churches, are covered with a fort of darkcoloured reed (Reflio tectorum) which grows in dry and fandy places. It is somewhat more firm than ftraw, but rather finer and more brittle.

How this thatching is performed, certainly deserves the confideration of our country gentlemen and men of landed property; and a defcription of it will be given by Captain Ekeberg on fome other occafion. The reft of the houfes in the Cape are covered with what is called Italian tiling, which resembles the flat tiles we ufe for floors.

The company's gardens, fo differently fpoken of by Kolbe, Byron, and Bougainville, are the largest in the town, being 400 paces broad and 1000 long, and confifting of various quarters planted with cale, and other kinds of garden ftuff, for the governor's own table, as well as for the ufe of the Dutch fhips and of the hofpital. Fruittrees are planted in fome of the quarters, which, in order to fhelter them from the violence of the South-Eaft wind, are furrounded with hedges of myrtle and elm. Befides this, the greater walks are ornamented with oaks thirty feet high, which by their fhade produce an agreeable coolnefs, and are much reforted to by the ftrangers that vifit the port, and chufe to walk in the heat of the day.

The four quarters that lie neareft to the governor's refidence, which is fituated in the pleasure-garden towards the north, have indeed fome beds of flowers in them; but this pleafure-garden is very far from deferving the commendations beftowed upon it by Kolbe, who cries it up as having no equal,

above-mentioned meadow. Besides this, the well-known hardness of heart of the Dutch settled in the Indies, has fhewn itfelf here by two other gibbets erected within fight of the town, viz. one on each fide of it.

On the 30th of April, being the morning after we came to anchor, I for the firft time fet foot upon African ground. The first thing I did was to wait upon the governor, Baron Joachim von Plettenberg, to whom I paid my refpects, and intimated my with to live under his protection. As foon as he was informed of the nature of my appointment, he granted my requeft without the leaft difficulty; and foon offered me the privilege of practising phyfic, as I had given him to underftand, that it had been my principal ftudy. Upon the whole, I received great civilities from many members of the regency, particularly from the commander of the troops, Baron van Prehm, who was an African born; but, what is very rare with his countrymen, and to his honour must be mentioned, he had vifited Europe, and was a lover of fcience. Neither muft it be paffed over in filence, that he had ferved in the capacity of a Pruffian Aid de Camp, in the laft German war; and as a proof of his having been in the wars, bore about him the fears of feveral wounds. As it may give pleasure to fuch as are fond of hearing that merit meets with its reward, I will add, that he returned invested with the place he now enjoys, and about the fame time made his fortune, by marrying the finest woman in the whole colony.

An Account of the Greenland Fishery. (Continued from p. 525.)

graved to illuftrate it.

in which are fhewn oftriches, cafauries, zebras, and fometimes different forts of antelopes, and other smaller quadrupeds, almoft all of them natives of the country. In another partition are kept various foreign and

domeftic fowls.

The fortifications lie fome hundred paces north of the town, being feparated from it by a verdant mead, which is cut through with canals and roads. On both fides of the town, towards the ftrand, batteries are placed; and to the fouth, where the land is higher, are feen the burial grounds of the Chinese and free Malays that live at the Cape; as well as one belonging to the Dutch, which has a wall round it. But what difgraces the town is a gallows, with racks and other horrid inftruments of torture, which the governor has lately ordered to be erected in the place of honour, if I may fo call it, or oppofite to the fortification in the

HE Rein-deer is another, in the chace

and deftruction of which, the feamen who are not employed in the whale-boats frequently occupy themfelves, and, indeed they have many agreeable incitements. Of all the deer kind this is the most extraordinary, and the moft ufeful. From it alone, the natives of Lapland and Greenland fupply moft of their wants. It anfwers the purpofes of an horfe to convey them and their fcanty furniture from one place to another; it anfwers the purposes of a cow giving milk, it answers the purposes of a fheep in furnishing a warm kind of cloathing; and when killed, its flesh is a delicious food. On this account chiefy, the feamen hunt it on the ice for a fupply of freth provifions; and if they are lucky enough to kill more than is neceflary for prefent use, it can be hardened by fmoke, and kept a confiderable time. The skin alfo is fit for garments with the hair fide putwards; and for beds to

A

clergyman! What a good clergyman is this!"

The vicar, on his part, felt the most fenfible pleasure in this adventure. He admired the blunt franknefs and apparent fenfibility of the foldier; and, on a sudden, he took the refolution to rejoin him: "Comrade," faid he, as he came near him, "return me that fhilling.-" What! your Reverence, do you repent of having made a poor devil happy? But here it is

In this merry mood he met a clergyman, whom he foon conjectured to be the vicar of fome village, and whom he inftantly conceived, moreover, to be a good man. Nor was he mistaken there was an air of benignity in this clergyman that bespoke an excellent heart; and a carelefs franknefs in our honeft foldier, that prepoffeffed one in favour of his. The converfation (for two Frenchmen are never at a lofs for converfation) turned at firft on the military profeffion; and the good vicar was delighted to fee the animation and loyalty which appeared in every gefture and every fpeech of the gallant veteran. At length, on the point of parting, the foldier said, "How happy is your Reverence! You do not feem to be thirsty; while II am abfolutely choaked; I have travelled fo many miles to day." "If your way lies through my village I will give you fome refreshment. I have fome tolerable good wine; and there, to the left, beyond thofe trees, is my fnug little parfonage." Thank you, Sir, for all your civilities; but I am obliged to take a direct contrary way; I must be at my journey's end as foon as poffible. However, I will not conceal it, fome good wine would rejoice my eyes exceedingly. And why should I be afhamed to confefs it? You feem to be a worthy clergyman: our pay is fo very poor! Ah, please your Reverence, a fhilling would make me as rich as Cræfus."

The vicar, fmilling, put the fhilling into his hands' There, my honeft friend; I give it with pleasure ; drink my health with it."-"Heaven blefs your Reverence! On the faith of a grenadier, you are more generous than a King. Adieu, Sir, good night, and a thoufand, thousand thanks." They then parted, the grateful foldier con tinually repeating, "Oh! what a good

ed it, and giving him a crown-piece in its ftead, "I beg your pardon," faid he, "this trifle was not worth having ; I have thought better of it."-" A crown, your Reverence! A crown! Do you mean to tempt me? I affure you that fhilling was fufficient."-" But it was not fufficient for me," replied the good-natured vicar : pray accept this trifle, and you will greatly oblige me."

It is impoffible to exprefs the variety of fenfations by which our pedeftrian hero is overpowered. Nor could his worthy benefactor forbear from expreffing how much he was affected by the exquifite fenfibility which this humble and uncultivated mind difplayed. In every gefture, in every word, there was that cor.cifeness, yet pathetic eloquence of expreffion, which Nature teaches, and which no refinement can furpafs. Their mutual fatisfaction, it may be imagined, could scarce admit of being heightened. The poor veteran, who now thought himfelf" as rich as Cræfus," was the happieft of men; and the generous Ecclefiaftic, whose income was far from affluent, yet who felt himself not the poorer for this bounty, enjoyed a felicity which none but the virtuous and the good can feel. They parted once more." Oh! the excellent man! the excellent man!” faid the foldier, when he found himself alone: "after having obliged me my own way, to come after me again, and oblige me ftill more! The good vicar, the good vicar! May he live a hundred

years The foldier had for fome time made a confiderable progrefs on his journey, when. at laft, he perceived, that the village where he had propofed to lodge that night, was still so very diftant, that after all, it would be much better to turn towards that which the vicar had pointed out, and take up his quarters there.

One would be tempted here to imagine, that that vigilant and invifible Providence, which the ancients called Deftiny, (Fatum) had determined the foldier to change his purpofe, and to repair to the village in which this beneficent vicar lived. If we explore the pages of hiftory, we shall find nemberlefs examples of that protecting

Powe

Power, which feems, as it were, to create miracles for our prefervation; and, what is more aftonishing, the in titude of man is fuch, that he is either fentible of this heavenly interpofition, or regards it with an indifference equally unwife and culpable.

Conducted then by a kind of guardian genius, the foldier directs his fteps towards his benefactor's village. Attentive, at this moment, to economy, he enters a wretched alehouse. "Comrade," faid he, " bring me a pint of wine, and hark ye, let it be the beft. I am intolerably thirfty."-The landlord placed him at the fame table where three honeft peafants were converfing with great volubility, "Sit down here," faid one of the peasants; " you will not be too much we love gentlemen of your cloth: they ferve the King, and fight for us."Then turning to his companions, "I tell thee, Claude, he is the jewel of men! Did you obferve with what good judgment he judged in that there affair of Gaffer Matthew"" And you, Nicholas, do you remember what care he took of the poor family of Robert that's dead and gone, and how he cried over them!"-" Ah!" faid Chriftopher," he is one that does as he fays, and fo I gets his fermons almoft by heart.""My good friends," interrupted the foldier, toffing off a large bumper of wine, 66 you are praifing fome honeft fellow may I know who he is?". "Mr. Officer, it is our vicar."- "Your vicar! Here, boy bring me another pint. Your Vicar --- and all that you fay is true?" "True! why we a'n't yet faid half enough. There isn't his fellow upon earth. Hark ye, would ye believe it, we an't had a fingle law-fuit fince he has been in the parith! He is the best creature in the world !". "My good friends!" again interrupted the foldier'" give me your hand." Do you know what pleasure you have just given me? You praise a man who has obliged me like a Prince. And I---I would prt to death the man that could only think of hurting him."-He then related, and could fcarce refrain from tears, how good the Vicar had been to him. "Had you but feen him," faid he, " turn back to give me a crown. Here it is. I won't carry it away. Comrades, we will fup together, on condition we all drink his health."

He inftantly orders the landlord to fpread a fupper on the table; and the converfation continues: Hark ye, my friends, I have juft thought of it: I cannot leave this place without having vifited my good vicar. I am not fatished with myfelf: I have not thanked him enough. But it is now late: 1 fall fleep here to night; and to-morrow

morning early I will go and fee him.""And why not this evening, Mr. Soldier? The vitits of fuch brave fellows as you are always acceptable. I'll answer for it, he 'will give you both supper and lodging with all his foul. Poor man! he has fome rafcals of nephews that torment him; and who are for getting whatever they can from him."-" They torment him! Let him turn them over to me: I'd manage them. I'll go then this inftant to the good Vicar: but I fcarce know my way."-The three peafants, with one voice, offer to be his guides; the reckoning is difcharged, and they all fet out; the converfation on the way turning continually upon the excellent character and actions of their common benefactor.

They arrive at the door of the parfonage. houte: they knock, and they knock again. No anfwer is returned: not the fighteft noise is heard.“ What,' faid one of the peasants," what can be the meaning of this I don't half like it.'-They now knock with greater violence; but all is filent ftill; and even the great dog is not heard to bark. Their fears increase."This is very fingular: he is always at home at this hour: we must abfolutely make fome body hear."." They won't open it, my friends. I know an excellent way to enter: we must burst open the door."-The foldier inftantly applied to this work: the door foon yielded to his efforts: he enters the firft: with what an object is he ftruck! a man hanging upon a beam; he runs to him: he recollects the good vicar; it is impoffible to express his agitation: he perceives fome figns of life; he quickly cuts the rope; he takes him in his arms; he revives him." I hear fome noife," fa.d he; "thut the door; take care of this good man, and I'll do juftice to the wretches that have treated him thus.-He perceives the dog killed! he goes up ftairs into the vicar's apartment; and he there finds three wretches endeavouring to conceal themfelves. Finding themselves difcovered, they took the refolution to fall upon the folder, with daggers in their hand.-" Wretches,' faid he, undaunted by numbers" and is it thus you have treated the good vicar?” With thefe words he loft no time; he killed one of the affaffins; he fcized the two others, after feverely wounding one of them; and he brought them below. The poor Vicar was by this time recovered."My nephews !" he exclaimed," and ch,

My good deliverer!"-"Your nephews! "The monsters! I will inftantly deliver them over to the marechaussee.” * In vain NOT E.

* A troop of horfe, that patrol the country in France to apprehend robbers. &c.

the