374 DAVID LIVINGSTONE. [chap. xix. 



tries to get across the lake, but cannot, as the slavers 

 own all the dhows, and will neither lend nor sell to him ; 

 he has therefore to creep on foot round its southern end. 

 Marks of destruction and desolation again shock the eye 

 — skulls and bones everywhere. At the point where the 

 Shire leaves Nyassa, he could not but think of disap- 

 pointed hopes — the death of his dear wife, and of the 

 Bishop, the increasing vigour of the slave-trade, and the 

 abandonment of the Universities Mission. But faith 

 assured him of good times coming, though he might not 

 live to see them. Would only he had seen through the 

 vista of the next ten years ! Bishop Tozer done with 

 Africa, and Bishop Steere returning to the old neigh- 

 bourhood, and resuming the old work of the Universities 

 Mission ; and his own countrymen planting his name on 

 the promontory on which he gazed so sorrowfully, train- 

 ing the poor natives in the arts of civilisation, rearing 

 Christian households among them, and proclaiming the 

 blessed Gospel of the God of love ! 



Invariably as he goes along, Dr. Livingstone aims at 

 two things : at teaching some of the great truths of Chris- 

 tianity, and rousing consciences on the atrocious guilt of 

 the slave-trade. In connection with the former he dis- 

 covers that his usual way of conducting divine service — 

 by the reading of prayers — does not give ignorant persons 

 any idea of an unseen Being ; kneeling and praying with 

 the eyes shut is better. At the foot of the lake he goes 

 out of his way to remonstrate with Mukate, one of the 

 chief marauders of the district. The tenor of his addresses 

 is in some degree shaped by the practices he finds so 

 prevalent : — 



" We mention our relationship to our Father, the guilt 

 of selling any of His children, the consequences : — e.g. it 

 begets war, for as they don't like to sell their own, they 

 steal from other villag-ers, who retaliate. Arabs and 

 Waiyau, invited into the country by then selling, foster 



