WeoughttoencouragetheAfricanstocultivateforourmarkets,asthemosteffectualmeans,nexttotheGospel,oftheirelevation。
ItisinthehopeofworkingoutthisideathatIproposetheformationofstationsontheZambesibeyondthePortugueseterritory,buthavingcommunicationthroughthemwiththecoastAchainofstationsadmittingofeasyandspeedyintercourse,suchasmightbeformedalongtheflankoftheeasternridge,wouldbeinafavorablepositionforcarryingouttheobjectsinviewTheLondonMissionarySocietyhasresolvedtohaveastationamongtheMakololoonthenorthbank,andanotheronthesouthamongtheMatebeleTheChurchWesleyan,Baptist,andthatmostenergeticbody,theFreeChurch
couldeachfinddesirablelocationsamongtheBatokaandadjacenttribes。
Thecountryissoextensivethereisnofearofclashing。
AllclassesofChristiansfindthatsectarianrancorsoondiesoutwhentheyareworkingtogetheramongandfortherealheathen。
Onlyletthehealthylocalitybesearchedforandfixedupon,andthentherewillbefreescopetoworkinthesamecauseinvariousdirections,withoutthatlossofmenwhichthesystemofmissionsontheunhealthycoastsentailsWhilerespectfullysubmittingtheplantotheseinfluentialsocieties,Icanpositivelystatethat,whenfairlyintheinterior,thereisperfectsecurityforlifeandpropertyamongapeoplewhowillatleastlistenandreason。
EightofmymenbeggedtobeallowedtocomeasfarasKilimane,and,thinkingthattheywouldthereseetheocean,Iconsentedtotheircoming,thoughthefoodwassoscarceinconsequenceofadearththattheywerecompelledtosuffersomehungerTheywouldfainhavecomefarther;forwhenSekeletupartedwiththem,hisorderswerethatnoneofthemshouldturnuntiltheyhadreachedMaRobertandbroughtherbackwiththem。
Onmyexplainingthedifficultyofcrossingthesea,hesaid,“Whereveryoulead,theymustfollow。”AsIdidnotknowwellhowIshouldgethomemyself,IadvisedthemtogobacktoTete,wherefoodwasabundant,andthereawaitmyreturnIboughtaquantityofcalicoandbrasswirewithtenofthesmallertuskswhichwehadinourcharge,andsenttheformerbackasclothingtothosewhoremainedatTeteAstherewerestilltwentytusksleft,IdepositedthemwithColonelNunes,that,intheeventofanythinghappeningtopreventmyreturn,theimpressionmightnotbeproducedinthecountrythatIhadmadeawaywithSekeletu’sivoryIinstructedColonelNunes,incaseofmydeath,tosellthetusksanddelivertheproceedstomymen;
butIintended,ifmylifeshouldbeprolonged,topurchasethegoodsorderedbySekeletuinEnglandwithmyownmoney,andpaymyselfonmyreturnoutofthepriceoftheivoryThisIexplainedtothemenfully,andthey,understandingthematter,replied,“Nay,father,youwillnotdie;
youwillreturntotakeusbacktoSekeletu。”TheypromisedtowaittillIcameback,and,onmypart,IassuredthemthatnothingbutdeathwouldpreventmyreturnThisIsaid,thoughwhilewaitingatKilimanealettercamefromtheDirectorsoftheLondonMissionarySocietystatingthat“theywererestrictedintheirpowerofaidingplansconnectedonlyremotelywiththespreadoftheGospel,andthatthefinancialcircumstancesofthesocietywerenotsuchastoaffordanygroundofhopethatitwouldbeinaposition,withinanydefiniteperiod,toenteruponuntried,remote,anddifficultfieldsoflabor。”
Thishasbeenexplainedsinceasaneffusioncausedbytemporaryfinancialdepression;but,feelingperfectconfidenceinmyMakololofriends,Iwasdeterminedtoreturnandtrusttotheirgenerosity。
Theoldloveofindependence,whichIhadsostronglybeforejoiningthesociety,againreturnedItwasrousedbyamistakenviewofwhatthislettermeant;forthedirectors,immediatelyonmyreachinghome,sawthegreatimportanceoftheopening,andenteredwithenlightenedzealontheworkofsendingtheGospelintothenewfieldItistobehopedthattheirconstituentswillnotonlyenablethemtobegin,buttocarryouttheirplans,andthatnomaterialdepressionwilleveragainbepermitted,norappearanceofspasmodicbenevolencerecurWhileIhopetocontinuethesamecordialco-operationandfriendshipwhichhavealwayscharacterizedourintercourse,variousreasonsinducemetowithdrawfrompecuniarydependenceonanysocietyIhavedonesomethingfortheheathen,butforanagedmother,whohasstillmoresacredclaimsthanthey,Ihavebeenabletodonothing,andacontinuanceoftheconnectionwouldbeaperpetuationofmyinabilitytomakeanyprovisionforherdecliningyearsInadditionto“clergyman’ssorethroat“,whichpartiallydisabledmefromthework,myfather’sdeathimposednewobligations;andafreshsourceofincomehavingbeenopenedtomewithoutmyasking,Ihadnohesitationinacceptingwhatwouldenablemetofulfillmydutytomyagedparentaswellastotheheathen。
IfthereaderremembersthewayinwhichIwasled,whileteachingtheBakwains,tocommenceexploration,hewill,Ithink,recognizethehandofProvidenceAnteriortothat,whenMrMoffatbegantogivetheBibletheMagnaChartaofalltherightsandprivilegesofmoderncivilizationtotheBechuanas,Sebituanewentnorth,andspreadthelanguageintowhichhewastranslatingthesacredoraclesinanewregionlargerthanFranceSebituane,atthesametime,rootedouthordesofbloodysavages,amongwhomnowhitemancouldhavegonewithoutleavinghisskulltoornamentsomevillage。
HeopenedupthewayformeletushopealsofortheBible。
Then,again,whileIwaslaboringatKolobeng,seeingonlyasmallarcofthecycleofProvidence,Icouldnotunderstandit,andfeltinclinedtoascribeoursuccessiveandprolongeddroughtstothewickedoneButwhenforcedbytheseandtheBoerstobecomeexplorer,andopenanewcountryinthenorthratherthansetmyfacesouthward,wheremissionariesarenotneeded,thegraciousSpiritofGodinfluencedthemindsoftheheathentoregardmewithfavor;
theDivinehandisagainperceivedThenIturnedawaywestwardratherthanintheoppositedirection,chieflyfromobservingthatsomenativePortuguese,thoughinfluencedbythehopeofarewardfromtheirgovernmenttocrossthecontinent,hadbeenobligedtoreturnfromtheeastwithoutaccomplishingtheirobjectHadIgoneatfirstintheeasterndirection,whichthecourseofthegreatLeeambyeseemedtoinvite,IshouldhavecomeamongthebelligerentsnearTetewhenthewarwasragingatitsheight,insteadof,asithappened,whenallwasoverAndagain,whenenabledtoreachLoanda,theresolutiontodomydutybygoingbacktoLinyantiprobablysavedmefromthefateofmypapersinthe“Forerunner“Andthen,lastofall,thisnewcountryispartiallyopenedtothesympathiesofChristendom,andIfindthatSechelehimselfhas,thoughunbiddenbyman,beenteachinghisownpeopleInfact,hehasbeendoingallthatIwaspreventedfromdoing,andIhavebeenemployedinexploring
aworkIhadnopreviousintentionofperformingIthinkthatIseetheoperationoftheunseenhandinallthis,andIhumblyhopethatitwillstillguidemetodogoodinmydayandgenerationinAfrica。
ViewingthesuccessawardedtoopeningupthenewcountryasadevelopmentofDivineProvidenceinrelationtotheAfricanfamily,themindnaturallyturnstotheprobableinfluenceitmayhaveonnegroslavery,andmoreespeciallyonthepracticeofitbyalargeportionofourownraceWenowdemandincreasedsuppliesofcottonandsugar,andthenreprobatethemeansourAmericanbrethrenadopttosupplyourwantsWeclaimarighttospeakaboutthisevil,andalsotoactinreferencetoitsremoval,themoreespeciallybecauseweareofonebloodItisontheAnglo-Americanracethatthehopesoftheworldforlibertyandprogressrest。
Nowitisverygrievoustofindoneportionofthisracepracticingthegiganticevil,andtheotheraiding,byincreaseddemandsfortheproduceofslavelabor,inperpetuatingtheenormouswrong。
TheMauritius,amerespeckontheocean,yieldssugar,bymeansofguano,improvedmachinery,andfreelabor,equalinamounttoonefourthpartoftheentireconsumptionofGreatBritain。
Onthatislandlandisexcessivelydearandfarfromrich:
nocropcanberaisedexceptbymeansofguano,andlaborhastobebroughtallthewayfromIndiaButinAfricathelandischeap,thesoilgood,andfreelaboristobefoundonthespotOurchiefhopesrestwiththenativesthemselves;andifthepointtowhichIhavegivenprominence,ofhealthyinlandcommercialstations,berealized,wherealltheproduceraisedmaybecollected,thereislittledoubtbutthatslaveryamongourkinsmenacrosstheAtlanticwill,inthecourseofsomeyears,ceasetoassumetheformofanecessitytoeventheslaveholdersthemselvesNativesalonecancollectproducefromthemoredistanthamlets,andbringittothestationscontemplated。
ThisisthesystempursuedsosuccessfullyinAngola。
IfEnglandhadpossessedthatstripofland,bycivillydecliningtoenrichher“frontiercolonists“by“Caffrewars“,theinbornenergyofEnglishcolonistswouldhavedevelopeditsresources,andtheexportswouldnothavebeen100,000Poundsasnow,butonemillionatleastTheestablishmentofthenecessaryagencymustbeaworkoftime,andgreaterdifficultywillbeexperiencedontheeasternthanonthewesternsideofthecontinent,becauseintheoneregionwehaveapeoplewhoknownonebutslave-traders,whileintheotherwehavetribeswhohavefelttheinfluenceofthecoastmissionariesandofthegreatNigerexpedition;
oneinvaluablebenefititconferredwasthedisseminationoftheknowledgeofEnglishloveofcommerceandEnglishhatredofslavery,anditthereforewasnofailureButontheeastthereisariverwhichmaybecomeagoodpathwaytoacentralpopulationwhoarefriendlytotheEnglish;
andifwecanconciliatethelessamicablepeopleontheriver,andintroducecommerce,aneffectualblowwillbestruckattheslave-tradeinthatquarterBylinkingtheAfricanstheretoourselvesinthemannerproposed,itishopedthattheirelevationwilleventuallybetheresultInthishopeandproposedeffortIamjoinedbymybrotherCharles,whohascomefromAmerica,afterseventeenyears’separation,forthepurposeWeexpectsuccessthroughtheinfluenceofthatSpiritwhoalreadyaidedtheeffortstoopenthecountry,andwhohassinceturnedthepublicmindtowardit。
Afailuremaybeexperiencedbysuddenrashspeculationoverstockingthemarketsthere,andraisingthepricesagainstourselves。
ButIproposetospendsomemoreyearsoflabor,andshallbethankfulifIseethesystemfairlybeguninanopenpathwaywhichwilleventuallybenefitbothAfricaandEngland。
ThevillageofKilimanestandsonagreatmudbank,andissurroundedbyextensiveswampsandrice-groundsThebanksoftheriverarelinedwithmangrovebushes,therootsofwhich,andtheslimybanksonwhichtheygrow,arealternatelyexposedtothetideandsun。
Thehousesarewellbuiltofbrickandlime,thelatterfromMozambique。
Ifonedigsdowntwoorthreefeetinanypartofthesiteofthevillage,hecomestowater;hencethewallsbuiltonthismudbankgraduallysubside;
piecesaresometimessawnoffthedoorsbelow,becausethewallsinwhichtheyarefixedhavedescendedintotheground,soastoleavethefloorshigherthanthebottomofthedoorsItisalmostneedlesstosaythatKilimaneisveryunhealthyAmanofplethorictemperamentissuretogetfever,andconcerningastoutpersononemayheartheremark,“Ah!hewillnotlivelong;heissuretodie。”
AHamburghvesselwaslostnearthebarbeforewecamedown。
ThemenweremuchmoreregularintheirhabitsthanEnglishsailors,soIhadanopportunityofobservingthefeveractingasaslowpoison。
Theyfelt“outofsorts“only,butgraduallybecamepale,bloodless,andemaciated,thenweakerandweaker,tillatlasttheysankmorelikeoxenbittenbytsetsethananydiseaseIeversaw。
Thecaptain,astrong,robustyoungman,remainedinperfecthealthforaboutthreemonths,butwasatlastknockeddownsuddenlyandmadeashelplessasachildbythisterriblediseaseHehadimbibedafoolishprejudiceagainstquinine,oursheet-anchorinthecomplaint。
Thisisratheraprofessionalsubject,butIintroduceithereinordertoprotestagainsttheprejudiceasalmostentirelyunfounded。
Quinineisinvaluableinfever,andneverproducesanyunpleasanteffectsinanystageofthedisease,IFEXHIBITEDINCOMBINATIONWITHANAPERIENT。
Thecaptainwassavedbyit,withouthisknowledge,andIwasthankfulthatthemodeoftreatment,soefficaciousamongnatives,promisedsofairamongEuropeans。