320 LIFE OF DA VID LIVINGSTONE, LL.D. 



bandaged the leg, and carried her to her hut in the village. Next morning 

 they found the bandages torn off and the unfortunate creature left to die. 

 " I believe," remarked one of the sailors, " her master was angry with us for 

 saving her life, seeing as how she had lost her leg." 



Starting for the mouth of the Kongone, where they expected to meet 

 some English cruisers with supplies and the new steamer they had ordered, 

 they were compelled to abandon the Ma-Robert, as she would keep afloat no 

 longer. They reached the mouth of the Kongone on the 4th of January, 

 1861, and found that the Portuguese had erected a custom-house there, and 

 also a hut for a black lance-corporal and three men. The party took up 

 their quarters in the custom-house. The soldiers were suffering from hunger. 

 The provisions of Dr. Livingstone's party were also becoming exhausted, but 

 as large herds of water-boks were found in a creek between the Kongone and 

 East Luabo, they were not put to any serious strait during the month they 

 waited for the arrival of a ship. From drinking the brackish water, and 

 eating the fresh pasturage, which is saline near the coast, the flesh of the 

 antelopes was much sweeter and more tender than in the interior, where it is 

 so dry and tough that the natives, who are not over-fastidious, refuse to eat it 

 for any length of time. The eggs of the pelican and the turtle were found in 

 abundance, and together with several varieties of fish assisted in giving variety 

 to their limited cuisine. 



They found some natives pounding the woody stems of a poisonous 

 climbing plant, and hanging it up in bundles. Having staked off a portion 

 of the stream with bushes to prevent the exit of the fish, the poisonous plants 

 were placed in the water and either killed the fish or stupified them, so that 

 they were easily secured. 



