352 An Historical Account of the Formation^ SfC. 



barley, oats, peas, beans, and cadjang* in the Downs, beyond 

 the Salt River, to observe whether they would succeed better 

 at that place. 



He named the bay behind the Table Mountain, Hout Bay, 

 and caused it to be surveyed ; making the useful discovery, 

 that the Galiot might lay there, sheltered from every wind, in 

 4£ and 3 fathoms, with a clear sandy bottom, and so far behind 

 a point on the north side, that the open sea could not be per- 

 ceived from her. He also caused a chart to be made that it 

 might be used as occasion required. A few days after he 

 sentt the vessel there to fetch fire-wood; and going himself 

 towards the end of the month, saw " as fine woods as could be 

 found in the world, the trees being as long, thick, and straight 

 as could be wished;" but the hilly state of the ground made 

 it impossible to get them to the beach. He saw there beauti- 

 ful grazing grounds; and every sort of large and small game, 

 out was not able to catch any. He afterwards discovered near 

 the beach, suitable wood for the lime-kiln; and, as the Galiot 

 lay about a musket shot from the shore, he ordered the master 

 to bring a ship load of it to Table Bay. Further, on his re- 

 turn, he employed his time profitably in observing the situa- 

 tion and appearance of the sea coast; which he describes as 

 being rocky, barren, and dangerous. 



August. — His industrious disposition did not allow him to 

 remain long inactive. In the first days of the following 

 month, he discovered behind the Table "Mountain, at rather 

 more than 6 miles from the Fort, another wood, more exten- 

 sive and better situated ; and succeeded so well, that on the 

 5th, his wain had already brought two tolerable pieces of tim- 

 ber for beams for the new store-house. 



But on that day the course of his daily occupations was 

 interrupted by the arrival of three ships from Holland, the 

 crews of which, particularly the scorbutic and sick, he cheer- 

 fully refreshed with vegetables and fresh meat. J By these 

 vessels he received no letters from his employers, and merely 

 verbal intelligence of the continuance of war with the new 

 government of England. 



Meanwhile he sent a few persons as far as False Bay, with 

 the view to extend his local knowledge ; which, however, cost 

 the life of one of the party, who died from severe cold. 



He was now engaged with his European visitors, taking 

 them even to Hout Bay ; and after much intercession he re- 

 leased some delinquents from their chains ; being the more 

 easily induced to do so, from having remarked that they had 

 begun to fulfil the object of their punishment, by a more dili- 



« A species of bean originally brought from India. — Trans. 



f Records of Council, -25th July, 1653. 



t Diary, South African Journal, vol, iii. p. 354. 





