Chap. IV. RETURN TO THE CAPE. 93 



month of a Caffre war ; and if those who periodically pay enormous 

 suras for these inglorious affairs wish to know how our little 

 unprotected party could quietly travel through the heart of the 

 colony to the capital, with as little sense or sign of danger as if 

 we had been in England, they must engage a " Times Special 

 Correspondent" for the next outbreak to explain where the 

 money goes, and who have been benefited by the blood and 

 treasure expended. 



Having placed my family on board a homeward-bound ship 

 and promised to rejoin them in two years, we parted, for, as it 

 subsequently proved, nearly five years. The Directors of the 

 London Missionary Society signified their cordial approval of my 

 project, by leaving the matter entirely to my own discretion ; 

 and I have much pleasure in acknowledging my obligations 

 to the gentlemen composing that body for always acting in an 

 enlightened spirit, and with as much liberality as their constitu- 

 tion would allow. 



I have the like pleasure in confessing my thankfulness to 

 the Astronomer Royal at the Cape, Thomas Maclear, Esq., for 

 enabling me to recall the little astronomical knowledge which 

 constant manual labour and the engrossing nature of missionary 

 duties had effaced from my memory, and in adding much that I 

 did not know before. The promise he made on parting, that he 

 would examine and correct all my observations, had more effect 

 in making me persevere in overcoming the difficulties of an 

 unassisted solitary observer, than anything else ; so whatever 

 credit may be attached to the geographical positions laid down 

 in my route, must be attributed to the voluntary aid of the 

 excellent and laborious astronomer of the Cape observatory. 



Having given the reader as rapid a sketch as possible of events 

 which attracted notice between 1S40 and 1852, I now proceed 

 to nan-ate the incidents of the last and longest journey of all, 

 performed in 1852-6. 



