PREFATORY LETTER. lxix 



in want of a dress fit for society ; and he was so reduced in 

 strength that good food and rest were most needful for him. 

 He had, indeed, an ample experience of the kindness of his 

 Portuguese friends; for Tete and its neighbourhood formed 

 his head-quarters for full seven weeks, before he began to 

 descend the Zambesi on his way to the sea-coast. Just as he 

 was about to start he wrote: — "I am happy to acknowledge 

 that I received most disinterested kindness; and I ought to 

 speak well for ever of Portuguese hospitality." 



So soon as he was sufficiently recovered to bear fatigue, he 

 visited a coal formation on the left bank of the Zambesi — 

 already known to the Colonists. But to him it was a very in- 

 teresting discovery; as he was speculating on the possibility 

 of a steam-boat navigation on the lower Zambesi — not merely 

 for an exploring party, but hereafter, it was hoped, for lawful 

 and humane commerce. 



From Tete he also visited the site of the once flourish- 

 ing Jesuit establishment of Micombo. The Fraternity were 

 in former times " immensely rich, but they had not there the 

 popularity they enjoyed at Loanda:" and perhaps the reason 

 of this may be found in the fact that they were keen trad- 

 ers in ivory and gold; and we know that these trades 

 had been carried on by slave-labour, or through slave-deal- 

 ers. But " all praise to their industry, and whatever they 

 did they did with all their might," remarks Livingstone. 

 He is a large-hearted man: and though bred in the severe 

 Protestantism of his own country, and honestly receiving its 

 doctrine as Scriptural, he has more than once said a good 

 word for the Jesuits. With a rare catholicity of spirit (in 

 the true sense of catholicity), he can think with charity 

 of any Christian brother, who is willing to devote himself 

 heartily to the instruction and amendment of his humble 

 fellow-creatures. 



During this interval he also accumulated much valu- 

 able information respecting the statistics of the Colony; its 



