394 TRAVELS IN 
fum fufficieut to eftablifli a proper public fchool in the colony j 
and few of the natives are in circumftances to enable them to 
knd their children for education to Europe. But thofe few 
who have had this advantage generally, on their return,, relapfe 
into the common habits of the colonifts. I repeat, that if the 
raeafure of general profperity was to be eftimated according to 
the eafe of procuring abundance of food, the people of the 
Cape may be confidered as the mofi: profperous on earth, for 
there is not a beggar in the whole colony, and no example 
of any perfon fuffering for want of the common necefTaries of 
life. 
2. The wine growers, or as they are ufually called at the Cape 
the wine boors, are a clafs of people who, to the bleffings of 
plenty, add a fort of comfort which is unknown to the reft of 
the peafantry. They have not only the beft houfes and the 
moft valuable eftates, but, in general, their domeftic economy 
is managed in a more comfortable manner than is ufually found 
among the country farmers. Moft of them are defcendants of 
the French families who firft introduced the vine. Their eftates 
are moftly freehold, in extent about 120 Englifli acres, and the 
greater part is employed in vineyards and garden grounds. Their 
corn they ufually purchafe for money or in exchange for wine. 
Their fheep alfo, for family ufe, they muft purchafe, though, 
many of them hold loan farms on the other fide of the moun- 
tains. The produce of their farms, however, is fufficient for 
keeping as many milk cows as are neceffary for the family ; 
and they have abundance of poultry. The feafon for bringing 
their 
