One Of The Discoveries I Have Made
Is That There Are Vast Numbers Of Good People In The World,
And
I do most devoutly tender my unfeigned thanks to that Gracious One
who mercifully watched over me in every position,
And influenced the hearts
of both black and white to regard me with favor.
With the united testimony of Captain Parker and Lieutenant Hoskins,
added to my own observation, there can be no reasonable doubt but that
the real mouth of the Zambesi is available for the purposes of commerce.
The delta is claimed by the Portuguese, and the southern bank of the Luabo,
or Cuama, as this part of the Zambesi is sometimes called,
is owned by independent natives of the Caffre family.
The Portuguese are thus near the main entrance to the new central region;
and as they have of late years shown, in an enlightened and liberal spirit,
their desire to develop the resources of Eastern Africa
by proclaiming Mozambique a free port, it is to be hoped
that the same spirit will lead them to invite mercantile enterprise
up the Zambesi, by offering facilities to those who may be led
to push commerce into the regions lying far beyond their territory.
Their wish to co-operate in the noble work of developing
the resources of the rich country beyond could not be shown better
than by placing a village with Zambesian pilots at the harbor of Mitilone,
and erecting a light-house for the guidance of seafaring men.
If this were done, no nation would be a greater gainer by it
than the Portuguese themselves, and assuredly no other
needs a resuscitation of its commerce more. Their kindness to me personally
makes me wish for a return of their ancient prosperity;
and the most liberal and generous act of the enlightened young king
H. M. Don Pedro, in sending out orders to support my late companions
at the public expense of the province of Mozambique until my return
to claim them, leads me to hope for encouragement in every measure
for either the development of commerce, the elevation of the natives,
or abolition of the trade in slaves.
As far as I am myself concerned, the opening of the new central country
is a matter for congratulation only in so far as it opens up a prospect
for the elevation of the inhabitants. As I have elsewhere remarked,
I view the end of the geographical feat as the beginning
of the missionary enterprise. I take the latter term
in its most extended signification, and include every effort made
for the amelioration of our race, the promotion of all those means by which
God in His providence is working, and bringing all His dealings with man
to a glorious consummation. Each man in his sphere, either knowingly
or unwittingly, is performing the will of our Father in heaven.
Men of science, searching after hidden truths, which, when discovered,
will, like the electric telegraph, bind men more closely together -
soldiers battling for the right against tyranny - sailors rescuing
the victims of oppression from the grasp of heartless men-stealers -
merchants teaching the nations lessons of mutual dependence -
and many others, as well as missionaries, all work in the same direction,
and all efforts are overruled for one glorious end.
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