326 RECEPTION AT LIBONTA. Chap. XXIV. 



delay, leaving the detailed report to be made "by their own 

 countrymen. Pitsane then delivered a speech of upwards of 

 an hour in length, giving a highly flattering picture of the 

 whole journey, of the kindness of the white men in general, 

 and of Mr. Gabriel in particular. He concluded by saying 

 that I had done more for them than they expected ; that I had 

 not only opened up a path for them to the other white men, 

 but had conciliated all the chiefs along the route. The follow- 

 ing day was observed as one of thanksgiving to God for His 

 goodness in restoring us in safety to our friends. My men 

 decked themselves out in their best, and I found that, although 

 their goods were finished, they had managed to save some 

 suits of white European clothing, which, with their red caps, 

 gave them rather a dashing appearance. They tried to walk 

 like the soldiers they had seen in Loanda, and called themselves 

 my "braves" (batlabani). During the service they all sat 

 with their guns over their shoulders, to the unbounded admi- 

 ration of the women and children. I addressed them all on 

 the goodness of God in preserving us from all the various 

 dangers of strange tribes and disease. The men gave us two 

 fine oxen for slaughter, and the women supplied us abundantly 

 with milk, meal, and butter. On our apologizing for having 

 nothing to present in return, the Libontese answered grace- 

 fully, "It does not matter; you have opened a path for 

 us, and we shall have sleep." Strangers flocked in from a 

 distance, generally bringing presents, which I distributed 

 amongst my men. 



Our progress down the Barotse valley was quite an ovation ; 

 the people were wonderfully kind, and every village gave 

 us an ox, and sometimes two. I felt most deeply grate- 

 ful, and tried to benefit them in the only way I could, by 

 imparting the knowledge of that Saviour who alone can 

 comfort them in the time of need, and of that good Spirit who 

 alone can instruct them and lead them into his kingdom. In 

 passing them on our way to the north, their liberality might 

 have been attributed to the hope of repayment on our return, 

 for the white man's land is imagined to be the source of every 

 ornament they prize most. But their present conduct proved 

 that they had not been influenced by such an unworthy 

 motive ; for we received equal liberality now, though our own 



