318 
PROFESSOR OSBORNE REYNOLDS ON THE 
this day we observed what I have no doubt will be thought an extraordinary pheno- 
menon, although not of the kind anticipated. 
The morning was perfectly calm, with only a few local breaths, which, measured with 
the anemometer, never registered more than two miles an hour, and came first from the 
east and then from the west, but not from the north. Up to 12 o’clock the sky was 
completely covered with a white cloud, which did not show the least sign of movement. 
The land from four to eight miles distant was hazy ; the thermometer stood at 65° in the 
cabin with all the lights open. The Upper Road, in which the 4 Feronia ’ was anchored, 
is two miles below the ends of the stone banks which terminate the Lynn Cut, and five 
miles from Lynn (see accompanying chart, Plate 34). From this station sounds in Lynn 
were distinctly heard. Steamers could be heard leaving the dock. 
About 12 o’clock the sky cleared, and a slight breeze (four miles) sprang up. We then 
weighed anchor and proceeded down the Bull-dog Channel. Soon after the sky became 
perfectly clear, and the breeze died away until the yacht had not steering-way. I then 
had a boat lowered (with the same two men), and proceeded to row to the Roaring- 
Middle Buoy, while the yacht still continued her course as well as she could down the 
Bull-dog Channel ; she was going north by east in a curve, while we were going north- 
west. Before leaving the yacht I arranged that on our showing two flags they should 
send up a rocket, and when one they should fire a pistol, and that whenever they heard 
us call they should answer. When at about half a mile distant I commenced calling, 
and the answers came back quite distinct ; when a little further some one on the yacht 
commenced tapping the anchor, and we heard this quite distinctly until we were nearly 
two miles off them ; then the tapping was discontinued, and I commenced calling again. 
Each time the answer came back quite distinct at the instant it was expected, and 
afforded a good means of checking our distance, which we also knew from the buoys. 
At two miles, although the calls were quite distinct, I signalled for a pistol ; the report was 
loud. The sun was very hot to us in the boat — so hot, indeed, that it blistered the skin 
on my hands and face. 
The next time I called, the answer was doubtful ; but on my calling again, it came quite 
distinct in thirty seconds. I then signalled for a pistol, and heard a report which we 
took to be a pistol, but afterwards found to be a rocket, we being too far off for them to 
distinguish our signals. I then asked for a rocket, and had one, of which we heard the 
hiss as well as the report. We now proceeded up to the Roaring Middle Buoy and 
signalled for rockets and pistols, but could get neither, so we judged that they could 
not see our signals. Although it seemed hopeless, I called from this point, and to my 
surprise we all heard the answer faint but quite distinct after an interval of thirty-five 
seconds. It was now about 3 p.m., so that we had been rowing about two hours and a 
half. We waited at the buoy and kept calling ; but as there were now a number of 
fishing-boats which answered our calls we could not be certain of an answer. At this 
time our calls appear to have been heard on the yacht but not answered. When we 
heard the last call, to be sure of it, the yacht was close by the Sunk Buoy ; she was now 
