As it regards the first circumnavigator of the cape of Good Hope and the discoverer of South and East Africa, the world seems willing to award the whole merit of the discovery to Vasco de Gama, and he is held forth in bold relief, at the expense of others, who are entitled at least to a small share of it. In looking into ancient history, there is much light shed upon it. According to Herodotus, it seems that one of the most illustrious of native Egyptian kings, “actuated by the spirit of a great man, which raised him superior to the age in which he lived, eagerly sought the solution of the grand mystery, that involved the form and termination of Africa.” In furtherance of this noble project and to ensure it success if practicable, he employed the boldest of navigators in those days, to wit, certain Phenicians. Having obtained vessels which were thought suitable for the enterprise, they proceeded down the Red sea and boldly launched out into the Indian ocean, and after a voyage of three years, they made the complete circuit of the continent, passing through the Pillars of Hercules (straits of Gibraltar) and up the Mediteranean to Egypt.
They stated that in passing the most southern coast of Africa, they were surprised by observing the sun on their right hand, or to the north of them, a statement which the historian rejected as impossible. This very circumstance, which threw an air of discredit over the whole transaction, was the strongest proof that could be adduced in confirmation of what is known to every one in the present day, that to the south of the equator this must necessarily have taken place.—Some writers have deemed it impossible for other reasons, because of the smallness and weakness of their vessels—but as we see thousands of small craft, in the China, Java, Red and Arabian seas, and from cape Guardafui to Da Lagoa bay, of not more than fifteen to twenty tons burden and some even less, open amidships, or having merely a palmleaf-covering, sowed together with coir spun-yarn the seams being calked with the same stuff and chunamed outside, the rudders being tied on, where we use braces and pintles, which are always unshipped in port, and secured again by the crew who are expert divers—without even pumps, the water being bailed up amidships and poured into a spout which leads from side to side—the wonder rather ceases, and it is certainly a strong and convincing proof that the craft of the Phenician navigators was no obstacle to the enterprise. Added to this, all small vessels as well as more large ones in the seas I have named, always keep in shore and never quit it unless from necessity—and furthermore, by far the greater part do not use compasses. And if further confirmation is wanted, look at the numerous enterprises projected by the Malegashes (people of Madagascar) a few years since, against the Comoro islands and various places in Africa, against the Portuguese settlement and those of the sultan of Muscat, in open canoes, without compass or sails, being propelled by paddles and carrying sometimes upward of six thousand warriors. This shows the practicability of exploring the coast even in more unsafe vessels, and of a much smaller description, for the Malegashes were necessarily out sight of land from two to three days occasionally, as the distance from Grand Comoro to the Querimba islands on the main, where they landed several times, is not less than one hundred and thirty-five miles. Look at the hardy sons of New England also, navigating the Atlantic ocean on vessels of thirty or forty tons, visiting every creek and nook in the Falkland islands, South Shetland and Cape Horn, in search of seals. Furthermore, there was the voyage of Pedro de Cavalho, and he transmitted his description to Portugal.
Now if the account of Herodotus is untrue, still Diaz’s discovery of the cape and Cavalho’s voyage to Soffala, left de Gama but the short distance of one thousand two hundred miles to explore, and therefore he is only entitled to a small share of the credit which threw so much lustre on the Portuguese name, in effecting a passage by sea to the East Indies, which was previously performed by a most circuitous and tedious route by land and by water; for de Gama, on his arrival at Quilmany, obtained pilots to Mozambique, and from thence onward all obstructions were removed.
All that vast tract of country lying between the cape of Good Hope and cape Guardafui, may now be said to be parcelled out among three nations. The English are gradually or rather rapidly settling that whole tract of country lying between the cape district (cape of Good Hope) and Da Lagoa bay. There is a considerable settlement at Fish river, about six hundred miles east of the cape, and there is a small one begun at port Natal, about two hundred and seventy miles to the north and eastward of it, on the coast of Natal, which is about the same distance to Da Lagoa bay, still further to the eastward; and they claim part of Da Lagoa bay by gift from a negro king, Mayetta, the sovereign of Temba. This brings them to the borders of the Portuguese settlements. The Portuguese claim from Da Lagoa bay to the cape Delgado, lying in about 10° south. From the latter cape to cape Guardafui, it is claimed (with all the islands adjacent to the coast) by the sultan of Muscat.
The exports from Mozambique do not exceed half a million of dollars, (since the suppression of the slave-trade.) These consist in elephant and hippopotamus ivory, gold dust, tortoise-shell, ambergris, columbo-root, drugs, cowries, rhinoceros-horns, and hides, &c., &c. This is certainly a very meager account of the value of its exports, to which may be added, pearls of a superior quality, there being an abundance about the Bazaruto islands; but its resources are yet to be developed, and I have stated previously of what they may consist, provided the government will throw off all shackles which embarrass trade, and have a duty not exceeding that which is now imposed by the sultan of Muscat, to wit: a duty of five per cent. only, on goods landed and sold, without any other charge whatever. If this is not done, all trade among foreigners must necessarily proceed to the sultan’s dominions, in East Africa. The duties and exactions on foreign commerce are so exorbitant, but more particularly on the American trade, that our flag has almost entirely deserted all the Portuguese ports in West as well as in East Africa. The Americans pay twenty-four per cent. and the English fifteen, on imports, exclusive of an almost endless number of fees, besides export duties.
Imports consist of coarse cotton goods, white, brown, blue, and striped, as well as some fine cottons, and a small quantity of light quality woollen cloth, principally blue, suitable for the army. Powder, arms, beads, sugar, tea, coffee, wine, spirits, &c.; in fact, every article useful to eat, or to drink, or to clothe themselves.
DEPARTURE FROM MOZAMBIQUE.
Our passage from Mozambique to Table bay, was marked with storms and tempests, violent and sudden gales, accompanied with a mountainous sea. After passing the dangerous reef of rocks, called the Bassas de India, in the southern part of the Mozambique channel, we were assailed by one gale, with the rapidity of lightning, in the latitude twenty-eight, and longitude thirty-four east, taking the ship “flat-aback” instantaneously, and placing us in a most dangerous and critical situation. It was a doubtful case, for some minutes, whether she would not overset, or go down stern foremost. But “He who holds the winds in his power, the waters in the hollow of his hand,” mercifully decreed that we should once more see the living objects of our affections, and be restored in safety to our beloved country—“to the land of the brave, and the home of the free;” for the ship’s head “payed off,” and she was got before the wind, all sail being taken in, and drove before this furious hurricane for the space of eight hours, under bare poles, the captain not daring to loosen an inch of canvass to the tempest during that time. The first three or four hours, she went at the rate of twelve miles per hour, and when her rate had diminished to about eight knots, having had, in the meantime, every article that would lessen the weight on the spar and gun-decks, placed in the hold and on the berth-deck, she was “hove to.” It would have been done in the commencement of the gale, but as the ship was very light, and the stock of provisions nearly expended, it was apprehended, in bringing her “to the wind,” she would overset, when all would inevitably have perished. We touched on the northeastern edge of bank Agulhas, for the purpose of taking advantage of the strong southerly and westerly current, and we were by no means disappointed, for the ship was set to the extraordinary distance of one hundred and twenty-three miles, in twenty-four hours, south, 71° west, between the twenty-sixth and twenty-seventh of November, from the latitude of 32° 36′, and longitude 25° 16′, to the latitude of 35° 21′ and longitude 23° 8′; but it was accompanied by a tremendous wrecking sea. As we had three excellent chronometers, and made the land at daybreak the following morning, about the bay of St. Sebastian; we ascertained, both then and afterward, there was no error; and yet, on the twenty-sixth and twenty-eighth, the current was very feeble, not exceeding thirteen miles in the two days. On the thirtieth, we made the most southern land of Africa, being cape Agulhas. It is a low flat point, the sea always breaking over it. We saw, in the course of the day, cape Hanglip, and the cape of Good Hope also, which bound the entrance into False bay. Heavy gales of wind, between west and northwest, continued until the fourth of December, when we made Table mount, and stood into the bay in a violent southeast gale. We then saw, for the first time, the phenomenon of the cloud-capped mount, which is always seen when the wind is from that quarter. One looks with astonishment, at what seems always to be the same cloud, sideling along from east to west, apparently remaining stationary, without being instantly dispersed by the furious tempest; but Doctor Arnott thus accounts for the singular beauty and density of the clouds, which frequently envelop the mount, and the cause of its creation and final dispersion: “The reason of the phenomenon is, that the air, constituting the wind from the northeast, having passed over the vast southern ocean, comes charged with as much invisible moisture as the temperature can sustain. In rising up the side of the mountain, it is rising in the atmosphere, and is therefore gradually escaping from a part of the former pressure; and on attaining the summit, it has dilated so much, and has consequently become so much colder, that it lets go part of its moisture: and it no sooner falls over the edge of the mountain and again descends in the atmosphere to where it is pressed, and condensed and heated as before, than it is re-dissolved and disappears: the magnificent apparition dwelling only on the mountain-top.”
ARRIVAL AT TABLE BAY.
The ship came to anchor, about one mile from the landing, soon after sunrise, and a beautiful home scene was presented to our view. The town is on a sloping plane, and rises gradually to the foot of the celebrated Table mountain, a distance of about three miles, the height of this precipitous mountain being three thousand six hundred feet. The town is seen stretching out also on the right towards the Lion’s Head, which is at an elevation of two thousand eight hundred feet, and again to the extreme right towards the Lion’s Rump, which is at an elevation of one thousand one hundred and forty feet. Around the base of this hill, which is called Green Point, are a great many neat villas and cottages. On this point stands the light-house, containing two excellent lights on the same level. On the left again, farmhouses are scattered about the base of the Devil’s Peak, which is three thousand three hundred feet high; the road leading to Wynberg is seen winding round it. The vine-fields were beautifully verdant, the grape just beginning to fill out, and the fruit and ornamental trees appeared to be abundant in the city and about the cottages; but still the general appearance of the country was far from being verdant, and the few trees called the protea dispersed about the elevated and uncultivated parts of the land, disappoint an American eye, being deficient in noble forest-trees. The violent southeast gale of the previous day having subsided, ushered forth a day redolent with sweets to the weary mariner, being calm, mild and beautiful; the smoke was ascending from a thousand fires in the town, preparing the early meal; a school or church bell was heard in the distance; the people who visited us, speaking the English language, forcibly reminded us of home and a thousand endearing and painful recollections, after an absence of nearly two years; but our cares were once more hushed, and the stormy Indian ocean and its ten thousand perils were almost obliterated from our memories, like the forms of last year’s clouds; and with grateful hearts we found ourselves again within the pale of civilization, in a bracing and healthy climate which we had long and ardently desired to meet, to recruit our debilitated frames, which were nearly exhausted by the baneful climates of Java and Manila, Siam and Muscat, Mocha and Mozambique. An interchange of salutes took place on our arrival, but the effect of the echo, was not comparable to that produced by the amphitheatre of rocky hills and caverns which encompass Muscat. In passing up from the landing, we went through the water street of every seaport town, across the grand parade to George’s hotel, in the street called Heeregracht, through the centre of which is a canal which conducts off the waste water flowing from the base of Table mount. From the same source the town and shipping are supplied, the fountain-head being at the beautiful seat of Mt. Breda, by means of iron pipes which conduct it to the jetty: hose being led into the casks from the conductors, boats are enabled to load with great ease. The canal is shaded on either side by the cape oak; it also passes through a fine shaded walk which is still called the public garden, although a very large portion of it is appropriated, most ignominiously, to the culture of vegetables: it is probably two thirds of a mile in length. The town is regularly laid out, is said to contain about twenty-two thousand inhabitants, and has a neat appearance; there are shops in abundance, but prices are extravagantly high. The houses are generally made flat-roofed, so that the violence of the winds may less affect them: they are built of ordinary brick and stuccoed; the interior arrangements of the richer class, are similar to those in larger cities. One is very much reminded of a Dutch American town in the state of New York, excepting that soldiers are stationed at every principal place, as though the inhabitants were not trustworthy; they are seen before courts of justice, the government-house, postoffice, and custom-house, but they are never seen in my own country, even before the palace of the President.