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JOURNAL OF A 
rit of joy and gladness prevailed on this occasion, which, by God's 
blessing, gave a new stimulus to the exertions of all engaged in 
the building, and contributed not a little to its completion, in a 
manner which has given general satisfaction. 
Mr. Schroeder, having given us some good advice, left us in the 
afternoon. We met this evening to make arrangements previous 
to niy departure. 
There is in this country a plant, called by the Hottentots Da- 
cha, a species of wild hemp, (cicuta). Some of them smoke it 
like tobacco, or mix it with the latter herb, and are exceedingly 
fond of it. Its effects upon the human body are dreadful. It not 
only takes away the senses for a season, even more completely 
than drunkenness, but, by degrees, undermines the constitution, 
weakens every faculty of mind and body, and makes cripples of 
those that continue in the practice. It is necessary, therefore, 
that most determined resistance should be made against this de- 
structive propensity, and by a rule established in our settlements, 
the use of dacha is to be entirely abandoned. Whoever is 
guilty of smoking it, is excluded ; but a seducer of others to the 
abominable practice, expelled. The chief complaint against 
the Hottentots is, that they are incorrigibly lazy, and unfit for 
labour. In most instances, the cause of it is the use of this poi- 
sonous herb. Who would believe, therefore, that the very men 
who complain, should encourage the growth of it in their grounds, 
and sell it to the Hottentots! Yet this I have seen with my own 
eyes, even where I least suspected it. 
September 1st. Being Sunday, the Hottentots came in parties, 
between the services, to take leave of me, and with many of them 
I entered into pleasant conversation. There were some good 
spokesmen among them, who expressed the sentiments of their 
brethren in very affectionate terms. Two Dambras, Ephraim and 
Peter, gave me particular satisfaction, l)y the modest, unaffected 
manner, in which they declared their gratitude and good-will. 
In the afternoon, all the missionaries met, when I had an op- 
