Steel's Atlantic and West-Indian Navigator, or Sailing Directions ... for the navigation of the Atlantic Ocean and of the West Indies ... To which are added an examination into the true cause of the Gulf Stream, &c, by J. Manderson, and an appendix containing remarks made on the coasts of the...

Front matter

STEELS ATLANTIC and WEST-INDIAN NAVIGATOR; OR, SAILING DIRECTIONS, GENERAL AND PARTICULAR, For the NAVIGATION of the ATLANTIC OCEAN, AND OF THE WEST INDIES. INCLUDING GE2_At_°pERVATI0AS 0n the WlNDS and other Phenomena, which tZuL ZTof SlhipS fr°m Eur°Pe - Afnca, to America' and he West Indies, and copious Instructions for the &c. viz. [The Azores, or Western Islands - The Madeiras; The Canary Islands; 'Hie Bermudas; The Antilles, orCaribbee Islands; com l monly called the Windward and Leeward Islands; The Coast of Guyana, Demerary, &c. The Virgin Islands; Porto Rico ; Hispaniola, or St. Domingo: Jamaica; Mosquito Shore and Bay of Honduras; Gulf and Windward Passages, &c. By DAVID STEEL. TO WHICH ARE ADDED, An Examination into the true Cause of the GULF STREAM, &c. &c. By Lieutenant JAMES MANDERSON, of the Royal Navy: 1 AND, AN APPENDIX, Containing REMARKS made on the COASTS of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, In His Majesty's Ships "RESOLUTION and St. ALBANS, By MR. MURDO DOWNIE, During the Years 1794, 1795, 1796, 1797, and 1798.

LONDON: PRiaTTEft «»*-*. STEEL, AT THE NAVIGATION WAREHOUSE. HTTLE TOWER HTLL. 1804. {ENTERED AT STATIONER'S HALL.J PRINTED BY C. AND AV. GALABIN, INGRAM COURT, AND BARNARD AND SULTZER, WATER LANE. CONTENTS. INTRODUCTION: Containing Observations on the Winds and other Phenomena, which affecfthe Passage of ships from Europe or Africa, to America and the West-Indies. 1. Of the Winds - ' . -. - page 1 9. Of Tides and Currents - - - - - • 4 3. Of the Florida or Gulf Stream - - - . .- - 6 4. Of other Currents in the Atlantic Ocean - - - - 14 5. Some General Observations on the Passages to and from America and the Wesl-Indie« - . . . - - 18 SAILING DIRECTIONS, &c:

Chapter I

The Azores, or Hawk's Islands, commonly called the Western Islands; the Islands of Madeira; the Canaries; the Cape Verd Islands; and, the Bermudas. .1. The Azores or Western Islands - - - - 20 2. The Madeiras - - - - - 22 3. The Canary Islands - - - - - 24 4. The Cape Verd Islands - - - - 30 5. The Bermudas or Summers' Islands ... . 35

Chapter II

The Antilles, or Caribbee Islands, commonly called the Windward and Leeward Islands; with the Coast of Guiana, &c. 1 . The Island of Barbadoes - - - _..*_" 37 2. Tobago - . 3. 3. — Trinidad - - . - - 40 4. The Coast of Guiana, including Demerary, Surinam, &c. - - 42 5. The Island of Grenada - - 44 6. The Granadines - - - 1 - 44 •7. The Island of St. Vincent ... . 4.; 8. St. Lucia - - - - 45 9. Martinico or Martinique - - 4tf 10. Dominica - - - ' - 47 II. The Islands of Guadaloupe, the Saintes, and Deseada - 48 32. The Island of Antigua **■- - - . - - 49 13. Barbuda - - - - 52 14. The Islands of Montserrat, Redondo, Nevis, and St. Christopher - 52 15. St. Eustatjus pnd Saba - - - 54 16. The Isle and Bank of Av«s - - - -55 37. The Islands pf St. Bartholomew, St. Martin, an_ Anguilla, with the Dog and Prickly Pear Islands, and Sombrero - 55 CHAPTER CONTESTS.

Chapter III

The Virgin Islands, Porto Rico, Hispaniola, Jamaica, the Bay of Honduras, Mosquito Shore, and the Windward Passages. 1. The Virgin Islands .... . page 57 2. The Island of Porto Rico . - - - 59 3. Hispaniola or St. Domingo - • - - 62 A. The Island of Jamaica, Sec. - - 76 5. From Jamaica to and for the Bay of Honduras and Mosquito Shore - 83 6. The Windward Passages • - - - 92

Chapter IV

Descriptive Remarks on the Navigation from Jamaica, round the West end of Cuba, and through the New Bahama Channel, or Gulf of Florida; including Directions for the Bahama Islands, &c. 1. The Caymans and Western Part of Cuba • . - ,101 2. The Dry Tortu-;as, S. W. Coast of Florida, &c. - - 103 3. The Florida Keys and Reef - - - - 105 4. The Eastern 0>ast of Florida - - 308 5. Directions for Vessels bound Southward, through the Gulf of Florida - 113 6. New Providence and the Bahamas - - 3 34 7. The Great Bahama Bank, &c. - - - 115

Part II

An Examination into the true Cause of the Gulf Stream, with Direc tions for sailing from Jamaica through the Gulf Passage ; also some short Observations on the Winds and Currents in the adjacent Seas. By Lieu tenant Jas. Manderson. 1 . An Examination into the true Cause of the Gulf Stream, - 1 2. Directions for Navigating from the West end of Jamaica through the Gulf of Florida - - - - - 14 3. Observations on the AA'inds and Currents in the adjacent Seas . 32 APPENDIX, Remarks made on the Coast of North America, by Mr. Murdo Downie. 1. Description of Banks and Soundings along the Coast of the United States 27 2. The Making and Appearance of the Land, - . - S9 3. Description of Harbour* - - - rttl'l.'shni as l/u- .hi t/mrh../,/,,, r/i. -first i.s.u /,,- /'.>',', ,7 ,// //,<■ ,\ ',„ /,, „/,.„, KSmUttM /.////,• '/.-u */■ ///// INTRODUCTION- GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON THE WINDS AND OTHER PHENOMENA, WHICH AFFECT THE PASSAGE OF SHIPS, FROM EUROPE OR AFRICA, TO AMERICA AND TIIE WEST INDIES.

I. OF THE tVINDS, TO the northward of thc 28th or 30th degree of latitude the winds are very1 ■oariablty blowing in every direction, but more prevailing, in tbe northern latitudes, from the ■westward or W. S.W.- To thc southward of 28 degrees they generally blow from between the N. and E. and thence, towards the line, there is a constant easterly wind from N. N. E. to E« inclining more or less to the northward, which is called the trade-iuind. As it is the property of air to be rarefied or expanded by heat, and condensed by cold, and as thc earth, by its diurnal rotation on its axis, presents, in succession, every part of its circumference to the fun, the heat of that luminary, b.y rarefying the air, is the chief primary cause of winds, both general and particular* For the air, which is less rarefied, has always a motion towards those parts which are more rarefied, in order to maintain an equilibrium in the atmosphere : and, as the apparent motion of the fun is to the westward, the whole body of the cooler and denser air sets that way, when it is not disturbed by particular or accidental causes.

Thus is thc general easterly wind, above-mentioned, produced upon the ocean, and rendered perpetual on ihc parallels bordering on or near the equator : and, if the surface of the globe was entirely fluid, the wind over thc equatorial regions would perpetually follow ths apparent course of thc sun, and blow from East to West, by seeking to maintain the equilibrium, ai before observed. "^ Thc air, at the (^mt time, to the northward and southward, being less rarefied, in proportion to its distance from the course of the fun, would have a tendency to thc fame direction. From the northward it would blow towards thc S.W. and from the southward towards the N.W and this is known to be the cafe on thc Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. But, as lands which are exposed to the sun's influence retain a much greater portion of heat than water, so do they communicate a greater portion of heat to the air above them, and there by rarefy it to a higher degree ; thence it arises that the cooler and denser air, which is above the water, rushing in to restore thc equilibrium, the wind is, in some places near the land, diverted from its general westerly direction to the opposite points.

Such is the cafe on the western coast of Africa, as will be hereafter described. The clouds in the higher regions of the air are frequently seento move in a direction contrary to the wind below. The reason of this variation is, that thc cool dense air below forces the warm and rarefied air upwards in a continual stream, where it spreads so as to preserve tlie equilibrium: and hence the upper course, or current, is in a contVary direction. Thus, by a kind of circulation, the N. E. trade-wind has frequently a S.W. wind above it ; anda S.E. Wind often prevails beneath one whose direction is N. W.* It is consequently fouud, that, just without thc limits of the trade-winds, thc wind generally blows from the opposite quarter. The counter-current of air, above, is often seen in a fresh trade-wind ; for, the great p .wei of the sun between the tropics so rarefies the atmosphere under his meridian, that it has nef so much influence in the upper regions, where thc atmosphere is light: hence the motion of the Upper part take^, its direction contrary to the trade-wind. * This is the eau e of those perio .Jcal winds, in the Indian Ocean, called MonsoonS] which b!oyv in one halt of ih-; year one v/.w, uad in the other half thc contrary. I B The

Introduction

. — Or the winds. The space from lat. z--° to 280 or __9°, between the variable and trade winds, is remarkable for a continual change ot winds, wi b sudden guth and calms, ra n, thunder, and lightning. This space has been called tlie Horse Latitudes, because it has often been 'ound necessary here to thiow over-hoard the holies which were to be transported to the AVest Indies, &c. To the northward of these latitudes, upon the American coast, and mare than one-third over the Atlantic, westeily winds prevail for near 9 niun'hs in th year. In the latitudes above the rade-winds, the wind from the VV. S Westward being replete with mo'sture, from the great exhalation between the tropics, as it approaches thc cold and higher latitudes becomes condensed into Ihowcrs of hail, rain, or snow. For instance, in the 50th degree of North latitude thc -wind from the S \V geneiaiiy will prevail till the atmosphere is more condensed than in the lower latitudes; tbe wind tr <m thc colder regions then ensues, and blows till the equilibrium of the atmosphere is rest-red, when a short calm generally succeeds before the wind shifts into another quarter.

There is often an interval ol calm between the trade-winds and the opposite winds in high latitude.*. This is not, however, always the cafe ■ for, if the trade-wind in its borders is much to the eastward, it frequently changes gradually round without an interval of calm. There is generally, alto, a * aim in a ceitain space between two prevailing winds blowing in opposite directions, as between tbe trade-wind and thr westerly wind on t!.e African coast. In the limits of tne trade-wind a dead calm is generally the prelude to a storm, and it onght always to be considered as a prognostic thereof ; tor it is known that the conflux of the trade-wind and the variable winds is the cause of calms and storms in the tropical regions. AVhen thc fun is at its greatest declination, North of the equator, the S.E. wind, particularly between tbe Brazils and Africa, varying towards the course ,f the sun, changes a quarter or half a point more to thc southward, and the N. E. trade-wind veers more to the eastward.

The contrary happens when thc fun is near the southern tropic, for then the S. E. wind, South of the line, gets moie to the East, and the N. E wind, on the Atlantic, veers more to tlie North. In June, July, August, and September, while the h\n is returning frora the northern tropic to the -equator, the action of its rays upon the land and sea, in thc noi them part of the globe, render.*, tbe wines less constant by altering the state of the atmosphere. It follows, from the foregoing principles, which have been long consumed by experience, that in the Atlantic Ocean, at about 100 leagues from the Atricai*. Ihore, between the latitudes of io° and 2S0 N. a constant fresh gale of wind commences from the N.E. On approaching the American tide, this N.E. wind becomes more easterly, or seldom blows more than a point from thc East, cither to tbe northward or louthward.

This appears to be caused bv* tbe heated lands to the westward rarefying the air, and causihg an indraught that way, in the fame manner as the contrary wind is induced on the Alricancoalt. The tradt-wind on the American side extends at times to 30, 31, or 32. degrees of North latitude, which is about 4 degrees farther to the northward than on the African side. It is likewise known, that, to the southward of the equator, the trade-wind extends three or four degrees farther towards the coast of Biazil thanon the African side of the ocean. It is observed, generally, that the continental coasts between the tropics are almost always blown upon obliquely, from seaward, by winds whose course is affected by the winds which prevail in the extensive fc^s that surround them. Between the latitudes of 40 N. and 40 S. the wind always blows from between the S. an4 E. On the African fide thc winds are nearest to the S. and on the American side nearest to the E. In these leas Dr Hallcy observed, that, when the wind was eastward, thc weather was gloomy, dark, and rainy, with hard gales of wind; bur, when the wind veered to the southward, the weather generally became serene, with gentle breezes next to a calm.

Among the Canary Islands, which are within the track of tbe trade-wind, northerly or N. E. winds mostly prevail; yet, being in the vicinity of the continent, westerly and south-westerly winds prevail theie, sometimes, for 8 days successively. Fiom Cape B anco to Sierra Leone, on the African coast, the winds, excepting storms or land-breezes, blow mostly rather from N. to N.AV. than from the N. to the eastward Between the Cape A^erd Islands, and in 'their neighbourhood; southerly and S.AV. winds geneiaiiy blow in July, August, September, and October. These Islands, when the fun is in their zenith, arc generally lurroundcd by thick fogs. From Sierra Leone to Cape Palmas the ordinary course of the winds is from AA' N AV and beyond Cape Palmas from W. S. W. to S. AV. Between the 4th and 10th degrees of N. latitude, and between the longitudes of Cape Verd and thc easternmost of the Cape Verd Islands, there is a tract of sea having, successively, perpetual calms and terrible thunder, with lightning, and such frequent rains, that it is called thc _K.i_.__.

Ships, in sailing these 6 degrees, have been sometimes, it is said, detained for months. The cause appears to be, that the westerly winds, setting in on this coast, by meeting the general easterly wind, balance each other, and so cause the calms ; and the vapours carried thither by each wind, also meeting aad condensing, occasion thc almost-constant rains. Al me

INTRODUCTION.

. — Of the winds, &c. 3 Along the coast cf Guinea, from Sici ra Leone to thc Island of St Thomas, near the equator, which is above 500 leagues, the southerly and S. W. winds blow perpetually. For, the S. E. trade-wind, having passed thc equator, and approaching the Guinea c^aii within So or loo leagues, inclines towards the lho;c and becomes S«ush, then S.E. and, by degree;, as it comes near the land, it about to South, S. S. W. and in wit!) the land it i. S.W. and sometimes W S.W. In rhis r.act there are frequent calms, and violent sudden gusts of wind, blowing from all points of the horizon, which are called tornadoes. The winds upon .ind ntarthc different Iflan.-s in the Atlantic are very v_.ri.ible and uncertain, especially if the land is high and irregular. In general regular sea and land breezes alternately prevail; the fei-brecze by d..v a d the land-biccze by night, as the land is alternately heated and cooled: but, ;is rhe direction ot these breezes is varied by the quality and figure of the land a* d other local circumstances, the reader is referred, for a mure complete account of them, to thp particular delcript on of the respective islands.

We shall, however, observe hcre. that, if the land is very high, if generally intercepts the prevailing wind, and so affects the air as to produce, on the Ice sice, either a calm, a gentle breeze in an opposite direction, ona kinr' of eddy whxh is iometimes very truublcfume to (hipping. Such is the cafe under the western pait of Madeira, anc1 to leeward of the Canary Islands. For instance, the Grand Canary is so high as to uop the current of the N. E. wind which prevails there, and on the lee side there is a calm, or 1 gentle breeze from S. W.' The calms and eddy-wncis* occasioned by the height and figure of the Canaries, extend from 10 t 30 leagues .beyond them to the S.W. according to thc height of the. respective Iflmds. The boundary ot the calms may be seen; for, within them the water is smooth; without them is the regular undulation ot the sea, caused by the general wind; and, at the edge os them, the winrts, by setting in oppusirc directions, produce a breaking of the waves with a foam, like thc billows on a rocky slioal just beneath the surface of thc ocean.

From a consiPcratioh of the principles before explained, thi cause os those copious dews which fall in the ight, ou the islands, &c. situated within the tropics, will be apparent. For, as the great power of th_ fun by day causes an extraordinary evaporariun of the ocean, so, in the night, the exhalation, ceasing to retain the same degree of levity acquired from the heat qf the sun, becomes, by the absence of the power which produced it, so deqse and heavy 3s agiin to fall back, to the earth. 'The air, at the fame time, cooling, by the fame cause, is also affected bv the descending moisture, and thus acquires an additional tendency to increase the |*md-breezc. before-described. she following account of thc Haf.mattan, an African wind, by Matt. Dobson, M.D. F.R.S. is too interesting to be omitted in this place.

On that, pirt of the coist of Africa which lies between Cape Verd and Cape Lopczs a singular periodical easterly wind, named by rhe natives thc Harmattan, p.evails during the month ol December, January, and February. Cape Verd is in 150 N. Ut. and Cape Lopez in i° S. lat. and the coast between runs, in an oblique irection, nearly from W. S. W. to E. S.E. upwards of rioo miles. At the Isles de Los, which are a little to the northward of Siena _Cconc, and to thc southward of Cape Verd, it blows from the E.S.E. On thc Gold coast from the N. E. And at Cape Lopez and 'he River Gabon from the N. N. E- The Harm ttan comes on indiscriminately at any hour of the day. at any pme of the tide, or at any peiiod of thc moon, aid continues onjy a day or two, sometimes five or six days, and it has been known to last fi;re n or sixteen days..

There ate generally three or four returns -of it every season. It blows with a moderate force, not qu te so strong as the sea-breeze, (which everv day sets in, during the fair season, from rhe W. — W. S. Wand S. W.) but somewhat stronger than the land-wind at night from the'N. and N. N. W. ' A fog or haze always1 accompanies the Harmattan, and the gloom is sometimes so great as to render near objects obscure. The sun is thus concealed the greatest parr ul the day, %n<jL appears only a few hours about noon, and then of a mild led colour. At two or three miles from thore thc fig is not so thick as on the beach, and at four or stye leagues distance it is entirely lost, though thc Harmattan is felt for ten or twelve le gues, apd blows sirelh enough to alter the course oi the current. . Extreme dryness isa property of this wind.

No dew falls during its continuance, nor is there the least appearance ut moisture in thc atmosphere. All vegetables are much injured, and-jnany destroyed. The scums in thc sides and decks of sliips become very leaky, though the pianks are two or three inches thick. Iron-bound casks require the hoops-to be frequently driven tighter, and a calk of turn or brandy can rfarcely b_ preserved; for, unless kept constantly moistened, the hoops fly off. Thc Harmattan has, likewise, very disagreeable effects on the ikin, lips, and nose, which become sore. B a The

INTRODUCTION.

. — Of tides and currents. 4 The effects of the Harmattan in evaporation are great, ' as appears by this comparative statement. At Liverpool the annual evaporation is 36 inches, at Whydah 64 inches, and under the influence of the Harmattan 133 inches. This wind, though so prejudicial to vegetable life, is highly conducive to health, so that fluxes, fevers, small-pox, &c generally disappear in spite of the doctor; and ir contributes to the cure of ulcers and cutaneous eruptions. The baneful effects which have been said tq arise from the prevalence of this wind proceed from the periodical rains which fall in March, April, &c. and are ushered in by thc tornadoes from thc N.E. and E. N. E. accompanied with violent thunder and lightning, and very heavy showers. The i-arth, drenched by these showers, and acted upon with an intense stjUr heat, as soon as the storm is over fends forth such noisome vapours as are the occasion of putntf fevers and other diseases.

Cn this coast, from the middle of February to the first week in March, a wind up the coast from S.S.W. to S.S.E. prevails for about thiee weeks. The tornadoseason is part of March, all April, and the greatest part of May, about twelve weeks. Thcrainy season is from the latter end of May, all June, and to about thc aoth of July, about eight weeks,. Hence high wind and squally with very heavy rains to the middle of August, about rhreo weeks. The rain ceases, and then, for tlie first three weeks in September, the weather if foggy and close, without any breeze. From this time, for about six weeks, the wind blows frelh down thc coast ; the tornadoes and southerly wind then succeed, with some rain, generally called thc latter rajns, about four weeks, to the beginning of December, when the Harmattan season commences.

I!. OF TIDES AND CURRENTS. The theory of tides, as established by the observations and arguments of Sir Isaac Newtont is so generally known as to render a particular discussion of that subject in this place unnecessary. It will be sufficient for the present purpose to take a partial view of the subject, to notice more particularly such circumstances of the different stream, in the Atlantic Ocean as are produced by the aftion os the luind upon the sea, or by thc action of the wind in combination with the causes of the tidal motions, TIDES. In the foregoing observations upon thc winds it is remarked, that, if the surface of the earth was entirely fluid, the winds, being uninterrupted, would always picvail in the fame general direction, changing only with the seasons : the some supposition is equally applicable to the subject of tides.

For, if the earth was entirely covered with a uniform depth of water, the general law of attraction and gravitation would be universally obeyed, so that the water, in it$ progressions) elevation, would follow freely thc course of the moon and sun, and would rise exactly in proportion to the united, the partial, nr thc opposing, influences of these luminaries. ~ But, as the motion of ebb and flow is interrupted by the interposition of the great continents of thc earth, and again diverted inro innumerable directions, by the endless variety ol figure formed by the inflections and breakings of the different coasts, as bays, straits, and rivers, afid by the various inequalities in the depth of the sea, it therefore becomes necessary tu make a kw observations on the most particular diversities which appear on the Atlantic Oeean.

On the western coasts of Ireland, Portugal, and Spam, it is high water about three hours after the moon has passed the meridian, on the full and change ; thence it flows, as it finds the' easiest passage, in three branches : one branch sets up the British Channel, another up St George's Channel, and the third, or rather the main body of the stream, sets along the Weft and North ot Ireland ; whence, after partially diverging into the northern part of the Irish Sea, it continues its couise to the N.E. through the weflern Islands ot Scotland ; thence, running eastward, it passes the North of Scotland, and between the Islands of Orkney an'd Shet land ; to the eastward of which it changes its direction, and stows onward, in confluence with a set from the northward, in a southerly course, along the whole of the eastern coast of Britain, jnaVing high water progressively later it all the intermediate points from North to South.

The great branch of tide which flows up the English Channel continues its direction until it meets the North Sea tide nearly abreast of Dungeness, where the ride from the North Sea, pie vaifing over that of the Channel, runs an hour longer tn the westward ; and, four hours before the flood from the northward has done running at Dungeness, the ebb tide to the westward be gins to run down Channel, so that the food at Dungeness blends with the Channel ebb in the last four hours, during which they run Westward. When the ebb off Dungeness has run eastward for two hours it is joined by the Channel flood, and again blending they fun to the eajhvard for four hours and a half. Bv the meeting of rhe tides and the contraction of the tfrait the water rises seven feet higher there than it rises to the eastward or westward. - '^*: ThÆ The rxraoocc nos.— op tides an» ci*„__..t.. 5 Tlif* regular stream us the flood-tide on the South side of the Channel is much diversified, by the conformation ofthe French coast and the different islands in its vicinity.

In the great bight to the South and West of Cape La Hogue the stream of flood setting eastward is directly opposed or resisted by the coast of Normandy ; and the water being likewise pent up bythe islands of Jersey, Guernsey, &c. together with all the shoals in theenvirons Of these islands, accumulates to an extraordinary height, so that its perpendicular rise, in, ordinary spring-tides, is forty-five feet, and considerably more, with a prevalence of westerly winds. Tlie water thus accumulated, i>y seeking to preserve the level of the sea, rushes violently through the passage between Cape La Hague and the Island of Alderney, and forms the stre_rm named the Race of Alderney, which sets through with a velocity of seven miles an hour. The tide hence, round Cape Barfleur, runs with rapidity, and sets so violently about that cape as to cause that peculiar agitation of the water which is often mistaken for breakers.

It is observed by DrV Hutton, " that a very slow and imperceptible motion of the whole body of water, where it is very deep, as twomiles for instance, will strffice to raise its sur face ten or twelve feet in a tide's time ; whereas, if the same quantity of water wereto be conTeyed through a channel forty fathoms deep, it would require a very rapid stream to effect it in such large inlets as the English channel and the German Ocean; whence the tide is found to set strongest in those places where the sea grows narrowest, the same quart tit}'of water being, in that case, to pass through a smaller passage. This is particularly observable in the strait between Portland and Cape La Hagne, where the tide runs like a sluice; and would be V3t more so between Dover and Calais, if the tide coming round the island did not check it."

" This force, when once impressed, continues to carry the water above the ordinary height, especially where the stream meets a direct obstacle ; or where it enters into a long channel which, running far into the land, grows very straight at its extremity, as it doe.« into the Severn at Chepstow and Bristol." The vertical rise of the tides on the coast of Portugal and tbe western coast of Africa is but small; at the Western Islands that ofthe highest spring-tide is eight feet; at Madeira seven feet; in the West-India islands the rise is much less, the highest vertical rise at Bar badoes being less than three feet, and at Jamaica less than two feet; generally, at the latter place, not more than nine inches. It has been observed, generally, that in the torrid zone the tides are-Rot so great where the ocean is narrow, asin those parts where it is broader; for, it is obvious that the water cannot rise on one shore but by descending on the other, so that at the intermediate islands it must continue at a mean height between its elevations on the shores of the opposite continents.