Narrative of the surveying voyages of his majesty's ships Adventure and Beagle (vol.3)

June, 18S6. cape of good hope. 575 that of the Mauritius. It does not, however, arise from the popularity of the EngUsh; for the Dutch as well as the French, although they have profited to an immense degree by the English government, yet thoroughly dishke our whole nation. All the fragments of the civilized world which we have visited in the southern hemisphere, appear to be flourish- ing : httle embryo Englands are springing into life in many quarters. Although the Cape colony possesses only a moderately fertile country, it appears in a very prosperous condition. In one respect it suffers like New South Wales, namely, in the absence of water communication, and in the interior being separated from the coast by a high chain of mountains. This country does not possess coal ; and there is no timber, excepting at a considerable distance. Hides, tallow, and wine are the chief exports, and latterly a con- siderable quantity of corn. The farmers are beginning also to pay attention to sheep-grazing, — a hint taken from Aus- tralia. It is no small triumph to Van Diemen's Land, that live sheep have been exported from a colony of thirty- three years standing, to this which was founded in 1651. In Cape Town it is said that the present number of in- habitants is about 15,000, and in the whole colony, including coloured people, 200,000. Many different nations are here mingled together ; the Europeans consist of Dutch, French, and English, and scattered people from other parts. The Malays, descendants of slaves brought from the East Indian archipelago, form a large body. They are a fine set of men, and can always be distinguished by a conical hat, like the roof of a circular thatched cottage, or by a red handkerchief on their heads. The number of negroes is not very great ; and the Hottentots, the ill-treated aborigines of the country, are, I should think, in a still smaller proportion. The first object in Cape Town which strikes the eye of a stranger, is the number of bullock-waggons. Several times I saw eighteen, and I heard of twenty-four oxen being all yoked together in one team. Besides these, waggons with