32 
Seven Years in Central Africa. [July, 
the year; yet during the day it is very hot — about 85° in the 
shade, but the nights are decidedly cold. I get on pretty well 
with the people; we have prayer and reading every night and 
morning, and on Sunday in the afternoon. I do not understand 
the language sufficiently to appeal personally to their hearts. I 
could not be in a better school, however, for learning the words 
and idioms of the people ; yet it would be a treat to meet some 
with whom I could speak in my own tongue. Had I known 
earlier that Tinka would be sending a messenger I would have 
written more. 
I did not tell you in my last that when I was at the Botletle 
River there was much fever, and many of the natives died of 
it. Three of our own company were ill ; but I had not even a 
headache. My sleeping accommodation is not the best — rough 
but comfortable. When travelling I always sleep with my 
clothes on. In Setobi I have a very faithful and trusty servant ; 
he takes charge of all my property, and looks after my clothes 
and goods as though they were his own. Nearly all my spare 
time is occupied in getting up the Sechuana grammar, and in 
learning portions of scripture in Sechuana. It is difficult to read 
by the fires, and candle light is too expensive for much reading, 
so that I spend the dark evenings mostly in thinking. Taking it 
all round, my days pass very pleasantly indeed, and also very 
quickly. There is nothing that I want that I have not got. I 
was much blessed in reading Psalm cvi. My prayer this morning 
was according to verses 4 and 5 ; they are very full of blessed 
meaning. 
Recently we have got on well on the whole, having found an 
abundant supply of water. 
DESERT EXPERIENCES. 
July I'^th. — We started from Tontgaru Water this morning. 
Tinka having sent on some men to look for water, we went on 
for three days and nights with scarcely a stoppage j it was hard 
work, the bush being so very dense. I calculated that we travelled 
forty miles in twenty-four hours, or about thirty miles as the crow 
flies, in a N.W. by W. direction. 
On Sunday morning we arrived at a camp of Masaroa Bushmen, 
and sent forward the oxen and donkeys to find water, expecting 
