HIS CHARACTER. 
61 
®nd, aB nothing could bo returned to this chief, Mahale be- 
came the owner of them. Long before it was day, Sobituane 
came, and sitting down by the firo, which was lighted for 
cur benefit behind the hodgo whore wo lay, ho narrated the 
difficulties ho had hiinsolf experienced, whon a young man, 
in crossing that same desert which wo had mastered long 
afterward. 
He was much pleased with the proof of confidence w« 
bad shown in bringing our children, and promised to take 
us to soo his country, so that wo might chooso a part in 
which to locato ourselves. Our plan was, that I should 
remain in tho pursuit of my objects as a missionary, 
whilo Mr. Oswoll explored tho Zambesi to tho cast. Poor 
Sobituane, however, just after realizing what ho had so long 
ardently dosired, foil sick of inflammation of tho lungs, 
which originated in and extended from an old wound got at 
Lolita. I saw his dangor, but, boing a stranger, I foared 
10 treat him medically, lest, in tho ovont of his death, I 
should bo blamed by his pcoplo. I mentioned this to one 
of his doctors, who said, “ Your fear is prudont and wise : 
t-his peoplo would blamo you." He had bcon cured of this 
complaint, during tho year bofore, by tho Barotso making 
a largo number of froo incisions in tho chost. Tho Mako- 
lol ° doctors, on tho othor hand, now scarcely cut tho skin, 
^n the Sunday afternoon in which ho died, when our usual 
religious sorvieo was over, I visited him with my little boy 
Robert. “ Come near," said Scbituano, “ and soo if I am 
ttn y longor a man. I am done.” Ho was thus sensiblo of 
dangerous naturo of his disease; so I ventured to n» 
®®ct, and added a single sentence regarding hopo aftof 
^°ath. “ Why do you speak of doath said one of a 
relay of fresh doctors; “Scbituano will never dio.’ If I 
‘ :uJ persisted, tho impression would have boon produced 
. by speaking about it 1 wished him to dio. Aftor 
•Uting with him somo time, and commending him to the 
toore Y of God, 1 roso to depart, when tho dying chieftain, 
( * wil >g himsolf up a little from his prone position, called s 
6 * 
