156 LIFE OF DAVID LIVINGSTONE, LL.D. 



private, and very kind expressions towards myself, were sufficiently flattering. 

 A fresh party was dispatched with ivory, under the guidance of an Arab from 

 Zanzibar, and two days only given for preparation ; and when they return, or 

 even sooner, my companions are to start again. That their private opinions 

 are in accordance with their public professions, I have evidence in the 

 number of volunteers who offer themselves to go to the east with me, 

 knowing I have not wherewith to purchase food even. And they are not an 

 enthusiastic race either ; there is not the least probability of any mere adven- 

 turer attaining much influence among them. If the movement now begun is 

 not checked by some untoward event, the slave trade will certainly come to a 

 natural termination in this quarter, our cruisers have rendered slaves so little 

 value now on the coast. Commerce has the effect of speedily letting the 

 tribes see their mutual dependence. It breaks up the sullen isolation of 

 heathenism. It is so far good. But Christianity alone reaches the very 

 centre of the wants of Africa and of the world. 



" Theoretically I would pronounce the country about the forks of the 

 Leeba and Leeambye, or Kabompo, and the river of the Bashukolompo, as a 

 most desirable central point for the spread of civilization and Christianity. 

 And unfortunately I must mar my report by saying I feel a difficulty as to 

 taking my children there without their own intelligent self-dedication. I can 

 speak for my wife and myself only — we will go whoever remains behind." 



We give a few extracts from an interesting letter written by Dr. Living- 

 stone, and addressed to Sir Roderick Murchison. It is the earliest of that 

 series of letters between these two distinguished men we have been able to 

 recover : — 



" The commerce of the country over which Sekeletu now reigns, and that 

 of numerous tribes situated more to the East, have been until lately completely 

 neglected by Europeans. A large waterfall, called Mosioatunya, is conjectured 

 to have prevented the Portuguese from ascending the Zambesi ; and the Desert 

 presented an insurmountable obstacle to commercial enterprise in the south. 

 Accordingly, when we first visited the country we saw many instances in which 

 valuable ivory had been allowed to rot with other bones, just where the animal 

 had fallen. Indeed tusks went by the name of " mere bones" (rnarapohela= 

 bones only) ; and, though the inhabitants soon acquired an idea of their superior 

 value, they have not, up to the present time, received prices suff -tint to 

 stimulate them to proper efforts to procure large supplies. Elephants abound 

 in the land, and there are many daring hunters ; but a few pieces of cloth 

 present only a very small indication that the tusks are of more value than the 

 flesh. The elephants have always been killed more for food than for profitable 

 barter ; and other articles of trade, such as beeswax, which abounds in some 

 parts of the country, are thrown aside as useless. 



" The common methods of killing elephants may be mentioned. The 



