34 



An Analysis of Sea-water; 



began to fall ; in the morning at eight, it was 78° b" and at ten 

 at night it was 76" 5". Next morning, land was discovered. 



From the observations, in general, on the temperature of the 

 water, recorded in the Journal, there is reason to believe, that du- 

 ring the whole vo^'age we were frequently encountering currents. 

 Many of the results stated, are scarcely to be explained on any 

 other hypothesis. When the temperature of the water became 

 suddenly reduced, I inferred we were either in a current from 

 the poles, or over some high ground i;i the bed of the ocean ; 

 and the former conclusion was almost constantly confirmed by 

 other observations. And on the contrary, when the temperature 

 of the water experienced a sudden increase, I inferred that we 

 were in a current flowing from the equatorial regions. The 

 only current we jjassed, that appears to me to require particular 

 notice, is the well-known one that flows round the bank of La- 

 guUas, from the south-east coast of Africa. It is marked in all 

 charts, and it has been prettv minutely, and very scientifically, 

 described, and its course explained, by Major Rennell; but hither- 

 to, I believe, no notice has been tak^i of its high temperature, 

 or of the effect which I believe it has, in producing a curious 

 phcenomenon on the summit of the Table-mountain, not yet ac- 

 counted for, viz. a dense co%'ering of mist called the " table- 

 cloth," which universally appears when the wind blows from the 

 south-east. I shall copy from my notes, taken at the time, the 

 observations I made in crossins; this current. 



June 10th. S. lat. ^5° 57". 

 Hour. Temp, of the Sea. 



E. long. 24°. 



Hour. Temp, of the Sea. 



Now, judging from the change of temperature, we appear to 

 have suddenly passed from the bank of Lasi;ullas into the cur- 

 rent that flows rovnd its borders. Major Reimell, 1 believe, 



observes. 



