Page:Africa by Élisée Reclus, Volume 4.djvu/171

CAra TOWN. 127 mentod by a canal lined with trees, like the avenues of AmRtordam. Nevertheleat the featurcH, spt'ot'h, and family names of about one-half of the European inha- bitants betray thi'ir Dutch origin. Interrainglt'd with the white population are peoples of every shade, blacks descended from old Negro slaves, Hottentots, Kafirs, Malays, presenting every transition from dark brown and black to brick red and yellow, besides greyish Bustmirds and bronze or swarthy half-caste immigrants fronx St. Helena. Amongst the Malays, descendants of the servile class formerly introduced by the Dutch from the Eastern Archipelago, some still wear the turban and long flowing garments. Thus are distinguisiied the Haji, or Mecca pilgrims, who look with scorn on the multitude of " infidels," regarding all alike of whatever race as mere " Kafirs." Constituting the chief centre for the diffusion of civilisation throughout Austral Africa, Cape Town is endowed with several literary and scientific institutions, including a museum, a valuable library with a complete collection of works relating to the colony, besides many rare books and manuscripts, and a botanic garden nearly fifteen acres in extent, where may be seen specimens of all the native flora und thousands of exotics. Owing to its position near the southern extremity of the African continent, Capo Town is one of the most important stations on the surface of the globe for geodetic studies. So early as 1085 the French astronomers erected on this spot a temporary post for the observation of the southern (constellations. In 1751 La Caille here carried out his memorable researches for the measurement of a degree of the meridian and for determining the lunar parallax. These studios were resumed by the English astronomers in 1772, at the time of Cook's second expedition. At the Cupe Observatory, Muclear and Herschell drew up the catalogue of the stars of the Antarctic heavens, and at present the preliminary steps are being taken for the triangulation of the coast- lands on the plateaux of the Karroos and beyond the Orange in Bechuanaland and thence to the Zumbese, It is the intention of the eminent astronomer, ^Ir. Gill, thus gradually to secure the measurement of the meridian of Africa from the shores of the Southern Ocean to the port of Alexandria on the Mediterranean. The ])resent Observatory, already so rich in scientific memories, is situated at Moirbray, three miles to the east of the capital. Although connected by a railway with the eastern districts of the colony and the Dutch republics, and enjoying the advantage over the other seaports of lying nearest to Europe, Cai)e Town is not the chief centre of the foreign trade of South Africa. In this respect it is fur surpassed by Port Elizahcih, the flourishing emporium on Algoa Bay, which at the middle of the present century was still a mere group of hovels, but which is conveniently situated in the neighbourhood of the most productive agricultural districts, and at the st^award terminus of the shortest routes leading to the diamond and gold fields of the interior, Neverthe- less, Cape Town, thanks to its comparatively large population, to its position as political capital, and to the advantages of its harbour, has maintained a high place amongst the African seaports. Here are shipped large quantities of wool, as well as the choicest South African wines, grown on the eastern slopes of Table Mountain.