An Account of the Cape of Good Hope

ACCOUNT

THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE;

CONTAINING

An Historical View of its original Settlement by the Dutch,•
its Capture by the British in 1795, and the different Policy
pursued there by the Dutch and British Governments. Also
a Sketch of its Geography, Productions, the Manners and
Customs of the Inhabitants, &c. &c.

WITH

A VIEW OF THE POLITICAL AND COMMERCIAL ADVANTAGES WHICH
MIGHT BE DERIVED FROM ITS POSSESSION BY GREAT BRITAIN.

BY CAPTAIN ROBERT PERCIVAL,

Of His Majesty's Eighteenth or Royal Irish Regiment; and Author of an
Account of the Island of Ceylon.

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR C. and R. BALDWIN, OF NEW Bridge Street.

Afr8658.04

HARVARD
UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY

1856-895
Exfe of

Minster Leurs, It &

of Wester

C. and R. Baldwin, Printers,

New Bridge-street, London.

6.431

37.93

HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS FIELD-MARSHAL

THE DUKE OF YORK,

ETC. ETC.

May it please your Royal Highness;

THE condescension with which your

ROYAL HIGHNESS allowed your name to be prefixed to my former publication, has emboldened me again to request your patronage and protection to a work of a similar

nature.

The approbation which a generous Public has bestowed upon my Account of Ceylon proves, that the liberality of my countrymen induces them to look at the object as well as the execution of a work; and that inexperience in composition will in a great measure be excused in him who appears to have the interests of his country in view.

Animated by this consideration, I have ventured to present to your ROYAL HIGHNESS, the following account of the

observations which I was enabled to collect during my occasional visits to the Cape of Good Hope. The period of war is not indeed the proper season for a Soldier to be employed with his pen; yet I trust the following volume will be found to contain several circumstances which, both in a military and political point of view, deserve at present the most serious consideration.

My gratitude for the distinguished patronage with which your ROYAL HIGHNESS has been pleased to honour me must be otherwise expressed than by words; and I trust it will ever appear in my zeal for the service of my country, and my lively attachment to your ROYAL HIGHNESS, whose unremitting exertions have diffused so many blessings through the British army, and given the soldier a double motive to exertion.

With such sentiments, and with the hope that my labours may not altogether prove useless, the present work is humbly presented to your ROYAL HIGHNESS, by

Your ROYAL HIGHNESS's most devoted

and most obedient servant,

ROBERT PERCIVAL.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

Introduction-Cape of Good Hope-Origin of its Name-

Proper Seasons for passing it-Subject to Storms-First

Settlements made there by the Dutch-Southern Peninsula

and Shores described, with a Geographical Sketch of the

Country-Its Government and Divisions on the first Esta-

blishment by the Dutch.

Page 1