The Matabele Journals of Robert Moffat 1829-1860, 2 vols (1945)

A two-volume collection edited by J.P.R. Wallis.

A primary historical record of British missionary Robert Moffat's five major expeditions to visit King Mzilikazi of the Ndebele (Matabele) people.
The journals are primarily composed of journal-letters written daily by Moffat to his wife, Mary, at their mission in Kuruman.
As well as extracts from letters to his brother Richard and reports to the London Missionary Society including detailed accounts of Ndebele culture, health, and economic practices, such as the importance of grain cultivation over cattle.

Valuable insights into Moffat's efforts to translate the Bible into Setswana and narrative records of his close friendship with King Mzilikazi

The work was originally published as part of the Oppenheimer Series for the Government Archives of Southern Rhodesia.
Published in 1945 by Chatto & Windus in London.

Robert Moffat (21 December 1795 – 9 August 1883) was a Scottish Congregationalist missionary to Africa from 1817 to 1870.

Moffat began his missionary career in South Africa at the age of twenty-one. Moffat was married to Mary Moffat. Their daughter was Mary Moffat Livingstone and their son-in-law was David Livingstone, an explorer and missionary who often worked with Moffat and his missionary efforts at various stations in southern Africa. While doing missionary work at the mission at Kuruman, Moffat was the first to translate and have the Bible printed into Setswana. While in Africa, Moffat devoted much of his time to preaching the gospel and discussing the Bible, and also taught many of the native people how to read and write. Moffat's missionary career in Africa spanned a total of fifty-four years.

Each vol: 180mm x 260mm x 30mm

R1,500