nications of the missionaries with the government of the Cape, Mr. Campbell proceeded first to Bethelsdorp, about five hundred miles west of the Cape; from thence, northward to Graaf Reynet, then to Griqua town, and from thence to Lattakoo, a populous city scarcely known to Europeans: he after wards visited several tribes of people, some of whom had never before seen a white man; several of their chiefs expressed their readiness to receive christian instructors. Mr. Campbell then returned to Griqua town, and from thence travelled southward, parallel with the west coast of Africa, till, after a laborious and perilous journey of nine months, he reached Cape-town in health and safety.

establishment of a mission among | the Caffres, whom he first visited, he removed to Bethelsdorp near Algoa Bay, where, with the assistance of Mr. Read and others, he formed a settlement. To this spot he was directed by the Governor of the Colony, (General Jansens), who granted a portion of land, with cattle, and other requisites for the accomplishment of the object. Here a considerable village was formed, the knowledge of useful arts was introduced, and, as the primary object, the gospel of Jesus Christ was preached, and religious instruction afforded; so that, by the Divine blessing, a great number of the degraded Hottentots became sincere Christians and useful members of society. The progress and present state of this Having obtained the great obsettlement will appear in the follow-jects of his journey, and settled the ing pages. affairs of the Society in a satisfactory manner, Mr. Campbell sailed for England in the Brig Venus, Captain Kilgour, on the 12th of February, and arrived at Plymouth on the 4th of May, 1814. He immediately pressed forward to London, and arrived just in time to be present at the Anniversary Meeting of the Society, when he had an opportunity of gratifying numerous assemblies with a general, acconnt of his proceedings. He was received by the Society with grateful

By the diligent and zealous efforts of Dr. Vanderkemp, Messrs Kicherer, Anderson, Read, Ulbricht, | Albrecht, and other missionaries, the same plan was adopted in several other parts of South Africa, particularly at Zak River, Klaar Water, near the Great or Orange River, and in the Great and Lesser Namacqua

countries.

66

Considerable success, though in various degrees, crowned their labours. "At length it pleased God to re-pleasure, and the warmest thanks of move by death that valuable man the body were voted to him with who superintended the African mis- perfect unanimity. sions; when the Directors thought it expedient to request one of their own body, the Rev. John Campbell, to visit the country, personally to inspect the different settlements, and to establish such regulations, in concurrence with Mr. Read and the other missionaries, as might be most conducive to the attainment of the great end proposed the conversion of the heathen, keeping in view at the same time the promotion of their civilization.

"Mr. Campbell readily undertook, the arduous task. He sailed from England June 24, 1812, and arrived at the Cape on the 24th of October.

"After obtaining from his Excellency Sir John Cradock, letters of introduction to the several Landdrosts through whose districts he had occasion to pass, as well as all needful information from the Colonial Secretary, Henry Alexander, Esq. respecting the former commu

"By the earnest request of.the Society, Mr. Campbell was prevailed upon to transcribe for the press the substance of his journal; and the volume is now presented to the public as a memorial of his diligence, fortitude, and prudence, It is hoped that the work will be perused, not only by the Members of the Society, but by every Christian philanthropist, with pleasure and advantage."

After this explicit statement of the occasion of Mr. Campbell's Journey, we might now proceed to lay before our readers some account of the contents of the volume before us; but previous to entering upon that, it may not be wholly unnecessary to pause and enquire, how far we are authorized to receive with implicit confidence, the information with which it supplies us. In perusing books of travels, this is a point of no small consequence; for, who in the present day needs to be told, how

much the world has been imposed on | Mr. Campbell had an opportunity of

by hasty and inconsiderate travellers. Yet important as it is to settle this preliminary, it is in most instances a task of no easy adjustment. Mr. Campbell's publication, however, independent of his own amiable character, which is only known, or at least chiefly so, to the circle of his friends, furnishes some criteria which are of considerable consequence in this matter, and therefore require to be noticed,

seeing this last work while his own volume was in the press, he has in an Appendix subjoined some remarks on the statement of Lichtenstein, from which we extract the following paragraph.

"The report which Mr. Lichtenstein heard while his work was in the press, of Dr. V. having married a very young slave, whose freedom with that of her mother's he had purchased, is correct; but the rest of the report I believe to be incorrect, viz. that they did not live together as man and wife, for he has left behind him, by her, two fine boys, one I think about eight years of age and the other six, to whom and their mother he has bequeathed his property. The truth is, the Doctor was an eccentric man and did eccentric things, which it is not my business to vindicate." p. 575.

The reader has already seen that our author's journey was undertaken in consequence of the loss which the Missionary Society had sustained by the death of Dr. Vanderkemp, who after a residence of thirteen years, amongst the Hottentots in South Africa, where he was the honoured instrument of planting several missionary stations, and communicating the light of the gospel to many individuals in that benighted region, was This is sufficient for our present suddenly snatched from them to- purpose. Mr. Campbell's concludwards the close of the year 1811. ing remark, which we have printed We believe it was generally allowed in Italic, proves two things: the first that Dr. Vanderkemp was on several accounts the most useful, and valuable missionary which our Society at home could boast, and the loss of him was deeply and severely felt. Soon after the news of his decease had reached this country, a short Memoir of him was published "by order of the directors of the Missionary ociety," in which his various useful labours were recounted, and the excellencies of his character dilated on with considerable amplitude of illustration. He is called " a truly apostolic man," (Memoir, p. 33)-a man "in whom the Society could repose the fullest confidence, and whose judgment was not inferior to his zeal" p. 35, with much more to the same effect, which we forbear to quote. Now it so happens that a quarto Volume has recently been published in this country, entitied

Travels in Southern Africa, by Henry Lichtenstein," a German gentleman, who has indulged himself in some pretty free observations respecting the Missionaries in Africa, and amongst other particulars, has animadverted upon the character of Dr. Vanderkemp and the missionary station at Bethelsdorp, exhibiting both of them in a point of view very different from that in which they are placed in the Memoir of Dr. V. As

is that the picture which is drawn of the Doctor in the Memoir," does not exhibit a fair likeness of the original; the colours are overcharged; it borders upon puffing! The second is, that Mr. Campbell is no party man; he prefers truth to the pleasure which it might otherwise afford him of vindicating all the proceedings of the missionaries. We honour him for his conduct, and the impartiality which he has on this occasion evinced, lays a foundation for our confidence in his narrative throughout the volume. We have another instance of Mr. Campbell's fairness and candour, when speaking of the colony of Bethelsdorp, which deserves regard.

66

During my residence at Cape-town," says he," after my arrival, and when on my journey to Bethelsdorp, I heard many unfavourable reports concerning that missionary settlement, especially concerning the wretchedness of their habitations, the idleness of the people, the want of civilization, the diminution of the property of those who joined it, and its being a seat of debauchery. On my arrival there, I must confess that, neither the appearance the expectations I had formed when in of the place, nor of the people came up to Europe. In order that the Society and the public may have documents on which to form their sentiments, how far the missionaries are to be justified or condemned,

I shall subjoin the substance of my inves-
tigation of these matters."
Here again we appreciate the ex-
cellence of Mr. Campbell's character
and the value of his information.
He lays before us documents which
enable us to come at the naked truth;
and having done that, aware that
they will not justify the exaggerated
statements which had been previously
laid before the friends of the mission,
he thus closes the article.

Though I cannot say all I should wish to be able to say, in favour of Bethelsdorp in a civil point of view, yet the above facts will be pleasing to the minds of the unprejudiced, and induce them soon to expect to hear of greater things.

prove acceptable to such of our readers, as have not access to the work itself, and with them we close for the present; in a future article we shall finish our account of the volume.

"About midnight we came to the head of the descent which leads down to Bethelsdorp. Though the moon was risen yet still it was dark, in consequence of the heavens being overspread with thick clouds. However, I soon understood that we approached near to the settlement, by some of our people firing their mus kets, as signals of our arrival, which were the settlement. Many of the young peo soon answered by some discharges from ple, in high spirits, came out to meet us: with many others, came and gave us a then Mr. Read, and the other brethren, From the solitary road hearty welcome. on which we had heen travelling, a concourse of people, and the sound of many felt as if instantaneously introduced into voices, produced a peculiar sensation. I a new world. On reaching Mr. Read's house, many surrounded it, in order to see the strangers who had come from afar.

little that night, for I heard them running suppose some of the young people slept about at three o'clock in the morning, after which I fell asleep.

"No man who knows any thing of the Moravians will condemn them for want of exertion to improve their people in civilization; yet in visiting their settlements, you will find Hottentots in their original, native, scanty skin dress, the same as at Bethelsdorp, and living in as mean houses; and you will hear the missionaries speaking with regret concerning the indolence of many of the settlers. Truth however obliges me to confess, that had the founder of Bethelsdorp (Dr. Vanderkemp,) been more aware of the importance of civilization, there might at "March 20. About sun-rise the bell least have been more external appear-called the people to worship in the meetance of it than there now is. He seems to have judged it necessary, rather to imi-ing house; the service continued a little tate the savage in appearance, than to induce the savage to imitate him-perhaps, considering his conduct countenanced by what Paul says, of his hecoming all things to all men, that he might gain some. The Doctor would appear in public without hat, stockings or shoes, and probably without a coat. I leave it to commentators to determine how far that passage did or did not countenance his practice; but I never heard of any other missionary following his example.

"I know that the flying reports against Bethelsdorp in the colony, have been skipped off to London by gentlemen of various casts; and though some of them can say that they have seen Bethelsdorp, which naturally gives currency to their reports, yet I must say that I never heard of one man (though I made inquiry), who ever remained a sufficient time to know what Bethelsdorp really was. Had the ground on which the village stands been fertile enough to raise trees and gardens, this would have satisfied most; they would have written in praise of the beauties of Bethelsdorp; but glory to God, Bethelsdorp has been the birth place of many a child of God, many an heir of eternal life; yet this indubitable fact is seldom put into the opposite scale.

The following extracts, relating to Bethelsdorp, will, we have no doubt,

more than half an hour. At ten o'clock the church and congregation assembled, when, after praise, prayer, and reading of the scriptures, Mr. Wimmer delivered sitting, as our Lord did when he preached an animated discourse, not standing, but in the synagogue of Nazareth, (Luke iv. 20.) The assembly was large and attentive. In the afternoon, a Hottentot, a member of the church, began the service by engaging in prayer, and when they had sung an hymn, any member of the church who chose being permitted to give with much modesty and propriety. After a word of exhortation, a Hottentot spoke uniting again in prayer and praise the people were dismissed, when the members had what they called a love feast, each person having a cup of coffee poured cuit given him, which was done without out to him from a kettle, and a small bisthe smallest bustle or confusion. During the brethren, after which I mentioned a this, several short remarks were made by few things which I thonght might interest them. We then celebrated the Lord's first day of the week. supper together, as is their custom every When the wine

began to be distributed, they sung an This ordinance was short, yet very anihymn, after which the church separated. mating.

"In the evening they met for worship, when Mr. Corner, a black, from the West

|

dorp just in time for their evening wor-
ship. Thermometer at noon, sixty-two.
Was in conversation with the brethren
till three o'clock in the morning.

Indies, led the service. Though sent out
by the Missionary Society but little more
than a year ago, he has made such pro-
gress in the Dutch language, that he can
already exhort in it. He
a carpenter
by trade, has two or three apprentices,
and is a useful member of the commu-
nity.

"24th. Mr. Read has a meeting with twenty or thirty children, every evening a short time before the meeting for worship, when he asks them a few questions. This meeting arose from his examining his own children; other children came, then

it is wholly voluntary on the part of the young people. When we came to the door of the small house where these children were waiting for Mr. Read, they were singing a hymn together-we listened behind the door with much pleasure till they had finished. I understood all the questions that were asked, and the answers given to them, though in Dutch, and was much pleased. Kaje, a young female Hottentot, who is one of this little meeting, is an orphan, eleven years of age, who lived at George, about a fortnight's journey distant from Bethelsdorp; but after Mr. Read had preached there a while, she cried so much to accompany him home, that he was obliged to take her, with the consent of her friends, and she now lives in his house as one of the family. Thermometer at noon, eighty.

21st. I had heard much against Bethelsdorp since my arrival in Africa, and I must confess it has a most miserable ap-more, till it arrived at its present statepearance as a village. The houses are mean in the extreme, and apparently very irregularly placed; they say, however, that the huts were arranged according to a plan, which I believed after it was pointed out to me, but in consequence of some having fallen down, and their owners having built elsewhere, others having gradually decayed in consequence of the people leaving them to go into the service of the farmers, and others of the inhabitants being called to public service, the original plan has been completely deranged, and now it appears as irregularly built as either the city of Norwich or town of Manchester. The ground on which it stands is barren in the extreme, so that nothing green is to be seen near the houses; this also adds to the gloominess of the village. Neither trees nor gardens are to be seen to relieve the eye; but all this arises from the total want of good water on their ground, except in the barren spot where the village stands. In consequence of the miserable appearance of the village, the settlers are by many people reported to be extremely indolent.

"That there are indolent people at Bethelsdorp, as well as in all other places, especially in South Africa, I have no doubt; but from what I have seen and heard, I believe there are also many who are industrious and active. People in general make no allowance for their early habits of indolence in the houses of boors, where they have very little real work to employ their time, and few people who call there ever enquire what work is performed or what ground is cultivated. I visited their farms in the afternoon, which lie about a mile and a half distant, on Little Zwartkops River. I found there, ground cultivated on both sides of the river for upward of two miles. Indeed I had not seen so much cultivated land in any part of Africa where I had yet been-three times more than is to be seen at Bavian's Kloof, or at the old missionary station, commenced at Bethelsdorp ; but the soil is still better than at Bavian's Kloof,

"After riding along the cultivated ground, I came to the oxen, which had just been driven home for the night, Except in Smithfield, I had never seen so many together; indeed, I remarked that we had now arrived at the metropolis of those animals. We returned to Bethels

"26th. In the afternoon, Cobus, who is blind, and his wife, came from four hours distance with their child to be baptized on the morrow. They are both members of the church at Bethelsdorp. The wife knew the Lord first, and soon after Cobus was deprived of his sight, God opened the eyes of his understanding, and he says he never was so happy as since he believed in Jesus. Indeed, from the pleasant smile on his countenance when he spake of the Saviour, peace was evidently within. He remarked that Jesus had hitherto kept him from falling, and he trusted he would keep him to the end, and bring him to his heavenly kingdom and glory. His wife said, that she had obtained this child from the Lord, and wished to give her to him againthat she had no wish that her child should be great or rich, but she wished she might have grace, and be a child of God.

"27th. Mr. Corner preached to us in the morhing, after which the whole congregation walked down to the river, when two children were baptized by brother Wimmer. He stood in the middle of the little river, holding the child, and pouring water upon its head, he pronounced the usual words, after which the surrounding assembly sung a hymn. The service appeared to be impressive. The many young Hottentots around, as well as the elder, behaved with great propriety.

"On returning home, a person whom Dr. Vanderkemp redeemed from slavery only five years ago, followed me to my room, Among other things which she