The labours of Christian missionaries, particularly of the Moravian Brethren, have not been less successful in forming the Hottentot race to live under the influence of religious principle, and to fulfil the duties of civilized society. The progress of their disciples at Bavian's Kloof, so far back as the year 1798, is thus described by Mr Barrow :—" Early in the morning I was awakened by the noise of some of the finest voices 1 had ever heard ; and, on looking out, saw a group of female Hottentots sitting on the ground. It was Sunday ; and they had assembled thus early to chaunt the morning hymn. They were all neatly dressed in printed cotton gowns. A sight so very different from what we had hitherto been in the habit of observing, with regard to this unhappy class of beings, could not fail of being grateful ; and at the same time, it excited a degree of curiosity as to the nature of the establishment."—" 'These missionaries have succeeded in bringing together into one society more than six hundred Hottentots, and their numbers are daily increasing. These live in small huts dispersed over the valley, to each of which was assigned a patch of ground for raising vegeta bles. Those, who had first joined the society, had the choicest situations at the upper end of the valley near the church ; and their houses and gardens were very neat and comfortable ; numbers of the poor in England not so good, and few better. Those Hottentots, who chose to learn their respective trades, were paid for their labour as soon as they could earn wages. Some hired themselves out by the week, month, or year, to the neighbouring pea santry ; others made mats and brooms for sale. Some bred poultry ; and others found means to subsist by their cattle, sheep, and horses."—" On Sundays, they all regularly at tend the performance of divine service ; and it is astonish ing how ambitious they are to appear at church neat and clean.. Of the three hundred, or thereabouts, that com posed • the congregation, about half were dressed in coarse printed cottons, and the other half in the ancient sheep skin dresses ; and it appeared, on inquiry, that the former were the first who had been brought within the pale of the church; a proof that their circumstances at least had suf fered nothing from their change of The deport ment of the Hottentot congregation during divine service was truly devout. The discourse, delivered by one of the
fathers, was short, lint replete with good sense, pathetic, and well suited to the occasion : tears flowed abundantly from the eyes of those, to whom it was particularly ad dressed. The females sung in a style that was plaintive and affecting ; and their voices were in general sweet and harmonious." This establishment is described by Lich tenstein, little more than six years afterwards, as contain ing two hundred houses and huts, built in regular streets, and occupied by nearly 1100 Hottentots ; several of whom had become very expert in various kinds of iron work, particularly in the manufacture of knives. " The men are clothed in linen jackets and leather small clothes, and wear hats ; and the women have woollen petticoats, cotton jackets with long sleeves, and caps. Other missionaries have collected the wilder Hottentots in the more distant parts of the colony ; and have succeeded in instructing and civilizing them in various degrees, proportioned to the duration and circumstances of the different establishments. Even the Bosjesman Hottentots have been found, in places beyond the limits of the colony, to be a docile and tractable people, inoffensive in their manners, and extremely grate ful to their benefactors. The recovery of the colony by the British has at least secured to these defenceless tribes a protection from cruel oppression, and an encourage ment to every benevolent exertion for their benefit, which they never enjoyed tinder the Dutch government. See Sparrman's Voyage to the Cape of Good Hope. Pater son's Journies into the Country of the Hottentots. Bar row's Travels into the Interior of Southern ?frica. Camp bell's Travels in ?frica. Lichtenstein's Travels in Southern dfrica. (q)