hearts of the statesmen and of the people of England
generally. The Expedition owes great obligations to the
Lords of the Admiralty for their unvarying readiness to
render us every assistance in then- power; and to the warmhearted
and ever-obliging hydrographer to the Admiralty,
th e 1 late Admiral Washington, as a subordinate, but most
■effective agent, our heartfelt gratitude is also 'due; and we
must ever thankfully acknowledge that our efficiency was
mainly due to the kind services of Admirals Sir Frederick
•Grey, Sir Baldwin Walker, and all the naval officers serving
under them on the East Coast. Nor must I omit to record
our obligations to Mr. Skead, R.N. The Luawe was carefully
sounded and surveyed by this officer, whose skilful and
zealous labours, both on that river, and afterwards on the
Lower Zambesi, were deserving of all praise.
In speaking of what has been done by the Expedition, it
should always be understood that Dr. Kirk, Mr. Charles
Livingstone, Mr. R. Thornton, and others composed it. ' In
■using the plural number they are meant, and I wish to
bear testimony to the untiring zeal, energy, courage, and
perseverance with which my companions laboured f undaunted
by difficulties, dangers, or hard fare. I t is my firm belief
that, were their services required in any other capacity, they
might be implicitly relied on to perform their duty like
men. The reason why Dr. Kirk’s name does not appear on
the title-page of this narrative is, because it is hoped that
he may give an account of the botany and natural history
of the Expedition in a separate work from his own pen. He
collected above four thousand species of plants/specimens of
most of the valuable woods, of the different native manufactures,
of the articles of food, and of the different kinds of
cotton from every spot we visited, and a great variety of birds
and insects; besides making meteorological observations,
and affording, as our instructions required, medical assistance
to the natives in every case where he could be of
any use.
Charles Livingstone was also fully occupied in his duties
in following out the general objects of our mission, m encouraging
the culture of cotton, in making many magnetic
and meteorological observations, in photographing so long as
the materials would serve, and in collecting a large number of
birds, insects, and other objects of interest. The collections,
being Government property, have been forwarded to the
British Museum, and to the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew ;
and, should Dr; Kirk undertake their description, three or
four years will be required for the purpose.
Though collections were made, it was always distinctly
understood that, however desirable these and our explorations
might be, “ Her Majesty’s Government attached more
importance to the moral influence that might be exerted on the
minds of the natives by a well regulated and orderly household
of Europeans setting an example of consistent moral conduct
to all who might witness it ; treating the people with kindness,
and relieving their wants, teaching them to make experiments
in agriculture, explaining to them the more simple
arts, imparting to them religious instruction as far as they
are capable of receiving it, and inculcating peace and good
will to each other,”
I t would be tiresome to enumerate in detail all the little
acts which were performed by us while following out our instructions.
As a rule, whenever the steamer stopped to take
in wood, or for any other purpose, Dr. Kirk and Charles
Livingstone went ashore to their duties: one of our party,
who it was intended should navigate the vessel and lay