In a letter to Sir Roderick Murchison (20th February, 1861), Livingstone, while exonerating Mr. Macqueen of all intention of misleading, gives his reasons for doubting whether the journey to the East Coast ever took place.  He had met Porto at Linyanti in 1853, and subsequently at Naliele, the Barotse capital, and had been told by him that he had tried to go eastward, but had been obliged to turn, and was then going westward, and wished him to accompany him, which he declined, as he was a slave-trader; he had read his journal as it appeared in the Loanda “Boletim,” but there was not a word in it of a journey to the East Coast; when the Portuguese minister had wished to find a rival to Dr. Livingstone, he had brought forward, not Porto, as he would naturally have done if this had been a genuine journey, but two black men who came to Tette in 1815; in the Boletim of Mozambique there was no word of the arrival of Porto there; in short, the part of the journal founded on could not have been authentic.  Livingstone felt keenly on the subject of these rumors, not on his own account, but on account of the Geographical Society and of Sir Roderick who had introduced him to it; for nothing could have given him more pain than that either of these should have had any slur thrown on them through him, or even been placed for a time in an uncomfortable position.

CHAPTER XIV.

ROVUMA AND NYASSA—­UNIVERSITIES MISSION.

A.D. 1861-1862.

Beginning of 1861—­Arrival of the “Pioneer”—­and of the agents of Universities Mission—­Cordial welcome—­Livingstone’s catholic feelings—­Ordered to explore the Rovuma—­Bishop Mackenzie goes with him—­Returns to the Shire—­Turning-point of prosperity past—­Difficult navigation—­The slave-sticks—­Bishop settles at Magomero—­Hostilities between Manganja and Ajawa—­Attack of Mission party by Ajawa—­Livingstone’s advice to Bishop regarding them—­Letter to his son Robert—­Livingstone, Kirk, and Charles start for Lake Nyassa—­Party robbed at north of Lake—­Dismal activity of the slave-trade—­Awful mortality in the process—­Livingstone’s fondness for Punch—­Letter to Mr. Young—­Joy at departure of new steamer “Lady Nyassa”—­Colonization project—­Letter against it from Sir R. Murchison—­Hears of Dr. Stewart coming out from Free Church of Scotland—­Visit at the ship from Bishop Mackenzie—­News of defeat of Ajawa by missionaries—­Anxiety of Livingstone—­Arrangements for “Pioneer” to go to Kongone for new steamer and friends from home, then go to Ruo to meet Bishop—­“Pioneer” detained—­Dr. Livingstone’s anxieties and depressions at New Year—­“Pioneer” misses man-of-war “Gorgon”—­At length “Gorgon” appears with brig from England and “Lady Nyassa”—­Mrs. Livingstone and other ladies on board—­Livingstone’s meeting with his wife, and with Dr. Stewart—­Stewart’s recollections—­Difficulties of navigation—­Captain Wilson of “Gorgon” goes up river and hears of death of Bishop Mackenzie and Mr. Burrup—­Great distress—­Misrepresentations about Universities Mission—­Miss Mackenzie and Mr. Burrup taken to “Gorgon”—­Dr. and Mrs. Livingstone return to Shupanga—­Illness and death of Mrs. Livingstone—­Extracts from Livingstone’s Journal and letters to the Moffats, Agnes, and the Murchisons.