A narrative of the first introduction of Christianity amongst the Barolong tribe of Bechuanas, South Africa : with a brief summary of the subsequent history of the Wesleyan Missions to the same people

Front matter

6 . /?./^

1^;> PRINCETON, N.J. ^

1867.

Chapter I

Occupied in Missionary Labour in Namacqualand — Eeceived Information from the Missionary Committee, London, to proceed to the Bechuana Coimtry — Delayed by Drought in the Desert — Thundershowers — Enter upon the Journey — Leave Reed Mount — Quaggas and Zebras in the Deaert— x\ccident to the Wagon while descending a steep Hill — Joined by our Conductors — Bad Water — Awful Desert — Arrive on the third Day at Water and Grass — Kabbas — Arrive at the Orange River — Proceed eastward — Intense Heat — Cross to the North Side — Sudden Tlood — Griqua.

After having been occupied as a Wesleyan-Methodist Missionary at Cape Town, witli tlie Rev. B, Shaw, I joined the Rev. E. Edwards in Little Namacqualand. In the midst of our work, among the Hottentots at Khamies Berg and Reed Fountain, I received instructions from the Missionary Committee, in London, to attempt the formation of a Mission station in the Bechuana country. Immediately, without conferring " with flesh and blood," I commenced preparation for the arduous journey, in which I was to be accompanied by my wife and child, and maidservant.

We were told that; owing to long- continued drought, it would be impossible to cross the desert that lay between us and the Great River, until rain fell. We remained, therefore, at Reed Fountain nearly three months ; where.

and at some adjacent places, I and my wife found work to do, among half-castes, Hottentots, and Bushmen, and were greatly encouraged with the success given by the Divine blessing to our efforts. Those among them who gave evidence of having received the grace of God in truth, were recommended to join the station at Khamies Berg, where they would have the means of grace, and be under pastoral care.

From that place, Mr. Edwards sent me word that thunder- showers had begun to fall in the desert to the north ; and that a wagon had arrived from the Great Biver, and would in a short time return. On receiving this information, I rode over to Khamies Berg, and entered into an arrangement with the owners of the wagon, that they should convey me and my family to the Great River, and that one of them should drive our oxen to Griqua Town.

All things being ready, we departed from Reed Mount, amid the regrets and tears of the people; pome of whom accompanied us a day's journey, and remained until we set forward on the following morning.

We travelled through a barren and desolate land, in which we saw no living creature beside our own party, except when the quagga or zebra passed ; reminding us, in their lonely course, of some impressive imagery of the Hebrew prophets. (Jer. ii. 24, and Hos. viii. 9.)

On the third day we had to descend a steep ridge ; the wagon bounding from rock to rock, sometimes down a step of between one and two feet deep. A long strap was tied to the top of the tilt, the other end of which I held in my hand, in order that when I saw the wagon sway, I might endeavour to prevent it upsetting. When descending one of these steps, the chain which locked the hind wheels broke, and I was drawn with my chest against the wheel so violently, as to give me much pain at the time, and leave mischief from which I suffered for years afterwards. When the accident happened, we were not far from the bottom of the slope ; and, though the oxen were unable to check

CHAPTER I. 3

its descent, the wagon with, its passengers providentially escaped injury.

Whilst delayed a few days, repairing the damage - our wagon had received, we were joined by the party who had come from the Great River and by a border farmer, or Boor, who, hearing of our exjDedition, availed himself of the opportunity of crossing the desert in our company. His errand was to barter with the people dwelling near the Great River.

January 1st, 1822, on the border of the desert, was one of the most uncomfortable days that I spent in Africa The heat was almost past endurance, the wind blew in strong gusts, bringing suffocating clouds of dust from the sea of sand around us ; even an ostrich that passed us, ran with open mouth, as if gasping for breath. As the sun declined, our oxen were yoked ; and, about evening twilight, we arrived at a spring of water. Its taste and smell were very bad, and both men and cattle that drank of it suffered severely ; the latter writhing in the yoke with pain.

Yv"e had two teams of oxen ; and, about midnight, changed one for the other in the yoke, and again at the dawn of morning. "We cast our eyes around upon "a waste howling wilderness," with not an object to relieve the gaze, except a fleet zebra which crossed our track, with head erect, nostrils distended, and seeming hardlj'- to touch the ground as he sped along. Long before noon, the heat and lurid glare reflected from the sand became intolerable. At mid-day we came to a hollow where rain-water was expected to be found ; but we were disappointed. The oxen lowed, the goats bleated, and the horses became piteously tame, following us as if imploring that we would quench their thirst. After two hours' rest, and having prepared a little coffee, with water we had taken in a barrel, we set forward. A second night was spent 'in wearisome journeying through sand. At intervals, the drivers of the loose cattle called out that a goat had fainted, and we stopped to take it on one of the wagons :

B 2

•4! POUNDING OP THE BECHTTANA MISSION.

then, that such an ox would not travel any more! As light came the second morning, we gazed round upon the horizon, but nothing appeared except the same dismal waste. A low eminence is before us ; our eyes are fixed upon it, hoping that when it is reached, some relief will be presented by a different view. We ascend : our prospect is indeed extended, but it has the same sickening aspect ; sand, sand, and nothing besides !

When the third night came, we made slow progress, as our draught oxen were nearly exhausted. The coolness of the night refreshed them, and they began to draw heartily as if in hope ; and indeed in the morning we found ourselves among low bushes and grass. The late rain had fallen here, and a fountain of water gushed from the mountain-side ! O, it was delicious ! It was as life from the dead. The cattle drank freely, and then browsed on the tufted grass which had sprung up since the rain.

The ]3ain in my right side now became very acute, so that I could not lie upon it, nor find rest. The Boor who had joined our party, complained at the same time of distressing head-ache, and said that bleeding had relieved him on former occasions, and he had no doubt would again now. As I thought the same treatment would also be of service to me, we agreed to operate on each other. My medicine-chest supplied the lancets. We uncovered om* arms, and I proceeded to bleed the farmer, who then performed the same kind office for me, and both were much relieved. I have little doubt, that if this bleeding could have been followed by suitable medicine, diet, and rest, I should have escaped the sufferings I had subsequently toendure. We rested nearly a week at this oasis to refresh ourselves and the cattle. We found that the rain-cloud had proceeded in a line stretching east and west, and had fallen upon a strip of land from two to three miles broad^ which appeared as a beautiful green belt on the earth. How many miles it reached in length, from the shore of the Atlantic eastward, we had no means of ascertaining. We

CHAPTER I. 5

saw several flocks of divers species of tlie antelope feasting upon tlie herbage and grass. On either side of this belt the ground was dry and barren. As our route was from south to north, on setting forth again we soon left this, verdure, and again entered upon the desert, across which we travelled, fifteen or sixteen hours, to a place call Kabbas, where there is a remarkable range of perpendicular rocks, looking as if reft asunder, and left standing a few yards apart from each other. Proceeding about half a mile amongst these rocks, and digging a hole in the sand between them, I thrust down an iron ramrod, which was moist when drawn up again ; a sign that there was water beneath. So we dug deeper in the sand until the water collected.

The earnestness with which we dug, the manner in which the water sprang, and the gratification we enjoyed at our success, forcibly reminded me of the Israelites in the wilderness : " Then Israel sang this song, Spring up, O well ; sing ye unto it : the princes digged the well, the nobles of the people digged it, by the dii-ection of the law-;- giver, with their staves." (Num. xxi. 17.)

After drinking, and filling our vessels to bear to the wagons, we sloped the descent to the water, and drove our oxen down, two at a time, having now and then to open the place again with our spades, as their feet had trodden in the sand. Thus we proceeded until all of them had drunk. We sent on the loose cattle immediately, and then yoked -those which drank the last, and followed them. The poor animals seemed to understand the necessity of the case, and were very docile and tractable.

"We had to make another great effort before arriving at the river, towards which our course was directed. Again we had to dig for water; but too deep for the oxen to -descend ; so we brought it to them in pails, and sent them on as they drank. We travelled the whole night ; and as the next morning dawned, we could see in the distance tefore us a dark coloured band, which, my driver said, was

6 FOUNDING or THE BECHUANA MISSION.

formed by the trees growing at the Great River. We were a long time gradually descending towards it, over hard bare ground on which the few remains of bushes were black, as if they had been burnt with fire. The people at the river said there had been no rain there during the past three years ! Their cattle subsisted on the herbage growing on the brink of the river.

It was rather amusing to witness how oxen, goats, dogs, and men rushed to the stream as soon as liberated, and seemed as if they would draw up the river, so eagerly they di*ank of it. For myself, I both drank and threw off my garments and plunged into it. The heat out of the wateiwas intense, so that even flies, which we afterwards found so troublesome in the Bechuana land, did not exist here ! The tube of my thermometer having been broken on the way, I was not able to learn the degree of temperature ; but the ground become so hot at mid-day that our dogs howled to set their feet on it, and I lost six oxen with sore feet.

Our route noAV was to the east, up the banks of the Orange River, keeping as near to it as the ground would admit, and often catching sight of the hippopotami, which are numerous hereabouts. We crossed to the north side at Bishop's Ford, and then entered the region of the notorious Africaaner, once a cruel marauder, but afterwards a humble Christian, of whom an account has been published by the Rev. R. Moffat.

We soon had cause to be thankful that we had crossed the river ; for one day, when there had been no previous signs of any change, the river suddenly increased to a great flood, bearing along on its turbid waters branches, trees, and much debris tow^ards the sea. We arrived at the home of our guides and helpers, where, after a short rest, we left all except Paul Englcbrecht, who had engaged to di'ivc my wagon to Griqua, On leaving the river we again entered a dry and thirsty land, and had a long and arduous journey to AVhite Water Fountain, and then to Griqua Town.

CHAPTEH II.

Griqua — Illness — Death of Child and Funeral — Journey to Reed's Ford — Stony Ground — "VVinterfeld and Sneewberg — Rev. A. Faure — Stay at Graaff Reinett, and Illness — Rev. A. Faure's Hospitality and Kindness— Visit of Rev. ^Villiara Shaw— Of Rev. ^Y. Threlfall— Lepers — Removal of Mr. Faure to Cape Town- — Arrival of Rev. T. L. Hodgson.

At Griqua Town we were kindly welcomed by tlie Rev. Mr. Holm and Hs wife, of the London Missionary Society ; also by Mr. Melville, Colonial Government Resident. Here also we met tbe Rev. S. Kay and wife, whom I had been sent to join in an endeavour to commence a Mission among the Bechuanas. I soon found that his views of the state of the country were by no means in favour of the attempt. Mrs. Kay, too, was then unfit to travel, l^ot long after our arrival, my dear wife was delivered of a son, who died in about twenty-four hours after his birth. I was taken very ill, and endured great suffering. It was with difficulty that I could leave my wife on her couch when our baby's remains were carried to the grave. However, with the assistance of one of the brethren, and a stick in my hand, I accompanied them to the place of interment, where the Rev. H. Holm performed the funeral service. I tarried to witness the filling up the grave, during which I observed several small slabs or boards, marking the place where the mortal remains of individuals formerly at the station had been buried.

After nearly two months' delay, my illness increasing, and my strength gone, I was advised to accompany Mr. and Mrs. Kay in the journey they were about to take into the Albany District, and seek medical help at the nearest station where it could be obtained. We therefore left Griqua Town in their company, crossed the Orange River at Reed's Ford, and soon entered into the colonial boundaries.

8 FOUNDING OF THE BECHTJAKA MISSION.

I felt it a disappointment, and trial to my faith, to be necessitated to take this retrograde movement, even before visiting the country and people to whom I had been sent. However, my temporary sojourn in Griqua Town was not in vain in reference to the Bechuana Mission ; for I obtained there information respecting the tribes of that people, which led to the course subsequently taken by another colleague, who joined me v/hen partially recovered, with whom I returned as a pioneer, at least, to the people on whom my heart had been set.

Our journey from the Great River was over a rocky country, on which our wagon jolted so much as to occasion me excruciating pain, and had frequently to be stopped to allow a little respite ; indeed, my companions thought my life was ebbing out, and they would have to dig a grave for me in the desert. Our route was through Winterfeld and Sneewberg, where we had stormy and very cold weather. After twenty- six days of painful travelling, we arrived at Graaff Reinett.

The Rev. A. Faure, Dutch clergyman of the R-eformed Church, having been informed of the approach of our wagons, and of my affliction, rode out to meet us. He turned his horse to my wagon, and, after a few introductory remarks, said, *' However mysterious the providence of God may appear, in removing Missionaries from spheres of usefulness, yet the Divine government is doubtless conducted on principles of infinite v/isdom ; and though we may prefer to serve God rather than to suffer, yet, perhaps, the Divine Being is as much glorified by the jjassive as by the active graces." These sentiments, though not new, were, in the circumstances in which I then heard them, as a cordial to my spirits.

As we drew near the town, this Christian pastor, and, to me, angel of mercy, directed the driver of the oxen to the yard of the manse, then rode forward, and, with his excellent lady, was ready to receive and welcome us to their hospitable mansion on our arrival at the gate. In a few

Chapter II. 9

■days Mr. and Mrs. Kay proceeded to Graham's Town, and eventually entered into tlie Kafl&r Mission.

An English surgeon, resident in Graaff E-einett, saw me the morning after my arrival, and continued his professional attendance during my stay. He wondered how I had survived the severity of my disease, and attributed it, under God, to my good constitution, but could not conceal his apprehension of a fatal issue. One evening the crisis seemed to have come, and those about me thought that I could not survive another night, and some of the servants sat up, expecting that they would have to prepare my body for burial. My dear wife knelt at the bed side, watering it with her tears; but commending me to the grace of God, and imploring His protection and blessing in her widowed state, in a strange land. Then, I believe, He gave me back to her. What my attendants thought to be death, was a doze, in which I seemed to see bright spirits gliding to and fro, among whom I recognised several whom I had known in England, who had " died in the Lord." At length my consciousness returned, or I awoke from sleep, in a sweet calm and peace of mind. The report got out that I was dead; but I remember I fell into a train of reasoning to the effect that if the Lord pleased I would gladly join those happy spirits in Paradise ; but if it were His will to spare me, as I was not yet thirty years of age, and permit me to labour in His work, and especially in the Mission field, I might spend forty years in that work before I should arrive at threescore years and ten. Such thoughts occupied my mind. I desired to live to preach the Gospel to the heathen, and, thank God, He permitted me to return to the native tribes in the Bechuana country! The Missionary Notices for February, 1823, contain a letter from me to the Committee, dated August 20th, 1822, giving an account of partial recovery, and of the Rev. A. Paure's kindness to me, which they recorded in the following minute, a copy of which was sent by the Secretary to the E/ev. W. Shaw, Chaii-man of the District. " Read a letter from Mr. Broadbent, giving an account of his late sickness. He mentions particularly the kindness of the Rev. A. Faure, Dutch Minister of Graaff Reinett, at whose house he was entertained with his family, and nursed gratuitously four months.

" Resolved. That a letter of thanks be written to the Rev. A. Faure, for this very generous act of Christian kindness, and that Mr. William Shaw be requested to present him with twenty guineas from the Committee,, or, if he should think that it would be more agreeable to Mr. Faure's feelings to receive presents to that amount, Mr. Shaw be authorized to j)resent such articles as he may think most acceptable to a family living in South Africa.'*

This acknowledgment of the Committee was duly appreciated by myself and family. Mr. Shaw came over from Graham's Town to see us, and make his respects to my generous host. It is due to that excellent Minister to record also, that, in the spirit of his previous disinterestedness, he returned the twenty guineas in a donation to the Society.

Here, also, I was visited by another Christian brother, who had come from Albany on purpose to show his sympathy, and offer any assistance in his power. This was the late Rev. William Threlfall, the particulars of whose visit are published in his Memoirs, — " The Missionary Martyr of Namacqualand."

While we were in GraaiF Reinett, a company of poor lepers, of both sexes, arrived, who had been collected by orders of the Government, from different ports, and were on their way to an institution prepared for them, medical attendance being provided, and a Missionary appointed to attend them. As they sat or lay round a fire kindled beneath some trees near the Sunday River, they exhibited all the horrible signs and ravages of their fearful disease, and made a gi'oup more utterly pitiable and wretched than any I had ever seen. It was humane and Christian to make provision for them.

CHAPTER 11. II

As the Rev. A. Faure had received an appointment to Cape Town, before his departure from Graaff Reinett, I requested permission to make some remuneration for theexpenses to which he must have been put on our account ; but this in the most affectionate manner he firmly declined. Being quite overcome with tender and grateful emotions, I withdrew, and attempted to give some expression to my sense of obligation in a letter, which I put into the hand of Mrs. Faure on their leaving, I received a reply while they were on the road, breathing the same Christian charity which characterized Mr. Faure's previous conduct. He said, " I have only done what was my duty. Indeed, the obligation is on my part ; I am grateful for the profitable conversations which I have had with my afflicted guest," &c., with many expressions of regard of which I felt quite unworthy.

Having been about six months in Graaff Reinett, my eyes and heart were gladdened by the sight of my brother, the Rev. T. L. Hodgson, and his excellent wife, who had, come by way of Algoa Bay and Graham's Town, to be my associates to the Bechuana country.

My convalescence, though not perfect, was such that personally I felt no hesitation as to engaging in the enterprise. Mr. H. and myself consulted with the medical gentleman who had attended me while here. He expressed himself cautiously, said it was possible that a change of air, and the journey, if I did not exert myself too much, might conduce to perfect my recovery. However, my heart was in the work, and I counted not my life dear to me, if I might go, though but in the rough duty of a pioneer, into that country. I had obtained much information concerning the route, people, &c., and was as familiar with the Portuguese and Dutch languages as the English. So, hoping for the best, and trusting in God, v/e prepared for tha journey.

Chapter III

Leave GraafFKeinett — Sneewberg — Bushman Land — Pliilippolis — Craddock River — j\l adder River, and the Vaal, or Yellow River — Campbell Dorp — Griqua Town — Links Fountain and Tiger — Loss of Sheep.

We hired two half-castes as wagon drivers, and their •wives to accompany us, together with people to lead and tend onr oxen. These persons had entered into a written agreement in the presence of the Landrost, Sir. A. Stockelnstroom, who kindly addressed them on their duties. On November 1st, 1822, we left Graaff Reinett, with three ■wagons, one occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Hodgson, their little daughter and nurse ; one by myself, wife, son, and a servant girl; and the third by the wives of our two principal drivers. Our party included in all sixteen persons. The first night we rested at the foot of Sneewberg; next day we ascended the mountain, and x3roceeded to the place of M. Yan Heeran, one of the elders of the Dutch Church at Graaff Reinett, with whom, and his excellent wife and family, I became acquainted, while the guest of their Pastor, the Rev. A. Faure. Their manners, intelligence, and piety, were of a much higher standard than those exhibited by the generality of the Dutch farmers in this country. They kindly welcomed and hosj^itably entertained us at their house.

One of the days we spent here was Sunday, on which, at their request, I preached in the Dutch language to them, and a few other neighbouring families, and their servants, forming with our people a good congregation. My heart was glad at once more entering upon the work in which I had previously enjoyed so much spiritual good; it warmed -also with the subject, founded on 1 John i. 9. So that I

CHAPTER III. IS*

exerted myself beyond my strength, and felt feverisli and very unwell tlie rest of the day, but was better after a night's rest.

Graaif R-einett, where our friends went to public worship, being a great distance from their residence, they were obliged to leave home on Saturday, and spend the night in town, and return on the Sunday afternoon. This was the custom of the family when the weather permitted. Doubtless there were other families in the district, who would seldom incur so much trouble. On this account, they were desirous of getting a Minister among them, and of building a church. Before leaving them, I was asked, very respectfully, if I would consent to become their Predikant, Minister, and they would enter upon preliminary steps to secure what was necessary and desirable. I thanked them for this expression of their regard, and hoped ere long they would succeed in getting a Pastor located among them, but said that my call was to the heathen, ia the regions beyond.

At this season of the year the air was pleasantly cool on:, the mountain, but was perceptibly warmer as we descended,, and very warm in the plains. We purchased of Mr. Yan Heeren a few sheep and goats, and two cows, for food by the way, then proceeded on our journey, followed by many good wishes and prayers for our welfare.

One morning, while in the Bushman flats, our men returning with the cattle brought also a young zebra, which must have been foaled during the night : we left it for its dam to find when we were gone.

On the 15th we forded the Cradock River, a fine broad stream, which joins with the Yaal and forms the Great Orange River, after which our oxen had hard work to draw the wagons through the deep sand.

Sunday, the 17th, we spent atPhilippolis, a Mission Station connected with the London Society, so-named after Dr. Philip, general Superintendent of those Missions in South Africa. A Native Teacher, named Jan Goeman, was stationed liere. On the subject of " Native Teachers," having met with four or five of them on the Great River, and Griqua Land, in connexion with the London Society's Missions, I take the freedom to remark, that, while I Ibelieve that eventually the Gospel will be propagated by feuch in their own country ; men who, in the first instance, have been converted to the faith of Christ, by God's blessing on the evangelical ministrations of European Missionaries ; yet it is of the utmost importance, both to them, and to the great cause of Missions itself, that much care should be taken in their selection, " to lay hands suddenly on no man," that their personal piety should have attained maturity and stability ; their natural and acquired gifts be respectable, and their knowledge of sacred Scripture be such that they can both teach and defend the truth. They will need also, for a long time, and some of them always, the fraternal oversight of European Pastors. I may here remark, further, that extensive observation has confirmed my conviction that, for the most successful use of native agency, and for avoiding the scandal caused by frequent instances of Missionaries, as well as Native Teachers, forsaking their work to enter upon secular pursuits, there is needed an ecclesiastical system, which associates its ministers and churches in the closest fellowship, and provides for all an effective and acknowledged oversight.

Before leaving Philippolis, we engaged two more men, to assist in driving the loose cattle; one of them a half-breed, who became a great annoyance to us, until we were obliged to part with him. The other was a simple-hearted and cheerful Bushman ; but his services we also lost through the misbehaviour of his fellow- servant.

Our route was along by the Modder river, which has many deep pools in its bed, and abounds with wild geese and other water-fowl. Leaving this to the north, we arrived on the 2nd of December at the Yaal, which we

CHAPTER III. 15

found roiling a miglity and muddy stream of water. This river, tliougli at the time deep, wide, and rapid, we were obliged to cross, as we were told that, owing to the rains in the interior, it would continue in its present state for two months, at least. "We therefore set to work, and collected trunks and branches of trees, to construct a raft, by fastening them together with twisted willows. This raft was made sufficiently high to allow for the depth that it would sink in the water when loaded. We had obtained the assistance of several Griquas, kindly sent by the Rev. Mr. Sass from Campbell; and, all things being ready, myself, wife, child, and servant mounted the raft, taking with us a few light boxes containing necessary articles, and three of the wagon wheels. Ten or a dozen men shoved off the raft into deep water, pushing it before them with one hand as they swam. The stream carried .us down, and when we came to the middle of the river, vour raft began to rock, and the water to splash upon ■us far more than was either comfortable or safe. The ;swimmers shouted, and put forth their utmost strength ; so that, after many fears, by God's mercy, this dangerous ^^oyage was accomplished, and we reached the opposite bank of the river about two miles below the place whence we started.