An Extract of a Letter, Written from the Bermudas, Giving an Account of the Course of the Tides There; Of Wells Both Salt and Sweet, Digg'd Near the Sea; Of the Whale-Fishing There Practised Anew, and of Such Whales as Have the Sperma Ceti in Them

other remedies those protuberances were gone, nor are there any footsteps left of the abovementioned Disease. The two other Trials were made upon the other Sex. A married Woman of 35, and a serving Maid of 20 years of age, had been both of them from their Birth very grievously afflicted with Epileptic fits, so that there was little hopes left to cure them. They both underwent this operation, and there was injected into their Veins a Laxative Rosin, dissolved in an Anti-Epileptical Spirit. The first of these had gentle stools, some hours after the Injection, and the next day the fits recurring now and then, but much milder, are since altogether vanish'd. As for the other, viz. the Maid, she went the same day to stool four times, and several times the next; but by going into the Air, and taking cold, and not observing any diet, cast her self away. 'Tis remarkable, that it was common to all three to vomit soon after the injection, and that extremely and frequently; the reason whereof we leave to intelligent Physicians to assign. An Extract Of a Letter, written from the Bermudas, giving an account of the Course of the Tides there; of Wells both salt and sweet, digg'd near the Sea; of the Whale-fishing there practised anew, and of such Whales as have the Sperma Ceti in them. This Letter was written June 18. 1667. by that intelligent Gentleman Mr. Richard Norwood, living upon the place, and relating as follows. SIR, I Received your Letter of October 24. 1666. but, whereas you mention another formerly sent, that never came to my hands: Neither had I, before the receipt of yours, the least intelligence of the Institution of the Royal Society, founded by the King; but am very glad, that God hath put into the heart of his Majesty, to advance such a noble Design, and should rejoice, I were able to add my Mite for the furtherance of it. As to the particulars you recommend to me, I shall answer to them, as I can, in the order I find them. First, touching the Conjunction of Mercury with the Sun, which you say you gave me notice of in your first, not received, and which happened Octob. 25. 1664. I had also notice of it from Mr. Street, and had provided in some measure to observe it; but the sky was so overcast, that the Sun could scarce be discerned all that day. Next, concerning the Tides, I have only taken a general notice of them; as, that it is high water about 7 of the clock on the change day (in some Creeks an hour or two later.) The water riseth but little, as about 4 foot at a high water; but at the Spring-tides it may be a foot more. The Tides without are very various in their setting. Sometimes the Tide of Floud sets to the Eastward, sometimes to the Westward: but in fair, calm, and settled weather, the said Tide sets from the South-east toward the North-west, as they say. We dig wells of fresh water sometimes within 20 yards of the Sea or less, which rise and fall upon the Floud, and ebb as the Sea doth; and so do most of the Wells in the Country, though further up (as I am inform'd.) Wheresoever they digg Wells here, they digg till they come almost to a Level with the superficies of the Sea, and then they find either fresh water or salt. If it be fresh, yet if they digg two or three foot deeper, or often less, they come to salt water. If it be a sandy ground, or a sandy crumbling Stone, that the water soaks gently through, they find usually fresh water; but if they be hard Limestone-Rocks, which the water cannot soak through, but passeth in chinks or clefts between them, the water is salt or brackish. Yet (to mention that by the by) I never saw any Sand in the Country such as will grind Glais, or whet Knives, &c. as in England, but a substance like Sand, though much softer; neither have we any Pebble-stones or Flint. For the killing of whales, it hath been formerly attempted in vain, but within these two or three years, in the Spring-time and fair weather, they take sometimes one, or two, or three in a day. They are less, I hear, than those in Greenland, but more quick and lively, so that if they be struck in deep water, they presently make into the deep with such violence, that the Boat is in danger to be haled down after them, if they cut not the Rope in time; therefore they usually strike them in shoal-water. They have have very good Boats for that purpose, mann'd with six Oars, such as they can row forwards or backwards, as occasion requireth. They row up gently to the Whale, and so he will scarcely shun them; and when the Harpineer, standing ready fitted, sees his opportunity, he strikes his Harping-Iron into the Whale about or before the Fins, rather than toward the Tail. Now the Harping-Irons are like those, which are usual in England in striking Porpoises; but singular good metal, that will not break, but wind, as they say, about a man's hand. To the Harping-Irons is made fast a strong lythe Rope, and into the Socket of that Iron is put a Staff, which, when the Whale is struck, comes out of the Socket; and so when the Whale is something quiet, they hale up to him by the Rope, and, it may be, strike into him another Harping-Iron, or lance him with Lances in staves, till they have kill'd him. This I write by relation, for I have not seen any kill'd myself. I hear not, that they have found any Sperma Ceti in any of these Whales; but I have heard from credible persons, that there is a kind of such as have the Sperma at Elutheria, and others of the Bahama Islands (where also they find often quantities of Amber-greene) and that those have great Teeth (which ours have not) and are very sinewy. One of this place (John Perinchief) found one there dead, driven upon an Island, and, though I think ignorant in the busines, yet got a great quantity of Sperma Ceti out of it. It seems, they have not much Oyl, as ours, but this Oyl, I hear, is at first like Sperma Ceti; but they clarify it, I think, by the fire. When I speak with him (whom I could not meet with at present, and now the Ship is ready to set sail) I shall endeavour to be further informed; but at present with the tender of my humbly service to the Royal Society, and commending your Noble Design to the blessing of the Almighty, I take my leave, &c. Nnn 2