SOUTHERN AFRICA. 381 
in those of the widows and the orphans. Tiieir labours 
were crowned with complete success. From this time a pro- 
vision was made sufficient for the preservation of these de- 
solate and helpless creatures. Thus the Moravian Society 
has been the means of converting the inhabitants of La- 
brador into useful citizens as well as good Christians, whilst 
the African Society has not reclaimed a single Bosjesman 
from the wild and savage state in which its zealous mis- 
sionaries first discovered him. 
If zeal alone was sufficient for the conversion of these 
miserable creatures to Christianity, and consequently to a 
state of civilization, no man has more merit nor better de- 
serves success than the missionary Kicherer. He is in every 
respect a truly worthy character, but he is an enthusiast ; 
and he feels and assumes to himself more merit in being able 
to relate some little anecdote of a savage applying or quoting 
a scripture passage, than if he had accomplished all that the 
Moravians have done for the Hottentots (and they have done 
much) at Bavian's Kloof. He observes, for instance, in one 
of his reports to the Society, that the Bosjesmans make a fire 
by twirling the point of a stick on fjiie surface of another : 
that one of his people in a rainy night, not being able to suc- 
ceed, bethought himself of calling on Jesus, when he was 
immediately answered, and struck up a good fire notwith- 
standing the rain. 
Every account that has been given of the Bosjesmans tends 
to confirm the opinion of their being among the most miser- 
able of the human race, and in their present condition wholly 
