362 TRAVELS IN 
by a range of granite rocks, along the fides of which {hip- 
ping might be hove down to repair, the water being four 
fathoms deep, clofe in with the rocks. The Dutch fhip Middle- 
burg, that was fet on fire when Commodore Johnftone appeared 
off the bay, went down with her fides juft touching thefe rocks, 
where {he now lies under water as if alongfide a quay. 
The entrance of Saldanha bay lies in latitude 33° lo'fouth, 
longitude 1 8° eaft, and the diftance from Table bay is eighteen 
leagues north by weft. About nine leagues to the fouthward of 
the entrance is a low flat ifland, not many miles from the main 
land, called DafTen ifland, which is faid to be conftantly covered 
with rabbits and penguins. The former may generally be taken 
with great eafe ; for on the appearance of people on the ifland, 
the penguins take pofl!eflion of the rabbit holes, to the exclufion 
of the rightful owners. Saldanha bay, the fliores of Dafl^en 
ifland, and Robben ifland, in the mouth of Table bay, abound 
with the different kinds of fifli peculiar to this part of 
the world. Saldanha bay, in the winter feafon, is frequented 
by vaft numbers of the black whale. At this time they were 
juft beginning to fet in. A whaler that had entered the bay, on 
trial, found no difficulty in picking up a large fifli every day. 
From the many conveniences that Saldanha bay poflefl~es, as a 
fecure harbour for fliipping, at all feafons of the year, where 
they may be repaired, and even built, muft, on the other hand, 
be deducted very ferious difadvantages, without the removal of 
which it will ever be prevented from becoming the general ren- 
dezvous of a fleet ; thefe are the want of wood and of frefli water. 
The 
