Dear Sir,—­We have the pleasure to return you the specimens of fibrous plants from the Zambesi River, on which you were desirous to see the effects of our treatment; we therefore inclose to you,

No. 1.  Buaze, in the state received from you. 1 A. Do. as prepared by us. 1 B. The tow which has come from it in hackling.  No. 2.  Conge, as received from you. 2 A. Do. as prepared by us.

With regard to both these fibres, we must state that the very minute quantity of each specimen has prevented our subjecting them to any thing like the full treatment of our process, and we can therefore only give you an approximate idea of their value.

The Buaze evidently possesses a very strong and fine fibre, assimilating to flax in its character, but we believe, when treated in quantity by our process, it would show both a stronger and finer fibre than flax; but being unable to apply the rolling or pressing processes with any efficiency to so very small a quantity, the gums are not yet so perfectly extracted as they would be, nor the fibre opened out to so fine a quality as it would then exhibit.

This is even yet more the case with the Conge, which, being naturally a harsh fibre, full of gums, wants exactly that powerful treatment which our process is calculated to give it, but which can not be applied to such miniature specimens.  We do not therefore consider this as more than half treated, its fibre consequently remaining yet harsh, and coarse, and stiff, as compared with what it would be if treated in quantity.

Judging that it would be satisfactory to you to be in possession of the best practical opinion to be obtained on such a subject, we took the liberty of forwarding your little specimens to Messrs. Marshall, of Leeds, who have kindly favored us with the following observations on them: 

“We have examined the samples you sent us yesterday, and think the Conge or aloe fibre would be of no use to us, but the Buaze fibre appears to resemble flax, and as prepared by you will be equal to flax worth 50 Pounds or 60 Pounds per ton, but we could hardly speak positively to the value unless we had 1 cwt. or 2 cwt. to try on our machinery.  However, we think the result is promising, and we hope further inquiry will be made as to the probable supply of the material.”

   We are, dear sir, your very obedient servants, Pye, Brothers.

   The Rev. Dr. Livingstone.

A representation of the plant is given in the annexed woodcut,* as a help to its identification.  I was unable to procure either the flowers or fruit; but, as it is not recognized at sight by that accomplished botanist and eminent traveler, Dr. J. D. Hooker, it may safely be concluded that it is quite unknown to botanists.  It is stated by the Portuguese to grow in large quantities in the Maravi country north of the Zambesi, but it is not cultivated, and the only known use it has been put to is in making threads on which the natives string their beads.  Elsewhere the split tendons of animals are employed for this purpose.  This seems to be of equal strength, for a firm thread of it feels like catgut in the hand, and would rather cut the fingers than break.