THE VALE OF GRACE. 79 
If ever from your eyelids wiped a tear ; 
And know what ’tis to pity and be pitied ; 
Let gentleness my strong enforcement be ; 
In the which hope, I blush, and hide my sword.” 
** True is it that we have seen better days ; 
And have with holy bell been knoll’d to church 
And sat at good men’s feasts ; and wiped our eyes 
Of drops that sacred pity hath engender'd; 
And therefore sit you down in gentleness, 
And take upon command what help we have, 
That to your wanting may be minister’d.” 
Leaving these happy people, we directed our 
course along the ‘“‘ Hemel and Aarde Mountains,” 
(Heaven and Earth,) so called from an institution of 
that name being established in its vicinity for the 
reception of coloured people, afflicted with that 
dreadful and incurable disease, the leprosy. This 
establishment is under the superintendence of the 
Moravian Brethren, whose praiseworthy exertions in 
ameliorating the condition of its unhappy inmates is 
above all commendation. 
Within a short ride of this Station is another esta- 
blishment, called Gnadendaal, or the Vale of Grace, 
one of the most extensive institutions in this country 
belonging to the Moravians, consisting of between 
thirteen and fourteen hundred inhabitants. This 
Station was originally called Baviaan’s Kloof; and it 
was here that the first Missionary to South Africa, a 
German, named Smidt, from Bohemia, took up his 
abode. In this secluded valley, amidst the exube- 
rant wildness of nature, he commenced his labours 
