y a dense
population. His anxiety to benefit this region led finally to his
undertaking to explore the whole country westward to the Atlantic at
St. Paul de Loanda, and eastward to the Indian Ocean at Quilimane.

Livingstone had married at Mabotse, Mary, eldest daughter of the
Rev. R. Moffat, and now he found it necessary to send her, with
their children, to England, that he might be free for this vast and
perilous undertaking. To accomplish it occupied from June 8, 1852,
when he left Cape Town, to May 26, 1856, when he arrived at
Quilimane. This journey was accomplished with a mere handful of
followers, and a mere pittance of stores, amid sicknesses and other
bodily troubles, perils, and difficulties without number. But a vast
amount of valuable information was gathered respecting the country
and its products, its geography and natural history, the native
tribes, the regions that were favorable to health, and some great
natural wonders, such as the Zambesi Falls.

Livingstone, however, found that the London Missionary Society were
not willing that he should be to so large an extent an explorer, and
some time after returning to Britain he resigned his office as one
of their missionaries.

At home Livingstone was welcomed with extraordinary enthusiasm,
receiving the acknowledgments and honors of scientific societies,
universities, town councils, and other public bodies in every
quarter of the country. In addition to these tokens of honor, the
fifteen months spent at home were signalized by three things: the
writing of his book, "Missionary Travels" (1857), which was received
with the liveliest interest; his visit to Cambridge, awakening the
enthusiasm of many of the students, and leading to the formation
afterward of the "Universities Mission;" and his appointment by Her
Majesty's Government as chief of an expedition for exploring the
Zambesi and its tributaries, and the regions adjacent.

On this expedition Livingstone set out on March 10, 1858. While
successful in many ways, it led to not a little disappointment.
Livingstone explored the Zambesi, the Shire, and the Rovuma;
discovered Lakes Shirwa and Nyassa, and came to a decided conclusion
that Lake Nyassa and its neighborhood was the best field for both
commercial and missionary operations. His disappointments arose from
the grievous defects of a steamer sent out to him by Government,
from the death of comrades and helpers, including his wife and
Bishop Mackenz