48 • LIFE OF DAVID LIVINGSTONE, LL.D. 



over the minds of the ignorant and superstitious Bakwains. As a blacksmith 

 and a carpenter his skill was superior to theirs, and he never hesitated to doff 

 his coat and give any of them the benefit of his labours when skill was re- 

 quired, wisely receiving some service which they could render him as a set- 

 off. In this way a feeling of mutual obligation and exchange of service was 

 fostered and encouraged, in which no notion of charity had a part. 



In speaking of their daily experience, he tells us that they rose about six 

 o'clock. " After family worship and breakfast .... we kept school — ■ 

 men, women, and children being all united. This lasted until eleven o'clock. 

 The missionary's wife then betook herself to her domestic affairs, and the 

 missionary engaged in some manual labour, as that of a smith, carpenter, or 

 gardener. If he did jobs for the people, they worked for him in turn, and 

 exchanged their unskilled labour for his skilled. Dinner and an hour's rest 

 succeeded, when the wife attended her infant school, which the young liked 

 amazingly, and generally mustered a hundred strong ; or she varied it with 

 sewing classes for the girls, which were equally well relished. During the 

 day every operation must be superintended, and both husband and wife must 

 labour till the sun declines. After sunset the husband went into the town to con- 

 verse, either on general subjects or on religion. On three nights of the week 

 we had a public religious service, as soon as the milking of the cows was 

 over, and it had become dusk; and one of instruction on secular subjects, 

 aided by pictures and specimens." These services were diversified by attend- 

 ing upon the sick, and prescribing for them, giving food, and otherwise 

 assisting the poor and wretched. The smallest acts of friendship, oven an 

 obliging word and civil look, are, as St. Xavier thought, no despicable part 

 of the missionary armour. Nor ought the good opinion of the most abject to 

 be neglected, when politeness may secure it. Their good word, in the ag- 

 gregate, ensures a reputation which procures favour for the gospel. Show 

 kindness to the reckless opponents of Christianity on the bed of sickness, and 

 they never can become your personal enemies : there if anywhere, " love begets 

 love." Almost everything they required had to be manufactured by them- 

 selves. Bricks to build his house were made by himself in moulds formed of 

 planks sawn from trees which fell to his own axe. The abundant forest fur- 

 nished plenty of materials for roofing, doors, windows, and lintels The corn 

 was ground into meal by his wife, and when made into dough was baked in 

 an extempore oven constructed in an ant-hill, or in a covered frying-pan placed 

 in the centre of a fire. A jar served as a churn for making butter. Candles 

 were made in moulds from the tallow of various animals. Soap was made 

 from the ashes of a plant called sakola, or from ordinary wood ashes. Shut 

 out from all communication with civilization, the toil and care demanded in 

 supplying their every necessity did not appear a hardship. He says, H There 

 is something of the feeling which must have animated Alexander Selkirk on 



