NO CLAIM TO LITERARY MERIT. 
11 
With the Chinese, and as another inviting field was opening 
out through the labors of Mr. Moffat, I was induced to 
turn my thoughts to Africa; and, after a more extended 
course of theological training in England than I had enjoyed 
in Glasgow, I embarked for Africa in 1840, and, after a voy- 
age of three months, reached Cape Town. Spending but a 
short time there, I started for the interior by going round 
to Algoa Bay, and soon proceeded inland, and have spent the 
following sixteen years of my life, namely, from 1840 to 1856, 
in medical and missionary labors there without cost to the 
inhabitants. 
As to thoso literary qualifications which are acquired by 
habits of writing, and which are so important to an author 
my African life has not only not been favorable to the 
growth of such accomplishments, but quito the reverse; 
it has mado composition irksome and laborious. I think I 
would rather cross tho African continent again than under- 
take to write another book. It is far easier to travel than 
to write about it. I intended on going to Africa to con- 
tinue my studies; but as I could not brook the idea of 
simply entering into other men’s labors made ready to my 
hands, I entailed on myself, in addition to teaching, ma- 
nual labor in building and other handicraft-work, which 
mado mo generally’ as much exhausted and unfit for study 
in tho evenings as ever I had been when a cotton-spinner. 
Tho want of time for self-improvement was tho only source 
of regret that I experienced during my African career. 
The roadcr, remembering this, will mako allowances for 
the mere gropings tor light of a student w T ho has tho vanity 
to think himself “ not yet too old to learn.” More precise 
information on several subjects has necessarily been omitted 
in a popular work like the present ; but I hope to give such 
details to tho scientific reader through somo other channel. 
B 
