But far more tragical was the news of the missionaries who had gone from the London Missionary Society to Linyanti, to labor among Sekeletu’s people.  Mr. and Mrs. Helmore and several of his party had succumbed to fever, and the survivors had retired.  Dr. Livingstone was greatly distressed, and not a little hurt, because he had not heard a word about the mission, nor been asked advice about any of the arrangements.  If only the Helmores and their comrades had followed the treatment practiced by him so often, and in this very valley at this time by his brother Charles, they would probably have recovered.  All spoke kindly of Mr. Helmore, who had quite won the hearts of the people.  Knowing their language, he had at once begun to preach, and some of the young men at Sesheke were singing the hymns he had taught them.  Rumors had gone abroad that some of the missionaries had been poisoned.  In some quarters blame was cast on Livingstone for having misled the Society as to the character of Sekeletu and his disposition toward missionaries; but Livingstone satisfied himself that, though the missionaries had been neglected no foul play had taken place; fever alone had caused the deaths, and want of skill in managing the people had brought the remainder of the troubles.  One piece of good news which he heard at Linyanti was that his old friend Sechele was doing well.  He had a Hanoverian missionary, nine tribes were under him, and the schools were numerously attended.

Writing to Dr. Moffat, 10th August, 1860, from Zambesi Falls, he says: 

“With great sorrow we learned the death of our much-esteemed friends, Mr. and Mrs. Helmore, two days ago.  We were too late to be of any service, for the younger missionaries had retired, probably dispirited by the loss of their leader.  It is evident that the fever when untreated is as fatal now as it proved in the case of Commodore Owen’s officers in this river, or in the great Niger Expedition.  And yet what poor drivel was poured forth when I adopted energetic measures for speedily removing any Europeans out of the Delta.  We were not then aware that the remedy which was first found efficacious in our own little Thomas on Lake ’Ngami, in 1850, and that cured myself and attendants during my solitary journeyings, was a certain cure for the disease, without loss of strength in Europeans generally.  This we now know by ample experience to be the case.  Warburg’s drops, which have a great reputation in India, here cause profuse perspiration only, and the fever remains uncured.  With our remedy, of which we make no secret, a man utterly prostrated is roused to resume his march next day.  I have sent the prescription to John, as I doubt being able to go so far South as Mosilikatse’s.

Again the grand Victoria Falls are reached, and Charles Livingstone, who has seen Niagara, gives the preference to Mosi-oa-tunya.  By the route which they took, they would have passed the Falls at twenty miles’