Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1847-05-13
APRIL 10th, 1917.

you think worthy of place in your excellent paper
Respectfully yours, &C., L. 5.
The hoarse summons Of the boatswain and his
mates, of '.all hands up anchor, ahoy!" obeyed
with much eheerfulness and alacrity. Indeed we
were all weary enough Of the city of the cape-not
by any means, that II is embarrassing placefar
from 1t may wander mucn, and far without
meeting with such another combination of things
agreeable, beautiful, and sublime. Table mountain,
which nearly east and west rises like a stupcn
dous wall back of the city, gives of from one
tremIty the DEVILS Peak and from the other the Lii
on's Head and Rump. thus forming basin, open on
side to the bay, in which the city is situated. The
bases OF these mountains spread out into long and easy
slopes, covered with beautiful vegetation, laced with
numerous little rills which glitter in the sunbeums
hike threads Of silver. This graceful aud charming
landscape contrasts finely with the abrupt rugged
and frowning aspect Of the mountains above, utterly
destitute Of verdure they areblasied and dcsoate
The ascent Of Table mountain, is feat 10 be under
taken, matter of course, by all persons visiting
the place. 1t is task that Hercules-did that
thy live In our days-might engage in, without any
dIscredt whatever to his prowess-and, on the city
side at least must be accomplished, If at all, by means
Of an immense ravine, which opens at the middle OF
the base of the wall like part of the mountain, and
runs obliquely up its side. This ravne is about
half mile in length, and but few, | am convinced,
would be able to all its difficulties and pass
up its whole extent, it not that the mind kept
so constantly excited and on tiptoe with curiosity,
that il has time to think about the body; and
tolls through the narrow and terrific valley-clam
bering over huge, sharp, angular rocks--leaping
chasms-clinging TO assures and jutting fragments.
to sustain ones self where mssiep slip would be
utter perdon-rcgardless, and apparently uncon-
scious Of bleeding hands and feet torn clothes, and
barked shinS. When once safely landed, however
upon the broad moss-covered table of the noun ain
one is amply recompensed for all their labor. scene
unlimited in extent and Of inexpressibie grandeur
and magnifcence, bursts upon the view. Swiss,
direct from the icy plnnacles of his native Alps,
would, think, at first, be overpowered, astounded
terriied,-and would acknowledge that, whilst his
native heights command many views equally grand,
more beautiful and smiling from the combined opera
tions of nature and art-more thrilling from the asso-
Citations connected with them Of human pomps, tri-
umphs, and suferngs-they yet command not one,
capable of exciting such deep and mingled emotions
of terror and astonshmen does the southern pros
pect from this aerial platform. Facing the SOUTH the
eye down the giddy, jagged precipices of the
mountain, along the cultivated and blooming slopes to
The city, which, in the far depths, looks like net
work of white lines spread upon the margin of the
bay ON southwark the eye glances over the Lions
Rump regular, lofty hill, rather than mountain,
covered with a smooth green coat, descending to the
beach on the right; and oil the le Its outline curyng
around to the northward, sinks gradually for some
distance then rises again precpitatey and terminates
in lofty, round and bald knob, the Head of the
u
complete change-vegetaton ceases abruptly, and as
abruptly all beauty, and regularity. The spirit of
desolation broods over all beyond. wild chaos of
bleak windbeaten hills of red and gray granite ri
sing into fantastic peaks, riyen here and there from
summit to base, disclosing deep winding ravines,
stretches away between shores which, serrated and
abrupt, frownng with precipces and huge oyerhang-
ing cliffs contract in their southwark course, and f.
nally terminate in the cape of Good Hope-the ex-
IRENE southern limit of Africa, where two mighty
oceans-the Atlantic and Indian-rush furiously TO-
gether, shaking in the ferceness and power of their
collision, the very hills of granite.
As far in this direction the eye can extend, the
scene is grand and terrific beyond conception The
waters upheavIng into foam-crested billows like
wing alps, advance in wild confusion and hurl them
selves against the cape and the precipces either
side with an uproar like the thunder Of heaven. I'M
ages Of horror fiji the mind One can see the gallant
bark, its mass shvered, and its ccsdage strewng the
gale, driven furousy by the tremendous surf and
dashed and shivered to pieces against tie rocks-the
shrieks of the despairing seamen--
"The last bubbling cry
or some strong swimmer in his agony
ring sharply and terribly upon the through the
hoarser of the waters.
Turning to the northward and eastward, the mind
is quickly relieved of Its images of HORROR the numb
ed faculties relieved and charmed by the beauty
and calm magnifcence of Italian landsca pe.-
The Mozambique, the glorious Mozambique, whose
serene majesty and splendor fired the muse of Cam
orns, expands, smooth and unruffled as MIRROR to
the horizon, faithfully rejecting Its still bright
waters the image of every passing cloud. Along the
coast, deeply ndented with great dream-like bays,
as far the eye reach the country, rich and I'M
dulatng highly cultivated and adorned by the in-
dustry and taste of its Dutch and English proprietors
Every bill has its vineyard and embowered cottage.
Every valley its hamlet, rivulet, blooming gardens,
and groves of fruit and shade trees. scene it is
upon which no gaze without becoming, for
time at least better and happier. Stretched upon the
soft purple moss of the mountain, images of quiet
beauty, of innocence and peaceful happiness crowd
upon the mind, and the soul unconscously joins in
natures hymn of worship to natures God ascending
pure and sublime from every hill and valley, and from
the far-spreading ocean. Turning to the northward
/ and westward, again view a of desolation,
but of character entirely different from that which
has already been mentioned Along the Atlantic Shore
the country is hily, and covered with impenetrabe
thckes, which, inland, become gradually thinned
out, and divided into separate junges which look like
little green Isleis scattered along the margin of an
arid ocean of sand that sweeps from the head of Table
bay northward far the eye can reach.
These views from Table mountain, admirably
contrasting with each other each perfect in Its
kind would amply repay one for the trouble expense
and loss of time, incurred by trip the Allan
tic The cape has besides many other attractions.
No spot on the round earth is blessed with more
equal and delicious climate and the city, too, is
altogether unworthy its location. 1t is neither very
large, very wealthy-has superb public edices
and indeed preensions whatever to architectural
splendor, for it built chiefly by the Dutch, and
that people, it is well known, love the bright little
guders themselves, far better than fine houses, or,
in truth, anything else There is a simplicity and
neatness about 1t, however which take from all
disposition to grumble for want of display. The
houses built of light colored stone and are usually
IL L a 1t n