66 LIFE OF DA VID LIVINGSTONE, LL.D. 



their arrival as an increase to his immediate sphere of usefulness, the 

 missionary can at present regard them only as a fresh infusion of heathenism 

 added to the present unchristianized mass." 



In December, 1848, Mr. Livingstone made an attempt to locate the native 

 teacher Paul in the centre of a population of many thousand souls : — 



" The tribe selected," writes Mr. Livingstone, " was that of Mokhatla, 

 because that chief had urgently requested that Paul might be appointed his 

 teacher. But the Boers have taken possession of the whole country, and 

 though their commandants have always expressed themselves in a most 

 friendly manner towards our object, they made me aware of a strong under- 

 current of opposition. Being unwilling to believe that this would be 

 developed in any other way than it had formerly been in our itinerancies, 

 yet feeling anxious lest it should prove a hindrance to Paul in his work, I 

 delayed setting out until our arrangements at home were such as would admit 

 of my spending a few months with him. When the commandant, who was 

 in Mokhatla' s vicinity, learnt that it was no longer mere itinerancies we 

 contemplated, he suddenly altered his tone, and threatened in a most furiou3 

 manner to send a commando against the tribe with which we meant to settle, 

 alleging that my object was to take possession of the country for the English 

 Government ; and that I wished to introduce fire-arms among all the tribes. I 

 replied, by denying connection with Government, having, as he knew, when 

 on a former occasion I entreated him to refrain from a projected expedition 

 against Sechele, distinctly refused to become a political partizan, and added, 

 that I should certainly proceed in my work by the authority of Christ, and if 

 he obstructed it by driving the people away, the blood of their souls would be 

 required at his hand. He offered to present no impediment if I would 

 ' promise to teach the natives that the Boers are a superior race to them.' We 

 immediately made preparations to build a school-house, but before we had 

 made any progress, we were informed that a deputation from the Dutch 

 Synod had come to within forty miles of us. In the belief that the Boers 

 might be won over to forbearance by their ministers, and that the com- 

 mandant's mind might be disabused of his prejudices, we advanced to meet 

 the deputation. Both Potgeiter and his sub-commandants had preceded us ; 

 they were now all flattery towards my person and objects, and all they would 

 request of me, previous to a thorough and permanent removal of all obstacles, 

 was, about one month's delay. During this period, they solemnly and 

 repeatedly promised that they would exert themselves to the utmost of their 

 power to win over such of their subjects as were opposed to missionary 

 operations. As they even entreated me not to force or appear to force the 

 matter, by building at present, and the preachers thought I ought to concede 

 the point, I agreed to return for a short period to Kolobeng ; and having 

 visited some other towns on my route, I came home in January." 



