2 
HRST VIEW OF 
li Nov. 
and every mile we advanced added some agreeable idea to the ani- 
mating anticipation of my feelings on first setting foot on the land of 
Africa. I now perceived that all the pictures which imagination previ- 
ously forms of acountry,make but faint impressions in comparison with 
those presented by the country itself : we indulge the more freely in all 
the speculations of curiosity, whenever the prospect of its immediate 
gratification banishes the fear of disappointment : we feel an increased 
desire to ascertain whether the notions we had previously acquired, 
correspond with things themselves ; and our fancy redoubles its 
activity in pourtraying a thousand delightful objects, ready to pour 
fresh knowledge into our mind. 
Anticipated ideas continued to interest and amuse me during 
the remainder of the day ; and the dawn of daylight the next 
morning found us on deck, ready to catch the appearance of 
the long-wished-for land. Nothing, however, was to be seen : 
the haziness of the atmosphere was not dissipated till the sun 
had risen high ; when the land again came in view*, presenting 
* See the Vignette. — This represents a first view of the land of the Cape of Good 
Hope, as seen from a distance of about thirty miles in the direction of E.N.E. Cape 
Point, or the Cape of Good Hope proper, was at this time covered with a thick haze, 
and therefore could not be distinguished; but on comparing the vignette with the map, 
it will be easily seen how much farther to the right the land should extend. To the 
left the Lion's Head, appearing as a conical mountain, terminates the view ; the mountains 
of Blauwberg, &c. not having yet risen above the horizon. The Lion Mountain is seen 
foreshortened, and therefore the Rump appears only as a point of less elevation, and 
close under the Head on the left. The large flat mountain next following is the celebrated 
Table Mountain, presenting its steep rocky western side to the ocean. Cape Town 
stands on its northern side, and no part of it can be seen till the voyager has sailed round 
to the other side of the Lion Mountain. Over the low gorge, or kloof, between these 
two mountains, passes the road from the Town to Camp's Bay. Through the next kloof 
or opening there is a horse-road from Camp's Bay to Hout Bay, which lies behind the 
mountain following next to Table Mountain ; and the entrance to this bay is round the 
small conical rocky point (here shaded more darkly) sometimes called the Hanglip, 
from its resemblance to a mountain similarly situated at the south-eastern point of False 
Bay. The next large mountain, less shaded than the others, is called the Steenbergen 
(Stony Mountains); behind which, and constituting a part of it, is Muisenberg (Mouse 
Mountain), and the north-western corner of False Bay. The land which next follows 
is not in reality so low as it here appears to be, but is a continuation of the same range of 
mountains, receding below the horizon of the sea. The abrupt termination of the range 
is where the haze concealed the remaining part of it. 
