60 LIFE OF DA VID LIVINGSTONE, LL.D. 



The brethren spent about two months at the place, and intended to remove 

 there immediately." 



The following is from the Society's report for 1845: — 



"In the last report, the friends of the Society were informed of the opening 

 of a mission among the Bakhatla, in the Bechuana country, through the 

 zealous and judicious efforts of our brother, the Rev. D. Livingstone, assisted 

 by Mr. R. Edwards. The progress of the labours of our devoted brethren 

 among this barbarous and degraded tribe has been most encouraging, and 

 there is reason to hope that to many the tidings of redeeming mercy will 

 prove the savour of life unto life. Through divine goodness, Mr. Livingstone 

 and his excellent native brother and valuable coadjutor, Mebalwe, who nobly 

 came to his help in the moment of most imminent peril, and nearly with the 

 sacrifice of his own life, have entirely recovered from the serious injury they 

 sustained from the attack of a lion, which occurred not far from the new 

 station, in the early part of last year. 



" The character and condition of the people among whom he labours, 

 and in part the preparatory measures contemplated for the regular organisa- 

 tion of the station and the instruction of the natives, are thus described by 

 Mr. Livingstone in an early communication from this distant sphere of 

 Missionary effort : — 



" The Bakhatla are at present busily engaged removing from their 

 former location to the spot on which we reside (Mabotsa), and it is cheering 

 to observe that the subordinate chiefs have, with one exception, chosen sites 

 for their villages conveniently near to that on which we propose to erect the 

 permament premises. We purpose to build a house to serve as school and 

 meeting-house, and when that is done, we hope our efforts to impart a know- 

 ledge of saving truth will assume a more regular form than at present. 



" I visited the Bakhatla frequently before the establishment of the 

 mission, but it was not until my fifth visit that sufficient confidence was 

 inspired to draw forth a cordial invitation for me to settle among them ; this 

 is the only good I can yet ascertain as effected by my itinerancies to them. 

 The reason seems to be that too long a period has intervened between each 

 journey to produce any lasting impression. And this is not to be wondered 

 at, for nothing can exceed the grovelling earthliness of their minds. They 

 seem to have fallen as low in the scale of existence as human nature can. 

 At some remote period, their ancestors appear to have been addicted to 

 animal worship, for each tribe is called after some animal. By it they swear, 

 and in general they neither kill nor eat it, alleging as a cause, that the animal 

 is the friend of their tribe. Thus the word Batlapi, literally translated, is ' they 

 of the fish ;' Bakwain, ' they of the crocodile ;' Bakhatla, ' they of the monkey J &c. 



" But if the conjecture is not wrong, they have degenerated from even 

 that impure form of worship, and the wisest among them have now no 



