siiiti Eilifornia i fional ility ^ii AN ACCOUNT .^vv OP THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE CONTAINING An Historical View of its original Settlement hy the Dutch, its Capture by the British in 1795, and the different Policy pursued there by the Dutch and British Governments. Also a Sketch of its Geography, Productions, the Manners and Customs of the Inhabitants, &c. £f?c. WITH A VIEW OF THE POLITICAL AND COMMERCIAL ADVANTAGES WHICH MIGHT BE DERIVED FROM ITS POSSESSION BY GREAT BRITAIN. BY CAPTAIN ROBERT PERCIVAL, Of His Majesty s Eighteenth or Royal Irish Regiment; and Author of an Account of the Island of Ceylon. LONDON: PRINTED FOR C. AND K. BALDWIN, OP NEW BRIDGE-STREET. 1804. / 4 iU /. /j^/4_ C. atid R. Baldwin, Printer, N«w flndj:c-i.uvci, Lviuluu. P4 o --5- TO HIS ROYAL IIICxIINESS FIELD-iMARSIIAL THE DUKE OF YORK, TLTC. ETC. May it please your Royal Highness, X HE condescension with which your Royal Highness allowed your name to be prefixed to my former publication, has emboldened me again to request j^our patronage and protection to a work of a similar nature. The approbation which a generous Public has bestowed upon my Account of Ceylon proves, that the liberality of my countrymen induces them to look at the object as well as the execution of a work ; and that inexperience in composition will in a great measure be excused in him who appears to have the interests of his country in view. Animated by this consideration, I have ventured to pic- sent to your Royal Highness, the follo\\ing account of the- 4 iv DEDICATION. observations whicli I was enabled to collect during my occasional visits to the Cape of Good Hope. The period of war is not indeed the proper season for a Soldier to be employed with his pen; yet I trust the following volume will be found to contain several circumstances which, both in a militaiy and political point of view, deserve at pre- sent the most serious consideration. My gratitude for the distinguislied patronage with which your Royal Highness has been pleased to honour me must be otherwise expressed than by words ; and I trust it Avill ever appear in my zeal for the service of my country, and my lively attachment to your Royal High- KESS, whose unremitting exertions have diffused so many blessings through the British army, and given the soldier a double motive to exertion. With such sentiments, and with the hope that my labours may not altogether prove viseless, the present work is humbly presented to your Royal Highness, by Your Royal Highness's most devoted and most obedient servant, ROBERT PERCIVAL. jy t ) CONTENTS, CHAPTER I. Introduction — Cape of Good Hope — Origin of its Name^-^ Proper Seasons for passing it — Subject to Storms — First ~- Settlements made there by the Dutch — Southern Peninsula and Shores described, ivith a Geographical Sketch of the Country/ — Its Government and Divisions on the frst Esta- hlishmenf by the Dutch, - - - . Page 1 CHAPTER II. Journal of Occurrences, during the Author's frst Visit to the Cape — Taking of the Dutch Fleet at Saldahna Bay — Des- cription of that Bay. ----- 22 CHAPTER III. False Bay — Proper Season for anchoring there — Rocks — Seal Island— Beautiful Prospect from the Bay — Simon's Toivn—- Public Buildings— Batteries— Customs in the Dutch Time. 41 vi CONTENTS. CHAPTER IV. 'Road to Cape Toiun — Signal Posts and Batteries — Mode oj Travelling in Waggons — Fish Hook Bay — Road from thence — Vayiety of Shrubs, Herbs, and Floirers, found here — Monkeys and Baboons — Musenberg, great Strength of it and of all the Southern Peninsula — Taking of the Cape by the English Troops in 179-5 — Remarks in a Military Point of Fieiv, and Hints respecting the best Mode of^ attacking the Cape. ------- Page 53 CHAPTER V. Road and Country beyond Musenberg — B?'oad Lake — Game — Quadrupeds — Co?istantia — A Dutch Boor's House — fFineberg — A Hottentot Krail Desciiption of that People — Their Traffic u'ith the Dutch— ^Their Manners, Dispositions, and Modes of Life — Remarks on their Treatment by the Dzitch. CHAPTER VI. ■DescriptioJi of the Country round Wineberg — An Encamp- ment and Quarters for Troops — Some Military Observations on this Post — Fertility of the neighbouring Country — Farms and Plantations numerous — Game plenty— IFild Animals — Village of Round-a-Bosch — Tiger Hill — First View of the Cape Tojvn from this Side — Table Bay — The Hills and Country round described — Description of Cape Toivn — Re~ CONTENTS. • ' vii marks hy the Author on the Mode of attacking the Bat- teries — Amsterdam Battery — The Castle — Situation of Cape Towti — Streets — Healthiness of it — Regulations of the Dutch to prevent hfectious Disorders — Company's Gardens — Go- vernment House. _____ Page 99 . » CHAPTER VIII. ;•;;'■ \ Description of Table Bay — Best Season for anchoring there — Subject to violent North- f rest Winds in the JFinter Seasoji — Loss of the Sceptre Man of JVar — Hills about Cape Town — Appearance of Table Mountain — Remarkable Clouds over it, prognosticating the Weather — T7w different Climates at the Cape — Diffei^encc bettveen the Effects of each Season. 123 CHAPTER IX. Country aboid Cape Toivn — Productions natural to this Part of Africa — Vegetables, Fruit, Plants — Silver Tree described — Fuel scarce at the Cape — Grain — Metallic Ores — Coal Mine — Minerals — Warm Baths at Stellenbosch and Hottentot ■ Island. .__--- _ - 140 CHAPTER X. Different Species of Wild. Quadrupeds — Opinion concerning the Unicorn — Various Species of Antelope and Deer — Domestic ' Animals — Oxen and horned Cattle — Sheep — Birds — Wild b2 vili CONTENTS. . t'&ivl — 'Ostr-khes — JFi/d PeacocJes, and mcniy other Species found here — Venoynous Animals and Reptiles — Obnoxious Insects and Creatures of the Fly Species. - Page 158 CHAPTER XI. Vineyards about Cape Town — Manner of rearing and plant- ing Vines — Mode of niahing Wine — Various Sorts of Wine made — Bad Majiagement of the Dutch in rearing and planting the Vines — -Several Species of an excellent Qualify ■^Constanfia Wine — Tlie Farm ami Village of Constantia -^Quality of the Grape — Other Wines of a superior Quality Brandy Wine, or Spirits made from the Stalks and Refuse — Sugar Canes — Barley, &c. - - _ - I'^S CHAPTEPt XII. Journey to Stellenbosch — Strickland a Post for Cavalry — Ste.llembosch — Mountains of Parlberg — Smellendam—Graaf Reynet — Plettcnberg Bay — Account of the Dutch Farmei^s and Planters — Their Manner of Living — Their Tillage and Husbandry— Domestic Pursuits — Characters and Customs — Treatment of their Cattle and Slaves — Manner of carrying on the various Branches of Husbandry — In want of Im- provement of every Kitid — The Colony in a very imperfect State owing to the bad Management of its Inhabitants — Plans of Improvement. - - - - - 193 CONTENTS. ix CHAPTER Xlll. Character of the Planters near the Cape — Quarrels amo7igst then/selves respect'nig the Division of their Propcrtij — Uten- sils for Husband rij, Plowing, and Dressing the Land — hyiprovements attempted by the English — OLstinacy of the Dutch — No Roads through the Country — Great Incom^eniencc arising from thence — No Boats to transport Waggons or Passengers across the Rivers — Ignorance of the People of the Interior — Many English better acquainted trith their Country — Reniarks on the Cape and its Inhabitants, and its Connections luith the Mother Country. - Page 224 CHAPTER XIY. The JFhite Inhabitants of Cape Town — Difference between them and those of the Mother Country — 11 hat People first colonized it — Manner in which they conduct themselves towards the Females — Their Women — Manner in which both Men and Women spend their Time — Occupations and Habits of Life — All Ranks keep Lodging Houses — Custom at Meals, and Food produced at their Tables — Coffce-Houses and Ta- verns first introduced by the English — Mode of Living. 2 Jl CHAPTER XV. » Popidation of the Cape — Religion — Make but few Coiwerts of the People of Colour ; not apt to administer Baptism — . Funerals — Disposition of the White Inhabitants — You)ig 7 CONTENTS. • IFomcn fund of /Inmsement — Are tolerably educated hi Music and Dancing — Contrast hetwecn the Dispositions of Men. and Homen — Latter esteemed handsome luhilst young. — Marriages, Settlements, and Privileges from Birthright — Diseases — Causes of them — yJfraid of the Small Pox; which once nearly destroyed the Colony^-Arc cautious of allowing Persons to come into the Settlement luith any contagions Distemper — The People of the Cape in general not long lived — The Slaves — Various Nations and Classes — Laws con- cerning them — Their Qualifications — Mulattoes and Slaves of Colour the best and dearest — Bengal and Mulabar in ge- neral faithful and. good — Madagascar, African, Negro, sulky and untractablc, strong and laborious — Malays useful, but dreadfully vindictive and revengeful — Instances of their cruel and sanguinary Disposition — Hottentot Slaves, Laws concerning them — Manner in w'hich the Dutch treat their Slaves — Mode of punishing them — Fices and Passions to tvhich they are addicted — Fuel and House-rent dear at the Cape. - .- •- - - - - Page 272 CHAPTER XVI. Dispositions and Conduct of the Dutch to the English — Various Mixture and Medley of People meeting every Day together under the same Roof— Conduct of the English towards the Dutch — Advantages extended towards the Lihabifants of the Cape by our Government — Allowed all their Laws and Privileges in their fullest Extent — Getierous Conduct of 5 CONTENTS. xi General Craig towards them; the great Benefit they de- rived from our living amongst them ; still they jvere ex- tremely averse to the English — Unfortunate Situation of Holland and the Cape by the Introduction of French Prin- ciples amongst them — Jacobinism nearly overwhelming the Cape, its dreadful Consequences averted by the jJppear- ance of the English in 1795 — Obliged to unite to oppose flw English — Mortif cation and Chagrin at being conquered by so few and razv Troops — The civil and military Go- ver?iment at the Cape — Goverjior and Council — Fiscal or Deputy Gover?ior — His great Power and Privileges — Mar- tial Law existed some time cfter the Conquest — Police — Active in the internal Regulation of the Town — Laws and Regulations required by the Inhabitants — Restrictions on the . Hottentots — Traffic tcith them only allowed to be carried on with the Government People — Military Establish-, 7nent — Not sufficient for its Defence — Bad and impolitic Construction of their 2owns and Ports — Description of the People of the Cape — Bad Effects of their narrow Policy and Conduct — Revenue — Exports ami Imports — Little Trade or Speculation — Government poor and needy — Observations respecting it — That of the English contrasted rvith it — Dutch lost all their Settlements in Asia but Batavia — Expeditions planned against that, in 1798 and 1800 — Precarious State of the Cape during a liar with Eng- land — Hospitals for sick Sailors and Soldiers — The Cape healthy — Regulations respecting sick and diseased Persons — Revenue of the Dutch East-India Company — Their Taxes xii CONTENTS. and Imposts — Trade and Commerce — Taxes on Cattle, PrO' visions Slaves, &c.— 'Amount of Receipts — Expenditure far greater than Revenue — The Pay of the Civil and Military of every Doionmiation — Fietv of the Establishment of the British. ------- Page 299 CHAPTER XVII. Recapitulation of the Advantages to be derived by Great- Britain from the Possession of the Cape of Good Hope — Conclusion. ---__-_ 327 AN ACCOUNT OF Till", CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. CHAPTER I. Jntroditcl'ion — Cape of Good Hope — Origin of iis Name Pi'oper Seasom for passing it — Subject to Storms — First Settlements made there by the Dutch — Southern Peninsula and Shores described, zvith a Geographical Sketch of the Country — Its Government and Divisions on the frst Esfa- hlishnient by the Dutch. X HE Author of this work, actuated by the encourage- introductory meut and indulgence he lias received from the Public, in tions. their favourable reception of his first literary production, the Accovmt of the Island of Ceylon, is induced to offer to them the following Descriptive Sketch of the Cape of Good Hope. Various reasons have induced the author to present this work to the Public at the present crisis. The contents of the following pages were indeed collected on the spot 15 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. by him some time ago ; but particular circumstances, com- bined with his mihtary duties, have prevented his arrang- ing and bringing them sooner before the PubUc in a mature state. Tlie ship on board which the Author Avas embarked witli a detachment of his regiment destined for the East Indies, having, in August 1796, put into False Bay for • water and refreshments, was detained there nearly two months by one of those incidents common in time of war. During the period of his detention there, he had an opportunity of seeing and examining all that tract of country from False Bay and the opposite coast of Hot- tentot licjlland, to Table Bay, Cape Town and its neigh- bourhood. This he was the better enabletl to do, as the detachment of the 19th regiment, to which he belonged, was part of the force disembarked at Simon's Town, and which marched for the defence of Cape Town, at that critical period when General Craig, with the greatest part of the garrison, proceeded to Saldahna Bay against the Dutch Fleet under Admiral Lucas, which put in there in hopes of being joined by a French squadron from the Isle of France, and in conjunction with the Boors and Colonists of the Interior attempted to retake the Cape from the English. In this, however, they were disap- pointed by the extraordinary activity and exertion of Sir James Craig, and the army mider his command, together with the imexpected appearance of Admiral Elphinstone, (now Lord Keith) with the English fleet. 4 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. 3 When returning from India to Europe in 1801, on ac- count of ill health contracted while on service there, the ship in which the author was passenger put into Table Ba}^ where being detained for two months, the author liad a farther opportimity of visiting several parts of the coun- try eastward of Cape Town, the villages of Stellenbosch, Drakenstein, and Swellendam ; besides enlarging his ob- servations and obtaining more particular information of the country in general, and the inhabitants. From the author's residence at the Cape in the different seasons of the year, lie had an opportunity of observing the effects resultins; from their variations both to asjricul- ture and commerce; an object which is here in parti- cular of the most essential importance. He was also enabled to ascertain more accurately the nature of the chmate, and its effects on the soil and appearance of the coimtry, as well as to examine the natural productions of each season. As some years had elapsed between the different periods of the author^s touching at the Cape of Good Hope, he had occasion to remark a change very speedily produced in the habits and manners of the Dutch, in consequence of their connection with the English residing amongst them, and their intercourse with other strangers who were formerly excluded by a jealous government. He was also enabled to observe, Avith a patriotic pride, the improvements which took place in the civil and military establishments ;. and the economy and useful regulations introduced as soon as B 2 4 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. it came into the possession of the British nation, ^vluch never fails to carry civili/^ation, opulence, and industry, into every quarter of the globe ^hich is reached by her arms or her commerce. The inhabitants of Cape Town, and the planters resid- ing in the country parts, are composed of a heterogeneous mixture of adventurers from almost every country of the - Continent of Europe, who have at various periods, for several ages past, continued to form establishments for themselves in that settlement. Such however has been the influence of the medley of habits, customs, prejudices, and languages, that few retain any distinguishing trait of the country from which they originally sprung; and the whole society requires to be described as a people differing ex- tremely from the natives of any part of Europe. The author during his stay at the Cape, being, accord- ing to the custom of that country, an inmate in their families, as every house takes in strangers and passengers to board and lodge, who for the time are considered as members of the family, and are in consequence admitted to a perfect knowledge of their domestic concerns and most private habits, had thus an opportunity of becoming thoroughly acquainted with their characters and modes of life; a species of information which in every instance is useful and entertaining, but more particularly so with re- gard to the colonists of the Cape of Good Hope, who exhibit features so very distinct from those of the inhabit- ants either of the mother country or of the other colonies. 7 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. The author is aware that several writers liavc ah'eady produced works on the Cape of Good Kope ; and lia\e given to the pubUc, descriptions of the interior of Africa, which some of them have explored only with their pen. As he, however, for iiis part, had not an opportunity of visiting the interior, he does not pretend to describe it, but confines himself to what fell imder his immediate ob- servation in a tract within fifty miles round tiie Cape Town ; and in treating of the country which lies within that compass, he has endeavoured to give every useful information which lie could collect, and perhaps to add some new remarks on circumstances which may have es- caped the notice of others He may indeed be allowed to observe, without any imputation of arrogance or pre- sumptuous censure, that during his residence at Cape Town, he was struck with many interesting facts respect- ing that place and its neighbourhood, which he has not been able to discover in any of the accounts which have hitherto been given to the public. Those, in general, who have undertaken to describe the Cape of Good Hope, have said little or nothing of the principal and most important part of tlie Colony, Cape Town, and the southern peninsula, where the chief harbours ai-e situated; nor have they entered minutely into the characters and manners of the colonists ; but have immediately diisiied into the rude, wild, and uncultivated part of the countr}'', filling up the pages of their journals with accounts of their daily transactions amongst the simple natives of THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. Hottentot Holland and Caffraria. With others, the botany and mineralogy of the Cape have been the sole subjects of enquiry, while those objects which are of most import- ance in a political and commercial point of view, have been almost entirely overlooked. n These animadversions on the works which have ap- peared relative to the Cape of Good Hope are far from being intended to deprive them in any degree of their particular merit. The botanist, the mineralogist, the zoo- logist, had each his own particular object in view ; and it is but justice to say, that many of these writers who vi- sited this colony are worthy the attention of those to whom their labours are particularly directed. The author of the following work neither pretends to appreciate their merits, nor at all to enter into a competition for which he is totally disqualified by the pursuits to which his at- tention through life has been directed. All he pretends to do is to describe, as they occurred to a man of com- mon observation, those scenes and facts which fell under his notice; and in doing so, he presumes to hope that he shall be enabled to point out, in plain language, the prin- cipal military and commercial advantages resulting from this settlement, as well as the distinguishing characteristics of its inhabitants ; subjects which, he conceives, have not been preoccupied by the more able and learned authors to whom he has alluded. His early entrance into the mili- tary profession, and the consequent employments which have prevented him from pursuing any regular plan of study. THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. 7 are the excuses Avhich he offered in liis former work for tlie want #of scientific language, and a more systematic i^iode of composition ; and the reception which a candid pubhc has given to his description, in plain and common language, of the productions of Ceylon, induces him to pursue the same plan with regard to those of the Cape of Good Hope. The man of science will find no ditficulty • in classifying any observation which he may look upon as useful ; and the general reader will probably not be dis- pleased to receive information at an easier rate, vhen di- vested of the more correct, but less understood, language of science. The author in some measure holds it a duty in- cumbent on military men, to give to their countrymen some account of those distant stations to wliich they are sent in the course of service ; and he hopes his exertions, however feeble, may have some effect in stimulating simi- lar efforts on the part of those officers who may find any leisure moments from their military avocations, to devote to pursuits of a similar nature. This practice has of late become very general among the officers of the French armies; and from the adoption of it among us, many na- tional advantages must result, as both the government will become acquainted with the state of its distant pos- sessions, and the officers of our armies will become better informed and better fitted to protect or improve the sta- tions of which they may be intrusted with the conunand. The Cape of Good Hope is the southern extremity of a The Cape of • 1 I • 1 1 • Good Hope very great and mountamous penmsula, which ships must firstpossessed a THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. by tho Por- round on their voyage from Europe to India. It was first tuguesc. discovered by the Portuguese, who called it CaboOc Diable, aud Cabo Di Tormeiito, ?. e. the Devil's Cape, and Cape 'I'ornient, from the violent winds and storms they encounterenns. vad With SO iiiucli violence in the winter months are from the north-west, and are accompanied with heavy rain, fogs, and liail ; they blow towards the land, and the dangers arising from this circumstance render it necessary to give the Cape a good h'lrtli, as the sailors term it. In the summer months the south-east winds are predominant, and often blow with great THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. 9 violence, but are attended with less danger as they proceed fiom the land ; they are favourable for ships taking their departure from the Cape, and will in a few days set them a great way on their voyage. Ships endeavouring to put into the Cape cannot effect it during the violence of the south-east wind, but must lay to or drift before it till its fury is spent, which generally happens in a few days, seldom lasting so long as the more steady fury of the gales from the north- west. When on my return to Europe, the ship I took mv passage The author * experienced in having occasion to stop at the Cape, experienced one of a heavy storm in those south-easters as they are called ; for tliough arrived at going into the Cape. the mouth of Table Bay, and just coming to anchor, a violent south-east wind rushed suddenly down from the hills over Cape Town, and nearly swamped the vessel. She was instantly laid down on her side, the quarter-deck guns driven furiously over-board, and the sails in a moment split to pieces. Fortunately only the main top-sail and fore stay-sail were set, the rest being handed ready for anchoring, or she must in- evitably have gone down. The helm was obliged to be put hard up, and the ship put to sea ; we came-to immediately, and such was the great violence of the wind, and strength of the currents, that we drifted I60 miles in thirty hours, though lying-to ail the time under bare poles. It afterwards took us three days to make; the Cape when we bore up, though we had a strong favourable wind which carried us upwards of six miles an hour. After the Portuguese surmounted the difficulty of passing C 10 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. First arrival of tlie Eng- lisli at Sal- (lahna Bay. Various na- tions touclied there for re- freshments. Its advan- tages not known. the Cape, their joy at having escaped the terrible tempests tiiey encountered, made them term it Cabo de Boa Espe- ran9a, or the Cape of Good Hope, a name which haS' since continued to be given to the southern extremity of tlie conti- nent of Africa. So far back as the year 1620, tlie English attempted to establish a colony here, and with this intention put into Sal- dahna Bay, which they judged to be favourable for their pur- pose. This brought on disputes with tlie Dutch, who asserted a prior claim from having made use of this Bay previous to the arrival of the English. For some years afterwards the various nations trading to the East-Indies, occasionally and indiscriminately touched at Saldahna and De la Goo Bays for water and refreshments, which they procured from the natives for a few toys and such trifling articles as are usually em- ployed in trafficking with savages. But the want of good and safe harbours in these parts of the Cape prevented the Euro- pean nations from any attempt to establish themselves or form a permanent settlement ; not having as yet discovered that its more southern extremity contained those commodious harbours now called False and Table Bay. The wild moun- tainous appearance of the country surrounding those last men- tioned bays, with the storms which were not then known to return periodically, were sufficient to prevent navigators from entertaining any idea of exploring these stations. A few years afterwards the Dutch, accidentally finding out the good anchorage and secure harbours, which were pre- sented by False and Table Bays, and being at that time a 9 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. ] i spirited and enterprizinj' people, formed the resolution of ^^^ch form a resolution establisliing a colony at the Cape, and with this view sent out of colonizing the Cape of a few persons to occupy the settlement, and ascertain its ^'^°<^ Hope- value, soil, and produce. Those earliest settlers giviiii^ a favourable report of the station were quickly followed by others ; and the Dutch government exerted itself to people the colony by transporting a number of convicts, male and female, from their pest houses and houses of industry, toge- ther with such disorderly and idle persons as they could pick up in their sea-ports and trading towns. At first the colonj' Disadvan- laboured under many difficulties. The barrenness of the soil, labourVj^uu- and the rude state of nature in a\ hich it remained, conspired flrsVai-'"^"^ with the general wildness of an uninhabited country to dis- ''""P^^' pirit the colonists. The rugged appearance of the mountains, the extended sandy and barren plains, subject to violent winds, which parched up the productions of the earth, and destroyed the produce of those spots which they had cultivated with much labour, aftbrded them little prospect of bettering their condition ; while the vast numbers of wild beasts which fre- quently attacked the very settlement, carrying off cattle from the pastures, and even children from the houses, were sources of constant inquietude. The Hottentots seemeil likewise leagued with the other savages of the forest to harass them ; but the persevering spirit of the Dutch, which at that period was conspicuous, surmounted every obstacle. As they be- which they came acquainted with the evils they had to encounter, they measure sur- gradually learned to overcome them. IIa^•ing ascertained the jiature of the climate, and the chano;es of the seasons at tlie c 2 nizt their new terri torv. 12 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. Cape, they entered more largelj^ and vigourously into culti- vation. They found means to prevent the attacks of the wild animals in a most effectual manner by thinning their num- bers : and having in a great degree conciliated the natives, they purchased that tract of country in the vicinity of the Cape, giving in exchange liquor, iron, toys, and such arti- cles as they knew were most gratifying to the ignorant Hottentots. rheyoiga- The Dutch now becoming permanent masters of this tract, began to for-m plans for establishing a regular govenmient and extending their territory. The daily arrival of new comers from Holland to settle at the Cape made it necessary to carry the settlement farther into the country. Care however was taken to bring the more immediate neighbourhood of the Cape into a high state of cultivation ; and with this view large grants were made to the settlers on very advantageous terms. The colonists who chose to remove farther into the interior received only yearly leases, although the ground being here much less valuable, large tracts were held at a very small rent. At the same time in order to extend the settlement, a law was passed which would not allow of any house to be erected nearer than three or four miles from each other. By this means tlie colony soon became extended to a great distance, nor were any limits ever fixed to its farther extension. The extent 'f ^^ actual extent of the colony of the Cape of Good Hope of tlie colony at the Cape Jias ucvcr bccn accurately ascertained ; but from the informa- hard to be ascertained, tion I obtained while there, I am led to conclude that it is iipAvards of five hundred miles in length, and about half "that THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. . i.o, in breadtli. The dwellings of the Dutch planters and farmers in the remotest parts are merely supposed to extend to that dis- tance from Cape Town, as they do not measure their distances by miles as we do, but by hours, and judge of the length of their journey by the number of days and hours employed in performing it, which renders it extremely difficult to judge of its true extent : as vmavoidable delays arising from natural obstacles, such as mountains of steep ascent, rivers which have overflowed their banks, and various other causes of a similar nature, may interrupt their progress, and oc- cupy a great part of their time in a journey of several days. The Dutch have taken no observations of the country, Reasons why no accurate nor surveyed any part but that immediately in the vicinity survey has ever been of Cape Town. They have but a very nnperfect knowledge taken. of the interior parts, nor does their government know either the distance at which the planters live, or the extent of their settlements ; leaving to the people themselves to frame their accounts according to their own discretion, and to determine by the same rule what rent they shall pay the government. This abuse, which probably at first arose from negligence, has at length become incapable of remedy. The planters having been accustomed to extend their domains without any restraint or nde, they now seem to consider their doing so as a right with which government is not enti- tled to uiterfere ; and successive governors have been too indolent to inquire into the real state of the plantations, and to form a proper estimate of their returns. The loss to the revenue is not however so great as might be imagined ; 14 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. The first range of for a very great proportion of the country is a wild desert, uncnltivated and barren, and not fit either for the grazing of cattle, or any purpose of husbandry. The different divi- sions of the colony ai-e bounded by long tracts of huge mountains, through which there are passes or kloofs, as they are called by the Dutch, some of them capable of being penetrated even by waggons. The first great range of mountains situate in the southern the"outher^' extremity, comprehending those from False Bay stretching to extremity, ^j^g Cape Towu, ruus in a direction due east and west, inclosins an irregular tract of land which lies between it and the southern shores. This tract is upwards of fifty miles in length and twenty in breadth, indented with bays formed by the different promontories which stretch out into the sea. The soil in many parts is deep and fertile, intersected with streams of water issuing from the hills,. The face of the plain is tolerably well clothed with grass and a variety of small plants and shrubs. ^Voods of forest trees are also interspersed in various parts ; particularly groves of the silver-oak tree. This tract is subject to rain in the winter season when the north-west winds pre- vail ; but on account of its nearness to the sea enjoys a temperate and healthy climate. Beyond this first range of mountains is another called the Zwarte Bergen, or Black Mountains, more lofty and wild than those we have de- scribed. The tracts of level country belonging to this divi- sion contain several plantations possessed by Dutch farmers. Its s\ufacc is considerably above the other, and its ap- Tlie second range of mountains more re- moved from tlie sea. THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. 15 pearancc much more varied. Some parts are disfigured by- barren hills and naked sandy plains ; while in others we find spots of well watered and fertile soil, Avhere arc situated the residences of the colonists. The third range of mountains contains few inhabitants Third range , . , . , of moun- except the natives, and is known by the name of Hot- tains. tentot Holland. It is much more elevated than the two former, and is not so subject to rain ; it extends to a much greater distance in length and breadth. The soil of this division is a hard clay mixed with sand. It produces only a few acrid and succulent plants, and a small number of shrubs, which have a shrivelled and withered appearance, owing to the length of time which the country remains without water, joined to the parching heat of the south;- ea&t winds. The country extending farther into the interior, and ap- Tiie country proaching Caffraria, is still more elevated, being gradually rior. raised by regular ranges of hills, whose flat surfaces re^ semble terraces successively rising above each other. The climate here becomes subject to extreme vicissitudes ; the frost in winter is rather severe; and the heat becomes proportionably violent and oppressive in summer. Through- out all the southern extremity of Africa the soil towards the north is much more barreUi, sandy, and rugged, than towards the south and east ; on which account we find this last part chiefly peopled by the Dutch who drove out the natives from it, and compelled them to seek a more secure residence amidst the inhospitaljle and barren re— I y'- C.4 J (5 THE CAPE OP GOOD HOPE. gions to the iiorthwai-d. Of these unfortunate people, they allowed to remain only a few hordes or tribes, who live peaceably, and often assist the planters in the cultivation of the soil, and the management of tlieir cattle. Government The Dutch government of the Cape divided the colony uy. into certain districts, and appointed a chief civil magistrate, and a court composed of the country burghers, to super- intend the police of each, and determine all petty causes ; at the same time reserving all criminal processes of im- portance to the high court of justice at Cape Town. Its divisions. The Cape Town and all the tract of country south of it, formed the first district ; Stellenbosch, about thirty miles east of Cape Town, formed the next ; Swellingdam was the third, and Graff Reynet the fourth. To each of these places are attached villages, and petty courts of justice. Cape Faiso. Cape Falso is the southern extremity of the eastern side of False Bay, and must be doubled by vessels in their passage from India to Europe, which intend to touch at the Cape. Its name is said to be derived from the following circumstance. Although mariners on their passage from India first see the point which forms the real Cape of Good Hope, and the Table Land, which is the highest of the southern peninsula, and situated immediately over Cape Town; yet from the course ships are obliged to steer, in order to double the Cape, they previously find themselves mider the necessity of pass- ing another point of land, which, from lying lower, was not at first perceived, and which from this deception is called Cape Falso, or the False Cape of Good Hope. 7 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. I7 On approacliing Cape Falso, it hides from view the real Cape of Good Hope, as m'cU as the Table Mountain ; and after having passed it three or four leagues, another intermediate promontory is diseovered, which it previously concealed from the view. This second point of land is HangLii. called Hang Lip Point, and is the soutliern extremity of Hottentot Holland, which forms one side of the extreme end of a veiy large and commodious bay, which now opens beyond Hang Lip Point, and is called False Bav- After '^'»^ ^^p^ °^ •^ " ^ _ -^ Good Hope. passing the mouth of this bay, which is about five leagues across, you fall in with that promontory which forms the real Cape of Good Hope, and which must be doubled by all ships proceeding from False to Table Bay. "When Passage from i^ f ^ >' False to ships round the Cape point on their way to Table Bay, Table Bay. they first meet two smaller ones, called Chapman's and Hout's Bay. The Table Mountain, the Lion's Head, the Lion's Rurxip, and the Tiger or Devil's Hill, successively open to the view; and after passing the Lion's Rump or Green Point, vessels find themselves presently in Table Bay, "which skirts the northern side of the Cape of Good Llope. All this coast is one stupendous mass of rude, rocky, and Appearance bold mountains ; connected together by lesser ones of various and uncommon shapes. The tops of some rise into lofty cones; while others, assuming a more level and unbroken form, stretch out far beyond the others, into the sea, and form capes or points indented with the bays I have al-. ready mentioned. D 18 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. To tliose who have been accustomed to see only the level shores of England, the appearance of this whole coast is awfully grand. The immense masses which rise in many places almost perpendicularly from the sea, and are lost amono; the clouds; the vast gullies and caverns, which seem to sink to an immeasurable depth amidst these stupendous mountains ; the long extended ledges of rock, over which in - a few places aie scattered some tufts of sturited trees and withered shrubs ; the successive ridges of white sandy hills, each of Avliich appears like a valley to the one by which it is surmounted ; tlie terrible surf which is continually raging on the beach, along which these ridges are stretched ; with the spray which is thrown to an immense height by the waves recoiling from the more rocky parts — all these ob- jects rushing at once upon the 63^6 of those who approach the Cape, produce an cftect which can be but faintly con- veyed by description. This surf which is driv-en towards the land with such fury, produces a phenomenon in the sandy deserts, even far The spray of rcmovcd from the sea. In the time of the violent south- the sea car- ried far into east Aviuds it is carried to a great distance into the coun- the country. f> i • i • t in try, presenting the appearance ot a tlnck mist. It gradually quits the atmosphere, lighting on the trees and herbs, and Collects and lining the surface of the sands. On the commencement of forms lakes , . . . • t i i i i - • i of suit water, the rauiy season it is agam dissolved; and being carried off by the streams which are then formed, it is lodged in a nmnber of small lakes, M'hich, by a natural process, in time become absolute salt pans ; and thence it is that the THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. l^ Dutch colonists collect the salt which supplies their con- sumption. A person walking on the sandy beach during the continuance of the south-east winds, so as to be exposed to its influence, soon finds his cloaths covered and incrus<^ed with saline particles; while his skin is quite parched up, and his lips begin to feel their effects very sensibly. False Bay and Table Bay arc the only ones Avhere ships Harbours anchor on this side the peninsula. Chapman's and liout's anciior.*^ '^' Bay are too small, and too much exposed to the violence of the winds, Avhich blow in eddies and currents down hum the mountains. A ship putting into either of them, will find herself every moment exposed to the different shiftings of these winds, which are perpetually counteracted in their descent by opposing currents. As the beach, hoMCver, in Miiitarj- these bays is sandy, there are military posts established, ^°' *' with batteries to prevent an enemy from landing and ap- proaching Cape Town, by the side of Tiger Hill and the back of Table Mountain. They are of no other use but to pre- vent the landing of an enemy's boats, as no other inhal)i- tants but the troops quartered there reside at those ba3s, the soil being uninviting, and the way from thence to Cape Town by land extremely steep and rugged. The great chain of mountains which sti'etches along tliis Tiie moun- shore, and forms this vast promontory of the Cape, is con- nected with the interior of Africa by low flat tracts and ridges of sand, eoUected together by the violence of the winds, which sweep unrestrained over these dreary wastes. There is little verdure to be seen on those vast masses vhich D 2 20 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. The soil in the vicinity of the moun- tainoui tracts. It$ produce. form the chain of mountains ; the few small trees and plants peculiar to this part of the world, which grow here and there amidst the barren and rocky soil, seem stunted and withered, being parched up by the violence of the winds and the great length of time from one season to the other without rain ; a genial shower, during the summer months, rarely happening in that, quarter. In the mountainous' parts contiguous to Cape Town, the soil is a hard clay, mixed with a white glistening sand, which is brought up from the low tracts by the south-east winds. Some grass, and a few acrid plants, are nearly all the produce of thi* unpromising s ; yet still there are spots on the sides of these elevations which receive cultivation, and produce vegetables and fruits ; although great labour is required for this purpose, and these spots must all be fenced in and well defended from the winds by thick hedges of myrtle, small oak, or other trees. The low marshy spots scattered in various places round Cape Town, which have streams of water running through them, with a deep and rich soil, produce a vast number of succulent plants, flowery herbs, sweet grasses, and various kinds of heath ; which have aiforded much room for the enterprise of botanists. Wherever these productive spots are found, they are cultivated with great care by the Dutch, and are converted mto vineyards, gardens, and fields, co- vered with all kinds of vegetable productions, by which the town and shipping are abimdantly supplied at a very cheap rate. THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. 21 The profusion of plants which arc spread over some parts of these sandy tracts, and seem pecuUarly adapted to that soil, cannot fail to recal to the observer's mind, that wis- dom with which every part of the creation is adjusted to the most beneficent purposes. Were it not for these spon- taneous productions, the cattle must often be exterminated by hunger, amidst those tracts which for the most part refuse the culture of man, while the climate in other instances so often proves fatal to his labours. To the traveller these shrubberies afford shelter from the clouds of sand which fly at a certain season, and otherwise would prove altogethei- insuf- ferable; and those w-ho have never traversed these wide and waste plains of barren sand, will gratefully acknowledge the relief to the eye and the mind which is afforded by a re- freshing spot of verdure, covered Avith herbs and flowers. The numerous birds which inhabit this space, derive their food from the berries and fruits belonging to those plants ; while the more substantial ones are used for fuel, an article extremely scarce and dear about the Cape. 22 ' THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. CHAPTER II. Journal of Occurrences, during the Author s first Vis'ii to the Cape — Taking of the Dutch Fleet at Saldahna Bay — Des- scription of that Bay. IN the last chapter I have given a general description of the Cape of Good Hope, and the first appearances which it presents to the eye of a stranger. I shall now introduce a journal of my transactions during the first visit which I paid to this colony ; not from any idea that these circum- stances can in any degree interest the public, from any re- lation which they bear to myself, but because they may serve to tlii'ow some light on the state of the colony, and the public events which took place at that period. Sucii de- tails, although to some they may appear too minute to be interesting, contain many particulars which serve to give a more complete idea of the stuation of a countr}", but which must necessarily have been omitted in a general description. The author's On the first of Au^ust 1796, we came in sight of Table first arrival at ^ the Cape. Land, being, as I have already mentioned, the highest point, and the first which is seen on the passage from Europe to the Cape of Good Hope. It being late in the evening, and the weather at the same time very boisterous, our commodore. Captain Osburn, of the Trident, would not venture in, but lay-to till next next morning, Avhen we came to anchor in False Bay, after a pleasant passage 3 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. $3 of eleven weeks from I'Lngland. Here we found Admi ral Elphins tone with a squadron of six, sail of the lin e and t hree frigates , besides eight outwai-d bou nd East Intliamen , who were waiting for convoy. This i ieet of Indiamea had a more tcdioiis passage than that to wl'.ich wc belonoed, having been sixteen weeks on their voyage. They brought out the 25th light dragoons, and the 33(1 and 80th regiments of foot, which were dis- embarked for some time and encamped on the heights above Simon's Town. The 27th light dragoons , and five conipa - nies of the 19th rcgimeiit, t o which I belonged , were in t he flee t co nvoyed by Commodore Osburn . The remain- ing fiv^ companies of my regiment were on board the Vv^oodford and Dublin East Indiamen, which parted com- pany the da}' before we made the land, and proceeded without stopping, with three others, on their A'03age to the East Indies. As the object of putting into the Cape Mas merely to obtain water and refreshments, which began to be required on account of the number of troops on board, our stay here was intended to be limited to a week or ten days, being the period in which these necessaries might be procured ; after which all the Indiamen, with the regi- ments I mentioned. Mere M'ithout delay to prosecute their voyage. Our commandjng^qfficer. Colonel Dalrymple , gave leave to his officers to pay a visit to Cape Tom'u, which Mas at the distance of tM-entj'.four miles from the place Mhere our squadron lay; and this permission Mas so regulat- ed that one half should be absent at a time, and the in- 24 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. trrval so divided, as that all of us might spend a few days on shore. A very unexpected occurrence, however, ren- dered our stay much longer than was originally isitended. The particulars of this event Mill be seen in the following journal which I kept from the da,y of my arrival in False Bay. ^ On Tuesday, August the second, came to anchor in False Bay ; went on board Admiral Elphinstoric's ship, tlie ISIon- arch, where I expected to meet my brother, who w'as a lieutenant belonging to her; but in this I Avas disappoint- ed, he having been taken prisoner on his passage from In- dia to the Cape, in charge of a prize, some time J?ac.k, by part of Admiral Sercy's squadron, and carried to the Mauritius ; the Sphynx sloop of war narrowly escaped being taken at the same time. August 3. Landed at Simon's Town to prepar e for a .journe y to Cape^ Town ; a detachment of the 78 th reg iment was_guar- tered here , under the command of Major Monnypenny , b esides the regiments before- ment ioned encamped close by, Avaiting till the ships Avere ready to sail for India. 4. Two other officers and myself proceeded on foot, as horses could not be obtained. When Ave arrived at Mu- senberg we found the grenadiers of the 78th, 84th, 9«5th, and 98th regiments at this post, and six miles further on, at Wineberg, where Ave slept, the light companies of those regiments; the battalion companies, with the 28th light dragoons, forming the garrison at Cape Town. We got beds and refreshments at Dutch boor's house. THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. 25 Arrived at Cape Town ; heard a niinour of a Dutch fleet August s. being seen near Saldahna Bay. Remained at Cape Town. Viewed different parts of the (>. • town and its environs. Got comfortably lodged at a Dutch gentleman's house, at the rate of three rix-doUars a day- In consequence of intelligence having been received of nine Dutch men of war being off Saldahna Bay, General Craig the commander in chief ordered all officers belonsinti to the regiments at Simon's town, to proceed immediately to join their respective corps ; and at the same time sent an express to Admiral Elphinstonc to put to sea with the fleet under his command, in pursuit of the Dutch, which . he did that same day. The grenadiers and light compa- nies stationed at INIusenberg and Winebero;, marched into Cape Town, and, without halting, followed tlieir regiments • to Saldahna Bay. General Craig took with him a detach- ment of the 28th dragoons and artillery, the 78th, SOtli, and part of the 84th regiments ; leaving the 95th and 98th to garrison the Cape Town, under the command of jMajor General Doyle, who volunteered his services ; for he was on board the fleet merely as a passenger, on his way to India. I, and three more officers of the 19th regiment, having with some difficulty procured a waggon, set off for Simon's Bay, and got on ship-board tiiat night, ver}' much fatigued by the bad road and jolting of our clumsy vehi- cle. The 27th light dragoons, and five companies of the 19th, 7. regiment, disembarked; the 25th li^ht draooons and de- E 26 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. August 8. tacliments of the 78th and 33d regiments, were ordered to Cape Town, from whence they were to proceed after Ge- neral Craig. The 27th light dragoons relieved the 25th in camp ; and the 19th and 78th regiments, excepting a eaptain and sixty men, were sent forward to occupy the pass Musenberg, and all the flank companies pushed forward towards Saldahna Bay. i*- The movement of the troops continued ; twelve sail of Indiamen in Simon's bay moored close in shore in the form of a half moon, and being flanked by the batteries ashore, presented a formidable appearance ; and rendered an attack extremely difficult and hazardous to the Dutch, in case they should have escaped our fleet, and steered for this bay, which it was thought might possibly happen. . n. Positive intelligence [arrived that the Dutch Fleet was at anchor in Saldahna Bay, where they had landed five hundred men, on an island situated near its entrance; and were busily employed in throwing up fortifications and watering their ships. !''• The English Fleet which had been out some days with- out meeting the Dutch, from the imperfect intelligence the Admiral had received of their real destination, came into the bay in the evening and anchoicd. They had en- countered very rough weather all the time they were out; and the wind, which blew strong from the north west, was against their making Saldahna Bay. They had sus- tained some injury in their masts and rigging. The Tri- dent struck on a sunken rock, while coming into tlie bay, THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. 5; and narrowly escaped foundering; she was then going at tlie rate of nine knots an liour. The Admiral who had received an express to inform Augmt 13. him of the enemy being at anchor, accompanied with orders to go out again immediately, found it impossible to do so, it blew so exceedingly strong; but he employed this interval in repairing the damages the fleet had sustained. The Tremendous of 74 guns, Admiral Pringle's ship, was with much difficulty and by great exertion saved from running ashore, having parted repeatedly from her anchors. The weather being moderate, the Admiral and the ^ u. whole fleet got under weigh, and was out of sight toAvards evening. A detachment of the 19th was ordered to march to Cape Town, and from thence to Saldahna Bay, Avith provisions, &c. while the rest of the regiment received orders to march in the morning. The 19th regiment marched for Cape Town, and took — -- 15. up our captain's detachment posted at Musenberg, Avhich was afterwards occupied by a troop of the 27th dragoons. Halted that night at Wineberg. JMarchcd into Cape Town, took possession of the bar 16 racks of the 80th, and did the duty there with the other troops, which, on account of the numerous posts round the town, and the number of guards required to occupy them, was very severe. General Ci-aig with the army, arrived on the 14th at Saldahna Bay, having previously pushed on a detachment of dragoons and light troops; the Dutch sent at different times officers and parties on shore t(j» E 2 2S THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. procure i:iformation from iheir friends, but those parties were all taken by our advanced detacinnent. The enemy found themselves miserably disappointed in all their ob- jects. Tliey had imagined that the English fleet was in India, or at least cruizing off the Isle of France. They had also expected to be joined by a French squadron and troops from the IVIauritius and Batavia; and with this reinforcement they had intended to surprise the Cape, having heard it was but weakly garrisoned by the English, and also calculating upon the assistance of a strong party of Dutch from the interior, and a powerful diversion in their favour by the inhabitants of Cape Town. But even had they been joined by the expected reinforcement, their designs would now have been rendered abortive ; for the English fleet was both strong and well manned, and by the detention of the regiments bound to India, upwards of three thousand British troops were added to the force al- ready stationed in this colony. These last circumstances Avere most critically fortunate, for the regiments in garri- son at the Cape, were barely sufficient for the proper de- fence of the town ; and could with difficulty have furnished an army to oppose the joint efforts of the French and Dutch. The plan which was formed by General Craig on this occasion, was as remarkable for the judgment with which it was formed, as the ability displayed in its exe- cution. Before I proceed to relate the circumstances which fol- lowed, it may afford a gratification to my readers to know THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. 29 tlie situation and nature of that place, where the Biili^.h aiul Dutch forces were now met. Saldahna Bay is reckoned to be at the distance of about eighteen or twenty leagues from Table Ba}-, in the direc- tion of north by west, and lies in latitude 33° 10' south, and 18° east longitude. It is a secure harbour for the greater part of the year, and affords conveniences superior to either Table or False Bay, for the laying down, repair- ing, and refitting of ships. The north part of this bay is generally distinguished by the name of Hootjes Bay, which is very secure and commodious, being land-locked and well sheltered, and affording anchorage to large ships. This part of the bay is skirted by rocks, which occasionally jut out into the water, and form small basins, in which the water is deep, and as smooth as a mill pond. Ships misht be hove down along side or close in with the rocks here in fonr or live fathoms water. Saldahna Bay, in its fullest extent, is about live leagues across in the direction of the coast, from north-east to south-west. The entrance is from the north side close to a ridge of hills mode- rately high, but barren and uncultivated. In this entrance are three rocky and sandy islands, one lying directly in its channel or mouth. It was this last on which Aeimiral Lucas landed his men, and began to raise fortifications. These three islands if fortitied to the degree of which they are rendered capable by nature, would completely defend the entrance of the bay against an enemy's fleet. The Dutch Admiral had not the means, nor perhaps the skill. ao THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. to render them strong enough to oppose the entrance of Admiral Elphinstone; nor did he indeed attempt to fortify any but the one above-mentioned. Towards the southern extremity and -within the bay, are two islands, ealled Sehapen and JMewen ; and between those tAvo is a narrow passage into the south angle of Saldahna Bay, Mhich here forms a kind of lake vhere small craft to any number might lie as seeurely as in dock. On the nortli side of those two islands there i;j good anchornge for large ships. Here it A\as that Admiral Lucas lay at anchor when the British fleet came to attack him, and hemmed him in by drawing up in line of battle across the narrow part of the bay, so that it was impossible for the Dutch fleet to aj>« tempt getting out. The scarcity of wood and water in the neighbourhood of Saldahna Bay must, unless these disadvantages can by any means be removed, always render its advantages as a com- modious and safe harbour abortive. Although ships some- times touch here, and can remain all seasons of the year to be docked and repaired, it cannot be thought of as a general rendezvous for want of those essential articles. The Dutch never wished to remove these disadvantages even had it been in their power. It was far from their intention, and indeed directly opposite to the spirit of their policy to encourage the vessels of any nation, or even their own, to stop at this place. Their East-India company was so ex- ti'eraely avaricious that, in order not to lose the trifling revenue arising from the anchorage money which they ex- 5 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. 31 acted from vessels touching at the Cape, they made a law to prohibit them from being supplied with any refresh- ments at any of the other harbours, such as Saldahna, Plettenbeig, and De la Goe Bay ; and with the same view they so far neglected the improvement of these stations that ships were compelled of necessity to put in at False or Table Bay to procure supplies, whenever they fouiifl their stocJv of provisions insufficient to carry them to the end of a long voyage. In consequence of this policy a pre- carious, temporary, and scanty supply of wood and water, is all that with a great deal of trouble can at present l>e procured at Saldahna Bay. Water might to a certain de- gree be procured from the adjacent country amidst the sand hills and vallies that surround the bay. A numlx^r of shrubby plants also grow there, Avhose long and thick roots, which are easily pulled out of the sand, might serve for fuel. The sides of the hills in several places are covered with plants bearing fruit and low trees ; and the flat tracts at some distance from the shore frequently present forests half buried in sand. The general face of the surrounding country is flat, and intersected occasionally with hills; and like Musenberg and AYineberg, it forms a continued shrubbery. The soil is throughout loose and sandy ; in some parts however it is fertile, producing wheat, barley, and vegetables, which grow astonishingly A\ell, although growing in sheer saiul. Had it been well planted Avitli timber some years ago, Saldalma Bfy and the adjacent country would have afforded solid advantages to Cape 32 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. Town, the passage by sea being much shorter and not so dangerous or difficult as either from Piettenberg or De la Goe Bay. The want of good water is the chief misfor- tune ; nor has any been as yet discovered near the beach of Saldahna Bay, nor for a considerable extent around ; and on this account that tract is thinly inhabited. Springs indeed have been found in several spots, but they are ail strongly impregnated with salt. In Ceylon and many parts of India, I have seen the natives scoop holes with their hands in the sand close to the sea, and by this means obtain excellent water in a few minutes. Our soldiers, at the suggestion of officers who had served in the East- Indies, employed the same method at Saldahna Bay, and succeeded in procuring water, though in no great quantity nor very pure ; yet still it was not unfit to be drunk. I do not believe it ever occurred to the Dutch to obtain it in this manner. It has been imagined that water might be procured from the White Rock or Witte Klip, on one of these islands at the entrance of the bay, although it would require much expense and labour to make an incision into the rock for this purpose. Colonel Gordon, and others of their engineers, laid a plan before the Dutch government to turn the course of a deep river which passes through the country within a few miles of the sea into a parallel direction with the coast ; but, with the usual narrow policy of that people, it was rejected. Had this scheme been exe- cuted, shipping might have been supplied abundantly Avith water ; and it woidd also have soon become more easy to 3 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. 3.^3 procure the other necessaries of life. The farmei's, who reside a httle way inland, breed a good deal of cattle, and sow a considerable quantity of corn and vegetables- The soil becomes more rich and fertile as it is removed to a greater distance from the shore. Game is in great plenty ; and the rivers abound with that enormous quad- ruped the Hippopotamus. Such is a short description of tlie bay into which the Dutch Admiral had conducted his fleet. It afforded a station undoubtedly of great security from the winds and the waves ; but a more formidable enemy, from which there was no means of escape, presented* itself to him both by land and sea, in British valour. The Dutch Admiral, on discovering our troops who had August 17. now all arrived, but had been hitherto carefully concealed till the artillery was come up, and having received certain infor- mation of the near approach of our fleet, sent the Havoc sloop of war close in shore. She fired several shot at our men, but without effect; for only one shot took place, which hit a musket on the shoulder of a soldier of the 84th regiment, and broke it in two, but without doinii him any material injury. General Craig, in order to re- turn the compliment, ordered Captain Robertson, of tlie artillery, to bring his guns to bear on her, and laid a bet with the Captain that he would not hit lier from the dis- tance at which she lay ; but Captain Robertson so well calculated his aim, that he struck lier with the first shot, F 34 THE Cx\PE OF GOOD HOPE. iipon which she hauled out from shore and did not at- tempt to return again. About two hours afterwards the Enghsh fleet hove in sight, and were discovered by us from the eminences and signal posts. They were at length descried by the Dutch, who at first imagined them to be- their long looked for and anxi- ously expected friends the French ; but were soon unde- ceived, when to their great surprize the English fleet came to anchor outside of them across the neck of the bay, and drew up in line of battle. They now perceived that they were completely shut in, and that no chance was left for one of their ships to escape. The Dutch officers had some idea of running their vessels ashore to prevent their falling into our hands in a perfect state, and then to attempt to make their own escape into the country. General Craig, however, suspecting they might have such intentions, sent an officer with a flag of truce to inform the Dutch Ad- miral, that if they attempted to injure the ships he would allow them no quarter. It blew so fresh this evening that Admiral Elphinstone attempted nothing, but prepared his fleet for action in case the Dutch should resist. August 18. Our Admiral sent a flag of truce to the Dutch Admi- ral Lucas, requiring him to surrender without delay. Re- sistance or escape were now equally impracticable ; and therefore after a few ineffectual requests to obtain one of the frigates to carry him and his officers to Europe, he surrendered at discretion. On our boats boarding 'the THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. .'56 enemy's vessels, our officers found the Dutch sailors in a state of mutiny, and in the act of laying violent hands on their officers, towards whom they had lost all sense of respect. Several of them trampled on their own colours, and tore them to pieces ; and our people were obliged to interfere in order to rescue the unfortunate Dutch officers from de- struction. The Dutch ships were in a very bad condition for fighting, the crews were extremely disaffected, being mostly composed of requisition-men forced into tlie ser- vice. Few were natives of Holland, the far greater part being Hanoverians, Prussians, and Germans; and in addition to the evils to be apprehended from this mixture of fo- reigners, they were almost all raw and inexperienced, both sailors and soldiers. Admiral Lucas remonstrated with the Dutch government on their sending out this fleet so badly victualled and appointed ; but he received for answer, that he should lose his head, if he did not immediately proceed on his voyage Avith the squadron. On their arrival at Sal- dahna Bay, they had not three days wood or M'ater on board ; even during the voyage they had but a very scanty allowance of provisions ; many of them seemed quite happy on being taken by us, and several entered immediately into our service. Those who did so were distributed on board the East India ships, each receiving a proportion of tliem in lieu of the English seamen taken out of them by Admiral Elphinstone, to complete the complements of his fleet. When our Commodore Osburn, of tlie Trident, went on F 2 St) THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. board one of the Dutcli ships, and examined the charts and log books, he found to his great surprise, that for the last three weeks, before Ave arrived at the Cape, the Dutch fleet was never more than twelve hours sail, or twenty-five leagues from us, both fleets tacking at the same time, and keeping the same course, they being that distance to the westward of us. During the voyage we saw some of tlieir ships, and chased them a whole day ; tliey also discovered us, but bore awa}'. The day we made Cape Land, we observed three or four sail to the westward at a great distance, and thought they were the English fleet cruizing in those latitudes. Although they at the same time discovered our fleet, they made no attempt to bear down upon us ; as their Admiral had received positive orders not to chase any ship, but to proceed direct to Saldahna Bay. Had they fallen in with our fleet at sea, they might have captured some of us, as we had only one line of battle ship and seven sail of Indiamen ; five of which left us the day before we saw the land. The Dutch fleet consisted of the Dortrecht of 68 guns, Admiral Lucas, Van Tromp 6-1, Revolutionaire 64, Castor 40, Brave 40, Syren 24, Havoc 24, Bellona 24, and the IMaria transport,, armed en flute, laden with military stores, and carrying 40 guns. The English fleet v/hich assisted at their capture in Saldahna bay, was composed of the Monarch 74, Admiral Elphinstone ; Tremendous 74, Admiral Pringle ; America 64, Commodore Blanket ; Ruby 64, Captain Hardy ; Stately 64, Captain -; Trident 64, Captain Osburn; Jupiter THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. 37 50, Captain Losac ; Crescent 36", Captain Buller ; Moselle 20, Captain ; Spliinx 20, Captain ; Rattlesnake and Echo of 16 guns each. From tiie 18th to the 2'3d nothing worthy of notice occurred at Cape Town. General Do3'le, in consequence of the victory over the August 23. Dutch, drew out the garrison on the parade in front of the castle, to fire a feu de joie. The Dutch were exceedingly mortified at the capture of their fleet ; for a strong partv was ready to act, if occasion offered, against us ; and the planters in the country were only waiting for the landing of the Dutch troops, in order to join them. But the piu- dent and vii^orous measures of General Craisj, and the wise precautions which General Doyle took for tlie defence of the Cape Town and its neighbourhood, prevented any such attempt from being made by the disaffected. The cannon of the castle, and the difierent batteries at each end of the town, were turned upon it, and ready to play at a moment's w'arning, in case of any conmiotion. General Craig arrived and was received with military og honours by the troops, who v/ere drawn out for the pur- pose, and the officers afterwards waited on him at the castle. General Craig reviewed the 19th regiment on the grand 27. parade, and was very much pleased Avith their appearance; he gave us orders to march next morning to False Bay, to embark for the East Indies. The 25th dragoons marched this day to Simon's Town to embark for the same desti- nation. The 33d and 80th regiments were ordered to re* 4 38 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. main at the Cape to strengthen the garrison, which, on account of the number of prisoners, required a great force to place it in a state of security. This evening presented to our countrymen a most gratifying spectacle, the Enghsh fleet bringing their prizes into Table Bay. The appearance they presented was majestic ; a strong breeze carried them in at the rate of nine knots an hour, and they all in a rc;iular succession came to anchor before us. The triumph conspicuous among our countrymen on this occasion, could only be equalled by the sliarae and disappointment which the Dutch inhabitants appeared sensibly to feel, on seeing English colours flj^ing over their own. August vs. ]\Iarched to Wineberg; halted there that night very much fatigued, as we had experienced a dreadfully w^t daA^ and been able to procure hardly any thing to eat. On our arrival here, we found nothing but wet rushes to lie on all night, and were consequently obliged to sleep on this un- comfortable bed, in our drenched clothes. , 29. Marched to Simon's Town and embarked, glad of getting on board to a comfortable dinner, and our ow^n beds, after a fast of nearly three days, and a fatiguing march through heavy sands. The 25th dragoons had embarked the day before. From this to the 20th of September we remained at anchor in Simon's Bay, the different ships being busily employed in taking in water and provisions, and preparing for their voyage to India. During this time, having little duty to attend to, I every day amused myself on shore, in shooting and fishing parties; and made daily excursions THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. 59 into different parts of the country. I took an opportunity of again seeing Cape Town, and of visiting the vineyards and vine plantations of Constantia. In these excursions I collected many materials for this work, which will be present- ed in tlicir proper place. A signal was made b}' the oldest captain of the India Sept. lo. fleet (Captain Strover, of the Essex), who acted as Com- modore, to weigh anchor and put to sea. About five o'clock that evening, having proceeded about two leagues out of this bay, the William Pitt, Indianian, running foul of the i\Ianship, carried a^vay her bowsprit ; upon which the Com- modore made a signal to return. We remained here six days longer, whilst the William Pitt was repairing her damages. Although we at first look- ed upon it as a disappointment, it proved in the end a fortunate circumstance, as next day there came on a fu- rious gale of wind, which continued to blow with great violence for three days, and might have damaged the fleet, had we been at sea. The ships being ajl ready, the Commodore again made i^;, the signal to get under Aveigh and proceed on our voyage to Madras. This evening we lost sight of the Cape, and made the land at jMadras on the 14th of November. On my return to Europe from India, in the year 1800, the ship in which I was passenger put into Table Bay on the 1st of December, to water and lay in stores ; expecting also to find a convoy ready to depart for England. Our intention at that tirSe was to remain there only ten days. On the 40 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. 81h of December the Arethusa, frigate, Capta inWoolley, arrived from St. Helena, to convoy the trade from the Cape to England. There we had to remain waiting for the In- diamen which were daily coming in, as well as the govern- ment store ships, till the 14th of January, 1801, when we weighed anchor from Table Bay ; and on the 2Sth Janua- ry made St. Helena, where we continued till the 6th o* February. During the time I remained at the Cape, having no mi- litary duty to perform, I had an opportunity of visiting several parts of the surrounding countr}^ as well as the villages of Stellenbosch, Witte, Boem, and others at some distance. The observations which I made during this and my former visit to this colony, will be found in the fol- lowing chapters. THE CAPE OP GOOD HOPE. - 41 CIIAPTKR III. Fake Bai/ — Vropcr Season for anchoring there — llochs — Seal Island — Beautiful Prospect from the Bay — Simons Town — Public Buildings — Batteries — Customs in the Dutch Time. L Have already given a general geographical description of the colony of the Cape of Good Hope. I shall now pro- ceed to give a more particular account of those places Mhich, from their situation and advantages, have the greatest claim on the public attention. False Bay is so called from Cape False. The promon- False Bay. tory of land Avhich stretches to a great distance into the sea, forms an immense bay. This bay is not properly the harbour, or place where ships come to anchor, on this side the peninsula, but is rather the outer road of another smaller one, close in with the shore, called Simon's Bay, from the Simons Bay. name of the town close by. It is only in this inner space Best season ., . , . ... . , . . foranclior- that ships cari remam with any security during tlie north- ing there. west winds, which prevail from March till September. During the other months of the year, Avhcn the south-east A\in(is prevail, even Simon's Bay is unable to afford any se- currty ; vessels therefore at this period go round to Table Bay, which is equally .secure in that season as .Simon's Bay was in the other. In the winter, which is from IMarcli to September, all vessels put into Fal.se or Simon's Bay, and the little town close by is, at that period, nuu h frequented. G 42 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. This bay, formed by the most soiithern point of the t.outhern extremity of the Cap ;, lies in latitude 34° 9' south, and 18" 32' east longitude. Ships on their voyage to India, which are under the necessity of taking in water and pro- visions at the Cape, prefer stopping at False Bay, as more fevourable to their making their passage ; and, on return- ing to Europe, the same reason it^duces them to put into Table Bay. From the indented siiape of Simon's Bay, which is almost surrounded by exceedhigly high hills, that cover it from the violence of the winds, vessels are in per- fect security there, except when a violent south-east wind blows in shore, and can anchor Avithin a quarter of a mile Rocks in or less of Simon's Town. At the entrance of this bav are False Bay. two remarkable rocks, of a very curious appearance, called the Roman Rocks and Noah's Ark ; on the latter of which is placed a flag staff. Happily for vessels Avhich intend to moor here, those rocks are so situated as not materially to obstruct them in tlieir working in and out. In the outer part of False Bay, some sunken rocks have been discovered by the English. It was on one of these that the Trident struck in 1796, when she was so much damaged in her keel, and otherwise injured by the shock, that fears were en- tertained for her safety. It was supposed the Dutch knew of tins rock, as it had been laid down in an old chart of theirs, but they would not inform us of it. Lord Keith had a buoy placed on it to prevent accidents in fu- ture. It is but justice to this excellent officer to remark, that he spared no pains to sound and explore botii False THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. 43 and Tabic Bay, m hilst he remained on this station ; and he was the first who had a ship hove down and thorough- ly repaired in False Bay, instead of sending her at a great expense and loss of time to Bombay to be docked, which is generally done with the men of war on service in these latitudes; unless in the alternative of their being recalled to Europe. A small barren island, called Seal Island, lies between SeaiisiatH. Ilanglip Point and False Bay, within two leagues of the shore. It is resorted to only by fishermen to catch seals, of which they procure a great number throughout all this bay. Abundance of fish of various kinds is got here ; par- ticularly about the Roman Rocks and Noah's Ark. Immediately on a ship coming to anchor, she is sur- rounded by boats, laden with fish, vegetables, and fruit, Avhich the slaves of the Dutch colonists come to sell for their masters. All kinds of fish peculiar to the Cape are Different found in this bay ; many of tiiem excellent and very agree- found in this able to the palate. The most common is the Roman fish, ' ' so called from its being caught about the rock of that name: it is of a deep rose colour, and of the perch kind. The other species of fish found here ai-e, the red and whit4 Steeribrassen, also of the perch kind, and large and good : the Hottentot fish, which derives its name from its dirty brown colour, resembling the skin of that people : the sil- ver fish, somewhat shaped like our turbot, and with its scales shining like silver : the strompncus, which has black and white spots down the middle and sides: the klip G 2 44 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. or rock fish, with a coarse scaly skin, of a tolerable sizev and very good ^\'hen tVie- pearance altogether astonisliing to a stranger on his fust arrival. They keep hovering and flying without intermis- sion around the ships at anchor i;i the baj', and ma\- be easily killed from the deck by flingin"; a stick or stone among the sunounding flocks. In consequence of a fatal accident which happened the day I arrived, from an oliicer shooting at a flock of those birds, positive orders were issued to prevent any one from firing from on board or iii the bay. The prospect which meets the eye, on coming to Reantiiu! anchor m Canons bay, is extensive, diversified, and a! the shipping once grand and beautiful. The exceedingly high and steep '"'' ""' hills reaching clo.se to the shore, which surround tlie gjvater part of the bay,, seem to the European passenger even m THE CAPE OP GOOD HOPE. more lofty, more near, and more awfully grand, after a long voyage, during which nothing has met his eye but the level surface of an extended watery plain, and nothing bounded his view but the uninterrupted circle of the hori- zon. On turning the eye towards one side of the bay, the little town at the foot of one of those hills, the houses scattered up and down the declivity, and gradually rising one above the other, the Company's gardens contiguous to the town, the landing place, the sandy beach and white road leading to Musenberg, the form of the bay on this side resembling a crescent, with the large flat surrounding plain bounded by the Musenberg hills, afford a prospect which to me at least conveyed the most pleasing sensa- view of the tions. On the other side of the bay a still nobler pros- country . round, pect opens to the view. Close to the shore appear several houses, plantations, and cultivated fields belonging to the Dutch larmers and burghers, over-topped by the green sheapen-berghen or sheep hills. Above them rise the amazingly high, steep, and wild mountains of Hottentot Holland, which in the finest and clearest weather are covered with snow and passing clouds. To the east a view is opened of the more distant Caffree country, Avhose moun- tains towering to a yet superior height, of a bright copper colour, close the sublime prospect. Such is the sur- rounding country of Simon's Bay as it appears to the Euro- pean pas^ienger before he has yet come to land ; nor do these objects appear less striking to him when he has had an opportunity of examining them more minutely. 5 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. 47 From the station -where ships anchor you row in a few Landing minutes to Simon's Town, and land without any risk or ^'^"^^ obstruction on the sandy beacli, or at the pier or plat- form, which is carried out several yards into the sea on large piles of timber, for the more convenient loading and unloading of be its and small craft. Close to this pier is a Resen-oir most excellent reservoir of water, conveyed in pipes from the springs in the neighbouring hills, Avhich afford a con- stant supply. It was constructed by the Dutch East-India Companj' for the convenience of watering their ships. There are also along the beach several small streams and springs of water, issuing from the different liills and running hito the bay, where boats frequently take up water for their ships when the reservoir is too much occupied ; for every one must wait his turn at the cistern, and by this regular mode the process of watering Is much more easily and speedily accomplished. Simon's Town, if it can be called a toAvn, is pleasantly Simon's situated on the sea side, under a very steep hill. It consists of about twenty houses rather scattered, and irregularly placed along the curve or bend of the shore. A few are built on the declivity of the hill, where the slope is some- times interrupted by a gentle swell. Most of the houses are tolerably large and well built, and are inhabited by Dutchmen, either occasional residents or natives of tlie place. A part of the buildings here were erected by the Public buiw^ Dutch East-India Company, at their own expense, for the use of their ships trading to and from India, and consist of 4^8 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. a. long range of store houses close by the wharf or landiDg place. The erecting of these buildings was occasioned by an accident whic-h took place many years ago. A dreadful storm arose in Table Bay at a season Avhen least to be expected. A great part of tiie shipping lying there was in consequence destroyed, and the rest obliged to put into False Bay to relit. The magazines then erected at Simon's Town for their acconmiodation have since been ejnployed for refitting and supplying vessels who touch at the Cape during the winter season. This range of buildings is re- niaikably well laid out, and adapted for the use designed. It contains stores of all kinds ; forges and work-shops for fitting and repairing the timber or iron-work of their ves- ""sels ; with small houses and apartments attached for the residence of the workmen and artificers, as also for those who did the duty of guards, which in the Dutch time was occasionally performed by the people belonging to the ma- gazines. At one end was a bake-house and a place for tlieir workin;ht with their heads as well as their breast and shoulders. In front of the body of the waggon there is a bar or piece of wood for a seat, like that placed before our hackney coaches : on this two of their slaves sit, and from this station guide a long team of horses or oxen. One of the slaves holds the reins, and guides the cattle, whilst the other sits beside him M'ith a long whip that trails on the ground till he has occasion to use iton the cattle, which he does with both his hands. Tiie handle of this prodigious wliip is of bamboe, from twelve The whips, to fifteen feet long, and is fixed to a thick leather thoncf of buft'alo hide, rudely platted, and of an equal length witii the handle, with a lash nearly three feet long attached to the extremity. The drivers arc so very expert in the use of this innnense Avhip, which to an European appears so unwieldy, that they can touch a team of ten or twelve pair of cattle in any part they have a mind, even Mitli the certainty of hitting a fly ofi:' any of the animals. In- deed none of our English charioteers can at all be com- pared to them in such feats of dexterity. When they come to a deep place of the road, or steep and diflicult ascent, I 58 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. they keep cutting and slashing amongst the cattle to make them all pull together, and exert their strength equally. By this means the animals will draw the waggon over the most difficult places, even rocks and precipices, whilst the fellow who holds the reins, equally dexterous on his part. Avill guide them over in complete safety. iniiumnnity The mcaus employed to render the cattle thus manage- of the Dutch , , 1 ■ T • to their cat- able are, however, revoltmg to humanity. It excites not tie • ^ only compassion but horror to see many of those unfortu- nate beasts cut and mangled, as they arc, in various parts of the body ; for a Dutch boor, or farmer, if he finds his cattle lazy, or stopping from fatigue, or where they meet with olistacles which their strength cannot easily surmount, will not hesitate to draw out his great knife and score their flesh, or even cut slices oft' M'ithout mercy. These wretched animals seem indeed to know their cruel master's intentions ; for their fear and agitation become excessive when they observe him taking out this instrument, and rubbing it to the Avaggon, as if making it ready for the purpose of tormenting them. The drivers. The slaves wlio act as their drivers are generally termed haastards, being a mixture of Hottentot and CaftVee or Negro ; or produced from their own connection with a female slave ; the latter deriving; in "eneral a stouter make and fairer complection from their parents. This race intermarry among themselves, and from being bred up in their master's family from their infancy, are handy, docile, and extremely use- ful; speaking the Dutch language as avcII as their own. THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. 5«j When these drivers appear pushing through the streets ot" Cape Town, at full gallop, and turning from one street to anotjier, without pulling in, even where the corners are ex- tremely narrow, which is generally the case, a stranger stops short with a mingled sensation of wonder and anxiety, dreading every moment some fatal consequences ; which, however, rare- ly ever happen. The drivers are early initiated in this art ; for, while as yet little boys, they begin l)y being em- ployed to guide the foremost pair, when a long team is attached to a waggon, in passing through a narrow road. In many places about the Cape, these roads are merely rocky defiles between t)ie hills, or narrow paths between ridges of sand. On coming to the entrance of those narrow places, they Regulations give notice of their approach by cracking their whips, ing of wag- which they do with such a loud report as stuns the ears ^°"'' of a stranger. This is the signal to warn any other wag- gon -which may be coming from the opposite quarter, not to enter the narrow path till the other has cleared it; for if thej'^ were to meet there, it would be impossible for them to pass each other. This is a regulation to which they strictly adhere, and a very heavy penalty is attached to the breach of it, as the inconvenience arising thence would be extreme ; one of the waggons would require to be completely unloaded, and the passage would thus perhaps be stopped up against all intercourse, probably for several hours. Every Avaggon is provided witii strong chains, or drags, Kke those used by our mail coaches, to prevent their being I 2 (iy THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. overturned in going down tlie precipices and steeps. Some- times they are obliged to drag all the four wheels, and have for this purpose a machine which they call a lock- slioe, beinii a kind of sledoe or trouuli shod with iron, into which the wheels are set. This prevents the waggon from running down the cattle, and certainly is very inge- nious in the "invention. The cattle are generally placed in the team so as to draw by the shouklers, a bow or yoke of wood being put on each, and fastened by pegs, through Avhich holes or notches are made to admit the harness. The yoke of the hind pair is fastened to the pole of the wasiiion, and those of the rest have a strap or chain, rmi- ning along the yokes of each pair, and carried on to the head, where it is fastened to the horns. Their bellies and hinder parts are left at liberty, which gives them room to move about in the waggons, and appears to render the draught easier to them. The principal guidance of the Avaggon depends on the foremost pair, which are generally the l)est trained, otherwise they might trample down the little Hottentot boys, who usually run before, .and guide them by a kind of bridle or cord passed through the nos- trils. It sometimes happens that these little wretches are thrown down and trodden to death, before the cattle can be stopped. The attachment of the animals to their little leaders is very great, and sometimes you will see them look about for them and keep bellowing and uneasy till they come to their heads. The cattle are under sreat command, and will readily obey the slightest word from their drivers ; 7 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. 61 on being called to by name individually, they will increase their efforts, and draw together, even without the employ- ment of the whip. I left my reader traversing the barren sandy road from Simon's Town to Musenberg. The distance already pass- ed is about ten miles, although to the eye it does not appear above five, owing to the sudden course which the bav here makes. In this course are formed two or three Fish Hoofc Bay smaller bays, the largest of which is Fish Hook Bay. Along this latter the traveller is obliged to coast for more than a mile, wading all the while through small streams of water, some of which are knee deep. A battery is erected on an eminence at the east end, which flanks tin; Avhole beach, Avhich is here sandy, though a heav}'^ surf runs along it. After leaving Fish Hook Bay you ascend a small steep, and Road fwm get into a rugged, narrow, and rocky road close to the b!!^-. hills, M'hicli you now approach. At some little distance, a bold rocky shore appears under you on the right hand, whose violent surf even reaches to the ascent along which you now proceed. This narrow road continues for about tAvo miles, to the pass of Musenberg ; and, notwithstanding its beinff so full of ascents and descents, and in different places rugged and rocky, it is much preferable to the deep and fatiguing sand which tlic traveller encounters on his first setting out from Simon's Town. The eye now meets with piantsherern a different prospect, and full scope is afforded to the bo- tanist for gratifying his favourite propensities. At the foot of the hUls, which are close to your left hand, a great va- ^^ THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. iiety of evergreen African plants present themselves, amidst a profusion of other shrubs and flowers. Those which most attract tlie attention are, the red pepper tree, the castor oil shrub, the silver tree, (or protea argentea), myrtles se- veral feet high, laurel and laurestinas in abundance, arbutus, jessamins, geraniums, sun flowers, blood flowers, cottoji shrub, coffee plant, nopal oi- prickly pear, wild asparagus, mulberry, and many others peculiar to this part of the world. Several beautiful kinds of flowers groAV among the sands. The sides of the hills under which the road passes, are also thinly covered with small scattered trees of the j^ionkeysand shrub kind, wliicli appear to grow out of the rocks. Vul- baboons. i i ^ tures and eagles are seen hovering over the summit ; while baboons and large grey monlvcys appear in numbers skip- ping about, and jumping from one rock to another. In passing along, we were much diverted by the antic tricks and gestures of those creatures, whose continual amusement is to keep threatening the people as they pass underneath ; and endeavouring to throw down upon them loose stones and pieces of rock. During this employment, a most ex- traordinary chattering and noise is kept up. The baboon is extremely mischievous, and particularly the bear ape, from its resemblance to a bear in the jaws and head. This ugly animal is both mischievous and ferocious ; and where seve- ral of them fall in with a single person, they will not scruple to attack Iiim. Pass at Mu- Beyond those hills is the strong and important pass of INlusenberg, reckoned to be about twelve miles from Simon's 5 THE CAPE OP GOOD HOPE. 6: Town, and the same distance from the Cape. The moun- tainous tracts of the southern extremity of the Cape, as I have observed above, compose three dix'isions. Tiie huge range which forms the Cape of Good liope, and runs to Simon's Town, is the first ; the hills of JNIusenberg, and those which run from Simon's Toaiu as far as Constantia, where they terminate in a valley, form the second ; and the Tyger, the Table, and adjoining hills, compose the third range. These indeed are all connected together, and rarely separated b}' any considerable intervals. The Musenberg mountain may be said to cut off the ex- The pass of ■ , r ^ Musenberg. treinity of the southern penmsula from the Cape, as the range of mountains extends from the shore on this side, quite across to the sea on the other side the Isthmus near Hocts Bay ; all this extreme point of Africa is admirably defended by nature, but the pass here at JVIusenberg may well be compared to the ancient Thermopykc of Greece ; an enemy marching from Simon's Town to the Cape would here find an almost insurmountable obstacle to his progress. From the foot of the very high and steep hill to the sea is not more than fifty yards, and no boat can land Avithin some distance at either side on account of the rocky beach and heavj^ surf. These natural causes form the great strength of the pass, which also is a defile of considerable lengthy being upwards of three hundred yards from where it nar- rows at the foot of the first hill to the further extremity where it widens into a more open space, which hoAvevcr still 64 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. possesses its own particular defences from nature. This pass struck us all with wonder at its strength ; and we could not help reflecting with a mixture of surprise and contempt on tlie Dutch troops who allowed ours so easily to take pos- session of it, while it is so exceedingly strong that a very k'w men with field pieces miglit defend it without any risque to themseh'es, and arrest the progress of a whole army.- Pi'ojecting from the main hill, which forms the great natu- ral barrier on the left, is another smaller steep which covers the former, and also faces the sea. Since the arriA'al of the English this important pass has been much strengthened with additional works, lines, and batteries, erected along the slope of the hills facing the sea, and the road leading from Simon's Town, and may now be deemed impregnable from that side without any considerable force being requisite for its defence. All the different passes on this side the penin- sula are much indebted to nature for their strength, and are capable of being maintained by a small number of troops ; General Craig added considerably to their security, and as- sisted nature with art wherever it was necessary. With all the advantages which the pass of Musenberg derives from nature, it may be a matter of wonder how it " A\as so easily forced by the British troops in the year 1795. A short account of that transaction will however remove the mystery, and afford a useful waraiing to other nations; as it will shew that neither the advantages of strong posi- tion, of superior numbers, or local knowledge can avail for THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. ' 65 the defence of a people whose courage has been corrupted by sensuahty, and their pubhc spirit swallowed up by the tliirst of private gain. General Craig came to anchor at Simon's Bay convoyed Arrival of the by Admiral Elphinstone with a British fleet. A landing was der General effected with little or no opposition ; the Dutch evacuated the place on our coming into the bay, without even giving us a salute from the batteries, which protected the landing place and town. A few Dutchmen who did not chuse to abandon their property, remained behind, confiding in the honour and humanity of our countrymen, which in every instance amply justified their expectations. As the force which acc ompan ied Genei' al Crai g was qiily apart of what was destined for the attack on the Cape^ and consisted mostly of new r aised regiments, the General t ook up a position at Simon's Town , waiting for the ai- r ival of Sir A lure d Clarke , with a reinforcemen t, which was daily expected . Some tim e havi ng elapsed without his appearance, and t he season comii 2g_on Avhich would render i t dangerous for the fleet to remain in False Ba y ; and the General having also received a supply of stores and other necessaries, with n ear five hundred troops from St. He lena, he dete rmined to move forward and attack the Dutch en- camped at Musenberg . For t his purpos e he was reinforced Marches to from_the_fleet with a l arge detachment of sailor s, andjon^e sel.Sg^^"' marines , which w ere formed into two bat talions, commanded by C aptains Spranger and Ilardy, of the Rattlesnake and Echo s loops of wa r. The General's advanced posts took- K 65 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. possession of the different batteries along the shore, and at Fish Hook Bay ; and marched straight to Musenberg, where the Dutch seeiiied strongly posted and determined to make a stand. They had a much greater force than Ge- neral Craig, having nearly two thousand burghers and militia, all mounted, besides a corps of Hottentots, who were posted upon the hills. This was not sufficient to damp the ai-dour of our countrymen, who boldly advanced in de- 111 conduct of fiance of all those discouragiu<^ circumstances. The Dutch the Dutch " troops. on our approach neither behaved with courage or prudence, nor took a proper advantage of their strong position. They sent- a party of armed Burghers, Hottentots, and Caffrees, to skirmish, and annoy the General's march ; but without any good effect, as they Avere soon repulsed ; and this mea- sure, therefore, tended only to dispirit their own people and add to their indecision. On our approach, these skir- mishing parties fell back with precipitation on the pass at Musenberg; and were thus, the means of preventing their batteries from opening a full and well-directed fire upon us as we advanced. The General seeing them wait for him in the pass, and the hills lined with their Hottentots, Caffrees, and slaves, thought he would, have a difficult and dangerous service to perform before he could dislodge them ; for the Black troops, as well as the. Dutch, , were known to be excellent marksmen ; and the position Avhich they occupied was particularly well adapted for deriving much advantage from their skill in this way. The flank companies of the 78th and the other regi- THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. ; 6^ ments with a battalion of seameu was ordered to ascend the hill, and attempt to drive off the parties stationed there. The enemy we re soon routed, and Hcd in every di- rection, although with some loss on our part. INIajor Monnypenny of the 78th regimen t, a most excellent and valuable officer, who commanded on this service, was se- verely wounded, and Captain Sc ott of the' 7 8th, slightly, with sevente en sailor s and privates. The Hottentots and Dutch slaves, seeing the boldness and intrepidity of our sailors and soldiers, took to their heels, and fled down the hills on the opposite side. A very characteristic trait of Anecdote of our sailors. our gallant tars, on this occasion, was related to me by an officer present. The impatience and ardour of many of them was so great, that they flung away their firelocks, the sooner to overtake and grapple with the enemy, ex- claiming that they were not used to carry arms aloft. Not- withstanding that a severe encounter was expected by our soldiers, yet they could not help laughing at the eccentric traits of natural intrepidity displayed by our brave sailors on this occasion. The Dutch burghers and militia with a degree of folly scarcely to be accounted for, retired, and made a stand about a quarter of a mile from the pass, leaving its defence to some riflemen and infantry. These, however, on General Craig's approach, and the advance of the flank companies and sailors from the hills, fell back on their main body, and abandoned this important place, which they should have defended to the last extremity. The Dutch being in great force, seemed again to shew a bold k3 68 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. front, having taken up a position at a place where there liad been erected a barrack, a magazine, and a battery, which enfiladed the sea, and the head of Musenberg pass. But the America of 64 guns , which with o thers of our ships kept saihng along the bay, and attending the march of our army to IMusenberg point, anchored as close to the shore as she could with safety ; and fired on their battery with such effect, as to throw the Dutch into great confusion. Our troops at the same time pressed forward, and quickly passing this narrow defile, and forming with uncommon promptness and celerity, as soon as they got into the broad sandy tract which commences immediately here, advanced directly against them. Upon which the Dutch, dreading to encounter an enemy before whom they had all day been flying, took to their heels, and retreated to Wineberg, an- other post about six miles farther on. The only effort which the Dutch made with the great guns of their battery, was to fire at the America as she was approaching to anchor. One shot struck her, and passing right through between decks, killed two seamen; this compliment was speedily re- turned from the guns of the America, which succeeded in beating their magazine and battery to pieces, and killing some of their men. General Crai<>" after securing Musen- berg, and the country between it and Simon's Town, en- camped liere, waiting the arrival of General Clark e from Europe with re infor cements . The latter in a few days ar- rived, on which our army marched forw ard to Wine berg, where after^ anotlier skirmish, the Djitch withdrew to Cape 9 ' THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. 69 Town, and se nt proposals to the E n glish General to capi- tulate, which benit; acc epted, we th us got possession of this l arge and c?ctensive settlement with little oppos ition and h ardly any loss. . , . As it was from this point that the English made their attack on the Cape, it may not be unimportant to give some more particular account of its local situation and its military advantages. Fi'om the extremity of the Cape of Good Hope, as I already observed, a chain of mountains extends quite along to Cape Town. This chain follows from Cape Point the course of the beach to Simon's Town, and onward to the northernmost part or bottom of False Bay. It then strikes off to the westward towards Constantia, runs along again in a northerly direction, and joins with Table ■Mountain at the back or south side, the Tiger Hill ap- pearing as an advanced angle or bastion to it. This chain, however, is interrupted in two or three places ; in the fu\st by a valley near Constantia, through which a road passes to Hocts Bay, and afterwards by a sandy long flat a little north of Simon's Town, which also opens a communication with a bay in the neighbourhood of Hoets Bay. 'J'here is a pas- sage through this last valley from the cast to the west coasts, which has led to a conjecture that formerly it was a email strait or sound, which has been gradually filled up by the violent winds drifting the sand. It is indeed supposed that all the low sandy tracts east of Cape Town, and par- ticularly that beyond the pass of Musenberg, lying between the load and the sea shore, were in all probability formed 70 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. in the same manner. Tlie nature of the soil stren«;thens this opinion, as it is mostly composed of sea sand, shells, ajid various marine productions. These are found in every part of this low tract, as also towards the head of Table Ba}^ which is certainly becoming gradually shallower and decreasing in size, by means of the heaps of sand conti- Wiiitaiy nually drifting in and forming diy ground. I shall here hints re- ^ i /•• • i ■ spectingthe take tuc liberty to oner a tew observations with regard to attacking the i f i i ■ i ti i Cape from the mode oi attack Avhicli seems most likely to succeed from this side against Cape Town. These observations were suggested by a view of the spot, and may therefore afford some hints to those who may hereafter be employed in this service. The works at Musenberg pass have been made so strong by the English, Avhile in possession of this colony, that they are absolutely impregnable. The coast directly opposite it is full of shoals and rocks, and besides extremely dangerous from a dreadful surf, which rages equally along the sandy beach as where it is rocky. Men 6f war may render assistance at some distance beyond Mu- senberg pass, as happened in 179-5, but they cannot act with effect directly abreast of it. By our judicious arrange- ment of works and batteries along the pass, Ave have given the Dutch great advantages, and pointed out to them the means of making the utmost of its natural situation. We may therefore be considered as liaving absolutely precluded ourselves from any reasonable hope of a successful attack on this position, against an enemy at all determined to oppose us. THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. . f J Wlien General Craig appeared before it in 179?, a >vant of energy and descision appeared equally evident in the conduct of the Dutch government and tb.eir troopi. If they had any good officers, their advices were rejected, and their orders disobeyed; or if their representations were at all attended to, their plans were executed in so impotent a manner as to be utterly ineft'ectiial. An easy conquest was the inevitable consequence of such circumstances. The militia and burghers, chiefly interested in the safety of their own personal property, were alike insensible to the calls of honour and patriotism, and seemed to entertain little con- cern for the interests of their government. Afraid of our troops carrying the toAvn by assault, they dared not risk any exertions for its defence ; and after a very shoit con- flict they gave up the very post which was its strongest security. Afraid of our landing between Musenberg and the town, without giving themselves time to reflect on the difficulties and hazard we should have to encounter in such an attempt, and without arranging any plan to prevent us, they listened only to their fears, and in order to remove ■• to some distance from us, retreated precipitately to Wine- berg, and meanly gave up an easy prey to their enemies the key to Cape Town. With the pass of JMusenberg, de- fended as it now is by impregnable works, an attack on Cape Town, to aflbrd any prospect of success, must be at- tempted from a different quarter. If it would not be found expedient to attack from Table Bay, it might be attended with happy consequences to disembark at lioets Bay ; 2 72 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. making a diversion at the same time by landing a force at Simon's Town, and marching it across the momitains nearly due west, and afterwards in a northerly direction by the back of Constantia, where it might join with the force at Hoets Bay. The pass of Muscnberg might thus be en- tirely avoided by several miles. After effecting the junction just alluded to, if necessary, a position might be taken up at Wineberg, which affords several strong ones ; and from hence the force might act again Cape Town as circum- stances should direct. The shipping in the mean time, if the season permitted, might go rovmd to Table Bay, and at- tack the batteries Chevone and Amsterdam, whilst a body of troops landing at Green Point, or along the back of the Lion's Rump, might co-operate in gainii)g possession of those batteries. Were this once efit'ected, the town would be found perfectly defenceless from that side, as these bat- teries, which here form its chief security, might be turned against it, while the castle, which lies on the other side, could not attack them without demolishing the town. The country between Hoets Bay, Wineberg, and Cape Town, would be found capable of greatly contributing to the sub- sistence of the troops during these operations ; particularly as it would be in their power to intercept all the supplies destined for the town. The confidence and esteem which the British instilled into the Hottentots by their good faith, while they helil possession of this colony, as well as the hatred which has been inspired among these natives by the contrary conduct of the Dutch, would at the same time be THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. 73 found very beneficial to us ; and should we not succeed in deriving a sufficient supply of provisions from tlic parts contiguous to Cape Town, there is every reason to expect we should be readily and amply furnished l)y the Hot- tentots. It must however be at all times recollected, that should a force be sent against the Cape of Good Hope, the points fi'om which the attack is to be made must in a great measure depend on the season of the year. Fiom jVIarch till the latter end of September, the north-west winds pre- vail with great violence, so that during this period it is extremely hazardous to put into Table Bay, and nearly impossible to remain there for any length of time. The safe landing of the troops, and the co-operation of the fleet would then be equally precarious : at this season False Bay would be the place of disembarkation, and tiie ope- rations which I have already described might be executed from Simon's Town. It is but seldom, and that only during the greatest violence of the south-west winds, that Hoets Bay could not admit of a force landing for co-ope- ration. To land a detachment at Hoets Bay would be absolutely necessary, as it is altogether impossible to drag artillery along the route I have pointed out from Simon's Town to Wineberg ; and this indeed is rather in favour of the invaders, as it prevents the enemy from annoying them with artillery on their march. If the weather should not allow of a landino- at that side of the isthmus where Hoets Bay lies, there is a long range of sandy beach on the L 74 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. north side of False Bay, quite beyond the flats of Mu- senberg, Avith a broad lake between them, where the men of war might easily and safely cover the landing of the troops. From this quarter the communication might be completely cut off between Musenbcrg and Cape Town, and the plans of defence which depend upon that post might thus be entirely overthrown. At every season of the jear, except in the height of the two prevailing winds, the north-west and south-east, this might be attempted with every probability of safety and success. Wineberg would at all times afford a healthy and excellent post for our troops, with a considerable supply of provisions from the farms in the neighbourhood, and strong grounds and emi- nences for protecting our forces, till such time as it might be found convenient to commence offensive operations. In the event of the attacking force arriving at the Cape while the south east winds prevail from October to March, Table Bay must undoubtedly be the point of attack; and my remarks on this contingency will be found in a sub- sequent part of this vojume. THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. * 75 CHAPTER V. Road and Coimtry beyond Musenhcrg — Broad Lahe — Game — Quadrupeds — Constantia — A Dutch Boor's House — JFincberg — A Hottentot Krail — Description of that People — Their Traffic ivith the Dutch — Their Manners, Dispositions, and Modes of Life — Remarks on their Treatment by the Dutch. xjLFTER quitting the strong and important post of ]Mu- senberg, there opens before you a broad flat sandy plain, at the commencement of which is a range of store houses and barracks, with a battery, which I have ah'eady men- tioned. A little beyond is a broad lake, which however is Lake near ,.111 ,- , ,1 1 .... Musenberg. tordable, except in very wet weather ; and, as it lies directly in the way, it must of necessity be crossed. The hills here quit the shores of the bay, and begin to bend inland. They now assume a gentler aspect, and in- stead of abrupt and barren rocks, present an agreeable ver- dure. The broad lake just mentioned abounds with a Aquatic fowl number of wild ducks, and other species of aquatic visitors. ^" ^^"^^ It affords excellent sport, and many shooting excursions are made to it. Here I first saw the flamingo, which standing up in the water, presented a most beautiful appearance with its intermixed white and vermilion plumage. All along the sides of this lake to Constantia, which is situated in an angle or nook formed by the hills that turn off from JSIusenberg towards Hoets Bay, there is a surprising L 2 76 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. variety of game. The spring bock and small antelopes often start up before you on the road. The lake runs close to the sea on the right, from which it is separated by a ridge of sand formed by the violent winds. The wa- ter it contains is brackish. As you advance you encounter several smaller though deeper lakes, and also rivulets and marshes which must be crossed. This part of the country has a wild and desolate appearance ; only a few stunted Wild beasts and parched shrubs grow amongst the ridges of sand. Ti- berg hills! gers, liycuas, wolves, and jackals infest the neighbouring hills, and frequently come down at night to devour the cattle, which may have strayed, or been left without a proper guard. They have often been known to attack men; a short time before our fleet arrived at the Cape, a picquet of the 78th shot two hyenas who approached their post; and the sentries at niglit were always doubled in consequence of those- creatures. On my first going this way to Cape Town, I saw a slave pursued to some distance by a hyena, who followed him till he got assistance. Those wiW beasts do a great deal of mischief to the Dutch planters and farmers, which they are the more enabled to do from the thinness of white inhabitants; the remoteness of one habitation from another prevents them from affording each other mutual assistance. The Dutch, who seem on most occasions to have been more ready to endure evils, than attempt to remedy them by any active exertion, took but little pains to destroy the wild beasts ; and the black people, yet more indolent, never of their own accord made THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. the smallest effort for this purpose. From this want of eiiterprize on the part of the inhabitants, no quarter of the colony is free from these destruetive invaders ; for even the most highly cultivated spots have hills in their vici- nity which afford a retreat to beasts of prey, from whence they issue at night, and devour whatever falls in their way. It is not unfrequent to meet in the plains, and at the foot of the hills, the half devoured bodies of oxen . and sheep, who have either strayed or been dragged oft' by the wolves or hyenas. The Dutch seem to be well contented if they can keep them clcai- of their houses ; and when these are not anno3^ed, they are little uneasy at the loss of their cattle, which they look upon as a matter of course. The only - exertion which these indolent colonists make for their security is perhaps to dig a pit or trap in the neighbourhood of their farm-yard, and place a bait there to allure these animals, of which they generally find one caught in the morning. Not a vestige of any dwelling is to be seen from False Bay to Wineberg, a distance of eighteen miles. This may be deemed extraordinarj^ as it is the direct and only road between Simon's Town and the populous town of the Cape ; and the more so, as several spots in the May are capable, with very little trouble, of being brought to a high state of cultivation. On approaching Wineberg, the hills on our left hand be- gan to change their wild appearance. At the foot of one of them, a very pleasant green hill about three miles dis- tant, we had a view of the rich and beautiful plantation!?^ ({ from Simon's Town . 78 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. and vineyards of Constantia, so celebrated for its luscious wine of that name. First house Immediately before we came to Wineberg, we fell in with a Dutch boor's house, which afforded us an opportunity of refreshment, extremely acceptable ; as we were now become very hungry and fatigued by a long walk of eighteen miles, through a difficult and sandy road, which we felt still more toilsome from the length of time we had been confined on board of ship, where our utmost range extended only to a few planks. This house is the first that presents itself after leaving Simon's ToAvn, and although but seven miles from the Cape it is called the half-way house. The mas- ter of this house of accommodation had been a Dutch sol- dier, and his time of service being expired, he afterwards rented a small farm here, and entertained travellers on their way to and from Cape Town. Being determined to remain here all night, and to prefer repose to every other consi- deration, we thought ourselves fortunate in getting some tolerably good mutton and potatoes for supper. Our land- lord's beds, and particularly his wine, were scarcely capable of being relished by persons even in our fatigued condition. The wine commonly drunk at the Cape is a poor light white wine, -without either body or flavour, and very un- palatable to those accustomed to the wines drunk in Eng- land. This Dutch peasant I understood was miserably poor before the arrival of the English. His condition, however, soon became altered by the number of our countrymen con- THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. jg tinnall}'^ passing and repassing on this road, and by part of the troops being encamped close by, at Wineberg. Tlie latter he constantly suppUed with bread, meat, vegetables, and fruit, by which he made a great deal of money ; and, although at his first setting out, the accommodations his house afforded were very poor indeed, yet necessity obliged people to become his guests, and put up with his fare. On my return from India a few years after my first visit to this Dutchman, I spent some days with the officers of a regiment encamped near this spot, and I could not then but observe how my landlord had thriven by means of his English customers. He had now been enabled to build a handsome house, and to purchase a number of slaves and cattle with the profits arising from his being baker and sut- ler to the troops at Wineberg, and keeping a house of re- freshment for the officers, and occasional passengers. He had several daughters, whose beauty deserved more to be praised than their civility and moderation ; for, with an ap- pearance of avarice which would seem altogether shocking to our countrywomen, those yoimg girls took every oppor- tunity to increase the charges of the house. When the landlord asked for his accommodation two rix-dollars, or two shillings, they would without hesitation call out to him to demand four. This practice of instigating to extortion, which is very customary among the housewives at the Cape, forms a remarkable and not a very pleasing feature in the characters of the Dutch women. After leaving this house, we had to pass over a small 9 80 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. hill covered with shrubs, and having a stream of water winebeig. at the foot of it. The country round is called by the ge- neral name of ^Vineberg. On a rising piece of ground near our left hand, the light companies of the 78th, 84th, 95th, and 98th, were very comfortably hutted. Their huts were formed into regular streets, like an encanjpment, and pre- sented the appearance of a neat village. They were com- posed of large branches and limbs of trees, well thatched with very thick sedges, peculiar to this country, and well A kraei of calculated to keep off the violent winds and rain. At the Hottentots. , 11-1 upper end ot the encampment, and a little way detached, was a krael of Hottentots, consisting of nearly five hundred men with their families. Most of those had voluntarily entered into the English service ; many had been before in that of the Dutch, and were part of their troops who attacked our army at Musenberg. General Craig formed them into a corps commanded by an officer of the 78th regiment, they were clothed in red jackets, canvas waistcoats and trow- sers, leathern caps and shoes ; and armed with muskets and bayonets. Several of them understood the use of fire arms, and were excellent marksmen. Those who had lately come from the interior to enter into our service, and had not as yet been clothed or disciplined, were in a perfect state of nature. A description of those people, Avith their manners and customs, such as I learnt them to be from the inquiries which I Avas induced by my curiosity to make, will, I trust, not prove unentertaining to my readers. The Hottentots are the original natives of the southern THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. 81 angle of Africa, and were the only race of people found tlicre by the Dutch on then* first arrival. They are naturally of a mild, peaceable, and timid disposition ; the Dutch, therefore, without difficulty prevailed on them to consent to their forminij; a colony he^e. The Hottentots previous to this period were Descripiion always at peace amongst themselves ; they knew no wants, "entou""^' and their riches comprehended only a few cattle and some iron to make instruments, for killing fish and game. Since the Dutch have become masters of their country, the state of this wretched people has been very much reversed : the constant policy of the European colonists having been to keep the natives in a state of ignorance, poverty, and tiie most abject and degraded slavery. In proportion to the gradual encroachments of the Dutch, and the extension of their settlements, the poor Hottentots, not capable of Avith- standing them, retired farther into the country. Still, in- deed, there are some kraels or tribes of these people livino- quietly under the government of the colonists, acknowled"-- ing their authority, rearing cattle for them, assisting in thtir husbandry, and in the culture of their farms and plantations. From policy, which they have been willino' to pass for a sense of justice, the Dutch have paid some marks of attention and respect to the chiefs or heads of those tribes; and have publicly nominated them cap- tains over the rest; adding, at the same time, as a bado-e of office, a chain and staff, or pole, headed with silver or brass, with the arms of their republic engraved on it. Tliese * chiefs, in return for those marks of distinction, are obliged M 82 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. to appear at certain periods at Cape Town, before the Governor and Council, and there give an account of the people under them, and receive orders from the Dutch, After performing this duty, they are generally sent back with presents of gin, brandy, tobacco, iron, and toys. While at the Cape, I have seen several of those Captains, as they are called, bearing their staffs of office, which they seem .to hold in high estimation. Population. If wc cousidcr the immense tract of country over which the Hottentots are scattered, their population is extremely small. Of late they have also considerably diminished from various causes ; of which the severities exercised towards them by the Dutch form the principal. Although by an ancient law at the Cape, the Hottentots were not to be accounted slaves, but were to be entertained as hired ser- vants in the service of the Dutch, yet the latter have al- ways behaved to them in such a manner, as if they were resolved to eradicate every feeling of humanity out of the breasts of these unfortunate people. In this indeed they have succeeded so well, that a Hottentot seems now to con- sider himself as designed by nature merely to serve and to suffer ; and there is scarcely one krael to be found within the reach of the Dutch government, which retains any idea of its original independence. The original Hottentots are, it is true, considered by tlie laws as freemen ; but so many pretexts are fountl to entrench on this freedom, that it proves to be merely nominal. A Dutch farmer claims all children born of a Hottentot 3 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. 83 uoman by another fiitlier than one of h.er own tribe, as slaves ; even those arising from their own connection witli a Hottentot woman ; and also all the children which spring from the connection of a Hottentot man Avith a sla\e wo- man of any denomination. But the Dutch masters went still farther ; for tiie children of Hottentots living with them as hired servants, aljthough both father and mother belonged to that race, were yet retained as slaves till they arrived at the age of twenty-five years ; and although the laws in favour of the Hottentots obliged the Dutch to re- gister such children at the Cape, and to give them their freedom at this age ; yet the period of their liberty Avas in reality little nearer than before, unless they deserted into the wild and uncultivated parts of the intei'ior, far beyond the reach of their masters. Many arts were employed to retain them beyond the age of twenty -five years ; it was usual to keep them in ignorance of the date of their birth, and thus make them continue to work till their strength began to fail them. When become old, feeble, and ex- hausted with labour, they were at last discharged, and turn- ed out to misery, without being aUowed to carry with them any thing which they had obtained during their servitude. Those unhappy natives Avho engage by the year in the service of a Dutch farmer, when they wish to depart, often find their children detained from them. Hence arises that indifference to marriage and the propagation of children, for whic;h this race of people is distinguished. It is not un- common with many Hottentots" to deprive themselves be- M 2 84 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. fore marriage of the power of procreation, which many of the women in particular do in despite of their masters, to disappoint their oppressors, and prevent themselves from having the mortification of beholding their unfortunate off- spring born to slavery and wretchedness. The very thin population of the Hottentots must also, in some measure, be ascribed to their mode of life. The resources of sustenance are always very scanty in such a 1 ude state of society : the peculiar indolence and want of vigom- in the Hottentot character renders this still more the case ; and something of their degeneracy and decrease of numbers has also been ascribed to their never marrying out of their own particular krael. These causes, with the op- pression of the Dutch, seem sufficient to account for the scanty population of the Hottentots, without supposing, as some have done, that nature has assigned to this race any Dispositions, peculiar sterility. The Hottentots differ materially from all other races of Africans, being neither ferocious, avaricious, nor stubborn. Pliable and tractable in the extreme, they readily become the dupes of the designing, and might pro- bably be with little more trouble turned towards the arts of civilization. Their honesty, fidelity, mildness, and sti'ong attachment to each other, indicate dispositions the most favourable to culture and virtue. The narrow and barba- rous policy of the Dutch, however, made them imagine that the encouragement of such dispositions would interfere with their own prospects of wealth and dominion ; and that the Hottentots if once in any degree civilized, would no longer THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. 85 continue the obedient slaves of their oppressors. On this account the colonists have been assiduous in extiniruishino- those sparks of humanitv which were the oriainal gifts of nature ; and the mild, yielding, and tractable Hottentot is ■ now become a creature sunk in the most abject slavery, and the most hopeless despair. Their original bad qualities are comparatively but few, and such as might be removed by the advancement ot* civilization. They are indeed lazy to a great degree ; even hunger cannot provoJve them to be at any trouble in procuring food ; yet when it is procured, they are most disgustingly voracious, and will swallow down at one time an enormous quantity of half broiled meat, or even raw intestines. Any preparation of their food * seems indeed to be accounted by them altogether superflu- ous. Their only luxury consists in eating ; and sleeping seems to be the only recreation from which they derive any enjoyment. The savages of America hunt the deer, and the other wild beasts of the 'forest, as much for the sake of the sport as for obtaining food ; but it is not so with the Hottentot : his only motive for the chase is to prevent himself from starving ; nor does he ever undertake it except when impelled by the imperious calls of hunger. Instead of salt to correct the putrid qualities of their meat, for it is in that state they prefer it, the Hottentots use the juice of limes, or. of certain acrid plants, and also ashes of green wood. In general they seem to have^an aversion to salt, and hardly ever use it in their food. In digestion they resemble the canine species ; for they eat an enormous quantity, and then 86 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. Appearance, digest it by sleeping for many hours after. In appearance they are remarkably ugly ; in height perhaps rather above the middling size. They are both more ordinary in their faces, and not sa Avell made in their persons as the ISIalays. Their faces are fiat and disfigured, as they have the gristles of their noses broken immediately after their birth. This, -which is counted among them a mark' of beauty, gives them a resemblance to the Chmese and Malays, who observe 'the same practice. I should imagine the original colour of the Hottentot to be inclinini Cape Town, the grand, beautilul, and variegated appearance of the prospect before him, and on each side of him ; and his plea- sure is still more heightened by the different appearance of the uncouth, barren, and sandy tract, which he has just traversed. Nothing can exceed the general effect of this scenery. On Grand and • 1 1 1 1 11111 beautiful your right hand appears the meadoM^s and low lands, the view from batteries and redoubts stretching along the shore, the scat- the town and tered ranges of store-houses, hospitals, arsenals, and guard- ^^' houses connected with those batteries, and with the different posts. The long sandy and circular beach, bordering the Table Bay, comes close up here and boldly sweeps round in the form of a crescent. The Table Bay presents itself full in view with the men of war, and various other vessels at anchor, while numerous ships are seen coming in and going out under full sail. The country beyond the bay to the right gradually ascends from the shore in small green slieep hillsj while the high hills and itiomitains stretch along 104 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. in one great unbroken range. On the left hand appears the Tiger Hill which you are immediately under ; the re- doubts and batteries regularly slope down its sides from near the summit to where you stand. The Table Moun- tain, so awfully grand, rises majestically above all the rest. The deep chasms in its sides are relieved by the Com- pany's gardens at its foot, and the plantations and gardens which skirt the back of the town, Avhile the groves of silver and other trees scattered in various places appear sprouting out of the rocky eminences. The Liewen's Koep or Lion's Head, so called by the Dutch, and by us com- monly the Sugar Loaf, from its conic form, seems attached to the Table jVIountain ; and beyond the Lion's Head, the Liewen's Staart or Lion's Rump, extends like a half-moon till it comes opposite to where you stand, and terminates close to the shore of Table Bay a mile beyond the town in a sloping green point. Immediately opposite appears the town like an amphitlieatre, large, regular, and well built. The houses are all well plastered and w^hite- washed, and this adds considerably to the unconunon neatness of its appearance from a distance. Beyond tlie town the Amster- dam and Chevone batteries, near the edge of the bay and close to Green Point, complete this noble and grand view, wliich is scarcely equalled in any part of the world. Such is the delightful prospect presented to the traveller on his ap- proach to Cape Town ; nor is he less struck with the new appearances which present themselves when he comes more minutely to examine the place and its various inhabitants. THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. 1G5 The Cape Town is pleasantly situated, nearly parallel to Cape Town. the upper end of Table Bay, on a sloping sandy or rather gravelly plain, which rises with an easy ascent to the foot of the three great hills, the Tiger Hill, the Table j\Ioun- tain, and the Lion's Head. With the Lion's Head is con- nected the Lion's Rump, which defends Table Bay from the westerly -winds, and skirting the shore forms a barrier to the town from that side. Two ^'ery strong batteries chevonc and are placed here facing the sea ; that nearest the Green Point batteries, is called the Chevone. It has, level with the sea, one great tier of guns, and forther back, but more elevated, another range, with a flanking redoubt at each end, to en- filade both edges of the shore. This battery is capable of greatly annoying ships standing into the bay, immediate!}'- on their rounding Green Point. A quarter of a mile from this battery, and towards the town, is another strong bat- tery called the Amsterdam, with a rampart round it, and bomb proof. There are casements and magazines inside, where prisoners of war are generally confined. It is capable of con- taining at least two hundred troops, in the ranges of barracks and store houses in the body of the work. The Amsterdam battery is well defended on the land side by several pieces of cannon, planted on the rampart, which is not the case with the Chevone; this last having only a range of guard houses fi)r the troops on dut}', and a small arsenal fin- military stores. Troops attacking this latter Author's post have to encounter little obstruction from the land cer""ng\h'e'ir side. The lower tier of guns could never be brought to ta^cklfwith "p success. 106 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. bear, except towards the sea, and a coup-de-main tnigbt easily carry the upper. I would not, however, lead my coun- trymen into an error, by representing the obstacles in their way as trifling, should it ever be their object to attack the Cape ToAvn by sea from the Table Bay side. Having been several times on guard at the Chevone in the year 1796> I had an opportunity of minutely observing the several defences at this side of the town; and of considering the way most likely to succeed in making an attack from thence. Those two batteries, the Chevone and the Amsterdam, are certainly very terrific in their appearance, and might render it a hazardous business for ships to attempt an entrance into the bay; yet were the Chevone once mastered, and some ships drawn up abreast of the Amsterdam, it could not possibly long hold out, especially when attacked with that ardour and spirit which I have so often witnessed in. our brave seamen. It would be necessary at the same time, for the sake of co-operation, to land troops at the back of Green Point, where, though some parts are shoally, there are partial spots of sandy beach without much surf, and only a few small batteries or guns planted at intervals. Kickein de Potte, as the Dutch name a small battery here, could not make much resistance ; and the distance from thence to the Chevone is very short. There is no good anclwrage opposite the Chevone ; a ship cannot anchor there, although she may near the Amsterdam. Still if it were found im- possible to carry these batteries by assault, they might be THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE, 107 passed, and ships might keep at some distance towards the other side of the bay. After passing the Amsterdam, there are no batteries by the town towards the sea, except a small one at Raggou Bay; and the castle is too far off to do much injury to the ships at anchor; indeed they may anchor completely bej^ond its reach, at the distance of three or four miles from it. The wind to serve for an attack conducted in this manner, should be west, or west north west. These observations are merely thrown out as hints which may be improved upon by officers of maturer judgment and greater experience. The other side of the town is flanked by tlie Devil's Hill, which forms a barrier, and shuts in the approaches from the Wineberg side, except a narrow space between it and Table Bay. This space is strongly fortified with lines, redoubts, and batteries, most of them added by the English; for the Cape on our first arrival was but in a poor state of defence, compared with that in which it was left by us. Close to the entrance of The castle. the town is the castle, which is a large and extensive build- ing, of a pentagonal form, smrounded by a ditch, which was always dry during my stay there. The ramparts ai-e strong, and built of large blocks, of a kind of reddish gra- nite. A number of cannon are planted on the walls in every direction, so as to command the approach, as mcII as the town itself, and the part of Table Bay opposite. In- side the walls are two regular oblong squares, in the outer of which are barracks for a regiment of foot, with guard houses at each side of the gateway, and over them a hand- p 2 108 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. some mess-room for the officers. In the inner-square ai^e the quarters of the principal officers both civil and military. The governor has apartments in the castle, though he sel- dom uses them. All the public offices of government are in this square ; all the papers of consequence are lodged, and all important business transacted in the castle. Situation of The situation of Cape Town is singularly well chosen; Cape Town. i i i-x i • i i i- f> i and tlie Dutch certainly deserve great credit for the regu- larity and convenience with which it is laid out. It is di- vided by^ five streets, running in a parallel direction from the shores or edge of the bay towards the Table .INIoun- tain, with five other streets, intersected by lanes at regular intervals, which cross the larger streets at right angles, and run from one end of the town to the other, beginnins; from the street bordering the esplanade, and ending towards the Lion's Rump. The whole town is seen in one view, al- though very large. You can land from the shipping in the bay at any part of the beach, which is bordered by a very long street, extending quite from the castle to the Amster- dam battery, upwards of a mile in length. This proves a Avonderful convenience to the trading ships, which can thus take in water from several streams which run down from the hills through the town in various parts of the beach. ;Most of the streets are wide, airy, and spacious, planted with oak trees entwined in each other, which shade the * houses ai d take oft' the great glare occasioned by the reflection of the sun from the white houses, and from the Table IMoun- tain. They also serve to break the violence of the south- THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. 109 east winds, to which the town is inucli exposed. So\cruI of the streets have small canals of water running thnju'di them, quayed and walled in, which, with the regular rows of trees, and the uniformity of the streets, .have a very fnic eftect to the eye. The officers and inhabitants frequently assemble to con- verse by the sides of those canals, and sit on the low walls under the shade of the trees planted at their edges. The streets in general are kept in tolerably good order. A few of the principal ones are paved ; the rest, though impaved, are fnni and hard from the nature of the soil, which is a solid bed of sandy clay, covered lightly with a reddish gravel. The dust here is extremely disagreeable, and flies about in astonishing quantities. When the south- east winds prevail with violence, one can scarcely see their way through the streets ; indeed it is hardly possible to stir out of doors. As soon as the south-east wind makes its appearance in any great degree, every house is close shut up ; yet still this subtile sand will enter and co\ er the ta- ble and provisions. There is scarcely a bit of biead lit at those periods to be eaten, it is so full of dust. Even the ships in the bay four or five miles from the shore, are nut exempt from their share in this nuisance ; the sand is soon perceived on the ropes, which acquire a harsh and gritty feel in pulling. The roads are at this season, as it may easily Ix; imagined, in a still more disagreeable state. A Dutchman would think himself in danger of being destroyed if he travelled at that time. The inhabitants indeed seemed surprised at the 4 squares. no THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. temerity and carelessness of our countrymen respecting those evils. It is a great pity the streets of Cape Town were not all paved and regularly sweeped ; as by this means a great deal of this inconvenience might be remedied at a small expence. I'rincipai There are thiee s(]uares in the town. In the principal one are several very excellent houses and handsome public buildings. The Stadthouse is a large expensive structure, but very heavy. The ^•aults underneath are imconuiionly spacious, and are generally rented from government at a great price, by the merchants, who store in them an im- mense quantity of wine. The high court of justice is held in the Stadthouse, and the burghers also assemble here to consider questions relative to the regulation of the town, at the order of the fiscal or mayor, who under the Dutch government has very great powers. In the second square are held the markets, where fruit, vegetables, and other ar- ticles are sold by the blacks and slaves for their masters. The third square, called the Hottentot-square, is principally the place where the Dutch boors and farmers resort to, and where the Hottentots, who are waggon-drivei"s, put up. All horses and cattle are bought and sold in this last square, which is indeed rather a broad irregular space, si- tuated above the town near the foot of the Lion's Rump. Between the town and castle is another very large square, or more properlya green level plain divided and bounded by canals, which run down to the beach, and carry off the refuse of the sewers. This is the grand parade of the garrison, and may 5 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. 1 1 j be called the esplanade to the Castle. Tlie barracks form one side of this parade, and the toAvn bounds it on the other. The extreme street which runs quite from the edge of Raggou Bay up to the entrance of the Company's gar- den, a very long, handsome, and shady street, with a canal before it, fronts the parade, and has a very pretty eft'ect. Table Bay and part of a new street by the water side, form tlie third side of this esplanade ; and the castle closes in the fourth. At this side is the place of execution used by the Dutch Place of exe- /• 1 • 1 " • 1 cution. for the punishment of their slaves and black crimnials. Upon a small inclosed eminence a rack and wheel, with a couple of gibbets, are erected, as terrible warnings of the cruelties ready to be exercised there. The barbarous mode of putting criminals to the torture was abolished by the English Governor immediately on his taking possession of the Cape ; as a practice altogether incompatible with the feelings of our countrymen. The Dutch always put their malefactors to death by the severest torments, and generally executed them by torch light. General Craig changed the place of execution, and removed it to tlie Sandy Beach, near the head of Table Ba}-. Amongst the instruments of death emploj^ed by the Dutch, were found many disgrace- ful implements of torture, all of which were destroyed by our people, as a reproach to human nature. The barracks are very extensive, well-built, and with great T!ie bar- racks. regularity and neatness. They were originally intended for an hospital, but have latterly been much en!ar|icd b}- the 112 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. Dutch, and two additional wings built to tlicni at the angles. Those barracks are capable of containing three regiments, one of them cavalry ; and also magazines for artillery, and stores for grain. At the back of one of the vings of this building is a long range of offices, where the government slaves are kept ; and attached to it a house of correction for slaves and people of coloiir committing petty offences, who are taken out every morning to Avork at the government offices, the batteries, or military buildings, vmder the superintendance of the police officers. There are separate wards for the males and females confined here ; and on certain da^'s a party of them are sent about under a proper guard, to clean the streets of any dirt or nuisances. A certain quantity of victuals is allowed to them daily at the expense of government ; for the Dutch owners who send refractory slaves, or those guilty of small petty offences, hither for punishment, which they are obliged to do in- stead of punishing them with their own hands, (a very sa- lutary, useful, and proper regulation), do not support them whilst they are thus deprived of their labour. Those slaves are usually chained and coupled together, to prevent them making their escape, and, when let out to work, are very strictly and closely watched, till locked up again at night. The prison l^)r debtors is near the beach of Raggou Bay, and here all criminal trials are held. Churches. There are a Calvinist and a Lutheran church belonging to the town, both very handsome and spacious structures, particularly the former, where the Governor and military THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. 115 go to hear divine service. The steeple of this church is thatched vith reeds, on account of the violent winds, which would soon demolish any other species of covering. There is an orphan-school in the town for children, be- longing to the lower orders and to the soldiery. A cer- tain number of these are annually received and educiited at the expense of the government, till such time as they are fit to be put to trades, or placed in the regiments or public offices. The English Governor established an hospital about a Hospital. mile from the town near the head of Table Bay. It con- sists of a long range of buildings fronting the sea, and great attention was paid to this department under our government. Tlie number of our sick, while we retained Cape Town . . very lieallhy, possession of the Cape, was very lew in proportion to the number of troops which composed the garrison. It has been often known that out of five thousand men quartered in the town, and encamped round it, scarcely forty Avcre in the general hospital at one time, and very few of those on account of malisuant disorders, or such as are incident to this climate. The English found the Cape to answer their constitutions and habits much better. than the natural inhabitants of it, and were in general much more healthy than the Dutch, which must be principally attributed to their difterent habits of living. The Cape, with great jus- tice, is esteemed the healthiest climate in the world. Our troops being daily used to moderate exercise in the per- formance of their military manoeuvres, and having a sufii- Q 114 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. cient and comfortable meal of plain beef and. mutton, vitli bread and vegetables, and a pint of Cape wine, continued strong and healthy. Their distempers here chiefly pro- ceeded from a too free use of the common tiiin wine, which is pi'ocured at a very cheap rate, and sometimes causes bowel complaints. Consumptions and ulcers seemed the only distempers attended to any extent with fatal con- sequences to our countrymen. In some instances the smallest sore on a man's leg has caused the loss of the limb ; and the great change from hot to cold at certain periods of the year, proves at times very destructive to consumptive habits. The Dutch from their lazy, listless, inactive habits of life, and excess in eating heavy gross food, are much more subject to diseases than our countrymen. Apoplexies, dropsies, liver complaints, and eruptions all over their bodies, are frequent among them. Of the meazles and small-pox they are dreadfully afraid ; and by the laws of their govern- ment no person infected with those disorders can land in Regulations the colony. The instant a ship arrives in the Table Bay to prevent ^iic^ ancliors, the doctor or health master, is sent on board !iLordei"! to inspect tlie state of the crew, and a report of their being in a healthy state must first be made to the Gover- nor before any person is allowed to land. Nay it is neces- sary for each individual to certify his having had the small- pox in Europe, with all the symptoms he can recollect ot' the disease. In different parts of the town are guard houses, and stations where troops are constantly on duty ; in company THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. 115' with the police officers they patrolc the streets, and take up all disorderly persons, and prevent any assemblages of the slaves or black inhabitants, and drunken sailors. The houses in Cape Town are large and spacious, and in general built with great regularity and uniformity, most of them three or four stories high. They are constructed of brick or a reddish granite stone, plastered and white- washed outside, and many highly stuccoed and painted within. The roofs are mostly flat with terraces, and are covered with square red tiles, large, firm, and well cemented together. This mode of roofing the houses is adopted to prevent damage from the very violent winds ; and in the hot season it also affords a pleasant place to walk or sit in, and enjoy the prospect w^ith the benefit of the sea breeze wafting over the houses. Those houses which are conically or slauntingly roofed, The houses. are covered with thatch of reeds or straw of Indian corn, remarkably well bound ; tiles, from the fury of the winds, would soon be torn away, and might severely wound or crush to death the passengers in the streets. Tiiis last maimer of building the roofs of their houses is much dis- couraged, as accidents have in consequence frequently hap- pened from fire. During my stay at Cape Town two or three alarming fires broke out, which were nearly being at- tended with very serious consequences ; for the fire spreads here much more rapidly than in any town of Europe, owing to the nature of the materials used in building, which the dry hot weather renders quite combustible. CL2 11^ THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. ISIiuiy oi the houses have pleasant gardens behind, and in front a neat porcli or stoop as tlie Dutch call it, raised a few steps from the ground, and running the -whole length of the house. They are enclosed with a parapet or wall three or four feet high, and have a seat or bench at each end, neath' flagged with red tiles highly polislied, or blue flags brouglit from Roben Island, which lies at some dis- tance out in the bay. The houses are remarkably neat within ; the rooms lofty and well furnished. Nothing can exceed the cleanliness of their floors ; all the lower part of the house is laid with highly polished square red tiles, and the stair-cases and upper rooms and galleries with oak kept in as good order as our most valuable mahogany dining tables. To have the floors preserved in the most beautiful state seems to be the first care of the lady of the house. The houses are so well, laid out as always to possess apartments which are cool and refreshing at every season. It is often re- marked by Englishmen, that there are a greater number of well built houses for its size at the Cape than in any town in England. It seems crowded with inhabitants ; although we saw it in its thinnest state, many of the Dutch citizens having retired into the country on the English coming before it. Many new houses were erected by our countrymen, who came out to settle here on commercial business, or in the service of our government. Those houses are handsomely built after the English style of brick retaining the natural 9 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. 117 colour, which is certainly much better on many accounts than having them whitened ; a custom that in the hot sea- son produces an insufterablc glare. Besides the offices attached to the back part of every house, there are separate ranges and yards set ap^rt for the slaves, strongly palisadoed and barricaded to prevent any communication Avith the former. Here those slaves who are not highly in their confidence, or not bred up to liouse- hold offices, are locked up every night. At the north end of the town, towards the Table "mountain, are the Compa-, ny's gardens, very extensive and elegantly laid out. At the entrance which faces one of the principal streets extending quite to the bay, is the town guard, where a captain, two subalterns, and one hundred men are daily on duty. The canal at this end is very deep, and shamefully out of re- pair, the parapet being every where broken down. This circumstance occasioned a melancholy accident to an officer, a passenger in the ship with me from India, on the first day of his landing. Lieutenant Ilewey of the 77th, the "entleman I alluded to, having left the house Mhere he dined after dark, tumbled headlong into the canal and was killed close by the guard. An officer of the navy broke his leg a short time before, but still it was allowed to re- main in the same state, and probably still continues to do so. At the entrance of the garden is a pair of very hand- Company a some gates fronting the grand walk, which runs the whole length of the garden, and is as broad as the Bird Cage Walk in St. James's Park. It i^s neatly rolled and gra- 118 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. veiled ; and each side is thickly planted with oak, low elms, myrtle, laurel, and geraniums. On the left side is a canal, which is always filled with water from the Table Moun- tain, and runs from the garden into the town. Through an arch at one side of the entrance, you cross this canal into the pleasure garden by a neat Chinese bridge. The whole of this extensive piece of ground contains about forty acres, regularly divided into four squares or quarters, by broad walks crossing each other at right angles, planted and bounded by thick hedges of those trees already men- tioned, from six to twelve feet high, with large lofty and spreading trees, interspersed at intervals, and from their ex- Government paudcd branches shading nearly the whole walk. In the oflices. fii'st division on your left hand is the governor's house, Avhich is a very handsome and large building, having a great number of rooms. From its being so near the Table Mountain, and subject to the violent winds which rush directly down ; the house is built only two story high. The ofTiccs attached to it are many and well laid out, in two separate ranges. One contains the kitchens, cellars, and offices for the governor's servants; the other is for the guards, slaves, stables, &c. In front of the house is a spot laid out as a pleasure garden or shrubbery, with a foun- tain or basin of water, in the midst of which are several spouts and water works. You step at once into this pleasant spot, from the grand Avalk by the Chinese bridge already mentioned. There is here a botanical garden, where a variety of curious exotics are i^eared ; several from Europe, 4 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. llf, mauy from India, Otaheite, and other parts of the world. Among otliers I have observed the tea plant, and bread fruit tree. The Duteh destroyed several of the bread fruit trees before they surrendered Cape Town to the English ; and latterly they liad neglected the botanic garden very much. When I first arrived at the Cape in 1796, it was in the worst possible order, General Craig uot having then had leisure to attend to its improvement. When Lord Macartney came here as governor, he ordered it to be re- planted and laid out, and procured a great number of very curious plants from Asia, Europe, Africa, and South Ame-- rica; most of which thrived very well. On my return in 1801 to the Cape, I observed with much pleasure the very great improvement uiade in this g-arden by the Enghsh, who were ever actuated by the most liberal spirit in every transaction which could benefit the Cape, and have made this garden of real use as well as ornament to the Town. The generosity of our countrymen in this excellent manage- ment and general improvement of the colony was the greater, • as it was never supposed with any confidence that it would be retained by us as a permanent acquisition. Instead of confining their attentions to the fortifications and the mili- tary economy of the settlement, which might have been reckoned necessary for their own security, our governors and other officers here were of singular benefit to the co- lony in pomting out the way to farther cultivation, and commencing many valuable improvements. The division opposite the botanical garden is well planted 120 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. with vcgetalilcs and o-ardou stuffs of all kinds for the use of the government house and tlie principal officers. Above this is another larger space laid out in the same manner, to supply the troops and shipping. This division was origi- nally laid out by the Dutch East India Company, for the purpose of supplying their shipping Avhen they arrived, with vegetables, &c. an article so essentially necessary to the health of their people after a long voyage. Every ship got a cer- tain quantity daily, free of expense. The garden was so large, and the attention paid to it so assiduous, that there Avas always enough to supply the shipping occasionally toucliing here, as well as the troops in garrison. For the last two or three vears before the arrival of the English, the planting and dressing of this as well as the botanic garden weie much neglected; the reason they assigned was, that on account of the war they could not procure the proper supply of seeds from Europe ; and that those produced at the Cape soon degenerate, and I'equire to be renewed with a fresh stock every three or four years. The sca-coIe, and the nopal, or prickly pear, thrive here in great abun- dance, being the natural produce of the country, and an excellent substitute for cabbages and such like vegetables. Fruit trees are planted in the borders of the several divi- sions of the garden, and are surrounded by hedges of low oaks, elnrs, laurel intermixed with myrtle and other spreading trees of a thick foliage, to shelter them from the violent winds, and to cool the walks in the heat of the summer season. At the farther end of the garden is a place railed THE CAPE OP GOOD HOPE. 121 in and palisadoed as a menagerie, where the Dutch govern- ment keep African wild beasts and animals of every descrip- tion, as well as those they could procure from other parts of the world. This menagerie wq,s uncommonly well filled, and greatly superior to any thing of the kind known in this country. It is indeed difficult to say, whether the menagerie or the aviary was the most completely stocked with rare and cu- rious animals. Previous to the arrival of the English, the Dutch Governor disposed of most of this collection, and very few of the rarer animals were left behind. I had an oppor- tunity of seeing a large collection at the house of a Dutch- man, Mynheer de Boers, at Cape Town, who had bought a number from government, and besides had collected others himself, and afterwards exposed them to public view for a doUai". The ostriches were quite tame and domesticated ; I fre- quently saw nine or ten grazing in the fields round the town, and in the streets, picking up any thing that came in their way. I have often seen them swallow stones, pieces of iron, and old nails. Those creatures were quite fami- liar, and allowed the little black boys to get on their backs and ride them about. Every evening these ostriches re- turned to their owner's house, as cows would to their milk- ing place. That beautiful animal, of the horse species, called zebra, I have also seen quietly grazing in the fields above the town. It is asserted by naturalists, that the zebra could R 122 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. never be tamed or brought to a docile and tractable state ; yet I have myself witnessed the contrary ; and can contra- dict the accounts of this animal's untameable disposition, . from having seen him, with my own eye, as gentle and as inoffensive as the patient ass, picking up thistles by the side of the road. At the upper end of the garden stands a wine-house, or tavern, with a billiard-table and skittle-ground ; where the inhabitants amuse themselves, and the officers from the ships frequently go to dine. THE CiVPE OF GOOD HOPE. 123 CHAPTER VIII. Description of Tahic Bay — Best Season for anchoring there — Subject to violent North- JFest JVinds in the Winter Season — Loss of the Sceptre Man of JFar — Hills about Capf^ Town — Appearance of Table Mountain — llcmarhaUe Clouds over it, prognosticating the fPeather — TJie different Climates at the Cape — Difference between the Effects of each Scaso7i. 1 ABLE Bay, which takes its name from the high land Table Bay. immediately over Cape Town, is a very large commodious harbour, washing and bordering the north-west shore of this peninsula, as False Bay does the south-east. It lies in its situation. 33° 55' south latitude, and 18° 30' east longitude. In the Proper sea- son for an- summer season, from September till IVIay, Table Bav is a choring there. safe and secure harbour, as the wind is generally from the south-east quarter during that period, and blows out of the bay. At that season, a ship if she parts from her anchors has nothing to do but to stand out to sea, and wait till the violence of the south-east wind is over. The north- Subject to . ■ I 1 • 1 violent north- west winds that blow full mto the bay, are attended with west winds the utmost danger, and cannot be avoided, as they find the vessels on a lee shore. They rarely indeed rise to any de- gree of violence except in the winter season, at which pe- riod ships on that account never remain here ; nor are they suffered by government to remain here till. September; Sir fear of being surprized by these winds, whicli has sometimes r2 124 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. been the case ; and if in that event they part with their anchors, they must be unavoidably lost. A melancholy in- stance of this occurred in the loss of the Sceptre man of war a few years ago. A violent and unexpected north-west wind coming on, she parted from her anchors and drove on shore, where she was in a veiy short time knocked to pieces and most of her officers and crew lost. It is a very great disadvantage to this bay, and all othei's at the Cape, that shipping cannot be hove down and repaired thoroughly, owing to the nature of the shores of this peninsula, and the violent winds which suddenly spring up, and would prove in- evitable destruction to a vessel if caught by them while re- fitting. Our fleets have felt this inconvenience very much whilst on this station. The only instance known of refitting a vessel here was that which I have already mentioned, by orders of Admiral Elphinstone, which was fortunately at-, tended with success. From the shore to the foot of Table Mountain, there is about a mile and a half rising on a gentle slope. The ef- fect which the town and mountains have on the eye, from a vessel at anchor in the bay, is uncommonly striking. The back of Cape Town is bounded by a long range of mountains extending in the form of a crescent, and Table Hill, bounding it from both sides. The Table Hill, which lies nearly in tlie centre of the range, is calculated to be four thousand feet above the level of the sea. It derives its name from the level surface of its summit. Its north front directly faces the town, and rises in a bold perpendicular THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. U5 form, having one great chasm in its middle, and divided by another from the two great hills called the Tiger ]\Ioun- tain and the Lion's Head, whicli form wrings to the Table Mountain. On the left is the Tiger Hill, at the entrance Tiger Hill, to the town from Wineberg; it is called Tiger Hill, from its being formerly much infested with those animals. On the right of the Table, is the Lion's head, commonly Lions Head. called by our people the Sugar Loaf Hill, from its conical summit. Those three hills, extending six miles in lengtli, may be looked upon as having originally formed one moun- tain ; for they seem to have been separated by some sub- , sequent convulsion of nature. The Sugar Loaf Hill is lower and steeper than the Table, being almost quite perpen- dicular. General Craig ordered a gun to be planted on the top of it, to give signals of the approach of shipping. It was dragged up by the English sailors and soldiers with great difficulty and labour, by means of ropes and pullies. A signal post and flags were placed here to denote the num- ber and appearance of the shipping in sight, and a guard- house for a kw men on duty. — [The Dutch had signals to denote if any of the different bays were possessed by an enemy, by means of different coloured flags, changed monthly, and known only to the Governor and the Captains of ships, so that the latter might not run into any of the bays and be taken in tlie net.] — i\.djoining the Sugar Loaf, is the LionsRump. Liewers Starrt, or Lion's Rump, so called from the resem- blance it beai's to a lion in a couching posture. This hill IS neither so high nor so steep as the former. There are 126 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. also guns and posts erected all along this lull ; which receives the alarm from the former, and communicates it to the town and castle in a few moments. The whole surface of the Lion's Rump has a pleasant, fresh and green appearance. Houses and plantations are scattered on the declivity, and towards the extremity of it, which extends quite to the bay and incloses the town, as I before mentioned, at Green Point. Tiie ride is beautiful, from the extensive view it commands, as you pass along the slope of the hill, and ascend towards the top. The English officers marked out a race ground near it, where they were accustomed to have during their stay here, some races every month, and a grand match once a year, which lasted for some days. This has been attend- ed with one very beneficial effect to the colony, that sijice racing commenced at the Cape, the breed of horses has been considerably improved. The Table Mountain and the Lion's Head are but in- differently covered with verdure ; indeed I may say, they are almost completely bare, and even the very few tiees and bushes which grow up and down are withered and stunted with the violent south-east winds, and have a pale and blighted appearance. Few of them grow to more than six feet in height, and those few are generally found sheltered by the cliffs, and watered by rills of water gushing from the rocks, which preserve them in the dry season, and ren- der them healthy and vigorous. The Table Mountain is a very great object of curiosity. No stranger who visits the Cape should let slip the opportunity of visiting it and gaining THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. UJ its summit from whence he will be highly gratified by one of the noblest prospects in the universe. Indeed every person who has strength sufficient to undergo the fatigue of as- cending, eagerly seizes the opportunity of enjoying this gra- tification. It is, however, a work of some difficulty, and even danger, to arrive at the top ; and requires the assis- tance of skilful guides to point out the easiest paths, and how to avoid the chasms and rocks which so fre- quently intercept the ascent of the traveller. The moun- tain is also much infested with runaway slaves, belonging to the Dutch inhabitants of the Cape Town, who lurk about in the caverns and recesses of the mountain, and sometimes attack travellers who are not sufficiently pro- tected by numbers. Though few instances have occm-red of murder being committed by those people, yet they are very apt to rob and plunder. It has been found a very difficult attempt to root out those depredators, as they have so many hiding places, and are so well acquainted with every corner of the mountain. At night those un- fortunate creatures who fly hither from the cruel usage of their masters, and who have not an opportunity of reliev- ing their wants by plunder, steal into the skirts of the ' town to obtain a supply of provisions from some of their old comrades and brother slaves, with whom they keep up a correspondence. But the risk you run of meeting with any of those run- away slaves is by no means equal to the danger of being overtaken with those thick and fleecy clouds which so fre- 7 128 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. quently envelope the mountain. Before you venture to ex- plore the Table Hill, it is highly necessary, if you are not perfectly acquainted with the climate of the Cape yourself, to ask the opinion and advice of an experienced inhabitant of the town; for the mountain is often suddenly covered with thick clouds, which would prevent a traveller from finding his way back for two or three days. On this ac- count it is necessary to wait till certain appearances of the weather indicate th.at no immediate danger from those clouds is to be expected. The inhabitants of the Cape, from long observation, are well acquainted with all the symptoms of the approaching weather. The appearance of two remarkal>le clouds over the sunnuit of the mountain enables them, with a great degree of certainty, to prog- nosticate what weather will follow. From the quarter whence they proceed, their first formation, colour, and the manner in which they bend their couise, a Dutchman will tell with little danger of ever being deceived, what will be the consequence. He will be able to inform you of an approaching south-east wind, and whether it will be violent and lasting, or light and passing. Those fleecy clouds which envelope the mountain, and are generally the forerunner of a violent south-east wind, are really singular and curious in their appearances, as well as extraordinary in iheir ef- fects, which depend very much upon their manner of foi- mation. On the first appearance of those clouds they arc sraa,H, of a dark bluish colour, and are seen coming over the sunmiit of Table Hill from the south, and passing on 4 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. 129 towards the Tiger Hill in a slow progressive manner, gra- dually increasing into one vast cloud which covers the niountain; when a terrible south-east wind immediately ensues. Sometimes these clouds last for several days toge- ther; though it often happens that the violence of the south- east wind lasts a long time after they disappear. When this immense body of clouds is formed, it is seen descend- ing and rolling furiously down the mountain towards the town, which a stranger would imagine it was about to enter ; and the threatening appearance of these volumes might seem to portend some alarming consequences to the health of the inhabitants ; but on being arrived better than half way down this phenomonon vanishes ; for it never comes within a certain distance of the- foot of Table Hill. As those clouds are always the forerunners of an ap- proaching south-east wind, it is a common observation with the Dutch to say when they see their first formation, " that the Devil is going to dinner, and that he has laid the cloth on Table IMountain." They then shut up their M'indows and doors, and keep in their houses till the storm is over. During the time I was at the Cape I made several ex- cursions to the Table IMountain, and succeeded in aniving at the summit three times ; those clouds having in my other attempts prevented me from prosecuting my Journey the whole way. Each time I went up by a different route, and found them all extremely difficult and fatiiiuing. The most convenient and least intricate was from Wine- S 130 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. berg by the back of the mountain, but this way was much less interesting than from the sides in view of Cape Town ; and I had little more gratification in the journey than the prospect from the top. Though the passage up from Wineberg is much easier, yet being at so great a distance from Cape Town, it is only used by those officers quartered here, and their occasional visitors. The general way by which travellers residing at Cape Town ascend, is by the north-side of the; mountain imme- diately facing the town. On taking this route you pro- ceed through the Company's gardens, at the upper end of which is a gate that brings you quite beyond the outskirts. From this you proceed for nearly a mile by a gradual ascent, the way very rough, rocky, and uneven ; after which you come to a most awful and grand chasm, that seems to divide the table into two parts, and extends to within a short distance of the summit. On my arrival at this immense cleft I found the benefit of an experienced guide. Tiie chasm is seen to some distance at sea, and there are besides several smaller ones on its north-side. The great chasm is upwards of seventy yards in breadth, and slightly covered liere and there with small trees, and shrubs sprouting out of the rocks. The echo which reverberates here is tremendous, and the sensations of the stranger who ascends are intermingled with astonishment, anxiety, and apprehension. After getting out o( the chasm you have to get over the rugged paths inter- cepted by projecting rocks and clift's, which renders the journey very tiresome and ditficult. After surmounting these THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. 131 obstacles I at last arrived at the summit, which forms a level plain, interspersed with a few small ponds of water. I found the air here colder than in Cape Town by at least 15 degrees; although in several parts of the journey up, the heat was very distressing. The prospect from the top of Table Hill, however, amply recompenced the toils of attaining it. It was extensive, almost beyond any idea my imagination had formed : tho height from the summit to the level of the sea being reckoned about 4000 feet, and from the outskirts of the town near 3600. The ocean was extended all around as far as the eye could reach ; except where the horizon was terminated by the distant mountains of Hottentot Holland and CaiYree land. Every part of the colony, its mountains, its shores, its bays, and its plains were extended beneath my feet; yet my eye after throwing around on these objects a look of admiration, returned with a degree of more eager interest to observe the appearances of the beautiful cultivated spot which I had just left. The height- at which 1 was now placed above Cape Town was in- finitely greater than the top of St. Paul's, from which I had viewed London; and I amused myself with comparing the appearances which the two cities presented. At m)- present elevation above Cape Town, it Avas with dilTiculty I could see the watrsions movinsj in the streets, while tiie OCT* ~ people who were passing to and fro could only be distin- guished as little black spots. The town itself, with the regular streets crossing each other at right angles, seemed s 2 132 THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. like a little plain intersected Avith lines. The shipping in the bay looked like sniall boats, and the contrast between the villages and green plantations surrounding the beach with the locks, lands, and mountains, which filled out the prospect, produced a most pleasing effect on my mind. On the top of the mountain grew some few shrubs near the water; and amongst the rocks towards the verge of the summit, heaths bearing small flowers of a white, red, and violet colour, were the most predominant plants. Several shrubs, rare in other parts, are also found here. The Ti- <>;er hill on the one side, and the Lion's Head or Devil Hill on the other, as I have already observed, are only separated from Table Mountain b}^ great chasms. They are evidently all three composed of the same materials, and it seemed therefore natural to suppose that they were rent asunder by some violent convulsion of nature. Huge mas- ses of rock rising amidst the rents, and heaped one on the other, often nearly join them. Those vast rocks are com- posed of a species of granite, and are in some places only strewed with a scanty covering of earth. The predominant colour of those masses is a grey tinctured with a blueish cast. In some places are incorporated small pieces of a whitish shining stone, and a reddish granulated substance, in the excursion I made to the top of Table Mountain from the south-west part of Tiger Hill, the appearances of na- ture were the same; this way I found extremely difficult, and was more than once on the point of giving it up, ha\in