, . . DESCRIPTION 14:4: OF THE i» « f t
here in perfection. An experienced farmer, in this district, informed
me that the produce from good corn-land, is, in ordinary seasons,
much greater than the same quantity of seed would have yielded in
Europe.* The high mountains on either side of the town, add a
grand feature, and great beauty, to the view; although they circumscribe
rather narrowly the fields of the environs. But for all the
purposes of horticulture, there is more land than will in all probability
ever be required. These mountains are the haunts of tigers, or,
as they are called in Europe, leopards; and abound in baboons of the
same species which is common all over the Colony; but, as a counterbalance
to this, serpents, it is said, are rarely seen in this
vicinTityh.i s milage, with its adjoining gardens and field‘s , yis nea"rly
surrounded by the Sunday river, and sheltered on each side by
lofty mountains decorated with perpetual and beautiful verdure, by
the abundance of Spek-boom (Portulacaria Afra) which covers their
rocky declivities. It consists of one broad principal street, of
detached houses, adjoining to each of which is a garden well planted
with fruit-trees and continually supplied with water. The church, a
* The following abstract from the official returns, will be the more interesting,
as it may be taken as an example of the rapidly improving state of the whole
Colony.
1804. In the District of Graaffreynet. 1811. in 7°years. Total in 1811.
jg| 764
575
950
91.7
2597
2527
579
385
1766
3149
9903
56,042
55,597
556,634
Men - - - - - - -
W om en - - - -
Boys - - - - - — -
Girls - - - - - - -
Male H ottentots - - -
Fem ale H ottentots - -
Male Slaves - • - - - -
Female Slaves - -
Draught and Saddle Horses
Breeding Horses - - - -
Draught Oxen - - - -
Breeding C attle - - -
G oats - - - - - - -
Sheep - - - - - - -
1541
1154
2001
1987
3057
5309
1186
784
3274
5810
15,637
54,747
107,395
1,293,740
777
579
1051
1070
660
782
607
399
1508
2661
^ 5734
18,705
51,798
757,106
W hite Population - - - - 6683
H ottentots 63661) > Black Population 8336
Slaves - 1970 )
Horses - - - - - - - - - 9084
• Large C attle - - - - - - 70,384
• Small C a t t l e ................................1,401,135
One circumstance in the above'statement is remarkable;— while the numbers of the
Dutch colonists and their slaves have more than doubled; the Hottentots have increased
but little more than a fourth. A colonists wife with twelve children, is not extraordinary;
but a Hottentot woman with six, is considered more unusual.
large handsome building, on the ground plan of a cross, stands on a
spacious plain at the northern end of the main street, of which it
forms the terminating objéct ; while the river, with its banks beautifully
clothed with trees and shrubs, closes the southern end. The
drostdy, though inferior to the residence of the landdrost at Tulbagh,
is a respectable edifice. It stands near to the church, at the upper
end of the street, and on the western side. A representation of
this building and part of the street, is given at page 139. The
plain or green in which the church is situated, is bounded by a hill,
from which the lofty Snow-mountains appear full in view. An
opening between this hill and the mountains on the east, is the only
approach to the village, from the north : from the south, there is
no other entrance than through the river. The residence of the
clergyman was, at this time, on the western side of the street, and
towards the lower end ; but a large and handsome edifice intended
for the parsonage, was at this time being erected in another street.
On the northern side of the principal street, several others intersecting
at right angles, together with many detached dwellings, were rapidly
rising in every quarter.
At this time Graaffreynet could only be called a village ; but,
from the projected improvements, and the activity with which they
were being carried on, the name of town, would soon become more
appropriate. Seven years before this, the number of houses was
between fifteen and twenty ; but at this date there were seventy-four ;
of which, indeed, some were not yet completed ; besides eight more
already planned. I saw at this time, three smiths’-shops, a waggon-
maker’s, and several shops or houses at which a variety of European
goods might be bought. There were also a town butcher and baker,
and a pagter, (pakter) or retailer of wine and brandy ; who are
appointed by licence from the landdrost. Along the principal street
a row of orange and lemon trees, at this time loaded with fruit,
formed a decoration as novel to an English eye, as it was in itself
beautiful by the clean glossy verdure of the foliage, and the bright
contrast of the golden fruit. The general fruit-season was just
past, but quinces were still hanging on the trees. All kinds of
VOL. II. u