were in the former, if bad, [then] in the latter. It was not uncommon for my words to be followed by a short conversation between themselves, which I did not understand; but from their expressions and tone I could tell that they were sympathetic and applauded. May the Lord in mercy bless the people and individual seeds that are now beginning to be sown in this raw field and curb the native and foreign weeds.

September 15th, 1839. Sunday.
This afternoon I visited my dear Bertha, who, knowing nothing about my trip, naturally could not explain my long absence; and her father had said he didn't know why I wasn't coming. There were a lot of guests at Mr. Fiedler and therefore little opportunity for conversation between me and Bertha until we got some ourselves on the backyard. Among Bertha's statements, the question that struck me as proof of her real love was how long would I stay here in Adelaide? Later, speaking about our future, she told me that she might not be able to be free as soon as I would like, since she could not possibly leave her father in his present situation. I took the opportunity ( 135 ) to pull her out of a delusion in which she might want to be by replying, I feared that the time would be even longer for her than it was for me because of my financial situation. She believes that too, but she was never used to seeing money as the greatest thing and satisfaction replaces many things. Me: Since we're both still young, we wouldn't be in a hurry, especially if she feels as calm and happy as I do now. She is happy and it should be her happiness to contribute to my happiness. In the evening we talked about Bertha's dear mother, and I got to know her from a touchingly noble side: she accused herself with noble remorse of her undaughterly behavior, adding that if she had her mother now, she wouldn't know what she would want to do to love her. Such noble outpourings of the heart are more amiable and charming than all the charms of beauty, wit, decency and so on, and I couldn't answer her with vapid flattery, but said consolingly that the same thing happened when I lost my mother, that it was also not a good sign if children themselves were satisfied with their behavior towards their parents, and that just as their mother certainly forgives her, so the Lord also forgives their weaknesses will. --
Julius Fiedler had asked Bertha why she was no longer opposed to him as usual, her answer: because she realized that she would not be a ( 136 ) wife for him. Whereupon he said, even if she couldn't be his Bertha, she was still his sister! --

The dear maid replied, when I cited professional duties as an excuse for my long absence, but I had to see our relationship to my office as just a minor matter -- -- Not like that, not at all. When I said goodbye, which I had expected a lot from, Mr. Fiedler stepped in the way.

September 17th, 1839.
In the afternoon I went to Mullawirra Burka with [Br.] Teichelmann, who soon received a visit from a New South Valais native. We went back with both of them to ask the latter about several things. He speaks English fluently, but unclearly, so