On the Luminous Appearance of the Sea. 99 



the {hip's wake. This phenomenon is feen fometimes alfo 

 when the " ; . I blows, but not with that majetlic appear- 

 ance as during a calm. It is worthy of remark, that, when 

 veflcls are lying at anchor, this phenomenon is obferved 

 here and there, darting itfelf from one place to another 

 with great vivacity, behind the veflfels, even when they make 

 little or no motion." This defcription agrees in the mod 

 eilential parts with that of Gentil, who obferved the fame 

 phenomenon in the Indian feas, particularly in the channel 

 of Mozambique. On one occafion the fea appeared to this 

 navigator and his whole crew to be entirely covered with 

 fire, and each wave to confift of a mafs of phofphoric matter. 

 The fnip feemed as if moving up and down in a fiery lake. 

 Some of the ropes reflected the light fo ftrongly,that the people 

 on board could have read by it. The fire of Saint Elmo ap- 

 peared alio at the fame time on the fummit of the mainmaft *. 



Boyle t fought for the caufe of this phenomenon in cer- 

 tain general laws of the earth, or of our planetary fyftem j 

 hut, had this celebrated philofopher confidered the fubjeel 

 with a little more attention, he would have found that it 

 may he explained on much better principles. 



Father BourzesJ, during his voyage to India in the year 

 1704, had feveral times an opportunity of obferving the lu- 

 minous appearance of the fea, and has given us a very valu- 

 able account of the phenomenon. The light was often fo 

 ftrong that he could read bv it the title of a book, though he 

 ftood at the height of nine or ten feet above the furface of 

 the water. Sometimes he could diltinguifh the luminous 



'■ Nous eumes dar.s ces parages de fi mauvais temps, etenti' autres une 

 nuit fi ble, que la mer fembfoit etre tout en feu: cheque lame 



etoic pour ainfi dire un phofphore : It vaifl'eau pareiflbit etie dans un etang 

 3e feu. N >us ctions a la taps fous la mifaine : cute voi!e reflechiffoit la 

 lumiure de la mer a un point, qu'on eut dit qu'elic etoit eclairee par la 

 (u mi ere d'un t r Cs grand nombre de fanaux; et on eut pu lire aupres de 

 que de ceite voile, a ia faveur de cettc lumiere reflechie de la 

 ni^r. Le feu de St. Elrrie parut un inftant au haut du grand mat. — J r oyage 

 • d'lnde, Vol. [. p. 6b-. 

 f Philofopt i< al Tranfatfiions, Vol. L1X. p. 450, 

 J Litres cdifunres, Vol. ]X. Philofbphical Tranfaftions abridged, 

 ■ . p. iij. 



3 parts 



