Kewly discovered Ma?id. 185 



beat of thermal waters ? These questions must be submit- 

 ted to ehemists and philosophers. 



We must add, that at the tune of the earthquake at I.isbon, 

 in 1755, the same waters experienced so much aoitatioii 

 that they rose in considerable quantity above the sides of 

 the bason. M. de Vauvret, mayor of Nery, attests this 

 fact, having been an eye-witness of it. At the time of the 

 same earthquake at Lisbon the thermal \\ aters of Bourbon 

 I'Archambault suddenly increased in a similar manner. We 

 do not know what took place at them on the 25th of Au- 

 gust last. The public journals mention, that on the same 

 day some very strong shocks of an earthquake were expe- 

 rienced in Holland. The same day Vesuvius gave some 

 new signs of an approaching eruption. 



NEWLY DISCOVERED ISLAND. 



This island was discovered in the South Sea by captain 

 Sowle, in the American ship Palmyra, of Providence, Rhode 

 Island, on the 10th of November 1802. As the weather 

 was fine, that day at noon he had an observation of the 

 sun's altitude, by which the latitude is accurately ascer- 

 tained ; and as he took his departure from Christmas Island, 

 and had a gentle westerly wind, it is scarcely possible there 

 can be any error in the longitude. 



This island lies out of the track of most navigators who 

 pass either from America to Asia, or from Asia to Ame- 

 rica; and till lately English whalers have been prohibited 

 fif^hing in that quarter; which accounts for its not having 

 been seen before. It is probable that there are several other 

 islands in the same direction. Captain Sowle thinks he 

 passed one the day before, as he saw manv birds, and be- 

 lieved he heard breakers; but the weather being very hazy 

 he could not see ciiher rocks or hmd. 



i'almyra Island, so called after the name of the vessel, is 

 situated in north latitude 5^ 4{)', and in we«t lonoitude 162** 

 23', from London. It is about three leagues in extent. 

 Tb.ere are two lagoons on it, in the westernmost of which 

 is tv.enty fathom water, with a line sandy bottom. It is 

 verv dangerous to approach the western part of the island, 

 on aceoiuit of the coral rocks which arc just below the sur- 

 face of tiie water, and extend to the distance of three or 

 lour leagues from the shore. 



The eastern part terminates in a steep reef of coral, over 

 which the sea breaks with considerable force. 



t)a the north-wcfrl side there is Kood auchorin<r irround. 



aboui 



