Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 1 (Stockdale).djvu/104

94 quantity of pure air from the atmophere, to upply the place of that which it had lot; o that, putrid as it had been before, it oon recovered its original frehnes.

This proces, o eay in its execution, affords a atisfactory anwer to the many enquiries that have been made concerning the means employed by mariners to render water potable, after it has lot this quality by being kept long in the hip.

It will carcely be credited, that though we were able to purify the water according to the imple method jut decribed, that which was ditributed in the veel often tunk nearly as much as when it was firt brought out of the hold. The caue of this neglect aroe from the circumtance, that the officer, who had the charge of inpecting the operation, uually committed it to one of the ailors, who, oon tired with turning the handle, delivered it out before it had become potable. It was very jutly oberved on board, that it would have been much better had this charge been committed to the urgeon, as the health of the crew depended o much upon its being well performed. It was nevertheles left in the hands of the officer of the watch.

On the 29th of December, the ky being very clear, the thermometer indicated 17° 8-10ths, and the barometer 28 inches 39-10ths lines; when