128 
THE VILLAGE OF TULBAGH. 
16 April, 
nor of fertile land in the vicinity. The town, at this time, was 
nothing more than half a score of neat white houses placed in a row, 
with here and there an intervening space between them ; at the back 
of which were as many more of an inferior size. * In front, but on 
the opposite side of the road, and running under the shade of trees, 
is a strong rill of excellent water, led there, as well for the supply of 
the inhabitants, as for the irrigation of tlieir gardens, which lie on a 
gentle declivity immediately below it ; but no plan could be more in- 
convenient than that, which has been here adopted, of separating the 
gardens from the houses. At a few hundred yards from the lower, 
or southern end of the street, stands the church, a neat and respect- 
able edifice, built on the ground plan of a cross ; as are, I believe, 
all the other churches in the colony. It is white-washed, and 
covered with a roof of thatch : it has no steeple ; but the pur- 
pose of one is supplied by a belfry separate from the church, and 
which consists merely of two large square pillars of masonry, con- 
nected at top by an arch, under which hangs the bell. This is the 
usual kind of belfry for all the country churches. 
At the distance of half an hour's walk northwards from the 
village, is the Drostdy, or official residence of the landdrost, a 
modern erection, surrounded by the dwellings of the secretary and 
subordinate civil officers. In placing the drostdy at so great a 
distance from the village, the prosperity of the latter seems to have 
been unfortunately left out of consideration ; for such an arrange- 
ment seems calculated to cause rather the desertion of it, than any 
increase of inhabitants ; as experience in similar cases sufficiently 
* The Vignette at the head of this chapter represents the Village of Tulbagh^ as viewed 
from the parsonage-house, and looking southward. The mountains in the distance are 
those of the Roodezands Kloof. The houses are all white, and covered with thatch : in 
front of some of them are square pillars, supporting a trellis of vines ; and a row of young 
oaks along the street, with a plantation opposite to them, of larger trees of the same kind, 
and a few pines, add greatly to the neat and pleasing appearance of this little village. Be- 
hind the spectator are the lofty mountains of Winterhoek ; on his left, those of Mosterts- 
hoek ; and on the right, those over which the Oud Kloof (Old Kloof) passes ; neither of 
which are included in this engraving. 
