Missionary Travels and Researches in South AfricaLivingstone, David
Religion
Missionary Travels and Researches in South Africa
Livingstone, David
Missions -- South Africa; South Africa -- Description and travel
Sebituane had now not only conquered all the black tribes over an
immense tract of country, but had made himself dreaded even by the
terrible Mosilikatse. He never could trust this ferocious chief,
however; and, as the Batoka on the islands had been guilty of ferrying
his enemies across the Zambesi, he made a rapid descent upon them,
and swept them all out of their island fastnesses. He thus unwittingly
performed a good service to the country by completely breaking down the
old system which prevented trade from penetrating into the great central
valley. Of the chiefs who escaped, he said, "They love Mosilikatse, let
them live with him: the Zambesi is my line of defense;" and men were
placed all along it as sentinels. When he heard of our wish to visit
him, he did all he could to assist our approach. Sechele, Sekomi, and
Lechulatebe owed their lives to his clemency; and the latter might have
paid dearly for his obstructiveness. Sebituane knew every thing that
happened in the country, for he had the art of gaining the affections
both of his own people and of strangers. When a party of poor men came
to his town to sell their hoes or skins, no matter how ungainly they
might be, he soon knew them all. A company of these indigent strangers,
sitting far apart from the Makololo gentlemen around the chief, would be
surprised to see him come alone to them, and, sitting down, inquire if
they were hungry. He would order an attendant to bring meal, milk, and
honey, and, mixing them in their sight, in order to remove any suspicion
from their minds, make them feast, perhaps for the first time in their
lives, on a lordly dish. Delighted beyond measure with his affability
and liberality, they felt their hearts warm toward him, and gave him
all the information in their power; and as he never allowed a party of
strangers to go away without giving every one of them, servants and all,
a present, his praises were sounded far and wide. "He has a heart! he is
wise!" were the usual expressions we heard before we saw him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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