BEN HABIB'S PROPOSAL. 547 



gions. Some idea may be formed of the heat in October by the 

 fact that the thermometer (protected) stood, in the shade of my 

 wagon, at 100° through the day. It rose to 110° if unprotected 

 from the wind ; at dark it showed 89° ; at 10 o'clock, 80° ; and 

 then gradually sunk till sunrise, when it was 70°. That is usu- 

 ally the period of greatest cold in each twenty-four hours in this 

 region. The natives, during the period of greatest heat, keep in 

 their huts, which are always pleasantly cool by day, but close and 

 suffocating by night. Those who are able to afford it sit guz- 

 zling beer or boyaloa. The perspiration produced by copious 

 draughts seems to give enjoyment, the evaporation causing a feel- 

 ing of coolness. The attendants of the chief, on these occasions, 

 keep up a continuous roar of bantering, raillery, laughing, and 

 swearing. The dance is kept up in the moonlight till past mid- 

 night. The women stand clapping their hands continuously, and 

 the old men sit admiringly, and say, "It is really very fine." 

 As crowds came to see me, I employed much of my time in con- 

 versation, that being a good mode of conveying instruction. In 

 the public meetings for worship the people listened very attentive- 

 ly, and behaved with more decorum than formerly. They really 

 form a very inviting field for a missionary. Surely the oft-told 

 tale of the goodness and love of our heavenly Father, in giving up 

 his own Son to death for us sinners, will, by the power of his 

 Holy Spirit, beget love in some of these heathen hearts. 



1st October. Before Ben Habib started for Loanda, he asked the 

 daughter of Sebituane in marriage. This is the plan the Arabs 

 adopt for gaining influence in a tribe, and they have been known 

 to proceed thus cautiously to form connections, and gradually gain 

 so much influence as to draw all the tribe over to their religion. I 

 never heard of any persecution, although the Arabs with whom I 

 came in contact seemed much attached to their religion. This 

 daughter of Sebituane, named Manchunyane, was about twelve 

 years of age. As I was the bosom-friend of her father, I was sup- 

 posed to have a voice in her disposal, and, on being asked, object- 

 ed to her being taken away, we knew not whither, and where we 

 might never see her again. As her name implies, she was only a 

 little black, and, besides being as fair as any of the Arabs, had 

 quite the Arab features ; but I have no doubt that Ben Habib 

 will renew his suit more successfully on some other occasion. In 



