Nothing worthy of notice occurred after leaving St. Helena, until we reached the Cape of Good Hope. We stopped at Cape Town, the capital of Cape Colony, and it may not be out of place here to give a brief description of the country and its inhabitants, or so much as came under my observation.
The district called Cape Colony, occupies the southern extremity of Africa. The leading feature in the aspect of the territory, consists in three successive ranges of mountains, running parallel east and west; and forming as it were a succession of terraces, rising above each other; the range farthest from the coast called the Snowy Mountains being the highest, and the first range, or that nearest the coast called the Lange Kloof, or Long Pass, the lowest. The Snowy Mountains are the highest in southern Africa, and the summits are generally covered with snow. Their greatest height will not fall short of 10,000 feet. The plain next the sea is covered with a deep and fertile soil, watered by numerous streams, and clothed with a beautiful variety of trees and shrubs. There are frequent rains, and from its nearness to the sea, enjoys a mild and equable temperature. The Karroos, a name given to the plains between the second and third mountain ranges, presents a dreary uniformity of level surface 300 miles in length, and 100 in breadth; the soil of which is hard and impenetrable, and destitute of all kind of vegetation. Table Mountain overlooks Cape Town, and rises abruptly like the ruins of a gigantic fortress. The highest point is about 3,588 feet above Table Bay.
The west side of this stupendous mass of rock is rent into hollows and worn away into pyramidal masses. The mountain is very difficult of ascent on account of numerous loose stones which make an unsafe foothold for the traveler. The summit is level, and very barren and bare of soil. Baboons, antelopes, vultures, and toads are sometimes to be met with on the mountain. The view from the summit is very extensive and picturesque. The bay seems a small pond or basin, and the ships in it are dwindled to little boats; the town, and the regular compartments of its gardens, look like the work of children, all is so dwindled into mere specks or lines.
The air on the summit in winter and in the shade, is generally about 15° lower than that of the town; but in summer a fleecy cloud called the "Table-cloth" appears on the mountain and gives indication of an approaching storm. This cloud is composed of immense masses of fleecy whiteness. It does not appear to be at rest on the hill, but to be constantly rolling onward from the southeast; yet, to the surprise of the beholder, it never descends, because the snowy wreaths seen falling over the precipice towards the town below, vanish completely before they reach it, while others are formed to replace them on the other side. The two principal rivers on the western coast are the Berg or Mountain river, and the "Elephants' river," and these are only navigable by small crafts to the distance of about 20 miles up the country.
On the south coast is Broad river. Its mouth, now called Port Beaufort, allows vessels of 200 tons to enter, and discharge or load in safety.
The river Gamity, the next in size on the coast, is a collection of waters from the Great Karroo and Black Mountains. In the rainy season it is a rapid and dangerous stream. Most of these rivers swelled by periodical rains, deposit much mud and sand at their mouths. Some of them during the dry season are lost amid the sand and rocks.
In this colony the seasons are divided into Monsoons, of which there are two, annually; the one wet, and the other dry. The wet monsoon is called winter, and the dry, summer. The weather during the wet monsoon is disagreeable and moist, but the cold is not severe. Ice is never more than an eighth of an inch thick. Thunder and lightning are very rare and seldom violent. The atmosphere is healthy and agrees well with European constitutions.
The cape has long been celebrated among naturalists as a fertile field for their labors. Almost every animal found on the African continent may be found in the neighborhood of this colony. Two varieties of lions, the yellow and the brown, zebras, elephants, rhinoceros, the giraffe and buffalo, are all found there.
Wine is manufactured at the Cape and exported in considerable quantities. Many kinds of wine are extremely cheap, and a large quantity is consumed in the colony.
Cape Town, the capital, was founded in 1652, and is built with great regularity. The streets are wide, intersecting each other at right angles. There are some 1500 houses which are for the most part constructed of stone, cemented with a glutinous kind of earth, and are generally white-washed on the outside. Their height is seldom more than two floors, frequent storms rendering a greater elevation dangerous. Many of the houses have trees planted before them, which gives a rural appearance to the town.