312 LIVINGSTONE'S MISSIONARY TRAVELS 



*'The forests became more dense as we went north. We traveled 

 much more in the deep gloom of the forest than in open sunlight. 

 Large climbing plants entwined themselves around the trunks and 

 branches of gigantic trees like boa-constrictors; and they often do 

 constrict the trees by which they rise, and, killing them, stand erect 

 themselves. There were other trees quite new to my companions; 

 many of them ran up to a height of fifty feet of one thickness and 

 without branches. 



"The number of little villages seemed about equal to the number 

 of valleys. . . . Every village had its idols near it. This is the 

 case all through the country of the Balonda ; so that, when we came 

 to an idol in the woods, we always knew that we were within a quarter 

 of an hour of human habitations. 



''We came to a most lovely valley about a mile and a half wide. 

 A small stream meanders down the center of this pleasant green glen ; 

 and on a little rill which flows into it from the western side stands the 

 town of Kabompo — or, as he likes best to be called, Shinte. We found 

 the town embowered in banana and other tropical trees having great 

 expansion of leaf. . . . Here we first saw native huts with square 

 walls and round roofs. The fences or walla of the courts which sur- 

 round the huts are wonderfully straight, and made of upright poles 

 a few inches apart, with strong grass or leafy bushes neatly woven 

 between. In the courts were small plantations of tobacco and a little 

 solanaceous plant which these Balonda use as a relish ; also sugar and 

 bananas." 



Throughout this journey Livingstone suffered greatly from fever, 

 and he arrived at Loanda a mere "bag of bones," so reduced was his 

 frame by the constant recurrence of the malaria. Here is a remark 

 which shows that he suffered from more than the actual disease : "On 

 Sunday, the 19th, both I and several of our party w^ere seized with 

 fever, and I could do nothing but toss about in my little tent, with the 

 thermometer above 90 degrees, though this was the beginning of 

 winter, and my men made as much shade as possible by planting 

 branches of trees all round and over it. We have, for the first time 

 in my experience in Africa, had a cold wind from the north. All the 

 winds from that quarter are hot. and those from the south are cold; 

 but they seldom blow from either direction." 



