438 cook's voyage to april, 



had sufficient reason to think true ; as Mr. Brandt 

 had already delivered to Captain Gore, a letter from 

 Mr. Stephens, inclosing a copy of Mons. de Sartine's 

 orders, taken on board the Licorne. With respect 

 to the Americans, the matter still rested on report ; 

 but Baron Plettenberg assured us, that he had been 

 expressly told, by the commander of a Spanish ship, 

 which had touched at the Cape, that he, and all the 

 officers of his nation, had received orders to the same 

 effect. These assurances confirmed Captain Gore 

 in the resolution he had taken, of maintaining on 

 his part, a neutral conduct ; and accordingly, when, 

 on the arrival of the Sybil, to convoy the India ships 

 home, it was proposed to him to accompany them 

 on their passage, he thought proper to decline an 

 offer, the acceptance of which might, in case we 

 had fallen in with any of the enemies' ships, have 

 brought him into a very difficult and embarrasing 

 situation. 



During our stay at the Cape, we met with every 

 proof of the most friendly disposition toward us, 

 both in the governor and principal persons of the 

 place, as well Africans as Europeans. At our first 

 arrival, Colonel Gordon, the commander of the 

 Dutch forces, with whom, on our former visit here, 

 I had the happiness of being on a footing of 

 intimacy and friendship, was absent on a journey 

 into the interior parts of Africa, but returned before 

 our departure. He had, on this occasion, penetrated 

 farther up the country than any other traveller 

 had done before him, and made great additions to 

 the valuable collection of natural curiosities with 

 which he has enriched the Museum of the Prince of 

 Orange. Indeed, a long residence at the Cape, and 

 the powerful assistance he has derived from his rank 

 and situation there, joined to an active and inde- 

 fatigable spirit, and an eager thirst after knowledge, 

 have enabled him to acquire a more intimate and 

 perfect knowledge of this part of Africa than could 



