SOUTHERN AFRICA, 



853 



Jtiver discharges itself into St. Sebastian's Bay. Its nioiitli, now called Port Beaufort, allows 

 vessels of 200 tons to enter, and discharge or load in safety. The Gauril:, the next great 

 river on the coast, is a collection of waters from the Great Karroo and Black Mountains. In 

 the rainy season it is a rapid and dangerous stream. The Knysna is considered by Barrcw 

 to have been a lake which has opened itself a channel to the sea, and the tide now sets into it, 

 through a narrow passage, as into a dock. The arms of the Knysna stretch into the deep 

 valleys at the foot of the mountains, and are there lost in impenetrable forests. The Keur- 

 boom, like the Knysna, runs up into the midst of tail forests. The Ccuidous River admit« 

 vessels of 200 tons, and promises to be of great service to the colony, particularly if it prove 

 true, that coal is to be found on its banks. Tlie Zwarl-kops River is a clear, permanent streaa 

 flowing into Algoa Bay. The mouth of the Kowie River is the next port to the eastward 

 The Great Fisk River, the Rio cP Infante of the Portuguese, takes its rise beyond the Snowjr 

 Mountains, and in its long course collects a multitude of tributaries. The northern frontiers 

 of the colony are watered by two large rivers ; the Lesser Fish River and the Gareip or Orange 

 River. The former, which waters the Great Namaqua territory, falls into the Orange Puver 

 about 70 miles from its moulh. The Orange River appears to be formed by two rivers which 

 unite their waters nearly 600 miles due east from liieir mouth. It falls into the Atlantic in 

 latitude 23" 30'. Most of these rivers, swelled by periodical rains, deposite much mud and 

 sand at their mouths ; some of them in the dry season are lost amid the sands and rocks. 

 Besides these principal rivers there are a number of small streams, which may be generally 

 crossed dry-shod, but after a fall of rain increase to a great size. 



4. Climate. The seasons in this colony are divided into monsoons, of which there are 

 two annually ; the one wet, the other dry. The dry monsoon is called summer ; the wet 

 monsoon constitutes winter. The former, or rather the spring season, commences in Sep- 

 tember, the latter in March. During the dry inonsoon, southeast winds aie prevalent, 'j'he 

 wet monsoon is generally attended with northwest winds. The weather, during the wet mon- 

 soon, is disagreeable and moist, but the cold is never severe. Ice is never much more than 

 the eighth part of an inch thick. Thunder and lightning are rare, and seldom violent. The 

 atmosphere is healthy, and agrees well with European constitutions. 



5. Soil, Productions, &c. Of the district occupied by the colony, a great pait is nioun 

 tainous and barren ; but it contains many fine and fertile tracts. The Cape has long been 

 celebrated among naturalists and botanists as a fertile field for their labois. Almost every 

 animal found on the African continent, may be found in the neighbourhood of this colony. 

 Two varieties of the lion are found in South Africa, namely, the yellow and the brown, or, as 

 t!ie Dutch colonists often term the latter, the blue or black lion, which sometimes commit 

 great ravages among the cattle. The dark colored species is the stronger and fiercer. Ze- 

 bras have become very rare in the colony. The elephants luive also forsaken the countries 

 inhabited by Europeans, excepting the Sitschamma distiict ; the two-horned rhinoceros shows 

 itself still more rarely; and the gentle giraffe seeks the more secluded districts. The Z>os 

 Cafer, or buffalo of the Cape, is distinguished by enormous horns. Flax yields two crops in 

 die year, and hemp is abundant. Indian corn grows well ; cotton and coffee, rice and sugar, 

 are yet but little known ; European wheat and barley tin-ive well ; the flora is singularly rich. 



6. JSlanufactures, Commerce, Towns, &c. There are few manufactures conducted at the 

 Cape, except the making of wine, of which about 7,900 pipes are annually exported to Eng- 

 land, while the colony itself consumes at least 6,500 within the same period. The wine called 

 Constantia, from the naine of the small district where it is made, is much celebrated. The 

 quantity yearly produced does not exceed 100 pipes. The vines from which it is produced 

 were originally brought from Shiraz, in Persia. Vines have been transplanted from many dif- 

 ferent places ; and, in several instances, the removal has Improved them. iMany kinds of 

 wine are extremely cheap. Next to agriculture and wines, the whale and seal fishery must be 

 ranked. The colonists are making rapid advances in several new experiments, the most 

 ])rorninent of which is the introduction of the silk-worm. The mulberry tree grows sponta- 

 neously, particularly on the southeast coast ; and the produce promises to be of the utmost 

 advantage to the trade of the Cape. Wool is also becoming an important article of produce. 

 The Cape supplies various articles of provision and refreshment to ships sailing between Eu- 

 rope and the East Indies. Among these articles may be enumerated corn, flour, biscuit, 

 beef, brandy, and wine ; and while they remain in Talile Bay, mutton, greens, and fruits ; 

 aloes, hides, barilla, ivory, ostrich feathers, fiults dried In the suti for the Indian market, are 



