FATE OF THE MISSION. 327 



The wives of the two carriers pleaded with the bishop that, as their 

 husbands had been made captive in his service, he should rescue them from 

 slavery. It appeared to him to be his duty to do this ; and on asking the 

 Makololo who had remained with him to assist in the expedition, they joyfully- 

 assented, as they held the prowess of the natives of the district in contempt, 

 and knew of no better way of settling a difference with them than by a 

 resort to force. There can be no doubt that had the bishop given them leave 

 to do as they pleased, they would have cleared the country of the offenders ; 

 but he restrained them, which gave the delinquents an opportunity of 

 escaping. The offending village was burned, and a few sheep and goats 

 taken. The headman being afraid to retain the captives any longer liberated 

 them, and they returned to their homes. As this expedition was undertaken 

 during the rainy season, and the missionaries got frequently wet, their 

 health was seriously affected. 



The Cape Argus gives a summary of the fate of the leaders of the mission 

 and the proceedings of Captain Wilson and Dr. Kirk in taking Miss Mackenzie, 

 Mrs. Burrup, and the Rev. Mr. Hawkins, to the Mission Station on the Shire : — 



" At Shupanga, about ten miles from Mozzaro, the Pioneer, it was found, 

 could proceed no further. There was, therefore, no alternative but to prose- 

 cute the remainder of the journey in the two boats, which were provisioned 

 for ten days ; and as it was supposed that their destination might be reached 

 in four the prospect did not look very formidable. When we say that, instead 

 of four, twelve days elapsed ere the boats made the junction of the Rua river, 

 60 miles from their journey's end, and that during this period the ladies were 

 in open boats, exposed to all the extremes of a fearfully unwholesome atmos- 

 phere, to the thousand insect-plagues which literally render existence almost 

 unbearable, and that the crews were, man after man, struck down by insidious 

 disease, it will be readily understood how wretched was their situation, and 

 how heavily those in charge felt their responsibility. 



" At this part of the river it was that the bishop and Mr. Burrup were 

 expected to be in readiness to receive them. But the natives would not give 

 any information. No one appeared, and Captain Wilson, knowing that pro- 

 visions would be needed by the Gorgon, sent one of the two boats back down 

 the river on a foraging expedition, while he pushed up with the other to leave 

 the ladies at Chibisa. The crew of the former suffered terribly from fever on 

 their way, and indeed, from all accounts, were most miraculously preserved, 

 especially as provisions and medicine were all used up ; and of stimulants 

 there were none. 



" Captain Wilson in his boat went on safely enough to Chibisa, the 

 nearest spot to the mission station : there he left the ladies in charge of the 

 doctor, and tried to get overland with Dr. Kirk, of the Pioneer, and four men ; 

 but when within two days' march of the place he was attacked by fever, which 



