820 LIFE OF DA VII) LIVINGSTONE, LL.D. 



Secretary of the Mission, and one to his friend, Captain Wilson. To the 

 former he writes thus : — <( I have the honour to report, for the information of 

 the Committee, that the steamer 'Ilala' was successfully launched on the 6th 

 inst. and started for Nyassa on the 8th, which was reached on the 12th. The 

 steamer is quite a success — sails well, and steams seven knots with the one 

 boiler. Our party are all quite well and in good spirits. Before entering 

 Lake Nyassa, I called on the powerful chief M'Ponda, and informed him of 

 the object of our mission. He appeared very pleased, and at once gave us 

 permission to settle on any part of his land. He is owner of the whole of the 

 Cape Maclear peninsula. 



" We took a running survey of the whole coast with very fine weather, 

 and although there are many delightful spots fit for a settlement, none offers 

 sufficient protection to the steamer except a beautiful bay at Cape Maclear, 

 where we have decided to settle for the time ; and I have left Dr. Laws with 

 three of our party and some negroes to build houses, while I have come down 

 here (River Shire, Upper) to fetch the remainder of our stores. I have now 

 all on board, and start again for Nyassa to-morrow. I called on M'Ponda on 

 our way down, and he promised to send a party of negroes up to build houses. 

 He is the most powerful chief in the Nyassa district, and very favourably dis- 

 posed towards the English, and wishes me to take him home with me. At 

 his place there were several Arabs with a great number of slaves bound to 

 the coast. I saw them viewing me through the crowd of negroes when I 

 landed, and called them. They were very much frightened, and were aston- 

 ished beyond measure to see a steamer up there, and no doubt think their 

 slaving days are ended. I took a cruise round the lower end of the lake to 

 look out for a good harbour, when I observed a slave dhow. We soon came 

 up with her, and as soon as I hoisted the English flag they lowered their 

 sail, and said, when I went on board, they had no slaves in; neither had they, 

 but she was bound for a cargo. The owner was on board. He was from 

 Zanzibar, and could speak a little English. He talks of getting rid of his 

 dhow, no doubt thinking if the English are come she will be of no further 

 use. There are five of them sailing on the lake carrying slaves across. To 

 stop the slave-trade there is a very easy matter. M'Ponda, for a few pieces 

 of calico, will not permit slaves to pass the south end of the lake and the 

 river. The Mizitu are in possession of the northern coast. As far as I can 

 gather, twenty thousand slaves are conveyed across annually. 



"We have received no news from England since leaving the Cape. I 

 must now confess to the Committee that, as far as I can judge, the mission 

 thus far is quite a success. God be praised, for he has wonderfully prospered 

 us. I am myself quite well, and up to work, but worn down to a mere part 

 of my former self with overwork ; but it has kept the fever away, and I shall 

 now no doubt soon gain flesh. On Nyassa the climate is delightful j the 



