The Delaware gazette. [volume] (Wilmington [Del.]) 1809-1810, 1809-07-19

Island to continue his observations there, under !
the inspection and superintendent of the gov |
ernment. Nt
Mr.. Bottlnesu engaged, that no. single ship !
should arrive at the island without his having |
sent information Oft several days before.
An exact register Of his COMMUNICATIONS was |
Kept in the secre.ary's Office. All his reports !
were con'paFcd VITA the ships books as soon as
the? arrived, to see whether the variations of |
weather, Gains which retarded them, sc. SC. |
were such as agreed with his reports.
1t must be observed, that when his reports
were made, the watchmen, stationed on the
mountains, could not perceive any appearance
oi ships; ior M. BotLineau announced their APP
proach VIXEN they were more than hnndred
miles distant.
From the authenticated journal Of his reports,
winch had been published, j: appears that he
| was wonderfully accurate. Within eight months,
and IN SIXTY two reports, he announced the ar
riva! o! one hundred and fifty ships of different
descriptions
| Ot the fact there can be no reasonable doubt,
because every method was adopted to prevent
deception, and his ntormations were not only
rcgStercd as soon as they were made in the gov.
ernment office, but were also pubiickly known
over the whole island. The officers OF govern
nent, moreover, were far from being partial to
| M. Dottnean; on the contrary, they were dis
| pleased with him for obstinatcly refusing to sell
| them ms secret, winch they wanted 10 purchase
at high price, SO that he could expect la
your from their representations. T'uth, how
ever, obliged them to give abundant testimony
to the reality OF his extraordinary talent, in then
letter to the French minister, which is Published
IN Aemoige sur Ia Nauscope, par III. Botti-
! ntau."
| The following are two of the reports extract
cd from this MEMOIR
| " On the goth CT August 1884, | di covered
some vessels at the distance Of four days sail from
the island. On the following day, tine number
multiplied considerably to my sight. This in
| duced me to send information OF many vessels !;
but though they were only four days distance, !
nevertheless stated in my report, thar no settled
time could be hxet. on Tor their arrival, as they
were detained by a calm, On the 25ih the calm
was SO complete, as to make me think, 70. a
lew hours, that the feet mad disappeared, and
gone to some other place. soon after perceived
again the presence OF the feet, by the revived
signs. 1t was still in the sAlne state OF inactlon,
ot which seat information. From the 2oth OF
August to the 9th Of September, did not Cease
20 announce IN my reports, the continuation @!
the calm. On the 9Th sent word that the
fleet was no longer bccalmed, and that it would
I 1870 - .HS loldiiu WIliill
hrcordingiy, to the surprise of the whole island
Nj. de Regnier's fleet arrived at Port Louisa on
the 18th. The general astonisment was great,
r increased, when il was known that this feet hat
been becalmed since the 20th of August, nea
itodHgnez islands, which was precisely the dis
lance poln!ed OUT in my reports"
Al " soon had another opportunity of shewin!
! til. certainty OF my observations A few day
before the arrival OF NJ. de liegnier's feet, 7 an
nounccd the appearance Of another feet, whci
f became perceptih!e to me. This created a srea
!, deal of unea.iness, because as no other Frcn cl
fleet was expected, that which discovered nigh
be English shps.-I was ordered to repeat m,
observations with accuracy. clearly perceived
The passage OF several ships, and declared the,
were not bound for our island, but were taking
another course. In consequence of this inlorma
ton, the N.iade frigatc and the DUO de Churrc
cutter were suddenly dispatched to NJ. de SUI
irein. The cutter actually saw and avoided tn
English fleet, IN the ninth degree, but unlortu
i naely did not firs! NJ. de Suiirein in the bay q
Irincomaiee. The report of the cutter etfectu
ally convinced the incredulous of the reality o
, my discovery"
! The last circumstance, of dspatching the fri
! gate and cutter, plainly shews the conidenc
which the French officers must have put in th
u information of M. Bottineau shcws also tina
! he deserves their confidence.
: CoYecfnres respecting tie Phenomenon on zphich III
preceding Dissertations r.eye oaHaed.
= The waters of the ocean form an immens
n gull in which substances OF all kinds are swal
4 lowed up.
The lnnumcrable muiitutlc of animals, fish
f birds, vegetable and mineral productions. wnicl
f decay, and are decomposed in that vast basin
n produce fermentation Astounding in spirits
salts, oil, sulphur, SC. &c. The existence O
these Is sufficiently apparent by the disagreeab
} smell and favour of sea-water, which can onI,
be rendered drinkable by Oscillation, and BY
the evaporation of those heterogeneous particle
which intcctit.
: The spirits, intimately united TO the sea-wa
tcrs, continue undisiurbed as long those wa
tiers remain in state of tranquility; or, at least
they experience only an internal agitation, which
), is slightly manifested externally.
| But when the waters of the sea are set ints