306 GURRENTS IN THE GULF OF ST. LAWRENCE—FOX. 
or current, he is carried by it ahead of his reckoning, and after 
passing Cape Ray encounters the Belle Isle current, setting down 
to the southwest, or obliquely across his track, and before he is 
aware of the danger, his ship is stranded upon the southeast end 
of the Maedalen Islands, to the westward of her course, when, by 
his reckoning, he supposes himself to be many miles from them, 
Or should he be so fortunate as to steer far enough north to clear 
the Magdalens (by the same causes), he may find his ship on the 
south shore of Anticosti, where wrecks so frequently occur. 
To ships bound down the Galf they are equally fatal. After 
leaving the River St. Lawrence through the south channel, ana 
passing the southwest end of Anticosti, the ship’s course down the 
Gulf is southeast by east; the southwest current from the Straits 
of Belle Isle, crosses this course and combining with the River 
St. Lawrence current, setting southerly, carries the ship ahead of 
her reckoning, and again to the westward of her supposed posi- 
tion, upon the northeast end of the Magdalens. Between the 
years 1868 and 1880, six ships were wrecked in this region, and 
fifty-five seamen perished, through the influence of these currents. 
The ocean current which sets into the Gulf past Cape Race 
after passing the southeast end of the Magdalen Islands (as I 
have before observed) takes a northerly direction, and in thick 
weather is very dangerous to ships bound down the Gulf from 
New Brunswick Ports, these usually sail with a southwesterly 
wind, and after rounding the North Cape of Prince Edward Island 
shape a southeast by east course, so as to clear the south end of 
the Magdalens which (to use a nautical phrase) brings them sharp 
upon the wind on the starboard tack, consequently this northerly 
current runs obliquely to thei? course, and in light winds, not 
only retards their headway but sets them to leeward and on shore 
about the west end of the Magdalens, when the shipmaster by 
his reckoning judges himself to be at a safe distance to the west- 
ward of them. Between the years 1876, and 1881, four ships 
were stranded on the west end of those islands by the force of 
this current. 
The meteorology of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, has somewhat 
changed during the past fifty years. Fogs and changes in atmos- 
