SOUTHERN AFRICA. 299 
tliefe are never likely to become articles of general coiifumptioii 
or of exportation. 
But dried peaches, apricots, pears, and apples, are not only- 
plentiful, but good of their kind. The peaches and pears are 
ufed in the defert, but apricots and apples are intended for tarts ; 
the latter, indeed, are nearly as good as when frefh from the tree. 
All the others are fqueezed together and dried whole, but the 
apples are fliced thin and dried in the fun, till they take the con- 
fiftence and appearance of flips of leather, of that kind and 
colour ufually called the York tan. Thefe, when foaked in 
water, fwell out and make very excellent tarts ; and are fold 
chiefly as an article of fea (lock. The whole value of dried 
fruit, fhipped in the year 1802, amounted only to 2542 rix 
dollars, as appears by the Cuftom-houfe books, on which every 
pound is entered, being fubjedt to a duty on exportation of 
5 per cent. 
Salt Provisions. 
This is an article, as I have already taken occafion to obfervc, 
that is fufceptible of great improvement ; not, however, to be 
prepared in Cape Town, after the cattle have been haralTed and 
famifhed for two months in travelling over a barren defert, but 
cured at Algoa Bay, and brought down in fmall coafting vefTels 
to the Cape. Salted mutton, and mutton hams, might, how- 
ever, be, and are, indeed, to a certain degree, prepared at the 
Cape, but not to that extent of which they are capable. 
It 
