55. David Livingston [Livingstone], Boatlanama, to Rev Arthur Tidman, London Missionary Society

Reference to a gold watch received from Captain Steele of the Royal Geographical Society [Sir Thomas Montagu Steele, who had visited Bechuanaland and met Livingstone in 1843] "suitable for observing occultations of stars by the moon in order thereby to find the Longitude"; refers to the invitation extended by Maclear at the Cape [Sir Thomas Maclear (1794-1879), astronomer-royal at the Cape of Good Hope, 1834-1870] for "any one to make observations on certain stars" whereby he then "engaged to observe them simultaneously and make the calculations"; Livingstone plans to use the watch together with the small telescope presented by Rev Freeman and his own sextant to make observations; making another attempt to reach Sebitoane [Sebetwane] and to find a suitable location to establish a mission; Bakwains [baKwena] have suffered failure of crops for successive years, "The want of corn has been contemporaneous with the possession of the gospel, and as some of the adjacent tribes who have shewn considerable opposition to the 'Word of God' have been favoured with years of plenty, many of the people associate teaching and hunger as inseparable"; Kolobeng and other watercourses have dried up; trouble from Boers; all renders removal to a new locality absolutely necessary; Bakwains will remove to an area where native corn may be raised - 10 miles higher up the course of the Kolobeng to Limaoe [Dimawe, the Bakwena moved there in August 1851]; necessity of leaving the baKwena but a reciprocal attachment has been formed and hopeful that "The seed sown will not be lost"; dilemma of taking his children further into the Interior where "African fever" prevails; country around Sebitouane described as a land of rivers 'Linokanoka'; William Oswell on his way; requests communication of corrections that he has made on a map sent by Mr Arrowsmith for the purpose [John Arrowsmith (1790-1873), cartographer who worked a great deal for the Royal Geographical Society]; enlarges on details of the corrections in relation to the river [Zouga? Botletle, now known as Boteti] and circumference of Lake Ngami (70-75 miles). [Last part of letter missing]

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