April.] 



TABLE BAY. 



309 



wind, in the flaws, they can soon turn out one or two reefs, and set the 

 top-gallant-sails. 



It may be well to remark, that an eddy, or counter current, com- 

 monly sets from the north into Table Bay, between Robben Island and 

 the mainland ; while, at the same time, the regular current is setting 

 to the north, a short distance in the offing. Ships bound into the bay 

 should therefore be careful to make the land to the south of latitude 

 33° 55', if the wind be southerly. By not attending to this, and making 

 proper allowances for the currents, they have often fallen in with the 

 land to the north of Dassen Island, and even as far north as Point St. 

 Helena, where some of them have left their ribs on the sunken rocks 

 which line the coast between St. Helen's and Saldanha bays. Thus, 

 by falling in south of the port, in the summer months, they will have 

 the advantage of a fair wind and a favourable current ; whereas by 

 falling in north of the port, it may take them a day or two, under the 

 most favourable circumstances, to gain the anchorage. 



It is unsafe for ships to lie in this port between the months of May 

 and October ; for the north-north- west and north-west winds then set 

 in, and often blow with great violence, so that unless a ship has very 

 good ground-tackling, she will almost inevitably go on shore. North- 

 west winds happen nt all seasons of the year, more or less, but never 

 with any force between October and May. One of the most violent 

 north-west gales that ever happened at Cape Town was in July, 1822, 

 when a great number of vessels went on shore, and about seventy 

 houses and stores were destroyed. Fortunately, no lives were lost. 



I have found, as well as others, that the variable state of atmospheri- 

 cal refraction in this bay is so great as to render it difficult, and some- 

 times impossible, to obtain accurate altitudes of the heavenly bodies on 

 shipboard. Objects are often reflected double, and I have several times 

 gazed at ships apparently sailing in the air. The best plan is to take 

 the chronometers on shore, and correct them by altitudes taken with 

 an artificial horizon. 



Another phenomenon which deserves to be mentioned in this place 

 is, a fleecy vapour occasionally spread over the Table Mountain, and 

 is a certain prognostic of a hard gale. This is called the tablecloth 

 by Englishmen, but the French call it la perruque, or the wig. It com- 

 mences by a little white or fleecy cloud, which remains for some time 

 stationary over the summit of the Lion's Rump. It then gradually in- 

 creases until it covers the whole Table, when it becomes a dark gray 

 in the middle, while its edges still remain white. After continuing for 

 some time, it slowly mingles with the atmosphere, until it finally dis- 

 appears without rain or mist. 



A strong south-east wind commences immediately after the mountain 

 is completely covered, which often blows in squalls excessively hard, 

 and generally continues for two or three days. It blows very hard 

 through the gap which separates the Table from the Devil's Berg, 

 driving the white clouds in rolling fleeces like wool along the sides of 

 the mountains. Ships are frequently parted from their moorings, or 

 bring their anchors home, and are driven out of the bay with all their 



