pers of July, that such is the intention of the British Government, as far as relates to lands proposed to be granted to British emigrants; according to the following paragraph of that letter: "The lands will be granted at a quit rent to be fixed, which rent, however, will be remitted for the first ten years; and at the expiration of three years, (during which the party and a number of families, in the proportion of one for every hundred acres, must have resided on the estate,) the land shall be measured at the expense of Government, and the holder shall obtain without fee, his title thereto, on a perpetual quit rent, not exceeding in any case two pounds sterling, for every hundred acres; subject, however, to this clause beyond the usual reservations [The usual reservations are the right of the Crown to mines of precious stones, of gold and silver, and to make such roads as may be necessary for the convenience of the colony]: that the land shall become forfeited to Government, in case the party shall abandon the estate, or not bring it into cultivation within a given number of years."

The first part of the subject will be briefly to consider the situa tion of those emigrants, who, possessing some capital, are desirous of occupying, by purchase, one of these original Dutch farms; and to offer a few hints for their guidance.

Those who have a family of children, of whom at least two or three are old enough to be useful, will derive many advantages from their numbers. They are advised to take with them a moderate stock of clothes, sufficient to last them for two or three years; such medicines as they may judge necessary; agricultural and horticultural implements; carpenter's and smith's tools; and whatever manufactured articles they may think requisite for domestic use. At the same time they are cautioned against encumbering themselves with any thing beyond what may be really necessary or essential to their comfort. They will be able readily to obtain from merchants in this country, connected with those at the Cape, bills of exchange for their cash; and will be gainers to a very great degree, by the rate of exchange being above a hundred per cent. in their favor. The British Government has now offered them a passage, free of expense, provided the number of individuals in each party shall not be fewer than ten; and is disposed to lend its encouragement to persons of this class.

But the most material preparatory step for the emigrant to take, is to fix upon a spot, where he and his family are to commence their operations; so that on their landing, not the least time may be lost in proceeding to the place of their destination. For to remain long in Cape Town, would cause the ruin of their prospects; inasmuch as it would soon consume all the money which ought to be laid out on their farm and would waste their time at a season when it

would be of the utmost importance to employ it in the most efficacious manner. Nothing can be more dangerous than delay at such a moment; and whatever failures have attended any former attempts, they are to be attributed to this cause.

It is therefore strongly advised that the party should, by means of some friend or agent in the colony, have their way, as far as possible, prepared before them; that on their landing, they may immediately proceed to the inspection of their land, and quickly come to a decision. Or, if they have no means of ensuring these preparatory steps before their arrival, they may depend upon the chance of what farms they may find advertised in the "Cape Town Gazette." Scarcely a week passes without several being thus announced for sale, either by public auction, or by private contract.

With respect to the grants of land offered by this Government, the emigrant must not mislead himself by supposing that there are many eligible situations at its disposal, except in the districts hereafter described. But of these districts, unfortunately, none of the maps, at present published, can give a correct idea of the shape and extent. Nor does there, to the writer's knowledge, exist any general map of the colony possessing a sufficient degree of accuracy and detail to exhibit the real situations of farms or the true geographical divisions of the country. In assigning lands to the number of emigrants, who may probably be induced to accept the offers now made to them, the necessity of such a map will appear more evident; and must, sooner or later, compel the Government to make an entire and fundamental survey of the whole colony. At the same time a particular examination, from the land as well as from the sea, of the whole coast in every part, should be made for the purpose of discovering all those places where boats may land, and where small vessels may ride at anchor while taking in a cargo. When these are ascertained, an advertisement in the Cape Gazette might from time to time inform the colonists that, on a particular day, a vessel would be at such or such a landing place, to receive on their own account, or to purchase at a certain price, whatever surplus produce they might be desirous of disposing of; and the vessel might, at the same time carry out a small investment of such merchandise as the colonists would be likely to purchase or to take in exchange for their produce. An arrangement of this kind would, to a very great degree, do away the inconvenience, or impediment, which most of the distant colonies now urge as the cause of their growing no more on their land than is sufficient for their own consumption-the tedious and laborious land-carriage to Cape Town, the principal market.

It scarcely requires to be explained how greatly a new colonist and a stranger stands in need of the cordial assistance of the Colonial Government, to put him forward at the beginning of his undertak

ing. After the disposition which the Government at home has manifested on this head, there can be no doubt that every facility will be given to him, and that he may venture to rely on finding, on his arrival, a due attention to his situation, and a readiness to afford him all reasonable encouragement. Perhaps few things would tend more to relieve emigrants from many difficulties which frequently meet them as soon as they land in a country where they are utter strangers, than giving up, for their temporary use and accommodation, some public building; and appointing an experienced person as their guide and adviser during their short abode in Cape Town,

There is no uncertainty in the success of an emigrant of this class, if he use but common diligence and prudence: but, after having stated some of the advantages, it would not be candid, however much it might be the writer's wish to speak as favorably as possible of the present inhabitants of the colony, to remain silent with respect to a disadvantage which the emigrant ought to be informed of, that his mind may be prepared against it; and thus avoid all kind of disappointment in what he may have been led to expect. Many of the present colonists may perhaps view with jealousy the introduction among them of a new description of people, whose superior industry and methods may place them in the back-ground: or they may falsely imagine that, in some way or another, such an innovation may operate to their loss; while in reality it must greatly contribute to their gain and prosperity. They would therefore not feel ready in lending any assistance to strangers. Yet, however, it is but justice to say that many of them would prove honest, worthy, and neighbourly men.

Thus far the situation of the capitalist emigrant has been considered; and enough has been stated to show that, when his prospects in his own country lose their brightness, he may look with confidence towards the Cape of Good Hope as a land where, with the remainder of his property, he may enjoy the comforts, as well as the necessaries of life; and by moderate exertion and care, attain even an independence, and secure for his children possessions in a most healthy climate, still under the parental government of his native country. The impolicy of again giving up possession of the southern point of Africa is now too evident to allow a supposition of its ever being likely to take place; and, as a British colony, it must end in speaking the English language, and in adopting English customs

and laws.

The situation of the other class of emigrants, those who possess no capital, requires a more attentive consideration. The former have some power to help themselves; but these are unable to accomplish any thing without the kind assistance of a powerful hand. The want of employment and consequent distress of a considerable

portion of the lower classes of society in this kingdom, is calling aloud for some remedy or mitigation; and as far as any can be found without resorting to emigration, such is certainly to be preferred. But, as persons destitute of the means of support require permanent, not temporary, relief, there does not at present appear any plan more likely to afford it, than that of transplanting a limited number to our own colonies, where they will still continue to constitute their proportion of the strength of the empire: and those who may feel so disposed may, at any future time, equally well be called into use in our Navy or Army; or, if thought advisable, may be employed voluntarily in the defence of their own colony, at less expense than must necessarily be incurred in sending out regiments from Europe. This state of increasing pauperism from want of employment, has led many thinking and humane minds to devise various schemes; some of which may answer the intention, although only partially, and others will require a lapse of time before they can exhibit proofs of their efficacy. Government has given some attention to the subject, and the Committee of the House of Commons on the Poor Laws has been long employed upon it, and amongst other matters, has obtained that information and evidence on the propriety of permitting such persons to settle in the Cape Colony, which has produced, at the termination of the last sessions of Parliament, a grant of fifty thousand pounds to be applied to the encouragement of emigration to that colony. It would appear that the mode in which this encouragement is to be afforded, and the details of the plan, were not then fixed; but were left open to such alterations and inprovements as experience might suggest. It will not therefore be out of season, if a person, well acquainted with that country, offer some information and hints applicable to the question; and which were intended to form part of a larger work, had not present circumstances seemed to require their being made known earlier than that work can be published.

The Dutch is, at this time, the only language in general use in the country districts of the colony; and a few British emigrants, interspersed amongst the boors or Dutch farmers, would find themselves reduced to the necessity of learning their language, before they could have any acquaintance with their surrounding neighbours. This would form a serious impediment in the way of new settlers, and would operate, for a length of time, in preventing that friendly understanding and social communication with the old settlers, which ought to be encouraged between them. It would be giving greater stability and extent to a foreign language, where, on the contrary, it ought to be the aim and endeavour of our countrymen, by every means, to diffuse a knowledge of their own.

If a sufficient body of English could be located together in any

part of the colony, they would not only be enabled to retain their own language and customs, but would by degrees communicate them, together with their improvements, to the surrounding inhabitants; and, by forming a congenial society amongst themselves, contribute, by mutual assistance and a cordial cooperation in their general plan, to advance the interests and prosperity of their community, and welfare of themselves. Thus, instead of having to contend with the jealousy of the old settlers, they would be strengthened and supported by the ties of compatriotism, which naturally bind the closer together, the further men are removed from their native country.

Such a body of colonists would require a large and connected area of land fit for agriculture and pasture. This is nowhere to be found within the present limits of the colony, except at its eastern extremity, where there is an extensive unoccupied tract of the most beautiful and delightful country, varied with every diversity of scenery and surface; abounding in herbage, wood, and water; and having a soil which, the writer has no hesitation in saying, is capable of feeding large herds of cattle, and of producing corn and vegetables, more than sufficient for the supply of a numerous population. The greatest part of it is free from wood, and may receive the plough or spade immediately; or, at least, after burning away the bushes, which in some places might be found necessary: an operation not more laborious than that of clearing the uncultivated common lands of England. So that certainly within the first twelvemonth a harvest may be reaped; while, during this time, two or three crops of potatoes from one piece of ground, may supply their first wants. Here the vine may be cultivated with success; and that lucrative branch of agriculture may at last be shared by the British nation. To all these advantages is superadded the important one of a line of coast of not less than a hundred miles; from which an immediate supply of fish may be drawn, towards the support of the infant settlement, by using the net within the mouths of the rivers and it is not improbable that there may be fishing banks in the vicinity, where proper-sized boats might find enough employment.

Such a country is the southern part of the district of Albany, known by the Dutch name of the Zúureveld (pronounced Súrefelt); the boundary of which, on the west, is the Sunday river, dividing it from the country of the boors; on the south, the ocean; on the east, the Great Fish-river, separating it from the country of the Caffres; and on the north, an inhabited part of the colony: comprising an area of about eighty miles by fifty, as measured on a map; or a hundred by sixty of travelling distance. The centre of this district is at the distance eastward from Cape Town, of seven