turn of Mr. Anderson; some of them saying they should die of grief if he did not come back. He did return, and Mr. Janz was not long after called to his rest.

CHAPTER V.

SOUTH AFRICA CONTINUED.

Mission to the Namaquas-Station destroyed by Africaner-Death of Mr. Albrecht-View of the differ. ent stations-Conversion of Africaner-Effect of the mission.

The missionaries, who accompanied Mr. Kicherer on his return from Holland, were Christian and Abraham Albrecht, and John Seidenfaden; the latter from the Netherland Missionary Society. Arriving at the Cape, they proceeded to Namaqua Land, the scene of their future labours; and after a most tedious journey reached that dreary country. They were favourably received by the inhabitants, and soon formed a station at Warm Bath. It was found, however, that the whole congregation could not subsist in one place, that a part of them must rove in quest of pasturage. One of the missionaries, Christian Albrecht, concluded to accompany the wanderers. In some of these excursions he found the country such a frightful wilderness, so rocky and mountainous, that it was not possible to travel with a waggon, and scarcely on horseback. He was obliged to seek the poor miserable savages in the most dismal holes and dens; and even when he approached they fled from him; so that he was under the necessity of sending a messenger before him to tranquilize their minds.*

In 1808, the congregation had increased to seven hundred, and a few months after it is stated there had been about 1200 entered on the church books. Of these not far from three hundred resided at Warm

*Miss. Trans. Vol. III. pp. 243--246.

Bath. The missionaries had made some successful attempts to introduce the culture of cotton. The situation of the Namaquas was much improved. "We are now," said they, "happier than before our teachers came; till then there was nothing but fighting, and bloodshed, and murder." One of them thus expressed himself, "At my time of life I often wonder I have not been killed; but since our teachers came hither I can sleep in safety, for now there is peace among us.”

In 1810, Mr. Abraham Albrecht died of the consumption on his way to Cape Town. His widow, however, with Mr. Christian Albrecht just married, returned to Namaqua Land to resume her useful labours in teaching the female arts. But the whole country was soon involved in confusion, and distress, in consequence of the depredations committed by that noted robber, Africaner. The station of Mr. Seidenfaden in Little Namaqua Land, when between four and five hundred were under his care, had been attacked, and his house plundered. Mr. Albrecht, therefore, found it necessary to make a journey to the Cape for protection. Africaner afterwards attacked Warm Bath, burnt the houses, destroyed most of the goods, which Mr. Albrecht had for safety buried in the earth, and drove away the cattle.*

Mr. Albrecht, having remained several months at Cape Town, left that place with four other missionaries lately arrived from Europe, with a hope of placing himself at least in the vicinity of the former station. In travelling through the wilderness their sufferings were truly affecting. The heat and drought was such that their cattle fainted. In ascending a sandy mountain, they stopped, and could draw no longer. The next day they dragged a little farther. Soon the party entered a howling wilderness. The cattle beginning to die, they proceeded with trembling, lest they should be obliged to leave the waggon standing

Miss. Trans. Vol. IV. p. 43.

behind. Their fears were realized, as the cattle gave out entirely; and on sending to collect those that were dispersed, the messengers returned, at the end of eight days, with the intelligence that part of them were dead, and the rest unable to be brought back. At length they obtained assistance from Capt. Kok, a friendly Hottentot, and arrived at Silver Fountain after three months' toil. Here the wife of Mr. Albrecht was released from her sufferings. Her loss was most deeply deplored. She had long been devoted to the missionary cause, had waited several years for an opportunity to come out from Holland and join Mr. Albrecht, and now, as she was just entering on the labours to which she had wholly devoted herself, and for which she seems to have been eminently qualified, she was called away.

Mr. Albrecht and his associates finally made a stand in the Little Namaqua country, at a place which they called Pella, because it afforded them a refuge. Here they laboured with great success. One of them says in a letter dated May, 1815-" You will rejoice with me when you hear of the conversion of so many sinners, who fly in great numbers to our beloved Jesus like doves to their windows. Oh, could you witness the earnest desires of these poor people to be saved from their sins by Christ; could you hear our people, old and young, how earnestly they pray behind the bushes, your hearts would not only rejoice, but you would be ready to take out all your Bank Notes uncounted, and throw them into the Missionary Treasury. More than fifty persons have been added to the church, and there appears to be a general concern among the people both old and young." But at this time the mission sustained a severe loss in the decease of Mr. Albrecht, who while in the act of writing a letter fell down in his chamber and expired.

*

* Miss. Register, Vol. IV. p. 317.

It will be proper, having brought the history of the most important branches of this mission down thus far, to take a view of all the different stations as they now exist; beginning with

CAPE TOWN. This is not strictly a missionary station, but one of the missionaries, Mr. Thom, has resided here since 1813, and has been useful in various ways to the mission, besides making frequent excursions to preach in the interior. Last year he made a tour of 1800 miles, during which thousands heard the word from his lips. He has lately made application for the privilege of building a chapel in the metropolis.

STELLENBOSCH. Leaving Cape Town, we come to this station, twenty six miles NE., where Mr. Bakker labours with zeal and success; though it appears he is not regularly ordained to the ministry. He is supported by an auxiliary Society formed there, who pay an overplus to the Missionary Society of between three and four hundred dollars. Even the slaves contribute more than fifty dollars annually.

RODEZAND. This is north of the Cape forty miles. Mr. Voss has for some time preached here regularly to the Hottentots and slaves. He has lately been joined by Mr. Kramer. There is a great increase of heathen to the congregation.

CALEDON. East one hundred and twenty miles from Cape Town is Caledon, where Mr. Seidenfaden has laboured six years. About four hundred Hottentots are attached to the place; the number of baptized adults is not far from sixty; and there are fifty children in the school.

HIGH KRAAL. Still farther east, three hundred miles from Cape Town, we come to this station. It is well situated in the midst of a large plain about two miles from the sea. Mr. Pacalt, in a residence of four years here, has done great good. He has built a neat little

church with two small, but good, houses. His ministry is attended by about three hundred; and he has one hundred children in school. One of the brethren,

who visited this place, says, "I think that the Hottentots may indeed be said to strive to enter in at the strait gate; and though you, my venerable fathers in England, often speak of the blessed effect of the Gospel upon the heathen, yet to form an adequate idea of it, you must come hither and see it."*

BETHELSDORP. We now arrive at Bethelsdorp, six hundred miles east of the Cape: and here we must pause to see the salvation of our God. At no place perhaps, have greater wonders of mercy been displayed. After the death of Dr. Vanderkemp the settlement continued to flourish under the superintendence of Mr. Read; but nothing remarkable appeared until October 1814, when a great awakening commenced, Eight adults were baptized. The congregation was much affected before, and during the service; after it, all the fields were covered with praying people. The missionary remarks, "I must say, such a scene I never beheld in my life. Wherever I cast my eyes, I beheld tears flowing down their black cheeks. One, who had been a notorious drunkard, cried out, O my good people, do not live as I have done. O wretched man that I am; Lord, have mercy upon me a sinner.' At a meeting, one named Pretorius addressed the people on the readiness of Christ to accept sinners. Think,' said he, what we were, and what we now are, since God has sent his servants to show us the way of salvation. Have not I, a Bushman,* found grace? Was not I taken from the muzzle of the gun, and made an heir of eternal life. We never inquired after him, but he sought us and made us his children, (here he wept,) yes, out of the holes of the mountains. There are many, who do not like to be called Bushmen-I am not asham. ed to say that I am one. God has had mercy on me, and why should he not have mercy upon you. Take

an example from what Jesus hath done for me. Arise, and go to him (again he wept.) I wish I had this day

*Miss. Reg. Vol. IV. p. 314.

The Bushmen are the most despised of all the tribes in Africa.