Day-dawn in dark places : a story of wanderings and work in Bechuanaland

Preface

The life oi a missionary in the interior of Southern Africa is usually attended with stirring incident and adventure. Whilst pursuing his great work of evangelist he meets with game and wild beasts in the open country ; with wild and degraded men in town and village. He uses waggons, guns, horses, and oxen ; he handles trowel, plumb-line, adze, saw, and spirit-level, as well as the usual implements of a minister’s study. His highest work is to deliver the message of Heaven’s mercy, and to explain the Sacred Book in which it is contained ; but he seeks also to teach something of natural science. At times he is a schoolmaster ; and again he may be seen with his disciples in the garden or corn-field with spade or plough in his hands.

Readers of “Ten Years North of the Orange River” will feel themselves at home in the pages of “ Day-Dawn in Dark Places.” In preparing this little book my great object has been to give in brief space a clear and true picture of Mission Life and Work, leaving that to produce its own effect on my readers’ mind. I have noticed that books which are much liked by young people are usually favourites with old people also ; and I need hardly say that I shall feel quite honoured if this should be the happy fate of the present little volume.

John Mackenzie.

Portobello, 2.^rd October, 1883.

Chapter I. From England To Kuruman

Voyaging to the Cape — Reception in Cape Town — Opening up a New Lite — “Baas slaap” — Table Mountain — Merchants’ Residences— Too much Powder— Sir George Grey — Start on Waggon Journey— Our Encampment — Paarl — Beaufort West — Victoria West — Hope Town — Griqua Town — Rumours of War — Kuruman — Diamond Fields pages i— n

Chapter II. In Charge Of Kuruman Station

Proposed Bachelor Expedition — Obstruction by Transvaal Boers — Detention — Visit the Free State— Departure of Missionaries for the Interior— The Boers Disperse —The Sechwana Language— Medical Study and Practice — My First “Great Case” ........... pages 12 — 26

Chapter III. Journey Northward To Sechele’s Town

Natives’ Waggons- -Farewell to Friends— My Travelling Party — Death o a Hunter — Kanye and the Bangwaketse — Wesleyan Mission to Barolong — Kolobeng — Dr. Livingstone and the Boers — The Transvaal Republic and the French Protestant Mission — The Chief Secbele — His Christianity — Hermannsburg Mission pages 27—40

Chapter IV. Journey Northward I A Thirsty Desert

Boer Doctoring for Fever— Khosimore Kills an Eland — Arrive at Shoshong — Mr. Helmore’s Sermon — Meet Dr. Moffat— Our Water Supply in the Desert — “A Region of Emptiness ” — Arrive at Nkowane — Waggon-Driving under Difficulties — Lotlakane — Mrs. Helmore’s Palmyra Lodge — Their Sufferings from Thirst — Kionecoe Brings Them Water ........ pages 41 — 56

Chapter V. Journey Northward: Native Vassals

The Bakalahari Vassals — Their Helpfulness to Their Masters — The Bushmen — Less Trusted by Their Masters — European Trading Among the Vassals — Gradual Relaxing of the Masters’ Sway— Some Ameliorating Usages Towards Vassals — Their Misery in Time of War — “Sermons to Bushmen” — Their Knowledge of Herbs — Their Religion — Their Rites — At a Camp-Fire with Bushmen pages 57 — 69

Chapter VI. Journey Northward : A Lion Country

Water which “Rinses Out”— In Search of the Waggon-Track — Hunting for Bushmen— We Cross the Zouga — Sunday at Kube — Christianised and Heathen Vassals— “ Norval” Catches a Young Kukama— Our Wpggon Pets — The Plain of Ntwetwe — The First Baobab Tree — Dangerous Journey in the Dark — The Death- Cry of .Hendrik's Horse — “ Dat’s raak ! ” (I’ve hit him!) — Hendrik Leads a “Strike” — Perilous Situation at Maila pages 70 — 80

Chapter VII. Journey Northward I Rightly Guided

Makalaka at Maila— Guarding the Water from Game — News from Linyanti — Last Letters of Mrs. Helmore to Her Children — Great Sufferings from Thirst — Two Routes — Our Final Decision ........ pages 81 — 91

CONTENTS.

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Chapter VIII. Journey Northward I A Sad Meeting

The Compass and the Next Pool of Water — Our Guides Leave Us— Thirsty Oxen — Break Up of the Party— Road-Making — Reach the Zouga or Botletle River — Meet the Boatmen Spies — Their Story of our Friends’ Death — Our Disbelief — “The White Man in the Boat ” — “ Ke ena ” (It is he) — Meet Mr. Price — Had bean Guided to Him pages 92—107

CHAPTER JX.

FEVER AND DEATH.

The Mission Party at Linyanti — Refusal of Makololo to Remove to Healthy Locality— Waiting for Dr. Livingstone — The Party Stricken by Sickness — A Succession of Deaths — Recovery of Mr. Helmore — Relapse and Death — Sekeletu seizes the Property of the Mission — Departure of Mr. and Mrs. Price — The Mababe Plain — Death of Mrs. Price — The Tsetse Fly — Waiting at Lake Nghabe

Chapter X. On The Botletle River

Discovery of a Ford — “ The Mystery of the Tsetse-bite ” — Boating on the Zouga — The Makoba — Their Habits and Superstition — An Offer of Service — The Wonder of the Waggon-Wheels — Reach Lake Nghabe — Joy of Mr. Helmore's Children — Purchase of Oxen — Preaching at the Lake — The Lake Mission — Mr. Hepburn — Khukhwe and Dipokwe — The Lake Church ... . pages 126 — 133

Chapter XI. Return Journey

Oxen Killed in Game-Pits— Our Future Course — Fever on the Zouga — Disappointed Servants — Willie Helmore and the Water — Reach Shos&ong — Meet Dr. Moffat— Search Expedition— Arrive at Kuruman — Illness of Mrs. Mackenzie

Chapter XII. Appointed To Shoshong

Itinerant Work — Translating and Printing — Travelling Equipment — A Lion Adventure — “Sleep had Conquered the Tobacco” — The Lion Seizes an Ox — The Bushman’s Portion — A Serenade — Arrive at Shoshong — The Last of the Makololo Tribe . pages 140 — 151

Chapter XIII. At Work Among The Bamangwato

Building a Hut — Co-operation with Lutheran Missionary — Small-pox at

Shoshong — We Inoculate the People — The Hyena and Captain W . — A Good

Watch-Dog — Hunting Elands — The Riderless Steed — The Bushman’s Fire — Kill a Kukama — A Woman Rescued from being Stoned to Death — Black People’s Features — Doctoring — The Colourless Eye- Lotion . . . pages T52 — 166

Chapter XIV. A Native War

The Matebele and the Bamangwato — The Makalaka Vassals — The War-Cry at Shoshong — A Native Review — An Empty Town — Refuge on the Mountains — An Anxious Night — Khame Meets the Matebele Army — Ihe Fight — Retreat of the Bamangwato — Expected Attack of Shoshong — Preach to Armed Men the Words of Love and Peace — Return of the Matebele ..... pages 167 — 182

Chapter XV. Reinforcing The Matebele Mission

Accompanying Mr. and Mrs. J. S. Moffat — Buffalo-Hunting — A Buffalo Shoots a Man — Massacre of the Batalowta — The Rhinoceros and its Calf — Turned Back by the Matebele — Remonstrate — Invited to Proceed — Reception by Moselekatse- Reach Inyate — Mrs. Thomas .... ... pages r83 — 193

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CONTENTS.

Chapter XVI. Among The Matebele

The Arrival and Reception of the Matebele Mission — Time of Anxi.ty — Preaching Begun — Moselekatse Dissents — Moselekatse’s Court — “Feeding-Time” --Eating Beef and Drinking Beer ....... pages 194 — 202

Chapter XVII. The Matebele And The Gospel

A Warlike Tribe — The Headmen — The Chief's “Knife'' — A Young Regiment — The Way to Honour through Bloodshed — Their Social Condition — Baptism of Matebele — Final Interview with Moselekatse — Waggon Pulled by Soldiers — Lion Adventure at Shashane — The Value of a Good Dog — Arrive at Shoshong

Chapter XVIII. Mission Work At Shoshong

Bechwanas Ancestor-Worshippers — Argument with Sekhome — District Schools — Varied Testimony as to Mental Capacity of Africans — Bechwana Messengers — Gourd-Shaded Lanes — Fever — Attack by Bakwena — Visits from Sekhome —The Heart of the White * Man and of the Black Man— “ Entering ” the Word of God 4>agcs 217 — 225

Chapter XIX. The Old Customs And The New Religion

Polygamy — “ Boguera” — The Mission in Trouble — Opposition of Sekhome — Building a Dwelling-house —Sekhome Quarrels with Missionaries — Takes Their Servants Away — Sekhome in His Sons’ Power — Peace is Made — Macheng is Called by Sekhome — The Wizards at Khame’s House — The Bamangwato Afraid of Sekhome’s Charms ............ pages 225 — 237

Chapter XX. War In Shoshonc

Mr. and Mrs. Price Go to Sechele’s — Khame’s Warning — The Town Divides — Firing is Begun by Ralitlari — English Traders Involved — They Flee to Mission- House — Sunday on the Mountain — The Trader is Forgiven — A “ Black Watch ” — Sekhome’s Mother is Ashamed o> the Men — What is to be Done with the Missionary ? — The Crisis on Sunday — The Armed Matebele Soldier — The Death of a Sorcerer — Mrs. Mackenzie and the Traders .... pages 238 — 254

Chapter XXI. The End Of Sekhome’s Plot

A State of Siege on the Hill — The Work of Mediator — Khame Agrees to Return to the Town — Khamane and Tshukuru Flee — Death of Tshukuru — Death- Wail — Arrival of Macheng — His Reception at Shoshong — Speech by Khame — Macheng Refuses to Kill Khame — Sekhome has to Flee — His Visit to the Mission- House — The Lessons of this Struggle ...... pages 255 — 265

Chapter XXII Progress Of The Work

Building of a Church — The Old Men and the Large Trees — The Pit-saw at Work — The Opening of the Church — Suspicion of the Heathen — Address in Church — The Feast Outside — “Drink, for there is no longer aught to eat” — District Preaching — The Mission-House and Family an Educator — A Sunday at Shoshong among the Natives and Europeans . . . . pages 266 — 273

Chapter XXIII. A Glance Over Twenty Years

Mr. Hepburn Appointed to Shoshong— Theological Class Commenced — Removal to Kuruman — The Moffat Institution — The Change at Shoshong in Trade, Implements, &c,, as well as Habits of the People — Northward! — “The Gospal for Every Creature ” — Who Fights Under this Flag? — Children of Christians and Mission Work — The Youthful Reverie— Concluding Advice . . pages 274 — 2.8

DAY-DAWN IN DARK PLACES.

Chapter I. From England To Kuruman

An

^L^?SSir«ii«ini VOYAGE from England to the Cape in a sailing vessel means, for missionary or other voyager, some three months on the sea. Long ago there was no choice, and this long voyage had to be undergone. The first steamships reduced the length of time spent on the voyage by about one-half. In 1858, when our first voyage was performed, it took the mail steamer from England, in which we sailed, thirty-eight days to reach Cape Town. But just as the first steamers improved on the sailing vessels, so have the steamers of the present day improved on those sailing to the Cape some twenty-five years ago. This is seen at once when we say that in 1882, the date of our last voyage, the mails from the Cape were landed from our steamer at Plymouth on the nineteenth day, exactly one-half the time consumed on our first voyage !

Whether the voyage has been long or short, the sight of the land of his destination is welcome to the voyager. Our first pleasure in gazing on Table Mountain, at the foot of which Cape Town is built, was speedily increased by the hearty welcome which we received from friends who were waiting our arrival, among whom were the late B

FROM ENGLAND TO KURUMAN.

venerable Dr. Moffat and the Rev. William Thompson, local agent of the Missionary Society. On landing, we soon found ourselves mingling with people of various shades of colour, and heard several (to us) unknown tongues spoken by those whom we passed on our way to the pleasant Mission House in Sir Lowry Street, which was to be our home for the next six weeks. Cape Town is indeed in a wider sense than its first founders could have anticipated “ a place of refreshment for passing vessels ; ” and if modern navigation renders this less necessary than it was two hundred years ago, the wants of modern society at the Cape require the services of many vessels, and from all parts of the world : for the trade is no longer confined to brass wire and beads, in exchange for cattle and sheep, as in the days of Jan van Riebeek, the founder of Cape Town. But as Cape Town was originally a house of call for “ refreshment of passing vessels,” so was this mission-house a temporary home for missionary voyagers, whether outward or homeward bound. We were a large and very happy family. Indeed, I feel sure that nowhere in all the dwellings of Cape Town or its suburbs were there to be found a more gracious host and hostess, and nowhere more happy and joyous guests, than in the quiet mission-house overlooking Table Bay.

As for ourselves, the life which we had chosen had begun to open up before us. The past with its crowding memories did not on the whole lead us to despond as to the future. The class-room had been now exchanged for the pulpit ; drill and review for actual warfare. And if a young man is enthusiastic on the reception of an appointment which in a certain number of years will enable him to enjoy independence, so were we all enthusiastic about our appointment to the work of evangelist. Our office and our work linked us to historical Christianity. In God’s providence His Gospel was to be introduced into certain Pagan regions by us. Those who in one age had been martyred, and in another canonised — at first persecuted, and afterwards endowed with lands and with titles, were our historical predecessors in this great work. Above all, in our quiet moments, when our minds were calmed and our souls

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DAY-DAWN IN DARK PLACES.

hushed, a Presence stole upon us, and a Voice addressed us. They seemed as of One who had appeared in Palestine, and who spoke to us through the long ages of the past; but anon His words thrilled our hearts as fresh and real utterances of the present : “ Preach the Gospel to every creature ; lo, I am with you alway. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.”

In making preparations for our journey into the interior, we had frequent occasion to visit various shops and places of business in Cape Town. It was then the custom for the Cape Town storekeepers — at any rate those of the old school — to indulge in a siesta after dinner, which they usually took about noon. I made my appearance one day at a shop at this sacred hour, to complete some purchases, and was astonished to find everything shut, except one-half of the adjoining house-door, at which stood a little black girl. In answer to my demand for the shopkeeper, this sentinel said, in alow tone, “Baas slaap.” (“The master is asleep ! ”) I thought what would be the result to this easy-going man of business were he borne by genii, while asleep, and laid gently down and left to awake on London Bridge or Cheapside !

At the invitation of some newly-found friends, we devoted a day to the ascent of Table Mountain. A pleasant party of some twelve or fourteen sat down to “ tiffin,” or luncheon, on the table-land at the top, and beside a stream of Avater. It was thought by several of our number that water at such an altitude needed modifying by the application of what is not called “ mountain dew ” in South Africa, but “ Cape smoke.” It was here, and from a respected professor’s flask, that I drank my first and last “ soepje,” or dram of Cape brandy. I do not at all recommend it. The view from the top of Table Mountain is one which will abundantly repay the fatigue of the ascent. There was the town itself below us, with its miniature streets and scarcely visible inhabitants. The noble bay, with ships approaching or leaving the harbour, the rugged rock-bound coast on the left, the wide plain on the right, bounded by blue mountains in the distance, gave us our first impressions of African scenery.

FROM ENGLAND TO KURUMAN.

We were able also to make acquaintance with the environs of Cape Town, which we found to be very beautiful. At Green Point there are many delightful marine residences, while on the road to Simon’s Bay there are villas and villages of surpassing beauty. At the time of our visit, gentlemen in business usually rode or drove into town from these places ; but now the railway passes through the

ENTRANCE TO A SOUTH AFRICAN VILLAGE.

villages in question. In his suburban residence, embowered in trees, with its vineyard, its orchard, and its garden, the Cape merchant lives amidst beauty and luxuriance unequalled in England.

Preparations for our journey and excursions into the country were interspersed with exercises of another description. Intending to reside in a country where the man

DAY-DAWN IN DARK PLACES.

would be best served who could help himself, we had all more or less given attention to various useful arts in England. Knowing also that our future residence would be surrounded by wild beasts, some of us had given a little attention to the use of fire-arms ; but none of our party could boast of much knowledge of such carnal weapons as

OUTSPANNED AT A COLONIAL VILLAGE.

guns and rifles. We were anxious to remove this defect in our training ; and when we had an hour to spare in Cape Town resorted to the beach for practice. Now, it is well known to crack-shots, but not much thought of by beginners, that loading well is necessary to shooting well.

“ Pray don’t put in so much powder at once, Mr. ,”

said the son of our host, then a lad of eighteen (now the

FROM ENGLAND TO ZURUMAN.

respected Foreign Secretary of the London Missionary Society), to one of our number, who was loading his gun. His only answer was a stern look of superior wisdom, upon which the friendly adviser prudently withdrew to some distance. Hearing a report, he turned round, and beheld

Mr. standing with nothing in his hand but a bit of the

stock of his gun ! Happily he escaped unhurt, which fact only added to his bewilderment, as he thought of the rest of the stock, the lock, and the barrel, which had all joined the powder and the shot in their sudden departure !

This striking lesson was not in vain. Mr. afterwards

became a good shot, and in the ordinary course of his work as an itinerant missionary has brought down many an antelope with his rifle.

Our party had the honour of being presented to Sir George Grey, then Governor at the Cape, himself a traveller and explorer. He expressed himself as interested in our undertaking, and cheered us when taking leave by saying that it was not at all impossible, if the country were fully opened up from the east coast by the efforts of Dr. Livingstone and his companions, that he might yet see us at our own stations on the Zambese. His Excellency was kind enough to grant a number of asses, to be used by the missionaries in the transmission of letters, &c., through the habitat of the tsetse-fly. Since T858 a small sum has also been annually voted by the Cape Parliament for the carriage of letters between the frontier colonial town and Kuruman, which is a great boon, not only to missionaries, but to traders, travellers, and hunters.

Our departure was hastened by the arrival of Mr. and Mrs. Helmore by the steamer which had followed us. The oxen having been purchased, servants hired, and waggons made ready, Dr. Moffat and his family left first. About a week after the young missionaries started, under the guidance of Mr. Helmore.

I shall not attempt to describe my first experiences of waggon life. I congratulated myself that, with the assistance of my Hottentot driver Jan Sandveld, and my Kaffir leader William Brown, I had made everything comfortable for my wife’s reception, especially as she was then in indif-

DAY-DAWN IN DARK PLACES.

ferent health. But a waggon at rest and a waggon in motion are widely different things. This fact was soon deeply impressed on my mind as I beheld a leg of mutton, just provided by our kind hostess, leave the place where I had put it, and with a loaf of bread, some oranges, and sundry other articles, join my astonished wife on the kartel or waggon couch. The whip cracked, driver and leader shouted, and away we went, jolting and shaking, on our way to the Zambeze !

Our encampment was itself a small village. The six waggons, when “outspanned” for the night, were drawn near to each other. The men having finished their day’s duties, assembled at one of the fires, when a violin was produced, to the music or at least scraping of which dancing was kept up till past midnight. We sometimes sat outside our waggons enjoying the bright African moonlight, and noticing the uncouth motions of the men, upon whose grotesque forms the large camp-fire cast its light. Or when the night was cold and cheerless, and nothing greeted the ear but the distant barking of the farm-dogs, we fastened down the sails at both ends of our waggon, adjusted our little table, which was suspended from the side of the waggon-tent, and lighting our candle, spent the evening in reading or in conversation.

Our first halting-place after leaving Cape Town was at Stickland, which had been a military post under Sir James Craig, the first English governor of the colony. We then passed through the picturesque town of Paarl, where we formed the acquaintance of the Rev. Mr. Ivolbe, a missionary of our society, and pastor of a large and self-supporting coloured congregation. Some years afterwards, Mr. Kolbe’s health having failed, his church called to its pastorate a licentiate of the Dutch Reformed Church, the local Presbytery of which thus received into its hands the material and spiritual results of many years’ toil on the part of the London Missionary Society. In acting as they did, the members of the Paarl Church only exercised the right, which the London Missionary Society accords to all the churches which it plants, of choosing for themselves their own form of church government.

FROM ENGLAND TO KURUMAN.

At Beaufort West we received a Highland welcome from the Rev. Colin Fraser, the respected minister of the Dutch Church, and a friendly reception from his people. At Victoria West, where we halted for some days to rest our oxen, and at Hope Town, which is on the Orange River, and which we reached in the end of November, we were received with unexpected hospitality by our own countrymen and by others, who bade us also God-speed in the great object of our journey.

Having crossed the Orange River below its junction with the Vaal, and travelled over a stony and uninteresting tract of country, we came to Griqua Town, a station usually supplied with two missionaries, but then under the care ot Mr. Hughes, of the London Missionary Society, an admirable missionary, who after forty-seven years’ diligent and uninterrupted service, latterly as the overseer of several native churches, died at his post in 1870.

We had heard in the colony of a war between the Dutch inhabitants of the Transvaal Republic and the Batlaping tribe inhabiting the country in which Kuruman is situated. At Hope Town and Griqua Town we were told that the Dutch were about to follow up the advantage which they had gained, and occupy Kuruman. My fellow-traveller, Mr. Brice, and myself, resolved to test the truth of those reports, and accordingly started for Kuruman on horseback, the distance being about 100 miles. We reached Daniel’s Kuil the first night, where we were hospitably entertained by the two chief men of the hamlet. The next day being Sunday, we attended the service, which was conducted in Dutch by the deacon, or village schoolmaster, who, by the way, was the son of a former missionary at Griqua Town, who had married a Griqua. It was late on Monday night before we reached Kuruman ; but we were delighted with the appearance of the country in the bright moonlight — the thorn-trees on both sides of the road near Kuruman reminding us of the grounds of a country-house in England. On approaching the station we found everything in profoundest stillness ; the little village was asleep. Our knocking, however, soon roused Dr. Moffat, who gave his unexpected visitors a joyous welcome to his South African

IN A DIAMOND MINE AT KIMBERLEY.

FROM ENGLAND TO KURUMAN. II

home, which was repeated by his family, and in the morning by Mr. Ashton, his colleague. The latter gentleman had been resident at Kuruman during the disturbance between the Dutchmen and Batlaping, and had visited the scene of the fight after it took place, with a view to mitigate the sufferings of the wounded. Both Dr. Moffat and Mr. Ashton expected that the Dutchmen would renew the attack ; and both were quite sure that hostilities would not be resumed before May. This was explained to us to be on account of a deadly disease which extensively prevails in the summer months among the horses, and causes their removal to certain elevated regions, where experience has shown they can live in safety. As a Dutchman never goes to war on foot, it was held certain that no resumption of hostilities would take place until May, when the horses might with safety be brought down into the lowlands. Satisfied with the result of our visit, we returned to Griqua Town for our waggons.

Our weary journey from Cape Town to Kuruman ended only with the year 1858. The same journey can now be performed in a few days — by rail as far as Victoria West ; and by coach to Kimberley, where the traveller makes himself acquainted with the marvels of the diamond mines. Employing the ox-waggon at Kimberley, the traveller reaches Barkly, now the head-quarters of Rev. W. Ashton, who has charge of a wide district lying on the Hart and Vaal Rivers, and who sometimes ministers to the European diggers for diamonds on the banks of the Vaal. Since the retirement of Dr. Moffat, Mr. Ashton has been the senior missionary in Bechwanaland, his services having commenced in 1843. For many years he was Dr. Moffat’s colleague at Kuruman, sharing in all his labours, and having charge of the mission press.

Chapter II. In Charge Of Kuruman Station

j9^HEN we contemplated the next stage of our journey — from Kuruman to the Zambese — we could not help feeling that it was encompassed with grave and peculiar difficulties.

We had made up our minds to the performance of a journey over a country insufficiently supplied with water. But how were we to accomplish the great object of our journey — the removal of the Makololo to the north bank of the Zambese, and the establishment of a mission among them in that healthy region? We could not look for immediate success in this matter except through the intervention of Dr. Livingstone ; and it was encouraging to us to learn that Mrs. Livingstone, who had come as far as Kuruman, intended to proceed with the Makololo mission party, with a view of meeting her husband on the Zambese. After giving the whole subject my own most serious thoughts, I communicated to my fellow-missionaries the course ot action which I deemed best under the circumstances. In a letter addressed by

DAY-DAWN IN DARK PLACES.

me to Dr. Tidman, the Foreign Secretary of the Missionary Society, under date Kuruman, ist March, 1859, I thus described my proposed “bachelor expedition ” : —

“Mr. Helmore having lately visited Kuruman, the brethren connected with the new missions met together to consider plans for the future. In the course of the deliberations, I took occasion to propose the following plan in connection with the mission to the Makololo, which commends itself strongly to my judgment as being the best which we could adopt in present circumstances. Instead of committing ourselves entirely to the undertaking at the outset, on the ground of those probabilities of success which are not ascertained, I suggested that the ‘ Makololo brethren ’ should, in the first place, make a bachelor-expedition to Linyanti, and negotiate the removal of the tribe to some healthy locality on the north bank of the Zambese. Of course you are aware that it is neither an easy nor a speedy matter to induce a native tribe to ‘ shift its quarters ’ without force, even after some of the people have promised to do so. The difficulty is increased if they are asked to return (as will be the case with the Makololo) to a country from which they have been driven by their enemies. . . . Supposing, however, that the difficulties

were all removed — that the tribe agreed to receive missionaries and to remove to the north bank of the river — the plan suggested that the three brethren should proceed with them, and open up (if that were possible) a waggonroad to the new station. Arrived at the spot which they and the people agreed in preferring, the missionaries could build temporary huts for themselves and their goods. Their way thus opened up, and a beginning made in the work of instructing the people, Paul, the native teacher, who had agreed to accompany the mission, could be left in charge of the station, while the brethren retraced their steps for their wives and for the remaining portion of their property. The native teacher and our goods left in their midst would in the meantime form a sufficient assurance to the people that we were not deceiving them. When all this should be accomplished, our position in commencing our second