[ 5 8 7 ] 
Dr. Donati had recourfe to different expedients for 
obferving the bottom of the fea. He took the ad- 
vantage of calm weather, to view it from his bark 
to the depth of twelve or fifteen feet, in places where 
the water is tranfparent. By this means he informed 
himfelf, what the difpofition of the foil is under the 
water to a certain depth, and what the bodies are, 
which cover it. He then drew up thofe bodies into 
his bark, that he might more clofely examine them. 
For this purpofe he contrived the inflrumentsdefcribed 
by him, with which he was enabled to take up from 
the bottom of the fea, even to very great depths, 
marine bodies and maffes of a confiderable bulk. In 
this manner he paffed through the northern part of 
the Adriatic Sea, and made ufe of thefe inflru- 
ments for many miles of ground. On the coaft of 
Italy he extended his fearch as far as Ancona ; and, 
on the oppofite fhore, he proceeded to the farthefl 
parts of Albania, and ldopped at the gulph of Lo- 
drino. 
Thefe coafls are bordered with a great number of 
iflands and rocks ; fome of which lie at a pretty di- 
fiance from the fhore. Dr. Donati confidered thefe 
rocks and iflands as a continuation of the foil at the 
bottom of the fea furrounding them. The obferva- 
tions, made by him on thefe iflands and rocks, when 
compared with thole, which he made on the bodies 
taken up from the bottom of the fea,. could not but 
afford great light with refpedt to the different obje&s 
of his inquiries. 
He did not reft here, but examined, with the 
lame view, the countries, which furround the feas 
above-mentioned. His excur lions to the eafl of the 
Adria&ic 
