[ +52 ] 
The produdion of this light depends very 
much on the quality of the water j and, if I 
“ am not deceived, generally fpeaking, I may af- 
“ fert, other circumftances being equal, that the 
‘‘ light is largeft when the water is fatteft, and fulled: 
“^of foam j for, in the 'main fea the water is not 
“ every where equally pure 5 and fometimes if one 
“.dips linen into the fea, it is clammy when it is 
“ drawn up again. And I have often obferved, 
“ that when the wake of the fhip was brightcff, 
“ the water was more fat and glutinous ;.and linen 
“ moiHened with it, produced a great deal of light, 
“ if it were ftirred or moved brilkly. Befides, in 
“ failing over fome places of the fea, we find a 
“ matter or fubftance of different colours, fome- 
“ times red, fometimes yellow. In looking at it, 
“ one would think it was faw-duft : our failors fay 
“ it is the fpawn, or feed of whales. What it is, 
is not certain ; but when we draw up water, in 
“ paffing over thefe places, it is always vifeous and 
“ glutinous. Our mariners alfo fay, that there are 
“ a great many heaps or banks of this fpawn in the 
“ north ; and that fometimes in the night they ap- ' 
“ pear all over of a bright light, without being 
“ put in motion by’ any veffel or fifh paffing by 
“ them. 
“ But, to confirm farther what I fay, videlicet, 
“ that the water, the more glutinous it is, the 
“ -more it is difpofed to become luminous j I fhall 
“ add one particular which I faw myfelf. One day 
“ we took in our fhip a fifh, which fbme thought 
“ was a boneta.. The infide of the mouth of the 
i fifh. 
