At two in the afternoon, on the 29th, we made the land of the Cape of Good Hope. The Table Mountain, which is over the Cape Town, bore E. S. E. distance 12 or 14 leagues. At this time it was a good deal obscured by clouds, otherwise it might, from its height, have been seen at a much greater distance. We now crowded all the sail we could, thinking to get into the bay before dark. But when we found this could not be accomplished, we shortened sail, and spent the night standing off and on. Between eight and nine o’clock, the whole sea, within the compass of our sight, became at once, as it were, illuminated; or, what the seamen call, all on fire. This appearance of the sea, in some degree, is very common; but the cause is not so generally known. Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander had satisfied me that it was occasioned by sea insects. Mr. Forster, however, seemed not to favour this opinion. I therefore had some buckets of water drawn up from along-side the ship, which we found full of an innumerable quantity of small globular insects, about the size of a common pin’s head, and quite transparent. There was no doubt of their being living animals, when in their own proper element, though we could not perceive any life in them: Mr. Forster, whose province it is more minutely to describe things of this nature, was now well satisfied with the cause of the sea’s illumination. At length day-light came, and brought us fair weather; and having stood into Table Bay, with the Adventure in company, we anchored in five fathom water. We afterwards moored N. E. and S. W.; Green Point, on the west point of the bay, bearing N. W. by W.; and the church, in one with the valley between the Table Mountain and the Sugar-Loaf or Lion’s Head, bearing S. W. by S., and distant from the landing-place near the fort, one mile. We had no sooner anchored than we were visited by the Captain of the port, or Master Attendant, some other officers belonging to the company, and Mr. Brandt. This last gentleman brought us off such things as could not fail of being acceptable to persons coming from sea. The purport of the Master Attendant’s visit was, according to custom, to take an account of the ships; to inquire into the health of the crews; and, in particular, if the small-pox was on board; a thing they dread, above all others, at the Cape, and for these purposes a surgeon is always one of the visitants.