156 TRAVELS IN 
had done, that the poffeffion of the Cape was of no ufe what- 
foever to their commerce, or their concerns in India. For this 
apparently abfurd purpofe the commanders of all the fliips in 
their employ were forbid, in the moft pofitive terms, to touch 
at the Cape, either in their outward or their homeward bound 
paffage, except fuch, on the return voyage, as were deflined to 
fupply the fettleraent with Indian goods. 
The ftrength and conftitution of EngHfh feamen, corrobo- 
rated by wholefome food, will fupport them on a paflage from 
India to England, fhortened as it now is by the modern im- 
provements in the art of navigation, without the neceflity of 
touching at any intermediate port. But this is not the cafe with 
regard to the Lafcars, or natives of India, who, in time of war, 
conftitute frequently more than two-thirds of the crew. Thefe 
poor creatures, whofe chief fuftenanoe is rice, oil, and vegeta- 
bles, are ill calculated to fuffer a long privation of their ufual 
diet, and ftill lefs to bear the cold of the fouthern ocean, efpe- 
cially in the winter feafon. By them the Cape was looked up 
to as a half-way houfe, where a ftock of frefh fupplies was to 
be had, and where the delay of a few days had a wonderful 
eflfed in recruiting their health and fpirits. And the event 
£hewed that fuch a half-way houfe, to fuch people, was indif- 
penfibly neceflary ; for the dired:ors were obliged to countermand 
their order as far as it regarded thofe fhips that were navigated 
by the black natives of India. 
Whenever it has happened that government was under the 
aeceflity of fending out troops in fhips navigated by Lafcars, a 
greater 
