102 
JOURNAL OF A 
US. We were at dinner, when the increasing darkness announced its 
approach, and it began to rain violently. I scarcely ever remember 
to have seen lightning so vivid, and heard peals of thunder so loud, 
with a crackling and roaring not to be described. In a short time, 
every part of the premises was inundated. The streams flowed in 
all directions, and some hundreds of a species of frogs, or toads^ 
came clumsily hopping from the wood, and passed in procession 
with the stream across the yard to the pond in the valley. For a- 
bove an hour and a half, there was no intermission in the fury of the 
tempest, after which the thunder roared incessantly round the ho- 
rizon for three hour's more. In the evening, all was calm, the air cool 
and refreshing, the moon shone bright, and after the family had re- 
tired to rest, I walked by moon-light, for half an hour, on the raised 
terrace before the house, engaged in recollections, grateful and hu- 
miliating, and closed my birth-day with prayer and praise to God 
for all his goodness to myself, my family, friends, and connexions. 
I should not have noticed the celebration of this day, had it not serv- 
ed to exhibit some traits in the character of the Hottentots, whose 
sincerity, gratitude, and attachment to their teachers and benefactors, 
and their manner cf expressing these sentiments made a deep im- 
presion on my mind, and are more deserving of record, than the day 
itself. 
13th. Having been employed all day in various correspondence. 
Brother Schmitt and his wife agreed to accompany me to Cape- 
town, in a waggon and twelve oxen, leaving Brother Lemmer^ 
and Solomon to follow us in a few days. 
We left Groenekloof at seven in the evening, with fine moon- 
light, but in about an hour, a fog and cold, drizzling rain came on, 
which made us glad to take shelter in a cottage, consisting of two 
roofs without subjacent walls. It is built in two divisions stand- 
ing in a right angle, and kept by a very civil couple, whose fur- 
niture showed their love of cleanliness and order. The weather 
cleared up, before we arrived at Capetown. 
14th. WewerereceivedbyMrs.Disandtand her family with their 
wonted kindness, and spent the day in visiting friends. I was in- 
