1854-56-] FROM LOANDA TO QUILIMANE. 173 



like to be thus treated 1 and yet it is only by the goodness of God in 

 appointing our lot in different circumstances that we are not similarly 

 degraded, for we have the same evil nature, which is so degraded in 

 them as to allow of men treating them as beasts. 



" I long for the time when I shall see you again. I hope in God's 

 mercy for that pleasure. How are my dear ones 1 I have not seen any 

 equal to them since I put them on board ship. My brave little dears ! 

 I only hope Ged will show us mercy, and make them good too. . . . 



" I work at the interior languages when I have a little time, and 

 also at Portuguese, which I like from being so much like Latin. Indeed, 

 when I came I understood much that was said from its similarity to 

 that tongue, and when I interlarded my attempts at Portuguese with 

 Latin, or spoke it entirely, they understood me very well. The Negro 

 language is not so easy, but I take a spell at it every day I can. It 

 is of the same family of languages as the Sichuana. . . . 



" We have passed two chiefs who plagued us much when going 

 down, but now were quite friendly. At that time one of them ordered 

 his people not to sell us anything, and we had at last to force our way 

 past him. Now he came running to meet us, saluting us, etc., with 

 great urbanity. He informed us that he would come in the evening 

 to receive a present, but I said unless he brought one he should receive 

 nothing. He came in the usual way. The Balonda show the exalted 

 position they occupy among men, viz., riding on the shoulders of a 

 spokesman in the way little boys do in England. The chief brought 

 two cocks and some eggs. I then gave a little present too. The 

 alteration in this gentleman's conduct — the Peace Society would not 

 credit it — is attributable solely to my people possessing guns. When 

 we passed before, we were defenceless. May every needed blessing be 

 granted to you and the dear children, is the earnest prayer of your 

 ever most affectionate D. Livingston." 



It was soon after the date of this letter that 

 Livingstone was struck down by that severe attack of 

 rheumatic fever, accompanied by great loss of blood, to 

 which reference has already been made. " I got it," he 

 writes to Mr. Maclear, "by sleeping in the wet. There 

 was no help for it. Every part of a plain was flooded 

 ankle-deep. We got soaked by going on, and sodden 

 if we stood 8^." In his former journey he had been 

 very desirous to visit Matiamvo, paramount chief of the 

 native tribes of Londa, whose friendship would have 

 helped him greatly in his journey ; but at that time he 

 found himself too poor to attempt the enterprise. The 



