"You think," he called to the chief, "that I am a slave-raider." For
Livingstone knew that he had never in all his wanderings been attacked
by Africans save where they had first been infuriated by the cruel
raiders.
The chief scowled.
"See," cried Livingstone, baring his arm to show his white skin as
he again and again had done when threatened by Africans, "is this the
colour of the men who come to make slaves and to kill?"
The savages gazed with astonishment. They had never before seen so
white a skin.
"No," Livingstone went on, "this is the skin of the tribe that has
heart toward the African."
Almost unconsciously the man had dropped the spear points and arrow
heads as he was speaking. The chief listened while Livingstone, who
was now on the bank, told the savages how he had come across the great
waters from a far-off land with a message of peace and goodwill.
Unarmed and with a dauntless heroism the "white man who would go on"
had won a great victory over that tribe. He now passed on in his boat
up the river and over rapids toward the wonderful shining Highlands in
the heart of Africa.
_"Deliverance to the Captives"_
Dr. Kirk was recalled to England by the British Government; but
Livingstone trudged on in increasing loneliness over mountains and
across rivers and lakes, plunging through marshes, racked a score of
times with fever, robbed of his medicines, threatened again and again
by the guns of the slave-raiding Arabs and the spears and clubs of
savage head-hunters, bearing on his bent shoulders the Cross of the
negroes' agony--slavery, till at last, alone and on his knees in
the dead of night, our Greatheart crossed his last River, into the
presence of his Father in heaven.
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