CHAPTER IX.

FROM LOANDA TO QUILIMANE.

A.D. 1854-1856.

Livingstone sets out from Loanda—­Journey back—­Effects of slavery—­Letter to his wife—­Severe attack of fever—­He reaches the Barotse country—­Day of thanksgiving—­His efforts for the good of his men—­Anxieties of the Moffats—­Mr. Moffat’s journey to Mosilikatse—­Box at Linyanti—­Letter from Mrs. Moffat—­Letters to Mrs. Livingstone, Mr. Moffat, and Mrs. Moffat—­Kindness of Sekeletu—­New escort—­He sets out for the East Coast—­Discovers the Victoria Falls—­The healthy longitudinal ridges—­Pedestrianism—­Great dangers—­Narrow escapes—­Triumph of the spirit of trust in God—­Favorite texts—­Reference to Captain Maclure’s experience—­Chief subjects of thought—­Structure of the continent—­Sir Roderick Murchison anticipates his discovery—­Letters to Geographical Society—­First letter from Sir Roderick Murchison—­Missionary labor—­Monasteries—­Protestant mission-stations wanting in self-support—­Letter to Directors—­Fever not so serious an obstruction as it seemed—­His own hardships—­Theories of mission-work—­Expansion v.  Concentration—­Views of a missionary statesman—­He reaches Tette—­Letter to King of Portugal—­To Sir Roderick Murchison—­Reaches Senna—­Quilimane—­Retrospect—­Letter from Directors—­Goes to Mauritius—­Voyage home—­Narrow escape from shipwreck in Bay of Tunis—­He reaches England, Dec., 1856—­News of his father’s death.

Dr. Livingstone left St. Paul de Loanda on 24th September, 1854, arrived at his old quarters at Linyanti on 11th September, 1855, set out eastward on 3d November, 1855, and reached Quilimane on the eastern coast on 20th May, 1856.  His journey thus occupied a year and eight months, and the whole time from his leaving the Cape on 8th June, 1852, was within a few days of four years.  The return journey from Loanda to Linyanti took longer than the journey outward.  This arose from detention of various kinds[41]:  the sicknesses of Livingstone and his men, the heavy rains, and in one case, at Pungo Andongo, the necessity of reproducing a large packet of letters, journals, maps, and despatches, which he had sent off from Loanda.  These were despatched by the mail-packet “Forerunner,” which unhappily went down off Madeira, all the passengers but one being lost.  But for his promise to the Makololo to return with them to their country, Dr. Livingstone would have been himself a passenger in the ship.  Hearing of the disaster while paying a visit to a very kind and hospitable Portuguese gentleman at Pungo Andongo, on his way back, Livingstone remained there some time to reproduce his lost papers.  The labor thus entailed must have been very great, for his ordinary letters covered sheets almost as large as a newspaper, and his maps and despatches were produced with extraordinary care.

[Footnote 41:  Dr. Livingstone observed that traders generally traveled ten days in the month, and rested twenty, making seven geographical miles a day, or seventy per month.  In his case in this journey the proportion was generally reversed—­twenty days of traveling and ten of rest, and his rate per day was about ten geographical miles, or two hundred per month.  As he often zigzagged, the geographical mile represented considerably, more.  See letter to Royal Geographical Society, October 16, 1855.]