Before Long They Had Established
A Brisk Trade In Fire-Wood, As Their Countrymen Had Done At Loanda.
They Certainly Manifested None Of The Laziness Which Has Been Said
To Be Characteristic Of The African Races.
Thirty elephant tusks remained
of those forwarded by Sekeletu.
Ten of these were sold for cotton cloth
for the men. The others were deposited with the authorities,
with directions that in case Livingstone should never return
they should be sold, and the proceeds given to the men.
He told them that death alone should prevent him from coming back.
"Nay, father," said the men, "you will not die; you will return,
and take us back to Sekeletu."
He remained at Tete a month, waiting for the close of the sickly season
in the low delta at the mouths of the river, and then descended
to the Portuguese town of Kilimane. Here he remained six weeks,
when an English vessel arrived with supplies and money for him.
Two of his attendants only had come down the river. They begged hard
to be allowed to accompany him to England. In vain Livingstone told them
that they would die if they went to so cold a country.
"That is nothing," said one; "let me die at your feet."
He at last decided to take with him Sekwebu, the leader of the party,
to whose good sense, bravery, and tact he owed much of his success.
The sea-waves rose high, as the boat conveyed them to the ship.
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