SOUTHERN AFRICA. 295 
tity is fo fmall as fcarcely to deferve mentioning as articles of 
export. 
The fame may be obferved with regard to oftrich feathers^ 
the value of which, exported annually, amounts to a mere trifle. 
The boors, very imprudently, rob every neft of this bird that 
falls in their way ; preferring the immediate benefit of the eggs 
to the encouragement of a future fource of profit. The boors, 
indeed, derive little advantage from oftrich feathers, being pre- 
fents generally expeded by the butchers' fervants, who go round 
the country to purchafe cattle and fheep for the Cape market. 
The whole value of one year's exportation of this article does 
not exceed 1000 rix dollars; of hides and fkins of every de- 
nomination not more than 5000 or 6000 rix dollars. 
Whale Oil and Bone. 
The vaft number of black whales that conftantly frequented 
Table Bay induced a company of merchants at the Cape to 
eilablifti a whale fifhery, to be confined folely to Table Bay, in 
order to avoid the great expence of purchafing any other kind 
of craft than a few common whale boats. With thefe alone 
they caught as many whales as they could wifli for ; filling, in 
a fhort ipace of time, all their cafks and cifterns with oil. 
Having gone thus far they perceived that, although whale-oil 
was to be procured to almoft any amount at a fmall expence, 
they were ftill likely to be confiderable lofers by the concern. 
The confumption of the colony in this article was trifling j they 
had no fhips of their own to fend it to Europe, nor cafks to 
3 
