MARITIME OBSERVATIONS. 315 
were ftemming a current, that was againft them to the 
value of three miles an hour; and advifed them to crofs 
it and get out of it; but they were too wife to be coun- 
felled: by fimple American filhermen. When the winds 
are but light, he added, they are carried back by the 
current more than they are forwarded by the wind: and 
if the wind be good, the fubtra€tion of 7o miles a day 
from their courfe is of fome importance. I then obferved 
that it was a pity no notice was taken of this current up- 
on the charts, and requefted him to mark it out for me, 
which he readily complied with, adding direCtions for a- 
voiding it in failing from Europe to North-America. I 
procured it to be engraved by order from the general poft- 
office, on the old chart of the Atlantic, at Mount and Page’s, 
Tower-hill ; and copies were fent down to Falmouth for 
the captains of the packets, who flighted it however ; but 
it is fince printed in France, of which edition I hereto an. 
nex a copy. 
This ftream is probably generated by the great accu- 
mulation.of water on the eaftern coaft of America between: 
the tropics, by the trade winds which conftantly blow 
there. It is known that a large piece of water ten miles 
broad and generally only three feet deep, has by a {trong 
wind had its waters driven to one fide and fuftained fo as 
to become fix feet deep, while the windward fide was laid 
dry. This may give fome idea of the quantity heaped up 
‘on the American coaft, and the reafon of its running down 
in a ftrong current through the iflands into the bay of 
Mexico, and from thence ifluing through the gulph of 
Florida, and proceeding along the coaft to the banks of 
Newfoundland, where it turns off towards and runs down 
through the Weftern iflands. Having fince croffed this 
ftream feveral times in pafling between America and Eu- 
rope, | have been attentive to fundry circumftances relat- 
ing to it, by which to know when one is in it; and be- 
fides the gulph weed with which it is interfperfed, I find 
that- 
