described ; and i shall, therefore, only enumerate the different parts
which composed it. Nothing was to be seen from the south-east to
the south and west, but the mountain itself: commencing at the
west, on the left hand, was a vast expanse of ocean ; and nearer, in
the foreground, but much below us, the Lion's Head. Far in sea,
Dassen Island was visible; and, beyond this, continuing the view
onward towards the right, we could faintly see, m a hazy distance,
that part of the western coast of Africa which lies near Saldanha Bay.
Nearer, and more to the right, was Rbbben Island; north-eastward, on
the opposite side of Table Bay, in the distance, Capocberg (Cotton
Mountain), Kbeberg (Cow Mountain), Dassenberg, Contreberg Blaauw-
bers (Blue Mountain), Riebeck's Kasteel (Riebeck s Castle), Paar e-
berg Horse Mountain),' Tygerberg (Tiger Mountain), and, beyond
these the great range from Roodezand to Hottentot-Holland Kloof,
were’ all in sight. On the hither side of the bay, close, as it
were, under our feet, and which we look down upon as on a neat,
highly-finished map, lay Cape Town, and the villas and gardens
which are dispersed between it and the mountain. From this point
of view, the regular plan of the town was not so remarkable as from
the Kloof leading to Van Camp’s Bay. With a glass, we could plainly
distinguish people walking along the streets. The ships at anchor
were so diminished, that they scarcely formed a feature in the view. A
little farther to the right, Table Bay terminates in a bold sweep ; and
continuing on still to the right, the eye, passing along the flat sandy
isthmus, or Kaapsche Vlakte, may distinguish Rondebosch, and its
little spots of tufted trees, the indication of so many villas. Un the
further side of these sand-flats, are seen the mountains of the J W
m i Stellenbosch, Just beyond Stellenbosch, in a grand, bold and
serrated outline, rise the mountains of Hottentot-Holland, which,
continuing their range southward, bound the eastern side of False
Bay ■ whose northern shore, being edged by the Downs, or ridges o
snow-white sand, is remarkable and singular. The view was terminated
by the Devil’s Mountain on the right; 1 employed my se f
in making a drawing of this interesting and extensive prospect, while
the rest of our party walked to the western edge of the mountain,
where there is a fine view of Camps Bay, and the southern Atlantic
ocean.
The atmosphere, during the whole day, continued clear; not a
cloud interrupted the p ro sp e c tth e heat, however, caused a thin haze
to rise from the plain, but this intercepted only the lower parts of
the distant mountains. The spot where we had breakfasted, had
been appointed as our rendezvous, and as soon as we were all again
assembled, we commenced our walk to the eastern side. A large
kind of monkey, with a long greenish-brown fur, (Cercopithecus ur-
sinus), called Baviaan by the colonists, inhabits this mountain. It
is an animal'which is found in almost every part of southern Africa
which I have visited, and is met with only in the mountains and
rocky places. I saw no bird of any kind, and but few insects; a
species of butterfly *, which I have never seen but on the tops of the
highest mountains, being all that was collected : but the deficiency
in zoology was compensated by a rich harvest in botany, f
* Papilio (Hipparchia) montana. B. P . Hyperbius P Lin. Sys. Nat. ed. Gmel. p. 2285.
Alee omnes supra, et anteriores utrinque, fuse®, area rufa : posteriores subtus canes-
centes, supra (vix infra) ocellrs duobus; minutis ; anteriores utrinque ocello bipupillato,
annulo flavo obsoleto circumdato.
f The following names of a few, out of the great variety of curious plants which grtìw
on the summit of Table Mountain, may serve to give some idea of the nature of its vegetable
productions. ‘
Clvffortia ruscifolia Dilatris viscosa
Aulax pinifolia Lettcadendrum salignum P
Staavia-glutinosa Erica empetrifqlia
Staavia radiata _ Elica spumosa