CHAP. VIII. AGREEABLE VISIT TO GRAAE REINET. 209 



at intervals, twice crossing the Sunday river, and walking 

 ■a considerable way in the dark, we reached Graaf Keinet 

 at a late hour, having travelled during the day about fifty 

 miles. The missionary at the station kindly welcomed us, 

 and soon provided food for the horses, and refreshment and 

 lodging for ourselves. The rest of the next day, which was 

 the Sabbath, was truly welcome after six days' travelling. The 

 driver reported the horses well, but very hungry, so we hoped 

 they would hold out, as we had no more deserts to cross. • 



In the forenoon I attended public worship, where about five 

 hundred coloured people assembled in their neat and spacious 

 stone chapel, which had been recently enlarged. It was the 

 day on which the claims of those who were fighting the battles 

 of England in the Crimea, were, according to previous an- 

 nouncement, presented by the missionary to the notice of the 

 people, and their collection towards the Patriotic Fund in 

 England amounted to more than ten pounds. Collections of 

 a similar kind were about this time made in most of the 

 missionary congregations of people of colour, and this was 

 about the sum which several of them contributed, a sum not 

 indeed large in itself, but as an expression of sympathy and 

 good feeling highly commendable. 



The following day we spent in visiting the school, and de- 

 liberating with the minister and the people on the affairs of 

 the station, and the more immediate objects of my visit. On 

 the morning of the 21st of February we took our departure, 

 the good people furnishing us with a team of eight strong 

 oxen to drag our waggon to the top of the Sneuwberg, an 

 ascent of eight miles, and afterwards to help us on a day's 

 journey beyond. On our way out of the town we called on 

 one of the people, formerly a slave, but now living in a very 

 respectable house, and the proprietor of an excellent vineyard, 

 orchard, and other property. WTien taking leave he called 



p 



