Sir John Herschel, one of the most noted astronomers of his time, arrived at the Cape in 1834 to spend four years observing the southern sky. During this time he produced over 100 exquisite landscape sketches. These drawings make an almost unparalleled contribution to the art and historical record of the Cape in the early nineteenth century. They are reproduced in this book, together with a narrative text which provides background to the life and work of this man and sets the illustrations in their historical and geographical context. The result is an evocative picture of the Cape Peninsula and environs, at a time when they were still largely wild, but beginning to develop agriculturally and culturally in directions that culminated in the late Victorian period.