328 PROJECTED TRIP UP THE SHIRE. Chap. XII. 



regret of all — for having done so much, they were 

 naturally anxious to be present, when, by the establishing 

 ourselves on the Lake, all our efforts should be crowned 

 with success. After it had been decided that these two 

 officers, and all the whites who could be spared, should 

 be sent down to the sea for a passage to England, Dr. 

 Livingstone was seized in May with a severe attack of 

 dysentery, which continued for a month, and reduced him 

 to a shadow. Dr. Kirk kindly remained in attendance till 

 the worst was passed. The parting took place on the 

 19th of May. 



After a few miles of road were completed, and the 

 oxen broken in, we resolved to try and render ourselves 

 independent of the south for fresh provisions, by going in 

 a boat up the Shire, above the Cataracts, to the tribes at 

 the foot of Lake Nyassa, who were still untouched by the 

 Ajawa invasion. In furtherance of this plan Dr. Living- 

 stone and Mr. Eae determined to walk up to examine, 

 and, if need be, mend the boat which had been left two 

 seasons previously hung up to the limb of a large shady 

 tree, before attempting to carry another past the Cata- 

 racts. The " Pioneer," which was to be left in charge of 

 our active and most trustworthy gunner, Mr. Edward D. 

 Young, R.N., was thoroughly roofed over with euphorbia 

 branches and grass, so as completely to protect her decks 

 from the sun : she also received daily a due amount of 

 man-of-war scrubbing and washing ; and, besides having 

 everything put in shipshape fashion, was every evening 

 swung out into the middle of the river, for the sake of the 

 greater amount of air which circulated there. In addition 

 to their daily routine work of the ship, the three stokers, 

 one sailor, and one carpenter — now our complement — 

 were encouraged to hunt for guinea-fowl, which in June, 

 when the water inland is dried up, come in large flocks to 

 the river's banks, and roost on the trees at night. Every- 



