Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
watered with a brook that descends out of the mountains: which be-
ing cut into many channels, is conveyed into all parts of the garden.
The hedges which make the walks are very thick, and nine or ten foot
high: they are kept exceeding neat and even by continual pruning.
There are lower hedges within these again, which serve to separate
the fruit trees from each other, but without shading them: and they
keep each sort of fruit by themselves, as apples, pears, abundance
of quinces, pomegranates, etc. These all prosper very well, and bear
good fruit, especially the pomegranate. The roots and garden herbs
have also their distinct places, hedged in apart by themselves; and all
in such order, that it is exceeding pleasant and beautiful. There are a
great number of negroslaves brought from other parts of the world;
some of which are continually weeding, pruning, trimming and look-
ing after it. All strangers are allowed the liberty to walk there; and by
the servants' leave, you may be admitted to taste of the fruit: but if
you think to do it clandestinely, you may be mistaken, as I knew one
was when I was in the garden, who took five or six pomegranates,
and was espied by one of the slaves, and threatened to be carried
before the governor: I believe it cost him some money to make his
peace, for I heard no more of it.
24
During his six-week stay Dampier travelled widely in the Cape,
employing his descriptive pen for the last time. It was his first visit to
the African mainland and he found much to interest him, including:
. . . a very beautiful sort of wild ass . . . whose body is curiously
striped with equal lists of white and black; the stripes coming from
the ridge of his back, and ending under the belly, which is white. These
stripes are two or three fingers broad, running parallel with each oth-
er and curiously intermixed, one white and one black, over from the
shoulder to the rump. I saw two of the skins of these beasts, dried and
preserved to be sent to Holland as a rarity. They seemed big enough
