SOUTHERN AFRICA. 345 
The ftrength of the garriron contributed materially to keep the 
flaves in order ; and inftances of capital crimes were lefs nu- 
merous under the Britiih Government than in any former pe- 
riod of the fame duration for the lafl thirty years. In fix years 
63 were fentenced to fuffer death, of which 30 were publicly 
executed, and the reft condemned to work at the fortifications in 
chains for life. The I'entence of fuch as efcaped execution was 
not changed on account of any pa'liative circumftaiice or iiifuf- 
ficient teftimony, but becaufe confeffion of the crime is indif- 
penfably neceilary to the execution of the fentence ; and this 
confeffion being now no longer extorted by the application of 
the torture, moft of them perfift to deny the crime of which 
they are acculed ; preferring a life of hard labour, with a diet 
of bread and water, to an untimely death. 
With refpe£l to the natural produce of the Cnpe diftrid:, what 
has yet been dilcovered is of little or no importance, except its 
fifheries. The wax-plant grows abundantly upon the fandy 
ifthmus, but the berries are not confidered to be worth the la- 
bour of gathering. The coile6ling of fhelis to burn into lime, 
and of heaths and other flirubby plants for fuel, furnifh conftant 
employment for about one thoufand flaves. The great deftruc- 
tion of the fruitefcent plants on the Cape peninlula and the 
ifthmus will be very feverely felt in the courfe of a few years. 
The plantations of the filver-tree on that brow of Table Moun- 
tain which is next to the ifthmus, are experiencing the fame 
deftruction for the fake of a temporary profit, and fo thought- 
lefs, or fo indolent, are the proprietors of the land, that little 
VOL. ir. Y Y pains 
