The Christmas number of the Cape Times, entitled Old Cape
Homesteads and their Pounders, written and illustrated by Mrs. A. P. Trotter, is of such unusual interest that we desire to draw the attention of our readers to its pages. It consists of a series of well-executed drawings and photographs showing what a con- siderable number of the old Dutch houses there still are at the Cape. The Dutch settlers developed a really beautiful and appro- priate style of Colonial architecture,—a style well suited to a hot country, and yet " homely " in the Teutonic sense. The homeli- ness, however, as in our Tudor and Elizabethan house, is combined -with a certain stateliness and distinction. The Dutch settlers, too, understood what a country house ought to be, and planted trees and made summer-houses and laid out grounds. Specially delightful are ;the pictures of Constantia. The stone benches as sketched are ideal garden-seats The letterpress, though not so fascinating as the pictures, is full of interest. We trust this .charming Christmas number will teach people here that archi- tecture at the Cape is not entirely an affair of corrugated-iron roofs and wooden frames.
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