ON the reading of Dr. Huxham’s letter at the last meeting, some
observations occurred to me, concerning the different temperature of
the air, which I had observed at the Edystone, from what had been
observed by the Doctor at Plymouth, between the 7th and 14th of July
last: which having been desired by some members to be put into writing,
I beg leave to trouble you with the following.
Edystone is distant from Plymouth about 16 miles, and without the
head-lands of the Sound about 11.
The 7th and 8th were not remarkable at Edystone for heat or cold; the
weather was very moderate, with a light breeze at east; which allowed
us to work upon the rock both days, when the tide served.
About midnight, between the 8th and 9th, the wind being then fresh at
east, it was remarkably cold for the season, as I had more particular
occasion to observe, on account of a ship that was cast away upon the
rocks. The wind continued cold the 9th all day; which was complained
of by some of the shipwrecked seamen, who had not time to save their
cloaths; and so fresh at east, as prevented our going near the rocks,
or the wreck; and so continued till Sunday the 10th; when, seeing no
prospect of a sudden alteration of weather, I returned to Plymouth in
a sailing boat, wrapped up in my thick coat. As soon as we got within
the headlands, I could perceive the wind to blow considerably warmer;
but not so warm as to make my great coat uneasy. Having had a quick
passage, in this manner I went home, to the great astonishment of the
family to see me so wrapped up, when they were complaining of the
excessive heat: and indeed, it was not long before I had reason to join
in their opinion.
This heat I experienced till Tuesday the 12th, when I again went off to
sea, where I found the air very temperate, rather cool than warm; and
so continued till Thursday the 14th.
In my journal for Wednesday the 13th I find the following remarks,
_viz._ “This evening’s tide” (from 6 A. till 12 A.) “the wind at east,
but moderate, with frequent flashes of lightning to the southward. Soon
after we got on board the store-vessel, a squall of wind arose from the
south-west on a sudden, and continued for about a minute; part of which
time it blew so hard, we expected the masts to go by the board: after
which it was perfectly calm, and presently after a breeze returned from
the east.”
And in the journal of the 14th is entered, “This morning’s tide”
(_viz._ from 1 M. to 1 A.) “the air and sea quite calm.”
Hence it appears, how different the temper of the air may be in a
small distance; and to what small spaces squalls of wind are sometimes
confined.
It may not be amiss further to observe upon this head, that once, in
returning from Edystone, having got within about two miles of the
Ramhead, we were becalmed; and here we rolled about for at least four
hours; and yet at the same time saw vessels, not above a league from
us, going out of Plymouth Sound with a fresh of wind, whose direction
was towards us, as we could observe from the trim of their sails; and
as we ourselves experienced, after we got into it by tacking and rowing.