An account of 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

Front matter

"ftwUQl-lifL'UU.-r--

CORNELL

UNIVERSITY

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 Establishment by the Dutch. - - « - Page 1

Chapter II

Journal of Occurrences, during the Author's first Visit to the Cape — TaMng of the Dutch Fleet at Saldahna Bar/— Description of that Bay. - - - - - 22

Chapter III

'False Bay — Proper Season for anchoring there — Rocks — Seal Island— Beautiful Prospect' from the Bay^—Siino7i s TotiM — Public Buildings^Bdthries^Cusfoms in the Dutch Time. 41

b vi CONTENTS.

Chapter IV

Road to Cape Town — Signal Posts and Batteries — Mode of Travelling in Waggons — Fish Hook Bay — Road from thence — Variety of Shrubs, Hefbs, and Flowers, found here — Monkeys and Baboons — Musenberg, great Strength of it and of all the Southern Peninsula — TaMng of the Cape hy the English Troops in IJOS— -Remarks in a Military Point of View, and Hints respecting the best Mode of attaching the Cape. ------- Page 53

.CHAPTER V.

Road and Country beyond Musenberg — Broad Lake — Game — Quadrupeds — Constantia — A Dutch Boor's House — Wineberg —A Hottentot Krail Description of that People — Their Traffic with the Dutch — Their Manners, Dispositions, and Modes of Life — Remarks on their Treatment by the Dutch.

Chapter VI

Description of the Country round Wineberg — An Encatnpment and Quarters for Troops — Some Military Observations on this Post — Fertility of the neighbouring Country — Farms and Plantations numerous — Game plenty— Wild Animals — Village of Uo und-a-Bo sch — Tiger Hill^First View of the Cape Town from this Side — Table Bay — The Hills and Country round described-^Descriptien of Cape Town — J?c-

CONTENTS. vii

marhs hy the Author on the Mode of attacking the Batteries—Amsterdam Battery-r-The Castle — Situation of Cape Town—Streets — Healthiness of it — Regulations of the Dutch to prevent Infectious Disorders — Company's Gardens — Government House. - - - - - Page 99

Chapter VIII

Description of Table Bay — Best Season for anchoring there — Subject to violent North- West Winds in the Winter Season — Loss of the Sceptre Man of War — Hills about Cape Town — Appearance of Table Mountain — Remarkable Clouds over it, prognosticating the Weather — The different Climates at the Cape— Difference between the Effects of each Season.

Chapter IX

Country about Cape Town — Productions natural to this Part of Africa — Vegetables, Fruit, Plants — Silver Tree described — Fuel scarce at the Cape — Grain — Metallic Ores — Coal Mine — Minerals — Warm Baths at Stellenbosch and Hottentot ? Island. ------__ 140

Chapter X

Different Species of Wild Quadrupeds — Opinion concerning the Unicorn — Various Species of Antelope and Deer — Domestic Animals — Oxen and horned Cattle—Sheep — Birds — Wild

m b2 viii CONTENTS,

Fotvl — Ostriches — Wild Peacocks, and many other Species

found here — Venomous Animals and Reptiles-^ Ohnowious

Insects and Creatures of the Fly Species. - Page 158

Chapter XI

Vineyards about Cape Town — Manner of rearing and planting Vines — Mode of making Wine — Farious Sorts of Wine made — Bad Management of the Dutch in rearing and planting the Vines — Several Species af an excellent Quality — Constantia Wine — The Farm and Village of Constantia ■^Quality of the Grape — Other Wines of a mp^rior Quality Brandy Wijie, or Spirits made from the Stalks and Refuse — Sugar Cams-'^Barley, &c. - - - - 175

Chapter XII

Journey to Stellenhosch — Strickland a Post for Cavalry — Stelle^osch— Mountains of P&rlherg — Smellendam — Graaf Reynet — Plettenherg Bay — Account of the lyutck Farmers and Planters — Their Manner of Living'^Their Tillage and Husbandry — Domestic Pursuits — Characters and Customs — Treatment of their Cattle and Slaves — Manner of carrying on the various Branches of Husbandry — In want of Improvement of every Kind — The Colony in a very imperfect State owing to the bad Management of its Inhahitants — • Plans of Improvement. - - 't - - 193

CONTENTS. ix

Chapter XIII

Character of the Planters near the Cape—Quarreh amongst themselves respecting the Division of their Property — Utensils for Husbandry, . Plowing, and Dressing the Land — Improvements attempted by the English'-^Obstinacy cf the Dutch — No Roads through the Country — Great Inconveiiience arising from thence — No Boats to transport Waggons or Passengers across the Rivers — Ignorance of the People, of the Inferior — Many English better acquainted with their Country — Remarks on the Cqpe and its Inhabitants, and its Connections with the Mother Country. - Page 224

CHAFTIER XIV.

The WJdte InhtAitants of Cape Town — Difference between them and those qf the Mother Country — What People first colonized it — Manner in which they conduct themselves towards the Females — Their Women— Maimer in which both Men and Women spend their Time — Occupations and Habits of Life — All Ranks keep Lodging Houses — 'Custom at Meals, and Food produced at their Tables— Coffee-Houses' and Taverns first introduced by the English — Mode of Living. 251

Chapter XV

Population of the Cape — Religion — Make but few Converts of the People of Colour ; not apt to administer Baptism — Funerals — Disposition of the White Inhabitants — Young

T

CONTENTS.

Women fond of Ammement — Are tolerably educated in Music and Dancing— Contrast between the Dispositions of Men and Women— Latter esteemed handsome whilst young — Marriages, Settlements, and Privileges from Birthright — Diseases — Causes of them-^ Afraid of the Small Pox; which once nearly destroyed the ColoTiy-^Are cautious of allowing Persons to come into the Settlement with any contagious Distemper — The People of the Cape in general not long lived — The Slaves— Various Nations and Classes — Laws concerning them — Their Qualifications — Mulattoes and Slaves of Colour the best and dearest — Bengal and Mulabar in general faithful and good — Madagascar, African, Negro, Bulky and untrojctahle, strong and laborious — Malays useful, but dreadfully vindictive and revengeful — Instances of their cruel and sanguinary Disposition— Hottentot Slaves, Laws concerning them — Manner in which the Dutch treat their Slaves — Mode of punishing them — F'ices and Passions to which they are addicted — Fuel and House-rent dear at the Cape. - - Page 272

Chapter XVI

Dispositions and Conduct of the Dutch to the English — Various Mixture and Medley of People meeting every Day together under the same Roof— Conduct of the English towards the Dutch — Advantages extended towards the Inhabitants of the Cape by our Government — Allowed all their Laws and Privileges in their fullest Extent— 'Generous Conduct of 5

CONTENTS. xi

General Craig towards them ; the great Benefit they derived from our living amongst them ; still they ivere extremely averse to the English — Unfortunate Situation of Holland and the Cape hy the Introduction of French Principles amongst them — Jacobinism nearly overwhelming the Cape, its dreadful Consequences averted hy the Appearance of the English in 1795 — Obliged to unite to oppose the English — Mortification ajid Chagrin at being conquered hy so few and raw Troops — The civil and military Government at the Cape — Gvvernor and Council — Fiscal or Deputy Governor-^His great Power aJid Privileges — Martial Law existed some time after the Conquest — Police — Active in the internal Regidation of the Town — Laivs and Regulations required by the Inhabitants — Restrictions on the Hottentots—Traffic with them only allowed to be carried on with the Government People — Military Establishment— -Not sufficient for its Defence — Bad and impolitic Construction of their Towns and Ports — Description of the People of the Cape— Bad Effects of their 7iarrow Policy and Conduct— Revenue— Exports and. Imports— Little Trade or Speculation — Government poor and needy — Observations respecting it^That of the English contrasted with it- Dutch lost all their Settlements in Asia but Batavia — Expeditions planned against that, in 1798 and 1800 — Precarious State of the Cape during a War with England—Hospitals for sick Sailors and Soldiers— The Cape healthy— Regulations respecting sick and diseased Persons- Revenue of the Dutch East-India Company— Their Taxes xii CONTENTS.

and Imposts'— Trade and Commerce — Taxes on Cattle, Provisions Slaves, &c. — Amount of Receipts — Expenditure far greater than Revenue — The Pay of the Civil and Military of every Denomination — View of the Establishment of the British. - « Page 299

CHAPTER XVIL

Recapitulation of the Advantages to be derived by Great- Britain from the Possession of the Gape of Good Hope — Conclusion. _____-- 327

AN

ACCOUNT

OF THE

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE,

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 Establishment by the Dutch.

L HE Author of this work, actuated by the encourage- Introductory meut and indulgence he has received from the Public, in tions. their favourable reception of his first literary production, the Account of the Island of Ceylon, is induced to offer to them the following Descriptive Sketch of the Cape of Good Hope.

Various reasons have induced the author to present this work to the Public at the present crisis. The contents of the following pages were indeed collected on tlie spot

B by liim some time ago ; but particular circumstances, combined with his mihtary duties, have prevented his arranging and bringing them sooner before the PubHc in a mature state.

The ship on board which the Author was embarked witli a detachment of his regiment destined for the East Indies, having, in August 1796, put into False Bay for water and refreshments, M'as detained there nearly two months by one of those incidents common in time of war. During the period of his detention there, he had an opportunity of seeing and examining all that tract of country from False Bay and the opposite coast of Hottentot Holland, to Table Bay, Cape Town and its neighbourhood. This he was tlie better- enabled to do, as the detachment of the I9th regiment, to which he belonged, was part of the force disembarked at Simon's Town, and which marched for the defence of Cape Town, at that critical period when General Craig, with the greatest, part of the garrison, proceeded to Saldahna Bay against the • Dutc.h Fket under Admiral Lu«;as, which put in tliere in liopes of being joined by a French squadron from the Isle of France, and in conjunction with the Boors and Colonists of the Interior attenipted to retake the Cape from the English. In this, however, they were disappointed by the extraordinary activity and exertion of Sir James Craig, and the army under his command, together with the unexpected appearance of Admiral Elphiiastone, (now Lord Keith) with the English fleet.

THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

When returning from India to Europe in 1801, on account of ill health contracted while on service there, the ship in which the author was passenger put into Table Bay, where being detained for two months, the author had a farther opportunity of visiting several parts of the country eastward of Cape Town, the villages of Stellenbosch, Drakenstein, and Swellendam ; besides enlarging his observations aiiid obtaining more particular information of the country in general, and the inhabitants.

From the author's residence at the Cape in the different seasons of the year, he had an opportunity of observing the effects resulting from their variations both to agriculture and commerce; an object which is here in particular of the most essential importance. He was also enabled to ascertain more accurately the nature of the climate, and its effects on the soil and appearance of the coMitry, as well as to examine the natural productions of ^ich season.

As some years had elapsed between the different periods of the autiior's touching at the Cape of Good Hope, he bad occasion to remark a change very speedily produced in the habits and manners of the Dutch, in consequence of their oanaection with the English residing amongst them, and their intercourse with other strangers who were formerly excluded by a jealous governmenti He was also enabled to observe, with a patriotic pi'ide, the improvements which took pkce in the civil and military establishments; and the economy and useful regulations introduced, as soon as

B 2 V

THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

it came into the possession of the British nation, which never fails to carry civihzation, opulence, and industry, into every quarter of the globe which is reached by her arms or her commerce.

The inhabitants of Cape Town, and the planters residing in the country parts, are composed of a heterogeneous mixture of adventurers from almost every country of the Continent of Europe, who have at various periods, for several ages past, continued to form establishments for themselves in that settlement. Such however has been the influence of the medley of habits, customs, prejudices, and languages, that few retain any distinguishmg trait of the country from which they originally sprung; and the whole society requires to be described as a people differing extremely from the natives of any part of Europe.

The author during his stay at the Cape, being, according to the custom of that country, an inmate in their families, as every house takes in strangers and passengers to board and lodge, who for the time are considered as members of the family, and are in consequence admitted to a perfect knowledge of their domestic concerns and most private habits, had thus an opportunity of becoming thoroughly acquainted with their characters and modes of life; a species of information which in every instance is useful and entertaining, but more particularly so with regard to the colonists of the Cape of Good Hope, who exhibit features so very distinct from those of the inhabitants either of the mother country or of the other colonies.

THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

The author is aware that several writers have aheady produced works on the Cape of Good Hope; and have given to the public, descriptions of the interior of Africa, which some of them have explored only with their pen. As he, however, for his part, had not an opportunity of visiting Sthe interior, he does not pretend to describe it, but confines himself to what fell under his immediate observation in a tract within fifty miles rcmnd the Cape Town; and in treating of the country which lies within that compass, he has endeavoured to give every useful information which he could collect, and perhaps to add some new remarks on circumstances which may have escaped the. notice of others. He may indeed be allowed to observe, without any imputation of arrogance or presumptuous censure, that during his residence at Cape Town, he was struck with many interesting' facts respecting that place and its neighbourhood, which he has not been able to discover in any of the accounts which have hitherto been given to the public. Those, in general, who have undertaken to describe the Cape of Good Hope, have said little or nothing of the principal and most important part of tlie Colony, Cape Town, and the southern peninsula, where the chief harbours are situated; nor have they entered minutely into the characters and manners of the colonists; but have immediately dashed into the rude, wild, and uncultivated part of the country, filling up the pages of their journals with accounts of their daily transactions amongst the simple natives of

Hottentot Holland and CafFraria. With others, the botany and mmeralogy £>£ the C^pe have been the sole subjec*^ of enquiry, while those objects which are of most import-? ance in a political and commercial point of view, have been almost entirely overlooked.

These animadversions on the works which have appeared relative to the Cape of Good Hope are far from being intended to deprive them in aay degree of their particular merit. The botanist, the mineralogist, the zooiQgisti had each his: own particular object in view ; and it is but justice to say, that many of these writers who visited this colony are worthy the attention of those to \vhom tlieir labours are particularly directed. The author of the following work neither pi-etends to appreciate their merits, nor at all to enter into a competition for which lie is t-otally disqualified by the pursuits to which his attention through life has been directed. All he pretends to do is to describe, as they occurred to a man of common observation, those scenes and facts which fell under his notice; and in doing so, he presumes to hope that he shall be enabled to point out, in plain language, the principal military and commercial advantages resulting from this settlement, as well as the distinguishing cha,racteristics of its inhabitants; subjects whicli, he conceives, have not been preoccupied by the more able and learned authors to whom he has aliuded. His early entrance into the military profession^, and the consequent employraenfei which have prevented him from pursuing any regular plan of study, aire' the exfcuses wliich he offered in his former work for tlie want of scientific langiiage, and a more systematic mode of composition; and the reception which a candid jiubhc has given to his description, in plain and common language, of the productions of Ceylon, induces him to pursue the same plan with regard to those of the Cape of Good Hope. The man of science will find no difficulty in classifying any observation which he may look upon as useful ; and the general reader will probably not be displeased to receive information at an easier rate, when divested of the more correct, but less miderstood, language of science. The author in some measure holds it a duty incumbent on military men, to give to their countrymen some account of those distant stations to which they are sent in the course of service ; and he hopes his exertions, however feeble, may have some effect in stimulating similar efforts on the part of those officers who may find any leisure moments from their military avocations, to devote to pursuits of a similar nature. This practice has of late become very general among the officers of the French armies; and from the adoption of it among us, many national advantages must result, as both the government will become acquaiaited with the state of its distant possessions, and the officers of our armies will become better informed and better fitted to protect or improve the stations of which they may be intrusted with the command.

The Cape of Good Hope is the southern extremity of a The Cape of very great and niountainous peninsula, which ships must fimposse's^ed by the Por- round on their voyage from Europe to India. It was first

tuguese. •' ° ^

discovered by the Portuguese, who called it Cabo De Diable, and Cabo Di Tormento, i. e. the Devil's Cape, and Cape Torment, from the violent winds and s.torms they encountered there.

Difficulty in Formerly it was thought an object of great difficulty and Cape in danger to proceed by this passage ; but now that the art of

former times. ,

navigation is brought to such perfection, and that the proper seasons for arriving in those latitudes, as well as the prevailing currents are so well known, the danger which was thought to attend this part of the voyage may be considered as Seasons for almost Completely done away. However it is necessary for

snips passing i ^ ^ j

tiie Cape. thosc ships which have India for the object of their voyage, to endeavour to arrive in tlie latitude of the Cape in the summer or fair season, which is from the months of October to March or April, as during the other months of the year those sefts are very tempestuous ; and the wind blowing from a contrary point often prevents ships from passing or rounding the Cape for three weeks or a month together. During this period they remain beating about in those troubled latitudes ; and not only lose much of their time, but are also subjected to Subject to hardship, inconvenience, and danger. The winds which pre- Storms. vail with so much violence in the winter months are from the north-west, and are accompanied with heavy rain, fogs, and hail ; they blow towards the land, and the dangers arising from this circumstance render it necessary to give the Cape a good birth, as the sailors term it. In the summer months the .south-east winds arc predominant, and often blow with great violence, but are attended with less danger as they proceed fi'om the land; they are fevotuuble fof ships taking their dfepaTture from the Cape^ and will in a few days^set them a great way on their voyage. Ships endeavouring to put int# the Cape cannot effect it during the violence of the «>uth-east Wind, biUt must lay to or drift before it till its ifiiry is spent, whieh generally -happens in a few da^s, seldom lasting so long as the more steady fury of ti^e ^es ftsom the north-

When on my return to Europe, the ship 1 to(&k' my passage The author fe having occasion to stop at the Cape, ^ experienced one of atovy

=* jT I X Storm in

those- sOuth<-*a'sterS as they Are ealled; for tliowgh arrived at going irita

•' " the Cape.

the m.Outh of Table Bay, and just bcMning to anchor, a violent soutli^ast wind rushed suddenly d*)wn' from the hilfe over Oape Town, and nearly swamped tlie vessel. She was iwiitantly laid down on her side, the quarter-deck guns drivem furiously over-board, and the sails in a moment split to pieces. Fortunately «nly the main top-sail and fore stay-sail were set, the rest being handed ready for anchoring, or she must iu'- (GVitatoiy have ^one down. The lieM Was dbliged to be put ^ard up, and the ship put to sea ; we eamie-to immediately, and such wa,s the great violence of the wifld, and strength of the ©uprents, that we drifted 1^0 miles in thirty hours, though iying-to all tlie time under bare poles. It afterwards took us three days to make the Cape when we 'bore up, though we had a strong fevourable wind Which cariied us upwai'ds of six «id1es aa-hour. ',:,

After the Portuguese surijiounted the difficulty of passing the Gape, their joy at having, escaped the terrible tempests they encountered, made them term it Cabo de Boa Esperan9a, or the Gape of Good Hope, a name which has since continued to be given to the southern extremity of the continent of Africia.

First arrival So far back as the year ,1620, the English attempted to

of the Eng- •' , , • • o

lish at Sal- establish a colony here, and with this intention put into Sal'-

dahna Bay.

dahna Bay, which they judged to be favourable for their purpose. This brought on disputes with the Dutch, who asserted a prior claim from having made use of this Bay previous to Various na- the arrival of thfe English. For some years afterwards the

tions touched

there for re- various uatious trading to the East-Indies, occasionally and

freshments. i -rx i /^ t> /•

indiscriminately toucbe^d at Saldahna and De la Goo Bays for water and refreshments, which they procured from the natives for a few toys aiui such ; trifling articles as are usually emits advan- ployed in trafficking with savages. But the want of good and

tages not *^ "^ '^ o o

known. gafc liarbours in these parts of the Gape prevented the European nations from any attempt to establish themselves oar form a permanent settlement ; not having as yet discov^ed that its more southern extremity contained those commodious harbours now called False and Table Bay. The wild mountainous appearance of the country surrounding those last mentioned bays^, with the storms which were not then known to return periodically, were sufficient to prevent navigators from entertaining any idea of exploring these stations.

A few years afterwards the Dutch, accidentally finding out the good anchorage and secure harbours, which were presented by False and Table Bays, and being at that time a 9 spirited and enterprizing people, formed the resolution of ^^^*^^J°^^ establishing a colony at the Cape, and with this view sent out of colonizing a few persons to occupy the settlement, and ascertain its Good Hope. value, soil, and produce. Those earliest settlers giving a favourable report of the station were quickly followed by others ; and the Dutch government exerted itself to people the colony by transporting a number of convicts, male and female, from their pest houses and houses of industry, together w^ith such disorderly and idle persons as they could pack up in their sea-ports and trading towns. At first the colony Disadvanlabpured under many difficulties. The barrenness of the soil, laboured ^nand the rude state of nature in which it remained, conspired firsVat- ^" with the general wildness of an uninhabited country to dis- ^'^^^'' pirit the colonists. The rugged appearance of the mountains, the extended sandy and, barren plains, subject to violent winds, which parched up thje productions of the earth, and destroyed the produce of those spots which they had cultivated > with much labour, afforded them little prospect of bettering theirs condition; while the vast numbers of wild beasts which frequently attacked the very settlement, carrying off cattle from the pastures, and even children from the houses, were sources of constant inquietude. The Hojttentots seemed likewise leagued with the other savages of the forest to harass them; but the persevering spirit of the Dutch,, which at that period was conspicuous, surmounted every obstacle- As they be- which they in a great mounted.

came acquainted with the, evils they, had to encounter, they measure' gradually learned to overcome them- Having ascertained the

the <

c 2 siirjmture of the climate, and the changes of the seasons at the

It THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

Cape, they entered more largely qind, vigourously into enltiration. They found means to prevent the attacks of the wild animals in a most effectual manner by thinning their numbers : and having in a great degree conciliated tlie natives, they purchased that tract of country in the vicinity of the Cape, gi\*ing in exchange li<][U0r, iron, toys, and such articles as they knew were most gratifying to the ignorant Hottentots.

Tiieyorga- The Dutcli now becoming pepttianfent masters of this tracit, new terri- bcgau to form plaus for estabhshing.a regular government and ^°'^' extending their territory. The daily arrival of new comers

from Holland to settle at the Cape made it necessary' to carry the settlement farther into the country. Care however was taken to bring the more immediate neighbourhood of the Cape into a high state of cultivation; and with this view large grants were made to the settlers on very iadvantageous terms. The' colonists who chose to remove farther into the mferior recdived only ^yearJy leases, although the ground being here much less valuable, large tracts were held at a very smalt rent. At the same time in order to extend the settlement, a law was passed which would not allow of any house to be erects nearer than three or four railfes from each other. By this means the colony soon became extended to a great distance, nor were any limits ever- fixed to- its farther extension. The extent i^hg actisal extent of the eoliony of the Cape of Good Hope

ofthficojotiy .

at the Cape has ncver been accurately aseertained ; but from the informa-

faard to be

ascertained, tion I obtained while there, I am led to conclude that it is upwards of five hundred miles in length, and about half Hmt iii breadtfaw The d:\j^ellinga. of the Duitek planters apd former* in the remotest parts^ are. merely supposed to extend to that distance from Gape Town, as they do not measure their dis^tances fay tniles as we do, but by hours, and judge of the length of their journey by Ifhe number of days and hours employed in performing it, whach renders it extreiriely difficult to judge of its true extent: as unavoidable delays arising from natural obstacles', such as mountains of steep ascent, rivers wloich hiave overflowed their banks, and various other causes of a siteilar nature, may interrupt their progress, and occupy a great part of their time in a journey of several days. > The i Dutch have taken no observations of the country. Reasons why nor surveyed any patt but that immediately in the vicinity survey has of Gape Town. They have but a very imperfect fcno>wledge taken. of the interior |i^rts, nor does their government know either the distance at which the planters live, or the extent of theiJL- settlement ; leaving to the people themselves ta frame their accounts according to their own discretion, and to deterniine by the same rule what rent they shall pay tiie govea-nment. Thiis abuse, which probably at first arose from negligence^ has at leiagth become incapable of remedy. The planters having beerr accustomed to extend their domains without any restraint or rule, they now seem to consider their doing so as a right with which government is not entitled to interfere ; and successive governors have been too indolent to inquire into the real - state of the plantations, and to form a proper estimate of their returns. The loss to the revenue is not however so great as might be imagined ;