which continued for many years to bear the name of Baviaan’s
Kloof, until it received the more applicable one of Genadendal
(Grace Vale), while that of Baviaan’s Kloof is retained for the adjoining
pass over the mountains, being its ancient denomination.
Kuhnel had died previously to our visit; but other missionaries
had at different times beeh sent out to reinforce the remainder;
and a part of these, at the invitation of the Governor, had founded,
in the year 1808, a similar settlement at Groene Kloof (the Green
Pass), a place about midway between Cape Town and Saldanha
Bay.*
12th. This morning my curiosity was much gratified, on viewing
the place by day. light. Its secluded situation, in a pleasant
valley, surrounded by bold and lofty mountains, perfectly accorded
with the purpose for which it was chosen. ' At the head of the
valley were erected all the principal buildings. At one end of
a small green stood the Church f , built in 1797, and which, by
its height, was the most conspicuous object in the settlement. It
was a plain, oblong, white building, covered with a thatched roof of
a very sharp pitch, but without a steeple. On both sides were four
large glazed windows, and at each end two. Its interior was plain
and neat; the walls were white-washed, and the ceiling was supported
by two strong, though rather clumsy, pillars of masoniy.
The whole area, which was considered by the brethren to be large
enough to accommodate an auditory of from eight hundred to a
* Of these two-institutions, a full and interesting account may.be seen in the
Rev. C. J. Latrobe’s “ Journal of a Visit to South Africa, in 1815 and 1816.”
f The Vignette, at the beginning of this chapter, gives a view of the Church on the
southern and eastern sides. The hedge, and trees beyond it, form part of the missionaries’
garden. Some of the lower mountains, which extend from the Baviaan’s Klooi
westward, are seen in the back-ground; they are covered with bushes and a great variety
of plants, and have an appearance of verdure intermingled with rocks. The trees on the
right are part of a beautiful grove of oaks, planted soon after the re-establishment of the
mission; and the two before the church are chesnuts (Castanea vesca). The figures represent
Hottentots in their ordinary working dress. A little to the right, but out of this
picture, are the dwelling-houses and buildings of the mission; above which the mountains
of the Kloof appear at a great elevation.
thousand persons, was covered with long benches ; one-half of which
was appropriated to the women, and the other half to the men.
Around three of the sides, a narrow gallery has been constructed ;
and, at one end of the building, a small portion is partitioned off, for
a vestry. The pulpit was merely a desk on a platform raised a little
above the floor. Two separate doors admitted the male and the
female part of the congregation to their respective benches. Nothing
is solicited from visitors ; but near the door is a box to receive
pecuniary contributions, which, however, are perfectly voluntary.
The upper part of this building was converted into a large loft, for
containing various stores belonging to the society. All money
received, whether from the sale of the articles they manufacture,
or of the produce of their vineyard ; from visitors for their accommodations
; from voluntary donations ; or from any other source, is
deposited in a common purse, and applied in aid of the expenses of
the establishment.
, On one side. of the green, a shady grove of oaks, regularly
planted, surrounded and half concealed the different dwellings of the
missionaries, together with the knife-manufactory, the blacksmith’s
shop, the water-mill and wine-press, the tobacco-house and cellar,
the poultry-house, the cow-house, and store-rooms. The whole of
these buildings, the work of the missionaries and their Hottentots, is
substantially and neatly built in the Dutch style, and covered with
thatch. Contiguous to the church and dwelling-houses, was an
excellent garden, stocked with a variety of fruits and vegetables ;
and beyond this a vineyard. In the garden, a large pear-tree,
planted by the founder of the establishment, Schmidt, was pointed
out to me with all tfrat pleasure and satisfaction, which the respect
they bore towards his memory so naturally awakened. Beyond
the vineyard, there was a large burying-ground, regularly divided
into compartments, in which the graves were dug in a regular
and successive order ; each being numbered, to correspond with
a register of the burials. Two or three graves of the missionaries
and their wives were distinguished by broad flat tomb-stones, bear-
ing a plain inscription.