m 
Dr Knox on the Climate of Southern Africa . 
The height of the cloud, from which it descended, might be 
about 25° ; between it and the horizon, the sky was very black 
and thick. 
Art. VI . — On the Climate of Southern Africa , with an Ab- 
stract of a Meteorological Register kept at Graaf Reynet. By 
R. Knox, M. D., M. W. S. Communicated by the Author. 
I . — General Geographical Situation of the Country to which 
the Meteorological Remarks and Tables apply . 
At the distance of about 135 miles from the Southern Ocean, 
in Lat. 32° 1 V S., and Long. 26° E., stands the village of Graaf 
Reynet, in one of the north eastern districts of the colony of 
the Cape. In this village, the Thermometrical Tables were 
kept; and with the exception of the Cape peninsula, and the 
southern maritime track, will be found very generally applica- 
ble to every part of the colony ; or, more correctly speaking, to 
that portion of Southern Africa lying between Lat. 28° and 
34° N., and Long. 18° and 28° E. 
The localities of the village require, in order to secure accu- 
racy, to be pointed out. Its population consists of about 1600 
souls ; it is situated on the banks of the Sunday River, (an in- 
considerable stream,) on a level piece of red clay soil , or, as the 
natives call it, Karroo : Hills having an elevation of about 1500 
feet, and composed of naked sandstone strata , shut in the village 
on its northern and western aspects ; and these, no doubt, con- 
tribute somewhat in elevating the temperature of the air in the 
village above that of the surrounding country. To the south 
and south-east, an open desert country extends towards the 
ocean, as far as the eye can reach ; and the commencement of 
the Great Karroo or Desert is about eighteen or twenty miles 
westward of the village. To the north, at no great distance, 
are the elevated Snowy Mountains , extending over a very con- 
siderable tract of country. The precise elevation of the site of 
the village has never been ascertained, but it may be estimated 
at about 1000 or 1200 feet above the level of the sea *. 
* The thermometer (which was of spirit) was carefuliy compared with a mercu- 
rial one, and found to agree with it. The morning observations were made between- 
6 and 7, the mid-day observation? about 1, the night observations between 7 and S. 
