224 
PRAYERS. 
18, 19 July 
Hottentots, who were well acquainted with the nature of the country, 
and the habits of these savages, talked with each other very seriously 
and warmly on the subject, but were unable to come to any deter- 
mination. Some of my fellow-travellers were exceedingly alarmed, 
and began to fear the worst ; but one of them coincided in opinion 
with me, that we should not allow mere reports, perhaps greatly 
exaggerated, to deter us from going forward on our journey. At 
last, we all agreed to suspend our final decision till we had reached 
the Roggeveld. 
After supper, the night being calm, and the sky serene, all the 
Hottentots were called together for prayers. They assembled around 
our fire, seating themselves orderly on the ground, and, with well- 
tuned voices, joined in an evening hymn, in which the missionaries 
and their wives took the lead. After this, a long extemporaneous 
prayer was said by one of the missionaries ; and, as soon as this was 
finished, they retired to sleep round their respective fires. 
To me, an assemblage of this kind, in the open air, and under 
such circumstances as the present, was a scene both novel and inter- 
esting ; to which, the dark hour of night, and the wild loneliness 
of the spot, gave an effect that was legendary and romantic ; and I 
could easily have thought it a caravan of pilgrims travelling to 
the Holy Land. But the pleasing spell of fancy was dissipated, and 
all my warm emotions cooled, when reason reminded me that it was 
only a party of people who, with, perhaps, a few exceptions, had 
learnt to sing psalms by rote, and whose motives for admitting mis- 
sionaries to dwell with them, might probably not proceed from a 
sentiment purely religious. 
I cannot imagine any thing more delightful and gratifying to a 
good and feeling mind, than the act of returning thanks with devout 
o-ratitude to the Great and Good Creator of the universe, for the nu- 
ts 
merous blessings we are daily permitted to enjoy ; and of imploring 
the aid of His Divine Spirit, in strengthening our hearts in the love 
and pursuit of virtue. Could but the rude uncultivated savage be 
converted to sentiments such as these, with what satisfaction would 
not every philanthropic man view crowds of missionaries pouring 
