176 LIFE OF DA YID LIVINGSTONE, LL.D. 



in the return journey, as a reason for their giving nothing in return ; and the 

 good. Libontese answered — " It does not matter ; you have opened a path for 

 us, and we shall have sleep (peace)." 



All the way down the Barotse valley they were received with the same 

 enthusiasm, and as generously treated. At Chitlane's village they were in- 

 vited to collect a colony of yonubi linkololo, a long-legged bird about the size 

 of a crow, which breeds among the reeds on the banks of the Leeambye. 

 They secured a hundred and seventy-six of them, and when roasted they made 

 capital eating. All along their route it was a continuous feast of joy — the 

 donors partaking with the party of the meats they furnished. 



At Sesheke Livingstone found several packages sent up the river to him 

 by Dr. Moffat, whose long and fatiguing journey in search of him, already 

 briefly related, will be found fully described further on. In these, which had 

 been carefully kept by the Makololo in a hut on an island in the river, as 

 they feared witchcraft on the part of the Matabeles (their enemies) who had 

 brought them, he found English newspapers and magazines, and some pre- 

 served eatables. Amongst other information the papers contained, was the 

 explanation by Sir Roderick Murchison, after a study of Mr. Barnes' geological 

 map, and discoveries made by Livingstone and Mr. Oswell, of the peculiar con- 

 formation of the continent of Central Africa. Speaking of this wonderful 

 prediction of the physical characteristics of a country of which Sir Roderick 

 had no knowledge, save that supplied by induction, Livingstone says: — 

 " There was not much use in nursing my chagrin at being thus fairly cut out 

 by the man who had foretold the existence of Australian gold before its dis- 

 covery, for here it was, in black and white. In his easy chair he had fore- 

 stalled me by three years, though I had been working hard through jungle, 

 marsh, and fever, since the light dawned in my mind at Dilolo. I had been 

 cherishing the pleasing delusion that I should be the first to suggest the idea 

 that the interior of Africa was a watery plateau of less elevation than flanking 

 hill ranges !" 



Arriving at Linyanti in September, Livingstone found his waggon and 

 goods standing where he had left them more than twelve months before. Not 

 an article had been touched, although they all possessed great value in the 

 eyes of the Makololo. Chief and people were loud in their demonstrations of 

 joy at the unlooked-for return of the wanderers. A great meeting was held 

 to receive their report and the presents sent from the Governor and merchants 

 of Loanda. The wonderful story of their adventures lost nothing in the tell- 

 ing at the hand of the Makololo who had accompanied him ; and the presents 

 sent to the chief filled them with unbounded admiration. Sekeletu was proud 

 of his colonel's uniform, and when he donned it at the first religious service 

 held after their arrival, his splendid suit attracted more attention than the 

 sermon. The two donkeys were greatly admired, as they promised to be the 



