Page:Philosophical Transactions - Volume 002.djvu/165

 which you say you gave me notice of in your first, not received, and which happened Octob. 25. 1664. I had also notice of it from Mr. Street, and had provided in some measure to observe it; but the sky was so overcast, that the Sun could scarce be discerned all that day.

Next, concerning the Tides, I have only taken a general notice of them; as, that it is high water about 7 of the clock on the Change day (in some Creeks an hour or two later.) The water riseth but little, as about 4 foot at a high water; but at the Spring-tides it may be a foot more. The Tides without are very various in their setting. Sometimes the Tide of Floud sets to the Eastward, sometimes to the Westward: but in fair, calm, and setled weather, the said Tide sets from the South-east toward the North-west, as they say.

We dig Wells, of fresh water sometimes within 20 yards of the Sea or less, which rise and Fall upon the Floud, and ebb as the Sea doth; and so do most of the Wells in the Country, though further up (as I am inform'd.) Wheresoever they digg Wells here, they digg till they come almost to a Level with the superficies of the Sea, and then they find either fresh water or salt. If it be fresh, yet if they digg two or three foot deeper, or often less, they come to salt water. If it be a sandy ground, or a sandy crumbling Stone, that the water soaks gently through, they find usually fresh water; but if they be hard Limestone Rocks, which the water cannot soak through, but passeth in chinks or clefts between them, the water is salt or brackish. Yet (to mention that by the by) I never saw any Sand in the Country such as will grind Glass, or whet Knives, &c. as in England, but a substance like Sand, though much softer; neither have we any Peble-stones or Flint.

For the killing of Whales, it hath been formerly attempted in vain, but within these two or three years, in the Spring-time and fair weather, they take sometimes one, or two, or three, in a day. They are less, I hear, than those in Greenland, but more quick and lively, so that if they be struck in deep water, they presently make into the deep with such violence; that the Boat is in danger to be haled down after them, if they cut not the Rope in time; therefore they usually strike them in shoal-water. They have