Of Capt. Mow2L Davis. 193 



Bays, of either of the four Continents ; the only 

 large and remarkable one, is that of and Ca^ 

 lahavy towards which the Currents of each Coaft 

 tend, and is ftrongeft from the Southward, be- 

 caufe more open to a larger Sea, whofe rifing it: 

 is (tho' little and indifcernable at any Diftance 

 from the Land,J that gives rife to thefe Currents 

 clofe in Shore, which are nothing but Tides altered 

 and difturbed by the Make and Shape of Lands. 



For Proof of this, I fhall lay down the following 

 Oblervations as certain Fa£ls. That in the Rivers 

 of Gambia and Sierraleoriy in the Straits and Chan- 

 nels of Benin^ and in general along the whole 

 Coaft, the Flowings are regular on the Shores, 

 with this Difference • that, in the abovemention'd 

 Rivers, and in the Channels of Beniriy where the 

 Shore contrail the Waters into a narrow Compafs, 

 the Tides are ftrong and high, as well as regular j 

 but on the dead Coaft, where it makes an equal 

 Reverberation, flow and low, fnot to above two 

 or three Foot,) increafing as you advance towards 

 Benin ; and this is farther evident in that at Cape 

 Corfo^ Succonda and Commenday and where the Land 

 rounds and gives any Stop, the Tides flow regularly 

 to four Foot and upwards \ when on an eveneir 

 Coaft, (tho' next adjoining,) they fliall not exceed 

 two or three Foot and ten Leagues out at Sea, 

 (where no fuch Interruption ig, ) they become 

 Icarcely, if at all, perceptible. 



What I would deduce from this, befides a Con* 

 firmation of that ingenious Theory of theTides,^ 

 by Captain Halley \ is firft, that the Ships bound to 

 jlngola^ Cahenday and other Places on the Southern 

 Coaft of Africa^ fliould crofs the ^j£oiuinoB:id from 

 Cape V almas y and run into a Southern Latitude, 

 without keeping too far to the Weftward ^ and 

 the Reafon leems plain, for if you endeavour 

 to crofs it about the Iflands, you meet Calms, 



JM fputherly 



