Page:A general history of the pyrates, from their first rise and settlement in the Island of Providence, to the present time (1724).djvu/205

 Bays, of either of the four Continents; the only large and remarkable one, is that of Benin and Calabar, towards which the Currents of each Coat tend, and is tronget from the Southward, becaue more open to a larger Sea, whoe riing it is (tho’ little and indicernable at any Ditance from the Land,) that gives rie to thee Currents cloe in Shore, which are nothing but Tides altered and diturbed by the Make and Shape of Lands.

For Proof of this, I hall lay down the following Obervations as certain Facts. That in the Rivers of Gambia and Sierraleon, in the Straits and Channels of Benin, and in general along the whole Coat, the Flowings are regular on the Shores, with this Difference; that, in the abovemention’d Rivers, and in the Channels of Benin, where the Shore contract the Waters into a narrow Compas, the Tides are trong and high, as well as regular; but on the dead Coat, where it makes an equal Reverberation, low and low, (not to above two or three Foot,) increaing as you advance towards Benin; and this is farther evident in that at Cape Coro, Succonda and Commenda, and where the Land rounds and gives any Stop, the Tides flow regularly to four Foot and upwards; when on an evener Coat, (tho’ next adjoining,) they hall not exceed two or three Foot; and ten Leagues out at Sea, (where no uch Interruption is,) they become carcely, if at all, perceptible.

What I would deduce from this, beides a Confirmation of that ingenious Theory of the Tides, by Captain Halley; is firt, that the Ships bound to Angola, Cabenda, and other Places on the Southern Coat of Africa, hould cros the Æquinoctial from Cape Palmas, and run into a Southern Latitude, without keeping too far to the Wetward; and the Reaon eems plain, for if you endeavour to cros it about the Ilands, you meet Calms, Rh