John Mackenzie 
 
 South African Missionary 
 
 and Statesman
 
 ,u 
 
 /> 
 
 THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES
 
 J 
 
 OHN MACKENZIE 
 
 SOUTH AFRICAN MISSIONARY AND 
 STATESMAN. 7V> BY W. DOUGLAS 
 
 MACKENZIE, M.A. PROFESSOR OF 
 SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY IN THE 
 CHICAGO THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY ?*? 
 
 LONDON: HODDER AND 
 STOUGHTON -^ 27 
 PATERNOSTER ROW 1902
 
 
 ^0 
 THE DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS 
 
 OF THE 
 
 LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY 
 
 WHO SHOWED SO WISE A SYMPATHY 
 
 FOR HIM IN HIS MOST 
 
 BURDENED YEARS 
 
 THIS BIOGRAPHY 
 
 OF ONE WHO REGARDED THEM 
 WITH A MOST LOYAL LOVE 
 
 IS GRATEFULLY DEDICATED
 
 PREFACE 
 
 Many dangers confront the son who writes the 
 biography of his father. It is easy to err in every 
 direction, now by withholding what the' reader ought 
 to know if the biography is to be written at all, and 
 again, by touching on aspects of character and life 
 which the sensitive stranger shrinks from gazing upon 
 too closely. In the following pages I have tried to be 
 natural ; neither to hide nor to obtrude admiration 
 for my father's character ; neither to suppress nor to 
 defend sympathy with most of his political doctrines. 
 Nor has it been thought best to avoid all reference to 
 those tender and sacred sides of his personality, which 
 it may be hard to describe fittingly, but without which 
 no life, and therefore no life's record, can either have 
 or convey any real grace and inspiration. 
 
 The task of compression has been found perplexing. 
 Since the manuscript was completed many incidents 
 and documents continue to thrust themselves forward, 
 reproachfully asking why they were omitted. And 
 no good reason can be given, except the general one, 
 which appeases no particular complainant, that it had 
 been resolved to make the biography brief at all 
 costs. It would have been much easier to make it 
 much longer, 
 
 A word or two must be said on the political side of
 
 vi PREFACE 
 
 my father's Hfework. He was drawn into it gradually, 
 irresistibly, for the sake of his mission work. His 
 was the kind of nature which cannot think of religion 
 and religious work, except in relation to the whole 
 round of human interests and activities. For such 
 men, it is hard, nay impossible, to see the Kingdom of 
 God suffering from the very forces which it ought to 
 control, without loud protest and active resistance. It 
 has been no pleasant task to study closely the records 
 of my father's efforts to persuade the British Govern- 
 ment, between the years 1882 and 1891, to adopt 
 a South African policy which would have prevented 
 the horrors of this great war. He failed, not for lack 
 of earnest and powerful supporters of his policy 
 throughout the country, but because the Government 
 was persuaded to adopt a form of Imperialism which 
 may not, for long years to come, be applicable in 
 South Africa — however excellent its results may have 
 been in Canada and Australasia. 
 
 The Confederation of South Africa is a dream 
 which Lord Carnarvon tried to hurry in one direction, 
 with disaster to Sir Bartle Frere. It is a dream which 
 the Africander Bond has tried to hurry in another 
 direction, with disaster to the two Republics. The 
 difficulty of confederation in South Africa lies ulti- 
 mately, not in the mere rivalry of the two European 
 races, but in the existence of the great and ever 
 growing native population. I believe that the deepest 
 and wisest words on that difficulty and on the way to 
 meet it are to be found in my father's writings ; and
 
 PREFACE vii 
 
 I trust that readers of the biography may obtain 
 enough light upon it to wish for more. Unhappy the 
 Government that tries to solve the permanently por- 
 tentous problem of South Africa, while treating the 
 native aspect of that problem, incidentally or super- 
 ficially ! It has always been and is very close to the 
 heart of the whole matter, a responsibility that has 
 already worked its own terrific revenges, a challenge to 
 the nobleness of Great Britain that no mockery can 
 ever silence. 
 
 It remains to record my gratitude to various kind 
 helpers in this undertaking. My father's dear and 
 long tried friends the Rev. James Ross of Glasgow, 
 Mr Charles G. Gates of Meanwoodside, Leeds, and 
 Mr Henry Beard of Cape Town, furnished me with 
 letters from my father, and with valuable memoranda 
 of their own. Principal A. W. W. Dale, of University 
 College, Liverpool, sent a bundle of letters addressed 
 to his father, the late Dr R. W. Dale of Birmingham, 
 and Mr W. T. Stead let me have a number of equally 
 important letters addressed to himself. The Right 
 Honourable Lord Knutsford sent several letters of the 
 year 1891, with an explanatory note of his own ; and 
 Mr Arthur H. Loring who, with Mr H. O. Arnold 
 Forster, worked most faithfully for the South African 
 Committee, when that Committee laboured to promote 
 my father's views, gave me useful information and 
 some documents. Lieut-General Sir Charles Warren, 
 K.C.M.G., took much interest in the proposed memorial 
 of his old friend and fellow-worker, but was prevented
 
 viii PREFACE 
 
 by his appointment to active service from carr\-ing out 
 his intention of rendering further aid. I have also to 
 thank the Rev. R. \Vardlaw Thompson, Foreign 
 Secretary of the London Missionary Society, and the 
 Directors, for permission to search the files of their 
 South African Correspondence. 
 
 It is perhaps right to add that the appearance of 
 this book has been delayed by two illnesses, which 
 overtook the author at periods when he had expected 
 comparative freedom from other duties. 
 
 Much and special gratitude is due to the Rev. 
 James Ross of Glasgow, for undertaking the task of 
 reading the proof sheets. W. D. M.
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 Preface . . . . . ' . . v 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 From Knockando to Bedford (1835-1855) . . i 
 
 CHAPTER H 
 From Bedford to Cape Town (1855-1858) . . 21 
 
 CHAPTER HI 
 "Wanderjahre" (1858- 1 864) . . . .42 
 
 CHAPTER IV 
 The First Period at Shoshong (1864-1871) . . 96 
 
 CHAPTER V 
 The Second Period at Shoshong (1871-1876) . 133
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTER VI 
 
 PACK 
 
 'By-Products' of a IVIissionary's Career (1871- 
 
 1876) 160 
 
 CHAPTER VII 
 The Moffat Institution (1871-1882) . . -179 
 
 CHAPTER VIII 
 
 KuRUMAN— An Unpaid Administrator (1877- 1879) . 204 
 
 CHAPTER IX 
 Kuruman— John Mackenzie's Choice (1879-1882) . 227 
 
 CHAPTER X 
 
 England— The Missionary as Political Educator 
 
 (1882, 1883) . . . . . .257 
 
 CHAPTER XI 
 
 England— The Transvaal Delegates and the 
 
 London Convention (1883, 1884) . . . 278
 
 CONTENTS xi 
 
 CHAPTER XII 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Africa— John Mackenzie as Deputy Commissioner 
 
 (1884) 310 
 
 CHAPTER XIII 
 
 Africa — The Rousing of the Cape Colony (1884, 
 
 1885) 352 
 
 CHAPTER XIV 
 
 Africa— The Warren Expedition (1885) . . 374 
 
 CHAPTER XV 
 England— "Baffled to Fight Better" (1885- 1887) . 395 
 
 CHAPTER XVI 
 England— The Rejection of a Prophet (1888, 1889) 416 
 
 CHAPTER XVII 
 England— The Saving of Bechuanaland (1890, 1891) 439 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII 
 Africa— Manysided Work at Hankey (i 891 -1898) . 469
 
 xii CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTER XIX 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Africa— Last Contributions to Imperial Politics 
 
 (189S-1898) 494 
 
 CHAPTER XX 
 
 Africa — Preacher and Counsellor (1891-1898) . 516 
 
 CHAPTER XXI 
 
 The Ripened Life and the Sickle (1898, 1899) • 53' 
 
 Appendix ....... 549 
 
 Index ........ 553
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 FROM KNOCK ANDO TO BEDFORD (1835-1855) 
 
 In the remote valley of Knockando, in Morayshire, a 
 certain family of Mackenzies was to be found far from 
 the true home of their clan in Ross-shire. Their presence 
 there seems to have been accounted for by supposing 
 that an unknown ancestor had found it necessary to 
 flee into hiding after one of the several futile rebellions 
 of the 1 8th century. Knockando is a bleak district 
 lying behind a low range of hills on the left bank of 
 the river Spey ; which used to be described in the 
 school geographies as " the swiftest river in Scotland," 
 
 Throughout life this " solemn rolling Spey," as he 
 called it, was ever mentioned by Mackenzie with a 
 certain tenderness of personal affection. The scenery 
 of the river valley for some miles up and down is 
 peculiarly beautiful, and at several points, as at 
 Craigellachie, it even reaches a certain grandeur. It 
 is easy to see how the music of the rushing waters, 
 the broad and deep pools where it flows in silent 
 stretches under the gloom of overhanging crags, must 
 have left indelible and romantic impressions upon the 
 mind of a sensitive young Celt. Long years after- 
 wards he wrote out of the desert heart of South 
 Africa to his eldest son, who was about to spend a 
 holiday season in Morayshire : " Tell me if you heard 
 again the noise of the Spey ; the one solemn sound in 
 the still and lovely summer evening. It is worth 
 hearing ; and you will never need to try to remember 
 it." 
 
 The soil of Knockando indeed is bare and un-
 
 2 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 generous ; but its scattered little farms have been the 
 homes of warm hearts. In one of these humble 
 homes John Mackenzie, the youngest of six children, 
 was born on August 30th, 1835 ; and there he lived 
 till he was nine years of age. 
 
 The only record of his earliest years which he has 
 preserved is brief and reads thus : — 
 
 " The first verse and prayer which my mother 
 taught me was as follows : — 
 
 "This nicht whan I He down tae sleep 
 I gie my soul tae Christ tae keep. 
 An' wauk' I noo, an' wauk' I never 
 I gie my soul tae Christ forever." 
 
 His parents were unable to give him more than the 
 primary education of the parish school ; but circum- 
 stances made it possible for the little lad to be received 
 into the Anderson Institution in the beautiful and 
 ancient city of Elgin. Thither he went in his tenth 
 year, making the whole journey of sixteen miles, which 
 he was to repeat so often in the next few years, on 
 foot. The Anderson Institution was founded and 
 endowed by a General Anderson, whose life-story had 
 been from beginning to end of strangely mingled pathos 
 and brilliance. The purpose of the Institution was 
 said to be " the support of old age and the education 
 of youth." When John Mackenzie entered the school 
 its head master was one John Eddie, a licentiate of the 
 Church of Scotland, a man of some learning and a 
 most kind heart ; of great patience and carefulness as 
 a teacher. Intelligent pupils received a very thorough 
 foundation under his tuition. His school did not aim 
 at keeping children beyond the age, about thirteen or 
 fourteen years, when they could become apprenticed 
 to some trade ; but it followed them right through 
 their apprenticeship with substantial aid and almost 
 parental interest. For Mr Eddie, Mackenzie felt a 
 life-long gratitude and affection, named his second son
 
 FROM KNOCKANDO TO BEDFORD 3 
 
 after him, and sought in various ways to maintain 
 a friendly connection with him until he died in 
 the year 1887, at the age of eighty-seven. And 
 Mackenzie appears, on the other hand, to have excited 
 the special interest of his master, who followed his 
 career, even in the days of his apprenticeship, with an 
 attentive sympathy. 
 
 On October 23rd, 1848, the young boy left the 
 school which had become almost a home. to him, and 
 was apprenticed to Mr Alexander Russell, the pro- 
 prietor and printer, editor and publisher of the local 
 newspaper named The Elgin Courant. The " inden- 
 ture " bound him to serve this master faithfully and 
 diligently for seven long years, during which the 
 master was bound " to teach him or cause him to be 
 taught " every branch of the printing trade. The 
 hours were irregular but seem to have averaged ten 
 hours a day, and at times late work had to be done on 
 the newspaper. Leisure could be therefore found for 
 reading and study only by those who had strong 
 inclinations in that direction. 
 
 Although so young, John Mackenzie had to live in 
 lodgings, virtually master of his own time and habits 
 at fourteen years of age ! How significant and 
 pathetic are the words which he wrote in his diary at 
 a certain crisis when he was almost twenty years of 
 age : " It is now ten years since I have asked parental 
 advice. During that period, when not under the eye 
 of a teacher or of an employer, I have been entirely 
 my own adviser, and my own master. Instead of 
 giving, both parents ask advice from me, so that I am 
 not acting in any way undutifully towards my parents, 
 but simply in that way which circumstances at first 
 produced, which after events continued, which our 
 different dispositions and feelings fostered, and which is 
 now acted as duty by me, and expected by them." 
 At first he appears to have lived the happy life of a
 
 4 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 boy, without great or strenuous self-exertion. He was 
 not particularly fond of reading, as yet, but threw him- 
 self heartily into boyish fun and games. He used to 
 recall in later years the fact that he pla)'ed cricket on 
 Elgin Green, the game which he liked most. One 
 remembers a scene in South Central Africa when some 
 English travellers met at a mission station and a game 
 at cricket was improvised out of primitive materials, 
 and Mackenzie was one of the most eager and happy 
 players. 
 
 For several years, as he afterwards stated at his 
 ordination, he found himself surrounded by the 
 thoughtless, the foolish, and the vicious, and his 
 religious feelings were stifled. He gave up going to 
 church, never opened his Bible, and only read " silly or 
 sinful publications." His intellectual life was suddenly 
 and effectually awakened by an incident which he 
 owed to the influence of his younger fellow apprentice, 
 James Ross (now the Rev. James Ross of Eglinton 
 Street Congregational Church, Glasgow), the dear 
 friend with whom he maintained affectionate corre- 
 spondence for the rest of his life. This friend had 
 been led to join the Bishopmill Literary Association, 
 which met in a hired room in the village of Bishopmill, 
 across the river Lossie. Mackenzie was amazed to 
 see young men and younger lads, most of whom he 
 knew, discussing a matter of intellectual interest with 
 intense earnestness and freedom. It was a new and 
 fascinating world. He himself became quickly 
 absorbed in the subject of debate and in the argu- 
 ments offered on each side ; so absorbed indeed that 
 before the meeting closed he had found himself on his 
 own feet and delivered his first public speech ! 
 
 The rousing of the intellectual life led gradually 
 to that religious quickening from which his whole 
 character ever after drew its most distinctive qualities. 
 Although brought up as a son of the Church of Scot-
 
 FROM KNOCKANDO TO BEDFORD 5 
 
 land, Mackenzie was led, mainly by his intimacy with 
 James Ross, to attend what was called the Independent 
 Chapel, to which Ross's family belonged. The aged 
 minister, Rev. Niel M'Niel, was now unequal to pulpit 
 work, but took much interest in several branches of 
 pastoral duty. There came to preach one summer, 
 1853, a student from the Theological Academy of the 
 Congregational Churches of Scotland, by name Alex- 
 ander Williamson, afterwards so widely . known as a 
 missionary in China. This young man, tall and 
 powerful of build, forceful in manner and speech, 
 was aflame with religious zeal and, above all, with 
 enthusiasm for that missionary career to which he had 
 dedicated his life. He exercised upon Mackenzie an 
 influence of peculiar strength. In his personal jottings 
 in June, 1854, the latter says, "I could not tell the 
 exact time either of my conversion or of my first 
 desiring to become a minister." But he also says that 
 both events had happened, the one about a year and 
 the other more than a year before. This would 
 indicate that it was under the summer ministry of 
 Alexander Williamson that the full light broke upon 
 his young soul, and then that he made the inward 
 resolution, from which there was henceforth no swerv- 
 ing, to become a preacher of the gospel in the heathen 
 world. 
 
 Somewhere in this early period of his spiritual 
 history Mackenzie began to write a diary. The 
 earliest portion which has been preserved is not the 
 first. It is dated "18.54, May 19, Friday." The 
 heading is, "Jottings of My Life — Continued." With 
 some intermissions, this habit of writing almost daily 
 memoranda and meditations was maintained until the 
 first voyage to Cape Town was ended. These jottings 
 were entered almost always on little boardless booklets, 
 evidently made by the writer himself from sheets of 
 unruled paper, folded and stitched together. In them
 
 6 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 the young man pours out his soul day by day witli 
 the utmost simplicity and with an earnestness amount- 
 ing sometimes to real passion. If it be remembered 
 that the extracts which are given from that diary were 
 begun by a young lad yet in his 'teens, who had left 
 school at thirteen to fight his life's battles without the 
 shelter and comfort of home life, they will most pro- 
 bably strike every reader as indicating the possession 
 of unusual powers, as well as of a full measure of that 
 divine grace which we sometimes call religious genius. 
 On June 5th, 1854, he sat down for the first 
 " communion season." It was the custom at Elgin, 
 as, happily, in many Congregational Churches in 
 Scotland, to celebrate the Lord's Supper every Sunday 
 morning, at the close of the ordinary public service. 
 Thus did he express the feelings which that solemn 
 event stirred in his heart : — 
 
 Jii7ie 4, 1854 — Morinng. — How sweet is the Sabbath 
 morn, how calm, how placid, how solemn ! To the believer 
 the Sabbath is a day of delight and holy pleasure. It is the 
 Lord's day — that day on which Jesus burst the gates of the 
 tomb and rose triumphant. It is the day on which the 
 apostles and first believers came together to " break bread " 
 — to do so in remembrance of Jesus. Oh, how pleasing the 
 day and its associations and duties ! I look forward this day 
 that I shall, by God's great mercy and grace, be enabled to 
 observe this Lord's day as did the Christians of old. At the 
 table of the Lord I, by His grace, will be a guest ; and, oh ! 
 grant. Lord, that I may go there with, and while I am there 
 may I feel, true love to Jesus ; and may the remembrance of 
 His atonement, His death for me and for sinners every- 
 where, come to my soul at that table with peculiar force ! 
 Oh, how sweet a thing is Christianity, with its trust in Jesus, 
 its love to Him and to our fellow-Christians ! The world 
 knoweth it not, and yet this happiness is but imperfect here, 
 although it shall ho. perfect _>'(9«^6'/- ! 
 
 Afternoon. — By the grace of God, I have been a guest 
 at His table, and have done according to His commands and 
 in remembrance of Him, and I don't think I ever felt so 
 happy on earth. Oh, the nearness of such a place to God !
 
 FROM KNOCKANDO TO BEDFORD 7 
 
 How solemn it therefore is ! God is near us always, but in 
 the associations and circumstances of this holy ordinance our 
 weak faith is made sufficient to perceive and to discern Him 
 with greater vividness and clearness. I will always, I think, 
 remember the peculiar feeling I possessed. It was one of 
 rest, repose, and peace created by sweet leaning on Jesus, 
 Satan was busy, however, as he always is, to prevent me from 
 either enjoying or realising my position ; but grace prevailed, 
 and I was enabled to overcome, to a certain extent, at any 
 rate. 
 
 It is characteristic of Mackenzie's life-long interest 
 in organisation, in the way of doing things, that on 
 this very day he makes the following remarks upon 
 the conduct of a business meeting of the members of 
 the Church, which he that day attended for the first 
 time. 
 
 Both resolutions, after deliberation, were agreed to, and 
 the meeting was a harmonious one. But I think I could 
 suggest improvements in the management of this Church, 
 instead of being so much benefited by surveying its working. 
 The Church has no secretary or clerk, and I am told their 
 business meetings are sometimes without a preses or chair- 
 man. It was not so, however, in the meeting to-day. I 
 have unshaken belief in the simplicity and the divinity of the 
 system, although its working here, as far as I have seen and 
 heard of it, has not gone altogether to foster this notion. 
 
 The daily "jottings " are at this earlier period much 
 occupied with the obstacles which seemed to lie between 
 him and the mission field. The chief difficulty arose 
 from the determination which he had formed to go at 
 once to some school of training for the ministry. In 
 order to do that he must obtain permission from 
 Alexander Russell, " my master " as he always calls 
 him, to break his apprenticeship. And there lay the 
 occasion of many troubled days. Further, his friends 
 were divided in their counsel as to whether he should 
 apply at once to the London Missionary Society and 
 attend their training school at Bedford, or first go 
 through the course of the " Glasgow Theological
 
 8 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 Academy " (later known as the Congregational Theo- 
 logical Hall). Now, any form of advice which seemed 
 to hasten his arrival on the mission field was for that 
 very reason preferred by Mackenzie. The motto 
 which he at this period chose for himself is referred 
 to in a most interesting letter written to James Ross 
 after he had begun his studies at Bedford. 
 
 For many months previous to my leaving the Coiifant 
 office, my daily, almost hourly^ breathing to God was, " Make 
 my feet like hinds' feet : make me to walk in mine high 
 places."^ The burden of this is, compress, as it were, mine 
 experience : teach me much in a short time : and deliver me 
 from, yea make me triumph over mine enemies. 
 
 It was in this spirit of intense eagerness that he 
 entered into correspondence with the London Mission- 
 ary Society, believing that if the Directors were to 
 accept his application all other difficulties would 
 speedily disappear. At the same time he went on 
 with his studies in his leisure hours, though he con- 
 fesses several times that his correspondence and 
 anxieties occasionally made Latin rudiments uncon- 
 genial and close study impossible. Throughout the 
 uncertainties of those months he kept his own counsel, 
 pouring out his fullest confidences and the reflection 
 of his daily thoughts and various emotions, in the 
 pages of his diary — and, as those pages abundantly 
 prove, in frequent and prolonged prayer. Once a 
 week he met several other young men at the house of 
 a companion named James Mackintosh, who died two or 
 three years later, for prayer : and his diary frequently 
 refers gratefully to this intimate communion of friends. 
 Once a week also he had a special season of private 
 prayer for the spread of the kingdom of God, in 
 which his daily pleadings were elaborated. 
 
 It was in June, 1854, that after considerable hesita- 
 tion, caused by the divergent opinions of the friends 
 
 ' llabakkuk iii. lo.
 
 FROM KNOCKANDO TO BEDFORD 9 
 
 whom he consulted, Mackenzie applied directly to the 
 London Missionary Society for appointment as one 
 of its agents in the foreign field. Of course, it was 
 understood that if they accepted him he would have 
 to spend some time in preparative study. Unfortun- 
 ately for his peace of mind no answer to his applica- 
 tion was received until October 6th, and then it was 
 declined. The reasons given by the Society's Direc- 
 tors was that he was too young, alike in years and as 
 a member of the Christian Church : it was also felt 
 that he must carry his education further ere he could 
 be accepted. At the same time he was encouraged 
 to renew his application nine or twelve months later. 
 The disappointment was met with courage and un- 
 abated hope. 
 
 About this time Mackenzie, who had a good singing 
 voice, received, after the usual public competition, the 
 appointment of precentor at the Parish Church of 
 New Spynie, on a salary of £s per annum. From Dr 
 Kyd, the minister, he received much kindness and 
 encouragement. Long years after he used to recall 
 with intense amusement the dread day of his trial 
 singing, and how the friend who coached him got him 
 into a field behind a hedge on their way to church for 
 one more rehearsal. The following paragraph occurs 
 in a letter to his boys written more than twenty years 
 afterwards : — 
 
 The five pounds per annum which I earned as precentor of 
 New Spynie Parish Church were of very great service to me 
 at that particular time of my life. My income was on one 
 occasion almost too much for me; I shall explain how. Dr 
 Kyd and I had always a grand counting of the pennies and 
 bawbees which were put into the l)?-od, and out of which my 
 salary was paid, whenever the happy day came round for me 
 to receive my money. This was scene the first. The second 
 is a moving one, in which you behold the youthful precentor 
 toiling along through the beautiful fir-w'ood, and through 
 Bishopmill too, and up the Lossie Wynd, sadly oppressed
 
 lo JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 with his burden of bawbees and pennies, which the laddie 
 carried in a handkerchief twisted at the corners. Frequently 
 changing hands he reached Winchester, the grocer's, where 
 he very readily got "small change" for his copper. But on 
 one occasion the second scene was not the last. He had 
 rounded the corner into High Street, had descended the one 
 step into Winchester's shop, when the material of the hand- 
 kerchief could hold out, or rather hold in, no longer, and 
 away went the offerings of the decent people of New Spynie 
 all over the grocer's shop floor ! It was inside and not out- 
 side the shop — which made a great difference in Elgin, and 
 no doubt would do so anywhere. 
 
 The following extracts from his Diary for the 
 month of September, 1854, while he was waiting for 
 the answer of the Directors, will probably do much to 
 reveal the spirit of this young man, as he tried to 
 walk with God. 
 
 Sept. 6. — O that I were removed from my present secular 
 and, in my circumstances, useless employment, and employed 
 busily in the preparations necessary to my carrying the 
 Gospel far, far away to those who have never heard it. 
 
 Sept. 7. — But let me ivait — yes, wait, for God will surely 
 help me as I need ! How cheering the thought ! How 
 faithless my heart ! 
 
 Sept. 9. — I promised to Mr Kyd last Sabbath to drink 
 tea with him this afternoon in Quarrywood. I hope to 
 enjoy, at all events, much pleasure from the natural 
 scenes with which I will be surrounded on this lovely 
 afternoon. 
 
 I would here note my present state of mind. The war 
 is going on incessantly ; only God is gracious and aids me 
 and upholds me. I have an increasing desire to work for 
 God, and I am only happy at present in the office from the 
 prospect of my soon leaving it. My faith in God is some- 
 times such as to give me joy even when surrounded by 
 difficulties ; but I distrust Him much — I confess I do — 
 although nothing is more ungrateful. I am, I humbly trust, 
 advancing heavenward ; following on to know the Lord ; 
 although I am not at all what I ought to be. Oh, no ! I 
 have not attained to anything at which I can sit down and 
 content myself. Perfection — that is the goal ; eternity is its
 
 FROM KNOCKANDO TO BEDFORD ii 
 
 period of enjoyment ; life is the period of trial — of struggles. 
 But the goal, the goal is at the end ; and by God's help I am 
 confident I shall reach it. 
 
 Sept. 1 1. — I got confused a little when visiting a prominent 
 citizen on business ; I cannot meet such a one. What must 
 I do to get more brass in my face ? 
 
 Sept. II, Monday. — I am more and more convinced that 
 pride is a scrambling weed within me and that God is wisely 
 chastising me by maiming me in my love of applause and 
 distinction. O that I may be enabled to pray very earnestly 
 against this most heinous of sins ! 
 
 Sept. 12. — O that I may grow in every Christian grace. 
 I am now convinced that I am very vain and proud ; and 
 I want with God's help to crucify these remaining weeds. 
 I pray for lowliness of heart, to be made, in short, like my 
 blessed Saviour. O, who was ever like Him ! 
 
 Sept. 13. — I continue to pray in an especial manner for 
 humility ; and I indeed find that I have very much need. 
 How deceitful is my own heart ! I have just lighted, as it 
 were, on a nook containing contraband goods — which had 
 no right to be there, but which I in my blindness overlooked. 
 The heart is indeed deceitful above all things. O may the 
 Holy Spirit aid and help me to continue to carry on a 
 successful warfare with everything that defileth the heart — 
 every evil which may be lurking unperceived. How silly 
 and vain is this feeling which is so strong within me. Some- 
 times I am tempted thus by Satan : " Now look at so and so. 
 He is a Christian like you and yet every one knows he is 
 prouder and vainer than you are. You are good enough. 
 Take it easy. See w^hat a fearful amount of labour you will 
 have before you overcome these propensities. Be contented 
 with your position. You are better than many and as good 
 as a great number of Christians. Don't bestir yourself. 
 Just look at that high difficult mountain. When would you 
 reach its summit ? You are best where you are." So 
 whispers the Devil ; but God be glorified and praised, I can 
 say, " Get thee behind me, Satan." I am not striving to be 
 like other men. Man is not the model or pattern which I am 
 striving to imitate — guilty fallen man. No ; I look to a 
 perfect model. I take a pattern from perfection. I must 
 therefore reach forward and not look on what I may have 
 attained, but daily strive to become more and more like 
 Jesus. I trust I shall continue more and more to per-
 
 12 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 ceive and realize the true beauty and blessedness of that 
 character which Jesus possessed, and still possesses. 
 
 Sept. 1 6. — Passed the afternoon with my father, and after- 
 wards began to read the report of the L. M. S., which really 
 gave delight to my heart. Think of sixty native young men 
 in one of the South Sea Islands, in course of being trained as 
 ministers of the Gospel. Glory be to God 1 O the future ! 
 the future ! when the earth shall be full of the knowledge of 
 the Lord. 
 
 Held my weekly prayer in the midst of a clump of trees 
 to-night in darkness and solitude. I had some freedom and 
 some sense of the presence of God. 
 
 Sept. I 7, Sjinday. — At the communion table to-day I felt 
 more overcome than ever before. What a glorious feeling ! 
 Dear Jesus ! He was not there hidden as He often is to my 
 darkened mind. Heaven seemed very near, life very short; 
 and to spend my life as a missionary of the Gospel appeared 
 a glorious work indeed. O, I felt eager to engage in it ! 
 Surely God, when He thinks proper, will open a door for 
 me. 
 
 Sept. 19. — Felt some strange doubts sweep into my mind 
 this afternoon. I cannot account for their coming, nor for 
 their strength, but I know they are of such a nature as to 
 undermine the whole matter of religion altogether in my soul. 
 They strike at the very root. 
 
 But when I think of the matter, I am led to wonder why 
 I would trifle with such things. Religion subject to a 
 doubt ? Get thee behind me, Satan. Thou alone couldst 
 say so. Away with all doubt. I cannot look on religion in 
 any way but it convinces me of its truth. I would as soon 
 deny my own existence as deny the truth of religion. God 
 help this darkened, blinded, stumbling, but trusting and 
 confiding soul ! For Jesus' sake ! 
 
 The immortality of the soul is what the tcm[)tcr would 
 have me discredit, and of course denying it I deny all 
 religion. God forbid ! 
 
 Sept. 20. — Before retiring to rest last night I had a sweet 
 outpouring of my soul to God in prayer. I felt as if I could 
 suffer all things to be taken away if God Himself remain. I 
 felt that He was the only Being in the universe whom I 
 could depend upon, love or seek after ; and in the language 
 of the Psalmist I cried, "Whom have I in heaven but Thee, 
 and there is none in all the earth that mv soul desireth
 
 FROM KNOCKANDO TO BEDFORD 13 
 
 beside Thee." Then indeed did God seem precious and 
 to be all in all, sine qua no/!, in the estimation of my 
 soul. 
 
 This morning I find my mind is at comparative rest ; and 
 I enjoy this rest more when I shut my eyes to everything 
 and let my soul commune with God. 'Tis then I know 
 there must be a God, and if a God then the God of the 
 Bible ; and if a God of the Bible — then the Bible with all 
 its doctrines is the Word of God. 
 
 I read a paper on " The Past and Present of Christianity," 
 the leading idea in which is that arguing on plain fact, there 
 is nothing clearer than that the religion of Jesus of Nazareth 
 will soon become the religion of the world — excluding for 
 the time the question whether or not it is divine or true. 
 
 I have been reading the report of the L. M. S. and con- 
 sidering what country I would like to go to. I would prefer 
 India, China, or Africa to all others. Wide, glorious, fields 
 there. O that I were there ; speaking to them the saving 
 truths of the Gospel in the people's language. O God ! — Do 
 not delay my beginning to devote myself entirely to pre- 
 paration for Thy own work. 
 
 Sabbath, 24/// Sept. — I repeated my address [an address 
 intended for a Sunday evening meeting] this morning in 
 about twenty-five minutes, and I am pleased with it. I 
 think it will do. I hope God will bless me and give me 
 much of His Spirit, so that I may preach boldly and also 
 simply, clearly, truthfull}', meekly from the heart. Preach- 
 ing is a gift. I pray God earnestly for it. . . . Spoke to 
 Mr M'Laren, Treasurer to the Congregational Union, who 
 was in town and sat down with the church at the Lord's 
 Table to-day. 
 
 Sunday, 30/// September. — In the afternoon I was singu- 
 larly dealt with. My confusion and reddening of face 
 came on me : and I became miserable, for I know it was 
 my own desperate wicked heart that was to blame. After I 
 came home I found liberty to pray earnestly to God against 
 pride and vain glory. 
 
 Friday, 6th October. — This morning I read the decisive 
 answer by the Directors of the L. M. S. on my application. 
 I am rejected. I am too young — have not been long 
 enough member of a church — and it would be too expen- 
 sive to educate me at the Society's expense. These are 
 their reasons for not accepting me. . . . After reading this
 
 14 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 letter I found my way to God's Throne and then poured out 
 my thanks to Him as the God of Providence for giving me 
 this new token that He is looking over my affairs and guiding 
 my footsteps. I shall call on Messrs M'Niel and Guthrie in 
 the evening or through the day. I have to work at two 
 o'clock. How many feelings crowd upon me ! Pride rises 
 at the disappointment : but I trust God will enable me in 
 humility and true meekness to conduct myself. 
 
 October 29. — From this Sabbath forward I will, O God 
 — trusting in Thee — struggle and cry like one drowning, 
 and I will hold on to the anchor of safety, even Jesus ; and 
 I will give Thee no rest until Thou hast blessed me with 
 Thine own blessing, O God, imperfect guilty wretch that I 
 am. I love Thee ; I delight in Thee ; I long for Thy fellow- 
 ship more and more. Fan the flame O God of Hosts, and 
 fit me for a residence in heaven. 
 
 Thursday, 2d November. — I am rather afraid there is 
 something going on decidedly evil with respect to my health. 
 I am afraid of colds and consumption. 
 
 The ensuing winter proved to be a very trying one. 
 The intense energy of the young man, his absorption 
 in the pursuit of the spiritual life, and his unsated 
 yearning to be definitely at work in the Master's ex- 
 clusive service, told upon his health. When spring 
 time came he had good reason to be anxious about 
 his cough and his sense of weakness. His state of 
 perplexity and his spiritual struggles led him to draw 
 up several papers dealing with his religious life and 
 character. The longest of these, as it reveals the 
 depth of his religious convictions and contains one or 
 two passages of intense pathos, should be read here in 
 full. It is entitled : — 
 
 A Solemn Covenant and Confession, made on account 
 of a recent temptation and in view of my present critical 
 circumstances. Dated February 16, 1855. 
 
 My Father and God, — In the name of Jesus I approach 
 Thy throne, adoring Thy glorious Majesty and supreme 
 dominion. I am the clay ; Thou art the Potter ; what I 
 am, I am through Thy favour and help alone. I joy most 
 of all that I can behold in Thee a PViend, in whom I once
 
 FROM KNOCKANDO TO BEDFORD 15 
 
 only saw an angry judge ; and that I can address Thee in 
 the language of a child of Thine, and call Thee Father. I 
 thank Thee for the infinitely lovely scheme of redemption — 
 for my interest in it and for all the precious solacing promises, 
 counsels, and warnings given in Thy Revealed Will. At this 
 time, it is my desire reverently to seek Thy presence and 
 throne of grace that I may pour out my whole heart in 
 Thy sight — lay all my griefs before Thee, and make my 
 supplications and prayers known unto Thee. I desire 
 to do so in a solemn, godly, confiding spirit ; that so 
 my soul may be strengthened and mine eyes opened and 
 my steps directed and confirmed by Thee, in my present 
 circumstances. 
 
 O Lord, Thou knowest that my heart is vile, corrupt, 
 and bespotted with the impurities of corruption. Thou hast 
 seen how it has gone awhoring after what is not allowable ; 
 how it has caused me to sin even in Thine own courts ; how 
 my heart has been alienated from Thee, and drawn away 
 after the desires of the flesh and of the eye. Satan, to 
 hinder my prayers, has wounded me — caused me to stumble; 
 but oh, I thank Thee I have not fallen. Though with a 
 divided heart, still. Lord, Thou knowest how I struggled. 
 Hear, O God, my confession of sin ; listen when I seek Thy 
 pardoning mercy ; grant me Thy Spirit's healing, restoring, 
 reviving influences. May I see where my hope is. May I 
 have always before me where my weakness lies ; and may I 
 watch and pray that I enter not into temptation. Lord, 
 save me from my carnal heart : O free me from seeking 
 greedily the applause of men ; deliver me, I implore Thee, 
 from mingling the things of sense and worldly beauty with 
 Thy service and sanctuary and its spiritual, undivided heart- 
 worship. I confess my bent to fall into such sins ; and 
 Lord, I know that Thou alone canst help me. Therefore, O 
 Lord, I call upon Thee to save me from my besetting sins — 
 especially as Thou hast set before me the prospect of taking 
 the leading part in the services of Thy House on a portion of 
 Thy Holy day. O may I have then, and at all times, a 
 single eye to Thy glory ; may time sink to its true position, 
 and Eternity assume its place in my mind's eye ; may I have 
 Jesus' spirit inwrought in my heart ; may I breathe the breath 
 of heavenly benevolence over my fellow-creatures ; may I 
 wrestle mightily for their souls, in public and in private ; and 
 may I have eloquence to persuade and entice them to
 
 i6 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 follow Thee, and leave the unsatisfying employments of 
 time and of this world. 
 
 O my God, I desire also to remember before Thee my 
 position. Since Thou knowest the inmost workings of my 
 heart, I can confidently appeal to Thee. Every day, Lord, 
 from Monday morning till P'riday, I am engaged as a printer. 
 I cannot then think on Thee, or if I do. I cannot think 
 on my work ; I cannot learn languages, or study sermons, 
 or meditate on Thy Word in order to work Thy work ; no, I 
 am tied to the earth. Then I have on an average seven 
 hours work after publication, when Thy Sabbath steals upon 
 me in all its loveliness. Father, while I admire Thine 
 infinite wisdom and providential foresight, I joy and glory 
 in Thee when I remember that Thou art pleased to call 
 some not only to repentance and faith, but also to the holy 
 work of the service of the Gospel. Father, I feel in my heart 
 that I am called by Thee for this service ; all Thy dealings 
 with my soul testify to this ; and above all Thou hast been 
 pleased, most gracious Lord, even in my present situation, 
 to allow me to conduct the public worship of Thy sanctuary, 
 and on various occasions publicly to proclaim Thy great 
 Salvation. Seeing that Thou, most blessed Father, hast been 
 so leading me and honouring me with regard to the work of 
 the ministry, I come with trembling boldness and request 
 Thee to separate me to the work. Give me over to the 
 Saviour ; liberate me from worldly engagements ; grant that 
 my time may be the property of Jesus ; and that henceforth 
 my whole life may be spent in His service. Father, I have 
 much to learn, in language and other knowledge, before 
 I could take upon me Thy work and its mighty responsi- 
 bility ; and alas ! Thou knowest how very little I am able to 
 do in this way in my present situation. O take me away, 
 then, dear Father. O let those who have no higher 
 aspirations — alas that there should be such ! — occupy my 
 present worldly situation, and give me, O give me, to Thy 
 work and Thy ministry all my lifetime. Thou knowest my 
 heart and Thou knowest all things. My God, I complain to 
 Thee because I am so far away from the true end and object 
 of my being. My heart is far away ; my calling is far away ; 
 verily, O God, I am at a distance from Thee. But O, 
 draw Thou near to me, and give me power to draw near to 
 Thee both in heart and in occupation ; and as the work 
 of the ministry is the nearest to Thee that I could engage
 
 FROM KNOCKANDO TO BEDFORD 17 
 
 in, I desire that my heart and my time, my intellect, my 
 all, may be given to Thee, that so I may be united and 
 become in some measure like to those holy beings who never 
 feel a distracting thought, and are never at a distance from 
 Thee, but are always serving Thee and doing Thy will. O 
 God, come and rescue me. Come, I plead — I beseech — 
 and make no tarrying. Father, I ask that Thou wouldst 
 place me where I will be all, time, heart, talent, all the 
 property of my dear Jesus. O, is He not worthy? And 
 though my sins may be as mountains, O can they endure 
 before the purifying influences of Jesus' glorious and all 
 efficacious atonement ? Is not Thy Spirit able to work in me, 
 both to will and to do of Thy good pleasure ? Is He not 
 able to give me the Spirit of the holy calling to which I 
 aspire ? And hast Thou not said that those who seek Thee 
 early shall find Thee ? My God ! my God ! I appeal to 
 Thee. O, for the sake of Jesus, who is infinitely worthy — 
 for the sake of the world, which is the object of Thy bound- 
 less pity, and for Thy Name's sake and Thy glory's sake — form 
 this heart of mine into conformity to Thy will, and separate me 
 to the work of the service of Thy Gospel. Do not delay — 
 make no tarrying — come and do unto me above my 
 request. 
 
 O guide my steps, Lord ; O take me to Thyself; O permit 
 me not to go astray or aside, but to go right onwards unto 
 perfection. Bless this day's exercises ; bless this writing ; O 
 God, may my soul be strengthened mightily with strength 
 from on high, and may every day of my life and every hour 
 here be given to Thee, and every volition of my will and 
 every affection of my heart. 
 
 And unto Thee, the King eternal, immortal, and in- 
 visible, the only wise God, be all the glory now, henceforth, 
 and evermore. Amen. 
 
 In March there comes a paper entitled " A Prayer 
 while in a Dilemma," to which are added observations 
 on the same subject for the week following. It was a 
 small incident which had aroused his conscience and 
 his liveliest emotions, because it seemed to have a 
 bearing on his release from the printer's desk. But 
 that is followed by a " Resolution, dated May 2, 1855," 
 which shows very clearly that his unnatural state of
 
 i8 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 excitement had brought on and was now aggravated 
 by serious ill-health. 
 
 Resolution^ dated May 2, 1855. 
 
 Seeing I have been for some time suffering from a 
 nervous complaint or disorder, which prevents my preserv- 
 ing equanimity or calmness of mind, especially when exposed 
 to the observation of others, and which also produces effects 
 on my external frame quite out of keeping with that mild 
 and dignified serenity which ought to characterise a child of 
 God, I resolve, for the glory of God and the honour of my 
 Saviour's name, to take such steps as are most likely to 
 succeed in overcoming this seated weakness in my constitu- 
 tion. For this purpose I note the underneath resolves, which 
 are all embodied in the one idea — to be like Christ : — 
 
 1. Labour to preserve calmness in all places and on all 
 occasions — in imitation of my Saviour. 
 
 2. Avoid being angry. Where there is cause for displea- 
 sure, preserve mildness and composure. 
 
 3. In my manner, seek after true politeness, and banish 
 all clownish awkwardness, which of itself produces confusion 
 of mind. No ostentation. 
 
 4. As it is an idea which causes the disorder in my system, 
 harbour it as little as possible. Leave myself in my thoughts. 
 Ask not what I shall eat, etc., or how 1 shall ever progress. 
 Is He not able ? Am I not His ? If I seek Him with my 
 whole heart — if I pour out the plaint of a downcast, sobbing, 
 sighing soul — O will not Jesus hear it ? Will He not lead 
 me on ? Are my talents — is my whole life on earth — to be 
 lost for good because of one idea lodging in my mind ? When 
 encouraged to seek the Lord's work and the Lord's glory, is 
 it my duty to sit down and cherish an idea that I shall never 
 be enabled to do anything in that work to which God is 
 calling me and fitting me ? Ought 1 not to banish that idea ? 
 Ought I not to lean upon God in confidence of soul ? If I 
 had full confidence I would have the victory. O it is hard — 
 and yet it is pleasant — it is painfully sweet to be afflicted ! 
 
 But I pray God that, at all events. His glory may be 
 wrought out \\\ me and by me — according to His own good 
 will and pleasure — that viy feet may be made like hifids feet. 
 
 5. I may add to my resolutions to take and grasp in my 
 mind the truth about all things. Treat God as God, Jesus 
 as my own Jesus, distinguished men with becoming respect,
 
 FROM KNOCKANDO TO BEDFORD 19 
 
 but with no sheepish dread. Treat men as men, always with 
 respect as possessors of souls that shall last for ever ; never 
 with disdain or pride. 
 
 6. On all occasions do my utmost for Jesus Christ, 
 depending on His aid and support. 
 
 Very shortly after this Mackenzie was allowed, on 
 the ground of ill-health, to leave the printer's ofifice. 
 He went to his native air of Knockando, where he 
 engaged in study and found opportunities- for preach- 
 ing. Into both he threw his energies very heartily. 
 His diary, as well as his letters to James Ross, reflect 
 the zest and zeal with which he prepared and delivered 
 his earnest gospel addresses. Health returned steadily 
 though slowly, as he walked over that portion of 
 Strathspey, musing and praying, visiting and preaching. 
 All this time his mind was fixed on his high aspira- 
 tions and the career he longed for. He enjoyed many 
 " trances of thought and mountings of the mind." 
 
 As he now believed that he was finally cut off from 
 his Elgin life, and would soon be permanently removed 
 from his former associations, a strong desire took hold 
 of him to address the young men of that royal burgh, 
 to deliver one last, earnest message in the name of his 
 Master. He knew the risks, but determined to face 
 them. His friends, not without trepidation, helped 
 him, James Ross rendering special aid as to the 
 advertising of the event. The Independent Chapel 
 was lent for the occasion on Sunday evening, Sep- 
 tember 2nd. Mr Ross still remembers the scene, and 
 his memory tallies wonderfully with the " Jottings " 
 which Mackenzie made at the time. " What crowds ! 
 Passages, vestry, stairs, even the lane near the door, 
 were occupied, and many went away." " An old man 
 remarked regarding the attendance of young men, 
 that he did not believe there were so many in Elgin." 
 The young preacher delivering his soul to his compeers 
 was nervous and excited ; but he had chosen for his
 
 20 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 address that theme of which his own heart was ever 
 full — "Christ is all and in all" (Col. iii. ii) — and 
 his intense passion made its own impression on his 
 audience. 
 
 In the previous July Mackenzie had renewed his 
 application to the London Missionary Society, and 
 it so happened that three days after the delivery of 
 this farewell address to the young men of Elgin he 
 received a letter summoning him to London to meet 
 with the Committee of the Directors on September 
 loth. After a forty minutes' examination before 
 the venerable directors and officials the young candi- 
 date, to his overflowing delight, was informed that 
 he had been accepted " on probation," and would be 
 now sent to the Society's Seminary at Bedford to 
 undergo what training and education might be found 
 necessary to fit him for active service in the mission 
 field. It was characteristic of his whole spirit at 
 this period that during the few days of sight-seeing 
 which he could spend in London he found time to 
 look up one or two young men from the North, 
 whom he wished to bring to the faith of Christ.
 
 CHAPTER II 
 
 FROM BEDFORD TO CAPE TOWN (l 85 5- 1 858) 
 
 The London Missionary Society had some difficulty 
 in its earliest years with regard to the education of its 
 missionaries. While some came before the Directors 
 whose education for the ministry was complete, many, 
 if not most, of the candidates were young men whose 
 advantages had been limited, and who needed assist- 
 ance to obtain an adequate training. To meet this 
 need the Societ}' from time to time established Semi- 
 naries at various places, generally under the care of 
 some minister whose scholarship and fervour fitted 
 him to do the best for the young men. One of these 
 seminaries was for a long while conducted by the Rev. 
 J. Jukes, Congregational minister at Bedford, who had 
 as his colleague-instructor, the Rev. W. Alliott. The 
 students, whose numbers varied between three or four 
 and eight or ten, usually boarded with Mr Jukes. They 
 worked at New Testament Greek, a little Hebrew, 
 Christian Evidences and Systematic Theology, Logic 
 and Mathematics. Much attention was given to the 
 writing and delivery of sermons. The students were 
 also sent out every Sunday to preach in the neighbour- 
 ing villages, and were encouraged and expected to 
 engage in other forms of Christian work. 
 
 Here, then, Mackenzie lived and studied, prayed 
 and preached from September 1855 till December 
 1857. At the latter date he went to Edinburgh 
 for some months of further study in medicine and 
 theology. His Diary bears constant witness to the 
 eager joy with which he cast himself into the task
 
 22 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 of direct and rapid preparation for his life's calling. 
 Perplexities and difficulties were by no means all at 
 once dispersed. He was on " probation " for a full 
 year, and he found that the course even of a theo- 
 logical student can present its own peculiar obstacles, 
 temptations, and sorrows. One fact, however, stands 
 out above all others in the written mirror of his daily 
 life, that, in spite of the rush of work which came 
 upon him, in spite of domestic distractions, he steadily 
 and almost invariably gave much time every day to 
 intense and humble prayer. For Mackenzie, it might 
 be said that, to pray was to live. The experiences 
 of his soul in prayer were as fascinating, varied, and 
 momentous, as any events in his outward life. He 
 records often and often that his prayer-hour was 
 free or restrained, that he wrestled or was calm 
 and restful, that God was near and His voice clear, 
 or far off and unattainable, that he " overcame God " 
 and won an answer from Him, or rose unsatisfied, 
 but determined to trust, and trust forever. 
 
 It may be said here once for all, that this full life 
 of prayer was maintained by Mackenzie to the end. 
 Though he did not continue to record his experiences 
 in a diary, and was ever reticent about his personal 
 life, it was known in his home that he prayed about 
 everything. Intercessory prayer was always a most 
 real and sacred obligation and joy to him ; and what 
 may be called consultative prayer, in which he went 
 over his duties and practical problems before God, 
 seeking light and the assurance of his Master's 
 approval, was as necessary to him as food and drink. 
 The present writer remembers as a boy coming into 
 his father's room and finding him leaning on the post 
 of his bed. When he raised his head a deep red 
 mark on the forehead made by the pressure of the 
 knuckles of his hand, and the dimmed look of his 
 eyes, bespoke at once the length and intensity of his
 
 FROM BEDFORD TO CAPE TOWN 23 
 
 prayer. When childishly asked what was the matter, 
 he said he had been pra\'inc^ about some point con- 
 nected with his book, his first book, on which he was 
 at the time busily engac^ed. It may be confidently 
 said that he never entered upon any important under- 
 taking without real consultative prayer. On the other 
 hand, the extent to which he believed in the power of 
 the prayers of others for him was often revealed in 
 his letters urging his correspondents to .pray. As a 
 young man he wrote to James Ross to say, " Do not 
 forget me, Jamie, you yourself know where. At work 
 you may forget me ; but oh ! ' mind' me there !" 
 
 Among the students who were at Bedford in 1855 
 there may be named two for whom Mackenzie retained 
 a permanent affection. One of these was James 
 Duthie, afterwards a well-known missionary in South 
 India. Of him he writes to James Ross saying, " We 
 made ourselves brothers, although he belongs to Aber- 
 deen." The other was Arthur Hall, brother of the 
 already famous R.ev. Newman Hall, who was pre- 
 paring for his entrance upon the full course of study 
 at New College, London, and who became an honoured 
 Congregational minister. In the person of a third 
 student, who was a Eurasian, and with whom he was 
 thrown into close and very friendly association, the 
 young Scottish student was brought face to face with 
 that problem of the mixture of races which in after 
 years put him into many a perplexing situation, 
 and gave him food for endless, painful, and incon- 
 clusive reflection. He came on one occasion unex- 
 pectedly upon this fellow -student, and found him 
 absorbed in a kind of agony over the life-long bitter- 
 ness of his lot, looking at his hands, apostrophising 
 them, and asking his Maker why this colour, which 
 made him the scorn and dislike of so many, had been 
 bestowed upon him. Mackenzie never forgot that 
 scene ; it made him, when mixed marriages were pro-
 
 24 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 posed or discussed, think always and first not of those 
 who in choosing each other deHberately chose their 
 social lot, but of the children who would inherit it 
 with its burdens and sorrows. 
 
 His evangelic zeal was so real and sincere that he 
 did not allow the pursuit of his studies or even the 
 discharge of mission duties at Bedford to absolve him 
 from similar responsibilities elsewhere. During this 
 winter he corresponded with former Elgin friends, and 
 with his own family relatives regarding their spiritual 
 interests. About one friend he writes in his diary, 
 " Oh ! how I long for that young man's conversion. 
 It is my constant prayer to God, that mercy may be 
 extended to him." The following extracts from the 
 diary and other personal memoranda of the year 
 1855-6 will throw light upon the strenuous life of 
 this young missionary student in his twenty-first 
 year : — 
 
 Saturday, Nov. 3, 1855. — In spiritual things, I have 
 received this idea very powerfully into my mind — that all 
 my afflictions, distresses and alarms, are the produce of sin 
 within me. If I weep because of heavy afflictions or dis- 
 quietude — sin has procured it for me — yea, mitie own siti. 
 Let me remember this : I never felt it so deeply before. 
 If I weep at all let it be, not because of the heavy affliction 
 or distress, but let me turn to the producing cause and weep 
 over my sins with a penitent heart, and let my prayer be, not 
 principally as before, that God would remove His afflictive 
 hand and give me health and soundness — but that he would 
 be pleased to qualify me for the receipt of that blessing — that 
 He would sanctify my heart so as to take away the strength 
 from the sin which is there indwelling — and having done so, 
 extend me the blessings I have so long pleaded for. O may 
 I be taught of God ! O may He be ever very near me ! I 
 have had some seasons of deeply earnest prayer — may they 
 be multiplied in strength and number ! 
 
 Thursday, Nov. 8. — To-night I had a season of prayer 
 such as I have not enjoyed on any previous occasion, both 
 as regards intensity of feeling and the enlightenment which
 
 FROM BEDFORD TO CAPE TOWN 25 
 
 pervaded my mind. I was alone in my study : my light I 
 had extinguished : the flickering of some fire from the grate 
 cast a dim light over the room. I communed with God — 
 felt His presence — spoke to Him — wrestled with Him — 
 for about an hour. I went to bed a happy, victorious man : 
 there was a smile on my lips and calmness in my counte- 
 nance ; and oh my heart was full — glowing with emotion : 
 for I lay down that night with the assurance that I would be 
 specially honoured — specially favoured — specially endowed 
 by God ; and that my life would be made more than even I 
 could imagine. I felt the calmness which follows assurance ; 
 and I shall consider this night one of the great eras of my 
 life. 
 
 Sunday, 1 1 A^ov. — Preached in the evening at Cardington. 
 Tea at Mr Bodgers'. Thank God for my present state and 
 feelings and ideas ; but I am not at all what I shall be. I 
 preached more rousingly than I have yet done in England. 
 And, strange to say, it was almost extempore ; although I had 
 notes, somehow I did not stick to them. I must guard 
 against this. It encourages looseness in preaching. 
 
 Saturday, 16th Nov. — To-night I have devoted my time 
 after supper for meditation and reflection on my state before 
 God ; and I shall begin by noting my past week's history, at 
 least what bears on the matter before me. As a whole the 
 past week has been one of considerable spiritual earnestness : 
 prayers for progress — for a special outpouring of God's 
 Spirit — for strength to advance and make life henceforth a 
 great and noble thing — have been daily uttered. I have also 
 had much sweet communion with my God : and having 
 been engaged during a part of most of the days of the week 
 in writing on " The Prodigal's Resolution," I felt my mind 
 much benefited thereby, and my spirit led out to regard my 
 God as a merciful Father. I am much afraid, however, of 
 spiritual pride or rather — a desire for the applause of men. 
 This is a most disgusting feature in my character. Let me 
 come forth from it entirely ; and regard no expressions of 
 applause as to me, but to the grace of God in me. Let men 
 say of me what they will — I will come to my dear Jesus and 
 say, " It is all Thine." I am studying in the same room 
 with a lad who is rather rude in his manners, and I would 
 wish his influence were removed ; for one cannot help being 
 to some extent thus affected by association. One thought has 
 come prominently into my mind this week : it has been its
 
 26 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 lesson, its leading idea, viz. : that association with God 
 and deep meditation — holy communion and earnest prayer 
 — are the only means which will effectually develop a noble 
 mind — a great spirit within me. At the same time it is of 
 the utmost importance that the other associations of my 
 mind be of a healthy description. I must say that I feel a 
 great want here — for although all the young men here are 
 excellent persons yet their company has not that effect which 
 I could wish : their conversation is not what I would 
 desire. I yearn to read (since I can't speak with such) the 
 thought and lives of the truly great. May the Lord guide 
 me ! I must keep hold of this idea : it is of great impor- 
 tance. For I must not stand still : no, by every means I 
 must go forward. I shall see if I can't get some biography 
 for half an hour each day. And I shall take up one of the 
 Apostles, follow out all that is recorded of him, and endeavour 
 to follow him as he followed Christ, and derive also suitable 
 lessons from his whole life. 
 
 Mr Jukes has passed high encomiums upon me ; and 
 to-day he praised very much my sermon on the Prodigal Son. 
 
 if I deserved this praise ! O if I strained every nerve for Christ! 
 
 1 must do this. I will do it in the strength of the Lord. 
 
 Have obtained much consolation and strength and en- 
 couragement from the thought that the Lord will help the 
 resolved man. I have resolved to rise. But now I must 
 record somewhat regarding my habits as a student during 
 the past week. They have been very irregular — not what 
 they must be. Everything except Greek had to be thrown 
 aside to complete my sermon, and after all I had barely time 
 for it. I have not had more than 7 hours sleep, nor less 
 than 6 during past week. I am really quite lazy : it requires 
 effort to rise on a freezing morning while your companion is 
 soundly sleeping. I have a watch now — a very fine one ; 
 and I must be regular in this matter now. Next week I 
 shall always be in bed by 1 1 and up at 5 — for a trial. I 
 shall encourage meditation and soul communion with God in 
 the house and by the way, so I shall be moulded. I have 
 done nothing besides Greek this week, and that sermon. It 
 was too long. 
 
 In health I am improving. But palpitation at the heart 
 has not abated. It is not troublesome, however — although 
 I do wish it were away. I think I may record increased 
 strength of nerve and energy in public.
 
 FROM BEDFORD TO CAPE TOWN 27 
 
 Wed?iesda}\ 20th Nov. — My breath is towards heaven. 
 My heart yearns, longs for the mighty God, my deliverer. 
 But I am sure of one thing — that as the power of the living 
 God is unquestionable with me I must prevail. But, oh, it 
 is speed I long for ! A^oiv I would arise. And alas ! alas ! 
 I feel all wrong. I will look to God for the blessing fiow. I 
 feel crushed at the thought of life. Great God ! in mercy 
 visit a poor worm and lift him up and enable him to carry 
 out the resolutions which I am persuaded are begotten 
 within me by Thy good Spirit. I feel certain I am on the 
 right track : what a mercy ! If I do not Succeed, by the 
 grace of God I will die with the wish. 
 
 Saturday, 2\th Nov. — On a retrospective view of the 
 past week, I have much cause for thankfulness, principally 
 because I am still kept in an earnest praying frame. I have, 
 as it were, assaulted the Divine throne, and I do believe God 
 will do great things for me. I feel more resolute. But, oh, 
 how easily I am cast down ! Prayer, however, as I trust, will 
 conquer. 
 
 Prayer becomes sweeter and more pleasant and also nobler 
 than formerly. I am enabled to realize the Divine Presence 
 more and Jesus never appeared so lovely — so dear to my 
 soul — as He does now. I love Him and He loves me. 
 Who shall separate us ? And if He wills me to rise and do 
 His will, and if I will the same, who can thwart the glorious 
 movement ? 
 
 I resolved and vowed before God (in dependence entirely 
 on His grace) to be resolute and decided in the path of 
 duty ; to crucify every habit which stands in the way of my 
 developing my character and working my work ; to exert all 
 my energies to do thoroughly whatever lies before me ; to 
 realise and assume the dignity and bearing belonging to my 
 position. All these resolutions have reference to o?ie practical 
 idea — a life of devoted missionary labour. That is my aim ; 
 to that I will in the strength of God press forward ; for that, 
 I will continually seek qualification and strength from on 
 high — and especially faith to lay hold on the rich treasures 
 of all needed gifts which are within my reach and to which I 
 have a claitn, which are in fact vmu but for my want of faith 
 to lay hold on and appropriate them. This is an era. I 
 have clearer than ever before me my life's aim. 
 
 I have now a set of resolutions for the guidance of my life 
 drawn up, which I read on my knees three times a day : and
 
 28 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 I have also copied out from my Testament a number of 
 promises and appropriate passages which I read over in my 
 devotional exercises, always with increased satisfaction. O 
 the word of God is precious ; and the God of Grace is 
 indeed kind ; but alas ! alas ! (I wonder He has borne with 
 me so long) I am guilty, and careless, and trifling, and irre- 
 solute, and timid. 
 
 I have great reason to thank my gracious Father for His 
 mercy towards me during the past week. On several 
 occasions I have been wonderfully supported — especially in 
 curtailing my hours of sleep — but regularity is still wanted 
 here. Strength — real strength and nerve seem to be 
 slowly finding their way into my being ; but what a load 
 there is of an opposite character ! Really, if I attempt a. good 
 thing in one way or another 1 am met by obstacles on every 
 hand. Still, higher than my highest mountain of difficulty, 
 stronger than my most inveterate foe, is He who is with me 
 — my sympathising friend and brother, Jesus the Son of God. 
 And still, in the face of opposition and doubt and fear, 1 7vill 
 hope for the best and go forward. I know His will with all 
 my heart. I will endeavour to do it in all things ; and 
 leave the rest with Him. I know He loves me very tenderly ; 
 I have felt communion with Him inexpressibly sweet and 
 precious ; and I am convinced He wishes me to pursue the 
 course I am following. Do I wish more strength of mind — 
 more dignified and exalted conceptions of Him and of His ? 
 Jesus wishes so intensely. Uo I \\\^\\ fozver and faith and 
 nerve to fit for a great life ? Willingly Avill Jesus bestow 
 such upon the earnest suppliant. Do I want the influences 
 of the Holy Spirit to be stronger within me and to enable 
 me to realise my true position and rank as one of the Great 
 Family ? Jesus has promised the Holy Spirit for this pur- 
 pose. O for the feelings which animate mine elder 
 BROTHER ! I am so weak and forgetful. But I will be 
 helped by my Jesus and my Father : yes, I am in safe hands : 
 all will be well ; eternity as well as time will testify to His 
 unmixed love to me. O that 1 had His Spirit ! I ask 
 strength for missionary work : to face calmly tempests ; ship- 
 wreck ; loneliness ; darkness ; temptation ; discouragements ; 
 heathenism ; the death of an unknown obscure " servant of 
 Jehovah -Jesus." 
 
 There is still a nervous agitation about my manner 
 in society which nothing but a nobler frame of mind will
 
 FROM BEDFORD TO CAPE TOWN 29 
 
 cure. I am sometimes entirely above sucli things. I need 
 food ; I need light ; new strength ; or I will decline and die. 
 Therefore I will give my beloved no rest till He doth arise and 
 visit me with His richest blessing. This is a most critical 
 period in my life. If Satan holds me, he has the life of a man. 
 Since Satan has lost me he has lost the life of a man, for that 
 life will be used against the power of darkness. He would 
 still wound me, still detain me, by magnifying lies and pre- 
 senting them to my mind; but Jesus helps me. I am faith- 
 less however. 
 
 I have resolved — determined — to live to Christ and to 
 live like Christ. What a blessing and comfort to know, that, 
 to do these two things, I may depend on His aid and 
 encouraggment. Why should I be afraid ? Why cast down ? 
 If God be for me who can be against me ? I have been 
 wonderfully supported by God ; and I feel encouraged to go 
 on. Reverses have been occasioned by mine own weakness. 
 The day of manhood is, I humbly earnestly trust, bursting 
 upon me ! 
 
 Saturday, 29//^ Dec. — Last week has been one of great 
 conflict. O how sweet will Heaven be to me ! And if I 
 say this in my twenty-first year what reason may I have to 
 say it when I'm twice as old ! My mind having been dissi- 
 pated by gaiety and social glee, Monday and Tuesday, I rose 
 on Wednesday very weak both in body and mind, especially 
 the latter ; and yet I am not quite recovered. This of course 
 is a lesson. If I ever get on in life it must be in compara- 
 tive seclusion and in the atmosphere of prayer. It seemed 
 awful to me on some occasions during the past week to have 
 to live. O what would I not have given for a reprieve and a 
 summons home ! And I am sure this is far from my real 
 wishes. I am desirous of a long life of hard work, of self- 
 denial for Jesus. 
 
 God help me ! I cried most vehemently with a heaving 
 bosom in the following language : " O for truth ! O for light ! " 
 over and over again. I saw my past life also, and wept over 
 its deformity, regarding myself as the vilest of all His servants 
 and unworthy of the name. 
 
 However great the difficulty, I find I must keep a stout 
 heart to it, go much to the throne, and do my utmost in 
 action : and the good Lord help me. I must conquer every 
 evil habit : that's settled. Idleness, irresolution, careless- 
 ness, timidity, irregularity, all must be swept away. In the
 
 30 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 strength of the Uving God — the helper of the aspirant — I will 
 set to work. Never despair. 
 
 -■:C,Sunday, T^oth Dec. — Preached again and with freedom from 
 Luke XV. and i8. I observed tears. It is the salvation of 
 the soul alone that I want. 
 
 Monday, ^ist Dec. — Alone to-night on the cemetery-hill 
 here, and by the foot of a fir tree, I poured out my soul to 
 God. Reviewing the past year — its victories, its pro- 
 vidential events, and its lessons. I was very much en- 
 couraged — never felt as I did then the power I really had. 
 I saw obstacles give way, difficulties vanish, apparently 
 the greatest and most insuperable ; seeming impossibilities 
 surmounted, and the most unlikely things take place : and 
 I knew that all this was in anstver to prayer — taken, as it 
 were, by violence. O there is something almost aivfiil in the 
 thought of having moved the Eternal Himself ! But yet it 
 is so — in my case as plain and evident as a sunbeam. There 
 is here a foundation for hope for the future as well as a 
 ground for confidence that I am in the right, heaven-selected 
 path of duty. There is here, above all, a powerful induce- 
 ment to importune God for the blessings I need — to concen- 
 trate my energies, as it were, on a certain gift and to plead for 
 it till Heaven is moved, and I am in receipt of it. If I 
 prayed myself out of the Courant office, Elgin, at a season when 
 everything seemed against me — to the astonishment, mistrust, 
 and alarm, even of some who sympathised with me — may I not 
 in the same way pray myself out of every bad habit of thought 
 or action. If I prayed myself into a situation which I have 
 reason to believe was my chief recommendation to the 
 Directors of the L. M. S., and if I in that situation was 
 enabled to live entirely by faith, not knowing whither I was 
 going, may I not here in exactly such another situation, so 
 pray and wrestle that, as I succeeded with the L. M. S. in 
 the one instance, so in the other, I may pray myself into a 
 situation where, with the blessing of God, I may be the means 
 of special good to the Church and the world, and be the 
 instrument in the Divine hand of doing a great work in His 
 merciful scheme of reconciling the world to Himself In my 
 prayers on this solemn occasion (on the hill), I had only 
 opportunity to state my case fervently and simply, once. I 
 had not time to plead much when I was interrupted by the 
 sound of approaching footsteps. I resumed prayer, however, 
 in my study alone, and had much of the Divine presence.
 
 FROM BEDFORD TO CAPE TOWN 31 
 
 I set out on the new year with the following special 
 requests. 
 
 Kneeling down, I asked not only to receive a Christ-like 
 spirit and manner; resolute, immovable determination ; single- 
 ness of heart and humility ; and courage in danger and diffi- 
 culty ; but I asked also that I might be sent. 
 
 Saturday, Jan. ^th, 1856. — This week has been spent 
 very much in prayer. 
 
 Delivered a speech at a tea-meeting lately, before my 
 tutors. By the grace of God, I was enabled in some measure 
 to dedicate that occasion not to the display of my powers, 
 but to the delivering something which would be calculated to 
 do good for eternity. I went there prayerfully, and I hope I 
 did not speak for nought. I have been since told by a lay- 
 preacher that he went home saying to his wife that Mr 
 Mackenzie would be a man yet. In the strength of God 
 alone, and for His glory alone, I will ! 
 
 Saturday, 12 th /a fi. — Last few days have been seasons 
 of wrestling. The kingdom must be taken by violence. 
 
 The impression is abroad here that I will not be long in 
 Bedford. How it originated I know not. The Lord guide 
 me and keep me here and elsewhere. I am in His hands. 
 Without qualifying me, He will not send me. Let me look 
 to tlim with constancy of heart, and strive to cultivate all 
 the graces necessary for the arduous life of a missionary. 
 
 An invisible God ! This doctrine has cheered me of 
 late : I was struck by the words of Jesus on the Cross, 
 " Father, &c." He addressed an invisible Being. He is 
 present with me. 
 
 I preached from this subject with some freedom ex- 
 temporarily. 
 
 I write on the 16th of February. My health has been 
 very good indeed. I am about well. My spirit (my mind) 
 has been more cheerful and strengthened than for years, per- 
 haps than it ever was. My strength has come from God 
 alone. Prayer has been my armoury. Before I can do 
 greater things I must walk much nearer to God, close to 
 Jesus, holding communion with Him, and keeping Him ever 
 before me as an example. 
 
 Africa has engaged my thoughts recently. 
 I am still pleading for Faith, Light and Truth, Strength 
 and Courage, even to fearlessness. A single humble Spirit 
 (habitual). For what, indeed, will make me a Christlike
 
 32 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 man ? My sole but sure confidence and ground of hope is 
 the love of Jesus ^ infinite, prompt, special. 
 
 During the winter of 1855-56 the young Scotsman 
 found his health growing gradually worse. Partly 
 this may have been due to a change of habits and 
 of climate, partly to the very long hours of work 
 to which he gave himself while curtailing his sleep. 
 But the most serious phase of his illness was due to 
 the effort which he made to lessen the amount of his 
 food. He resolved first to deny himself the mere 
 pleasure of the table, and further to discipline him- 
 self to live on spare and simple diet in order that 
 he might be ready for any emergency in his career 
 as a missionary. And, as a guide, he wrote out a 
 number of detailed rules for the regulation of his 
 choice of dishes at table. The result, of course, was 
 one which appears in the lives of so many who 
 have made severe fasting a part of their spiritual 
 life, that he was subject to great depression as well 
 as thrilling elation of soul. Spiritual temptations 
 fastened upon him also and gave him great distress, 
 especially when they took the form of that haunting 
 declaration that his life was doomed to be in vain, 
 that he could never be of any service to the King- 
 dom of God. Indignantly do we find him remonstrat- 
 ing against the tyranny of this mere " idea," this 
 " false idea." It was not until a visit to a London 
 physician opened his eyes to his mistaken zeal, that 
 health returned. So far had his experiment been 
 carried that, though nearly of age, and not far from 
 six feet in height, he weighed only eight stone. 
 The climax and the deliverance are described in a 
 summary of this severe experience which he wrote 
 in London on May i8th, 1856. The following are 
 extracts : — 
 
 3. London, May rSth, 1856. — He (Satan) has long 
 studied by different methods, by calling up fears and
 
 FROM BEDFORD TO CAPE TOWN 33 
 
 doubts and mistrust in my mind, with regard to my 
 bodily health, which have no foundation whatever. In 
 this proceeding he has had to shift his ground, but this 
 he has done skilfully, and also too successfully. In answer 
 to prayer I am now, blessed be God, in possession of the 
 truth which sets the mind at rest : for I have eminent 
 medical advice pronouncing me in good health, Q.n6. Jit for 
 any country. 
 
 4. He calls up in my mind associations which have a 
 tendency to shake my confidence in myself in whatever 
 position I may be. He generally brings before me some 
 scene in my past sinful life, and says, " These people know 
 you not ; but you can't deny that you are the man." 
 
 5. Also in the matter of food my mind has been 
 peculiarly exercised of late. The Lord has given me some 
 strength, however, and some light, and I can now see mine 
 adversary in the cunning of his wiles. So much was my 
 mind taken up on this matter, that I could not raise my 
 mind from it, and could only meditate on the different results 
 of different kinds of food, and the effects of the food I myself 
 had taken last. I was so particular, and thought so very 
 much on this matter, that I almost counted the bites I took, 
 ate every mouthful with a kind of terror lest I should not 
 masticate it aright ; and to crown all, generally got mto a 
 confused flutter in settling whether I had eaten enough or 
 not ; Satan very often indeed persuading me I had, whereas 
 everyone was at a loss to account for my conduct in not 
 taking more food. I was reduced to a state of great weak- 
 ness, both in body and mind, began to see I was wrong, 
 lost confidence in some medicine I was taking, lost confi- 
 dence in myself, and became thoroughly miserable, being at 
 the time afflicted with a bowel complaint. I was all along 
 enabled to study and to keep up with but six hours of sleep. 
 From this position God in His mercy removed me by enabling 
 me to come to London, where I have now been eleven days, 
 and have recovered health and strength and confidence. 
 
 (I shall note this dispensation. I would fain write more 
 upon it.) 
 
 6. I want very much love, true love to God. I come and 
 pray earnestly to Him. But I wish to have the desire to 
 be 7vith Him, and the vision \o perceive Him, and the spirit 
 and heart to address Him, and really feel and recognise His 
 presence, and not go to Him so much with the feeling of per-
 
 34 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 forming a duty, or of escaping what is evil, as of enjoying 
 the presence and partaking of the blessedness of the Almighty. 
 
 In July (1856) he journeyed to Morayshire by 
 Glasgow, in fulfilment of a promise to spend most of 
 his holiday with his mother. He found labouring in 
 Speyside, a young student from the Congregational 
 Theological Hall at Edinburgh of the name of John 
 Douglas, afterwards the Rev. John Douglas of Glasgow, 
 and for some time Secretary of the Congregational 
 Union of Scotland. These two, with James Ross, 
 spent much time together that August. They tramped 
 over the district, visiting the people, preaching the 
 Gospel. They made one long-remembered and oft- 
 recalled trip to the top of Benrinnes, where they 
 solemnly pledged themselves to the service of God. 
 To Mackenzie this new friendship proved of im- 
 measurable importance, for John Douglas invited him 
 to pay a visit to his own home at Portobello. The 
 visit was made in August of the following year, 1857, 
 and in that home the prospective missionary found 
 her who was to be the companion of his long labouring 
 years in and for South Africa. 
 
 The session of 1856-57 was passed at Bedford with 
 considerably more comfort in every way. The daily 
 " jottings " indicate constantly that the prayer life was 
 maintained in full vigour, but the descriptions of 
 spiritual experiences are briefer and less quotable ; 
 references to the ground covered in study are more 
 frequent, and show that hard and steady work was 
 being done. Mackenzie opened his heart most fully 
 at this time to his friend James Ross, with whom he 
 felt complete spiritual sympathy. For example, 
 speaking of his greatest mercy as being " the presence 
 of the Lord Jesus Christ," he says : — 
 
 Jany. 7, 1857. — O let us live with Him — just in His sight 
 — live in such a position as will admit of our speaking to 
 Him. What a companion ! What conversation ! O one
 
 FROM BEDFORD TO CAPE TOWN 35 
 
 hour of this is worth far more than hours and days — spent as, 
 alas ! too many Christians spend them now-a-days. 
 
 I am persuaded we have not enough of devoted personal 
 attachment to Him whom we call our Saviour. O let us be 
 extreme on this point, let us hu}-7i with love, and yearn 
 intensely to testify in actions the existence of this love. 
 
 In another letter (April 30th, 1857) he indulges in 
 a characteristic speculation regarding that future life, 
 to which he looked forward even as a young man, the 
 hope of which influenced him very powerfully all his 
 days. Evidently with him, as with all who have 
 drunk the Spirit of the New Testament, that " other 
 worldliness," when truly and purely cherished, produced 
 profound and most admirable effects upon conduct and 
 character in this world. 
 
 There are many thoughts which rush into my mind when 
 I begin to write to you, Jamie. But I cannot write you a 
 long letter — must not, indeed, say much more just now. 
 Perhaps many thoughts which we would wish to communicate 
 will never be communicated on earth ; but if they are pure 
 thoughts, truthful thoughts, then are they not imperish- 
 able? If our minds are to be expanded, our memories 
 rendered unclouded to call up whatever of truth may have 
 lodged in our minds, if these things happen to us in the 
 higher and brighter world, perhaps what we know not now 
 of one another's thoughts, we shall know hereafter. At any 
 rate, it is sweet to think that even the advanced mode of 
 communication by Post Office delivery will be effectually 
 superseded in heaven. We shall be all together there ! No 
 more to part ! To know God and to see the glories of His 
 higher creation, the stupendous accomplishments of His 
 Wisdom and Power and Benevolence. O my Aq-tsx fellmvman, 
 this is our Eternity ! This is the " purchased possession " 
 of the Friends of Jesus the Crucified ! Take courage, then ; 
 for time is short and eternity follows. . . . We are loved by 
 the Son of God. O look up, be noble, dignified, devoted, 
 indefatigable : for 7ve are loved by Him whom angels 
 worship. 
 
 The holiday season of 1857 was also passed in 
 Scotland. Part was spent in that momentous visit
 
 36 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 to Portobello, where he met and became engaged to 
 Ellen Douglas, the fifth daughter and eighth child of 
 William Douglas ; her mother's maiden name was 
 Anne Oliver Bruce. Not long after his return to 
 Bedford, Mackenzie was told that it was intended to 
 send him to South Central Africa along with a party 
 of five other missionaries who were appointed to be 
 pioneers and founders of new missions in the heart of 
 the dark continent, in a region which Livingstone's 
 first great journey across the continent had opened up, 
 as it seemed, to European influences. To the same 
 friend he announces the important event in the follow- 
 ing way : — 
 
 It is now settled that J. S. Moffat and I form the mission 
 at Matabele — referred to in the last Missionary Chronicle. 
 There are other two going besides us, to a station farther 
 north ; but arrangements as to site, etc., of missions cannot 
 be at present very definite. It is probable we shall sail in 
 February next. I hope to be in Scotland next month. I 
 daresay I shall see you by and by. 
 
 How different my life has been since I came to England, 
 from what it was when you and I used to take those long, 
 very long walks of an evening by the Lossie — discussing 
 earnestly, and cheering one another on. I suppose this 
 other thing is life, and that was its introduction or vestibule. 
 Are you the same Jamie of the olden time ? I sometimes 
 almost doubt concerning my own identity, so great is the 
 change in my whole mental constitution. I'm afraid, if 
 there's a change in my spiritual state, it's not much for the 
 better, if any. God have mercy on me ! And so I'm off to 
 Africa, and in a few years (God helping you) you will be the 
 
 Rev. James Ross, Congregational minister of , in 
 
 Scotland. Very well : we have only one life ; His glory is 
 our highest object and end ; in Scotland and in Africa let 
 us be the servants of Jehovah. Then, when we shall meet 
 before His throne, we shall be approved of Him. 
 
 Mackenzie had long desired to spend part of his 
 period of study in Edinburgh ; but the attraction in 
 that direction was now intensified by the proximity 
 of that home at Portobello to the grey metropolis of
 
 FROM BEDFORD TO CAPE TOWN 37 
 
 the north. He obtained the consent of the directors 
 and went to Edinburgh in December. There he 
 remained longer than had been expected, through 
 difficulties met by the directors in making arrange- 
 ments for the new missionary expedition. But he 
 employed his time very fully in study. He made 
 many friends, including several who proved most 
 valuable and steady allies in years to come. Among 
 these the chief one was undoubtedly .the late Rev. 
 Geo. D. Cullen, M.A., who was so long prominent 
 among the Christian circles of Edinburgh. 
 
 At last it was definitely decided that the missionary 
 party for South Africa should sail early in the month 
 of June 1858. There remained nothing to do but 
 be ordained and married, make the final preparations 
 for the great undertaking, and then sail forth into 
 the unknown future. The ordination took place on 
 Monday, April 19th, in the Queen Street Hall, Edin- 
 burgh. Though a comparative stranger in the city, 
 Mackenzie had made so many friends, and the enter- 
 prise in which he was about to embark had, partly 
 through its association with the name of Dr. Living- 
 stone, attracted so much public attention, that the 
 hall was quite crowded on this occasion. On the 
 platform, besides those who took part in the service, 
 there were many well-known men, including " Rabbi " 
 Duncan, of the New College, Edinburgh, and Rev. Drs. 
 John Stoughton and Alexander Raleigh. Mackenzie 
 believed that " it was the first occasion on which the 
 three dissenting denominations had united in conduct- 
 ing such a service." The Rev. William Pulsford of 
 Albany Street Congregational Church offered the first 
 prayer, and the Rev. Geo. D. Cullen, M.A., " asked the 
 questions." ^ An address on " Africa as a Field of 
 
 ' The following were the questions which, according to Congrega- 
 tional custom, the young candidate for ordination answered in public: — 
 "(i) What leads you to conclude that you area Christian? (2) What 
 induced you to devote yourself to the work of a missionary among the
 
 38 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 Missions" was delivered by the Rev. Dr Harper of 
 Leith, Professor in the United Presbyterian Divinity 
 Hall, and the " charge" to the young minister was 
 given by Rev. Dr Lindsay Alexander of Augustine 
 Church, Edinburgh. The ordination prayer was 
 offered by the Rev. William Swan, formerly missionary 
 in Siberia ; an address on the claims of missions was 
 delivered by the Rev. Dr Ewart, Free Church Mis- 
 sionary at Calcutta, in the absence of Principal Cun- 
 ningham ; and a Free Church minister, Rev. Alex. 
 Topp (formerly of Elgin), also took part in the service. 
 
 John Mackenzie and Ellen Douglas were married at 
 Portobello on April 27th, 1858; a hurried trip was 
 made to Morayshire, where the young bride was made 
 known to her husband's relatives and his friends. The 
 young couple reached London towards the end of 
 May, and sailed on the s.s. Athens on June 5th from 
 Southampton. The voyage was uneventful and, 
 judged by modern speed, very slow, as they did not 
 reach Table Bay till July 14th. During the voyage 
 the four young missionaries, who were to be so closely 
 associated in so great a work, had opportunity to 
 know each other. Two of them were Welshmen, 
 the Rev. Roger Price and the Rev. Thomas Morgan 
 Thomas. One was from Yorkshire, the Rev. William 
 Sykes. Mackenzie used the voyage for reading a 
 variety of books, including Livingstone's " Travels " 
 and for breaking ground in the Dutch grammar. 
 
 When the ship anchored in Table Bay it was 
 
 immediately boarded by Robert Moffat and the Rev. 
 
 William Thompson, the Society's agent at Cape Town, 
 
 and the father of its present well-known Foreign 
 
 Secretary, the Rev. Ralph Wardlaw Thompson. Dr 
 
 Moffat gave the new missionaries a most affectionate 
 
 greeting, and at once set to work with his untiring, 
 
 heathen ? (3) What are the Doctrines that you believe to be contained in 
 the Scriptures ? (4) How do you propose to exercise your ministry 
 among tiic heathen ? "
 
 FROM BEDFORD TO CAPE TOWN 39 
 
 indomitable energy to prepare for the journey which 
 lay before them all, as far as his own station of 
 Kuruman. 
 
 Thus far we have found John Mackenzie to be a 
 young man whose whole attention was concentrated 
 on his own religious experience and on the effort to fit 
 himself for the career of a missionary. While he tried 
 to make his reading as wide as his opportunities would 
 allow, his main intellectual life gathered about his 
 religion and his chosen career. The answer which he 
 gave at his ordination to the fourth question, indicates 
 that he was by no means narrow in his views even at 
 this time. By reading and conversation he must have 
 already obtained that broad view of the missionary's 
 career which he retained to the end. 
 
 " First of all," he said, " my proper work, the work 
 of my life, is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ in 
 public and from family to family, instructing both 
 young and old in the sacred Scriptures. I desire to 
 do the work of an evangelist, and from this to turn 
 aside neither to the right hand nor to the left. . . . 
 In order to complete the work of elevating the people, 
 he (the missionary) must teach them the arts of civilised 
 life. If we exhort them to lay aside the sword for the 
 ploughshare and the spear for the pruning-hook, we 
 must be prepared to teach them to use the one with 
 the same dexterity which they exhibited in wielding 
 the other. If they are no longer to start upon the 
 marauding expedition, if they are not to depend upon 
 the precarious results of the chase, then we must teach 
 them to till their own land, sow and reap their own 
 crops, build their own houses, as well as tend their own 
 flocks. Nor is the missionary to Africa content even 
 when all this is accomplished. He longs to see the 
 African united in friendly intercourse with the general 
 brotherhood of the race. He desires to see the African 
 ship, freighted with the products of African soil and
 
 46 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 the results of African industry, mingling in the great 
 ocean with the ships of other lands and returning home 
 richly laden with the varied treasures of commerce." 
 
 Notwithstanding this breadth of view as to the effects 
 of the Gospel upon African communities, Mackenzie 
 stands at twenty-three years of age on South African 
 soil, the evangelist pure and simple, livingly aware only 
 of one supreme duty and imperious call from the throne 
 of God. 
 
 It is well to recall the fact that he had laid the deep 
 foundations of a wider view of his mission in the close 
 study of his own character. His evangelism was not 
 of that purely emotional and superficial type which 
 ignores the relation of divine grace to conduct and the 
 organic structure of human life. He knew that the 
 authority of Christ would mould his personal manhood 
 into the likeness of Christ. His diary is full of this. 
 It shows him quivering with painful sensitiveness to 
 the disparities that show themselves to his own eye 
 between himself and the great Model. He constantly 
 recurs to certain sins and faults which were not har- 
 monious with his relation to God in Christ. He speaks 
 of his pride and love of praise, of his nervousness before 
 others, his lack of nobility and dignity of manner. To 
 him these were sins because they were unworthy of a 
 Christian man. To him, as he said, " meekness was 
 the first-born of nobility of soul " ; and nobility of soul, 
 which he once called " a mild and dignified serenity," 
 he conceived of as the natural and almost inevitable 
 property of one who was united in the depths of his 
 spirit to the Son of God. Those who knew him in 
 later years will be amazed to learn that he who walked 
 so humbly and unselfishly, ever battled with the devil 
 of pride and vainglory ; or that he who was universally 
 described as calm and self-controlled ever suffered from 
 the sins of " blushing " with nervousness and of feeling 
 confused when confronted by strangers.
 
 FROM BEDFORD TO CAPE TOWN 41 
 
 There he stands at Cape Town, with his face to the 
 far and gloomy north, nearly six feet in height, broad- 
 shouldered but lithe and active, with his fair hair thrown 
 back from a massive forehead, with a ruddy beard encir- 
 cling his strong features, with those deep-set, light blue 
 eyes, that could twinkle with amusement, or flash " sun- 
 beams like swords " in a moment of moral indignation. 
 Long afterwards an observant man who met him said, 
 " I shook hands with him and he looked, right through 
 me!" 
 
 From those regions of drought and fever, of 
 heathenism and strife, he often carried his memory 
 back to a certain quiet nook in the Ladies' Walk, 
 along the beloved banks of the Lossie at Elgin, where 
 he knelt down one evening at the foot of a tree and 
 uttered one strong and intense prayer, which he never 
 forgot — " O Lord, send me to the darkest spot on 
 earth." Neither had God forgotten it.
 
 CHAPTER III 
 
 " WANDERJAHRE " ( I 85 8- I 864) 
 
 When our band of young missionaries landed in 
 South Africa they entered upon work which had 
 been already ennobled by their predecessors, during 
 almost sixty years of toil. The first of these, the 
 founder of the London Missionary Society's work 
 in South Africa, was J. T. Vanderkemp, a Hollander, 
 a learned linguist and man of science who, having 
 given his heart to the cause of foreign missions, 
 was sent to South Africa in 1 799, at fifty years of 
 age. In 181 5 there landed on those shores one 
 whose name was destined to be even more widely 
 known in connection with South Africa ; it was 
 Robert Moffat. In 18 19 Dr Philip, one of the 
 greatest personalities associated with the history of 
 Cape Colony, appeared upon the scene. He gave 
 up brilliant prospects as a minister in the homeland, 
 to found mission work at Cape Town and to be 
 the general superintendent of the London Missionary 
 Society's operations throughout South Africa. He 
 was a man of indomitable courage, penetrating mind, 
 sympathetic heart, and clear conscience. He made 
 journeys in all directions throughout the colony, and 
 by the thoroughness with which he exposed the ill- 
 treatment of the native tribes by the white settlers, 
 he at once awoke the undying hatred of the latter 
 and set in motion many forces tending to improve 
 the condition of the former. To this day, it is hard 
 to obtain from South African historians anything 
 like a moderate and fair judgment of Dr Philip's
 
 "WANDERJAHRE" 43 
 
 character and work. He had been dead a few years 
 when our young missionaries arrived in Cape Colony. 
 But a new star was in the ascendant. The name 
 of Dr Livingstone, already well known in South 
 Africa, had for several years gained fame in Europe 
 also. He who had come out to be a medical mis- 
 sionary and had, as he thought, settled down for life 
 in Bechuanaland to spread the gospel amongst the 
 various branches of that race north .of Kuruman, 
 was driven by strange events from his chosen fields 
 of labour. The Boers of the Transvaal had, from 
 the time of the Sand River Convention in 1852, 
 considered Bechuanaland as finally handed over to 
 them by the British Government. They knew what 
 missionaries had been doing for forty years in Cape 
 Colony ; how faithfully they had stood, in face of 
 every danger and opposition, for the rights of the 
 native peoples ; how remarkably their education of 
 the native peoples strengthened the latter and made 
 it impossible for the farmers to treat them as serfs. 
 These " immigrant farmers " of the Transvaal, there- 
 fore, very bitterly resented the energetic and suc- 
 cessful way in which Moffat and Livingstone were 
 opening up Christian missions amongst the Bechuana 
 tribes, and they set themselves to destroy these 
 stations. This was done deliberately and system- 
 atically. Dr Moffat, in the end of i 852, describes J^ 
 no less than four missionary stations which had 
 already been blotted out. In each case the native 
 teachers were driven off, the people of the district 
 being plundered and slain. Amongst these stations 
 was that of Kolobeng, where Dr Livingstone had 
 for some years been settled, Dr Theal, the well- 
 known South African historian, amongst other attempts 
 to disparage the missionary point of view and redeem 
 from contempt the attitude of the Boers, has tried 
 to prove that the destruction of Livingstone's mission
 
 44 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 was due to the inhabitants of Kolobeng and not to 
 the Boers, His bit of special pleading can convince 
 no one who knows the bare facts of the case. Amongst 
 these must be named this, that Dr Livingstone himself 
 shortly afterwards studied the evidence on the spot, 
 and described what had occurred in detail. To 
 imagine that the people amongst whom he had lived 
 on terms of intimacy and affection could unanimously 
 deceive him in such a matter is to make him out 
 to be one of the dullest of dull human beings. But 
 the fact is that visitors to the Marico district, in the 
 north-west corner of the Transvaal, from which these 
 plunderers went out, had for many years afterwards 
 abundant evidences given to them that the Boers 
 themselves were the depredators. Both the Rev. 
 J. S. Moffat and Mackenzie knew intimately the 
 leading Boers of that district ; knew the men who 
 had led on that expedition to Kolobeng ; knew the 
 houses to which Dr Livingstone's furniture had been 
 carried ; and they knew, lastly, that the utmost the 
 Boers ever said for themselves was, not that the 
 natives had destroyed Livingstone's premises, but 
 that the rash deed had been done by the wilder 
 young men of the Boer commando without the approval 
 of their elders. It was left for ingenious historians 
 to suggest, without a particle of evidence, that the 
 Bakwena had attacked Livingstone's premises. 
 
 The effect of the pressure which the Boers exercised 
 upon the policy of the Bechuanaland missionaries 
 from the east, and the hindrances presented by the 
 vast Kalahari desert on the west, had been to direct 
 the eyes of the pioneers to the north and north-east. 
 The Bechuana mission gradually became a long series 
 of stations, extending from south to north many 
 hundreds of miles, from the Orange River up to the 
 Zambesi. The work of exploration which preceded 
 this extension of the mission was undertaken by
 
 " WANDERJAHRE " 45 
 
 Livingstone. His discovery of a portion of the 
 Zambesi in 1851 proved to him that the great water- 
 way was being made a chief nourisher of the cruel 
 slave trade. He therefore resolved to find some 
 healthy spots in that region where missionaries could 
 live, and from which would radiate the influences that 
 ever prove fatal to slavery. In pursuance of this aim, 
 Livingstone set out two years later, determined to 
 find a shorter route to the coast, either east or west, 
 than the long journey by ox-waggon from Cape Town. 
 He reached the Makololo country once more, and 
 found the chief Sebetuane as friendly as ever. These 
 Makololo had been driven northward all the way from 
 Basutoland by the terrific regiments of Moselekatse, 
 the renegade Zulu warrior who founded the Matabele 
 tribe. They had at last found a country where they 
 were protected from the Matabele both by the river 
 system and by a region infested with that tsetse fly, 
 which is so fatal to cattle and horses. From Linyanti, 
 the Makololo town, Livingstone went, attended by 
 some Makololo servants, to St Paul de Loanda on 
 the west coast, where he arrived on May 3 i st. From 
 that place he returned to Linyanti in the faithful and 
 self-sacrificing fulfilment of a promise to bring those 
 servants back to their own town. Then he set out on 
 his still more arduous and magnificent journey to 
 Quilimane on the east coast, where he arrived on May 
 20th, 1856. Before he left Linyanti he got a promise 
 from the chief that, when he returned to that region, 
 the chief would lead his tribe out of their most un- 
 healthy place of refuge to a higher country north of 
 the Zambesi. Livingstone promised that missionaries 
 would settle with them there ; and they, it was hoped 
 would prove a shield to the Makololo, warding off 
 any further attack from the Matabele. It was this 
 agreement, made by Livingstone, which led the London 
 Missionary Society to undertake the Makololo Mission.
 
 46 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 In what we now call South Bechuanaland the work 
 of Christian missions had been already very fairly 
 established by such men as Robert Moffat, William 
 Ashton, Holloway Helmore, and others. Through 
 their labours the entire Scriptures had been translated, 
 and evangelistic work had been carried on at various 
 centres. The school work, being the weakest spot in the 
 history of the Bechuanaland missions, had been begun ; 
 and in various towns native teachers laboured more or 
 less adequately to present the gospel to their fellow 
 countrymen. One of the most interesting spots in 
 South Africa must always be the famous mission 
 station of Kuruman ; in 1858 it was from every point 
 of view one of the most important places outside the 
 Cape Colony. The population was small, and its 
 chief by no means a man of power. But the great 
 missionary, Robert Moffat, had settled there, having 
 obtained a most valuable grant of land from the chief, 
 on behalf of the Society. The little valley, watered 
 from an abundant and perennial spring, he with much 
 toil and patience turned into one of the most fruitful 
 spots in South Africa. Moffat's training as a Scottish 
 gardener stood him in good stead at Kuruman. 
 Traders in South Africa usually followed the " mis- 
 sionary road," and some store-keepers settled in time 
 at Kuruman. Moffat's chief delight was in the work 
 of an itinerating evangelist. All other work he under- 
 took as an inevitable but grievous diversion of his 
 energies from this. He therefore made almost cease- 
 less tours of all the native villages and towns within a 
 radius of twenty miles ; and when he formed the 
 church at Kuruman the converts of these outposts 
 became members of that church. Thus was Kuruman 
 made, even for the native mind, a new kind of capital. 
 As the number of missionaries in Bechuanaland in- 
 creased the importance of Kuruman increased. For 
 there he lived to whom they all looked up as the
 
 "WANDERJAHRE" 47 
 
 leader of their endeavours and the untitled chieftain of 
 their circle. Kuruman, in fact, occupied in the minds of 
 most people connected with the Bechuana mission, 
 the position which the men of another Christian persua- 
 sion accord to the residence of a missionary-bishop. 
 
 The missionary party to which Mackenzie belonged 
 received much help, in preparing at Cape Town for 
 their long journey northwards, from Robert Moffat. 
 They were all prepared like enthusiastic young men 
 to array themselves under his inspiring leadership. 
 Amidst their busy preparations they had time to study 
 a little the conditions of life in that colonial capital 
 whose inhabitants gave them a warm reception and 
 watched their proceedings with intense interest. For 
 it meant much to Cape Colony that it should be 
 brought into living connection with the distant regions 
 of the Zambesi. But the Christian people were pre- 
 pared to welcome them for their work's sake, and gave 
 them many a hearty God-speed. For this purpose a 
 large meeting was held just before their departure, at 
 which addresses were made by Cape Town citizens, 
 and by several of the missionaries. This meeting has 
 not yet been forgotten by those who took part in it, 
 as letters received even since the death of Mackenzie 
 prove. His own speech on that occasion made many 
 friends for him, who never forgot his name and watched 
 his career. 
 
 Mackenzie wrote a few letters from Cape Town to 
 his home friends which, being the first despatched 
 after his voyage, contain a few observations on the 
 new world into which he had entered. He is much 
 struck with the presence of the Oriental races and the 
 celebrations of their own religious rites. He observes 
 that nearly all the main branches of Protestant 
 Christianity are represented in the religious life of the 
 place. One letter describes a glorious day which 
 some of them spent climbing Table Mountain. To
 
 48 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 James Ross he sent the observation that American 
 editions of standard British authors were being sold at 
 Cape Town cheaper than in England (1858). 
 
 The missionaries were introduced to Sir George 
 Grey, the Governor of Cape Colony, and were very 
 kindly received by him. Grey was one of the few 
 Cape Governors who have known how to deal fairly 
 with the Cape Dutch and yet to retain their confidence 
 and respect. He was at this very time about to set 
 out on a journey to meet with some Transvaal Boers 
 for the settlement of a dispute, and his mind was 
 much occupied with rumours of the wide interpreta- 
 tion which these people had put upon that careless 
 document, the Sand River Convention. They were 
 already extending their aggressive policy northward 
 and westward, and, as we shall see, even Kuruman 
 was coming rapidly within the scope of their " practical 
 politics." In view of all these facts it was a matter of 
 some importance that the Governor publicly recognised 
 the new missionary enterprise, and frankly expressed 
 his good-will toward the representatives of the London 
 Missionary Society. 
 
 Robert Moffat resolved to leave with his son and 
 family before the rest of the missionary band, in order 
 to prepare at Kuruman for their reception, and also to 
 prevent the taking of too many oxen through the 
 country at the same time. When the new men began 
 their journey it was to meet with the severest forms of 
 a South African traveller's loss and misery. The 
 cattle which had been bought for them before their 
 arrival turned out to be very poor ; and they perished 
 in the terrible Karroo in large numbers. They were all, 
 of course, struck with the monotony and slowness of 
 the South African mode of travelling. " The fact is," 
 wrote Mrs Mackenzie, "it is almost impossible to write 
 while travelling, as we have to do in South Africa. 
 There is an awful waste of time connected with it and
 
 " WANDERJAHRE " 49 
 
 we cannot help it ; we must get to our journey's end, 
 and this is the only available mode of doing so. If 
 poor South Africa is to be Christianised at an ox- 
 waggon pace, what will become of the heathen children 
 for many generations ? " 
 
 They reached Beaufort West on October 9th, and 
 there were the guests of a Mr Frazer, minister of the 
 Dutch Reformed Church, and his family. Mr Frazer 
 had come from the north of Scotland, and was 
 delighted to meet with one who had more or less 
 acquaintance with a number of his old college 
 friends and others. Mackenzie preached to the 
 English-speaking people on the Sabbath and re- 
 ceived an invitation to settle among them as their 
 minister. The following brief extracts give an 
 interesting glimpse of Mr Frazer's family, from 
 which there sprung some well-known South Africans, 
 including the wife of President Steyn of the Orange 
 Free State : — 
 
 Although Mr Frazer has been in this Colony ever since 
 he was a young man, he still retains his Highland accent. 
 He has been married twice and has a family of ten, six sons 
 and four daughters. His two eldest daughters are married, 
 one in Cape Town, the other in Beaufort, to a very nice young 
 Scotsman who has a general store. One son is studying for 
 the ministry in Holland and another medicine in Aberdeen ; 
 the others are quite young. Mrs Frazer is Dutch and speaks 
 only that language, and you may imagine how awkward I 
 often felt. She understands English quite well, for it is 
 spoken regularly in the family, but then I could not always 
 understand her Dutch. However, she is an excellent woman 
 and was very kind to me, and there was generally some one 
 of the children at hand to interpret. All the English-speaking 
 people here speak Dutch, from the eldest to the youngest. 
 It is amusing to hear the young children speak both 
 languages. English parents, however, never allow their 
 children to speak in Dutch at home. This I don't wonder 
 at for it gives to their English a peculiar accent which indeed 
 all the Africanders have to a large extent, and which I don't 
 admire. 
 
 D
 
 50 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 Who has adequately described life in an ox-waggon 
 in South Africa ? There is a poetry as well as a 
 misery about it to which no writer has yet done 
 justice. Various missionaries and hunters have 
 recorded their particular experiences, especially the 
 hardships of special journeys. But it remains for 
 some gifted pen, ere that peculiar mode of transport 
 disappears, to picture its fascinations as well as its 
 limitations, its freedom as well as its confinement, its 
 constant human interest as well as its monotony. 
 The following extract from a letter of Mackenzie's 
 written in the first stage of this his first journey gives 
 an all too rare glimpse of the actual life : — 
 
 Mitchell Pass near Ceres, 
 September 1858. 
 
 Here we are, after a week's journeying by the ox-waggon, 
 in a wild but beautiful part of Southern Africa. For the last 
 few days we have been surrounded by mountains, some of the 
 peaks of which are clad with snow, although lying under a 
 sun which to us was actually broiling. Bain's Kloof and Pass, 
 which we have just passed through, have many attractions to 
 the lover of the grand and imposing in nature. Masses of 
 rock have in many instances been blasted to a great depth, 
 in order to form the road by which we travelled. I have 
 never seen masses of rock so ancient looking, and yet they 
 are chiefly sandstone. 
 
 We outspanned some days ago beside a brook, and really I 
 thought more than once that Ellen and I were returning to 
 the age of childhood. We went repeatedly together to wash 
 our hands in the dancing stream, and as we sat there 
 together after the genuine Arcadian fashion (do you know 
 it ?), I felt sure that there were many people in this world of 
 ours far less happy than this brother and sister of yours. We 
 gathered wild flowers, too, day after day, and the top of my 
 waggon looks rather gay I can assure you. We enjoy the 
 company of our brethren and sisters very much. We form 
 quite a village, and there is no loneliness where we chance to 
 encamp. On Friday night we reached the highest part of 
 Bain's Kloof, and outspanned where indeed the place seemed 
 lonely. Baboons, too, came in numbers to gaze at the first
 
 "WANDER J AHRE" 51 
 
 of our party who reached the spot, but they soon retired, 
 and their chatter was succeeded by the merry laugh of our 
 men as they surrounded the fire and cooked our evening 
 meal. Ellen and I were detained a few days behind the rest 
 in Cape Town, but came up to them after three days' 
 travelling by ourselves. They started on the Tuesday and 
 we on the Saturday. We met again on the following 
 Wednesday. Waggon-travelling has not had the slightest 
 injurious effect on Ellen — indeed she enjoys it quite as 
 much as any of the others. We are all very busy while 
 travelling. There is always something to do. Either we have 
 to give the men their food, or sort something about the waggon, 
 or get something cooked for ourselves. We have no time 
 for zvriting letters. I am sorry for this, for almost every 
 hour I see things which would be interesting if narrated. 
 Ellen is also very sorry that she cannot write more to you 
 and to all our dear relatives. We both hope, however, that 
 we shall be able by and by to write more to you all. In the 
 meantime don't let your pen rest, but send us many such 
 letters as that which you sent from Portobello. 
 
 We are now inspanning, i.e., inyoking our oxen. We reach 
 Ceres to-night, and this must be posted there in order to 
 reach Cape Town in time for the September mail. 
 
 It is very hot, but we get some fine oranges at the farm- 
 houses at the wayside, which are very pleasant and refreshing. 
 Part of this letter was written under the shade of a 
 bush, but my ink falling down the sloping bank, I changed 
 my position and finished it in my waggon, which by the way 
 we have named " Patience Lodge." 
 
 From Beaufort, Mackenzie sent a letter to the 
 Directors of the London Missionary Society, from 
 which the following extracts are made : — 
 
 Letjesbosch near Beaufort West, S.A., 
 October 9, 1858. 
 
 Mr Moffat, having interested himself in procuring waggons, 
 oxen, etc., for the missionary party, left Cape Town on the 24th 
 of August, accompanied by Mrs Moffat, Mr and Mrs John 
 Moffat, Mrs Livingstone and sons, and Miss Jane Moffat, 
 who is now returning from school in England. On the 31st 
 of August Mr Helmore, with the three young brethren, 
 started ; but Mrs Mackenzie, having exerted herself too much
 
 52 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 in preparing for the journey, became quite unwell at this 
 juncture, and, to the disappointment of both, the medical 
 man would not allow us to leave with the others. On 
 Saturday, the 4th of September, however, she had so far 
 improved that he gave his consent to our starting, and we 
 overtook Mr Helmore and party on the following Wednesday 
 near Wellington. I am thankful to say that Mrs Mackenzie's 
 health has continued good since commencing the journey, 
 and 1 have no doubt but that with care and God's blessing 
 it will continue so. 
 
 I shall not attempt in this letter to describe either the 
 country through which we have passed, or the details con- 
 nected with our waggon-travelling. On the latter subject, I 
 shall only say that an ox-waggon is not particularly adapted 
 for letter-writing, nor is it quite the place in which one who is 
 fond of reading would choose to live. However, it is just 
 the thing for travelling in this country, and this is our great 
 object at present. 
 
 I am very sorry to say that the accounts which had reached 
 England before our departure, concerning the high price and 
 bad condition of oxen in this Colony were but too true. 
 The oxen which were purchased for us at the Cape at a very 
 high figure were, in general, miserable looking creatures, and 
 as the event has proved, too weak for such a journey. We 
 have not now half the number with which we started from 
 Cape Town. One by one they have dropped down on the 
 road, and in most cases we can do nothing with them in 
 the way of doctoring them, for the disease generally is 
 exhaustion. In the parched and barren Karroo great 
 numbers have fallen, and all along the road there were 
 evidences that travellers who had preceded us had been 
 equally if not more unfortunate. In half-an-hour I have 
 counted the skeletons of half-a-dozen oxen, as I sat on the 
 front of my waggon, which vehicle, as you are aware, would 
 not go over a great extent of ground in that space of time. 
 At a place called Vlak Place, about eight days' journey from 
 Beaufort, we held a consultation on the subject of our oxen, 
 when it was found necessary to leave one-half of the waggons 
 where they were, there being no oxen to pull them, while the 
 other three should proceed to Beaufort and send back 
 assistance. Mr Price, Mr Sykes, and 1 being worst off for 
 oxen, it was thought fair that we should remain behind, while 
 Mr Helmore's two waggons, with Mr Thomas's, should
 
 "WANDERJAHRE" 53 
 
 proceed. However, Mr and Mrs Helmore, thinking it 
 unadvisable that Mrs Mackenzie should remain, recom- 
 mended that I should leave my waggon in charge of my 
 brethren, and offered us both a place in one of their 
 waggons. Travelling thus we reached this place on Friday, 
 lam now within a day or so of Beaufort. We have already 
 purchased some oxen here, and hope that soon we shall be 
 able to procure a sufficient number to send back for our 
 brethren. They are pretty comfortably located beside a 
 small river, and have a kind Boer in their vicinity, who will 
 sell them sheep, etc., so with their own supplies there is not 
 the slightest cause for anxiety. 
 
 The state of affairs between the Dutch Boers beyond the 
 Colony and some of the native tribes is very unsatisfactory, 
 and at times alarming. We have heard lately that the 
 Kuruman is not considered safe, by some who reside there, 
 but we fondly hope that such fears will turn out to be 
 groundless. By and by we shall have full information on 
 this important subject, which we cannot procure here in the 
 desert. 
 
 At Victoria West the entire party were most 
 generously received by a farmer in the neighbourhood. 
 His brother had already given to Robert Moffat 
 tvi^enty-eight oxen to take him to Hope Town from 
 Beaufort, of which only seventeen " were spared to 
 return," as one correspondent quaintly expresses it. 
 This farmer gave to Price and Mackenzie free pas- 
 turage for their oxen as long as they stayed there. 
 Thus they received their first pleasant experiences of 
 the far-famed South African hospitality. Mackenzie 
 arrived at Kuruman on the first day of the year 1859. 
 On March ist he wrote a letter reporting the re- 
 mainder of his journey, and surveying the whole of it. 
 
 Kuruman, isf March 1859. 
 
 My former letter from Cape Town conveyed the intelli- 
 gence of the safe and speedy termination of the first stage in 
 our long journey. 
 
 Had the second stage from Cape Town to Kuruman been 
 equally prosperous with the first (we could not expect it to 
 be so speedy), my present task had been both easy and
 
 54 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 pleasant. As the case stands, however, I feel it will be 
 necessary to enter into the details, so far as they affect me, 
 of a journey which has been disastrous and protracted, and 
 therefore expensive and unpleasant. 
 
 I was detained a few days in Cape Town behind my 
 brethren, on account of Mrs Mackenzie's health, which had 
 been affected by her exertions in preparing for the journey. 
 Starting on Saturday, the 4th September, we rejoined our 
 friends on the 8th at a mountain pass called liain's Kloof, a 
 little beyond the town of Wellington. 
 
 I found that already some of the o.xen had died from 
 sheer exhaustion ; in this pass more were added to this 
 number ; and when we came to the entrance of the Karroo, 
 seven oxen were sold for ^i a head rather than bring them 
 a little further, where we should only have got about half 
 that sum for the hide. 
 
 In the Karroo our loss was fearful. At that season there 
 was next to nothing for the poor animals to eat, and being 
 in most wretched condition when they came into our posses- 
 sion, they daily fell down in the yoke unable to move 
 another step. . . . 
 
 At Beaufort we disposed of nearly all the Cape Town 
 oxen on very fair terms, and purchased others which were 
 fresh and in good condition. In dividing these oxen 
 amongst ourselves, we endeavoured to equalise the strength 
 of the six spans. 
 
 It was thought advisable that Mr Sykes and I should 
 travel together from Beaufort to Victoria, because at that 
 time we both had white men as our drivers, who would not 
 deign to sit at the same fire with their black brethren of the 
 whip, but who being father and son, of course, agreed well 
 enough at a fire by themselves. 
 
 Mr Price and I accepted a kind invitation tendered to 
 the whole party by some friends in Victoria West, to rest 
 and feed our cattle there before entering the dry and sterile 
 district between Victoria and Hope Town. A large house 
 was placed at our disposal rent free, and pasture granted for 
 our oxen on the same easy terms. Our friends had only 
 one request to make, to which we were happy to accede, 
 viz. : that we should preach to them. We remained at this 
 place, much to our own pleasure and the benefit of our oxen, 
 rather more than a fortnight ; and after all reached Hope 
 Town three days after two of our brethren.
 
 " WANDER] AHRE" 55 
 
 At Hope Town we found the Black or Orange River im- 
 passable at the ford eastward along the bank of the Orange 
 River, until we reached the place where it is joined by the 
 Vaal. There we crossed by means of a boat, emptying our 
 waggons and taking them to pieces. 
 
 While at Hope Town, reports of a very warlike character 
 reached us concerning the movements of the Transvaal 
 Boers. It was believed by the agent of our Government at 
 Hope Town, as well as by other gentlemen who had means 
 of obtaining intelligence concerning the movements of the 
 Boers, that Kuruman was about to be attacked. On reach- 
 ing Griqua Town, Mr P. and I rode on to Kuruman to see 
 for ourselves the real state of matters, and to get the advice 
 of our brethren concerning the propriety of bringing forward 
 our waggons. Being satisfied that there was no immediate 
 danger, we returned for our waggons, which we brought to 
 Kuruman on the first day of 1859. 
 
 As to the journey between Cape Town and Beaufort, it 
 was managed entirely by Mr Helmore, who has no doubt 
 advised you on the subject. 
 
 I attribute the success of the latter part of my journey to 
 our having good oxen to begin with ; to our travelling 
 rapidly thro' the worst districts ; to our travelling chiefly 
 at night ; and to our separating at Beaufort into parties of 
 two waggons each. 
 
 As an incident of the journey, I may mention that while at 
 Beaufort, I was invited to take charge of a church which the 
 English-speaking population were desirous of having formed 
 among them. A liberal salary was offered, guaranteed for 
 five years, and other inducements held out. But my answer 
 was ready, an answer which Mr Moffat had led them to 
 expect when he passed through the place. In the full con- 
 viction that my work lay further north, I had pleasure in 
 advising with them as to procuring another, and in com- 
 mending them to the care and blessing of God. 
 
 The missionaries were soon engrossed in most 
 earnest discussion of plans for the next stage of their 
 journey. The plan as outlined was that Robert 
 Moffat should accompany the missionaries to the 
 Matabele tribe, these consisting of Messrs John S. 
 Moffat, William Sykes, and Morgan Thomas. Along
 
 $6 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 with them would travel as far as possible those 
 who were appointed to the Makololo Mission. The 
 man of experience amongst these was the late 
 Holloway Helmore, and with him were to go the 
 late Roger Price and John Mackenzie. In the course 
 of their deliberations Mackenzie formulated a plan 
 which he submitted to the band, but which was 
 rejected by them chiefly through the urgent dissuasions 
 of Mr Helmore. This he describes in a letter to the 
 Directors from which we have already quoted : — 
 
 {\st March 1859.) 
 
 As to the part of our journey still before us, we begin to 
 perceive, with all the force which nearness lends, the reality 
 of its difficulties. Our minds were formerly occupied with 
 difficulties then present ; sufficient to those days were their 
 evils ; but now we are at liberty fully to contemplate what we 
 shall have to meet and contend with and through God's help 
 to overcome, between Kuruman and the north bank of the 
 Zambesi. 
 
 After giving my best consideration to our position, it is my 
 opinion that the Makololo brethren should, in the first place, 
 make a " bachelor expedition " to Linyanti, get the Makololo 
 to remove to some healthy locality on the north bank of the ' 
 Zambesi, build temporary huts for ourselves and our goods, 
 then retrace our steps to Kuruman for our wives and the 
 remaining part of our goods. In the interim, if possible, 
 leave with the people a native teacher who, along with our 
 property left in their midst, would sufficiently attest that we 
 were not " gulling " them. 
 
 Of course, the greatest objection to this plan is that it 
 would take so much time in the accomplishment. Now this 
 is an objection ; but it has to be balanced against others 
 connected with the bringing of females and children into that 
 country in the present uncertain state of matters. From all 
 I can learn from those who have lived long in this country, 
 it is neither an easy nor a speedy matter to induce a native 
 tribe to shift its quarters, without force, even after they 
 have promised to do so. Again, the position in which 
 the Makololo will be placed if they agree to our wishes will 
 be right in the teeth of their enemies the Matabele, a cir-
 
 "WANDERJAHRE'' 57 
 
 cumstance which, notwithstanding all the assurances which 
 may be advanced to them, will not at all tend to hasten 
 their removal. Further, the deadliness of the climate forms 
 in itself a strong reason why the health of females, and 
 especially of children, should not be hazarded until we have 
 the sure prospect, with the blessing of God, of there 
 establishing a mission. 
 
 The plans of the missionaries were much disturbed 
 by the persistent rumours concerning the purpose and 
 movements of the Transvaal Boers. M. W. Pretorius 
 had but recently succeeded in reconciling warring 
 factions and establishing the South African Republic, 
 nearly six years after the Sand River Convention. 
 In a recent message to his Raad he had given it as 
 his decided opinion that the missionaries of the 
 London Missionary Society had done and continued 
 to do much harm amongst the natives ; and he asked 
 his Raad to decide whether their continued labours 
 and even their presence north of the Vaal River should 
 be tolerated any longer. Pretorius acted on the 
 theory that the Sand River Convention of 1852 had 
 given over all the interior of South Africa to his 
 people and government. The convenient phrase, 
 " North of the Vaal River," was stretched by them 
 very far westwards, and the spirit of the convention, 
 as Dr Moffat in one of his letters pointed out, was 
 interpreted by announcing to the chiefs in Bechuana- 
 land that the Queen had handed them over to the 
 Transvaal Government. Moffat received also a 
 personal message from Pretorius, who was alarmed at 
 the prospect of a large band of missionaries travelling 
 through the interior to the Zambesi, in which he 
 warned them not to begin their journey without 
 express permission from himself. Rumours were sent 
 flying across the country that the Boers intended to 
 send an expedition westwards into South Bechuanaland, 
 early in 1859. The prospect was so dark at one 
 time that the Moffats sent a portion of their goods for
 
 58 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 safety to Hope Town, and Mackenzie deemed it 
 imperative to take his wife into the Orange Free State. 
 
 Here it ought also to be recorded that Pretorius had 
 formed the astute plan of settling German Missionaries 
 in the interior to keep out and supplant the agents of 
 the London Missionary Society. He succeeded in 
 obtaining representatives of the famous Hermannsburg 
 Mission, several of whom were already at work. If 
 he had been successful in realising this plan he would 
 have changed South African history profoundly. For 
 German Missionaries, under the patronage of the 
 Transvaal Government, would have made the interior 
 of South Africa, Dutch or German permanently. 
 Various events interfered with its success ; amongst 
 these we must name as the most important a vigorous 
 correspondence which was carried on with the officials 
 of the German Society by the officials of the London 
 Missionary Society, but most especially by Robert 
 Moffat and John Mackenzie. These two sent repeated 
 and powerful letters of expostulation and explanation. 
 It is not too much to say that in this affair the 
 missionaries took the first important steps towards 
 opening South Central Africa to British supremacy ; 
 which, as we shall see, they have done more than any 
 other class of men to secure. 
 
 In view of the expected Boer raid, and his wife's 
 health, Mackenzie went in May 1859 to Fauresmith. 
 While there he heard, in June, that his brethren were 
 preparing for an immediate start northward. He at 
 once set out on horseback, accompanied by the Rev. 
 W. B. Philip of Philippolis, and rode to Kuruman 
 across the country which he was destined to traverse 
 so often many years afterwards. He found that Mr 
 Helmore's warm and impulsive nature had led him to 
 declare that he would begin his journey at once, and 
 must take his family with him. This vigorous action 
 of course determined the movements of the rest,
 
 "WANDERJAHRE" 59 
 
 Mackenzie excepted. For him it was arranged 
 that he should return as soon as possible to Kuru- 
 man, remaining there in charge of the station, and 
 follow with supplies in the next year. 
 
 At Fauresmith on July i6th there was born to 
 Mackenzie his eldest child and son. He returned 
 to Kuruman in August, and settled down to his 
 work until the middle of the following year. The chief 
 part of this consisted in the mastery of the Sechuana 
 language, and in making various tours among heathen 
 villages and towns, for preaching the gospel. 
 
 At length, on May 25th, i860, Mackenzie set out 
 on his momentous journey to the Zambesi. The 
 experiences which he encountered have been fully 
 described by him in " Ten Years North of the Orange 
 River." In that volume he gives six chapters to 
 narrate his own movements, his minute and accurate 
 observations of native customs — especially among the 
 Bushmen — the fate of the mission party which he 
 was attempting to reach, and the extinction of the 
 Makololo, the very people among whom they had 
 hoped to establish a new mission. It is unneces- 
 sary to describe in any detail what he himself has 
 recorded in these chapters.^ 
 
 He tells us that he set out with four waggons, 
 three horses, over seventy oxen and about a dozen 
 men. Among his native servants, the most valuable 
 was undoubtedly Mebalwe, the former servant of 
 David Livingstone, who shared with him so bravely 
 the dangers of the famous lion fight. It ought to 
 be observed that, as the result of his method of 
 organising the w^ork of his servants, Mackenzie re- 
 ports that his cattle did not stray once during all 
 the months of their journeying. Mackenzie may 
 be deemed especially fortunate in having crossed 
 the desert regions, through which others passed 
 
 1 " Ten Years North of the Orange River," chapters vii.-xii.
 
 6o JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 only at the cost of very great suffering and loss, 
 without serious accident of any kind. This was due 
 in very large measure to his own genius for organisa- 
 tion, to the prudence with which he foresaw and 
 prepared for emergencies, and the personal influence 
 which he exercised even over complete strangers from 
 whom he sought accurate information. 
 
 As he passed through Bechuanaland, Mackenzie 
 once more felt a deep surprise at seeing so many 
 large native towns which were willing to receive a 
 missionary, and to which none had been sent. The 
 question arose more than once in his mind, whether it 
 was wise to leave these regions with inadequate pro- 
 vision in order to reach those distant tribes to which 
 he himself was going. At Liteyana he for the first time 
 saw the well-known chief Sechele, whom Mackenzie 
 describes as the " finest specimen of the Bechuanas " ^ 
 whom he had yet seen ; he was " tall and well made, 
 with an open countenance, and unusually large eyes." 
 
 On July 20th he found himself in Shoshong, where 
 he was destined to spend so many years of his prime ; 
 he found here a very large tribe gathered under a very 
 able and quite unscrupulous chief named Sekhome. A 
 German missionary had been at work there for a short 
 time, by name Mr Schulenborg ; he had been very 
 successful, having formed a school and the beginnings 
 of an organised church ; among those whom he had 
 baptised were the two sons of Sekhome, named Khame 
 and Khamane. Here Mackenzie met Robert Moffat, 
 on his way back from Matabcleland, who gave a 
 very encouraging account of the reception given by 
 Moselekatse to himself and the three young mission- 
 aries ; this news made them both more eager to hear 
 how it had fared with Helmore and Price on their 
 more hazardous undertaking. In a few days Mac- 
 kenzie started again, after making some careful plans 
 
 ' " Ten Years North of the Orange River," p. 105,
 
 "WANDERJAHRE" 6l 
 
 for " the great thirst land " which they were about 
 to cross. We must content ourselves with insert- 
 ing here a letter in which, on his return to Shoshong, 
 Mackenzie described to the Directors of the London 
 Missionary Society the dreary result of all the plans 
 and efforts to establish the Makololo Mission. 
 
 Bamangwato, i^th Dec, i860. 
 Rev. Dr Tidman. 
 
 Rev. and Dear Sir, — This note is wTitten in a great 
 haste in order that it may be sent with some travellers who 
 leave this town to-day. I must, therefore, compress into a 
 few lines an account of my journey from the date of my 
 leaving this place in the end of July last. 
 
 Between Kanne and Nchokotsa there lies a most trying 
 country for travellers. The waters are far apart, and deep 
 sand intervenes. However, on Tuesday the 7 th August we 
 reached Nchokotsa without knowing what thirst was, and 
 tlie oxen all right. From Nchokotsa we struck out towards 
 the north, spent Sabbath, 12th August, at Koobe, and on 
 the following Saturday reached Maila. After leaving 
 Nchokotsa we had employed guides, the " spoor " being 
 indistinct and often at night not traceable. When I asked 
 men to go forward from Maila to Kamakama, neither 
 Makalaka nor Bushmen would consent. I pleaded with 
 them, but they shook their heads, and pointing in the 
 direction of the places I had named, said, " There, there is 
 no water. Nothing but sun, nothing but sun. Your oxen 
 will be scattered and yourselves subjected to thirst in the 
 desert as were the Makoas of last year." This was the first 
 intimation I had received concerning the sufferings endured 
 by my brethren who had preceded me, which have not their 
 equal in the history of African missions, nor indeed in the 
 history of African travel, so far as I am acquainted with it. 
 Of course I could not think of returning, nor yet of lying 
 still, the rainy season being still distant. I resolved, there- 
 fore, to try to reach the Makololo country by some other 
 route. On questioning the Makalaka and the Bushmen, the 
 former offered to lead me into a road to the eastward formed 
 by hunters, by which I might reach the Makololo country. 
 This road leading to the S.-E. from Maila instead of to the 
 N. or N.-W., as I desired, my men and myself had consider-
 
 62 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 able misgivings, but still, as the teacher Mebalwe remarked, 
 one does not mind travelling by a roundabout road, provided 
 it has water on it. I therefore engaged two Makalaka, and 
 made ready to start. On Monday, before we were quite 
 ready to leave Maila, Mokantsa, the son of Horoi, and a 
 party of his Bushmen arrived "to greet us before our 
 departure." A Bushman having the previous evening hinted 
 that they knew a better road than that which I was about to 
 take, I was very anxious that I should hear the merits of the 
 two routes fairly stated, and therefore called all the Makalaka 
 and Bushmen together, and, addressing myself to the two 
 chiefs Mokantsa and Putse, offered them a reward if they 
 would show me a nearer and better road than the one to the 
 east. There followed a discussion among themselves, when 
 Mokantsa offered to show me another lying a little to the 
 west of that taken by my brethren. He counted on his 
 fingers the number of valleys on the road containing water, 
 and the number of wells having water sufficient for people 
 but not for oxen, and mentioned last of all " the great river 
 of the Makololo." We all thought we had now found the 
 right road, and I thanked (lod, to whom I had repaired in 
 this dilemma, for having thus assisted me. For some time 
 after leaving Maila we kept the track of my brethren, but on 
 the second day directed our course more to the west. The 
 suspicion began to grow on me that the Bushmen were 
 deceiving us, and this was confirmed when, after travelling 
 three days, we found none of those waters to which they had 
 promised to guide us. At last we reached a well, which we 
 opened up after a whole day's work. On asking where the 
 next valley was the Bushmen said, " the next water was the 
 great river, and that it lay due west." This I was sure could 
 not be the Mababe ; however, the question then was not how 
 to reach the Makololo, but how to save the oxen by obtain- 
 ing water for them. On Monday, 27th August, we reached 
 a river which we found to be the Zouga, and not the Mababe. 
 I beheld it with mingled feelings of thankfulness and dis- 
 appointment, thankfulness that the oxen were saved, and 
 disappointment that I was as far from the Makololo as when 
 I was at Maila. However, I had now a river system before 
 me, by the aid of which I hoped to reach the Makololo 
 without risk to the oxen from thirst. The tsetse was my only 
 obstacle, and I hoped to be able to secure guides who would 
 be able to direct me how to avoid the districts infested by
 
 "WANDERJAHRE" 63 
 
 this destructive insect. I did not know then that a good 
 Providence had brought me to the Zouga for special reasons. 
 At Maila an old Bushman who had just arrived from Mababe 
 was brought to me by the chief Putse to " tell me the news." 
 The latter said, " Perhaps what he has to tell you is lies, per- 
 haps it is truth. At anyrate I thought it my duty to bring him 
 to you before you go forward to the country from which he 
 has just come." The news was to the effect that Sekeletu 
 had killed all the white people who had gone to them, and 
 had taken their property. Of course, I laughed at the old 
 man, being convinced Sekeletu was not the man to do such 
 a thing. When we reached the Zouga, we met with a party 
 of Lechulatebe's people going up the river in a boat. They 
 told me the same tale — " all the white men were killed but 
 one man and two children, who, they said, were now at 
 Lechulatebe's." Knowing that the Batowana and the Makololo 
 were enemies, I never heeded them. I viewed the story as 
 one got up for the purpose of inducing me to turn aside to 
 their master, instead of going to their enemy, Sekeletu. My 
 men also were of the same opinion as myself, altho' we 
 were all horrified to think that death should be so lightly 
 spoken of by them and thus introduced without compunction 
 into a story got up to serve their own ends. The four men 
 left me for the lake, saying that they had never seen such a 
 " hard-headed white man," assuring me at the same time that 
 they would acquaint my friend of my arrival, and that they 
 had no doubt I should soon receive a letter from him. I 
 proceeded up the river, cherishing good hopes that I would 
 soon reach the Makololo country. Although we heard the 
 same dreadful story of the death of my friends at every 
 village, neither I nor my men believed it. Their perseverance 
 in the same story, after I had assured them I had got no 
 ammunition for sale, we attributed to the strictness of their 
 orders to allow no white man to pass to the Makololo. The 
 history of Lechulatebe's dealings with Livingstone tended to 
 confirm me in this view of the matter. 
 
 On Saturday, the 8th Sept., while we were moving along 
 the river's bank, I beheld a party of men coming from the 
 river and directing their course to the first waggon, which 
 they stopped. On going forward and demanding their reason 
 for stopping my waggon, the chief man answered that he 
 came from the king and had brought boats to cross my 
 goods over the river. I told him to be off about his business,
 
 64 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 that I did not intend to go to Lechulatebe's and therefore 
 did not need his boats. " But I have brought the white man 
 with me, your brother, the son of your own father." I 
 answered, " Where is he then ? How can you tell lies so ? 
 If you brought the white man to meet me, why do you come 
 without him ? " " Because he is sick and tired and remained 
 in the boat." I did not believe the fellow, and therefore 
 answered, "I will go on just as I intended; if you have got 
 the white man, bring him to the place where we shall sleep, 
 and where we shall rest to-morrow (Sunday) and then I shall 
 believe you," The waggons accordingly went on. About 
 sunset we drew near to the outspanning place. It was a 
 beautiful, well-wooded spot, and the river gave a life and 
 freshness to the prospect which those alone can appreciate 
 who have toiled through the riverless, almost waterless, deserts 
 of South Africa. I shall not attempt to describe my anxiety 
 on nearing this place. Could it, after all, be true that my 
 dear friends had thus been swept away ? I went on with the 
 first waggon, engrossed in anxious thought, when the driver 
 said to me, in a tone which made me start, " Ki ena " (" It is 
 he "). I sprang from the waggon, and went forward to meet 
 some one who, I could see thro' the trees, was a European. 
 At length I saw it was my dear friend, Mr Price. " But can 
 it be that all this which I hear is true ? " I hurriedly asked, 
 almost before I had grasped his hand. Alas ! Isa7v what the 
 answer would be before I heard it. " All is true." And then 
 I had to break the news to Mrs Mackenzie that her beloved 
 fellow-labourers, Mrs Helmore and Mrs Price, were no more. 
 O, indeed, it was a' trying hour ! Hopes which had cheered 
 us during our long journey were now dashed to the ground, 
 and high pictures which had often filled our minds with 
 pleasure now gave place to one gloomy scene of desolation 
 and of death. We sat down and wept for those who were 
 not. Our men betokened their sympathy by their countenances, 
 and the simple Makoba stood around witnessing the scene. 
 Mr Price was very umvell; not at all the healthy person he 
 used to be. His mind was also affected, for he would tell us 
 the same thing twice in a very short time. He was holding 
 Wednesdays as Sundays when we met him. 
 
 The following are the harrowing details of the mission 
 at Linyante. Mr and Mrs Helmore and Mr and Mrs Price 
 with their families arrived at Linyante on the 14th of Feb- 
 ruary. On the 2nd of March, Malatsi, Mr Price's driver.
 
 "WANDERJAHRE" 65 
 
 died ; and on the 3rd the whole party were taken ill, with 
 the exception of Mr and Mrs Price and one servant. On 
 the 7th inst. Henry Helmore died, and on the 9th Mr Price's 
 infant daughter. Selina Helmore was next called away on 
 the nth inst., and on the same day Tabe, the highly- 
 respected deacon from Likatlong, breathed his last. Next 
 day Mrs Helmore died. Before her death she said she 
 believed her work on earth was done, and that she had no 
 desire to live longer. On the Sabbath following their arrival 
 Mr Helmore preached to the people in the chief's court, and 
 went also for the same purpose on the Sunday following. 
 He was taken ill, however, while in the town, and returned 
 to the waggons, unable to conduct the afternoon service. 
 At the time Mrs Helmore died he was very ill, unable to 
 rise from his bed. Some time after this he got better, and 
 was able to go about a little, leaning on a staff. However, 
 a relapse took place, and on the 22nd of April he followed 
 his partner and two children, x^nother servant, an old man, 
 also died in March, when so many were swept away ; the 
 exact date I am not able to give. Mr and Mrs Price were 
 also very ill in March, and also afterwards ; but, as God 
 mercifully ordered it, the two were never very ill at the same 
 time. One or the other was thus able to minister to the 
 others, and they were the only persons able and willing to 
 do so. Mr Price was lying in a wet sheet, hardly able to 
 stand through exhaustion, when his infant breathed its last 
 in its mother's arms. In the language of a Mochuana who 
 has returned with Mr Price, they were all scattered about, 
 white people and black, those in their tents and these on the 
 ground outside, like logs of wood, unable to help themselves, 
 and indeed, many of them in a deep stupor from which it was 
 difficult to rouse them to consciousness. Mr and Mrs Price 
 had resolved to leave before Mr Helmore's death, but after 
 that event, feeling their increased responsibility, they were 
 still more anxious to return. They left Linyante on June 
 26th. The Makololo did not allow thenj to cross their river 
 until they had taken openly, or secretly stolen, almost every 
 thing in the waggons. Mr Helmore's new waggon Sekeletu 
 claimed as his, and all Mr Helmore's things ; then Mr and 
 Mrs Price's things were taken, they with the utmost difficulty 
 obtaining clothing barely sufficient for the journey south. 
 After they had crossed the Mababe they began to breathe 
 freely again and to feel they were at last beyond the reach of
 
 66 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 those who had so cruelly used them. On the 5th of July, 
 however, Mrs Price died, after they had just begun to enter- 
 tain hopes of regaining a more healthy country and more 
 friendly people. Her body was laid in a grave in the wide 
 African wilderness ; her soul, we humbly yet confidently 
 hope, is in the Paradise of God. 
 
 I crossed the Zouga and went on with Mr Price in my 
 waggon to Lechulatebe's at the Lake, leaving behind me the 
 head waggon till our return. We m.et Lizzie and Willie 
 Helmore at Lechulatebe's, it being impossible for Mr Price 
 to take them with him in the boat. After preaching on 
 Sunday, 22nd Sept., at Lechulatebe's, on returning to our 
 waggons, I found my little boy ill with fever. Thro' God's 
 blessing on the means used, the fever was checked. But we 
 hastened our departure, after purchasing 9 oxen for Mr Price. 
 
 For a long time my child was ill, feverish symptoms con- 
 stantly reappearing. One of the lads also took the fever 
 after our return to the waggons which we left behind us, but 
 he also recovered. These were the only cases of African 
 fever I have witnessed. After prayerfully considering our 
 position, we resolved to return with Mr Price and await fresh 
 orders from the Directors, and accordingly began our trek 
 down the river. 
 
 I must now conclude this hurried note. Mr Price would 
 have written to you, but having the heavy task to perform of 
 writing to his deceased wife's relatives as well as Mr Helmore's 
 for the first time after these sad events, he has requested me 
 to acquaint you with the circumstances of the Mission. 
 
 1. The chief men of the Makololo on several occasions 
 stated their entire disinclination to remove to the north of 
 the Zambesi. Sekeletu, Mameri, Motibi and others were 
 unanimous in this. They said if they removed anywhere it 
 would be to dispossess Lechulatebe of the Lake country. 
 
 2. The Mambari slave-dealers seem to have got a firm 
 footing among them, and are received as friends, and feasting 
 continues as long as they remain. The Mambari have evi- 
 dently endeavoured to poison the Makololo mind against 
 Livingstone, as they told our brethren they believed the 
 Doctor was not now a Missionary but a ruler. 
 
 3. Mr Price and all the Bechuana servants believe that 
 poison was administered to their party by the Makololo. 
 This they ascertained from a man of influence who is always 
 near the king.
 
 " WANDER] AHRE" 67 
 
 4. Almost everything taken in by Mr Helmore and Mr 
 Price has been stolen by the Makololo — waggon, guns, tents, 
 boxes of clothing, etc. The last action performed by Mr 
 Price's Makololo guides was to take him, on his way south, 
 into a district full of tsetse, where his oxen were all bitten, 
 and out of forty he has now only two ! The guides ran away 
 after they were fairly into the tsetse. 
 
 5. Much of the mischief done by stealing may be traced 
 to the counsels of a servant of Tabe's named Mahoosi — a 
 person whose very meat and drink seemed to be to create 
 ill-feeling among the Makololo towards the Mission. He 
 urged them to steal and even to kill every white person in the 
 party. 
 
 6. The Makololo country can hardly be said to be acces- 
 sible by the Kamakama road. It will always be a feat to 
 reach it by that route. There is always plenty of water by 
 way of the Lake, but the tsetse is on the road, and can only be 
 avoided by the help of faithful guides belonging to the district. 
 There is a road to the east of the Nchokotsa and Kamakama 
 one, now used by hunters, which, I think, would turn out on 
 the whole the best one. 
 
 7. Mr Price goes as far as the Cape with Mr Helmore's 
 children, according to his promise before Mr Helmore's death. 
 I returned with Mr Price feeling, that I would not be 
 warranted to go on with waggon-loads of goods after what 
 had happened. I have now laid the matter before you, and 
 conclude with the question, " What am I to do ? " 
 
 We are all pretty well in health. Mr Price and Mrs 
 Mackenzie unite with me in Christian regards. 
 
 Before Mackenzie's letter reached England rumours 
 of the terrible disaster which it described had already 
 arrived ; consternation spread far and wide in missionary 
 circles, and a great deal of public criticism was now 
 directed upon the entire plan and the mode of carrying 
 it out. The original idea had been that the missionaries 
 should arrive on the Zambesi at a time when Dr Living- 
 stone expected to arrive there by way of the East Coast 
 and the Zambesi River. It was to him that Sekeletu 
 had given his promise to transfer the entire tribe to the 
 higher and healthier districts on the north bank of the 
 Zambesi River, if missionaries were brought to him.
 
 68 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 When the missionaries reached him without Living- 
 stone, and Livingstone owing to unexpected detentions 
 did not arrive until after the rainy season, Sekeletu did 
 not show himself as cordial as had been expected ; he 
 was unwilling, naturally, to leave a position of great 
 military advantage, although unhealthy, in order to 
 settle in a place where he would be open to the 
 attacks of his inveterate enemies, the Matabele. The 
 inhospitable treatment which he gave to the missionaries 
 stands out with unpleasant distinction in the history 
 of the relations of missionaries to South African 
 chiefs. Mackenzie has described ^ the destruction of 
 the Makololo tribe which blotted this name from the 
 map of Africa. 
 
 The Foreign Secretary of the London Missionary 
 Society, Dr Arthur Tidman, wrote on April 5th, 
 I 86 1, to Mackenzie as follows: — 
 
 London, ^/r// 5/"//, 1861. 
 
 Under all circumstances, there is plainly no alternative but 
 to relinquish the Makololo Mission for the present, and we 
 consider you were fully justified in deciding to return to the 
 South. 
 
 Until there has been an opportunity of conferring with the 
 Directors on the whole case, I should scarcely feel prepared 
 to indicate the course it may be incumbent upon j'ou to 
 pursue ; but it is more than probable that you and Mr Price 
 will be recommended to direct your attention to the Matabele 
 Mission. In the meantime you will be able, while at the 
 Kuruman, to take counsel with Mr Moffat on the subject, 
 and I hope by an early opportunity to convey to you more 
 definite instructions. 
 
 On 23rd December, there was born at Shoshong, 
 Mackenzie's second child, a son, whose arrival was 
 hailed with great delight by the natives of the town. 
 As this was the first white child born in that town, 
 by general consent the Bamangwato gave him the 
 name Mangwato, by which he was ever afterwards 
 
 ^ "Ten Years North of the Orange River," pp. 243-248.
 
 "WANDERJAHRE" 69 
 
 known amongst the inhabitants of that country. It 
 may be added that the eldest child having been called 
 William, and usually Willie, his father and mother 
 were named after him, according to the Bechuanaland 
 custom. To this day Mackenzie and his wife are 
 known in Bechuanaland as Ra-Willie and Ma-Willie 
 respectively ; in the same manner Khame himself, 
 whose eldest child was called Bessie, is known amongst 
 his own people as Ra-Bessie. 
 
 After a brief stay at Shoshong, Mackenzie and 
 Price, who was very slowly recovering his health, 
 set out for the south. Both were much cheered by 
 the announcement that their friends in Cape Town 
 had set on foot a public subscription for the relief of 
 the surviving members of the Mission. This relief was 
 carried to them by Mr Moffat, who met them on their 
 way to Kuruman. 
 
 Mackenzie once more arrived at Kuruman, after one 
 of the most prolonged and trying experiences of waggon 
 life which have fallen to the lot of any but the pioneer 
 Dutchmen of South Africa. 
 
 Kuruman, Feb. 29, 1861. 
 
 Rev. Dr Tidman, 
 
 Rev. and Dear Sir, — Again I address you from this 
 station. My journey into the interior is a thing of the past. 
 The waggons are unloaded, the men paid off, and we are 
 again enjoying the grateful shelter of a house. We have also 
 had the pleasure of again meeting those Christian friends 
 who, I at least thought, had been parted with for ever. 
 
 My last letter recorded the leading events connected with 
 my journey up to the date of our arrival at the Bamangwato. 
 I shall now resume that record. Our stay at the Bamangwato 
 extended over six weeks. On the 23rd December, Mrs 
 Mackenzie was safely delivered of a son in the home of 
 Mr Schulenborg. Altho' this residence had neither doors 
 nor windows, it had a good roof; and if it caused rather than 
 prevented a draught, it was delightfully cool, and was, be- 
 sides, the hospitable home of kind Christian friends, whose 
 attentions we shall always gratefully remember. Our oxen
 
 70 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 having in the meantime considerably improved in condition, 
 on the third week after the event just recorded, we pursued 
 our journey towards Kuruman, reached a place called Silinye 
 on the 19th, and on Monday, the 21st of January, we met 
 with Mr Moffat, who was on his way to look for us, and, if 
 necessary, assist us. Finding all whom he was seeking, he 
 turned his waggons towards home, and next day we went on 
 together. 
 
 In passing Sechele's town, that chief showed us great kind- 
 ness, and agreed that his waggon, which I had formerly hired, 
 should go on to Kuruman, the only additional charge being 
 that I should repaint the waggon and make for it a new 
 sail, the material of which he gave me. I have pleasure in 
 mentioning anything like a disinterested action among a 
 people dreadfully selfish. 
 
 My mind naturally turns to the future. Altho' an invisible 
 shield seems to have been round both me and mine, and 
 altho' I make no claim to having endured anything very 
 severe, yet nine months loose, gipsy, waggon-life does not 
 leave one with much relish for that way of spending one's 
 time. I wait for that Hand to guide me to some sphere of 
 usefulness, as it has hitherto led me and sustained me. I 
 do not forget that I left my native land as a missionary to 
 Central South Africa. Altho' the Mission to the Mokololo 
 has proved so disastrous, there is a teeming population to 
 the eastward, in that district recently discovered by Dr 
 Livingstone, and you are aware what hopes the Doctor has 
 held forth to the Mission presided over by Archdeacon 
 Mackenzie. It seems to me that there is a greater prospect 
 of success in a Mission to some of these tribes approachable 
 from the sea-coast than there ever was in connection with the 
 Mission to the Makololo. Should the Directors resolve to 
 continue their efforts for the evangelisation of Central Africa, 
 I am quite willing to devote myself to the work. I think the 
 Mission to the north of the Zambesi has hardly received a 
 fair trial, there being high, all but insurmountable, obstacles 
 in connection with the Makololo. If the Directors resolve 
 to give it such a trial, and consider that I can be of service 
 to them in the attempt, they may depend upon me to the 
 utmost of my ability. It might take some time to establish such 
 a Mission on a permanent basis ; but if an agent or two were 
 directed to visit the country and to feel their way quietly, it is not 
 improbable that success might ultimately attend their efforts.
 
 " WANDERJAHRE" 71 
 
 In the meantime I shall endeavour to do the work of a 
 missionary among the Bechuanas while waiting for further 
 instructions. — Yours sincerely, John Mackenzie, 
 
 Early in 1861 Mrs Mackenzie was attacked by a 
 prolonged fever of a low and intermittent type. As a 
 journey was itself on almost all occasions the best cure 
 which Mackenzie could discover for this African fever, 
 he resolved to go across to Fauresmith. While there 
 he was once more confronted with the temptation to 
 enter upon ministerial service in other directions. He 
 received a very pressing call to the pastorate of the 
 church at Hope Town. None of these proposals, 
 although he frankly and earnestly considered them, 
 presented any real attraction to him ; his eye was still 
 on the interior of the continent, and his mind was set 
 upon pioneer work. The Directors of the Society were 
 themselves in great uncertainty, and found themselves 
 unable for a considerable time to give him a definite 
 appointment. During the remainder of 1861, he was 
 at Kuruman, diligently engaged in educational and 
 literary work ; he completed a school book on geo- 
 graphy in the Sechuana language, and also wrote and 
 printed a translation of Dr Newman Hall's famous 
 booklet, " Come to Jesus." It was not until May 
 1 86 1 that he received from the Directors a definite 
 appointment to the station at Shoshong, and this was 
 made under the impression, which turned out to be 
 false, that the German missionary had left the place. 
 
 Kuruman, 12 May, 1862. 
 
 Rev. Dr Tidman, 
 
 Dear Brother, — I have to acknowledge receipt of 
 yours of Feb. 5, recommending me to commence a Mission 
 among the Bamangwato, in the event of Mr Price having 
 gone to the Matabele. 
 
 Since the receipt of your letter one thing is now settled in 
 my mind, viz., that the Interior of Africa is to be the scene of 
 my future labours. I am thankful after a season of perplexity 
 to see my way thus far.
 
 72 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 It will be necessary, however, lo explain that this appoint- 
 ment has been given by the Directors while labouring under 
 a mistake. I see by the March Chronicle that Mr Moffat 
 advises the step which you have taken, among other reasons, 
 because Mr Schulenborg was not returning to the Bamangwato. 
 Now the reports to which Mr Moffat refers turned out, as 
 most reports of the kind do in this country, to be without 
 foundation. Mr Schulenborg has not rejoined his Society, 
 and has returned to the Bamangwato, with the intention of 
 living and labouring there. Knowing the facts of the case 
 before the arrival of your letter, I was, of course, amused to 
 see that while you could not agree to my going to the East 
 Coast for fear of encroaching upon a district occupied by 
 English Episcopalians and Scotch Free Churchmen, it should 
 so happen that you were actually setting me down at the 
 same Bechuana Town with a Hanoverian Lutheran ! There 
 can only be one opinion as to the importance of the 
 Bamangwato District, both on account of its great popula- 
 tion and its position. Had it been unoccupied by other 
 missionaries as you were led to believe, there could not have 
 been a wiser appointment. 
 
 As matters stand I feel I cannot regard myself as missionary 
 to the Bamangwato, and I am sure the Directors, when they 
 know the facts of the case, would not wish me to do so. 
 Were the Bamangwato the last heathen town in Africa the 
 case would be different; two or more Societies might en- 
 compass the last abode of heathenism in order to hasten the 
 progress of the Gospel : but the case, alas, is very different. 
 There are vast regions beyond the Bamangwato which are 
 the abodes of cruelty and degradation. Into these countries 
 it was the object of the Society to introduce the Gospel, by 
 the formation of the Makololo Mission. Adverse events, 
 linked together with singular fatality, baffled this endeavour. 
 But I am glad to find from the postscript of your last letter, that 
 the Directors still cherish the desire to introduce the Gospel 
 into these places, and thus to reward the evil received at the 
 hands of the inhabitants with the highest good. It was and 
 is my opinion that efforts to this end could be best carried 
 on from the East Coast. But such, I learn from your letter, 
 is not the opinion of the Directors. I cheerfully acquiesce 
 in their decision. Of course nothing must be done hastily, 
 nothing without due consideration. 
 
 Let me state to the Directors what I propose to myself to
 
 " WANDERJAHRE" 73 
 
 accomplish in dependence on God's guidance and blessing. 
 Regarding my appointment to the Bamangwato as not likely 
 to be permanent, I look on some of the regions beyond as my 
 parish, accepting at the same time as my motto, "Festina lente." 
 
 I propose to go forward to the Bamangwato with the 
 intention of staying there for a time, and, should a favourable 
 opportunity occur, eventually to proceed farther. I hope and 
 believe this will meet with the views of the Directors. I 
 have written somewhat fully that they may perfectly under- 
 stand my position. The first thing I hope to accomplish 
 and which will be of service to the Society at all events, is 
 this. With the assistance of Mr Herbst the missionary 
 artizan at Bamangwato, I intend to build a small but sub- 
 stantial house which, in the event of my departure for the 
 Interior, can be used as a store-room for the use of my 
 brethren as well as for my own. This plan was talked of 
 before we went into the Interior and the advantages of 
 having such a place are quite apparent. 
 
 When the traveller is going to the Lake, to the Victoria 
 Falls, or to Moselekatse's Country, he passes the Bamangwato. 
 Thus hunters and others could bring supplies so far, no 
 matter to what part of the Interior they were going ; after- 
 wards it would be easy for the brethren in the Interior to 
 send to the Bamangwato for such supplies. 
 
 While at the Bamangwato, I shall be able to command the 
 news of the Interior, so that I could not be in a better 
 position to perform the duties of a "scout." It will be my 
 endeavour as early as possible to open communications with 
 the Makololo and should I hear favourable reports I shall 
 pay them a visit. I would count it a great pleasure to tell 
 them that we owe them no grudge, but pity them and desire 
 their welfare. Should the door to the Makololo seem still 
 to be shut, and no inducement held out to increase the 
 number of the Matabele labourers, I might visit Lechulatebe 
 to see if there were no healthy site for a Mission in his 
 district, which would certainly be a splendid field for a 
 missionary. Lechulatebe expressed his willingness to receive 
 a missionary while I was there with Mr Price. 
 
 At the same time, I hope to do good among the 
 Bamangwato. The Directors will be glad to learn, that 
 judging from our past intercourse, there are grounds for 
 believing that Mr Schulenborg and myself are likely to get 
 on well together. I have no doubt as to our getting on as
 
 74 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 friends, as neighbours, and as preachers of the Gospel ; as 
 pastors I am afraid we could not see eye to eye. 
 
 Such, my dear Brother, are the plans which occurred to my 
 mind, and which I beg thus to communicate to the Directors. 
 I ask their confidence and their prayers ; let me work as it 
 were in private ; it may be the Lord will open up my way to 
 the Makololo. At all events, wherever I am I shall endeavour 
 to carry with me a savour of Jesus Christ. 
 
 Let me in conclusion state, for the information of the 
 Directors, what has occupied my attention while in the 
 Kuruman District and while awaiting their further orders. 
 We returned from Philippolis and Fauresmith in August, 
 after Mrs Mackenzie's recovery from fever. In October 
 we visited the various sub-stations to the south-west of 
 Kuruman situated among the Long Mountains (Langberg). 
 In December I was at Hope Town, from which I addressed 
 my last letter to you. In January I visited the Taungs 
 District, partly in company with Mr Ross ; and in February 
 I visited Morokweng, a large town of Barolong, situated on 
 the edge of the Kalahari Desert, and occasionally visited by 
 Mr Fredoux of the Motito. During the interval between 
 these journeys I taught a Geography Class and an English 
 Class at Kuruman, taking also my turn in preaching. I drew 
 up a First Book on Geography for the use of schools, and 
 also set up the types of most of it. I also translated "Come 
 to Jesus " into Sechuana, the MS. of which I have left with 
 Mr Moffat, who has kindly agreed along with Mr Ashton to 
 see it through the press. 
 
 When Mackenzie arrived at Shoshong in June, he 
 found Mr Schulenborg still at work, and vvitli no 
 intention of leaving. Price, who had been refused 
 entrance to Matabeleland, was also there trying to 
 co-operate as well as possible, with his Lutheran 
 brother. In these circumstances Mackenzie could 
 not but regard his appointment at Shoshong as 
 temporary and tentative, and his mind became 
 employed upon fresh plans for reopening communi- 
 cations with the Makololo. But in the meantime, he 
 entered as earnestly as possible into the missionary 
 work of the place. He and his family lived in a
 
 "WANDERJAHRE" 75 
 
 small two-roomed hut which had been built by 
 Mr Schulenborg at the very entrance of the kloof 
 or narrow gorge below which the town was built. 
 At the close of the year another letter arrived from 
 the Directors, showing that they were still uncertain 
 about Mackenzie's movements. They were carrying 
 on negotiations with the German sister Society, 
 which they hoped would secure to them the exclu- 
 sive right to work in Bechuanaland-; hence, while 
 they did not disapprove of Mackenzie's attempts to 
 reach the Zambesi, they expressed their own desire 
 to establish other missions more broadly and thoroughly 
 in Bechuanaland, and their attention was especially 
 directed to the country of the Bamangwato. They 
 intended as soon as possible to send out more mission- 
 aries for this purpose. The following letter to his friend 
 James Ross states a number of these points clearly : — 
 
 Bamangwato, South Africa, 
 17//? Dec. 1862. 
 
 My Dear Jamie, — When you wrote to me last you 
 promised to send me another letter soon. I have waited 
 long, but the promised epistle comes not. It seems strange 
 not to know your address, not to know what you are doing, 
 except generally that you are preaching the Gospel some- 
 where in Scotland. However I have myself neglected many 
 promises as to corresponding, so that I am not in a position 
 to find fault. 
 
 I found out from an Elgin paper that you were in Inver- 
 ness. I thought you might stay there ; but I learn from John 
 Douglas that you are, or were lately, at Linlithgow. I am 
 glad you have some knocking about at the outset ; I should 
 think it will enable you to pursue a course of general study 
 with less effort than if you were fairly wedged into one pulpit, 
 and bound to preach service after service to a congregation 
 which you had "taken for better or for worse." It would be 
 a good thing if you could extend your rambles beyond Scot- 
 land. Live for a short time in England, and if possible, on 
 the continent. I'm not joking : take in stock, " everything 
 in the line," and your services are likely to have a freshness 
 and point which reading alone is not likely to give them.
 
 ^6 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 You see I advise with the same Uberty as when we went arm- 
 in-arm along Lossie Bank. 
 
 As for myself, I am still " going to and fro " and (not 
 walking) but tumbling " up and down " the southern part 
 of this continent. Next time I write, however, will I hope, 
 be from the north bank of the Zambesi. We leave this 
 place in April next, and hope to cross the river, proceed 
 to the site of our future station, which we must previously 
 select, and erect some sort of house before next hot season 
 comes on. We have tsetse, the Zambesi, and an unexplored 
 country to the north, to pass through before we reach our 
 destination ; but I don't think we shall " stick." The physical 
 difficulties, although not to be despised, are nothing to the 
 moral obstacles which await us as missionaries to the 
 Makololo. This tribe has obtained its position by a sort 
 of Ishmaelite warfare : of late it has retreated to a natural 
 stronghold formed by a river system on the one hand, by 
 tsetse on the other. From this unhealthy den of Linyanti 
 they have carried on their forays with impunity, have taken 
 prisoners and sold them to the Mambari traders from the 
 coast. Of course you know the sad history of the late 
 attempts to open a mission among these marauders. In the 
 interval Sekeletu and his people have been frequently visited 
 by natives from the South ; and I think by one English 
 trader. From these parties they have learned enough to 
 cause them to regret having taken the missionaries' property 
 from them. As to the charge of poisoning those who died 
 at Linyanti, they firmly deny it, and I give them credit for 
 speaking the truth, for I never believed that my fellow- 
 labourers were poisoned. When the hunters and traders 
 went in this season, Mr Price and Mr Moffat and myself 
 sent in a joint letter to Sekeletu, asking him if he would 
 allow us to go direct to a place called Tabachow (or White 
 Mountain) on the north of the Zambesi, and if he and his 
 people would join us there. We have just received the 
 answer, which is more favourable than we expected. He 
 consents to everything, and urges us to hasten our coming. 
 He is ill, and expects to be benefited by the white man's 
 medicines. The people also are tired of the unhealthy place 
 where they now are, and express their willingness to follow 
 their chief and live with missionaries. It is said by all that 
 the country to which we are going is not unhealthy, but of 
 course this means, when compared with adjacent districts.
 
 " WANDERJAHRE " Tj 
 
 We go to try it, looking to God for His blessing and presence. 
 May we trust in Him with our whole heart, while we take 
 every precaution necessary in the circumstances. Pray for 
 us that the Gospel may have free course and be glorified in 
 Central i\frica. 
 
 We have been staying here for some months, having our 
 eye on the North, and waiting the proper time to come round. 
 This is a large town, too large for one missionary. It is at 
 present supplied with a missionary who came to this country 
 in connection with Pastor Harms's Society. I had an appoint- 
 ment to this place, which of course became null through his 
 presence here. 
 
 I suppose you know that my third child was born on the 
 23rd September last. Since I began this letter, I had occa- 
 sion to go for a short distance on horseback, so I took Willie 
 before me on the saddle. I sometimes ride with Johnnie also 
 behind me. Mrs Mackenzie is quite well, and sends her love 
 to you. Not knowing your address, I have sent this to John 
 Douglas. I thought there was no harm in doing this, especially 
 as I have not entered on any private topic. . , . My paper 
 fails me ! 
 
 Affection and remembrances to the auld folks at Elgin, and 
 to our mutual friends in Edinburgh. Send me something 
 frequently ; an old newspaper will be new to me, and will only 
 cost you a penny, and the time spent in addressing it. Write 
 at once. — Ever yours affectionately, John Mackenzie. 
 
 The year 1862 proved another year of travel and 
 uncertainty to Mackenzie. On January 24th he wrote 
 a letter to Dr Tidman describing the negotiations 
 which were proceeding with regard to the occupancy 
 of Shoshong as a Mission Station by the Hermanns- 
 burg Society. Mr Schulenborg, their representative, 
 had gone on a journey to Natal, the South African 
 headquarters of that society, and Mackenzie was 
 occupying his little hut of two rooms in his absence. 
 And Mackenzie had written a long letter to Dr 
 Hardeland, the Superintendent of the Hermannsburg 
 Mission, explaining the policy of the London Mis- 
 sionary Society there, and urging that the German
 
 78 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 Society should not send representatives to settle in 
 the heart of a sphere already partly occupied by, and 
 already fully mapped out for the agents of the London 
 Missionary Society. In his letter to Dr Tidman 
 Mackenzie added the following paragraph : — 
 
 I feel tempted to criticise the policy which overlooked as 
 a site for a Mission Station such a central and in every way 
 important place as the Bamangwato. What it is to-day it has 
 been for more than twenty years. But there would seem to 
 be some impediment in the way of the vigorous prosecution 
 of Mission effort among the Bechuanas. Where are the two 
 Missionaries who were to be sent out two years ago to rein- 
 force the Southern District of Bechuanaland ? It would be 
 useless to recapitulate the reasons for this re-inforcement 
 which approved themselves to the minds of the Directors at 
 the time. I may just mention, however, that a late personal 
 inspection of the country indicated deepens my own impres- 
 sions of the desirability of such re-inforcements, and further, 
 that if the matter were left to the decision of your agents on 
 the spot, there would be no voices raised against a more 
 vigorous policy on the part of the Society. 
 
 In the month of March a dark cloud swept over 
 Shoshong. The town was situated at the foot of a 
 mountain kloof which had been selected as affording 
 a military stronghold against the Matabele. Mosele- 
 katse, the fierce founder of that ruthless tribe, had 
 often threatened to attack Sekhome, the chief of the 
 Bamangwato, but hitherto his threats had been unful- 
 filled, and Sekhome's tribe had been growing stronger 
 and stronger. At last the news reached Shoshong 
 that their dreaded foe was moving for a determined 
 attack upon them. This raid of the Matabele has 
 been vividly described by Mackenzie.^ That account 
 amplifies a letter which he wrote at the close of the 
 struggle to Dr Tidman, and which was printed 
 in the Chronicle of the London Missionary Society at 
 the time. The following is the main part of the letter 
 giving the account of the raid itself : — 
 
 In more than one of my letters from this place, I have 
 ^ " Ten Years North," etc, chapter xiv.
 
 " WANDERJAHRE " 79 
 
 been able to speak favourably of the prospects of the 
 Makololo Mission. In fact, there was good reason to beHeve 
 that before the end of 1S63, your agents would be at work in a 
 healthy locality on the north bank of the Zambesi, instructing 
 the newly-removed jNIakololo. I am sorry to say that an event 
 has taken place bearing most unfavourably on this project. 
 
 When the hunters and traders passed this place from 
 Moselekatse's country in September and October last, it was 
 rumoured that the Matabele meditated an attack on the 
 Bamangwato. Altho' Sekhome had no reason for presum- 
 ing on the friendship or consideration of the Ishmaelite 
 Zulu chief, Moselekatse had so often pledged himself to Mr 
 Moffat to give up his warlike policy that a certain impression 
 was made even on the suspicious native mind. 
 
 It seemed to be the opinion of both Europeans and natives, 
 that although the Matabele chief might continue to break his 
 promise annually by sending his warriors to attack the Mashona 
 and Makololo, who live on the north and north-west of his 
 country, he would study to put the best face on such doings 
 by keeping the peace with the tribes south of his territory. 
 
 On the 7th of March, however, Sekhome and his tribe 
 received definite intelligence that a Matabele army was 
 approaching, and that already several large cattle posts had 
 fallen into the enemy's hands. Happening to pass thro' 
 the khotla or court that morning on my way from school, I 
 heard the first messenger, all breathless and excited, tell his 
 tale, giving information concerning the Matabele. The war- 
 cry at once resounded in the "kloof" where the Bamangwato 
 live, and soon from all quarters men streamed into the 
 khotla, some armed with guns and others with the assegai or 
 spear, and ox-hide shield. The first thing to be done was 
 to collect the cattle from the various posts, with the sheep 
 and goats. Men having been despatched for this purpose, 
 and sentinels placed at the various entrances to the Bamang- 
 wato Mountains, Sekhome marched out of the town at the 
 head of his men, and held what I suppose must be called a 
 review ; although it was certainly a different spectacle from 
 what is indicated by that expression in civilised countries. 
 There was 110 marching, no defiling, no sham fighting ; but 
 the chief squatted on the ground, dealt out ammunition, etc., 
 to those who stood in need of it, inspected the faulty lock 
 of one gun and the frail stock of another, all the while 
 enquiring after the absent, conversing with those present
 
 8o JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 around him, and listening to the accounts of every newly- 
 arrived herdsman, who, leaving his charge in the hands of 
 the Matabele, had fled for his life. In passing my house, 
 after having this "review," Sekhome jocularly asked me if I 
 were going to help him against the Matabele ? Replying in 
 the negative, I reminded him that I was a promulgator of 
 peace and goodwill amongst men ; that I had no quarrel 
 with the Matabele ; and that I was persuaded they also 
 would regard me as a neutral party. His reply was to the 
 effect that Matabele warriors did not make nice distinctions : 
 and that the colour of a man's skin was not easily discovered 
 in the darkness of night. He then informed me that they 
 expected to be attacked during the night or very early in 
 the morning. " In the olden time," added the chief, 
 " whilst our herdsmen were still informing us of the loss of 
 our cattle, the thieves themselves were wont to fall upon us 
 before we could make any preparation for self-defence ; but 
 to-night they will find us ready ; and should they enter the 
 town they will find it empty." 
 
 Sekhome having given orders that all the women and 
 children should take refuge in the mountains, and that all 
 property should be removed thither also, a strange and 
 melancholy spectacle presented itself to the eye; the several 
 narrow paths leading to the top of the steep and rugged 
 mountains were for some time densely crowded with women, 
 each one carrying a large bundle on her back, and the rest 
 struggling up the ascent before her. For some time the 
 women and old servants and old men followed each other as 
 closely as do people in Cheapside. That night Mrs 
 Mackenzie was the only female in the town of the Bamang- 
 wato ; and our children the only little ones who had not been 
 removed to the mountain fastnesses. People passed to and 
 fro, under arms the whole night ; every one was on the alert ; 
 and Mrs Mackenzie and myself slept as little as the Eamang- 
 wato. About ten o'clock the young chiefs paid us a visit 
 with several of those who attend church and school, 
 surrounded by whom I offered up prayer before our door, 
 in the bright moonlight. During the night we collected our 
 letters, accounts, portraits, etc., in a little box ; so as to be 
 easily removed. Although we could not sleep like our 
 children, we could commend them and ourselves to the 
 protection of God, our Heavenly Father, and enjoy the 
 repose of mind consequent on trust in the Almighty.
 
 " WANDER] AHRE " 8i 
 
 At length the morning dawned without any attack having 
 taken place. The cattle, sheep and goats, from the outposts 
 came pouring in, and were hastily driven up the mountains. 
 The kloof for a time resounded with the lowing of cattle, the 
 bleating of sheep and goats, and the shouts of their drivers. 
 
 In stating his plan of defence the Chief informed me that 
 should the enemy make the attack from the plain, they were 
 to be allowed to enter the town, and to set it on fire, if they 
 chose ; that a number of cattle were to be kept in sight as a 
 bait for the Matabele on the side of the mountain behind 
 Mr Price's house, and right opposite my own'; and that the 
 fight would therefore take place, as it were, on our premises. 
 Sekhome said he was sure to beat them on this ground ; but 
 if they approached from the plain he would not risk an 
 engagement elsewhere. He added that he was sorry our 
 houses were in the way, but he could not help it. In the 
 event of the Matabele endeavouring to reach the town from 
 the north which was nearest the scene of their depredations 
 the Bamangwato were to meet them on a " haugh " in the 
 heart of the mountains, and if beaten were to fall back on 
 the vantage-ground before referred to. 
 
 After seriously considering our position in connection with 
 this statement, and taking into account the merciless and 
 bloody character of the Matabele, I came to the conclusion 
 that it would be best for Mrs Mackenzie and the children to 
 retire to the mountains, until the danger became less 
 imminent. When I listened to one messenger after another 
 narrating the cowardly, spiteful, and bloody deeds, enacted 
 at the cattle posts my resolution was confirmed. While Mrs 
 Mackenzie and the children were in the house I could not 
 but feel uneasy as to the result of a midnight rush of such 
 savages, everyone of whose spears had repeatedly drunk the 
 blood of the aged and decrepit, the defenceless female and 
 the tender infant. 
 
 Khame, the eldest son of Sekhome, kindly furnished me 
 with a few men who carried up the hill the few articles which 
 we had resolved to remove from the house. Accompanied 
 by these people and by our servants, Mrs Mackenzie and the 
 children took their departure. I followed with our cattle, 
 and passed my little family squatted on the grass beneath a 
 tree, their nearest neighbours on one side being the chief 
 wife of Sekhome, and on the other Joseph and Koenraad de 
 Buys, from the Transvaal Country. This was Friday morn-
 
 82 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 ing ; it was Wednesday evening of the following week before 
 Mrs Maclcenzie left her " refuge " on the mountain top ; and 
 the native women remained for two or three days longer. 
 
 It was not that life on the mountain was at all pleasant, 
 for it was well known to be a haunt of wolves and tigers ; in 
 fact, but a few days before, a sheep had been killed by a tiger 
 in broad day light, not many hundred yards from where Mrs 
 Mackenzie and the little ones slept in the open air. But we 
 heard nothing of such unwelcome visitors, and cannot but 
 think that the overwhelming rush of people into their haunts 
 must have driven both wolves and tigers to seek a lair else- 
 where. South Africa is a very thirsty land ; all its inhabitants 
 are ever ready to welcome rain ; and many pretend to be 
 able to conjure it from the reluctant clouds ; yet the showers 
 which on more than one night aroused the sleepers on the 
 top of the Bamangwato Hills were anything but w'elcome. 
 The people disappeared in the crevices among the rocks : 
 Mrs Mackenzie drew her little ones closer to her, and a 
 karross, spread over their heads on the branches of the tree, 
 formed a pretty good protection from the rain which was then 
 falling in torrents. It was my intention to remain in the 
 house during the night, that, in case of an attack, I might be 
 able to inform the Matabele invaders that the premises 
 belonged to a missionary ; but such was Mrs Mackenzie's 
 description of her first night on the mountams, alone with 
 the little ones, that I considered it indispensable afterwards to 
 form one of the party. Our house was thus left without an 
 occupant during the night : but a Makololo woman, whom I 
 had saved from starvation a few months before, slept on the 
 premises. Being still weak and sadly afflicted with St Vitus's 
 Dance, she preferred remaining among our pots to climbing 
 the mountains, and we allowed her to do what she pleased. 
 I have to record, to the credit of the Bamangwato, that 
 although Mr Price's premises were entirely deserted, and my 
 own every night left in charge of a single woman, no attempt 
 at theft was made. Of course so long as Mrs Mackenzie and 
 the children remained on the mountain, my attention was 
 divided between them and our premises. The awkwardness 
 of my position will be seen when I state that it would be 
 much more easy to climb to the top of Arthur's Seat, 
 Edinburgh, than it was to reach our encampment on the top 
 of the Bamangwato Hills. You will have a pretty good 
 idea as to how I occupied myself between Friday and
 
 " WANDERJAHRE" 83 
 
 Wednesday (and you will excuse the illustration), when I 
 inform you that during the above period I wore down a pair 
 of English made boots, and lamed myself into the bargain ! 
 
 Fight between the Bamangwato and the Matabele 
 
 While we were scaling the mountain, the Bamangwato 
 forces had assembled in the haugh referred to. It seems 
 there was a good deal of talking ; and Sekhome (who 
 besides being chief is also a " ngaka," or doctor or sorcerer) 
 was earnestly engaged in reading his dice, and repeating his 
 incantations, when he was interrupted by Khame, who very 
 abruptly informed his father that he was taking up too much 
 time with these things ; that as for himself (Khame) he 
 wanted to fight and have done with it. The chief, who felt 
 proud of his son, " pocketed " the insult which in his priestly 
 character he had sustained, and immediately ordered out the 
 two youngest " mepato " or regiments, viz., that of Khame 
 and that of his brother Khamane. The people were so 
 pleased with the conduct of the young chief, that several old 
 men who of course did not belong to his regiment, tried to 
 join it as it moved off, but were seen by Sekhome and 
 ordered back. 
 
 The two chiefs next in rank to Sekhome also joined 
 Khame's party, followed by a number of their men. The 
 whole force under Khame did not exceed two hundred. Of 
 these the majority had guns, and about eight were mounted 
 on horseback. Before he rode off Khame was addressed 
 by his father to the effect that he must not imagine he was 
 going on an elephant hunt; that he was marching against 
 men, and not merely men, but Matabele. 
 
 It was late in the afternoon before they met the Matabele, 
 who, contrary to their old custom, had been advancing slowly, 
 apparently in no hurry to attack the town. They were march- 
 ing in three companies, two of whom were together, and these 
 the Bamangwato attacked. At first the "Machaga" made 
 light of the guns, and imitated their report ; but they soon 
 changed their tune. Moving in compact bodies, every ball 
 told on some of them, so that when charged by those on 
 horseback they gave way, some of them throwing down their 
 arms and fleeing. These, however, were rallied by the 
 others shouting to them that they were disobeying Mosele- 
 katse's orders, which forbade any of the warriors to run from
 
 84 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 the enemy. While the day was thus with the Bamangwato, 
 the third company of Matabele, which had been following 
 up a cattle track at some distance, hearing the report of 
 (ircarms, hastened to the scene of action, and seeing how 
 matters were going, crept along under the cover of the rank 
 grass until they got close behind the Bamangwato. They 
 advanced until they were discovered, when they sprang to 
 their feet, and, raising their wild war-cry, rushed as one man 
 on the forces of Khame. The retreating Matabele, finding 
 that their comrades had come to their assistance, turned on 
 their pursuers ; so that now the Bamangwato found them- 
 selves surrounded by the enemy. Khame shouted to his 
 men to stand ; but his authority was soon at an end. Many 
 of the Bamangwato had shown symptoms of fear from the 
 beginning, and fought only after they saw that Khame and 
 his young men were gaining the day. Now, when they 
 beheld machaga on every side, the old fear of the Matabele 
 seemed to return to them, and they fled in all directions, the 
 horsemen doing their best to cover their retreat. The Mata- 
 bele did not pursue them far ; and the Bamangwato returned 
 during the night, leaving about twenty dead on the field. 
 The loss on the other side was much greater, according to 
 reliable reports which have since been received from the 
 Makalaka country ; but of course we cannot ascertain the 
 exact number. There were five of Moselekatse's sons in the 
 fight, three of whom were killed and one supposed to be 
 wounded. This information comes from Makalaka belong- 
 ing to Sekhome, who at the time of the attack were on a 
 visit to their friends living in a Makalaka town under 
 Moselekatse, to which the machaga turned aside while they 
 sent forward a messenger to the king to announce their 
 return. As the men referred to were themselves Makalaka, 
 they easily passed with the Matabele as natives of the town, 
 and thus got to know the truth concerning the results of the 
 engagement. 
 
 Out of many incidents which occurred in the fight, I shall 
 narrate one or two. Pelutona, one of the chief men who 
 went with Khame, being very fat and on foot, soon fell behind 
 in the retreat, and would have been killed but for the gallant 
 conduct of one of his men. This devoted heathen servant 
 put himself between his master and his pursuers, saying to 
 the former, " Take a good breathing now ; they have to kill 
 me first ; and before they do so you will be well rested."
 
 " WANDERJAHRK" 85 
 
 Instead of firing at once at the Matabele, this man kept them 
 at a distance by now and then presenting his gun at them, 
 until at length, thinking they were far enough from the main 
 body, their pursuers left them. I shall give another instance 
 of an entirely different description. In the course of the 
 retreat of the Bamangwato one of them found himself at 
 some distance from the others, and closely pursued by a 
 Letebele. His gun was loaded and cocked too, but he had 
 not courage enough to enable him to stand and fire ; so he 
 ran as fast as he could, carrying his gun on his shoulder. 
 To the surprise of both pursuer and pursued, bang went the 
 gun, its bearer still running at the top of his speed. Whether 
 the ball had passed somewhat near to the Letebele is not 
 known ; but at any rate, he at once gave up the pursuit, 
 evidently of opinion that he was altogether too dangerous a 
 fellow who could thus fire over his shoulder without slacken- 
 ing his pace ! Another man was brought to me some five 
 days after the battle with spear wounds on his arm and body. 
 He killed three men, but was surrounded while loading, his 
 gun taken from him, and he himself left for dead. Coming 
 to himself during the night, he crawled out of the way to a 
 place of safety ; but it took him five days to get home, as he 
 could not walk. He is now quite well. 
 
 The remainder of the letter described the futile 
 manner in which the Matabele regiments hung round 
 Shoshong for a few days. Mackenzie proposed to 
 visit their camp, but the Bamangwato leaders unani- 
 mously agreed that this would be a foolhardy adven- 
 ture. As the invaders retreated, baffled for the first 
 time in their history by another native tribe, they 
 harried the country far and wide. 
 
 It was under these circumstances, when Mackenzie 
 had become known as Sekhome Missionary, and Sek- 
 home's warriors had turned the Matabele from their 
 purpose, that the proposal was made to Mackenzie to 
 make another journey into Matabeleland. The pro- 
 posal was made by Mr J. S. Moffat and his brother- 
 in-law Roger Price, who returned in the month of 
 June from the South. The Matabele Mission was 
 supposed to consist of three missionaries and their
 
 86 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 families, who were all settled at Inyati. It seemed 
 not impossible at this time that, through ill-health or 
 other causes, two of these households, if not three, 
 might be compelled to leave the country. This might 
 have meant the total abandonment of the Mission, 
 for Moselekatse, it was feared, would be unwilling to 
 repeat favours which had been wrung from him only 
 by the strong personal influence of Robert Moffat. 
 Mr J, S. Moffat was especially urgent in pleading with 
 Mackenzie to go in as a temporary reinforcement of 
 the Mission. A second consideration was based upon 
 Moselekatse's well-known attitude of suspicion towards 
 missionaries, and his fear of their power in his land. 
 It would help to familiarise him with their presence 
 if Mackenzie appeared before him even for a while, 
 and sought to gain from him some fresh favour for 
 that work. In connection with this opportunity there 
 was a vague idea in their minds that Moselekatse 
 might be induced to give Mackenzie a new station in 
 Matabeleland where, since the plans for the Makololo 
 had failed, and Shoshong was at present pre-occupied 
 by the Germans, Mackenzie might at least find it 
 possible to settle down. He made it clear, in a letter 
 written in the following year, that he had no personal 
 desire to make the journey, and no real intention to 
 settle in Matabeleland. He went, at some personal 
 risk and much inconvenience, at the earnest and pro- 
 longed solicitation of his brethren. This journey, 
 however, was of great value to Mackenzie, as it gave 
 him time in the months which he spent there to study 
 very closely what nowadays would be called the 
 sociology of a purely military tribe, and the per- 
 sonality of its founder and chief. The result of this 
 study is described at length in his book.^ The follow- 
 ing letter presents more briefly an account of this 
 journey : — 
 
 ^ "Ten Years North," etc., chaps, xiv.-xviii.
 
 " WANDER] AHRE " 87 
 
 Inyati, Sept. 1863. 
 
 Rev. Dr Tidman, 
 
 Dear Sir, — My last to you, written in July a few days 
 after our departure from the Bamangwato, will have informed 
 you of the reasons which influenced us to undertake a journey 
 in the Matabele country. On reaching Mahuku's Town and 
 receiving reliable intelligence of the welfare of our fellow- 
 labourers amongst the Matabele, the first we had heard of 
 them for nearly a year, I sent back a short note addressed to 
 Mr Thompson of Cape Town, the contents of which have 
 likely been forwarded to you. 
 
 It is the custom to announce to Moselekatse the arrival at 
 his outposts of any strangers or travellers. Accordingly, on 
 the Monday after our arrival, three Batalaouta were despatched 
 by Shupeng, who is now the head-man at Mahuku's kraal, to 
 inform Moselekatse of the return of Mr Moffat accompanied 
 by another missionary, " who had come to see the King and 
 his friends the missionaries at Inyati." We found that great 
 stress was laid by the Batalaouta on the fact that I had been 
 at Sekhome's during the late war, in fact that I was to be 
 announced to the King as Sekhome's Missionary. While 
 not caring to hide my connection with the Bamangwato I 
 endeavoured to impress on their minds that I had only been 
 one year at Sekhome's, that I had come from England at the 
 same time as the Matabele missionaries, and that I was one 
 with them in entire neutrality in all political matters. I 
 learned afterwards, however, that my explanations were given 
 in vain ; all that reached the ear of the chief was that 
 " Yonie " (Mr Moffat) was coming, accompanied by Sekhome's 
 Missionary. 
 
 Taking it for granted that Moselekatse would admit us, 
 we did not wait at Mahuku's for an answer, as is sometimes 
 done, but slowly followed in the rear of our messengers. 
 After passing thro' in this way the beautiful " Makalaka 
 country," as it is called, we entered the Matabele territory 
 proper, now having an escort, or spy, a lichaga or warrior, 
 whose town was on the road. 
 
 The messengers from Moselekatse met us one morning 
 before we had inspanned near the Boherehere river. After 
 saluting us, the principal man began to give us the " mouth 
 of the King.'' First of all came a great number of questions 
 concerning myself, summed up by, " The King wishes to 
 know what is your business in his country?" After having
 
 88 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 " catechised " for some time in this manner the messenger 
 began, not without some confusion, to deliver the decision 
 of his master. It was astounding, after having answered so 
 many questions put by order of Moselekatse to be given to 
 understand that the King had already made up his mind, 
 and that I was commanded to return, that the King did not 
 wish to see me. On inquiring into the use and wont of the 
 thing, I found that it was quite customary to question people 
 in this way, and yet, no matter what their answers might be, 
 wind up the conversation summarily by announcing the 
 previously formed decision of the chief. Further, my friends 
 were of opinion that altho' my position was not altogether 
 hopeless thro' this decision as to obtaining permission to 
 enter the country, it was nevertheless nearly so, inasmuch as 
 Moselekatse was very seldom known to change his mind. 
 Altho' I might have returned at once, having ascertained 
 that the friends at Inyati were all in good health, I confess I 
 felt a strong disclination to do so. In the first place I did 
 not relish the indignity involved in being sent about one's 
 business in so summary a manner ; but above all that I felt 
 it would tend to enhance our character among the natives, 
 who are all suspicious, were we able to pass over from one 
 tribe to another in time of war. Altho' it may seem to those 
 at a distance a small matter that we have succeeded in carry- 
 ing our point, yet we on the spot see reasons to rejoice at it. 
 Many of the heathen chiefs with their people are still wofully 
 ignorant as to the true object of the missionary ; we wish to 
 teach them that in peace and in war we are the disinterested 
 friends of all, having one simple object amongst them, to 
 proclaim to them the gospel and to instruct them in its truth. 
 I found on inquiry that one of the men was to return to the 
 King with our explanation ; so Mr Moffat and myself set our- 
 selves to the task of unfolding to him our views and plans in 
 so far as we deemed it necessary, reiterating the salient points 
 so as to impress them on his mind. We found the mes- 
 sengers very respectful and well disposed ; indeed we could 
 understand that it was their wish that I should be admitted. 
 Mr Moffat was struck with the improvement for the better 
 which had taken place in his absence in the outward be- 
 haviour of the Matabele. In the course of conversation we 
 learned some of the remarks which had fallen from the King 
 when he heard that Sekhome's teacher was coming. Point- 
 ing to some cows in his cattle pen which had been stolen
 
 " WANDERJAHRE" 89 
 
 from the Bamangwato, Moselekatse jocularly called to his 
 attendants to hasten and milk some of Sekhome's cows for 
 Sekhome's missionary, " for he must be hungry after so long 
 a journey." " Why, if I admit this man he will see every- 
 thing in the country and return and inform Sekhome." 
 "Well, really," said a puzzled wife sitting near, " what crimes 
 do these white men commit, which cause them to flee from 
 their own country in this way ? " 
 
 Being without water at the place where we received the 
 king's message, we suggested that we go forward and wait at 
 the first water for the king's final decision. To this the 
 Machaga agreed, altho' with reluctance, being evidently un- 
 willing to allow me to advance without the king's consent. 
 On Friday afternoon the messenger returned from the king, 
 his feet and legs covered with dust, but with a smiling 
 countenance. Moselekatse's answer was that " I was to 
 come on ; but where was my gift or present to him, and that 
 of Mr J. Moffat? He had not seen them." We reached 
 the camp of Moselekatse on Monday afternoon ; but did not 
 see the chief till next morning. He was not living in a town ; 
 but at the foot of a mountain near to a place called Sesentene. 
 His four waggons were drawn up near to each other; behind 
 these were the temporary huts of his harem and servants, 
 closed in by a hedge of thorn branches ; and in front a large 
 pen for cattle and another for sheep and goats. Such were 
 the " quarters " in which we found the King of the Matabele ; 
 and thus I am told he spends the greater portion of the year. 
 As in other things, his movements seem to be guided by 
 whims. After living for some time at a place suddenly the 
 order is issued to pack the waggons and yoke the oxen ; 
 and before all of the attendants know whither they are going 
 the waggons are moving and the temporary huts left in a 
 blaze. 
 
 And now for my reception by Moselekatse. After passing 
 the little huts and the waggons we were shown into the sheep- 
 pen, at the door of which sat a number of Machaga. A fire 
 had been placed in the middle of the pen ; near to this, 
 seated in an old-fashioned arm-chair, the gift of Mr Moffat, 
 sat Moselekatse. As we walked up and got each a warm 
 and very lengthy shake of the hand, the attendants kept 
 shouting " Great King," " Man-eater," etc. On taking our 
 places on the ground opposite the arm-chair we had a full 
 view of the object of this praise ; and saw an old, frail man,
 
 90 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 so frail that he is carried about in the chair by his wives, and 
 whose only clothing then consisted of an English blanket 
 brought loosely round his loins and a cadet cap on his head. 
 An old great-coat, the original of which was to me matter of 
 speculation, served as a footstool, and was removed with the 
 chair, when the King desired to change his position. One 
 could not help looking' with peculiar feelings on the counte- 
 nance of a man whose whole career has been so bloody, and 
 so successful. We could imagine we saw evidence of that 
 force of character, and cruel unscrupulousness, which have 
 ever distinguished him. His features are still indicative of 
 intelligence and force of character ; while at the same time 
 expressions occasionally flit across them which help us to 
 realize that we are in presence of one who could listen to the 
 voice of justice or mercy unmoved. No notice was taken of 
 the two greatcoats v«'hich we had sent on the previous day ; 
 but immediate application was made for additional " help," 
 as the expression here goes. However, our reception on the 
 whole was gracious enough, as things go here. He recog- 
 nised me as a missionary from Kuruman, or England, the 
 differences or distances between these places not being very 
 clearly understood by the Matabele. Not having an opportunity 
 of speaking to the King in private, I did not introduce the 
 subject of the war with Sekhome ; for any public question- 
 ing of his policy is not at all calculated to produce beneficial 
 results. Moselekatse has been noted for the hospitality of 
 detaining visitors long after the time at which they desired to 
 depart. But lung-sickness having considerably diminished the 
 quantity of beef at his disposal, visitors are no longer guests 
 fed at the King's expense ; and in our own case, after a stay of 
 two days, the chief's politely expressed reluctance at our depar- 
 ture was fully met by a promise of an early visit after we had 
 seen our friends at Inyate. We hope then to have an oppor- 
 tunity of speaking to the chief on the subject of the war with 
 Sekhome ; but we cannot reasonably hope for much success, 
 inasmuch as no one has ever succeeded hitherto in persuad- 
 ing Moselekatse to give up his warlike pursuits. It was at 
 one time fondly imagined that such a result had been 
 obtained, but a very short residence in the country con- 
 vinced our brethren that this belief was altogether unfounded. 
 Since your missionaries came into this country, only one 
 year has passed unmarked by the departure of the Matabele 
 forces against the native tribes to the east, north-east, and
 
 " WANDERJAHRE " 91 
 
 north ; and during that exceptional year, if the Matabele 
 were not engaged in a foreign war, they were occupied with 
 slaughtering one another. Interest was brought to bear with 
 the King against Monyebe, the greatest friend of missionaries 
 and most powerful man in the country after the King. He 
 was accused of witchcraft, and put to death with all his 
 house. Such being the past history of the Matabele, even 
 after their connexion with missionaries, we cannot be very 
 sanguine as to the result of our efforts to deter the King from 
 prosecuting that war with the Bamangwato. However, we 
 shall do our best. 
 
 We reached Inyate on Saturday, 29th of August, when we 
 had the pleasure of meeting with our dear friends Mr Thomas 
 and Mr and Mrs Sykes. This pleasure however had its sad 
 alloy in the absence of Mrs Thomas. All we could see of 
 her, except in the features of her two little boys, was her 
 grave. However, she herself is with • God, and doubtless 
 feels no regret, either that she embarked in the mission 
 work or that her remains are far removed from those of her 
 kindred. I have the impression that Christian work among 
 the Zulus in the neighbourhood of Natal, although extending 
 over a lengthened period, has been sadly unproductive of 
 results. My remark applies to the natives beyond British 
 territory, who are under the despotic sway of their chiefs. If 
 this impression is correct, there are others similarly situated 
 to your agents in the Matabele country, preaching the word 
 to a handful of people while the great mass of the people 
 stand scornfully aloof. At the same time, the Matabele 
 mission has been a trying one to your agents, and to all 
 appearances their patience as well as that of your Directors 
 will be tried for a long time to come before marked pros- 
 perity shall attend their efforts. I am glad to testify to the 
 change that is taking place in the minds of the Matabele to- 
 wards the missionaries. Received four years ago with the 
 utmost suspicion, they are now trusted throughout the 
 country, but especially in the neighbourhood of Inyate. 
 The overbearing rudeness with which they were at first 
 treated by all classes has now given place in most cases to 
 respect. There are three out-stations in connection with 
 Inyate, which the brethren visit weekly for the purpose of 
 preaching the Gospel to the people. The whole population 
 which thus comes under the influence of the missionaries is 
 some 700 or 800, while of these about 150 constitute the
 
 92 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 total number of hearers at the four stations, on any given 
 week. Repeated attempts have been made in the way of 
 teaching the young, but hitherto without success. Learning 
 seems to be regarded by the people with fear. They are 
 not sure how Moselekatse would regard such a movement. 
 The work of your agents, therefore, has been to a great extent 
 of a preparatory nature. They have had to eradicate many 
 weeds before they could sow the good seed of the Gospel. 
 However, the Word of God can be said now to be found in 
 the Matabele country ; it is preached regularly, and in the 
 language of the country. And just as the life and conversa- 
 tion of the missionaries slowly disarmed the people of 
 suspicion and dislike, so the " little leaven " of heaven's 
 truth at present in course of being introduced into their 
 minds cannot possibly remain there long inert and unobserv- 
 able. The soil however is emphatically a bad one. The 
 training of the Matabele, their habits of plunder and blood- 
 shed, and their social usages, all combine in their opposition 
 to the requirements of Christianity. Your agents are labour- 
 ing amongst a population the male portion of which has been 
 gathered from all tribes, knows little or nothing of home or 
 kindred, lives in barracks, robs and slaughters at least every 
 year, without reference to sex or age, and knows no law but 
 that of their King. The females are also the children of all 
 the tribes and are as unpromising as the men, if not more 
 so, as subjects of the Gospel. These things are mentioned 
 simply for the purpose of showing that the difficulties of this 
 field are of no ordinary description ; and considering the 
 amount of opposition and ill-feeling which has been over- 
 come the directors and friends of the Society have good 
 reason to be thankful, although their agents here cannot 
 point to a single individual and say — " I have good hope of 
 this person," or *' Here is our first convert." 
 
 When I left Bamangwato, I promised to Mr Price to 
 return in the course of the summer, provided that Mr and 
 Mrs Sykes were in such health as to enable them to carry on 
 the duties of this station in conjunction with Mr and Mrs 
 Moffat. It was understood that only one inducement ought 
 to detain me in the country, the permission of Moselekatse 
 to occupy a new district as a field of missionary labour. 
 While my oxen are resting I shall endeavour to find out the 
 views of the head-men on this subject, and should I find 
 that they are decidedly opposed to the establishment of a
 
 "WANDERJAHRE" 93 
 
 separate station I shall not make the request formally of the 
 king. Should I meet with encouragement, however, and in 
 the end obtain from the king a suitable place for a station, I 
 think the Directors will agree with my brethren here and 
 with myself that it would be of importance not to neglect 
 such an opening. At the same time rather than attempt to 
 push the matter, and rather than wait on, doing next to 
 nothing, in the hope that a more favourable time may come, 
 I conceive it will be my duty to return to the Bamangwato, 
 which is at any rate a riper field than the Matabele country, 
 and where I can resume direct and encouraging labours 
 which were interrupted by the present journey. — I remain, 
 ever yours truly, John Mackenzie. 
 
 Another letter which Mackenzie wrote after his 
 return to Shoshong describes at greater length the 
 negotiations which he carried on with Moselekatse, 
 and the means which he employed for discovering 
 the exact facts in Matabeleland from the missionary's 
 point of view. He concentrated attention upon one 
 object, to ascertain the amount of liberty granted 
 by Moselekatse to missionaries on the one hand, and 
 to his own people in relation to the missionaries on 
 the other. He conversed especially with the head- 
 men, through whom the chief carried out his will. In 
 brief, Mackenzie found that, while the missionaries had 
 nominally all liberty to teach and preach, tJie people 
 were warned tJiat they uiiisi not learn. Moselekatse 
 knew full well that people who read the gospel could 
 not remain true to his military system, and that men 
 who learn to read could not be prevented from reading 
 the gospel. When the chief, to the amazement of 
 everyone, agreed to give Mackenzie a fountain for his 
 new station, and empowered Mr J. S. Moffat to select 
 one, Mackenzie used this as the opportunity for 
 making one more urgent appeal to the chief to allow 
 his people to become real learners. In this attempt 
 he completely failed ; and, as it seemed to him per- 
 fectly useless to open a new mission in a land
 
 94 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 practically closed to mission work, while in other 
 directions many thousands of heathen people were 
 hungering to be taught, he decided to return to 
 Shoshong. 
 
 It was during this visit to the Matabele that the first 
 bereavement fell upon Mackenzie's immediate family. 
 In October his third child, born at Shoshong the 
 previous year, died of croup at the age of fourteen 
 months. Mackenzie's affectionate heart was deeply 
 moved at the loss of little Annie. To the end of his 
 days he referred to her with a loving and tender 
 affection, and spoke of her always as still one of the 
 family, and one of whose continued life in the unseen 
 he was immovably convinced. He wrote at the time 
 as follows : — 
 
 Now, don't grieve over us as if our affliction must have 
 been so very much heightened by our being in a heathen 
 land. We were among very kind friends ; and, above all, 
 we buried our child with calm triumph, submitting to Death, 
 and the Grave, and Corruption, in the light of the Gospel. 
 " I am the Resurrection and the Life ; " " Suffer the little 
 children to come unto Me." Altho' we say it with a sigh, 
 still we are glad and happy that we have a child in Heaven, 
 in that wondrous " House of the Lord." O for one glimpse 
 of what she sees ! You know why we are here. We came 
 as a " stop the gap " ; had we not come, and had our brethren 
 here been in bad health, the Mission might have been 
 dispersed for a time ; and it is not always easy to resume 
 what has been given up in the country of the Matabele. It 
 is not certain whether we remain here or not. Perhaps the 
 likelihood is that we shall go out again. There is not 
 freedom, and until there is, three missionaries are enough. 
 The people here are the most degraded of all the tribes I 
 have visited. The King has great power, in fact does what 
 he pleases with his subjects, who fear him very much. This 
 is the obstacle to the progress of the Gospel. Moselekatse 
 has more at stake than many other chiefs in connection with 
 the reception of the Gospel by his people. The whole 
 social fabric of the Matabele must be completely changed, 
 their whole policy, their whole course of life, when the
 
 "WANDERJAHRE" 95 
 
 Gospel is generally received. The King is intelligent enough 
 to see this ; and it may be long before much is effected, for 
 this very reason. Of course cases of individual conversion 
 may take place, altho' they have not done so as yet. 
 The Word and Spirit of God are omnipotent. 
 
 Shortly after Mackenzie's return to Shoshong, where 
 Price had settled in diligent service, he received news 
 that the German missionaries were to be withdrawn 
 from all stations in Bechuanaland, and that Mr 
 Schulenborg would not return to Shoshong. The 
 way now was open to him to consider his appoint- 
 ment by the Directors to this station as final, and he 
 forthwith set himself to the work which occupied him 
 for more than ten years among the most powerful 
 tribe in Bechuanaland, happy indeed to have done 
 with the six homeless years of his wanderings up and 
 down South Africa.
 
 CHAPTER IV 
 
 THE FIRST PERIOD AT SHOSHONG ( I 864- I 87 I ) 
 
 Mackenzie has given a very full account of the next 
 period of his life,^ We must be content with a more 
 brief survey. He has described Shoshong in the 
 following words : — " Shoshong, the town of the 
 Bamangwato, contains a population of some 30,000. 
 It is situated at the foot of a mountain range of 
 primary rock stretching from east to west for more 
 than a dozen miles. About three miles to the south 
 of this range there is another basaltic mountain called 
 Marutlwe, in the neighbourhood of which both sand- 
 stone and limestone are to be found. The ground 
 lying between the hills is occupied by the gardens of 
 the Bamangwato. The main town spreads along the 
 foot of the mountain, and some distance along the 
 gorge in the mountain range, where the stream flows 
 which supplies the town with water. There are also 
 five divisions of the town in a beautifully sheltered 
 position among the mountains. Again, there are 
 small towns along the range to the west to the 
 distance of some six miles, all being under one chief, 
 whose decision is final." The comfort of life at 
 Shoshong was much affected by the inadequacy of 
 the water supply, for which the entire town depended 
 upon a few springs in the bed of the river in the 
 kloof The river channel opposite the mission 
 premises, and right through the town, was perfectly 
 dry, except after sudden and abundant rains. Then 
 the river came down in a flood, which however 
 
 • "Ten Years North of the Orange River," chapters xviii.-xxv. 
 
 96
 
 THE FIRST PERIOD AT SIIOSHONG 97 
 
 speedily subsided ; after the rainy season was over 
 no signs of it remained. Mackenzie would have liked 
 for his own sake, as well as for the sake of the natives, 
 to institute a small system of irrigation at Shoshong. 
 Indeed, when he was home in 1870, he wrote to Dr 
 Mullens, the Foreign Secretary of the Society, saying: 
 " I wish some kind friend of the Mission would present 
 me with a pump in order that through irrigation we 
 might at least occasionally enjoy the luxury of a few 
 vegetables at dinner." But he never had either the 
 time or money to carry out so useful a project. 
 
 It was a picturesque sight, undoubtedly, which met 
 the eye in the early morning, and especially at sunset, 
 as the women of the town went up to the springs with 
 large earthen pots on their heads to fetch the water 
 supply for the following day. The interest of watch- 
 ing this stream of human beings moving up and down 
 the valley was for the missionary children only rivalled 
 by watching the strange daily procession of baboons. 
 These animals frequented the mountains overhanging 
 the town, and possessed the singular habit of using the 
 mountain on one side of the river for sleeping in, and 
 the range on the other side for their daylight excur- 
 sions in search of food. It was ever a matter of great 
 interest to go up the kloof and watch these big human- 
 like animals crossing the river to their sleeping apart- 
 ments. That they had some measure and manner of 
 family discipline was firmly believed by all who watched 
 them, and who, almost every evening, heard the indig- 
 nant speech of an adult baboon, the easily identified 
 sounds of whacking, and the corresponding shrill replies 
 of juvenile pain and resentment. 
 
 The town was also infested by wolves, or, more 
 properly, hyenas of the usually cowardly and treacher- 
 ous and filthy kind. They would creep after nightfall to 
 the precincts of the town and steal whatsoever they 
 could lay hold of, a goat or a child. Mackenzie tried 
 
 G
 
 98 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 to encourage the natives to reduce the numbers of 
 these unwelcome scavengers. He several times set 
 gun-traps, and once he used meat poisoned with 
 strychnine in order to get rid of some unusually 
 daring depredator, and each time with success. His 
 elder children still remember a weird hyena scene. 
 One night, when several traders sat talking with 
 Mackenzie in his parlour, his dogs started up sud- 
 denly with a unanimous howling and barking and 
 a rush in one direction. This could only mean a 
 hyena. Lanterns were procured, a gun was shouldered 
 by Mackenzie, and they rushed out into the darkness. 
 The sounds drew them to the rocks at the foot of the 
 mountain immediately behind the house. There they 
 found that the dogs, by harassing and worrying, had 
 exhausted the energies of the hyena, and it lay panting 
 on a flat rock almost in reach of safety. Mackenzie 
 proposed to shoot it, when a little trader, whose 
 diminutive size and bow legs created constant merri- 
 ment among the natives, protested that the skin should 
 not be spoilt, that he could cut its throat. Someone 
 handed him a knife, which turned out to be too blunt. 
 When his sawing at the throat with this unhappy in- 
 strument at last irritated the skin, the reviving energies 
 of the hyena enabled it to snap at and hold the trader's 
 toe within its jaws. The native crowd burst into an 
 irresistible guffaw at the ludicrous scene. The im- 
 prisoned boot was quickly shaken free, and Mackenzie 
 was allowed to shoot. A little boy is still remembered 
 whose face bore the marks of another wolf's fangs 
 upon it. He was out after dark, when one of these 
 brutes caught him, and throwing him over its shoulder, 
 made off for the mountains. The boy's right hand 
 was, happily, hanging down and dragging on the 
 ground, and it came upon a sharp stone. Immediately 
 seizing this stone, this plucky little fellow so be- 
 laboured the wolf's face with the ragged edges that
 
 THE FIRST PERIOD AT SHOSHONG 99 
 
 it was glad to drop its victim. One more wolf story 
 Mackenzie used thoroughly to enjoy. It was of a 
 trader who, on approaching Shoshong and finding the 
 nights hot, protested against sleeping in his waggon. 
 Having spread out a large kaross, or tanned skin, on 
 the ground, he lay down to sleep, laughing in contempt 
 at the idea that any animal could interfere with him. 
 He awoke up suddenly to find himself still, indeed, on 
 the kaross, but bumping along over the ground, hauled 
 by an invisible agency of the darkness. His vigorous 
 yells speedily aroused his companions, who were cruel 
 enough to enjoy the event and to share their enjoyment 
 with others. 
 
 The Bamangwato tribe, whose chief town was at 
 Shoshong, had become powerful from about the year 
 1845 onwards. It owed much of its prosperity to a 
 former chief, Khari by name, of whom Mackenzie says 
 that, " brave in the field, wise in counsel, kind to his 
 vassals, Khari was all that the Bechuanas desired their 
 chief to be." His legal heir was Macheng, a son of 
 his head wife ; but an elder son of a subordinate wife, 
 Sekhome by name, usurped the throne, killed some of 
 his rivals, and caused the flight of Macheng to Mata- 
 beleland. Under Sekhome, the tribe prospered until 
 manhood was reached by his two sons, Khame and 
 Khamane. These two had received Christian instruc- 
 tion from Mr Schulenborg, and had been baptised by 
 him. Khame grew up to be a man of extraordinary 
 dignity of character, his grasp of Christian morality 
 being unusually strong and clear, and his loyalty to 
 the Christian God profound and immovable. It was 
 this noble-minded fidelity of Khame's heart, combined 
 with an untiring charity, which led to some of the 
 most dramatic situations known in the history of any 
 native tribe. One can easily see that in the relations 
 of Sekhome to Macheng, his brother, a more degraded 
 heathen than himself, and to his Christian sons, all the
 
 100 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 elements were present of a long series of plots and 
 counter-plots. Some of these we shall see unfolded 
 in the following pages. 
 
 The gospel was first preached to the Bamangwato 
 by David Livingstone, during his first journey north- 
 ward to his discovery of Lake Ngami. The first 
 regular teacher of the tribe was Sehunelwe a member 
 of the Kuruman Church, who had been prepared for 
 his work by Robert Moffat, and who was supported in 
 it by a few friends in Glasgow. In 1858, Mr 
 Schulenborg arrived, and worked faithfully for a short 
 period ; his chief distinction, however, lies in the fact 
 that he had baptised Khame and his brother. He 
 formed a Christian church, but did so prematurely, in 
 Mackenzie's estimation, and of such material that the 
 foundations had to be relaid some years later. 
 
 Mackenzie set himself to the work of evangelising 
 the Bamangwato people with all his heart and soul ; 
 for a while he had as his colleague the late Roger 
 Price, who in a short time, however, moved to Sechele's 
 town, leaving Mackenzie with a task which he always 
 felt to be far beyond the limits of one man's powers. In 
 brief, his work consisted, first, in preaching, not only 
 on Sunday but during the week in the king's court- 
 yard and at various central portions of the widely- 
 extended town ; second, in carrying on day-school 
 teaching, for which he had no assistance ; and third, 
 in putting up all the buildings necessary for a Mission 
 Station. In 1866 he reported informally that he had 
 22 candidates for membership in the church which he 
 hoped to establish ; he had about 60 regular hearers 
 at his Sunday congregations ; he had one day-school 
 whose attendance consisted of 30 adults and 8 
 children ; he had besides two district schools with 
 similar attendance. It was impossible, of course, to 
 carry on this educational work during the recurring 
 wars which disturbed the people, and the building
 
 THE FIRST PERIOD AT SHOSHONG loi 
 
 operations which necessarily absorbed his time and 
 energy. The following extracts from letters give all 
 too brief glimpses of this side of his w^ork. 
 
 To Miss E. B. Douglas, Portobello. 
 
 Shoshong, i6//z March 1865. 
 
 We are making a little progress here in our work. In the 
 district schools which Mr Trice and I started some time 
 ago, we have had considerable encouragement. The young 
 people are generally willing to learn to read ; and the old 
 people who are, alas ! unwilling to do anything themselves, 
 make a great virtue of giving their sons and nephews liberty 
 to learn. The heathen rite of circumcision is now being 
 celebrated here with great demonstrations. The old chief, 
 by very unworthy arguments, has succeeded in inducing two 
 of his younger sons who attended school, and one of whom 
 was a very fair scholar, to cast in their lot with him and go 
 to the ceremony, the celebration of which continues for some 
 two months. We hope they will come back again after it is 
 over. They are young and undecided, but with God's help, 
 may eventually see their way to something better than the 
 tomfooleries in which they are now engaged. The eldest 
 son is really a nice lad, unassuming and manly ; and the 
 second is also a fair character, although excelled by his 
 brother. There is a third son by the same wife, perhaps 
 about 15, also a quiet, thoughtful lad. 
 
 It is difficult to say what were or are the religious practices 
 of this people before their connection with white men. Of 
 course, even the heathen are indirectly influenced by the 
 opinions of the white people ; and Morimo (God) gets credit 
 for a great deal now that was formerly attributed to other 
 agencies. 
 
 The Bechuana will appear surprised and sceptical when 
 you preach to them the Resurrection from the Dead, and the 
 Final Judgment ; and yet they themselves are in the habit of 
 resorting to the grave of an ancestor, and there offering up 
 their prayers for the help of the departed one in any diffi- 
 culty in which they may be placed at the time. This act is 
 perhaps not frequently performed and I am not aware that it 
 is practised except by the chief men. But Bechuana of all 
 classes were in the habit in their journeys to select a very
 
 102 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 large tree in a forest, and there under its shadow offer up 
 their prayers. To whom these prayers were made it is diffi- 
 cult to find out, but it was probably to their ancestors. Per- 
 haps it is a faint shadow of that hoary and widely-spread ritual 
 which in Britain is known as Druidism. 
 
 Witchcraft is to the Bechuana a terrible reality, although 
 not to the same extent that it is amongst the Zulus. So 
 uniformly have all white men ridiculed this article of faith, 
 that it is universally admitted by them that we don't know 
 how to bewitch. This is a fortunate thing ; many an inno- 
 cent Zulu is put to death through jealousy, etc., the pretext 
 given by the king being that he is a " wizard." 
 
 Peculiar ideas are entertained out here about mad people. 
 The word for mad is tseniva, the passive of tsena, to enter, to 
 go in. Our English expression " possessed " is pretty near 
 to the Bechuana idea. Well when a person gets mad, he 
 has got Morimo, and therefore some day he is Morimo. A 
 poor woman lately became deranged, when hundreds of 
 women flocked to see her with offerings of corn, etc. All 
 the questions which gipsies and other adepts at palmistry at 
 home are so ready to answer, were put to this demented 
 creature, and answers of some kind obtained. As if they 
 themselves were not satisfied with their conduct, these de- 
 votees in some cases explained that the woman was not God, 
 but went to speak to Him on the mountain at night ; and 
 that He then instructed her what to say. 
 
 To the Rev. Joseph Mullens, D.D. 
 
 Shoshong, lyt/i June 1867. 
 
 Like all Bechuana tribes, the Bamangwato have the name 
 Morimo (God) in their language ; but in their unenlightened 
 state they had no knowledge of such being as the God of 
 the Bible. According to them the dwelling of Morimo was 
 not above but below on the earth. In this tribe a chief or a 
 master is daily addressed as Morimo ; and although all have 
 now at least heard of the true God, even a missionary is still 
 frequently shocked to hear himself addressed as Morimo, 
 while some trifling favour is acknowledged or begged ; such is 
 the force of habit. 
 
 Life to these wretched heathen was, alas ! and still is, full 
 of imaginary dangers, crowded with things which are not 
 " canny." Their own flocks and herds may be possessed
 
 THE FIRST PERIOD AT SHOSHONG 103 
 
 with evil spirits bent on the master's destruction or that of 
 his family. I have bought cattle which the natives would 
 no longer keep. When the heathen goes to hunt he may 
 meet with great misfortune by happening to gaze on a 
 certain animal. Consequently, they have doctors who are 
 said to be able to help them against these multiform evils, 
 for a consideration. From these doctors they buy medicines 
 and charms. They wear them on their heads, their necks, 
 their wrists, their kaross, their ankles. Between the ngaka 
 or doctor, who is also sometimes called moloi or wizard, and 
 these numerous charms, there was little room left in the 
 Bechuana mind for the position or action of Morimo. In- 
 deed, if he had clearly defined attributes at all, they would 
 seem to have been malicious ones ; Morimo was a mystery, 
 or an object of dread, or both, to the poor benighted ones. 
 It is worthy of notice also that in times of great distress the 
 " last resource " was not to pray to Morimo ; but to repair 
 to the grave of some powerful ancestor, and there lay their 
 case in all its details before the departed and unheeding 
 spirit. 
 
 In 1865 Mackenzie set himself to build a house. 
 The following "statement of outlay" gives a very 
 brief summary of the facts. How much personal toil 
 was involved in this undertaking it would be hard to 
 say, for Mackenzie had to discover a clay bed, make 
 frames for his bricks, and then — the hardest task of 
 all — had to train native workers to make bricks ; then 
 he undertook the task of burning these, which involved 
 not only the building of brick kilns, but the hauling 
 of firewood in waggons for a long distance. His 
 family can recall the intense anxiety with which he 
 one day awaited the result of his first experiment. 
 He set himself also to use lime, and, having discovered 
 limestone, brought it in waggons to the Station, there 
 burned it, and prepared it for making mortar. The 
 astonishment of the natives at the action of the lime 
 was amusing in a high degree. And, further, Mackenzie 
 had to take his waggons out into the forest, cut down 
 trees, persuade the natives to drag them into the
 
 I04 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 waggons, bring them to the mission ground, and there 
 saw them into boards. For the last purpose he dug 
 a pit and taught two natives to use a pit-saw. The 
 house which he built measured 38 ft. by 23 ft., and 
 comprised five rooms, besides the kitchen and pantry. 
 
 Statement of Outlay in Building a Dwelling-House 
 
 I received valuable assistance from several Englishmen, 
 
 who, with the exception of H , who was hired by the 
 
 month, would receive no wages. They of their own accord 
 " gave me a hand " for weeks or months, as they had oppor- 
 tunity. They boarded at my table, of course, while at work. 
 Having no garden here, and everything on my table except 
 milk having to be paid for at high prices in the interior, I 
 must in justice to myself make the charge of -Q't, per month 
 for one man. The items are as follows : — 
 
 1865. 
 
 VV, H. — Wages, ^14; board 3 months. 
 
 
 
 
 p^IO lOS. . 
 
 £2A 
 
 10 
 
 
 
 W. F.— Board 
 
 12 
 
 10 
 
 
 
 F. C— Do 
 
 9 
 
 
 
 
 
 L. Do 
 
 3 
 
 10 
 
 
 
 Paid native labourers in beads, etc. 
 
 1 1 
 
 16 
 
 6 
 
 M. for kitchen and pantry . 
 
 15 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 £i^ 
 
 6 
 
 6 
 
 1867. 
 
 This outlay was met by myself at the time, and charged to 
 the account of salary. I now beg to request that the above 
 sum be refunded to me. I may mention that, after all, the 
 chief part of the work was done by my own hands, the brick- 
 laying and dressing the timber. I worked for months as hard 
 as any labouring man. The brick-making was partially paid 
 for by me to Sekhome, from whom I had four men hired 
 for a heifer each. 
 
 Shoshong, 2>^d July 1867. 
 
 In connection with the building of this house, a 
 romantic incident took place which casts light at once 
 upon the South Africa of those years, and upon human 
 nature. There came to Shoshong one Tom Wood, 
 an Englishman of the bluff and hearty type, who
 
 THE FIRST PERIOD AT SHOSHONG 105 
 
 had been a carpenter and had made some money, 
 and become a hunter. Between him alid Mackenzie 
 there sprang up a strong mutual confidence and 
 regard. When they were discussing the best way 
 of roofing the new house, Tom Wood urgently 
 recommended the use of corrugated iron, which 
 seemed an impossible, because expensive, plan to 
 the missionary. The hunter, however, made a pro- 
 posal, which won the day for his plan. He offered, 
 if Mackenzie would lend him a waggon and some 
 oxen which he needed for his own purposes, to 
 make a journey through the Transvaal to Durban, 
 do his own business there, buy the iron roofing, and 
 bring it to Shoshong free of charge. This was 
 agreed to, and Tom Wood set forth with the 
 valuable small waggon and the loan of something 
 less than a full span of oxen. It was intended 
 that he should be back by September, when the 
 rainy season might begin. September arrived and 
 passed, but there was no sign of Tom Wood and 
 no message from him. As days and weeks more 
 went by the missionary had the sore experience of 
 being told on all hands that he had been fooled, 
 that he had no right to trust so much that was 
 of value to a mere travelling adventurer. But 
 Mackenzie felt certain that the soul of Tom Wood 
 was true, and shaking his big head, said that his faith 
 in him would yet be vindicated. That kind of 
 certainty can only live on itself, and can give no 
 reason but itself to others. In the meantime the 
 wet season had to be met. It was known that the 
 Boers sometimes use a certain soil called " braak 
 grond," which contains salt, and from which, when 
 rain falls, it runs off on the surface. Forth Mackenzie 
 went into the forest and cut down hundreds of 
 makuru trees. The central wood of this tree is so 
 hard that ants do not eat it ; but its hardness made
 
 io6 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 it difficult to work. To saw this into planks was out 
 of the question, so it was resolved simply to split 
 up each tree with wedges, and then use the adze 
 to smooth the inner surface of each half, and to 
 remove the outer soft wood which the ants would 
 enjoy. As the wood is beautifully grained, these 
 smoothed faces, when fitted close together, make a 
 striking and ornamental ceiling. Over them was 
 placed a layer of clay, and over that the " braak 
 grond " soil. This answered fairly well. Only a 
 few showers came through into one room, over which 
 the ants had worked through the clay at one or two 
 points, and opened the way for the water. Con- 
 tentedly the family faced the rainy season in the 
 new house, which seemed like a palace after the two- 
 roomed hut. The season of Christmas and New 
 Year approached, and still no sign of Tom Wood ; 
 and still Mackenzie shook his head emphatically, and 
 believed in him. Now, on last New Year's Day, the 
 lost traveller had dined with the Mackenzies, and 
 before he went off to Durban, he had said, " You'll 
 see, Mrs Mackenzie, that I'll eat my next New Year's 
 dinner with you." Sadly they surmised that now 
 that must be out of the question. When New Year's 
 Day came Tom Wood did come with it ! 
 
 When he reached Durban, Tom Wood found that 
 the firm with whom his money was deposited had 
 failed and his money was all gone. The brave 
 fellow, because he was a true man and was trusted 
 by another true man a thousand miles away, set to 
 work at his own trade, and worked incessantly till he 
 had made enough money to buy that roofing and his 
 own hunting supplies. After hard and silent toil he 
 set forth to reach Shoshong in time to keep that 
 appointment with Mrs Mackenzie for New Year's 
 Day. 
 
 The following year, 1866, saw an almost complete
 
 THE FIRST PERIOD AT SHOSHONG 107 
 
 arrest of all ordinary missionary operations at Sho- 
 shong. The following letters give a sufficiently 
 complete account of the remarkable events which 
 occurred at that time : — 
 
 Shosiiong, \c)th March 1866. 
 
 The Rev. Dr Tidman. 
 
 Rev. and Dear Sir, — Two years ago it was my 
 duty to communicate the incidents connected with an attack 
 on the Bamangwato by the Matabele. It is -now my painful 
 task to inform you that a division has just taken place among 
 the Bamangwato themselves, which cannot but materially 
 affect our work as missionaries in this part of the country. 
 In order to a proper understanding of this quarrel it will be 
 necessary to recall a few events connected with the past 
 history of this tribe. 
 
 It will be remembered that Macheng, who was liberated by 
 Mr Moffat from captivity among the Matabele, has a claim to 
 the chieftainship of the Bamangwato prior to that of Sekhome. 
 Macheng's mother was, it would seem, the chief wife of 
 Khari, who was the father of both Macheng and Sekhome. 
 Macheng, then, on his return from the Matabele was 
 recognized as chief; but the tenure of his power was 
 brief Brought up among the soldiers of the Zulu despot, 
 Macheng aimed at exercising a sway among his father's 
 people equally despotic to that of Moselekatse. Sekhome 
 fled for refuge to Sechele's with Khame and Khamane, his 
 children. All property was declared to belong to Macheng, 
 and nothing could be bought or sold except by his command 
 or with his cognizance. By and by a petty chief was put to 
 death by Macheng, upon which the head-men, who before 
 this were tired of their new king, were now also in terror of 
 him lest they should share the fate of him who had been 
 summarily put to death. Secret meetings were held at which 
 Chukuru took a leading part ; and it was agreed to recall 
 Sekhome. Overtures were accordingly made, and both 
 Sekhome and Sechele were found to be agreeable, the one 
 again to assume his position as chief, the other to aid with 
 his men in the accomplishment of that end. Khosilintse was 
 the head of the party of the Bakwena who reinstated Sekhome 
 as chief of the Bamangwato ; and he returned to Sechele's 
 without the loss of a man, but driving a numerous herd of
 
 io8 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 Sekhome's cattle, which was the reward of his services. 
 Macheng at first fled in the direction of Moselekatse, and 
 begged help from his former master in the recovery of his 
 lost chieftainship. Moselekatse refused his aid ; so Macheng 
 fell back first on Selekas, to the east of Shoshong, and 
 finally was received by Sechele, the very man who had driven 
 him from his home. 
 
 Before his banishment, Sekhome had desired his eldest son 
 to take to wife a daughter of Pelutona ; but Khame had 
 conceived a dislike to this person and refused. On their 
 return to the place, Sekhome recommended him to marry a 
 daughter of Chukuru, to whom they owed gratitude for his 
 efforts in recalling them from their banishment. Khame 
 consented, and his wife has proved a helpmeet for her 
 husband in his efforts to shake himself loose from heathenism, 
 and not a hindrance, as is sometimes the case. Khamane 
 the second son also married a daughter of Chukuru, with the 
 approbation of Sekhome. This person never went through 
 the rite initiating into heathen womanhood ; nor was she 
 bought from her father according to the old custom. These 
 things vexed Sekhome ; but Chukuru said, if the young 
 people had believed the Word of God, he would never be a 
 party to compelling them to go through the usual customs of 
 their ancestors. 
 
 About fourteen months ago our prospects in this place 
 were of the most cheering description. Besides the services 
 in the church on the Sabbath, Mr Price and I conducted three 
 schools in different parts of this large town, whose inhabitants 
 we computed as being at least 30,000. We taught the two 
 district schools three days in the week, and had an attendance 
 of about 30 children and adults. We employed about 8 
 natives as assistants at these schools, amongst whom were 
 six sons of Sekhome, three of whom were competent teachers 
 of elementary classes, and very diligent in their work. The 
 other two days we taught in the church, and here endeavoured 
 to ground these assistants, their wives and others, in the 
 elements of a good education. Some of them can read and 
 write their own language well, understand a little of arithmetic, 
 have a general idea of geography ; and, last and best of all, are 
 comparatively familiar with the New Testament, especially the 
 Gospels. 
 
 Yielding to the threats and entreaties of their father, two 
 of Sekhome's sons deserted us about a year ago, and joined
 
 THE FIRST PERIOD AT SHOSIIONG 109 
 
 Sekhome in the dances and other customs connected with 
 the administration of the rite of circumcision. Sekhome was 
 angry with the steadfastness of Khame and those who remained 
 with us ; and by and by threats were heard that unless they 
 also succumbed, their father would kill them. Inasmuch as 
 Chukuru did not go the same length as Sekhome in his 
 oppression, and doubtless instigated by jealousy against him 
 who was now the father-in-law of his two eldest sons, Sekhome 
 began to launch his curses and his threats against Chukuru 
 also. It would be tedious to detail the course of this persecu- 
 tion and oppression on the part of Sekhome. Suffice it to 
 say, that so far as Mr Price and I could see, the conduct of 
 the young chiefs was all that we could desire. This was 
 especially true in the case of Khame. His praises were in 
 the mouth of the whole tribe for his skill as a hunter, his 
 bravery as displayed in the affair with the Matabele, and his 
 affability to all in the town. White men visiting the place 
 were equally loud in their praises ; he never begged any- 
 thing from them ; he never beat them down in their prices ; 
 he was always polite and obliging. And these opinions 
 were not insincere ; repeated and valuable presents testi- 
 fied to the sincerity of their respect and attachment to 
 Khame. 
 
 Sekhome was jealous of Khame's popularity and formed 
 the determination of bringing him entirely over to heathenism. 
 Although the daughter of Pelutona had been given to another 
 man and had borne to him two children, Sekhome swore that 
 she must be his son's head-wife ; he must take her or die. 
 Khame pleaded that he was a Christian, and farther, that he 
 never liked this woman. Sekhome answered, " When I 
 sought missionaries for you, I had no idea that their teaching 
 would thwart me thus ; I thought you would just be taught 
 to read and write, your habits remaining unchanged. But 
 learn this : whether you like the woman or not, whether you 
 are a Christian or not, I am your father, and am determined 
 to exact obedience to my wishes. Either you or I must be 
 master ; and who ever heard of a father governed by his own 
 son ? What could I say to Khari and the rest of my ancestors 
 if I succumbed to my own child ? " " Father, we obey you 
 in all other matters ; we hunt the elephant and you get the 
 tusks ; we kill the giraffe and the eland, and you get the 
 meat and the hide : wherein do we defraud you of your right 
 as our father ? Only in matters connected with the Word of
 
 no JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 God we cannot obey you ; we fear God, and would rather 
 die." 
 
 Such is a specimen of repeated conversations between 
 Sekhome and his sons. On the one side there was anger 
 and vindictiveness ; on the other firmness and gentleness. 
 
 About three months ago Sekhome thought to thicken his 
 plot by bringing missionaries into it. I had five men from 
 him hired for a year, the wages of each to be a heifer. When 
 six months had transpired and my new dwelling-house was 
 nearly finished, Sekhome made his appearance and demanded 
 the heifers. " Their work was done, the house was finished." 
 I reminded him of the engagement, the year was only half 
 expired. He did not contradict me, but doggedly demanded 
 the heifers. Of course I could only refuse, as it would have 
 been a most pernicious precedent. The chief went away 
 swearing by a whole list of his forefathers that he would take 
 the heifers himself. He at once removed every girl or boy 
 in the employment of Price or myself, and this threat with 
 reference to the heifers was soon put into execution, the day 
 selected being a Sunday. On leaving church that day, 
 Khame was informed by his father that he had now paid 
 himself by taking six of Mackenzie's cows. Khame and 
 Khamane (who had charge of my cows) firmly remonstrated 
 with Sekhome, and although he spoke defiantly at the first, he 
 finished by saying he would return the cows to them, seeing 
 he had taken them from their post without their knowledge. 
 This affair has not yet been settled ; I have offered a re- 
 muneration for the six months' service of the men, more 
 than is usually given, but without result. The chief keeps 
 this matter as a weapon against us. Some four or five weeks 
 ago, Sekhome resolved to bring things to the issue of a fight. 
 The two parties lay in arms the whole night. Sekhome 
 repeatedly gave orders to fire, but no one was found who 
 would obey. He himself loaded a double-barrelled • rifle 
 recently purchased, upon which Khame said to him : " You 
 see I am unarmed. Fire if it is in your heart to do so ; 
 only I shall not fire at you but at your people." Seeing that 
 general sympathy was with Khame, Sekhome ran and hid 
 himself in his own back premises, shortly afterwards sending 
 his mother to plead with Khame, assuring him that he should 
 no longer desire to take Pelutona's daughter or to take a 
 plurality of wives. What he could not give up was the death 
 of Chukuru. Khame sent Mogomotsi, his uncle, to say to
 
 THE FIRST PERIOD AT SHOSHONG iii 
 
 Sekhome that they had no wish to kill their father and that 
 he might sleep in peace ; only they could not consent to the 
 death of Chukuru, who was guilty of no crime. Although 
 this was a night of anxiety to us as missionaries and to the 
 Bamangwato, it passed over without any definite result. 
 Sekhome was not able to carry out his evil intentions ; and 
 his sons were too forbearing to take any advantage of the 
 power they possessed. 
 
 Such was the position of affairs when our dear friends Mr 
 and Mrs Price started for a brief visit to Kuruman. I then 
 took occasion to write to Mr Moffat, that although the young 
 chiefs were at that time possessed of power, I had fears that 
 their father would yet out-manoeuvre them. And this, I am 
 very sorry to say, is what has taken place. 
 
 Sekhome, seeing the popularity of his sons, had made 
 some secret overtures to his brother Macheng to return to 
 the Bamangwato, thinking that together their men would be 
 more than a match for their opponents. This step on the 
 part of Sekhome alienated the affections of many of his 
 most trusted men, for in the coming of Macheng they saw 
 a change of dynasty ; they were assured that the chiefs 
 cattle, of which many of them were herds, would be taken 
 from them by Macheng, and given to his own men, who 
 had been his companions in exile. 
 
 Sekhome was far from being sincere in his conciliatory 
 promises to his sons. He now put forth his best efforts, 
 not only as chief, but as sorcerer, to alienate the affections 
 of his people from his sons. To one he was generous 
 and kind, and profuse in his promises of future benefits : 
 to another stern and severe, mysteriously threatening awful 
 calamity to those who opposed his wishes ; while to a 
 third he represented his sons as now bereft of all judg- 
 ment and prudence as the result of his enchantments. 
 His sorceries and charms were in constant use. An ugly 
 bit of wood was always in the chief's hand, and supposed 
 to convey great blessings to him, and great disadvantages 
 to such of his adversaries as he might chance to meet or 
 address. A little of it was bit off every morning by 
 Sekhome, so that when he greeted his people their hearts 
 might be drawn out in love towards him. Then medi- 
 cines were continually scattered in the young chiefs' dwell- 
 ings and in the paths which they frequented. Sekhome 
 even went the length of asking two Englishmen who
 
 112 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 arrived here a few weeks ago for some strychnine, or wolf- 
 poison, as it is sometimes called in this country. It is 
 certain he did not want this for the purpose he mentioned ; 
 and it is presumed that he had formed the diabolical pur- 
 pose of poisoning his sons or their friends. But whatever 
 were his wishes, they were never reduced to execution, for 
 the Englishmen refused to give him the poison. 
 
 I had resumed the school for about a week, and was 
 pleased with the new faces there in the alphabet class, as 
 well as with the diligence of our old scholars, when on the 
 evening of Thursday, 8th March, Khame came up to me 
 hurriedly and said he had just learned that his father had 
 made all his arrangements, and that he and his brothers 
 were to be surrounded that night and to be put to death. 
 It would seem that this bloody piece of work was given by 
 Sekhome to the Matabele refugees who are in this town, 
 and who number some 14 or 16. Khame met Lingake, 
 their leader, after nightfall, and after some hesitation he 
 admitted that such were the orders from Sekhome. The 
 old chief had stolen a march on his sons. His men filled the 
 crooked little paths at the back of Khame's houses ; thus he 
 could take up no position there, for it was in the hands of his 
 enemies. He determined, however, to rescue his own rifle ; 
 and having done so, retired with his men to the neighbour- 
 hood of the church built by the Germans here, but never 
 finished ; and which is now a ruin. Mr K , an English- 
 man, had a small shop close to this building, and here the 
 young chiefs received their men and gave their orders during 
 the whole night. The women and children were removed 
 from the town during the night, Khame's friends climbing 
 the eastern, his father's adherents the western side of the 
 kloof. Mrs Mackenzie and the children retired to rest, 
 and I believe slept soundly enough. Their slumbers were, 
 however, rudely and suddenly disturbed by the report of 
 firearms given in volleys. It was barely dawn of day, so 
 we roused the children and put on their clothes, not know- 
 ing what might happen. From all parts of the kloof were 
 heard the sharp crack of the rifles, and deeper reports of 
 guns of a wider bore. The natives never stint the powder ; 
 it is thrown from the horn into the hand by guess, and 
 thence into the gun, so that the noise produced in this 
 narrow kloof in the morning in question was really very 
 great. The firing, we afterwards learned, was begun by
 
 THE FIRST PERIOD AT SHOSHONG 113 
 
 Pelutona's people, perhaps from a feeling that they ought 
 to speak out first, seeing it was their daughter whom Khame 
 refused. The young chiefs' ranks were so thin that they 
 would have willingly postponed the fight. However, after 
 having been fired at, they had no alternative. Khame him- 
 self fired the first shots on his side, which was the signal 
 for those volleys which we have referred to. Our house 
 is some little distance from the nearest huts, so that no 
 firing took place in our immediate proximity. The small 
 hill which is opposite our dwelling was occupied by some 
 of Sekhome's men, who fired into the part of the mountain 
 above Chukuru's town, which was occupied by Chukuru and 
 his men. Then two men mounted the hill at the back of 
 our house, and fired a few shots across the kloof. It was a 
 singular spectacle as seen from the hill between Mr Price's 
 house and my own. The old church was held during Friday 
 by about 15 men belonging to Khame against 3 large 
 parties of Sekhome's men. A constant fire was kept up by 
 Khame and Khamane and part of their men, from the 
 mountains opposite the khotla and Pelutona's Town. But 
 altho' an immense quantity of powder and lead was dis- 
 posed of, our first fears as to the number of casualties 
 from such a galling fire were allayed, when we came to learn 
 that on Khame's side not one was killed after that whole 
 day's firing, and only four wounded on Sekhome's side. We 
 have ourselves seen two dead bodies lying exposed, one of 
 which was of a woman, shot while drawing water for the 
 men who were fighting behind the cover of the huts. I 
 learned that two or three of the Englishmen at present 
 on the place had got involved in the fray, having shot 
 for a time on Khame's side. Their shop was so near the 
 church, that they and their property stood in danger from 
 guns in the natives' hands, altho' they were aimed at 
 the church. A ball passed through one of the waggons 
 
 while young K was asleep in it ; another passed C's 
 
 head as he went behind the church for protection. Those, 
 however, who had fired a few shots, as they say, in self- 
 defence, made their way to my house, where they were in 
 safety ; only one of them stayed in charge of the goods, and 
 I am happy to say no accident befell him. 
 
 The firing was continued on Saturday, altho' not with 
 such vigour ; and on Sunday it was all but silent. I had 
 a sad prospect before me on that Sabbath morning, the
 
 114 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 town in possession of the enemy of the Gospel, its friends 
 compelled to take refuge on the mountain top. How- 
 ever, my course was plain ; I knew where I could obtain a 
 willing and attentive audience, and resolved to climb the 
 mountain to minister to those who, I felt assured, would 
 welcome both my message and myself. The chief con- 
 sented to my going, so I went up and held a short service 
 with my friends who stood around, not, alas ! with Testa- 
 ment and hymn-book in hand, but with gun and spear 
 and shield. I learned that they regarded the affair as 
 decided for the present, and against themselves. How- 
 ever they were not without hope. A dissension might 
 arise in the camp of their enemies. Some of their people 
 whose services they had not been able to secure in con- 
 sequence of the shortness of the notice which they received, 
 might join their ranks. At anyrate they would hold their 
 own in the meantime, and leave the future with God. It 
 had been reported with great glee, by Sekhome's party, that 
 Mogomotsi was shot while climbing the hill. I was glad 
 to see him at the service, and to learn from his own lips 
 that he was not even wounded. Upon my coming down 
 in the afternoon, Sekhome took occasion to refer to my 
 refusing to give him the heifers, and said that I was quite 
 on Khame's and Chukuru's side. I told him I was no 
 party to their quarrels, it being my duty to remain unen- 
 tangled with such affairs. At the same time 1 said I felt 
 I could not but tell him that in my opinion Khame was 
 innocent, entirely so. Whether it was genuine or affected, 
 the chief answered with great emotion : " I am glad you 
 spoke that word, Monare ; Khame is my own son, my pro- 
 vider, during all these years ; truly he is blameless. The 
 blame is with Chukuru and Khamane." 
 
 I have twice visited Khame's camp since that first Sabbath 
 morning. He looks weary, but far from despairing. He 
 hopes to occupy the kloof yet, although it may be some 
 time before he is able to do so. He thinks that even in 
 his present position his followers will have freedom, and 
 the force of his example in attending to the claims of the 
 Gospel ; and in this opinion I agree with him. At the 
 same time Sekhome views my presence here with no favour, 
 and he is jealous of my visits to the mountain. Even to- 
 day, it seems, he told a trader that he was about to drive 
 away all white men, missionaries and all ; and that the Word
 
 THE FIRST PERIOD AT SHOSHONG 115 
 
 of God was the cause of the present war. Of course that 
 is a threat which he is not Hkely to try to carry out. 
 While I write (midnight), my premises are surrounded by 
 armed men who are on the look-out for messengers to us 
 from the young chief's camp. However, we shall do our 
 best not to offend Sekhome, and wait for the dawning of 
 a better day. We shall be as assiduous as possible in our 
 ministrations to Khame's party ; and should the town be 
 permanently separated, which is not likely, we hope to 
 resume our labours among those who follow Sekhome. 
 
 In a review of this affair, it must be gratifying to you, as 
 it is to us, to witness the forbearance with which Sekhome 
 has been treated by his sons. In olden times the sons of 
 both Zulu and Bechuana chiefs were not of this spirit, but 
 were swift in revenge ; and a troublesome father was not 
 reckoned a very formidable adversary. Let us cherish the 
 hope, and offer up the prayer that they whose cause is 
 just, and who, in exercising great Christian forbearance, 
 have been worsted by the heathen wiles of their father, 
 may enjoy the presence of God's comforting spirit in their 
 adversity ; and that that adversity may speedily come to 
 an end. — I remain, etc., John Mackenzie. 
 
 Shoshong, irdjuly 1866. 
 
 Rev. Dr Tidman, 
 
 Rev. and Dear Sir, — I have to acknowledge receipt of 
 your favor of the 9th January. 
 
 My last to you, dated on the 19th March, contained an 
 account of the rupture which had shortly before taken place 
 in this town between Sekhome and his sons. I intend at 
 present to continue the history of that disturbance, and to 
 give you some idea of the present state of the town. 
 
 Khame occupied the stronghold on the mountain referred 
 to in my last, from the 12th of March to the 17th of April. 
 At first each party was content to hold its own, and no real 
 engagement took place, but for the last eight days of that 
 period Khame's position was besieged by his father, who also 
 set numerous guards at all the waters in the vicinity, for the 
 purpose of preventing Khame from procuring water either 
 for himself or for his cattle. Twice did the forces of Sekhome 
 try to take the mountain by storm, and were each time re- 
 pulsed ; but thirst eventually compelled Khame to submit to 
 his father's terms, which were that he must return to the
 
 ii6 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 town with his people. It being known that Chukuru and 
 some others had no prospect of mercy from Sekhome, a party 
 was formed under Khamane of such as agreed to flee for refuge 
 to Sechele. These having taken their departure in the 
 darkness of night, Khame and his party descended from 
 their fastness next morning and entered the town. 
 
 An event which seemed to irritate Sekhome and his party 
 more than any other, took place about a fortnight after 
 Khame left the town. Sekhome conceived that his un- 
 expected victory over his sons had been brought about by 
 means of his charms and his medicines ; at any rate, he gave 
 out that such was the case. Persevering in the use of so 
 trusted an auxiliary, the chief prepared a large quantity of 
 medicines, sufficient to fill a tsessebe skin, and despatched 
 in the night four men with this wondrous burden, which they 
 were instructed to throw into the water drunk by Khame 
 and his people. Whether the contents of the bag were 
 poisonous or merely charms, I am unable to say. I 
 believe the men themselves were " charmed " before pro- 
 ceeding on this weird expedition, when it was said to them, 
 " Go ! It will be dark wherever you are, no one shall see 
 you, nothing shall harm you." But, alas for witchcraft ! 
 the young chiefs' men in charge of the fountain that night 
 heard the cautious footsteps of their midnight visitors, and 
 reserving their fire till their enemies w^ere close to them, the 
 bearer of the medicine was killed on the spot. He was 
 found next morning with the tsessebe skin above him. 
 Nothing could exceed the vexation and rage which this 
 event produced in the town. 
 
 And strange to say, instead of directing their wrath 
 against their opponents, it seemed to find vent in bitter 
 speeches against the white people on the place, and espe- 
 cially against myself. " What did the traders want with 
 so much ammunition ? " And they were sure they had 
 helped Khame ; and, as for me, they were sure I did not 
 go up the mountain for any good on Sundays. If I preached 
 from the Word of God merely, well, then the Word of God 
 itself was bad, and was the cause of all the strife. So loud 
 was the talk against me that an English gentleman thought 
 it his duty to repair to my household one Sunday morning 
 to warn me against the risk of going up the mountain again. 
 A native woman also came to me in secret and told me that 
 my death had been loudly demanded by Sekhome's mother
 
 THE FIRST PERIOD AT SHOSHONG 117 
 
 and one or two head-men. Others proposed to whip mc 
 well, take my property from me, and send me away. This 
 discussion was overheard by my informant's mother, who 
 was in the employ of Khame's mother. Altho' hooted and 
 called by very disreputable names, and altho' very sulkily 
 received by Sekhome himself, I continued to get his re- 
 luctant consent to my going to preach to the poor people 
 on the mountain, and did so to the last. My visits were 
 always looked forward to by the little flock. As soon as I 
 could see their features I could see a smile of welcome 
 already there. I had a better congregation on these occa- 
 sions than we have had on our usual worship since Sekhome 
 began the present system of opposition. As time wore on 
 this bitterness diminished, and I was able to go from one 
 camp to the other with fewer insults, and at last had the 
 happiness of doing something towards bringing about peace. 
 Not being conscious of having wronged any one in the town, 
 I felt pretty sure no one would harm me. One Sunday 
 while I was taking leave of Khame on the brow of the hill, 
 a man belonging to Sekhome's party got into position for 
 taking a "dead aim " at some of us, laying his gun over an 
 anthill and remaining in that position for a good while. At 
 last he rose without firing and went away. I was told after- 
 wards that as soon as I descended he came back to the 
 same place, and theti did fire. On another occasion Piet 
 Jacobs, a Boer from the Transvaal, having business with 
 Khame, got permission from Sekhome to pay the latter a 
 visit. On reappearing at the brow of the hill he was fired 
 at, as well as his two companions, and the firing was con- 
 tinued while they slowly led their horses down the steep 
 path. They were unarmed, and certainly those who levelled 
 their muskets at them were very bad shots, for they in- 
 variably missed them, altho' not further than 200 or 300 
 yds. It was Ralitlari who was guilty of this cowardly act, 
 one of the sons of Sekhome who were persuaded by their 
 father to give up attending both church and school. 
 
 I am sorry to say that Sechele has been so cruel and so 
 false as, first, to write a very friendly letter to Khame and the 
 head-men with him, promising them a refuge in case of 
 emergency, and mentioning by name Chukuru, Khame's 
 father-in-law ; and then, as soon as Khamane and Chukuru 
 made their appearance in the town, to put the latter to 
 death under circumstances of great cruelty. Altho' Chukuru
 
 ii8 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 lived and died a heathen, he was much more friendly dis- 
 posed towards the Gospel than Sekhome. He was also a 
 man of ability, and in rank next to the chief. He was 
 invariably kind to Mr Price and myself. 
 
 Altho' active warfare was brought to an end in the manner 
 above described, Sekhome would not be satisfied, would not 
 hve in peace. Khame still went to church, still read the 
 Bible, and until he gave up these he was not his son. Then 
 in May a new element of discord appeared on the scene. 
 When Sekhome believed that he would not be able to over- 
 come Khame, he had sent in his desperation to his brother 
 Macheng for assistance. Macheng naturally took some time 
 to consider such an invitation, which, if sincere, was equal to 
 an abdication of the chieftainship on the part of Sekhome, 
 for Macheng is his superior according to the native way of 
 counting rank. While Sekhome and his sons were at war, 
 Macheng remained quiet at Sechele's, where he has been 
 staying for some years ; but as soon as the war was over, he 
 announced his intention of yielding to Sekhome's request. 
 I have no doubt that Sekhome was sorry that he had ever 
 made such a request, but he could not recall it ; so Macheng 
 came. He was told in plain terms while at Sechele's, that 
 he would be expected to put Khame and the rest of Sek- 
 home's enemies to death. But instead of this, as soon as 
 he entered the town he made Khame his friend ; and now 
 Sekhom.e is at his wits' end, for into the pit which he dug 
 for his own son, it is not at all impossible that he may 
 himself fall. Those who know both Macheng and Sekhome 
 say that it will be impossible for them to agree together, but 
 whether they will fight or quietly separate, the future must 
 disclose. Macheng expresses himself at present as favour- 
 able to our work, but whether he would continue so had he 
 full power as chief, is alas ! a question. 
 
 We hope that those who continue true to Christ in this 
 town, in this present distressing circumstances, will form a 
 good nucleus for that church which we trust our Lord will 
 yet graciously build amongst the Bamangwato. — I am, ever 
 yours truly, John Mackenzie. 
 
 One of the most thrilling events in this story 
 of jealousy and intrigue, as well as of Christian for- 
 bearance and nobility of spirit, occurred as the result 
 of Macheng's presence in the town. Sekhome's bitter
 
 THE FIRST PERIOD AT SHOSHONG 119 
 
 self-seeking could brook the domineering presence of 
 Macheng as little as the Christian disobedience of his 
 own sons. The result was that the crafty and cunning 
 chief began to plot against the man whom he had 
 invited to take his place among the Bamangwato. 
 When on a certain day he found his own friends so 
 reduced in numbers and so sunk in cowardice that 
 they would not smite his enemies, even after he had 
 given the signal in the public courtyard, nothing 
 remained for him but an ignominious flight. That 
 evening a sudden and strange excitement was observ- 
 able among the natives on the mission premises ; there 
 was a furtive pointing of the finger towards the 
 mountain, and a whispering in the ear, and a rushing 
 from one group to another ; men hardly dared to look 
 at a solitary figure climbing down the rocks behind 
 Mackenzie's house ; and yet all were fascinated, for 
 it was Sekhome ! He had often threatened to take 
 Mackenzie's life ; he had opposed with deep hatred 
 Mackenzie's Christian influence ; he had tried to cheat 
 him in the affairs of business ; he had been wont to 
 malign him amongst his head-men. But on this night, 
 when every man's hand was against him, and he 
 was a fugitive from his own people, a man doomed 
 to death, there seemed to him no safer spot in the 
 world or more attractive than Mackenzie's own house. 
 Once more he sat at the fireside of the faithful 
 missionary, who earnestly pled with him to trust in 
 the love and loyalty of his sons, and to cease from 
 listening to the evil counsel of bad men. Late in the 
 night he depa,rted, was joined by a little group of 
 faithful followers, and fled for a distant town a 
 humiliated refugee. 
 
 In 1867 Mackenzie undertook the building of a 
 church. Hitherto his preaching had been conducted 
 in the open air, which was indeed in accordance with 
 the only possible native practice ; but he knew that
 
 120 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 the best results could not be obtained until some one 
 place was set apart as the spiritual home of the 
 Christian people. He tried, of course, to erect his 
 church with the least possible expense, especially as 
 he had not waited for the formal approval of his 
 project by the Directors. He planned a building of 
 60 ft. by 24 ft., and it was one ambition of his heart 
 that it should have lancet instead of square windows, 
 the frames for which he made with his own hands. 
 The following brief account of this work again fails to 
 do justice to the extraordinary amount of personal 
 labour and deep anxiety in which Mackenzie found 
 himself involved before the building was completed. 
 
 Shoshong, December 1867. 
 Rev. J. Mullens, D.D. 
 
 Dear Brother, — I beg to forward a statement of 
 accounts connected with the new church here up to this 
 date. The mason's charges were very moderate, carpenter 
 work costs nothing ; altho' no carpenter, I have managed 
 the wood-work myself. The felling, sawing, and adzing of 
 timber was done by natives of the place under my own 
 superintendence. Some were hired for the articles mentioned 
 in the account ; others worked a stipulated time for repairs 
 to the locks of their guns. I was glad to do anything so as 
 to lessen expense. M., after living quietly and steadily in 
 our household for about ten months, managed to procure 
 some brandy from a trader, got very drunk, abused all and 
 sundry, then got ashamed and asked his pay before finishing 
 the plastering and flooring, and took his departure. I am at 
 present busy finishing the plastering, and hope our church 
 will be open for worship the first Sunday of 1868. You will 
 notice with pleasure that Mr Stewart, a trader in ostrich 
 feathers, etc., who was engaged to lay half of the bricks, 
 returned one half of his pay, jQ\$, as his subscription to 
 the church. I ought to mention that besides this subscrip- 
 tion I received from both natives and Europeans considerable 
 assistance in the loan of waggons and oxen, etc. 
 
 I have already drawn on the Society £,\$ for church 
 building; and ^^27, 12s. 2d. remain due. Our friends 
 in Scotland will give a little for this object. Beyond this
 
 THE FIRST PERIOD AT SHOSHONG 121 
 
 I know no other quarter where help can be expected. 
 It is true I have drawn the ^45 without your sanction ; 
 but then I did not know of our Society's pecuniary dififi- 
 culties when I began to build. We must have a church 
 here ; and the one now built is, I believe, suitable and 
 substantial. I hope to hear from you on the subject, for 
 it will be necessary to draw the;^2 7 pounds soon. 
 
 With reference to our boys' subscriptions, Willie was the 
 fortunate possessor of one ox from a cow which I gave him 
 some time ago. We thought he ought to learn early to be 
 unselfish and liberal, and laid the matter before him. It 
 was not without an effort that he said he would give 
 " Welshman " his much valued ox ; but his mind once 
 made up, he seemed happy in his deed. Then Johnnie 
 burst into tears "because he had no ox like Willie." He 
 had only a year-old calf, and it so went to my heart that 
 I effected an " exchange " with Johnnie on the spot, giving 
 him a young ox for his calf. It was thus that our boys were 
 able to give ^\o for the new church. 
 
 In attendance, the church is steadily improving, and a 
 good many from the ranks of heathenism are learning to 
 read. — I remain, ever yours sincerely, John Mackenzie. 
 
 On the completion of the church Mackenzie 
 resolved to make the day of its opening and dedica- 
 tion one that should be remembered in Shoshong. 
 This great feast day he has described in detail and 
 with great sense of humour in his book.^ Throughout 
 these years of building operations Mackenzie was 
 carrying on his missionary work as best he could. 
 The wide range and variety of his relations to the 
 people undoubtedly strengthened his grip upon the 
 town, for they had come to know him not only as the 
 teacher, but as the practical, strong-willed worker and 
 master of men. His personality created an impression 
 which is best illustrated by one significant fact. 
 Europeans who resided in those regions knew that the 
 natives had nicknames for them. These nicknames 
 were often based upon some physical peculiarity, and 
 
 ^ " Ten Years North of the Orange River," pp. 461 ff.
 
 123 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 were ven' seldom used in the presence of Europeans; 
 and hence they were rarely discovered. Some of 
 them were very apt and very amusing. Mackenzie 
 never knew what his nickname was, until told, late 
 in life, by one of his sons, who discovered it while 
 moving one day among the workmen on a building at 
 Shoshong. The boy suddenly heard the lazy fellows 
 who had been loafing, calling each other to work. 
 They pointed across the open to a solitary figure 
 moving rapidly and powerfully toward them. He 
 had broad shoulders, a tawn\' beard, strong, clear 
 eyes, a deep voice that could shake a native defaulter 
 to the heart. As they pointed they spoke of "him," 
 pointed out how " he" walked, admiringly praised 
 "his" strength. The secret was out. They were 
 speaking in the tones and phrases used by natives 
 of a lion. " Tau" (lion) was Mackenzie's nickname, 
 and " Tau" was his reputation among them. 
 
 In the year 1867 South Africa and the world in 
 general were startled by the announcement that a 
 certain traveller. Captain INIauch, had found gold in 
 the district of Tati, in the north-east part of the 
 Bamangwato countrw At once there began a move- 
 ment of white people in that direction. The rumour 
 spread that it was alluvial gold which was being found 
 there, and that would have resulted, of course, in a great 
 and sudden rush of gold-seekers ; but. as it ultimately 
 turned out, gold in paying quantities could only be 
 found in quartz. While this point was still under 
 investigation the news that gold in an)- form had been 
 found, led to the formation of prospecting parties and 
 companies. Three separate claims to the sovereignty 
 of the gold region were immediately set up by 
 Macheng, Moselekatse, and the Transvaal Govern- 
 ment respective!)-. The last named, in the year 
 1868, sent Commandant Jan Viljoen as a commis- 
 sioner to Moselekatse, ostensiblv to negotiate with
 
 THK FIRST PICRIOD AT SIIOSllONG 123 
 
 him for possession of the coveted district. While 
 Viljoen was engaged in this formal embassy the two 
 native chiefs were discussing their own claims. Mosele- 
 katse claimed that he had conquered all that terri- 
 tory even down to Shoshong. This preposterous 
 assumption was met by Macheng, chief of the Bamang- 
 wato, with the facts that his people had never been 
 conquered, and that, while a certain tribe whom the 
 Matabele had conquered luxd lived in that part of the 
 Tati district, the entire district had al^vays been used 
 by Macheng's people, without dispute or disturbance, 
 as their hunting-ground and a valuable grazing country 
 for their cattle. Mackenzie thoroughly believed that 
 the weight of the argument was very clearly in favour 
 of Macheng. The prospect of an inrush of gold-seekers 
 roused him to explain to the chief all that such an 
 event must mean to his country. The matter was 
 gone over in one long conversation after another, until 
 Macheng clearly understood that if the gold-fields 
 proved rich there would grow up within his dominion 
 a large town of white men, most of them British 
 citizens, whom he would be utterly unable to rule, 
 and who, as things were, would be beyond the control 
 of any European government. He received from his 1 
 missionary the advice that he should immediately/ 
 communicate with the British Government, state the 
 facts from his point of view, and invite that Govern- 
 ment to send a representative who should be a ruler 
 of the white people in the Bamangwato country. It 
 was of course reasonable that he should expect, as 
 the chief of the countr}', to have some share in what- 
 ever wealth the gold-fields were likely to yield. 
 Macheng very eagerly agreed to this policy, and on 
 March 29th, 1868, sent a letter to Sir P. E. Wode- 
 house, at that time Governor of the Colony of the 
 Cape of Good Hope. In this letter, after summarising 
 the facts that gold had been discovered, and that the
 
 124 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 gold district was within his territory, he proceeded to 
 make his proposal in the following terms : — 
 
 Now I conceive it my duty, in circumstances of such 
 peculiar importance, to seek the counsel and aid of Her 
 Majesty's Government. The Transvaal Government, through 
 Commandant Jan Viljoen, desires me to hand over to the 
 Republic the district in question, and assures me, in return, 
 of the protection of the Republic should the gold-diggers 
 molest my people. I shall decline to consider this or any 
 other overture, until I hear from your Excellency. 
 
 I. I beg, then, humbly to submit to your Excellency, as 
 Her Majesty's representative, that the gold-field or fields in 
 the Shashe district are situated in the country which belongs 
 to me, as chief of the Bamangwato. The boundary line 
 between my country and that of Moselekatse is at Makobe's 
 old town. 
 
 II. I would not willingly give up this territory without 
 compensation. 
 
 III. Having, however, no reason to believe that my claims 
 as owner of the district in question would be ignored by Her 
 Majesty's Government, I beg to state my willingness to leave 
 the amount of compensation, and the manner of its payment, 
 as questions for future settlement. 
 
 IV. Whilst I have hithero lived on terms of friendship 
 with English visitors, and with a few English residents, I feel 
 utterly unqualified to govern such a community as that of 
 gold-diggers is described to me to be. May it please your 
 Excellency, these gold-diggers are your people; therefore I 
 invite you, and I beg you, to come and occupy the gold 
 country so far as it is at my disposal, and to govern the gold- 
 diggers, in the name of the Queen of England. 
 
 Meanwhile, and until I hear from your Excellency, it is 
 my intention to encourage such gold-diggers as make their 
 appearance, by granting them permits to dig, at a nominal 
 price, by enrolling the names of such permit-holders, and by 
 empowering one or more of their number to administer 
 justice in the gold-field. And these steps I shall take in 
 the earnest hope that speedily my weak efforts to sustain law 
 and order amongst British subjects may be superseded by 
 the advent of the power of England. 
 
 In an accompanying letter Mackenzie said that the
 
 THE FIRST PERIOD AT SHOSHONG 125 
 
 Europeans in that part of the country were, to a man 
 very anxious that Machcng's proposals should be 
 accepted and acted upon without delay. He pointed 
 out that the country from the Orange River to Shoshong 
 was occupied by tribes who were favourable to the 
 English, and he believed that if the proposal were 
 made to them by one in whom they had confidence, 
 and if it were properly explained to them, even those 
 tribes would unanimously vote for federation with the 
 Colony. Thus early had this missionary, brooding on 
 the problem of the influx and amalgamation of the 
 races in South Africa, come to believe that the best 
 thing for South Africa, the best thing for all the native 
 tribes, would be that the British Government should 
 gradually interpose a friendly and protective power 
 between the native chiefs and the shock of European 
 immigration. It is, in the light of subsequent events, 
 a matter of interest to note, that at this time Mackenzie 
 believed that the best plan would be to strive for this 
 development of Bechuanaland through the Cape Colony, 
 by means of some connection which he vaguely de- 
 scribes as " federation." 
 
 The excitement over the gold-fields involved Mac- 
 kenzie in a great amount of anxious and sometimes 
 exciting discussion and correspondence. He was used 
 by the heads of distant prospecting companies as their 
 best source of information. He did not shrink from 
 doing all in his power to help those who were seeking 
 most rapidly to occupy the new territory ; while he 
 was, on the other hand, at the same time striving to 
 secure for them the best possible form of government. 
 He took great pains to secure specimens of the gold 
 which was being found, and to forward these to the 
 right persons, including Sir Philip Wodehouse. In the 
 middle of that year, 1868, he made a journey to 
 Potchefstroom in the Transvaal, for supplies. As this 
 was the head-quarters of one of the most energetic
 
 126 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 companies that had been formed, he took with him 
 specimen pieces of gold quartz. His arrival at Potchef- 
 stroom created an excitement which astonished him. 
 A special edition of the Transvaal Argus was issued 
 for the express purpose of giving the new facts which 
 Mackenzie was able to convey to them. 
 
 Transvaal, "Argus" Office, bthjuly 1868. 
 
 Potchefstroom was thrown into a state of considerable 
 excitement last Thursday afternoon, the 2d inst., when it 
 became known that the Rev. Mr Mackenzie, so anxiously 
 expected here, had arrived. The excitement became intense 
 when it was ascertained that the rev. gentleman had brought 
 intelligence of a late date direct from the Victoria Gold- 
 fields, was a bearer of several letters from the diggers them- 
 selves, some of which we now publish, and moreover, had 
 brought a sample of gold from the new diggings. Of course, 
 we, too, went to see, having been attacked for the time being 
 with all the symptoms of the gold fever. The sample was 
 minutely inspected, and we now declare, on the sacred word 
 of an editor, that the said sample requires but to be seen 
 in order to dispel the strongest doubts of even the most 
 sceptical. The " myth," as the gold discovery has been 
 termed, has resolved itself into a stupendous fact. The 
 samples produced by the Rev. Mr Mackenzie, which 
 can now be seen at Mr Reid's, are two pieces of quartz, 
 partly crystallised, very richly studded with gold, having solid 
 pieces, some larger even than a pin's head, imbedded in the 
 stone ; and yet the richer pieces, parts of the same stone, 
 had already been forwarded to His Excellency, Sir Philip 
 Wodehouse, and also to Graham's Town. These pieces we 
 have not seen, but the rev. gentleman assures us that they 
 are richer far than those brought by him to Potchefstroom, 
 and that all are parts of the same stone taken from the sur- 
 face, picked up close to where the diggers are now at work — in 
 fact, at the outspan place. These pieces of quartz fully prove 
 the superior richness of these new and vast gold-fields, to 
 which the name of " Victoria " has been given, in honour of 
 Her Majesty the Queen of England. 
 
 One of the letters which he brought to the editor of 
 the Argus from the captain of the prospecting party.
 
 THE FIRST PERIOD AT SHOSHONG 127 
 
 announced that the gold-fields had been proclaimed 
 British territory, and that the Union Jack already 
 floated above the new district, which was called 
 Victoria. So enthusiastic were the sentiments of the 
 business people at Potchefstroom, and so grateful for 
 the services rendered to them by Mackenzie, that they 
 presented him with an address of welcome and of warm 
 gratitude for what he had done on their behalf. In 
 this gratitude they included his colleague, the Rev. 
 Roger Price of Bechuanaland. The address was signed 
 by sixty Europeans, including names which were un- 
 mistakably English, Scotch, Welsh, Irish, and Dutch 
 respectively. On his way back to Shoshong Mackenzie 
 was met by Sir Philip Wodehouse's reply to the appeal 
 of Macheng. The Governor cordially recognised the 
 great prudence of Macheng and promised to investi- 
 gate the whole question, confessing that if the gold- 
 fields came to be occupied by a considerable num- 
 ber of British subjects he would feel himself under 
 necessity to provide for their good government. The 
 matter was reported by him to the Cape Parliament, 
 which voted <^2000 towards the expenses of a Parlia- 
 mentary Committee, which it was proposed to send 
 north, and upon whose report an intelligent policy 
 could be founded. At the same time, in a private 
 letter, the Governor explained that he was laying the 
 whole matter before the authorities in London. Alas ! 
 this was practically equivalent to an announcement 
 that the matter was shelved. 
 
 In the meantime the Transvaal Government, without 
 waiting for the report of its Commissioner, Commandant 
 Viljoen, had actually issued a proclamation, claiming 
 the entire territory as belonging to them. The pro- 
 clamation, of course, did not do this directly by 
 naming only and specifically the Tati district, but 
 sought officially to define the extent of its dominions. 
 These were said to extend as far north as Lake Ngami
 
 128 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 and right down the whole length of Bechuanaland, 
 even to Kuruman. " This included," said Mackenzie 
 to the Governor, " more than a dozen native chiefs, 
 who have never owed any allegiance to the Boers." 
 This astute but characteristic step was, owing to pres- 
 sure from various quarters, never acted upon. But in 
 the meantime Mr Viljoen strove his best to secure the 
 gold country for his own people. Since he failed to 
 obtain any recognition of Transvaal ownership either 
 from Macheng or Moselekatse,he deliberately set himself 
 to achieve his end by another method, which was also 
 not unfamiliar to his countrymen. He wrote a letter 
 to one Lee, a Boer, but a British subject, claiming him 
 as his friend, and urging him as a man of influence in 
 the Matabele country to try and stir up a war between 
 the Matabele and the Bamangwato over the ownership 
 of the gold-fields. He, in black and white, said that 
 he specially desired to see the " vagabonds at Shoshong 
 set on fire." Of course, if the Matabele had made such 
 an attack upon the Bamangwato and secured the gold- 
 fields. Commandant Viljoen and his compatriots would 
 immediately have found it right, on humanitarian 
 grounds, to attack their ancient enemies and possess 
 themselves by righteous conquest of the Tati district. 
 Into their hands in this way would also have fallen 
 the territories of Mashonaland, where already it was 
 known that gold abounded. The letter in which the 
 Transvaal Commissioner made these proposals came 
 into the hands of Macheng. Viljoen, on finding 
 this out, immediately apologised to Macheng in the 
 humblest terms, and offered, in reparation, to give him 
 some cattle which, he said, he was about to get, or 
 take, from another chief Viljocn's letter Macheng 
 did not answer. 
 
 As it turned out, the gold-fields at Tati were of 
 such a nature as to require much heavy and expensive 
 machinery. The companies which first attempted to
 
 THE FIRST PERIOD AT SHOSHONG 129 
 
 work them were not very successful, their operations 
 being of course greatly hindered by the enormous 
 cost of transport. The result was that the expected 
 " rush " did not take place, the Cape Parliament did 
 not send its Commissioner, the British Government 
 did not accept Macheng's proposals, and the whole 
 subject for some years dropped out of practical 
 politics. But it had considerably stirred up the minds 
 of the native chiefs throughout Bechuanaland, and 
 they henceforth thought of European ascendancy in 
 South Africa with a new apprehension in their hearts. 
 Moreover, the experience which he had received in 
 these negotiations led Mackenzie to form still clearer 
 and deeper views on the entire and vast subject of the 
 relations of Great Britain to South Africa. Hence- 
 forth, it may be said that his mind worked upon the 
 difficult problems which he saw looming on the 
 horizon, with a definiteness and earnestness born of 
 this brief practical experience. 
 
 In the end of 1868, Mackenzie set out on a 
 southern journey with a double purpose. In the 
 first place he must attend an important meeting of 
 the Bechuana missionaries which was to be held at 
 Kuruman in the following year, and thereafter he 
 must go to Cape Town in order to send his two eldest 
 children home to Scotland for their education. He 
 had now a family of five children, consisting of three 
 sons and two daughters. He was only a few days' 
 journey from Shoshong when a letter from the 
 Directors met him inviting him to go home on fur- 
 lough. This unexpected invitation found him in 
 many respects unprepared. He would have liked 
 to see some adequate provision made for the work in 
 Shoshong. Many things might have been said and 
 done at that place to prepare the people, both black 
 and white, for the management of various affairs in 
 his absence. As soon as the news reached Shoshong 
 
 I
 
 I30 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 messages were sent after him expressive of regret, 
 and not only of regret but of apprehension, that while 
 he was away troubles of various kinds were likely to 
 arise in the town, which his presence had staved off. 
 
 At Kuruman a number of weeks were passed in 
 pleasant intercourse with the brethren and in hard 
 daily work on the Committee. The chief subject of 
 discussion was the revision of the Sechuana Bible, 
 with all the problems of translation and orthography 
 which that involved. In the end of May Mackenzie 
 arrived in London, and after a few days took his 
 family down to his wife's home at Portobello, Edin- 
 burgh. This place became the headquarters of his 
 family in the old country for a quarter of a century. 
 His wife's mother and an unmarried sister, the late 
 Miss E. B. Douglas, assumed the guardianship of his 
 children, relieving him of untold anxiety. On the 
 death of her mother. Miss Douglas continued this 
 work of love and self-sacrifice. A lady of rare culture 
 and deep piety she became to a very large circle one 
 of those angel aunts to whom so many families have 
 learnt to render a peculiar reverence and gratitude. 
 
 Mackenzie was of course speedily plunged into that 
 strange form of recreation which the Christian world 
 affords to its wearied missionaries and which is known 
 as Deputation Work. He did not relish any more 
 than others the constant journcyings and the endless 
 series of meetings, at which the same story had to be 
 told over and over again. His numerous letters to 
 various members of his family, show that on this first 
 campaign of platform oratory in England he was full 
 of self-criticism and humility, almost of self-deprecia- 
 tion. And yet that he was successful in the work is 
 proved by the importance of the appointments given 
 him, as well as by the direct testimony of his hearers 
 in different parts of the country. He related with 
 immense relish the appeal which one good lady made
 
 THE FIRST PERIOD AT SHOSHONG 131 
 
 to him while driving in her carriage from a large 
 meeting where he had spoken. She told him that 
 missionary supporters were looking out for a new 
 hero — this one had died, and that one had retired — 
 and that he seemed the one to take that place. For 
 the sake of the cause they needed the popularity of 
 a new man, and " Mr Mackenzie," she pleadingly 
 added, " many of us think you are that man. But 
 there is one thing you must do — you must talk more 
 about yourself, you must tell us your own adventures 
 instead of merely giving these addresses which we 
 find very interesting, but in which you yourself have 
 no place." Mackenzie fairly chuckled over the idea 
 that he should stand up before an audience and 
 talk about himself 
 
 The list of deputation-engagements between March 
 8th and April 8th, 1870, shows that he had engage- 
 ments at eighteen different places, at many of which 
 he had to give two or even three addresses in one 
 day. This is only a specimen taken at random from 
 his records of the work, which he and other mis- 
 sionaries were and are expected to do month after 
 month, during the larger part of their furlough. 
 
 In the spring of 1870, not without much hesita- 
 tion and diffidence, after urgent arguments from 
 many friends, Mackenzie gave himself to the task of 
 writing his first book, which he sent out under the 
 title " Ten Years North of the Orange River : a story 
 of everyday life and work among the South African 
 tribes from 1859 to 1869." It was published by 
 Edmonston & Douglas of Edinburgh, in the spring 
 of 1 87 1, and has been for many years out of print. 
 It was received with remarkable favour by reviewers 
 of all types. In a style which had no pretensions, 
 but which was characterised by clearness and force, 
 he not only described his own experiences among 
 the Bechuana and Matabele tribes, but also presented
 
 132 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 original and valuable studies of their political organisa- 
 tion, and their manners and customs. In an appendix 
 of about fifty pages, he discussed the races of South 
 Africa in a more scientific fashion, and also set forth 
 the theory which he elaborated in after }'ears con- 
 cerning " the contact of Europeans with natives in 
 South Africa." He believed himself to be the first 
 writer who called attention to the fact which then 
 was unknown and unsuspected, that South African 
 races were not decreasing but very rapidly increasing 
 under the British Government. 
 
 As soon as possible after the completion of this 
 book the Mackenzies sailed again for South Africa in 
 the month of March 1871, leaving three of their 
 five children at Portobello. Before they left that 
 place Mackenzie and his wife were invited by the 
 members of several churches in the town to a social 
 gathering in the Town Hall, at which some valuable 
 gifts were made to them. These included a handsome 
 gold hunting watch, which served Mackenzie with great 
 accuracy to the end of his life.
 
 CHAPTER V 
 
 THE SECOND PERIOD AT SHOSHONG (l 87 I- I 876) 
 
 John Mackenzie sailed the second time for South 
 Africa on the s.s. Szuedeii, embarking at Dartmouth 
 on March loth, 1871. This vessel made what was 
 at that date the fastest voyage on record, and reached 
 Cape Town in twenty-seven days, thirteen hours. It 
 is interesting to know that the very next vessel still 
 further reduced the record b}' completing the voyage 
 in twenty-four days, thirteen hours. Mackenzie sailed 
 round to Port Elizabeth, and from there took ox- 
 waggon through the Eastern Province. He made 
 straight for Molepolole, which he was anxious to 
 reach in time for the annual meeting of the Bechuana- 
 land District Committee. When near Lovedale, in 
 the Colony, he received from the Institution there the 
 three young Bechuanas of whom he had had the care 
 for some years, and who grew to manhood and 
 womanhood in his service. Dr Stewart of Lovedale 
 rendered an account for their board, lodging, and in- 
 struction since April 1869, in the following terms: 
 " To charges, ^o, os. od." The Committee meeting 
 at Molepolole exerted an important influence upon 
 the history of Mackenzie. Ten missionaries were pre- 
 sent, and the Committee dealt with a large variety 
 of subjects connected with the work of the mission. 
 The most important of all was the establishment of a 
 " Seminary for the education of )'oung men as school- 
 masters and native ministers." It is only necessary 
 to say at this point that the Committee arranged for 
 the immediate establishment of such an institution, and 
 appointed Mackenzie to be its first Tutor. When he
 
 134 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 continued his journey to Shoshong, it was, therefore, 
 not only with the happy anticipations of a return to 
 his beloved people, but under deep concern over this 
 new enterprise and his part in it. 
 
 During the months which had elapsed since they 
 left England, the hearts of these parents had, of course, 
 been much with the children whom they left behind 
 in that distant Scottish home. There began at that 
 time, therefore, that long series of letters to his 
 children into which Mackenzie poured all the tender- 
 ness and wisdom, and firmness and earnestness of his 
 soul. With children, as we shall see, he knew how to 
 be playful as well as serious, and these letters written 
 to his own children in their younger years reveal a 
 true interest in the very matters which attracted their 
 attention and affection year after year. The following 
 letter, written before reaching Shoshong to one of his 
 sons, is thoroughly characteristic : — 
 
 MOLEPOLOLE, SeCHELE'S TOWN. 
 
 My Dear Willie, — You will remember this place, I 
 daresay. We got here about ten days ago. Our oxen were 
 getting very tired ; and I am very glad for their sakes that 
 we are staying here for a little. There are ten missionaries 
 here at present, and we meet together as a District Com- 
 mittee, to consider all questions connected with our work 
 here. 
 
 Bill and Plaything (two favourite goats) are with us. We 
 got them at Kuruman. 'I'hcy are both quite tame, and 
 allow me to scratch their heads. They come running to 
 you if you hold out your hand, hoping to get a piece of 
 bread. They eat porridge also. Jamie is quite pleased 
 with them, but he is a little afraid of them at present. 
 Rosa (a dog) is here. She is a great favourite with every- 
 body, and is very beautiful. Monk is now a large dog. We 
 left it, you remember, at Kuruman, a little puppy. Garty 
 (a much loved otter terrier) was at Kuruman, and came in 
 with us, walking all the way. He is getting old, and is a 
 little deaf; but we shall take special care of it for your 
 sake, for we remember it is Willie's dog. I have also a fine
 
 THE SECOND PERIOD AT SHOSHONG 135 
 
 large dog which I call Nero. Mr Good tells us there were 
 lots of mice or rats in our house at Shoshong when he was 
 in it ; so we are taking in two cats from this place. 
 
 Ellen's cows are quite well. One is giving milk now ; the 
 other will calve in summer. I shall tell you about yours and 
 Johnnie's when I see them at home. 
 
 Do you remember the Dam here.? I have bathed in it 
 three times. It was rather cold, it being still winter here. 
 Little Rogie Price bathes with his father, and is quite brave 
 in the water. By the by, I hope you are both very careful 
 as to how far you go in the sea when bathing in summer. 
 
 At the time I am writing you are enjoying your vacation 
 somewhere. We have been lately thinking and speaking 
 much of you. When you get this letter the vacation will 
 have again passed ; and you will be at work with your 
 lessons. Dear boys, continue to be diligent and persevering. 
 Little by little — and whatever you do, do well. 
 
 I find that I am a little rusty in Sechuana. It will soon 
 come back. At present the right word is not always at hand 
 when I want it, so I have to express my meaning in another 
 way. This happens once or twice in a sermon. I have 
 very good news from Shoshong. The people are earnest 
 about learning to read ; and the church was nearly full when 
 a native passed through, whom I saw yesterday. I am de- 
 lighted with the idea of again preaching and teaching at 
 Shoshong. Pray for us, my dear boys, that our work may 
 receive the blessing of God. When you say " Thy kingdom 
 come," think sometimes of the Bamangwato, and of your 
 parents' work. 
 
 Be sure and continue in full love to one another. Don't 
 keep secrets from one another. Don't quarrel. If you are 
 angry with one another, make it up before you sleep. Stick 
 to one another. And may your Father in Heaven Himself 
 take care of you and bless you. — Ever your affectionate 
 father, John Mackenzie. 
 
 When news reached Shoshong that Mackenzie and 
 his young colleague the Rev. J. D. Hepburn were 
 Hearing the town, the young chief Khame and two 
 brothers rode out twenty miles to meet them. They 
 arrived on August 23rd. 
 
 Mackenzie received two letters of cordial welcome
 
 136 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 after his long absence. The first was addressed to 
 him by Macheng, who was still chief of the Bamang- 
 wato, to assure him that he felt toward him as toward 
 an old friend and brother. These warm sentiments, 
 which at the time gave pleasure, alas ! as we shall see, 
 did not continue. The other letter, so far as the 
 sincerity of the writers is concerned, was much more 
 valuable. It was signed by twelve European traders, 
 ^ at that time residing at Shoshong ; as expressing 
 their spontaneous welcome to a missionary, whom they 
 as a class are usually supposed to dislike, this letter, 
 simple but earnest, gave Mackenzie much delight. 
 
 The missionaries were profoundly thankful to find 
 that both Khame and his brother Khamane had 
 remained faithful. They had personally maintained 
 public worship when no missionary was present, and 
 carried on the day school, with the result that the 
 congregation had increased. This remarkable fact 
 may be placed alongside the keen observation made 
 some years later by Mackenzie, that the native 
 Christians belonging to towns where no white mis- 
 sionary was settled, showed a higher average intelligence 
 in Christian affairs than those living under the 
 immediate tutelage of an ordained European. It 
 appears to be the case not only that the Church of 
 Christ has that sustaining spiritual force within it 
 which can maintain and multiply life even among the 
 rudest peoples, where the Word of God is openly read 
 and taught ; but that sometimes the continual presence 
 of an educated European retards the development 
 of intelligence among an ignorant and unlettered 
 people. The reason for the latter result probably is, 
 that he comes to be regarded too much as an oracle 
 whose every word is trusted, and whose assertion is 
 taken as authoritative. Naturally the word of a local 
 native teacher is more open to dispute, and is therefore 
 more disputed. The friendly discussions which his
 
 THE SECOND PERIOD AT SHOSHONG 137 
 
 teaching thus stimulates as well as guides, hasten the 
 spiritual growth of the entire community. Of course, 
 he himself has been taught by a missionary and he 
 frequently makes a journey to the nearest Mission 
 Station, where he discusses all those problems with 
 the missionary, which his own parishioners have been 
 hurling at his bewildered head. 
 
 Mackenzie found that the political atmosphere at 
 Shoshong was peculiarly uncertain ; at times it 
 threatened to break into a disastrous storm. Macheng 
 who had begun, as may be remembered, by admiring 
 and trusting the two brothers Khame and Khamane, 
 and had striven to secure their co-operation and sym- 
 pathy, gradually became jealous of them, as their own 
 father had been. He was a self-indulgent and sensual 
 man, and he grew in jealousy and greed. His greed 
 led him to lay hold on as many " presents " from both 
 white men and black as he could, while his jealousy 
 led him to consult the young chiefs less and less. 
 This attitude of mind was publicly revealed by various 
 incidents, but by none more strikingly than that which 
 occurred in connection with Kuruman, the claimant to 
 the kingship of the Matabele tribe. Moselekatse, the 
 famous Zulu warrior, chief of the Matabele, had 
 recently died, and his head-men had made his son, 
 Lobengula, chief in his stead. The latter immediately 
 took steps to make his position secure, but was con- 
 fronted by the fact that many of his people believed 
 him to be a usurper. The true successor of Moselekatse 
 was, they said, an older brother whom Moselekatse had 
 sent away in his childhood southwards to be brought 
 up where his life would be safe. Inquiries were made 
 with the result that a young man named Kuruman, who 
 had long lived with Mr Theophilus Shepstone of Natal, 
 was announced as the eldest son of Moselekatse and 
 the true heir to the chieftainship of the Matabele. 
 Kuruman gave proofs which at once convinced large
 
 138 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 numbers, and he set out on the journey northwards to 
 claim his kingdom. It may be a safe conjecture that 
 Mr Rider Haggard, who was one of Shepstone's 
 colleagues, founded one of the most interesting 
 portions of his story, entitled " King Solomon's 
 Mines," upon this very incident in South African 
 history. Kuruman, however, lacked the wisdom and 
 self-control of Mr Haggard's hero. When he reached 
 Shoshong, and declared himself to Macheng, he asked 
 for the loan of three regiments, announcing that he 
 desired them not to fight against the Matabele but to 
 act as an escort on his entrance into his own land. 
 He appears to have taken for granted that Lobengula 
 either would not fight against him, or if he did would 
 be deserted by the entire tribe when they heard the 
 simple announcement, made by chosen heralds, that 
 Kuruman, their true king, was now in their midst. 
 He went north in this foolhardy manner only to find 
 that Lobengula had heard all about his movements, 
 had paralysed those of the Matabele who were known 
 to support his claim, and made arrangements to slay 
 his heralds wherever they dared to lift their voices. 
 This claimant to the throne was compelled to retire 
 meekly to Shoshong, where he settled down for a time, 
 and where his presence caused great disturbance of 
 mind to his hosts. But his foolish movement made 
 double mischief in Shoshong. For, in the first place, 
 Macheng had placed those three regiments under an 
 inferior officer, to the public humiliation of Khame, 
 their real commander. And, in the next place, matters 
 were complicated for Macheng himself, because some 
 of Kuruman's servants had seized Matabele cattle and 
 brought them to Shoshong. As long as Kuruman 
 with his few soldiers and their plunder remained among 
 the Bamangwato the latter felt themselves involved in 
 what Europe would call " strained relations with a 
 neighbouring government."
 
 THE SECOND PERIOD AT SHOSHONG 139 
 
 Rut to return to Macheng's domestic affairs, his 
 relations with the young chiefs were brought to a 
 head through the treachery of a half-brother of the 
 latter named Ralitlari. This man was discovered in 
 a deep plot to secure either that Macheng should 
 attack Khame or that Khame should attack Macheng ; 
 and he attempted to bring about an open warfare by 
 acting as the friend of each, and assuring each that the 
 other intended to murder him. When he was discovered, 
 and he fled from the town with three of Khame's 
 horses, the young chiefs made the strange resolve to 
 invite their own father Sekhome back, to the chieftain- 
 ship. Sekhome, who had long been plotting for this 
 very thing, in a most inexplicable way declined it, 
 when the invitation was brought to him by Khamane. 
 The young chiefs had a strong ally in Sechele, the 
 well-known chief of the neighbouring tribe the Bakwena. 
 Having promised to send them help he did so in a very 
 effective way. His soldiers, with his own son Sebele 
 at their head, arrived at Shoshong quite unexpectedly. 
 The ensuing incidents may be given in Mackenzie's 
 words as follows : — 
 
 Khamane arrived on Saturday, and the Bakwena were 
 expected on the Monday night following. When Tuesday 
 night came, and no Bakwena, Khame's anxiety was very 
 great ; but in the middle of the night a scout arrived to 
 announce that they were resting that night in the desert, 
 some distance from the town, and that they would arrive 
 next night. Strange to say, the secret did not leak out in 
 the tov/n. I never knew the Bamangwato keep a matter so 
 close. Macheng was quite unsuspicious of imminent danger, 
 although he knew that Khamane had been to see his father. 
 He talked largely of the answer which he was to send back 
 to Sechele ; and in the meantime ordered that a bag of sugar, 
 the property of a trader, should be conveyed to his house, 
 " as a present." In all such unworthy courses he was en- 
 couraged by a few hair-brained youths who were his constant 
 personal attendants. 
 
 On Wednesday the chief went unsuspectingly on his rounds
 
 140 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 to visit the white men's shops, and to demand the customary 
 basinful of brandy from each. But at gray dawn on Thurs- 
 day morning Alachcng's heavy slumbers were rudely disturbed 
 by a discharge of musketry. He lay down, the sensual, 
 stupid, but conceited chief of the Bamangwato ; an hour 
 after dawn he was an outcast, almost without a friend. As 
 soon as he heard the discharge of fire-arms Macheng, partially 
 dressed, hurried from his hut. He soon found himself in 
 the hands of the Bakwena and Bamangwato, under Seretse, 
 a brollier of Khame. It was Sechele's desire that Macheng 
 should be shot, but to this Khame refused to consent. " Kill 
 his worthless and bloodthirsty attendants,'" said Khame, "but 
 let Macheng himself go free." And so Macheng, when seized, 
 was roughly told that he was indebted to Khame for his life, 
 and was ordered to leave the town without delay. Six of his 
 counsellors fell near to him. Several Matabele attendants of 
 Macheng were also shot. Corpulent and indolent, Macheng 
 cut a sorry figure on Thursday morning. Without shoes, 
 without shirt, so overcome with fright and unwonted exertion 
 that he was ready to fall down, he was driven from the town, 
 forced to take refuge in the mountains at the foot of which 
 it is built. Those of the Bamangwato who were taken by 
 surprise, hke their chief, hastened to that part of the town 
 where Macheng took up his first position. Khame, however, 
 afforded them an opportunity of retracing their steps and 
 returning to the town. At the head of a party of horsemen 
 he approached this harmless crowd, and shouted, " He who 
 is for Khame, let him return to the town." The people came 
 back almost to a man ; and Macheng was left to scramble 
 up the mountain as best he could. Twenty of Macheng's 
 supporters fell in the engagement in the towm, and two 
 Bakwena. None of Khame's men were hurt, although they 
 were always in the front. A native town is an awkward 
 place for warfare ; an enemy may be within some hut or 
 behind some fence, and take dead aim at you before you are 
 aware. So the Bakwena set fire to the town in order to 
 dislodge its occupants. This is not at all the serious matter 
 which the burning of European houses would be. The only 
 grave part of it was the burning of the corn within the large 
 clay vessels in which it is stored, and which are roofed over 
 with grass, like a hut. The conflagration might have become 
 a very serious one ; but fortunately the wind soon fell, and 
 Macheng's few followers were soon driven away ; so the
 
 THE SECOND PERIOD AT SHOSHONG 141 
 
 women were able to return and keep the fire from 
 spreading. 
 
 In the afternoon some of Macheng's followers stationed 
 themselves among the lofty crags overhanging the wells 
 where the Bamangwato women draw water. This is not 
 far from our houses, so we could witness the consternation 
 among the water-drawers when the first bullet was fired 
 amongst them. But Macheng's men did not confine their 
 attention to the women in the river. Mr Hepburn was 
 superintending some men who were sawing timber, when a 
 bullet, evidently aimed at their party, passed close to Mr 
 Hepburn's head and fell a little beyond the sawpit. Another 
 struck the ground a few feet in front of Mr Hepburn's door. 
 A third struck the ground close to where I stood. About 
 this time a number of Bakwena had come to our premises to 
 greet the two Bakwena students, and several Bamangwato 
 men were also near our houses ; perhaps this was the reason 
 why Macheng's few followers directed their bullets as 
 they did. Having annoyed us for about two hours, and 
 effectually prevented our drawing of water during that time, 
 they were driven from their stronghold by Khame and 
 Khamane. After living for a few days in secluded retreats 
 in the northern part of the range, Macheng turned toward 
 the east, and while I write, is in the Machwapong hills on 
 his way, it is understood, to Mankoroane's country. The 
 unfortunate man has not a single friend among all the neigh- 
 bouring chiefs. He quarrelled with everyone during the 
 short period of his reign, and now he has to seek refuge in 
 a country where he is unknown. 
 
 In the public gathering which took place after the fight 
 was over, Sebele publicly informed the Bamangwato that 
 Sechele had sent in his men not to assist Sekhome, but to 
 assist Khame. Some of the Bamangwato head-men also 
 declared in their speeches that " they saw Sekhome in 
 Khame ; they did not wish for another ! " Khame himself 
 spoke with great prudence : " I have not fought for the 
 chieftainship ; I have fought for my life. As to my father, 
 I have asked Sekhome to come home, and sent Khamane 
 for him ; but he refused. I shall not ask him again. It is 
 for you Bamangwato to send for him, and to bring him back 
 again." He thus throws the weight of the responsibility 
 upon the head-men. On the whole, I sincerely hope that 
 neither Macheng nor Sekhome may ever be chief of this town.
 
 142 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 One of the results of this revolution was that 
 Kuruman had to leave Khame's country. Unfortu- 
 nately the cattle which he had left at Shoshong were 
 carried off by the Bakwena as their legitimate booty, 
 a circumstance which afterwards involved some deli- 
 cate negotiations with Lobengula. 
 
 It is surely a matter of intense interest that 
 Mackenzie, at this crisis in the history of the tribe, 
 retained the absolute trust of the leaders of all the 
 parties who were warring against each other. At one 
 and the same time he was keeping in safety some 
 property for Sekhome, the exiled chief, and the 
 originator of so much wickedness and mischief among 
 the people ; he was also made the depositary by 
 Macheng of a considerable amount of money in 
 English gold, and Macheng was Sekhome's rival and 
 supplanter ; he also acted as the trusted and most 
 willing adviser of Khame, around whose personality 
 the hatred of the two former for each other had been 
 exasperated, and upon whom also it was concentrated. 
 Yet none of these rivals for the chieftainship seems to 
 have feared lest this missionary should use his power 
 over their possessions, to the disadvantage of any of 
 them. 
 
 Khame was now, to all appearances, formally estab- 
 lished as the ruler of the Bamangwato tribe through- 
 out its wide extent of territory. He entered upon his 
 task not without anxiety, yet with a certain quietness 
 and confidence characteristic of him. He was very 
 speedily confronted with the two problems which, as 
 far as his direct rulership was concerned, appear to 
 have caused him the greatest perplexity. The first of 
 these came from the fact that, as chief of the tribe, he 
 was officially responsible for the performance of certain 
 heathen rites and ceremonies. It was well known 
 that, as a private man, he had even at great cost cut 
 himself off from many of the traditional customs of
 
 THE SECOND PERIOD AT SHOSHOXG 143 
 
 his people ; but it seemed to many that he would be 
 compelled to give way to some extent when it came 
 to the performance of those ceremonies which the 
 entire people believed to be essential to their pros- 
 perity, and capable of due celebration only by the 
 chief. The following account of the way in which 
 Khame met this difficulty was given by Mackenzie. 
 
 Events soon transpired which showed Khame that his 
 position would be one of great difificulty. On Saturday last 
 he came to consult me concerning his first collision with 
 heathenism ; he informed me that some of the head-men, 
 without meaning any offence to him, had suggested the per- 
 formance of some heathen ceremonies in which the chief had 
 to bear a part. The people, it seemed, were about to begin 
 to dig their gardens. This was always done with ceremony 
 and charm. The question then was. Were the people to be 
 told simply to go and dig, without any ceremony, or could 
 the seed-time be publicly inaugurated by a Christian chief in 
 a Christian way ? At harvest time there were also ceremonies. 
 Now, the heathen ideas embodied in the ceremonies were 
 good ones. In the spring-time by charm and spell and 
 strict observance of use and wont, the heathen hoped to 
 propitiate the Unseen and to get a good crop. When the 
 chief began the harvesting, it was with feelings of gladness 
 for the fruits which had come to maturity. Why should 
 not a Christian Bechuana chief issue his " letsemma," 
 inaugurate his seed-time, by public prayer to Almighty 
 God the Maker of Heaven and Earth? And why not 
 " loma " in the time of harvest, with thanksgiving and 
 praise to Him Who crowneth the year with His goodness ? 
 Evidently such a public service would be a blessing to 
 Khame himself, giving him an opportunity publicly to pledge 
 himself as a chief to those customs which he had so faith- 
 fully followed in a less prominent position. From the stand- 
 point of the old heathen people, such a service seemed also 
 to be desirable. The town was not left utterly without a 
 " custom " ; there was something to which their ignorant 
 minds might cling — something simple and better than the 
 old charms. Then, as to the young men who are " adherents " 
 but not Christians, such a service would be both a help and 
 a pleasure to them, giving them an answer to those who
 
 144 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 would draw them back, and strengthening in their minds an 
 idea of the suitabiUty of Christianity to meet their require- 
 ments as a people. So I suggested to Khame that he should 
 begin a new thing in the country, and issue his " letsemma " 
 as a Christian chief in a Christian way. Inasmuch as every 
 chief has the right to choose the nation from whom his son 
 shall receive his doctors or priests, Sekhome had only 
 exercised that right in choosing for his sons a missionary 
 instead of priest. The teaching of the missionary was 
 therefore entitled to at least as much public respect as that 
 of any native doctor. By publicly acknowledging his firm 
 adherence to Christianity at the outset of his career, I 
 hoped also that Khame would escape molestation from the 
 heathen party in the future. 
 
 So, on Sunday morning last, our church was empty. 
 Khame assembled the Bamangwato in the public court- 
 yard. The proceedings were commenced by the young 
 chief in a short speech in which he emphatically announced 
 his unwavering determination to adhere to Christianity. He 
 did not prohibit heathen ceremonies, but they must not be 
 performed in the khotla, and as chief he would contribute 
 nothing towards them. The service in which the missionary 
 was about to engage was his " letsemma " ; after it they 
 might dig where they pleased. Whoever wished his seed 
 to be charmed or his garden to be charmed could do so, at 
 his own expense ; but he had no such custom. His speech, 
 which was a very clear one, was well received : and I felt 
 when he sat down that he was further from heathenism in 
 his own estimation and in the minds of his people than 
 before he made it. Then followed the religious service — 
 similar to our ordinary morning service. We sang the 
 Sechuana version of the looth Psalm ; I read the 33rd and 
 65th Psalms, and then engaged in prayer, which of course 
 had reference to our special circumstances. Inasmuch as 
 Khame had informed the people that I was not only to lead 
 their prayers, but also to address them, I had an opportunity 
 of making a short speech to the assembled Bamangwato. 
 The points which I aimed at establishing were the suitability 
 of Christianity as a " custom " or religion ; that, therefore, 
 under Khame's sway, they were not to anticipate calamity 
 through having given up the public recognition of the old 
 customs ; it was a religion which had come to them from no 
 mean nation, but one whose skill and prowess were patent
 
 THE SECOND PERIOD AT SHOSHONG 145 
 
 to them ; it was not for one nation but for all ; and it had 
 made their young chiefs truthful, kindhearted and brave — 
 their praise was in every tribe. Let no one therefore hinder 
 them or molest them in God's service in the future ; but 
 rather let all learn to love and to trust the God of Khame 
 and Khamane. 
 
 The speech was well received ; indeed audible applause was 
 given to it. The service was concluded in the usual way, 
 and thus ended Khame's public and solemn recognition of 
 God and of Christianity among the Bamangwato people. 
 
 His other great difficulty Khame found among the 
 white traders, who either had come to reside at 
 Shoshong or passed through the town from time to 
 time in large numbers. On the last day of December 
 1872, he went to Mackenzie to say that he wished to 
 assemble all the white men in order to make known to 
 them his laws with reference to strong drink. He had 
 before explained his position to the traders as indi- 
 viduals, and a great improvement had resulted ; but 
 fresh men brought the hated commodity in, and the 
 traffic was therefore maintained, though in a mitigated 
 form. He invited Mackenzie to be present at the 
 meeting. The next morning early the chief again 
 visited the missionary's house for further consultation, 
 and they went down together to the khotla. All the 
 white men, to the number of twenty-one, were brought 
 together, several coming only after repeated summons 
 had been sent to them. His speech, which was in- 
 terpreted by Mackenzie, was a short one indeed, but 
 very clear, direct, and authoritative. He simply and 
 formally announced his law about " boyalwa " (strong 
 drink). It was henceforth illegal to sell it in the town, 
 or even to bring it into the country. After this warning, 
 all brandy discovered in the town would be immediately 
 destroyed, its owner would be fined, and expelled be- 
 yond the borders. Then Mackenzie made a short 
 statement, in which he explained that this movement 
 had in no way been prompted by him, but was entirely
 
 146 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 the outcome of Khame's own thought. The traders, 
 as a whole, appear to have approved of Khame's 
 action. His right to make the law, and the fairness 
 of the conditions under which he announced it, were 
 universally acknowledged. Some of them rejoiced be- 
 cause their own servants would thus be delivered from 
 temptation ; others, who were addicted to drink and had 
 often disgraced themselves in the town, while they did 
 not loudly acquiesce, were believed by those who knew 
 them to be secretly glad that they themselves would 
 be freed from temptation. The following sentences 
 from Mackenzie's memorandum are of some interest, 
 as illustrating at once the spirit of the traders and of 
 the chief. 
 
 C said, " Well, now, there must be some loop-hole 
 
 somewhere. We must not begin and smuggle, for if we do 
 so, it will be worse for all parties than the thing is at present. 
 We all like a little drink now and then, especially when we 
 meet after a long separation ; we have been always accus- . 
 tomed to have a little drink. Does the chief mean to try 
 and stop that ? " 
 
 I interpreted the question to Khame, who replied, " Ever 
 since we saw the first white man we have been accustomed 
 to see them pull out a bottle and giving one another some- 
 thing to drink. For a long time we thought it was medicine, 
 and it did not concern us, for it was not given to black men. 
 I do not want to interfere with your personal habits, so long 
 as they do not become a nuisance in the town. But if, when 
 you give one another drink, you turn round and give it to 
 my people also, then I shall regard you as blame-worthy." 
 
 M said, " What the chief wants to put down is a 
 
 canteen for black fellows, and I must say he is quite 
 right." 
 
 I said I thought what he wanted to put down was a can- 
 teen for any fellows, wliite or black. 
 
 B made some reference to drink being allowed to 
 
 pass. (He has some on his waggon.) C also wanted 
 
 to know distinctly what was the law with reference to drink 
 going through the country ? 
 
 Kliame, in rc[)ly, said, "What other country do you want
 
 THE SECOND PERIOD AT SHOSHONG 147 
 
 to destroy with it ? Why not let it alone ? Why should it 
 pass and destroy others? Are there not people like our- 
 selves on in front ? " 
 
 This did not, alas ! end Khame's troubles in relation 
 to this universally troublesome problem. 
 
 In the year 1873, Mackenzie found it necessary to 
 make a journey into Matabeleland, in order to procure 
 supplies of corn for the students of the Seminary who 
 were now living at Shoshong. The journey was very 
 rapidly made and the stay in Matabeleland was brief, 
 but it enabled him to make a survey of affairs in that 
 country alike from political, commercial and religious 
 points of view. He recalled vividly the conditions 
 which existed during his last visit in 1863 and made 
 some interesting comparisons. 
 
 His purely private mission into that country was 
 combined with an informal embassage on behalf of 
 Khame. Since Khame's accession to the chieftainship 
 of the Bamangwato several communications had passed 
 between him and Lobengula, each chief being advised 
 in the matter by the resident missionary. The result 
 was that the negotiations even on delicate points had 
 been carried on amicably. Khame disclaimed all 
 desire to quarrel with his neighbour, and the latter 
 wrote that his heart was " white " towards Khame, and 
 that he desired to see his face. Notwithstanding these 
 protestations of friendship, some of Lobengula's soldiers 
 had attacked one of Khame's cattle posts, killing and 
 stealing in the usual fashion. A letter on this subject 
 was carried to Lobengula by Mackenzie. The Zulu 
 chief made ample apologies for what he described as 
 an " unauthorised movement " by his war party, for 
 which he held them guilty. He repeated his invitation 
 to Khame to pay him a personal visit, and he pledged 
 himself for the future not to send a war party against 
 Khame on any account, without first seeking an ex- 
 planation of any difficulty that might arise between
 
 148 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 them. On the whole Lobengula behaved to Khame's 
 missionary with great kindness and hospitality. 
 
 Mackenzie, in a letter to Dr Mullens (September ist 
 1873), described his impressions of this part of South 
 Africa, and made a most remarkable forecast regarding 
 the fate of the Matabele tribe. He refers in strong 
 terms to the beauty and richness of the southern part 
 of Matabeleland, formerly known as the Makalaka 
 country, where Buluwayo, the capital, was placed 
 among the Matoppo hills. " From the neck or back- 
 bone," he says, " near the Shashane river we obtained 
 a view of the finest and most extensive landscape upon 
 which I had gazed since I stood on the ridge of the 
 Katberg and looked southward upon the beautiful 
 scenery of the Kaffirland frontier of Cape Colony." 
 On all sides he noted the evidences that this beautiful 
 region had within a few years supported a large 
 population. Alas ! the terrible Matabele had swept 
 them away, leaving only a " few scared Makalaka who 
 came to our waggons to sell corn." Many of the 
 Makalaka had taken refuge among the Bamangwato ; 
 the rest had been massacred, only the little children 
 being spared to be brought up as Matabele warriors. 
 He did not visit Mashonaland, that rich farming and 
 gold-bearing country which lies far to the east and 
 north-east of Buluwayo, but he heard much about it, 
 and thought much concerning its relations to the future 
 history of the country. 
 
 Mackenzie was confronted by the fact that the 
 earnest and devoted labours of cajjable missionaries 
 for fourteen years had not resulted in the baptism 
 even of one convert to the Christian religion. 
 Amongst these missionaries there was William 
 Sykes, one of the bravest men who have touched 
 South African history. It was he who on one 
 occasion so incurred the anger of Moselekatse, the 
 father of Lobengula, that everyone expected he
 
 THE SECOND PERIOD AT SHOSHONG 149 
 
 would be put to death. The Matabele were amazed 
 to find that he deliberately went on a personal visit 
 to the enraged and savage monarch, and yet returned 
 in safety. " I said to them," he reports, " as I had 
 said to their chief on the occasion of his anger, that 
 I never saw the man that I feared. I always did 
 what was right to everyone and feared no one. I 
 would do what was right to Moselekatse, but would 
 not fear him." If this attitude of mind had gained 
 the respect of the unscrupulous Zulus, it had at least 
 failed to soften their hostility to the Gospel of Christ. 
 In 1873 Mackenzie could find no increased interest in 
 the message of the missionaries, although he met with 
 a few who knew something about its contents. He 
 attributes the toleration of the missionaries as teachers 
 by the Matabele chief to the simple fact that none of 
 his tribe had " as yet announced his serious intention 
 of abiding by the law of Jesus Christ as his ruler for 
 life. ... So far as I could judge, it would at present 
 be a critical business for either chief or head-man or 
 common soldier to make such an announcement." 
 
 Concerning the future of the Matabele, Mackenzie 
 made this most interesting prophecy. Just because 
 the law of Christ would entirely overturn the whole 
 structure of Matabele society there was no immediate 
 hope of converting them ; and yet he adds, " As a 
 tribe or collection of tribes they are probably doomed ; 
 their sins as a tribe have been very great, and of late 
 have been aggravated by the light which the Gospel 
 casts on their cruelty and bloodthirstiness." " Is it 
 not a most interesting problem," he proceeds. " What 
 will the Almighty do with the Matabele ? For my 
 own part, I look on with the profoundest interest to 
 the solution of this question." He did not believe 
 that the tribe could occupy for many years longer 
 the position which it did. What would the end be ? 
 It must be remembered that this letter was written in
 
 150 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 1873, when onl)' a few traders and missionaries had 
 visited that region, and yet the following is the outline 
 of coming events as they presented themselves to his 
 e}'e. First, he knows that there is gold to be found 
 in Matabeleland, even far to the north-east of In)-ati. 
 Further, he knows that there i.^ a rich high-lying 
 country to the east of Matabeleland, splendidly 
 adapted for farming, which was formerly occupied 
 by the Mashona, but was now unoccupied. Many 
 Transvaalers to his knowledge had cast eager eyes 
 upon this region, and an attempt had been made 
 already to form a party of Boers who should " go 
 there and occupy the country by force." From this 
 quarter, from this deserted region, Mackenzie in that 
 year conceived that the Matabele tribe would some 
 day meet its fate. The white settlers in Mashonaland 
 would begin to influence the tribal life of the Mata- 
 bele. The question would then be, Can they " abide 
 this shock and subside into a peaceable tribe," or will 
 they " with blind fury rush against fate," in which 
 case the tribe would be destroyed ? It is surely a 
 remarkable fact that twenty years afterwards this fore- 
 cast was fulfilled almost to the letter. It was the 
 gold and farming regions of Mashonaland which first 
 were occupied by the Europeans of the British South 
 African Chartered Company. From their policy in 
 this region Lobengula found his tribe involved in 
 complications which led to war ; for they could not 
 "abide the shock" of a l^uropcan community on their 
 borders ; they " rushed with blind fury against fate," 
 and were destroyed. Let us hope that the other part 
 of the prophecy is now being fulfilled^ — " In the de- 
 struction of the tribe there will no doubt be found a 
 remnant — humbled and ill at ease — to whom the 
 gospel will speak with a power which it never before 
 exercised." 
 
 From this interesting journey Mackenzie returned
 
 THE SECOND PERIOD AT SHOSHONG 151 
 
 to his work at Shoshong, Here he continued his 
 teaching of the students day by day, and his close 
 attention to the general work of the station. He was 
 able to report in the letter from which we have just 
 quoted that seven had recently been admitted to the 
 communion of the church, and that one of these was 
 a Makalaka, the " first of that people who has been 
 baptised, so far as I know." He adds that there were 
 others whose names were before the church, and whom 
 they hoped before long to receive into its fellowship. 
 
 The atmosphere of politics at Shoshong continued 
 to be very stormy. In the end of 1872 Khame and 
 Khamane had for some inscrutable reason sent an 
 invitation to their father Sekhome to return to Sho- 
 shong. Up to this time the two brothers had for the 
 most part lived together in mutual affection and con- 
 fidence, although their watchful shepherd-missionary 
 saw some grounds for anxiety in their attitude towards 
 one another. But as soon as Sekhome returned, his 
 crafty and subtle mind proceeded to find a way of 
 overthrowing his hated eldest son. His plan now was 
 to sow the seeds and encourage the growth of jealousy 
 in the heart of Khamane, the younger brother. Alas ! 
 he found in Khamane a disposition which he was able 
 to adapt to this diabolical purpose. The two became 
 very confidential, and carried out various little schemes 
 which soon revealed to the whole people that they 
 were allied in sentiment against Khame. Khame 
 bore this new attack with his usual calmness and 
 dignity. But at last, at the end of the year 1873, 
 finding himself humiliated before the whole people 
 by the attitude of his father and brother, he quietly 
 left the town and went to a magnificent fountain 
 called Serue, about 70 miles north-east of Shoshong, 
 announcing that there he would receive any of his 
 people who wished to follow him. To the conster- 
 nation of the triumphant plotters, almost the entire
 
 152 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 town moved out, and tramped to the camp of their 
 beloved chief. Khame got the best and the most of 
 his subjects around him, and was their actual chief, 
 without having to fight or even to denounce Sekhome 
 and Khamane. Finding that his position at Serue 
 laid him open to attack from other enemies, he re- 
 solved to make a still more daring venture, and carried 
 his tribe north with him as far as Lake Ngami, a 
 distance of more than 200 miles. His magnificent 
 generosity of spirit was shown even on this journey, 
 when, although a number of his cattle were carried 
 off by the emissaries of his father, he allowed a 
 waggon, with a most valuable load belonging to 
 Khamane, to pass through his ranks unmolested. In 
 a few months, however, he returned with a small force 
 to Shoshong in order to demand the property which 
 had been taken from him. When he saw how weak 
 was the inflluence of his rival relatives, and how deep 
 had been their duplicity and unscrupulous their 
 jealousy, he decided, during the brief negotiations of 
 this visit, to return as soon as he could with all his 
 people and take possession of the capital of his country 
 once more. 
 
 This purpose was carried out in the beginning of 
 the following year, when Khame brought the entire 
 portion of the tribe that had seceded with him back to 
 Shoshong. His movements were of course not 
 unknown to Sekhome. The latter had employed 
 the intervening months to good purpose in the way of 
 consolidating the people who remained under him, and 
 animating them with the desire to resist Khame's 
 return. He sent scouts in every direction to discover 
 the line of Khame's march, so that he himself might 
 choose his battle ground. Unfortunately for him none 
 of his scouts discovered the direction of Khame's 
 movements until the latter had reached Seshosho, the 
 main fountain from which the town derived its water
 
 THE SECOND PERIOD AT SHOSHONG 153 
 
 and from which it was named. When Khame sent a 
 challenge to his father and brother to come and fight 
 for the possession of this vital spot, they realised at 
 once that his strategy had given him the advantage. 
 The story of the fight which ensued has been very 
 vividly told in the volume of Mr Hepburn's letters, 
 entitled " Twenty Years in Khame's Country." The 
 following quotations from a letter by Mrs Mackenzie 
 to her daughter in Edinburgh will also help to put 
 the events more vividly before the reader. 
 
 We arrived home, after seeing dear Jamie (their third son) 
 off on his long journey, on Friday the 29th January. We 
 had hoped that during our absence Khame would have come 
 and had his fight over, but on nearing the town we were 
 surprised to see how quiet the outskirts of the town were — 
 no cattle, no goats or sheep or herds, or little children playing. 
 We at once suspected what was going on. Presently one 
 of the traders came out to meet us, and told us that Khame 
 and his army were close at hand, that the women were in the 
 mountain ; and we could see along the mountain sides groups 
 of armed men on the watch. This was not a pleasant 
 welcome, but it was what God had prepared for us. 
 
 Papa had a great deal of watching both by day and night ; 
 and all the while we were watching for the fight. On 
 Tuesday evening the war-cry resounded. Mr and Mrs 
 Hepburn and their two children came over for safety and 
 for company too. Their house is in a very exposed position. 
 Khamane's and Sekhome's wives also came for safety ; they 
 occupied the dining-room. On Wednesday morning we 
 heard guns up the kloof, and before we knew what we were 
 about Khamane's men were flying "helter-skelter" down 
 the kloof, followed by Khame's men firing at them with 
 all their might. It was a dreadful hour, for we knew that 
 all these bullets were not being fired for nothing. In a 
 trice Khame's people were victorious and in possession of 
 the town. Sekhome and Khamane fled to the mountain 
 with a number of their people. At another part of the 
 mountain Khame, who had only some of the old men and 
 boys with him, fell into the hands of another part of 
 Sekhome's army and fared rather badly, and had to retreat ; 
 but of course the best of his people were here at the most
 
 154 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 important part of the fight. Khame came in the next 
 day, looking very thin and haggard. He has had a great 
 deal of toil and anxiety, and longs for peace. I hope it 
 is near at hand now. Still the fighting is not over, and 
 a good many matters have yet to be settled. 
 
 But I must tell you of the danger into which dear Papa 
 was thrown. That morning, when the alarm was raised, 
 our two herds fled. Papa and some of the students took 
 the cattle up the kloof to give them water ; before they 
 had done so they found themselves in the midst of the 
 firing. Of course both parties knew them and would not 
 willingly have sent a bullet their way, but in a time of 
 excitement, and among so many "bad shots," we look 
 upon it as a great mercy that no harm came to them. 
 We shall not soon forget that day, nor the protection 
 afforded us all by our dear Heavenly Father. 
 
 The poor wounded fellows soon found their way to our 
 house, and Mr Hepburn and Papa have a busy time attending 
 to them. There are nine now. One died ; poor fellow, he 
 was one of Khame's most faithful men. One belongs to 
 Sekhome's party. Papa, Mr Hepburn, and some of the 
 students went and buried some of the dead. 
 
 Among Khame's men we see some nice familiar faces 
 who used to be so earnest in learning to read and write. 
 Khame has brought a message from the chief of the Lake 
 Ngami people begging for a missionary to come and teach 
 them. It is such an unhealthy place that it is not certain if 
 a European could live there for any length of time. 
 
 I am gradually getting stronger, but I cannot yet do as 
 much as I used to. What with the children's illness, the 
 number of refugees in and around the house, the wounded 
 people and their attendants, the bolting of my cook, and 
 the excitement on the top of our arriving off a journey 
 and finding almost everything in confusion and dirty, the 
 last twelve days seem like a month, and many a time I have 
 not known where to put myself from sheer fatigue. As you 
 may imagine. Papa has had his share of it all too. He 
 and Mr Hepburn went up to see Sekhome and Khamane 
 in their place of refuge. They were detained longer than 
 they expected, and had to come down the mountain in 
 the dark. It was impossible to ride, the path being so 
 steep and rugged, so they had to walk and lead their 
 horses. Papa fell, and hurt his back on a big stone. He
 
 THE SECOND PERIOD AT SIIOSHONG 155 
 
 did not feel that so very much ; but on Sunday he went 
 with one of the students to hold service at a village three 
 or four miles off. The people were in their retreat on 
 the mountain, and though they came half way to meet 
 them, he had to climb a good way up the rough mountain, 
 and that made his back a good deal worse. 
 
 Once more, then, Khame was seated in authority 
 and power at Shoshong, and once more he behaved 
 with extraordinary patience and generosity towards 
 his father and brother. The extent and almost 
 startling nature of this generosity can only appear 
 when we realise, on the one hand, that no native 
 chief scrupled to take the lives of all rivals, however 
 close the relationship to himself, that it seemed to be 
 a part of his function as a king to secure his kingship 
 in this fashion ; and, on the other hand, that Sekhome 
 and Khamane had repeatedly broken the most solemn 
 vows of loyalty, plotted in the most deliberate fashion 
 for the taking of Khame's life, and, as we have seen, 
 provoked civil war on more than one occasion, in order 
 to secure their ends. Surely this South African native 
 who, as a young man, broke with all the heathen 
 customs of his life absolutely and finally, and who 
 throughout his career refused to dip his hands in 
 the blood of any relative to secure himself in the 
 chieftainship, who yet when occasion arose manifested 
 in the most trying circumstances true physical courage 
 and noble moral heroism, must stand out as one of the 
 most striking trophies ever won by the Christian 
 religion upon the battle-ground with heathenism. 
 
 Throughout these years of storm and unrest in the 
 political life of the Bamangwato, the two missionaries, 
 John Mackenzie and J. D. Hepburn, carried on their 
 work steadily and persistently. Mackenzie was 
 now most absorbed in the work of teaching the 
 students of the Moffat Institution, and for a consider- 
 able period had to spend time and strength in putting
 
 156 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 up houses for the students and a class-room. At the 
 same time the work of preachinc^ Sunday by Sunday 
 in the church and in the king's khotla to the natives, 
 as well as in the missionary's house to the white men, 
 the visiting of surrounding villages for the same pur- 
 pose, the incalculable miscellaneous work connected 
 with interviews sought by white men and natives, 
 alike on business affairs and on problems of spiritual 
 experience, were continued without intermission. Mac- 
 kenzie's work as tutor necessitated the spending of 
 many hours in the study and in the class-room day 
 by clay ; and this sedentary life made it necessary for 
 him, for the first time in many years, deliberately to 
 seek active exercise in order to retain his health. As 
 long as the climate spared several horses which he 
 had brought from the south with him, horse-riding 
 was his favourite recreation of an afternoon ; but the 
 terrific scourge, known bluntly in South Africa as 
 " horse-sickness," swept them away, even at last 
 carrying off the hardiest and most beautiful horse he 
 ever possessed. 
 
 The life of the Christian church prospered during 
 these years at Shoshong. Before his visit to England 
 Mackenzie had found it necessary, as we have seen, to 
 be very careful about the formal establishment of a 
 church communion. But shortly after his return in 
 '71, when the true Christian zeal and faith of so many 
 had been proved, he saw no reason for deferring this 
 act. It was with a peculiarly solemn joy that he 
 therefore spread the table of the Lord, and for the 
 first time welcomed to that feast of the soul a small 
 group of the Bamangwato people. Amongst them, 
 of course, were Khame and his brother Khamane. 
 When the troubles came later which divided the two 
 brothers from one another, Mackenzie repeatedly sum- 
 moned them to his study, " questioned them, reasoned 
 with them, prayed with them, and fondly hoped the
 
 THE SECOND PERIOD AT SHOSHONG 157 
 
 disagreement could blow over." We have already 
 seen that this fraternal rivalry and jealousy, which in 
 their years of adversity had been impossible, broke 
 out into great bitterness and open strife when the 
 years of prosperity had come. Then the missionaries 
 had the hard task of " disciplining " both Khame and 
 Khamane. In spite of this severe blow, the church 
 after a while rallied again ; more members were re- 
 ceived, Khame himself returned into full fellowship ; 
 and gradually such momentum was gained that, in 
 later years, especially under Mr Hepburn's last period 
 of ardent service, the membership of the church 
 increased with great rapidity. 
 
 It would be foolish to hide and perhaps unwise to 
 omit the fact that missionaries in Bechuanaland were 
 sometimes in great anxiety regarding their own 
 domestic affairs. Their salary was never supposed 
 to be a salary, but was calculated on the basis of a 
 more or less definite experience as to the bare amount 
 necessary for buying food and clothing. Travelling 
 expenses incurred in the direct service of the society 
 were paid for as extra. But it must be remembered 
 that the price of food-stuffs and charges for trans- 
 portation, alike of food and all other goods, varied 
 much, and these variations caused oftentimes deep 
 care. At one time a missionary's small family, out 
 of their small salary, paid ;^I5 a year for soap alone. 
 Corn had to be brought by the missionary a month's 
 journey, and was paid for at the rate of thirty shillings 
 or more for 180 lbs. When at last it arrived at the 
 mission station this corn had to be washed and 
 cleaned, ground and sifted — " if we can afford to sift 
 it," as one said — under the direction and constant 
 superintendence of the missionary and his wife. No 
 missionary in Bechuanaland had a private income, and 
 there were no perquisites. The only possible way of 
 easino- what was sometimes acute distress was to be
 
 158 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 found in the selling of a cow or a few trained oxen 
 for a few pounds. This, however, was a plan which 
 most missionaries adopted very reluctantly, for the 
 Society had a strict law against trading, a law which 
 had to be enforced on one occasion by the expulsion 
 of a member of their staff. Nevertheless the most 
 sensitive missionary saw clearly that, if he were 
 reasonably careful of the cattle and sheep which he 
 was compelled to own, he must have from time to 
 time a few animals which he could dispose of. If he 
 did not deliberately set himself to increase his posses- 
 sions in live stock rapidly, for the express purpose of 
 selling them and making money, so becoming a 
 farmer in reality, any small transactions which came 
 in his way were viewed as not only legitimate but 
 necessary. In the case of most missionaries, and 
 certainly of Mackenzie, this procedure was always so 
 reluctantly employed as to do very little towards 
 easing the burden of the household. 
 
 During these years it should also be added that 
 Mackenzie had more than once to face the sorrow of 
 parting from his children as he sent them home for 
 their education. 
 
 In the year 1875 Mackenzie once more received a 
 very earnest call to become the minister of a church 
 in Cape Colony. This call came from Trinity Church, 
 Grahamstown, and presented some very attractive 
 features. In the first place Grahamstown is one of 
 the pleasantest of South African centres, and has the 
 great advantage of possessing schools of a high order, 
 which would have exactly suited the parental hearts 
 of the Mackenzies. Moreover, the salary which they 
 offered amounted to about three times that which he 
 was receiving as a missionary. None of tJiese things 
 moved him, and yet he took a fortnight to consider 
 before he declined the offer. His hesitation was 
 caused by the fact that for several years there had
 
 THE SECOND PERIOD AT SHOSHONG 159 
 
 been disagreeable differences of opinion between the 
 Bechuanaland missionaries and their Directors in 
 London. These differences of opinion had very 
 seriously interfered with the development of the 
 work in several most important portions of the 
 field. This is not the place to discuss the merits 
 of the controversy which proceeded between London 
 and Bechuanaland. Suffice it to say, that on both 
 sides of the ocean it caused deep distress. Nothing 
 could prove the pain of Mackenzie's mind more than 
 the fact that, with all his passionate devotion to the 
 missionary life, and his profound love for his own 
 Society, he actually considered for a fortnight the 
 possibility of accepting the pastorate over a European 
 congregation. In writing on this matter (October 
 29, 1875), he said, "I have refused similar offers 
 without one day's consideration. But I am free to 
 admit to you in this quiet way, that the manner in 
 which the affairs of this mission have been recently 
 conducted has been a great grief to me. It is only 
 deep love to the work itself — in spite of everything 
 else — that has kept me where I am."
 
 CHAPTER VI 
 
 ' BY-PRODUCTS ' OF A MISSIONARY'S CAREER 
 (187I-1876) 
 
 The number of traders and hunters who frequented 
 Shoshong increased year by year ; indeed " Khame's 
 town " had come to be considered, in a small way, as 
 an emporium. Several roads from the south converged 
 upon it, and from that meeting - point the roads 
 diverged again northwards, making it a natural ren- 
 dezvous and a convenient base of supplies. Some 
 large wholesale stores were established here, and a 
 number of traders put up more or less permanent 
 houses and settled down for years. This entailed a 
 large amount of work upon the missionaries at that 
 station. For example, Mackenzie acted throughout 
 his residence at Shoshong as the postmaster. To him 
 the post-bag was always delivered, and through him 
 travellers in the north sent their letters southwards. 
 This work, while it entailed a considerable amount of 
 time and trouble, was very agreeable to him in that 
 it brought him into personal relations with almost 
 every one of the white men. Oftentimes traders fell 
 ill, either at Shoshong or in their journeyings, and a 
 number of these were nursed through their sickness 
 by both Mackenzie and his wife. Several men 
 were even taken into their house, and were brought 
 through dangerous crises only by the very closest 
 attention. Some of those who were thus helped back 
 to life showed their affection and gratitude afterwards 
 in most touching ways. It is an amusing fact that 
 some of the traders found it necessary even to transmit
 
 MISSIONARY " BY-PRODUCTS " i6i 
 
 money through the missionary. A trader, for instance 
 who desired to send ^20 to distant relatives had no 
 means of doing so except by sending a draft for that 
 amount to Mackenzie, and asking him to send another 
 draft for that amount to the trader's friends. None of 
 the inland business men's drafts were at that time 
 negotiable at Cape Town, while those of the mission- 
 aries, because their Treasurer lived there, were always 
 immediately honoured. 
 
 In addition to all this kind of work there must be 
 named that which in some ways cost more than any 
 other. A large proportion of the white men who 
 went into the interior, especially those who tried to 
 reach the Zambesi, died of fever. Some, of course, 
 died from accident and other causes. When Mackenzie 
 could discover the names and addresses of the relatives 
 of any of these, he always immediately wrote to them 
 announcing their sad bereavement. His letters were 
 very considerate and very tender. As an illustration 
 of the frequency of these events, the following extract 
 may be given from a letter announcing the death of a 
 young Scotchman in the year 1876. 
 
 Another young lad called C , a young Englishman, 
 
 died at the same time. Three died some time before ; and 
 three gentlemen, who are now on this station on their way 
 southwards, have made a narrow escape. One of the three 
 is a trader ; he has not been successful, and declares he must 
 return at once to try and pay his debts. If he does — con- 
 trary to all advice — he will certainly pay the penalty with his 
 hfe. 
 
 It came to be almost an understood thing that 
 where there was any property or money belonging to 
 a traveller who died, Mackenzie should take charge of 
 it and transmit it to his heirs. Where the deceased 
 was a trader, whose affairs had been entangled with 
 those of other men, this often entailed a large amount 
 of intricate and puzzling work. He used, of course, the 
 
 I,
 
 i62 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 utmost care, as he more than once explained, to save 
 expense and to send home as much as possible. In 
 return for all this Mackenzie received letters full of the 
 warmest gratitude for his labour of love, and in several 
 cases this form of service brought him the rich reward 
 of lifelong and most valuable friendships. The follow- 
 ing letters reveal the manner and spirit in which he 
 carried his sacred and delicate task. They refer to 
 the death of Mr Frank Oates, who went to travel in 
 Central South Africa as a naturalist. His travels and 
 scientific observations were afterwards described in a 
 memoir by his brother, Mr Charles G. Oates. 
 
 Shoshong, \st March 1875. 
 Mrs Oates, 
 
 Meanwoodside, Leeds. 
 
 Madam, — It is not long since a letter from your son, 
 Mr Frank Oates, passed through my hands, on its way to 
 England. We expected soon to have the pleasure of again 
 seeing him here, on his way out from the Victoria Falls. But 
 his journey to the Zambesi had been delayed for one reason and 
 another, until the unhealthy season of the year had arrived. 
 Your son, however, reached the Falls in safety, and left the 
 Zambesi in good health. But bad news concerning him has 
 just reached us from the Zambesi road — news which I pray 
 God to support you to hear. Mr Oates was seized with 
 fever on his way out from the Zambesi, was ill twelve days, 
 and then, near to the Makalaka Towns, and on the 5 th of 
 February, he succumbed to the fever and died. Dr Brad- 
 shaw, also travelling in the interior, happened to be in the 
 neighbourhood at the time and attended your son, both as 
 medical adviser and companion. It will be a great satisfac- 
 tion to you to know that this gentleman was with your son 
 to the last and that he afterwards superintended his interment. 
 It is not. Madam, for a perfect stranger like myself to in- 
 termeddle with a grief so great and so sacred as yours. While 
 leaving you and yours to drink the bitter cup thus suddenly 
 presented to you, I would earnestly pray that in your dark- 
 ness and sorrow, your mind may be visited by many cheering 
 Christian thoughts — thoughts which, like balm, heal the 
 wounded heart and stricken spirit.
 
 MISSIONARY " BY-PRODUCTS " 163 
 
 Dr Bradshaw brought out Mr Oates's waggon to this place, 
 and handed over to me his papers and personal effects. His 
 agents in the interior have requested me to act as Trustee 
 and Executor as regards the settlement of Mr Oates's affairs 
 in this part of the country ; and in the circumstances I have 
 consented to do so. I may explain to you that there are 
 only two classes of Europeans resident in Bechuanaland — 
 traders and missionaries. It was thought that it would be 
 most satisfactory to place your son's affairs in the hands of 
 one not in any way connected with business. — I remain, 
 Madam, ever yours sincerely, John Mackenzie. 
 
 KuRUMAN, Nov. I, 1875. 
 
 Charles G. Oates, Esq. 
 
 My Dear Sir, — In my last letter to you (a letter on 
 business, dated " Shoshong, 24th August 1875,") I expressed 
 the hope that I should be soon able to report the final settle- 
 ment of your late brother's affairs in the interior. "Soon" 
 admits of degrees ; and I am afraid that what we out here 
 have come to regard as " soon " in the country of the ox- 
 waggon, will be held to be slow enough in England. How- 
 ever, before leaving Shoshong in September, I was able to 
 settle everthing connected with your late brother's accounts. 
 
 I am here attending the meetings of our District Com- 
 mittee of Missionaries, where we assemble to discuss matters 
 connected with our work. A letter from your brother (Mr 
 W. E. Oates, then in South Africa), was sent after me to this 
 place. Your brother mentioned his intention of paying a 
 visit to that spot which will be always so sacred in you 
 estimation. Lonely the spot no doubt is in a certain sense ; 
 but in another, your brother's grave is surrounded by all the 
 activities of the great Creator and Father of all. Flowers 
 will bloom around it, though not planted by mortal hand ; 
 birds will sing over it and never weary in repeating the sweet 
 notes which Nature has taught them. I have not been there 
 myself, but I have no doubt the naturalist would not think 
 your brother's grave a lonely spot, whilst to the Christian, 
 such a spot is the quiet resting-place to which the body sank 
 when the spirit was called away by God the Father. 
 
 I am writing to your brother to Natal ; I shall be back at 
 Shoshong before he will be there, and any assistance I can 
 render him will be most cheerfully given. — I am, ever 
 sincerely yours, John Mackenzie.
 
 i64 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 Mackenzie's correspondence contains a large number 
 of letters from the traders and travellers with whom he 
 became intimate at Shoshong. He had the faculty of 
 drawing men to himself ; they would open their hearts 
 to him, and receive from him the very word of warning 
 and rebuke, of encouragement and consolation which 
 they needed. Their letters make references to drink, 
 to their success or failure in business, to the movements 
 of other traders ; or they inquire about letters, or ask 
 help in a business transaction with the chief They 
 breathe unanimous affection and confidence towards 
 that man whom God had set down at Shoshong. 
 
 This love of so many South African traders and 
 travellers for a missionary found expression, not only 
 in letters, but sometimes in beautiful deeds of con- 
 siderate wisdom, and sometimes in ways that were at 
 once pathetic and odd. It would be out of place, of 
 course, to enter into particulars. But one case can, 
 without any danger of harm, be briefly described. 
 
 Among the hunting traders who often visited Sho- 
 shong was an Irishman, known in South Africa under 
 the assumed name of Fitzgerald. He was quite illiterate 
 but very intelligent, tall, handsome, and powerful. He 
 had formed drinking habits which he found it very 
 hard to throw off. For a long time he made Shoshong 
 his head-quarters and became most curiously and deeply 
 attached to Mackenzie. The latter knew how to deal 
 with such a man, to rebuke his weakness and rouse 
 his manliness, give him condemnation and hope at the 
 same time. Fitzgerald on one occasion quarrelled with 
 a number of natives, who attacked him and nearly 
 wrenched an arm off. This wounded arm he brought 
 to the missionary to be doctored, and for a long while 
 it needed close attention. Sometimes, when Mackenzie 
 was absent, Mrs Mackenzie would bring the rags and 
 medicines and assist him in the dressing of the wound. 
 " This," we are told, " went straight to Fitzgerald's
 
 MISSIONARY "BY-PRODUCTS" 165 
 
 heart, and in many ways and for years he showed that 
 he had not forgotten it." The impulsive generosity of 
 the man, and his determination to defend Mackenzie 
 against danger is well illustrated by the following 
 incident, which the latter relates. 
 
 On one occasion I let Mr C (another trader) have a 
 
 little poison to kill rats in his waggon. The poison was used 
 carelessly, and caused the death of a native's dog. Macheng 
 
 came to C and demanded the medicine with which he 
 
 had " bewitched," or killed, the dog, adding that only rascals 
 had such things in their possession. " Why, I have none in my 
 
 possession," said C , not liking the chief's way of putting 
 
 it ; " and the little I had I got from Mr " Mackenzie, 
 
 he was going to say, but he was interrupted by Fitzgerald, 
 who said, " From me, of course ; you know you got it from 
 me " ; adding, in English, " You dare to say you got it from 
 Mr Mackenzie!" And then again, to the chief, "I gave 
 
 C a little poison. Chief; it was only to kill rats." " Vou 
 
 must pay a musket as a fine, Marikwe," was Macheng's 
 answer. The fine was paid, and some time had passed before 
 I heard anything of it. 
 
 Of course, there was no real need of concealing from 
 Macheng the fact that the missionary kept a supply 
 of poison on his premises ; that was already well 
 known, as it had been used on more than one 
 occasion for the purpose of destroying wild beasts, 
 Fitzgerald made many thousands of pounds, but 
 always squandered them, and he died at last, not 
 only a poor man, but in debt. His end, like that 
 of so many travellers who perished in South Central 
 Africa, was tragic. He was far east, on the banks of 
 the Limpopo, where he had been trading, when he 
 was seized with a fatal sickness. There was no white 
 man with him ; indeed, his last intercourse with a 
 white man had ended in a quarrel at Shoshong, when 
 he received a blow which, rumour said, hastened his 
 death. As soon as he felt seriously ill, he lay down 
 in his waggon and said to his servant, " Only take me.
 
 i66 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 lake me quickly, to Mackenzie." Alas, "poor Fitz's " 
 strength was already well-nigh gone, and while the slow 
 oxen dragged him, jolting on the rough waggon road, 
 towards the one man whom he loved and trusted most, 
 death came upon him. 
 
 One of the means by which Mackenzie at once 
 served the white men and gained ascendancy over 
 them was the Sunday afternoon meeting which he 
 held in his own parlour. Even when there were only 
 two or three traders in the town they were invited to 
 the service. Here Mackenzie gave out psalms and 
 hymns to be sung, read the scriptures, prayed, and 
 gave a brief but very earnest and often solemn 
 address. He knew the temptations, hardships, and 
 disappointments which these men had to meet, and 
 he spoke directly to their moral and spiritual needs. 
 It was a bright spot in many a man's life, to which he 
 looked forward and backward when away on his long 
 monotonous waggon journey. Men still live who 
 speak of it with emotion and gratitude. The follow- 
 ing extract from Captain Parker Gilmore's " The 
 Great Thirst Land," records, in a way peculiar to 
 himself, the impressions which many others carried 
 away from Mackenzie's Sunday afternoon services for 
 the white people at Shoshong. 
 
 Mr Mackenzie is a tall, square-built man, about 5 ft. 
 1 1 in. in height, fair in complexion, genial in countenance, 
 with great strength of character stamped on his brow, and an 
 unmistakable Highlander, speaking the English language 
 with wonderful purity and intonation. Mr Hepburn is 
 taller but slighter, a Northumberland man, I should think, 
 with great energy and resolution, and gifted with more than 
 ordinary eloquence. The twain are a host in themselves ; 
 and while our country is represented by men of their type it 
 is bound to be honoured, in whatever part of the earth their 
 labours are carried on. . . . 
 
 Sunday came round in course of time, and I could have 
 known the day from all others, by the air of rest that lay over 
 Shoshong. All was as peaceful as the village homes we
 
 MISSIONARY "BY-PRODUCTS" 167 
 
 knew in our youth, on such occasions. Missionary labour 
 may be slow in telling in South Africa, especially among the 
 tribes so far to the north, but when our religion is represented 
 by such painstaking, enduring men as Mr Hepburn and Mr 
 Mackenzie, it is bound to succeed in the end. 
 
 I shall never forget my Sunday afternoon at Shoshong. 
 Mr Mackenzie and Mr Hepburn had held service among the 
 natives in the morning, but intended having prayers and a 
 short discourse at three o'clock in their own house for those 
 Europeans who chose to come. Not one of them did not 
 come ; and in the little parlour, where worship was held, the 
 presence of the Almighty might almost have been felt. In 
 my early life I had regarded religion lightly, but when I 
 looked upon half-a-dozen stalwart men accustomed to every- 
 day hardship and danger of life, our worthy pastor's children 
 and a few servants, giving their whole soul to what they were 
 engaged in, I more forcibly felt than ever I did before that 
 there was a great God above us — One who invited our 
 adoration and love. The prayer was earnest, and such as 
 could have been desired, the address was strictly applicable 
 to the occasion. There was no flowing language. There 
 were no marvellous similes, it was exactly what was wanted, 
 and brought peace to the listener's heart. 
 
 That was the most solemn Sunday I ever passed. No 
 cant or hypocrisy was here ; what I heard was an exhorta- 
 tion from an earnest, true, reflecting man, endeavouring to 
 make his fellow creatures feel the depth and height of 
 religion, and the consolation they could derive from it. 
 
 Another phase of Mackenzie's work among the 
 Europeans was described in a letter written in later 
 years to set forth his experience of the work of a 
 BritTsh Resident at the confluence of civilisation and 
 heathenism. 
 
 "When I was residing there (at Shoshong), I used to 
 discharge many of the duties of such an officer. Several 
 British subjects dying in the interior, their estates were 
 handed over to me, and their affairs settled in each case to 
 the satisfaction of relatives residing at a distance. Sekhome, 
 Macheng, and Khame, in succession sanctioned the sitting of 
 a Court of Europeans to try cases which, to use their own 
 expression, would baffle the chief by himself. For years 1
 
 1 68 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 acted as Chairman or President of that Court, assisted by 
 Mr Hepburn, my fellow missionary. It was in reality a 
 court of arbitration ; the first question put to the parties 
 being, " Will you agree to the decision of this court, what- 
 ever it may be, and regard it as final ? " When they answered 
 in the affirmative our course was clear — to go forward and 
 do our best to give a just decision. The whole thing was 
 in any instance explained to the chief, as far as he could 
 understand it ; and where property had to be seized and 
 caused to change hands, it was of course the chiefs power 
 which was called into requisition. Mr Hepburn and I 
 declined to have anything to do with this court some time 
 before I left Shoshong, because, in a case of insolvency, the 
 traders in Shoshong resolved to seize what they could lay 
 their hands on of the insolvent's goods, pay themselves so 
 much in the pound, and then leave creditors at a distance 
 out in the cold. Goods unpaid for, fresh from the sea-coast, 
 were then unloaded from the waggons at Shoshong, and sold 
 by public auction ; and the firm which had supplied these 
 goods on credit got only what was over, after men on the 
 spot had received payment in full of all their debts. This 
 transaction was not sanctioned by the chief; it was an 
 arrangement among the traders themselves. Shoshong Avas a 
 capital place for creditors to stand at and waylay their 
 debtors as they came out from the interior, from trading or 
 hunting trips. If the man tried to slip past, the creditor was 
 sure to hear of it, and fleet horses soon enabled him to 
 overtake the ox-waggon. The style was then for the 
 creditor, mounted and rifle in hand, to go forward and stop 
 the front oxen pulling the waggon and literally compel a 
 settlement of accounts. 
 
 There were certain matters which a missionary had to 
 pass by, which a British Resident could have treated in a 
 very different manner. At that time British subjects beyond 
 the border of the Colony were completely at the mercy of 
 the Boers and the natives, and it was well known that no 
 redress would be obtained from the English Government. It 
 was my sad lot more than once to know that parties of slaves 
 passed through Shoshong on their way to the Transvaal, 
 having been bought in the interior, chiefly on the Lake 
 River, by Boer inhabitants of the Transvaal. I took what 
 steps I deemed suitable at the time to put a stop to this ; 
 but my circumstances precluded my doing what a British
 
 MISSIONARY "BY-PRODUCTS" 169 
 
 Resident could have done ; for the Government at the time 
 was flooded with information on this subject, and yet did 
 nothing ; whereas to write in the papers would have been to 
 consign myself to the fate of two early missionaries, who were 
 driven from the country by the Boers for exposing their evil 
 ways in the newspapers. 
 
 In closing this chapter of Mackenzie's life, we must 
 give two illustrations of the fact that already he had 
 studied the political problems of South Africa very 
 deeply, and held in his mind that ideal of the rela- 
 tions of Great Britain to her great dependency, which 
 in after years completely absorbed his energies. The 
 first is an extract from the address which he delivered 
 in 1875 as Chairman of the Bechuanaland District 
 Committee. After a historical survey of the relations of 
 the Imperial Government to South Africa, Mackenzie 
 proceeded as follows : — 
 
 Is it too much to expect that England should take a 
 comprehensive view of what is going on in South Africa ? 
 Taking up the question as the undoubted friend of the 
 weak and the helpless, there is an immediate and pressing 
 work for her to do. The experience of the past may pre- 
 vent the recurrence of needless bloodshed and of cruel 
 outrage. Viewing this movement in the interests of her 
 own children, England has a great and incumbent duty to 
 perform. It is within her power to cause that the European 
 population of South Africa shall be as loyal and attached as 
 in Australia or Canada. On the other hand, it is quite 
 possible for her to see growing up beside her Cape Colony, 
 states whose bitter dislike to her Government shall equal, if 
 not exceed, any such feeling entertained now or at bygone 
 times, by the people of the United States. England is at 
 this hour the paramount power in South Africa. To know 
 the English language is held to be a necessary qualification 
 by inhabitants of Continental countries who come out either 
 as missionaries or as men of business. England is colonising 
 Southern x^frica. Why should history have to recount that 
 she did it unwillingly, unwittingly, and in a left-handed 
 manner? It is not in accordance with her high name and 
 character that she should retreat from an obligation. Let
 
 I/O JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 England then come forward and avowedly take charge of 
 and direct the northward progress of Europeans in South 
 Africa. She has been hitherto very unwilling to do this. 
 The sum of ;^2ooo was recently voted by the Cape Parlia- 
 ment for the exploration of an auriferous country of great 
 extent in the interior. The expedition was never sent. " If 
 I went up to your part of the world," said the Governor of the 
 Cape of that day, addressing the missionary of the District, 
 " I feel sure I should never come back." His term of office 
 had well nigh expired ; he did not wish to answer in Downing 
 Street for the sin of adding to English territory ; he was un- 
 willing to explore, for explorers might be successful ; then he 
 would have no end of trouble ; and, as he said, he might not 
 be able to retreat from the country. 
 
 The missionary is usually in advance of everyone else in 
 South Africa. He is soon followed, and is occasionally passed 
 by the trader. In future the responsible agent of the British 
 Government ought not to be long behind. At present, with- 
 out doubt, there ought to be a British Resident in Matabele- 
 land on the East, and Damaraland on the West. With the 
 increase of the English population the native chiefs find 
 themselves unable to cope with their responsibilities. Fully 
 qualified to decide on all matters occurring in a native town, 
 they are unable to understand or to decide upon civil cases 
 which occur among the European inhabitants of their country. 
 One chief requests the white men on his place to form them- 
 selves into a court of arbitration, with the missionary as chair- 
 man ; and (engages ?) that the decisions of such a court shall 
 have his sanction. Another chief who had attempted to 
 understand and to adjudicate in such matters himself, 
 disgusted and thoroughly alarmed at the changed and con- 
 stantly changing aspect of affairs in his town, assembled his 
 European traders, and to their astonishment informed them 
 it was henceforth unlawful for them to build, or to 
 occupy, houses or shops in his country. Why should they 
 wish such large and substantial houses ? They were to 
 go back to their waggons, and trade from them, as they 
 did in the olden time. Of course this was not carried out, 
 but it exhibits in a striking light the helplessness of the chiefs 
 to cope with the events which are gathering around them. As 
 a result of a wisely-pursued policy on the part of special 
 Commissioners or British Residents, the chieftainship of such 
 towns would in the course of time, and without a drop of
 
 MISSIONARY "BY-PRODUCTS" 171 
 
 bloodshed, pass into the hands of the Enghsh magistrate, 
 in whose presence the common people would have pleasure 
 from the first, and to whom the chiefs themselves would in 
 the end become accustomed. The British Residents ought 
 to be supported by the Government which sent them. The 
 magistrates would be supported, as in Basutoland, by local 
 taxation. They ought to be very carefully selected ; and, 
 while men of the world, ought to be Christian gentlemen. 
 
 Our Society has rules which rather tend to discourage her 
 agents from taking an active part in political affairs. No 
 doubt the rules are the expression of wide experience in the 
 various countries where the missionaries labour. Still we do 
 not hesitate to say that the highest type of missionary in 
 Bechuanaland must assist the chief with whom he resides, in 
 political matters He finds himself the confidential adviser 
 and probably the secretary of the chief in the most natural 
 way, and before he thinks anything about the rules which he 
 may be breaking. I do not think our Society's rules are 
 really aimed against such political connexion. If they are, 
 we submit with all respect that it is a mistake. Who may be 
 said to have been the makers of the Basuto tribe ? Un- 
 doubtedly, our brethren the F'rench missionaries. By their 
 teaching of Christianity alone ? Nay, also and as a powerful 
 auxiliary to their teaching, by their active assistance to 
 Moshesh as his advisers and his secretaries. Those who care 
 to go into such matters, know from Blue Books which have 
 been published, that the letters of the French missionaries 
 commanded the respect of those with whom they corre- 
 sponded ; and thus, by their instrumentality, the correspon- 
 dence was raised to a higher platform, and was conducted 
 between equals. British Basutoland is no doubt destined to 
 flourish under the mild and equal sway of Britain. But the 
 Basutos themselves have grown from an insignificant tribe to 
 their present proportions, under the moral protection and 
 fostering care of the French Protestant Church. 
 
 I am sorry that matters have not taken place so happily 
 in our own district in this connexion. Had the Griquas and 
 the Batlaping been content to have had missionaries as their 
 advisers and secretaries, and had the missionaries seen it to 
 be their duty thus to act, the present wretched disputes 
 about land boundaries had never taken place. 
 
 I would here direct your attention to one aspect of this 
 aggression of the Europeans, which can only excite sorrow
 
 172 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 and disappointment. We have said that no power would 
 seem to be able to arrest the white men in their northward 
 progress ; no powur could prop up or keep together the 
 declining heathen communities. It does not follow, how- 
 ever, as part of a Divine plan, that wherever you find a 
 Dutch pioneer there should be a waggon-load of Cape smoke. 
 The English trader and hunter is not bound to descend to 
 be a canteen-keeper either for natives or for his fellow- 
 traders. No doubt, if it would only pay as well, we should 
 find opium as well as brandy-waggons plying an equally 
 nefarious traffic. And no doubt some would choose to eat 
 the opium or drink the laudanum while others might prefer 
 the alcohol. Is this hideous excrescence on English society 
 to follow unquestioned and unchecked into every new country 
 in which they spread ? Some native chiefs have the good 
 sense and foresight to forbid the sale or consumption of 
 strong drink within their country. Should their territory 
 at some future period be handed over to the English, would 
 it not be fair that such a law should be respected and 
 enforced under the new regime ? 
 
 And how far, some one will ask, would you have the 
 English to go in this work ? I answer, why should a nation 
 be afraid of genuine healthy growth ? With due subdivision 
 for the purposes of local government, I profess to be quite 
 unable to say how far such growth might or might not 
 extend. English society is at present so constructed as to 
 facilitate the work of making money, and the pleasure of 
 spending it in luxurious living. It is not so constructed as 
 to encourage large classes of her population to remain at 
 home. England is at present heedless of their leaving her 
 shores in thousands ; but it would be unnatural and suicidal 
 policy for her to give no thought to her children in the 
 distant lands of their adoption. yVe are not at present 
 speaking of money, nations do not always or often fight 
 for money, but of sentiment and feeling ; and we assert, 
 without fear of contradiction, that it is worth England's while 
 to retain her children's loyalty, no matter how distant may 
 be their present home. Indeed, there is little doubt that 
 England will or will not be prominent among the nations 
 of the future, according to the relationship in which she 
 stands to her numerous colonies and dependencies. 
 
 In directing your attention to this subject, you will quite 
 mistake my meaning if you imagine that I wish to divert
 
 MISSIONARY "BY-PRODUCTS" 173 
 
 your attention in the slightest from our own great and tran- 
 scendently important work as missionaries. But I feel that 
 we can do our own work all the better if we reflect that along 
 with its heavenly sanctions, which alone moved us to engage 
 in it, it is also part of a great movement which is going on 
 in the country, going on as we believe under the guidance of 
 a merciful Providence. It is ours to evangelize, to teach, to 
 educate. Our work remains the same whoever become 
 masters in the country. We are not in any sense respon- 
 sible for the advance of the white men behind us. But we 
 find ourselves present where the meetmg of the races is 
 taking place, and it is in our power to assist the weak, to 
 guide the ignorant, to rouse the slumbering and slothful on 
 the one hand, and on the other, and as far as we can, to 
 restrain from evil and from wrong the enterprising and some- 
 times reckless European. It were pleasant to find a native 
 chief so far advanced in intelligence as to desire to join and 
 form part of this great South African Commonwealth ; this 
 pleasure would be greatly increased were the chief or his 
 brother, or some member of his tribe, qualified to act as 
 magistrate, so as to give satisfaction to all classes who 
 might come before him. The higher education which as a 
 Society we hope to introduce may do something in this 
 direction. 
 
 The following letter speaks for itself — 
 
 SnosHONC, 2d Afajy 1876. 
 
 Sir Henry Barkly, K.C.B., 
 High Commissioner in Southern Africa. 
 
 May it please your Excellency, — I beg to draw 
 your attention to the condition of certain parts of the 
 Interior, from my own point of view as a Christian mis- 
 sionary and as a loyal subject of Her Majesty, Queen 
 Victoria. 
 
 The aggressive movements of certain inhabitants of the 
 Transvaal Republic are assuming an importance which, I think, 
 demands your special attention. While I write there are 
 over 40 ox-waggons lying on the Limpopo River — about two 
 days from this place — the owners of which were until recently 
 burghers of the Transvaal and inhabitants chiefly of the district 
 of Magaliesberg. They are of the religious persuasion known 
 in S. Africa as Doppers. They are "trekking,'' and most,
 
 174 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 if not all of them, have sold their farms in the Transvaal. 
 They are under the leadership of one who signs himself 
 " Veldt Cornet." They are waiting for their friends to 
 come forward, to the number, it is said, of some 800, from 
 other parts of the Republic and from the Free State and 
 some say even from the Cape Colony — when they intend to 
 move forward. It was first given out by them that they 
 were bound for Damaraland. They told Khame, the chief 
 here, that they had heard of a land in that direction which 
 was without inhabitants, and they said they were on their 
 way thither. Recently, however, I hear they declare that 
 they are going to march on Mashonaland, lying to the east 
 of Matabeleland. Of course there is no unoccupied country 
 in Damaraland, so far as I can learn : and although a large 
 tract of country has been devastated by the Matabele in 
 their wars with the Mashona, the country itself is claimed by 
 its conquerors, who will no doubt fight with the Dutch for 
 its possession. 
 
 Here then we have a party of armed men publicly avow- 
 ing that they are about to enter some part of the interior as 
 an army ; and that they will seize upon and if possible 
 occupy one or other of the countries already named. 
 
 The Chief Khame has given permission to these men to 
 pass through his country to Damaraland. A few waggons 
 went on last year; but I believe they have not gone much 
 beyond Lake Ngami. Khame does not refuse the road ; but 
 of course he will dispute any aggressive act on his country 
 itself. 
 
 The second matter to which I would beg to direct your 
 attention is the condition and habits of the Matabele tribe. 
 I am sure the outrages perpetuated continually, and as a 
 matter of course by that people, are not known either in 
 England or in the Colony. In a little work published some 
 five years ago and called, " Ten Years North of the Orange 
 River," I endeavoured to direct attention to the subject. 
 The Matabele may be truly described as a horde of blood- 
 thirsty savages who every year make wars upon the Mashona 
 and other weaker neighbours, murdering all who fall into their 
 hands, except young boys and girls. Old people and those 
 in their prime along with children too young to walk to the 
 Matabeleland, all are put to death. While they are powerful 
 enough to carry on such heathen warfare with their neigh- 
 bours, the Matabele have deteriorated in prowess since they
 
 MISSIONARY "BY-PRODUCTS" 175 
 
 occupied their present country. An army of 800 Dutchmen 
 would no doubt overcome them. The tribe is also weakened 
 by the existence of a rival to the present chief, in the person 
 of a man who calls himself Kuruman, and who is now living 
 in the Transvaal Republic. It is supposed that should any 
 respectable force accompany Kuruman to the Matabele 
 country a large party of Matabele would at once desert 
 Lobengula and join Kuruman. Missionaries of the London 
 Society have been labouring among the Matabele since 
 1859; but, alas! without having had as yet the pleasure of 
 baptizing a single convert. 
 
 When gold was discovered at Tati some years ago, the 
 chief of this place at that time addressed your predecessor, 
 Sir Philip Wodehouse, offering to the British Government the 
 possession of the auriferous district on terms which might after- 
 wards be agreed on. I believe ;^2ooo were at that time 
 voted by the Cape Parliament for the purpose of sending a 
 special commission to thoroughly explore the country pro- 
 ducing gold — both in the Tati and Mashona districts. Sir 
 Philip, however, never availed himself of this grant. His 
 reason, as given to me privately in Cape Town, was that " if 
 he once went into those regions, he would never come back " 
 — that is, if a Commission went north, it would only be the 
 beginning of the occupancy of the country by the English. 
 
 In connexion with the events which were transpiring at 
 that time, your predecessor was kind enough to say that he 
 would be glad of all information which I could communicate, 
 along with such explanations and statements of opinion as I 
 might be able to send. As your anxiety to do your duty as 
 Her Majesty's Representative in this country is well known, 
 having been tested for years, I make bold to express my 
 opinion upon the crisis which at present obtains in the 
 interior ; and perhaps I ought to premise that I have had 
 considerable opportunities of making myself acquainted with 
 the peoples concerning whom I am speaking. 
 
 I. I have no hesitation in saying that the Matabele tribe is 
 not worth preserving in independence. The country which 
 they now occupy, which they of course took by force, has 
 been theirs for about 30 years. They form a dead wall to the 
 progress of the missionary as well as the trader and hunter. 
 In short in their corporate capacity, they are a nuisance in 
 the country. It would not therefore be a good action 
 merely to hinder the Dxikhman from taking Mashonaland,
 
 176 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 and perhaps dispersing the Matabele. On the lowest 
 ground the Dutchman would be infinitely better than the 
 Matabele, better both for the Matabele people themselves, 
 and for their neighbours. 
 
 2. But I do not write to suggest an inactive policy. From 
 my point of view this is an important crisis and one which 
 will have the most extensive issues. If the Dutch settle in 
 Mashonaland as an independent people, there will never be 
 one united South African Government. On the other hand, 
 there will speedily grow up a large community or com- 
 munities, richer and more powerful than the countries under 
 the English Crown, agreeing in one thing if not on others — 
 in dislike of their English neighbours. Allow me to say that 
 it is now in your Excellency's power to checkmate all this. 
 At the same time, in performing your duty as the friend of 
 the oppressed and of the slave, T cannot help thinking that 
 you are bound to interfere on the part of England to put 
 down the outrages perpetrated from year to year by the 
 Matabele. And surely your duty to England and to the 
 various English colonies in South Africa calls upon you to 
 prevent if possible the addition to its territory by the 
 Transvaal, of a country fairer and even more fruitful than the 
 South African Republic itself 
 
 The Dutch can be checkmated and the outrages of the 
 Matabele gradually put down, by the prompt appearance, in 
 the interior, of a British Commissioner or Resident, especially 
 appointed and sent by you, as representing Her Majesty's 
 Imperial Government in this country. Should the Dutch 
 know that there is a special British Commission in Matabele- 
 land they will never go there. If the English power once 
 got fairly to the north of the Dutch they would be forced to 
 settle down and till the soil, yielding themselves to the 
 influences of the European civilization from which, in point 
 of fact, they are now fleeing. Exercising a protectorate over 
 the Matabele, and eventually occupying and possessing the 
 country, your Excellency would find that the whole question 
 of English supremacy had been settled finally ; and the 
 Dutch would probably become in South Africa what they are 
 in the United States. 
 
 Should the appearance of an English Commissioner lead 
 to the preservation of Matabeleland from the Dutch, it would 
 only be reasonable that the Mashona Gold-fields, at present 
 a territory entirely uninhabited, should be handed over by
 
 MISSIONARY "BY-PRODUCTS" 177 
 
 Lobengula to his preservers. This would lead to the settle- 
 ment of farmers in the very beautiful and rich country of 
 Mashonaland, a great part of which is also at present un- 
 inhabited, having been denuded of its population by the 
 ceaseless wars of the Matabele. 
 
 I may mention that Major Stabb, of the 32nd Light 
 Infantry, last year visited Matabeleland and the Victoria 
 Falls, and will be able to give information as to the social 
 condition of the Matabele. 
 
 Perhaps some of the sentences in this communication may 
 appear to be too strongly expressed. My apology must be 
 my sense of the magnitude and imminence of the question, 
 which alone could have induced me to write at all. — I 
 remain, with every expression of respect, your Excellency's 
 humble servant, John Mackenzie. 
 
 P.S. — For obvious reasons connected with my residence 
 in this country as a missionary, I beg that this letter be 
 regarded as a private communication. 
 
 At last the time came to which Mackenzie had 
 looked forward with so much dread, when he must 
 leave Shoshong and his much-loved mission station 
 there. The progress of the Institution buildings at 
 Kuruman had reached such a stage as to demand his 
 presence at that place. He would for himself have 
 much preferred to remain at Shoshong, and to carry 
 on there the work of the Institution as it was shaping 
 itself under his hands, and the work of the mission 
 station in which he was so largely assisted now by 
 Mr Hepburn. There had been staying with him for 
 some time the well-known Austrian traveller and man 
 of science, Dr Emil Holub, whose medical skill was 
 freely given to those in need, during his visits to 
 Shoshong. He threw himself with great energy into 
 the work of packing up all the belongings of the 
 Mackenzie family and loading the waggons with them. 
 On June 13th, 1876, the dreary feeling of the 
 travellers was expressed by Mrs Mackenzie to one 
 of their sons in this way : — 
 
 M
 
 178 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 This is post-day, and we are in the midst of packing. You 
 would be sorry if you saw the dear old house all but empty, 
 and an enormous buck-waggon filled with boxes at the door, 
 and another waiting to be filled, and our own waggon waiting 
 to be filled and furnished for their journey. We do not like 
 this moving any more than you do. To us Kuruman seems 
 a desert waste as compared with this, that to others seems so 
 dreary and inhospitable ; but we are going where duty calls 
 us, so we try to go through it contentedly and cheerfully. 
 
 The sorrow among the Bamangvvato was deep and 
 extensive. Not only the Christians felt themselves 
 bereft of their pastor and friend, but the ver}' heathen 
 knew that they were losing from the town one whom 
 their chief loved and whom all trusted. They ex- 
 pressed their grief in native fashion, numbers of them 
 turning out to watch the waggons as they moved 
 down through the kloof and the town out upon the 
 flat. Many of them, including Khame himself, rode 
 out for ten miles or more with the waggons, as an 
 evidence of their affection and their regret. As they 
 stood watching John Mackenzie go past, and saw their 
 chiefs sorrow expressed in word and look, they would 
 utter their soft and beautiful Sechuana farewells, 
 " Tsamaea sentle, Ra " — " Go nicely. Father " ; or 
 " Tsamaea ka pula, Ra " — " Go with rain. Father,"
 
 CHAPTER VII 
 
 THE MOFFAT INSTITUTION (1871-1882) 
 
 Wheresoever Protestant missions have been estab- 
 lished they have found it necessary to begin the 
 task of education ; and wheresoever they have been 
 carefully conducted, education of a thorough kind has 
 been made a prominent feature of their work. All 
 the more strange is it to find that in Bechuanaland 
 this part of missionary enterprise was for a long 
 number of years peculiarly neglected. This is not 
 the place to attempt to fix the responsibility for this 
 disastrous lack. Probably no one man or set of men 
 is responsible. Throughout the letters of missionaries 
 to the Directors and of Directors to the missionaries 
 we find frequent references to the matter of education 
 and the necessity for its development. And yet years 
 passed into decades, and the decades multiplied without 
 any one efficient school being established throughout 
 the whole of Bechuanaland. In each mission station 
 there was, of course, some school work done ; there 
 were always some natives who were learning to read, 
 and a few learned to read well. The chief Sechele, 
 for example, was wise enough to send his son Sebele 
 to Kuruman, where he received a good grounding from 
 Dr Moffat and his family, and he has been always 
 recognised as one of the best-educated Bechuanas. 
 But in no station or village was school work carried on 
 by men set apart for that work who were capable 
 of doing it thoroughly. One can only try to imagine 
 how great a difference it would have made to the 
 entire history of those tribes if, during all the years
 
 i8o JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 which passed before the general influx of Europeans 
 took place, the natives had been widely and thoroughly- 
 aroused to the desire for education. If those native 
 chiefs, and at a later date numerous native farmers 
 who owned valuable lands, had been able to read and 
 write well and had mastered the elements of arithmetic, 
 they would have been saved from many a cheat, and 
 would have retained for their own legitimate use 
 extensive and richly productive estates, which, through 
 their ignorance, they have lost. 
 
 As we have said, every missionary tried to do some- 
 thing in the way of education ; but in South Africa, 
 where so much time was lost in the making of long 
 journeys and in the putting up of houses and churches, 
 it was by no means easy to concentrate upon this 
 work, and still less easy to carry it far, single-handed 
 and burdened as the labourers were. The Directors 
 of the Society in London appear to have realised very 
 inadequately how much was needed to perform this 
 work, and how far behind Bechuanaland remained. 
 For even in the year 1875 their brilliant and powerful 
 foreign secretary, Dr Joseph Mullens, wrote to 
 Mackenzie, " It was for those rudimentals that we 
 want you to have a schoolmaster (not Mr X., but 
 a good native). We value our English missionaries, 
 and want to see them occupied in the highest duties 
 available to them." One hardly knows whether to be 
 amazed most at the notion that an English missionary 
 would not be doing the highest duty available if he 
 were engaged in Christian education, or at the 
 expectation that a native could be found to do the 
 work at that time in Bechuanaland. Concerning this 
 very sentence Mackenzie writes to his friend, the Rev. 
 James Ross, " There is not a single native taught by 
 the London Missionary Society in South Africa who is 
 at all qualified to do anything of the kind." 
 
 At last however, practical steps were taken at the
 
 THE MOFFAT INSTITUTION i8i 
 
 meeting of the Bechuanaland District Committee held 
 at Kuruman in January 1869. The Committee had 
 before them a letter from Dr Mullens, written in August 
 1868, in which a number of questions were submitted 
 for the consideration of the South African missionaries. 
 These questions included a request for proposals of 
 any new methods which might be employed to " call 
 out the zeal and consecration of individuals " in the 
 churches. To this the missionaries replied that effort 
 should be made to direct the minds of promising 
 young men " to the work of Christ," to " forward the 
 education of such as become interested in the matter, 
 with the view of their becoming schoolmasters and 
 native teachers," This general recommendation led 
 on to the specific and important demand for " the 
 speedy formation of an institution for the training of 
 native agents." The Committee further requested the 
 Directors to sanction the establishment of such an 
 institution, and to release " one of the missionaries 
 now in the country from his present duties," and to 
 appoint him as Tutor. It was recognised that the 
 Directors would have to provide an additional sum of 
 money annually for the expenses of this new work, 
 and they were reminded that the Rev. Robert Moffat 
 had " for some time past paid the Society the sum 
 of i!^40 per annum towards the support of such an 
 institution." The Directors responded favourably to 
 these proposals of their Bechuanaland agents, and 
 urged them to take the necessary steps for the 
 establishment of the Seminary which they had 
 proposed. 
 
 It was not, however, until the meeting of the Mis- 
 sionary Committee at Molepolole, in July 1871, that 
 this was found possible. But there, after another very 
 full discussion, it was resolved that at once " an insti- 
 tution for training evangelists and native ministers " 
 should be established. The report which they made
 
 1 82 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 to the Directors goes on to say, " Having submitted 
 the selection of a Tutor to the ballot, it was almost 
 unanimously decided to recommend the Rev. John 
 Mackenzie to the Directors for that office." ..." As 
 a temporary measure it was decided that the insti- 
 tution should be commenced on a small scale at 
 Shoshong, inasmuch as it is Mr Mackenzie's present 
 residence." Regulations were further drawn up with 
 regard to the admission of students and the course of 
 study through which they should be carried. Only 
 those were to be admitted who could read and write 
 Sechuana, and who had a fair knowledge of the Scrip- 
 tures. They must be suitably married, and bring their 
 wives and children with them for their period of study. 
 The course was at first only intended to last two years, 
 but it was found necessary to lengthen this to three. 
 In general the subjects taught were to include arith- 
 metic, geography, and history. Scripture exegesis, and 
 theology, as well as instruction and practice in the 
 making of addresses. 
 
 As soon, therefore, as Mackenzie reached Shoshong, 
 he began to arrange for the erection of buildings which 
 would be needed while the institution remained at 
 Shoshong. He and his brethren felt considerable diffi- 
 culty about his accepting the appointment, acting 
 upon it, and spending money upon the buildings, 
 before they received news of the approval of the 
 Directors in London. Already some signs of vacil- 
 lation in that quarter had caused them a little 
 hesitation. Nevertheless they had behind them the 
 explicit instructions of the Directors, and it seemed to 
 them only wise to begin the work at the earliest pos- 
 sible moment. Seven cottages were erected for the 
 students as well as a class-room ; and five students 
 were enrolled, these being selected with very great care. 
 
 Much to the relief of the Tutor and his brother 
 missionaries, the reply of the Directors to their pro-
 
 THE MOFFAT INSTITUTION 183 
 
 posals was a very cordial approval of all that they 
 had undertaken. The Directors suggested " that there 
 should be attached to " the institution " the honoured 
 name of the Rev. Robert Moffat." This suggestion 
 was well received, of course, by the missionaries, and 
 their approval was, if possible, made still more warm 
 by the news which arrived later that a proposal to 
 establish such an institution as a memorial of Dr 
 Moffat had awakened great interest throughout England 
 and Scotland. Churches and individuals began freely 
 to subscribe the necessary funds, and these increased 
 rapidly until, where the missionaries had hoped for 
 hundreds, they now heard that the institution was 
 supported by thousands of pounds. 
 
 Mackenzie found his first class of students to be on 
 the whole intelligent and earnest men ; and he re- 
 ported that they were very anxious to get on. The 
 fifth among them was Khamane, the second son of 
 Sekhome, who did not intend to become an evangelist ; 
 his career as a student was cut short by his subse- 
 quent political ambitions and disloyal intrigues against 
 his brother Khame. Throughout the remaining four 
 years of his residence at Shoshong, Mackenzie was 
 daily engrossed in this work, and deeply anxious to 
 fit his men in every way for the position which they 
 were afterwards to occupy. He trained them in the 
 work of building houses instead of huts, and other 
 practical affairs. He talked much with them con- 
 cerning the political excitements and changes in the 
 Bamangwato tribe, and strove, by direct precept as 
 well as example, to show them how they must avoid 
 in their future careers the danger of becoming parti- 
 sans, and yet how they must not shrink from de- 
 claring themselves the friends of righteousness on 
 every occasion. 
 
 In a letter written to the Secretary of the Society 
 he says : —
 
 1 84 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 Vou will be glad to hear that I feel encouraged with 
 reference to the work of the Institution. The six men 
 now at Shoshong work conscientiously, and are very anxious 
 to learn. I hope that moderate expectations with reference 
 to their future usefulness will not be disappointed. There is 
 a general feeling of curiosity in the country with reference to 
 them. What have they been learning ? Why was not one, 
 or at most two years, a long enough period to teach them in ? 
 The constant political changes among the Bamangwato have 
 supplied an occasion for the students to endeavour to exercise 
 that neutrality which is required of the messenger of the Cross 
 who is the friend of all parties. 
 
 When in 1876 the first four students passed the 
 final examinations of the Committee, and were 
 appointed to various important fields, it was felt 
 that a good beginning had been made with good 
 and intelligent men. Throughout their subsequent 
 years they most fully justified that hope. 
 
 The Bechuanaland Committee of Missionaries at 
 the first left the question of a permanent site for the 
 institution open, although the Directors in London 
 had from the beginning suggested that Kuruman 
 should be selected. In May 1873, the missionaries 
 decided that this was the wise course to pursue, and 
 sent a recommendation to London to that effect. To 
 their surprise they received a letter from London ask- 
 ing them to reconsider this decision. They carried 
 further their investigation into various possible sites, 
 and reconsidered the matter at Kuruman in May 
 1874. Once more they decided that Kuruman was 
 the only site that was available and, on the whole, 
 convenient. They proposed that buildings on a 
 moderate scale should at once be put up so as to 
 be ready for occupation in October 1875. They 
 also decided that if the institution was to be made a 
 permanent and an ever-growing success, a thoroughly 
 good Youths' School should also be established at 
 Kuruman.
 
 THE MOFFAT INSTITUTION 185 
 
 On this whole matter of the site for the institution 
 Mackenzie, while he supported the almost unanimous 
 decisions of his brethren and defended them, never 
 formed any very strong conviction of his own. He 
 was not at all enthusiastic about Kuruman, as it 
 seemed to him too far south, and yet he was unable 
 for various reasons to fix his mind upon any other 
 more suitable place. 
 
 So sure were the missionaries that the London 
 Directors would approve their action, that they ap- 
 pointed a sub-committee to superintend the work of 
 building. Mackenzie and Mr Ashton proceeded to 
 arrange for the gathering of material and the engage- 
 ment of workmen. The former went to Klerksdorp, 
 where builders were engaged. To the consternation 
 of all, a letter was received from the Directors which 
 forbade their proceeding farther with the work. The 
 letter was so emphatic that there seemed nothing to do 
 but to countermand all orders and break all contracts. 
 As one of the leading business men at Klerksdorp re- 
 marked, when he acted as intermediary in the cancelling 
 of engagements, " This affair in the eyes of an outsider 
 looks bad, and will more or less damage Mr Mackenzie in 
 the eyes of the workmen. ... It places Mr Mackenzie 
 in a very awkward position ; he will no doubt be 
 grieved, and may be a little angry, for being treated 
 in this manner." The reason for this unexpected 
 action seems to have been that at this time the 
 Directors began to receive so large a sum of money 
 for the Moffat Institution that they saw their way to 
 do something grander than the humble missionaries 
 on the field had intended. But it was very perplexing 
 and drew from Mackenzie a letter to Dr Mullens which 
 contained the following passages : — 
 
 I regret much, as Tutor of the Institution, that the erection of 
 the permanent buildings has been so long delayed. Indeed, 
 I believe at the time I write, absolutely nothing is being done
 
 i86 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 in the matter. At their meeting in April last the Committee 
 contemplated rearing the Tutor's house and the cottages for 
 married students, so that we could begin work at Kuruman 
 in October of the present year. The main building and 
 schoolmaster's house were to follow, after the fullest consulta- 
 tion with the Directors. The Co.mmittee's plan admitted of 
 being carried out piecemeal, and they availed themselves of 
 this. It was thought the approval of the Directors would be 
 to hand before an actual commencement would take place ; 
 and it was thought that there could be little difference of 
 opinion about the Tutor's house and the cottages, while we 
 knew, that as to the place itself, there was no other site 
 available. The movement had long been delayed ; it was 
 to be delayed no longer. Every member of the Committee 
 was interested in the work ; and everyone undertook some 
 work in connection with it. But (speaking for myself) I was 
 much pained to find that all this hearty work was crushed by 
 the Directors — I cannot think but ill-advisedly . 
 
 By this time business had been done, engagements made, 
 all which had now to be receded from, as far as possible. 
 This was unpleasant and humiliating work for grown-up men 
 to set about. But it was got through — with scant grace. 
 And the members of the Committee now naturally turned 
 their eyes to London. . . , 
 
 The Directors have announced their approval of Kuruman 
 as a site. A beautiful plan, based on that of the Committee, 
 has been sent out for the Committee's guidance ! This is 
 good news. At length the Directors and their Committee 
 see eye to eye. 1 pray earnestly that this may continue. 
 May nothing — may no one — come between the Directors 
 and their agents in the field ! May there be mutual helpful- 
 ness and mutual confidence ! 
 
 While the missionaries were discussing their modest 
 plans, the Directors had engaged Mr E. H. Robbins, 
 a London architect, to draw up plans for the Moffat 
 Institution. He carefully studied the topography of 
 Kuruman with Dr Moffat, making pencil sketches in 
 his presence, and then drew up plans for an institu- 
 tion such as the Directors and Dr Moffat had described 
 to him. These drawings he took to Dr Moffat for 
 his approval, and reported that " with a few slight
 
 THE MOFFAT INSTITUTION 187 
 
 alterations the plan met his view exactly." As soon 
 as possible these plans were sent out to Bechuana- 
 land, and the missionaries were instructed to erect 
 buildings as therein described. As a matter of fact 
 the designs were extravagant, and the careful Bechu- 
 analand District Committee reduced some of their 
 most expensive features, thereby saving hundreds, if 
 not several thousands, of pounds. 
 
 The work was begun under the superintendence 
 of the Rev. William Ashton in the year 1875. In 
 the following year Mackenzie decided that as the 
 buildings which he and his family would occupy must 
 be near completion, he ought, after attending the 
 Committee meeting at Molepolole, to go on to Kuru- 
 man and begin the new session where henceforth 
 his work was to be carried on. When all had been 
 arranged, and while he was engaged in the work of 
 packing, another letter arrived which amazed him 
 exceedingly. This letter suggested that he should 
 remain at Shoshong for two or three years longer, 
 " during these building operations at Kuruman." If 
 that had been the only reason or argument given 
 it might not have caused much surprise, but the 
 Secretary of the Society added a sentence or two 
 of which it was very hard to understand the real 
 significance. " We all identify you with Shoshong, 
 with the Bamangwato, with Macheng and Sekhome, 
 with Khame and Khamane, and with the great social 
 advance of the tribe. I can't bring myself to fancy 
 you at Kuruman, even in the important position 
 assigned you there. However, we shall see what 
 two or three years bring forth. And besides, you 
 are a man of so much weight and spirit that you 
 would find far too little to do in training two or three 
 novices ; you must of necessity spend a large portion 
 of time on rudimentals." These sentences certainly 
 seemed to contain the suggestion that the Directors
 
 i88 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 did not expect the institution to grow to much, and 
 that they did not desire very warmly that Mr Mac- 
 kenzie should leave his mission work at Shoshong 
 to be the Tutor at Kuruman. Much perplexed and 
 disturbed, Mackenzie nevertheless resolved to abide 
 by the decision of his brethren. They agreed that 
 he should, upon the explicit appointments and ap- 
 provals already given them by the Directors, proceed 
 to Kuruman. Here, then, he settled as Tutor of the 
 Moffat Institution in September 1876. 
 
 From this time until the end of 1878, John 
 Mackenzie found himself once more involved in 
 the irksome task of building. The extensive and 
 expensive plans which had been sent out by the 
 Directors from London would have required the 
 entire time of a fully qualified and salaried manager. 
 To save this expense the burden was laid upon the 
 Tutor of the Institution, who therefore endeavoured 
 to carry on his task of daily teaching and of superin- 
 tending the large works which were proceeding. He 
 had associated with him as consultants, the Rev, John 
 Brown and the Rev. A. J. Wookey ; but next to 
 himself, the man upon whom the heaviest burden fell, 
 was the Rev. William Ashton, who was now stationed 
 at Barkly. The letters which passed between Barkly 
 and Kuruman are innumerable, and deal with every 
 detail in the purchase and transport of material, the 
 engagement of workmen, the payment of wages, etc. 
 The work was carried on by these missionaries with 
 the greatest energy and unfailing patience, although 
 Mackenzie did confess to one of his sons that he 
 found it very hard to teach and to build at the same 
 time. It is a curious fact that for so long a period 
 the supreme work of teaching was allowed by the 
 Directors to be interfered with by the work of build- 
 ing, when the latter could have been carried out by 
 specialists. In a letter of that year (1 878) he gives
 
 THE MOFFAT INSTITUTION 189 
 
 a glimpse of his perplexities, inasmuch as he is com- 
 pelled to keep ox-waggons on the road between Kuru- 
 man and Kimberley and Barkly carrying necessary 
 materials. At one time six waggon-loads have accu- 
 mulated at Barkly, and yet nearer at hand lie says, 
 " It is all I can do to keep the masons and plasterers 
 supplied with straw, bricks, clay, etc." In still another 
 letter to his friend the Rev. G. D. Cullen of Edin- 
 burgh, he says, " I have under my - oversight nine 
 masons and plasterers, three carpenters, one squad of 
 brick-makers, two squads of reed cutters (reeds for 
 thatching), besides two classes of young men who 
 have just been examined by my brother missionaries." 
 His difficulties were not all merely mechanical, nor 
 were his worst troubles with the native workmen. 
 During the period of building, two of his contractors 
 died, another decamped. " Drunkenness," he says, 
 " among the European workmen has been one of the 
 difficulties with which I have had to contend ; and 
 I am sorry to say that natives are always found who 
 are willing to bring the brandy for these men, although 
 they have to go seventy miles for it." 
 
 At last, however, the work drew to a conclusion, 
 and in the month of January 1879, the tutor and 
 builder of the Moffat Institution was able to send 
 in a report to the Directors, which described the 
 structures as practically completed. It occurred to 
 him that it would be only fair to the subscribers in 
 Great Britain and to the Directors that they should 
 receive an independent and authoritative report of 
 these buildings. Through the kind assistance of 
 Major (afterwards Sir) Owen Lanyon, Administrator 
 of Griqualand West, he was fortunate in securing 
 the services of Sergeant-Major Ellison, who was at 
 that time in public service at Kimberley, and who 
 was highly qualified as builder and surveyor for this 
 work. He went to Kuruman, and very carefully
 
 iQO JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 investigated the entire series of buildings. In his 
 report, after describing each building in detail, 
 he adds : — 
 
 I have gone through the accounts and examined the in- 
 voices and bills for material and labour, also the agreements 
 for small contracts with the several men, and I consider there 
 is very great credit due to Mr Mackenzie, who has the manage- 
 ment of the whole works, for the zeal and ability with which 
 the several works have been carried out. He has spared 
 neither time nor trouble to get everything done at the most 
 reasonable cost. I have been for the last two years in charge 
 of the public works in Kimberley, and for fourteen years 
 superintending large works and buildings under Government, 
 at home, in the colonies ; and from my experience I have no 
 hesitation in stating that the works at Kuruman have, with a 
 few slight exceptions, been carried out in the most efficient 
 manner, reflecting very great credit to those concerned. 
 
 In his own final report, Mackenzie said, " Brethren, 
 I cannot say that the work which you devolved upon 
 me has been easy or pleasant ; I hope, however, that 
 it is work which will remain, and that a good educa- 
 tional work will be carried on within these buildings 
 long after we are forgotten." 
 
 The desire and great aim of the Bechuanaland 
 missionaries from the first had been for inexpensive 
 buildings and a sufficient staff, and this was very 
 specially emphasised on several occasions by Mac- 
 kenzie. As it was, they got expensive buildings 
 and an insufficient staff They had, however, been 
 compelled by the will of the Directors to enter upon 
 the extensive building enterprise which absorbed so 
 much energy during these valuable years. But they 
 were encouraged, even when they saw the cost of 
 the buildings to be approaching ^10,000, by receiv- 
 ing a letter from the Directors, in which they invited 
 the missionaries to consider and report on an enlarged 
 scheme of educational development. With great joy 
 they undertook this grateful task at the Bechuanaland
 
 THE MOFFAT INSTITUTION 191 
 
 District Committee meeting of February 1879. They 
 outlined a scheme for overtaking the work which the 
 institution, as now reared at Kuruman, seemed to 
 make both necessary and possible. In connection 
 with their suggestions, and in view of the beginnings 
 of retrenchment which the Directors began to propose 
 very soon after that proposal of enlargement, Mackenzie 
 wrote as follows : — 
 
 Kuruman, -md April 1879. 
 
 My Dear Dr Mullens, — Your communication of Feb, 
 6 arrived at Barkly while I was in that neighbourhood, travel- 
 ling for the benefit of my wife's health. 
 
 We were five weeks away from Kuruman, and I am happy 
 to say that Mrs Mackenzie has derived considerable benefit 
 from those great doctors, fresh air and change of scene. 
 
 The instructions of the Directors with reference to the 
 expenditure on tlie building of the Moffat Institution shall 
 be attended to. The carpenter and painter has not finished 
 his work. A\'hen he does so there will be a balance to pay 
 to him. Then one waggon-house has still to be roofed, and 
 the second waggon-house and mealie store has not yet made 
 much progress. But it is to be of sun-dried brick, with 
 thorn-wood roof, and will not, therefore, cost much. It 
 is of importance not only as a waggon-house and store- 
 room, but one end of it is to be appropriated to the boys 
 of the boarding school as a dormitory, as it is not advisable 
 that they should sleep in their class-room, if that could be 
 avoided. 
 
 I wait with anxiety your report concerning irrigation and 
 the raised furrow. (For which a skilled agriculturist had 
 been asked by the Committee.) I have the utmost sympathy 
 with the position of the officers and Directors of the Society 
 at this time of distress. Still I beg to remind the large- 
 minded and far-seeing friends of Christian work that our 
 beloved Society is on the threshold of a great work in 
 South Africa in connection with this Institution, a work 
 often attempted, but not hitherto attained to in this country, 
 but which the Society is carrying on with much advantage 
 to the natives in the South Seas, in Madagascar, and in 
 India. It is gratifying to read of instances of individual 
 liberality in stimulating to evangelistic effort, and the break- 
 ing up of new ground. Would to God some generous man
 
 192 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 would thus interest himself in your educational work here, 
 and enable you fairly to launch it, by sending out the 
 labourers still necessary to make up the Institution, and 
 necessary to carry on its operations successfully. If it 
 should come to be a question between sending out the 
 necessary staff of workers and sanctioning the outlay in 
 raising the dam, etc., by all means let us have the staff of 
 workers, and let us hope on for better times as to the 
 raised furrow ; that is if one or the other must be given 
 up. On no account give up the work in its broadness and 
 importance. It was delayed at least 07ie ge?ieration too long 
 in Bechuanaland ; in the name of our blessed Lord and 
 Master let it be delayed no longer. 
 
 I thank you for your kind expressions concerning the 
 services which, along with my brethren, I have been able to 
 render to the Society in the matter of its property at 
 Kuruman and elsewhere. I regret that we have not been 
 able to obtain a settlement as to the Eye of the Fountain 
 property. It may be of importance to remind you that when 
 Col. Warren spoke favourably of your claim to " the Eye," 
 it was with a distinct understanding that we should carry on 
 here a really good and serviceable educational and industrial 
 establishment for the benefit of the natives. 
 
 If you give the Institution the staff of men asked by the 
 Committee it would be possible — I had almost said easy — 
 for them so to arrange as that visits to the out-stations 
 should be paid by them after some kind of plan, and as a 
 break to them in their work of teaching — say once e\'ery three 
 or every four months. Thus it is not necessary to have a 
 European Missionary at Kuruman, who shall be only pastor. 
 Every Europeati connected with the Society at Kurumaft ought 
 to have a place and a 7vork on your Institution Staff, and that 
 Staff with the students will attend to the pastoral and 
 itinerating work of the district. I am willing to take the 
 responsibility of this as Tutor and Pastor of the Kuruman 
 Church; and I do this trusting to the co-operation of my 
 European co-workers here. 
 
 In the meantime, I have to report that there are now 
 scarcely any of the usual Langberg out-stations to visit, owing 
 to the " unsettled state of the country " to which you refer in 
 your concluding resolutions as an element which might cause 
 your arrangements to be open to revision. l'"or instance.
 
 THE MOFFAT INSTITUTION 193 
 
 many of the people of the Langberg are now hving at 
 Batlaros ; and the village of Hamohara, where a student 
 from the Institution had resided some three years, is now 
 removed to a spot within six miles of Kuruman, and is 
 regularly supplied by the students who have, in all, four 
 preaching stations which they regularly visit on Sunday. 
 
 The surprise and dismay of those upon the spot 
 may be imagined when, under a sudden change of 
 atmosphere in London, letters arrived from the 
 Directors which dwelt upon the expense of the 
 buildings, and criticised the smallness of the educa- 
 tional work. One of the periodical depressions had 
 come, affecting the income of the Society from the 
 churches, and the Directors did not feel themselves 
 in a position to pay for the staff of so lordly an 
 institution as they had erected at Kuruman. It 
 seemed to be held by some that an advanced theo- 
 logical college could be in a trice established in a 
 land where elementary education had not been 
 seriously tackled, and yet it was even hinted that the 
 teaching of English in the boys' school was a work 
 of supererogation. It was in answer to such a letter 
 that Mackenzie addressed the following words of 
 remonstrance : — 
 
 In making the remarks which follow, I am not to be 
 supposed to have little or no sympathy with the Directors of 
 the Society in their pecuniary difficulties. I am greatly 
 distressed on account of those difificulties, and especially that 
 they should occur at such a crisis as the present in the history 
 of this mission. As I understand the subject, the Directors 
 resolved to accomplish three objects in building the Moffat 
 Institution here. It may not be out of place to consider 
 how far these have been secured, or are in the Avay of being 
 secured, and good for all practical purposes. 
 
 I, Memorial to Dr Moffat. 
 
 I. Bricks, as proposed by local committee, were 
 exchanged for stone which was undoubtedly 
 more suitable for a memorial.
 
 194 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 2. While the general idea of the Committee's plan 
 was adhered to, Mr Robbins, in consultation with 
 Dr Moffat, changed, improved, and beautified 
 it very much. This also added to its suit- 
 ability as a memorial. But here also comes in 
 the second object of the Directors as announced 
 in the Foreign Secretary's letters at the time 
 the plan was sent out, viz. — 
 
 II. That the building itself should be an educator in the 
 country on account of the style of its architecture. 
 
 III. The third object, and the original one, upon which the 
 two former were engrafted by the Directors, Avas to supply 
 suitable premises for conducting a Theological Seminary and 
 a boarding school for boys. 
 
 Now, brethren, the two first of these objects, which have 
 entirely originated with you in England, have been secured 
 to a great extent, as you can see from Mr Ellison's plan : 
 although two wings remain to be built before your plan 
 would be a complete thing. But, in the meantime, here the 
 Memorial stands in good masonry and durable material, as a 
 thoroughly qualified inspector has certified to you ; here it 
 stands to perform its second or silent educational work. It 
 has already been instanced publicly in Kimberley by Sir 
 Bartle Frere, in laying the foundation stone of the Presby- 
 terian Church there, as a stimulus to well directed Christian 
 liberality. The first remark of skilled men such as Col. 
 Warren of the Royal Engineers, on first seeing the Institution, 
 has been one of unfeigned pleasure and surprise. They had 
 heard they were beautiful buildings ; they had expected some- 
 thing far short of what they saw. Such sums as ^20,000 
 and ^^25, 000 have been hazarded as "what it must have 
 cost : " and that, too, by practical men. As to the first two 
 objects therefore, the Directors have perfectly succeeded in 
 doing what they resolved to do. 
 
 As to the third object in view— the schools, cottages for 
 ten married students, and the two teachers' dwelling houses, 
 are very suitable. As summer residences they are perfect. 
 In the bitterly cold winter weather the height of the walls 
 (fourteen feet under beam), renders the schoolroom almost 
 unbearable to the natives : in the plan the height is fifteen 
 feet : the one foot of masonry taken off all round represents 
 a considerable saving in money. But every foot taken off 
 detracts from the gracefulness of the building as a Memorial,
 
 THE MOFFAT INSTITUTION 195 
 
 rendering it of a more homely cliaracter ; and it must always 
 be remembered that we were forbidden in the letter accom- 
 panying the plan to make important alterations in the plan 
 without the express sanction of the Directors. As the build- 
 ings made progress, and now more than two years ago, a 
 number of queries were sent out by the Directors accompanied 
 by an encouraging letter. We were asked to sketch out the 
 work which as a local committee we thought might be 
 advantageously carried on here ; and to give to the Directors 
 an idea of the cost. Most unfortunately our local committee 
 postponed its sitting for more than a year ; and when at 
 length it meets and sends home a sketch of the work which 
 might advantageously be carried on at Kuruman, I can only 
 say that it is not received in the spirit which was uppermost 
 in the Directors' minds when the sketch was asked for. This 
 leads me to wish that our committee meeting had been held 
 sooner, in the sunnier days when the questions concerning 
 our work here were put to us. The opposing ideas may be 
 put thus : " Having built such an expensive Institution we 
 shall spend no more money there whatever : we feel inclined 
 to think the money has been wasted." The reply to 
 which is : " Not a penny has been wasted, so far as reliable 
 evidence goes : only our wishes as Directors have been 
 carefully and skilfully carried out. Having built such an 
 expensive Institution, let us not suddenly stop short there \ 
 especially when a little further consideration and outlay 
 would complete a worthy scheme." The first mission-house 
 is empty : were a lady teacher at Kuruman now, she might 
 commence her work among the girls at once. Were a 
 printer sent out — a good man all round — // ivould be like 
 pumping life-blood into shru?tken veins. Acres on acres of 
 arable land are lying waste before our eyes ; it is usually 
 the first thing a traveller says, Why don't you reclaim that 
 morass ? The agriculturist would soon more than pay for 
 himself; and would place the property of the Society here 
 in such a position as that the special work carried on here 
 would be little or no expense to the general fund. Therefore, 
 dear brethren — 
 
 I. Send us a lady teacher in redemption of your o^vn pro- 
 posal — I believe in 1873 — when Miss Waterston offered her 
 services, and the Committee declined the offer, hoping to 
 get the services of (another lady).
 
 196 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 2. Send us a printer — because your mission at its present 
 state cannot make progress without one. 
 
 3. Send us an agriculturist — to save ?noney. 
 
 It was Mackenzie's profound conviction that the 
 greatest work could be done now for Bechuanaland, 
 so far as the Missionary Society was concerned, by 
 appointing a competent and adequate staff of teachers 
 and workers, who should co-operate at Kuruman in 
 laying the foundations for an educational system 
 over the whole country. With a thorough woman 
 teacher over a girls' boarding school, and with a good 
 boys' boarding school, efficient superintendence of the 
 printing office and development of the farming lands 
 which already belonged to the Society, as well as with 
 his own continuous labour among the students in the 
 Seminary, it was his conviction that a great enthusiasm 
 for education would be awakened throughout Bechu- 
 analand. Moreover, this craving could gradually be 
 satisfied in every town and village, as the Moffat 
 Institution year by year sent out intelligent and 
 devoted native teachers to spread the work abroad. 
 This staff of men and women would have had in 
 Kuruman and the surrounding villages a splendid 
 field upon which to employ their evangelistic energies 
 with greater concentration and continuity than had 
 been possible before. Even as it was, the Moffat 
 Institution sent out men upon whom Mackenzie had 
 directed his whole energy for three years each, and 
 this continued until he left the place in 1882. Most 
 of these men are labouring to-day all over Bechuana- 
 land, from the Orange River to the Zambesi. What 
 might have happened if the Directors had responded, 
 or had been able to respond, to the demands of the 
 Bechuanaland missionaries, if they had set themselves 
 with great energy to the development of this educa- 
 tional work, it is hard to say. Possibly this might 
 have made all the difference in Mackenzie's own plans
 
 THE MOFFAT INSTITUTION 197 
 
 and the important decisions which were so soon forced 
 upon him. The subsequent history of education at 
 Kuruman and in Bechuanaland would seem to indicate 
 that a great, a very great, opportunity was lost at this 
 time. 
 
 With the year 1879, when the buildings of the 
 institution were almost completed, Mackenzie assumed 
 the full charge of the Kuruman Mission Station. This 
 involved, of course, regular preaching, much organising 
 and constant pastoral work. As we shall see later, 
 disturbances among the natives lasted for the next 
 three years, and resulted in war against British forces ; 
 the whole country of South Bechuanaland was for long 
 kept in a miserable turmoil and unrest. This brought 
 upon the pastor of the Kuruman station an enormous 
 amount of spiritual as w^ell as political labour. It is 
 with the former that we are at present concerned. 
 More than two hundred pages of large size note-paper 
 remain, which are, for the most part, covered with notes 
 on individual cases, to prove the minuteness, the care 
 and the tenderness with which Mackenzie laboured 
 amongst the natives through those years. These 
 pages contain the names of candidates for baptism 
 inquirers and applicants for church membership, as 
 well as particulars of various kinds of discipline. The 
 student of religion and of society is, in the reading of 
 such notes, brought in a most vivid way to realise the 
 immense power which the Christian Church exerts in 
 a heathen land. The jottings show that on almost 
 the whole range of what we call the moral life, the 
 Church was the only institution in the Kuruman dis- 
 trict which could teach the principles of right living 
 and use forces that would help to secure it. The 
 pastor studies each case, notes down the salient points 
 of each personal history ; then he reports these to the 
 native deacons and discusses everything with them ; 
 then he presents them to the Church as a whole, and
 
 198 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 guides the Church to a right decision on Christian 
 grounds in relation to each man and woman whose 
 name is presented. These jottings comprise particu- 
 lars regarding the station in life, the education or 
 no-education, and the Christian experience, as well 
 as the moral standing of these Bechuana people. They 
 show that the tumult of the war had led many astray 
 into cattle-stealing and depredations of other kinds ; 
 even some church officers had for a time lost their 
 balance. These records prove again that one of tiie 
 greatest tasks of the Church in such a land is to 
 strengthen the marriage bond. Constantly cases of 
 desertion by husband or wife are recorded, and these 
 are dealt with by the Church. 
 
 It is when one reads the life-story of these mission- 
 aries in heathen and primitive lands that one realises 
 the breadth and the strength of grasp which the 
 Christian religion lays upon human society. The 
 missionary presents in his personality and in his 
 actual work that synthesis which some economic 
 students of our day discuss so much, and about 
 which a few of them have so many dreams. Here 
 is a man who at once is a builder of houses, showing 
 people a new ideal of permanence and beauty in the 
 structures which he rears ; he is at the same time the 
 agriculturist, giving them new ideas and desires in the 
 development of lands which have been for ages treated 
 as waste lands ; he is the teacher, labouring to awaken 
 the intellect of picked men and lead them at least into 
 the vestibule of the intellectual life ; he is also at the 
 same time, as we shall see, the ruler, who, for a long 
 time, actually represents the British Government among 
 them, and to whom natives of all classes come from 
 many towns in all directions for help, and to whom 
 Government ofificials look for information and for 
 advice ; he is also the preacher, proclaiming the 
 Gospel of the Grace of God in Christ Jesus, believing
 
 THE MOFFAT INSTITUTION 199 
 
 in his heart of hearts that that is the root and crown 
 of all human experience, and that all his other work 
 receives its true interpretation in the light of this 
 fundamental relationship ; and we see finally that he 
 is the spiritual shepherd of a very large flock, striving 
 to know each sheep by name and disposition, giving 
 every week many hours of his congested days to that 
 which he believes to be his supreme task, viz., dealing 
 with the characters of men and women in the light of 
 the Law of God and the Cross of Christ. 
 
 The following letter to the Directors was written 
 when the first and most acute stage of the disturbances 
 had passed away, and will, in Mackenzie's own words, 
 illustrate what has been said : — 
 
 KURUMAN, ist August 1879. 
 
 Rev. J. O. Whitehouse, Acting Foreign Sec'y, L.M.S. 
 
 My Dear Mr Whitehouse, — The Directors will 
 have understood that this station and neighbourhood has 
 been a rallying point and place of refuge for the natives 
 during the late disturbances. During the past year there 
 has been probably a larger population on the Kuruman 
 river-course than has been seen there since the time when 
 the Batlaping were united and living there. It is a matter 
 of thankfulness to us that we were enabled to hold on here 
 during the time of the disturbances : for the large congrega- 
 tion of people to which I have referred has assembled on 
 account of the proximity of this station, and the confidence 
 which the people of all classes have in those residing here. 
 
 Inasmuch as the people would soon separate and return to 
 their former places of abode, I judged it to be of great im- 
 portance to enter into all questions affecting their Christian 
 character and standing in the Church while the events were 
 fresh in people's minds, and before they broke up. 
 
 I therefore announced from the pulpit that I would devote 
 a certain portion of one day in the week to meet with any 
 refugee Church members who might wish to speak to me. 
 Up to the present time I have seen and examined over 160 
 connected with outside churches. Of these I have received 
 back into the Church 1 1 7 people, several of whom have 
 already removed to Griqualand and elsev/here with their
 
 200 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 certificate of membership in their possession. Of the 
 remaining number there are those who have been engaged 
 in aggressive warfare : and among them I am sorry to say 
 there are four deacons or teachers whose conduct has been 
 highly unsatisfactory. Two have been engaged in open 
 warfare of an aggressive nature, one having been persuaded 
 to join an attack on Campbell, the other to join a similar 
 attack on Griquatown. The latter had all but succeeded in 
 re-entering the Church through deception — he having striven 
 to keep it secret that he had been one of this party. Whilst 
 keeping back such men — over whom the old cattle-lifting 
 spirit has got the mastery — I have endeavoured to do so in 
 such a way as not to lead them to be unduly discouraged. 
 And I am happy to say that all who have called on me, and 
 who are still under discipline for the part they have taken in 
 the breach of at least the sixth and eighth Commandments, 
 show some symptoms of shame, and some of them, I trust, 
 of repentance for what they have done. 
 
 Several admirable cases of steadfastness came to my 
 knowledge during their examination, in which Christian 
 men had had the courage to oppose the war-party. Others 
 had been simply bewildered : others saw what was coming, 
 but were weak and half-hearted : others again actually used 
 their influence in the wrong direction. It is pleasant to 
 think of the village of Hamohara, with its teacher from this 
 Institution — in a small scale like Kuruman itself — as a place 
 of refuge for Europeans as well as for well-disposed natives. 
 When teacher and people actually left Hamohara, it w^as for 
 fear of the war-party among their own people, and they came 
 as a body and settled down in our neighbourhood here. 
 
 I shall give a single instance of the state of things which 
 obtained in this country last year. The village of Tlose, 
 25 miles east, presided over by old Molete its chief and 
 Holele his eldest son, was for a considerable time untainted 
 by the war spirit. Great kindness was shown to forlorn 
 Europeans who had escaped from the murderers at Daniel's 
 Kuil. Waggons were sent for survivors, and for their 
 property. Clothing and food were given to the destitute 
 Europeans by Holele, who did his best for them. But 
 some of the murderers themselves approached the town : 
 (iri(]uas fleeing from the I*]uropean forces also crept in. 
 There was no lack of beef at the encampments of these 
 strangers. They rode beautiful horses ; and it was here
 
 THE MOFFAT INSTITUTION 201 
 
 understood that horses and cattle were the property of the 
 white people. Holele protested ; old Molete spoke sharply ; 
 and soon these people would have had to seek other quarters. 
 But fresh arrivals took place — among them one of our native 
 teachers, an old man, along with another of Molete's friends. 
 Holele now found himself alone in his town : his father and 
 his own brothers went over to the war-party, and soon the 
 attack on Campbell was organised, and those engaged in 
 it departed from Tlose in spite of Holele's efforts to the 
 contrary. This change in the disposition of his father 
 Holele attributed to the evil counsels of a man called 
 Likatshane and our native teacher Jonathan, all of the 
 young men of whose family joined the attack on Campbell. 
 On his first arrival here Holele gave me an account of his 
 difficulties, and how he had left his own kith and kin and 
 had proceeded to Hamohara rather than be mixed up 
 with the cattle-lifting, etc. He also expressed his great 
 disappointment at the kind of influence which Jonathan 
 and the other men had had on his father. Time passed 
 on ; the cattle-lifters fell in the several engagements, or 
 gave themselves up, were fined or imprisoned, or otherwise 
 punished: and intimation was given that the refugee Christians 
 who wished to be recognised as Church members must call 
 on the missionary and explain to him their history during 
 the past few months. Among the rest came Jonathan, who 
 was confronted with the facts which I had learned, but without 
 mentioning the source of my information. At first he 
 demurred to the truth of the report which I had heard ; but 
 afterwards admitted his great shortcomings as a Christian 
 teacher at such a juncture. He said he saw now that he 
 might have done better. I was amused and gratified also, 
 to see the well-disposed Holele make his appearance one 
 day desiring a private interview, which I granted at once. 
 " About Jonathan, Sir ; I have come to say that I hope you 
 won't think too hardly of old Jonathan. My father and 
 brothers were greatly to blame ; I don't know what possessed 
 everybody at that time ; but I hope, Sir, you won't think too 
 hardly of old Jonathan." I went over the events which had 
 transpired, and asked if these things had taken place ? " Yes ; 
 they were all true." "Then," I said, " kindness to Jonathan 
 must teach him what harm he has done before we receive 
 him again among our number." I might give you many an 
 interesting story, as unfolded to me at these interviews ; but
 
 202 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 the above must suffice to describe the kind of thing with 
 which we have had to do. 
 
 I have just returned from paying a visit to Griquatown, 
 w^hich I undertook with a view to complete the work of re- 
 organization, and also to inquire on the spot into certain 
 charges brought by some of the Church members against 
 our teacher there, Jan Sepego. I found that the charges had 
 not been proved, although the conduct of Sepego had not 
 been altogether satisfactory. I was nearly a w'eek in Griqua- 
 town ; some four days at Daniel's Kuil, where we have now 
 a considerable number of Church members, being one 
 Sunday at each of these places. As I did most of the 
 travelling on horseback, my waggon following me, I was only 
 a fortnight away from home. Having heard all that they 
 had to say against one another at Griquatown, and seeing 
 that there was more ill-feeling than wrong-doing, I reached 
 down the large Dutch Bible from the pulpit and read to 
 them the text, "And forgive us our debts," etc. This had 
 the desired impression : the idea was startling that if they 
 were living unforgivingly they were not forgiven of God. At 
 length all had spoken in a friendly way except Sepego and 
 the woman who was his chief accuser — his chief helper as 
 she called herself. I read the verse again. The woman 
 said she would go home and think of it. Jan was silent. 
 Their hearts were sore — having spoken much against one 
 another. I asked how they proposed to live any length of 
 time not forgiving one another. Both rose as of one accord, 
 a good expression came into their faces, and they shook 
 hands over the past. I told them there, assembled as a 
 Church, that I had found things in such a state that I did 
 not feel it to be my duty to administer to them the ordinance 
 of the Lord's Supper on the occasion of that visit ; but that 
 I would endeavour to return in say three months, and that 
 then, if I found they were all living in love and good works 
 I should have pleasure in calling them together to com- 
 memorate their Saviour's death. 
 
 Wishing you much pleasure and satisfaction in your work 
 as Secretary during Dr Mullens' absence. — I remain, my dear 
 Mr Whitehouse, ever yours sincerely, 
 
 John Mackenzie. 
 
 When in 1882 Mackenzie left Kuruman for his 
 second visit to the homeland he little thouoht that he
 
 THE MOFFAT INSTITUTION 203 
 
 was starting on a furlough which would separate him 
 entirely and finally from his beloved work at Kuru- 
 man. He had already proved, as we shall describe 
 later, when temptation to forsake the Society and the 
 Institution came before him, how profound was his love 
 for that work. He especially valued the task assigned 
 to him to instruct and mould the men who were to 
 become the native ministers and teachers of their own 
 land. These men were selected from a large number 
 of applicants with very great care by the Seminary 
 Committee. They were picked men upon whom 
 great confidence could be placed, who had shown 
 themselves both intelligent and earnest in their 
 Christian faith. The care with which they were 
 selected and the determination not to run up expenses 
 had kept the numbers down, so that up to the year 
 1875 only six regular students had been admitted. 
 In 1875 and 1876 owing to the removal to Kuruman, 
 and the task of putting up the new cottages, no 
 students were admitted. But from that date the 
 numbers increased, so that in 1882, when he left his 
 work, Mackenzie had two classes which comprised in 
 all eight students. There was at that time every 
 prospect that the number would increase, for the 
 recent disturbances and the advent of large numbers 
 of white men had quickened the desire for learning, 
 and had made large numbers of Christians more 
 zealous than before. The future of the Institution 
 was bright indeed. But during the years i 879-1 881 
 he was drawn into another kind of work, which was 
 forced upon him by the political and social history of 
 South Bechuanaland. And that work, now appear- 
 ing to him as inevitable (but inevitable for the next 
 ten years), became the supreme and absorbing burden 
 of his heart.
 
 CHAPTER VIII 
 
 KURUMAN AN UNPAID ADMINISTRATOR 
 
 (1877-1879) 
 
 Great Britain for more than twenty years faithfully 
 observed her compact with the Transvaal Government 
 that she would not make treaties with any native 
 tribes north of the Vaal River. But two events 
 occurred which brought her, even against her will, into 
 relations with these tribes. In the first place, the 
 famous Keate Award, which was the result of a dis- 
 pute between the Transvaal and certain chiefs, fixed 
 or seemed to fix, a definite south-western boundary 
 for the South African Republic ; and, in the second 
 place, the annexation of Griqualand West, the territory 
 which included the Diamond Fields, extended British 
 territory north of the Orange River into Bechuanaland 
 itself In addition, we must reckon the rapid accu- 
 mulation of European inhabitants in the Diamond 
 F^ields district, with the increased stimulus which the}' 
 gave to farming operations as well as general com- 
 merce. More Europeans than ever spread themselves 
 over the country, and the work of sweeping the natives 
 out of the ownership of their lands proceeded apace. 
 Many were the stories of downright robbery which 
 were told from village to village, and which awoke 
 burning indignation in the hearts of native chiefs, who 
 saw their own prerogatives invaded as well as their 
 people wickedly impoverished. To make these ex- 
 periences somewhat vivid it may be well to cite two 
 instances, besides that which Mackenzie relates in 
 " Austral-Africa." ^ The first of these was minutely 
 
 ip. 117. 
 304
 
 AN UNPAID ADMINISTRATOR 205 
 
 investigated by Mackenzie at Kuruman in 1878. A 
 native, named Sebelego, owned a farm called Skuy 
 Fontein and held a title to it dated 1866, which in 
 the year 1877 he handed over to Mr Roper, the 
 British Civil Commissioner at Griquatown. Now, in 
 the year 1867 one Solomon Kok had coveted this 
 land and tried to establish a title by the well-known 
 land-grabber's method ; he simply proceeded to plough 
 part of it. This claim was disallowed by the Griqua 
 chief of that date. But as soon as the English 
 Government arrived the same man claimed this farm 
 under another name. The rival claims were of course 
 investigated by the British magistrate. To the con- 
 sternation of the poor native, in 1877, and after he 
 had given up his title, Solomon Kok brought him 
 before the magistrate's court at Griquatown on the 
 charge of burning his, Solomon's, hut and kraals, and 
 filling up certain wells. The only evidence produced 
 in support of the former charge was rendered by 
 immediate relatives of Solomon's, while Sebelego 
 pleaded not guilty. As to the second charge, he con- 
 fessed that he had filled up the wells, but explained 
 that they were on his own land, and had been origi- 
 nally opened by himself! For this he was fined the 
 large sum of £64 ; part of this he had to borrow ; 
 and, as usual, when he came to pay what he had 
 borrowed he found that a further charge was made 
 against him for expenses. The poor frightened man 
 was driven from pillar to post by schemes like this 
 and actually made a fugitive from his own property, 
 contrary to the law^ and against his will ! 
 
 Another example must be given as Mackenzie 
 described it to Col. Lanyon : — 
 
 Jantye (a native chief) has a ground for complaint which 
 he never fails to mention when I see him. The friendliness 
 of " Government " is very good, he admits ; but there is a 
 Mordecai sitting in the King's gate whose presence extracts
 
 2o6 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 all the pleasure and satisfaction which the kindness of your 
 
 Government would otherwise convey. Mordecai is Mr G 
 
 (a Dutchman), who, as you are aware, lost his case as a 
 claimant for Likatlong (Jantye's town) in the Land Court ; 
 and again in the Court of Appeal. But all this Jantye says 
 is in the " Kantoor," or Court-house ; outside the Court- 
 house and at Likatlong itself G still possesses Likatlong, 
 
 and says he means to stick to it. 
 
 It is almost beyond my powers of belief ; but it seems 
 when Luka, Jantye's son, came from the Interior he found 
 
 this G occupying his (Luka's) house, and told him to 
 
 leave it, as he had now returned and wanted his house. On 
 
 G , or his servant, refusing, Luka proceeded to put the 
 
 things outside and to take possession of his house, when he 
 was informed that the police were coming to apprehend him 
 for breaking the peace and assaulting a white man ! Luka 
 fled, and, I understand, has scarcely been over the line 
 since. 
 
 G has been repeatedly ordered or requested by 
 
 Jantye to leave ; but that person seems to have great con- 
 fidence in his power of staring Jantye out of countenance, 
 and declines to go. Impudence and brow-beating of this 
 kind ought to get their appropriate reward ; and I am sur- 
 prised that this fellow is still allowed to remain at Likat- 
 long against the wishes of Jantye, to the embittering of 
 native feeling against the Government, and to the discredit 
 of the English administration. The man has lost his case 
 in an English court after a fair trial. What would he have 
 more? 
 
 These incidents, when taken as examples of a pro- 
 cedure which was only too common, and which almost 
 invariably ended in the defeat of the native even 
 when he was a man of importance and education, 
 will account for the feelings of unusual distrust and 
 unrest which began in 1877 to make themselves felt 
 throughout South Bechuanaland. 
 
 Griqualand West, including Kimberley, was under 
 the administration of Colonel (afterwards Sir) Owen 
 Lanyon, who made it his aim to meet these growing 
 evils as fairly and firmly as possible. He was in con- 
 stant correspondence with the High Commissioner, Sir
 
 AN UNPAID ADMINISTRATOR 207 
 
 Bartle Frere, who also entered into the entire problem 
 of British relations towards border tribes with char- 
 acteristic insight and enthusiasm. He had reports 
 made to him from various directions in South Africa 
 upon this subject, and made up his mind on the main 
 issues involved with great clearness and assurance. 
 His convictions led to action which involved him in 
 the Zulu war and in other proceedings which awoke 
 criticism at home. Sir Bartle Frere was one of those 
 unfortunate Governors of South Africa who saw so 
 deep into British responsibility, and so far ahead into 
 coming history, that they outlined a policy at once 
 bold and intelligent. Because it was bold it began 
 with trouble ; because it was intelligent it would have 
 ended in peace, permanent and widespread. He it 
 was who in 1878 began to report to the home 
 Government on the condition of affairs in Bechuana- 
 land. In one passage he evidently agrees with those 
 who held " that it will be found necessary, sooner or 
 later, to extend the British dominions or protectorate, 
 in some form or other, over all the tribes between the 
 Orange River and Lake Ngami, and between the sea 
 and the present Transvaal frontier, and the longer it 
 is deferred the more troublesome will the operation 
 become." He adds the following vigorous and most 
 true observations : " By refusing to accept the position 
 of a protecting power, habitually acting as arbiter in 
 tribal disputes, we escape nothing save the name and 
 responsibility. Its reality is already incurred, and 
 when at length we unwillingly undertake the burden 
 of dominions, we shall find it greatly aggravated by 
 delay and neglect." ^ 
 
 In another despatch he shows his grasp of the facts 
 by pointing out that the establishment of two British 
 officers, say in Kuruman and Shoshong, " would enor- 
 mously strengthen the Transvaal and Griqualand West 
 1 C. 2220, p. 35.
 
 2o8 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 Governments." This was after the annexation of the 
 Transvaal. 
 
 Mackenzie became deeply interested in all these 
 occurrences, and was drawn into an ever-enlarging 
 correspondence with the British authorities upon the 
 subject. He, with the other missionaries, had long 
 given close attention to the question of land-owner- 
 ship among natives, and had induced many natives 
 to become farmers in a real sense of the term ; they 
 encouraged them to use the plough and to transport 
 their crops and drive their cattle to suitable markets. 
 Some natives succeeded in this, and their success was 
 very likely to spread and to create a community of 
 Bechuana stock-raisers and grain-producers, both pros- 
 perous and law-abiding. It was such men whom the 
 missionaries saw, to their chagrin and bitter disap- 
 pointment, ousted from their possessions and driven 
 into poverty and degradation. As a matter of fact, 
 these natives were sometimes so enterprising that 
 their influence was beginning to be felt upon the 
 Kimberley markets ; undoubtedly their very pros- 
 perity awoke the special resentment of their heredi- 
 tary foes, the Boers. 
 
 Colonel Lanyon had already begun to experience 
 serious trouble. Some of the Griquas, as well as 
 the Kaffirs who lived within his province, still resented 
 the displacement of the Griqua Government by the 
 British ; and their resentment was fanned by such 
 instances of wrong-doing as we have related, as well 
 as by the insolence of English officials and even of 
 policemen, who despised and humiliated them at every 
 turn. The bitter feeling became so widespread and 
 so strong that at last it broke out in open rebellion. 
 For the double purpose of helping to quell the re- 
 bellion, and to deal with the whole subject of land 
 claims. Colonel (afterwards Sir) Charles Warren, R.E., 
 was brought to Griqualand West.
 
 AN UNPAID ADMINISTRATOR 209 
 
 Meantime disaffection was rapidly becoming warfare 
 beyond the British border in Bechuanaland itself 
 Here matters were complicated by the fact that a 
 certain chief named Mankoroane had for some years 
 been officially recognised as " paramount chief," by 
 which Bechuanas understand one thing, while the 
 Boer and British Governments at that time under- 
 stood quite another. Among Bechuana tribes, what 
 we call paramountcy simply means the. dignity of the 
 chief whose standing by birth is the highest and whose 
 tribe is the strongest. If several tribes unite against 
 a common enemy he will be recognised as leader of 
 them all ; if a number of chiefs and head-men meet in 
 council he will naturally be their president. But 
 this paramountcy does not interfere with the complete 
 independence of the separate tribes, nor with the 
 authority of their chiefs within their own territories. 
 Paramountcy was vaguely supposed by Boers and 
 British at one time to imply much more than this, 
 so that treaties or agreements or purchases of land 
 arranged with the paramount chief were assumed — 
 absurdly, from the native point of view — to bind the 
 action of the separate tribes, or affect their ownership 
 of the soil. Now this Mankoroane, who really 
 belonged to a younger branch of the royal family 
 of the Batlaping tribes, was not at all loath to act 
 in line with the assumptions of these foreigners, 
 since they conferred on him much dignity, and 
 seemed to multiply his power. As soon as the 
 Transvaal was annexed by Great Britain in the 
 spring of 1877, Mankoroane, advised evidently by 
 certain Europeans who hoped to make much out of 
 their intrigue with him, issued a bombastic pro- 
 clamation. In this he calls himself " paramount 
 chief of the Batlaping nation and all other tribes 
 and peoples living within the limit of my country 
 as defined," etc. He proceeds to declare that the 
 
 o
 
 2IO JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 time had now come for laying aside the passive 
 attitude which he had maintained, " owing to my 
 august ally Queen Victoria's Government's advice ! " 
 The whole tone of the proclamation indicates the 
 determination in his mind to assert what he calls 
 his "rightful authority," even in places which, accord- 
 ing to native law, were beyond his jurisdiction. 
 Several of the native tribes of course defied him. 
 When therefore Colonel Lanyon asked Mankoroane 
 for permission to enter his territory at the head of 
 an armed force, in order to punish a certain chief 
 (Botlasitse) who had defied British authority within 
 British territory, and who at the same time resented 
 the so-styled paramount chief's assumption of authority 
 over him, Mankoroane gladly consented. This gave 
 him one more proof that his authority and power 
 were recognised. Colonel Lanyon undoubtedly had 
 a right to make this expedition, since Botlasitse had 
 carried off cattle from within British territory, and 
 in such a manner as, from the native point of view, 
 to make his act a declaration of war. 
 
 Into these local disturbances there was introduced 
 a very serious complication from the far east. The 
 apparent success of Sekukuni against the Boers had 
 become exaggerated as accounts of it spread across 
 the country. Agitators of a reckless kind did not 
 shrink from going about assuring the natives in the 
 Cape Colony, in Griqualand West, and in Bechuana- 
 land that it would not be impossible to drive the 
 white men out of their land, and that if they would 
 only rise at once, and all together, the great 
 deliverance could be accomplished. From village 
 to village these suggestions were whispered, and the 
 air became thick with schemings and threatenings 
 and personal ambitions. The chiefs of the various 
 Bechuana tribes of course differed in character 
 amongst themselves. Some, like Jantje of the
 
 AN UNPAID ADMINISTRATOR 211 
 
 Kuruman district, had long lived in more or less 
 close association with missionaries and other white 
 men, and were not easily deceived ; but others like 
 Luka, Jantje's own son, were of a wilder and more 
 adventurous spirit ; and yet others, like Morwe, were 
 wavering time-servers, ready to side with the victor. 
 A few successful cattle raids inflamed the greed, 
 and the success of one or two early skirmishes with 
 white men inflamed the pride of the disaffected chiefs. 
 Early in the year 1878, roused by the very evident 
 signs of a restless spirit and dark purposes among the 
 natives, Mackenzie wrote to Colonel Lanyon suggest- 
 ing that he should secure the appointment of a 
 Commissioner or Commissioners to reside with the 
 native chiefs who were near the border of Lanyon's 
 province. 
 
 At the present juncture it is of great importance that you 
 should have such an agent. Perhaps Taungs would be the 
 best place for him to reside at, but he ought occasionally 
 to visit the various chiefs on the line, and be able to 
 keep you informed of the state of things ; and if he were 
 the right stamp of man he would no doubt succeed in 
 keeping the chiefs out of scrapes. I am afraid that some 
 officials have expected raw natives at once to act like 
 Englishmen ; and if they don't, punish them for it. This 
 is a snobbish way of acting, and is not in accordance 
 with the true English mode of treating natives. The one 
 policy reminds one of the rude blow of a big, flat-headed 
 hammer ; the other is the quiet action of the thick, wedge- 
 end of a crow-bar. The one shatters everything to pieces ; 
 the other moves and changes without destroying. 
 
 Unfortunately, no such Commissioners were ap- 
 pointed, although one white man, Mr Samuel 
 Edwards, of distinguished South African experience, 
 was employed to gather information by Colonel 
 Lanyon. 
 
 While he was in Kimberley early in 1878, Mac- 
 kenzie saw a troop of volunteer soldiers leave to serve
 
 212 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 under Colonel Lanyon against certain marauders — 
 Kaal Kaffirs and Griquas — in the Province of Griqua- 
 land West. This troop was surprised by the enemy 
 and defeated with considerable loss. That was enough 
 to set the veldt on fire. Rumours of what was in the 
 native mind had of course reached the ears of various 
 missionaries ; but none of them believed that after all 
 these years of peaceful life and careful instruction the 
 natives of South Bechuanaland would attempt to meet 
 the might of the Briton. They even discounted the 
 effect of that little victory of the Griquas. Mackenzie's 
 confidence was shaken when one or two leading men 
 came to him at Kuruman, and in a confidential, dark- 
 faced whisper, said, " Monare, we do not want you to 
 be afraid. No harm will come to you or to your family." 
 This assurance of his own safety seemed to convince 
 him that the danger was greater than he had suspected. 
 Then, like a thunder-clap, fell the news upon Kuruman 
 that about sixty miles south-west, at a place called 
 Daniel's Kuil, a well-known and highly respected man 
 named Burness and his family had been murdered and 
 his farm looted. A white woman, whose husband was 
 away from home on a journey, had fled with her six 
 little children into the bush, and nothing was known 
 of their fate. The marauders were, of course, said to 
 be an army, and this murder was described as the signal 
 of a general war. Kuruman was to be the first point 
 of attack, and all the white men there and everywhere 
 else in South Bechuanaland were to be destroyed. The 
 neighbouring mission station at Motito had to be 
 abandoned by the resident missionary, Rev. A. J. 
 Wookey, who left with his family for Kuruman. When 
 on May 29th, 1878, they reached the latter place, 
 they found the European population in a state of great 
 alarm. The deserted mission station at Motito was 
 destroyed, and Kuruman was cut off from communica- 
 tion with the outer world.
 
 AN UNPAID ADMINISTRATOR 213 
 
 The European traders were naturally much per- 
 turbed, for it seemed as if they would soon be over- 
 whelmed and destroyed. They urged Mackenzie to 
 send a formal request to the British Government for 
 help, but this he declined to do. He held the doctrine 
 that the missionary who goes into a heathen land goes 
 at the risk of his life, and has no right to call upon 
 the home government for help when his life seems in 
 danger. And this is surely the doctrine most generally 
 held by British missionaries and statesmen. Whatever 
 other governments may have done, it has not been the 
 practice of the British Government to treat the murder 
 of missionaries by heathen peoples as calling for the 
 interference of the sovereign ; and yet, wherever it is 
 possible, that Government would of course be glad to 
 deliver any of its subjects from such a danger as that 
 which threatened the white people of Kuruman. 
 Although Mackenzie declined to send the petition 
 for help, he did not prevent others from acting on 
 their own convictions in the matter ; and such a 
 request was sent, although without his knowledge. 
 
 In the meantime it was decided that all the 
 Europeans should take refuge within the institution 
 buildings. It is a strange fact that when the natives 
 several years before saw these, as it appeared to them, 
 large and strong buildings being put up, they asked 
 one another what they could mean ; and the answer 
 seemed obvious, that these were not houses but strong- 
 holds, and that the white people were now taking 
 possession of their land for ever. This idea had, of 
 course, been carefully destroyed by the explanations 
 which Mackenzie gave to them concerning the real 
 purpose of the buildings, and their minds had become 
 accustomed to his explanation ; but many of them, 
 especially the dark-minded and heathen amongst 
 them, recurred to their former belief when they saw 
 that as soon as the buildings approached completion
 
 214 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 they became useful for the very purpose which they 
 had at first ascribed to them. There were no fewer 
 than twenty-six European men now living in the 
 institution buildings, besides women and children ; 
 every room in the Mackenzies' house was occupied. 
 
 When Morwe, the local chief, arrived with a band 
 of soldiers and pitched his camp within sight of the 
 institution, upon the old mission station of the Moffats, 
 it looked as if there was no escape from an actual battle. 
 Mackenzie, nevertheless, did not fear an attack at any 
 time. The buildings were too solid and strong to be 
 carried by storm by any number of natives so long as they 
 did not possess big guns. And moreover he felt cer- 
 tain from his intimate knowledge of these people, that 
 while they might have perpetrated a surprise massacre, 
 the publicity which their plottings had attained was 
 itself a most powerful deterrent. The real feeling of 
 the best of their own people was against their plot, 
 and against the infliction of any injury upon the mis- 
 sionaries. The chief danger was that some desperadoes 
 might set fire to the thatched roofs in the dark of 
 night. To prevent this all the men, including the 
 native students, who all remained thoroughly loyal, 
 were divided into groups and watched throughout the 
 entire night at every point of danger. 
 
 An act of courage was performed by Mackenzie 
 which astonished the natives. When one night some 
 horsemen arrived from Kimberley, he saw at once that 
 Morwe, whose scouts no doubt knew their number and 
 the hour of their arrival, would conclude that reinforce- 
 ments had been sent for ; Mackenzie resolved to walk 
 over to Morwe's camp and state the facts. The 
 traders and others were much alarmed and tried to 
 dissuade him. But he went right into the enemy's 
 camp, and announced that these men had come to see 
 them and make sure of their safety. He long after- 
 wards remembered vividly that on this adventure he
 
 AN UNPAID ADMINISTRATOR 215 
 
 saw what he had recognised on one or two occasions 
 at Shoshong, the passionate lust for blood looking at 
 him greedily from the eyes of native men. 
 
 In the end of June, Mackenzie wrote a letter to 
 his sister-in-law, Miss Douglas, rapidly reviewing the 
 situation in which he and his family found them- 
 selves : — 
 
 We are in a very critical state here. I don't mean as to our- 
 selves — although there are those who think that too. But the 
 people have gone absolutely mad on the subject of war and 
 of cattle-lifting. They are getting payment in kind. A large 
 English force is in Griqualand, and has completely scattered 
 the rebels there: and we hear that 200 men (Volunteers) 
 are on their way from the Fields to this place. Their object 
 is to secure the murderers of the Burnesses, and to get back 
 cattle stolen, or an equivalent for them. We are afraid they 
 may come to blows. The natives blustered greatly — while 
 the English were far away. But they are now changing 
 their tone, and no doubt by and by will be very humble. 
 I have done my very best for old Jantye the chief, or one of 
 the chiefs of the district. But it has been of no use, except 
 that the old man has turned round upon me, and denied 
 having written a certain letter to the English Government, in 
 which he promised to do his best to recover stolen property, 
 and to secure the perpetrators of the dreadful murder at 
 Daniel's Kuil, some fifty miles from here. They are all 
 here in his country, and no one lays hold of them. 
 
 You know, dear Bessie, I would be the last to spread any- 
 thing like an alarming report ; but there is no doubt that 
 there was a general movement in the native mind in Griqua- 
 land West and in the surrounding districts to rise upon the 
 white men and to massacre them. You need have no fear ; 
 the thing has come to light. But the traders are especially 
 uneasy about it : and there are some twenty-six Europeans 
 (men) now in the Institution : many of them having wives 
 and children also. 
 
 I hope Col. Lanyon will turn up while the Volunteers are 
 here, so that some permanent settlement may be come to. 
 I could not have supposed that the Bechuanas could have 
 been such fools as they have proved themselves in this matter. 
 It is also particularly distressing to hear that more than
 
 2i6 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 one of the murderers of the Burnesses is a baptised person 
 and member of this Kuruman church. May good govern- 
 ment be established in our midst and that speedily ! 
 
 The students turn out very well in this trying time. The 
 two eldest, who belong to this district, have particularly 
 exerted themselves to assist Jantye to do what is right. But 
 the old man has bad sons ; so he promised to do the right 
 thing, but alas ! has not performed it. 
 
 We still mount guard every night ; the students have one 
 of the stations to guard. We are afraid of fire, as the 
 Institution has a thatched roof — that is, every part except 
 the student's cottages, which are roofed with corrugated iron. 
 
 Had we been alone here, we should have gone on in our 
 usual way, but as there were a good many other missionaries 
 and others who considered themselves in danger (and perhaps 
 rightly), we could do nothing else than receive them here. 
 Ours is a place of refuge. We are non-combatants, of course. 
 But we have quietly made every preparation against attack, 
 but do not expect any will be made. 
 
 In another letter written a little later to his friend, 
 the Rev. James Ross, he again comments upon the 
 situation in the following manner : — 
 
 I have been waiting with much anxiety just now to know 
 what settlement Sir Bartle Frere and the English Government 
 will make in Bechuanaland after the fighting is over. 
 
 Here, as in other parts of the world, a few restless spirits in 
 " high life " can throw a whole country into war and confusion. 
 The body of the Bechuana people did not, and do not, want 
 to fight with the English. But others did ; and by and by 
 the foolish hope was more and more begotten generally in 
 the peoples' minds, that the English were being conquered 
 in some places, and could be conquered everywhere. They 
 would not listen to me here. Old Jantye did, but his son 
 Luka, the real ruler, laughed at my advice. Our country is 
 now in the hands of the English. We have an English 
 garrison here. The reign of feudalism is over. The question 
 is — What position are the body of the people, small farmers, 
 stock-grazers, etc., to occupy ? I have written a memorandum 
 propounding a bold and new plan (in this country) viz., to 
 give the farming population back their farms as tenants 
 under the Queen. This is in preference to the " location "
 
 AN UNPAID ADMINISTRATOR 217 
 
 plan which keeps the natives together in a pseudo-feudal 
 manner, professedly under the Queen, but really, as the last 
 war has shown, under their own chiefs. 
 
 I always was somewhat sanguine. It would be a great 
 pleasure to me, as I have no doubt it would be to you as an 
 onlooker, to have something to do with the great work of 
 showing practically hoiv the coalition between the two races 
 of Europeans and Africans can take place, with profit to 
 both sides, and with the minimum of friction and heart- 
 burning. 
 
 To treat an African other than as a nigger, destined to be 
 shot down by the white man, is odious to some. A wounded 
 commandant lying in my study, as a hospital, is of this 
 opinion. " Make a boundary line, and drive them over it, 
 and keep them over it, and don't care or heed what they do 
 over that line, and among one another ! " That is the old 
 Colonial policy, which caused, with other factors, some 
 half-a-dozen Kaffir wars. A step higher and better is the 
 location one, the present policy of the Cape, but one con- 
 cerning which there is considerable uneasiness and distrust 
 among those who administer the Government. To conquer 
 a country in Europe does not mean to drive out the body 
 of the people out of the land ; would not mean even to 
 degrade the farmer class, to make practically serfs of them. 
 But this is what it would mean here, if they don't change 
 their policy. 
 
 Mind, I hope they will. We could not have a better man 
 than Sir Bartle Frere, and Col. Lanyon is also a fair-minded 
 man. We shall see. 
 
 There is still fighting to be done. And there will come 
 what I consider the real tug of war, to devise a wise policy, 
 get the right men to carry it out, and get the people to 
 trust that you are sincere in what you are doing. Post 
 time. — Our love to you all, John Mackenzie. 
 
 Write soon. Don't be beat by a missionary. 
 
 When the Europeans at Kuruman took refuge in 
 the institution-buildings in their alarm, they hardly 
 realised the extent to which other people far from 
 them became alarmed on their behalf. At Kimberley 
 the excitement grew intense as rumours came flying 
 across the country announcing that the missionary
 
 2i8 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 and traders' families at Kuruman were cut off; and 
 later, that they had been attacked ; and later still, 
 that they were all murdered " except Mackenzie, and 
 Mackenzie had fled." The coolest and wisest men 
 of course distrusted these rumours, but the situation 
 was serious enough to call, as it seemed, for energetic 
 action. Mr Ford was accepted by Col. Lanyon as 
 the organiser and leader of a band of volunteers, who 
 rode quickly across the country to Kuruman. They 
 had a sharp battle with the natives at Ko, before they 
 reached their destination, in which some of the white 
 men were killed, and Commandant Ford and his son, 
 along with others, were severely wounded. The 
 wounded men were taken to the institution-buildings 
 at Kuruman, and henceforth for months the home of 
 the Mackenzies and other rooms of the institution 
 were occupied by wounded soldiers, who were brought 
 thither from one fight after another. Poor Ford and 
 his son lay together in Mackenzie's study, and there 
 the young man died. At a later date, one of the 
 wounded bore the well-known name of Arnold, being 
 a grandson of Dr Arnold of Rugby, and brother of 
 Mrs Humphry Ward. He died of his wound, and 
 was laid to rest in the little mission cemetery. 
 
 The victory at Ko still further roused the hopes of 
 the wilder natives, and great confusion resulted. Many 
 of the rebels in Griqualand West, consisting of Kaal 
 Kaffirs and Griquas, had already fled northwards and 
 westwards through the Kuruman district, driving large 
 numbers of cattle which they had stolen from British 
 subjects ; among their number were the murderers of 
 the Burnesses. They found a ready ally in Luka, the 
 bad son of Jantyc, and he with them brought pressure 
 to bear upon many of the peace-loving Bechuanas, 
 forcing them into outward alliance with themselves. 
 Luka was very indignant when Mackenzie sent mes- 
 sengers from Kuruman amongst his followers, with
 
 AN UNPAID ADMINISTRATOR 219 
 
 the broad and open announcement that they were 
 all blundering, and that it was his wish that all who 
 had no personal desire to fight should at once forsake 
 Luka and return to their homes. The result of this 
 message was a large decrease in the followers of Luka. 
 But the victory at Ko had produced another and 
 opposite effect, for it brought Colonel Lanyon and 
 Colonel Warren immediately upon the field. With- 
 out hesitation they now passed across the border 
 into South Bechuanaland with a sufficient force to 
 carry all before them. They came avowedly upon 
 a punitive expedition, and one which, according to 
 native law and custom, they had every right in the 
 circumstances to make. Their immediate purpose 
 of course was to deal with the Griqualand rebels and 
 the murderers of the Burnesses ; but as we shall see, 
 when they found themselves actually in Bechuanaland, 
 the extent of their operations spread from town to town 
 as the Griquas fled before them ; and their own task 
 was changed insensibly, and even beyond their pur- 
 pose, from that of a punitive expedition, to that of 
 a peace-making and re-organising administration. As 
 Colonel Warren in the ensuing months pursued the 
 Griquas and other rebels from place to place, he 
 found that the spirit of war had laid hold of con- 
 siderable numbers of the Bechuana people. Several 
 sharp engagements took place. It was the object 
 of Colonel Warren to be at once severe and kindly ; 
 severe towards the real objects of his pursuit, and 
 kindly towards all who submitted and brought their 
 pleas before him. It is safe to say that few soldiers 
 have ever succeeded so well as he did in carrying out 
 this double policy. Mackenzie appreciated his work 
 in the very warmest manner, and he was able to 
 point to it ever after as having produced upon the 
 native mind a profound sense of the fairness of the 
 Queen's representatives, who desired only to punish
 
 220 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 wrong-doing, and not to rob anyone of life or pro- 
 perty. The work of Colonel Warren went far to 
 confirm Mackenzie's faith in the effect of a direct 
 Imperial control of native territories. It was found 
 necessary to leave small bodies of border police at 
 various points, while the chief force was placed at 
 Batlaros, about ten miles from Kuruman, under 
 Major Stanley Lowe, This officer remained in the 
 country for about three years, and he too gained the 
 warm approval and goodwill of all who watched his 
 methods of dealing, alike with the natives on one 
 hand, and with the invading European farm-seekers 
 on the other. 
 
 From the first entrance of the British officers and 
 their men into Bechuanaland, the labours of Mackenzie 
 were enormously increased. He carried on, with very 
 little interruption, after November 1878, his full work 
 as tutor of the institution and pastor of the Kuruman 
 church and district. But in addition he was now forced 
 to undertake work of a political nature. It was inevit- 
 able. To him the white men and the natives alike 
 looked for information and advice. He received, some- 
 times daily, letters from Major Lowe and Colonel 
 Warren, advising" him of their movements, informing 
 him concerning the natives with whom they dealt, 
 asking him to take various steps which seemed neces- 
 sary in order to pacify hostile leaders, and to win 
 over wavering chiefs, and to investigate the evidence 
 for complaints which were brought before them for 
 adjustment. To him also the native chiefs came, or 
 sent messengers, stating their troubles, defending them- 
 selves from crimes of which they were accused, or 
 seeking some way of repentance. 
 
 This work received official recognition in the follow- 
 ing manner. On August ist, 1878, he addressed a letter 
 to Colonel Lanyon, as Administrator of the Province 
 of Griqualand West, and the invader of Bechuanaland,
 
 AN UNPAID ADMINISTRATOR 221 
 
 frankly placing the circumstances of the country before 
 him. It seemed to him that since the power of the 
 chiefs was broken, and British officers were now, even 
 against their wills, de facto rulers of the country, it 
 was their duty to plan for the future. How were the 
 natives to be treated under these altered circumstances ? 
 The two plans previously employed by Europeans in 
 South Africa were described as follows : — The first says, 
 " Having conquered the natives, deprive them of their 
 country, and let them go elsewhere, or hire themselves 
 out as labourers. This is the old plan, and it always led 
 to war." The second plan, which had been adopted in 
 recent years by the English Government, consists in 
 assigning to every native tribe its own location, where, 
 under the general protection of the English, they live 
 practically very much as they did before. This plan, so 
 largely employed in Natal and in some parts of the 
 Transvaal, has its own peculiar and real dangers ; for, in 
 the first place, it perpetuates the tribal or clannish manner 
 of life, and, inasmuch as the population increases more 
 rapidly under this system, and no effort is made to 
 advance them in education and civilisation, a dark and 
 dangerous heathenism is perpetuated in the very midst 
 of a European country. 
 
 Mackenzie urged that a new plan was evidently 
 necessary ; one which, on the one hand, would avoid 
 permanent continuance of the tribe, and bring the 
 people directly under British control, and, on the other 
 hand, would not degrade a people who already were 
 mounting visibly and steadily towards civilisation. 
 He could point to the fact that already among the 
 Bechuanas there were to be found a large number of 
 men who constituted a farming class. These men led 
 out water from their fountains, and annually raised a 
 little wheat as well as Kaffir corn and " mealies." 
 This work of irrigation meant, in some cases, much 
 hard work. " Surely," he urged, " these men have a
 
 222 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 right to go on as farmers. Why should they be 
 degraded as a class ? They hold their fountains 
 under some kind of tenure from their chiefs ; let 
 them continue to farm under such tenure as might be 
 arranged." His proposal was, that to all natives who 
 could show that they had actually tilled the soil, 
 leases should be granted for a period of say ten years, 
 during which they would pay rental, and at the end of 
 which their standing could be carefully revised. An 
 essential feature of the scheme was that not more than 
 say six or eight huts should be built on one farm. This 
 would effectually prevent an ambitious chief from 
 attempting to collect a large number of poorer or 
 weaker people around him as his vassals or slaves. It 
 would thus break down the tribal system, without 
 injustice or hardship. There was another essential 
 feature of the scheme, that the leases should be un- 
 saleable, which would protect the tenant-farmer class 
 of natives from being imposed upon and robbed by 
 clever and unscrupulous land-jobbers and land-agents. 
 Practically Mackenzie said, Treat these people as 
 children who need paternal care ; watch over them 
 until they are further educated and able, in ten or 
 twenty years, to manage their own affairs without the 
 immediate tutelage of a white officer. At the same 
 time he made it clear, now and later, with great 
 frequency and carefulness, that he was no indis- 
 criminate lover of the blacks, that he did not seek to 
 pet them or treat them with undue consideration, as 
 he was afterwards so often accused of doing. He 
 insisted, on the contrary, that every native who proved 
 himself unworthy of his lease should be ejected. " Let 
 him sink to his own level among the inferior labouring 
 class." What this missionary stood for and demanded 
 was simply justice, bare justice to a class whom he 
 and many others had laboured for many years to 
 uplift, and who were being visibly and confessedly
 
 AN UNPAID ADMINISTRATOR 223 
 
 raised to a higher rank in hfe. As he pointed out in 
 a later communication, the reports upon the state of 
 Bechuanaland, made by unbiassed and careful English 
 officers, showed that many of the natives were now 
 living, " practically much after the mode of the Dutch 
 Boers." There can be no doubt that many of these 
 natives were beginning to read and to write, to plough 
 the land, and to prepare their cattle for the market, 
 which means that they were as civilised as many of 
 those ignorant Boers and other Europeans who rushed 
 in upon their lands and drove them from possession 
 of their farms. And they were very often better men. 
 The only conceivable reason that could be given in 
 justification of this process of civilising South Africa 
 by robbing the natives of their farms, was that the 
 one set of men were white and the others black. 
 Mackenzie claimed that this reason ought henceforth 
 to be condemned by the British Government, and its 
 operation made impossible by a new departure in 
 policy. And yet he only claimed justice, bare justice, 
 for men who occupied or owned farm lands, diligently 
 tilling the soil and disposing of the produce in a 
 civilised manner. 
 
 Colonel Lanyon, while he was in Kuruman, held 
 many long and earnest conversations with Mackenzie 
 about these matters. He, of course, urged against the 
 assumption of the government of South Bechuanaland, 
 that the British people disliked any more annexation, 
 and that many of them were sensitive about interfering 
 with the inherited rights of the native chiefs and tribes. 
 To this the convincing answer was given in a twofold 
 manner. Bechuanaland was not and never would be 
 fully occupied by the natives themselves ; there was 
 abundant room for both Europeans and natives ; but, 
 on the other hand, " the word annexation is misleading. 
 The real movement is that which is happening before 
 our eyes, in the country, in the spread of the whites.
 
 224 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 That is the annexation ! " What therefore he con- 
 tended for was simply the formal and authoritative 
 regulation of an annexation which neither native 
 chiefs nor European governments could put a stop 
 to, which was " happening before our eyes." No way 
 could be found which would more certainly dispossess 
 the natives of their land than for England to refuse to 
 occupy the country. No way could be found more 
 certainly to conserve the rights of the natives and to 
 uplift them than by sending British officers and magis- 
 trates to see that bare justice was done between the 
 white man and black. 
 
 The result of these communications and conversa- 
 tions was that in September 1878, Colonel Lanyon 
 asked Mackenzie to aid the Government by acting as 
 its agent in Bechuanaland. The following was his 
 reply : — 
 
 With reference to your proposal or inquiry as to my 
 assisting the Government in the settlement of the country, 
 I have given the matter my best consideration ; and the 
 following are some of my thoughts on the subject. 
 
 If there is one name more hateful than another to a native 
 of this part of the country, it is that of agent, " ah-gent " as 
 they call it. For a missionary to leave his work and become 
 an " agent," would be to descend to another level in native 
 eyes ; he might be better or worse than other agents, he 
 would not be regarded by them any longer as their fast and 
 trusted friend. 
 
 But, if I understand you aright, you do not propose that I 
 should appear to the people in any other capacity than their 
 missionary and trusted adviser. If this is so, I am willing to 
 place whatever influence, etc., I may have, at the service of 
 the Government. Indeed the work which you sketch — of 
 carrying through a plan by which the Bechuanas can become 
 accustomed to British rule and, at the same time, go on 
 making progress in agriculture, etc. — is, perhaps, at present, 
 the most urgent undertaking connected with the welfare of 
 the natives. Once done well in one district, this work could 
 be copied elsewhere with local modifications. Tribes in the 
 interior would scrutinize it, and I hope, see its advantages.
 
 AN UNPAID ADMINISTRATOR 225 
 
 Now, speaking frankly, I should be glad and thankful to be 
 connected with such a work ; and feel that thus I should be 
 doing a permanent service to both Europeans and Bechuanas. 
 You see that I have full confidence in the sincerity and the 
 good intentions of the Government, that it is their wish that 
 the Bechuanas should take root in the country and occupy it. 
 
 Were it possible that this could be changed and that 
 retrogressive measures should be adopted, with the view of 
 driving the natives out of the country, the Government could, 
 of course, expect no assistance from me in carrying out such 
 a policy. 
 
 If then Sir Bartle Frere as representing the Imperial 
 Government, joins in your view that while discharging my 
 work as Tutor in the Moffat Institution, etc., I could be 
 of use to the Government in the present peculiar state of 
 affairs in Bechuanaland, I am willing to meet these views and 
 do my best in the service of the Government. The fact 
 that the best and most influential young men among the 
 Bechuanas are under my care as Tutor and that native 
 ministers who have been in the Institution, are anxious to 
 keep up intercourse with their old teacher, are all means 
 which might be used for the good of the people. 
 
 (You will remember that Matsau, our minister at Man- 
 koroane's, of his own accord rode through on horseback, to 
 be with us in our difficulties when shut up here, — as soon as 
 he arrived, quietly taking his turn as sentry, etc., as if he 
 were still a student.) 
 
 Stipulating that I must not be called an " agent " (ah-gent) 
 — that the duties expected of me will be such as could be 
 performed along with those I am now discharging, and that 
 the work to be done will be such as is sketched in your 
 letter ; generally to induce the Bechuanas to settle in Bechu- 
 analand, under the Queen, in some such way as in the scheme 
 I had the honour to forward to your Excellency some time 
 ago — I am willing to accede to your proposal, if it is deemed 
 advisable, and to give the Imperial Government my hearty 
 and earnest service. 
 
 I thank you for the compliment involved in the proposal ; 
 and pray that if the work is given me to do you may have no 
 cause to regret that you made it. 
 
 From this time forward, for about eighteen months 
 semi-officially, and down to April 1882, actually,
 
 226 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 Mackenzie carried on the work thus undertaken at the 
 instance of the Administrator of Griqualand West. 
 As he afterwards explained to the Directors of the 
 Society, he never allowed this to interfere with his 
 distinctively spiritual and educational responsibilities ; 
 although he felt in his heart of hearts that it was 
 work which some one must undertake, if the conditions 
 were to be preserved under which the mission work in 
 Bechuanaland could be most successfully carried on. 
 Moreover, he found that far from interfering with his 
 influence as a missionary, the kind of work which he 
 did enormously increased it ; for the natives now saw 
 in him a man, who not only preached the Gospel and 
 not only advised faith in the English Government, but 
 who himself acted effectively and authoritatively as 
 their friend. Wherever he saw wrong-doing, in white 
 or black, he rebuked it ; wherever a black man robbed 
 a white farmer, or a white land-grabber coerced a 
 black farmer, he stood unflinchingly for justice and 
 righteousness. Such work could only raise the esteem 
 of the natives for the missionaries and for the religion 
 which they professed. It also carried Mackenzie's 
 name over the Transvaal, where the true significance 
 of his policy was well understood, far better indeed 
 than at Government House, Cape Town, or in London ; 
 and where the ultimate issues of that policy were alike 
 foreseen and feared. Only let Mackenzie do what he 
 was now doing for another ten years, and Bechuana 
 farmers in South Bechuanaland would be as firmly 
 established in their ownership, and as prosperous, as 
 most Boer farmers were then in the Transvaal. 
 
 It should be added that for all the work which he 
 thus performed Mackenzie never asked, and was never 
 offered, any compensation by the Government which 
 he served.
 
 CHAPTER IX 
 
 KURUMAN — JOHN MACKENZIE'S CHOICE (l 879- I 882) 
 
 The hard work of 1878 extended into -1879. ^" ^^^^ 
 year the number of students was considerably increased, 
 and at the same time the political work was multiplied. 
 Mackenzie's devotion to missionary labours was not 
 curtailed by the continual consultations which went 
 on between him and native chiefs and farmers on the 
 one hand, and British officers on the other. He con- 
 tinued to discuss, of course, the political problems of 
 the situation both in letters and in conversation with 
 Colonel Lanyon and Colonel Warren. He also for- 
 warded to Sir Bartle Frere a memorandum containing 
 a certain plan for the government of Bechuanaland, 
 which he had been gradually working out in his own 
 mind, and which the experience of these months, as 
 well as his complete knowledge of native laws and the 
 native mind, proved to be thoroughly practical. This 
 scheme was described by him in many various forms 
 at various times ; but nowhere with more clearness 
 than in a letter which he drafted for the Bechuana- 
 land District Committee of missionaries, v/hich they 
 adopted and sent to Sir Bartle Frere. They did this in 
 answer to a request from His Excellency for suggestions 
 regarding measures which they thought calculated to pro- 
 mote the advancement of the races amongst which they 
 laboured. Before giving this document, it may be well 
 to emphasise the point that the main source of trouble 
 among South African races had ever been the question 
 of land tenure. From the days when the first Dutch- 
 men began to graze their herds and dig their (hardens
 
 228 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 on the lands around Cape Town, which Hottentots had 
 previously used as their own, down to the days when 
 Boer commandoes picked quarrels with native chiefs, 
 then fought them and seized their fountains, dispossess- 
 ing them of their lands, and making it illegal henceforth 
 that one of their colour should own land in his own 
 country ; or when English land-jobbers made natives 
 drunk and got them to sign away their property under 
 the influence of liquor, or drew up deeds of sale in Eng- 
 lish, which they professed to translate into Sechuana, 
 and persuaded the native to sign, under the impression 
 that they were deeds of another kind — these poor, 
 ignorant, and yet often intelligent, sometimes hard- 
 working and trustworthy, men, had been steadily 
 deprived of all rights, and had been made practically 
 serfs under the white man's rule. Their original land 
 system was a simple form of feudalism. The land 
 belonged to the people, the chief assigned to each his 
 fountain and his garden ; but land, according to native 
 law, was inalienable, and all deeds of sale to white men 
 were therefore in fact illegal, and all to whom land was 
 assigned must render military service to their chief 
 But this system was now broken down, for the chiefs 
 had lost their power, and the strongest took what he 
 desired, and there was no law. 
 
 The method which Mackenzie proposed was intended 
 to make the transition, from the broken-down feudal- 
 ism to the European method of private ownership in 
 land, entirely safe for those native peoples. But let 
 this be described in the language adopted by the 
 missionaries of Bechuanaland, and communicated by 
 them to Sir Bartle Frere. The following is part of 
 their document : — 
 
 I. Our first suggestion has reference to the land. We 
 submit that both Griquas and Bechuanas stand on an 
 entirely different platform as to civilisation from that 
 occupied by Kaal Kaffirs or by Zulus. It is no exaggera-
 
 JOHN MACKENZIE'S CHOICE 229 
 
 tion to say, and your ofificers who have made acquaintance 
 with the country, will bear us out in the assertion, that 
 the population affected by the war in and around Griqua- 
 land West, have attained a respectable position as to 
 civilization. 
 
 II. In their dwellings, in their gardens and corn-fields, 
 in their possessions, in their clothing and personal habits, 
 you have infallible evidence that the people have long left 
 the ranks of heathen. Let the spoils of Langberg, Gamoperi, 
 Takong, etc., testify whether or not the English were fighting 
 with people who had a right to be called civilized. 
 
 III. Many of the fountains of South Bechuanaland have 
 already been opened up and led out by the people. Indeed, 
 Bechuana society had reached an interesting crisis before the 
 war. The people, who were devoting more and more of their 
 time to farming, were constantly harassed by their chiefs, who 
 wished them to live together in the town in the old style. 
 Missionaries advised the chiefs to yield to the inevitable and 
 sanction this farming, or scattered life, among their people, 
 with the understanding that they all came in from their farms 
 once or twice in a year. 
 
 IV. Having then to deal with people in this condition, we 
 respectfully submit that they ought to meet with treatment 
 corresponding to their degree of advancement, and not having 
 reference to their colour. 
 
 V. Those who have made themselves acquainted with the 
 conditions of these people, prior to the advent of missionaries 
 among them, and contrast that with their position in 1878, 
 will be encouraged with reference to their capability of improve- 
 ment. Indeed, such a glance at the past of the people would 
 encourage a just mind to hold out to them inducements to 
 follow the same peaceful and industrious manner of life which 
 has been characteristic of many of the people. 
 
 VI. Proceeding upon the supposition that the country 
 comes under the English Government, we would respect- 
 fully suggest — 
 
 1. That, except in special cases, such as chiefs or 
 
 other men who have made themselves obnoxious, 
 natives who have been in occupation of an irri- 
 gable garden or small farm, be placed in similar 
 circumstances under the English Government. 
 
 2. We do not recommend that saleable title-deeds to 
 
 farms be given to Eechuanas. The land has
 
 230 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 hitherto belonged to the tribe as such, and has 
 been unsaleable. We would propose that a similar 
 law should still obtain ; that is, that natives who 
 have irrigable gardens or small farms should 
 obtain a lease of them under the English 
 Government for a certain number of years, say 
 ten ; and that under this lease they pay an 
 annual rental to Government as landlord. 
 That it be understood that there shall be no 
 eviction at the end of the lease, if the tenant 
 has conducted himself well, and has cultivated 
 his ground in an industrious manner ; but that if 
 the opposite has been the case, if the farm has been 
 neglected, or criminal charges have been preferred 
 against the occupant, that the officer of Govern- 
 ment appointed to such questions have the 
 power to refuse a renewal of the lease, should 
 he on the whole decide to do so. 
 
 VII. The Committee anticipate that a plan of this 
 description would effectually obviate the numerous and 
 serious difficulties which immediately ari^e, when speculators 
 in land are allowed free course to act upon native land- 
 owners. In the latter case the native is induced to sell his 
 farm — sometimes by presenting a long bill and threatening 
 imprisonment ; often while under the influence of strong 
 drink, and unaware what he is about. 
 
 VIII. Some of the Bechuanas with whom members of the 
 Committee are acquainted have expended considerable 
 labour in leading out water furrows. In one case which 
 occurred a short time before the outbreak, the native farmer 
 received labourers from all quarters to work at his furrow. 
 He was able to get them and to keep them, during the time 
 when the Moffat Institution buildings were in progress. He 
 paid with money and with stock. Such men would be seen 
 to get on well under the English Government. Others of 
 equal enterprise, but of less means, would no doubt avail 
 themselves of government loans for such work, as soon as 
 they understood thoroughly what that meant. 
 
 IX. It is of great consequence that some .such policy as 
 that here indicated should be carried out in South Bechuana- 
 land, for other reasons than those connected with its own 
 inhabitants. The tribes in the interior are watching with 
 the closest interest the steps which Government will take
 
 JOHN MACKENZIE'S CHOICE 231 
 
 with reference to land. ... If the tribes in the south 
 are allowed to remain in virtual possession of their land 
 under the British Government, complications will be less 
 likely in the interior. The people will know that private 
 property will be respected ; as for the waning of the power 
 of their chiefs, they will get accustomed to that also, pro- 
 vided a good position is secured to them as respectable 
 subjects of the Queen. 
 
 X. The Committee would strongly recommend to Your 
 Excellency that the canteens be closed, which have been 
 open for trade among the natives of Griqualand West. The 
 most respectable Griquas petitioned Your Excellency to this 
 effect some time ago. No ruler would willingly allow to be 
 opened a canteen among such a people as the Griquas and 
 Bechuanas — provided that his object was the highest good 
 of the people themselves. Canteens are unmitigated curses 
 to all connected with them, and in reality frustrate the 
 highest work of a good government. The Committee would 
 anticipate the best results from shutting up " Canteens " 
 throughout the country, and trust it may speedily take 
 place. 
 
 XI. Into the detail of the scheme for the government of 
 these people we do not enter. It is evident that the success 
 of this or any other scheme would greatly depend on the 
 character of those to whom working out will be entrusted. 
 
 It is one thing to get men accustomed to treat all natives 
 as " niggers " or " black fellows," with indiscriminate con- 
 tempt and carelessness. It is quite another thing to get a 
 magistrate who would be filled with the idea that as a servant 
 of the Queen he would be bound to treat all her subjects 
 with justice, and to show courtesy to all. 
 
 Sir Bartle Frere, who had already been in com- 
 munication with Mackenzie, was profoundly impressed 
 with the wisdom of the plan now submitted to him. 
 On his return from the Transvaal, via Kimberley, he 
 invited his missionary-correspondent to meet him at 
 the latter place, where he expected also to confer with 
 Colonel Warren. There, then, Mackenzie, for the first 
 time, met face to face one whom he had long admired 
 and with whom he formed, from that date, a warm 
 friendship. Sir Bartle Frere decided that the scheme
 
 232 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 submitted to him ought to be at once adopted and 
 put into operation ; but he saw that it would require 
 to be begun by one who understood the entire situa- 
 tion, and in whom the natives would have deep 
 confidence. He accordingly proposed that Mackenzie 
 himself should accept the position of Commissioner 
 for South Bechuanaland, at a salary of ;^iooo per 
 annum, that he should have under him a number of 
 magistrates, and be supported by a body of mounted 
 police, probably to number about 200. If Mackenzie 
 agreed to undertake this work, a proclamation was at 
 once to be drawn up, and, with the consent of Her 
 Majesty, was to be issued, announcing that the region 
 concerned would henceforth be treated as a " Territory " 
 under the British crown. To the proposals thus made 
 to him the man who twenty years before had been 
 ordained to the life of a missionary had only one 
 answer to give, and it was given firmly and decisively. 
 He could not give up his life-work, even to undertake 
 a position of such importance as this. 
 
 So anxious was the High Commissioner to secure 
 the services of Mackenzie, that another plan was pro- 
 posed which seemed to the latter both feasible and 
 consonant with his life-purpose. According to this 
 plan, Mackenzie was to be appointed as native com- 
 missioner, with the same salary as before, and with a 
 group of magistrates under him, it being understood 
 that he was to continue as missionary and Tutor at 
 Kuruman, giving only part of his time to the service 
 of the Government. It was further understood that 
 his civil appointment would only continue for two or 
 three years, until the whole of the region affected had 
 been brought under the new system of law, and British 
 ofificers had become accustomed to its working and 
 had gained the confidence of native chiefs and their 
 peoples. Mackenzie agreed to this proposal, with the 
 understanding that it must be submitted for ratifica-
 
 JOHN MACKENZIE'S CHOICE 233 
 
 tion to the Directors of his Society in London, so far as 
 his part was concerned, as well as to the Colonial Office, 
 so far as the Imperial aspect was concerned. So anxious 
 was Sir Bartle Frere to see this plan adopted that he 
 wrote a letter to the Directors, earnestly requesting 
 them to allow their missionary to do this special work 
 for the sake of the country in which their missions 
 were placed. Mackenzie, on June 3rd, 1879, wrote to 
 the Directors, describing the whole situation and the 
 proposal which Sir Bartle Frere had made : — 
 
 As a loyal agent of the L. M. S. I do not wish to embark 
 in anything, even for the direct benefit and elevation of the 
 people, without laying the matter before the Directors. 
 What I do, brethren, for the pacification and settlement of 
 the natives in the country, I would do in the same spirit in 
 which I would doctor their bodies, or perform for them any 
 of those numerous kindnesses which it is in the power of a 
 missionary to do. It is my opinion that, as a missionary, I 
 could do the work from a vantage-ground — a work which is 
 evidently for the general benefit. It will probably be accom- 
 plished in, say, two years, when it is to be hoped there will 
 be a population here thankful, not only for the spiritual 
 instruction they have received from the L. M. S., but also 
 for the scheme of settlement devised and executed for their 
 benefit by one of your agents. I am aware that by acting 
 as I propose to do I am stretching the letter of some of our 
 rules ; but I think the position in which I am placed is quite 
 an exception, and I trust the broad-minded Board of 
 Directors of the London Missionary Society will sanction the 
 present endeavour to elevate and establish a people who have 
 already received from them so many blessings. Of course, I am 
 aware that in undertaking these duties I entail upon myself a 
 great amount of hard work ; and it is possible that health, 
 or ability, or something, may give way. In the meantime I 
 am not at all afraid ; but hope that at this crisis in the 
 people's history, with God's good hand upon me, I may be 
 able, along with my usual duties, to accomplish this special and 
 incidental work. In concluding this necessarily egotistical 
 letter I beg the Directors to understand, that my promise to 
 the High Commissioner is to give three or four hours per 
 day to the settlement and government of the country. It is
 
 234 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 not intended .that I shall have judicial functions ; there are 
 four English magistrates to be appointed for this work. The 
 administrative work which I am asked to do will be of great 
 consequence at the commencement of English rule over 
 Bechuanaland ; but when the vessel has passed the first sand- 
 banks, the special pilot will, I hope, be no longer needed. 
 
 The reply to this letter, from the Directors, con- 
 sisted of further inquiries in a series of questions which 
 called forth from Mackenzie, on September 25, 1879, 
 a very full set of corresponding explanations. The 
 most important of these are as follows: — 
 
 KURUMAN v/a KiMBERLEY, 
 25//; SeJ>f. 1879. 
 
 I. How has the land been acquired by the Government ? 
 The country has been partly conquered and partly ceded 
 
 to the English Government by its chiefs. It is the intention, 
 I believe, to proclaim South Bechuanaland as under British 
 "protection"; so that as a " territory " the unbending and 
 letter formality of English law might not at once be brought 
 to bear upon the natives. 
 
 II. Opinion and feeling of natives on annexation. 
 
 The more intelligent part of the people of Kuruman were 
 long ago in favour of being under such an equal law as they 
 understood that of the English to be. . . . In my opinion, the 
 common people and the vassals are rejoiced at the advent 
 of the EngUsh rule. 
 
 I am in correspondence with chiefs of the surrounding 
 tribes. They are undoubtedly uneasy ; the best people are 
 anxious to have a settlement ; the bad people endeavouring 
 to spread evil reports. There is one cause of uneasiness — what 
 is to be done with the land ? So far as the governing of the 
 country is concerned, the chiefs and the people have advisedly 
 given themselves up to the English Government, but they are 
 anxious as to the fountains ; the present delay and apparent 
 hesitation detract so far from the English character and 
 position. 
 
 III. Are the natives hostile or suspicious towards the 
 missionaries ? 
 
 So far as I am concerned I never regarded the natives as 
 hostile to missionaries. It is a fact that in their late conceited
 
 JOHN MACKENZIE'S CHOICE 235 
 
 uprising the word was given by the natives on the Orange 
 River that not even missionaries were to be spared ; but that 
 order was given with the idea of making " siccar " or thorough, 
 rather than on account of anything charged against the 
 missionaries. . . . 
 
 Under this query I may mention that, when I came here 
 in 1876, thc7vorA which I had to do in building the Institution 
 was very unpopular. . . . There is now the best feeling towards 
 us in the Bechuana mind. I have received spontaneous 
 messages from chiefs and head-men living at a distance, in 
 which they warmly thanked me for what I was doing in the 
 country for peace, and for the establishment of the people. 
 
 IV. Is it understood that you will be a Government ofificial 
 with a salary ? What will be your probable work ? How far 
 have you been doing this work up to the present time ? 
 
 I should be a Government official, and have a salary. 
 From its point of view, the Government desires more than 
 an outside helper — one on whom they can rely. Should 
 the sanction of the Home Government be obtained, it was 
 intended to proclaim the ceded and conquered territory as 
 far as the Molopo river. This country was to be divided 
 into four magistracies : one at Taungs ; another at Sehube 
 (East Molopo) ; a third at Morokweng (West Molopo dis- 
 trict), and the fourth, who should also be a local judge, and 
 review cases of appeal, was to be stationed at Kuruman, or 
 rather Batlaros. In the meantime, these magistrates were to 
 be captains of police composed of Europeans and trustworthy 
 natives. All this was to be under a "Commissioner" (or 
 whatever he might be called), who in turn would be under 
 the Administrator of Griqualand West and the High Com- 
 missioner at the Cape. This office of Commissioner is the 
 one offered to me; and the one I have accepted in the 
 manner and to the extent related to you in my former letter 
 on the subject. The territory from the Molopo to Griqua- 
 land West, and from the Hart river to the Kalahari, would 
 be under my care. The office would be purely adminis- 
 trative ; the judicial functions would be performed by the 
 magistrates and judge, assisted in the first instance, and no 
 doubt for years, by the various native chiefs ; and, if my 
 policy were carried out, I should consent to be held in 
 the usual sense responsible for the peace, government and 
 progress of the territory. For about a year this work has 
 been virtually in my hands, having been placed there by the
 
 236 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 Administrator and the Acting Administrator of Griqualand 
 AVest. 
 
 Some important movements and many little matters, which 
 taken together make a policy, have been directed by me, 
 and have been carried out by the officers and men of the 
 Border Police on the one hand, and by native chiefs, trust- 
 worthy native messengers, etc., on the other. But I think it 
 right to inform you that, although such has been my position 
 up to the time I write this letter, I have never received a 
 penny of Government money. On the contrary, although I 
 have had severe losses in cattle and sheep while the dis- 
 turbances were going on, and captured cattle are constantly 
 passing the station, I positively declined repeated invitations 
 to put in my claim for compensation. So that I am not 
 beholden to the Government in the way of personal obliga- 
 tion ; the services which I have been able to render have 
 been, from the Government point of view, worth a good deal. 
 I may mention also that I had made the promise I gave at 
 Kimberley before the question of salary came up. The salary 
 offered to me as Commissioner is ;j^iooo per annum. 
 
 VII, How will taking this work affect your missionary 
 position and influence, and that of other missionaries ? 
 
 The circumstances of the Batlaping as to the land 
 question are such that my own position and influence as 
 a missionary, and indirectly that of my brethren, would 
 be strengthened and increased were I able to carry through 
 the policy as to land, wdiich I have already explained to the 
 Directors. It would be regarded, and justly, as a case of the 
 missionary coming to the assistance of the native and getting 
 for him his rights. 
 
 VIII. If released from missionary connection and work 
 for say two years could you at the end of that time resume 
 our work ? 
 
 So far as my judgment goes, my work as Commissioner 
 would be far from lowering me in the natives' eyes ; what 
 would tend to lower me would be the statement which the 
 enonies of that zvork would delight to spread " He is no longer 
 a missionary now, he is just like the other Government 
 servants now." If that could be said with absolute truth it 
 would tell against me so far — in cases in \vhich no explana- 
 tion would be given as to why I had left the Society ; and 
 the people who are unfavourable to the natives and unfavour- 
 able to their rising in society would no doubt keep back 11
 
 JOHN MACKENZIE'S CHOICE 237 
 
 explanation which would be to my honour. It is my idea 
 that I could best do the work as a missionary, 
 
 IX. How am I to do it — how can I give three or four 
 hours daily to this work without sacrificing the interests of 
 the Society, in the duties laid upon me by the Directors ? 
 
 By downright hard work. This is the only explanation I 
 can give. I may however add that having, as Tutor, to do 
 with students who have no literature to which they can refer 
 after leaving the Seminary, I made it a point at Shoshong to 
 write out my lessons to them in every department, which 
 they copied for after reference. Although -one sees reason 
 to add to or improve such lessons, they are now extant, and 
 do not need to be re-written. I could not have done the 
 work which I accomplished during the first years of my 
 teaching at Shoshong, with the poUtical work which I have 
 done for the people here. The thing would have been 
 simply impossible. But as at Shoshong I was the tutor and 
 the missionary during the day, easy of access to everybody 
 and anybody, while at night I was the student and lecture- 
 writer ; so here by day work and night work I manage to 
 pull along. 
 
 There are some duties here which have devolved on me 
 from the force of circumstances, and not by any appoint- 
 ment of the Directors — for instance the superintendence of the 
 agricultural work connected with the Institution gardens 
 which are 13 in number. I believe that I have shown that 
 I am willing to do anything for the Society ; and in acting 
 as builder of the Institution I was doing work as much out- 
 side pure missionary work as is the agricultural department 
 still in my hands, or that of Political Commissioner which I 
 am also transacting. 
 
 I take it for granted that those who freely mingle in 
 politics at home — having before them their great and worthy 
 aims — must have sympathy with the missionary who is not 
 afraid to go, as it were, bodily into the conflict of frontier 
 society, addressed now by the European, now by the 
 native ; now by the chiefs and head-men, then by th 
 Colonial Government ; who strives to have a kindly and 
 straightforward and helpful word for men all round. 
 
 Some English dealers will cheat and take advantage of 
 legal forms unknown to the native ; almost all the natives 
 are ignorant and therefore suspicious, and liable to go off at 
 a tangent under a misapprehension. In some cases the
 
 238 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 missionary sees all this take place, deploring that it is not 
 his work to interfere, contenting himself in a paragraph in 
 his next communication to the Directors, in which he de- 
 scribes his own trials and the peoples' sufferings from 
 the abandoned white men or from the misgovern ment 
 and misconduct of European officials. In other cases the 
 missionary is a man, at whatever station placed, to whom 
 men of all opinions and colours go for his advice and 
 assistance when they need it ; thus called upon he is not 
 afraid to go into their grievances and difficulties, exposing 
 now the white and then the black man ; for it is not the case 
 that the fault is always on one side. In this case the mis- 
 sionary becomes a power in the country. Europeans seek 
 his advice and assistance, chiefs and people with a real 
 grievance know where they have a friend. 
 
 Perhaps it will simplify matters, if I now formally request 
 the Directors to be allowed to accept of this Commissioner- 
 ship while retaining the position which I at present hold as 
 an agent of the L.M.S. During the past year I have done 
 the work of this office : no one has hinted to me that I have 
 neglected any of my duties as Tutor, etc. As practical men, 
 therefore, the Directors will, I hope, hold this to be a con- 
 clusive answer to theo?-etical objections or surmises of evil. 
 The whole case is on the face of it exceptional ; and will no 
 doubt be thus judged by the Directors. 
 
 The Commissionership means the social establishment of 
 the people in civilized life ; the Tutorship means their moral 
 and spiritual development and elevation. Solemnly, I do 
 not know which is the greater work. I aspire to the honour 
 of doing both ; and say to the Directors, let it be tried ; if I 
 fail either as Commissioner or as Tutor it will soon be 
 apparent. Pray that in this and all our affairs the will of 
 the Lord may be done by you and by me. 
 
 During the ensuing months, while the Directors in 
 London were considering this proposal and its effect 
 upon the future of their missions in South Africa, 
 Mackenzie continued his work as the adviser of the 
 representatives of the Queen in Bechuanaland, and 
 was indeed practically carrying on the work, as he 
 had been doing for more than a year, to which it was 
 proposed now formally to appoint him. He wrote
 
 JOHN MACKENZIE'S CHOICE 239 
 
 various important letters and memoranda to the High 
 Commissioner, to Colonel Lanyon and Colonel Warren, 
 and also to the Colonial Secretary in London, dis- 
 cussing the various aspects of the Bechuanaland 
 problem as they presented themselves month after 
 month. Towards the end of the year 1879, he was 
 alarmed to find that the authorities had begun to 
 discuss the withdrawal of the police from Bechuanaland, 
 and that their number was being then actually reduced. 
 It has been urged that the British could do nothing 
 else than withdraw at this time, because they had gone 
 into Bechuanaland on a punitive expedition against 
 robbers and murderers. They had, indeed, in order to 
 accomplish this, been forced into relations of various 
 kinds with the native chiefs at whose towns the 
 fugitives took refuge, and, in order to allay the ex- 
 citement which had broken out, they incidentally 
 found it necessary to settle some quarrels over 
 rights of property. But the whole matter, it is said, 
 must be viewed as a military operation which gave 
 the Bechuanas no right to expect that the British 
 would remain, nor gave the latter the right to remain 
 without a formal proclamation from the Queen. 
 Whether or not this be the strict letter of the law, 
 the substantial facts seemed to Mackenzie, and must 
 seem probably to all fair-minded people, to put 
 another interpretation upon the responsibility of 
 Great Britain at that time and in that region. The 
 effect of the military expedition had been to shatter 
 finally all semblance of native rule. There was not 
 to be found in South Bechuanaland a single native 
 chief who now had as much authority over his own 
 people as before the advent of Colonel Lanyon and 
 his volunteers. The successful military operations of 
 Colonel Warren, and above all his patient and humane 
 and kindly and wise dealings with the natives in 
 settlement of their difficulties and in prevention of
 
 240 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 various attempts of white men to rob tliem of their 
 lands, had made him and his officers practically rulers 
 of the land as representatives of the Queen, and had 
 won the hearts of the people. Already, in 1878, 
 Mackenzie had written urgently to Colonel Lanyon 
 to say, " I repeat it, we are entirely without govern- 
 ment, and no temporary chastisement will meet our 
 case." Colonel Lanyon afterwards found this to be 
 the case, for he himself wrote to Sir Bartle Frere,^ 
 saying : — 
 
 My own opinion is that Mankoroane is powerless here for 
 good or evil, and is, like all other Batlaping chiefs, a mere 
 puppet in the hands of the mischievous natives of his tribe. 
 In either case, however, it would seem desirable that some 
 steps should be taken for placing those territories hitherto 
 under his charge under some more powerful government, 
 which would naturally be that of Her Majesty. 
 
 And Colonel Warren also discovered gradually how 
 complete the disintegration of native government 
 had become. The following extracts will illustrate his 
 impressions : — 
 
 Makolokue states that he has been unable to control his 
 people ; that some of them went down to fight at Campbell 
 in June. ... I am endeavouring to make such arrangements 
 as will allow all the people who are quiet to go on with their 
 plowing at once, so as to prevent a famine in the land.- 
 
 And again, 
 
 Kuruman : I have issued a notice that while there is 
 military occupation in those parts, and pending the just and 
 lawful settlement of the land claims, no sales of land or 
 houses are to take place without the sanction of the officer 
 commanding the field force. This is to prevent land-jobbers 
 coming up here to buy up all the land at low prices, and to 
 ruin the natives, as they have been ruined in Griqualand 
 West.3 
 
 Mackenzie gives an interesting illustration of the 
 1 C. 2454, p. 27. -C. 2222, pp. 111-113. ^ C. 2252, p. 3.
 
 JOHN MACKENZIE'S CHOICE 241 
 
 extent to which this disorganisation had struck the 
 natives themselves : — 
 
 One of my messengers, an important member of Sechele's 
 tribe (in North Bechuanaland), where the chief is a chief, 
 was very much struck with the absence of all government or 
 supremacy of anyone at Morokweng. The discussion in 
 the khotla, or court yard, was not decorous or respectable, 
 according to this native messenger's idea. Everyone spoke 
 at the same time, people turned their backs on their chief, 
 shouted and talked while their superiors were' trying to make 
 themselves heard. 
 
 The chiefs not only knew that they had lost control 
 of their people, but knew also that the best blessing 
 which could come to them would be annexation to the 
 Queen's dominions. Of eight important chiefs with 
 whom Colonel Warren came into personal communica- 
 tion, and most of whom he personally visited, no less 
 than six sent in petitions praying to be taken under 
 the government of Queen Victoria ! Obviously Great 
 Britain was now in possession and in actual control of 
 South Bechuanaland, and both whites and blacks took 
 it for granted that no retreat was possible. To all 
 alike it appeared clear that the British Government 
 had come under moral obligations to carry on what 
 she had begun, and that now to withdraw would be 
 practically a criminal course. Colonel Lanyon put the 
 matter in a nutshell when he expressed his opinion to 
 Colonel Warren : — "One thing is, I think, quite certain, 
 that it will never be left again to the state of anarchy 
 which prevailed there before." While then Bechuana- 
 land had been occupied for military purposes, it was 
 evident that the occupation had resulted in a displace- 
 ment of the pre-existing native administration and the 
 substitution, for the time being, of British authority in 
 the country. The dismay of all concerned was very 
 great, therefore, when it began to be whispered that 
 the British police were being withdrawn before any 
 
 Q
 
 242 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 arrangement was made for the government of the 
 land. Mackenzie, in December 1879, addressed a 
 strong protest to the High Commissioner as well as 
 to the Administrator of Griqualand West. In this 
 protest he described the anarchy of the country so 
 far as the chiefs were concerned, and their dependence 
 upon the presence of Major Stanley Lowe and his 
 body of police. He urged that a withdrawal without 
 explanation would make matters worse than they were 
 before, especially since the Imperial Government had 
 not yet decided what to do with the territory. When 
 this decision was reached, and if it led to the abandon- 
 ment of the country, the fact ought to be publicly 
 announced and explained to the native chiefs and 
 peoples. At present the native chiefs were at a 
 loss to account for all this delay in the settlement of 
 their country. Nevertheless, had it not been for the 
 encroachments above referred to, both chiefs and 
 people were willing to believe that all would come 
 right, especially in connection with the " provisional " 
 acceptance of the surrender of their lands by Colonel 
 Warren. To them the word " provisional " had no 
 meaning when they saw power actually lost by them 
 and actually exercised by others. Their chieftains' 
 authority was lost, not " provisionally " but absolutely 
 and for ever, their farms were being grabbed, not 
 " provisionally," but finally and unconditionally. 
 
 In his letter to Sir Bartle Frere, Mackenzie gives 
 fresh instances of the cruelty and the absolutely 
 unprincipled methods which Europeans, most of 
 whom were Dutchmen, employed, in order to obtain 
 possession of the most desirable farm lands in the 
 country. 
 
 Later in the same month (December 1879), 
 Mackenzie addressed an important letter both to 
 Sir Bartle Frere and Sir Garnet Wolseley, who 
 were both Hifjh Commissioners in South Africa at
 
 JOHN MACKENZIE'S CHOICE 243 
 
 the same time, according to that curious arrange- 
 ment which paralysed the former, and made the 
 subsequent war of the Boer revolutionaries in the 
 Transvaal shorter and easier. In this letter he dis- 
 cusses the entire subject of the relations of Great 
 Britain to South Africa, and especially to its native 
 territories. At this p'oint only the following ex- 
 tracts can be given, but they will suffice to show 
 how practically he was studying the . problem, not 
 only as it affected Bechuanaland, but all other parts 
 of the country as well. For years Mackenzie had 
 been brooding, dreaming, praying, working over 
 " South Africa " or " Austral Africa," from Cape 
 Town to the Zambesi, and from ocean to ocean. 
 The letter discusses some matters which have now 
 passed beyond discussion, but the following sections 
 refer to problems which are still very much alive, 
 and for that reason are selected here : — 
 
 In arranging for that " fresh departure," which ought to be 
 the sequel of receht complications, disturbances, and wars, 
 in various parts of Southern Africa^ it is of the utmost import- 
 ance not only to know the widely different character and 
 wants of the races with whom the English Government has 
 to deal, but to profit by the experience of the past, and to 
 have a carefully considered scheme for the future, eschewing 
 all haphazard or improvised policy. 
 
 Responsibility is thrust upon the English Government in 
 Southern Africa. It is impossible to avoid it, except by 
 abandoning the country altogether. The northward pro- 
 gress of Europeans in South Africa has been steady and 
 rapid in the past. It takes place with the consent, and at 
 the request, of the native chiefs and people, who welcome 
 missionaries, travellers, and traders. They have a keen 
 sense of the benefits flowing to themselves from this con- 
 tact. But the government of the country by the chiefs 
 becomes more and more difficult after the advent of the 
 Europeans in numbers. The new wine of European 
 energy, persistence, and sometimes recklessness, cannot be 
 contained in the old skin bottles of tribal laws and 
 customs. In several instances the chiefs have recognised
 
 244 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 this fact, and have asked for the help of the EngHsh 
 Government. Such a reasonable request has usually been 
 refused. The Government could not consent to "Annexa- 
 tion," or "increase of responsibility." The new wine and 
 the old bottles are therefore let alone by the Government. 
 Thieving, murder, war, inevitably follow ; thousands, it may 
 be millions, of pounds are now spent ; precious lives are 
 lost ; recriminations take place as to who was to blame, 
 as between political parties both in England and the Cape 
 Colony, and occasionally as between the Home Government 
 and their officers in South Africa. 
 
 Now the blame lies with the English Government, to the 
 extent that England has no South African policy worthy of 
 the name ; and in so far as it has one, viz., to let things 
 alone as they are, and to shrink from responsibility. It is 
 worse than no policy, for it is practically impossible, while 
 it so far hampers the Government in South Africa as to cause 
 them to do things in a shuffling and uncertain manner. 
 
 Will Your Excellency allow me to explain that, coming 
 to this country as a missionary in 1858, my great desire, 
 apart from the spiritual aspect of my work, was to help 
 to elevate some tribe of Africans, so that they could endure 
 the shock of meeting the wave of European cultivation, etc., 
 etc., and not be driven away by it ? Close and careful study of 
 the subject led me in the course of time to see ,that politically 
 it would be impossible for my wish to be fulfilled ; the con- 
 stituent elements of the tribes would remain, but the tribal 
 laws and policy were destined to pass away. I noticed that 
 events were taking place rapidly in South Africa a hundred- 
 fold more rapidly than similar events had moved forward in 
 the history of Europe ; events over which no government had 
 control, but which occurred with such rapidity and force, 
 that they may be regarded as " a law," or as the " will of 
 God." And in this light I have come to regard the mingling 
 of the races in Southern Africa. I believe that it is the will 
 of God that it should take place. No one can prevent it. 
 The question therefore comes to be, How is it to be regu- 
 lated, and by whom ? 
 
 Having made the subject a special study for many years, 
 I beg to offer a few remarks upon it at the present crisis. 
 Sincerely wishing well to all classes and colours in this 
 country, I desire that English rule should be gradually, and 
 with due caution, extended over the native tribes ; and that it
 
 JOHN MACKENZIE'S CHOICE 245 
 
 should be done in such a manner that England should regard 
 her work in this land with pleasure and with pride, instead of 
 impatient bewilderment, as at present. 
 
 Bechuanaland 
 
 The Bechuanas are like the Basutos, but divided into 
 small tribes, and inhabiting a less generous country than 
 Basutoland. They have made considerable progress in Chris- 
 tianity and civilization, and the wealthy men are living after 
 the fashion of farmers or Boers — having opened up fountains 
 and led out the water for the irrigation of their lands. The 
 poorer men are good servants. There are no labourers or 
 herds so much thought of in the Colonies as the Maccatees 
 or Mantatees, as the Colonists call Bechuanas. 
 
 The chiefs are favourably impressed towards the English 
 Government in the southern districts. Those who were dis- 
 affected have been subdued, and their country is still 
 occupied. Almost all the Bechuana chiefs have been in 
 correspondence with the English Government, and have ex- 
 pressed at some time the desire to be under English 
 protection. 
 
 Their ignorance of the English language and of our 
 English laws and modes of procedure render it undesirable 
 that they should at once be brought entirely under their 
 unbending, and often to a native, incomprehensible routine. 
 To step at once from native to English law, as was recently 
 done in Griqualand West, would be unfair to the Bechuanas 
 and would have the effect of placing them at the mercy of 
 designing men. 
 
 Proposed Territory System 
 
 It is well known that in the political economy of the 
 United States, a " Territory " is a state in embryo. I pro- 
 pose that in accomplishing a nobler and more Christian 
 work in Southern Africa than Europeans have placed before 
 themselves in America, England should institute a pro- 
 visional government over tribes or districts conquered or 
 ceded, by means of which justice could be administered 
 and peace preserved, while at the same time the people 
 would be trained to understand and to appreciate our 
 Enghsh law and procedure. This is what I have called the 
 " Territory " system. The same standard would be before
 
 246 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 the Administrator of a Territory as before the Governor of a 
 Colony ; the same code of laws would be the guide of the 
 Territory Judge or Magistrate as of his Colonial brother ; 
 but in the former case the mode of procedure would be 
 simpler, and more adapted to a people emerging from an 
 uncultivated state. 
 
 I take the liberty to propose that Bechuanaland should be 
 proclaimed to be under the British Government as a 
 " Territory," and not as completely under our laws. 
 Further, I would suggest that magistrates should be ap- 
 pointed at suitable places, and that taxes should be levied. 
 The land should not be saleable in said Territory ; but 
 occupants of fountains should receive a lease for say ten 
 years — to be renewed on approval of an imperial officer, 
 after personal inspection ; but if said officer on visiting the 
 farm found that improvement had not been made as to 
 house - building, enclosing, irrigating, etc., or that that oc- 
 cupant had become by habit and repute a cattle-lifter, and 
 his farm a den of thieves, the lease should not be renewed 
 to this tenant, but should be given instead to one of a list 
 of applicants for farms kept by the Government. 
 
 By this system you would also secure a contented labour- 
 ing population ; for while some members of such a native 
 farmer's family would stay on the farm and work it, others 
 would go out and work for wages. 
 
 In the course of time, when the English language was 
 known by the people, when they had become instructed as 
 to our laws and modes of procedure, the " territory " system 
 might cease ; and union take place with some neighbouring 
 colony or province. 
 
 By this scheme, to which any Bechuana chief would give 
 his ready consent, you would allow the natives who are indus- 
 trious, energetic, and intelligent to rise in society ; and thus, 
 instead of being the bitterest and most dangerous class among 
 the natives, as they have been in some parts of South Africa, 
 you would make them the warm friends of the Government 
 under which they had risen. At the same time you would, 
 by the prosperity of these successful men, stop the mouths 
 of the ill-disposed natives who would wish their fellow- 
 countrymen to believe that it was hopeless to look for 
 prosperity under the white man's rule. 
 
 A copy of this memorandum, which dealt also with
 
 JOHN MACKENZIE'S CHOICE 247 
 
 Zululand and other parts of South Africa, was for- 
 warded to the Colonial Secretary in London, Sir 
 Michael Hicks Beach. 
 
 In the beginning of 1880 Mackenzie received the 
 announcement from London that the Directors of the 
 Missionary Society did not agree to his accepting the 
 position and doing the work offered to him by Sir 
 Bartle Frere. The Directors appear to have been 
 under a misapprehension of almost all the main points 
 which Mackenzie had tried to make so clear. His 
 reply to their refusal is given here, not to prove that 
 they were in the wrong, but because Mackenzie speaks 
 his soul out in these paragraphs with the warmth of 
 an earnest and unselfish heart. The fact is that the 
 Directors made the mistake of arguing their case. If 
 they had simply said, " We will never under any cir- 
 cumstances allow one of our agents to do Government 
 work, however deeply it concerns the welfare of the 
 natives and of the mission, because we must at all 
 hazards avoid creating a precedent," there would have 
 been nothing to say. But they went into the merits 
 of this case, and an answer was possible. 
 
 KuRUMAN, \oth Feb. 1880. 
 
 My Dear Mr Whitehouse, — I have received yours of 
 Nov. 27, conveying to me the decision of the Directors on 
 the question of my performing certain political functions 
 while doing my work as a missionary, tutor, etc., at Kuruman. 
 
 I acquiesce in that decision in accordance with my state- 
 ment to that effect to Sir Eartle Frere, and to the Directors 
 themselves in my letter to them on the subject. Their 
 decision was to settle the question ; and it has accordingly 
 settled it. 
 
 What I had feared however has happened. I did what I 
 could to show that the case was an exceptional one, and 
 that, in ordinary circumstances, I should have no desire to 
 do Government work. The answer of the Directors, however, 
 as I read it, is not to an exceptional case at all, but to the 
 general question of the union of such offices.
 
 248 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 You appear to have misunderstood my full and unreserved 
 statement concerning written lessons or lectures. I explained 
 that it was by hard work and self-denial that I could do this 
 Government work — more especially by night work. My 
 illustration was that at Shoshong I was in class and at the 
 disposal of the people during the whole day, and that my 
 lectures were chiefly written at night. Not having still to 
 write these lectures I felt that so much time could be given to 
 other work. In no part of my letter did I suggest or imply 
 that I would make my written lectures alone or chiefly do 
 duty for the work of a tutor. I thought that I had made it 
 plain that my intention was to teach as I had done, but, not 
 having now to arrange and " get up " the lectures, the time I 
 had devoted to that could be given to something else. I 
 have always been fully convinced of the absolute necessity of 
 oral instruction in the case of the young men in the 
 Institution, with written lectures to be copied by them to 
 secure exactness, and for after reference at their stations by 
 those who have no literature. I must confess to a feeling of 
 surprise that you should have felt called upon to make such 
 remarks to me on this subject as occur in your letter. Upon 
 reflection I think you will agree with me that if I had thought 
 lightly of my work here, I would have given it up ; and that, 
 refusing to give it up, it is at least not likely that I should 
 perform its duties in a slovenly or perfunctory manner, as 
 hinted by you. 
 
 Another remark I would refer to. You are sorry that I 
 have been doing this Government work, and believe that 
 my doing so has meant much loss to the Mission. Nothing 
 could show me more plainly than tliis statement that you are 
 labouring under a complete misapprehensiofi as to the nature of 
 the work which I have been doing. If you knew the details 
 it would be impossible for you to make that remark. It is 
 far from the truth. In effect I have been fighting for the 
 natives. You say in effect that I am to let this alone ; and 
 you expect, among other things, that the natives will think 
 more highly of me and my brethren in consequence ! Were 
 the policy carried out one opposed to the interests of the 
 natives, and I gave it my support, then your remark would 
 have had foundation. As it is, those who dislike my influence 
 and work are the land-jobbers and white claimants for farms. 
 It is distressing to them that I should be trusted, both by 
 the natives and the Government. When you say theoreti-
 
 JOHN MACKENZIE'S CHOICE 249 
 
 cally, " So much work done in the settlement of the people, 
 so much loss to the mission," you never made a more 
 inapplicable remark. 
 
 I feel however that only personal intercourse could place 
 the Directors and myself in full sympathy on this subject. 
 Correspondence would seem to have failed. Expressions of 
 thankfulness and confidence come to me from chiefs and 
 people on account of what I have been doing. This is fact, 
 and it is quite in the teeth of your theories as to the result of 
 such W'ork. When missionaries let alone things and they 
 went deplorably wrong, they were suspected and blamed by 
 the ignorant people for having helped to bring about the 
 evil, because what had happened was to the benefit of 
 Europeans. On the other hand when a missionary comes to 
 the front and speaks and acts in behalf of the people, and 
 endeavours to secure for them a good position under English 
 Government, he, of course, secures the confidence both 
 of heathen and Christians. Mark my words : if things go 
 wrong in Bechuanaland, the missionaries will be blamed by 
 the natives, no matter how innocent they might be. Things 
 are not likely to go right without such active assistance as I 
 have been able to give. There are few who are both able 
 and willing to carry through such a policy. 
 
 Before I leave this subject I wish formally to say to the 
 Directors : In refusing your consent to my formally assisting 
 in the political settlement of the affairs of this territory, 07i 
 certain principles favourable to the natives which were explained 
 to you, I think you have made a grave mistake, in the 
 interests of the natives and in the interests of the mission, 
 which are one and the same. 
 
 Throughout the year 1880 the affairs of Bechuana- 
 land remained, as he said to Mr John Noble of 
 Cape Town, " in awkward suspense." A provisional 
 acceptance of the surrender of their territories by the 
 various chiefs had been granted by Colonel Warren 
 in 1879, but these documents of surrender having 
 been forwarded to head-quarters, were never heard of 
 again. Even the courteous refusal of the wonderful 
 gift of a kingdom was withheld ! The chiefs waited 
 on with deepening chagrin. They communicated with 
 Mackenzie, who strove as best he could to encourage
 
 250 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 them, even when his judgment was perplexed and his 
 heart sore with protracted disappointment. The Home 
 Government did not know its own mind. The Zulu 
 war, owing to mismanagement, had brought discredit 
 alike upon Sir Bartle Frere, who was not responsible 
 for the mismanagement, and on the Home Government. 
 A general election was imminent which, it was felt, 
 would probably result in the return of Mr Gladstone 
 to power. He and others of his party had so spoken 
 on South African affairs as to make confusion in that 
 part of the world worse confounded. No one could 
 possibly foretell what policy would be adopted in any 
 part of South Africa. What would be done with 
 Zululand, or with the Transvaal, or with Bechuanaland, 
 or with Griqualand ? These regions were all in need 
 simply of firmness and justice and wisdom ; their 
 names were made the occasion of party strife. And 
 this resulted in the worst blunders of misgovernment. 
 The police force in Bechuanaland was gradually 
 reduced, until at last, in April 1881, they were finally 
 and completely withdrawn. On this Mackenzie has 
 said ^ : — 
 
 The reader can imagine the weariness of these years of 
 uncertainty. The question was ever, " Has not the mouth 
 of the Government come yet ? " " No, we hear nothing," 
 would be inevitably the reply. And to our shame as an 
 Imperial Power, be it said, when the last policeman left 
 Bechuanaland, he did so obeying a mere local police order. 
 No warning from the High Commissioner was given to the 
 chiefs ; no reply to their offer of obedience and submission ; 
 no advice as to the future; the policemen just left — the military 
 occupation of three years ended ; and Bechuanaland became 
 what every confidential adviser and commissioner of Her 
 Majesty had said it would become — the abode of anarchy, 
 filibustering, and outrage. 
 
 In this year (i 88 i) the retrocession of the Transvaal 
 took place, and the Pretoria Convention was drawn up 
 
 ^Austral-Africa, vol. i., p. Il8,
 
 JOHN MACKENZIE'S CHOICE 251 
 
 and signed. In the course of negotiations which led 
 to this Convention the western boundary of the 
 Transvaal was carefully discussed and its course was 
 defined anew. The reader will remember that one 
 of the main features of this Convention, which gave 
 back self-government to the Transvaal, was the pro- 
 vision that a British Resident should live at Pretoria to 
 control the relations of the Boer Government to the 
 native races, alike within and outside the Transvaal. 
 Mr Gladstone made, with reference to this arrangement, 
 the extraordinary prophecy that it would enable Great 
 Britain to exercise a more direct and actual control 
 over the treatment of the natives by the Boers than 
 she could exercise even in her own colonies ! Sir 
 Evelyn Wood, one of the Commissioners at Pretoria, 
 who showed more insight and more independence of 
 judgment throughout the proceedings than any other 
 representative of Great Britain, foresaw that this 
 was an impossible arrangement. He urged, for 
 example, that provision must be made for the 
 appointment at once of British Residents among the 
 tribes both on the western and south-western borders 
 of the Transvaal. These Residents would report on 
 native affairs to the Resident at Pretoria. Such a plan 
 would have so far agreed with the general policy 
 which Mackenzie had for years been advocating, and 
 perhaps would have helped to fulfil Mr Gladstone's 
 prophecy in a small measure. But it w^as overruled, 
 and the result was that these native tribes were left at 
 the mercy of the Boers. 
 
 Not long after the last British policeman had left 
 Bechuanaland, that pitiable country began to suffer 
 painfully from the change. A large number of Boers 
 from within the Transvaal began immediately to deal 
 with the Bechuanas in the old and familiar ways ; and 
 the Resident at Pretoria, in spite of Mr Gladstone's 
 prophecy, was absolutely powerless. These Boers did
 
 252 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 not act, of course, officially; but their names were well 
 known, and some of them were men of influence in the 
 Transvaal, All representations made at the seat of 
 Government were turned aside with clever excuses, 
 put off with vague promises, or simply dropped with 
 silent contempt. The invasion of Bechuanaland took 
 place at two main points, and it was carried out in 
 an exceedingly cunning and effective way. In the 
 southern part where Mankoroane held sway, an 
 ancient quarrel between him and Massow, a chief 
 who lived nearer the Transvaal, was revived and 
 aggravated. The Boers, under G. J. Van Niekerk, 
 at this point offered themselves as volunteers to 
 Massow, who accepted their service for the purpose 
 of crushing his rival. But as soon as these volunteers 
 found themselves in Bechuanaland with the natives at 
 their mercy, and the British Government was now 
 6000 miles away, they proceeded to settle down 
 and form themselves into a Boer republic which 
 they called Stellaland, the capital town of which 
 was named Vryburg. Further north, in the country 
 of the Barolong, there lived an ancient foe of the 
 Boers, by name Montsioa, who had as his rival on 
 the Transvaal side of the border a young upstart 
 called Moshette, Moshette was of course made the 
 object of the warm regard of the Boers, and was 
 assisted by a number of volunteers. The country 
 of Montsioa was invaded under the redoubtable Gey 
 Van Pittius. Near Mafeking, which was Montsioa's 
 capital, another republic was going to be established 
 under the Biblical name "Goshen." Now Montsioa, 
 like Mankoroane, had for many years cherished the 
 deepest faith in the British Government, and had 
 over and over again petitioned to have himself, his 
 people, and their country taken under British pro- 
 tection and control. He had more than once 
 fought against the Boers, had showed himself a
 
 JOHN MACKENZIE'S CHOICE 253 
 
 clever diplomat, and through many years of pres- 
 sure and persecution had succeeded in maintaining 
 his freedom. In the war of the Boers against 
 Great Britain (1881) he, as also Mankoroane, had 
 steadily refused to aid the former, even when much 
 threatened and hard pressed. When people speak 
 of those who fight for their country and their 
 independence, pitying a race that has its land 
 snatched from their grasp, and piously invoking 
 Heaven's curse upon those who rob them of Heaven's 
 best blessings, surely they must shed many tears for 
 heroes like these ! These men too, although black, 
 loved their land, ruled their people with fair success, 
 tilled their soil, herded their cattle ; not without honour 
 to themselves they were increasingly prosperous, eager 
 for education ; and withal they had for long been most 
 loyal to the distant " White Queen " whose ways with 
 them disappointed them so much. These men were 
 heroes, if any have lived in South Africa. Can any one 
 blame those Europeans who, as they watched the fate 
 of such chiefs and their people, felt themselves roused 
 to a white heat of indignation ? They knew that the 
 advent of Boer republics meant the advent of the 
 Grondwet of the Transvaal Republic, with its law 
 that no native could have equal rights in church or 
 state with the white man, meant that Montsioa and 
 Mankoroane would either be cooped up in narrow 
 and famished locations, or would be reduced to the 
 position of a degraded serving class without the 
 right to own land in their own land ! The question 
 which was uppermost in the hearts of men like 
 Mackenzie and Sir Bartle Frere at this period of 
 South African history, was simply this : Does Great 
 Britain realise that by refusing to accept the free 
 gift of South Bechuanaland from its own people, 
 she is allowing that vast and rich region to be 
 annexed by lawless hosts of Europeans, and the
 
 254 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 real owners of that country to be robbed of their 
 ancient possessions and trampled under the feet of 
 such men as Van Niekerk and Van Pittius ? 
 
 Throughout 1881 Mackenzie maintained the battle 
 for his people by means of letters and communica- 
 tions sent alike to the new High Commissioner, Sir 
 Hercules Robinson, at Cape Town, and the new 
 authorities at the Colonial Office in London. Early 
 in 1882 he received permission from the Directors 
 to return home for his second furlough. To this 
 he refers in two letters to Mr Charles G. Gates. 
 
 KURUM AN, /<:?«. l8t/l, 1882. 
 
 My Dear Sir, — I have much pleasure in acknowledging 
 receipt of your letter, informing me that you had sent to my 
 address a copy of your book describing your brother's travels 
 in this country. I thank you much for remembering me in 
 this way. Without reference to its own merits I shall treasure 
 the volume as a memento of him whose steps in South Africa 
 it traced. The volume itself has not come to hand, but my 
 experience is that, while such things often move very slowly in 
 this country, not many are lost. . . . 
 
 You kindly inquire about our residence here and our 
 surroundings. In the language of the advertisements, this 
 is quite a " desirable residence," especially if compared with 
 our house at Shoshong. Besides the pastoral care of a wide 
 district dotted with village churches (I mean small Christian 
 communities and not ecclesiastical structures, for the last 
 have not got beyond the wattle-and-daub era), I have the 
 oversight as Tutor of an Institution recently established for 
 training native ministers and evangelists. The missionaries 
 select men of experience, who have been tried, and who are 
 trusted. They come with their families and live in cottages 
 which have been put up for their reception. During their 
 stay the wives get some instruction also, as well as the 
 children, who are old enough to go to school. We carry 
 on things in a quiet, unpretending way, and trust that the 
 presence of these men in the villages throughout the country 
 will have a very beneficial effect. Christianity has been long 
 enough an exotic ; our effort is to make it indigenous. 
 
 I thank you for your invitation to Meanwoodside ; at
 
 JOHN MACKENZIE'S CHOICE 255 
 
 present it may be looked at by me as one of the pleasant 
 possibilities of my sojourn in England. Our Society pre- 
 scribes to its missionaries a visit home every ten years ; and 
 it is in connection with that rule that our visit takes place. 
 At the same time it is of great importance to us as a family 
 to be able to go home at this time. The children left in 
 Scotland eleven years ago are grown up now, and about to 
 leave the University to enter life on their own account. We 
 wish to be together as one family, if it please God, even for a 
 little while. — With kindest regards, I am ever sincerely yours, 
 
 John. Mackenzie. 
 
 KURUMAN, 22d April 1 882. 
 
 My Dear Mr Gates, — Since I wrote to you I have 
 received " Matabeleland and the Victoria Falls," and I 
 have perused it with great interest. You have succeeded 
 in producing a beautiful book. ... I rose from its perusal 
 with deep regret that the traveller himself was not spared to 
 tell his own story. You have done your best ; and you will 
 allow me to say that your success is gratifying, and to me, 
 knowing the circumstances under which you worked, even 
 wonderful. But no one knows what hidden ideas were indi- 
 cated by the dry notes which came before you for your 
 guidance. How suggestive they would have been to him 
 who penned them ! 
 
 Let me again thank you for the handsome volume, which I 
 shall always prize. And allow me to express my gratification 
 at the kindly manner in which my name has been mentioned 
 by you. . . . We have begun packing up, and hope to leave 
 this place in a month or so. 1 am afraid the Transvaal will 
 again force itself into notice. Their borders are already dis- 
 turbed. The truth as to recent border affairs does not seem 
 to be known at home. One set of statements is welcomed by 
 Her Majesty's Government, and distrusted by the Opposition. 
 An opposite story is published in Opposition papers, and is 
 stigmatised as " Jingo lies." This does not seem to me very 
 admirable as a method of government. I should think 
 thousands of Englishmen, when they think of the matter 
 at all, feel inclined to ask, "Politics aside, and political 
 struggles aside, what are the facts with reference to the 
 Transvaal and the natives ? " 
 
 The Transvaal Government is not at war — the Republic is 
 at peace ; but a few days ago a party of armed Boers stole
 
 2 56 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 cattle and shot some dozen herds within fifty miles of this 
 place. At their "laager" there are said to be some 200 or 
 300 armed and mounted Boers ; their leaders men of influence 
 and position in the Transvaal. — With kindest regards, I am 
 ever yours sincerely, John Mackenzie. 
 
 With a heavy and sad heart Mackenzie left Bechuana- 
 land, dark days lowering before it. He was well received 
 at Cape Town by Sir Hercules Robinson, who paid 
 close attention to his evidence, his proposals, and his 
 arguments. But his mind, as he sailed from Cape 
 Town, was fixed on London, and the determination 
 was already forming in his heart that he would, if God 
 gave him strength, so place the entire facts before the 
 Government and the people of Great Britain as to 
 bring about a reversal of the disastrous policy which 
 had been adopted in South Africa.
 
 CHAPTER X 
 
 THE MISSIONARY AS POLITICAL EDUCATOR 
 (1882, 1883) 
 
 When John Mackenzie landed in England, in July 
 1882, he entered on a new career. All that he had 
 done hitherto in the way of political work had been 
 incidental, and had been ever kept subordinate to the 
 various responsibilities of his position as Tutor of the 
 Moffat Institution and Pastor of the Kuruman Church. 
 But he was now to enter on a course of work which 
 gradually reversed the relations of these two supreme 
 interests of his public life. He has described, in 
 " Austral Africa," the atmosphere of England, on the 
 question of South Africa, when he began to breathe it 
 in that summer of '82. It was enough to stifle hope. 
 The Liberal Government was then in power, under 
 Mr Gladstone's leadership, and Lord Kimberley was at 
 the head of the Colonial Office. The public mind had 
 been dazed and the public heart disgusted by the 
 events of the preceding four or five years in South 
 Africa. The only people who knew that they had an 
 opinion, even when they had no real facts on which to 
 base it, were those who openly triumphed over the 
 retrocession of the Transvaal, and who preached the 
 doctrine that Great Britain ought to leave South 
 Africa to the Dutch. This section of the Liberal 
 party were definite and vociferous, whensoever any 
 aspect of South African policy was raised ; to be at 
 once definite and vociferous is always very impressive. 
 
 R "7
 
 ■^b' 
 
 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 For the rest, Mackenzie found them all in deep 
 ignorance of the facts ; all vaguely felt that " some 
 one had blundered," that the true solution of the 
 problem had not yet been proposed, but did not know 
 where to turn for light or for a leader. The general 
 trend of feeling among the Conservatives was that of 
 people who having blundered are struck dumb, or 
 who prove ineffective as critics of those who commit 
 fresh blunders by way of correcting theirs. Mr 
 Gladstone had tried to atone for a badly managed 
 annexation in 1877, by a worse managed retroces- 
 sion in 1 881; and Lord Kimberley was now trying 
 by mildness and generosity to win the trust and 
 elicit the faithfulness of the Boers, whom Lord 
 Carnarvon was supposed to have driven into fear 
 and Suspicion, 
 
 Mackenzie was therefore confronted with a perplex- 
 ing situation as he stepped into the political life of 
 London. We have seen abundant proof of the deep 
 love which he cherished for his family, of the yearning 
 with which he looked forward to that reunion with 
 those whom he had left as children and would now 
 greet as men and women, learning to call them his 
 children still. It is characteristic of his unselfish 
 spirit, that sending his wife and family down to 
 Scotland, missing the first flush of that joy, he 
 remained in London. His " King's business," the 
 salvation of Bechuanaland by the I5ritish Government 
 from an impending destruction, required haste. Within 
 a fortnight he organised and held his first meeting, 
 and made his first public speech. The meeting was 
 called by the Directors of the London Missionary 
 Society, and was held in the Westminster Palace 
 Hotel on July 25th. Mackenzie's speech was a clear 
 recital of the cruel facts of the case in Bechuanaland. 
 He proved to his audience that the Bechuana people 
 were not savaircs.
 
 AS POLITICAL EDUCATOR 259 
 
 Not long ago a certain town in Bechuanaland was looted. 
 The spoils of that town were put up to auction. They were 
 much the same as the spoils of a colonial village : you could 
 not, through many of the articles, have discovered any black- 
 ness about their owners. There were the ploughs and 
 agricultural implements of farmers, presses, Staffordshire ware, 
 and such things as belonged to small farmers : and I was 
 told that some Europeans purchased the new and made-up 
 clothing, and wore it. 
 
 He recounted the relations of Great- Britain to that 
 country, from 1878 to 1881, and the innumerable 
 proofs which those tribes had given, through their 
 chiefs, of their intense desire to be protected by the 
 government of the Queen. He then described the 
 manner in which Boers from the Transvaal had been 
 invading and swallowing up the lands, and seizing the 
 individual farms of these defenceless people. Much 
 stress was laid upon the impotence of the British 
 Resident at Pretoria, that official through whom Mr 
 Gladstone had prophesied that the natives would 
 receive, so completely, the watchful oversight and 
 strong help of Great Britain. 
 
 I feel there is nothing that I, as an individual, would not 
 do to give these people the right to the fountains which they 
 are using and the land which they hold. I do not wish 
 them treated in any special way, but only in the light of 
 English Christianity and justice. Many things I might 
 have said or written at an earlier date in the history of 
 these disturbances, but I judged it best to be silent. 
 Under the present circumstances, however, silence on my 
 part would be a crime. 
 
 The speech was printed and widely circulated as a 
 pamphlet. 
 
 PVom that meeting Mackenzie hurried down to 
 Scotland, got off the train when it stopped at Porto- 
 bello for " taking the tickets," and there met his two 
 sons, one of them taller by several inches than himself.
 
 26o JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 bearded fellows now, whom he had not seen since 
 1 87 1. Only those who have gone through it can 
 tell what those trying first hours in a reunited family 
 must be. However frank and sincere and full the 
 correspondence has been, there is something of a 
 bitter experiment involved in that meeting. " Are 
 they our children still ? " the parents ask each other 
 when the day of severest strain has ended. And the 
 hearts of loyal sons and daughters have been wondering 
 too in their silent depths, and have been asking and 
 answering questions of the keenest kind all that day 
 long, such as it would be disloyal for others to face 
 who had never passed through that long separation 
 to this supreme day of trial and, please God, of 
 unspeakable joy. To John Mackenzie it was un- 
 speakable joy. 
 
 For six short weeks he had all his children, who 
 numbered nine (three sons and six daughters) under 
 his roof, four of these weeks being spent in the village 
 of Urquhart, near his own beloved Elgin. One day he 
 walked with one or two of his boys into Elgin. When 
 they had passed the " Institution," where he had 
 his schooling, and were in the narrow part of High 
 Street, before it widens around the Parish Church, he 
 suddenly stopped, struck the pavement with his stick, 
 and exclaimed, " I smell Elgin ! " His laughing boys 
 looked round and accounted for his discovery of Elgin 
 by several shops — odoriferous — -which had clustered 
 opposite that sjiot in his bo}']iood, and by which he 
 must often have been arrested as he passed five and 
 thirty years before. 
 
 On the 4th of September he took part in the 
 ordination of his eldest son as minister of the 
 Congregational Church at Montrose. He offered 
 the " ordination j^rayer," and himself led in the 
 " laying-on of the hands of the presbytery." It 
 was a great satisfaction to him that in this ordain-
 
 AS POLITICAL EDUCATOR 261 
 
 ing act the ministers of five or six different sections 
 of the Evangelical Church took part ; as also that Dr 
 Lindsay Alexander of Edinburgh, who had " delivered 
 the charge" at his own ordination in 1858, did the 
 same for his son in 1882. 
 
 In September, Mackenzie resumed his work of 
 informing the British public about Bechuanaland. 
 The journeys which he had to make as a represen- 
 tative of the London Missionary Society enabled 
 him to address a large portion of the most influential 
 Nonconformists in the country. And for several 
 months thereafter Mr Gladstone's Government was 
 made the somewhat unwilling and astonished re- 
 cipient of strong resolutions from all parts of 
 England, in favour of firm action in Bechuanaland 
 and of Imperial protection of the native races. In 
 Birmingham Town Hall a large meeti'^.g showed a 
 very real and earnest interest in the matter. From 
 Leeds, Bradford, Bristol, Ashton-under-Lyne, in the 
 months of September and October, and from other 
 places such as Bolton and Farnworth, in February, 
 this demand was made. At these meetings the 
 resolutions were discussed at length by well-known 
 men. And at most of them Mackenzie was himself 
 present to give full information both in public and 
 in private. He of course organised the movement 
 at each of these places. Between September loth 
 and October 24th, he visited twenty-nine places, 
 frequently giving two, and even three speeches or 
 sermons in one day. 
 
 At this time, acting on the advice of many friends, 
 he wrote a letter to Mr Gladstone on the state of 
 affairs in Bechuanaland, forwarding his pamphlet, and 
 earnestly asking the Prime Minister's personal interest 
 in the question. " In spite of all that has transpired," 
 he urged, " it is my deliberate opinion that it would be 
 easy for England to govern South Africa if a certain
 
 262 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 course were followed." Mr Gladstone's rcpl)- seemed 
 to indicate a personal indifference on the subject, and 
 merely referred his correspondent to the Colonial 
 Secretary. 
 
 One of the most valuable allies whom Mackenzie 
 found in the provinces was the late Dr R. W. Dale 
 of Birmingham. With his usual force and clear- 
 ness of judgment, Dale studied the case, and frankly 
 gave his aid to his missionary -brother. Some of 
 Mackenzie's best letters were addressed to him, 
 and they were well repaid by various timely and 
 well-placed services which Dale rendered to his 
 cause. 
 
 3 Buckingham Villas, Clifton, 
 Bristol, iWi Sept. 1882. 
 
 My Dear Mr T3ai,e, — Thanks for your letter, which 
 I got last night, after coming home from the day's 
 work. 
 
 I went this morning to " take up the spoor," or track of 
 the discussion, and see where the Pall Mall Gazette was on 
 this question. I have read the Times, the two notes in the 
 Gazette, and your letter in the latter. 
 
 Your position is quite impregnable behind a signed 
 Convention. That of the Gazette quite disgraceful ; and 
 such writing has been the fruitful cause of deeds of 
 wrong in South Africa, inasmuch as lawless men see how 
 the land lies ; and that they will be left to do what they 
 like. 
 
 " Do you mean War?" This is supposed to be a poser 
 to a Christian minister. What did the Royal Commission, 
 the Liberal Government, mean when, leaving the subject of 
 the natives within the borders of the Transvaal, they pro- 
 ceeded to treat of the natives outside that country? In case 
 outrage or wrong should be committed by Transvaal people 
 the settlement should be in the hands of the English 
 Resident and the English High Commisioner, and their 
 decision should be final ? 
 
 Taking the sneering remarks of the Fall Mall as one's 
 guide, the opinion is forced on us that an immorality was
 
 AS POLITICAL EDUCATOR 263 
 
 perpetrated by the English (Commissioner and Enghsh 
 Government when they signed tlie Convention. They pro- 
 fessed to do one thing ; and posed before the rehgious 
 pubhc of England and of Europe as the benevolent doers of 
 it. " As heretofore, England would reserve for herself the 
 protection of native races," etc., etc. Now, it seems this 
 was all bosh and only meant to deceive, and carry forward 
 for the time the religious public of England. 
 
 It seems to me impossible to harmonize your position and 
 that of the Pall Mall. The one is the open truth ; the 
 other is the sinister and sneaking inuendo-making expediency 
 of a hand-to-mouth policy. 
 
 There is a practicalness about the step which was taken 
 in Birmingham which will commend itself elsewhere, I 
 have no doubt. The work of the religious public of Eng- 
 land in an African district is in imminent peril through 
 the marauding inroads of Boers, in the teeth of a Con- 
 vention signed by them and by our own Government. 
 What sort of people are the religious people of this country, 
 if they would quietly and meekly submit to that without 
 giving any sign ? 
 
 And what sort of Government have we got if they will 
 righteously and piously make due and formal provisions for 
 doing a thing which they have long prided themselves on 
 doing — inwardly resolving, all the while, that what they 
 openly promise they will secretly deny ? 
 
 What was conceded to the Transvaal was self-government. 
 What was advisedly and formally kept from them was 
 management of native affairs, either within or beyond the 
 Transvaal. If the English Government were to say openly 
 and earnestly : We will support the Convention, the 
 marauders must leave Bechuanaland, there would be no 
 " war." It is the sneers of the Pall Mall Gazette people 
 which make wars. 
 
 By the way, what has become of the Anti-Annexation 
 Society in the Bechuana matter ? Why don't they give the 
 Bechuanas their " moral support ? " I asked this of someone 
 in London, and his reply was that the Bechuanas were 
 better without it. 
 
 My wife told you about the powder. That, of course, is 
 not the main question. The main question is the open 
 breach of Convention by l)0th Transvaal and English 
 Governments in the present state of things in Bechuanaland.
 
 264 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 As a matter of fact and law, all powder sales in South 
 Africa are transacted after getting permits from government 
 officials. These permits are refused to black men, and to 
 traders living among them. These permits are granted to 
 Boers, and to traders living among them. This is not 
 referred to in the Pretoria Convention. Without breach of 
 it powder might be freely sold. 
 
 It was specifically referred to in the Sand River Convention 
 — no powder was to be sold to blacks, and tw treaty was to 
 be made with them by England. By the way, have you ever 
 seen that delightful document ? It would raise your 
 opinion of your native land to peruse it. Its pro- 
 visions as to powder were relaxed by Colonial and Trans- 
 vaal Governments, that is to say, practically. Natal has 
 always professed to be strict as to the sale of guns, 
 etc. 
 
 In Bechuanaland, so strictly is powder law now observed, 
 that the wild beasts are fast gaining ground upon the 
 people ; they had come back quite near to Kuruman before 
 I left. 
 
 I have seen Mr Arnold Thomas and talked over the 
 matter. Don't know yet what they will do. But I feel sure 
 in my own mind that good will come out of the agitation. 
 Mr Thomas said something as to the advisability of having 
 the matter before the Congregational Union, at its meeting 
 here. I mention this as being his thought, that you may 
 consider it. 
 
 Trusting that the blessing of those who are ready to 
 perish may find you out and be yours, — I am, ever yours 
 sincerely, 
 
 John Mackenzie. 
 
 Hut it was in London of course that this battle 
 must be lost or won. ^ There were three directions 
 in which he looked for help — the press, the philan- 
 thropic societies, and such members of Parliament 
 as he could at once reach and influenced He earl}' 
 found a most intelligent and hard-working friend 
 in the late Mr F. W. Chesson, who was at that 
 time Secretary of the Aborigines Protection Society 
 With his help a " South African Committee " was 
 formed which included some very strong men, and
 
 AS POLITICAL EDUCATOR 265 
 
 tliat committee proved to be a powerful instrument 
 both for educating the public mind and moving the 
 will of the Government. The Lord Mayor, Sir 
 R. N. Fowler, M.P., was on the committee, and 
 speedily called a public meeting at the Mansion 
 House to consider the affairs of South Africa. 
 
 In his attempts to use the press, Mackenzie 
 employed two methods. One was to convince, by 
 means of personal interviews, the editors of several 
 of the most influential journals ; the second was to 
 contribute articles of his own to the columns of 
 certain others. His first article was accepted by 
 the Scotsman on October 10, 1882. Thereafter he 
 wrote very frequently for that paper as well as for 
 the Leeds Mercury. Mr Talbot Baines of the Mercury 
 became one of his staunchest and most encouraging 
 friends. Among the London papers his attention 
 was early directed to the Pall Mall Gazette, which 
 at that time was edited by Mr John Morley. We 
 have seen in his letter to Dr Dale how deeply he 
 resented the tone in which that paper discussed 
 South African affairs. It frankly, almost cynically, 
 advocated the "letting go" policy. In this case, 
 the only plan seemed to be to convert the editor, 
 and this could only be done by means of a personal 
 acquaintance. Mr Morley won Mackenzie's heart 
 with his kindness, his perfect sincerity, his willingness 
 to listen to the other side, his judicial fairness. For 
 a time it looked as if Mr Morley might be gained ; 
 but to the defender of Britain's South African Empire 
 there came the great disappointment of seeing Mr 
 Morley at a later date stand up in the House un- 
 converted, and hostile still to the new policy which 
 was then beginning to win the attention of the 
 Government. 
 
 The following letter to his eldest son gives an 
 account of his effort to convince Mr Courtney, one
 
 2 66 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 of the most determined advocates then and since of 
 the policy of abandoning South Africa. 
 
 II Queen's Square, 
 Bloomsburv, 26//z Nov. 1882. 
 
 Dear Willie, — I have just come back from Mr John 
 Morley's house, where I spent the night. ... I went between 
 
 3 and 4 p.m. It was a visit of great pleasure to me. All 
 the people were nice ; but the Morleys are all very nice. I 
 hope I shall like Courtney on ahead. I can't say I do so 
 just now ; but he is a very fine fellow, says Mr Morley, and 
 I believe it is so. 
 
 Had a long talk with Morley before dinner. I think 
 he is more interested in "my view," or "scheme," as he 
 called it. He said some warm things in its praise when 
 summarizing on more than one occasion. I judged of his 
 feelings and position very much by the intense interest he 
 showed in Courtney's face as I was talking to him after the 
 ladies left the room. I could see, or fancied so, that Morley 
 wished me to get on well with Courtney, and v.-atched the 
 effect of every "point" I made. 
 
 Dear Willie, Courtney made " no bones " about admitting 
 right off, that those who think with him want to " clear out " 
 from South Africa entirely, and openly said he believed the 
 natives would "go as the Choctaws had done," after the 
 English Government had left Africa. This is exactly what 
 Lord Kimberley said on my second interview with him. He 
 (Courtney) expressed an opinion that this entirely " letting 
 alone" would soon be announced publicly. 1 1 is position 
 argumentatively is this : We never could govern South Africa 
 in the past. We had as fine men trying as any we are likely 
 to have now or in the future. The lowering of the suffrage 
 in this country has rendered all government more difficult 
 — especially of such outlying governments — the pressure of 
 work being so great. " We can't do it — it's impossible, and 
 by and by the suffrage will be still more widened." I joined 
 issue as to the African fact that fair effort had been given to 
 the work there. The enquiry was a historical one, and was 
 ascertainable with niceness. Gladstone, I said, was on my 
 side here, and publicly admitted they had had no South 
 African policy — only " staving off the evil day." " I daresay, 
 like one of his speeches." "And then, sir," 1 said, "your
 
 AS POTJTICAL EDUCATOR 267 
 
 opinion supposes that we cannot go beyond those who 
 preceded us in attainment ; and that we cannot learn from 
 history and from their mistakes." At Morley's suggestion I 
 then briefly sketched my plan. " Couldn't possibly do it 
 with our changed constitution or mode of — I forget exact 
 expression — doing public business. You see, a few years 
 ago we had the aristocratic class doing that work, according 
 to their light, and finding it to be, as they thought, their 
 vocation. All that is now changed — our democracy is an 
 entirely different thing." 
 
 Well ! there were several answers that 'suggested them- 
 selves here. The one I gave, I think, was that to press that 
 argument was to show that unless it cleared its way and got 
 more time to do its real work the English Government 
 would be effete altogether, even for insular work ; that my 
 scheme of sending a Department of Downing Street, as it 
 were, to South Africa, was in the nature of improving that 
 mode of procedure. I afterwards spoke very seriously to 
 Morley about this view as a complete giving up of the 
 cohering English Empire, and the abnegating, as I thought 
 in an unworthy way, of duties and responsibilities which 
 Providence had imposed on England : and that the character 
 of our people must suffer, if they came under the active 
 power of such motives ; they would shrink into something 
 very little indeed. " I grant yours is far the nobler position 
 and begets more worthy and chivalrous feelings," was his 
 reply. 
 
 But that about the Choctaws, and the way it was put, 
 went to my heart like a knell. At Morley's instigation I 
 told how the Bechuanas had improved — irrigation, plough- 
 ing, etc. " Quite surprising in such a short time ; I am 
 much interested," said Morley. But Courtney was silent. 
 Evidently, here, Morley was helping me in a kind way. Mr 
 Morley is not satisfied that my scheme has been fairly 
 understood by Mr Courtney. Suggested that I should have 
 another interview with him — he would arrange it. I said I 
 thought there was little hope, he had made up his mind. I 
 then reminded him of my social disqualifications — nobody, 
 etc., yet a missionary. He insisted on it, however ; only 
 perhaps Mr Courtney himself will be of my opinion, 
 and not wish any more of it — though, even if that were 
 the case, I should think he would find it hard to deny his 
 friend.
 
 268 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 We breakfasted early tliis morning — sitting down at table 
 at a quarter to 8 o'clock. Mr Morley's work demanded this. 
 Therefore he goes early to bed. Spoke about meeting again 
 — arranged about my writing a magazine article — and so 
 parted. With love. J. M. 
 
 In a few days the matter was up in the House of 
 Commons and Mr Evelyn Ashley, who was then 
 Under Secretary for the Colonies, asserted that the 
 Government could and would do nothing. Next day 
 he was visited at the Colonial Office by the terribly 
 earnest missionary, who had begun to haunt that home 
 of Imperial officers with an untiring persistence. The 
 following letter to his second son describes that visit 
 and reveals something of his method and the secret of 
 his success : — 
 
 London Missionary Society, 
 
 Blomfield Street, London Wall, E.G., 
 
 \st Dec. 1882. 
 
 Dear Johnnie, — I got your nice letter. I want to jot 
 down the events of last night and to-day. 
 
 Mr Ashley gave a flat denial to the suggestion that 
 more should be done by the Government than had been 
 done, " They were not to do more." Well, I have 
 seen Mr Ashley and I wish to jot down about it while it 
 is fresh. 
 
 He was very dry indeed when I went in. Did not say, 
 sit down. " Well, Sir, anything fresh — more than we know ? " 
 " No, nothing fresh, except that I saw from your answer last 
 night you were not aware that those fellows were now acting 
 for themselves, without any chiefs intervening." " We have 
 not heard that. But sit down — let us talk about it. What 
 I do say heartily and earnestly is, Mr Mackenzie, that I wish 
 all your meetings and resolutions, etc., would go further, and 
 tell us what are we to do. I would forbid the right of 
 criticism, for my part, except when accompanied by practical 
 suggestion." " Well, Sir, the meetings which I attended 
 always gave practical suggestions. In the first place, it was 
 suggested that the Convention should be more stringently 
 ai)p]ied, since it became known that a number of these men
 
 AS POLITICAL EDUCATOR 269 
 
 were in Bechuanaland ; the Directors suggest that Her 
 Majesty's Government and the Cape Colony should combine 
 to establish order there. These are practical suggestions." 
 " But do you mean that we should march an army thro' 
 the Transvaal for the purpose ? " " No — nothing so extreme ; 
 something much more practical. The Cape Colony naturally 
 dislikes taking the lead. That is the position of //lis Govern- 
 ment. But if Her Majesty's Government would take the 
 lead in co-operation with the Cape Colony, they might enlist 
 men at the Fields, or find the Border Police already on the 
 Border enough for their purpose." He w-as silent — appar- 
 ently interested. " I don't underrate the difficulties of the 
 Government. I wish, as far as local knowledge goes, to 
 assist as far as I can. In this country I have never ' pitched 
 into ' the Transvaal at any public meeting, but have always 
 taken the utmost care as to what I said. But when I am put 
 up before a public meeting and asked to tell the people 
 about Bechuanaland, I must say something. In a small 
 way, you can see that I have my difficulty too." " Oh, yes, 
 I can see that. Well, I should like you to read the Blue- 
 book which will be out to-morrow. Come again and have 
 a talk after you have done so. Tell me then what you think 
 we ought to do there." 
 
 Excuse haste in ending. Ladies' meeting on, 
 
 J. M. 
 
 A letter to his wife, dated December 5th, gives still 
 another further glimpse into the alertness with which 
 he seized every opportunity and used every instru- 
 ment that seemed available. 
 
 12 Queen Square, 
 S//i Dec. 18S2. 
 
 Dearest, — I got your welcome letter this morning enclos- 
 ing William Walker's. . . . 
 
 I can't get at my article. I have written two for Chrisfian 
 IFor/d and Independent, which they may or may not accept 
 of. There is given in the Blue-book a very striking article 
 from the Cape Volksblad strongly upbraiding the Transvaal 
 Boers with their criminality and foolishness in reference to 
 the Western Border. " Don't you see that you are alienat- 
 ing from yourselves the respect of the very people in England
 
 270 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 who may be said to have given to you your self-government ? 
 They insisted upon your getting your rights. Depend on it, 
 they will insist with equal force on the natives getting theirs." 
 It is a great gratification to me to see this leader. It estab- 
 lishes my position with Lord Kimberley as to the two classes 
 of Boers. There has been much do?ie si/ice we reached Cape 
 Town. The Blue-book shows that. Sir Hercules Robin- 
 son's despatches are very strong. It was he who sent 
 home the leader from Cape paper for Lord Kimberley's 
 information. The Transvaal stands discredited in this latest 
 Blue-book. 
 
 But I don't want the Boers interfered with in the Trans- 
 vaal. Let them govern themselves, if only we could get 
 some kind of hopeful government for Bechuanaland. 
 
 Mr Morley yesterday enclosed a letter from Mr Froude 
 stating his opinions, and saying that, such being his 
 opinions, I may not think it worth while to call, but if 
 I do call, he assures me it will give him much pleasure 
 to go over the matter with me. I shall call to-morrow. 
 In the meantime, for the fun of the thing, as Mr Morley 
 asked me to return F.'s letter, I have done so with the 
 " other side " as to every statement which he makes, in short 
 compass. 
 
 All the resolutions from Birmingham, Bristol, etc., are 
 given in this Blue-book. There is no shutting our eye to 
 the fact that nuich has been done. I sometimes think a 
 more rabid and unscrupulous man might have lashed 
 up public opinion sooner — telling all the atrocities, etc.; 
 but such spasms do little good ; at any rate, I could not 
 do it. People ought to be convinced, so as that they 
 can continue to uphold their views to-morrow and the day 
 after. 
 
 I sent a copy of pamphlet to Sir Bartle Frere. Letter from 
 Miss Frere in a day or two to say that her father would be 
 very glad to see me at lunch some Saturday, and would 
 Saturday next suit? So I have written to say I shall be 
 most happy, etc. Lord Carnarvon writes from some Castle 
 in Wales to say he has perused with much interest, etc. 
 An acknowledgment also from Lord Shaftesbury — Ashley's 
 father — and he says he will give it his "early attention." 
 However, I must go at this article now. And I am going 
 down to the Mission-House to-day to stir them up about the 
 circulation of the pamphlet.
 
 AS POLITICAL EDUCATOR 271 
 
 When am I coming home ? IJon't know. Can't say. 
 Wish I were there. Feel strongly inclined to put in a 
 sort of " To be continued " ; but have not got to that 
 stage yet. 
 
 Very much love to you and to all. J. M. 
 
 The Christmas of 1882 Mackenzie spent with his 
 family at Portobello, and worked from there for the 
 first kw weeks of the New Year. He maintained his 
 battle with unrelaxing courage. Not without some 
 sickness of heart indeed ; for he could not learn 
 to look with inward indifference upon the policy of 
 those who were most actively opposed to him. 
 " However," he says in one letter to his wife, " I am 
 tried somewhat to-day, and the selfish worldliness of 
 the other side — the ' For Ourselves ' style of the 
 thing — is saddening." It always seemed to him 
 that the policy of withdrawal from South Africa was 
 dictated, partly by a certain pessimism regarding the 
 continued power of Great Britain to carry its enormous 
 load of Imperial responsibility, and partly by^ certain 
 ' doctrinaire ' attitude of mind which applied the abstract 
 theory of national freedom to the Dutch in South 
 Africa without a careful scrutiny of the facts concern- 
 ing the rights of other races, black and white, in the 
 states, colonies, and dependencies of that region.' 
 Africa had cost a great deal and paid back little ; 
 therefore let Africa go — that cry he met. The Dutch 
 wanted to be free, therefore give them their freedom, 
 more of it, if they want more — that cry also he 
 heard. Great Britain had enough to do elsewhere, 
 and ought in any case to confine her attention to 
 her own home interests, which must be neglected 
 by the bestowal of so much time upon the rest 
 of the world — even that cry also met him. And 
 Mackenzie, who had spent twenty years of brooding 
 in South Africa upon the might of the British Empire, 
 the high integrity of her officers, the brilliant genius
 
 272 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 for administration displayed by them in India and 
 elsewhere, who had worked out a broad plan by 
 which South Africa mii^ht without war and with a 
 minimum of Imperial expenditure be built up into a 
 great Commonwealth or Dominion, faced these cries 
 with that mingled courage and grief which comes, not 
 from shallow optimism, but from a hard-won faith, to 
 the defence of a great cause. 
 
 ^ About the end of Januar)'''^ie received a letter from 
 Mankoroane, the chief at Taungs, in which the latter 
 stated the grievous condition into which he and his 
 tribe were being brought by the inroads of the Boers, 
 and pleading with Mackenzie most piteously for his 
 intercession. 
 
 Speak for me to the English people and to the Govern- 
 ment of the Queen. So far as I know I am suffering all this 
 because I said, " I belong to the Queen." It is well known 
 that, during the war between the English and the Boers, I 
 received and protected the Queen's people who had fled 
 from the Transvaal. My Teacher, all my confidence is 
 still in the Queen's Government. Plead for me ! Help 
 me ! If the Government does not help me, I am de- 
 stroyed. ... If they delay to think of me I shall have 
 passed away. ) 
 
 Mackenzie at once communicated the contents of 
 this letter to the Earl of Derby who had just suc- 
 ceeded Lord Kimberley as Secretary of State for the 
 Colonies. He also proceeded to write a pamphlet, 
 entitled " Bechuanaland, The Transvaal, and England," 
 to which he appended the letter from Mankoroane. 
 In this pamphlet he described the situation from the 
 point of view of Bechuanaland. He first sketched 
 what England had done for the natives religiously and 
 educationally, and stated some of the results in their 
 improved social position ; then he described the active 
 relations in which England stood to Bechuanaland
 
 AS POLITICAL EDUCATOR 273 
 
 from 1878 to I 88 I. When England deserted them the 
 chiefs were left powerless, their tribes disorganised and 
 left to the tender mercies of land-agents and secretaries, 
 and Boer " freebooters." Lastly, an account was given 
 very frankly and yet not passionately, and without 
 invective, of the part which the Transvaal was then 
 playing in Bechuanaland. Their conduct was con- 
 trasted with that of the Cape Colony and the Orange 
 Free State. 
 
 It is now for the English public and for English legis- 
 lators to compare their former ideas of the Boers, as men 
 who were nobly longing for freedom, with the careful terms 
 of the Pretoria Convention as to the protection of the natives, 
 with the advice and warning of the Royal Commissioner at 
 Pretoria, 1881, given through its President, and with the 
 disgraceful wars and raids in Bechuanaland which have pre- 
 vailed for more than a year. 
 
 In the month of February Mackenzie began to draw 
 encouragement from the attitude of Lord Derby. 
 He writes on February 23 rd to his eldest 
 son : — 
 
 Did you notice Derby's speech ? Hopeful between the 
 lines. Protection is not scouted, as Kimberley scouted it. 
 
 He also felt himself surer now in expounding and 
 defending his own policy. The natural hesitancy and 
 even diffidence which he felt when he first began this 
 work were giving way under the experience of his 
 success in persuading others to a reasonable confidence 
 in his ideas. In the same letter he says, 
 
 I am certain of my ground now, I mean the policy I 
 propose. I have fought it out with some tough customers 
 here ; and last Saturday night witnessed my first conversion, 
 quite a startling one too. 
 
 On April 27th, 1883, Mackenzie celebrated his 
 silver wedding by attending that of his eldest son 
 
 s
 
 274 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 in Upperby Parish Church, near Carlisle. In a 
 letter written next day to his new daughter, with a 
 playfulness and a depth of feeling which he knew so 
 well how to mingle, he pretended that she had neither 
 seen nor appreciated the various wedding scenes, and 
 proceeded to describe them to her. He recounted a 
 few characteristic words which he had uttered at the 
 breakfast, which, as being autobiographical, have a 
 place here. 
 
 Uo you know what I said when thanking them for drinking 
 my health ? It was this : That my son and daughter-in-law 
 would work out their own day's work as everyone should, 
 according to their own ability ; but that, as far as happiness 
 was concerned, I could not wish for them greater or truer 
 than by praying that their conjugal life might be as 
 happy as my own had been for twenty-five years. This 
 means that you may do more, fill higher places, and so 
 on, but that I cannot conceive of your being more to one 
 another 
 
 In May 1883 Mackenzie had the satisfaction of 
 addressing the British public through the pages of 
 the Nineteenth Century. His article was entitled 
 " England and South Africa," and it extended to 
 thirty-one pages. It was divided into five sections, 
 in which a rapid and concise account was given of 
 the leading historical facts and the main political 
 features of South African history since the purchase 
 of Cape Colony from Holland in the beginning of 
 the last century. 
 
 Section I. discussed " England and the Cape Colony ; 
 Europeans." The social and educational progress of the 
 colonists was described, and it was shown that : " Found in 
 degrading bondage to a commercial company, from whose 
 authority part of the population were in actual rebellion, the 
 European inhabitants of the Cape Colony have enjoyed a 
 period of increasing prosperity under the government of 
 England." Section II. was on " England and the Cape
 
 AS POLITICAL EDUCATOR 275 
 
 Colony ; Natives." It sought to bring out " the two-fold 
 aspect of the question, the effect of our policy on the 
 natives themselves, and the reflex result on the European 
 colonists." The facts connected with serfdom, slavery, and 
 emancipation, were recounted. Nowhere have more bene- 
 ficial results followed to both masters and slaves from 
 emancipation than in South Africa. Even from the point 
 of view of deliverance from the practice of slavery with 
 the wrongs and wars it would engender, the blessings 
 conferred on the European population in South Africa by 
 their connection with England have fully equalled those 
 conferred by that power on the native African races. 
 Section III. passed to "Our Border Policy in South 
 Africa." The principal lesson of this section was that 
 there had been no border policy. Uncertainty and 
 vacillation, rather than a mastery of the subject, char- 
 acterized the attitude and action of Britain throughout the 
 century. With great force this conclusion was driven home 
 by instance after instance, ending with the ever shameful 
 treatment of the Bechuanaland chiefs and their tribes. 
 " Thus a people begs for our help in the establishment 
 of good government; they agree to submit to us, and 
 to pay the necessary taxes. We turn a deaf ear to them, 
 and see them shot down by irresponsible fiUbusters, whose 
 base of operation is a country of which we have the 
 sovereignty ! " In Section IV., " Northward," the irre- 
 sistible movement of Europeans was set forth. " There 
 are reasons for it deeper than political ones ; it is a 
 movement which can be counted on and legislated for, 
 but not arrested. In America those who move westward 
 never think of severing their connection with the East ; 
 and if they did think of it, the United States Govern- 
 ment would insist that there should be no such separation. 
 England unfortunately has never recognized this northern 
 movement as a fact in South African history." This 
 movement is then sketched to show on the one hand how 
 steady it has been, and how our zigzag ways of dealing 
 with South African affairs led to the dangers, disasters, 
 irritations and disgraces, of that which should have been 
 controlled by the Central Power from first to last. 
 
 Thus the writer was brought to his last Section V. " The 
 Lessons of the Past ; Our Future South African Policy." The
 
 2/6 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 policy is based on the assumption that " England will not 
 retire from South Africa, but will retain her position as the 
 Central or Supreme Power having, as hitherto, the native 
 policy in her own hands." (i) The first step would be the 
 selection of one head ... we may call him Governor- 
 General. The Governor of the Cape Colony would exercise 
 that office and nothing more, and so in the case of Natal. 
 (2) The Cape Colony would be relieved of its burdensome 
 task in managing such outlying territories as Basutoland, 
 Transkei, Griqualand East, etc. The Colony would con- 
 tribute its quota towards defraying the expense of upholding 
 the peace of its borders. It would have enough to do with 
 a large native population within its borders. Responsible 
 government would then have a fair trial at the Cape, which it 
 has not had hitherto. The native territories would be 
 placed under administrators, each in direct correspondence 
 with the Governor-General and magistrates, assisted in certain 
 cases by native chiefs as assessors. Under this provisional 
 or territorial government, taxes would be raised to defray 
 local expenditures, and territorial law would be adminis- 
 tered. Each territory would be expected to pay its own way 
 and to contribute towards the central government. . . . 
 The native territories would pass through this stage to the 
 higher grade of Colonial Government, which would be 
 reached when Education had made some progress and the 
 people had become familiar with civilized procedure as 
 to deeds, titles, etc. Under territorial law, for their pro- 
 tection, natives would not be allowed to sell land ; which 
 would inflict no wrong, inasmuch as that is their tribal law 
 already. 
 
 Of course this plan meant annexation. Any satisfactory 
 solution of South African difficulties must take into account 
 the northward movement of Europeans. This movement 
 is itself the annexing or aggressive force ; our scheme seeks 
 to control it ; and its tendency would, on the whole, be to 
 curb rather than to stimulate forward tendencies. The 
 present proposal introduces no change in our relations to 
 any colony or state in South Africa. They would deal with 
 a Governor-General of South Africa instead of with a High 
 Commissioner, who was also a local governor. In such a 
 scheme as that now sketched, there would be the true 
 nucleus of a United South v\frica. Gradually there would
 
 AS POLITICAL EDUCATOR 277 
 
 grow a general council or parliament representing all colonies 
 and states, and assisting the Governor-General in the manage- 
 ment of the general affairs of the country. At present we 
 have mere disjecta ?/ieml>ra in the South African body 
 politic, the head being one of the disjoined parts. He 
 concluded with the confident belief that when England 
 establishes some such government as that which we have 
 here imperfectly sketched, she will at length have solved the 
 problem of governing Europeans and Africans in mutual 
 helpfulness. 
 
 Before the appearance of this article, and in refer- 
 ence to it, Mackenzie wrote a letter to Dr Dale from 
 which the following extracts may be made. 
 
 12 Queen Square, Bloomsbury, 
 London, 2%th March 1883. 
 
 Mv Dear Dr Dale, — My article suggests the doing 
 with the right hand what England has done left-handedly 
 and with much irritation in the past. 
 
 I believe you have the choice of adopting some such 
 general line of South African policy ! or leave the country 
 (practically) and see one race-war after another till the blacks 
 are — in the language of one of your leading men of to-day — 
 " where the Choctaw Indians are." 
 
 I have met with great personal kindness from Mr John 
 Morley, to whom indeed I owe the introduction to Mr 
 Knowles of the Nineteenth Century. But his late speech and 
 his recent articles are to me very sad. They mean the total 
 relinquishment of duties and responsibilities in South Africa. 
 They mean nothing else. If we were deciding whether or 
 not we should go there, they would be in place. I consider 
 there is a deadly shrinking from fact and duty and obligation, 
 which, as a factor in politics, does not augur well for the 
 prosperity of the country in which such views come to the 
 front. " For ourselves " would seem to be the motto of 
 this kind of writing and speaking. But who are " our- 
 selves " ? 
 
 " I know we signed something but we never meant to 
 keep to it, and we won't either," said a gentleman to me, when
 
 278 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 speaking of the Pretoria Convention, " Tlien," I said, 
 " you will forgive me for saying it ; but you are a bad 
 lot." 
 
 Only one man of all I have met with has spoken out such 
 unmitigated falseness as that. It is however, at the bottom 
 of the whole attitude of the government at present. I am 
 no partizan.
 
 CHAPTER XI 
 
 ENGLAND THE TRANSVAAL DELEGATES AND THE 
 
 LONDON CONVENTION (1883, 1S84) 
 
 Much of the summer of 1883 was spent by Mac- 
 kenzie in Scotland. In the earlier months he was 
 engaged in " deputation work " on behalf of the 
 London Missionary Society, which took him through 
 part of Aberdeenshire. He was also busy with the 
 production of his little book entitled " Day-Dawn in 
 Dark Places " which the Directors of the Society 
 had asked him to prepare for them. It was to be 
 used as their annual gift-book to Sunday School 
 children for the year 1884. The book was an 
 account of his missionary life and work in South 
 Africa, and hence in part consisted in an adaptation 
 of his earlier volume " Ten Years North of the Oransfe 
 River." It dealt also with those later experiences in 
 Shoshong and Kuruman which as yet lay buried in 
 the archives of the London Missionary Society. The 
 little book was published by Cassell and Co., and 
 had a large circulation, which that enterprising 
 firm extended to America. For the holiday 
 
 month of August 1883, Mackenzie took a cottage 
 at Hillside, near Montrose, where once more he was 
 able to see all his children gathered together at one 
 time. 
 
 But in September Mackenzie was in London 
 again, preparing for the fiercest of the fight. Ominous 
 signs of a hard struggle were in the air. It had be- 
 come known in June that the Transvaal Government 
 wished to send a deputation to England to deal at
 
 28o JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 close quarters with Her Majesty's Government. Lord 
 Derby very readily consented to receive them, but 
 warned them that the Conference could not take place 
 before the end of October. In the month of Sep- 
 tember, therefore, Mackenzie found himself in at 
 once a more strenuous contest and a better position 
 to carry it on. The visit of the deputation was about 
 to hasten the decision of the British Government 
 and to make it take a final step — into Bechuanaland 
 to remain there, or out of it for ever ! But just 
 because the whole matter was about to be decided the 
 voice of the best-informed man in London, perhaps 
 anywhere, on this specific subject acquired a public 
 authority. 
 
 The delegates were sent by the Transvaal Govern- 
 ment to Europe, in the first place, to raise a loan. The 
 fact is that the wheels of State were beginning to 
 grind heavily, and the drivers saw themselves sinking 
 into that condition of bankruptcy which had helped to 
 make annexation in 1877 seem inevitable, and which 
 would have made history, sooner or later, repeat itself, 
 had not the discovery of the Witwaters Rand gold- 
 fields transformed the economic situation. In relation 
 to Great Britain the delegates had another plan. They 
 determined to urge that the Pretoria Convention had 
 failed, and that a return must be made to the Sand 
 River Convention of 1852 ! In particular, they were 
 prepared to make four demands upon Great Britain. 
 First, that the name "South African Republic" should 
 be recognised ; second, that part of the debt to Great 
 Britain, over ^^250,000, should be cancelled ; third, 
 that the system of British control of the treatment 
 of natives within and without the Transvaal, of which 
 Mr Gladstone had prophesied so triumphantly, should 
 be abolished ; ^and fourth, that the Western boundary 
 of the Republic should be carried so far west as to 
 include all Bechuanaland within its limits.N
 
 THE LONDON CONVENTION 281 
 
 Mackenzie was alarmed by these proposals. With 
 his intimate knowledge of Boer feelings and ambitions, 
 with his estimate of the recently formed Afrikander 
 Bond and its future influence on South African history, 
 with his convictions about the character of the leaders 
 of the Transvaal, he saw that the real substantial ques- 
 tion now actually raised was that of the paramount 
 power in South Africa. -^He stood almost alone in this 
 belief at first. And to the end he failed fully to con- 
 vince Lord Derby, or even Sir Hercules Robinson, 
 who was happily in London to take part in the con- 
 ference. But the subsequent history of Transvaal 
 ambitions has proved that he was right. \ His estimate 
 of the situation is most vigorously expressed in a letter 
 to Dr Dale. 
 
 PORTOBELLO, 22 Sepf. 1 883. 
 
 Dear Dr Dale, — I hope you have been able to follow 
 recent South African events, especially those connected with 
 the Cape Colony. The extreme anti-English party in the 
 Cape Parliament has been shown to be a small one. There 
 was danger at one time that their hands would have been 
 strengthened by the extreme Hammer and Tongs English 
 party at the Cape ; but this did not happen. The Scanlen 
 Government is not a strong one ; but on the Basutoland 
 question it actually secured votes from those adverse to its 
 general policy. 
 
 There would have been universal approval of the Basuto- 
 land policy of Mr Scanlen's Government, if anything like 
 confidence had been felt as to the intentions of the English 
 Government. Could her promise be trusted to ? How much 
 must be discounted from what she promised ; or did she 
 promise anything? The result of the Basutoland arrange- 
 ment is beginning to be felt in that country, and good will 
 appear as confidence is restored to men's minds by the action 
 of England. 
 
 Now the Transvaal envoys are on their way to this country. 
 What is the question whicli they come to decide ? Whether 
 the Transvaal is or is not to be left without restraint, and if 
 thus left, to become the paramount South African State. It
 
 282 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 is not a question of " freedom," as that word is usually under- 
 stood ; much less is it a question of self-government. It is a 
 question of paramountcy. Is it to be retained by England, 
 with and for the Cape Colony and the more civilized South 
 African communities, or is it to be handed to the Transvaal ? 
 The Cape Colony appears to have awoke to the imminence 
 of the peril in which she stands of being shut out from the 
 trade of the interior, and shut out from the great possibilities 
 connected with having a voice in the settlement of the 
 immense unoccupied and beautiful countries to the north. 
 But the attitude of England is surely too coldly supine. The 
 men who would be glad to see England out of South Africa 
 altogether are having it all their own way. At least it would 
 seem so. An intelligent German, well acquainted with South 
 Africa, recently said to a friend of mine, " It is deplorable 
 how England fritters away her influence for good in South 
 Africa." 
 
 At such a juncture as this the hands of the government 
 ought to be strengthened in connection with the Pretoria 
 Convention. What has failed ? Where is the mistake ? 
 Where is the Transvaal wronged ? South African affairs 
 need a head ; and that head is the English Government in 
 the meantime — along with and, perhaps, to be succeeded by, 
 the government of the Cape. Modify the Convention if 
 you like by removing internal interference in Transvaal (I 
 say this reluctlantly, but to gain a point) — if you are to 
 modify, do it there ; but as to setting the Transvaal free and 
 irresponsible, and undefined as to its borders, it would be a 
 moral wrong for England to do it. And history would point 
 to the action as an illustration of cold-blooded and short- 
 sighted selfishness. 
 
 Now I want to ask your advice as to what ought 
 to be done in this most important matter ? The Cape 
 Colony has given up Basutoland — how can it take over 
 Bechuanaland ? It could only do so with the understand- 
 ing that England assisted the colony with Bechuanaland as 
 with Basutoland. 
 
 The Missionary Society lately addressed a letter to Lord 
 Derby on this aspect of the question. His reply was, that 
 Her Majesty's Government were waiting in this matter the 
 action of the Cape Government. 
 
 My position is that with a Viceroy (as the Spectator called 
 the official whom it also recommends for South Africa) and
 
 THE LONDON CONVENTION 283 
 
 a central government, South Africa need never cost England 
 anything in money or men — except some of her best sons as 
 administrators and civil servants. 
 
 Now, before I have done, just consider the issues that are 
 at stake just now. Who is to be supreme in South Africa ? 
 What sort of views as to native races are to have power in 
 the future ? With reference to the London Missionary 
 Society, is it to expect better treatment at the hands of the /' 
 Transvaal authorities than the French missionaries met with ' 
 from President Burgers, when they were detained as prisoners 
 and then sent back to Basutoland, on the occasion of their 
 desiring to pass through the Transvaal to reach the tribes 
 beyond ? What are we to make of our useful Bechuana 
 Mission and native ministers and the possibilities of our 
 northward work, if law and justice retreat from the country, 
 and might is left to assert itself as right ? And but for the 
 attention which Bechuanaland has received in England — 
 feeble and uncertain as that has been — where would our 
 Mission have been ? Ask the ruins at Kolobeng, at Matebe, 
 and at Moilwe's — the stations destroyed by the Boers, shortly 
 after the signing of the Sand River Convention. C England is 
 surely interested in the right of way to the interior of South 
 Africa, so that peaceful men, whether missionaries or traders, 
 or scientific explorers, should have a free right of way, as 
 they have had from the native chiefs.) 
 
 Now, if you have followed me thus far, I think you will 
 agree that there is a case for the attention of those who are 
 better known than I am. Please to think over the matter, 
 and suggest something practical and something worthy of the 
 greatness of the question. 
 
 I remember in May last you seemed to have mastered 
 
 this question. I hope it has not been buried under later and 
 
 more absorbing questions. But if it has been covered, it is 
 
 still there in your mind. I look to you for help to do good 
 
 in a far-reaching way, and in a work which I think will abide. 
 
 I shall be glad to hear from you. — Believe me to be, ever 
 
 yours sincerely, t at 
 
 ■^ •" John Mackenzie. 
 
 Mackenzie had now found several most valuable 
 allies in the London press. The editorship of the 
 Pall Mall Gazette had passed from the hands of 
 Mr Morley to those of Mr W. T. Stead, who proved
 
 284 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 himself at that time a most vigorous and useful 
 propagator of true Imperialism in South Africa. 
 One of the pa{)ers which from the first showed a 
 profound grasp of South African affairs, and which 
 has maintained its first clear insight through all the 
 tumult and confusion of intervening years, was the 
 Spectator. Mackenzie had no direct relations with 
 the Spectator beyond having met Mr R. H. Hutton 
 and Mr Townsend, but was ever deeply grateful for 
 its sympathy and its constancy. Both of these papers 
 used their full power to prevent the political blunder, 
 the moral disgrace, which the Government seemed 
 not unwilling to perpetrate in South Africa. The 
 columns of the Pall Mall were used by Mackenzie 
 frequently, and a number of trenchant editorials 
 appeared there from the pen of Mr Stead, with the 
 result that people were thoroughly aroused to see 
 that an important event in Great Britain's Imperial 
 relations was about to occur. 
 
 The delegates, soon after their arrival, committed 
 the error of publishing boldly a statement of their 
 claims, and supporting it with what professed to be a 
 history of their relations to Bechuanaland. They 
 found, to their astonishment, that opposition to their 
 plans had been already unwittingly prepared by 
 Mackenzie's long campaign since July 1882. They 
 also found their curious " history " and their political 
 claims confronted by the same man, with an accurate 
 and moderate and unanswerable statement of the real 
 history of Bechuanaland, and with a sound estimate 
 of their real ambitions. They had friends, of course, 
 such as Dr G. B. Clark and others, who had so long, 
 so curiously, acted as champions of the Transvaal ; 
 and these tried to create a public movement favouring 
 Mr Kruger and his companions. They failed how- 
 ever. Even the Lord Mayor of London, Sir R. N. 
 Fowler, M.P., who was a member of the South African
 
 THE LONDON CONVENTION 285 
 
 Committee, and a student at first hand of South 
 African affairs, declined to invite them to a Mansion 
 House banquet, when it was proposed to him to do 
 so. Shortly after their arrival Mackenzie wrote a 
 letter to Mr Stead, from which the following may 
 be taken : — 
 
 It is commonly supposed it is " freedom " which the dear 
 Dutchmen want. I'll tell you what it is. 
 
 It is not self-government ; that they have had, and have. 
 There has been no real interference by England with their 
 internal affairs since the Convention. 
 
 It is not independence (like the Free State). But, in 
 order to meet them, this might be given them, and Mr 
 Hudson removed from the Transvaal, and Bechuanaland 
 administered by Cape Colony and England. 
 
 But what they want is the supreme political position in 
 South Africa, to be the empire State among its states, the 
 highway into the interior, to have native policy of the Future, 
 etc., etc., all in their hands. 
 
 Now if England is out of the country, do let Cape Colony 
 come to the front, and be in the front. Let civilization and 
 intelligence get ahead (as to influence) of dull ignorance, 
 prejudice and bounce. 
 
 Why does not Dr Clark w^ork for the independence of 
 Cape Colony? That the frontier men of South Africa 
 should be independent of the rest of the Europeans out 
 there is what every true friend of South Africa would pro- 
 test against. It is impertinent as to the Cape Colony and 
 Natal that Englishmen in London should work for the Inde- 
 pendence of the frontier men of our European population in 
 South Africa. 
 
 At the same time they would have been none the worse of 
 the Mayor's wine. 
 
 We need not here recount the story of that long 
 Conference between Lord Derby, assisted by Sir 
 Hercules Robinson, the High Commissioner for 
 South African Affairs on the one hand, and these 
 delegates of the Transvaal, President Kruger, the Rev. 
 S. J. du Toit, and General N. J. Smith, on the other
 
 286 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 hand. The conference was carried on ahnost ex- 
 clusively in writing. The first pretension of the 
 delegates that they were about to make a treaty 
 with Great Britain was abruptly turned down by 
 Derby, who defined the difference between a treaty 
 and a convention. The convention was an agree- 
 ment under which Her Majesty conferred upon 
 certain people who had been formerly her subjects 
 the power of self-government, on certain conditions. 
 With great ease the delegates found themselves 
 receiving — handed over to them v^-ith the proverbial 
 hauteur and uncalculating, and therefore ignorant, 
 self-complacency attributed to the typical English- 
 man—three of their four great boons. A large 
 part of their debt was remitted ; the British control 
 over the Transvaal's treatment of its native popula- 
 tion — Mr Gladstone's prophetic dream notwithstand- 
 ing — was withdrawn ; the Transvaal was formally 
 recognised as " The South African Republic." There 
 can be no doubt nozv that Lord Derby went too 
 far, that in making the last two concessions he put 
 actual and immeasurable power into the hands of 
 what was, at heart, a hostile power, and that he gave 
 the Transvaal an international standing. This inter- 
 national standing was of course further confirmed and 
 dignified, when to these he added yet another boon, 
 that of making treaties, with only the right of veto 
 reserved to the Queen. Mackenzie saw with deep 
 sadness the gradual investment of the " Frontier 
 Boers " with such power and prestige ; he saw the 
 day of the Boer's hope dawning. For, as his letters 
 have shown, he already knew that the deep design 
 of Mr Kruger was to make the South African 
 Republic the paramount power in South Africa. 
 Very few were the men whom he could convince oi 
 this as a living policy, and a living danger ; and, 
 alas ! none of these was in thi^ Colonial Office.
 
 THE LONDON CONVENTION 287 
 
 There remained the one greatest desire of the 
 Transvaal heart, namely, the extension of their western 
 border over Bechuanaland. What they said alike 
 before, at, and after the London Conference shows 
 how far they saw into the future. They knew that 
 this alone would settle the question of paramountcy 
 in South Africa. The other concessions would help 
 them wonderfull}' towards the fulfilment of their 
 racial dream ; but without this, those others might 
 prove futile ; with this, they would certainly make 
 the Transvaal supreme. It was the discussion of this 
 matter, the fate of Bechuanaland, and in that the 
 fate of the British Empire in South Africa, which 
 prolonged the Conference from the beginning 
 of November 1883 to the middle of February 
 1884. 
 
 A few men in Cape Colony and England had 
 already begun to appreciate the far-reaching im- 
 portance of this Boer movement westwards, such as 
 Mr Cecil Rhodes and Sir Thomas Scanlen at the 
 Cape, Mr W. E. Forster, Sir T. F. Burton, Earl Grey, 
 Sir Bartle Frere and others at home. Mr Rhodes, 
 indeed, proposed a motion in the Cape Parliament 
 requesting the British Government " in the interests 
 of the Colony to appoint a Resident with the Chief 
 Mankoroane." This was mild enough surely ; but it 
 was lost. The Africander Bond, whose rallying cry 
 was " Africa for the Africanders," and whose member- 
 ship included the leading Dutchmen in the Transvaal, 
 Orange Free State, and Cape Colony, was now organised 
 and its momentous history had begun. As an im- 
 mediate result, the racial elements in the Cape Parlia- 
 ment were being rapidly changed, and Mr Hofmeyr 
 had opened his career as the Bond leader v.ithout 
 whom no Cape politician might hope to gain or to 
 hold for long the office of Prime Minister. So strong 
 had the current already set in against British " inter-
 
 288 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 ference," that a certain well-known member of the 
 Cape Parliament — an Englishman — refused to present 
 a petition which proposed to keep the trade route into 
 the interior open, because the petition affirmed that 
 England ought to be the paramount power north of 
 Griqualand West ! 
 
 It seemed at one time as if Mackenzie might have 
 a direct and official position in the Conference. For 
 Mankoroane, the chief whose territories lay nearest 
 to Cape Colony, who had been very true to Great 
 Britain and had suffered for his loyalty, and whose 
 land was now being seized by inhabitants of the 
 Transvaal, claimed the right to be present at the 
 Conference. He began his journey and reached Cape 
 Town, when he was informed that he should go no 
 further. He then asked that Mackenzie be allowed 
 to act as his official representative. This also Lord 
 Derby refused, but he wrote to Mackenzie to say that 
 all information which the latter might have regarding 
 Mankoroane and his rights would be received and 
 carefully considered in the course of the Conference. 
 In this way Mackenzie was put in a position of actual, 
 though unofficial, power. As the Conference was 
 carried on almost entirely by the exchange of docu- 
 ments and letters, and by private and personal inter- 
 views, Mackenzie, to whom those avenues were thus 
 fully opened, had a very real place in the Conference. 
 His conversations with Sir Hercules Robinson, Sir 
 Robert Herbert and others at the Colonial Office 
 were very frequent. Every new proposal by the 
 delegates, every argument which they made, every 
 historical assertion which they risked, was submitted 
 to Mackenzie for his criticism. He used his oppo- 
 tunity, not merely to deal with the claims of the 
 Transvaal, but, as these were successfully rebutted, 
 with the new position in which the rebuttal of those 
 claims put Great l^ritain. That Government, it was
 
 THE LONDON CONVENTION 289 
 
 plain, must do much more than waive aside the pro- 
 posals of the Transvaal ; it must say what was to be 
 done with, and what was to become of, the native 
 tribes whose territory was now being " eaten up " by 
 the Boers. You do not dam back a flowing tide by 
 drawing an imaginary line and forbidding its advances, 
 nor would you stop the unrighteous and murderous 
 annexation of Bechuanaland by Boers from the Trans- 
 vaal, by drawing a line on maps in London and 
 having it " ratified " at Pretoria. The only possible 
 plan was British action instead of Transvaal action. 
 The trade route could only be kept open through the 
 actual occupation of the country by those for whom 
 it was to be open. 
 
 ( In the beginning of December Mackenzie sent in to 
 Lord Derby a memorandum describing the kind of 
 government which Great Britain could, and ought to, 
 adopt in Bechuanaland. It was his old well-pondered 
 system of territorial government,) which had capti- 
 vated Sir Bartle Frere, and convinced other wide- 
 viewed men. (To his great joy. Lord Derby confessed 
 himself impressed by it. " A policy, such as you have 
 indicated, would doubtless, if firmly and judiciously 
 carried out, avert many difficulties and dangers." 
 That marked a great advance upon the attitude which 
 Lord Derby had himself taken less than a year before, 
 when the same principles were submitted by Mackenzie 
 for his consideration. ' Lord Derby made British 
 action depend upon the action of the colonies and 
 states of South Africa. It was his view that such a 
 scheme could only be carried out by them. This 
 visionary notion was characteristic of the British 
 statesman's knowledge, and his theorising about 
 South Africa. No one who knew South Africa could 
 possibly consider it as possible that the colonies and 
 states would combine, in those days, to carry out so 
 broad a policy of native territorial government. For 
 
 T
 
 290 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 one thing, it would mean the complete transformation 
 of the Boer spirit, and for another it would mean that 
 rival states and colonies should at once unite on 
 purely humanitarian grounds, upon a work which is 
 the most difficult in South Africa. Mackenzie was 
 much cheered by Derby's letter, notwithstanding this 
 restriction. To his eldest son he writes of it as 
 follows : — 
 
 II Queen Square 
 
 {Undated.) 
 
 Dear Willie, — I got the enclosed last night before going 
 to bed. It was good news. I caught myself singing when 
 dressing this morning, which I have not felt inclined to do 
 for some time. 
 
 When you remember that I ask no new responsibility, and 
 when you consider the attitude of the Cape Colony asking 
 for what Lord Derby says he is inclined to grant if colonies 
 and states agree to ask it, the thing is most gratifying. God 
 grant that nothing go wrong — no ill-wind blow on this 
 decidedly practical and masterful attitude of Lord Derby. 
 It is personally very pleasing to me to get his commendation 
 so far to my scheme. 
 
 The Contemporary is to try and get some big people 
 to endorse my view in the Review, perhaps Sir H. Barkly 
 and Sir B. Frere. 
 
 Do pray earnestly that this tendency in the right direction 
 may be strengthened till it become a policy. I have seen 
 Mr Scanlen, and showed him the letter. He was pleased. 
 It was new life to him. I told him he must look up my 
 communication and see if he approved of it, in which case 
 a great point would be gained. He is likely to do so. Sir 
 H. Robinson does so. I read it to him in MS. 
 
 Must stop to catch post. Love to all in Portobello and in 
 Montrose. — Your affectionate father. 
 
 J. M. 
 
 (Mackenzie did not confine his agitation during the 
 Conference to the Colonial Office and communications 
 to the newspapers. Knowing the value of public meet- 
 ings and the effect upon a Government of resolutions
 
 THE LONDON CONVENTION 291 
 
 from important and representative leatherings all over 
 the country, he continued this kind of work. The most 
 important of all the gatherings was that held at the 
 Mansion House, London, on Tuesday, November 27th, 
 1883. ) The Egyptian Hall was full to overflowing, 
 and the " platform " was most distinguished as well as 
 numerous. It was held under the auspices of the 
 South African Committee, whose secretary, Mr F. W. 
 Chesson, put his whole heart and his great organising 
 powers into the effort.^ The Lord Mayor (Sir R. N. 
 Fowler) occupied the chair. The principal speeches 
 were delivered by the Earl of Shaftesbury, Mr W. E. 
 Forster, Rev. John Mackenzie, Sir Henry Barkly and 
 Sir Thomas F. Buxton. Mr Forster's speech was long, 
 but full of fire, and produced a very great effect. ^The 
 speakers all dealt mainly with the following points : 
 the commercial value of the Bechuanaland trade-route 
 into the interior, which the Hon. R. Southey, former 
 Lieutenant-Governor of Griqualand West, estimated at 
 one million pounds sterling per annum ; the rights of 
 the Bechuanaland tribes and the obligations of Great 
 Britain towards them ; the policy of the Transvaal 
 towards natives and the virtual slavery so long prac- 
 tised in the Transvaal. \ Mackenzie's own speech was 
 very well received. It produced such an effect on one 
 great man that he (Lord Shaftesbury), in shaking 
 hands with Mackenzie at the close of the meeting, 
 said emphatically, " You have a great career before 
 you ; I'm sure you have a great career before 
 you." On the night of that meeting Mackenzie sat 
 down and wrote the following letter to his eldest 
 son, which throws much light upon his work at this 
 time : — 
 
 ^ An important pamphlet was published by the Aborigines Protection 
 Society (1884), entitled "The Bechuanas, the Cape Colony, and the 
 Transvaal," which contained a good report of the speeches at the meet- 
 ing, besides other documents of importance to the discussion.
 
 292 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 II Queen Square, 
 
 2Tih Nov. 1883. 
 
 My Dear Willie, — I am addressing you to-night, as I 
 feel it is indeed a long time since we interchanged thoughts. 
 I have just come home from handing in MS. of my speech 
 to the Times. Their reporter came up and asked if I would 
 like to supply it, and saying how much space they could 
 afford. I have sent much more than he said in the hope 
 that, having it there cut and dried, he will let it go in and 
 save himself trouble. 
 
 Well, the meeting has been a marvellous success, to use 
 the kind of expression which you hear on such subjects. I 
 came far short of my own idea as to what a speech ought to 
 be. Lord Shaftesbury was in his usual vein, and was, of 
 course, very well received. Next came Mr Forster. You 
 will read his speech. He gave it them hot on all sides. 
 You can have no idea of the enthusiastic reception which he 
 met with. I think this question has done good work for Mr 
 Forster, as certainly he has done good work for it. You know 
 what I mean. He has shown those points as a politician 
 which English people dearly love — fearless rectitude and 
 strong denunciation of mere shiftiness. The people were 
 very kind and appreciative all through. I was quite as- 
 tonished at the heartiness of the meeting. I was very 
 careful in what I said. I did not have time, however, half 
 to go over the ground which I had chalked out, as others 
 had to come after me, and Forster took a frightfully long 
 time. However, I said some of the things I wanted to say, 
 but omitted how many ! I am assured the meeting was an 
 unusually enthusiastic one — this from Londoners ! 
 
 Sir Henry Barkly is a good speaker. It was opportune 
 also that Hon. R. Southey, the first Lieutenant-Governor 
 of Griqualand West, should have been there to say a few 
 words. 
 
 The Aberdeen Free Press is evidently in communication with 
 Dr Clark, the Boer advocate — if, indeed, he is not writing 
 for it. I was very glad and thankful for that leader in the 
 Scotsmafi. I sent it to the Colonial Office. 
 
 I had the impression that I had described my visit to Lord 
 Derby ; but as your mother asks me about it in her last, I 
 must have done it in my dreams only. 
 
 I found Lord Derby and Sir Evelyn Ashley, with Sir
 
 THE LONDON CONVENTION 293 
 
 Robert Herbert, the Permanent Secretary, in the large room 
 — I suppose, Lord Derby's. They had just been glancing 
 over my statement in behalf of Mankoroane. Lord Derby 
 came forward and very courteously met me, etc. — But surely 
 I must have written all this to some one. 
 
 We were close upon an hour together. What did 
 Mankoroane want? The establishment of order and 
 government in his country by England or failing that, 
 by the Cape Colony. 
 
 The map was referred to ; places, etc., pointed out. 
 
 Ashley. But Mankoroane has not lost 'any of his good 
 land, only his outlying hunting veldt. At least, I said so 
 in the House of Commons, and no one contradicted me. 
 
 L I'm afraid your inference is not warranted. I'm afraid 
 you could say a good many things about Bechuanaland and 
 not be contradicted in the House of Commons. 
 
 Derp.y (laughing). Very true. No doubt of that. 
 
 I then explained what he had lost, and how the people 
 had begun to live at their farms before this trouble, so that it 
 was really their homes which had been broken up. 
 
 Ashley. Why don't all these people unite — they are so 
 numerous — they could soon settle the matter themselves ? 
 
 I. Well I should be glad of a settlement, but, to say truth, 
 I should not be glad to see people ranging themselves in an 
 hostile attitude in South Africa — blacks, because they were 
 blacks ; and whites, as whites. 
 
 Derby. Very true. I agree with you — it would be a bad 
 thing. How would you do this ? 
 
 I then sketched how I thought the thing might be done. 
 Increase (with the active sanction and consent of the Cape 
 Colony) the Cape Border Police, and make that your force 
 for all practical purposes in Bechuanaland. You must 
 recognize that this is an old affair, and has been let alone. 
 Claims to land held by white men might turn out to your 
 Commissioner to be valid. In my opinion the Commissioner 
 would not dirty his hands, or compromise himself by dealing 
 with these men. All that has been done already by the 
 Government. The highest morality compels me to say they 
 ought all to be cleared out. But the past action of the 
 Government compels me to make the above suggestion as 
 the only one feasible. 
 
 I should have European magistrates, under a Commissioner 
 — but territorial as distinguished from colonial law, etc. I
 
 294 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 did not go far into this. But I think I shall request a short 
 talk on this very point about laud; it is so important, and my 
 arrangement is so unlike everybody else's, or rather, nobody 
 has anything to propose that is new. 
 
 I took occasion to mention the fallacy of some of what I 
 knew to be the Boer position — e.g.^ that if they got more 
 ground they would be more peaceful, etc. 
 
 You would see that by Sir Bartle Frere, in the Pall Mall. 
 I asked Chesson about him and the meeting. " If you like 
 to spoil it let him come," was the answer, " the Conservatives 
 would cheer him, and the others hiss him." " If any hissed, 
 and I had the slightest chance I should certainly stick up 
 for him." " Yes, and spoil the meeting." When I found 
 that no tickets had been sent to him, or his family, and all 
 so deeply interested in the question, I sent some down to 
 them, and Lady Frere was kind enough to send up an 
 express, with a note of thanks. Sir Bartle was away in 
 Nottinghamshire, and wrote a note to me which I got in the 
 morning. Of course he did not know about the tickets, as 
 he was away from home. Do you know, although I don't 
 agree with what the Conservatives and he were doing, I do 
 admire the man, and feel intensely sorry for the calamity 
 which has come upon him after a life-time of devoted service 
 to his country. It is his indomitable pluck which captivates 
 me, and his really noble bearing in his present trying 
 position. However, I did not mean to go into this. But 
 Sir H. Barkly was there and spoke well ; Sir H. Robinson 
 was quoted by Forster ; but poor Sir Bartle w-as nowhere. 
 Mind you it is a warning — but not to governors only, I 
 should think, but to those who send them ; for I thmk 
 he was a good and loyal servant of the Conservative 
 Government. 
 
 Sir Fowell Buxton was very kind, enquiring where I was, 
 etc. And what do you think ? The Lord Mayor has asked 
 me to dine with him to-morrow week, to meet Mr Scanlen of 
 the Cape Colony. Perhaps it will be all over before that 
 time. 
 
 We shall see ; but I should not be surprised if the meet- 
 ing to-night does help the cause of eventual peace and good 
 government in South Africa. I am sending this, via 
 Portobello.
 
 THE LONDON CONVENTION 295 
 
 Another important meeting was held in Edinburgh 
 on January 31st, 1884. Mackenzie was the leading 
 speaker and he was followed by the late Professor 
 Henry Calderwood of Edinburgh University, the late 
 Bishop Cotterill, Professor W. G. Blaikie, the bio- 
 grapher of Livingstone, Mr John Gifford, the Rev. 
 G. D, Cullen and others. Dr Calderwood described 
 Mackenzie's speech as a " very clear, very calm, and 
 very important statement." 
 
 Mackenzie secured a place for his second Review 
 article in the Contemporary of January 1884. It 
 was entitled " England and South Africa," and ex- 
 tended to twenty-six pages. It was divided into four 
 sections, in the course of which the author tried to 
 put into the hands of any intelligent Englishman 
 all the material which he would need for mak- 
 ing up his mind as to the claims made by the 
 Transvaal and the responsibilities of Great Britain 
 in Bechuanaland. 
 
 Section L introduced the discussion by asking why the 
 Pretoria Convention had not succeeded. " The delegates 
 have declared, since they came to England, that they are 
 willing to observe towards the native tribes all that human 
 -or divine law would dictate. Under what category are we 
 to reckon the Pretoria Convention, which the Transvaal has 
 so flagrantly broken, and now wishes to rescind ? " Section 
 II. "The Transvaal and Bechuanaland," traced the history 
 of the relations between the Transvaal Boers and the tribes 
 whose territories they now wished to obtain. The legal 
 status of the blacks in the Transvaal is once more referred 
 to, and the following telling comparison is made. "The 
 Transvaal is a would-be Republic ; so are the United States 
 of America. But the one may be justly said to be in some 
 respects the opposite of the other. The inequality of men 
 which the Transvaal people left the Cape Colony to secure — 
 which they have written in their constitution in the Trans- 
 vaal — is the very doctrine which has been removed from the 
 laws of the American Republic, after sacrifices such as the 
 world never heard of before. Americans have freed their
 
 296 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 own Republican doctrines and carried them out. The 
 Transvaal may come to do so, but in the meantime it has no 
 right to be classed with governments which are its antithesis 
 in doctrine and practice." A little later Mackenzie says, "I 
 am exceedingly sorry that duty compels me to affirm and to 
 show that the historical researches published under the name 
 of President Kruger are entirely unreliable." This he pro- 
 ceeds to do at some length, tracing the history of Bechuana- 
 land from 1812 to 1883. Section III. dealt with the 
 " Political Condition of South Africa." Natal, the Free 
 State, and the Cape Colony were briefly described, and then 
 nearly five pages were given to one of those full and, it may 
 be presumed accurate expositions of the relations, char- 
 acteristics, and political problems of the native tribes of South 
 Africa, which make Mackenzie's books and articles of first- 
 rate importance to future students of that subject. Section 
 IV. once more outlined his ever-developing plan for " The 
 Government of South African Native Territories." After 
 describing once more the need for a High Commissioner re- 
 leased from the trammels of a local Governorship, he set 
 forth successively his definition of a "Territory," the system 
 of territorial law, the knotty problem of land tenure in a 
 " Territory," the certainty that a territorial government 
 could be paid by local taxes and upheld with a simple 
 system of police. Finally, he dealt with the possibility of 
 war in the carrying out of his scheme. His main points 
 were that in a country like South Africa occasional dis- 
 turbances may be looked for, but that a strong govern- 
 ment would always prevent them from growing into " wars " ; 
 that Great Britain cannot " run away from difficulties . . . 
 from the shadows of her own mistakes in South Africa," but 
 that she need never have on her hands in South Africa a 
 disturbance which could not be quelled by means of South 
 African Police. " If you have several native territories 
 under your Government, you will always be able to find 
 fighting men ready to your hand," when any tribe becomes 
 rebellious. The article concluded with the following 
 sentence : " There is annexation which is mere theft ; that 
 we abhor. But in the successful government of South 
 Africa there would be wise provision made for a process 
 which in our scheme would be like growth, and not like theft. 
 The land would not be stolen, and yet expansion would 
 gradually take place. Black men would come southward,
 
 THE LONDON CONVENTION 297 
 
 white men would go northward — under control and peace- 
 fully. There is a responsibility in accepting such a scheme ; 
 but there is a responsibility in rejecting it ; and there is the 
 gravest responsibility in letting things alone. The present 
 condition of South Africa is a disgrace to the character and 
 the known administrative ability of England. And yet with 
 intelligent treatment, South Africa, as it has been the most 
 difficult, and is to-day the most unique, may also become the 
 most interesting of English dependencies, and the crowning 
 eflfort of her successful administration." 
 
 The editor of the Contemporary 'Review secured 
 letters from Sir H. Barkly and Sir Bartle Frere, to 
 whom this article was submitted in proof, and their 
 comments were printed in the same number of that 
 Review. It had been announced in December that 
 Lord Derby had expressed his substantial agree- 
 ment with Mackenzie's policy, and that fact no doubt 
 added to the interest with which his article was 
 received. In a private letter Sir Bartle Frere made 
 some useful suggestions as to the dissemination of 
 the Review, and added, "It is far the best paper 
 on South African affairs I have seen for a long 
 time, and ought to be read and carefully studied 
 by everyone who is going to speak, write, or vote 
 on the subject." 
 
 From November ist, 1883, when the Conference 
 began, more than three months elapsed before an 
 agreement was reached on the first article of the 
 new Convention, the article which determined the 
 boundaries of the Transvaal. Lord Derby aimed 
 at and secured a compromise. He agreed to the 
 annexation of a rich and extensive portion, about 
 2600 square miles, of South Bechuanaland to the 
 Transvaal. Mackenzie of course opposed this, not, 
 as he says in an unprinted manuscript on the Con- 
 ference, " not in an inimical spirit to the Transvaal, 
 but rather in its highest interest." He held that 
 for so scattered a population as the Transvaal, and
 
 298 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 for a Government so inefficient in departmental work, 
 the addition of territory was no boon, but a burden. 
 At the same time, he pressed the argument that the two 
 native chiefs, Moshette and Massouw, although they 
 had been induced to employ Boer volunteers, did not 
 desire annexation to the Transvaal. Nevertheless, Lord 
 Derby having remitted a quarter of a million pounds 
 sterling, having recognised the significant title, " The 
 South African Republic," having agreed to surrender 
 the British right to control the Boers' treatment of 
 natives, having granted the right to make treaties 
 with foreign powers, subject only to the Queen's veto, 
 went further still in this broad and unparalleled policy 
 of " generosity " to the Transvaal, and " gave " that 
 Government the right to govern the territory of 
 those two native tribes. All through the discus- 
 sions Mackenzie feared to assume too hostile an 
 attitude, lest he should seem to be a mere partisan ; 
 but with his clear conviction regarding the ultimate 
 purpose of Mr Kruger's policy, he regretted deeply 
 that the power to realise that purpose was thus put 
 into those hands with a smile of security and of 
 Imperial self-confidence. 
 
 When the Conference at last resulted in the " Con- 
 vention," that document embraced no less than twenty 
 articles, drawn up in English and Dutch. Several of 
 these have acquired strange significance from subse- 
 quent events. For example, the fourth article forbids 
 the South African Republic to conclude any " treaty 
 or engagement with any State or nation other than 
 the Orange Free State . . . until the same has been 
 approved by Her Majesty the Queen." That singular 
 exception, which was allowed with contempt, has pro- 
 duced sinister results. Article IX, provides for the 
 continuance of complete religious freedom for all 
 denominations, " provided the same be not incon- 
 sistent with morality and good order." Article XIV.
 
 THE LONDON CONVENTION 299 
 
 is the famous one which became the basis of dispute 
 between the Transvaal Government and the Uitlanders 
 in after years. It provides for the freedom and equality 
 as to property and commercial rights before the law 
 of " all persons, other than natives, conforming them- 
 selves to the laws of the South African Republic." 
 Natives are dealt with in other articles (VIII. and 
 XIX.), where slavery is forbidden, " or apprenticeship 
 partaking of slavery," and the South African Republic 
 " engages faithfully to fulfil the assurance " given to 
 the Transvaal natives by the Royal Commission at 
 the great Pretoria Pitso, or assembly of native chiefs 
 and headmen, in 1881. 
 
 The second Article was the one which, along with 
 the first, " saved the face " of the British Government, 
 and South Africa from becoming a Dutch Republic. 
 The first half of it was as follows : — " The Govern- 
 ment of the South African Republic will strictly 
 adhere to the boundaries defined in the first Article 
 of the Convention, and will do its utmost to prevent 
 any of its inhabitants from making any encroachments 
 upon lands beyond the said boundaries. The Govern- 
 ment of the South African Republic will appoint Com- 
 missioners upon the eastern and western borders whose 
 duty it will be strictly to guard against irregularities, 
 and all trespassing over the boundaries. Her Majesty's 
 Government will, if necessary, appoint Commissioners 
 in the native territories outside the eastern and western 
 borders of the South African Republic to maintain 
 order and prevent encroachments." 
 
 Lord Derby decided that, in view of the whole 
 circumstances in Bechuanaland, the provisions of 
 that Article must be acted upon at once. Order 
 must be restored in that land, a debt of honour 
 must be paid to Montsioa and Mankoroane, the two 
 loyal chiefs, and the trade route must be occupied 
 in order to be kept open. To this decision Derby
 
 300 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 was led, not merely by a consideration of the 
 rights of the case, but by the argument that the 
 Cape Colony was profoundly interested in the 
 matter, was prepared to share the expense of oc- 
 cupying the country, and might ultimately consent 
 to its annexation. The Premier of the Colony 
 had been in England during part of the negotia- 
 tions, and virtually pledged himself and his col- 
 leagues to see that the Colonial Government bore 
 its part of the cost. Lord Derby, while convinced 
 of the wisdom of Mackenzie's scheme, was never 
 thoroughly convinced that the British people would 
 sanction the expenditure of Imperial funds to 
 secure Bechuanaland or maintain British supremacy 
 in South Africa. His timidity on the point was 
 no doubt increased by the urgency with which 
 that little group of Liberals still pressed what 
 Mackenzie called the " clear-out policy." 
 
 When Lord Derby and Sir Hercules Robinson 
 were deciding what to do with Bechuanaland, the 
 latter recommended that Mackenzie should be sent 
 out as Deputy Commissioner. At first Derby hesitated. 
 He clearly foresaw the kind of criticism which would 
 be made upon the appointment of a missionary to so 
 important a task, and he invited Robinson to name 
 some one else. But Sir Hercules had made up his 
 mind, for the time at any rate. He had been very 
 closely associated with Mackenzie for some months 
 now, and was evidently under the influence of his 
 strong personality and his intellectual grasp of the 
 situation. A few months later, when other strong 
 personalities were busy around him and bearing down 
 upon his too pliant will, he gave the following as the 
 reasons for his nomination of John Mackenzie : " Mr 
 Mackenzie was selected for the post because it was 
 assumed that, having regard to his well-known in- 
 fluence with the natives, as well as to his success-
 
 THE LONDON CONVENTION 301 
 
 ful advocacy of Colonial interests, his appointment 
 would have commanded the confidence of the 
 colonists as well as of the natives over whom it was 
 proposed to establish a Protectorate." The follow- 
 ing is the letter to Sir Hercules Robinson, in 
 which Mackenzie indicated his willingness to 
 accept the appointment if offered to him by the 
 Government : — 
 
 II Queen Square, 
 Bloomsbury, Zth Feb. 1884. 
 
 Dear Sir Hercules, — With reference to your kind offer 
 to recommend me to Her Majesty's Government for the 
 Commissionership in Bechuanaland, I beg to express my 
 thanks and my willingness to do my best in that capacity, 
 should your recommendation receive the sanction of the 
 Government. 
 
 I am, however, more interested in the initiation of a 
 Native Policy in South Africa by the English Government 
 which would pacify the country, lead to union, and establish 
 our own rule there, than I am with reference to any other 
 question, even my own personal affairs. 
 
 The government is getting the credit with the public 
 of facing this siibject somewhat on the lines of the article in 
 the Contemporary. I meet with indications of this on all 
 hands, and I feel sure they themselves will feel bound to 
 look at it in this light. 
 
 I shall be content with the smallest honest and avowed 
 beginning of this policy ; and will cheerfully, and under a 
 full sense of duty, take any share in working it out, for which 
 they and you may think I am qualified. 
 
 Trusting I rightly interpret the attitude of Her Majesty's 
 Government towards this most important and hitherto most 
 perplexing and vexatious question, I place myself at their 
 disposal in connexion with it. — I am, dear Sir Hercules, 
 ever yours sincerely, 
 
 John Mackenzie. 
 
 F.S. — If Her Majesty's Government will only give this a 
 fair chance, and gradually, cautiously, and intelligently 
 develop the policy I refer to, I hope to live to see a
 
 302 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 practically united South Africa, and England relieved of 
 the present irritating responsibilities in that part of the 
 world. 
 
 On February 21st Mackenzie received Lord Derby's 
 formal offer of the post, and he at once replied in 
 the following letter, which summarises the main 
 conditions of the appointment. The salary named to 
 him was ;^I2 00 per annum, and necessary travelling 
 expenses. 
 
 London, 21st February 1884. 
 The Right Honourable the Earl of Derby, 
 Secretary of State for the Colonies. 
 
 My Lord, — I have received your Lordship's letter of 
 this date, stating your own views and those of Sir Hercules 
 Robinson as to my fitness for the proposed office of Resident 
 Commissioner in Bechuanaland, and desiring to know if I 
 can undertake that work " under those conditions which the 
 circumstances of the case render necessary." 
 
 Your Lordship's description of those circumstances is, that 
 the intervention of Her Majesty's Government in Bechuana- 
 land is of a tentative and experimental character ; that 
 therefore, present arrangements cannot possibly be of a 
 permanent nature ; consequently, that your Lordship cannot 
 guarantee the permanence of the employment which you 
 now offer me ; but that either party may retire from the 
 arrangement should he see fit to do so. 
 
 After giving the question the most serious consideration, 
 I have come to the conclusion to accept of the offer with 
 which your Lordship has honoured me. As I do so, the 
 importance and tlie difficulty of the work are vividly 
 before me. I face it with diffidence, but with a clear feeling 
 that I am in the path of duty in the course which I now 
 take. 
 
 Your Lordship seems to be of the opinion that I could do 
 the work required of me, while still connected with the 
 Missionary Society. This was my own view in somewhat 
 parallel circumstances some years ago, and the High Com- 
 missioner then wrote to the Directors of the Society, asking 
 that such arrangement might be sanctioned. That sanction, 
 however, was withheld, on the ground that such a union of
 
 THE LONDON CONVENTION 303 
 
 offices was not in accord with the usages of the Society. I 
 may now say, however, that, as individuals, the Directors are 
 impressed with the great importance of the work, and approve 
 of my undertaking it in present circumstances, although this 
 necessitates my formal severance from the number of the 
 Society's missionaries. 
 
 The question referred to by your Lordship as to the 
 action to be taken in Bechuanaland — the powers and 
 duties to be assigned to the Resident Commissioner — are 
 of the greatest importance ; and I shall be happy to wait 
 on your Lordship for their discussion -while the High 
 Commissioner is still here. — I am, my Lord, Your Lord- 
 ship's obedient Servant, 
 
 John Mackenzie. 
 
 The following brief note is of some interest at this 
 point : — 
 
 II Queen Square, 
 Bloomsbury, \%th Feb. 1884. 
 
 My Dear Mr Oates, — \\\ leaving Sir H. Robinson's 
 hotel this morning, I passed President Kruger and Mr du 
 Toit, who were expected. I had a good look at each in 
 passing. I hope to be introduced one of these days, for 
 the fighting is over, so far as they are concerned ; and I am 
 quite willing to shake hands. 
 
 Dr Jorrissen has gone out in the same ship with my friends 
 the Hepburns. Hepburn writes me from Madeira that Jorrissen 
 is spreading the story that I have made a bother about the 
 trade route, because I am largely engaged in trade myself! 
 One of the passengers, a Port Elizabeth merchant, came to 
 Mr Hepburn and laid the matter before him. Mr Hepburn, of 
 course, was able to reply, " To my certain knowledge Mr 
 Mackenzie has not touched trading even with his little finger." 
 I Some people are unable to believe that a man can act 
 without selfish motives. They had to cast about for my 
 motives. Not finding them, they have invented trade.^ I 
 am much encouraged with the story. The cause is feeble 
 which has to resort to such shifts. However, Hepburn is no 
 doubt right when he says that Jorrissen is bent on mischief in 
 South Africa. — Ever yours sincerely, 
 
 John Mackenzie.
 
 304 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 The new Convention was signed on February 27th, 
 1884, and the news was at once telegraphed by Lord 
 Derby to Cape Town. Mackenzie's appointment was 
 announced at the same time. In England the new 
 departure was condemned by those who desired to 
 " clear out " of Africa ; but by all who had espoused 
 the opposite policy and followed Mackenzie's tireless 
 labours for eighteen months, the saving of Bechuana- 
 land from the Transvaal was regarded as a great 
 triumph, and the appointment of the missionary to rule 
 as a Protector among his own people was welcomed 
 as at once the unsought reward of his unselfish work, 
 and a pledge of the earnestness of the Government. 
 It is now clear that, personalities apart, the weak point 
 in the whole arrangement lay in Derby's dependence 
 upon the co-operation of the Cape Colony, and Robin- 
 son's consequent fear that the British Government would 
 not incur any initial expense in establishing the Pro- 
 tectorate unless the Colony shared in it. Mackenzie, 
 who later was confronted by this, considered it no 
 obstacle to his acceptance of the task, being sure that 
 at last the Colonial Office was entering on a consistent 
 and persistent Imperialist policy in Bechuanaland and 
 beyond, and being sure also of the loyal support of 
 his chief, Sir Hercules Robinson. 
 
 Congratulations came to him from all quarters. 
 From private friends, of course, he received many 
 words of affectionate farewell ; for he was a man 
 whom strong men of all kinds learned to love with 
 a strong devotion. The newspapers on the whole 
 spoke heartily and hopefully of the unusual move,^ 
 and many of the public men with whom his work 
 had brought him into contact wrote or spoke to 
 him warmly and generously of their confident hopes 
 regarding him and his future career in South Africa. 
 The latter class included Mr W. E, Forster, Sir T. 
 F. Buxton, Mr Talbot Baines, and others.
 
 THE LONDON CONVENTION 30S 
 
 Naturally Mackenzie parted from the London 
 Missionary Society with great reluctance and sorrow. 
 But he was comforted by the broad and generous 
 spirit in which the Directors of the Society treated 
 him in private conference, and by the following 
 minute which they adopted and sent to him. No 
 less grateful to him were the letters which he received 
 from Bechuanaland missionaries, his former fellow- 
 labourers, several of whom now wrote very cordially, 
 and who saw in his appointment the prophecy of 
 better days for those among whom they laboured. 
 
 London Missionary Society 
 Resolution of the Board of Directors, i()th March 1884 
 
 In consenting to the withdrawal of the Rev. John 
 Mackenzie from the connection which he has had with the 
 London Missionary Society for the period of twenty-five 
 years, the Board of Directors feel that it is due both to Mr 
 Mackenzie, himself, and to the Society to place on record 
 the following minute : — 
 
 That, whereas serious difficulties have arisen in South 
 Africa, especially in relation to the Bechwana tribes, and that, 
 the interests of good government, the progress of civilisa- 
 tion, and especially the successful continuance of Christian 
 work among the natives, are deeply affected thereby ; 
 
 And, whereas, the Rev. John Mackenzie is recognised on 
 all sides as a man who possesses the most intimate acquaint- 
 ance with the condition of the people, and is well-known to 
 the Boers, and has very great influence with the Bechwana 
 people ; 
 
 And, whereas, the Government has requested Mr 
 Mackenzie to accept the post of Resident-Commissioner 
 among the Bechwanas ; 
 
 And, whereas, the work to which he is now called, though 
 separating him from the immediate duties of the Christian 
 Missionary, has yet an important bearing upon the successful 
 prosecution of the mission of the Society among the Bechwana 
 tribes ; 
 
 Resolved that : — 
 
 Although the Board has yielded to what seems to be a 
 
 u
 
 3o6 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 providential indication of the will of God, in the disposal of 
 the services of its late missionary, it desires to record its 
 conviction that only in very exceptional circumstances can 
 the severance of a missionary from his proper duties be any- 
 thing but a departure from the highest form of Christian 
 labour ; but, at the same time, it would express the sense it 
 entertains of the high personal character of Mr Mackenzie, 
 the great value of his work in the past in the Foreign Mission 
 field, the serious loss to the agency of the Society which his 
 change of service involves ; and, further, it desires to afifirm 
 its unabated confidence in the purity and integrity of Mr 
 Mackenzie's purposes, and to commend to the loving care of 
 the Master, whom he has served so long, the life of its late 
 missionary in the important and difficult duty to which he 
 has been called. 
 
 And the Board would further pray : — 
 
 That through the development of a just and humane 
 policy on the part of the British Government, administered 
 with the firmness and gentleness which the Commissioner 
 possesses, there may be inaugurated a future for the Bechwana 
 people, by which the first beginnings of civilisation and the 
 early lessons of the Gospel may be carried out in abundant 
 prosperity, and the production of the highest virtues and the 
 highest graces of the Christian life. 
 
 The departure of Sir Hercules Robinson and that 
 of John Mackenzie for the Cape was, in each case, 
 celebrated by a public function. To the former a 
 banquet was given on March 3rd, at the Empire Club, 
 and a breakfast was given in honour of Mackenzie, 
 at the Westminster Palace Hotel by Sir William 
 M'Arthur. At the banquet, Sir Hercules spoke out 
 most frankly about the British Policy in Bechuana- 
 land, and especially about the inability of the Cape 
 Colony to undertake the government of vast native 
 territories, and the consequent responsibility of the 
 Imperial Government. With all this the Earl of 
 Derby expressed his emphatic concurrence. At the 
 breakfast the most remarkable event was the speech 
 of the Hon. Evelyn Ashley, the Under Secretary
 
 THE LONDON CONVENTION 307 
 
 for the Colonies, who had previously said of every 
 South African proposal, " non possuiims," and who 
 now uttered sentiments which gave Mackenzie the 
 deepest confidence regarding the future of his own 
 policy. 
 
 Among the events which moved him most was the 
 visit which Mackenzie paid to Sir Bartle P'rere. He 
 refers to it briefly in " Austral Africa " ; but the 
 following extract from a letter to his third son, James 
 Donald Mackenzie, then a student at Edinburgh 
 University, adds some pathetic touches. 
 
 Dartmouth, i^ik March 1884. 
 
 Dear Jim, — I ought to tell you of my most interesting 
 and impressive visit to the sick-bed of Sir Bartle Frere. 
 Lady Frere telegraphed on Tuesday that she hoped I would 
 be able to call before sailing, that Sir Bartle had had such 
 pleasure in hearing of my appointment. I had fully intended 
 to go down that very forenoon (Wednesday), so I answered 
 accordingly and went. Had lunch ; met a Sir Julius Gold- 
 smith recently from the Congo, and all the Misses Frere. 
 Lady Frere and they were very kind. After lunch went up. 
 Sir Bartle was in bed, slightly improving, but still ill. His 
 eye was bright and his expression, as well as his language, 
 really noble. He spoke as one who stood on the Border- 
 land and who saw both sides — the spirit-world to which 
 he was near and the world in which he had been living. 
 He could not have been more affectionate to me if I had 
 been his son. 
 
 After some talk he said, " Well, Mackenzie, you will make 
 a good job of that out there ; I know you will. I have 
 no doubt of it. You will get a lot of godly men around 
 you ; see you do that, and work out your own plan, go straight 
 at that, and you have the whole thing in your own hand, 
 or rather you and it are in the hand of God." Many 
 such expressions he used, most affectionate and hopeful. 
 Shook hands ; and then, while I stood, seized and held my 
 hand, which was near him. Lady Frere brought him back 
 to the debatable ground of this world by saying, " My dear, 
 but it was only what you wanted to do five years ago." The 
 praise involved did not affect him; he strongly replied, " God's
 
 3o8 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 time is the best time." I added by way of strengthening 
 this, " The Enghsh pubhc now know better than then what 
 is involved in these South African questions." He agreed 
 warmly to this. His blessing was most devoutly given to me for 
 my full success. Take this dear Jim, in connexion with the 
 breakfast next morning at which there were those who have 
 said that Frere should have been hanged, and I think j'ou 
 will agree with me that God has been helping me in this 
 matter, in bringing together so many of divergent views to 
 unite in favour of this scheme of Territorial Government of 
 Natives which I have been advocating. 
 
 On March 14th, 1884, Mackenzie, taking with him 
 his wife and two youngest daughters and also his 
 second son, Dr J. Eddie Mackenzie, sailed from Dart- 
 mouth on the Drummond Castle, which came to so 
 terrific an end in the year 1896 off the coast of 
 France. At the last he was busy with farewell letters, 
 a number of which were written after going on board. 
 His heart was deeply moved by certain family events 
 which called out letters full of tenderness and sym- 
 pathy. But other letters dealt with South Africa, 
 and were addressed to those who had aided him. 
 In that which he sent to Dr Dale occur a few 
 words whose spirit pervaded all he said and wrote 
 at that time. 
 
 Well, dear friend and helper in this good and, I trust, 
 enduring work, I thank you ; and I trust thanks will be given 
 to you by others when these matters are better understood. 
 Patience and trust in the right ! That will be my own 
 motto out there. 
 
 We can do with a great deal of praying for. I think I 
 come under two columns or paragraphs, now — missionary 
 and governmental — and need it all. 
 
 Good-bye ! Do not lose sight of the subject. Do not 
 think it ought to come right all at once. Be patient also, 
 and hopeful, and when all are so, it will be a happy thing 
 for the workers out there.
 
 THE LONDON CONVENTION 309 
 
 As he sat in the train on that 13th of March he 
 was handed a newspaper by a stranger, which turned 
 out to be the Pall Mall Gazette. There he found, 
 unmistakably from the pen of his staunch friend and 
 supporter, Mr W. T. Stead, an article entitled " Our 
 First Resident in Bechuanaland." This article was 
 full of Mr Stead's characteristic enthusiasm for his 
 favourite projects. As it contained a description of 
 Mackenzie and his work which is both vivid and im- 
 pressive, most of it is here inserted. 
 
 Our First Resident in Bechuanaland 
 
 A sturdy, stalwart, broad-backed, beetle-browed Scots- 
 man, whose sandy hair is beginning to silver with the frost 
 of the second half century of life, and whose keen blue eyes 
 look out with shrewd penetrating gaze beneath a solid, but 
 somewhat irregular forehead ; that is Mr Mackenzie, formerly 
 of the London Missionary Society, now first British Com- 
 missioner for the territory of Bechuanaland. He leaves 
 London this afternoon to unravel the Gordian knot that 
 Boers and filibusters, with the aid of Moshette and Massouw, 
 have been busy tying for the last two years in the country 
 of Mankoroane and Montsioa. This morning, before he 
 left, he was entertained at a quasi-public breakfast by Mr 
 M'Arthur, around whose hospitable board were assembled 
 a representative gathering of politicians, philanthropists, and 
 administrators, to bid God-speed to the new Resident on his 
 departure for his new duties. Seldom has anyone better 
 deserved a hearty recognition of his services than the man 
 who has made the name of Mackenzie worthy to be linked 
 with those of Moffat and Livingstone who preceded him 
 at the mission station which he has exchanged for the 
 Residency of a British Commissioner. The task that 
 is before him is arduous ; the difficulties are all but 
 insurmountable. . . . 
 
 England may well trust that stubborn Scotchman with the 
 pacification of Bechuanaland, for he has already given proof 
 of his mettle, and achieved a signal success in a far more 
 hopeless undertaking. . . . 
 
 When twelve months ago Mr Mackenzie entered the
 
 3IO JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 field on behalf of his Bechuana clients with unpronounce- 
 able names, he had everybody against him — the Colonial 
 Office, the Government, the House of Commons, the press. 
 The whole nation, so far as it was articulate, was hostile to 
 his project ; and, for the rest, was profoundly indifferent to 
 such black fellows as Mankoroane and his kinsmen. . . . 
 
 'In Parliament there was a minority, led by Mr Forster, in 
 favour of action, but the majority cared nothing for Mankoroane, 
 and was prepared with philosophical equanimity to witness 
 the process of natural selection applied in its rudest and 
 most brutal form to the uninteresting proteges of Moffat. 
 As for the press, it was indifferent where it was not hostile, 
 and ill-informed where it was best-intentioned> . . . Never- 
 theless, this formidable array of hostile forces did not dis- 
 concert Mr Mackenzie in the least. Apart from the sustaining 
 influence of what he felt to be a just cause, and his belief in 
 the overruling Providence, he was buoyed up chiefly by a 
 conviction in the reasonableness and intelligence of his 
 fellow-countrymen. " If I can only make them see the 
 facts," he said, " I do not think there need be any fear 
 as to the result." And so at missionary meetings, lecture- 
 rooms, and in public meetings, he set to work to make them 
 see the facts. . . . Nor did he confine himself to public 
 speech ; his pen was more influential than his tongue. He 
 had never done writing ; and two of his articles in the reviews 
 enabled him to place his scheme for the future government 
 of South Africa fully before the public. It was a large 
 scheme, and an imposing one, and in these days of hand- 
 to-mouth policies it stood little chance of being listened to, 
 much less accepted. But it was listened to, and in its 
 essentials it has already been accepted, and his articles on 
 the territorial government of South Africa have become the 
 text-book of British policy in that region. . . . As Indian 
 Viceroys used to read Mill on the Government of India, so 
 future South African administrators will have to master the 
 articles of Mackenzie. . . . 
 
 There seemed no limit to his activity. He interviewed 
 Cabinet Ministers, he buttonholed editors, he haunted the 
 lobby of the House of Commons. He saw everyone who 
 had any influence in the matter, and compassed sea and land 
 if by any means he might make one proselyte. When the 
 Transvaal delegates came, they imagined that they had only 
 to come and see, and conquer. If they had come nine
 
 THE LONDON CONVENTION 311 
 
 months earlier their anticipations might have been fulfilled. 
 When they arrived, however, it was too late. Mr Mackenzie 
 had been beforehand with them, and to their unconcealed 
 chagrin, they found that the public would not tolerate their 
 attempt to erect a Boer barrier across the great trade route 
 from the Cape to Central Africa. 
 
 "Bechuanaland was saved and much more than Bechuana- 
 land. . . . Mr Mackenzie secured the favourable verdict of 
 the Government and of public opinion, not merely for the 
 administration of Bechuanaland, but for the adoption of that 
 far-reaching native policy which he has labelled the territorial 
 system. . . . Without forgetting for a moment the old 
 warning against boasting when donning our armour, we 
 may safely say that we bid Mr Mackenzie God-speed, with 
 every confidence that hereafter he will live in the annals of 
 our empire as the man who, at a grave crisis, saved Africa for 
 England.
 
 CHAPTER XII 
 
 AFRICA JOHN MACKENZIE AS DEPUTY- 
 COMMISSIONER (1884) 
 
 Mackenzie sailed once more for South Africa, with 
 high hopes and deep devotion of spirit. No one who 
 knew him ever suggested that his acceptance of the 
 Commissionership meant the winning of a personal 
 ambition. His mind had for many years been set 
 upon the problem of Britain's place and work in 
 South Africa. He saw the Boers keeping themselves 
 poor and lowering their educational, social, and moral 
 standards steadily by their policy of indefinite expan- 
 sion. He saw them " eating up " the native territories 
 and casting whole tribes, who were on the road to 
 civilisation, back into serfdom and degradation.' He 
 saw the British Government, responsible before God 
 and man for South Africa, yet shrinking from the 
 obvious and honourable task of controlling the history 
 of an empire, irritating instead of appeasing, betraying 
 the black man and teasing the white man with 
 changeful policies. Now that with the support of 
 others he had succeeded in persuading the govern- 
 ment to face the whole problem of South Africa in a 
 new way and with a new spirit, how could he decline, 
 when he was in turn urged to begin the work ? He 
 saw with the utmost clearness, as the natural result of 
 a firm and just and steady Imperial policy, the rapid 
 elevation of the Transvaal Boer and the black man, as 
 well as the gradual development and ultimate con- 
 federation of all South Africa. It came to him as a 
 case of inexorable duty as well as a high lionour, to 
 share in working for a hope like that.
 
 AS DEPUTY COMMISSIONER 313 
 
 The story of Mackenzie's experience as Deputy 
 Commissioner, and the circumstances under which he 
 resigned, together with his own subsequent work for 
 South Africa, are fully told by himself in his large 
 work, " Austral Africa." It will be impossible here to 
 enter into the details as fully as he did. All that his 
 biographer can attempt is to narrate the main events 
 as they appear in the Blue Books, and in his private 
 letters, leaving the reader who desires to study more 
 closely this curious " turn " in South African history, 
 to read it in the careful, elaborate and uncontradicted 
 pages of Mackenzie's own book. 
 
 Before he sailed, indeed before Sir Hercules 
 Robinson sailed, Mackenzie received forewarnings of 
 the coming storm. As soon as his appointment was 
 telegraphed to Cape Town it was disapproved by the 
 political leaders who were then dominant in fact 
 though not in name. Among them must not be 
 reckoned Sir Thomas Scanlen and some of his sup- 
 porters, who represented the " English " section of the 
 Cape Parliament. This party was about to be sub- 
 merged, however, by the new power of the " Dutch " 
 party, which the Africander Bond had been rapidly 
 enlarging and which it completely controlled. From 
 the latter a message came back to the London papers, 
 announcing that the appointment was generally dis- 
 approved, before there was time to make it widely 
 known, or to gather a general opinion even in Cape 
 Town ! That was the first stroke in a policy which 
 was carried out with increasing virulence and with 
 decreasing honesty as Mackenzie's work went on. 
 Sir Hercules Robinson hastened to assure him that, as 
 they both knew well " how such thunder was manu- 
 factured," he must not be disturbed by the hostile 
 telegram from Cape Town. Mackenzie felt sure of 
 Robinson, and every such word of encouragement, of 
 kindly and friendly consideration made him certain
 
 314 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 that the Queen's High Commissioner for South Africa 
 would stand true to his Deputy Commissioner, whom 
 he had selected and whose appointment he had urged 
 so strongly. 
 
 When, with his wife, his second son, Dr John Eddie 
 Mackenzie, and his two youngest daughters, Mackenzie 
 reached Cape Town, he was very heartily received by 
 many old friends and acquaintances. But his time 
 was fully occupied in consultation with the High 
 Commisioner and Captain Graham Bower, R.N., the 
 Imperial Secretary, and in active preparations for his 
 journey to the scene of his own momentous under- 
 taking. The following extract from a letter to his 
 eldest son gives us his first impressions of the situa- 
 tion at Cape Town : — 
 
 Cape Town, Zth April 1884. 
 The English colonial politicians have given me a very poor 
 requital for all that I have said in their behalf. Fearing that 
 my being a missionary will displease the Dutch-speaking 
 colonists, they have done their utmost (I include members 
 of the present ministry) to get me superseded. I got a 
 bundle of newspapers yesterday from Sir Hercules, con- 
 taining adverse criticism of Sir Hercules, the Missionary 
 Mackenzie — especially the scheme of the latter. It was 
 even mentioned to Mr Scanlen that he should wire to 
 Lord Derby and get my appointment annulled. Scanlen 
 had firmness and common sense enough to refuse to do 
 anything of the sort. I believe the same party are agitating, 
 that it should be left on record that they objected to my 
 appointment. Sir H. told me this, but does not think they 
 will go so far. It means that when Parliament assembles, the 
 Dutch party may be gratified with the opposition to me which 
 they hope to show that they have offered. This is really a case 
 of doing good to a community against its will, the opera- 
 tion meeting only open thanklessness, opposition, despite. 
 And all this not " on the merits " ; but because I have been 
 a missionary. And this fact is held to be sure to offend the 
 Boers. Friends tell me the storm is subsiding, and some who 
 are perhaps too ardent profess to see signs of the wind chang- 
 ing round in the opposite direction. Sir Hercules is clear that
 
 AS DEPUTY COMMISSIONER 315 
 
 it was worse when he arrived. But good people meet us and 
 assure us that the respectable class in the Cape Colony is 
 with us in what we are attempting. 
 
 When he arrived at Kimberley, carrying with him 
 the formal letter of instructions, and a further personal 
 and lengthy communication from the High Com- 
 missioner, his spirits rose. Assured of Robinson's 
 loyal support, and hoping that the success of his work 
 would appease the opponents of his appointment, he 
 was still further encouraged by the spirit of friendly 
 and sympathetic interest which he found at Kimberley. 
 This happier frame of mind is reflected in the next 
 letter to the same son. 
 
 Kimberley, 7.0th April 1884. 
 
 My Dear Willie, — Here we are, all well. The journey 
 from Cape Town is very rapid, but the coach part of it is 
 rough also. Your mother was not well after leaving Cape 
 Town, but she is all right again. 
 
 A considerable change has taken place, apparently, in 
 opinion at the Cape concerning "the New Departure as 
 to native affairs " as it is called ; and confidence in myself 
 has now been cordially expressed by the Cape Times and the 
 Cape Argus, the latter having had as gracefully as possible to 
 perform the '" Right about face." 
 
 Here in Kimberley there has been a constant flow of 
 visitors, and the greatest interest has been expressed in the 
 question. I find that my articles have been read, and are 
 well understood. I was told yesterday, " O, your writings 
 have been read and studied in Stellaland." Representatives 
 of the two rival papers here happened to find their way to 
 the hotel at the same time, and had in company the benefit 
 of a lengthy exposition of the new policy. They both go in 
 for it, no doubt, with a sense of professional regret, because 
 the one won't be able to pitch into the other. 
 
 This affair, dear Willie, means many a tough battle — 
 sometimes with those who are working with you. But God 
 is good and merciful, and will help forward what I believe is 
 His own blessed work in this distracted land. O for more of 
 the leavening of high Christian feeling in this new country !
 
 3i6 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 I have had the pleasure of meeting Mr Stewart of the 
 Standard Bank, and Mr Simpson of the Bank of Africa — 
 both Scotchmen and both intimately acquainted with affairs 
 here, travelling very much and knowing all of the best 
 people. They both expressed, in private interviews, their 
 deep interest in my success ; and have their eyes open to 
 what it means for the country. I am much cheered by 
 hearing from such a source that the great body of the 
 Dutch-speaking people are thoroughly sound and loyal ; and 
 that Republicanism and " Anti-English " feelings are con- 
 fined to a few. This was most valuable and reliable con- 
 firmation of my own view on this vital question. So I am, 
 on the whole, encouraged to fight on ; I see for what I am 
 fighting. May it please God to grant me to see some part 
 realized. This week I hope to cross over into Bechuanaland. 
 It is full of complications. It is also well stocked with evil 
 men of our own colour. But I trust in God and in the 
 humanity which still remains in the most of men. The 
 press people here wished me to allow them to say that I 
 should ratify the holdings of the white men. I refused ; 
 but pointed to my scheme— narrated my fight for it in 
 London — that instead of clearing the country, the country 
 should be administered ; and asked them to form their own 
 inference. I can't get people to see " the other side." If I 
 go committed, the natives would soon hear of it ; and the 
 whole thing would be discredited, so far as they are con- 
 cerned. I see both sides vividly ; very awkward, but quite 
 an advantage. 
 
 I hear good news from Mr Ashton. My brethren 
 sympathize, and wish me God speed. " I could not have 
 done otherwise." They are also pleased with Lowe's 
 appointment ; they think it augurs well. They say the 
 natives are also pleased. 
 
 I have been to church since writing as above. Have 
 been asked to preach and consented ; so must conclude. 
 This will go to Portobello, but there won't be much delay. 
 Much love to you both, and sympathy deep and real. 
 Your father, John Mackenzie. 
 
 Before the work of Mackenzie as Deputy Com- 
 missioner is described some account must be given, 
 even with some repetition, of the situation which he
 
 AS DEPUTY COMMISSIONER 317 
 
 had to face. History in Bechuanaland had been 
 rapidly made since he left the country in the middle 
 of 1882. We have seen in a recent chapter how, 
 after the British occupation by Colonel Lanyon and 
 Colonel Warren, the country was abandoned. Treaties 
 which had been offered by the native chiefs were 
 ignominiously ignored ; obligations which had been 
 undertaken for the time by the Imperial Government 
 were gradually disowned and deserted. This was 
 defended on the ground that a military occupation for 
 disciplinary purposes could not be construed as 
 involving civil duties, and must not lead to a per- 
 manent sovereignty. It was a bitter day for the 
 native chiefs when the " White Queen's Government " 
 left them ; and it was a bitter experience for some of 
 the British officers to leave the people whom they had 
 helped and protected in the Queen's name knowing, as 
 they did, that disaster would speedily fall upon their 
 territories and their persons. Lord Kimberley, who 
 was at that time Colonial Secretary, and Sir Hercules 
 Robinson, seem to have believed in the preposterous 
 theory that the Transvaal, Orange Free State, and 
 Imperial Governments could agree upon boundary 
 lines, and would all honourably observe them while, at 
 the same time, the native chiefs outside these bound- 
 aries would maintain law and order, and resist the 
 incursions of white marauders. This plan for solving 
 the South African problem was not only proposed but 
 acted upon by British Statesmen in 1882. 
 
 We have already seen that Mankoroane, whose seat 
 of authority was Taungs, while an important chief, 
 was given by the British and Transvaal Governments 
 an exaggerated importance in being recognised as 
 paramount chief He very materially aided Colonel 
 Lanyon during the South Bechuanaland disturbances 
 by refusing to join with the rebels and the other chiefs, 
 and by helping to arrest one of the raiders. In
 
 3i8 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 November 1878 he and his councillors and head-men 
 presented to the British Government through Colonel 
 Warren a remarkable petition in which he prayed 
 the Government of the Queen to take him, his people, 
 and territories under its rule. He only reserved for 
 himself, and that naturally, the right to continue as 
 judge among his own people at Taungs and the sur- 
 rounding villages ; but even to that he added the 
 petition that the Government should decide as to 
 whether he fulfilled this function adequately or not. 
 It need hardly be pointed out that, if this petition 
 had been accepted, a large and valuable territory 
 would have been peacefully and legitimately annexed, 
 and the bitter troubles which afterwards came would 
 have been prevented. It is scarcely credible, but 
 it is the case, that this offer was not even answered 
 by the British Government ! When in the years '8 i 
 and '"82 marauders from the Transvaal began to over- 
 run Mankoroane's country, when they began to sup- 
 port in actual warfare against him the very chief 
 whom he had arrested in '78 on behalf of and at the 
 instance of Colonel Lanyon, he found himself not only 
 forsaken but hindered by his " august ally, the Govern- 
 ment of Queen Victoria." In the first place, the Cape 
 Government had forbidden the sale of ammunition to 
 the Batlaping tribes. When therefore they found 
 themselves attacked by the Boers upon whom no such 
 restriction was placed, that policy had the effect of 
 actual war against the natives. In the next place, it 
 must be remembered that the British Government had 
 at an earlier time absorbed a considerable part of the 
 territory occupied by Mankoroane's people, making 
 them British subjects. It was therefore unlawful and 
 criminal for them to go out and fight with their own 
 chief against his Boer enemies. Surely injustice or 
 blundering could hardly go farther than that. Its 
 natural result was to be found of course in the dismay
 
 AS DEPUTY COMMISSIONER 319 
 
 and distrust of the native tribes, who felt themselves 
 not only ignored and scorned but betrayed by this 
 very Government which they had always regarded as 
 the fountain of justice and security. 
 
 Such policy or absence of policy, on the other 
 hand, embittered the inhabitants of the Transvaal, who 
 saw in it a kind of negative assurance that they might 
 do what they liked with Bechuanaland ; the Queen 
 saw no value in it. And yet a third class were 
 affected, for those white people, whether Dutch or 
 English, who lived in northern Cape Colony and 
 Bechuanaland, and who believed that the best thing 
 for the country would have been the establishment of 
 Imperial authority and control, became convinced that 
 no South African could henceforth put any trust in 
 the constancy or wisdom of the Colonial Office. 
 
 This was of course a golden opportunity for the 
 Boers within the Transvaal. Their enjoyment of 
 independence after 1881 was seriously marred by a 
 partial recurrence of those conditions whose misery 
 made the annexation of 1877 at once a humiliation 
 and a redemption. Once more the old cure for 
 internal disease was sought, by pushing out the 
 boundaries and taking new and rich farmlands into 
 the republic. Mackenzie was one of the few who saw 
 that this method of cure was aggravating the disease. 
 But it was recognised that in the neighbourhood of 
 British Colonies the annexation of territory must be 
 carried through with at least the outward appearance 
 of legal formality. Formal treaties or contracts were 
 made between groups of Boers and certain native 
 chiefs. These treaties were used as the foundations 
 for new republics, it being understood that as soon as 
 the republics gained formal recognition by the British 
 Government they would be absorbed by the South 
 African Republic.^ 
 
 ' Niekerk's avowal, C. — 4194, p. 11.
 
 320 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 There were four native chiefs whose lands lay 
 nearest the Transvaal or partly within it, on the 
 south - western border, and whose names became 
 prominent in these years. They belonged to two 
 sections of the Bechuana race known as the Batlaping 
 and the Barolong, The territories of the latter were 
 the more northerly, Mafeking being their best known 
 centre. The former occupied a large territory within 
 which Vryburg now stands. Each of these sections 
 again was broken up between rival tribes which were 
 often engaged in petty wars with one another ; and 
 the Boers made most skilful use of these local 
 rivalries and fights. Alike among the Barolong and 
 the Batlaping they cleverly named the chief whose 
 territory lay next the Transvaal as the paramount 
 chief of these " nations," as they grandiloquently but 
 confusedly called them. These nominations were 
 made in defiance of the facts, which were notorious 
 throughout Bechuanaland. Having made extravagant 
 promises to each of these so-called paramount chiefs, 
 it was easy to induce them to make the necessary 
 treaties and sign the necessary documents on which 
 the further march of civilisation was to proceed. 
 
 For example, let us take the foundation of the 
 republic of Stellaland. The Boers supported Massow 
 of Mamusa against Mankoroane, whose head-town was 
 Taungs. On January ist, 1882, Massow was induced 
 to sign a proclamation in which he announced his 
 intention of enlisting 300 white men as volunteers to 
 assist him in fighting his rival. He promised each of 
 the volunteers in his service a farm of 3000 morgen, 
 and half of the total booty was to be divided among 
 them. On May 3rd, a further invitation was issued 
 for a hundred additional volunteers. During these 
 and the following months, volunteers were trooping 
 into the country by scores, settling down on all the 
 accessible farms, and even stretching the boundary
 
 AS DEPUTY COMMISSIONER 321 
 
 into the territory of Mankoroane. They quickly 
 formed head-quarters at a place which they named 
 Vryburg. A committee of management of the volun- 
 teers was now in existence ; it took the next " legal " 
 step by securing on January i8th, 1883, yet another 
 proclamation from poor Massow, conferring upon them 
 the power of self-government within such part of his 
 territory as was then " inhabited by the white inhabi- 
 tants, volunteers, and other persons authorised by us 
 thereto." The chairman of the Board of Management 
 was thereafter to be recognised as Administrator of the 
 aforesaid territory. On September i8th, 1883, the 
 " Republic of Stellaland " was formally established, 
 and a government organised. A flag was adopted, 
 which was afterwards described in full by Sir Charles 
 Warren.^ In one quarter a bird, said to stand for 
 Mankoroane, was represented as caught and held by a 
 white man's hand ; in another there was depicted a 
 fish, the sacred emblem of the Batlaping, pierced 
 through with a sword. Thus, not without prayer and 
 pious exclamations, was the standard consecrated, 
 which committed the new republic to the destruction 
 of the black race. Mackenzie's first task was to 
 destroy this republic and bring the territory under 
 British rule. 
 
 • • i I 9 • 
 
 At Kimberley Mackenzie began to encounter 
 practical difficulties. He found that, as soon as it 
 was known that the Imperial Government meant 
 business and that South Bechuanaland was to be kept 
 from the Transvaal, intense activity was created among 
 land-jobbers. These comprised some whom every 
 white man knew to be rascals, and others who stood 
 in good odour in the business world. Some were 
 known, alas ! to be acting as agents for yet others 
 who stood still higher in the social and political circles 
 1 C— 4643, p. 201.
 
 322 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 of Cape Colony. To all these it seemed nothing less 
 than disaster to see Mackenzie, the exponent of a fair 
 and honourable native and land policy, laying his 
 hands upon the reins of power, in the name of the 
 Imperial Government. They saw a land commission 
 to establish English justice between black and white, 
 between Boer and Britain, entering Bechuanaland. 
 They saw many fair farms, which had been filched 
 from native chiefs by lies and fraud, given back. 
 Some big firms saw the extensive domains which 
 were coming into their hands by the failure of their 
 debtors, saved from this sacred destiny. It was a 
 maddening prospect. But there was one way out ; 
 and that was annexation to the Cape Colony ! 
 Moreover, to make that more palatable to the British 
 Government, the Colonial Office must be harassed by 
 the failure of its Deputy Commissioner. The Parlia- 
 ment at Cape Town could be managed, or events 
 could be delayed indefinitely, if only a movement for 
 annexation to the Colony could be set on foot and 
 the Imperial administration could be discredited. To 
 secure the latter end it was necessary to do two 
 things ; first, to hinder Mackenzie's success on the 
 spot ; and second, to send alarming messages to the 
 London papers. Mackenzie came to know that one 
 of the most unprincipled land-jobbers in the country 
 was in a position to use one of the leading news 
 agencies. From him and his co-workers went forth 
 the telegrams which announced in England that 
 Mackenzie was meeting opposition in Stellaland, that 
 the Boers were ready to fight, and certain to win ; 
 and once it was announced, without a fraction of 
 truth in the statement, that the Deputy Commissioner 
 had been assaulted and murdered ! 
 
 The following long letter to Sir Hercules Robinson 
 describes in a lively manner the strange world of plots 
 and counterplots in which he found himself, and the
 
 AS DEPUTY COMMISSIONER 323 
 
 schemes by which British subjects of British blood were 
 trying to prevent Bechuanaland from coming under 
 British authority, for the sake of land ! 
 
 KiMBERLEY, April 2\st, 1884. 
 
 Dear Sir Hercules, — My stay at Kimberley, which is 
 now drawing to a close, has placed me in close contact with 
 the opinion of the leading men of the town and district. The 
 Bechuanaland question is the question here, and the " New 
 Departure " and the " Territorial Government " are in much 
 favour. The hotel has been besieged with visitors every day 
 — some of them fresh from Stellaland — others from Kuruman 
 and different places in Bechuanaland. Many of the latter I 
 see in the street, especially at the early market, which I have 
 visited on purpose. 
 
 We are in great danger of being thrown into the utmost 
 disrepute, I do not say with philanthropists, but in the House 
 of Commons — in the face of English public opinion — by the 
 state of things with which we have to do. I say this after 
 seeing Hill from Stellaland, and other friends of that side, as 
 well as friends of Donovan. Land, land, land — a wearisome 
 monotone. You have done the Colony a good turn in 
 London, without any thanks. Now your bantling Native 
 Department is hustled out of the way of eager and selfish 
 men who care for you and the Queen whom you serve only 
 for what they can enter in money columns. Mr Hill goes to 
 Stellaland with an annexation petition in his pocket. Mr 
 Donovan advertizes that he has over a hundred farms in 
 Mankoroane's country, which he offers on certain terms ; but 
 application must be made at once. Haste on both sides, and 
 at the risk of grave complications, and with the certainty of 
 increasing the difficulties of Her Majesty's Government. 
 The friends of Stellaland disapprove of Donovan ; Donovan 
 on his side so deeply disapproves of the Stellalanders that 
 he wants to fight them, or rather to induce others to 
 do so. 
 
 But if Stellaland people get what they want, and Donovan 
 gets what he wants, what remains for the native ? Where is 
 our prestige for fair dealing in the eyes of the natives of the 
 interior ? Where do we stand in England in the estimation
 
 324 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 of any class of politicians ? You have been opposed in this 
 Native Department from the first by those not far from you 
 in Cape Town. I see their hand in certain telegrams to 
 London — in the Stellaland Mission — in the indecent haste 
 for annexation to the Cape Colony. The whole thing 
 indicates the shallowest ideas of the realities of the 
 situation. 
 
 I remember our discussions about a Viceroy as compared 
 with combining the duties of High Commissioner and Governor 
 in one person. I trust that as High Commissioner you will 
 be able to uphold the Native Department which is being 
 created, and not allow colonial politicians to bring it into 
 disrepute almost at its birth ; what they need to be taught is 
 simply patience ; the farms will become saleable ; annexation 
 will take place, but not by their eager haste. After seeing 
 more than one person from Stellaland besides Mr Hill, and 
 comparing their statements, I found Hill's to be most opposed 
 to the Imperial Government's plan. A man who professed 
 to have come direct from Niekerk, and who frankly told me 
 when leaving, that he was " off to write to Niekerk " what 
 had transpired at our interview, gave me a much more cheer- 
 ing picture of what awaited me than did Mr Hill. According 
 to Hill, I had no chance whatever, only he kindly said he did 
 not think they would do me any bodily harm. The last 
 words of the other man, professing to be directly acting for 
 Niekerk, were, " Well ! shall I say to Niekerk, that you will 
 see him and talk matters over with him ? " I answered, " By 
 all means, I not only consent to see Mr Niekerk, but will be 
 glad to do so ; and you will please to tell him so." I have no 
 hesitation in saying before entering Stellaland, that just as 
 the telegrams to London were meant to do deadly damage, 
 so was this visit to Stellaland. Both are equally reckless 
 of results ; and both with God's help will be equally 
 futile. 
 
 What Colonial Ministers should do just now — I am not 
 thinking about this ministry or that — is to come forward like 
 men with a quota from the Colony towards the Territorial 
 Government of Bechuanaland. That is what is expected of 
 them by all classes in England, as you yourself are aware. I 
 believe this will be done by the Cape Colony, whether by Mr 
 Scanlen or not. 
 
 Territorial Government would suit the respectable men 
 in Stellaland ; it is quite adapted to their case, and their
 
 AS DEPUTY COMMISSIONER 325 
 
 burdens under it would be less than under the Colony. It 
 would not suit the books of impatient traders and specu- 
 lators, and these are the men 2ve have really to face in Stella- 
 land and in Mankoroane's country. 
 
 What its reception will be, after the petition referred to 
 has been so hurriedly signed, I can't profess to say. Time 
 will tell, if as Hill assures me, they don't shoot me. If one 
 had only fair play ! In the meantime, in the opinion of 
 some your Deputy cuts a sorry figure going into a country 
 where he has been forestalled by colonial wire-pullers ; but 
 the truth is that this same Colony and it's politicians will 
 sink in good men's estimation on account of what has just 
 been done ; when people contrast their abstention from 
 saving Bechuanaland to the Colony, when in London they 
 could have done something toward it, with their rushing 
 at it and grabbing it as soon as it had been reserved for an 
 entirely different fate by the Imperial Government. 
 
 When he entered the hostile territory, this new and 
 strange Deputy Commissioner invaded it with a mule- 
 waggon, in which rode his wife and two little daughters. 
 His retinue consisted otherwise of his son, the medical 
 officer of the force and private secretary of his father, 
 and some men-servants. There was not a fire-arm in 
 the entire force. It was not, indeed, the usual plan for 
 subduing a young and vigorous republic, for over- 
 awing freebooters and scapegraces as well as deter- 
 mined frontier farmers of bitter spirit, who all hated 
 the idea of becoming English and being ruled by an 
 ex-missionary. It was not the plan which would 
 have occurred to a Captain Bower or won the ap- 
 proval of blustering politicians. But men of another 
 stamp, men like General Gordon, would have seen 
 through it and applauded it as more effective than 
 cavalry and pom-poms. Mackenzie was going back 
 to his own country, which he now knew better even 
 than " bonnie Scotland." He had travelled over all 
 its main roads, knew its towns and their chiefs per- 
 sonally, some of them intimately. He had ridden 
 often across and across it on horseback, alone, by
 
 3^6 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 night and day, for one hundred miles or more. By 
 bright moonhght he knew the aspect of its desert 
 stretches and the shadows of its sad, soHtary ko[)jes. 
 At noontide its fierce heat had struck horse and rider 
 with sun stabs from above, and wearied them with the 
 dull waves of fiery air which the hard bare earth 
 threw up. He knew also the white man of the region, 
 as well as the black man and the grey sand. He was 
 not going into the unknown therefore, running into a 
 foolish peril. He knew that the best work would be 
 done by moral influences, and he proposed to use all 
 that were at his disposal. If he had entered alone 
 with one hundred volunteers at his back, his mission 
 would have had a military, coercive character. Enter- 
 ing as he did, he appeared as one who came con- 
 fidently and peacefully to make his home in his 
 own land. The chiefs who had complained that the 
 White Queen's Government " was always going away " 
 would see that it had come to stay. The Boers and 
 the other whites would see that the new Deputy 
 Commissioner was not only a man of peace, but a 
 man who trusted them. A commander with armed 
 volunteers they would instinctively feel to be against 
 them, but a Commissioner who brought his family 
 among the avowed enemies of the Queen, how was he 
 to be met ? 
 
 The first point in Bechuanaland to which Mac- 
 kenzie went was naturally Taungs, where Mankoroane, 
 the chief of that part of South Bechuanaland, lived. 
 He arrived there on Wednesday, April 30th, 1884. 
 His object was to negotiate a treaty with Mankoroane 
 which would place that region completely under the 
 Queen's dominion. For three days the diplomatic battle 
 raged — Mackenzie single-handed against the "strenu- 
 ous, although covert, opposition of a few white men, who 
 profess to be friends and advisers of Mankoroane." ^ 
 1 C— 4194, p. 16.
 
 AS DEPUTY COMMISSIONER 327 
 
 The Deputy Commissioner did not attempt to brow- 
 beat them or to drive the chief. He cahnly and re- 
 peatedly stated the facts connected with his appear- 
 ance as the representative of the Queen, showed them 
 the advantage to all concerned of a treaty that would 
 make a strong and stable government possible, and 
 gave his reasons for not blindly swallowing all the 
 land-claims of the white " agent " and his friends. 
 The white men tried every form of persuasion upon 
 Mankoroane and his headmen. But so bitter and 
 angry did their language against Mackenzie become, 
 that at last the shrewd old native broke out with the 
 stinging retort, " Why do you object to the messenger 
 of your own Queen ? If I give myself up entirely to 
 her why are you Englishmen afraid ? " Then Mac- 
 kenzie knew that he had won. Of course there were 
 white men even at Taungs who had welcomed him 
 and his administrative plans from the first. They 
 were glad to see the unscrupulous defeated, and glad 
 to see a treaty signed by which Mankoroane and his 
 tribe surrendered jurisdiction within his territories to 
 the Queen's Government. " The opposition to the 
 treaty then took up the attitude that they had not 
 properly understood it ; it was really good, and ought 
 to be signed at once." ^ 
 
 The Deputy Commissioner then faced what was 
 considered a most critical part of his undertaking, 
 namely, the visit to Vryburg. It was not without 
 danger, of course ; but the amount of danger was very 
 largely dependent, as in all such cases, upon the 
 personal bearing and methods of the man who 
 encountered it. Major Stanley Lowe who had been 
 so long identified with Bechuanaland, and whom 
 Mackenzie had appointed to the task of raising a 
 small body of volunteers for service as a border 
 police, accompanied the party. His presence was 
 
 ^ C. — 4194, p. 16.
 
 328 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 necessary, in order to discover what number of police 
 the situation demanded, and how they could be best 
 disposed over the country. There had come to 
 Taungs a message from the " Administrator " of 
 Stellaland, Mr G. J. Van Niekerk, inviting Mackenzie 
 to go round by his farm on his way to Vryburg, 
 as the " government offices " were at his place. 
 Mackenzie agreed, made the detour, spent a day with 
 the " Administrator," and then went on to Vryburg, 
 where he arrived on Friday, May 9th. The rough 
 and ready frontiersmen had a certain feeling for the 
 fitness of things, and resolved to do all honour to the 
 representative of the Queen. Accordingly, they rode 
 out on horseback to meet the waggons, carrying their 
 gloomy flag with them. After a formal greeting they 
 turned and escorted the Deputy Commissioner into 
 the town. It is significant of the moral effect of 
 Mackenzie's entire method of meeting the situation, 
 that these men sent a messenger in advance of their 
 own cavalcade to say that Mrs Mackenzie must not be 
 alarmed when she saw them approach, as they were 
 bent only on peace. If Mackenzie had ridden 
 with imperial pride, at the head of a hundred volun- 
 teers, armed with rifles, there would have been no 
 such kindly message as that, itself a suggester and 
 forerunner of peace. There might have been an 
 ambuscade. 
 
 The same afternoon a meeting was convened, at 
 which more than fifty men were present. Mackenzie's 
 first step was to read his commission, and to announce 
 that the Queen's Protectorate had been established in 
 Bechuanaland, inchiding Stellaland. This was a 
 complete and overwhelming surprise. It took some 
 days of explanation and rumination for some of the 
 leading and most daring spirits to realise that, in the 
 eyes of the world, no such government as Stellaland 
 existed, and that they were now under Queen Victoria !
 
 AS DEPUTY COMMISSIONER 329 
 
 For a week Mackenzie remained at this place, spend- 
 ing day after day, in private and personal conferences 
 with the Stellalanders, It is only right to say that he 
 amazed those who watched him sympathetically, with 
 the untiring courtesy and invincible patience of his 
 bearing. He sat for hours in committee meetings, 
 answering questions, listening to protests against the 
 entire procedure. These were not always couched in 
 polite language. Indeed, so strong was the spirit of 
 a certain group, and so vehement their denunciations 
 of the Queen and the country whom Mackenzie repre- 
 sented, and yet so silent and imperturbable was the 
 Deputy Commissioner, that Stanley Lowe rushed out 
 of the place and, after the relief of some indignant 
 expletives, said to his son : " Mackenzie, your father 
 must be more than human to stand all that as 
 he does ! " But it was this wise, patient, and 
 frank dealing which gained for him his remarkable 
 victory. 
 
 Van Niekerk arrived on the Saturday evening from 
 his farm. All Monday the Volks Committee, a duly 
 elected body and the nucleus of a Raad, through which 
 the affairs of the republic were conducted, discussed 
 the situation. They drew up a list of eleven questions, 
 which they asked Mackenzie to answer before them 
 the same evening. Some of these he dealt with on 
 the spot, some he deferred to the following day. On 
 all subjects he tried to take a position which his 
 auditors would feel to be at once fair and reasonable, 
 both from his and from their own points of view. To 
 the class of original volunteers, he promised that their 
 farms would be given, but if the particular farm now 
 claimed were needed for Governmental purposes, or 
 reserved for the natives, an equivalent farm or a fair 
 price in cash would be given. Regarding all other 
 farm claims, which were numerous, Mackenzie said 
 that a Land Commission would have to be appointed
 
 330 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 at the earliest possible opportunity to inquire into 
 their history and validity. On the delicate subject of 
 the money obligations of Stellaland he again frankly 
 accepted the situation, but threw responsibility back 
 upon themselves. In accepting their assets he must 
 also accept their debts. But these must be carefully 
 scrutinised, and they must be all paid by the taxation 
 of the farmers themselves, and not out of imperial 
 funds. 
 
 The " Administrator " was anxious to be clear 
 regarding the actual relations now established, and 
 the following conversation took place in which the 
 firmness of Mackenzie appears. 
 
 The Administrator. Must I understand that by read- 
 ing of his Commission, Mr Mackenzie takes over the country 
 as British territory, and as part of Bechuanaland ? 
 
 Mr Mackenzie. That is the fact. 
 
 The Administrator. Does Mr Mackenzie, by reading 
 the Commission, mean to imply that the Government of 
 Stellaland ceases to exist ? 
 
 Mr Mackenzie. It stands to reason that two govern- 
 ments cannot exist in one country. But, in the spirit in 
 which we have been discussing matters this evening, it is my 
 wish to receive, over the heads of the people here, all that 
 will enable the incoming Government to carry on the 
 government of the country and promote its prosperity. 
 
 The Administrator wishes to know whether Mr 
 Mackenzie intends to assume the reins of government at 
 once. 
 
 Mr Mackenzie. The question is already answered in my 
 answer about the proclamation ; Her Majesty's Government 
 cannot both be in and out of the country. With regard to 
 the immediate change of affairs, it is my hope to entrust 
 them into hands which will be suitable and agreeable also, 
 from the people's point of view. 
 
 The last words refer to an act by which the 
 Deputy Commissioner sought to win over completely 
 the still hostile minority. Under the power given him
 
 AS DEPUTY COMMISSIONER 331 
 
 by the High Commissioner he nominated, as his 
 Assistant Commissioner for that part of Bechuanaland, 
 whom but G. J. Van Niekerk himself? No one 
 expected this, and it certainly produced much astonish- 
 ment in Stellaland. Here was a British officer, who 
 showed much firmness in his representation of the 
 Imperial Government, strong determination to have 
 the presence and authority of that government recog- 
 nised and made effective at once ; and yet he was 
 willing to deal fairly with Dutchmen, and even to use 
 their Administrator as his assistant. The people, 
 except those who already disliked Van Niekerk, were 
 very much pleased. The Volks Committee formally 
 approved of the appointment, ad interim^ " until such 
 time as it should be decided whether the Colonial 
 Government takes over this territory." This was the 
 disturbing feature in Mackenzie's work at Vryburg. 
 Under the advice of some English-born colonists at 
 Cape Town and Kimberley, the Stellalanders had 
 petitioned for annexation to the Cape Colony. Men 
 like Niekerk went into this simply to stave off the 
 evil day, and with the real determination to carry out 
 their original intention of uniting with the Transvaal 
 or remaining independent. But so strong was the 
 majority who now favoured Mackenzie's plans that it 
 seemed possible, if Van Niekerk would take the oath 
 of office, to win them all over. 
 
 Unfortunately Mackenzie was expected to hasten 
 north, to Montsioa's country, and he was compelled 
 to make a temporary arrangement with the Adminis- 
 trator and the inhabitants of Stellaland. In the 
 meantime, with the assistance of Major Stanley Lowe, 
 peace and order could be maintained for a few weeks 
 till his return. 
 
 Mackenzie was himself much surprised at his 
 success. That there were some men unreconciled in 
 Stellaland he well knew. But he received unmistak-
 
 332 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 able proof that the very large majority of the white 
 men — Boers, English, Colonials, and others — believed 
 in him, and were ready to welcome his administration. 
 The men who were engaged at Cape Town in the 
 pleasant task of" tripping him up," as he afterwards put 
 it, denied that he had won over the white population. 
 Of course they could not have admitted that fact and 
 tripped him up at the same time. We shall see later 
 what means they used to destroy his success, and even 
 to conceal the proofs of it when these were at last 
 put into the one indisputable form of a popular 
 vote. 
 
 On his way to Montsioa's country the Deputy Com- 
 missioner paid a passing visit to Moshette at Kunwana. 
 This was one of the chiefs whom the Boers had used 
 as a cat's paw, and whom they had represented as 
 longing to be under the Transvaal. Mackenzie knew 
 the representation had been false, but looked upon the 
 chief as paying the price of his past misdeeds. Yet 
 it was hard not to sympathise with the wretched 
 man in his chagrin and dismay. The visit to Kun- 
 wana was naturally not a cheering one for either 
 party, since it was Mackenzie's duty to announce to 
 Moshette that the rumours he had heard were true ; 
 he was now and henceforth under the Transvaal 
 Government. ^ 
 
 Mackenzie arrived at Mafeking on Tuesday, May 
 20th, 1884, and entered immediately into conference 
 with the heroic old chief Montsioa. Some one ought 
 to write the life of this man, and call his book " The 
 First Hero of Mafeking." He would find in Mont- 
 sioa's life-long struggle with the Boers for the freedom 
 of his country abundance of stirring adventure. He 
 would find in Montsioa's relations to the British 
 Government much food for humiliating reflection — the 
 black chieftain showing himself so much more noble in 
 
 ^ C— 4194, pp. 36, 37,
 
 AS DEPUTY COMMISSIONER 333 
 
 patience, in his loyal trust, in frank sincerity, than the 
 ever-changeful Government whose protection he be- 
 lieved in and most earnestly sought. Montsioa could 
 not send pithy and humorous telegrams when be- 
 sieged, but he knew how to send messages of another 
 kind. As far back as May 1883, Mr Nicholas Gey 
 van Pittius had attempted to claim Barolong land 
 outside the Transvaal border. Montsioa based his 
 denial of all claims firmly upon the Pretoria Conven- 
 tion of 1 88 1. In March 1884 he again addressed 
 " the Gentlemen Volunteers, Rooi-Grond," who felt 
 the time had come for surveying and settling his 
 country. Montsioa, the real gentleman throughout 
 these negotiations, says, " I warn you again as a friend 
 that I will not let you do anything of that kind." A 
 month later the same " Gentlemen Volunteers " issued 
 another threat and dated it from " Land Goosen," as 
 they hoped to rename the territory. Montsioa 
 answered curtly, " My friends, I do not know the 
 Land Goosen you write of My people are living on 
 the lands their fathers have lived on — the lands of 
 the Barolong." 
 
 When Mackenzie reached Mafeking the entire 
 population were jubilant. Montsioa at once signed a 
 treaty, in which he gave the British Government 
 jurisdiction within his country and power to raise 
 taxes for the defrayal of expenses. The Boers, led 
 now by Gey van Pittius, had begun to make a little 
 town which they called Rooi Grond, part of which 
 was in the Transvaal and part in Montsioa's territory. 
 These worthless huts were, of course, put there to 
 establish claims, and were not much occupied. Mac- 
 kenzie rode over to meet with these Boers, but he 
 found them very " shy." They formed an armed and 
 mounted band of about forty men, as reckless char- 
 acters as could be found in South Africa, men who 
 stooped to do many cruel and murderous acts upon
 
 334 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 white men as well as black. With a little company 
 of half-a-dozen, including his son and the Rev. C. S. 
 Franklin, a Wesleyan Missionary who later acted as 
 his secretary, he rode over to the settlement. The 
 Boer laager was a little way from the water to which 
 Mackenzie resolved to send his horses to drink. This 
 left him completely at the mercy of Gey van Pittius. 
 When the latter sent two men on horseback to inquire 
 what he wanted, Mackenzie began without loss of 
 time to read his commission and announcement of the 
 Queen's Protectorate. " But we were not told to 
 listen to that," the horsemen said, and rode away as 
 if from a more material volley, leaving the Deputy 
 Commissioner to shout the last words after them as 
 they clattered off. 
 
 These desperadoes took advantage of the chance 
 given them, when all the Barolong men were gathered 
 in the town to hear and celebrate the making of the 
 treaty, and swooped down upon some cattle - posts 
 about fifteen miles north of the town. They captured 
 booty worth more than ;!^i5oo, and carried it across 
 the line into the Transvaal ; there they were at once 
 safe, for the Barolong would not cross that line even 
 to recapture their cattle until the White Queen or her 
 servants should allow them. This incident is men- 
 tioned here because it was the occasion for a some- 
 what adventurous trip which Mackenzie made. He 
 drove across the border to Zeerust, into the very 
 district where the cattle had been taken for distribu- 
 tion. Many of the desperadoes were there, and he 
 saw them. Some of them were men whom he had 
 known in former days, and they saw him. It was 
 gratifying to find that a large number of the most 
 respectable burghers disowned and disliked these 
 brutal cattle raids ; and yet Mackenzie's complaint to 
 the magistrate of the district was quite fruitless. It 
 was all reported at Pretoria, of course, as indeed every
 
 AS DEPUTY COMMISSIONER 335 
 
 occurrence on that western border was reported con- 
 tinually. But the Transvaal Government sent back 
 word to the Zeerust magistrate that he must take no 
 action.^ Thus the poor Barolong found that their 
 first experience of British protection was just this : 
 they must never cross that line for revenge or even 
 for the recovery of their property ! 
 
 Mackenzie's efforts to reach the Goshen freebooters 
 were all fruitless. These men having no real domicile 
 in Bechuanaland, and making the Transvaal the base 
 of their operations, could not be brought under his 
 official and personal influence, as the Stellalanders had 
 been. They were, besides, almost all men of a wilder 
 and more lawless kind, who were determined to use 
 the roughest means for crushing the indomitable 
 Montsioa and seizing his lands. Shortly after 
 Mackenzie's departure, there was some actual fighting. 
 The Barolong burned the unoccupied huts on their 
 side of the border ; and the Boers at once sent word 
 all over South Africa, that the savages had come upon 
 their homes, with women and children in them, and 
 destroyed them with ruthless cruelty. Reprisals were 
 now felt to be legitimate, and an attack was made by 
 Transvaal citizens, using Transvaal territory as their 
 base, upon territory which had but just been pro- 
 claimed as under the protection of the Queen. Of 
 course these men would not have done this, if there had 
 been even fifty British police, under a British officer, 
 on the spot. The Pretoria Government, which knew 
 all and allowed all that went on, would most assuredly 
 have prevented any act which would inevitably and at 
 once have meant a conflict with Great Britain. The 
 day for that had not yet come within sight. But 
 the Pretoria Government knew all the cross winds that 
 were blowing at Cape Town, knew that the Cape 
 ministry were thwarting Mackenzie, preventing the 
 ^ C. — 4194, p, 112.
 
 336 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 sending of an efificient police force, scheming for a 
 Joint-Protectorate of Bechuanaland by Cape Colony 
 and the Transvaal, and knew that they were safe to 
 allow these border raids to go on. In fact, they soon 
 saw that, afraid as the High Commissioner was of an 
 open conflict, their best plan was to let the disorder 
 grow worse, the fierce will of the Goshenites to grow 
 fiercer. In the meantime, poor Montsioa saw once 
 more that the best government he knew of " had 
 gone away " from his town, leaving him more hated 
 and less powerful than ever, before his foes. 
 
 Mackenzie made the remainder of his tour round 
 northern and western Bechuanaland more rapidly. 
 He was detained at one place, where natives had lifted 
 the cattle of some white people, by the determination to 
 exert " even-handed justice " upon black as well as 
 white marauders. He was determined that no one 
 should be able to accuse him of showing any partiality 
 for natives. 
 
 At Kuruman he left his wife and daughters, 
 appointed his son to stem the progress of small-pox, 
 by making a vaccinating tour through the infested 
 region, and made his own way back to Taungs. He 
 reached that place at the end of June, and at once 
 was in communication again with the Stellalanders. 
 A deputation was sent to meet him from the Volks 
 Committee, the body in whom now supreme power 
 among the white settlers rested. Their report to him 
 was very interesting. The first fact was that Niekerk 
 had forsaken them, declining all responsibtility for he 
 government of the country under Mackenzie. The 
 second fact was that the Volks Committee had 
 assumed full control of the situation, had communi- 
 cated with Cape Town, and found that the prospects 
 of annexation to the Colony were so dim and confused 
 that no action could be taken in relation to them. 
 The third fact was that they wished Mackenzie at
 
 AS DEPUTY COMMISSIONER 337 
 
 once to go over the terms of submission to the 
 Imperial Government, then to go to Vryburg " and 
 hoist the British flag." " Such," says Mackenzie to 
 Robinson with emphasis, " such was the request of 
 Dutch-speaking as well as English-speaking members 
 of the Deputation." ^ Niekerk was given one more 
 chance to take the oath of allegiance and accept the 
 office, which he had formerly agreed to accept. But 
 he refused, choosing to remain a Transvaal citizen, 
 and maintaining his residence within the Transvaah' 
 Mackenzie was informed by the Stellalanders that at 
 this very time he was promising to his own party that 
 the country would be annexed to the Transvaal, 
 while he professed at Cape Town to be anxious for 
 annexation to the Colony. 
 
 When Mackenzie went to Vryburg, he was received 
 with much more than the studious courtesy of the 
 former occasion. There was some fear of hostile 
 action from Niekerk, and armed horsemen went out 
 several hours ride to meet the Deputy Commissioner, 
 and escort him to the town. He was conducted to 
 the court-house, and there it was arranged that a full 
 meeting of the citizens should be held a week later, 
 on a Monday. In the interval, several of the leading 
 men in the place, including Mr Bodenstein, a brother 
 of the chairman of the Transvaal Volksraad, went out 
 in different directions to visit the farmers and state 
 the facts fully to them, arguing for co-operation with 
 Mackenzie. While they were still away Mackenzie 
 went on with his work, as an Imperial officer in actual 
 authority. He found all the officers of the Govern- 
 ment ready to be sworn in, and they were sworn in. 
 Some new appointments were made. On the day 
 after his arrival there was a strong desire expressed, 
 especially by farmers who had come from the Colony, 
 to hoist the British flag. But the Deputy Com- 
 
 1 C— 4194, p. 114. 
 Y
 
 338 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 missioner was very careful to avoid any rash step, 
 which might bring dishonour on that flag ; so he put 
 the proposal off. On the following Monday the 
 public meeting was largely attended. Three resolu- 
 tions were proposed and unanimously adopted, in 
 which the Stellalanders, while still hoping for annexa- 
 tion to Cape Colony, accepted British rule. In the 
 midst of these resolutions the following words occur : 
 " This meeting further desires hereby to record its 
 welcome to John Mackenzie, Esquire, Her Majesty's 
 Representative and Deputy Commissioner for Bechu- 
 analand, as the restorer of peace and prosperity to 
 this country, and call upon all lovers of peace in 
 Stellaland to co-operate under Her Majesty's rule for 
 the maintenance of law and order, and the promotion 
 of the prosperity of the country and its inhabitants." 
 Perhaps the most significant of the resolutions was 
 that in which the Stellalanders named G. J. Van 
 Niekerk and A. J. G. De la Rey, as men who were 
 inciting " the inhabitants of Stellaland to oppose law 
 and order in this territory, now under Her Majesty's 
 rule." The resolution further stated that these two 
 men were holding public meetings for these " treason- 
 able purposes " within the Transvaal, and urged the 
 High Commissioner to call the attention of the South 
 African Republic to these " unlawful acts." 
 
 Mackenzie's triumph in Stellaland was complete. 
 Out of the burghers he enrolled a small force of 
 twenty-five men, for duty in that district ; the anti- 
 British element was in the minority, and had already 
 lost moral influence by holding meetings across the 
 new border in the Transvaal. So enthusiastic were 
 the people, that on that second meeting they insisted 
 on hoisting the British flag. On hearing that this 
 might be done, Sir Hercules Robinson telegraphed 
 in alarm : — 
 
 Hoisting the British flag is technically the symbol of
 
 AS DEPUTY COMMISSIONER 339 
 
 sovereignty ; Bechuanaland is only native territory under 
 a British Protectorate ; and you are not justified in altering 
 the status without the express sanction of Her Majesty's 
 Government. 
 
 One can hardly believe that the British High 
 Commissioner sent that telegram only eighteen years 
 ago, concerning the territory just north of Kimberley. 
 Mackenzie's answer by telegram on August 3rd was 
 as follows : — 
 
 As to the flag, please remember the flag of Stellaland was 
 flying when I entered Vryburg. The people themselves went 
 and quietly took it down. I declined then to hoist our 
 flag until the public meeting had taken place. After the 
 first meeting I was importuned to hoist it. I declined till 
 the second or adjourned meeting had taken place. After it 
 I felt bound to hoist it. They had voluntarily pulled down 
 their flag, which had been handed to me. There is such a 
 thing as inducing people to distrust you. Had the flag not 
 been hoisted after the meeting I should have lost the support 
 of the best people here. All the officers have taken the oath. 
 We have been exercising sovereignty in Stellaland since we 
 first set foot in it. From the first there has been more than 
 a Protectorate here. 
 
 " There is such a thing as inducing people to dis- 
 trust you," might be written as a fair judgment upon 
 most of Great Britain's dealings alike with Boer and 
 black in South Africa. 
 
 We shall soon see how and by whom that flag was 
 taken down, and the Stellalander was " induced to dis- 
 trust " once more. On the day on which Mackenzie 
 sent this telegram about the flag, he had received 
 Robinson's message of July 30th, inviting him to 
 " visit Cape Town," and appointing Mr Cecil Rhodes 
 to take his place. That was the end of John Mackenzie's 
 service of his Queen as Deputy Commissioner. He was 
 not unprepared for this event, for even while carrying 
 on his work as successfully as we have seen, his corre-
 
 340 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 spondence with Government House, Cape Town, had 
 shown him that hostile forces were gradually gaining 
 the upper hand there, forces which openly sought his 
 overthrow, but really aimed at other political and 
 personal objects beyond himself He was in the way 
 of land schemes and Boer schemes. The land schemers 
 were many of them well-known British subjects, but 
 they were willing to work with citizens of the Transvaal 
 to defeat an Imperial officer, and hinder Imperial de- 
 velopments in Bechuanaland. The Boer schemers were 
 well-known at Pretoria and Cape Town to cherish the 
 purpose of extending the South African Republic over 
 the territory now proclaimed as a British Protectorate ; 
 and they saw that if Mackenzie continued in Bechuana- 
 land their dreams must perish. These two sets of men 
 united their influence in Bechuanaland and at Cape 
 Town to " eliminate," as Mr Rhodes openly confessed 
 it, " eliminate the Imperial factor." How they tried this 
 and succeeded, we must now see. 
 
 When Mackenzie went north from Cape Town in 
 April, he felt himself in perfect accord with Sir Hercules 
 Robinson regarding the general policy which he was to 
 pursue. It was understood that he would require 200 
 police to maintain order in Bechuanaland, and Robin- 
 son approved the appointment of Major Stanley Lowe 
 to enrol and organise this force. Weeks were allowed 
 to pass during which the enrolment of police went 
 on slowly, being hindered partly by the general 
 uncertainty regarding the real attitude of the respec- 
 tive governments to one another and to Bechuana- 
 land, and partly by obstacles cast in the way of Major 
 Lowe from Cape Town. No real vigorous measures 
 were taken to assist Mackenzie and his chief officer in 
 this work. 
 
 In the month of April the letters of Robinson show 
 him cordial to his Deputy Commissioner. He refers to 
 the proposal for the annexation of Bechuanaland to
 
 AS DEPUTY COMMISSIONER 341 
 
 Cape Colony, and confesses that this may be the best 
 sokition of their troubles. He looks forward, however, 
 to Mackenzie's expected visit to Cape Town, upon 
 which they had agreed. This visit was to be made 
 immediately after Mackenzie had completed his first 
 survey of his territory in order to discuss the 
 whole situation and map out the details with his 
 chief. In one of these letters he says, " You may 
 rely, under any circumstances, upon my fullest 
 confidence and support." In May he writes with 
 enthusiasm concerning- what he calls Mackenzie's 
 " complete success at Vryburg " ; he thinks that 
 Mackenzie " acted wisely in swallowing Mr Niekerk " ; 
 likewise was he pleased with the work done at 
 Taungs ; Robinson added that he was " sure that 
 Lord Derby and the Colonial Office will be very 
 pleased at the way you have got over the two out 
 of your three difficulties." On May 25, he writes 
 again, saying, that he expected Mackenzie to be at 
 that time " about to start for Cape Town." In this 
 letter the first difficulty is raised regarding the cost 
 of the police force which had been promised to 
 Mackenzie, and without which he would never have 
 undertaken this task. 
 
 We estimate that the 50 police you ask for will cost 
 annually about ;z{^i2oo, and the equipment at starting about 
 ^5000 more. Have you considered where all this money 
 is to come from, especially if the Stellalanders won't pay for 
 Police, as the papers seem to indicate ? However, I shall be 
 able to go into this matter with you soon when you get 
 down here. 
 
 On the 1 6th of June, Robinson is still convinced of 
 Mackenzie's remarkable success. 
 
 "I was," he says, "very glad to receive yours of the 31st 
 May from Mafeking, and delighted to find that you got on 
 so much better with the Goshenites than I anticipated. I 
 am pressing the Transvaal Government to come down on
 
 342 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 that nest of rufifians who have established themselves just 
 within the Transvaal border." 
 
 In this letter he further refers to the fact that Mr 
 Niekerk was corresponding with persons at Cape 
 Town, and saying that the Stellalander people were 
 violently opposed to Mackenzie's protectorate or terri- 
 torial form of government. This leads him to refer to 
 the political situation at Cape Town ; 
 
 " My new ministry is not strong, and it is possible there may 
 be another crisis before the next Session. I have not been 
 able to get any decision out of them yet as to what course 
 they will take. . . . They are apparently waiting to get their 
 orders from Mr Hofmeyr, and he is probably waiting for the 
 arrival of the Transvaal delegates here from London." He 
 repeats his invitation that Mackenzie should stay at Govern- 
 ment House on his arrival. 
 
 Robinson evidently was being pressed to change 
 his judgment by setting Niekerk's letters and views 
 over against those of Mackenzie's. 
 
 At this time Mackenzie, feeling desperate over the 
 absence of police from Bechuanaland, sent several 
 different proposals to Robinson. One of these sug- 
 gested the formation of a South African volunteer 
 force ; another suggested that Cape Colony, as being 
 the ultimate heirs of Bechuanaland, ought to lend the 
 Imperial Government lOO volunteers for the purpose 
 of settling the country. In connection with these 
 proposals Robinson wrote a letter in the first week of 
 July, which showed a distinct cooling-off in its most 
 curt phraseology and imperative tones ; he lays aside 
 the scheme of a reserve force as impracticable, and 
 then adds the following unexpected words : — 
 
 I hope by this time you are on your way back to Mont- 
 sioa's ; there is nothing whatever to be gained by your visit- 
 ing Cape Town at present ; and it is desirable that you should 
 be in the neighbourhood of Rooi Grond whilst the free-
 
 AS DEPUTY COMMISSIONER 343 
 
 hooters who are living there just within the Transvaal 
 border are making attacks upon the protectorate. 
 
 The Blue Books show that Mackenzie in a telegram 
 of this date suggests that there was still much reason 
 for his visiting Cape Town, and he adds : " There are 
 too many pressing duties in Bechuanaland for me to 
 be shut up in Mafeking if it is invested ; your state- 
 ment about public opinion at the Cape makes me feel 
 the greater necessity for being there." To this, on 
 July 6th the High Commissioner curtly replied : — 
 
 I can see nothing to be gained by your coming to Cape 
 Town at this moment, and I must repeat that whilst the 
 country is in this its present state you should remain at your 
 post." 1 
 
 At the same time the High Commissioner gave 
 Mackenzie authority to raise a force of police and 
 burghers, to deal with marauders, and said that 
 Lord Derby had telegraphed the approval of H.M.'s 
 Government. The absurdity of this proposal lies on 
 the face of it ; but Robinson, now blind to the facts of 
 Mackenzie's position, says, " I am anxious you should 
 realise that you have to depend on what you can do 
 locally." 
 
 About this time President Kruger and his fellow- 
 delegates arrived at Cape Town from their European 
 tour. Robinson reported to Mackenzie that they 
 conferred with Mr Hofmeyr, the leader of the Bond, 
 and with the Ministers, of whom Sir Thomas Upington 
 was now Prime Minister. They arrived at the conclu- 
 sion, the Imperial High Commissioner reports to his 
 Deputy, 
 
 that it was better for the Transvaal to have the Colonies as a 
 neighbour than the Imperial Government, and that Com 
 Paul promised, that if the Colonies would take over the place 
 
 1 C— 4194, pp. 74, 78, 79.
 
 344 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 and you were withdrawn, he would use his best exertions to 
 insure the Rooi Gronders dispersing to their homes. 
 
 In the letter which gives this information, dated 
 July 1 8th, the High Commissioner for South Africa 
 goes on at length to describe the pressure which was 
 being brought to bear upon him for the removal of 
 Mackenzie from his office. He piteously complains 
 that he stands absolutely alone in advocating his 
 appointment. " I need scarcely say," he adds, " that 
 this is almost as disappointing and annoying to me as 
 you, but it is a fact, and there is nothing to be gained 
 by shutting our eyes to it." 
 
 A definite policy was now agreed upon between Mr 
 Kruger, the Cape Dutch Party, and the Colonial 
 Government, and it centered in one immediate object, 
 namely, the removal of Mackenzie. The next step 
 was naturally left indefinite, Mr Kruger allowing Mr 
 Upington to think that it would be a peaceful annexa- 
 tion of Goshen and Stellaland to the Cape Colony 
 But Mr Kruger went home to Pretoria, and from his 
 place in the Volksraad denounced the very convention 
 under which this annexation was to take place. 
 
 In the parliamentary discussion, both Mr Upington 
 and Mr Cecil Rhodes, in advocating the annexation 
 to the Colony, denounced Mackenzie as the one 
 obstacle to a peaceful settlement of Bechuanaland.^ 
 Mr Rhodes, in this debate, relied for his information 
 upon letters which he quoted, and which he had 
 received from Niekerk ! 
 
 On July 28th, Robinson wrote another long letter 
 to Mackenzie, concerning the determination of the 
 Cape Ministry to get rid of him. The High 
 Commissioner's supreme interest at this time was 
 divided between, either securing the annexation of 
 Bechuanaland to Cape Colony, or obtaining a money 
 ' For report of debate. C. — 4194, pp. 85-105.
 
 AS DEPUTY COMMISSIONER 345 
 
 grant from the Colony towards the expenses of the 
 protectorate. His ministers saw their advantage, and 
 refused to consider either proposal as long as Mackenzie 
 held his post. He says in this letter, " Mr Upington 
 added that the only prospect of settling Bechuana- 
 land was the cordial co-operation between Cape 
 Colony and the Transvaal, in the work. The 
 Transvaal Government, he was aware, would give no 
 real help so long as you are in charge." Sir Hercules 
 strove " to save his face," by proposing that the 
 Colonial Government should nominate some one to act 
 as coadjutor with Mackenzie. This, of course, was 
 also declined. At the same time, he refused to allow 
 Mackenzie any money for his work from the Imperial 
 funds, and warned him further not to think of fighting 
 one half of the Steilalanders with the other half, as 
 Mr Upington, forsooth, had imagined that Mackenzie 
 would do this. Sir Hercules Robinson also referred 
 to the scandalous scenes which had just occurred in 
 the Transvaal Volksraad, where President Kruger, 
 from his place in the House, denounced Robinson 
 and Mackenzie in the same breath, as " liars " and 
 " intriguers," and asserted that, because they had 
 deceived the British public and the British Govern- 
 ment, the Transvaal had lost Bechuanaland. 
 
 Before this letter was written Mr Rhodes had 
 already left Cape Town for Kimberley. After his 
 arrival there a series of telegrams passed between him 
 and Captain Bower, the Imperial Secretary, which 
 have been published in the Blue Books.^ It was only 
 when he saw these telegrams in print that Mackenzie 
 discovered the true facts regarding his recall and Mr 
 Rhodes's appointment. They clearly show that when 
 Mr Rhodes left Cape Town there was a general under- 
 standing between him and the High Commissioner, 
 and the Imperial Secretary, regarding the immediate 
 1 C— 4213, pp. 15 ff.
 
 346 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 future. On July 25th, Captain Bower received a 
 telegram from Mr Rhodes saying that Niekerk and 
 Co. threatened to use violence against Mackenzie and 
 his sympathisers. For this information the Imperial 
 Secretary sent thanks, and asked for more " light on 
 the situation." On the 29th, Mr Rhodes was asked, 
 " Can you leave at short notice for Bechuanaland, if 
 required ? " On the same date Mr Rhodes announced 
 that there had been a " row at Vryburg, on the attempt 
 to hoist the British flag." He criticised Mackenzie's 
 actions and said, " the feeling in Stellaland is only 
 anti-Mackenzie." Mr Rhodes was only at Kimberley, 
 and dependent for his information upon rumours and 
 the evidence of interested parties, but, he added : " I 
 have gained, I think, a fair knowledge of the situation ; 
 please reply and tell me position on your side, and 
 what you wish me to do." Captain Bower replied 
 that Robinson proposed 
 
 to give Mackenzie leave to come down here for purpose of 
 conferring with him, and to ask you to go to Vryburg and 
 act for Mackenzie in his absence. Do you think this course 
 desirable, and do you consent, or do you think that Mackenzie 
 can be safely left in Stellaland ? 
 
 The next day Mr Rhodes flashed back his answer : 
 
 I consider Mackenzie's presence at Vryburg likely to 
 cause disturbance. He is opposed by large party. Am 
 willing to proceed on understanding if I get matters quiet, 
 and I think his return likely cause strife ; due weight to be 
 given to my opinion. 
 
 Mr Rhodes was told that the Governor accepted 
 his offer with thanks, and his commission was tele- 
 graphed the same day. On July 3i.st, Mackenzie, 
 all unaware of these sinister " wires," sent the announce- 
 ment of his brilliant success in Stellaland, and of the 
 passing of the resolutions by the assembled inhabitants,
 
 AS DEPUTY COMMISSIONER 347 
 
 which we have described above. On this Captain 
 Bower wired Mr Rhodes : — 
 
 Mackenzie telegraphs that things in Stellaland are satis- 
 factory. Either he is hving in a fool's paradise, or recent 
 reports are very misleading. 
 
 At the same time Mackenzie was informed of 
 Robinson's desire that he should go to Cape Town, 
 and of the appointment of Mr Rhodes to act for him 
 in his absence. Captain Bower's telegram means 
 simply that Mackenzie was being recalled, irrespective 
 of the questions as to whether he had succeeded or 
 not, as to whether his official report from the scene of 
 action, or Mr Rhodes's rumours from Kimberley were 
 to be trusted at Cape Town. The fact stands indisput- 
 able, that Robinson's conduct was based first upon the 
 hostility of his ministers, which he knew to be created 
 by the Transvaal ; and, second, upon rumours which 
 contradicted the official reports of his Deputy 
 Commissioner, and which were sent to him by Mr 
 Rhodes. The telegrams also show that Mr Rhodes, 
 without being upon the spot or making a judicial inquiry 
 into these false rumours, advised the removal of an 
 Imperial officer that he himself might take his 
 place. 
 
 When Mackenzie reached Cape Town he found 
 himself in the centre of storms. After a few days 
 he decided to send in his resignation. This step was 
 taken while he was fully conscious of his own success 
 in Bechuanaland, but while he was yet unaware of 
 the telegrams and misrepresentations which have 
 been sketched above. It was taken because the 
 Cape Ministry believed they could easily reduce 
 Bechuanaland to order, and he would not have it 
 felt that he stood in the way. His motives and 
 spirit are expressed in the following letter : —
 
 348 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 Government House, 
 Cape Town, -^^rd Aug. 18S4. 
 
 My Dear Dr Dale, — Your warm interest in the Bechu- 
 analand question induces me to send you the text of my 
 letter of resignation, and the documents which the High 
 Commissioner, at my request, produced on the occasion. 
 
 My first impulse was of course not to resign ; but in the 
 circumstances, and wishing myself also to test the sincerity of 
 the utterances of the Cape Ministry, I sent in the enclosed 
 letter. They are not touching Bechuanaland a bit more since 
 I resigned than they were before. 
 
 The political situation here in Cape Town is most unhappy 
 — nay, it is even dangerous ; and you know I am no alarmist. 
 Let me explain what I know of it, of course in strictest 
 confidence. 
 
 In the first place, relations of present ministry and the 
 High Commissioner are very much strained. I found it so. 
 I have been, since I arrived here, a go-between as to the 
 Bechuanaland affair, and there is a slightly better state of 
 things. But there is no love lost on either side. 
 
 On asking Sprigg and Upington why they had not sup- 
 ported Scanlen's undertaking for co-operation with English 
 Government, they gave first the published reasons — indefinite 
 responsibility, etc.; but on being pressed, they both said, or, 
 rather, shouted — " We don't believe in the English Govern- 
 ment. We are Liberals, both of us, but the Colonial Policy 
 of the present Government is rotten and detestable. They 
 would leave us in the lurch on the first convenient opportunity. 
 We should have to face the opposition of the Dutch here, and 
 would probably get turned out ; but what we are sure of is, 
 that if we co-operated as you desire us, and sent up officers 
 now into Bechuanaland to make preparations for annexation, 
 or lent Cape Mounted Rifles to protect Cape Colonists in 
 Stellaland who signed the petition for annexation, — there is 
 noticing clearer to our minds than that in the briefest time we 
 should find ourselves alone in Bechuanaland, deserted by 
 the Imperial Government." 
 
 You can scarcely imagine the vehemence with which these 
 things are said. Their minds are exceedingly embittered 
 against Her Majesty's Government. All the while, as tliey 
 declare, their personal sentiments are similar to your own ! 
 His Excellency is good enough to place great confidence
 
 AS DEPUTY COMMISSIONER 349 
 
 in me, in suggesting that I go and talk, with them, and in 
 formally sending me on matters of business ; but it is uphill 
 work. 
 
 And the worst is not told. These men — our own fellow- 
 countrymen — only hold their present position on sufferance. 
 Mr Hofmeyr and the Dutch party support them, and there- 
 fore they stand. They are paying most disastrously dear for 
 this support. It is said everything is submitted to Hofmeyr 
 in secret conclave, and ministers get what are practically 
 orders. Was a country ever in such an unhappy situation ? 
 It is explained to me by those who know, that Hofmeyr dared 
 not accept the responsibility of forming a ministry when the 
 Government sent for him to do so. His own followers do 
 not supply material out of which ministers could be made, 
 on account of their sheer ignorance. But in their own 
 opinion they are fully qualified, and would resent being 
 passed over. Therefore the astute Hofmeyr declines the 
 Premiership virtually because he shrinks from appointing 
 English ministers under him, over the heads of his own 
 peculiar people. 
 
 I asked His Excellency, as a favour, to wire the last two 
 paragraphs of my letter to the Colonial Office, in order that 
 the peculiar, unusual, I might almost say unique, situation 
 might be understood. He did not consent to this. 
 
 The news comes in that Bechuanaland is well-nigh in the 
 hands of the Boers. 
 
 Joubert's selection by the Transvaal Government, after 
 his speech and known proclivities, was not polite to the 
 Imperial Government, nor was it in the way of a friendly 
 settlement. 
 
 Sept. 23. — One thing and another have prevented me from 
 finishing this and sending it off. 
 
 My resignation has been accepted, and I am now adrift. I 
 do not know my future. I am deeply interested in this ques- 
 tion, and a great deal has to be done here. But how to do 
 it, and also earn daily bread, &c., for myself and family, are 
 questions not yet solved. I have no disinclination, thank 
 God, to resume mission work, but my successors have made, 
 and are making such a frightful mess there, that really it would 
 not be advisable for me to go back to Bechuanaland just now. 
 
 I have now left Government House, and have taken rooms
 
 3 50 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 for a short time here. There will be a public meeting here 
 to-morrow night. 
 
 'The action of Germany has acted as a tonic to the sluggish 
 dullards here. Four papers here are practically of one opinion : 
 The Argus, Times, Express, and Volksblad. The Ztiid Afrikaan 
 openly advocates freebooting, looting, and serfdom.) It is in 
 Dutch entirely, otherwise I would send you copies. The 
 papers insisted that I must speak at the meeting. I went to 
 the preparatory meetings to-day. I was well received. But 
 in the interval some one had expressed a doubt whether it 
 would be wise that I should speak. I came in while they 
 were discussing this. This gives you an idea of the position 
 here ; the meeting is to some extent the result of doctrines 
 which I have been teaching since I came here. They all say 
 they would like to hear me \ but what about the Dutch 
 opposition ? 
 
 I said I was no judge whether I should speak or not ; I 
 dared say there would be enough without me. When this 
 would not do, I added, " I suppose you want to know whether 
 I am going to set you all at loggerheads by what I say. If 
 that is the anxiety of those who don't know me, I have the 
 happiness to relieve it at once ; you may rest quietly in your 
 minds so far as my speech is concerned." Such is my stand- 
 ing here to-day. Queer, isn't it ? If I can do something 
 towards healthy speech and clear understanding between 
 Dutch and English, I shall do something. I feel my 
 mind going with this question ; I should like to serve 
 a high cause in this Colony ; perhaps the way may be 
 opened up. 
 
 In the meantime don't despair. It is enough to be cast 
 down ; I do not feel like that. But despair, and your cause 
 the right one ? No, by no means. Dear Mary, my little 
 daughter, wrote to me lately, " Papa, I am praying so hard 
 for you." I have got the conviction Mary is not alone in 
 doing this. Let us wait and work, hoping in God. Give me 
 a line. — Ever yours sincerely, 
 
 John Mackenzie. 
 
 To Mr Stead he wrote a letter on October ist, in 
 which the following paragraphs occur : — 
 
 It is no small gratification to me to be able to preach in 
 Cape Town the doctrines which I preached in England, and
 
 AS DEPUTY COMMISSIONER 351 
 
 to find that they are cordially accepted. My own reception 
 has been more than I had reason to expect, considering 
 the censure which was heaped upon me. It is only one 
 form of resenting the conduct of their political leaders 
 on the part of this community. They have spoken out for 
 themselves. 
 
 The real cause of failure in Bechuanaland is the hostile 
 attitude of the Transvaal. This was pointed out by me re- 
 peatedly, with the remark that it was a question for the High 
 Commissioner and the Home Government, and not for me 
 with a few policemen. It will be shown that Sir H. had 
 Lord Derby's express sanction to repel the invasion of Mont- 
 sioa's country months ago, but did nothing but urge me to 
 go back again personally and try personal persuasion. When 
 I came to Cape Town Sir H. had not done anything with 
 Lord Derby's sanction, but was trying in reality to throw the 
 onus 071 the Cape Colony. I say so, as I was the go-between 
 the parties for weeks ; and the negotiations stuck with 
 the blunt question of Upington, " What do you mean 
 then by co-operation ? Define what England will do, and 
 what you expect the Cape Colony to do." Sir H. pooh- 
 poohed this then, and did not so define. 
 
 Now, dear Mr Stead, don't be angry with me for writing 
 all this. I am in a queer fix. Don't know where to turn, 
 have been really checked and tripped up by knaves or 
 fools or both. What I write is in confidence. But don't 
 
 trust M one bit, nor H , if you come across them. 
 
 Scanlen is nice, and I think trust- 
 worthy, but don't betray my con- 
 fidences to him. The others are 
 his lieutenants. 
 
 LAND 
 
 [In the original letter " Land," written in large letters, fills up 
 the vacant space, as above.]
 
 CHAPTER XIII 
 
 AFRICA THE ROUSING OF THE CAPE COLONY 
 
 (1884-1885) 
 
 It will be unnecessary to tell in detail the story of 
 Bechuanaland under Mr Rhodes's Commissionership 
 during the months of August, September, and 
 October 1884. But something must be said in 
 order to explain still later events. 
 
 When Mackenzie resigned it was with the feeling, 
 as he said once, shrugging his shoulders, " If these 
 other fellows think they can manage the business, 
 well, let them try it." Mr Cecil Rhodes made the 
 first attempt. He went straight to Vryburg, and sent 
 his first message from there on August 7th. He 
 found what he called the " town section " very favour- 
 able to Mackenzie, and confessed that they were very 
 bitter against himself The reason for this bitterness 
 lay in the fact that he had announced his resolve 
 against Mackenzie's advice, to negotiate with Niekerk. 
 The Vryburg population, since Mackenzie's last visit 
 and the formation of a settled government under him, 
 had viewed with great resentment the recent history 
 of Niekerk's relations to them ; and the idea that the 
 new Deputy Commissioner should deal with Niekerk 
 as in any measure responsible for that portion of 
 British territory, awoke their intense hostility. But 
 Mr Cecil Rhodes persisted in his policy. He left a 
 loyal Stellaland behind him, ready to promote peace 
 and to resist the aggressions of outsiders, and crossed
 
 THE ROUSING OF CAPE COLONY 353 
 
 the border to negotiate with an avowed enemy of 
 the Queen for the maintenance of peace in Her 
 Protectorate. 
 
 It is impossible for any student of these events to 
 fathom Mr Rhodes's real reasons for this extraordinary 
 step. An approach to a reason is given by him,^ and 
 is echoed by Captain Bower, in the suggestion that it 
 was necessary to pacify Stellaland in order to use it 
 as a basis for pacifying Goshen. If this was the real 
 purpose it exposes the statesmanship of both these 
 gentlemen to the severest criticism from another 
 point of view. 
 
 When Mr Rhodes reached Commando Drift, where 
 Niekerk and his people were assembled, he found 
 them, he said, " exceedingly embittered against Mr 
 Mackenzie, and the section in Vryburg, who had 
 accepted his government." - Their bitterness is not 
 in the least unintelligible ; it is only extraordinary that 
 Mr Rhodes should have taken steps to give up the 
 loyalists in Vryburg to its pitiless cruelty. He knew 
 that these people were assembling to reinstate the 
 government which Mackenzie had destroyed ; that is, 
 to treat Stellaland as if it had never been proclaimed 
 a British Protectorate, and as if no British officers had 
 assumed authority within it. And he set himself 
 avowedly to help them. 
 
 After some preliminary arrangements Mr Rhodes 
 left for Goshen, summoning Captain Bower from Cape 
 Town to carry on affairs in Stellaland during his 
 absence. 
 
 On his way to Goshen, Mr Cecil Rhodes heard that 
 the Transvaal Government, in response to the High 
 Commissioner, had appointed General Piet Joubert as 
 a Special Commissioner, to assist him in pacifying the 
 western border of that country. Mr Rhodes and 
 1 C— 4213, p. 41. 2 c _4 4213, p. 105. 
 
 z
 
 3 54 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 General Joubert met at Goshen, on the Transvaal side, 
 and proceeded to negotiate with Van Pittius. Mr 
 Rhodes received nothing but insult of the most 
 studied kind, while he was there. The Boers actually 
 attacked Mafeking, on the night of his arrival at their 
 camp. Yet he remained within the Transvaal, did 
 not enter Mafeking, had no dealings with Montsioa, 
 whom he was sent to protect and deliver, — except 
 through some messengers who stole up to his waggon 
 at night, — broke off negotiations when he found that 
 the Goshenites gave no sign of yielding to his authority, 
 and that Joubert was either powerless or unwilling to 
 assist him. 
 
 On his leaving, poor Montsioa found himself com- 
 pelled to agree to a " treaty " of the most unjust kind 
 — so unjust that Mr Rhodes could not tolerate it. 
 These events opened his eyes to the fact, as he 
 reported to Robinson, that the Transvaal was tacitly 
 allowing these proceedings, and that Joubert was not 
 in the least anxious to put down the disorder. 
 
 Yet Mr Rhodes returned through the Transvaal to 
 Commando Drift, within the Transvaal, and there 
 resumed his negotiations with Mr Niekerk, a Transvaal 
 citizen, regarding the further destiny of the British 
 Protectorate in South Bechuanaland. He found that 
 Captain Bower had come to this region, during his 
 absence in the north. Two steps of great significance 
 had already been taken by the Captain. In his 
 anxiety lest the British flag at Vryburg should be 
 insulted he sent it away to Taungs. The Stellaland 
 flag, which Mackenzie had received from the hands of 
 the Stellalanders themselves, and taken to Cape Town, 
 Captain Bower brought back ; and this he handed over 
 once more, not to the British in Vr)'burg, but to Mr 
 Niekerk in the Transvaal. From Vryburg he sent 
 messages to Cape Town, which deliberately aimed at
 
 THE ROUSING OF CAPE COLONY 355 
 
 disparaging Mr Mackenzie's work and influence in 
 that place. 
 
 Within a few days four members of the Volks 
 Committee sent a telegram to Mackenzie, saying that 
 they deemed it 
 
 advisable that you return speedily to Vryburg and the 
 Bechuanaland. Majority of public approve of your policy. 
 Rhodes appears only working for Colonial interest, regardless 
 of position of country. Think you could effect peaceable 
 settlement. General regret at your absence during present 
 complications. Rhodes went alone to Niekerk, in Transvaal, 
 to consult him. Public sentiment here worked upon against 
 Imperial Government ; especially yourself and Vryburg 
 opinion ignored. Statement made that you do not return. 
 Please reply. 
 
 This message abundantly proves that even after the 
 visits of both Mr Rhodes and Captain Bower, the in- 
 habitants of British Stellaland felt themselves strong 
 enough, and united enough, to maintain their alle- 
 giance to the Imperial Government. Nevertheless, on 
 September 8th, at Commando Drift, Mr Rhodes 
 agreed to terms of peace, dictated to him by Niekerk. 
 A strange fact is that this agreement was telegraphed 
 in a mutilated form to Cape Town, and from there 
 to London, and was approved in London before all its 
 contents were known. 
 
 The very first article stated, " That all transactions entered 
 into between Mackenzie and the Volks Committee, and the 
 proclamations issued by him, be cancelled " ; that is to say, 
 the very acts which Mackenzie carried out under his com- 
 mission, and for which he was sent to Africa by Lord Derby, 
 were recalled in this manner, and at this time. The second 
 article stated that " pending negotiations with the Cape 
 Colony, Stellaland should continue its own government, 
 recognizing, however. Her Majesty's Protectorate, and sub- 
 ject to the conditions that all executive acts must be taken 
 in concert and with the consent of the Commissioner for the
 
 356 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 Bechuanaland." The third article promised recognition of 
 the land titles issued by the Government of Stellaland — a 
 portion of the agreement which no doubt conceals much, and 
 which gave much trouble later. 
 
 The fifth article was, however, the most extraordinary of 
 all. It postponed the authority of the second article for three 
 months, which simply meant that the Stellaland Government, 
 as it was established before Mackenzie reached the country, 
 was to be restored and maintained with the approval of the 
 British Government for three months longer. 
 
 The logical sequel to these events occurred when, on 
 September i8th, Niekerk and his party rode suddenly 
 into Vryburg, taking possession of the town and the 
 Government offices, and establishing themselves in 
 power over the territory from which they had de- 
 parted four months before, and over the inhabitants 
 who had sworn allegiance to the Queen. 
 
 One need not dwell upon the feelings of disgust and 
 chagrin that seized the loyalist people in Stellaland, 
 many of whom fled for safety. These feelings spread 
 gradually over all South Africa, as the full facts of the 
 case entered the public mind. 
 
 Mackenzie's resignation, which was telegraphed to 
 London (August 9th), was not accepted by Lord 
 Derby until September 1 8th. During that period 
 he stayed at Government House, in constant inter- 
 course with Robinson. It is one of the curious facts 
 which his unselfish spirit brought about, that he was 
 then actually used by Robinson as a means of com- 
 munication with the Cape Ministers who had demanded 
 his recall ; his intercourse with them was frequent and 
 friendly, just because he determined that his main work 
 in life was not to promote his own interests or resent 
 a personal defeat, but to secure the triumph of a 
 beneficent public policy in South A.frica. His spirit
 
 THE ROUSING OF CAPE COLONY 357 
 
 and some of his work are reflected in a long letter 
 to his wife, from which the following extracts are 
 made : — 
 
 Government House, 
 Cape Town, 2isi Au^. 1884. 
 
 Dearest, — You may be sure my time has been very much 
 occupied since I came here. My last letter would show you 
 that I had to do real work for the good of Bechuanaland so 
 far, and to prevent what I believe would have been grave 
 mistakes. 
 
 I found, when I came down, this doctrine : " We join and 
 stick to the majority in Stellaland. We doubt if you have 
 the majority ; Rhodes will go and see ; and if not then he will 
 join Niekerk." . . . 
 
 In my humble opinion we are assisting as fast as we can in 
 joining Stellaland to the Transvaal, and the only people who 
 realize the situation are Messrs Hofmeyr, Niekerk, De la Rey 
 and that ilk, Sprigg and Upington gracefully following in their 
 train, whether blindly or with their eyes open, who knows ? 
 The appointment of Rhodes was a good one, if he had at 
 once gone on to Rooi Grond, as I strongly advised both the 
 High Commissioner and himself Mr Bower also might have 
 done good at Vryburg by upholding what had been accom- 
 plished. Unless we are to suppose that the Transvaal will 
 refuse to restrain its burghers in the Hart River District, 
 Mr Bower's position would have been secure enough at 
 Vryburg. The Transvaal would never have attacked Bower 
 at Vryburg, even with what support I had. If the Transvaal 
 mean to have Bechuanaland v/e need not meet them half-way 
 and help them to walk over the course. 
 
 A few days ago I had an interview with Mr Sprigg and 
 Mr Upington. I have not time to recall all that passed. I 
 stated my views of the situation clearly, and charged them 
 with having thrown away a golden opportunity for securing 
 the co-operation of England with the Cape Colony. 
 
 My advice to them was — " Here are a number of men who 
 have signed a requisition to the Cape Colony. There is a 
 dispute among them. The one party annuls the doings of 
 the other. I called them all together, seeking union among 
 them, but one side did not come. That side does not want 
 Imperial Government and does not want Colonial Govern-
 
 358 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 merit, although it professes to do so. It is working for the 
 Transvaal. These people threaten those who have accepted 
 office under the Imperial Government with ' pains and 
 penalties.' " 
 
 " Well, it is the duty of the Imperial Government to 
 protect them." 
 
 " No doubt, but England undertook this in co-operation 
 with the Cape Colony. You also have obligations ; these 
 people have asked for annexation ; you have passed a resolu- 
 tion favourable to annexation. But in the meantime the 
 country is in danger of passing into the hands of the Trans- 
 vaal all the same. Niekerk is working for this ; Joubert will 
 of course ask for this. Who works against it ? The Imperial 
 Government, if you work with it. . . . Refrain to act, and I 
 am afraid Bechuanaland is gone for ever, and becomes part of 
 the Transvaal ; for I am told the Imperial Government will 
 not do the work by itself. Then you are doomed to a second- 
 rate position. And why, from your point of view, should you 
 be excused from anxiety? I know about the duties of a 
 central or supreme power. But England has a right to 
 expect your co-operation, and if she had it, she would, along 
 with you, settle not only this, but every other South African 
 question." 
 
 (Sprigg) " Yes, say she would do so ; get us to begin, and 
 then leave us in the lurch. She did so before." 
 
 " I assure you England would not leave the Cape Colony in 
 the lurch if she were assisted by the Colony in Bechuanaland. 
 There are too many reasons pointing the other way. A 
 considerable change and improvement took place in people's 
 views about the Colony when I was at home. I am afraid 
 by refusing your co-operation you have dashed all this to the 
 ground." 
 
 " We can't trust the English Government, If we could 
 trust them that would be one thing. We are afraid to trust 
 them." 
 
 " You are wrong in your distrust. They would act with 
 you to their last penny. But if you want to save Bechuana- 
 land for the Cape, send your officer and men at once, having 
 of course obtained the High Commissioner's sanction." 
 
 A great deal more was said, of course. I made some im- 
 pression. They both declared with passion that their wishes 
 and mine were the same. I think their distrust of the Home
 
 THE ROUSING OF CAPE COLONY 359 
 
 Government genuine; perhaps mixed a little with spite 
 in the case of Mr Sprigg, at his treatment in the matter of 
 Bechuanaland. 
 
 I was so convinced that things were going to be on a 
 wrong track, that I wrote a private memorandum to His 
 Excellency requesting that the Government at Vryburg 
 should be taken up by Capt. Bower, and that he should 
 not merely wait on Niekerk. Sir Hercules was pleased to 
 say that what I then wrote had modified his instructions to 
 Mr Bower. 
 
 I trust on every account that these men will have success ; 
 but I confess I don't see how it is to come about. The same 
 power that is supreme in Niekerk's and Joubert's Councils is 
 supreme in the Cape Ministry and Parliament ; and yet not 
 responsible; for Englishmen have been found who are content 
 to be figureheads to a craft with a Dutch-speaking captain who 
 never appears on deck. 
 
 My own resignation is now on its way to London. The 
 telegraphic announcement is already there. Sir H. proposes 
 advance of three months' pay when connection is severed. 
 Sir Hercules declares I am taking it more coolly than he does. 
 He is very kind. There will be a delay of about a week. I 
 intend to visit some friends. Of course there are a few who 
 will be courageous enough to have me. What are we going 
 to do next ? How employ the afternoon of life and open a 
 home for our children ? May the Guide of our past lives be 
 with us still ! Love to the children. Hope Franklin enjoys 
 himself. — Ever, 
 
 John Mackenzie. 
 
 As soon as his resignation was accepted, he went 
 into private lodgings. He was deeply disappointed, 
 of course, at the position in which he found himself, 
 but his disappointment was increased when he 
 gradually discovered the forces which had produced 
 this result. Undaunted, however, he set himself to 
 work for the cause which he had at heart, and for 
 which he had given up his earlier career. He found 
 himself very speedily in the midst of warm friends, 
 and their number and their warmth increased as they
 
 36o JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 became familiar with his poHtical teachings and his 
 personal spirit. He was invited to occupy the pulpit 
 of the Congregational Church at Claremont, a suburb 
 of Cape Town. This necessitated only his preaching 
 on Sundays, and left him the entire week for the huge 
 mass of correspondence in which he soon found himself 
 involved. 
 
 Just eight days after Mr Rhodes's arrangement 
 with Niekerk, which was dated September 8th, the 
 startling announcement was telegraphed from Pretoria 
 to London that the Transvaal, " being implored by 
 Montsioa, had annexed his territory." Sir Hercules 
 Robinson at once replied " that this was simply the 
 annexation by the Transvaal of about one half of 
 the British Protectorate, and was an open and 
 defiant violation of the Convention." No doubt 
 this matter was very clumsily managed, as a 
 Transvaal official at a later date confessed. 
 President Kruger would have had more chance of 
 success if he had waited somewhat longer. No 
 doubt, also, this act may be called treacherous. 
 But in all fairness to the Transvaal it ought to be 
 recognised that their treachery was the logical 
 outcome of British unfaithfulness to an announced 
 British policy. This may seem a strange assertion, 
 but the facts of the case thoroughly support it. 
 Mackenzie had been sent to proclaim a British 
 Protectorate over Montsioa and Mankoroane ; yet 
 Robinson, who sent him, would give neither money 
 nor men to establish a police force which should 
 make the Protectorate effective. The High Com- 
 missioner became involved in discussions, both with 
 his ministers in Cape Town and witii his Deputy 
 Commissioner in Bechuanaland, which showed his 
 weakness and unwillingness to act ; every breath 
 of these discussions was as well known in Pretoria
 
 THE ROUSING OF CAPE COLONY 361 
 
 as in Cape Town. Further, every grown man in 
 South Africa knew that the Transvaal was the 
 base of operations for the marauders in Stellaland 
 and Goshen, that it was the home of Niekerk 
 and Pittius ; everyone knew that the leading news- 
 paper in Pretoria published reports of their acts, 
 that it was as much their official organ as it 
 was the official organ of the Transvaal Govern- 
 ment. 
 
 Notwithstanding these facts, a high-placed British 
 officer seriously proposed that Bechuanaland should 
 be settled by the co-operation of the Transvaal 
 with Cape Colony ! Still further, the Transvaal 
 Government, knowing Mackenzie — his power over 
 the natives as well as over white men, and his 
 strong determination that the Imperial Government 
 should rule in fact as well as in name — demanded 
 his recall through its allies in Cape Town and by 
 direct appeals to the High Commissioner. Not only 
 is he recalled and his resignation accepted ; his 
 successor actually goes into Stellaland and, with 
 his eyes open, deliberately hands back the Govern- 
 ment of a British Protectorate to Niekerk, a citizen 
 of the Transvaal, and his companions. He more- 
 over, formally renounces all the acts and pro- 
 clamations of his predecessor. It was surely open 
 to Mr Kruger to ask himself, If Stellaland is thus 
 given back, what can Britain possibly do with and 
 for Montsioa so much further north ? The only 
 reason why all this insensate folly and weakness 
 does not excuse the treachery of the Transvaal is 
 that the latter preceded as well as followed those 
 acts. It was not until October 14th that Mr 
 Niekerk took the next step which, if it had been 
 carried through, would have been only the further 
 locrical outcome of all that went before : for he drew
 
 362 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 up a petition to be signed by the burghers of 
 Stellaland reciting to himself the failure of the 
 negotiations for annexation to Cape Colony, and 
 proposing to him that negotiations be forthwith 
 opened for annexation to the Transvaal ! 
 
 In the meantime, in Cape Town and elsewhere 
 throughout the Colony, the tide of indignation against 
 the weakness of the Imperial Administration was 
 steadily rising ; it took shape first of all in a great 
 public meeting held in Exchange Hall, Cape Town, 
 on September 24th. Mackenzie had been invited 
 to the preparatory meeting, as he explained to Dr 
 Dale in the letter quoted above, and was, of course, 
 invited to be one of the speakers. A most eloquent 
 and thrilling speech was made by the Hon. J. W. 
 Leonard, Q.C., in which he defended Mackenzie's 
 commissionership. When the latter rose to give his 
 address, he and everyone else were amazed at the 
 enthusiasm with which the great assembly welcomed 
 him. He studiously avoided personalities in his 
 speech, which the Cape Times described as " a plain 
 unvarnished tale, using a simplicity and directness 
 of speech that was more telling than any laboured 
 eloquence." He went right at the root of the whole 
 matter, which was the relation of European races in 
 South Africa. He denied that there ought to be 
 any divergence of interest between Dutch and English 
 in that region. " The real question was, Were they 
 to go north with the stain of human blood on their 
 hands or were they to go north as Christians, clean- 
 handed ? " The last part of his speech dealt with 
 the position of responsibility of the Cape Colony ; 
 he foresaw its great future if the colonists chose the 
 wise policy ; it was for their own interest to see 
 that the road into the interior was not blocked by 
 Germans from the West or the Transvaal from the
 
 THE ROUSING OF CAPE COLONY 363 
 
 East ; in order to secure this they must maintain 
 their connection with the Imperial Government. 
 
 This meeting awoke enthusiasm all over the 
 Colony ; similar gatherings in the leading towns 
 passed enthusiastic resolutions in favour of a vigorous 
 policy in Bechuanaland. Mackenzie was himself 
 summoned to lecture in many of these places ; wher- 
 ever he went he maintained the same calm, judicial 
 tone, dealing only with fundamental principles, posing 
 nowhere as a martyr, and parading his wrongs no- 
 where. His speeches were widely reported, some being 
 reprinted for circulation. Gatherings were held and 
 hostile resolutions were passed by some local branches 
 of the Africander Bond ; but their language served 
 only to emphasise the need for the movement which 
 they tried to check. 
 
 In a letter to his friend, Sir Robert Herbert, the 
 Permanent Under Secretary at the Colonial Office, 
 Mackenzie describes one of his lectures : — 
 
 I am happy to say that I have so far secured public ap- 
 proval here of the Dutch-speaking students of Stellenboscb, 
 an intensely Dutch place, where the College of the Dutch 
 Church had invited me to lecture to them. I was glad to go. 
 My great object was to cope with the movement which im- 
 pelled the Ministers. Concealed as it was in the lecture, my 
 object was to demonstrate the necessity for JVarren's going to 
 Bechuanaland in afiy case. If he did not go the Transvaal 
 and Cape Colony might find themselves hopelessly at logger- 
 heads, for both wanted the same country, and the method 
 would not work which some had proposed, viz., that the 
 freebooters should choose what government they would come 
 under, for the freebooters were divided on this question. 
 Thus the presence of a third party — a party with force at its 
 command — was absolutely necessary in the interests of peace 
 and a common welfare, I am happy to say this produced 
 a great impression on my audience. 1 then directed their 
 attention to the advisableness of working for some elementary 
 plan of South African co-operation.
 
 364 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 The students cheered my lecture throughout. Dutch-speak- 
 ing colonists, farmers and others, thought my proposal for a 
 commission under Warren, if adopted, would be the saving 
 of the whole country. When I told them that the lecture 
 would be translated into Dutch as a pamphlet for extensive 
 circulation, they desired that a considerable number should 
 be sent to Stellenbosch. 
 
 It was only after I had lived some time in Cape Town, 
 that I came to realize how easily you might have been 
 slipped out of this country by one stroke after another of 
 Dutch " shmness " and cunning, followed by not a very ex- 
 alted action by English politicians. Mere fighting will not 
 do all that is required. 
 
 My friends here tried to persuade me not to resign, but 
 to stand aside and let anyone else try the new policy of 
 siding with Niekerk ; and if it failed, to retain my position. 
 I took the simpler course. 
 
 Mackenzie published a letter, signed "Jan Bergenaar," 
 which received very wide attention, and was circulated 
 extensively in pamphlet form. In this letter he further 
 developed his idea that there ought to be established 
 in South Africa a commission under an Imperial Pre- 
 sident, on which there should be representatives from 
 every separate South African Government, whose 
 functions, to begin with, should be merely advisory ; 
 and the members' first task would be to investigate 
 and advise upon the Bechuanaland problem. He 
 proposed that two members should be elected by the 
 Government Ministers of Cape Colony, one by the 
 Free State, one by Natal, one by the Transvaal, and 
 that one should be appointed by the High Commis- 
 sioner and approved by Chiefs, to represent the native 
 interests. 
 
 This proposal was much discussed in connection
 
 THE ROUSING OF CAPE COLONY 365 
 
 with Warren's arrival as Special Commissioner in 
 South Africa, and so favourably was it received by 
 many of the leading men, that it might easily have 
 been carried out had it not been from the beginning 
 disapproved by Sir Hercules Robinson. It would 
 have been a practical step towards that Confederation 
 which in its unpractical forms has been a " will-o'-the- 
 wisp " in South African history. But his immediate 
 purpose was expressed in the words, " What I am 
 working for is to give the Imperial Government some- 
 thing to lean on out here." 
 
 To his eldest son he wrote on October 22nd : — 
 
 We had a great excitement here this week. The an- 
 nouncement, in the Pall Mall Gazette^ telegraphed by Reuter, 
 that Sir Charles Warren was to be sent out to " settle " 
 Bechuanaland, gave everybody pleasure here except the evil- 
 doers. To myself especially the news was the best I had 
 had for some time, . . . The letters from my Stellaland 
 friends in the Cape Tifnes show that really some of those 
 fellows had got to like me middling well, and also that they 
 have some ability. They have not worshipped the rising 
 sun. Government House people tried what they could do 
 with the editor to get him to refuse their communications ; 
 but he has more manly sense of fair play. 
 
 I ought to be gratified as well as thankful for the position 
 which I have been able to take up here. The " best people," 
 as the saying goes, are very kind, and ask me to their places, 
 and seem really interested. ... I am told by reliable 
 authority that my views are making headway among the 
 Dutch people. I expect this week or next to meet the re- 
 doubtable Mr Hofmeyr, the most powerful man in South 
 Africa at present ; so some say. It may seem strange that we 
 have not met before. ... I have wanted to meet him, but 
 did not want to press for it, for really mine is an educative 
 work here. I have been doing that every day. I am send- 
 ing a copy of my lecture. I am told the Dutch like it ; but 
 it has been misapprehended in some quarters — notably in 
 Natal. ... I am firing away every Sunday now as a preacher. 
 I think I mentioned that they would like me to make an en-
 
 366 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 gagement, for say three months, to supply a little chapel in 
 this neighbourhood — iJ^3oo per annum. 
 
 Did I mention that they are trying to start a political 
 association here, which shall bind the colonists to England, 
 and really undo the work of the Africander Bond ? They 
 showed me a projected prospectus ; in fact I have seen more 
 than one, and have myself supplied one. The thing could 
 be done, but some of them are taking the wrong way to do it 
 — bawling out their Englishness and the goodness of England 
 at the top of their voices. . . . (Captain Bower is strong for 
 the grandiose style which I was opposing. " I go for the 
 Union Jack- — that's my motto." And this is to save South 
 Africa for England at a crisis in our history ! I have striven 
 to impress it on them that our hope is in the respectable 
 Dutch people. Some of the English hate me for saying this. 
 They would really like to see them soundly thrashed, and 
 English notions crammed down their throats whether they 
 were willing or not. I said to the Governor and to others 
 — " Your hope is in meeting the Dutch and the Africander 
 Bond on its own ground and fighting it. This you can do, 
 and succeed. By the diffusion of sound and reliable infor- 
 mation you can educate your people. If you say this is 
 impossible the game is up. England would not wish to 
 coerce a whole community." The Governor has got into 
 very strained relations with his present ministers, while he 
 keeps up a good deal of intercourse with his late advisers. 
 The Association to which I refer is supported almost entirely 
 by Scanlen's supporters. This is a great mistake ; its basis 
 ought to be widened so that the best Dutch could join. 
 
 Meanwhile Sir Hercules Robinson was being driven 
 to a firmer position. Towards the end of September 
 he announces to Lord Derby, " That it appears to me 
 that Her Majesty's Government must either abandon 
 the Protectorate or the Convention, or announce to 
 the freebooters of the South African Republic that 
 existing arrangements will be enforced, if necessary, by 
 the adoption of active measures." On October 13th, 
 he is prepared to propose that a force of not less than 
 1000 or 1200 mounted men should be sent to secure
 
 THE ROUSING OF CAPE COLONY 367 
 
 peace, and he proposes that Sir Charles Warren should 
 be appointed in command of the expedition. It was 
 not three months since he had been cross-questioning 
 Mackenzie regarding the expense of sending 200 
 volunteers to the same territories, because he was sure 
 that the British taxpayers would resent it ! The 
 popular indignation over recent events, and Robinson's 
 sudden boldness, made the Cape Ministers, the friends 
 of Mr Hofmeyr, desperate ; they now proposed that 
 the High Commissioner should prevent the Imperial 
 Government from acting, and allow them personally to 
 make peace in Goshen, After considerable controversy 
 Robinson agreed, and the Prime Minister, Mr Upington, 
 went north with Mr Gordon Sprigg in the middle of 
 November on their Quixotic enterprise. Their negotia- 
 tions with Pittius and his freebooters resulted in 
 proposals so shameful, that when they were sub- 
 mitted to Robinson he would do nothing but treat 
 them with contempt. When Messrs Upington and 
 Sprigg passed back through the Colony, they were 
 accorded anything but a favourable reception. On the 
 night of their arrival in Kimberley their effigies were 
 burned in public, and the same thing occurred at Cape 
 Town. A public meeting was also held at the latter 
 place, at which once more, Mackenzie, whose name was 
 not on the programme, was compelled by the gathering 
 to speak. He says of this speech, " I endeavoured in 
 perfect good faith to lay what I regarded as the real 
 question before the enthusiastic meeting, and to with- 
 draw as far as I could popular indignation from the 
 unfortunate ministers themselves." He called for the 
 public support of Sir Charles Warren. " Let him 
 settle the question in all its bearings, as if there had 
 been no Mackenzie, no Rhodes, no Bower." The 
 following sentences are also significant. " When asked 
 after the meeting to join those who were spectators at
 
 368 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 the effigy burning, I declined to do so ; the only 
 personal allusion made (and I must admit that the 
 temptation was great) was, on rising, in a single 
 sentence to recall to mind the words ' injudicious and 
 unpopular,' which the Cape Ministers in an official 
 minute had used of me as an Imperial officer acting 
 beyond the Colony. The striking application of their 
 own words to themselves was clear enough, and caused 
 great amusement to the meeting." ^ 
 
 Mackenzie discovered that some of his most 
 important despatches about Bechuanaland had not 
 been printed, and he at once set about copying some 
 of these and sending them to people of influence, both 
 in South Africa and in England. At the same time, 
 he could not live where he did at this time without 
 seeing week by week more deeply into the nature of 
 the opposition to himself and the means which had 
 been employed to unseat him. Some of these dis- 
 coveries he described at length to several correspon- 
 dents. One of those to whom he wrote most fully and 
 freely was Dr Dale of Birmingham. Writing to him 
 on November 19th, he names some of the men who 
 worked for his resignation. 
 
 Land was at the bottom of that. Had Sir Hercules 
 Robinson stood firm then, things would not have been quite 
 so bad — although Goshen was always beyond the manage- 
 ment of a Deputy Commissioner, because it was practically 
 the Transvaal, and this I pointed out as soon as I visited the 
 country. 
 
 The Blue-books, if they are all out, will tell the story 
 pretty clearly. I am anxious that you should know the 
 merits of the case. My success in Bechuanaland was real. 
 But I had no support from behind. Sir H. Robinson was 
 favourable himself, but what could he do with his surroundings? 
 
 " I never knew, Mackenzie, that missionaries were so 
 detested here, or I should have hesitated to recommend 
 
 ^ " Austral Africa," vol. i. pp. 514, 516.
 
 THE ROUSING OF CAPE COLONY 369 
 
 you." "How are they detested, sir?" "Why, I am told 
 they are everywhere looked down on, and you know the 
 opposition you are getting." "They are not looked down 
 on, sir ; they are everywhere received into the ' best ' 
 colonial families, and belong to them by intermarriage. CAs 
 to the opposition to me, if you cared to trace it, you 
 would track it home to two sources — prejudice among the 
 Dutch who don't know me, and base selfishness among 
 some of my own fellow countrymen, who know that I am 
 too well qualified for the work given to me to suit their 
 book as land-grabbers." ) 
 
 This took place at my recall. It was in an atmosphere 
 such as that that my " resignation " took place. They will 
 turn against Warren too, for he is a straight Christian man ; 
 but they won't be able to raise the same " make-believe " 
 stories about him. 
 
 A very amusing thing has happened. Sprigg and 
 Upington have gone to Bechuanaland, where they said 
 some months ago, Mackenzie was the chief, if not the 
 only, cause of the disturbance. They are trotted out to 
 put down this disturbance by Hofmeyr & Co., and when 
 they get to Stellaland they are met with a petition, openly 
 in course of signature, to the High Commissioner, asking 
 that Mackenzie should be sent back to Bechuanaland ! 
 What I say about this really wonderful movement is that 
 I have never answered one of these fellows' letters, lest it 
 should be said that I was undermining my successors. 
 
 A kw weeks later, December 24th, he knows still 
 more, and enters into particulars which even at thisA 
 date his biographer may not print. After naming the' 
 men, their interest in land, their control of the news 
 agency, he describes the tremendous influence which 
 they exercised at Government House. One sentence 
 is of peculiar significance. 
 
 " I saw a copy of a letter in which one of the men in 
 this ' swim ' writes to another, and asks him why he still 
 trusts in Mackenzie, a political suicide, a broken reed ; 
 that is to say, an honest man who is not to be bought." 
 
 In a similar strain he writes to Mr Stead on the 
 last day of that year. 
 
 2 A
 
 370 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 Why I have not written to you has been that 1 have been 
 copying despatches of mine that have not been published. 
 I am sending copies to friends. Mr Chesson has a copy 
 which I have asked him to show you, if you care for it. 
 
 The keeping quiet the important statement about land 
 in Mankoroane's is alarming ; in fact, unless the thing is 
 hushed up Sir C. Warren must stumble over it and expose 
 a big thing in land,^ and it was that big thing which kicked 
 me out of ofifice. / The Dutch opposition was there, but 
 could not have done it. Why was there English opposi- 
 tion ? Land ! j Or I am a Dutchman also. 
 
 In several of these quotations Mackenzie has 
 emphasised the fact that after leaving Stellaland in 
 the hands of his successor, he was most careful to 
 hold no correspondence with his friends there, for 
 the simple reason that he did not wish even to 
 seem to interfere with the success of those who 
 supplanted him. It can be said with all truth that 
 he was willing to put his whole heart into the work 
 of making the administration of Mr Rhodes successful. 
 He spared no pains to advise with the High Com- 
 missioner and Captain Bower regarding the right 
 steps to take for the establishment of the Protectorate. 
 
 Mackenzie was ever a poor man, and one of the 
 stern facts which faced him at Cape Town was that 
 he must find some means of livelihood before long. 
 He took some share, as we have seen, in an effort to 
 establish an association of the friends of British 
 supremacy in South Africa, and at one time it was 
 proposed that he should become paid secretary of this 
 association, but he avoided this when he discovered 
 that the league was being constructed on too narrow a 
 basis. He had no more sympathy, as he so often said, 
 with the English howlers than with those of Dutch 
 extraction. He could only approve of movements 
 which aimed at the establishment of British authority 
 for the sake of all races in South Africa. He could 
 no more be brought to sympathise with an outcry
 
 THE ROUSING OF CAPE COLONY 371 
 
 for mere Anglo-Saxon supremacy than with one for 
 mere Dutch or Kaffir supremacy. 
 
 In a letter to his wife he describes yet another 
 proposal which came before him : — 
 
 Did I tell you that Rhodes and Bower — through the 
 latter — wanted to interest themselves in my personal affairs, 
 and offered to advance ^500, and purchase for me the 
 Eastern Star paper in Grahamstown ? I respectfully 
 declined. Bower tried my patience to the very utmost 
 limit by assuring me and re-assuring me that he wants to 
 assist me to "get something." He takes up the role of 
 special friend. 
 
 Vou will see by the papers that I speak at the Empire 
 League meeting at Wynberg. I went really for Searle's 
 sake, who has been so kind and nice, and who is a 
 sterling man. Well, Bower was good enough in the after- 
 noon, in his office, to go over what he thought I ought to 
 say ! I listened patiently — so far as outward mien went — 
 ready to explode in reality. But what capped all was, find- 
 ing I was so docile, he actually asked me to show him my 
 notes of my speech, that he might make suggestions ! He 
 seemed surprised when I said, " Tuts, man ; my notes ? 
 No, no!" 
 
 In the middle of November there arrived a letter 
 from Mr Wardlaw Thompson, Secretary of the London 
 Missionary Society, which gave Mackenzie as much 
 pure pleasure as almost any event in his public life. 
 He describes this to the portion of his family who 
 were in Scotland. 
 
 I have had a great pleasure this week, and hasten to 
 make you at home sharers of it, if you have not heard of 
 it. The Directors of the L. M. S. have been good enough 
 to send out a Resolution, which virtually says, " If you 
 want money, draw it at the rate of the married missionary. 
 If you rejoin the Society then your drawings will have been 
 your salary. If you enter government or other work, then 
 you can refund as you are able." 
 
 Now, what do you think of the dear old L. M. S. ? I 
 mean to say it is nobly done. I count it one of the 
 honours of my life to reconnect myself in this way. I
 
 372 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 shall accept of the honour which they do me, but I trust 
 I shall not need to draw money. I feel quite lifted up 
 in my own mind with great thankfulness that the Directors 
 are such broad-minded, thoughtful, Christian gentlemen. 
 
 He refers to the same offer in a letter to Dr Dale, 
 from which we have already quoted, and in the same 
 strain of joy and thankfulness : — 
 
 I consider that offer one of the greatest honours of my 
 life. I shall never forget it. I hope to be able to do 
 without the actual money, but the generous friendly offer 
 of it 1 mean at once to accept. 
 
 Mackenzie, in spite of the fact that he took the 
 duties of life with great seriousness, was not a man 
 who allowed himself to be depressed as long as he 
 saw some definite work to be done. To have a great 
 duty upon him was no burden but an inspiration ; it 
 absorbed him completely, making him at almost each 
 turn in his life a man, for "the time being, of one idea. 
 His complete devotion at this period to the service of 
 South Africa sustained him amidst public trials and 
 private anxieties which might have crushed a less faith- 
 ful man. 
 
 To Dale he writes in the month of November : — ■ 
 
 As to these (my future plans) I just feel, Dr Dale, that I 
 have put my hand to this plough, and do not want to turn 
 aside while I can do work for the unifying of South Africa 
 under the Crown, for peaceful expansion and for territorial 
 government. Considering everything, Her Majesty's Govern- 
 ment may find work for a person like myself. I am still at 
 their service. Of course, I deeply feel that I have been 
 unjustly dealt with. I blame no one. The fact, however, is 
 there. I do not bate a jot in hopefulness. 
 
 You ought to have heard the Dutch students cheer my 
 lecture, and cheer me too. The dear old Society is as dear to 
 me as ever; in some sense dearer even. If it were not for the 
 weight of this other business I should just knock at their door 
 as I did some thirty years ago. Of course, I cannot remain 
 long as I am here — staying merely for public reasons. The
 
 THE ROUSING OF CAPE COLONY 373 
 
 pot must l)e kept boiling, and five months' separation from 
 my family is a good while. 
 
 To his wife he writes in November : — 
 
 When I saw His Excellency yesterday he was more than 
 usually " furthy " and kind. He said Lord Derby had thought 
 of employing me in Zululand, " but really," he added, referring 
 to a recent telegram, " one does not know what to expect, 
 for here, he declares, they are not going to touch Zululand." 
 I did not ask any questions, or refer to the matter again. So 
 you know what I know, that the Colonial Office still think me 
 eligible for their work. 
 
 Robinson is not courageous enough. His opinion about 
 me is favourable enough, but he has been brow-beaten by 
 those around him. But cheer up, dearie, the work which I 
 am attempting is a great one ; if I can only do it partially I 
 shall be pleased to see it complete — a united peaceful South 
 Africa under the Queen, with territorial government of native 
 states. . . . May it please Him who has the hearts of all men 
 in His hand so to dispose of events as to bring this speedily 
 about.
 
 CHAPTER XIV 
 
 AFRICA THE WARREN EXPEDITION (1885) 
 
 We come now to an event in South African history 
 which for a time awoke the utmost enthusiasm amongst 
 the vast majority of human beings in that region. It 
 seemed to usher in a new age, and to estabHsh the 
 British Government in new relations with every colony, 
 state, and territory. When Sir Charles Warren arrived 
 at Cape Town, and there mobilised his force of four 
 thousand men, he was welcomed, says Mackenzie, as 
 no other British officer ever had been welcomed in 
 that country.^ 
 
 There was the utmost confidence in the personality 
 of the Special Commissioner, whose long experience of 
 South African affairs and high character made his a 
 name to conjure with among both black and white of 
 all races. 
 
 Sir Charles speedily found himself in a hotbed of 
 intrigue. His difficulties we need not here detail, 
 except in so far as they have to do with the life of 
 Mackenzie. Mackenzie recalls with amusement the 
 fact that Sir Hercules Robinson actually requested 
 Warren not to consult Mackenzie regarding the affairs 
 of Bechuanaland. To this, of course, Sir Charles 
 agreed, and he only saw his old friend two or three 
 times for brief interviews in public in Cape Town. 
 Sir Charles Warren called for volunteers, and without 
 difficulty formed a splendid regiment of horsemen to 
 
 ^ " Austral Africa," vol ii. p. 37. 
 374
 
 THE WARREN EXPEDITION 375 
 
 the number of six hundred picked men, and the 
 applicants were so numerous, " that several good 
 regiments could have been enrolled instead of 
 one." 1 
 
 One of the Special Commissioner's first discoveries 
 when he reached Stellaland was of a most disagreeable 
 nature. On the second day after his arrival at Cape 
 Town the High Commissioner and Captain Bovver 
 had pressed him to initial a telegram, which they 
 told him would prevent disturbances in Stellaland. 
 He could not, of course, thus early have understood 
 its real purport, but accepted the word of the High 
 Commissioner, and the telegram was sent with his 
 authority. He found afterwards that the effect of 
 it w^as to confirm Mr Rhodes's agreement with Van 
 Niekerk of September 8th, and thus to confirm all land 
 titles issued by Niekerk without inquiry, as well as to 
 continue the authority of Niekerk in Stellaland. This 
 preposterous arrangement he repudiated as soon as it 
 was discovered, but the repudiation cost him much 
 correspondence and bitter criticism from those who 
 were interested. 
 
 Once more the interesting fact is to be recorded, 
 that regarding this very telegram Sir Hercules Robin- 
 son had besought Sir Charles Warren not to tell 
 Mackenzie about it.^ 
 
 On January 16, 1885, Mackenzie received a mes- 
 sage from Sir Charles Warren inviting him to pro- 
 ceed at once to his headquarters. He arrived at 
 Barkly West in three days, and from that day Mac- 
 kenzie was a member of the Warren expedition, hold- 
 ing his official position on the Intelligence Department. 
 His services to Sir Charles were varied, numerous, and 
 of vital importance ; the two old friends struck the 
 roots of their friendship still deeper during the ensuing 
 months, occupying, for most of the time, the same 
 
 ^ "Austral Africa," vol, ii. p. 41. " C. — 4432, p. 119.
 
 376 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 tent, and consulting together about every important 
 movement of the troops or decision of the Commis- 
 sioner. When in August 1885, Sir Charles Warren 
 reported to the Home Government regarding the 
 officers who had rendered special services to him, he 
 named Mackenzie at the head of the list. It is a 
 satisfaction to be able to record that he also mentioned 
 in terms of very warm praise two of the men whom 
 Mackenzie had selected as his own assistants in 
 Bechuanaland, namely. Major Stanley Lowe and Mr 
 J. M. Wright of Mafeking. 
 
 Concerning Mackenzie, the following is his report : — 
 
 I. Reverend J. Mackenzie, whose employment has been 
 specially sanctioned by the Secretary of State, has rendered 
 most important services, and I cannot too strongly express 
 how much I am indebted to him for the assistance he has 
 rendered to Her Majesty's Government. He has acted on 
 several committees of inquiry and investigation with great 
 success ; his assistance to the military tribunal ordered by the 
 Secretary of State has been simply invaluable. There is, I 
 think, no one else in South Africa who could have given the 
 assistance he has given. 
 
 The confidence reposed in him by not only the native 
 tribes, but also by the Dutch and English population has 
 been most marked. At the meeting of Fourteen Streams 
 with President Kruger, the presence of Mr Mackenzie was 
 most conducive to the pacific arrangements, and I consider 
 the complete success of the expedition is due in a marked 
 degree to his cordial co-operation and aid. 
 
 His complete knowledge of the Sechuana language, and 
 good influence over the native tribes, has enabled me the 
 better to keep the natives and whites at peace pending the 
 land settlement ; and I may further add that I have little 
 doubt that the cordial reception of the protectorate by 
 both the chiefs, Khama and Sechele, is due to the fact 
 that the natives have such great confidence in his good 
 faith. 
 
 Reference is made in this report to the meeting at 
 Fourteen Streams where Sir Charles Warren and Pre-
 
 THE WARREN EXPEDITION 377 
 
 sident Krueer held a conference. The President was 
 obviously alarmed at the strength of the Warren ex- 
 pedition, and manifested his alarm in his eagerness to 
 disown the Goshenites. It must be remembered that 
 these events occurred before the discovery of gold, 
 while the Transvaal was yet poor, and at a time when, 
 in spite of recent pecuniary relief accorded it by Great 
 Britain, the government of the South African Republic 
 was drifting rapidly into poverty and disorganisation. 
 The appearance, therefore, of so formidable a com- 
 mander, with so powerful and splendidly equipped an 
 army, created alarm in the guilty consciences at 
 Pretoria, and Mr Kruger hastened to Goshen. There 
 he imperatively ordered the Boers to cease from 
 aggressive operations against Montsioa, and then he 
 went down the border to the nearest point at which 
 he could meet with Sir Charles. The discussions be- 
 tween Sir Charles Warren and President Kruger 
 resulted in the assertion and vindication of British 
 supremacy in Bechuanaland ; and the effect of this 
 conference, as of the entire expedition, might have 
 been the permanent establishment of that supremacy 
 in a manner that would have prevented the de- 
 velopment of Boer ideals regarding a Dutch South 
 Africa. 
 
 Both Mackenzie and Mr Rhodes were present at 
 this most interesting interview. The High Com- 
 missioner warned Sir Charles Warren against taking 
 Mackenzie, because of the dislike of President Kruger 
 towards him ; but Mackenzie records that Mr Kruger 
 treated him with courtesy and consideration. And 
 Sir Charles Warren has put it on record that the 
 presence of the latter was of material value to him 
 and his interests on that occasion. Once more it 
 was demonstrated that the Cape Town cry, that the 
 Dutch hated Mackenzie personally, was entirely base-
 
 378 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 less ; opposition to him existed on the part only of 
 those who saw that his policy must defeat theirs, and 
 the true friends of Great Britain and British South 
 Africa ought to have seen this. 
 
 The manner in which Imperial interests were treated 
 at this time is well illustrated by the disagreeable 
 history of a certain petition which may be here re- 
 lated. The petition has been referred to in one of 
 Mackenzie's letters already quoted. It was drawn up 
 by the loyalist Stellalanders as a courageous protest 
 against the Niekerk-Rhodes agreement and subsequent 
 regime. On November 5th, 1884, they held a public 
 meeting at Vryburg, at which it was agreed to obtain 
 signatures throughout British Stellaland to a state- 
 ment of their true feelings regarding Mackenzie and 
 a request for his reappointment. After recalling 
 the assertion of the Imperial Secretary, Captain 
 Bower, that he (Mackenzie) " never at any time 
 possessed the confidence of more than fifty of the 
 inhabitants of Stellaland, and that only four of 
 the farmer class accorded him their support," they 
 affirm that " the majority of the land owners and 
 inhabitants in Stellaland " had welcomed his arrival, 
 and " felt sure that the policy which Mr Mackenzie 
 inaugurated and endeavoured to carry out was the 
 best for the country." They add the following, 
 " Your petitioners, placing implicit trust in Mr 
 Mackenzie's ability to bring about so satisfactory a 
 state of affairs, are, therefore, still hopeful that it 
 may please your Excellency to reinstate him in his 
 former office, and promise in that event to afford 
 him every material assistance lying in their power 
 in support of his administration." 
 
 The covering letter requests the High Commissioner 
 to cable this petition to Lord Derby, and states that 
 "more than one half of the bona Jide owners of land
 
 THE WARREN EXPEDITION 379 
 
 in Stellaland ' proper ' have signed the same, and 
 further, that the great majority of the signatures are 
 of Dutch Africanders of the farmer class." The 
 letter adds that many more would have signed had 
 it not been for fear of threats " held out by Niekerk's 
 party." This petition was returned from Cape Town 
 by Captain Bower to Mr Rhodes in Stellaland be- 
 cause, he explained, it ought to have been officially 
 sent through him. Nothing more was done till 
 February 5th and 6th, 1885, when Mr Rhodes 
 began an inquiry into the genuineness of the signa- 
 tures, and cast doubt upon eight. Sir Charles Warren 
 arrived at Vryburg on February 7th, and was not 
 informed of the existence of the petition. Months 
 afterwards he heard of it, when the Stellalanders 
 themselves went to him to report that they had not 
 found it in the Blue Books. He at once appointed 
 three British officers to investigate the history and 
 value of this petition ; and they proved that only 
 one signature could be condemned. In his report 
 on this matter Sir Charles Warren says, " In con- 
 clusion, I have pointed out that one of the strongest 
 proofs of the good feeling towards Mr Mackenzie 
 is given by the fact that so many months after he 
 left, and in spite of the coercion of Niekerk and his 
 faction, so many (94) of the farmers should have 
 petitioned for his return. ... I am convinced 
 that if Mr Mackenzie had had fair play he would 
 have settled these territories at the time he 
 came up without a stronger force than two hundred 
 police." 
 
 It would be out of place to make any comment 
 on these transactions, which Mackenzie himself after- 
 wards described with the utmost self-restraint. 
 
 But to return. When Sir Charles Warren began 
 his journey to Vryburg, Mr Rhodes, with that
 
 38o JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 petition in his possession, assured the General that 
 if Mackenzie went into Stellaland with the expedition 
 he himself would not go. Mackenzie, very sure that 
 various discoveries were coming, was quite willing 
 to be absent, and offered to retire. It was arranged 
 by Sir Charles that he should be sent on a special 
 mission westwards as far as Kuruman, to gather 
 information regarding the state of the country and 
 report. This enabled Mackenzie to enjoy a glimpse 
 of his wife and two children after a separation of 
 more than six months. While he was there, busily 
 at work, a message suddenly arrived summoning him 
 immediately to Vryburg. It appeared that Niekerk 
 had actually been arrested, and was about to be 
 put on his trial for complicity in the murder of a 
 man named Honey in the year 1883. The murder 
 had been carried through at Niekerk's instigation, 
 and under circumstances peculiarly foul and cruel. 
 As soon as the Cape Town officials heard of this 
 trial fresh excitement and indignation were aroused. 
 The representatives of Great Britain did all they 
 could to prevent the unfolding of this story. Captain 
 Bower, oblivious to exact dates, sent a message 
 to the General that Mackenzie had known of 
 this murder, and had condoned it. It was a fact 
 that the Captain himself, without knowing the full 
 truth possibly, had ignored it ; but Sir Charles 
 Warren could not believe that Mackenzie had taken 
 any such extraordinary step, and at once sent for 
 him. 
 
 While arrangements for that trial were going on, 
 Mr Rhodes himself left Stellaland and went to in- 
 crease the pressure which was being exerted for the 
 defeat of the Warren expedition from Government 
 House, Cape Town. 
 
 The result of the trial was that only part of the
 
 THE WARREN EXPEDITION 381 
 
 story became revealed in evidence ; the prosecution 
 was stopped, and Niekerk released on technical 
 grounds. These facts are fully detailed by 
 Mackenzie.^ 
 
 During the expedition Mackenzie was appointed to 
 various duties, such as service on special committees, 
 which involved him in a large amount of hard work. 
 The Blue Books contain evidence of the thoroughness 
 with which he carried out the duties assigned to him. 
 He was chairman of the Committee on Native Laws, 
 which comprised, besides himself, six officers of the 
 expedition. This committee conducted investigations 
 and made elaborate reports. 
 
 On their way to Mafeking, Mackenzie wrote to his 
 wife a letter which refers to some matters already 
 mentioned, and gives the reader a feeling for the 
 atmosphere in which the members of this Expedition 
 lived. 
 
 Maritsane Drift. 
 
 We got to this place about three this morning, and had a 
 good sleep after. 
 
 Do you know what has happened? Lord Derby has 
 telegraphed out to Sir H. R., who sends it on to Sir C. W., 
 that the latter should not have Mackenzie with him ; it might 
 (or would) hinder the settlement ! 
 
 This came while I was still at Vryburg. Sir C. said, " I'll 
 telegraph to them that I'll settle this in my own way, and by 
 whom I please, or resign." The threat part was dropped, but 
 he telegraphed home in cipher to Lord Derby to say that 
 he considered my presence necessary, and that the greatest 
 misapprehension prevailed concerning me. He then tele- 
 graphed to Sir Leicester Smythe, Lieut. -Governor and 
 Commander-in-Chief at the Cape, telling him what had taken 
 place, and declaring that he never knew a case of such 
 persecution as mine was, and could he use his influence in 
 the right direction ? This is what he did, after consulting 
 with his officers. I said, on the first flush of the matter, 
 
 ^ "Austral Africa," vol. ii. pp. 133-153.
 
 382 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 " Let me go, and have done with this." He answered very 
 strongly that he would not hear of it. It then occurred to 
 me that this was really \.\\q first step towards the hasty handing 
 over of the country to the Cape. They know that I am 
 opposed to this. I wrote privately to that effect to 
 Sir Robert Herbert some time ago ; also to others. It is 
 evident the Government are prepared to make a hasty 
 settlement and retire from the country, and leave the same 
 dreadful programme of falsehood, robbery, and blood to be 
 carried on elsewhere. Of course Sir C. W. is opposed to 
 this, but how far his position may come to be that of a man 
 under orders I don't know. I still hope on ; with God's 
 help the thing is bound to come right. I saw in a Cape 
 paper — you look and find it too — that the Cape branch of 
 the Africander Bond had resolved at a recent meeting to give 
 special attention to the subject of confederation. This is 
 an immense move in the right direction. This means 
 confederation under the Queen. Not long ago the same 
 people were speaking openly of their own flag, etc., etc. 
 One of them said at that time that this revival of Imperial 
 interest, and the introduction of the Territorial scheme of 
 Government which I proposed, would delay their obtaining 
 a Republic for at least fifty years. Now they seem to have 
 given this idea up and speak of confederation under the 
 Queen, " Alles zal recht Komen " ; and the much-maligned 
 Mackenzie will, I humbly trust, have done something towards 
 it. 
 
 This affair is full of crises. The great one at Goshen 
 is coming. There was one at Vryburg when I got there. 
 The preliminary examination (in the Niekerk murder case) 
 was about to break down, and Warren was going to interfere 
 in virtue of his position, and override the " Civil Court." 
 This would have raised a great cry — Military rule ; Despotism, 
 etc. On Monday morning we went down to ^^ryburg from 
 the camp, the upshot being that Miiller, the landrost, said 
 publicly that LudorPs effort to close the case was " hasty." 
 Then Ludorf himself stood up and declared that "as a man 
 of honour and in the interests of justice " he could not close 
 the case. He knew now what he did not know on Saturday, 
 (This was false.) I had a little to do with the management 
 of this, as I knew the men. It was very amusing to hear how 
 the thing went, Arend (Honey's servant) will be examined 
 when the Court re-opens. His evidence is of the first
 
 THE WARREN EXPEDITION 383 
 
 importance, and will lead to the bringing out of more. The 
 court is composed of Niekerk's own people, and yet some- 
 thing like justice may be expected, with care. The case needs 
 "looking after." There is the utmost consternation in 
 Government House. In point of fact, the court which 
 is trying Niekerk is one sanctioned and upheld by the 
 authority of the High Commissioner and his representatives, 
 Bower and Rhodes. Sir Charles avails himself of the court 
 and jurisdiction which he finds sanctioned in Stellaland and 
 uses it for the trial of Niekerk ! The thing reads like the 
 chapter of an exciting novel. 
 
 What ought to be done is, to hold the country for a while 
 as a Crown Colony before it is handed over to the Cape 
 Colony. This would be for the good of the natives, for 
 whose sake so much has been done, and it would be an 
 immense blessing to South Africa generally, leading to its 
 speedy consolidation. Everywhere there is a section — 
 sometimes small, but always noisy — who are not loyal to the 
 Queen. Families are sometimes divided. What a mistake 
 to profess to retain the country, and yet throw in no weight 
 on the side of the loyal Dutch colonists. 
 
 The expedition reached Mafeking on Friday, March 
 iith, 1885. The people were naturally over-joyed 
 at the arrival of the long-expected deliverer. The 
 Goshen filibusters wore an entirely different manner. 
 The loud-voiced and more brazen-faced, in fact the 
 guiltier men, had disappeared ; and the remnant were 
 not of the kind to do aught but cringe before the 
 mighty power which now confronted them. 
 
 The following extract from a letter to one of his 
 sons throws some more light on these events : — 
 
 But one thing Rhodes was clear about. He would not 
 go into Stellaland with Sir Charles, if I went. As he was 
 Deputy Commissioner, and I was nothing particular then, 
 Sir C. agreed to give me work elsewhere in the Kuruman 
 district, which I had pleasure in doing. Sir C. said to me, 
 " This is the best thing that could have happened for you." 
 However, I will admit that altho' my time was well filled 
 up at Kuruman with work, and altho' I had a great deal
 
 384 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 to hear and sec from the loved ones there, yet I was wilhng 
 enough to respond to the call to come away again and 
 get into the thick of this work and warfare, for it is both 
 combined. Great events had transpired in my absence. 
 Sir Charles informed me that Niekerk was arrested on a 
 charge of complicity in murder, but that Captain Bower 
 had written to say that that was condoned by Mackenzie, 
 as I had known all against Niekerk, and yet had appointed 
 him Assistant Commissioner ! Warren said, " I know this 
 is incorrect, but I want you to come at once and say it is 
 not true." When I got to Vryburg I found Rhodes had 
 gone. There had been a big affair, and Warren had given 
 him a considerable piece of his mind, so I was told before 
 I got there. 
 
 Niekerk, who is personally a coward — acknowledged on 
 all hands to be so — was induced by Rhodes to cross 
 into Stellaland, and actually presented himself before Sir 
 Charles, and demanded an inquiry and examination into 
 charges which had been preferred against him ! This was 
 an astounding step. The Cape Argus (Rhodes's paper) 
 pointed out what a fine step he had taken, and mentioned 
 my name as having blackened Niekerk's character. Charges ! 
 They came in clouds, and, to crown all, there came the 
 charge of complicity in the murder of a man called James 
 Honey, who had also been a freebooter, but had been of 
 a better stamp than Niekerk & Company. Sir Charles 
 found a court to his hand constructed by Sir H. Robinson 
 and Rhodes. The question of jurisdiction was thus dis- 
 posed of for him. 
 
 Before leaving Vryburg, wondrous cablegrams came from 
 Lord Derby recommending Sir Charles to " separate him- 
 self from Mackenzie " — otherwise the settlement would be 
 rendered more difficult ! I said I would clear out at once. 
 On no account would I stay on mere permission to stay, 
 after such a cable as that. Sir C. wired straight to London, 
 not thro' Sir Hercules (whom I blame for this), saying that 
 he considered my presence necessary — or some such strong 
 expression. He had made up his mind to threaten resigna- 
 tion in case there had been any uncertainty in the reply. 
 The reply, however, gives him full swing as to having me. 
 This came straight from London, A " Reuter " telegram from 
 Cape Town informs us that there had been a question asked 
 in the House on this subject. I suppose Derby's bowing to
 
 THE WARREN EXPEDITION 385 
 
 Sir H. Robinson and the Cape ministers had been brought 
 before the EngHsh pubUc. I am certain they won't stand 
 it in England. The reply of Ashley was cool, when you 
 come to know that a cable had been sent to Sir Charles 
 on the subject from Downing Street. 
 
 There is to be no fighting. Telegrams will have told 
 you all about it. But the freebooters are hopeful that our 
 stay will only be for a time, and that then they can come 
 back. 
 
 At Mafeking Mackenzie seems to have found more 
 time for letter-writing. In addition to those already 
 quoted two others of special interest may be referred 
 to. One was a very long one to his old and most tried 
 friend, Rev. G. D. Cullen of Edinburgh, to whom he 
 always opened his heart with peculiar frankness and 
 confidence. In this letter he goes over a large part 
 of the ground already covered in these pages. It 
 was here he heard of the birth of his first grand- 
 daughter, and his big heart naturally overflowed at 
 this event. 
 
 The following letter to his little daughter (Mary) 
 at Kuruman is worth inserting, as it reveals the way 
 in which, amid the pressure and distractions of heavy 
 duties, he could put himself in sympathy with the 
 interests even of a child : 
 
 I have been thinking a great deal about you and Hettie 
 and Mamma. Who was born on the 25th of March? Was 
 it not Jeanie ? I was thinking about it the day before 
 yesterday, but not for very long. 
 
 We have despatch-riders to the nearest telegraph station, 
 which is twenty miles from here, at a place called Madibe. 
 They come several times in twenty-four hours, and some 
 of them usually arrive about twelve at night. I was not 
 sleeping very soundly last night. I heard them arrive and 
 give in their despatches. Then they go to their place and 
 give their horses food, and then, I suppose, go asleep. A 
 gentleman in this camp a few days ago sent a message to 
 a gentleman in London, and an answer has come back. 
 Isn't that funny ? So we could speak to Auntie Bessie in 
 
 2 n
 
 386 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 a few hours if we liked to do so ; only I have nothing to 
 say to her in such a hurry. Of course these messages cost 
 a great deal of money. I am sorry to say that my nice, 
 spirited, and yet comfortable pony died here of horse-sickness. 
 I have not got another horse yet. But very few horses have 
 died as yet. They have all nose-bags on during the whole 
 night, and they arc not allowed to eat grass till late in the 
 morning. But they get oats and other food. The horses, 
 however, are fond of the nice grass, and I don't think they 
 quite understand the secret of sleeping with their noses in 
 a bag ! and then of standing so long before being allowed 
 to go to the grass. I daresay they don't think it kind, and 
 yet it is kind all the while. 
 
 They are having grand fun on the top of the rise here 
 to-day. There are horse races and mule races, and I don't 
 know what all. I am going up after I have quite finished 
 writing. 
 
 It is so nice to think that dear Mamma and you and 
 Hettie, besides those in Portobello, are always praying for 
 God's blessing and help to be given to me in the work 
 which I am trying to do. Things look very discouraging 
 sometimes, when people don't do what you would like them 
 to do ; but it is very sweet to look above all men to God 
 Himself, our merciful Father, and to say to Him, " Thy 
 will be done." We wish to do His will here ; but the work 
 before us is not an easy one, especially at present. 
 
 Now there is a long letter to your own dear, old-fashioned 
 little self. And you go on praying darling, and good news 
 will come at last. How are you getting on with lessons ? 
 
 Without putting off much time Sir Charles pushed 
 on towards Shoshong where he arrived on TViday, 
 May 8th, 1885. Needless to say, it was one of the 
 supreme moments of Mackenzie's life when he per- 
 sonally and officially accompanied a British Commis- 
 sioner to the capital of Khame's country. Once m.ore 
 he stood looking at tlie old hills amid which so many 
 years of his best strength had been spent. Once 
 more he met Khame, who welcomed him with the 
 fervour of an undying friendship. As usual, the 
 negotiations at this place were conducted through
 
 THE WARREN EXPEDITION 387 
 
 Mackenzie, whose peculiar relations to both sides 
 enabled him to deal in private with Khame as his 
 trusted friend and adviser, and at the same time to 
 appear at his court as one of the representatives of 
 the Queen. The peculiar position in which he stood, 
 and his work, are described fully in " Austral Africa," 
 but from another and tenderer point of view in the 
 following letter to his wife : — 
 
 We arrived here on Friday. This is Tuesday, yet this is 
 the first scrap I have written in English. I have had a most 
 engrossed and most exciting time of it, Khame's pleasure 
 at seeing me once more, and at such a crisis too, was evidently 
 very sincere ; and on the first interview he said to me in 
 Sechuana, " I shall lean on you as in the olden time ; stop 
 me if I go wrong." There was no need for this, however, 
 as he spoke well both in public and in private, a;id has won 
 golden opinions from all our party. Even the young ofticers, 
 who are a little sceptical about hero-making, declare that he 
 is a fine fellow. I have privately drawn up Khame's state- 
 ment for him, and Lloyd has copied it. I daresay this will 
 be suspected by the General, but I am not telling him, lest 
 the knowledge of this should be embarrassing. At anyrate, 
 in the meantime Khame is putting in a map which will show 
 the boundary lines of his country — up to the Zambesi, and 
 which also shows another inner line, which is the country 
 claimed by the Chief for his own use and the use of his 
 people. As to the expenses of the Protectorate, Khame 
 invites the coming of English settlers into the rest of his 
 country ; he says that they ought to be — with his own people 
 — the defenders of the country, and that Khame's contribu- 
 tion to the defence of the country is the large and most 
 valuable territory which he now places in the hands of the 
 Queen. This has all been spoken, and the maps are now 
 being made. J do not know what answer Warren will give 
 to Khame's statement in writing, if he gives any. As the 
 General and I have the same tent he, of course, has seen that 
 I have been doing a deal of writing. We are quite of one 
 opinion on this as on many other points. 
 
 I cannot tell you how many enquiries have been made for 
 you, from Ma-Bessie downwards. " Mawillie oa Rae ? " has 
 been the question. Poor Khame ! He declared to me that
 
 388 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 his prayer had been answered in my coming. The General's 
 speech and Khame's were very good ones this morning. 
 Then others spoke, Gohakgosi, Raditadi, etc. "Their 
 country must not be sold, and strong drink must not come 
 into it. The coming of good English farmers would teach 
 them many things. They were willing to learn, and would 
 welcome such men into their country." This was the drift 
 of the speaking. 
 
 We are now with our faces southward, and will probably 
 start to-morrow. As soon as I get within reach of Helio- 
 graph I shall send you a scrap, or I may send you one with 
 this. 
 
 I have ridden all the way. You need have no anxiety 
 about me. I have lots of bedding now, and indeed have 
 lent Mr Baden-Powell my plaid. 
 
 Lloyd preached in English very nicely — all were present. 
 I preached in Sechwana — people crowded both sides of 
 church. If I had not stuck to my text I could not have got 
 on. People very affectionate. The old house is without 
 roof, its timbers having been utilized by Mr Hepburn, which 
 was quite right. Lloyd is building beyond Hepburn's, as it 
 were against the long hill opposite our house, about opposite 
 our old church, of which nothing stands now. Indeed, as 
 to buildings, nothing that I have put up here is now standing. 
 As to the spiritual structure we must leave that to the loving 
 and merciful Master's eye. He knows how little we have 
 done. 
 
 The magnificent offer which Khame made to Great 
 Britain, surely one of the most striking events in the 
 whole of British Colonial history, was treated with 
 great coolness in London, and was ultimately laid 
 aside. The Colonial Office came to the conclusion 
 only sixteen years ago, on the dictum largely of Sir 
 Hercules Robinson, that the British people had no 
 interests beyond the Molopo River. 
 
 From Shoshong Sir Charles turned his face south- 
 wards again. Mackenzie left him at Taungs and pro- 
 ceeded to Kuruman. There he remained a while 
 watching the news of Sir Charles's wonderful progress 
 through the Colony, and ruminating over his own
 
 THE WARREN EXPEDITION 389 
 
 future. He was at once deeply encouraged and much 
 disappointed in the results of the Warren expedition. 
 The whole arrangement of the expedition by Sir 
 Charles was most brilliant. It combined dignity with 
 great military skill and superb political wisdom. 
 Everywhere the General as well as his officers and 
 men had won golden opinions, alike from Boer and 
 British, from black and white. It was an army that 
 any government might have been proud to use for 
 the still further winning of still greater glory. It put 
 South Africa completely at the feet of Queen Victoria. 
 If Sir Charles had been continued in power as Special 
 Commissioner, with a free hand to build up one or 
 two Crown colonies in the heart of Central Africa, we 
 can all see now that the miseries and disgraces of 
 subsequent years would have been prevented. The 
 worst of it is that men like Sir Charles Warren, 
 Mackenzie, and a large number of wise men in South 
 Africa, as well as statesmen of the type of W. E. 
 Forster and Sir Thomas Powell Buxton and many 
 others in London, understood the facts and told the 
 public the very truth at the time, which all the world sees 
 to-day. Both Sir Charles Warren and Mackenzie had 
 used their utmost endeavours to persuade the Colonial 
 Office that the expedition ought not to be withdrawn 
 until a stable form of government had been established 
 throughout Bechuanaland, and an Imperial Land 
 Commission had completed its work in an imperial 
 spirit. 
 
 Yet the Expedition was withdrawn, with the cordial 
 thanks of the British Government, not at the end, 
 but at the very beginning of the real work, which in 
 those days of crisis ought to have been done in South 
 Africa. 
 
 Brooding deeply over these things under his old 
 roof at Kuruman, Mackenzie, not without a struggle 
 and profound self-sacrifice, decided that for him the
 
 390 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 service of South Africa and his Queen in the world of 
 poHtical agitation had not been ended. 
 
 Writing to his sister-in-law, Miss Douglas, he says : 
 
 Sir Charles Warren's time of power in Bechuanaland is 
 over, and consequently so is mine. Much — very much — 
 has been accomplished — so as to surprise myself when I 
 think of it. There is a Crown Colony after all. . . . Now, 
 I am afraid that when Warren and his expedition leave all 
 the English people's interest will evaporate also. So I am 
 really seriously contemplating coming over the water to see 
 what can be done to keep the matter before the public mind 
 in its right light. 
 
 The expedition has done much. It has pacified the 
 country and opened up the interior as it never was 
 before, u he Crown Colony and the Land Commission have 
 been obtained after hard fighting ; but there they are ; even 
 if the General and I have to clear out — so much has been 
 accomplished. ) The General has been badly used by Sir 
 Hercules, and has written to Government to complain of 
 serious 7nisrepresentations in last Blue-book. All that is very 
 distressing, but I trust it will have one good result of showing 
 people that the High Commissionership is incompatible with 
 the local politics of the Cape Colony. 
 
 You will be glad to learn that Sir C. Warren has written 
 very kindly about me in his despatches, but I suppose they 
 will be blocked in giving me any employment while Robinson 
 is there. Isn't that queer, and he my great friend and 
 upholder last year? He has turned on himself. I hold the 
 same views now as then. 
 
 I have written to Wardlaw Thompson and another London 
 friend with reference to my coming home — especially in con- 
 nection with securing Khame's country ; and I have asked 
 Thompson if after consulting they think I should do so, they 
 are to cable one word, and I shall be making all preparations. 
 I might do some good, but would be glad of their views, as 
 I am out here and they are on the spot. Sir Charles and 
 his staff are anxious I should go. I have put it straight to 
 Thompson that if I go I must not belong to the class "with- 
 out any ostensible means of livelihood," and that therefore 
 they must consider whether the kind of work I am likely to 
 do is work of which they can approve, and which they can
 
 THE WARREN l^XPEDITION 391 
 
 co-operate with me in doing by enabling me to ls;eep the pot 
 boiling. I have been paid by Sir Charles. 
 
 The London Missionary Society wrote to inquire 
 whether he would be willing to go and settle at one of 
 their stations in Matabeleland ; but this he felt himself 
 forced at that time to decline, so deep was his convic- 
 tion that unless the work which he could do in London 
 were undertaken, almost the entire fruits of his own and 
 Sir Charles Warren's labours would be destroyed. He 
 felt the truth of the words which Mr Theodore Schreiner 
 wrote to him : — 
 
 I do trust the Home Government, now that Sir Charles's 
 mission to South Africa has once more made it possible for 
 British supremacy to be a fact in the country, will not let us 
 drift again into the chaotic longings after a Republic, that 
 were the outcome of the indifference and blunders of England 
 with regard to us. With these thoughts it is doubtful whether 
 the sense of loyalty now once more awakened would survive a 
 second extinction. 
 
 Mackenzie was much cheered by the extraordinary 
 enthusiasm with which his late General was received 
 throughout the Colony. Sir Charles Warren went 
 from Kimberley through the Eastern Provinces to 
 Port Elizabeth, and was everywhere met with en- 
 thusiastic demonstrations. He spoke freely of the 
 future relations of Great Britain to South Africa, and 
 his bold outlines of an Imperial policy were cheered 
 to the echo. He took occasion at every oppor- 
 tunity to review recent history, especially as far as 
 it bore upon the reputation of his friend Mackenzie, 
 and he found that the public mind was well informed 
 regarding the merits of the chief occurrences and 
 controversies. 
 
 At Cape Town, in spite of efforts in high places to 
 prevent it, the General's reception exceeded anything 
 that had been seen before. 
 
 Mackenzie received letters describing these events
 
 392 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 from several of the officers of the expedition, a number 
 of whom had formed an attachment to him which lasted 
 till the end of his life, and which some of them took 
 every suitable occasion to express. Sir Bartle C. 
 Frere, the son of his old friend, wrote to him from 
 Cape Town a letter, from which the following extract 
 may be made : — 
 
 I have just come back from witnessing the " Torchlight 
 Procession " in honour of Sir Charles, and hearing his speech 
 to the populace thereafter, during the course of which his 
 warm allusions to yourself elicited six distinct and most hearty 
 rounds of applause, such as I hope made your ears tingle 
 even at the far-off distance of Kuruman. It was very pleasant 
 to hear. Nor, as you are no doubt aware, has there been any 
 but the warmest applause on any of the recent occasions when 
 he has alluded to yourself and your work. As my neighbours 
 at one of the many recent banquets said to me, " They may 
 say what they like about Mackenzie, but there's no doubt that 
 he saved that country ! " 
 
 From Colonel Terry came similar news : — 
 
 You will have seen by the papers the warm welcome 
 given to the General along the route to Cape Town, and 
 here it has — among the vast majority who have joined in 
 it — exceeded all. 
 
 Your name was enthusiastically received in Port Elizabeth 
 and here. You may count on the warm support of the 
 Eastern Provinces and of Cape Town, and on a special rally 
 due to the mean attacks of which you have been the subject. 
 
 Sir C. W. also gains something in the minds of the people 
 for having stuck to you. 
 
 On the 2nd of November Mackenzie arrived once 
 more in Cape Town. He had left his wife and two 
 daughters to keep house with his medical son, who 
 had settled at Kimbcrley in private practice. 
 
 In his first letter to his wife, he speaks of the very 
 great kindness with which all his friends had received 
 him. Several of them, as soon as they knew of his
 
 THE WARREN EXPEDITION 393 
 
 arrival, arranged a private dinner in his honour, and 
 this took place next day at the City Club. 
 
 I have just come back from the dinner at the City Club, 
 which a number of gentlemen invited me to. The Hon. R. 
 Southey was in the Chair ; Hon. Ebden, Vice-Chair ; Lewis, 
 M. L. A. Searle, Wilmore, St Leger, Maclean of Donald Currie 
 & Co., Hamilton Ross, R. M, Ross, Moore, Rev. Sutton 
 Fletcher, Dr Douglas, Dr Ebden, Arderne, Beard, etc., over 
 20 in all. The thing was got up in a short time — I really 
 don't know by whom. But it was very,, very kind. Old 
 Southey spoke so nicely and kindly. I made a few remarks, 
 again identifying myself with them, and telling them a little 
 of what I hoped to do. They were very kind. Then Searle 
 made a nice speech, thanking St Leger for what the Cape 
 Times had done. It was quite impromptu, and the meeting 
 took it very well. St Leger replied, and both he and Searle 
 incidentally said the kindest things of me, St Leger declaring 
 that he would back me, altho' all the newspapers in the world 
 went against me. Well, I am pleased and thankful ; only it 
 was a wet night, and Mr Arderne ran and borrowed Dr 
 Kitching's coat for me, so I have not caught cold, and you, 
 dearest, can amuse yourself by wondering whether Dr Kitching 
 had more than one coat, or whether he needed this one before 
 I was able to return it. 
 
 This is my last note before leaving — only I may add a few 
 lines. The Governor has lost in public opinion here very 
 much. Government House influence was exerted to its 
 utmost bent to frustrate the reception to Warren, but it 
 was impossible. Merriman joined the Committee, but after- 
 wards withdrew, leaving the impression that he had joined it 
 to crush and minimize the whole thing. Hofmeyr is said 
 to be returning with Upington. The Dutch have been 
 grumbling at Hofmeyr's long absence, but he will no doubt 
 pull them all right when he comes back. I have paid my 
 passage. I confess it seems a lonely kind of proceeding, 
 altho' I am going to see my own people on the other side. 
 However, cheer up, dearie, let us wait on God, our Father 
 and Guide. He will guide and uphold us. 
 
 In another letter, he once more asks his children for 
 that on which he ever most relied, viz., their prayers on 
 his behalf.
 
 394 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 " Pray for me," he says, " that I may be able to do much 
 for this country when I go to England ; and that (lod would 
 put it into their hearts to do the right things, so that there 
 may be peace and good laws and right ways in the country." 
 
 He reached London on November 25th, and imme- 
 diately plunged into war once more in that great battle- 
 field where so many Imperial fights have been lost and 
 won. He little knew when he undertook this task, 
 with a clear perception of the policy he would pursue, 
 and the definite steps in South African development 
 which he would secure, that he would be involved in 
 this warfare well nigh five years, and that during 
 this period of his life he would toil, as few men have 
 ever toiled, with an unselfishness and a devotion to 
 one supreme ideal which would absorb his life, and 
 practically shorten his days. 
 
 Before entering on this chapter, we may close by 
 quoting a characteristic post-card which he received 
 from his friend, Mr W. T. Stead, who was then — not 
 languishing — in Holloway gaol. 
 
 Well, I am in great spirits, thirsting to interview you. I 
 have made application to have you admitted for one half an 
 hour next week, and we must e'en make the best use of our 
 time. 
 
 I am disgusted with Capt. Bower, but I suppose all men 
 were made for some purpose, and now that you and I are 
 together again we must lend a hand to save South Africa once 
 more. 
 
 I am very happy, very busy, and watch with some elation 
 the fulfilment of my prophecies.
 
 CHAPTER XV 
 
 ENGLAND " BAFFLED TO FIGHT BETTER " 
 
 (1885-1887) 
 
 Mackenzie found the political life of the home 
 country in great tumult over a general election. 
 The Irish Home Rule question occupied the atten- 
 tion of statesmen, journalists, and private citizens, 
 almost to the exclusion of every other interest. 
 The frequent changes of government caused at that 
 period by the Gladstonian policy did only harm 
 to the work of the Colonial Office. Within a dozen 
 years there were no less than six different occu- 
 pants of the Colonial Secretaryship. Colonel Stanley 
 was in office when Mackenzie landed in England, but 
 was destined soon to give place to Earl Granville ; 
 from 1887 Sir Henry Holland (afterwards Lord 
 Knutsford) held the office until 1892. 
 
 The following letter to his eldest daughter, written 
 the day after his arrival in London, describes his first 
 day's experiences in his old haunts : — 
 
 I reached London yesterday afternoon. Saw Thompson at 
 the Mission House. Looked up at Islington (but missed) the 
 young schoolmaster whom they are sending to Kuruman. 
 Then went to Waterloo Station for my luggage, and brought 
 
 it to the old place. Only think, B out on election work ! 
 
 People are all daft here, and I suppose you are even worse 
 in the North, where the great wizard has got you all under 
 his spell. At anyrate, everyone v/ill have heard him and seen 
 him, and will thus be able to tell those of a succeeding 
 generation how Mr Gladstone could hold an audience 
 spell-bound. 
 
 To-day I went to see Chesson, and missed him. Missed 
 
 39s
 
 396 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 young missionary again at Mission House. Went to Colonial 
 Institute and found a note of welcome from my friend Gates. 
 Then called for Sir Robert Herbert, Permanent Secretary, 
 Colonial Office. As it was a chance call I felt pleased when 
 told he was in. There was considerable delay, but as one 
 after another of the other assistant secretaries popped in 
 and sat down, I fancied Sir Robert had been letting them 
 know. Mr Bramstone was the first, then Lord Dunraven, 
 then Colonel Stanley's secretary, to say he could not come, 
 as he had an engagement for 4, but would I call to-morrow 
 at that hour ? 
 
 Well, the interview was to me very gratifying. Sir Robert 
 said straight out before the others, that for his part, he was 
 glad, and yet sorry to see me. He would be much better 
 pleased to know I was in Bechuanaland. We got a map 
 and went over some business. I did not make the interview 
 long. They asked my address for their book, and in every 
 way gave me to understand that I was a welcome visitor. 
 
 Sir Robert, when alone, expressed his great regret at the 
 results to myself, and added, " of course we left it in Sir 
 Hercules' hands." I said, " Of course as I resigned, and Sir 
 H. approved, I quite looked for your acquiescence." So I 
 go to see Colonel Stanley to-morrow. 
 
 A little later he wrote to his son in Africa, saying : — 
 
 I am very busy, but my work, if I can do it, will really be 
 worth accomplishing. May it please God to give me the open 
 support of good and true people in the Colony. However, 
 such may not be His will. Rejected people must always do 
 their duty for those who reject them. 
 
 Shortly after his arrival in London, news reached 
 him from Bechuanaland, which confirmed him in the 
 conviction that there was great danger of the imme- 
 diate return of disorder and disaster in that region. 
 This only made him set his teeth, as it were, to a 
 more determined and a stronger fight. Mr W. E. 
 Forster, his warm friend and supporter of his policy 
 in South Africa, lay on, what proved to be, his death- 
 bed. Mackenzie exchanged messages with him, but 
 the brave statesman's days of active service were over.
 
 "BAFFLED TO FIGHT BETTER" 397 
 
 His private secretary, Mr Arthur H. Loring, who was 
 deeply interested in South African affairs, took personal 
 pleasure in keeping communications going between the 
 sick man and Mackenzie. 
 
 As Mackenzie, during these early weeks of his new 
 life, brooded over his programme, it became clear that 
 there were three great results to be aimed at in regard 
 to the British management of South Africa and its 
 affairs. In the fir.st place, the High Commissionership 
 must be separated from the Governorship of Cape 
 Colony ; in the next place, British authority and 
 government must be effectively extended to the 
 Zambesi ; and in the third place, a reasonable 
 system of territorial government must be estab- 
 lished over all those regions that were thickly 
 populated by the native tribes, and where yet there 
 was room for European colonisation. 
 
 Incidentally, and as a part of this general pro- 
 gramme, Mackenzie was determined to prevent, if 
 he could, the annexation of Bechuanaland to Cape 
 Colony, a step which he knew was seriously con- 
 templated by Cape politicians, and seemed to have 
 the approval of Sir Hercules Robinson. It is hard 
 for us to estimate the courage, not to say, audacity, 
 with which a private individual, without money or 
 political position, set himself deliberately to achieve 
 these ends. Mackenzie himself once said, " People 
 will think my proposal about the Zambesi a sign of 
 madness, but I prophesy that within ten years the 
 thing will be done." Like a half dozen other re- 
 markable prophecies which he ventured on South 
 African affairs, this one also was fulfilled, only in 
 less than half the time he allowed. 
 
 How was this work to be done ? The first part of 
 Mackenzie's programme of practical work consisted in 
 the writing of a book. This book took him eighteen 
 months of very hard and continuous labour to com-
 
 398 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 plete. He did not enter upon the writing of these 
 two volumes in a spirit of mere self-vindication. The 
 fact that he had been wronged could never have been 
 for him a reason for thrusting himself and his story 
 upon the attention of the public. He resolved to 
 write the history with which he had been concerned, 
 because in that crisis of the relations of Great Britain 
 to South Africa all the main facts and problems of 
 South African history were set in the clearest light. 
 To describe these years and the experiences with 
 which they had been filled, would enable him, histori- 
 cally and pictorially, to make every reader face the 
 heart of the difficulty for himself. First of all, he 
 would show the life of South African natives, and 
 depict their position and prospects under British and 
 Boer predominance respectively. He would be able 
 to describe the political condition of Cape Colon}', the 
 parties, the personalities, the strange medley of con- 
 fused policies, of loyalty and disloyalty, trust and 
 distrust, towards Great Britain which made Cape Town 
 the spot on which the alternative of Boer or British 
 supremacy was to be decided. He could show how 
 the colonists felt towards the mother country when 
 the Colonial Office reduced them to dismay and ex- 
 asperation. He would also be able to show the readi- 
 ness of the majority to arise in unbounded enthusiasm 
 when the mother country seemed to have definitely 
 chosen their part. He would also be able to describe 
 the characteristic attitude of the Transvaal Boer. He 
 would show the real grounds and reasons for the 
 hostility of that people towards Great Britain, for 
 their determination to stop the spread of British 
 influence northwards, and even the beginning of the 
 daring purpose to establish throughout South Africa 
 a Dutch Republic. Yet he could show also a willing- 
 ness of the Dutch to co-operate with the British, and 
 the ease with which a dangerous cleavage between the
 
 " BAFFLED TO FIGHT RF.TTER " 399 
 
 races could be not merely bridged for a time, but 
 abolished for ever. The practical problem therefore 
 which Mackenzie wished to place before the British 
 public in his book, as in all his writings and speeches, 
 was this : " How deeply do )'ou wish to have a South 
 African empire ? Are you not now and henceforth 
 inevitably responsible for the future of that entire 
 region ? If Great Britain is responsible for the future 
 of all South Africa, then the Colonial Office must 
 set itself to plan seriously for the government of the 
 whole ; and the entire organisation of Imperial affairs 
 in South Africa must be directed towards the develop- 
 ment of all the races and territories from Cape Town 
 to the Zambesi." 
 
 Further, Mackenzie saw with the utmost clearness, 
 as every one does, that the end in view must be the 
 confederation of all the parts in one dominion. That, 
 he held, ought to be not merely foreseen, still less 
 ought it to be hurried on, but alike with patience 
 and with breadth of vision it ought to be carefully 
 prepared for. Hence no one existing South African 
 colony or state should be enlarged at the expense 
 of the rest, nor should it be placed in a position of 
 permanent political superiority. He was able to 
 point to the difficulty caused by the ambition of the 
 Premier Colony in Australia, which for so long 
 hindered confederation on that continent. 
 
 In Mackenzie's view there were two main pre- 
 cautions which the Home Government needed to 
 take at once if it would at the same time assert its 
 supremacy and make its assertion effective. 
 
 In the first place, the High Commissionership 
 should be an office like that of the Viceroy of India 
 or Governor-General of Canada. It should be 
 separated from the governorship of any one colony. 
 This separation was advocated, not for the merely 
 negative purpose of preventing complications at Cape
 
 4O0 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 Town but for the far greater positive reasons which 
 he was able to urge. For in the day when Great 
 Britain appointed a High Commissioner for South 
 Africa, gave him a residence and surrounded him 
 with a court away from Cape Town, her moral 
 influence and political effectiveness over all South 
 African races would be multiplied indefinitely. 
 
 But, further, Mackenzie saw, as he had for so many 
 years, that the next step must be the occupation of 
 all native territories by Imperial officers, who should 
 be under the direct supervision of the High Com- 
 missioner himself. Steadily and quietly these vast 
 regions would be opened up to European farmers, 
 miners, and store-keepers, while the native tribes them- 
 selves were being wisely led out from their primitive 
 habits of life into those of a Christian civilisation. 
 
 In this manner the two Dutch States, the Orange 
 Free State and the Transvaal, would become sur- 
 rounded with new countries, and would find themselves 
 drawn gradually but irresistibly into the life of a 
 confederated South Africa. 
 
 All this was mapped out in Mackenzie's mind in 
 the year 1885. Indeed, the main principles had been 
 grasped by his mind nearly twenty years before that. 
 Surely this was the project of a true empire builder ! 
 He, however, now showed himself determined to be 
 no mere dreamer but a practical labourer in this great 
 undertaking. We can all now see how great was the 
 outline of South African imperialism which he pro- 
 mulgated, and how wise were the doctrines on which 
 it was founded. 
 
 It is our task, in this life story of Mackenzie, to 
 discover the methods by which he sought to put his 
 scheme before the British mind, and, we shall also be 
 compelled to see by what classes and individuals the 
 scheme was approved and aided, and by whom it was 
 opposed and defeated.
 
 "BAFFLED TO FIGHT BETTER" 401 
 
 In his work he was most powerfully assisted by the 
 South African Committee, whose secretaries, Mr H. O. 
 Arnold Foster and Mr Arthur H. Loring worked with 
 him most strenuously and loyally. The Committee 
 included such names as Mr W. M. Acworth of the 
 Imperial Federation League, the Hon. Evelyn Ashley, 
 Mr H. A, Bryden, Sir T. Fowell Buxton, Mr Sidney 
 C. Buxton, the Earl of Camperdown, Mr Joseph 
 Chamberlain, Sir William Dunn, Earl (later the Duke) 
 of Fife, Sir Robert Fowler, the late Earl Grey and Mr 
 Albert Grey (the present Earl Grey), Mr Morgan 
 Harvey, and others. This Committee held frequent 
 meetings and issued circulars, planned careful action 
 in the House of Commons, arranged for public meet- 
 ings, and in every way sought to promote the ends 
 which Mackenzie had in view, and of which they as 
 a whole most heartily approved. 
 
 Mackenzie went down to Scotland that Christmas 
 season (1885) and remained there until February. His 
 correspondence grew day by day. Wherever he 
 went prominent men of both political parties found 
 him out, or were sought out by him, for the discussion 
 and promotion of his South African policy. Every 
 man with an African project of any kind, commercial, 
 religious, or political, seemed to think it necessary that 
 he should consult Mackenzie. It would be tedious to 
 enumerate the purposes for which individuals of all 
 sorts sought him out in person or by letter during 
 the next few years, for consultation on African affairs. 
 Willing ever to serve in a good cause, or to prevent 
 mistakes, he found himself in this way involved in 
 correspondence, and even in the labour of investiga- 
 tions, which did not bear upon his own work. 
 
 On January i ith, 1886, he spoke at a meeting of 
 the Scottish Geographical Society, at which Mr Joseph 
 Thompson read a paper on " East Central Africa and 
 its Commercial Outlook." He also was consulted by 
 
 2 c
 
 402 JOHN MACKENZIE i 
 
 the fouiidei's of the British East African Company in 
 Edinburgh and Glasgow. In the end of February 
 he was back again in London, preparing to read a 
 paper on Bechuanahind before the Society of Arts, 
 for wliich he received the Society's silver medal. He 
 also attended and spoke at a meeting of the Anthro- 
 pological Institute, where Captain C. R. Conder 
 R. E., read a paper on " The Present Condition of 
 the Bechuanaland, Koranna and Matabele Tribes." 
 Captain Condor wrote to him, expressing his gladness 
 that " we had such a nice little political breeze," 
 
 Mackenzie had in January contributed two long 
 and important letters to The Times (January ist 
 and 20th, 1886), which attracted wide attention, and 
 in which he laid down the fundamental principles of 
 his plan of campaign. In an interesting letter to a 
 South African editor he refers to these communications 
 as follows : — 
 
 I shall be glad if you can give the whole or part of those 
 letters /« your Dutch columns. I only want to be under- 
 stood. I have no fear of the results where I can be heard 
 and my views considered. If my views or my policy were 
 inimical to the Cape Colony the thing would be different ; 
 but the fact is, I was alive to the interests of the Cape 
 Colony, as to the North, long before its own political 
 leaders dreamt of the subject. 
 
 But there must be no hurried annexation and no hurried 
 confederation, which I fancy some foolish people would 
 wish to make a rush at. Let the Imperial Government 
 administer Bechuanaland for some years, north as well as 
 south Bechuanaland, and the?i let it be considered whether 
 it may not be safely joined to the Cape Colony, or what 
 should be done. 
 
 On February ist he sent to Mr Stead a long letter 
 which contained the following paragraphs : — 
 
 Mr Froude's remarks in his new book {Oceana) demand 
 special notice. I don't think tliey will have so much weight
 
 "BAFFLED TO FIGHT BETTER" 403 
 
 as they would have had before the recent education of people 
 concerning South Africa. 
 
 Mr Froude writes very much (I have only seen extracts) 
 as he talked to me when I had the pleasure of seeing him 
 some time ago. 
 
 I then formed the opinion that Froude was simply " down- 
 right angry " with the English in South Africa, as he blamed 
 them for his failure when he went out there on a special 
 mission. 
 
 Mr Froude then (privately, of course) admitted to me 
 that the policy I have been advocating would no doubt be 
 the best, but England wouldn't do it, and wouldn't stick to 
 it, and what would be the use of trying ? Well, you know 
 a good deal about what happened after that. We have now 
 in our hands, and in our volition (what we had not then) 
 the right to the territory of the interior, and the right to 
 manage immigration into it, and the protection of its native 
 inhabitants. You know how these things have been obtained, 
 and what honour is conferred on England by the trust re- 
 posed in her by such chiefs as Khame. There can be no 
 question as to our success on the lines I am advocating, and 
 which hitherto you have assisted me so much to carry. 
 The Crown Colony of Bechuanaland, with the Protectorate 
 to the North, are great facts. Let us turn aside neither to 
 the right hand nor the left, but make our administration in 
 Bechuanaland a wise and real one ; let us admit emigrants 
 to Khame's country, and Austral Africa will be by-and-by 
 one of our most " creditable " colonies. Remember they 
 are all Protestants. 
 
 The following letter to Dr G. B. Clarke, M.P., has 
 a note of personal interest : — 
 
 19/// Feb. 1886. 
 
 Dear Dr Clark, — I thank you for your remarks on the 
 Zulu question last night. 
 
 I trust we are within sight of a comprehensive and settled 
 scheme of South African policy. I am just about to publish 
 on the question, and hope to give some information on it. 
 
 What really blocks the way is the want of an Imperial 
 Head in South Africa. And Sir Hercules Robinson is dead 
 against a disturbance of the present arrangement. His
 
 404 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 arguments do not hold water, and will be got over, no 
 doubt, but they have weight for a time, as coming from 
 an official in high position, whereas it is really the case that 
 he is practically defending himself as having administered 
 the joint offices in question. When we turn our faces and 
 not our backs to South Africa there will be no difficulty of 
 a serious nature. General Gordon said there was no 
 difficulty. 
 
 We have differed, and you wrote against me, as I thought 
 at the time, unfairly, when I was out in Bechuanaland, but 
 none the less I have much pleasure in seeing your remarks 
 made last night. — Believe me, ever yours sincerely, 
 
 John Mackenzie. 
 
 To Miss Douglas, April i 2th, he writes : — 
 
 Dear Sister Bessie, — Seeing that Dr Dale was to speak 
 at Newman Hall's Church I went there yesterday morning. 
 The good pew-opener must needs honour me with a seat 
 well to the front. Dale spotted me after the service, and 
 took me off with him to where he was staying with some 
 friends. We had a long and very interesting talk. He 
 spoke about my letters and what he had done with them, 
 and told me of Mr Chamberlain's " soundness " on the 
 subject to the last. Dr Dale would like a Royal Commission 
 rather than a Committee, and especially objects to Mr 
 Gorst ; says he has not much influence, and that he is very 
 partisan. He declares that Chamberlain is the man to take 
 charge of it. 
 
 It was as if Dale and I had only parted the day before, 
 he was so kind and really interested. 
 
 I had a long chat with Stead afterwards. He would like 
 a Royal Commission rather than a Committee — like Dale in 
 that. He jotted down the subject. He will really help in 
 his own way. He is a capital fellow, and could not be more 
 friendly to me. 
 
 This afternoon I went down to the House by appointment, 
 to meet Sir Donald Currie. I wish I could transcribe our 
 talk ; I shall not try to-night. By the way we were inter- 
 rupted — by whom ? Dr Clark ! I thought he would pass, 
 but no, he came up with a smiling face and we shook hands, 
 and as in duty bound I said, " I suppose I ought to con- 
 gratulate you on your M. P. -ship." I think he understood 
 exactly what I meant. He was very anxious that I should
 
 "BAFFLED TO FIGHT BETTER" 405 
 
 see him again. I don't suppose he is beyond conversion, even 
 after his low and lost condition on this subject. But I have 
 no time at present. 
 
 The drift of Sir Donald Carrie's story was impatience with 
 everybody whatever, and especially with Chesson's people ; 
 and a full statement of what he himself privately with his 
 personal influence had done for South Africa. ... At 
 present I have the impression that he wants to unite all the 
 Dutch States with the Colony straight off, and that he thinks 
 he could carry that. I did not ask him too much, but let 
 him talk. 
 
 It would be a very serious thing for South Africa if such 
 a union took place at once. It is what we all desire and 
 hope for in the future. It would be a bad job for the 
 natives, with a responsible Government and the Queen at its 
 head, and the majority mostly ignorant Dutchmen, swamping 
 the Englishmen till their voice would not be heard, or at 
 least their votes would count for nothing. 
 
 At this time it was proposed that the Government 
 should be persuaded to appoint a Commission or 
 Committee, composed of men of different political 
 sympathies, who should enquire into the whole South 
 African question and report to the House of Commons. 
 Mackenzie's correspondence shows that this proposal 
 was backed up with great earnestness by such men 
 as Mr Chamberlain and Sir John Gorst within the 
 House, as well as by Dr Dale, Mr Stead, Mr Chesson, 
 and many others of the general public. At one 
 time there seemed a good prospect of obtaining 
 this Commission, but the change of government which 
 occurred that summer put a new face on everything, 
 and this hopeful plan collapsed. 
 
 In the middle of June, Mackenzie, for the first 
 time, went down to visit his friend, the late Mr 
 John Kirby, a retired sea captain, who lived at 
 Woolstone, near Southampton. Mr Kirby, who had 
 ultimately two sons in Africa, was a most earnest 
 adherent and supporter of Mackenzie's cause. For 
 Mackenzie himself he formed a singularly deep affec-
 
 4o6 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 tion, and insisted on contributing personal work, as 
 well as money, to meet some part of the many ex- 
 penses which Mackenzie incurred in the course of his 
 prolonged agitation. At Mr Kirby's Mackenzie 
 found himself within eas}' reach of London, and yet 
 in surroundings which enabled him to concentrate 
 his mind upon the task of writing his book. 
 
 The following is an extract from a letter written to 
 his son in Kimberley, April 7th 1886 : — 
 
 Sir John Gorst has felt moved to take up the South 
 African question. He asked me to come and have a talk 
 on the subject, and I did so. He is to ask for a Committee. 
 He put down a few names of those who would be examined. 
 Sir H. Robinson, Warren, myself, Baden-Powell, Ralph 
 Williams (whom he knows), missionaries at home, etc. 
 
 I am to see Baden-Powell to-day. 
 
 Those were true words that Gladstone used of Forster. 
 He was a noble man. I had quite the idea that he was 
 getting rapidly better, till Saturday when I called. Mr 
 Loring was out. The man-servant, who knew me, said Mr 
 Forster was very unwell, and two doctors were there with 
 him. That would be his seizure from which he never rallied 
 again. So rests a brave and strong spirit after life's battle 
 has been well fought. I shall write for a ticket for the 
 service in Westminster Abbey. 
 
 The following extracts are from letters written at 
 this time chiefly to his wife : 
 
 II Queen Square, London, 
 d,th April 1886. 
 
 This is the evening on which Mr Gladstone is to unfold 
 his Irish Bill. Mr Forster lies cold in his house in Eccle- 
 stone Square. The service in the Abbey will take place 
 at 12 to-morrow. I have got a ticket from Mr Loring. 
 
 I had an interview with Mr Townsend of the Spectator. 
 You know they took up the High Commissioner idea after 
 having first objected to it. Had a long talk. Sent him 
 copy of my paper '\\\ Journal of Society of Arts. 
 
 My great object is to avoid personalities, and to supplement 
 the work for South Africa which I was permitted to do here
 
 " BAFFLED TO FIGHT BETTER " 407 
 
 some years ago. The time seems long, darling, for the work 
 is a difficult one to write, and there are these other very 
 important matters cropping up which need to be attended 
 to. 
 
 II Queen Square, London, 
 22nd April 1886. 
 
 I dined with Cluy Dawnay and his brother, Col. Methuen, 
 and Mr Wodehouse a few evenings ago. Mr Wodehouse is 
 son of late Sir Philip, and takes great interest in Cape affairs. 
 We had a pleasant evening. That is a circle into which 
 Chesson's influence does not extend. Indeed they don't 
 approve of him at all, and I have to stick up for him. 
 
 II Queen Square, London, 
 2Jth May 1886. 
 If I succeed in attracting greater attention to the country 
 and get the Protectorate established up to the Zambesi, and 
 the Crown Colony placed on a healthier basis separate from 
 the Colony in the meantime, and if no offer comes to me of 
 work in connection with that, then I shall be more than 
 content to resume my direct work in the Gospel of Christ. 
 But to leave this matter as it is now is not my duty. 
 
 WooLSTONE, Southampton, 
 22,rdjune 18S6. 
 
 I have been here about a week. Mr Kirby is a retired 
 sea captain, and in comfortable circumstances. He has a 
 son in South Africa, in Swaziland. Another in America. 
 His daughter, when a little girl, fell from an old Abbey wall 
 near this place, and was killed on the spot ; and the mother 
 was seized with a stroke of paralysis in consequence, from 
 which she never recovered. Pie has just the two grown-up 
 sons, and they are both abroad. I knew him a Uttle before 
 I went out last time. He is very kind, and I have greater 
 facility for writing here undisturbed than in London. I 
 don't want to go down to Scotland now if I can help it — till 
 I have settled as to the publication of the book. The 
 enclosed letter will show that I have made a beginning. 
 
 A friend of mine wrote to me — of course rather a sanguine 
 one, and not Warren or CuUen — asking me if I would not go 
 into Parliament, and saying that there was a way by which
 
 4o8 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 the half of the expense would be paid. Mr Kirby at once 
 said if I would, he would pay the other half. But my head 
 is on my shoulders all right, dearie, and I have got to write 
 this book and see this African business set right, if it be 
 God's will. And as to money for myself and for those 
 depending on me — what lie giveth I will gather. It is now 
 late. Good-night. 
 
 WooLSTONE, Southampton, 
 July I, 1886. 
 
 You don't imagine the work that is before me here. I 
 only see it in its fulness at times. It is a great work, and 
 one which will remain. It has no reference — no necessary 
 reference — to myself, or my own employment in after years. 
 That I leave in God's hands. I am Jesus Christ's man- 
 servant. He will not leave me without guidance. 
 
 London, /«/)' 9, 1886. 
 That answer to Sir Hercules Robinson on the High 
 Commissionership comes to be a big thing, reaching to 
 eighteen pages of foolscap. I have written it three times, 
 and am just about to send it in. Warren and Baden-Powell 
 have seen it, and speak highly of it. So does Chesson, who 
 read it carefully over one afternoon. I may work it into an 
 article in the Contemporary^ or perhaps reserve it for the 
 concluding part of the book. 
 
 In early autumn Mackenzie accepted appointment 
 for deputation work on behalf of the London Mission- 
 ary Society, and was able also to spend some time 
 with his eldest daughter on a visit to his friend, Mr 
 Charles G. Oates of Meanwoodside, for the purpose of 
 attending the Leeds Festival of Music. 
 
 The following extracts from letters to his wife throw 
 some light upon his work during this period : 
 
 Oakland, Oct. 7, 1886. 
 
 The Bradford people asked me to go back and dine on 
 
 their market day at the Liberal Club, and meet a number of 
 
 people. I did so, and was considerably encouraged. Public 
 
 opinion is not where it was in 1883. The Radicals are now
 
 "BAFFLED TO FIGHT BETTER" 409 
 
 determined to have a Colonial policy. Some of the old 
 people remain on the old lines. I was planted alongside one 
 of these at dinner, and he went to business at once by asking, 
 Did I think the English Government should protect every 
 Englishman who went beyond our borders, for his own 
 profit ? I told him I had acted out my views on that point 
 by refusing to ask for assistance when shut up in Kuruman. 
 But that was not the question. Was Africa to grow by 
 peaceful and orderly means, or by filibustering ? The alder- 
 man became much more reasonable and friendly, but con- 
 versions in cases such as his are hardly to be looked for. 
 
 1 1 Queen Square, London, 
 iz^th Nov. 1886. 
 
 Loring has asked me if I won't undertake to lecture for 
 the Imperial Federation League (paid of course). I said in 
 reply the " burden " on me was that of South Africa. My 
 first work was the book. I hoped to see South African 
 affairs on a better footing. 
 
 II Queen Square, London, 
 2?id Dec. 1886. 
 
 When I have anything definite about publishing I shall let 
 you know. Uo not be anxious on that score. It is one of 
 the things which have been rolled away from my path, as 
 more than one friend has come forward to say they will bear 
 the risk of publishing the book, in case its subject should be 
 so far forgotten as to be regarded as riskful by the publishers. 
 I am nearly done with the writing now. But the appearance 
 of a long answer from Sir Hercules Robinson to my High 
 Commissionership memo, compels further writing and atten- 
 tion to that part. 
 
 I am glad to have written so copiously. I hope to turn it 
 to good account. 
 
 II Queen Square, London, 
 22,rd Dec. 1886. 
 
 I had no idea it would take so long, altho', of course, I did 
 not really know. I think we may say, "All is well," at the 
 end of the year. We have health ; the children are well and 
 doing well. I do sincerely humble myself for the poor kind 
 of life one lives when engrossed as I have been. I have
 
 4IO JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 been like a watch which needs winding, and then goes 
 straight on. The night's rest, the meals, daily work, and the 
 book — with some necessary attention to passing events, 
 especially if they relate to South Africa. 
 
 I always think your time has been harder than mine. 
 Here in London I do feel lonely. I tire of it very much, but 
 there is nothing for it but to go on. 
 
 The new year was brought in, as usual, at Portobello, 
 and the first half of 1887 was again almost completely 
 devoted to the finishing of his book, on which he had 
 been at work since his arrival in England from the 
 Cape. 
 
 But Mackenzie found time to carry on correspon- 
 dence with many people, and his education of the 
 Colonial Office. Early in the year he sent to the 
 Colonial Secretary, Sir Henry Holland (afterwards 
 Lord Knutsford), a communication which led the 
 latter to say that he was " not prepared to recom- 
 mend the assumption by this country of the great 
 amount of interference in and direct responsibility for 
 the details of extra Colonial affairs in South Africa 
 which your letters appear to advocate." This led 
 Mackenzie to send in the following strongly worded 
 protest : — 
 
 Portobello, Scotland, 
 Ith April 1887. 
 
 Dear Sir Henry, — I was sorry to receive your official reply 
 to my letter, and after some days consideration I have 
 thought it my duty to lay the following considerations before 
 you privately. 
 
 I wish to state to you the opinion, which is based on 
 considerable knowledge, that the position taken up in your 
 letter will be condemned by the conscience and sense of 
 duty of the English public, who engaged in the Bechuanaland 
 Protectorate and insisted on supporting it by the Bechuana- 
 land Expedition. In the estimation of the English public 
 the " direct responsibility " from which you shrink, is already 
 devolved on you by the extension of the Protectorate in 1885. 
 You will allow me to say that I do not think you give full
 
 "BAFFLED TO FIGHT BETTER" 411 
 
 weight to that very important action taken by the Liberal 
 Government, especially when coupled with the statement 
 made by Lord Derby to the effect that a Protectorate really 
 amounted to annexation (I am quoting this from memory, 
 but have no doubt of its correctness). These responsibilities 
 devolve upon you now, and I do not desire to impose on Her 
 Majesty's Government fresh obligations, but ask you to face 
 and to discharge those already incurred. 
 
 I hold firmly that it is of the very essence of an economical 
 administration in South Africa that there should be the early 
 assumption of authority and control of the land settlement in 
 native territories. Without this you must expend English 
 money in putting down abuses which my plan would enable 
 you to prevent. 
 
 The Imperial Government occupies a certain position in 
 South Africa, and has assumed certain responsibihties. I 
 have suggested a method by which these responsibilities 
 might be discharged in a way satisfactory to both Colonists 
 and natives, while it is economical as to Imperial expenditure, 
 and meets that conscientious sense of duty which the English 
 public has strongly expressed on the subject. Now the plans 
 which I propose may or may not be wise, but the shrinking 
 from responsibility has been the great cause of our trouble in 
 South Africa, of our low position in the eyes of Colonists, 
 and of our expenditures of Imperial money. England is 
 already responsible in such countries as those to which I 
 have referred, and the attitude of blinking this responsibility 
 I humbly but earnestly submit is unwise and expensive. 
 
 I was grieved to find the word " interference " used in your 
 letter with reference to proposed Imperial administration of 
 extra Colonial affairs. It is at least an unhappy expression 
 to term the performance of such a duty " interference," when 
 native Chiefs and people beg the Imperial Government as 
 the Supreme Power to assist them in the administration of 
 their country, and when loyal and intelligent Colonists 
 earnestly ask that this course be adopted. Please to re- 
 member that the alternative to this "interference," namely, 
 " letting alone," has landed us again and again in heavy 
 Imperial expenditure. 
 
 In my opinion our success in South Africa depends upon 
 the discharge, for some time, by the Imperial Government, of 
 those very duties in native territories which appear to you at 
 present to deserve the name of "interference." May I take
 
 412 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 the liberty to ask you to reconsider the last sentence of your 
 letter and thus avoid, in so many \vords, abjuring those very 
 duties and responsibilities which the English public certainly 
 desire Her Majesty's Government to perform in South Africa, 
 and which were so fully acknowledged, upheld, and developed 
 by Her Majesty's Liberal Government in 1885. 
 
 I make this communication in all friendliness and in strict 
 confidence. The public verdict upon the question at issue 
 will not be difficult to understand when it is given, and I 
 hope in a few weeks to publish a work on the question of 
 our policy in South Africa. 
 
 In April of this year (1887), he found himself 
 within sight of the end, and went down to Montrose, 
 the home of his eldest son, to complete his work 
 there. He was thus removed from the distraction of 
 daily correspondence, daily calls, stimmonses to meet- 
 ings, and the other innumerable interruptions which 
 interfered with his progress. At Montrose, he re- 
 mained for nearly four months, and his son had for 
 the first time an opportunity to watch him at close 
 quarters. He was struck with his immense capacity 
 for concentrated hard work. He often rose early, and 
 was standing at his desk before breakfast ; and he 
 would work continuously until nine or ten o'clock at 
 night, with intermissions only for meals and a regular 
 walk in the late afternoon. He worked very system- 
 atically, gathering his material and arranging it with 
 very great care. His son went over the entire book 
 in manuscript page by page ; nearly every paragraph 
 was separately considered, and it was Mackenzie's 
 request that the severest criticism should be applied, 
 not only to the mere matter of expression, but to the 
 spirit and substance of his narratives and arguments. 
 These things he discussed with the utmost simplicity 
 and earnestness, and showed deep anxiety to see the 
 point of every criticism or suggestion before deciding 
 upon it. He took immense pains to make his book 
 a final authority on South African affairs so far as he
 
 "BAFFLED TO FIGHT BETTER" 413 
 
 dealt with them, and to secure accuracy at every point. 
 As many of the chapters necessarily dealt with delicate 
 personal affairs, he determined to make no statement 
 for which he could not refer to an authority. He was 
 thoroughly aware that in writing this kind of book he 
 probably destroyed all chance of any future appoint- 
 ment under Government, but on that, with his char- 
 acteristic shrug of the shoulders, he said, " I am not in 
 this for that sort of thing, I am only anxious that the 
 facts should be driven home to the English mind, in 
 order that they may do the right thing in and for 
 South Africa." The result of his prolonged labours 
 appeared in the autumn of that year, 1887, under the 
 title " Austral Africa, Losing it or Ruling it : Being 
 Incidents and Experiences in Bechuanaland, Cape 
 Colony, and England." It was a large work in two 
 volumes, extending to more than a thousand pages in 
 all, with a very complete map, many illustrations and 
 photographs. In the preface he states the object that 
 lay before his mind in this and all his labours. 
 
 " That object is, on the one hand, to deliver South 
 Africa from the calamities, and England from the 
 expense, heart-rending, and discords, hitherto attend- 
 ing the ' Hammer-and-Tongs Policy ' and the equally 
 disastrous policy of ' shirking ' ; and on the other hand, 
 to save the empire from having an ill-secured dominion 
 or an ill-disposed because neglected population close 
 to its most important naval station." The entire work 
 is divided into six books. Book I. is entitled, " Illus- 
 trations of Native Life and European Expansion," and 
 contains a large amount of information regarding 
 Bechuana tribes, which is available nowhere else. He 
 also describes at length the relation of the British 
 Government to Bechuanaland between 1876 and 
 1883. Book II. is entitled "The Bechuanaland Pro- 
 tectorate — incidents and adventures among the Free- 
 booters." This is an account in seven chapters of his
 
 414 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 own Deputy Commissionership. In Book III., which 
 he calls " Backing Out," he takes eight chapters to 
 describe in full detail the history of the machinations 
 which tripped him up, and resulted in the confusion of 
 Bechuanaland and the triumph of the Transvaal. 
 With Book IV. he enters upon the second volume, 
 and in seven chapters describes " The Bechuanaland 
 Expedition under Sir Charles Warren." This only 
 carries the story to Mafeking. In Book V, he 
 completes the narrative of Sir Charles's work in 
 Bechuanaland, and unfolds the influences which led to 
 the premature recall of the Special Commissioner. 
 Book VI. consists of four chapters, on " The Imperial 
 Government in South Africa — the Past, the Present, 
 and the Future." This is a judicial and compre- 
 hensive survey of the relation of Great Britain to that 
 portion of the Empire. After stating the main 
 features of the past work of England in South Africa, 
 he goes on to explain the " unrecognised law " which 
 has ever governed the spread of Europeans in that 
 region ; he then discusses Cape politics in order to 
 show at once the natural range of the influence of 
 that Colony and the limits within which, for its own 
 sake and for the sake of all South Africa, this influence 
 should be restricted. He closes his work with a 
 chapter on " The Sum of the Whole Matter — Imperial 
 Duties and Imperial Methods." His last pages are 
 written with the deepest feeling, but in the simplest 
 and most direct fashion. He describes the future of 
 South Africa in the light of the policy which he has 
 advocated. " Like every true vision of the future," he 
 says, " mine ends in peace, and not in war." 
 " Assuredly, as England has abolished duelling, and 
 still retains her honour and her self-respect, so will the 
 savage arbitrament of war be discredited and disused 
 the world over, when the thoughts of the victorious 
 Galilean shall have become the code of the world.
 
 "BAFFLED TO FIGHT BETTER" 415 
 
 Then the contests of men will consist in the noble 
 emulations of literature, art, commerce, and industry ; 
 in all of which Austral Africa will have its share. I 
 see these things with the eye of the soul ; they will 
 surely come to pass. I pray to be permitted to see 
 some of them with the bodily eye also."
 
 CHAPTER XVI 
 
 ENGLAND THE REJECTION OF A PROPHET 
 
 (1888-1889) 
 
 At the dawn of the year 1888 Mackenzie saw and 
 felt on all sides the influence of his book. Reviews 
 were appearing all over the country week by week, 
 and month by month. Freed from his heavy task, 
 and helped by its results, Mackenzie was now able 
 to undertake the agitation of his cause on a wider 
 scale, and in a greater variety of ways, than had 
 been possible hitherto. The supreme aim before 
 him was, as we have seen, to secure the separation 
 of the offices of High Commissioner for South 
 Africa and Governor of the Cape Colony. 
 
 The following extracts from a letter to his wife 
 show the manner in which he resumed the campaign 
 early in the new year : — 
 
 II Queen Square, 
 London, i^tkjany. 1888. 
 
 As I said, I got here all right on Thursday morning, and 
 found a letter from Mr H. O. Arnold Forster, and a card 
 from Mr Loring, both asking to see me specially, and soon. 
 There was also a note from L. M, S., asking me to give an 
 address-to their Young Men's Missionary Band, which meets 
 in the Mission House every month. I corrected the proof, 
 and consented to give this address. 
 
 On calling for Loring I found (as H. O. Arnold Forstcr's 
 letter had told me) that they two were looking forward to 
 meeting Lord Rosebery to-day, and having a talk with him 
 about South Africa, and especially about the High Com- 
 missioncrship. I met Arnold Forster on Friday at his office 
 at Cassels' Place. On both occasions I had a long talk with 
 416
 
 THE REJECTION OF A PROPHET 417 
 
 them, answering all imaginable difficulties, etc., as best I 
 could. They have also got between them the pamphlet 
 which Mr Kirby published, and that last long statement 
 which the Colonial Office did not publish, and other 
 things. 
 
 Tuesday evening. — The enclosed letter has been in my 
 pocket for the last two days, waiting for time to put down 
 result of Loring's and Arnold Forster's interview with Lord 
 Rosebery. They were pleased with their visit on the whole, 
 and have sent Lord R. my book, marking certain passages 
 for him to read. He seems to have answered them very 
 guardedly, perhaps sceptically, on some matters ; but pro- 
 fessed his entire ignorance of the question. The thing is, 
 therefore, still in progress so far as he is concerned ; that is 
 all that can be said. 
 
 I am dining at Lady Walker's to-morrow, Wednesday. 
 To-day when I came home from my wanderings I found 
 a note from Lady Seafield, brought by her servant, inviting 
 me to dine with them on Friday, and I'm going. Sir C. 
 Warren is to be there, she told me. Really Lady S. is as 
 friendly as friendly could be. I am thankful for it. 
 
 I have seen the Amatonga Deputation, but 1 shall not fill 
 up this page with them. I reserve for it a very striking piece 
 of news which my friend, Sir Charles Mills, the agent of the 
 Cape Colony in England, told me. I let him talk for full 
 half-an-hour or more on his own subjects, and then, on our 
 feet now, I led him on to talk of the High Commissioner- 
 ship. He said first, "They'll never do it." I said, "No, not 
 till they are told by the English people to do it, and then they'll 
 do it sharp." I got him to talk about it, and at last he said, 
 " I wish you all success, Mackenzie. A splendid thing if you 
 can carry it. The Marquis of Lome should be your first 
 High Commissioner. I may tell you between ourselves that 
 I asked him if he would not go out to South Africa, and he 
 distinctly declined to go out as Governor of the Cape Colony, 
 but said he would go as High Commissioner ; and that the 
 Princess would go too." Just think, dearie, what that 
 amounts to in the education of public opinion. No one 
 thought of such a position as the Marquis takes up, some 
 time ago. I do think I may claim something in connection 
 with that. I wrote one memorandum with the express pur- 
 pose in my own mind of preventing the Marquis from going 
 out as Governor of the Cape, without directly referring to it.
 
 41 8 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 Sir C. Mills told me this with a feeling of disappointment at 
 his own want of success, but he then brightened up and said, 
 " If he goes out, and you get a good Governor for the Cape, 
 then the thing will be done." 
 
 Now say that he was saying pleasing things to me, what I 
 care for is the fact that he asked Lome, and Lome refused. 
 It is a great fact in the history of this movement. 
 
 On February loth he delivered a lecture before the 
 Kensington Branch of the Imperial Federation League. 
 The President of the Branch, Sir Rawson Rawson, was 
 in the chair, and the meeting was very successful. 
 Mackenzie gave the following breezy description of 
 it to his wife :— 
 
 II Queen Square, London, 
 Saturday. 
 
 Dearest, — The lecture has been delivered, and every- 
 body except myself expressed great pleasure. 
 
 There was a good audience for London, especially as it was 
 a bitterly cold night. The kind of people was what you would 
 call "superior," you know. There were a good many quite 
 unknown to me. There were others whose faces I had seen 
 elsewhere ; and then there were not a few whom I reckon as 
 personal friends. But to be historical ! I went (dressed) to 
 the Hall at 5.30 by appointment, to see that everything was 
 right on the platform. I arranged a music stand for MS., 
 and so on. Then went over to Loring's, where I had time 
 in his study to look over my notes. Uined at 7, Mr and 
 Mrs O'Brien being the other guests. Mrs O'Brien is one of 
 the late Mr Forster's (adopted) daughters. Like her sisters, 
 she is very sweet and nice. After dinner, to the Town Hall. 
 I spoke from the notes. I could see them fairly well, and 
 stood after a time with the pointer in my hand, to describe 
 the map. The lecture was too long, or rather the Chairman 
 took a longer time than one would have expected, when the 
 hour to begin with was 8.30. So I had to hasten over the 
 latter part of the lecture ; when I said I was doing so the 
 people applauded as if to say, " Go on," but I saw for myself 
 that the time was getting late. 
 
 Sir Rawson Rawson greeted me warmly on my getting on 
 the platform, and Sir Henry Barkly came forward and shook 
 hands quite as with an old friend.
 
 THE REJECTION OF A PROPHET 419 
 
 I saw Dunu, Rider Haggard, Mrs Reed and young Guy 
 Reed, the brother of Mr Betts, Mr James Buchan, Mr and 
 Mrs Wm. Simpson and party, Colonel Tracy and Miss Tracy, 
 Robertson, Steele (Port Elizabeth) ; Maynard (your friend). 
 Prebendary Tucker, of Society for Propagation of the Gospel, 
 &:c., &c. 
 
 Rider Haggard spoke very well — certainly in a most 
 appreciative and complimentary way of myself : I had 
 " saved Bechuanaland and the Bechuanas, and if a man 
 did only that he had done a great work." He started on 
 this track by saying there was one thing which I had 
 omitted, and which looked formidable for a moment. I 
 spoke to him afterwards for a minute, only in whispers, 
 however. I hope to see him by-and-by. 
 
 Wm. Dunn spoke, and did so tellingly, as a Cape 
 merchant, as to the value of the policy which I was 
 bringing forward. He referred also to an early acquaint- 
 ance with me and my young bride so many years ago ! 
 
 Mr Mackarness, who was once in South Africa, and who 
 writes letters in the Times on that subject, spoke. Loring 
 had told me that he was pro-Robinson in his views as to the 
 High Commissioner, so I got Loring to write to him to say 
 that I should be very glad if he came and stated his views 
 without personalities, and left the public to decide. He said 
 in a few words that he wanted to know who was to pay the 
 High Commissioner, where he was to live, and what he was to 
 do. But I really think he had been shaken by the lecture, 
 because he hastened to congratulate me on the lecture as a 
 w'hole, and on my other writings and efforts in behalf of 
 South Africa, and that he had always much pleasure in 
 reading my communications. 
 
 Sir Henry Barkly seconded the vote of thanks to me, 
 which was proposed by the Chairman. 
 
 Sir Henry backed me up out and out. He said, in his 
 opinion, my views were thoroughly sound, and such as 
 ought to be adopted. If there had been time he could 
 have illustrated by his own personal experience. As to 
 myself personally, I had had no chance of putting my 
 views into practice, and he hoped that in that extension 
 of our Protectorate which must take place, my services 
 would be brought into requisition. This was meant in 
 great kindness, but I had rather he had not said it. 
 
 In replying, I thanked them for their indulgence for such
 
 420 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 a length of time. I said, with, I suppose, a grin on my face, 
 that by far the nicest part of the lecture was that which they 
 had not heard ! 
 
 Loring was delighted, and so was Mrs L. She did not 
 know when she had enjoyed a lecture so much. Mrs 
 O'Brien sent a message by her to say she thanked me for 
 Mrs Forster, for some true things I said about her husband 
 at the outset. 
 
 Mr Dunn came up and asked where you were, that he 
 might shake hands with you. He was disappointed when I 
 told him. 
 
 Now if this is not a full and particular account I don't 
 know, and, if I am not a sublimely good person for retailing 
 it all, I wonder who can put in a claim to be good or obedient 
 to orders. 
 
 Early in April it was given out that the Govern- 
 ment had decided not to establish a High Com- 
 missionership, such as Mackenzie and the South 
 African Committee had been attempting to secure ; 
 but this decision, or the attempt to reach it, seems 
 to have been shaken considerably by an important 
 review of " Austral Africa," which appeared in the 
 Times, and a very powerful leading article in the 
 same paper, entitled, " Africa after the Scramble." 
 In both of these the Times spoke very strongly in 
 favour of Mackenzie's policy. But at the same time 
 Mackenzie was made aware that the opposition from 
 Cape Town was becoming very bitter. It threatened 
 to assume the form of a personal controversy when 
 Captain Bower dipped his fingers into it. This 
 Imperial Secretary of South Africa had written to 
 a well-known English Member of Parliament, assur- 
 ing him that the separation of the offices would 
 destroy the country, and begging him not to be 
 misled by an enthusiast. His further characterisa- 
 tion of the enthusiast was such as led Mackenzie 
 to assert that it was " meant to undermine me, and 
 to destroy me." 
 
 In the spring of this year Mackenzie first entered
 
 THE REJECTION OF A PROPHET 421 
 
 into direct correspondence with Lord Rosebery, and 
 for a time it seemed as if this leader of Imperial 
 plans would be induced to master the South African 
 problem, and become the promoter of Imperialism 
 there. As the following letters will show, however, 
 the wide-awake, but cautious Earl, in spite of his 
 interest in the question, could not be induced to 
 give it more than casual attention : — 
 
 7 WoBURN Place, 
 London, \st March 1888. 
 
 I have just come from a long interview with Lord Rosebery 
 by invitation. Loring went with me, and was present. He, 
 Loring, was well satisfied with the interview. Lord R. professed 
 his ignorance, but I found he had got some working know- 
 ledge of the subject. We went at it up and down, over 
 and across, for, I suppose, more than an hour. He spoke 
 very sensibly, and his objections and questions were such 
 as one had pleasure in answering. I seemed to satisfy 
 him on each point, but perhaps that would be too sanguine 
 a view. 
 
 I have been asked to address the Chamber of Commerce 
 of London. I mentioned this, and he said he thought I 
 should. Would he attend the meeting, and speak or pre- 
 side ? " Well, no, he had to take his wife to the Continent 
 soon. He might attend it." Loring says this is near enough 
 in the meantime, and that possibly he will come and speak 
 when formally asked. So I am going to write to our friend 
 Dunn, and ask him to introduce me to Mr Tritton, the 
 present chairman of the Chamber, and have a consultation as 
 to what should be done. 
 
 In the meantime keep a lookout for questions in the 
 House of Lords as to the High Commissionership. I 
 expect Lord R. will put one soon. He has already put 
 one as to the Delagoa Bay railway, which had an important 
 sentence in it. 
 
 Then the Imperial Federation League's political com- 
 mittee at its meeting yesterday has recommended the League 
 to take up this Austral African question as League business. 
 This is a most important decision, but it will not be ratified 
 till a meeting of the General E.xecutive Committee takes 
 place. It is likely to be carried.
 
 422 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 Last night I lectured to a Christian Young Men's Club at 
 Bloomsbury. Had the large map. 
 
 7 WoBURN Place, 
 London, \i\th March 1888. 
 
 I have received such a strong, ably written letter, from the 
 editor of the Grahamstown Journal this week. It was shown 
 to Lord Rosebery, who read it with great interest. His ques- 
 tion as to the duplex ofifices was in writing, and handed in. 
 Lord Kimberley came to him, and "wired in" on the other 
 side, retaining matters as they are. Lord R. withdrew his 
 question, Kimberley and he being front bench men together 
 on the same side. Lord R. retains his opinion. I wrote him 
 last night, and wait the result. This is strictly private. 
 
 A definite attempt was made to secure Lord 
 Rosebery as chairman at the approaching meeting, 
 which led to the following letter from him : — 
 
 Lansdowne House, Berkeley Square, 
 London, 15M March 1888. 
 
 Dear Mr Mackenzie, — Many thanks for your letter, and 
 for the former one which I ought to have acknowledged. 
 Both of them interested me extremely. I incline to think 
 that a question with regard to the Cape would be best asked 
 in the House of Commons. 
 
 With regard to the dates you mention, I am afraid none 
 of them would suit me, as I propose going abroad at the end 
 of next week, so that I shall have to read and not listen to 
 your address. — Believe me, yours very truly, 
 
 Rosebery. 
 
 P.S. — I was much interested in the letter Loring showed 
 me, and am grateful to you for allowing me to see it. 
 
 One of the most important of all Mackenzie's 
 addresses was that which he delivered on May 14th, 
 1888, before the London Chamber of Commerce. 
 Mr Chamberlain occupied the chair, and the meeting 
 was both large and very influential. In his opening 
 speech Mr Chamberlain, with his marvellous gift of 
 exposition, set forth the central problem of South 
 African policy. He showed the extreme danger,
 
 THE REJECTION OF A PROPHET 423 
 
 alike to the Empire and to South Africa, which 
 would result from the policy of neglect. 
 
 Now what is the alternative ? There is only one alterna- 
 tive, and that is, that we should accept our obligations and 
 responsibilities. We should maintain firmly and resolutely 
 our hold over the territories that we have already acquired, 
 and we should offer freely our Protectorate to those friendly 
 chiefs and people that are stretching out their hands towards 
 us and seeking our protection and our interference. 
 
 He shrunk from committing himself regarding the 
 separation of the two great offices ; that, he said, 
 
 is a matter which must be left to the responsible officers 
 of the Queen, who have much better opportunities of know- 
 ledge than any that I can possess ; but one thing I do say, 
 that if we are once for all to recognize our obligations in 
 regard to this great Continent, we must do so in pursuance of 
 an Imperial policy, and not of a Colonial policy, if in any 
 respect that differs from ours. 
 
 The title of Mackenzie's address was " Austral 
 Africa, Extension of British Influence in Trans- 
 Colonial Territories." 
 
 He devoted, as usual, the first part of his lecture 
 to a description of the South African Colonies and 
 States. 
 
 The second part of the lecture described " Trans- 
 Colonial Native Territories." In the paragraph which 
 dealt with railway communication, he strongly advocated 
 the immediate consideration, both for commercial and 
 political reasons, of " a dominating north-going railway 
 through the Colony of Bechuanaland, so that the trade 
 of the richest country in Austral Africa — a veritable 
 Ophir of the olden time, with its gold and its iron, its 
 cotton and its rice — may be secured for English 
 commerce, and for our fellow subjects in South 
 Africa." 
 
 The third portion of the lecture was entitled, " Place 
 and Work of the Imperial Government." After
 
 424 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 describing some of the influences which had interfered 
 with the development of direct Imperial administration 
 since 1884, he came to make his two great definite 
 proposals, viz., first, " that the Imperial administration 
 should be extended to all Khame's territory, as pro- 
 posed by Khame himself to Sir Charles Warren, and 
 secondly, the appointment of an Imperial High Com- 
 missioner who should be unencumbered with any local 
 office. This, he maintained, would not involve any 
 " interference with the present rights and privileges of 
 the Colonists," nor would it take the form of an 
 " abrupt resolution," but rather of a " necessary 
 growth." The lecturer further discussed the reasons 
 for making this change at that time, and some of the 
 objections which were urged against it. 
 
 Mackenzie's address was followed by a public dis- 
 cussion, the first speaker being Sir Charles Warren, 
 who rose to move a vote of thanks to the reader of 
 the paper. He was followed by Sir George Baden- 
 Powell. A discordant note was introduced into the 
 discussion by Sir Henry de Villiers of Cape Colony, 
 whose speech, however, practically admitted the need 
 for the very changes which Mackenzie advocated. 
 This was at once cleverly pointed out by Mr Arnold 
 Forster. Mackenzie's warm friend, Mr Walter Searle, 
 President of the Cape Town Chamber of Commerce, 
 very earnestly advocated the position taken by the 
 lecturer. 
 
 The following letter was written by Sir Henry 
 Barkly, formerly High Commissioner for South 
 Africa, and Governor of Cape Colony, who was 
 unable to attend the meeting : — 
 
 South Kensington, 
 \2ih May 1888. 
 
 Dear Mr Mackenzie, — I am very sorry not to be able to 
 attend on Monday, and hear your address on " The Extension 
 of British Influence in Trans-Colonial Territories."
 
 THE REJFXTION OF A PRPOHET 425 
 
 Had I done so, and been called on to take part in the 
 subsequent description, I should have urged, as I did at 
 Kensington Town Hall, that it was better, whenever any 
 fresh annexation of native territory took place, that it 
 should be in the first instance under the sole control of 
 an authority directly responsible to the Secretary of State 
 for the Colonies ; and, further, that, believing your views 
 as to the arrangements which ought to be made in regard 
 to the introduction of European settlers into such territories, 
 to be the result of much experience and reflection, I was still 
 in hopes that you would some day be afforded a fair oppor- 
 tunity of carrying them into practice, in the course of those 
 extensions of British rule towards the Zambesi, which appear 
 inevitable. — Believe me, Yours very truly, 
 
 Henry Barklv. 
 
 In July news came by cablegram, announcing that 
 a meeting of Government officials had been held at 
 Mafeking, to discuss the project of a Bechuanaland 
 railway. Mackenzie in referring to this, says : — 
 
 The movement must be favoured by Sir Hercules Robin- 
 son, which is surely good. I fear, however, that he, or rather 
 Bower, has some trick behind, in regard to handing the terri- 
 tory over to the Colony, in connection with this very railway 
 making. 
 
 Glasgow, Au^. 2,0th 1888. 
 
 I have been unusually busy, indeed chained to my desk, 
 since I came down. I have just been once to the Exhibition, 
 and have not found time to look up a single Glasgow merchant 
 as yet. My paper for the British Association is ready, but 
 the amount of correspondence just now caused by the tactics 
 adopted at the Cape is very great and very imperative. 
 
 You would see the result of the publication of my memo, 
 on the High Commissionership. Another despatch from Sir 
 H, Robinson, and a minute from his Ministers' Resolutions, 
 and from the Cape Parliament, deprecating the change which 
 I propose, and which the British public desire. 
 
 I enclose the tactical reply to this clever move at the Cape 
 — "a put-up job," as the Cape Times calls it. I hope to get 
 this really extensively signed by both parties, and outside 
 Parliament also. If Bechuanaland is made a Crown Colony
 
 426 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 really arid in good faith, we shall sec the Cape speedily lose 
 all liking for the High Commissionership. What they mean 
 is land ; that must be kept for Imperial needs and Imperial 
 management. When they are assured of this at the Cape the 
 victory will be complete. 
 
 1 1 Queen Square, 
 \ St Nov. 1888. 
 
 Rhodes and the Argus have had a fling at me. — Rhodes in 
 an electioneering speech, and the Argus backing him up. 
 Nothing of the slightest importance, and the Argus says I 
 am going on slandering the Colony over here. I may send 
 out a few lines, just to tone the matter a little. Not sure yet. 
 
 Had a pleasant Sunday at Warlies, Sir Fowell going to 
 collect names for memo. Offers his house for a drawing- 
 room meeting, should that l)e necessary. 
 
 1 1 Queen Square, 
 \th Nov. 1888. 
 
 I have just come from Dr Parker's, where I stayed for 
 communion, which I always enjoy. It is always a time when 
 one can lay one's case before the good Lord as it stands 
 between this time and next communion season. Thank God, 
 there is always something done, something achieved. May He 
 help for the next month. 
 
 II Queen Square, 
 London, \^th Nov. 1888. 
 
 I have been to a meeting of the African Section of the 
 Chamber of Commerce. They have passed a resolution 
 unanimously against annexation of Bechuanaland to the Cape, 
 but it is not valid formally till it has been sanctioned by the 
 General Executive of the Chamber. Then a Deputation will 
 go to Government on the matter. This is so much work done. 
 
 In September Mackenzie read a paper before the 
 Geographical Section of the British Association, which 
 held its meeting that year at Bath. He was very well 
 received, as the following extract from a letter to one 
 of his sons will show : — 
 
 Bath, wth Sept. 1888. 
 
 Get a look at the Ti^nes for Tuesday iith, and you will 
 see that I have had a very good reception here. The large
 
 THE REJECTION OF A PROPHET 427 
 
 Guild Hall was filled, and they were really very kind. It is to 
 appear in abstract in the Royal Geographical Society's paper. 
 Mr Bates, the Secretary, whom I know, was very well pleased 
 with it. Its publication was recommended in a short speech 
 by good and kind Sir Robert Fowler, and also referred to by 
 the Chairman of the Section, Sir C. Wilson. Judge of my 
 great pleasure, in turning away from the recently uncovered 
 Roman Baths yesterday afternoon, to meet dear Mr Neild, 
 who is here, and his family. He simply carried me off bodily, 
 and I spent the afternoon with them, part of it being at a 
 Friend's house in a garden-party. The Friends are delightful 
 people. I admire them very much, and love them. 
 
 On November 29th he delivered a lecture at 
 Newcastle, and spent Christmas time at Portobello 
 with his family. 
 
 If 1888 was a busy year, 1889 was a year which 
 almost crushed his life. At its beginning he saw the 
 interest of the British public in South African affairs 
 steadily increasing. Wide circles had now been taught, 
 and were inspired with his views, and these circles 
 comprised the most intelligent elements in the com- 
 munity, those who were directly interested in Parlia- 
 mentary affairs, those whose minds were fast awakening 
 to the splendour of Britain's Imperial relationships and 
 destiny, and those who looked upon South Africa as a 
 field for future commercial enterprise, 
 
 Mackenzie felt that his plea for recognising Austral 
 Africa as a great dominion had taken hold of the 
 public imagination. He knew that his arguments 
 from logic and history in favour of an Imperial High 
 Commissionership for all South Africa were unanswer- 
 able, and he found men of experience always in his 
 favour. Strong supporters of the Government were 
 on his side. The Chambers of Commerce of the 
 leading cities were on his side. The great majority 
 of the newspapers were on his side. It really looked 
 as if the British Dominion was about to be established 
 in that year of grace, 1889, from Cape Town to the
 
 428 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 Zambesi, without noise or war or expenditure of much 
 money, by the final adoption of a great purpose, and 
 the final establishment of a definite policy. If at that 
 time he had seen the announcement that the Govern- 
 ment would send out a new High Commissioner for 
 all South Africa and also separate Governors for the 
 Cape Colony and Natal, an Administrator for the 
 Crown Colony of Bechuanaland, and another British 
 representative to guide the development of Matabele- 
 land, this ardent servant of God and his country would 
 have felt that he had accomplished what during these 
 years he had lived for, and that it had been worth 
 while to live for its accomplishment. But " the 
 Assyrian came down," and made havoc of all his 
 hopes. 
 
 News reached England that Mr Rudd had visited 
 the capital of Matabeleland, and obtained from the 
 Chief the most remarkable concession known in South 
 African history. Curious stories were afloat regarding 
 the help which he received from important govern- 
 ment officials in his efforts to secure the consent of 
 Lobengula to his proposals. In South Africa itself 
 there was an outcry among those newspapers which 
 were yet free to cry out against such events. They 
 argued that as Matabeleland had been declared to be 
 within the sphere of British influence, and as a British 
 representative had already visited it and entered into 
 negotiations with its Chief, this concession, which gave 
 the entire minerals of a vast and rich territory to one 
 man, or a group of men, was a monopoly such as 
 Britain ought to destroy. But protests were too late, 
 and the results of this concession speedily became 
 known. 
 
 Feeling that the plot had begun to thicken, 
 Mackenzie made various powerful efforts to persuade 
 the Home Government to take definite action before 
 new influences could be brought to bear upon it. On
 
 THE REJECTION OF A PROPHET 429 
 
 February 15 th he sent a long letter to Lord Salisbury, 
 making certain proposals regarding South Africa, 
 which seemed to him to concern the Foreign Office as 
 much as the Colonial Office. In this letter he began 
 by describing the critical position of Great Britain in 
 that region. The following significant sentences, 
 the words of a true prophet, occur : — 
 
 In South Africa at the pre.sent time, the question which 
 is being decided by the persistent efforts of our opponents, 
 and by our own action (and often by our want of action) is — 
 Whether or not South Africa shall be English-speaking and 
 owning the sway of England, or be a Dutch-speaking country, 
 owning virtually the sway of a rival European Power ? There 
 are, it is true, a few Dutch-speaking Republicans in South 
 Africa, who bring themselves persistently before the public ; 
 but however sincere they may be in their desire to establish 
 a South African Independent Dutch-speaking Republic from 
 the Zambesi to the Cape, the real alternatives are, whether 
 the country shall remain under the influence of England, or 
 come under that of another European Power. 
 
 Now, Her Majesty's Government can assist materially in 
 this vital matter at the present time, and that without inter- 
 fering in any degree with the internal affairs of any Colony 
 or of any self-governing republic. 
 
 The first of his numbered paragraphs dealt with the 
 need for developing South Central Africa north of the 
 Cape Colony under a Lieutenant-Governor, " who shall 
 be in direct communication with Her Majesty's Govern- 
 ment." He pointed out that Sir Gordon Sprigg had 
 admitted " that this great region could not be success- 
 fully governed from Cape Town." 
 
 In the second place, this would entail the formation 
 of a more rational plan for the treatment of Bechuana- 
 land than had yet been applied to other regions 
 occupied by native tribes. 
 
 And in all this there is no i^artiality towards the native, 
 only simple justice. The Bechuana chiefs and people, in 
 1885, expressed their welcome to the Imperial Power, and 
 agreed to hand over the whole unoccupied portions of their
 
 430 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 country to the Queen. They are prepared, therefore, for 
 the occupation of their country in certain districts by white 
 settlers, only that our recent shilly-shallying on this subject, 
 and our present endeavours to prevent any such settlement 
 have excited suspicion and uneasiness in their minds. They 
 can have no doubt of the coming north of the white men. 
 Our refusal to control their orderly settlement is justly calcu- 
 lated to excite their uneasiness, as they know that the only 
 alternative is brigandage and bloodshed. It is distinctly to 
 this abstention that we owe the Grobelaar incident, which 
 has not yet been settled. 
 
 His third paragraph insisted that Great Britain 
 must hold on to Bechuanaland for grave political 
 reasons : — 
 
 The Anti-Imperial party at the Cape have been very 
 diligent of late, and they have had the advantage of receiv- 
 ing assistance from unexpected quarters. But, after all, the 
 strength of our position is that we do not interfere with 
 internal Colonial affairs at all, we only hold on to those 
 regions where the native inhabitants in the first instance 
 laid us under obligations to them, and where our presence 
 is of great consequence to British commerce and British 
 influence in South Africa. 
 
 The refusal of Cape Colony to assist in the build- 
 ing of a railway through Bechuanaland was one of 
 these reasons. 
 
 The Colonial railway stopped short for years, scores of 
 miles south of Kimberley. Why? Because Kimberley was 
 and is an English town. It was a commercial sacrifice, but 
 a political pleasure, to keep it out in the desert, and the 
 railway was carried through only in 1884 by the Colonial 
 Government, at the earnest suggestion of the Imperial 
 Government. Since that time Kimberley has supplied a 
 market to the Colonial farmers all along the line, and 
 doubtless they see that they lost severely by not having 
 had the railway at an earlier date. At the same time, Mr 
 Hofmeyr and other Anti-Imperial leaders are dead against 
 railway extension to the Ikitish Colony of Bechuanaland, as 
 they were to the British district of the Diamond-fields.
 
 THE REJECTION OF A PROPHET 431 
 
 The fourth paragraph suggested a plan by which 
 two results could be obtained. In the first place, 
 Cape Colony would be stimulated to develop its 
 railway system northwards, and, besides, Great Britain 
 would acquire a shorter route into the interior of 
 South Africa. This double result could be obtained 
 if Lord Salisbury would negotiate with Germany for 
 British control of the region lying between Walvisch 
 Bay and South Bechuanaland. 
 
 Walvisch Bay is one of the best harbours on all the 
 South African coast. A waggon road, accompanied by well- 
 sinking, from Walvisch Bay to Bechuanaland — followed in 
 the course of time by a railway — would not be difficult of 
 accomplishment, and would be of immense importance to 
 Great Britain, politically and commercially. It would be a 
 set-off to Delagoa Bay in Portuguese hands. The bare 
 possibility of opening such communications would bring 
 the Cape Colony to common sense as to its railway from 
 Kimberley to Bechuanaland. The sharp alternative to their 
 not making this connecting railway to the Bechuanaland 
 border would be the loss to them of the northern trade. 
 I have shown that opposition to Britain can carry some of 
 their leaders a long distance in foolishness and disregard of 
 the material interests of the Cape Colony, but the leverage 
 of a threatened Walvisch Bay route of colonization and 
 commerce into Bechuanaland would cause the Cape Colony 
 railway from Kimberley to the southern border of Bechuana- 
 land to be constructed without delay. 
 
 Taking this last mentioned advantage alone, it would 
 warrant Her Majesty's Government doing its utmost to 
 obtain again South West Africa, and so repair an unaccount- 
 able and inexcusable blunder of the Imperial Government 
 some years ago. 
 
 To his wife he writes as follows : — 
 
 London, Feb. 22, 1889. 
 We have had a very important meeting of the South 
 African Committee to-day, Mr Chamberlain in the Chair, 
 Lord Polwarth, Sir C. Warren, and a considerable number 
 of M.P.s were present. Resolved, that a certain number be 
 deputed to meet Lord Knutsford privately and have it out
 
 432 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 with him, and see what they could get out of him. Were 
 to report to another meeting, and if that is held not to be 
 enough, to fight him. I had a good deal of speaking to- 
 day, as Chamberlain brought it to real, hard, practical work 
 at once, and Sir Fowell Buxton coolly turned to me and 
 asked me what I would say to that. We had a long dis- 
 cussion, and a very interesting one. There was never such 
 a body of influence in favour of my views as at present. 
 The Committee is really an influential one, and we may 
 have some " events " soon. 
 
 II Queen Square, 
 i,tli March 1 889. 
 
 The South African Committee had a meeting on Saturday, 
 Mr Chamberlain in the Chair. They reported what had 
 taken place in their interview with Lord Knutsford. I had 
 heard the particulars before from Mr Loring. Consider- 
 able progress has been made, but it needs great firmness on 
 our part to prevent the Colonial Office swinging us all around 
 — Chamberlain and all. I was asked to say what I thought 
 of what had been done, and in order to give all present a 
 right conception of the danger I said, looking at Mr 
 Chamberlain, " I am thankful for what has been accom- 
 plished, but I really see that, so far, Lord Knutsford has had 
 the best of it." I then proceeded to back this up by show- 
 ing where he had led them off on side issues. I am to see 
 Mr C. on Wednesday forenoon. 
 
 Throughout the spring months of this year the 
 controversy raged fierce in the public press and in 
 political circles regarding the proposed South African 
 Chartered Company. The concession obtained by 
 Mr Rudd in the end of the preceding year had 
 been made the basis for the gigantic scheme of Mr 
 Cecil Rhodes. In this struggle Mackenzie, of course, 
 had a prominent part ; and yet he was conscious all 
 the while of fighting a losing battle, for Mr Rhodes 
 made converts from among his own best supporters. 
 They were not in the least conscious of departing 
 from the principles for which they had already 
 worked with him ; rather it seemed to many of the 
 best of them that this scheme would go far to realise
 
 THE REJECTION OF A PROPHET 433 
 
 his own dreams. For how could the proposed open- / 
 ing up of the unoccupied territories of Mashonaland 
 and Matabeleland by means of the enormous capital 
 which it was proposed to employ, do aught but good 
 in establishing Imperial authority in South Africa? , 
 Hard-headed, practical Englishmen, to whom the vast- 
 ness of the commercial proposals appealed, seemed to 
 consider Mackenzie's objections merely academic, and/ 
 his fears groundless. In brief, as Mackenzie after- 
 wards pointed out, his own years of hard labour in 
 educating the British public regarding South Africa 
 had prepared the way for the Chartered Company. 
 
 Mackenzie feared for Bechuanaland, but Mr Rhodes 
 assured Mr Albert Grey that he did not propose to 
 take any part of Bechuanaland. And Mr Causton 
 appeared before a certain philanthropic committee in 
 London to assure them " that the new Company had 
 been formed mainly in the interest of the natives and 
 of missionaries, to prevent unprincipled white men 
 from going in and ruining every one ! " 
 
 The following remarks of Mr Alfred Milner, now 
 Lord Milner, put the case very clearly from another 
 point of view : — 
 
 Whatever may be the personal sentiments of its 
 managers, the force of circumstances will make the Company 
 British. He must be a pessimist indeed who does not see 
 that slowly but surely, and all the more surely because not 
 with such fuss and conspicuousness as to alarm foreign 
 nations, British influence is once more on the ascendant on 
 the East Coast of Africa ; and the stronger we become north 
 of the Zambesi the more essential we are to those who are 
 pushing up to that river from the South. The Cape might 
 be separatist, and South Africa by itself might be separatist, 
 but a South Africa reaching up to the Zambesi, marching into 
 foreign spheres of influence, and needing the protecting arm of 
 Great Britain against Portuguese or German interference with 
 its own development, will lean more and more on us. I 
 think I see the development in Rhodes himself. As a purely 
 
 2 E
 
 434 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 Cape politician he was (is perhaps) Africander. As the 
 author of enterprises which look far beyond the Cape and 
 the Transvaal and reach to the Zambesi, and beyond the 
 Zambesi, he must know (he is much too shrewd not to 
 know) that, without Imperial backing, he is lost. 
 
 All that could be said in favour of this policy, 
 Mackenzie felt very deeply ; but his opposition was 
 determined upon a knowledge of South African 
 politics, whose real significance it was hard to com- 
 municate even to the ablest minds in London. He 
 saw that this movement had arisen amongst men 
 whose statesmanship had already worked confusion in 
 South Africa. Further, they were in sympathy rather 
 with the Dutch than the British spirit in their treat- 
 ment of native questions. He saw also with great 
 clearness, in spite of the protestations of Mr Rhodes 
 and the confidence of those whom he persuaded — 
 what subsequent events proved to be only too true — 
 that the granting of this Charter would inevitably lead 
 to the absorption of Bechuanaland by Cape Colony 
 and the proposed Company. To Mackenzie's mind,,. 
 as we have seen from his letters, Bechuanaland was 
 the key to the Imperial position in South Africa. If 
 Great Britain would seize that region, and under direct 
 Imperial control make of it a great Crown Colony, the 
 British position in South Africa would be placed 
 beyond all danger, either from a military or a political 
 point of view. -^ 
 
 And last, but not least, Mackenzie held the pro- 
 found conviction that the future of South Africa 
 would be one thing, if its great native populations 
 were placed under Imperial administration, and 
 another thing if they were left to be controlled solely 
 by the class of Europeans who held sway at that 
 time in her States and Colonies. If the British South 
 Africa Company succeeded in shaping South African 
 politics so that direct Imperial authority over these
 
 THE REJECTION OF A PROPHET 435 
 
 native regions should be destroyed, the future which 
 he saw was dismal and dark indeed. 
 
 As early as July, Mr Albert Grey, now Lord Grey, 
 wrote to Mackenzie to say that after considerable 
 hesitation he had agreed to accept a post on the 
 directorate of the new Chartered Company. 
 
 " I should have preferred, with you," he said, " a bolder 
 Imperial policy, but as this is evidently beyond the thoughts 
 and intentions of the present government, and as they have 
 made up their minds to grant Rhodes a charter, it is, I think, 
 desirable that one like myself who is in close sympathy with 
 you and the South African Committee, should be upon the 
 Board. I am very hopeful that the action of this Company 
 may prove instrumental in developing and stimulating in a 
 very great degree Imperial interests in South Africa." 
 
 Late in the session of the House of Commons, and 
 at the end of a long sitting, with a minimum of dis- 
 cussion, the momentous step was taken of passing 
 a bill which granted a royal charter to the British 
 South Africa Company. This act empowered the 
 Company to negotiate for and accept from native 
 chiefs in Matabeleland and Mashonaland the right to 
 exercise jurisdiction in those territories. 
 
 During the summer of this year (i 889) the Govern- 
 ment had also sent out a new High Commissioner 
 and Governor of Cape Colony in the person of Sir 
 Henry Loch. Sir Henry Loch was a man of strong 
 character and great experience, as well as firm 
 integrity. One of the shrewdest of South African 
 newspaper editors said of him, that his character 
 was so high that he would probably find it necessary 
 to resign his position before the completion of his 
 term of office ; and this prophecy was fulfilled. But 
 he went out before the charter was given to the 
 British South Africa Company, and began his work 
 at Cape Town before the complications arose which 
 that charter created even there.
 
 436 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 After the autumn holidays Mackenzie undertook 
 to write an article on South African affairs, at the 
 request of the editor of The Contemporary Review. 
 This article appeared in the November number of 
 that periodical, and extended to twenty-four pages. 
 While it reviewed past history and political events, 
 the most important portion was contained in the 
 last ten pages, where he discussed the granting of 
 the charter to the British South Africa Company ; 
 and this not in any carping spirit, but by way of 
 accounting for the fact that the charter had been 
 given at a time when every one believed chartered 
 companies to be an obsolete method of Imperial 
 administration, and by way of warning the British 
 public that it would be a gross injustice to extend 
 the authority of this Company to Bechuanaland. He 
 also discussed the necessity for the construction of a 
 railway through Bechuanaland. The last section of 
 the article is entitled " Imperial administration prior 
 to local self-government," in which the case for the 
 South African High Commissionership of a true kind 
 was stated with exceptional clearness and vivacity. 
 
 During the autumn Mackenzie also undertook a 
 series of deputation services and addresses on behalf 
 of the London Missionary Society. He arranged to 
 give a public address in November at Manchester, 
 upon the " Native Races and Liquor Traffic Com- 
 mission," and at Liverpool before the Chamber of 
 Commerce. But ere these engagements could be 
 fulfilled, he was stricken suddenly at Berwick-on- 
 Tweed. This occurred on Sunday morning, November 
 24th, as he was concluding a public service in church. 
 It was towards the end of his sermon that, as he 
 afterwards described it, he suddenly felt as if a 
 thousand needles were being driven rapidly into the 
 back of his neck. The pain was excruciating, but 
 with marvellous self-mastery he brought the sermon
 
 THE REJECTION OF A PROPHET 437 
 
 quietly to an end, offered prayer, gave out a hymn, 
 and pronounced the benediction. When he reached 
 the vestry he collapsed. The physician who attended 
 him immediately said that the effort he made after 
 the stroke, had worked more mischief than all the 
 preceding anxieties and labours which had brought 
 it on. 
 
 Mackenzie had been literally giving his life without 
 grudging and without stint for the good of South 
 Africa. Naturally a man of strong constitution, who 
 had hardly known a day's illness for thirty years, 
 he had brought this upon himself simply by carrying 
 upon his heart the burdens of the races, both black 
 and white, whose struggles he had watched and over 
 whose future he had agonised. 
 
 His engagements were all immediately cancelled, 
 and he went down to Portobello, where absolute 
 rest was prescribed for several months. But it was 
 easier for him to rest by doing something. It was 
 a relief to him to be able to write an occasional 
 article for the Leeds Alereury or The Scotsman ; and 
 this he did. As helping to understand the amount 
 of labour which he performed this year, it ought to 
 be recorded that Mackenzie had undertaken the proof 
 reading for a reprint of the Sechuana Bible ; and 
 that he had expended much energy and anxious 
 thought over an elaborate correspondence with the 
 Government regarding the rights of the London 
 Missionary Society to the ownership of the fountain 
 at Kuruman in Bechuanaland. This ownership was 
 being contested largely out of hatred of the Society 
 and of some of its promoters ; and the victory was 
 won by the Society, which had done so much for 
 South Africa, not without very great exertions and 
 some bitter experiences. 
 
 It may also be recorded that several of Mackenzie's 
 South African correspondents called his attention at
 
 \ 
 
 438 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 this time (1889) to the extraordinary manner in 
 which President Kruger had begun to supply the 
 burghers of the Transvaal with guns and ammunition. 
 Men who knew the facts told him of the resolution 
 of the Transvaal Government to see that this dis- 
 tribution of the best weapons was quietly but effec- 
 tively carried out, and the way in which it was done. 
 During this year, then, the British Government 
 made its momentous choice, from which many of its 
 subsequent relations to the South African States and 
 Colonies may be traced as with relentless logic down 
 to the year 1899. It decided many things when it 
 resolved to errant a charter to the British South 
 Africa Company, and refused to separate the office 
 of Hig-h Commissioner for South Africa from that 
 of Governor of the Cape Colony. To secure this 
 separation and prevent that grant, Mackenzie had in 
 vain employed all the resources of argument and 
 agitation, almost to the breaking of his heart. His 
 prophecy was rejected ; and Great Britain gave South 
 African history over to be directed for well-nigh ten 
 years, by those personalities who received from her 
 hands that charter and those undivided offices. What 
 they made of it we now know. But that prophet 
 described its gloom to an unbelieving people in 1889.
 
 CHAPTER XVII 
 
 ENGLAND — THE SAVING OF BECHUANALAND 
 (189O-1891) 
 
 When Mackenzie returned to active work in February 
 1890, his plan of campaign, along with the ever faith- 
 ful members of the South African Committee, was to 
 make sure now of the union of North and South 
 Bechuanaland under Imperial administration as a 
 Crown Colony. Much work was also given to 
 prevent the cession of Swaziland to the Transvaal, 
 on conditions which President Kruger was most 
 sedulously urging. It is unnecessary to enter into 
 detail upon the latter question and to describe the 
 kind of pressure which was brought to bear upon 
 the Government to meet President Kruger's wishes. 
 On February 19th, Mackenzie lectured before the 
 Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, and addressed the 
 Constitutional Club in London in the month of May. 
 In that month also he was invited to take part in 
 a deputation to the King of Belgium, who was on a 
 visit to London. The following extract from a letter 
 of the Rev. J. Grant Mills, Secretary of the Association 
 which sent this deputation to the Belgium King, is of 
 biographical interest. Mr Grant Mills had been 
 negotiating with Count d'Outremont : — 
 
 I saw the Count, to whom I repeated the contents of your 
 letter. He then went on to the King and returned with a 
 message, and said that the King would be pleased to receive 
 myself and two others, one of whom was to be yourself, from 
 the Congregational Union. The King specially mentioned 
 you. Count d'Outremont said that the King was specially
 
 440 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 anxious to meet experts who knew Africa, and that therefore 
 His Majesty had expressed a desire that you should come. 
 
 Throughout the summer his work continued with 
 great activity, although there is not much that need 
 be recorded, since it so much resembles what we have 
 already described. 
 
 On July I 5th he writes to one of his sons : — 
 
 I am not without some encouragement in my work. You 
 would see, an order in Council has been published giving 
 certain powers in North Bechuanaland to the Governor of 
 Bechuanaland, Sir H. B. Loch, under the foreign Juris- 
 diction Acts. It was under these Acts that I began opera- 
 tions in 1884. They were found to be quite unsuitable and 
 inadequate. And yet they will again take up with them 
 rather than do things in a business way. But it shows they 
 have seen the necessity of some movement. And the next 
 thing will be, or ought to be, the establishment of the 
 Queen's sovereignty and administration. Then my present 
 work will be over May God graciously hasten this. 
 
 After the holidays he had various public engage- 
 ments, amongst which was the delivery of a lecture 
 before the South Place Ethical Society, one Sunday 
 morning, on " Systems of Tribal Policy in South 
 Africa." 
 
 About this time Mackenzie performed an act whose 
 moral value can hardly be ignored. He had seen 
 announced in the public press a route by which the 
 pioneer forces of the British South Africa Company 
 intended to enter Mashonaland. The route chosen 
 by them was apparently the easiest and most direct, 
 but it had been marked out by men who, knowing in 
 general the geography of those regions, must have 
 known little or nothing of their political situation. 
 Mackenzie was absolutely convinced that if the 
 pioneers travelled on that road they would be 
 massacred by the Matabcle. The Company would 
 be, if not crushed, at least dishonoured at the very 
 beginning of its history. As he said afterwards, he
 
 THE SAVING OF BFXHUAN ALAND 441 
 
 could not " bear to think of all those fine young 
 Englishmen being speared some night " by the 
 terrible Matabele, whom he knew so well, Mackenzie 
 at once saw his duty, and without hesitation did it. 
 He sat down and wrote to Lord Knutsford, and also 
 to Lord Salisbury, giving in detail the facts which 
 convinced him of the extreme danger which would bie 
 incurred by the British South Africa Company if they 
 journeyed on the route announced in the papers ; and 
 more than that, he carefully marked out the direction 
 in which it would be safe for the pioneers to proceed 
 from Bechuanaland into Mashonaland, naming the 
 places at which water could be obtained, and the 
 reasons why Matabele prejudices would not be 
 insulted, nor their fears be excited if this route 
 were adopted. With immense satisfaction he saw 
 shortly afterwards an announcement in the papers, 
 that the leaders of the expedition had seen reason 
 to change their plans, and had resolved upon a new 
 road into their territory, this being the one which 
 Mackenzie had marked out for them. 
 
 The following letter to the Secretary of the 
 Company will further illustrate Mackenzie's spirit, 
 and the attitude which he assumed towards the 
 Company when once it had been established and 
 formed part of the life of South Africa. The letter 
 makes reference to a further memorandum which he 
 had recently sent to Lord Salisbury regarding 
 Walvisch Bay and its importance to Great Britain : — 
 
 II Queen Square, 
 London, lothjan. 1891. 
 
 The Secretary of the British South Africa Company. 
 
 Dear Sir, — I enclose, for the information of your 
 Board of Directors, a copy of a memorandum which I recently 
 sent to Her Majesty's Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. 
 I daresay it is within your knowledge that before your
 
 442 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 Company obtained its charter I advocated instead Imperial 
 control. 
 
 Since the granting of the charter, however, I have conceived 
 it to be my duty to accept the decision of Her Majesty's 
 Government thus practically come to, and to render any 
 assistance in my power to the peaceful opening up of the 
 country by the Company, as, for instance, by suggesting the 
 best route for the Company's pioneers to take in order to 
 enter Mashonaland without fighting. 
 
 The enclosed memorandum has reference to the next 
 important question in the development of Mashonaland and 
 neighbouring countries — the question of the best route to 
 England. 
 
 Physical geography really answers the question. The Cape 
 Colony railway and the other north-going South African rail- 
 ways will play an important and indispensable part in the 
 development of South Africa, but the route forced on the 
 attention of the pioneers in Mashonaland is one which will 
 minimise the expense and time of transit. The first answer 
 to that is, the route via Pungwe River, but the final and 
 permanent answer is a railway across Africa from Walvisch 
 Bay to Pungwe River or Zambesi River. Via Walvisch Bay 
 your traveller would have some 2000 miles less to travel 
 than by any other route. — I remain, ever yours sincerely, 
 
 John Mackenzie. 
 
 Mr Albert Grey wrote to Mackenzie concerning 
 this letter, and the memorandum to which it referred, 
 as follows : — 
 
 The Duke of Fife has been greatly interested by your 
 private letter to me, as well as by your admirable memor- 
 andum, which has been copied out and forwarded to every 
 member of our Board. ... I much look forward to having 
 a talk with you about the various problems for Imperial 
 administration in South Africa, which you have so nearly at 
 heart, and which possess my fullest sympathy. 
 
 On February 2nd Mackenzie sent another letter 
 to Lord Knutsford, calling his attention to the 
 memorandum concerning Walvisch Bay, and then 
 dealing very carefully with the problem of Bechuana- 
 land. This he now felt to be the final piece of
 
 THE SAVING OF BECHUANAL'AND 443 
 
 work which he had to accomplish — the securing of 
 
 an Imperial administration for North Bechuana- 
 
 land. The heart of his proposal, and his deep 
 
 earnestness about it, are revealed in the concluding 
 
 paragraphs of his letter : — 
 
 II Queen Square, 
 2nd Feb. 1890. 
 
 Everything points to a consolidation of British administra- 
 tion in Bechuanaland for some time to come, and not to the 
 giving up of our position there. 
 
 The expense of this course will not be increased by includ- 
 ing North Bechuanaland under British sovereignty, because I 
 would contemplate obtaining from the Chiefs a cession of 
 lands unoccupied and unneeded by them, which would be a 
 source of revenue, and in the course of time, notwithstanding 
 past failure, I should hope to secure from them direct assist- 
 ance by some form of tax. Their confidence, which has been 
 impaired, would, of course, need to be regained, and this 
 would take time. But there is only one other course, sooner 
 or later, that of the Hollander Editor of the Zuid Afrikaan 
 newspaper, which he would wish to pass off as the view of the 
 Colony — to fight them and break them up, and make them 
 for ever our enemies in their hearts. 
 
 Forgive a too long letter, I am sure you will not misunder- 
 stand it. The responsibility of a very important decision will 
 largely rest on your Lordship. I have taken the liberty in 
 these lines to tender advice, which I believe would lead to peace- 
 ful development and good understanding between natives and 
 Europeans of all nationalities. I am thankful that Sir Henry 
 Loch comes to this country to consult with Her Majesty's 
 Government, after the personal acquaintance which he has 
 now made with both South and North Bechuanaland. 
 
 This letter to Lord Knutsford was described in the 
 following way to Mr Chamberlain, to whom he also 
 announced the fact that he felt his own task of agita- 
 tion approaching its close. 
 
 1 1 Queen Square, 
 London, 20th Feb. 1891. 
 
 Dear Mr Chamberlain, — I take the liberty to enclose a 
 copy of a letter which I sent to Lord Knutsford a short time 
 ago. I was impressed with the very great responsibility which
 
 444 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 rested on him at this time, and wrote to him under that feel- 
 ing. I shall be glad if you will return it after you have had 
 time to look it over. 
 
 Lord Knutsford, in reply, said what I had written would 
 secure attention from him and from Sir Henry Loch in 
 their consultations, and afterwards from Her Majesty's 
 Government. 
 
 I would not gather from Sir Henry Loch that he was 
 opposed to our views, although, of course, he is duly 
 reserved. I trust you will do what you can in this matter. 
 If you do this, I am sure your judgment and wish would 
 go a great way. There is also another result of your exert- 
 ing yourself in behalf of a righteous course as to Bechuana- 
 land, and it is this, that if British administration is established 
 in Khame's country, as in South Bechuanaland, I shall regard 
 the work as accomplished which I came over here to help in ; 
 and thus you see, there would be some prospect of my ceas- 
 ing to trouble you about Bechuanaland. 
 
 The Missionary Society for some time past has been 
 urging me to go back to its service again — not in Bechuana- 
 land. I replied then that I would go nowhere till I saw 
 this through, and now I trust it may please God to help the 
 poor duffers of natives in North Bechuanaland, by getting 
 them again to place full confidence in us, to go back to a 
 clearly defined arrangement with Her Majesty's Government, 
 such as that of 1885, and thus secure them their holdings by 
 an Imperial title, which would bring real peace to the country. 
 
 I have no reason to suppose that you do wish to be freed 
 from studying the Bechuanaland question ; on the contrary, I 
 think you have a real interest in South African questions, and 
 personally I have much reason to be thankful for your sym- 
 pathy, advice, and assistance. 
 
 I have never before referred to my own affairs, or mixed 
 them up with what I have regarded as my duty to others. I 
 only know that if British administration is extended to North 
 Bechuanaland I shall have brought about what I came over 
 to help in, and be free to look out earnestly and thought- 
 fully as to what bit of work I can next do before I become an 
 old man. 
 
 Mr Chamberlain replied in a reassuring manner in 
 a personal interview, which Mackenzie described to his 
 wife as follows : —
 
 THE SAVING OF BECHUANALAND 445 
 
 II Queen Square, W.C, 
 <)th March 1 89 1 . 
 
 I looked up Mr Chamberlain this morning, and had a short 
 interview. He assures me on the following points : — 
 
 1. He is to be consulted by Lord Knutsford before, and 
 not after, they form their policy. 
 
 2. No annexation to the Cape Colony. There might be 
 a rectiJicatio7i of the Northern Border of the Cape Colony, I 
 said this was nonsense ; that meant the annexation of the 
 Bechuanaland Colony to the Cape Colony. . No ; he did not 
 understand that at all — only a small addition to put right the 
 boundary line. I said that was a mistake, the boundary line 
 was put down by Moysey, an Imperial ofificer, and afterwards 
 ratified by the Cape Colony. 
 
 3. He also assured me that no annexation would take place 
 without consulting the wishes of the natives. My visit was 
 unannounced, but I hope good will come of it. 
 
 I ventured to remind him that the special position of 
 honour which he had occupied in recent festivities and 
 hospitalities, owing to his position generally, but specially 
 owing to the interest which he had taken in South African 
 affairs, showed the appreciation of his position which others 
 held. It was for him, therefore, to see that in other ways 
 that position and those views were recognized and deferred 
 to, that he did not make things too cheap. 
 
 " When all this Company-mongering is over, the history of 
 the country will show that ours is the true policy to pursue," 
 I assured him. " I want you to be more militant than you 
 have lately been," I added. " I am afraid that steps may be 
 taken which will make all such interference and advice too 
 late." 
 
 " I don't know, however, that I want to be more militant 
 at present," he said. " In any case I must think the matter 
 over." 
 
 We had some more talk to the same effect. I wish I 
 could make him more earnest about this matter. He is a 
 clever man, and one who would not give up a point if once 
 he gave adhesion to it. 
 
 " Oh, Mr Rhodes is more taken up with an Imperial 
 ZoUverein than anything else at present." 
 
 I replied, " I don't think so at all, but he would be de- 
 lighted if he could set you all a-thinking about a ZoUverein and
 
 446 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 Imperial Federation, etc., while he practically advances the 
 Cape Colony northward in South Africa. His object, in 
 short, is to remove the consideration of South African sub- 
 jects from London to Cape Town. Do you agree to that ? 
 Remember it is Africa — a Continent. Surely Britain will 
 not let itself be excluded from presiding over its affairs till 
 it can hand these affairs over to a local Confederation." 
 
 " I quite agree that what must be worked for, and what we 
 may expect, is a Confederation." 
 
 " If everybody is pleased and willing to transmit the 
 management of the whole thing to the Cape Colony, 
 Cape Town and not London would be the place where a 
 man like myself would have to seek to establish influence 
 and sound opinion." 
 
 I left him with the idea that I had made some impression, 
 I should not perhaps have gone, nor should I have spoken 
 so strongly, but for a note from Sir Fowell Buxton, in which 
 he seems to be inclined to give everything up to " local 
 management." 
 
 We had a long chat — a serious one — in the smoking- 
 room of No. 1 1 last night ; an American Colonel, an old 
 East Indian, a Liverpool young man, and myself. 
 
 "Young Mr Lincoln," the American Minister, called for 
 the American family yesterday. Lie is not so lankey as the 
 pictures of his father. J. M. 
 
 Mr Chamberlain appears to have immediately 
 written to Mackenzie another letter, to which the 
 latter replied as follows : — 
 
 London, March ii, 1S91. 
 Dear Mr Chamberlain, — Many thanks for your note, 
 which is reassuring. I cannot but await with great anxiety 
 the outcome of a policy which is touched on, with reference 
 to a country in which I have spent a great part of my life. . . . 
 I cannot forget that the entrance into Bechuanaland by the 
 British Government has been the cause of our revived influence 
 throughout South Africa, just as the holding by the administra- 
 tion of tliat country now by the British Government will prove 
 itself the key to the complete and lasting establishment of our 
 influence in South Africa generally. This is the crucial step, 
 leading to a future confederation of the various European 
 governments, instead of the haphazard muddle to which the
 
 THE SAVING OF BECHUANALAND 447 
 
 growth of the Cape Colony must lead. I beg your continued 
 interest in a matter which the future will amply show is one 
 of supreme importance. 
 
 It soon became apparent that the Government was 
 being gradually driven, by the logic of facts and the 
 urgent appeals of Mackenzie and the various members 
 of the South African Committee, to take some 
 momentous step with regard to North Bechuanaland, 
 for, of all portions of Austral Africa south of the 
 Zambesi, that alone remained without some definite 
 form of civilised government. But as Mackenzie saw 
 the close of his long work approaching, there neces- 
 sarily arose in his mind the question of his own 
 future. This indeed had already been raised for him 
 by the Directors of the London Missionary Society, 
 who for a number of months had been negotiating 
 with him. Their final proposal was that he should 
 go out in their service to the mission station of 
 Hankey in Cape Colony, about fifty miles west of 
 Port Elizabeth. As all their other important stations 
 were at this time occupied, and they had very 
 urgent reasons for wishing to set a strong man to 
 work at Hankey, this remained as the only definite 
 prospect that they could hold out to him. The 
 following extracts are from a letter to his wife when 
 these negotiations began, and serve to show the spirit 
 in which he faced the task proposed to him. 
 
 Manchester, 17/// Oct. 1890. 
 
 I sent you a copy of the Weekly Times with that reference 
 from their Mashonaland correspondent. 
 
 I have now received, before leaving London, the formal 
 request of the Directors that I go to Hankey, which I 
 enclose. 
 
 It is to start on a new kind of life ; new languages, and in 
 a part of the country with which I have had no connection. 
 
 The man who goes there can be of no use — or very little 
 use — in general South African affairs. Were I to go there
 
 448 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 I should simply give myself to the work there, and to 
 nothing else. It would amount to that. 
 
 I don't know how it might turn out, but Thompson's im- 
 pression decidedly was, that the place would have, in the 
 end, to be disposed of, and the people be left to Colonial 
 life in its general bearings, as has been done on other 
 institutions already. I don't know if he was right in this 
 surmise, but understood from him that this might turn out 
 part of my duties. 
 
 So far as my thoughts and sense of personal duty go, 
 they don't lead me to Hankey at all. They have to do with 
 my work elsewhere in South Africa. 
 
 I have often said to you that if I had ever so much 
 money I could not have been better placed than I have 
 been over here, to do my work, and that I was where I 
 felt I ought to be in the meantime. I have no such feeling 
 about going to Hankey. I should go there because I was 
 unable to refuse to go at the Society's request, on account 
 of money-obligation to them. 
 
 I take it for granted, however, that they will not ask me 
 to go away right off, while the destination of Bechuanaland 
 is undecided, and may be said to be now under considera- 
 tion, owing to the personal visit of Sir H. Loch to that 
 country. If that is settled, in whatever way, I shall prepare 
 myself to obey the Directors, and go and do my best at 
 Hankey. I have already stated to Mr Thompson's clerk — 
 he was out — that I took it for granted they meant me to 
 remain and see this out after Loch's report. 
 
 Also, I asked that I should be completely free from 
 Deputation work, so that I might give my time to the 
 finishing of the Sechuana Scriptures. _ 
 
 This is how the matter stands. I cannot say that I 
 change the whole bent of my life and thought and work, 
 so far done — and more of it being done — to devote myself 
 to the settlement of the affairs of Hankey. 
 
 I believe that He whom we serve will guide us at this 
 time. He will open up our way. What I feel is that I 
 must be perfectly open-minded and above board all round, 
 so that there can be no misunderstanding. 
 
 If Bechuanaland is settled and disposed of, my sense of 
 obligation to the Society would send me to Hankey, and I 
 am not at all insensible to what might be done there. Not 
 at all. Let us wait on God, and look to Him.
 
 THE SAVING OF BECIIUANALAND 449 
 
 Since the date of this letter, he had learned much 
 more concerning Hanke)', and it had begun to occupy 
 a distinct place in his imagination of the future. 
 Nevertheless, it can hardly be said that his heart as 
 yet went out to Hankey with anything of eager 
 anticipation. He was still deeply immersed in the 
 larger problems of Imperialism in South Africa. He 
 everywhere makes it plain in his correspondence that 
 his own desires went out towards some form of 
 administrative work. In the course of his many 
 and earnest discussions with Mr Chamberlain, as well 
 as with Sir Robert Herbert, this subject naturally 
 arose. At last, in the course of an important con- 
 versation regarding Bechuanaland and its approaching 
 political settlement, Mackenzie was led to say to Sir 
 Robert Herbert that he was willing to put himself at 
 the service of the Government, if they had any work 
 for him to do. This step Mr Chamberlain very 
 warmly approved. Sir Robert Herbert and Lord 
 Knutsford both received it with apparent cordiality 
 and good-will. 
 
 These conversations resulted in his sending to Lord 
 Knutsford the following letter : — 
 
 II Queen Square, W.C, London, 
 21 st April 1 89 1. 
 
 Dear Lord Knutsford, — I learn with great pleasure 
 that Her Majesty's Government contemplate an extension 
 of Imperial administration in the Protectorate, and in 
 Khame's country. I think your Lordship is aware that I 
 was so impressed with the necessity for taking this step that 
 I came over to England to do all that a private individual 
 could, to remove misapprehensions and to give correct in- 
 formation concerning a country which had been offered to 
 us on very favourable terms by its native owners. 
 
 In view of the step on which Her Majesty's Government 
 has resolved, I am prepared very gladly to resign the work 
 of writing, lecturing, and teaching geography, etc., etc., in 
 which I have been engaged. I feel sure that my humble 
 
 2 F
 
 450 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 efforts have not been altogether without result, and that, 
 with the efforts of other and more influential people, public 
 opinion in this country will earnestly support Her Majesty's 
 Government in this movement northward. 
 
 The question then arises to me, what to do next ? and 
 the answer of my judgment, as well as of my inclination 
 would be to assist (if I might) in carrying out the work of 
 native administration in South Africa, which will now occupy 
 the attention of Her Majesty's Government for some time 
 to come. While fully alive to the difficulties of this work, 
 I should hope to be able to render some assistance in 
 overcoming them, and I cherish the hope and expectation 
 that, with our growing knowledge of the country and the 
 people, and the natives' increasing knowledge of us and 
 your objects, the difficulties of the present would gradually 
 lessen, and in the end disappear. 
 
 When I have mentioned this state of mind to friends, 
 it has given them great satisfaction as to the proposed 
 action of Government, and also because, as they are pleased 
 to say, they feel sure that I can be of service out there ; 
 and it was Mr Chamberlain that suggested that I should 
 address your Lordship on the subject. 
 
 The first important work that arises out of our movement 
 northward, would be to come to a good understanding with 
 the Chiefs of North Bechuanaland with reference to this 
 movement. To be of any real use in North Bechuanaland 
 the Imperial Government must be able to control the 
 settlement of vacant lands. Could this power be again 
 obtained from the Chiefs, as in 1885? Circumstances 
 have no doubt taken place since which render this very 
 difficult. But success is not hopeless, and I am willing 
 to attempt this at the request of Her Majesty's Government. 
 It has been suggested to me that I should mention in 
 what capacity I would propose to attempt this work. 
 
 I. Harking back to former experience, one way would 
 be that I should go to North Bechuanaland as I did to 
 South Bechuanaland, as Deputy Commissioner, under the 
 High Commissioner. I think it well to add that, in my 
 judgment, it would be necessary that this Deputy Com- 
 missionership should be unconnected officially with the 
 Government of South Bechuanaland. Owing to the past 
 history of the Protectorate, this would be the only practicable, 
 not to say the only pleasant, method for all parties. Of
 
 THE SAVING OF BECHUANALAND 451 
 
 course 1 should be anxious to enter the country on the 
 most friendly terms with Sir Sidney Shippard ; but 1 feel 
 sure it would be to the advantage of the service that our 
 work should not be mixed up together. 
 
 2. Or, if Her Majesty's Government came to see its way, 
 at some future time, to extend the present colony of 
 Bechuanaland northward, I should be prepared to attempt, 
 as just stated, the initial work in North Bechuanaland, 
 and to take charge of the Native Department, or whatever 
 other office in the enlarged Colony Her Majesty's Govern- 
 ment might entrust to me. 
 
 3. There is a third capacity in which I am willing to 
 undertake the same immediate work in North Bechuanaland, 
 but in this case it would be to hand it over to others when 
 completed, and to engage in other necessary intermediary 
 or diplomatic work elsewhere, as the High Commissioner 
 and Her Majesty's Government might desire. It will be 
 in the recollection of some that it was contemplated, some 
 years ago, to place on the staff of the High Commissioner 
 a "Native Commissioner" or "Chief Native Commissioner," 
 or " Imperial Native Commissioner," who would be ex- 
 pected to be an authority on native customs and native 
 politics, and who would also be qualified to undertake on 
 behalf of the High Commissioner and Her Majesty's Govern- 
 ment the diplomatic work necessarily connected with our 
 position and work in native territories. It will not be 
 disputed that the presence of such an ofificer would have 
 averted many an untoward and calamitous event. Such 
 work as has now to be done in North Bechuanaland would 
 fall to this officer. 
 
 Then, Her Majesty's Government has now before its 
 mind, in Native Territories, certain general objects which a 
 permanent official of this character could do something to 
 further, in a (juiet, steady, and persistent way. I need only 
 mention one or two of those general objects which ought 
 never to be lost sight of Certain steps as to the treatment 
 of land, the result of which would be to win the affections 
 of the people for Her Majesty's administration, and to 
 gradually supersede the communistic relations of the 
 members of a tribe among one another, letting in the fresh, 
 stimulating breath of healthy individualistic competition ; and 
 slowly, but surely, and in the general tribal interest, to 
 supersede the power and influence of the Chiefs by an
 
 452 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 evidently helpful Queen's Government, and generally, to 
 lead the various communities forward, cherishing a good 
 understanding between the old Native element and the 
 new European settlers in their country, until, in each case, 
 by God's blessing on our efforts, Imperial administration 
 could be removed and local self-government advantageously 
 take its place. I am willing, if called on by Government, 
 to do my best to discharge the duties of " Chief Native 
 Commissioner," or " Imperial Native Commissioner." I 
 should regard the appointment as a high honour, and I 
 should feel all the stimulus and strength which flow from 
 the assurance that in this office I had opportunity of serving 
 my fellow-men, my beloved country, and the common 
 Father of all. — I remain, dear Lord Knutsford, ever sincerely 
 yours, John Mackenzie. 
 
 For nearly three months Mackenzie was kept 
 waiting for a reply to this application. The reason 
 for this was that it had to be transmitted to South 
 Africa for the consideration of Sir Henry Loch, 
 the High Commissioner and Governor of Cape 
 Colony. 
 
 Lord Knutsford has kindly supplied the present 
 writer with the following statement of facts. Re- 
 ferring to the letter of application he says : — 
 
 Upon receiving this I wrote to Sir Henry Loch, in 
 which, while enclosing a copy of your father's letter, I 
 said that there was no doubt of Mr Mackenzie being a 
 very able man, and Imperialistic in his views, as he had 
 long been pressing annexation and believed that he could 
 reconcile the Chiefs to this proceeding ; that I thought he 
 would be really useful, and that he was the man most 
 likely to conciliate the Chiefs ; that I personally would be 
 glad to see him appointed Special Commissioner (perhaps 
 for one year in the first instance), under Sir Henry Loch's 
 orders as High Commissioner. 
 
 During the delay Mackenzie had been much 
 encouraged by various interviews at the Colonial 
 Office, which seemed to indicate that there, at any 
 rate, his appointment would be received with satis-
 
 THE SAVING OF BECHUANALAND 453 
 
 faction. He even went the length of describing in 
 a communication to Sir Robert Herbert, on the 
 1 0th of May, the plan which should be adopted by 
 a Commissioner appointed to bring North Bechuana- 
 land under Imperial administration. When at last 
 Lord Knutsford announced on July 7th that Sir 
 Henry Loch had decided against the proposal, there 
 could be no doubt of Mackenzie's deep disappoint- 
 ment. Sir Henry Loch said that he had already made 
 other arrangements for the control and administration 
 of the Protectorate, which did not admit of the 
 appointment of any officer to perform the kind 
 of work proposed for Mackenzie. To this Mackenzie 
 replied as follows : — 
 
 II Queen Square, W.C, 
 \oth July 1 89 1. 
 
 Dear Lord Knutsford, — I have to acknowledge your 
 Lordship's kindly expressed note informing me that Sir 
 Henry Loch has made arrangements for the control and 
 administration of the Bechuanaland Protectorate, and does 
 not see his way to avail himself of my services there, and 
 that your Lordship could not press the matter further against 
 his decided opinion. 
 
 In reply to this unexpected information, and in so far as 
 the question is a personal one, I shall only say that I bow to 
 your Lordship's decision, for which I have been anxiously 
 waiting for some time : and that I shall never regret having 
 offered my services for a pacific settlement of North Bechu- 
 analand at the present juncture, although those services have 
 been declined. I may be permitted to say also that I have 
 worked for this cause for so many years that I am not afraid 
 that my policy or my motives are misunderstood in Cape 
 Town any more than at the Colonial Office in London : 
 and again, I am quite sure that they have not declined my 
 services on account of my ignorance of Bechuanaland, or my 
 want of acceptability to its people, black as well as white. 
 
 Leaving the present aspect of the question, I beg to offer 
 a few remarks on the much graver public aspect. This I can 
 do all the more readily that I have had no private or personal 
 quarrels or animosities in South Africa. The umbrage which
 
 454 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 I may have given has been entirely through the public policy 
 which I have advocated, and especially because it is recognized 
 that I had something to do with the revival of Imperial 
 influence in South Africa at a time when it was thought to 
 have been banished and got rid of. I confess I am afraid 
 that that influence, as a poiver for good, is still in great danger 
 of being, in a clever but real way, subverted and banished 
 from South Africa — leaving the Imperial Government with 
 full responsibility, hut stripped of all power and means of 
 action. 
 
 Allow me to recapitulate the heads of the policy to 
 advocate which I have given some years of my life, and 
 which has met with public approval in this country, the 
 intelligent acquiescence of the natives, chiefs, and people, after 
 being fully explained to them, as well as the approbation of 
 the best and most intelligent colonists. 
 
 1. I believe I was the first to point out the possibility of 
 the peaceful opening up of native territories under the 
 Imperial Government, accompanied by the recognition of the 
 rights of natives to their holdings, and by intelligent steps 
 taken to secure those lands to their owners under the Imperial 
 Government. 
 
 2. There being no General or Central Government in 
 South Africa, and Her Majesty's Government being recognized 
 as practically in this capacity by every State and Colony, it 
 follows that new territories such as Bechuanaland should be 
 administered under Imperial auspices till local self-government 
 became advisable. 
 
 3. The third point consists in a recognition of the growth 
 of public opinion here and in South Africa as to South 
 African affairs, which may be shown in this way. Although 
 in 1883 and '84 the growth of the Cape Colony northward 
 was held to be infinitely better than that Bechuanaland 
 should be the scene of outrage and filibustering or should 
 pass over to the Transvaal or Germany, and Britain be 
 effectually shut out of the country ; yet, more recently, after 
 the attention of Great Britain and of all South Africa has 
 been directed to these northern countries, it is fully recognized 
 that it is the duty of the Imperial Government, as the Acting 
 General Government of South Africa — and in the interests 
 of the whole country — to consider thoughtfully the dis- 
 position of native territories under Imperial protection, so 
 that a Confederation of the European Governments in South
 
 THE SAVING OF BECHUANALAND 455 
 
 Africa under Great Britain may become practicable in the 
 future ; and that therefore both Bechuanaland and Zambesi 
 should be administered as separate colonies or territories 
 until such time as the wishes of their respective inhabitants, 
 and the general interest of South Africa as a whole, made 
 plain what further step should be taken with regard to their 
 future and permanent government. 
 
 Now there are doubtless some men in South Africa who 
 would object to all these propositions. They would 
 " hammer " the natives, and rob them of their land, and 
 never recognize their right to own land, or to possess any 
 civil right except to pay a hut-tax. They would "level down " 
 the Cape Colony constitution to the condition of those 
 republics where a man, no matter how good he is, or how 
 much he knows, or how much he has, in character, knowledge, 
 or property, can have no citizen-rights, because he is a native 
 African in his own country of Africa. These people most 
 earnestly desire to see the Imperial Government snubbed 
 and bounced till it retires from all administrative work in 
 new territories : and they do so simply and baldly because 
 the British Government insists that the natives do have rights 
 which a civilized government must recognise. These people 
 do not hide from us that when they succeed in expelling the 
 Imperial Government from responsible administrative work, 
 they intend to introduce, not "slavery," they assure you, but 
 a "domestic institution," some "labour arrangement," in the 
 practice of which Europeans are to march northwards in 
 Africa under the British flag. The one policy is to hold 
 Bechuanaland under the Imperial Government in the assured 
 hope that education, and the introduction of civilized settlers 
 from Britain and from the Cape Colony, will make that 
 country an important factor in " levelling up " the future 
 South African Confederation to the status of the present 
 constitution of the Cape Colony. The other is to drive out 
 the Imperial Government and "level down " the Cape Colony 
 Constitution to the present low status of the Grondwet of 
 the Transvaal. 
 
 I know of nothing which illustrates the present South 
 African position so well as the condition of the United States 
 of America before the Civil War. The great question then 
 was, Shall the new territories become Free Soil or Slave 
 States? The corresponding "Southern" view in South 
 Africa at the present time, would expel the Imperial
 
 456 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 Government from administration and thus settle the matter 
 in favour of its own views. The best men in South Africa, 
 and I am not now speaking of Dutch or EngHsh, earnestly 
 desire the Imperial Government to remain in active 
 administration and responsibility in native territories, so that 
 the " Northern " view and policy may triumph in the future 
 in all South Africa. 
 
 I cannot imagine for a moment any hesitation on a 
 question of this nature and magnitude, on the part of your 
 Lordship or Her Majesty's Government, when the real 
 bearings of the question are clearly seen. The one policy is 
 unrighteous, selfish, and destined to be worked out in blood ; 
 the other is such as can be laid before South Africa and 
 before the world, and on which the blessing of Heaven can 
 be asked. 
 
 The problem in South Africa is not an easy one in any 
 circumstances. What I fear is that Her Majesty's Govern- 
 ment is in danger of acquiescing in its own expulsion from 
 active administration in new territories, by a few men in the 
 Cape Colony, before there is a Confederated South African 
 Government to which it could hand over its duties ; and I 
 am well aware that no greater calamity could possibly happen 
 to South Africa. 
 
 In concluding these remarks on the public bearings of the 
 opposing lines of policy in South Africa to-day, I leave it to 
 Her Majesty's Government to choose which it will follow 
 and uphold. And in this connexion I beg to put it to your 
 Lordship and to Her Majesty's Government to consider 
 well whether the present rejection of a man does not mean, 
 in the present circumstances, the rejection of an indispensable 
 Imperial policy. The individual man cannot help being 
 effaced when he is rejected ; but it is quite different with the 
 Imperial Government, whose presence and work are so 
 necessary. I would therefore implore your Lordship, by all 
 that is highest and noblest in our British history and action 
 in the world, to see to it that the Imperial Government is 
 not effaced in Bechuanaland, and that what I would have 
 willingly attempted in North Bechuanaland is really done by 
 some one else. — I remain, dear Lord Knutsford, ever yours 
 sincerely, John Mackenzie. 
 
 To Mr Chamberlain he wrote on the same 
 subject.
 
 THE SAVING OF BECHUANALAND 457 
 
 II Queen Square, W.C, 
 Zthjuly 1 89 1. 
 
 I have received the enclosed letter from Lord Knutsford. 
 I also take the liberty to enclose a draft reply, hoping you 
 will do me the favour of looking through it. 
 
 I was fully aware that I was proposing to myself no 
 bed of roses in the work which I contemplated. Had the 
 Government desired that work to be done, and supported 
 me along with the High Commissioner, I was prepared to 
 go and do my best, knowing that at such a distance from 
 Cape Town I should have had very little prospect of 
 treading on the toes of any of the Cape Town opponents 
 of Imperial administration in native territories. 
 
 But it is better to be told now that there is no room 
 or work for me in North Bechuanaland than to be appointed 
 and then deserted, as was my experience under Sir H. 
 Robinson. 
 
 I do not regret having given some years of my life to 
 the work of spreading information about that country and 
 about our duties there. You remember well what it was 
 in 1884, when I was first introduced to you by Dr Dale. 
 Since that time I can conscientiously say I have done what 
 I could for the cause of the weak and the ignorant and 
 for the good of my country. 
 
 Allow me to thank you for your kindness and help. The 
 country up to the Zambesi is now in our hands to make 
 or mar. 
 
 As soon as Lord Knutsford's letter reached him, 
 Mackenzie walked down to the Mission House and 
 into the office of Mr Wardlaw Thompson and said, 
 " Now, I am ready for Hankey." 
 
 Before closing this chapter in his life, it ought to be 
 recalled that among all the labours which we have 
 been describing, Mackenzie had undertaken in the year 
 1889 to read the proofs of a re-print of the Bible in 
 the language of the Bechuana people. This was 
 undertaken at the request of the British and Foreign 
 Bible Society. The work would have been irksome 
 for any one, but the labour was increased by the fact 
 that, as he went on, he could not help doing a little
 
 458 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 more than merely compare the former edition with 
 the proof sheets of the new, to secure an exact corre- 
 spondence of the two. The task was not complete 
 until the end of 1890. The following letter to the 
 late Dr William Wright, the Secretary of the Bible 
 Society, will give some idea of what he had done. 
 
 II Queen Square, W.C, 
 2,rd Decetnber 1 890. 
 
 Dear Dr Wright, — I am glad and thankful to .say that 
 yesterday I sent off the last pages of the Sechuana Scriptures : 
 and as the second proofs are only a sheet or two behind, 
 I am quite within sight of the completion of my work. 
 
 I should have got through sooner, but that, as you are 
 aware, I had to read 288 pages twice over, owing to the 
 resolution of the Committee to increase the number of 
 copies to be printed. Then I was also laid aside for a 
 time by illness which unfitted me for mental work. 
 
 The work itself has been more onerous than might have 
 been expected. I found that in different books of Scripture 
 there were different ways of spelling the same word. I 
 have taken some trouble to bring about uniformity in spelling 
 words, and have at any rate reduced the amount of this 
 dissimilarity. 
 
 In reading this I have been able to elide a few mistaken 
 expressions, one or two of an offensive description, which 
 had found their way into use at an early date in the 
 history of the Mission. For instance, the word for " poor " 
 people in those parts of the Bible which were translated 
 at an early date, is " Balala," the name of a single tribe or 
 clan of vassal Becbuanas. The right word "bahumanegi" 
 is found in late books ; I have sought to keep out the word 
 " Balala " altogether, and to use " Bahumanegi " instead. 
 Tlakola = to wipe, specifically as a nurse an infant, had 
 got into Scripture, in the sense of to destroy, or to spoil, 
 although not used in all such cases. I have kept out this 
 word in every case. Sebono is a word made from the verb 
 " bona," to see, by the early missionaries. It was not in 
 native use, as indicating " vision," " something seen." It 
 was probably not known when this word was made by 
 the missionaries and used by them in public services, that 
 it fatally resembled a nasty word already in too frequent
 
 THE SAVING OF BFXHUANALAND 459 
 
 use in native swearing. Afterwards another word was coined, 
 " sebona," which had no recommendation. "Sepontsisho," 
 a thing caused to be seen, was also afterwards used in 
 Scripture ; and this word I have used throughout for the 
 other objectionable words. 
 
 Then, I have put right some ungrammatical expressions, 
 and occasionally rearranged an obscure sentence or clause. 
 
 I am glad that I have been able to bring this work to 
 completion, and remain, dear Dr Wright, ever yours 
 sincerely, John Mackenzie. 
 
 It is due to Mackenzie and to his Christian faith, 
 to say in a word that throughout these years of great 
 toil, of absorbing engagements, and of deep anxiety, 
 his own religious life was not only maintained, but 
 deepened. His family letters show abundantly, as 
 well as those which he wrote to friends of whose 
 Christian sympathy he was sure, that his earlier habits 
 of prayer-life remained unimpaired. His separation 
 from his wife and family, which was only made bear- 
 able by occasional and temporary re-unions in London 
 and at Portobello, was turned by him into a means of 
 divine grace to them. His nine children were made 
 very sure, by his letters, of his unceasing prayer for 
 them and watchfulness over their growth. No one 
 of them took any step in life which did not call out 
 his fullest sympathy, expressed in the tenderest of 
 words. He more than once spoke of the absence of 
 any anxiety regarding them ; and he explained this 
 by his profound faith in the significance of the 
 baptismal rite. For him that Christian ordinance 
 was no mere form, or empty ceremonial. It was the 
 expression and the seal of a covenant between him 
 and his Lord, in which his Lord bound Himself, 
 Mackenzie believed, to preside over the growth of 
 his children and direct them towards the Kingdom of 
 Life. 
 
 As soon as it became known that Mackenzie was 
 going out again to Africa in the service of the
 
 46o JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 London Missionary Society, letters poured in upon 
 him from all quarters, especially from those with 
 whom he had been working upon public questions. 
 Nearly all of them expressed great regret that Govern- 
 ment had not appointed him to its service in South 
 Africa. The members of the South African Com- 
 mittee immediately attempted to arrange for a public 
 dinner in his honour ; but as he was to sail in 
 September, when nearly all his friends were out of 
 town, this was found impossible. 
 
 Mr H. O. Arnold Forster wrote to him as follows : — 
 
 London, 19/8/91. 
 
 Dear Mackenzie, — I am greatly obliged to you for your 
 letter received this day. 
 
 I heard from Loring that all our hopes of your being able 
 to do the good work in the way we hoped are at an end. 
 I most deeply regret it. I know you will and must feel the 
 disappointment. It seemed as if at last the Government 
 were going to take one wise step, and now from the old 
 quarter comes once more the usual fatal veto. 
 
 We certainly do desire to give you some sort of testimony 
 of our regard before you leave, and you will see that the 
 enclosed letter from Lord Grey has reference to a communica- 
 tion from me upon the subject. So many people are out of 
 town that I fear we may meet with some disappointment. 
 But, judging from the letters I have received, it will be from 
 no want of good-will and esteem that any of your many 
 friends will be absent. 
 
 I at anyrate shall, I hope, have the good fortune of see- 
 ing you, and I beg you will let me know at the earliest 
 opportunity when you expect to be in town. — Yours very 
 truly, H. O. Arnold Forster. 
 
 As the dinner could not be arranged at that season, 
 the South African Committee resolved to send to 
 South Africa as soon as possible, a gift which Mr 
 Arnold Forster describes in the following letter : — 
 
 Dear Mackenzie, — Loring and I have been putting our 
 heads together since you left. This is what we have thought 
 of as possible.
 
 THE SAVING OF BECHUANALAND 461 
 
 1. A despatch box which you may be able to carry about 
 with you, and which will be identified with your work in our 
 cause. 
 
 2. A really good travelling clock — "compensated," and 
 not too big. 
 
 Perhaps, however, home-counsels may have bettered these 
 ideas ; if so, let me know by return, otherwise I shall go 
 ahead. Let me know your address in Africa. The things 
 shall be sent after you with the least possible delay. We also 
 propose to send you some written record on behalf of the 
 S. A. Committee, testifying to their .deep appreciation 
 of your work here. Let me add that Loring and I have 
 been agreeing that you have left us an example of courage, 
 single-mindedness, and determination to fight for the right, 
 which will long serve as an encouragement in the days when 
 guidance and inspiration are so sorely needed. You have 
 done us both good, and our best return will be to try and 
 not let your work fall to the ground. — Yours very truly, 
 
 H. O. Arnold Forster. 
 
 The presents were sent as described by Mr Arnold 
 Forster in January 1892, and Mackenzie replied as 
 follows : — 
 
 Hankey, Cape Colony, 
 ^oth Eeby. 1892. 
 
 Dear Mr Arnold Forster, — I have received your kind 
 letter, announcing the shipment of the valuable gifts and 
 keepsakes which my friends of the South African Committee 
 have been so kind as to send to me, and more recently the 
 case itself reached this place, containing the despatch box 
 and the travelling clock. On being unpacked both were 
 found in entirely good condition, and are as handsome as 
 they are sure to be useful. 
 
 May I ask you to convey my heartfelt thanks to those 
 friends who have so kindly expressed their favourable estimate 
 of my share in our work accomplished, and our work at- 
 tempted and not yet secured, for South Africa. 
 
 I would willingly write at length on the very important 
 questions ever near my heart, and which are no doubt 
 occupying the Committee's present attention, but I find 
 myself surrounded here by imperative duties of a very en- 
 grossing nature, which in the meantime demand my whole 
 attention. I sincerely hope, however, that the members of
 
 462 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 the Committee; will redouble their attention to Imperial 
 questions in Southern Africa, for in my opinion present 
 circumstances demand not less, but more watchfulness than 
 before. In my judgment, Great Britain is at the present 
 moment in the utmost danger of losing all practical 
 supremacy and control in the management of Border aud 
 Native affairs in South Africa, while all the time you are 
 given to understand that your influence is increasing. Thus 
 the highest interests of both Colonists and natives — so long 
 secured by the efi"orts of the Imperial Power — demand the 
 closest vigilance on the part of all lovers of justice and fair 
 dealing. Gratified and cheered by my friends' kindness to 
 me, I remain, dear Mr Forster, ever yours sincerely, 
 
 John Mackenzie. 
 
 APPENDIX TO CHAPTER XVII 
 
 In the following letter, whose occasion is explained by 
 itself, Mackenzie gave, as in duty bound, a kind of 
 informal report of the work which he had been doing 
 since 1883, in which he had enjoyed not only the 
 sympathy but the assistance of the London Missionary 
 Society : — 
 
 PORTOEELLO, N.B., 
 
 3^^ N071. 1 890. 
 The Rev. R. Wardlavv Thompson, 
 Foreign Secretary, L. M. S. 
 
 De.'VR Mr Thompson, — I have now to reply to the 
 invitation of the Directors to undertake the spiritual charge 
 of the church at Hankey, as one of the missionaries of the 
 Society. 
 
 I have endeavoured very earnestly to ascertain the path of 
 duty ; and after prayer and consultation and much anxious 
 thought, have arrived at the conclusions which I shall now- 
 lay before you in as few words as possible. 
 
 But for one thing, the non-settlement of the Bechuanaland 
 question, I should at once accept of the Society's invitation, 
 and do my best for it at Hankey. It therefore follows that 
 if temporary arrangements can be made by you for carrying
 
 THE SAVING OF BECHUANALAND 463 
 
 on the work at Hankey till such time as the affairs of 
 Bechuanaland are discussed in this country and settled, after 
 the report of Sir Henry Loch on his personal visit to Bechu- 
 analand, I shall be happy to proceed to Hankey and carry out 
 the work of the Society there, in accordance with their present 
 invitation. 
 
 In thus subordinating the invitation to engage in work at 
 Hankey to the completion of the work for Bechuanaland, I 
 feel that I shall evoke your sympathy, although it may entail 
 some trouble in making the necessary temporary arrangements. 
 
 You will remember that I came over to this country from 
 Africa in the end of 1S85 for a specific object, to instruct the 
 public with reference to Bechuanaland and the countries 
 adjoining, so as to lead to an intelligent and righteous policy. 
 My conception of my present work in England has all along 
 been to see all Bechuanaland under the administration of the 
 Queen, and thus secure the rights of all the natives, as well 
 as render impossible the occupation of the freebooter and 
 the filibuster. Besides the inertia of ignorance, and the en- 
 grossments of the Irish squabble, we had to fight the late 
 High Commissioner, and on account of him, in a secondary 
 way, the present English Government. 
 
 I do not think it will be out of place for me to recall some 
 leading events of recent years, in which I have borne part, 
 and in which I have enjoyed the effective co-operation of 
 yourself and of many Directors and supporters of the 
 Society : — 
 
 1883-4 
 
 The saving of Bechuanaland from the Transvaal, for the 
 Society, for the natives, and for Great Britain. 
 
 Rousing the best feeling of Cape Colonists by press and 
 platform as to righteous methods of European expansion ; 
 testified to by resolutions at public meetings in chief towns 
 of Colony. It was this sound Colonial feeling, evoked at 
 this time, which induced Mr Gladstone's Government to send 
 out the Bechuanaland Expedition. 
 
 1884-5 
 
 Establishing British Protectorate in South Bechuanaland 
 as Deputy Commissioner, and also in connexion with Sir
 
 464 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 Charles Warren ; securing under Sir Charles the peaceful 
 co-operation and goodwill of every chief in Bechuanaland, 
 North and South. 
 
 1884-5 
 
 Securing a land settlement for South Bechuanaland under 
 Imperial auspices, in direct opposition to the policy of Sir 
 H. Robinson, who advocated that there should be no land 
 settlement till South Bechuanaland was annexed to the Cape 
 Colony. What was gained by this is very clearly indicated by 
 the fact that when Mr Price lately erected a native church at 
 Koning, near Kuruman, a formal protest was sent to him by 
 the European who had claimed Koning before the Imperial 
 Land Court, and who does not hide his belief that he will 
 get redress when the country is annexed to the Cape Colony. 
 I observed also that a petition had been actually lodged already 
 with the Cape Colony Government, against another decision 
 of the Bechuanaland Imperial Land Court, in which that 
 decision had been, as in the case of Koning, in favour of the 
 natives, and against certain European claimants. 
 
 1885-90 
 
 In England again. By writing " Austral Africa," «S:c., by 
 addressing the Society of Arts ; the British Association ; the 
 Geographical Societies of Edinburgh, Manchester, and New- 
 castle ; the Chambers of Commerce of London, Glasgow, 
 Liverpool, and Edinburgh ; by contact with men of influence 
 in the political and official world ; by formal communications 
 from time to time to the Colonial Office ; by these and other 
 means, certain results have been furthered. Among others : — 
 
 The policy of Sir H. Robinson of annexing Bechuanaland 
 to the Cape Colony has been defeated once and again. 
 
 The annexation of Swaziland to the Transvaal has been 
 defeated, and an Imperial settlement of land and other claims 
 secured for that country. 
 
 Public attention in this country directed to the nibbling at 
 the Cape Constitution involved in the Revision of Registra- 
 tion Act, so that those who promoted that retrogressive move- 
 ment have not gone further, as was said to be their original 
 intention. 
 
 Keeping the public thoroughly aware of the immense and 
 vital importance to all South Africa of retaining the British 
 administration of Bechuanaland, thereby lifting gradually South
 
 THE SAVING OF BECHUANALAND 465 
 
 African policy to the position secured in the Cape Colony by 
 its Constitution. Appreciating these and other arguments, 
 the public censors of Imperial expenditure have not found 
 fault with the Imperial outlay in Bechuanaland ; but, on the 
 contrary, public opinion has unanimously demanded a more 
 intelligent attitude than that hitherto assumed by the present 
 Government. It was this public interest in these regions 
 which Mr Rhodes took advantage of on the one hand, while 
 on the other hand the present Government professed to 
 be furthering the highest interests of the countries indicated, 
 in the matter of the Charter of the British South Africa 
 Company. 
 
 Restraints were imposed on this Company, and its greater 
 subordination to the Colonial Office secured, in deference 
 to public opinion and pressure. The Company idea was 
 opposed until the Charter was given by the present Govern- 
 ment, The position has all along been taken up, that after 
 our contract with the chiefs and people of Bechuanaland 
 in 1885, and their offers to us of territory at that time, it 
 would be unjust, even dishonest, to the British public, to 
 hand over any part of Bechuanaland to a Commercial and 
 Private Company. This position as to Bechuanaland and 
 the Imperial Government has never been controverted. It 
 has been privately assented to by authorities of the Com- 
 pany, and it has been tacitly recognized in semi-official articles 
 on the British South Africa Company. 
 
 War and bloodshed in Matabeleland have been, for the time 
 at least, prevented, between the Company and the Matabele. 
 You have seen the map with the route which was suggested 
 by me to Lord Knutsford, and which has been followed 
 without bloodshed. That another route was preferred in 
 certain quarters is certain. And it is equally certain that 
 if an armed European force had attempted to penetrate 
 Matabeleland proper their progress would have been forcibly 
 opposed by the Matabele; and, probably in some "kloof" 
 or other available place of ambush, hundreds, if not thousands, 
 of lives must have been lost in the attempt to force a way to 
 Mashonaland through Matabeleland. Public attention has 
 been directed to the question of the future Confederation of 
 South Africa, especially in connexion with the inadvisable- 
 ness of adding to the area of the Cape Colony by the 
 annexation of any part of Bechuanaland. 
 
 When Mr Rhodes lately spoke of the growth of the Cape 
 
 2 G
 
 466 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 Colony northwards, not one organ of public opinion in this 
 country approved of it, so far as I am aware. Even his 
 friends treated it as a joke, or as a mere sop for the present 
 gratification of his Africander friends. 
 
 These are some of the results of the peculiar work in which 
 I have been lately engaged, a work, which I venture to say, 
 is both Christian and Christlike in its grand objects. I have 
 not gone into matters of detail ; and, indeed, in your case 
 that would be unnecessary, as many of the movements have 
 been known to you at the time, and have secured your 
 sympathy and help. 
 
 Now I do feel, without, as I trust, unseemly egotism, that 
 wide and permanent results have already followed, and are 
 destined to follow, the above movements, which have already 
 permanently affected the current of South African history. 
 In these movements I have borne a part ; to their promotion 
 I have given some years of my life ; and my friends generally 
 assure me that without my close personal attention and efforts, 
 these results would not have been secured. In this connexion 
 I desire to express my great obligation to yourself and to other 
 Directors and members of the Society, who, along with a few 
 personal friends, have enabled me to carry on this work 
 hitherto, until, as you will agree with me, the final struggle 
 and settlement are wnthin sight. 
 
 I may be allowed to remark that the work which has 
 occupied most of my time in England, and in South Africa, 
 has always been difficult and sometimes trying. I have shared 
 my encouragements with my friends ; and I don't think I 
 have troubled them with my disappointments. My position 
 has kept myself and more especially those belonging to myself 
 in more or less anxiety. But feeling that the work was God's 
 work imposed on me, I have stuck to it, turning neither to 
 the right hand nor to the left. I have had great pleasure in 
 occasionally engaging in Deputation work, as far as I have 
 been able. And I have been reading for the press a reprint 
 of the Sechuana Scriptures. Otherwise I have been a man 
 of one idea, from which nothing has diverted me. It would 
 be very easy indeed for me to reckon the books which I have 
 read during these years, and the holidays which I have taken. 
 
 Now, it is evident to me that if we would reap the full 
 advantage of what we have been doing in the past, we must 
 not slacken our hand till the final settlement is reached and 
 British administration is established in all 13echuanaland.
 
 THE SAVING OF BECHUANALAND 467 
 
 Sir Henry Loch is now in Bechuanaland, and, it appears, 
 thinks even of visiting Matabeleland. His report will soon 
 be before Her Majesty's Government, and the result will 
 probably be a settlement of Bechuanaland up to the Zambesi. 
 If he has to be fought, like Sir H. Robinson and Sir F. de 
 Winton and others, in the interests of righteousness and fair 
 dealing, if he should recommend that South Bechuanaland 
 should be handed over to the Cape Colony, and North 
 Bechuanaland to the Chartered Company as its possession, 
 and that thus the direct Christian influence of Great Britain 
 should be excluded from native policy in the interior of South 
 Africa, I should like to be in the country when the fight takes 
 place. I confess I should not respect myself if I turned away 
 from the Bechuanaland question just now, and left it without 
 that measure of guidance and furtherance which I have been 
 able to bring to bear upon it. No one can exaggerate the 
 issue which the settlement of Bechuanaland will practically 
 go far to decide. What is really at stake is whether 
 " Southerner " or " Northerner " doctrines and tendencies 
 are to prevail in Southern Africa : whether the country is 
 to be split into two camps on the question of colour, or 
 broad justice be done to all, irrespective of race. 
 
 The British public is with us, if our views continue to be 
 well explained and kept to the front. I am happy to observe 
 in the last Cape papers, that, notwithstanding all efforts which 
 have been put forth, those inhabitants of Bechuanaland who 
 might be supposed to be most desirous of annexation to the 
 Cape Colony, the farming population (which is chiefly the 
 Dutch-speaking), have recently, by public address to the 
 High Commissioner during his visit to Vryburg, deprecated 
 such annexation. This expression of opinion on their part 
 will give strength to the often expressed opposition of the 
 Bechuanaland natives to Colonial annexation ; and if a full 
 expression of opinion to the same effect is given over here, 
 the annexation will not take place ; and the whole of Bechu- 
 analand will be administered as a Crown Colony under an 
 improved Constitution, and the peaceful and righteous 
 development of the country secured. 
 
 I have endeavoured to make plain to you and to the 
 Directors what stands between me and Hankey at present, 
 but which would not stand between me and it after the 
 Bechuanaland settlement has been made. I have written in 
 entire confidence, as to tried and dear friends, to whom I
 
 468 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 have been known for over thirty years ; and know my letter 
 will be received in the spirit in which it is written. I don't 
 think you will judge me to have decided wrongly when you 
 consider the present imminent position of the Bechuanaland 
 Question. 
 
 When that truly important matter for all South Africa is 
 settled, if you have, in the meantime, succeeded in making 
 temporary arrangements, then for Hankey ! — With very high 
 regards, believe me, ever yours sincerely, 
 
 John Mackenzie.
 
 CHAPTER XVIII 
 
 AFRICA — MANY-SIDED WORK AT IIANKEY (l 891-1898) 
 
 Han KEY is the name given in honour of a former 
 Governor of Cape Colony to a settlement about fifty 
 miles west of Port Elizabeth. It is situated in a very 
 beautiful valley, formed by the Gamtoos River, which 
 falls into the sea, about twenty miles south. This was 
 one of a number of estates which were acquired by the 
 London Missionary Society early in the century under 
 the sanction of Government. Originally the Hankey 
 estate consisted of more than 4000 acres, which were 
 purchased in the year 1822 for ;^2 5oo. The theory 
 of such a settlement in South Africa was this — that if 
 the Society owned large enough tracts of ground in 
 suitable districts and gathered upon it those natives 
 who were willing to break away from tribal govern- 
 ment and to place themselves under Christian instruc- 
 tion, strong centres of civilisation and religion would be 
 established. The missionaries found very early that 
 combined superintendence of industrial and social 
 development, where they did not possess magisterial 
 authority, weakened instead of strengthening their 
 moral influence over the people. The theory, there- 
 fore, did not work out well in practice, and the Society 
 ultimately parted with all its settlements. The process 
 of resigning these was by no means easy. It required 
 repeated dealings with the Home Government, and 
 finally with the Cape Parliament ; and it required 
 also prolonged and often most irritating negotiations 
 and transactions with the native residents themselves. 
 In the year 1876 an Act of the Colonial Parlia- 
 
 469
 
 470 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 ment was jjassed, enabling the Society to transfer 
 its land on certain conditions to the natives, and 
 also to European purchasers. As a result of this 
 final Parliamentary action, all the remaining stations 
 were got rid of by the Society, excepting only 
 Hankey. Here the same difficulties which obtained 
 elsewhere seemed to concentrate themselves with 
 peculiar intensity. Few Europeans were found willing 
 to purchase land for the purpose of settling upon it. 
 The natives who had been the tenants of the Society, 
 accustomed to indulgent treatment in reference to 
 rents and other responsibilities, did not relish the 
 sterner demand which came upon them when they 
 agreed to make periodical payments, with a view 
 to ownership. The result was that large numbers, 
 after many years, were found to have paid neither 
 capital nor interest, and, of course, had escaped the 
 payment of rent. It was necessary, therefore, for 
 the Society to resume occupancy, and exercise both 
 its rights and responsibilities once more. 
 
 The Hankey settlement is peculiarly isolated. Its 
 only market is Port Elizabeth, which cannot be 
 reached except by traversing a very rough and hard 
 road ; this always requires two days, the night being 
 spent at an inn about half way. Yet the soil is very 
 fruitful, and in good seasons the people make an 
 abundant living in the easiest manner. There has, 
 therefore, been no stimulus to social or individual 
 ambition, and the population fell long ago into ill 
 repute throughout that district, and even beyond it, 
 for laziness, quarrelsomeness, and incapacity. 
 
 When Mackenzie arrived he found that the affairs 
 of the village were supervised by a Board of Manage- 
 ment. There was no provision nearer than the town 
 of Humansdorp for the religious instruction or care of 
 Europeans. The coloured church had been declared 
 by the London Missionary Society to be an inde-
 
 MANY-SIDED WORK AT HANKEY 471 
 
 pendent church, over which he could assume pastoral 
 care only after receiving and accepting a " call." The 
 Society had for a number of years employed Mr J. 
 S. Hultzer as their general and business manager, 
 whose duty it was to collect the rents and superintend 
 the estates. The Society had also employed for some 
 time a Mr Spindler, a civil engineer, for the purpose of 
 investigating plans of irrigation and carrying them 
 out. In no direction did Mackenzie find that affairs 
 were going on with even reasonable' smoothness or 
 prosperity. There was a tangle in the relation of the 
 administrative powers to all the rest. There was a tangle 
 in the property relations and rights of the Society ; a 
 tangle in the industrial conditions, responsibilities and 
 rights, both of the white and coloured farmers, as well as 
 the tenants of the Society. There was a tangle in church 
 affairs, and a tangle in the educational work of the 
 community. His parish, as a spiritual teacher and 
 pastor, extended beyond the village of Hankey to 
 several out-stations, where he was expected to super- 
 intend the work of native preachers, ordained and 
 unordained. 
 
 The task of Mackenzie at Hankey was the straighten- 
 ing out of all these tangled relations. He was simply 
 sent out to put Hankey right from top to bottom. It 
 was understood when he was appointed, and when 
 others remonstrated against his appointment to a 
 sphere so obscure, and toil so thankless, that it might 
 be accomplished in three years. No one knows how 
 soon Mackenzie saw that the task was no three years' 
 task, but the work of a life-time. He gave himself to 
 it, not indeed without the exercise of conscious self- 
 control, but with profound peace of mind in the 
 consciousness of doing his duty. When the doors to 
 further employment under Government were closed, 
 and the London Missionary Society had this one door 
 only to open for him, he accepted this, as his letters
 
 472 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 abundantly show, with perfect simplicity of motive 
 and humbleness of heart, as the work which his Master 
 now laid upon him. When he found himself at 
 Hankey, and the whole sordid facts stared him in 
 the face, no mortal heard him grumble. He did not 
 look over his shoulder, nor hesitate in any one step. 
 He had come to give himself to Hankey and for 
 Hankey, as he gave himself long ago to and for 
 Shoshong and Kuruman, and as in later years he had 
 given himself to and for South Africa as a whole. 
 The earthly sweep of his task seemed narrow, but 
 the sense of responsibility and the spirit of devotion 
 were the same — only deeper and richer. For during 
 these last years, when he worked as hard as in the 
 days of his prime, and when his strength was gradually 
 being undermined, his friends noticed a certain ripen- 
 ing of the spiritual man, of which we shall speak later. 
 One of the chief difficulties to which Mackenzie had 
 looked forward when he accepted his new appointment, 
 consisted in the fact that he must learn to preach in the 
 Dutch language. It is true that he had for many years 
 used the colloquial "Taal" Dutch of South Africa ; but 
 its ungrammatical lingo he had not mastered, and what 
 he knew of it afforded him very little help for a thorough 
 learning of pure Dutch. It has been the custom of 
 Dutch-speaking South Africans, both European and 
 coloured, to conduct all their public religious worship 
 and to do all their preaching and speaking in high 
 Dutch ; hence Mackenzie, at fifty-six years of age, had 
 to face the task of learning a new language. Even 
 before he left England he set himself with his own 
 grim determination to do this as thoroughly as possible. 
 He at once procured the necessary books, grammar, 
 dictionary, etc. He also purchased religious works in 
 Dutch, and was especially careful to procure a Dutch 
 translation of Spurgeon's sermons, in order, as he said, 
 that he mie^ht become familiar at once with the relitrious
 
 MANY-SIDED WORK AT HANKEY 473 
 
 idioms and vocabulary of that language. The first 
 result of his characteristic determined diligence was 
 this, that having arrived at Hankey on Tuesday, 
 October 7th, he at once obtained the help of Mr J. S. 
 Hultzer to go over the material for his Sunday service, 
 to criticise his sermon as to its language and structure, 
 and did actually on the first Sunday after his arrival 
 conduct the whole service and preach the sermon in 
 the Dutch language ! 
 
 Mackenzie with his wife and two daughters speedily 
 made themselves at home in Hankey. They were, on 
 their arrival, pleased to receive a hearty welcome, with 
 a formal address from the Europeans. Amongst these, 
 as they afterwards found, there had been many bicker- 
 ings and contentions ; but they came in as strangers, 
 and refused to hear of or to recognise any such past 
 events, resolved from the first to treat them as indeed 
 past and done with. 
 
 Mackenzie shut himself into the valley of Hankey 
 as completely as if he had never covered all South 
 Africa with his interest and service ; as if he had not 
 haunted the lobby of the House of Commons for days 
 and months and years ; as if great statesmen and 
 public men were unknown to him. He shut himself 
 into this little valley, refusing for many weeks to read 
 newspapers which would divert him from his present 
 duty, or to be drawn into any important discussion 
 which might still connect him with public life, and 
 distract him from Hankey. To the laborious task of 
 preparing his weekly sermon in Dutch, and another in 
 English — for he instituted a regular English service 
 every Sunday besides all other addresses and speeches 
 incidental to the pastorate — he added that of imme- 
 diately confronting and thoroughly studying the 
 administrative, industrial, and social affairs of the 
 community. For many months he wrote a long 
 letter every fortnight to the Rev, Wardlaw Thompson,
 
 474 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 the foreign secretary of the London Missionary Society. 
 These letters bear witness to the minuteness with which 
 he studied every fact connected with Hanke)'. 
 
 Before the end of 1891 he began to make practical 
 proposals. In the beginning of 1892 he was able to 
 report that he had obtained from the Board of Manage- 
 ment a resolution which gave him, in the name of the 
 Society, certain powers without which he felt that an 
 improvement of the conditions could not be secured. 
 
 On January 13th, 1892, he writes: — 
 
 By this post you will get a copy of the agreement which 
 I have succeeded in making with the Hankey Board of 
 Managers, which brings to an end the protracted deadlock 
 which has prevailed here as between the Society and the 
 Board. 
 
 In a letter he says : — 
 
 It is, from my point of view, the best bit of business the 
 Society has done here for some time. Such an agreement 
 represents a state of mind, and that state of mind would seem 
 to be rather a novelty here in Hankey. It will be my part to 
 make it permanent, so as to carry us through the equally 
 delicate matters connected with the enlargement of the 
 irrigable area at Rooi Vlakte. 
 
 The essence of this arrangement consisted in the 
 assumption by the Missionary Society — which meant 
 by Mackenzie — of the management of the Klein River, 
 which formed an important feature in the further 
 development of the estates at Hankey. The Board 
 agreed to pay to the Society £^0 per annum "to 
 assist it in the water management." 
 
 Throughout these early letters Mackenzie enters 
 with the utmost minuteness into questions concerning 
 the irrigation of various portions of the estates, and 
 the engineering work necessary to accomplish that. 
 He had to carry through negotiations for the acquire- 
 ment of new ground, in order to obtain control of 
 certain waters ; and having obtained it, he had to
 
 MANY-SIDED WORK AT HANKEY 475 
 
 build furrows, deepen and strengthen a dam, besides 
 negotiating for the repair of a famous tunnel which 
 had been cut through the mountains, to bring the 
 water of the Gamtoos within reach of certain portions 
 of the valley. 
 
 Naturally it would be impossible to record here the 
 details of these investigations, and the labours which 
 they involved ; and for many personal reasons it 
 would be inappropriate to refer more definitely to the 
 many negotiations with individuals in Hankey and 
 elsewhere which his letters described. Suffice it to 
 say, that this series of letters of itself represents an 
 amount of work which most of us would have con- 
 sidered sufficient to occupy a man's whole time and 
 thought. 
 
 It may not be unsuitable to give the following as 
 one or two specimens of the kind of letters of which so 
 many passed between Hankey and London for several 
 years : 
 
 Hankey, \2,th April 1892. 
 
 Dear Mr Thompson, — I failed to send off by last post a 
 letter on some of the matters which have recently engaged 
 my attention here, and so it goes to-day. Although one of 
 great interest, especially to one who knows Hankey and its 
 people as you do, I feel sure you will think with me that the 
 enclosed agreement with Mr Young is of the utmost im- 
 portance, both to Hankey and to the London Missionary 
 Society. 
 
 Upon receipt of your letter, I began to approach Mr 
 Young as to the use of the fine natural reservoir of Apple 
 Drift. After a severe and protracted bargain-making struggle, 
 we have come to terms as to Apple Drift, and the right to 
 raise it and send back the water ; also as to the portion of 
 land on this side of the river as far up as the Falls, near the 
 corner of the road where it turns in the direction of Mr J, S. 
 Young's house. I felt that without the land on this side of 
 the river the arrangement would not be satisfactory. I had 
 included the lower gardens of Mr Young, opposite Apple 
 Drift, but his ideas were so great that I dropped them, re- 
 serving, however, the right to purchase any part which might
 
 476 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 be submerged by the raising of our present Hankey dam, at 
 a certain rate per acre, or by exchange of land. I need not 
 further dcfme or describe what you know, and what is fully 
 shown in the agreement and in the sketch. Mr Spindler, 
 some time ago, standing near our dam, said, " Procure Apple 
 Drift and raise this dam ten feet, and you can place Hankey 
 and Newlands also beyond all want as to supply of water." 
 At once, however, as soon as the purchase was made, he 
 came to me, taking it for granted, as it were, that we were 
 to put up a very great embankment — at least twenty-five feet 
 high ! Then we could do so and so. 
 
 Now I am for nothing of this extensive sort. We have 
 now a splendid natural dam at Apple Drift. I propose to 
 add to it an earth or clay dam, in short, go on with what 
 nature has been doing, and then lead out from Apple Drift 
 to our present Hankey furrow. This taps a water supply 
 hitherto untouched. 
 
 Then I would raise our present dam and put it in thorough 
 order and keep it as a reservoir of reserve water for a time of 
 drought. 
 
 If it were thought worth while, another dam or reservoir 
 could afterwards be made where Mr Spindler intended to 
 have his dam, or at other convenient spot on the river course, 
 raising every dam so as to connect with Hankey furrow. 
 
 In short, from Apple Drift downwards, there could be and 
 doubtless will be a series of dams or reservoirs for the storage 
 of water ; while out of Apple Drift itself is carried on the 
 usual work of irrigation. We can work ahead and know we 
 are going right, and then we must advance slowly. The 
 outlay connected with this purchase, beyond the price 
 mentioned in the enclosed agreement, will be confined to a 
 furrow from Apple Drift to our present Hankey furrow ; and 
 the enclosing of the piece of land which Mr Young re- 
 quested, and which will be as advantageous to one side as 
 the other. 
 
 I need not tell you what this bargain really means. It 
 means the irrigation of Newlands, as far as our land goes, I 
 believe ; and it means the irrigation of Thorndale as it has 
 not been irrigated before, at anyrate, in dry years. 
 
 Mr Hultzer thinks it would pay if you cabled your consent, 
 as natives wish to live in Newlands this season. Mr Spindler, 
 it seems, said to Mr Hultzer, "This lightens my Gamtoos 
 scheme wonderfully."
 
 MANY-SIDED WORK AT HANKEY 477 
 
 The word consent would be enough in your cable, and 
 certainly you will never have consented to anything of equal 
 importance to the Hankey of the future. — Believe me, ever 
 yours sincerely, John Mackenzie. 
 
 Hankey, April 27/-^, 1892. 
 
 Dear Mr Thompson, — Hankey has just been visited by 
 an unusual downpour of rain. The Klein River is " down " 
 in great force, and the little Bingo, which you remember just 
 beyond the village on your way to Mr Young's, has come 
 down in a volume quite unknown to anyone in Hankey. It 
 has caused the death of one of the people, a man, and an 
 excellent swimmer, who must have attempted to cross it on 
 his way home, as being only the Bingo. His body was re- 
 covered this morning in the bed of the Klein River below 
 the bridge. The bridge, of course, is temporarily a bridge no 
 more, but a log of wood floating in the Klein River, moored 
 to a tree by a chain. 
 
 The Bingo rose to such a height as to carry clean away 
 the wooden aqueduct by which the water furrow for our 
 gardens and lands is brought along. This was seen by 
 some of the people, who acted well and rescued the com- 
 ponent parts of the wooden furrow or aqueduct. They are 
 now lying on the bank on this side, not much injured, only 
 battered here and there. 
 
 This accident has precipitated what must have taken place 
 soon — the taking down of these wooden troughs in order to 
 enlarge them so as to let an increased flow of water come 
 down, and also to raise them, so as to make of more use the 
 dam at the corner of my garden. At the present level of 
 the big furrow it soon holds as much as the level of the 
 furrow permits. Now we want more water in this distribut- 
 ing dam, and in order to get it, it must be fed by a furrow at 
 a higher level. We have, Mr Spindler informs me, a fall of 
 nearly six feet between our present dam and this distributing 
 dam. Two feet would be enough, so we can raise our 
 furrow, and thus place at the people's disposal a large supply 
 of water, at the bare cost of the enlargement and strengthen- 
 ing of the wooden aqueduct now out of order at anyrate, and 
 the adding to the inner side of the village furrow a sufificient 
 embankment to bring down the quantity of water which we 
 want. 
 
 Instead of putting in those light wooden poles in the bed
 
 478 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 of the Bingo, and to be again at the mercy of its torrent, I 
 propose, by the advice of all the great authorities here, to 
 get, if possible, three ship's beams which would be long 
 enough to reach from one bank to the other. They are 
 usually to be had at Port Elizabeth on reasonable terms, 
 being from wrecks. So we are writing by this post to try 
 and secure them and the necessary timber to enlarge the 
 water-shoot. 
 
 Sunday before last I was to have been up the Gamtoos 
 River, but our deacon Solomon Felix, sent a note to recom- 
 mend that I postpone my visit till last Sunday, in order to 
 give more people notice. I did so, and went up last Satur- 
 day, accompanied by Mr Ingram. I was advised to write to 
 Mr Gert Kok, a farmer at Quagg, who has the best place for 
 holding a service. I did so, and was well received and 
 entertained by him. The place is used by him as a store, 
 but in a few minutes, by willing hands, it is changed into a 
 place of worship, and on this occasion Mr Kok's sister 
 speedily covered with cloth the packing-case which served as 
 a pulpit. I believe the place holds some 200, and it was 
 quite full. A third of the number, perhaps, were Europeans. 
 The morning and afternoon services were in Dutch, so that 
 all could understand. After the morning service we had a 
 meeting of the members of the native church, at which the 
 names of two deacons were approved of for their district. 
 The Europeans are, of course, chiefly members of the 
 Humansdorp Dutch Reformed Church, and I understand 
 the Rev. Mr Groenewald, their pastor, occasionally visits 
 Quagg and holds services in this large room. I found they 
 had no appliances for an evening meeting, which I should 
 have been glad to hold in English. So Mr Ingram and I 
 resolved to come home, as the clouds were threatening up 
 the Gamtoos. It was well we did, or otherwise we should 
 still have been on the wrong side of the river. 
 
 Next Sunday, according to a promise of long standing, I 
 am going to Kreisfontein, that is, if the (jamtoos River kindly 
 falls and permits me to cross. I shall then be in a position 
 to enquire into the matters of the loan and the bond liekl by 
 Mr Dahl, concerning which I have received, in a letter from 
 Mr Mudie, a copy of the Directors' resolutions, and your 
 accompanying remarks. You may trust to me to do my best 
 in the matter. — With kindest regards, yours sincerely, 
 
 John Mackenzie.
 
 MANY-SIDED WORK AT HANKEY 479 
 
 The following letter refers to one of the few occasions 
 when Mackenzie gave himself a "day off" for sight- 
 seeing and recreation : — 
 
 Hankky, i^th May 1892. 
 My Dear Mr Oates, — I have only time to say to-day that 
 
 I shall do my best for Mr ; and I think he will get on 
 
 well if he adapts himself to the circumstances which I 
 described to you. 
 
 We are jogging on here, making some progress, I trust. 
 We had a day's outing yesterday, and went to the top of the 
 hill in our neighbourhood, from which we could get a grand 
 view of the Gamtoos River, above and below Hankey. From 
 a point still higher (which some of us visited a week ago) we 
 could see the ocean dashing against the coast to our south — 
 not more than some 12 or 14 miles as the crow flies. But 
 yesterday we went for the view of the winding Gamtoos, and 
 not for the far-off view. 
 
 The road was frightful. Some of our party went in an ox- 
 waggon. Mrs Mackenzie and one of the girls went in our 
 Cape cart. But no conveyance would be easy on such a 
 road. We got home, however, without any accident, and I 
 rather pleased with the doings of the two horses which had 
 to pull the cart. 
 
 There is said to be a Bushman's cave in our neighbour- 
 hood, with drawings — almost unknown. Indeed it may be 
 mythical. We must first explore and ascertain facts before 
 we organise a party. 
 
 But time has come, and I must close. We all join in kind 
 regards. — Ever yours sincerely, John Mackenzie. 
 
 During the year 1892, he had the pleasure of 
 receiving as an assistant and pupil, Mr G. Cullen H. 
 Reed, a sen of the late Rev. Andrew Reed, B.A., 
 London, and a grandson of Mackenzie's old and 
 most valued friend, the Rev. G. D. Cullen, M.A., of 
 Edinburgh. Mr Reed, who had had a training as an 
 engineer, proved himself of the greatest value to 
 Mackenzie, both as an adviser and a practical assistant 
 in the work which had to be carried through ; for
 
 48o JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 after Mr Spindler left Hankey, there fell to Mackenzie's 
 hands once more, as a necessary task, the superintend- 
 ence of practical building and engineering work. 
 
 When Mr Reed left, in the beginning of the next 
 year, Mackenzie wrote, saying : — 
 
 We are all sorry to part from Mr Reed. I shall miss him 
 most. He was truly my right hand man, and I don't know 
 how much he saved me in every way he could. 
 
 Just before Mr Reed left, Mackenzie had written as 
 follows : — 
 
 Jany. 29, 1893. — ^"^ Reed is likely to leave us soon now. 
 I have taken all the services to-day, and I daresay I shall 
 find it pretty stiff. 
 
 It can only be considered as a calamity to Mac- 
 kenzie's own life, as well as to the efficiency of 
 his work, that no successor to Mr Reed was found 
 and sent out at this time. 
 
 One of Mackenzie's chief aims in regard to Hankey 
 was to secure its connection with Port Elizabeth by a 
 railway. He knew that in days to come Cape Town 
 must itself be connected with Port Elizabeth by a much 
 shorter route than that which at present goes around 
 through De Aar. If he could hasten the building of 
 even part of this railway he would help to bring that 
 consummation nearer, and at the same time take the 
 longest step towards the industrial development of 
 Hankey and other similar spots on the southern 
 coast. To further this aim he stirred up a strong 
 local agitation, corresponded personally with the 
 Government officers at Cape Town, and even went, 
 accompanied by Mr Hultzer, as a deputation, to wait 
 upon the Department and urge their plea. 
 
 He assisted in drawing up the petition from the 
 railway committee at Hankey to Sir James Sievewright, 
 Commissioner of Crown Lands and Public Works. 
 
 The most obvious argument was based, of course, 
 upon the prosperity of the people, the increase of the
 
 MANY-SIDED WORK AT HANKEY 4S1 
 
 products from that district, and the promise of greater 
 development if the railway communication were granted 
 to them ; but a still stronger argument based this 
 appeal to the Government upon the fact that the 
 Department of Public Works proposed to enter upon 
 expensive irrigation schemes in other districts of the 
 Colony. These schemes could only be made re- 
 munerative to the Government of the Colony if they 
 were made tributary to its railway system. If, there- 
 fore, the Government would be forced to build railways 
 for the districts which were yet to be irrigated, at its 
 own expense, how much more should this be done for 
 a district like Hankey, where local enterprise and 
 industry had really created an extensive irrigation 
 system and produced a condition of affairs deserving 
 not only of praise, but of practical encouragement. 
 
 It was with great delight that Mackenzie heard, 
 after long consideration and discussion, that a survey of 
 the district was being undertaken, although the actual 
 building of the railway must be postponed. He had to 
 be content with some minor improvements in the way of 
 better district roads, and some valuable bridge building. 
 
 Another discussion which Mackenzie had with the 
 Government may be described here, for the light it 
 throws upon yet another side of his own varied 
 activities in Hankey. The nearest doctor, when the 
 Mackenzies arrived there, lived twenty miles away ; 
 and many hardships were endured around them in 
 consequence of this. 
 
 A movement in 1896, for the appointment by 
 Government of a district surgeon at Hankey, led to 
 the following letter : — 
 
 Hankey, 26/// .l/uv 1896. 
 Dr Turner, etc., etc.. 
 
 Board of Health, Cape Town. 
 
 Sir, — I beg to bring under your notice the neglected 
 condition of this district as to medical advice and attendance. 
 I may mention that a petition from the people of the district 
 
 2 H
 
 482 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 was sent to Government some time ago on the subject, and 
 that more recently 1 directed the present Colonial Secretary's 
 attention to it. 
 
 At the last census there were over 1200 people in Hankey 
 and neighbourhood. Both sides of the Gamtoos River — above 
 us and below us — support a large population. 
 
 There is at present only one district surgeon, who resides at 
 the village of Humansdorp. 
 
 Our request is that a second district surgeon should be 
 appointed for a subdivision of Humansdorp district, who 
 should reside in Hankey, and who should have charge of 
 the Eastern part of this wide district. 
 
 I have carried our request beyond this, and represented to 
 Government that, instead of being left as we are at present, 
 there should not only be a district surgeon here, but that a 
 Government assistant dispensary should also be opened at 
 this central place for the benefit of the poor among both 
 white and coloured people. 
 
 Although we are fifty miles from Port Elizabeth, the 
 coloured people of Hankey are very closely connected 
 with that town, as servants, etc. It is natural that when 
 they become ill there they should come home ; but once 
 here they are beyond the reach of such medical attendance 
 as they can pay for. I need hardly say that it is a very 
 serious thing for people with diseases contracted in a seaport 
 remaining without suitable medical attendance. 
 
 Then, with reference to the registration of deaths, the 
 alleged cause of death among this very considerable popula- 
 tion is at present only the guess of unskilled people. 
 
 To myself this subject has also a personal reference, which 
 I must not omit. 
 
 When a missionary in Bechuanaland I was for many years 
 accustomed to attend medically, not only my own family, 
 but European traders and hunters, as well as the natives 
 in whose country I was living. When I came to Hankey in 
 1 89 1 nothing was further from my mind than that I should 
 be called upon to prescribe for ailing people. But 1 soon 
 found it was otherwise. Both white and coloured people 
 begged my assistance, and I had not the heart to refuse. I 
 could not but see that when the travelling expenses were 
 added to a doctor's bill, it would be beyond the means of 
 those people — of many of the white people as well as of the 
 coloured people.
 
 MANY-SIDED WORK AT HANKEY 483 
 
 Dr Beckett, who was in poor health at the time, settled in 
 Hankey last year. Of course, when he arrived I ceased en- 
 tirely to have anything to do with medicine, taking everybody 
 over to the doctor's house. 
 
 We first petitioned for Government assistance while Dr 
 Beckett was living here. When no favourable reply came 
 to our request Dr Beckett removed from Hankey. Matters 
 here have reverted to their former most unsatisfactory con- 
 dition. I am attending people and administering medicine 
 every day, not only spending a considerable portion of my 
 time and not a small amount of my own morjey on medicine 
 but liable to be told, and I suppose to be told correctly, that 
 I am breaking the law of the Colony. 
 
 Now I am entirely unwilling to go on with this, and I feel 
 sure the Cape Colony Government is in a position to do better 
 than this for the people of this district. 
 
 I am told that in other parts of the Colony similar sub- 
 divisions of districts have taken place. I am told also that 
 special arrangements have been made elsewhere for the 
 assistance of really poor people to procure medicine and 
 medical attendance. I beg to call your special attention to 
 our case, and hope you will be able to assist us. I should 
 have addressed you earlier, but was ignorant of the scope of 
 your duties. 
 
 The case, as I have said, is in the Colonial Secretary's 
 hands. As he is a medical man himself I am counting upon 
 the sympathy of Dr Te Water, and feel sure that on full 
 enquiry both you and he will be convinced that the small 
 extra outlay in granting our request will be more than repaid 
 by the improved and satisfactory condition of the district 
 from a medical point of view. — I have the honour to remain, 
 your obedient servant, John Mackenzie. 
 
 The following extract from a letter written by one 
 who had a good opportunity of watching Mackenzie 
 at work in this little community for a while, gives a 
 vivid account of the manner of his procedure :— 
 
 He can wait, and if you cannot do that here, you are not 
 good for much. The things he has had to stand, the bicker- 
 ings, trials, small intrigues, and insults, are incredible. They 
 would have sent some other man mad in a month. And 
 what has come of it all ? He has the rudder in his hand.
 
 484 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 and he practically steers everything. And the funny thing 
 is, that all the steering is done through the people themselves, 
 through advice, hints, new ideas sown amongst them. In all 
 public meetings, board meetings, etc., Mr Mackenzie is present, 
 although he does not always take the chair. He conducts the 
 meetings all the same. He sits at the top of the hall, amongst 
 the people, and sets one idea starting in one direction, and 
 another m another, then caps them with his own speech, and 
 so carries the affair on. It is a perfect study to an onlooker. 
 And what is the result of it all ? Why, the place is changed. 
 Hankey is getting known. Farmers who never looked at each 
 other before are now on visiting, and in some cases, intimate 
 terms. 
 
 Throughout these varied activities Mackenzie's 
 interest in his purely religious work never flagged. 
 He would sit for hours in the evening with a group 
 of native deacons, working over the minutest details 
 connected with the pastoral supervision of his wide 
 parish. His preaching, of which we shall speak 
 again later, was always very practical and intensely 
 earnest. It seems to have reached its highest mark 
 on communion Sundays. In preparation for the 
 celebration of the Lord's Supper, and at the Table 
 itself, whose significance he ever revered most humbly 
 and most deeply, his manner became peculiarly tender 
 and his voice thrilled with emotion. And Mackenzie 
 had the joy of seeing the fruits of his labours as a 
 preacher of the Gospel. Not only was the religious 
 life of some of the Europeans visibly and avowedly 
 deepened ; he also received considerable additions of 
 the coloured people into membership of the church 
 from time to time. He was not one, however, who 
 at any period of his missionary career felt it right 
 to speak of the numbers whom he had led to 
 Christ. 
 
 He made frequent visits to the out-stations and 
 distant parts of the district under his care. On some 
 of these occasions his services were conducted in
 
 MANY-SIDED WORK AT HANKEY 485 
 
 peculiar places and under trying circumstances. 
 The following descriptions of two or three incidents 
 by one of his daughters, Mrs E. D. Sheilds, help 
 us to realise more vividly the actual work : 
 
 Thornhill 
 
 One Sunday my father and I spent at Thornhill. 
 
 During the week the news had passed from farm to farm 
 that on Sunday " Meinheer " would preach. By courtesy 
 of the blacksmith these services were held in the smithy, 
 a long plank building with iron roof and two doors opposite 
 each other. 
 
 We walked up from the inn about a mile distant, enjoying 
 as we went the luxuriance of the vegetation and the green- 
 ness of the grass after the recent rains. As we came near 
 to the smithy, clouds of dust were issuing from the doors, 
 for the native deacon was sweeping it out. Accustomed 
 to the irregularity caused by differences in time, we spread 
 a plaid in the shade of a tree and rested. In time the 
 natives assembled and sat on seats formed by planks 
 resting at each end on naves of v/heels. When we entered 
 we found about thirty natives, labourers from adjoining 
 farms. At the back of the smithy stood a Cape cart in 
 course of being mended. 
 
 Two chairs were placed near the anvil with their backs 
 towards the empty furnace and in full light of the two 
 doors. A table was in front of the chair used by my 
 father. The other chair, as I had declined it, was occupied 
 by the deacon. 
 
 The small congregation was composed of people of all 
 ages, women carrying babies, old men, youths, and large 
 boys with that almost preternatural solemnity with which 
 black boys are gifted. 
 
 The service vvas simple, and the address in Dutch listened 
 to with deep attention. I remember that the preacher was 
 trying to impress on their minds a sense of the reality of 
 the spiritual life. He said to them "When you look at me, 
 what do you see? Do you think you see me? You see 
 my body but me you cannot see. My body is my home 
 while I am on the earth. When we die, we leave the empty 
 shell behind, we do not die."
 
 486 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 Thus in simple words he raised their minds to the 
 contemplation of the life beyond this and of the hopes 
 of the Christian. 
 
 Kleinfontein Funeral 
 
 At Kleinfontein, about six miles from Hankey, a sad 
 accident had happened. A farmer's son had been gored 
 to death by a buck which he had wounded a few minutes 
 before. 
 
 It was summertime and very hot ; yet because the road 
 to the place was too bad for a Cape cart my father decided 
 to ride. Accomj)anied by Mr Ingram and Mr George 
 Crawford, we had a ride over the hills in the burning 
 sun. 
 
 At last we came to the edge of a cliff, and away down 
 in the valley below us lay the white farmhouse and its 
 out-buildings. On the sward around the house were the 
 waggons, carts and horses of those attending the funeral. 
 In order to reach the house we had to dismount and 
 lead the horses down a steep decline, almost too rough 
 and steep for us to walk down ourselves ; at the bottom 
 we remounted and crossed a rocky stream. 
 
 It is extremely difficult for me to realize that at that 
 time my father was fifty-eight years of age. Now I can 
 see that for a man of his age this kind of travelling was 
 much too trying. 
 
 In front of the house, in the shade of a tree, the funeral 
 service was held. When amid deep silence the beautiful 
 voice had spoken words of comfort and hope, the sad pro- 
 cession was formed. The coffin was carried by the dead 
 youth's " mates," as the Dutch would put it, up a narrow 
 red path and laid in a grave on the hillside in view of 
 the house. The burial service was read and the customary 
 handfuls of earth were thrown in, rushes were strewed on 
 the coffin, and we returned to the homestead. 
 
 After an interval in which coffee and cake were handed 
 round, there was a general " inspanning " of horses and oxen 
 and a saddling up of riding horses. We rode home through 
 the valleys — for there were more than one — in the evening 
 sunshine, having to cross the same stream half-a-dozen 
 times, as the road wound downwards with the river.
 
 MANY-SIDED WORK AT IIANKEY 487 
 
 FiNGo Church 
 
 It was summertime. The sun had set, illuminating with 
 golden light the fertile valley, the red kranzes, and the 
 distant mountains. In the village the usual evening occupa- 
 tions were being concluded. The natives who had cows or 
 goats had milked them, and put them in the kraals made of 
 thorn bushes or of aloe hedge. At last the many sounds 
 of village life gave place to a quiet which was broken only 
 now and then by sounds of laughter or of talking, and here 
 and there the lights of the cottages shone out. 
 
 We also had had our cows milked and led into the cow- 
 shed. The horses came up from their evening drink at the 
 stream. My father, walking or standing in the large yard 
 with one of his daughters or a grandchild with him, looked 
 with critical eye at the animals, patted and spoke to one or 
 other of them, and made some remark to the native boy 
 about them. Then we had our evening meal, the hour of 
 which followed in primitive fashion the coming on of dark- 
 ness. This evening we were slightly earlier than usual, as 
 my father had to go over to a meeting in the Fingo Church. 
 
 The native minister, whose name is Nathaniel Matodlana, 
 had on different occasions had troublous times in his church. 
 Many a time he came over and held long talks with my 
 father, receiving the help he sought. On this occasion he 
 had asked my father to go over and listen to the discussion 
 of some irritating question by the native deacons and advise 
 with them. 
 
 I went to keep my father company. We had to drive in 
 the starlight, through the river and up the steep hill to the 
 Fingo village where the white church shone through the 
 dark. We entered the church and waited for a time till the 
 deacons dropped in, dressed in their Sunday clothes. 
 
 The discussion was carried on in two languages, Dutch 
 and Kaffir. Those of the deacons who could only speak 
 Kaffir fluently were interpreted by their minister into Dutch. 
 Now and then my father would put a question to him in 
 English, which he also knew well. 
 
 One after another the disputants rose and spoke, 
 vehemently or not as the case might be, but all lengthily 
 and some with a certain rough oratory. Time passed, and 
 my father sat almost silent while the case was being argued 
 out. Now and then he rose and brought them back to the
 
 488 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 point at issue, perhaps making clear to them the position 
 they had reached and giving them a lead in the right 
 direction. As time wore on lines of physical tiredness 
 showed themselves on his face, but no sign of haste or 
 wish to curtail matters was visible. 
 
 I had been watching the scene from a side bench, with 
 the eye of one gazing on a picture of the struggle between 
 good and evil, between light and darkness. The full light 
 of the one hanging lamp shone on the grand head, the hair 
 nearly white, the noble brow and the strong, patient, tired 
 face. Before him, the first row in full light, the second row 
 half in the shadow, were the dark faces of eight or nine men, 
 with evil passions struggling for mastery. 
 
 At last, after a discussion of nearly three hours' duration, 
 they were addressed by " Meinheer," whom they all honoured. 
 The case was summed up by him, his conclusions based on 
 reasons made clear to them. Then came the fresh cool air, 
 the drive home, the splashing of the water, as the eager 
 horses trotted into the river. 
 
 While Mackenzie was thus engaged in the in- 
 dustrial and spiritual development of the community, 
 he was also deeply interested in, as well as responsible 
 for the educational work. The district school, which 
 was annually visited by a Government inspector, and 
 which earned a Government grant, was watched over 
 by him with very great care, especially as his own 
 daughters became teachers in it. He had not been 
 in Hankey long before extensive educational plans 
 began to germinate in his mind. If Hankey was to 
 become a rich, fruit-farming district, connected by 
 railway with Port Elizabeth, and later with Cape 
 Town, why should it not also become a great educa- 
 tional centre, the Lovedale of that portion of the 
 Colony ? The Society owned a rich estate, which 
 could be made in many ways to subserve such an 
 enterprise. In his imagination he saw arising there 
 a school for the general education and manual training 
 of coloured boys and girls ; who should be sent out 
 thoroughly fitted for an active and earnest life as
 
 MANY-SIDED WORK AT HANKEY 489 
 
 school-workers, and whose exertions should help to 
 stir an:ibitions in the sluggish hearts of other members 
 of their race. He saw also an advanced school for 
 the training of native preachers, a theological institu- 
 tion that should provide trained men for the ordained 
 ministry among the coloured churches. 
 
 In the last year of his life he was working upon 
 this project for a school, and carried on constant 
 correspondence concerning it, not only with the 
 Directors of the Society in London, but with his 
 old friend Mr Henry Beard of Cape Town. From 
 a very interesting account of his relations with 
 Mackenzie and estimate of his life-work and character, 
 kindly supplied by Mr Beard, the following paragraphs 
 may be selected as relevant here : — 
 
 Of these results in reference to the temporalities at 
 Hankey, a London merchant of large business experience, 
 who visited Hankey in 1897, in the interests of the London 
 Missionary Society, wrote to me in the following words : 
 " John Mackenzie is doing well ; he is consolidating the 
 estate and when he leaves, I am confident it will be more 
 valuable than ever it was." To his friends it must be one 
 of the perplexing instances of the fact that God's " thoughts 
 are not our thoughts," to find that he was not permitted to 
 carry out these projects, to the conception and advocacy of 
 which he had given so much time and thought, during the 
 later years of his administration of Hankey Mission Station. 
 He cleared the ground and laid the foundations, and " another 
 buildeth thereon." 
 
 The nature of the projects alluded to and the considera- 
 tions by which they were supported, are strikingly illustra- 
 tive of the character of one who was eminently a practical 
 man of shrewd common sense, and yet was always moving 
 on the plane of the higher life and with a simple directness 
 pursuing the highest ends. Mr Mackenzie was of opinion 
 that the estate could be profitably devoted to fruit-growing. 
 He looked for this to be carried out by means of a com- 
 mercial association in the hands of business men, who would 
 work the industry on lines that would yield a moderate return 
 on the capital, but who would not be indifferent to the interests
 
 490 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 of the labourers, whose advantage was Mr Mackenzie's primary 
 aim. In a memorandum on the whole subject, he made 
 suggestions as to two modes of dealing with the matter from 
 the business point of view, but he added, "You will not 
 expect me to go into the strain of a company floater " — a 
 bit of quiet humour, very characteristic. For to anyone 
 who knew him, nothing could be more amusing than this 
 ironical suggestion of John ]\Iackenzie as a company 
 promoter. He was content, having pointed out the way 
 in such matters, to leave the carrying out to others, while 
 he busied himself with other aspects of the project, the 
 higher interests which it was to subserve. Still, while turn- 
 ing his attention more to the details of those higher interests, 
 he looked to the fruit-growing scheme as one not simply to 
 bring regular wages to his people, but to " introduce fresh 
 ideas and liberal thoughts." Another of his proposals was 
 for the establishment at Hankey of a school of higher grade 
 than the mission school, for the children of the better class 
 in the coloured churches throughout the colony, with manual 
 training for both girls and boys. In connection with this, 
 he proposed to have a class for Evangelists, eventually from 
 those who had attended the school, who would be qualified 
 for their work by a course of sound Biblical instruction, 
 supplemented by Evangelistic work in the neighbourhood. 
 While submitting his schemes to the London Missionary 
 Society and his friends, he proceeded to have the bricks 
 made for the four to six cottages which were to be provided 
 for the Evangelists. He reported that these bricks were 
 made as payment of what otherwise would be bad debts, 
 and that if his proposals are not accepted, which he cannot 
 anticipate, the bricks can be sold — a worthy example of 
 Scottish prudence in pushing a forward policy. This project 
 of religious education he urged upon the Missionary Society, 
 as a fitting development and coping-stone of all its earlier 
 work in the Colony, from which it is finally withdrawing. 
 In the same memorandum he detailed the wants of the 
 Dutch-speaking and the Fingo coloured people, and pro- 
 posed to provide adequately for the pastoral care of both, 
 and even of European residents, as a part of the whole 
 scheme and in connection with the foregoing. There is 
 the impress of the man of broad views throughout the 
 entire document and its proposals. 
 
 The Institution of Hankey is to be for the enrichment
 
 MANY-SIDED WORK AT HANKEY 491 
 
 of South Africa, because it would come to be a centre of 
 more valuable influence in a country which is undoubtedly 
 so much in need of it. The presence of missionaries coming 
 direct from England is to be desired, not only for the sake 
 of the churches that they serve, but because it has a bene- 
 ficial effect on colonial society, when " there is a strong 
 tendency in the Cape Colony to level downwards towards 
 the Transvaal policy ! " 
 
 While it is true, as we have seen, that Mackenzie 
 was able to watch some of the best blessings flowing 
 from his labours in Hankey, it ought to be said that 
 he was not one of those who cherish an impatient 
 eagerness for a visible and personal triumph, or even 
 for palpable and measurable " results." Two extracts 
 bearing on this very point may be given here from 
 letters to his dear friend, Mr Charles G. Oates : — 
 
 Hankey, \-^th Dec. 1895. 
 Allow me, dear friend, to send you very warm greetings at 
 the close of the year, and best wishes for 1896 and for all your 
 future. It has occurred to me to mention to you what I 
 have often taken to heart as a lesson : that results are in 
 the hands of God. It is for us to do our work faithfully 
 — that is our part. When we come short in that, as alas ! 
 we do, we must be humbled and sorry ; but as to the 
 results, they are not our department — they are in God's 
 hands. 
 
 Jime 25, 1897. 
 
 There is one thought in connection with this that I want 
 to mention to you, if I have not done so before, and it is 
 this. I think you did all your share of what might have 
 been a most gratifying success. The actual outcome does 
 not change what you did ; that lies with others ; and part 
 of it with Him who is over us all, and whose orderings, 
 however mysterious and at times disappointing, are yet 
 the expression of a Father's wisdom and love. A succes- 
 sion of bad seasons, and the approach of an insidious 
 disease, combined to make commercial success impossible 
 
 to poor . PVom all I can gather, however, 
 
 he himself seems to have become more spiritually minded 
 during his last illness.
 
 492 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 During the Hankey years, Mackenzie's domestic 
 life had some elements of joy and some of sorrow 
 which he had hardly tasted before. He now had 
 a home for his daughters, to which also two of his 
 sons were able to make occasional visits, and in 
 which he had the peculiar and tender delight of 
 sometimes seeing little grandchildren running about. 
 He, of course, won their hearts as completely as they 
 won his. In January 1895, he, for the first time, 
 gave away one of his daughters in marriage, when 
 Jane Alice became the wife of James Campbell 
 Rodger, now of Bulawayo, Rhodesia. He passed 
 through a very strange and painful experience, how- 
 ever, when he received a succession of announcements 
 from Scotland within a few weeks or months of each 
 other, of the deaths of his own brother and his four 
 sisters. To this he refers in a letter which he wrote 
 to Mr Charles Oates, regarding the death of his re- 
 maining brother, Mr W. E. Oates : — 
 
 Hankey, Cape Colony, 
 5/// May 1896. 
 
 My Dear Friend, — Your letter with the very sad news 
 from Madeira has just come to hand ; and I have the 
 opportunity of at once acknowledging it. I have also 
 received the Suffolk and Essex Free Press, which contains 
 some mention of your l)rother as known to his neighbours. 
 ... I send you this note at once, to be, as it were, a grasp 
 of the hand, at this time of great sorrow which has come to 
 you. Mrs Mackenzie and I deeply sympathise with your 
 sister-in-law in her deep affliction, and my lieart is sore for 
 the dear cliildren who lose so tender and loving a father. 
 
 Do not lose heart in your loneliness — grasp the pilgrim- 
 staff more firmly. Each one of us must work out his day 
 resolutely and with his very best efforts. The Master has 
 still something for us to do. Others drop from our side ; 
 we work and wait his call. I think I mentioned to you 
 that soon after I came here my only brother and four 
 sisters — all of them older than myself — followed one another 
 within a short time to the grave. It made a deep and, I
 
 MANY-SIDED WORK AT IIANKEY 493 
 
 trust, abiding impression on my mind, as the solitary re- 
 maining one of the family. But some time after, in writing 
 to a young friend about this, I remarked that, notwithstand- 
 ing what had happened, I might live to be as old as Old 
 Parr. Each one is immortal till his work is done. — We join 
 in sincerest sympathy, and I remain ever yours sincerely, 
 
 John Mackenzie.
 
 CHAPTER XIX 
 
 AFRICA LAST CONTRIBUTIONS TO IMPERIAL 
 
 POLITICS (1892-1898) 
 
 When Mackenzie went to Hankey, he knew that 
 his political history was practically at an end, that 
 from that spot he could never continuously influence 
 public opinion, either at home or in South Africa. 
 And indeed, as we have seen, the work which he had 
 undertaken was so extensive and so absorbing that 
 for many months he hardly allowed himself to read 
 the newspapers, or to think of the outside world. 
 But as affairs at Hankey came gradually under 
 control, his mind could not but return to the wider 
 interests with which he had been so closely identified. 
 From the year 1892 his correspondence in various 
 directions shows how closely he watched political 
 events, and how earnestly he tried, in what ways were 
 possible to him, to reach the minds of those who 
 wielded power in London or at Cape Town. 
 
 In 1895 he welcomed Mr Chamberlain to the 
 Colonial Office with peculiar delight and expectancy. 
 At this time he wrote to his third son, now a barrister 
 at Kimberley, as follows : — 
 
 Hankey, indjuly 1895. 
 
 Mv Dear Jim, — It is a wonderful change from Lord 
 Ripon to Mr Chamberlain at the Colonial Office. Annexa- 
 tion is not now quite where it would have been, or might 
 have been in Ripon's hands. 
 
 Of course, it will depend on what has been done by the 
 late ministry.
 
 IMPERIAL POLITICS 495 
 
 So far as I am personally concerned, there is no first- 
 class statesman who has so identified himself with my views 
 as Mr Chamberlain has done. It so happens that a letter 
 of mine to him is now on the ocean, referring to annexation 
 especially, and saying what I think should be done. This 
 was, of course, to enable him effectually to oppose the ex- 
 pulsion of the Imperial Government from active affairs in 
 South Africa ; for that is what Mr Rhodes really means — 
 the Cape Colony to get one slice, and the Chartered 
 Company the other slice, of old Bechuanaland. 
 
 It may all happen yet ; but it is not quite so likely now. 
 We are all in God's hands. I hear from Bechuanaland 
 that people — white people — informed Reuter, Cape Town, 
 that a petition (or petitions) was in circulation against 
 annexation. Reuter did not publish the information ; but 
 he published the views of a Mr Theal who is up there, and 
 wired them over the Colony. This gentleman is, I believe, 
 a land surveyor, and has a right to his view, which is for 
 annexation. 
 
 Shortly after Mr Chamberlain's appointment, two 
 remarkable events occurred, which focussed attention 
 upon the new Secretary. The first was the re- 
 appointment of Sir Hercules Robinson (later Lord 
 Rosmead), as High Commissioner for South Africa 
 and Governor of Cape Colony. There can be no 
 doubt that this most unexpected step was taken at 
 the instance of Mr Rhodes, and that its fruit was 
 seen in a few months' time, when the Jameson 
 Raid occurred. 
 
 The other event was the visit to England of three 
 Bechuanaland chiefs, of whom, of course, the best 
 known and most powerful was Khame. They went 
 to England expressly to protest against the pro- 
 posal that North Bechuanaland should be handed 
 over by the Imperial Government to the Chartered 
 Company. 
 
 It is aside from our story to narrate the interesting 
 and impressive progress which Khame made through 
 England and Scotland, and the agreement at which
 
 496 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 Mr Chamberlain arrived, by which a strip of Khame's 
 territory on his eastern border — which was not to 
 exceed, at its widest, ten miles — was handed over 
 to the Company for the purpose of building a railway 
 to Bulawayo. It was in connection with the proposed 
 annexation of North Bechuanaland, which Khame's 
 visit defeated, that Mackenzie wrote the following 
 important letter to Mr Chamberlain : — 
 
 Hankey, Cape Colony, 
 2\thjuly 1895. 
 
 Dear Mr Chamberlain, — I regard it as remarkable that 
 I should have felt moved to write to you as I did some weeks 
 ago on South African affairs. I had been silent for years. 
 But the time to speak out and prevent weak people from 
 doing wrong, partly from ignorance, partly from weakness, 
 seemed to have come. Little did I think that my letter 
 would find you in charge of the Colonial Department. Of 
 course, so far as pushing one's views is concerned, I have 
 been personally out of it since 1891. But the views remain ; 
 they are those of all leading minds. The wonder is, how- 
 ever, that Mr Rhodes has not sooner had his way, so 
 persistent are his people and so heedless as to their 
 statements. You will be confronted with the question 
 of the disposal of Bechuanaland, the Protectorate, and 
 Khame's country. 
 
 As to the Crown Colony, you have it quite in your choice 
 to hold it in Imperial hands, although the Cape Parliament 
 has agreed to take it over. You will thank them for that 
 kind offer, but it is one of those points on which you 
 would wish to have more light, before taking so important 
 a step. 
 
 The opposition in liechuanaland to the annexation to the 
 Cape Colony is too serious for Her Majesty's Government to 
 proceed hastily with that measure. As to the Protectorate 
 and Khame's country, the whole of that territory has, in your 
 view, occupied the same position since 1885, in connection 
 with Her Majesty's Government. The Chief Khame was 
 taken specially under Her Majesty's Protection ; and the 
 Earl of Derby, the then Secretary of State, specially requested 
 that the chief should then be acquainted with that fact, and
 
 IMPERIAL POLITICS 497 
 
 that the Protection should be a real one. This was done, 
 Sir C. Warren visiting Khame personally.^ Thus in 1885 
 we took under our protection a chief whose territory extended 
 northward to the River Zambesi. 
 
 Nothing that map-makers could afterwards do in London, in 
 the way of colouring maps, could interfere with this historical 
 establishment of an Imperial Protectorate over Khame in 
 1S85. 
 
 Mr Rhodes ought to be well content with the territories of 
 Lobengula, Mashonaland and Matabeleland, which his 
 Company has secured by conquest, a conquest in which 
 he was very materially assisted by the Imperial Government. 
 He may have indisputable titles to a great many things north 
 of the Zambesi ; I don't know. But he has no title at all, and 
 practically not a leg to stand on, in Bechuanaland Protec- 
 torate or Khame's country. I consider that the thing is unheard 
 of, that an Imperial Protectorate, against the wishes of all its 
 people, should be handed over by the Imperial Government 
 to a commercial company. Why, even the Cape Parliament 
 speakers in the recent debate called this a hole-and-corner 
 proceeding. At present the Imperial Government is synony- 
 mous with weakness and iinreliableness. It is openly reviled 
 out here by such men as Mr Rhodes. I should dearly like to 
 see this all changed. It would be easy to make the Imperial 
 Government well-liked by both natives and Dutch-speaking 
 people if our Government were in charge of such a country as 
 we are now speaking of The natives would get justice and 
 would have confidence, the unoccupied tracts of country 
 would be opened up and used by settlers. The Government 
 of this Colony would soon come to take up a position of 
 influence in South Africa, and a distinct advance would be 
 given to a future confederation of South Africa. I need not 
 say, what I have often said before, that this is without doubt 
 the natural destiny of the country ; but that nothing tends to 
 hinder this more than the present movements of Mr Rhodes 
 and his policy, and that of Sir H. Robinson, of always 
 aggrandizing the Cape Colony. The other countries won't be 
 sat upon, they will not consent, they have finally refused to 
 be swallowed up by the Cape Colony. I beg to tender my 
 sincere congratulations to you on filling the ofifice, which I 
 remember you once told me it would be your desire to fill, if 
 
 ^ See "Austral Africa," ii., 209, 210. Blue Book, C. 4432, p. 48. 
 
 2 I
 
 498 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 ever you came to be offered a seat in a Cabinet. I trust you 
 will leave your mark in Downing Street, and especially 
 influence its officials as Englishmen, to be ashamed of being 
 outdone and superseded by the officials of a Chartered 
 Company — Englishmen like themselves, and, like them- 
 selves, responsible to the British House of Commons. — 
 Ever yours, John Mackenzie. 
 
 Concerning the Jameson Raid itself, Mackenzie re- 
 mained almost entirely silent. Like all lovers of South 
 Africa, he felt the shock to the depths of his soul. 
 He refers to Mr Chamberlain's attitude in passing 
 allusions, and speaks most highly of his firmness, 
 dignity, and courage. But the revelations which 
 occurred from month to month, and culminated in 
 the disclosures before the Committee of the House 
 of Commons, never received any sustained criticism, 
 as far as can be found, from his pen. 
 
 At the close of the year i 895, he was asked by the 
 editor of The Contemporary Review to write an article, 
 which he did, upon the British South African Company, 
 with special reference to its conduct of the first war, 
 and its native policy in Matabeleland and Mashona- 
 land. 
 
 This article appeared in The Contemporary Review 
 for March 1896, and it attracted a great deal of 
 attention, both in England and in Cape Colony. 
 Having gained direct information from many sources, 
 and possessing a close personal knowledge, not only 
 of the country of which he spoke, but of the customs 
 and prejudices of the native races, he was able to 
 estimate the conduct of the Company with peculiar 
 authority. He says that he had been silent regarding 
 the Company, avoiding all criticism of a public 
 character, for seven years ; but that he felt the time 
 had now come for passing judgment upon the manner 
 in which it had fulfilled the task assumed by it and 
 laid upon it by the Imperial Government. He found
 
 IMPERIAL POLITICS 499 
 
 that his own predictions had been abundantly fulfilled, 
 and his worst fears realised. The Company's affairs 
 were conducted by men who did not possess the 
 imperial spirit, nor acted towards subject races as 
 British Imperial officers are universally expected to 
 act. 
 
 In the first section of his article Mackenzie described 
 the earlier methods of the Company in opening up 
 Mashonaland for its European settlers. It did not 
 appear that even in relation to the white men who 
 entered under its aegis, the Company's policy was 
 broad-minded and successful. Before long these 
 white men found that the conditions of life were 
 harder and the prospects of profitable gold-mining 
 were poorer than they had been led to expect. The 
 Company was unable to open up its mines in Mashona- 
 land so as to make profitable returns. On the other 
 hand, the Company found itself in a country where the 
 native population was ready to give it a warm welcome. 
 Industrious workers in iron and cotton who had been 
 long oppressed by the cruel Matabele were led to 
 expect that the Company, representing England, 
 would bring peace and justice with it to their land. 
 It was through the position of protector of the 
 Mashonas that the Company was first brought into 
 conflict with the Matabele. The Matabele resented 
 the Company's interference with their custom of 
 massacring the Mashonas, and turned upon their 
 white protectors. The result was the invasion of 
 Matabeleland by the Company, with the aid of 
 Imperial forces operating from the south-west. The 
 Matabele were mowed down by the Maxim guns, and 
 at last, finding themselves unable to come to close 
 quarters with their enemy, gave up in despair, and 
 fled. This victory gave the Company for the first 
 time the sovereignty of the whole country. This was 
 a splendid opportunity for " establishing their claim
 
 500 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 to supersede the Imperial Government." Alas, the 
 Company's administrators struck out a native policy 
 " entirely at variance with what is generally known as 
 British native policy." Mackenzie says : " It is 
 capable of proof that the Company's management 
 of native affairs has been a complete failure." This 
 strong indictment he argues with abundance of 
 evidence from actual events, which he cites through 
 five pages of the article. The most foolish feature 
 in the administration of the Company was its enrol- 
 ment and drill of six or seven hundred young Matabele 
 soldiers to act as native police, and the removal south- 
 ward before the Jameson Raid " of so many white men 
 with guns and ammunition — all of which eventually 
 fell into the hands of President Kruger." The darkest 
 spot in their policy was, to Mackenzie's mind, their 
 method of compelling the natives to work in the 
 service of the Company. Their effort " to re-establish 
 forced labour in South Africa as a permanent institu- 
 tion " was, he maintains, without reason, there being no 
 ground for the complaint that there was a scarcity of 
 labour. 
 
 Regarding the relation of the Company to Cape 
 Colony, Mackenzie had some things to say which 
 involved continual reference to the personality of Mr 
 Rhodes ; for the link of connection between the two 
 was to be found in the fact that he was at that time 
 both manager of the Chartered Company and Prime 
 Minister of the Cape Colony. He had some more 
 strong things to say regarding the claim that Mr 
 Rhodes " had been allaying race feeling in the Cape 
 Colony." The process of amalgamation of the races 
 he showed to have been going on steadily and naturally 
 without any assistance from any one individual human 
 being, and he believed that the process would go on 
 faster if men would cease to discuss it as if racial 
 hatred were increasing instead of disappearing. Mr
 
 IMPERIAL POLITICS 501 
 
 Rhodes as a Cape politician had won the admiration 
 " of two opposing parties in the Cape Colony for 
 opposite reasons." There was a section of patriotic 
 Englishmen who beheved in his Imperialism, while on 
 the other hand the Africander Bond " admired and 
 loved Mr Rhodes because he was so un-English in 
 his views." " As a politician the late Premier's votes 
 have always been with the Bond ; sometimes, as on 
 the Excise question, he has been the only Englishman 
 voting with them." 
 
 The next section discusses the relation of the 
 Company to the South African Republics, in which 
 the writer says that it is viewed by them " with the 
 utmost aversion," He pointed out with great vigour 
 that the policy of the Chartered Company had actually 
 led both natives and Dutch Republicans " to call for 
 the Imperial Government to step in instead of the 
 Company, and resume the position which it should 
 never have abdicated." Mackenzie had no doubt that 
 the policy of the Company, as disclosed by its entire 
 dealings with the natives, the Colonists, and Repub- 
 licans, and as fully revealed in the Jameson Raid, 
 " was to place the Transvaal, and afterwards South 
 Africa, under the Chartered Company." The Raid 
 failed, because " the root-idea — the commercial com- 
 pany idea — on which the attempted revolution was 
 based, was a false one." It " was founded on the idea 
 that money could do everything." What Mackenzie 
 described as the conspicuous failure of the Chartered 
 Company in South Africa, led to the problem of its 
 future ; and on this point he believed that nothing less 
 was possible than rescinding the Company's Charter. 
 This of course would bear merely upon the functions 
 of Government, leaving the entire and vast work of 
 developing the rich and extensive gold mines of 
 Mashonaland and Matabeleland as the sole responsi- 
 bility of the Company. " In the meantime," he adds,
 
 502 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 " the duty and privilege of Britain is in 1897 what it 
 was in 1889 — only much emphasised by the history 
 of the intervening years — to administer the affairs of 
 the country in its present stage of development, and 
 to place that administration under the supreme control 
 of those who should not be mixed up with other South 
 African affairs," 
 
 It may be added that this article, which very soon 
 passed out of print, not only made a very strong 
 impression upon its readers, but has never received, so 
 far as the present writer knows, an authoritative reply 
 to its deadly criticisms. The following letter refers 
 to it : — 
 
 Han KEY, Zth January 1896. 
 
 My Dear Mr Gates, — ... I have sent home an article 
 on " The Chartered Company in South Africa : A Review 
 and Criticism," which I hope may appear in the Co7itemporary 
 in February. 
 
 I have had special and reliable information from Matabele- 
 land, and the facts will, I think, astonish the ordinary English 
 reader. Having the telegraphic wire in their own hands, and 
 having also some English papers ever ready to back them up, 
 the Company has got to occupy a position to which it would 
 appear it has not the slightest title, judging from what it has 
 actually done. 
 
 Its native policy has been a complete failure, and a dis- 
 grace to Great Britain. 
 
 It was almost inconceivable that the long oppressed 
 Mashonas should have sided with their oppressors, the 
 Matabele, rather than with the white men, who, it was 
 supposed, were their friends and protectors. I was for weeks 
 here, refusing to believe that the NIashonas had also risen, till 
 at last the evidence was undeniable. 
 
 While our general native policy was such that the Mashonas 
 preferred to fight along with the Matabele rather than assist 
 the white man, in Matabeleland the Company undoubtedly 
 established forced labour as a permanent institution. In- 
 credible, you say ; nevertheless the fact. The Company has 
 lowered us far below the Transvaal Boers as to the treatment 
 of the natives.
 
 IMPERIAL POLITICS 503 
 
 In short, if Old England stands where she stood as to fair 
 dealing and righteousness, it is impossible that this charter 
 of the Company can be renewed. Of course that would not 
 interfere with the Company's gold mines, or with their rail- 
 ways, so absolutely indispensable to the profitable working 
 of the mines. 
 
 I do not know whether you have noticed it — that the 
 leading men in the Cape Colony have objected to the past 
 methods, while the Transvaal and the Free State have un- 
 expectedly called on the Imperial Government to assume 
 the authority delegated to the Company. It would certainly 
 give England a position of vantage, so far as those States are 
 concerned, if she assumed the government in the northern 
 country at the call and suggestion of those who are supposed 
 to be so much opposed to our government.— With kindest 
 regards, I am, ever yours sincerely, John Mackenzie. 
 
 In 1896 Mackenzie's mind was kept brooding over 
 the problem presented by the Transvaal. The Jame- 
 son Raid drew the attention of all thoughtful men to 
 study the conditions in the South African Republic 
 which made such an event possible. However guilty 
 Mr Rhodes and Dr Jameson had been, it was quite 
 evident that their plan was suggested by the state of 
 affairs at Johannesburg ; and Johannesburg was not 
 composed of a class of people likely to be embroiled 
 in political insurrections either for the sake of amuse- 
 ment or because they were anxious to be " in politics." 
 Quite evidently the leaders of such a community 
 would naturally wish to be let alone to pursue their 
 business ambitions, and would rebel simply when 
 business was being rendered impossible. Mackenzie, 
 having given much attention to the situation, resolved 
 to embody his conclusions in a letter addressed 
 directly to President Kruger. As this letter, which 
 he dated from Hankey on June 18, 1896, grew 
 under his hand, he resolved to make it an open letter, 
 written in the first place in Dutch and sent to 
 the leading Dutch papers, but forwarded also in an 
 English form to the English papers. We have no
 
 504 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 assurance, of course, that it was ever read to Pre- 
 sident Kruger, who for some years had made himself 
 dependent almost entirely upon the aid of a private 
 secretary and reader. It is not at all probable that 
 the President's advisers would consider this clear, 
 strong, earnest letter such an one as should reach Mr 
 Kruger's ears. 
 
 The letter is constructed on lines which a true 
 South African would recognise at once as being ap- 
 propriate to a Dutchman's habits of mind and pre- 
 judices. As he would be, so it is, frankly religious, 
 basing some of its most powerful pleas upon the 
 principles of righteousness and the sense of respon- 
 sibility to God. After an introductory paragraph, 
 Mackenzie recalled a former occasion on which he 
 and the President had met ; then he passed to one of 
 his fundamental positions. The Transvaal had indeed 
 been first invaded by the " Voortrekkers," who were 
 farmers, and who there found a land prepared for 
 them. But the country to which they went was a 
 country prepared by the Almighty, not only for the 
 farmer, but for the gold-seeker and the gold -miner. 
 To this idea he returns several times, driving it home 
 in such fashion as to reach the conscience of any 
 open-minded Dutchman. In a later paragraph he 
 says : — 
 
 As a matter of fact the Republic is to-day the country of 
 the gold-miner just as it is the country of the farmer, and it 
 is unjust as well as impolitic not to admit this fact in a 
 practical way. The present condition as to population has 
 not been brought about by any liuman policy or plnnning ; 
 it has happened in the providence of God ; and it has there- 
 fore occurred for the ultimate good of all the inhabitants. 
 
 He recognises that President Kruger has, " in God's 
 providence," been called to a very hard task. " David's 
 call from the sheep-cote was not so sudden as the call 
 to Your Honour to rule over this influx of popula-
 
 IMPERIAL POLITICS 505 
 
 tion." This influx had found the farmers unready to 
 meet the new conditions. 
 
 With great delicacy Mackenzie attempts to lay the 
 responsibility for the failure, not upon President 
 Kruger personally, but upon the unwillingness of his 
 " farmer Raad " to grant equality to the new people 
 because they were miners. Then he shows that these 
 gold-miners came from the best countries in the world, 
 and were men of education and character, and strikes 
 hard upon one delicate spot when he asks, " When 
 did the custom begin, to make a difference among 
 white men, and to say that some were citizens and 
 others were not ? " This policy was not only con- 
 trary to South African tradition ; it was contrary to 
 the principles of a republic, " The people of a re- 
 public are the real governors of the land." An appeal 
 was made to the experience of California, and Aus- 
 tralia, and New Zealand to prove that it was possible 
 for farmers and miners to work together prosperously 
 in the same country ; it could not be to the miners' 
 advantage to do any harm to the land they lived in 
 and from which they gained their wealth. Broadly 
 he says, " The action of the farmers is to blame for 
 the present unhappy, un-Christian, and dangerous 
 state of things." Thus he comes upon the use by the 
 South African Republic of the term " Uitlander " to 
 describe all new white residents ; and he puts his 
 finger on another of the sensitive spots in the Trans- 
 vaal body politic, when he urges that the President is 
 not consistent in the use of the term, for there are 
 some new residents strictly " Uitlanders " whom he 
 receives to full favour, and whom he uses to the detri- 
 ment of the rest of the " Uitlanders." 
 
 It is said, and Your Honour will be able to judge of the 
 truth of the statement, that the gold-miner is one of those 
 parties, and the speculative "Uitlander," who lives off the 
 gold-mining industry is the other. It is freely declared that
 
 5o6 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 Your Honour's Government has been more or less used by 
 the speculative class of " Uitlanders " to enrich themselves at 
 the expense of the real producers of the wealth of the 
 country. 
 
 Such an accusation, he urges, could only be silenced 
 by a policy of justice to the miners. He proceeds in 
 succeeding paragraphs to warn President Kruger that 
 there is no possibility of European intervention in the 
 interests of the South African Republic. 
 
 They (European Powers) all know that the Republic is, 
 by its own agreement, under the suzerainty of Great Britain. 
 As Great Britain has no mind to retire from that suzerainty, 
 it follows that any competing agreement between the Re- 
 public and any other European Power — if such a thing 
 existed — would be regarded by Britain as a hostile action 
 both on Your Honour's part and on the part of the European 
 Power in question. 
 
 War would not remove his troubles, but rather 
 create conditions under which they would re-awaken ; 
 and those who brought the war on would carry the 
 responsibility of a shameful undertaking ; " blood 
 would be shed, antipathies roused, the Merciful 
 Saviour of all men — miners as well as farmers — 
 deeply offended, and the beneficial result of it all — 
 nothing, absolutely nothing." 
 
 There can be no doubt of the sincere efforts of Her 
 Majesty's Government to allay such warlike feeling, and 
 to lead towards the peaceful settlement of all difficulties. 
 It will be for Your Honour and for your Raad to cherish 
 equal self-restraint, and to lead the minds of the farmer 
 population in the way of peace. 
 
 In dealing with recent events, he deeply regrets 
 " the recent invasion of the Republic by the officers 
 and men of the British South African Company." 
 But such events were not in times past unfamiliar to 
 President Kruger. He reminds President Kruger that 
 he himself once " took the field at the head of one
 
 IMPERIAL POLITICS 507 
 
 armed section of the burghers against another armed 
 section of the farmers " ; and that he had again been 
 concerned in 1 879 in the movement against the annexa- 
 tion by Great Britain. In each of these instances he 
 and his companions felt their cause to be good, and 
 their warfare righteous ; so felt the miners about their 
 intended insurrection. He must not, therefore, mix up 
 the miners, who only sought to have their grievances 
 removed, and their political claims recognised, " with 
 the perfectly unjustifiable actions of the officers of the 
 Chartered Company." For Mackenzie, the grim pro- 
 spects which he describes in a later paragraph, arose 
 from the fact that President Kruger admitted no 
 responsibility for the conditions which prompted the 
 miners to their desperate movement. 
 
 " There is no promise of redress of grievances, no regret 
 expressed, that under Your Honour's Government a body 
 of intelligent men should have been driven to try an armed 
 demonstration after every constitutional method had failed." 
 His present advisers were, he said, " enemies of peace and 
 goodwill in South Africa." " The miners are not even like 
 the mercantile class, members of which often leave the 
 Republic when their children grow up. . . . The miners are 
 like the farmers — they have come to stay." 
 
 The President ought to face his Raad with a 
 settled policy in his mind, " of welding together the 
 two classes of your people by gradual and well 
 thought out measures." If they refused, he had 
 constitutional means for dissolving the Raad and 
 making an appeal to the burghers, demanding that 
 if he were to continue their President, they must 
 change their policy towards the miners ; and this 
 appeal, Mackenzie would, with all confidence, address 
 to their Christian conscience. This conclusion, he 
 urged, would " be the crowning achievement " in Mr 
 Kruger's career, by which he would lay " the founda- 
 tions of a united community at peace within itself.
 
 5o8 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 and in harmon\' with the £^eneral aims and aspira- 
 tions of the rest of South Africa." 
 
 This letter, which appeared in the Cape Times, July 
 20, 1896, was reprinted in pamphlet form, and was 
 read all over South Africa. It is, in the opinion of 
 the present writer, one of the best pieces of work 
 which Mackenzie ever did as regards the mere matters 
 of style, and of consecutive and convincing argument. 
 It is a model at once of frankness and courtesy, of 
 insight into the mind addressed, and into the best 
 means for persuading it. 
 
 In 1897, his correspondence shows that Mackenzie 
 was watching very closely, and with much anxiety, the 
 course of events in the Cape Colony, as well as in the 
 Transvaal. He was indignant at the deliberateness 
 with which party leaders emphasised the influence of 
 race upon political life in the Colony. To this he 
 refers very indignantly in a letter to his friend, Mr Henry 
 Beard of Cape Town. 
 
 In this letter he uses the expression, " Stick to 
 opinions only," an idea and an injunction which he 
 repeatedly insisted upon. He held that as long as 
 men discussed South African industrial and social 
 problems as race-problems, they strengthened the 
 Africander Bond, and rooted it more deeply in the 
 afifections of its own supporters ; but the moment that 
 fair-minded, clear-headed, justice-loving men began to 
 discuss opinions, to advocate broad policies on their 
 merits, and in doing this to ignore racial distinctions, 
 that moment they began to sow discord amongst the 
 members of the various races themselves. Mackenzie 
 spoke from experience. In a discussion of practical 
 policies on grounds of justice, in a discussion of 
 political opinions in the light of the future of South 
 Africa as a whole, Mackenzie had found it easy to 
 divide not only Englishmen but even Dutchmen also, 
 against one another, and so to make possible the re-
 
 IMPERIAL POLITICS 509 
 
 arrangement of party affiliations, not on racial, but on 
 purely political lines. 
 
 Hankkv, May ()//t, '97. 
 
 Dear Mr Beard, — I have to acknowledge the receipt of a 
 copy of the Bazaar Book, which is really very well got up. I 
 have not had time to read the stories yet, but have no doubt 
 they will be good, in such surroundings. 
 
 Well ! you have been in deep water — or is it a strong 
 storm of wind ? — since I left you. You have got a certificate 
 of character from Mr Garrett that you ought to be in the 
 Cape Parliament — that is something, even although he adds, 
 " but not for Cape Town." Why is there no one to tell this 
 young man that there are litnitations to most men's eye-sight. 
 His sight is probably not always good, for he can see no 
 difference, or he will see no difference, between Mr Rhodes 
 and the Imperial Government. He does a great dis-service 
 to his own country and his own Imperial Government by 
 constantly making it and Mr Rhodes convertible terms. 
 That sort of thing can hardly be done unconsciously. Is it 
 possible that it can be done in perfect sincerity? 
 
 I am heartily sorry for Merriman. What a pity he should 
 go so far merely to obtain political advantage. By the way, 
 why did the Cape Times say it was a division on race lines ? 
 It did not seem to me to be so. 
 
 Mr Innes spoke and acted like a man. Let him stand to 
 that ; let him wait till people come to him and say to him, 
 " Lead us ; we know our views and we know yours ; be our 
 leader." What has been done so long by one minority after 
 another has been too degrading — practically to approach the 
 Bond and beg to be employed by them in the job of govern- 
 ing the Cape Colony. Ignore the Bond's stronghold — that 
 of race. Stick to opinions only. On these lines I feel sure 
 you will yet see a strong party, with Mr Innes at its head. 
 If Mr Rhodes again pushes to the front, it will be a bad thing 
 for you all, and for the Colony. He has as yet no opinions ; 
 he knows only one process — which is something else than 
 politics. — With kind regards to all at Highwick, I am ever 
 yours sincerely, John Mackenzie. 
 
 In this year, also, Mackenzie began to correspond 
 with one whom he had welcomed most warmly to the
 
 5IO JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 Colony as its new Governor, Sir Alfred Milner. His 
 personal acquaintance with Mr Milner had begun in 
 1882, when the latter was a journalist in London. It 
 increased to a friendship through much correspondence 
 in later years, when Mr Milner was private secretary 
 to Mr Goschen. In those years he had prophesied a 
 great future for " young Milner," as he sometimes 
 called him, and noted with satisfaction his promotion 
 to work in Egypt. Lord Milner's letters to Mackenzie, 
 after his arrival in South Africa, are both numerous 
 and very cordial. Once only was Mackenzie able to 
 meet the Governor personally. That was on the 
 occasion of a journey which Lord Milner made from 
 Port Elizabeth along the coast westwards. Mackenzie 
 joined his party near Humansdorp, and rode in the 
 " cart " with him to that village. There he took part 
 in the welcome which was enthusiastically accorded 
 by the entire countryside to the new and popular 
 representative of the Queen. 
 
 In 1897 there occurred one of the most shameful of 
 all transactions in all South Africa— the war between 
 the Cape Colony and certain districts of South 
 Bechuanaland. After a protracted struggle, in which 
 the Colonial Government is accused of having dis- 
 played cruelty as well as incapacity, the terrible story 
 was closed by the forcible deportation of large numbers 
 of the Bechuanaland people to be placed on the farms 
 of Boers, in Cape Colony, as unpaid and compulsory 
 servants of those farmers. This was done, not only 
 by way of reprisal, but nominally for the good of 
 these people, and as an indemnity for the expense of 
 the war. Even Sir Gordon Sprigg advocated this 
 policy, denying that it partook of slavery, and insist- 
 ing that it was devised and carried out in a philan- 
 thropic spirit. 
 
 Mackenzie had throughout these events remained 
 silent, like Achilles, but with better reason, nursing a
 
 IMPERIAL POLITICS 511 
 
 deep grief in his heart. When urged to speak he 
 decHned. When asked by his fellow-missionaries in 
 Bechuanaland why he was silent, he was able to 
 explain that he did not feel that any speech of his 
 at this time could do any good. The time for speak- 
 ing was years before ; then he had stood alone, un- 
 supported, and even opposed by some of the very men 
 who now called for his voice. He had then declared 
 what would happen if South Bechuanaland were 
 annexed to the Colony, and nothing in subsequent 
 events had astonished him, except the measure of the 
 folly and the injustice. But he did write, at the con- 
 clusion of the whole affair, the following important 
 letter to his old colleague and friend, Mr J. S. Moffatt, 
 to whose hands it now fell to help with the educa- 
 tional and religious instruction of the unhappy exiles 
 from Bechuanaland. 
 
 Hankey, Cape Colony, 
 29/// Oct. 1897. 
 
 My Dear Mr Moffat, — I am much obliged to you for 
 sending me the copies of the Times and other papers with 
 Langberg and other up-country news. 
 
 I am glad that you and those working with you are going 
 to test the legality of what the Government has done. I 
 noticed that that was Mr Chamberlain's answer to the 
 Aborigines Protection Society. — Everything is in the hands 
 of a British Colony ; if there is anything wrong, let it come 
 out before the law courts of the Colony. 
 
 I am in the position of having foreseen this, and of having 
 laboured for years (and for a long time not unsuccessfully) to 
 prevent that country from coming into the hands of the 
 Colony. I still think it was a profound mistake to have 
 joined on South Bechuanaland to the Cape Colony ; it 
 increases the difficulties of those who keep before them a 
 South African Confederation. So-called leaders have misled 
 the Cape Colony with the dream that the Colony would yet 
 be practically synonymous with South Africa. This appeal 
 to selfishness has become, or is becoming, too absurd for 
 belief. In the meantime the annexation of Bechuarialand 
 was simply rushed. " Make haste ; annex at once — there is
 
 5 12 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 a large party against it." That was the advice of the Dictator 
 to the Cape Town Parliament, and his advice was taken. 
 That advice was not in the interests of the Cape Colony, 
 which already as a Government has too much territory. It 
 was not in the interests of Bechuanaland, to cease being a 
 Territory under the direct control of the Central (lOvernment 
 in order to become a distant part of the huge Cape Colony. 
 
 The best thing that could be done now in the real interests 
 of the Cape Colony — in the interests of all the people of 
 Bechuanaland, and especially as looking forward to the 
 future Confederation which many good men believe is still 
 before us — is for the Cape Colony to give back South 
 Bechuanaland to the Imperial Government, to be prepared 
 for self-government under its auspices and to be managed in 
 conjunction with North Bechuanaland. We should then 
 have two Provinces in the North — Rhodesia and Bechuana- 
 land — the Zambesi being the northern boundary of both. 
 Imperial administralion can fiever retire from Rhodesia ?iow, 
 till the country is self-governing. So should it be with refer- 
 ence to the Central Country of Bechuanaland — from the 
 German line on the West to Rhodesia on the East, and from 
 Zambesi on the North to what was the northern boundary of 
 the Cape Colony before the recent mischievous annexation. 
 
 It is time for real leaders to lead the Cape Colony, and to 
 show them that the extension of the range of the administra- 
 tion of the Colony is now a disadvantage, and no longer an 
 advantage in the eyes of all who keep steadily in view the 
 happy future of a great because United South Africa. The 
 country is growing, and is sure to grow. It is for wise men 
 to plan that it may grow proportionately and usefully. No 
 one wishes to interfere with the self-government of the 
 peoples out here. The time will come when the northern 
 countries will be able to manage their own affairs. The 
 Imperial Government should then retire; but not till 
 then. 
 
 I am fully persuaded that this is the view of the intelligent 
 Cape Colonist. He may go north personally ; more likely 
 his children will go north. But he is distinctly of opinion 
 that the Colonial Government at Cape Town should not 
 take in hand with the management of territories so far 
 away as Bechuanaland or Rhodesia. He is determined to 
 enjoy all the advantages of a British subject in any or all 
 the British colonies and countries throughout South Africa ;
 
 IMPERIAL POLITICS 513 
 
 but he holds it to be unwise for a single Colonial Govern- 
 ment to attempt to govern everywhere. 
 
 I was thankful to observe that a committee of ladies had 
 been formed in connection with the Bechuanaland prisoners ; 
 and I trust that their number will come to include leading 
 members of all Christian churches. We all need high ideals 
 kept before us. Who is to place them and keep them there 
 but the ministers of Christ, and those Christian ladies who 
 from the earliest days of Christianity were ever near to Christ 
 and to His Cross? 
 
 I think it is difficult to say how you are to' feed and clothe 
 those whose food has been destroyed or used up in the late 
 protracted disturbance. Feed them you must, as a Christian 
 Government : enslave them you may not. As it seems to 
 me, you cannot punish those whom you have not tried. A 
 state of war was never proclaimed : the right of a trial there- 
 fore remained to all. But from a plain Christian man's 
 standpoint, who wishes the best to be done in present 
 circumstances, if the contracts were altered and made for 
 only two years, we should be nearer to the conviction that 
 the Government were not enslaving, but only providing food 
 and clothing for the destitute survivors of Langberg. If our 
 Government did that — changed the engagements to two 
 years ; and if they approached the Imperial Government 
 with the request that they would resume the administration 
 of Bechuanaland, having the future of South Africa in view, 
 I think the whole Colony would say that they had got well 
 out of what has been a conspicuously bad business. I may 
 explain that I have been away from home lately, and not so 
 attentive to the newspapers as I ought to be. Thus I did not 
 know of the meeting recently held in Cape Town on this 
 question till after it was over. Were I to classify myself as 
 to Colonial politics, I should like to belong to the Progressive 
 Party, and I have sympathy with all Progressive men, without 
 reference to their descent. The settlement of the present 
 question, in my humble opinion, lies now in the changing of 
 the contract to two years, and the giving up of Bechuanaland 
 to the Imperial Government, that it may in the future become 
 a province in the South Africa of our children, if not of our 
 own time. 
 
 I had not intended to write on this matter. My advice 
 had been disregarded. Men had not then found out whither 
 their dictator was leading them. I write now, because there 
 
 2 K
 
 514 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 are people in the Colony who wish to know my views con- 
 cerning a country which I first entered in the end of 1858. 
 It now belongs to Progressive men throughout the Colony to 
 decide for a sound policy with reference to the North. Have 
 all the advantages of it, but leave its vexations and its 
 government in the hands of the Central or Imperial Govern- 
 ment, until it can govern itself locally. 
 
 I am free to admit that in giving this advice years ago, I 
 was following the example of the United States of America — 
 holding the young Territory under the Central Government 
 at Washington until such time as the " Territory " had 
 legally qualified itself to enter the number of the " States," 
 and govern itself. — I am, ever yours sincerely, 
 
 John Mackenzie. 
 
 About this time Mackenzie was cheered by receiving 
 two requests from England, which showed that he was 
 not altogether forgotten in the homeland. One was 
 another urgent call from the editor of The Contemporary 
 Review for an article on Bechuanaland, and the other 
 was a request from Dr MacLeod, the editor of Good 
 Words, for three articles on South Africa. The latter 
 he entitled " Glances at South Africa," and they 
 appeared in the July, August, and September 
 numbers of that magazine, in the year 1898, with 
 a number of illustrations and photographs. 
 
 The Co7iteinporary Review article appeared in 
 February 1898. It occupied sixteen pages, almost 
 all of which were given to the recent disturbances 
 in Bechuanaland. 
 
 His narrative shows that he deeply suspected 
 treachery of a very disagreeable kind behind the 
 initial steps of that disturbance in 1897. The in- 
 capacity of the Colonial policy was abundantly 
 proved, and the deliberate slowness with which the 
 necessary steps were taken for arresting murderers 
 was thrown into prominence. Then he set forth the 
 manner in which, when the disaffected natives from 
 the east of the country took refuge among the
 
 IMPERIAL POLITICS 515 
 
 Langberg hills in the west, no effort was made to 
 discriminate between the intruders and the real in- 
 habitants of that region — " on the whole a quiet 
 and well-conducted people." 
 
 We are told, for instance, that on more than one 
 occasion Luka Jantye, the Chief, took great trouble to 
 put himself right with our people. It was stated that 
 he offered " himself and his allegiance and service, and 
 that practically these were distrusted and rejected." 
 This Luka was himself killed under circumstances of 
 peculiar atrocity. " I decline to write the details," 
 Mackenzie says of the sanguinary story. " Thank 
 God, there cannot be many people who would or 
 could do such things, except as a duty." 
 
 Then he deals with the confiscation of lands, a pro- 
 ceeding which in a new country almost invariably 
 implies some measure of underhand work. Mackenzie 
 stigmatises the motives which led to this procedure 
 with considerable vigour. The indenture of the 
 starving Bechuanas to Colonial families for five years 
 is likewise described in appropriate terms. Finally 
 on this subject he says :- — 
 
 I do not press this matter further and inquire who 
 personally was to blame for it — incompetence or worse, is 
 written on the whole transaction. At whose special door 
 this charge lies I care not to enquire. My strictures are not 
 written from the point of view of a political opponent to the 
 present Colonial Government. 
 
 This leads him, in two concluding paragraphs, to 
 describe, and once more to condemn the annexation 
 of Bechuanaland to the Cape Colony. He sees in all 
 the steps which led up to it the hand of the Chartered 
 Company, and the ambition of " this big amalgamating 
 power to be supreme in the whole of South Africa."
 
 CHAPTER XX 
 
 AFRICA PREACHER AND COUNSELLOR 
 
 (1891-1898) 
 
 When Mackenzie landed at Cape Town in i 891, he 
 found himself in the midst of the annual meetings of 
 the Congregational Union of South Africa. He 
 received a very warm welcome, and from that day 
 was one of the most earnest and sympathetic members 
 of the Union. He attended its meetings every year, 
 except one, until the end of his life. He was placed 
 on many of its most important committees, and in 
 connection with them did the same faithful and patient 
 work which he gave to every undertaking. He was 
 appointed to a large number of special committees 
 which had the disagreeable task of investigating cases 
 of difficulty, such as settling church quarrels, preventing 
 litigation over church property, etc. The testimony 
 is uniform and unanimous that his work on these 
 occasions, which for obvious reasons cannot be more 
 minutely described, was of the utmost value. 
 
 In an obituary notice which appeared in a Year-book 
 of the Congregational Union after his death, it is said : 
 
 As a spiritual adviser he was at his best. With what 
 wonderful patience he would listen to native disputes, and 
 sift out all their tiresome details, until the whole case was 
 clear to him, and then with what a wealth of sanctified 
 common-sense, diffusive charity, and persuasive wisdom he 
 would express and apply his judgment ! 
 
 On the same feature of his work and the spirit in 
 
 which he performed it, Mr Beard in his memorandum 
 
 has written as follows : — 
 516
 
 PREACHER AND COUNSELLOR 517 
 
 It was in dealing with elements like these in the small 
 South African Congregational Union that some of the finest 
 qualities of John Mackenzie were displayed, winning the 
 respect and affection of his co-workers. It may have seemed 
 to others a small sphere for one who had been occupying the 
 position of the previous years ; perhaps at times, it may have 
 seemed so to himself. But there was no sign of it in the 
 readiness with which he threw himself into every subject, and 
 the interest he manifested in every question bearing upon the 
 welfare of the churches and the promotion of their work. 
 
 On one occasion, when a large " Coloured Church " had 
 been seriously divided, and feeling had run high between 
 certain ministers and their adherents, Mr Mackenzie was sent 
 on a deputation to visit it. In a private letter giving a full 
 explanation of the faithful way in which the deputation had 
 dealt with the various individuals, Mr Mackenzie wrote as 
 follows : — 
 
 " As to the people I have not time to write details. But on 
 the last Sunday evening, before a very large congregation, I 
 indulged in some very plain speaking, tempered by the 
 heavenly teaching of our Lord, as to forgiveness, washing 
 His disciples' feet, etc., and towards the close asked all those 
 who desired to agree with our decision and to cherish those 
 Christian feelings to stand up, while I engaged in a short 
 special prayer. Practically the whole congregation stood up : 
 and there was great joy expressed at the close of the meeting. 
 The quarrel is over." 
 
 Those who knew Mr Mackenzie and his calm and dignified 
 yet earnest manner of address, can well picture the impressive 
 scene on that Sunday evening, in that large congregation of 
 impulsive, eager, and unlettered African Christians. 
 
 In the year 1893 he acted as Chairman of the 
 Union, and delivered the annual address on September 
 25th, at Queenstown. He took as his subject, "The 
 Christian Outlook in the Cape Colony," and his 
 address, u^hich fills twenty-two pages of the Year- 
 book of the Congregation Union, covers a great deal 
 of ground. 
 
 He began with the Congregational view of the 
 Christian church. While explaining its relation to, 
 as well as its difference from, other sections of
 
 5i8 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 Christendom, he especially emphasised the gradual 
 approximation to one another, in their practical 
 methods, of Presbyterian and Congregational churches 
 in South Africa ; and with great delight he pointed 
 to the co-operation of these two denominations in the 
 past. He insisted that the methods of church 
 government must " be capable of adaptation to the 
 diversified and changing conditions of mankind in all 
 parts of the country." 
 
 Having thus laid down his religious and spiritual 
 principles, he went on to apply them to the concrete 
 circumstances in South Africa. He reviewed the 
 internal work of the churches, and the need of the 
 highest morality and the intensest spirituality. 
 
 Some of our pastois and office-bearers may stop from 
 fighting with " wild beasts," so to speak, the strong lower 
 passions of their flocks ; the disgusting customs of a 
 heathenism still clinging to the minds of the people. Be 
 encouraged, brethren, in your most difficult but most 
 necessary work. Whatever you do, do not lower the 
 standard of what Christ requires. . . . Christian brethren, 
 the most hopeful thought to my mind in connection with the 
 future of the country is this — that wherever a Christian 
 church exists, we have an agency for making and keeping 
 men and women pure, truthful, honest, and godly. 
 
 The condition of colonisation was briefly discussed, 
 and a large space was devoted to the problem of 
 strong drink in South Africa, especially in Cape 
 Colony. 
 
 Our appeal to our fellow-Christians throughout the 
 Colony, and our own efforts as a Union must first be 
 directed to the reduction of the number of licensed places in 
 our villages, and to the withdrawal of all canteen licences 
 throughout the Colony. The government of the Free State 
 has excelled the government of this Colony in the matter of 
 restriction placed upon the sale of strong drink. 
 
 Under the heading of " The Question of Colour," 
 Mackenzie placed great emphasis upon the fact that
 
 PREACHER AND COUNSELLOR 519 
 
 in the Congregational Union men of different races 
 met on an equality and with great freedom. 
 
 It is a thrilling and soul uplifting thought, the confluence 
 of the older Christian communions with the newly opened 
 up rill of South African Christianity. . . . We are of many 
 races and classes, but if we have put off the old man and 
 have put on the new, then among us there is neither Greek 
 nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, 
 bond nor free, but Christ is all and in all. . . . Whether 
 in religion or in politics, the man who proposes to assemble 
 and organize his own race or his own colour only, has 
 practically forsaken the region of argument and discussion, 
 and trusts to his power to coerce his opponents by the 
 mere weight of number, and in the end by mere brute 
 force. . . . Let no one ever seek to organize the members 
 of this Union on race lines. Let us avoid it as we would 
 a bitter sin. 
 
 Then he discussed also at considerable length " The 
 Location Act and Stock Stealing," where he dealt 
 with one of the most constant causes of dispeace and 
 disorder in many districts of Cape Colony. He 
 condemned all proceedings by the government which 
 would deal with the natives en masse, as if they were 
 all given to stock-thieving. He urged missionaries 
 who laboured in such districts to give constant and 
 broad-minded teaching to the native people regarding 
 this crime. He denied the common assertion that 
 it was part of their nature to steal, and in doing so, 
 cited the history of the border raids in the south of 
 Scotland, in which his own ancestors, no doubt, were 
 concerned. 
 
 Of course it was long ago — so long ago that we do not 
 feel much disgraced by the fact. Indeed, with us romance 
 and poetry have thrown their glamour over these old- 
 world doings ; but there is no doubt that when the lady 
 of the house on the border line between England and 
 Scotland placed on an empty covered dish, to be opened 
 by her lord before his family, a significant pair of spurs — 
 it was in our estimation as colonists, an unblushing incentive
 
 520 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 to stock-lifting. Her ladyship's larder was empty, and the 
 border had to be crossed to obtain supplies. 
 
 He would therefore have the colonists regard 
 stock-thieving as at once a relic of barbarism, destined 
 to pass away, and a crime which must be stamped 
 out by firm, but discriminating justice. 
 
 Then he discussed, under a number of brief para- 
 graphs, misunderstandings which were likely to rise 
 among them as Christian men of different races in 
 a new country. He noted that the utmost confusion 
 prevailed amongst those who discussed what they 
 called " The Native Question." Within the church 
 he would expect mutual sympathy and help amongst 
 all true believers of every race. 
 
 But with reference to what I may call general society, 
 what are my social rights ? Simply to be let alone. I 
 have no social right which society declines to give to me. 
 If people do not want my society they find no difficulty 
 in letting me know it. Have they wronged me by so 
 doing? By no means. Let me go among those who are 
 more likely to care for me. Society sanctions the inter- 
 course of those who approve of one another. 
 
 Towards the end the following sentences occur : — 
 
 Does it not appear from what I have said that there is 
 hope in the future before us all in our South African life, 
 without expecting anything unreasonable from one another? 
 The church door is open ; the court room is open ; the 
 doors of our friends' houses are open ; and there is fair 
 pay for fair work. Let us thank God, and live our life, 
 and do our work, with joy and gladness, with earnestness 
 and deep humility. No one can think worse of us than 
 we do of ourselves when we are alone with our Saviour. 
 
 His last words in this Chairman's address were : — 
 
 God grant that this Union may long show how all races 
 of South Africa may live together and work together for 
 God and their fellow men. 
 
 Mackenzie's last attendance at the Union meetings 
 took place when they gathered in September 1898,
 
 PREACHER AND COUNSELLOR 521 
 
 at Uitenhage. His brethren all remarked the evident 
 decline of physical strength which they saw in him, 
 while yet he took a full part in the work and de- 
 liberations of the Assembly. On a Friday after- 
 noon, September 23rd, Mackenzie introduced the 
 subject of " Church work and progress," Several of 
 those who heard this address have referred to it in 
 correspondence since that day, and all bear witness 
 that he spoke with such intensity and earnestness 
 as to produce an unusual impression upon his 
 audience. So remarkable indeed was the emotion 
 which his bearing and his message quickened, that 
 the Assembly agreed at once to cease from further 
 discussion of the subject, and spend the remainder 
 of the time in prayer. 
 
 He made a half-playful address on another occasion, 
 of a social character, in response to the toast, " New 
 men and old days," in w^hich again he seems to 
 have touched a tender chord, mingling what was 
 playful with what was pathetic in the few sentences 
 which he uttered. 
 
 At the communion service, where Christians of 
 different denominations and races met, he spoke on 
 the 2 1st chapter of John, urging the communicants 
 to control the impulsive, active Peter within their 
 hearts, and to give precedence to the loving, intuitive 
 John. " We felt," it is added by one friend, " that 
 he was simply rendering the order of his own ex- 
 perience, and that in him Peter, the leader of men, 
 had learned to acknowledge the greater nearness to 
 Christ of John, the divine." This correspondent, the 
 Rev. J. P'rederick Philip, after quoting a few lines 
 from Matthew Arnold's " Rugby Chapel," says that 
 there are many passages in that poem " which might 
 have been written not only for the children of John 
 Mackenzie, but for us, who look to him as a spiritual 
 father."
 
 522 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 While Mackenzie was thus deeply involved in 
 industrial and social and denominational schemes he 
 was, it must be remembered, hard at work as pastor 
 and preacher. His command of the Dutch language 
 became more and more extensive, so as to receive 
 the praise even of those who heard him in large 
 Dutch-speaking churches at other places. 
 
 Mackenzie spared no labour upon his work as a 
 preacher ; his files of manuscript sermons, which he 
 kept in the same methodical way in which he pre- 
 served all of his manuscripts and correspondence, show 
 that he spent much time and thought upon them. 
 They are in the main, of course, simple, earnest dis- 
 courses adapted to the needs of a rural population. 
 Many of them are written out in full, covering ten to 
 thirty pages of manuscript ; others are preserved only 
 in brief jottings. The course of thought in the 
 majority of his sermons shows that he was in deep 
 earnest about the central features of man's religious 
 and moral life. To him it was clear that a man's 
 relations to God are supreme and fundamental, and 
 on these he spoke with intense solemnity. But for 
 him, as for all true teachers of the Gospel, the 
 religious life must find expression in a man's human 
 relationships, in human conduct ; the eternal appears 
 under the conditions of time and amid the changes 
 of a finite experience. Mackenzie's sermons were 
 therefore directed no less to the practical problems 
 of everyday life than to the deep questions of our 
 relation to the living God through Jesus Christ. 
 Under this head he placed the consideration of the 
 larger national and political questions. He did not 
 shrink from discussing these. He could not speak, 
 for instance, on the text " Love your enemies " with- 
 out applying it skilfully, but with great boldness, to 
 the attitude of the various races in South Africa 
 towards one another. Nor could he preach as he
 
 PREACHER AND COUNSELLOR 523 
 
 did at various places on the passage (Matt. xx. 
 20-29) where two brothers appeal to Christ for 
 positions of prominence in His Kingdom, without 
 coming to consider the principles of human govern- 
 ment, and the manner in which the spirit of the 
 Son of Man is to be realised in the political world. 
 Nor could he deal again with the parable of the 
 fig-tree, without pointing out its lessons for the 
 national conscience as well as the solemn and urgent 
 appeals which could be obviously based upon it in 
 addressing the will of individual men. It seems 
 fitting to give here two or three brief extracts from 
 some of these sermons to illustrate his spirit and 
 manner. 
 
 The first one is taken from the sermon on Matt, 
 v. 43-45, entitled " Love your enemies." When he 
 preached this at Caledon Square Church, Cape Town, 
 on April i8th, 1897, he added the following passage, 
 which was written and delivered because he found 
 the atmosphere of Cape Colony growing thick with 
 suspicion, recrimination, and all the conditions that 
 make for war : — 
 
 Brethren ! So far I have addressed to you remarks which 
 I recently made to a small European congregation in a 
 secluded church in this colony. 
 
 Speaking here from this pulpit to-night, I wish to add a 
 few remarks on the subject of our text. 
 
 I am addressing many who are the humble followers of 
 Jesus Christ : men and women who call Him sincerely Lord 
 and Master. Allow me to say to you this evening, with deep 
 conviction, that the peace and prosperity of this country are 
 in your hands. Who is the enemy of South Africa ? The 
 man who tries to separate Christian people on account of 
 their race or descent. Brethren ! these men are our 
 enemies. We say earnestly, Whom God in His providence 
 hath joined together in this land, let no man, and no 
 party, and no newspaper, try to put asunder ! Christian 
 people ! (I would my voice could resound through the 
 whole of South Africa) — be not silent at this juncture.
 
 524 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 That whole matter is really in your hands. Look not on 
 your own things but also on the things of others. Through 
 you let the Spirit of Christ kill the spirit of hatred and 
 selfishness, which leads to war through all the land. English- 
 speaking people ! be Christians first ; loyal, true servants of 
 Jesus. Dutch-speaking people ! brothers in faith and hope ! 
 fellow-workers in bringing about the establishment of the 
 glorious Kingdom of our common Lord ! be Christians 
 first : loyal and true servants of Jesus. Christians ! unfold 
 fearlessly the Banner of Christ our Lord. Let us all 
 assemble under its ample folds. Demand it of all the 
 rulers and governments in South Africa that the wild-beast 
 age of mankind in this fair land shall pass away, and that 
 the real and practical reign of Christ Jesus shall be estab- 
 lished in our midst. 
 
 Brethren, shall we kneel and offer the same prayers — 
 shall we approach the same sacred communion and openly 
 declare our deep love and true devotion to one Saviour and 
 Master, and then go out and speak words of malice and 
 hatred against one another, and urge on one another by 
 bitter words to hotter anger and vengeance ? I say, Let 
 not this be ! May God Himself forbid ! 
 
 I call upon the Christians of South Africa in this time 
 of need, by the humble exercise of a true Christian spirit 
 in their daily life — Receive one another, bear with one 
 another, have sympathy with one another, as the good 
 Lord has so lovingly and patiently borne with you. 
 
 Blessed are the peacemakers here in South Africa as 
 everywhere, for they shall be called the children of God. 
 
 The Parable of the Fig-Tree 
 (Luke xiii. 6-10) 
 
 Dear brethren, we have spoken from illustrations in the 
 history of the past, which show that there comes a time of 
 judgment even in the dealings of the God of mercy. The 
 Babylonish captivity, and the destruction of Jerusalem, and 
 the scattering of the Jewish people are striking illustrations 
 of this truth. 
 
 But what was true in the time of Isaiah and in the time 
 of our Lord is equally true in our own day.
 
 PREACHER AND COUNSELLOR 525 
 
 I am persuaded that the doctrine of our text is true of 
 the nations of to-day, as well as of God's ancient people. 
 It is at present high-tide, so to speak, as to the prosperity 
 of the British Empire. Those whose ancestors were rude 
 barbarians when the words of our text were spoken by Christ 
 have risen to an unprecedented height among the nations of 
 the earth. But should our people fall away from righteous- 
 ness, should they become self-seeking and self-indulgent, 
 should God be forgotten or dethroned, in our aims and 
 our plans as a people, then, without doubt, the word will 
 go forth, " I have sought fruit on this tree and find none : 
 I have sought spiritual life, and find only coarse materialism : 
 I have sought humble faith and obedience to Him whose 
 power has raised them so high, and I find only self-laudation, 
 contained in empty and boastful affirmations about western 
 civilisation : I have sought a nation to serve Me in My 
 Gospel, a nation to carry the evangel to the ends of the 
 earth, but where I have found fleets of war-vessels and fleets 
 to carry merchandise, I see only one or two vessels made 
 to carry My evangelists : I have sought a people to exemplify 
 the teaching of My Son in their social and national life, and 
 behold, I find a people given to revelling and drunkenness 
 and immorality, among whom the greatest moral guilt goes 
 unpunished, because it has become sanctioned by long 
 practice and usage. Brethren, it is not our western civiliza- 
 tion that will save us as a people, any more than Greece 
 or Rome was saved by civilization. We stand not in the 
 forefront of the nations to-day through our army or our 
 navy or our modern weapons of warfare. We stand where 
 we do through our character as a Christian nation — a people 
 on whom evidently the blessing of God has long rested. 
 Thank God for the Christianity which still animates the 
 British people. Thank God for what measure of sound 
 character, true faith, and sincere devotion, are to be found 
 among our people. Should these be found among our own 
 people, should these grow and abound, then the blessing 
 of Heaven will continue to rest on us as a nation. But 
 should the great Gardener seek this heavenly fruit among 
 us, and seek it in vain, then no weapons of defence can 
 save us, for we shall ourselves have decayed and become 
 effete ; and the word shall go forth, " Why cumbereth it 
 the ground ? Cut it down." Therefore he is the truest 
 patriot who seeks to raise the character of his people ;
 
 526 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 for the true greatness of a nation — that whicli will give 
 permanence to a people — consists in the virtue and purity, 
 the honesty and truthfulness, and the spiritual ideals of the 
 great body of the people. 
 
 But once more, our text carries a message not only to 
 nations, but to individuals. We are individually represented 
 by this fig-tree. The Divine voice is heard saying, " I have 
 come for so long seeking fruit in this life, and find none. 
 Why cumbereth it the ground ? Why suffer it longer to cast 
 around it a baleful, selfish, worldly influence ? Cut it down ! " 
 
 But, brethren, we have an Advocate at God's right hand, 
 who intercedes for us. We have also a Divine Spirit stand- 
 ing at the door of our hearts and knocking for admission. 
 " Let him alone, while I still knock at his heart and beg 
 him to yield himself to My guidance, while I win him by 
 love and patience, while I warn him by fearful lessons in 
 events around him. Let him alone a year longer that he 
 may bear the fruit of repentance, humble faith, and Christian 
 life ; and then if that fruit is not apparent, thou shalt cut 
 him down." 
 
 How solemn, brethren, that while we are living in thought- 
 lessness — taking the days as they come — the eye of our God 
 is examining our life and our character, seeking heavenly fruit, 
 unmistakable tokens in our character and life that we are 
 the children of God through faith in Jesus Christ ! How 
 solemn that in the Council of the Godhead it should be said 
 by the Voice of Righteousness — For years have I sought 
 fruit here and find none : why cumbers he the earth longer ? 
 And the same Divine Voice in another tone, the tone of 
 Mercy replies, Spare him a little longer : he will see My 
 Cross : he will realize My love for him. And again another 
 note of mercy. Spare him a little longer : if he will only 
 willingly admit Me and yield to Me, his scarlet guilt shall 
 become white as snow : I will create within him a clean 
 heart and renew a right spirit within him. 
 
 Brethren, listen to the Heavenly Voices speaking round us 
 and about us. Where is the Heavenly fruit in our lives ? 
 If we are only willing and believing, Divine aid will do the 
 rest. Thank God that there is this Divine Mercy. But 
 remember ! our text this afternoon points to a life tragedy : 
 to the fatal time when a deaf ear and a closed heart shall 
 have brought doom on themselves. " If it bear fruit, well : 
 if not, after that then thou shalt cut it down."
 
 PREACHER AND COUNSELLOR 527 
 
 The following selection will be found very interest- 
 ing, because it contains several echoes across the years 
 from those early "jottings," of which examples have 
 been printed above. It seems also to express sincerely, 
 and even bluntly, the principles on which Mackenzie had 
 very earnestly endeavoured to live, and which inspired 
 him for every change of work, for every ardour of self- 
 sacrifice : — 
 
 Human Ambition and Christian Distinction 
 (Matt. XX. 20-29) 
 
 in. Christian Distinction. — Our Lord pursued the subject 
 thrust upon His notice to its legitimate end. James and John 
 would be " great " ; they would be " first " in His Kingdom. 
 They were willing, as far as they knew, to share with Him the 
 fortunes of that Kingdom. It therefore became their Guide 
 and Teacher, for their benefit, and to the benefit of the rest 
 of His disciples, as well as for the edifying of His Church in 
 all ages, to explain what was Christian Distinction, and how 
 it could be attained. 
 
 Yet once more, therefore, the true Messiah announces that 
 His Kingdom shall be the antithesis of the kingdoms of the 
 earth. He describes what has been common to kings' courts 
 and to the courts of First Consuls or of Presidents — the eager 
 pursuing of personal claims ; the partizanships ; the elbowing 
 others out of your way ; the walking roughshod over a man 
 who is down, leaving to those who are called fools the work 
 of raising him up and setting him on his feet again. These 
 things have been, and alas, still are ; and they will be, till 
 Christianity shall have filled men's hearts, and then the 
 antithesis of our Lord's lesson will have ceased. The king- 
 doms of the world shall have become the kingdoms of God 
 and of His Christ. 
 
 But if not by self-reliantly pressing their individual claims 
 and pushing others out of the way, how is distinction to be 
 achieved in the new Kingdom of the Messiah ? Is everything 
 on a dull, monotonous level, or is there a real province for 
 emulation and ambition among the servants of Christ ; and
 
 528 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 if so, what is that province? And wliat are the rules which 
 apply to Christian ambition ? 
 
 The love of distinction, the desire to emulate, is not by 
 any means crushed by the religion of Christ. Rather is it 
 directly encouraged and guided, as witness the directions given 
 in our text. They might aspire to be "chief"; they might 
 covet to be " first " in rank ; and their Master graciously gives 
 them plain directions as to how this is to be secured. 
 
 The Patriarch is Head of the Eastern Church, the Holy 
 Father or Pope is Head of the Western. The Primate of 
 England is Head of the Episcopal Church of that country, and 
 so in Scotland and Ireland. The Moderator of a Presbyterian 
 Church is its Head for the time. So among the Wesleyans 
 is the President of the Conference for the time being. So 
 among the Congregationalists and Baptists, the Chairman of 
 the Union for the year. If you look at any book of reference 
 you will find that these are the acknowledged Heads of 
 Churches ; and these books will tell you how to address 
 these dignitaries, so as to express that conventional reverence 
 for their ofiice, which in the beginning must have been 
 evoked and must have been earned by the holders of these 
 ofifices. If I look at my book of reference then I can have 
 no doubt as to who is the chief or head in these Christian 
 communities. But if I turn to my New Testament and take 
 this text for my guide, these dignitaries may or may not retain 
 a chief place in Christ's Church. If they do, it will be as 
 workers, and not for any other reason. The text is clear. 
 " It shall not be so among you. Whosoever would be great 
 among you shall be your servant, and whosoever would be 
 first among you shall be your bond servant or slave ; even as 
 the Son of Man came not to be ministered, but to minister." 
 
 Here, then, we have pointed out to us the true scope for 
 Christian ambition, with specific directions as to the manner 
 in which it can be followed successfully. As we might have 
 expected, true greatness in Christ's service is within the reach 
 of all His followers, within the reach of the poor as well as 
 of the rich. To be a Christian at all, means that you are 
 striving to please God in your daily life ; that you are 
 enthusiastically loyal to Christ your Lord and Master; that 
 you avail yourself of the help of God's good Spirit so freely 
 offered to us all ; that you consecrate life, social position, 
 education, yourself, in short — all that you have and are, to 
 Christ your Lord, placing yourself on His altar as a living
 
 PREACHER AND COUNSELLOR 529 
 
 sacrifice, which is a most reasonable thing for each and all 
 to do. To go a step further than this, and to seek Christian 
 distinction^ is to excel in the eye of Christ, to surpass others 
 in working, in serving, in slaving for Christ. The eye of the 
 Lord passes by the men who in His Church forget this 
 lesson, although they may be esteemed great among men, 
 as Samuel allowed to pass by one after another of the likely 
 sons of Jesse. The eye of the Master passes by one after 
 the other till it rests on the humblest, most self-forgetful, 
 most diligent Christian. He' is the chief, he is the first in 
 rank, in the eye of our Lord. 
 
 And his place and his reward are assured ; no one can 
 dispossess him of them. Here surely is strong consolation to 
 every Christian heart sincerely seeking the Master's approval. 
 This choice joy, this crown of human life, is placed within the 
 reach of all. And no one can defraud the most distinguished 
 in the Master's eye of his merited reward. It is his, and it 
 shall be given to him by the Master Himself. Take heart, 
 therefore. Christian soldier, your Captain's eye is never off 
 you ; He knows your every step. Have they elbowed you 
 aside because you are old or ill ? Have they brushed past 
 you, and all but trodden you down in their hasteful, selfish 
 rush? Heed it not. One eye is ever on you. You can 
 always come into contact with the Master Himself, whom 
 you love and serve. 
 
 But remember and please to be quite clear about this; 
 that true Christian distinction is to be earned by work only. 
 You can't meditate yourself into this chief place ; nor can 
 you get it by mere asking. It will not be bestowed on the 
 man whose highest Christian effort is to keep a diary, in 
 which he narrates what it occurs to him to put down at the 
 end of the day. It is sweet and helpful to meditate; it is 
 good — especially at certain times — to keep jottings of your 
 thoughts and your experiences ; but neither your diary nor 
 your meditations will secure for you a chief place in the eye 
 of the Master. If you would excel you must do it by work- 
 ing for Christ ; you must be like Him who was not ministered 
 to, but who ministered constantly to others, giving them even 
 His very life. 
 
 Here, then, brethren, a glorious prospect opens before you. 
 You have seen the platform of social or human ambition, on 
 which the Saviour does not frown, but only declares it to 
 be inadequate. We have attempted to describe the higher 
 
 2 L
 
 530 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 Christian platform of life and action, conjoining the present 
 with the future, time and eternity, the light of Christ's char- 
 acter and teaching lighting up our view of things. From that 
 high platform of Christian devotion we come to answer the 
 further and still higher question, as to distinction in the 
 service of Christ ; and we have heard the wonderful and 
 sublime answer of Christ. Distinction can be earned by 
 work done for Christ, even by the cup of cold water, if you 
 can do nothing else. Distinction can be earned by work 
 only, and once earned, no one whatever can defraud you of 
 your reward. The surprised disciple may exclaim, Lord, when 
 saw we Thee hungry and gave Thee food ? But He will 
 answer as He did. 
 
 Brethren, I know that your heart burns within you with 
 the generous glow of a self-forgetful Christian devotion. 
 You would work for Christ ; you would serve Him ; you 
 would willingly slave for Him. And you are ready to ask 
 me, What are we to do? Does your mind hasten towards 
 some strange scene, some distant clime, as if there you would 
 serve your Lord and earn His approval ? 
 
 It may not be necessary for you to leave the scene of your 
 present pursuits ; it may be necessary only to let in on your 
 daily habits and thoughts the higher teaching of this morn- 
 ing's lesson. Thus a new spirit can elevate your present 
 daily life. The work done can be done for Christ. What 
 are you to do ? A friend can advise, a pastor can teach and 
 guide, but Christ Himself can inspire. How can I know 
 what you can do for Christ ? How can I measure your 
 service to Him ? That may not be dictated by me. That 
 may not be set you as a task by any man. That is a ques- 
 tion which your love and devotion to Him alone can answer. 
 How your life-service shall be rendered can be settled only 
 on your knees, can be decided only in sight of the Cross 
 and in view of Eternity. What I say is this. When on your 
 knees, when in view of that Cross, and of the vast cycles of 
 our eternity, then be ambitious, then consider how to secure 
 Christian distinction. You know now how to obtain it. Let 
 us serve for it ; let us slave for it. The laurels of mere 
 temporal ambition do always wither ; but the crown which 
 shall reward your Christian ambition shall adorn your brow 
 for ever and ever.
 
 CHAPTER XXI 
 
 THE RIPENED LIFE AND THE SICKLE 
 (1898, 1899) 
 
 We have already seen that Mackenzie's friends noted 
 during the years 1897 and 1898 a remarkable 
 mellowing of his character. It is now our duty, as 
 we approach the end of his life's story, to speak 
 more definitely on that topic. It may not be too 
 much to say that the entire course of his words and 
 work from the time of his youthful jottings to his 
 last labours in Hankey have shown that Mackenzie's 
 nature united certain apparently inconsistent qualities. 
 He was a man of great strength of will with a 
 capacity for what we must call " driving through " duties 
 and difficulties ; but with this there was united an 
 abundant emotionalism which made him full of 
 sympathy for the position and feelings of others. 
 His vigour was therefore united with tenderness, his 
 fearless judgment was only tamed, and yet was 
 actually controlled, by those deep springs of affection 
 within him. The preceding chapters have already 
 shown how wide were his practical interests as he 
 looked out upon the problems of the human world 
 around him. From the beginning to the end he had 
 within him the passion of the evangelist ; at no time 
 would he confess that he subordinated his desire for 
 bringing men to God to any other conception of duty. 
 It was in the interests of this task that he was drawn 
 into political life, and from political labours he returned 
 at the end to this. And yet, he was able at no 
 period of his life to give himself solely to evangelistic 
 
 S3*
 
 532 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 efforts. He had a sincere and earnest interest in all 
 sides of the life and work of every community he 
 touched. Whether at Shoshong or Kuruman or 
 Hankey he ever had his eye upon pastoral as well 
 as evangelistic duties, upon educational as well as 
 pastoral, upon industrial as well as educational, upon 
 political as well as industrial. With Mackenzie to 
 think was to act. He was not one of those who 
 could see something that ought to be done and leave 
 others to discover it ; what ought to be done he must 
 try to get done as soon and as well as circumstances 
 and his own powers of persuasion and work could do it. 
 As we have seen, the period of life which he spent 
 at Hankey embraced all these separate interests, and 
 none was wholly neglected by him. That, however, 
 which appeared most clearly to all observers was not 
 so much the measure of success which he attained, 
 as the development of his own spirit. He quite 
 evidently impressed all who came in contact with 
 him, as a man who lived for the sole purpose of 
 doing good ; his self-sacrificing labours in all direc- 
 tions were aimed at nothing less than conveying 
 some definite boon to some individual or class. And 
 this benevolence of spirit was recognised as being 
 based upon his religious consciousness ; he was no 
 philanthropist of the shallower type, doing the best 
 for men out of mere pity for their temporary or 
 physical disabilities ; he viewed them and all their 
 burdens of disease and sorrow, of ignorance and strife, 
 in the light of the eternal, and he strove to deliver 
 them from these because he walked with God. There 
 ran ever through his life the continuous reference of 
 all things and all duties to the name and will of God. 
 This did not appear, indeed, in set phrases, for no man 
 could be so religious and yet employ so little of the 
 conventional verbiage of religion as he. But men 
 knew that his religion, his dependence in all and
 
 THE RIPENED LIFE AND THE SICKLE 533 
 
 through all upon God his Father and Saviour, was 
 for Mackenzie the deepest and the highest fact in his 
 life, and the root of all that he did and hoped to be. 
 The powers of the world to come had truly entered 
 into his experience in those far-off years of youth, and 
 through all the intervening decades the grasp upon 
 his nature had become more firm, subduing the entire 
 manhood to their sway. 
 
 Before we come to tell the story of his last illness, 
 it may be well to illustrate as briefly and simply as 
 possible the truth of this estimate of Mackenzie's 
 ripened Christian spirit. 
 
 There is no direction in which a man is more 
 severely tested than in his attitude towards opponents 
 in public life. The command of Jesus that men should 
 love their enemies is not easy to obey ; still less 
 that which he seems to have described as the supreme 
 manifestation of such love, namely, sincere prayer for 
 those that are deliberately and malignantly hostile. 
 Here was one of those features in Mackenzie's conduct 
 which most impressed those who watched him in his 
 public work. The following paragraphs by Mr Henry 
 Beard of Cape Town, a most careful and affectionate 
 observer, will confirm these words : 
 
 A marked feature in the succeeding years was the fair 
 and generous way in which he spoke of such political 
 opponents. This may be exemplified from the pages of 
 "Austral Africa," but it was still more significant to notice 
 the same in private conversation and correspondence. The 
 tendency of political life everywhere, but especially in a 
 Colony, is to see in all self-interested motives and to dwell 
 on the personal aspect. This was a man who was too large- 
 minded to yield to such a tendency. Habitually seeking 
 not his own, he thought on a higher plane, and could not 
 condescend to personal resentment where momentous in- 
 terests were in question. But there was a remarkable 
 tenacity of purpose, which no opposition or unfavourable 
 circumstances could damp. Most men, after defeat such as
 
 534 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 he suffered when he resigned office in Bechuanaland, hope- 
 less of turning the tide, would have returned to their former 
 work, if, like him, they esteemed it highly. He, apparently 
 roused the more by successful opposition, addressed himself 
 to the task of turning the official mind and awakening and 
 directing the public interest. In this to a certain extent he 
 succeeded. 
 
 It was no less striking to see the same man, when he 
 found how other questions were crowding out the considera- 
 tion of South African problems from the public mind in 
 Great Britain, quietly resuming his missionary work, still of 
 the same steady mind, watching the course of events, and 
 still seeking by occasional articles in English periodicals to 
 influence public thought in favour of that comprehensive 
 policy, which he deemed so vital to future right relations 
 between the Mother country and the two European races 
 and the Natives in South Africa ; or, anon, appealing to the 
 reasonableness and better feelings of the Dutch whom he 
 esteemed, as in his letter to President Kruger of June 1S96. 
 Manifesting no resentment, the man who, for a while, had 
 played so prominent a part in connection with statesmen 
 and soldiers and the large affairs of public life, turned back 
 again to the simple and obscure duties of the missionary 
 life as he found them at the old colonial mission station of 
 Hankey. There, the same clear judgment and the mingled 
 firmness and kindness which had been applied to subjects 
 of national import and government of territories was em- 
 ployed, with no less interest and self-devotion, to settle the 
 details of village allotments, the landlord's rule and improve- 
 ments, the affairs of the mission school, or the irrigation 
 scheme. Nor, so far as a friend could detect, was there 
 any trace of unworthy disappointment, or discontent, in that 
 large mind and heart. At Hankey he showed the same 
 qualities of a leader of men as in Bechuanaland. He soon 
 gained the regard of the neighbouring farmers, to whom his 
 name, at first, must have been synonymous with the opponent 
 of their race. 
 
 Nothing brought a keener pain to Mackenzie's 
 heart than the suggestion that he felt enmity towards 
 any man. When he read in a newspaper one day 
 a reference to " Mackenzie and Rhodes " as great 
 public foes, he turned with deej) feeling to his wife
 
 THE RIPENED LIFE AND THE SICKLE 535 
 
 and deplored such assertions, adding words which 
 from his lips could not mean anything less than all 
 that is most sacred and sincere. He said that there 
 was no one beyond his immediate family circle for 
 whom he prayed more constantly and more sincerely 
 than Mr Rhodes. Whether a man who stands out- 
 side of the Christian experience can feel the true 
 meaning of this word of Mackenzie's or not, those 
 who have entered into that life of prayer as an 
 actual weapon and who have tried to use it for 
 the blessing of an opponent, can appreciate what 
 that utterance implies. That kind of prayer can 
 only be preceded by a personal struggle and personal 
 victory over self. 
 
 The affectionateness, the sympathy of Mackenzie's 
 nature shows itself most clearly in relationships, and 
 in the presence of events, which make it hard to 
 find and publish illustrations. 
 
 Fortunately one of his daughters, who left her 
 home at Hankey for a period of study in Germany, 
 under conditions of health which made the separation 
 a great trial to herself and her parents, is willing to 
 have the following extracts from her father's letters 
 printed, simply that he may be better known to 
 the readers of these pages. 
 
 Hankev, Aprirgy. 
 
 I think it would be good for you and it would be de- 
 lightful for us if you came south any time next week. I 
 have no copy of the Contemporary. I don't suppose there 
 will be one obtainable in Kimberley. It will be most 
 serviceable if Mr Ropes reprints the article in one sheet 
 as an Advertiser supplement. See the Spectator. It has a 
 swinging review of the article for which I am very thankful. 
 Try to see the Speaker also. I have not seen it. Mr 
 Percy Bunting of the Contemporary, writes me that the 
 article is attracdng great attention at home, and that he 
 (Bunting) has offered the (Chartered) Company space in 
 the Contemporary for a reply. He expresses an opinion as
 
 5 36 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 to the probability of this taking place, which it would be 
 hazardous to quote ; he might be mistaken. I am delighted 
 about the reprint in this country, because my great object 
 is to unite all progressive men in this country in the hearty 
 recognition of the Imperial Government in Native Territories, 
 till these are fit for responsible government. 
 
 Hankev, Tyrd Nov. '97, 
 You are in good hands. Your Heavenly Father's arms 
 are underneath and around you. There has been no day 
 that we have not thought about you, ay and prayed about 
 you, for the two things with us are really one. . . . The 
 post brings us the news of Lord Rosmead's death. I am 
 afraid I shall be compelled to refer to what I regard as 
 some serious mistakes in his past career as High Com- 
 missioner. It makes me sad to think of his decease. We 
 were so closely connected in 1883, 84, 85. 
 
 The Governor (Lord Milner) has gone north, saying 
 everywhere the same healthy sound things. He bids fair 
 to become popular with everybody. 
 
 Hankey, 22nd Dec. '97. 
 
 Perhaps I had better tell you my present circumstances 
 that we may be in sympathy while you read. The cart is 
 to start early to-morrow morning to bring in John and 
 family, from Uitenhague. Everybody is writing elsewhere, 
 and I am in the old place that you know. . . . May the 
 good Lord, whose you are and whom you desire to serve, 
 be ever with you all the New Year ; wherever you are. 
 A special blessing on you, dear, I humbly ask from the 
 Lord, our Father. Pray for us too, dear lassie, and so 
 bind ourselves to one another by this strongest bond. 
 
 When we discussed your going to Leipzig we concluded 
 that it would be the most complete change ; that you had 
 commenced with a certain teacher, and that there would be 
 few if any distractions from your studies as a student in 
 Germany. I don't know how all this will appear to you 
 in London. I only recall what you said and felt here ; to 
 me it is an open question and must be judged by you 
 to the best of your ability. 
 
 I have just written a note to John with greetings to the 
 bairns, and to say that there are a few apricots in the garden. 
 There is a specially good crop of them this year. Do
 
 THE RIPENED LIFE AND THE SICKLE 537 
 
 you remember the white gardener who was with 
 
 He is now with us. He can't speak English. He has not 
 the right number of teeth for clear enunciation. His 
 thoughts are of less practical value to us than, perhaps, 
 their own merits demand. You have to manage matters 
 by direct questions. He is capital for looking after the 
 fruit in the garden ; and the servant girls got a " wakener " 
 also from him, despite his deficiency as to teeth. He may 
 be said to have shown what he had of teeth to them. 
 
 Hankey {undated). 
 
 Some of your remarks touch me keenly. You went with 
 an object. Go forward and follow it out in God's name, 
 and trusting to His strength. As your day so shall your 
 strength be. God will be sufficient for you every day. 
 There may be no great overplus of strength, but you will 
 always be more than conqueror against everything that 
 opposes you. Make up your mind to ignore it. God will 
 make you able to ignore it. Fill your mind with something 
 else, something that will not annoy or worry you, but fill 
 you and satisfy you. I hope you follow my meaning. It 
 is quite clear to myself: and / have trod the road ffiyse/f. 
 So cheer up ! you can do all things through Christ 
 strengthening you. Lean on that and fear nothing. — Your 
 father. 
 
 Hankey, ist March '98. 
 
 We are all well here, and all full of confidence that you 
 are also, and going to be, well — a joy to yourself and 
 satisfaction before your God and Father : and a joy to us 
 all who belong to you. 
 
 Hankey, 13/"/; April 1898. 
 
 I was so glad that you were feeling so fit and even 
 joyous with reference to the work before you and generally 
 with reference to your future. 
 
 " That's my brave lassie ! " says one thought. " That's 
 my humble trustful daughter in the Lord," says my whole 
 soul. I have no fear whatever, my dear, concerning your 
 affairs. The good Lord will uphold you and see you 
 through every maze and over every difficulty. Live near 
 to Him, confide in Him, and He will not disappoint you.
 
 538 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 Han KEY {undated). 
 
 ... I am reminded of post time, so good-night, dearie, 
 over the land and over the ocean in the directest way — 
 by way of the throne and the Heart of God our Father. 
 A blessing abide on you all the days and every day ! 
 
 Hankey, 25M May 1898. 
 
 That was a delicious letter which you sent to me. I am 
 thankful for it. It has been quite a joy to me. It will 
 surprise you more and more how very successful we people 
 can be in shutting out our beloved Father from the world 
 of our hearts and thoughts. How glorious is even a glimpse 
 of communion with Him ! For is he not Love, Beauty, Light, 
 Mercy, and always our Strength ? We can do all things 
 through Jesus Christ. May all your days be bright, my 
 dear lassie. Divine strength encircling you. . . . They are 
 beginning to talk learnedly about the great benefit of a 
 journey to Kimberley. Of course Het is going — that is 
 long settled. Then your mother would undoubtedly be 
 much better of a visit to Kimberley, But it would appear, 
 also, according to John, that there are special indications 
 that I should perform this tour. I am going to write to 
 old Mr Philip of Graaf Reinet. If he can come down and 
 take my place here, then we'll a' gang thegither; but if 
 he cannot do so, then I shall stay where I am — which is 
 not at all a bad place ! 
 
 ... So cheer up, dearie, we are hand-clasping across the 
 sea. Paper is done. Very much love. 
 
 Hankey, i^thJune'gZ. 
 
 Can you find any means of getting more of human 
 companionship — some one to supply Mary's place, as far as 
 possible ? Look around you and see. It would be nice 
 for you to share rooms with a girl of the right sort. God 
 grant that you may find her. ... In the meantime, you 
 are plodding away — determined not to be discouraged or 
 driven back. Stronger is He who is with you than all 
 that can be against you. It is, I am sure, a matter which 
 prayer and faith in the nearness of Christ can conquer. 
 Trust in Him with all your heart and He will bring you 
 through. But nice human intercourse makes your life 
 easier. If you can only secure it, do not let the question
 
 THE RIPENED LIFE AND THE SICKLE 539 
 
 of money keep you apart from good companionship. It 
 will be such a help to you in every way. And may God 
 bless and guide you, my dear girl. 
 
 . . . To-morrow is going to be a "great occasion" — a 
 "pink and white tea." Proceeds for a new harmonium for 
 the church. Arc you all attention ? Perhaps some one will 
 be able to describe it to you. I believe my pink tie is 
 prepared. You can easily guess by whose deft fingers. The 
 white will be supplied I hope by the shirt part. With love. 
 
 Thornhill, zdthjune '98. 
 
 I have been thinking of you and your friends on your 
 pedestrian tour. I feel sure you will have enjoyed it very 
 much. And I trust it will do you very much good. I am 
 very much pleased to hear that you are purposing to have 
 Miss M. to share your rooms. It will render you much 
 happier to be in companionship. I came in here yesterday 
 afternoon. Conducted services last night in Dutch ; church 
 full. To-night public meeting ; to-morrow go into " the Bay." 
 There was some talk about our going north also ; but I do 
 not see my way at this time. Very, very much love, my 
 dearie. Rest in the Lord ; He will bring it to pass. 
 
 Hankev {undated). 
 
 Jeanie and I came back last night from Humansdorp. We 
 were there one' night, Jee at the Bakers', and I at the 
 Magistrate's, in their new house. The occasion was the 
 opening of the new Public School, which has been named 
 the Milner Institute. The " function " was on Monday at 
 1 1 o'clock. There was a great turn out of Beauty and 
 Fashion : you can take your choice as to under which head 
 you will put Jee and myself. . . . 
 
 Hankey, Cape Colony, 
 \c)th Oct. 1898. 
 
 Do you know where I am sitting this evening ? Well, I'll 
 tell you. I am sitting, as it might be, at the foot of the bed 
 in the end room, next the — hm — the henhouse ! I am 
 sitting in the corner nearly opposite the window of the old 
 bedroom, which is now a glass door from the Bay ! So that 
 you do not need to go further when you come, if you wish to 
 see me, than to stop at the pipe where we water our flowers, 
 because my door is there, or very near to it. I am sitting
 
 540 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 looking towards the window which was, of the Httlc study. 
 It is now nearly overgrown with ivy outside. But much 
 nearer to me as I sit, there is another window driven into the 
 wall next to the yard, not far from the end of the oven ! 
 
 ... It is very nice to hear of your pegging away at your 
 studies, and it is also to be noticed that occasionally and 
 lately, there has been some mention made, vague, undated, of 
 your return to this fair land. I did not fail to note what was 
 said. 
 
 Hankey, 2nd Nov. 1898. 
 
 I have been longing to write to you for some time ; so 
 here goes. Not that I have much to say that is worth 
 writing. Only I should just like to send a wee note. I have 
 been delighted with your letters lately. 
 
 This is just a word of greeting, a good cheer to you. Do 
 not be alarmed at all by what may be written about your 
 father. He has not been very well. People can't be always 
 quite well. But you can see for yourself that I am all right. 
 
 They have not sent out the assistant whom they promised 
 me, but I am aware that it is difificult sometimes to find the 
 kind of man wanted. I have no doubt Mr Thompson will 
 be doing his best. ... I think I shall hand this on to the 
 young people to finish. With love always, your father. 
 
 Hankev, -ifith Nov. 1898. 
 
 Your mother is going to write this letter to you, but I 
 thought I would just begin it for her. That is our way of 
 doing things, you know — for instance, our way of cooking a 
 dinner ; your mother does it, only I look in to see that it is 
 all right. So now I am going to bed, and she is to write our 
 letter to you, my very dear lassie. 
 
 Tow^ards the end of 1897, Mackenzie's health 
 became very unsatisfactory ; a slight twist which he 
 gave to one knee resulted in symptoms of a most 
 unfavourable kind. But he persisted in work, walking 
 up and down the steep hills of Hankey, carrying on 
 his business negotiations and his pastoral duties as 
 diligently as ever. When Mr Wardlaw Thompson, 
 the foreign secretary of the London Society, visited 
 Hankey in March 1898, he was struck with the great
 
 THE RIPENED LIFE AND THE SICKLE 541 
 
 change in Mackenzie's appearance ; his hair had 
 whitened rapidly, and his movements gave unmistakable 
 signs of weakness. It had been long before felt that 
 Mackenzie ought to have an assistant at Hankey, and 
 this was urged upon Mr Thompson with great 
 emphasis at this time ; his own judgment clearly 
 approved of that step, although obstacles arose to 
 prevent the Directors from taking it. 
 
 In the month of April following, Mackenzie's mind 
 was full of the approaching marriage of his third 
 daughter, Elizabeth Douglas, to Mr Edward Sheilds of 
 Kimberley. This event, which affected him very 
 deeply, took place on the anniversary of his own 
 wedding day, April 27th, 1898. He invited his 
 friend, the Rev. William Dower of Port Elizabeth, to 
 come and assist him. On the evening of the 26th, 
 while the house was full of guests and gaiety, he took 
 Mr Dower into the garden to arrange with him for the 
 service on the morrow. When asked by him to take 
 the main part and tie the knot Mr Dower demurred, 
 urging that Mackenzie should himself perform that 
 sacred duty. But the latter, sitting down on a rustic 
 seat, and making his friend sit beside him, held out his 
 hand, and, pointing to the swellings on his fingers, 
 said, " You know, Dower, that I have had some 
 experience with medicine and have become familiar 
 with some facts. Now you see these fingers ? I 
 know that when that is there it means that there is 
 something (pointing to his heart) very seriously wrong 
 in here. Accordingly," he continued, " I know that 
 I ought not to undertake that part of the service which 
 I might be unable to carry through to-morrow, and so 
 I will just begin it and you will do the rest." To this, 
 of course, there could be no answer, and his sorrowing 
 friend braced himself for what was now for him a 
 service of peculiar pathos and significance. 
 
 Two or three months later, Mackenzie found him-
 
 542 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 self involved in heavier burdens than ever. Mr 
 J. S. Hultzer, who had for years acted as business 
 agent for the Society at Hankey, resigned his posi- 
 tion, to engage in the publication of a newspaper at 
 Humansdorp. While Mr Hultzer agreed to conduct 
 necessary official duties from Humansdorp until a 
 successor was appointed, his removal nevertheless 
 entailed much additional care upon Mackenzie. The 
 latter was deeply interested in Mr Hultzer and his 
 new project, and he agreed to write an editorial 
 article every week for that paper. This usually 
 absorbed Mackenzie's time on Wednesday evenings. 
 Late on that afternoon the mail arrived from Port 
 Elizabeth, bringing him his home and colonial news- 
 papers, as well as correspondence ; and he spent long 
 hours in studying the political situation before pro- 
 ceeding to discuss it in his next article, which he 
 wrote the same evening. 
 
 A collapse came on October 22nd, 1898, when 
 another " stroke " fell upon him, once more depriving 
 him of power over his limbs and for a little while 
 even of the power of speech. The latter he quickly 
 regained, the former returning more slowly. His 
 alarmed household at once telegraphed to his former 
 assistant, and dear friend, the Rev. Cullen Reed, now 
 a missionary in Matabeleland, who very promptly 
 responded, and reached Hankey in the month of 
 November. His presence there was an immense 
 relief to Mackenzie, as it enabled him to go away 
 for change and rest. The demands upon him may 
 be illustrated by the fact that only a fortnight after 
 his stroke he felt compelled to attend a meeting of 
 Hankey tenants and landowners, to plan for the 
 irrigation of a piece of land whose crops were 
 threatened with destruction ! In December, Mackenzie 
 and his wife left for Kimberley, where they stayed 
 with their son, Dr J. Eddie Mackenzie. Here he
 
 THE RIPENED LIFE AND THE SICKLE 543 
 
 received every attention, and was closely watched 
 by more than one physician. Some progress was 
 made, but many of his friends saw that improvement 
 could only be slight and temporary. Letters began 
 to pour in from all quarters, expressing sympathy 
 with him, and many of these touched him deeply. 
 He avoided political discussion as much as possible, 
 refraining from reading the newspapers, and giving 
 himself up to light literature, short walks, and quiet 
 conversation with his family. He could not do more 
 than write a few words to his children on other 
 continents and in South Africa. The end was 
 hastened by a rash deed which came from his 
 parental love. His son, Mr J. D, Mackenzie, was 
 engaged on an important case before one of the 
 judges in Kimberley, and Mackenzie determined to 
 so down to the court. He went out towards noon 
 of a very hot day, became interested in the case, 
 and sat for two or three hours following it closely. 
 Then he walked all the way home, missing the 
 carriage which his medical son brought to take him 
 home. Almost immediately the final stroke fell. 
 His strong constitution fought hard for some days, 
 but the end came rapidly. He knew what the 
 result must be ; yet, with what was no doubt his 
 characteristic considerateness for others, he avoided 
 all reference to it, meeting his death as he had met 
 all the tasks of life, with unflinching courage, indomi- 
 table faith, and unwearied sympathy for those around 
 him. On the 23rd of March 1899, the toiler fell 
 on sleep and rested from his labours. He was buried 
 in the cemetery at Kimberley two days later. The 
 funeral was largely attended by the citizens of 
 Kimberley, of all shades of opinion. 
 
 A memorial service was held in the Scottish Church 
 at Kimberley on the Sunday following, March 26th, 
 when a careful and frenerous estimate of Mackenzie's
 
 544 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 life was delivered by the Rev. Henry Richards, the 
 minister of the church. 
 
 During those days, telegrams came in large numbers 
 from all the Colony and from almost every continent ; 
 tributes of admiration for his character and work 
 appeared in all the English-speaking newspapers in 
 South Africa, and in nearly every daily newspaper 
 throughout Great Britain. Many of these obituary 
 notices ran to considerable length, and were evidently 
 written by men who had watched his career, and had 
 formed a high opinion of his services to mankind and 
 to the British Empire. Private letters were sent from 
 all kinds of people, from Khame and from the High 
 Commissioner, from fellow-workers in Church and 
 State, from poor parishioners in Hankey, and from 
 young men whom he had guided to the best life. 
 
 As soon as was possible many political associations 
 and public bodies in South Africa passed resolutions 
 concerning Mackenzie's services to the country and 
 expressing sympathy with his widow and family. 
 
 For all who were connected in any way with 
 Mackenzie, it has seemed a most strange fact that 
 within eight months after his death his beloved South 
 Africa was plunged into the shame and horror of the 
 great war ; truly he was taken from the evil to come. 
 About a year before, a friend asked him at Hankey 
 whether he thought a war between the British and 
 the Transvaal would be likely to occur. He stopped 
 suddenly, stamped his stick emphatically upon the 
 ground, with a gesture some of his friends remember, 
 and said, " That would be an unspeakable disgrace." 
 It would be surpassing all the responsibilities of a 
 biographer to attempt to form a judgment of what 
 Mackenzie would have said about the war if he had 
 been alive and full of health and strength. It is safe 
 to say that he would have thrown all his energies into 
 the task of saving South Africa from such disaster ;
 
 THE RIPENED LIFE AND THE SICKLE 545 
 
 how he would have attempted it no one may try 
 to estimate. It is sufficient to know that his heart 
 would have brooded with an infinite sorrow, not only 
 over the evil and indefensible policy of the Republics, 
 but over all the blunders in the past relations of 
 Great Britain to South Africa which at long last 
 made this war appear all but inevitable. In public 
 as in private life it is uncourteous to say, " I told 
 you so." But it may not be ungracious for a bio- 
 grapher to say to those official guides of British 
 South African policy who, ten and twenty years 
 ago, were leading their country into this disaster, 
 " He told you so." And not he alone, be it re- 
 membered. Mackenzie's was never a solitary voice, 
 even when he spoke on behalf of the true Imperial- 
 ism in the development of South African territories. 
 He always had the joy and confidence which arose 
 from knowing that strong minds agreed with his, 
 and that men of wider political experience and 
 higher official authority, both in South Africa and 
 in Great Britain, believed in the principles which 
 he expounded and in the policy for which he so 
 passionately pled. 
 
 It is strange to look over Mackenzie's life and 
 realise at once the variety of his achievements, and 
 the curious fate that has fallen upon much of his 
 work on its outward and earthly side. Khame's 
 people were led, nearly twenty years ago, away from 
 Shoshong to found a new capital at Palapye. Over 
 at Shoshong itself the old mission station is abandoned, 
 and its many buildings, on which several missionaries 
 spent so much labour, have crumbled into ruins. 
 Kuruman has fallen from being one of the capitals 
 of Bechuana life to the position of a remote and un- 
 influential village ; and the educational institutions, 
 which Mackenzie hoped to see expanding into great 
 centres of influence over all the land, have dwindled 
 
 2 M
 
 546 JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 into insignificance. When he engaged in the task 
 of saving the interior of South Africa for the British 
 Empire, he did work which indeed remains ; but he 
 saw the honour and pleasure of reah"sing it, snatched 
 from his hands and transferred to those very men 
 who had not aided but hindered its inception. When 
 he had carried on his long years of toil in London 
 and throughout England for the creation of a true 
 Imperialism, the awakening of a sense of responsi- 
 bility amongst Englishmen and Scotsmen for the 
 whole of South Africa, he again saw the ideas which 
 he had sown broadcast reaped as a rich harvest by 
 those whose spirit was opposed to his own, and whose 
 theory of Imperialism he considered untrue and un- 
 practical. And, again, when he forsook this wider 
 sphere of activity and went to the little corner at 
 Hankey, it was to build up new hopes and to lay 
 foundations of new schemes ; yet when well within 
 sight of realising some of these, he was once more 
 removed, his work put into the hands of others and 
 the schemes which he planned left for them to fulfil. 
 
 But he would be short-sighted indeed and ignorant 
 of the Christian valuation of life and a life's work, 
 who would pronounce this varied career anything 
 less than nobly successful. There is another side. 
 To have moulded the life of a whole tribe directly 
 and through its great chief, as Mackenzie moulded 
 the Bamangwato ; to have exercised the wide educa- 
 tional and spiritual influence over all Bechuanaland 
 which he did from Kuruman ; to have been the 
 man who first forced Great Britain to face her God- 
 given task of controlling the destinies of the entire 
 region from the Cape to the Zambesi ; to have 
 set forth from platform and pulpit, in magazine 
 and volume, in newspaper and blue-book, the true 
 principles of British policy in relation to all the 
 races of that vast region ; to have gone back and
 
 THE RIPENED LIFE AND THE SICKLE 547 
 
 done his best for one community, small though it 
 was, in Hankey, while yet helping as he did to 
 inspire the religious enthusiasm of the members of 
 his own denomination throughout the country ; with all 
 and through all these great tasks to have maintained 
 his own inner life of fellowship with God, unhindered 
 unstained ; and finally, under this influence to have 
 ripened into a noble, beautiful character whom so 
 many loved, and from whom so many lives received 
 their purest impulses, their strongest faith — surely this 
 deserves to have spoken over all its pages from first 
 to last, even from the lips of man, that " kindly judg- 
 ment " which he hoped to hear (and hears, we trust) 
 from the lips of his Master, " Well done ! "
 
 APPENDIX I 
 
 WRITINGS OF JOHN MACKENZIE 
 
 I. BOOKS 
 
 1. Ten Years North of the Orange River. A Story of 
 
 Everyday Life and Work among the South African 
 Tribes. From 1859 to 1869. Edinburgh: Edmonston 
 & Douglas. 187 1. 
 
 2. Day Dawn in Dark Places. London : Cassell & 
 
 Company. 1883. 
 
 3. Austral Africa : Losing it or Ruling it. Being Incidents 
 
 and Experiences in Bechuanaland, Cape Colony, and 
 England. 2 volumes. London : Sampson Low, 
 Marston, Searle & Rivington. 1887. 
 
 2. PAMPHLETS 
 
 1. London Missionary Society. Statement made by the 
 
 Rev. J. Mackenzie, of Bechuanaland, at a Meeting 
 held at Westminster Palace Hotel, July 25, 1882. 
 London : Printed by Yates, Alexander, & Shepheard. 
 1882. Pp. 8. 
 
 2. Bechuanaland, the Transvaal, and England. A State- 
 
 ment and a Plea. London : Printed by Yates, 
 Alexander & Shepheard. 1883. Pp. 14. 
 
 3. The Transvaal and the Bechuanas. Report of Public 
 
 Meeting in Edinburgh. Edinburgh : Printed by 
 Lorimer & Gillies. 1884. 
 
 4. The London Missionary Society in South Africa : A 
 
 Retrospective Sketch. London : Published by the 
 London Missionary Society. 1888. Pp. 21. 
 
 549
 
 5 50 APPENDIX 
 
 5. Austral Africa : Extension of British Influence in Trans- 
 Colonial Territories. Proceedings at a Meeting of 
 the London Chamber of Commerce. Assembled on 
 the 14th May 1888 to hear an Address from 
 Mr John Mackenzie. The Right Hon. J- Cham- 
 berlain, M.P., in the Chair. London : P. S. King 
 & Son. 1888. 
 
 6. Austral Africa : Extension of British Influence in Trans- 
 
 Colonial Territories (with Map). [Reprinted from 
 "The Journal of the Manchester Geographical 
 Society."] Pp. 31. 
 
 7. Bechuanaland and the Land of Ophir : A Paper read to 
 
 the British Association at Bath in September 1888. 
 From the " Proceedings of the Royal Geographical 
 Society." November 1888. Pp. 10. 
 
 8. Condition of Bechuanaland. Statement of Facts. 
 
 1882-1890. London: Alexander & Shepheard. 
 
 9. The Christian Outlook in the Cape Colony : Being the 
 
 Chairman's Address to the Congregational Union of 
 South Africa. Port Elizabeth : Printed by H. C. 
 Gray & Co. 1893. Pp. 22. 
 
 TO. The Farmers and the Miners of the South African 
 Republic. A Friendly Letter to President Kruger. 
 [Reprinted from Cape Ti7nes, July 20, 1896.] Pp. 6 
 (double columns). 
 
 3. MAGAZINE ARTICLES 
 
 Nineteenth Century 
 South Africa and England. May 1883. 
 
 Contemporary Review 
 England and South Africa. January 1884. 
 The Expansion of South Africa. November 1889. 
 The Chartered Company in South Africa. March 1897. 
 Bechuanaland. February 1898. 
 
 Good Words 
 Glances at South Africa. July, August, and September 1898.
 
 APPENDIX 551 
 
 Imperial Federation 
 Imperial Government in South Africa. July 1888. 
 
 Journal ok the Society ok Arts 
 Bechuanaland and Austral Africa. March 1886 
 
 4. NEWSPAPER ARTICLES 
 
 Many Articles appeared either as Editorials or " From a 
 Correspondent " in — 
 
 The Diamond Fields Advertiser. 1877-1882. 
 The Scots?nan. 1 883-1 890. 
 The Leeds Mercury. 1884-1891. 
 
 And less frequently in other periodicals in Great Britain and 
 South Africa. 
 
 5. MISSIONARY REPORTS 
 
 Extracts from Letters or special Articles appeared from time 
 to time between 1859 and 1898 in — 
 
 The Chronicle of the London Missionary Society. 
 
 6. MEMORANDA AND LETTERS 
 
 Addressed either to the Foreign Office or the Colonial 
 Office were printed in the Parliamentary Blue-Books 
 between 1878 and 1891. A complete list cannot be 
 obtained. It would be lengthy, and would include 
 some elaborate communications.
 
 INDEX 
 
 Africa, 13, 31, 36 
 
 "Afrikander Bond," 281, 287, 313, 
 
 363, 366, 382, 508 (its strong 
 
 hold) 
 Alexander, Rev. Dr Lindsay, 38, 
 
 261 
 America, United States of, 295 
 Annexation, what is it? 223, 224, 
 
 243, 244, 276 
 Arnold Forster, Mr H. O., 401, 
 
 416, 417, 460, 461 
 Ashley, Hon. Evelyn, 292, 293, 
 
 306, 385, 401 
 Ashton, Rev. William, 46, 185, 187, 
 
 188, 316 
 Austral Africa, 413-415, 420 
 
 Baboons, strange habits of, 97 
 
 Baden Powell, Sir George, 388, 
 406, 408, 424 
 
 Baines, Mr Talbot, 304 
 
 Bamangwato (see also Shoshong and 
 Khame), 68, 72, 75, 79-84, 96, 
 99, IOC, 107-117, 178 
 
 Barkly, Sir Henry, 291, 292, 293, 
 294, 418, 419, 424, 425 
 
 Barkly West, 189 
 
 Beard, Mr Henry, 393, 489, 508, 
 509, 516, 533 
 
 Beaufort West, 49, 51, 53 
 
 Bechuanaland, 199-202 (disturb- 
 ances in), 206, 239 (under British 
 officers), 242, 245, 249 ff. (de- 
 serted), 275, 283, 317-320 (history, 
 1882-1884), 397> 425, 430, 431, 
 433. 434, 443. 444, 446, 447, 
 448, 463, 464, 467, 495, 496, 
 497. 510 (Cape Colony at war 
 in), 514. 515 
 
 Bechuana People, their progress in 
 civilization, 205, 221-223, 229, 
 230 ; their wrongs, 205, 206, 228 
 
 Bedford, 20, 21, 36 
 
 Belgium, King of, 439 
 
 Bible, revision of Sechuana, 437, 
 457-459, 466 
 
 Bodenstein, Mr, 337 
 
 Boers, two classes of, 270 
 
 Bower, Captain (now Sir) Graham 
 R.N., consults with Mackenzie, 
 314 ; telegraphs Mr Rhodes 
 about Mackenzie, 346, 347 ; a 
 suggestion of, 353 ; removes 
 British flag from Stellaland, 354 ; 
 restores Stellaland flag to Nie- 
 kerk, 354; "might have done 
 good," 357; instructions modi- 
 fied. 359; his political "style," 
 366 ; and High Commissioner, 
 
 370 ; would help Mackenzie, 
 
 371 ; and Stellaland petition, 
 378, 379 ; becomes personal, 
 420 
 
 British Association, 426 
 
 British Empire, 525 
 
 British Government and Sand River 
 Convention, 204 ; how forced 
 north of Vaal River, 204 ; and 
 border tribes, 207 ; and para- 
 mountcy of chiefs, 209 ; appealed 
 to, 213; duty to Bechuanaland, 
 223, 224 ; proposed administra- 
 tion by, 229-230 ; responsibility 
 for Bechuanaland, 239-241 ; in- 
 vited by tribes, 241; "pro- 
 visional " acceptance, 242, 249 ; 
 a kingdom despised by, 249 ; 
 deserts the Bechuanas, 250, 251 ; 
 the real question for, 253, 254 ; 
 its border policy, 275 ; zigzag 
 ways, 275 ; and supremacy, 276 ; 
 its gifts to the Transvaal, 286 ; 
 and Colonial co-operation, 289, 
 299; deserts Bechuanaland, 317; 
 embitters Transvaal, 319; op- 
 posed by British subjects, 322 ; 
 treats offer of territory coolly, 388 ; 
 recalls Warren Expedition too 
 soon, 389 ; its real question, 399 ; 
 and Bechuanaland, 402 ; its 
 responsibilities in South Africa, 
 411 ; and supremacy, 429 ; and a 
 
 553
 
 554 
 
 INDEX 
 
 Walvisch Bay railway, 431 ; and 
 Germany, 431 ; its opportunities 
 in South Africa, 455, 456. 502, 
 503; and Rhodesia, 501, 503, 
 
 British South Africa Company, 
 proposed charter, 432 ; why 
 opposed, 434 ; receives charier, 
 435) 43^ ; discussed, 436 ; aid by 
 Mackenzie, 440-442 ; its policy, 
 465, 495 ; native policy, 497, 
 498, 500-502 ; its work in Mata- 
 beleland, 499-500, 502, 503 ; 
 "amalgamating power," 515 
 
 Brown, Rev. John, 188 
 
 Buxton, Sir Thomas Fowell, 287, 
 
 291, 294, 304, 389, 401, 426, 
 432 
 
 Calderwood, Professor Henry, 
 
 295 
 
 Cape Arg7is, The, 315, 384, 426 
 
 Cape Colony, 285, 300, 397, 398, 
 402, 430 
 
 Cape Times, The, 315, 362, 425, 
 508, 509 
 
 Cape Town, 38, 41, 47, 69, 129, 
 133, 256, 313, 314, 362, 392, 
 480, 523 
 
 Causton, Mr, on the Chartered 
 Company and missionaries, 433 
 
 Chamberlain, Mr Joseph, M.P. , 
 on South African Committee, 
 401 ; and proposed Commission, 
 405 ; presides at Mackenzie's 
 lecture, 422 ; at South African 
 Committee Meeting, 431, 432 ; 
 letters from Mackenzie to, 443, 
 445, 446 ; and Mackenzie's ap- 
 plication for appointment, 449, 
 450, 451 ; as Colonial Secretary, 
 494, 495 ; letter from Mackenzie 
 to, 496 ; and the Raid, 498 ; on 
 the Bechuanaland War, 511 
 
 Chesson, Mr F. W., 264, 291, 395, 
 405, 408 
 
 Claremont, 360 
 
 Clark, Dr G. B., M.P., 284, 285, 
 
 292, 403, 404 
 "Colour-Question," The, 23, 518, 
 
 519 
 Conder, Captain C. R., R. E., 402 
 Confederation of South African 
 
 States, 365, 455, 456, 497, 511, 
 
 512 (its conditions) 
 Congregational Union of South 
 
 Africa, 516, 517, 520 
 
 Contemporary Review, The, 290, 
 295. 297, 301, 436, 498 - 502, 
 514, 535 
 
 Convention (1884), The London, 
 
 298, 304, 360 
 
 Convention (1881), The Pretoria, 
 
 251, 264, 268, 278, 280 
 Convention (1852), The Sand River, 
 
 43, 48, 57, 263, 280, 283 
 Courtney, Mr L., M.P., 265, 266, 
 
 267 
 Cullen, Rev. G. D. , 37, 295, 385 
 Currie, Sir Donald, 405 
 
 Dale, Dr R. W., 277, 281, 308, 
 348, 362, 368, 372, 404, 405^ 
 
 " Day -dawn in Dark Places, '^ by 
 John Mackenzie, 279 
 
 DelaRay, A.J. G., 338 
 
 Delegates from the Transvaal 
 (1883-4), proposed visit, 280; 
 their "history" of Bechuana- 
 land, 284 ; and the Lord Mayor, 
 284 ; receive four boons, 286 ; 
 method of conference with, 288 ; 
 length of conference with, ex- 
 plained, 297 ; second London 
 Convention, 298, 304 
 
 Derby, Earl of, 272, 273, 280, 
 281, 285, 288, 289, 292, 293, 297, 
 
 299, 300, 302, 306, 351, 356, 373, 
 381, 384 
 
 Douglas, Miss E. B. , loi, 130, 215, 
 
 390, 404 
 Douglas, Miss Ellen, married to 
 
 John Mackenzie, 38 
 Douglas, Rev. John, 34, 75 
 Dower, Rev. William, 541 
 Dunn, Sir William, 401, 419, 420 
 
 Edinburgh, 21, 295 
 
 I'-dwards, Mr Samuel, 211 
 
 Elgin, 2, 38, 260 
 
 Elgin Courant, The, 3 
 
 Ellison, Sergeant-Major, 189, 190, 
 
 194 
 Enemies, love of, 523 f. 
 
 Fauresmith, 59 
 
 Fife, Duke of, 401, 442 
 
 Fine Arts Society, 402 
 
 Forster, Mr W. E., M.P., 287, 291, 
 
 292, 304, 389, 396, 406, 418 
 Fowler, Sir R. N., M.P., 265, 284, 
 
 401, 427 
 Frazer, Rev. Mr, 49, 51 
 Frere, Sir Bartle, 194, 207, 216,
 
 INDEX 
 
 555 
 
 217, 227, 231, 233, 242, 250, 
 253, 270, 287, 290, 294, 297, 
 307 
 
 Frere, Sir Bartle C, 392 
 " Frontier Boers," 285, 286 
 Froude, Mr J. A., 402, 403 
 
 GiLMORE, Captain Parker, 166 
 Gladstone, Mr W. E., 250, 251 (and 
 
 Pretoria Convention), 251, 258, 
 
 261, 266, 406 
 Good Words ^ 514 
 Gorst, Sir John E., 405, 406 
 Grahamstown Joitrtial, The, 422 
 Grey, Sir George, 48 
 Grey, the late Earl, 287, 401, 460 
 Grey, Mr Albert (now Earl), 401, 
 
 433. 435. 442 
 
 Haggard, Mr Rider, 419 
 Hall, Rev. Arthur, 23 
 Hall, Rev. Newman, 23, 71 
 Hankey, 447. 448, 449, 457, 469- 
 470 (described), 474-481 (indus- 
 trial problems of), 480-481 (and 
 railway), 481-483 (and district 
 survey), 488, 532 
 Hardeland, Rev. Dr, 77 
 Helmore, Rev. Holloway, 46, 51, 
 
 53. 55. 56, 64-67 
 Hepburn, Rev. J. D. , 135, 141, 
 
 153. 154. 155. 167, 168, 177 
 Herbert, Sir Robert, 288, 293, 363, 
 
 382, 396, 449, 453 
 Hofmeyr, Mr J. H., 287, 357, 365, 
 
 367. 369. 393 
 
 Hope Town, 53, 54, 55 
 
 High Commissionership, The, dis- 
 cussed or referred to, 276, 282, 
 298, 324, 399, 400, 403, 406, 
 408, 417, 424, 425, 427, 428, 438, 
 
 454 
 Hultzer, Mr J, S., 471, 473, 476, 
 
 480, 542. 
 Hyenas (wolves), stories of, 97-99 
 
 Imperial Federation League, 409, 
 
 421 
 Innes, Mr, of Cape Colony, 509 
 Jorrissen, Dr, 303 
 Joubert, Commandant Piet, 349, 
 
 354 
 Jukes, Rev. J., 21, 26 
 
 Khame, conversion, 60, 99 ; fami- 
 liar name of, 69 ; and sorcery, 83 ; 
 courageous fight of, 84 ; flight 
 
 for safety, 107 ; marriage, 108 ; 
 opposes heathen father, 108 fT. ; 
 popularity, 109 ; refuses second 
 wife, 109 ; attacked by his father, 
 112; returns home, 116; his 
 moral victory, 118; welcomes 
 back Mackenzie, 135 ; his faith- 
 fulness, 136 ; persecuted by 
 Macheng, 137 ; plot against, 
 139; clemency of, 140; unselfish- 
 ness of, 141 ; and Mackenzie, 142 ; 
 accepted chief, 142 ; breaks with 
 heathen ceremonial, 143-145 ; 
 fights importation of drink, 145- 
 147 ; message to Lobengula, 147, 
 148 ; leaves Shoshong to father 
 and brother, 151 ; generous con- 
 duct, 152 ; returns to Shoshong, 
 152; his fight and victory, 153- 
 155 ; his Christian spirit, 155 ; 
 and migrating Boers, 174 ; fare- 
 well to Mackenzie, 178; afifection 
 for Mackenzie, 387 ; wins respect 
 of British officers, 387 ; makes 
 Britain splendid offer, 387 ; 
 British treatment of his offer, 
 388; visits England, 494, 496; 
 message from, on Mackenzie's 
 death, 544 
 Kimberley, Lord, 258, 270, 272, 
 
 273 
 
 Kimberley (Diamond Fields), 189, 
 190, 194, 204, 211, 217, 231, 315, 
 321. 323, 391, 392, 430.431.538 
 543. 544 
 
 Kirby, Captain John, 405, 406, 407, 
 408, 417 
 
 Knockando. 119 
 
 Knutsford, Lord, 395, 410, 431, 
 432, 441, 442, 449, 452, 453 
 
 Kolobeng (Molepolole), 43, 133, 
 181, 187 
 
 Kruger, President, 284, 285, 296 ; 
 at Cape Town, 343 ; confers with 
 Mr Hofmeyr and Ministers, 343 ; 
 prefers Colonies to Imperial 
 officers as neighbours, 343 ; co- 
 operates for Mackenzie's recall, 
 344 ; calls Mackenzie and Robin- 
 son " liars," 345 ; violates London 
 Convention, 360 ; his practical 
 dilemma, 361 ; meets Sir C. 
 Warren, 377 ; supplies Transvaal 
 with arms, 438 ; profits by raid, 
 500 ; Mackenzie's open letter to, 
 503-508 
 
 Kuruman, 46, 48, 177, 179, 181,
 
 556 
 
 INDEX 
 
 184, 185, 187, 188, 192, 193, 197, 
 203, 212, 213, 215, 217, 254, 388, 
 389 
 
 Kuruman, an African Pretender, 
 
 137, 13S, 142, 175 
 Kyd, Rev. Dr, 9, 10 
 
 Land-jobbers, their activity, 
 
 methods, etc., 316, 321-324 
 Lanyon, Sir Owen, 205, 206, 208, 
 210, 211, 217, 218, 220, 222, 224, 
 227, 239, 240 
 Leeds Mercury, The, 437 
 Leonard, Mr J. W., Q.C., 362 
 Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, 
 
 .439 
 
 Livingstone, David, 36, 37, 38, 43, 
 44, 45» 59, 66, 67, 100 
 
 Lloyd, Rev. E., 387, 388 
 
 Lobengula, 137, 138, 142, 147, 148, 
 175, 428 
 
 Loch, Sir Henry, 435, 440, 444, 
 448, 452, 453, 467 
 
 London Chamber of Commerce, 
 422, 426 
 
 London Missionary Society (or 
 Directors of), 7, 8, 13, 20, 21, 
 42 ff., and education, 180, 181 ; 
 propose native training school, 
 181 ; changeful attitude of, 185, 
 186, 190, 191, 193 ; its educa- 
 tional opportunity, 196, 197 ; its 
 minute on Mackenzie's services, 
 305-306 ; its generous letter to 
 Mackenzie, 371, 372 ; and owner- 
 ship of Kuruman, 437, 447, 457 ; 
 and Hankey, 469, 470, 471 
 
 Loring, Mr Arthur H., 397, 401, 
 406, 416, 417, 418, 421, 432 
 
 Lome, Marquis of, 417, 418 
 
 Lovedale, 132 
 
 Lowe, Major Stanley, 220, 242, 
 327, 329, 331, 340 
 
 Macheng, 99, 107, 111, 118- 1 19, 
 122, 124 (invites British control 
 in Bechuanaland, 1868), 127, 
 129, 137-141, 165 
 
 MACKENZIE, JOHN 
 
 Chapter I. — Birth, 2; school, 2; 
 printer's apprentice, 3 ; joins 
 literary society, 4 ; religious 
 awakening, 5 ; begins a diary, 
 5 ; first communion, 6 ; motto, 
 8 ; prayer life, 8, 22, 23, 24, 
 25-27, 30, 31. 33. 34, 35; 
 
 applications to London Mis- 
 sionary Society, 8, 9, 10, 13, 
 14, 20 ; appointed precentor, 
 9, 10; addresses the young men 
 of Elgin, 19 ; diary, 6-7, 8, 
 10-14, 14-17, 18-19; letter, 
 9-10 
 
 Chapter II. — Student at Bedford, 
 21; student habits, 26; self- 
 discipline and ill-health, 32, 33 ; 
 holiday trip, 34 ; finds his wife, 
 34, 36 ; appointed to Central 
 Africa, 36 ; studies at Edin- 
 burgh, 37 ; ordained, 37 ; mar- 
 ried, 38 ; sails for Africa, 38 ; 
 his missionary ideal, 39, 40 ; 
 Diary, 24-32, 32-34, 34-35 5 
 letters, 35, 36 
 
 Chapter III. — Speech at Cape 
 Town, 47 ; first journey, 48 ; 
 describes waggon travelling, 50, 
 51, 52 ; arrives at Beaufort, 53; 
 \'ictoria West, 53 ; Hope Town, 
 55; Kuruman, 53, 55; invited to 
 a church at Beaufort, 49, 55 ; 
 and the German mission, 58 ; 
 in charge of Kuruman, 59 ; 
 visits Orange Free State, 59 ; 
 birth of first child, 59 ; starts 
 for Zambesi, 59 ; arrives at 
 Shoshong, 60 ; through the 
 Great Desert, 61-63 ! describes 
 disaster to Makololo mission- 
 aries, 64-67 ; plans approved, 
 68 ; second child born at Sho- 
 shong, 68 ; arrival at Kuruman, 
 69 ; discusses his future, 70 ; 
 visits Free State, 71, 74; in- 
 vitation to Hope Town, 71; 
 work at Kuruman, 71, 74 ; ap- 
 pointment to Shoshong, 71 ; 
 discusses this and other plans, 
 71-74; arrives at Shoshong, 74; 
 uncertainty as to movements, 
 74, 75, 77 ; on missionary 
 policy in Bechuanaland, 78; on 
 Matabele Raid, 78-85 ; invited 
 to visit Matabcleland, 85, 86 ; 
 describes visit, 87-93; reception 
 by Moselekatse, 87, 88, 89 ; 
 describes the chief, 90 ; im- 
 pressions of mission work, 91, 
 
 92 ; decides not to settle there, 
 
 93 ; death of his daughter, 94; 
 returns to Shoshong, 95 ; 
 letters, 50-51, 51-53, 53-55, 
 56-57, 61-85, 87-93, 94-95
 
 INDEX 
 
 557 
 
 Chapter IV. — Would iriigalc at 
 Shosliong, 97 ; killing wolves, 
 97, 98 ; begins work at Sho- 
 shong, 100 ; describes native 
 customs and beliefs, 101-103 ; 
 builds a house, 103, 104 ; his 
 trust vindicated, 104-106; ex- 
 tent of work, 100, 108; perse- 
 cution by Sekhome, no ; visits 
 native combatants, 114, 117; 
 fired at, 117 ; receives his 
 enemy, 1 19 ; begins church- 
 building, 119-121; his native 
 nickname, 121, 122 ; the first 
 discovery of gold in South 
 Africa, 122-129; advises Ma- 
 cheng as to European inrush, 
 123-127; first touch of Imperial 
 politics, 123-125 ; visits Trans- 
 vaal, 126, 127 ; visits Kuruman, 
 129 ; visits England, 130 ; 
 deputation experiences, 130, 
 131 ; writes his first book, 131, 
 132; presentation, 132; sails 
 for South Africa, 132 ; letters, 
 101-102, 102-103, 107-I15, 115- 
 118, 120-121 
 
 Chapter V. — Arrives in Cape 
 Town, 133 ; tutor of native 
 students, 133 ; reception at 
 Shoshong, 135 ; an observation 
 of, 136 ; narrow escape from 
 bullet, 141 ; unique trust in, by 
 rival chiefs, 142 ; aiding Khame 
 as to a heathen custom, 143 ; 
 addresses the tribe, 144, 145 ; 
 at a conference on drink, 145- 
 147 ; visits Matabeleland, 147 ; 
 describes his visit, 148-149 ; his 
 remarkable prophecy, 149, 150; 
 narrow escape from bullets, 
 1 54 ; work as tutor and preacher, 
 156, 157; pecuniary circum- 
 stances, 157, 158 ; invitation to 
 Grahamstown, 158; reasons for 
 hesitation, 159; letters and 
 memoranda, 134-135, 139-141, 
 
 143-145, 146-147. 149- 
 Chapter VI. — Relations to traders, 
 
 160 ff. ; postmaster, 160 ; ex- 
 ecutor for deceased traders, 
 
 161 ; illustrations, 161-163 ; 
 and "Fitzgerald," 164-165; 
 his Sunday service for Euro- 
 peans, 166, 167 ; his appear- 
 ance, 166 ; judicial work among 
 Europeans, 167-169 ; on British 
 
 responsibilities in South Africa, 
 '69-173; appeals to High Com- 
 missioner for Imperial exten- 
 sion (1876), 173-177 ; leaves 
 Shoshong, 177 ; letters, etc., 
 161, 162, 163, 165, 167-169, 
 
 169-173. 173-177- 
 
 Chapter VII. — Chosen tutor of 
 new Institution, 181, 182; his 
 first class, 183 ; first students 
 passed, 184 ; the site for 
 the Institution, 184, 185 ; on 
 the educational needs of the 
 Institution, 192, 193 - 196 ; 
 pastor of' Kuruman church, 
 197 ; variety of his labours, 
 198, 199; illustrationsof pastoral 
 work, 199-202 ; his work as 
 tutor, 202; letters, etc., 184, 
 185-186, 191-193. 193-196, 199- 
 202 
 
 Chapter VIII. — Describes robbery 
 of native landowners, 204-206 ; 
 and industrial development, 
 208 ; aroused by native dis- 
 turbances, 211; warned, 212; 
 refuses to ask Government aid, 
 213; courageous act of, 214, 
 215 ; on treatment of natives, 
 217; beginning of administra- 
 tive work, 220 ; official, 220 ; 
 his new plan, 221-223 5 '^^' 
 mands only justice, 222 ; in- 
 vited and agrees to act officially, 
 224 - 225 ; increase of his in- 
 fluence, 226 ; letters, etc., 
 205-206, 211, 215-216, 216- 
 217, 224-225 
 
 Chapter IX. — His plan for Bechu- 
 analand, 227-231 ; meets Sir 
 Bartle Frere, 231, who asks 
 him to accept Commissioner- 
 ship for South Bechuanaland, 
 232 ; discussion of proposal, 
 233 - 234, 234-238; how he 
 could do double work, 237 ; 
 urges permanent administra- 
 tion, 240 ; protests against aban- 
 donment, 242 ; expounds the 
 Imperial relations to South 
 Africa, 243-246 ; his territorial 
 schemes, 245, 246; proposals for 
 civil work disapproved by 
 L. M. S., 247 ; describes their 
 misapprehensions, 247-249 ; de- 
 scribes the desertion of Bechu- 
 analand, 250; fights bj letter
 
 558 
 
 INDEX 
 
 for Bechuanas, 254 ; describes 
 his Kuruman plan, 254 ; view 
 of Transvaal responsibility for 
 disturbances, 255, 256 ; leaves 
 for England and meets Sir II. 
 Robinson, 256 ; letters and 
 documents, 228-231, 233-234, 
 234-238, 241, 243-246, 247-249, 
 250, 254-255, 255-256 ^ 
 
 Chapter A'.— Arrival in England, 
 257 ; the public attitude towards 
 South Africa, 257-258 ; his first 
 public address, 258-259 ; re- 
 union with children, 259, 260 ; 
 Elgin once more, 260 ; ordina- 
 tion of his son, 260 ; on deputa- 
 tion work, 261 ; writes to Glad- 
 stone, 261 ; letter to W. Dale, 
 262-264 ; work in London, 264 ; 
 among the editors, 265 ; on 
 Mr Morley and Mr Courtney's 
 attitudes, 266-267 ; "as the 
 Choctaws," 266 ; at the 
 Colonial Office, 268 ; attitude to 
 Transvaal, 269 ; varied efforts, 
 269-270 ; Christmas holiday, 
 271 ; the arguments he met, 
 271 ; appeal from Mankoroane, 
 272 ; writes a pamphlet, 272 ; 
 encouraged by Lord Derby, 
 273 ; celebrates silver wedding, 
 273 ; article in Nineteenth 
 Century, 2']^-2'j'j ; on "clear- 
 out " policy, 277 ; letters 
 and documents, etc., 259, 262- 
 264, 266, 270, 272, 273, 274- 
 278 
 
 Chapter XI.— ^nies " Day Dawn 
 in Dark Places," 279 ; prepar- 
 ing for Transvaal delegates, 279, 
 280 ; his alarm at their pro- 
 posals, 281 ; explains their 
 real aim to be supremacy, 
 281-283 ; their attitude to 
 missions, 283 ; gains support 
 of Pall Mall Gazette and Spec- 
 tator, 284 ; exposes MrKruger's 
 "history," 284; his share in 
 the Conference, 286 ; pro- 
 poses plan for governing Bechu- 
 analand, 289 ; is encouraged by 
 Lord Derby, 290 ; addresses 
 meeting at Mansion House, 
 291 ; describes it, 292 ; de- 
 scribes interview with Lord 
 Derby and Mr Ashley, 
 293 ; opinion of Frere, 294 ; 
 
 speeches at Edinburgh, 295 ; 
 article in Contemporary Review, 
 295-296 ; his policy supported 
 by Sir H. Barkly and Sir Bartle 
 Frere, 297 ; hesitatingly ac- 
 cepted by Lord Derby, 297, 
 300 ; opposes cession of terri- 
 tory to overburdened Trans- 
 vaal Government, 299 ; is 
 offered Deputy - Commissioner- 
 ship, 300 ; his letters of accept- 
 ance, 301 - 303 ; his motives 
 attacked, 303 ; congratulations, 
 304 ; cordial minute of London 
 Missionary Society, 305, 306 ; 
 farewell breakfast, 306 ; visits 
 Frere on his deathbed, 307, 308 ; 
 sails for the Cape, 308 ; appear- 
 ance and work described by Mr 
 Stead, 309-311 ; letters and 
 articles, 281-283, 285, 290, 292- 
 294, 295-297, 301, 303, 305-306, 
 307-308 
 Chapter XII. — His spirit in new 
 enterprise, 312 ; reception of 
 his appointment at Cape Town, 
 313; describes it, 314; recep- 
 tion at Kimberley, 315; "sees 
 both sides," 316 ; Transvaal 
 e.xpansion weakens the Trans- 
 vaal, 319 ; meets difficulties 
 among British at Kimberley, 
 321, 322 ; describes land- 
 hunger as his chief obstacle, 
 323 ; and the intrigues of 
 opponents, 324, 325 ; how he 
 invaded a hostile republic, 325, 
 326 ; successful negotiations 
 with Mankoroane, 326 ; re- 
 ception at Vryburg, 328 ; an- 
 nounces Protectorate, 328 ; his 
 negotiations with Stellalanders, 
 329 ; appoints Van Niekerk 
 as Assistant - Commissioner, 
 331 ; his success, 331 ; arrives 
 at Mafeking, 332 ; meets the 
 Boer filibusters, 333 ; danger- 
 ous trip to Zeerust, 334 ; com- 
 pletes tour, 336 ; reaches Kuru- 
 man, 336 ; Taungs, 336 ; 
 friendly welcome at Vryburg, 
 337; "the restorer of peace," 
 338 ; Boers hoist British 
 Hag, 338 ; summoned to Cape 
 Town, 339 ; his recall and its 
 promoters, 340 ; went north 
 with confidence of Robinson,
 
 INDEX 
 
 559 
 
 340 ; assured of his support, 
 341 ; is warmly congratulated 
 on Vryburg success, 341 ; an J 
 Goshen, 341 ; is repeatedly in- 
 vited to visit Cape Town, 341 ; 
 is hindered in raising police 
 force, 342 ; is debarred from 
 Cape Town visit, 343 ; told to 
 do the impossible, 343 ; is told 
 by Robinson of Kruger's Cape 
 Town influence, 343 ; is at- 
 tacked by Cape Ministers, 
 344 ; is misreported by Mr 
 Rhodes, 344 ; is further mis- 
 reported by Mr Rhodes, 346 ; 
 is supplanted by Mr Rhodes, 
 346, 347 ; resigns, 347 ; ex- 
 plains resignation to Dale, 348- 
 349; letters, etc., 314-315, 315- 
 316, 323-325, 339, 348-350 
 
 Chapter X/ II. —And the Stella- 
 landers and Mr Rhodes, 352, 
 353. 354 ; his resignation ac- 
 cepted, 356 ; describes his 
 relation and work at Cape 
 Town, 357-359;. engaged to 
 preach, 360 ; his recall de- 
 manded by Transvaal, 361 ; 
 addresses great meeting at 
 Cape Town, 362 ; his work in 
 arousing the Colony, 363 ; 
 lectures to Dutch students at 
 Stellenbosch, 363 ; publishes 
 proposal for a South African 
 representativeCommission, 364 ; 
 describes 1 his activities, 365 ; 
 addresses second great Cape 
 Town meeting, 367 ; describes 
 to Dale causes of resignation, 
 368 ; and failure of Cape 
 Ministers, 369 ; explains to Mr 
 Stead reason for opposition of 
 Englishmei), 370 ; an offer from 
 Mr Rhodes\ 371 ; generous act 
 of London Missionary Society, 
 371-372 ; and Robinson, 373 ; 
 letters, etc., 357-359, 363-364, 
 365-366, 368-369, 370, 371, 371- 
 372, 372, 373 
 
 Chapter XIV. — Warren warned 
 not to consult, 374 ; in- 
 vited to join Warren's Expedi- 
 tion, 375 ; report on his services 
 by Sir Charles Warren, 376 ; 
 attends conference with Presi- 
 dent Kruger, 377 ; Mr Rhodes 
 and the Stellaland petition 
 
 in favour of, 378-380 ; at 
 Kuruman, 380 ; his services in 
 the expedition, 381 ; describes 
 effect of expedition, 381, 382 ; 
 at Mafeking, 383 ; threatened 
 recall of, 384 ; letter to a child, 
 385, 386 ; at Shoshong, 386 ; 
 work for and with Khame, 
 387-388 ; on premature close of 
 expedition, 389, 390 ; hears of 
 Warren's "progress" through 
 Colony, 391, 392; at Cape 
 Town, 392 ; describes dinner 
 in his own house, 393 ; asks for 
 prayer, 394 ; and Mr Stead, 
 394; letters, 381-383, 383-385. 
 385-386, 387-388, 390-391, 
 393. 394 
 
 Chapter XV. — In England again, 
 395 ; at the Colonial Office, 
 396 ; and W. E. P'orster, 396 ; 
 his plan of campaign, 397 ; 
 purpose and plan of book, 397, 
 398 ; and Confederation, 399 ; 
 the two first Imperial steps, 
 399-400 ; and the South African 
 Committee, 401 ; in Scotland, 
 401 ; before Scottish Geogra- 
 phical Society, 401 ; before 
 Society of Arts, 402 ; before 
 Anthropological Institute, 402 ; 
 letters to Times, 402 ; on 
 Froude's Oceana, 402-403 ; and 
 Dr G. B. Clarke, 403 ; and 
 proposed Royal Commission in 
 South Africa, 404-405 ; and his 
 friend Captain Kirby, 405, 406, 
 407 ; on W. E. Forster, 406 ; 
 invited to stand for Parliament, 
 407 ; on his work, 408 ; visit 
 to Leeds, 408 ; and Imperial 
 Federation League, 409 ; at 
 Portobello, 410 ; writes to Lord 
 Knutsford, 410-412; finishes 
 "Austral Africa" at Montrose, 
 412 ; his habit of work, 412 ; 
 scope of the book, 413-415; 
 letters, 395-396, 396, 402, 402- 
 403, 403-404. 404-405, 406-410 
 (extracts), 410-412 
 
 Chapter XVI. — Influence of his 
 book, 416 ; on Lord Rosebery, 
 416, 417 ; on High Commis- 
 sionership, 417, 418; describes 
 lecture before Imperial Federa- 
 tion League, 418-420 ; and 
 Lord Rosebery, 421-422 ; before
 
 56o 
 
 INDEX 
 
 London Chamber of Commerce, 
 422-425 ; and Cape Town 
 tactics, 425-426; on "Com- 
 munion," 426 ; before British 
 Association, 426, 427 ; at 
 Portobello, 427 ; feebng his 
 success, 427 ; beginnings of 
 Chartered Company, 428 ; 
 letter to Lord Salisbury, 429- 
 
 431 ; the real (juestion, 429 ; 
 political significance of Bechu- 
 analand, 430, 434 ; proposes 
 Walvisch Bay route, 431 ; and 
 South African Committee, 431- 
 
 432 ; and proposal for Chartered 
 Company, 432-435 ; hears from 
 Lord Milner, 433-434 ; and 
 from Mr Albert Grey, 435 ; 
 article in Contemporary Kev!e7u, 
 
 436 ; varied work in England 
 and breakdown of health, 436, 
 
 437 ; hears of arming the 
 Transvaal Boers, 437, 438 ; his 
 " prophecy " rejected, 438 ; 
 letters, etc., 416-418, 418-420, 
 421-422, 422, 425-427 (ex- 
 tracts), 429-43i> 431-432, 432 
 
 Chapter X VII. — Various lectures, 
 
 439, 440 ; invited to meet King 
 of Belgium, 439, 440 ; his 
 generous act towards Chartered 
 Company, 440-441 ; writes to 
 the Company on routes into 
 Rhodesia, 441, 442 ; letter from 
 Mr Albert Grey, 442 ; writes to 
 Lord Knutsford about Walvisch 
 Bay, 442 ; pleads for Imperial- 
 ism in N. Bechuanaland, 443 ; 
 writes to Mr Chamberlain 
 thereon, 443-444 ; describes in- 
 terview with Mr Chamberlain, 
 445-446; offer of appointment 
 by Missionary Society, 447-448; 
 otTcrs to serve Government in 
 Bechuanaland, 449-452 ; offer 
 declined, 452 ; his comments, 
 453-456 ; " ready for Ilankey," 
 457 ; his work on reprint of 
 Bechuana Bible, 457-459 ; his 
 spirit, 459 ; letters and testi- 
 monials, 460-462 ; letters, etc., 
 
 440, 441-442, 443> 443-444, 
 445 - 456, 446 - 447. 447 ■ 44^, 
 449-452, 453-456, 457. 45^- 
 459, 461-462 ; his report to 
 London Missionary Society on 
 his work from 1883 to 1891, 
 
 appendix to chapter xvii. , 
 462-468 
 Chapter XVIII. — His task at 
 Hankey, 471 ; learns Dutch, 
 
 472 ; his devotion to new duties, 
 
 473 ; accounts of his negotia- 
 tions and industrial labours, 
 474-47S ; enjoying a "day off," 
 479 ; and his assistant, 479-480 ; 
 efforts to obtain railway com- 
 munication with Ilankey, 480- 
 481 ; and to obtain a 'district 
 survey," 481-483; description 
 of his methods, 483-488 ; efforts 
 in education, 488-491 ; marriage 
 of his second daughter, 492 ; 
 and death of his brother and 
 sisters, 492-493 ; letters, 474, 
 475-477, 477-47S, 479, 480, 
 481-483, 491, 492-493 
 
 Chapter XIX. — His continued 
 interest in "Imperialism" for 
 native territories, 494 ; joy at 
 Mr Chamberlain's appointment 
 to Colonial Office, 494-495 ; 
 protests against union of North 
 Bechuanaland to Rhodesia, 
 496-498 ; article in Contempor- 
 ary Review on Chartered Com- 
 pany's policy in Rhodesia, 498- 
 
 502 ; and Transvaal problems, 
 
 503 ff; his open letter to Pre- 
 sident Kruger, 503-508 ; on the 
 Dutch - English problem in 
 Colony, 508-509 ; and Lord 
 Milner, 510 ; on the Cape 
 Colony war in South Bechuana- 
 land, 510-514; invited to work 
 for home journals, 5 14 ; article on 
 the South Bechuanaland war in 
 Contemporary Review, 514-515 
 
 Chapter XX. — And the Congrega- 
 tionalUnionofSouth Africa.516; 
 iiis denominational services, 517 ; 
 his address as chairman of the 
 union, 517 ff; on the "colour 
 question," 51S-520; on stock 
 stealing, 519, 520; his last 
 messages to the Union, 521 ; as 
 a preacher, 522 ; on Dutch- 
 ICnglish relations, 523-524 ; on 
 the British Empire, 525 ; on 
 jiersonal responsibility, 526 ; 
 who is chief? 527-529 ; the next 
 distinction, 530; extracts from 
 addresses and sermons, 518- 
 520, 523-524, 524-527, 527-530
 
 INDEX 
 
 561 
 
 Chapter XXI. — Varied elements 
 of his character, S31-532 ; his 
 self-sacrifice, 532 ; described by 
 a friend, 533-534 ; his attitude 
 to Mr Rhodes, 534-535 ; on Lord 
 Rosmead's death, 536 ; and 
 Lord Milner, 536; on his ill- 
 ness, 540 ; health gives way, 
 540 ; understands his danger, 
 541; more work, 541-542; 
 final stroke, goes to Kimberley 
 and dies there, 542-543 ; funeral 
 and memorial service, 543 ; wide 
 appreciation of his life-work, 
 544; "He told you so," 544- 
 545 ; what remains ? 546-547 
 
 Mackenzie, Mrs, 38, 48, 52, 69, 71, 
 80, 81, 82, 106, 112, 153, 160, 
 30S, 314, 325, 328, 473, 479, 542 
 
 Mackenzie, Mr James Donald, 307, 
 
 543 
 Mackenzie, Dr J. Eddie, 308, 314, 
 
 542, 543 
 M'Laren, Mr David, 13 
 M'Niel, Rev. Niel, 5, 14 
 Mafeking, 320, 332, 333, 343, 383, 
 
 385, 425 
 
 Makololo, 45, 56, 59, 61-67, 68, 70, 
 72, 76 
 
 Mankoroane, 209, 210, 252, 272 
 (appeal from), 287, 288, 293, 
 31?) 3231 327 (welcomes Mac- 
 kenzie) 
 
 Marriages, mixed, 23 
 
 Mashonaland, strategic value of, 
 150, 176, 177 
 
 Matabele, 45, 57, 78-85, 107, 123, 
 137. 147-151. 174. 175. 176, 428, 
 433. 435. 436, 497. 499 
 
 Mills, Sir Charles, 417, 418 
 
 Mills, Rev. J. Grant, 439 
 
 Milner, Mr Alfred (now Lord), 433, 
 510, 536, 544 
 
 Missionaries, treatment of, by Trans- 
 vaal, 283 
 
 Moffat, Rev. John S., 36, 44, 55, 
 85, 86, 87-89, 92, 93, 511 
 
 Moftat, Rev. Robert, D.D., 38, 42, 
 43, 46, 47, 48, 51, 53, 57, 58, 60, 
 69, 70, 72, 74. 107, 179, 183, 186, 
 
 193 
 
 MofTat Institution, 181, 182, 184, 
 185, 186, 187, 188, 190, 192, 
 
 193. 195. 196 
 Montsioa, 252, 253, 331, 332, 360, 
 
 361, 362 
 Montrose, 260, 279, 412 
 
 Morley, Mr John, 265, 266, 267, 
 
 277, 282 
 Moselekatse, 60, 78, 79, 83, 86, 87- 
 
 93, 107, 122, 123, 128, 137, 150, 
 
 151 
 Mullens, Rev. Joseph, 97, 102, 120, 
 180, 181, 185, 191 
 
 Native Question, The, 519, 520 
 
 Niekerk, J. G. van, 252, 254 ; meets 
 Mackenzie, 328 ; reaches Vryburg, 
 329 ; cross - questions Macken- 
 zie, 330 ; offered assistant com- 
 missionership, 331 ; cunning 
 methods of, 3-31; "treasonable 
 purposes of," 338 ; and Mr 
 Rhodes, 353, 354, 355, 356, 360, 
 361 ; accused of murder, 380, 
 381, 383, 384 
 
 Nineteenth Century, The, 274-277 
 
 Noble, Mr John, 249 
 
 "Northward," 275 
 
 Gates, Mr Charles G., 162, 163, 
 254, 255, 303, 408, 479, 491,492, 
 502 
 
 Pall Mall Gazette, The, 283, 284, 
 
 294, 309, 365 
 Parker, Dr Joseph, 426 
 Philip, Rev. Dr, 42 
 Philip, Rev. J. Frederick, 521 
 Pittius Gey van, 252, 254, 353, 367 
 Port Elizabeth, 391, 469, 470, 480, 
 
 482, 488 
 Portobello, 34, 36, 38, 130, 132, 
 
 259. 271, 410, 437, 459 
 Pretorius, President M. W., 57, 58 
 Price, Rev. Roger, 38, 52, 53, 54, 
 
 56, 64-67, 76, 85, 95, 100, lOI, 
 
 108, III, 127 
 Pro-Transvaalers, 257, 262, 263 
 
 (their policy) ; attitude to native 
 
 question, 266, 267, 276, 277 ; 
 
 arguments of, 266, 270-271 
 
 " Ra-Willie," native name for 
 Mackenzie, 69 
 
 Rawson, Sir Rawson, 418 
 
 Reed, Rev. G. CuUen, 419, 479, 
 542 
 
 Rhodes, Mr Cecil, moves for a 
 British Resident in Bechuana- 
 land, 287 ; succeeds Mackenzie, 
 339; wishes to "eliminate 
 Imperial factor," 340, 341 ; con- 
 siders Mackenzie obstacle to
 
 562 
 
 INDEX 
 
 peace, 344 ; relies on letters 
 from Niekerk, 344 ; sends views 
 about Stellaland from Kimberley, 
 345; goes to Stellaland, 354; is 
 opposed by loyalists, 352 ; goes to 
 the enemy, 353 ; their bitterness 
 against Mackenzie, 353 ; goes to 
 Goshen, 354 ; but stays in Trans- 
 vaal, 354 ; and Montsioa, 354 ; 
 returns to Niekerk, 354 ; annuls 
 Mackenzie's official acts and re- 
 stores power to Niekerk, 354, 355 ; 
 his appointment good if — , 357 ; 
 would help Mackenzie, 371 ; 
 Sir C. Warren and his Niekerk 
 agreement, 375 ; attends conference 
 with Mr Kruger, 377 ; his strange 
 treatment of the Stellaland peti- 
 tion, 378, 379; has "a fling," 
 426 ; proposes Chartered Com- 
 pany, 432 ; assures Mr Albert 
 Grey, 433 ; receives charter, 435 ; 
 and Zollverein, 445 ; his Im- 
 perialism, 446 ; what he really 
 means, 495 ; and the Imperial 
 Government, 497, 509 ; his double 
 parts, 501 ; and the Raid, 503 ; 
 _ Mackenzie and, 535 
 K obinson. Sir II., first hears from 
 Mackenzie, 254 ; first meets him, 
 256, 281 ; unconvinced, 281 ; in 
 London Conference, 285, 288 ; 
 approves Mackenzie's plan, 290 ; 
 recommends appointment of 
 Mackenzie as his Deputy 
 Commissioner, 300; Mackenzie's 
 letter of acceptance to, 301 ; his 
 fearof British taxpayer, 304 ; leaves 
 for South Africa, 306 ; encourages 
 Mackenzie, 312, 314; strange 
 belief of, 317 ; fears of hoisting of 
 flag in Stellaland, 339 ; recalls 
 Mackenzie, 339 ; his former 
 accord with Mackenzie, 340; is 
 delighted with Mackenzie's suc- 
 cess, 341 ; expects visit from 
 Mackenzie, 342 ; receives news 
 from Niekerk, 342 ; discourages 
 visit by Mackenzie, 343 ; fights 
 for Mackenzie, 344 ; deserts Mac- 
 kenzie, 347 ; uses Alackenzie after 
 resignation, 356 ; very kind, 359 ; 
 resists Transvaal, 360 ; growing 
 firmer, 366 ; proposes Warren 
 expedition, 367 ; and missionaries, 
 368, 369 ; suggests Warren avoid 
 Mackenzie, 374, 375 ; advises 
 
 against British advance beyond 
 Molopo, 388 ; and High Com- 
 missionership, 404, 408, 409, 
 425 ; reappointment, 495 ; and 
 Imperial Government in South 
 Africa, 497 
 
 Rodger, Mrs J. Campbell, 492 
 
 Rosebery, Lord, 416, 417, 421, 
 422 
 
 Ross, Rev. James, 4, 5, 19, 23, 34, 
 35, 36, 48, 75-77, 180, 216 
 
 Rudd, Mr, 428, 432 
 
 Salisbury, Lord, 429, 441 
 Scanlen, Sir Thomas, 282, 287, 
 
 290, 300, 313, 324, 348 
 Schreiner, MrT., 391 
 Schulenborg, Rev. Mr, 60, 69, 72, 
 
 73. 74, 77, 95> 99 
 Scotsman, The, 292, 437 
 Searle, W. , 393, 424 
 Sechele, 139-141, 179 
 Sekhome, 78-85, 87, 99, 107, 108, 
 
 116, 118, 119, 139, 151, 153, 
 
 154 
 Shaftesbury, Lord, 270, 291, 
 
 292 
 Sheilds, Mrs E. D., 485, 541 
 Shepstone, Sir T., 137, 138 
 Shippard, Sir Sidney, 451 
 Shoshong, 60, 68, 69, 74, 78, 85, 
 86, 95, 96, 107-118, 123, 128, 
 129, 134, 135, 137, 139, 142, 
 143, 145, 147, 151, 152, 15s, 
 160, 166, 168, 177, 182, 237, 
 254, 386 
 Smythe, Sir Leicester, 381 
 South African Committee, 431, 432 
 
 460, 461 
 Southey, Hon. R., 291, 292 
 Spcctatoy, The, 282, 284, 406, 
 
 535 
 
 Spindler, Mr J., 471, 476, 477, 
 480 
 
 Sprigg, Sir J. Gordon, 357-358, 
 429, 510, 567 
 
 Stanley, Colonel, 395, 396 
 
 Stead, Mr W. T., 283, 284, 285, 
 309, 350, 369, 394, 402, 404 
 
 Stellaland Republic (and Stella- 
 landers), origin of, 320, 321 ; 
 sinister flag of, 321 ; interest 
 of, in Mackenzie, 315 ; invaded 
 in a mule-waggon, 325 ; Pro- 
 tectorate in, announced, 328 ; 
 negotiations with, 329-331 ; 
 authority over, vested in Volks
 
 INDEX 
 
 563 
 
 Committee, 336 ; propose to 
 hoist British flag, 337 ; call 
 Mackenzie "the restorer of 
 peace," 338 ; people of, hoist 
 British flag, 338 ; bitter against 
 Mr Rhodes, 352, see British flag 
 removed by Captain Bower, 354 ; 
 plea for Macl^enzie's return, 
 355 ; still loyal, 355 ; handed over 
 to Niekerk, 355, 356 ; who pro- 
 poses annexation of to Trans- 
 vaal, 361-362 ; petition from, 
 
 364, 369 
 Stellenbosch, 363 
 Stewart, Rev. Dr, 133 
 St Leger, Mr, 393 
 Sykes, Rev. W., 38, 52, 55, 91, 92, 
 
 149 
 
 Territorial Scheme, Mac- 
 kenzie's, 221-223, 229-230, 245- 
 246, 276, 289, 296, 325, 434 
 
 Terry, Colonel, 292 
 
 Theal, Dr, 43, 44 
 
 Thompson, Mr Joseph, 401 
 
 Thompson, Rev. W., 38 
 
 Thompson, Rev. R. Wardlaw, 371, 
 390, 395. 448, 457, 462, 473, 474, 
 540, 541 
 
 Tidman, Rev. Dr Arthur, 51, 53, 
 56, 61-67, 68, 69-71, 71-74, 75. 
 77. 78-85,87-93, 107-115 
 
 Times, The, 290, 402, 420, 426 
 
 Transvaal (and Transvaal Govern- 
 ment) and Sand River Conven- 
 tion, 43, 48, 57 ; attitude to 
 missionaries, 43, 44, 57, 58 ; 
 threaten to attack Kuruman, 55, 
 57 ; claims vast territory, 122, 
 124, 127, 128 ; astute trick of, 
 128 ; attempted migration from, 
 173, 174; designs {1876) on 
 Mashonaland,i75, 176 ; and Great 
 Britain, 204 ; and paramountcy of 
 chiefs, 209 ; citizens of, invade 
 Bechuanaiand, 251, 252, 259, 
 272 ; their methods, 252, 253 ; 
 effect of its Grotidwet or Con- 
 stitution, 253 ; retrocession of, 
 250, 257, 258 ; and native aflairs, 
 263 ; breaking Pretoria Conven- 
 tion, 263 ; sends deputation to 
 England, 278 fT. ; objects of 
 deputation, 279, 280, 281 (see 
 Delei^ates) ; desire supremacy in 
 South Africa, 285 ; treaty with, 
 declined, 286 ; convention with, 
 
 defined, 286; desire Bechuana- 
 iand, 287, 296 ; recognised as 
 South African Republic, 286 ; 
 debt of, remitted, 286 ; and 
 viriual slavery, 291 ; native 
 policy, 295 ; pledged to good 
 treatment of natives, 299 ; and to 
 observe new boundaries, 299 ; 
 injured by territorial expansion, 
 312, 319; marauders from, 318; 
 their methods, 318 ; embittered 
 by British changefulness, 319; 
 tolerates border depredations, 
 335 ; cause of failure in Bechu- 
 anaiand, 351 ; and Bechuana- 
 iand, 358 ; power of, in Bechu- 
 anaiand and Cape Town, 359 ; 
 annex Montsioa's territory, 360 ; 
 resisted, 360; its attitude ex- 
 plained, 360-361 ; to join Con- 
 federation, 400 ; arms its burghers 
 (1889), 438; and British South 
 Africa Company's policy, 503 ; 
 and Johannesburg, 503 ; war 
 with Britain, 544 
 
 Upington, Sir Thomas, 343, 345, 
 351, 357, 367, 369 
 
 ViLLiERS, Sir Henry de, 424 
 Vryburg, 320, 327, 337, 352, 353, 
 356, 357, 380, 382 
 
 Walvisch Bay, 431, 441, 442 
 Warren, Sir Charles, 192, 194, 208, 
 240, 241, 242, 317, 318, 363, 
 365, 367, 369, 370.; arrives in 
 Cape Town, 374 ; his fitness for 
 task, 374 ; asked to avoid 
 Mackenzie, 374, 375 ; discoveries 
 disagreeable, 375 ; invites Mac- 
 kenzie to headquarters, 375 ; his 
 official report on Mackenzie's 
 services, 376 ; confers with 
 President Kruger, 377 ; discovers 
 and tests Stellaland petition, 379 ; 
 and Mr Rhodes, 380-381, 383, 
 384 ; at Vryburg, 380 ; and 
 Niekerk trial, 380, 383, 384 ; and 
 Mackenzie's appointment, 384 ; 
 at Shoshong, 386 ; and Khame, 
 387 ; turns southward, 388; pre- 
 mature end of his expedition, 
 
 389 ; quality of his work, 389, 
 
 390 ; his enthusiastic reception 
 in Colony, at Kimberley, e c.
 
 564 
 
 INDEX 
 
 391 ; especially Cape Town, 391 ; 
 
 speaks for Mackenzie, 392, 408, 
 
 424, 431 
 Whitehouse,Rev. J. O., 199-202, 247 
 Williamson, Rev. Alex., 5 
 Wodehouse, Sir P. E., 123, 125, 
 
 127, 407 
 Wood, Tom, 104-106 
 
 Wookey, Rev. A. ]., 118, 212 
 Wright, Rev. Dr William, 458 
 
 Young, Mr J. S., 475, 476, 477 
 
 Zambesi' River, 45, 47, 67, 70, 
 161, 243, 397, 407, 428, 429, 
 433. 497 
 
 TURNBULL A.ND SPEARS. PRINTERS, EDINBUFGH.
 
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