sechele's letter. 67 



prevented from being present at the attack of the Boera 

 on the Bakwains, news of which was brought, about the 

 end of that time, by Masebele, the wife of Sechele. Sho 

 had herself been hidden in a cleft of a rock, over which a 

 number of Boers were firing. Her infant began to cry, 

 and, terrified lest this should attract the attention of the 

 msn, the muzzles of whose guns appeared at every discharge 

 over her head, she took off her armlets as playthings to quiet 

 the child. She brought Mr. Moffat a letter, which tells its 

 o wn tale. Nearly literally translated it was as follows : — 



"Friend of my heart's love, and of all the confidence of 

 my heart, I am Sechele. Lam undone by the Boers, who 

 attacked me, though I had no guilt with them. They de- 

 manded that I should be in their kingdom, and I refused. 

 They demanded that I should prevent the English and 

 Griquas from passing (northward). I replied, These are 

 my friends, and I can prevent no one (of them). They 

 came on Saturday, and I besought them not to fight on 

 Sunday, and they assented. They began on Monday 

 morning at twilight, and fired with all their might, and 

 burned the town with fire, and scattered us. They killed 

 sixty of my people, and captured women, and children, 

 and men. And the mother of Baleriling (a former wife of 

 Sechele) they also took prisoner. They took all the cattle 

 and all the goods of the Bakwains; and the house of Living- 

 stone they plundered, taking away all his goods. The 

 number of wagons they had was eighty -five, and a cannon; 

 and after they had stolen my own wagon and that of 

 Macabe, then the number of their wagons (counting tho 

 cannon as one) was eighty-eight. All the goods of the 

 bnnters (certain English gentlemen hunting and exploring 

 ;n the north) were burned in the town; and of the Boers 

 were killed twenty-eight. Yes, my beloved friend, now 

 my wife goes to see the children, and Kobus Hae will con« 

 vey her to you. "I am Sechele, 



" The son of Mochoasele." 



