CHAPTEE X. 



THE EAST AFRICAN EXPEDITION OF 1857 1859. 



* All truth must be ultimately salutary, and all deception 

 pernicious.' — FEAifCis jErrsET. 



At length came the moment for departure — 

 June 17, 1858. We had learned what we wanted 

 to learn on the seaboard, whilst at Zanzibar 

 Island no further information was to be pro- 

 cured. The rains had ended on June 5: the 

 harvest was coming on, and trading parties were 

 returning to the coast — every day three or four 

 boats passed outward-bound under the windows of 

 the Consulate.^ Our preparations were hurriedly 



^ Mr Cooley (Geography, p. 29) informs us that the native 

 porters start on their down journey ' in March or April, 

 probably at the end of the heavy rains, and return in Sep- 

 tember.' He thus greatly restricts the period. Of course the 



