. 361 



noise. Many thought it would succeed, though an 

 Egyptian Commodore had said to him, "It is hombog." 

 The Red Sea was fearfully hot and steamy. The " Lady 

 Nyassa" hung like a millstone round his neck, and he 

 was prepared to sell her for whatever she might bring. 

 Bombay was reached on 11th September. 



TO AGNES LIVINGSTONE. 



"Bombay, 20th Sept. 1865. — ... By advice of the Governor I 

 ■went up to Nassick to see if the Africans there under Government 

 instruction would suit my purpose as members of the Expedition. I 

 was present at the examination of a large school under Mr. Price by 

 the Bishop of Bombay. It is partly supported by Government. The 

 pupils (108) are not exclusively African, but all showed very great 

 proficiency. They excelled in music. I found some of the Africans 

 to have come from parts I know — one from Ndonde on the Bovuma 

 — and all had learned some handicraft, besides reading, writing, etc., 

 and it is probable that some of them will go back to their own 

 country with me. Eight have since volunteered to go. Besides these 

 I am to get some men from the ' Marine Battalion,' who have been 

 accustomed to rough it in various ways, and their pensions will be 

 given to their widows if they should die. The Governor (Sir Bartle 

 Frere) is going to do what he can for my success. 



" After going back to Bombay I came up to near Poonah, and am 

 now at Government House, the guest of the Governor. 



"Society here consists mainly of officers and their wives. . . . 

 Miss Frere, in the absence of Lady Frere, does the honours of the 

 establishment, and very nicely she does it. She is very clever, and 

 quite unaffected — very like her father. . . . 



" Christianity is gradually diffusing itself, leavening as it were in 

 various ways the whole mass. When a man becomes a professor of 

 Christianity, he is at present cast out, abandoned by all his relations, 

 even by wife and children. This state of things makes some who 

 don't care about Christian progress say that all Christian servants are 

 useless. They are degraded by their own countrymen, and despised 

 by others, but time will work changes. Mr. Maine, who came out 

 here with us, intends to introduce a law whereby a convert deserted by 

 his wife may marry again. It is in accordance with the text in 

 Corinthians — If an unbelieving wife depart, let her depart. People will 

 gradually show more sympathy with the poor fellows who come out of 

 heathenism, and discriminate between the worthy and unworthy. You 

 should read Lady Duff Gordon's Letters from Egypt. They show a 

 nice sympathising heart, and are otherwise very interesting. She saw 

 the people as they are. Most people see only the outsides of things. 

 . . . Avoid all nasty French novels. They are very injurious, and 



