VISIT TO SOUTH AFRICA. 
255 
that the manner in which we were received in that place, had given 
much offence to our brave countrymen, but they durst not show 
their good-will towards us, without their officer's leave. From 
hence, we intended to go by the new-made road across the moun- 
tains to George, but heard, to our sorrow, that the landdrost, Mr. 
Van Kervel, had gone to Plettenberg Bay. We therefore resolved 
to take the nearer road, by Attaqua's kloof, and sent Johannes to 
George to bring the oxen we liad left in that place, to the Gowritz 
river, where we should join the main road. 
30th. After breakfast, Brother Schmitt was requested by Mrs. 
Rendsberg to dehver a discourse to their slaves and Hottentots, 
which he did on the words of our Saviour's parable; " Go out into 
" the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in." He ad- 
dressed both the Christians and heathen present, in a serious and 
impressive manner, for Avhich, the ladies in the family more particu- 
larly expressed many thanks. The oxen furnished here were small 
and weak, and brought us forward but very slowly. We found 
ourselves encompassed with mountains of singular shapes, but, like 
the country through which we passed, barren in the extreme. Our 
dinner was cooked on the banks of the Eselsjagd river, or (Zebra- 
hunting river), which at present consisted only of a few stagnant 
pools. After quitting this place, we entered a narrow glen, border- 
ed by ledges of rocks, bushes of various kinds, and Wageboom- 
trees, growing luxuriantly wherever any soil was left to support 
them. The large fragments of white quartz, covered in some 
places with vermillion-coloured moss, and the diversified tints, pro- 
duced by the layers and masses of ferruginous sand-stone, intermix- 
ed with the foliage of the trees and bushes, gave to the whole a pic- 
turesque appearance. The road was very rough, till we emerged 
from the kloof and got into the Karroo-field, so called from its re- 
semblance to the great Karroo. We had now the mountains on 
the north side of the Oliphant's river in view, with other ranges of 
higher or lower hills. 
Alter a tedious ride through a flat country, covered with rhinoceros- 
