mountain-glen or cave in which they could take refuge, a burning sun, and a glowing plain; 200 miles from the abodes of civilized men, between which lay a waste-howling wilderness, and the Orange River, seldom fordable by wagons. Such was their position with the human lion in his lair, ready to rouse himself up to deeds of rapine and blood. This is no coloured picture, for the writer has with his family been placed in circumstances not dissimilar: experience is requisite to aid in just conceptions of so trying a moment. For a whole month they were in constant terror, hourly expecting the threatened attack. The hearts of the missionaries were riven with anguish; their souls revolted at the idea of abandoning the people, who were now suffering from want, to become a prey to one from whom they could expect no quarter. On one occasion they dug square holes in the ground, about six feet deep, that in case of an attack they might escape the balls; there they remained buried alive for the space of a week, having the tilt sail of the wagon thrown over the mouth of the pit to keep off the burning rays of an almost vertical sun. As one of the suf ferers told me, she scarcely knew whether they had to suffer most by day or by night, for the heat sometimes amounted nearly to suffocation. From this place they removed at the suggestion of Fledermuis, a chief, northward to the base of the Karas mountains; but finding it impossible to settle, they retired to the colony to seek counsel and assistance.

But to return to Africaner. He spread devastation around him, attacked the Namaquas, and proceeded to Warm Bath. Finding it abandoned, his followers commenced a rigid search for any articles which might have been concealed for safety in the earth, and were but too successful. While the plunderers were engaged in their destructive operations, an incident occurred, almost too ludicrous for so melancholy a recital. As the triumphant chief and his adherents were revelling in their ill-gotten spoils, not without some qualms of conscience, derived from the light, however little, which they had received, especially as they now stood upon holy ground, which recalled the scenes of by-gone days, one of the chieftain's attendants strayed into the burying-ground, where already a few mounds distinguished it from the surrounding waste as the place of the dead. Stepping over what he supposed a newly closed grave, he heard, to his surprise, soft notes of music vibrate beneath. He stood motionless, gazing over his shoulder, with mouth and eyes dilated, hesitating

A CURIOUS EXHUMATION.

69

whether to stand still, and see the dead arise, which he had heard the missionaries preach about, or take to his heels. After no little palpitation of heart, in order to assure himself, he mustered courage to make another trial, for the tones he had heard had died away. His second leap again roused the sepulchral harp, which now fell in soft but awful cadence on his ear. Without casting an eye behind, he darted off to the camp, and, with breathless amazement, announced to Africaner the startling discovery he had made of life and music in the grave. The appearance of the man convinced Africaner that he was in earnest, for reason seldom reels in that country. The chief, fearless of the living or the dead, was not to be scared even by the supposed spectre of the tomb, arose, and ordered his men to follow him to the spot. One jumped and another jumped, and at each succeeding leap, succeeding notes of the softest music vibrated on the ear from beneath. Recourse was had instantly to exhumation. The mysterious musician was soon brought to light. It proved to be Mrs. Albrecht's piano-forte, which she had taken with her from London, and which was the first ever conveyed into the Transgariepine regions. Being too cumbrous to be taken in a hasty flight, 't had been buried in a soil where, from the entire absence of moisture, it might, but for this circumstance, have remained unscathed. Africaner, whose martial spirit made him a fitter associate for Mars than for the Muses, allowed the instrument to be dissected, parts of which I have seen, from which those fingers now silent in the grave had called forth divine harmony.

To finish the varied but sorrowful detail, one of the men of Africaner, on seeing him depart, took a fire-brand, and set fire to the houses and huts, which were soon reduced to ashes; and thus the light of Divine truth, which had just been enkindled in those gloomy regions, was extinguished for a season; and a peaceful Zion reduced to a heap of ruins. I have walked over them in pensive sorrow, and slumbered among them, when the owl only broke the deathlike silence which reigned with its melancholy note, or the gaunt hyena howled in quest of prey. It might be profitable to improve this event, by tracing the succession of evils which befell that mission to their source. It might afford instructive lessons to those who may be similarly situated. It is, however, not my object to preach, but faithfully to narrate past events; leaving my readers, especially such as have entered into the labours of others of whose sufferings

70

DEATH OF MR. AND MRS. ALBRECHT.

it is scarcely possible for them to form an adequate concep tion, to make the improvement. I have known a newly arrived missionary listen to the apparently romantic tale of a veteran of the above order, with the conviction, that the exaggerated picture he drew of past trials must have been the effect of an intellect partially weakened. It is impossi ble to take a minute survey of the lives and labours of some of our missionaries, whose names have become, like their voices, silent in death, without concluding that "there were giants in those days," like Christian Albrecht; a glance at whose concluding days, and those of his beloved partner, must close the present chapter.

Driven by necessity, as we have previously shown, to the colony, a visit to Cape Town cheered their drooping spirits a little, though still feeling the effects of previous suffering; for Mrs. A. writes, just on the eve of again returning, in December 1811, addressing the directors, "Yes, dear brethren, we have suffered much in every respect, and my soul and body are very much dejected." After a most distressing journey, sometimes under apprehension of perish. ing in the wilderness, they reached Silver Fountain, the residence of Cornelius Kok, who again rendered signal service to the weary, worn-out travellers. Here Mrs. Albrecht breathed her last, on the 13th of April, just five days after their arrival; and when she anticipated some repose she was removed to an eternal rest; to the last her heart was fixed on her Master's work. The Namaqua mission was resumed at Pella, south of the river, and which was so called from its becoming the place of refuge; there they were joined by about 500 of the Warm Bath people. Mr. C. Albrecht, having occasion again to go to the Cape for medical advice, as his health had been for some time declining, while there engaged in his Master's business, suddenly expired, leaving behind him a bright testimony of zeal, love, and self-denial seldom equalled. His labours follow him, while his remains slumber beside those of Dr. Vanderkemp, on a foreign shore, waiting the sound of the last trump. But before he was called, like a faithful servant, to the "joy of his Lord," a delightful realization of the faithfulness and mercy of Jehovah was permitted to enlighten and cheer his latter days. Many and fervent were the prayers which he and his coadjutors had offered up to the throne of God for the poor Namaquas, and for Africaner too. These prayers were heard; and before leaving the country, he had the ineffable joy, which it would require an angel's

REV. J. CAMPBELL'S JOURNEY.

71

tongue to describe, of making peace with Africaner, and seeing the standard of the Prince of Peace reared in the very village of the man who once "breathed out threatenings and slaughter" against not only his fellow heathen, but against the saints of the Most High.

CHAPTER VII.

THE REV. J. Campbell, in his first visit to Africa, to which reference has been made, found it necessary to cross the interior of the continent to Namaqua-land. During his journey, he found in every village through which he passed the terror of Africaner's name, and, as Mr. C. expresses it, "a trembling, lest he should pay them a visit ;" and he Emight have added what he has often since done, with the voice," that he and his retinue never were so afraid in their lives." On reaching Pella, he wrote a conciliatory letter to Africaner: leaving it to be forwarded, he pursued his jour ney to the colony. Mr. Sass undertook to convey this important document; but after searching for Africaner for some time, he was compelled, by thirst and hunger, to relinquish his object, committing the letter to one well acquainted with Africaner, and in whom he could confide. On his return, Mr. S. and his attendants had nearly perished from thirst; they came to a hole in a rock where there was water, and into which a large hyena having forced itself, had been drowned: the stench was horrible, and in attempting to draw the now putrid carcase out, it went to pieces in their hands. But thirst will compel a man to do what would scarcely be credited in England; they drank, though the beasts of burden, panting for want of water, would not taste of the almost putrid draught. To this letter Africaner sent a favourable reply, and C. Albrecht lost no time in accomplishing what he had so long desired; and soon after Mr. Ebner was sent from Pella.

now enter into the history of that part of the Namaqua mission which requires a delicate hand to touch, and which cannot be done without violence to my own feelings. But

72

MR. EBNER SENT TO THE MISSION.

it is impossible for me to avoid reference to certain points which illustrate subsequent events. The station now occupied by Mr. Ebner was a most important one, on which great responsibilities lay, and from which results of the highest importance might accrue to Namaqua-land. Mr. Ebner's labours were blessed, though he was not what Mr. Albrecht desired, nor the man Mr. Campbell would have sent; but labourers were few. It required no little circumspection, acuteness, and decision, to gain influence and esteem from a people who had been guilty of such enormities, and whose hand had been against every one. Every action and sentence of the missionary was weighed by minds accustomed to scrutinize and suspect. In the course of a short time, Africaner, his two brothers, David and Jacobus, with a number of others, were baptized; but soon after, Mr. Ebner's situation was rendered extremely trying, by the interference of a runaway from the Cape, named Peterson, who went so far as to threaten to take Mr. E.'s property, and even his life, if he resisted; while, to the grief of the latter, it was evident that Africaner connived at the menaces of this individual, whom he had power to control with a word.

In 1817, Mr. Ebner visited Cape Town for supplies, where the writer first hailed him with delight, as his companion and guide in his future labours, upon which he was now entering. As my course, with that of Mr. Kitchingman, who was appointed to Bysondermeid, in Little Namaqua-land, lay to that place, in order to see Mr. Schmelen, we did not travel much together, Mr. Ebner having to take another route. It was evident to me, as I approached the boundaries of the colony, that the farmers, who, of course, had not one good word to say of Africaner, were sceptical to the last degree about his reported conversion, and most unceremoniously predicted my destruction. One said he would set me up for a mark for his boys to shoot at; and another, that he would strip off my skin, and make a drum of it to dance to; another most consoling prediction was, that he would make a drinking cup of my scull. I believe they were serious, and especially a kind motherly lady, who, wiping the tear from her eye, bade me farewell, saying, "Had you been an old man, it would have been nothing, for you would soon have died, whether or no; but you are young, and going to become a prey to that monster."

A hasty sketch of our journey to Bysondermeid, may not be unacceptable to some of my readers, who may be little acquainted with Africa. Raw travellers in that country