provifions for a market, are difperfed at fuch difiances from
each other. That the country is every where deftitute of
wood appears to demonftration; for timber and planks are
imported from Batavia, and fuel is almoft as dear as food.
We faw no tree,, except in plantations near the town, that
was fix feet high; .and the items, that were not thicker than
a man’s thumb, had roots as thick as an arm or a leg, fuch
is the influence of the winds here to the difadvantage of vegetation,
fetting the fte.tility of the foil out o f the queftion.
The only town which the Dutch have built here is, from
its fituation, called Cape Town, and confifts of about a thou-
-fand houfes, neatly built of brick, and in general whited on
the outiide; they are however covered only with thatch, for
the violence of the fouth eaft winds would render any other
roof inconvenient and dangerous. The ftreets1 are broad and
commodious, all croffing each other-at right angles. In the
principal ftreet there is a canal, on each fide of which is
planted a row of oaks, that have flouriihed tolerably well,
and yield an agreeable fhade: there is a canal alfo in one
other part of the town, but the Hope of the ground in the
courfe of both is fo great, that they are furnilhed with floodgates,
or locks, at intervals of little more than fifty yards.
A much greater proportion of the inhabitants are Dutch
in this place than in Batavia; and as the town is fupported
principally by entertaining ftrangers, and fupplyiog them
with neceflaries, every man, to a certain degree, imitates the
manners and cuftoms of the nation with which he is chiefly
concerned. The ladies however are fo faithful to the mode
of their country, that not one of them will ftir without a
chaudpied or chauflet, which is carried by a fervant that it
may be ready to place under her feet whenever Ihe fhall fit
down. This practice is the more remarkable, as very few of
thefe
thefe chauffets have fire in them, which indeed the climate
renders unnecefiary.
The women in general are very handfome; they have fine
clear fkins, and a bloom of colour that indicates a purity o f
conftitution, and high health. They make the bell wives in
the world, both as miftrefles of a family and mothers; and
there is fcarcely a houfe that does not fwarm with children.
The air is falutary in a high degree j fo that thofe who
bring difeafes hither from Europe, generally recover perfedt
health in a fhort time; but the difeafes that are brought
from India are not fo certainly cured.
Notwithftanding the natural fterility o f the climate, induf-
try has fupplied this place with all the neceflaries, and even
the luxuries of life in the greateft profufion. The beef and
mutton are excellent, though the cattle and Iheep are natives
of the country; the cattle are lighter than ours, more neatly
made, and have horns that fpread to a much wider extent.
The Iheep are clothed with a fubftance between wool and
hair, and have tails of an enormous fize ; we faw fome that
weighed twelve pounds, and were told that there were many
much larger. Good butter is made of the milk of the cows,
but the cheefe is very much inferior to our own. Here are
goats, but they are never eaten, hogs, and a variety of poultry.
Hares are alfo found here, exaftly like thofe of Europe ;
antelopes of many kinds, quails of two forts, and buftards,
which are well flavoured, but not juicy. The fields produce
European wheat and barley, and the gardens European vegetables,
and fruit of all kinds, befides plantains, guavas,
jambu, and fome other Indian fruits, but thefe are not in perfection
; the plantains in particular, are very bad, and the guavas
no larger than goofeberries. The vineyards alfo produce
wine of various forts, but not equal to thofe.of Europe, except