126 Livingstone's despatches. 



Livingstone as that already received. We were also 

 visited by no fewer than three chiefs, who stated they 

 had come from a distance, having heard of our arri- 

 val. One brought a razor, and another an English 

 prayer-book, which the white man had given them 

 when they came to visit him here. Every leaf of the 

 book was carefully examined, but there was not a 

 trace of a pen or pencil in it. I was quite struck by 

 the amount of interest all the natives displayed on 

 hearing our story, and none spared themselves trou- 

 ble in any way to get us all the information they 

 could. 



I had great fears for the ultimate success of the 

 party sent to Mataka, and these fears were not with- 

 out ground, knowing as I did that laziness, and 

 even want of pluck, characterized them. The latter 

 was too plainly shown when they dared not face 

 danger in the storm. The former I knew to be a 

 leading trait in their character, simply from daily 

 ocular demonstration — and this was the chief cause of 

 my having been so anxious to accompany them my- 

 self Unfortunately I was not far wrong, for on the 

 13th September they rejoined us, having been away 

 less than five days. We had just finished an early 

 dinner when the party was seen approaching. I felt 

 no excitement about them, as I was certain that by 

 their returning so soon they had been unsuccessful. 

 When close to us I perceived that they had been 

 over-indulging in pombe. Mr. Young asked, 

 *' Well ? All right?" The leading Makololo simply 

 replied, " No," in English. Mr. Young seemed much 

 annoyed and disappointed, but I expected nothing else. 



