When we went to the hot springs the other week, we stopped off at Houw Hoek Inn and read some of the history of the place. One of the people who stopped there was Lady Anne Barnard. I was keen on finding her book, but couldn’t remember its name. Julian had a little look and found me one very similar. It’s entitled Life at the Cape a Hundred Years Ago “By a Lady”. The name of the Lady who wrote this book is unknown. She spent a couple of years in Cape Town when her husband was in the British military and was stationed at the Castle. She wrote a number of letters in 1860 and 1861 and they were published in the Cape Monthly Magazine. The book is illustrated with sketches by Thomas Bowler. The book was published by Struik, Cape Town in 1963. So what does she write?
My favourite passage is her description of her ride from the Castle to Camps Bay.
STARTS:
“Our favourite ride is round the Kloof. This roadway has been constructed by the military by the orders of old Sir Harry Smith, and is cut out of the base of the Lion’s Head and Hill – which form the north-western boundary of Cape Town. It is about nine miles long, and is, to my mind, a more beautiful road than the far-famed ‘Queens’ Drive’, round the base of Arthur’s Seat at Edinburgh. The road gradually ascends for three miles, and is carried by numerous curves and windings over a kloof, which separates the Lion’s Head from Table Mountain, until you reach a tableland, when you get magnificent and extensive views of the town and bay, and also of the broad Atlantic, stretching away into infinitude of space. You have thus within a few yards of plateau no less than four extensive prospects, as you glance at the four points of the compass; and I am not yet decided which view is really the most picturesque. The road then gradually descends for three miles more, skirting at a considerable height the rocky shores of Camp’s Bay, until you finally reach the villa-crowned heights of Sea Point and Green Point, whence a sharp canter of 20 minutes will bring you back to the town again. Throughout the whole of this lovely drive the scenery is of the most diversified character, alike reminding you of the Glencoe Hills, the Via Mala, and the least rugged parts of the Simplon; and I am never tired of scampering up the Kloof to see the sun set, and admire the powerful contrast between the rugged features of the Lion’s Head and the western triangular side of Table Mountain.
It is curious how few people we meet on these charming heights. Beyond a few Malays returning from a fishing excursion to the rocks in Camp’s Bay, armed with rods and lines of a portentous length, you seldom pass a soul. Of course there is no traffic, – it would be desecration: but still one would expect that this drive would have been the haunt of all the ball-room fairies, whom we meet with, however, in the more congenial grounds of the Botanical Gardens decked in muslins and ravishing bonnets. ”
ENDS
I just love reading about the olden days in Cape Town. In my minds eye, I traversed the Kloof and stood amazed at the top as I imagined NO traffic!
But more than that, the beauty she describes largely remains as we can look out to sea and enjoy the broad Atlantic ‘stretching away into infinitude of space.’ For us Capetonians, God has bought us to live among much beauty and we must appreciate each day of it.
Psalm 115:1
“Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your Name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness.”
These are the days.
Keep the smile going.
God bless you!
In His Grip,
Helga xx 🙂