64 
RETURN TO THE CAPE. 
who periodically pay enormous sums for these inglorious 
affairs wish to know how our little unprotected party 
could quietly travel through the heart of the colony to 
tho capital with as little sonso or sign of danger as if we 
had been in England, they must engage n “ Times Special 
. Correspondent” for tho next outbreak to explain whore 
the money goes, and who havo been benefited by the 
blood and treasure expended. 
Having placed my family on board a homeward-bound 
ship, and promised to rejoin them in two years, wo parted, 
for, as it subsequently proved, nearly five years. The 
Directors of tho London Missionary Society signified their 
cordial approval of my projoct, by leaving the matter 
entirely to my own discretion ; and I havo much pleasure 
in acknowledging my obligations to tho gentlemen com- 
posing that body for always acting in an onlightoncd 
spirit and with as much liberality as their constitution 
would allow. 
I have the like ploasuro in confessing my thankfulnoss 
to tho Astronomer Royal at the Cape, Thomas Macloar, 
Esq., for enabling mo to recall tho littlo astronomical 
knowledge which constant manual labor and the ongrosa- 
ing nature of missionary dutios had effaced from my 
memory, and in adding much that I did not know bofore. 
Tho promise ho mado on parting, that ho would examine 
and correct all my observations, had moro effect in making 
mo persevere in overcoming tho difficulties of an unassistod 
solitary observer than any thing olso ; so, whatever credit 
may bo attached to tho geographical positions laid down 
in my routo must bo attributed to tho voluntary aid of 
tho excellent and laborious astronomer of tho Capo Obser- 
vatory. 
Having given tho reader as rapid a sketch as possible 
of events which attracted notice between 1840 and 1852, I 
now procood to narrate tho incidents of tho last and 
longest journey of all, performed in I s 52-56 
