August.] A MATCHAPPEE WOMAN. 
233 
groups of Griqua huts, around which cheerful 
children are seen playing ; these look at strangers 
with some degree of jealousy. 
I found in one of the huts a good-looking Mat- 
chappee woman, with three babes, one of them 
at the breast. Her husband had been absent for 
some time, and she knew not what was become 
of him. Her children and herself had been en- 
tirely supported by the charity of the neighbours, 
who, it was evident, had fed her well, for she 
was fat, healthy, and strong : she was reported 
to be a christian. Observing her searching for 
something very earnestly among the sand, on the 
floor of her hut, I inquired what she had lost. 
She replied, it was a needle. I was sorry we 
had not an interpreter to hold farther conversa- 
tion with her. The situation of this woman 
among converted Griquas, compared with that 
to which she would have been reduced among: 
her unconverted countrymen, furnishes an inva- 
luable commentary on the excellency of the 
Gospel. 
Some parts of the ground were pretty thickly 
covered with saltpetre, but the natives said it 
was only on the surface, and did not greatly in- 
jure the land. However, it may be owing to 
this that the water of the river is not good for 
washing, though it has not a brackish taste. 
