one who becomes a Christian does not want rain, regarding me as the leader of the anti-rain faction. Those who became converted, therefore, cannot be regarded as hypocrites; for hypocrites do not generally take the line that ensures an empty stomach. I have no doubt the Gospel is entering into their hearts; for when I have been passing their houses, I have frequently heard them engaged in prayer, in a loud tone of voice. It is considered very disgraceful for men to cry in Africa; a stoical indifference to all sorrow or suffering is their educated practice. Yet have I seen stern men in public assemblies, crying out, like the jailor at Philippi, and weeping in the most piteous manner about the concerns of their souls. I doubt not, though I may not live to see it, but that God will bring my ministry in that region to a good result.

The difficulty of the chief Sechele, as I said before, was with regard to his five wives. The father of this man had been murdered, and four of the principal men had assisted in restoring the son to the chieftainship of the tribe: to shew his gratitude for which service, he had married a daughter of each of his benefactors; now, he could not very well put them away without appearing ungrateful. I found great difficulty in this matter: the wives were my aptest scholars, and I wished to save them as well as the Chief. In consequence of being sent away, these women and their friends became bitter enemies of Christianity. Furthermore, the African has a passion for an alliance with great men; on being introduced, he is sure

to tell you that he is the remote cousin, relation or descendant, of some noted man; or some friend or hangeron will tell you for him. Such alliances too have a political importance for the chief himself; since they attach powerful men to his interests and service. Hence my difficulties were increased by these facts. But the most difcult opponents I had to contend against were the Dutch Boers1.

1 Dr Livingstone often discusses these people, and has little reason to remember them favourably. He is too liberal-minded and straightforward for them, and hence they threatened his life. They now reside chiefly near the Kalahari desert, being also numerous about the Kuru. man station, where they are characterized for industry and successful irrigation. The more distant or transversal Boers reside behind the Cashan mountains. These were particularly furious against the Doctor. These people increase rapidly, and are sheep-farmers; being somewhat deservedly held in low estimation by the Cape community. In manners they are kind one towards another, but cruel to the natives. The word "Boer" simply means "farmer." Frequent fights occur between them and the Hottentots, Griquas, and Bechuanas, with varied results. Our traveller considers the British policy of allowing them and the Kafirs to have arms and ammunition, while the Bechuanas and Griquas are debarred therefrom, to be suicidal. The metal-pot story is amusingly told in the book, pp. 36—39.

The most disaffected are those who have fled from English law. They have set up a republic, in order to carry out what they call "the proper treatment of the blacks," which is making them render compulsory unpaid labour, in return for what they call protection! These tenderhearted Christians have introduced a new species of slavery. The Bechuanas will not sell their people: hence the Boers seize children for domestic slaves. The reason why they do this is a shrewd one. As we have seen, there can be no fugitive slave-law in Africa; hence if a slave runs away, it is not very probable that he will be recovered. If a child is taken away, he does not know his tribe, forgets his mother-tongue, and possibly his very parents; hence he has less inducement to run away. On the occasion of the attack on Sechele they carried away the two hundred children above-named, with the motives and for the purposes stated. In

Two hundred years ago, a number of Dutch and French people, the descendants of pious families, fled from the persecutions in Holland and France, and settled at and around the Cape. But their descendants fled from the British dominion in Cape Colony, on account of the emancipation by the government of their Hottentot slaves. They said, they did not like a government that made no difference between a black man and a white one: they therefore made forays and slavery incursions, and established themselves where they could pursue their slave-holding propensities with impunity. No fugitive slave-law being in operation, hundreds of Africans fled from the Boers to Sechele, and the Dutch consequently desired to get rid of that chief. They attacked the Bakwains while I was staying among them; and had frequent battles with the people, killing many of them in these unequal conflicts. As an illustration as to how far exaggeration can be carried, on one occasion, I lent the chief a cooking-pot, which the Boers afterwards magnified into a cannon! and 5 guns into 500; writing

truth they are inveterate slave-hunters and dealers, the more distant revelling in slothful idleness on the industry of the natives. Themselves they call "Christians;" the natives, "black property," or "creatures;" saying, that God has given them "the heathen for an inheritance.”

This accursed system has made them fraudulent and mean-spirited; English missionaries, traders and travellers are their abomination, fearing that they will enlighten the natives, and especially give them firearms. Hear our traveller's decision about the matter, as far as he is concerned: "The Boers resolved to shut up the interior, and I determined to open the country; and we shall see who have been most successful in resolution, they or I."-Travels, p. 39.

WARFARE-SECHELE VISITS CAPE TOWN. 179

to the English authorities, to inform them that I was protecting the Bakwains with cannon; and even some Boers were killed with guns. The reputation of this cannon kept the Boers away for seven years; but when their independence was declared by the Colonial government, they again made war upon the Bakwains, and being mounted and possessing guns, had the advantage, but it so happened that the Bakwains killed some of the Boers in one foray, and the latter gave me all the credit for it: asserting as a reason, "These people knew nothing of shooting till this Englishman came among them, and he has taught it them." The Boers, however, ultimately were victorious, and carried off 200 children of the Bakwains into slavery, killing 60 adults.

Sechele, knowing that such a proceeding was contrary to their engagements, and all law, set off to go to the Queen of England, to tell her of their conduct. I met him on his way to the Cape, and endeavoured to persuade him from going any further; on explaining the difficulties of the way, and endeavouring to dissuade him from the attempt, he put the pointed question :-" Will the Queen not listen to me, supposing I should reach her?" I replied, "I believe she would listen, but the difficulty is to get to her." had many conversations with me on the subject, but he was determined, however, in his course, and proceeded to Cape Town.

He

Now, it so happened, that the Governor of Cape Colony had just sent home a flaming account of the

peace and happiness that would prevail under his plan, and had he taken any notice of Sechele it would have been a virtual confession, that he had made a mull: consequently the chief and myself met with little encouragement. He had an interview with the Governor, to whom he delivered a letter from me, offering to point out the whole of the children, but all to no purpose: it is convenient sometimes for governors to be deaf, and shrug their shoulders, and to put political expediency before individual right. The British officers at the Cape, however-for English officers, wherever they are, are always fond of fair play-advised Sechele to go on, and subscribed £113 for him; but not knowing the value of money, he soon spent it all, giving a sovereign where sixpence would do, and so on; so that he found himself, at length, a thousand miles from home, and as poor as when he started. Instead of feeling angry at the ill-success of his mission, he began to preach to the natives around, and many anti-slavery tribes enlisted under him: consequently he has now many more people than he had before, and finds it hard work to be both priest and king. He opened a prayermeeting, and, in fact, became his own missionary among his own people. He built himself a house and a school, and was the means of converting his wife. The people clustered around him, and there is every reason to believe that he is a sincere Christian.

What we greatly need is more missionaries to sow