Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-09-21
LIFE In SOUTH AFRICA.
THE EARLY HISTORY AND DEVELOP
MeNT OF CAPE TOWN.
Gold Played an Important Part in South
Africa-The First European Settle
ment-Tho Home of Cecil
Rhodes.

Rhodes.
The little acorn that was planted I'm
South Africa, now grown to q giant tree,
dates back to the fifteenth century ac-
cording to a correspondent of the New
York Mail and Express, whe sends his pa
per the following interesting story:
There have been found the remains of
old fortftications at different places, built
III primitive manner, and the dscoveries
Of stone implements, weapons, etc, in
river beds and aluvial soils, all Indicating
that whoever occupied this country IN
ages gone by were savaPes. There have
also been found primitive methods used
for securing gold from rock and river bot
toms, or placer mines. 1t is presumed the
Arabs, who were great trades with the
natives gave them valuable information
that worked TO their advantage.
Gold was not only secured in South Az
RIGA, but in many parts OF Eastern Africa
IT cannot be successfully disputed that the
country of Ophir spoken of in the Bible
was not some part of Africa, and from
this country came the gold during the
time of Solomon and the Queen Of Sheba.
| The first Europeans to visit Africa were
the Portuguese. Many attempts were
made by these people to reach the south
em point of Africa but expeditions one
after another failed because of fever
sc urvy, head winds and storms. Not until
1856 were they successful, and then in two
vessels of fifty tons each after being
blown by storm far away from the coast
and south of Africa, the crew became
fnutinous and Capt Diaz was obliged to
retrace his course and in doing so. he
sighted the Cape of Good Hope which he
ramed Cape Tormentoso" the Cape of
Storms.
! No advantage was taken of this infor-
snI
vessels 125 tons each, sailed for India by
doubling the Cape: while doing so they
discovered Natal on the east coas. of
South Africa. In 1903 a Portuguese named
Saldanha landed in Table I>ay, ana was
the first European to ascend Table Noun
| tain
Nothing further was reported from
South Africa until seven years after when
d Amedia, Viceroy of India. returning
home after overcoming the Ottoman EN-
pre, in the Indian Ocean, was slain with
siXty-fve of his men by the natives on
the grassy rlopes At the foot of Table
Mountain. This so terrified the Portuguese
that they did not land here any more.
i Sir Francis Drake. whep making his
voyage round the world doubled the Cape
and described ii as the most stately
thing and the fairest Cape we saw On the
whole circumference of the world"
/ In 1895 the first Dutch feet was seen in
1920 the English flag was hoisted, but no
settlement attempted. During the year 1913
a Dutch vessel was driven ashore and
wrecked in Table Bay. The Crew, after
staying there for some months, were
taken off and gave such "A favorable re-
port of the country that the Netherlands
East India Company decided to form a
station in the bay.
In the year 1851 three Holland vessels
arrived at Table Bay aztec what was then
called a quick passage of 1N days, these
being the first vessels to make this place
their destination
After a few months these vessels return
ed, leaving more than a hundred persons
to form the earliest European settlement
in South Africa. Undee' the direction of
the first commander Van Riebeck, who
was an energetic man, fort was built for
protection against the natives. vegetable
gardens were laid out and cattle obtained
by barter from the natives VINO were
Hotentots. At this time the wild beasts
were so bad that a reward of % shilings
was given for killing a lion. Ii shilinSs
for a hyena and II shillings for leopard.
From this date until 1906, with the eX-
coption Of seven years, the Dutch cen
tinued to hold possession but had mony
trials and trbulations. Different m,n sue
oeeded each other as governor there was
a gradual extension Of territory. an in
crease in numbers. and a history made
worthy of these people, considering all
they had to contend with
In 17l3 there was a terrible outbreak OF
smallpox; over % per cent of the white
population were carried off and the Hot
tentots almost extermirated thus dis
, pcrsiny the native question that had
caused more or less trouble.
The harbor at Table Bay was so exposed
. to severe gales that during the year 172.
seven Dutch and three English vessels
were wrecked on its shores. causing a loss
, of six hundred lives, and pCoper.y to the
value of a quarter of a million sterling
, of the East India Company's vessels.
Since 1906 the English have had posses
a sion of this colony. AT this time the popu-
, lation numbered &c 700 whites, 29,300 slaves
, and H. go Hottentots.
! During the year 1911 was the first Kaffl
7 war 1915 the Boer rebellion. 1919 the Sec
, ond Kaffir war, 1884 the emancipation OF
1 the slaves and 1885 the third Katiir war.
, I have given some of the history of Cape
, Town and Cape Colony to make compar
, son, to certain extent, of their prescn
, with the past. This colony has increase
E in dimensions, having now an area, includ
t ing Bechuanaland, of 27S, 1872 square miles
I and a population of about two millions
| Has railroads. Telegraph lines AMI owe
|. 1900 miles of dirt roads, a credit to any
/ country.
= Cape Town is city having a population
4 of about 10000. OF this number 10000 o.