Chap. I. EXPEDITION ISLAND. 23 



in which we were engaged. Some remained on Expedition 

 Island from the 18th June until the 13th August, while the 

 launch and pinnace were carrying the goods up to Shupanga 

 and Senna. The countiy was in a state of war, our luggage 

 was in danger, and several of our party were exposed to 

 disease from inactivity in the malaria of the Delta. Here 

 some had their first introduction to African life, and African 

 fever. Those alone were safe who were actively employed 

 with the vessels, and of course, remembering the perilous 

 position of their fellows, they strained every nerve to finish 

 the work and take them away. This was the time, too, for 

 the feeble-minded to make a demand for their Sundays of 

 rest and full meal-hours, which even our crew of twelve 

 Kroomen, though tampered with, had more sense and good- 

 feeling than to endorse. It is a pity that some people cannot 

 see that the true and honest discharge of the common duties 

 of every-day life is Divine Service. 



The weather was delightful, with only an occasional shower 

 or cold foggy morning. Those who remained on the island 

 made the most of their time, taking meteorological and 

 magnetical observations, and botanizing, so far as the dried 

 vegetation would allow. No one seemed to place much 

 reliance on the " official report " of two naval commanders, 

 who now, after about a fortnight's experience in the Zambesi, 

 solemnly declared it to be " more like an inland-sea than a 

 river, with a climate like that of Italy, and infinitely more 

 healthy than any river on the "West Coast :" but, by the 

 leader's advice, each began to examine and to record his 

 observations for himself, and did not take even his chief's 

 previous experience as infallible. 



Large columns of smoke rose daily from different points 

 of the horizon, showing that the natives were burning off the 



