TRAVELLING UNDER DIFFICULTIES.

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the whole of whom turned out to witness his arrival, including Sekeletu, the son of Sebituane, who reigned in the room of his father.

It was no mean journey to Linyanti from Cape Town, and the difficulties culminated as he came to the Chobe, a tributary of the Zambesi; the waggons stuck in the watery wilderness, the oxen were bitten by the tsetse fly, and many of the attendants were stricken down with fever. Livingstone therefore embarked on the river with one com

panion, and after a series of exploits, in which he was now breast-deep in water and now torn and lacerated by a serrated kind of grass, he reached Linyanti, where he was recognised by those who had seen him on his former visit, and at once found himself among friends and helpers; for Sekeletu, hearing of his approach, sent canoes for his waggons, and thus, in some show of state, the missionary explorer re-entered Linyanti.

Here Livingstone endeavoured to instruct the natives, but not with much success; and the king positively refused to learn, on the ground that it might change his heart and make him content with one wife. He allowed the missionary, however, to hold religious services in the royal hut, and the congregation, generally numbering from 500

to 700, were called together by the court-herald; but it was almost impossible to make the people understand what the service meant, and when the "Amen" was pronounced they would break out into wild yelling and dancing, as though released from a painful spell.

Livingstone did not visit the sick unless specially requested to do so, or unless a case was given up as hopeless by their "medicine-men," his reason for not interfering being that it would bring him into conflict with the native doctors, whose enchantments were very powerful with the people. Neither did he engage in any trading transactions, although his salary was only £100 per annum, on the ground that it was not in accordance with his calling, and might give the impression that he was influenced by mercenary motives; nevertheless, while he never lost an opportunity of uttering his protest against the iniquitous slave trade on the one hand, he used every endeavour to open up fresh channels of communication whereby legitimate commercial intercourse might be facilitated.

At Linyanti, Livingstone was, for the first time, stricken down with fever, but immediately on his recovery commenced a journey up the Zambesi. Sekeletu and a strong body-guard of selected young men accompanied him, and everywhere the party was received with acclamation by the whole population of the villages through which they passed. At Kotonga the tributary chief Sekhosi supplied them with canoes to ferry across the river, which is there 600 yards wide, after which other canoes were collected, and the whole party proceeded on a water journey.

It must have been a brave sight, that fleet of thirty-three canoes, carrying in all 160 men, skimming along over the waters of the Leeambye,* and through the magnificent Barotse valley, where richly-wooded islands studded the river, and mighty banks were covered with all the glory of tropical vegetation from the water's edge to the summit. At the principal villages the tribes came down to present the warrior chief Sekeletu with food and tribute, it being his first visit since he had succeeded to the chieftainship.

It was very pleasant to Livingstone to find that there were traces everywhere of impressions made by his former visit to the Makololo country, when accompanied by his wife and children. The custom is prevalent of naming women after their first-born son, with the addition of "Ma," i.e., mother. They called Livingstone's wife, therefore, Ma-Robert, and it was pleasant for him to find many Ma-Roberts named after his family. As that visit was the first, as far as could be ascertained, that any European had ever paid to the country, its influence had given a standard to their chronology, all events being calculated from "the year when the white man came." The journey was continued to the Loeti, careful but unsuccessful search being made for an eligible site for a missionary station, and then the party returned to Linyanti.

Much as Livingstone would have liked to tarry among the Makololo, the most intelligent of the African tribes he had yet met, the prevalence of fever and the scourge of the tsetse fly made it impossible to establish a station there. He therefore determined to set out on further travels, and direct his footsteps to Loanda, the Portuguese settlement on the west coast. With an escort of twenty-seven natives, appointed by Sekeletu, who

The different parts of the river are called Zambesi, Leeambye, Luambesi, Ojimbesi, according to the different dialects spoken.

LIVINGSTONE AND THE TYRANT CHIEF.

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was shrewd enough to know that any pathway of communication discovered would be a mutual benefit, Livingstone, who was much reduced by repeated attacks of fever, insomuch that he was almost unable to walk about by reason of giddiness, prepared to start. The sympathy of Sekeletu was much excited on his behalf, and fearing he would die, he urged him not to attempt the journey. But Livingstone was not to be daunted; weak as he was, and perilous as was the journey before him, it was his "call" to be up and doing; and so, on the 11th November, 1853, when the rains had somewhat tempered the heat, he bade farewell to the people, and started, accompanied for some little distance by the good-natured Sekeletu.

A gipsy tent, a sheep-skin mantle for a blanket, and a horse-rug for a bed, supplied his camp equipage; but he took with him also his sextant, thermometer, and compasses, a rifle and double-barrelled smooth-bore gun, a few biscuits, a pound of tea and some sugar, a small stock of clothing, some medicines, a parcel of books, and a magic-lantern with which he could amuse his friends or frighten his foes.

At Sesheke, where Moriantsane, the brother-in-law of Sebituane, dwelt, the missionary preached under a spreading camel-thorn which shaded the kotla of the chief; but it must have been disheartening work to a man of Livingstone's education to tell the gracious tidings of the Gospel to a gaping crowd, most of whom, it is true, listened attentively, while a few young men employed themselves in preparing a skin until called to order by the chief, who hurled his staff at them as a caution to pay attention.

By November 30th the Gonye Falls were reached; at Nariele the canoes of Sekeletu were sent back, and then they entered Mapololo, the last town of the Makololo, from whence they passed into uninhabited regions. Many adventures had been met with, and many important services the gallant doctor rendered-prescribing for some who had been wounded by a lion, and others who were suffering from fever and ophthalmia; wherever he went he did present good, or left an impression that should bear its fruit at another time. For instance, at the confluence of the Leeambye with the Zambesi there dwelt a chief who was in the habit of seizing helpless and unprotected orphans and others to sell to the slave-dealers. Livingstone could not pass on content with simply knowing and lamenting this, but sent a formal message to the tyrant, deploring that Santuru (the chief's father) "had not borne a wiser son. Santuru loved to govern men, but Masiko wanted to govern wild beasts, and such acts would lead to war. He had better live in peace."

On and still on went the missionary, sometimes through forests so dense that the way had to be cut with axes; sometimes through vast plains covered with water, ankle deep in the shallowest parts; now suffering from extreme debility consequent upon fever; how paying formal visits to chiefs who had never before seen a white man, and submitting himself to the scrutiny of curious eyes, which cannot look upon European hair and declare that seeing is believing-they think it is the mane of a lion made into a wig. At some parts of the journey he was subject to the annoying custom of having to pay black-mail. Endless were the demands upon him, and endless the disputes into which he was led in order to save the little property left to him. This, more than anything else, was essentially trying to Livingstone. Many a time, weak and exhausted, when he was

almost too feeble to cling to the band which secured his blanket on the back of his ox, he would have to argue, negotiate, temporise, and threaten, and at last, as his only way of avoiding bloodshed, to yield, until almost every article of value he possessed passed away. And this not once and away, but day after day and month after month. Not fever, nor flood, nor burning heart, nor cruel foe could stay the footstep of the intrepid traveller, and on the 31st May, 1854, he reached Loanda, or St. Paul de Loanda, in safety.

Here he found European friends and European comforts, and, being much reduced by constant fevers, tarried awhile to recruit his strength; but the offers made to him by a British cruiser to go to St. Helena, in which direction lay home and all that was dear to him, he steadfastly refused.

In September, Livingstone quitted Loanda, but owing to fever having broken out among his men he was detained until the end of the year at Golungo Alto. On New Year's Day, 1855, the party started off on the return journey to Linyanti, making their way first to Cassange, on the right bank of the Coanza. At this place the horrible superstitions and utter darkness of the people weighed heavily upon the heart of the

Christian traveller, who was startled by the contrast of the villainies of man with the exquisite scenes around. Very graphically Livingstone has drawn a picture in these words:

"How fearful is the contrast between this inward gloom and the brightness of the outer world, between the undefined terrors of the spirit and the peace and beauty that attend the scenes around me. I have often thought, in travelling through this land, that it presents pictures of beauty which angels might enjoy. How often have I beheld, in still mornings, scenes the very essence of beauty, and all bathed in an atmosphere of delicious warmth, to which the soft breeze imparts a pleasing sensation of coolness, as if from a fan. Green, grassy meadows, the cattle feeding, the goats browsing, the kids skipping, the groups of herd-boys with miniature bows, arrows, and spears, the women wending their way to the river with watering-pots poised jauntily on their heads, men sewing under the shady bananas, and the old grey-headed fathers sitting on the ground with staff in hand listening to the morning gossip, while others carry branches to repair their hedges. Such scenes, flooded with the bright African sun, and enlivened by the songs of the birds before the heat of the day becomes intense, form pictures which can never be forgotten."

But pleasant as the picture is of the scenery, the blessings of civilisation alone can make it permanently enjoyable. By constantly having to wade through water, and sometimes to sleep in it, Livingstone was attacked with rheumatic fever; and on a heap of grass, covered only by his little tent, through which the strong rains soaked, the traveller lay for many days and nights, applying leeches and other remedies by the kindly aid of a Portuguese.

By the end of August, the end of the winter season, Livingstone arrived safely back at Linyanti, to find Sekeletu still as friendly as ever, and all the goods left with him in good preservation. Moreover, there were a quantity of things awaiting his arrival, sent by Moffat, his father-in-law, besides English letters and newspapers; and only those who have been cut off from the world can know the joy there is in reading again and again the news from home.

Many eager discussions took place between the missionary and his hospitable entertainer, the Makololo chief, as to the next step to be taken. It was evident to Livingstone that at present no available road could be opened to the west; his thoughts went naturally, therefore, towards the east, and he determined to proceed to the east coast, from whence he would return to England, and, as his friends at Linyanti hoped, bring back his wife, "Ma-Robert."

Sekeletu, with 200 of his Makololo, accompanied him on his journey as far as to the now celebrated Mosi-oa-túnya, or "Smoke-resounding" Falls, which are described as more magnificent than the Falls of Niagara by those who have seen both. Soon after they started they were overtaken by a fearful storm, in which the missionary was soaked, and had no change of clothes, as his own had gone forward. Sekeletu therefore gave him his own blanket, cheerfully going without one himself—a simple act, but one which shows that there is in the African character the elements of everything that is good if only properly instructed and guided.