1849-52-] KOLOBENG—LAKE WGAMI. 123 



of the highway into the North which we have discovered bring un- 

 known nations into the sympathies of the Christian world. If 1 were 

 to choose my work, it would be to reduce this new language, translate 

 the Bible into it, and be the means of forming a small church. Let 

 this be accomplished, I think I could then lie down and die con- 

 tented. Two years' absence will be necessary. . . . Nothing but a 

 strong conviction that the step will lead to the glory of Christ would 

 make me orphanise my children. Even now my bowels yearn over 

 them. They will forget me ; but I hope when the day of trial comes, 

 I shall not be found a more sorry soldier than those who serve an 

 earthly sovereign. Should you not feel yourselves justified in incur- 

 ring the expense of their support in England, I shall feel called upon 

 to renounce the hope of carrying the gospel into that country, and 

 labour among those who live in a more healthy country, viz., the 

 Bakwains. But, stay, I am not sure ; so powerfully convinced am I 

 that it is the will of our Lord I should, / will go, no matter who opposes ; 

 but from you I expect nothing but encouragement. I know you wish 

 as ardently as I can that all the world may be filled with the glory of 

 the Lord. I feel relieved when I lay the whole case before you." 



He proposed that a brother missionary, Mr. Ashton, 

 should be placed among the Bamangwato, a people who 

 were in the habit of spreading themselves through the 

 Bakalahari, and should thus form a link between himself 

 and the brethren in the south. 



In a postscript, dated Bamangwato, 14th November, 

 he gratefully acknowledges a letter from the Directors, 

 in which his plans are approved of generally. They had 

 recommended him to complete a dictionary of the Sichuana 

 language. This he would have been delighted to do 

 when his mind was full of the subject, but with the new 

 projects now before him, and the probability of having to 

 deal with a new language for the Zambesi district, he 

 could not undertake such a work at present. 



In a subsequent letter to the Directors (Cape Town, 

 17th March 1852), Livingstone finds it necessary to go 

 into full details with regard to his finances. Though he 

 writes with perfect calmness, it is evident that his ex- 

 chequer was sadly embarrassed. In fact, he had already 

 not only spent all the salary (£100) of 1852, but fifty- 

 seven pounds of 1853, and the balance would be absorbed 



