218 SOUTHERN AFRICA. 



pany, and assist with his firearms, an expedition which 

 his majesty was about to undertake against his neighboui 

 Makkrakka. Finding that he could not remain without in- 

 volving himself in the deadly feuds of these African chiefs, 

 he chose rather to return to the colony. 



Mr. John Campbell, animated by the benevolent desire 

 of imparting to this people the blessings of true religion, 

 undertook, in 1S13, a mission into Southern Africa. Pass- 

 ing the Sneuwberg in the same direction that had been fol- 

 lowed by Messrs. Trutter and Somerville, he reached Lat- 

 takoo, which, by a change not unusual in Africa, had been 

 moved about sixty miles to the southward of its original 

 situation ; but th« new city had not yet attained more than 

 half the dimensions of the old. His reception was at first 

 marked by a peculiar caution and jealousy. Not a sound 

 was heard in the city ; and he walked through empty 

 streets till he came to the great square in front of the palace, 

 where several hundred men were drawn up armed and in 

 battle array. All this precaution was found to have been 

 suggested by the fear that he and his companions were sent 

 to avenge the death of Dr. Cowan and Mr. Denovan ; but 

 no sooner were the inhabitants satisfied that he came with 

 no commission from government, and with no hostile object, 

 than they crowded round him with their usual frankness, 

 and eagerly begged for tobacco. Soon after, Mateebe, the 

 king, entered with a numerous train of attendants, bearing 

 spears tipped with ostrich feathers. He did not, in pass- 

 ing, take any notice of the English strangers, but imme- 

 diately after admitted them to an interview, though without 

 giving them quite so gracious a reception as they could 

 have wished. He particularly demurred to the proposal 

 of founding a mission at Lattakoo, on the ground or pre- 

 tence that it would interfere with the tending of their cattle 

 and other occupations ; but this being Mr. Campbell's fa- 

 vourite object, he pressed it so earnestly, and represented, 

 in such flattering terms, the superior wealth and industry 

 of Europeans, that Mateebe at length gave his consent to 

 the establishment of missionaries, and promised to treat 

 them well. 



Mr. Campbell's observations finally dissipated all that yet 

 remained of the original illusion, which had represented 

 this people as enjoying at once the innocence and the 



