he was visited by sixteen of the people of Sebehwe, a chief who had successfully withstood Mosilikatse, but whose cowardly neighbors, under the influence of jealousy, had banded together to deprive him of what they had not had the courage to defend.  Consequently he had been driven into the sandy desert, and his object in sending to Livingstone was to solicit his advice and protection, as he wished to come out, in order that his people might grow corn, etc.  Sebehwe, like many of the other people of the country, had the notion that if he got a single white man to live with him, he would be quite secure.  It was no wonder that Livingstone early acquired the strong conviction that if missions could only be scattered over Africa, their immediate effect in promoting the tranquillity of the continent could hardly be over-estimated.

We have given these details somewhat fully, because they show that before he had been a year in the country Livingstone had learned how to rule the Africans.  From the very first, his genial address, simple and fearless manner, and transparent kindliness formed a spell which rarely failed.  He had great faith in the power of humor.  He was never afraid of a man who had a hearty laugh.  By a playful way of dealing with the people, he made them feel at ease with him, and afterward he could be solemn enough when the occasion required.  His medical knowledge helped him greatly; but for permanent influence all would have been in vain if he had not uniformly observed the rules of justice, good feeling, and good manners.  Often ha would say that the true road to influence was patient continuance in well-doing.  It is remarkable that, from the very first, he should have seen the charm of that method which he employed so successfully to the end.

In the course of this journey, Livingstone was within ten days of Lake ’Ngami, the lake of which he had heard at the Cape, and which he actually discovered in 1849; and he might have discovered it now, had discovery alone been his object.  Part of his journey was performed on foot, in consequence of the draught oxen having become sick: 

“Some of my companions,” he says in his first book, “who had recently joined us, and did not know that I understood a little of their speech, were overheard by me discussing my appearance and powers:  ’He is not strong, he is quite slim, and only appears stout because he puts himself in those bags (trousers); he will soon knock up.’  This caused my Highland blood to rise, and made me despise the fatigue of keeping them all at the top of their speed for days together, and until I heard them expressing proper opinions of my pedestrian powers.”

We have seen how full Livingstone’s heart was of the missionary spirit; how intent he was on making friends of the natives, and how he could already preach in one dialect, and was learning another.  But the activity of his mind enabled him to give attention