The history of the Namaqualand Mission has been sketched in outline in our introductory chapter.  Africaner, although an outlaw and a terror to the farmers of the colony, had a respect for the English.  He visited the missionaries on one occasion, prior to their removal to Warm Bath, and said, “I love the English, for I have always heard that they are the friends of the poor black man.”  He also sent his children to them for instruction; yet subsequent events, as we have seen, enraged him, and led him to destroy the mission station at Warm Bath.

The Rev. J. Campbell, in his first visit to Africa, 1812-1814, crossed the interior of the continent to Namaqualand.  During his journey, he found in every village through which he passed the terror of Africaner’s name; and he afterwards said “that he and his retinue never were so afraid in their lives.”  From Pella, where the mission station then was, Mr. Campbell wrote a conciliatory letter to Africaner, in consequence of which that chieftain agreed to receive a missionary at his kraal.  Mr. Ebner had been sent from Pella, and had been labouring for a short time previous to his visit to the Cape in 1817.  Good had been accomplished, Africaner and his two brothers, David and Jacobus, had been baptised, but then the situation of the missionary became extremely trying, he lost influence with the people, and his property, and even his life, were in danger.

Soon after leaving Cape Town, Mr. Ebner parted company with the Kitchingmans and Moffat, and they pursued their way alone.  The details of the journey illustrate the difficulties of travelling in South Africa in those days.  “In perils oft,” aptly expresses the condition of the missionary in his wanderings, as he travelled mile after mile, often over dreary wastes of burning sand, famished with hunger, parched with thirst, with the howl of the hyena and the roar of the lion disturbing his slumbers at night, and with Bushmen, more savage than either, hovering near, ever ready to attack the weak and defenceless.

The farmers, from whom the travellers received hospitality as they passed the boundaries of the colony, were very sceptical as to the conversion of Africaner, and gloomy indeed were their predictions as to the fate of the youthful missionary now venturing into the power of the outlaw chief.  One said Africaner would set him up for his boys to shoot at, another that he would strip off his skin to make a drum with, and a third predicted he would make a drinking-cup of his skull.  A kind motherly dame said, as she wiped the tear from her eye and bade him farewell, “Had you been an old man it would have been nothing, for you would soon have died, whether or no; but you are young, and going to become a prey to that monster.”

On one occasion Moffat halted at a farm belonging to a Boer, a man of wealth and importance, who had many slaves.  Hearing that he was a missionary, the farmer gave him a hearty welcome, and proposed in the evening that he should give them a service.  To this he readily assented, and supper being ended, a clearance was made, the big Bible and the psalm-books were brought out, and the family was seated.  Moffat inquired for the servants, “May none of your servants come in?” said he.