132 ATTACK 03? BOERS ON BAKWAINS. 



with ability to read that, there can be little doubt as to the future. 

 We believe Christianity to be divine, and equal to all it has to 

 perform ; then let the good seed be widely sown, and, no matter 

 to what sect the converts may belong, the harvest will be glorious. 

 Let nothing that I have said be interpreted as indicative of feel- 

 ings inimical to any body of Christians, for I never, as a mission- 

 ary, felt myself to be either Presbyterian, Episcopalian, or Inde- 

 pendent, or called upon in any way to love one denomination less 

 than another. My earnest desire is, that those who really have 

 the best interests of the heathen at heart should go to them ; and 

 assuredly, in Africa at least, self-denying labors among real hea- 

 then will not fail to be appreciated. Christians have never yet 

 dealt fairly by the heathen and been disappointed. 



When Sechele understood that we could no longer remain with 

 him at Kolobeng, he sent his children to Mr. Moffat, at Kuruman, 

 for instruction in all the knowledge of the white men. Mr. Mof- 

 fat very liberally received at once an accession of live to his fam- 

 ily, with their attendants. 



Having been detained at Kuruman about a fortnight by the 

 breaking of a wagon-wheel, I was thus providentially prevented 

 from being present at the attack of the Boers on the Bakwains, 

 news of which was brought, about the end of that time, by Mase- 

 bele, the wife of Sechele. She 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 men, 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 own 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. I am undone by the Boers, who attacked 

 me, though I had no guilt with them. They demanded that I 

 should be in their kingdom, and I refused. They demanded that 

 I should prevent the English and Griquas from passing (north- 

 ward). 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 



