%06 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS, [aNNO I667 . 



Of the Tides, of IVells, Salt and Fresh IVater ; a7id of the Whale 

 Fishing, &c. at Bermudas. By Rd. Norwood."^ N" 30, p. 565. 



Concerning the tides, I have only taken a general notice of them ; as that it 

 is high water about 7 o'clock on the change day ; in some creeks an hour or 

 two later. The water rises but little, as about 4 feet at a high water ; but at 

 the spring- tides it may be a foot more. The tides without, are very various in 

 their setting. Sometimes the tide of flood sets to the eastward, sometimes to 

 the westward ; but in fair, calm and settled weather, the tide sets from the 

 south-east toward the north-west. 



We dig wells of fresh water sometimes within 20 yards of the sea or less, 

 which rise and fall with the. tide ; and so do most of the wells in the country, 

 though further up, as I am informed. "Wherever they dig wells here, they 

 dig till they come almost to a level with the superficies of the sea, and then 

 they find either fresh water or salt. If it be fresh, and if they then dig 2 or 3 

 feet deeper, and often less, they come to salt water. If it be a sandy ground, 

 or a sandy crumbling stone that the water soaks gently through, they find 

 usually fresh water ; but if they be hard lime-stone rocks, which the water 

 cannot soak through, but passes in chinks or clefts between them, the water 

 is salt or brackish. Yet I never saw any sand in the country such as will grind 

 glass, or whet knives, &c. as in England, but a substance like sand, though 

 much softer ; neither have we any pebble-stones or flint. 



For the killing of whales, it has been formerly attempted in vain, but within 

 these two or three years in the spring time and fair weather they take some- 

 times one, or two, or three in a day. They are smaller it seems than those in 

 Greenland, but more quick and lively, so that if they be struck in deep water, 

 they presently plunge with such violence, that the boat is in danger of being 

 hauled down after them, if they cut not the rope in time. Therefore they 

 usually strike them in shoal water. They have very good boats for that pur- 

 pose, manned with six oars, such as they can row forwards or backwards as 

 occasion requires. They row up gently to the whale so as he can scarcely 

 avoid thepi ; and when the harpooner, standing ready fitted, sees his opportuni- 

 ty, he strikes his harping iron into the whale, about or before the fins, rather than 



* Mr. Norwood was a teacher of mathematics, particularly navigation, in which it seems he had 

 some practice. He published several books ; as. The Epitome and Doctrine of Triangles j Trigono- 

 metry j and the Seaman's Practice, where is found that for which he has been mostly noted, viz. 

 his determination of tlie magnitude of the eartli, and the degrees of tlie meridian, by means of the 

 distance measured between London and York. 



