lxii PREFATORY LETTER. 



of cloth they had, and asked for provisions and a guide. 

 The Chief received them with courtesy, and conferred with 

 his council. He then returned the cloth, and gave rice to 

 Livingstone, and told him to send his men to seek food 

 among the villagers. A venerable old man, the father-in- 

 law of the Chief, came with some others to the tent, and 

 examined the books, and other curiosities they found there, 

 and inquired about their use. They spoke of praying to de- 

 parted Chiefs ; but the thought of praying to God was new 

 to them ; and on this subject "they listened to what they 

 heard with reverence." They are anxious to keep cattle, but 

 are prevented by the prevalence of the tsetse; and being igno- 

 rant of the cause of their misfortune, they asked for medicine; 

 "give it us, they said, that it may enable us to keep them." 

 This kind of superstition is universal in central Africa. 



Next morning (the 14th) they left their hospitable friend, 

 who had provided them with guides. They were led to 

 a part of the country that was more free from the jungle, 

 and were then enabled to walk on in comfort. Having tasted 

 nothing for several days but grain, they had a great longing 

 for animal food, and kept a sharp look out for some large 

 game ; and after a few hours march, they spied an elephant. 

 They instantly attacked him, and after a splendid spear- 

 battle, gallantly brought him to the earth. While the 

 battle was going on, one of the native Banyai, who hap- 

 pened to be present, emptied his snuffbox on the ground 

 as an offering to Barimo; and one of Nyampungo's men, 

 who was at Livingstone's side, uttered loud prayers for the 

 success of the combat. " I admired," he says, " the belief 

 they all possessed of the existence of unseen beings; and I 

 prayed that they might yet know that one benignant Being 

 who views us all as His own." 



After the elephant was down, and while the Makololo 

 were wildly dancing round his body, the man who had 

 made the snuff-offering remarked: "I see you are travel- 



