144 ARCII2E0L0GY OF THE UNITED STATES. 



position, but in an acute angle, and produce a belt of wind from east to west entirely 

 around the earth in the region of the equator. The continued action of this wind 

 on the surface of the water would evidently give rise to a current of the ocean in 

 the belt over which the wind passed. If, now, instead of considering the earth 

 entirely covered with water, we suppose the existence of two continents extending 

 from north to south, so as to form two separate oceans similar to the Atlantic and 

 Pacific, then the continuous current to the west we have described would be deflected 

 right and left at the western shore of each ocean, and would form four immense 

 whirlpools, viz : two in the Atlantic, one north and the other south of the equator, 

 and two in the Pacific similar in situation and direction of motion. The regularity 

 of the outline of these whirls will be disturbed by the configuration of the deflecting 

 coasts, the form of the bottom of the sea, as well as by islands and irregular winds. 

 Such is a very general view of the tendencies in the direction of motion of the 

 principal currents of the ocean. 



The great whirl in the north Atlantic, the western and northern portions of 

 which are known as the Gulf Stream, passes southward down the coast of Africa, 

 crosses the ocean in the region of the equator, is deflected from the northern portion 

 of South America and the coast of Mexico along the United States, and recrosses the 

 Atlantic to return into itself at the place where it started. A portion, however, of 

 this current, probably owing to the configuration of the bottom, passes off in a 

 tangent to the circumference of the great whirl, and flows northward along the 

 coast of Ireland and Norway. The great whirl of the south Atlantic may also be 

 considered as starting from the coast of Africa, crossing the Atlantic, passing down 

 the coast of Brazil, and again recrossing the ocean at the south to near the Cape of 

 Good Hope, and then returning to the place of original departure. 



In like manner, the primary currents of the north Pacific Ocean may be described 

 as an immense irregular whirl, the longer axis of which is in an easterly and 

 westerly direction. Starting from the west side of Central America, it passes along 

 the tropical region, across the ocean, then flows northerly past Japan, returns in 

 the vicinity of the Aleutian Islands, and down the coast of Oregon and California 

 to the place of starting. A similar, but perhaps less perfectly defined, current 

 may be traced in the south Pacific. 



The winds follow the same general law. Their prevailing direction, as we have 

 before stated, is from the east toward the west in a belt of several degrees in width 

 on either side of the equator, while in the northern and southern latitudes, between 

 40° and G0° the tendency of the wind is easterly. 



A slight consideration of the foregoing views of the currents and winds of the 

 ocean will render the fact evident, that bodies floating on the eastern shore of the 

 Atlantic, near the equator, will tend to move in a westerly direction towards the 

 American continent, and that bodies in higher northern and southern latitudes will 

 move in an easterly direction, towards the coasts of Europe and Africa; that in the 

 Pacific the currents near the equator tend to carry floating masses from the conti- 

 nent of America, and, in higher north and south latitudes, to bring them to its 

 shores. For example, if a body be cast into the axis of the Gulf Stream, it will 

 tend to move along the curve of the current towards the Cape De Verd Islands, or 



