Page:A voyage round the world, in His Britannic Majesty's sloop, Resolution, commanded by Capt. James Cook, during the years 1772, 3, 4, and 5 (IA b30413849 0001).pdf/97

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also erected hereabouts; and a little farther on there is a brewery, belonging to a private man, who has the exclusive privilege of brewing beer for the Cape. In a fine valley, on the side of the mountain, lies the plantation called Paradise, remarkable for its delightful grove, and for producing several fruits, especially such as belong to tropical climates, which come to great perfection there. Alphen, the seat of Mr. Kerste, (at that time commander in False bay) was the boundary of our excursions on this side. We were here received with real hospitality, which our worthy host had brought from Germany, his native country, During a few days it was the centre of our botanical rambles, which always furnished us with an abundant harvest, and gave us the greatest apprehensions that with all our efforts, we alone would be unequal to the task of collecting, describing, drawing, and preserving (all at the same time) such multitudes of species, in countries where every one we gathered would in all probability be a non-descript. It was therefore of the utmost importance, if we meant not to neglect any branch of natural knowledge, to endeavour to find an assistant well qualified to go hand and hand with us in our undertakings. We were fortunate enough to meet with a man of science, Dr. Sparrman, at this place, who after studying under the father of botany, the great Sir Charles Linné, had made a voyage to China, and another to the Cape in pursuit of knowledge.