Page:Philosophical Transactions - Volume 003.djvu/84

 Jamaica. Her main Mast (which is no small one in such a ship) was wreath'd as you would wreath a With, in an instant, and so born by the boord, before ever they could hand a aail.

27. I know not, what news it may be to you, but to me it was no unpleasant divertisment to see a Boat ride at anchor in the main sea, which our Mariners effected thus, As we sailed for England, and were to double the Cape at the end of Cuba in order to our passing the Gulf; betwixt the two Capes of Cartooche towards the Main, and Cape Antonio in Cuba, there is a Current, which sometimes sets Westerly, sometimes Easterly. If it set Easterly, the ships have a speedy passage in three or four days to the Havana; otherwise 'tis a fortnight or three weeks sail, the ship being imbayed in the Gulf of Mexico. To know which way the Current sets, in calm weather, no wind at all stirring, thus they try it. They hoyse out their boat, and having row'd a little from the ship, they let loose their plummet (ours did weigh 40 pounds) and sink it 200 fathom. Then though it never touches the bottom, yet will the boat turn head against the » Current (which constantly runs very strongly of it self, since so much of Sea runs into the Gulf of Mexico) and rides as firmly, as if it were fastned by the strongest Cable and Anchor to the bottom. If you wonder to hear me mention a Calm thereabouts, where you would expect a constant Levantin-wind; I shall inform you, that 'tis no unusual thing to meet with Calms, if you approach within any distance of Land, (and betwixt these two Capes it is no very broad Sea, as the Map will shew you;) for though you see not any land, yet some gust, or land-wind will so poyse the Levantin-wind, thatyou shall have a perfect Calm: so as we went away out of our course to Jamaica, to avoid the Spanish Fleet, which saild before us; though we came not near the main, as we thought, yet it gave us a Calm of two days, whilst they saild on.

28. The Change of Climat and the effects of it are very sensible to our Bodies, as we approach the Tropick. There usually happened (as you may observe in Purcbas's Voyages) sicknesses in our ships about that time; and as soon as the sea-men pass the Tropick, they still use expressions of joy by firing of Guns in testimony of gladness for their safe arrival so far. I could not learn of the Old sea-men any other reason for the different Rh