ENGA G1NG NA TI VE BEARERS. 379 



gathered together to greet us. The people rushed into the river to drag our 

 boats to shore, calling out continually, ' Our fathers, the English, are come 

 again ! Here is Mr. Young ! Mr. Young ! Mr. Young ! ' They were wild 

 with delight." 



When the Makololo were all assembled together, Mr. Young explained 

 to them the purpose of their journey, and asked them if they would join him. 



" They answered me," says Mr. Young, " through their chief Malako, in 

 the quaint and perfect form with which a savage addresses his hearers in 

 council assembled. ' Mr. Young, Narki (the name by which Dr. Livingstone 

 goes among the Makololo) was our father ; and you who were out here with 

 him, behaved well to us during your former stay. You are as our father now, 

 and we will go anywhere with you, and do anything you wish us to do.' I 

 stated my conditions in plain terms to them. They replied : ' You may give 

 us what you please ; only tell us what to do.' " 



At Ma-Titi, the commencement of the Murchison cataracts, the party 

 built a hut to contain their stores, and, taking the steel boat to pieces, made 

 arrangements for the tedious land journey of sixty miles to the clear water 

 beyond. The engaging of native bearers to carry the pieces of their steel 

 boat and other impedimenta was a work to try the patience of the calmest- 

 tempered mortal. 



"Any one," says Mr. Young, "who has had to do with the natives, can 

 picture to himself some portion of the task that met me next morning. It 

 would be an interesting problem to solve, whether an African really ever did 

 think he had justice shown him when it came to carrying a certain burden 

 for a certain wage. There lies the load, and up stands the stalwart form 

 by its side. Then comes the question, ' Two yards of calico ? ' Impossible ! 

 Why nothing would justify him in shouldering it, or rather heading it for 

 that A long haggle succeeds, for it is the prominent feature throughout the 

 length and breadth of the land to lose no opportunity of indulging in this in- 

 satiable habit ; finally, a few more inches concludes a bargain which seems 

 irrevocable. 



"But it now occurs to our worthy, for the first time, that he will raise the 

 load at his feet, and feel its weight : what contortions ! what squeaks of sur- 

 prise ! ' Why one would think the M'Sungi (white man) wished to kill him.' 

 ' No, never ! he is dead already if he has to convey such a load as that the 

 length of his nose.' Another wrangle succeeds, and another three or four 

 inches of calico makes the package appear full of corks, whereas it might have 

 been supposed to contain cannon-balls ten minutes before. This sort of work 

 does not grow on one by repetition : multiply it by, say, a round hundred, 

 and then a tolerable notion may be conceived of what it is to get all in order 

 for the march." 



Two Krumen were left in charge of the hut and the other boats until the 



