ABSTRACT
IT was in May, 1882, that I read the above words in ajournal published by the British and Foreign Sailors'Society. The question was addressed to the public by Captain Hore of the London Missionary Society. He was about to proceed to Lake 'l"anganyika with a steel life-boat, which he intended to transport in sections through East Africa, on carts specially constructed for so great an undertaking; for it is 820 miles from the coast to Lake Tanganyika. 'I'here are no roads, and the native paths leading from village to village are too narrow for carts. However, it was not my business to question the Captain's ability to overcome the innumerable difficulties familiar to anyone acquainted with the writings of Livingstone and Stanley. My work was to respond to the appeal if I wanted to take a hand in the opening up of this part of Africa. Applicants were required to possess a Board of Trade certificate as chief officer in the Mercantile Marine, and to be willing to submit to an examination before the rather formidable Board of Directors of the London Missionary Society.
