(496)
in the Long-reach. Something perhaps may be imputed to the difference of the waves, which are short, and make a Copling Sea in the Bay of Biscay (yet we came not within 80 Leagues of Cape Finis Terræ:) in the Long-reach it is along rolling wave, but never breaks. About Florida, Virginia, and New-England it is a great rolling wave, but breaks. And as the Sea coloureth from green to darkish, and so to blue; so in our return it colour'd from blue to dark, and so to green. When we were in the Latitude of Barbadoes, and had sailed so for two daies, and apprehended out selves to be within 70 or 80 Leagues, I observed the Sea was black and thick, not transparently blue, as before, and the foam against the Ship-sides was turbid, and of another consistence, than before. I had never seen the like before, yet was I willing to think the Sun not high enough, to give the water its due colour. I attended the Suns progress, but behold, it turn'd Green; whereupon I asked the Master, who told me, we were within 60 leagues of Barbadoes, and that the Sea was there soundable, whereas before it was not so. But at Barbadoes in the anchoring places, it was Blue; and as we row'd ashore, in the shallow it was Whitish: And so at Jamaica near the shore it is transparently White, but within three yards more, transparently Blue.
As to the Burning of the Sea, I could never observe so great a Light, as to perceive Fishes in the Sea of the Stern, though I frequently looked, as well as M. Ligon; yet was the light great, and at sometimes more than other. I suppose several subject Earths, Currents, and Winds do vary it. I observ'd, it burned more at Deal the night before we set sail, than ever in the Voyage: all the water ran off our Oars, almost like liquid fire; the wind was then South-East, and the Sea-men told me, that at East and South-winds it burned most. And it did never burn so much during our stay at Deal, as then, the wind having been alwaies Westerly. But in the Harbour of Jamaica I observ'd, that it did not burn equally there. As you pass the Current (which thwarts the middle of the Harbour with a motion, different from the water on both sides) the water scarce seems white at the stroak of an Oar,
I shall not trouble you with an account, how two contrary Winds poise each other, and make a Calm in the midst, ships at a distance sailing with contrary gales at the same time.
It is observable, that in the Indies such places, as have any high Mountains, have also every night a Wind, that blows from the Land,
