THE NEW EXPEDITION. xxix 



His associates are Commander Bedingfield, R.N., well 

 known for his exploration of the Congo and other African 

 rivers ; Dr Kirk, M.D., of Edinburgh, and botanist ; Mr R. 

 Thornton, of the School of Mines, as mining geologist ; Mr 

 T. Baines, as artist, for which position he is well qualified 

 by his previous experience in Africa, and his travels in 

 North Australia; Mr Rae, as engineer of the launch; and 

 Dr Livingstone's brother, who will take charge of the estab- 

 lishment which it is proposed to fix for a time at the conflu- 

 ence of one of the tributaries of the Zambesi. 



In consequence of the unhealthiness of the delta of the 

 Zambesi, for about 250 miles below Tete, the Council ex- 

 pressed a wish that the expedition should be conveyed to Tete 

 in a decked steam-vessel, of light draught, and that the steam 

 launch should only carry them on from that point, or above 

 Tete. 



These plans as far as possible will be carried out. 



A beautiful iron steam launch was constructed by Mr John 

 Macgregor Laird, at his Birkenhead Works, by order of the 

 government, for the purposes of the expedition. This vessel 

 is 75 feet long, 8 broad, and 3 deep; being in the shape of a 

 large flat-bottomed canoe, having both ends alike, and covered 

 in with awnings. Her hull is made in three compact water- 

 tight sections, with a curved keel; the draught of water being- 

 only 14 inches 1 . 



The expedition set sail from Liverpool, on Wednesday 

 10th of March, on board the screw steam-ship Pearl, under 



1 There is an admirable lithograph of this launch published by 

 Mr S. Walters, Liverpool : as also a description and wood-cut of it in 

 the Illustrated News, of March 6th ult. 



