CONSTANTIA. 
3Q6 
Good Hope exhibit phenomena illustrative and confirmative of certain 
positions both of the Huttonian and Wernerian theories, but only 
to be entirely explained by the agency of both the elements on 
which the respective systems are founded. 
I shall now mention one or two other mineralogical facts which 
I noticed at the Cape, rather because any information respecting the 
geology of a part of the world so little explored is desirable, than 
because of their importance. 
An excursion to Huyt’s Bay was recommended to me for the 
purpose of examining some curious stalactical formations. In the 
company of Mr. Voicy, a gentleman to whom I owed many of the op- 
portunities that I obtained of seeing the geological facts which I have 
described, I set out for the mountain where they occur, and in my way 
visited Great Constantia, interesting from being one of the two farms 
producing the wine bearing its name. We were received with much 
politeness by the manager of the estate, and conducted through the 
vineyards, which at that season of the year (June) exhibited only the 
bare trunks and branches of the vine, resembling leafless gooseberry 
bushes. From the vineyard we were led into the cellars, which had 
nothing extraordinary in their appearance, unless it was their extreme 
cleanliness and exact arrangement. From the cellars we were con- 
ducted into the house to examine a very fine specimen of stalactite 
which had been brought from the neighbourhood of Cape Hanglip. 
It was about ten feet high, tapering rapidly from its base, which mea- 
sured about thirty inches in circumference. The cave whence it was 
brought abounds, it is said, in specimens of equal magnificence. 
From Constantia it was necessary to pass over a ridge of moun- 
tains, called the Steinberg, to reach Huyt’s Bay. Our host 
took some pains to persuade us of the impracticability of passing 
it on horseback ; but as he did not speak from his own experience, 
could not persuade us to forbear the attempt. We found the 
road sufficiently difficult, and were perhaps the first equestrians who 
attempted it, and would scarcely recommend any body to follow 
our example. The Steinberg consists, like all the other Cape 
