tusks each.  Each has an iron ring round the wrist, and that is attached to the chain, which she carries in the hand to prevent it jerking and hurting the wrist.  How would Nannie like to be thus treated? and yet it is only by the goodness of God in appointing our lot in different circumstances that we are not similarly degraded, for we have the same evil nature, which is so degraded in them as to allow of men treating them as beasts.

“I long for the time when I shall see you again.  I hope in God’s mercy for that pleasure.  How are my dear ones?  I have not seen any equal to them since I put them on board ship.  My brave little dears!  I only hope God will show us mercy, and make them good too....

“I work at the interior languages when I have a little time, and also at Portuguese, which I like from being so much like Latin.  Indeed, when I came I understood much that was said from its similarity to that tongue, and when I interlarded my attempts at Portuguese with Latin, or spoke it entirely, they understood me very well.  The Negro language is not so easy, but I take a spell at it every day I can.  It is of the same family of languages as the Sichuana....

“We have passed two chiefs who plagued us much when going down, but now were quite friendly.  At that time one of them ordered his people not to sell us anything, and we had at last to force our way past him.  Now he came running to meet us, saluting us, etc., with great urbanity.  He informed us that he would come in the evening to receive a present, but I said unless he brought one he should receive nothing.  He came in the usual way.  The Balonda show the exalted position they occupy among men, viz., riding on the shoulders of a spokesman in the way little boys do in England.  The chief brought two cocks and some eggs.  I then gave a little present too.  The alteration in this gentleman’s conduct—­the Peace Society would not credit-it—­is attributable solely to my people possessing guns.  When we passed before, we were defenseless.  May every needed blessing be granted to you and the dear children, is the earnest prayer of your ever most affectionate

     “D.  LIVINGSTON.”

It was soon after the date of this letter that Livingstone was struck down by that severe attack of rheumatic fever, accompanied by great loss of blood, to which reference has already been made.  “I got it,” he writes to Mr. Maclear, “by sleeping in the wet.  There was no help for it.  Every part of a plain was flooded ankle-deep.  We got soaked by going on, and sodden if we stood still.”  In his former journey he had been very desirous to visit Matiamvo, paramount chief of the native tribes of Londa, whose friendship would have helped him greatly in his journey; but at that time he found himself too poor to attempt the enterprise.  The loss of time and consumption of goods caused by his illness on the way back prevented him from accomplishing his purpose now.