146 LIFE OF DA VID LIVINGSTONE, LL.D. 



letters of introduction to their friends in Loanda, they parted with mutual 

 expressions of good-will. Livingstone's guide was a man of colour, a 

 native of Ambaca, and a full corporal in the militia. He was attended by 

 three slaves, two of whom carried his hammock, in which he always reclined 

 in state on entering and leaving a village ; the third slave carried a box which 

 contained his dishes, clothing, and writing materials, for he could both read 

 and write, as nearly all his brethren could. Although a pure native himself, 

 when he lost his temper in dealing with any of his slaves, he called him a 

 " negro," as if he meant it as a term of reproach. 



Crossing the high lands which bounded the Quango valley to the west, 

 Livingstone found no difficulty in procuring abundance of food from the 

 inhabitants of the numerous villages in exchange for pieces of calico and beads. 

 The rains and night dews brought on another attack of fever; and a consider- 

 able portion of the journey was made in pain and misery. The skin of his 

 body became abraded in various places ; and his strong courage almost failed 

 him even when the hour of his success was so near at hand. 



Arrived at Ambaca, Livingstone was hospitably entertained by the 

 commandant, who recommended wine for his debility; and here he took the 

 first glass of that beverage he had taken in Africa. While sleeping in the house 

 of the commandant he was bitten by an insect called the tampan, a kind of 

 tick, varieties of which range in size from a pin's head to a pea. It invariably 

 attacks the parts between the toes, sucking the blood till quite full. Its bite 

 is poisonous, and causes a sensation of pain and itching, which passes up the 

 limb until it reaches the abdomen, when it causes purging and retching. 

 When these effects do not follow, fever often sets in, which frequently results 

 in death. Before starting, the commandant gave them two militia soldiers as 

 guides, to replace their Cassange corporal, who left them here ; and pro- 

 vided them with as much bread and meat as would serve them until they 

 reached the next station. With characteristic liberality, Livingstone tells us 

 that the ability of so many of the people of Ambaca to read and write, " is 

 the fruit of the labours of the Jesuit and Capuchin missionaries, for they 

 taught the people of Ambaca ; and ever since the expulsion of the teachers by 

 the Marquis of Pombal, the natives have continued to teach each other. 

 These devoted men are held in high estimation throughout the country to this 

 day. All speak well of them ; and now that they are gone from this lower 

 sphere, I could not help wishing that their own Roman Catholic fellow Chris- 

 tians had felt it their duty to give the people the Bible, to be a light to their 

 feet when the good men themselves were gone." 



Nothing of note occurred during the remainder of the journey. The 

 Portuguese, without exception, treated the party with the utmost considera- 

 tion and kindness, which was all the more gratifying to him on account of 

 his debilitated condition. Parties of Mambari were met who did not seera 



