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			<titleStmt>
				<title>Letter to John Washington</title>
                <title type="alternative">Letter to John Washington, 4, 22 December 1863</title>
				<author xml:id="DL">Livingstone, David, 1813-1873</author>
			</titleStmt>
			<publicationStmt>
				<authority>Livingstone Online</authority>
				<pubPlace>London</pubPlace>
				<date>2006-10-10</date>
				<publisher>Wellcome Centre for the History of Medicine, UCL</publisher>
				<idno type="LEAP-ID">liv_001970</idno>
			</publicationStmt>
			<sourceDesc>
				<bibl xml:id="ccnumber">Letters, 1400</bibl>
				<bibl xml:id="recipient"><persName>Washington, John, 1800-1863</persName></bibl>
				<bibl xml:id="date"><date from="1863-12-04" to="1863-12-22">4, 22 December 1863</date></bibl>
				<bibl xml:id="where">Murchison's Cataracts</bibl>
				<bibl xml:id="shelfmark">Royal Geographical Society (Great Britain); Archives, DL 3/16/2</bibl><!-- 1863-12-04 -->
				<bibl xml:id="extent">8 pages</bibl>
			</sourceDesc>
		</fileDesc>
		<revisionDesc>
			<change>
				<date>2006-10-10</date>
				<name xml:id="SM">Sharon Messenger</name>Initial Transcription
			</change>
		</revisionDesc>
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	<pb n="0001" facs="liv_001970_0001"/><!--pb/@n='1'-->
<!--Top hand01 DL/3/16/2-->
<lb/><p rend="right"><placeName>Murchison's Cataracts</placeName> 4 Dec<hi rend="sup underline">r</hi></p>
<lb/><p rend="right"><space extent="4" unit="words"/><space extent="2" unit="chars"/>1863</p>
<lb/>
<lb/>
<lb/><p rend="no-indent"><space extent="2" unit="chars"/>Dear <persName>Admiral Washington</persName></p>
<lb/><p><space extent="2" unit="words"/><space extent="2" unit="chars"/>The despatch containing our 
<lb/><unclear cert="low">recal</unclear> dated 2 February reached me on the 2<hi rend="sup underline">nd</hi> July 
<lb/>when it was quite impossible to take the <term type="boat">Pioneer</term>
<lb/>down to the sea. So after sending off all the principal 
<lb/>members of the Expedition I proceeded to improve 
<lb/>the intervening time between that &amp; next flood in 
<lb/>Dec<hi rend="sup underline">r</hi> by trying to settle the question whether a large 
<lb/>river flows into the Lake in the North and also 
<lb/>verify the opinion that nearly all the slaves that go to 
<lb/><placeName>Zanzibar</placeName><placeName>Quillsa</placeName> - <placeName>Iboe</placeName> - &amp; <placeName>Mozambique</placeName> come from 
<lb/>the <placeName>Lake district.</placeName> Very unfortunately we lost a 
<lb/>boat otherwise of no great value when nearly past 
<lb/><placeName>the falls</placeName> so our plan of sailing round the Eastern shore 
<lb/>and North end had to be given up. and we made away 
<lb/>for the N.W. on foot intending to go to the Latitude 
<lb/>of the Lake but west of the Mazite or <term type="tribe">zulus</term> who 
<lb/>have depopulated the Northern shores. but a range 
<lb/>of mountains about 6000 feet above the sea - 
<lb/>proved a barrier by the people declaring that no 
<lb/>population existed on the other side - (It is the <placeName>Masari</placeName>
<lb/>country - a high table land called <placeName>Déza.</placeName>) - Travelling 
<lb/>along a beautiful valley at its Eastern base we 
<lb/>came out at the heel of <placeName>Lake Nyassa</placeName> - West N. W 
<lb/>again till we came to a stockade, attacked by 
<lb/>other <term type="tribe">zulus</term> or pretended <term type="tribe">zulus</term> than those we 
<lb/>formerly met in the North, only the day before. 
<lb/>We saw the dead bodies of the <unclear cert="low">conileatants</unclear> and to 
<lb/>avoid collision went now away N.E. till we 
<lb/>came to <placeName>the Lake</placeName> and went along its shores to 
<lb/>Lat. 12° 55′ S. where we found a couple of <term type="tribe">arabs</term>
<lb/>busily transporting slaves across, and building 
<lb/>a new dhow to replace one which had been 
<lb/>wrecked. These men said that they had 1500 souls 
<lb/>in their village and we saw tens of thousands 
<lb/>in the vicinity who had fled thither for protection 
<lb/>We saw the same man on our last visit but then 

	<pb n="0002" facs="liv_001970_0002"/><!--pb/@n='2'-->
<lb/>They had very few people. Every disturbance benefits 
<lb/>the slave trader. a boy costs one fathom of calico or 
<lb/>say one shilling - a girl two - at this point all 
<lb/>the slaves from <placeName>Mozambique</placeName>, <placeName>Iboe</placeName>, <placeName>Quillsa</placeName><unclear cert="low"><placeName>Arid</placeName></unclear>
<lb/>and <placeName>Zanzibar</placeName> cross <placeName>the Lake.</placeName> a few traders only 
<lb/>go down, and for cheapness cross at the outlet of 
<lb/><placeName>The Shire.</placeName> some strike west from that point but here 
<lb/>at <placeName>Kutakula bay</placeName> (12° 55′) which is formed by a 
<lb/>sandy spit running out &amp; protecting from the East 
<lb/>wind, is the great slave route to each of the places 
<lb/>named. Curiously enough the slave trade is 
<lb/>greatly dependant on that in ivory - the slaves 
<lb/>cost little but their food costs a great deal. 
<lb/>But they carry the ivory, and that makes the 
<lb/>joint trade profitable. I knew this of old but 
<lb/><persName>Captain Wilson</persName> of the <term type="boat">Gorgon</term> has lately discovered 
<lb/>it, and mentions it in his last "slave trade report" 
<lb/>It was the knowledge that I was working towards 
<lb/>and ruining the slave trade of <placeName>Mozambique</placeName> and <placeName>Iboe</placeName>
<lb/>by buying up the ivory that made the Portuguese 
<lb/><unclear cert="low">gain</unclear> all their distructive power. I trust that 
<lb/>operations in the interior under a more able 
<lb/>leader will not be lost sight of. These will do more 
<lb/>to stop the slave trade than all the cruizers, and 
<lb/>without them I see no hope of the Portuguese giving 
<lb/>up slaving. <hi rend="underline"> the sight of the new dhow gave 
<lb/>me a hint which I may mention. She was 50 feet 
<lb/>by 12 and five deep. I would never think of 
<lb/>carrying more than the engine &amp; boilers past 
<lb/>cataracts like ours. One could build a hull more 
<lb/>easily. At the port of the lake there are many trees 
<lb/>60 feet without a branch. &amp; 3 feet in diameter -</hi></p>
<lb/><p> We now went due West on the great slave route 
<lb/>to the <placeName>Babisa.</placeName><placeName>Ka <add place="above">ta</add>nga</placeName> and <placeName>Cazembe</placeName> -po- say 
<lb/>90 or 100 miles. Then turned up to the N. N. W. 
<lb/>but before we had gone far, our time was expired 
<lb/><hi rend="underline">We had ascertained that the watershed was clearly 
<lb/>to the West.</hi> after crossing the branches of the 
<lb/>Loangwa on <placeName>the Lake</placeName> - we had the <placeName>Loangwa</placeName> of the 
<lb/><placeName>Maraui</placeName> which enters <placeName>Zambese</placeName> at <placeName>Zumbo</placeName> in front </p>

	<pb n="0003" facs="liv_001970_0003"/><!--pb/@n='3'-->
<lb/><p rend="no-indent"><!--line down left hand side-->We were on a level plateau 3440 feet above the 
<lb/>sea in Lat. 12° 46′ S. a rivulet called <placeName>Motala</placeName> or 
<lb/>Motawa flows N.N.W into <hi rend="underline"><placeName>Lake Bemba</placeName> which 
<lb/>is said to the be the source of the <placeName>Loapula.</placeName> This flows 
<lb/>Westwards and forms two lakes <placeName>Moero</placeName> or <placeName>Mofue</placeName>
<lb/>Mofue then passes the town of <placeName>Cazemba</placeName> and 
<lb/>is lost in <placeName>Tanganyika.</placeName></hi> these were the reports 
<lb/>we heard and though <placeName>Bemba</placeName> was said to be about 
<lb/>ten days distant, I was afraid to speculate on 
<lb/>a late rise of the river which I now find I should 
<lb/>have been safe to do. <hi rend="underline"> In view of <persName>Earl Russells</persName>
<lb/>explicit order not to undertake any long journey </hi>
<lb/>Our European food was sepended. Hindrances 
<lb/>were thrown in our way as we were going to the 
<lb/>part whence a great deal of ivory is drawn, and 
<lb/><term type="ailment">dysentry</term> came back on us in force. But all 
<lb/>reports agreed that no large river flows into 
<lb/><placeName>Lake Nyassa.</placeName> <add place="above">in the North</add> Two small ones do - <hi rend="underline"> this agrees with 
<lb/>the general watershed; </hi> and the numbers of running 
<lb/>streams whose mouths <hi rend="underline">must be covered with reeds 
<lb/>as we did not see them from the boat in our first 
<lb/>visit -</hi> but had to cross now in our march, had 
<lb/>convinced me that a large river was not needed 
<lb/>to account for the perennial flow of the <placeName>Shire.</placeName>
<lb/><hi rend="underline"> Nearly all the travelled natives and the Arabs 
<lb/>maintained that <placeName>Loapula</placeName> or <placeName>Luapula</placeName> flows 
<lb/>into <placeName>Tanganyika.</placeName> Is there an opening in the 
<lb/>West of that Lake to discharge its waters by <placeName>Kasai</placeName>
<lb/>into the <placeName>Congo</placeName> East of where I crossed the latter 
<lb/>river? We returned and reaching the ship on the 
<lb/>31<hi rend="sup underline">st</hi> Oct<hi rend="sup">r</hi></hi> found to our great joy all well and 
<lb/>all had enjoyed excellent health without either 
<lb/>medicine or doctors! They had generally been 
<lb/>employed and work is the best preventative 
<lb/>for fever. I took <persName>the steward</persName> with me because 
<lb/><persName>Meller</persName> thought he ought to invalided, and 
<lb/>as usual had told him so - the little fellow walked 
<lb/>like a Briton - had only a touch of fever for <unclear cert="low">one</unclear>

	<pb n="0004" facs="liv_001970_0004"/><!--pb/@n='4'-->
<lb/>and came back pretty well knocked up but in 
<lb/>excellent health. We were on our metal to be 
<lb/>back in time for the very earliest rise and went 
<lb/>660 geographical miles in 55 travelling days -- 
<lb/>on an average 12 miles a day.</p>
<lb/><p>22<hi rend="sup underline">d</hi> Dec<hi rend="sup underline">r</hi> the flood is very late this year. 
<lb/>I hear from <persName>Bishop Tozer</persName> that he has 
<lb/>determined to leave the country as early in the 
<lb/>coming year as possible. He selected the top 
<lb/>of an uninhabited mountain - <placeName>Moremibala</placeName>
<lb/>at the mouth of the <placeName>Shire</placeName> for his residence 
<lb/>It is a detached mass. The land all around 
<lb/>except on the North being flat. all the clouds 
<lb/>collect there and the missionaries have to 
<lb/>rush into their huts to fires or get wet to the 
<lb/>skin in a few minutes. <hi rend="underline"> They knuckle down 
<lb/>to the Portuguese in everything and are about as 
<lb/>useless a set as can be <choice><sic>concieved.</sic><corr>conceived</corr></choice></hi> the first 
<lb/>party never attempted to instruct the natives 
<lb/>in consequence of a conscientious scruple of the 
<lb/><persName>late bishop.</persName><hi rend="underline"> the second party never went 
<lb/>near any population and now run away. </hi>
<lb/>Twenty five boys whom we liberated &amp; gave to 
<lb/><persName>Bishop Mackenzie</persName> were very unwillingly 
<lb/><choice><sic>recieved</sic><corr>received</corr></choice> by <persName>Bishop Tozer</persName> from the remaining 
<lb/>men of the first party. Without them not 
<lb/>a native would have been near the mission 
<lb/>He lately sent six of them up to <placeName>Chibisa's</placeName> with 
<lb/>written instructions to the man in charge "On no 
<lb/>account to take them to the <term type="boat">Pioneer</term>" to which 
<lb/>he himself was coming, and it is reported 
<lb/>that <persName>the bishop</persName> told a Portuguese official 
<lb/>that if the Portuguese demanded the 
<lb/>remainder he would deliver them up. and 
<lb/>this though he knows that I have volunteered 
<lb/>to be at the expense of forwarding them to 
<lb/>the care <persName>M<hi rend="sup underline">r</hi> Waller</persName> would not at <persName>the Bishop's</persName>
<lb/>bidding abandon certain poor women and 

	<pb n="0005" facs="liv_001970_0005"/><!--pb/@n='5'-->
<lb/><!--hand 1 top DL 3//16/2-->children who were attached to the mission by 
<lb/><persName>Bishop Mackenzie</persName> - and <choice><sic>recieved</sic><corr>received</corr></choice> his 
<lb/>dismissal from the mission. I had offered 
<lb/>to arrange with an honorable Portuguese 
<lb/>to feed them till they should raise a crop, but 
<lb/><persName>the bishop</persName> who is a mere nobody in the 
<lb/>hands of <persName>Rev D<hi rend="sup underline">r</hi> Steere</persName> (once a lawyer) was much 
<lb/>offended with <persName>Waller</persName> for feeding them at 
<lb/>my expense during my absence. In this 
<lb/>most incompetent mission there are two, 
<lb/><persName>Mess<hi rend="sup underline">rs</hi> Allington &amp; Drayton,</persName> who disapprove 
<lb/>of <persName>the Bishops</persName> deeds, <hi rend="underline">but <persName>Steere's</persName></hi> word is 
<lb/>law. <hi rend="underline">It is the first protestant mission which 
<lb/>in modern times has been abandoned 
<lb/>that from sheer cowardice. </hi> Not one European 
<lb/>died where I put them from disease 
<w>con-<lb break="no"/>tracted</w> there. <persName>Burrup</persName> was borne thither in 
<lb/>a dying state from the swamps and others 
<lb/>stuck to the swamps in spite of every 
<lb/>remonstrance. Now slaving goes on 
<lb/>more briskly than ever. <persName>Marianno</persName> a 
<lb/><hi rend="underline">rebel</hi> almost half way down <placeName>the Shire</placeName> is 
<lb/>dead and his people are carrying away 
<lb/>hundreds weekly of those he enslaved. It is 
<lb/>done now apparantly in bravado. <hi rend="underline"><persName>The 
<lb/>new bishop's</persName><unclear cert="low">cringing</unclear> policy &amp; our recall 
<lb/>seem to give new life to the slavers.</hi></p>
<lb/><p>In reference to a promise to send out 
<lb/>fresh instructions to the Portuguese officials 
<lb/>to render us every assistance, which was 
<lb/>made in answer to <persName>Lord Russells</persName><w>remon-
<lb break="no"/>strance</w> to the authorities at <placeName>Lisbon,</placeName> we have 
<lb/>only a fresh imposition in the shape of a 
<lb/>tax for residence at <placeName>Quillimane</placeName> by <persName>D<hi rend="sup underline">r</hi>
<lb/>Kirk's</persName> party. It amounted to between £7 &amp; 
<lb/>£8 which of course I must pay. The duty 
<lb/>of 4 pence per pound weight on calico paid 
<lb/>by <persName>Bishop <del type="strikethrough">Mackenzie</del></persName><persName>Tozer</persName> seems to say </p>

	<pb n="0006" facs="liv_001970_0006"/><!--pb/@n='6'-->
<lb/><p><hi rend="underline">We Portuguese mean to seal up the country 
<lb/>more closely than ever. </hi></p><!--line down left hand margin, 10 lines-->
<lb/><p>I never intended to make use of this river 
<lb/>after getting the steamer on the Lake. I only 
<lb/>thought as we had discovered this opening 
<lb/>we ought to make use of it to get up there, 
<lb/>and then send out ivory by the <placeName>Rovuma</placeName>
<lb/>among the eight months when it is navigable. 
<lb/>I regret not being allowed to finish what 
<lb/>I had begun, but dont wonder at being recalled 
<lb/>after losing so much time by <persName>Hardisty's</persName> negligence. 
<lb/>By the way, Rae took <term type="boat">the Pioneer's</term> <add place="above">air</add> pump all 
<lb/>down and found the lower valve all burned. 
<lb/>A large rent in it explained why she would not 
<lb/>as they say "take her water." and a stone the 
<lb/>size of a marble had been in the bottom ever 
<lb/>since we were up here before <add place="above">or in <placeName>Rovuma</placeName></add> after M<hi rend="sup underline">r.</hi>
<lb/>put on Roses at the <placeName>Kongone</placeName> neither stones 
<lb/>nor sand could enter. the foot valve was 
<lb/>also put right, and she now works beautifully 
<lb/>the wearing of the inside of the air pump was 
<lb/>a mistake in <persName>Hardisty's</persName> way of measuring 
<lb/>it. <persName>Rae</persName> had begun to make an apparatus 
<lb/>to bore it out afresh, when he could detect no 
<lb/>wearing. but the valves were out of repair as 
<lb/>I mentioned above. <persName>Rae</persName> suspects that the 
<lb/>boilers are a little burned, but <persName>Hardisty</persName> never 
<lb/>reported anything to me about it. If not 
<lb/>burned the engines are as good as ever they 
<lb/>were, and I trust she will yet do good service. </p>
<lb/><p>The expenses incurred in getting D<hi rend="sup underline">r</hi> Kirks 
<lb/>party away have been very considerable. 
<lb/>For sustanance at <placeName>Quillimane</placeName> alone we 
<lb/>have to pay £30- <persName>Meller's</persName> expenses too 
<lb/>will be heavy. Cattle from <del type="strikethrough"><placeName>Quillimane</placeName></del><del type="strikethrough">Suppua</del>
<lb/><placeName>Senna,</placeName> and sheep &amp; goats from <placeName>Tette,</placeName>
<lb/>with rice and grain from the <placeName>Zambesi,</placeName>
<lb/>make this the most expensive year 

	<pb n="0007" facs="liv_001970_0007"/><!--pb/@n='7'-->
<lb/>we have passed. I shall send all the 
<lb/>particulars as soon as I recieve all the 
<lb/>bills. In addition we have a Johanna 
<lb/>crew at the same rate as Kroomen. I sent 
<lb/>to <placeName>the Cape</placeName> for £150 and hear from <persName>Col<hi rend="sup underline">r</hi>
<lb/>Nunes' nephew</persName> that this sum was lost 
<lb/>on <placeName>Quillimane bar</placeName> by a boat being 
<lb/>upset <add place="above">(no lives lost)</add> but no official notice has 
<lb/>yet reached me. This supply failing 
<lb/><!--three lines down the side-->us, <hi rend="underline">and all my private money being 
<lb/>expended, </hi> I thought it well to avoid 
<lb/>the 25 per cent interest which the Portuguese 
<lb/>charge on debts, and sent by <persName>D<hi rend="sup underline">r</hi> Meller</persName> a 
<lb/>bill to <persName>colonel Nunes</persName> for £150 with the 
<lb/>request that he would pay off the expenses 
<lb/>incurred by <persName>D<hi rend="sup underline">r</hi> Kirk.</persName><persName>Meller</persName> &amp;c and the 
<lb/>costs of sheep goats cattle &amp; rice. <hi rend="underline">He is 
<lb/>one of the only two honorable men 
<lb/>in the country </hi> and I knew of some of the 
<lb/>bills being <add place="above">already</add>liquidated. "The Bill was 
<lb/>dated 14 July 1863. Amount £150 for - 
<lb/>current Expenses - at <placeName>Par.</placeName> I sent a 
<lb/>letter of advise on 14 July last. the 
<lb/>name is " <persName>Colonel Galdino José 
<lb/>Nunes</persName> of <placeName>Quillimane.</placeName>" This is an 
<lb/>additional notice in case the other 
<lb/>with certain letters sent by <persName>Meller</persName>
<lb/>may have been lost in the upsetting 
<lb/>of a canoe. I have to report myself 
<lb/><hi rend="underline">not murdered</hi> according to a 
<lb/>Portuguese report lately industriously 
<lb/>circulated. I did see some <term type="tribe">zulus</term>
<lb/>and they gave chase but on my 

	<pb n="0008" facs="liv_001970_0008"/><!--pb/@n='8'-->
<lb/>turning back a few paces and asking what 
<lb/>they wanted they instantly vanished in the 
<lb/>wood in which we were. <hi rend="underline">The interior tribes 
<lb/>who have not been in the slave trade are all 
<lb/>mild and cowardly. And I hope you will 
<lb/>never lose sight of working out the slave 
<lb/>trade by operations inland. They are absoutely 
<lb/>necessary to render effective the labours of the cruizers.</hi></p>
<lb/><p><term type="boat">The Lady Nyassa</term> is as ready to go as <term type="boat">the Pioneer</term>
<lb/>if the water should rise. The flood cannot be 
<lb/>far off now. <persName>Rae</persName> proposed to take her down 
<lb/>in September last but changed his mind 
<lb/>again &amp; remained here. <hi rend="underline">I thank you for the 
<lb/>charts of the <placeName>Rovuma.</placeName> and I shall endeavour 
<lb/>to take soundings, not on the bar, for there 
<lb/>is none, but opposite the mouth. the 
<lb/>only thing like a bar is at half ebb &amp; up to the 
<lb/>time the tide turns. </hi> When the water rushing 
<lb/>out of the river falls from three or four 
<lb/>fathoms into nineteen fathoms. Thus 
<lb/><figure><!--<graphic style="display:inline float:left" url="lp131-1.gif"/>--><figDesc/></figure>   
<lb/>you are supposed to be 
<lb/>looking sideways at 
<lb/>this. the water tumbling 
<lb/>into the deep just at 
<lb/>the mouth forms a 
<lb/><unclear cert="low">jobble</unclear> which might swamp 
<lb/>a boat but no sooner does the flow begin 
<lb/>then all is smooth. I believe that the 
<lb/><placeName>Rovuma</placeName> may be navigable for a vessel 
<lb/>of light draft eight of nine months a 
<lb/>year. </p>
<lb/><p>I am sorry to have to report the death 
<lb/>of <persName>Abraham Pearce Q.M.<hi rend="sup">r</hi></persName> at <placeName>Quillimane</placeName>
<lb/>on 4<hi rend="sup underline">th</hi> June last. He had an epileptic fit &amp; 
<lb/>became insane on going down <placeName>the Quillimane</placeName>
<lb/>river. Then became calm &amp; another attack at the 
<lb/>village on the second night ended in coma &amp; death 
<lb/>He was of little use but we could not get rid of him 
<lb/>before I am most sincerely yours </p>
<lb/><p rend="right"><space extent="3" unit="words"/><space extent="3" unit="chars"/><persName>David Livingstone</persName></p>
			
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