The Livingstone Expedition — Home, 5 1 5 
returning to Zanzibar to consult with Dr. Kirk, two 
days afterwards I received letters from each of those 
gentlemen, in which I was offered the charge of the 
expedition. Lieutenant Henn, however, now changed 
his mind, and insisted upon proceeding himself; where- 
upon I wrote to Dr. Kirk, saying that I would have 
unhesitatingly accepted the expedition, but that 
Lieutenant Henn, having changed his mind, insisting 
upon a prior claim, and declaring it to be his intention 
to assume the command, I wished that to be done 
which was most to the interest of the expedition. 
The command being placed in Lieutenant Henn's 
hands, for reasons which those best able to judge 
have fully justified, I felt obliged to retire. Upon Mr. 
Stanley's arrival upon the coast a few days after, 
however, Lieutenant Henn again threw it up. Still 
feeling that it would be wrong to allow the expedition 
to fall through, and being anxious to serve it, I now 
volunteered to take it in hand ; but by this time 
complications and misunderstandings, with which I 
had absolutely nothing to do, had arisen, which pre- 
vented my offer from being accepted, and I was com- 
pelled to retire again. I was about to make another 
effort to save the expedition, when I found that 
everything had been made over to Mr. Stanley, and 
the matter was past remedy. 
Intelligence of the expedition's failure having 
reached England, a great deal of disappointment, 
amounting in some cases almost to indignation, 
was felt, and much misapprehension arose. This 
was natural, and what I had fully anticipated. In 
self-defence, therefore, I thought it prudent to prepare 
a concise account of the whole matter ; and this I 
