1869-71.] MANYUEMA. 399 



hitherto experienced. But so far from thinking of taking 

 things more easily than before, he actually enlarges his 

 programme, and resolves to "finish up by going round 

 outside and south of all the sources." His spirit seems 

 only to rise as difficulties are multiplied. 



He writes to his daughter Agnes at the same time : 

 " You remark that you think you could have travelled as 

 well as Mrs. Baker, and I think so too. Your mamma 

 was famous for roughing it in the bush, and was never a 

 trouble." The allusion carries him to old days — their 

 travels to Lake 'Ngami, Mrs. Livingstone's death, the 

 Helmores, the Bishop, Thornton. Then he speaks of 

 recent troubles and difficulties, his attack of pneumonia, 

 from which he had not expected to recover, his annoy- 

 ances with his men, so unlike the old Makololo, the loss 

 of his letters and boxes, with the exception of two from 

 an unknown donor that contained the Saturday Review 

 and his old friend Punch for 1868. Then he goes over 

 African travellers and their achievements, real and sup- 

 posed. He returns again to the achievements of ladies, 

 and praises Miss Tinne and other women. " The death - 

 knell of American slavery was rung by a woman's hand. 

 We great he-beasts say Mrs. Stowe exaggerated. From 

 what I have seen of slavery I say exaggeration is a simple 

 impossibility. I go with the sailor who, on seeing slave- 

 traders, said : ' If the devil don't catch these fellows, we 

 might as well have no devil at all.' " 



The year 1870 Was begun with the prayer that in 

 the course of it he might be able to complete his enter- 

 prise, and retire through the Basango before the end of it. 

 In February he hears with gratitude of Mr. E. D. Young's 

 Search Expedition up the Shire and Nyassa. In setting 

 out anew he takes a more northerly course, proceeding 

 through paths blocked with very rank vegetation, and 

 suffering from choleraic illness caused by constant wet- 

 tings. In the course of a month the effects of the wet 



