We continued till evening frequently tacking and working our
way slowly towards Table Bay, where we hoped to cast anchor in the
course of the night. The moon had just risen, glittering on the tops
of the waves, and, casting its light on the projecting crags of the
mountains, spread a beauty and solemnity over the scene, that
heightened the effect of every occurrence. At this time we were
abreast of Green Point at the entrance of the bay.
The moment we had passed beyond the shelter of the' Lion
Mountain, a furious wind suddenly and unexpectedly assailed the
vessel; pouring out of the clouds, as it seemed, its boisterous fury
upon us. A poetic imagination would certainly have fancied that
the skins given by OEolus to Ulysses, had been carried to the top of
Table Mountain, and there all cut open at once.
The vessel was rapidly driving out to sea again : in the utmost
hurry the sailors flew up the rigging, and took in all sail possible.
We strove to beat into the bay, but a whole hour’s struggling against
the storm proved all in vain; and the fore top-sail being split, we
were compelled to wear the ship, and retreat to the shelter of the
Lion Mountain to bend another sail.
Towards morning we made a second attempt, but were repulsed
by a wind more furious than before ; so that we considered ourselves
fortunate in being able to regain our former shelter. Here we continued
the whole of this and the following day, standing off and on
within the lee of the Lion Mountain, experiencing alternate calms
and gales ; at one moment the ship rolling in a dead palm, and at the
next, if we happened to exceed the limit of our shelter, running with
the «unnel under water, through’waves whose tops were blown away
in spray by the fury of the south-easter: yet the weather appeared
fine and the sky cloudless.
We often approached to within half a mile of the shore, where
with a glass we could discern people at work, and dust driven up in
clouds. Some spots appeared of a beautiful purple and others of a
yellow colour, occasioned most probably by the abundance of flowers.
So tantalizing a view, after a protracted and tedious voyage, would
have induced me to attempt a landing almost at any rate$ but the
surf, which lined the whole coast with a fringe of white, plainly showed
the danger and even impracticability of the attempt at such a time;
I therefore contented myself with making a drawing of the view ;
which in this bearing; more than in any-other, presents a resemblance
to a lion quite sufficient to justify the name the mountain has
received; and is probably that in which the likeness was first
observed. To a ship keeping the Lion’s Head and the middle of the
northern side of Table Mountain in a line, and being at the distance
of about two miles, the mountain exhibits the form of a lion cou-
chant, whose fore-paws are extended forward, and form the southern
point of Camp’s Bay, while the tail is very well represented by the
flat land of Green Point,
The first discoverers of a land presenting such grand features
of bold and mountainous outline, must have felt that the occurrence
itself was full of interest; but when at the same time -they knew
that they had thus passed the barrier which had stopped all former
navigators, at least of the later ages, and had now opened a way to
the Eastern world, the doubling of this celebrated promontory must
have been an event which might justify the highest exultation. As
I looked upon the mountains and, the shore, my imagination carried
me back to that period when its peaceable inhabitants, the simple
Hottentots, roamed freely over the country; enjoying the liberty of
nature, nor dreaming that a day could ever arrive when they must
resign all to some unknown race of men, coming upon them from
the ocean, an element which no tradition had ever told them
could be travelled on by man. Their arms and their watchings had
no object besides their inland enemies ; the turbulent surface of the
M Great Water” and the noisy shore, seemed the only side whence no
danger was to.be dreaded. But it is not at the extremity of Africa
only; where treachery has surprised men from a quarter where it was
least expected. I was wishing, for the honor of Europeans, men
enjoying the blessings of civilization^ and illumined by the superior
light of arts and science, that I could have persuaded myself that
these natives had been rendered happier by their communication
with them : I longed to be amongst them, that I might ascertain so