above the sea, on the shore; grows, changes shape without change of place (although the wind, meantime, continues to blow most violently), wastes, and vanishes. Dr. Arnott, in his elements of physics or natural philosophy, thus accounts for the singular beauty and density of the clouds which frequently envelop Table Mountain :-"The reason of the phenomena is, that the air constituting the wind from the southeast having passed over the vast Southern Ocean, comes charged with as much invisible moisture as the temperature can sustain. In rising up the sides of the mountain it is rising in the atmosphere, and is therefore gradually escaping from a part of the former pressure; and on attaining the summit, it has dilated so much, and has consequently become so much colder, that it has let go part of its moisture and it no sooner falls over the edge of the mountain, and again descends in the atmosphere, where it is pressed, and condensed, and heated as before, than it is re-dissolved and disappears, the magnificent apparition dwelling only on the mountain top." CHAPTER V. Cape of Good Hope-Progress of the Colony-Cape District-Districts of Stellenbosch, Worcester, Swellendam, George, Uitenhage, Albany, Somerset, and Graaf Rainet-Population Table—Imports and Exports-Judiciary Establishment-Postoffice-Humane and Religious Institutions-Revenue, Military, &c.-The Caffres -Captain Stout's Character of them—The Hottentots-Progress of Education among them. THE British colonial establishment at the Cape of Good Hope is rapidly improving, and is unquestionably destined, at no very late period, to become of much importance to the mother country, and collaterally, to the commercial world. The settlements are rapidly extending towards the interior, there being no less than ten districts at this time composing the colony. The Cape District has been much extended of late, embracing the Residency of Simon's Town. The north point of the district extends to Verlone Valley, one hundred and ninety miles from Cape Point, but in no part does the district exceed thirty miles in breadth. This district is divided into eleven divisions, one of which is Constantia, so celebrated for its wines. There are no streams which serve for irrigation, and the crops depend almost wholly on the periodical rains. In this district there are several fine turnpike-roads, the tolls on which, in the year 1830, amounted to 18631., while the repairs during the same period amounted to 14007. In this district is Saldanha Bay, in 33° 8' south latitude, which is one of the finest in the whole colony, and will in time become the anchorage to the seat of justice for another district. Captain Morrell was in this bay in 1829, in the schooner Antarctic, and is quite full in his description. There are thirty thousand acres cultivated, seven hundred and forty thousand waste, and two thousand acres planted with vines, giving two millions six hundred and one thousand six hundred and fifty plants, yielding one thousand four hundred and sixty leaguers,* * A leaguer of wine is one hundred and fifty-two gallons or two hundred and twenty-two thousand and seventy-two gallons of wine. The district of Stellenbosch contains four thousand six hundred square miles, and is situated in the western division of the Cape of Good Hope, and about twenty-five miles from Table Bay The chief produce of Stellenbosch is wine, and the average quantity made is twelve thousand five hundred leaguers, and six hundred leaguers of brandy, per annum; grain and fruits are abundant, when the season is favourable to farmers, though the district is not adapted for grazing. The district of Worcester, also, on the western part of the cape, is one of the most extensive in the colony, being two hundred and sixty miles long, and, in one place, one hundred and thirty in width. It is divided into no less than twenty divisions; the six first produce wine, grain, and cattle, and the remainder are only grazing farms. The cedar is found only in this district, and is procured from the mountains with great labour. The district of Swellendam once belonged to Stellenbosch, and was separated from it in the year 1745. It is estimated to contain nearly nine thousand square miles. The chief products are butter, tallow, soap, aloes, cattle, and a small quantity of grain and wine. The horses of this section of the country are celebrated for draught and saddle, and some of the finest wool of the colony has been produced at Joetendal's Valley. But the capacities of this district seem best adapted to grain; and, by proper industry and labourers, immense quantities might be produced for exportation. At this time, it is said, there are not less than eighteen thousand five hundred acres under cultivation; one hundred only in vines, one million four hundred and sixteen thousand in pasturage, and four millions two hundred and forty-eight thousand five hundred and twenty-nine uncultivated. At a village called Caledon, there are two warm medicinal springs, and their heat is 92°. These baths have been found useful in chronic rheumatism, diseases of the skin, and scorbutic ulcers, On the southeastern coast of the colony is situated the district of George, adapted only to the raising of grain and cattle. Near the mouth of Courits and Small Brak rivers are a few small salt lakes, though not very productive in this useful article. Spanish sheep succeed well, and Small Brak river abounds in the greatest |