Africa, and of the extraordinary kindness and interest of Sir Bartle Frere, and the pains he had taken to commend him to the good graces of the Sultan of Zanzibar, then in Bombay.  He speaks pleasantly of his sojourn with Dr. Wilson and other friends.  He is particularly pleased with the management and menu of a house kept by four bachelors—­and then he adds:  “Your mamma was an excellent manager of the house, and made everything comfortable.  I suppose it is the habit of attending to little things that makes such a difference in different houses.  As I am to be away from all luxuries soon, I may as well live comfortably with the bachelors while I can.”

To Mr. James Young he writes about the “Lady Nyassa,” which he had sold, after several advertisements, but only for L2300:  “The whole of the money given for her I dedicated to the great object for which she was built.  I am satisfied at having made the effort; would of course have preferred to have succeeded, but we are not responsible for results.”  In reference to the investment of the money, it was intended ultimately to be sunk in Government or railway securities; but meanwhile he had been recommended to invest it in shares of an Indian bank.  Most unfortunately, the bank failed a year or two afterward; and thus the whole of the L6000, which the vessel had cost Livingstone, vanished into air.

His little daughter Anna Mary had a good share of his attention at Bombay: 

“24_th December_, 1865.—­I went last night to take tea in the house of a Hindoo gentleman who is not a professed Christian.  It was a great matter for such to eat with men not of his caste.  Most Hindoos would shrink with horror from contact with us.  Seven little girls were present, belonging to two Hindoo families.  They were from four or five to eight years old.  They were very pleasant-looking, of olive complexions.  Their hair was tied in a knot behind, with a wreath of flowers round the knot; they had large gold ear-rings and European dresses.  One played very nicely on the piano, while the rest sang very nicely a funny song, which shows the native way of thinking about some of our customs.  They sang some nice hymns, and repeated some pieces, as the ’Wreck of the Hesperus,’ which was given at the examination of Oswell’s school.  Then all sung, ’There is a happy land, far, far away,’ and it, with some of the Christian hymns, was beautiful.  They speak English perfectly, but with a little foreign twang.  All joined in a metrical prayer before retiring.  They have been taught all by their father, and it was very pleasant to see that this teaching had brought out their natural cheerfulness.  Native children don’t look lively, but these were brimful of fun.  One not quite as tall as yourself brought a child’s book to me, and with great glee pointed out myself under the lion.  She can read fluently, as I suppose you can by this time now.  I said that I would like a little girl like her to go with me to