Vol. in. MifcelUneaCuriofal 29 



natural Colour is a deep Green : but in 

 Cloudy and Rainy Weather, the Surface of 

 the Water appears blackifli. On the Good^ 

 toins upon the Tide of Flood , the Water 

 was white, the Waves by reafon of the Shal- 

 low?, meeting with oppofition, and break- 

 ing into Foam, till the Flood is well advan- 

 ced. Sometim.es fthe Water is of a perfect 

 A7.ure colour, as we obferved for feveral 

 Weeks in the Mediteranean. The Sun fhin- 

 ing bright upon the Water, fometimes the 

 upper part of the Waves appears Purplifh, 

 fometimes Reddifh , though in Shallows per- 

 chance it may receive this latter Tinfture 

 alfb from the Sands which lie under it. When 

 the Wind has freflined, and the Ship has 

 been under full Sail, I have obferved the 

 Waves to the head, and at the fides of 

 the Ship, to appear with a pale kind of 

 brightnefs : and at Malaga^ and at my re- 

 turn, going on board our Ship, which lay 

 about half a League from the fhore, at Night, 

 the Wind then at Eaft, the Boats Crew let- 

 ting their Oar fall roughly into the Wa- 

 ter, diverted us as it were with the fight 

 of a continued Flame, raifed by their row- 

 ing V which I afcribe rather to the Saline 

 Particles of the Sea-Water, which were 

 then put into a violent Agitation, than to 

 the Spawn of Filh, as fome of our Compa- 

 ny imagined. 



Sailing toward the Weft of Portland^ we 

 faw feveral Porpjces playing with their 

 Heads above Water ^ which I mention on- 

 ly, becaufe the Seamen look upon them as 

 fore-runners of a Storm j the Wind foon 



after 



