SOUTHERN AFRICA. 229 
neighbouring port to refort to in cafe of urgent neceflity. In 
the fhort voyage to the ports of the Levant and others in the 
Mediterranean, Malta, and a number of other iflands, prefent 
themfelves as places of refuge for fhips in diftrefs. The bay of 
Madeira lies open to the outward bound fhips in the Weft India 
trade, and the Weftern Iflands, if neceOary, may be approached 
on the return-voyage. And, although the Portugueze fettle- 
ment of Rio de Janeiro in South America is not greatly out of 
the way of fhips, in their outward-bound paflage to the Eaft 
Indies and China, nor the ifland of Saint Helena on their return, 
yet it cannot be denied that the Cape of Good Hope is infinitely 
preferable to both of thefe places, finee it not only divides the 
pafiage more equally, but fupplies, in general, better refrefli- 
ments, and in greater plenty, and is alike convenient for fhip- 
ping to touch at, whether in their outward or homeward-bound 
voyage. 
In the early periods of foreign navigation, the fhips of every 
nation, trading to the Eaft Indies, found it convenient to call at 
the Cape for water and frefh provifions, long before it was taken 
polTeflion of, in form, by any European power. The native 
Hottentots, at that time, were numerous in the Cape peninfula^ 
and rich in cattle, which they fupplied to pafling fhips on eafy 
terms. p 
In the reign of John Ild of Portugal, Bartholomew Diaz made 
the firft fuccefsful attempt to reach the fouthern promontory of 
Africa, which he efFe<^ted in the year 1487 j but whether he 
