5 52 Phyjical Ohfer vat ions Sec. 



upon them. I obferved, in the Port of Latikea, that there 

 was two Foot lefs of Water, whilft thefe Winds raged, than 

 afterwards, when the Weather was moderate, and the Winds 

 blew foftly from the weftern Quarter : and it is very probable, 

 that the remarkable Recefs of Water, in the Sea oiTampfylia ', 

 may be accounted for from the fame Caufe, operating only in 

 an extraordinary Manner. 

 Ships appear \\[ Q arc likcwifc to obferve further with Regard to thefe 

 "Eafteriy ' ftrottg Eaftcrly Winds, that VelTels or any other Objeds which 

 are feen, at a Diftance, appear to be vaftly magnified, or loom, 

 according to the Mariners expreffion. Neither are we to omit a 

 fuperftitious Cuftom, which I have feen pradlifed more than 

 The Maho- oncc by thtMahometans, during the Raging of thefe and other 

 >rrLp7^» tempeftuousWinds,that, after having tied to theMaft or Enfign- 

 Temjeji." Staff foHic appofite Paragraph of their Koran\ they facri- 

 fice a Sheep, and throw it immediately over-board, to afwage 

 the Violence of the Waves, and the Fury of the Tempeft. 

 We learn from ^riflophanes and Virgil \ that the Greeks, fome 

 thoufand Years ago, are faid to have made ufe of the fame 

 Ceremony, upon the like Occafion. 

 frommit The Mountains of Lihanus are covered all the Winter with 

 Sjrcow" Snow, which, when the Winds are eafterly, affefts the whole 

 Country, from Tripoly to Sidon, with a more fubtil and piercing 

 Cold, than what is known in our northern Climates. Where- 

 as the other maritime and inland Places, either to theN. orS. 

 of thefe Mountains, enjoy a Temperature of the Atmofphere, 

 which is much milder and attended with a more regular Change 

 in the Seafons. 

 The Frequivcy It is obfervablc that in cloudy Weather, efpecially when the 

 %omT'' Winds are tempeftuous and blow at the fame Time in feveralDi- 

 redlions. Water Spouts are more frequent near the Capes oiLati- 

 heay Greegp, and Carmel, than in any other Part of the Medi- 

 terranean Sea. Thofe which 1 had the Opportunity of feeing, 



I Vid. Not. (x). p. (349). 2 I had the Curiofity once to take down one of thefe 

 Scrolls, and found it to be of the fame Import with the latter Part of our 107 Pfalm, viz. 

 Thofe that go down to the Sea in Ships and occupy their Bufmefs in great Waters &c. 

 3 Api*' Afva fJiiheuvnv 7W.i%< i^iy)(g.7i' 



tu^f y) inCairtiv mt^ncAii^iTcu. Arift. in Kan. Aft. 3. Sc.2. 



Meritos aris madlavit honores : 



Taurum Neptuno; taurum tibi, pulcher Apollo : 



Nigram Hyemi Pecudem, Zephyris felicibus albam. Virg. yfn.j, 118. 



Tres Eryci vitulos, & tcmpeflai'ibus agnam 



Caedere deinde jubet. U. Ibid. j. 772, 



feemed 



