General Science. 
mi 
river on either side, between the mouth and the cataract ; and 
they concluded, that the only satisfactory explanation of this 
remarkable difference in the quantity, was the supposition that 
a very considerable mass of water must find its way through 
subterraneous passages under the slate-rocks, disappearing pro- 
bably where the river first enters these schistose mountains, and 
forms the narrows, and rising again a little below their termina- 
tion, at Point Sondie, where the channel begins to widen; and 
from whence to Lemboo Point, a succession of tornados and 
whirlpools were observed to disturb the regular current of the 
river. These whirlpools are described both by Captain Tuckey 
and Mr Fitzmaurice to be so violent and dangerous, that no vessel 
could attempt to approach them. Even the eddies occasioned by 
them were so turbulent, as frequently to resist both sails and 
oars, turning and twisting the boats round in every disection ; 
and it Was with the utmost difficulty that they were extricated 
without being swamped. 
45. Whiteness and luminosity qf the Sea.--^ A^iex passing Cape 
Palmas, and entering the Gulf of Guinea, Captain Tuckey ob- 
served that the sea had*a whitish colour, which gradually in- 
creased till they made Prince’s Island. The luminosity of the 
sea also increased, so that at night the ship seemed to be sailing 
on a sea of milk. In order to discover the cause of these ap- 
pearances, a bag of bunting, having its mouth extended by a 
hoop, was kept overboard, and by means of it they collected 
vast numbers of animals of various kinds, particularly pellucid 
scalpce, with innumerable little c^ustaceous animals of the scyl. 
larus genus attached to them, to which Captain Tuckey prinu* 
cipally attributed the whitish colour of the water. Thirteen 
species of cancer were caught, not above one-fourth of an 
inch long, eight having the shape of crabs, and five that 
of shrimps. Among these, the Cancer fulgens was con- 
spicuous. When another species was examined by the micro.- 
scope in candle light, the luminous property was observed to re- 
side in the brain, which, when the animal was at rest, resembled 
a most brilliant amethyst, about the size of a large pin’s head ; 
and from this there darted, when the animal moved, flashes of 
a brilliant silvery light. — See Captain Tuckey’s Narrative^pAd. 
46. Preservation of Fruits hy the Carbonic Dumont, 
m a letter to Count Chaptal, has announced the important prac- 
VOL. I, NO. I. JUNE 1819. ^ 
