208 LIFE OF DA 7ID LIVINGSTONE, LL.D. 



The open plains and the short grass and firm ground made travelling a 

 luxury compared with their experiences in going to the west coast, and the 

 party marched on in the highest spirits. Fruit trees, yielding edible fruit, 

 were abundant ; several of them were similar to those they had seen on the 

 coast near Loanda. Large regiments of black soldier ants were seen ; they 

 are about half an inch in length, and march in close column headed by 

 leaders, which are considerably larger than the others. They prey upon the 

 white ants, which are stung by the leaders, the sting producing a state of coma, 

 during which they are carried away to be eaten by the marauders. When dis- 

 turbed in their march, they utter a distinct hissing or chirping sound. But for 

 the black ants, the white ants would increase to an alarming extent, and make 

 the country a desert by eating up everything vegetable. The white ants 

 perform several useful functions. The soil, after being manipulated by them 

 in forming their houses and nests, becomes exceedingly fertile, and they re- 

 move all decaying vegetation, just as the black ants do all putrid flesh and 

 excrement. 



The Batoka, like the Makololo and other inland tribes, smoke the 

 mutolcwane, a species of hemp, which produces a kind of intoxication, which 

 sometimes leads to a fit of mad frenzy. So strongly are they addicted to this 

 practice, that even Sekeletu and his head men could not be persuaded by 

 Livingstone to abandon it. 



Buffaloes, antelopes, elephants, zebras, and lions and other felines 

 abounded in the district crossed by them during the early part of their jour- 

 ney. In consequence of being little disturbed, the larger game were very 

 tame. Livingstone shot a bull baffalo among a herd. When wounded, the 

 others endeavoured to gore it to death. This herd was led by a female ; and 

 he remarks that this is often the case with the larger game, as the leader is 

 not followed on account of its strength, but its wariness, and its faculty of 

 discerning danger. The cow buffalo-leader, when she passed the party at 

 the head of the herd, had a number of bnffalo birds seated upon her withers. 

 By following the honey-birds, his attendants procured abundance of honey, 

 which formed an agreeable addition to their meals. 



The ruins of many towns were passed, proving the density of the popu- 

 lation before the invasion of the country by Sebituane, and his being driven 

 out of it by the Matabele and other rival tribes. At the river Dila they saw 

 the spot where Sebituane had lived. The Makololo had never ceased to 

 regret their enforced departure from this healthy, beautiful, and fertile region; 

 and Sekwebu had been instructed by Sekeletu to point out to Livingstone its 

 advantages as a position for their future head quarters. Beyond the Dila 

 they reached a tribe hostile to the Makololo, but, although they assumed a 

 threatening attitude, the party, owing to Livingstone's courage and firmness, 

 passed through unharmed. Save on this occasion, the Batoka were most 



