AFRICA. 185 
get to rain, unlefs when a thunder-ftorm hap- 
pens ; and it is by no means rare for a whole 
year to pafs without one Its fterility is prin- 
cipally owing to the want of rain-water, and 
this want is to be afcribed to its topographical 
fituation. From Namero to the Great River, 
w^hioh is its boundary, the land has a gradual 
afcent, while the mountains at the iame time 
infenfibly decline. Beyond the Great River, 
on the contrary, the mountains rife abruptly, 
and the land defcends again to another chain 
of rocks fituate farther on, fo that it is enclofed 
between two chains as in a bafin. From this 
fituation it is eafy to perceive, that, having nei- 
ther forefts nor lofty mountains to arreft the 
clouds, thofe which come from the north pafs 
freely over it, and proceed on to Carnis, where 
thqy bi^rft and fall either in rain in the valleys, 
or in fnow on the fummits of the mc unrains, 
which are the loftieft throughout the fouih of 
Africa. 
Thefe remarks agree with meteorological ob- 
fervations. 
When the rainy feafon commences at the 
Cape and in the colony, the rains are found 
pever to extend beyond the thirtieth degree of 
3 latitude. 
