“A woman was actually devoured in her garden during my visit, and that so near the town that I had frequently walked past it.  It was most affecting to hear the cries of the orphan children of this woman.  During the whole day after her death the surrounding rocks and valleys rang and re-echoed with their bitter cries.  I frequently thought as I listened to the loud sobs, painfully indicative of the sorrows of those who have no hope, that if some of our churches could have heard their sad wailings, it would have awakened the firm resolution to do more for the heathen than they have done.”

Poor Sekomi advanced a new theory of regeneration which Livingstone was unable to work out: 

“On one occasion Sekomi, having sat by me in the hut for some time in deep thought, at length addressing me by a pompous title said, ’I wish you would change my heart.  Give me medicine to change it, for it is proud, proud and angry, angry always.’  I lifted up the Testament and was about to tell him of the only way in which the heart can be changed, but he interrupted me by saying, ’Nay, I wish to have it changed by medicine, to drink and have it changed at once, for it is always very proud and very uneasy, and continually angry with some one.’  He then rose and went away.”

A third tribe visited at this time was the Bakaa, and here, too, Livingstone was able to put in force his wonderful powers of management.  Shortly before, the Bakaa had murdered a trader and his company.  When Livingstone appeared their consciences smote them, and, with the exception of the chief and two attendants, the whole of the people fled from his presence.  Nothing could allay their terror, till, a dish of porridge having been prepared, they saw Livingstone partake of it along with themselves without distrust.  When they saw him lie down and fall asleep they were quite at their ease.  Thereafter he began to speak to them: 

“I had more than ordinary pleasure in telling these murderers of the precious blood which cleanseth from all sin.  I bless God that He has conferred on one so worthless the distinguished privilege and honor of being the first messenger of mercy that ever trod these regions.  Its being also the first occasion on which I had ventured to address a number of Bechuanas in their own tongue without reading it, renders it to myself one of peculiar interest.  I felt more freedom than I had anticipated, but I have an immense amount of labor still before me, ere I can call myself a master of Sichuana.  This journey discloses to me that when I have acquired the Batlapi, there is another and perhaps more arduous task to be accomplished in the other dialects, but by the Divine assistance I hope I shall be enabled to conquer.  When I left the Bakaa, the chief sent his son with a number of his people to see me safe part of the way to the Makalaka.”

On his way home, in passing through Bubi’s country,