Thechangewaslikewhatmaybesupposedwouldtakeplacewereitpossibletocureacaseof“colorblindness“TheperfectfreenesswithwhichthepardonofallourguiltisofferedinGod’sbookdrewforthfeelingsofaffectionatelovetoHimwhoboughtuswithhisblood，andasenseofdeepobligationtoHimforhismercyhasinfluenced，insomesmallmeasure，myconducteversinceButIshallnotagainrefertotheinnerspirituallifewhichIbelievethenbegan，nordoIintendtospecifywithanyprominencetheevangelisticlaborstowhichtheloveofChristhassinceimpelledmeThisbookwillspeak，notsomuchofwhathasbeendone，asofwhatstillremainstobeperformed，beforetheGospelcanbesaidtobepreachedtoallnations。
IntheglowoflovewhichChristianityinspires，IsoonresolvedtodevotemylifetothealleviationofhumanmiseryTurningthisideaoverinmymind，IfeltthattobeapioneerofChristianityinChinamightleadtothematerialbenefitofsomeportionsofthatimmenseempire；
andthereforesetmyselftoobtainamedicaleducation，inordertobequalifiedforthatenterprise。
Inrecognizingtheplantspointedoutinmyfirstmedicalbook，thatextraordinaryoldworkonastrologicalmedicine，Culpeper’s“Herbal“，IhadtheguidanceofabookontheplantsofLanarkshire，byPatrick。
Limitedasmytimewas，Ifoundopportunitiestoscourthewholecountry-side，“collectingsimples“Deepandanxiousweremystudiesonthestilldeeperandmoreperplexingprofunditiesofastrology，andIbelieveIgotasfarintothatabyssofphantasiesasmyauthorsaidhedaredtoleadmeItseemedperilousgroundtotreadonfarther，forthedarkhintseemedtomyyouthfulmindtoloomtoward“sellingsoulandbodytothedevil“，asthepriceoftheunfathomableknowledgeofthestarsTheseexcursions，oftenincompanywithbrothers，onenowinCanada，andtheotheraclergymanintheUnitedStates，gratifiedmyintenseloveofnature；andthoughwegenerallyreturnedsounmercifullyhungryandfatiguedthattheembryoparsonshedtears，yetwediscovered，tous，somanynewandinterestingthings，thathewasalwaysaseagertojoinusnexttimeashewasthelast。
Ononeoftheseexploringtoursweenteredalimestonequarry
longbeforegeologywassopopularasitisnowItisimpossibletodescribethedelightandwonderwithwhichIbegantocollecttheshellsfoundinthecarboniferouslimestonewhichcropsoutinHighBlantyreandCambuslang。
Aquarry-man，seeingalittleboysoengaged，lookedwiththatpityingeyewhichthebenevolentassumewhenviewingtheinsaneAddressinghimwith，“Howeverdidtheseshellscomeintotheserocks？”“WhenGodmadetherocks，hemadetheshellsinthem。”wasthedampingreplyWhatadealoftroublegeologistsmighthavesavedthemselvesbyadoptingtheTurk-likephilosophyofthisScotchman！
Myreadingwhileatworkwascarriedonbyplacingthebookonaportionofthespinning-jenny，sothatIcouldcatchsentenceaftersentenceasIpassedatmywork；Ithuskeptupaprettyconstantstudyundisturbedbytheroarofthemachinery。
TothispartofmyeducationIowemypresentpowerofcompletelyabstractingthemindfromsurroundingnoises，soastoreadandwritewithperfectcomfortamidtheplayofchildrenornearthedancingandsongsofsavages。
Thetoilofcotton-spinning，towhichIwaspromotedinmynineteenthyear，wasexcessivelysevereonaslim，loose-jointedlad，butitwaswellpaidfor；
anditenabledmetosupportmyselfwhileattendingmedicalandGreekclassesinGlasgowinwinter，asalsothedivinitylecturesofDrWardlaw，byworkingwithmyhandsinsummerIneverreceivedafarthingofaidfromanyone，andshouldhaveaccomplishedmyprojectofgoingtoChinaasamedicalmissionary，inthecourseoftime，bymyownefforts，hadnotsomefriendsadvisedmyjoiningtheLondonMissionarySocietyonaccountofitsperfectlyunsectariancharacterIt“sendsneitherEpiscopacy，norPresbyterianism，norIndependency，buttheGospelofChristtotheheathen。”Thisexactlyagreedwithmyideasofwhatamissionarysocietyoughttodo；butitwasnotwithoutapangthatIofferedmyself，foritwasnotquiteagreeabletooneaccustomedtoworkhisownwaytobecomeinameasuredependentonothers；
andIwouldnothavebeenmuchputaboutthoughmyofferhadbeenrejected。
Lookingbacknowonthatlifeoftoil，Icannotbutfeelthankfulthatitformedsuchamaterialpartofmyearlyeducation；
and，wereitpossible，Ishouldliketobeginlifeoveragaininthesamelowlystyle，andtopassthroughthesamehardytraining。
TimeandtravelhavenoteffacedthefeelingsofrespectIimbibedforthehumbleinhabitantsofmynativevillageFormorality，honesty，andintelligence，theywere，ingeneral，goodspecimensoftheScottishpoor。
Inapopulationofmorethantwothousandsouls，wehad，ofcourse，avarietyofcharacterInadditiontothecommonrunofmen，thereweresomecharactersofsterlingworthandability，whoexertedamostbeneficialinfluenceonthechildrenandyouthoftheplacebyimpartinggratuitousreligiousinstruction。*Muchintelligentinterestwasfeltbythevillagersinallpublicquestions，andtheyfurnishedaproofthatthepossessionofthemeansofeducationdidnotrenderthemanunsafeportionofthepopulationTheyfeltkindlytowardeachother，andmuchrespectedthoseoftheneighboringgentrywho，likethelateLordDouglas，placedsomeconfidenceintheirsenseofhonor。
Throughthekindnessofthatnobleman，thepoorestamonguscouldstrollatpleasureovertheancientdomainsofBothwell，andotherspotshallowedbythevenerableassociationsofwhichourschool-booksandlocaltraditionsmadeuswellaware；
andfewofuscouldviewthedearmemorialsofthepastwithoutfeelingthatthesecarefullykeptmonumentswereourown。
Themassesoftheworking-peopleofScotlandhavereadhistory，andarenorevolutionarylevelersTheyrejoiceinthememoriesof“WallaceandBruceanda’thelave。”whoarestillmuchreveredastheformerchampionsoffreedomAndwhileforeignersimaginethatwewantthespiritonlytooverturncapitalistsandaristocracy，wearecontenttorespectourlawstillwecanchangethem，andhatethosestupidrevolutionswhichmightsweepawaytime-honoredinstitutions，dearaliketorichandpoor。
*ThereaderwillpardonmymentioningthenamesoftwoofthesemostworthymenDavidHogg，whoaddressedmeonhisdeath-bedwiththewords，“Now，lad，makereligiontheevery-daybusinessofyourlife，andnotathingoffitsandstarts；forifyoudonot，temptationandotherthingswillgetthebetterofyou；“
andThomasBurke，anoldForty-secondPeninsulasoldier，whohasbeenincessantandneverwearyingoodworksforaboutfortyyears。
Iwasdelightedtofindhimstillalive；menliketheseareanhonortotheircountryandprofession。
Havingfinishedthemedicalcurriculumandpresentedathesisonasubjectwhichrequiredtheuseofthestethoscopeforitsdiagnosis，IunwittinglyprocuredformyselfanexaminationrathermoresevereandprolongedthanusualamongexaminingbodiesThereasonwas，thatbetweenmeandtheexaminersaslightdifferenceofopinionexistedastowhetherthisinstrumentcoulddowhatwasassertedThewiserplanwouldhavebeentohavehadnoopinionofmyownHowever，IwasadmittedaLicentiateofFacultyofPhysiciansandSurgeonsItwaswithunfeigneddelightIbecameamemberofaprofessionwhichispre-eminentlydevotedtopracticalbenevolence，andwhichwithunweariedenergypursuesfromagetoageitsendeavorstolessenhumanwoe。
Butthoughnowqualifiedformyoriginalplan，theopiumwarwasthenraging，anditwasdeemedinexpedientformetoproceedtoChina。
Ihadfondlyhopedtohavegainedaccesstothatthenclosedempirebymeansofthehealingart；buttherebeingnoprospectofanearlypeacewiththeChinese，andasanotherinvitingfieldwasopeningoutthroughthelaborsofMrMoffat，IwasinducedtoturnmythoughtstoAfrica；
andafteramoreextendedcourseoftheologicaltraininginEnglandthanIhadenjoyedinGlasgow，IembarkedforAfricain1840，and，afteravoyageofthreemonths，reachedCapeTown。
Spendingbutashorttimethere，IstartedfortheinteriorbygoingroundtoAlgoaBay，andsoonproceededinland，andhavespentthefollowingsixteenyearsofmylife，namely，from1840to1856，inmedicalandmissionarylaborstherewithoutcosttotheinhabitants。
Astothoseliteraryqualificationswhichareacquiredbyhabitsofwriting，andwhicharesoimportanttoanauthor，myAfricanlifehasnotonlynotbeenfavorabletothegrowthofsuchaccomplishments，butquitethereverse；ithasmadecompositionirksomeandlaborious。
IthinkIwouldrathercrosstheAfricancontinentagainthanundertaketowriteanotherbookItisfareasiertotravelthantowriteaboutitIintendedongoingtoAfricatocontinuemystudies；
butasIcouldnotbrooktheideaofsimplyenteringintoothermen’slaborsmadereadytomyhands，Ientailedonmyself，inadditiontoteaching，manuallaborinbuildingandotherhandicraftwork，whichmademegenerallyasmuchexhaustedandunfitforstudyintheeveningsaseverIhadbeenwhenacotton-spinnerThewantoftimeforself-improvementwastheonlysourceofregretthatIexperiencedduringmyAfricancareer。
Thereader，rememberingthis，willmakeallowancesforthemeregropingsforlightofastudentwhohasthevanitytothinkhimself“notyettoooldtolearn“Morepreciseinformationonseveralsubjectshasnecessarilybeenomittedinapopularworklikethepresent；
butIhopetogivesuchdetailstothescientificreaderthroughsomeother
TheBakwainCountryStudyoftheLanguageNativeIdeasregardingCometsMabotsaStationALionEncounter
VirusoftheTeethofLionsNamesoftheBechuanaTribes
SecheleHisAncestorsObtainstheChieftainship
HisMarriageandGovernmentTheKotlaFirstpublicReligiousServicesSechele’sQuestionsHeLearnstoReadNovelmodeforConvertinghisTribeSurpriseattheirIndifference
PolygamyBaptismofSecheleOppositionoftheNatives
PurchaseLandatChonuaneRelationswiththePeople
TheirIntelligenceProlongedDroughtConsequentTrials
Rain-medicineGod’sWordblamedNativeReasoningRain-maker
DisputebetweenRainDoctorandMedicalDoctorTheHuntingHopo
SaltoranimalFoodanecessaryofLifeDutiesofaMissionary。
ThegeneralinstructionsIreceivedfromtheDirectorsoftheLondonMissionarySocietyledme，assoonasIreachedKurumanorLattakoo，then，asitisnow，theirfarthestinlandstationfromtheCape，toturnmyattentiontothenorthWithoutwaitinglongeratKurumanthanwasnecessarytorecruittheoxen，whichwereprettywelltiredbythelongjourneyfromAlgoaBay，Iproceeded，incompanywithanothermissionary，totheBakuenaorBakwaincountry，andfoundSechele，withhistribe，locatedatShokuane。
WeshortlyafterretracedourstepstoKuruman；butastheobjectsinviewwerebynomeanstobeattainedbyatemporaryexcursionofthissort，Ideterminedtomakeafreshstartintotheinteriorassoonaspossible。
Accordingly，afterrestingthreemonthsatKuruman，whichisakindofheadstationinthecountry，IreturnedtoaspotaboutfifteenmilessouthofShokuane，calledLepelolenowLitubaruba。
Here，inordertoobtainanaccurateknowledgeofthelanguage，IcutmyselfofffromallEuropeansocietyforaboutsixmonths，andgainedbythisordealaninsightintothehabits，waysofthinking，laws，andlanguageofthatsectionoftheBechuanascalledBakwains，whichhasprovedofincalculableadvantageinmyintercoursewiththemeversince。
InthissecondjourneytoLepelolesocalledfromacavernofthatname
Ibeganpreparationsforasettlement，bymakingacanaltoirrigategardens，fromastreamthenflowingcopiously，butnowquitedry。
Whenthesepreparationswerewelladvanced，IwentnorthwardtovisittheBakaaandBamangwato，andtheMakalaka，livingbetween22Degreesand23Degreessouthlatitude。
TheBakaaMountainshadbeenvisitedbeforebyatrader，who，withhispeople，allperishedfromfeverIngoingroundthenorthernpartofthesebasaltichillsnearLetlocheIwasonlytendaysdistantfromthelowerpartoftheZouga，whichpassedbythesamenameasLakeNgami；*andImightthenin1842
havediscoveredthatlake，haddiscoveryalonebeenmyobject。
MostpartofthisjourneybeyondShokuanewasperformedonfoot，inconsequenceofthedraughtoxenhavingbecomesick。
Someofmycompanionswhohadrecentlyjoinedus，anddidnotknowthatIunderstoodalittleoftheirspeech，wereoverheardbymediscussingmyappearanceandpowers：“Heisnotstrong；heisquiteslim，andonlyappearsstoutbecauseheputshimselfintothosebagstrowsers；
hewillsoonknockup。”ThiscausedmyHighlandbloodtorise，andmademedespisethefatigueofkeepingthemallatthetopoftheirspeedfordaystogether，anduntilIheardthemexpressingproperopinionsofmypedestrianpowers。