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eye, as on a map, stretches over an immense space of sea and land; 

 comprising the boundless ocean, rocky isles, majestic mountains, 

 softer hills, a large town, crowded harbour, and scenes of cultiva- 

 tion. The Table mountain is said to be covered with its table- 

 cloth when mantled with white clouds, falling in a striking man- 

 ner on its sides. Half concealed by these immense volumes rolling 

 over its surface, it makes a very grand appearance, but in height 

 is inferior to many others of less note, being only three thousand 

 six hundred feet above the level of the sea. On the summit is a 

 lake of fresh water, which supplies the town and shipping; the 

 stream in its descent falling over grotesque rocks, forms beautiful 

 cascades. At each end of the Table-land, is a lofty mountain 

 connected with it; one called the Lion's Rump, the other the 

 Devil's Mountain. They are all composed of rocky strata, 

 but are said not to be volcanic. Their inhabitants are chiefly 

 hyenas, wolves, monkeys, vultures, and sometimes run-away 

 slaves. 



Cape-town is large, and regularly built; the principal streets, 

 leading to the great square, intersect each other at right angles: 

 in 1776 it contained six or seven hundred houses, and about eight 

 thousand inhabitants, including slaves. The houses, built in the 

 European style from one to three stories high, have uniformly that 

 neat appearance which characterizes the best towns in Holland. 

 The square, and most of the wide streets, are planted with avenues 

 of oaks and poplars, on each side of a narrow canal, before the 

 houses. There were then only two churches, one Calvinist, the 

 other Lutheran. The principal public buildings were the sladt-house, 

 library, hospital and prison. The fort at the south end of the 



