110 Agitation of the Sea in Cornwall and Devon. 



rapid rivei', eddying and foaming in a most extraordinary 

 manner. Large boats, from which the tide had completely 

 receded, were again floated and left dry, while the bows of 

 those moored in deep water near Newlyn were, by the alter- 

 nating current, whirled every eight or ten minutes to oppo- 

 site points of the compass, the wind, although fresh, having 

 little or no influence upon them. Persons attempting to pass 

 the causeway leading from Marazion to St Michael's Mount 

 were overtaken by the unexpected influx and narrowly escaped 

 being swept away. The sea all the day was quite smooth, 

 and apparently undisturbed except near the shore where the 

 agitation prevailed. 



At Plymouth, during the whole or the greatest part of the 

 day, the sea, from the mouth of the Catwater to within Sut- 

 ton Pool, was strangely agitated by an almost constant flux 

 and reflux, although there was scarcely any wind. But in 

 the evening, especially from half 7 to 9 o'clock, the commo- 

 tion was still more alarming ; and the crews of the trawlers 

 were obliged to remain on board all night, as their vessels 

 were whirled in opposite directions by every change of the 

 current, and several of them damaged by running foul of one 

 another. The bores wei'e the most formidable remembered 

 by the oldest inhabitant. 



In Falmouth harbour and the Scilly Isles, similar oscilla- 

 tions occurred. But on the north coast, at least in St Ives 

 Bay, nothing unusual was remarked. 



The cause of these phenomena I have endeavoured to ex- 

 plain in a former communication. 



The temperature at Penzance on this day was much higher 

 than it had been for the year, and the sun shone powerfully 

 until about three in the afternoon, when the wind, vvhich had 

 been about SE., suddenly changed, and blew strong fremW. 

 or NW., with every appearance of an approaching thunder- 

 storm. A few large drops fell about half-past five, and dis- 

 tant thunder was frequently heard during the evening. The 

 heat and electricity of the air this morning in London were 

 unusually great, the thermometer there being 87° : at Chis- 

 wick it was 89°, and " very hot and sultry." The barometer 



