244 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



"of brilliant whitenefs, efpecially when Ocean is 

 " in his majefty." 



Pyrard farther obferves, that mofl of the ifles, 

 inclofed in thefe fubdivifions, are furrounded, each 

 in particular, by a particular bank, which farther 

 defends them againft the Sea. But the Current of 

 the Indian Ocean, which pafles through the paral- 

 lel channels of thefe cluflers of illands, is fo vio- 

 lent, that it would be impoffible for Mankind to 

 keep up a communication between one and an- 

 other, had not Nature arranged all this in her 

 own wonderful manner. She has divided each of 

 thefe cluflers by two particular channels, which 

 interfed them diagonally, and whofe extremities 

 exadly terminate at the extremities of the great 

 parallel channels which feparate them. So that if 

 you wifli to pafs from one of thefe archipelagos 

 to another, when the current is eafterly, you take 

 your departure from that where you happen to be, 

 by the diagonal canal of the Eafl, where the water 

 is calm, and committing yourfelf afterward to the 

 current which pafles through the parallel channel, 

 you proceed, in a defledling courfe, to land on the 

 oppofite clufter, into which you enter by the 

 opening of it's diagonal channel, which is to the 

 Weft. The mode of proceeding is reverfed, when 

 the current changes fix months afterwards. Through 



thefe 



