304 THE WORLD'S WONDERS. 



LUDICROUS SCENES AT CHURCH. 



ON each Sunday Livingstone held religious service, which was 

 very largely attended, but not always with becoming seriousness 

 or beneficial effects. When all knelt down, many of those who 

 had children, in following the example of the rest, would bend 

 over their little ones ; the children, in terror of being crushed to 

 death, would set up a simultaneous yell, which so tickled the 

 whole assembly that there was often a subdued titter, to be 

 turned into a hearty laugh as soon as they heard Amen. Long 

 after Livingstone had settled at Mabotsa, when preaching on the 

 most solemn subject, a woman might be observed to look round, 

 and, seeing a neighbor seated on her dress, give her a hunch with 

 the elbow to make her move off ; the other would return it with 

 interest, and perhaps the remark, " Take the nasty thing away, 

 will you?" Then three or four would begin to hustle the first 

 offenders, and the men to swear at them all, by way of enforc- 



ing silence. 



INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL. 



AFTER laying the foundation fora mission at Makololo, having 

 taught several of the tribe to read, Livingstone departed for the 

 northwest, having for his ultimate destination Loanda, which 

 is at the mouth of the river Coanza where it empties into the 

 Atlantic ocean. Sekeletu had taken such an interest in the mis- 

 sion and was so devoted to Livingstone that he resolved to 

 accompany his white friend a considerable portion of the journey, 

 and provided an escort to protect him from harm. 



Being fully prepared for a long trip, with provisions, oxen and 

 guides, Livingstone departed from Makololo, taking his route 

 along the Leeambye river, on which he had several canoes 

 launched that were of great service in transporting the baggage. 

 The country was generally fine, and thickly inhabited, but none 

 of the natives manifested hostility, being disposed rather to 

 friendly curiosity on observing the first white man who had ever 

 visited them. Approaching the Loeti river they came upon a 

 number of hippopotamus hunters who fled with every indication 



