The children's book of knowledge [antikvár]

Cape Town, Gateway to South Africa and the "mother city," seen from above Table Bay. SOUTH AFRICA Land of Contrasts THE story of "white" South Africa is one of struggle and adventure through five centuries, and by many nations and races. It begins in 1488, when the Portuguese navigator Bartholomew Diaz sighted the " Cape of Storms." His royal master, John the Second, knowing it would be a landmark on the long sea-road from Portugal to India, re-named it the " Cape of Good Hope." Though Diaz did not land in South Africa, other Portuguese, including the famous Vasco da Gama, did so. None, however, settled there. Over a century passed, and two English captains, Shillingé and Fitzherberte, raising the flag of St. George near the Cape, claimed South Africa, known and unknown, for James I of England. Unfortunately neither James nor England showed any interest. In those days, only seamen of the British and Dutch East India Companies used South Africa. For them the Cape was a resting-place on their long voyages—there they could find fresh fruit to ward off scurvy. C.K. It was a " post-office" too. Ships' captains left letters for one another under well-marked stones. Some of these stones are still preserved in Cape Town. THE FIRST SETTLERS 1652 marks the first historic event in South Africa's story. That year, the Dutch East India Company sent Jan van Riebeeck with two hundred settlers from Holland, to turn the Cape into a " market-garden " for passing ships. Where they settled is now Cape Town. They made friends with the native Bushmen and Hottentots. Before long they were joined by French Huguenot refugees who, however, were compelled to become Dutch in almost every respect—even to changing their language. In time, the Cape settlers became " towni-fied." But this irked some of them, who adventured into unexplored and dangerous lands to the north and east. Then, in 1795, more history was made. Fr.r-away Holland came under the sway Aj