GRAND GATHERING AT LINYANTI. 211 



out of the water and hustled the whole party out most uncere- 

 moniously, and looking back, quite indifferently, seemed to ask 

 derisively, " What has happened ? " 



The river villages had much the appearance of two years be- 

 fore. The entire descent of the Leeambye was a sort of ova- 

 tion because of the joy of the villagers. There was another 

 grand gathering at Linyanti. And the "braves," "the true 

 ancients, who had seen wonderful things," told their story to 

 their hearts' delight. The facts had lost nothing by the way ; 

 facts hardly ever seem to be diminished by repetition. Seke- 

 letu created a decided sensation when he appeared in his colonel's 

 uniform. The presents of strange and wonderful things were 

 received as unquestionable evidences of the truth of the most 

 marvellous accounts which the man could give. But when 

 the braves appeared in their white suits, and sat in the circles 

 with their guns resting on their shoulders like real " braves," 

 it was a signal for the delight of wives and the envy of women 

 generally. The old looked serious, the young looked delighted. 

 Events were pointing toward the grandeur which no tribe could 

 hope to rival. The delight was innocent and commendable. 



In looking back on his journey from Linyanti, Livingstone 

 felt that there was indeed a great obstacle to missionary enter- 

 prises in the character of the forests, the denseness and rankness 

 of the growth, and in the floods which occasion such virulent 

 fevers. But he believed, nevertheless, that the interior of this 

 country presents much more inviting fields for missionary labor 

 than the western coast, where successful stations have been so 

 long in operation. Though he suffered so greatly himself, I 

 could easily see how the habits of ordinary missionary life would 

 protect a man against such ills in large measure. Comparing 

 the interior with the west coast, he says : " There the fevers are 

 much more virulent and more speedily fatal than here, for from 

 8° south they almost invariably take the intermittent or least 

 fatal type ; and their effect being to enlarge the spleen, a com- 

 plaint which is best treated by a change of climate, we have the 

 remedy at hand by passing the 20th parallel on our way south. 

 But I am not to be understood as intimating that any of the 

 numerous tribes are anxious for instruction : they are not the 

 inquiring spirits we read of in other countries ; they do not de- 



