EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES. xlf 



liâtes at Cape St. Auguftin, and is oppofcd to the principal 

 Current, which dcfcends from the North. 



The other branch of the Current, which, in Summer 

 flows from our Pole, on the oppofite fide of our Hemi- 

 fphere, iflues through the pafTage called the North-Strait, 

 fituated between the mod eafterly extremity of Afia, and 

 the moft wefterly of America. It defcends into the South- 

 Sea, where it is re-unite4 to the firft branch, which thea 

 forms, as has been faid, the weflerly monfoon of that Sea. 

 Befides, this branch, which ifllies by the North-Strait, re- 

 -ceives much lefs of the icy effuiions than that of the At- 

 lantic Ocean, becaufe the deep bays which are at the 

 fources of that Ocean, and the contours of thefe fame 

 fources, which furround the Pole fpirally, receive, as we 

 have feen, the greateftpart of the icy efFufioas of the North 

 Pole, and pour them into the Atlantic Oceam 



The Ocean, accordingly, flows, twice a year round the 

 Globe, in oppofite fpiral direâions, taking it's departure 

 alternately from each Pole, and defcribes on the Earth, if 

 I may venture to fayfo, the fame courfe which the Sun 

 does in the Heavens. 



This Theory, I confidently afErm, is fo luminous, that, 

 by means of it, a multitude of difEculties may be refolved, 

 which involve m much obfcurity the journals of our Navi- 

 gators. Froger, for example, fays, that in Brafil the Cur- 

 rents come in confomuity to the diredion of the Sun ; that 

 is, they run northward, when he is in the northern figns of 

 the Zodiac, and fouthward, when he is in the fouthern 

 i)gns. It is impoinble, affuredly, to explain this verfatile 



elfecl. 



