VISIT TO SOUTH AFRICA. 93 
bier is borne by six men, members of the congregation, dressed id 
white jackets and trowsers. After the funeral-discourse, as soon 
as the people have arranged themselves in front of the church, 
averse is sung, treating of the happiness of those, who have depart- 
ed this life in the faith of Christ. The boys' school begins the pro- 
cession, then follows the minister, preceding the corpse, the relations 
next, and lastly, the rest of the congregation two and two; the men 
or women taking the lead, according to the sex of the deceased. As 
soon as the company arrive at the burial-ground, the bier being 
placed next to the grave, the congregation range themselves around 
the ground in order. The Liturgy at burials is then read, during 
which, two of the bearers, descending into the grave, receive the 
body from those above, and place it in a recess, made on one side, 
at the bottom. The service being concluded, bushes or branches 
of trees are put in as high as the top of the recess, and the earth 
thrown in upon them. Of the origin of this custom I could obtain 
no information, but as it is done with the greatest decency, the 
missionaries have wisely refrained from obliging the Hottentots to 
discontinue the practice of making a recess, and using the branches 
or bushes. Europeans are buried in the manner usual in Europe, 
and the service and liturgy are the same. In the evening-meeting 
of the whole missionary family, I communicated some recent letters 
from our Biethren in Greenland. 
5tli. At a special conference, we took into serious consideration, 
the measures to be atlopted in making a reconnoitring journey into 
the interior, and my proposal to take Brother Schmitt and his wife, 
of Groenekloof, and one of the two single Brethren Lemmerz or 
Stein with me, was approved. I had made some experience of 
Cape travelling, sufficient to discover, that it is no luxury; but I came 
thither to serve the mission, and not to seek my ease. I therefore 
gladly entered upon this service, though the only plan, which we 
could form at present, was, to take our own waggon and oxen, and 
to purchase an additional spann, in the interior, to help us along. 
It will be seen by the narrative of that juorney, that, by God's gra- 
