Travel Diaries and Journals

at from 10 to 15 miles distance. I was walking on the poop with the Captain about 10 oclock when some lights we had seen on shore, & which we thought were fires, assumed the appearence of a light house. the Capt. at the moment thought we had found Table Bay, & immediately brought the ship to. it however turned out to be that we were just off Hants Bay, & that the lights we had seen were only fires kindled by the Kaffirs. They burned until 4 oclock in the morning.

April 2nd 1858 We made sail again at (11 struck through) 6 oclock this morning with a light breeze, & Kept on along the coast as we went on. We came in sight of the Devils Peak, Lions Rump & Head & at 12 oclock we Saw the Ships lying in the Bay.

Wynberg passed an inn Called Rochester Castle, the roads were very dusty & very uneven. to the left of the road on which we were travelling is a large low tract of ground very Sandy & which appears to have been at one time the bed of the sea. it extends nearly from Table Bay to Simons Bay a distance of nearly 12 miles this is called the Hottentot Ground a few hamlets are occupied by Dutchmen Kaffirs & Hottentots. Scattered over this extent of ground it seems very barren covered with tangled rank grass & a kind of heath some parts of it quite bare & sandy. Several fires were blazing in different parts of the hills around. [ever scored through] the long dry grass & tangled heath bein so dry that the slightest spark serves to kindle into a fire A volume of smoke was seen extending over the summit of Table Mountain doubtless from one of those fires kindled

On the 3rd. of April, the second day of our arrival, met Dr. Shillette at Mrs. Parkes one of the Candian pas- sengers. he is a Surgeon in the HEICS [Honourable East India Company Service] & got down here on Sick leave. he came in the "Octavia" the same ship that Dr.Taylor my old fellow student is surgeon for. I have been living on board during this time & only going on shore when the Capt. goes.

April 13th. 1858. Tuesday

My 24th. birthday. time takes me by surprise now I can scarcely fancy it possible here I am then on my 24th. birthday on board the "Belgravia" lying quietly at Anchor in Table Bay. the morning is clear beautiful & warm. the sun shining brightly through my Cabin Window & every thing around quiet. I get up to go on

On the left of Table Mountain is the Devils peak. (For what reason it has received the above euphonian title I know not) looking over the port side of the vessel is the Northern side of the bay & further out of the bay Robben Island. It is now eight months since I left home. Certainly the most eventful period of my past life. First nearly 3 months on the voyage to India, rather more than three months residence in Calcutta after seein Mauritius Palma Santa Cruz Ceylon Madras & now here we are in Table Bay. Certainly the pleasantest place I have seen since I left England and A place I should not have the slightest objection to settle down in. I must begin to write a long letter home today. The mail leaves about the 20th. & is due in England

about the 1st. of June. it is a long time for them to want a letter at home 3 months My last letter soonest arrive at home about the end of March but I hope at least there may be no anxiety on my account & they will receive a letter I hope from Cape Town sooner than expected I wonder what my Father Mother, Jessie Mary Robert|Robt.]] & Wm. & all the rest are about. it seems to bring then near to me merely to write their names. When or will I ever see them all again there are bright mo- ments when I think I shall once more meet all again & others when I think I shall never again see old Scotland & those near & dear to me. April 13th. My dear Father &Mother. On my four & twentieth birthday I commence to write this & here we are in Table Bay all safe & sound after a very pleasant voyage down. So before I do anything else I must