Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1860-03-21

Intelligence up to late date in Decem-
Der last, has been received in England, from
DR.. Livingstone, the African explorer. lie
was then on the Zambesi, Ia great river dis
covered by himself in a former tour, and
he and his party were engaged in repairing
their steam launch, the iron plates OF which
had been worn to the thinness OF wafer.
They had returned from a second expedition
up the Shire. in which they penetrated Tar
up beyond Lake Shirwa to Lake Nyassa.
The former they ascertained TO be sheet OF
water ninety miles in length, while the lat
Ter is of still larger magnitude, and one OF
the chain of lakes Of which the discoveries
of Captains Burton and Spoke are the con-
tinuation northward. DR.. Livingstone speaks
in glowing terms Of the country which he
trayersed, and has applied to the Church
Missionary Society in London, to exert them
selves for occupying it as most inviting
mission field. He has, also, rs he says, dis
covered new cotton growing region-which
indeed, was one of the principal objects
which the British government had IN view,
in aiding the Dr.'s explorations. The most
enthusiastic accounts are given Of this new
Cotton country-it is said to be "a region
full of cotton" The New York Herald,
commenting upon the statements made by
DR.. L., concerning his discoveries, and they
are in truth, very interesting, says:-"There
are some characteristics in Dr. Livingstone's
new cotton supply region, which are worthy
Of notice. First, we have the candid admis-
sion that "the navigation OF the Zambesl Is
still an open question, but 1t Is expected
that during the food season it will be found
in every respect to meet all anticlpatlons.
Next we are told that "the party had all,
more or less, suffered from fever" natu-
raj thing enough in Africa, but rather dis
couraging to white traders and Settlers
Then the explorers came to fine country,
the like of which they had never before seen,
where there are changes of climate within
a few miles of each other, and it IS cotton
field superior in many respects to the Amer
lean" The river Shire comes flowing out
Of q lake the wi ole year, and has thirty
three miles Of cataract in It, When they
told the people that they should plant plen-
ty of cotton, and perhaps the English would
come to buy it, one of them replied that 1.-THE
country is full of cotton" and indeed the
travellers saw that every family had 'about
a quarter of an acre each" in cotton, and sin
every village men busy cleaning, spinning
and weaving cotton" We are told that "this
vast cotton region is easily accessible up
the Zambesi enc hundred miles, up the Shire
one hundred and twelve miles more, and
then thirty miles of land transportation
round the cataracts, brings is to the valley
of the upper Shire, twelve miles vide at the
foot of the lake, but soon widening to TWEEN
ty or thirty miles. The inhabitants of this
fine cotton producing country, besides spin
ming and weaving on every hill, dig iron out
of the hills, from which they manufacture
hoes, axes" &C., and 60 dressed sin the
bark of trees, skins of goats, and native
cloth."" Two hundred and odd miles OF
African fever country, and then thirty miles
of mountain travel, TO come to cotton grow
ing valley twenty miles broad by sixty long,
in the hope that it would yield supply of
the raw material capable of competing with,
or displacing the product OF, twelve millions
of whites and five millions of slaves. would
seem to be not very encouraging prospect
for those who expect to get their cotton IN
Africa, instead of America.