118 
ATTACK OF BOERS ON BAKWAINS. 
Chap. VI. 
with ability to read that, there can be httle doubt as to the future. 
We beheve Christianity to be divine, and equal to aU it has to 
perform; then let the good seed be mdely sown, and, no matter 
to what sect the converts may belong, the harvest wiU be glorious. 
Let nothing that I have said be interpreted as indicative of 
feelings inimical to any body of Christians, for I never as a mis¬ 
sionary felt myself to be either Presbyterian, Episcopahan, or 
Independent, or called upon in any way to love one denomination 
less than another. My earnest desire is, that those who really 
have the best interests of the heathen at heart should go to them ; 
and assuredly, in Africa at least, self-denying labours among real 
heathen will not fail to be appreciated. Christians have never 
yet dealt fairly by the heathen and been disappointed. 
Wlien Sechele understood that we could no longer remain with 
liim at Kolobeng, he sent his children to Mr. Moffat, at Kuruman, 
for instruction in all the knowledge of the white men. Mr. 
Moffat very hberally received at once an accession of five to his 
family, with them attendants. 
Having been detained at Kuruman about a fortnight by the 
breaking of a waggon-wheel, I was thus providentially prevented 
from being present at the attack of the Boers on the Bakwains, news 
of which was brought, about the end of that time, by Masebele, the 
wife of Sechele. She had herself been hidden in a cleft of a rock, 
over which a number of Boers were firing. Her infant began to cry, 
and, terrified lest this should attract the attention of the men, the 
muzzles of whose guns appeared at every discharge over lier head, 
she took off her armlets as playthings to quiet the child. Slie 
brought Mr. Moffat a letter, which tells its own tale; nearly 
literally translated it was as follows:— 
‘‘ Friend of my heart’s love, and of all the confidence of my 
heart, I am Sechele; I am undone by the Boers, who attacked 
me, though I had no guilt with them. They demanded that I 
should be in them kingdom, and I refused; they demanded that 
I should prevent the English and Griquas from passing (north¬ 
wards). I replied. These are my friends, and I can prevent no 
one (of them). They came on Saturday, and I besought them 
not to fight on Sunday, and they assented. They began on 
Monday morning at twilight, and fired with all their might, and 
