A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 15: Forming A Complete History Of The Origin And Progress Of Navigation, Discovery, And Commerce, By Sea And Land, From The Earliest Ages To The Present TimeKerr, Robert
History
A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 15: Forming A Complete History Of The Origin And Progress Of Navigation, Discovery, And Commerce, By Sea And Land, From The Earliest Ages To The Present Time
Kerr, Robert
Voyages and travels
"We left Stellenbosh next morning, and soon arrived at the house we had
passed on Saturday; the owner of which, Mr Cloeder, had sent us an
invitation the evening before to visit him. This gentleman entertained
us with the greatest hospitality, and in a manner very different from
what we expected. He received us with music, and a band also played
while we were at dinner; which, considering the situation of the place,
might be reckoned elegant. He shewed us his wine-cellars, his orchards,
and vineyards; all which, I must own, inspired me with a wish to know in
what manner these industrious people could create such plenty, in a spot
where, I believe, no other European nation would have attempted to
settle.
"In the afternoon we crossed the country, and passed a few plantations,
one of which seemed very considerable, and was laid out in a taste
somewhat different from any other we saw. In the evening we arrived at a
farm-house, which is the first in the cultivated tract called the Pearl.
We had, at the same time, a view of Drakenstein, the third colony of
this country, which lies along by the foot of the lofty hills already
mentioned, and contains several farms or plantations, not very
extensive.
"I went, on the 19th in the forenoon, in quest of plants and insects,
which I found almost as scarce as at Stellenbosh; but I met with more
shrubs or small trees, naturally produced, in the valleys, than in any
part of the country I had hitherto seen.
"In the afternoon we went to see a stone of a remarkable size, called by
the inhabitants the Tower of Babylon, or the Pearl Diamond.[88] It lies,
or stands, upon the top of some low hills, at the foot of which our
farm-house was situated; and though the road to it is neither very steep
nor rugged, we were above an hour and a half in walking to it. It is of
an oblong shape, rounded on the top, and lies nearly S. and N. The E.
and W. sides are steep, and almost perpendicular. The S. end is likewise
steep, and its greatest height is there; from whence it declines gently
to the N. part, by which we ascended to its top, and had an extensive
view of the whole country.
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