674 
THE AUTHOE’S OBJECTS. 
Chap. XXXII. 
effort made for tlie amelioration of our race ; the promotion of 
all those means by which God in His providence is workings and 
bringing all His dealings with man to a glorious consummation. 
Each man in his sphere^ either knowingly or unwittingly, is 
performing the will of our Father in heaven. Men of science, 
searching after hidden truths, which when discovered will, like 
the electric telegTaph, bind men more closely together^—soldiers 
battling for the right against t 3 n:anny-—-smlors rescuing the vic¬ 
tims of oppression from the grasp of heartless men-stealers—■ 
merchants teaching the nations lessons of mutual dependence— 
and many others, as well as missionaries, all work in the same 
direction, and all efforts are overruled for one glorious end. 
If the reader has accompanied me thus far, he may perhaps 
be disposed to take an interest in the objects I propose to myself, 
should God mercifully grant me the honour of doing something 
more for Africa, As the highlands on the borders of the central 
basin are comparatively healthy, the first object seems to be to 
secure a permanent path thither, in order that Europeans may 
pass as quickly as possible through the unhealthy region near 
the coast. The river has not been surveyed, but at the time 
I came down there was abundance of water for a large vessel, 
and this continues to be the case during four or five months of 
each year. The months of low-water still admit of navigation 
by launches, and would permit small vessels equal to the 
Thames steamers to ply with ease in the deep channel. If a 
steamer were sent to examine the Zambesi, I would recommend 
one of the lightest draught, and the months of May, June, and 
July for passing tlirough the delta; and this not so much for 
fear of want of water, as the danger of being grounded on a 
sand or mud bank, and the health of the crew being endangered 
by the delay. 
In the months referred to, no obstruction would be incurred in 
the channel below Tete. Twenty or thirty miles above that 
point we have a small rapid, of which I regret my inability to 
speak, as (mentioned already) I did not visit it. But taking the 
distance below this point, we have, in round numbers, 300 miles 
of navigable river. Above this rapid we have another reach of 
300 miles, with sand, but no mudbanks in it, which brings us to 
the foot of the eastern ridge. Let it not, however, be thought 
