Looking back, he saw one of his men
flung up into the air by a toss from one of
The beasts, who had carried him
on his horns for twenty yards before giving the final pitch.
The fellow came down flat on his face, but the skin was not pierced,
and no bone was broken. His comrades gave him a brisk shampooing,
and in a week he was as well as ever.
The border country passed, the natives grew more friendly, and gladly supplied
all the wants of the travelers. About the middle of December,
when their journey was half over, they came upon the first traces of Europeans
- a deserted town, a ruined church, and a broken bell
inscribed with a cross and the letters I. H. S., but bearing no date.
A few days after they met a man wearing a hat and jacket.
He had come from the Portuguese settlement of Tete, far down the river.
From him they learned that a war was going on below,
between the Portuguese and the natives. A chief, named Mpende,
showed signs of hostility. Livingstone's men, who had become worn and ragged
by their long journey, rejoiced at the prospect of a fight.
"Now," said they, "we shall get corn and clothes in plenty.
You have seen us with elephants, but you don't know what we can do with men."
After a while two old men made their appearance, to find out
who the strangers were. "I am a Lekoa (Englishman)," said Livingstone.
"We don't know that tribe," they replied; "we suppose you are
a Mozunga (Portuguese)." Upon Livingstone's showing them
his long hair and the white skin of his bosom they exclaimed,
"We never saw so white a skin as that. You must be one of that tribe
that loves the black men." Livingstone eagerly assured him
that such was the case. Sekwebu, the leader of his men, put in a word:
"Ah, if you only knew him as well as we do, who have lived with him,
you would know how highly he values your friendship; and as he is a stranger
he trusts in you to direct him." The chief, convinced that
he was an Englishman, received the party hospitably and forwarded them
on their way.
The frequent appearance of English goods showed that they were approaching
the coast, and not long afterward Livingstone met a couple of native traders,
from whom, for two small tusks, he bought a quantity of American cotton
marked "Lawrence Mills, Lowell", which he distributed among his men.
For another month they traveled slowly on through a fertile country,
abounding in animal life, bagging an elephant or a buffalo
when short of meat. Lions are numerous, but the natives, believing that
the souls of their dead chiefs enter the bodies of these animals, into which
they also have the power, when living, of transforming themselves at will,
never kill them. When they meet a lion they salute him
by clapping their hands - a courtesy which his Highness frequently returns
by making a meal of them.
In this region the women are decidedly in the ascendant.
The bridegroom is obliged to come to the village of the bride to live.
Here he must perform certain services for his mother-in-law,
such as keeping her always supplied with fire-wood. Above all things,
he must always, when in her presence, sit with his legs bent under him,
it being considered a mark of disrespect to present his feet toward her.
If he wishes to leave the village, he must not take his children with him;
they belong to his wife, or, rather, to her family. He can, however,
by the payment of a certain number of cattle, "buy up" his wife and children.
When a man is desired to perform any service he always asks
his wife's consent; if she refuses, no amount of bribery or coaxing
will induce him to disobey her.
On the evening of March 2, Livingstone, tired and hungry,
came within eight miles of the Portuguese settlement of Tete.
He sent forward the letters of recommendation which he had received
from the Portuguese on the other side of the continent.
Before daylight the following morning he was aroused
by two officers and a company of soldiers, who brought the materials
for a civilized breakfast - the first of which he had partaken
since he left Loanda, eighteen months before. "It was," he says,
"the most refreshing breakfast of which I ever partook."
Tete stands on the Zambesi, three hundred miles from its mouth.
The commandant received Livingstone kindly, supplied his men with provisions
for immediate use, gave them land upon which to raise future supplies,
and granted them permission to hunt elephants in the neighborhood
on their own account. 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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