162 
NEED OF A MISSIONARY. [1820. 
this, Hendric met at the Great River with some 
Bushmen, who had resolved to throw a feeble 
child into the river, because they thought it never 
would be good for any thing, and because they 
had no food to spare. He had the humanity to 
bring the child home with him to save it from de- 
struction. How great need have such a people 
of the softening doctrines of the Gospel ! Their 
habitations are indeed full of cruelty and blood. 
The poor 'Bush-women must be wretched in the 
extreme, not knowing but that every time their 
husbands leave home, in search of food, they may 
bring after them a host of barbarians, thirsting 
for their blood, and crying for vengeance. To 
think of their situation is heart rending ; nor is it 
likely to be made better, till the Gospel be sent 
among them. A Missionary station would be a 
refuge and a home to this scattered and mise-* 
rable nation. 
Those who went on horseback, in pursuit of the 
Bushmen, returned about midnight. After leav- 
ing Lattakoo they galloped forwards for about 
twenty miles, when they came in sight of four 
Bushmen driving the same number of oxen as 
fast as they could make them go. At first the 
Bushmen thought they were Matchappees who 
followed them on foot, therefore they thrust 
their spears into two of the weakest oxen ; and 
continued to drive the others towards Reyner 
