174 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO I667 » 



To preserve ale, he was directed to put to every rundlet of five gallons, after 

 it is placed in the ship, two new laid eggs whole, and to remain in it: 

 that in a fortnight's time, or little more, the whole egg shells would be dis- 

 solved, and the eggs become like wind eggs, inclosed only in a thin skin ; that 

 after this the whole white would disappear, but the yolk would remain unaltered. 

 By this means the ale kept all the way to Jamaica, and it was much better than 

 at Deal. That if eggs be thus put into March beer after it has done working, 

 they preserve it from ever growing harsh. 



Concerning the Thames water, it is not only observable, that in eight months 

 time it acquires a spirituous quality, so as to burn like spirit of wine ; and some 

 East India ships it is said, have been in danger of firing, by holding a candle 

 near the bung-hole at the first opening of the cask. If you take the bung 

 out of any cask that stinks, it will in 24 hours become sweet again ; and if you 

 take a broom stick and stir it about well, it will become sweet in four or five 

 hours, depositing a black lee to the bottom, which re-mixes with it, and so oc- 

 casions a third or fourth fermentation and stench, after which it stinks no more. 

 But though Thames water on stinking do not putrify, yet other waters become 

 irrecoverable upon stinking, and dangerous to drink. 



I observed at sea the fallacy of Glauber's opinion, that the water as it grows 

 Salter becomes greener. For after we were out of the Narrow, the sea grew 

 darkish, and after perfect azure, yet was it much more salt the further we went, 

 as I found by a waterpoise of glass, with quicksilver at the one end. It rose 

 about half an inch above the sea water in the Downs ; and at 24 degrees more, 

 two inches ; but after that I never observed any difference all the way to 

 Jamaica ; which is contrary to another observation, that the nearer the tropics 

 and the line the Salter the sea. 



As to the burning of the sea, he could never observe so great a light as to 

 perceive fishes in it, though the light was sometimes great. At Deal it shone 

 more the night before we set sail than ever after in the voyage : all the water 

 ran off the oars almost like liquid fire ; the wind was then south-east ; and it is 

 observed that at east and south winds it shines most. 



It sometimes happens that two contrary winds poise each other, and make a 

 calm in the midst, ships at a distance sailing with contrary gales at the same 

 time. 



It is observable, that in the Indies such places as have any high mountains 

 have every night a wind that blows from the land. And in Jamaica every night 

 it blows off the island every way at once, so that no ship can any where come 

 in by night, nor go out but early in the morning before the sea breeze come on. 

 As the sun declines, the clouds gather, and shape according to the mountains. 



