92 On the use of the 



ftated but not attempted to be accounted for, except that 

 in confequence of fomc of thefe having obtained the 

 name of Molucca beans, they are fuppofed to have found 

 a way out of the North-Pacihc ocean, through the north- 

 weft pafTage, then fuppofed to exift. From that time 

 little if any notice was taken of thefe exotic produdtions, 

 till Mr. Pennant made his tour in the Hebrides in 1772, 

 when he mentions his receiving prefents of them.* 



That the exiftence of inch a current never occurred to 

 the inquifitive and penetrating mind of Mr. I'ennant is 

 a fufficient proof, that at the time no knowledge was 

 had of it, lie is content with fuppofmg thefe things to 

 be drifted upon the coafts by ftorms, and the prevail- 

 ing wefterly winds ; but you probably will hold with me 

 that they conftitute a Ifrong prefiunption, if not indubit- 

 able proof, of the exiflence of a regular current ; that 

 the courle of that current has been hitherto unnoticed ; 

 b\it that could it be afcertalned, much advantage would 

 accrue to navigation, by facilitating the voyages from 

 America, through the North-Atlantic, as well as prevent- 

 ing veffels returning by that track from ftemming that 

 current, as the Fair- American probably did in her courfe, 

 almoft the whole of the way to Newfoundland ; by fuch 

 knowledge voyages both ways might be materially fliort- 

 ened, as they now are by the like knowledge of the 

 courfe of the gulf-ftream in its eafterly and fouth-eafterly 

 progrefs towards the coafts of Europe and Africa. The 

 current in the North-Atlantic might be detefted through 

 the greateft part of the fpace which it runs by the atten- 

 tive ufe of the thermometer, until it has approximated 

 the ufual temperature of the fea in the northern latitudes ; 

 it might be thus probably afcertained to the fiftieth or 

 iifty-fifth degree of north latitude, as the courfe of the 



gulf- 



* Tour to the Hebrides in 1772, Chefter, printed in 1774, p. 232. 



