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CHAP. ^^II. 



COLONY OF THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. 



Visit to the Missionary Settlements in the Cape Colony. — Journey to Paarl. — 

 African Omnibuses. — Driving ten in Hand. — Intercourse with an aged 

 Missionary. — Departure from Cape Town. — Accident on the Road. — 

 Aspect of the Countiy. — Variety and Abundance of Flowers and Fruits. — 

 Zurbraak. — An African Congregation. — The Montague Pass. — Ostriches. 

 — Extent and Beauty of the Cango Caverns. — Hospitality of a Negro 

 Woman. — Matzie's Riviere. — Settlement of African Christians. — Spirited 

 Conduct of the People of Oudshorn. — Journey across the Desert. — Graaf 

 Reynct. — Fruits of Frugality and Industry. — Flight of Locusts. — Large 

 Herds of Springboks Kindness of Mr. Gilfillan, Wonder Hill. — Encamp- 

 ment on the Banks of the Orange River. — Subsidence of the Waters. — 

 Journey to Philipolis. — Sunday with the Griquas. — State and Prospects of 

 the People. — Hospitality of the Boers. — Slieepshearing in South Africa. — 

 Cradock. — Disease among the Cattle. — Orange Grove. — Venomous Rep- 

 tiles. — Anecdotes of Caffres. — Visit to Mr. Hart at Glen Avon. 



On proceeding to the residence of Mr. Thompson, the agent 

 of the London Missionary Society in Cape Town, I found 

 letters from England urgently requesting me to visit the 

 several stations of the Society in the colony, and Mr. Thomp- 

 son having proposed to accompany me, we immediately com- 

 menced the necessary preparations for our journey. 



In the mean time I paid a visit to Paarl, a station about 

 thirty-five miles from Cape Town, and lying rather out of the 

 line of our route. I set out in an omnibus drawn the chief 

 part of the way by ten horses, two abreast. The road lay 

 across a wide sandy plain called the Cape Flats. I had long 

 been familiar with Cape heaths and mesembryanthemums, but 

 the vast numbers of the latter growing in the dry white sand 

 in every direction, and the miles and miles of beautiful heaths, 

 were to me a new and most pleasing spectacle. One species, 







