82 
JOURNEY TO BETHELSDORP. 
[181 if. 
them. In England, such an occurrence would have 
afforded matter for talking at least half an hour. 
Though the moon was risen, yet as it was dark from 
the density of the clouds, and as the road we had to tra- 
vel was rather intricate, we judged it prudent to pro- 
tract our departure until the morning. However, 
about ten o'clock, P.M. the clouds became lighter, 
which encouraged us to proceed on our journey. 
Little descents of thirty or forty feet, frequently oc- 
curring, were rather troublesome. At four o'clock in 
the morning we halted at Roy Crans -River, among 
mountains. 
14th. On the halting of the waggon, I took a soli- 
tary walk along the river, observing the gradual ap- 
proach of day. All was still : our oxen were asleep 
around our waggons ; and so seemed every thing that 
had life, except frogs and crickets, which incessantly 
make a noise while the darkness continues, thus doing 
all in their power to remove the gloom. During this 
walk my mind mused upon many things connected 
with a land which was then far off. I compared the 
advantages of that country with the miseries of this 
wilderness, where ignorance of those subjects which 
are of eternal moment reigns without a check. May 
" the Angel of the Covenant work wondrously" for poor 
Africa ! I hope the day is not far distant, when this 
desert land shall be peopled and cultivated, and men 
deserving to be called " trees of righteousness" shall 
flourigh here, and glorify the God of Israel. 
