| Summary: |
Departure from Sekeletu's town delayed by the heat and dust which precede the rainy season; letter forms "a sort of report, which may enable you to form a clear idea of Intertropical Africa as a missionary field"; detailed description of the physical features of the country "between 18 and 10 degrees South Latitude, and situated towards the centre of the continent", including the rivers and their annual inundation, the geological features of the landscape, the "insalubrious" climate - illustrated by the high levels of illness (fever) and mortality experienced by the Makololo since coming to the region (having come from a dry climate), the greater resilience of the "Barotse, Batoka, Bushubea, &c" to these factors compared to the Bechuanas; the great beauty of the country beyond the Borotse and in Londa (Lunda); fever prevalent but absence of other diseases such as consumption, scrofula, madness, cholera, cancer and other diseases common in England; discusses the conditions that he has experienced whilst travelling, but emphasises that "few [missionaries] who follow will have to endure the like"; describes the nature of fever in different regions and his own experiences of it, and speaks of the treatments applied and his success in curing cases submitted to his care; discusses the increase of British commerce in southern Africa and the impression of "British justice and honour" conveyed to thousands of Africans - gives Sechele's case as an example; gives his views of the Caffre War; discusses the African population in the region and the high population density relative to the southern regions; suggests there is "no impediment to immediate occupation by missionaries" amongst the Makololo; describes the Balonda, their way of life and religious practices, and the Balobale, who find asylum with them; refers to difficulties in dealing with the Chiboque, Bashinje and Bangala [baChokwe, baShinji and baMbangala, of eastern Angola], who come into frequent contact with slave dealers and explains their behaviour in this light - does not find it unreasonable; refers to the Barotse and Batoka "as of the true negro race which occupies the Interior of the continent" and comments on their acquisition of the Sichuana [seTswana] language on account of their subjection to the Makololo - discusses the dialects spoken; gives his views on the relative importance of achieving conversions and of the "wide diffusion of better principles" - considers the latter to be more important; speaks against large concentrations of missionaries in the African mission field, time being more essential than concentration; Africans "are all deeply imbued with the spirit of trade" - the potential for trade and their experience of trading during the journey; considers that his African companions on the journey to Loanda went for the purpose of opening a path for commerce; has many volunteers to go East with him despite him having no funds for payment or even the purchase of food; states the perceived benefit of open trade, but argues for the additional need for Christianity.
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