Ibelievethattheinteriorofthiscountrypresentsamuchmoreinvitingfieldforthephilanthropistthandoesthewestcoast，wheremissionariesoftheChurchMissionary，UnitedPresbyterian，andothersocietieshavelonglaboredwithmostastonishingdevotednessandnever-flaggingzealTherethefeversaremuchmorevirulentandmorespeedilyfatalthanhere，forfrom8Degsouththeyalmostinvariablytaketheintermittentorleastfataltype；
andtheireffectbeingtoenlargethespleen，acomplaintwhichisbesttreatedbychangeofclimate，wehavetheremedyathandbypassingthe20thparallelonourwaysouthButIamnottobeunderstoodasintimatingthatanyofthenumeroustribesareanxiousforinstruction：
theyarenottheinquiringspiritswereadofinothercountries；
theydonotdesiretheGospel，becausetheyknownothingabouteitheritoritsbenefits；butthereisnoimpedimentinthewayofinstruction。
EveryheadmanwouldbeproudofaEuropeanvisitororresidentinhisterritory，andthereisperfectsecurityforlifeandpropertyallovertheinteriorcountryThegreatbarrierswhichhavekeptAfricashutaretheunhealthinessofthecoast，andtheexclusive，illiberaldispositionofthebordertribesIthasnotwithinthehistoricperiodbeencutintobydeeparmsofthesea，andonlyasmallfringeofitspopulationhavecomeintocontactwiththerestofmankindRacehasmuchtodointhepresentcircumstancesofnations；yetitisprobablethattheunhealthycoast-climatehasreactedonthepeople，andaidedbothinperpetuatingtheirowndegradationandpreventingthosemoreinlandfromhavingintercoursewiththerestoftheworldItistobehopedthattheseobstacleswillbeovercomebythemorerapidmeansoflocomotionpossessedinthepresentage，ifagoodhighwaycanbecomeavailablefromthecoastintotheinterior。
Havingfounditimpracticabletoopenupacarriage-pathtothewest，itbecameaquestionastowhichpartoftheeastcoastweshoulddirectourstepsTheArabshadcomefromZanzibarthroughapeacefulcountryTheyassuredmethatthepowerfulchiefsbeyondtheCazembeontheN。E。，viz。，Moatutu，Moaroro，andMogogo，chiefsofthetribesBatutu，Baroro，andBagogo，wouldhavenoobjectiontomypassingthroughtheircountryTheydescribedthepopulationthereaslocatedinsmallvillagesliketheBalonda，andthatnodifficultyisexperiencedintravelingamongthemTheymentionedalsothat，atadistanceoftendaysbeyondCazembe，theirpathwindsroundtheendofLakeTanganyenkaButwhentheyreachthislake，alittletothenorthwestofitssouthernextremity，theyfindnodifficultyinobtainingcanoestocarrythemoverTheysleeponislands，foritissaidtorequirethreedaysincrossing，andmaythusbefortyorfiftymilesbroad。
Heretheypuntthecanoesthewholeway，showingthatitisshallow。
Therearemanysmallstreamsinthepath，andthreelargerivers。
This，then，appearedtometobethesafest；butmypresentobjectbeingapathadmittingofwaterratherthanlandcarriage，thisroutedidnotpromisesomuchasthatbywayoftheZambesiorLeeambye。
TheMakololoknewallthecountryeastwardasfarastheKafue，fromhavinglivedinformertimesneartheconfluenceofthatriverwiththeZambesi，andtheyalladvisedthispathinpreferencetothatbythewayofZanzibarTheonlydifficultythattheyassuredmeofwasthatinthefallsofVictoriaSomerecommendedmygoingtoSesheke，andcrossingoverinaN。EdirectiontotheKafue，whichisonlysixdaysdistant，anddescendingthatrivertotheZambesi。
OthersrecommendedmetogoonthesouthbankoftheZambesiuntilIhadpassedthefalls，thengetcanoesandproceedfartherdowntheriver。
Allspokestronglyofthedifficultiesoftravelingonthenorthbank，onaccountoftheexcessivelybrokenandrockynatureofthecountryneartheriveronthatsideAndwhenPonuane，whohadlatelyheadedaforaythere，proposedthatIshouldcarrycanoesalongthatsidetillwereachedthespotwheretheLeeambyebecomesbroadandplacidagain，othersdeclaredthat，fromthedifficultieshehimselfhadexperiencedinforcingthemenofhisexpeditiontodothis，theybelievedthatminewouldbesuretodesertmeifIattemptedtoimposesuchataskuponthem。
Anotherobjectiontotravelingoneitherbankoftheriverwastheprevalenceofthetsetse，whichissoabundantthattheinhabitantscankeepnodomesticanimalsexceptgoats。
Whileponderingoverthesedifferentpaths，IcouldnothelpregrettingmybeingaloneIfIhadenjoyedthecompanyofmyformercompanion，MrOswell，oneofusmighthavetakentheZambesi，andtheothergonebywayofZanzibarThelatterroutewasdecidedlytheeasiest，becausealltheinlandtribeswerefriendly，whilethetribesinthedirectionoftheZambesiwereinimical，andIshouldnowbeobligedtoleadaparty，whichtheBatokaofthatcountryviewashostileinvaders，throughanenemy’sland；but，astheprospectofpermanentwater-conveyancewasgood，IdecidedongoingdowntheZambesi，andkeepingonthenorthbank，because，inthemapgivenbyBowditch，Tete，thefarthestinlandstationofthePortuguese，iserroneouslyplacedonthatside。
BeingneartheendofSeptember，therainswereexpecteddaily；
thecloudswerecollecting，andthewindblewstronglyfromtheeast，butitwasexcessivelyhotAlltheMakololourgedmestronglytoremaintillthegroundshouldbecooledbytherains；andasitwasprobablethatIshouldgetfeverifIcommencedmyjourneynow，Iresolvedtowait。
Thepartsofthecountryabout17Degand18DegsufferfromdroughtandbecomedustyItisbutthecommencementofthehumidregiontothenorth，andpartakesoccasionallyofthecharacterofboththewetanddryregionsSomeideamaybeformedoftheheatinOctoberbythefactthatthethermometerprotectedstood，intheshadeofmywagon，at100DegthroughthedayItroseto110Degifunprotectedfromthewind；atdarkitshowed89Deg。；at10o’clock，80Deg。；
andthengraduallysunktillsunrise，whenitwas70DegThatisusuallytheperiodofgreatestcoldineachtwenty-fourhoursinthisregion。
Thenatives，duringtheperiodofgreatestheat，keepintheirhuts，whicharealwayspleasantlycoolbyday，butcloseandsuffocatingbynight。
Thosewhoareabletoafforditsitguzzlingbeerorboyaloa。
Theperspirationproducedbycopiousdraughtsseemstogiveenjoyment，theevaporationcausingafeelingofcoolnessTheattendantsofthechief，ontheseoccasions，keepupacontinuousroarofbantering，raillery，laughing，andswearingThedanceiskeptupinthemoonlighttillpastmidnightThewomenstandclappingtheirhandscontinuously，andtheoldmensitadmiringly，andsay，“Itisreallyveryfine。”Ascrowdscametoseeme，Iemployedmuchofmytimeinconversation，thatbeingagoodmodeofconveyinginstructionInthepublicmeetingsforworshipthepeoplelistenedveryattentively，andbehavedwithmoredecorumthanformerlyTheyreallyformaveryinvitingfieldforamissionary。
Surelytheoft-toldtaleofthegoodnessandloveofourheavenlyFather，ingivinguphisownSontodeathforussinners，will，bythepowerofhisHolySpirit，begetloveinsomeoftheseheathenhearts。
1STOCTOBERBeforeBenHabibstartedforLoanda，heaskedthedaughterofSebituaneinmarriageThisistheplantheArabsadoptforgaininginfluenceinatribe，andtheyhavebeenknowntoproceedthuscautiouslytoformconnections，andgraduallygainsomuchinfluenceastodrawallthetribeovertotheirreligion。
Ineverheardofanypersecution，althoughtheArabswithwhomIcameincontactseemedmuchattachedtotheirreligion。
ThisdaughterofSebituane，namedManchunyane，wasabouttwelveyearsofage。
AsIwasthebosom-friendofherfather，Iwassupposedtohaveavoiceinherdisposal，and，onbeingasked，objectedtoherbeingtakenaway，weknewnotwhither，andwherewemightneverseeheragain。
Ashernameimplies，shewasonlyalittleblack，and，besidesbeingasfairasanyoftheArabs，hadquitetheArabfeatures；butIhavenodoubtthatBenHabibwillrenewhissuitmoresuccessfullyonsomeotheroccasion。
Inthesecasesofmarriage，theconsentoftheyoungwomenisseldomasked。
Amaid-servantofSekeletu，however，pronouncedbytheMakololotobegood-looking，wasatthistimesoughtinmarriagebyfiveyoungmen。
Sekeletu，happeningtobeatmywagonwhenoneofthesepreferredhissuit，verycoollyorderedallfivetostandinarowbeforetheyoungwoman，thatshemightmakeherchoiceTworefusedtostand，apparently，becausetheycouldnotbrooktheideaofarepulse，althoughwillingenoughtotakeherifSekeletuhadaccededtotheirpetitionwithoutreferencetoherwillThreedandifiedfellowsstoodforth，andsheunhesitatinglydecidedontakingonewhowasreallythebestlookingItwasamusingtoseethemortificationexhibitedontheblackfacesoftheunsuccessfulcandidates，whilethespectatorsgreetedthemwithaheartylaugh。
DuringthewholeofmystaywiththeMakololo，Sekeletusuppliedmywantsabundantly，appointingsomecowstofurnishmewithmilk，and，whenhewentouttohunt，senthomeordersforslaughteredoxentobegivenThatthefoodwasnotgiveninaniggardlyspiritmaybeinferredfromthefactthat，whenIproposedtodepartonthe20thofOctober，heprotestedagainstmygoingoffinsuchahotsun。
“Onlywait。”saidhe，“forthefirstshower，andthenIwillletyougo。”
Thiswasreasonable，forthethermometer，placeduponadealboxinthesun，roseto138DegItstoodat108Degintheshadebyday，and96DegatsunsetIfmyexperimentswerecorrect，thebloodofaEuropeanisofahighertemperaturethanthatofanAfrican。
Thebulb，heldundermytongue，stoodat100Deg。；underthatofthenatives，at98DegTherewasmuchsicknessinthetown，andnowonder，forpartofthewaterleftbytheinundationstillformedalargepondinthecentreEventheplainsbetweenLinyantiandSeshekehadnotyetbeenfreedfromthewatersoftheinundationTheyhadrisenhigherthanusual，andforalongtimecanoespassedfromtheoneplacetotheother，adistanceofupwardof120miles，innearlyastraightline。
Wefoundmanypatchesofstagnantwater，which，whendisturbedbyourpassingthroughthem，evolvedstrongeffluviaofsulphuretedhydrogen。
Atothertimesthesespotsexhibitanefflorescenceofthenitrateofsoda；
theyalsocontainabundanceoflime，probablyfromdecayingvegetablematter，andfromthesemayhaveemanatedthemalariawhichcausedthepresentsicknessIhaveoftenremarkedthiseffluviuminsicklyspots，andcannothelpbelievingbutthatithassomeconnectionwithfever，thoughIamquiteawareofDrMacWilliams’sunsuccessfuleffortstodiscoversulphuretedhydrogen，bythemostdelicatetests，intheNigerexpedition。
Ihadplentyofemployment，for，besidesattendingtotheseverercases，IhadperpetualcallsonmyattentionThetowncontainedatleast7000inhabitants，andeveryonethoughtthathemightcome，andatleastlookatmeIntalkingwithsomeofthemoreintelligentintheevenings，theconversationhavingturnedfrominquiriesrespectingeclipsesofthesunandmoontothatotherworldwhereJesusreigns，theyletmeknowthatmyattemptstoenlightenthemhadnotbeenwithoutsomesmalleffect“Manyofthechildren。”saidthey，“talkaboutthestrangethingsyoubringtotheirears，buttheoldmenshowalittleoppositionbysaying，`Doweknowwhatheistalkingabout？’“
Ntlariaandotherscomplainoftreacherousmemories，andsay，“Whenwehearwordsaboutotherthings，weholdthemfast；
butwhenwehearyoutellmuchmorewonderfulthingsthananywehaveeverheardbefore，wedon’tknowhowitis，theyrunawayfromourhearts。”
ThesearethemoreintelligentofmyMakololofriends。
Onthemajoritytheteachingproducesnoappreciableeffect；
theyassenttothetruthwiththemostperplexingindifference，adding，“Butwedon’tknow。”or，“Wedonotunderstand。”
MymedicalintercoursewiththemenabledmetoascertaintheirmoralstatusbetterthanamerereligiousteachercoulddoTheydonotattempttohidetheevil，asmenoftendo，fromtheirspiritualinstructors；
butIhavefounditdifficulttocometoaconclusionontheircharacter。
Theysometimesperformactionsremarkablygood，andsometimesasstrangelytheoppositeIhavebeenunabletoascertainthemotiveforthegood，oraccountforthecallousnessofconsciencewithwhichtheyperpetratethebadAfterlongobservation，IcametotheconclusionthattheyarejustsuchastrangemixtureofgoodandevilasmenareeverywhereelseThereisnotamongthemanapproachtothatconstantstreamofbenevolenceflowingfromtherichtothepoorwhichwehaveinEngland，noryettheunostentatiousattentionswhichwehaveamongourownpoortoeachotherYettherearefrequentinstancesofgenuinekindnessandliberality，aswellasactionsofanoppositecharacterTherichshowkindnesstothepoorinexpectationofservices，andapoorpersonwhohasnorelativeswillseldombesuppliedevenwithwaterinillness，and，whendead，willbedraggedouttobedevouredbythehyaenasinsteadofbeingburied。