i8 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa. 



arrived at one of those sudden settlements, the 

 creation of a few months or weeks, which are 

 characteristic of an American territory or of the 

 Australian Inish. Public buildings of high archi- 

 tectural merit are scarce ; indeed, the Houses 

 of Parliament and the Standard Bank may ])e 

 said to be the only edifices entirely Avorthy of 

 the traditions and position of the town. The 

 ohl Town House, the old Castle, vi^ddly and 

 agreeably recall the Dutchman of the seven- 

 teenth century, relics of an interesting past, 

 testimonies of a famous history, which should be 

 tenderly preserved. His Excellency the Govern' 

 nor is resjiectablv, but not splendidly, accommo- 

 dated. A long, low building, hidden away in a 

 corner of ugly elevation but of roomy and commo- 

 dious interior, containing spacious apartments, 

 uneasily supports the dignified title of " Govern- 

 ment House." A garden of considerable extent, 

 well filled Avith shady oak-trees and many fine 

 specimens of tropical plants, makes up largely for 

 the architectural shortcomings of the edifice. 

 Adjoining are to be found the Botanical Gardens, 

 the Natural History ]\[useum, and the Public 

 Library. All of these institutions apparently 

 suifer from a want of liberal maintenance, Avhich 

 is the more to l)e regretted as their contents are for 

 the most part excellent and rare. The Natural 

 History ^luseum possesses a very perfect collection 

 of African fauna, mainly contributed by the famous 

 liunter, Mr. Selous, of birds, and of mineralogical 

 and conchological specimens of great interest ; but 



