VISIT TO SOUTH AFRICA. 
35 
2Cth. In the forenoon, we had the great pleasure to sec oar mis- 
sionary, Brother Schmitt and his wife arris e from Gioenekloof, in 
a waggon, drawn by twelve bullocks. The unexjX3cted informatiou 
received of our arrival at the Cape, had made them lake immediate 
steps to meet us. They had also provided waggons for our con- 
veyance to Groenekloof, where the Brethren Marsveld and Bonatz 
from Gnadenthal were soon expected. Meanwhile, having occa- 
sion to call at a watchmaker's shop, we found him to be a lively old 
German, who entertained us with a narrative of his adventures. 
He gave us also an account of the dreadful plague of the small-pox, 
by v/hich this colony v/as visited about four years ago, and a great 
number of people of all ages and sexes were carried off. lie was 
one of those, who suffered most severely. Flags were hung out from 
the windows of those houses where the disorder raged, to mark 
them as pestiferous; and thus for three months, he lived quite alone, 
in a dreadful state of mind and body, not expecting to survive. His 
friends placed victuals at the threshold of his door, but not even one 
of the family dared to approach or visit him in his afHiction. " But," 
added lie, " it was this affliction, that first taught me to know and 
" fear God, and to consider the state of my immortal soul." 
27th. I waited on Mr, Stoll^ the landdro&t of the Cape district, 
in which Groenekloof lies, and was by him introduced to Colonel 
Bird, deputy colonial Secretarj^, through whom permission must be 
obtained to remain in the colony, and to proceed into the country. 
He received me and the missionaries with great politeness. Having 
advised me to present my letters of recommendation to the Gover- 
nor with my own hands, Mr. Hancke was so obliging as to carry 
me to Newlands in his sociable. The road lies along the eastern 
side of Table-Mountain, which here presents itself in shapes more 
picturesque and wild, than on the western, tov/ards the town. The 
foot, both of the Devil's-Hill and Table-Mountain, is well clothed 
with witteboom, (protea argentea), oak, and other trees, the ver- 
dure and foliage of which were in great perfection. To the left 
is the bay, and the low hills on its northern shore; but tov/ards tha 
