our influence for that which excels everything earthly.  Everything has, by God’s gracious blessing, proved more auspicious than I anticipated.  We have a most warm-hearted friend in Mr. Gabriel.  He acted a brother’s part, and now writes me in the moat affectionate manner.  I thank God for his goodness in influencing the hearts of so many to show kindness, to whom I was a total stranger.  The Portuguese have all been extremely kind.  In coming through the coffee plantations I was offered more coffee than I could take or needed, and the best in the world.  One spoonful makes it stronger than three did of that we used.  It is found wild on the mountains.

“Mr. Gabriel came about 30 miles with me, and ever since, though I spoke freely about the slave-trade, the very gentlemen who have been engaged in it, and have been prevented by our ships from following it, and often lost much, treated me most kindly in their houses, and often accompanied me to the next place beyond them, bringing food for all in the way.  The common people are extremely civil, and a very large proportion of the inhabitants in one district called Ambaca can read and write well.  They were first taught by the Roman Catholic missionaries, and now teach each other so well, it is considered a shame in an Ambacista not to be able to write his own name at least.  But they have no Bibles.  They are building a church at Ambaca, and another is in course of erection here, though they cannot get any priests.  May God grant that we may be useful in some degree in this field also....  Give my love to all the children, they will reap the advantage of your remaining longer at home than we anticipated.  I hope Robert, Agnes, and Tom are each learning as fast as they can.  When will they be able to write a letter to me?  How happy I shall be to meet them and you again!  I hope a letter from you may be waiting for me at Zambesi.  Love to all the children.  How tall is Zouga?  Accept the assurance of unabated love.

     “DAVID LIVINGSTON.”

It must not be forgotten that all this time Dr. Livingstone was making very careful astronomical observations, in order to determine his exact positions, and transmitting elaborate letters to the Geographical Society.  His astronomical observations were regularly forwarded to his friend the Astronomer-Royal at the Cape, Mr. Maclear, for verification and correction.

Writing to Livingstone on 27th March, 1854, with reference to some of his earlier observations, after noticing a few trifling mistakes, Mr. Maclear says:  “It is both interesting and amusing to trace your improvement as an observer.  Some of your early observations, as you remark, are rough, and the angles ascribed to objects misplaced in transcribing.  But upon the whole I do not hesitate to assert that no explorer on record has determined his path with the precision you have accomplished.”  A year afterward, 11th August, 1855, but with reference to papers received