[Illustration:  DR. LIVINGSTONE.]

In 1854 Mary Moffat paid another visit to the Colony, and was in consequence away from home when Robert returned from his journey to Moselekatse.  Tidings reached him about that time of the death of his mother, the one who first instilled into his breast an enthusiasm for the missionary calling.  She died as she had lived, a godly, consistent woman, and was called to the heavenly city at the age of eighty-four.

In 1856 Dr. Livingstone, after his unparalleled walk from Loanda, on the west coast, to Quillimane, on the east—­from the shores of the Atlantic to those of the Indian Ocean—­visited England.  His visit, and the description he gave of the country and natives, rekindled missionary enthusiasm, a special interest being taken in the Matabele and Makololo tribes.  The London Missionary Society resolved to establish missions among them.  As the locality where the Makololo dwelt was in the midst of a marshy network of rivers, it was considered as a necessary condition of commencing the proposed missionary work that they should remove to a spot on the north bank of the Zambesi, opposite to where the Matabele dwelt on the south bank.  The two tribes were, however, hostile to each other; and, to overcome this hostility, it was determined to simultaneously establish missions among both tribes.  With this object in mind the Directors wrote to Robert Moffat, proposing that he should go for a twelvemonth to the Matabele, taking two younger men with him, and plant a mission among this people.

This letter reached him just as he had completed the translation and printing of the Old Testament; and, notwithstanding that he was then sixty-two years of age, and had already been forty-one years hard at work for the Society, he determined to go.  He felt, however, that it was necessary for him to start at once, and prepare the minds of Moselekatse and his people for the coming among them of missionaries.  Thus it came about that once again Robert Moffat quitted Kuruman, and started forward for the long and trying journey, through the African desert, to visit his old friend, and obtain his consent to the settlement of missionaries among his people.

Visiting the chief Sechele on the way, he pursued his course until he at length reached the headquarters of Moselekatse.  The king was not very enthusiastic about receiving missionaries for himself and his people.  He was somewhat suspicious; and his former experience with the American missionaries at Mosega had been rather unfortunate, the Boers having attacked the Matabele, and, after pillaging the mission station, carried the missionaries away with them.  However, he would receive the new-comers,—­but his friend Moshete must come also.  “I love you,” said he, “you are my father.  These new men I do not know them.  All men are not alike.”