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what I conceived was it, but at that moment a stream of light issued from a seam, which induced me to turn round, and I saw through the seam, not the gallery from which the funeral vaults opened, but a large room in which several persons were assembling, and among them were the professor, the friar, the preacher, and the magistrate, with the officer and several other respectable inhabitants of the town. As the aperture was small I could only guess at their business, for they transacted it in silence. I saw, however, that they had a paper which they severally read, and a printing-press, which was soon set at work.

This left me in no doubt as to the object of their meeting. It is for some political purpose, said I to myself; but when I looked again, they seemed to be listening, and instantly their lights were quenched; and in less than a minute after, a gentleman, with his face blackened, entered the haggard chamber where I was standing in darkness, bearing a light in his hand, and with a loud voice he called on me to escape; at the same moment he pushed open the door by which I formerly found my way to the church-yard.

When I regained the street the whole city was in alarm, bells ringing, troops assembling in the great square, and a panic universal.

It was some time before I could obtain any intelligible answer to my eager enquiries, but at last I ascertained, that the governor had received information of some intended rebellion against the French garrison, and that already several neighbouring villages were in arms, and rockets rising in all directions, which tended to corroborate the governor's information, that an insurrection of the whole country was intended; but which he timely frustrated.

This is exactly my own part in the affair. You know with what promptitude it was suppressed by the troops which were marched into the Electorate, by Murat, then Grand Duke of Berg, but it was not divulged by what means the noble stratagem was devised, though Dr. Kreutch was taken up and put to much trouble and expense on some suspicion of being one of the principal instigators of the plot.

J. GALT.

TO MY NORTHERN LOVE.

(FROM THE ITALIAN.)

FROM the cold cliffs where storms and darkness reign,
O haste and greet the sunshine of the plain !
Let eagles rule the dreary realms above,
Thine be the covert of the yielding dove.
Fly! fly, my dear one! else my home will be
More cold, more dark, than are thy Alps to thee!

JOURNAL OF A SOUTH-AFRICAN EMIGRANT.

CHAPTER II.-Journey into the Interior.

AFTER our interview with the Caffer woman, I attended the evening service of the missionary, Mr. Barker, in the rustic chapel of Bethelsdorp. The place was occupied by a very considerable number of the inhabitants of the village, a large proportion being females. The demeanour of the audience was serious and devout, and their singing of the missionary hymns was singularly pleasing and melodious. The sweet voices of the Hottentot women and their natural taste for music having often been noticed by former travellers, I was not taken by surprise; but much as my expectations had been raised on this point, they were outstripped by the reality. The effect of the music was no doubt greatly heightened by the reflections which the sight of this African congregation naturally suggested. I saw before me the remnant of an aboriginal race, to whom this remotest region of the African continent, now occupied, or about to be occupied, by white colonists, had at no distant period belonged. The grasping and perfidious Europeans had, as usual, come as friends and remained as masters. Step by step we had advanced, neither staying the foot nor restraining the hand by any regard for the rights or the interests of the native possessors. We had advanced like locusts through the length and breadth of the land, climbing the rugged mountain, and crossing the sterile desert; and claiming for a possession the entire country from Table Mountain to the Keiskamma, and from Cape Agulhas to the Orange River. We had seized and divided the soil, until not one foot of ground remained to the Hottentot nation, or to any individual of that race, in the whole extent of the Cape Colony. Nor had our insatiable cupidity stopped even there. Not content with robbing the African of his country, and swindling him at the same time, by the aid of beads and brandy, out of the numerous flocks and herds inherited from his pastoral forefathers, we had proceeded, in a spirit of still more aggravated iniquity, to deprive him of his personal freedom. We had reduced, by a series of most unrighteous enactments, the Hottentot nation to a condition of abject and hopeless helotism, in some respects even more galling than Negro Slavery itself. And these acts had been perpetrated, not by the subjects of despotic governments in whom love of justice and respect for freedom had been long extinguished, but by the two most free, most religious, and most enlightened nations of modern Europe: the system of oppression had been commenced by Holland and completed by Britain. Such reflections as these thronged upon my mind, as I sat and surveyed this African audience, and listened to the soft and touching melody of the female voices, or gazed on the earnest upturned swarthy countenances of the aged men, who had probably spent their early days in the wild freedom of nomadic life, and worn out their middle life in the forced service of the colonists. It was pleasing to think that here at least, and in a few other institutions such as this, the Christian humanity of Europe had done something to alleviate European oppression, by opening asylums where a few of the race were enabled to escape from bitter and debasing thraldom, and to emerge from heathen darkness into the glorious light and liberty of the Gospel. And yet, such are the deplorable effects of interest and prejudice and domineering pride, that these Christian asylums were hated, calumniated, and persecuted throughout the colony, not merely by the ignorant and interested boors, to whose aggressions upon the natives they opposed some check, however feeble, but also by the great mass of the local functionaries and authorities. I had been made aware of the existence of this unfriendly spirit towards the missionary institutions, even in the brief intercourse which I had had with the colonists and colonial functionaries since

our arrival; and, to a certain degree, I had been staggered by the unfavourable statements confidently adduced and continually repeated whenever they were mentioned. But when I now beheld with my own eyes the beautiful and blessed effects of missionary labours, I vowed in my inmost heart never to suffer myself to be swayed by such unworthy influences as too often blind the eyes and harden the feelings of men in countries such as this, where the baleful curse of slavery, and the debasing distinctions of caste and colour, tend so inevitably to pollute the moral atmosphere, and to confuse our perceptions of natural justice and humanity. I am now, said I to myself, a wanderer in the wilds of Africa, in search of a home and a country for my little band of friends and the scattered branches of my father's house; but God forbid that we should be partakers in colonial oppression for the sake of sordid selfish intersts. Let us, whatever be our own lot, rather be the friends of the friendless-of the despised missionary and the degraded African-than base flatterers of tyrannic power, and criminal sharers in the spoil of the helpless:

"Ipse, ignotus, egens, Libyæ deserta peragro-
Non nos aut ferro Libycos populare penates
Venimus, aut raptas ad littora vertere prædas,"

In subsequent conversations with the missionary Barker, who evinced great candour and openness, and in the course of a careful inspection of the village on the following day, I discovered that great and almost insurmountable disadvantages existed in the situation of the place; which was not chosen, as Mr. Latrobe has most erroneously stated in his volume of Travels,* by old Dr. Vanderkemp, but forced upon his acceptance by the Colonial Government of the day. In the civil condition of the people also, and even in the system of missionary management, there were, at the period of my first visit, impediments to be overcome and defects to be remedied of no slight description. I must now however refrain from entering upon the causes of these defects, and from any discussions upon South-African missions generally; but I shall find a more suitable opportunity of adverting to this important topic in a subsequent Chapter, after I shall have visited the other principal institutions throughout the colony, and formed, on careful inquiry and inspection, a more accurate estimate of their comparative merits, and their actual progress in the civilization and conversion of the native tribes. For the present I shall content myself by observing that, even at this period, whatever there might be visible at Bethelsdorp of African wildness and want of the accessories of civilization, there was little that could with propriety be called savage. There was, even among the rudest of the people, an aspect of civility and decent respect, of quietude and sober-mindedness, which evinced that they were habitually under the control of far other principles than those which regulate the movements of mere savage men. They appeared to be, as in reality they were, a respectable native peasantry; as yet, indeed, but partially reclaimed from some of the evil and indolent habits of nomadic life; but obviously progressing, and, in many instances, already farther advanced intellectually than externally.

Next day I returned to Algoa Bay, and, after another conference with Captain Cloete, rejoined my friends on board the Brilliant. Here, from a variety of tantalizing circumstances, not worth recounting to the reader, though they tried our patience to the uttermost at the time, we were detained, swinging at anchor, till the 25th, when at length the party were enabled finally to disembark. We pitched our little camp, consisting of seven or eight tents, apart from any others, on a verdant spot surrounded by evergreen bushes, about half way between "Canvas Town" and the Government offices; and having brought all our

* Journal of a visit to South Africa: By the Rev. C. J. Latrobe. 2d. Edition, p. 291.

property from on board, including a suitable assortment of Scotch ploughs, cartwheels, and other implements of husbandry, iron ware, fire-arms, and similar essentials, we made our arrangements to wait for the arrival of the acting Governor, Sir Rufane Donkin, with whom it was necessary that I should have an interview, in order to fix upon the spot of our location.

Meanwhile, on purpose to occupy the time as pleasantly and profitably as circumstances would permit, I made an excursion to the district town of Uitenhage, about sixteen miles from the Bay, and to one or two other places in the vicinity; but the details of these little journeys, though I thought them at the time sufficiently interesting to be recorded in my MS. journal, may be here conveniently omitted. Others of our party made similar excursions; and even some of our ladies were so adventurous as to explore the thorny jungles on the Zwartkops River, in search of citron and orange groves. Their success in seeking for these and other productions indigenous to tropical Africa, was not, as may be supposed, very encouraging; for the southern extremity of that continent is almost equally barren as our own hyperborean clime of native fruits, though in the variety and excellence of its naturalized ones it is probably surpassed by no country in the world.

While we thus remained encamped at Algoa Bay, I became acquainted with some of the heads of emigrant parties, by meeting them at the tables of the naval and military officers, to which we were hospitably invited; and I soon found that almost all, including even the most intelligent men, were carried away by anticipations of the capabilities of the country scarcely less preposterous than the expectations of our friends who fancied they would find oranges and apricots growing wild among the thorny jungles of the Zwartkops. But perhaps a portion of this sanguine spirit, however liable to disappointment, is requisite, after all, to tear men from the ties of home and kindred and country, and from old habits more hard to break in many cases than even those sacred ties; and to bear them forward with courageous hearts, to encounter all the toils and perils and privations of a new settlement, in a strange and distant clime. There is a charm in adventurous enterprise that few are so apathetical as to be utter strangers to, but which to bold and buoyant spirits is altogether irresistible, and which never fails to array in the most fascinating colours whatever is connected with the undertaking they happen to have embarked in.

A rather remarkable occurrence, which happened during our sojourn here, suggested some serious reflections of another cast. The two pugnacious champions who had carried their polemical controversies to such a height of unchristian hostility on board the Brilliant, were both seized, though not simultaneously, with fatal distempers, soon after our arrival in the bay. The Wesleyan died on board, without even having an opportunity of setting his foot on that soil which he had longed so ardently to inhabit. His body was brought ashore and interred in the soldiers' desolate burying ground near the beach; his former antagonist assisting with heavy heart and tearful eyes at the funeral. A few days afterwards the Anabaptist also was taken ill. I saw him in his tent, on the sick bed from which he never again rose. He told me, with suppressed emotion, that he knew he was dying-expressed deep anxiety for his destitute family-and appeared as if there were something else pressing on his mind which he wished to unburthen; but we were interrupted, and I saw him no more. I supposed it might be some feeling of regret, in relation to the unhappy disputes of which I had been a witness. Both, however, I have every reason to believe, died forgiving each other their trespasses, as they hoped to be forgiven; and with a well-grounded hope (for, in spite of their failings, they were both persons of real piety) of receiving a more blessed inheritance than the earthly one from which Providence had so suddenly debarred them. Being the only individuals, out of two hundred conveyed hither by the Brilliant, who died at Algoa Bay, the event seemed to be viewed by their surviving associates as a stern and solemn rebuke for the

indulgence of that human pride and wrath “which worketh not the righteousness of God." At all events, the moral lesson was a striking one, and it apparently produced a deep and decidedly beneficial effect on the hot controversialists of both parties. They subsequently founded together a village in Albany, called Salem, and lived together, so far as I could learn, in Christian forbearance and good fellowship with each other. As a pleasing conclusion to the little story, I may mention, that about five years afterwards, the eldest son of the Calvinist and the daughter of the Wesleyan, who were mere children at the death of their parents, became husband and wife.

On the 6th of June, the acting governor, Sir Rufane Donkin, arrived at Algoa Bay on his return from Albany, whither he had gone to make arrangements for locating the settlers already arrived there, and for the reception of those proceeding thither. On the following morning I had an interview with him as representative of my party He informed me that it was proposed by Government, to locate the whole of the Scotch emigrants in the mountainous but fertile country watered by some of the eastern branches of the Great Fish River, and lying adjacent to the Caffer frontier. The upper part of the valley formed by the Bavian's River had been surveyed for the reception of myself and my associates; while the unoccupied territory to the eastward was destined for the five hundred Highlanders who were expected out under Captain Grant, and for a smaller party from the west of Scotland, who were understood to be on their voyage out. A town or village, to be called New Edinburgh, he added, was intended to be founded in a convenient situation, where a district magistrate and a clergyman of the Scottish church would be placed for the civil and religious benefit of the settlers. The Highlanders, moreover, were to be formed into a body of local militia, for the defence of that part of the frontier. Such was the plan proposed by the colonial authorities. It was now for me, he said, to decide whether I would accede on behalf of my party to that plan, or avail myself of the option allowed by the original scheme of the home government, to select a location among the English emigrants, in some other part of the disposable territory nearer the coast.

In reply, I told Sir Rufane, that the plan of associating the Scotch parties in the manner proposed was perfectly agreeable to myself, personally; but that as I intended to be strictly regulated in all matters of common interest by the general sentiments of the party, I must withhold my decision till I had consulted them. To this he did not object; but, with the prompt habits of a military man, required that our decision should be finally communicated to him in twenty minutes. This seemed rather hurried work to cautious and considerate Scotchmen; but as his excellency had probably some hundred affairs of a similar nature to arrange on the same forenoon, there might be reason good for military dispatch. In our case, as it happened, there was no difficulty. The unanimous vote was given at once for the Scottish association, "the Hills of Cahaberg and the Highland host beside us." In ten minutes I returned to Sir Rufane, reported progress, and received his order for our allotment of territory: and thus our destination was fixed.

The same forenoon we assisted at laying the foundation of the first house of a new town at Algoa Bay, designated by Sir Rufane "Port Elizabeth," after the name of his deceased wife, to whose memory, also, he afterwards erected an obelisk on one of the adjoining heights. In the course of ten years this place has grown up to be the second town in the colony, both for population and for commerce, and it is still rapidly increasing. Captain Moresby, of the navy, was the proprietor of the house then founded with much ceremony, and of which my party assisted to dig the foundation. The only other house then commenced, excepting the temporary offices and cabins already mentioned, was one erecting by a Malay named Fortuin, a Mahomedan,-now I believe one of the wealthiest inhabitants of the place.

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