54 
JOURNEY TO BETHELSDORP. [1813. 
About midnight we came to the head of the descent 
which leads down to Bethelsdorp. Though the moon 
was risen yet still it was dark, in consequence of the 
heavens being overspread with thick clouds. However, 
I soon understood that we approached near to the 
settlement, by some of our people firing their muskets, 
as signals of our arrival, which were soon answered 
by some discharges from the settlement. Many of the 
young people, in high spirits, came out to meet us : 
then Mr. Read, and the other brethren, with many 
others, came and gave us a hearty welcome. From 
the solitary road on which we had been travelling, a 
concourse of people, and the sound of many voices, 
produced a peculiar sensation. I felt as if instantane- 
ously introduced into a new world. On reaching Mr. 
Read's house, many surrounded it, in order to see the 
strangers who had come from afar. I suppose some of 
the young people slept litde that night, for I heard 
them running about at three o'clock in the morning, 
after which I fell asleep. 
