C 639 } 
long voyage was to take a fmall ftill with Dr. Hales’s 
improvements, they need never want frefh water. 
Wood-afhes may eafily be made, whilft there is any 
wood in the fhip ; and the extraordinary expence of 
fuel will be trifling, if they contrive fo that the ftili 
may ftand on the fire along with the fhip’s boiler. 
I fhall think myfelf fufficiently recompenfed, if 
any hints here may tend to the relief of my brother 
failors from the difmal extremity of want of water ; 
an extremity too little regarded by thofe, who have* 
never experienced it. 
P. S. During my paflage from Ruflia we very 
rarely had any aurora borealis ; and thofe few 
we faw were faint, and of fhort continuance : 
at which I was much furprifed ; for about ten 
years ago, being in a high north latitude, we had 
very beautiful ones almoft every night in the 
month of September; which exceeded any I 
have feen defcribed in the Pbilofophical Tranf- 
aftiom, or Memoires de /’ Academie Royale. 
Wm, Chapman. 
LXXXVIIL 
