ch
impressed with the manner in which, in this superb and commodious
legislative chamber, the discussions were carried on. There was a quiet
dignity of debate, as well as business-like capacity and orderly tone,
observed on both sides of the House, which might be copied with
advantage, as it is in striking contrast to much of the practice, in the
Parliament of Great Britain. It is certainly satisfactory to notice,
that the modern manners and customs, in the popular branch of our own
ancient national assembly, which so frequently fail in orthodox
propriety, have not been imitated in the Cape Colony.

At the Record Office attached to the House of Parliament, I went into
the vaults, and inspected the early manuscripts of the Dutch, during
their original occupation of the Cape of Good Hope. These are most
deeply and historically interesting, and valuable. The minute accuracy,
with which every incident is recorded is most remarkable. There are bays
in these vaults, filled with records, which must be of priceless value
to an historical student, and they are now in course of arrangement by
the able librarian, Mr. H.C.V. Leibbrandt, who is the author of a most
interesting work entitled "Rambles through the Archives of the Colony of
the Cape of Good Hope."[A]

At the South African Museum I found a valuable collection of beasts,
birds, fishes, &c., not only from South Africa, but from various parts
of the world. The collection has been enriched by valuable contributions
from Mr. Selous, the distinguished African traveller, and sportsman, his
donations consisting chiefly of big game, including two gigantic elands,
(male and female), buffaloes, antelopes, &c. The series of birds
comprises the large number of two thousand species.

A visit of great interest to me was to the South African Public Library,
which boasts of about 50,000 volumes, and embraces every branch of
science and literature. It contains three distinct collections, viz.,
the Dessinian, the Grey, and the Porter. The first-named was bequeathed
to the Colony in 1761 by Mr. Joachim Nicholas Von Dessin, and consists
of books, manuscripts and paintings. The Porter collection took its name
from the Hon. William Porter, and was purchased from the subscriptions
raised for the purpose of procuring a life-size portrait of that
gentleman, in recognition of his services to the Colony. As, however,
Mr. Porter declined to sit for his portrait, the amount subscribed was
appropri