1852-53.] FROM THE CAPE TO LINYANTI. 131 



Day comes, none will more surely receive that best of all 

 forms of repayment, " Inasmuch as ye did it unto the 

 least of these my brethren, ye did it unto Me." 



Livingstone, who had now got the troublesome uvula 

 cut out, was detained at the Cape nearly two months 

 after his family left. He was so distrusted by the 

 authorities that they would hardly sell powder and 

 shot to him, and he had to fight a battle that demanded 

 all his courage and perseverance for a few boxes of 

 percussion caps. At the last moment, a troublesome 

 country postmaster, to whom he had complained of 

 an overcharge of postage, threatened an action against 

 him for defamation of character, and, rather than be 

 further detained, deep in debt though he was, Living- 

 stone had to pay him a considerable sum. His family 

 were much in his thoughts ; he found some relief in 

 writing by every mail. His letters to his wife are too 

 sacred to be spread before the public ; we confine our- 

 selves to a single extract, to show over what a host of 

 suppressed emotions he had to march in this expedi- 

 tion : — 



"Cape Town, 5th May 1852. — My dearest Mary, — How I 

 miss you now, and the dear children ! My heart yearns incessantly 

 over you. How many thoughts of the past crowd into my mind ! 

 I feel as if I would treat you all much more tenderly and lovingly 

 than ever. You have been a great blessing to me. You attended 

 to my comfort in many many ways. May God bless you for all 

 your kindnesses-! I see no face now to be compared with that 

 sunburnt one which has so often greeted me with its kind looks. 

 Let us do our duty to our Saviour, and we shall meet again. I 

 wish that time were now. You may read the letters over again 

 which I wrote at Mabotsa, the sweet time you know. As I told you 

 before, I tell you again, they are true, true; there is not a bit of 

 hypocrisy in them. I never show all my feelings ; but I can say truly, 

 my dearest, that I loved you when I married you, and the longer I 

 lived with you, I loved you the better. . . . Let us do our duty 

 to Christ, and He will bring us through the world with honour and 

 usefulness. He is our refuge and high tower ; let us trust in Him at 

 all times, and in all circumstances. Love Him more and more, and 

 diffuse His love among the children. Take them all round you, and 



