Climate of South Africa. 245 
grometric thermometer at sun-rise, 57°; meridian temperature 
in the shade ventilated, 92° (the hygrometric thermometer being 
now 66°.) Lowest point of the hygrometric thermometer, 5823 
highest, 70°. Greatest degrees of dryness, corresponding to 
a low point of the hygrometric thermometer, 66° — 54°= 12°. 
Greatest degree of dryness, corresponding to a high point of the 
hygrometric thermometer, 89°— 70° = 19°. Mean dryness in 
the morning, 7°; at noon, 14°. 
I make no doubt, that greater degrees of dryness occurred 
at inland situations, visited by me in course of journeying ; 
but instruments were not at hand to verify the surmise, and the 
minimum of humidity actually observed has barely amounted to 
a fourth of the atmosphere’s actual capacity for moisture. 
At the Cape, during the warm season, although the south- 
east monsoon predominates, westerly winds are not unfrequent. 
They are always moist. Now and then a shower falls, or a 
rainy day occurs, in that tract particularly which lies between 
the chain of high mountains and the western sea. A fog is 
often seen, driven from the sea upon the land. Still oftener the 
summits of mountains, or even half their sides, are shrouded in 
mist. At these times the indications of the hygrometer com- 
monly, it might perhaps be said invariably, correspond with the 
elevation of the mist, or cloud, upon the mountains. The de- 
grees of dryness shewn by the hygrometer are just so many as 
agree with the difference of temperature answering to the actual 
difference of altitude. ! 
When south-easterly winds blow, they bring from the shallow 
sea, over bank Lagullas, humidity, which is condensed upon 
the summits of mountains. It is seen rolling down their western 
cliffs in volumes of thick vapour; and the elevation at which 
this is dissipated as it descends, answers precisely to the hy- 
grometric state of the air. 
Were marks noted upon the precipitous sides of Table Moun- 
tain, at intervals of ninety yards in perpendicular height from 
the base, the number of such divisions, below the cloud famili- 
arly termed the Table-cloth, would correspond with the degrees 
