CHAPTER I.
APPROACH TO, AND ARRIVAL AT, THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.
A t five in the afternoon, (13th November, 1810,) the sailors on deck,
who had for some time been anxiously looking out, called to us that
land was in sight. At this pleasing intelligence we hastened up from
the cabin, and although nothing could be seen but a small cloud,
which seemed fixed on the horizon, and was at first not very easily
to be distinguished, the captain, who was well acquainted with the
singular appearance of the cloud which rests on the Table Mountain
during a south-east gale, declared that the land which we had now
before us was that of the Cape of Good Hope.
It appeared gradually and slowly rising out of the ocean, while our
sails, well filled with the gentle gale, bore the gliding vessel over the
blue waters of the deep, and forced its foamy prow resistless through
the yielding waves. Every other thought was banished, and our whole
attention was now turned towards the distant cloud. The tedious
and protracted length of our voyage was felt no longer; every countenance
became enlivened, and each one with new alacrity assisted
in the preparations for bringing the ship into port The land was
distant nearly one hundred miles in the direction of north-east; but a
pleasant south-easterly breeze was carrying us on rapidly towards it,
B