42 AVOYAGETO 



, '■7'^- to produce wool of the fame quality here as in Europe, 

 V— -.r- — ' which experience has fliewn not to be the cafe, the Dutch 

 have not hands, at the Cape of Good Hope, to fpare for the 

 manufa^Luring even their own clothing. It is certain that, 

 were it not for the continual importation of flaves, this fet- 

 tlement would be thinner of people than any other inha- 

 bited part of the world. 



While the fhips were getting ready for the profecution of 

 our voyage, fome of our officers made an excurlion to take 

 a view of the neighbouring country. Mr. Anderfon, my 

 Surgeon, who was one of the party, gave me the following 

 relation of their proceedings * : 



Saturday 16. " On the i6th, in the forenoon, I fet out in a v/aggon,. 

 with five more, to take a view of fome part of the country. 

 We crofTed the large plain that lies to the Eaftward of the 

 town, v/hich is entirely a white fand, like that commonly 

 found on beaches, and produces only heath, and other 

 fmall plants of various forts. At five in the afternoon we 

 palled a large farm-houfe, with fome corn-fields, and pretty 

 confiderable vineyards, ficuaced beyond the plain, near the 

 foot of fome low hills,, where the foil becomes worth culti- 

 vatine. Between fix and feven we arrived at Stellenbofli, 

 the colony next to that of the Cape for its importance. 



The village does not confift of more than thirty houfes, 

 and ftands at the foot of the range of lofty mountains, 



* In the Philofophical TranfacSions,. Vol. Ixvi. p. 26^ to 319, is an Account ofThret 

 Jonrnies frofn the CapeToivn into the Southern Parts of J/rica, in 1772, 1773, and 1774 ; 

 by Mr. Francis Mafibn, who had been fent from England for the difcovery of new 

 plants, towards the improvement of the Royal Botanical Garden at Kcw. Much 

 curious information is contained in Mr. Ma{ron''s account of thefe journies. M. de 

 Pages, who was at the Cape in 1773, gives fome remarks on the ftate of that fettle- 

 ment, and alfo the particulars of his journey from Falfe Bay to the Cape Town. Voyage 

 vers k Pole du Sucf, p. 17 to 32, 



above 



