CHAl’TER VIII.
LONDA OR LINDA.
Lessons of Experience—Sansawi-.* D,.,,wn Is —His Refusal—A Blow on tht lieard
— Revenge—Chan^in^ the Tune—D,nulir” and lielles—Lizards and Snakes— Seven Thousand Fowls for Ten Dollars—Many Village Mania—The Scas-,ns— Sister of Matiamoo—An Ox or a .Man—Strategy—Trial fo, Mm.ler —Street Fight—Dish of White An:s— Lovely lied of Mowers—God in Nature
— A Noble Chief—Shinte.s AL,-,,in—The Leeba—Life Once More—Hniialo Hunt—Libonta Welcome—Thanksgiving Service—A Matrimo,ral Drawback —Capsi/ed in the Lce,unbye —Sekelotu in Full Dress—The True Am-icnts in White—Promising Opening—Preparation for the Journey—Going Eastward— Parting Words of Mamire—The Tribute of Faithfulness.
Experience is a famous teacher; its tuition has much to do with a man’s comfort anywhere, particularly in Africa. Dr. Livingstone had been the victim of the border chiefs because In; was not absolutely certain that he could be anything else; l.nt he was of a different mind now, because he had learned that a decided independence was not only the safest course, but the kindest, as it would check in the outset the aggressions which no amount of patience could satisf.v. Therefore, when he pitched his tent among the Bashange—this time by Sansa’.ve’s town—he was in no mood to put up wijh the covetous impositions of that presumptuous gentleman. The party was hardlv settled, however, before he made his appearance, in true Balonda fashion, mounted on his carrier’s shoulders, and indulging in any quantity of palaver ; winding up, finally, with the expected information, that he would return in the evening to receive his dues. He manifested a little surprise when his supposed victim replied, with rather uncommon boldness, that he need not come unless he brought with him a present of a fowl and some eggs, as a chief should. In the evening he came, in his wonted dignity, and after visiting the camp.s of some traders, who paid quite extravagantly for his favor, nvule his respects to Dr. Livingstone and presented “two cocks.” But when he re150 A BLOW Oy THE BEARD.
ceived only a few trifling articles, and a serious lecture in the bargain, he was in a very unfriendly humor. The quiet indifference of Livingstone was a hint, however, which the reputation of the Makololo—a number of whom he saw about him, in possession of first-rate muskets—emphasized quite to his satisfaction, and there was no greater trouble than his harmless frown. But a little farther on, after the party had ascended from the valley and were on the table land once more, they met a more resolute individual in the person of the head man of a little village, where they had been detained several weeks by the sickness of Livingstone, who had already fallen a prey to the wasting fevers which had made his life almost a burden in this country a year before; and besides the fevers he was now afllictcd with rheumatism. It was hardly possible that he should be anything else than ill, drenched by day in the incessant rains, and sleeping at night on such beds as they were able to rake up of the saturated earth and dripping grass. He had been forced to lie by many days, and was only partially recovered, when the incident referred to occurred. The said “head “man ” had come to his camp and was bargaining and quarrelling \iith some of his men, when one of them, not overly burdened \vith the gentler qualities, administered a striking rebuke for seme offensive speech. Nothing could atone for the “blow on tl e beard.” The more the party yielded the more he derounded, until Livingstone determined to do no more and d :parted. They had not gone very far, and were passing through a forest, when a body of men came rushing after them and initiated an affray by knocking down the burdens of the men in the rear. In an instant the Makololo were on their mettle and several shots were fired, and the two parties were taking their places on the sides of the path for more serious work. Hardly able to walk, Livingstone staggered quickly back and encountered the chief. That individual was hardly prepared to weleome the appearance of “a revolver with six barrels gaping into his stomach,” and exhibited a singular reversion of feeling instantly, and, trembling in every limb, cried out, “Oh, I have only corwe to speak with you!” It was hardly necessary for the traveller to insist much on the frightened mob’s immediate departure, and our party passed on in safety.
[graphic]
DANDIES AND BELLES. 5o
The interminable forests and flooded streams, and the stupid ignorance of the people who were found living in the gloomy recesses of the country, all contributed to the difficulty of their progress, and they had not yet come to the habitat of any interesting specimens of animal life. After crossing the Loajima, the party made a little “detour southward,” in order to get off of the path of traders. Hardly anything is more disgusting and provoking than the air of importance of slightly informed people, and in this the petty African chiefs who have had some little intercourse with these traders are perfect masters. The innocent vanities of the generous inhabitants of the more secluded sections were rather entertaining than otherwise. It may be a pleasing bit of information to the large class of our countrymen of the Beau Hickman stamp, that even benighted Africa is well supplied with dandies of as various whims as those who dwell in the clearer light of American civilization. There is, for instance, in the d.t-p forests of Africa, the musical dandy, who, with the dainl! st air, thumbs his iron-keyed in , strument in matchless hum-drum the night long. Then theic is the martial dandy, who, like his American counterpart, delights in the display of soldierly insignia in safe distance from scenes of strife. And there is the effeminate dandy, who is always seen dandling his canary in a cage. And the dandy absolute, “par excellence” in the list; an aimless fop, who delights in the display of himself, with “lucubrated hair and ornaments innumerable.” The ladies, too, who rejoice in their snowy poodles, may be pleased to know that their sable sisters, in the sequestered glens beneath an equatorial sun, arrange their strands of beads about their necks with greatest skill, and, esteeming themselves in full dress, are seen to simper artfully while they fondle their charming canine “pets.” Civilization cannot claim a monopoly of the ornaments of society. For every young man standing on a corner in self-conscious attitudinizing, there is a fellow, quite as self-conscious and fixed up in his way, standing about the paths and huts of Africa. And for every woman who lavishes caresses and baby talk on kittens and puppies, there is in Africa a maiden or childless matron who dandles creatures like them quite as fondly, with equal prodigality of gibberish quite as sentimental. It is so, on the word of a serious missionary, just as we write it.
154 WORTH OF TEN DOLLARS.
The nearest approach to beasts of prey the party found, before reaching the river Moamba, which they crossed on the 7th of May (lat. 9° 38′ S., long. 20° 13′ 34″ E.), were’the lizards, mice and serpents, whose peace they occasionally disturbed as they struggled through the grass and vines which lay along the route, and seemed to conspire with the zigzag paths to make the traveller’s progress as slow and wearying as possible.
There was one consolation, though, in the delays and toilsome progress: food was cheaper and cheaper tha farther they left the borders of the white settlers. For the value of a penny a day four persons could live on the fat of the land. Livingstone mentions a purchase of tobacco which Captain Neves made— three hundred and eighty pounds for two pounds sterling, in Angola. The same tobacco, in central Londa, would suffice to feed seven thousand persons one day, giving each person a fowl and five pounds of meal. Seven thousand fowls and thirty-five thousand pounds of meal for about ten dollars’ worth of tobacco!
One of the most common annoyances they suffered in this journey was the disposition of the people in every trifling village to detain them. This was a modest way of imposing a tax, as, of course, the delay would involve a certain amount of expenditure. But even where the desire was in pure hospitality it was quite as positive and persevering, and was generallv pressed effectually, because the furnishing of guides was conditioned on submission. Once Livingstone became thoroughly provoked, and attempted to advance without the guide. It might have been well enough in some sections, but the particular locality in which he chanced to be restored his patience thoroughly, for after striking out in various directions, and every time coming to a dead halt in impassable thickets, he gave it up.
There was no counting the villages. The African has a remarkable eagerness for many villages : there are no large towns. Everybody seems to have only one ambition, and that is to have a village. If onlv a man may have a few hnts he is a chief, in his own eyes at least. There was one thing which made the present tour more unpleasant than those in which he was preceded by messengers of the chiefs, who had formerly been sent to notify the villages of the approach of ” the white man.” The sight of a white man always infuses a tremor into their dark FEAR OF “WHITE MAN. 155
bosoms, and in every case of the kind they appeared immensely relieved when he had fairly passed without having sprung upon them. In the villages the dogs run away with their tails between their legs, as if they had seen a lion. The women peer from behind the walls till he comes near them, and then hastily dash into the house. When a little child, unconscious of danger, meets you in the street, he sets up a scream at the apparition, and conveys the impression that he is not far from going into fits. Such things are not caleulated to make a man feel more at home there than anywhere else; but it is hardly wonderful that it is so. A white man must be a singular apparition indeed to those poor people, and the more terrible because all that they have heard of white people has been of a sort to excite their fears. It has been the constant study of the Mambari to prevent, as far as possible, the inhabitants of this secluded region ever thinking of going themselves to the white people. We remember that the Makololo were constantly receiving warnings in which the white people on the coast figured as very monsters.
After passing lat. 12°, they began to enter the country of animals, but they were very shy, as is generally the case in Londa. It was now about the middle of winter. Of this season Dr. Livingstone says: “The country at this time is covered with yellowish grass quite dry. Some of the bushes ami trees are green; others are shedding their leaves, the young buds pushing off the old foliage. Trees, which in the south stand bare during the winter months, have here but a short period of leaflessness. Occasionally, however, a cold north wind comes up even as far as Cabango, and spreads a wintry aspect on all the exposed vegetation. The tender shoots of the evergreen trees on the south side become as if scorched; the leaves of manioc, pumpkins, and other tender plants are killed; while the same kinds, in spots sheltered by forests, continue green through the whole year. All the interior of South Africa has a distinct winter of cold, varving in intensity with the latitudes. In the central parts of the Cape Colony the cold in the winter is often severe, and the ground is covered with snow. At Kurnman snow seldom falls, but the frost is keen. There is frost even as far as the Chobe, and a partial winter in the
156 SISTER OF MATIAMOO.
Barotse valley, but beyond the Orange river we never have cold and damp combined. Indeed, a shower of rain seldom or never falls during winter, and hence the healthiness of the Becl)’ nana climate. From the Birotse valley northward it is questionable if it ever freezes; but, during the prevalence of the south wind, the thermometer sinks as low as 42°, and conveys the impression of bitter cold..’ “But,” says he, “nothing can exceed the beauty of the; change from the wintry appearance to that of spring at Kolobeng. Previous to the commencement of the rains, an easterly wind blows strongly by day but dies away at night. The clouds collect in increasing masses, and relieve in some measure the bright glare of the southern sun. TTe wind dries up everything, and when at its greatest strength f, hot and raises clouds of dust. The general temperature durir g the day rises above 96° : then showers begin to fall ; and if the ground is but once well soaked with a good day’s rain, the change, produced is marvellous. In a day or two a tinge of green is apparent all over the landscape, and in five or six days the fresh leaves sprouting fort!) and the young grass shooting up give a a appearance of spring which it requires weeks of a colder climate to produce.”
One of the pleasantest episodes of this journey, so full of vexatious impositions and shrewd attentions, was the real kindness of a female chief, sister of the late Matiamoo, whose village was next en route from the one in which Dr. Livingstone’s truly Seottish effort at independence was so flat a failure. She was so ladylike and graceful in her attentions and so liberal, that Livingstone felt the acquaintance almost a compensation for the former incivilities. Real courtesy is not confined to courts and city mansions, nor the peculiar charm of civilization. There is a civility of the soul which is more delicate and helpful than the formalities of most elaborate attentions, and it is a beauty of God’s creation that this sweet blossom of his Spirit begems the gloomiest as the brightest places.
But while the honest courtesies of Nya-ka-longa were suggestive of the greater comfort and easier progress which awaited them in the country of old friends, to which they were drawing near, they were destined to meet at least one other serious provocation. At the town of a chief named Kawawa they were
DEMAND OF “A MAN. 157
wet by a very unceremonious demand for “an ox or a man.” This was a notoriously uncivil man to all travellers; he had heard of the Chetoques having forced the party to give them an ox as they went toward the coast the previous year, and, encouraged by their success, presumed to attempt a similar levy, unconscious of the change which had come over the spirit of the white man in such matters. The history of this affair, as given by Dr. Livingstone himself, is so graphic and so illustrative or African life that we prefer to allow him to put it in his own way. “To this provoking demand,” says he, “I replied that the goods were my property and not his; t’iat I would never have it said that a white man had paid tribute to a black, and that I should cross the Kasai in spite of him. He ordered his people to arm themselves, and when some of my men saw them rushing for their bows, arrows and spears, they became somewhat panic-stricken. I ordered them to move away, and not to fire unless Kawawa’s people struck the first blow. I took the lead, and expected them all to follow, as they usually had done, but many of my men remained behind. When I knew this, I jumped off the ox and made a rush to them with the revolver in my hand. Kawawa ran away among his people, and they turned their backs too. I shouted to my men to take up their luggage and march; some did so with alacrity, feeling that they had disobeved orders by remaining; but one of them refused, and was preparing to fire at Kawawa, until I gave him a punch on the head with the pistol, and made him go too. I felt here, as elsewhere, that subordination must be maintained at all risks. We all moved into the forest, the people of Kawawa standing about a hundred yards off, gazing, but not firing a shot or an arrow. But he was not to be balked of his supposed rights by the unceremonious way in which they left him; for, when they had reached the ford of the Kasai, about ten miles distant, they found that he had sent four of his men with orders to the ferrymen to refuse passage. They were informed that they must deliver up all the articles mentioned, and one of the men besides. This demand for one of the number always nettled every heart. The canoes were taken away before their eyes, and they were supposed to be quite helpless without them, at a river a good hundred yards broad and 158 TRIAL FOR MURDER.
very deep. Pitsane stood on the bank, gazing with apparent indifference on the stream, and made an accurate observation of where the canoes were hidden among the reeds. The ferrymen casually asked one of my Batoka if they had rivers in his countrv, and he answered with truth, ‘No, we have none.’ Kawawa’s people then felt sure they could not cross. They thought of swimming when they were gone; but after it was dark, by the unasked loan of one of the hidden canoes, they soon were snug in bivouac on the southern bank of the Kusai. They left some beads as payment for some meal which had been presented by the ferrymen; and, the canoe having been left on their own side of the river, Pitsane and his companions laughed uproariously at the disgust our enemies would feel, and their perplexity as to who had been our paddler across. They were quite sure that Kawawa would imagine that they had been ferried over by his own people, and would be divining to find out who had done the deed. When ready to depart in the morning, Kawawa’s people appeared on the opposite heights, and could scarcely believe their eyes when they saw we were prepared to start away to the south. At last one of them called out,’Ah! ye are bad;’to which Pitsane and his companions retorted, ‘Ah! ye are good, and we thank you for the loan of your canoe.'”
In the town of this chief Livingstone witnessed a specimen of justice, which illustrates one feature of the misery of the people whose whole destinies depend on the will of petty chiefs as distinguished for heartlessness as for ignorance. The chief was judge, jury, and attorney, all in himself. The arraigned was a woman who was accused of having caused the death of another woman. The accuser was telling her story, when the “court,” who had paid no attention to the statement, except simply to notice the nature of the charge, suddenlv burst forth, “You have killed one of my children, yours are mine, bring them all to me,” and the poor woman had to obey and see all of her children pass into slavery. While these tribes manifested a somewhat belligerent spirit to our party, they are generally quite disinclined to settle their personal disputes by force of arms. But now and then individuals among the Balonda are known to clinch. On one occasion, an old woman standing
A FIST FIGHT. 159
by Dr. Livingstone’s camp continued to belabor a good-looking young man for hours with her tongue. Irritated at last, he uttered some words of impatience, when another man sprang at him, exclaiming, “How dare you curse my ‘ Mama ?”. They caught each other, and a sort of pushing, dragging, wrestling match ensued. The old woman who had been the cause of the affray wished us to interfere, and the combatants themselves hoped as much; but we, preferring to remain neutral, allowed them to fight it out. It ended by one falling under the other, both, from their scuffling, being in a state of nudity. They picked up their clothing and ran off in different directions, each threatening to bring his gun and settle the dispute in mortal combat. Only one, however, returned, and the old woman continued her scolding till my men, fairly tired of her tongue, or- , dered her to be gone. This trifling incident was one of interest to me, for, during the whole period of my residence in the Bechuana country, I never saw unarmed men strike each other. Their disputes are usually conducted with great volubility and noisy swearing, but they generally terminate by both parties bursting into a laugh.
Among the many delicacies with which this wonderful laud tempts the epicure is a singular little ” white ant,” which many of the natives consider good enough for anybody. They are unseen, generally, and only when decided to colonize do they rush out of holes, in streams, and enter on a tour of inspection; when they have discovered a desirable location, they alight and with singular facility “bend up their tails, unhook their wings ” (which may be removed from the body without any inconvenience if turned forward), and begin with greater diligence the erection of their homes. When these colonies are ready to start for a new district, they are nothing daunted even by fire, but pass through it with a heroism worthy of more elevated beings. They are caught by the natives (who are quite skilful in brushing them into vessels) and roasted, in which state they are considered better than the choicest things the ” white man ” can produce.
South of the Kasai they traversed extensive plains covered with beautiful flowers and birds. The flowers were of tiniest dimensions and most exquisite delicacy, and had the appearance
16O GOD IN NATURE.
in many places of the richest carpet. A wonderful thing about this splendid fabric of nature’s weaving was that it displayed the phenomenon of successive bands, perhaps a hundred yards in width, these bands all of different hues. In one the golden hue prevailed, and the flowers varied in shade from “palest lemon to richest orange.” Another band was blue; in shade from the lightest tints to the deepest color. One flower on these plains attracted particular attention. Being elevated but slightly by its tiny stalk, this little gem seems to be set in the ground ; “its leaves are covered with reddish hairs,” out of the tips of which exudes a fluid, clear and glutinous, which glistens in the sunlight like drops of dew or richer pearls. Truly it is wonderful how richly and how skilfully the great Architect and Builder of our terrestrial home has wrought of all things a paradise for us, whose wealth and beauty arc confined to no single zone, and are inexhaustible, though we explore the sea or land or rise amid the stars or delve in deepest earth. And it is wonderful how in it all he hath wrought his own image, and by all things tcacheth of himself. There are steadfast mountains, which tell of strength; and flowers, of tenderness. There are oceans whose unvarying ebb and flow murmur of eternity. The stars, shining everywhere, suggest his omnipresence. The sun, ruling all the realms, proclaims his authority. And there are encircling heavens which hint of his encircling eare, while all things speak of goodness. And, thanks be to God, nature tells all the story, in Africa as in America. It is only left for the special deed of grace to spread its power abroad, correcting the special blindness of man incurred by guilt; then God’s likeness shall be seen and his glory stand revealed in all his works.
Livingstone became convinced at this time that the latitude of Lake Dilolo is really the dividing line of the waters; the natives had noticed this and remarked it to him in advance of his own investigations indeed. He had suffered his hundred and twenty-seventh attack of fever on the beautiful plains of Kasai and was so feeble that he could hardly walk, and lamented his inability to examine carefully a region which he considered so exceedingly important. But his sufferings were too great, and the additional anxiety which the vomiting of
A NOBLE CHIEF. 161
blood awakened made it exceedingly desirable to advance with as little delay as possible. Making all possible expedition, all his wonderful energy and strength of will need to be in constant exertion against the depressing influence of the dreary flat country with its deep forest gloom. Possessed of that nature which finds congenial companionship in the bold and beautiful mountain scenery, and in the wide ever-heaving and foaming ocean, there was no prison-house conceivable more terrible than such dull and dark monotony. And with the refined tastes of thorough culture he could not submit to the isolation of society so absolutely wanting in the slightest shadow of congeniality, except in the most entire obedience to duty and unreserved consecration of soul and body to others. Such a life is noble and sweetened by the love of Christ, but it is still a life of pain. Self-immolation may be cordial and Christ-like, but it is agonizing.
Leaving the Lake Dilolo by toilsome marches, the party at length entered the friendly village of Katema, on the old route, the 12th of June. He had now been three years away from the Cape. They were no longer troubled by unkind impositions; the people everywhere manifested much sympathy and respect. Katema inspired Dr. Livingstone with real respect for him by the generous and manly bearing which distinguished him in their intercourse. He says: “He desired me to rest myself and eat abundantly, and took care to see that I had the means of doing so. When he visited our encampment, I presented him with a cloak of red baize, ornamented with gold tinsel, which cost thirty shillings, according to the promise I had made in going to Londa; also a cotton robe, both large and small beads, an iron spoon, and a tin pannikin containing a quarter of a pound of powder. He seemed greatly pleased with the liberality shown, and assured me that the way was mine, and that no one should molest me in it if he could help it. We were informed by Shakatwala that the chief never used any part of a present before making an offer of it to his mother, or the departed spirit to whom he prayed. Katema asked if I could not make a dress for him like the one I wore, so that he might appear as a white man when any stranger visited him. One of the councillors, imagining that he ought to second this
162 THE LEEBA.
by begging, Katema checked him by saying, ‘Whatever strangers give, be it little or much, I always receive it with thankfulness, and never trouble them for more.’ On departing, he mounted on the shoulders of his spokesman, as the most dignified mode of retiring.”
An equally pleasant reception was waiting for him at Shinte’s town. And it delighted his heart to observe that the information he was able to give that chief of the uses to which slaves were put in Angola, and the proof he gave of the extortions of the Mambari, seemed to open his eyes to the evil of allowing his subjects carried away into bondage. And parting on good terms with him and his people, he journeved on to the town of his sister, through whose importunities he had formed the acquaintance of Shinte as he passed up the country. Procuring canoes of this lady, the party launched once more on the noble Leeba, whose charming scenery had never faded from their thoughts in all their wanderings. Everything was life along those banks; all the old familiar game and the more savage beasts made their appearance frequently, but were too cautious to come within the range of the guns. The sight of so many glossy hides and tossing antlers excited a craving for “a good meal of meat.” His tooth became so eager for service in that line that Livingstone began to look rather undecidedly on his faithful old ox, ” Sinbad,” which had carried him so many hundred miles. But the Makololo had come to count Sinbad as one of the party, and their gentle protest was allowed to prevail. The faithful creature fell a victim to the tsetse though and ended his days at Naliele in peace.
Though now surrounded by game, the party had passed the confluence of the Leeba and Leeambye before they had a feast of flesh. This was given them by some hunters whom they met. ,Livingstone had been so long out of the land of game that he had lost his skill and missed everything he shot at. About this time, however, he determined to try and retrieve his reputation with the gun; and having wounded a zebra, he slowlyfollowed along on the track of his men who had given it chase. While thus alone, he suddenly discovered a single buffalo, a huge bull, rushing madly toward him. He saw only one tree on the plain, and that some distance off; there was evidently no MAKOLOLO RECEPTION. 153
escape, and he calmly raised his gun and waited for the monster to come near enough for a fatal shot in the forehead. We have noticed before his opinion of this animal. Nothing is more trying than just such a position awaiting such a charge. But the moment came. The aim was true and the tremendous animal bounded aside and rushing to the brink of the river fell dead. Livingstone felt it to be an occasion for gratitude to God that his life had been preserved.
The arrival at Libonta was indeed a great occasion. This, it will be remembered, is the border town of the Makololo authority. They had never been received before with such demonstrations of joy. Livingstone’s description of this scene is full of interest. “The women,” says he, “came forth to meet Its, making their curious dancing gestures and loud lulliloos. Some carried a mat and stick, in imitation of a spear and shield. Others rushed forward and kissed the hands and cheeks of the different persons of their acquaintance among us, raising such a dust that it was quite a relief to get to the men assembled and sitting with proper African decorum in the kotla. We were looked upon as men risen from the dead, for the most skilful of their diviners had pronounced us to have perished long ago. After many expressions of joy at meeting, I arose, and, thanking them, explained the causes of our long delay, but left the report to bo made by their own countrymen. Formerly I had been the chief speaker, now I would leave the task of speaking to them. Pitsane then delivered a speech of upward of an hour in length, giving a highly flattering picture of the whole journey, of the kindness of the white men in general, and of Mr. Gabriel in particular. He concluded by saying that I had done more for them than they expected ; that I had not only opened up a path for them to the other white men, but conciliated all the chiefs along the route. The oldest man present rose and answered this speech, and, among other things, alluded to the disgust I felt at the Makololo for engaging in marauding expeditions against Lcchulatebe and Sebolanmkwaia, of which we had heard from the first persons we met, and which my companions most energetically denounced as ‘mashue hela,’ entirely bad. He entreated me not to lose heart, but to reprove Sekeletu as my child. Another old man followed with the 164 THANKSGIVING SERVICE.
same entreaties. The following day we observed as our thanksgiving to God for his goodness in bringing us all back in safety to our friends. My men decked themselves out in their best, and I found that, although their goods were finished, they had managed to save suits of European clothing, which, being white, with their red caps, gave them rather a dashing appearance. They tried to walk like the soldiers they had seen in Loanda, and called themselves my ‘braves’ (batlabani). During the service they all sat with their guns over their shoulders, and excited the unbounded admiration of the women and children.”
It was a scene for angels’ eyes; that good man pointing those poor heathen away from their own prowess and their charms and himself to God’s goodness in returning them safely, after so long a time and such hardships. They heard him gladly, and were lavish of gifts; almost every day oxen were slaughtered. They manifested no concern about gifts for themselves; they were only glad to see the whole party back safely, and were immediately engaged in collecting tusks for a second journey.
The rejoicing of the men, after so long an absence, at being once more in their own country, had some drawbacks in certain changes that time had wrought. Their wives had in many instances grown weary of watching, and found a solace for their grief in the wedded love of other men. The faithful Mashuana was one of the disappointed ones, and he contradicted his philosophic declaration, ” Wives are plentiful as grass; I can get another; she may go,” by muttering immediately, ”If I had that fellow, I would open his ears for him.” For some of the poor fellows who had thus lost their only wives, Livingstone interceded with the chief and had them repossessed of their loving spouses; others he comforted with the reminder, that after their loss they still had more wives than he. But that was an unsatisfactory reflection, in view of the fact that “while they were toiling another was devouring their corn.”
On the 13th of August, the partv left Naliele and were gliding along very quietly when, most unexpectedly, they were reminded of the fact that they were no longer in the lifeless border region. The hippopotamus wluch struck the boat lifted it quite
GRAND GATHERING AT LINYANTI. 165
out of thc water and hustled the whole party out most unceremoniously, and looking back, quite indifferently, seemed to ask derisively, ” What has happened?”
The river villages had much the appearance of two years before. The entire descent of the Leeambye was a sort of ovation because of the jov of the villagers. There was another grand gathering at Linyunti. And the “braves,” “the true ancients, who had seen wonderful things,” told their story to their hearts’ delight. The facts had lost nothing by the way; facts hardly ever seem to be diminished by repetition. Sekeletu created a decided sensation when he appeared in his colonel’s uniform. The presents of strange and wonderful things were received as unquestionable evidences of the truth of the most marvellous accounts which the man could give. But when the braves appeared in their white suits, and sat in the circles with their guns resting on their shoulders like real “braves,’. it was a signal for the delight of wives and the envy of women generally. The old looked serious, the young looked delighted. Events were pointing toward the grandeur which no tribe couiil hope to rival. The delight was innocent and commendable.
In looking back on his journey from Linyanti, Livingstone felt that there was indeed a great obstacle to missionary enterprises in the character of the forests, tlte denseness and rankness of the growth, and in the floods which occasion such virulent fevers. But ho believed, nevertheless, that the interior of this country presents much more inviting fields for missionary labor than the western coast, where successful stations have been so long in operation. Though he suffered so greatly himself, I could easily see how the habits of ordinary missionarv life would protect a man against such ills in large measure. Comparing the interior with the west coast, he says: “There the fevers are much more virulent and more speedily fatal than here, for from 8° south they almost invariably take the intermittent or least fatal type; and their effect being to enlarge the spleen, a complaint which is best treated by a change of climate, we have the remedy at hand bv passing the 20th parallel on our way south. But I am not to be understood as intimating that any of the numerous tribes are anxious for instruction : they arc not the inquiring spirits we read of in other countries; they do not de
166 PLAN’S FOR THE FUTURE.
fiire the gospel, because they know nothing about either it 01 its benefits; but there is no impediment in the wav of instruction. Every head man would be proud of a European visitor or resident in his territory, and there is perfect security for life and property all over the interior country. The great barriers which have kept Africa shut arc the uuhealthiness of the coast, and the exclusive, illiberal disposition of the border tribes. It has not within the historic period been cut into by deep arms of the sea, and only a small fringe of its population have come into contact with the rest of mankind. Ilace has much to do in the present circumstances of nations; yet it is probable that the unhealthy coast-climate has reacted on the people, and aided both in perpetuating their own degradation and preventing those more inland from having intercourse with the rest of the world.”
May we not hope that the growing interest in this vast degraded continent will overcome such barriers, and establish such communication with the various tribes of the interior as will make the most abundant labors for their conversion not only possible but attractive? It is only just to the missionary, that we remember, in the history of the explorer, that Dr. Livingstone was not spending his life in idle, aimless wanderings, through any love of adventure or devotion onlv to science, but that he might open a highway to the interior of Africa, in order that he might establish a mission station there on a permanent basis.
Tn pursuance of the idea which had affected somewhat his action in returning directly from Loanda to Linyanti, he now decided to follow the Zambesi to the eastern coast, and was particularly encouraged to do this, as there was a good prospect of water facilities all the way. In the midst of the preparations for this new journey, Livingstone found abundant employment instructing the people and healing their sick, and seeking to reform their ideas according to the Christian standard as far as could be. But his labor was very discouraging; but still was not entirely without effect. Sometimes he was greatly perplexed, but at last could only remember the darkness and deadness of the unregenerate soul, and remember the heathen gloom. The greatness of the undertaking argued its importance,
THE TRIBUTE TO FAITHFULNESS. 167
the discouragements of it called for prayer. There was no excuse for retreat. Plis hand was on the plough : he would not look back.
“The mother of Sekeletu prepared a bag of ground-nuts, by frying them in cream with a little salt, forming a kind of sandwiches, which constitute a dish which the Makololo consider fit for a king.” Sekeletu appointed a man named Sekwebu and Kanyati to head the party which should attend him. Mamire, who had married the mother of Sekeletu, called for a parting word. “You are,” said he, “going among a people who cannot be trusted because we have used them badly; but you go with a different message from any they have heard before, Jesu? will be with you and help you though among enemies, and if he carries you safely and brings you and Ma Robert back again, I shall say he has conferred a great favor on me. May we obtain a path whereby we may visit and be visited by other tribes and by white men.” This was the most influential man in the tribe, and his interest in the enterprise of Livingstone was certainly encouraging.
He not only gave his blessing and his kind encouragement in words, but added, ” And as a man wishes, of course, to appear among his friends after a long absence with- something of his own to show, the whole of the ivory in the country is yours, so you must take as much as you can, and Sekeletu \fill furnish you men to carry it.” Such was the confidence and love which filled the breasts of this people for a man who in all the years of his intercourse with them had been uniformly consistent in his own life and devoted to their welfare; a people by no means stupid, or given to hasty confidences, the most formidable tribe in all southern Africa, and the most warlike. As the reward of his faithfulness, Dr. Livingstone was thus adopted by the children of the wilderness, and was allowed to employ their own energies and resources in opening a way for Christianity.
fynm 