objects misplaced in
transcribing. But upon the whole I do not hesitate to assert that no
explorer on record has determined his path with the precision you have
accomplished." A year afterward, 11th August, 1855, but with reference
to papers received from Sekeletu's place, Mr. Maclear details what he
had done in reducing his observations, preparing abstracts of them,
sending them to the authorities, and publishing them in the Cape papers.
He informs him that Sir John Herschel placed them before the
Geographical Society, and that a warm eulogium on his labors and
discoveries, and particularly on the excellent series of observations
which fixed his track so exactly, appeared in the President's Address.

Then, referring to his wonderful journey to Loanda, and remarkable
escapes, he says: "Nor is your escape with life from so many attacks of
fever other than miraculous. Perhaps there is nothing on record of the
kind, and it can only be explained by Divine interference for a good
purpose. O may life be continued to you, my dear friend! You have
accomplished more for the happiness of mankind than has been done by all
the African travelers hitherto put together."

Mr. Maclear's reference to Livingstone's work, in writing to Sir John
Herschel, was in these terms: "Such a man deserves every encouragement
in the power of his country to give. He has done that which few other
travelers in Africa can boast of--he has fixed his geographical points
with very great accuracy, and yet he is only a poor missionary."

Nor did Dr. Livingstone pass unrewarded in other quarters. In the
Geographical Society, his journey to Loanda, of which he sent them an
account, excited the liveliest interest. In May, 1855, on the motion of
Sir Roderick Murchison, the Society testified its appreciation by
awarding him their gold medal--the highest honor they had to bestow. The
occasion was one of great interest. From the chair, Lord Ellesmere
spoke of Livingstone's work in science as but subordinate to those
higher ends which he had ever prosecuted in the true spirit of a
missionary. The simplicity of his arrangements gave additional wonder to
the results. There had just appeared an account of a Portuguese
expedition of African exploration from the East Coast:

"I advert to it," said his Lordship, "to point out the
contrast between the two. Colonel Monteiro was the leader of
a small army--some twenty Portuguese soldiers, and a hundred