Until the answer should come to this application, Dr. Livingstone could not return with his Makololo to their own country. While making this application, he was preparing another string for his bow. He wrote to his friend Mr. James Young that if Government refused he would get a vessel at his own expense, and in a succession of letters authorized him to spend £2000 of his own money in the purchase of a suitable ship. Eventually, both suggestions were carried into effect. The Government gave the "Pioneer" for the navigation of the Zambesi and lower Shiré; Livingstone procured the "Lady Nyassa" for the Lake (where, however, she never floated), but the cost was more than £6000--the greater part, indeed, of the profits of his book. The "Ma-Robert," which had promised so well at first, now turned out a great disappointment. Her consumption of fuel was enormous; her furnace had to be lighted hours before the steam was serviceable; she snorted so horribly that they called her "The Asthmatic," and after all she made so little progress that canoes could easily pass her. Having taken much interest in the purchase of the vessel, and thought he was getting a great bargain because its owner professed to do so much through "love of the cause," Livingstone was greatly mortified when he found he had got an inferior and unworthy article; and many a joke he made, as well as remarks of a more serious kind, in connection with the manner which the "eminent shipbuilder" had taken to show his love. Early in 1859 the exploration of the Shiré was begun--a river hitherto absolutely unknown. The country around was rich and fertile, the natives not unfriendly, but suspicious. They had probably never been visited before but by man-stealers, and had never seen Europeans. The Shiré Valley was inhabited by the Manganja, a very warlike race. Some days' journey above the junction with the Zambesi, where the Shiré issues from the mountains, the progress of the party was stopped by rapids, to which they gave the name of the "Murchison Cataracts." It seemed in vain to penetrate among the people at that time without supplies, considering how suspicious they were. Crowds went along the banks watching them by day; they had guards over them all night, and these were always ready with their bows and poisoned arrows. Nevertheless, some progress was made in civilizing them, and at a future time it was hoped that further exploration might take place. Some passages in Livingstone's private Journal give us a glimpse of the more serious thoughts that were passing through his mind at this time: "_March_ 3, 1859.--If we dedicate ourselves to God unreservedly He will make use of whatever peculiarities of constitution He has imparted for his own glory, and He will in answer to prayer give wisdom to guide. He will so guide as to make useful. O how far am I from that hearty devotion to God I read of in others! The Lord have mercy on me a sinner!"