t 



^ 



62 



OCEAN. 



\ 



REMARKS ON THE 



fwimming every where in the fea. The above-mentioned fhrimps, 



1 as the moUufca, jnay contribute to make the fea appear lu- 



as we 



I 



minous ; but I would not venture to alTert thefe to be the only 

 .. caufes of the phofphoreal light, after the obfervation of the various 

 phenomena I made in the courfe of this long voyage. 



Firft, I found reafon to doubt, whether all the luminous appear- 

 ances in the fea are of the fame nature j for one kind of thefe phe- 

 nomena never extend to a great diflance from the fhip ; that part of 

 the fea only appears luminous which is clofe to the ihip, and the 

 light is likewife communicated only to the top of the next waves, 

 , that break obliquely from it ; and this happens commonly in a 



frefli gale. 



Another kind of phofphoreal light I obferved commonly in, or 



w- 



immediately fucceeding a long calm, after hot weather -, it fpread 

 more over, and even mixed with the body of the fea, than 



the for 



mer. 



When we took the fea- water in this condition into a tub, it 



* 



there became dark as foon as it was free from motion : but, at each 

 violent agitation of the water, it appeared luminous, where the 



. . ' 



motion was produced^ and feemed 



to ilick for a moment 



the fing 



or 



hand, which agitated the water, but difappeared 



inftantaneoufly* 



The 



/ 



