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428 On the Art of discovering Ships at a great Distance. [Dec. 1 a ; 
All his reports were compared with the 
ship’s books as soon as they arrived, to 
see whether ‘the variations of weather, 
calms which retarded them, &c. &c. 
were such as agreed with his reports. 
» It must be observed, that when his 
Reports were made, the watchmen, sta- 
tioned on the mountains, could never 
perceive any appearancé of ships ; for M. 
Bottineau, announced their’ approach 
when they were more than a hundred 
leagues distant. 
» From the authenticated Journal of his 
Reports, which has been published, it 
appears that he was wonderfully accurate. 
Within eight months, and in sixty-two 
Reports, he announced the arrival of one 
hundred dnd fifty ships of different de- 
scriptions. 
OF the fact there can be no reasonable 
doubt,because every method was adopted 
to prevent deception, and his infurma- 
tions were not only registered, 2s soon as 
they were made, in the government office, 
but were also publicly known over the 
whole Island. The officers of, govern- 
ment, moreover, were far from being par- 
tial to. M. Bottineau; on :the contrary, 
they were highly displeased with him for 
obstinately refusing..to sell them his se- 
cret, which they wanted to purchase at a 
high piice, so that he could expect no 
favour from their representations. Truth, 
however, obliged them to give abundant 
testimony to the reality of his extradrdi- 
nary talent, in their letter to the French 
minister, which is published. in a * Me- 
mowe sur la Nauscopie, pur M. Bot- 
tineau.” ; 
.; The folowing are two of the Reports 
extracted from this: Memoire, 
“*On the 20th of August, 1784, I dis- 
covered some vessels at the distance of 
‘Your days from, the Island. . On the fol- 
lowing day the number multiplied con- 
siderably to my sight. This induced,me 
to send information of many vessels. But 
though they were only at four days dis- 
tance, I nevertheless stated inmy Report, 
-that no settled time could be fixed on for 
their arrival, as they were detained by a 
ealm. On the 25th, the calm was .so 
complete, as to.make me think, for a few 
hours, that the fleet had disappeared, and 
gone to some other place... soon after 
perceived again the presence of the fleet, 
by the revived signs, » [twas still in the 
same state of inaction, of which I sent 
information, . From the 20th of August, 
to the 10th of September, I did not cease 
to announce, in my Reports, the conti- 
nuation of the calm. On the 18th Tsent 
word that the fleet was no longer be- 
calmed, and that it would arrive at the 
Island within forty-eight hours. Accor- 
dingly, to the surprize of the whole Island, 
M. de Regnier’s fleet arrived at Port 
Louis on the 45th. The general astonish- 
ment was greatly increased, when it was 
known that this fleet had been becalmed, 
since the 20th of August, near Rodriguez 
Islands, which was precisely the distance’ 
that I had poited out inmy Reports.” 
* Tsoon had another opportunity of 
shewing the certainty of my observations. 
A few days before the arrival of M. de 
Regnier’s fleet, I announced the appear- 
ance of another fleet, which became per 
ceptible to me. This created a great 
deal of uneasiness, because, a no other 
Freneh fleet was expected, hat whic -E 
discovered might be EngfistPsii ty I was’ 
ordered to repeat my ob saeat 4s with 
the greatest accuracy. I'sle My per- 
ceived the passage uf Several 7s and 
declared that they were not bound 4Qr 
eur Island, but were taking anothe 
course. In consequence of this infor; 
mation, the Naiade frigate and the Duc 
de Chartres cutter, were suddenly dis- 
patched to M. de Suffrein. ‘The cutter 
actually saw and avoided the English fleet 
in the ninth degree, but unfortunately did 
not find M. de Suffrein in the bay of 
Trincomalee. The report of the cutter 
effectually convinced the incredulous of 
the reality of my discovery.” 
The last circumstance of dispatching 
the frigate and cutter, plainly shews the 
confidence which the French officers 
must have put in the information of M. 
Bottineau. It shews also that he de- 
served theif confidence. 
Conjectures respecting the Phanomenon on 
which the preceding Observations were 
Sounded. 
The waters of the ocean form an im- 
mense: gulph, in which substances of all 
kinds are swallowed up. 
The innumerable multitudes of ani- 
mals, fish, birds, vegetable, and mineral 
productions, which decay, and are de- 
composed in that vast basin, produce a 
fermentation abounding in spirits, salt, 
oil,sulphur, &c. &c. 
The existence of these is sufficiently 
apparent by the disagreeable smell and 
flavour of sea water, which can only be 
rendered drinkable by distillation, and by 
the evaporation of those heterogeneous 
particles which infect it. : 
The spirits, intimately united to the 
hh sea 
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