SOUTHERN AFRICA. 
427 
were tolerated, but they were neither countenanced, nor paid, 
nor preferred by the Dutch. The Germans, who are equally 
numerous with the Dutch, and moftly Lutherans, had great 
difficulty in obtaining permlffion to build a church, in which, 
however, they at length fucceeded ; but they were neither Tuf- 
fered to ere£l; a fteeple nor to hang a bell. A Methodift chapel 
has alfo lately been built ; and the Moravians have a church in 
the country ; but the Malay Mahomedans, being refufed a 
church, perform their public fervice in the ftone quarries at 
the head of the town. Other feds have not yet found thera- 
felves fufficiently numerous or opulent to form a community. 
The body of the clergy are in no part of the world more 
fuitably provided for, or more generally refpedtcd, than in this 
country ; a confequence of their being fupported entirely by 
Government, and not by any tax or tythe laid upon the public. 
Their fituation, it is true, leads not to affluence, but it places 
them beyond the apprehenfion of want or pecuniary embarraiT- 
ments ; and it fecures to their widows a fubfiftence for life. 
The falaries and the emoluments, which all of them enjoy, both 
in the town and the country diftrids, are nearly on an equality. 
By their rank, which is next to that of the Prefident of the 
Court of Juftice in town, and of the Landrofl in the country, 
they are entitled to feek connedions with the firft and wealthieft 
families in the colony. None would think of refufmg his 
daughter's hand to the folicitations of a clergyman j and the 
lady ufually confidered the precedence at church as a full com- 
penfation for the lofs of balls, cards, and other amufements 
312 which 
