thq church. This village appeared to be by much the most agreeable
and pleasant situation, as a residence, of any I had hitherto
seen, and is superior to Stellenbosch in rural beauty. Those who
would be desirous of passing a few months from Cape Town, for the
sake of the amusements and pleasures of a country life, would not be
disappointed by taking up their abode at the Paarl, where, within a
short ride or a walk, a great variety of scenery may be found. It
takes its name * from the neighbouring mountain, on the summit of
which, among others, of the same kind, is an enormous rock called
the Paarl (the Pearl), having, at the distance at which we viewed it,
the rounded form and outward appearance of granite.
Leaving the village, we continued our way along a level sandy
country covered with bushes, among which the Protata corytnbosa
predominated. It may easily be distinguished by its long slender
upright stems about four feet high, (having at top a corymbe of
short branches) springing from a dense base of suckers and leaves;
a singularity of growth not observed in any other proteaceous plant.
Small trees of Rhus mllosum, ten or twelve feet high, were, not
unfrequent.
We passed through one end of the division of Drakenstein, which,
with Fransche Hoek (French Corner), may be called the vineyard of
the colony. Fransche Hoek, which lay on our left in a deep and
extensive bosom or bay of the mountains, was the spot where vineyards
were first established by the French refugees already mentioned.
The mountains which surround it, are lofty and sublime,
having their craggy summits divided into rocky masses of the
grandest forms.
During a heavy shower, we took shelter, near a farm house,
under two very fine oak trees, the largest which I had seen in the
colony: their trunks measuring between four and five feet in diameter.
A little further on, we came to a very romantic pass between
steep and high mountains, where, in the ravine below the road, the
noisy waters of a torrent were hastening down its rocky bed. This
* Perhaps more properly written Paarldorp.
place, the name of which is Banghoek, appeared a most delightful
spot; and being in many parts quite woody, the scenery is extremely
beautiful and picturesque, and capable of affording some charming
studies for the landscape painter; who could not fail to improve in
his art by the imitation of those wild beauties, such as nature here
presents.
The road leading down a long descent, seemed in most places
to consist of pure clay, as we judged from its slipperiness, much
increased by the rain which fell during the afternoon. As we
rodé on, the darkness of night closed over us: we were often
doubtful of*the way, till occasional flashes of lightning showed us the
road. At last, about seven o’clock, we reached Stellenbosch, where
we took up our quarters at the house of a gentleman of the name of
Morel, a particular friend of my companion.
21sf. During the intervals between the showers, I walked out
to view the town. Stellenbosch, so named in 1670 *, after its
founder, Governor Van der Stell, is a place of much greater extent
and importance than any of the other villages, and consists of a
number of streets intersecting each other at right angles. A great
part, however, of the space comprehended in the size of the town,
was occupied by gardens, which, with an avenue of trees planted
along almost every street, produced a cool, and pleasing effect.
Many of the houses were not inferior to those of Cape Town; their
appearance was neat and clean, and gave altogether the idea of an
agreeable and cheerful place of abode. A few years -p previous to
our visit, a great part of the town was destroyed by fire; but from
so distressing an occurrence resulted one advantage, that the original
thatched cottages were now replaced by buildings of a better style
of architecture. At the lower end of the principal street, is a
spacious military parade; at the upper end, stands the church, built
in 1722. j This edifice, is represented by the vignette at the head of
* Thunberg's Travels,
t According to Lichtentein.
IT
f In'the year 1803.