was not supported by a life of consistent well-doing, although it did not shake his confidence in the character and the work of missionaries on the whole.  He saw that in the mission there was what might be called a colonial side and a native side; some sympathizing with the colonists and some with the natives.  He had no difficulty in making up his mind between them; he drew instinctively to the party that were for protecting the natives against the unrighteous encroachments of the settlers.

On leaving the ship at Algoa Bay, he proceeded by land to Kuruman or Lattakoo, in the Bechuana country, the most northerly station of the Society in South Africa, and the usual residence of Mr. Moffat, who was still absent in England.  In this his first African journey the germ of the future traveler was apparent.  “Crossing the Orange River,” he says, “I got my vehicle aground, and my oxen got out of order, some with their heads where their tails should be, and others with their heads twisted round in the yoke so far that they appeared bent on committing suicide, or overturning the wagon....  I like travelling very much indeed.  There is so much freedom connected with our African manners.  We pitch our tent, make our fire, etc., wherever we choose, walk, ride, or shoot at abundance of all sorts of game as our inclination leads us; but there is a great drawback:  we can’t study or read when we please.  I feel this very much.  I have made but very little progress in the language (can speak a little Dutch), but I long for the time when I shall give my undivided attention to it, and then be furnished with the means of making known the truth of the gospel.”  While at the Cape, Livingstone had heard something of a fresh-water lake (’Ngami) which all the missionaries were eager to see.  If only they would give him a month or two to learn the colloquial language, he said they might spare themselves the pains of being “the first in at the death.”  It is interesting to remark further that, in this first journey, science had begun to receive its share of attention.  He is already bent on making a collection for the use of Professor Owen[19], and is enthusiastic in describing some agatized trees and other curiosities which he met with.

[Footnote 19:  This collection never reached its destination.]

Writing to his parents from Port Elizabeth, 19th May, 1841, he gives his first impressions of Africa.  He had been at a station called Hankey: 

“The scenery was very fine.  The white sand in some places near the beach drifted up in large wreaths exactly like snow.  One might imagine himself in Scotland were there not a hot sun overhead.  The woods present an aspect of strangeness, for everywhere the eye meets the foreign-looking tree from which the bitter aloes is extracted, popping up its head among the mimosa bushes and stunted acacias.  Beautiful humming-birds fly about in great numbers, sucking the nectar from the flowers, which are in great