138 
JOUHNAL OF A 
trade, to convert an iron bar into a pot-hoc'-, to be used at our 
nocturnal fires; which proved a desirable acquisition. 
Few Hottentots live in this part of tlie country, and those we saAv 
seemed to be in miserable plight. At Kleinberg, we found an old 
grey-headed man. On putting a few questions to him, we discover- 
ed him to ])e quite ignorant, not even knowing that there was a God, 
who had created all things, and by whose mercy and power all things 
subsist. Brother Schmitt endeavoured to make him acquainted 
with that, which surely to a man on the brink of the grave, must 
be of most importance, the love of God in Christ Jesus. The poor 
old man seemed to listen with eagerness, while the missionary ex- 
plained to him the way of salvation, and how a sinner, such as he 
acknowledged himself to be, might be pardoned and reconciled by 
the merits of the sufferings and death of our Saviour. He then ex- 
horted him not to forget what he had heard, but before this life was 
ended, to cry for mercy and the remission of his sins, that he might 
be accepted of God, and depart into the mansions of peace and bliss. 
This the poor old Hottentot promised to do. 
We now proceeded towards Mossel-Bay, and got on with speed. 
The country through which we travelled, was uninteresting. We 
passed by a farm belonging to Mr. Alexander, and turning to the 
left, towards the coast, soon came in sight of the buildings erected by 
Government in the bay. On our arrival, we were very civilly receiv- 
ed and hospitably entertained by Mr. Abue, the store-keeper. He 
is by birth a Dane. While dinner Avas preparing, I took a wal|c 
to the sea-shore. The rocks consist chiefly of sand-stone, colour- 
ed in some places by iron or manganese, with veins of quartz. I 
had broken several pebbles by throwing them upon the rocks, for 
want of a hannner, when a large fragment flew into my face, threw 
my spectacles aside, and wounded my cheek close to my right eye. 
For some minutes, it put me to a considerable degree of pain, and 
I was apprehensive of injury done to the eye itself; but on bathing 
the wound with salt water, it ceased to bleed, and the pain left 
me. I felt thankful to God, that my glasses v/ere not broken, and 
