SECOND BESIDENCE AT CAPE TOWN. 93 



the spring, when, like a flock of butterflies, they cover the earth 

 with every colour of the rainbow, and are as quickly gone again. 

 The Hesperanthze, not seen by me last year, sober, quaker-like 

 elegancies of the Ixia tribe, are now coming out in plenty. They 

 have moonliglit-co\om-e(\. cups of the sweetest odours, the reverse 

 side of the flower dark brown. The odour too much for me ; not 

 so delicate as our own dear Hesperis, or as the evening Pelargonia, 

 that the Cape twilight so plentifully rejoices in. But the Dutch 

 frows delight, above all things, in the Sesperanthse or Avoncl- 

 bloomjes, as they call them ; and you meet with black, brown, 

 and yellow children, or, if there be any other hue, parading the 

 streets with huge bunches of these flowers. You may buy 

 two for a penny. 



August 12th. I have bought a cottage within about a mile 

 of my office, with a sweet little garden, covering about an acre 

 of ground, and " All sweet flowers of every clime " " grcny in that 

 garden in perfect prime." Is the vacillation quiet at last? 

 Yes. The natural effect of gravity in the giddiest pendulum 

 will bring him to the starting-post at last ; and I have pur- 

 chased the first place I looked at last year, a day or two after 

 my arrival. From the terrace there is a beautiful view, — of 

 blue waters, Alpine mountains, and precipitous rocks, covered 

 with dark pines and white silver trees, the distant city, with 

 sandy plains beyond ; and the eye peeping out on all this from 

 jessamine and woodbine bowers. 



September 2nd. I have secured a quiet companion in the 

 shape of my friend Mr. E., who joins me in housekeeping. 



Cape Town, August 14th, 1837. 



My dear Ward, 



This morning brought me your welcome letter written in 

 May, and as I have a spare hour I may as well answer it, 

 although there is no mail standing ready with open jaws at 

 present. I find, on consulting my note-book, that I have not 

 written to you since April 19th ; but you must not think on 

 that account that I have not thought of you, or have neglected 

 our fair science. Nay, nay. I have been right assiduous for 

 the intervening months, though I have little to show for it, as 

 'tis rarely I can make a long excursion ; and in a walk of an 

 hour (my daily habit) there is not very much to be picked up 



