304 Roi^al Astronomical Society, 



rous of beholding, provided, however, as he would of course be, with 

 a sufficient apparatus. 



" During the first nine days of its appearance to this end of the 

 colony generally, this comet was only seen once at the Royal Ob- 

 servatory, on account of the clouds which form so frequently to the 

 west, because Table Mountain is there ; and, now the comet is going 

 southward so very fast, that it will probably soon be out of reach of 

 the equatoreal mounting of the telescope. This state of things has 

 already supervened in the case of Mauvais' comet, which has been 

 observed since October, and is likely to be visible for a long time to ; 

 come ; but from the middle of December its south declination has 

 been so great as to place it beyond the range of the instrument at 

 the best times for observation. Now, therefore, a polar axis mount- 

 ing is being hastily run up." 



Meteorology . — " A large mountain is too generally associated in 

 idea with constant clouds and stoi'ms ; but two years' experience on 

 great elevations at this end of the colony shows decidedly that the 

 highest position is by no means, on that account solely, liable to 

 most mist, or vexed with most wind ; such effects depending more 

 on the proximity of the sea, and the configuration of the neighbour-, 

 ing country. 



" Winterhock-berg, 6500 feet high and 60 miles from the sea,:had 

 little wind and less mist; but one of its off- sets contains a kloof, or 

 cleft, which serves as a vent for the wind which has been blowing 

 up the Worcester and Tulbagh valleys ; and, in this kloof, 1200 feet 

 high, there is generally abundance of both wind and cloud, — the . 

 latter of that sort which is forming at thesai^e tiugif PA th^ to{k^^>l 

 Table Mountain, 3600 feet high. ..,1/:. ^ '.;„■,, i 



" Kamiesberg, 5500 feet high, a cold mountain, isolated in ex-; 

 tensive warm plains, had little wind ; but Klyp Rug-berg, only 1000 

 feet high, situated on the edge of a steppe dividing a cold region 

 from a hot oiue, was, suljject to. JSYJiivi, }rialent ^4 ^OjUytiiipal^lpejfQi^^i, 

 examplq.,! l,uu^ ^.o-.-fTici^ •iu".Tt^ v. .v/ohd 'nJr.m<n f-,-/ ,[ -tilt rir ,',imi 



" In the plains there generally prevails during summer a cert^j^j 

 degree of haziness and indistinctness in the atmosphere, highly ])re|,'f 

 judicial both to the definition and the intensity of any distant illu- 

 minated object, A residence on a high mountain shows that there 

 is spread at such times over the whole lower country a stratum of 

 dry fog to the depth of 3000 or 4000 feet, not aff'ecting the dew- 

 point, of a smoky colour, but so rare as to be unsuspected by a per,-* j 

 sou immersed in it. When he is above its level the peaks of distap^i 

 mountains in a similar condition appear well-defined, and of an in^^, 

 tense blue or purple colour, while all belpw is indistinct, dancing,., 

 and boiling, and overcome by a general murkish gray tint. Thjis,, 

 peculiar fog may last in summer two or three months ; in the winter,^, 

 only as many days, and it is then more rare and attains a greater; , 

 height. It is usually formed gradually, and is at length precipitate^/^ 

 or dissipated by rain ; but it is sometimes very sudden, and appat(; 

 rently capricious both in appearance and disappearance ; no oth^^j 

 important changes being evident at the time. , o' 



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