The town, very small, and, with the exception of a few houses, ill-built, stands just by the seaside. The church, which was originally a very poor building, is now almost in ruins, and the market-house is advancing by quick steps to the same situation.
The white inhabitants are almost to a man English, who, as they are not allowed to have any trade or commerce of their own, live entirely by supplying refreshments to such ships as touch at the place. To their shame be it spoken, they appear to have a supply of refreshments by no means equal to the extent and fertility of their soil, as well as the fortunate situation that their island seems to promise, situated as it is between temperate and warm latitudes. Their soil might produce most, if not all, the vegetables of Europe, together with the fruits of the Indies, yet both are almost totally neglected. Cabbages, indeed, and garden stuff in general, are very good, but so far from being in sufficient plenty to supply the ships that touch here, a scanty allowance only of them are to be got, chiefly by favour from the greater people, who totally monopolise every article produced in the island, excepting only beef and mutton, which the Company keep in their own hands. Although there is a market-house in the town, nothing is sold publicly, nor could either of the three King's ships that were there get greens for their tables, except only Captain Elliot, the commanding officer, who was furnished by order of the Governor out of his own garden.
Here are plantains, peaches, lemons, apples, and guavas, but, I believe, scarcely any other fruit. But while their pastures lie, as they really do, as much neglected as their gardens, there can be little hopes of amendment. In short, the custom of the Indiamen's captains, who always make very handsome presents to the families where they are entertained, besides paying extravagant prices for the few refreshments they get, seems to have inspired the people with laziness. Were refreshments cheap they would probably on the whole receive not much more money for them in the year, and the presents would be the same, so, at least, they seem to think. In short, the contrast between the Cape of
