have to pass through territories in the
possession of the Matabele, who, under the powerful Chief Mozelekatse,
had driven away the Makololo, its original possessors.

Notwithstanding this he had no fears for himself, as that chief looked
upon Mr Moffat, his father-in-law, as his especial friend. A
considerable district, also, of the country was still inhabited by the
Makololo, and by them he was sure to be kindly treated. The Makololo,
it must be understood, are a mixed race, composed of tribes of Bechuanas
who formerly inhabited the country bordering the Kalahara Desert. Their
language, the Bechuana, is spoken by the upper classes of the Makololo,
and into this tongue, by the persevering labours of Mr Moffat, nearly
the whole of the scriptures have been translated. Thus means already
existed of making known the Gospel among them. The bulk of the people
are negroes, and are an especially fine, athletic, and skilful race.

As soon as Dr Livingstone announced his intention of proceeding to the
east, numerous volunteers came forward to accompany him. From among
them he selected a hundred and fourteen trustworthy men, and Sekeletu
appointed two, Sekwebu and Kanyata, as leaders of the company. Sekwebu
had been captured, when a child, from the Matabele, and his tribe now
inhabited the country near Tete; he had frequently travelled along the
banks of the Zambesi, and spoke the various dialects of the people
residing on them, and was, moreover, a man of sound judgment and
prudence, and rendered great service to the expedition.

On the 3rd of November Dr Livingstone, bidding farewell to his friends
at Linyanti, set out, accompanied by Sekeletu and two hundred followers.
On reaching a patch of country infested by the _tsetse_ it became
necessary to travel at night. A fearful storm broke forth, sometimes
the lightning, spreading over the sky, forming eight or ten branches
like those of a gigantic tree. At times the light was so great that the
whole country could be distinctly seen, and in the intervals between the
flashes it was as densely dark. The horses trembled, turning round to
search for each other, while the thunder crashed with tremendous roars,
louder than is heard in other regions, the rain pelting down, making the
party feel miserably cold after the heat of the day. At length a fire,
left by some previous travellers, appeared in the distance. The
doctor's baggage having gone on before, he had to lie down on