AtLoandaLivingstonewasattackedbyafever，whichreducedhimtoaskeleton，andforawhilerenderedhimunabletoattendtohiscompanionsButtheymanagedverywellalone。
Somewenttotheforest，cutfirewood，andbroughtittotownforsale；
othersunloadedacoal-vesselintheharbor，atthemagnificentwagesofasixpenceadayTheproceedsoftheirlaborwereshrewdlyinvestedinclothandbeadswhichtheywouldtakehomewiththeminconfirmationoftheastoundingstoriestheywouldhavetotell；
“for。”saidthey，“incomingtothewhiteman’scountry，wehaveaccomplishedwhatnootherpeopleintheworldcouldhavedone；wearethetrueancients，whocantellwonderfulthings。”
Thetwoyears，atthecloseofwhichLivingstonehadpromisedtorejoinhisfamily，hadalmostexpired，andhewasofferedapassagehomefromLoanda。
Butthegreatobjectofhisexpeditionwasonlypartiallyattained。
Thoughhehadreachedthewestcoastinsafety，hehadfoundthattheforests，swamps，andriversmustrenderawagon-roadfromtheinteriorimpracticable。
Hefearedalsothathisnativeattendantswouldnotbeabletomaketheirwayalonebacktotheirowncountry，throughtheunfriendlytribes。
Soheresolved，feebleashewas，toreturntoSekeletu’sdominions，andthenceproceedtotheeasterncoast。
InSeptemberhestartedonhisreturnjourney，bearingconsiderablepresentsforSekeletufromthePortuguese，whowerenaturallyanxioustoopenatradewiththerichivoryregionoftheinteriorTheBoardofPublicWorkssentacolonel’suniformandahorse，whichunfortunatelydiedontheway。
Themerchantscontributedspecimensofalltheirarticlesoftrade，andacoupleofdonkeys，whichwouldhaveaspecialvalueonaccountoftheirimmunityfromthebiteofthetsetseThemenweremadehappybytheacquisitionofasuitofEuropeanclothesandagunapiece，inadditiontotheirownpurchases。
IntheBashinjecountryheagainencounteredhostiledemonstrations。
Onechief，whocameridingintothecampupontheshouldersofanattendant，wasespeciallyannoyinginhisdemandsfortributeAnother，whohadquarreledwithoneofLivingstone’sattendants，waylaidandfireduponthepartyLivingstone，whowasillofafever，staggereduptothechief，revolverinhandThesightofthesixmouthsofthatconvenientimplementgapingathisbreastwroughtaninstantrevolutioninhismartialideas；
hefellintoafitoftrembling，protestingthathehadjustcometohaveaquiettalk，andwantedonlypeace。
TheseBashinjehavemoreofthelownegrocharacterandphysiognomythananytribeencounteredbyLivingstoneTheircolorisadirtyblack；
theyhavelowforeheadsandflatnoses，artificiallyenlargedbysticksrunthroughtheseptum，andfiletheirteethdowntoapoint。
Alittlefurthertothesouththecomplexionofthenativesismuchlighter，andtheirfeaturesarestrikinglylikethosedepictedupontheEgyptianmonuments，theresemblancebeingstillfurtherincreasedbysomeoftheirmodesofwearingthehairLivingstoneindeedaffirmsthattheEgyptianpaintingsandsculpturespresentthebesttypeofthegeneralphysiognomyofthecentraltribes。
Thereturnjourneywasstillslowerthantheadvancehadbeen；
anditwasnottilllateinthesummerof1855thattheyreachedthevillagesoftheMakololo，havingbeenabsentmorethaneighteenmonths。
Theywerereceivedasmenrisenfromthedead，forthedivinershaddeclaredthattheyhadperishedlongagoThereturnedadventurerswerethelionsofthedayTheystruttedaroundintheirgayEuropeansuits，withtheirgunsovertheirshoulders，totheaboundingadmirationofthewomenandchildren，callingthemselvesLivingstone’s“braves“，whohadgoneoverthewholeworld，turningbackonlywhentherewasnomorelandTobesuretheyreturnedaboutaspoorastheywent，fortheirgunandtheironesuitofredandwhitecottonwereallthattheyhadsaved，everythingelsehavingbeenexpendedduringtheirlongjourney“Butnevermind。”theysaid；
“wehavenotgoneinvain，youhaveopenedapathforus。”
TherewasoneseriousdrawbackfromtheirhappinessSomeoftheirwives，likethoseofthecompanionsofUlyssesofold，weariedbytheirlongabsence，hadmarriedotherhusbandsTheytookthismisfortunemuchtoheart。
“Wives。”saidoneofthebereavedhusbands，“areasplentyasgrass
Icangetanother；but。”headdedbitterly，“ifIhadthatfellowIwouldslithisearsforhim。”Livingstonedidthebesthecouldforthem。
HeinducedthechiefstocompelthemenwhohadtakentheonlywifeofanyonetogiveheruptoherformerhusbandThoseandtheywerethemajority
whohadstillanumberleft，heconsoledbytellingthemthattheyhadquiteasmanyaswasgoodforthemmorethanhehimselfhad。
So，undeterredbythissingleuntowardresultoftheirexperiment，theadventurersoneandallsetaboutgatheringivoryforanotheradventuretothewest。
LivingstonehadsatisfiedhimselfthatthegreatRiverLeeambye，upwhichhehadpaddledsomanymilesonhiswaytothewest，wasidenticalwiththeZambesi，whichhehaddiscoveredfouryearspreviously。
Thetwonamesareindeedthesame，bothmeaningsimply“TheRiver“，indifferentdialectsspokenonitsbanksThisgreatriverisanobjectofwondertothenativesTheyhaveasongwhichruns，“TheLeeambye！NobodyknowsWhenceitcomes，andwhitheritgoes。”
Livingstonehadpursueditfaruptowarditssource，andknewwhenceitcame；
andnowheresolvedtofollowitdowntothesea，trustingthatitwouldfurnishawatercommunicationintotheveryheartofthecontinent。
ItwasnowOctoberthecloseofthehotseasonThethermometerstoodat100Degintheshade；inthesunitsometimesroseto130Deg。
Duringthedaythepeoplekeptcloseintheirhuts，guzzlingakindofbeercalled`boyola’，andseemingtoenjoythecopiousperspirationwhichitinducesAseveningsetinthedancebegan，whichwaskeptupinthemoonlighttilllongaftermidnight。
Sekeletu，proudofhisnewuniform，andpleasedwiththeprospectoftradewhichhadbeenopened，entertainedLivingstonehospitably，andpromisedtofithimoutforhiseasternjourneyassoonastherainshadcommenced，andsomewhatcooledtheburningsoil。
HesetoutearlyinNovember，thechiefwithalargebodyofretainersaccompanyinghimasfarastheFallsofMosioatunye，themostremarkablepieceofnaturalsceneryinallAfrica，whichnoEuropeanhadeverseenorheardofTheZambesi，hereathousandyardsbroad，seemsallatoncetoloseitselfintheearthIttumblesintoafissureinthehardbasalticrock，runningataright-anglewiththecourseofthestream，andprolongedforthirtymilesthroughthehillsThisfissure，hardlyeightyfeetbroad，withsidesperfectlyperpendicular，isfullyahundredfeetindepthdowntothesurfaceofthewater，whichshowslikeawhitethreadatitsbottomThenoisemadebythedescentofsuchamassofwaterintothisseethingabyssisheardformiles，andfivedistinctcolumnsofvaporriselikepillarsofsmoketoanenormousheight。
HencetheMakololonameforthecataract，`Mosioatunye’
“Smokesoundsthere！”forwhichLivingstone，withquestionabletaste，proposestosubstitutethenameof“VictoriaFalls“achangewhichwetrusttheworldwillnotsanction。
Fromthesefallsthecountrygraduallyascendstowardtheeast，theriverfindingitswaybythisdeepfissurethroughthehills。
Everythingshowsthatthiswholeregion，forhundredsofmiles，wasoncethebedofanimmensefresh-waterlakeBysomeconvulsionofnature，occurringataperiodgeologicallyrecent，thisfissurewasformed，andthroughitthelakewasdrained，withtheexceptionofitsdeepestpart，whichconstitutesthepresentLakeNgamiSimilarindicationsexistoftheformerexistenceofotherimmensebodiesofwater，whichhaveinlikemannerbeendrainedbyfissuresthroughthesurroundingelevations，leavingshallowlakesatthelowestpointsSuchare，undoubtedly，Tsadatthenorth，Ngamiatthesouth，Diloloatthewest，andTaganyikaandNyanja，ofwhichwehaveonlyvaguereports，attheeast。
Thisgreatlakeregionofformerdaysseemstohaveextended2500milesfromnorthtosouth，withanaveragebreadth，fromeasttowest，of600or700miles。
ThetruetheoryoftheAfricancontinentis，thatitconsistsofawell-wateredtrough，surroundedonallsidesbyanelevatedrim，composedinpartofmountainranges，andinpartofhighsandydeserts。
Livingstone，whohadwroughtoutthistheoryfromhisownpersonalobservations，wasalmostdisappointedwhen，onreturningtoEngland，hefoundthatthesametheoryhadbeenannouncedonpurelygeologicalgroundsbySirRoderickMurchison，thesamephilosopherwhohadaverredthatgoldmustexistinAustralia，longbeforethefirstdiggingshadbeendiscoveredthere。
SekeletuhadcommissionedLivingstone，whenhereachedhisowncountry，topurchaseforhimasugar-mill，agoodrifle，differentkindsofclothing，brasswire，beads，and，inaword，“anyotherbeautifulthinghemightsee。”
furnishinghimwithaconsiderablequantityofivorytopayforthem。
TheirwaylaythroughthecountryoftheBatoka，afiercetribewhohadafewyearsbeforeattempted“toeatup“Sebituane，withillsuccess，forhedispersedthemandtookawaytheircattleTheircountry，oncepopulous，isnowalmostdesolateAtoneoftheirruinedvillagesLivingstonesawfive-and-fortyhumanskullsbleachinguponstakesstuckinthegroundIntheoldtimesthechiefsusedtoviewitheachotherastowhosevillageshouldbeornamentedwiththegreatestnumberoftheseghastlytrophies；andaskullwasthemostacceptablepresentfromanyonewhowishedtocurryfavorwithachiefTheBatokahaveanoddcustomofknockingoutthefrontteethfromtheupperjaw。
Thelowerones，relievedfromtheattritionandpressureoftheupper，growlongandprotruding，forcingthelowerlipoutinahideousmanner。
Theysaythattheywishtheirmouthstobelikethoseofoxen，andnotlikethoseofzebrasNoyoungBatokafemalecanlayanyclaimtobeingabelleuntilshehasthusacquiredan“ox-mouth“。
“Lookatthegreatteeth！”isthedisparagingcriticismmadeuponthosewhoneglecttoremovetheirincisorsThewomenwearalittleclothing，butthemendisdaineventheparadisiacalfig-leaf，andgoaboutinastateofabsolutenudityLivingstonetoldthemthatheshouldcomebacksomedaywithhisfamily，whennoneofthemmustcomenearwithoutatleastputtingonabunchofgrassTheythoughtitacapitaljoke。
Theirmodeofsalutationistoflingthemselvesflatontheirbacks，androllfromsidetoside，slappingtheoutsideoftheirnakedthighs。
ThecountryaboundswithgameBuffaloesandzebrasbythehundredgrazedontheopenspacesAtonetimetheirprocessionwasinterruptedbythreebuffaloeswhocamedashingthroughtheirranksLivingstone’soxsetoffatafuriousgallopLookingback，hesawoneofhismenflungupintotheairbyatossfromoneofthebeasts，whohadcarriedhimonhishornsfortwentyyardsbeforegivingthefinalpitch。
Thefellowcamedownflatonhisface，buttheskinwasnotpierced，andnobonewasbrokenHiscomradesgavehimabriskshampooing，andinaweekhewasaswellasever。
Thebordercountrypassed，thenativesgrewmorefriendly，andgladlysuppliedallthewantsofthetravelersAboutthemiddleofDecember，whentheirjourneywashalfover，theycameuponthefirsttracesofEuropeansadesertedtown，aruinedchurch，andabrokenbellinscribedwithacrossandthelettersIHS。，butbearingnodate。
Afewdaysaftertheymetamanwearingahatandjacket。
HehadcomefromthePortuguesesettlementofTete，fardowntheriver。
Fromhimtheylearnedthatawarwasgoingonbelow，betweenthePortugueseandthenativesAchief，namedMpende，showedsignsofhostilityLivingstone’smen，whohadbecomewornandraggedbytheirlongjourney，rejoicedattheprospectofafight。
“Now。”saidthey，“weshallgetcornandclothesinplenty。
Youhaveseenuswithelephants，butyoudon’tknowwhatwecandowithmen。”
Afterawhiletwooldmenmadetheirappearance，tofindoutwhothestrangerswere“IamaLekoaEnglishman。”saidLivingstone。
“Wedon’tknowthattribe。”theyreplied；“wesupposeyouareaMozungaPortuguese。”UponLivingstone’sshowingthemhislonghairandthewhiteskinofhisbosomtheyexclaimed，“WeneversawsowhiteaskinasthatYoumustbeoneofthattribethatlovestheblackmen。”LivingstoneeagerlyassuredhimthatsuchwasthecaseSekwebu，theleaderofhismen，putinaword：
“Ah，ifyouonlyknewhimaswellaswedo，whohavelivedwithhim，youwouldknowhowhighlyhevaluesyourfriendship；andasheisastrangerhetrustsinyoutodirecthim。”Thechief，convincedthathewasanEnglishman，receivedthepartyhospitablyandforwardedthemontheirway。
ThefrequentappearanceofEnglishgoodsshowedthattheywereapproachingthecoast，andnotlongafterwardLivingstonemetacoupleofnativetraders，fromwhom，fortwosmalltusks，heboughtaquantityofAmericancottonmarked“LawrenceMills，Lowell“，whichhedistributedamonghismen。
Foranothermonththeytraveledslowlyonthroughafertilecountry，aboundinginanimallife，bagginganelephantorabuffalowhenshortofmeatLionsarenumerous，butthenatives，believingthatthesoulsoftheirdeadchiefsenterthebodiesoftheseanimals，intowhichtheyalsohavethepower，whenliving，oftransformingthemselvesatwill，neverkillthemWhentheymeetaliontheysalutehimbyclappingtheirhandsacourtesywhichhisHighnessfrequentlyreturnsbymakingamealofthem。
Inthisregionthewomenaredecidedlyintheascendant。
Thebridegroomisobligedtocometothevillageofthebridetolive。
Herehemustperformcertainservicesforhismother-in-law，suchaskeepingheralwayssuppliedwithfire-woodAboveallthings，hemustalways，wheninherpresence，sitwithhislegsbentunderhim，itbeingconsideredamarkofdisrespecttopresenthisfeettowardher。
Ifhewishestoleavethevillage，hemustnottakehischildrenwithhim；
theybelongtohiswife，or，rather，toherfamilyHecan，however，bythepaymentofacertainnumberofcattle，“buyup“hiswifeandchildren。
Whenamanisdesiredtoperformanyservicehealwaysaskshiswife’sconsent；ifsherefuses，noamountofbriberyorcoaxingwillinducehimtodisobeyher。
OntheeveningofMarch2，Livingstone，tiredandhungry，camewithineightmilesofthePortuguesesettlementofTete。
HesentforwardthelettersofrecommendationwhichhehadreceivedfromthePortugueseontheothersideofthecontinent。