2gS VOYAGE IN 5EARCH 



lifting of very fhort and very ftringy filaments, 

 which I again met with on the 6th of Septem- 

 ber, when I fhall fpeak of it more at length. 



Sharks are very numerous in thefe feas. Se- 

 veral were taken of the fpecies the mod: widely 

 diffufed (fquahis carcharias). There was one of 

 thefe of a middling fize, which aftonifhed us by 

 its voracity. Although pricked by four different 

 hooks in lcfs than half an hour, it followed us 

 till it fuffered itfelf to be caught. 



Being abreaft of New Guinea, within eight 

 minutes of the equinoctial line, the thermometer 

 flood at no more than 25 , although we ex- 

 perienced an intolerable degree of heat, far 

 more violent than that felt in Europe, with the 

 fame elevation of the thermometer. In recalling 

 . to mind that this inflrument is an incorrect mea- 

 sure of the fenfible heat, I muft obferve, that I 

 am fiill fpcaking of a mercurial thermometer 

 graduate d according to Reaumur's fcale. 



On the 11th, the Efuerance had like to have 

 run foul of us for the tixth time fince our depar- 

 ture f;om Europe. 7he fluke of our anchor 

 hooked the horfe of her fprit fail yard: fortu- 

 nately we fuccecded in keeping the two fhips 

 clear of each other by means of a boom, which 

 was immediately placed between them. As it 

 was calm, two boats were hoificd out, in order to 

 tow the fhips away from one another : thefe 



boat* 



