the Boers made their murderous attack and scattered the tribe for a season, none sympathized except a few Christian friends.  Had the people of Kolobeng been in the habit of raising the raw materials of English commerce, the outrage would have been felt in England; or, what is more likely to have been the case, the people would have raised themselves in the scale by barter, and have become, like the Basutos of Moshesh and people of Kuruman, possessed of fire-arms, and the Boers would never have made the attack at all.  We ought to encourage the Africans to cultivate for our markets, as the most effectual means, next to the Gospel, of their elevation.

It is in the hope of working out this idea that I propose the formation of stations on the Zambesi beyond the Portuguese territory, but having communication through them with the coast.  A chain of stations admitting of easy and speedy intercourse, such as might be formed along the flank of the eastern ridge, would be in a favorable position for carrying out the objects in view.  The London Missionary Society has resolved to have a station among the Makololo on the north bank, and another on the south among the Matebele.  The Church—­Wesleyan, Baptist, and that most energetic body, the Free Church—­could each find desirable locations among the Batoka and adjacent tribes.  The country is so extensive there is no fear of clashing.  All classes of Christians find that sectarian rancor soon dies out when they are working together among and for the real heathen.  Only let the healthy locality be searched for and fixed upon, and then there will be free scope to work in the same cause in various directions, without that loss of men which the system of missions on the unhealthy coasts entails.  While respectfully submitting the plan to these influential societies, I can positively state that, when fairly in the interior, there is perfect security for life and property among a people who will at least listen and reason.

Eight of my men begged to be allowed to come as far as Kilimane, and, thinking that they would there see the ocean, I consented to their coming, though the food was so scarce in consequence of a dearth that they were compelled to suffer some hunger.  They would fain have come farther; for when Sekeletu parted with them, his orders were that none of them should turn until they had reached Ma Robert and brought her back with them.  On my explaining the difficulty of crossing the sea, he said, “Wherever you lead, they must follow.”  As I did not know well how I should get home myself, I advised them to go back to Tete, where food was abundant, and there await my return.  I bought a quantity of calico and brass wire with ten of the smaller tusks which we had in our charge, and sent the former back as clothing to those who remained at Tete.  As there were still twenty tusks left, I deposited them with Colonel Nunes, that, in the event of any thing happening to prevent my return, the impression might not be