TRANSLATION OF THE BIBI.E. 103 



fuller development of language taking place as the im- 

 provement of our other faculties goes on. It is fortunate 

 that the translation of the Bible has been effected before 

 the language became adulterated with half-uttered foreign 

 words, and while those who have heard the eloquence 

 of the native assemblies are still living ; for the young, 

 who are brought up in our schools, know less of the lan- 

 guage than the missionaries ; and Europeans born in 

 the country, while possessed of the idiom perfectly, if 

 not otherwise educated, cannot be referred to for explana- 

 tion of any uncommon word. A person who acted as 

 interpreter to v Sir George Cathcart actually told his Excel- 

 lency that the language of the Basutos was not capable 

 of expressing the substance of a chief's diplomatic paper, 

 while every one acquainted with Moshesh, the chief who 

 sent it, well knows that he could in his own tongue have 

 expressed it without study all over again in three or four 

 different ways. The interpreter could scarcely have done 

 as much in English. 



This language both rich and poor speak correctly ; 

 there is no vulgar style ; but children have a patois of 

 their own, using many words in their play which men 

 would scorn to repeat. The Bamapela have adopted 

 a click into their dialect, and a large infusion of the ring- 

 ing n, which seems to have been for the purpose of pre- 

 venting others from understanding them. 



The fact of the complete translation of the Bible at a 

 station seven hundred miles inland from the Cape naturally 

 suggests the question whether it is likely to be perma- 

 nently useful, and whether Christianity, as planted by 

 modern missions, is likely to retain its vitality without 

 constant supplies of foreign teaching ? It would certainly 

 be no cause for congratulation if the Bechuana Bible 

 seemed at all likely to meet the fate of Elliot's Choctaw 

 version, a specimen of which may be seen in the library 

 of one of the American colleges — as God's word in a 

 language which no living tongue can articulate, nor livirg 

 mortal understand ; but a better destiny seems in store 

 for this, for the Sichuana language has been introduced 

 into the new country beyond I^ake Ngami. There it is the 

 court language, and will take a strarger anywhere through 

 a district larger than France. The Bechuanas, moreover, 

 in all probability possess that imperishability which forms 

 so remarkable a feature in the entire African race. 



