, it is bitter to see some 900 miles of coast
abandoned to those who were the first to begin the
slave-trade, and seem determined to be the last to abandon
it."

Writing to Mr. Waller at this time he said: "I don't know whether I am
to go on the shelf or not. If I do, I make Africa the shelf. If the
'Lady Nyassa' is well sold, I shall manage. There is a Ruler above, and
his providence guides all things. He is our Friend, and has plenty of
work for all his people to do. Don't fear of being left idle, if willing
to work for Him. I am glad to her of Alington. If the work is of God it
will came out all right at last. To Him shall be given of the gold of
Sheba, and daily shall He be praised. I always think it was such a
blessing and privilege to be led into his work instead of into the
service of the hard taskmasters--the Devil and Sin."

The reason assigned by Earl Russell for the recall of the Expedition
were, that, not through any fault of Dr. Livingstone's, it had not
accomplished the objects for which it had been designed, and that it had
proved much more costly than was originally expected. Probably the
Government felt likewise that their remonstrances with the Portuguese
Government were unavailing, and that their relations were becoming too
uncomfortable. Even among those most friendly to Dr. Livingstone's great
aim, and most opposed to the slave-trade, and to the Portuguese policy
in Africa, there were some who doubted whether his proposed methods of
procedure were quite consistent with the rights of the Portuguese
Government. His Royal Highness the Prince-Consort indicated some feeling
of this kind in his interview with Livingstone in 1857. He expressed the
feeling more strongly when he declined the request, made to him through
Professor Sedgwick of Cambridge, that he would allow himself to be
Patron of the Universities Mission. Dr. Livingstone knew well that from
that exalted quarter his plans would receive no active support. That he
should have obtained the support he did from successive Governments and
successive Foreign Secretaries, Liberal and Conservative, was a great
gratification, if not something of a surprise. Hence the calmness with
which he received the intelligence of the recall. Toward the Portuguese
Government his feelings were not very sweet. On them lay the guilt of
arresting a work that would have conferred untold blessing on Africa. He
determined to make this known very clearly whe