510 
CONVERSATIONS WITH MAKOLOLO. 
Chap. XXV. 
the present sickness. I have often remarked this effluvium in 
sickly spots, and cannot help believing but that it has some con¬ 
nection with fever, though I am quite aware of Dr. MacWilHams’s 
unsuccessful efforts to discover sulphm-etted hydrogen by the 
most dehcate tests, in the Niger expedition. 
I had plenty of employment, for, besides attending to the severer 
cases, I had perpetual calls on my attention. The town contained, 
at least, 7000 inliabitants, and every one thought that he might 
come, and at least look at me. In talking with some of the more 
intelhgent in the evenings, the conversation having tmmed from 
inquiries respecting echpses of the sun and moon to that other 
world where Jesus reigns, they let me know that my attempts to 
enlighten them had not been without some small effect. Many 
of the children,” said they, “ talk about the strange things you 
bring to their ears, but the old men show a little opposition by 
saying, ‘ Do we know what he is talking about ? ’ ” Ntlaria and 
others, complain of treacherous memories, and say, Wlien we 
hear words about other things, we hold them fast; but when we 
hear you tell much more wonderful things than any we have ever 
heard before, we don’t know how it is, they run away from om: 
hearts.” These are the more intelligent of my Makololo friends. 
On the majority, the teaching produces no appreciable effect; 
they assent to the truth with the most perplexing indifference, 
adding, ‘‘ But we don’t know,” or, We do not understand.” My 
medical intercourse with them enabled me to ascertain their moral 
status, better than a mere religious teacher could do. They do 
not attempt to hide the evd, as men often do, from their spfritual 
instructors; but I have found it difficult to come to a conclusion 
on their character. They sometimes perform actions remarkably 
good, and sometimes as strangely the opposite. I have been 
unable to ascertaui the motive for the good, or account for the 
callousness of conscience with which they perpetrate the bad. 
After long observation, I came to the conclusion that they are just 
such a strange mixture of good and evd, as men are everywhere 
else. There is not among them an approach to that contont 
stream of benevolence flowing from the rich to the poor winch we 
have in England, nor yet the unostentatious attentions which we 
have among our own poor to each other. Yet there are frequent 
instances of genuine kiadness and liberality, as wed as actions of 
