they have become so numerous, (I mean their cattle,) that no farmer has pasturage sufficient to support so many, in addition to his own. About three months since he was ordered to leave the farm where he had been; but hearing from several quarters that the Tambookie Chiefs were meditating a charge of witchcraft, his family and himself were uncomfortable, and came to this place, requesting permission to become inhabitants of the station. Thus in this instance the man and family have found in the station a place where both himself and his property are safe, and where, too, an opportunity is afforded him of hearing the Gospel which is able to save his soul; to which Gospel, up to the present time, he has been a stranger, though living in the colony amongst professing Christians.

Our people, during the last two months, have been hard at work, ploughing and getting their seed into the ground. A new water-course has been commenced, and is now completed, which will afford us the means of irrigating at least twenty acres of land more than we irrigated last season. Of wheat, oats, and barley we have now in the ground upwards of twenty muids, or sixty bushels of seed-corn. In October, ground will be prepared for Indian corn and pumpkins. This year I have been greatly relieved by the request of the people themselves, that I would not trouble myself about the corn-lands; saying, "Mynheer has to preach, and to travel to preach to people at a distance; therefore we will do our part, and attend to the ground;" and I am happy to say, that they have attended to it well.

The station at the present time presents two interesting sights, a large, attentive Sabbath-congregation of people coming from a distance of from five to nine miles to worship; and a great extent of land ploughed, and the seed beginning to show itself above the ground. To complete the appearance of the station, and I shall not be satisfied until it is completed, we want a good school, and convenient dwellings; neither of which we have at present, but hope soon that means will be provided to enable us to attend regularly to the instruction of the children of the institution, and to get up such suitable dwellings and chapel as will do credit to the HaslopeHills Mission.

In my journeys I am often cast amongst the Dutch colonists; and at the present time there is a constant commu

nication kept open between the colonists and the emigrants, so that I have frequent opportunities of hearing their views of Missionary labour in the country north of the Orange-River. Generally speaking, they talk of our Missions there as something very wonderful. The following are a few remarks made by one of these people respecting our operations. "In my journey," says the farmer, "I came to the school," (so the Dutch call our stations,) " and I stayed the Sabbath with the Missionary. I was kindly treated. In the morning I went to the kirk, and I was astonished to see so many Heidenen " (Heathens) "there. I was seated near to the pulpit, and on either side of me were Heidenen well clothed, and two of these who sat next to me I was told were both Zendlings' (Missionaries). "Neef," said he, "twee zwaarte Zendlings!" (Two black Missionaries ! ) "The people sang, and the Englishman" (the Missionary) "began to preach in the language of the Heathen. He threw his arms about, and spoke so loud and fast, that I was sure he was mighty in their language; and from the appearance of the Heidenen while he preached, I am sure they felt his word."

The following account is from a Dutch woman, one of the emigrants. "One afternoon," said she, "I saw a waggon approaching our place of abode, and some of the zwaarte Heidenen " (black Heathens)" came from the waggon to ask permission to remain there for the night. Unwillingly, I gave my consent; and when I found that the waggon was the property of the Captain of the Heathen, I became much alarmed, being alone. In the evening, as the sun was setting, I saw the Captain call his family and people together at the side of the waggon, and, just as a Christian would do, he took out a book, and they all sang a hymn in their own language; he then read what I found was the Bible, spoke to his people like a Predekant (Preacher); when the whole of them knelt down on the ground, while the heathen Captain prayed; after which they spent the evening round the fire at the side of their waggon, as if they were the happiest people in the world."

In many instances have the most judicious of the emigrants remarked, that the Heathen were making progress in Christian knowledge, while they and their children were going backwards.

prepared the way. There was no water in the Juxokolo; but the rains that came down from the mountain had cut very deep water-courses, which, together with the trees and bushes, rendered it exceedingly difficult to proceed with a waggon.

We saw a large herd of eilands near us; and, when seeking for a path, came upon the track of two lions. One of our men, who was a little in advance of us, came close to them; but as they seemed disposed to walk away, he prudently suffered them to proceed without any interruption on his part.

After a tiresome journey of eight miles, which it took us the whole of the day to accomplish, we reached another fine river named Tina, also a branch of the Umzimvubu, where we found another deserted Bushmen's encampment.

The country through which we passed to-day and yesterday is the old country belonging to Umyeki, who at present resides near the frontier; and a beautiful one it is for, though some part of it is very broken, yet I should think it is fine grazing-land; the grass is good, and the mimosa abounds in some places.

Umyeki was driven from it by Madrikanna, about twenty years since; after which he came to reside between the Umgazi and the Umtata rivers; from which he was driven by Faku, about seven or eight years since. He then came into the neighbourhood of this station, where he remained until about two years ago; when the fear of Ncapayi and Faku caused him to leave these parts altogether, and join himself to Umtirara, the Abatembu Chief, who at present resides near the colonial boundary.

9th. We had to cut down trees, banks, &c., to make a ford, which we named Eilands'-Ford, from the large herd of these animals which we saw crOSS the river at this place yesterday. We left the river at ten A. M.; and in a short time came to a ridge of mountains, which we were occupied five hours in ascending. After travelling three miles, we stopped at a river named Itolweni, the bed of which is solid granite, very similar to the Scotch granite, of about one hundred feet in width, and in some parts as smooth and even as any pavement in London. We had not travelled more than six miles in actual distance from the elevation we left on Tuesday morning.

10th. In consequence of the oxen straying in the night, we did not leave until twelve o'clock. We travelled through a fine elevated country, and at five P. M. halted for the night on a high ridge, to the left of which is the head of

the Esilandeni river, and to the right a very broken country, with deep ravines, and almost perpendicular rocks.

11th. We commenced travelling at nine A. M.; and at eleven arrived at the place where Ncapayi had appointed to meet us, and which is named Tsibesa. We immediately sent to inform the Chief of our arrival. Here we found another Bushmen's encampment, and had reason to think it was but just abandoned.

We had now been eight days from Buntingville, and had not seen a human being, except those of our own party. War has truly depopulated the whole place. The country is such, that, with the blessing of peace, it is capable of supporting tens of thousands of inhabitants; but at present it is merely occupied by a few Bushmen, together with game and beasts of prey. Wherever we turned our eyes, we saw the places where villages formerly stood; but the inhabitants are now scattered and gone.

When I looked round, and thought of the business on which we were come, I felt a degree of pleasure in the idea of introducing into this land that which alone can cure the evil, and cause the men of blood to learn the way of peace; namely, the "glorious Gospel of the blessed God." But this pleasure was damped by the recollection of the discussion that took place at our last DistrictMeeting, when our Chairman read to us the letter he had received from the Committee, informing us of their embarrassments, and urging upon us the "necessity of retrenchment, and of the suspension, if possible, of some of our plans." The former we agreed to effect to the very utmost; and with difficulty shall we be able to maintain the ground we at present occupy; but, to suspend any of our operations, now that we are in the field, is impossible. I therefore felt pain of mind to think that we were retarded in our progress for want of funds.

I wish our friends at home, as well as the Committee, could see the concern we all feel in the embarrassed state of the funds of the Society. We do all we possibly can to keep down the expense of our Missions in this land; and I sometimes fear that our Chairman will injure his health by the great anxiety he feels on the subject.

Let it be known, that there are several places where Missionaries are still wanted in this District, to which they are not only invited, but earnestly requested; and I doubt not but the friends of Missions will find the means of sending them. I should be truly miserable, if I

thought we could do no more for South Africa than maintain our present stations. God has opened to the Wesleyan Connexion a great and important door of usefulness in South Africa; and we cannot, we dare not, refuse to enter it. I trust that the embarrassment was only a temporary one; and that by this time the Committee are about to write us the good news that we are not only to continue our present stations, but, as formerly, "to proceed." But I must now return to my journal.

re.

12th.-At ten A. M. our men turned, together with Ncapayi, who seemed greatly to rejoice in seeing us, and at once set about looking for a suitable spot for a station. After looking at several, we selected one that appeared every way adapted for such a purpose; having a good supply of water, fuel, and grass, together with fine land for agricultural purposes. But as I expect Mr. Garner will write to you more fully on all these points, I shall pass over the subject, by merely saying, that the Chief soon returned to his people, to give directions about their removing, and we at once proceeded to select a site for a Missionhouse; which being done, we all three knelt down upon it, and engaged in prayer to the God of all grace, entreating his blessing upon the intended Mission. We found it a season of profit to our souls and we fully believe, that even this tribe, at present the dread of the whole land, will be brought to acknowledge that the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation.

In the afternoon Tingwani, Faku's brother, came with five men, professedly to see Mr. Garner, but actually to see what spot we had selected for a station.

Sunday, 13th. A very strong wind, almost a hurricane, blew during the whole of the day, and confined us to our waggon: however, in the afternoon, I preached to our little company, now increased by the arrival of Tingwani and his men.

14th. Tingwani engaging to take us by a short path home, which would lead us to his kraal, we left the waggon with Mr. Garner, who remained to attend to the building of the temporary house, and Mr. Gladwin and I proceeded homeward with Tingwani and his men. On reach

ing the high lands, he showed us the course we should have to take, and it really was awful to behold; for, of all the broken country I had previously seen, (and I think I have seen as much as most men in this country,) nothing equalled what lay before us. We soon saw the Kathlamba mountains, which were co

vered with snow; and on the heights we found the cold to be very severe. Our path was sometimes on narrow ridges; then we had to descend hills so steep, that, occasionally, we slid down, for to walk was impossible; immediately after which, we were called to ascend: and thus we continued our course, up and down, until we got to the Tina river; when the Captain, fearing the cold on the heights, proposed our taking a route by the side of the river; and, though we knew that this would occasion us additional labour, by keeping us in the ravines, yet, as we had taken Tingwani for our guide, we agreed to his arrangement, and, by it, had to cross the Tina five times. At length we arrived at the top, and rode across the plain, hoping to reach the Tsitsa river that night, but soon found it was impossible, as the shades of evening closed upon us before we commenced our descent, and Tingwani assured us the road was such, that no one could travel in the dark. We therefore had no alternative, but to seek a few thorns, and do the best we could, on nearly the top of a very high mountain. We were alarmed for the old Chief; but, after making a little fire, (for we had not fuel to make a large one,) he got better, and we soon fell asleep.

15th. We rose early, and began to descend. We soon found it was well for us that we did not make the attempt last even ing; for the path was such, that I became alarmed at the idea of proceeding, and positively declared it was impossible. One of the men, however, took my horse, and, by holding the long grass, and with the assistance of a staff, I continued my route, and at last reached the river, where we breakfasted. After this, we had to ascend a very long and steep hill, but not quite so bad as the one we had just come down. After much travelling, we reached the plain; but here we found the cold was such as I had never experienced in Africa. Here, for the first time since leaving Buntingville, we met with a foot-path. We then pushed on; and the first kraal to which we came happened to be Tingwani's. We were soon followed by some of the men, who informed us that the Captain could not proceed. I therefore desired his son to send him assistance immediately; but he soon reached home by another way. We had a good fire prepared; and as the old man stooped to enter the house, he fell, and was unable to rise again. However, we got him to the fire, and with the assistance of some coffee, he soon recovered; and we were not a little thankful that we were all safe: for, in the previous month, as some