on its first appearance, was most contemptuously treated in an English Review. Mr. Thompson's own graphic powers are considerable, and his whole style and manner leave us under the impression that theory and imagination are nowhere substituted for fact. We perceive nothing in his Travels of that harshness, intolerance, and self-conceit, which sometimes, although attempted to be concealed, produce disgust in the mind of the reader. On the contrary, we feel, as we proceed with him, the sensation of being in company with a mild, good-tempered, and practical man, well calculated to win his way among uncivilized people; and we applaud the patience and perseverance with which he surmounted so many difficulties, in his courses through sterile and dangerous regions.

His apparatus for the whole of his enterprises, when compared with that of most of his predecessors, seems to have been so small, that we are led, at first, to wonder at his temerity; but a few years, under the British government, have produced such changes in the general character of the country, as to threaten much less danger even to him who proposes very distant journeys; and the event fully justified his own calculation of the adequacy of the means on which he relied.

The Cape Colony may now be considered as a permanent part of the British Empire; always subject, however, as we have elsewhere observed, to the natural result of its hereafter becoming very populous and very powerful, when provincial subjection will be lost in the formation of an independent state. In this respect, we may consider Great Britain as an organ, under Providence, for the increase of the numbers and the gradual establishment of new associations of mankind. Her Australia, her NewZealand, and her Cape, will in time become states, with all the advantages of European knowledge, and, according to circumstances, be more or less friendly to their mother country. If violence and injustice produce a disruption, political friendships will be suspended, if not destroyed; and other ancient nations may derive advantages at the expense of Great Britain. It may however happen, that by amicable separation, the early amities may survive, and, with the continued influence of Britain, her effective power may not be diminished. On all such subjects, imagination may be indulged in reference to the great expense with which British colonies are founded and supported, and the ardour with which the system is, by her alone, pursued. Her immediate objects are manifold-to extend her commerce, to increase the vents of her own manufactures, to occupy a portion of her ships, and keep her naval power in public exhibition; to transport her convicts, and recently to assist the emigrations of part of her redundant population. The latter view, chiefly, led her to form the Colony at the Cape of Good Hope. Great difficulties.

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principally resulting from the soil and climate, for a long time retarded the success of these establishments. But, as fellowbeings, we are pleased to find from our author, that the sufferings of the new colonists are at an end; and that the settlements are generally in a prosperous condition. Their difficulties in the outset, which are briefly and in general terms described by the author, will form a proper introduction to his subsequent accounts and observations:

"The continued failure of the crops, for three successive seasons, had at length exhausted the funds of the great majority. Their capital, with the exception of such part as had been invested in buildings and live stock, had entirely melted away. Instead of having been able to bring any surplus produce to market, they had been obliged to purchase bread corn for the subsistence of their families. Even those who possessed the best resources began to be subjected to great privations, and many were already reduced to absolute destitution.

"These were the agriculturists:-they had all suffered more or less, but their condition was almost as various as had been their former pursuits. There were among them a considerable number of gentlemen who had served in the army and navy, some of whom still retained their half-pay, while others had sold their commissions in order to realize funds to commence farming. This class (with a very few exceptions) consisted of men of education, intelligence, and good character. There were besides these a considerable number of highly respectable families, some of whom had in England moved in circles superior even to middle life, but who had now exhausted their entire resources in this enterprise. Below these were farmers, shopkeepers, manufacturers, &c. who, apprehending the entire loss of their property from the pressure of evil times at home, had embarked it in the emigration, only to see it wrecked in Africa. Such were the classes of emigrants who had been by far the severest, if not the exclusive sufferers, by the failure of the scheme and the destruction of the crops.

"The lower ranks, consisting of common mechanics and labourers, were spoiled, from the time of the very first location, by the indiscriminate issue of rations without the control of the masters; and most of them, as has been already remarked, soon found means to obtain their discharge. The great demand for labour, and the high wages given by the Government contractors, and others, who were erecting buildings at Graham's Town, attracted thither great numbers of this class; and all of them who were industrious earned a competent livelihood, and many saved money and built houses for themselves; so that that village, a merc hamlet in 1820, rose rapidly in importance. It now contains about one-half of the emigrants originally located in the district, and is (in population at least) the second town in the Colony.

"From this hasty retrospect, it will be seen that it was almost exclusively upon the upper and middling classes that the severe pressure fell; and while the majority of the labourers and mechanics had improved their situation, and were receiving high wages, and rising to independence, their former masters were generally involved in difficulties, and rapidly sinking to indigence. Many families were, in fact, long before the period I now refer to, reduced to great distress; and there existed little or no prospect of any effectual relief for them. They naturally clung to their locations; for, unimportant and unproductive as these were, they were all that remained to them of property. Many, too, were willing to labour, and did labour most assiduously on their own premises, whose former stations and habits of life prevented them from working for hire, or becoming the dependants of others. There were doubtless some individuals who clamoured loudly, and even exaggerated their privations, in order to raise contributions, by exciting the commiseration of the public:-there were individuals at once prodigal and mean, idle and importunate :-but the great majority of the classes I refer to, evinced a different spirit. Great privation was patiently endured by a numerous and highly respectable body of people, who concealed in the retirement of their cottages the destitution they were reduced to,-who were "unable

to dig, and to beg were ashamed." Some distressing cases of this kind have been made known, but many more, and perhaps the most severe, have been carefully hidden even from the eye of philanthropy. In a country where butcher's meat is so cheap, that even during a scarcity it has seldom exceeded three halfpence per pound, and where, though the crops were totally destroyed, milk and vegetables have seldom been altogether wanting, very great distress for absolute want of food could not well prevail long or extensively. But to those who had all their lives been accustomed to English comfort, there existed many wants besides the want of food, and there might be much suffering short of actual famine."

These distresses of the settlers were forcibly represented at home; and a subscription amounting to £7000 sterling, with a quantity of clothing, was speedily raised and transmitted. With a small addition from some of the inhabitants of the colony itself, a distribution of the supply among the impoverished and needy was promptly and judiciously made, since which, says our author, "the situation of the settlement has gradually improved. Comfort, credit, and confidence, were restored to a numerous and respectable class of people, who were depressed and degraded by debt and destitution. Other favourable circumstances conspired to renew the spirit of industry and enterprise, which had almost given place to despair."

He admits that the "rust" has not yet ceased to ravage their wheat crops, "but barley, maize, potatoes, pumpkins, and other vegetables, are now plentiful in the district; and the funds put into their hands, have enabled most of the settlers who now occupy the lands to place large, herds of cattle on the pastures."

The author proceeds to give his own suggestions, as to the best modes of encouraging and supporting future emigrations; and ends with a comparison of the advantages which a South African settler possesses over those of other countries, including our own; in which, as we presume no citizen of the United States is likely to migrate to the Cape of Good Hope, we deem it needless to follow him.

Yet

But, however suitable for agricultural purposes a great part of the territory now belonging to the British government may be, he admits that nearly two-thirds of its entire surface consist of vast ranges of sterile mountains, and dreary wastes, which no efforts of human industry can render available to civilized man, and which refuse even drink and pssturage to the herds. he conceives that within its present boundaries, it would afford ample means of a secure and plentiful subsistence to at least five times its present population, which he estimates at 120,000, including about 30,000 Hottentots. The white population consists of the old Dutch settler, now, with all his phlegm and goodnatured indolence, reduced or elevated, as his own opinion may be, to the rank of a British subject; and of those Englishmen, whom official duties, commercial pursuits, or agricultural enterprise, have led to the same quarter.

Mr. Thompson assures us, that the habits and customs of the Dutch in Cape Town are becoming every day "more decidedly English." And this is probable and natural. Although the same despotic power which was formerly held by the Dutch governors is at an end, yet the possession of a moderated authority will of course produce influence, and lead to such fashions of conduct as may be deemed acceptable to those who govern. The view of the superior comforts, and perhaps more polished manners, of their English neighbours, must also have a gradual effect on social intercourse. But the Dutch farmer, who (not disrespectfully) is termed the Boor, seems to remain unaltered. Seated individually on large tracts of land, frequently of four, five, or six thousand acres-secluded from all but occasional and unfrequent intercourse with the English settler-revelling in the enjoyment of coarse and abundant food, derived from his own flocks and herds, without vegetable varieties in his diet-he follows the beaten track of his ancestors, and knows and cares nothing about the culture of his mind. Yet the Boors are generally kind and hospitable to travellers; and many instances are given, as well in this book as in the others to which we have referred, of friendly welcome and assistance, when these were really wanted. The hand was not the less warm because it was hard and dirty, and hunger was not less amply appeased because the substantial meal was without the condiments of foreign luxury.

Of the original inhabitants of the country included within the limits of the colony, the Hottentots, so numerous in the time of Kolben, are now reduced to the small number already mentioned, and are chiefly in the condition of dependents on the White Inhabitants. One small farm, occupied by a Hottentot, is mentioned as a rare instance, with a benevolent wish that more such could be found. It is stated to be the only case in which a grant of land in any part of the country has been made to a Hottentot. The author visited the little secluded spot, consisting of only fifty-four acres, and speaks favourably of the improvements. But even of this slender establishment, the native was, at one time, in danger of being deprived. He had been permitted by the deputy Landdrost to occupy this wild place, which no boor thought worth the asking for, when, upon the arrival of the settlers (we presume the English settlers, as we observe the distinctive appellations of Boors and Settlers are preserved throughout,) he was warned to evacuate it, in order that it might be added to their location; and he would have been thus unceremoniously dispossessed, if the Colonial Government, on a representation of the case, had not interfered, and made him a grant of the land on a perpetual quit-rent.

We shall now proceed to accompany our author through some

parts of his tours, which, as he advanced beyond the habitations of civilized man, became at times quite interesting.

His first journey commenced in April 1823-when he proceeded to, and passed through the British settlements on the Eastern Coast-from which he struck off in a northerly direction towards the Gariep river.

The difference between the present and the former condition of this part of the country, is shortly described:

"Passed the location of the late General Campbell,. (one of the heads of the settlers,) which is now occupied by his widow, an elegant and accomplished lady. The natural features of the country are here exceedingly beautiful, and Mrs. Campbell's neatly ornamented cottage, though constructed only of wattle and plaster, had a most pleasing and picturesque appearance, surrounded by luxuriant woods and copses of evergreens, in the disposal of which the wanton hand of Nature seemed to have rivalled the most tasteful efforts of art.

"As I travelled through this rich and smiling scene, now enlivened by the dwellings and improvements of civilized man, and saw the flocks of sheep pasturing on the soft green hills, while the foaming surge broke along the beach on my right hand, I could not help recalling to mind the fate of the Grosvenor's shipwrecked crew, who traversed this beautiful country in other times and far different circumstances. It was not far from this very spot that the poor boy, Law, after surmounting incredible hardships, lay down to sleep upon a rock, and was found dead in the morning. At that time, the boundary of the Colony extended only to Algoa Bay, and the wretched wanderers had still innumerable toils and perils to endure, before they could reach the residence of Christians,-and but few survived indeed to reach them. A skeleton, which was lately found by my friend Mr. Thornhill, in one of the sand-banks, a few miles farther to the eastward, in a sitting posture, may not improbably be the remains of one of those unfortunate wanderers; for many instances are related, in the journal of the survivors, of individuals exhausted with hunger and fatigue, sitting down to rise no more; and a corpse left in such a situation, would be covered up by the drifting of the sand in a few hours, if the wind happened to blow strong from the south-east."

Of the village of Graaff-Reinet, he gives the following account, the concluding part of which merits the attention of our fellowcitizens, now so largely engaged in internal improvements:

"I spent these four days in Graaff-Reinet. This place is wonderfully improved since the days of Barrow, when it consisted merely of a few miserable mud and straw huts. It contains now about three hundred houses, almost all of which are neat and commodious brick edifices;—many are elegant. The streets are wide, laid out at right angles, and planted with rows of lemon and orange trees, which thrive here luxuriantly, and give to the place a fresh and pleasing appearance. Each house has a large allotment of ground behind it, extending in some instances to several acres, which is richly cultivated, divided by quince, lemon, or pomegranate hedges, and laid out in orchards, gardens, and vineyards. These are all watered by a canal from the Sunday River, which branches out into a number of small channels, and each inhabitant receives his due portion at a regular hour. This canal has been greatly improved, or rather constructed anew, on a much higher level, by the present Landdrost, who, by indefatigable exertion and entirely at his own risk, has carried it along the front of a rocky precipice, and by these means gained a large addition of arable ground, and a more certain and abundant supply of water. I was not a little surprised to find that this arduous task had been accomplished, without even the aid of blowing irons or gunpowder, merely by kindling large fires upon the rocks, and when they were well heated, dashing buckets of water upon them. By this simple process, immense blocks had been split, and rolled from the path of the water-course.