Chapter I - Mdontswa's Birth

Mdontswa Ngidi was born in the year 1881, after the Zulu War of 1879, just after the capture of King Cetshwayo, of Impande and of Senzagakhona, younger brother to Shaka and Dingana.

Mdontswa's father, Mbhemiwegudu Ngidi, the son of Mabuyabuya, the son of Ghashana, the son of Buhlazo, had three wives. Two of these wives were of the Emagwabeni clan. Mdontswa's mother was the third wife; her name was Nomakholwa Ndlovu. The first two wives had several sons and daughters: Ndleleni, Gugile, Nomasomi, Noyinyoni, Majuba, Mlandwa, Somsewu, and Nomcebo, the last two being of the second wife, Mantandela. Mdontswa's mother had only two sons, Mdontswa and Mbhelekwana, because their father took them to live with their mother's brother on Mondi Mountain, Cekwane or Dronkvlei, when he left his kraal for good to go to Pondoland to become a wandering doctor of medicines. Before that Mdontswa's father drove an ox-wagon from Durban to Johannesburg. It is said that he was so strong, that when going down Donlsamfana Mountain (near Inchanga Railway Station)--if ever he found it impossible to stop the wagon--he would take off the rear wheel with one hand, and get the team down safely. Also it is said that once some German settlers near Botha's Hill got into trouble with him, their oxen having trespassed on his mealie (corn) fields. When Mbhemi went out single-handed to fight old Mabuyabuya, Mbhemi's father, had to call his other sons to hold their brother back so as not to cause more damage and bloodshed.

Mdontswa and his siblings each had a story behind their name. Ndleleni's name comes from the word endleleni because he was born when his father was still on the way to his birth. Gugile was born at a time when her father had been away so long that her mother thought she might become old before he returned from his wanderings. Nomasomi was born while he was away with the Somi Clan. Noyinyoni was born when the old woman had trouble with birds in her field. For Mlandwa's birth he had to be fetched. Majuba was born while their father was serving in the Majuba War between the British and the Boers. Somsewu was named after Sir Theophilus Shepstone who subdued the Zulus in 1879 under Cetshwayo. Mdontswa's parents intended to name him Mbhelekwana after his older brother who died during childhood. However because of events during his birth he was named Mdontswa, which means "extracted" instead. Nonnatus and his younger brother took the name Mbhelekwana in his place.

Having given Mdontswa's early background and situating him within his historical moment in the wider history of South Africa, we shall proceed with his story alone.

All the descendants of Mabuyabuya, the father of Mbhemi, and the grandfather of Mdontswa, were about 600 or 700 children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. As a result of strained family relationships and circumstances, Mbhemi thought it good to bring his third wife, Nomakholwa Nandlovu to the Denge Plateau, near Alverstone Railway Station, some three miles towards Cato Ridge, with her two sons, Mdontswa and Mbhelekwana. Even here the two families did not live together in perfect peace. Nomasosha, a daughter of Nyokana Ngidi, Mbhemi's brother, with whom he had recently come to dwell, hurt Mdontswa, her older cousin, on the forehead with an Indian clay-pipe; the mark on Mdontswa's face is still visible. Nomasosha's name indicates that she was born a year before, when the British soldiers were arriving for the 1879 invasion of Zululand under Theophilus Shepstone.

Around 1886 Mdontswa's father decided to renew his wandering habits. He took Mandlovu with her two children from his Denge kraal to Drinkvlei between the Inkonzo and Umzimkhulu Rivers, under Mondi Mountain, on the main road from Durban to Kokstadt in Griqualand East, Cape Colony. The Inkonzo River flows from the east of Ehlabeni forest and just below the Amabedlane mountains in Natal; the Umzimkhulu River flows from the Drakensberg between the Pholela and Umsivubu Rivers in Griqualand.

Having done so he immediately left Natal for Pondoland where he sold medicines for many years. Thus Mdontswa's mother, Nandlovu, had to stay with her people near Mondi Store at Manzomphofu. Eventually the two boys grew big enough to help their uncle, Nkotheni ka Cimbi Ndlovu, to look after his cattle, horses and goats along the slopes of Mondi Mountain, near the present day railway station and township of Creighton.

Since 1886 Mdontswa's uncle, Nkotheni, had lived under Chief Mqandane Mlaba, or Ximba, to whose chieftainship belonged the whole of the Cekwane Valley. But now the time was coming when the Africans had to give up their beautiful land in favor of European occupation. Consequently, Mdontswa's uncle had to leave his place on the Manzimpofu Spruit. It was in these beautiful meadows that one day Mdontswa saw the Trappist Fathers and Precious Blood Sisters passing to their newly founded Centocow Mission on the south side of the Umzimkhulu River. He had had a chance to speak to the kind-hearted missionaries and was deeply impressed by their kindness even towards African herd boys. For many years, his soul ruminated upon his encounter with those loving missionaries.

Now about the year 1890 the Great Trek began from Umzimkhulu Valley to Camperdown and even to Emahlathini District in Zululand. Chief Mqundane of the Mlaba, or Ximba, Clan had taken part in the Zulu War in 1879 and his people were to have their share in the spoils of war in Zululand. Mdontswa's uncle, who had taken part in that war of the invasion of Zululand by the British armed forces now rebelled against Chief Mqundane and did not follow him, either to his Ndondakusuka Kraal, nor to Zululand, but remained defiantly near Camperdown, and named his tenth born daughter "Nomambuka" (the daughter of rebellion), thus openly cutting off all relations and allegiance with his chief.

Mdontswa's mother went with the Ekuphindeleni group of the Cekwane Mlaba Clan, thus separating herself from her brother Nkotheni for good. She took her younger son Mblelekwane with her, while Mdontswa remained with his uncle near Camperdown for some time. When later Nkotheni moved to Nsikhuzane Stream his nephew continued to live with him in the farm districts between Richmond and Thornville Junction Railway Station. As the time passed the boy grew stronger and stronger, herding cattle and goats and plowing for his uncle. He also visited Ekuphindeleni in order to see his mother and brother. From there he visited Maritzburg as carrier of the medicine bags of Nyawane, Chief Mqundane's brother, a renowned medicine man. Nyawane also had divining bones which his young carrier Mdontswa used to meddle, shake, and throw on the floor to divine all events, happenings and diseases to be cured by his master the physician. Naturally Mdontswa, whose father was also a great inyanga (traditional doctor), was right in his element. He also began attending an evening school there and learned Wesleyan prayers, as the master was also the local Wesleyan preacher. Eventually the time came for Mdontswa to return to his uncle beyond the Umlazi River between Maritzburg and Richmond Township.

Having seen part of the world beyond his village, young Mdontswa did not continue to look after his uncle's cattle and donkeys for very long. Unfortunately, one day he accidently burned his grandmother's hut and all its contents, a mishap that did not go unpunished. His mother came to look for him and brought him some clothing, as he received only scanty food and plenty of work from his uncle. Meanwhile Mdontswa's cousin was working with the Indians and got five shillings a month. The burning of the hut, subsequent punishment, and the work for nothing took a toll on the boy, notwithstanding his good will and hard working qualities.

One good day, after an undeserved beating, Mdontswa left his uncle and looked for some small remunerative job. Near Thornville Railway Junction he came across a road and met Gong, whose European overseer was looking for a boy to work as a babysitter. In those days it was not easy to get girls to take care of European babies. So Mdontswa was soon blessed with a job. For seven months he remained with his white master, traveling from farm to farm and sleeping alone or with other Africans in their tents while on the road. His master, Mr. Williams, was good and kind to the poor boy, and his wife was kindness itself. Sometimes visits to Maritzburg from the roadside offered Mdontswa an occasion to attend night schools in the city. He was very eager to learn how to read and write.

After working for Mr. Williams for eight months looking after the baby, Mdontswa remembered the good missionaries and missionary-sisters who had passed him when he was herding cattle near Mondi Store some years back. Now that he was eleven years old he thought about them and their Centocow Mission School and church, all of which his aunt, Nombango Ndlovu, had often spoken to him about. He often considered leaving his babysitting job and going to that Catholic mission to learn reading and writing and eventually to become a Christian, as some relatives of his had become, according to his aunt. Just about that time some wagons passed Richmond, heading for the Umzimkhulu Stores and the Cape Colony. Because his Uncle Nkotheni was a long time ox driver of old Mr. James Cole over the Ingwagwane River between Centocow and Lourdes Catholic Missions, Mdontswa saw the chance to get into one of the missions. As is common practice for African boys when they wish to leave European service, Mdontswa asked his good master to increase his pay. He had been getting seven shillings per month for seven months. But as even older boys than Mdontswa were getting only five shillings a month, Mr. Williams would not increase his pay. Mdontswa simply told his master that he intended to leave his service that very evening. And the white man gave the boy his wages and belongings and let him go into the darkness of the approaching night.

Fortunately, Mdontswa was hardly on the main road from Maritzburg to Mzimkhulu when he met a middle-aged woman going the same way. There was no need for any wagon. She had friends in the town of Richmond, and before nightfall the two travelers were under cover. They started early the next morning and crossed both the Umkhobeni and Umthomazi Rivers before noon. Before dark they were near Amabedlana Mountain. They passed the night at a friend's kraal, as all kraals were friendly and hospitable in the good old days. The early sun saw these travelers on their way down the slopes of Mount Amabedlana. Crossing the Inkonzo River about noon, they reached Mondi Store in the late afternoon. Mr. Ming, the storekeeper, recognizing the boy Mdontswa, asked him to work for him as a cook for himself and his friend. The boy, knowing that Centocow was not far away consented, hoping first to see some friends from the mission. In a month's time he saw all his old friends and prepared to leave cooking for schooling.

Chapter II - School and Education

On the first day of October 1892, Mdontswa was admitted to the Centocow Mission Boarding School, being a little more than eleven years old. The boy at once showed that he was very keen to learn and very diligent in his work. That was natural enough as the Ndlovus had been rather strict and rough with the boy from early childhood. The boy had nobody to take his side when too much was required from him. The school authorities, therefore, realizing that something could be done with the small boy, soon began to like him. But the boys of middle Natal, mostly Bhacas, did not like him, because he was a stranger to them. He was hated even more when the superiors showed signs of favor towards this young boy from the coastland, this Mzantsi, as the other boys called him. As it often happens in these circumstances, young Mdontswa had to suffer for all the kindness shown him by those in authority for his good behavior and diligence at work. In a big school with more than a hundred pupils it was not always possible to know who was wrong when quarrels and fights took place among the younger boys. Frequently Mdontswa was accused of causing these squabbles and fights. But seeing that he was blamed for the faults of others, he took the law into his own hands and fought the battles for himself and was often punished for having fought and won. This continued frequently until more sober and more careful bigger boys reported the matter to the proper authorities, drawing their attention to the fact that a strange boy would not start quarrels against the majority of his equals without serious provocation on their part.

At this stage Mdontswa was so careful and well behaved that he did not make himself liable to another punishment if he could help it. Thus constrained to keep order in all things he was attentive at school and soon surpassed everyone in his class. His favor and academic success only brought more jealousy from the other students. Yet, his only wrongdoing was fighting when attacked, and he always brought his attacker to book. Consequently, the other pupils began to refrain from attacking Mdontswa, and he was spared many a squabble and consequent caning. Owing to his hard work in the vegetable gardens with the Sisters, he was chosen to work in the fields during plowing time. When he came back to school he was still first in the class, as before. With this confidence in himself, Mdontswa continued in his studies day after day, all the while growing physically stronger and stronger.

Eventually he enrolled in the baptism class. During this time he carefully prepared himself to embrace Christianity, following his mother's name, Nomakholwa, mother of Christ. When his two years of catechism were completed, the time for Mdontswa's baptism drew near. The life-altering decision about whether or not to be baptized was left to him alone, as his father was still away in Pondoland and his mother at Ntweka, near Inkhambathini (Table Mountain), half way along the Umzumluzi and Umngeni Rivers from Maritzburg to Durban. The Centocow Mission at that time was still under the Rev. Fr. Gerard Wolpert OC, its founder, the Rev. Fr. Baldwin, and the Brothers and Sisters. Frater Innocent Büchner, Chrysogonus, and Cunibert were also there in charge of the Boys' School, in succession.

On March 19, 1894, Mdontswa was baptized and chose the name of Andreas. Theodore Duma sponsored him as a godfather. Now that he was baptized, Andreas Ngidi resolved to lead a good Christian life, giving up all his fighting habits as much as he could, since all provocations, naturally revived the old and inveterate passions of his iron constitution. Even learning seemed easy after baptism, as if the waters of salvation had washed even the brain in the black head of the African boy. Andreas, ever eager to learn, was now enthusiastic for further educational advancement. As Frater Bede Gramsch arrived from Lourdes to take charge of the boys' Boarding School, he soon detected rare talents and a high mental caliber in Andreas. He tested Andreas to see if he might have a priestly vocation. Andreas who had never grown attached to any place or had any familiarity with home surroundings, agreed in a moment to try his best to live a priestly life. Three other boys came forward with the same high purpose. This was about the year 1896 or a little before. Soon afterwards the Griqua rebellion broke out near Kokstadt. Andreas, having gained more in confidence, was sent alone to Lourdes with special letters requiring that the Lourdes school children be sent to Centocow. All those from the Lourdes Mission were to become refugees and a European Laager during the Griqua trouble. A notorious rider, Andreas was back in Centocow before sundown to the joy of all concerned.

This year and the following were years of misfortune. First came the rinderpest (cattle sickness) and then the locusts. In both crises Andreas's superiors sought his help. Swarms of locusts devastated the mission lands and fields, so much so that and even schoolchildren were asked to help drive the swarms away. Andreas went out with Fr. Superior to pray for and sprinkle the cattle on the veld.

Now when the letters came back from Rome concerning priestly vocations, the three boys who had volunteered to go with Andreas retraced their steps and Andreas alone came forward. In the meantime, in 1898, the first African South African priest, Dr. Edward Mueller, arrived in Durban and visited some of the mission stations. In Centocow Andreas got to serve at a Mass in which Mueller celebrated. That experience helped confirm his vocation and gave him more courage. "If this African went to Rome and came back as a priest, why not I?" he reasoned. Of all the Mariannhill mission stations, the only other station where a pupil answered the priestly call was Lourdes, in Griqualand East. Thus Julius Mkhomazi-later the Rev. Dr. Julius Mbhele-accompanied Andreas overseas for priestly training.

At this time Andreas was doing his standard six. Some scholars had come to Centocow from the neighboring Catholic Mission of Reichenau in Bulwer District. The two missions were always friendly since both had been started by the Superior of Centocow, Fr. Wolpert. As the time for going overseas drew near, Andreas worked harder, revising his Latin lessons. Before sailing to Europe he had a good chance to speak and practice English with colored students from Kokstadt. He had almost abandoned African companionship and sought the companionship of the Slaughters and Uyses, so that he could become fluent in English. Toward the end of 1898, it became time to leave for Mariannhill.

Yet an important duty remained to be done. Early in 1898 Andreas had learned that his old father had come home from Pondoland. Andreas wanted to go home and ask permission to travel from his father, as the government would not issue his passport without his father's permission since he was under eighteen years of age, a minor.

Therefore, early in 1898, Andreas left Centocow mission for the first time in seven years to go home to Botha's Hill to ask his father for permission to go to Europe for his higher studies, that he might one day become a priest. Dr. Edward had become a priest and Andreas wanted to follow in his footsteps. In order to see his father, he had to go more than 100 miles on foot from Umzimkhulu to Botha's Hill. After about three days he arrived home, and was hardly recognized by his own people who had not seen him since he left them with his father and mother sixteen years before when they went to stay at Denge near Cato Ridge railway station in Camperdown district.

The father recognized his son Mdontswa and asked after his mother and his younger brother. Andreas told his father that both were safe at a Catholic Mission Centocow, near Mondi Store, where he had left them in 1886. The father thanked his son for looking after his mother and his brother so well. Andrea informed his father that he had taken after him in desiring to go around round the world and introduced the subject of his visit. The old man listened quietly to the whole story and at the end replied that if he himself had given the bad example of roaming about the world as a doctor, he could not refuse permission for his son to get more education and become a great Roman Umfindisi, since his mother was already staying with Ama-Roma. Old Adam Mbhemi thus cheerfully allowed the first son of his third wife Namakholwa Ndlovu to travel abroad.

Andreas availed himself of the opportunity to visit Mariannhill, which is only fifteen miles from Botha's Hill, his home. The sight of Mariannhill, the monastery, the convent, St. Francis College and St. Anne's Girls' School made a lasting impression on the seventeen-year-old Centocow scholar. Andreas went home to Botha's Hill and prepared himself for the long way back to school. It was not pleasant to think of walking another 100 miles. Now that he had seen his old father, he was happy and pleased that he had permission to go overseas for his higher studies. The prospect of seeing the oceans and the land of the white people was very interesting. In a few days his visit drew to an end, and he longed to return to his books. Quite alone he started from Botha's Hill to Dronk Vlei and Centocow Mission between the Umzimkhulu and Ingwagwane Rivers. He first passed Richmond and crossed the Illovo, Mkhombeni, and Umkhomazi River, already known to him from former journeys. He reached Centocow in two or three days and the young man soon felt at home again in the company of his dear books.

The fateful year of 1898 was quickly drawing to an end; 1899 was fast approaching and with it rumors of a Boer war. Since the abortive Jameson raid on the Transvaal and Orange Free State, all attempts to restore genuine peace between Great Britain and the South African Republics were useless and war had become inevitable. Young Ngidi was always a keen supporter of the Dutch Republicans, whose language his father spoke so fluently, as almost all ox wagon drivers did on the Durban-Johannesburg main road. Early in 1899 rumors of war became so frequent that even schoolchildren indulged in them with impunity. The bigger boys at school even took sides, some with the British and others with the Northern Republicans. They had been treacherously attacked by the British raiders and African sympathy even in Natal was with the Boers. Young Ngidi was known for his strong Republican tendencies. A good and eager reader of history he could not help holding to his father's traditional and sympathetic feelings for the Dutch. But he had to break all connection with Southern African politics and leave for Italy.

His superiors urged him to leave quickly for Mariannhill as his ship, the Herzog of the German-East African line, intended leave Durban before the impending South African War. Having prepared everything, Ngidi left Centocow for Mariannhill. But one hitch remained: his father, Mbhemi Ngidi, had died during 1898, before the government granted Andreas's passport. From Mariannhill he had to go to Botha's Hill to see his oldest half-brother, Ndleleni Ngidi, about his passport. His brother testified at Umgeni Court, Maritzburg, that his father had consented to Andreas Ngidi going overseas for higher education, and he could not change his father's disposition regarding his younger half-brother. The passport was granted and Ngidi returned to Mariannhill and peacefully continued his studies.

As Mariannhill was on the level of Centocow educationally, Ngidi also continued his standard six studies at Mariannhill. He was well situated there in regard to his knowledge and scholarship. As the days passed, he soon rose to the top of his class. Fr. Benno OC, a teaching theology student who was an American of French-German descent, helped Ngidi immensely in his further studies. During this time, Ngidi also met his colleague Julius Mbhele. The two have been friends ever since, a friendship of almost 50 years.

The day of departure for Europe was fixed. The two African students were to leave on September 22. Unbeknownst to them, this was two days before the outbreak of the war between Great Britain and the Dutch Republics. They embarked in Durban. The Herzog was full of refugees from the Transvaal and the Orange Free State and many who did not want to experience the horrors of war and the concentration camps. The Herzog set out in due time, and the African lads found themselves in the company of white men in the great war exodus from South Africa.

It was the first time that the African boys were on board a ship. The Herzog sailed safely into Delago Bay and into Lourenco Marques where more refugees from Johannesburg were taken on board, as the war had broken out in the Transvaal. People from all over South Africa who did not like the miseries of war boarded the ship. They were of British and Dutch nationalities, and many were political suspects who had expressed their opinion on the ensuing armed conflict or who had been known to favor one or the other side.

The Herzog was jam packed and soon left the harbor of Lourenco Marques for the high sea, as if afraid of being intercepted by British warships before reaching Europe. The African students worried about the possibility of the Herzog being captured and taken to England before they had a chance to disembark at Naples, their destination. Fortunately, the German ship passed the Suez Canal and entered the Mediterranean Sea without interference and safely reached Naples in the afternoon. The African students took a train and arrived in Rome the same evening. Once there, they used their few Italian words and a written address to reach the Trappist Monastery with an Irish-English speaking prior who received them for the night.

The next morning, after breakfast, the Trappists brought the African students to the Propaganda College, near Piazza di Spagna and presented them before the university college authorities and duly admitted them as students. The Africans could not converse with most of the Propagandists except those from the British Empire and the Americans, with whom they spoke English. Therefore the two Africans had nothing better to do than to immediately adjust to their new conditions and begin their studies in all earnest.

It was about the middle of October and the school was just opening after the summer holidays. Since the European winter was just beginning in the northern hemisphere, the South African students experienced an extraordinary second winter of 1899.

Chapter III: Rome for Eight Years in the Propaganda College, the International College of the Catholic Church

Now part of the work was done and our African boys were in Rome, the greatest "seat" of all education. For hundreds of years Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Hungary, and England had had colleges in Rome for the education of their national clergy in addition to their own national colleges in their respective kingdoms. But even those countries that did not have their colleges in Rome could send their candidates to the Propaganda College to be trained for the Catholic priesthood under the very eyes of the supreme pontiff, the father of all Christian nations in God, the vicar of Christ. It is here, then, that the two African students came for their higher education and courses in Latin, Greek and Hebrew, philosophy and sacred theology. There they accomplished all that was required of them to complete the whole course of studies in preparation for the holy priesthood.

To begin with they had only completed standard six. Then they went on with their education, first learning Italian and Latin so they could understand the further instructions they would receive. With hard work they managed to acquire so much Italian that they could study Latin and other subjects in that language. Being already somewhat advanced in other elementary subjects they concentrated on Italian and Latin, so that at the end of 1900 they had finished the Latin Inferior Grammar. In 1901 they also mastered the Superior Grammar with honors. In 1902, according to the syllabus of studies of the eternal city and all European university colleges, they tackled humanities, rhetoric, and the classics with success. In fact, Ngidi passed these examinations with greatest honors, receiving "Excellent" in classics (Latin and Greek), always being at the top of all his classes in all subjects. A rare fact! Of course, Greek students could not be beaten in their own Greek language.

According to the syllabus, in 1903 the students began the very important subject of philosophy. They studied a combination of matriculation and scholastic philosophy comprised of logic and metaphysics. In the same year they also studied higher mathematics, algebra, equations, geometry, and trigonometry.

Hard work indeed weighed heavily on all students, and our Africans were no exceptions. Nevertheless, both Africans were successful and obtained doctorates in this difficult subject of philosophy, after having passed the baccalaureate and licentiate.

In 1904, the most important subject had to be tackled, the climax of all priestly studies: sacred theology. That year they learned Catholic Dogma, de re sacrament aria, moral theology, church history, and the Holy Scriptures. At least four of the professors later became cardinals of the Sacred College: Faurenti, Sepicier, Lauri, and Caemonesi. The Africans also participated in the honors of their professors. Next came the hard test, the crowning of all the years of preparation-theological studies. As theology is the mistress and queen of all sciences, they continued to study it for the next four years, up to 1907.

The work continued at a steady pace and the two African students made satisfactory progress. Already in 1906 they passed their baccalaureate and licentiate exams in sacred theology, and in 1907 the younger African, Ngidi, succeeded in obtaining his doctorate in sacred theology as well.

Soon came the fulfillment of their most ardent desire, the day of their ordination to the holy priesthood in the Lateran Basilica by Cardinal Respighi, the vicar of Rome, on May 25, 1907. Both said their first masses the next day. The Rev. Julius Mbhele, who was the dean of the class, said his mass in the chapel of the Propaganda College. Fr. Andreas Ngidi chose to celebrate his first mass in the German national church, Del Anima, because he had great love and gratitude for the German missionaries in his country.

A month later, the two African priests, having visited some of the principal churches in Rome, began their journey home through Switzerland, Germany, Holland, and England. Shortly before they left, their group received an audience with the Holy Father, Pope Pius X.

Travelling by night and passing through the Sempione (Simplon) Tunnel they reached Althausen in Switzerland where they remained a couple of days with Landrat Giesler, whose son they had known many years before at Mariannhill. The Alps, as always, were snow capped. Naturally our African priests had to make use of the German language, since neither Italian nor English could help them converse with the German speakers in Switzerland.

From Switzerland the two black priests went to Stuttgart and Würzburg. At the Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul they both held a service and distributed Holy Communion to many people. Würzburg had many benefactors who had helped in the establishment of Mariannhill and they had just started the mission school at Löhr. The African priests were surprised to see so much kindness and piety in German Catholics, almost surpassing that of Italian Catholics.

Leaving Würzburg a few days later they came to Cologne, the old Roman Agrippinae observantus [sic]. From here they visited some friends of Mariannhill as far away as Neuss, and everywhere they were treated with the greatest kindness and generosity. Indeed, the Germans who had founded Mariannhill could hardly fail to honor the fruits of their labors.

The time came to leave these friends of the missions. Soon our Africans crossed the border and came to Holland, another great mission country. Not many European countries can beat Holland in regards to missionary activity. It was late in the afternoon when the train crossed over the boarder and was on Dutch soil. After nightfall it was impossible to see much of beautiful low-lying Holland, the original homeland of the South African Dutch or Afrikaners. About an hour before midnight the train came to Flissingen where those crossing to England were to embark immediately. As soon as the arriving train stood still, the passengers for the British Isles left the train and boarded the waiting vessels for England. At about six a.m. they reached Plymouth and the passengers at once boarded trains for London. The Africans went straight to St. James were Dr. Gogginan, an ex-Propagandist, was waiting for them. There they said their Holy Mass between eight and nine a.m. and took some rest.

After lunch they began sightseeing, as they had never before been in London. They saw many wonderful buildings, churches and monuments. Father Gogginan was kind enough to take them about as a regular Cicerone of his London city. After three days' short stay in London, the African clergymen embarked for South Africa, their dear home.

Their ship was the Tintagel Castle. This time, for a change, they came home via West Africa, around Cape Town. A few hours in Cape Town barely satisfied their curiosity to see more of that historical Cape of Good Hope. Their spirits were high and their hearts longed to see Durban and Mariannhill, the land of their birth, and their dear ones after their long absence, from 1899 to 1907. They could only visit Port Elizabeth and East London, as the ship was already rather late.