20 LECTURE I. 



paring the way, for even before I proceeded to the Central 

 basin it had been conquered and rendered safe by a chief 

 named Sebituane 1 , and the language of the Bechua- 



1 This man, according to Dr Livingstone, is the most remarkable 

 African who has lived for many an age. He has been truly called the 

 Napoleon of these parts. His interesting biography can be found at 

 pages 84 — 90, Travels. Here we can only refer to him. Unlike other 

 African warrior chiefs, such as Africaner, Dingaan, and Mosilikatse, his 

 own determined opponent, he led his men to battle in person. Terrible 

 and successful he was in battle. Lake Ngami was known to him before 

 it was discovered by our traveller and his companions. Sebituane was 

 forty-five years old when first known to Dr Livingstone, who describes 

 him as being somewhat bald, of middle height, frank, cordial, wonder- 

 fully fleet of foot, very popular, and of a coffee and milk colour. He 

 was from the South, and probably of CafFre extraction. His fortunes 

 were various, and his narrative is somewhat like the Commentaries of 

 Ckesar, or the history of the British in India. For some reference to the 

 probable results of his conquests, see Appendix, p. 121. He, like his son 

 Secheletu, was touchingly kind to Dr Livingstone, coming one hundred 

 miles to meet and escort him to his capital, Seshake\ His desire for 

 intercourse with white men was most passionate. The period and cir- 

 cumstances of his death were solemn and striking. As we have before 

 seen, he died soon after that meeting had occurred which both so much 

 desired. "War was the object of his life and the cause of his death, 

 which occurred through an old wound in the lungs turning to inflam- 

 mation. On his death-bed he said to our traveller, "Come near and see 

 if I am any longer a man ; I am done." The native doctors said to Dr 

 Livingstone, who spoke to him of another life, " Why do you speak of 

 death ? Sebituane will never die." 



Our traveller proceeds : " After sitting with him some time, and 

 commending him to the mercy of God, I rose to depart, when the dying 

 chieftain, raising himself up. a little from his prone position, called a 

 servant, and said, ' Take Robert to Maunku (one of his wives), and tell 

 her to give him some milk.' These were the last words of Sebituane. 



"He was decidedly the best specimen of a native chief I ever met. 

 I never felt so much grieved by the loss of a black man before ; and it 

 was impossible not to follow him in thought into the world of which he 

 had just heard before he was called away, and to realise somewhat of the 

 feelings of those who pray for the dead. The deep dark question of 

 what is to become of such as he, must, however, be left where we find 

 it, believing that, assuredly, the 'Judge of all the earth will do right.' " 



