I 
66 SOUTHERN AFRICA. 
miles in length, and nearly 100 in breadth; 
occupying, therefore, a space nearly equal to 
the whole surface of Ireland — the soil of which 
is of a hard and impenetrable texture, destitute 
of almost any trace of vegetation. 
Having thus described the general outline, 
we shall present the minuter details respect- 
ing this country, in an equally instructive 
and more pleasing form, by sketching a tour 
through the various districts and divisions of 
the Colony, beginning with that of " the CapeP 
This district, in extent, is the smallest subdi- 
vision of the Colony, being only 190 miles in 
length, by 30 miles in breadth ; and containing 
an area of about 3,700 square miles of country. 
It extends from the Cape of Good Hope, North- 
wards along the Western coast, to Point St. 
Martin, on the KW. of St. Helena Bay. But, 
although the smallest, it is perhaps, at present, 
the richest and most productive district of the 
Western province of Southern Africa ; yielding 
as it does, under the European culture of 
about 50,000 acres of ground, the largest part 
of the colonial produce exported from Table 
Bay; the average annual amount in value of 
which is about £220,000. This produce con- 
sists chiefly of grain, fruit, wood, wool, and 
wine ; together with some few articles of manu- 
facture, such as hats, candles, soap, snuff, and 
