140 LIVINGSTONE'S LAST JOURNALS. [Chap. VI. 



see theni again, but I always like to please them, because it 

 is right to consider their desires. Is that not what is meant 

 in " Blessed is he that considereth the poor " ? There is a 

 great deal of good in these poor people. In cases of milando 

 they rely on the most distant relations and connections 

 to plead their cause, and seldom are they disappointed, 

 though time at certain seasons, as for instance at present, is 

 felt by all to be precious. Every man appears with hoe or 

 axe on shoulder, and the people often only sit down as we 

 pass and gaze at us till we are out of sight. 



Many of the men have large slits in the lobe of the ear, 

 and they have their distinctive tribal tattoo. The women 

 -^=a--^. ^r--*^ indulge in this painful luxury more than 

 'Jlif ''iT^lnl^^ the men, probably because thev have very 

 "^^W^wv^"^ few ornaments. The two central front 



women's Teeth hollowed, teeth are hollowed at the cutting edge. 

 Many have quite the Grecian facial angle. Mapuio has 

 thin legs and quite a European face. Delicate features and 

 limbs are common, and the spur-heel is as scarce as among 

 Europeans ; small feet and hands are the rule. 



Clapping the hands in various ways is the polite way of 

 saying " Allow me," " 1 beg pardon," " Permit me to pass," 

 "Thanks," it is resorted to in respectful introduction and 

 leave-taking, and also is equivalent to " Hear hear." When 

 inferiors are called they respond by two brisk claps of the 

 hands, meaning "I am coming." They are very punctilious 

 amongst each other. A large ivory bracelet marks the head- 

 man of a village ; there is nothing else to show differences 

 of rank. 



28th October. — We spent Sunday at Mapuio's and had a 

 long talk with him ; his country is in a poor state from 

 the continual incursions of the Mazitu, who are wholly 

 unchecked. 



2$th October. — We marched westwards to Makosa's village, 

 and could not go further, as the next stage is long and 



