232 
AFRICA AND ITS EXPLORATION. 
on Livingstone’s part was only justifiable in the belief 
entertained by him that his friends at home and the 
Government would see to his family; of this he felt 
assured, though his “ best friend,” it must be admitted, 
failed to fulfil the distinct promise which he made to 
self-sacrificing explorers. The Geographical Society con¬ 
tributed £500, but saddled it with instructions and 
conditions which were exceedingly irritating to Living¬ 
stone, and were impertinent to a man of his experience. 
The two main objects of the expedition were the suppres¬ 
sion of slavery by means of civilising influences, and the 
ascertainment of the watershed in the region between 
Nyassa and Tanganyika. Consul as he was, Livingstone 
never lost sight of the fact that he was first of all a 
pioneer missionary ; and he looked upon the gold-laced 
cap with which his last wanderings are intimately 
associated as only a means of helping him in his great 
mission of humanity. Since Livingstone’s first great 
journey several important additions had been made to a 
knowledge of the lake system of Africa : Burton had 
discovered Tanganyika ; Speke, Victoria Nyanza and the 
great outlet of the Nile ; and Baker, Albert Nyanza with 
its important Nile connection. At first Livingstone 
thought the Nile problem had thus been all but solved, 
but the idea grew upon him that the Nile sources must 
be sought further south, and his last journey became in 
the end a forlorn hope in seach of the “ fountains ” of 
Herodotus. Leaving England in the middle of August, 
1865, for Bombay, where he stayed some time, Living¬ 
stone arrived at Zanzibar on January 28, 1866. He was 
landed at the mouth of the Rovuma on March 22, and 
started for the interior on April 4. His company con¬ 
sisted of thirteen sepoys, ten Johanna men, nine African 
boys from Nassick school, Bombay, and four boys from 
the Shire region, besides camels, buffaloes, mules, and 
donkeys. This imposing outfit soon melted away to 
four or five boys. Lake Nyassa was reached well down 
its east side on August 8. Before this he had to send 
his Sepoys back ; the Johanna men, once they were well 
round the lake, deserted, and returned with a story of 
