MR MILNE ON A REMARKABLE OSCILLATION OF THE SEA. 613 



On the 7th July, the flux and reflux were observed at the following places : 



At Dundee, about 10 h 20' A.M., about 5' after high water, by which time the 

 tide had ebbed about 3 inches, the sea suddenly returned and flowed 5 inches. 

 It then returned to its former level. 



At Leith, at 9 h 6' A.M. (which was an hour and a quarter before high water), 

 the sea suddenly rushed into the harbour, and raised the general level of the 

 water, as shewn by the tide gauge, 4 inches, but as estimated by the spec- 

 tators at least a foot. The reaction was equally violent, the waters shortly 

 after rushing out with great velocity. At 5 P.M. a similar event took place. 



At Carnoustie, a few miles south of Arbroath, where the shores are flat and 

 sandy, a gentleman was, about 8 A.M., in a machine bathing ; whilst putting 

 on his clothes, he observed the sea suddenly retire, though it was then flood 

 tide, so that the wheels which were previously in water about 2 feet deep, 

 were left almost dry. The sea retired at least 100 yards. In about three 

 minutes afterwards, the sea began to return with great violence, and entered 

 the machine, so as to oblige the occupant of it to leap on the seat, clothes in 

 hand. The machine now ran some risk of being floated ; but fortunately 

 the circumstance was perceived by the man in charge of the machine, who, 

 without waiting for the usual signal, rode in with a horse, and drew the 

 alarmed bather ashore. The sea again retired, and again flowed as before. 

 The distance to which it retired was at least 100 yards, and the depth to 

 which it fell, was about 3 feet. At this time the sea was perfectly smooth, 

 and there was little or no wind. 



At Campbelton, near Fort George, some carters were, at low water (at 2 h 24' P.M.), 

 loading a vessel lying dry on the beach with timber, when suddenly the tide 

 advanced 50 or 60 yards towards the shore, surrounding men and horses to 

 a depth of about 18 inches. After a short space it as suddenly retired, and 

 then flowed up again as before. This flux and reflux was repeated several 

 times. 



At Lerwick, and other places along the east coast of Shetland, the phenomenon 

 was noticed. I extract the following accounts from a report made on the 

 subject to Mr STEVENSON of the Northern Lights, by DAVID LAUGHTON : 

 " An extraordinary rising and falling of the sea was observed at the Docks 

 near Lerwick, on Friday 7th July, near low- water, betwixt 12 and 1 P.M. 

 The water fell rapidly to a very low ebb, and immediately thereafter it rose 

 2 feet perpendicular, when it again receded twice, and advanced twice, in the 

 space of half an hour." " A person at the Dock, observed it suddenly 

 emptied of water, but which in a few minutes again returned, filling the 

 basin completely. This was repeated several times in the course of an hour." 

 " At Riva-head (a small promontory two miles north of Lerwick), some boats, 

 which were loading with peats, were about the time above mentioned sud- 



VOL. XV. PART IV. 8 C 



