_ SOUTH AFRICA FIFTY YEARS AGO $7 
friend is dead, feels that he did not value him half enough, 
_ though he never loved man better. His worth, to those who 
__ know the troubles and difficulties of African travelling, may be 
_ outlined by the following little story. 
__.. When Livingstone and I. made our journey in search of 
_ Lake ’Ngami, we held out to our followers that if we were 
_ successful we would not attempt to press on further. They 
__ were, as a rule, a timid folk, dreading the unknown, too ready 
_ to listen to any tale of danger and difficulty that might be 
_ in the world beyond, and always eager to turn colony-wards. 
_ After some hard work we reached the lake, and success bred 
_ in us the wish to do more ; but we were bound to stand to our 
agreement. At last the desire of penetrating deeper into the 
land became so strong that I suggested calling a meeting of the 
Servants and trying what our eloquence might effect. After 
putting before them that we fully recognised our promise of 
not constraining them to go with us any further, I told them 
that the Doctor and I had made up our minds to give them 
one of the waggons with sufficient stores, supplies and ani- 
munition for their homeward journey, while we ourselves had 
decided to push on ahead. I further explained to them 
that they would have no difficulty in reaching the colony, 
as they knew the waters, and had the wheel-tracks. I 
paused for a minute, and then added, that though we 
could not ask them to accompany us, yet that if any one of 
them was willing to do so, we should be very glad. I rather 
enlarged upon our ignorance of the country in advance, for we 
not wish to influence them unduly to join us. For a few 
moments there was silence, and blankness of face ; then out 
Stepped John, and speaking in Dutch, as he dain did when 
his feelings were touched, though he at other times spoke 
English perfectly, said : ‘What you eat I can eat, where you 
sleep I can sleep, where you go I will go ; I will come with 
; » The effect was instantaneous. ‘We will all go!’ was 
the cry. Do you think after that it was much matter to us 
whether our brother was black or white ? 
