256 
JOURNAL OF A 
bushes, and here and there with aloes and Wageboom, we arrived at 
a farm called Plaisir, where the Veldcornet had advised us to stop, 
if it were too late to reach Mr. Hejms's farm on Dorn Revier. As 
it was a light evening, we determined to proceed; and crossing the 
river, entered a kloof between low, heathy hills. It lightned 
much, and the road was very uneven; and perceiving, that we could 
not w^ell reach Dorn Revier, we dispatched old Leonhard to a 
farm called Klippedrift, to announce our intention of honouring the 
proprietor, David Frie, with our company. The road to it was 
dreadfully bad, and in crossing a narrow ravine, with a deep brook 
at the bottom, we were in some danger of oversetting, but the 
good people came out with lights, to show us the way to the house. 
The farmer immediately gave us the only room he could spare, 
which was at one end of what is called a hartebeest-house, being a 
roof, put upon a wall about two feet in height. But the building, 
though very small, was new, and clean, with two bed-steads in it. 
Of these Brother and Sister Schmitt occupied one, I the other, and 
Mr. Melville the floor. Brother Stein put up with the only vacant 
spot remaining, under the bed-steads. But we were thankful to be 
under good cover. It lightned incessantly; and during the night 
a storm passed over us, with loud thunder. 
May 1st. We rose early, the weather having cleared up, that we 
might reach Mr. Heyns's on Dorn Revier to breakfast. A runaway 
slave, chained to a post in the farmer's kitchen, Avas this morning 
sent forward to the drosty for punishment. He belonged to a 
place at some distance. In this manner, deserters are passed, 
from one farm to the other, till they reach the prison. We 
expressed to him our pity, and Brother Schmitt gave him some 
good advice, but he seemed quite stupified. The family behaved 
with great civility, and presented Sister Schmitt with a fine tortoise, 
and some eggs. 
A pleasant morning's ride brought us to Great Dorn Revier; 
but no Vorspann having arrived, we were detained here all day. We 
found here a pleasant family, and spent the day in writing, drawing, 
