ure, however, was a losing one to the poor
commandant: a fire had broken out in the camp, and the ostrich feathers
had been burned; the cattle had died from the bite of the _tsetse_, as
had the white bull, and six hundred of the sheep had been eaten by the
slaves, they thinking more of their own comfort than their master's
gain.

This is one of the many proofs of the clearness of slave labour.

Proceeding down the river in boats, the expedition reached Congo on the
4th of January, 1861. Here a flagstaff and a custom-house (a floorless
hut of mangrove stakes roofed with stakes) had been erected.

The garrison of the place being almost starved, the provisions of the
expedition also ran short, though they obtained game in abundance.

On the 31st the "Pioneer," the steamer which had been sent to replace
the "Asthmatic," appeared off the bar, but the bad weather prevented her
entering. At the same time two men-of-war arrived, bringing Bishop
Mackenzie at the head of the Oxford and Cambridge mission to the tribes
of the Shire and Lake Nyassa. It consisted of six Englishmen and five
coloured men from the Cape. The bishop wished at once to proceed up to
Chibisa; but the "Pioneer" was under orders to explore the Rovuma, and
it was ultimately arranged that the members of the mission should be
carried over to Johanna in the "Lyra" man-of-war, while the bishop
himself accompanied the expedition in the "Pioneer."

They reached the mouth of the Rovuma on the 25th of February. The rainy
season was already half over, and the river had fallen considerably.

The scenery was superior to that on the Zambesi.

Eight miles from the mouth the mangrove disappeared, and a beautiful
range of well-wooded hills rose on either side.

Unhappily fever broke out, and the navigation of the "Pioneer" fell to
the charge of Dr Livingstone and his companions.

The water falling rapidly, it was considered dangerous to run the risk
of detention in the river for a year, and the ship returned down to the
sea.

On their voyage back they touched at Mohilla, one of the Comoro Islands,
and from thence went on to Johanna, where they received the Bishop's
followers, and proceeded back to the Kongone. Thence they at once
directed their course up the Zambesi to the Shire. The "Pioneer," it
was found, drew too much water for the navigation of the river, and she
in consequence frequently grounded.

Among his many duties, Charles Livingstone was engage