4 8S DAVID LIVINGSTONE. 



stone, the kind manner in which yon co-operated with him in his 

 endeavours to find a path from your country to the sea on the 

 West Coast, and again, when he was following the course of the 

 river Zambesi from your town to the Eastern Coast, by furnishing 

 him on each occasion with canoes, provisions, oxen, and men, free 

 of expense ; and we were pleased to hear that you, your elders 

 and people, are all anxious to have direct intercourse with the 

 English nation, and to have your country open to commerce and 

 civilisation. 



Ours is a great commercial and Christian nation, and we desire 

 to live in peace with all men. We wish others to sleep soundly 

 as well as ourselves : and we hate the trade in slaves. We are all 

 the children of one common Father; and the slave-trade being 

 hateful to Him, we give you a proof of our desire to promote your 

 prosperity by joining you in the attempt to open up your country 

 to peaceful commerce. With this view the Queen sends a small 

 steam-vessel to sail along the river Zambesi, which you know and 

 agreed to be the best pathway for conveying merchandise, and for 

 the purpose of exploring which Dr. Livingstone left you the last 

 time. This is, as all men know, " God's pathway ;" and you will, 

 we trust, do all that you can to keep it a free pathway for all 

 nations, and let no one be molested when travelling on the 

 river. 



We are a manufacturing people, and make all the articles which 

 you see and hear of as coming from the white men. We purchase 

 cotton and make it into cloth : and if you will cultivate cotton 

 and other articles, we are willing to buy them. No matter how 

 much you may produce, our people will purchase it all. Let it be 

 known among all your people, and among all the surrounding- 

 tribes, that the English are the friends and promoters of all lawful 

 commerce, but that they are the enemies of the slave-trade and 

 slave-hunting. 



We assure you, your elders and people, of our friendship, and 

 we hope that the kindly feelings which you entertain towards the 

 English may be continued between our children's children ; and, 

 as we have derived all our greatness from the Divine religion we 

 received from Heaven, it will be well if you consider it carefully 

 when any of our people talk to you about it. 



We hope that Her Majesty's servants and people will be able 

 to visit you from time to time in order to cement our friendship, 



