So Many Of Them Had Died Since We Were Here Before, That
Not Much Probability Existed Of Our All Meeting Again, And This Had
Naturally Led To The Subject Of A Future State.
They replied that
they did not wish to offend the speaker, but they could not believe
that all the dead would rise again:
"Can those who have been killed
in the field and devoured by the vultures; or those who have been
eaten by the hyenas or lions; or those who have been tossed into the
river, and eaten by more than one crocodile, - can they all be raised
again to life?" They were told that men could take a leaden bullet,
change it into a salt (acetate of lead), which could be dissolved as
completely in water as our bodies in the stomachs of animals, and
then reconvert it into lead; or that the bullet could be transformed
into the red and white paint of our wagons, and again be reconverted
into the original lead; and that if men exactly like themselves could
do so much, how much more could He do who has made the eye to see,
and the ear to hear! We added, however, that we believed in a
resurrection, not because we understood how it would be brought
about, but because our Heavenly Father assured us of it in His Book.
The reference to the truth of the Book and its Author seems always to
have more influence on the native mind than the cleverness of the
illustration. The knowledge of the people is scanty, but their
reasoning is generally clear as far as their information goes.
We left Sesheke on the 17th September, 1860, convoyed by Pitsane and
Leshore with their men. Pitsane was ordered by Sekeletu to make a
hedge round the garden at the Falls, to protect the seeds we had
brought; and also to collect some of the tobacco tribute below the
Falls. Leshore, besides acting as a sort of guard of honour to us,
was sent on a diplomatic mission to Sinamane. No tribute was exacted
by Sekeletu from Sinamane; but, as he had sent in his adhesion, he
was expected to act as a guard in case of the Matebele wishing to
cross and attack the Makololo. As we intended to purchase canoes of
Sinamane in which to descend the river, Leshore was to commend us to
whatever help this Batoka chief could render. It must be confessed
that Leshore's men, who were all of the black subject tribes, really
needed to be viewed by us in the most charitable light; for Leshore,
on entering any village, called out to the inhabitants, "Look out for
your property, and see that my thieves don't steal it."
Two young Makololo with their Batoka servants accompanied us to see
if Kebrabasa could be surmounted, and to bring a supply of medicine
for Sekeletu's leprosy; and half a dozen able canoe-men, under
Mobito, who had previously gone with Dr. Livingstone to Loanda, were
sent to help us in our river navigation.
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