188 LIFE OF DAVID LIVINGSTONE, LL.D. 



and said, ' I must think alone,' and I should tell him the result of my cogita 

 tions. I soon after received the same testimony from William, and another 

 individual upon whose word I could rely ; for I knew well that if Moselekatse 

 said Linyanti was just three steps on the other side of the moon, all his people 

 would say so too. I returned to Moselekatse and proposed to go on foot if 

 he would give me a certain number of his men. To this he would on no 

 account agree ; and declared that if I went he would go too, and would be 

 carried when he could no longer walk. I then made the proposal that, if he 

 would give me men sufficient to carry all Livingstone's goods and papers to 

 Linyanti, I should divide them into packages such as they could manage. To 

 this he promptly agreed, and the next moment ordered a man to make a 

 selection of individuals best acquainted with the country. The whole day 

 was enrployed in making arrangements, and orders were given for twenty men 

 and an officer to be in readiness. There were seventeen packages. The men, 

 after hearing my instructions, repeated and re-repeated them, placed the bags, 

 boxes, &c, some on their heads, others on their shoulders, and, taking their 

 shields and spears, marched off. They were well supplied with food to enable 

 them to pass through perhaps as wild and desolate a region as can well be 

 found ; to go through forests, over mountains and morasses to the country of 

 those who are their enemies. No persons of any tribe with which I am 

 acquainted would have dared to attempt such a thing. It is more than I 

 had anticipated. Having thus done all in my power to supply the wants of 

 Livingstone, who doubtless will find all most acceptable should he be spared 

 to receive them, I began to think how I could make the best of my time in 

 the company of Moselekatse, who had given such unmistakeable proofs of his 

 willingness to serve me. On the departure of the men, I turned to him and 

 said, ' How happy and how thankful I now feel ! for with one word you have 

 rolled off the big stone which lay on my heart.' This remark made him 

 smile with unwonted cheerfulness. We soon unyoked and returned about 

 twelve miles by the way we came. He remained with me at my waggon most 

 of the evening, which afforded the opportunity of talking to him on the all- 

 important subject of religion. He had heard me say that, but for the desire 

 I felt to show him how grateful I was for his kindness, I should prefer taking 

 a direct course homewards, instead of returning to Matlokotloko, but that now 

 I should return with him thither with all my heart. He remarked that he 

 wished to show me still more kindness. I replied that the greatest kindness 

 he could now show was to allow me to deliver to him and his people the 

 message of God, which was the great object I had in view in my present 

 journey ; that if he consented to this, I should desire nothing else. On 

 hearing this he appeared thoughtful, stood up, and walked off to another jjart 

 of the encampment. 



" I have just now learned, with thankfulness, that Livingstone had, with 



