missionaries in this land.  No!  I gratefully acknowledge the wonders God hath wrought, and I feel that the salvation of one soul is of more value than all the effort that has been expended; but we are to seek the field where there is a possibility that most souls will be converted, and it is this consideration which makes me earnestly call the attention of the Directors to the subject of statistics.  If these were actually returned—­and there would be very little difficulty in doing so—­it might, perhaps, be found that there is not a country better supplied with missionaries in the world, and that in proportion to the number of agents compared to the amount of population, the success may be inferior to most other countries where efforts have been made.”

Finding that a brother missionary was willing to accompany him to the station he had fixed on among the Bakhatlas, and enable him to set to work with the necessary arrangements, Livingstone set out with him in the beginning of August, 1843, and arrived at his destination after a fortnight’s journey.  Writing to his family, “in sight of the hills of Bakhatla,” August 21st, 1843, he says:  “We are in company with a party of three hunters:  one of them from the West Indies, and two from India—­Mr. Pringle from Tinnevelly, and Captain Steel of the Coldstream Guards, aide-de-camp to the Governor of Madras....  The Captain is the politest of the whole, well versed in the classics, and possessed of much general knowledge.”  Captain Steele, now General Sir Thomas Steele, proved one of Livingstone’s best and most constant friends.  In one respect the society of gentlemen who came to hunt would not have been sought by Livingstone, their aims and pursuits being so different from his; but he got on with them wonderfully.  In some instances these strangers were thoroughly sympathetic, but not in all.  When they were not sympathetic on religion, he had a strong conviction that his first duty as a servant of Christ was to commend his religion by his life and spirit—­by integrity, civility, kindness, and constant readiness to deny himself in obliging others; having thus secured, their esteem and confidence, he would take such quiet opportunities as presented themselves to get near their consciences on his Master’s behalf.  He took care that there should be no moving about on the day of rest, and that the outward demeanor of all should be befitting a Christian company.  For himself, while he abhorred the indiscriminate slaughter of animals for mere slaughter’s sake, he thought well of the chase as a means of developing courage, promptness of action in time of danger, protracted endurance of hunger and thirst, determination in the pursuit of an object, and other qualities befitting brave and powerful men.  The respect and affection with which he inspired the gentlemen who were thus associated with him was very remarkable.  Doubtless, with his quick apprehension, he learned a good deal from their society of the ways and feelings of a class