FROM NATAL 
 
 TO THE 
 
 UPPER ZAMBESI 
 
 FREDERICK STANLEY ARNOT. 
 
 THE PUBLISHING OFFICE, 40 Sauchiehall 
 LONDON: 
 
 JAMES E. HAWKINS, 36 Baker Street, W., 
 
 AND 21 PATERNCTSTER SQUARE, E.C. 
 
 Dublin : 
 
 Dublin Tract Repository, 10 D’Olier Street. 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 . 
 
 
 
 s. 
 
 
 - 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 . 
 
 
 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 in 2018 with funding from 
 Columbia University Libraries 
 
 https://archive.org/details/fromnataltoupperOOarno 
 
FROM NATAL 
 
 TO THE 
 
 UPPER ZAMBESI. 
 
 JUxinttte frxtm Jblfm mth JDmriis 
 
 OF 
 
 FREDERICK STANLEY ARNOT. 
 
 GLASGOW: 
 
 THE PUBLISHING OFFICE, 40 Sauchiehall St. 
 LONDON: 
 
 JAMES E. HAWKINS, 36 Baker Street, W., 
 
 AND 21 PATERNOSTER SQUARE, E.C. 
 
 Dublin : 
 
 Dublin Tract Repository, 10 D’Olier Street. 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 T the request of many who have read with interest 
 and profit the letters and journals of our young 
 brother, Frederick S. Arnot, it has been thought 
 well to prepare for the press such portions of them as 
 might be generally profitable to the Church of Christ, and 
 might stir up the hearts of the people of God to remem¬ 
 ber in prayer the labours of His servant, and the need of 
 that large continent, which now at the end of this age 
 has been so unexpectedly opened to the fulfilment of 
 our Master’s parting word, “ Go ye into all the world.” 
 
 Most of the letters here printed were written to the 
 members of the family, who have kindly allowed use 
 to be made of them in the following pages. A few 
 remarks will be needful relative to the writer for those 
 who know him not personally, or may be unacquainted 
 with the history of his going to South Africa. 
 
 Frederick was early brought to the knowledge of the 
 Lord under the influence of godly parents, and frequently 
 expressed a wish that he might go to Africa at some 
 future time as a missionary to the heathen. Probably 
 the interest taken at that time in religious circles in 
 Livingstone and his discoveries in the dark continent 
 may have been the cause of giving that direction so soon 
 to his missionary aspirations, but whatever the 'cause that 
 in the providence of God awakened the desire to go to 
 Africa, that desire never ceased and never altered. 
 
 By his family at the first it was thought to be but a 
 boyish fancy that would soon pass away, but as he grew 
 in years the desire grew in intensity till it became the 
 fixed purpose of his life. This became painful to his 
 family and friends, and on their account he often sought 
 to get rid of thoughts of Africa, but it was still in his 
 heart, and yet of the grace of God he was enabled with 
 his ripening years to remember and carry out the precept 
 
2 
 
 From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 so important for present usefulness : il what thy hand 
 finds to do, do it with thy might.” The claims of the 
 passing moment were sacred, and whether in his business 
 occupation, or in the work of the Gospel in his own 
 neighbourhood, whatever he did, he sought to do it 
 heartily as to the Lord. 
 
 Thus as his years rolled on into early manhood he 
 commended himself to his family, to the Church of God, 
 and to the world. From time to time circumstances of 
 one kind and another indicated that God was gradually 
 leading towards the accomplishment of the desire of his 
 youthful days, but as from the commencement he saw 
 that if the thing were of God He would bring it to pass, 
 so was he able patiently to wait His time, who alone 
 could see the end from the beginning. Not only had 
 South Africa in general been the point to which his 
 thoughts had been directed, but the Batonga tribes in 
 particular seemed to be these among whom he desired, 
 if the will of the Lord were so, that he should consecrate 
 his life in service and ministry. 
 
 At length difficulties and hindrances seemed one by 
 one to be moving out of the way, and he made known 
 to those with whom he was in fellowship his wishes, 
 seeking their sympathy in prayer that he might be guided 
 aright, and their fellowship in the service if it com¬ 
 mended itself to them in the Lord’s name. 
 
 He received the fullest encouragement from his fellow 
 saints, and they gave their united testimony to their confid¬ 
 ence in his fitness for the arduous line of service he desired 
 to engage in. This added to the personal convictions of 
 the past, that God was with him in the work he had 
 before him ; and to such commendatories and attestations 
 of prayerful godly brethren we attach the greatest im¬ 
 portance, believing that if they were always sought and 
 obtained, many an unqualified aspirant after a particular 
 line of service would be prevented from bringing sorrow 
 
From Natal to the Upper Zaoibesi. 
 
 3 
 
 upon himself, discredit on the Church, and dishonour to 
 God, by going to a work of which he had never counted 
 
 the cost. 
 
 For some time previous he had been seeking in medical 
 study, in the carpenter’s shop, and at the blacksmith’s 
 forge, to acquire what might be needful for missionary 
 labour among the savage tribes of Africa. This steady 
 perseverance in seeking to attain what might the better 
 fit him for the work strengthened the convictions of those 
 who knew him, they “assuredly gathering” that God was 
 indeed sending him as His servant to Africa. 
 
 As the time was drawing nigh, he felt the' Lord would 
 have him look for a fellow-helper, remembering how the 
 Lord always sent His servants two by two. The Lord 
 seemed to raise him up a fellow-worker in a young 
 Christian, Donald Graham, who had for some time 
 worked with him in the Gospel in Glasgow, and who 
 was very anxious to accompany him. 
 
 for themselves, with the prayer that they may ill 
 much precious truth, and confirm the faith of 
 that waiting on God is a reality and a joy—a b 
 
 t n AX 7 In 1 i c* rt .n. J j J 
 
 to which is added no sorrow. 
 
 ie iaitn ot saints 
 a joy—a blessing 
 
Extracts from Letters and 
 Diaries . 
 
 Durban, Port of Natal. 
 
 We proceed to-morrow (23rd ) to Maritzburg. Mr. H. 
 Cowey has sought to encourage us much, as he longs to 
 see the regions beyond broken up by the Gospel, as the 
 poor natives are made sevenfold more wicked by contact 
 with the white man and learning his vices. We have 
 already got a most pathetic appeal from these Delagoa Bay 
 natives, who say, “White man bring brandy and guns, 
 but no bring chapel to Delagoa Bay ! ” That district is 
 under Portugese rule. 
 
 Maritzburg, September yd, 1881. 
 
 It was very sweet indeed, and was much blessed to all 
 of us, what you said about the Hebrew youths being put 
 into the exceeding hot furnace, which only had the effect 
 of burning the cords that bound them, so that they might 
 walk at liberty with Him who was like unto the Son of 
 God. That is indeed one of the Lord’s secrets, and just 
 to realise that truth in some measure, how it sweetens 
 what would be otherwise bitter. 
 
 I know you will be anxious to learn about the Lord’s 
 work here ; the believers are so few in number, that they 
 thought they were too weak to go on with Gospel work, 
 so for some time back they have done nothing in that 
 way ; they little knew what the Lord was able to make 
 out of their weakness. 
 
 We hope to begin a few Gospel meetings in a week or 
 so. There is a bye-law here prohibiting all out-door 
 preaching, but the mayor has given us a special license 
 to conduct open-air services in the streets of Maritzburg. 
 
 This is just the place for the exercise of the gift of 
 tongues. There are Zulus, Basutos, S’wazii, and Xosa 
 Kaffirs, Amatongas, and a sprinkling of natives from 
 almost every tribe south of the Zambesi, and up to 
 
From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 5 
 
 Zanzibar on the East Coast, besides coolies from Cal¬ 
 cutta, Madras, Bombay, all speaking different languages ; 
 Malays, Arabs, a few Chinamen, Portugese, Germans, 
 Dutch, and Swedes. 
 
 All the Kaffir conversions that I have yet heard related 
 bear in them very distinct marks of the Holy Ghost’s work 
 in their hearts ; and what other power is able to lift them 
 out of their heathendom and superstition ? 
 
 We had a very profitable meeting last night, all came 
 with the desire to be humbled, and to submit to the 
 Lord’s mind on every point of difference ; blessing was 
 the result, and it was agreed to go on this week waiting 
 upon God. 
 
 God is able and He is willing to bless ; I feel that 
 what should most exercise my heart is to see that I don’t 
 hinder. 
 
 September loth , 1881. 
 
 I am thankful for much health and strength of body. 
 I have had a good deal of fatigue this last week or two 
 in riding about visiting mission stations, and distances 
 are very great here. 
 
 There has been an open ear amongst the Lord’s people, 
 and an old Episcopalian Church has been taken for 
 Gospel meetings, which begin next Lord’s day ; and 
 what with learning Kaffir, and visiting a few sick folk 
 with my medicine, my time has been very much taken 
 up. 
 
 Do not think that I am dull or cast down about the 
 loss of such a true fellow-helper as Graham,* for I can 
 speak of him in no other way. All I can say is, the 
 Lord has done it, Amen ; good is the will of the Lord, 
 and I know He is with me, and will sustain me every 
 moment. He is able to lead me, a poor helpless worm, 
 right through Africa without a hair of my head being 
 touched. 
 
 I am just beginning to realise that His promises are 
 not mere words, written for the instruction of our minds, 
 or merely for repeating with our lips, but certainties to 
 go by, and the assurance of one of them is better than 
 the presence of an army. 
 
 * Donald Graham’s health had so failed that the doctor and Christian 
 friends regarded his going on as out of the question, and God provided a 
 light situation for him in Natal. It is thought the climate will agree with 
 him. 
 
6 
 
 From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 I have been seeking for some time past to let go all 
 that I have ever learned in my head, of God’s word, and 
 to begin at the very ABC, and so learn and fix the first 
 words and truths of God in my heart, that they may 
 become part of my very being. This is surely nothing 
 more than what God is able to work in me. I find head- 
 knowledge will not stand the moment of trial, and I 
 know there will be many such moments before me. 
 
 September 18th , 1881. 
 
 I know I have your prayers and sympathies with me 
 in this work, in which I trust the Lord will strengthen 
 me to proceed in much faith and diligence. I do not 
 feel as if I were in a strange country, or among a strange 
 people, and I can say with my whole heart that I love 
 them and long for their conversion ; this desire is I am 
 persuaded, not of myself, for there is everything about the 
 natives that is repulsive and unloveable, but “ God so 
 loved” them is surely enough for me ; but some of them 
 are very intelligent and sharp. A missionary was telling 
 me of one who was talking to him a few days ago, and 
 was saying that surely the missionaries had made a 
 great mistake somewhere, for looking at the time they 
 had worked in Natal, and the small results, he seemed 
 to think that they might give it up as a bad job. The 
 missionary said there was an English proverb that says, 
 “one man may lead a horse to the water, but twenty 
 won’t make him drink.” “Ah!” said the native, with 
 scarce a moment’s thought, “but I never yet saw twenty 
 horses led to the water without some of them drinking.” 
 
 October i st, 1881. 
 
 We must add to our faith, patience ; if we believe that 
 the living God is watching between us when we are 
 separated, then we must have patience, and if our con¬ 
 fidence is truly in God we will have patience, and what 
 otherwise would be a time of suspense and anxiety, is 
 turned into a time of joyful exercise of that most God¬ 
 honouring fruit of the Spirit, “ patient faith.” After such 
 an expression as we find in Colossians I. 2, “ strengthened 
 with all might according to His glorious power,” we 
 might expect to read, unto the working of some miracle, 
 
From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 7 
 
 or to the accomplishing of some great work, but it is 
 ua *° t P atience and Ion g suffering with joyfulness.” 
 
 . We bave been having a very good time at the meet- 
 mgs ; the numbers are not very great—nearly all young 
 men. The week nights average about 15, and the largest 
 on Lord s day is 50. Several have professed to be 
 anxious, and one or two have professed to have seen the 
 truth ; one young man, a soldier, I have great hopes of 
 It is, however, stiff uphill work; colonial life is so con¬ 
 trary to thoughtfulness, either as to the things of this 
 hfe, or of the life to come. It is a sort of “come day, 
 go day, God sends Sunday,” that we are not accustomed 
 to at home. 
 
 I have found several with open ears at the hospital. I 
 enjoy visiting it very much, and am going this afternoon 
 01 the second time this week, specially to see a man 
 who, I expect, will soon be in the presence of the God 
 who made him, and I fear is yet unsaved. 
 
 October 19/7, 1881. 
 
 I am very happy in this place. The Lord has been 
 pleased to bless me much. The meeting on Lord’s day 
 evening was full, every seat was occupied. A good many 
 respectable people are coming out to the meetings. We 
 have also had some very interesting cases of conversion. 
 
 One believer was baptised on Lord’s day. This was 
 my first baptism in African waters. Two or three men 
 are to be baptised next Lord’s day. 
 
 I know that this will be the most cheerful to you 
 of all news, that the Lord has been graciously pleased to 
 give me this token of His pleasure in my coming here 
 and it is certainly an encouragement to me to go on* 
 when or how, I know not. The colony is getting into 
 rather a disturbed state — war with the Boers seems 
 inevitable. General Wood leaves Maritzburg to-day for 
 the front with a regiment of cavalry. 
 
 The hot weather of last week ended in a tremendous 
 thunderstorm. Going down -to the meeting I had quite 
 a nairow escape of my life ; just as we approached the 
 door the lightning was getting wonderfully vivid, lighting 
 up the black darkness so clearly that one could see 
 everything around, and the hills in the distance. An 
 eiectnc ball fell just at my feet, the small stones and 
 
8 
 
 From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 dust caused by it coming in contact with the ground 
 flew up all round me, and I was quite petrified. The 
 electric shock passed right through my whole body. 
 Several who were standing at the church door, and saw 
 the ball of fire fall, said it seemed to come right 
 down where I was standing at the time, and they 
 described the noise as it struck the ground to be like 
 the crash of a cannon ball. I was, however, none the 
 worse, and was quite able to take the meeting which 
 was smaller than usual. 
 
 I cannot think of starting until this Transvaal business 
 is settled ; but it certainly will be settled before you get 
 this, either for war, or peace. If war does break out, 
 it may last for some little time, and then you must not 
 be surprised if you hear that I have gone to some 
 of the camp hospitals as dresser, it would be too valuable 
 an opportunity for “speaking words in season” to be 
 thought lightly of, if not to be accepted. The Lord has 
 shown me, by my thunderbolt experience of last night, 
 how near He can bring me to death, and yet preserve 
 me without a hair of my head being touched ; for I can 
 only say with those who were looking on and saw my 
 danger that the hand of the Lord was round about me ; 
 and that verse in Matthew x. 29, 30 which you sent me, 
 and which you said was laid on your heart as a word 
 for me, has been made doubly good to me ; and you go 
 on so confidently : “a hair of your head cannot be 
 harmed, He will cover you all the day.” 
 
 November 1 sf, 1881. 
 
 I have been very busy preparing for a start, as I heard 
 of the probability of waggons starting for Potchefstroom 
 next Tuesday. I would have left before this, but the 
 Gospel meetings kept me. The summer season has now 
 set in, and almost as sure as the clock a thunder-storm 
 with heavy rains comes on every evening about six 
 o’clock, so that it is quite impossible for people to come 
 out even if they were willing. I have got over the electric 
 shock I got some time ago, and am very well indeed, 
 and quite enjoy the hot weather, although when it gets 
 up above ioo° in the shade I do feel rather languid and 
 less inclined to go about. 
 
 The brethren here are all very hearty as to my going, 
 
From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 9 
 
 and are helping me all they can in the way of finding out 
 the most suitable things to take with me. 
 
 Four waggons generally go together, and 70 oxen 
 are required to drag them along. It is a slow way of 
 travelling, and sometimes you may have to wait a week 
 or two before the river falls sufficiently to make it 
 fordable. • 
 
 It does look stupid to see so many oxen drawing one 
 waggon along the level roads about town ; but to see 
 them out in the country, dragging it through thick 
 mud, with great boulders of stone hidden in the mud 
 every few yards, and up a steep hill into the bargain 
 one would wonder how they manage to get along at all ' 
 
 The country about Natal is very hilly. Last week I 
 walked to Greytown, 50 miles, and came back in a post- 
 cai t. I enjoyed the trip very much. Greytown is a nice 
 little place, about 20 miles from the Zulu border. They 
 go the distance in the post-cart in little over seven hours 
 which includes stoppages. They change horses every 
 ten miles half the way they have four horses, and the 
 other half six horses. 
 
 If you can imagine being dragged across ‘the country 
 from Glasgow to Edinburgh in an afternoon—rushing 
 across rivers,_ and the water splashing over the horses 
 backs — shaving deep water cuttings, rushing over an 
 avalanche of stones, &c., and rounding sharp corners of 
 the road with a deep gorge echoing below, all at the 
 same mad pace, you may imagine how I felt when I 
 reached Maritzburg. 
 
 Do not be anxious about me, you know well whose 
 hands I am in. 
 
 Nove 7 nber igth , 1881. 
 
 It is just four months to-day since I left London 
 and again I leave and am off. Last week I heard of 
 waggons going on Thursday, saw the transport-rider 
 and arranged with him to take me to Potchefstroom 
 We may do the distance in one m'onth, but it may take 
 close on two. At first I thought of sleeping in my little 
 tent, but have decided to sleep under one of the waggons 
 as it will be drier. My bed consists, first, of a layer of 
 goats skin prepared with fat and grease to make it 
 waterproof, next, a large waterproof sheet lined with 
 wool cloth, then myself and my rug and blankets. 
 
IO 
 
 Frotn Natal to the Upper Zambesi . 
 
 I do feel cast upon the Lord, and He has filled me 
 with a longing just to turn away from everyone and 
 everything, but Himself, my Saviour, my Lord. 
 
 When I look back on these few short years, and see 
 His wonderful faithfulness to me, in spite of myself; 
 “for Israel hath not been forsaken, nor Judah of His 
 God, of the Lord of Hosts, though their land was filled 
 with sin against the Holy One of Israel” (Jer. li. 5), 
 all I can say is, I am Thine, do with me as Thou wilt, 
 put me where Thou wilt, I can only glory in Thy perfect 
 will. 
 
 Difficulties and dangers are spoken of and increase on 
 all hands ; but I feel the desire within me only becoming 
 the stronger to go forward to the masses beyond, and 
 carry within the sound of their ears “ the good tidings of 
 great joy which are for all people” (Luke ii. 10); when or 
 how is not for me to say. 
 
 November 2 2 nd, 18 8 x. 
 
 The waggons started from Maritzburg on the 19th, and 
 reached the top of the town hill that evening. On the 
 morning of the 20th I joined them. Some of the Chris¬ 
 tians of Maritzburg, with whom I have enjoyed much 
 fellowship, and from whom I received much kindness 
 during my three months stay there, came up to the 
 waggons with me. 
 
 The sixteen Kaffir drivers soon had the oxen and 
 the heavy waggons moving on, and we were off. We 
 hope to make eight to ten miles a-day without many 
 stoppages if the rivers are fordable. 
 
 Near Escoute, 
 November 28///, 188 r. 
 
 Many thanks for your kind letter of help and comfort. 
 Yoh no doubt will have heard ere you receive this letter 
 that I had left Maritzburg for Potchefstroom , en route 
 for Shoshong, Bamangwatc, where I should be among a 
 fair company of my own countrymen, and where I should 
 have the best opportunity of learning the dialect of the 
 Sechuana language nearest to that spoken by the Batoka, 
 Makalolo, and other interior tribes. I expect to reach 
 Potchefstroom about Christmas time. I may ha.ve to 
 
From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 ii 
 
 remain there a few months for waggon communication 
 to Shoshong. Among others there are a Mr. M'Kenzie 
 and his wife, missionaries at Shoshong, well spoken of 
 by the Christians here ; and also a Christian young man 
 in a store there, whose heart, I am told, lies much to 
 work among the natives. 
 
 I have now been seven days on my journey, and am 
 only about sixty miles from Maritzburg ; heavy rains and 
 bad roads have kept us back. My sleeping accommoda¬ 
 tion is on the ground under a waggon, and with a drench¬ 
 ing rain and. 4 of frost, as we had for two nights crossing 
 the Karkluff hills, I found it a little trying ; but I find 
 myself increasing in bodily strength daily, and as I am 
 generally travelling alone with the Kaffirs, I trust it may 
 be a time of increasing in the knowledge of my Lord 
 and His ways. I do feel cast upon Him, and long for a 
 more childlike spirit, so that I may be willing to go on 
 blindfold if He only lead. It is sweet to know the 
 promise of His presence ; to know that He has said , “ I 
 will never leave you nor forsake you ; ” but to realise 
 His piesence, and to hear His u Fear not” at a time of 
 separation from all visible intercourse with His people, 
 is indeed an unspeakable joy, and, if we judged aright, a 
 position to be desired rather than shunned. As to 
 Donald Graham, he has decided to comply with the 
 doctor’s advice, as well as that of the brethren here and 
 Mr. Rodger, to seek some light occupation in the country, 
 free from anxiety. In a letter I received from Glasgow 
 a hope was expressed that some one would soon come 
 out to help me in the work ; but I would rather wait for 
 years for a fellow-worker than that one should come out 
 hastily. Mr. Beaumont, Town Office, Maritzburg, Natal, 
 has kindly offered to receive and forward letters. 
 
 Colenso, November 29 th, 1881. 
 
 I have now been nine days on the road, most of this 
 time I have spent alone with Kaffirs, whose language I 
 little understand, consequently I have been shut up to 
 converse only with Him, whose ear is ever open to us. 
 This has turned my solitude into a very precious 
 time, and I can say to His praise that I never felt more 
 free from all care and anxious thoughts than now, and I 
 wonder how it is that Satan has so managed to blindfold 
 
12 
 
 From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 me in the past, that my whole life has not been one note 
 of praise. Oh, stir up every child of God you meet to 
 praise our good God more; we little know how much we 
 rob Him by our sad hearts and dull thankless lives. 
 
 We have just been travelling through very fine country, 
 lying very low and hot. It is something grand at nights 
 to lie out in the cold dry veldt, listening to the many 
 African bush sounds. 
 
 Water has been very scarce. I took a long journey 
 this morning into the bush in search of enough to wash 
 myself in, as I had not had a wash for two days. I 
 followed along the dry bed of a river for some distance, 
 until I came upon the fresh track of some animals’ feet, 
 and knew then that I was not far from water. At last the 
 sandy bed of the river began to get a little moist, and 
 a little further on, I found a beautiful ground spring. 
 
 I had been so eager in my search, that I had gone 
 further from the waggons than I intended, but I found 
 my way back, though not without some difficulty. 
 
 There is quite an attachment between me and the 
 sixteen Kaffirs. At first they would scarcely do anything 
 for me, but now they are very kind and obliging. 
 
 I hope I may be able in some small measure to preach 
 Jesus to them before reaching Potchefstroom. 
 
 Drachensburg Range, 
 December $th, 1881. 
 
 We are now on the top of these cold bleak mountains, 
 some 7000 feet high, which we reached on Saturday at 
 noon, after two days’ hard work for the oxen. 
 
 Yesterday we had a grand thunderstorm ; we seemed 
 to be awed into perfect silence, while the mountains 
 trembled, the waggon shook like a leaf, and the Kaffirs 
 huddled noiselessly by their fires. 
 
 Yesterday 1 read Psalm ii., “Why do the heathen 
 rage and the people imagine a vain thing,” &c. How 
 hard it is for poor man to believe that in seeking to do 
 without the Lord’s anointed he seeks a vain thing. 
 Do we not see how that by one movement of the finger 
 of God every whisper is.silenced, reminding us of that 
 coming day when every mouth shall be stopped, and 
 the whole world brought in guilty before God. “ Though 
 
From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 hand join in hand, the wicked shall not go unpunished 
 and how beautifully the psalm ends, “ Be wise therefore 
 u ^ kl £p’ be instructed ye judges of the earth, &c. 
 • ' ' r - Bles ? ed are a11 they that put their trust in Him.” 
 
 How often is the word blessed used by the Lord in 
 speaking of those who are His, “Blessed is he whose 
 transgression is forgiven whose sin is covered : ” “ Blessed 
 art thou Simon Bar-jona for flesh and blood hath not 
 revealed this unto thee : ” “ Blessed are they that have 
 not seen and yet have believed;” and many other 
 
 My prayer is that I may know more the blessedness of 
 being saved, and what it really means, that we are 
 chosen of God and precious, that Christ being ours, all 
 things are ours in reality, not in word merely ; and what 
 we are now called upon to do, is to live a life of simple 
 faith and praise. F 
 
 The Lord has been teaching me a little of the awful 
 sin of unthankfulness, the two first great reasons why 
 Hod gave up those of old to uncleanness and darkness 
 
 thankf^L” “ they glorified Him not as God > neither were 
 
 During the last fortnight God has brought me into 
 an experience of joy, of which I cannot but speak to 
 others. \ ou know that I am naturally dull and over 
 anxious at times, but it came to this, when I saw that to 
 pioceed alone to Central Africa, was an undertaking 
 much too great for me, it then became a question either 
 of going back, or of casting the whole matter upon the 
 Lord, which, by His grace, I have done. So I feel now 
 1 have nought to do but in simplicity of heart to act 
 day by day as He directs, and to praise and thank and 
 bless His Holy Name. 
 
 December 7th, 1881. 
 
 We are now within 12 miles of Harrismith. The 
 country before us for some 200 miles is one vast grassy 
 prairie ; the weather being very hot our food is scarce ; 
 we have had no bread for two days, and the porridge is 
 nearly done. v b 
 
 The people in these parts are chiefly Dutch—the natives 
 being only servants. 
 
14 
 
 From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 Orange Free State, 
 December 18th, 1881. 
 
 I am now travelling through a prairie—the road winds 
 beautifully through the long grass. We are now about 
 30 miles from the Vaal River, which is about 16 miles 
 from Potchefstroom; so I hope to be there in a few days. 
 
 POTCHEFSTROOM, 
 December 28 th, 1881. 
 
 The journey from Maritzburg to this place has occupied 
 34 days ; though long, it was pleasant. I found such a 
 refreshing budget of letters awaiting me. I walked ten 
 miles in the burning sun in advance of the waggons. 
 
 I have come thus far, I do trust, in obedience to the 
 call of the Lord. I left Maritzburg not lightly, it cost me 
 much. I was willing to go on working among my own 
 countrymen for a year or two as you mention in your 
 last letter I tried, however, in many ways to prove 
 what was indeed the mind of the Lord ; and when the 
 brethren in Maritzburg were of one mind as to my going 
 on alone, and not only with word, but also with their 
 means, sought to help me on, I took it as a clear 
 sign from God that I should move on quietly alone. 
 And I have no doubt whatever in my mind now that 
 such was the Lord’s will. 
 
 My desire was to get among the Sechuana speaking 
 people, as both in custom and language they much 
 resemble those tribes in the interior, in fact their 
 language is almost identical. 
 
 I thought of Shoshong in Bamangwato, and accord¬ 
 ingly shaped my course in that direction, but at the 
 same time I was, and am, willing to take up the work 
 wherever the door seemed opened by the Lord. I 
 arrived in Potchefstroom on the 23rd, and pitched my 
 little tent in the Market Square, with the intention of 
 remaining there until the Lord made the next step plain. 
 I got some information about Bamangwato from several 
 who had been there and who knew the country well. 
 
 While sitting one evening at the tent door just after 
 sundown, a stranger called on me introducing himself as 
 the English schoolmaster, and aPer a little conversation 
 he asked me to dine with him next day. 
 
 I went, and during conversation he told me of a Mr 
 
From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 15 
 
 Webb at present living at Potchefstroom. Mr Webb 
 had been a blacksmith in his younger days, and because 
 of his zeal and earnestness in Gospel work in Cape 
 Colony and Orange River Free State, the Wesleyan 
 Missionary Society had offered to receive him into their 
 Mission staff. He has been working for some years 
 among the Baralong people who speak pure Sechuana • 
 their country lies west of the Transvaal border, and 
 
 fl° rth °V at A 7 8 V ¥ e was vef y desirous to continue 
 the work, and sought by trading a little to live among 
 the people ; but having a delicate wife and a large familv 
 he was compelled to come here and start again at his 
 
 absence 6 ’ WhlCh C ° meS ^ ° n him after ^ eIve y ears 
 
 Mr Webb is spoken of here as a very sincere and 
 
 brother 13 "’ ^ 1 h&Ve f ° Und ^ him a wise and valuable 
 
 It has been his constant prayer that the Lord would 
 
 wn S< ! me i ° ne , am °ng thos e Baralongs in the Transvaal. 
 When he left them the fields seemed white unto harvest 
 and several had received the Word, and had suffered 
 much earthly loss for the truth’s sake. It is a lame 
 spreading tribe ; he only laboured among part of them, 
 the other part is unbroken soil. 
 
 I do not wish to run hurriedly, so I have taken a little' 
 room here, and am lodging with a Dutchman till my wav 
 is made plain. I am studying Sechuana with Mr. Webb 
 who understands it thoroughly. In return for the time 
 he gives me, I go down and spend part of the day helping 
 him in his business. F 8 
 
 There would be some difficulty in my getting to the 
 Bai along country as there is no communication. There 
 are two Englishmen living at the chiefs town, a trader, 
 and a military man, but they only communicate by 
 \\aggon with the diamond fields at irregular intervals 
 durmg the year There is constant postal communica- 
 1 kept up by Lichtenberg. If the Lord does show me 
 plainly that I should go there, a small cart with four 
 oxen or donkeys would suit me. I could get the services 
 of a v . ei 7 S° od interpreter whenever I went among them. 
 
 Tins is a beautiful country, although at this time very 
 hot ^deed, and a good deal of fever has been raging. 
 
 he English Church minister who lately came to Potchef¬ 
 stroom died the other day of fever. I had one slight 
 touch of it which lasted only two days ; but on the whole 
 
i6 
 
 From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 I have enjoyed much better health, and am much 
 stronger and stouter than I was at home. 
 
 Potchefstroom is a lovely place with an abundance of 
 fruit. The other day I walked to the British Fort just 
 outside the town. I was shown the spot where a young 
 soldier fell, who had been found sleeping whilst on duty 
 in the trenches, and was condemned to be shot; but 
 rather than be shot by his own countrymen, he jumped 
 upon the parapet, and was immediately shot down by 
 the Boers. If our Captain so treated his sleeping soldiers 
 who would stand? How gentle are His words when He 
 found them sleeping for sorrow, “Why sleep ye?” 
 
 In passing a company of Boers, I gave away a lot 
 of Gospels and Testaments in Dutch, which were well 
 received by them. There is no open door here for 
 preaching the Gospel to the English-speaking people. 
 
 Kirkdrop, February 6th, 1S82. 
 
 In the Transvaal .—You see I am on the move again. 
 The war that I told you of has gone, so far, hard 
 
 with the natives. I was told by Captain F-, of the 
 
 Transvaal Horse, who had just returned from that part, 
 that the tribe was virtually broken up, and that their 
 country would be given to the Boers who assisted. This, 
 therefore, quite upsets my going there. At the s i me 
 time I heard that the Wesleyans, at a recent conference, 
 had decided to send a missionary to the Baralongs 
 again ; but, of course, the tribe being broken up, their 
 decision comes to nothing. After my interview with 
 
 Captain F-I felt more cast upon the Lord than ever 
 
 for present guidance, and the Lord so wrought in me 
 that I was just as willing to remain in Potchefstroom as 
 to go on to Bamangwato ; in fact, I can say honestly 
 I had no will or wish as to my future. In Potchef¬ 
 stroom, I could get no open door for the Gospel; even in 
 private conversation my mouth seemed peculiarly shut. 
 I tried to get up some meetings among Dutch-speaking 
 Kaffirs and half-castes through an interpreter ; but they 
 have their ministers, they say, so they did not want any¬ 
 thing of the sort. When I left the place Mr. Webb and 
 
 Mr. M-were the only two that wished me God-s^eed, 
 
 I had always intended visiting Mr. Leash at Kirkdr^p. 
 as I had a letter of introduction to him. Just as I was 
 
From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 17 
 
 Koing last week I heard that Mr. SeloiVs was staying with 
 him, and was about to start for the interior (he wrote a 
 paper 111 the Geographical Report that I valued much 
 and was then the only person who had visited the 
 Latokas since Livingstone). I rode out here on Thursday • 
 
 M?t M? q!? m a ve , r y k ' nd , wa y b y Mr. and Mrs. Leash! 
 Met Mr. Selons, and had a long talk about the Batokas. 
 
 He veiy kindly invited me to accompany him to the 
 Bamangwato. I so far arranged with him, still leaving 
 t open for me to draw back, as I wanted clearer proof 
 t at it was the Lord s will I should go on at that time 
 Some time ago I had foolishly trusted a man, who had 
 
 hom t r hpT mCnd ffi m mC ’ - Vlth ^ IO t0 brin " a sma11 cart 
 nom the diamond field, in view of going to the Baralon^s 
 
 He returned without the cart, and without the money, 
 
 and there seemed little prospect of my getting it, at least 
 
 for some time. So I put the matter in the Lord’s hands 1 
 
 in this way : if on my return to Potchefstroom the money 
 
 was there waiting for me, I would take it as a sign from 
 
 Him that. I was to go with Mr. Selons ; if not, I would 
 
 still lemain at Potchefstroom. On riding into Potchef- 
 
 stioom on Friday evening, before I reached my lod^s 
 
 I met Mr. Webb who told me that Mr. C-had cahed 
 
 n 7 and ^ IO for me friend had Ient it to 
 him) So all was clear; I had nothing to do but pack 
 
 th P ings E for M^slf 1 m °™ n S a wa fS on came up for some 
 Mr. Selons Fortunately, I was ready. I had 
 
 Ind Mn It hUy a f6W thn ] gs > take a hast y farewell, 
 and join the waggon outside the town at o ?o We 
 
 arrived here this morning, and hope to start again on 
 Tuesday. Mr. Leash has kindly sent to gather" all the 
 En 0 hsh-speaking people for a meeting to-night. I know 
 you will not think anxiously of me. “All His baths 
 drop fatness.” I feel that the snare that I need much 
 wr 6 t0 watch a & ainst 1S m y own will cropping up and 
 and Sfteme'sT ^ Pa,hS ' Which ™ borrow 
 
 Monday^— I find I shall be very busy to-day getting 
 
 Twa mg ‘ T ght and hdping Mn Melons ^besides" 
 
 I have a very sick man to attend to who has just returned 
 from the interior, and was thought to be dying last night 
 I at once rolled him in blankets wrung out .of boiling 
 
 wa 1 r = u Vh , lch % av , e him rel *ef from his great pain. His 
 whole body was fearfully swollen, but this treatment had 
 a wonderful effect. We had quite a large meeting fast 
 
is 
 
 From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 night. The waggon is now packed ready for a start. 
 Mr. Selons is going to collect naturalist specimens for 
 the British and other (Continental) museums. 
 
 In speaking of the Batokas, he says they are the best- 
 disposed tribe of Kaffirs he has met with. The Jesuits 
 have, however, gone among them lately; they first 
 formed a station on this side of the Zambesi, and then 
 two of them went over to the Batokas and were well 
 received. One of them died, however, in a mysterious 
 way ; the other said he was poisoned by the natives and 
 at once left. The Jesuits wrote Mr. Selons lately, asking 
 him about the Barotsi, and he thinks they have given 
 up the idea of going among the Batokas, and are going 
 up the Barotsi valley. There is much in all this which 
 fills me with thankfulness. 
 
 Zeerust, February 17th, 1882. 
 
 Yesterday Mr. Selons left me to come on here with the 
 waggons. It has been so hot during the day that we 
 have had to travel by night. I had to walk for five hours 
 last night before the waggons with a-lantern to trace the 
 road through thick bush, and when I could find no road, 
 I had to guide, by my compass, the boy who led the oxen. 
 
 Limpopo, February 2 6th, 1882. 
 
 We are now about a week’s journey from Bamangwato. 
 Since leaving Zeerust we have been travelling through 
 most beautiful country. Three days ago we reached the 
 Marico River, which runs along the bottom of a deep 
 gorge, thickly wooded to the water’s edge. 
 
 We are now out-spanned on the banks of the Limpopo — 
 a beautiful river indeed. The wild animals get more 
 dangerous here—lions, leopards, &c.; but with a skerm of 
 thorns all round, and a large fire blazing, there is no 
 danger; when the nights are dark they keep one awake 
 with their roaring. I will be glad when we reach the 
 Bamangwato, and get settled down to the language. 
 I feel so useless and sometimes impatient; there are so 
 many all round who so sadly need the Gospel. 
 
 I have desired much lately that the Lord would give 
 me a right estimate of the value of spiritual things, as 
 
From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 19 
 
 compared with the value of all earthly things, and long 
 to be able to say from my heart with Job, “I have 
 esteemed the words of His mouth more than my neces¬ 
 sary food” (Job xxiii. 12); and with David in Psalm 
 cxix. 14, “ I have rejoiced in the way of Thy testimonies 
 as much as in all riches” (German translation “above all 
 riches”): and in verse 72, “The law of Thy mouth is 
 better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.” 
 
 How many beautiful and telling comparisons God 
 makes between wisdom and gold—understanding and 
 silver all through Scripture. Oh, if I only laboured and 
 sought after wisdom and understanding as men seek 
 after silver and gold ! Again, David says, “ Thy loving 
 kindness is better than life.” The three Hebrew youths 
 made this choice, and they proved to Nebuchadnezzar 
 and his host,, that it was by God, and not by created 
 things they lived. And it was one of the signs which 
 were to accompany the Lord’s disciples, “They shall 
 take up serpents,” &c., proving that they owed their 
 daily life to the One they served, as Paul in these words 
 preached, “In Him we live and move and have our 
 being.” Does not this make God very near to us in 
 every step we take ? Every breath we breathe tells us of 
 Him and His loving kindness. The Lord Himself makes 
 a still lower comparison, “ The life is more than meat, 
 and the body than raiment ” 
 
 February 2 ~jth, 1882. 
 
 We had a lively night last night. Just as the sun went 
 down, the baboons began a free fight in the bush close 
 by, making a horrid shrieking and roaring noise. After 
 driving them off with sticks, we had scarcely turned in 
 and got to sleep, when a pack of jackals came round 
 us, laughing and barking. They wanted to get at 
 the meat that was hanging round the waggon. I went 
 off to sleep again, when roar! roar! Mr. Selons sprang 
 up and out of the waggon. “A lion! a lion!” he 
 said. I got up and looked out; our little camp was all 
 astir; the three Kaffirs going round the oxen to, keep 
 them from breaking loose, and Mr. Selons keeping his 
 horses quiet. The lions, however, moved off without 
 showing themselves. 
 
20 
 
 From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 March 6th , 1882. 
 
 We are now out-spanned on the banks of the river 
 where the road turns off to Bamangwato. 
 
 The waggon is daily visited by Bushmen. These 
 are supposed to be the lowest type of humanity; they 
 live in a most primitive fashion ; the whole company will 
 sleep in a little hollow in the ground under a bush ; they 
 come round the waggon for scraps of meat and offal 
 thrown away ; growing no grain, they live on wild fruit, 
 and animals which they kill with their poisoned arrows. 
 Their little children at once proved the connection of these 
 people with the whole human race ; their ways at play 
 and their sweet ringing laugh are the same as our own 
 children at home ! 
 
 Shoshong, March 1 8 / 7 ?, 1882. 
 
 I arrived here safely six days ago, after 36 days’ 
 travelling from Potchefstroom. The journey was much 
 protracted through the long-continued drought, which 
 compelled us to remain for a fortnight on the unhealthy 
 banks of the Limpopo river for the sake of water for the 
 oxen ; heavy rains however fell, enabling us to cross the 
 dry desert country lying between the Limpopo and 
 Shoshong. All along the western border of the Trans¬ 
 vaal, through which our road lay, the country is much 
 distracted by wars and cattle raiding; we, however, 
 passed up in safety. I visited one camp of Boers, and 
 distributed among them a few Dutch Testaments, and 
 was able to read a little to them in their own tongue. 
 Since coming to the Transvaal I have sought to do a 
 little among the Boers by visiting from farm to farm 
 with Gospels and Testaments. They seem, however, 
 one and all, to be peculiarly opposed to anything outside 
 the formula of their own church service, which is 
 impregnated with extreme Calvinism. 
 
 Kama the chief here is a sincere Christian ; at the 
 same time, having absolute power in his own town, he is 
 anxious to use that power in protecting those who profess 
 Chris|ianity against the introduction of anyhurtful doctrine. 
 He has given me the use of a house standing alone 
 about half-a-mile out of the town. Every day some of 
 the Bechuana people come out to visit me. Of course I 
 
From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 21 
 
 cannot yet speak much to them, but we read the Testa¬ 
 ment together. 
 
 I have enjoyed as yet perfect health, having been pro¬ 
 tected from the fevers and other diseases of the country to 
 which newcomers are subject. I trust that, through the 
 many prayers of the Lord’s people, and by the gracious 
 supply of the spirit of Christ, I may be enabled here to 
 witness for God faithfully , though in a quiet way, until 
 He sees fit to send me elsewhere. 
 
 March 2 3rd, 1882. 
 
 Since my arrival, the chief has been very friendly 
 with me : his country extends close up to the Zambesi, 
 and he has promised to help me on my journey thither 
 with guides and servants whenever I am ready to go. 
 
 Mr. Hepburn gives me a daily lesson in Sechuana, in 
 return for which I teach his two boys English. 
 
 On Sunday morning I had a meeting with the white 
 residents (traders and their wives)—twelve in all were 
 present. 
 
 You speak of the journey from Natal to this place as a 
 perilous one—it really is not so ; and were it not for the 
 wars that are disturbing the western border of the 
 Transvaal, it would be a safer journey than from 
 Glasgow to London by road. Outrages upon individuals 
 travelling are almost unknown. During a time of war, 
 however, it is different. Just after I left Zeerust, every 
 young man who had been 48 hours in the town was 
 compelled to turn out to protect the place, pending the 
 arrival of 1500 Boers, who were on their way up to beat 
 off the Kaffirs along the north-west border. The Kaffirs 
 gave in at the last moment, and there was happily no 
 fighting ; before the arrival of the Boer army, we passed 
 through the disturbed part without being molested. This 
 shows that, even in a time of war, the natives are little 
 inclined to molest individuals. 
 
 There is much here to discourage and dishearten, but 
 there is rich blessing in the midst of it all. The arm 
 beneath us is strong, and the presence of a living God 
 along with His living words is surely better than the 
 company of many friends. 
 
 So far as I have already seen, Mr. Hepburn has been 
 much blessed both here and, I believe, at Lake Ngami. 
 
“>2 
 
 From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 Some of the Christians have come to visit me, always 
 bringingwith them their big Sechuana Bibles,which weread 
 together—they are called by their heathen friends, “ The 
 people of the Word of God —an enviable nickname. 
 
 April 2nd , 1882. 
 
 This week, between doctoring, and teaching, and 
 learning Sechuana, also receiving and entertaining native 
 visitors, I have been very busy indeed. I read the 
 Sechuana Testament to them, and by their remarks 
 upon it, &c., I pick up words that do not come out in 
 ordinary conversation ; I can read the language pretty 
 fairly, and can add a word here and there. 
 
 There is a great amount of sickness and death in the 
 town, and no wonder, when one thinks of 20,000 people 
 being crowded together as close as they could well be 
 packed. Two people can scarcely walk abreast between 
 the houses, which form such a perfect maze to me, that 
 when visiting the sick, 1 have to be guided in and out. 
 The idea is that this plan affords greater protection from 
 their enemies. 
 
 The town is sadly in need of an hospital, as there is 
 nothing more difficult than to attend to people in the 
 midst of such a mass of filthy humanity. The surgical 
 cases are the most trying. Yesterday I was called upon 
 to cut off a young man’s leg that had got smashed, and I 
 was just preparing to put him under chloroform, when 
 he began to sink rapidly, and died in a few hours. 
 There is another similar case that 1 have taken on 
 hand, which is causing me a good deal of anxiety. Still 
 God has helped me wonderfully. Once I am master 
 of the language, I will not lay myself out so much 
 for this kind of work, but meantime I rejoice at the 
 opportunity of getting amongst the people, and think 
 I have already gained the confidence of some, who at 
 first treated me with suspicion, 
 
 Just now there are a good many traders here from all 
 parts—Lake Ngami, Matabele Country, Zambesi, &c. 
 
 Last Sunday there were 14 in all at the meeting. I 
 had a meeting this evening in one of their houses ; but 
 there were not so many present. I am enjoying splendid 
 health, better than I ever did at home. 
 
 Does not the Lord more than make up to us for this 
 “ little while ” of separation ? 
 
From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 2 3 
 
 In many ways He comforts and strengthens me in His 
 great pity, even at times when I am not seeking His face, 
 or thinking of His words. 
 
 May ist , 1882. 
 
 Two ways are partly open to me of getting, this winter 
 (the healthy season), to the Zambesi. I could go either in 
 company with a trader to Panda-ma-tenka, my own stuff 
 being carried by pack-donkeys or oxen ; or in company 
 with a hunting party to the Mababi. In both cases I 
 should have a journey of a few days to the river. My 
 object would be to see Wankie, the chief, whose town lies 
 at the best place for crossing, 80 miles below the falls, and 
 whose sway is acknowledged over a large tract of country 
 on the north of the river, and to get permission from him 
 to cross the river, and stay among the Batokas and 
 Bashukolompos on the hills on the other side. Were 
 I able to do so it would be of great advantage to me. 
 “ Lay hands suddenly on no man ” is acknowledged to 
 be a most important principle in dealing with the natives 
 here. Mr. Coillard and his party suffered six months’ 
 imprisonment at Gubuluwayo because he came up hastily 
 and, without first giving notice, and consulting Lobengulo, 
 the Matabele chief, sought to settle among Umzila’s 
 people. The Jesuits, acting on a different plan, have got 
 into Umzila’s country. The chiefs must have time to 
 think about anything of this sort; and to be kept waiting 
 with others on the Zambesi for some months for per¬ 
 mission to cross and live on the high healthy country 
 on the other side of the river, might be accompanied 
 with the most serious results, humanly speaking. Five 
 white men out of six cannot live in the Zambesi valley ; 
 but during- the winter months it can be visited and 
 passed through with comparative safety. The other 
 way that I speak of might be opened up to me, though 
 it is not at present—viz., to go down to Silika’s town 
 (he is a small chief, 80 or 100 miles from here, who pays 
 tribute to Kama). Three of Mr. Coillard’s native 
 evangelists are there at present. Silika, however, has 
 recently forbidden his people to listen to them, and, 
 moreover, Kama has only partly given his consent to my 
 going there Mr. Hepburn thinks Kama could not 
 possibly let me go until he had first consulted with 
 Mr. Coillard. There are no other towns round here 
 
24 
 
 From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 to which I could go. Between this and the Zambesi, 
 the country is peopled with only a few scattered Bush¬ 
 men. South of this the Bechuana towns are few and 
 far between. The Matabele country lies to the north¬ 
 east, where there certainly are masses of heathen ; but 
 they do not speak nor understand the Sechuana tongue. 
 The four London Society missionaries who are there can 
 scarcely get man or child to listen to them. One man I 
 heard of the other day made a profession, and was 
 instantly put to death by the chief. The Jesuits have been 
 flocking into that part of the country—ten or eleven 
 come up every year. I have been informed on good 
 authority that the Jesuit Society have set apart 3000 
 men for Central Africa : those coming in from this 
 side are to take up the Matabele country and the 
 Barotse valley ; those from Quillimane will cover the 
 ground lying between the Barotse valley and Tete. 
 They have been very unfortunate ; six out of every ten 
 who have come up this way have died of fever or been 
 killed. This has made a deep impression on the minds 
 of the traders in this part, and also on the natives, who 
 treat the Jesuits with great suspicion, refusing to receive 
 even their presents, thinking they are enchantments. 
 
 To return to your letter, I certainly value your advice 
 not to proceed further without a companion, and as I 
 believe this to be the wish not only of my friends but 
 also of elder brethren, it has cast me much on the Lord 
 as to whether it is His will or not that I should return 
 the way I came. God has helped me much with the 
 Bechuana language, which is understood among the 
 Zambesi tribes, and He has given me excellent health, so 
 that I have passed through the most unhealthy season 
 with scarcely a touch of fever where others have suffered 
 much. I told the chief that if I went to the Zambesi 
 I would like a Christian native to accompany me, so 
 that there might be the “two witnesses.” Since then 
 a young man of Christian character has offered to go 
 with me as a servant. I cannot yet speak from my own 
 observation, as to his being a child of God. In the 
 meantime I have engaged him whether I go or not; he 
 helps me much with the language ; he is willing to leave 
 his wife and serve me for the exceptionally small sum 
 of 15s a month and his food, whereas he should by rights 
 get £3 t0 £>S P er month when travelling. Up here the 
 price of labour and everything is fabulous; scarcely any 
 
From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 25 
 
 thing can be bought from the natives for less than a 
 shilling, and one could purchase as much with a penny at 
 home. 
 
 Some of the native Christians here put me tc shame 
 by their heartiness and zeal. The Lord has chosen, in 
 me, a feeble and worthless servant; but if my feebleness 
 and worthlessness do but serve to exalt His might and 
 worth I will not have come here in vain. I am living 
 alone some little distance out of the town in a house 
 lent me by the chief, and have many opportunities of 
 speaking and reading with the people, who come to 
 me for medicine. I have four white children to teach 
 every day. I am glad to hear from time to time that 
 brother Graham is gaining strength ; his arm was broken, 
 but is now almost well. 
 
 May yd, 1882. 
 
 Mr. Hepburn left last week for England — he and 
 Mrs. Hepburn could not have treated me with greater 
 kindness. My days are fully occupied in acquiring the 
 Sechuana language, teaching some white children, and 
 doctoring a few sick people. 
 
 I do not know when my next step may be taken. I 
 can assure you honestly that, since'comingto this country, 
 I have set myself in many ways to find out and prove 
 whether the Lord would not have me to work elsewhere 
 rather than to go into the far interior alone ; now I feel 
 stronger than ever to go on, and many of the mountains 
 of difficulty have turned out to be only ground fogs. 
 
 May 16 th, 1882. 
 
 I have now got a servant called Setobi who is willing 
 to go anywhere with me; and if he proves to be a 
 Christian, as I hope he is, there will thus be the second 
 witness. “In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall 
 every word be established” (Matthew xviii. 16). 
 
 I have just been reading Psalm lxxxix. 8, “ Oh Lord 
 Godof Hosts, who is a strong Lord like unto Thee, or toThy 
 faithfulness round about Thee?” His faithfulness is as 
 strong as Himself, so that He cannot fail in the complete 
 fulfilment of His promises. Oh, for that precious faith 
 (precious because God-honouring) that can lie down and 
 
26 
 
 From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 rest as the Lord Jesus did in the midst of the blackest 
 storm, knowing this only, that He is near and that He 
 knows. How often we reverse God’s plan, and instead of 
 resting our souls in the Mighty One, when the Devil is 
 roaring round, are often filled with dismay, while in a 
 time of temptation we fail to “watch and pray,” and 
 being found sleeping, easily fall into the temptation. 
 
 May ibth) 1882. 
 
 The carriers of “ the mail ” are two lank natives, 
 their clothing a bit of dirty rag apiece, an old musket 
 over their shoulders, with a calabash of water tied to the 
 end of it, a small bag of meal hung round the waist, and 
 the dirty canvas bag containing the letters carried on one 
 of their heads. This is a rough picture of the Central 
 African post carrier. 
 
 You will be interested to hear a little of Shoshong and 
 its inhabitants. 
 
 The moral condition of the town is, in many respects 
 most exemplary. I have not, since coming here, seen an 
 intoxicated person either black or white, which could 
 not be said by any one, for the same period, in any 
 other town in Africa, where the white man with his 
 trade has access. The chief, Kama, has put down the 
 drink traffic most effectually : not only has he forbidden 
 the traffic among his own people, but he will not allow 
 the liquor to pass through his country, consequently none 
 whatever (except an occasional case or two smuggled 
 in) has passed into Central Africa from this side for 
 some years. 
 
 If a trader is found out once bringing drink into the 
 place, even for the use of the white people, he is turned 
 off Kama’s territory, and never allowed to enter it again. 
 
 In many respects Kama is a noble chief, and it would 
 be well if other rulers imitated his unselfish Christian 
 policy. None of his people are allowed to want, if he 
 can help it. If they are too poor to buy he provides 
 them with a stock of cattle, the increase of which belongs 
 to the poor man ; and thus Kama has distributed during 
 the last few years thousands of cattle to such of his 
 people as have suffered through loss of crops, disease 
 amongst cattle, &c. 
 
 Although he has stopped all beer drinking amongst 
 
From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 2 7 
 
 his people, and put down many of the revolting heathen 
 customs which formerly the people delighted in, yet they 
 all like their chief, and would almost to a man die for 
 him. 
 
 Now and then he gets up hunts on a large scale; 
 hunting after the larger kinds of game. These hunting 
 parties go far into the desert, and often suffer greatly 
 from want of food and water ; but the chief is always the 
 first to go without his share, and will not help himself 
 until all are supplied, so that there is not the slightest 
 grumbling on the part of his followers. 
 
 In spite, however, of all the chief can do, there are many 
 very revolting practices carried on secretly to a fearful 
 extent, such as the murdering of children. A deformed 
 child is at once put to death ; twins are seldom allowed to 
 live. If any peculiar circumstance happen at the birth 
 of a child, or any suspicious omens occur, such as the 
 call of certain animals or birds, the child is murdered ; 
 the ordinary plan being to pour boiling water down the 
 child’s throat, and carry the body out to the wolves. 
 They cast away the old people, cut their bodies, use 
 enchantments, &c., but all this is done secretly. 
 
 I can, nevertheless, say confidently that one would 
 see more vice and open immorality on a Saturday night 
 in the High Street, Glasgow, than would be seen here in 
 twelve months. 
 
 The clothing of the people is scanty, but sufficient. 
 They are naturally civil and polite to each other, and 
 when addressing an older or superior person, finish every 
 sentence with “ my father,” or “ my mother.” Both 
 young and old address me as “ my father,” and often as 
 “ my lord,” but it is merely civility. 
 
 I thank God over and over again for the many I know 
 are remembering me in prayer. How often, when 
 bowed down and discouraged, because of my feeble 
 efforts in prayer, and because of the unbelief and shallow¬ 
 ness of my words, have I been lifted up by remember¬ 
 ing that others are praying for me, and that the Spirit of 
 God also maketh intercession. 
 
 To think of Him who knows us through and through, 
 who sees as no man can to the bottom of our hearts, 
 and yet to feel how He delights to encourage us and 
 tenderly to wash our feet. The first few verses of John 
 xiii. give great tenderness to the scene that follows. 
 “Jesus knowing His hour was come . . . having 
 
28 
 
 From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 loved His own which were in the world, He loved them 
 unto the end: knowing that the Father had given all things 
 into His hands, and that He was come from God and 
 went to God ; He riseth from supper and laid aside His 
 garments ; and took a towel and girded Himself. After 
 that He poureth water into a bason and began to wash 
 the disciples’ feet.” His love was not only a love unto 
 death, but a living, acting love. As the Son of God, He 
 by one mighty act delivered us, but this could not fully 
 satisfy the heart of that Divinely loving One “who came 
 from God and went to God;” He must needs Himself 
 wash the dirty sin-stains from off our feet. A moment of 
 heroic love for a fellow creature might constrain a man 
 to risk his life to drag some helpless child out of some 
 mud-hole or out of some deep water ; but the same love 
 could not constrain him to tenderly wash, and clothe, and 
 warm the little one. No ; the mother could do that best. 
 The love of Christ does both, see Ephesians v. 25-29. 
 He loved the Church, He gave Himself for it, that He might 
 sanctify and cleanse it; He nourisheth and cherisheth 
 it, that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, 
 not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing. What a 
 perfect love ! And this is the love that He has fastened 
 upon you and upon me, and nothing in heaven, or hell 
 or on earth can stay its working. 
 
 June $th, 1882. 
 
 Kama has just told me that he is sending Tinka, his 
 chief hunter to Mababi, which is four days’journey from 
 Panda -ma-tenka, so I have decided to go with him. 
 Kama did not say that I was to go ; he has left it with 
 myself to decide, but has promised me every help and 
 comfort in travelling with his chief hunter. It is not 
 certain that I will reach the Mababi, for, if the rains have 
 not fallen over the desert, there will be no water, and 
 we will be forced to turn back. Tinka is a man of 
 experience, knows every inch of the ground up there, 
 and has got strict orders from the chief not to run 
 any risks in trying to cross the desert, so humanly 
 speaking I will be perfectly safe with him. 
 
 After reaching Mababi I will get one or two guides to 
 take me on to Panda-ma-tenka, where I hope to see Mr. 
 Westbeech, who has traded for about 12 years on the 
 
From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 29 
 
 Zambesi, and to get from him some reliable information 
 as to the country, and as to the sway of the different 
 chiefs. I would then have plenty of time, before the 
 unhealthy season sets in, to cross the river at Wankes, 
 and go down to Moemba’s town, three days’ journey 
 from Wankes. Moemba is an independent chief of the 
 Batongas ; and the Batokas on the hills more or less 
 acknowledge his sway ; he is a very kind hospitable man, 
 I am told. F 
 
 I can manage a good long walk now with but little 
 fatigue. The other day I walked 24 miles in six hours. 
 I have three donkeys, one of them is a big strong fellow ; 
 I can easily hire a boy at any time to carry his load, so 
 that I could ride him should I find the walking too much 
 for me. 
 
 Moemba may ask me to remain a few months with 
 him before giving me a decided answer ; but I will make 
 my visit as short as possible. Had I to remain a few 
 months there it would throw me on to the rainy season for 
 returning ; in that case I should spend the summer on 
 the White Mountains, and return again next winter. No 
 one can guard against delays in this country, where time 
 is thought little of. A few months is considered by the 
 native mind the proper time to think over any new pro¬ 
 posal, whereas a few moments would decide the question 
 in the mind of a white man. So that Mr. Moffat’s advice 
 to me when I was leaving London, “ Have patience! 
 have patience! have patience! ” I find is a needful 
 and fitting one, both here and everywhere. 
 
 It is still uncertain whether the hunting party will be 
 able to cross the desert; they have Bushmen scouts on 
 before to report as to the waters. 
 
 I have abundant supplies of food, &c., and there is 
 plenty of game to be had, so that I will get a lot of boys 
 to go with me from Mababi for the sake of the flesh ; the 
 natives will not go on with a white man, but will soon leave 
 him, if he does not shoot game. 
 
 As to my coming out it will be all right, as I will try 
 and start just after the first rains fall (that is the time the 
 traders choose), and I am told a waggon will start from 
 Panda-ma-tenka about that time, viz., September or 
 October. 
 
 If I had time before the following winter, I might 
 go down to Natal for the sake of the change. And 
 perhaps I might have the joy of being joined there by 
 
3° 
 
 From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 some fellow-worker. The Lord knows about that, how¬ 
 ever, and I leave it in His hand. 
 
 Ere this letter reaches you, we may have met in Glory- 
 land; who knows but that the Lord is just at hand. I 
 may have cast off this earthly coil for a tabernacle more 
 befitting a heaven-born spirit. The thought of never again 
 returning to you in creature form is not a sorrowful one 
 to me ; next to the coming of the Lord, the laying aside 
 of this earthly clay is one of my brightest thoughts. This 
 world has nothing in it that I desire. I leave God to de¬ 
 cide as to when my work is done; till then, I am immortal. 
 
 When I look back on the time I have spent in this 
 country I am filled with shame, as I see how the good 
 hand of God has followed me, so that I have not lacked 
 anything. I cannot say that my faith has even been tried ; 
 it has been a year spent more calmly and smoothly than 
 many before. If I only knew that you would keep cheerful 
 and happy about me, even supposing you should not 
 hear from me for a whole twelve months, I would go 
 along throwing my hat in the air. 
 
 I am sure you will see much cause in all this to praise 
 God together with me. He does not choose a hard path 
 for us. 
 
 I am always making up my mind to endure all sorts 
 of hardships ; but the Lord quite takes the wind out of 
 my sails, by surrounding me with all sorts of comforts. 
 
 The desert we shall have to pass through will be long and 
 trying, but Tinka has now but little fear about managing 
 it, from reports that have come in as to water. The 
 longest desert will be a six days’ journey—travelling day 
 and night. A double supply of oxen have to be taken, 
 as so many of the poor creatures die of thirst. Of course 
 it is quite easy to take a supply of water in casks for 
 the people. 
 
 The constant jolting of the waggon is the most trying 
 part of it, but I have got used to that now. 
 
 Though I am only a young man, and almost entirely 
 unknown, yet I have thus far been helped on, and my 
 every need supplied, principally from sources previously 
 unknown to me; and now the Lord has given me favour 
 in the sight of this native chief, who thus seeks to speed 
 me on, in a way that never once crossed my mind as 
 within the range of possibilities. All I can say, is God 
 has favoured me. He has to my inmost soul proved the 
 work to be His, and not mine. 
 
From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 31 
 
 It is uncertain whether or not I shall see the Victoria 
 
 A/r I s L ■ t ^ iere no water on the direct road from 
 1 lababi to Panda-ma-tenka, I will have to go round bv 
 Geshuma and the Falls, along the Rivers Chobe and 
 
 Shoshong, June 6th, 1882. 
 
 As far as the natives are concerned I have nothing to 
 expect but kindness. In Kama’s country, which extends 
 right up to the Zambesi, I can now go where I like, and 
 get as much help and service from the natives as I like, 
 and that for nothing, if I choose, because of the orders that 
 Jvama has given to his hunters. After leaving Kama’s 
 country, I enter on the country of a chief who is friendly 
 with Kama, and from whom I will have no difficulty in 
 getting servants. 3 
 
 The danger of taking fever at this time of the year 
 on the Zambesi is small. I have now been in the fever 
 district for five months—the worst months of the year— 
 and have never enjoyed better health, while many who 
 have been born in the country have suffered severely, 
 and not a few have died. 
 
 There are certainly many wild animals all over the 
 country through which I am to pass ; but it is only in 
 closely hunting these animals, that there is any real danger. 
 
 1 ^ 'f 61 ? ni ^ t w h en travelling, the natives cut down a 
 lot ot thorn bushes, and make a thick thorn fence round, 
 called a skerm,” and two large fires are placed at the 
 opening, thus forming a complete protection. Very 
 seldom will a lion break into a skerm, although at times 
 they may and do walk round it all night. The principal 
 anger is in travelling at night (where water is scarce 
 one is compelled to do so) but if the party is kept well 
 together, and not allowed to scatter, there is no danger at 
 all, as a lion will not attack a company. When we were 
 coming up from the Crocodile River we got scattered, 
 and a lion took away one man. 
 
 The rest of the wild animals—the hyaenas, leopards, 
 &c —make any amount of noise, but are a cowardly lot. 
 
 i ravelling along the river, one has to be careful not 
 to camp on a sea-cow path (hippopotamus), but if he 
 ■eeps out of their way, they too are very careful to keep 
 out of his. F 
 
 Mi. Wright will write to you if he hears anything in an 
 
 C 
 
32 
 
 From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 indirect way from the natives as to my movements. 
 They have a system of their own by which news is 
 carried all over the country among themselves. 
 
 A native tribe is exceedingly like a military camp. 
 Everything here is done by word of command. The 
 gardens are tilled at the word of the chief; the crops 
 cannot be gathered until the order is given. No man is 
 allowed to remain in the country unless he can muster a 
 gun, or so many assegais. The people in the town live 
 together in what they call regiments; the huts of each 
 regiment being clustered round the hut of its captain. 
 All round the town there is a double row of outposts, 
 extending a long way into the veldt. 
 
 I have seen two turn-outs since coming here—one 
 time the Matabele were expected to attack them. When 
 the report came in, every man at once armed himself to 
 the teeth, and they began to get themselves into training 
 for fighting. Every morning they had a grand race of six 
 miles; a fine sight it was to see ten or twelve thousand 
 men dressed in all sorts of fantastic war dresses, 
 running along as hard as they could, all the time shouting 
 and boasting of what they could do. At another time 
 Kama had some difficulty with the Boer Government, 
 and was afraid the Boers would attack him, but it soon 
 passed off. 
 
 There is much in the history and “ folk lore ” of these 
 people that is very interesting. They speak of being 
 descendants of a certain man (half-god) named Loa 
 (very like Noah) who made all the animals, and tell 
 how he sent them out of his house, two by two. Many 
 of the names they have for the animals are very ancient. 
 They call the African gazelle the Tsephe, and I am 
 told that the Hebrew ( Tsebe) for gazelle is the same word. 
 
 I am thankful that my lot is cast among this people, 
 and am very willing for the “little while” to lay aside 
 the customs, company, and language of my own people, 
 and spend my short life in seeking to spread the Gospel 
 among them. 
 
 June Sih, 1882. 
 
 Contrary to my intentions and expectations, I find 
 myself now on the eve of starting for the Zambesi, and by 
 the time you receive this I will, God willing, be there. 
 Close by, no door was open, and at last I decided that, if 
 God were to open up a way for my paying at least a visit 
 
From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 to the Zambesi, I would not hesitate to go. For two 
 months my next step has been hidden from me, but now 
 it is, I think, made very plain that I should go on. A 
 week ago, Kama, having heard that my desire was to 
 visit the Batongas, expressed his willingness to help 
 me, and has since proved it by placing at my service 
 some of his waggons and oxen to take me as far as 
 the Mababi ; at the same time he sent orders by his 
 chief hunter that I am to have as many Bashubia* men as 
 I need to assist me on to Panda-ma-tenka, where I 
 can easily get guides to take me down to Moemba’s (the 
 chief of the Batongas and Batokas) town. I have got 
 three donkeys to carry my stuff, and sufficient supplies in 
 the way of barterable goods to take me comfortably there 
 and back. If all goes well, I hope I may be back before 
 the very unhealthy season sets in, say October or Novem¬ 
 ber. I cannot, however, speak with certainty. I earnestly 
 desire the prayers of all God’s people, that my going may 
 be in the power of the Gospel of Christ. My heart fills as 
 I think of this country, of the long, long time it has waited 
 for the Gospel which was u for all people ,” of its great need 
 of that Gospel, and withal of the willingness of the people 
 to listen to it. I have now learned enough of the 
 Sechuana language to enable me to get on comfortably. 
 So long as I can tell my own story in Sechuana, I can 
 always get an interpreter to translate my words into the 
 different Zambesi dialects. 
 
 If the Lord does not give me a fellow-labourer from my 
 own country, He may be pleased to give me a Christian 
 native willing to remain and travel with me as a fellow- 
 witness to the power of the Gospel. I rejoice to think 
 that it is not mine to choose my lot, but it is mine to 
 follow with a willing heart, and for this God giveth “more 
 grace,” which is in all cases sufficient. 
 
 FROM SHOSHONG TO THE ZAMBESI. 
 
 Jutie loth, 1882. 
 
 I am now gone two days’ journey into the desert. On 
 
 *The Bashubia are refugees who have fled to Kama for protection, 
 whom he has located at Mababi, and from whom he exacts any service 
 he may require. 
 
34 
 
 From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 my leaving Shoshong, the white people there were very 
 kind, supplying me with much I needed in the way of 
 food. 
 
 Kama and his wife were also very kind—he wished 
 God to go with me, to save me by the way, and to bring 
 me back in peace. His wife said, with tears, “ May God 
 go with you, and remain with us, and fill you with 
 blessing.” 
 
 We will have to work our way across to the Botletle 
 River in a zig-zag fashion, from water to water. 
 
 June , 1882. 
 
 Yesterday we had to send the oxen ten miles off to get 
 a drink—poor animals, they suffer much from thirst. 
 
 The hunters, too, have suffered much from hunger; they 
 have as yet been unfortunate in finding game, so have had 
 to go for days with but a bit of corn, although it is the 
 king’s special hunting party; but, because of the famine 
 that threatens Shoshong, they started with but a small 
 supply, counting on getting game on the road. 
 
 June 18th, 1882. 
 
 I begin this letter in the centre of an immense desert, 
 north-east of Kalahari, hoping to meet some native on the 
 Botletle River going down to Shoshong. We are losing 
 no time by the way, as we shall not have any water 
 for nearly two days and two nights. I have no 
 small supply of food with me ; for after I had laid 
 in, as I thought, a reasonable store, I found on starting 
 that a bag of rusks, a large loaf of bread, a small crock of 
 butter, some oranges from the Transvaal, a water-melon, 
 &c., had been sent to the waggon for me. I am beginning 
 to know my fellow-travellers a little now. Tinka is 
 undoubtedly a decent fellow, and I think a true Christian. 
 At first, however, I felt a peculiar feeling of loneliness in 
 finding myself alone among black faces, no one near 
 to whom I could speak in my own tongue ; but I have got 
 over that. Two other companies of hunters going on to 
 the Botletle River have joined us. They are a wild lot, 
 and away from their town and chief they seem to enjoy 
 their liberty immensely. The camp at night would make 
 a fine picture on canvas—ten or twelve fires, round each a 
 
From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 35 
 
 crowd of black faces, while their owners are sin^inc 
 talking, laughing, scolding, others tearing antelope bones to 
 pieces. All around is pitchy dark, made doubly so by the 
 shade of the dense forest and bush, through which we pass 
 from time to time. We have just got to a well, which is 
 almost dry, having travelled for 40 hours from the last 
 water (the oxen have been without water for three 
 days), during which time we only stopped for five 
 hours. On arriving here we found no water for the 
 oxen and donkeys, so they had to go half a day further 
 on. I . was glad, I assure you, to lie down and 
 get a little sleep. The endurance of these people 
 astonishes me ; some of them walked the whole time, and 
 walking, two days and a night through loose sand is no 
 easy thing. The first day we stopped two hours for 
 meals, during the night two hours for sleep, and two hours 
 the next day for food. Tinka, as yet, has no certain news 
 as to water beyond the Botletle, so it is not certain whether 
 we shall go on or not. I am getting into training by 
 walking a good deal every day. There is one thing I can 
 beat most of the natives in, that is, enduring thirst; they 
 drink a lot of water, and seem to suffer if they are without 
 it for one day. 
 
 Letlakani Water, 
 June 21 st, 1882. 
 
 We have got thus far, but are all very tired. The 
 waters were so very low and far between that we have had 
 to push on, the oxen not being able to get more than one 
 drink at the different wells. Poor animals, they do look 
 knocked up, their necks all raw with the jading of the 
 yoke.. The wells are very deep, so that watering a span of 
 oxen is no light task ; the men having to climb up and 
 down with pails of water. I am busy at making boots, and 
 have finished one successfully, it fits admirably (not to 
 speak of appearance); the soles are giraffe hide, the 
 uppers, I think, are buffalo, and are stitched with narrow 
 strips of zebra skin. 
 
 June 22 nd, 1882. 
 
 We have met a trader going to Shoshong, so I must 
 finish this at once. I am writing in the waggon while it is 
 going on. We are a few hours from the Botletle River. 
 
36 
 
 From Natal to the Upper Za7nbesi. 
 
 It is very hot, but I am keeping very well; indeed could 
 not be better. I know I have your prayers with me. 
 The Lord watch between us when we are separate. 
 
 Botletle River, 
 Jime2^th, 1882. 
 
 We reached this a few hours after I sent off my last 
 letter. We stay here eight days altogether, and are out- 
 spanned in a most desolate spot. Behind us is the great 
 Kalahari desert, and before us a great stretch of reeds. 
 A strong wind is constantly blowing from the desert, 
 bringing with it clouds of white sand; but better to have a 
 wind, however charged with sand, than a wind charged 
 with malaria from the reeds. I thought a short account 
 of my first attempts at “village work” in the interior 
 would interest you, so will tell you somewhat of them. 
 At home in eight days one could accomplish a great 
 deal, but not here, the distances are so great. A 
 meeting is called for this afternoon at which I am 
 expected to speak; it will be my first attempt. I 
 am very doubtful as to how I shall make myself under¬ 
 stood. Tinka asked me last night to have meetings all 
 along the river, as the people understand Sechuana, which 
 he thinks I speak well enough: it will depend how I 
 get on this afternoon. Nothing would be a greater 
 pleasure to me, as many of the people in these towns have 
 never heard the Gospel. 
 
 Sunday Evening. 
 
 This evening, round three fires, we had the meeting. 
 I got on pretty well, and most seemed to understand me 
 —Tinka and the Bamangwatos understood every word. 
 All listened with eyes and mouth wide open ; so I am much 
 encouraged, and will have meetings at all the little towns 
 we come to. I felt very strange in praying in a strange 
 tongue, more so than in speaking to the people. I can 
 scarcely describe the sense of relief, after straining to 
 understand the language for four months, to find that I 
 was able in a measure to tell the story I had come to 
 make known. God has helped me much more than my 
 heart will acknowledge. 
 
From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 37 
 
 June 29 th, 1882. 
 
 On Monday I got a young native Christian from 
 Shoshong, named Ramosi, to accompany me; he can 
 read and preach the Gospel pretty well (one thing all 
 native Christians can do). We intended visiting three 
 villages. The first we went to was Machoacho, and 
 we had a long, tiresome walk to it—at first through 
 deep sand, and then for some miles through reeds 
 by a narrow winding path in which there was scarcely 
 room for one to walk. We reached Machoacho about 
 midday, and found nearly all the inhabitants asleep. 
 Taking our seats in the ICotla (the place of public meeting), 
 we awaited our audience; those near wakened up the 
 others, and soon they all came trooping out of their little 
 huts. They listened closely. The faces of most, how¬ 
 ever, showed that they were more occupied with criticising 
 than assenting; still it is ours to sow, and God’s to give 
 the increase. The next village we reached was a small 
 one. The men were all away hunting, and the women 
 out working; so we passed on. We were not, however, 
 able to reach the third village, for my feet were sorely 
 blistered, and so were those of Ramosi; he said the road 
 was killing him. We turned our course for the waggon, 
 which we reached after again crossing the stretch of reeds. 
 Tuesday was a very stormy day, the sand blowing all round 
 in great clouds, and we did not venture out; my feet were 
 also too sore. On Wednesday we started out again on 
 the donkeys for a village called Sosineu. We reached it 
 about midday, and found quite a town. As we entered, 
 the donkeys caused a great sensation. I suppose it was 
 the first time such an animal had been seen there. The 
 people are Makalakas, from the Matabele country. They 
 all understand Sechuana well, but are a wild, savage¬ 
 looking set. Taking our seats in the Kotla, one of the 
 head-men sent a messenger to call the people, He went 
 round shouting in a most frantic manner. Every time he 
 reached the climax of his sentence he threw his arms into 
 the air and jumped up as if he were calling the people to 
 a war dance. His cry w&s for all the people—men, 
 women, and children—to come for “Sunday.” In a short 
 time a large crovvd gathered, the men sitting in one large 
 ring, the women in another, and we continued the meeting 
 for fully two hours. I had of course to keep very close to 
 passages of Scripture—such as the Lord’s words in John x. 
 
38 
 
 From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 The Shepherd giving His life for the sheep was an illus¬ 
 tration that seemed to get their attention; it was one they 
 could understand, even better than people at home. They 
 have, however, little idea of what sin is; but the Spirit of 
 God is able to convince of sin, and may please to use a 
 very feeble word for that end. Ramosi spoke very 
 earnestly on the same subject. It was evening ere we 
 reached the waggon. We are not going to stay here eight 
 days after all, but move off to-day; so I shall not get to 
 another village that I intended visiting before leaving this 
 part. Tinka has just told me that he will have no diffi¬ 
 culty in reaching the Mababi now; there is water on 
 ahead. I hope to reach the Zambesi, “ if the Lord will,” 
 in four weeks’ time, which will be within a few days of a 
 year since I left home. Our course for three or four days 
 lies along the north bank of the river Botletle; then we 
 turn in a N.N.W. direction for the Mababi, which we may 
 reach in two weeks. This letter will be taken to the chief 
 Kama, it is carried by one of his messengers in a slit at 
 the end of a long stick. 
 
 Tontgaru Water, 
 July 12th, 1882. 
 
 About lat. 19 0 40' S.; long. 24 0 45' E.—I have again an 
 opportunity to send a letter; for Tinka is sending a message 
 to the chief that we go on to the Mababi, as there is plenty 
 of water. It was thought by every one that this part of 
 the road was impassable. I was told by some of the 
 traders that it was madness to attempt it, that my donkeys 
 would die, and there were all sorts of stories about perish¬ 
 ing of thirst. Exceptionally late rains, however, have 
 fallen, and water has not only been found, but large sheets 
 of it in the hollows; God is faithful to His word, and 
 has made a path in the desert. We are now within a 
 few days’ journey of the Mababi, so I may start for the 
 Zambesi by the next moon (about July 20th), when 
 six days’ fair walking will take me to the river. I expect 
 to meet Westbeech, the trader, at Geshuma, a small town 
 at the junction of the Zambesi and the Chobe rivers. If 
 he is not there, he may be at Panda-ma-tenka, which place 
 I would reach by going down the river bank to the 
 Victoria Falls, then turning south three days. Westbeech 
 understands the country, and could supply me with guides 
 to take me on. It is possible that he may return in 
 
From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 39 
 
 December, so that I might come with him, or at least 
 send letters. 
 
 With all my heart I would desire to give a good report 
 of the way the Lord has dealt with me, and filled me with 
 comfort and joy. I have been reading Romans vii. It 
 has been said that it expresses the experience of only the 
 most advanced Christians, and I felt in reading the 
 chapter that this was true. 
 
 Since leaving the Botletle we have been travelling 
 through a wild but beautiful country, teeming with game 
 of all sorts. I have installed Setobi as my huntsman. 
 The game is large, and not difficult to shoot, so that he is 
 well able to “keep the pot” supplied. It is surprising, how¬ 
 ever, to see how much these people can eat. Tinka shot 
 two giraffes on Saturday, and by Sunday evening a few 
 bones and a few strings of meat hung up to dry, were all 
 that was left, though there were only twenty eaters. My 
 own appetite surprises me; but, of course, I am living 
 entirely in the open air, and walking a good deal every 
 day. We are now getting well north, and I feel somehow 
 nearer home by being again in sight of the constellation 
 “Great Bear.” It is, however, much warmer here. This is 
 the coldest month of the year; yet during the day it is very 
 hot, about 85' in the shade; the nights, however, are cold. 
 
 I get on pretty well with the people; we have prayer and 
 reading every night and morning and on Sunday in the 
 afternoon. I do not understand the language sufficiently to 
 appeal personally to their hearts. I could not be in a 
 better school, however, for learning the words and idioms 
 of the people; yet it would be a treat to meet some with 
 whom I could speak in my own tongue. As I sit at night, I 
 often find myself thinking, and speaking to myself in 
 Sechuana. I did not know that Tinka would be sending a 
 messenger, else I would have written more. I told them 
 not to send on any letters until they heard from me, as 
 they might never reach me. 
 
 I did not tell you in my last that when I was at the 
 Botletle River there was much fever about, and many of 
 the natives, died of it; three of our own company were 
 ill; I, however, had not even a headache. The Botletle 
 River is said to be worse than the Zambesi for fever, 
 but all sickness is in our Lord’s hands. My sleeping 
 accommodation is not the best—rough but comfortable. 
 When travelling, I always take my sleep with my clothes on. 
 In Setobi I have a very faithful and trusty servant; he takes 
 
4o 
 
 From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 charge of all my property, and looks after my clothes and 
 goods as though they were his own. Nearly all my spare 
 time is occupied in getting up the Sechuana grammar, 
 and in learning portions of Scripture in Sechuana. It is 
 difficult to read by the fires, and candle light is too 
 expensive for much reading, so that I spend the dark 
 evenings mostly in thinking. Taking it all round, my 
 days go past very pleasantly indeed, and, also, very quickly. 
 There is nothing I want that I have not got. I was much 
 blessed in reading Psalm cvi. My prayer this morning 
 was verses 4 and 5; they are very full of blessed meaning. 
 
 My last letter was dated from Tontgaru Water. Up to 
 that time we had got on well on the whole, and had found 
 an abundant supply of water—since then my experience 
 has been the opposite, in one sense. 
 
 We started from Tontgaru Water on the morning of 
 Thursday, 13th July, 1882. Tinka having sent on some 
 men to look for water, we went on for three days and 
 nights with scarcely a stoppage ; it was hard work, the 
 bush being so very dense. I calculated that we travelled 
 40 miles in 24 hours, or about 30 miles as the crow flies, 
 in a N.W. by W. direction. 
 
 On Sunday morning we arrived at a camp of Masarowas, 
 and from there we sent the oxen and donkeys to find 
 water, expecting them to return on Monday evening. 
 The people, including myself, were supplied with drinking 
 water from the Masarowas, who sank long tubes made of 
 reeds into the ground at the bottom of a pit dug in the sand. 
 They sucked the water up through these tubes and spat 
 it out into tortoise shells which they gave to us. It was 
 very slimy stuff, as you may imagine, but I enjoyed it 
 more than any draught of water I ever took from Loch 
 Katrine. 
 
 The oxen and the donkeys did not return until Wed¬ 
 nesday evening, having had to go two days’ journey 
 before they found water, and this only a little pan of 
 surface water which they themselves emptied. We found 
 afterwards that, between that and the Mababi River 
 (two days further on), there was not a drop to be had. 
 The cattle could not have gone a day further, as they had 
 already been six days without water—the longest time 
 they have been known to live without—so that but for 
 that little pan of water, which was found almost unex¬ 
 pectedly, we should have lost both oxen and donkeys, 
 and, as Tinka says, “very few of the people with us 
 
From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 41 
 
 would have got through,” as, that evening when the oxen 
 returned, the Masarowas sucked out of the ground the 
 last drop of water they could give us. 
 
 As for myself, a very little more of that sort of fare 
 would have, humanly speaking, knocked me up ; I do not 
 mean that I actually suffered from want of water, but I 
 was generally reduced. 
 
 After giving the cattle a night’s rest, we started early 
 on Thursday morning for the Mababi. Tinka and the 
 other horsemen of the company riding on to find the 
 nearest water, of which we had only a very limited 
 supply in the waggon. I had a pint and a half for a four 
 days’ journey ; nor had we any flesh meat, no game 
 having been killed in the desert. I had meal with me 
 but could not cook it for want of water, so my staple 
 supply was a few dry peaches that I had got at 
 Bamangwato. On Friday (July 21), we were still a long 
 way from the Mababi River. I had finished my water 
 the day before, and the natives declared that they were 
 all dead. 
 
 I was persuaded, however, that we should not want 
 long. I was lying back in the waggon and had just men¬ 
 tioned that promise to the Lord . . . “and their 
 
 water shall be sure,” when a young man of the company 
 asked me if I wanted to drink. Three Masarowas, having 
 been sent by Tinka, had brought three calabashes full of 
 water for us, so that we had a drink all round. The next 
 thing was to try and find a little food. Setobi was too 
 much knocked up to go and hunt, so I started off with 
 one of Tinka’s men to look for something. We walked a 
 long way through thick wood but found nothing; and, 
 then, finding we were too far from the waggon to be sure 
 of coming upon it again, we decided to make for the 
 Mababi River. 
 
 After wandering along through thick wood and bush 
 and patches of long reedy grass, we struck a footpath 
 leading in the direction of the river. Just as the sun was 
 sinking I shot an antelope ; it rolled over, then got up 
 and ran into some bush. The man who was with me 
 said it would soon die, but that we must push on as the 
 river was very far away yet; so on we went, the night 
 setting in clear so that we could see the path. On and 
 on we went for a long time, till at last through the trees 
 we saw the fires of a camp of Masarowa bushmen. 
 
 We found that the river was close by ; so, after eating 
 
42 
 
 From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 some meat and drinking some water which they kindly 
 brought me, I thankfully lay down beside their fire for the 
 night, though I did not sleep much. The bushmen kept 
 up a continual talk, then some lions—I don’t know how 
 many—began roaring away, the dogs of the bushmen 
 replying to them in as shrill a tone as possible ; however, 
 towards morning I slept a little. These bushmen live a 
 strange wild life, constantly moving about. At nights they 
 make no protection against the lions. A few nights 
 before, a woman of their company, whilst asleep, was 
 seized by a lion and had her head much torn. I was 
 asked to do something for her but could do but little, the 
 flesh being torn right off her head and gathered up in a 
 big lump at the back. 
 
 The next morning I started along the river to some 
 Bashubia towns. On the way I met Tinka returning ; he 
 wished to wait close by for the waggon, so I gladly sat 
 down with him. The waggon came along during the 
 day. These were nine long long days that I will not 
 soon forget. 
 
 The next day was Sunday, 23rd July, and all the talk 
 among the people was of the wonderful escape they had 
 made ; they exaggerated step by step until they made 
 out that a perfect miracle had been wrought. In the 
 evening Tinka talked to the rest very earnestly, and read 
 that verse in Psalm cxv. 1, “Not unto us, O Lord! not 
 unto us, but unto Thy Name give glory.” 
 
 Monday, 24th July.—A lot of Bashubia men from the 
 towns near us were around the waggon, and I bought 
 mealies, brans, &c., from them in exchange for beads. 
 There is a glorious field for the Gospel here, besides 
 several towns of Makalabero and several troops of 
 wandering Masarowa. I am sure there are several 
 thousand Bashubias. Along the Mababi River they have 
 never been visited by any preacher of the Gospel. The 
 nearest mission station is Shoshong. Some of these 
 Bashubia men said to me how glad they would be to 
 have a teacher among them. I pray God that it may not 
 be long ere some one comes here. The district is, 
 undoubtedly, unhealthy, the river bed being an immense 
 stretch of marshes and reeds. 
 
 I bought from the Bashubias to-day an extra supply 
 of mealies, &c., and was busy arranging my bundles for 
 the carriers—a very difficult thing to do, as the men 
 continually dispute the fairness of their load as compared 
 
From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 43 
 
 with .that of others. I am going to try a new plan and 
 make them carry the different loads in rotation. 
 
 26th July.—The chief man of the Bashubias was not at 
 home, so the head-men, who came to the waggon to-day to 
 consult over matters, said, before they could decide to give 
 me men, they would have to consult the wife of the chief. 
 She said that if it was the word of Kama that the 
 Bashubia men should go with me, it was all right. I 
 should have had, apart from Kama, no difficulty what¬ 
 ever in getting carriers, for the people will go any 
 distance for a little powder. I agreed to give each man 
 five bullets, five charges of powder, and five caps, to 
 carry 40 lbs. from here to Panda-ma-tenka (a distance of 
 250 miles), and of course they will have to walk back 
 again ; at that price I can have 50 carriers. This may 
 seem to you to be extortion on my part, but powder and 
 lead and caps are an enormous price here, and when the 
 food is taken into consideration it is by no means under 
 the mark. 
 
 27th July. I walked to the Bashubia towns to-day, the 
 nearest being about 12 miles from the waggon. I visited 
 two of them ; in the first I was very well received indeed. 
 The people all turned out and listened to the Word. 
 They then brought me three presents of corn. 
 
 The other town, which was a little further on, received 
 me more saucily, and was not very sure about listening to 
 this new thing; ” at first, in fact, they refused altogether. 
 
 I asked them if they would hear me if I returned. 
 This they promised to do. As I was moving off, they 
 changed their minds and said they would hear me now. 
 The tardiness of the older men in allowing me to read the 
 Word of God and to speak, seemed to have a good effect 
 in rousing the curiosity of the young men, for they 
 listened eagerly. One man doubly repaid me for all the 
 grunts by a deep sigh which seemed to come from his 
 heart, and spoke what his lips could not speak. Still 
 further on there are many more towns all inhabited by 
 the Zambesi refugees. 
 
 In the evening I chose six stalwart men besides a 
 Bechuana who also wants to. go with me, and another 
 young man who goes for his food ; so that with the 
 Masarowa guide we will be no mean turn-out—11 in all. 
 Further on I will get another guide, as without a road- 
 watchman it is difficult to strike water travelling through 
 thick wood. The advantage of having two guides is that 
 
44 
 
 From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 one can take a round in search of water, whilst the other 
 can guide the party. 
 
 Saturday, 29th July.—I find I have made a mistake in 
 engaging my men so soon, as they have taken up their 
 quarters beside the waggon and look to me to feed them. 
 I went out to-day to get some flesh meat to help my 
 supply of mealies for feeding the men. I walked a long 
 way and found nothing, but in returning to the waggon I 
 shot a wild boar. I have arranged with the Bechuana, 
 who is to go with me to Geshuma, that I feed him and 
 supply him with powder and lead, and in return he is to 
 hunt for me. 
 
 Lord’s Day, 30th July.—Having so far got everything 
 into marching order, I feel thankful for a resting day 
 before I start. I rejoice to think that the issue of this 
 journey is with the Lord, and that He will be my guide. 
 
 The waters are scarce and uncertain by the route I 
 have decided to take, viz., in a straight line from here to 
 the junction of the River Chobe with the Zambesi. True, 
 by crossing right over to the Chobe, and following its 
 course to the Zambesi, I could go by a road with an 
 abundant supply of water, but the tsetsd flies are so 
 numerous along the Chobe, they would quickly deprive 
 me of my donkeys. I can scarcely realize that I am 
 within six days’ walk of the Zambesi. 
 
 Monday, 31st July.—At the very point of starting I 
 have changed my plans, and decided to go by the Chobe, 
 thinking I had better run the risk of losing my donkeys 
 than of losing human life. On the direct line to Geshuma 
 water is undoubtedly very scarce and becoming scarcer 
 every day. My men were willing to go whichever way 
 I chose, but greatly preferred the Chobe. Tinka has 
 done what he could to prevent me going by the Chobe, 
 but took a pleasant farewell ; for a native of Africa, he is 
 a very decent fellow, and I have no doubt he is a Christian. 
 
 This morning I was up before the sun, and set to work 
 in real earnest laying out the loads. There were about 
 70 lbs. of wheat meal, and a small sack of mealies. The 
 two canvass sacks that I had made in Glasgow before I 
 left were filled with beads, knives, &c., for barter; I had 
 also my ammunition, books, &c. Moreover, three 35-lb. 
 sacks of food for the men, about 40 lbs. of flesh meat, a 
 small box with two bottles of spirits, tea, cocoa, candles, 
 and odds and ends, weighing in all about 50 lbs. Some 
 lead and my little tent made another load. There were 
 
From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 45 
 
 also my knapsack, full of medicine, water (in four little 
 wooden casks), and pots and pans; these things altogether 
 were too much for six men to carry, so I engaged other 
 three, thus increasing our party to thirteen. 
 
 By about 9 o’clock all was ready for a start. I called 
 over the names of the men, each one answering and 
 getting his load ; all seemed well pleased. We started 
 in a north-westerly direction. The first march was very 
 tiresome, being across the bed of reeds and marsh into 
 which the Mababi River flows, an immense bed of slush 
 and reeds which tower a long way above one’s head, 
 and are at times so close together that one could not 
 see his neighbour, who was but a few steps on before. 
 We found the ground, or rather the layer of rotten reeds 
 and sand, very difficult to walk over, sinking at times 
 almost up to our knees. I thought we would never get 
 the donkeys through ; but by about 4 o’clock p.m. we 
 managed to get on solid ground, and made for a Masarowa 
 town, where we expected to get water. The water pit 
 being nearly dry, there was nothing for the donkeys ; so 
 we remained there for the night, as I expected the waters 
 in front also would fail us. I made up my mind not to 
 leave the Masarowa pit without my donkeys having a 
 good drink. The Masarowas kept on drawing water, and 
 scarcely left us enough to drink ; still, I waited patiently, 
 and after midnight, when the water had gathered again, 
 
 I sent out six men who emptied the pit, yet brought 
 enough for the donkeys. 
 
 Tuesday, 1st August.—We were up before daybreak 
 and off as quickly as possible, having a long and probably 
 dry tramp before us. We got on well to-day, having to go 
 over good firm ground, though the bush was very thick 
 and thorny. Before sundown we chose as comfortable 
 a looking place as possible, and in about half-an-hour’s 
 time the men made a “Kotla” for the night. These 
 Bashubias know well how to make one snug for the night. 
 They cut dovvn branches of trees and stick them in the 
 ground, forming a half circle, they then bring wood for 
 the fire (we burn no less than seven big fires all night), 
 and cut grass to sleep on. Then the bundles are brought 
 and laid down at my head, and Setobi gets the kettle on 
 the fire. After supper (we have but one meal a day) I 
 read and pray in Sechuana to the men. It does not take 
 much rocking to send me to sleep. 
 
 Wednesday, 2nd August.—Had a good start this morn- 
 
46 
 
 From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 ing, and walked a long, long way; the sand was very 
 heavy, but we pushed on hard, expecting to get water at 
 a place called Caucon. We arrived at the water pan, 
 where was only surface water, only to find that the 
 elephants had been there before us, and drunk up all the 
 water. This is rather a serious fix, as the donkeys, being 
 about done up with carrying heavy loads, refuse to eat, 
 and drag along painfully ; besides, our drinking water is 
 exhausted, and we are fully 60 miles from the River 
 Chobe. Two of the men set to work digging a well at 
 the foot of the pan, but after going through a little damp 
 mud, turned up nothing but dry white sand. After 
 prolonged consultation (and, I assure you, I earnestly 
 consulted the Lord in the matter), I decided not to go 
 on further, but the next morning to send the men out in 
 all directions in search of water. The lives of the whole 
 party depend, humanly speaking, on our finding water 
 to-morrow, as already most of us are much exhausted, 
 having gone over 70 miles of rough weary country in the 
 last three days. 
 
 Thursday, 3rd August.—Early this morning I sent Setobi 
 with six men and the donkeys in the direction of the 
 Sambuti River, hoping to find water thereabouts. Another 
 party set out in the direction of the Caucon Hill to dig 
 a well in a hollow there while I “ remained by the stuff” 
 with a Bashubia, and only about half-a-pint of water, 
 which at the present moment is worth more to me than 
 half-a-ton of gold. I am hopeful that Setobi will find 
 water ; if he does not, he need not return ; but all is well, 
 for it is in my Lord’s hands. As yet I have lacked no 
 good thing, and am persuaded He will not leave me now. 
 His presence and His promises are better than water. 
 
 Afternoon.—Those who had gone out to dig for water 
 returned without finding any and looking very downcast, 
 they all began sucking away at the damp mud close by. 
 I tried to suck some water out of the mud, but it was just 
 like the grinds of a farmyard dunghill, so I left off and, 
 returning to the Kotla, fell asleep. I had not slept long 
 when one of the men awoke me with “ Monare, loot, loot,” 
 and I saw at some little distance a string of men coming, 
 each with a calabash full of water over his shoulder. 
 Setobi had met a party of Tinka’s hunters who were 
 following on the spoor of the elephants at some distance; 
 the bushmen with them took Setobi to one of the Masarowa 
 wells, where the donkeys got a drink, and water also, 
 
From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 47 
 
 enough to succour us. I need not say how thankful I 
 felt at this deliverance. I hope I do not weary you with 
 too much detail. I write this letter just as I go along, as 
 a simple statement of facts, without commenting upon 
 them. 
 
 Friday, 4th August.—We were a little longer in starting 
 this morning,- as I had to re-adjust the men’s bundles ; 
 they are beginning to complain about the weight of them.’ 
 We made about 30 miles to-day over heavy sand, passed 
 the Gorgoli hills, and camped in the midst of a very dense 
 forest, as we found we could not get through it before 
 sunset. 
 
 Saturday, 5th August.—Had a long tramp to-day 
 through beautiful country, thickly wooded and full of 
 game. During the last few days I have seen quite a lot 
 of giraffes ; the country here is full of them. We arrived 
 in the evening at a pit with a little water in it, which we 
 reached after some digging. The men are getting very 
 troublesome, fretting about their loads, and demanding 
 gunpowder—in fact, they had quite a revolt this afternoon 5 ; 
 bringing their loads to me they laid them down, sayin^ 
 they would not go with me further, but would return 
 home unless I gave them my powder. 
 
 I sat down beside the stuff and looked at them awhile; 
 they began to shoulder their sticks. I said it was all 
 right, and bade them “Samaca bintly” (i.e. “Go pleasantly”). 
 This rather amused them, their scowling faces relaxed a 
 bit, and they went on again, trying with their threatenings 
 and impudence to rouse my temper. I answered all their 
 talk with “ I hear you,” until they gradually subsided, and 
 one after another fell asleep. You see I am getting a 
 taste of some of the difficulties of travelling in This 
 country. 
 
 I do not wonder now that this country has been so long- 
 known as the dark continent. In the evening, the man 
 who had been the most troublesome, and had led on the 
 others, seemed somewhat sorry for the way he had spoken 
 to me, and began speaking of the great respect he had 
 for missionaries. I will watch him closely in the future. 
 Another cause for grumbling turned up in the evening; 
 the food supply was running short, as we had shot no’ 
 game, so I had to serve out a short allowance. 
 
 Sunday, 6th August.—I was compelled for the sake of 
 food for the men to move off this morning. I went in front 
 to look for game, and came across a large troop of zebras. 
 
 D 
 
48 
 
 From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 I also found an ostrich’s egg, which will serve for my 
 dinner. We camped about 11 o’clock, when I sent five 
 men out to hunt the zebras. 
 
 We are now only an hour’s walk or so from the Chobe. 
 This morning, before starting, the men had a sort of 
 religious service over their guns. Laying their firearms 
 (six in all) down in a row, they all sat round them, and one 
 began to sing a dirge and to tap each gun, while the rest 
 were keeping time by beating the palm of one hand with 
 the fist of the other ; they then sprinkled them with water, 
 and finished up with a long shout. This they repeated 
 twice, saying it was to make their guns kill well. 
 
 This evening the men returned with a young zebra. 
 Now, at last, I have found out the reason why the men 
 have gone on so unwillingly for a day or so, and are loth 
 to go down and camp on the Chobe as I would wish. 
 They have been hearing from the Masarowas that the 
 Barotse are vowing destruction on the Bashubias that 
 fled to the Mababi, and saying that when the rains fall 
 they will come down and kill them all. It seems that 
 the Barotse have been victorious over the Mashuklumbas, 
 and are now scattering in all directions the inhabitants to 
 the north of the Zambesi. The last news is that they are 
 now among the Batokas in the hills, and killing them off. 
 O, the terribleness of war ! When we were in Natal the 
 Boer war was threatening to break out again, the feeling 
 running very high. I had scarcely arrived in the Trans- 
 v.aal when war broke out in and among the nations over 
 the border, and I ran a narrow escape of being commanded 
 for military service. On arriving at Bamangwato, the 
 first news I heard was that the Matabele were expected, 
 and that the cattle of the Bamangwatos were coming in 
 in all directions. The next morning after my arrival 
 there, all the men of the town were turned out on parade 
 to prepare for immediate action. News came in a few 
 days that the Matabele had turned. At Mababi I heard 
 of ravages and bloodshed close by, by a company of the 
 Matabele. A whole town of Masarowas that Tinka was 
 expecting to come and hunt for him was massacred, and 
 had the Matabele troop been a little stronger they w r ould 
 have come on to the Mababi. Now that I am nearing 
 the Zambesi, the reports of war and bloodshed increase 
 more and more. 
 
 I have been reading lately in the ninth of Romans. 
 Does the word there not explain why God bears with 
 
From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 49 
 
 these people, and how it is only because of the electin°- 
 grace of God that any one of us is different from them? & 
 
 Monday, 7th August. — I ascertained to-day from 
 Kama s Masarowas that there was but little game on 
 before, and that we were a full five days’ march from 
 Geshuma. So I decided to remain two or three days to 
 dry some flesh for food for future use. 
 
 Tuesday, 8th August.—A fair supply of Zebra flesh has 
 been brought m by the men, and all round the camp 
 to-day flesh cut in long strips is hung on long poles to 
 dry. A troop of zebras passed close to our camp, and my 
 three donkeys seeing them started after at full gallop and 
 soon joined them, when the lot made off. Setobi and the 
 other Bechuana went in pursuit of them; hour after hour 
 passed by with no word of the donkeys, and I confess I 
 felt very uncomfortable, with the men on one hand ready 
 to leave me at a moment’s notice, my donkeys away and 
 I 100 miles from any inhabited part. Greatly to my relief 
 just as the sun was setting, the donkeys appeared with 
 the two Bechuanas. We are surrounded for miles and 
 miles by thick woods, and, humanly speaking, it was a 
 hopeless job following them. “ Bob,” however, did not 
 seem to take so well to his new companions as the other 
 t wo donkeys did, and had fallen out with them. Bamatlodi 
 the bushman, made up to him, and wisely mounting 
 whipped him up. “ Bob ” made off at the run, kept most 
 faithfully to the spoor of the other two donkeys and zebras 
 and after a long run got up with them. The donkeys 
 were by this time fighting with the zebras, and kicking 
 each other; when Bamatlodi showed himself, the zebras 
 scampered away, and the donkeys submitted to be driven 
 back. The man had gone fully 12 miles after them. 
 
 Wednesday, 9th August.—After drying about 200 lbs. 
 of rmsh I got a start this evening, and camped close to 
 the Chobe. 
 
 Thursday, 10th August.—During the night I lost my 
 faithful dog, Judy. She was barking away at my side, 
 and I looked up and told her to be quiet. In a short 
 time she began barking again ; then followed a deep 
 growl with a rush, and poor Judy squeaked her last. I 
 had scarcely time to look up ere the tiger had cleared the 
 flies and was off The brute must have been very hungry 
 to have ventured so near for a supper. These tigers 
 (properly leopards) are very plentiful and destructive, and, 
 in fact, though not so powerful, are more dangerous than 
 
50 
 
 From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 the lion. I never heard of a lion coming nearer than at 
 least ioo yards of our fires. 
 
 We had a good day’s walk along the Chobe to-day ; 
 on the whole the ground was good for walking, but we 
 had to wade through one lagoon. I have just got glimpses 
 of this immense river, the reeds are so tall and thick. It 
 is, however, a refreshing sight to see this immense body 
 of water rolling along. The men are fond of their river, 
 and have been singing away at their old canoe songs, 
 which are very musical and plaintive. One especially 
 speaks of the grandeur and the many things of the 
 “Noka,” or “Zambecy” (they call the Chobe the Zambesi). 
 
 Friday, nth August.—The river now runs in a broad, 
 deep channel close to the banks of the River Zambesi. It 
 is quite a treat to walk along the thickly wooded bank, 
 clad with all sorts of tropical creepers and flowers ; the 
 trees are full of monkeys, baboons, and beautiful birds. 
 Every now and then a troop of antelopes scamper past. 
 In the river are all kinds of rare and beautiful waterfowl. 
 To-day I saw an immense hippopotamus rolling about in 
 the river. Everything is the perfection of beauty and 
 symmetry, and the fearful suspicious way that my men 
 creep along declares that “ only man is vile.” They are 
 in mortal dread of their lives. We sighted a town on the 
 other side of the river which disturbed them greatly. At 
 first they refused to sleep at the place I had chosen for 
 the night, and wanted to hide in the forest; they declared 
 that the Barotse would cross during the night and kill 
 them all. Talk as I like, I cannot lessen their fears ; 
 they refuse to go along the river any further, and say that 
 unless I turn from the river and make for Geshuma across 
 the sand belt, they will desert me there and then. I 
 refused at first, but, when I saw that they really meant it, 
 I gave in. 
 
 Saturday, 12th August.—After a restless night on the 
 part of the men, we started eai'ly this morning along the 
 river for one short march ; it was most impressive, yet, I 
 must say, I could not help laughing to see how the men 
 stole along through the long grass, glancing every now 
 and then across the river, fearing that they might be seen 
 by their dreaded enemies. At last we turned from the 
 river inland, or speaking more correctly, west by one 
 point north. The sand was very heavy, and reflected the 
 heat of the sun painfully We pushed on hard, hoping 
 to reach a Masarowa well in the evening. We had a 
 
From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 51 
 
 most tiresome walk, and shortly after sunset arrived at 
 a well, very deep, but with nothing in it. 
 
 Sunday, 13th August.—I sent three men to dig the well 
 deeper, hoping to strike water, so that we might rest 
 to-day, but it was in vain, so off we started. The sun was 
 very hot, yet we could not wait, so walked on without 
 resting to take breath more than five or ten minutes at a 
 time ; at last we reached a well with some water in it, 
 which, after a little digging, proved sufficient for the night. 
 Although tired enough, yet as my skin is so burnt with 
 the sun I can get little rest at night. I feel as if I were 
 lying on raw flesh. 
 
 Monday, 14th August.—Started this morning fresher 
 than I expected. About mid-day, as we reached the top 
 of a hill, we came in sight of Geshuma and the Zambesi 
 in the distance. I sat down to rest a bit, and wonder at 
 the grace and tenderness of my God that had brought me 
 thus far. I sang the hymn “Simply Trusting” (Songs 
 and Solos, 193), and it filled my soul—not that my trust 
 has been simple or ever so real as the words of the 
 hymn would express, but I felt that it was no vain thing 
 to trust the Lord, even though my measure has been 
 small ; but above all, there is a fulness of joy in proving 
 the Word of God, in finding that the same wondrous 
 grace of God which promises is able to fulfil and does 
 fulfil to us these promises. 
 
 \ have arrived here after a long two months’journey, 
 without a blister on my feet, and, but for my sorely burnt 
 skin, in perfect health. The sun in no way affects my 
 head. 
 
 The Bashubias would not go down to Geshuma, but 
 remained on the hill until Bamatlodi and I went in to see if 
 the way was clear. I found Geshuma nearly deserted; 
 only a few Masarowa women and children there. Mr. 
 Westbeech was up the Barotse Valley ; another white 
 man named Woods, who formerly lived here, is dead, 
 also his wife ; and Mr. Blockley has gone to Panda-ma- 
 tenka. I sent for the Bashubias to say the way was 
 certainly clear enough, and they stole down, laid down 
 their bundles, and at once demanded their pay. They 
 wanted to return at once, and-refused to go to Panda-ma- 
 tenka. Bamatlodi also wished to return, so that I was 
 left with the three donkeys, Setobi, and a boy to go on 
 to Panda-ma-tenka. No natives were living near, they 
 had all fled before a scouring band of Matabeles. After 
 
52 
 
 From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 a deal of talking, I paid off the men. giving each of them 
 fully ten charges of powder, caps, half a bar of lead, and 
 half a yard of cloth, which is big pay. 
 
 How I was ever to reach Panda-ma-tenka I did not 
 know. After paying all off, I gathered them together 
 and, mustering all my Sechuana, I gave them a long 
 address, speaking for fully an hour, and finished by 
 showing them how cruel was their forsaking me with 
 little food on hand, and no means for getting on to Panda- 
 ma-tenka. I would have to leave all my goods to be 
 stolen by the Masarowas, or to burn them; how would 
 they answer to Kama when called upon to account for 
 their actions, and how would they answer to God for 
 leaving His servants to perish in the desert. Bamatlodi, 
 the Bechuana, was the first to give in, though he was before 
 bent on returning ; he, no doubt, felt the force of my re¬ 
 marks in speaking of Kama, and what he would think of 
 his actions. He said he would not leave me but would 
 go to Panda-ma-tenka. Then three Bashubias said they 
 would not leave me, also two Masarowas, who before re¬ 
 fused my proffered hire to go, offered their services, so 
 that with Setobi I have my full complement of carriers. 
 I will drive the donkeys myself, so that we will get along 
 famously. I will take a straight line from here to Panda- 
 ma-tenka. The temptation, certainly, is strong to go 
 round by the Falls ; but as neither the time nor the 
 money I have belongs to me, I don’t feel justified in 
 adding three or four days’ journey for mere sight-seeing. 
 
 This evening, since the Bashubias, who had refused to 
 go further, have departed, a much happier feeling seems 
 to be among my men. I have served out as liberal a 
 supply of food to them as I can, and they are talking of 
 how well they will go along. We have three days’ desert 
 between this and Panda-ma-tenka ; the men say they are 
 willing to travel night and day if I like. 
 
 Tuesday, 15th August.—Geshuma. I would gladly 
 rest here to-day, but I have no food for the men. Mr. 
 Westbeech left behind him two little goats which I will 
 kill. So I intend to start this evening and make a push 
 for Panda-ma-tenka. I have 60 miles of dry country 
 before me, and as the donkeys are already looking poor, 
 and are little able to stand much more thirst, we will 
 begin to travel night and day. 
 
 Wednesday, 16th August.—Last night we made a good 
 long journey, and towards morning slept a few hours— 
 
From Natal to the Upper Za7nbesi. 
 
 53 
 
 the road, though thick bush and sand, is easily followed. 
 I was up and off before the sun rose, and towards mid¬ 
 day we lay down in the shade a short time. A small 
 abscess has formed under my toe, giving me much pain, 
 and I hobble along with a long stick as a crutch ; but 
 have managed to keep up with the rest some way or 
 other. The night was dark and the road bad, but we 
 kept on expecting at every fresh start to reach the Gezumba 
 Pan before halting. We at last gave in and lay down 
 beside some thick bush for shelter, knowing we were not 
 far from water. 
 
 Thursday, 17th August.—My toe being very painful, I 
 started before the others and hobbled along. A half 
 hour’s walk brought us to the Gezumba Pan. which is 
 within three hours’ walk of Panda-ma-tenka. But for my 
 toe I would go on, but will rest to-day. 
 
 This is the quickest walk I have had yet, doing 60 
 miles in one day and two nights. The distance was con¬ 
 sidered by the Bushmen, from whom I got directions as 
 to the road, to be a three days’ journey. I hope the 
 donkeys feel grateful. I certainly felt anything but fresh 
 to-day ; the painful hobbling on the outside edge of my 
 foot over the last 20 miles has strained all the muscles of 
 my body. I lanced my toe to-day, and will get along 
 nicely to-morrow. 
 
 Friday, 18th August.—Felt all right this morning, and 
 was able to walk with comparative comfort; so set off 
 before the rest for Panda-ma-tenka, arriving there about 
 mid-day. It is a little clump of huts on the top of slightly 
 rising ground, and is surrounded by low marsh. The 
 Jesuits have built a pretty respectable house and chapel. 
 The rest of the people live in huts, among whom are Mr. 
 Blockley, a trader, also a Dutchman, and the wives and 
 families of three or four Hottentot hunters, who at present 
 are out hunting. 
 
 Mr. Blockley received me very kindly, and gave me a 
 grass hut to live in as long as I may remain here. 
 
 In a short time my men and donkeys arrived, and I 
 settled with them as liberally as I could. In the evening 
 I had a long talk with Mr. Blockley ; he tells me that the 
 river just now is entirely barred against any white man 
 crossing. 
 
 My idea, as you know, was to cross if possible at 
 Wankes, and go down to Moemba’s town. Last year 
 the Jesuits went down to Moemba’s town, where one 
 
54 
 
 From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 died. They also had a lot of goods stolen from them; so 
 the rest returned—giving up for the time the intention of 
 settling there. They have since found the Barotse slow 
 to receive them, and are making a second attempt to 
 reach Moemba’s town. They have been refused a 
 crossing at Wankes, so are at present going down the 
 side of the river, hoping to get across at Moemba’s town. 
 Mr. Blockley says that the Barotse have sent down mes¬ 
 sengers to 'Moemba’s town, saying, that if they will let 
 them, or any other white man cross, they will kill them 
 all. From Mr. Blockley I have got much information 
 about the Batonga or Batoka people ; they are evidently, 
 in many respects, an exceptional people—a few of them 
 are here now. They cover an immense tract of country 
 right along the north bank of the river up to Moemba’s 
 town, then they take to the hills and north of the Falls. 
 Their towns are three days’journey from the river. This 
 is the substance of Mr. Blockley’s conversation during 
 the last three days. 
 
 He strongly advises me, as the only way of getting 
 among the- Batongas, to go and visit the Barotse chief, 
 and get permission from him to cross the river. If once 
 I got permission to cross I could go anywhere I liked on 
 the other side, and would have an immense field of work. 
 How to reach the Barotse king is a difficult question ; it 
 means a long toilsome journey up the river of 22 days 
 from here. I could not decide in my mind to go ; it 
 seemed too much for me; so I let the matter lie for a 
 day, and set to work in the meantime to repair an old 
 cart that I had bought for very little from Mr. Blockley 
 to take me out to the Bamangwato. 
 
 I felt I could do no more than cry to the Lord for these 
 people, that He might send the Gospel among them by 
 whomsoever He chose—the work is His own. 
 
 Last night (Saturday, 19th August), Mr. Blockley said 
 to me that he was much afraid he would have to go up 
 the river a bit to buy corn, Two waggons had gone 
 down the river and had been away two weeks—word had 
 just come from them that no corn was to be had. So he 
 has decided to go up the river, and has asked me to go 
 with him as far as he goes. He will go by waggon to 
 Geshuma, walk to Inparairie, and send messengers into 
 Shesheke. I said at once I would go with him, believing 
 that such an exceptional opportunity was from the Lord. 
 
 Mr. Blockley had just left Geshuma, not intending to 
 
From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 55 
 
 return there this year. He remarked to-day how annoyed 
 he felt at having to go there to buy corn, when he had so 
 much work to do down at Panda-ma-tenka, but that he 
 could not help it. How mighty is our God ! how He 
 can use all things and all men for His purposes ! 
 
 Mr. Blockley is well known on the river, and through 
 his influence the headman at Shesheke might allow me 
 to pass up, without having to wait for the return of a 
 messenger whom I should have to send to the king. 
 
 Monday, 21st August.—Busy to-day wedging up the 
 wheels of a small cart, and getting things ready for 
 another start. 
 
 Tuesday, 22nd August.—Left Panda-ma-tenka this 
 morning in Mr. Blockley’s waggon for Geshuma. 
 
 Thursday, 24th August.—Arrived at Geshuma this 
 evening after a pleasant waggon journey of three days. 
 
 Friday, 25th August.—Up and off as early as possible 
 for the Zambesi. The path lay through a thickly-wooded 
 tropical valley, full of rich herbage. We arrived at the 
 river about mid-day, but as the wind was very strong and 
 the water rough, the old man in charge of the ferry would 
 not answer our call for some time ; so I was able to look 
 round and have a good view of the river. We rested at 
 the point where the waters of the Chobe and the Zambesi 
 meet. The Zambesi at that point is as broad as the 
 Clyde at Dumbarton when the tide is in, and is very deep 
 from bank to bank ; the Chobe is a little narrower. Late 
 in the afternoon the old man started in his canoe, but 
 instead of coming across he went a long way up the river 
 and crossed to the island of Inparairie, so that we con¬ 
 cluded that he was going to leave us on the south bank. 
 However, he came down the river after a time and landed 
 where we were. After a little talk and waiting, he agreed 
 to take us across for so much. Three trips took us and 
 our bundles across in his cranky canoe. Everything got 
 wet, and I had to sit down in water. The edge of the 
 canoe—the trunk of a tree shaped a bit and hollowed 
 out—was scarcely a handbreadth from the water, and all 
 the little waves came right in, so that Setobi had a hard 
 half-hour’s work in baling out the water. The boatman 
 understood that I was a servant of Mr. Blockley’s, and so 
 took me on board his craft without any questions. 
 
 We had not got far, however, when Mr. Blockley’s boy, 
 who was rowing in front, told him I was a Maruti— i.e., a 
 teacher. The old boatman was much alarmed at this, 
 
56 
 
 From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 and wanted at once to leave me on a little island, and 
 then return to land me again on the south bank. The 
 boy seemed to understand the matter, for he put things 
 to rights by assuring him that I was not one of the 
 Panda-ma-tenka Marutes (Jesuits who are staying there), 
 but quite different. After a good deal of talking and 
 explaining on the boy’s part, the boatman pushed past 
 the island and took me across. Mr. Blockley came in 
 the next boat-load, and was able to pacify the old man. 
 It seems that he has got orders not to allow the Jesuits 
 to cross the river until the chief sends down word. After 
 settling with the boatman, we set off to the nearest town, 
 there to have a sleep. The north bank of the river rises 
 steep from the water’s edge, so our way lay uphill. As 
 the sun was setting, I had a grand view of the river and 
 of miles and miles of country stretching far south, and 
 beautifully undulating and thickly wooded. We arrived 
 at a little Batonga town in the evening, and were well 
 received. The people showed us into a reed yard, with 
 a hut in the centre for our use, but we preferred, as the 
 night was fine, to sleep in the open yard. They gave us 
 a goat to kill, and food for the men, at the same time 
 bringing a supply of firewood and making a grass hut. 
 The reception these Batongas gave us was so simple and 
 kindly that they quite won my heart. 
 
 I felt I had not thought of them in vain, and, without 
 going another step, would willingly have settled amongst 
 them ; but they are a conquered people, and therefore I 
 must see the king of the country ere I settle in it. 
 
 Saturday, 26th August.—After Mr. Blockley bought a 
 little corn that was brought to him, we set off for Mbova’s 
 town (Mbova is the chief of this part of the river). We 
 found the town partly deserted through failure of crops— 
 all the men being out hunting, and Mbova at Shesheke. 
 His chief wife, however, entertained us to the best of her 
 ability. I heard from the Batongas that Mr. Westbeech 
 was still at Shesheke, having been detained there about 
 a month through the illness of the man in charge of his 
 boat, and that it was possible that I might arrive before 
 he left. I expected to get men at Mbova’s town to send 
 to him, but there was not a man in the place ; so we sat 
 down, not knowing what to do. After waiting awhile, 
 five men appeared, each carrying a quantity of corn ; 
 they had come from Shesheke to sell it, and intended to 
 return at once. We bought the corn, and I arranged to 
 
From Natal to the Upper Zambesi . 
 
 57 
 
 retiim with them to Shesheke next day to see Mr. 
 Westbeech, if possible. They say he is still at Shesheke, 
 and they do not know when he will leave. 
 
 Sunday, 27th August.—Most of the boys who had 
 offered their services ran off early this morning, so I 
 remained at Mbova’s until evening, and went a short 
 distance with two men who were willing to go with me. 
 I might as well have remained until Monday, but was 
 anxious to get out of Mbova’s as quickly as possible, 
 
 •jjV* tC r £ et . a n *ght’s sleep. Mbova’s town lies in the 
 middle of an immense marsh, and at night swarms with 
 mosquitoes ; it is also a regular malaria swamp all the 
 year round. I slept at night by the side of a small river 
 in the middle of a thick wood. 
 
 Monday, 28th August.—Crossed the Ungwesi river, 
 and after walking for some distance, turned down to the 
 Zambesi, where I met a lot of hunters with boats on the 
 nyer. I hired one of them, with two men, to take me and 
 mine to Shesheke, and, crossing the river, slept at their 
 little reed-hut town, bound in a mass of reeds. The lions 
 are very numerous here, and through the night they did 
 make a noise. 
 
 Wednesday, 30th August.—After some trouble, I started 
 this morning, and got on all right for some time. It is 
 very pleasant sailing along this immense river. However, 
 after a few hours the boatmen landed me on the bank, 
 and quietly set to work landing my stuff I could not 
 believe Shesheke was so near, but they assured me it was 
 near to some trees close by, and that they landed me now 
 to avoid a long bend in the river ; so I let them go, and 
 found out their deceit, to my sorrow, afterwards. The 
 two boys I had with me as carriers were from the same 
 town as the boatmen, and were privy to the plan. After 
 a long six hours’ walk, mostly through a labyrinth of 
 broken-down reeds, with mud and slush underneath, I 
 arrived at Shesheke, and was glad to find Mr. Westbeech 
 tiere. He welcomed me kindly—having been detained 
 for some weeks much against his will, and being now in 
 hope of starting daily. 
 
 He at once introduced me to the headmen of the town, 
 and told them my errand; they listened attentively, 
 i heir answer was that I was so far welcome, and that I 
 had perfect liberty to go on to the king ; but that the 
 king s headmen were tired of teachers coming to the 
 count!y and running away again. Their spokesman 
 
53 
 
 From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 referred to Colliard’s visit, and said he promised to come 
 back again, but had not come. They heard last year that 
 he was coming, and they hear again he is coming now, 
 but they don’t see him. 
 
 They then spoke of the Jesuits, how they had deceived 
 them, and of my coming amongst thembut say they do 
 not know what I mean to do, whether I would just see 
 the king and run away again, or whether I would remain. 
 This tribe, or rather these tribes, are governed by the 
 king and his headmen, who have a voice in most affairs. 
 They seem determined not to be cheated any more. I 
 tried to assure them that my intentions were sincere in 
 coming amongst them, and that I was now willing, if I 
 got permission, to remain with them. That pleased them 
 better; in fact, the whole tribe have been waiting long 
 for some teacher, and were compelled to think about 
 receiving the Jesuits, although they did not. like them ; 
 boats are expected every day from the king to take them 
 up. The headmen had a long talk over matters ; they 
 had Setobi with them to question him all about me. 
 They told me in the afternoon that, as headmen of 
 Shesheke, they had decided to receive me as a teacher 
 into their country, and that they would object to the 
 Jesuits coming. They had already received Mr. Colliard, 
 now they received me, and they thought that was enough 
 without the Jesuits, but at the same time they understood 
 that I would not run away and leave them, but would 
 remain some time with the king. After a good deal of 
 talking, it was arranged that Mr. Westbeech should go 
 on to the king and tell him concerning me, and get him 
 to send down boats for me to Shesheke ; and that I should 
 return with a boat, which the headmen would place at my 
 disposal, to Panda-ma-tenka, to fetch the things I had 
 left behind me, and a few supplies to last me some months 
 among the Barotse. 
 
 It has cost me a little, at least, not to be allowed to 
 return to Shoshong to get home letters, seeing I have 
 now a small cart and donkey of my own at Panda-ma- 
 tenka ; and also I desired to escape the more sickly 
 season of the year. But all is well ; not my will, O Lord, 
 for one moment! I rejoice that I have come here, and 
 that I have come at this moment, when the balance was 
 on the turn for the king giving the country over to the 
 Jesuits, who have plans laid for a station every few miles 
 along the Zambesi, and all over the adjoining hills. 
 
From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 59 
 
 Already there are twelve Jesuits waiting at Panda-ma- 
 tenka for the chiefs decision, and making most elaborate 
 preparations towards establishing five or six stations ere 
 this year close. But if the decision of these Shesheke 
 headmen is carried throughout the country, they will not 
 place a foot on this side of the river. Strange to say, one 
 of the things that caused a feeling of suspicion on the 
 part of the Barotse towards these Jesuits is, they were 
 not Englishmen, and were not of the same tribe as 
 Livingstone. I can only say, Praise the Lord ! My lon^ 
 and constant prayer has been that Satan might be 
 defeated, in the person of those false teachers, in their 
 attempt to cross the river, and that, in spite of their rich 
 presents, &c., they may be turned back. 
 
 They have, in short, quite outwitted themselves in their 
 haste to establish as many stations as possible. They 
 went down to Moemba’s town (a Batonga chief only 
 partly independent of the Barotse), and sought to settle 
 there, without first getting permission from the Barotse 
 This has done much to offend the latter; and again the 
 natives don’t like to see them coming in such numbers • 
 they don’t know when they will stop ; “ perhaps a nation 
 will come,” they say, “ and drive us out.” 
 
 Sunday, 3rd September.—A letter arrived to-day from 
 the Jesuits who had come down to the Geshuma ferry 
 asking for boats to take them to Shesheke. The headmen 
 sent a reply that they will have no more to do with them 
 and that they must wait until a reply comes from the kin^ 
 in answer to a message they sent by Mr. Westbeech. I 
 have spent a pleasant week here, and get on well amon°- 
 the people. Shesheke is a town of slaves, three-quarters 
 of the population being the absolute property of the other 
 fourth. 
 
 The people like to come and hear me reading out of 
 the Sechuana Testament, and ask all sorts of childish 
 questions; their ignorance to a man is absolute, and their 
 depravity complete. Human sacrifices — burning of 
 witches—cutting their flesh, &c., are the outcome & of a 
 religion of dark superstition. 
 
 . Tuesday, 5th September.—Left Shesheke this morning 
 jn a boat for Mbova’s town. Slept the first night on a reed 
 island, the second on a mud bank, as the lions were too 
 troublesome for us to sleep bn the mainland. In a day or 
 two more I arrived at Panda-ma-tenka, where I found my 
 boys were in such a hurry to get back that I had to 
 
6 o 
 
 From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 do all my packing in three days. I sold my three donkeys 
 to Mr. Blockley. 
 
 Wednesday, 6th September.—God has wrought many 
 things with and for me; were I to go over it all, it would 
 fill a book. 
 
 I was much exercised about the Jesuits, and their great 
 exertions to close the whole country against the messen¬ 
 gers of the Gospel. Another week or two and they would 
 have succeeded. Their presents were prepared, every¬ 
 thing was ready for making what would have proved to 
 be, humanly speaking, a too successful overture, and they 
 only waited for a supply of corn. Now, how was it? 
 Was it by mere chance that I arrived at Panda-ma- 
 tenka at this very time ? Also, that two days after my 
 arrival, Mr. Blockley, much against his will, was com¬ 
 pelled to cross the river, and come up some distance in 
 search of corn, and to take me with him ? And then Mr. 
 Westbeech was detained at Shesheke twenty-five days 
 waiting for a boat. He was the one man in the country 
 who could interpret for me, and only when the talking was 
 finished did his boat arrive—all the time it had only been 
 a few miles away in some reeds. 
 
 As Mr. Westbeech said, my coming now had preserved, 
 for Protestant missionaries—I trust not in a nominal 
 sense, but for sincere preachers of God’s Gospel—all the 
 Barotse kingdom, and, in fact, all the country north of the 
 Zambesi and north of Kafwe. 
 
 If such should prove to be the case, you will rejoice 
 with me, not that I have done anything—for I have done 
 nothing—but, simply that I may move on, in the might, 
 and power, and wisdom of our God. 
 
 I should like to tell you something of the valley and its 
 inhabitants, but all I know is that the valley is not 
 healthy, while the people, though fond of war, are kindly 
 disposed to strangers, aftd resemble the Batokas in many 
 points. 
 
 This I know, God has not so far opened up my way to 
 leave me now. He does not so work. “The kingdom of 
 heaven is not meat and drink, but righteousness, peace, 
 and joy in the Holy Ghost”—not earthly comforts and 
 intercourse, but heavenly and spiritual things. My 
 greedy flesh shrinks from banishment “for a little while” 
 from kith and kin, but there are “ better things ” remain¬ 
 ing to me. Let my one desire then in this life be, to 
 possess to the full those “better things,” at whatever cost 
 
From Fatal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 61 
 
 to the . lesser.’ “Ye shall burn no leaven, nor any 
 honey, in any offering of the Lord made by fire ” (Lev if 
 n). No honey in the meat-offering—fine flour, oil, and 
 frankincense only ; this was to be burnt before the Lord 
 an offering of a sweet savour unto Him. It is ours then’ 
 to lay aside the honey of this life, and let Him who’filleth 
 cill things, fill us with Himself—Jesus only !—Jesus only f 
 
 I used to like a quiet walk through the woods, and 
 enjoyed the solitude; but I cannot do so here, the lions 
 are too numerous, and very dangerous. During this week 
 I have heard of two persons being killed by lions 
 close by. 
 
 The Lord, however, has wonderfully preserved me from 
 wild animals. I have passed lions lying close to my path 
 and they have given me only a savage growl. 
 
 One night they came very near to the place where I 
 was sleeping in a forest, and without any protection, but 
 they never touched me. This proves that Daniel’s God 
 still lives. 
 
 Panda-ma-tenka, i ith September , 1882. 
 
 I arrived here yesterday, after a long, dry walk of 8; 
 miles, mostly through heavy sand, from the junction of 
 the Chobe and Zambesi, which we did in two days and a 
 half—not a drop of water did we find for the last 70 miles 
 The last night and day I suffered a good deal, but thank 
 God for the strength given me to take me through. 
 
 The heat just now is very great, and will be until the 
 rains fall. I fain hoped to get a week’s rest here, but my 
 caniers that came with me from Shesheke refuse to stay 
 an hour longer than to-morrow afternoon. 
 
 They are in terror of their lives, lest the Matabele 
 should come and kill them; so I have been working night 
 and day making up bundles of cloth, beads, food, &c., 
 and start off to-morrow post haste. To a casual observer 
 1 fear I would appear like a madman, or one running for 
 his life I cannot get other carriers however, so I must 
 go. The last six weeks’ of almost constant travelling on 
 foot, through a rough and sandy country, has reduced me 
 to a bit of bone and muscle—a sort of walking machine, 
 with a head that nods, and eyes that move about. 
 
 Yet I enjoy the greatest natural blessing, perfect health. 
 
 1 am writing this when I ought to be sleeping. I hope to 
 snatch time on the way down to the river to write more. 
 
62 
 
 From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 Quite a famine is raging—all over the country, people 
 are dying of starvation. It has been hard to get food at 
 times, and.I have lived mostly on game dried in the 
 sun. 
 
 Panda-ma-tenka, 14 th September , 1882. 
 
 I started again, feeling a little unwell in the morn¬ 
 ing; as I went on matters did not improve, and my 
 men grew very troublesome. For 75 miles of the road 
 there is no water, and these carriers seized all the 
 water and demanded payment for it from me. Setobi 
 was also getting sick. At last, on the second day, after 
 having gone about 40 miles through the desert, I had to 
 lie down, and very soon became unconscious. I was by 
 this time in a high fever. The men went on and left 
 me and Setobi, who was as helpless as I was. Two 
 boys, however, ran back to Panda-ma-tenka, and told Mr. 
 Blockley. All this time I lay rolling about on the ground 
 under a fearful sun, scarcely knowing anything, only 
 feeling greatly pained from fever and thirst. On the 
 morning of the third day I heard the distant shouts of a 
 waggon driver ; help and water had come, and they now 
 got me lifted into the waggon, and started again for 
 Panda-ma-tenka. Since arriving here I have gradually 
 come round, though I am still weak. This is my first 
 attack of Zambesi fever over. 
 
 Panda-ma-tenka, 25 th September , 1882. 
 
 Since writing the first part of my letter I have been off 
 to Shesheke, taken ill, and am back again. 
 
 I have had a sharp illness. The Zambesi fever—a 
 fever peculiar to this part, and acts very quickly—once 
 fairly over the first attack, it is ever after taken very 
 mildly, if at all. It is well that I have had it before 
 going up the river. 
 
 The time spent out on the Veldt, lying under a hot sun, 
 and no fire at night, was a bit trying, yet it was not 
 without profit. 
 
 Mr. Blockley has been very kind indeed ; he could not 
 have been more so ; he cooks for me himself. He gave 
 me a vapour bath and wet-sheet packs, which were what 
 
From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 63 
 
 brought me round—they are doubly more effective than 
 at home. 
 
 Of course I am not yet fixed for the Barotse Valley— 
 the delay caused by this illness may have altered matters. 
 
 may be too late for the king’s boats, or may find that 
 the carriers vvho went on with my goods have robbed me 
 of half, in which case I could hardly go on, as my supply 
 was very limited. y y 
 
 But all will be for the best. God forbid that I should 
 ave a say in the matter ; there is one thing clear to me 
 in the meantime, that is, that I cannot get across to the 
 Batokas on the hills. Some years hence it might be 
 possible, but not now. 
 
 8 th October , 1882. 
 
 Since last writing I have had a relapse, as my writing 
 shows. I would like to write you much of all I think* 
 but it is very hard work. ’ 
 
 I have not had an unhappy time whilst lying here. 
 You may think I was in a very miserable plight, lying out 
 m the open plain, with no water, and so sick; but I think 
 I was more content then than I have been since. What 
 gave me perfect peace was the assurance that God was 
 acting in perfect wisdom. 
 
 Since then I have thought much of how most of our 
 unhappiness arises from doubting the wisdom of God It 
 does seem a terrible thing to doubt His wisdom in guid¬ 
 ing, ordering, and arranging all things. 
 
 I am now preparing to start again from Panda-ma-tenka, 
 as there is no food to be got ; and also, in a few days 
 later, I could not get a waggon to go to Geshuma. All 
 things say, Go —in fact, I must go. 
 
 Panda-ma-tenka, 14 th October , 1882. 
 
 I Jay here very weak for four weeks. This is now the 
 fifth week, and by Monday I expect to start again. It 
 wd! seem to you too hurried, but I am compelled to it. 
 Here Mr. Blockley will have to turn away nearly all his 
 servants for want of food. The strength that has come 
 to my arm to write has greatly encouraged me to trust 
 that daily strength will be given for the journey : for up 
 to three days ago my arm was helplessly weak. I o- 0 
 
6 4 
 
 From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 with a waggon close to the river, when a 12 miles 
 walk brings me to the boats. Then the journey is mostly 
 by water. 
 
 From what I have written, you will doubtless agree 
 with me in believing that there is really an open door for 
 the Gospel here. I could not, in fact, with any comfort, 
 now leave to return again. All the mass of people along 
 the river represent many tribes, formerly conquered by 
 the Makololo, a Basuto tribe from the south, whose 
 language is almost identical with that of the Bechuana. 
 These conquered tribes, being all together, required one 
 language, and, of course, they all learnt the Sekololo.* 
 Twelve years ago or so the Barotse, one of the conquered 
 tribes, rose up and killed all the Makololo men (leaving 
 only the women alive), but they retained the language of 
 the Makololo, so that amongst the many tribes and 
 peoples I can with comparative ease talk a little of the 
 things of God, seeing that the Sechuana, which I have 
 learned, is almost identical with their tongue. When last 
 up the river, large companies listened attentively to the 
 reading of Scripture, and asked many questions. They 
 have heard of “teachers” living among other tribes, have 
 some slight idea of one or two outward effects of the 
 Gospel, but of the Gospel itself, or of God, they are 
 thoroughly ignorant. They do speak of a god they call 
 “ Nyembi,” who lives among the stars, and they acknow¬ 
 ledge his power over life and death ; but further than that 
 I can say nothing. Otherwise, the depth of their heathen¬ 
 dom seems unfathomable ; it is a nation of secret blood¬ 
 shed, superstition, and enchantments. How we should 
 rejoice and praise the Lord that even the ears of those 
 who have so long been bound hand and foot, should be 
 opened to hear God’s Word ! I do greatly thank the 
 Lord for giving me such a privilege as to read and add a 
 word ; but the trying part of the work will not, I am sure, 
 be forgotten in your prayers. Oh, the patience that is 
 needed, seeing the bitter, powerful, and deadly opposition 
 of the medicine men and doctors, who live by their 
 “ craft! ” The power of those men is very great, but “ God 
 is stronger than His foes.” Surely I can but say, “All my 
 springs are in Thee ; ” for this work is too great for me. 
 
 I hope to have an opportunity of sending out letters 
 
 * The manner of distinguishing the languages of these nations is 
 different from ours. The language of the Bechuanas is called Sechuana, 
 and that of the Makololos, Sekololo. 
 
From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 65 
 
 again, in five or six months’ time, when I shall be better 
 able to speak of the people, &c. 
 
 As to my own soul’s prosperity in this great country, I 
 trust I have, and still ask, your prayers in a special way. 
 I had thought that, being alone and away from all con¬ 
 troversies, and many other evil influences, I should attain 
 to a more spiritual and devoted state of soul; but I have 
 learnt that the one drag to a soul’s communion with God 
 is a thing tied to it—this old dead self, which (as far as 
 Christian fellowship is concerned) is more inclined to 
 increase in bulk in my solitude than diminish. Yet, 
 thinking of all, I can but magnify the grace and the 
 wisdom of God. 
 
 It is now seven months since I got news of any kind 
 from the old country, and close on 12 months since I 
 saw the Echo , or any other paper. I am quite shut in 
 here ; and, like Noah, have but the one window. Letters 
 forwarded to Mr. A. Beaumont, Maritzburg, Natal, will 
 at some time reach me, and you can assure any one'with 
 a willing pen how welcome their letters will be. The 
 weakness resulting from the fever is lingering and depress- 
 ing ; but I trust soon to get over it. Excuse my shaky 
 writing. 
 
 i$th October, 1882. 
 
 My journey from the Mababi, round by the Chobe to 
 the Zambesi and Panda-ma-tenka, took me about 17 
 days in all; but, beyond suffering several times severely 
 from want of water, I got on well. 
 
 I found here the whole length of the Zambesi closely 
 barred against all who desired to cross, unless it were to 
 go up the Barotse yalley to visit the king. After a few 
 days’ waiting I decided to visit the king at Lea-lui—a 
 town situated at the head of the Barotse Valley. I 
 accordingly went to Sesheke, where I met a Mr. West- 
 beech, an old trader, and he interpreted for me to a laro-e 
 company of headmen assembled there at the time. Well 
 the discussion of these headmen was as to Colliard—was 
 he a man of truth ? Would he ever come back ? Would 
 they allow me to proceed up the river to the king ? Or, 
 would they allow the Jesuit party (which was close" 3 behind 
 me on a second trip) to cross ? As to the question be¬ 
 tween me and the Jesuits—I was of the same nation as 
 Livingstone (this Mr. Westbeech had, of his own accord, 
 
66 
 
 From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 explained to them)—the Jesuits were not; the Jesuits had 
 also, they said, deceived them about some presents, and 
 there were some other charges against them ; so they 
 finally decided to allow me to go to the king on condition 
 that I should not run away again, but must now remain 
 with them. 
 
 They had long wanted a “ teacher ” among them, and 
 did not want to be deceived on the matter any longer; in 
 fact, they said as plainly as possible, “ if you return again 
 now, and say that you will come back in one year or so, 
 we will say ‘you are a liar—we don’t believe you but if 
 you now remain, we will believe in you.” By this time, 
 however, I had had some reading of the Scriptures and 
 conversation with the people, and found a ready, open 
 door that showed me it would be wrong to leave. Be¬ 
 sides, my own soul’s convictions to remain were so strong 
 that I did not need the pithy persuasions of the headmen, 
 but gladly consented to go and live with the king and his 
 people—which means the whole valley and river to a long 
 way below the falls. There is a glorious and wide, open 
 door here, which in a short time would have been filled 
 with false teachers, but they are now completely turned 
 back. I hope the Lord’s children will not think lightly of 
 the matter, but will unite together in heart, in prayer for 
 this Barotse nation. They have lain in their sin and 
 blood for all those eighteen hundred years ; and, though 
 now a nation of secret bloodshed, superstition, and en¬ 
 chantments, yet we find among them eager ears open to 
 the reading of God’s Word. Curiosity, certainly, is the 
 chief cause—but what of that? They hear what they 
 cannot efface from their minds. 
 
 The week I was at Shesheke I had several companies 
 in my little reed yard, listening ; and one evening I heard 
 one man—a young headman, who had been a regular 
 attender—going over to himself what he had heard. “The 
 good Shepherd,” &c. “ The good Shepherd—He gave 
 
 His life for the sheep” (followed by exclamations) ; then, 
 “ Eo Mora oa Modimo ” (and He is the Son of God)— 
 this he repeated—“Mora oa Modimo”—“Son of God! 
 Son of God !”—and he passed on. Not liking to disturb 
 his thoughts I left him alone, thanking God in the depths 
 of my soul that something had for the time got a place in 
 his mind to cause him to think. He is a bright, thought¬ 
 ful young man of 24 or 25 years of age. 
 
 God give us all diligent grace to scatter the seed. He 
 
From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 67 
 
 will look well after it; it is His own. This little incident 
 encouraged me much, and I am confident that there is a 
 harvest of souls here. God send the reapers. 
 
 Geshuma, 18th October , 1882. 
 
 You see I have got started again, and, I am thankful to 
 say, feeling better than I expected. My appetite is good 
 and I sleep well. In five or six months I hope to have 
 another opportunity of sending letters out, but never be 
 anxious—it might be a year. If I reach the Barotse king 
 I will try and send letters over by the American Mission 
 at Bihe, which may be a better route ; it is but two 
 weeks’ walk from Lea-lui—the king’s town. 
 
 You will wonder what I will do, and how proceed, when 
 I reach the king’s town. In the first place, the king will 
 build me a house and yard—native fashion. The principal 
 houses up the river are very comfortable. They first 
 make a large circle of reeds daubed with clay, with a 
 door, to which I will add a window. They then make a 
 large outside circle of poles, about six feet or so from the 
 inside one, upon which is supported the roof—an immense 
 circular affair covering all. 
 
 .The outside poles are, generally, neatly daubed over 
 with clay, and have a front and back door, which may be 
 always open if you like, so that the inside room is kept 
 as cool as possible by the constant draught. The outside 
 circle is their sitting and eating place, and lots of room 
 there is in it. 
 
 Then the eaves of the house extend 2 ]/ 2 feet, to keep all 
 dry and cool. This is the sort of house I will be living 
 in, and very comfortable it will be. Outside, again, they 
 have a large round reed yard, the floor of which is 
 smeared over .and hardened. In a yard like this I will 
 have my school, until a place is built. I will get a great 
 many children. The headmen are particularly concerned 
 about their children, so it is likely I will have some 
 boarders, if I will take them. During the summer time, 
 when the rains fall, I will have to confine myself a good 
 deal to school work—that is, teaching the children the 
 Scriptures, and to read in their own language. The win¬ 
 ter will be the time for going from town to town, when I 
 will have a pretty firm hold of the language. They speak 
 almost the same as the Bamangwatos. 
 
68 
 
 From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 But, after all, what is it that I can do? I often think 
 of that text I got just on landing at Durban—“And the 
 Spirit of God fell on all them that heardso may the 
 Spirit of God fall on these people. After wandering 
 12 months I feel glad at the thought of a little steady 
 work amongst them, which will be more trying to one’s 
 patience and zeal than wandering about the country, 
 but surely more blessed. It is difficult to say what 
 occupation is more blessed than another, if it is but for 
 the Master! As servants we are blessed and rewarded 
 according to our fidelity, not according to our activity or 
 success. “Well done good and faithful servant.” 
 
 Now these people are all willingness to hear ; but when 
 “the preaching of Christ and the Cross” is preached in 
 all faithfulness, and when they learn how it cuts at all the 
 old things (I would not begin by pulling down their old 
 rotten structure ; that would be sorry work), the feeling 
 of many towards the Gospel will be very different. Even 
 now the old doctors and medicine men will be doing what 
 they can to get up opposition, but the experience of others 
 has proved that the power of these men to oppose goes 
 only a certain length ; and so is it, in fact, with all 
 opposing powers. Job’s family, house, and cattle were 
 to be touched, but not his skin ; then his skin, but not his 
 life. And all the things we are called upon to suffer—all 
 the oppositions we meet, are gauged and measured, and 
 “no proportion made for our unaided strength.” Thus 
 the hand of God encircles us. 
 
 Shesheke, 29 th October. 
 
 Just a hurried letter, which I send on with a man 
 arrived here who is bound for Panda-ma-tenka, hoping 
 that it will go out with my other letters. I got on pretty 
 well along the length of the river. On this side I was 
 cruelly done out of a canoe which I had hired to take me 
 to Mbova’s, and, in consequence, I had to walk ten long, 
 hungry miles, arriving alone, and late in the evening. 
 Next morning I found I had lost the power of my limbs, 
 though otherwise well. It is now ten days since, and I 
 have gradually picked up again, though still a helpless 
 sort of mortal, yet well in body, and eating well. Two of 
 the king’s boats arrived at Shesheke two days after me, 
 so that I lost nothing by my stay at Panda-ma-tenka. 
 
From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 69 
 
 With the boats were two headmen and 12 boatmen, 
 and we start to-morrow or the day following for Lea-lui. 
 
 I have been kindly received by all the headmen here— 
 no starvation now ; I am surrounded by the fat of the 
 land. All my goods had arrived safely before me; nothing 
 bad been touched. I am glad I have only so short a time 
 to wait here. The journey will take 16 days at the 
 least, however quickly we may travel; but I have king’s 
 men, and when he sends for any one, he has men picked 
 from several towns or kraals. 
 
 c S - Ure ^ ou canno(: but recognise with me the hand 
 ot God in ordering all things. He knew how much I 
 needed the mental rest and time for quiet thought that I 
 got at Panda-ma-tenka, which I could not have got here, 
 and now, to my surprise, when I expected that the king’s 
 boats would have come and gone back, I have just arrived 
 at the right moment. The boatmen, of course, knew 
 nothing of my delay through sickness. 
 
 Mr. \V estbeech has also kindly arranged to remain 
 longer with the king than he intended, by sending on a 
 messenger to Panda-ma-tenka. He is anxious to be with 
 the king when I reach Lea-lui, to tell him how to treat 
 me. He has known the king from his boyhood, and has 
 much influence with him. 
 
 The rapids are difficult to shoot at this time, but I will 
 be safe enough, having scarcely anything on when travel¬ 
 ling in the boat. Like the men, I can always swim until 
 I can get a footing, but in bad places they land me first. 
 
 To the very end of my journey my way has been made 
 soft; everything has been provided for me—many helpers 
 by the way (a king amongst the rest), and guides and 
 interpreters in parts seldom visited by white men. 
 
 I will be the first Scotchman, and the third British 
 subject, who has gone beyond Shesheke since Livingstone’s 
 visit ; the other is Mr. Westbeech. This is Mr. West- 
 beech’s last year in business, so I may not see him up 
 here again. 
 
 (Copy of Mr. WESTBEECH’s Letter to Mr. Arnot.) 
 
 Lea-lui, 5 th, October , 1882. 
 
 Mr. Arnot, 
 
 Dear Sir,—I have got' permission from the chief 
 for you to come on here, and this without much trouble. 
 
7o 
 
 From Natal to the Upper Zambesi. 
 
 He sends you two boats, and both he and I shall anxiously 
 await your arrival here. He sends you two responsible 
 people with them—one, the oldest, is named Monie-Ki- 
 Umbwa, and the other Mato Kwan. 
 
 You will have purchased food for. the road by the time 
 they arrive ; if you have not, do so at once. 
 
 Try and gain a good name amongst your boatmen, as 
 they come from different kraals, and, of course, many 
 questions will be asked them. If you shoot anything 
 along the road, take as much as you will require for your¬ 
 self, and from what part you like best, and give all the 
 remainder to your headman, Monie-Ki-Umbvva, for 
 division amongst your crews. 
 
 If you have time, opportunity, and inclination, I should 
 like you to take me a few sketches, but do not go to any 
 trouble. 
 
 The king must have brought about 20,000 head of 
 cattle (by war) to the Barotse Valley, exclusive of what 
 have died along the road from poverty and tsetse. Now, 
 good-bye ; all news on your arrival. Remember me to 
 Ra-tow, and, wishing you health and success, 
 
 Yours sincerely, 
 
 George Westbeech. 
 
 We here leave our brother for the present, on his way 
 from Shesheke to Lea-lui, commending him to the care 
 of our covenant God, whose mercy-seat brings Central 
 Africa very near, and gives the heart to feel that labourers 
 far distant to sense are not so far off after all; and may 
 the hope of the coming of our Lord, when we shall meet 
 around Him from all quarters of the earth, enable the 
 saints of God to count all affliction as light, and as only 
 for a moment. 
 
 H. GROVES. 
 
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