Contents.

   Introduction.  Personal Sketch—­Highland Ancestors—­Family
   Traditions—­Grandfather removes to the Lowlands—­Parents—­
   Early Labors and Efforts—­Evening School—­Love of Reading—­
   Religious Impressions—­Medical Education—­Youthful Travels—­
   Geology—­Mental Discipline—­Study in Glasgow—­London
   Missionary Society—­Native Village—­Medical Diploma—­
   Theological Studies—­Departure for Africa—­No Claim to
   Literary Accomplishments.

Chapter 1.  The Bakwain Country—­Study of the Language—­Native Ideas regarding Comets—­Mabotsa Station—­A Lion Encounter—­ Virus of the Teeth of Lions—­Names of the Bechuana Tribes—­ Sechele—­His Ancestors—­Obtains the Chieftainship—­His Marriage and Government—­The Kotla—­First public Religious Services—­Sechele’s Questions—­He Learns to Read—­Novel mode for Converting his Tribe—­Surprise at their Indifference—­ Polygamy—­Baptism of Sechele—­Opposition of the Natives—­ Purchase Land at Chonuane—­Relations with the People—­Their Intelligence—­Prolonged Drought—­Consequent Trials—­Rain- medicine—­God’s Word blamed—­Native Reasoning—­Rain-maker—­ Dispute between Rain Doctor and Medical Doctor—­The Hunting Hopo—­Salt or animal Food a necessary of Life—­Duties of a Missionary.

Chapter 2.  The Boers—­Their Treatment of the Natives—­Seizure of native Children for Slaves—­English Traders—­Alarm of the Boers—­Native Espionage—­The Tale of the Cannon—­The Boers threaten Sechele—­In violation of Treaty, they stop English Traders and expel Missionaries—­They attack the Bakwains—­ Their Mode of Fighting—­The Natives killed and the School- children carried into Slavery—­Destruction of English Property—­African Housebuilding and Housekeeping—­Mode of Spending the Day—­Scarcity of Food—­Locusts—­Edible Frogs—­ Scavenger Beetle—­Continued Hostility of the Boers—­The Journey north—­Preparations—­Fellow-travelers—­The Kalahari Desert—­Vegetation—­Watermelons—­The Inhabitants—­The Bushmen- -Their nomad Mode of Life—­Appearance—­The Bakalahari—­Their Love for Agriculture and for domestic Animals—­Timid Character—­Mode of obtaining Water—­Female Water-suckers—­The Desert—­Water hidden.

Chapter 3.  Departure from Kolobeng, 1st June, 1849—­ Companions—­Our Route—­Abundance of Grass—­Serotli, a Fountain in the Desert—­Mode of digging Wells—­The Eland—­Animals of the Desert—­The Hyaena—­The Chief Sekomi—­Dangers—­The wandering Guide—­Cross Purposes—­Slow Progress—­Want of Water—­ Capture of a Bushwoman—­The Salt-pan at Nchokotsa—­The Mirage—­Reach the River Zouga—­The Quakers of Africa—­ Discovery of Lake Ngami, 1st August, 1849—­Its Extent—­Small Depth of Water—­Position as the Reservoir of a great River System—­The Bamangwato and their Chief—­Desire to visit Sebituane, the Chief of the Makololo—­Refusal of Lechulatebe to furnish us with Guides—­Resolve to return to the Cape—­The Banks of the