Were I to give an opinion, I should say they were right; otherwise the people cannot do justice to themselves. A perfect and equal union is perhaps unexceptionable; but a union where all the power and profit, and other advantages, are restricted to one party alone, cannot, in the nature of things, and indeed ought not,-to exist.

I naturally learned much of the public sentiment, from being there six weeks, and associating much with those who understand it, and pretend to some intimacy with what is going on. Our long detention proceeded from the delays incident to the purchase of a tender, for the purpose of Scouring the bays, rivers, and shallows, on the African coast; to sound the way for the larger ships; and at the same time give more accommodation and comfort, and preservation to the health, of the seamen, than could possibly be effected in open boats; it being well known that exposure to the sun, rain, and night-dews, is the chief source of disease within the tropics. Nor, indeed, is it practicable to use the instruments of surveying with steadiness, or work the calculations with ease or accuracy, within the cribbed-up compass of a ship's boat. The craft now substituted is of American structure, drawing only six feet water when laden, 140 tons burden, lately called the Braganza of New York, but now his Majesty's brigantine Cockburn. She was built for a steam-vessel, in which capacity she was acting at the time of purchase; and, being totally without keel, has proved very leewardly, when on a wind, during our passage from Rio hither, but sails extremely well free. Another good quality is being an excellent sea-boat; I have rarely seen better. In crossing the Atlantic, the heavy swell caused the Leven, a clumsy awkward vessel, to roll gunwales in, and the Barracouta little better; while in the Cockburn the dinner paraphernalia remained nearly as steadily on the table as if at anchor. This I mainly attribute to her great beam (breadth), which is twenty-four feet, equal to that of the Barracouta, though above one hundred tons less

in burden. In this respect I am satisfied that all our men-of-war, particularly of the smaller class, are deficient. Some alarm occurred during a breeze on the passage over, when she made four feet water an hour; but, being iron-fastened and doubled, part of the latter of which had come off on the larboard side, along with some illstopped plug-holes in the bottom, explained the cause, which was therefore soon rectified. She is soon to be hauled up in the dock yard here, and a keel put on, when she will be a useful craft, admirably adapted for her work.

I have been looking round here as you desired. This is a tolerably good anchorage for about a dozen sail of the line, but not for a large number; and is but little adapted for the repair of shipping, when there is any thing the matter below the water line. In this respect the Cape is miserably deficient, there being no dock nearer than Bombay. Table Bay, on the other side of the peninsula,-where traders, intending to discharge their cargoes, are obliged to anchor, from being in the vicinity of Cape Town,-is likewise a wild open anchorage, totally unpleasing to a nautical eye, which instinctively looks around for shelter and security from the elements, as a soldier for points of strength, or a painter for the picturesque. The naval arsenal used to be there, but about nine years ago was removed hither. Of its insecurity we have just had an instance. The Cygnet sloop of war sailed hence a few days back with military stores to be discharged; a gale of wind at north-west came on, made her part one cable, with the loss of several men, and drove two merchantmen on shore, which are quite wrecks, with the destruction of their cargoes, and also some lives.

The country around this place is of an indifferent character; rock, and pebble, and sand, constitute some of the chief ingredients; not but there are a few tolerable farms in the neighbourhood, though scattered and isolated amid unproductive land. The little that is good is high in price; a farmer, therefore, has no business here: but it is different with mechanics. Cape Town, I think, affords a good opening for this class, there being few but slaves, who are not the most expert at their work. Labour also is high; beef and mutton about

three

three pence a pound; wine very reasonable; spirits dog-cheap; pigs, poultry, milk, and butter, dear; bread abundant and cheap; furniture, woollen clothing, hats, boots, shoes, and every article of European produce or manufacture, very high; nor are the wares of India, notwithstanding this is the half-way house, much more moderate in price.

Of the new colonies or settlements, situated about 600 miles or more to the eastward, I dread to say any thing, -for I can say nothing that is favourable in regard to their present state; while it would be gross injustice to insinuate that they will not ultimately succeed. This, for many reasons which it would be tedious to detail here, and for which indeed I have not time, I firmly believe. There seems to be a fatality attending the establishment of all new colonies, and these have not escaped the common lot. The elements have fought against them. Nearly three successive seasons have passed over their heads without a crop. Such a thing was never known here before, and probably never may again, at least till they are better provided against it; and we know that such an event in Europe would be productive of quite as much distress. As a faithful chronicler, however, of what is passing before me, I must add, that within the last two or three weeks several of the most steady and determined tenants of the locations have quitted them in despair, their money and patience exhausted, and come hither for a passage to Europe. Many others are daily expected. Notwithstanding all this, my opinion remains unchanged; the impulse is given, and the result is undoubted, for I know something of these matters; and it is certain that the land they occupy, if only moderately cultivated and favoured with rain, is equal or superior to any other in the colony. But you have no idea what a band of settlers is in a new establishment. An assemblage of wild beasts let loose from a menagerie is just as reasonable, and, I may add, as governable. They have never calculated on the difficulties, never thought upon the privations, incident to their new state. Many of these people have been cockneys, the most helpless and querulous of the whole, and the female part, particularly, out of all patience, because comforts, the fruit

of advanced society and long-established institutions, are not at hand. The difficulties, manners, and modes of life, are all new and strange, and uncouth perhaps, to an English farmer; and what then must they be to a delicate or enervated weaver or cottonspinner?

We proceed hence, in a fortnight or three weeks, upon what should rather be termed a voyage of discovery than of mere survey; for many places on the eastern coast have not once been visited (except by the Portuguese, who keep their knowledge to themselves,) since the time of Vasco de Gama. An immense track of coast lies before us; the difficulties of examination may be considerable, but in our eyes seem nothing, accustomed as we are to a life of shifts, and a constant contention with difficulties. Government has liberally supplied us with every thing necessary for the service; and the offcers, in addition, have laid out large sums in furthering the objects of science.

The Leven mounts twenty-six guns, has a flush deck, three lieutenants, all good surveyors, seventeen midshipmen, and about one hundred men: Capt.W. F. Owen is a smart officer, an able seaman, and a very superior mathematician. The Barracouta is a ten-gun brig, a useful class of vessel, sails infinitely better than the Leven, and is similarly provided with expert officers; Capt. Cutfield being a commander of some standing.

There are different opinions as to the probable time the examination will occupy. Three years is the limited time for men-of-war to be away from England during peace; but my own opinion is, that we shall not be able to go over half the ground in that time. Nearly the whole of the country inward from the coast-line, is unknown; and I think the interests of geography and commerce require that this should be explored to some distance, whenever the temper of the natives, or other favourable circumstances, permit. Many of the rivers which fall into the sea on the coast, offer considerable facilities for this purpose. They are not in general very capacious; but much more so than is generally imagined by those who have not paid particular attention to the subject; more than a dozen under my eye, in the books at this moment, having from three to seven and eight fathoms wa

ter,

ter, fifteen and twenty miles inland, though wholly, or almost wholly, unnoticed by the charts. Our boats, which are numerous and well appointed, have been fitted with a view to this object. It is one, however, that requires time; and we are rather fearful of being hurried. The first point in view is the coast of this colony, as more immediately connected with the situations and capacities of the new settlements. The next, the mouth of Rio d'Infanta, or the Great Fish River; the third, the Reiskamma, according to the native name, or, in the old charts, St. Christopher's River, about thirty miles beyond the former, and situated in what is called properly, "the Kaffer country." Near this spot, better than twenty years ago, the Hercules, an American ship, was wrecked, the crew suffering almost incredible hardships before they reached the colonial territory. The natives whom they fell in with behaved much better than could be expected from all preceding accounts; farther eastward, however, they are well known to be fierce and treacherous, characteristics which become more marked, particularly in the people of the coast, till within a short distance of the dependencies of Mosambique. By some this is attributed to the kidnapping system formerly prevailing here, during the active existence of the slave trade, when it is pretty well known that the natives were decoyed on-board, secured in irons, and afterwards villanously sold

as slaves.

We have likewise some very important points in hydrography to ascertain. It is well known there are several real or alleged shoals, two or three degrees to the southward of the Cape, on which it is believed that some of the Indiamen, which have been missing at different times in these seas, were lost. The chief are the Slot Van Capelle and the Telemaque, so named from the Dutch and French ships that discovered them; but, as other vessels have passed over, or near, the reported site of these dangers without meeting them, doubts have been started of their actual existence. The affirmative evidence is however very strong; so circumstantial, indeed, as to require a more than ordinary portion of incredulity to disbelieve; but there is as little doubt that, from

errors in longitude, they are not in the spot originally stated.

The Telemaque is particularly an object of apprehension, from lying in the direct track of the summer-passage to India. Since we have been in this bay, some further evidence has transpired, which, from the vast amount of property, and the number of valuable lives constantly at stake in the intercourse between India and Europe, ought to be widely known. A lieutenant in the navy, whose name I do not at the moment recollect, commanding a merchantman, declares that he lately passed over it (or some other) in a gale, not far from the alleged site, but was too much alarmed, and his vessel going too fast, to think of sounding,-the sea running on it he stated as truly dreadful; so that, had not the ship been light, she would probably not have lived. His majesty's ship Menai is also stated to have seen it, but did not dare approach. His majesty's brig of war Heron, in standing to the southward, is said to have distinctly seen something of the same nature, or at least a frightful breaking sea, about five miles in extent, near the reputed site of the Telemaque; and, meaning to sound, was deterred from the measure by finding a current urging them toward the danger at the rate of five miles an hour. The hatches were instantly battened down, and, a strong breeze prevailing, they made sail, glad to get off without farther inquiry. Some of the officers believe this to be a kind of race, rather than a shoal. I am not of that opinion. We know of no such race in the ocean without there being broken ground to give it existence; the water was also discoloured. It is also believed that, if actually a shoal, there is six or seven fathoms on it, which agrees with the original French discoverer's statement; the subject is of interest to science, and the particulars will no doubt be transmitted to Europe.

These particulars have cost me many hours from sleep: Mr. who goes home in a transport, has kindly promised to deliver them. Should our investigation extend to Madagascar, which I have not yet understood, a new field will be open to enquiry. This is a magnificent island, abounding in natural wealth of every description; yet, except St. Augustine's,