1831.] 
CAPE OF GOOB HOPE. 
71 
the earth's surface. Hence a moSerate temperature, where the 
wind has free progress, is the result in summer at the Cape of 
Good Hope. During the warm season, akhough the southeast 
monsoon predominates, westerly winds are not unfrequent, and 
they are always moist ; when southeasterly winds blow, they bring 
from the shallow sea, over La Guillas' bank, humidity, which is 
condensed upon the summits of the mountains.; it is seen rolling 
down the western cliffs in volumes of thick vapour, and the eleva-" 
tion at which this is dissipated, as it descends, answers precisely 
to the hygrometric state of the air. 
Few have visited the cape without' having cause to admire the 
peculiarity of the clouds and vapours. The mountain being colder 
than the plain below, condenses and renders visible the passing 
vapour, whenever the dryness of the wind is less than the differ- 
ence of temperature between its summit and base. Owing to ra- 
diation, the influence of the mountain's summit extends to a column 
of air near it, and a cloud at rest is accordingly seen suspended 
high above, which, from its white fleecy appearance, is called the 
Table-cloth. The heat of the plain has a like influence on the 
atmosphere over it, and affects the temperature immediately above. 
The vapour there, as it quits the mountain, passes into a warmer 
region, when it is dissolved, and thus it traverses, transparent and 
invisible, to be again condensed and made apparent on approach- 
ing another mountain. This is a simple explanation of the ap- 
pearances which are so commonly seen during the continuance 
of the southeast wind at the cape. 
Volumes of vapour are seen rolling over the summit and down 
the sides of Hanglip, Hottentots, Holland, and the rest of the 
chain of high mountains ; while above the valleys and over the 
isthmus scarcely a passing cloud is seen. But the vapour is 
thickly condensed on the peninsular group of mountains, rolls 
over their summits, descends to a certain distance down the cliff, 
and is dissipated and becomes transparent as it passes onwards. 
Clouds at rest, while the wind is blowing with violence, are fre- 
quently to be seen over Table Bay, and likewise over Cape Downs, 
precisely similar to clouds suspended over peaks. Generally 
during a southeast wind, the sky is clear on Hanglip and Table 
Mountains. 
« But, now and then, a small silvery cloud suddenly appears 
