1811. TRANSPARENCY OF THE ATMOSPHERE. - 55 
having reconsidered al] circumstances, I rode to Salt River, where 
he was then residing, and finally agreed to join his party. I deter- 
mined, therefore, on giving immediately orders for the building of 
my waggon. At the same time, it was recommended to me to hire, 
for my waggon-driver, a Hottentot named Jan Tamhoer^ who, having 
been as far as Litakun, would be found to be a useful and trust- 
worthy man, and who, as I was informed, was living somewhere in 
the vicinity of Cape Town. 
March I4th. After many enquiries, I at last learnt that this 
Hottentot had enlisted into the Cape regiment, and was at this 
time at the camp at Wynberg. This gave me another opportunity 
of enjoying the scenery along that road, certainly the most beau- 
tiful ride within that distance of Cape Town. This ride was 
rendered more than usually pleasant, by the extraordinary clear- 
ness of the atmosphere, which had the curious effect of making 
distant objects appear, comparatively, quite near : the Stellenbosch 
and Hottentot-Holland mountains, though twenty-seven miles dis- 
tant, seemed to be not more than three miles from us ; and Table 
Mountain might have been fancied almost close over our heads. The 
clefts and divisions of the rocks, were as plain and distinct as if 
viewed through a telescope. This phenomenon was, perhaps, the 
effect of the south-easter, which had been blowino; with p;reat vio- 
lence during the two preceding days ; and, as I have observed a 
similar kind of effect from a continued heavy rain, succeeded by 
a cold and cloudless day, it may possibly be explained by the sup- 
position, that these two causes operate in clearing the air of all haze 
and imperceptible vapors ; notwithstanding the contrary opinion, that 
moisture produces transparency, and that the densest haze is ob- 
served in calm hot days. But that opinion is applicable only to 
solid bodies ; and from this it can only be inferred, that the heat of 
the day extracts the hazy vapour from the earth or sea, at a time 
when there is no current of air, which, if warmer, would dissipate, or, 
if colder, condense it. 
By the politeness of Dr. Glaeser, the surgeon of the regiment, 
K 
