1772. April. L in n^ u s duplicates of every thing I found, together with my remarks upon them. Unfortunately this great man s illnefs, declining years, and intervening death, have prevented us long from feeing them in print, in a Mantijfa tertia. I was now to refide in Falfe-bay till the end of the winter, which is called the bad feafon (in Dutch, quaae moujfon,) and is reckoned from the 14th of May till the 14th of Auguft. It is not diftinguiihed by any particular degree of cold ; for we had frequently at this time the fineft fummer days. Once or twice there fell fome hail, but I never faw any fnow. We had fometimes the moft: violent ihowers of rain, and that moftly for feveral days in continuation, by which means the air was very fenlibly cooled. We were not unfrequently troubled with the north-weft wind, and this is principally the reafon why the Dutch ihips, at the time of year before-mentioned, have been ordered to run into 'Table-bay, ever iince the year 1732 ; when out of ten ihips belonging to that nation, lying there, eight were caft on ihore and loft. This like- wife has induced the Dutch company to have ready at hand every neceflary for their ihips, under the infpedion o f the Refident at Falfe-bay. They have ereded here an exten- five magazine, which at the fame time includes forges and baking-houfes, with houfe-room for the Workmen, who do the whole duty o f the guard, and are commanded by a feijeant and two corporals. The ilaughter-houfe makes a diftind building by itfelf, as do likewife the Refident s houfe and the hofpital. About the time of my departure from Africa, they were building another large and hand- fome houfe for the accommodation of- the Governor, when he he chufes to retire thither for his pleafure. Good freih water is conveyed from the neighbouring hill to a quay, where it is very convenient for ufe. A tradefman or two have got leave to build an inn here, in which, however, there is not always room and conveniencies fufficient to receive all fuch as, after a long fea-voyage, are defirous of refreihing themfelves on ihore; the ihips that land here being, chiefly inch as contain not much above twenty paflengers. Board and lodging are paid for here as at the Cape, from one rix- dollar to one and a half a day; a tolerable good table ts likewife ufually kept here, and the attendance is none o f the worft. ’ A perfon that wiihes to go poft from Falfe-bay to the Cape, a diftance o f about fixteen miles, will find it comparatively dear enough. Three or four rix-dollars muft be paid for a faddle-horfe, and from twelve to fixteen for a waggon ;- which is, for the moft part, inconvenient, and ufually drawn by three or four pair o f horfes, or elfe by the fame number of oxen. Excepting in the winter, Falfe-bay is feklom or ever vifited by any ihips, as- the fouth-eaft wind, which prevails at every other- time o f the year, makes this Bay in manyrefpefts inconvenient; blowing with fuch violence, as to cover two hills there with a thick layer of drift fand, all along from the ftrand up to their very tops.- j This ridge o f fand is ieen from afar from the mouth o f the harbour, andierves as a beacon for ihips ; - for Sifmn’s-bay, which is the place where they are to- anchor, -lies dire&ly from the eaft, or fomething more to the fouth. The breadth o f Falfe-bay \% not 4b great, (but that in clear fine w'eather, one may fee from Simon's-bay the lands laying oppofite in D 2 the
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