AFRICA. 129 
when feamen have the misfortune to mif- 
calculate their longitude, expofes them to cer- 
tain fhipwreck, and where were loft, among 
others, the ambaiTadors fent by the king of 
Siam to the king of Portugal 
Notwithftandingthe ferenity which prevailed 
In the heavens, the fea experienced a degree 
of agitation. Its fwelling, oppofed to feveral 
contrary currents, rendered it alfo noify. The 
furgeshad not that majeftic regularity, in which, 
in happier climes, we fee them roll towards 
the fhore ; there, one afttit another, to vanifh t 
a too faithful pidure of life, and of the anni- 
hilation which follows it : on the contrary, 
broken againft each other, they daflied them* 
felves in confufion upon thofe fhoals and rocks 
fo often buffeted by tempefts. 
As they reached the fliore, the waves threw 
out a number of fhells, and, among others, the 
fiautilus papyraceus, Defirous of procuring 
fome of thefe univalves, fo delicate-and tender, 
I w€nt down to the fliore ; but I foon per- 
ceived that none of them were perfed, being all 
either broken and mutilated, or elfe blackened 
by the putrefaction of the dead animal. Ob- 
ferving fome alive, which the waves every 
Vol, I. K now 
