c66 ' TRAVELS IN 
extend its ufe till very lately, after they had perceived the ad- 
vantages it poffefled as a military depot for forming and pre- 
paring their troops, which were intended to ferve in their In- 
dian fettlements. It was, at the fame time, permitted to foreign 
fhips to refit and refrefh at the Cape, on payment of certain port 
fees that vi;ere by no means extravagant. But as the fupplying 
of fuch fhips with provifions was a lucrative monopoly, ac- 
. quired by favour or purchafed for a fum of money, the prices 
paid by foreigners were never lefs than double, and oftimes tre- 
ble, of thofe paid by the inhabitants. Hence little encour- 
agement was held out for foreign fhips to call at the Cape,, 
befide that of getting water and a few refrefhments for their 
crews. 
All commerce, except fuch as was brought in Dutch bottoms, 
was deemed clandeftine and contraband ; yet, fuch illicit trade 
was not only winked at, but encouraged, by the fervants of the 
Company, whofe falaries, indeed, were fo fmall, that they could 
not fubfifl: their families upon them. The fupplies, alfo, for 
the Cape, of which the Company referved to itfelf the exclufivc 
privilege of furnifhing, both from Europe and India, were fome- 
timcs fo fcantily and fo tardily brought in, that the inhabit- 
ants were under the neceffity of fmuggling certain articles of 
daily confumption out of foreign fhips for their immediate ufe. 
As the Eaft India Company confidered the Cape in no other 
light than as a conveniency to their commerce and their fettle- 
ments in the Eaft Indies, to which point all their regulations 
refpeding it tended, their fyftem of policy feemed to require 
that 
