prefent war, from, the French or Dutch retaining pGflefiion o f
the Gape.
If, in the firit place, the advantages refulting from the pof-
feffion of this fettlement were confined to the furniihing of re-»
frefhments for the ihipping of the Eaft India Company, either
on their outward or their homeward-bound voyage, I am willing,
to fuppofe the importance of them, however great, might be
confidered as inadequate to counterbalance the expence of keeping
up the necefiary eftabliihment, although I have ihewn that,,
tmder a prudent adrainiftration of the revenues, t-his expence
would be reduced to a mere trifle. The diredtors, indeed, thought
they had fufficiently proved, by the meafures they adopted.with,
regard to the Cape, that it was by no means necefiary for their
trade as a place of refrefhment. The diredtors, however, happened
to be miftaken j for they feon difcovered that, although
Englilh feamen could bear the run between England and India,,
the native blacks, which they are under the neceflity- of employing,
in time of war, could not do i t ; and it is to be apprehended
they will but too foon difcover that unfeafoned troops, fent di-
redtly from England, are no more able to bear an uninterrupted
voyage, than the Lafcars. It will remain, therefore, for the
diredtors to find out fome other place, in lieu of the Cape, finee
their exclufion from it, a, Gircumftance which, indeed, their conduit
feemed to invite.
But, as I have already obferved, all maritime affairs are peculiarly
liable to calualties, and, on this confideration, one would
be
be led to conalude that a friendly port tnuft always be held as a
valuable acquifition to all who are concerned in fuch affairs;
and more efpecially to the Eaft India Company, whofe concerns
are of fuch vaft magnitude. The number of ihips that meet
with ftrefs of weather, and fiiffer from the tremendous ftorms
that are frequent in the winter feafon, 'On L ’Aguillas bank,
Tnuft always ftamp a Value oil the Cape, and make its ports and
bays particularly definable on the homeward-bound voyage.
That inftances of diftrefs do happen, and not unfrequently,
in fituatipns where the only hope of fafety can be placed on the
Cape, or in fome of its bays, might be proved in a number of
cafes that happened while it remained in the hands of Great
■Britain ; but I will content tn<yfetf with mentioning one fingle
inftance. The Gountefs of Sutherland Indiaman experienced »
mod violent gale of wind between Madagafcai and the coaft of
Africa, in which, after lofing all her mads, ihe became a wreck
at the mercy of the winds and wav os ¿for feveral .days; and, at
length, was momentarily expe&ed to fink, when, icmithe weather
clearing up, they defcried the fend of Africa to the fouth-
ward of thefpot where the Grofvenor was loft; and being i now
in the ftreatn of the current, they contrived tfrfetch itito ’Ktomtne
River’ s Bay, a fmall Cove in»Gamtoos,‘or'SaintEranofS, o r Content
Bay, for it has a ‘variety of names.
Having here procured a fupply of water and other refreih-
tnems, and rigged Up a kind of j-ury malts, dhe -endeavoured to
proceed to Simoh’s Bay for the purpofc of.undergoing ¡a more
thorough repair; but, 'unfortunately,dhe met with- a deeond gale
h h 2 o f