64 
SOUTHERN AFRICA. 
Colony and in Kaffraria; whilst, along the 
coast-line, they are less frequent. They also 
invariably follow the "hot winds/' but these 
again seldom appear near the sea. 
The nocturnal beauties of the heavens, here, 
are indisputable, and the frequency and gran- 
dour of meteoric appearances, is imposing in 
the extreme. We believe we do not say too 
much, when we describe a moon-lit landscape, 
in Southern Africa, as "the most perfect pros- 
pect of nature. 
But, descending thus to speak of the land, 
reminds us, that the terrane structure, and as- 
pect of this territory, is also immediately before 
our notice. 
The outlines of this country, towards the sea, 
are formed of a few prominent points, separated 
by large sweeps of the ocean. The leading fea- 
tures, in the aspect of the Cape, consist in three 
successive ranges of mountains, running paral- 
lel to each other, and to the Southern coast. 
The first range which, at least in a great part 
of its line, is called " the Lange Kloof" or 
" Long Pass/' runs parallel to the coast, at a 
distance of from 20 to 60 miles, widening to- 
wards the west. The second range, called 
" Zwart Berg" or "Black Mountain," is con- 
siderably higher, and more rugged, than the 
first, and consists often of double and triple 
