Tenyearsafterhewasfirmlyestablishedinpowerheenteredintoatreatywiththecolonialgovernment,andduringthetwentyyearswhichfollowednotasinglechargewaseverbroughtagainsteitherhimorhispeople;
  onthecontrary,hisfaithfuladherencetothestipulatedprovisionselicitednumerousexpressionsofapprobationfromsuccessivegovernments。
  Alategovernor,however,ofwhomitisimpossibletospeakwithoutrespect,inaparoxysmofgeneralshipwhichmighthavebeengood,haditnotbeentotallyinappropriatetothecase,setaboutconciliatingabandofrebelliousBritishsubjectsBoers,whomurderedtheHonorableCaptainMurray,byproclaimingtheirindependencewhilestillinopenrebellion,andnotonlyabrogatedthetreatywiththeGriquas,butengagedtostopthelong-accustomedsuppliesofgunpowderforthedefenseofthefrontier,andeventopreventthemfrompurchasingitfortheirowndefensebylawfultrade。
  Ifithadbeennecessarytopreventsuppliesofammunitionfromfindingtheirwayintothecountry,asitprobablywas,onemightimaginethattheexceptionshouldnothavebeenmadeinfavorofeitherBoersorCaffres,ouropenly-avowedenemies;
  but,nevertheless,theexceptionwasmade,andisstillcontinuedinfavoroftheBoers,whiletheBechuanasandGriquas,ourconstantfriends,aredebarredfromobtainingasingleounceforeitherdefenseortrade;indeed,suchwasthestateofignoranceastotherelationofthebordertribeswiththeEnglish,evenatCapeTown,thatthemagistrates,thoughwillingtoaidmyresearches,weresorelyafraidtoallowmetopurchasemorethantenpoundsofgunpowder,lesttheBechuanasshouldtakeitfrommebyforceAsitturnedout,IactuallyleftmorethanthatquantityforupwardoftwoyearsinanopenboxinmywagonatLinyanti。
  ThelamentedSirGeorgeCathcart,apparentlyunconsciousofwhathewasdoing,enteredintoatreatywiththeTransvaalBoers,inwhicharticleswereintroducedforthefreepassageofEnglishtraderstothenorth,andfortheentireprohibitionofslaveryinthefreestate。
  Thenpassedthe“gunpowderordinance“,bywhichtheBechuanas,whomalonetheBoersdareattempttoenslave,wererenderedquitedefenseless。
  TheBoersneverattempttofightwithCaffres,nortosettleinCaffreland。
  WestillcontinuetoobservethetreatyTheBoersneverdid,andneverintendedtoabidebyitsprovisions;for,immediatelyontheproclamationoftheirindependence,aslave-huntwasundertakenagainsttheBechuanasofSechelebyfourhundredBoers,underMrPeitScholz,andtheplanwasadoptedwhichhadbeencherishedintheirheartseversincetheemancipationoftheHottentotsThus,fromunfortunateignoranceofthecountryhehadtogovern,anableandsagaciousgovernoradoptedapolicyproperandwisehaditbeeninfrontofourenemies,butaltogetherinappropriateforourfriendsagainstwhomithasbeenappliedSuchanerrorcouldnothavebeencommittedbyamanoflocalknowledgeandexperience,suchasthatnobleofcolonialbirth,SirAndriesStockenstrom;andsuchinstancesofconfoundingfriendandfoe,intheinnocentbeliefoftherebypromotingcolonialinterests,willprobablyleadtheCapecommunity,thechiefpartofwhichbynomeansfeelsitsinteresttolieinthedegradationofthenativetribes,toasserttherightofchoosingtheirowngovernors。
  This,withcolonialrepresentationintheImperialParliament,inadditiontothelocalself-governmentalreadysoliberallyconceded,wouldundoubtedlysecuretheperpetualunionofthecolonytotheEnglishcrown。
  ManyhundredsofbothGriquasandBechuanashavebecomeChristiansandpartiallycivilizedthroughtheteachingofEnglishmissionaries。
  MyfirstimpressionsoftheprogressmadewerethattheaccountsoftheeffectsoftheGospelamongthemhadbeentoohighlycolored。
  IexpectedahigherdegreeofChristiansimplicityandpuritythanexistseitheramongthemoramongourselvesIwasnotanxiousforadeeperinsightindetectingshamsthanothers,butIexpectedcharacter,suchasweimaginetheprimitivediscipleshadandwasdisappointed。*
  When,however,Ipassedontothetrueheatheninthecountriesbeyondthesphereofmissionaryinfluence,andcouldcomparethepeopletherewiththeChristiannatives,Icametotheconclusionthat,ifthequestionwereexaminedinthemostrigidlysevereorscientificway,thechangeeffectedbythemissionarymovementwouldbeconsideredunquestionablygreat。
  *Thepopularnotion,however,oftheprimitiveChurchisperhapsnotveryaccurateThosesocietiesespeciallywhichconsistedofconvertedGentilesmenwhohadbeenaccustomedtothevicesandimmoralitiesofheathenismwerecertainlyanythingbutpureInspiteoftheirconversion,someofthemcarriedthestainsandvestigesoftheirformerstatewiththemwhentheypassedfromthetempletothechurchIftheinstructedandcivilizedGreekdidnotallatonceriseoutofhisformerself,andunderstandandrealizethehighidealofhisnewfaith,weshouldbecareful,injudgingoftheworkofmissionariesamongsavagetribes,nottoapplytotheirconvertstestsandstandardsoftoogreatseverity。
  IfthescoffingLucian’saccountoftheimpostorPeregrinusmaybebelieved,wefindachurchprobablyplantedbytheapostlesmanifestinglessintelligenceeventhanmodernmissionarychurchesPeregrinus,anotoriouslywickedman,waselectedtothechiefplaceamongthem,whileRomishpriests,backedbythepowerofFrance,couldnotfindaplaceatallinthemissionchurchesofTahitiandMadagascar。
  Wecannotfairlycomparethesepoorpeoplewithourselves,whohaveanatmosphereofChristianityandenlightenedpublicopinion,thegrowthofcenturies,aroundus,toinfluenceourdeportment;
  butletanyonefromthenaturalandproperpointofviewbeholdthepublicmoralityofGriquaTown,Kuruman,Likatlong,andothervillages,andrememberwhatevenLondonwasacenturyago,andhemustconfessthattheChristianmodeoftreatingaboriginesisincomparablythebest。
  TheGriquasandBechuanaswereinformertimescladmuchliketheCaffres,ifsuchawordmaybeusedwherethereisscarcelyanyclothingatall。
  Abunchofleatherstringsabouteighteenincheslonghungfromthelady’swaistinfront,andapreparedskinofasheeporantelopecoveredtheshoulders,leavingthebreastandabdomenbare:
  themenworeapatchofskin,aboutthesizeofthecrownofone’shat,whichbarelyservedforthepurposesofdecency,andamantleexactlylikethatofthewomenToassistinprotectingtheporesoftheskinfromtheinfluenceofthesunbydayandofthecoldbynight,allsmearedthemselveswithamixtureoffatandochre;
  theheadwasanointedwithpoundedbluemicaschistmixedwithfat;
  andthefineparticlesofshiningmica,fallingonthebodyandonstringsofbeadsandbrassrings,wereconsideredashighlyornamental,andfitforthemostfastidiousdandyNowthesesamepeoplecometochurchindecentthoughpoorclothing,andbehavewithadecorumcertainlysuperiortowhatseemstohavebeenthecaseinthetimeofMrSamuelPepysinLondon。
  Sundayiswellobserved,and,eveninlocalitieswherenomissionarylives,religiousmeetingsareregularlyheld,andchildrenandadultstaughttoreadbythemoreadvancedoftheirownfellow-countrymen;andnooneisallowedtomakeaprofessionoffaithbybaptismunlessheknowshowtoread,andunderstandsthenatureoftheChristianreligion。
  TheBechuanaMissionhasbeensofarsuccessfulthat,whencomingfromtheinterior,wealwaysfelt,onreachingKuruman,thatwehadreturnedtocivilizedlifeButIwouldnotgiveanyonetounderstandbythisthattheyaremodelChristianswecannotclaimtobemodelChristiansourselvesoreveninanydegreesuperiortothemembersofourcountrychurchesTheyaremorestingyandgreedythanthepoorathome;butinmanyrespectsthetwoareexactlyalike。
  Onaskinganintelligentchiefwhathethoughtofthem,hereplied,“Youwhitemenhavenoideaofhowwickedweare;weknoweachotherbetterthanyou;somefeignbelieftoingratiatethemselveswiththemissionaries;someprofessChristianitybecausetheylikethenewsystem,whichgivessomuchmoreimportancetothepoor,anddesirethattheoldsystemmaypassaway;andtherest
  aprettylargenumberprofessbecausetheyarereallytruebelievers。”
  Thistestimonymaybeconsideredasverynearlycorrect。
  ThereisnotmuchprospectofthiscountryeverproducingmuchofthematerialsofcommerceexceptwoolAtpresentthechiefarticlesoftradearekarossesormantles
  theskinsofwhichtheyarecomposedcomefromtheDesert;
  nexttothem,ivory,thequantityofwhichcannotnowbegreat,inasmuchasthemeansofshootingelephantsissedulouslydebarredentranceintothecountryAfewskinsandhorns,andsomecattle,makeuptheremainderoftheexportsEnglishgoods,sugar,tea,andcoffeearethearticlesreceivedinexchangeAllthenativesofthesepartssoonbecomeremarkablyfondofcoffeeTheacmeofrespectabilityamongtheBechuanasisthepossessionofcattleandawagon。
  Itisremarkablethat,thoughtheselatterrequirefrequentrepairs,noneoftheBechuanashaveeverlearnedtomendthemForgesandtoolshavebeenattheirservice,andteacherswillingtoaidthem,but,beyondputtingtogetheracamp-stool,noefforthaseverbeenmadetoacquireaknowledgeofthetradesTheyobservemostcarefullyamissionaryatworkuntiltheyunderstandwhetheratireiswellweldedornot,andthenpronounceuponitsmeritswithgreatemphasis,buttheretheirambitionrestssatisfiedItisthesamepeculiarityamongourselveswhichleadsusinothermatters,suchasbook-making,toattaintheexcellenceoffault-findingwithoutthewittoinditeapage。
  ItwasinvainItriedtoindoctrinatetheBechuanaswiththeideathatcriticismdidnotimplyanysuperiorityovertheworkman,orevenequalitywithhim。KurumanItsfineFountainVegetationoftheDistrict
  RemainsofancientForestsVegetablePoison
  TheBibletranslatedbyMrMoffatCapabilitiesoftheLanguage
  ChristianityamongtheNativesTheMissionariesshouldextendtheirLaborsmorebeyondtheCapeColonyModelChristians
  DisgracefulAttackoftheBoersontheBakwainsLetterfromSechele
  DetailsoftheAttackNumbersofSchool-childrencarriedawayintoSlaveryDestructionofHouseandPropertyatKolobeng
  TheBoersvowVengeanceagainstmeConsequentDifficultyofgettingServantstoaccompanymeonmyJourneyStartinNovember,1852
  MeetSecheleonhiswaytoEnglandtoobtainRedressfromtheQueen
  HeisunabletoproceedbeyondtheCapeMeetMrMacabeonhisReturnfromLakeNgamiThehotWindoftheDesert
  ElectricStateoftheAtmosphereFlockofSwifts
  ReachLitubarubaTheCaveLepeloleSuperstitionsregardingit
  ImpoverishedStateoftheBakwainsRetaliationontheBoers
  SlaveryAttachmentoftheBechuanastoChildren
  HydrophobiaunknownDiseasesoftheBakwainsfewinnumber
  YearlyEpidemicsHastyBurialsOphthalmiaNativeDoctors
  KnowledgeofSurgeryataverylowEbbLittleAttendancegiventoWomenattheirConfinementsThe“ChildMedicine“SalubrityoftheClimatewelladaptedforInvalidssufferingfrompulmonaryComplaints。
  ThepermanenceofthestationcalledKurumandependsentirelyonthefineever-flowingfountainofthatnameItcomesfrombeneaththetrap-rock,ofwhichIshallhavetospeakwhendescribingthegeologyoftheentirecountry;andasitusuallyissuesatatemperatureof72DegFahr。,itprobablycomesfromtheoldsilurianschists,whichformedthebottomofthegreatprimevalvalleyofthecontinent。
  Icouldnotdetectanydiminutionintheflowofthisgushingfountainduringmyresidenceinthecountry;butwhenMrMoffatfirstattemptedasettlementhere,thirty-fiveyearsago,hemadeadamsixorsevenmilesbelowthepresentone,andledoutthestreamforirrigation,wherenotadropofthefountain-waterevernowflowsOtherparts,fourteenmilesbelowtheKurumangardens,arepointedoutashavingcontained,withinthememoryofpeoplenowliving,hippopotami,andpoolssufficienttodrownbothmenandcattleThisfailureofwatermustbechieflyascribedtothegeneraldesiccationofthecountry,butpartlyalsototheamountofirrigationcarriedonalongbothbanksofthestreamatthemissionstationThislattercircumstancewouldhavemoreweightwereitnotcoincidentwiththefailureoffountainsoverawideextentofcountry。