CAPE COLONY--TABLE MOUNTAIN AND ITS TABLE-CLOTH--A STORM--SAIL FOR THE
MAURITIUS--PORT LOUIS AND PIETER BOT MOUNTAIN--JOURNEY INTO THE
INTERIOR--PAUL AND VIRGINIA--DISAPPOINTMENT--AN ESTATE IN THE
MAURITIUS--WILD ANIMALS--SAIL FOR CEYLON.
My ship, I found, was to remain but a short time at Table Bay before
proceeding on to the Mauritius. I had been in great hopes of going to
Natal, but the passengers all left here rather than attempt to land at
the port of that province from so large a ship. I thought that I might
there possibly hear of my brother, but as I had as yet received no
information to lead me to suppose that he was there, I felt that it
would be far better to get as soon as possible to the Mauritius, which
was the place where we had last heard of his being. It must be
understood that of this, the main object of my voyage, I never for a
moment lost sight, though in the account I am giving of my voyages and
travels I may not on all occasions bring it prominently forward.
A great deal might be said about Cape Colony, and I will not leave it
without giving a very short description of it. The country in the
neighbourhood of Cape Town is fertile and picturesque, and the
south-western districts produce wine and corn in abundance; but the
larger portion is sterile and uninviting, with a sad absence of shade,
verdure, and water. At the same time there are numerous, but
unnavigable rivers. It improves, however, in the direction of Natal;
but in the north, towards the Orange River, it is said to be again
barren. To the north and north-east are the districts inhabited by the
Amakosa Caffres, the Tambookies, and the Amaponda; while along the coast
round and beyond Port Natal is the country of the fierce Zooloos.
Bartholomew Diaz discovered the Cape of Good Hope in 1493; and it was
doubled four years afterwards by Vasco de Gama. The inhabitants found
there were called Hottentots. They attacked the Portuguese who first
attempted to settle at the Cape, and it was not till 1650 that the Dutch
East India Company formed a thriving establishment there. A large
addition was made to the colonists by many French Protestants, who had
escaped into Holland from the tyranny of Louis XIV after the revocation
of the Edict of Nantes. The Dutch remained in possession of the country
until the year 1795, when Holland having become subject to France, the
English sent out an expedition which conquered it. It was restored to
the Dutch at the Treaty of Amiens; but in 1806, they and the English
having again become enemies, it was taken from them by an army under Sir
David Baird. In 1814 it was confirmed to the British. The Hottentots
were a mild, inoffensive race, but were cruelly treated by the Dutch,
who, however, as they advanced inland found a very different race to
contend with in the Caffres, with whom a constant feud was maintained.
The English also found them a fierce, warlike, and treacherous people,
and have constantly been at war with them, or engaged in forming
treaties which were as often broken. Happily, by the judicious
management of Sir George Grey, the enlightened governor of Cape Colony,
the disputes with the Caffres were terminated; the Boers--as the Dutch
farmers are called--were satisfied--while the contented Hottentots, long
kept in slavery, were freed at the passing of the Slave Emancipation
Bill, when the glorious announcement was made throughout the world that
no human being could be longer held in slavery on British soil.
I forgot before to mention that as soon as we reached Table Bay a full
statement had been lodged with the proper authorities of the attack
which had been made on us by the pirates, and of the mode in which we
had been robbed. Full particulars were accordingly sent to all the
vessels on the west coast, and directions given to them to look out for
the pirate; but we learned that there was very little chance of our
having any redress, as of course he would take care to keep out of the
way of all men-of-war for some time to come, at all events. I cannot
say that I felt very much interested in the matter, and my chief fear
was that, should the pirate be captured before the _Orion_ sailed, we
might be detained to give evidence against the crew. All my thoughts
were occupied with devising means by which I might discover Alfred.
We were not to leave the Cape without a gale. I had been walking the
deck with Mr Henley, expecting to receive our orders for getting under
way, when he pointed to Table Mountain.
"See, the table-cloth is spread right over the table," he observed. "We
shall not get to sea without a storm."
Then, as I looked up, I saw a dense white cloud which seemed to be ever
pouring over the edge of the table, but never to get lower; indeed, most
appropriately, from its appearance, is it called the table-cloth.
Mr Henley explained how this happened. "Table Mountain terminates in a
ridge of high land, which covers the larger portion of the promontory of
the Cape of Good Hope. The side immediately above the town is 4000 feet
high. During the day, when the air is warmer than the water," he
observed, "there is a considerable evaporation which saturates the warm
air overhanging the basin. The warm air thus laden with moisture rising
to the edge of Table Mountain meets with the prevalent cold south-east
wind, which immediately condenses it into a cloud. Then it hangs
suspended above the mountain, and is then called the table-cloth.
Sometimes it is precipitated on the ridge in the shape of dew or rain,
and thus form a stream of cool water for the inhabitants of Cape Town."
The table-cloth growing thicker and thicker, Mr Henley gave the
necessary orders to prepare for the coming gale. Everything was made
snug on board the _Orion_; the topmasts were struck, and fresh cables
were laid out.
The people on board several vessels did not take the precautions we did
in time, and were consequently exposed to great risk of driving from
their anchors. Had they done so they would not only have been lost
themselves, but would have damaged, if not destroyed, any other craft
against which they might have run. The boatmen in Table Bay have,
however, fine boats, and are gallant fellows, and in spite of the heavy
sea which came rolling in, brought out additional cables and anchors to
the assistance of those who required them. I will not describe the gale
further than to say that it blew terrifically, and that I was very
thankful that our cables held; for had they parted, I felt sure the
stout ship would immediately have been dashed to pieces on the rocks,
and not one of us would have escaped.
As soon as the gale was over the captain came on board. He appeared
quite a different man to what he had been during the voyage. He was
quiet, and kind, and gentlemanly in his manner. Several merchants
accompanied him from the shore, and he seemed to be on excellent terms
with them.