166 AN ENCAMPMENT. 



light-hearted — altogether conspired to create hi 

 the mind the most vivid associations, and formed 

 a striking contrast with the scene presented on 

 the night I last pitched my tent in this secluded 

 valley. 



At an early hour on the following morning, which 

 was the Sabbath, the boors with their wives and fa- 

 milies, attired in their Sunday apparel, assembled in 

 a temporary shed, erected for the purpose of public 

 worship. It was an extremely interesting sight to 

 witness a people whose forefathers had so long 

 been distinguished for their warm attachment to the 

 Protestant cause, and whose mother-country had 

 always afforded shelter and protection to such as 

 were driven from their native land by a cruel and 

 persecuting faith — now, deprived of the benefit of re- 

 gular Christian ordinances, coming from so great a 

 distance to worship the God of their fathers accord- 

 ing to the dictates of their consciences, and appa- 

 rently with sincere feelings of reverence and delight. 

 The Rev. Mr. Murray, minister of Graaff-Reinet, 

 a man highly fitted for the important station he 

 holds, was in the habit of paying quarterly visits to 

 this district, for the purpose of imparting religious 

 instruction to the people. The pious pastor, who feels 

 the importance of the charge committed to his trust, 

 will not satisfy himself by confining his labours to 

 a fixed congregation, at his own immediate resi- 

 dence, but consider it a most important part of his 

 laborious duties to visit the remote regions in his 





