238 TRUMPET WEED. 



This continued until the evening of the 18th, 

 when, in latitude 2P 57' south, and longitude 

 1° 5' east, we had a fresh trade-breeze. 



About nine a. m., when in latitude 23° 45' 

 south, and longitude 2° 50' east, on the 16th of 

 February, having fine weather and calms, and 

 light airs from soutli-west, a large piece of the 

 Laminaria bicccinalis, or trumpet-weed of the 

 Cape, measuring, probably, twelve or fourteen 

 feet in length, floated by the ship. It is one of 

 that species of the marine flora, which may justly 

 be considered as giants. This specimen ap- 

 peared, covered with various kinds of Crustacea, 

 which made me regret I could not procure it. 

 The long, tuberous stalk was nearly stripped (I 

 suppose by the action of the waves) of its long, 

 flat, and expansive fronds. This is in favour of 

 the current, which is stated to set to the north- 

 west, between the Cape and St. Helena. We, 

 however, have not experienced any since the first 

 day we left the Cape, when we had on that day 

 sixteen miles of current during the twenty-four 

 hours. 



On the following day, (17th,) another piece of 

 the same kind of weed was seen at a short dis- 

 tance from the ship ; and this was the last we 

 discerned, having seen two specimens, one in the 

 morning, the other in the afternoon of the pre- 



