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JOUr.NAL Of A 
tentot iiiliabitants are chiciiy employed in cutting and preparing 
timber. Hitherto, Mr. P. has used the kraal for pasture-ground, as 
being an uninhabited spot, and as he would not wish to lose that 
convenience, he may l)e forgiven for viewing intruders with some 
suspicion. He showed his good sense and candour in so soon for- 
saking selfish views and prejudices. Men who have lived all 
their life-time in so sequestered a state, remote from society, con- 
sider, of course, their OAvn affairs as of the first consequence, to 
which they have been accustomed to sacrifice every thing within 
their reach, not having discernment sufficient to judge of the 
relative importance of human concerns. Religion is generally 
quite out of the question, and its propagation considered as a 
secondary, if not wholly unnecessary business. 
The Veldcornet accompanied us through the valley to our little 
camp. On our way, we observed much good land, fit for gardens 
and pasture. A vast quantity of palmite covers the banks of the 
rivulet, which is always considered as a sign of good and rich soil, 
but it is very difficult to eradicate, having a strong tap-root, Tun- 
ing deep into the marshy ground. Brother Stein, who had walked 
forward, called to us to observe a large bird of prey he had driven 
off a carcase, which, on coming up, we found to be that of a young 
kid, just killed, and its entrails torn out. The bird vv as not much 
intimidated, for he alighted at a short distance, from whence he ob- 
served us undismayed, ready to return to his prey; and as we had 
neither the means, nor the right to prevent it, we left him to reap 
the benefit of his acquisition. Upon one of the bushy eminences 
to the right, I found the small aloe still in bloom, three weeks after 
they had left off showing any tiowers at Groenekloof. After our 
return to the camp, Mr. Melville and I continued our ride into 
the kloof, which we had visited this morning, and as the sun was 
now at its height, the appearance of the wood, water, and rocks, was 
extremely beautiful. 
Sister Schmitt meanwhile had not been idle, but after writing a 
letter, went with the Hottentots to the western side of the valley, 
