LOVE OP CHILDREN. 
71 
beon allowed to roll into tho fire, and there wore threo large 
unbound open sores upon difforont parts of his body. Ilia 
mother and tho women rocoivcd him with a flood of silont 
tears. 
Slavery is said to bo mild and tondor-honrtod in some 
plaoos. Tho Boers assort that they are tho best of mastors, 
and that, if tho English had possessed tho Hottontot slaves, 
thoy would havo rccoived much worso treatment than they 
did: what that would havo been it is difficult to imagine. 
I took down tho names of some scores of boys and girls, 
many of whom I know as our scholars; but I could not 
comfort tho weeping mothers by any hope of their ever 
returning from slavery. 
Tho Bechuanas are universally much attachod to children. 
A little child toddling near a party of men whilo thoy aro 
eating is sure to got a handful of tho food. This lovo of 
childron may arise in a groat mcasuro from tho patriarchs, 
system under which they dwell. Every little stranger 
forms an incroaso of property to tho whole community, 
and is duly reported to tho chief, — boys being moro wel- 
come than girls. Tho parents take tho namo of tho child, 
and often address thoir childron as Ma, (mother,) or Ra, 
(father.) Our eldest boy being named Robert, Mrs. Living- 
stone was, after his birth, always addrossed as Ma-Rebert, 
instead of Mary, her Christian namo. 
CHAPTER VII. 
Livingstone leaves the country of the bakwains. 
Having remained five days with tho wrotchod Bakwains, 
seeing tho effects of war, of which only a vory inadequate 
idea can over bo formod by thoso who havo not boon eye- 
witnesses of its miscrios, wo proparod to depart on the 
15th of January, 1853. Several dogs, in bettor condition 
by far than any of the pooplo, had takon up thoir residence 
7 
