250 THE FOREST LANDS OF FINLAND. 
and different phenomenon occasioned in the same way. 
It is of frequent occurrence at the Cape of Good Hope, 
and in local phrase is spoken of as the Devil’s Table-Cloth 
on Table Mountain. 
At these times the summit of the mountain is covered 
with a dense mass of beautiful white fleecy cloud in con- 
stant flow over the precipice, and pouring down the almost 
vertical front of the mountain facing Table Bay as if 
threatening to bury in an avalanche the capital of the 
colony at its base; but long ere it reaches the town, not- 
withstanding the continuous flow, it stops; to that line it 
flows on continuously, but beyond it not; there the cloud 
in unceasing flow terminates, the spectator sees not why. 
The beautifuland interesting phenomenon is occasioned 
by a south-east wind, which, up to the Table Mountain 
range, was undimmed. The wind was strong, but the sky 
blue and serene, though the wind was loaded with vapour 
—vapour dissolved and invisible. 
But passing over Table Mountain the elevation of this 
is such that the decrease of temperature, consequent on 
expansion under diminished pressure, bringing this below 
the dew-point, the moisture is deposited by the air in the 
form of a cloud, which, as it reaches at a lower level to lee- 
ward, a locality with a higher temperature, the moisture is 
again absorbed, and the air loaded with it is again trans- 
parent, as is all the air around, and as it was itself before 
passing over Table Mountain in its course. 
From Claremont,or Wynberg, or the Flats, or any place 
to the back of Table Mountain, it may be seen that the 
cloud is not blown to the mountain, but that there it first 
appears; and if some few cloudlets, formed over the crests 
of hills belonging to the range situated to windward, be 
seen sailing towards it, it is evident that they are ‘A 
sailing, a sailing with the wind, and not attracted only, 
for none are seen floating toward the Table-Cloth in other 
direction than that, in which the wind blows. 
Of this phenomenon Sir John Herschel writes, ‘ That 
the mere self-expansion of the aseending air is sufficient to 
