334 On Atmospheric Deposits 
heat was insufferably oppressive : this was in 14° 31' N., 
25° 16' W. At 3 p.m. on the 4th the wind lulled, 
and then blew from the S.W. with rain ; dust falling 
from the air, and affecting the eyes of all exposed to it. 
At 10J p.m. the wind was again from the east. During 
the whole of the 3rd and 4th great lassitude was felt, 
and many persons complained of sore throats. The sea 
was extremely phosphoric, and the wind high; the 
atmosphere being so thick on the 4th as to prevent an 
observation of the sun, on which day the swell abated, 
but the weather continued sultry. On the 5th the air 
became somewhat clearer; but every spot in the ship or 
rigging which could afford a lodgment was covered with 
red powder, which gave a peculiar hue to the sails that 
continued for many weeks. I had the fore-top-sail swept 
at the time, and collected much of the powder; it was 
certainly not sand, but it reminded me strongly of the 
Vesuvian ashes from Pompeii, except in colour. 
At 7 p.m. on the 5th, I had water taken from the sea 
for a bath ; its temperature was 88°, the thermometer at 
noon, in the air, marking 72°. At night the ocean was 
extremely phosphoric. On the 6th a slight shower of 
rain fell. On the 7th, about 9h. 30m. p.m., a slight flash, 
as of lightning, suddenly illuminated the whole atmo¬ 
sphere, accompanied by no thunder, and followed by a 
few drops of rain and an increase of wind : but whether 
it was lightning or a meteor I was unable to discover. 
The thermometer was at 78°; barometer steady at 30 
inches. 
On the 8th the air was still hazy ; the temperature at 
noon on deck being 83°, in the cabin 97°; lat. 3° 16' 
N., long. 20° 6' W. The wind from this date re-assumed 
its former directions from E., S.E., and N.E. 
The phenomena in this instance were nearly identical 
with those which occurred during the eruption of 
