238 
JOURNALOF A 
sort of a spider I bad encountered, when he congratulated me on 
my having escaped its bite. I felt, in truth, thankful to God for 
my preservation. We descended, till we arrived at a snug place, 
enclosed with high trees and bushes, where we pitched our tent, 
and made two large fires, partly with a view to keep off wild beasts, 
with which these forests abound. Our weary oxen found good 
grass and some water in pools, and we suffered them to feed for 
two hours. They were then tethered to the waggons, for security's 
sake, but disturbed us much during the night. Some needless alarm 
had also seized our people, as to danger from Caffre thieves, who were 
said to be hid in the woods- We commended ourselves, with full 
trust, to the mercy and protection of our Almighty Preserver. 
18th. W^e set oft" early, and at the place, where, in the late Caftre 
war, the CafFres had their principal camp, m'c met five waggons with 
a detachment of infantry, going to establish a military post on the 
Boschberg. At Sand Vlachte, neither bread nor milk Avas to be 
procured, the soldiers having consumed the whole stock. After a 
short stay, we pushed on to Kourney, where we arrived at four 
o'clock, and resolved to spend the night. Mr. and Mrs. Osterhuy- 
sen received us with their usual friendship and hospitality. 
Our Hottentots having expressed a desire to see the valley of the 
Witte Revier, we held a consultation Avith them in the tent, to con- 
trive how they, with Brother Stein and Sister Schmitt, might ac- 
complish it. W^e wished our people to judge of the fitness of the 
the place by their own observation, as much depended upon the 
report they might make to their brethren, on their return to Gna- 
denthal. 
19th. We rose about five o'clock, and after another cooference, 
resolved, that as our oxen were too much fatigued to under- 
take the journey, Mr. Osterhuysen should furnish a spann, which 
should convey the abovementioned party to the Witte Revier, 
while Mr. Melville, with myself, Leonhard Paerl, and Johannes, 
should proceed straight to Uitenhagen. 
