atmoſphere a ſuperabundance of electricity, which was one of the principal agents in producing the luminoſity of the water.
The electric ſtate of the atmoſphere was proved to me by the unuſual repulſion between the two balls of my electrometer.
15th. A ſlight breeze from the ſouth-eaſt led us to hope that we ſhould ſoon be delivered from the calms, that prevail to a greater extent in theſe ſituations than in any other part of the ocean. Theſe differences are particularly obſervable upon a voyage to India, and appear to depend chiefly upon the vicinity of the African coaſt, to which ſhips, ſailing from Europe to the Cape, approach much nearer, than thoſe which ſail from the Cape to Europe: thus the former voyages generally require a longer ſpace of time to be accompliſhed than the latter.
Many able ſeamen think it adviſable to croſs the Line much further to the eaſtward than is commonly done.
The calms which prevail northward of the equator depend upon the configuration of the African coaſt, which projects, at the diſtance of a few degrees from the Line, nearly 1,500,000 toiſes eaſtward; whilſt the great diſtance at which one ſails from the coaſt, after having croſſed the equator, prevents the winds, generally prevalent
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