38 M. Andre de Luc on the Openings in Mountain-Chains 



It flows towards the east, inclining a little to the south, through- 

 out the space of 15 degrees of longitude, or 325 leagues. The 

 river then turns suddenly to the south, then towards the south- 

 west, where the chain of moimtains, which is a continuation of 

 the Himmalaya, terminates. It afterwards again turns to the 

 south, in order to double a more southern chain of mountains, 

 and proceeds to throw its waters into the Bay of Bengal. 



Africa. — The traveller Burchell mentions six openings in 

 mountain-chains which run across the southern extremity of 

 Africa. I shall confine myself to a notice of the two principal 

 ones. The Dutch at the Cape of Good Hope call them Kloof, 

 from a word which signifies rent or fissure. Two of them are 

 ohsei'ved in one of the mountain-chains, through one of which 

 the river Breede flows, and the river Hex through the other. 



The Kloof of the Hex is a sinuous defile, on each side of 

 Avhich mountains rise in majestic forms, clothed with a profuse 

 vegetation. The strata of these mountains appear to have 

 been disturbed ; they are often inclined at an angle of 45 de- 

 grees. The Kloof is particularly picturesque. Its steep 

 sides re-echo the rattling of chariots and the cries of their 

 drivers. Large trees, oi'namented with rich foliage, soften 

 the harsh features of the towering rocks, which sometimes 

 shoot forward in enormous masses, sometimes retire, and 

 form the most vimbrageous and profoimd retreats. On issuing 

 from the Kloof, the traveller enters the valley of the Hex, 

 which is long and narrow, and surrounded on all sides with 

 mountains. 



The Hoodezands Kloof, or Red-sand Kloof, is a narrow 

 winding defile, about three miles long, aftbrding space only for 

 the passage of the small river Berg, on each side of which the 

 mountains rise abruptly to a great height. The rocks are co- 

 vered with bushes and trees from the summit of the mountains 

 to the very edge of the water, presenting a superb and highly 

 picturesque view, ornamented with every description of fo- 

 liage. 



North America. — It may be said that in the Apalaches, of 

 which the AUeghanies form the central or principal chain, 

 nearly all the great rivers cross the lateral chains and the Ion- 



