becauſe in the latter caſe the ſpectator is ſituated between the rainbow and the ſun. Thus the ſmaller circle was terminated at its interior margin by the red colour, and at its exterior by the violet; whilſt the largeſt exhibited the red at its exterior, and the violet at its interior.
We were then in lat. 32° 42′ S. long. 7° E.
On the 7th of January we paſſed under the meridian of Paris, in 33° S. lat.
Having plunged the aërometer of Beaumé in the ſea-water, in order to determine its ſpecific gravity, it indicated 3° 4-5ths. I had obtained the ſame reſult from a ſimilar experiment which I made near the Equator. Hence it appears that the ſaltneſs of the ſea does not perceptibly vary in different parts of the ocean, though very diſtant from each other, and heated to very different degrees of temperature by the rays of the ſun.
On the 9th, we began to exerciſe the crews of both ſhips in ſhooting at a mark. A prize of ſmall value was the reward of thoſe who hit an object fixed to one of the fore-ſail booms. We were pleaſed to obſerve that moſt of our men took very good aim, though they had never been accuſtomed to the uſe of fire-arms. It was a matter of conſequence, in an expedition like ours, in the courſe of which we might ſometimes be under the neceſſity of defending ourſelves againſt
the
