SOUTHERN AFRICA. ^25 
ficlent number of Frenchmen, in a whole fhip's company, to 
go aloft for the purpofe of taking in the fails ; and if the gale 
comes on fuddenly, the odds are great that the mafts are carried 
away, or the fails blown from the yards. 
Both men and officers are averfe to long voyages ; and are 
feldom inclined to pafs a friendly port. To poiTefs the advan- 
tage of having fuch ports, in different parts of the world, is of 
the firfl: importance to their navigation and commerce. They 
pay little attention to cleanlinefs, either in their perfons or ftiips, 
and they are generally very much crowded j hence, a long voy- 
age, without refrelhments, is feldom unattended with difeafe and 
mortality. 
The Dutch feamen are fteady, perfevering, and intrepid ; and, 
of all nations, have maintained the hardeft ftriiggles with the 
Englifh ; but they are habitually flow and inadive. That they 
are not phyfically fo, the crew of the Rattlefnake, a great part 
of which were Dutchmen, afforded a fufficient proof, when they 
engaged, in a gallant and active manner, the La Preneufe fri- 
gate in Algoa Bay. By example and a little pradice, they 
overcome the dull and fluggifh motion to which they have 
been accuflomed, and foon become capable of prompt and vi- 
gorous adion. 
The Dutch failors, it feems, are always glad of an opportunity 
to ferve in Englifh fhips, where they have the reputation of 
being a quiet, orderly, and obedient people. The manner in 
which they are fed, in their own fliips, is little calculated to give 
VOL. II. G G them 
