276 CONSTANTIA. [1698. 



expect. A certain part of this Garden has been assign'd for 

 Muscat-Vines, which bear good and fair Grapes. 



It has likewise in great abundance ahnost all our sorts of 

 Herbs, Pulse, Flowers and other Plants. It is water'd by 

 divers Rivulets which fall from certain Places in the 

 Mountains, and are distributed into several artificial Canals. 

 All about this Garden there are a great many thick Trees, 

 which tho' they defend it tolerably from the Wind,^ yet they 

 cannot absolutely do it, which is the reason that things don't 

 thrive there wonderfully well. The Trees themselves do not 

 also grow so kindly as in other Places. 



A little farther on tlie Declivity of the Mountain, you see 

 here and there many Houses surrounded with Vines, Gardens 

 and Groves, which together have a very agreeable effect on 

 the Eye. 



The Company has another Garden about a League off, 

 which lies in a better Soil, and is more shelter'd from bad 

 Winds. You have there long Walks of Oaks, as far as your 

 Eye can well reach, and a large Wood of young Trees of the 

 same kind rais'd from Acorns. One day they may likewise 

 make use of these Trees for Houses and Ships. At present 

 there are Trees fit for the Carpenter only, in a Forest about 

 two Leagues from the Fort. 



The Governor has a pleasant House call'd Constantia,^ 

 about two Leagues from the Cape. Here he lives tlie greatest 

 part of the year, not only on account of the Air, which is 

 Excellent, the fine Prospect, and the admirable Soil, but also 

 by reason of the great quantity of Game which are there- 

 abouts. Hunting being the greatest and most profitable 

 Diversion of tliis Country. 



1 In orig.: " a I'epreuve de ces coujss de vent dont j'ai parle." 



2 In 1699, Governor van der Stel retired to his farm, Constantia, 

 where he had built a large and handsome residence, and devoted himself 

 to agriculture and cattle rearing. Practically he had the whole peninsula 

 as a cattle-run, and the wine which he made was the best in the colony. 

 (Cf. Theal's History. I. c, p. 14.) 



