o for engaging in marauding expeditions against Lechulatebe
and Sebolamakwaia, 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 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. I addressed them all on the goodness of God in preserving
us from all the dangers of strange tribes and disease. We had a similar
service in the afternoon. The men gave us two fine oxen for slaughter,
and the women supplied us abundantly with milk, meal, and butter. It was
all quite gratuitous, and I felt ashamed that I could make no return.
My men explained the total expenditure of our means, and the Libontese
answered gracefully, "It does not matter; you have opened a path for us,
and we shall have sleep." Strangers came flocking from a distance, and
seldom empty-handed. Their presents I distributed among my men.

Our progress down the Barotse valley was just like this. Every village
gave us an ox, and sometimes two. The people were wonderfully kind. I
felt, and still feel, most deeply grateful, and tried to benefit them in
the only way I could, by imparting the knowledge of that Savior who can
comfort and supply them in the time of need, and my prayer is that
he may send his good Spirit to instruct them and lead them into his
kingdom. Even now I earnestly long to return, and make some recompense
to them for their kindness. In passing them on our way to the north,
their liberality might have been supposed to be influenced by the hope
of repayment on our return, for the white man's land is imagined to be
the source of every ornament they prize most. But, though we set out
from Loanda with a considerable quantity of goods, hoping both to pay
our way through the stingy Chiboque, and to make presents to