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 Livingstone very constant friend. After a fortnight's journey they arrived at Mabotsa in the Bakatla country, which Livingstone had previously selected for the station, and where he had placed a native agent named Mebalwe. A large hut was erected and the new station started as a base for operations in the interior. Unfortunately, the 'charming valley' Livingstone had selected for his new home was infested by lions; they attacked the herds in open day, and leaped into the cattlepens by night. Livingstone encouraged the faint-hearted people to destroy them, and accompanied them in a lion-hunt. Having wounded a lion within thirty yards, it sprang upon him and brought him to the ground, crushing the bone of his left shoulder before it was despatched. For the rest of his life the use of his left arm was restricted in consequence, and the wound caused him occasional suffering.

In 1844 he married Mary, eldest daughter of Dr. Moffat, and took her to Mabotsa. She had been born and brought up in the country, was an expert in all household duties, and of cultured tastes. At Mabotsa she took charge of the infant school, but owing to a disagreement with the missionary who had accompanied them, Livingstone in 1846 gave up the house he had built, the garden he had made, and the station he had organised with much trouble and expense, and moved to Tshonuane, forty miles further north, and the headquarters of the Bechuana chief, Setshele, who showed an intelligent interest in Christianity. From Tshonuane Livingstone made a long journey eastwards to the Kashane Mountains, or Magaliesberg through the heart of what is now the Transvaal State. On his return to Tshonuane his eldest son, Robert, was born. When Livingstone had finished the erection of a school, and had organised systematic instruction under native teachers, he again travelled east, accompanied by his wife and infant son. On his return in 1847, drought at Tshonuane compelled him again to change his station, and he induced Setshele and his Ba-kwenas to accompany him forty miles to the westward to the river Kolobeñ, where he taught them to irrigate their gardens by runnels from the river. For the third time he built a house for himself. A native smith had taught him to weld iron, Dr. Moffat had taught him carpentry and gardening, and he had become handy at most mechanical employments. His wife made candles, soap, and clothes, and efficiently performed all domestic work within doors.

One of the difficulties of the mission was the proximity of the Boers of the Cushan Mountains. These men had fled from English law, and resenting the emancipation of their Hottentot slaves, had moved to distant localities, where they could enslave the natives without molestation. Livingstone had twice visited the Boers, and had tried to plant native teachers in their territory; but Heindrick Potgeiter, the Boer leader, threatened to attack any tribe which received a native teacher. More than ever impressed with the necessity for native agents to reach such large heathen masses, Livingstone determined that his primary duty was to explore and open out the country, teaching as he went, but not settling down. His sojourn at Kolobeñ had been a busy one. He made a grammar of the Sichuana language, and was incessantly teaching. In after-life he looked back with pleasure to the time spent among the Ba-kwenas, and mentioned that his only regret was that, while spending all his energy on the heathen, he had not devoted an hour each day to play with his children.

Earlv in 1849 Livingstone prepared tn cross the desert in search of Lake Ngami. He communicated his intention to Captain Steele, who made it known to two sportsmen, Messrs. Oswell and Murray. These gentlemen on 1 June 1849 left Kolobeñ with Livingstone, and travelled along the north-east border of the great Kalahari desert, to cross which many unsuccessful attempts had been made; and even the Griquas had found the absolute want of water an insuperable difficulty. On 4 July Livingstone and his party came to the beautiful river Zuga, running N.E. On 1 Aug. they reached the north-east end of Lake Ngami, and for the first time this fine sheet of water, too broad to see across, was viewed by Europeans. Livingstone wished to visit Sebituane, the great chief of the Makololo, I who lived some two hundred miles beyond the lake; but Letshulatebe, chief of the lake tribe of the Bamangwato, would give him no assistance, and the season being well advanced, the party started south again, Mr. Oswell volunteering to go to the Cape and bring up a boat. The discovery of the river and lake was communicated by Livingstone to the London Missionary Society, and to his friend Captain Steele, and extracts from his letters were forwarded to the Royal Geographical Society, who in 1849 voted Livingstone twenty-five guineas 'for his successful journey with Messrs. Oswell and Murray across the South African desert, for the discovery of an interesting country, a fine river, and aa extensive inland lake.' while the president ascribed the success of Livingstone to the