12 



IXDEX TO THE PACITIC ISLAXDS. 



current flowing to the east. Still farther observations on the currents are needed, for 

 their influence, although of less interest to navigators in these daA'S of steam-propelled 

 vessels has most important bearing on the peopling of the different groups. 



The cases of Japanese junks recorded as drifting to the Hawaiian Islands and 

 to the north-west coast of America have often been referred to, and it is well known 

 that the inhabitants of the Alaskan Islands obtain much of their fuel as driftwood 

 from the Asiatic coast: it should also be noted that many of the largest and most 

 famous double canoes of the Hawaiians were hewn from logs of Oregon pine brought 

 to the shores of Niihau and Kauai by the waves. I myself saw dozens of such logs 

 in 1S64, some of great size, some bored b_v Teredo, others covered with barnacles, along 

 the shores of Niihau. To the same shores are brought lumps of fine pumice which 

 the ancient Hawaiians freelv used to polish their canoes and wooden dishes. 



Winds of the Pacific. — In some considerable measure accelerators if not 

 originators of oceanic currents are the prevailing winds. The two agencies combined 

 have had a large part in the distribution of animal and vegetable life through this 

 ocean. In the eastern half of the Pacific, which is comparatively free from land, the 

 north-east trade winds blow with marked regularity as far south as the equatorial belt 

 of calms which encircles the globe nearly parallel with the equator, and in the .southern 

 hemisphere the south-east trade winds blow as regularly to the same belt where thev 

 rise and return in the upper regions to the polar seas whence they came. Such is in 

 general the plan of air currents in the open ocean of the eastern half, but the north 

 and south limit of each of these trade winds varies with the season, and wherever isl- 

 ands occur a variation results not always easy to explain: even the ver\- low coral 

 islands are quite sufficient to change the force and direcTiiou of the trade winds, substi- 

 tuting a land and sea breeze system. The following table, taken from Kerhallet, will 

 show clearly the variation of the "Trades": 



A TAIU.K OF THE LIMITS OF THE "TRADES" AS AFFECTED BY CHANGE OF SEASONS. 



.Tjijinnry . 

 I'VbniMry. 

 MjiviIi .. 



Apiil 



Mm.v 



.ImiH 



.lulv 



AiiKUst ... 

 Si'iitHiiibi'i 

 Drtdber . 

 NiiveTiib4>v 

 Di.i-i.nibi-r. 



The division of the trades on the belt of the "Doldrums" is always to the north 



of the equator, perhaps owing to the unequal distribution of land and water in the two 



hemispheres, for representing land b}- 100 the proportion of water in the north hcmi- 



L96] 



