J 2 MifcelUnea Curiofa. Vol. III. 



Streight^ and Ceuta on tht Barbary coaft: at 

 which places Hercules is fuppofed to have fet 

 up his Pillars. What becomes of this great 

 quantity of water poured in this way, and of 

 that, which runs from the Euxine into the 

 Sofporous^aad Propomis^ and is carried at laft 

 through the HcUeffont into the t/£g<&an or 

 yirchifelago^ h\ curious [peculation^ and has 

 exercifed the wit and underftanding of P/?i- 

 lofophers and Navigators. For there is no fen- 

 fible riling of the jvater all along the Barbary 

 Coajt^ even down to Alexandria^ the land be- 

 yond Tripoli^ and that of ^gypt^ lying ve- 

 ry low, and eafily overflowable. They ob- 

 ferve indeed, that the water rifes 3 feet, or 

 3 feet and an half, in the gulph of V^enice^ 

 and as much, or very near as much, all a- 

 long the Riviera of Genoa^ as far as the river 

 Arno : but this rather adds to the wonder. 



I here omit to fi3eak at large of the feveral 

 Hypothefes which have been invented to fblve 

 this difficulty : fuch as fubtejrraneous vents^ 

 cavities and indraughts, exhalations by the 

 Sun-beams^ the running out of the water on 

 the African fide^ as if there were a kind of 

 circular motion of the water, and that it on- 

 ly flowed in upon the Chrifiian fliore : which 

 latter I look upon as a meer fanfyjand contra- > 

 ry to all obfervation. 



My conjefture is, that there is an tinder^ 

 current^ whereby as great a quantity of water 

 is carried out, as comes flowing in. To con- 

 firm which^ befides what I have faid above a- 

 hout the difference of tides in the offings and 

 at the Shore in t\\€^Downs^ which necelfarily 

 A^ppofes an tmdcr Cur^enr^ I flfall prefent you 



with ' 



* 



V 



