the old one, it was produced, accompanied by the feeling declaration, "It is from Kurrechane." Having examined his manner of using it, and formed a tolerable idea of the thing he wanted, I set to work; and finding his iron too soft for piercing holes through nearly an half-inch iron plate, I took the oldest of my two handsaw files to make a punch, which I had to repair many times. After much labour, and a long time spent, I succeeded in piercing about twenty holes, from the eighth of an inch to the thickness of a thread. The moment the work was completed, he grasped it, and breaking out into exclamations of surprise, bounded over the fence like an antelope, and danced about the village like a Merry-Andrew, exhibiting his treasure to every one, and asking if they ever saw anything like it. Next day I told him, that as we were brothers of one trade, (for, among the Africans, arts, though in their infancy, have their secrets too,) he must show me the whole process of melting copper, making brass, and drawing wire. The broken pot or crucible, containing a quantity of copper and a little tin, was presently fixed in the centre of a charcoal fire. He then applied his bellows till the contents were fused. He had previously prepared a heap of sand, slightly adhesive, and by thrusting a stick about two-eighths of an inch in diameter, like the ramrod of a musket, obliquely into this heap, he made holes, into which he poured the contents of his crucible. He then fixed a round, smooth stick, about three feet high, having a split in the top, upright in the ground, when, taking out his rods of brass, he beat them out on a stone with his little hammer, till they were about the eighth of an inch

468

INDIFFERENCE TO THE GOSPEL.

square, occasionally softening them in a small flame, made by burning grass. Having reduced them all to this thickness, he laid the end of one on a stone, and rubbed it to a point with another stone, in order to introduce it through the largest hole in his ironplate; he then opened the split in the upright stick, to hold fast the end of the wire, when he forced the plate and wire round the stick with a lever-power, frequently rubbing the wire with oil or fat. The same operation is performed each time, making the point of the wire smaller for the less hole, till it is reduced to the size wanted, which is sometimes about that of thick sewing-cotton. The wire is, of course, far inferior in colour and quality to our brass-wire. These native smiths, however, evince great dexterity in working ornaments from copper, brass, and iron.*

When I had thus assisted the old man, and become sociable, I talked to him about the power of knowledge; explaining the bellows and other mechanical improvements, which insure accuracy as well as save time and labour. To this he listened with great attention ; but when I introduced Divine subjects, man's misery, and man's redemption, he looked at me with mouth dilated, and asked, "A ga u morihi pula ?" Art thou a rain-maker? This man had also an interesting son and daughter, to whom I often spoke, as well as to some others, in social converse, which I hoped and prayed might be blessed; but what became of these Bahurutsian families I never knew.

*Specimens of the wire, a hammer, and the plate, may be seen in the Missionary Museum, Mission House, Blomfield-street, Finsbury.

A ROYAL VISITOR.

469

Some time after my arrival among these Barolongs, certain people came from the Bauangketsi, who, on seeing me, expressed a strong desire that I should visit their king, Sebegue, the son of Makaba. I explained why I could not comply at that time, and sent a small present. A fortnight after, while sitting writing in my wagon, the hue-and-cry was raised that an enemy was approaching, when many fled, leaving the village with few inhabitants. I did not like the idea of leaving my wagon and other property, after their example, and sat waiting to see who the enemy was, when presently Sebegue, with two hundred warriors, fine-looking men, emerged from a thicket of acacias, and the trembling inhabitants were amazed to observe the chieftain, whom they never saw before, come and salute me in a way which proved that we were old acquaintances. I walked into the village with him and his men, to the no small astonishment of its owners, who drew near, out of breath with their flight, to see the king of the Bauangketsi. They were still more surprised when he told them that he had broken an established law of his people, which would not permit the king to leave his own dominions, but that his martial appearance among them was on designs of peace; for his sole object was to induce me to accompany him to his capital. him to his capital. He remained two days, during which I had much interesting conversation with him, but could not, from want of time, accede to his urgent request to accompany him to his own country. He referred with much apparent pleasure to my visit to his late father, and expressed an earnest desire that I should go and live with him and his people. He had purchased one horse, and

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RETURN TO THE STATION.

stolen another from an individual who had visited him; and wishing to appear before me in trowsers, had got a pair made of some shape, begging I would supply him with better, a request which was granted. The Barolongs were so suspicious of the visit of such a great man, that they could not feel comfortable, until they had heard that he had passed the Molapo, the boundary of his kingdom; they then came and gave me the credit I did not deserve, of preventing his fierce warriors from destroying their villages, and taking their cattle. His last words were, "Trust me, as you trusted my father."

After ten weeks' sojourn among this people, who showed me no little kindness, I prepared to return home; and on the sabbath collected all, and gave them my concluding address, on the importance of believing the gospel of mercy. After a thirsty journey, I reached home, with a heart filled with gratitude to God for the comforts I enjoyed, and the progress I had made in the language, during these months of a semi-savage life. In that country it was not then easy to convey letters, owing to a dangerous desert path, and the tribes living in constant suspicion of each other. It was no uncommon thing in those days for ambassadors never to return, and for trading parties to be entirely cut off. Postmen and carriers were therefore not easily found, though they were safe if known to belong to us. I have more than once found it difficult to convince a messenger that the letter would not say a word to him on the road; and part of a journal, and a letter to Mrs. M., were thrown away from this superstitious notion.

A remarkable providence was observable in this

MERCIFUL PRESERVATION.

471

visit to the Barolongs. Immediately on my return to the station, the news reached us that a marauding party had proceeded from the Orange River to the northward, and fell on the people among whom I had lived, and they, in consequence, fled to the Kalagare desert, with the loss of much cattle. The distance at which they had passed and repassed to the north of our station, and the feebleness of the party, excited no alarm among the Kuruman people.

The above is a sketch of the lekuka, or Bechuana milk-sack, referred to in the present work, and is made of the hide of an ox, or that of a quagga, which is said to give the milk a better flavour. The strongest part of the skin is selected, and stretched on the ground with wooden pegs; and when it has become hard, the hairy side is scraped smooth with a small iron adze; cut and sewed into the above shape. After being soaked with water, it is filled with sweet milk, which, in warm weather, or on being exposed to the sun, soon becomes sour. The spigot at the bottom is to draw off the whey, when more milk is added. The thick sour milk thus prepared is very agreeable and wholesome, and will keep a long time. These sacks do not last long, especially if used for water; and by them, it is easy for us to understand the old leather bottles of Scripture, into which new wine was not to be put.