f'oyage to the Cape of the New SelU&rs. 



208 



nothing but rap-fair. Such was tlie 

 influx of fruit from the interior, that 

 fine large oranges, certainly the most 

 delicious ever eaten, were sold for one 

 pistrene, (lOd.) per linndrcd. Goats 

 and sheep were also sold from 3s to 5s. 

 each ; pigs from 2s. to 10s., but gene- 

 rallj' of such a meagre deportment that 

 one might almost read the Bible 

 tlirough them. The price of bread was 

 advanced most exorbitantly on our 

 arrival. We attempted a ramble into 

 the interior, but the weather was at this 

 time so excessively hot, as to render it 

 utterly impossible for an European to 

 endure the fatigue. 



On tlie Sunday following, having 

 obtained every necessary that was to 

 be procured here, we weighed anchor, 

 and left St. Jago, which, to those ac- 

 customed to the verdure of an English 

 soil, it could not be expected to form 

 very liberal ideas of, being a place 

 whose most distinguishing feature is a 

 series of steep and lofty ^lills, covered 

 with stones resembling volcanic matter, 

 without a vestige of vegetation to 

 adorn them ; but the small and level 

 Tallies, neatly attired with the beauti- 

 ful foliage of the tamarind, the orange, 

 and of the cotton tree, at once bearing 

 the bud, the bloom, and the ripene<l 

 pod, leave an impression of a different 

 kind, and which, at another season of the 

 year, must form a delightful contrast. 

 The weather continued variable from 

 our leaving St. Jago until Jan. 27, with 

 short breezes and long calms, on which 

 day a large shoal of porpoises passed our 

 bows, taking a northerly direction. On 

 Tuesday, Feb. 1st, we crossed the line ; 

 but Mr. Neptune's visit was dispensed 

 with, much to the satisfaction of all on 

 board. 



On Saturday, Feb. 5, saw five sail, one 

 of which bore up to the Nautilus, she 

 being two miles a-head. In about half 

 an hour we came within hail, and found 

 her to be a snuill schooner, bound to 

 Pernambuco, in the Brazils. The Cap- 

 tain of her kindly offering (as in all 

 probability he should return to England 

 before the period of packets leaving the 

 Cape,) to convey any letters that might 

 be committed to his charge, pens and 

 ink were immediately 'n requisition, 

 and many took advantage of the occa- 

 Kion. As he had left England some 

 weeks later than ourselves, we derived 

 much pleasure from reading a series of 

 the Times newspaper, he furnished us 

 with. In the evening, a fine breeze 

 springing up, we soon lost sight of her. 



[April 1, 



Nothing paiticular occurred till thel.lth 

 of Feb. when we took the first and only 

 shark we caught during the passage. 

 Many attempts had been made prior to 

 this, but owing to our liooks not being 

 of sufficient strength, we had always 

 lost them. The cook's tormentors (a 

 large fork) were soon rigged for the 

 occasion, and in about ten minutes we 

 got him upon deck. 



On Feb. 24th we were in lat. IS" 45'. 

 Up to this period we bad lost four 

 children with the hooping cough, the 

 remainder of the passengers being in 

 excellent health. The flying fish, 

 which had for some time been very nu- 

 merous, now became scarce ; we were 

 not able to take any during the pas- 

 sage. As we still carried a fair wind, 

 nothing worthy of remark occurred till 

 the 4th March, when we threw over- 

 board our fifth child. On the 16th we 

 hove in sight of the Lion's Rump. It 

 now became a matter of no small inte- \ 

 rest whether or no the Nautilus had ar- 

 rived at her destination, as we had parted 

 company with her for near a month ; at 

 length she was discovered beating up 

 under the rocks that form the western 

 base of Cape Town ; and, after making 

 several unsuccessful attempts to get a 

 good anchorage, brought up, for the 

 night, off Robin's Island, about seven 

 miles from the town. In the morning 

 she made a second attempt, and was 

 more successful. 



The Chapman, after beating about 

 the bay the whole night, the wind 

 blowing very fresh from the SE. came 

 to an anchor at 10 P.M. On the fol- 

 lowing morning, being the IJth March, 

 great anxiety was soon evinced, all 

 expecting to be able to go on shore ; but 

 this, it seems, has been the chief aim 

 of government to prevent, as not one 

 of the settlers had the privilege of s(» 

 doing. The Protock boat soon waited 

 upon us with the pleasant information, 

 that we were to remain at present under 

 strict quarantine — heads of parties 

 alone being permitted to land. On 

 the Simday the government surgeon 

 came on board, to examine into the 

 state of our health, and expressed 

 great satisfaction at finding us so well. 



After this we naturally expected to 

 have been permitted to land, but al- 

 though two memorials were transmit- 

 ted to tlie governor, it was of no avail, 

 and it was with the greatest difficulty 

 we were enabled to procure those ne- 

 cessaries which, after so long a voyage, 

 to those unaccustomed to live upon sea 

 provision. 



