Page:Africa by Élisée Reclus, Volume 3.djvu/126

 the sea, and fringed by a sort of natural wall of blocks for a distance of some miles. These may possibly be traces of an old glacial epoch.

At present snow remains only on the higher grounds, very little ever falling as low as sea-level. The climate is very mild, but also very damp, the narrow upland valleys being traversed by torrents, which in many places develop copious

cascades. According to the Rev. Mr. Taylor the thermometer varies from about 68° F. in summer to 58° or 60° F'. in winter, and even at night it rarely falls to more than eight degrees below freezing point. The prevailing winds blow from the west and north-west; but during the antarctic winter, and especially in August and September, they are often replaced by fierce southern gales, lashing