Page 532
An.1691
Soil, Fruits, Animals, at the Cape.
The Soil of this Country is of a brown colour; not deep, yet indifferently productive of Grass, Herbs, and Trees. The Grass is short, like that which grows on our Wiltshire or Dorsetshire Downs. The Trees hereabouts are but small and few; the Country also farther from the Sea, does not much abound in Trees, as I have been informed. The Mould or Soyl also is much like this near the Har- bour, which though it cannot be said to be very fat, or rich Land, yet it is very fit for cultivation, and yields good Crops to the industrious Husband- man, and the Country is pretty well settled with Farms, Dutch Families, and French Refugees, for 20 or 30 leagues up the Country; but there are but few Farms near the Harbour.
Here grows plenty of Wheat, Barly, Pease, &c. Here are also Fruits of many kinds, as Apples, Pears, Quinces, and the largest Pomgranats that I did ever see.
The chief Fruits are Grapes. These thrive very well, and the Country is of late years, so well stockt with Vineyards, that they make abun- dance of Wine, of which they have enough and to spare; and do sell great quantities to Ships that touch here. This Wine is like a French High Country White Wine, but of a pale yellowish co- lour; it is sweet, very pleasant and strong.
The tame Animals of this Country are Sheep, Goats, Hogs, Cows, Horses, &c. The Sheep are very large and fat, for they thrive very well here: This being a dry Country, and the short pasturage very agreeable to these Creatures, but it is not so proper for great Cattle; neither is the Beef in its kind so sweet as the Mutton. Of wild Beasts, 'tis said, here are several sorts, but I saw none. However, it is very likely there are some wild Beasts, that prey on the Sheep, because they are commonly brought into the Houses in the night and penn'd up.
There