DEDICATION. 
xiii 
tures of this political drama. But lie flioul J 
not have confined his obfervations to tlie 
conduft of the Dutch gGvernors^ but explain- 
ed the policy of the Dutch government re- 
fpeding their fettlements in Africa. This 
being once underftood, there will be no dilii- 
culty in accounting for the ilender progrds 
thefe people have hitherto made in the 
interior. 
• The facts are thus explained. 
' The government at home, when they 
founded a fettlement on the fouthern pro- 
montory of Africa, encouraged for fome 
time, all thofe of an adventuring difpoll- 
tion, who were deiirous of fettling in thefe 
parts, and likewife tranfported a great num- 
ber of their criminals to the Cape, elpecially 
thofe who had fome knowledo;e in the cul- 
tivation of land, or were bred to for?.e m^e- 
chanical employment. — In a few years they 
advanced from 30 to 40 males, formed fet- 
tlements that am^ply repaid their labours, 
and opened a new fource of commerce to 
the parent country. The grape flourilhed 
beyond their m.oft fanguine expetlations, 
and from which they produced tlie Con- 
ftantia wine fo highly valued at this time 
throughout the nations of Europe. Orang- 
es, citrons, figs, and corn, were foon found 
to yield the moft abundant crops, nor were 
their cattle lefs fruitful in their propagation 
and quality. 
B 
