102 PRESENTS AND TRADING. 



eelves justified in making journeys to the colony for the 

 sake of securing bargains, the most frugal living was ne- 

 cessary to enable us to be a little charitable to others; but 

 when to this were added extra travelling-expenses, the 

 wants of an increasing family, and liberal gifts to chiefs, it 

 was difficult to make both ends meet. The pleasure of 

 missionary labor would be enhanced if one could devote 

 his life to the heathen without drawing a salary from a 

 society at all. The luxury of doing good from one's own 

 private resources, without appearing to either natives or 

 Europeans to be making a gain of it, is far preferable, and 

 an object worthy the ambition of the rich. But few men 

 of fortune, however, now devote themselves to Christian 

 missions, as of old. Presents were always given to the 

 chiefs whom we visited, and nothing accepted in return ; 

 but when Sebituane (in 1851) offered some ivory, I took 

 it, and was able by its sale to present his son with a num- 

 ber of really useful articles of a higher value than I had 

 ever been able to give before to any chief In doing this, 

 of course, I appeared to trade, but, feeling I had a right to 

 do so, I felt perfectly easj^ in my mind ; and, as I still held 

 the view of the inexpediency of combining the two profes- 

 sions, I was glad of the proposal of one of the most honor- 

 able merchants of Cape Town, Mr. H. E. Eutherford, that 

 he should risk a sum of money in Fleming's hands for the 

 purpose of attempting to develop a trade with the Mako- 

 lolo. It was to this man I suggested Sekeletu should sell 

 the tusks which he had presented for my accejitance ; but 

 the chief refuse I to take them back from me. The goods 

 which Fleming had brought were ill adapted for the use 

 of the natives, but he got a pretty good load of ivory in 

 exchange ; and though it was his first attempt at trading, 

 and the distance travelled over made the expenses enor- 

 mous, he was not a loser by the trip. Other traders fol- 

 lowed, who demanded 90 lbs. of ivory for a musket. The 

 Makololo, knowing nothing of steelyards, but supposing 

 that they were meant to cheat them, declined to trade 



