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Account of proceedings over the previous eight months, including two journeys eastwards; message received from Dutch emigrants [Boers] lately established in the region asking him to give an account of his intentions and intimating that they were about to deprive Sechele of his firearms; receipt of messages and gifts from Mokhatla [Mokgatle, chief 1835?-1889 of the BaFokeng, or 'Bahukeng'], living four days East of the station at Chonuane [Chonwane] who expresses an interest in obtaining Paul as his teacher; journey with Paul across the River Marikoe [River Marico, July 1846] to the town of Mokhatla; describes work with copper wire, wood and iron in the town; clear that Mokhatla no longer master of his territory and that any agreement would have to be reached with the settlers; refers to another chief called Pilanie [Pilane, chief 1825?-1848 of the Bakhatla, BaKgatla-bakaKgafela]; meeting with a large group of Bakwains [baKwena] and friendly reception; negotiations with the [Boer] Commandant; erection of school at Chonuane [Chonwane] and instruction underway by Paul and his son Isaac; proceeded eastwards again with Mary and Mebaloe [Mebalwe Molehane]; spent Sabbath with Mamogale [Mmamogale, chief 1835?-1884 of the BaKwena-baMogopa], on the Eastern bank of the Ourie [Limpopo River]; proceeded to the Bamosetla [BaKgatla-baMsetlha]; refers to the Bagalaka [baKgatla] and the difference in their dialect; collects specimens of the spindle and distaff with which they spin cotton and notes the smelting of iron, copper, tin and the abundance of ores in the region; visit to town of Mankopane [chief, 1845?-1877 of the baMapela]; relations between the Dutch and the indigenous people - the fountains have all been taken [by the Boers] and the local chiefs are obliged to provide men for unpaid work in return for being allowed to remain on their own land; Boers regularly take cattle and sheep from the people; accounts of Boer attack [Livingstone describes it as a "massacre"] on the tribe of Chief Melechoe [Moletsi, chief of the BaKwena-baMoletsi]; returns to his proposal for a teacher training institution, opposed by brethren in the District Committee, and his attempts to push this forward again; discusses David Molehane [Mebaloe] and Paul, their characters and the means of their financial support; progress with the Bakwains [baKwena] over the past twelve months; discussion of rainmaking; attitudes towards the missionaries; perceptions of the uses of medicine; famine and drought in the region; Sechele as a scholar and his adoption of European clothing and other material goods; discusses the work of Mr Inglis [Walter Inglis] in discouraging terms; intimates plans to move with the Bakwain to a new locality in order to establish a permanent station; discusses his financial debts and appeals directly to the directors for assistance; refers to the "depressed state of the funds of the Society" and their proposal to reduce the annual sum allocated to South African missions, offering his support for this on the basis that too much is being expended on the field and goes on to give examples of the number of mission personnel at Algoa Bay, Uitenhage, Graaf Reinet [Graaff-Reinet] and Colesberg - "the Colonial market is literally gutted with missionaries"; reiterates his belief that in order to spread the gospel effectively, an active "native agency" is required and a move away from a
"reliance on missionaries at the earliest possible opportunity"; requests medicines though Dr J. Risdon Bennet.
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