[ + 5 2 ] 
water over them, which might poffibly be occafior?- 
ed, he thought, by fome oilinefs proceeding from 
their bodies. 
A gentleman from Rhode-iiland told me, it had 
been remarked that the harbour of Newport was 
ever fmooth while any whaling veffels were in it ; 
.which probably arofe from hence, that the blubber 
which they fometimes bring loofe in the hold, or the 
leakage of their barrels, might afford fome oil, to 
mix with that water, which from time to time they 
pump out to keep the veffel free, and that fame oil 
might fpread over the furface of the water in the 
harbour, and prevent the forming of any waves. 
This prevention I would thus endeavour to explain- 
There feems to be no natural repulfion between 
water and air, fuch as to keep them from coming 
into contact with each other. Hence we find a 
quantity of air in water ; and if we extract it by 
means of the air-pump, the fame water again ex- 
pofed to the air, will foon imbibe an equal quantity. 
Therefore air in motion, which is wind, in paffing 
over the fmooth furface of water, may rub, as it 
were, upon that furface, and raife it into wrinkles, 
which, if the wind continues, are the elements of 
future waves. 
The fmalieft wave once raifed does not immedi- 
ately fubfide, and leave the neighbouring water 
quiet: but in fubfiding raifes nearly as much of the 
water next to it, the friction of the parts making lit- 
tle difference. Thus a ftone dropt in a pool raifes 
firft a fingle wave round itfelf ; and leaves it, by 
finking to the bottom ; but that firft wave fubfiding 
raifes a fecond, the fecond a third, and fo on in circles 
to a great extent, 7 
A final I 
