C H 2 9 ) 
fs fit to produce whatfoever is planted in it, the Soil and 
Climate confpiring to its Advantage. 
The Dutch Eafi- India Company are faid to have bought 
this Place of the Natives; but feeing they have no Go- 
vernment, to whom in that cafe could they apply them* 
felves ? Or of whom could they buy it } But if they 
did, they certainly had a good Bargain of it for a little 
Tobacco and Brandy : But the Dutch , who are no better 
than their Neighbours, are not fo very fcrupulous as to 
trouble themfelves much about buying, in fuch cafes, what 
they can take by force. Here however they have fetied 
for the convenience of a Rendezvous for their homeward 
bound Eafi India Fleet ; and they have poffefied them- 
felves of the Country 60 Miles from the Place of their 
firft Settlement: Befide their principal Town in Table Val- 
ley (To call’d from a neighbouring Hill, call’d The Table 
Land, becaufe of it’s Figure, from whence alfo the ad- 
joyning Bay is call’d TableBaji ) where they have a Fort, 
anHofpital, a fupplied Church with about 300 Families ; 
they have two other fmall Towns in the Country, call’d 
Dragenjlein and Stallambufs, inhabited for the moft part 
by Trench Protejlants, who make moft of the Wine the 
Place produces, which is not inconfiderable, either for 
Quantity, Quality or Variety, refembling French Claret, 
Rhenijh , Burgundy, 8cc. they are about 1 20 Families, and 
have one Minifter between both Villages, a Dutchman who 
fpeaks French. 
In this place are reckon’d about 2000 Perfons fit to bear 
Arms, and about 600 Soldiers ; no Perfon that is not in 
their own Service, tho’ a Dutchman , is admitted into 
their Fort. They have prohibited the Englijh to fet up 
among them, tho’ they have ferved the ufual time of five 
Years in their Service, which Liberty they deny not to 
thofe of any other Nation ; and this, ! am inform’d, is 
their pra&ife in all their Fuji India Settlements: However 
when any Englijh Ship happens to touch here difabledin 
15 A Mafts, 
