1836.] Occasional existence of fresh water in the ocean. 239 



VII. — Note on the occasional existence of fresh water on the surface of 

 the ocean. By Mr. C. Brownlow. 



It is stated in a recent paper by Arago, on the subject of Artesian 

 Wells, upon the authority of one of our most accurate observers — Bu- 

 chanan — that, when on his way to India, he found fresh water more 

 than one hundred miles from land, to the eastward of the Bay of Bengal. 

 Arago has adduced this fact to prove, that springs rise to the surface 

 of the globe from unknown depths. He is doubtless correct in this as- 

 sertion, cis long as he confines his observations to land phenomena — 

 many causes, however, led me to doubt that fresh water could rise to the 

 surface at sea, among which may be enumerated the effects of tides, 

 the disturbance and friction of one fluid passing up through the other, 

 and the strong affinity which aids their combination while thus in motion. 



The fact that fresh water deposited in the shape of rain, remains 

 unmixed with the salt water beneath, for many hours, during calm wea- 

 ther ; that it is found at sea, around the mouths of large rivers, during 

 serene flays, at an almost incredible distance, led me to seek for an expla- 

 nation of Buchanan's fact, in some less embarrassing theory than the one 

 which Arago has adopted. I accordingly applied to Mr. Sinclair, one of 

 the most experienced and intelligent of the members of the Pilot service, 

 who acquainted me with the following fact. 



In the month ©f October, 1803, in connection with Branch Pilot Bason, 

 he took charge of the Gungava, an Arab ship, from Muscat, laden with 

 horses. The passage of the vessel had been long and tedious, and they 

 were deliberating on throwing their horses overboard, when one of the men, 

 who had been bathing on a hatch, came and reported that the water along 

 side was fresh; a bucket was thrown over, which went something below 

 the surface, and the water brought up was salt ! — on further examination, 

 it was found that the water on the. surface was perfectly fresh. The vessel 

 was supplied from this source, and the cargo saved. Another member of 

 the same body informs me, that during the Burmese war, he obtained 

 fresh water thus when taking troops to Rangoon*. 



It appears more reasonable to account for this fact, by referring to the 

 increased impulse of the waters discharged from the Ganges during the 

 rains, to the quantity of fresh water actually deposited on the surface of 

 the sea, at this season of the year, and to the laws of the specific gravity 

 which determine the relative positions of fluid bodies, than to adopt a 

 theory which at once sets these aside, and does violence to an established 

 principle in physics : for these reasons I think Arago's inference open to 

 objection. 



* These instances occurred over that remarkable part of the bay, the " swatch 

 of no ground," the depth of which readers Arago's theory still more untenable! 



