i 4 4 DAVID LIVINGSTONE. [chap. vn. 



certainly have been put an end to, and very probably 

 likewise Livingstone himself. 



The party, numbering about one hundred and sixty, 

 proceeded up the beautiful river which on his former visit 

 Livingstone had first known as the Sesheke, but which 

 was called by the Barotse, the Liambai or Leeambye. 

 The term means "the large river," and Luambeji, Luam- 

 besi, Ambezi, Yimbezi, and Zambezi are names applied to 

 it at different parts of its course. In the progress of their 

 journey they came to the town of the father of Mpepe, 

 where, most unexpectedly, Livingstone encountered a 

 horrible scene. Mpepe's father and another headman 

 were known to have favoured the plan for the murder 

 of Sekeletu, and were therefore objects of fear to the 

 latter. When all were met, and Mpepe's father was 

 questioned why he did not stop his son's proceedings, 

 Sekeletu suddenly sprang to his feet and gave the two 

 men into custody. All had been planned beforehand. 

 Forthwith they were led away, surrounded by Sekeletu' s 

 warriors, all dream of opposition on their part being as 

 useless as interference would have been on Livingstone's. 

 Before his eyes he saw them hewn to pieces with axes, 

 and cast into the river to be devoured by the alligators. 

 Within two hours of their arrival the whole party had 

 left the scene of this shocking tragedy, Livingstone 

 being so horrified that he could not remain. He did 

 his best to show the sin of blood-guiltiness, and bring 

 before the people the scene of the Last Judgment, 

 which was the only thing that seemed to make any 

 impression. 



Farther on his way, he had an interview with 

 Ma-mochisane, the daughter of Sebituane who had re- 

 signed in favour of Sekeletu. He was the first white 

 man she had ever seen. The interview was pleasing and 

 not without touches of womanly character ; the poor 

 woman had felt an embarras de richesses in the matter of 



