CHAPTER VII. 



Starts for the West Coast. — Ascends the Leeambye and the Leeba. — Abundance of 

 Animal Life. — Two Female Chiefs. — Visits Shinte. 



THIS, the longest journey he had yet undertaken, and during which for 

 many months his safety was to be a matter of painful speculation to his 

 friends and the thousands of intelligent men and women throughout the civi- 

 lized world who had been watching the doings of the intrepid missionary, — 

 extended from the south coast to St. Paul de Loanda, the capital of Angola, 

 on the west coast ; and from thence across the continent to Killimane, on 

 the East Coast of Africa. 



As Sekeletu and the headmen of the Makololo were as alive to the advan- 

 tages which would accrue to them from the opening out of trade with the west 

 coast, as Livingstone was for these and higher purposes which they could not 

 comprehend, every assistance was rendered which could help a traveller in 

 carrying out his bold and daring attempt to make his way across the country. 

 A picho, or conference of the headmen of the tribe presided over by the chief, 

 was held to discuss the adventure, and the best way of assisting in it. One of 

 the old men, who was famed as a croaker, said, "Where is he taking you to ? 

 This white man is throwing you away. Your garments already smell of 

 blood." This foreboding had no influence on Sekeletu or any of his men; they 

 were too much accustomed to hearing his prognostications of evil from every 

 enterprise ; and it was decided that a band of twenty-seven picked men, 

 principally Barotse — they being best acquainted with the tribes to the west — 

 should accompany Livingstone, as the contribution of the chief and his people 

 towards the accomplishment of an object so desirable to all. 



In answer to the question, whether, " In the event of your death, will not 

 the white people blame us for having allowed you to go away into an unhealthy 

 and unknown country of enemies ? " Livingstone replied that none of his 

 friends "would blame them, because he would leave a book with Sekeletu, to 

 be sent to Mr. Moffat in case I did not return, which would explain to him all 

 that had happened until the time of my departure." This book was a volume 

 of his journal, and months afterwards, when the Makololo were despairing of 

 ever seeing or hearing anything of him again, it was delivered, along with a 

 letter, by Sekeletu to a trader to be delivered to Mr. Motfat. No trace of this 



