CAPE BEEF. 297 



"cape beef," The animals are procured either from 

 the Cape Colony, or the Island of Madagascar. I 

 Baw a number of them yoked together, performing 

 the heavy draughting to and from the plantations 

 and warehouses. With the exception of the hump, 

 I could perceive no difference in form between them 

 and our own cattle. This hump is situated on the 

 spine directly over the fore shoulders ; in shape it 

 resembles a mound, being conical as it approaches 

 its summit, and in a full grown animal attains a 

 height of from eight to twelve inches. The flesh of 

 the hump is said to be esteemed a great dainty, and I 

 have no doubt of it from the fact that whilst lying 

 here not a particle of that portion of the animal came 

 aboard our ship, it commanding a higher price than 

 the other portions, and, therefore, was too expensive 

 provender for sailors. 



I have heard this meat reviled over and over again, 

 as being tough and anything but nutritious ; but I 

 disagree with its detractors, as I found it sweet, 

 tender and palatable, although it is very far from 

 being fat. 



Besides fresh meat we were enabled to obtain sweet 

 potatoes — the murphies not being raised here — and 

 80 we were fain to put up with their yellow proto- 

 types ; they were much the same esculent as we 

 formerly procured in the Island of Lombock. Car- 

 rots, and the various garden vegetables, too, were 

 procurable, and the most original turnips that it ever 

 fell to my lot to behold. In form they resembled 

 a pine-apple, and were of a deep purple color. 

 Attracted by their savory look, I essayed to peel one 

 with my pocket knife, but found such a proceeding 



