SOUTHERN AFRICA, 351 
craft of the inhabitants of the Cape, which migiit also in- 
clude oil taken by foreign fishermen and exchanged by them 
for India or China goods, were admitted to entry in British 
bottoms into Great Britain at a low colonial duty, the foreign 
fishermen, who never can be excluded from fishing on the 
coasts of Africa, might find a market for their oil there. And 
the Americans would, probably, under such regulations, find 
it their advantage to supply themselves with Indian produce 
at the Cape, and extend their fishery only when they could 
not obtain a vent for their native produce of skins, drugs, and 
lumber. The situation of the Cape, properly stocked, might 
thus be an important depot for British trade with America, 
and, perhaps, supersede expensive voyages to China in their 
small ships. This, however, is mere matter of opinion and 
not of fkct. That the plan they now pursue docs answer 
their expectations, may be inferred from the number of 
their ships, progressively •increasing, which navigate the In- 
dian Seas. 
Some few of their ships resort to the bays within the limits 
of the Cape colony to take the black whale; but as those 
bays are accessible only at certain seasons of the year, it 
would be no difficult matter, if an exclusive fishery could be 
deemed politic, with a single frigate, to clear the coast of all 
fishers except our own. They sometimes, also, run into Saint 
Helena Bay to the northward, or into Algoa Bay to the east- 
ward, to complete their cargoes, a privilege that policy would 
require to be allowed only with moderation even to our own 
ships ; for, as I have just observed, constant fishing in any 
one place never fails to chase the fish entirely away. 
