ON THE PHENOMENON OF DEW. 
67 
the refreshing coolness of night, as felt in temperate climes. Even the 
large tubers of mangold wirtzel were dried up, and thrown overboard; 
but small salad was grown expeditiously, and in great plenty. 
Sailing south-eastward down the South Sea, every day presented 
new objects of admiration; and every night, new constellations. Among 
the former were troops of enormous whales, tumbling past the ship, 
and the wandering albatrosses (called by the sailors Cape sheep), 
skimming the ocean hundreds of miles from land. Of the new celestial 
objects, the southern cross, and the three Magellan or imaginary clouds , 
were most remarkable. The latter are always best seen in a clear sky; 
the two white ones are only large nebulae separated from, and of the 
same hue as, the milky-way; the other is an oval spot in the middle 
of the galaxy, quite free from stars, hence it appears like a black 
cloud. 
By and by the cloud-capped table land of the Cape hove in sight, 
and shortly after we anchored in the harbour of Cape Town, among a 
considerable number of trading ships, chiefly French, but which were 
all off next morning. The secret of the despatches then came out, viz., 
we carried out the declaration of war against France, and which news 
was communicated to the commanders by the Dutch Governor. 
The same morning we went on shore, and were immediately intro¬ 
duced to Mr. Francis Masson. This was a most interesting interview; we 
had all the botanical news of England to relate, and he had to tell of, 
and show us, his new acquisitions. This was indeed a treat, more 
especially in a stroll we took to view his collection in a small enclosed 
recess under the Table Mountain. There we saw, for the first time, the 
Nymphcea cerulcea, which Mr. M. had just previously added to his 
collection ; many species of Stapelia and Heaths which he had dis¬ 
covered and collected at the same time. He showed also a lar^e 
assortment of seeds; for a small packet of which we offered a bag of 
dollars, but he was honourably proof against the temptation. 
We dined together at a table d’hote, where the Governor, and a great 
many officers, civil, naval, and military, were present. Eating, drink¬ 
ing, and smoking, had no charms for us then: we had another walk in 
the afternoon, and visited the public garden, a rectangular area of two 
or three acres, but much neglected. A few orange trees, and the 
myrtle hedges, were the only things worth looking at. Mr. Masson 
left the tavern late, and we rejoined the ship early the next morning. 
(To be continued.') 
On the Phenomenon of Dew. —That there are different opinions 
held relative to the formation of dew, appears from what has been 
written on the subject. The theory propounded by the late Dr. Wells 
