MARITIME OBSERVATIONS. 8% 
I do not prefume to fay what is the caufe of this differ= 
ence of heat between the fea and bank water, but if a na- 
vigator were to obferve it when near an Ifland of ice, he 
would very naturally fay that the ice condu&ted the heat 
from the circumjacent water, and left it colder than that 
ata diftance. And asit is well known that ftones and 
fand are great conductors of heat, it feems probable that 
banks alfoconduct the heat from the adjacent water, though 
not fo rapidly as the ice. ‘The heat of the water may in- 
deed be fuppofed to feek its equilibrium, but as long as 
the Iflands of ice and banks continue to condu&, there 
muft be fome difference, and thisit is, which, by attenti- 
on, maybe made a faithful fentinel to give an alarm when 
danger is near. 
have thought it my duty to prefent my journals as they 
were written at fea, to avoid the fufpicion of having added 
any thing from the fuggeftions of the imagination. While 
this will be received as a circumftance favourable to the 
truth of them, I hope it will alfo operate as an apology 
for their many imperfections. 
The journal A. from Bofton to Virginia, fhows that the 
water on the coaft of Maflachufetts, was at 48°; atfea be- 
tween that coaft and the ftream, 59°; in the gulph ftream 
at its edge, 67°; between that, and the coaft of Virginia 
farther fouthward 64°; and in foundings on that coaft, 
56°. At that feafon (in Oober, juft after the warm 
weather) the water grew warmer as we approached the 
land. 
The journal B. from Virginia to England, fhows that 
in December, the water in the coaft of Virginia, was at 
- 47°53 between the coaft and the ftream, 60°; and in the 
ftream, 70°. ‘This current being in our favour, we did 
not avoid it, and the water continued with little variation, 
till we came near the banks of Newfoundland, when the ther- 
mometer fell from 66 to 54; pafling thefe, it rofe again 
to 
