200 
BETHELSDORP. 
[181^, 
23d. Waited upon Major Cuyler, the Landdrost, 
who had been from home the preceding day, with 
whom I was anxious to have a conversation on the 
causes of the long disputes that had subsisted between 
him and Dr. Vanderkemp and Mr. Read, which he 
dechned, upon the ground that they were all past, and 
that it was unnecessary to recur to them again. He 
then spoke of dividing the lands of Bethelsdorp into 
lots, to be given to the missionaries and settlers. I 
stated that I perceived difficulties in that business, and 
would be glad of his advice. Supposing lots of land 
to be given in perpetual possession to the settlers, a*nd 
should some of these become a nuisance to the in- 
stitution, the missionaries would not have it in their 
power to remove them from the settlement, yet their 
continuance might be very injurious to its welfare. 
I saw a difficulty on the other hand, for if the ground 
was not fully their own, there would not be the same 
inducement to improve it. I then requested of the 
Landdrost, if he could devise a middle path, that he 
would give me his counsel. He said it might be 
made a condition in the grant of the lots, that should 
their conduct become injurious to the institution, they 
should be deprived of their land, and that they should 
receive an allowance for what improvements they may 
have made while it was in their possession. This 
appeared to me a wise suggestion. 
Leaving the Landdrost, I again waited on Colonel 
Vickers, who kindly favoured me with letters of in- 
troduction to gendemen in different parts where I 
