SOUTHERN AFRICA. 253 
season, on L'Aguillas Bank, must always stamp a value on 
the Cape, and make its ports and bays particularly desirable 
on the homeward-bound voyage. 
That instances of distress do happen, and not unfrequently, 
in situations where the only hope of safety can be placed 
on the Cape, or in some of its bays, might be proved in a 
number of cases that happened while it remained in the 
hands of Great Britain ; but I will content myself with men- 
tioning one single instance. The Countess of Sutherland 
Indiaman experienced a most violent gale of wind between 
Madagascar and the coast of Africa, in which, after losing 
all her masts, she became a wreck at the mercy of the winds 
and waves for several days ; and, at length, was momentarily 
expected to sink, when, on the weather clearing up, they 
descried the land of Africa to the southward of the spot 
where the Grosvenor was lost ; and being now in the stream 
of the current, they contrived to fetch into Kromme River's 
Bay, a small Cove in Camtoos, or Saint Francis, or Content 
Bay, for it has a variety of names. Having here procured a 
supply of water and other refreshments, and rigged up a kind 
of jury masts, she endeavoured to proceed to Simon's Bay for 
the purpose of undergoing a thorough repair ; but, un- 
fortunately, she met with a second gale of wind, just as she 
was approaching the entrance of the bay ; and in this gale 
she must inevitably have perished, had not Captain Hotham,^ 
Avith his Majesty's ship the xVdamant, gone out to her imme- 
diate assistance, and succeeded in towing her off the rocky 
coast, towards which she was rapidly drifting. JSIow this 
single ship and her cargo were said to be estimated at the 
