CHAPTER III
Passage to the Cape.—Fuel for steamers.—Table Bock and Cape Town.—Description of Cape Town.—
Climate.—Annoyance from d o s t—Violence of winds and difficulty of holding to anchorage.—Supplies
a t the Cape.—Caffre war and its effects.—Mode of transporting produce on land.—Vineyards of Con*
stantia.—Effects of emancipation of slaves on agricultural labor.—Mode of cultivating the vine.—
Population of Cape Colony.—Bushmen.—The Caffres.—Physical characteristics.—Fingoes.—Military
organization of Caffres.—Condition of the emancipated slaves.—Departure from Table Bay.—Passage
to, and arrival at, Mauritius.—Harbor of Port Louis.—Dangers of the harbor.—Skill of port officers in
mooring vessels.
FTER leaving St. Helena the
ship was put on her course for
the Cape of Good Hope. Prudential
considerations alone induced
the Commodore to touch
at St. Helena. His opinion was
that the best and most expeditious
route for a steamer, going from
Madeira to the Cape, (provided
she can carry a sufficiency of coal,)
is to he found by steering from
the Cape de Verd islands direct
toward Cape Palmas on the coast
of Africa, and thence tracing the
shore down to Table Bay.
On leaving Jamestown the ship encountered the trade, deviating very
little from the southeast, and blowing alternately moderate and fresh. I t
was observable, however, that it was always stronger at night than in the
day time, and brought with it a short head sea, which greatly retarded the
progress of the vessel. I t would have been easy to increase the steam
power: but experience had shown that about twenty-six tons of coal per
diem enabled the ship to accomplish the greatest distance with the most
economical expenditure; and considering the extreme difficulty of procuring
fuel in that region, its enormous cost, and the labor and delay incident to its
shipment, the Commodore deemed it most expedient rather to protract the
passage than allow extravagance in the use of an article so essential to the
movements of the vessel. A current of one and a quarter knots was found
setting in the direction of the wind, and this, as a retarding cause, was to be
added to the force of the trade.
As to the possibility of obtaining a supply of fuel in this part of the
world, it may be remarked that at S t Paul de Loango the English maintain
a depot of coal for the accommodation of the African steam cruisers, and this
Would be a convenient point to which to send a coal vessel from the United
States. Within a few years a depot of coal has been established by an
English company at Port Grand, Island of St. Vincent, of the Cape de
Verde group, and it is said that a reasonable supply can always be obtained
there by transient steamers.
Steamers from the United States might proceed direct to St. Vincent’s,
provided there be certainty of obtaining coal at that place, and thence proceed
to the Cape by Cape Palmas, via Loango; but it is much better that
cargoes of coal should be sent ahead of steamers leaving the United States,
as the only security for a certain supply.
As to the route from England, that which is prescribed for her mail
steamers bound round the Cape of Good Hope, is to touch at St. Vincent,
and thence proceed to the Cape, via Ascension Island, replenishing their
coal at all their stopping places. In pursuing this route, (which they are
compelled to do to leave a mail at Ascension for the African squadron,) they
are obliged to contend with the entire range of the southeast trades, which
are directly ahead, blowing most of the time quite strongly, and always
producing a lee current of from one to one and a quarter knots. By taking
the route along the African coast a steamer has the advantage of the sea and
land breezes, and the favorable current usually setting to the south.
On the 24th of January, at nine in the morning, the ship made the land
in the vicinity of Saldanha Bay, and at two p. m. Table Mountain was in
sight. After passing outside of Dassen Island, and through the channel
between the main land and Robben’s Island, at half past 8 p. m. the ship
came to anchor in Table Bay in seven fathoms, and the following day moved
further in toward the town.
This port is easy of access either by night or day, if the two lights can
be distinctly seen, so that the distance from Green Point can be accurately
estimated. This is important, as by bordering upon that point too closely
there is danger of a ledge of rocks near the Cape shore, and by keeping too
far to the northward, the Whale Rock, at the southern end of Robben’s
Island, may bring a vessel up.
The Cape of Good Hope was first discovered by Bartholomew Diaz, a
Portuguese, in 1493. During an exploration of the Atlantic coast of Africa,
this navigator was driven out to sea by a storm, and the first land he made,