GEOGRAPHY. 139 



Captain Wauchope, of his Majesty's ship Euridice, 

 when within a few degrees of the equator, sent down 

 during a calm 1400 fathoms of line, but estimated 

 the perpendicular depth at only 1000 fathoms. On 

 drawing up the instrument, he found the enclosed 

 thermometer marked 42, while the temperature of 

 the surface was 73 Fahrenheit. 



In 1823, Captain Sabine found the temperature of 

 the water, at a depth of 6000 feet, in lat, 20 30' N. 

 long. 83 30' W. near the junction of the Mexican 

 and Carribean seas, to be 45 5', that of the surface 

 being 83. He conjectured, that in one or two hun- 

 dred fathoms more, the thermometer would have 

 descended to water at its maximum of density (42,) 

 so far as depended on heat. 



Pacific Ocean. 



The Pacific Ocean, in consequence of its wide 

 expanse, is remarkably exempt from storms, except 

 near such of its shores as are mountainous ; hence 

 its name. 



Mediterranean Sea. 



The Mediterranean Sea expends by evaporation 

 three times more water than it receives. Its surface, 

 depressed by this constant drain, is said to be 34 

 feet lower than the Red Sea, and hence powerful 

 currents rush in from the Black Sea by the Darda- 

 nelles, and from the Atlantic by the straits of Gi- 

 braltar, to restore the level. To this cause also its 

 superior saltness is owing, the fresh water being car- 

 ried off from the surface by evaporation. Like all 

 inland seas that open to the west, it has no general 

 tides, but local tides of from one to three feet. The 

 mean rise of the tide in the Red Sea, is six feet ; that 

 of the Mediterranean, thirteen indies. 



