Capetown Is Rather Pretty, But Beyond Words Untidy And Out Of
Repair.
As it is neither drained nor paved, it won't do in hot
weather; and I shall migrate 'up country' to a Dutch village.
Mrs.
J-, who is Dutch herself, tells me that one may board in a Dutch
farm-house very cheaply, and with great comfort (of course eating
with the family), and that they will drive you about the country
and tend your horses for nothing, if you are friendly, and don't
treat them with Engelsche hoog-moedigheid.
Oct. 19th. - The packet came in last night, but just in time to save
the fine of 50l. per diem, and I got your welcome letter this
morning. I have been coughing all this time, but I hope I shall
improve. I came out at the very worst time of year, and the
weather has been (of course) 'unprecedentedly' bad and changeable.
But when it IS fine it is quite celestial; so clear, so dry, so
light. Then comes a cloud over Table Mountain, like the sugar on a
wedding-cake, which tumbles down in splendid waterfalls, and
vanishes unaccountably halfway; and then you run indoors and shut
doors and windows, or it portends a 'south-easter', i.e. a
hurricane, and Capetown disappears in impenetrable clouds of dust.
But this wind coming off the hills and fields of ice, is the Cape
doctor, and keeps away cholera, fever of every sort, and all
malignant or infectious diseases. Most of them are unknown here.
Never was so healthy a place; but the remedy is of the heroic
nature, and very disagreeable.
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