34 
JOURNEY TO BETHELSDORP. [1813. 
two drivers were Cupido, a converted Hottentot be- 
longing to Bethelsdorp; and Britannia, a Gonacqua: 
John and Michal, Hottentots, were leaders of our 
oxen, and Elizabeth and Sarah accompanied us for 
the purposes of cooking and of washing. About four 
miles from town we took an early dinner at Mr. D's. 
and at one, P.M. proceeded on our journey over deep 
sand till four o'clock, when we halted at a place 
where there was water, for the refreshment of our 
oxen. Our females soon lighted a fire, and presented 
us with a cup of coffee on a mat spread upon the 
grass. At seven, P.M. we departed, the moon shining 
Math all her brightness, which rendered the evening 
pleasant ; but being obliged to walk, in order to re- 
lieve the oxen while travelling over sand, we found it 
rather fatiguing. At nine we got out of the road 
among sand-hills ; and in a hollow, one of our waggons 
stuck so fast that it was half an hour before it could 
be extricated. About midnight we again lost the 
road, and were in search of it an hour before it was 
discovered. In Africa, however warm the days, the 
nights are cool : this one was piercingly cold ; we pro- 
ceeded, however, and about four in the morning, we 
reached the house of Mr. Rose, a wine boor, who was 
up at that early hour in expectation of our arrival. 
14th. Mr. Messer, the missionary, who has been en- 
gaged in the instruction of the slaves here for the last 
thirteen months, but is shortly to remove to one of the 
stations in the interior, preached a farewell discourse 
to his sable congregation. Many of them were so much 
