Page 127 - The Diary of A. H. W. Behrens

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1880
Then I returned to Southampton. We took the Union Castle Steamer, 2. and 3. class, stopped in the beautiful Madeira, for those who wanted, then again in Cape Town and eventually
in Durban from where we continued by ox wagon to Hermannsburg near Greytown. It was a nice journey and very little to write about. I was so glad to be back in Africa after five years, nothing held me in Germany except for my dear bride, the farewell of whom was very hard for me.
In Durban our ways parted. Missionary Witt had just written something not so pleasant about the South African colonialists and when they read his name on the passenger list of the
ship, they wanted to attach him and “tar and feather” him!
He had to be smuggled on land secretly and then also came
to Hermannsburg with us missionary brothers and sisters.
The emigrants split up to relatives and acquaintances. Superintendent Karl Hohls organised accommodation for us in the Big House and we were told that our journey to Transvaal could only take place in 3 months when the grass had grown for the oxen. We had to take turns in holding the sermons on Sundays. Superintendent Hohls, who had also confirmed me in 1868, gave me Actorum 15 as a test, the whole chapter, and probably thought by himself, “let’s see what my Wilhelm will do with this.” He seemed to be satisfied and when he returned home he told his wife, “The choir robe looks quite good on him.”