Extract of a French Letter, Written by F. Jaques Paul Babin, a Jessuit, to F. Ignatius Bardy of the Same Company, from Negropont, May 15.1670; And Lately Communicated by the Learned Jesuit Bertet to a Friend of His in London; Concerning the Flux of the Euripus

gain with so much hast, after I shall have made a little voyage up- on the Red Sea, whither I go every year to visit the poor Slaves in the Gallies of the Turks, &c. F.Brothais. Extract of a French Letter, written by F. Jacques Paul Babin, a Jes- uit, to F. Ignatius Bardy of the same Company, from Negropont, May 15, 1670; and lately communicated by the Learned Jesuit Ber- tet to a Friend of his in London; concerning the Flux of the Euripus. Although the Euripus be a Symbol of inconstancy; yet hath it this advantage, that whereas the great things, which the Antients have recorded of the Cities and Rivers of Greece, are or appear no more in being, the Euripus still remains what it hath been. 'Tis true, that the Town of Chalcis is destroyed, but in the place thereof we may see that of Negropont in Euboea, which is sever'd from Bœcia only by an Arm of the Sea, where this Euripus is found; over which are built two Bridges, one of Stone, the other of Wood; in the middle whereof is a Rock, on which the Venetians formerly built a Castle, which on its Gates doth yet shew the Lions, the Arms of the City. I have not contented myself with reading what Antient Wri- ters have left us of this Phænomenon, who did either not see it or not consider it with that carefulness and attention I have done, having made upon the place long Observations, which were found conform to those intelligent Natives, of whom I made in- quiry, especially the Turks, that have the care of the Mills of this Euripus, and know all the times when the Wings and Wheels of them are to be mov'd and turn'd according as the Water of this Streight by its flux and reflux changes its course. The Euripus then is a Streight of the Ægean Sea, so narrow, that a Galley can scarce pass through it, under a Bridge, built between the Citadel and the Donjon of Negropont. But not only this place, where the Bridge is, is call'd the Euripus, but also ten or twelve leagues on each side of it, where the Cha- nel being more large, the inconstant course is not so sensible, as at the foot of the Castle. For three or four leagues on each side there are found six or seven Gulfs, wherein this water flows it self up, to issue from thence as often as it enters there; and the situation of these Gulfs contributes to the odness of this flux and reflux; of which the Moon seems to be the principal cause. There are twenty daies of each Moon, in which the course of the Euripus is regular, and ten, in which 'tis irregular; that is to say, five daies before and five daies after the New and Full Moon, the course of it is regular and strong; and then you see there the like phenomena with those of the Ocean at Bourdeaux. The Sea hath two Fluxes and Refluxes in twenty four hours, and every day it retardeth almost an hour. But there are nine or ten changes of the course of the water during the remaining ten daies of inequality; unless it blow hard, for then the course changeth not above six or seven times. I once stayed on the Mill (which is under the Bridge,) 1½ hour, and I saw the course of the water change thrice, though the wind was pretty high; and the Wheels of the Mill turn'd as often divers waies. Monsieur de la Hogue, a Parisian Gentleman, being curious, staid there almost a whole day with a Janissary; and the Moon being near the Full, he observ'd the same thing that happens in the Ocean. But though he design'd to stay there full twenty four hours du- ring the irregular daies, he was dissuaded from it for fear of the Turks, that might take him for a Spie and do him some mis- chief. I said, that for twenty daies the Flux and Reflux is as in the Ocean, or as at Venice; but with this difference, that the water of the Ocean rises many feet high; but in the Euripus it riseth not much above a foot: besides, in the Ocean 'tis observed, that the water in its rising flows into the ports and towards the Land, and in its full runs into the Main; but in the Euripus when the wa- ter riseth, it runs then into the Sea, and when it sinks, it flows into the channel going towards Constantinople. The small Gulfs, that are on the left side of the port of Negro- pont, are fill'd when the water riseth; and emptied, running to- wards Thefflonic or Constantinople, when it descends. I wrote to the R. Vabois, desiring him to observe; and he took notice of the same at Constantinople, viz., that the waters of the Black Sea, that come from Constantinople, drive the Euripus in its rising rising towards the main Sea, and that there-after the waters retire themselves towards the same place again whence they came. I caused the same person to make another observation, which was, That that swelling of the Euripus which is irregular, lasted not above a good quarter of an hour, and the sinking thereof, three good quarters, though then the water ran with more rapidity, and seem'd to us to come away in thrice as great plenty, than when he saw it rise. I know not whether this proceeded from the wind, not being able to assure you, that this effect is ordinary, till I have oftner observed it. Between the ascent and descent there is a little interval, wherein the water seems to be at rest and stagnating, so that, if there be no wind stirring it, bits of wood and straw lye still upon the water without motion. From what I have said, 'tis not difficult to reconcile the Authors that have written so differently of the Euripus. For those that have said, that there is nothing in it but what is seen in the Ocean, that is, Two Fluxes and Refluxes in twenty four hours, have only observ'd it in those twenty daies of its Regularity. And the Antients have not deliver'd a falsehood, when they say, that there are Seven Reciprocations in one day, because that happens when the Winds trouble and retard the Cours of the water: and I do assure, by often reiterated Observations, that when 'tis still weather, the Flux and Reflux is made even to nine or ten times in a natural day. A Relation