The Mission was established, but work had only begun.  The first six months of the year 1860 were months of incessant toil to the missionaries at Inyati.  Houses had to be built, waggons repaired, and garden ground made ready for cultivation.  Early and late, Moffat was to be found at work,—­in the saw-pit, at the blacksmith’s forge, or exercising his skill at the carpenter’s bench; in all ways aiding and encouraging his younger companions.  He also endeavoured to gain Moselekatse’s consent to the opening of regular communication with the Livingstone expedition on the Zambesi via Matabeleland, but the suspicious nature of the monarch foiled this project.  The isolation of his country in this direction was so great that, although but a comparatively short distance away, no tidings whatever could be obtained of the other party who, under Mr. Helmore, had gone to the Makololo tribe.

In June, 1860, Moffat felt that his work at Inyati was done.  He had spared neither labour of mind nor body in planting the Mission, and had endured hardships at his advanced age that younger men might well have shrunk from.  The hour approached for him to bid a final farewell to Moselekatse, and once more he drew near to the chiefs kraal, with the purpose of speaking to him and his people, for the last time, on the all-important themes of life, death, and eternity.  The old chief was in his large courtyard and received his missionary friend kindly.  Together they sat, side by side—­the Matabele despot, whose name struck terror even then into many native hearts, and the messenger of the Prince of Peace, the warriors ranged themselves in a semi-circle, the women crept as near as they could, and all listened to the last words of “Moshete.”  It was a solemn service, and closed the long series of efforts which the missionary had made to reach the hearts of Moselekatse and his people.  On the morrow he started for home, which he reached in safety, having been absent twelve months.

Meanwhile, terrible trials had befallen the party who had started to found the Makololo Mission.  The difficulties attending their journey to Linyanti were such as nothing but the noblest Christian principle would have induced them to encounter, or enabled them to surmount.  The chief of these was the great scarcity of water.  One of their trials is thus described:—­

“From the Zouga we travelled on pretty comfortably, till near the end of November, when we suffered much from want of water....  For more than a week every drop we used had to be walked for about thirty-five miles.  Mrs. Helmore’s feelings may be imagined, when one afternoon, the thermometer standing at 107 deg. in the shade, she was saving just one spoonful of water for each of the dear children for the next morning, not thinking of taking a drop herself.  Mr. Helmore, with the men, was then away searching for water; and when he returned the next morning with the precious fluid, we found that he had walked full forty miles.”