ces of judicial inflictions, which though not characterized by the long digested jurisprudence of civilized countries, are nevertheless immense improvements, and as the influence of the Gospel extends, it will transform the dictates of savage ferocity into measures suggested by mercy and wisdom.

Peclu died, and his disconsolate parents and friends sorrowed without hope, and agreeably to their notions hated the sight of the fold in which he was interred, the house where he had dwelt, the streets and lanes where he was wont to be seen, and indeed every thing associated with the beloved object. This prepared the people for what followed, for though they had returned to the town, the hearts of the relations of the deceased longed to abandon it. While witnessing these trying and mysterious providences, we were often deeply affected, to see that all our efforts to induce them to improve these dispensations were of no avail. "Go and teach the marauders not to destroy us," was constantly thrown in our teeth. We much needed divine grace to enable us to persevere; but it often afforded us strong consolation to know that we were remembered in our native land, the multitude of voices ever ascending to the throne of God. We continued our public services, and when the people would not come to us we went to them.

About this time another powerful body from the Orange River, with horses and guns, made an attack on the tribes to the westward of our station, and perpetrated great cruelties. The people again fled in consternation, and, at Mothibi's request, a messenger was despatched to Griqua Town, entreating assistance; but it was not in the power of Waterboer to afford it, however willing he might have been to do SO. As we had suffered greatly both in our health and property, by the last flight, and as we had no confidence in the old tale which the natives invented, that the enemy would attack us, we resolved to remain at our post. We were encouraged in this by the arrival of Mr. Hughes, with Mr. Millen, a mason, and a few Hottentots from Bethelsdorp, to assist us in the public works of the new station. We barricaded the reed walls of Mr. Hamilton's house with chests and sacks, that, in case of an attack, which there was reason to apprehend, we might be in some measure shielded from the shot; but, after a few days of anxiety and alarm, the enemy departed, contenting themselves with large spoils of cattle. The natives had congregated round our temporary dwellings; and there being no prospect of a termination to

294

THE KURUMAN FOUNTAIN.

the distressing inroads from the Orange River and Long Mountains, the people finally resolved to abandon the station. The Bushmen having taken many of their cattle, they appeared inclined to forsake the Kuruman River altogether. The arrival of the six men and their families, under these circumstances, rendered our situation peculiarly trying, from the want of supplies to support them, especially in a country where nothing could be purchased. A hunter was employed to obtain game, while every thing, animate and inanimate, calculated in any measure to appease hunger, was ravenously seized for that purpose, in order to prosecute our plan of building the houses, and leading out the water from the bed of the river, supplied by one of the finest fountains in South Africa. This was a work of great labour, and carried forward under the most embarrassing circumstances. Such was the liability to attack, that the men, though labouring not half a mile from our dwellings, found it necessary to take their guns with them for fear of a surprise. Our large water-ditch, extending nearly two miles, was indeed dug, as the walls of our houses had been built, "in troublous times."

The Kuruman fountain issues from caverns in a little hill, which is composed of blue and grey limestone, mixed with considerable quantities of flint, but not in nodules as found in beds of chalk. From the appearance of the caves, and irregularity of the strata, one might be led to suppose they have been the results of internal convulsions- The water, which is pure and wholesome, is rather calcareous. It is evident that its source must be at a very great distance, as all the rains which fall on the hills and plains in one year, for forty miles round, could not possibly supply such a stream for one month. Although there are no sandstone formations nearer than thirty miles, great quantities of exceedingly fine sand come from it, and it appears to boil up out of the smaller springs in front of the larger, and is to be found in deposit in the bed of the river for miles distant. The substratum of the whole of the country, as far as the Orange River, is compact limestone, which in some of the Hamhana hills rises considerably above the neighbouring plain; but these only form the basis of argillaceous hills and ironschist, on the top of which the compass moves at random, or according to the position in which it is placed. The strata of these schistose formations are often found to bend and curve into all shapes, frequently exhibiting an appearance of golden asbestos, but extremely hard. The common blue

MR. HUGHES'S ILLNESS.

295

asbestos is to be found at Gamaperi, in the neighbourhood, the same as that fouud near the Orange River. The limestone extends to Old Lithako, where there are hills of basalt and primitive limestone; among which masses of serpentine rock, of various colours, usually called pipe-stone, are to be met with. Beyond the Batlapi dominions, towards the Molapo, there is abundance of granite green stone, etc., while the limestone foundation, towards the west, terminates among the sandy wilds of the southern Zahara. Fountains, throughout the whole extent of the limestone basin, are precarious, independent of the causes described in a preceding chapter; nor does that of the Kuruman continue to send forth the torrents it once did. The calcareous effects of the water on the roots of reeds, and other substances, in the neighbourhood of small fountains, show that they were once very large. That of the Kuruman River, which, like many others in South Africa, is largest at its source, is, by evaporation and absorption, lost in its bed, about ten miles to the north-west. The Matluarin, Mashua, and Molapo, join the Kuruman, which was once a large river, emptying itself into the Gariep, at a distance below the waterfall.

During this period we were the subjects of great domestic afflictions. Five days after Mrs. M.'s confinement of a boy, he was removed by death, and his remains were the first committed to the burying ground on the new station. Mr. Hughes, who began early to feel the effects of the climate, caught cold, while removing fruit-trees from the lower station to his garden, and was brought to the very gates of death. When, however, we had all given him up, he began to amend; but such was the shock that his frame received from the severity of the disease, that his perfect recovery continued for a long time very doubtful; nor did he regain his wonted strength until he had made a visit to the coast, on account of Mrs. Hughes's health; after which he removed to the Griqua mission, in 1827, where he has since laboured with success.

Our situation during the infancy of the new station, I shall not attempt to describe, though it might yield some profitable suggestions to those who may be similarly situated. Some of our newly arrived assistants, finding themselves in a country where the restraints of law were unknown, and not being under the influence of religion, would not submit to the privations which we patiently endured, but murmured exceedingly. Armed robbers were continually making inroads, threatening death and extirpation. We were com