1884.] From the Zambesi to Benguella. 121 
has its advantages. I have found that one's time cannot be 
divided and laid out beforehand as at home. Amongst the 
Barotse I have risen to a day, say of writing, but it turned out to 
be an all-day meeting. At festival seasons at Lealui crowds of 
people used to come in from all the country round ; at such times 
it was, from morning light until midnight, one constant stream of 
people passing through my house, all curious to see, some to 
hear, and some wanting to speak of what had been said on a 
former visit. 
Again, on making short trips amongst the villages I found the 
press of work almost unbearable at times, from pure lack of 
strength. The work is trying, but all-engrossing, and it needs 
one to be wholly free from all temporal things. At home the 
earnest street-preacher may gather a few Httle children around 
him after much noise and singing ; but in heathen Africa one is 
sometimes glad, in coming up to a village, to hide one's self. 
Everything is laid aside ; the child toddles out to the field to 
call its mother \ the hunters return and call in their dogs ; and 
the cattle are driven to their enclosures, that the herdsmen may 
come and listen to the white man's words. The more isolated 
and ignorant the people the more eager they are. Wherever I 
was able to make the character of my errand known, their willing- 
ness, their intelligent enquiry, their excitement even, quite wore 
me out. 
I expected to have been back to such precious work by 
this time, but the Good Shepherd knows what is best for His 
sheep. Meanwhile I have been getting rid of some of my fever 
legacies. Ague now seems to be a thing of the past. My spleen, 
which was so much swollen that I could not Ue with comfort in 
any position, is now almost reduced to its proper condition. My 
body has in every way picked up in this fine healthy country. 
ARRIVAL OF AN EMBASSY FROM GARENGANZE. 
I thought of waiting at Bailundu until Senhor Porto came along, 
but learning that he would be delayed for some days in building 
a bridge, I went on. On the way I met a company from the far 
interior. They were not different from the rest of the people, 
but in my present state of mind they were naturally of great 
interest to me. They were from the chief Msidi, of Garenganze, 
