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moon, as soon as from Namaqua-land, was not a little surprised to find who it was. Kind-hearted Mrs. A. instantly prepared a cup of coffee and some food, which I had not tasted for three days; and I felt all the powers of soul revive, as if I had talked with angels-it was to me a "feast of reason and a flow of soul."

Retiring to rest, the couch, though hard, appeared to me a downy bed; I begged Mr. A. just to place within my reach half a bucket of water; this he kindly and prudently refused, but left me with a full tumbler of unusual size; such, however, was my fevered condition, that no sooner was he gone than I drank the whole. After reviewing the past, and looking upward with adoring gratitude, I fell asleep, and arose in the morning as fresh as if I had never seen a desert, nor felt its thirst. We remained here a few days, in the course of which our lost companions arrived, having, as we rightly supposed, wandered towards the river, and escaped the thirst which had nearly terminated our career in the desert.

A

The society of the brethren Anderson and Helm, with their partners in labour, was most refreshing to my soul. crowded and attentive congregation, and the buzz of the daily school, made me forget the toils of the road, and cheerfully did I bear my testimony to the word of grace which had been so blessed among the Griquas. Wishing to visit Daniel's Kuil, Berend's residence, about fifty miles north of Griqua Town, and also Lattakoo, on the Kuruman River, nearly as far beyond, my happiness was prolonged by the company of Mr. and Mrs. Anderson, who had promised to visit that station. On this journey we had another display of a kind and gracious Providence. After leaving Daniel's Kuil, Nicholas Berend, who was wagon driver and guide, lost his way before reaching Camel fountain. This obliged us to halt short of the water; and Nicholas, who was an intelligent and shrewd man, remarked again and again, in the course of the evening, that it was a very mysterious thing that he should lose a path he knew so well. In the morning we inyoked the wagons, and proceeded to the water, which lay far to the right; and on arriving there, we saw, to our astonishment and instruction, that we were led by a way we knew not, for there had been several large lions about the water pool apparently the whole night. Had we arrived as we expected, in all probability the oxen would have taken fright, and occasioned some serious accident.

We received a hearty welcome from the brethren at Lat

takoo, where we stopped some days. This was the first time I had seen the Bechuanas, with the exception of a party of Batlaros, who visited Africaner; and when I addressed them there, and now again in their own country, I little anticipated that it was to be the scene of my future labours. As I must necessarily occupy a considerable portion of this work with the Bechuana mission, it will be unnecessary to refer to it in this place.

We returned to Griqua Town, and after having made every inquiry respecting the object of my visit, and settled what report to make to Africaner, I prepared to return to Namaqua-land, and here I might close the record of my journey, were it not my wish to show the sad reverse of circumstances which sometimes befalls the African equestrian in a houseless desert.

In the afternoon, when bidding farewell to the dear brethren, with whom I could have wished to pass a month, Mr. A. remarked that the weather to the westward looked like a storm, but as these appearances often pass over without a drop of rain, we set off, and, trusting to the strength of our recruited horses, we hoped to pass through the desert to the Orange River, without much suffering. Mrs. A. had provided us with some biscuit, which one of the men placed in a sack also containing tobacco. We intended to sleep at Witte Water that night, but long before we reached that place, we were overtaken by an awful storm of thunder. The peals were deafening, and our horses frequently started from each other at the vivid glare of the lightning. It poured torrents, so that by the time we reached the spot where we intended to halt, we were drenched to the skin. We let our horses go, and sat down like half-drowned cocks, at a bush which could afford us no shelter, either from wind or rain. After the vehemence of the storm had abated, we began to think what must be done, for by the falling hail and the piercing wind, we trembled as if we should die with cold. After much patient search, we found a very few substances capable of ignition, and struck a light in the only box where the tinder was dry, but in vain we looked for fuel to supply our fire; we threw most of our clothes off, for the suffering with them on was unbearable, and leaving one to blow the fire, we sallied forth in quest of materials to burn. At some distance we succeeded in gathering a few small branches, when we found at least four hyenas looking on in a most daring manner, and resolved to attack us. Such as had both hands occupied, soon relieved one, and with stones

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scared them a little. But, alas! the light of the little fire we had left, had disappeared, and we knew not the direction from which we had come. We shouted to the man who had remained with it, but no answer, save the ugly howl of the hyenas. Now we were completely bewildered, every one pointing in a different direction, as that in which we had come. A second storm pelted us most unmercifully, and the wind seemed to penetrate through and through our almost naked frames. After a long search, we found the little bush, the man asleep, and the fire out. We threw down our crow-nests which we had gathered for fuel, resolving to brave it out; but the prospect was horrible, of shivering till the next day's sun should warm us. Each lay down in a lump, on a goat-skin, which had served as a saddle-cloth. Two of us tried to get down to dry earth, for though there had been a stream on the ground, it was scarcely six inches deep. Beyond our expectation, we fell asleep, and as I lay rather lower than some of my comrades, the rain and sand buried nearly the half of my body. It would be vain attempting to describe my feelings on awaking at day-break, stiff, cold, and dizzy; my hair clotted with mud. We crawled off to the pool of rain-water, and though very thick, we enjoyed a thorough ablution; after wringing the water out of our clothes, we put them on as they were, being obliged to proceed. Before starting, we resolved to have a delightful taste of our biscuit, but, alas! when the contents of our bag were turned out, we found that the rain having saturated the tobacco and biscuit, the latter was reduced to a dark-brown paste; smokers as we were, this dish was too unpalatable for us, and a good draught of muddy water had to supply the deficiency.

As the sun arose towards the meridian, the heat became excessive; and if we had been nearly frozen at night, we were almost scorched during the day; and before we reached water the following night, we would have given a crown for a bottle of that in which we had washed in the morning. Our return was little different from our outward journey, "in fastings oft." A kind Providence watched over us, and in some cases remarkably interposed in our behalf, which the following incident will show. We had passed the night without food; and after a long day's ride, the sun was descending on us, with little prospect of meeting with any thing to assuage the pains of hunger, when, as we were descending from the high ground, weak and weary, we saw, at a great distance, on the opposite ridge, a line of dust ap

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RETURN TO THE STATION.

proaching, with the fleetness of the ostrich. It proved to be a spring buck, closely pursued by a wild dog, which must have brought it many miles, for it was seized within two hundred yards of the spot where we stood, and instantly despatched. We, of course, thankfully took possession of his prize, the right to which the wild dog seemed much inclined' to dispute with us. I proposed to leave half of it for the pursuer. "No," said one of my men, “he is not so hungry as we are, or he would not run so fast."

The night before reaching home we had rather a narrow escape from a sea-cow (hippopotamus.) We were obliged to cross the river, which could only be effected by passing over two low islands, nearly covered with reeds and jungle.

They were a great distance from each other, and it was now nearly dark. We had just reached the first, when a sea-cow came furiously up the stream, snorting so loud as to be echoed back from the dark overhanging precipices. Younker Africaner shouted out to me to escape, and, springing from his horse, which appeared petrified, he seized a large stone, and hurled it at the monster of the deep, for our guns were both out of order. The enraged animal then made for the next ford, through which two of us were forcing our horses, up to the saddle in a rapid torrent. A moment's delay on our part would have been fatal to one or both of us. The other three men remained till the infuriated animal had got again into the rear, when they also escaped to the second island, where expecting another encounter, we made the best of our way to the mainland, effectually drenched with perspiration and water. We soon after reached a village of our own people; and it was with the liveliest gratitude to our heavenly Father that we reviewed the mercies of the day. These animals, in their undisturbed lakes and pools, are generally timid, and will flee at the approach of man; but when they have been hunted and wounded, from year to year, they become very dangerous, as the following fact will prove. A native, with his boy, went to the river to hunt sea-cows. Seeing one at a short distance below the island, the man passed through a narrow stream, to get nearer the object of his pursuit. He fired, but missed; and the animal instantly made for the island; and the man, seeing his danger, ran to cross to the bank of the river; but, before reaching it, the sea-cow seized him, and literally severed his body in two with its monstrous jaws.

A detail of our journey was laid before Africaner. The

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whole of our researches gave him entire satisfaction, when it was resolved that his removal should remain prospective for a season. My labours were resumed, but the drought was severe, and great hunger prevailed in the place. The means of grace, however, were well attended, and a delightful unction of the Spirit realized, especially in our sabbath convocations; and so strong was the attachment of the people that, although I was contemplating a visit to the Cape, I dared not mention the subject.

CHAPTER XII.

WHILE engaged in an interesting conversation with Africaner on the state and prospect of the mission in connexion with the barrier to civilization, not only from the state of country and climate, but also from the want of intercourse with the colony, the idea darted into my mind, that Africaner would do well to accompany me to Cape Town; and I at once made the proposal. The good man looked at me again and again, gravely asking whether I were in earnest, and seemed fain to ask if I were in my senses too; adding, with great fervour, "I had thought you loved me, and do you. advise me to go to the goverment, to be hung up as a spectacle of public justice?" and putting his hand to his head, he asked, "Do you not know that I am an outlaw, and that 1000 rix-dollars have been offered for this poor head?" These difficulties I endeavoured to remove, by assuring him that the results would be most satisfactory to himself, as well as to the Governor of the Cape. Here Africaner exhibited his lively faith in the gracious promises of God, by replying, "I shall deliberate, and commit, (or, as he used the word according to the Dutch translation) roll my way upon the Lord; I know he will not leave me."

During three days this subject was one of public discussion, and more than one came to me with grave looks, asking if I had advised Africaner to go to the Cape. On the third day the point was decided, and we made preparations for our departure, after having made the neccessary arrangements