GULLIVER. SHORELINE TOPOGRAPHY. 179 



south, which is in this case the right.* The right shore curve syste- 

 matically offsets the left along all the western coast of Denmark. 



Many examples of similar offsets are known along the coasts of the 

 world, and wherever the dominant current is known from observation 

 the offsets follow this law : The current flows from the outer 

 CURVE TOWARD THE INNER ONE. On account of the number of cases 

 ill which the offsets agree with the observed currents, it is pretty safe to 

 conclude when offsets occur systematically in one direction that the domi- 

 nant movement alongshore is in all probability from the curves which 

 offset toward tliose which are offset. 



Figure 7 shows typical overlaps. The right hand curve of the outer 

 shoreline la|)3 over the next succeeding curve of the outer shoreline. 

 A curve which overlaps the succeeding one generally offsets it as well, 

 though in places, as is shown in the lowest example in Figure 7, the 

 up-current curve may intersect the down-current one if extended far 

 enough. This occurs where the factors of alongshore transportation are 

 probably changing, and the down-current curve is really made up of two 

 curves, and the up-current curve offsets the down-current one in each 

 case. 



The overlap is an intermediate form between the offset and the 

 deflected stream. A graded series of examples might be given from 

 simple offset through various combinations of overlap to a case of stream 

 deflection without any offset. 



Along coasts which are formed of unconsolidated materials, it is fre- 

 quently observed that rivers, brooks, or tidal channels aim toward the 

 sea for a certain distance and then turn and run along nearly parallel to 

 the shoreline, and finally empty to the right or the left of the point which 

 would have been their direct course to the sea. The river's intention to 

 reach the sea as quickly as possible is evidently not carried out where 

 such deflection is seen. Some disturbing force has come in. There 

 seems little doubt that this force is the current alongshore, which has 

 turned the outlet of the stream. Such has been the explanation of 

 many authors, f Figure 8 shows the relation of current to deflection 

 of streams. 



Dominant Current. — There is probably wave movement in both direc- 

 tions along the shore at different times, and the form shows in which 



* H. Mohn, The North Ocean, Norwegian North Atlantic Expedition, 1876-78, 

 2, XVIII. 168, Plate XLIII. 



t De la Beche, Geological Notes, 1830, II. 11, Plate I. Fig. 3; Reclus, La Terre, 

 1870, I. 447 ; Sir A. Geikie, Textbook, 3d ed., 399. 



