7 8
November. Shiraz in Perlia. Several other forts grow in the neighbourhood
of that plantation, which produce a fweet rich
wine, that generally pafies for genuine Conftantia in
Europe. Trench plants of burgundy, mufcade, and fron-
tignan have likewife been tried, and have fucceeded extremely
well, fometimes producing wines fuperior to thofe
of the original foil. An excellent dry wine, which has a
Right agreeable tartnefs, is commonly drank in the principal
families, and is made of Madeira vines tranfplanted
to the Cape. Several low forts, not entirely difagreeable,
are railed in great plenty, and fold at a very cheap rate,
fo that the failors of the Eaft-India Chips commonly indulge
themfelves very plentifully in them whenever they
' • come afliore.
The produdts of the country fupply with provifions the
Chips of all nations which touch at the Cape. Corn, flour,
bifcuit, faked beef, brandy, and wine are to be had in
abundance, and at moderate prices ; and their frefh greens,
fine fruits *, good mutton and beef, are excellent reftora-
tives to feamen who have made a long voyage. The climate
is likewife fo healthy, that the inhabitants are rarely
troubled with complaints, and ftrangers foon recover of
the fcurvy and other diftempers. The winters at the Cape
are fo mild that they hardly ever have ice about the
town : but on the mountains, and efpecially thofe far in
* Their grapes and oranges are fome of the beft in the world.
the country, they have hard frofts with fnow and hail Nov'|mb'er
ftorms ; nay a ftrong fouth-eafterly ftorm fometimes
brings on a froft during night even in the month of
November, which is their , fpring. The only inconvenience
which they frequently fuffer are colds, brought on
by the frequent change of air from ftrong winds, to which
the Cape is fubject at all feafons. But notwithftanding
the hear, which is fometimes exceflive, the inhabitants of
Dutch origin feem to have preferved their native habit of
body, and both fexes are remarkably corpulent, to which
their good living may greatly contribute.
The Hottentots or aboriginal inhabitants of this country,
have retired into the interior parts, and their neareft
kraal or village, is about a hundred miles from the Cape’
.town. Erom thence they fometimes come down with their
own cattle, or attend the Dutch farmers who conduit their
flocks to town for fale. We had no opportunity to make-
new obfervations upon them, as we only faw a few individuals,
in whom we could not difcern any peculiarities^
but fuch as have already been defcribed by Peter Kolben,
in his Prefent State of the Cape of Good Hope, &c. The
circumftantial accounts given by this intelligent man,
have been confirmed to us by the principal inhabitants
of the Cape town. It is .true, that he has been mifin-
formed in regard to fome circumftances ; and that others,,
ehiefly relative to the colony, have at prefent another ap