THE WORLD'S WONDERS. 285 



there, he started for the interior, where he spent the following 

 sixteen years of his life in explorations and missionary and 

 medical labors, without cost to the inhabitants. During his short 

 stay at Cape Town he became acquainted with a fellow-missionary 

 named Robert Moffat, whose daughter he married, and she sub- 

 sequently accompanied him on his various expeditions. 



Soon after his marriage he started by ox-team for the mission- 

 ary station at Kuruman, in the Bechuana country, about 600 

 miles northeast of Cape Town, where, after resting three months, 

 he journeyed to Litubaruba, fifteen miles to the south. He 

 entered upon a study of the native language, and in six months 

 had gathered enough to express himself in the Bechuana tongue. 

 He now went north to visit the Bakaa Mountains, much of which 

 journey he was compelled to make on foot on account of his 

 oxen being sick. Here he tried to found a settlement, but a war 

 between neighboring tribes put an end to his plans. A return to 

 Kuruman became necessary, to secure provisions, which, being 

 obtained, he went into a beautiful valley called Mabotsa (lat. 25 

 14' south, long. 26 30') and there founded a missionary station, 

 to which he removed in 1843. 



The natives of Mabotsa were called Bakatla, ar,d were a very 

 superstitious but friendly people. About this place lions were 

 very troublesome, as they carried off cattle, both in the night and 

 day-time, so that the Bakatla came to believe that the beasts 

 were witches sent by their enemies to prey upon their flocks, and 

 they made little effort to kill them. It is a well-known fact that 

 if one of a troop of lions is killed, the others will leave that 

 part of the country ; and in order to take advantage of this 

 peculiarity Livingstone resolved to destroy at least one of the 

 marauders. The order for a hunt was given, which was obeyed 

 by the natives forming in a large circle to drive in whatever they 

 might surround. In this way one of the lions was discovered 

 sitting on a rock within the now closed circle. A native fired at 

 it, but the ball struck the rock, which caused the lion to bite at 

 the spot as a dog will at a stick thrust at him, but in another 

 moment he bounded off and rushed through the circle, the men 



