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Continent at its south-east angle, where it begins to take a 

 northerly direction. It of course lies entirely open to the 

 winds that set in from the south-east; though, it may be 

 remarked in passing, that these winds are neither so frequent 

 nor so violent as they are in Table Bay : on the contrary, 

 the westerly winds prevail there throughout the year. 



" The Bay is surrounded by a ridge of low sand-hills, or 

 rather banks, clothed with a great variety of prickly shrubs ; 

 and the country behind spreads out in a level plain, ter- 

 minating, at the distance of twelve or fifteen miles, in lofty 

 mountains. From these mountains, a range of forest stretches 

 as far as Plettenberg's Bay, distant nearly two hundred 

 miles. A great variety of valuable timber grows along this 

 tract of coast, from which the indolence or apathy of the 

 Dutch Government prevented the colonists from deriving 

 any considerable benefit. The only species of timber that 

 has been introduced into common use is the Geel Kout, Taxus 

 [Podocarpus) elongata, which is employed in house-building. 

 For furniture, they occasionally use Stink Hout {Laurus teter- 

 rima ?), though the execrable odour it diffuses for some time 

 after it has been worked, forms a well-grounded objection 

 to its general adoption. It possesses the colour, hardness, 

 and durability of the heart of oak. 



" Many of the indigenous plants of the Colony would pro- 

 bably be found endowed with valuable properties, if requisite 

 means were employed to investigate them ; but no steps to 

 this effect have hitherto been taken. The gross ignorance 

 of the peasantry utterly disqualifies them for researches of 

 this nature ; and it has been the policy of the Dutch 

 Government to repress all attempts at discovery; nor has 

 the British, which succeeded, shown itself more friendly to 

 the scheme. Yet it is surely the policy of every government 

 that obtains possession of an unexplored territory, to embrace 

 the earliest opportunity of investigating its natural productions. 

 The expense attending such an undertaking can never form 

 a serious obstacle. Numbers will be found in every com- 

 munity who would take it in hand without any emolument, 

 but as an object of honourable distinction. 



