1839] 



Rippling s in the Straits of Malacca. 



387 



plings are seen, in calm weather, approaching from a distance, and in 

 the night their noise is heard a considerable time before they come 

 near ; they beat against the sides of a ship with great violence, nndpass 

 on, the spray sometimes coming on deck ; and a small boat could not 

 always resist the turbulence of these remarkable ripplings." 



Naval officers, who have often seen these ripplings, represent them 

 as being met with out of soundings, and in other localities besides the 

 Straits of Malacca. They are su]>posed to be circular in form, and of 

 various diameters, from a few hundred yards to a mile. The ripples are 

 obliterated by strong winds, which raise waves on the surface of the sea ; 

 but they are distinguished from other undulations by a breeze, w hich 

 has carried a ship two knots an hour with sky-sails set. If two ships 

 in company meet these ripplings, they might, by heaving- to on opposite 

 sides ofthe disturbed portion of the sea, observe if there were any cir- 

 cular current. If water-spouts are electrical phenomena, and if the 

 Orontes was carried forward by such a cause, the same cause might 

 give motion to the sea in the manner described, and might agitate its 

 surface. 



The great height to which the salt water of the sea is sometimes car- 

 ried up into the air, whether by the mere force of the wind driving it as 

 spray, or by some lifting motion, as in the water-spouts, deserves atten- 

 tion. That which follows is an extract from the April report from Barra 

 Light-house for the present year (1838), sent me by Mr. Robert Steven- 

 son, the engineer to the northern light-houses. 



" On the I6lh it rained spray and snow all day ; so that for a week 

 after we had no fresh water on the island." And Mr. Stevenson added 

 this note to the report :— The top of the island, or base of the light- 

 house, is 600 fee*above the level of the sea." 



It had blown a storm, and the height of the barometer was, according 

 to the same report, as follows : — 



April, 1838. 



Barometer. 



Wind. 



Saturday 14 



9 A. M. 29.30 



s. w. & w. breeze. 



9 p. M. 28 9S 





Sunday 15 



9 A. M. 28.80 



N. W. 



9 p. M. 28.93 



Ditto. 



Monday 16 



9 A. M. 28.94 



Ditto. 



9 p. M. 28.96 



Ditto. 



Tuesday 17 



A. M. 29.20 



N. N. W. 



p. M. 29.84 



North. 



