10 



PHENOMENA AT SEA. 



Island Socotra, in the months of March and April j and 

 are most perftctly depicted during brisk winds 



In these months tha winds blow from the northward, in 

 moderate and strong breezes, at a few degrees distance 

 from the Coasts of Canara and Concan ; and are mostly 

 from N. N. W. to N. by E.— these winds do not blow 

 uniformly, although the sky is generally clear, but come 

 in gusts at short intervals ; particularly in the night, the 

 breezes being then stronger than in the day. 



It is very common with these winds, to observe smooth 

 veins on the surface of the sea, which extend in lines pa- 

 rallel to each other, and to the direction of the wind: they 

 are often discernable in the night, when the moon exhibits 

 no light, being so difterent in colour from the other parts 

 these having a black appearance, occasioned by the fresh 

 (or brisk) breezes agitating the surface and producing a 

 great contrast between these agitated portions and the 

 smooth veins. 

 Curious fact of Another curious phenomenon has frequently been ob- 

 deposited at served to accompany these northerly winds, which is ; 

 sea. in March or April, ships that are bound to Bombay or 



Surat, frequently have their rigging covered with white 

 dust, although several degrees distant from the coast of 

 Canara or Concan. The northerly and north north west 

 winds, blowing from the coast of Persia, over an exten- 

 sive surface of sea, (at least ten or twelve degrees) it is 

 difficult to judge what can occasion the dust, if it is not 

 generated in the atmosphere, which is in these months 

 sometimes impregnated with a dry haze. 

 The gulph It may be observed, that similar to the smooth veins 



lantic'ocean \l ^^crc mentioned, lying in the direction of the wind, is the 

 deposited in direction of the veins or strata of Gulph Weed, in the 



long parallel ^niddle of the Atlantic Ocean. The southern limit of this 

 veins m' the di- 

 rection of the marine vegetating substance is about 22°. or 22|o north 



^"^- latitude, or near the tropic of Cancer; and the northern 



limit seems to be about the 42*^ of north latitude. It is 



always seen in long veins, or strata, parallel to each other, 



in the direction of the wind. When the wind changes, the 



veins of weed appear to be disturbed for a time ; they are 



however not long before their direction is in conformity 



with the wind. These veins of weed are governed in their 



' direction 



