For several years the country had been parched through drought, but early in 1826 rain fell plentifully.  The earth was soon covered with verdure, but the bright prospects of abundance were quickly cut off.  Swarms of locusts infested the land, and vegetation was entirely destroyed.  This led to great scarcity, and although the natives caught and ate the locusts, hunger and suffering prevailed.  The missionaries’ cattle could not be let out of sight, or they were instantly stolen.  One day two noted fellows from the mountains pounced down upon a man who had charge of some oxen.  They murdered the man and made off with an ox.

To become proficient in the Sechwana language was the earnest purpose of Robert Moffat.  At the end of the year 1826, having moved into his new dwelling, built of stone, and the state of the country being somewhat more tranquil, he left his home and family, to sojourn for a time among the Barolongs, so that he might live exclusively with the natives and attend to their speech.

He made the journey by ox-waggon, and was accompanied by the waggon-driver, a boy, and two Barolongs who were journeying to the same place as himself.  The dangers attending these journeyings from tribe to tribe were by no means imaginary, the following, related in Moffat’s own words, serving as an illustration of some of the perils often encountered: 

“The two Barolongs had brought a young cow with them, and though I recommended their making her fast as well as the oxen, they humorously replied that she was too wise to leave the waggon, even though a lion should be scented.  We took a little supper, which was followed by our evening hymn and prayer.  I had retired only a few minutes to my waggon to prepare for the night, when the whole of the oxen started to their feet.  A lion had seized the cow only a few steps from their tails, and dragged it to the distance of thirty or forty yards, where we distinctly heard it tearing the animal and breaking its bones, while its bellowings were most pitiful.  When these were over, I seized my gun, but as it was too dark to see half the distance, I aimed at the spot where the devouring jaws of the lion were heard.  I fired again and again, to which he replied with tremendous roars, at the same time making a rush towards the waggon so as exceedingly to terrify the oxen.  The two Barolongs engaged to take firebrands and throw them at him so as to afford me a degree of light that I might take aim.  They had scarcely discharged them from their hands when the flames went out, and the enraged animal rushed towards them with such swiftness, that I had barely time to turn the gun and fire between the men and the lion.  The men darted through some thorn bushes with countenances indicative of the utmost terror.  It was now the opinion of all that we had better let him alone if he did not molest us.