VI 
PKEFACE, 
certainly have been compelled to leave England in May last; and 
it has afforded me the pleasure of travelling over, in imagination, 
every scene again, and recalling the feelings which actuated me 
at the time. I have much pleasure in acknowledging my deep 
obligations to the hospitality and kindness of the Portuguese on 
many occasions. 
I have not entered into the early labours, trials, and successes of 
the missionaries who preceded me in the Bechuana country, because 
that has been done by the much abler pen of my father-in-law, 
Eev. Robert Moffat, of Kuruman, who has been an energetic and 
devoted actor in the scene for upwards of forty years. A slight 
sketch only is given of my own attempts, and the chief part of the 
book is taken up with a detail of the efforts made to open up a 
new field north of the Bechuana country to the sympathies of 
Christendom. The prospects there disclosed are fairer than I anti¬ 
cipated, and the capabilities of the new region lead me to hope, 
that, by the production of the raw materials of our manufactures, 
African and English interests will become more closely linked 
than heretofore—that both countries will be eventually benefited— 
and that the cause of freedom throughout the world will in some 
measure be promoted. 
Dr. Hooker, of Kew, has had the kindness to name and classify 
for me, as far as possible, some of the new botanical specimens 
which I brought over; Dr. Andrew Smith (liimself an African 
traveller) has aided me in the zoology, and favoured me with several 
sketches taken on the spot, as the hunting ho^o^ Bakalahari women, 
and presentation at court, the last being an incident which occmTed 
when Dr. Smith was on a visit to Mosilikatse in company with 
Mr. Moffat; and Captain Need has laid open for my use liis port¬ 
folio of African sketches: for all which acts of liberality my thanks 
are deservedly due ; as well as to my brother, who has rendered 
me willing aid as an amanuensis. It gives me also great pleasm^e 
to point out the very spirited sketches of Mr.d. Wolf, made from 
the descriptions given to him by Major Yardon, Mr. Oswell, and 
myself. My hearty thanks are also due to Mr. Arrowsmith, the 
eminent geographer, for the great care he has bestowed on the 
construction of the maps; and to J. 0. Westwood, Esq., of Oxford, 
who examined the insects, and was the first who described the tsetse 
to the world, from the specimens brought home by Major Yardon, 
showing also the probability of this insect and the zimb of Abys¬ 
sinia being closely allied. 
Although I cannot profess to be a draughtsman, I brought home 
with me a few rough diagram-sketches, from one of which the view 
of the Falls of the Zambesi has been prepared by a more experi¬ 
enced artist. 
October^ 1857. 
