feems, as yet,.a doubtful matter. Hitherto they have not had
any trial..; With relpedt to.fize and form they .are liable, to no
objedtions, and there can. be little, doubt,that, ;by felling them
at a proper time, and feafoning >the.m . in fuch ;a manner as the
climate’may require,. they would :be found to anfwer all the
purpofes that might be wanted, not only for, the hull of.a ihip
but alfo for mails and yards. So little did they know, in the
Cape, of the refources of the colony, with refpedt to the timber,
that of the forty-four diftindt fpecies of foreft trees, of
the wood of which I prqcured fpecimens, that were delivered
to Government by Lord Macartney, not more than fix or
eight were in partial ufe; of the reft the names even were unknown.
The only bay within the limits of the colony, to the northward,
is that of Saint Helena, which, by land from Hoetjes
Bay is little more than fifteen miles. In ihape and fituation it
refembles Table Bay, but wants the attradlions of the latter both
in,refpedt: of the quality of the contiguous land and the quantity
of water. Whalers fometimes anchor in this bay, where, from the
remote and undifturbed fituation, fo many whales conftantly refort
in the winter months, that they feldom find any difficulty of
making up the deficiency of their cargo. ' It might be prudent,
however, in the power who pofleiTes the Cape, to have a guard
frigate ftationed in this bay, and another in Algoa Bay.
The other parts of the coaft are of lefs confequence. They
are frequented only by the whale filhers o f America, and adventurers
from London.
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