EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES. IxV 



wrecks of the naval engagement off Oftend, conveyed with 

 fuch rapidity as far as the Azores, difcover, in feme degree, 

 the extent of the refources which Nature offers to fupply in 

 this way. 



Geography might, likewife, make this a fource of many 

 future ufeful and important difcoveries. To the effedls of 

 thofe Currents is Chrijiopher Columbus indebted for the dif- 

 covery of America. A fimple reed of foreign growth, 

 thrown on the weftern coafls of the Azores, fuggefled to 

 that great Man, the probability of the exiflence of another 

 Continent to the Wefl. He farther thought of availing 

 himfelf of the Currents of the Ocean, on his return from 

 his firft voyage to America ; for, being in imminent danger 

 of perifhing in a ftorm, amidft the Atlantic Ocean, without 

 having it in his power to inform Europe, which fo long 

 flighted his fervices, and derided his enlightened theory, 

 that he had adlually, at length, found out a New World, 

 he inclofed the Hiflory of his difcovery in a cafk, which he 

 committed to the waves, confident that, fooner or later, it 

 would reach fome fhore. 



A common glafs bottle might preferve fuch a depofit for 

 ages on the furface of the Deep, and waft it repeatedly from 

 Pole to Pole. It is not for the fake of our haughty and un- 

 feeling Academicians, who refufe to fee any thing in Nature, 

 which they have not imagined in their clofet, it is not for 

 them that I thus dwell on the detail, and the application of 

 thefe oceanic harmonies ; no, it is for your fake, unfortu- 

 nate mariners ! It is from the mitigation of the woes to 

 which your profeiïion expofes you, that I one day expert 

 my noblefl and moft durable recompence. One day, per- 

 haps, a wretched individual of your defcription, fhip- 



VDL. I. e -wrecked 



