Title
A Voyage to the East Indies: Page 44
Description
But the Quantity of this, can be but very inconsiderable, as the Plantation itself Consists of no more than 40 or 50 Acres. Yet Winesellers here will show Wine very much like it & assure the Buyer upon their Honour that it is a true Constantia (But let it be remember’d it is the Honour of a dutchman.) These Vines have been transplanted into various Parts of the Country from the true Constantia, but degenerate. The White is a Stock of the Canary, but very far degenerated, yet some very good Wine may be got. Stalks of the same Vine planted in different Soils, vary very much in their Juice, & this in part accounts for their great variety at the Cape, for you will not find Wine alike at any two Houses there. They make several brewings likewise so that the last run is very far inferior to english Small Beer … The Principal and in fact only Town the dutch have here which deserves that Name is Cape Town situate on the Sea Shore. It is defended from the heavy Winds on three of its Sides by stupendous Mountains call’d the Table Land, Prince Charles’s Mount, the Lion’s Ramp, and Sugar Loaf. The Town is regularly built with spacious Streets intersecting each other at Right Angles, so that you may see from one end of the Town to the other. Their Houses are neat, but not elegant or lofty none exceeding three stories. They are built of thin Bricks & Plaster’d over with white Mortar. To obviate any ill Effect arising to the Eyes when the sun [end page 44]
