June, 18S6. cape of good hope. 575 



that of the Mauritius. It does not, however, arise from the 

 popularity of the EngUsh; for the Dutch as well as the 

 French, although they have profited to an immense degree 

 by the English government, yet thoroughly dishke our 

 whole nation. 



All the fragments of the civilized world which we have 

 visited in the southern hemisphere, appear to be flourish- 

 ing : httle embryo Englands are springing into life in many 

 quarters. Although the Cape colony possesses only a 

 moderately fertile country, it appears in a very prosperous 

 condition. In one respect it suffers like New South Wales, 

 namely, in the absence of water communication, and in the 

 interior being separated from the coast by a high chain of 

 mountains. This country does not possess coal ; and there 

 is no timber, excepting at a considerable distance. Hides, 

 tallow, and wine are the chief exports, and latterly a con- 

 siderable quantity of corn. The farmers are beginning also 

 to pay attention to sheep-grazing, — a hint taken from Aus- 

 tralia. It is no small triumph to Van Diemen's Land, 

 that live sheep have been exported from a colony of thirty- 

 three years standing, to this which was founded in 1651. 



In Cape Town it is said that the present number of in- 

 habitants is about 15,000, and in the whole colony, including 

 coloured people, 200,000. Many different nations are here 

 mingled together ; the Europeans consist of Dutch, French, 

 and English, and scattered people from other parts. The 

 Malays, descendants of slaves brought from the East Indian 

 archipelago, form a large body. They are a fine set of men, 

 and can always be distinguished by a conical hat, like the roof 

 of a circular thatched cottage, or by a red handkerchief on 

 their heads. The number of negroes is not very great ; and 

 the Hottentots, the ill-treated aborigines of the country, are, 

 I should think, in a still smaller proportion. The first 

 object in Cape Town which strikes the eye of a stranger, is 

 the number of bullock-waggons. Several times I saw 

 eighteen, and I heard of twenty-four oxen being all 

 yoked together in one team. Besides these, waggons with 



