Directions for Sea-Men, Bound for Far Voyages

full of Snow or Ice (taking care that the Ice be made of the purest water, because they put it into their wine) overspreading first the bottom very well with chaffe; by which I mean not any part of the straw, but what remains upon the winnowing of the Corns; and I think, they here use Barley-chaffe. This done, they further, as they put in the Ice, or the Snow, (which latter they ram down,) line it thick by the sides with such Chaffe, and afterwards cover it well with the same; and in half a years lying so, 'tis found not to want above an eight part of what it weighed, when first put in. When ever they take it out into the Aire, they wrap it in this Chaffe, and it keeps to admiration. The use of it in England would not be so much for cooling of drinks, as 'tis here generally used; but for cooling of fruit, sweet-meats &c. So far this Author. The other usual way both in Italy and other Countries, to conserve Snow and Ice with Straw or Reed, is set down so punctually by Mr. Boyle in his Experimental History of Cold, pag. 408. 409. that nothing is to be added. It seems Pliny could not pass by these Conservatories, and the cooling of drinks with Ice, without passing this severe, though elegant and witty, Animadversion upon them: Hi Nives, illi glaciem potant, pandique montium in voluptatem gulae vertunt: Servatur algor estibus, excogitaturque ut alienis mensibus nix algeat, lib. 19. cap. 4. But the Epigrammatist sports with it thus; Non potare nivem, sed aquam potare rigentem De nive, commenta est ingeniosa sitis. Martial, 14. Ep. 117. Directions for Sea-men, bound for far Voyages. It being the Design of the R. Society, for the better attaining the End of their Institution, to study Nature rather than Books, and from the Observations, made of the Phænomena and Effects she presents, to compose such a Hist- ry of Her, as may hereafter serve to build a Solid and Useful Philosophy upon; They have from time to time given order to several of their Members to draw up both Inquiries of things Observable in foreign Countries, and Directions for the Particulars, they desire chiefly to be informed about. And considering with themselves, how much they may increase their Philosophical stock by the advantage, which England enjoyes of making Voyages into all parts of the World, they formerly appointed that Eminent Mathematician and Philosopher Master Rook, one of their Fellowes, and Geometry Professor of Gresham College (now deceased to the great detriment of the Commonwealth of Learning) to think upon and set down some Directions for Sea-men going into the East & West-Indies, the better to facilitate them for making such observations abroad, as may be pertinent and suitable for their purpose; of which the said Sea-men should be desired to keep an exact Diary, delivering at their return a fair Copy thereof to the Lord High Admiral of England, his Royal Highness the Duke of York, and another to Trinity-house to be perused by the R. Society. Which Catalogue of Directions having been drawn up accordingly by the said Mr. Rook, and by him presented to those, who appointed him to expedite such an one, it was thought not to be unseasonable at this time to make it publique, the more conveniently to furnish Navigators with Copies thereof. They are such, as follow; 1. To observe the Declination of the Compass, or its Variation from the Meridian of the place, frequently; marking withal, the Latitude and Longitude of the place, wherever such Observation is made, as exactly as may be, and setting down the Method, by which they made them. 2. To carry Dipping Needles with them, and observe the inclination of the Needle in like manner. 3. To remark carefully the Ebbings and Flowings of the Sea, in as many places as they can, together with all the Accidents, dents, Ordinary and Extraordinary, of the Tides; as, their precise time of Ebbing and Flowing in Rivers, at Promontories or Capes; which way their Current runs, what Perpendicular distance there is between the highest Tide and lowest Ebb, during the Spring-Tides and Neap-Tides; what day of the Moons age, and what times of the year, the highest and lowest Tides fall out: And all other considerable Accidents, they can observe in the Tides, chiefly near Ports, and about Islands, as in St. Helena's Island, and the three Rivers there, at the Bermudas &c. 4. To make Plotts and Draughts of prospect of Coasts, Promontories, Islands and Ports, marking the Bearings and Distances, as neer as they can. 5. To sound and mark the Depths of Coasts and Ports, and such other places near the shoar, as they shall think fit. 6. To take notice of the Nature of the Ground at the bottom of the Sea, in all Soundings, whether it be Clay, Sand, Rock, &c. 7. To keep a Register of all changes of Wind and Weather at all hours, by night and by day, shewing the point the Wind blows from, whether strong or weak: The Rains, Hail, Snow and the like, the precise times of their beginnings and continuance, especially Hurricanes and Spouts; but above all to take exact care to observe the Trade-Wines, about what degrees of Latitude and Longitude they first begin, where and when they cease, or change, or grow stronger or weaker, and how much; as near and exact as may be. 8. To observe and record all Extraordinary Meteors, Lightnings, Thunders, Ignes fatui, Comets, &c. marking still the places and times of their appearing, continuance, &c. 9. To carry with them good Scales, and Glass-Violls of a pint or so, with very narrow mouths, which are to be fill'd with Sea-water in different degrees of Latitude, as often as they they please, and the weight of the Vial full of water taken exactly at every time, and recorded, marking withall the degree of Latitude, and the day of the Month: And that as well of water near the Top; as at a greater Depth. Some Observations concerning Jupiter. Of the shadow of one of his Satellites seen, by a Telescope passing over the Body of Jupiter. I have received an Account from very good hands, That on the 26th of September last, at half hour after seven of the Clock, was seen, both in Holland and in France (by curious Observers, with very good Telescopes) the shadow of one of the satellites of Jupiter, passing over his Body. One of those small Stars moving about his Body (which are therefore called his Satellites) coming between the Sun and it, made a small Eclipse, appearing in the Face of Jupiter as a little round black Spot. The Particulars of those Observations, when they shall come to our Hands, we may (if need be) make them publik: Which Observations, as they are in themselves very remarkable, and argue the Excellency of the Glasses by which they were discovered; So are we, in part, beholding to Monsieur Cassini for them, who giving notice before-hand of such Appearances to be expected, gave occasion to those Curious Observers to look for them. Of a permanent Spot in Jupiter: by which is manifested the conversion of Jupiter about his own Axis. Besides that Transient Shadow last mentioned, there hath been observed, by Mr. Hook first (as is mentioned in Numb. I. of these Transact.) and since by M. Cassini, a permanent Spot in the Disque of Jupiter; by the help whereof, they have been able to observe, not only that Jupiter turns about upon his own Axis, but also the Time of such conversion; which he estimates