238 STUDIES OF ïîATURE. 



We do not, then, find bays or gulfs at the ex- 

 tremities of the Currents of the Ocean ; but, on 

 the contrary, iflands. At the extremity of the 

 great eaftern Current of the Indian Ocean is placed 

 the Ifland of Madagafcar, which protedts Africa 

 againft it's violence. The iflands of the Terra-del- 

 Fuego defend, in like manner, the fouthern extre- 

 mity of America, at the confluence of the eaftern 

 and vveftern Currents of the South Seas. The nu- 

 merous archipelagos of the Indian Ocean and 

 South Sea are fituated about the Line, where the 

 two general Currents of the North and South Seas 

 meet. 



With Iflands, too, it is that Nature proteâis the 

 inlets of bays and mediterraneans. Great Britain 

 and Ireland cover that of the Baltic ; the iflands 

 of Welcom and Good-fortune cover Hudfon's- 

 Bay ; the ifland of St. Laurence protefls the en- 

 trance of the gulf which bears that name; the 

 chain of the Antilles, the gulf of Mexico; the 

 ifles of Japan, the double gulf formed by the pe- 

 ninfula of Goree with the country adjacent. AU 

 currents bear upon iflands. Moft of thefe are, for 

 this reafon, noted from their prodigious fwells, 

 and their gufts of wind : fuch are the Azores, 

 the Bermudas, the ifland of Triftan, of Acunhah, 

 &c. Not that they contain within themfelves the 



caufes 



