436 
CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. 
shipping, and gain a view of the sandy plain and distant mountains, 
with Robben’s Island and Green Point in the distance. 
Among the objects of interest at the Cape, is the Botanical Garden 
of the Baron von Ludwig. To his liberality we are much indebted 
for plants and seeds; and in*fact every thing that our botanists desired 
was placed at their disposition. The garden is surrounded by a 
brick wall, and situated near the foot of the Lion’s Rump; its soil was 
originally poor, but it has been much enriched by manure. The 
collection of plants, both native and exotic, is good, but the season of 
flowers was over. The native bulbs, which form the great beauty of 
the collections here, had passed, and but a few Amaryllidse, and some 
varieties of the Oxalis, remained in bloom. Many curious specimens 
of African plants were noticed, particularly some Zamias, Strelitzias, 
Aloes, and Testudinarias. Of the former we brought home a fine 
specimen, whose fruit, which resembles in shape a large pine-apple, 
is eaten by the Bushmen, and is said to be palatable when properly 
prepared. The collection of East Indian plants was in fine order, and 
numerous specimens of the Cacti attracted our notice. 
The portion of ground allotted as a flower-garden contains a fine 
collection of roses and dahlias, of ornamental shrubs and annuals. 
There is also a vegetable-garden, while fruit trees are interspersed 
here and there throughout the whole. The proprietor furnishes tickets 
of admission to all who desire them; but his rules and regulations as 
to the hour of entrance, and respecting the police of the garden, must 
be strictly observed. 
The plants furnished us by the Baron have flourished admirably 
since our return. 
Tanks of some extent have been erected by the government, to 
preserve water for the use of the town and shipping. I was not 
aware at first that any necessity for them existed, but was afterwards 
informed that the town has, at times, suffered severely from drought. 
The climate of the Cape is usually considered salubrious, and par¬ 
ticularly renovating to constitutions enfeebled by a long residence in 
India. 
If one were to place full reliance on the assertions of its inhabitants, 
Cape Town and the surrounding country possess a perfection of 
climate to be met with in no other part of the world; but this, it is to 
be regretted, is not fully corroborated by the testimony of the meteoro¬ 
logical registers that have been kept, as well as the experience of those 
who have written upon the subject. It has many peculiarities, and 
may be termed rather a cold climate for its latitude. The mean 
