hundred English miles, by the road; of eighty, from the village of Uitenage; and a hundred and eighty, from the village of Graaff-Reynétt.

The frontier towards the Caffres is protected by a military force, stationed at various fortified posts along, or in the vicinity of, the Fish-river. With some of these tribes, there exists at this moment, unfortunately, a misunderstanding, which is generally said to have been at first occasioned by mismanagement and injustice towards them, some years ago, when the colony was under Dutch government. Whether this be the cause or not, they may be compelled to pacific behaviour, by making them sensible of the power the English have to annihilate them, if they chose to exert it. Or, which would be the most desirable mode, by enquiring into the injustice they complain of; and, if found to be true, making some reasonable reparation: avoiding, however, every thing that could be construed by them into a timid solicitation of peace.

Mutual good-will being once established, these tribes may supply the new settlement with useful laborers; and furnish it, by barter, with cattle at a very cheap rate. And, should an extension of territory be deemed necessary, it is probable that by honorable treaty with their chiefs, they would sell a part of their land; especially if, by introducing the customs of civilised life among them, they could be induced to reside within the colony as agricultural laborers or as herdsmen ; which there is reason for thinking they would readily do, if fairly paid for their services. One advantage to the settlement, to be derived from its juxtaposition to this people, would be the profitable trade of supplying them with various articles of European manufacture. The country to the eastward of the Fish-river, is known to be superior in fertility to that lying to the westward; and, by making the Keísikamma river the colonial boundary, a length of coast, of perhaps forty miles, would be added.

The Great Fish-river, at its mouth, is as broad as the Thames below London; but is not navigable many miles upwards, and its entrance is choaked up by a bar of sand. It is said, however, to have been frequented by Portuguese ships, before the foundation of Cape Town; and it has been asserted that they built a fort on its left bank, but of which at this day few remains are discoverable. This may prove at least, that they found shelter in the roadstead, especially from the north-westerly winds; and that there is a practicable landing place. Indeed, it had the appearance to the writer, that at high tides the river might be safely entered by boats. A jutty, however, carried out beyond the surf, would ensure a safe landing at most seasons.

The head quarters of the troops stationed on the frontier was fixed in the northern part of this district, and has by degrees become a permanent village, the residence of the Landdrost, (or Deputy Landdrost) of the district of Albany; and has received the name of Graham's Town. As a position for head quarters, it may have been, perhaps, judiciously chosen ; but it is to be lamented that a village has grown up in a spot which could never have been selected as a proper scite for a town. As it is, it might serve, though not very conveniently, as a nucleus around which an agricultural population might form; and already have some few farms been granted to the boors. But it is too far from the sea to receive all the benefits of a coasting trade, being more than thirty miles from the nearest shore, and is by no means in the finest part of the country.

Perhaps the best situation for a town, might be on the Kowi river, somewhere above the influence of the salt water; as boats might advance a considerable way up it, if it should prove practicable to pass the bar at its mouth. Or, the lower part of the Bushmans river might, on examination, be found to offer a spot equally eligible; and, being a larger stream, it might on that account be preferable. The banks of the Great Fish-river would, doubtless, be the most advisable spot, were it not for a too great proximity to the Caffres, and the more objectionable circumstance of not being sufficiently central in the settlement; or rather, of being on the very skirts of the colony. But this objection would vanish, if some extent of territory on the left bank of the river could be purchased from that people.

For the purpose of giving an idea of the rate of travelling at the Cape of Good Hope, it may here be mentioned that the journey from the mouth of this last river to Cape Town cannot be performed in much less time than a month in waggons drawn by oxen, the usual mode of travelling; even with the assistance of a double or treble team, and with the least possible loss of time. But by the aid of relays obtained along the road from stage to stage,under the authority of a government requisition, it may be done in a shorter time. There is no other mode at present in which a family can be conveyed through the colony; and the universal want of inns compels a travelling party to carry their own provisions, bedding and cooking utensils with them. A horseman in long journies, according to common estimation, will travel twice as fast as an ox-waggon; that is six miles in the hour ; and he may sometimes find accommodations at the houses of the boors. A light waggon drawn by horses, which go at a trot, is seldom used for such long journies; and besides, is a mode of conveyance not likely to be pro

curable to emigrants. A waggon, with its appurtenances, costs, when new, seven hundred rix dollars; and a team of ten oxen, three hundred or three hundred and fifty. The customary wages of a Hottentot, in the country, are from two to five rix dollars per month, besides their food and lodging.

It is remarkable that in the whole Cape Colony, excepting the Peninsula, there is not one village immediately upon the coast; although ships may land, and take in cargoes of colonial produce at several places. To the want of a market and outlet, for the produce of those districts which are too distant from the metropolis to send their articles by land, may partly be ascribed the disinclination of the boors to grow more than sufficient for their own consumption. Although it must be confessed that the Government Corn-Magazine, erected at Mossel Bay, for the purpose of receiving any quantity of corn at a fixed price, has hitherto been no inducement for the boors to cultivate more land; nor have they manifested the least inclination to take advantage of the opportunity it presents for increased industry.

Algoa Bay, where there is a fort, and a party of military, is now, indeed, much more frequented by transport vessels from Cape Town; the voyage being from five to eight days. It is the seaport of the village of Uitenhage; which place lies at the distance of twenty miles inland.

Plettenbergs Bay is visited constantly by a colonial vessel for timber, which is cut in the surrounding forests. Although, with abundance of materials close at hand, it would cost but a trifling sum to build out a safe wharf or landing place, the attempt has never been made; notwithstanding the graves of some English persons, drowned in landing, and buried on the beach, stand a melancholy proof of the necessity of constructing something of this kind. At Algoa Bay there are several graves of our countrymen who have lost their lives in the same way.

The fine harbour of the Nysna, notwithstanding its dangerous entrance, has several times lately been entered by ships, which have sailed out with cargoes of timber : and, could it be possible to remove the sunken rocks at his mouth, it would be the most eligible and delightful spot in the whole colony for a town, which in time would probably rival Cape Town in size and commerce; having, besides its central situation, many advantageous circumstances to contribute to its prosperity.

It is greatly to be regretted that at Saldanha Bay, the finest harbor imaginable, no attempt has hitherto been made to establish a town; which could not fail to prosper, as soon as it should be known to ships that they could there obtain a supply of fresh provisions,

wood, and water. The deficiency of this last article has always been considered the great obstacle. But it does not appear that the matter has ever been investigated with the serious intention of adopting a plan for rendering that bay a regular and serviceable seaport. Various opinions have from time to time been given, and the majority declare that such a scheme is practicable, if the expense of conveying water several miles in iron pipes be not an objection. To accomplish an improvement of so much importance to the colony and to shipping, would require the labor of many hands, and would furnish proper employment for a large party of such emigrants as feel less qualified for an agricultural life. But such a work will, in all probability, never be effected but by the public purse and authority.

At the present moment the occupation of the Zúureveld appears by much the most likely plan for affording, at the least expense, a comfortable situation for emigrants. Besides the advantages already mentioned, it possesses that of the presence of a considerable body of British troops, from which, not only protection, but much assistance may be derived; and it is a district already much more Anglicised than any other in the Cape Colony. One regiment consisted entirely of Hottentots officered by Europeans, and was a corps peculiarly well suited for keeping in check the ill-disposed part of the Caffres, whose present troublesome visits would cease as soon as the country should be properly inhabited. These Hottentots form excellent and obedient soldiers, and no measure could be more unwise than that of making any reduction in the strength of this regiment. Hottentots, whether civil or military, are well-disposed to engage themselves in the employ of the English, whom they consider to be their protectors and friends: and are a race of men, nationally speaking, deserving of encouragement; but not fitted for impatient masters. They are excellent shepherds, and in the management of oxen are admirably expert.

As it is evidently the intention of Government, in the application of that grant of money, to afford immediate relief to such distressed persons of this country as may desire to emigrate to the Cape, the plan of making the business find its own way by leaving it to the chance of private individuals of some responsibility carrying out with them parties of emigrants, consisting of not fewer than ten persons, does not appear best calculated to answer this kind intention. Few persons of independent property may be found inclined to engage in such an undertaking, and those of smaller means may be fearful of entering on what they may deem, though perhaps unnecessarily, an uncertain speculation: whilst there may be many single families, or individuals, very desirous of emigrating on their own responsibility, to whom the offers of Government

are rendered unavailable, by fixing the number of ten adult persons as the minimum of each application. If, therefore, the Government should see the expediency of taking the execution of it into their own hands, a great deal of time may be saved, and much more may be accomplished in the first attempt, than could otherwise be done in a considerable length of time. Still allowing private individuals to take advantage of the offers that have already been officially made to them.

Thus; it might be recommended that intimation should be given that a vessel would sail to the Cape, as soon as a sufficient number of emigrants had assembled; and that they should come provided with certificates from the minister of their respective parishes, testifying that they were persons of a proper character and description.

In the mean time, it would be requisite that some preparations should be made at the Cape; such as purchasing a number of cattle and oxen, and providing a stock of flour to supply their immediate wants on landing: collecting a quantity of seed-corn and potatoes for planting; together with the seed of fruit trees (for peaches will produce fruit in the third year after they have been sown) and esculent vegetables: forwarding from Cape Town a number of tents to lodge the settlers in for the first two or three months; or, lest there might not be enough spare tents at the Cape, these articles might be taken from England: providing teams of oxen trained to ploughing having in readiness some common waggons and, in short, making such other arrangements, as the nature of the country will point out to be necessary.

From the inexhaustible forests of Auteníqua-land and Zítzikamma (Sítsikamma), lying on the very sea-shore, the finest timber for the buildings of the settlement may be procured at no more expense than that of cutting and fetching way.

The ships conveying out the settlers, would take out a moderate quantity of agricultural implements: whatever would be required for the erection of an overshot water-mill: a printing press: a forge, together with a quantity of iron: and ordinary tools of all

kinds.

It is strongly advised not to disembark at Cape Town, but that the whole party should be landed at Algoa Bay; unless upon previous examination, a convenient landing place shall have been found nearer to the scite of the intended village or settlement. An encampment would be made on the spot; and near to it a detachment of military from Graham's Town would take up their quarters, to afford protection and assistance to the new-comers; who, of course, would, for some time after their arrival, be too ignorant of the nature of the country not to feel the advantage of their

presence.