The Cape of Good Hope

The Cape of Good Hope is the utmost bounds of the continent of Africa towards the south, lying in 34 degrees 30 minutes south latitude in a very temperate climate.

This latitude has the mildest and sweetest for its temperature. European seamen have a common prejudice that this country is much colder than places in the same latitude to the north of the Line.

I do not think so. They think so because whatever way they come to the Cape, whether going to the East Indies or returning back, they pass through a hot climate. Coming to it thus out of an extremity of heat, it is no wonder if it appear the colder to them.

Some impute the coldness of the south wind here to its blowing off from sea. On the contrary I have always observed the sea winds to be warmer than land-winds, unless it be when a bloom, as we call it, or hot blast blow from thence. Such a one we felt in this very voyage as we went from Cape Verde Islands towards the South Seas; which I forgot to mention in its proper place, Chapter 4.

For one afternoon on January 19, 1683 in the latitude of 37 south we felt a brisk gale coming from off the coast of America, but so violent hot that we thought it came from some burning mountain on the shore, and was like the heat from the mouth of an oven. Just such another gleam I felt one afternoon also, as I lay at anchor at the Groin in July 1694, it came with a southerly wind, both these were followed by a thunder shower. These were the only great blooms I ever met with in my travels.

But setting these aside, which are exceptions, I have made it my general observation that the sea-winds are a great deal warmer than those which blow from land unless where the wind blows from the Poles, which I take to be the true cause of the coldness of the south wind at the Cape, for it is cold at sea also.

As for the coldness of land-winds, as the south-west parts of Europe are very sensible of it from the northern and eastern winds; so on the opposite coast of Virginia they are as much pinched with the north-west winds blowing excessively cold from over the continent; though its latitude be not much greater than this of the Cape.

But to proceed: this large promontory consists of high and very remarkable land and off at sea it affords a very pleasant and agreeable prospect. And without doubt the prospect of it was very agreeable to those Portuguese who first found out this way by sea to the East Indies; when after coasting along the vast continent of Africa towards the South Pole they had the comfort of seeing the land and their course end in this promontory: which therefore they called the Cape de Bon Esperance, or of Good Hope, finding that they might now proceed easterly.

There is good sounding off this Cape 50 are 60 leagues at sea to the southward, and therefore our English seamen, standing over as they usually do, from the coast of Brazil, content themselves with their soundings, concluding thereby that they are abreast of the Cape, they often pass by without seeing it, and begin to shape their course northward. They have several other signs whereby to know when they are near it, as by the seafowl they meet at sea, especially the albatrosses, a very large long-winged bird, and the mangovolucres, a smaller fowl.

But the greatest dependence of our English seamen now is upon their observing the variation of the compass, which is very carefully minded when they come near the Cape by taking the sun’s amplitude mornings and evenings. This they are so exact in that, by the help of the azimuth compass, an instrument more peculiar to the seamen of our nation, they know when they are abreast of the Cape or are either to the east or the west of it: and for that reason, though they should be to southward of all the soundings or fathomable ground, they can shape their course right without being obliged to make the land. But the Dutch on the contrary, having settled themselves on this promontory, do always touch here in their East India voyages both going and coming.

The most remarkable land at sea is a high mountain, steep to the sea, with a flat even top, which is called the Table Land. On the west side of the Cape, a little to the northward of it, there is a spacious harbour with a low flat island lying off it, which you may leave on either hand and pass in or out securely at either end. Ships that anchor here ride near the mainland, leaving the island at a farther distance without them. The land by the sea against the harbour is low; but back with high mountains a little way in to the southward of it.

The soil of this country is of a brown colour; not deep yet indifferently productive of grass, herbs, and trees. The grass is short, like that which grows on our Wiltshire or Dorsetshire downs. The trees hereabouts are but small and few; the country also farther from the sea does not much abound in trees, as I have been informed. The mould or soil also is much like this near the harbour, which, though it cannot be said to be very fat or rich land, yet it is very fit for cultivation, and yields good crops to the industrious husbandman, and the country is pretty well settled with farms, Dutch families, and French refugees for twenty or thirty leagues up the country; but there are but few farms near the harbour.

Here grows plenty of wheat, barley, peas, etc. Here are also fruits of many kinds, as apples, pears, quinces, and the largest pomegranates that I did ever see.

The chief fruits are grapes. These thrive very well and the country is of late years so well stocked with vineyards that they make abundance of wine, of which they have enough and to spare; and do sell great quantities to ships that touch here. This wine is like a French high-country white wine, but of a pale yellowish colour; it is sweet, very pleasant and strong.

THE LAND-ANIMALS

The tame animals of this country are sheep, goats, hogs, cows, horses, etc. The sheep are very large and fat, for they thrive very well here: this being a dry country and the short pasturage very agreeable to these creatures, but it is not so proper for great cattle; neither is the beef in its kind so sweet as the mutton. Of wild beasts it is said here are several sorts, but I saw none. However it is very likely there are some wild beasts that prey on the sheep because they are commonly brought into the houses in the night and penned up.

A VERY BEAUTIFUL KIND OF ONAGER, OR WILD ASS, STRIPED REGULARLY BLACK AND WHITE

There is a very beautiful sort of wild ass in this country whose body is curiously striped with equal lists of white and black; the stripes coming from the ridge of his back and ending under the belly, which is white. These stripes are two or three fingers broad, running parallel with each other, and curiously intermixed, one white and one black, over from the shoulder to the rump. I saw two of the skins of these beasts dried and preserved to be sent to Holland as a rarity. They seemed big enough to enclose the body of a beast as big as a large colt of a twelvemonth old.

OSTRICHES

Here are a great many ducks, dunghill fowls, etc., and ostriches are plentifully found in the dry mountains and plains. I ate of their eggs here, and those of whom I bought them told me that these creatures lay their eggs in the sand or at least on dry ground, and so leave them to be hatched by the sun. The meat of one of their eggs will suffice two men very well. The inhabitants do preserve the eggs that they find to sell to strangers. They were pretty scarce when I was here, it being the beginning of their winter; whereas I was told they lay their eggs about Christmas which is their summer.

FISH.

The sea hereabouts affords plenty of fish of divers sorts; especially a small sort of fish, not so big as a herring; whereof they have such great plenty that they pickle great quantities yearly and send them to Europe.

SEALS.

Seals are also in great numbers about the Cape; which, as I have still observed, is a good sign of the plentifulness of fish, which is their food.

THE DUTCH FORT AND FACTORY.

The Dutch have a strong fort by the seaside against the harbour, where the governor lives. At about two or three hundred paces distance from thence, on the west side of the fort, there is a small Dutch town in which I told about fifty or sixty houses; low, but well built, with stone walls; there being plenty of stone drawn out of a quarry close by.

THEIR FINE GARDEN.

On the back side of the town, as you go towards the mountains, the Dutch East India Company have a large house and a stately garden walled in with a high stone wall.

This garden is full of divers sorts of herbs, flowers, roots, and fruits, with curious spacious gravel walks and arbours; and is watered with a brook that descends out of the mountains; which being cut into many channels is conveyed into all parts of the garden. The hedges which make the walks are very thick, and nine or ten foot high: they are kept exceeding neat and even by continual pruning. There are lower hedges within these again, which serve to separate the fruit-trees from each other, but without shading them: and they keep each sort of fruit by themselves, as apples, pears, abundance of quinces, pomegranates, etc. These all prosper very well and bear good fruit, especially the pomegranate. The roots and garden herbs have also their distinct places, hedged in apart by themselves; and all in such order that it is exceeding pleasant and beautiful. There are a great number of Negro slaves brought from other parts of the world; some of which are continually weeding, pruning, trimming, and looking after it. All strangers are allowed the liberty to walk there; and by the servants’ leave you may be admitted to taste of the fruit: but if you think to do it clandestinely you may be mistaken, as I knew one was when I was in the garden, who took five or six pomegranates and was espied by one of the slaves and threatened to be carried before the governor: I believe it cost him some money to make his peace, for I heard no more of it. Further up from the sea, beyond the garden, towards the mountains, there are several other small gardens and vineyards belonging to private men: but the mountains are so nigh that the number of them are but small.

THE TRAFFIC HERE.

The Dutch that live in the town get considerably by the ships that frequently touch here, chiefly by entertaining strangers that come ashore to refresh themselves; for you must give 3 shillings or a dollar a day for your entertainment; the bread and flesh is as cheap here as in England; besides they buy good penny-worths of the seamen, both outward and homeward bound, which the farmers up the country buy of them again at a dear rate; for they have not an opportunity of buying things at the best hand, but must buy of those that live at the harbour; the nearest settlements, as I was informed, being twenty miles off.

Notwithstanding the great plenty of corn and wine yet the extraordinary high taxes which the Company lays on liquors makes it very dear; and you can buy none but at the tavern except it be by stealth. There are but three houses in the town that sell strong liquor, one of which is this wine-house or tavern; there they sell only wine; another sells beer and mum; and the third sells brandy and tobacco, all extraordinary dear. A flask of wine which holds three quarts will cost eighteen stivers, for so much I paid for it; yet I bought as much for eight stivers in another place, but it was privately at an unlicensed house, and the personage sold would have been ruined had it been known. And thus much for the country and the European inhabitants.