CHAPTER III.W.S.L., Worst Steam Line—Table Mountain—The Table-cloth is Spread—Pic-nic to Constantia—Careless Smoking—Cape Wines—The “Ireland” Proceeds to India—Melancholy Forebodings—Midnight Alarm in Simon’s Bay—The Cape Observatory.
W.S.L., Worst Steam Line—Table Mountain—The Table-cloth is Spread—Pic-nic to Constantia—Careless Smoking—Cape Wines—The “Ireland” Proceeds to India—Melancholy Forebodings—Midnight Alarm in Simon’s Bay—The Cape Observatory.
At noon of the last day in the month of January, 1857, the “Ireland” cast anchor in Table Bay, which was crowded with vessels of all sizes and under every flag. Even the national ensign of England, with the three talismanic letters, W.S.L., in glaring yellow, was seen flying at the mizen-peak of a steamer, recognized as the “England,” a sister ship to the “Ireland,” and belonging to the same line, well known at the Cape of Good Hope as the “worst steam line” which has yet called atthat great turning point in the navigation between the East and the West.
Immediately on our anchoring, some of the passengers of the “England” came on board, who informed us that they were on the way to Europe, and that, between Mauritius and the Cape, they had fallen in with the tail-end of a hurricane, which had placed them in considerable danger, but that, having repaired damages, they were going to start for England in a few hours’ time. Many of our passengers seized the opportunity to convey to their friends the intelligence of their safe arrival as far as the Cape of Good Hope.
Of course there was a comparison of “notes” as to the state of these two vessels, and we found that we were not worse off than the passengers on board our sister ship. We afterwards learned, from persons residing at the Cape, who had come in the “England” on her outward voyage, that previous to their arrival at Cape Town, they ran entirely out of drinking water, and that, on their making the harbour, they had to telegraph to the signal staff to send them water, by which means a water-tank was sent to them before theirarrival. They had a large number of soldiers on board on that occasion, and it was stated that the military officers had to take matters in their own hands as far as the discipline of the stewards was concerned.
Fortunately, these two vessels were commanded by gentlemanly, considerate officers, and their tact and temper kept the discontent within reasonable bounds. With another vessel, belonging to the same line, matters took a different course, and on her arrival at the Cape of Good Hope the passengers were obliged to bind the commander to keep the peace towards them for the remainder of the voyage. The commander of the “Ireland” used his best endeavours to make the passage from England in thirty-five days; but we were forty-three days on the voyage, and would have been longer had we not been favoured by slants of wind, which, under ordinary circumstances, we could not have expected on the route adopted. The real fact was that the vessels were not fitted with sufficiently powerful machinery, and the space which ought to have been devoted to fuel was appropriated for cargo.
On arriving at Table Bay, our attention was drawn to a beautiful phenomenon of nature, by which Cape Town is supplied with water, and of which the following is a brief description:—
Table Mountain, under which Cape Town is built, is the terminus of a ridge of high land which covers a considerable portion of the promontory of the Cape of Good Hope. The side of this mountain, facing the north-west, and immediately behind the town, is perpendicular, and about 4000 feet in height. From the basin of Table Bay, during that portion of the twenty-four hours in which the air is warmer than the water, there is a considerable evaporation, which saturates the warm air overhanging the basin. The air, saturated with this moisture, rising to the edge of the cliff or summit of Table Mountain, meets with a cold polar current of air in the form of the prevalent south-east wind, by which it is immediately condensed into a cloud, and then precipitated on the ridge in the shape of dew or rain, according to the relative difference of temperature of the two currents of air. Thence, falling down the face or perpendicular side of the mountain,this deposit of dew or rain forms a stream of cool sparkling water, which affords an abundant supply to the 30,000 inhabitants of Cape Town, and the numerous ships that make this their port of call. From the harbour this white cloud appears as if ever pouring over the edge of the ridge, and never able to attain its object, the foot of the mountain. When dense, so as to entirely cover the top of Table Mountain, it is the precursor of a storm; so that, when bad weather is expected, it is usual to say that “the table-cloth is spread.”
While engaged in looking at this beautiful phenomenon of nature, the increasing size of the table-cloth on the mountain warned us of the coming storm, and hastened us in our efforts to reach the shore. As there were a number of ladies and children on board the vessel having no gentlemen to assist them, and all anxious to reach the shore, after a passage during which they had suffered considerable privations, my wife made an offer of my services to provide accommodation for them at Cape Town, and render them any little assistance during their short stay in harbour. Accordingly our party was soon formed; a largeshore-boat was provided, and we found ourselves on shore at Cape Town, and assembled at the custom-house, where the ladies had to remain until accommodation was provided for them. In consequence of there being so many vessels in harbour, the hotels, which are remarkably good, were full. After some little difficulty, always to be encountered in a strange town where one does not know one street from another, we succeeded in discovering two houses in which our large party could be accommodated as boarders, and where we were rendered very comfortable during our stay. The following day was devoted to viewing the town, already so often described, when the younger ladies discovered that they had left England without “quite a number” of little trifles which afforded them an opportunity of parting with their pin-money, and at the same time drawing a comparison of the value of “trifles” in England and in her Colonies. In the evening we had a visit from the young gentlemen passengers, when we were asked to join a pic-nic, to see one of the wine-producing estates. Preliminaries were soon arranged, and on the next morning a privateomnibus (if I may use such an expression), with four beautiful horses, made its appearance at the door of our boarding-house. The hour was early, five in the morning, and this was supposed to afford an excuse for sundry performances on a key bugle, which hastened our departure, and considerably disturbed the neighbourhood. Adding our contribution to the already large supplies of edibles on the omnibus, and with the ladies comfortably seated inside, and the gentlemen on the outside, away we started for Constantia, the well-known estate of the hospitable family of the Vanreenans.
The gale, which had been blowing since our arrival, was at an end; the rain which had fallen had laid the red dust on the roads, which is the subject of great annoyance to the residents. The morning was cool, the air bracing and exhilarating to the spirits. Nature appeared to have put on her most smiling aspect to welcome us to this portion of her domain. And, in short, it was one of those charming mornings, so prevalent at the Cape, when the better nature of man will rise with the song of the birds in gratitude to the Divine Maker of all.
So sudden and so great a change from the confinement and discomfort of a vessel had a corresponding effect on us all; and, as the fleet horses dashed along, we fully enjoyed the scenes of quiet beauty, and the picturesque views which the road to Constantia revealed to us in that sunny morning.
There was not a disagreeable person in the party; all the agreeables had been gathered together, and the contrary natures had been excluded. The jest and quick repartee followed each other in rapid succession; all were smiles, and sorrow and sadness appeared to have lost their existence for that day.
Strange that we had been so long together, and had not until that morning learned the better part of each other’s nature. How many surprises there were that day! Some learned that they were related by family ties, others that they were close neighbours in “the Old Country,” and all that from that day forth they felt interested in each other’s career.
Arrived at Constantia, we found the whole of those persons engaged on the estate in great commotion,for here, in this lovely spot, the frightful element “Fire,” from which we had so lately escaped, had been doing considerable destruction; and, although the fire had been overcome, it was not known how soon it might break out again.
It appeared that the fire originated from one of the natives employed on the estate having carelessly thrown away the ashes of his pipe; these smouldered for a time, and the vegetation at that season being dry, when once inflamed, soon created an alarming conflagration, which rapidly assumed gigantic proportions, threatening to destroy all the surrounding estates. Fortunately the heavy rain of the previous night had somewhat arrested the progress of the fire, but, as the sun rose and the vegetation dried, it required constant vigilance to prevent the fire breaking out again.
In this state of things, of course our happy party could not think of intruding on these good people in their distress. But being politely offered the use of the grounds, we outspanned our horses, procured water, milk, and eggs, and, havingsome good housewives among the party, we enjoyed a most comfortable breakfast of our own providing.
The day was spent in rambling over the country, and making ourselves somewhat acquainted with the wine-growing of the colony. We were informed that the vine, from the grapes of which the delicious Constantia wine is produced, will only grow upon this estate, from which it derives its name, and only on certain portions of it where the soil is said to be of a quality peculiar to a few localities of this district.
The grape with which the wine is coloured is grown in a part of the estate set aside for that purpose, and appeared to us dryer and more stony than other localities.
The Cape, or South African, wines have been received with considerable favour in the English market, and are recommended in all our hospitals for their purity and absence of spirit.
The export of wine from the Cape has increased from 106,067 gallons, in 1854, to 797,092 gallons, in 1857; and during that period, in consequenceof the failure of the grape in Europe, the price of the wine has increased three-fold;—a cask of Cape wine, which could be purchased formerly in England for eighteen pounds, now fetching fifty-four pounds sterling.
At the present moment, I am inclined to think that the merchants give too high a price to the producers to enable us to benefit to the extent that we should in England from the large supplies of wine which we may obtain from the Cape. But now that roads through newly-discovered mountain passes are opening up new districts suitable for the production of wine, such as the Oudts horn, and many others, the increased supply will naturally decrease its cost in the market.
There is an earthy taste in the South African wines, which greatly reduces their value; as this is not inherent to the grape, but simply the effect of the red dust of the district with which the grapes are covered, more attention in the manufacture of the wines will obviate this objection, and place them in that position in the markets of Europe to which their intrinsic merit entitle them.
After passing a most agreeable day, we returnedto Cape Town, as the shades of evening were closing in, and night was about to spread her mantle over the forest of masts floating in Table Bay.
In two days afterwards the “Ireland” was away on her course to India, bearing with her those who were to take part in the great Indian drama. The merry-hearted whip, who handled the ribbons so gracefully; the mother, with her loving children; the maidens, with their mirthful laughter; the soldier, with his gallant bearing; the beardless boys, panting for glory and this world’s renown, who joined us on that festive day at Constantia—where are they?
Foremost amongst the stormers of Lucknow the soldiers fell; the merry-hearted whip died, homeward bound, from the effects of his fearful wounds; the mother, after watching over her babes through dangers worse than death, arrived in safety at Calcutta, then drooped and died. The maidens—one, the loveliest of them all, was seized with cholera on her arrival in India; her beauty vanished and her spirit fled—some are wedded, while others perished—ask not how.
On landing at Cape Town, I had made inquiriesfor the Naval Commander-in-chief, and was informed that Commodore Trotter was up the Mozambique Channel. In the absence of the chief, I applied to the officer in charge of the naval station, when I found that, although orders had been sent out to the Cape, at the request of the Foreign Office, to forward me to my Post in one of Her Majesty’s ships, no definite steps had been taken for that purpose.
When the Admiralty orders for the conveyance of Her Majesty’s Consul for Mozambique to his Post, in a ship of war, reached Simon’s Town, it appears there was, at that time, the miserable remains of a vessel lying in the harbour, which, in former times, did duty as a tender to the ship of the senior officer, but, owing to her being unseaworthy, she had been condemned. As the orders were imperative, it was supposed that an officer of some standing, commanding a large steamer, would have to convey me to Mozambique; as the steamer in question, from her great expenditure of coals, was worse than useless on the Cape station, to which all the coals used have to be carried from England at a greatexpense. This steamer was a remarkably good sailor, and might have been usefully employed under canvas, in the Mozambique Channel, instead of lying, month after month, at Simon’s Bay doing nothing.
The Mozambique Channel is looked upon as one of the most unhealthy stations in the world; and, therefore, it is but natural that a naval officer, who has arrived at a position on the Navy List, where he knows that seniority will alone advance him, should hesitate to go to a part of the world where he is likely to make a vacancy. On the return of the Commodore, the destination of the large steamer was pretty well indicated, and, therefore, it was suggested that the old condemned schooner “Dart” should be fitted out to take the Consul to Mozambique, and, by her imposing appearance in that port, awe the slave-dealers of Eastern Africa.
Accordingly, a lieutenant and a party of men were ordered on board the “Dart;” her old sails were bent, and with the assistance of some coils of rope, a few buckets of tar, two or three pounds of putty, and the expenditure of a pot or twoof black paint, all supplied by order from Her Majesty’s Dockyard at Simon’s Town, the “Dart” began to look quite smart. The loftier spars were put in their places, the lighter yards thrown across, the masts nicely stayed, the yards squared, ropes hauled taut—long, low, and rakish; with a blue ensign abaft, and a long blue pennant at the mast head, she looked “quite the thing.”
Many smiled at the “Consul’s Yacht” (as I was told they called the “old Dart done up”); some shook their heads, and ventured to doubt if the Consul would ever reach his Post in her, and all were on the look out for the arrival of the “Ireland,” when suddenly, one night, there was heard, over the harbour of Simon’s Town, a cry of distress proceeding from the “old Dart done up.” “Help! help! for heaven’s sake, the Consul’s Yacht is sinking.” Immediately, the boatswain’s mate’s whistles were heard on board of all the men-of-war in the harbour. “Away there, boat’s crews—away, there, away!” “Hurry up, lads; that d—d thing of paint and putty is going down at her anchors!!”
By the exertions of those on board, pumping and baling with buckets, the “old Dart” was kept afloat until the men-of-war’s boat towed her into shallow water, when she was again dismantled, being pronounced not even fit for a “Consul’s Yacht.”
This, I found, was the only step that had been taken towards forwarding me to my Post, where the slave-trade, in its most revolting form, was carried on without a hope of being checked, but by my intervention as the British Consul.
As a large amount ofspeciewas expected from England, which would have to be carried by one of Her Majesty’s ships from Simon’s Bay to Algoa Bay, the large steamer was compelled to remain for this important service, and Her Majesty’s Consul for Mozambique was detained at the Cape of Good Hope for more than five months, the greater portion of which time three steam-ships of war were lying in Simon’s, or Table, or Algoa Bay. To those who may not be initiated in the subject of the carriage ofspecie, I ought to explain that the Captains of Her Majesty’s ships receive a certain per centageon allspeciecarried by the vessel which they command; while, for carrying Consuls, and other public servants, they receive only a fairly remunerative amount of table-money to compensate them for any expense they may have been put to in entertaining their guest.
When head money for pirates was found to be a premium for murder, it was very properly abolished. Similarly, let us hope that freight-money for the carriage of gold and silver will no longer be an inducement to the neglect of the public service.
As the movements of the squadron at the Cape were wrapt in the most sublime mystery, it was quite impossible to anticipate the distant period when one of Her Majesty’s ships could be placed at my disposal.
Under these circumstances, finding that my future movements werein nubibus, I resolved to take time by the forelock. Having made the acquaintance of Mr. Thomas Maclear, F.R.S., the Astronomer Royal for the Cape of Good Hope, and, through the courtesy of the Honorable Mr. Field, Collector of the Customs,being allowed to take my scientific instruments out of the Custom House, I had my magnetic instruments conveyed to the Royal Observatory, where Mr. Maclear, with that generous aid which he is always ready to afford in the cause of science, had a room placed at my disposal. Lodgings were procured near the Observatory, and many agreeable hours were passed by my wife and myself in the society of Mr. and Mrs. Maclear, and their amiable and highly intelligent family, whose unvarying kindness and attention to us, while resident at the Cape, will never be forgotten.