I started spelling at my school today.

In the evening at Moorhouse and Newland.

( 213 ) January 4th, 1840. A conversation with Tuitparro or Nanwe taltarni, about their magic and especially his own, during which he became very angry when I accused him of lying.
+ A little letter from my Bertha.

January 5th, 1840. Sunday.
Today's service was held by me in my house, while Br. Teichelmann had a new hallway made in his. I spent the afternoon with my Bertha, and although we had little time alone, we both enjoyed wonderful moments now and then. Both her father and she disliked Kavel's separatism, and when I expressed my fear that we too might still be attacked by it, she said that no one should separate us.

January 6th, 1840.
This evening we celebrated the first mission hour in South Australia, although apart from the two of us only Kleinschmidt and Bauer were present.

January 7th, 1840.
Br. Teichelmann and I enjoyed the honor of having lunch with His Excellency today. The company was only small, and seemed to have been chosen with the intention of talking about the natives; Moorhouse was among those present. The Murray natives were discussed; Rang- ( 214 ) kanere will finally receive land after the governor's promise. The governor was exceptionally friendly.

January 8th, 1840.
Towards the evening there was supposed to be a fight between the Wirrameyunna and our natives near the iron magazine, but Teichelmann and I put a stop to it by imagining that the whites would send the police; as the governor actually said yesterday.

A boy told me that the ostrich created the earth and when I asked him who made the ostrich, he replied: "ngando pia? Yes, who?" The natives will put up with anything we tell them as long as we don't challenge their superstitions; proof that they don't believe any of it.

January 9th, 1840.
Today I visited my bride again, who was busy doing my laundry. If I hadn't come, she would have left for the evening hour, but she stayed there. Mr. Fiedler would like to postpone our engagement because he doesn't have any money to organize it. Today my dear bride gave me permission to address her with the familiar expression “Du” when we were alone.