time-keeper I took on. ihore to afeertain its ;raf.%!9h<l other
inftriiments, to make .the. neceffary
itioas.j^Frefli «meat, with f(jft hread, and plenty,pf,veg§T
tables,'were- iffeed daily to the fllip’s ^qmpanyj the; whole
time ^e temaiaed. hereofr ifëw tda^ »ftef rppc Ï
went; over to . Cape ■ Town, 'and waited on'hi$^e&€£Upj|qy
MI Vaoder Graaf, the governor, who obligingly arranged
matters fe much to gain advantage, that we-fealeelyfelt; the
inconvenience jof,being at % diffa&ce. from the Cape Town,
wihente we reeeived all ouryfopplies. ,
The Gape Town is confidea-ably kicreafed within the laft
téight'iyeaps- Its ig% e& a b ility y ^ ^ regard | to flrength,
has;kej)t pace with its other enlargements,. and mndered.it
very fe,cure againft any- attempt .which is .qqt made with
•qonfidtffahle.■ force.' ;| Great-attpntioh is;,paid to -mihtaty
order and difcipline; and monthlyrfignals,aref,eftgbliflaed
to communicate with their flapping <as-5 they arrive near
the coaft, th a t they may ho t run unaw^es into, th e hands
o f an en emy .‘ 1 found ^every thing much idearer .than
when I was :her-e.;in ig8o. .Sheep coft four Spanifh dol-
tars each, and were fo fmall, that it .anfwerpd better to
•purchase the mutton, fqr thé flaip’s-daily u-fe, .af four, pence
p er pound.
; During onr ftay here, I took care to procure feeds and
plants that would be valuable at Otaheite, and the different'
places we ,might touch at in our way'thither,.
In fhis I was greatly? affiffed- by colonel Gprdoq, -the eonir
mander of-the troops. In, company with, this géntlgman,
the tófs o f the Grofvenor Eaft Indiaman was mentioned;; -on
this fubjeft, colonel Gordon expreffed great -concern, .that,
fr<3ln any thing he had faid»-h°pes were ftiil entertained
to flatter the affeftionate -wffhes of the furviving friends
o f thofe unfertunate people. He faid that, in his travels
vekinto. the .Caffre conn try ,'he had-met with a native- 9f<&
who deferibed • to hir»;. that there was a white worpan
among hishountrymen, who hacbu child, and th<Ufhe freq
u en tly 1; embraced the child, and cried raoft violently.
This Was* all he '(the e©lon'el>could underftand; and,.being
then-o®Ms return-home, with his health much impaired
by fatigue,, the ©nothing, that he conld 'do, Wasteo make a
friend of the natlve^by; presents, and'Jprdmifes. of feward, >
on' condition, that- he would take:-a letter to this woman, |
and .bring -him -back an anfwerr. Accordingly -he- wrote
letters in.'Errglifh, French, and.Duteh^defiring, that'fame
fignior mark might, be returned; either, by writing with
a buffot. ftiek,, or by any. means. fhe flaouId.be able* to*
dfevife^t®1 fatisfy him that flae-was there.; and that on receiving
foch token from her; every- efi&rt Ihouldhe made
toenfute hbirfafety<and efcape. But the Caffre,; although
apparently • delighted: with. the. eommiffiow which he had
undertakeny mevemretumed; nor has ther colonel ever heard
any'.thing; more h f Mm,t though .herhad’-been iriftrudted
in methods- of' conveying, .information .through--tbe*^ Hot^
tentofi,country’.. - $ • v- * ■ . ■ " - « - -
| | Td'this account,.that I . may: not 'again* have’ occafion to
in trodud&fe- melancholy atfohjtedljj :I fhalbadd. the .litflein-
•formatidh I-received refpe&ing it,.-when I-rewifited the
CaJ)t,-in my.* return .towards Europe.-^ A reputable .far-r
AUeribff the name- of; Holhoufeiv whar 1 wes„‘ afcjswelleridam,
eight-days journey from the Cape^ liad information from
fknfe Caffre Hottentots,et^at -at a «crawl, ok "Mage*' in their?
country, there were', white, mennand women. Qhth'is- hi-
telligencp, Mr.‘. Holhoufen alked permiffion of-tlie governor
to; make an expedition^, with; feme o f thfe farrriers,
into -the country,- requiring aithoiifahtb riXrdollars.to beat'
his expencesl. The, governor referred hifn to Mr. Wocke*.
6. " the