1852-53-] FROM THE CAPE TO LINYANTI. 129 



CHAPTEK VII. 



FROM THE CAPE TO LINYANTI. 

 A.D. 1852-1853. 



Unfavourable feeling at Cape Town — Departure of Mrs. Livingstone and children 

 — Livingstone's detention and difficulties — Letter to his wife — to Agnes — 

 Occupations at Cape Town — The Astronomer-Royal — Livingstone leaves the 

 Cape and reaches Kuruman — Destruction of Kolobeng by the Boers — Letters 

 to his wife and Rev. J. Moore — His resolution to open up Africa or perish — 

 Arrival at Linyanti — Unhealthiness of the country— -Thoughts on setting out 

 for coast — Sekeletu's kindness — Livingstone's missionary activity— Death of 

 Mpepe, and of his father — Meeting with Ma-mochisane — Barotse country — 

 Determines to go to Loanda — Heathenism unadulterated — Taste for the 

 beautiful — Letter to his children — to his father — Last Sunday at Linyanti — 

 Prospect of his falling. 



When Livingstone arrived at the Cape, he found the 

 authorities in a state of excitement over the Caffre War, 

 and very far from friendly towards the London Missionary 

 Society, some of whose missionaries — himself among the 

 number — were regarded as "unpatriotic." He had a 

 very poor opinion of the officials, and their treatment 

 of the natives scandalised him. He describes the trial 

 of an old soldier, Botha, as "the most horrid exhibition 

 I ever witnessed." The noble conduct of Botha in prison 

 was a beautiful contrast to the scene in court. This 

 whole Caffre War had exemplified the blundering of the 

 British authorities, and was teaching the natives develop- 

 ments, the issue of which could not be foreseen. As for 

 himself, he writes to Mr. Moffat, that he was cordially 

 hated, and perhaps he might be pulled up ; but he knew 

 that some of hi3 letters had been read by the Duke of 



