306 THE GREAT THIRST LAND. 



Kama, although black, I found in every respect a 

 gentleman in appearance excessively well-bred, and in 

 his language, as interpreted by Mr. Mackenzie, courteous 

 and considerate. From the date of our interview we 

 became better and better friends, for daily he paid me 

 a visit ; and if he obtained any information from me, I 

 know I derived much from him, especially on the natural 

 history of his extensive domains, of which he was a 

 perfect proficient, often causing me to smile at the ability 

 with which he could delineate peculiar characteristics of 

 various animals. 



When the subject was broached about my obtaining 

 permission to hunt in his country, he quietly informed 

 me that he had made up his mind to give that privilege 

 to no traders or Boers, but that for a friend of Mr. 

 Mackenzie's, a soldier, and one who did not desire to 

 exterminate the game, he would stretch a point, and 

 therefore I should have Massara velt, his own hunting- 

 ground, and that he would send a chief of that people 

 with me to collect the bushmen on my route. 



Sunday came round in course of time, and I could 

 have known the day from all others, by the air of rest 

 that lay over Soshong. All was as peaceful as the 

 village homes we knew in our youth on such occasions. 

 Missionary labour may be slow in telling in South 

 Africa, especially among the tribes so far to the north, 

 but when our religion is represented by such pains- 

 taking, enduring men as Mr. Mackenzie and Mr. Hep- 

 burn, it is bound to succeed in the end. 



I shall never forget my Sunday afternoon at 

 Soshong. Mr. Mackenzie and Mr. Hepburn had held 

 service among the natives in the morning, but intended 

 having prayers and a short discourse at three o'clock in 



