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A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels, Volume 11 by Robert Kerr

R >> Robert Kerr >> A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels, Volume 11




[Footnote 3: A very different account is now given of the Caffres,
or Koussis rather, who are described as a half-civilized race, who
cultivate the ground, and live under regular government.--E.]

At the distance of about eighteen leagues from the Cape, there is
another port called Saldanha Bay, which is, in all respects, an
infinitely better harbour than Table Bay, except in wanting fresh
water, which prevents it from being frequented. The animals of this
country are many. The lion is common here, and in hard winters often
comes very near the habitations of the colonists. He is reputed the
king of beasts, because he never eats a man till he has beaten out his
breath with his paws. Before attacking a man he roars terribly, and
shakes his mane; and if he does not give these signals of rage, there
is no danger in passing him. Tigers and leopards are also very common,
and do a vast deal of mischief; and it is probable these animals would
be much more numerous, were it not for a race of wild dogs, which hunt
in packs, and are so bold that they often weary out and worry a lion.
They often destroy tigers, leopards, and wolves, and it is said that
they will allow a man to take their prey from them when they have
killed it. Travellers are never afraid when they fall in with these
wild dogs, but rather rejoice, because they are sure that no ferocious
animal is in the neighbourhood. There are many elephants in this
country, and of as great size, as any in the world, being often from
twelve to fifteen feet high or better, their teeth weighing from sixty
to an hundred and twenty pounds. The rhinoceros is also often met
with. This animal is rather less than the elephant, but stronger. His
skin is prodigiously thick, and so hard that scarcely any weapon can
pierce it. His snout is like that of a hog, on which grows a solid
horn, ten or twelve inches long, which is much valued, because
esteemed an excellent medicine in convulsions.

There are two animals peculiar to this country, which therefore
deserve notice. One is a species of wild ass, which resembles the
common ass in nothing but the length of its ears. It is as large as
an ordinary horse, and is the most beautiful animal in the world. His
hair is very soft, and from the ridge of the back descends in coloured
streaks to the belly, forming so many circles. It is a brisk and
lively creature, which runs more swiftly than any horse. It is very
difficult to take alive, and when taken cannot be tamed; yet sells
at a prodigious price, and is thought a fit present for a sovereign
prince, from its rarity and exquisite beauty[4]. The other creature,
found in no other country, is called by the Dutch the _Stinkbungsen_,
or Stinking-Badger. This is of the size of an ordinary dog, but is
shaped like a ferret. When pursued by man or beast, it retreats but
slowly, and when its enemy draws near, discharges backwards a so
intolerably fetid wind, that dogs tear up the ground and hide their
noses in it, to avoid the smell. When killed, it stinks so abominably
that there is no approaching the carcass, which is therefore left to
consume where it falls.

[Footnote 4: This is a very imperfect account of the Zebra, which
exactly resembles the ass, except in colour, and is by no means
larger. One died lately in Edinburgh, after being exhibited as a show,
which was as quiet and gentle as any lady's donkey.--E.]

It is impossible to describe all the creatures that are seen in the
vast forests of Africa, as the inhabitants see new animals every year
that are utterly unknown to them. They allege that, in the middle of
summer, when the wild animals are almost raging mad with thirst, they
resort in vast multitudes to the rivers named Salt, Elephants, and
St John's rivers, where the males and females of different species
intermixing, produce strange beasts that seem to be new species. The
Hottentots in the service of the Company frequently carry the skins of
these monsters to the governor; and our author assures us that he
saw one of the following description, that had been killed not long
before. It was about the size of a calf of six months old, and seemed
to have had four eyes. The head resembled that of a lion, but the hair
was quite smooth, and of a dark grey colour. It had tusks like a boar.
The fore-feet resembled those of that creature; but the hind-feet were
like those of a tiger.

The birds of this country are in a manner infinite in numbers and
sorts; and though they have not been observed often to intermingle
species, yet hybrids are sometimes remarked among them. The largest
and strongest birds are to be found in Africa, among which is the
ostrich, the largest of all, being commonly seven feet high. The beak
is short and pointed, but the neck is very long. The feathers of the
male are white and black only, while those of the female are mixed
white, black, and grey. Those of the former are most esteemed, as
their large feathers are better spread, and their down much softer.
This bird is prodigiously swift of foot, and is hunted down by hounds.
Their wings do not serve them to fly, but assist them in running,
especially when they have the wind with them. The common opinion of
their being able to digest iron is totally false. They swallow pieces
of iron indeed, but then it is only to bruise the food in their
gizzards, just as other birds swallow stones for the same purpose.
They are also said to leave their eggs uncovered on the sand, and to
take no care of their young. But those of the Cape country hide their
eggs in the sand, and are so tender of their young, that, though
naturally timorous, if one of them is missing, they become quite
furious, so that it is not safe to go near them. There are abundance
of eagles of all sorts at the Cape, which are very bold, and
frequently do a great deal of mischief. They are not very large, yet
are incredibly strong, so that they often kill and devour cattle when
returning home from work, when they come in great flocks. of fifty or
an hundred at once, single out a beast as it feeds among the flock,
and falling upon it all at once, kill and devour it.

Some years before our author was at the Cape, there was seen on Table
Mountain a bird as large in the body as a horse, having grey and black
plumage. His beak and talons were like those of an eagle, but of a
most dreadful size. He sat and hovered about that mountain for a long
time, and the people were persuaded it was a griffin. It frequently
carried off sheep and calves, and at length began to destroy the cows,
on which orders were given to destroy it, and it was accordingly shot,
its skin stuffed, and sent home as a curiosity to the Company. No such
bird, has been seen since, and the oldest people of the colony do not
remember to have heard of any such before.[5]

[Footnote 5: This was probably a stray Condor, and its size an
ordinary exaggeration, in the passage of the story, like that of _the
three black crows_.--E.]

Africa has been long famous for serpents, and there are such vast
numbers of them in the neighbourhood of the Cape, that many of them
have no names. Most of them are extremely venomous, and the colonists
would suffer much more than they do from them, were it not that they
have a specific remedy for their bites, not known in Europe. This
remedy is the _serpent-stone_, allowed to be factitious, and is
brought from India, where they are made by the bramins who have the
secret of composing them, which they so carefully conceal, that no
Europeans have hitherto been able to discover how they are made. The
serpent-stone is about the size of a bean, white in the middle, but of
a fine sky-blue on the outside. When a person is bitten by a serpent,
this stone is applied to the wound, to which it soon sticks fast of
itself, without the aid of any bandage or plaister. The part bitten
begins immediately to swell and becomes inflamed. The stone also
swells till it becomes full of the venom, and then drops off. It is
then put into warm milk, where it soon purges itself from the venom,
and resumes its natural colour, after which it is again applied to the
wound, where it sticks as before, till a second time full, and so on
till all the venom is extracted and the cure perfected.

All the mountains of this vast country are full of minerals and
crystal, with many things of great value, if they could be got at;
but the natives are so fearful of being made slaves in the mines, that
they take all imaginable pains to conceal them. There is particularly
a mountain, about 500 leagues from the Cape, called _Copper-mountain_,
which is supposed to contain great quantities of metals. Large
quantities of copper have been found here, which is said to contain a
mixture of gold. Some Europeans endeavoured to follow the natives, who
were suspected of going to that mountain to gather gold, but were all
massacred. The Company is so tender of the colonists, and so unwilling
to risk a revolt, that they have even neglected a gold-mine much
nearer the Cape, the marcasites of which gave great hopes of its
containing abundance of gold. Perhaps the Company may have another
reason for acting in this manner, lest, if a gold-mine was discovered
at the Cape, it might tempt the French or English to undertake
something to their prejudice. Under its present management, the Dutch
colony at the Cape is a general advantage to other nations, as well
as to the Dutch. A few years ago a cavern was discovered in a mountain
very near Cape-Town, in which the Hottentots find the venom in which
they dip their poisoned arrows. There have likewise been found about
twenty leagues from the Cape, some hot springs impregnated with steel,
which have been found to cure many diseases, by using as a bath.

Considerable improvements may certainly be made on this colony, for
the advantage both of the inhabitants and the company, which latter
make no great gains by this establishment besides the convenience it
affords in giving refreshments to their ships going to and returning
from India. The Company would be glad of any means that might
increase the value of the settlement, consistent with their maxims of
government, and with that indulgence they find it necessary to shew
the Hottentots, who are perhaps more tenacious of their liberty than
any people on earth, and the most desperate in resenting any attempts
to its prejudice.



SECTION XVII.

_Voyage from the Cape of Good Hope to Holland, with some Account of St
Helena, the Island of Ascension, and the Acores_.

Towards the end of March, 1723, the ship being revictualled, they
sailed from Table-bay with a brisk wind at S.E. the fleet homewards
bound consisting of twenty-three sail, mostly belonging to the Dutch
East India Company. In about three weeks they reached the island of
_St Helena_, which is in the latitude of 16 deg. 15' S. [lat. 16 deg. S. long.
5 deg. 30' W.] This island is about seven leagues in circumference, and
is entirely composed of rocky hills, which may be seen in a clear day
from the distance of forty leagues. It is surprising to see so small
an island in the midst of the ocean, at so great a distance from any
other land, being 550 leagues from the Cape, 500 leagues from Brazil,
and 350 from Augusta, which is the nearest land[1]; yet the sea is all
around so very deep, that there is hardly an anchorage to be found.
This island was first discovered by the Portuguese, on which occasion
one of their large Indian carracks was wrecked, from the remains of
which they built a chapel, long since decayed, but which still gives
name to the finest valley in the island. They planted lemons, oranges,
and pomegranates all over the island, and left here hogs and goats,
together with partridges, pigeons, and peacocks, for the convenience
of ships touching here. At one time a hermit chose to live here,
killing the goats for the sake of their skins, which he sold to
ships that stopped here; but the Portuguese removed him, as they did
afterwards some negro slaves who had settled in the mountains. It is
now possessed by the English, who have so good a fort that it is not
likely any other nation should be able to drive them out. The vallies
are exceedingly beautiful and fertile, and in these the weather is
sometimes exceedingly hot; but as it is always cool on the mountains,
the inhabitants can never be in want of a place of refreshment. It is
admirably watered, having many rivulets running from the tops of the
hills into the sea, the water of these being as clear as crystal. The
island produces abundance of mustard, parsley, sorrel, cresses, and
other herbs, excellent against the scurvy. It has also abundance of
trees fit for fuel, but none that can serve as timber. All sorts of
refreshments are to be had in plenty.

[Footnote 1: Caleo Negro, in lat. 16 deg. 20' S. on the coast of Africa,
is the nearest part of the continent, and is probably what is referred
to in the text under the name of Augusta.--E.]

They sailed from hence for the island of _Ascension_, which lies in
lat 8 deg. N. and long. 14 deg. 20' W. about 200 leagues N.W. from St Helena.
This is much of the same size, but the shore is excessively rocky, and
the whole island absolutely barren, having neither trees nor grass,
and the entire surface seems as it were rent asunder, whence some
have conceived, and not without great show of reason, that it had been
formerly a volcano, or burning mountain. In the middle of the island
there is a high hill, on one side of which water has been found. At
one season of the year, the whole surface of the island is covered
with sea-fowl. What chiefly induces ships to put into the only harbour
of the island, is the great plenty of excellent turtle to be found
here. When these animals come on shore in the night to lay their eggs,
the sailors turn them over on their backs till they have leisure to
carry them on board. These creatures will live above a month without
any kind of sustenance, having only a little salt water sprinkled
over them three or four times a-day. The sailors never weary of eating
them, believing that they make a perfect change of their juices,
freeing them entirely from the scurvy and other diseases of the blood.

As this island is a very miserable place to live in, it is common to
leave malefactors here when they do not incline to put them to death.
This was done not long before our author passed this way, to a Dutch
book-keeper, who was convicted of sodomy; though perhaps this may
be considered as a worse punishment even than death, considering the
miseries that must be endured in the hottest climate of the world, on
a place that does not afford even the slightest shelter. After leaving
this island, they began to approach the line, which they crossed
without feeling any excessive heat, as the sun was then towards the
north, and they had the benefit of pretty fresh gales, which moderated
the heat extremely. They now also began to see the north-star at
night, which they had not done for a year and a half and it is
impossible to express how much the seamen were rejoiced at this
circumstance.

Coming into the latitude of 18 deg. N. we found that part of the sea which
is generally so covered with grass that it looks at a distance like a
meadow. This grass has a yellowish cast, being hollow within, and on
being pressed it yields a clammy viscous juice. In some years none
of this grass appears, while in other years it is found in prodigious
quantities. Some imagine that it comes from the bottom of the sea, as
divers report that the bottom is in many places covered with grass and
flowers. Others conceive that it comes from the coast of Africa: But
our author disapproves both of these opinions, because, if it came
from the bottom, there is no reason why the same appearance should not
be found elsewhere; whereas, if it came from the coast of Africa, it
ought to be found in other situations, especially near that coast. His
opinion, therefore, is, that it comes from the coast of America, and
particularly from the Gulf of Bahama, or Mexico, where it is known
to grow in great abundance, and where, when it comes to maturity, it
breaks off; and is carried away by the currents.[2]

[Footnote 2. In the old Portuguese maps and voyages, this part of
the Atlantic is called _Mar de Sargasso_, or the _Sea of Cresses_;
Sargasso signifying water-cresses, which these weeds which spread over
the sea nearly resemble.--Harris.]

Nothing is more difficult than to account for the motion and course
of currents in the ocean, which, in some places, run for six months
in one direction, and six in another, while in other places they run
always one way. There are instances also where they run one way for
a day or two after full moon, and then run strongly in the opposite
direction till next full moon. Seamen also observe, that in places
where the trade-winds blow, the currents are generally influenced by
them, moving the same way with the winds, but not with equal force
in all places; neither are they so discernible in the wide ocean,
but chiefly about islands, where their effects are more or less felt
according as they are influenced by being more or less in the way
of the trade-winds. It would be of great service to navigation if
sensible men would take notice of these currents, and enquire into the
reason of their appearances. In old books of voyages we find many more
wonders than in those of later date, not because the course of nature
is at all changed, but because nature was not then so well understood.
A thousand things were prodigious a century ago, which are not now at
all strange. Thus the storms at the Cape of Good Hope, which make so
great a figure in the histories of the Portuguese discoveries, are now
known to have been merely the effect of endeavouring to double that
Cape at a wrong season of the year.

In the East and West Indies, the natives are able to foretell
hurricanes and tornadoes, not from any superior skill, but by
observing certain signs which usually precede them. There is often so
little apparent connection between the sign and the event, that men
who value themselves on their wisdom are apt to slight such warnings
as impertinent and absurd. But they had better enquire diligently into
facts, and neither receive nor reject them too hastily. In the present
case, it is a clear matter of fact that the sea, in the latitude of
18 deg. N. between Africa and America, is frequently covered with weeds
to a great extent, and there is good reason for enquiry as to whence
these weeds come. In the first voyage made by the famous Columbus for
the discovery of the new world, he met with this grass or sea-weed
floating on the sea, without which he could not have prevailed on his
sailors to continue the voyage; and it is very remarkable, that, by
pursuing his course through these weeds, he arrived in the Gulf of
Bahama, the place whence our present author supposes this sea-grass to
come.[3]

[Footnote 3: In his first voyage, Columbus kept the parallel of
about 37 deg. N. but was considerably farther south in his subsequent
voyage.--E.]

Continuing their course to the north, they encountered hard gales of
wind, by which they were driven into lat. 37 deg. N. where they fell in
with two islands, which proved to be _Flores_ and _Corres_;[4] and as
their fresh provisions were now nearly spent, they stopped three days
at the larger island to procure refreshments. There are two of the
islands named _Acores_ by the Spaniards, which signifies the _islands
of hawks_. The Dutch call them _Vlanneische eslanders_, or _Flemish
islands_, because Fayal was first peopled by Flemings, and their
descendants remain in the island to this day, and are easily
distinguished from the other inhabitants by their shape and air. They
dwell upon a little river running down a mountain, called _Ribera dos
Flamenas_ by the Portuguese, or river of the Flemings.

[Footnote 4: Flores is in lat. 39 deg. 10', Corvo in 39 deg. 35', both N.]

The nine islands of the Acores, or Wester Islands, are Tercera, San
Michael, Santa Maria, St George, Gratiosa, Pico, Fayal, Corvo, and
Flores. Tercera is the chief island, being fifteen or sixteen leagues
in circumference, and so high and steep in many places that it is
almost impregnable, and they have built forts in such places as are
accessible. The only port is before the capital, named _Angra_, and
as it is in the form of a half-moon, it is called the _Half-Moon of
Angra_. At each horn of this half-moon there is a mountain, which are
called the Brazils, which project out into the sea, appearing from a
distance as if two islands; and these mountains are so high that one
may see at any time ten or twelve leagues off, and fifteen in clear
weather. Angra has a fine cathedral, and is the residence of a bishop,
and of a governor and council, whose authority extends over all the
nine islands. There is another town three leagues from Angra, called
Praya, or the town of the shore, situated on a shore which cannot be
approached by ships, so that it has no trade, and the town seems a
kind of desert, though well built and walled round.

The inhabitants raise sufficient provisions on the island for
all their wants, being pleasant and fertile, and all covered with
corn-fields; and so abounds with flesh, fish, and all sorts of
victuals, that even in times of the greatest scarcity, there is enough
for all the inhabitants. It produces wine also, but very small, and
does not keep well, wherefore the richer people provide themselves
from Madeira and the Canaries. They want oil, salt, lime, and potters
ware, which they have to import from other countries. They have
abundance of peaches, apples, pears, oranges, and lemons, with all
sorts of vegetables and garden stuffs, and among these a plant
called _batatas_, which grows like a vine stock, but the leaves are
different. These produce roots, weighing a pound more or less, and
are so plentiful that they are despised by the rich, though of a sweet
pleasant taste and very nourishing. There is another root in this
country as large as a man's two fists, covered over with filaments of
a golden yellow colour, and as smooth as silk. The inhabitants
stuff beds with this, instead of feathers, but skilful workmen could
certainly manufacture it into fine stuffs.

There are but few birds, except canaries, quails, ordinary poultry,
and turkies, which are numerous. Several parts of this island are very
hilly, and full of thick and almost impervious woods; and travelling
is rendered very difficult, as you often find rocks a league in
length, so rugged and sharp that they cut the shoes at every step;
yet these rocks are so full of vines that they are not to be seen
in summer, being covered over by the vine leaves. These vines spread
their roots among the crannies and crevices of the rocks, which are
so small and devoid of soil, that it is wonderful how they should find
any nourishment; yet if planted in the good soil of the country, the
vines will not grow. The corn and fruits of this island will not keep
above a year; and unless the corn is buried under ground, it spoils in
four months. On this account, every inhabitant has a pit without the
town, the mouth of which is round, just large enough to admit a man,
which is covered by a flat stone and secured by a lock. Some of these
pits are so large as to contain two or three lasts of corn, the last
containing 108 bushels Amsterdam measure, and each bushel weighing
forty pounds or more. They put their corn into these pits in July,
and cover the stone with earth to exclude the air, and take it out at
Christmas, or considerably later, finding it then as good as when put
in. The oxen in Tercera are the largest and finest that can be, equal
to any in Europe, and have prodigiously wide horns. Every one has his
name, like our dogs, and they are so familiar, that when the master
calls one of them by his name, though among a thousand others, he will
presently come to him.

One would think the ground of this island were hollow, as the rocks
sound like vaults when walked on; and indeed the thing is not at all
improbable, as the island is much subject to earthquakes. In many
places of the island of San Michael there are holes and cracks, out of
which there comes a great smoke, and the ground seems as if burnt all
around. This is not uncommon also in all the islands, as they all have
sulphur mountains. There are also fountains of water so hot as to boil
eggs. Three leagues from Angra there is a petrifying spring, which
changes wood into stone; and there was formerly a tree having some of
its roots in that water, which were stony and as hard as flint. This
island produces excellent timber, especially cedar, which is so common
that their carts and waggons are made of it, and it is even used as
fuel. The island of _Pico_, twelve leagues from Tercera, has a sort of
wood called _teixo_, as hard as iron, and of a shining red colour when
wrought. It becomes always better and finer as it grows older; for
which reason no person is allowed to cut any of these trees, unless
for the king's use, and by virtue of a special order from the royal
officers. The chief trade of Tercera consists in _woad_, of which they
have great quantities. The fleets of Spain and Portugal, bound for the
East Indies, Brazil, Cape Verd, Guinea, and other countries, usually
come here for refreshments, to the great profit of this and the other
islands, the inhabitants selling to them their various articles at
good prices.

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