SOUTHERN AFRICA. 343 
manfions of the dead, appeared to have much more engaged 
the attention than thofe of the living. In the interment of the 
dead, the Dutch have no kind of fervice or ceremony. 
Plettenberg's, as well as Zwart Kop's bay, is entirely open to 
the fouth-eaft winds. The weft point called Robenberg, or 
Seal mountain, lies in latitude 34° 6' fouth, longitude 23° 48' 
eaft ; diftance from Cape Point 320 Englifh miles. The eaftern 
fhore of the bay rounds off into the general trending of the coaft, 
which, feen from the landing-place, terminates in a very high 
and regular cone-fhaped mountain, called in the old Portuguefe 
charts, Pic Formofa, but by the more modern Dutch navigators, 
the Grenadier's Cap. The beft landing-place is about three 
miles and a half to the northward of the Robenberg, on a fandy 
beach, about five hundred and fifty yards in length, guarded at 
each extremity by rocky points that projed: into the fea. A 
heavy fwell generally lets into the bay, except in northerly and 
north-wefterly winds ; when thefe blow, the water is fniooth. ' 
The fouth-weft winds occafion the greateft heave of the fea» 
Clofe to the landing-place is ereded a new and handfome 
dwelling-houfe ; a magazine for the reception of timber, tv. o 
hundred feet in length ; and a ftrong commodious building for 
the reception of troops. The intention of the Dutch govern- 
ment was to form an eftablifhment here, for the purpofe of de- 
riving from it a fupply of timber, to anfwer their demands for 
that article in the Cape. Strong prejudices, however, have 
long been entertained againft the Cape timber, though perhaps 
without grounds for them. Few woods will ftand the effeds 
of 
