proceeding thither, he offered
himself as a missionary to the London Missionary Society, and embarked
for Africa in 1840.

After reaching Cape Town, he went round to Algoa Bay, whence he
proceeded about eight hundred miles into the interior to Kuruman, the
missionary station of the Reverend R. Moffat, whose daughter he
afterwards married.

Thence he went to Lepelole, where, to gain a knowledge of the language
and habits of the inhabitants, the Bakwains, he cut himself off from
European society for six months. The Bakwains, however, being driven by
another tribe from their country, he was unable, as he had intended, to
form a station at that place.

He was more successful at Mabotsa, also inhabited by the Bakwains, to
which place he removed in 1843. It was here, while in chase of a lion,
that he nearly lost his life. He had fired both the barrels of his gun,
and was re-loading, when the lion, though desperately wounded, sprang
upon him, catching his shoulder, both man and beast coming to the ground
together. Growling horribly, the fierce brute shook the doctor as a
terrier dog does a rat. The shock produced a stupor similar to that
which seems to be felt by a mouse after the first shake of a cat. The
gun of his companion, a native schoolmaster, who came to his assistance,
missed fire, when the lion, leaving Dr Livingstone, attacked him.
Another native came up with a spear, when the lion flew at him also, but
the bullets at that moment taking effect, the fierce brute fell down
dead.

The chief of the Bakwains, Sechele, became a Christian, and exerted
himself for the conversion of his people, restoring his wives to their
fathers, and living in every respect a thoroughly consistent life.

The Dutch Boers, who had pushed forward to the confines of the country,
proved, however, most adverse to the success of the mission, by carrying
off the natives and compelling them to labour as slaves.

By the advice of Dr Laidley, Sechele and his people moved to Kolobeng,
a stream about two hundred miles to the north of Kuruman, where Dr
Livingstone formed a station.

He here built a house with his own hands, having learned carpentering
and gardening from Mr Moffat, as also blacksmith work. He had now
become handy at almost any trade, in addition to doctoring and
preaching, and, as his wife could make candles, soap, and clothes, they
possessed what may be considered the indispensable accomplishments of a
missionary famil