LANGUAGE. 51 



use, " These Abafundis (Missionaries) have brought 

 a thing into the land worth more than ten wives." 

 The language of the country has also been another 

 object of serious consideration with the Missionaries 

 throughout their respective stations. By unwearied 

 attention they have at length succeeded in reducing 

 the peculiar patois to a grammatical form, so that 

 a large portion of the Scriptures has been already 

 translated into Caffer; and as the whole Bible is 

 now preparing to be laid before this vast population 

 in their native language, they will in the course of 

 time be enabled to " read in their own tongue the 

 wonderful works of God." The tribes speaking this 

 dialect, with but slight variation, are computed to 

 amount to at least six hundred and fifty thousand 

 souls. 



The three ruling Chiefs of the Ghonaquas, who 

 reside in the vicinity of this station, Pato 9 Kama, 

 and Congo, have embraced Christianity ; and on 

 the 29th of October, 1833, issued a proclamation, 

 enforcing the due observance of the Sabbath through- 

 out the whole of their tribes. 



" Oh, what a conquest hath the Cross obtain'd! 

 There, where of old a hell of darkness reign'd, 

 And Crime and Havoc, fiend-begotten pair, 

 In mortal bosoms made their savage lair, 

 And issued thence, to riot, rage, or kill, 

 Like incarnations of a demon's will, — 

 The peace that passeth understanding grows, 

 And earth seems born again without her woes ; 



E 2 



