NO. 15.J 



ORIGINAL ACCOUNTS. 



31 



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Fig. 2. 



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"In this basin it sometimes happens that sailing-vessels in a slight breeze, cease for 

 some minutes to answer their helm. This phenomenon is in particular observed by yachts- 

 men, during the summer-regattas in the basin. Then, in slight wind and smooth water, 

 they fear the places, "where the yachts do not answer their helm". These places are, 

 however, of very small extent, and the phenomenon is rather rare." 



Accounts from ancient authors. 



No. 43. Several old Roman authors especially Pliny the Naturalist, 

 tell us of events when ships have been suddenly stopped and deprived of 

 their head-way. 



In his Historia naturalis, Book IX, Chapt. 41, Pliny narrates that a ship, carrying 

 the boys of noble families, who by the order of Periander the despot should be castrated, 

 was checked on her way, though she had all sails set. The cause was attributed to a 

 species of Mollusc (Murex), which by affixing itself to the vessel, stopped her speed and 

 thus saved the boys. 



Commonly the checking power was attributed to a fish, Echeneis Remora. This fish 

 has on its back a haustellum by means of which it can affix itself to the rocks or to float- 

 ing bodies as for instance, to vessels. Pliny says that but one of these fish kept back a 

 vessel even in the strongest wind; and to produce this effect it only needed to affix itself 

 to the body of the vessel. Thus in the naval battle of Actium it held Antonius' own ship 

 fast, so that he was obliged to board another vessel. (Pliny. Historia Naturalis, Book XXXI, 

 Chapt. 1). 



At the same place Pliny mentions another event which happened in his own time: 

 Caligula the emperor, on his way from Astura to Antiam, was detained, because one single 

 vessel of his whole fleet was stopped and could not move from the spot. The vessel — a 

 quinquereme — was overhauled, and a Remora was found sticking to the rudder. When 

 the fish was loosened and brought before the emperor, to the emperor's great astonishment, 

 its power was gone, and the ship could be rowed again. 



No. 44. A similar story is narrated by Bartolomeo Crescentio Romano 

 in his "Nautica Mediterranea, printed in Rome in the year 1607. This 



