PROBABLE TRADE ROUTES. 189 



extraordinary perseverance, reached St. Paul de Loanda, and was to return 

 to Linyanti. It affords me no little gratification to see that I was directed by 

 a wisdom, far other than that of man, in what I was able to accomplish on 

 his account. If he be spared to return to Linyanti, he will have the satisfac- 

 tion of receiving supplies for the outer, as well as the inner man. 



"As to whether the countries through which I have passed are likely 

 soon to become fields for missionary operation, I am anything but sanguine. 

 Of the willingness of the natives themselves to receive instruction no doubt 

 need be entertained ; but at present the prospect is anything but encouraging. 

 Past events show to a demonstration that between the natives and the Trans- 

 Vaal Boers there can be no peace, until the former, as far as they can be 

 reached, shall become the vassals of the latter, whose transactions have hitherto 

 been characterised by a deep-rooted enmity to all missionary operations. To 

 me the case appears more hopeless than ever, since the inhabitants of the 

 Sovereignity, or Free State, have with heart and hand espoused the cause of 

 the Trans- Vaal Republic, and are lending their aid in the work of exter- 

 minating the Aborigines. If a road were opened up from Sebituane's or 

 Moselekatse's country to the East coast, and permission obtained there for free 

 intercourse with the interior, a wide field would be opened for missionary 

 enterprise. The Matabele having traded with Englishmen, who come 

 up the Zambesi from the coast in boats, shows what could be done. 

 Between the country of Moselekatse and the Zambesi, there is, however, 

 an insuperable barrier to travelling with either oxen or horses, on 

 account of the tsetse, so often referred to in these pages, and described 

 by Livingstone in his former journeys. They commence South of 

 the Limpopo river, run North till near the Zambesi, and then stretch along 

 between that and the country which I traversed towards the country of 

 Sebituane. The Makalaka, Bakurutse, Mashona, Becuabi, Masuase, Batonga, 

 and other tribes, with whom I came into contact among the Matabele, did not 

 appear to exhibit anything very savage in their disposition. 



"It is the character of the Matabelan warfare, and the nature of their 

 government, that make them a terror to the surrounding tribes. 



" Nothing remains but to seek to reach the interior tribes by the East 

 or West coast, and any missionary who has witnessed the deteriorating 

 influence of a juxtaposition with the civilized communities would a thousand 

 times prefer isolation, notwithstanding the difficulties it would involve in 

 obtaining supplies. The most part of Moselekatse's country I should suppose 

 to be healthy, especially the higher portion of it, principally of granite 

 foundation. That the fever prevails in the more northern portions, especially 

 in wet seasons, there is no doubt ; but not with the virulence witnessed by 

 Livingstone farther to the N.W. On the whole the country is beautiful, and 

 would present a rich treat to the geologist, as well as to the botanist — but how 



