l8 53-54-] FROM LINYANTI TO LOANDA. 167 



" The [Roman Catholic] Bishop, who was then acting-governor, gave 

 a horse, saddle and bridle, a colonel's suit of clothes, etc., for Sekeletu, 

 and a dress of blue and red cloth, with a white cotton blanket and 

 cap to each of my companions, who are the best set of men I ever 

 travelled with except Malatzi and Mebalwe. The merchants of 

 Loanda gave Sekeletu a large present of cloth, beads, etc., and one of 

 them, a Dutchman, gave me an order for ten oxen as provisions on the 

 way home to the Zambesi. This is all to encourage the natives to 

 trade freely with the coast, and will have a good effect in increasing 

 our influence for that which excels everything earthly. Everything 

 has, by God's gracious blessing, proved more auspicious than I antici- 

 pated. We have a most warm-hearted friend in Mr. Gabriel. He 

 acted a brother's part, and now writes me in the most affectionate 

 manner. I thank God for His goodness in influencing the hearts of 

 so many to show kindness, to whom I was a total stranger. The 

 Portuguese have all been extremely kind. In coming through the 

 coffee plantations I was offered more coffee than I could take or 

 needed, and the best in the world. One spoonful makes it stronger 

 than three did of that we used. It is found wild on the mountains. 



"Mr. Gabriel came about 30 miles with me, and ever since, 

 though I spoke freely about the slave-trade, the very gentlemen who 

 have been engaged in it, and have been prevented by our ships from 

 following it, and often lost much, treated me most kindly in their 

 houses, and often accompanied me to the next place beyond them, 

 bringing food for all in the way. The common people are extremely 

 civil, and a very large proportion of the inhabitants in one district 

 called Ambaca can read and write well. They were first taught by 

 the Roman Catholic missionaries, and now teach each other so well, it 

 is considered a shame in an'Ambacista not to be able to write his own 

 name at least. But they have no Bibles. They are building a church 

 at Ambaca, and another is in course of erection here, though they 

 cannot get any priests. May God grant that we may be useful in 

 some degree in this field also. . . . Give my love to all the children, 

 they will reap the advantage of your remaining longer at home than 

 we anticipated. I hope Robert, Agnes and Tom are each learning as 

 fast as they can. When will they be able to write a letter to me % 

 How happy I shall be to meet them and you again ! I hope a letter 

 from you may be waiting for me at Zambesi. Love to all the children. 

 How tall is Zouga 1 Accept the assurance of unabated love. 



"David Livingston." 



It must not be forgotten that all this time Dr. Living- 

 stone was making veiy careful astronomical observations, 

 in order to determine his exact positions, and transmit- 

 ting elaborate letters to the Geographical Society. His 



