184 LIFE OF DA VID LIVINGSTONE, LL.D. 



came up, Kttle expecting to see the hero of so many battles, and the con- 

 quering tyrant of so many tribes, bathed in tears, which he endeavoured in 

 vain to hide, probably from some of his wives who stood behind him, and his 

 nobles who stood waiting in silence without. After some minutes spent in 

 this way he repeated my name several times, adding, ' Surely I am only 

 dreaming that you are Moffat.' I remarked that God, whom I served, had 

 spared us both, and that I had come once more to see him before I should die, 

 and, though very sorry to see him so ill, I was thankful to God that we were 

 permitted to meet again. He pointed to his feet, which I had observed to 

 be dropsical, and said that they, as well as other parts of his body, were 

 killing him, adding, ' Your God has sent you to help me, and heal me.' 



" Moselekatse's dominion extends from the Shashe River on the South to 

 the Zambesi on the North, and all the numerous canoes and boatmen on the 

 southern bank acknowledge his authority. On account of the tsetse, or fly, 

 much of the country towards the Zambesi cannot possibly be occupied with 

 cattle ; they are swept off immediately by that small but overwhelming 

 insect. The scattered inhabitants have abundance of game, and are able to 

 keep sheep and goats, which do not suffer ; it is remarkable that this should 

 be the case, for though their hair or wool is thicker than other animals, 

 there are vulnerable parts, which the tsetse can easily reach ; dogs im- 

 mediately fall victims. 



" This morning I said to my interpreter, and to another who might be 

 called the king's aide-de-camp, that I wished to convey to Moselekatse all my 

 plans, and what I wished to accomplish during my stay. When I mentioned 

 Linyanti, and that, as I had goods, &c, for Livingstone, I intended to go 

 thither, or as near the Makololo as I could, in order to forward his supplies, 

 the proposal seemed to operate on them like an electric shock, and they 

 supplicated me most humbly, for the sake of their lives, not to send them to 

 their master with such a message ; that I must on no account whisper such a 

 thing — the king must first see me for a month or two to come. The day 

 had been so windy, cold, and damp, his majesty had kept within doors, and 

 one or two, who might be considered sheriffs, being absent, some women from 

 the harem, and others who had brought beer, &c, to the town, took the 

 favourable opportunity of drawing near to have a look at me. Though cold, 

 they had nothing like dress on the upper part of their bodies, and, according 

 to the Matabele custom, very little anywhere else. They appeared very 

 cheerful and happy, most of them with arms over each other's necks. 

 They acted with great decorum, and when they retired they said they 

 were glad I had come, and were thankful for the opportunity of seeing me. 

 By far the greater part of his people are not pure Matabele, but belong to the 

 tribes whom Moselekatse had subjugated during his long career. 



" The Mashona have more or less intercourse with the Portuguese, and 



