The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-09-09 00:00:00

CORN EXCHANGE. S.EPTEIIIDER 8.

Os in( to the toe state of the weather, and the good sup.
ply o' %%h. It and Oats received on Monday, the sales Ibis
overrun ut le very henry, and *heir. the sales were forced
rostr pr.c.. ttl/11,11111e4 10. fine Barley supports ila price.
Pelis and leans continue at our last quoted prices.

COAL MARKET, Serrtment e.
Siti pi at Market. gold. Price.
L:/ weact le
b Sulider!lsol 9 34.. 341. to 395. ad.
I Stone Coal 1 6.S*. 0.1. to —s. Oil.
I Welsh Cool . 1 .... SSs. Oil. to —s. 0.1

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

A lITITISTICAL ACCOUNT OF THE CAPE OF GOOD
110P11; WITH OBSERVATIONS ON THE MEANS
OP IMPROVING TIIAT EXTENSIVE SETTLEMENT.

[Float The New Monthly Magazine]

(Continwed from& owr Paper of yesterday)

The peninsula of the t3ape, however, is not
• quelly favourable so the imparts.% of the zoologist.
The kloofs or clefts ef the mouistains *till give
shelter to wolves and bye las. particularly the
former, some of which venture at legit' into the
town, whither they are drawn try the Mid from the
slaughter-homes. AU the mountains almond with
a dusky coloured animal about the size af a rabbit,
called here the des, but described by Imitieutio wi-
thr the name of Hyrax Carrie/T. and by Venn/lit
the Cape envy. It to edible, but of an inititre.ent
flavour. specie. of nistelove, called the grit-stook,
or ?rizzled desr, frequents the thicket, and does con-
enterable injure to the youttg *limos of the vine ; and
another opecirs, named the Duiker, or Diver, from
as manner of plunging and hiding itself among the
bushes, mar br met with in the isthmus. But the
steiiihok, formerly the 11104 numerous of the
lope tribe,ie now driven limn this part of Africa into
the interior. The hoists of the Cape are mostly of
Javan origin, or imported from South America,
which last, celled the Black Spaniards, tire deemed
most serviceable. heavy waggons., however, are
all drawn by oxen, which animal* are remarkable
for their strength and docility.
Round Table Mnuataiii hover eagles, vultures,
kites, and crowe, winch birds of prey make up for
the depredations !hey commit, by clearieg the roads
of nuisances. Wild fowl to plentiful in the winter
season, and till the bays and coast abound with ex-
cellent fish, el perch of various kinds, stiles,
meekerel, and milers unknown in Europe. Crate.,
tnorcles, fled eynere, the last equal to our own, are
;d-o numerous. In the waiter, whales come often
into the bays, and are taken with ra,le. They are in
general from fifty to sixty feet in length, and yield
each about six or ten tuns of oil.
Insects abound in such variety all over the coon-
try a, to furnish an inexhaustible supply for the in-
quiries of the entotnologist. A species of locust
Minot the Cape proves very injurious to the gardens,
and a minute kind of sand-fly s extremely throti-
blesoine to passengers: buL it is remarkable that
the mosquitos are much less offensive here than on
the opposite continent of America and in the Wert
Indies. Scorpions, ecolopeudres. and large Meek
spiders, are noxious, and almost all the serpent
Vibe are venomous.
The most striking object at the Cape is Table
Nlountain, the north front of which, facing the
town, presents to the eye 14 horizontal line of about
two miles in length. This stupemlons mass of
rock appears as if it were supported by several but-
tresses rising from the plain, and inclining to-
wards the face of the mountain about half way up
from its Wire, thus giving, it the semblance of a
ruined forties,. These wall.. are 3.582 feet above
the level of the bay, but the east side, which runs
off at right angles to the front, is considerably
Itielwr. 'rise west side, along the out-shore, is rent
into hollows, and worn awl into pyramidal masse,.
To the southward the mountain tie•eends in ter-
race., of which the lowest ceinutimicates with
the chain that extends she whole length of the
peninmila. The two wings of the from, namely,
the Devil's Hill, and the Lion's !lead, make with
the Toble but one mountain ; for thoieell the sum-
mits have been separated they 'te at a consider-
ehle elevation from the plain. 'rise Devil's Nlitime
tails, the height of which is 3,315 feet, is broken
into irregular pMnts; but the upper part of the
L 'a Fiend, 2,160 feet in elevation, resembles
a dome like that of St. roil's, placed on a high
conked hill. There are no appearKorezi of volcaoie
origin in ally part of the mount:du, nor have nay
fossilized reunnins beets found imbedded on its sides.
Nothing can be more oulthine than the prospect
from the summit of the Table, all the objects ass
the plain, and its the bay below, being dwindled
into mere specks and lim.—
" The toortnoriuc anree
That on the sinininibee.l idle pebbles tinkle,
Cannot be beard so high."
titre grows, among a variety of handsome shrubs,
the enema mueronaa, au elegant froctescent plant
peculiar to the mountain, mid a species of heath
c lied the Physotlest, the flowers of winch are
white and glutinous. The air on the summit in the
winter and the shade is generally about fifteen de-
grees of Fahrenheit's scale lower than in the town :
but in summer the difference is still greater, ',era-
cularly when the fleecy cloud, called the 4, Table
Cloth." upprurs oo the mountain, and gives a sure
indication of no approaching storm.
At the Cave they divide the year into two pee
rinds, called the good and bad monsoon; but as
these are neither regular nor of any determinate
duration, it more advisable to adopt the quadri-
partite division. 'rite spring.. from the beginning
of September to the end of Novemb.r. is the plea-
onnteot oeasou : the summer, Isom December to
March, is the hottest ; the autumn, from thence
to Jane, is variable wets her, though generally vety
egreeable; and the winter, from Jane to Sep-
tember, is stormy, rainy, unit cold. The two
most violent winds are the north-west and south-
east ; the first being prevalent from the end of
May till the end of August, and sometimes through
the whole of September ; the other predominates
for the rest of the year, and when the cloud
thews itself on the mountain it blows in squall)
with great fury. During one of these storms, tit
night, the heavenly bodies here a strange appear-
mice, the stars being anti the moon
*tenting to have a vibrators motion. The approach
of winter is observed by the south-east winds be-
coming less frequent and 'violent, and the weather
being more clear; dew, also begin to fill hese
vily. and fogs hung in the morning about the
hulls. When the tempests cease the distant
tnountoins and the Table itself appear covered
with snow. At these times the thermometer about
sunrise is at 40. rising in the course of the day to
70. but the general standard may be reckoned from
SO. to 60. during the oration. In the middle of
summer it varies from 70. to 90. but the average
is 63. though it has been known to exceed 100. at
Cape Town. The heat of summer, however, is
seldom oppressive; the mornii.gs are sometimes

sultry, hitt the evenings are always cool. The
youth—east breeze usually begins Hboillt 00051,
and dies away towards night. Frosts November
to April there is seldom any rain; and it has been
remarked, that, netwithointling the violence of
the tempests which MTaainnAlly strive, there is Irs•
thunder and lightning at the Cape than itt any
other part, except St. lirlena.
Such, indeed, is the basspinesi of this vinyl str,
that scarcely any fatal &wave occur. here except
what proceeds from the irreguier habits of the pen.
plr, who by their indolence and intemperance
bring MI consamptions, dropsies, goat, that liver
complaints. Timber of all kiwis for bisiltlitig and
fuel is very scarce and expt.tt.ive at the Cane, owing
to the negligetire of the Dutch residcat., :14 the
euiseiry bryontl this district is well wooded, and
I even here the oak, the white poplar. and the 4.015 e
war, are found to ith,tve yr:Ms:nosily to eticosliage
cultivation. Veins of rival, howrver, have. brew d'"
covered in the i.tlinins, and no doubt can he enter-
tained but that iron also rimy be Iowa! to answer
the expense of di4ging for both titet.e valuable
tiel••o6.
• •

The district of Stellenlvosch and Drekenstein,
in-
cludes the country from Cape L'Agtilllas, the
southernmost point of Africa, to the river Noussie,
the northernmost bousolary of the colony. bring
a line of 360 mile* in leugili and the breadth 150
miles, comprehending nn area or t>5,000 square
miles ; to all which spare were only 1,200 fienttliri
under the old Government. Part of this territory.
indeed, consist: 4.f naked wino otaitts and aril plates,
but the remainder is a fruitful soil, and attetelitt,g
elnitg the feet of the great chant of mountain. From
False 1171 y to the mouth of the. Otlraht's River.
The drosaly of stoteoho,..ell, the re whence of the
landfollt, or sisperititemlallt 1/1 1111i1 111,71111:1, is a vet!,
handsome tillsge, consistile; of shoot seeetoy
'looses, with others and gardens. kid wit into seer.
ral atreeta, or mien spaces, planted with milts. !natty
of which are of iii siderehle size. In the village
is a small and neat church, to which is annexed a
parsonage house, warden, and vineyerd. The
clergyman has a salary from Government of one
hundred and twenty pounds a year ; so that his si-
tuation is extremely drt.irnb!e 111 11 I,lllCe free from
taxes, 111111 a country almaid•tit with every necessary
of lire. The estaldisliment (lithe landrost isotill more
sumptuous. his estuary Moll emoluments twine equal
to titfrea hundred a year. There are eight estates
und this villnee. which produce wine, brandy,
fruit, hotter, 'poulti y, and 71 variety of *melee fir
the Cape marke', and the supply of shippitig in
Siam's.* Bay. They a small quantity of
corn ; but this is an article little cultivated near the
Cape, for the ,111 hero peasants or boors sire wretch-
ed egriculturists, and so olistinete, that tholigli ail
experienced English f.voner who Settled alifilttg
then. proved by the exiihereore of his crops what
could be done by labour, his neighlmurs only
laughed at his experiments and advice.
In this district, at a place called Italian's Kloof,
is a small settlement of Moraviain. or Unitas Em-
blm, the good effects of whose pious !alumni if-
ford as striking a contrast to the I)atcli es stem
of colonization as the mildness of Christienity
itself does to the ferocity of l'ogenistn. Store the
transfer of the Cape to the English. the progress
of these eirlightened mi-someties has hero such,
that a new settlement has Fern formed hr them
meter the easteees of our GaverumeNt. Not far
from Deviates Klonf is :a chalyhente spring,, chiefly
recommetided in rheumatic remold: • and delsili-
tated constitutions. 'flue ailtucent di:oriel of De skew-
stein is very 'fertile. well watered, and continua
many soled:mit:4l tarots. Th; Fooreche [beck, or
French Corner, sit noted in the valley, takes
usme from the refugees, who relight an aryl to
this distaia pert of the earth after the rewire 1111 l of
the Edict of Nantes. To these people the Cape
is indebted for the introduction of the vine,
which has already proved highly advantageous,
and promises to lie still more when properly
On nu acre of ground may be planted live
thousand stocks, every thousand of wltich will
34,141 a leaguer or pipe of one hundred and fifty.
four gallons. Of the rich sweet wine., the cultmy
produces a great variety, and it is remarkable that
the mowed. I grope gives a ilitfieent flavoured li-
quor in every estate where it is planted, Soule
good brandy is also made here, and the raisin* are
so excellent and reasonatile as to leave uo doubt of
their becoming a considerable article of com-
merce, together oidh the olive aitel ilw almond, both
of which tire of a prime quality. The /7110r.eis,ir
grows here v enrously : but it has hitherto been
entirely neglected.
The district of Zwellemlam runs tilong the coast
between the Iliecde River on the west, and C7llll.
toils River on the emit, running northerly to the
Black Illoulitains. Its Irtigoli is :shout 380, and
the breadth 60 miles, giviiig an lora of 19.3011
square miles, occupied by no more than 4SO !s-
-imiles. The peincipal village consists of shout 30
lonises, irregularly dispersed over a fertile valley,
through which flows it flue stream of water.
Its this district Nloserl Bev opens to the south-
east the western point culled Cape St. Blinze, brim;
in latitude 34. 10. S., longitude IS. E. and the
distance from the Cape about 140 miles. M'heri
the winds t,low from S.S.VI'., W., and mood to
E.N.E., this bay Words !..ale anchorage for ships :
here is a magazine for the receptiosi of grain.
the price of which article at this ',Lee is al t
twenty-two rix dollars the load of thinly-one Win-
chester bushels. The bay almutids wish fish of
various kinds, oysters Of 511 excellent quality. and
muscles of a large size, but strung flavour. Great
quantities of the common aloe grow upon the plants
that surround the bay, the itispissiited juice
of which was once en article of considerable trade,
but it is now neglected. The next division to
llossel Bay is the A11i1111,11117111 WWI, extending as
far as the Kayman or Crocodile's River ; the moon-
taint, here are covered with forests, and the land
affords ousteriance to immense herds of cattle, be-
sides yielding a great quantity of corn. Pletten-
berg's Bay begins at the Kayinaier River. and con-
finites to the inaccessible forms of Sitsikamme.
This tract is exceedingly lwautiful, and svithisi
seven milt., of the bey are large timber trees, well
calculated fur building, and extremely cheap. In
the forests a creeping plant grows in great plenty,
the interior bark sl which, is a good substitute fur
hemp. The trop ores near the hear of the moun-
tains might be worked by clearing the wood. of
which there is an inexhaustible sitititly, and should

a settlement be fixed here, a considerable trade
tn4y,he carried on along the coast all the way ►o

the Cape.
Ohfarst's or Elephant's River, runs at the ford of
the second cllllOl of Black MOO lAA' O. to the *Vett.
ward, and cot. iato the G riro7. The moil near it
i. Striottgly fel ruginoti., awl the vegetation lasts.
ri....1 Tne 6,1.1)0..14 collie tie the vioe cue tiwyw
Coll.ll.lloloti, and distil ardent ',Mit. from praciie4
'lntl grotto, ; but the artic:er carried by thrill to liie
Cape iii.ithet are chiefly honer and scant. A great
quantity of gum-arable mac he obtained !:ere hum
the mimosa liarrno, the 1/41li of winch ttee 14 stye-
riot to that of oak for miming leather. The will
imimals here are iiiitelmws, hire!, IrOpartl4, iiiiii
tiger Cat); while lit the fore.ta beyond are found
the elephant, halal... mid ihinoce•os.
I Tile di•trict of Graaf Bernet ratrmii to the
' etivtrtu 11111.0/4 of the c.doity. tier hoodri-d Mlle.!
I Cape Toaat. The Great Fi.lt Rivet., the
'Parka, the V mobasberg. 'rod the Znesreherg. divide
it f the Kaffers no the eii.t V.nim ; the —aa. Ricer.
the G milt* or Lion's meet. ,and :tad Nicovelr: :Sloan-
itains from Zwelleinfriu and S:rileiiho.ch rio•lric!4
1 Mt 111. west ; Plettrulterg Lanolin:ok, the (;real
; Table Nfriutstsin, and 11w K lw.rg brim the Boos
ijevenan liottentots on the north, stid it is tenni.'
1 natal on the south by the ors coast. The memo
length mild breadth of the district alit hellbent RS9
;
I by 1130 miles. forming an area of 40.000 square
I miles, which is peopled b 7 shout 700 Ismillses.
The inhabitant"
are entirely Knitter', sod almost, if
not Ibltow,rtltrr, as great savages no the Bosiestitin
I Hottentots, with whim% they are perpetually et war,
I as they also are wi:li the Keifer Ilene the spring.
ibok abounds to much a degree, that itiltecis thousand
are sometimes found assembled in one herd. Here
I also are felivis,lions,and biatfilori. Between the two
ila., sometimes fierce combats take litter. in which
I the hots 'lever Nil* to be tile victor. The bulfilo
1 mid the zebra ini4lst both he tamed. and rendered
serviceable in sit eminent degree; brit the Dutch,
in thi.. us in every thing rive, have strangely slight-
; et' all the advantages which they pusses* iu this

sic') and diversified re ion.
Algon nny in this disttict it open to every point
of the rompers from nortliseast to south-eat!, with
good anchornge in five fathoms water, not far
from the shore. This hay, which is about twenty
miles in compass, abounds with every sort of fish ;
and is also the resort of the black whale its great
n ttttt hers. As there in plenty of raft here,
mudi advantage might be derived from salting
beef and fish for the Cape, Ns well as for the supply
of shipping. Hides and tkiiis present another ad-
vaningeont branch of trade, while the amazing
tiossoity of forest timber furnishes the means of
conveying the productions of labour to other parts
of the colony. The soil is excellent fur grain ; hut
valets s coasting trudi he established, the settlers
can have no inducement to extend the cultivation
of it. 'rhe tippesrances of a rich lead mine have
liseii indicated in this district, the working of which
might be carried out not only without much expense,
but with evory prospect of further and more valuas
ble discoveries.
!Jere the English built a fort, when they first
got nossession of the Cope : and on the restoration
of the colony to the Dutch, this establishment
was considerably extended, under Govetnor Jans-
sens. NVliiit renders this settlement of particular
i iniiinrtaner, is its situation, near the borders of the
Katier sonntiy, and the facility with which, in
4 COtiWiltleitre. any disagreements between the lie-
lives :Intl colonists in:ly he stifled iii their birth.
I ii tia•refore became no object of attention to the
i Diorli, though not till after we had set them the
example. and then flinch money was expended upon
; the building% which were left iiiitinished, It was in
ithus orighbourhood that Dr. Vanderkemp fixed his
f residence. with another missionary, sent out by the
London Snriety of Methodists ; but the description
of Bel heisting), the settlement of these men, affords
a nielanchaly picture of wild and misdirected en-

From this general Hlllll rapid survey, it will sp.
pear evident to the reader, that while Providence
has done every thing for southern Africa, neither
the natives nor the former settlers have done any
thiliz. It 'rigid have been expected that a people
so vrtivtiloolly industrious as the Dutch would
have turned this country to the best advantage,
by imiirovioa its natural productions, and is.
trodoriniz such others as appeared adapted to
the fertility of the soil. But, however diligent
I FP:sailer. may he at home, they are the worst of
3411 (431333tiaiima. The Cape of Good Hope exhibits
in every snot proofs of their neeligeoce, and bow
much slat ore may do for a country in spite of men's
idleows:,. Hod a different line cf conduct been
puisued for the space of one hundred mid filly
years, Awing %hick the Dutch quietly possessed
this rich mid extensive region, what ass aspect would
have presented itself on the eastern and western
shores of Africa, from the apex of the triangle to the
tropic of Capricorn ! Looking to what was scans).
'dished in America within the same period, there
can he no doubt but that in the same hands, and
under a similar governmeni, this vast continent
would have, of the present time, displayed
tb
proudest triumph of hismaiiity in the cultivation
of the earth rod the civilization of manners. In.
stead of all this, the great work of improvement
is but in its infant state; and what renders it
more difficult and vexatious, is the circum.
• stance that of all the brings is this vest settle-
ment, the nominal Christians are the most untraet.
aisle, surly, cruel, and avaricious. While the Hot.
tetanus ate leoth able awl willing to become hu-
manised, the African boon, of Dutch descent,
seem to take a pride in self-degradation. They lisle
every thing that has a tendency to ameliorate the
state of the aboriginal inhabitants, over whom they
exercise a tyrannical sway, infinite!, more despotic
thisn that of the slave-holders in the West !tidies.
The Dutch colonist has succeeded so far its
brutalixiitg his disposition, that he considers the
shedding of Mood as nothing ; and will talk of hav-
ing shot half a dozy.. Boajestions Hottentots with us
much exultation as if lie hail Kithira by his prowess
the hides of so many buffaloes. Thus degenerate
men are more ferocious than the children of na-
ture, and are brought with greater difficulty to a
state of honourable feeling. Of lists melancholy
troth, the whole settlement et the Cape saints
abundant evidence; but one instaticeounoug massy,
is sullkiesit to shew the depravity of titer peasantry
in this colony. Provoked at the sits me of the
Motbtion minim:l66th its civilising the Hotteutots.

a pity of tri3rc, consisting of oliout thirty, e:,te►,
into it confederacy to murder the three reads,.,
and to make ',laves of their converts. P.,_
videntially for the mivvionaries, their hortol de.
pig', was !lately discovered by a Hottentot, in tt,..
pp, vire of one of the aomminv, and by him Pononn.
stetted to the devoted settlers. This way duri„x the
ft•rt English tatlmmistrotion of the Cap..; nod the
Governor, Sir James Crae, •rot
letter, Iletiolll7elllg the i.r.,vle,t 041v!rut
those nho should disturb the mi%Edlimltii.
edlleffillellef Ills 611 was, that the poltroon.
a*ay, end 1:0111 that time the settlemros of the
\louvian• rerattliiitti its a elate of quiet ; thon.,
not without tieing otiecta of hatred to the
• on sr could of the improvement vi:tich thsy have
effected iu the poor Hottentots.

The colonists may be divided into four closer,
of which the following sketch will convey a ge,,,u
iftra People of Cape Town :--st Vine-grim.
err : 3. ereshadrfneet, ! 4. Grazier.,
The people of the town are an idle. r1;.4,:!..
race, who asshsist chiefly by the labour .
slave.; each of whom is required to taro a •peci•ii•
sum e,rry week, by satioals kinds of reap:opurtit.
IN well us to attend upon the family to Adlith Ise
belongs. Why slavery should ever lisee lows, iiitro•
slimed unto this settlement, it wmrld he difficult far
the most zealous advocates or that spitem to show ;
Once there is no filling carried on here hut shot
;might full Ilb well have het;) executed he telt
hired labour of the peaceful Idnitentots. Soca',
however. has been the pulrey of the Dist•_•••, that
father than give the least a!tentilm to the improve.
Aleut of stir natives, they mcorred a heavy expeit.e
in the importation of negro', awl the untreoa,,.
or Nlalays. Since the chasige that has taken
place, slavery has been on the decline; and, it :•
to be hoped, the gradual cessation tif it sill pro.
duce a more elevated character and industrious hs.
bits, ammo,: a people slims have too long disgraced
themselves by a practice which, ntorally consid.re,
is wore injorinus to the master thin the pion en;..
tore under his control. This io exemplified et
the Cape, the inhabitants of which (lodine their
pleasures solely to the sensual of eat.
*nig, drinking, and sittoking. without Karing
the least iodination to mental improvement. sena!
converse, sir [Dimly exercises. When the Ehgilioi
gained tinsPeiv• of the place. a theatre ate
erected ; but the Dutch never frequented it ; ltd
whether tile entertainments were tragic, ronite, or
paiitoinitnic, ull proved equally trisparatite 'yea
the phlegmatic minds of there people. {intro,
DOI to be wondered at, when scarcety s book o•o
be foam{, even in the houses of the wealthier
hitaists: and 110 persnosions could even Ware
them to establiah a public school throughout the
whole colony.

(To be continued.)

1 • l'hutsitly se'iiight, as the huntsman at QM&
decham Hall. the feat a the Lail of ALBEMARLE.
• I 1.: Norfolk, was exercising the dogs na the park.
his hone accidentally slipped up. and failing on his
ruler, caused his immediate death.
• The number of deaths how is s I po x last week,
in Norwich, was 15.
Tuesday morning. shout six o'clock, an alarm-
ing fire broke out at Mr. GOODHARLed. pugar...
baker, Liweliouse. tear the water side, which rips
tirely consumed the premises, with the stock in
trade thereon.
4
ir •